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Historical Collections of Ohio

By Henry Howe

Vol. II

©1888

 

MERCER COUNTY

 

 

Pg. 222

Mercer County was formed from old Indian Territory April 1, 1820.  The land is one great flat plain, and while in the forest state wet, when cleared and drained is very fertile and well adapted to grass, small grain and Indian corn, which is its great production.  Area about 470 square miles.  In 1887 the acres cultivated were 140,633; in pasture, 12,023; woodland, 73,384; lying waste, 4,154; produced in wheat, 364,235 bushels; rye, 2,733; buckwheat, 667; oats, 632,537; barley, 12,881; corn, 1,287,610; meadow hay, 15,343 tons; clover hay, 8,334; flaxseed, 726 bushels; potatoes, 51,636; tobacco, 1,000 lbs.; butter, 415,750; cheese, 150; sorghum, 14,110 gallons; maple syrup, 121; honey 4,806 lbs;  eggs 634,737 dozen; grapes, 8,300 lbs.; wine, 1,387 gallons; sweet potatoes, 42 bushels; apples, 14,558; peaches, 20; pears, 145; wool, 29,184 lbs.; milch cows owned, 6,931.—Ohio State Report, 1888.

 

School census, 1888, 9,269; teachers, 183.  Miles of railroad track, 86.

 

 

 

 

 

Population of Mercer in 1830, 1,737; 1840, 8,277; 1860, 14,104; 1880, 21,808, of whom 17,882 were born in Ohio; 586, Indiana; 451, Pennsylvania; 154, Virginia; 93, Kentucky; 87, New York; 1,733, German Empire; 105, Ireland; 62, France; 42, England and Wales; 27, British America, and 19 in Scotland.  Census, 1890, 27,220.

 

 

 

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blow from a musket, and, refusing to surrender, was bayonetted five times, and died some days afterwards in great agony.  His funeral in the city of Philadelphia was attended by 30,000 people.  Congress provided for the education of his youngest son, and the St. Andrew’s Society of Philadelphia reared to his memory a monument on Laurel Hill.

 

St. Clair’s Defeat.

 

This county has been the theatre of a most important event in the early history of the West—St. Clair’s defeat.  It took place on the southwest corner of the county, within two or three miles of the Indiana line.

 

The great object of St. Clair’s campaign was to establish a military post at the Miami village, at the junction of the St. Mary and St. Joseph, at what is now Fort Wayne, Ind., with intermediate posts of communication between it and Fort Washington, to awe and curb the Indians in that quarter, as the only preventive of future hostilities.

 

Acting under his instructions, St. Clair proceeded to organize his army.  At the close of April (1791) he was at Pittsburg, to which point troops and munitions of war were being forwarded.  On the 15^th of May he reached Fort Washington, but owing to various hindrances, among which was the mismanagement of the quartermaster’s department, the troops, instead of being in readiness to start upon the expedition by the 1^st of August, as was anticipated, were not prepared until many weeks later.  From Fort Washington the troops were advanced to Ludlow’s station, six miles distant.  Here the army continued until September 17^th, when, being 2,300 strong, exclusive of militia, they moved forward to a point upon the Great Miami, where they built Fort Hamilton.  From thence they moved forty-four miles farther, and built Fort Jefferson, which they left on the 24^th of October, and began their toilsome march through the wilderness.  We copy below from the notes of Judge Burnet:

 

During this time a body of the militia, amounting to 300, deserted and returned to their homes.  The supplies for the army being still in the rear, and the general entertaining fears that the deserters might meet and seize them for their own use, determined, very reluctantly, to send back the first regiment for the double purpose of bringing up the provisions and, if possible, or overtaking and arresting some of the deserters.

 

Having made that arrangement, the army resumed its march, and, on the 3d of November, arrived at a creek running to the southwest, which was supposed to be the St. Mary’s, one of the principal branches of the Maumee, but was afterwards ascertained to be a branch of the Wabash.  It being then late in the afternoon, and the army much fatigued by a laborious march, they were encamped on a commanding piece of ground, having the creek in front.

