te of the present town of
Waterford; another fifteen miles farther up the river at Big Bottom,
and a third at Wolf creek near the falls. These settlements were made
on a tract of one hundred thousand acres, laid off into "donation"
lots of one hundred acres, and gratuitously assigned to _actual
settlers_; and at the close of the year they contained nearly five
hundred men, of whom one hundred and seven had families.

Thus was the present flourishing State of Ohio begun to be occupied by
the whites; and the mind cannot but be struck with astonishment in
contemplating the wonderful changes which have been _wrought there_,
in such brief space of time, by industry and enterprise. Where then
stood mighty and unbroken forests, through which the savage passed on
his mission of blood; or stalked the majestic buffaloe, gamboled the
sportive deer, or trotted the shaggy bear, are now to [291] be seen
productive farms, covered with lowing herds and bleating flocks, and
teeming with all the comforts of life.--And where then stood the town
of Losantiville with its three or four little cabins and their twenty
inmates, is now to be seen a flourishing city with its splendid
edifices, and a population of 26,513 souls. Continuing thus
progressively to improve, the mind of man, "pervading and far darting"
as it is, can scarcely picture the state which may be there exhibited
in the lapse of a few centuries.

The formations of those establishments north west of the Ohio river,
incited the savages to the commission of such and so frequent
enormities that measures were taken by the general government to
reduce them to quiet and render peace truly desirable to them. While
preparations were making to carry those measures into operation,
detachments from the regular troops at Fort Washington were stationed
at Duck creek, the Big Bottom and Wolf creek, for the security of the
_settlers_ at those places; and when every thing was prepared, Gen.
Harmar, at the head of three hundred and twenty regulars, moved from
his head quarters at Fort Washington, to the Little Miami, where the
militia detailed for the expedition, were then assembled. The object
was to bring the Indians, if possible, to a general engagement; and if
this could not be effected, to destroy their towns and crops on the
Scioto and Miami.

On the last day of September 1790, the army then consisting of
fourteen hundred and forty-three men, (of whom only three hundred and
twenty were