USA > Ohio > Historical collections of Ohio in three volumes ; an encyclopedia of the state : with notes of a tour over it in 1886 contrasting the Ohio of 1846 with 1886-90, Vol. III > Part 79
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[Explanations .- a, grand battery, commanded by Capt. Daniel Cushing ; b, mortar battery ; e, i, o, minor batteries ; g, battery commanded at the second siege
Col. Dudley's
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MEIGS
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Lower Sandusky Road
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British Bat
FORT MEIGS AND ITS ENVIRONS.
by Col. (now Gen.) Gaines ; c, magazines. The black squares on the lines of the fort represent the position of the block-houses. The dotted lines show the traverses, or walls of earth, thrown up. The longest, the grand traverse, had a base of 20 feet, was 12 in height, and about 900 in length. The traverses running lengthwise of the fort were raised as a protection against the batteries on the op- posite side of the river, and those running crosswise were to defend them from the British batteries on this side. The British batteries on the north side of the river were named as follows: a, queen's ; b, sailors'; d, kings', and c, mortar. The fort stood upon high ground, on the margin of a bank, elevated about sixty
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feet above the Maumee. The surface is nearly level, and is covered by a green sward. The ontline of the fort is now (1846) well defined, and the grand traverse yet rises six or eight feet from the surrounding grond. The work originally covered about ten acres, but was reduced in area between the two sieges, to accom- modate a smaller number of troops. Just above, a large number of sunken graves indicate the locality of the soldiers' burying-ground. The graves of Lieut. Walker and Lieut. Mccullough-the last of whom was shot while conversing. with Gen. Harrison-are within the fort. The first is surmounted by a small stone, with an inscription-the last is enclosed by a fence. (See view of Maumee City, in Lucas County.) To understand the position of Fort Meigs, with reference to the British fort and surrounding country, see map in Lucas County illustrating the battles of the Maumee country.
THE SIEGE OF FORT MEIGS.
"On the breaking up of the ice in Lake Erie, General Proctor, with all his disposable force, consisting of regulars and Canadian militia from Malden, and a large body of Indians under their celebrated chief, Tecumseh, amounting in the whole to two thousand men, laid siege to Fort Meigs. To encourage the Indians, he had promised them an easy conquest, and assured them that General Harrison should be delivered up to Tecumseh. On the 26th of April the British columns appeared on the opposite bank of the river, and established their principal batter- ies on a commanding eminence opposite the fort. On the 27th the Indians crossed the river, and established themselves in the rear of the American lines. The garrison, not having completed their wells, had no water except what they obtained from the river, under a constant firing of the enemy. On the first, second and third of May their batteries kept up an incessant shower of balls and shells upon the fort. On the night of the third the British erected a gun and mortar battery on the left bank of the river, within two hundred and fifty yards. of the American lines. The Indians climbed the trees in the neighborhood of the fort, and poured in a galling fire upon the garrison. In this situation General Harrison received a summons from Proctor for a surrender of the garrison, greatly magnifying his means of annoyance ; this was answered by a prompt refusal, as- suring the British general that if he obtained possession of the fort, it would not be by capitulation .* Apprehensive of such an attack, General Harrison had made the governors of Kentucky and Ohio minutely acquainted with his situation, and stated to them the necessity of reinforcements for the relief of Fort Meigs. His- requisitions had been zealously anticipated, and General Clay was at this moment descending the Miami with twelve hundred Kentuckians for his relief.
"At twelve o'clock in the night of the fourth an officert arrived from General
* "The conversation which took place between General Harrison and Major Chambers, of the British army, was, as nearly as can be recollected. as follows :-
"Major Chambers .- General Proctor has directed me to demand the surrender of this- post. He wishes to spare the effusion of blood.
"General Harrison .- The demand, under present circumstances, is a most extraordinary one. As General Proctor did not send me a summons to surrender on his first arrival, I had supposed that he believed me determined to do my duty. His present message indicates an opinion of me that I am at a loss to account for.
"Major Chambers .- General Proctor could never think of saying anything to wound your feelings, sir. The character of General Harrison, as an officer, is well known. General Proctor's force is very respectable, and there is with him a larger body of Indians than has ever before been embodied.