 

It was the intention of the general to occupy that position till the first regiment, with the provisions, should come up.  He proposed on the next day to commence a work of defence, agreeably to a plan concerted between himself and Major Ferguson, but he was not permitted to do either; for, on the next morning, November 4^th, half an hour before sunrise, the men having been just dismissed from parade, an attack was made on the militia posted in front, who gave way and rushed back into camp, throwing the army into a state of disorder, from which it could not be recovered, as the Indians followed close at their heels.  They were, however, checked a short time by the fire of the first line, but immediately a very heavy fire was commenced on that line, and in a few minutes it was extended to the second.

 

In each case the great weight of the fire was directed to the centre, where the artillery was placed, from which the men were frequently driven with great slaughter.  In that emergency resort was had to the bayonet.  Colonel Darke was ordered to make the charge with a part of the second line, which order was executed with great spirit.  The Indians instantly gave way, and were driven back several hundred yards, but for want of a sufficient number of riflemen to preserve the advantage gained, the enemy soon renewed their attack, and the American troops in turn were forced to give way.

  

 

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fell, except three, one of whom was shot through the body.  The artillery being silenced, and all the officers belonging to it killed, but Captain Ford, who was dangerously wounded, and half the army having fallen, it became necessary to gain the road, if possible, and make a retreat.

 

For that purpose a successful charge was made on the enemy, as if to turn their right flank, but in reality to gain the road, which was effected.  The militia then commenced a retreat, followed by the United States troops, Major Clark with his battalion covering the rear.  The retreat, as might be expected, soon became a flight.  The camp was abandoned, and so was the artillery, for the want of horses to remove it.  The men threw away their arms and accoutrements, even after the pursuit had ceased, which was not continued for more than four miles.  The road was almost covered with these articles for a great distance.

 

All the horses of the general were killed and he was mounted on a broken-down pack-horse that could scarcely be forced out of a walk.  It was, therefore, impossible for him to get forward in person, to command a halt, till regularity could be restored, and the orders which he dispatched by others for that purpose where wholly unattended to.  The rout continued to Fort Jefferson, where they arrived about dark, twenty-seven miles from the battle-ground.  The retreat began at half-past nine in the morning, and as the battle commenced half an hour before sunrise, it mush have lasted three hours, during which time, with only one exception, the troops behaved with great bravery.  This fact accounts for the immense slaughter which took place.

 

Among the killed were Major-General Butler, Colonel Oldham, Major Ferguson, Major Hart and Major Clark.  Among the wounded were Colonel Sargeant, the adjutant-general, Colonel Darke, Colonel Gibson, Major Butler and Viscount Malartie, who served in the character of an aid.  In addition to these, the list of officers killed contained the names of Captains Bradford, Phelon, Kirkwood, Price, Van Swearingen, Tipton, Purdy, Smith, Piatt, Gaither, Crebbs and Newman; Lieutenants Spear, Warren, Boyd, McMath, Burgess, Kelson, Read, Little, Hopper and Lickings; also, Ensigns Cobb, Baleh, Chase, Turner, Wilson, Brooks, Beatty and Purdy; also, Quartermasters Reynolds and Ward, Adjt. Anderson and Doc. Grasson.  And in addition to the wounded officers whose names are mentioned above the official list contains the names of Captains Doyle, Truman, Ford, Buchanan, Darke, and Hough; also of Lieutenants Greaton, Davidson, DeButts, Price, Morgan, McCrea, Lysle and Thompson; also Adjutants Whistler and Crawford, and Ensign Bines.

 

The melancholy result of that disastrous day was felt and lamented by all who had sympathy for private distress or public misfortune.

 

The only charge alleged by the general against his army was want of discipline, which they could not have acquired during the short time they had been in the service.  That defect rendered it impossible, when they were thrown into confusion to restore them again to order, and is the chief reason why the loss fell so heavily on the officers.  They were compelled to expose themselves in an unusual degree in their efforts to rally the men and remedy the want of discipline.  In that duty the general set the example, though worn down by sickness and suffering under a painful disease.  It was alleged by the officers that the Indians far outnumbered the American troops.  That conclusion was drawn, in part, from the fact that they outflanked and attacked the American lines with great force, at the same time, on every side.

