towards
the far side of the village. We must do all this without giving up
our positions.”
St. Denis nodded in
agreement, “We draw them out on one side to fight, while the others
come from the lakeside and rescue the women. Create a diversion!”
He smiled at the keen plan. It was the only choice they had with
the few men that remained. “We must move quickly!”
Natchitos and St. Denis
quickly passed the plan along to the remaining warriors and gave
them their assignments. They gathered up muskets and fresh
gunpowder that were stowed away in Natchitos’ hut. The rain had
stopped, but a thick fog and mist spread upon the land. Six men
took three canoes to the lake and paddled far from shore so as not
to be seen. They would make their move when they heard the sound of
battle come from the shore.
Natchitos and St. Denis then
led the other nineteen warriors far into the forest. It was past
the mid-day hour as they slowly made their way through the marshes
and swamps. They walked for what seemed like hours, rounding their
way back towards the enemy village. They headed north all the way
up to an area just outside the village. They moved with stealth to
the woods edge. The plan had worked, the village was now in sight
and the enemy was still within the grounds. The group separated
very quickly into three groups of seven and set about eighty yards
between one another. St. Denis and Natchitos were in the middle
group. They inched closer to the woods edge as did the others. They
awaited the signal to come from Natchitos.
Then, on
cue , the sound of rifles fired
into the air and shouts of war cries spilled forth from the woods.
The startled warriors in the village grabbed their weapons and
charged from the tribal area. Arrows started to fly from three
directions so the Acolapissa charged at all of them. The Nashitosh
cut them down as they charged. But more and more warriors came
running from the camp. The three groups closed ranks to form a
single wall to make a final stand against the charging Acolapissa.
They kept charging, fifty yards away, then forty yards. With only
seconds before they reached the Nashitosh, St. Denis yelled out
loud, “Way low and fire!” In an instant, all of the Nashitosh
crouched down low to the ground to reveal Cadillac and a battalion
of French soldiers behind them with rifles pointed forward. They
had made it in the nick of time and rendezvoused with St. Denis as
they had come forth from the woods. They fired in unison and cut
down scores of the charging Acolapissa. “Fire!” he yelled again.
Smoke filled the air and many warriors fought to the bitter
end.
At the same time, the
warriors on the lake entered the Acolapissa village and quickly
gathered the women and girls from their tribe and led them away.
The Acolapissa women did not stand in their way. The warriors left
the three canoes along the shore of the village and made their way
back on foot to safety.
The Nashitosh cheered in
triumph. The remaining Acolapissa retreated back to their village
and yielded in defeat. They were no match for the Nashitosh and the
French soldiers. The Nashitosh had lost five more souls in the
ensuing charge, but the victory was secured with the aid of the
soldiers that had arrived in a timely fashion from the
fort.
Chief Red Hawk
stumbled back into his village.
He was devastated at the loss in the battlefield. He saw that the
Nashitosh women were gone, but his tribe’s women remained. Some sat
on the ground sobbing for the lost souls in the battle.
He wearily approached the
lakeshore, his face scarred and bloodied. He proceeded to wash his
face in the water when he noticed the three canoes sitting afloat
together. They were painted with the markings of the Nashitosh.
Then, an object caught his eye, sitting on a tree stump a few paces
from the canoes. It was the leather pouch containing the flintlock
pistol.
Chapter 11
The Nashitosh tribe was
reunited once again after the decisive battle. They
the far side of the village. We must do all this without giving up
our positions.”
St. Denis nodded in
agreement, “We draw them out on one side to fight, while the others
come from the lakeside and rescue the women. Create a diversion!”
He smiled at the keen plan. It was the only choice they had with
the few men that remained. “We must move quickly!”
Natchitos and St. Denis
quickly passed the plan along to the remaining warriors and gave
them their assignments. They gathered up muskets and fresh
gunpowder that were stowed away in Natchitos’ hut. The rain had
stopped, but a thick fog and mist spread upon the land. Six men
took three canoes to the lake and paddled far from shore so as not
to be seen. They would make their move when they heard the sound of
battle come from the shore.
Natchitos and St. Denis then
led the other nineteen warriors far into the forest. It was past
the mid-day hour as they slowly made their way through the marshes
and swamps. They walked for what seemed like hours, rounding their
way back towards the enemy village. They headed north all the way
up to an area just outside the village. They moved with stealth to
the woods edge. The plan had worked, the village was now in sight
and the enemy was still within the grounds. The group separated
very quickly into three groups of seven and set about eighty yards
between one another. St. Denis and Natchitos were in the middle
group. They inched closer to the woods edge as did the others. They
awaited the signal to come from Natchitos.
Then, on
cue , the sound of rifles fired
into the air and shouts of war cries spilled forth from the woods.
The startled warriors in the village grabbed their weapons and
charged from the tribal area. Arrows started to fly from three
directions so the Acolapissa charged at all of them. The Nashitosh
cut them down as they charged. But more and more warriors came
running from the camp. The three groups closed ranks to form a
single wall to make a final stand against the charging Acolapissa.
They kept charging, fifty yards away, then forty yards. With only
seconds before they reached the Nashitosh, St. Denis yelled out
loud, “Way low and fire!” In an instant, all of the Nashitosh
crouched down low to the ground to reveal Cadillac and a battalion
of French soldiers behind them with rifles pointed forward. They
had made it in the nick of time and rendezvoused with St. Denis as
they had come forth from the woods. They fired in unison and cut
down scores of the charging Acolapissa. “Fire!” he yelled again.
Smoke filled the air and many warriors fought to the bitter
end.
At the same time, the
warriors on the lake entered the Acolapissa village and quickly
gathered the women and girls from their tribe and led them away.
The Acolapissa women did not stand in their way. The warriors left
the three canoes along the shore of the village and made their way
back on foot to safety.
The Nashitosh cheered in
triumph. The remaining Acolapissa retreated back to their village
and yielded in defeat. They were no match for the Nashitosh and the
French soldiers. The Nashitosh had lost five more souls in the
ensuing charge, but the victory was secured with the aid of the
soldiers that had arrived in a timely fashion from the
fort.
Chief Red Hawk
stumbled back into his village.
He was devastated at the loss in the battlefield. He saw that the
Nashitosh women were gone, but his tribe’s women remained. Some sat
on the ground sobbing for the lost souls in the battle.
He wearily approached the
lakeshore, his face scarred and bloodied. He proceeded to wash his
face in the water when he noticed the three canoes sitting afloat
together. They were painted with the markings of the Nashitosh.
Then, an object caught his eye, sitting on a tree stump a few paces
from the canoes. It was the leather pouch containing the flintlock
pistol.
Chapter 11
The Nashitosh tribe was
reunited once again after the decisive battle. They
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