The Border Watch: A Story of the Great Chief's Last Stand

by Joseph A. Altsheler

  CHAPTER XXII

  THE LAST STAND

  Every one of the five felt an immense exhilaration as they drove theIndians back into the town. They were not cruel. They did not wish toexult over a defeated enemy, but they had witnessed the terriblesuffering of the border, and they knew from the testimony of their owneyes what awful cruelties a savage enemy in triumph could inflict. NowClark and the Kentuckians had struck directly at the heart of the Indianpower in the West. Chillicothe was destroyed and Piqua was taken. Thearms and ammunition sent to them by the power, seated in Canada, had notavailed them.

  Henry did not know until much later that it was the cunning and craftyGirty who had given up first. He had suddenly announced to those nearhim that Piqua could not be defended against the American army. Then hehad precipitately retreated to the other side of the town followed byBraxton Wyatt, Blackstaffe and all the renegades. The Indians wereshaken by this retreat because they had great confidence in Girty. TheDelawares gave up, then the Ottawas and Illinois, the Wyandots,Shawnees, Miamis and the little detachment of Mohawks, as usual, stoodto the bitter last. At the very edge of the village the great warchiefs, Yellow Panther, the Miami, and Red Eagle, the Shawnee, fellalmost side by side, and went to the happy hunting grounds together.Moluntha, the other famous Shawnee chief, received two wounds, but livedto secure a momentary revenge at the great Indian victory of the BlueLicks, two years later. Timmendiquas would have died in the defense, buta half dozen of his faithful warriors fairly dragged him beyond therange of the Kentucky rifles.

  Yet Timmendiquas, although the Kentuckians were in the town, did notcease to fight. He and a hundred of the warriors threw themselves intothe strongest of the houses, those built of timber, and opened adangerous fire from doors and windows. The woodsmen were ordered tocharge and to take every house by assault, no matter what the loss, butClark, always resourceful, sternly ordered a halt.

  "You forget our cannon," he said. "Logan, do you, Floyd and Harrod keepthe riflemen back, and we'll drive the enemy out of these houses withoutlosing a single man on our side."

  "Thar speaks wisdom," said Shif'less Sol to the other. "Now in all theexcitement I had clean forgot that we could blow them houses to pieces,but the Colonel didn't forget it."

  "No, he didn't," replied Henry. "Stand back and we'll see the fun. A lotof destruction will be done soon."

  The twilight had not yet come, although the sun was slowly dimming inthe East. A great cloud of smoke from the firing hung over Piqua and thebordering fields that had witnessed so fierce a combat. The smoke andthe burned gunpowder made a bitter odor. Flashes of firing from thestrong houses, and from ambushed Indians here and there pierced thesmoke. Then came a tremendous report and a twelve-pound cannon ballsmashed through a wooden house. Another and another and it wasdemolished. The defenders fled for their lives. Every other house thatcould be used for shelter was served in the same way. The last ambushedfoe was swept from his covert, and when the twilight fell Piqua,throughout its whole length of three miles along Mad River, was held bythe Kentuckians.

  The Indian women and children had fled already to the forest, and therethey were slowly followed by the warriors, their hearts filled with rageand despair. Beaten on ground of their own choosing, and not even ableto bring away their dead, they saw their power crumbling. Fierce wordspassed between Timmendiquas and Simon Girty. The Wyandot chieftainupbraided the renegade. He charged him with giving up too soon, butGirty, suave and diplomatic, said, after his first wrath was over, thathe had not yielded until it was obvious that they were beaten. Insteadof a fruitless defense it was better to save their warriors for anothercampaign. They could yet regain all that they had lost. There was sometruth in Girty's words. Blue Lick and St. Clair's terrible defeat wereyet to come, but Clark's blow had destroyed the very nerve-center of theIndian confederacy. The Kentuckians had shown that not only could theyfight successfully on the defensive, but they could also cross the Ohioand shatter the Indian power on its own chosen ground. Neither the valorof the warriors, nor the great aid that they received from their whiteallies could save them from ultimate defeat.

  Henry, Paul, the officers, and many others felt these things as thenight came down, and as they roamed through Piqua, now deserted by theenemy. Paul and Jim Hart went in one direction to look at the bigCouncil House, but Henry, the shiftless one, and Tom Ross remained withColonel Clark.

