OHIO STATEWIDE FILES - Know your Ohio: The War of 1812 in Ohio [4] *********************************************************************** 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 22, 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 4 Nov 10th --13th, 1812. Gen Edward Tupper prepares a detachment of 650 men and goes from Ft. McArthur toward the Rapids. He has a 6-pounder, but must leave it because of bad roads. When he arrives at the Portage River, 20 miles from the Rapids, he sends forward a spy detail to look for the enemy. This detail returns that night and reports that the British and Indians are encamped in a close formation. The entire force then crosses the Portage River, prepared to attack them the next day. Nov 14th-- Gen Tupper's force has a difficult time trying to cross the river. The current is swift and many men are washed down stream with their guns. Tupper sends to Gen Winchester asking for reinforcement, then tries to lure the Indians away by a decoy move with his spies. This fails and he marches the whole army against the Indians. They are frightened and flee and then Tupper marches the army back to camp. Nov 15th -- Gen Winchester sends a detachment of 450 men under Col Lewis to reinforce Tupper. Ensign Todd is sent to Tupper asking that a place of rendezvous for the two forces on the north side of the river be decided upon, with the view of attacking the Indians while they were encamped next morning. However, when the ensign reached Tupper's camp and found it abandoned, he got the impression that Tupper had been defeated and said so to Col Lewis. At this point, Lewis' detachment returns to Winchester's camp. Nov 22nd -- Chief Logan is sent on a spying mission and is attacked along the Maumee by a group of Indians, among whom was the Pottawattamie and Winemac. In the skirmish, Logan is shot and the spies return to Winchester's camp where Logan dies on Nov 25th. Dec 22nd -- Gen Winchester's forces receives provisions and prepares to march. Dec 30th-- Gen Winchester's force commences its march to the Rapids from Ft Winchester [Defiance]. While on the march, Winchester receives another dispatch from Gen Harrison recommending that his march be abandoned and that he fall back to Ft Jenning's. Winchester, already on his march, thinks it not necessary to follow this instruction. Jan 10th,1813,--Gen Winchester's force arrives at the Rapids. A detacment of 670 men are sent ahead under Gen Payne to attack a body of Indians supposedly on Swan Creek, but they find nothing. Winchester makes his encampment on the north bank of the Maumee, above Fallen Timbers, on a handsome eminence. An Indian camp is sighted nearby and Capt Williams with 25 men is sent to look it over. A few Indians are discovered, a few shots are fired, and the Indians flee, but there are some wounded on both sides. Jan 11th -- Gen Winchester sends a message to Gen Harrison telling him that his force has reached the Rapids, but the message was delayed and did not arrive at Upper Sandusky until after Harrison had left. A large storehouse is built within the encampment at the Rapids to secure the provisions and baggage. Jan 11th-- Gen Harrison receives information of Winchester's need for reinforcements. The messenger had been delayed because of snow storms. Harrison orders troops and a drove of hogs to be sent to Winchester. Jan 13th-- Two Frenchmen arrive in Winchester's camp and tell him that the Indians had threatened to burn Malden and kill the inhabitants if they did not get help against the Americans. Other messengers arrive on the 14th and 16th with the same news. These messengers solicit help to keep the Indians from massacring the white Americans in the area of the Michigan Territory. Jan 16th -- Gen Harrison hears of Winchester's arrival at the Rapids from Gen Simon Perkins. Reinforcements are collected and rushed to the scene. These consist of 300 men under Maj Orr and go in the way of the Portage River. Provisions are also ordered. A messenger is sent to Gen Winchester asking him for his plans. Jan 17th -- After a council of officers, Gen Winchester sends 550 under Col Lewis to the River Raisin. a few hours later a second detachment was sent, 110 men, under Col Allen. Both encamped that night at Presque Isle. Winchester informs Harrison that he is planning to take Frenchtown and hold it. In the evening a message comes to Winchester that 400 Indians are at the River Raisin and that Col Matthew Elliot [British] is expected from Malden with detachment destined to attack the Rapids. Jan 18th-- Col Lewis sets out from Presque Isle, most of the marching being over the ice on Maumee Bay and along the border of Lake Erie. When the detachment took the land route from the lake, they formed into three detachments or troops. The right was commanded by Col Allen and composed of the companies of Capt's McCracken, Bledsoe, and Matson. The left was commanded by Maj Graves, and was composed of the companies of Capt's Hamilton, Williams,and Kelley. The center consisted of the companies of Capt's Hightower, Collier, and Sebree and was commanded by Maj Madison. An advanced guard, consisting of the companies of Capt's Hickman, Graves, and James, was placed under the command of Capt Bailard. When the detachment had arrived within 1/4 of a mile of the village and had discovered the enemy, they formed for attack. When the enemy refused to fight in open field, the detachment broke off on the right by companies and marched under the fire of the enemy's cannon until they arrived at the river, when small arms were fired. The line of battle then formed and an order for a general charge was given. the enemy were among houses and garden pickets on the north side of the River. Graves and Madison were ordered to dislodge them and suceeded The enemy then fled to the right and were met by Allen, who pursued them 1/2 mile into the woods. Then Graves and Madison were ordered to get possession of the woods on the left and to support Allen. The enemy constantly in retreat, and were driven for 2 miles. The action commenced at 3 P.M. and continued until dark. There were 12 killed and 55 wounded of the United States troops, Hickman, Matson, and Ballard among the latter. The enemy had been commanded by Maj Reynolds who had 100 British regulars and 400 Indians. Following the battle, message was sent to Winchester, which arrived at the Rapids on the morning of the 19th *********************************************** Continued in part 5.