eposed for security from savage enormity,
had been unfortunately discovered by some Indians near the mouth of
Cane run, and killed.--His death caused most of those who had come to
that place from North Carolina, to forsake the station, and return to
their own country. Emigrants from Virginia, arriving some short time
before, and among whom was Robert Johnson, (the father of Richard M.
Johnson) to a certain extent supplied this desertion; yet it was in
respect to numbers so far inferior to the savage forces, that the most
resolute shuddered in apprehension of the result.

The station too, was at that time, careless and inattentive to its own
defence; not anticipating the appearance of a savage army before its
gates. Indeed had the Indians delayed their attack a few hours, it
would have been in almost an entirely defenceless condition; as the
men were on that morning to have left it, for the purpose of aiding in
the defence of another station, which was then understood to be
assailed by an army of Indians. Fortunately however, for the
inhabitants, as soon as the doors of some of the cabins were opened in
the morning, the savages commenced the fire, and thus admonished them
of danger, while it was not yet too late to provide against it.

The Indians in the attack on Bryant's station practised their
usual stratagem, to ensure their success. It was begun on the
south-east angle of the station, by one hundred warriors, while the
remaining five hundred were concealed in the woods on the opposite
side, ready to take advantage of its unprotected situation when, as
they anticipated, the garrison would concentrate its strength, to
resist the assault on the south-east. But their purpose was fully
comprehended by the garrison, and instead of returning the fire of the
one hundred, they secretly sent an express to Lexington for
assistance, and commenced repairing the pallisades, and putting
themselves in the best possible condition to withstand the fury of
the assailants. Aware that the Indians were posted near the
spring, and believing that they would not fire unless some of the
men should be seen going thither, the women [258] were sent to bring
in water for the use of the garrison. The event justified their
expectations--The concealed Indians, still farther to strengthen the
belief, that their whole force were engaged in the attack on the
south-east, forbore to fire, or otherwise contradict the impression
which they had studiousl