USA > Indiana > Allen County > Fort Wayne > Valley of the upper Maumee River, with historical account of Allen County and the city of Fort Wayne, Indiana, Volume I > Part 18
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60
To avert the evils of their hostility, was the object of the expedition against Mississinewa. Said Harrison: "The situation of this town, as it regards one line of operations, even if the hostility of the inhabitants was less equivocal, would render a measure of this kind highly proper; but from the circumstance of Gen. Hopkins' failure it becomes indispens- able. Relieved from the fears excited by the invasion of their country, the Indians from the upper part of the Illinois river, and to the south of Lake Michigan, will direct all their efforts against Fort Wayne and the convoys which are to follow the left wing of the army. Mississinewa will be their rendezvous, where they will receive provisions and every assistance they may require for any hostile enterprise. From that place they can, by their runners, ascertain the period at which every convoy may set out from St. Mary's and with certainty intercept it on its way to
149
THE LAST YEAR OF WAR.
the Maumee Rapids. But that place being broken up, and the provi- sions destroyed, there will be nothing to subsist any body of Indians, nearer than the Pottawatomie towns on the St. Joseph of the lake." ยท This expedition numbered about 600 mounted riflemen, under Lieut .- Col. Campbell. It left Franklinton on the 25th of November, by way of Dayton and Greenville; and reached the Indian towns on the Mississinewa toward the middle of December, suffering much from the cold. In a rapid charge upon the first village, eight warriors were killed, and forty-two taken prisoners, including men, women and children. About half an hour before day, the morning following this charge, the detachment was attacked by the Indians, and after a sharp but short en- counter, in which Campbell lost eight killed, and forty-eight wounded, the enemy fled precipitately with a heavy loss.
Learning from a prisoner that Tecumseh was within eighteen miles of them, with a body of 600 warriors, with the number of wounded then to be cared for, it was deemed advisable to return, and the detachment, having previously destroyed the towns they had approached, started upon their return march, and reached Dayton during the early part of January. The good effect of the expedition was soon felt, as it disclosed who were friends and who were enemies among the Indians.
The winter being severe, and unfavorable to transportation, the army of Harrison suffered many privations for the want of sufficient provisions and clothing; yet though it was midwinter in the wild and trackless forests, the government and people were impatient, and anxiety was manifest for a forward march against the British.
At the River Raisin .- On January 10th, 1813, Gen. Winchester having received orders to advance toward the British lines, reached the Rapids, preceded by a detachment of 670 men, under Gen. Payne, who had been ordered to attack a party of Indians gathered in an old fortifi- cation at Swan creek. A large stone house was built within the en- campment, at the Rapids, to secure the provisions and baggage. A considerable quantity of corn was also gathered in the fields, and apparatus for pounding and sifting it being made, it supplied the troops with very wholesome bread.
It soon became apparent that an attack was meditated by the British upon the forces under Winchester, they having heard through some Indians of the advance of the army. Consequently, on the morning of the 17th, Gen. Winchester detached Col. Lewis, with 550 men, for the river Raisin; and a few hours later, Lewis' detachment was followed by IIO more under Col. Allen. On the morning of this day Gen. Win- chester sent a message to Gen. Harrison, acquainting him with the movements made, and desiring a reinforcement, in case of opposition in an effort to possess and hold Frenchtown. With this express was also sent word that 400 Indians were at the river Raisin, and that Elliott was expected from Malden, with an expedition to attack the camp at the Rapids.
Early on the morning of the 19th, the messenger reached Gen. Har- rison, who ordered another detachment to proceed at once to the Rapids,
150
VALLEY OF THE UPPER MAUMEE.
which reached there on the morning of the 20th, accompanied by the commander-in-chief. In the meantime, on the 18th, the troops under Lewis and Allen, who had proceeded toward the river Raisin, to occupy Frenchtown, had been attacked by the enemy, who were driven back with considerable loss, leaving the town in the possession of the federal forces. On receipt of news of this action, Gen. Winchester set out with 250 men for the relief of the forces at Frenchtown, and arrived at the river Raisin on the 20th. The British and Indian advance, under. Col. Proctor, was preparing to renew the attack of the 18th, and on the night of the 21st advanced unobserved very near the American lines. Early on the morning of the 22d, the enemy, from a position within about 300 yards of the American lines, opened a heavy fire with cannon and musketry, and soon succeeded in nearly surrounding the camp.
