USA > Ohio > The Ohio country between the years 1783 and 1815 : including military operations that twice saved to the United States the country west of the Alleghany Mountains after the revolutionary war > Part 13
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
Fort Winchester again became the frontier po- sition of defence in the Maumee Valley, and a shield to the forts and the settlers to the south and southwest, who were again experiencing great alarm.
Scouts from the Portage River kept the move- ments of the Savages under observation. On February 9th they reported that about six hun- dred were gathered on the north shore of Maumee Bay. Harrison detached six hundred soldiers with one cannon, and led them in person to the
230
The Ohio Country
Savage encampment, which was abandoned by the enemy on approach of the Americans. They were pursued, but effected safe escape to Fort Malden.
Harrison's experience with Wayne along the lower Maumee, and his later observations, led him to choose the site for the fort he had decided to build, on the high right bank of the Maumee, a short distance below the lowest fording place, and near the foot of the lowest rapids; this site being across the ravine adjoining (above) the present village of Perrysburg, Ohio. The plan was agreed upon with Captain Wood, chief en- gineer, to embrace eight blockhouses with double timbers, four large batteries, and a fortified en- campment twenty-five hundred yards in cir- cumference, the lines being irregular on account of the slopings of the land. This fortification was begun early in February and its completion was delayed by the weather, sickness, and the heavy work necessary. As it approached com- pletion, it was given the name Fort Meigs, in honor of Ohio's patriotic and efficient Governor.
Late in February, ice formed around the armed British vessels at Fort Malden, and a bold plan for their destruction was entered upon; to be frustrated, however, by the weakening
23I
From 1812-1813
courage of some of the party and by the thawing of the ice.
The oversight of everything devolved upon General Harrison. Soon after the favorable be- ginning of Fort Meigs, he started southward to urge forward additional troops in person, and to visit his sick family at Cincinnati. Captain Wood had been sent by him to Lower Sandusky to plan a fortification for that place. General Leftwich of the Virginia militia, whom Captain Wood afterwards called "an old phlegmatic Dutchman who was not even fit for a packhorse master, much less to be entrusted with such an important command" as this, was left in charge of the camp and the building of the fort. He permitted the work to cease, and, further, per- mitted the soldiers to use the gathered timber for fuel while there was within easy distance much better material for such use, the clearing away of which was necessary. Captain Wood returned the 20th of February to find, also, that there had been considerable destruction of the work that was done before his departure.
The time of enlistment of the Virginians, and some Pennsylvanians, soon expired, and they started for home, leaving only about five hundred soldiers at this important encampment. How-
232
The Ohio Country
ever, work was resumed with spirit, and the encampment limits were extended to embrace fourteen acres or more of land, for the purpose of encompassing and protecting, in case of being besieged, the entire army, horses, cattle, wagons, and supplies which were to be centered here.
CHAPTER XX
A THIRD GREAT DISASTER IN THE FIRST YEAR OF THE WAR
The Northwestern Army Neglected by the General Govern- ment-General Harrison not Distracted by Unwise Ad- visers-Investment and Siege of Fort Meigs-Rein- forcements for the Fort Disobey Orders-They are Surrounded and Captured-Further Massacre and Canni- balism by British Allies-The Enemy Raises Siege and Retreats.
A BOUT the first of March, 1813, a small party of citizens of Detroit arrived at Fort Meigs, and reported that General Proctor had ordered the assembling of Canadian militia on the 7th of April at Sandwich, preparatory for an attack on Fort Meigs; and the mode of at- tack, as discussed by the British officers, was to be by constructing strong batteries of their heaviest cannon on the opposite side of the Maumee to be manned by British artillerymen, while the Savages were to invest the fort on other
233
234
The Ohio Country
sides. In the opinion of Major Muir "a few hours' action of the cannon would smoke the Americans out of the Fort into the hands of the Savages." Many other boastings were reported.
British scouts of all kinds continued active in the vicinity of Fort Meigs, and hunting for game by Americans near by became dangerous. Lieu- tenant Walker exposed himself to, and was killed by them.
