h the assailants, was entertained. All
that was expected was, to throw succours into the fort, and thus
enable the garrison the more successfully to repel assaults, and
preserve it from the violence of the Indian onsets. For this
purpose, Col. Swearingen left Holliday's with fourteen men, who
nobly volunteered to accompany him in this hazardous enterprise,
to the regret of those who remained, from an apprehension that thus
weakened, if Holliday's fort were attacked it must fall easily into
the hands of the enemy. These men got into a large _continental
canoe_, and plied their paddles industriously, to arrive in time
to be of service to the besieged. But the night being dark, and a
dense fog hanging over the river, they toiled to great disadvantage,
frequently coming in contact with the banks; until [165] at length it
was thought advisable to cease rowing and float with the current,
lest they might, unknowingly, pass Wheeling, and at the appearance
of day be obliged to contend with the force of the stream, to regain
that point. Floating slowly, they at length descried the light which
proceeded from the burning of the houses at Wheeling, and with all
their exertion could not then attain their destination before the
return of day. Could they have realized their expectation of
arriving before day, they might from, the river bank, in the
darkness of the night, have gained admission into the fort; but
being frustrated in this, they landed some of the men near above
Wheeling, to reconnoiter and ascertain the situation of things: it
being doubtful to them, from the smoke and fog, whether the fort
and all, were not a heap of ruins. Col. Swearingen, Cap. Bilderbock
and William Boshears, volunteered for this service, and proceeding
cautiously soon reached the fort.

When arrived there, it was still questionable whether the Indians had
abandoned the attack, or were only lying concealed in the cornfield,
in order to fall on any, who might come out from the fort, under the
impression that danger was removed from them. Fearing that the latter
was the case, it was thought prudent, not to give the preconcerted
signal for the remainder of Col. Swearingen's party to come on, lest
it might excite the Indians to greater vigilance and they intercept
the men on their way to the fort. To obviate the difficulty arising
from this apprehension, Col. Swearingen, Capt. Bilderbock and William
Boshears, taking a circuitous route to avoid passing nea