Illustrated Historical Atlas of the State of Indiana, Part 25

Author:
Publication date: 1876
Publisher: Baskin, Forster & Co.
Number of Pages: 472

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CAMPAIGN AND BATTLE OF TIPPECANOU.

On the lith of July, 18]], the President of the Uluiteil Stales instructeil The Secretary of War to authorize Gov. Ilarrigoni to call out the militin of tho Territory, nud lo altack the Prophet and his followers, in ense circumstances should render siteb action urcessary or expelient. The Gorornor was furtber authorized, nt his iliseretion, to call into his service the Fourth Ilegi- ment of United States Infantry, under command of Col. lohn P. Boyd. The Fourth Regiment was ordered to move from the Falls of the Obie to Vio. cenne", where it was to be joined by the militin of the Territory. Gov. Harrison, however, before moving his military expedition, sent out special messeugers with written speeches to all tho ludian tribes of the Territory, requiring them lo fulfil the conditions of their treaties with the United States ; to avoid all nets of hostility toward the white settlers, und to mako an absolute ilianvowal of union or cooperation with the Shownee Prophet. About the 25th of September, as the army was remuly to move on the Prophet's towu, a deputation of Indians from that plnce arrived at Vin. cennes. These depulies made Iroug professions of peace, and declared Ibot The Indians would comply with the terms of the Governor.

The army, under the command of Gov Harrison, left Vinceunes on the 26th of September, 1811, and moved up the Wabasb to ibe pince where l'ort Ilsrrison uns afternard built, on the east bank of the Wabash, above wbere The city of Terre Haute now staude. Here They selenteil the site and erected Fort Harrison, which was completed on the 28th of October, 1811. The fort wis garrisoned by a small number of men under the cominand of Lienl. Col. .Inmes Miller. The remainder of the troops moored from the post on tho 29th of October, en route for the Prophet's town. (10 men, composed of 250 regular troops, under the command of Col. Boyd, The force amounted to about about Gift volunteers from Kentucky, und about 600 citizens of Indians Terri. lory. The mounted troops, consisting of light dragoons and riflemen, num. bered abont 270 men. On the 2d of November, the army encamped about two miles below the mouth of Big Vermillion River Here a small block. honse wus erected on the wrest hank of the Wabash, in which ivas stationel n Sergrant and eight men, nith orifers to proveet the honts wbich hinl been employed in the Transportation of supplies up to This point. On the after- noon of the tith of November, the nrmy arrived at the Prophet's town, and finding the Indinns not dispased to give battle, Gov. Harrison sent forward a detachment to seleel n emuping ground benr the Wabash. Gov. Harrison, in a letter written on the Irth of November, 1811, nud addressed lo the Secretary of War, describes the camping ground on which the battle of Tip peennoe was fought as not being altogether such as he could wish. "it may," he says, " admirably calculated for the encampment of regular troops that were opposed to regulurs, but it afforded great facility to the appronch of sayuges." It is situated on The borders of Burnett's Creek, nhout seres wiles northwest of the elly of Lafayetto, in Tippecanoe County. . At the time of the encampment of Harrison's army, if wns " a piece of dry ouk leml, rising about ten feet nhove the level of a marsby praine in front (toward the Prophet's town), nul nearly tivlee that height above a similar prairie in the rear, through which, and near to this bauk, ran a small stream, clothed with willows ond other brush-wood Toward the left Buuk this bench of laml widened cubsiderably, bul became grailually narrower in the opposite dirce- tion, and nt the distance of 110 yards from the right finnk terminated in nu abrupt point."

"The army encamped in the order of battle. The men ivere instriteteil to sleep with their elolhes and accontremeuts un, with their fire-nrms louited muil their hayonets fixed ; mul ench corps that formell A part of tho exterior line of the encampment was ordered, in case of an attack, to bold its own gronnil until relier etl.