 

When the fugitives arrived at Fort Jefferson, they found the first regiment, which was just returning from the service on which it had been sent, without either overtaking the deserters or meeting the convoy of provision.  The absence of that regiment at the time of the battle was believed by some to be the cause of the defeat.  They supposed that had it been present the Indians would have been defeated, or would not have ventured an attack at the time they made it; but General St. Clair expressed great doubt on that subject.  He seemed to think it uncertain, judging from the superior number of the enemy, whether he ought to consider the absence of that corps from the field of action as fortunate or otherwise.  On the whole, he seemed to think it fortunate, as he very much doubted whether, if it had been in the action, the fortune of the day would have been changed; and if it had not, the triumph of the enemy would have been more complete, and the country would have been left destitute of the means of defence.

 

As soon as the troops reached Fort Jefferson, it became a question whether they ought to continue at that place of return to Fort Washington.  For the purpose of determining that question, the general called on the surviving field officers, to wit: Col. Darke, Major Hamtramck, Maj. Zeigler, and Maj. Gaither, and also the Adjutant-General, Col. Sargeant, for their advice, as to what would be the proper course to be pursued under existing circumstances.  After discussing the subject they reported it to be their unanimous opinion, that the troops could not be accommodated in the fort; that they could not be supplied with provisions at that place; and as it was known that there were provision on the road, at the distance of one or two marches, it would be proper, without loss of time, to proceed and meet them.  That advice was adopted, and the army put in motion at ten o’clock and marched all night.  On the succeeding day they met a quantity of flour, and on the day after a drove of cattle, which having been disposed of as the wants of the troops required, the march was continued to Fort Washington.

 

 

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Maj. Ferguson were spoken of with peculiar interest.  The public feeling was, however, in some measure alleviated by the fact that those brave men, officers and privates, fell covered with honor, in defending the cause of their country.

 

The principal complaint made by the commander-in-chief was, that some of his orders, of great consequence, given to Col. Oldham over night, were not executed; and that some very material intelligence, communicated by Capt. Hough to Gen. Butler, in the course of the night before the action, was not imparted to him; and that he did not hear of it till his arrival at Fort Washington.

 

It is important to the fame of the commanding general that in consequence of the almost treasonable negligence of the agents of the government, whose duty it was to furnish supplies, the army had been for many days on short allowance, and were so at the time of the battle.  That fact had made it indispensably necessary either to retreat or send back the first regiment, which was the flower of the army, to bring up the provisions and military stores.  The latter alternative was chosen, and in the absence of that corps the attack was made.

 

In regard to the negligence charged on the War Department, it is a well-authenticated fact, that boxes and packages were so carelessly put up and marked, that during the action a box was opened marked “flints,” which was found to contain gun-locks.  Several mistakes of the same character were discovered as for example, a keg of powder marked “for the infantry” was found to be damaged canon-powder, that could scarcely be ignited.

 

Under all these disadvantages it was generally believed by candid, intelligent men that the commanding general was not justly liable to much censure, if any.  With one exception, at the commencement of the action, the troops behaved with great bravery.  They maintained their ground for three tedious hours, in one uninterrupted conflict with a superior force; nor did they attempt to leave the field till it was covered with the bodies of their companions, not until further efforts were unavailing and a retreat was ordered.

 

The general, less anxious for himself than for others, was the last to leave the ground after the retreat had been ordered.  For some time after the disaster he was universally censured, but when a thorough investigation had been made by a committee of Congress, of which Mr. Giles, of Virginia, was the chairman, it was found that the campaign had been conducted with skill and personal bravery; and that the defeat was chiefly owing to the want of discipline in the militia, and to the negligence of those whose duty it was to procure and forward the provisions and military stores necessary for the expedition.

 

After the publication of that report, the Secretary of War, believing himself to be injured, addressed a letter to Congress, complaining that injustice had been done him by the committee; in consequence of which the report was recommitted to the same committee, who, after hearing the statements and explanations of the Secretary and reconsidering the whole matter, reaffirmed their first report.

