a severe action ensued. But so many of
the whites had been killed before the savages exposed themselves to
view, that the remainder were unable long to sustain the unequal
contest. Overpowered by numbers, the few, who were still unhurt, fled
precipitately to the fort, leaving eighteen of their companions dead
in the road. These were scalped and mangled by the Indians in a most
shocking manner, and lay some time, before the men in the fort,
assured of the departure of the enemy, went out and buried them.

Weakened by the severe loss sustained in this bloody skirmish, had the
Indians pushed forward to attack the fort, in all human probability,
it would have fallen before them. There were at that day very few
settlements which could have maintained possession of a garrison for
any length of time, after having suffered so great a diminution of
the number of their inhabitants, against the onsets of one hundred
savages, exercising their wonted energy: and still less would they be
able to leave their strong holds, and cope with such superior force,
in open battle. Nor were the settlements, as yet, sufficiently
contiguous to each other, to admit of their acting in concert, and
combining their strength, to operate effectively against their
invaders. When alarmed by the approach of the foe, all that they could
generally do, was, retire to a fort, and endeavor to defend it from
assault. If the savages, coming in numbers, succeeded in committing
any outrage, it usually went unpunished. Sensible of their want of
strength, the inhabitants rarely ventured in pursuit, to harrass or
molest the retiring foe. When, however, they would hazard to hang on
their retreat, the many precautions which they were compelled to
exercise, to prevent falling into ambuscades and to escape the
entangling artifices of their wily enemies, frequently rendered their
enterprises abortive, and their exertions inefficient.

[184] The frequent visits paid by the Indians to the country on the
West Fork, and the mischief which they would effect at these times,
led several of the inhabitants to resolve on leaving a place so full
of dangers, as soon as they could make the necessary preparations. A
family of Washburns particularly, having several times very narrowly
escaped destruction, commenced making arrangements and fitting up for
their departure. But while two of them were engaged in procuring pine
knots, from which to make wax for shoemaking, they were discove