“John Dixon, who kept a house of entertainment here and had sent his family to Galena for safety, joined us and hauled our wallets of corn and grub in his wagon, which was a great help. Lieutenant Harris, U.S. Army, also joined us, and I now had fifty men to go with me on the march. I detailed two to march on the right, two on the left, and two in advance, to act as lookouts to prevent a surprise. They were to keep in full view of us and to remain out until we camped for the night. “Just at sundown the first day, while we were at lunch, our advance scouts came in under whip, and reported Indians. We bounced to our feet, and having a full view of the road for a long distance, could see a large body coming toward us. All eyes were turned to John Dixon, who, as the last one dropped out of sight, coming over a ridge, pronounced them Indians. I stationed my men in a ravine crossing the road, where any one approaching could not see us until within thirty yards; the horses I had driven back out of sight in a valley. I asked General Henry to take command; but he said ‘No, stand at your post,’ and walked along the line talking to the men in a low, calm voice. Lieutenant Harris, U.S.A, seemed much agitated; he ran up and down the line and exclaimed: ‘Captain, we will catch hell!’ He had horse pistols, belt pistols, and double-barrelled gun. He would pick the flints, reprime, and laid the horse pistols at his feet. When he got all ready he passed along the line slowly, and, seeing the nerves of the men all quiet–after General Henry’s talk to them–said, ‘Captain, we are safe; we can whip five hundred Indians.’ Instead of Indians they proved to be the company of General Dodge, from Galena, of one hundred and fifty men, en route to find out what had become of General Atkinson’s army, as, since the murder of the six men, communication had been stopped for more than ten days. My look-out at the top of the hill did not notify us, and we were not undeceived until they got within thirty steps of us. My men then raised a yell and ran to finish their lunch. “Next morning,[156] in passing into a grove of timber, my front scouts again came under whip and reported Indians. I asked where? They pointed to my two scouts on the right, trying to catch an Indian pony; one had on a red shirt, and they mistook them for Indians. These two men had been in Stillman’s defeat, and as their horses were weak and it was easier to march out of line, I had detailed them to go in the road in front. I now ordered them to the rear and to drop behind as far as they chose, and detailed two other men, on whom I could rely, to take the advance.