OHIO IN THE WAR OF
1812.
FIRST NEWSPAPER IN THE WEST RESERVE.
[The first newspaper published in the
Western Reserve was the
"TRUMP OF FAME "
edited by Thomas D. Webb. It was a weekly, pub-
lished at Warren, Trumbull County, the
first issue being dated June 16,
1812--The date of the declaration of war
by Congress. David Fleming
was the printer. As the first volume
covers the year 1812, the first half
year of the war, it is doubly
interesting as giving information at first
hand concerning the proceedings in Ohio
and the action of the Ohio
troops in the contest. From an original
copy we herewith produce
excerpts from the volume of that paper,
which we regard as sufficiently
valuable to be permanently preserved.
The articles concerning General
Hull, his surrender of Detroit, and the
attacks upon his loyalty are
specially deserving of notice as showing
the popular view entertained
at that time. It should be remembered,
however, that Hull was subse-
quently officially exonerated.--E. 0.
R., Editor.]
The first issue contained the following:
It will be recollected, by most of our
readers, that two men
were murdered some time ago by the
Indians, on Pipe creek,
Huron county. Since that time, two
Indians of the Chippaway
tribe, who committed the murder have
been taken. One of
whom has been convicted at Cleveland,
Cuyahoga, and now
awaits the sentence of the law; which is
to be carried into
execution, at the latter place on the 26
inst. The other, who
was arrested by the Indians of that
neighborhood shot himself
while in their custody, before he could
be delivered to the whites.
We are informed by a respectable
traveller from Huron
county that considerable interest is
making by the Indians of
the Chipawa tribe, to procure the pardon
of the Indian, now
under sentence of death at Cleveland. A
council has been held
by the chiefs of that tribe, together
with some other Indians to
determine what course of measures should
be pursued, to pro-
cure his release. A proposition was made
to attempt his release
by force; this was rejected, and it was
determined that his
(286)
Ohio in the War of 1812. 287
father, who is a principal chief of the
Chipawa tribe, should
make personal application to Governor
Meigs for his release.
The Indians offer, as a condition of his
discharge, to cede
to the United States a tract of two
hundred acres of land;
bounded East by the Fire lands,
extending Westerly to San-
dusky river, and up the river as far as
the United States reserva-
tion; also to give up the promised
reward of eighty dollars for
the apprehension of the other Indian, to
which they were en-
titled. It is said both by Indians, and
Whites, that this murder
was committed in consequence of a
private quarrel; it is also
asserted by the Indians, that Semo the
Indian, who killed him-
self, was a malicious fellow, who drew
the other in some meas-
ure against his will, into a
participation in the perpetration of
the murder.
We are also told, that the militia
ordered to Detroit, left
Dayton, on the 1st of the present month
and that three com-
panies are to be stationed at Sandusky
Bay. It may be safely
concluded from the conduct of the
Indians living on the borders
of the Connecticut western reserve, and
from the cantonment
of so many troops at Sandusky, and
Detroit, that little or no
danger is to be apprehended from them in
any part of the
Reserve.
Trump of Fame, Warren,
Ohio, June 24, 1812.
ARMY OF OHIO.
DAYTON, May 28.
The troops have encamped on the western
bank of Mad
River, three miles from town. On Monday
last, Governor Meigs
surrendered the command to Brigadier
General Hull. We have
been furnished with the following
account of the proceedings
of the day, which, as it meets with our
entire approbation, we
insert in the place of any statement of
our own.
[COMMUNICATION.]
CAMP MEIGS, WESTERN BANK OF MAD RIVER,
May 16, 1812.
The exertions used by Governor Meigs in
collecting the
corps now assembled in this camp, gives
him a just claim to
288 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
the undivided applause of every man
attached to the interest
or honor of his country. With
unprecedented celerity, he has
collected from almost every part of this
state, fifteen hundred
men, and organized them into three
regiments. At first un-
furnished with money, and merely holding
the executive requisi-
tion, he proceeded to arrange and obey
the call. The reiterated
injuries and insults which our country
has received, had awak-
ened the feelings and aroused the
indigation of the great body
of the people. The public pulse beat
high. The spirit of our
citizens was raised. It did not
evaporate in empty declamation,
or in idle parade. At the first signal,
the young men of our
state, men of character and standing,
prepared to abandon the
security and comforts of domestic life,
and to encounter the
dangers, privations, and difficulties of
an Indian expedition.
They prepared to maintain, by arms, the
fair inheritance trans-
mitted to them, and to demonstrate that
the interminable for-
ests of the west could neither weaken
their attachment, nor
divide their affection from the
government of their country.
The duties of the executive then became
arduous and important.
On him developed the duty of organizing
all, of providing for
all. To him every application was made.
The arms and ac-
coutrements, the camp equipage and
stores were all to be pro-
vided. The public arsenal at Newport was
almost empty. There
were no rifles, no knapsacks, no
blankets, no tents, no bullets
nor moulds. In fact, nothing but arms
and cartridge boxes,
many of which were good for nothing. In
this situation the
Governor made every exertion, and
eventually succeeded in
placing the detachment in a situation for
marching.
Brigadier General Hull had been selected
by the general
government to conduct the expedition. He
arrived in Dayton
a few days since, and yesterday Governor
Meigs surrendered
to him the command. The regiments of
Cols. Findlay and Cass,
were encamped in a prairie three miles
from Dayton.
The corps, after a review of parade,
formed a close column
when Governor Meigs addressed them as
follows:
Ohio in the War of 1812.
289
Officers and soldiers of the First
Army of Ohio:
Collected suddenly and rapidly from
various parts of the
state, you have manifested a zeal
worthy the character of a
free people. You will soon be
completely organized, and I
trust that harmony will forever
continue. Already you have
made considerable advances in
discipline, you will improve; it
will soon become easy, familiar, and
agreeable. Subordination
is the soul of discipline; order,
safety, and victory are its re-
sults. Honour consists in an honourable
discharge of duty,
whatever may be the rank. Respect each
other according to
your stations. Officers, be to your men
as parents to children.
Men, regard your officers as fathers.
You will soon march,
My heart will always be with you. The
prayers of all citizens
will attend you.
By direction of the President of the
United States, I have
so far organized and marched you; in
his name I thank you.
I feel a great satisfaction in knowing
that you are to be
placed under the command and guidance
of Brigadier General
Hull, a distinguished officer, of
revolutionary experience; who
being Superintendent of Indian affairs,
and Chief Magistrate
of the Territory to which you are
destined, was happily selected
for the service. His influence and
authority there, will enable
him to provide for your convenience. I
pray that each may so
conduct, that when you return to the
embraces of your friends
and relations, they may be proud to
salute you, as one who had,
honourably, belonged to the First Army
of Ohio.
The Second Army is organizing, and will
follow if neces-
sary.
Our frontier must be protected from
savage barbarity, our
rights maintained and our wrongs
avenged.