The Americans fought bravely, but were overpowered, and an indis- criminate slaughter followed. In their confusion and dismay, the Ameri- cans attempted to pass down a long narrow lane, through which the road ran from the village. The Indians were on both sides, and shot them down in great numbers. A large party, which had gained the wood, on the right, were surrounded and massacred, nearly 100 men being tomahawked within the distance of 100 yards. The most horrible destruction overwhelmed the fugitives in every direction.
Captain Simpson was shot and tomahawked at the edge of the woods, near the mouth of the lane. Col. Allen, who has been before mentioned, though wounded in his thigh, attempted to rally his men several times, entreating them to halt and sell their lives as dearly as possible. He had escaped about two miles, when, at length, wearied and exhausted, and disdaining perhaps to survive the defeat, he sat down on a log, determined to meet his fate. An Indian chief, ob- serving him to be an officer of distinction, was anxious to take him pris- oner. As soon as he came near the Colonel, he threw his gun across his lap, and told him in the Indian language to surrender and he should be safe. Another savage having, at the same time, advanced with a hostile appearance, Col. Allen, by one stroke of his sword, laid him dead at his feet. A third Indian, near by, had then the honor of shoot- ing one of the first and greatest citizens of Kentucky. Capt. Mead, of the regular army, who had fought by the side of Col. Daviess, when he fell in the battle of Tippecanoe, was killed where the action was com- menced. Finding that the situation of the corps was rendered desperate by the approach of the enemy, he gave orders to his men -" My brave fellows, charge upon them;" and a moment afterward he was no more.
A party with Lieut. Garrett, consisting of fifteen or twenty men, after retreating about a mile and a half, was compelled to surrender, and and all massacred, but the lieutenant. Another party of about thirty men had escaped nearly three miles, when they were overtaken by the savages, and having surrendered, about one-half of them were shot and tomahawked. In short, the greater part of those who were in the re- treat, fell a sacrifice to the fury of the Indians. The snow was so deep,
15I
THE LAST YEAR OF WAR.
and the cold so intense, that they were soon exhausted, and unable to elude their pursuers. Gen. Winchester and Col. Lewis, with a few more, were captured at a bridge, about three-quarters of a mile from the village. Their coats being taken from them, they were carried back to the British lines.
A party, under Majors Graves and Madison, having placed them- selves behind some picketing, maintained their position and fought bravely, until an order, reported as coming from Gen. Winchester, was brought by Proctor, who was accompanied by one of his aids, desiring them to surrender. Major Madison remarked " that it had been cus- tomary for the Indians to massacre the wounded and prisoners after a surrender, and that he would not agree to any capitulation, which Gen. Winchester might direct, unless the safety and protection of his men were stipulated." To which Proctor replied: " Sir, do you mean to dictate to me ?" "No," said Madison; "I mean to dictate for myself, and we prefer selling our lives as dearly as possible, rather than be massacred in cold blood."
Terms embodying positive protection to all having at length been agreed upon, Madison surrendered and his party reached Malden in safety. But the Indians soon returned to the scene of disaster, and be- gan an unmerciful slaughter of the wounded, stripping them, and even setting fire to the houses in which many of them were sheltered, burn- ing them with the buildings. In this terrible affair about 400 Americans were killed and 520 made prisoners.
When Gen. Harrison received news of the opening of the engage- ment, he ordered Perkin's brigade to proceed to his relief, and soon after mounted his horse and overtook some reinforcements under Payne. But they had not proceeded far when they were met by some men from the scene of defeat, who told the sad story of the fate that had befallen their comrades. Its effect was to nerve Gen. Harrison to push on with greater speed. However, another party was met, and, after a council as to the wisdom of proceeding, it was deemed proper to venture no nearer the scene of disaster, as no succor could be rendered the victims of the furious red men and merciless British opponents, and a further advance would only tend to furnish more material for massacre and de- feat. Subsequent to the battle, the British sent Gen. Winchester, Col. Lewis and Major Madison to Quebec, where and at Beaufort they were confined till the spring of 1814.
