On the last day of June a determined assault was made by the Indians on Fort Recovery, which was garrisoned by about two hundred men.  Thanks to the efforts of the British agents, and of the runners from the allied tribes of the Lower Lakes, the Chippewas and all the tribes of the Upper Lakes had taken the tomahawk, and in June they gathered at the Miami.  Over two thousand warriors, all told, [Footnote:  Canadian Archives, McKee to Chew, July 7, 1794.] assembled; a larger body than had ever before marched against the Americans. [Footnote:  Am.  State Papers, iv., 488, Wayne to the Secretary of War, 1794.  He says they probably numbered from 1500 to 2000 men, which was apparently about the truth.  Throughout this campaign the estimate of the Americans as to the Indian forces and losses were usually close to the facts, and were often under rather than over statements.] They were eager for war, and wished to make a stroke of note against their foes; and they resolved to try to carry Fort Recovery, built on the scene of their victory over St. Clair.  They streamed down through the woods in long columns, and silently neared the fort.  With them went a number of English and French rangers, most of whom were painted and dressed like the Indians.

    Repulse of the Savages.

When they reached the fort they found camped close to the walls a party of fifty dragoons and ninety riflemen.  These dragoons and riflemen had escorted a brigade of packhorses from Greeneville the day before, and having left the supplies in the fort were about to return with the unladen packhorses.  But soon after daybreak the Indians rushed their camp.  Against such overwhelming numbers no effective resistance could be made.  After a few moments’ fight the men broke and ran to the fort.  The officers, as usual, showed no fear, and were the last to retreat, half of them being killed or wounded,—­one of the honorably noteworthy features of all these Indian fights was the large relative loss among the officers.  Most of the dragoons and riflemen reached the fort, including nineteen who were wounded; nineteen officers and privates were killed, and two of the packhorsemen were killed and three captured.  Two hundred packhorses were captured.  The Indians, flushed with success and rendered over-confident by their immense superiority in numbers, made a rush at the fort, hoping to carry it by storm.  They were beaten back at once with severe loss; for in such work they were no match for their foes.  They then surrounded the fort, kept up a harmless fire all day, and renewed it the following morning.  In the night they bore off their dead, finding them with the help of torches; eight or ten of those nearest the fort they could not get.  They then drew off and marched back to the Miami towns.  At least twenty-five [Footnote:  Canadian Archives, G. La Mothe to Joseph Chew, Michilimackinac, July 19, 1794.  McKee says, “17 men killed”; evidently he either wilfully understated the truth,