provincials and five hundred regulars. Crossing the
Alleghany, he made his way in a north-westerly direction
until Beaver Creek was reached, and then turned westward
into the unbroken forest. The Indians of the Muskingum
valley felt secure in their wilderness fastness. No white
soldiers had ever penetrated to their country. To reach
their villages dense woods had to be penetrated, treacherous
marshes crossed, and numerous streams bridged or forded.
But by the middle of October Bouquet had led his army,
without the loss of a man, into the heart of the Muskingum
valley, and pitched his camp near an Indian village named
Tuscarawa, from which the inhabitants had fled at his
approach. The Delawares and Shawnees were terrified: the
victor of Edge Hill was among them with an army strong
enough to crush to atoms any war-party they could muster.
They sent deputies to Bouquet. These at first assumed a
haughty mien; but Bouquet sternly rebuked them and ordered
them to meet him at the forks of the Muskingum, forty
miles distant to the south-west, and to bring in all
their prisoners. By the beginning of November the troops
were at the appointed place, where they encamped. Bouquet
then sent messengers to all the tribes telling them to
bring thither all the captives without delay. Every white
man, woman, and child in their hands, French or British,
must be delivered up. After some hesitation the Indians
made haste to obey. About two hundred captives were
brought, and chiefs were left as hostages for the safe
delivery of others still in the hands of distant tribes.
So far Bouquet had been stern and unbending; he had
reminded the Indians of their murder of settlers and of