ing to the tories. These houses appeared as islands in the midst of surrounding ruins."

Colonels Hartly and Z. Butler soon, however, exerted themselves to raise new troops, penetrated into Indian villages, consumed their dwellings, destroyed their corn, and compelled the savages to retire back into the wilderness, where future incursions would be more difficult and less frequent.

In February, 1776, col. G. R. Clarke accomplished with great success an important enterprise. Col. Hamilton was, at this time, the British governor at Detroit, and had gone to St. Vincent with 600 men, mostly Indians. These were to be sent against the forts at Kaskaskias and Pittsburgh, after which they were to desolate the extensive frontiers of Virginia. Hamilton, considering himself as perfectly secure at the remote post of St. Vincent, had retained only 80 regulars. Col Clarke, made acquainted with what had passed, with 130 men, in the midst of winter, marched for 19 days through regions deemed hitherto impassable, and sat down before the fort of St. Vincent. The surprise was complete ; and Hamilton, soon finding resistance to be vain, surrendered himself and garrison as prisoners of war. The consequences were important. It ruined the plans against the frontiers; detached the Indians from the British, whose cause was thus declining; and contributed to extend the western boundaries of the United States.

CHAPTER XIII.

Expedition of col. Van Schaick. Of General Sullivan. Battle on the Wyoming. Irruption of col. Bird with his savages. Victory near Lexington. Creeks sue for peace. Losses on the Ohio. General Harmar's expedition. Inconsiderable success of General Scot and General Wilkinson, 1791.

WHILE the American troops lay at fort Schuyler, a successful expedition, planned by general Schuyler, was executed by col. Van Schaick against the villages of the nearest of the 6 nations, about 90 miles distant. On the 19th of March, 1779, he set off with about 600 men for Anondagas, their principal settlement. Such was the secrecy and dispatch used, that the towns of 8 miles in extent were invested, before many of the savages could escape. 12 Indians were killed; and 34 made prisoners. Their stock of cattle was destroyed, and their houses burned. Their provisions were consumed, and 100 guns broken. The Americans lost not a single man; and the colonel received the thanks of congress.

During the same year, the cruelties exercised on Wyoming and other places led to an expedition against the sava

General Sullivan went up the Susquehannah into the county of the Senekas, where no troops had ever before penetrated. The army was successful in the several engagements with the enemy. But the heavy baggage to be carried, the slowness of the march through the wilderness, and a final want of provisions enabled the troops to effect little more than to distress the savages by burning their dwellings, and cutting down their fields of corn.

In this expedition, the greatest engagement was at Newtown on the Wyoming. The Indians being about 1000 in number with about 200 tory Indians commanded by the two Butlers, Johnson, M'Donald and Brendt, endeavored to draw the Americans into an ambush, but did not succeed. The consequence was a victory on the side of the Americans. Two divisions had now traced the western country; and although the savages retired before them, yet their fertile coun

try was laid waste, and they were treated with uncommon severity. No vestige of human industry was suffered to remain; not a fruit tree was left standing; 18 villages were consumed; 160,000 bushels of corn were destroyed; and, the whole country being uninhabitable, the savages were compelled to retire further back into the wilderness.

Numerous were the engagements with the enemy. On the 22d of June, 1780, 500 Indians and Canadians under Col. Bird attacked the stations of Riddle and Martin and the Forks of Licking river. They took all the inhabitants, and tomahawked those, who were too weak to carry the heavy baggage which was imposed upon them. General Clarke at Miami soon chastised the savages, took 70 scalps, and burned their town.

On the 15th of August, 1782, about 500 Indians made an assault on Briant's station, within 5 miles of Lexington in Kentucky. After having killed all the cattle in the vicinity, they were repulsed, and 80 of their number were killed upon the spot. Innumerable were the ravages of these sons of ruin.

In 1790, some of the Indians, tired of wars, of which they saw no end, began to turn their thoughts on peace. Among th se was the Creek nation, who had sent for the purpose the noted M'Gillivray and other chiefs to New-York, which mission terminated in a treaty of peace.