"The two columns of infuntry occupied the front and rear of the encamp- ment ground, nt the distance of shout 150 yarils fram ench otber on the left flank, unil something mere thun bnlf that distance on the right Innk. The left flank was filled up hy two companies of mounleil riflemen, numhering nbout 120 men, under the connnaud of Maj. Gen. Wells, of the Kenlneky

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HISTORY OF THE STATE OF INDIANA .- CONTINUED.

militin, who served us Major. The right funk wus filled up by Copt. Spier Spencer's company of mounteil rifirmen, consisting of eighty mien. The front line urny composed of one battalion of United States Infantry, uuder the cominanil of Major Floyd-dankeil of the right by two companies of militin, and on the left by one company. "The rear line uns composcil of n battalion of United States troups under the command of Chat. Haen, acting as Major, and four companies of militin infantry, uniler comtunml of lieut. Col. Decker. The reguilin troops on the rear line joined the mounted rifle. wen, under Grt. Wells, on the left Bank, and Col. Decker's battulion formed no angle will Cupt. Spencer a company ou the right finuk. Two troops of ilmagoons, mounting, nggregately, to about sixty men, ivere encumpeil in the rear of the left Hauk ; nmil Capt. Parke's troop of ihrgoons, which wvos Inrger than the other tiro, was encamped in the renr of the front line. The liragoons nere directed, in ense of a night allnek, to paraile dismounted nith their pistols in their belt«, amil to act as a corps ufe reservr.

Although strong gunris ivere pinceil uti iluty, ou the night of the 6th of November, it seems that the principal officers did not expect that the Indians nould attnek thein that night. But about tiro hours before sunrise, on the morning of the Tthi of Novemeber, nn attack was made on the left finnk of the encamped nrmy, " so suddenly that the Intinny were in the comp before Inny of the men could get out of their teuta "

The following particulars of the battle of Tippecanoo are copied from the etbeinl report u hich was addressed to the Secretury of War by Gen. Harri- 500, November 18, 1811, fen ilnys after the battle. We quote from Dillon's History of lunilinun

" I bad prisen nt n quarter after four o'clock, and the signal for calling out the men would have been given in tiro minutes, when the attack com- meneed. It organ on the left flank ; but n signal gun was fired by the sen- tinels, or by the gunn in that direction, which made not the least resist. nney, but abandoned their officer nud fed into camp; ond the first notice which the troops of that thank and of the danger way from the yells of the snrages irithin a short distance of the line; but even uniler these circum- stances, cho men were not wanting to chotuacives and to the occasion. Such of them as ivere nurake, or were easily aunkened, seized their arts and took their stations , others who were mere indy hail to content with the enemy In the doors of their teuts. The stormn first fell upon Capt. Burton's com. pany, of the Fourth United States Regiment, and Capt. Guiger's company of mounted riflemeu, which formed the left nugle of the rear line The fire upon these was rxeessivoly severe, and they suffered consulerably before relief could be brought to them. Some few Indians passeil itito the encamp- ment near the angle, nud une or two penetrated some distance befure they were killeil. I Urliere all the other companies were under ornis, nad toler- ably formiril, before they were fired on. The morning wns dark noil cloudy. One fires affordel a partinl light, which, if it gare us some opportunity of takiog our position, iras still more advantageous lo the enemy-nffording them the menus of taking n surer nim. They were, therefore, extinguished as soon as possibile

" Under these discouraging circumstances, tho troops ( nineteen-twentieths if urbem huil tteror been in action before) behaved in a manner that can never be too much appdnuiled. They tonk their places without noise, and with less confusion thun could have bren expreted from veterans placed in a similar sitontion. As soon as 1 couhl mount my horse, I rode lo the nugle that tras ottaekel. I found that Barton's company hod suffered scrurely, and the left of Guigor's entirely broken. I immediately ordered Cook's company, and the Inte Capt. Wentworth's, nuiler Lieut. Peters, to be brought up from the center of the rear line, iwhere the ground was much more de- feasible, and formned nero:s the angle, in support of Barton's and Gniger s. My attention was then euguged hy n henty Bring upon the left of the front line, where were stationed the small comjeny of United States rifleinen (then, however, armed with muskets) noul the companies of Buen, Snelling nul Prescolt, of the Fourth Regimeut.

