t the remainder, in various directions and by various
artifices, succeeded in making their escape. A few reached the fort in
a roundabout manner; but the main body of them returned to Lexington;
where, had the savages followed them, they would have found an easy
conquest. Fortunately for the whites, however, the red men were not
so inclined; and pursuing them a few hundred yards only, the latter
abandoned the chase as hopeless.

One of the most active and ferocious on the part of the Indians during
this skirmish, which lasted nearly an hour, was Simon Girty. Enraged to
madness at the failure of his stratagem in the morning, he gnashed his
teeth and rushed after the fugitives, with all the fury depicted on his
countenance of a demon let loose from the infernal regions of Pluto. Two
with his own hand he sent to their last account; and was in hot pursuit
of a third--a handsome, active youth--who, being hard pressed, turned
round, and raising his rifle to his shoulder, with a scornful smile upon
his face, bitterly exclaimed, as he discharged it:

"Take that, you ---- renegade, and see how it'll digest!"

As he fired, Girty fell, and perceiving this, the Indians, with a yell
of despair, instantly gathered round him, while the man effected his
escape. This closed the exciting contest of the cornfield--which had
been witnessed throughout from the station with feelings better imagined
than described--but, unfortunately for humanity, did not end the career
of Girty; for the ball had taken effect in his shot pouch instead of his
body; and though wounded, his case was in no wise critical; and he was
soon able to take his place at the council fire, to deliberate upon what
further should be done.[22]

The council alluded to, lasted some two or three hours. The Indians were
disheartened at their loss in the morning, and the failure of all their
stratagems, even to cutting off the reinforcements of the enemy. They
were sufficiently convinced they could not carry the fort by storm; and
they also believed it unsafe to longer remain where they were; as the
alarm of their presence had spread far and wide, and there was no
telling at what moment a force equal to their own might be brought
against them; therefore, they were now anxious to abandon the siege and
return home. Girty, however, was by no means satisfied with the turn
matters had taken. He had with great difficulty and masterly persuasion
succeeded in getting them to unite and