Go then! Fear not! Be strong, quit
yourselves like men,
and may the GOD of ARMIES be your
shield and buckler.
After which General Hull delivered the
following address:
Patriotic Officers and Soldiers of
the State of Ohio:
The manner which his Excellency, Governor
Meigs, has
delivered over to my command, the part
of the army, has excited
sensations I strongly feel, but which
it is difficult for me to
express.
Vol. XXVIII-19.
290 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
His great exertions, and the talents he
has displayed in
assembling, organizing, disciplining,
and preparing, in every re-
spect, for actual service, so
respectable a military force, are
known to you, and will be fully known to
his country; this
knowledge of his conduct will be his
highest eulogium. Long
may he live, and long may he adorn his
elevated station.
The crisis now has arrived, when our
country has deemed
it necesary to call into the field, her
patriotic sons. The spirit
which has been manifested on this
occasion, is highly honorable
to the officers and soldiers, who
compose this army and the
section of the union to which you
belong. You have exhibited
an example to the elder part of the
country, worthy of imita-
tion. Citizens, distinguished for
talents and wealth, have made
a voluntary tender of their services, to
defend the violated
rights of the nation. Such men are
entitled to the fair inheri-
tance, which was purchased by the valour
and blood of their
fathers. A country, with such a defense
has nothing to fear.
In any possible exigency, it is
environed with a bulwark of
safety. To officers and soldiers, who
have engaged in the public
service with such honorable and
patriotic motives, it is un-
necessary to urge the importance of
regularity and discipline,
or the necessity of subordination and
obedience to orders. The
same spirit which induced you
voluntarily to engage in the serv-
ice of your country, will animate you in
the discharge of your
duties.
With patience you will submit to
privations and fatigues
incident to a military life, and if you
should be called to meet
danger in the field, you will manifest
the sincerity of your en-
gagements, by the firmness and bravery
of your conduct. In
marching through a wilderness, memorable
for savage bar-
barity, you will remember the causes by
which that barbarity
has been heretofore excited. In viewing
the ground stained
with the blood of your fellow citizens,
it will be impossible to
suppress the feelings of indignation.
Passing by the ruins of a
fortress erected in our territory by a foreign nation, in times
of profound peace, and for the express
purpose of exciting the
savages to hostility and supplying them
with the means of con-
ducting a barbarous war must remind you
of that system of
Ohio in the War of 1812.
291
oppression and injustice which that
nation has continually prac-
ticed, and which the spirit of an
indignant people can no longer
endure. If it is impossible that time
should obliterate the re-
membrance of past transactions, what
will be the impressions
on the present occasion? The wrongs of
the same nation have
been continually accumulating, and have
at length compelled our
country to put on the armour of safety,
and be prepared to
avenge the injuries which have been
inflicted.
In a few days, you will be joined by a
body of troops of
the United States' army. Among them, you will have the
pleasure of seeing the Fourth Regiment
of infantry, the gal-
lant heroes of Tippecanoe. They will act
by your sides, in
your approaching campaign, and while
they will be ambitious
to maintain, and if possible, to
increase the glory they have
already acquired, your conduct will be
stimulated by the splendor
of their example, and you will be
inspired with ambition to ac-
quire laurels, at least as brilliant as
those they deservedly wear.
That harmony and friendship may pervade
this army, and that
glory and fame may attend it in all its
movements, are wishes,
in which I am confident you will all
heartily join.
Col. Cass, after a few moments of
previous consultation
with Col. Findlay, addressed the troops
in the following style
of appropriate and well deserved
encomium.
Fellow Soldiers:
Let us all uncover and give three
cheers, as a testimonial
of the respect which we feel for the
talents, zeal, and patriotism
of our worthy Governor, so eminently
displayed in the organiza-
tion of this army. We who best know, can
best appreciate the
difficulties he has had to encounter;
but all can see the success
which has ultimately attended his
exertions. We leave him
with sentiments of unfeigned respect,
and may the overruling
hand of Providence protect him and us,
our beloved families
and our injured country.
Three united acclamations, given with
zeal and alacrity,
testified the accordance of the whole
corps in the sentiments
advanced, and the opinion which they
entertained for the merits
of their chief magistrates.
292 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
Col. Cass then proceeded. And let us
also my friends,
again uncover and give three cheers, as
a tribute of respect
due to the revolutionary veteran, who
has now taken the com-
mand; of those, who fought and bled in
achieving our inde-
pendence, but few are left. The cold
hand of death has laid
them in the grave. They have gone to
rejoin their beloved
commander and their illustrious
compatriots, in the realms of
bliss.
Let us be grateful that some are left to conduct us
through the perilous crisis which is
approaching, and still more
grateful that we have one to conduct us
through this expedition,
whose talents, character, and service
entitle him to a distin-
guished place in the affections and
confidence of his countrymen.
The regiment unanimously gave their
tribute of respect and
proved, by three cheering shouts, the
united confidence which
they felt in their commander-in-chief.
The column was then displayed, and the
parade dismissed.
Col. McArthur's regiment encamped in the
rear of Dayton,
had previously received the same
addresses from Governor
Meigs and General Hull.
Col. McArthur returned last evening to
his camp, and will
join the grand camp with his regiment
immediately.
[On Tuesday General Hull pitched his
tents in Camp Meigs,
on Western bank of Mad River, and on the
same day the United
States Flag was hoisted. At the raising
of the Flag, the troops
formed a hollow square around the
standard, expressive of
their determination not to surrender it,
but with their lives.
If they should have occasion to try
their prowess in the field, we
trust they will not forget the solemn
pledge. After the standard
was erected, Col. Cass delivered the
following short, but pertinent
and impressive address.]
Fellow Soldiers:
The standard of your Country is
displayed. You have
rallied round it to defend her rights,
and avenge her injuries.
May it wave protection to our friends,
and defiance to our
enemies. And should we ever meet in the
hostile field, I doubt
Ohio in the War of 1812. 293
not but the Eagle of liberty, which it
bears, will be found more
than a match for the Lion of England.
ZANESVILLE, June 3.
Col. Munson, who is the governor's aid,
arrived here on
Sunday with orders to raise three
volunteer companies to march
immediately for the protection of our
south-western frontiers.
The Shawanee prophet, it is said is
moving on with his
whole force towards Greenville, the most
frontier post in this
state.
Sixteen hundred volunteer militia are to
take the place of
the 4th regiment at Vincennes a part of
which have probably
arrived before this.
Governor Scott has also granted
permission to any volun-
teer companies who choose to go into
other territories and offer
their services to the governors thereof.
We have heard several times that all the
young Indian war-
riors had left Greertown, which lies not
a great ways from
Mount Vernon, and it is thought have
gone to join the prophet.
The report of the Indians having shot a
man near N. Lan-
caster is said to have been an attempt
by some young men to
scare the person who raised the report.