"I found Maj. Durie's forming the ilroganns in the rear of those com- ponies, and understanding that the heaviest part of the enemy's fire pro- ceeded from some trues noout fifteon or tiveaty pinces in front of those eour- panica, 1 directrd the Major to dislodge them with a part of the dragoons. Unfortunately, the Major's gallantry determined him to execute the order with a smaller force thou uns sufficient, uhich enabled the enemy to nroid bim in the front, and attach his Enuke, The Major way mortally wounded, anil bis party driven back. The Indians were, however, inimediutely und pilloudly dislodged from their advantageous position by Copl. Snelling, At the heud of his company.

" lu the course of n four minutes after the commencement uf the nttnek, the fire oxtendeil along the left Bank, the whole of the front, the right flunk und part of the rene line. Upon Spencer's motinted riflemen, noil the right ef Warriok's company, which was posteil on the right of the rear line, it was excessively serere Cupt Speneer and his First and Second Lieutenants Were killed, snd Capt. Warrick mortally woundedl. Those companies, huiverer, still brarely innintained their posts; but Sprneer's haring suffered so serere- Is, and boring originally too much grouund to occupy, I reinforced them with llebh's company of ritleuen, which hod been ilriren-or, by some mistake, "plered-from their position in the tent funk, toward the center of the clnp, and filled the vienney that hail been ocenpieil by Robl writh Prescott's company of the Fourth United States Rrgimont. My great objeet was to keep Ahir lines entire-to prevent the enemy from breuking into the cump, until Anylight should enable me to make n general nud effectunl charge. With this weir I bail reinfori ed every part of the line thnt und suffered umneh, anil as soon as the apprunch of morning discor ered itself, I withdrew from the front line Spelling's, Posey's (umuler Lieut. Albright) and Scott's, and from the near line, Wilson's companies, and dreiy them up upon the left funk , and, at the same time, 1 orilered Cook's nul Buon's companies-the former from the rear, and the Intter from the front line-to reinforce the right Hank, foreseeing that at theve points tho enemy would make their lust efforts. MEnj. Wells, irho cowanndeil on the left linuk, not knewving my intentions precisely, bad taken the command of these companies-und charged the cuemy before 1 hnul formod the body of dragoons with which I mnennt to support the infantry ; R small detnehmeut of these were, hou erer, rendy, arul prorel amply sufficient for the purpose. The Indians irrre driven by the infantry nt the quiut of the bayonrt, amul tho ilingnous pursued and loreed thein into n morgh, where they could not be followed. Cant. Cook und Liunt. Larruher bnd, ngreenbly to my order, marched their companies to the right tuuk, nud formed thew uuiler the fire of the enemy, atul, being then joined by the rillemon of that Bruk, hul charged tho lilians, killed n nuciber, and pitt the rest to precipitate flight. *

"The whole of the infantry formed n small brigaile tuiler tho itumedinte oplers of Col. Boyil. The Colonel, throughout the netion, manifosted equinl ual nud bravery in carrying into execution iny orders, in keeping the uren to their posts, and exhorting them to fight with ralor. His brigado innior, Clark, and his niil-ile. enmp, George Croghnu, Esq., were also rery serriee. ubly employed. Col. Joseph Bartholomew, a very ralitable oflicor, cami- miniled, undor Col. Boyd, the militin infintry. He wos wvouudeil ently in this action, mul his serrices lost In mir. Major G. R. C Floyd, the soujor officer of the Fourth United States Rogimont, comumruled immediatoly the listtuliou of thut regiment, which was in the front line. His conduct duritig the notion was ontirely to my sntisthetion. Lient. Col. Decker, nho com- ontdei the battalion of infantry on the right of the reur line, preserved his lomiruand in good order He was, however, but partially attacked. I have before intuioneil to you that Major Get. Wells, of the Fourth Division of Kemlucky Inllitin, noted, undor muy cowrajnil, as a Major, at the heul of tou compquies of mounteil volunteers. The General maintained tho fumo which he lindl alrumly negnirent in almost prory cuinquigu nuil iu nlmust orery but. dle irliich has heon fought with the Inillans since the settlement of Kentucky.

