tucky Rangers and the famous Wayne Legion advanced on the center and right. The orders were: "Let them shoot once, then advance on the double-quick, fire at short range, and before they can reload give them the bayonet."

Major Campbell was severely wounded early in the action and Maj. John F. Hamtramck took command, receiving honorable mention in Wayne's report for the skillful manner in which he conducted the flank movement. As soon as the American right was actively engaged, Wayne advanced according to the revised plan and the Indians, unable to withstand the bayonet charge, fled toward Fort Miami. Then it was discovered that the Indians and British had been posted in three lines, within supporting distance of each other, but after the first line broke the others could not be rallied and the rout was complete. The fight lasted about an hour. Wayne's loss in killed and wounded was 133 men. An American soldier who took part in the battle wrote to a friend in Kentucky: "We drove them nearly three miles and the woods were full of dead Indians, and by the side of each one was a British musket and bayonet."

Near the bank of the Maumee, at the scene of the battle, may still be seen a large stone on which are rude carvings resembling bird tracks. When the Indians began to waver, the renowned Ottawa chief, Me-sa-sa (Turkey-foot), mounted this stone to exhort his warriors to stand firm, when a well-aimed shot from the rifle of a Kentucky Ranger ended his earthly career. For years after this, members of his tribe would come to the stone, bringing offerings of dried meat, parched corn and other edibles. Sometimes these parties would linger for days, weeping and calling the name of Me-sa-sa, and some of them carved the crude images of turkey tracks upon the stone as a monument to their departed chieftain.

After the battle Wayne destroyed the Indian villages, laid waste their cornfields, and burned the house occupied by Alexander McKee, the British Indian agent. On the 21st he paraded his army in front of Fort Miami and rode up almost to the walls. He had orders from President Washington to attack the fort if he considered it necessary and dislodge the garrison, as it was clearly in American territory, built there at a time when England and the United States were supposed to be at peace. Wayne's conduct on this occasion was something like that of a boy "with a chip on his shoulder," hoping the other boy would muster up enough courage to knock it off. He saw the gunners standing with lighted matches awaiting the order to fire, but that order was not given. Hearing that reinforcements were coming from Niagara to Fort Miami, Wayne remained in the vicinity for three days, hoping to bring on an engagement that would utterly crush the British influence among the Indians of the Maumee Valley. On the 25th he began his march back to Fort Defiance and later in the year built Fort Wayne at the head of the Maumee, where the city of Fort Wayne, Indiana, now stands.

In his report of the campaign, Wayne stated that he met "a combined force of hostile Indians and a number of volunteers and militia of Detroit and defeated them on the 20th of August." His sweeping victory broke the hostile spirit of the savages.

The British at Detroit, under the commandant, Major William Campbell, were alarmed at the proximity of the American troops and some correspondence passed between Campbell and Wayne. Ten days after the battle of Fallen Timbers there were in Detroit about thirteen hundred Indians, who had fled there to place themselves under British protection. An extra hospital and another

surgeon were provided to care for the large number of wounded among them. Lieutenant-Governor Simcoe endeavored to bolster up the Indian courage by telling them that the Ohio country belonged to them, and that he had given orders to the commandant at Fort Miami to fire on the Americans if they again appeared. But the chiefs had lost confidence in British promises. They asked themselves why the commandant had not fired on the Americans when he had such a favorable opportunity, and the answer was unsatisfactory. They were tired of warring against Wayne, who was building forts in their country in spite of their opposition, and in August, 1795, all of the leading tribes entered into a treaty of peace at Greenville, Ohio.

General Wayne arrived in Detroit about the middle of August 1796, and remained in the town about three months. He then went to Presque Ile (now Erie), Pennsylvania, and died there on December 14, 1796. Wayne County and Wayne Street in Detroit were named in his honor.

The surrender of the post of Detroit is described in Chapter IX of this work, but there are a few details of the event which are interesting as a part of the military history of the time. Col. John F. Hamtramck's letters give a few intimate glimpses of the preparations of the American troops for the occupation of Detroit. Two of these, written to General Wilkinson, follow:

"Fort Miamis, July 11, 1796.

