leman, who lived with him,
got up, shelled some corn, and giving a few ears to Cottrial's
nephew with directions to feed the pigs around [207] the yard, went to
the hand mill in an out house, and commenced grinding. The little boy,
being squatted down shelling the corn to the pigs, found himself
suddenly drawn on his back and an Indian standing over him, ordering
him to lie there. The savage then turned toward the house in which
Coleman was, fired, and as Coleman fell ran up to scalp him.
Thinking this a favorable time for him to reach the dwelling house,
the little boy sprang to his feet, and running to the door, it was
opened and he admitted. Scarcely was it closed after him, when one
of the Indians with his tomahawk endeavored to break it open.
Cottrail fired through the door at him, and he went off. In order to
see if others were about, and to have a better opportunity of shooting
with effect, Cottrail ascended the loft, and looking through a crevice
saw them hastening away through the field and at too great distance
for him to shoot with the expectation of injuring them. Yet he
continued to fire and halloo; to give notice of danger to those who
lived near him.

The severity of the following winter put a momentary stop to savage
inroad, and gave to the inhabitants on the frontier an interval of
quiet and repose extremely desirable to them, after the dangers and
confinement of the preceding season. Hostilities were however, resumed
upon the first appearance of spring, and acts of murder and
devastation, which had, of necessity, been suspended for a time, were
begun to be committed, with a firm determination on the part of the
savages, utterly to exterminate the inhabitants of the western
country. To effect this object, an expedition was concerted between
the British commandant at Detroit and the Indian Chiefs north west of
the Ohio to be carried on by their united forces against Kentucky,
while an Indian army alone, was to penetrate North Western Virginia,
and spread desolation over its surface. No means which could avail to
ensure success and which lay within their reach, were left unemployed.
The army destined to operate against Kentucky, was to consist of six
hundred Indians and Canadians, to be commanded by Col. Byrd (a British
officer) and furnished with every implement of destruction, from the
war club of the savages, to the cannon of their allies.[2] Happily for
North Western Virginia, its situation exempted