150 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
a rapid thaw set in, during which most of the snow went away. On 
January 2 this was succeeded by a heavy fall of snow, which continued 
for two days and nights. He was then overtaken by Harrison’s message 
countermanding his movement, which he determined to disregard. 
On January 4 the march was resumed, but, the snow being nearly two 
feet deep, horses and men rapidly gave out, and he did not reach the 
deserted settlement at the foot of the rapids until the 10th.' Here he 
fortified a position with a timber breastwork on the left bank of the 
river, where Hull’s road crossed it, and began building huts and store- 
houses. Again a message was sent to Harrison by way of Fort Mc- 
Arthur, which did not reach Upper Sandusky until he had left that 
place. The messenger followed him to Lower Sandusky, and ultimately 
delivered the letter to him at the place he had started from.’ 
The term of enlistment of the Kentucky Volunteers would expire 
in February, and Harrison had requested Winchester to recruit at least 
a regiment from among them to serve six months longer, stating his 
opinion that it would be unwise to employ them in any offensive move- 
ment unless he succeeded. He soon ascertained that the hardships 
and privations of the campaign had so greatly dispirited the majority 
that little could be expected, and replied accordingly. 
Camp equipage and supplies of all kinds were brought up as rapidly 
as possible, and a large drove of hogs ordered forward from Fort 
Jennings. A quantity of corn was discovered in the fields, which 
Winchester ordered his men to gather and use to spare his flour. 
On January 11, a scouting party fell in with a few Indians, whom 
they pursued, and a skirmish followed in which there was some loss 
on either side. On the evening of the 13th, two French Canadians 
from the River Raisin came in with a letter from a spy named Day, 
who had been sent forward to that place. He wrote that a party of 
Indians had passed through with the information of Winchester’s 
arrival at the Miami and had threatened to return in force and burn 
the village. The British were preparing to remove all the cattle and 
provisions of every kind, and suspected persons were being arrested 
and confined. 
A supply of woollen underclothing had opportunely arrived from 
Kentucky, which made the men comfortable, and they began to regain 
their spirits, although the weather had again grown very cold. On 
January 14th, a second messenger arrived from the River Raisin solicit- 
ing protection. Winchester wrote to General Perkins, who was in 
command at Lower Sandusky, stating that he meditated an advance 
1 McAfee, 200-2; Atherton; Darnell. 
2 McAfee, 202-3. 