Overtures for peace made to the savages on the Wabash and Miami were not equally successful. From the time of the cessation of arms between England and the United States in 1783 to 1790, on the territory south of the Ohio only, it has been calculated, that 2000 horses had been taken, property worth 50,000 dollars had been carried away, and 1500 persons killed, wounded, or captivated.

The congress of the United States had agreed on an expedition to the Scioto and Miami villages, in order to destroy them, as the savages had proceeded lately so far as to kill even the messengers of peace sent into that country. 320 regulars and 1133 militia, with General Harmar at their head, composed the army. On the 30th of September, they moved for the upper Miami. Col. Hamden was detached with 600 men to reconnoiter. As they approached, the Indians set fire to their own buildings, and retired.

About 10 miles west of Chilicothe, they were brought to action. The militia, scarcely firing a gun threw down their arms and ran away. The few regulars left made a brave stand; of these 23 were killed, and 7 made their escape. The main army, however, proceeded to destroy and burn the Indian villages. A second detachment of 360 men met with little better success. The militia in part retrieved their character; but sometimes they left their officers wholly unsupported. The victory was doubtful; or purchased at a great price; out of 60 regulars, 8 only survived; while the militia lost more than 100 men, besides 9 offi ers. The survivors soon made their way back to fort Washington. The savages appeared to entertain a sovereign contempt for the militia; but with great intrepidity they threw themselves upon the bayonets even of the regulars, and overwhelmed them by numbers.

In May, 1791, General Scott went into the Wabash country with 850 troops. He destroyed the towns of Ouiattanau, Kethlipecanunk and several other villages. Thirtytwo men, chiefly warriors of size and figure, were killed, and 58 made prisoners.

In the autumn of the same year, general Wilkinson was sent on another expedition. Those who went found their own horses and provided for themselves, at no small expense to the government which employed them. They proceeded also to the Wabash country where they found the corn replanted on the very grounds, where it had been destroyed in the spring. The chief town of the Ouiattanau nations was consumed; the sons and sisters of the king were among the captives; a village 3 miles in length was burned; 430 acres of corn in the milk were cut down; while the savages, without homes, provisions and horses, were reduced, at the approach of winter, to very great distress. These excursions, however, had very little influence upon the war. The fear too of the increasing numbers of the enemy made a speedy return home very desirable to the soldiers. The great expenses attending the expedition were among its most prominent features. When they returned home, each of these generals left a very good talk for the consideration of the savages.

CHAPTER XIV.

Appointment of general Arthur St. Clair. His expedition. His troops desert. Battle near the Miami villages. Bravery of the Indians. Defeat of General St. Clair. American losses. Death of general Butler. General Scott's success. A view of the field of Battle, 1791.

THE savages being emboldened rather than subdued, it became obvious that more effectual measures must be adopted in order to restrain their incursions and prevent their depredations on the defenceless. Arthur St. Clair was selected as a person qualified to take the command of a new army. Having been governor of the territory northwest of the Ohio, it was supposed that his influence over the inhabitants and his more intimate acquaintance with the country would be of peculiar use. He had served to as an officer of the revolutionary army; and, though he had never distinguished himself, yet it was conceived, that to military skill he could add the advantages to be derived from experience.

Late in the autumn, of 1791, the army was prepared to act. The objects to be effected were, to destroy the Miami villages, to drive away the savages, and to prevent their return by establishing a chain of forts connected with the Ohio country. About the last of October, two forts, as places of security and deposit, were built towards the place of destination. An army of 2000 men now set forward into the wilderness. Compelled to open roads for their baggage and cannon, their progress was slow. A few hovering parties of the enemy, which were now and then to be seen, were sure to carry to their red brethren timely intelligence of what they had to expect. Before they had arrived at the end of their march, and dangers seemed to be near, about 60 of the militia deserted in a body. Fearing the example might become contagious, unless timely corrected, a whole regiment was detached, who pursued them without effecting their object. Reduced to 1400 men, the army advanced within 15 miles of the Miami villages. The army encamped on commanding ground; general Butler on the right wing, with a creek H2