yourself and live in daily hopes of a reinforcement. * * Sunday last a man straggling out was killed by the Indians. * * I believe the communication between Fort Pitt and this place is entirely cut off, not having heard from them since the thirtieth of May, though two expresses have gone from Bedford to that post." On the 21st the Indians made a serious attack for two hours. A small party of fifteen men were so exceedingly anxious to have a closer tilt with the savages that the lieutenant finally yielded to their entreaties to let them out to attack some Indians that showed themselves at a little distance. As it turned out this was only a decoy to entrap them. About a hundred savages lay in ambush by the side of the creek about four hundred yards from the fort; and just as the party was returning near where they lay, the savages rushed out to cut them off and would have succeeded in doing so had it not been for a deep morass which intervened. Foiled in this movement, more by natural obstacles then by the judgment or sagacity of the whites, the Indians immediately began an attack upon the fort and fired upwards of a thousand shots without doing any special damage.

Bouquet was deeply concerned for the safety of Fort Ligonier, for on its preservation depended the safety of Fort Pitt and his own army of deliverance. A large quantity of military stores were in the magazines at Ligonier, with which the Indians might have blown up Fort Pitt or reduced Bouquet's troops to the greatest extremities. A picked party of thirty Highlanders was sent by a circuitous route through the woods traveling by night at their utmost speed under the escort of experienced guides. They got close to the fort without being discovered and then by a sudden rush and a running fight they managed to get in without losing a man. This was a timely relief and ensured the safety of the post until the main body could arrive.

Next to Ligonier in the line of communication came Fort Bedford, at a distance of fifty miles across the mountains and through the wilderness. Captain Lewis Ourry was in command here with a mere handful of Royal Americans. On the third of June he wrote Bouquet that owing

to the arrival of express riders, ( who were generally soldiers sent from one post to another at the peril of their lives,) his regulars were increased to three corporals and nine privates." But he had a large body of settlers who, frightened by depredations of the Indians in the neighborhood, rushed pell-mell to the fort. These he organized into two military companies, aggregating 150 men. Over one hundred families had sought refuge at the fort. When the scare was over for the time being the silly people would venture out in small squads, and many were thus cut off and slain by scalping parties of skulking savages. June seventh he writes, "I long to see my Indian scouts come in with intelligence; but I long more to hear the Grenadiers march and see more red-coats." Ten days later the country people in fancied security had returned to their plantation so that Ourry was left alone with a garrison of only twelve Royal Americans, who had not only to guard the fort but likewise take care of seven Indian prisoners. He writes to Bouquet: "I should be very glad to see some troops come to my assistance. A fort with five bastions cannot be guarded much less defended by a dozen men, but I hope God will protect us." The killing and scalping of some families on Denning's creek threw the settlers into a panic again, and in a few days the militia were back from their farms and with difficulty could be prevented from murdering the Indian prisoners. Ourry feared that the Indians, despairing of taking Fort Pitt, would fall upon and destroy the smaller posts and ravage the settlements, which they doubtless would have done had Bouquet's advance been much longer delayed. July 2d, about twenty Indians attacked a party of mowers and killed several of them. Eighteen persons in all were killed near Fort Bedford. July 3, Ourry received word from Blane of the loss of Presque Isle on Lake Erie, Lebœuf, Venargo, &c., which he sends to Bouquet with the intimation that Blane had entertained some idea of evacuating or capitulating Fort Ligonier. Bouquet replied: "I shivered when you hinted to me Lieut. Bl—'s intentions. Death and infamy would have been the reward he would expect instead of the honor he has obtained by his

* *

* *

This is a most

prudence, courage and resolution. trying time. You may be sure that all the expedition possible will be used for the relief of the few remaining posts."

Parkman remarks on the above letter: "Bouquet had the strongest reason for wishing that Fort Ligonier should hold out. As the event showed its capture would probably have entailed the defeat and destruction of his entire command."

THE SITUATION AT CARLISLE.

Bouquet had his headquarters in Philadelphia as Colonel of the first battallion of Royal Americans at the time of the outbreak of Pontiac and his confederates. His Royal Americans, broken into detachments, had held the line of forts and posts between that place and Detroit for over six years. As military hermits they held the outposts of civilization in the Western wilderness. Bouquet, as we have seen, was held in high esteem in Philadelphia.

