h not in the least by
the orders or with the knowledge or consent of Major de Barner as
charged_.

One of the most extraordinary stories of the time is told by William
Dummer Powell afterwards Chief Justice of Upper Canada, but in
1780[17] and later practising as a barrister in Montreal. "Meeting in
the Street of Montreal an armed Party escorting to the Provost Guard
several female prisoners and Children," says Mr. Powell, "curiosity
was excited and upon engaging the Non-Commissioned Officer commanding
the Escort, Mr. Powell was informed that they were Prisoners of war,
taken in the Kentucky Country and brought into Detroit by a Detachment
of the Garrison and now arrived from thence. Further Enquiry after
procuring necessary relief to the first wants of the party, drew from
Mrs. Agnes La Force the following Narrative:

"That her husband was a loyal Subject in the Province of North
Carolina,[18] having a good Plantation well stocked and a numerous
family. That his political Sentiments exposed him to so much
Annoyance from the governing Party, that he determined to retire into
the wilderness, that he accordingly mustered his whole family,
consisting of several Sons and their Wives and Children, and
Sons-in-law with their Wives and Children, a numerous band of select
and valuable Slaves Male and female, and a large Stock of Cattle, with
which they proceeded westward, intending to retire into Kentucky.

"That after" the accidental death of the father they pursued their
route to the westward and settled with their Slaves in the wilderness
about five hundred miles from any civil establishment. After a
residence of three years, a party of regular Troops and Indians from
the British Garrison at Detroit appeared in the plain and summoned
them to surrender.[18] "Relying upon British faith," says Mr. Powell,
"they open'd their Gate on condition of Protection to their Persons
and property from the Indians; but they had no sooner surrendered and
received that promise than her sons and sons-in-law had to resort to
arms to resist the Insults of the Indians to their wives and
Slaves.[19] Several lives were lost and the whole surviving Party was
marched into Detroit, about six hundred Miles, where the Slaves were
distributed among the Captors and the rest marched or boated eight
hundred miles further to Montreal and driven into the Provot Prison as
Cattle into a Pound."[19]

This story will be credited with difficulty but accident