  "We've won a great victory, though we've lost many good men," said theColonel, "and now we must consign Piqua to the fate that Chillicothe hasjust suffered. It's a pity, but if we leave this nest, the hornets willbe back in it as soon as we leave it, snug and warm, and with aconvenient base for raiding across the Ohio."

  "We'll have to give it to the flames," said Colonel Logan.

  The other Colonels nodded. First they gathered up all the dead, whetherred or white and buried them. At Henry's instance the two old chiefs,Yellow Panther, the Miami, and Red Eagle, the Shawnee, were laid side byside in the same grave. Then he fixed a board at their head upon whichhe cut this inscription:

  In this grave Lie Yellow Panther, the Miami, And Red Eagle, the Shawnee; They were great Chiefs, And died fighting For Their People.

  Not a white man disturbed the epitaph. But as soon as the last of thefallen were buried, and the soldiers had eaten and refreshed themselves,the torch was set to Piqua, even as it had been set to Chillicothe. Inan hour the town was a huge mass of flames, three miles long, andlighting up the neighboring forest for many miles. The Indian refugees,thousands of them, from both towns saw it, and they knew to the full howterrible was the blow that had been inflicted upon them. Timmendiquassought to rally the warriors for a daring attack upon an enemy who,flushed with victory, might not be very cautious, but they would notmake the attempt. Timmendiquas then saw that it would take time torestore their shaken courage and he desisted.

  Henry, Shif'less Sol and Tom Ross watched the fire for a long time,while the soldiers destroyed all the orchards, gardens and crops. Theysaw the flames reach their highest until the country around them was asbright as day, and then they saw them sink until nothing was left butdarkness made luminous by the coals. The great village was gone.

  "I think we'd better get Paul and Jim and go to sleep," said Henry.

  "So do I," said Shif'less Sol, and they looked around for the two. Butthey were not found easily.

  "Ought to have stayed with us," said Tom Ross.

  "An' they'd have saved a lazy man a lot of trouble, lookin' through thisbig place fur 'em," said Shif'less Sol.

  Tom and Jim became still harder to find. The three hunted everywhere.They hunted an hour. They hunted two hours, and there was not a sign oftheir two comrades. They asked many about them and nobody could tell aword. It was nearly midnight when they stopped and looked at one anotherin dismay.

  "They are not in the camp--that is sure," said Henry.

  "And they've got too much sense to go out in the woods," said Sol.

  "Which means that they've been took," said Tom Ross.

  Tom's words carried conviction, sudden and appalling, to all three. Pauland Jim Hart, going about the burning town, had been seized by somelurking party and carried off, or--they would not admit to themselvesthe dreadful alternative--but they hoped they had been merely takenaway, which they deemed likely, as hostages would be of great value tothe Indians now. The three sat down on a log at the northern edge of thetown. They saw little now but the river, and the clouds of smoke risingfrom it.

  "We'll never desert Paul and Jim," said Shif'less Sol. "Now what is thefust thing fur us to do?"

  "We've got to find this trail, and the trail of those who took them,"replied Henry. "The army, of course, cannot follow all through thenorthern woods in order to rescue two persons, and it's not fitted forsuch a task anyhow. We three will do it, won't we?"

  "Ez shore ez the sun rises an' sets," said Shif'less Sol.

  "I reckon we will," said Tom Ross.

  "And we must start upon the
road this minute," said Henry. "Come, we'llsee Colonel Clark and tell him that we have to go."

  They found the commander about a mile away, encamped as near the burnedtown as the heat would allow. Logan, Floyd, Harrod, Boone, Thomas, andothers were with him. They were talking together earnestly, but whenHenry approached and saluted, Colonel Clark greeted him pleasantly.

  "Why, it's young Mr. Ware!" he exclaimed, "the lad to whom we owe somuch. And I see two of your comrades with you. Where are the other two?"

  "That is why we have come, Colonel Clark," Henry replied. "We do notknow where the other two are, but we fear that they have been taken bythe retreating Indians. The campaign, I suppose, is over. We wishtherefore to resign from the army, follow and rescue our comrades if wecan."

  Colonel Clark sprang to his feet.

  "Two of your friends taken, and we to desert you after what you havedone for us!" he exclaimed. "That cannot be. The army must march totheir rescue!"

