wha rivers afforded them opportunities for concealing
their dead, while the plan of retreat,--alternately giving ground and
renewing the attack,--was no doubt adopted for the purpose of gaining
time to remove the wounded across the Ohio. It is fair to assume that
the loss of the Indians was not far short of that sustained by the
whites.

All circumstances considered, this battle may be ranked among the most
memorable, and well contested, that has been fought on this continent.
The leaders, on either side, were experienced and able, the soldiers
skilful and brave. The victorious party, if either could be so called,
had as little to boast of as the vanquished. It was alike creditable to
the Anglo-Saxon and the aboriginal arms.

After the Indians had recrossed the Ohio, they marched to the valley of
the Scioto, and encamped on the east side of that stream, about eight
miles north of where Chillicothe now stands. Here a council was held to
decide upon their future movements. Cornstalk, although true to the
interests of the Shawanoes, was the friend of peace, and had been
opposed to making the attack on the troops of general Lewis. Being
overruled, he entered into the action determined to do his duty. He now
rose in the council and demanded, "_What shall we do now? The Long
Knives are coming upon us by two routes. Shall we turn out and fight
them_?" No reply being made to his questions, he continued, "shall we
kill all our women and children, and then fight until we are all killed
ourselves?" The chiefs were still silent. Cornstalk turned round, and
striking his tomahawk into the war-post standing in the midst of the
council, said with his characteristic energy of manner, "_Since you are
not inclined to fight, I will go and make peace_."

In the meantime the earl of Dunmore, having procured boats at fort
Pitt, descended the river to Wheeling, where the army halted for a few
days, and then proceeded down the river in about one hundred canoes, a
few keel boats and perogues, to the mouth of Hockhocking, and from
thence over land, until the army had got within a few miles of the
Shawanoe camp. Here the army halted, and made a breastwork of fallen
trees, and entrenchments of such extent as to include about twelve
acres of ground, with an enclosure in the centre containing about one
acre. This was the citadel, which contained the markees of the earl and
his superior officers.[A] Before the army of Dunmore had reached this
point