Centennial History of Butler County, Ohio, Part 12

Author: Bert S. Bartlow, W. H. Todhunter, Stephen D. Cone, Joseph J. Pater, Frederick Schneider, and others
Publication date: 1905
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1149

USA > Ohio > Butler County > Centennial History of Butler County, Ohio > Part 12

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).

Digitized by Google

CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF

first onset upon the militia. And though it may be impossible to ascertain with precision the numbers of the enemy, yet if we estimate them at up- wards of a thousand, I am persuaded we shall not overrate them. Taking this for granted, and when it is known that our whole force (the militia ex- cepted) amounted only to thirteen hundred and eighty men-eighty of whom were officers' serv- ants, who are very seldom, if ever, brought into action-and that the various guards, equal to two hundred and twenty by being made up in the general detail from the corps, and dispersed in the suddenness of the attack (never after to be effectually collected ), reducing our efficient num- bers to one thousand and eighty of raw and undis- ciplined troops, ignorant totally of the Indian and indeed all other mode of fighting-for the whole army was constituted by new raised troops, en- gaged only for six months, the Second Regiment ex- cepted, and this also was but of the moment, just brought into the field, without time for instruc- tion and never having fired even a blank cartridge -whoever, I say, shall be acquainted with all these circumstances must acknowledge that we enter- tained an unequal war and long maintained the contest, too soon rendered doubtful by the superi- ority of the Indian mode of fighting. For though very early in the action we lost considerable num- ber of officers, yet it was not until a severe service of more than two hours that a retreat was thought of.

The Second United States Regiment, Butler's and Beddinger's battalions, the artillery and the cavalry were the principal sufferers; and Gaith- er's battalion also experienced great loss. Clarke's battalion, being advantageously posted and ac- quainted with this kind of fighting, lost but few men, and a company of riflemen posted on the right flank scarcely any.

Whether it was that the Indians respected and stood aloof from men fighting in some measure after the manner of themselves or from some other cause, I know not; but it is certain that those corps suffered less than any others, excepting Patterson's, which was drawn up between them and which shared little in the misfortunes of this day.

The great weight of the enemy's attack and fire seemed to commence with the artillery of the first line, and to continue along Butler's battalion to the left and through the whole of the second. This battalion charged the enemy with very great spirit; and the artillery, if not well served, was

bravely fought and every officer and more than two-thirds of the men killed or wounded. Con- cealed as the Indians were, it was almost impos- sible to discover them and aim the pieces to ad- vantage; but a large quantity of cannister and some round shot were, however, thrown in amongst them.

The Second United States Regiment made three successive and successful charges, the enemy giving ground to the powerful effect of their bayo- nets-but not till they had felt its force. In those arduous services, however, the regiment was cut up, two officers only being left alive, and one of . them wounded.

Our whole loss of regular troops and levies, in non-commissioned officers and privates, amounted to five hundred and fifty killed and two hundred wounded; and of commissioned officers, out of ninety-five whom we had in the field, thirty- one were killed and twenty-four wounded. The militia* had four officers killed and five wounded, and of non-commissioned officers and privates, thirty-eight killed and twenty-nine wounded. Four- teen artificers and ten pack-horse men were also killed, and thirteen wounded.

The Indians, in more than one or two in- stances, during the engagement pushed with a . very daring spirit upon the artillery of the front line and on the left flank of the army, and twice gained our camp, plundering the tents and scalp- ing the dead and dying-but at both times they were driven back. It happened unfortunately that this part of our encampment was feeble through the day, for the troops ordered there, being made up of detachments from different battalions, dis- played not that spirit which may be expected from complete corps, where every man fights under the eye of his own immediate officer, and in the presence of those comrades, who will mark his more minute action and forever censure or applaud in proportion to the merit of his particular exer- tions. And it appears very extraordinary that a knowledge of the amazing power of this stimulus does not at least induce all honorary duties of the soldier to be performed in this order. There was not, however, under these circumstances, and scarcely upon any occasion, a want of bravery ob- servable amongst the troops. At the close of the action, indeed, and after they had been engaged

* By the return of the militia upon the morning of the 8rd, they had twenty nine commissioned officers and two hundred and ninety non-commissioned officers and pri- vates present.