  The other officers raised their voices in affirmation. Henry and hisfriends bowed. All three were affected deeply. But Henry said:

  "Colonel Clark, you can't know how much we thank you for such an offer,but we three must go alone. If the army followed into the woods, andpressed the Indians closely, they would put their prisoners to death thevery first thing. They always do it. In a case like this, only silenceand speed can succeed. We must follow alone."

  Daniel Boone spoke up in his gentle, but singularly impressive tones.

  "The boy is right, Colonel Clark," he said. "If the job can be done itis these three alone who can do it."

  "I suppose you are right," said Colonel Clark regretfully, "but it doeshurt me to see you leave us, unhelped. When do you wish to go?"

  "Now," replied Henry.

  Colonel Clark held out his hand. There were actual tears in his eyes. Heshook hands with the three, one by one, and all the others did the same.Boone and Kenton went with them a little distance into the woods.

  "Now, lads," said Boone, "don't ever forget to be careful. You got toget your friends back by stealth and cunnin'. Keep out of a fight unlessthe time comes when everything depends on it. Then if you've got tofight, fight with all your might."

  The three thanked him. Last hand-clasps were given and then Boone andKenton heard for a brief second or two only faint and dying footfalls inthe forest. They went back quietly to camp ready for the return with thearmy to Kentucky, but the three were already deep in the forest, and farbeyond the area of light.

  "I'm thinkin'," said Sol, "that the Indians hev crossed the river. It'slikely that they'd want to keep the water between themselves an' us."

  "Looks like good argument to me," said Tom Ross.

  Henry being of the same opinion, they decided to cross Mad River also,and approach as nearly as they could to the chief body of the Indians.It was probable that many bands were wandering about and they would bein great danger from them, but it was their business to follow theadvice of Daniel Boone and avoid them. They exercised now their greatestskill and patience. At a distance of eight or ten miles from Piqua theyfound two Indian camps, but, after a thorough examination, they becamesatisfied that Paul and Jim were not in either of them. Just beforedaylight they found a valley in which a great mass of warriors, womenand children were huddled. Evidently this was the chief point ofretreat, and creeping as near as they could, they saw Timmendiquas,Moluntha, Girty and Braxton Wyatt passing about the camp.

  The three lay close in the bushes and they observed Wyatt intently. Twoor three times he passed between them and a camp fire, and they studiedhis face.

  "Doesn't look like that of one who has lost," whispered Henry.

  "No, it don't," said Shif'less Sol. "O' course he don't mourn much aboutthe Indians, an' I reckon he's got somethin' to make him happy."

  "And what he's got is Paul an' Jim," said Tom Ross.

  "No doubt you're right," said Henry. "I think it likely that they weretrapped by a band under Braxton Wyatt, and that they are his especialprisoners. Look! There they are now, by the tree!"

  Some shifting of the Indians gave a distant view of the two prisonersbound securely and leaning against a tree. Wyatt passed by, and lookedupon them with an air of possession. They were sure now that it was hewho had taken them, and, drawing further back into the forest, theywaited patiently for the next move in the great game of life and death.

  Indian scouts several times passed within a few yards of them, but theyknew that the minds of these men were upon the army not upon them. Theywere scouting to see whether Clark would follow them into the forestand, when they became certain about noon that he would not do so, theygathered their own numbers together and started northward to thevillages of their brethren.

  Henry, Shif'less Sol and Tom Ross followed closely enough to know whatwas going on, but not so closely that they would walk into a trap.Fortunately the country was heavily wooded with evergreen and there wasstill an abundance of leaves on the trees. Fortified by such a longexperience as theirs it was not difficult to keep under cover, and whenthe tribes went into camp that night, the three pursuers were not aquarter of a mile away.

  The three hung around the camp half the night, but they saw no chance torescue their comrades. The crowd about them was too great. They followedin the same way the next day, and continued thus a week. Henry began tofeel sure now that Paul and Jim were in no immediate danger of death,and he ascribed the fact to the influence of Timmendiquas. Even if theywere Wyatt's own prisoners, he would not dare to go directly contrary tothe wishes of the great Wyandot chieftain.

  Now a change occurred, the motive of which baffled the three for awhile. Timmendiquas, Braxton Wyatt, about twenty warriors, and the twoprisoners, leaving the main body of the Indians, turned toward theNorthwest, following a course which would lead them around the lowercurve of Lake Michigan. The three sitting among the bushes debated it along time.

