McKee reported that the Indians could find no trace of the gun-wheels--the gun was carried on a pack-horse,--and so he thought that the Kentuckians were forced to leave it behind on their retreat.

He put the killed of the Kentuckians at the modest number of forty-eight; and reported the belief of Girty and the Indians that "three hundred [of them] would have given [Clark's men] a total rout." A very common feat of the small frontier historian was to put high praise of his own side in the mouth of a foe.

Withers, in his "Chronicles of Border Warfare," in speaking of this very action, makes Girty withdraw his three hundred warriors on account of the valor of Clark's men, remarking that it was "useless to fight with fools or madmen." This offers a comical contrast to Girty's real opinion, as shown in McKee's letter.] They were surprised by Clark's swift advance just as a scouting party of warriors, who had been sent out to watch the whites, were returning to the village.

The warning was so short that the squaws and children had barely time to retreat out of the way.

As Clark crossed the stream, the warriors left their cabins and formed in some thick timber behind them.