Digitized by Google

BUTLER COUNTY, OHIO.

warmly for more than two hours, disorder and con- fusion seemed to pervade the greatest part of them. They were very much depressed in spirits by the loss of their officers, and huddled together in crowded parties in various parts of the encamp- ment where every shot from the enemy took ef- fect. It was in vain that their surviving leaders used threats and entreaties, and almost every other means that could be devised, to reduce them to the appearance of order.

In this desperate situation of affairs, when even hope, that last consolation of the wretched, had failed the army, that the General took the resolution of abandoning his camp and attempting a retreat. There was a mere possibility that some of the troops might be brought off, though it could not be counted on among the probabilities. But there was no alternative. The men must either retreat, or be sacrificed without resistance, as the enemy were shooting them down at pleasure from behind trees and the most secure covers, whilst they could scarcely be led to discharge a single gun with effect.

Upon this occasion very extraordinary exer- tions were made to draw together men sufficient to give the appearance of efficiency. Feints were made in various directions and different parts of the encampment, and whilst they served in some measure to produce the first effect, they operated to deceive the enemy.

Having thus collected in one body the greatest part of the troops and such of our wounded as could possibly hobble along with us, we pushed out from the left of the rear line, sacrificing our artillery and baggage; and with them, we were compelled to leave some of our wounded.

In about one mile and a half, we gained the road, the enemy scarcely pursuing beyond that distance, and annoying us very little on our re- treat. There can be no doubt they had it in their power to have cut us off, almost to a man; it is probable, however, that they might have been sus- picious of the movement, and therefore thought it most eligible to embrace the opportunity to piunder, before possibly it could be snatched from them. Those unfortunate men also whom we were compelled to leave behind must for a time have engaged their attention. Although there were but a very few of them-all that were able to walk being brought off, and some of the officers on horses-yet the sympathy for those few is suficient to torture the mind of sensibility. The soldier who has not been compelled to sacrifice his brave companion to all the torments which the

most infernal invention can devise, knows not the extent of military sufferings, and is happily a stranger to the most agonizing motives of ven- geance. But the determined resolution of our unfortunate friends (incapacitated from wounds to quit the field, yet who, as soon as the fate of the day became uncertain, charged their pieces with a coolness and deliberation that reflects the highest honour upon their memory) and the firing of musketry in camp after we quitted it, leaves us very little room for doubt that their latest efforts were professionally brave and that where they could pull a trigger they avenged themselves.

It is not probable that many of the Indians fell this day, though there are persons who pre- tend to have seen great numbers dead. I had myself an opportunity of making observations, but they were not correspondent with this assertion.

The conduct of the army after quitting the ground was in a most supreme degree disgraceful. Arms, ammunition and accoutrements were almost all thrown away, and even the officers in some instances divested themselves of their fusees and C-, exemplifying by this conduct a kind of authority for the most precipitate and ignomin- ious flight.

It was half an hour past nine o'clock when we quitted the field of action, and by seven in the evening we had reached Fort Jefferson, a distance of twenty-nine miles. Here we met ine First United States Regiment, and upon the counsel of the fields officers and myself, the General ordered the march to be resumed at ten o'clock, with that corps, the remains of the artillery, cavalry, Second United States Regiment and such of the militia and levies as could be collected. They were ex- tremely fatigued, but no refreshments could be obtained for them, there being only three hundred weight of flour and no meat with the garrison; and, in fact, upon this information, the militia and levies would not be halted, but had pushed for- wards towards Fort Hamilton.

The probability at this time was that Fort Jefferson would very soon be invested by the Indians, and the great object with the General was to throw in a quantity of provisions as soon as possible. A convoy of flour was known to be upon the way, and we had every reason to suppose that by forced marches it might be deposited with the garrison by next morning. We marched seven miles that night in bad roads without success and were compelled to halt, for the men could not pos- sibly be pushed further.