"General Harrison .- I believe I have a very correct idea of General Proctor's force ; it is not such as to create the least apprehension for the result of the contest, whatever shape he may be pleased hereafter to give to it. Assure the general, however, that he will never have this post surrendered to him upon any terms. Should it fall into his hands, it will be in a manner calculated to do him more honor, and to give him larger claims upon the gratitude of his government, than any capitulation could possibly do."
+ This messenger was Capt. William Oliver, now (1846) of Cincinnati, then a young man,
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Clay, with the welcome intelligence of his approach, stating that he was just above the rapids, and could reach him in two hours, and requesting his orders. Har- rison determined on a general sally, and directed Clay to land eight hundred men on the right bank, take possession of the British batteries, spike their cannon, immediately return to their boats, and cross over to the American fort. The re- mainder of Clay's force were ordered to land on the left bank, and fight their way to the fort, while sorties were to be made from the garrison in aid of these opera- tions. Captain Hamilton was directed to proceed up the river in a periauger, land a subaltern on the left bank, who should be a pilot to conduct General Clay to the fort ; and then eross over and station his periauger at the place designated for the other division to land. General Clay, having received these orders, de- scended the river in order of battle in solid columns, each officer taking position according to his rank. Colonel Dudley, being the eldest in command, led the van, and was ordered to take the men in the twelve front boats, and execute Gen- * eral Harrison's orders on the right bank. He effected his landing at the place designated, without difficulty. General Clay kept close along the left bank until he came opposite the place of Colonel Dudley's landing, but not finding the sub- altern there, he attempted to cross over and join Col. Dudley ; this was prevented By the violence of the current on the rapids, and he again attempted to land on the left bank, and effected it with only fifty men amid a brisk fire from the enemy on shore, and made his way to the fort, receiving their fire until within the protection of its guns. The other boats, under the command of Colonel Boswell, were driven farther down the current, and landed on the right to join Colonel Dudley. Here they were ordered to re-embark, land on the left bank, and pro- ceed to the fort. In the meantime two sorties were made from the garrison, one on the left, in aid of Colonel Boswell, by which the Canadian militia and Indians were defeated, and he enabled to reach the fort in safety, and one on the right against the British batteries, which was also successful .*
"Colonel Dudley, with his detachment of eight hundred Kentucky militia,
noted for his heroic bravery. He had previously been sent from the fort at a time when it was surrounded by Indians, through the wilderness, with instructions to General Clay. His return to the fort was extremely dangerous. Captain Leslie Coombs, now of Lexington, Ky., had been sent by Colonel Dudley to communicate with Harrison. He approached the fort, and when within about a mile was attacked by the Indians, and after a gallant resistance was foiled in his object and obliged to retreat with the loss of nearly all of his companions. Oliver managed to get into the fort through the cover of the darkness of the night, by which he eluded the vigilance of Tecumseh and his Indians, who were very watchful and had closely invested it .- II. II.
* "The troops in this attack on the British battery were commanded by Col. John Miller, of the 19th United States regiment, and consisted of about 250 of the 17th and 19th Regi- ments, 100 twelve-month volunteers, and Captain Seebre's company of Kentucky militia. They were drawn up in a ravine under the east curtain of the fort, out of reach of the enemy's . fire ; but to approach the batteries it was necessary, after having ascended from the ravine, to pass a plain of 200 yards in width, in the woods beyond which were the batteries protected by a company of grenadiers, and another of light infantry, upwards of 200 strong. These troops were flanked on the right by two or three companies of Canadian militia, and on the left by a large body of Indians under Tecumseh. After passing along the ranks and encour- aging the men to do their duty, the general placed himself upon the battery of the right rear angle, to witness the contest. The troops advanced with loaded but trailed arms. They had scarcely reached the summit of the hill when they received the fire of the British infantry ...... . It did them little harm ; but the Indians being placed in position, and taking sight or aim, did great execution. They had not advanced more than fifty yards on the plain before it became necessary to halt and close the ranks. This was done with as much order by word of command from the officers as if they had been on parade. The charge was then made, and the enemy fled with so much precipitation that although many were killed none were taken. The general, from his position on the battery, seeing the direction that a part of them had taken, despatched Major Todd with the reserve of about fifty regulars, who quickly returned with two officers and forty-three non-commissioned officers and privates. In this action the volun- teers and militia suffered less than the regulars, because from their position the latter were much sooner umnasked by the hill, and received the first fire of all the enemy. It was im-
possible that troops could have behaved better than they did upon this sortie."
