Bullet, [57] who defended the baggage with great
bravery and contributed much to save the remnant of the detachment,
was the only officer who escaped unhurt.[12] Out of one hundred and
sixty-six men, sixty-two were killed on the spot and two were
wounded.

Major Lewis was himself made prisoner; and although stripped by the
Indians of every article of his clothing, and reduced to perfect
nudity, he was protected from bodily injury by a French officer, who
took him to his tent and supplied him with clothes. Grant who had
wandered all night with five or six of his men, came in, on the
morning after the engagement, and surrendered himself a prisoner of
war.

While Grant and Lewis were prisoners, the former addressed a letter to
Gen. Forbes giving a detailed account of the engagement and
attributing the defeat to the ill conduct of the latter. This letter,
(being inspected by the French who knew the falsehood of the charge it
contained) was handed to Maj. Lewis. Exasperated at this charge, Lewis
waited on Major Grant and in the interview between them, after having
bestowed on him some abusive epithets, challenged him to the field.
Grant declined to accept the invitation; and Lewis, after spitting in
his face in the presence of several of the French officers, left him
to reflect on his baseness.

After this defeat a council was held by the Indians to determine on
the course proper for them to pursue. The most of them had come from
about Detroit at the instance of the French commandant there, to
fortify Fort du Quesne against an attack by Forbes--the hunting season
had arrived and many of them were anxious to return to their town. The
question which attracted their attention most seriously was, whether
Gen. Forbes would then retreat or advance. As Grant had been most
signally defeated, many supposed that the main arm would retire into
winter quarters, as Dunbar had, after the battle on the Monongahela.
The French expressed a different opinion, and endeavored to prevail on
the Indians to remain and witness the result. This however they
refused to do, and the greater part of them left du Quesne. Upon this
the commandant of the fort, in order to learn the course which Gen.
Forbes would pursue, and to impress upon the English, an idea that the
French were in return preparing to attack them, ordered the remainder
of the Indians, a number of Canadians and some French regulars to
reconnoitre the route [58] along which Gen. Forbe