e were in it only five men; the others having gone to Hagerstown
to exchange their peltries, for salt, iron and ammunition. They
immediately set about making preparations to withstand an assault; and
in a little while, seeing the savages approaching from every
direction, forsook the cabins and repaired to the blockhouse. The
Indians perceived that they were discovered, and thinking to take the
station by storm, shouted forth the war whoop and rushed to the
assault. They were answered by the fire of the six brave and skilful
riflemen in the house, and forced to take refuge behind trees and
fallen timber. Still they continued the firing; occasionally calling
on the whites to "_give up, give up. Indian too many. Indian too big.
Give up. Indian no kill._" The men had more faith in the efficacy of
their guns to purchase their safety, than in the preferred mercy of
the savages; and instead of complying with their demand, called on
them, "as cowards skulking behind logs to leave their coverts, and
shew but their yellow hides, and they would make holes in them."

The firing was kept up by the savages from their protected situation,
until night, and whenever even a remote prospect of galling them was
presented to the whites, they did not fail to avail themselves of it.
The Indian shots in the evening, were directed principally against the
stock as it came up as usual to the station, and the field was strewed
with its dead carcases. About ten o'clock of the night they fired a
large barn (thirty or forty yards from the blockhouse) filled with
grain and hay, and the flames from which seemed for awhile to endanger
the fort; but being situated on higher ground, and the current of air
flowing in a contrary direction, it escaped conflagration. Collecting
on the side of the fort opposite [267] to the fire, the Indians took
advantage of the light it afforded them to renew the attack; and kept
it up until about two o'clock, when they departed. Their ascertained
loss was four warriors,--three of whom were killed by the first firing
of the whites,--the other about sundown. George Folebaum was the only
white who suffered. Early in the attack, he was shot in the forehead,
through a port-hole, and instantly expired; leaving Jacob Miller,
George Leffler, Peter Fullenwieder, Daniel Rice and Jacob Leffler,
junior, sole defenders of the fort; and bravely and effectually did
they preserve it, from the furious assaults of one hundred chosen
savage w