their guns, with muzzles almost touching—­at the same instant they each pull trigger, McAfee’s gun makes clear fire, the Indian’s flashes in the pan—­and he falls:  McAfee continues his retreat, but the alarm being given, he meets his brothers, Robert and James—­the first, though cautioned, ran along the path to see the dead Indian, by this time several Indians had gained the path between him and the fort.  All his agility and dexterity was now put to the test—­he flies from tree to tree, still aiming to get to the fort, but is pursued by an Indian; he throws himself over a fence, a hundred and fifty yards from the fort, and the Indian takes a tree—­Robert, sheltered by the fence, was soon prepared for him, and while he puts his face by the side of the tree to look for his object, McAfee fires his rifle at it, and lodged the ball in his mouth—­in this he finds his death, and McAfee escapes to the fort.”

In the mean time, James McAfee was in a situation of equal hazard and perplexity.  Five Indians, lying in ambush, fired at, but missed him; he flies to a tree for safety, and instantly received a fire from three or four Indians on the other side—­the bullets knock the dust about his feet, but do him no injury; he abandons the tree and makes good his retreat to the fort.  One white man and two Indians were killed.  Such were the incidents of Indian warfare—­and such the fortunate escape of the brothers.

Other events occurred in rapid succession—­the Indians appear in all directions, and with horrid yells and menacing gestures commence a fire on the fort.  It was returned with spirit; the women cast the bullets—­the men discharged them at the enemy.  This action lasted about two hours; the Indians then withdrew.  The firing had been heard, and the neighborhood roused for the fight.  Major McGary, with some of his men, and others from other stations, to the number of forty, appeared on the ground soon after the Indians had retreated, and determined on pursuing them.  This was accordingly done with promptitude and celerity.  At the distance of a mile the enemy were overtaken, attacked, and defeated, They fled—­were pursued for several miles—­and completely routed.  Six or seven Indians were seen dead, and others wounded.  One Kentuckian was killed in the action; another mortally wounded, who died after a few days.  Before the Indians entirely withdrew from the fort, they killed all the cattle they saw, without making any use of them.

From this time McAfee’s Station was never more attacked, although it remained for several years an exposed frontier.  Nor should the remark be omitted, that for the residue of the year, there were fewer incidents of a hostile nature than usual.

Fort Jefferson, which had been established on the Mississippi, about five miles below the mouth of the Ohio, had excited the jealousy of the Choctaws and Chickasaws, who claimed the territory in which it was built.  In order to appease them, it was deemed advisable to evacuate the post.