1765.J EXPLOITS OF THE BORDERERS. 279 



their complaints before Lieutenant Grant, the com- 

 mandant ; who, inflamed with wrath and zealous for 

 the cause of justice, despatched a party of soldiers, 

 seized several innocent persons, and lodged them 

 in the guard-house.^ In high dudgeon at such an 

 infraction of their liberties, the borderers sent mes- 

 sengers through the country, calling upon all good 

 men to rise in arms. Three hundied obeyed the 

 summons, and pitched their camp on a hill oppo- 

 site Fort Loudon ; a rare muster of desperadoes, 

 yet observins: a certain moderation in their wildest 

 acts, and never at a loss for a plausible reason to 

 justify any pranks which it might please them to 

 exhibit. By some means, they contrived to waylay 

 and capture a considerable number of the garrison, 

 on which the commandant condescended to send 

 them a flag of truce, and offer an exchange of pris- 

 oners. Their object thus accomplished, and their 

 imprisoned comrades restored to them, the border- 

 ers dispersed for the present to their homes. Soon 

 after, however, upon the occurrence of some fresh 

 difficulty, the commandant, afraid or unable to 

 apprehend the misdoers, endeavored to deprive 

 them of the power of mischief .by sending soldiers 

 to their houses and carrying ofl" their rifles. His 

 triumph was short ; for, as he rode out one after- 

 noon, he fell into an ambuscade of countrymen, 

 who, dispensing with all forms of respect, seized 

 the incensed officer, and detained him in an uncom- 



1 Before me is a curious letter from Grant, in which he expatiates on 

 his troubles in language which is far from giving a flattering impression 

 of the literary accomplishments of officers of the 42d Highlanders, at that 

 time. 