The Northwestern Army was being neglected by Eastern authorities. General Harrison found it impossible to get the number and character of troops he thought necessary for the work to be done. Evil advisers, also, annoyed him, and distracted others, by their urging him to scatter his insufficient forces; to increase his work beyond the ability of his number to perform; and to change his base of operations to a less important point, which would leave the most desirable part of the country open to the enemy. But the General, by his indefatigable energies, succeeded in carrying out his desires, excepting in the num- ber of soldiers. The fortunate rising of the rivers facilitated the receipt of food supplies by boats.
The gathering of the Savages, Canadian mili- tia, and British regular troops, according to the agreement of officers before reported, was
235
1813
observed and reported to Harrison. Fort Meigs was strengthened, and supplied, to withstand the combined attack that was threatened and now appeared inevitable and imminent. Fortunately the Savages of the West and Southwest were massed with the British, very few being left to continue their raids on the frontier settlements.
On April 28, 1813, the British army landed from numerous boats near the ruins of their former Fort Miami, about two miles below, and on the opposite (left) bank of the Maumee from Fort Meigs, where they made and continued their principal encampment on the high ground. The Americans were powerless to oppose this action, as the Savages had been gathering in force around the fort, and soon had it thoroughly invested.
There had been continuous rain, and the efforts of the British to move their heavy cannon, and construct batteries, were very laborious and at- tended with delays. The work was carried for- ward first only at night, and later uninterruptedly day and night with strong relays, notwithstanding the rain, and shots from Fort Meigs which killed and wounded some of their men. Cannon were also taken across the river to support the Savages, who were meeting with warm opposition by the
236
The Ohio Country
garrison. Meantime high traverses of earth were being thrown up by the garrison, to protect the Americans from shots of the enemy from all directions; also underground resting places for the troops, and refuges from bombs.
On the early morning of April 30th, the enemy had completed two batteries nearly opposite Fort Meigs, one battery of two twenty-four-pounder cannon (the heaviest at the fort being two eighteen-pounders) and the other of three how- itzers, one eight inches and the other two five and a half inches calibre. Their fire became constant. The enemy completed a third battery of three twelve-pounder cannon the night of May Ist, between the other two; also on the 3d of May a battery of several mortars was put in operation by them nearer the river. After a few well directed shots from the fort, the cannon in the ravine to the eastward were moved to a greater range. The strong batteries on the opposite side of the river, however, continued rapid and carefully directed firing.
On May 4th, General Proctor sent his Major Chalmers with a white flag to demand surrender of the fort. General Harrison promptly replied: "Tell General Proctor that if he shall take the Fort it will be under circumstances that will do
237
1813
him more honor than a thousand surrenders."
That night, about II o'clock, Harrison's anxi- ety regarding the expected reinforcements was largely relieved by the return of his messenger Captain Oliver, accompanied by Major David Trimble and fifteen soldiers who had evaded the Savages. They reported that General Green Clay's command, eleven hundred in number, in eighteen large flatboats with high sides to protect the soldiers from the fire of what Savages they might meet, were at the left bank of the Maumee at the head of the Grand Rapids, fourteen miles above, the river being so high that the pilot de- clined to run the rapids in such a dark night unless commanded so to do.
Captain Hamilton was dispatched to meet General Clay, with orders to detach about eight hundred men, land them early in the morning at a designated point a little above the fort, capture the British batteries, spike the guns, and come at once to the fort.
Colonel William Dudley was chosen by General Clay for this important work. He and his courageous soldiers succeeded in landing well and in capturing the guns; but, being desirous to inflict punishment upon a band of Savages that had opened fire upon them, they forgot the
238
The Ohio Country
imperative orders to cross immediately to the fort, and pursued the Savages, who led them away from the river to be surrounded by overwhelm- ing numbers. Of his eight hundred and sixty men, only one hundred and seventy escaped to the fort. Many were killed, including Colonel Dud- ley, in the fierce contest that continued about three hours. Many others were wounded, scalped, and stripped of clothing by the Savages. Those who were captured, and could walk, were started for the ruins of the British Fort Miami near the enemy's encampment.
