were attacked by the Indians concealed
in the high weeds which grew around. Colonel Logan, with four hundred
men, was ordered to file off,--march up the river to the east, and
occupy a position from which to intercept the savages, should they
attempt to fly in that direction. Another division of the army was in
like manner posted on the opposite side of the river, while General
Clarke with the troops under Colonel Slaughter and those attached to
the artillery, was to advance directly upon the town. The Indians
seemed to comprehend every motion of the army, and evinced the skill
of tacticians in endeavoring to thwart its purpose. To prevent being
surrounded by the advance of the detachment from the west, they made a
powerful effort to turn the left wing. Colonel Floyd extended his line
some distance west of the town, and the engagement became general.
Both armies fought with determined [224] resolution, and the contest
was warm and animated for some time. The Indians, finding that their
enemy was gaining on them retired unperceived, through the prairie, a
few only remaining in the town. The piece of cannon was then bro't to
bear upon the houses, into which some of the savages had retired to
annoy the army as it marched upon the village.--They were soon
dislodged and fled.

On reaching the houses, a Frenchman was discovered concealed in one of
them. From him it was learned, that the Indians had been apprized of
the intention of Gen. Clarke to march against Chilicothe and other
towns in its vicinity, by one of Col. Logan's men, who had deserted
from the army while at the mouth of Licking, and was supposed to have
fled to Carolina, as he took with him the horse furnished him for the
expedition. Instead of this however, he went over to the enemy, and
his treason,

----"Like a deadly blight,
Came o'er the councils of the brave,
And damped them in their hour of might."

Thus forwarned of the danger which threatened them, they were enabled
in a considerable degree to avoid it, and watching all the movements
of the army, were on the eve of attacking it silently, with tomahawks
and knives, on the night of its encamping between Chilicothe and
Piqua. The shooting of the guns, convincing them that they had not
been rendered useless by the rain, alone deterred them from executing
this determination.

Notwithstanding that the victory obtained by Gen. Clarke, was
complete and decided, yet the army under his comm