The regular officers had endless difficulty with the pack horsemen, who allowed their charges to stray or be stolen, and they strove to instruct the militia in the rudiments of their duties, on the march, in camp, and in battle.

A fortnight's halting progress through the wilderness brought the army to a small branch of the Miami of the Lakes.

Here a horse patrol captured a Maumee Indian, who informed his captors that the Indians knew of their approach and were leaving their towns.

On hearing this an effort was made to hurry forward; but when the army reached the Miami towns, on October 17th, they had been deserted.

They stood at the junction of two branches of the Miami, the St.Mary and the St.Joseph, about one hundred and seventy miles from Fort Washington.