"Lossing tells us that in less than five minutes after the first shot was fired the whole British force, more than eight hundred strong, were totally vanquished, and most of them made prisoners; only about fifty men and a single officer escaping."
"Ah, that was a victory to be proud of!" cried Lulu. "And what became of the brave Proctor, papa?"
"He fled from the field as fast as his horses would carry him, taking with him his personal staff, a few dragoons, and some mounted Indians. In the words of the old song
"'When Proctor saw lost was the day, He fled La Tranche's plain: A carriage bore the chief away, Who ne'er returned again.'
"He was hotly pursued by a part of Johnson's corps under Major Payne."
"I think I remember, though, that they did not succeed in catching him," remarked Rosie.
"No," said the captain; "ten of them continued the pursuit until dark, but could not overtake him."
"Ah, it seems he was better at running away than at fighting," said Walter; "but if I remember right, he had to abandon his fine carriage."
"He did so; left the road and escaped by some bypath," replied Captain Raymond. "So rapid and masterly was his retreat that within twenty-four hours he was sixty-five miles distant from his starting point--the battle ground."
"And the American officers and men got nothing for their long chase, papa?" Grace said enquiringly.
"A trifle more," returned the captain, with a slightly amused look: "Major Wood captured Proctor's carriage, sword, and valuable papers. There were some beautifully written letters from Proctor's wife, in which she addresses him as 'Dear Henry.'"
"'Dear Henry,' indeed!" cried Lucilla scornfully. "I could never love such a coward. Nor--nor such a cruel wretch--delighting in seeing men, women, and children tortured by the savages, if he didn't take part in it with his own hands. But you haven't finished the story of the battle, papa."
"No, not quite. General Henry, with his advancing columns, was hardly in sight of the combatants before that part of the battle was over; but at the same time that one bugle sounded for that attack another was heard on the left. Colonel Johnson and his troops moved against the Indians almost at the same instant that the first battalion--under his brother James and Major Payne--attacked the British regulars. He had divided his force and led them--the second battalion--across the little swamp to attack the Indian left. They were in front of Shelby, with a company of infantry. Harrison had taken a position on the extreme right, near the bank of the river, where he could observe and direct all the movements, and with him were Adjutant-General Butler, Commodore Perry, and General Cass.