VAN WERT COUNTY OHIO - HISTORY: County history, Chapter 1 - Siege and Relief of Fort Meigs (part 9) *********************************************************************** 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 Submitted by: Email: 1whitedove@home.com Date: August 7, 1999 *********************************************************************** from History of Van Wert County, Ohio and Representative Citizens Edited and compiled by Thaddeus S. Gilliland Van Wert, Ohio Siege and Relief of Fort Meigs In the spring of 1813 General Harrison stationed his forces at Fort Meigs, at the foot of the rapids, and there awaited the result of the naval operations on Lake Erie. As soon as the ice broke up in the lake, the British General Proctor with all his disposable force of regulars and Canadian militia from Maiden, and a large body of Indians, under Tecumseh, in all about 2,000 men, laid siege to Fort Meigs. To encourage them the British promised the Indians an easy victory, and assured them that General Harrison should be delivered up to Tecumseh. On the 26th of April, the British established their principal batteries opposite Fort Meigs. On the 27th the Indians crossed the river and established themselves in the rear of the Americans. The garrison, not having their wells completed, had no water, except what was obtained from the river under constant fire from the enemy. On the 1st,2nd and 3rd of May, the enemy kept up an incessant shower of balls and shells on the fort and erected a gum and mortar battery, in the night, on the left bank of the river within 250 yards of the American lines. The Indians climbed the trees in the vicinity of the fort and poured a galling fire upon the garrison. In this situation, General Harrison received a summons from Proctor to surrender the garrison, greatly magnifying his means of annoyance. This was answered by a prompt refusal, assuring the British general that if he obtained possession of the fort, it would not be by capitulation, and that the fort would not be surrendered upon any terms; that if it should fall into his hands it would be in a manner calculated to do him more honor and give him higher claims upon the gratitude of his government than any capitulation could possibly do. General Harrison had reported to the Governors of Kentucky and Ohio the situation and the necessity for reinforcements for the relief of Fort Meigs. His requisition had been anticipated and General Clay was at this moment descending the Maumee with 1,200 Kentuckians, conveyed on flatboats. At 12 o'clock in the night of the 4th, Capt. William Oliver arrived from General Clay with the welcome intelligence of the latter's approach, stating that he was just above the rapids and could reach the fort in two hours, and requesting General Harrison's orders. Harrison at once determined upon a general sally , and directed Clay to land 800 men on the left bank , take possession of the British batteries, spike their cannon, and then to immediately return to their boats and cross over to the American fort. The remainder of Clay's forces were ordered to land on the right bank and fight their way to the fort while sorties were to be made from the garrison, in aid of these operations. Captain Hamilton was ordered to proceed up the river in a pirogue with a force to land on the right bank, who should be a guide to pilot Clay's men to the fort, and then to cross over and station his pirogue at the place designated for the other division to land. General Clay, having received these instructions, descended the river in order of battle. Colonel Dudley was ordered to take the men in the 12 front boats and execute General Harrison's orders on the left bank. He effected his landing at the place designated without difficulty. General Cly kept close along the right bank, until he came opposite the place of Dudley's landing, but not finding the subaltern there he attempted to cross over and join Colonel Dudley; but this was prevented by the violence of the current; he again attempted to land on the right bank, and accomplished this with only 50 men under a heavy fire from the enemy and made his way to the fort. Colonel Dudley, operating on the left bank with his detachment of 800 Kentucky militia, completely succeeded in driving the British from their batteries and spiking their cannon. But, blinded by their success, his troops refused to return to the boats and cross over to the fort, when ordered to do so, and instead, followed the Indians about two miles and were led into a trap surrounded by double their number, where they were compelled to surrender. Fortunately Tecumseh commanded and forbade the massacre, burying his tomahawk in the head of one of his chiefs who refused to desist. Thus the lives of 500 captives were saved. Of the 800 men , only 150 escaped , the others being either killed or captured. The battle of Lake Erie, on the 10th of September 1813 virtually closed the war. Proctor attempted to retreat, with Harrison following him closely on the 2nd of October, and on the 5th overtaking him In a short space of time the British regulars surrendered, which was largely brought about by Col. Richard M. Johnson, and his brother James, with whom the former had divided his force. They charged, the regulars broke through the British lines, and wheeling, poured a murderous fir into their rear. Here Tecumseh was killed by Colonel Johnson. The troops engaged were about equal on both sides, and numbered about 5,000 in all. The whole number killed was less than 40. The time occupied was less than 30 minutes. This virtually closed the Indian wars in Northwestern Ohio. Dispossession of the Indians A treaty was concluded with the Delaware Indians, October 3,1818 by which they ceded all their lands in Indiana to the United States, on condition that they be furnished a home on the west bank of the Mississippi and guaranteed peaceable possession of the same. By a treaty mad at St. Marys in 1818 the Miami nation ceded their lands to the United States. The Wyandots, in a treaty at Upper Sandusky, March 17,1842 ceded their lands to the United States and left for Kansas in July 1843. This was the last tribe in the State of Ohio. From a once powerful nation, they only numbered 700 souls at the time of their removal. Thus the last vestige of the red man was removed from our border. *************OH-FOOTSEPS Mailing List***************************