Of the several corps, the Fourth United States Regiment und the two small companies nttueliil to il were certainly the must conspicuous for undaunted valor. The companies commaniled by Captains Cook, Snelling and . Rarton, Lientenunte Larrabee, Petera and Hawkins, were placed in situntious where they couldl remler most service anil encounter most danger, and those officers eminently distinguished themselves. Captains Prescott and Brown per. formed their iluty, ulso, to my entire satisfaction, as did l'osey's company of the Seventh Regiment, heailed hy Lieut. Albright. In short, they supported the fine of American regulars ; and I have never hearil that a single indt- villnal u'ny found out of the line of his duty.

"Several of the militin companies were in no wise inferior to the regu- Inrs. Spencer's, Gniger's nudl Warrick's maintnineil their posts omidst n monstrous carnage ; ng, indecil, did Robb's, after it irns posteit on the left flunk. Its loss of men (sereuteen killeil anil wouwled), nud its keeping its grounil, is sufficient evidence of its firmness. Wilson's nnit Scott's compia- nies clurged with the regular troops, and proved thetuselves worthy of so loing Norris' company also hehnved well Hargrove'. and Wilkins' com- panies ivere placed in a situation where they had no opportunity of distin- guishing themselves, or, I non satisfied they would have done it. This was the case with the squadron nf ilengoons also. After Major Dariess had re- ceived his wound, knutving it to he muortal, I promotel Cnpt. Porke to the Majority, than whom there is no beller officer. My two nules- de- camp, Majors llurst und Taylor, with luicut. Adams of the Fourth Regiment, the Adjutant of the troops, afforded me the most essential aid, as well in the action os throughout the campaign."

The loss of Gen. Harrison's force, in the battle of Tippecanoe, amounted to thirty-seven killed and one hundred and fifty-one wounded, of which Intter number twenty-five afterward ilied of their wounds. Among those killed vr mortally irounded in the battle were Col. Joseph Hamilton Da- vicss, Col. Abraham Owen, Cupt W. C. Baen, Capt. Jneub Warrick, Capt. Spier Spencer, Lieut. Richard Me Mohan, Lieut. Thomas Berry, Thomas Han- dolph, Esq., anil Col. Essoc White Among the iroumiled were Lieut. Col. Joseph Bartholomeus, Lieut. Col. Luke Decker, Dr. Edward Scull, Adjutant .lamey Hunter, Lient. George P. Peters, Lieut. George Gooding, Ensigu Henry Burchstead, Chpt. John Norris and Capt. Frederick Guiger.

The Inilians engaged in the battle were probably between six and seven hunilred, noil their loss way about equal to that of the American. Thirty. eight warriors are known to hare been killed on the battle field The Prophet, luring the action, stood on an elevated piece of grounil within hearing of

his warriors, and encourageil them by singing n war song His voice Irms remarkubly loud, and could bo ilistinetty heard nove the lin of battle, call- ing out to them at iulerrals and assuring them of victory.

Imineilintely nfter their ilefeat, the surviving Indinh4, having lost all faith in their leader, returned to their respective tribes. The Prophet took up his residence among a small band of Wynndols, and his deserted town u'ny destroyed on the Fib of November.

THE WAR OF 1812.