Another dreadful story
we have heard, and which has excited a
great deal of sym-
pathy in some people to think of losing
any of their red breth-
ren, is that eight Indians were killed
in Pickaway county by
the whites, which we believe is entirely
without foundation.
The papers at Chillicothe mention
nothing of it. And the paper
at Circleville in the same neighborhood,
is entirely silent about
it. Any person who is base enough at
this time to circulate
such reports for their own diversion and
to frighten the de-
fenceless frontiers ought to be punished
and set at some better
employ.
WASHINGTON, June 5.
Immediately after the house of
rperesentatives met on Tues-
day, the doors were closed and remained
so for about half an
hour, when they were again opened, and
the house adjourned.
294 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society
Publications.
WAR. The confidential message of the
president to Con-
gress, on Monday no doubt related to the
subject of war.
Ball. American.
The message from the President
containing a statement of
foreign affairs, which we mentioned on
Monday morning, would
take place on the same day, has been
realized. The mail of
to-day may or may not disclose the other
part, viz., that the
committee of foreign relations will have
reported a declaration
of war. If this does not appear, it will
be owing to the con-
firming secrecy adopted by the house.
Balt. Fed. Rep.
CIRCLEVILLE, May 23.
Some days ago, about thirty of our hardy
and heroic citi-
zens and descendents of our
revolutionary patriots, volunteered
their services, and marched without a
commander from the Wal-
nut creek in this county to Dayton, the
place of rendezvous.
Upon their arrival, Major Reed, a
republican citizen of Dayton,
invited them to his house, where they
partook of a splendid din-
ner, prepared for their reception, at
his own expense. From
hunger and fatigue, it seems, as in the
land of Egypt, they
found a brother Joseph! They ate and
drank till they were
merry in his presence.
DAYTON, May 21.
Captain Mansfield's company of light
infantry, from Cin-
cinnati, arrived yesterday morning.
The troops at this place, amounting to
about fifteen hun-
dred, have divided into three regiments,
under the command of
Cols. McArthur, Findlay and Cass.
Captain William Van Cleve's rifle
company, of this county,
have volunteered their services to the
governor, for the pro-
tection of the frontier. They will march
to Greenville in a
few days.
We understand that on Friday last, five
or six men who
were covering corn in a field near
Greenville, were fired upon
Ohio in the War of 1812. 295
by five Indians; one of the men was
wounded. They instantly
pursued the savages, killed one and
wounded another.
Extract of a letter from Major
Charles Wolverton, to General
Munger, dated Troy, May 14, 1812.
"Captains Westfall and Buchannan
have taken seven pris-
oners, (six men and a squaw). I have
sent them to John John-
ston, to dispose of as he thinks best. I
have detained their
arms and ammunition; they had six guns;
four were left in
the woods, hid under the logs. A fresh
cow hide made into
tugs, was found with them and several
other articles that indi-
cate to us a hostile intention, or at
least an intention to steal
horses.
Issue of July 1, 1812.
WAR!
A way letter from a gentleman at the
city of Washington,
to his friend in Philadelphia, dated on
Tuesday last says "THE
WAR BILL has just passed the Senate 19
to 13."
June 19, 1812.
Lanc. Journal.
PITTSBURGH, June 25, 1812.
Extract of a letter from Mr. Lacock to a
gentleman in this
Town, dated Washington City, June 18,
1812.
"I embrace the first opportunity to
inform you that W A R
has this day been declared, and the
injunction of secrecy taken
off. This measure passed in the House of
Representatives by
a majority of 30, and in Senate 19 to
13. This is an unqualified,
unconditional War, by land and sea,
against the United King-
doms of Great Britain and Ireland."
The Scioto Gazette, printed at
Chillicothe, June 19th, says:
"Governor Meigs arrived in town on
Wednesday last. He has
politely favoured us with the following
information:
"On the 6th inst. Governor Meigs
met in council in the
woods near Urbanna, a number of chiefs
of the Wyandots,
296 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
from
Sandusky, Shawanoe and Mingoes, from the Auglaize.
On the 7th the army arrived and encamped
near Urbanna. On
the 8th a conference was opened in the
camp by the same
chiefs, with governor Meigs and general
Hull, at which the
chiefs agreed to permit the army to open
a road from Manary's
block-house to the foot of the rapids of
the Miami of the Lake,
and erect block-houses on the road.
The 4th United States Regiment was escorted
into camp
by the Ohio army on the 10th. A
triumphal arch had been
previously erected by the troops in
honor of the 4th Regiment,
which marched under the arch; on the
front of the arch was
painted in large letters "Tippecanoe-The
Eagle-Glory."
Col. McArthur's regiment marched on the
11th to Ma-
nary's block-house, 20 miles from
Urbanna, and were ordered
to proceed into the Indian country, open
the road, and erect
block-houses every 20 miles. On the 14th
the rest of the army
lay at Urbanna.
We are informed that the volunteer corps
raised within
the limits of Col. John Campbell's
regiment, Portage county,
have received orders, from Governor
Meigs to march to San-
dusky to protect the United States store
at that place and guard
that part of our frontier and that they
will march to-morrow
from Ravenna.
Much praise is due this regiment for
their readiness to obey
their country's call. We believe, that
even in the patriotic state
of Ohio, and she is second to none in
the Union, very few
regiments alone have furnished a
complete company of volun-
teers.
Officers and men, without claim, or regard to rank,
volunteered as privates. Col. Campbell,
in common with the
private centinel, shouldered his rifle,
and took a common lot
for a command in the corps. He has been honored by the
unanimous suffrage of his fellow
soldiers with the captaincy of
the company.
By a gentleman just from Cleveland, we
are informed, that
Omique the Indian, who was under
sentence of death for the
Ohio in the War of 1812.
297
murder of two men committed on Pipe
creek, Huron county,
was executed at Cleveland on Friday
last. We are informed
that there were no Indians present at
the execution. Four com-
panies of militia performed the duties
of a military escort on
this occasion.
Issue of July 8.
To Men of Patriotism, Courage and
Enterprise.
Every able bodied man, from the age of
18 to 45 years, who
shall be enlisted for the term of five
years, will be paid a bounty
of SIXTEEN DOLLARS -and whenever he
shall have served
the term for which he enlisted, and
obtained an honorable dis-
charge, stating that he had faithfully
performed his duty whilst
in service, he shall be allowed and
paid, in addition to the afore-
said bounty, three months' pay, and
ONE HUNDRED and
SIXTY ACRES OF LAND; and in case he
should be killed in
action or die in the service, his heirs
and representatives, will
be entitled to the said three months'
pay, and one hundred and
sixty acres of land, to be designated,
surveyed and laid off, at
the public expense.
WILSON ELLIOTT,
Capt. U. States' Army.
Warren, July 6th, 1812.
Place of Rendezvous, Warren, Trumbull
Co., Ohio.
Issue of July 15.
