tement, it is certain that
Colonel Byrd refused to go any farther. All the stations on the river
were apparently at his disposal, and it speaks well for his humanity
that he refused to lead any farther savages armed with the tomahawk and
the scalping knife, against his white brethren. He could order a
retreat, as he did, but he could not rescue the captives from those who
had seized them. The Indians loaded down their victims with the plunder
of their own dwellings, and as they fell by the way, sinking beneath
their burdens, they buried the tomahawk in their brains.

The exasperation on both sides was very great, and General Clark, who
was stationed at Fort Jefferson with a thousand picked men, entered the
Indian territory, burned the villages, destroyed the crops, and utterly
devastated the country. In reference to this expedition, Mr. Cecil B.
Hartley writes:

"Some persons who have not the slightest objection to war, very gravely
express doubts as to whether the expedient of destroying the crops of
the Indians was justifiable. It is generally treated by these men as if
it were a wanton display of a vindictive spirit, where in reality it was
dictated by the soundest policy; for when the Indians' harvests were
destroyed, they were compelled to subsist their families altogether by
hunting, and had no leisure for their murderous inroads into the
settlements. This result was plainly seen on this occasion, for it does
not appear that the Indians attacked any of the settlements during the
remainder of this year."

The following incident, well authenticated, which occurred early in the
spring of 1780, gives one a vivid idea of the nature of this warfare:

"Mr. Alexander McConnel of Lexington, while out hunting, killed a large
buck. He went home for his horse to bring it in. While he was absent,
five Indians accidentally discovered the body of the deer. Supposing the
hunter would return, three of them hid themselves within rifle shot of
the carcass while two followed his trail. McConnel, anticipating no
danger, was riding slowly along the path, when he was fired upon from
ambush, his horse shot beneath him, and he seized as a prisoner. His
captors were in high glee, and treated him with unusual kindness. His
skill with the rifle excited their admiration, and as he provided them
with abundance of game, they soon became quite fond of him. Day after
day the savages continued their tramp to the Ohio river, to cross over
to th