 

This defeat of St. Clair drew upon his head, from one part of the country to the other “one loud and merciless outcry of abuse and even detestation.”  Many a general, with far less bravery and military skill, has, when successful, been applauded by the unthinking multitude with vehement acclamations.  The following, derived from the narrative of his campaign, shows that he deserved a better fate:

 

During the engagement Gen. St. Clair and Gen. Butler were continually going up and down the lines; as one went up one, the other went down the opposite.  St. Clair was so severely afflicted with the gout as to be unable to mount or dismount a horse without assistance.  He had four horses for his use; they had been turned out to feed over night and were brought in before the action.  The first he attempted to mount was a young horse, and the firing alarmed him so much that he was unable to accomplish it, although there were three or four people assisting him.  He had just moved him to a place where he could have some advantage of the ground, when the horse was shot through the head, and the boy holding him through the arm.  A second horse was brought and the furniture of the first disengaged and put on him; but at the moment it was done the horse and servant who held him were killed.  The general ordered the third horse to be got ready and follow him to the left of the front line, which by that time was warmly engaged, and set off on foot to the point designated.  However, the man and horse were never heard of afterward, and were supposed to have both been killed.  Gen. St. Clair’s fourth horse was killed under the Count de Malartie, one of his aids, whose horse had died on the march.

 

 

Pg. 226

 

his horses were killed he exerted himself on foot for a considerable time during the action with a degree of alertness that surprised everybody who saw him.  After being on foot some time, and when nearly exhausted, a pack horse was brought to him.  This he rode during the remainder of the day, although he could scarcely prick him out of a walk.  Had he not been furnished with a horse, although unhurt, he must have remained on the field.

 

During the action Gen. St. Clair exerted himself with courage and presence of mind worthy of the best fortune.  He was personally present at the first charge made upon the enemy with the bayonet and gave the order to Col. Darke.  When the enemy first entered the camp by the left flank, he led the troops that drove them back, and when a retreat became indispensable, he put himself at the head of the troops which broke through the enemy and opened the way for the rest and then remained in the rear, making every exertion in his power to obtain a party to cover the retreat; but the panic was so great that his exertions were of but little avail.  In the height of the action a few of the men crowded around the fires in the centre of the camp.  St. Clair was seen drawing his pistols and threatening some of them, and ordering them to turn out and repel the enemy.

 

Fowler’s Story of the Battle.

 

In commenting upon his honorable acquittal of all blame by the committee of Congress appointed to inquire into the causes of the failure of the expedition, Judge Marshall, in his Life of Washington, remarks, with his usual felicity of manner, “More satisfactory testimony in favor of St. Clair is furnished by the circumstance that he still retained the undiminished esteem and good opinion of President Washington.”

 

To the foregoing description of the battle we extracted from the narrative of Major Jacob Fowler, now (1846) living in Covington, Ky., his own personal experience in the events of that fatal day.  Mr. Cist, in his Advertiser, in which it was published, says: “There was hardly a battle fought in the early struggles with the Indians in which Mr. Fowler did not participate.  He is now (July, 1844) at the age of eighty—his eye has not waxed dim, nor his natural force abated.  He can still pick off a squirrel with his rifle at one hundred yards distance.  He can walk as firmly and as fast as most men at fifty, and I cannot perceive a gray hair in his head.  His mind and memory are as vigorous as his physical functions.”

 

Excepting in a single instance, St. Clair kept out no scouting parties during his march, and we should have been completely surprised by the attack when it was made, if it had not been that volunteer scouting parties from the militia were out on the evening before and the constant discharge of rifles throughout the night warned us to prepare for the event.  The militia were encamped about a quarter of a mile in front of the residue of the army, so as to receive, as they did, the first shock of the attack, which was made a little after daybreak.  The camp was on the bank of a small creek, one of the heads of the Wabash river, the ground nearly level and covered with a heavy growth of timber.  As surveyor, I drew the pay and rations of a subaltern, but, as an old hunter, was not disposed to trust myself among the Indians without my rifle.  Indeed, I found it very serviceable during the march, the army being upon not more than half rations the whole campaign.

