General Scott, at the head of
the mounted volunteers, was commanded to make a considerable circuit
and turn their right. These, and all the complicated orders of General
Wayne, were promptly executed. But such was the impetuosity of the
charge made by the first line of infantry, so entirely was the enemy
broken by it, and so rapid was the pursuit, that only a small part of
the second line, and of the mounted volunteers could take any part in
the action. In the course of an hour, the savages were driven more than
two miles, and within gun-shot of the British fort.
General Wayne remained three days on the field of battle, reducing the
houses and corn-fields, above and below the fort, and some of them
within pistol shot of it, to ashes. The houses and stores of Col. M'Kee,
an English trader, whose great influence among the savages had been
uniformly exerted for the continuance of the war, was burned among the
rest. Correspondence upon these points took place between General Wayne
and Major Campbell, who commanded the British fort. That of General
Wayne was sufficiently firm; and it manifested that the latter only
avoided hostilities with him, by acquiescing in the destruction of
British property within the range of his guns.
On the 28th the army returned to Au Glaize, destroying all the villages
and corn within fifty miles of the river. In this decisive battle, the
American loss, in killed and wounded, amounted to one hundred and seven,
including officers.
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