The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1893-07-29

Capt. Grant was stationed. The shots
came from the house of Meloche, Cana
dian, and the surrounding orchards, where
large force of Indians had stationed
themselves Grantinstantly charged them,
driving them at the point of the bayonet
from the orchard and from the house, where
they found two Canadians who informed
him that the Indians had gone in large
numbers to occupy the houses below, from
which they intended to cut off their retreat.
The only hope of the English was in in
slant retreat. The men were collected in
marching order and the perilous movement
began, Grant leading and Dalzell bringing
up the rear. Numbers of Indians logged
them, but when their fire became too gall
ing. the soldiers would wheel and return
it. In this manner they had proceeded for
over half mile, when they came abreast
of number of barns protected by strong
pickets There were passed in safety by
the advance guard, but when the center
and rear came up loud and savage yells
greeted them and murderous fire was
poured into their midst The men, dis
mayed, shrank back, and had it not been
for Dalzell would have broke and fed.
Though severely wounded himself, he ex-
horted his men to stand firm. His brave
and persistent efforts partially restored the
men to their senses, when the fire was re-
turned with considerable effect. Daybreak
was now approaching and the incessant re-
port of hundreds of rifles, together with
the deafening yelIs of the Infatuated saw
ages. so drowned the voices Of the leaders
that their commands could not be heard.
The soldiers read their orders only in the
excited faces and frantic gestures. One
of the houses close by had been filed by
the savage foe and from its windows scores
of fatal rifles were continually ringing.
Major Rogers, at the head of his detach-
ment of rangers, charged the house, split
open the door with an axe and burst in
among them like thunderbolt. The
enemy fed in every direction as the mad
dened rangers rushed in. AT the same
time Captain Gray charged number that
were firing iron, behind fences. Here the
English were again successful, but the gal
liant Gray fell MORALLY wounded in the
charge. The retreat was now resumed
with comparatively good order; the fire of
the Indians had nearly ceased, but, leaping
forward, they seized the stragglers, cut
them down and scalped them without mercy.
Here at this juncture of the disaster the
gallant Dalzell lost his life. A poor Ser
geant of the 18th, so desperately wounded
that he could not walk, raised himself on
his hands and gazed after his retreating
comrades with such Il despairing, beseecb-
ing expression, that the noble-hearted Dali
zell, now wounded in two places, ran to-
ward him with the intention of rescuIng
him from his merciless enemies. As he
reached out his arms to seize the wounded
soldier, shot struck him and he fell dead
before him. None paused to see their
fate, as there was no time. A terrible
death was hanging on their rear. The
Indians were rapidly concentrating their
forces again, and the massacre would have
been still more dreadful, had not Major
Rogers, with his rangers, taken possession
Of another house, which commanded the
road and protected the retreat.
The account of this fight as given by
Parkman is so vivid and thrilling that We
give Il portion of his narrative relating to
the latter part of the conflict
"Rogers entered this house with some
of his men, while many panic stricken
regulars broke in after him, in their eager
ness to gain temporary shelter. The
house was large and strong one, and the
woman OF the neighborhood had crowded
into the cellar for refuge. While some Of
the soldiers looked in blind terror for a
place of concealment, others seized upon a
keg Of whiskey in one of the rooms and
quaffed the liquor with eager thirst, while
others, again, piled packs of furs, fnrni-
ture, and adj else within their reach, against
the windows to serve as barricade. Pant
ing and breathless, their faces moist with
sweat and blackened with gunpowder, they
thrust their muskets through the openings
and FIRE out upon the whoopjng assailants.
At intervals q bullet flew whizzing through
crevice, striking down a man, perchance,
or rapping harmlessly against the parti-
tions.
Old Campau, the master Of the house,
stood on trap-door to prevent the fright
ened soldiers from seeking shelter among
the women ia the cellar. A ball grazed
his gray head, and buried itself in the
wall. The screams of the half-stiaed wo-
men below, the quavering warwhoops with
ont, the shouts aud curses of the soldiers,
the groans and disappearing ofthe wounded
men, mingled in scene of olamorops con-
fusion, and it was long before the authority
of Rogers could restore order.
ain the meantime Captain Grant, with
his advance party had moved forward about
half a mile, when he found some orchards
and Enclosures, by means of which he could
maintain himself until the center and rear
should arrive From this point he de-
tached all the men he could spare to oe.
cupy the town below; and as soldiers soon
began to come in from the rear, he was
enabled to reinforce these attachments,
until complete line of communication
was established with the fort and the re-
treat effectually secured Within an hour
the whole party had arrived, with the ex
ception of Rogers and his men, who were
unable to come off, being besieged in the
house of Campau, by full $50 Indians.
The two armed batteaux had gone dow
to the fort, laden with the dead ant
wounded. They now returned, and, ii
obedience to an order from Captain Ora Mt
proceeded up the river to point OPPOSITE
Campau's house, where they opened fir
of swivels, which swept the ground allow
and below it, and completely scattered thu
assailanls. Rogers and his party nov
came out and marched down the road, +
unite themselves with Grant. The TIVE
batteaux accompanied them closely, and b.
constant FIRE, restrained the Indians from
making an attack. Scarcely had Roger
left the house at one door, when the enem,
left it at another, to obtain the scalp 0
two or three corpses left behind. Fore
most of them all, a withered old squaN
,,,ahod IN NTH !. shrill scraam and slash