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completely succeeded in driving the British from their batteries, and spiking the cannon. Having accomplished this object, his orders were peremptory to return immediately to his boats and cross over to the fort; but the blind confidence which generally attends militia when successful proved their ruin. Although repeatedly ordered by Colonel Dudley, and warned of their danger, and. called upon from the fort to leave the ground ; and although there was abundant time for that purpose before the British reinforcements arrived, yet they commenced a pursuit of the Indians, and suffered themselves to be drawn into an ambuscade by some feint skirmishing, while the British troops and large bodies of Indians were brought up and intercepted their return to the river .* Elated with their first success, they considered the victory as already gained, and pursued the enemy nearly two miles into the woods and swamps, where they were suddenly caught in a defile and surrounded by double their numbers. Finding themselves in this situation, consternation prevailed ; their line became broken and disordered, and huddled together in unresisting crowds, they were obliged to surrender to the merey of the savages. Fortunately for these unhappy victims of their own rash- ness, General Tecumseh commanded at this ambuscade and had imbibed sinee his appointment more humane feelings than his brother Proctor. After the surrender and all resistance had ceased, the Indians, finding five hundred prisoners at their mercy, began the work of massacre with the most savage delight. Tecumseh sternly forbade it, and buried his tomahawk in the head of one of his chiefs who refused obedience. This order, accompanied with this decisive manner of enforc- ing it, put an end to the massacre. Of eight hundred men only one hundred and fifty escaped. The residue were slain or made prisoners. Colonel Dudley was severely wounded in the action, and afterwards tomahawked and sealped.
" Proctor, seeing no prospect of taking the fort, and finding his Indians fast leaving him, raised the siege on the 9th of May, and returned with precipitation to Malden. Tecumseh and a considerable portion of the Indians remained in ser- vice ; but large numbers left it in disgust, and were ready to join the Americans. On the left bank, in the several sorties of the 5th of May, and during the siege the American loss was eighty-one killed and one hundred and eighty-nine wounded."
When the enemy raised the siege they gave a parting salute, which killed ten or twelve, and wounded double that number. "However," says one who was present, " we were glad enough to see them off on any terms. The next morning found us something more tranquil; we could leave the ditches, and walk about with something more of an air of freedom than we had done for the last fourteen days ; and here I wish I could present to the reader a picture of the condition we found ourselves in when the withdrawal of the enemy gave us time to look at each other's outward appearance. The searcity of water had put the washing of our hands and faces, much less our linen, out of the question. Many had scarcely any clothing left, and that which they wore was so begrimed and torn by our
* After Dudley had spiked the batteries, which had but few defenders, some of his men loitered about the banks and filled the air with cheers. Harrison and a group of officers who were anxiously watching them from the grand battery (a) with a presentiment of the horrible fate that awaited them, earnestly beckoned them to return. Supposing they were returning their cheers, they reiterated their shouts of triumph. Harrison seeing this, exclaimed in tones of anguish: "They are lost ! they are lost ! Can I never get men to obey my orders ?" He then offered a reward of a thousand dollars to any man who would cross the river and apprize Colonel Dudley of his danger. This was undertaken by an officer. Upon arriving at the beach he attempted to launch a large perogue which was drawn up there, but before this could be effected, and he with the assistance of some men could reach the middle of the river, the enemy had already arrived in force from below.
This defeat of Dudley was occasioned by the impetuous valor of his men. In one of the general orders after the 5th of May, Harrison takes occasion to warn his men against that rash bravery which he says "is characteristic of the Kentucky troops, and if persisted in is as fatal in its results as cowardice."
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residence in the ditch and other means, that we presented the appearance of so many scarecrows."
The British force under Proctor during the siege amounted, as nearly as could be ascertained, to 3,200 men, of whom 600 were British regulars, 800 Canadian militia, and 1,800 Indians. Those under Harrison, including the troops who arrived on the morning of the 5th, under General Clay, were about 1,200. The number of his men fit for duty was, perhaps, less than 1,100. 3
LORRAINE'S NARRATIVE OF INCIDENTS OF THE SIEGE.
