272 The Winning of the West 



on his own account; but after being out a couple 

 of days, two of his scouts met two Indians, with 

 the result that a man was killed on each side; after 

 which, profiting by the loss, he swallowed his pride 

 and made haste to join the first division. The Fin- 

 castle troops were delayed so long that most of 

 them, with their commander, were still fifteen miles 

 from the main body the day the battle was fought; 

 but Captains Shelby and Russell, with parts of their 

 companies, went on ahead of the others, and, as 

 will be seen, joined Lewis in time to do their full 

 share of the fighting. Col. Christian himself only 

 reached the Levels on the afternoon of the day the 

 Augusta men had marched. He was burning with 

 the desire to distinguish himself, and his men were 

 also very eager to have a share in the battle, and 

 he besought Lewis to let him go along with what 



tried to steal a number of pack-horses, but had been discov- 

 ered and frightened off. 



Christian was very much discontented at being bidden to 

 stay behind until he could gather 300 men, and bring up the 

 rear; he expresses his fear that his men will be much exas- 

 perated when they learn that they are to stay behind, and re- 

 iterates: "I would not for all I am worth be behind crossing 

 the Ohio and that we should miss lending our assistance." 

 Field brought an account of McDonald's fight (see ante, p. 

 216) ; he said the whites were 400 and the Indians but 30 

 strong, that the former had four men killed and six wounded; 

 the Indians but three or four killed and one captured, and 

 their town was burnt. The number of the Shawnees and 

 their allies was estimated at 1,200 warriors that could be put 

 into one battle. The 400 horses that had started with the 

 Augusta men were to return as fast as they could (after 

 reaching the embarkment point, whence the flour was car- 

 ried in canoes). 