Although now under direct command of the British, many were slain by the Savages while on this march; and the stripping of Americans, dead and alive, of their clothing and other pos- sessions was freely indulged. At Fort Miami, the prisoners were compelled by the Savages to run the gauntlet, where many more were killed by the British allies with war clubs, scalping knives, tomahawks, and pistols. Major Richard- son, of the 4Ist British Regiment, wrote that forty of these prisoners were thus killed before the others could be taken on board the gunboats. He continues:
"On the evening of the second day after this event I accompanied Major Muir, of the 4Ist, in a ram-
239
1813
ble throughout the encampment of the Indians, distant some few hundred yards from our own. The spectacle there offered to our view was at once of the most ludicrous and revolting nature. In various directions were lying the trunks and boxes taken from the boats of the American division, and the plunderers were busily occupied in displaying their riches, carefully examining each article, and attempting to define its use. Several were decked out in the uniforms of officers; and although em- barrassed to the last degree in their movements, and dragging with difficulty the heavy military boots with which their legs were for the first time covered, strutted forth much to the admiration of their less fortunate comrades. Some were habited in plain clothes; others had their bodies clad with clean white shirts, contrasting in no ordinary manner with the swarthiness of their skins; all wore some articles of decoration, and their tents were ornamented with saddles, bridles, rifles, daggers, swords and pistols, many of which were handsomely mounted and of curious workmanship. Such was the ridiculous part of the picture.
"But, mingled with these in various directions, were to be seen the scalps of the slain drying in the sun, stained on the flesh side with vermilion dyes, and dangling in air as they hung suspended from poles to which they were attached, together with hoops of various sizes on which were stretched por- tions of human skin taken from various parts of the human body, principally the hand and foot and yet covered with the nails of those parts; while scattered along the ground were visible the members from which they had been separated, and which were
240
The Ohio Country
serving as nutriment to the wolf-dogs by which the Savages were accompanied.
"As we continued to advance into the heart of the encampment a scene of a more disgusting nature arrested our attention. Stopping at the entrance of a tent occupied by the Minoumini [Menomeni] tribe we observed them seated around a large fire over which was suspended a kettle containing their meal. Each warrior had a piece of string hanging over the edge of the vessel, and to this was suspended a food which, it will be presumed we heard not with- out loathing, consisted of a part of an American. Any expression of our feelings, as we declined the invitation they gave us to join in their repast, would have been resented by the Savages without ceremony [sic]; we had, therefore, the prudence to excuse our- selves under the plea that we had already taken our food, and we hastened to remove from a sight so revolting to humanity."
The 5th of May, 1813, was a sad day at Fort Meigs on account of this, the third great loss suf- fered by the Army of the Northwest in less than one year after the beginning of the War of 1812.
General Harrison, from his outlook, saw the beginning of the fatal error of Colonel Dudley's doomed troops. He signalled, repeating his for- mer command to come at once to the fort, but his signals were lost to the enthusiastic men, "whose excessive ardor . . always the case when Kentucky militia were engaged . . was
24I
1813
the source of all their misfortunes." A volun- teer was called for, to convey to Colonel Dudley the imperative command of the General to retreat to the fort. Lieutenant Campbell responded; but he arrived near the farther shore too late.
The other troops of General Clay's command became separated in their efforts to land from the rapid current, but, with the aid of a sortie sent out by General Harrison, fought their way to the fort through the Savages on the right bank of the river.
The spiking of eleven of the British cannon by Dudley's command was done, from want of any- thing better, with ramrods of their small guns. These rods were readily removed by the British gunners, who then with them began again a vig- orous fire upon the fort.
The American supply of balls and shells for their twelve- and eighteen-pounder cannon was small, and these guns answered those of the Brit- ish only occasionally and to the best advantage. To increase the supply a gill of whiskey was offered the soldiers for every British ball that could be found of these sizes and delivered to the keeper of the magazine.
The free license given the Savages in their butcheries and cannibalism of Colonel Dudley
16
242
The Ohio Country
and his brave men sated them, and they began to desert their allies, the British. Proctor again sent a white flag to demand surrender of the fort. The reply was such as to indicate that the de- mand was considered an insult by Harrison; and upon its receipt the enemy began preparations to raise the siege. The efforts to remove the siege guns were made dangerous and delayed by the American cannon, although the British gunboats were sent as near Fort Meigs as practicable to divert attention.
