NARRATIVE OF THE EXPEDITION, 201 



fort at nine o'clock in the morning, witli fifty-four regulars, a 

 subaltern, physician, twelve militia, and the necessary baggage 

 wagons for the provisions and ammunition, which contained eigh- 

 teen soldiers, Avomen and children. They had not proceeded more 

 than a mile and a half along the shore of the lake, when an am- 

 buscade of Indians was discovered behind the sand-hills which 

 encompass the flat sandy shore. The horrid yell, which rose on 

 the discovery being made, was accompanied by a general and 

 deadly fire from them. Several men fell at the first fire, but Capt* 

 Heald formed his men, and effected a charge up the bank, which 

 dispersed his assailants. It was only, however, to find the enemy 

 return by a Hank movement, in which their numbers gave them the 

 victory. In a few moments, out of his effective force of sixty-six 

 men, but sixteen survived. With these, he succeeded in drawing 

 off to a position in the prairie, where he was not followed by the 

 Indians, On a negotiation, opened by a chief called Mukudape- 

 nais, he surrendered, under promise of security for their lives. 

 This promise was afterwards violated, with the exception of him- 

 self and three or four men. Among the slain was Ensign Eonan, 

 Dr. Voorhis, and Capt. Wells. The latter had his heart cut out, 

 and his body received other shocking indignities. The saddest 

 part of the tragedy was the attack on the women and children 

 w^ho occupied the baggage wagons, and were all slain. Several 

 of the women fought with swords. During the action, a sergeant 

 of infantry ran his bayonet through the heart of an Indian who 

 had lifted his tomahawk to strike him ; not being able to with- 

 draw the instrument, it served to hold up the Indian, who actu- 

 ally' tomahawked him in this position, and both fell dead toge- 

 ther.* The Miamis remained neuter in this massacre. Mr. 

 Kinzie, of Chicago, of wdiose hospitalities we had partaken, was a 

 witness of this transaction, and furnished the principal facts of 

 this narrative. 



The morning (Sept. 1) opened with a perfect gale, and we were 

 degrad>^ to use a Canadian term, all day; the waves dashed against 

 the shore with a violence that made it impossible to take the lake 

 with canoes, and would have rendered it perilous even to a large 



* Gouverneur Morris recites a similar inciJeut at the battle of Oriskany, in 1777. 

 — Coll. New York Ifist. Sac. 



