St. Clair and Wayne 85 



few days later he reported that the Lake Indians 

 were at last gathering, and that when the fighting 

 men of the various tribes joined forces, as he had 

 reason to believe they shortly would, the British 

 posts would be tolerably secure from any attacks 

 by Wayne. 15 



The Indians served the British not only as a 

 barrier against the Americans, but as a police for 

 their own soldiers, to prevent their deserting. An 

 Englishman who visited the Lake Posts at this time 

 recorded with a good deal of horror the fate that 

 befell one of a party of deserters from the British 

 garrison at Detroit. The commander, on discov- 

 ering that they had gone, ordered the Indians to 

 bring them back dead or alive. When overtaken 

 one resisted, and was killed and scalped. The In- 

 dians brought in his scalp and hung it outside the 

 fort, where it was suffered to remain, that the om- 

 inous sight might strike terror to other discontented 

 soldiers. 16 



The publication of Lord Dorchester's speech 

 caused angry excitement in the United States. 

 Many thought it spurious; but Washington, then 

 President, with his usual clear-sightedness, at once 

 recognized that it was genuine, and accepted it as 

 proof of Great Britain's hostile feeling toward his 

 country. Through the Secretary of State he wrote 

 to the British Minister, calling him to sharp ac- 



" Canadian Archives, McKee's letters May 25 and May 30, 

 1794. 



16 Draper MSS. From Parliament Library in Canada, MS. 

 "Canadian Letters," descriptive of a tour in Canada in 1792-93. 