"On the 7th instant two small vessels arrived from Detroit, in which I sent

a detachment of artillery and infantry consisting of sixty-five men, together with a number of cannon with ammunition, etc. The whole under the command of Captain Porter.

"On the 9th, a sloop arrived from Detroit, at Swan Creek, purchased by Captain De Butts, which carried fifty tons and which is now loaded with flour, quartermaster's stores and troops. That, together with eleven bateaux which I have, will be sufficient to take all the troops I have with me, leaving the remainder of our stores deposited at this place, which was evacuated this day, and where I have left Captain Marschalk and Lieutenant Shanklin with fifty-two men, infantry, and a Corporal and six of artillery; that is, including the garrison at the head of the Rapids. * * I shall embark within two hours with all the troops for Detroit."

"Detroit, July 17, 1796.

"I have the pleasure to inform you of the safe arrival of the troops under my command at this place, which was evacuated on the 11th instant and taken possession of by a detachment of sixty-five men, commanded by Captain Moses Porter, whom I had detached from the foot of the Rapids for that purpose. Myself and the troops arrived on the 13th instant."

The coming of the Americans to Detroit wrought a great change in the character of the post. The red and white uniform of the British officer was replaced by the blue and white of the American. The hardy, adventurous fighting man known as the Kentucky Ranger possessed very few drawing-room qualities; he knew little of etiquette. He had spent his life campaigning, living with and fighting savages, enduring hardships, subsisting on rough food and governing his actions by his desires. The belles of the post found him a much different man from the powdered and perfumed officer of the crown with whom they had associated, and in general treated him with cold contempt. Letters of that day narrate of the picnics and other celebrations enjoyed by the American soldiers, which generally ended in a free-for-all fight. But they were tried and

true, tempered in the flame of battle, and to their valor we are indebted for the acquisition of the last bit of territory in this western country which belonged to the United States.

Of Col. John Francis (or Jean Francois) Hamtramck a great deal could be written. He was born at Quebec, August 16,1756, a son of Charles David and Marie Ann (Bertin) Hamtramck, or Hamtrenck. His father was a barber and a son of David and Adele (Garnik) Hamtramck, of Luxembourg, diocese of Treves, Germany, and married Marie Ann Bertin at Quebec, November 26, 1753. The Hamtramcks belonged to the Canadian and Nova Scotian refugees, but John F. joined Washington when eighteen years old and in 1776 became a captain of the Fifth New York Infantry. In 1786 he was advanced to the rank of major. When Congress organized the first regiment of infantry by special act, April 30, 1790, Hamtramck was made lieutenant-colonel and later colonel. Colonel Hamtramck's meritorious service with Wayne at Fallen Timbers has been mentioned and he was the one chosen to become the first American commandant at Detroit. Colonel Hamtramck died at Detroit in his forty-sixth year and was first buried in the graveyard of Ste. Anne's. In July, 1866, the remains were removed, placed in an oaken casket, and laid to rest in Mount Elliott Cemetery, where they are today, above them reclining the stone slab upon which is inscribed:

"Sacred

to the Memory of

John Francis Hamtramck, Esq.,

Colonel of the 1st United States Regiment of Infantry
and

Commandant of

Detroit and its Dependencies

He departed this life on the 11th of April, 1803,
Aged 45 years, 7 months & 28 days.
True Patriotism,

And a zealous attachment to National liberty
Joined to a laudable ambition

led him into Military service at an early
period of his life.

He was a soldier even before he was a man.
He was an active participator

in all the Dangers, Difficulties and honors
of the Revolutionary War;

And his heroism and uniform good conduct
procured him the attention and personal thanks of

the immortal Washington.

The United States in him have lost

A valuable officer and a good citizen,

And Society an Useful and Pleasant Member;

to his family the loss is incalculable,

and his friends will never forget

the Memory of Hamtramck.

This humble monument is placed over

his Remains