The treaty at camp Charlotte did not bring much repose to the frontier.  In the course of the two years succeeding it, new difficulties arose between the Indians and the inhabitants of western Virginia.  Early in the spring of 1777, several tribes joined in an offensive alliance against the latter.  Cornstalk exerted all his influence to arrest it, but in vain.  Sincerely desirous of averting war, he resolved to communicate this condition of affairs to the Virginians, in the hope that they might dissipate the impending war-cloud.  This information he determined to give in person.  Taking with him Red Hawk, and one other Indian, he went secretly to the fort at Point Pleasant, with a flag of peace, and presented himself to the commander of that post.  After stating to him the object of the mission, and fully explaining the situation of the confederate tribes and their contemplated attack upon the whites, he remarked, in regard to his own, “the current sets (with the Indians,) so strong against the Americans, in consequence of the agency of the British, that they (the Shawanoes) will float with it, I fear, in spite of all my exertions.”  No sooner had this information been given to the commander, captain Matthew Arbuckle, than he decided, in violation of all good faith, to detain the two chiefs as hostages, to prevent the meditated attack on the settlements.  This he did; and immediately gave information to the executive of Virginia, who ordered additional troops to the frontier.  In the mean time, the officers in the fort held frequent conversations with Cornstalk, whose intelligence equally surprised and pleased them.  He took pleasure in giving them minute descriptions of his country, its rivers, prairies and lakes, its game and other productions.  One day, as he was drawing a rude map on the floor, for the gratification of those present, a call was heard from the opposite shore of the Ohio, which he at once recognized as the voice of his favorite son, Elenipsico, a noble minded youth, who had fought by his father’s side in the battle of Point Pleasant.  At the request of Cornstalk, Elenipsico crossed over the river, and joined him in the fort, where they had an affectionate and touching meeting.  The son had become uneasy at his father’s long absence; and regardless of danger, had visited this place in search of him.  It happened on the following day that two white men, belonging to the fort, crossed over the Kanawha, upon a hunting excursion; as they were returning to their boat, they were fired upon by some Indians in ambush, and one of the hunters, named Gilmore, was killed, the other making his escape.  The news of this murder having reached the fort, a party of captain Hall’s men crossed the river and brought in the body of Gilmore; whereupon the cry was raised, “let us go and kill the Indians in the fort.”  An infuriated gang, with captain Hall at their head, instantly started, and in despite of all remonstrance, and the most solemn assurances that the murderers