OHIO STATEWIDE FILES - Know your Ohio: The War of 1812 in Ohio [12] *********************************************************************** 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 September 16, 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 *********************************************************************** Ohio in war of 1812-- Letter from OSL Genl Simon Perkins to Gov R.J. Meigs Headquarters Portage River 15 miles from Miami January 28, 1813-- Dear Sir; I am now at the place of date to which the army marched on Saturday last from Miami. You will no doubt previous to the time when this will reach you, have heard of the defeat of Genl Winchester at Frenchtown [ River Raisin ]. It will therefore be necessary for me to give you the few particulars which are known here regard to it. I will however, say as I know to be correct that Genl Winchesters movement to FrenchTown was without the advice of Genl Harrison and although it will have a great effect upon the Campaign & to defeat the great objects [illeg] to have been provided by it, yet I think that the men now left and which came & will be easily assembled, will be sufficient to give such an account of themselves as will not be disgraceful to themselves or the Nation. It would be difficult to conceive of a better arrangement of the troops than was made and making by Genl Harrison at the time of the unfortunate movement of Genl Winchester and ad he not gone forward contrary to the wishes of Genl Harrison everything that had been expected of the army of the N.W. would have been realized. I can not account for the conduct of Genl Winchester to any other principals than that he and some of his principal officers thought that taking such an advanced post would be a popular thing in the eves of the nation and that it would be an easy victory and [illeg] although it might be without orders, yet that ought not be sufficient to restrain them when the victory was so easy and the [illeg] to be acquired so great, this would perhaps all have been proper had they taken the necessary precautions, and known the strength of the enemy to have been inferior to their own, but I fancy they were too much impressed with the opinion that Kentucky bravery, could not fall before so inconsiderable a force as Indians & Canadians, & in that way, have done more injury than the same nunmber of men can possibly repair. You may be surprised at my animadverting in this manner in the movement of a detachment of which I have no command, & with whom I had no concern; I have made the statements from motives of duty [& which however I assure you I deem correct] knowing that another call of the militia is soon to be made, & thinking it not improper that the true causes of the misfortune of that detachment should be known to you who as the Chief of the Militia of the State of Ohio are probably now about to order another detachment into the field. I have never been personally acqauinted with Genl Winchester or any of his officers, but they are spoken of in the Army as men of the first respectability of character and honour. The Brigade which I have the honour to Command, I fancy, do themselves no dishonour, and enjoy for this season of the year a good state of health -- I am sir, Respectfully, Your Most Humble Servant, Simon Perkins *********************************************** General And Field -- Officers war 1812-1813. Major General Elijah Wadsworth-- 4Th Division. Ohio Militia Maj. Genl Elijah Wadsworth Q. M. Genl Nehemiah King Ass't Q.M. Genl John Austin Maj Benjamin Fappeno Maj Elisha Whittlesey Maj & Insp. G. Pease Brig Elijah Coleman Chaplain Jonothan Leslie A.A.G. Josiah M. Brown P.F.M. Eliphalet Austin P.W.M. James Hillman Ass't W.M. Fred K. Wadswort Assn't F.M. James Kingsbury Assn't W.M. Israel Robinson Assn't P.F.M. Robert Harper Assn't Q.M. Genl Lewis Hoyt Assn't Dep. W.M. Jas. Quigley Assn't F.M. Wm Ingesol F.M. Eliphalet Austin, Jr Hosp.-Oristes, K. Hawley *********************************************** Brig Genl Robert Lucas --Second Brigade-- Ohio Militia Brig. Genl Robert Lucas Brig. Q.M. Ezra Osbourne Brig. Insp. Wm Rutledge Judge Ad William K. Bond Maj P. D. Butter Capt Jason B. Curtis *********************************************** Field Officers, Staffs Not Given Col A. Butler Col Campbell Col John T. Edwards Col Samuel Finley Col James Mc Pherson Col A. Root Maj Andrew Byerly Maj William Ward Maj Womeldorf *********************************************** General And Field Officers --Staffs not Given-- Genl Wm H.Harrison Brig Genl Edmund Munger Brig Genl Simon Perkins Brig Genl John Wingate Brig Genl Robert Lucas Col Alexander Ewing Col John Fergeson, First Regiment Col Samuel Findlay. First Regiment Col Gano. First Regiment Col William Key, First Regiment Col James Mills, First Regiment Col James Miller, First Regiment Col James McDonald, First Regiment Col Jacob Noel, First Regiment Lieut Col John Riddle, First Regiment Lieut Col Feron Holt,First Regiment Lieut Col Robert Bay, First Calvary Maj Paul F. Butler Maj Wiliam Beatty Maj James Colwell Maj Jerome Holt Maj Thomas Moore Maj George Adams. First Regiment Maj George Edwards, First Regiment Maj Jacob Myers, First Regiment Maj Samuel Connell, First Cavalry Maj Isreal Dawson, First Cavalry *********************************************** Continued in More Letters---