               

My stock of bullets becoming pretty low from hunting, as soon as it was daylight that morning I started for the militia camp to get a ladle for running some more, when I found that the battle had begun, and met the militia running in to the main body of troops.  I hailed one of the Kentuckians, who I found had been disabled in the right wrist by a bullet, asking him if he had balls to spare.  He told me to take out his pouch and divide with him.  I poured out a double handful and put back what I supposed way the half, and was about to leave him, when he said, “Stop, you had better count them.”  It was no time for laughing, but I could hardly resist the impulse to laugh, the idea was so ludicrous of counting a handful of bullets when they were about to be so plenty as to be had for the picking up by those who should be lucky enough to escape with their lives.  “If we get through this day’s scrape, my dear fellow,” said I, “I will return to you twice as many.”  But I never saw him again, and suppose he shared the fate that befell many a gallant spirit on that day.  I owe the bullets, at any rate, at this moment.

 

 

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had fired I retreated into our lines to reload my rifle.  Finding the fire had really ceased at this point, I ran to the rear line, where I met Col. Darke leading his men to a charge.  These were of the six months levies.  I followed with my rifle.  The Indians were driven by this movement clear out of sight, and the colonel called a halt and rallied his men, who were about three hundred in number.  As an experienced woodsman and hunter, I claimed the privilege of suggesting to the colonel that were we then stood—there being a pile of trees blown out of root—would form an excellent breastwork, being of length sufficient to protect the whole force, and that we might yet need it; I judged by the shouting and firing that the Indians behind us had closed up the gap we had made in charging, and told the colonel so.  “Now, if we return and charge on these Indians on our rear, we shall have them with their backs on us, and will no doubt be able to give a good account of them.”

 

“Lead the way, then,” said he, and rode to the rear to march the whole body forward.  We then charged on the Indians, but they were so thick we could do nothing with them.  In a few minutes they were around us and we found ourselves alongside of the army baggage and the artillery, which they had been taking possession of.  I then took a tree and after firing twelve or fourteen times, two or three rods being my farthest shot, I discovered that many of those I had struck were not brought down, as I had not sufficient experience to know I must shoot them in the hip to bring them down.  As to the regulars, with their muskets, and in their unprotected state, it was little better than firing at random.

 

By this time there were about thirty men of Col. Darke’s command left standing, the rest being all shot down and lying around us, either killed or wounded.  I ran to the colonel, who was in the thickest of it, waving his sword to encourage his men, and told him we should all be down in five minutes more if we did not charge on them.  “Charge, then!” said he to the little line that remained, and they did so.  Fortunately, the army had charged on the other side at the same time, which put the Indians, for the moment, to flight.  I had been partially sheltered by a small tree, but a couple of Indians, who had taken a larger one, both fired at me once, and felling the steam of their guns at my belly, I supposed myself cut to pieces.  But no harm had been done, and I brought my piece to my side and fired, without aiming at the one that stood his ground, the fellow being so close to me that I could hardly miss him.  I shot him through the hips, and while he was crawling way on all fours Col. Darke, who had dismounted and stood close by me, made at him with his sword and struck his head off.  By this time the cock of my riflelock had worn loose and gave me much trouble; meeting with an acquaintance from Cincinnati, named McClure, who had no gun of his own, but picked up one from a militia man, I told him my difficulty.  “There is a first-rate rifle,” said he, pointing to one at a distance.  I ran and got it, having ascertained that my bullets would fit it.

 

Here I met Captain J. S. Gano, who was unarmed, and handing to him the rifle I went into battle with, I observed to him that we were defeated, and would have to make our own escape as speedily as possible; that if we got off, we should need the rifles for subsistence in the woods.  The battle still raged, and at one spot might be seen a party of soldiers gathered together, having nothing to do but present mere marks for the enemy.  They appeared stupefied and bewildered with the danger.  At another spot the soldiers had broken into the marquees of the officers, eating the breakfast from which those had been called into the battle.  It must be remembered that neither officers nor men had eaten anything the whole morning.  Some of the men were shot down in the very act of eating.  Just where I stood there were no Indians visible, although their rifle-balls were striking all around.  At last I saw an Indian break for a tree about forty yards off, behind which he leaded and fired four times, bringing down his man at every fire, and with such quickness as to give me no chance to take sight in the intervals of his firing.  At length I got a range of two inches inside his backbone, and blazed away; down he fell, and I saw no more of him.