We are told that committees of safety
are organized along
the shore of Lake Erie, for the purpose
of superintending a
patrole, which has been formed for the
purpose of patroling
along the lake; both for the purpose of
giving timely notice of
any maureding parties which might come
on shore, and also to
prevent unnecessary alarms. It is
understood that the centinels
give notice to the several committees of
any thing which they may
discover, and from them the hue and cry
goes to the people.
Any rumor from any other quarter is
deemed incorrect.
* * *
298 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
We are informed that Gen. Hull has
arrived at Detroit with
his army. A wide field of conjecture is
now laid before us, upon
what the measure will be, he will adopt.
Were we to offer an
opinion, we should say, that an
immediate attack is to be made
upon the western part of Upper Canada.
The situation of the
Aemrican troops is such, as necessarily
to induce such a belief.
A force of 2500 men are already
assembled at Detroit. Ac-
cessions of strength are daily making to
his army by the march
of men from the northern section of this
state. A respectable
force is now assembled at the lower end
of lake Erie, it is most
probable, that a simultaneous attack is
contemplated by our gov-
ernment at both places. As the U. States
have not a sufficient
naval force to command lake Erie; the
country on every side
of it must immediately be conquered, or
the army at Detroit
cannot be supported. No plan of
operations can immediately
be adopted to obtain possession of their
naval force, but to drive
them from their lurking holes. We have
aready heard of the
capture of four of our vessels on lake
Erie; three of them
loaded with provisions, and baggage for
the army. Supplies
must either be carried across lake Erie
from the states of New
York, Pennsylvania and Ohio, or come by
land at an immense
expense, and in very inconsiderable
quantities from the western
part of the state of Ohio. To transport
supplies a distance of
one hundred and fifty miles through a
wilderness country for
the support of so large a force, will
handly be done for any
length of time. If Maiden has not
already fallen, yet the United
States must have full possession of the
whole of the shore of
lake Erie so long before the
commencement of winter, as that
the army can receive supplies by water,
or they will be driven
away by famine.
Extract of a letter to gentleman in
this town, dated Painesville,
July 7, 1812.
"Sir, please to send by the bearer
all the powder and lead
you have.-We are informed that the
British have captured
three of our vessels near Malden, to-wit,
the Amelia, Contrac-
tor, and Cuyahoga-Packet. The packet was
loaded with bag-
Ohio in the War of 1812. 299
gage to Hull's army, and some officers
of the army; the other
two loaded with provisions for said
army; the men are all con-
fined at Malden. -The above information
we received from
an express from Detroit on his way to
Buffaloe-he went in
consequence of the above captures. The
provision was for the
army - he says they will be in a state
of starvation before pro-
visions can be had, as it must go by
land."
Issue of July 22.
(From the Muskingum Messenger.)
The following proceedings of a
council has been forwarded to
us by order of the governor. The
council was held in the
woods, surrounded by 500 citizens of
Champaign and other
counties.
PROCEEDINGS
Of a council begun and held near Urbana,
Champaign
county, Ohio, on Saturday the 6th of
June, 1812, between his
excellency Return Jonathan Meigs, esq.
governor and com-
mander-in-chief in and over the state of
Ohio, and Ta-he
[Tarhe], (or Crane, principal chief,)
Sha-na-to, Scutush, Ma-
na-han, Dew-e-sew (or Big River,) chiefs
of the Wyandots,
Cat-a-we-pa-so (or Black Hoof),
Cut-awe-pa, (or Lewis,) Pi-
a-ge-ha, Pi-ta-na-ge, Kit-e-kish-e-mo,
Na-sa-ha-co-the, chief of
the Shawanoese, Ma-tha-me, (or Civil
John), of the Mingoes.
His excellency addressed the chiefs as
follows:-
My red brothers, chiefs of the Wyandots, Shawanoes, and
Mingoes, I thank the Great Spirit that
he has permitted us to
come together where we can talk freely
and sincerely. As
father of the people of the state of
Ohio, who live as neighbors
to you, I speak.
Brothers--Ever since the treaty of Greenville, we have
lived in peace and fulfilled all the
promises then made to you.
We wish always to live in peace with
you; it is because we
love peace, and not because we fear war.
The Wyandots,
Shawanoes, and Mingoes, are brave
nations, and brave men will
not break their promises.
Brothers -Our great father,
the President of the United
300
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
States, whose eye equally regards all
his children, desires that
you should live as we live, to raise
your provision, and provide
for your families.
Brothers-- Open your ears; listen to what I say; I speak
from my heart. Bad men and liars have
endeavored to break
the chain of friendship. If you hearken
to the deceiver called
the Prophet, and the mad man, Tecumseh,
his brother, your
skies will be cloudy, your paths will be
dark, and you will tread
on thorns. The pretended Prophet
has cheated some of dif-
ferent tribes. He does not communicate
with the Great Spirit;
his councils are foolish, and have
stained the land with blood.
The Great Spirit delights in seeing all
his children live in peace,
and smiles upon them when they do
so; but he frowned on the
Prophet at Tippecanoe and his deluded
followers were de-
stroyed. Beware, then.
Brothers - Open your ears. An army of my own children,
of fifteen hundred men, under the
command of general Hull,
the father of the Michigan territory, is
marching; but, brothers,
be not alarmed, although his arm is
strong, he will strike none
but his enemies.
Brothers - Listen to me attentively. - Your young men
sometimes go rashly out of the true
path, and do mischief, and
go to war without your permission. You
are their chiefs and
they must obey you. You must restrain
them, so that your
wives and children may sleep in peace
and the innocent not
suffer for the acts of the guilty.
His excellency then addressed himself
particularly Ta-he,
the principal chief of the Wyandots, and
taking him by the
hand continued:
My brother Ta-he-Twenty-one years ago I came from
the Ohio to you at Sandusky, through the
wilderness; you took
me to your cabin; I was faint, and you
refreshed me; I was
hungry and you fed me. I will now feed
you, and will shew
you the friendship which my people
shewed your people last
winter. After the battle of the Wabash
many hundreds of
men, women and children came among us,
even to the bank of
the great river, to hunt. I sent messages to my children
everywhere to treat your men, women and
children with kind-
Ohio in the War of 1812. 301
ness, and not to molest them, because I
told them you had a
right to come among us by the treaty of
Greenville. Not one of
all those who came among us was injured.
They tarried all
winter, and returned to their towns in
safety; and by that treaty
you must abide.
Brothers--I will not deceive you. The Great Spirit who
shakes the earth wills that I tell you nothing but the truth. If
you hold fast to the treaties you have
made, the United States
will hold them fast on their part; but
the tomahawk must not
be stained with the blood of my
children; if it is, it shall be
wrested from you, and sunk in the bottom
of the great lakes.
If you join the enemies of the U.
States, there will be no peace
for you.
Brothers-I lay my hand on my heart and assure you,
that if you are faithful, you shall be
protected. It is promised,
and it shall be fulfilled.
Brothers--You have listened to my voice, I will now to
yours.
