dvantage of this, and sent a white flag to the fort with
false information, declaring that the relief-party had been
annihilated, that Burgoyne had reached and captured Albany,
and that, unless the fort was surrendered, he could not much
longer restrain the Indians from devastating the valley
settlements with fire and tomahawk.

This story Gansevoort did not half believe, and answered
the messenger with words of severe reprobation for his
threat of an Indian foray.

"After you get out of this fort," he concluded, "you may
turn around and look at its outside, but never expect to
come in again, unless as a prisoner. Before I would consent
to deliver this garrison to such a murdering set as your
army, by your own account, consists of, I would suffer my
body to be filled with splinters and set on fire, as you
know has at times been practised by such hordes of women-and
children-killers as belong to your army."

After such a message there was no longer question of
surrender, and the siege was strongly pushed. The enemy,
finding that their guns had little effect on the sod-work of
the fort, began a series of approaches by sapping and
mining. Colonel Gansevoort, on his part, took an important
step. Fearing that his stock of food and ammunition might
give out, he determined to send a message to General
Schuyler, asking for succor.

Colonel Willet volunteered for this service, Lieutenant
Stockwell joining him. The night chosen was a dark and
stormy one. Shower followed shower. The sentinels of the
enemy were not likely to be on the alert. Leaving the fort
at the sally-port at ten o'clock, the two messengers crept
on hands and knees along a morass till they reached the
river. This they crossed on a log, and entered a dense wood
which lay beyond. No sentinel had seen them. But they lost
their way in the darkness, and straggled on blindly until
the barking of a dog told them that they were near an Indian
camp.

Progress was now dangerous. Advance or retreat alike might
throw them into the hands of the savage foe. For several
hours they stood still, in a most annoying and perilous
situation. The night passed; dawn was at hand; fortunately
now the clouds broke the morning-star shone in the east, and
with this as a guide they resumed their journey. Their
expedition was still a dangerous one. The enemy might strike
their trail in the morning light. To break this they now and
then walked in the bed of a stream. They had set