er,
would not consent to remain there himself, but taking with him those
of the frontiers men who were in company, retired some distance from
the fires, and spent the night. Before it was yet light, Lynn, being
awake, thought he heard such a noise, as would be probably produced by
the launching of rafts on the river, above the position occupied by
Capt. Foreman. In the morning he communicated his suspicion that an
Indian force was near them, and advised the Captain to return to
Wheeling along the hill sides and avoid the bottoms. His advice was
rejected; but Lynn, with the caution of one used to such a condition
of things, prudently kept on the hill side with four others, while
they, who belonged to the command of Capt. Foreman, continued along
the level at the base of the hill.

In marching along the Grave creek narrows, one of the soldiers saw a
parcel of Indian ornaments lying in the path; and picking them up,
soon drew around him the greater part of the company. While thus
crowded together inspecting the trinkets, a galling fire was opened on
them by a party of Indians who lay in ambush, and which threw them
into great confusion. The fire was continued with deadly effect, for
some minutes; and must eventually have caused the loss of the whole
party, but that Lynn, with his few comrades rushed from the hill
discharging their guns, and shouting so boisterously, as induced the
Indians to believe that a reinforcement was at hand, and they
precipitately retreated.

In this fatal ambuscade there were twenty-one of Captain Foreman's
party killed, and several much wounded; among the slain were the
Captain and his two sons.

It appeared that the Indians had dropped their ornaments, purposely to
attract the attention of the whites; while they themselves were lying
concealed in two parties; the one to the right of the path, in a
sink-hole on the bottom, and the other to the left, under covert of
the river bank. From these advantageous positions, they [167] fired
securely on our men; while they were altogether exempt from danger
'till the party in the sink hole was descried by Lynn. His firing was
not known to have taken effect; but to his good conduct is justly
attributable the saving of the remnant of the detachment. The Indian
force was never ascertained. It was supposed to have been small; not
exceeding twenty warriors.

On the ensuing day, the inhabitants of the neighborhood of Wheeling
under the direction and guidan