General St. Clair resigned, and Major General Anthony Wayne was
appointed to succeed him. This officer commanded the confidence of the
western people, who confided in that reckless bravery, which had long
before procured him the appellation of "Mad Anthony." There was a
powerful party who still affected to consider this war unnecessary, and
every impediment was placed in the way of its success, which that party
could devise. To prove to them that the government was still disposed to
peace, two excellent officers and valuable men, Col. Hardin, and Major
Truman, were severally despatched with propositions of peace. They were
both murdered by the savages. These unsuccessful attempts at
negotiation, and the difficulties and delays naturally incident to the
preparation of such a force, together with the attempts that had been
made in congress, to render the war unpopular, had worn away so much
time that the season for operations for the year had almost elapsed. But
as soon as the negotiations had wholly failed, the campaign was opened
with as much vigor as the nature of the case would admit. The general
was able, however, to do no more this autumn, than to advance into the
forest towards the country of the savages, six miles in advance of fort
Jefferson. He took possession of the ground on which the fatal defeat of
St. Clair had taken place, in 1792. He here erected a fortification,
with the appropriate name of Fort Recovery. His principal camp was
called Greenville.
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