an's men, and the whole village
alarmed. The squaws and children were hurried into the woods, along a
path not yet occupied by the assailants, and the warriors collected in
a strong cabin.[19] Logan, being near enough to perceive every
movement of the enemy, ordered his men quietly to occupy the deserted
huts, as a momentary shelter from the Indian fires, until Col. Bowman
should march forward. It was now light; and the savages began a
regular discharge of shot at his men, as they advanced to the deserted
cabins. This determined him to move directly to the attack of the
cabin, in which the warriors were assembled; and ordering his men to
tear off the doors and hold them in front, as a shield, while
advancing to the assault, he was already marching on the foe, when he
was overtaken by an order from Col. Bowman, to retreat.

Confounded by this command, Capt. Logan was for a time reluctant to
obey it; a retreat was however, directed; and each individual,
sensible of his great exposure while retiring from the towns, sought
to escape from danger, in the manner directed by his own judgment; and
fled to the woods at his utmost speed. There they rallied, and
resumed more of order, though still too much terrified to stand a
contest, when the Indians sallied out to give battle. Intimidated by
the apprehension of danger, which they had not seen, [197] but
supposed to be great from the retreating order of Col. Bowman, they
continued to fly before the savages, led on by their chief, the Black
Fish. At length they were brought to a halt, and opened a brisk,
though inefficient fire, upon their pursuers. Protected by bushes, the
Indians maintained their ground, 'till Capts. Logan and Harrod, with
some of the men under their immediate command, mounted on pack horses,
charged them with great spirit, and dislodged them from their covert.
Exposed in turn to the fire of the whites, and seeing their chief
fall, the savages took to flight, and Col. Bowman continued his
retreat homeward, free from farther interruption.[20]

In this illy conducted expedition, Col. Bowman had nine of his men
killed and one wounded. The Indian loss was no doubt less: only two or
three were known to be killed. Had the commanding officer, instead of
ordering a retreat when Logan's men were rushing bravely to the
conflict, marched with the right wing of the army to their aid, far
different would have been the result. The enemy, only thirty strong,
could not long h