We give below extracts from an article on the siege of Fort Meigs, by Rev. A. M. Lorraine, originally published in the Ladies' Repository for March, 1845 :
One afternoon, as numbers were gathered together on the "parade," two strangers, finely mounted, appeared on the western bank of the river, and seemed to be taking a very calm and deliberate survey of our works. It was a strange thing to see travellers in that wild country, and we commonly held such to be enemies, until they proved themselves to be friends. So one of our batteries was cleared forthwith, and the gentlemen were saluted with a shot that tore up the earth about them, and put them to a hasty flight. If that ball had struck its mark, much bloodshed might have been prevented ; for we learned subsequently that our illustrious visitors were Proctor and Tecumseh. The garrison was im-d. mediately employed in cutting deep traverses through the fort, taking down the tents and preparing for a siege. The work accomplished in a few hours, under the excitement of the occasion, was prodigious.
The grand traverse being completed, each mess was ordered to excavate, under the embankment, suitable lodgings, as substitutes for our tents. Those rooms were shot-proof and bomb-proof, except in the event of a shell falling in the traverse and at the mouth of a cave.
The above works were scarcely completed before it was discovered that the ... enemy, under cover of night, had constructed batteries on a commanding hill north of the river. There their artillery men were posted ; but the principal part of their army occupied the old English fort below. Their Indian allies appeared to have a roving commission, for they beset us on every side. The cannonading commenced in good earnest on both sides. It was, however, more constant on the British side, because they had a more extensive mark to batter. We had nothing to fire at but their batteries, but they were coolly and deliberately attended to ; and it was believed that more than one of their guns were dismounted during the siege. 1
One of our militia-men took his station on the embankment, and gratuitously forewarned us of every shot. In this he became so skilful, that he could, in almost every case, predict the destination of the ball. As soon as the smoke issued from the muzzle of the gun, he would cry out " shot," or "bomb," as the case might be. Sometimes he would exclaim, " block-house No. 1," or "look out, main battery ;" "now for the meat-house ;" "good-by, if you will pass." . In spite of all the expostulations of his friends, he maintained his post. One day there came a shot that seemed to defy all his calculations. He stood silent- motionless-perplexed. In the same instant he was swept into eternity. Poor man ! he should have considered, that when there was no obliquity in the issue of the smoke, cither to the right or left, above or below, the fatal messenger would travel in the direct line of his vision. He reminded me of the peasant, in the siege of Jerusalem, who cried out, " Woe to the city ! woe to the temple ! woe to myself!" On the most active day of the investment there were as many as five hundred cannon balls and bombs* thrown at our fort.
* A large number of cannon balls were thrown into the fort, from the batteries on the opposite side of the river. Being short of a supply, Harrison offered a gill of whiskey for
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Meantime the Indians, climbing up into the trees, fired incessantly upon us. Such was their distance, that many of their balls barely reached us, and fell harmless to the ground. Occasionally they inflicted dangerous and even fatal wounds. The number killed in the fort was small, considering the profusion of powder and ball expended on us. About eighty were slain, many wounded, and several had to suffer the amputation of limbs. The most dangerous duty which we performed within the precincts of the fort was in covering the magazine. Previous to this, the powder had been deposited in wagons, and these stationed in the traverse. Here there was no security against bombs ; it was therefore thought to be prudent to remove the powder into a small block-house, and cover it with earth. The enemy, judging our designs from our movements, now directed all their shot to this point. Many of their balls were red-hot. Wherever they struck, they raised a cloud of smoke, and made a frightful hissing. An officer, passing our quarters, said, " Boys, who will volunteer to cover the magazine ?" Fool-like, away several of us went. As soon as we reached the spot, there came a ball and took off one man's head. The spades and dirt flew faster than any of us had before witnessed. In the midst of our job, a bomb-shell fell on the roof, and lodging on one of the braces it spun round for a moment. Every soldier fell prostrate on his face, and with breathless horror awaited the vast explosion which we expected would crown all our earthly sufferings. Only one of all the gang presumed to reason on the case. He silently argued that, as the shell had not bursted as quick as usual, there might be something wrong in its arrangement. If it bursted where it was, and the magazine exploded, there could be no escape : it was death anyhow ; so he sprung to his feet, seized a boat-hook,and pulling the hissing missile to the ground, and jerking the smoking match from its socket, discovered that the shell was filled with inflammable matter, which, if once ignited, would have wrapped the whole building in a sheet of flame. This cir- cumstance added wings to our shovels ; and we were right glad when the officer said, "That will do : go to your lines."
