[Footnote 14:  In the action at Piqua here referred to, Simon Girty commanded three hundred Mingoes, whom he withdrew on account of the desperation with which the whites fought.]

[Footnote 15:  This was a peculiar characteristic of this great chief, as drawn from the pages of history; and the more peculiar, that he was a fierce, determined warrior, and the very last to hold out against a peace with his white enemy.  But there were some noble traits in the man; and when, at last, he was wrought upon to sign the treaty of Greenville, in 1795—­twenty-four years after the date of the foregoing events—­so keen was his sense of honor, that no entreaty nor persuasion could thenceforth induce him to break his bond; and he remained a firm friend of the Americans to the day of his death.  He was opposed to burning prisoners, and to polygamy, and is said to have lived forty years with one wife, rearing a numerous family of children.—­See Drake’s Life of Tecumseh.]

[Footnote 16:  The reader will bear in mind, that these events transpired during the American Revolution; that the Indians were, at this time, allies of the British; who paid them, in consequence, regular annuities, at Upper Sandusky.]

[Footnote 17:  This was a customary proceeding of the savages at that day, with all prisoners doomed to death.]

CHAPTER XIV.

HISTORICAL EVENTS.

From the first inroads of the whites upon what the Indians considered their lawful possessions, although by them unoccupied—­namely, the territory known as Kan-tuck-kee—­up to the year which opens our story, there had been scarcely any cessation of hostilities between the two races so antagonistical in their habits and principles.  Whenever an opportunity presented itself favorable to their purpose, the savages would steal down from their settlements—­generally situated on the Bottom Lands of the principal rivers in the present State of Ohio—­cross over La Belle Riviere into Kentucky, and, having committed as many murders and other horrible acts as were thought prudent for their safety, would return in triumph, if successful, to their homes, taking along with them scalps of both sexes and all ages, from the infant to the gray-beard, and not unfrequently a few prisoners for the amusement of burning at the stake.

These flying visits of the savages were generally repaid by similar acts of kindness on the part of the whites; who, on several occasions, marched with large armies into their very midst, destroyed their crops and stores, and burnt their towns.  An expedition of this kind was prosecuted by General Clark, in August of the year preceding the events we have detailed, of which mention has been previously made.  He had under his command one thousand men, mostly from Kentucky, and marched direct upon old Chillicothe, which the Indians deserted and burnt on his approach.  He next moved upon the Piqua towns, on Mad river, where