e at Brownstown, and on the 21st pushed on to attack the
American camp at Frenchtown, with about 500 regular soldiers and militia
and 600 Indians. The attack upon the American camp was made on the
morning of the 22nd; and the Indians, under the Wyandot chief Roundhead,
speedily turned the enemy's flank and caused him to retreat--Chief
Roundhead with his Indians taking General Winchester himself prisoner,
and delivering him unharmed to Colonel Proctor. About 500 of General
Winchester's men had thrown themselves into the houses, where they were
making deadly resistance from fear of falling into the hands of the
Indians, who were greatly exasperated by this mode of warfare, and
assailed and pursued their retreating but resisting enemies with a
ferocity unequalled during the whole three years' war. Colonel Proctor
informed General Winchester that the houses would be set on fire, and he
would be utterly unable to restrain the Indians, if this kind of warfare
were persisted in, and they refused to surrender. They at length
surrendered, on being assured that they would be protected from the
Indians. Thirty-two officers and upwards of 500 men were taken
prisoners, not one of whom sustained any injury from their captors,
whether regular soldiers, militia, or Indians.

But many Americans were slaughtered in refusing to surrender for fear of
the Indians, and determined to fight and retreat in hopes of making
their escape. They suffered severely; and on that account several
American writers have represented the Indians at the battle of
Frenchtown as committing unheard-of cruelties upon helpless men, women,
and children. Even President Madison joined in the misrepresentation, as
he was always ready to seize upon any pretext to assail the British
Government for admitting the alliance of the Indians in the
war--forgetful that his Government had repeatedly sought to do the same
thing, but had only succeeded in a few instances. But in vindication of
the Indians and their commander, Colonel Proctor, the following facts
may be stated, which are conclusive on the subject. In the first place,
General Winchester, the commander of the American detachment, was taken
prisoner by the Indians, and instead of being butchered and scalped, was
delivered unharmed by the Wyandot chief Roundhead into the hands of
Colonel Proctor.

However, many of the Americans refused to surrender from fear of falling
into the hands of the Indians, and attempted to r