would be under cover. No sooner was the order given to fire
than we began blazing away. The enemy, little expecting the reception
they met with, had fancied they could get close up to the foot of the
stockade, and climb over without opposition.

Our men had been ordered not to throw a shot away. They fully carried
out their instructions. At the very first discharge fully a dozen
Indians were either killed or wounded. Staggered by this warm reception
they halted, when again their chiefs cried out to them to advance, which
they did after discharging a shower of bullets and arrows. The former
came pinging against the thick posts which formed the stockade; the
latter flew over our heads and fell into the fort, without, however,
injuring any one. Half of the garrison only had fired; the remainder at
once took their places, while the first party reloaded. We were thus
able to keep up a successive fusillade, which evidently greatly
astonished our foes. Still they continued to assail us with their
missiles, both from fire-arms and bows; and with remarkable courage they
again rushed on to the assault. We let them approach until they were
close up to the stockade, when we once more opened so withering a fire
that few made the attempt to climb up, and those who did quickly dropped
down, either with cloven heads or hands well-nigh chopped off. The
whole force, apparently seeing that they had no chance of getting into
the fort, hurriedly retreated, dragging away, as they did so, the bodies
of the slain.

Our men cheered, under the belief that we had won the victory; but the
Indians, though they had abandoned the assault for the moment, did not
consider themselves defeated, and halting as soon as they had got beyond
the range of our rifles, once more faced about. From their costumes and
wild appearance Captain Norton declared that they were not Seminoles,
but probably some of the allies who had, it was said, lately joined the
rebels from the north. Such, certainly, were the chiefs on horseback;
who now, having again arranged their men, and encouraged them to renewed
exertions, dashed on towards us at full speed, waving their lances and
shrieking at the top of their voices.

"Let them play that trick as long as they like," cried the captain.
"Wait until some of them get near enough, then bring down their horses.
It will require a good shot to kill the riders; but if their steeds
fall, we can easily capture them, and the