"In the year 1757, a numerous body of Indians crossed the Alleghany, and, as usual, divided themselves into small parties, and hovering about the different forts, committed many acts of murder and destruction of property. About thirty or forty approached Edward's Fort on Capon River, killed two men at a small mill, took off with a parcel of corn meal, and retreating along a path that led between a stream of water and a steep high mountain, they strewed the meal in several places on their route. Immediatley between this path and the stream is an abrupt bank seven or eight feet high, and of considerable length under which the Indians concealed themselves and awaited the approach of the garrison. Forty men under the command of Capt. Mercer sallied out with the intention of pursuing and attacking the enemy. But, Oh! fatal day! Mercer's party, discovering the trail of the meal supposed the Indians were making a speedy retreat, and unapprised of their strength, moved on at a brisk step until the whole line was drawn immediately over the line of Indians under the bank, when the latter discharged a most destructive fire upon the, sixteen falling dead at the first fire. The others attempted to save themselves by flight, were pursued and slaughtered in every direction until, out of the forty, but six got back to the fort. One poor fellow, who ran up the side of the mountain, was fired at by an Indian, the ball penetrating just above the side of the raning up his leg, shivering the bones, and lodging a little bit below his knee; he slipped under the lap of a fallen tree, there he hid himself, and lay in that deplorable situation for two days and nights before he was found by his friends, it being that length of time before the people at the fort would venture out to collect and bury the dead. This wounded man recovered, and lived many years after, though he always was a cripple from his wound. Capt. George Smith, who now resides on Back Creek informed the author that he was well acquainted with him. Sometime afterwards the Indians, in much greater force, and aided, it was believed, by several Frenchmen in person, determined to carry this Fort by storm. The garrison had been considerably reinforced; among others, by the General Morgan (Daniel), then a young man. The Indians made the assault with great boldness; but on this occasion they met a sad reverse of fortune. The garrison sallied out, and desperate battle ensued. The assailants were defeated with great slaughter; while the whites lost comparitively few men."
Note: Darby McKeever Sr. was among those slain in this Indian battle. The widow of Darby McKeever Sr., Rachel, with her family of children were inside the fort along with the families of the other fallen men. Rachel is believed to have been a daughter of one of the early Edwards settlers, Samuel, Thomas or William (the family of Joseph Edward is known). As did the others, the widows and children stayed in or very close by Forst Edwards for quite long periods of time, some for several years, it being unsafe for them to return fatherless and husbandless to their lands. When Rachel McKeever returned to the McKeever tracts, she was fortunate to have the good neighbor Valentine Sweitzer and John Sweitzer, his brother, for these recent immigrants were ever solitious of their widowed neighbor and her orphaned children. Rachel married (2) Hugh Shannon.
