course.

The boys and squaws instantly fell upon them, and put them to death by torture.

At this place the remainder were kept in close confinement, and upon very scanty diet for several days, in the course of which the news of Harmar's defeat arrived. Piles of scalps, together with canteens, sashes, military hats, and a variety of other articles, were brought into the village; and several white women and children were taken through the town, on their way to the villages farther west. At the same time, four more of his companions were led off to the western villages, and never heard of afterwards. Himself and a corporal, named Sackville, were now the only survivors. They remained in close confinement two weeks longer. Their rations were barely sufficient to sustain life, and upon the receipt of any unpleasant intelligence, they were taken out, whipped severely, and compelled to run the gauntlet.

At length, on the fourteenth night of their confinement, they determined to make an effort to escape. Sackville had concealed a sharp pen-knife in a secret pocket, which the Indians had been unable to discover. They were guarded by four warriors and one old bag of seventy, whose temper was as crooked as her person. The prisoners having been securely bound, the warriors lay down during the rest of the night. Their guns stood in the corner of the hut, and their tomahawks, as usual, were attached to their sides.

Their hopes of escape were founded upon the probability of eluding the vigilance of the hag, cutting their cords, and either avoiding or destroying their guard. The snoring of the warriors quickly announced them asleep, and the old squaw hung in a drowsy attitude over the fire. Sackville cautiously cut his own cords, and after a few minutes delay, succeeded in performing the same office for Johonnet.

But their work was scarcely yet begun. It was absolutely necessary that the old squaw should fall asleep, or be silenced in some other way! before they could either leave the hut, or attack the sleeping warriors. They waited impatiently for half an hour, but perceiving that although occasionally dozing, she would rouse herself at short intervals, and regard them suspiciously, they exchanged looks of intelligence, (being afraid even to whisper) and prepared for the decisive effort. Johonnet suddenly sprung up as silently as possible, and grasping the old woman by the throat, drew her head back with violence, when Sackville, who had watched his movements attentively, instantly cut her throat from ear to ear. A short gurgling moan was the only sound which escaped her

The sleepers were not awakened, although they appeared somewhat disturbed at the noise, and the two adventurers, seizing each a rifle, struck at the same moment with such fury as to disable two of their enemies. The other two instantly sprang to their feet, but before they could draw their tomahawks or give the alarm, they were prostrated by the blows of the white men, who attacked them at the moment that they had gained their feet. Their enemies, although stunned, were not yet dead. They drew their tomahawks from their sides, therefore, and striking each Indian repeatedly upon the head, completed the work by piercing the heart of each with his own scalping-knife. Selecting two rifles from the corner, together with their usual appendages, and taking such provisions as the hut afforded, they left the village as rapidly as possible, and fervently invoking the protection of Heaven, committed themselves to the wilderness.

Neither of them were good woodsmen, nor were either of them expert hunters. They attempted a south-eastern course, however, as nearly as they could ascertain it, but were much embarrassed by the frequent recurrence of impassable bogs, which compelled them to change their course, and greatly retarded their progress. Knowing that the pursuit would be keen and persevering, they resorted to every method of baffling their enemies. They waded down many streams, and occasionally surmounted rocky precipices, which, under other circumstances, nothing could have induced them to attempt. Their sufferings from hunger were excessive, as they were so indifferently skilled in hunting, as to be unable to kill a sufficient quantity of game, although the woods abounded with deer, beaver and buffalo.

On the fourth day, about ten o'clock A. M., they came to a fine spring, where they halted and determined to prepare their breakfast. Before kindling a fire, however, Sackville, either upon some vague suspicion of the proximity of an enemy, or from some other cause, thought proper to ascend an adjoining hillock, and reconnoitre the ground around the spring. No measure was ever more providential. Johonnet presently beheld him returning cautiously and silently to the spring, and being satisfied from his manner that danger was at hand, he held his rifle în readiness for action at a moment's warning. Sackville presently rejoined him, with a countenance in which anxiety and resolution were strikingly blended. Johonnet eagerly enquired the cause of his alarm. His companion, in a low voice, replied that they were within one hundred yards of four Indian warriors, who were reposing upon the bank of the little rivulet, on the other side of the hillock. That they were

about kindling a fire in order to prepare their breakfast, and that two white men lay bound hand and foot within twenty feet of them. He added that they were evidently prisoners, exposed to the same dreadful fate which they had just escaped, and concluded by declaring, that if Johonnet would stand by him faithfully, he was determined to rescue them or perish in the attempt. Johonnet gave him his hand, and expressed his readiness to accompany him. Sackville then looked carefully to the priming of his gun, loosened his knife in the sheath, and desired Johonnet to follow him, without making the slightest noise. They proceeded, accordingly, in a stooping posture, up a small and bushy ravine, which conducted them to the top of the gentle hill. When near the summit, they threw themselves flat upon the ground, and crawled into a thick cluster of whortleberry bushes, from which they had a fair view of the enemy. The Indians had not changed their position, but one of the white men was sitting up, and displayed the countenance of a young man, apparently about twenty-five, pale, haggard, and exhausted. Two Indians, with uplifted tomahawks, sat within. three feet of him. One lay at full length upon the ground, while the remaining one was in the act of lighting a fire.

