turn without some trophy of
victory. We followed cautiously on for several days, killed one man and
a boy, and returned home with their scalps.

In consequence of this mutiny in camp, I was not again able to raise
a sufficient force to go against the Osages until about my Nineteenth
year. During this interim they committed many outrages on our nation;
hence I succeeded in recruiting two hundred efficient warriors, and
early one morning took up the line of march. In a few days we were in
the enemy's country, and we had not gone far before we met a force
equal to our own with which to contend. A general battle immediately
commenced, although my warriors were considerably fatigued by forced
marches. Each party fought desperately. The enemy seemed unwilling
to yield the ground and we were determined to conquer or die. A great
number of Osages were killed and many wounded before they commenced a
retreat. A band of warriors more brave, skillful and efficient than mine
could not be found. In this engagement I killed five men and one squaw,
and had the good fortune to take the scalps of all I struck with one
exception--that of the squaw, who was accidentally killed. The enemy's
loss in this engagement was about one hundred braves. Ours nineteen. We
then returned to our village well pleased with our success, and danced
over the scalps which we had taken.

The Osages, in consequence of their great loss in this battle, became
satisfied to remain on their own lands. This stopped for a while their
depredations on our nation. Our attention was now directed towards an
ancient enemy who had decoyed and murdered some of our helpless women
and children. I started with my father, who took command of a small
party, and proceeded against the enemy to chastise them for the wrongs
they had heaped upon us. We met near the Merimac and an action ensued;
the Cherokees having a great advantage in point of numbers. Early in
this engagement my father was wounded in the thigh, but succeeded in
killing his enemy before he fell. Seeing that he had fallen, I assumed
command, and fought desperately until the enemy commenced retreating
before the well directed blows of our braves. I returned to my father
to administer to his necessities, but nothing could be done for him. The
medicine man said the wound was mortal, from which he soon after died.
In this battle I killed three men and wounded several. The enemy's loss
was twenty-eight and ours seven.

I