 

A short time after I heard the cry given by St. Clair and his adjutant-sergeant to charge to the road, which was accordingly done.  I ran across the army to where I had left my relative, Captain Piatt, and told him that the army was broken up and in full retreat.  “Don’t say so,” he replied: “you will discourage my men, and I can’t believe it.”  I persisted a short time, when, finding him obstinate, I said, “If you will rush on your fate, in God’s name do it.”  I then ran off towards the rear of the army, which was making off rapidly.

 

Piatt called after me, saying “Wait for me.”  It was of no use to stop, for by this time the savages were in full chase and hardly twenty yards behind me.  Being uncommonly active in those days, I soon got from the rear to front of the troops, although I had great trouble to avoid the bayonets which the men had thrown off in the retreat, with the sharp points towards their pursuers.

 

It has been stated that the Indians followed us thirty miles; but this is not true, and my duty as surveyor having led me to mark the miles every day as we proceeded on our march out, it was easy to ascertain how far we were pursued.  The Indians, after every other fire, fell back to lead their rifles, and gained lost time by running on afresh.

 

 

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benumbed at times that I had to take the bullets in my mouth and load from it, while I had the wiping-stick in my hand to force them down.

 

PLAN OF ST. CLAIR’S BATTLE-FIELD.

 

References.—A. High ground, on which the militia were encamped at the commencement of the action.  B. C. Encampment of the main army.  D. Retreat of the militia at the beginning of the battle.  E. St. Clair’s trace, on which the defeated army retreated.  F. Place where General Butler and other officers were buried.  G. Trail to Girty’s Town, on the river St. Mary’s, at what is now the village of St. Mary’s.  H. Site of Fort Recovery, built by Wayne; the line of Darke and Mercer runs within a few rods of the site of the fort.  I. Place where a brass cannon was found buried in 1830; it is on the bottom where the Indians were three times driven to the highland with the bayonet.

 

McDowell’s Story.

 

The map of the battle-ground is from the survey of Mr. John S. Houston, of Celina.  The localities* were pointed out to him by Mr. McDowell, who was in the action, and is now living near Recovery.  In a letter dated Celina, March 20, 1847, Mr. Houston gives me some notes of a conversation with Mr. McDowell:

 

 

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some distance.  Afterwards, to save her own life, the woman threw away the child in the snow.  The Indians took it up, carried it to the Sandusky towns, and raised it.*  Soon after this McDowell overtook a youth, some eighteen years old, wounded in the leg, hobbling along, and dispirited.  He gave him a drink of spirits and a little bread (he himself had not had time to eat), which refreshed and encouraged him.  Soon after a pony came dashing by.  This McDowell caught, and mounting the youth upon it, he safely reached the fort.

 

At Stillwater creek, twelve miles from the battle-ground, the Indians, who were no longer numerous, left them and returned to share their booty.  “Oh!” said an old squaw who died many years ago on the St. Mary’s, “my arm that night was weary scalping white man.”

 

Some years ago—said the old man to me—and here his cheeks were moistened with tears—I was traveling in Kentucky to visit a sister I had not seen in many years, when I arrived at Georgetown, and entered my name on the ledger with the place of my residence—Recovery, O.

 

After I had been sitting some time at ease before a comfortable fire, a gentleman who had noticed the entry of my name and residence, opened a friendly conversation about the place and country.  He soon remarked that he was at the defeat of St. Clair, and that if it had not been for the assistance of a young man of Butler’s regiment, he would have been there yet.

 

After a few more questions and replies both parties recognized each other.  The gentleman was the youth who had been shot, on the retreat, and whose life—as previously stated—was saved by the interposition of McDowell.  At this discovery their surprise and consequent mutual attachment may be imagined.  The gentleman insisted upon taking him to his house and introducing him to his wife and daughters.  He had become wealthy by merchandising, and on parting with McDowell, gave him a new suit of clothes and other presents, which he has carefully preserved to this day.

 

Heroism and Agility of Kennan.