UNDERWOOD'S NARRATIVE OF DUDLEY'S DEFEAT AND MASSACRE.
The following particulars of the defeat of Colonel Dudley were published in a public print many years since by Joseph R. Underwood, who was present on the occasion, in the capacity of lieutenant in a volunteer company of Kentuckians, commanded by Captain John C. Morrison.
After a fatiguing march of more than a month, General Clay's brigade found itself, on the night of the 4th of May, on board of open boats, lashed to the left bank of Miami of the Lakes, near the head of the rapids, and within hearing of the cannon at Fort Meigs, which was then besieged by the British and Indians.
every cannon ball delivered to the magazine keeper, Mr. Thomas L. Hawkins, now residing at Lower Sandusky. Over 1000 gills of whiskey were thus earned by the soldiers.
For safety against bombs, each man had a hole dug under ground in rear of the grand traverse, which, being covered over with plank, and earth on top, fully protected them. When the cry bomb was heard, the soldiers either threw themselves upon the ground, or ran to the holes for safety. A bomb is most destructive when it bursts in the air, but it rarely explodes in that way : it usually falls with so much force as to penetrate the earth, and, when it, explodes, flies upwards and in an angular direction, in consequence of the pressure of the earth beneath and at its sides; consequently, a person lying on the ground is comparatively safe.
A heavy rain at last filled up the holes, rendering them uninhabitable, and the men were obliged to temporarily sleep in their tents. Then every once in a while, the startling cry, "BOMB !" aroused them from their slumbers. Rushing from their tents, they watched the course of the fiery messenger of death, as it winged its way through the midnight sky, and if it fell near, fall flat upon the ground ; otherwise, returned to their tents, only to be aroused again and again by the startling ery. So harassing was this, so accustomed had the men become to the danger, and so overpowering the desire for sleep, that many of the soldiers re- mained in their tents locked in the embrace of sleep, determined, as one said, not to be dis- turbed in their slumbers "if ten thousand bombs burst all around them."-11. 11.
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Very early on the morning of the 5th we set off, and soon began to pass the rapids. We were hailed by a man from the right bank, who proved to be Captain Hamilton, of the Ohio troops, with orders from General Harrison, then commanding at the fort. He was taken to the boat of General Clay, and from that to Colonel Dudley's, this last being in advance of the whole line. Captain Morrison's company occupied the boat in which the colonel descended. It being a damp, unpleasant morning, I was lying in the stern, wrapped in my blanket, not having entirely recovered from a severe attack of the measles. I learned that we were to land on the left bank, storm the British batteries ereeted for the purpose of annoying the fort; but what further orders were given I did not ascertain. Hearing that we were certainly to fight, I began to look upon all surrounding objects as things which to me might soon disappear forever, and my mind reverted to my friends at home, to bid them a final farewell. These reflec- tions produced a calm melancholy, but nothing like trepidation or alarm.
My reveries were dissipated by the landing of the boat, about a mile or two above the point of attack. Shortly before we landed we were fired upon by some Indians from the right bank of the river, and I understood that Captain Clarke was wounded in the head. The fire was returned from our boats, and the Indians fled; as if to give intelligence of our approach. Captain Priee and Lieutenant Sanders, of the regular army, landed with us and partook in the engagement, having under command a few regular soldiers, but I think not a full company. The whole number of troops that landed amounted probably to 700 men. We were formed on the shore in three parallel lines, and ordered to march for the battery at right angles with the river ; and so far as I understood the plan of attack, one line was to form the line of battle in the rear of the battery, parallel with the river ; the other two lines to form one above and one below the battery, at right angles to the river. The lines thus formed were ordered to advance, and did so, making as little noise as possible-the object being to surprise the enemy at their battery. Before we reached the battery, however, we were discovered by some straggling Indians, who fired upon us and then retreated. Our men pleased at seeing them run, and perceiving that we were discovered, no longer deemed silence necessary, and raised a tremendous shout. This was the first intimation that the enemy received of our approach, and it so alarmed thiem that they aban- doned the battery without making any resistance.
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