leader, Elliott.  But McKee, Girty, and Elliott did not actually fight in the battle. [Footnote:  Canadian Archives, McKee to Chew, August 27, 1794.  McKee says there were 1300 Indians, and omits all allusion to Caldwell’s rangers.  He always underestimates the Indian numbers and loss.  In the battle one of Caldwell’s rangers, Antoine Lasselle, was captured.  He gave in detail the numbers of the Indians engaged; they footed up to over 1500.  A deserter from the fort, a British drummer of the 24th Regiment, named John Bevin, testified that he had heard both McKee and Elliott report the number of Indians as 2000, in talking to Major Campbell, the commandant of the fort, after the battle.  He and Lasselle agree as to Caldwell’s rangers.  See their depositions, American State Papers, IV., 494.]

    The Indians’ Stand at the Fallen Timbers.

On August 20, 1794, Wayne marched to battle against the Indians. [Footnote:  Draper MSS., William Clark to Jonathan Clark, August 28, 1794.  McBride, II., 129; “Life of Paxton.”  Many of the regulars and volunteers were left in Fort Defiance and the breastworks on the Maumee as garrisons.] They lay about six miles down the river, near the British fort, in a place known as the Fallen Timbers, because there the thick forest had been overturned by a whirlwind, and the dead trees lay piled across one another in rows.  All the baggage was left behind in the breastwork, with a sufficient guard.  The army numbered about three thousand men; two thousand were regulars, and there were a thousand mounted volunteers from Kentucky under General Scott.

    March of the Army.

The army marched down the left or north branch of the Maumee.  A small force of mounted volunteers—­Kentucky militia—­were in front.  On the right flank the squadron of dragoons, the regular cavalry, marched next to the river.  The infantry, armed with musket and bayonet, were formed in two long lines, the second some little distance behind the first; the left of the first line being continued by the companies of regular riflemen and light troops.  Scott, with the body of the mounted volunteers, was thrown out on the left with instructions to turn the flank of the Indians, thus effectually preventing them from performing a similar feat at the expense of the Americans.  There could be no greater contrast than that between Wayne’s carefully trained troops, marching in open order to the attack, and St. Clair’s huddled mass of raw soldiers receiving an assault they were powerless to repel.

    Heavy Skirmishing,

The Indians stretched in a line nearly two miles long at right angles to the river, and began the battle confidently enough.  They attacked and drove in the volunteers who were in advance and the firing then began along the entire front.  But their success was momentary.  Wayne ordered the first line of the infantry to advance with trailed arms, so as to rouse the savages from their cover, then to fire into their backs at close range, and to follow them hard with the bayonet, so as to give them no time to load.  The regular cavalry were directed to charge the left flank of the enemy; for Wayne had determined “to put the horse hoof on the moccasin.”  Both orders were executed with spirit and vigor.