GEN. CLARK'S
CAMPAIGN, 1780.
OFFICIAL LETTERS.
(From the Maryland Journal, Oct.
17, 1780.)
"RICHMOND, (Virginia) Oct. 4.
Extract of a letter from Col. George Rogers Clark to his
Excellency the Governor, dated
Louisville, August 22, 1780:
"By every possible exertion, and
the aid of Col. Slaughter's
corps, we completed the number of 1,000, with which
we crossed
the river at the mouth of Licking on the
first day of August,
and began our march on the second.
Having a road to cut for
the artillery to pass, for 70 miles,
it was the 6th before we reached
the first town, which we found vacated,
and the greatest part of
their effects carried off. The general
conduct of the Indians,
on our march, and many other
corroborating circumstances,
proved their design of leading us on to
their own ground and
time of action. After destroying the
crops and buildings of
Chillecauthy, we began our march for the
Picawey settlements,
on the waters of the Big Miamie, the
Indians keeping runners
continually before our advance guards.
At half past two in the
evening of the 8th, we arrived in sight
of the town and forts,
a plain of half a mile in width laying
between us. I had an
opportunity of viewing the situation and
motion of the enemy
near their works.
I had scarcely time to make those
dispositions necessary
before the action commenced on our left
wing, and in a few
minutes became almost general, with a
savage fierceness on both
sides. The confidence the enemy had of
their own strength and
certain victory, or the want of
generalship, occasioned several
neglects, by which those advantages were
taken that proved the
ruin of their army, being flanked two or
three different times,
drove from hill to hill, in a circuitous
direction, for upwards of a
mile and a half; at last took shelter in
their strongholds and
woods adjacent, when the firing ceased
for about half an hour,
until necessary preparations were made
for dislodging them. A
(500)