What does "presenting to the sympathy of their chief captives " mean?

Didn't you like the answers you got to this very same question almost exactly three years ago, and also three months before that?

Thank you, Contrex.
I could not google out the A2K thread. In reading another relative thread it appears that I still haven't got the whole meaning about the sentence:



Here's what I understand:

British commanders, in order to suppress/shatter the morale of American troops (who had true courage that was unconquerable), brought the soldiers (who were captured by British troops) before the chief of those savages (the savages were ready to kill all the captives) in an attempt to win over the chief's support/sympathy.

Am I on the right track?

What puzzles me is that the attempt made by the British commanders was only for trying to win over the heart of one man (the chief of the savages). It seems to be a bit weird to me. How could they (the British commanders) get a satisfactory victorious feeling from doing this？How could this attempt shatter the unconquerable valor of American troops?

And, what was never before seen, British commanders have extorted victory over the unconquerable valor of our troops by presenting to the sympathy of their chief captives awaiting massacre from their savage associates.

I don't really understand "presenting to the sympathy," but I am 100% sure that "chief" here means "main" (it's the only definition for the adjective chief):

And, what was never before seen, British commanders have extorted victory over the unconquerable valor of our troops by presenting to the sympathy of their main captives awaiting massacre from their savage associates.

I haven't looked up the original response, so I apologize for that.

Here's how I would break it down.

British commanders have extorted victory
British commanders have forced a victory by undue methods

over the unconquerable valor of our troops
this is a victory over American troops in the sense that they have
been taken captive, but they remain courageous so in that sense
their valor is unconquerable.

by presenting . . . captives
Here it gets tricky. Presenting what? I believe the Britsh comanders are
presenting captives.

to the sympathy of their chief
the captives are handed over to the chief (of the savages) to be at his
mercy (sympathy)

captives awaiting massacre from their savage associates.
these captives are on the brink of being massacred by the savage allies
of the British commanders.

That's what I make of it.
Hope this helps.

The passage looks as if it had been written in Latin first and then translated.
(I'm joking.)

I bet your native language is not English.
Welcome to A2K.

Indeed, now I can finally see the "pause" between chief and captives.