In his heart he prayed that there would be no surrender, that Hamilton would reject every offer.

To storm the fort and revel in butchering its garrison seemed the only desirable thing left for him in life.
Father Beret was, indeed, present at the church, as Hamilton had dreaded; and the two duelists gave each other a rapier-like eye-thrust.
Neither spoke, however, and Clark immediately demanded a settlement of the matter in hand.

He was brusque and imperious to a degree, apparently rather anxious to repel every peaceful advance.
It was a laconic interview, crisp as autumn ice and bitter as gallberries.

Colonel Clark had no respect whatever for Hamilton, to whom he had applied the imperishable adjective "hair-buyer General." On the other hand Governor Hamilton, who felt keenly the disgrace of having to equalize himself officially and discuss terms of surrender with a rough backwoodsman, could not conceal his contempt of Clark.
The five men of history, Hamilton, Helm, Hay, Clark and Bowman, were not distinguished diplomats.

They went at their work rather after the hammer-and-tongs fashion.