which to subsist while travelling to their
towns. In the morning, still farther to maintain the deception he was
practising, he broke his furniture to pieces, saying "the rebels shall
never have the good of you." He then accompanied them to their towns,
acting in the same, apparently, contented and cheerful manner, 'till
his sincerity was believed by all, and he obtained leave to return for
his family. He succeeded in making his way home, where he remained,
sore at the destruction of his property, but exulting in the success
of his artifice.

While this party of Indians were thus engaged, on Booth's creek and in
the circumjacent country, a more numerous body had invaded the
settlements lower down, and were employed in the work of destruction
there. They penetrated to Coburn's creek unperceived, and were making
their way (as was generally supposed) to a fort not far from
Morgantown, when they fell in with a party of whites, returning from
the labors of the cornfield, and then about a mile from Coburn's fort.
The Indians had placed themselves on each side of the road leading to
the fort, and from their covert fired on the whites, before they were
aware of danger. John Woodfin being on horseback, had his thigh broken
by a ball; which killed his horse and enabled them to catch him
easily.--Jacob Miller was shot through the abdomen, and soon
overtaken, tomahawked and scalped.--The others escaped to the fort.

Woodfin was afterwards found on a considerable eminence overlooking the
fort, tomahawked and scalped. The Indians had, most probably, taken him
there, that he might point out to them the least impregnable part of
the fortress, and in other respects give them such information, as
would tend to ensure success to their meditated attack on it; but when
they heard its strength and the force with which it was garrisoned,
despairing of being able to reduce it, in a fit of disappointed
fury, they murdered him on the spot.

[183] They next made their appearance on Dunkard creek, and near to
Stradler's fort. Here, as on Coburn's creek, they lay in ambush on the
road side, awaiting the return of the men who were engaged at work, in
some of the neighboring fields. Towards evening the men came on,
carrying with them some hogs which they had killed for the use of the
fort people, and on approaching where the Indians lay concealed, were
fired on and several fell. Those who escaped injury from the first
fire, returned the shot, and