268 TRANSACTIONS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. [VoL. IV. 



composed of a sergeant and eight men sent out from Cherry Valley, by 

 whom they were informed that the garrison, consisting of a Massachu- 

 setts regiment of continentals, numbering 300 men and 150 local militia, 

 occupied a strong palisaded fort near the centre of the settlement, but 

 that most of the principal officers lodged in a house about a quarter 

 of a mile outside its walls. They had already been warned of Butler's 

 approach by an Oneida Indian, but apparently felt quite secure against 

 any attack. 



When darkness overtook Butler's party next evening they had ad- 

 vanced by a forced march within six miles of the fort, and he proposed 

 to the Indians that as soon as the moon rose they should make a dash 

 forward and surround the officers' quarters while he attempted the sur- 

 prise of the fort itself with the rangers. To this the chiefs readily 

 agreed, but it then began to rain heavily, and the Indians at once 

 scattered for shelter in a pine wood and obstinately refused to move an 

 inch till morning. It was then decided to send Captain McDonnell 

 with fifty picked rangers and a body of Indians to surround the house 

 where the officers lay and cut off all communication with the adjacent 

 settlement, while Butler himself, at the head of the remainder, made a 

 rush for the fort. They had advanced with this intention quite un- 

 observed along a bye-path until within a mile of the place, when some 

 Indians in front fired at two men cutting wood. One of these escaped, 

 although badly wounded, and gave the alarm by his cries as he ran. 

 The remainder of the Indians rushed off in pursuit as soon as they heard 

 the sound of the firing and gained a long start of the rangers, who were 

 halted for an instant by their of^cers to reprime their rifles. The major 

 of the Continental regiment, with one or two others, succeeded in getting 

 into the fort, but Colonel Alden, five other officers, and twenty men were 

 killed in the attempt, and Lieut.-Col. Stacy, three subalterns, and ten 

 privates were taken prisoners. The colours of the regiment were aban- 

 doned in the house and burnt with it in the general scene of destruction 

 which followed. The garrison of the fort, to favour the escape of their 

 officers, opened a fire of both cannon and musketry upon their pursuers, 

 and although this was briskly returned by the rangers for ten minutes 

 all hope of taking the place was seen to be futile. 



In spite of the greatest efforts on the part of the officers in charge of 

 them the Indians at once dispersed in small parties, killing the inhabi- 

 tants or taking them prisoners, and plundering or burning their houses. 

 A vigorous sally of even a small part of the garrison might be sufficient 

 to drive the whole in headlong flight from the valley. To guard against 

 the evident danger to which they were exposed by their own heedless- 



