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Altsheler, Joseph A. (Joseph Alexander), 1862-1919

"The Scouts of the Valley"

The five drew away toward
the forest. They saw that the fort itself could not hold out
against such a numerous and victorious foe, and they had no mind
to be trapped. But their retreat was slow, and as they went they
sent bullet after bullet into the Indian flank. Only a small
percentage of the Wyoming force was left, and it now broke.
Colonel Butler and Colonel Dennison, who were mounted, reached
the fort. Some of the men jumped into the river, swam to the
other shore and escaped. Some swam to a little island called
Monocacy, and hid, but the Tories and Indians hunted them out and
slew them. One Tory found his brother there, and killed him with
his own hand, a deed of unspeakable horror that is yet mentioned
by the people of that region. A few fled into the forest and
entered the fort at night.


CHAPTER X
THE BLOODY ROCK

Seeing that all was lost, the five drew farther away into the
woods. They were not wounded, yet their faces were white despite
the tan. They had never before looked upon so terrible a scene.
The Indians, wild with the excitement of a great triumph and
thirsting for blood, were running over the field scalping the
dead, killing some of the wounded, and saving others for the
worst of tortures.


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