92 The Winning of the West 



conquered. But he was daunted by the immense 

 risk and danger of the movement. The way was 

 long and the country flooded, and he feared the 

 journey might occupy so much time that his stock 

 of provisions would be exhausted before he got 

 half-way. In such a case the party might starve 

 to death or perish from exposure. Besides he did 

 not know what he should do for carriages; and he 

 dreaded the rigor of the winter weather. 14 There 

 were undoubtedly appalling difficulties in the way of 

 a mid-winter march and attack; and the fact that 

 Clark attempted and performed the feat which 

 Hamilton dared not try, marks just the difference 

 between a man of genius and a good, brave, ordi- 

 nary commander. 



Having decided to suspend active operations dur- 

 ing the cold weather, he allowed the Indians to scat- 

 ter back to their villages for the winter, and sent most 

 of the Detroit militia home, retaining in garrison 

 only thirty- four British regulars, forty French volun- 

 teers, and a dozen white leaders of the Indians 15 ; 

 in all eighty or ninety whites, and a probably larger 

 number of red auxiliaries. The latter were con- 

 tinually kept out on scouting expeditions; Miamis 

 and Shawnees were sent down to watch the Ohio, 

 and take scalps in the settlements, while bands of 

 Kickapoos, the most warlike of the Wabash Indians, 



14 Haldimand MSS. ; in his various letters Hamilton sets 

 forth the difficulties at length. 



15 Do. B, Vol. 122, p. 287. Return of Vincennes garrison 

 for Jan. 30, 1779. 



