ed in not hearing from Dunmore, general Lewis despatched some
scouts, over land to Pittsburg, to obtain intelligence of him. On the
ninth of October, and before the return of these scouts, an express
from Dunmore arrived in camp, with information that he had changed his
plan of operations; and intended to march directly against the Indian
towns on the Scioto; and directing general Lewis to cross the Ohio and
join him. Preparations were making to obey this order, when, about
sunrise, on the morning of the tenth, a large body of Indians was
discovered within a mile of the camp. Two detachments were ordered out
by general Lewis, to meet the enemy, one under the command of colonel
Charles Lewis, the other under colonel Fleming. The former marched to
the right, some distance from the Ohio, the latter to the left, on the
bank of that stream. Colonel Lewis had not proceeded half a mile from
the camp, when, soon after sunrise, his front line was vigorously
attacked by the united tribes of the Shawanoes, Delawares, Mingoes,
Ioways, and some others, in number between eight hundred and one
thousand. At the commencement of the attack, colonel Lewis received a
wound, which in the course of a few hours proved fatal: several of his
men were killed at the same time, and his division was forced to fall
back. In about a minute after the attack upon Lewis, the enemy engaged
the front of the other division, on the bank of the Ohio, and in a
short time, colonel Fleming, the leader of it, was severely wounded,
and compelled to retire to the camp. Colonel Lewis' division having now
been reinforced from the camp, pressed upon the Indians until they had
fallen back in a line with Fleming's division. During this time, it
being now twelve o'clock, the action continued with unabated severity.
The close underwood, the ravines and fallen trees, favored the Indians;
and while the bravest of their warriors fought from behind these
coverts, others were throwing their dead into the Ohio, and carrying
off their wounded. In their slow retreat, the Indians, about one
o'clock, gained a very advantageous position, from which it appeared to
our officers so difficult to dislodge them, that it was deemed
advisable to maintain the line as then formed, which was about a mile
and a quarter in length. In this position, the action was continued,
with more or less severity, until sundown, when, night coming on, the
Indians effected a safe retreat.[A]

[Footnote A: Of