noon
In consequence of this , the wily savage rarely showed himself in an open manner ; but would creep stealthily among the tall weeds , or among the tall standing corn , that covered about an hundred acres of ground on the southern side of the station , or ensconce himself behind some stump or trunk of a tree in the vicinity , and discharge his rifle at any mark thought suitable , or let fly his burning arrows upon the roofs of the cabins . To avoid , if possible , a conflagration , every boy of ten years and upwards , was ordered upon the roofs of the houses , to throw off these burning missiles ; but notwithstanding their great vigilance , so rapidly were they sent at one period , that two of the cabins , being in a very combustible state , took fire , to the great consternation of all , and , before they could be extinguished , were totally consumed . Here again the hand of an overruling Providence was manifest ; for a light wind drove the flames from the other buildings , and thus a terrible and fatal calamity was averted . From the attack in the morning by the main body , a sharp fire was maintained on both sides till towards noon ; when it began to slacken considerably ; and a little past meridian ceased altogether -- the savages having withdrawn for another purpose , as we shall show anon , leaving the garrison in suspense as to whether they had totally abandoned the siege or not . We have previously stated that Bryan 's Station stood on a gentle rise on the southern bunk of the Elkhorn , whereby it commanded a view of much of the surrounding country . A considerable portion of the land in the immediate vicinity had been cleared and was under cultivation ; but still , in some places , the forest approached to a close proximity ; so that it was impossible , without traversing the ground , to determine whether the foe had withdrawn altogether , or , as was more probable , now lay hidden therein , awaiting an unguarded moment of the besieged to renew hostilities . Where the Maysville and Lexington road now runs , was a long narrow lane , bounded on one side by the large cornfield before alluded to , and on the other by a heavy wood .