At reveille, upon the 5th, we were again in

Digitized by Google

CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF

motion, and in three or four miles met the pack- horses with flour and a small drove of cattle. All the last, with fifty loads of the flour, were imme- diately pushed towards Fort Jefferson, escorted by a captain and fifty men of the First Regiment, which it was presumed would be competent to get in if the enemy were not in force, and that if they were in force the whole army could not effect it. Indeed, the First Regiment, worn down as it was by constant marching, was the only corps fit for any kind of duty, the residue of the troops being almost all destitute of arms and clothing and very much dispirited by their late defeat. The convoy, however, happily succeeded, and very few Indians had been observed about the fort upon the 5th. On the evening of this day, and having marched an hour or two in the night, we were within thirteen miles of Fort Ham- ilton, and sixty from the field of action; with the advance only, for the troops at this time were very much dispersed and some stragglers had stolen forward to seek refreshments. A couple of pounds of flour per man was all that we could afford them, and all, indeed, that we could promise ourselves, short of the fort.

Upon the morning of the 6th of November we moved early and crossed the Miami about ten o'clock. All this day and forenoon of the 7th the troops were coming in to Fort Hamilton, of the wounded and others, in small parties, and so con- tinued for a number of days. Many of the poor fellows, incapable of keeping pace with the fore- most of the retreat, fancied themselves quite in the rear and the savages at their heels, and being without any means of defence whatever (having, as has been observed, too generally thrown away their arms), they quit the road and dared not again attempt it till they had struck the Miami river. Some of them, and even of the wounded, were out six, seven and eight days, without the smallest refreshment.

At twelve o'clock, upon the 7th of November, we marched from Fort Hamilton with the First Regiment and some shattered remains of artillery, cavalry, Second United States Regiment, levy corps and militia (leaving Captain Armstrong, with fifty men of the First United States Regi- ment as a garrison), and arrived at Fort Washing- ton upon the noon of the 8th.

Every exertion was immediately made to place the wounded in an eligible situation and afford them all the comforts that the circumstances of the country would admit.

The troops were encamped, and no endeavors were spared to impress them with the idea that they were still soldiers; but officers and men seemed to have lost all consideration for military propriety and service. The First and Second Regiments and the artillery, however, soon rec- ollected themselves in some measure, but the levies were lost forever; their time of service was near expiring; all relation between officers and men forgot, and not even the semblance of duty ac- knowledged for the public. Great excesses were committed in the town, and nothing was more de- voutly to be wished for than that we were fairly rid of them. In justice, however, it must be ob- served that there were officers whose exertions were not wanting to correct abuses, and others only prevented from evincing them by wounds and inability; that they and the whole army were distressed for the want of clothing, blankets, camp equipage (except tents), and this at a season when they were most essentially necessary. Their situ- ation indeed was truly distressing, and could only be justly conceived of by experiencing it.

LIST OF KILLED AND WOUNDED OFFICERS.

Artillery.

Major Ferguson, Captain Bradford and Lieu- tenant Spear, killed. Captain Ford, wounded.

Cavaīry.

Captain Truman, Lieutenant Debutts and Cor- net Bhines, wounded.

First United States Regiment.

Captain Doyle, wounded. Only a baggage- guard of this corps was with the army.

Second United States Regiment.

Major Heart, Captains Phelon, Newman and Kirkwood, Lieutenant Warren, Ensigns Balch and Cobb, killed. Lieutenant Greaton, wounded.

First Regiment of Levies.

Captains Vanswearingen, Tipton and Price, Lieutenants McMath and Boyde, Ensigns Wilson, Reaves, Brooks, Chase and Turner, Adjutant Burges and Doctor Grasson, killed. Lieutenant- Colonel Darke, Captains Darke and Buchannon,

Digitized by Google

BUTLER COUNTY, OHIO.

Lieutenants Morgan, Lyle, McRhae, Price and Davidson, and Adjutant Whistler, wounded.

Second Regiment of Levies.

Captains Cribbs, Platt, Smith and Purdy, Lieu- tenants Kelso and Lukins, Ensigns McMichael, Beatty and Purdy, and Adjutant Anderson, killed. Lieutenant-Colonel Gibson, Major Butler, Captain Slough, Lieutenants Thomson, Cummins and Reed, Ensign Morehead and Adjutant Crawford, wounded.

Kentucky Militia.

Lieutenant-Colonel Oldham, Captain Lemon, Lieutenants Briggs and Montgomery, killed. Cap- tains Thomas and Madison, Lieutenants Owens and Stagner, Ensign Walters and Doctor Ganoe, wounded.

Major-General Butler, killed.

Colonel Sargent, Adjutant General, and the Viscount Malartie acting as aide-de-camp to the General, wounded.

