Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/366

 354 -An Account of the Chikkafah Nation.

ments, confiding of fifteen hundred men, women, and children the mi conduct of a few indifcreet perfons x occasioned fo great a number of inno cent lives, to be thus cut off.

The Nahchee afterwards built and fettled a ftrong ftockade fort, wefti ward of their old fields, near a lake that communicates with Bayouk Dar~ gent-, but the enfuihg fummer, near 2000 French regulars and provincials, befides a great body of the Choktah and other favages inverted it. The befieged fallied. oa them, with, the utmoft fury, killed a confiderablc number, and in all probability, would have totally deftroyed the white foldiery,. but for the fharp oppofition of 'the Choktah in their own method of fighting. The Nahchee were at length rcpulfed, and bombarded witft three mortars, which forced them to fly off different ways. The foldiers were too flow footed, to purfue ; but the Choktah, and- other red allies; captivated a great number of them, and' carried them to New Or- kans, where feveral were burned, and the reil fent as flaves to the Weft India Iflands : the greater part however went to the Chikkafah, where they were fecured from the power of their French enemies. The French, demanded them, but being abfolutely refufed, unluckily for many thou- fands of them, they formally declared war againft the Chikkafah. In the open fields the Chikkafah bravely withftood, and repelled the greateft com" bined armies they were able to bring againft them, north and fouth, and gave them and, their fwarms of red allies feveral notable defeats.

A body of the lower French, and about fourteen hundred Choktah, attacked the Long Houfe Town, when only fixty warriors were at home ; yet they fought fo defperately, as to fecure themfeives, their women and children,, tilt fome of the hunters, who had been imme diately fent for, came home to, their affiftance, when, though exceed ingly inferior in number, they drove them off with great lofs. Another time, the lower and upper Louifiana-French, and a great body of red auxi liaries, furprifed late at night alltheir prefent towns, except AmalShta, that: had about forty warriors, and which flood at fome diftance from the others. A confiderable number of the enemy were pofted at every door, to prevent their efcape ; and what few ran out were killed on the fpot. The French ieemed quite fure of their prey, having fo well inclofed it. But, at the dawn of day, when they were capering and ufing thofc fiourifbes, that are peculiar

to.

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