90 The Winning of the West 



Major-General Anthony Wayne, a Pennsylva- 

 nian, had been chosen to succeed St. Clair in the 

 command of the army; and on him devolved the 

 task of wresting victory from the formidable forest 

 tribes, fighting as the latter were in the almost im- 

 penetrable wilderness of their own country. The 

 tribes were aided by the support covertly, and often 

 openly, yielded them by the British. They had even 

 more effective Dallies in the suspicion with which the 

 backwoodsmen regarded the regular army, and the 

 supine indifference of the people at large, which 

 forced the administration to try every means to 

 obtain peace before adopting the only manly and 

 honorable course, a vigorous war. 



Of all men, Wayne was the best fitted for the 

 work. In the Revolutionary War no other general, 

 American, British, or French, won such a reputation 

 for hard fighting, and for daring energy and dogged 

 courage. He felt very keenly that delight in the 

 actual shock of battle which the most famous fight- 

 ing generals have possessed. He gloried in the ex- 

 citement and danger, and shone at his best when the 

 stress was sorest; and because of his magnificent 

 courage his soldiers had affectionately christened 

 him "Mad Anthony." But his head was as cool 

 as his heart was stout. He was taught in a rough 

 school; for the early campaigns in which he took 

 part were waged against the gallant generals and 

 splendid soldiery of the British King. By expe- 

 rience he had grown to add caution to his dauntless 

 energy. Once, after the battle of Brandywine, 