Siege of Fort Meigs .- After these events little of importance oc- curred until the latter part of April. On the 16th of February, the governor of Kentucky, in compliance with a law that had been recently passed in that state, had ordered a draft of 3,000 men, to be organized into four regiments, under Colonels Dudley, Boswell, Cox and Caldwell, under the command of Gen. Green Clay. As the season advanced, it became evident that the British would soon make an attack on the American lines at Fort Meigs, Harrison's base on the Maumee; and this was made the more certain from the fact that the enemy had recently
152
VALLEY OF THE UPPER MAUMEE.
learned the situation of affairs in the American army from a prisoner they had taken. This condition of affairs was communicated to the war department, and the propriety of calling out the remainder of the Ken- tucky draft, to be placed at Fort Wayne to keep the Indians in check, was pressed upon the attention of the government.
Both the American and British armies became active in their move- ments; and the British commander made bold to assert that he would march the northwestern army under Gen. Harrison, to Montreal by the first of June. During the latter part of April, the British had often been seen, in small bodies, near Fort Meigs, by scouts sent out by the com- manding-general; and on the 26th of April, the enemy's advance was observed at the mouth of the bay. On the 28th, as Captain Hamilton was descending the Maumee, with a small reconnoitering party, he beheld the whole force of the British and Indians coming up the river within a few miles of the fort. The British, with a force of 3,000, took possession of old Fort Miami, just below the scene of Wayne's engage- ment with the Indians in 1794, opposite and two iniles below Fort Meigs. Three batteries were erected opposite Fort Meigs, and the Indians, occupying the south side of the river, invested the garrison.
About the Ist of May, the British, having completed their batteries, commenced a heavy cannonade against Fort Meigs, which was contin- ued for five days, with but little effect. The American batteri. s returned the fire, but with little energy, not wishing to waste ammunition.
Tecumseh and the Prophet, with a body of some 600 Indians, since the fatal affair at the Raisin river (Tecumseh not having been present at that engagement), had joined the British, and were directing the In- dian operations against the Americans.
About the time of the opening of the British batteries, Gen. Har- rison had expected a reinforcement under Gen. Green Clay; and when the movements of the British became fully apparent, Capt. Oliver, accompanied by a white man and an Indian, was sent as a messenger to Gen. Clay, with letters also for the governors of Ohio and Kentucky.
Fears had been entertained that the enemy would at length make an effort to gain a nearer approach to the fort, and erect a battery on the same side of the river. This was done on the 3d, and three field pieces and a howitzer were opened upon the American camp from a clump of bushes on the left, but were soon hushed by a few shots from the eigh- teen pounders of the American batteries. Changing their position, the batteries were again opened, but with little effect. Said Col. Wood, of the American forces: " With a plenty of ammunition, we should have been able to blow John Bull almost from the Miami. * * * It was extremely diverting to see with what pleasure and delight the In- dians would yell, whenever in their opinion considerable damage was done in camp by the bursting of a shell. Their hanging about the camp, and occasionally coming pretty near, kept our lines almost con- stantly in a blaze of fire; for nothing can please a Kentuckian better than to get a shot at an Indian - and he must be indulged."
I53
THE LAST YEAR OF WAR.
With a reinforcement of some 1,200 Kentuckians, Gen. Clay soon drew near. Capt. Oliver had met him at Fort Winchester. Gen. Har- rison immediately sent an order to Gen. Clay, which was delivered by Capt. Hamilton, requesting him to detach " about Soo men from his brigade, and to land them at a point he would direct, about a mile or a mile and a half above Camp Meigs. I will then conduct the detachment," continued Gen. Harrison, " to the British batteries on the left [north ] bank of the river. The batteries must be taken, the cannon spiked, and carriages cut down; and the troops must then return to their boats and cross over to the fort. The balance of your men," said he, " must land on the fort side of the river, opposite the first landing, and fight their way into the fort through the Indians."
As soon as Capt. Hamilton had delivered the orders, Gen. Clay, who was then in the thirteenth boat from the front directed him to go to Col. Dudley, with orders to take the twelve front boats and execute the plans of Gen. Harrison on the left bank, and to post the subaltern with the canoe on the right bank, as a beacon for his landing.
