resist invasion.

The party then sent into Greenbrier consisted of twenty-two [211]
warriors, and committed their first act of atrocity near the house of
Lawrence Drinnan, a few miles above the Little Levels. Henry Baker and
Richard Hill, who were then staying there, going early in the morning
to the river to wash, were shot at by them: Baker was killed, but Hill
escaped back to the house. When the Indians fired at Baker, he was
near a fence between the river and Drinnan's and within gunshot of the
latter place. Fearing to cross the fence for the purpose of scalping
him, they prized it up, and with a pole fastening a noose around his
neck, drew him down the river bank & scalped and left him there.

Apprehensive of an attack on the house, Mr. Drinnan made such
preparations as were in his power to repel them, and despatched a
servant to the Little Levels, with the intelligence and to procure
assistance. He presently returned with twenty men, who remained there
during the night, but in the morning, seeing nothing to contradict the
belief that the Indians had departed, they buried Baker, and set out
on their return to the Levels, taking with them all who were at
Drinnan's and the most of his property. Arrived at the fork of the
road, a question arose whether they should take the main route,
leading through a gap which was deemed a favorable situation for an
ambuscade, or continue on the farther but more open and secure way. A
majority preferred the latter; but two young men, by the name of
Bridger, separated from the others, and travelling on the nearer path,
were both killed at the place, where it was feared danger might be
lurking.

The Indians next proceeded to the house of Hugh McIver, where they
succeeded in killing its owner, and in making prisoner his wife; and
in going from thence, met with John Prior, who with his wife and
infant were on their way to the country on the south side of the Big
Kenawha. Prior was shot through the breast, but anxious for the fate
of his wife and child, stood still, 'till one of the Indians came up
and laid hold on him. Notwithstanding the severe wound which he had
received, Prior proved too strong for his opponent, and the other
Indians not interfering, forced him at length to disengage himself
from the struggle. Prior, then seeing that no violence was offered to
Mrs. Prior or the infant, walked off without any attempt being made to
stop, or otherwise molest him: the Indians no doub