WAR WITH GREAT BRITAIN. 225 



surprise. Captain McCune returned on the 25th. He arrived 

 near the garrison towards day, after encountering many Indian 

 encampments. By good management, address, and the fleetness 

 of his horse, he reached the fort in safety. During the next 

 three days, the enemy resorted to all sorts of stratagems to 

 draw out our garrison. Not succeeding in any of these, and 

 remembering his former discomfiture, while investing this post, 

 on the 28th of July, he embarked on board his vessels, and 

 sailed out of the Maumee, for Sandusky bay. While the Brit- 

 ish sailed down the lake, Tecumseh and his warriors, went 

 across the swamp in the direction of Sandusky river. They 

 numbered four thousand, and filled the woods with their par- 

 ties, between the Maumee and Sandusky rivers. On the 29th 

 the Indians swarmed like bees in the woods, about Harrison's 

 camp, and all along the Sandusky river. At night he received 

 intelligence from Clay, that the enemy had left him. Calling 

 a council of war, general Harrison, propounded to it this 

 question, " is fort Stevenson tenable?" The council decided, 

 "it was not tenable." In pursuance of this decision, Harri- 

 son sent orders to major Croghan to abandon the fort, destroy 

 the public property and retreat to Seneca, provided the enemy 

 were about to invest his fort with heavy cannon. This order 

 was carried by a Mr. Connor and two Indians, who lost their 

 way, and did not reach the fort until the next day at 11 o'clock 

 in the forenoon. Croghan was of the opinion that he could 

 not retreat with his force, without the total destruction of his 

 ^ommand, and in his answer, which he expected the enemy 

 would take from the bearer, he informed the General, that he 

 had determined to maintain his position. This despatch reach- 

 ed the General in safety. Not perfectly understanding all the 

 motives which dictated such an answer, refusing to obey a po- 

 sitive order of the commanding general, Harrison sent an es- 

 cort under colonel Ball of the dragoons, to arrest and bring to 

 head quarters, major Croghan. In the meantime colonel 

 Wells was put in command of Fort Stevenson. This detach- 

 ment of dragoons, sent on this errand, near Sandusky, fell in 

 29 