  "I think," said Henry, "that Timmendiquas is making a last desperateeffort to lead a great force against us. He is going into the farNorthwest to see if he can bring down the Sacs and Foxes, and even theOjibways, Chippewas, and Sioux to help against us."

  "Then why do they take Paul and Jim along?" asked the shiftless one.

  "As trophies to impress the distant Indians or maybe as a sacrifice.Braxton Wyatt goes, too, because they are his prisoners."

  "It may be so," said Tom Ross. "The more I think about it, the more Ithink you're right. Anyhow it'll give us a better chance to get at Jimand Paul."

  "But we've got to play the Injuns' own game," said Shif'less Sol. "Wemust follow them a long time without lettin' them know we're on theirtrack. Then they'll begin to go easy and won't keep much guard."

  Shif'less Sol was undoubtedly right, and for many days they followedthis band deep into the Northwestern woods. August passed, Septembercame. Whenever the wind blew, the dead leaves fell fast, and there was acrisp touch in the air. The nights became so cool that they werecompelled to sleep between the two blankets that everyone carried at hisback. They were thoroughly convinced now that Timmendiquas was in searchof help in the far Northwest, and that Paul and Jim would be offered astrophies or bribes. Several times the Indians stopped at small villages,and, after a brief and hospitable stay, passed on. It became evident,too, that neither Timmendiquas nor Wyatt thought any longer of possiblepursuit. Both knew how the five would stand by one another but it hadbeen so long since the battle at Piqua, and they had traveled so manyhundreds of miles from the burned town that pursuit now seemed out ofthe question. So they traveled at ease, through an extremely fertile andbeautiful region, onward and onward until they began to near the shoresof the greatest of all lakes, Superior.

  The cold in the air increased but the three pursuers did not mind it.They were inured to every hardship of the wilderness, and the colder itgrew the more pleasant was the fresh air to the lungs. They felt strongenough for any task. Now that the guard was relaxed somewhat they hopedfor a chance to save Paul and Jim, but none came. Three separate nights
they went near enough to see them by the camp fire, but they could notapproach any closer. Henry surmised that they would soon reach a largevillage of the Chippewas, and then their chances would decrease again.The attempt must be made soon.

  It was now late October and all the forests were dyed the varied andbeautiful colors of an American autumn. The camp of Timmendiquas waspitched on a beautiful stream that ran a few miles further on into anequally beautiful little lake. Food had become scarce and that morninghe had sent most of the warriors on a hunting expedition. He sat withBraxton Wyatt and only two warriors by the side of the small camp fire.The two prisoners were there also, their arms bound, but not in a mannerto hurt. Motives of policy had compelled Timmendiquas and Wyatt to beseeming friends, but the heart of the great chief was full ofbitterness. He had not wanted to bring Wyatt with him and yet it hadbeen necessary to do so. Wyatt had taken the two prisoners who wereintended as offerings to the Northwestern tribes, and, under tribal law,they belonged to him, until they were willingly given to others. Hispresence would also convince the Ojibways, Chippewas and others thatwhite men, too, were on their side. Yet nothing could make Timmendiquaslike Wyatt. It seemed unnatural to him for a man to fight against hisown race, and he knew the young renegade to be treacherous and cruel.

  They were sitting in silence. Wyatt spoke once or twice to Timmendiquas,but the chieftain made no reply. Timmendiquas stared into the fire, andplanned how he would bring down the Northwestern tribes. The twowarriors were as still as statues. Paul and Long Jim were leaningagainst the fallen tree, and Braxton Wyatt's eyes wandered over them. Hesneered at Paul, but the boy took no notice. Wyatt had often tried toannoy the two prisoners on the march, but he was afraid to go very farbecause of Timmendiquas. Yet he remembered with great satisfaction howhe had trapped them that night after the battle of Piqua, when theywandered too near the edge of the forest.

  His eyes passed from them, wandering around the circle, and came back tothem again. Did he see Long Jim start? Did he see a flash ofintelligence appear in the eyes of the hunter? Could he have heardsomething? He looked again. Long Jim Hart's face expressed nothing.Braxton Wyatt felt that he was growing nervous, and the next instant hesprang to his feet with a shout of alarm. Three figures sprang from theundergrowth and, with leveled weapons, commanded the four unbound menwho sat by the fire to throw up their hands. Up went the hands of thefour, and Timmendiquas smiled sadly.

