OHIO STATEWIDE FILES - Know your Ohio: The War of 1812 in Ohio [2]
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by
Darlene E. Kelley
http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00026.html#0006374
August 20, 1999
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Historical Collections of Ohio
The Kelley Family Collections
Newspaper article, Plains Dealer
compiled by S.J. Kelley-- 1925
And Then They Went West
by Darlene E. Kelley  1998
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The War of 1812 in Ohio--Part 2

Harrison's First Campaign --1812

On Aug 15, 1812, The regiments of Kentucky volunteers, which had been
organized on the north side of the Kentucky River under the command of
Col's John M.Scott, William Lewis, and John Allen, are ordered into
service, under the requisition of the War Department. The 17th U.S.
Regiment, under the command of Col Samuel Wells, is to march with the
detachment and rendezvous at Georgtown in Scott County where Gen John
Payne is to receive the command. About 2,000 assemble. Aug 16 -- The
Kentucky detachment is paraded and reviewed by Gov Charles Scott of
Kentucky and addressed by the Rev James Blythe of Transyvania University
and Henry Clay. Aug 17th -- The Kentucky detachment is inspected by
Brigade Maj William Garrard. Aug 19th -- The Kentucky detachment is
marched for Newport and Cincinnati. They arrive the 24th at Newport
where they hear of the surrender of Detroit. They draw arms and
equipment on the 25th and 26th and cross over to Cincinnati on the 27th.
Aug 25th -- William Henry Harrison, having been appointed to command the
Kentucky troops, calls for a corps of 500 volunteers. R.M. Johnson,
William S Hunter, and John Logan are appointed as his aides. Aug 28th --
William Henry Harrison, in general order of this date from Cincinnati,
orders the Kentucky troops to march toward Dayton by way of Lebanon on
the 29th, Harrison follows the trops and catches up with them on the
31st, after they had passed Lebanon a few miles and were about 40 miles
from Cincinnati. Sept 1st -- The Kentucky troops, under Harrison, arrive
at Dayton and leave for Piqua the next day. On this march, from Dayton
to Piqua, an express informs Harrison that he has been appointed a
Brigadier General as of Aug 22 and assigned the command of all forces in
Indiana and Illinois territories, with instructions to consult and
cooperate with Gen Hull and Gov Benjamin Howard. Harrison declines
accepting the appointment pending Eustis' [Sec of war] hearing about
Hull's defeat. He also wants to know how much sub-ordinate, he will be
to Gen James Winchester. Sept 3rd-- The Kentucky troops arrive at Piqua.
Haring that Fort Wayne is besieged, Harrison detaches Col Allen's
regiment with two companies from Lewis' and one from Scott's regiments
to make forced marches to Fort Wayne. A regiment of Col Adams was also
advancing towards Ft Wayne and was as far as Shane's Crossing [Rockford,
Ohio]. This consisted of 700 men. Sept 4th -- Harrison receives word
that a British-Indian frce is coming from Malden to join the Indians
besieging Ft Wayne. This force had left Malden on Aug 18th. Sept 5th --
William Henry Harrison makes a speech to the troops, asking those who
are afraid to serve against Ft Wayne to step out of ranks. One man did
and was hoisted to a rail and dumped into the waters of the Miami River.
Sept 6th -- The remainder of the Kentucky troops march from Piqua for Ft
Wayne, having waited an extra day because of shortages of flints. They
overtake Allan's regiment early on the 8th at the St Mary's River,
Girty's Town. Maj R.M. Johnsn arrived on thee 8th with a corps
consisting of companies of Capts Arnold and Johnson and a company from
Mason County Kentucky, under the command of Capt Ward. This brings the
army to a strength of 2,200.
Sept 9th -- Foot troops leave Girty's Town. The mounted volunteers stay
behind until noon to elect officers. R.M. Johnson is elected for
command. In the evening th entire army arrives at the camp of Col Adams
at Shane's Crossing. R.M. Johnson's volunteers encamp 1/2 mile above the
main army.
Sept 10th -- Harrison's army marches late from Shane's Crossing. The
17th U.S. Regiment, together with the regiments of Col Wells and Allen,
form the night column at 200 yards distance from the road. The troops of
Col Lewis and Scott form the  left column at the same distance. A
battalion under Gen Lytle is the van and Capt Garrard's mounted unit
from Kentucky also is in the van. Spies are sent out all around the
flanks, front and rear. Wagons and baggage is in the center.
Sept 11th -- Lt Suggette, the adjutant of Johnson's battalion, is sent
with 20 men as an advance party for Harrison's army. They fall in with a
party of Indians. This was the first engagement of Harrison's army.
There is no loss of men. The army is within 20 miles of Ft Wayne.
Sept 12th-- Harrison's army arrives at Ft Wayne where they are joyously
greeted. The Indians had fled the evening before. They had invested the
fort for the ten days previous. As a ruse against the defenders of the
Fort, the Indians had made several pieces of wooden cannon by boring out
pieces of timber and strengthening the with iron hoops, not very
effective. The army encamped around the fort where the remains of what
had once been a thriving little village, which had been burned by the
Indians.
Sept 13th -- William Henry Harrison decides to divide the army into two
divisions to be sent to the Indian towns. The first division is composed
of the regiments of Lewis and Allen, plus Garrard's horsemen and is
placed under the command of Gen Payne. They are directed to go to the
Miami Villages at the forks of the Wabash. The other division is
composed of one battalion of Johnson's men and the Ohio mounted men of
Adams, to be commanded by Col Wells. They are to destroy the
Pottawattamie village on Elk Hart River. This latter division did not
want to go and wanted to go home. Of these, Gen Lytle and Maj Dunlap,
with 150 men, decided to stay, while the others returned home.
Sept 15th -- Payne's division arrives at the forks of the Wabash and
find the village deserted, but destroyed the houses and the crops. After
destroying some other villages, they return to Fort Wayne on the 18th.
Sept 16th-- Wells' division goes to Elk Hart village, but finds it
deserted. The town and fields of Five Medals Town [Elk Hart village] are
destroyed and the division arrives back at Ft Wayne on the 18th.
Sep 17th -- Col James Simrall arrives at Ft Wayne with 320 dragoons and
a company of riflemen under Capt Farrow of Montgomery County, Kentucky.
Harrison, next day, sends them to Little Turtle's Town to destroy all of
it except those buildings built by the United States for Little Turtle.
This is done and the detachment returns to Ft Wayne on the 19th.
Farrow's company is then placed under Maj Johnson, whose battalion thus
becomes some 250 strong.
Sept 18th-- Gen James Winchester arrives at Ft Wayne to take command of
the first troops which has marched from Kentucky to reinforce the
Nothwest Army.
Sep 19th-- Gen James Winchester takes over the command of the Kentucky
troops gathering there.
Sept 20th-- William Henry Harrison with mounted men and Jennings
regiment arrive at St Mary's. The balance of the Infantry have not
arrived. The regiments of Barbee, Poague, and Jennings arrive at Newport
early in Sept with Simrall's dragoons, but are detained until they can
draw arms, etc. Dragoons had to be armed with muskets, as no swords or
pistols are available. All foot troops have arrived by Sept 20th.
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to be continued in part 3--