Some farther advance was made into the Indian
country, and more destruction was done, but now the winter was
approaching, and many of the men insisted upon returning home to
protect their families. Others were to rejoin the main
Revolutionary army, and the Iroquois campaign was to stop for the
time. The first blow had been struck, and it was a hard one, but
the second blow and third and fourth and more, which the five
knew were so badly needed, must wait.
Henry and his comrades were deeply disappointed. They had hoped
to go far into the Iroquois country, to break the power of the
Six Nations, to hunt down the Butlers and the Johnsons and Brant
himself, but they could not wholly blame their commander. The
rear guard, or, rather, the forest guard of the Revolution, was a
slender and small force indeed.
Henry and his comrades said farewell to Colonel Butler with much
personal regret, and also to the gallant troops, some of whom
were Morgan's riflemen from Virginia. The farewells to William
Gray, Bob Taylor, and Cornelius Heemskerk were more intimate.
"I think we'll see more of one another in other campaigns," said
Gray.
"We'll be on the battle line, side by side, once more," said
Taylor, "and we'll strike another blow for Wyoming.
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