 

McClung, in his “Sketches of Western Adventure,” relates some anecdotes, showing the heroism and activity of a young man who was in this action:

 

The late William Kennan, of Fleming county, at that time a young man of eighteen, was attached to the corps of rangers who accompanied the regular force.  He had long been remarkable for strength and activity.  In the course of the march from Fort Washington he had repeated opportunities of testing his astonishing powers in that respect, and was universally admitted to be the swiftest runner of the light corps.  On the evening preceding the action his corps had been advanced, as already observed, a few hundred yards in front of the first line of infantry, in order to give seasonable notice of the enemy’s approach.  Just as day was dawning he observed about thirty Indians within100 yards of the guards’ fire, advancing cautiously toward the spot where he stood, together with about twenty rangers, the rest being considerably in the rear.

 

Supposing it to be a mere scouting party, as usual, and not superior in number to the rangers, he sprang forward a few paces in order to shelter himself in a spot of peculiarly rank grass, and firing with a quick aim upon the foremost Indian, he instantly fell flat upon his face, and proceeded with all possible rapidity to reload his gun, not doubting for a moment but that the rangers would maintain their position and support him.  The Indians, however, rushed forward in such overwhelming masses that the rangers were compelled to fly with precipitation, leaving young Kennan in total ignorance of his danger.  Fortunately the captain of this company had observed him when he threw himself into the grass, and suddenly shouted aloud, “Run, Kennan! or you are a dead man!”  He instantly sprang to his feet and beheld Indians within ten feet of him, while his company was already more than 100 yards in front.

 

Not a moment was to be lost.  He darted off with every muscle strained to its utmost, and was pursued by a dozen of the enemy with loud yells.  He at first pressed straight forward to the usual fording-place in the creek, which ran between the rangers and the main army; but several Indians who had passed him before he rose from the grass cut him off from the rest.  By the most powerful exertions he had thrown the whole body of pursuers behind him, with the exception of one chief (probably Messhawa), who displayed a swiftness and perseverance equal to his own.  In the circuit which Kennan was obliged to take the race continued for more than 400 yards.  The distance between them was about eighteen feet, which Kennan could not increase nor his adversary diminish.  Each for the time put his whole soul into the race.

 

 

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his pursuer in a different manner, and felt for his tomahawk in order to turn at bay.  It had escaped from its sheath, however, while he lay in the grass, and his hair had almost lifted the cap from his head when he saw himself totally disarmed.  As he had slackened his pace for a moment the Indian was almost in reach of him when he commenced the race; but the idea of being without arms lent wings to his feet, and, for the first time, he was himself gaining ground.  He had watched the motions of his pursuer too closely, however, to pay proper attention to the nature of the ground before him, and he suddenly found himself in front of a large tree which had been blown down, and upon which brush and other impediments lay to the height of eight or nine feet.

 

The Indian (who heretofore had not uttered the slightest sound) now gave a short, quick yell, as if secure of his victim.  Kennan had not a moment to deliberate.  He must clear the impediment at a leap of perish.  Putting his whole soul into the effort, he bounded into the air with a power which astonished himself, and clearing limbs, brush and everything else, alighted imperfect safety upon the other side.  A loud yell of astonishment burst from the band of pursuers, not one of whom had the hardihood to attempt the same feat.  Kennan, as may be readily imagined, had no leisure to enjoy his triumph, but dashing into the bed of the creek (upon the banks of which his feat had been performed), where the high banks would shield him from the fire of the enemy, he ran up the stream until a convenient place offered for crossing, and rejoined the rangers in the rear of the encampment, panting from the fatigue of exertions which have seldom been surpassed.  No breathing time was allowed him, however.  The attack instantly commenced, and, as we have already observed, was maintained for three hours with unabated fury.

 

When the retreat commenced, Kennan was attached to Maj. Clarke’s battalion, and had the dangerous service of protecting the rear.  This corps quickly lost its commander, and was completely disorganized.  Kennan was among the hindmost when the fight commenced, but exerting those same powers which had saved him in the morning, he quickly gained the front, passing several horsemen in flight.  Here he beheld a private in his own company, and intimate acquaintance, lying upon the ground with his thigh broken, and in