The statements of Anthony Shane and of Stephen Ruddell, touching this action, vary in some particulars from that which has been given above, and also from the narrative in McDonald’s Sketches.  The principal difference relates to the number of Indians in the engagement, and the loss sustained by them.  They report but two killed, and that the Indian force was less than that of the whites.  Ruddell states that at the commencement of the attack, Tecumseh was lying by the fire, outside of the tents.  When the first gun was heard he sprang to his feet, and calling upon Sinnamatha[A] to follow his example and charge, he rushed forward, and killed one of the whites[B] with his war-club.  The other Indians, raising the war-whoop, seized their arms, and rushing upon Kenton and his party, compelled them, after a severe contest of a few minutes, to retreat.  One of the Indians, in the midst of the engagement, fell into the river, and in the effort to get out of the water, made so much noise, that it created a belief on the minds of the whites that a reinforcement was crossing the stream to aid Tecumseh.  This is supposed to have hastened the order from Kenton, for his men to retreat.  The afternoon prior to the battle, one of Kenton’s men, by the name of McIntire, succeeded in catching an Indian horse, which he tied in the rear of the camp; and, when a retreat was ordered, he mounted and rode off.  Early in the morning, Tecumseh and four of his men set off in pursuit of the retreating party.  Having fallen upon the trail of McIntire, they pursued it for some distance, and at length overtook him.  He had struck a fire and was cooking some meat.  When McIntire discovered his pursuers, he instantly fled at full speed.  Tecumseh and two others followed, and were fast gaining on him, when he turned and raised his gun.  Two of the Indians, who happened to be in advance of Tecumseh, sprung behind trees, but he rushed upon McIntire and made him prisoner.  He was tied and taken back to the battle ground.  Upon reaching it, Tecumseh deemed it prudent to draw off his men, lest the whites should rally and renew the attack.  He requested some of the Indians to catch the horses, but they, hesitating, he undertook to do it himself, assisted by one of the party.  When he returned to camp with the horses, he found that his men had killed McIntire.  At this act of cruelty to a prisoner, he was exceedingly indignant; declaring that it was a cowardly act to kill a man when tied and a prisoner.  The conduct of Tecumseh in this engagement, and in the events of the following morning, is creditable alike to his courage and humanity.  Resolutely brave in battle, his arm was never uplifted against a prisoner, nor did he suffer violence to be inflicted upon a captive, without promptly rebuking it.

[Footnote A:  Or Big Fish, the name by which Stephen Ruddell, then fighting with Tecumseh, was called.]

[Footnote B:  John Barr, referred to in a preceding note.]