o the French that if
they remained neutral they would not be molested. The French sent envoys
to dissuade them from their purpose, but the war chiefs and sachems
answered that the red people were at last united in opposition to "the
men wearing hats," and gave a belt of black wampum to the wavering
Piankeshaws, warning them that all Indians who refused to join against
the whites would thenceforth be treated as foes. However, their deeds by
no means corresponded with their threats. Next day they assailed the
American block-house or stockaded fort, but found they could make no
impression and drew off. They burned a few outlying cabins and
slaughtered many head of cattle, belonging both to the Americans and the
French; and then, seeing the French under arms, held further parley with
them, and retreated, to the relief of all the inhabitants.

A Successful Skirmish.

At the same time the Kentuckians, under Hardin and Patton, stumbled by
accident on a party of Indians, some of whom were friendly Piankeshaws
and some hostile Miamis. They attacked them without making any
discrimination between friend and foe, killed six, wounded seven, and
drove off the remainder. But they themselves lost one man killed and
four wounded, including Hardin, and fell back to Louisville without
doing anything more. [Footnote: Letter of Legrace and Filson's Journal.
The two contradict one another as to which side was to blame. Legrace
blames the Americans heavily for wronging both the French and the
Indians; and condemns in the strongest terms, and probably with justice,
many of their number, and especially Sullivan. He speaks, however, in
high terms of Henry and Small; and both of these, in their letters
referred to above, paint the conduct of the French and Indians in very
dark colors, throwing the blame on them. Legrace is certainly
disingenuous in suppressing all mention of the wrongs done to the
Americans. For Filson's career and death in the woods, see the excellent
Life of Filson, by Durrett, in the Filson club publications.]

Clark's Expedition.

These troubles on the Wabash merely hardened the determination of the
Kentuckians no longer to wait until the Federal Government acted. With
the approval of Governor Patrick Henry, they took the initiative
themselves. Early in August the field officers of the district of
Kentucky met at Harrodsburg, Benjamin Logan presiding, and resolved on
an expedition, to be commanded by Clark, agains