ore Dudley had
reached that point he heard of Harrison's perilous position at Fort
Meigs. A council of officers was called, and it was resolved to send
Harrison word that succor was at hand. It was a very dangerous errand
and required someone who was well acquainted with the country. Leslie
Combs, a brave, patriotic young man, whom Clay had commissioned
captain of a company of riflemen as spies or scouts, volunteered to
go.

"'When we reach Fort Defiance,' he said, 'if you will furnish me a
good canoe, I will carry your despatches to General Harrison, and
return with his orders. I shall only require four or five volunteers
from my own company.' His offer was joyfully accepted by Dudley. The
next morning, May 1, they reached Defiance, and as soon as a canoe
could be procured, Combs and his companions--Paxton, Johnson, and two
brothers named Walker--started on their perilous errand. They had with
them also a Shawnee warrior named Black Fish. He took the helm, the
other four the oars, while Combs was at the bow in charge of the
rifles and ammunition.

"As they pushed off from Fort Defiance there were cheers and sad
adieus, for few thought they would ever see them again. It was a
dangerous voyage; rain was falling fast and the night was intensely
dark. Combs was determined to reach Fort Meigs before daylight the
next morning. They passed the rapids in safety, but not till quite
late in the morning, and then heard heavy cannonading in the direction
of the fort. That told them that the siege had begun, which made an
attempt to reach the fort far more perilous than it would otherwise
have been.

"Combs had now a hard choice to make. It would be prudent to go back,
but would not seem courageous, while to stay where they were till the
next night, or to go on at once, seemed equally hazardous. But he was
very brave and soon came to a decision. 'We must go on, boys,' he
said; 'and if you expect the honor of taking coffee with General
Harrison this morning, you must work hard for it.'

"He knew the weakness of the garrison and feared it could not hold out
long. Therefore great was his joy when, on sweeping round Turkey
Point, at the last bend in the river, he saw the Stripes and Stars
waving over the beleaguered camp. His little company evinced their
delight by a suppressed shout. That was a sad mistake, for, suddenly,
a solitary Indian appeared in the edge of the woods, and in another
moment a large body of them could be see