St. Clair and Wayne 41 



doubled after Harmar's failure. With heavy hearts 

 the national authorities prepared for war. 10 



Their decision was justified by the redoubled fury 

 of the Indian raids during the early part of 1791. 

 Among others the settlements near Marietta were 

 attacked, a day or two after the new year began, yi 

 bitter winter weather. A dozen persons, including 

 a woman and two children, were killed, and five men 

 were taken prisoners. The New England settlers, 

 though brave and hardy, were unused to Indian war- 

 fare. They were taken completely by surprise, and 

 made no effective resistance; the only Indian hurt 

 was wounded with a hatchet by the wife of a fron- 

 tier hunter in the employ of the company. 11 There 

 were some twenty-five Indians in the attacking 

 party; they were Wyandots and Dela wares, who 

 had been mixing on friendly terms with the settlers 

 throughout the preceding summer, and so knew how 

 best to deliver the assault. The settlers had not 

 only treated these Indians with much kindness, but 

 had never wronged any of the red race; and had 

 been lulled into a foolish feeling of security by the 

 apparent good-will of the treacherous foes. The as- 

 sault was made in the twilight, on the 2d of January, 

 the Indians crossing the frozen Muskingum and 

 stealthily approaching a blockhouse and two or three 

 cabins. The inmates were frying meat for supper, 

 and did not suspect harm, offering food to the In- 



10 American State Papers, IV, pp. 83, 94, 109, and in. 



11 "American Pioneer," II, no. American State Papers, 

 IV, 122. 



