Roger Malvin's Burial

           OneofthefewincidentsofIndianwarfarenaturallysusceptibleofthemoonlightofromancewasthatexpeditionundertakenforthedefenceofthefrontiersintheyear1725,whichresultedinthewell-remembered"Lovell’sFight."Imagination,bycastingcertaincircumstancesjudiciallyintotheshade,mayseemuchtoadmireintheheroismofalittlebandwhogavebattletotwicetheirnumberintheheartoftheenemy’scountry.Theopenbraverydisplayedbybothpartieswasinaccordancewithcivilizedideasofvalor;andchivalryitselfmightnotblushtorecordthedeedsofoneortwoindividuals.Thebattle,thoughsofataltothosewhofought,wasnotunfortunateinitsconsequencestothecountry;foritbrokethestrengthofatribeandconducedtothepeacewhichsubsistedduringseveralensuingyears.Historyandtraditionareunusuallyminuteintheirmemorialsoftheiraffair;andthecaptainofascoutingpartyoffrontiermenhasacquiredasactualamilitaryrenownasmanyavictoriousleaderofthousands.Someoftheincidentscontainedinthefollowingpageswillberecognized,notwithstandingthesubstitutionoffictitiousnames,bysuchashaveheard,fromoldmen’slips,thefateofthefewcombatantswhowereinaconditiontoretreatafter"Lovell’sFight."

           Theearlysunbeamshoveredcheerfullyuponthetree-tops,beneathwhichtwowearyandwoundedmenhadstretchedtheirlimbsthenightbefore.