their pieces as
rapidly as it was possible to reload them, making a great din even though
the execution was slight.

Then it was that Sergeant Corney hit upon the meaning of this odd move.
Without a word he leaped down from the wall where he had been stationed,
running swiftly toward the unfinished portion of the fortification, and
was gone no more than three or four minutes when he returned with more
show of excitement than I had ever known him to exhibit.

"Yonder Britishers and renegades are but holding our attention in order to
give Thayendanega's wolves a chance to scale the stockade," he said,
hurriedly. "The force there is all too small. I will take half of the
company, at risk of disobeying orders, to that point, while you go with
all speed and tell the commandant what I have learned."

I understood the situation without further explanation, and, realizing the
necessity for haste, went as rapidly as my legs would carry me to the
northeast bastion, where I had last seen Colonel Gansevoort.

Fortunately for my purpose he was still there, giving directions as to the
firing of the guns, and in a twinkling I had acquainted him with the
situation as described by Sergeant Corney, at the same time explaining
that half the Minute Boys had been withdrawn from near the sally-port.

"The sergeant has done well," the commandant replied. "Ten of your number
should be more than sufficient there, if matters are as they seem. Tell
Sergeant Braun I will join him as soon as possible."

Then I ran with all speed to my company, and, explaining to John Sammons
my purpose, took with me half the number remaining under his command.
With this small force I set off at full speed, and we arrived none too
soon at the place where the most desperate fighting was going on.

At the beginning of the action no more than forty men had been stationed
in the "horn-works," and it seemed to me as if the entire stockaded
portion was surrounded by a dancing horde of howling, maddened Indians,
who, bringing with them tree-trunks or stout branches, were throwing up
such a heap of odds and ends as admitted of their gaining the top of the
logs despite the fire which our people were pouring upon them.

It must be set down here that there were no cannon in this unfinished
portion of the fortification. The so-called rebellion against the king had
broken out before this very necessary adjunct to the strength of the fort
could be completed, and, consequen