A famous chief of the day and one of great influence over the
Indians, and also among the white officials who dealt with Indian
affairs, was Tachnech-dor-us, or Branching Oak of the Forest, a
Mingo who had taken the name of Logan out of compliment to James
Logan of Pennsylvania. Chief Logan had recently met with so much
reproach from his red brothers for his loyalty to the whites that
he had departed from the Mingo town at Yellow Creek. But,
learning that his tribe had determined to assist the Shawanoes
and had already taken some white scalps, he repaired to the place
where the Mingos were holding their war council to exert his
powers for peace. There, in presence of the warriors, after
swaying them from their purpose by those oratorical gifts which
gave him his influence and his renown, he took the war hatchet
that had already killed, and buried it in proof that vengeance
was appeased. Upon this scene there entered a Mingo from Yellow
Creek with the news of the murders committed there by the three
traders. The Indian whose throat had been slit as King had served
deer was Logan's brother. Another man slain was his kinsman. The
woman with the baby was his sister. Logan tore up from the earth
the bloody tomahawk and, raising it above his head, swore that he
would not rest till he had taken ten white lives to pay for each
one of his kin.
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