slain four of their opponents, three Hurons and a Miami. [Footnote:  Haldimand MSS.  Thompson’s letter; McKee only mentions the three Hurons.  As already explained, the partisan leaders were apt, in enumerating the Indian losses, only to give such as had occurred in their own particular bands.  Marshall makes the fight take place in April; the Haldimand MSS. show that it was in September.  Marshall is as valuable for early Kentucky history as Haywood for the corresponding periods in Tennessee; but both one and the other write largely from tradition, and can never be followed when they contradict contemporary reports.] Among the former was the head chief, a famous warrior; his death so discouraged the Indians that they straightway returned home with their scalps and plunder, resisting McKee’s entreaty that they would first attack Boonsborough.

One war party carried off Logan’s family; but Logan, following swiftly after, came on the savages so suddenly that he killed several of their number, and rescued all his own people unhurt. [Footnote:  Bradford MSS.]

    Complicity of the British.

Often French Canadians, and more rarely tories, accompanied these little bands of murderous plunderers [Footnote:  At this very time a small band that had captured a family in the Kanawha valley were pursued fifty miles, overtaken, several killed and wounded, and the prisoners recaptured, by Col.  Andrew Donelly, mentioned in a previous note; it consisted of two French and eight Indians.  Virginia State Papers, I., 601.]—­besides the companies of Detroit rangers who went with the large war parties—­and they were all armed and urged on by the British at Detroit.  One of the official British reports to Lord George Germaine, made on October 23d of this year, deals with the Indian war parties employed against the northwestern frontier.  “Many smaller Indian parties have been very successful....  It would be endless and difficult to enumerate to your Lordship the parties that are continually employed upon the back settlements.  From the Illinois country to the frontiers of New York there is a continual succession... the perpetual terror and losses of the inhabitants will I hope operate powerfully in our favor” [Footnote:  See full copy of the letter in Mr. Martindale’s excellent pamphlet, above quoted.];—­so runs the letter.  At the same time the British commander in Canada was pointing out to his subordinate at Detroit that the real danger to British rule arose from the extension of the settlements westwards, and that this the Indians could prevent [Footnote:  Haldimand MSS.  Haldimand to De Peyster, June 24, 1781.  Throughout the letters of the British officers at and near Detroit there are constant allusions to scalps being brought in; but not one word, as far as I have seen, to show that the Indians were ever reproved because many of the scalps were those of women and children.  It is only fair to say, however, that there are several