[alde-devel] Rrison at Fort Young of the approach of the Indians. Pitman joined in

[Josias <sla...@av...>]

Ecommencement of hostilities) collected ten of his "Black boys," painted
and dressed as Indians; and waylaid the caravan, near a place called the
"Side long Hill." He disposed his men in pairs, behind trees along the
road, at intervals of about 60 yards, with orders for the second not to
fire 'till the first had reloaded, so that a regular, slow fire might be
maintained at once, from front to rear. As soon as the cavalcade
approached, the firing commenced, and the pack horses beginning to fall
by the side of their conductors, excited the fear of the latter, and
induced them to cry out "Gentlemen what would you have us to do."
Captain Smith replied, "collect all your loads to the front, deposit
them in one place; take your private property and retire." These things
were accordingly done; and the goods left (consisting of blankets,
shirts, beads, vermillion, powder, lead, tomahawks, scalping knives,
&c.) were immediately burned or otherwise destroyed. [83] The traders
then went to Fort Loudon, and obtaining of the commanding officer a
party of Highland soldiers, proceeded in quest of the _Robbers_ (as they
termed them;) some of whom were taken and carried into the Fort. Capt.
Smith then raised about 300 riflemen, and marching to Fort Loudon,
occupied a position on an eminence near it. He had not been long there
before he had more than twice as many of the garrison, prisoners in his
camp, as there were of his men in the guard house. Under a flag of truce
proceeding from the Fort, a convention for the exchange of prisoners was
entered into between Ca