OHIO STATEWIDE FILES - Know your Ohio: The War of 1812 in Ohio [3] *********************************************************************** OHGENWEB NOTICE: All distribution rights to this electronic data are reserved by the submitter. Reproduction or re-presentation of copyrighted material will require the permission of the copyright owner. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. *********************************************************************** File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Darlene E. Kelley http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00026.html#0006374 August 21, 1999 *********************************************************************** 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 *********************************************************************** The War of 1812 in Ohio --Part 3 On Sept 3, 1812, a body of Kickapoos and Winebagoes, with their families, come to Ft Harrison, which is in the command of Capt Zachary Taylor. They ask for a council and seek provisions. Taylor refuses to give in as he suspects treachery, but does give them something to eat. Sept 4th--On this night the Kickapoos and Winebagoes set fire to one of the blockhouses of Ft Harrison and begin to fire on the garrison. The Indians make charges in attempts to fire other portions of the fort, without success. The following day they retreat. Taylor held out with less than 50 men, of whom 1/3 were sick. The Indians were angry and massacred 21 persons at the Pigeon Roost settlement on White River. Sept 13th -- Col William Russell with some companies of rangers and Indian Militia relieve Ft Harrison and bring in much needed supplies. Sept 21st-- Troops raised as a result of a call for help given by Gov Shelby of Kentucky for the relief of the Indiana Territory arrive at Vincennes, beginning on this date and extending to Oct 2nd. They were formed, some 2,000 of them, under Gen Samuel Hopkins and began their march to Ft Harrison early in October. They continued across the Wabash. Hopkins tells his officers that he desires to go to the principal Kickapoo village on the waters of the Illinois River. The march is continued about 25 miles further, where an Indian trail is discovered which is followed northwardly. However, troubles arise among the troops and a retreat is made to Vincennes. Hopkins is completely disgusted with the behavior of his men. The men are discharged Oct 25th. Nov 11th -- Gen Samuel Hopkins takes foot soldiers from Vincennes to Ft Harrison following his abortive expedition. On this date, with some 1,250 men, composed of Barbour's, Miller's, and Wilcox's regiments of Kentucky militia, regulars under Zachary Taylor, and 50 rangers and spies on horseback, go up the east side of the Wabash. Provisions, stores, and forage are put in seven boats under the command of Col Barbour's battalion. They arrive on the19th at Prophet's Town. Many Indian villages are destroyed. On the 21st, the Indians fire on a reconnoitring party. On the 22nd, Col's Miller and Wilcox go out with 60 mounted men and fall into an ambush. 18 men are killed. Snow keeps the army from moving against the Indians until the 24th. By then the Indians have fled. The army returns to Vincennes, too cold and too poorly supplied. On Sept 21st,under Gen James Winchester's campaign, Col Jennings regiment is ordered down the St Mary,s and Auglaize Rivers to Defince and to establish an immediate post and to escort supplies to Gen Winchester. He goes about 30 miles and sends spies ahead to Defiance, where they found the enemy. Therefore, he halted on the Auglaize and commenced building blockhouses. Meanwhile, Col James Findlay is sent with his mounted regiment of 350 men to destroy the Ottawa towns on Blanchard's Fork of the Auglaize. Sept 22nd-- Gen Winchester begins his march down the Maumee, following generally Anthony Wayne's course. His desination is Ft Defiance. he marches only 5 or 6 miles per day. Set 25th -- Ensign Liggett with a detachment is sent ahead of the army to Ft Defiance. He has four men with him. A Frenchman with eight Indians creeps up on them and demands them to surrender. They do, but work out a plan to kill the Indians, However, the Indians killed them first. Capt Ballard finds them the next day, but retreats wen he finds a party of 200 Indians nearby. Sept 27th -- Capt Ballard and a detachment is sent ahead with Maj Woolfor [ aid to Winchester ] to bury the dead of Liggett's party. The Indians involved were an advance group of Maj Muir's party. This British force consisted of 200 regulars and 1000 Indians with four pieces of artillery. They had brought their baggage and artillery by water to Ft Defiance and were advancing on the south side of the Maumee toward Ft