As part of his report to Governor Sir George Prevost, Proctor wrote:
"I had not the option of retaining my position on the Miami [Maumee]. Half of the militia had left us. . Before the ordnance could be withdrawn from batteries I was left with Tecumseh and less than twenty chiefs and warriors-a circumstance which strongly proves that, under present circumstances at least, our Indian force is not a disposable one, or permanent, though occasionally a most powerful aid."
Governor Prevost reported to his superior that the battles on the Maumee "terminated in the complete defeat of the enemy, and capture, dispersion, or destruction of thirteen hundred men." The British loss was reported as fifteen
243
1813
killed, forty-seven wounded, and forty-four taken prisoners. The loss of the Savages was far greater, but, as usual, the number was impos- sible to obtain. The American loss was eighty- one killed and one hundred and eighty-nine wounded, of which number seventeen were killed and sixty-five wounded within the forti- fied enclosure. The Savages took away between thirty and forty American prisoners, mostly of Dudley's defeated command.
On May 9th, immediately after the departure of the enemy, General Harrison sent out a de- tachment to gather all the bodies of the killed they could find. The indifference of the British in their nominal burying of the dead of Colonel Dudley's command, in contradiction of Major Richardson's statement, was shown by finding fragments of forty-five Kentuckians, which the Americans conveyed across the river, and buried with the honors of war in the fort's cemetery.
CHAPTER XXI
SECOND GREAT EFFORT OF THE ENEMY UNAVAILING
The British Gather More Savage Allies-More Preparations by Americans for Advancing upon the Enemy-Cele- bration of Fourth of July by Soldiers in the Forest- The Enemy Becoming More Active-Fort Seneca Built to Retain Friendship of Aged Aborigines-Second Invest- ment of Fort Meigs by Increased Force-Scheme for its Capture Unavailing-Second Retreat of Enemy from Fort Meigs.
PROCTOR made a proposition to exchange
his American prisoners for the Aborigines of the frontiers, aged and infirm men, who were not prisoners of, or hostile against, the United States. Of course such proposition could not be entertained; but Harrison replied that he would refer it to the President.
Tecumseh's and Proctor's emissaries to the more distant tribes of Aborigines had gathered large numbers of them, and, in June, 1813, more
244
245
1813
than one thousand of the most savage and de- praved were marched by their chiefs and a Scotch trader, Dickson, from their rendezvous at Chicago to Fort Malden. Colonel Richard M. Johnson, who had left Congress and organized a regiment of seven hundred mounted Ken- tuckians, was directed to move around the head- waters of the Auglaize and Maumee. About the time of the passing of the western Savages through southern Michigan, Colonel Johnson was circulating through northern Indiana, meeting and dispersing Savages near Fort Wayne and to the northwest; but he did not learn of his nearness to the route of the western British reinforcements until later, and far distant.
Meantime supplies were being hastened forward with good success, and stored at Fort Winchester and other posts convenient for distribution to the army which was being prepared for advancing against the enemy. Harrison, who was at Frank- linton (now Columbus, Ohio), hastening forward this work, received an express from General Clay at Fort Meigs, informing him that a Frenchman whom the British captured at Dudley's defeat had escaped from Fort Malden and informed him (Clay) that Proctor was about to make a second attack on Fort Meigs with an increased force;
246
The Ohio Country
and that he (Clay) had ordered to Fort Meigs Colonel Johnson's command, then at Fort Win- chester after guarding boatloads of supplies from Forts Barbee, Wayne, and Amanda.
Johnson, upon receiving Clay's dispatch in the afternoon, although his horses were all much worn, and some disabled, by their continuous marchings, gave orders for the march down the Maumee, and, within half an hour, most of the force began to ford the river just above Fort Winchester point, leaving with the garrison those unable to march. The provisions and bag- gage in the boats soon followed the cavalcade, and all stopped for the night at General Win- chester's Camp Number Three. Early next morn- ing, the march was resumed, and they arrived at Grand Rapids at five o'clock that evening. Here another dispatch was received from General Clay cautioning against ambuscade by Savages who were lying in wait by their route. This information was communicated to the soldiers, who seconded the proposal to proceed, notwith- standing the enemy. A guard was left at Grand Rapids with the boats, which were to continue the journey at daylight the next morning, the main body resuming the march, and, without serious interruption, arriving opposite Fort Meigs
247
1813
at ten o'clock, where they encamped for the night. The fort's daylight gun so frightened the horses that they bolted through the camp, over several of the soldiers, hurting them severely, and con- tinued to run down the river for a half-mile or more, being caught after much trouble and risk. About ten o'clock, the command resumed the march, and, passing above the foot of the lowest rapids, forded the Maumee and encamped just above the stockade of Fort Meigs.