Col. Dudley gained the British batteries, and the British flag was cut down, amid the cheers of the American garrison. Gen. Harrison, who had been watching with great concern, through his field glass, from a battery next to the river, the movements of Dudley across the river, discovered that Dudley pursued the British, after spiking the guns, and was in imminent danger, if he did not at once obey the previous orders to retire as soon as that object was accomplished.
Tecumseh was on the south side, where a sortie from the fort was made to engage him, but seeing the movements opposite, he crossed the river and fell upon the rear of Dudley, whose right and center had moved two miles from the fort in pursuit of the enemy. The general sent Lieut. Campbell to warn Dudley of his danger, but he could not reach him in time. The left column still holding the batteries, was attacked by the British, largely reinforced, who overpowered the Americans, cap- turing some at the batteries, while others fled to the boats. The right and center being surrounded, surrendered. Col. Dudley had received a wound, and was finally tomahawked by the savages. The number that escaped and regained the fort was less than 200. The prisoners were taken down to headquarters, put into Fort Miami, and the Indians permitted to occupy the surrounding rampart, and amuse themselves by loading and firing at the crowd, or at any particular individual. Those who preferred to inflict a still more cruel and savage death, selected their victims, led them to the gateway, and there under the eye of Gen- eral Proctor, and in the presence of the whole British army, tomahawked and scalped them.
For about two hours these acts of unmitigated ferocity and barbarity to the prisoners of war continued; during which time, upward of twenty prisoners were massacred in the presence of the magnanimous Britons, to whom they had surrendered. The chiefs, at the same time, were holding a council on the fate of the prisoners, in which the Pottawato-
I54
VALLEY OF THE UPPER MAUMEE.
mies, who were painted black, were for killing the whole, and by their warriors the murders were perpetrated. The Miamis and Wyandots were on the side of humanity, and opposed the wishes of the others. The dispute between them had become serious, when Tecumseh came down from the batteries, riding at great speed. With fury, he struck down two Indians about to murder a prisoner, and drawing his toma- hawk, dared the horde to attempt to kill another American. He de- manded to be told where Proctor was, and seeing him, sternly inquired why he permitted the massacre. "Sir," said Proctor, " your Indians cannot be commanded." " Begone," retorted Tecumseh, " you are unfit to command; go and put on petticoats." Still later he said to the noble Briton, for whom he had contempt: " I conquer to save, you to murder."
The prisoners were retained at Fort Miami till night, many of the wounded for hours experiencing excruciating torments, and then were placed in the British boats and carried down the river to the brig Hun- ter and a schooner, where several hundred of them were stowed away in the hold of the brig, and kept there for two days and nights. Being finally liberated on parole, however, these prisoners were landed at the mouth of Huron river, below the Sandusky bay.
The division which landed on the Fort Meigs side of the river gained the works with little loss, and took part in a general sortie in which the British were severely punished and many taken prisoners. The disaster to Col. Dudley was only a lamentable incident in a day that, in spite of it, terminated to the glory of the American arms. The siege was soon abandoned, and Fort Miami evacuated. The Indians, who had been promised great things, including the person of Gen. Harrison for torture, were very much discouraged by the weakness of the great father across the sea.
Expeditions from Fort Wayne .- During much of the time after the transfer of the scene of warfare to the lower Maumee, but little of marked interest had occurred at Fort Wayne. The garrison had been watchful; the Indians had been active in the region, but their attention had mainly been called to the Rapids.
The principal object of the expeditions against the Indians, from Fort Wayne and other points, as the reader will remember, was to de- stroy their provisions and means of subsistence, thereby disabling them from aiding the British in the spring of 1813. Richard M. Johnson, who had witnessed the effect of these movements and the efficiency of the mounted riflemen, had, on his return to congress, laid before the war department a plan for a mounted expedition against the tribes during the winter of 1812-13.
The good effects of the expeditions were stated by him to be: "Se- curity to the northwestern frontiers from Fort Wayne to the Mississippi- to the convoys of provisions for the northwestern army, when its force was diminished in the spring, and the neutrality of the savages in future, from the powerful impression that would be made on their fears; that the winter season would be most favorable for the movement-enabling
-
155
THE LAST YEAR OF WAR.
the horsemen, while snow was on the ground, and the leaves off the bushes, to hunt out and destroy the Indians prowling about."