Ta-he, after three hours spent in
private consultation with
the chiefs of the different nations,
spoke as follows:
Brother-We suppose that the Great Spirit has ordered
that we come together on this day. We
have not met to make
known our friendship towards you. We
thank the Great Spirit
that so many of us have been able to
come together at this time,
and that we can talk one with another.
The Great Spirit placed
us here as brothers, and, as we believe,
requires that we live
together as brothers ought to do. If we
are willing to live in
friendship with each other, he will
permit us so to remain. I
have heard often of our great father,
the President of the
United States. I have never seen him,
but I hope that not only
ourselves but that he also will be of
the same mind.
Brother-Listen; we have come to talk with you. We
have heard you, and we wish that you
would hear us. I hope
that not only you, but that our great
grandfather the President
of the United States will also listen,
as we expect that he will
hear what we have to say at this time.
Brother--I have not much to say about the treaty of
which you have been talking. I believe I
remember, and have
302 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
kept that treaty, and hope the Great
Spirit will help me always
to keep it. When our father, general
Wayne, and ourselves,
made that treaty, we talked about it
together; we then said that
the treaty, should never be broken, that
we would always be
at peace, that our women and children
might remain at rest;
we talked that we were old, and would
not long stay here, but
that we should teach our young men
always to keep it. This
is all I have to say, brother, for
myself.
Brother-We are only from a few nations who are here;
but I will now speak to you for them.
This (handing his ex-
cellency a bit of white wampum) is a token of peace. We have
received it from the Great Spirit. It is
clean and pure, and is
unstained with the blood of any white
man.
Brothers-The eye of the Great Spirit is not only on all
our actions, but sees our hearts. He did
not place us here to
quarrel, but to live in peace with one
another. We ought so
to talk and have his name in our hearts.
We can only speak
to you for ourselves; a number of my
people are a great way
off; those who are near me I speak for.
Brother, I wish you to understand me, we wish for peace.
We will not listen to bad men and liars,
and we pray the Great
Spirit to shut our ears against them.
Brother- Here are the chiefs of the Wyandot, Shawanoese
and Mingoes. We answer only for
ourselves. We are all of
one mind -we all wish for
peace. Brother we are not telling
you any lies, and I hope that you and
our great father, the presi-
dent of the United States, will think
so.-The Great Spirit knows
our hearts, and knows that we are
sincere. We may deceive
you, but we cannot deceive him. Brother, this is all
I have to
say. I hope our father, general Hull,
will soon be here; I wish
to speak to him and to you together as
brothers. I hope that
he may succeed, and that if he should
meet with any enemies
he may overcome them.
Black Hoof then spoke.
Father-I shake hands with you in friendship. You have
heard Ta-he. What he has said, we have
to say. We are all
as one.
Ohio in the War of 1812.
303
Father--I have got my instructions which I received from
my great father, the president of the
United States; I make
them my study, and walk in the path
which he pointed out,
without turning to the right or left. It
is the wish of me and
of all my nation to be at peace with
you, to be frugal, and indus-
trious, that we may provide for our
women and children. I
hope the Great Spirit will admit the
white people and me and
my people to shut their ears against
liars and all bad men. I
intended to keep the directions of our
great father, the presi-
dent, and all those who have authority
under him. I look to
you as to one of my great fathers, who
will point out the road
in which I have to walk. From the place
in which your people
have placed you - from your standing
among them - and from
your gray hairs, I think you have wisdom
to direct me, and
I shall listen to what you say. I am
glad you came here. I
hope you will help us to be at peace,
and take under your protec-
tion ourselves, our women and our
children, as you do your
white children, and as you think best
with them. Your red chil-
dren are poor but their hearts are good.
I am very happy to
see our father and brothers. I am happy
to shake hands with
you, and you may rest assured they shall
never be parted. The
writings and instructions I received
from my great father, the
president, I carry with me when I go
abroad. I have them
when I remain at home, and when I sleep
I lay them under my
pillow. You have heard the Wyandots- you
have heard me-
I have heard you. I (handing another
white wampum) give
you this from my heart, as a token of
peace. I have done. I
thank you.
Lewise then spoke.
I have only a few words to say, father.
I have heard some-
thing from you this day satisfactory to
me. It appears that by
the dispensation of Providence we have
met in peace at this
time. I trust the Great Spirit is now
looking down and will
witness the sincerity of my heart in
what I am going to say.
It is true what Ta-he has said; and I
also take my direction
from the seventeen fires which are
burning throughout this
union, and from the president of the
United States. I am but
a stripling in comparison with my aged
fathers who have spoke
304 Ohio
Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
before me, but I can speak the
sentiments of my heart. When
I went to my father, the president, and
secretary of war, I re-
ceived my instructions from them, and
although the heavens
should fall asunder and the earth
open beneath, I will not part
with them, or wander from the path which
they pointed out.
Father--I have heard what you have said and am glad
in my heart. I shall take every means to
prevent my young
men from disturbing the whites, in any
manner. This is all I
have to say, I have and will follow the
instructions of my father,
the president, the secretary of war, and
of yourself.
Gov. Meigs then told them Gen. Hull
would arrive the next
day -he would then take their hands and
place them in Gen.
Hull's, to which they assented. The
council broke up.
Attest.
JASON CURTIS,
HENRY BACON,
Secretaries.
(From the Western Spy)
We are indebted to the politeness of
William Ruffin, esq.,
postmaster in this place, for the
following extract of a letter,
together with the annexed speeches, from
his correspondence,
dated,
FORT WAYNE, May 25, 1812.
"I herewith transmit you the
speeches delivered in general
council, at Massassinway, on the 15th
May, 1812, where the
named tribes respectively were
represented, which I have tran-
scribed from the original as translated
by Capt. Wells. You
can use them as you think proper.
"The agent at this post has been
counselling with delega-
tion from the Massassinway council for
three days, the result
of which I suppose, will appear in
print."
A sketch of the different Indian
speeches, delivered at a
grand council, at Massassinway, on the
Wabash, on the 15th
May, 1812; where the following tribes
were represented: -
Wyandotts, Chippaways, Ottoways,
Puttawattamies, Delawares,
Miamies, Eel River Miamies, Weas,
Piankashaw, Shawanoes,
and Winabagoes.
Ohio in the War of 1812.
305
The council was opened by the
Wyandots with the following
speeches.
Elder Brothers - You that reside on the
Wabash, listen to
what I say; and in order that you may
distinctly hear, and
clearly understand our words, we now
open your ears and place
your hearts in the same position that
they were placed in by
the Great Spirit when he created you.
Young Brothers-We are sorry to see your
paths filled
with thorns and briars, and your land
covered with blood; our
love for you has caused us to come and
clear your paths and
wipe the blood off your land, and take
the weapons, that have
spilled this blood, from you, and put
them where you can never
reach them again.