Fort Meigs, itself, was now in better condition for defence than at the time of its siege. The damages done by the British guns had been re- paired, and the walls strengthened; the trees, logs, and stumps had been cleared away for a greater distance, and the British battery mounds levelled. Better drainage and sanitary conven- iences had also been established. Notwith- standing this improvement, however, the garrison had suffered much sickness, and, during June and July, intermittent and virulent remittent fevers prevailed, which, with dysentery and other com- plications, proved largely fatal. There were several deaths each day in the small garrison, the aggregate being over one hundred in a period of six weeks.
The 24th Regiment United States Infantry
248
The Ohio Country
under Colonel Anderson, from Upper Sandusky, Captain George Croghan with part of the 17th Regiment, and Colonel Ball with his squad of cavalry were all hurried forward.
After ordering these movements by express, General Harrison started northward, and, upon overtaking Colonel Anderson in the evening of June 26th, and learning that Savages were gath- ering below Fort Meigs, detached three hundred soldiers to make forced march there. Finding quiet prevailing to the eastward along Lake Erie, Harrison proceeded to Fort Meigs, where he arrived the 28th, to find that Johnson also had arrived. Johnson was ordered to detach one hundred and fifty from his command, and to reconnoitre the country to the river Raisin, which was done with- out discovering much force of the enemy; but this march temporarily thwarted the designs of a force of Savages which had been fitted out from Fort Malden to harass the Americans wherever possible.
The extent of frontier under the surveillance of General Harrison was great; and it required constant watchfulness and great executive ability to guard against invasion, and to gather, and keep, the means and men for the desired advance against the watchful and numerous enemy.
249
1813
On the Ist of July the General again went eastward, to arrange the defences and garrisons along the Lake to the Cuyahoga River. He directed Colonel Johnson to take post at the Huron River, in northern Ohio. On Johnson's way thither he arrived on the 4th of July at Fort Stephenson, where the few soldiers compos- ing that garrison were celebrating the National Holiday, and, upon their urgent request, he de- livered an address that roused their patriotism to a high pitch.
At Fort Meigs, also, there was a grateful cele- bration of this anniversary day by firing the National Salute; by liberating those who had been imprisoned by court-martial; and by increase of rations. And so it was at all the posts of the Northwestern Army. Thus, throughout the forest, the hearts of the soldiers were cheered, and they were made more contented with their condition by these simple yet effective wil- derness celebrations which gave a renewed and a broader significance to their service to their country.
The term of enlistment of some of the garrison of Fort Meigs having expired, and they not being willing to continue their service, a little diversion was planned to start them homeward with good
250
The Ohio Country
cheer. General Clay, therefore, issued the fol- lowing General Order, dated July 8th, viz .:
"The commanding General directs that, the Old Guard, on being released, will march out of camp and discharge their guns at a target placed in some secure position; and as a reward for those who may excel in shooting, eight gills of whiskey will be given to the nearest shot, and four gills to the second. The officer of the guard will cause a return, signed for that purpose, signifying the names of the men entitled to the reward."
The Savages were becoming more numerous and troublesome along the Maumee River. Four- teen soldiers whose term of enlistment had ex- pired at Fort Meigs desired to return home by way of Fort Winchester. They were attacked by Savages early on their journey, and but two escaped. Escorts of supply boats were attacked; but they inflicted injury upon the enemy.
Harrison again held council with what Dela- ware, Seneca, Shawnee, and Wyandot aged non- combatants remained accessible to him, some of them being reported as desirous of going to the British. In order to more fully stimulate and guard their constancy to the United States, he established headquarters at the Seneca town, by the Sandusky River, nine miles above Lower
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.