On the eighth day, the enemy’s force marched up, with British colors flying, and invested the place.  The Indian army was commanded by Captain Duquesne, with eleven other Canadian Frenchmen and several distinguished chiefs, and was the most formidable force which had yet invaded the settlements.  The commander summoned the garrison to surrender “in the name of his Britannic Majesty.”

Boone and his men, perilous as was their situation, received the summons without apparent alarm, and requested a couple of days for the consideration of what should be done.  This was granted; and Boone summoned his brave companions to council:  but fifty men appeared!  Yet these fifty, after a due consideration of the terms of capitulation proposed, and with the knowledge that they were surrounded by savage and remorseless enemies to the number of about five hundred, determined, unanimously, to “defend the fort as long as a man of them lived!”

The two days having expired, Boone announced this determination from one of the bastions, and thanked the British commander for the notice given of his intended attack, and the time allowed the garrison for preparing to defend the Station.  This reply to his summons was entirely unexpected by Duquesne, and he heard it with evident disappointment.  Other terms were immediately proposed by him, which “sounded so gratefully in the ears” of the garrison that Boone agreed to treat; and, with eight of his companions, left the fort for this purpose.  It was soon manifest, however, by the conduct of the Indians, that a snare had been laid for them; and escaping from their wily foes by a sudden effort, they re-entered the palisades, closed the gates, and betook themselves to the bastions.

A hot attack upon the fort now instantly commenced; but the fire of the Indians was returned from the garrison with such unexpected briskness and fatal precision that the besiegers were compelled to fall back.  They then sheltered themselves behind the nearest trees and stumps, and continued the attack with more caution.  Losing a number of men himself, and perceiving no falling off in the strength or the marksmanship of the garrison, Duquesne resorted to an expedient which promised greater success.

The fort stood upon the bank of the river, about sixty yards from its margin; and the purpose of the commander of the Indians was to undermine this, and blow up the garrison.  Duquesne was pushing the mine under the fort with energy when his operations were discovered by the besieged.  The miners precipitated the earth which they excavated into the river; and Boone, perceiving that the water was muddy below the fort, while it was clear above, instantly divined the cause, and at once ordered a deep trench to be cut inside the fort, to counteract the work of the enemy.