y and another pause. With reckless bravery the
soldiers pressed across the narrow way and rushed to the
spot where the musket-flashes were seen. They won the
height, but not an Indian was there. The musket-flashes
continued and war-whoops sounded from new shelters. The
bateaux drew up alongside the bridge, and the dead and
wounded were taken on board to be carried to the fort.
It was useless to attempt to drive the shifty savages
from their lairs, and so the retreat was sounded. Captain
Grant, in charge of the rear company, led his men back
across the bridge while Dalyell covered the retreat; and
now the fight took on a new aspect. As the soldiers
retreated along the road leading to the fort, a destructive
fire poured upon them from houses and barns, from behind
fences, and from a newly dug cellar. With the river on
their left, and with the enemy before and behind as well
as on their sight, they were in danger of being annihilated.
Grant ordered his men to fix bayonets: a dash was made
where the savages were thickest, and they were scattered.
As the fire was renewed panic seized the troops. But
Dalyell came up from the rear, and with shouts and threats
and flat of sword restored order. Day was breaking; but
a thick fog hung over the scene, under cover of which
the Indians continued the attack. The house of Jacques
Campau, a trader, sheltered a number of Indians who were
doing most destructive work. Rogers and a party of his
Rangers attacked the house, and, pounding in the doors,
drove out their assailants. From Campau's house Rogers
covered the retreat of Grant's company, but was himself
in turn besieged. By this time the armed bateaux, which
had borne the dead and wounded to the fort, had returned,
and, opening fire with their swivels on the Indians
attacking Rogers, drove them off; the Rangers joined
Grant's company, and all retreated for the fort. The
shattered remnant of Dalyell's confident forces arrived
at Fort Detroit at eight in the morning, after six hours
of marching and desperate battle, exhausted and crestfallen.
Dalyell had been slain--an irreparable loss. The casualty
list was twenty killed and forty-two wounded. The Indians
had suffered but slightly. However, they gained but little
permanent advantage from the victory, as the fort had
still about three hundred effective men, with ample
provisions and ammunition, and could defy assault and
withstand a protracted siege.

In this fight Chippewas and