152 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
These men had been in service since August 16. They had en- 
dured much privation with admirable tenacity and acquired a con- 
siderable degree of discipline. Their term of enlistment would expire 
in a month and they were naturally eager to perform some noble action 
before returning home. Allen had declared that if they failed to ad- 
vance now, they would be told that “a thousand freemen are unequal 
to a contest with three hundred savages and slaves.’’! 
Lewis began his march early on the 17th, taking with him three 
days’ provisions hauled on sleds. A few hours later Winchester re- 
ceived news which induced him to despatch Colonel Allen with two 
more companies of fifty-five men each to reinforce him. Lewis ad- 
vanced twenty miles that day, crossing the bay on the ice to a little 
settlement on Presqu’Isle. The inhabitants came to meet him with 
a white flag, stating that the British had retired from Brownstown. 
Three hours after dark Allen overtook him. During the night a mes- 
senger came from Frenchtown with information that the number of 
Indians there was increasing and that Elliott was expected to march 
from Amherstburg next morning with many more. Lewis transmitted 
this to Winchester with a request for further reinforcements, but re- 
sumed his march shortly after daybreak in the hope of forestalling 
Elliott’s arrival. He divided his force into four battalions of three 
companies each, under Colonel Allen, Majors Graves and Madison and 
Captain Ballard, that commanded by the latter being detailed as an 
advance guard. 
Winchester had remained so long inactive that he had lulled 
Procter into the belief that he had gone into winter quarters. Tecumseh 
who was in poor health, had gone southward to rouse the Creeks and 
Cherokees. The Prophet had returned to the Wabash. The Indians 
from Saginaw, Mackinac and the borders of Lake Michigan had long 
since been dismissed to save provisions. The movement of a strong 
body of Americans up the Illinois in shot-proof boats, with the in-* 
tention of building a fort near Peoria and ultimately re-occupying 
Chicago, had been reported. He surmised that their object was to 
cut off his communication with the most formidable Indians of-the 
west by the establishment of a chain of posts. The chief Mapock, who 
had been active in the operations against Hull, had assembled a force 
to oppose them. Repeated applications from the Indians for detach- 
ments of regular troops to accompany them on expeditions had been 
evaded by Procter with considerable difficulty; but when they proposed 
the organization of a body of rangers for that particular purpose, he 
readily gave his approval. ‘A corps of that description,” he wrote, 

1 Amrstrong, I, 68. 
