Mr. Jones, an officer of the British army, had gained the affections
of Miss Macrea, a lovely young lady of amiable character and spotless
reputation, daughter of a gentleman attached to the royal cause, residing
near Fort Edward; and they had agreed to be married. In the course of
service, the officer was removed to some distance from his bride, and
became anxious for her safety and desirous of her company. He engaged
some Indians, of two different tribes, to bring her to camp, and promised
a keg of rum to the person who should deliver her safe to him. She
dressed to meet her bridegroom, and accompanied her Indian conductors;
but by the way, the two chiefs, each being desirous of receiving the
promised reward, disputed which of them should deliver her to her lover.
The dispute rose to a quarrel; and, according to their usual method of
disposing of a disputed prisoner, one of them instantly cleft the head
of the lady with his tomahawk. This simple story, sufficiently tragical
and affecting in itself, was blazoned in the American newspapers with
every amplification that could excite the imagination or touch the
heart; and contributed in no slight degree to embitter the minds of the
people against those who could degrade themselves by the aid of such
allies. The impulse given to the public mind by such atrocities more
than counterbalanced any advantages which the British derived from the
assistance of the Indians.