We lost in this action three six-pounders and three threes, brass, and two pieces of iron ord- nance. Two traveling forges and four four-ox teams, complete; two baggage wagons with horses; three hundred and sixteen pack-horses full-har- nessed, besides those of the contractor's depart- ment; thirty-nine artillery, and a considerable number of dragoon and private riding horses; with the horseman's swords, pistols, etc .; three hundred and eighty-four common and eleven horseman's tents and marquees; twelve hundred muskets and bayonets, with cartridge-boxes, belts and all the other accoutrements complete, and all the drums of the army; one hundred and sixty- three felling axes; eighty-nine spades; eighty-eight mattocks; armourer's, carpenter's, blacksmith's and tinman's tools in whole sets; with a variety of valuable et cetera requisite for establishing works upon the great scale, at the Miami towns, also two medicine chests, and a quantity of quartermaster's stores; which, together with the provisions of bread and beef in camp, have been estimated by a tolerably accurate calculation, at the sum of thirty-two thousand, eight hundred and ten dollars.

In the before-going detail of our unsuccessful essay with the savages, I have cautiously avoided marking the conduct of individual character, and where so laudable exertion prevails for the dis- play of military abilities and prowess, as was evi- dent upon this unfortunate day among all ranks

of officers, in a full proportion to their genius and opportunities, though to discriminate for the public eye might be deemed invidious, yet private memorandums upon those occasions are useful, in which names may be introduced and particular merit of "all ranks" (from the commanding gen- eral to the youngest subaltern officer) to be re- corded without injury to individual feelings.

And to commence in the highest grade. It may with justice be observed of our General, that his conduct was cool and brave, and though very much debilitated by a long and severe fit of the gout, yet, had the army been respectable in num- bers and as equal to the receiving disposition as he was of making it, there can be but little doubt that the fortunes of the day might have worn a better aspect.

Major-General Butler fought on foot until the moment before he fell, and with his own command (which was the front line), encouraging the men to duty by precept and example. He was shot from his horse about half an hour before the ac- tion was over, and, from the nature of his wound, must have expired within a few moments of the troops quitting the field.

Lieutenant-Colonels G- and D- were both wounded, the former dangerously; Colonel G- had not, that I know of, an opportunity given him to display much military ability. Colonel D- was more fortunate. The General ordered him to charge the enemy with the Second United States Regiment; some consequent and simple movements were . obvious-field enough, perhaps, for very subaltern genius, but beyond his capacity. The true character of this gentleman is brave, without the most distant semblance of a general. In action, he is most passionately in- tent upon Indian-killing himself, but inadequate to performing it by battalion, or even by platoons. And in the execution of the command to the Sec- ond Regiment, which was performed with great ardor and spirit, the whole merit is due to Heart and his own officers, for the Colonel only went along with them, after the exertion for their for- mation under a heavy and galling fire from the enemy was over, and in which arduous service I observed the adjutant, Mr. Warren, to be particu- larly active. The Major's conduct through the day was soldierly beyond my expectations.

Major Butler, of the levies, received a wound in the leg early in the action that might have excused a modest soldier from duty; but after retiring from the field to dress his wounds, he

Digitized by Google

CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF

returned to the charge with spirit, and fought on horseback during the residue of service.

Almost all the officers of Beddinger's battalion were cut up at an early period of the action, with- out rendering those important services which a judicious and enterprising field-officer might have made them competent to. They were conspicuously brave in some instances, and the lives of Captain Vanswearingen and Lieutenant McMath seemed to have been thrown away by themselves with a degree of hardy temerity. Adjutant Burghess fell, exerting himself to rally broken troops and reduce them to order, and a Lieutenant Stevenson was remarkably conspicuous from his tact and activity in forming detachments from the scattered sol- diers of the battalion and leading them to duty with great animation. It appeared to me very unfortunate that the major was absent upon this occasion. The situation of his corps in the line early exposed them to a galling fire, and demanded the abilities and command of a field-officer. His indisposition had compelled him to quit the army immediately after its advance from Fort Jefferson. The conduct of Major Clarke was cool and brave. Although his abilities are too moderate and his attentions too small to constitute the perfect offi- cer, yet he had his battalion in good order upon this day and to the moment of our quitting the field, the command for which he seemed to receive with reluctance and executed with propriety.

