Major Denny had accompanied the advance guard and quartermaster to this spot, and though "it was farther than could have been wished," word was sent back to the army advising that the march be continued to that point. It being "later than usual when the army reached the ground this evening," records Denny, "and the men much fatigued prevented the General from having some works of defense immediately erected." The army camped in a hollow square on the summit of the promontory; General Butler commanded the right and front and his troops under Majors Butler, Clarke, and Patterson lay in two lines along the edge of the high ground near the Wabash. The left was composed of the battalions under Bedinger and Gaither, in the first line, and Lieutenant-colonel Darke's troops in the second. "The army was Encamped in a hollow Square," says Irwin, "allong the Bank of s^d Creek perhaps 50 yards Between the Lines so that the rear Could go to the Creek for water." The militia was sent forward across the Wabash and encamped about one-fourth of a mile in the bottoms. The tired men fell to work gathering wood, and soon two rows of fires were brightly blazing in the narrow avenue between the troops of Butler on the left and Darke on the right. The rain had turned to snow. Many of the exhausted men sank instantly to sleep. As if half conscious of the doom hanging over the army, certain of the officers were given to pondering on the number of Indians seen that day. "Fresh signs," writes Denny, "... appeared today in several places; parties of riflemen detached after them, but without success." The Irwin MS. reads: "The advance gard Seen they Supposed about 30 Indians in the Bottom on the other Side of s^d Creek [Wabash] when they arrived at it in the Evening and had Seen Considerable Sign that Day." The premonition of disaster intensified as the camp became quiet and the blazing fires were brightly reflected in the light snow. Among certain officers the premonition took shape, and it was determined to send out a party to reconnoiter. Captain Butler at first resolved to lead the party, but soon thought it improper to leave the camp. Accordingly, Colonel Gibson went to Captain Slough of the first battalion of levies carrying a raccoon in his hand; finding Slough, he invited him to his tent to see "how to dress a racoon Indian fashion."[119] Captain Butler joined them, and the three went to General Butler's tent where wine was served. Slough agreed to go out with a party of volunteers, nominally to catch "some of the rascals who might attempt to steal horses." It is plain, whatever the officers may have given as a reason for the scouting expedition, that Slough was sent to feel of the woods--to guard against surprise. His line of men paraded in the firelight before Butler's tent before stealing out beyond the lines. Passing Colonel Oldham's tent, Slough stopped and informed that officer of the detachment and its mission.