This slope offered the only
practicable point of attack, unless the Indians chose to move by one
of our flanks over a long level.
Mr. Hopkins said he had crept out to the shrubbery on the edge of the
precipitous river-bank, to the left of the slope, just before my
arrival, and had seen on the opposite shore a small party of men
moving through the willow branches towards our left. He believed it
was a flanking-party, intending to make a feint from that direction
and enable the main body to charge through the notch in the bank.
Believing the repelling force to be but seven, the Indians were quite
sure of success.
I was convinced that Mr. Hopkins's inferences were correct; but in
order that no mistake should be made, I sent two veterans in frontier
service, Privates Clary and Hoey, to reconnoitre both flanks. They
were gone half an hour, and returned with the information that no
demonstration was being made towards our right, but that a dozen or
more men had gathered on the opposite shore, at a point where they
could cross and turn our left flank.
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