: TO-PEE-NA-BEE.]

About nine o'clock, the troops left the fort with martial music, and in
military array. Captain Wells, at the head of the Miamies, led the van,
his face blackened after the manner of the Indians. The garrison, with
loaded arms, followed, and the wagons with the baggage, the women and
children, the sick and the lame, closed the rear. The Pottawatomies, about
five hundred in number, who had promised to escort them in safety to Fort
Wayne leaving a little space, afterward followed. The party in advance
took the beach road. They had no sooner arrived at the sand-hills which
separate the prairie from the beach, about a mile and a half from the
fort, when the Pottawatomies, instead of continuing in rear of the
Americans, left the beach and took to the prairie; the sand-hills of
course intervened, and presented a barrier between the Pottawatomies and
the American and Miami line of march. This divergence had scarcely been
effected, when Captain Wells, who, with the Miamies was considerably in
advance, rode back and exclaimed, "They are about to attack us; form
instantly and charge upon them." The word had scarcely been uttered,
before a volley of musketry from behind the sand-hills was poured in upon
them. The troops were brought immediately into a line and charged upon the
bank. One man, a veteran of seventy, fell as they ascended. The battle at
once became general. The Miamies fled in the outset; their chief rode up
to the Pottawatomies, charged them with duplicity, and, brandishing his
tomahawk, said, "he would be the first to head a party of Americans, and
return to punish them for their treachery." He then turned his horse and
galloped off in pursuit of his companions, who were then scouring across
the prairie, and nothing was seen or heard of them more.

The American troops behaved gallantly; though few in number, they sold
their lives as dearly as possible. They felt, however, as if their time
had come, and sought to forget all that was dear on earth.

While the battle was raging, the surgeon, Doctor Voorhes, who was badly
wounded, and whose horse had been shot from under him, approaching Mrs.
Helm, the wife of Lieutenant Helm, (who was in the action, participating
in all its vicissitudes,) observed, "Do you think," said he, "they will
take our lives? I am badly wounded, but I think not mortally. Perhaps we
can purchase safety by offering a large reward. Do you think," continued
he, "there is any chan