Sackville cocked his gun, and in a low voice directed Johonnet to fire at one of the guards who, from the quantity of beads and silver about his head, appeared to be a chief, while he selected the other guard for a mark. Each presented at the same moment, took a steady aim and fired. Both Indians fell-the chief shot dead, the other mortally wounded. The other two Indians squatted in the grass like terrified partridges, when the hawk hovers over them, and lay still and motionless. Sackville and Johonnet reloaded their guns as rapidly as possible, and shifted their position a few paces in order to obtain a better view of the enemy. In the meantime, the two Indians, cautiously elevated their heads above the grass, and glanced rapidly around in order to observe from what quarter the fatal shots were discharged. The thin wreaths of smoke which curled above the bushes where our adventurers lay, betrayed their hiding place to the enemy. Before they could take advantage of it, however, they were ready to fire again, and this second volley proved fatal to one of their enemies who lay without motion, but the other was only slightly wounded, and endeavored to reach the bushes upon the opposite side of the brook. Sackville and Johonnet now sprang to their feet and rushed upon him, but the desperate savage shot Sackville through the heart as he advanced, and flourished his tomahawk so menacingly at Johonnet, that he was compelled to pause and reload his gun. The savage seized

the opportunity to grasp two rifles belonging to the Indians who had been first killed, and Johonnet in consequence was compelled to retreat to the friendly shelter of the bushes, which he had too hastily abandoned. At this instant, the two prisoners having burst their cords which confined them, sprang to their feet and ran towards the bushes for protection.

Before they could reach them, however, the Indian shot one dead, and fired his last gun at the other but without effect. Johonnet having reloaded, again fired upon their desperate enemy and wounded him in the neck from which he could see the blood spouting in a stream. Nothing daunted, the Indian rapidly reloaded his gun and again fired without effect.

The prisoner who had escaped, now seized Sackville's gun and he and Johonnet having reloaded, once more left the bushes and advanced upon their wounded enemy. The savage, although much exhausted from loss of blood, sat up at their approach and flourishing a tomahawk in each hand seemed at least determined to die game.. Johonnet was anxious to take him alive, but was prevented by his companion who was levelling his gun as he advanced, shot his adversary through the head, and thus put an end to the confiict. It was a melancholy victory to the survivors. Johonnet had lost his gallant comrade, and the rescued white man had to lament the death of his fellow captive. The last Indian had levied a heavy penalty upon his enemies, and died amply revenged. The rescued prisoner proved to be George Sexton, of Newport, Rhode Island, a private in Harmar's army.

Fortunately for Johonnet, his new comrade was an excellent woodsmen, and very readily informed his deliverer of their present situation, and of the proper course to steer. He said that, in company with three others he had been taken by a party of Wabash Indians, in the neighborhood of Fort Jefferson; that two of his comrades having sunk under their sufferings, had been tomahawked and scalped upon the spot; that himself and his dead companion had been in hourly expectation of a similar fate; and concluded, with the warmest expressions of gratitude for the gallantry with which he had been rescued. So lively, indeed, was his sense of obligation, that he would not permit Johonnet to carry his own baggage, nor would he suffer him to watch more than three hours in the twenty-four. On the following day, they fortunately fell in with a small detachment from Fort Jefferson, by which they were safely conducted to the fort."(1)

CHAPTER XV.

ST. CLAIR APPOINTED GOVERNOR OF THE NORTH-WESTERN TERRITORY- AND IS ALSO APPOINTED COMMANDER IN CHIEF-ARMY ASSEMBLED AT FORT WASHINGTON-THE ARMY MARCHES TOWARDS INDIAN TOWNS-FORT HAMIL. TON AND FORT JEFFERSON ERECTED-ENGAGEMENT WITH THE INDIANS-ST. CLAIR'S DEFEAT-RETURN OF THE ARMY TO FORT WASHINGTON-ST. CLAIR CENSURED, BUT ACQUITTED-AN ACCOUNT OF GENERAL ST. CLAIR-GENERAL SCOTT'S MOUNTED EXPEDITION TO THT BATTLE GROUND-BATTLE WITH THE INDIANS, AND THEIR DEFEAT WITH 200 KILLED-RECOVERY OF ARTILLERY AND ARMS LOST AT ST. CLAIR'S DEFEAT-BURIAL OF THE BONES OF THE SLAIN.

"We now come to one of the heaviest disasters which occurs in the annals of Indian warfare. The failure of Harmar made a deep impres. sion upon the American nation, and was followed by a loud demand for a greater force, under the command of a more experienced General.

General Arthur St. Clair was, at that time, Governor of the NorthWestern Territory, (1) and had a claim to the command of such forces as should be employed within his own limits. He had uniformly ranked high as an officer of courage and patriotism, but had been more unfortunate than any other officer in the American service. He had commanded at Ticonderago, in the spring of 1777, and had conducted one of the most disastrous retreats that occurred during the Revolutionary War. Notwithstanding his repeated misfortunes, he still commanded the respect of his brother officers, and had the undiminished confidence of Washington. He was now selected as the person most capable of restoring the American affairs in the north-west, and was placed at the head of a regular force, amounting to upwards of two thousand men, (2) well furnished with artillery, and was empowered to call out such reinforcements of militia as might be necessary. Fort Washington, now Cincinnati, was as usual the place of rendezvous.

In September, 1791, an army was assembled at that place, greatly superior in numbers, officers, and equipments, to any that had yet appeared in the west. The regular force was composed of three complete regiments of infantry, two companies of artillery, and one of cavalry. The militia who joined him at Fort Washington, amounted to upwards of six hundred men, most of whom had long been accustomed to Indian

(1) Under the act of Congress of July 13th, 1787, St. Clair was appointed Governor of the North-Western Territory. July 9th, 1788, he arrived at Fort Harmar, Marietta; and on the 15th of that month, he published the ordinances of Congress for the government of the Territory. Soon afterwards he ap. pointed judges and other officers. January 2d, 1790, he arrived at Fort Washington, and organized Hamilton county.

(2) St. Clair's letter to the Secretary of War, Appendix, 239.