eir exertions to harrass the frontier inhabitants.
The ease with which they had overcome the two armies sent against them
under Harmar and St. Clair, inspired them with contempt for our
troops, and induced a belief of their own invincibility, if practising
the vigilance necessary to guard against a surprise. To the want of
this vigilance, they ascribed the success of Gen. Scott; and deeming
it necessary only to exercise greater precaution to avoid similar
results, they guarded more diligently the passes into their country,
while discursive parties of their warriors would perpetrate their
accustomed acts of aggression upon the persons and property of the
whites.

About the middle of May, 1792, a party of savages came upon a branch
of Hacker's creek, and approaching late in the evening a field
recently cleared by John Waggoner, found him seated on a log, resting
himself after the labors of the day. In this company of Indians was
the since justly celebrated General Tecumseh, who leaving his
companions to make sure of those in the house, placed his gun on the
fence and fired deliberately at Waggoner. The leaden messenger of
death failed of its errand, and passing through the sleeve of his
shirt, left Waggoner uninjured, to try his speed with the Indian.
Taking a direction opposite the house, to avoid coming in contact with
the savages there, he outstripped his pursuer, and got safely off.

[303] In the mean time, those who had been left to operate against
those of the family who were at the house, finding a small boy in the
yard, killed and scalped him; and proceeding on, made prisoners of
Mrs. Waggoner and her six children, and departed immediately with
them, lest the escape of her husband, should lead to their instant
pursuit. They were disappointed in this expectation. A company of
men was soon collected, who repaired to the then desolate mansion,
and from thence followed on the trail of the savages. About a mile
from the house, one of the children was found where its brains had
been beaten out with a club, and the scalp torn from its head. A
small distance farther, lay Mrs. Waggoner and two others of her
children,--their lifeless bodies mangled in the most barbarous and
shocking manner. Having thus freed themselves from the principal
impediments to a rapid retreat, the savages hastened on; and the
pursuit was unavailing. They reached their towns with the remaining
prisoners--two girls and a boy--and avoided chastiseme