Wayne. They had taken a Quartermaster Sergeant of Winchester's army prisoner. The sergeant exaggerated the size of Winchester's army and Muir retreated 12 miles on the 27th to Ft. Defiance. On the 28th about 3/4 of Muir's Indians deserted and he was forcd to retreat another 20 miles down the river. Sept 28th-- The march of Winchester's army is resumed following the return of the Hickman-Riddle mission. The forward elements of Winchester's and Muir's forces meet, but there is only a short skirmish. Winchester's army then crosses to the south side of the Maumee at a ford and encamps. Spies are sent out, but find no Indians. They report, however, that the brush is so thick that it is unsafe for spies on foot to penetrate Ft Defiance. Winchester holds a council of war and decides to send out parties to look for Maj Muir. Supplies are about exhausted and an express is sent to Harrison to inform him of the condition of the army. Sept 30th -- Harrison receives news that Winchester is heading toward a large force of British and Indians. All the forces at St Mary's., about 3,000 men, are ordered to Winchester's relief. Meanwhile, Winchester moves his army down the river to within a mile of Ft Defiance and stays there for sevral days. Oct 1st-- Col William Lewis is sent from Winchester's army with 380 men to discover for sure the disposition of Maj Muir's force. The detachment crosses the Auglaize, then goes down the south side of the Maumee for 7 or 8 miles, then crosss to the north side, where signs are discoverd which show that Muir's force is completely gone. Oct 2nd -- Gen Harrison hears from Gen Wincester that the British have retreated. He orders Gen Barbee to return to St Mary's and Col Poague to cut a road from Ft Jennings to Ft Defiance. The rest of the army contiues its march in five columns, about 1000 men. Harrison arrives at Winchester's camp and finds the troops digusted and dispirited. Ft Winchester is laid out near old Ft Defiance and is built by a detachment of 250 men under the orders of Maj Joseph Robb. Harrison then returns to St Mary's with Col R M Johnson, where these troops are discharged, Oct 7th. Col Poague is ordered to return to the Ottawa Towns, about 12 miles above St.Mary's and there to erect a fort [Ft Amanda]. Gen Winchester recieves the command of the left wing of the Northwest Army from Harrison. Oct 4th -- Before Harrison left Defiance, he ordered Gen Edward Tupper to take all of his 800 mounted men down the Maumee to the Rapids and even farther if he should find it necessary to disperse the enemy. He was to return to Ft Defiance or the Ottawa Towns on Blanchard's Fork. He was supposed to leave Oct 5, but an alarm in camp occasioned by the sighting of some Indians across the river, who fired into the American camp, kept him at Ft Defiace. Oct 6th--Gen Edward Tupper sends Logan and six other Indians down the River to reconnoitre. Gen Winchester order Tupper to advance, but Tupper says he is waiting the return of his spies. When his spies come back they report seeing only about 50 Indians. Oct 7th-- Gen Tupper wants to go the rapids by way of the Ottawa Towns on Blanchard's Fork, his force is considerably hurt when about 300 mounted riflemen, whose terms had run out and who were disgusted with Tupper, leave the camp for home. Oct 8th -- Gen Winchester orders Col Slimrall to return to the Ohio settlements with his mounted regiment to recruit his horses. Orders are given to Gen Tupper to begin his expedition, but many of the men did not want to serve under Tupper. Col Allen tenders his services to Tupper in any capacity they would be received. Gen Winchester misunderstands Allen's wishes and directs him to take the command and march to the Rapids. Allen tells Winchester of the mistake and the order is withdrawn. Meanwhile, most of the men have refused to march directly to the Rapids and Gen Tupper marchs them to Auglaize, thense to the Ottawa Towns, where he tells them that reinforcements are on the way from Ohio. At this point, the troops except for about 200, refuse to continue to the Rapids. Tupper then proceeds by the most drect route to Urbana and discharges only those men who have been willing at all times obey his orders. for this Tupper is court martialed by Winchester. Meanwhile, Tupper has marched his remaining force as far as McArthur's fort on Hull's trace and the court martial is delayed. When the court is held later, Tupper is acquited. Nov, early, Gen Tupper sends a spy company under Capt Hinkston to reconnoitre the Rapids. There the Capt discovers a British Capt named Clarke and takes him prisoner. He reports that thre were 3-400 Indians and 75 British at the Rapids to gather corn. ********************************************** to be continued in part 4.