om a camp on the opposite side of the river,[A]
which until then, had been unperceived by the whites. In a few minutes
the Indians and the Kentuckians were blended with each other, and the
cry of "Boone," and "Che Boone," arose simultaneously from each party.
[Footnote A: M'Donald, in his interesting "Biographical Sketches," of
some of the western pioneers, says this "second line of tents" was on
the lower bottom of the creek and not on the opposite side of it.]
It was after midnight when the attack was made, and there being no
moon, it was very dark. Kenton perceiving that his men were likely to
be overpowered, ordered a retreat after the attack had lasted for a few
minutes; this was continued through the remainder of the night and part
of the next day, the Indians pursuing them, but without killing more
than one of the retreating party. The Kentuckians lost but two men,
Alexander McIntire and John Barr.[A] The loss of the Indians was much
greater, according to the statements of some prisoners, who, after the
peace of 1795, were released and returned to Kentucky. They related
that fourteen Indians were killed, and seventeen wounded. They stated
further, that there were in the camp about one hundred warriors, among
them several chiefs of note, including Tecumseh, Battise, Black Snake,
Wolf and Chinskau; and that the party had been formed for the purpose
of annoying the settlements in Kentucky, and attacking boats descending
the Ohio river. Kenton and his party were three days in reaching
Limestone, during two of which they were without food, and destitute of
sufficient clothing to protect them from the cold winds and rains of
March. The foregoing particulars of this expedition are taken from the
manuscript narrative of general Benjamin Whiteman, one of the early and
gallant pioneers to Kentucky, now a resident of Green county, Ohio.
[Footnote A: The father of the late Major William Barr, for many years
a citizen of Cincinnati.]
The statements of Anthony Shane and of Stephen Ruddell, touching this
action, vary in some particulars from that which has been given above,
and also from the narrative in McDonald's Sketches. The principal
difference relates to the number of Indians in the engagement, and the
loss sustained by them. They report but two killed, and that the Indian
force was less than that of the whites. Ruddell states that at the
commencement of the attack, Tecumseh was lying by the fire, outside of
the te
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