In June. 1812, the United States ileclarel war against Great Britain. This war Ingted till the treaty of Ghent, December 24, 1814 It is not oitr purpose to go into the details of the erents covering this period, but keeping in view the Territory of Indiann, ire shall outline the part played by her in the struggle. The breaking out of the war was the signal for renewed hos- lilities on the part of those Indian tribes which were unfriendly to the United States. Of these were the Pottaivnttoties, Winnebagoes, Kiekapoos and Sacs. On the 11th uf April, preceding the declaration of war, an ntinek was made on n selilement on the Wabash, about thirty- five miles above Vin- ceunes : Mr. Ilutson, his write, four of his children and a hired man irere killed by the Intfinns. On the 22d, Mr. Haryman, his wife and five children were mussacred at the month of Embarrass Creek, about five miles from Vin- cennes

In the course of the spring nun summer of 1812, block houses and pick- eted forts were erected throughout the principal settlements of Indiann ex- posed to Indinu depredations.

About the middle of May, 1811, a great Indian council was commeneed Il an Indian village ou the Mississinewa Rirer, ut which nearly all the northwestern tribes were representeil. At this council the general expres- siun was in favor of preserring pence with the United States. But the Indinns, notwithstanding their professions were unwilling to surrender the murderers of the white people killed by their struggling bands. Tecumseh was dissatisfied with the procredingy of the council. On the 17th of July. 1×12, the British Rod Induins mule an attack an the military post nt Markinau, garrisoned by fifty cerin men, uniler command of Lieut. Ilanks, and the post iras compelled to surrender to a superior force. On the 15th of August, the troops at Fort Dearborn (Chicago), under command of Capt. Headil, erneunted the fort by order of Gen. Hull, who sent Capt. Wells, of Fort Wayne, with about thirty friendly Miamis, as on escort; and, after marching ubout a mile and a half from Fort Dearborn, they were attacked by u superior farve uf Indians, who killed twenty-six regulars, all the militia, two women, twelve children, an] took twenty-eight prisoners.

On the 16th of August, 1812, the town of Detroit and the Territory of Michigan arre surrenileruil by Gen. Hull, without firing n gun, to the British forces umuler command of Gen. Brock The respretire forces were us follows: Gou. llull bad nt his command three hundred and forty regulars and nhont en o thonsand tailitin Rund volunteers ; Gen. Brock's forces, inelwil- ing regular, miliin nel Iodions, iras nhout one thousand three hundred.

Encauriged by this temporary success of the British and their allies, the Winnebagos, Pottnuuttomies aud Kiekapoos became emboldened to zend uut u ar parties nud nttuck the frontier settlers in Indiaon Territory. Twu men were killed nud scalped while making hay in the vicinity of Fort Harrison, on the 3d of September, und ou the 4th An attack iras muile ou the tort by getting fire to one of the block-hony?". The plnce iras held by Captain Znehary Taylor, writh a small boily of mien, why bravely resisted the attack, which ivny continued till about six o'clock in the morning of the 5th, when the ludians retired beyonil reich ef their guns. On the 13th of September, eleven men, umler communil of Lieut. Richardson, acting as an escort to n party conveying provisions to Furt Hurrison, were attacked by n bamil uf Indians, and serro of the men were killed and one w ounded.

Fort Harrison iras reinforced on the 10th of September, by s regiment of Kentucky roluuterrs, nDler comund of Col. Wilcox.

On the 3d of September, 1812, orcurred the slaughter of " ligeou Rooat settlement," knowru ds " l'igeon Roost Massacre." "The loention of this settlement was within the present limits of Scott County. It was conbued to nbont a square mile of lond, on which n few families had settleit in 1809, Hil uns firy or six miles distant from any other settlement. While JereDunh layne mind a man by the name of Coffman were hunting for " bee trees " in the woods, they were surprisedl and killed by n party of Indians, on the 80 of September. This party, which consisted of ten or tueley Shutnee warriors, attacked "Figcon Roost Settlement" that trening ne sunset, arul, iu the space of nbolt no huir, killeil one munt fire wonien nud sixteen children. The bodies uf some of theso vietiros of savage wurfure were hurneil uut the fires which consuweil their cubius. [See History of Scott County. ] Some of the militia of Clark County inimiedintoly proceeded to the scelte of the massacre, where they found several of the umingledl hodies of the desil surroquited by the unoking ruins of their houses. These rrionius were collected amul buried in u common grave. The InImus were pursurd by Major John McCor nuit thpt. Perault The lutter discovered anil attacked thein, with the loss of one mu killed, but they continnei their Hight through the irooils unud escaped.

