adison, Jan. 3, 1792.] Madison himself evidently saw nothing out of
the way in this twofold motive of the frontiersmen for wishing the
presence of an army. In all the border communities there was a lack of
circulating medium, and an earnest desire to obtain more by any
expedient.

Like many other frontiersmen, Madison's correspondent indulged almost
equally in complaints of the Indian ravages, and in denunciations of the
regular army which alone could put an end to them and of the national
party which sustained the army. [Footnote: _Do._, Taylor to Madison,
April 16, 1792; May 8 and 17, 1792; May 23, 1793, etc.]

Wayne Appointed to Command Western Army.

Major General Anthony Wayne, a Pennsylvanian, 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 impenetrable 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 allies 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.

Wayne's Character and History.

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 fighting generals have possessed. He gloried in the
excitement 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 experience he had grown to add caution
to his dauntless energy. Once, after the battle of Brandywine, when he
had pushed close to the enemy, with his usual fearless self-confidence,
he was surprised in a night attack by the equally daring British general
Grey, and his brigade was severely punished with the bayonet. It was a
lesson he never forgot