them and without firing a shot; nor was this strange, for
it must be recollected that the hostile feeling to the garrison
had not been shared by all the Pottowatomies, especially by the
chiefs and more elderly warriors.

Before the determined advance of the gallant little band the Indians
gave way, until they had retired again nearly as far as their own
encampment, but the ranks were fast thinning by the distant fire
of the enemy, whom it was found impossible to reach with the bayonet.

"This will never do," thundered Capt. Headley; "halt! form square!"

The order was speedily obeyed; but on hearing firing behind and
looking round for his wife and Mrs. Elmsley, to place them in the
centre, Captain Headley saw that a great number of the Indians whom
they had driven before them had turned aside and reunited behind--thus
cutting them off from their party. It has already been observed
that the horse Mrs. Headley rode was a magnificent animal, docile
yet full of life and spirit, and the excitement and sound of battle
had, on this occasion, given to him an animation--a-grace, if it
may be so expressed, which, rendered even more remarkable by the
superb figure of his rider, excited in several of the Indians a
strong desire to get possession of him uninjured. Her own scalp
they were burning with eagerness to secure; for from the first
moment of the charge down the hill, she had used her little rifle
so successfully that of three Indians hit by her two had been
killed, and they had evinced their deep exasperation. The anxiety
to extricate herself, without the horse being wounded, in all
probability saved her; for they fired so high that almost all the
bullets passed over her head, although not less than seven did
reach their aim--one of them lodging in her left arm. The Indians
were now pressing more closely upon her, when Captain Wells, seeing
the danger to which the noble woman was exposed, dashed back at
the head of his brave horsemen, and used the tomahawk with such
effect without the enemy being able to guard themselves against
the rapidity of his movements, that he soon cleared a passage to
her, cleft the skull of a Pottowatomie who had reached her side,
and was in the very act of removing her riding hat to scalp her
alive, and lifting her off her horse, covered with wounds and faint
from loss of blood, bore her rapidly down towards the lake. As he
approached it, he met Winnebeg and Black Partridge returning to
the sc