With this view, two regiments, consisting of about 1,280 men, were proposed to be employed, which were considered sufficient to traverse the entire Indian country, from Fort Wayne to the lower end of, and be- yond, Lake Michigan, thence by way of the Illinois river, back to the river Ohio, near Louisville; and to disperse and destroy all the tribes of Indians and their resources to be found within that compass. Col. John- son also presented this project to the governor of Kentucky, and it was finally submitted by the secretary of war to Gen. Harrison on the 26th of December, 1812. Said the secretary in this communication: "The president has it in contemplation to set on foot an expedition from Ken- tucky of about 1,000 mounted men, to pass by Fort Wayne, the lower end of Lake Michigan, and around by the Illinois back to the Ohio near Louisville, for the purpose of scouring that country, destroying the pro- visions collected in the Indian villages, scourging the Indians themselves, and disabling them from interfering with your operations. It is expected that this expedition will commence in February [1813]; and it will ter- minate in a few weeks. I give you the information, that you may take it into consideration in the estimate of those arrangements you may find it necessary to make, for carrying into effect the objects of the govern- ment. I send you a copy of the proposed plan, on which I wish to hear from you without delay. You will particularly state, whether you can effect these objects in the manner which is suggested by adequate por- tions of the force now in the field; and in that case, whether it will be better to suspend the movement of this force until the spring."
The general plans of Harrison were adopted, and Col. Johnson's regiment was accepted and ordered to proceed at once to Fort Wayne, where Johnson was to take command of that post, and the posts on the Auglaize; also to make incursions into the country of the Indians; to scour the northwestern frontiers; and, if possible, to cut off small par- ties who might infest the forest, or be marching from the Illinois and Wa- bash toward Malden and Detroit -never to remain at one place more than three days. An officer from each regiment was sent back to raise another body of men. The regiment under Johnson was officered as follows: R. M. Johnson, colonel; James Johnson, lieutenant-colonel. First battalion - Duval Payne, major; Robert B. McAfee, Richard Matison, Jacob Elliston, Benjamin Warfield, John Payne (cavalry), Elijah Craig, captains. Second battalion -David Thompson, major; Jacob Stucker, James Davidson, S. R. Combs, W. M. Price, James Coleman, captains. Staff -Jeremiah Kertly, adjutant; B. S. Cham- bers, quartermaster; Samuel Theobalds, judge-advocate; L. Dickinson, sergeant-major. James Sugget, chaplain and major of the spies; L. Sandford, quartermaster-sergeant; subsequently added, Dr. Ewing, surgeon, and Drs. Coburn and Richardson, surgeon's mates.
The regiment arrived at Fort Meigs on the Ist of June, 1813. From this point Col. Johnson proceeded alone to the Indian village of Wapak-
I56
VALLEY OF THE UPPER MAUMEE.
oneta, on the Auglaize, to procure some Shawnee Indians to act as guides and spies; and after a few days returned with thirteen Indians, among whom was Anthony Shane, whose father was a Frenchman, in whom great confidence was placed by the northwestern army. Shane had been an active opponent of Wayne, in 1794, but after the treaty of Greenville had been a most faithful friend of the United States.
On the 5th of June, Johnson broke camp, and when the troops reached Shane's crossing of the St. Mary's, about forty miles from Fort Wayne, they were halted and drilled for some time, and there remained over night. Heavy rains having but recently fallen, the St. Mary's was found impassable; and on the following morning a rude bridge was formed over this stream by felling trees across it, upon which the army crossed with their baggage and guns, while their horses were got over by swimming them by the side of the fallen timber. The remainder of the route to Fort Wayne proved very difficult; all the flats and marshes being covered with water, and the roads very miry. Reaching the fort on the evening of the 7th of June, it was found that the boats had all gained the common landing place, at the base of the hill, just below the garrison, in safety, but one which had stranded on a sand-bar a short distance above, in sight of the fort; and while attempting to get the boat off, the boatmen were fired upon by some Indians lurking near, and two of the men killed, while the third in attempting to swim to the shore was drowned. Arriving a little in advance of the regiment, Col. Johnson and staff, as soon as it was possible to get ready, mounted their horses and crossed to the boat. The Indians at once fired upon their advance and then retreated.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.