126 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
Sergeant McCoy of Scott’s regiment of Kentucky volunteers. He had 
been wandering in the woods for four days without food. On being 
questioned he described Winchester’s force very accurately giving the 
name and approximate strength of each regiment and estimating the 
whole to amount to three thousand, of whom four hundred were dragoons 
or mounted riflemen, accompanied by a six pounder and a train of 
seventy waggons. They were short of provisions but expected to be 
joined at Fort Defiance by an equal force advancing down the Au Glaize 
with provisions for both and four field guns. 
By that time Muir had ascertained that not more than 330 Indians 
had remained and told Elliott that it would be madness to risk an en- 
gagement with so small a force, pointing out the danger they ran of being 
completely surrounded and destroyed by overwhelming numbers. 
Elliott replied that two of the Indian conjurers had dreamed that they 
would be successful that day and the warriors were fully determined to 
fight. Muir bade him tell them that he could not see the smallest 
prospect of success and must refuse to throw away the lives of his men 
to no purpose. Roundhead then came to him with an interpreter and 
urged that they might be allowed at least to justify the prediction of 
the conjurers by driving back the enemy’s advance guard, and then 
retire through the woods. Muir retorted that the Indians might be 
able to do this but the regular troops could not exist without supplies. 
During the day he overtook Troughton who had been obliged to lighten 
his boats by the sacrifice of some stores. Indian scouts who were 
sent up the Au Glaize reported that they had heard cannon shots and 
the sound of bugles in the woods a few miles up that river, which seemed 
to confirm the report that an army was advancing from that direction.’ 
Muir continued his retreat without molestation arriving at the head of 
the rapids on September 30th, and at Amherstburg on October 2nd. 
He reported that his men had behaved remarkably well and praised 
his officers for “their zeal and cheerful compliance with all orders on 
every occasion.” As it afterwards appeared his movement was not 
wholly fruitless, as it materially delayed Harrison’s advance upon Detroit; 
but the result of the expedition confirmed Procter in the conviction 
that he must have “an independent regular force to insure the assist- 
ance of the Indians.’’ He strongly urged that he should be reinforced 
by a portion of the 41st regiment without delay. “The Indians will 
certainly not desert us now,” he wrote; “but a respectable foree is 
requisite to give them confidence and render them effective. The 
Indians hesitated some time whether they should again confide in us. 
They have their fears that this territory may be again ceded to the 
1 Muir to Procter, Sept. 30, 1812. 