Major G-, though not deficient, I presume, in spirit, has too much the vis-inertiae for a sol- dier. I can not, from my own observation or the intelligence I have been able to acquire, say that he attempted any extraordinary exertion upon this trying occasion.

Major P- is, beyond a doubt, a damned bad soldier for peace or war, and a very scoundrelly character at all times. To rank him among the military is extremely disgraceful to the profession of arms.

Major Ferguson (whose department, though in all services the most arduous and attended with as many perils as any in the army, does not afford a very ample field for the brilliant display of military merit) was a most cool, determined, indefatigable and gallant man, and united all those requisites which are so seldom to be met with, but which are absolutely essential in the ar- tillery officer who aspires to the head of that scientific profession.

Lieutenant-Colonel Oldham of the militia, and who deserved a better command, received a mortal

wound in the camp of the regular troops, about half an hour before we quitted the field, and was left, not quite dead. As his own men were early dispersed, he had not an opportunity of exhibiting more than personal coolness and bravery upon this occasion.

Amongst the captains and subalterns who fell in this action and those who survived, it would be difficult even from collective observations of the most judicious officer to make a just discrimination and render a proper tribute to their memories. They appeared, almost all of them, to put the best possible complexion upon the business to the very latest moment.

Captain Butler, of Clarke's battalion, being called to the duties of a brigade-major, was, from that consideration perhaps, more immediately an object of my notice and applause. His attentions in the staff department, and the coolness and spirit of his behavior as a company officer in action and in his own particular command during the whole campaign, together with a zeal for enterprise which on many occasions was observable, point him out as a man of more than ordinary merit, and would induce my commendations to the no- tice of government. His situation in life is, I believe, a very dependent one. He resides upon the frontiers with a hardy set of men perfectly versed in Indian warfare, and could embody and command them with reputation. In case of an- other active campaign, an independent rifle corps of a couple of hundred men bestowed upon Cap- tain Butler for the most daring service would, I am persuaded, meet the most sanguine expecta- tions that could reasonably be formed. ·

Adjutant Crawford, of the same battalion (a man of fifty years of age, with all the vigour and activity of forty) is a brave and attentive officer, and would serve with honour in the corps above mentioned. It deserves to be remembered that very early in the action he received a 'brace of balls in his body, but that notwithstanding he con- tinued with cheerfulness and spirit to discharge his duty during the service, and marched with the army ninety-seven miles to Fort Washington, on foot, in bad roads, without a murmur or com- plaint, and scarcely ever betraying the symptoms of fatigue or that he was wounded.

Captain Price, of Gaither's battalion, a sol- dier of the last war, fell very gallantly in at- tempting to lead his own company to charge. He was advanced some paces of his men when he was shot down.

Digitized by Google

BUTLER COUNTY, OHIO.

Ensign Shambourgh, of the First Regiment, who was left in our camp with their baggage as quartermaster, behaved with a very becoming spirit, and is endowed with much more military knowledge than falls to the share of most of the officers in that corps. He was very useful and attentive at the artillery (after all the officers there and almost all the men were killed or wounded) by serving the pieces as a volunteer and annoying the enemy.

Captain Bradford, Lieutenant Spear and Cap- tain Ford fought bravely with their pieces, and evinced a coolness and determination that might have insured a happier issue. The two former fell.

Captain Truman and a Mr. Gihon, of the Horse, caught my particular attention as the most enterprising officers of the corps, but the situation of the cavalry, very debilitated at the commence- ment of the campaign, and worn down at this time, incapacitated them from any exertion of conse- quence.

Captain Faulkner, of the rifie corps, discovered coolness, spirit and judgment in this action and a zeal and attention to service at all times. A Lieutenant Huston, of his company, exerted him- self with very becoming gallantry through the day.

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.

Centennial History of Butler County, Ohio, Part 12

Author: Bert S. Bartlow, W. H. Todhunter, Stephen D. Cone, Joseph J. Pater, Frederick Schneider, and others Publication date: 1905 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1149

Author: Bert S. Bartlow, W. H. Todhunter, Stephen D. Cone, Joseph J. Pater, Frederick Schneider, and others
Publication date: 1905
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1149