Catherine DuBois
page 3

     As Lewis drew nearer the stockade he could distinguish the exultant yells of the savages-he knew the guard had been overpowered.  The crackling of the flames was distinctly discernible, and the smoke and embers went up from new points as the houses were successively fired.  Now he heard the piercing shriek of a female and again the wail of a child.  Oh, that he had wings to fly to the rescue!
     Ere he came up, breathless, with a score or more of his companions, the strife had ceased.  The Indians had beheld the reinforcement coming; and securing such of the booty as they could carry away, together with a number of prisoners, they had made good their retreat. Lewis, pale and anxious, rushed in through the gate of the fort.  On every side he beheld evidences of slaughter and destruction. Dwellings in flames; bodies lying about the streets, scalped and otherwise mutilated; friends gathered about the corpses of companions; others running frantically about inquiring for missing relatives, while all seemed overwhelmed with grief and terror.
     With forebodings Lewis ran to the spot where his cabin stood, where he had the last glimpse of his wife at the homely breakfast table a few hours before, only to find his home a mass of ruins.  He called loudly her name, but no response came. Was she taken prisoner or had she shared in the fate of many others, who met death by the flames that devoured their homes?  All were too much absorbed in their own grief to heed his eager inquiries, or could not give him the desired information.
     The dead had been collected, such as had not been consumed in the burning dwellings.  Ten men, one woman and three children were among the victims. Bleeding, mutilated by the murderous tomahawk, the bodies were laid side by side, while sounds of bitter grief were uttered by bursting hearts.  Not a soul among the living, gathered about the remains of the fallen, but had its store of grief. Such a feeling of desolation, dread, sorrow mingled with regret, as filled the hearts of the survivors of the massacre of such anguish and utter hopelessness, can only be realized by those who have passed through the ordeal.







                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
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