He was in the prime of life, had a fine personal presence, splendid physique and extraordinary qualities of mind and heart. "Firmness, integrity, calmness, presence of mind in the greatest of dangers-virtues so essential to a commander, were natural to him. His presence inspired confidence and impressed respect, encouraged his friends and confounded his foes." Such is the estimate given of Bouquet by some of the best men of the provinces who knew him well. He promptly reported the situation to General Amherst as Ecuyer had informed him in letters written at the end of May. The haughty and arrogant Briton could not believe that the despicable savages would be so audacious as to besiege his forts or attack regular troops of equal numbers with their own. It is amusing to read his brag and bluster and to mark the change which in some respects seems to come over the spirit of his dream as the campaign progresses.

Bouquet evidently knew his weak and strong points and knew how to secure his hearty co-operation in measures necessary to the success of the beleaguered garrisons.

June 23, Amherst ordered Major Campbell to proceed at once from New York to Philadelphia with the remains of the 42d Regiment of Royal Highlanders, and of the 77th Montgomery's Highlanders; the first consisting of two hundred and fourteen men, including officers, and the latter of one hundred and thirty-three. These troops had just landed from the West Indies and were in a very emaciated condition, most of them really unfit for service. The remains of five more such regiments arrived from Havana July 29, numbering in all nine hundred and eightytwo men and officers fit for duty; but by this time Bouquet was beyond Fort Bedford. Amherst seemed incapable of comprehending the magnitude of the danger.

"If you think it necessary " he writes to Bouquet “you will youself proceed to Fort Pitt that you may be better enabled to put in execution the requisite orders for securing the communication and reducing the Indians to reason." Bouquet was not the man to shirk duty or danger in such a crisis. With all the enegy of his ardent and indomitable nature he threw himself into the work of preparing an expedition for the relief of the invested forts and the exposed frontiers. He sent forward orders for the collection of stores and transportation at Carlisle as soon as the outlook became serious.

After making the necessary arrangements at Philadelphia, he hastened toward Carlisle. At Lancaster he writes to Amherst expressing confidence in his ability to open up communication with the troops sent to his assistance.

Amherst replies "I wish to hear of no prisoners, should any of the villains be met with in arms." On the 3d of July Bouquet received what he calls the "fatal account of the loss of our posts at Presque Isle, Leboeuf and Venango." The express rider who brought the message from Bedford came through in one day. He told the disastrous news to the country people who flocked about him and remarked, as he rode towards Bouquet's tent, “the Indians will be here soon."

All was consternation and alarm. Word was sent out to the settlements and soon every road was filled with panic-stricken fugitives crowding into Carlisle. The In

dians were raiding through the Juniata regions and along the borders of the Cumberland valley. A scouting party found Shearman's valley laid waste, the dwellings and stacked grain on fire, and swine devouring the bodies of slaughtered settlers. Twelve young men went to warn the people of the Tuscarora valley. They found the work of ruin in full blast already and fell into an ambush in which they were nearly all killed.

The country between the mountains and the Susquehanna was abandoned. Two thousand families left their homes and fled to the forts and larger towns for protection.

A letter written from Carlisle, July 5, 1763, gives us an idea of the terrible panic which existed. Nothing could exceed the terror which prevailed from house to house and from town to town. The road was near covered with women and child ren flying to Lancaster and Philadelphia. The Rev.- -, pastor of the Episcopal church, went at the head of his congregation to protect and encourage them on the way. A few retired to the breastworks for safety. The alarm once given could not be appeased. We have done all that men can do to prevent disorder. All our hopes are turned upon Bouquet." Instead of finding supplies at hand for his troops and for the relief of the forts, Bouquet found a vast crowd of despairing and starving people, while crops were being burnt and mills destroyed on all sides. July 13th, Bouquet wrote Amherst from Carlisle as follows:

"The list of the people, known to be killed, increases very fast every hour. The desolation of so many families reduced to the last extremity of want and misery; the despair of those who have lost their parents, relations and friends, with cries of distracted women and children who fill the streets—form a scene painful to humanity and impossible to describe." To procure provisions, horses and wagons under the circumstances was indeed a herculean task.

A few friendy Indians at the fort he with difficulty saved from the fury of the mob of rustics. Instead of helping him forward the settlers were rather a drawback and incumbrance, and had to be fed from the public crib.