y
about his head, gave to him a most hideous aspect. On entering the
room, this infernal monster, aimed a blow with his tomahawk at a Miss
Reece, which alighting on her head, wounded her severely. The mother
of this girl, seeing the uplifted arm about to descend on her
daughter, seized the monster by the horns; but his false head coming
readily off, she did not succeed in changing the direction of the
weapon. The father then caught hold of him; but far inferior in
strength and agility, he was soon thrown on the floor, and must have
been killed, but for the timely interference of Cunningham. Having
[175] succeeded in ridding the room of one Indian, he wheeled, and
sunk a tomahawk into the head of the other.

During all this time the door was kept by the women, tho' not without
great exertion. The Indians from without endeavored several times to
force it open and gain admittance; and would at one time have
succeeded, but that, as it was yielding to their effort to open it,
the Indian, who had been wounded by Cunningham and his wife, squeezing
out at the aperture which had been made, caused a momentary relaxation
of the exertions of those without, and enabled the women again to
close it, and prevent the entrance of others.--These were not however,
unemployed. They were engaged in securing such of the children in the
yard, as were capable of being carried away as prisoners, and in
killing and scalping the others; and when they had effected this,
despairing of being able to do farther mischief, they retreated to
their towns.

Of the whites in the house, one only was killed and four were wounded;
and seven or eight children in the yard, were killed or taken
prisoners. One Indian was killed, and two badly wounded. Had Reece
engaged sooner in the conflict, the other two who had entered the
house, would no doubt have been likewise killed; but being a quaker,
he looked on, without participating in the conflict, until his
daughter was wounded. Having then to contend singly, with superior
prowess, he was indebted for the preservation of his life, to the
assistance of those whom he refused to aid in pressing need.

On the eleventh of April, some Indians visited the house of Wm.
Morgan, at the Dunkard bottom of Cheat river. They there killed a
young man by the name of Brain, Mrs. Morgan, (the mother of
William) and her grand daughter, and Mrs. Dillon and her two
children; and took Mrs. Morgan (the wife) and her child prisoners.