Younger Brothers - This is done by the
united voices of
all your Elder Brothers that you now see
present, and who are
determined to not be disobeyed. This
determination by your
Elder Brothers, to put an entire stop to
the effusion of your
blood; has met with the approbation of
our Fathers, the British,
who had advised all the red people to be
quiet and not meddle
in quarrels that may take place between
the white people.
Tecumseh, the Prophet's brother,
replied.
Elder Brothers-We have listened with
attention to what
you have said to us. We thank the Great
Spirit for inclining
your hearts to pity us-We now pity
ourselves-our hearts
are good; they never were bad. Governor
Harrison made war
on my people in my absence -it was the
will of God he should
do so. We hope it will please God that
the white people may let
us live in peace; we will not disturb
them; neither have done
it except when they come to our village
with the intention of
destroying us. We are happy to state to
our brothers present,
that the unfortunate transaction that
took place between the
white people and a few of the young men,
at our village, is
settled between us and governor
Harrison; and I will further
state, had I been at home there would
have been no blood shed
at that time.
We are sorry that the same respect has
not been paid to
the agreement between us and governor
Harrison, by our
Vol. XXVIII--20.
306 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
brothers, the Puttawattamies; however,
we are not accountable
for the conduct of those over whom we
have no control; let the
chiefs of that nation exert themselves,
and cause their warriors
to behave themselves as we have and will
continue to do ours.
Should the bad acts of our brothers, the
Puttawattamies,
draw on us the ill will of our white
brothers, and they should
come again and make an unprovoked attack
on us at our vil-
lage; we will die like men, but we will
never strike the first blow.
The Puttawattamies spoke.
We are glad it should please the Great
Spirit for us to
meet today, and incline our hearts for
peace.
Some of the foolish young men of our
tribe, that have for
some winters past, ceased to listen to
the voice of their chiefs,
and follow the counsel of the Shawanoe,
that pretended to be
a Prophet, have killed some of our white
brothers this spring,
at different places; we believe that
they were encouraged in this
mischief by the pretended Prophet, who
we know has taken
pains to detach them from their own
chiefs and attach them to
himself. We have no control over these
few vagabonds and
consider them not belonging to our
nation, and will be thankful
to any people that will put them to
death wherever they are
found- as they are bad people and have
learnt to be so from
the pretended Prophet, and as he has
been the cause of setting
those people on our white brothers, we
hope he will be active
in reconciling them. As we all hear him
say his heart is in-
clined for peace, we hope we may all see
his declaration sup-
ported by his future conduct, and that
all our women and chil-
dren may lie down to sleep without fear.
The future conduct
of the Puttawattamies will evince the
great desire they have
to effect this desirable object.
Tecumseh replied.
It is true we have endeavored to give
all our brothers good
advice; if they have not listened to it,
we are sorry for it. We
defy a living creature to say we ever
advised any one, directly
or indirectly, to make war on our white
brothers.
Ohio in the War of 1812.
307
It has constantly been our misfortune to
have our views
misrepresented to our white brethren;
this has been done by
pretended chiefs of the Puttawatamies
and others that have
been in the habit of selling land to the
white people that did not
belong to them.
Tecumseh was then called to order by
the Delawares, who said-
We have not met at this place to listen
to such words. The
red people have been killing the whites,
and the just resentment
of the latter is raised against the
former. Our white brethren
are on their feet and their guns are in
their hands. There is no
time for us to tell each other, you have
done this and you have
done that; if there was, we would tell
the Prophet that both red
and white people have felt the bad
effects of his counsel. Let
us all join our hearts and heads
together and proclaim peace
throughout the land of the red people.
Let us make our voices
heard and respected, and rely on the
justice of our brethren.
The Miamics spoke as follows-
We feel happy that we appear of one
mind; that we all see
that it would be our immediate ruin to
go to war with the white
people.
We, the Miamies, have not hurt our white
brethren since the
treaty of Greenville. We would be glad
if all the other nations
present could say the same. We will cheerfully join our
brethren for peace, but we will not join
them for war against
the white people.
We hope our brothers, the Puttawatamies,
Shawanoes,
Kickapoos, and Winebagoes, will keep
their warriors in good
order, and learn them to pay more
respect to their women and
children, than they have done by going
and murdering the inno-
cent white people. The white people are
entitled to satisfac-
tion; it is the interest of the Indians
to give it to them imme-
diately. Let us do justice to our white
brethren, and expect
justice from them; by doing this, we
shall insure the future
peace and happiness of our men, women
and children.
308 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
Then the Kickapoos spoke-
Elder Brothers-- We your younger brothers, have listened
to all you have said, with attention. It
only remains for us to
say, that we are glad to hear you say
you have pity on our
women and children, and wish to stop the
effusion of our blood.
-We have settled our disputes with
Governor Harrison, and
are sorry the Puttawatamies have not
acted more like men than
they have done by killing the white
people after we had made
peace with them.
We have not two faces, and despise the
people that have.
The peace we have made with Governor
Harrison, we will
strictly adhere to, and trouble no
person, and hope no person
will trouble us.
The above is a correct translation.
WILLIAM WELLS.
May 26, 1812.
HIGHLY IMPORTANT.
Extract of a letter from John S.
Edwards, Esq., of this
town, to the Editor, Dated Huron,
July 16, 1812.
On Monday, the 6th of July, General Hull
arrived with his
army at Detroit, on Saturday night, the
11th of July, he crossed
over to Sandwich, on the Canada shore,
sixteen miles above Mal-
den, with two thousand men, and took
possession of it, without
bloodshed, at which place, he was by the
last advices fortifying.
The British have collected all their
forces at Maiden, where
it appears, they are determined to make
a stand. They have
two hundred and fifty regular troops,
seven hundred militia;
about four hundred Indians. The country
about Maiden, is in
the greatest state of alarm, and
distress possible; all the men of
that region, have been drove into the
garrison at Maiden; and
a great proportion of them at the point
of the bayonet.
The British are engaged in putting all
their most valuable
effects, on board of their vessels;
prepared to go down the lake,
provided they should be drove to
extremes.
The Indians are waiting to see the event
of the contest be-
Ohio in the War of 1812. 309
fore they take a stand. And nothing is to be feared from
them
in this quarter, unless General Hull
should be beaten.
I would further add, that on the 5th of
July, the British
began to throw up breastworks opposite
Detroit, from which
place they were driven from the firing
from Detroit; they then
went down the river three miles, and
began throwing up an-
other breastwork, from which place they
were again driven by
a fire from some pieces of ordnance,
that were taken from
Detroit, and planted opposite to the
spot where they were
fortifying.
All speak in the highest terms, of the
order, discipline,
and spirit of the troops under Gen.
Hull, and the most favor-
able result is anticipated from their
operations.
By WILLIAM HULL,
Brigadier General, and
Commander-in-Chief of the North-
western Army of the United States.
A PROCLAMATION.
Inhabitants of Canada! After
thirty years of peace and
prosperity, the United States have been
driven to arms. The
injuries and aggressions, the insults
and indignities of G.