  "Your patience has been greater than ours," he said, "and the rewardthat you are about to take belongs to you."

  "We could fire upon you, Timmendiquas," said Henry, "and for the momentthe advantage is ours, but even if we should win the victory, in the endsome of us would fall. Those who are bound, and for whom we have come,would surely be slain. Then, I say to you, mighty chief, give us ourfriends, promise that you will forbid pursuit, and we go."

  Timmendiquas stood up and his face bore a singular look of dignity andkindness.

  "You speak fairly," he said, "and I wish, Ware, that we could be friendsin peace. Cut the bonds of the prisoners."

  He spoke to the two warriors, but at that moment some demon leaped up inthe soul of Braxton Wyatt. "I will do it," he said. But his rage anddisappointment were so great that they nearly blinded him. He snatchedout his knife and rushed at Paul Cotter, but the blade was turned towardthe bound boy's throat, and not toward the thongs.

  Henry uttered a cry and sprang forward, but the great war tomahawk ofTimmendiquas left his hand, and flew through the air so swiftly that theeye saw only a flash. The glittering edge struck the head of BraxtonWyatt, and he fell, cloven to the chin. He was dead before he touchedthe ground.

  "We keep faith," said Timmendiquas.

  The five bade the great Wyandot chieftain farewell and ten minuteslater were on their return journey. They knew that they were safe fromany pursuit by the band of Timmendiquas. They returned to Wareville andthey fought always with distinction throughout the border wars. Theywere at the Blue Licks that dreadful day when Timmendiquas and Moluntha,Caldwell and Girty, who finally came, with the Wyandots and Shawneesdestroyed more than half of the Kentucky force. Strangely enough theywent with Clark from the mouth of the Licking just two years after thefirst expedition, again with a thousand riflemen against Piqua which hadbeen rebuilt, and they destroyed it, as before, in revenge for BlueLicks.

  Years later they were in the terrible slaughter of St. Clair's army, andthey were with Wayne when he inflicted the crushing and final defeatupon the allied tribes at the Fallen Timbers. After the peace all thefive, every one of whom lived to a very great age, became the fastfriends of Timmendiquas, famous war chief of the Wyandots, the nationthat knew no fear.

  THE END

  Transcriber's Notes:

  Page 59, "tattoed" corrected to "tattooed". (bear tattooed upon hischest)

  Page 69, removed duplicate "to". (large enough to keep three men)

  page 77, a comma is presumed as text is unclear. (Fowler, and six savage)

  Page 84 and 97, spelling "hare lip" retained. Elsewhere in text it isspelled "harelip". (a hare lip. Then he)(wrinkled his ugly hare lip)

  Page 90, "dear" corrected to "deer". (of buffalo, deer, bear)

  Page 97, retained comma although question mark probably moreappropriate. (South with you," he said)

  Page 100, and Page 156, "Kentucy" corrected to "Kentucky". (prospect ofvictory. The Kentucky) (doubtless had reached Kentucky)

  Page 130, inserted missing period. (watched him shrewdly.)

  Page 163, a colon is presumed as original is unclear. (flushed, but hecontinued:)

  Page 196, a character named "Tom" is addressed in dialogue. Contextshows it should be the character "Sol" instead. Original text retained.("Tom, that can be)

  Page 240, unusual word "sidewiping" retained. Author possibly meant"sideswiping". (a glancing blow, sidewiping it)

  Page 241, a comma is presumed as text is unclear. (come to them throughthe woods,)

  Page 271, "house" corrected to "houses". (houses, built of solid logs,stood in ordered rows)

  Page 279, inserted missing period. (toward the little settlement.)

  Page 293 and 317, "Black Panther" (name of a chief) probably refers to"Yellow Panther", a name which occurs more frequently in the text.Original text retained.

  Page 295, "menancing" corrected to "menacing". (like a menacingunder-note)

  Page 313, inserted missing period. (sound of oars became fainter andfainter.)

  Page 335, removed duplicate "the". (cracks between the timbers)

  Page 353, inserted missing period. ( the army to envelop it.)

  Page 365, a dialogue attributed to character "Ross" should probably be"Sol" since in the next paragraph "Tom Ross" answers. However theoriginal text has been retained. (said Ross, "that the Indians hevcrossed)