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ATTACK ON RICE'S FORT.

CHAPTER IX.

ATTACK ON RICE'S FORT.

This Fort consisted of some cabins and a small block-house, and was, in dangerous times, the residence and place of refuge for twelve families of its immediate neighborhood. It was situated on Buffalo Creek, about twelve or fifteen miles from its junction with the Ohio River.

Previous to the attack on this Fort, which took place in the month of September, 1782, several of the men belonging to the Fort had gone to Hagerstown, to exchange their peltry and furs for salt, iron and ammunition, as was the usual custom of those times. They had gone on this journey somewhat earlier that season than usual, because there had been a still time, that is, no recent alarms of the Indians.

A few days before the attack on this Fort, about three hundred Indians had made their last attack on Wheeling Fort. On the third night of the investment of Wheeling, the Indian chiefs held a council, in which it was determined that the siege of Wheeling should be raised, two hundred of the warriors return home, and the remaining hundred of picked men make a dash into the country and strike a heavy blow somewhere before their return. It was their determination to take a Fort somewhere and massacre all its people, in revenge for their defeat at Wheeling.

News of the plan adopted by the Indians, was give by two white men, who had been made prisoners when lads, raised among the Indians and taken to war with them. These men deserted from them soon after their council at the close of the seige of Wheeling. The notice was indeed but short, but it reached Rice's Fort about half an hour before the commencement of the attack. The intelligence was brought by Mr. Jacob Miller, who received it at Dr. Moore's in the neighborhood of Washington. Making all speed home he fortunately arrived in time to assist in the defense of the place. On receiving this news, the people of the Fort felt assured that the blow was intended for them, and in this conjecture they were not mistaken. But little time was allowed them for preparation.

The Indians had surrounded the place before they were discovered; but they were still at some distance. When discovered, the alarm was given, on which every man ran {typo corrected} to his cabin for his gun,