Britain, have once more left them
no alternative but manly
resistance, or unconditional submission.
The army under my
command has invaded your country, and
the standard of the
UNION now waves over the Territory of
Canada. To the
peaceable, unoffending inhabitant, it
brings neither danger nor
difficulty. I come to find enemies,
not to make them. I come
to protect, not to injure you.
Separated by an immense ocean, and an
extensive wilder-
ness, from G. Britain, you have no
participation in her councils,
no interest in her conduct. You have
felt her tyranny, you
have seen her injustice; but I do not
ask you to avenge the one
or to redress the other. The U. States
are sufficiently powerful
to afford you every security, consistent
with their rights, and
your expectations. I tender you the invaluable blessings, of
civil, political and religious liberty,
and their necessary result,
310
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society
Publications.
individual and general prosperity; -that
liberty which gave
decision to our councils and energy, to
our conduct, in our
struggle for Independence, and which
conducted us safely and
triumphantly through the stormy period
of the Revolution:-
that liberty which has raised us to an
elevated rank among the
nations of the world, and which has
afforded us a greater
measure of peace and security, of wealth
and improvement,
than ever fell to the lot of any people.
In the name of my country, and by
the authority of my
government, I promise you protection to your persons, prop-
erty and rights. Remain at your homes. Pursue your
peaceful
and customary avocations. Raise not your
hands against your
brethren. Many of your fathers fought
for the freedom and
independence we now enjoy. Being
children, therefore, of the
same family with us, and heirs to the
same heritage; the arrival
of an army of friends must be hailed by
you with a cordial
welcome. You will be emancipated from
tyranny and oppres-
sion, and restored to the dignified
station of freemen. Had I
any doubt of eventual success, I might
ask your assistance, but
I do not. I come prepared for every
contingency. I have a
force which will look down all
opposition, and that force is but
the vanguard of a much greater. If
contrary to your own
interests, and the just expectation of
my country, you should
take part in the approaching contest,
you will be considered and
treated as enemies, and the horrors and
calamities of war will
stalk before you.
If the barbarous and savage policy of G.
Britain be pur-
sued, and the savages are let loose to
murder our citizens, and
butcher our women and children, this war
will be a war of
extermination.
The first stroke of a tomahawk, the
first attempt with the
scalping-knife, will be the signal for
one indiscriminate scene
of desolation. No white man found
fighting by the side of an
Indian will be taken prisoner. Instant destruction will be his lot.
If the dictates of reason, duty, justice
and humanity cannot
prevent the employment of a force which
respects no rights,
and knows no wrong, it will be prevented
by a severe and
relentless system of retaliation.
Ohio in the War of 1812.
311
I doubt not your courage and firmness. I
will not doubt
your attachment to liberty. If you
tender your services volun-
tarily, they will be accepted readily.
The United States offer you peace,
liberty and security.
Your choice lies between these and war,
slavery and destruc-
tion. Choose then, but choose wisely;
and may HE, who knows
the justice of our cause, and who holds
in HIS hand the fate
of Nations, guide you to a result the
most compatible with your
rights and interests, your peace and
prosperity.
WILLIAM HULL.
Issue of August 5.
CHILLICOTHE PATRIOTISM!
CHILLICOTHE, July 25.
Late on Saturday evening last an Express
arrived in town
with a letter from Gen. Hull, to
Governor Meigs, stating that
the army was very deficient in
provisions, that Mr. Piatt was
authorized to furnish a supply for two
months, and that the
communication must be preserved by the
militia of this state
or the army would perish for the want of
provisions. The
letter concludes with saying, "We
have the fullest confidence
that you will do all in your power to
prevent so distressing a
calamity." A letter was, at the
same time, received from the
contractor, stating, that provisions
were deposited at Urbana,
ready to be packed on horses, but that
he should be obliged
to wait for a convoy of troops to
protect it, and open a new
road: as the old one is almost
impassable. At the time the
above despatches were received, the
Governor was at his resi-
dence in Marietta. The next morning
(Sunday) they were
opened by the secretary of state; and
immediately on their
contents being made known the drum beat
to arms. It is with
peculiar pleasure we record the
patriotic spirit displayed by
our citizens on the occasion. After
marching through the streets
a short time, between 60 and 70
volunteers stepped into the
ranks at the call. No distinction of
party or profession was
known--the federalist, the republican,
the farmer, the me-
312
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society
Publications.
chanic, the lawyer and the merchant
indiscriminately deter-
mined to shoulder muskets, and brave
every danger to relieve
their fellow countrymen who are now in
Canada.
On Monday morning the company paraded at
the court
house, when they elected Henry Brush,
Captain, William Beach,
Lieutenant, and John Stockton, Ensign,
and then drew their
arms.
Being without uniform they instantly agreed upon a
suitable one for the purpose,
immediately purchased the stuff,
and through the exertions of the ladies
they were all completed
before evening. In the meantime the rest
of the citizens were
not idle-moulds being first made, some
were engaged in
moulding bullets, some in moulding buckshot,
and some in
making cartridges. Before evening, near 2,000 cartridges,
each
containing a ball and three buckshot,
were made, and other
necessaries, such as provisions,
canteens, knapsacks, blankets
and other camp equipage provided, all at
the expense of private
individuals. Early the next morning they
started for Urbana,
accompanied by the citizens, in regular
march, a few miles out
of town. -Thus in less than 24 hours, a
large company of
volunteers was raised, completely
equipped, and on their march
through a hostile and wilderness
country. The zeal and prompti-
tude displayed by our citizens on this
occasion deserve the
highest encomiums; although they did not
illuminate, and dis-
turb the peace of society by mobs and
rejoicings when they
received the Declaration of War: yet
they have exhibited that
true spirit of patriotism, which, when
required, steps forth
with alacrity, to defend her country's
rights. -It will be recol-
lected this is the fourth company who
have volunteered their
services and are now in actual service,
from this town and its
vicinity-two of whom are now in Canada.
Another com-
pany of mounted riflemen, from the
vicinity of this place, met
for the purpose of volunteering their
services on the present
occasion, had the Governor been here to
accept of them. Let
each state follow the example of Ohio,
especially Chillicothe
and its vicinity, and the contest in
which we are engaged will
soon come to an honorable termination.
Ohio in the War of 1812. 313
An express mail, now, passes through
this town, [Warren]
from Washington to Detroit; as this mail
goes upwards of an
hundred miles a day, and is opened in
this town, our subscribers
may expect the earliest intelligence,
both from Washington and
Detroit, at present the principal seat
of war, on land.
Issue of August 19.
FROM CHILLICOTHE, AUG. 8.
We understand that Gen. Winchester has
received orders
to reinforce Gen. Hull with 1,500 men.
