to Fort Edward that morning, and when only a mile
or so out was ambushed by the enemy. He stood his ground, urging his men
to face the foe; and when he was shot dead, they were so enraged that
with extraordinary valor they routed the French, and thus Hendrix in
dying was really the means of saving Forts George and Edward for the
colonists.

History says that Braddock was defeated and lost his life at Fort
Duquesne because he had neglected and disregarded his Indian scouts, who
accordingly left him, and he had no warning of the approach of the foe.
Again, the Seminole war in Florida was a failure so long as no Indians
were found who were willing to guide the army, and the Government was
compelled to make terms, while the swift and overwhelming defeat of the
Creeks, a much stronger nation, was due more to the Cherokee and
Chickasaw scouts than to the skill of General Jackson. Of course, once
the army is guided to an Indian village, and the warriors are surprised
in the midst of their women and children, the civilized folk, with
superior weapons and generally superior numbers, has every advantage.

The Indian system of scouting has long been recognized as one of the
most useful adjuncts of war. His peculiar and efficient methods of
communication in the field by means of blanket signals, smoke signals,
the arrangement of rock-piles, and by heliograph (small mirrors or
reflectors), the last, of course, in more modern days, have all been
made use of at one time or another by the United States Army. It is
interesting evidence of the world-wide respect for our strategy and
methods, that when the Boer commission came to Washington a few years
ago, Mr. Vessel called upon me to advise him how he might secure one
thousand Sioux and Cheyenne scouts in their war against Great Britain.
Of course I told him that it could not be done: that I would not involve
my country in an international difficulty. I was similarly approached
during the Russo-Japanese war.

The aid of friendly Indians in the case of massacres and surprises of
the whites must not be overlooked. It may be recalled that some Cherokee
warriors, returning from Washington's later successful expedition
against Fort Duquesne, were murdered in their sleep by white
frontiersmen after giving them friendly lodging. Here again is brought
out the genuine greatness of the Indian character. The Cherokees felt
keenly this treacherous outrage by the very people to whom they had just