In the spring of 1791,Waldemar joins the French colonists already at Gallipolis, Ohio Territory, hitching a ride on the boats transporting soldiers down the Ohio River to fight the Indians. He was fortunate not to continue the journey past Gallipolis, for it would culminate in the disaster known as St. Clair's Defeat, in which 97% of the Americans are killed or wounded. Unlike the other colonists, Waldemar owns no land at Gallipolis; in fact, they only thought they had ownership, having been swindled by Joel Barlow and company back in France. He is assigned to be an "Indian spy," tasked with scouring the woods daily for signs of Indian presence. Actually, the Indians intentionally spare the French but repeatedly attack the American settlers, including Daniel Boone and his family, at nearby Point Pleasant, Virginia (now West Virginia). Life is hard for Waldemar, as he waits for Charlotte to arrive. The travails of the colony are recorded in two newspaper and magazine articles the Mentelles later wrote, one of which has remained unknown to historians until now.
Ground-water hydrology of the area bordering the Ohio River between Kenova and Waverly, West Virginia