After the l'igeon Roost massiere, many of the settlers on the northern and western frontiers of Clark, tellerson, Hnerison und Knox Counties lu ed

in n constant state of nlarm till the clone of the war. The feeling of ilanger nuil apprehension which prevniled is well ilescribed by Mr. Zehulon Collings, who lived within six miles of Pigeon Roost settlement. He says: " The manner in which I used to work in those perilous tiznes way as follows. On all occasions 1 carried lay rifle, tomahawk and hutcher-knife, with a loaded pistol in my belt. When I went to plow I laut my gun on the plowel ground, umut stuek up a stiek by it for a mark, so that I could get it quick in case it was wanted. I had two good dogs I took one into the house, learing the other out. The one outside was expected to give the alarm, which would conse the one inside to bark, by which I would be arakened, having my arms always loaded. I kept my horses in a stable close to the house, baring a purt-hole so that I could shoot to the stable door During two years I never reat from home with any certainty of returning, not knowing the minute 1 might receire n hall from an unknown hand. But in the midst of all these dangers, that God who never sleeps nor slumbers has kept me."

In August, 1812. Gov. Harrison was appointed Major General by the Governor of Kentucky, and assunied the chief command of the forces raided in thai State. Abont 2,000 Kentuckinns and 700 citizens of Obio joined his army, and marched fromn Piqun, Ohio, to Fort Wayne, arriving at the latter post on the l'lth of September. The post of Fort Wayne had heen inreated by bostile ludians from the commencement of the war, but they with drew on the Arrival of the Kentucky and Ohio troops, having, during the true of their investiuent of the fort, killed three or four while men. Gov. Hurrison, on bis arrival at Fort Wayne, sent out different detachments in pursuit of the Indians, but not finding nny, they hurnt the villages and corn fields, and re- turned to the fort. Ou one of these expeditions the village of O.box-see. or Five Medals, a noteil Pottawattomie chief, on the banks of Elkhart River, was destroyed ; and on another occasion a detachment, under command of Col. Simrall, destroyed Little Turtle's town, on Eel River, and a Miami vil- lage which stool near the forks of the Wabash was destroyed hy forces nudler command of Gen. I'nyne

On the Hitth of September, Gen. Harrison pure up the commandl of the troups nt Fort Wayne to Brig. Gen. James Winchester, a citizen of Tennessee. snd who had been an officer in the Revolutionary war. But on the 24th, while at Piqua, Ohio, Gen. Harrison was notified by dispatches that the President of the United States had assigned to him the command of the Northwestern Army. The plan for raising this army had been adoptert. It was to consist of regular troops, rangers, the volunteer militis of the States of Kentucky anul Ohio, and 3,000 men froth Virginia and Pennsylranin-a forec, in all, estimateil at 10,000 men. From the instructions given to Gen. Harrison, it appears that an invasion of Canada was contemplated by the Aitthorities at Washington. His lelier of instruction contained the following onler . "Having provided for the protection of the Western frontier, yon will retake Detroit, and, with a view to the conquest of Upper Canada, Jon will penetrate that country as far as the force under your command will, in your judgment, justify."

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Illustrated Historical Atlas of the State of Indiana, Part 25

Author: Publication date: 1876 Publisher: Baskin, Forster & Co. Number of Pages: 472

Author:
Publication date: 1876
Publisher: Baskin, Forster & Co.
Number of Pages: 472