This detachment will
consist of Kentucky volunteers, and
regulars recruited under
the late act of Congress. One hundred
regulars will go from
this state. * * *
Capt. Sutton and Ensign Van Horn arrived
in town last
evening from Canada. They left the
American army on
Wednesday. We are sorry to say that
Michilimachinac, which
lies about 300 miles above Detroit, has
been taken by the
British and Indians. The forces
consisted of about 1,000--
and the fortress was taken by surprise.
The American army
is in no want of provisions. Its lines
are within a few miles
of Fort Maiden. Several skirmishes have
taken place, in some
of which the Americans were successful,
in other British were
victorious. We understand that Gov. Meigs
will immediately
order out a considerable body of
volunteers and militia to
Detroit.
Avery Powers, quartermaster sergeant in
McArthur's reg-
iment, is among those that are killed.
His family, which con-
sists of a wife and several children,
resides in Franklinton.
Twenty-eight miles this side of Detroit
Capt. Sutton found
two men dead and scalped. One of whom
was his own son.
A small party of Indians was seen
afterwards in the woods.
Capt. Sutton and his party escaped
without injury.
The second company of Chillicothe
volunteers, were met
at Fort Findlay, and expected to reach
Detroit on the 10th inst.
The company, then consisted of about an
hundred men. They
were well and in good spirits. We do not
calculate to hear of
an attack on Fort Malden.
314 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
Mr. Lyons, who started from this place
with letters for
Detroit, has stopped at the river
Raisin, on account of some
Indian alarms.
Extract of a letter from Captain
Ulry, of the army of Ohio,
to a gentleman in this town, dated
Sandwich, July 26, 1812.
We have had four engagements with the
Indians and
British. The first time we beat them
back and took the ground.
The other three times, we had to retreat
without the loss of a
man, only two slightly wounded-one out
of Capt. Fryat's
company, and the other out of Capt.
Cunnigham's.
Yesterday we had a warm engagement with
a few of our
men under the command of Major James
Denny, particularly
with the Indians, but had to leave the
ground with the loss of
three men out of our regiment, and we
killed, it is supposed,
twelve Indians, and took a British
captain prisoner.
Gen. Perkins has ordered a muster of the
commissioned
and staff-officers of the 3d brigade,
4th division, Ohio militia,
to be held at the house of Asahel Adams,
in Liberty, on the
2nd and 3d days of September. Also, that
the field-officers
appear with their side-arms, and the
captains, subalterns and
staff-officers with muskets, and that
they perform camp-duty
during the night.
The court of common pleas for this
County will commence,
at Warren, on the 7th of Sept. next, and
will afford an oppor-
tunity to all those aliens who have not
filed the declaration of
their intention to become citizens, to
come forward and comply
with the provisions of the
naturalization laws.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE.
July 7th, 1812.
NOTICE.
All British subjects within the U.
States are required forth-
with to report to the Marshals (or the
persons to be appointed
Ohio in the War of 1812.
315
by them) of the respective states or
territories, within which
they may reside, their names, their age,
the time they have
been in the United States, the persons
composing their fami-
lies, the places of their residence, and
their occupations or
pursuits; and whether, and at what time,
they have made the
application to the courts required by
law, as preparatory to
their naturalization-and the Marshals
respectively, are to
make to the Department of State, returns
of all such British
subjects with the above circumstances
annexed to their names.
Issue of August 26.
TREMENDOUS STORM.
Extract of a letter from a gentleman
near Xenia (State
of Ohio) to the Editor of the
Reporter, dated July 6, 1812.
"A severe storm passed through
Darke, Montgomery and
Greene counties, on Saturday the 27th
ult. Its course was
nearly east. Everything in its course
was destroyed or blown
down; trees, fences, houses, etc. Two children were killed
near Greenville, and many persons were
wounded, some of
whom, it is thought, are dangerous.
-Many horses, cattle and
hogs have been killed; squirrels and
birds are found dead in
vast numbers; branches of trees, leaves,
flax, sheaves of grain,
etc., fell in showers for several miles
on each side of the storm;
many of the branches of trees were
carried to a great height
in the air, and their leaves frozen, and
some were found with
icicles hanging to them; large trees
were whirled in the air
and carried several hundred yards--corn
and wheat was tore
out of the earth, and the surface of the
ground carried away.
One of the gable ends of my house, which
was of brick, was
blown down, as also every log building
on the farm, and the
shingles and timbers carrier a great
distance -many farmers are
ruined; it has injured me one thousand
dollars at least. The
breadth of the storm was from one-fourth
to half a mile. It
was accompanied with a noise like
continued thunder, and a
darkness in the air almost equal to
night. I have heard of it
for sixty miles west, and how much
farther it extends I know
not. Cypress, pines, laurel and chestnut
branches were found
316 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
near this, and no such timber grows
within 100 miles in the
direction it came!"
IMPORTANT.
We have been politely favored with the
following account
of the surrender and capitulation of our
North Western Army,
under command of Brigadier General Hull.
HEAD QUARTERS, AT DETROIT, 16th
Aug., 1812.
General Orders.
It is with pain and anxiety that
Brigadier General Hull
announces to the North Western Army, that
he has been com-
pelled from a sense of duty, to agree to
the following articles
of capitulation:
CAMP DETROIT, Aug. 16, 1812.
Capitulation for the surrendering of
Fort Detroit, entered
into between Major General Brock,
commanding his Britanic
Majesty's forces, on the one part, and
Brigadier General Hull,
commanding the Northwestern Army of the
U. S. on the other
part.
1st. Fort Detroit, with all the troops,
regulars as well as
militia, will be immediately surrendered
to the British forces,
under the command of Major General
Brock, and will be con-
sidered prisoners of war, with the
exceptions of such of the
militia of the Michigan Territory, who
have not joined the
army.
2nd. All public stores, arms, and all
public documents,
including everything else of a public
nature, will be immediately
given up.
3d. Private persons and private property of every de-
scription will be respected.
4th. His Excellency Brigadier General Hull, having ex-
pressed a desire that a detachment from
the state of Ohio, on
its way to join his army, as well as one
sent from Fort De-
troit, under the command of Col.
McArthur, should be included
in the above capitulation. It is
accordingly agreed to. It is
however to be understood that such part
of the Ohio militia
Ohio in the War of 1812. 817
as have not joined the army will be
permitted to return home,
on condition that they will not serve
during the war; their
arms, however, will be delivered up, if
belonging to the public.
5th. The garrison will march out at
twelve o'clock this
day, and the British forces will take
immediate possession of
the fort.
J. McDONEL,
Lt. Col., M. P. A. D. C.
J. B.
GEGG,
Approved. Major, A. D. C.
WM. HULL, B. Gen.
Commanding the N. W. Army.
JAMES MILLER, Lt. Col.
5th U. S. Regt.
E. BRUSH, Col. 1st Regt.
Michigan Militia.
Approved.
ISAAC BROCK, Maj. Gen.
The army at twelve o'clock this day,
will march out at
the east gate, where they will stack
their arms, and will be then
subject to the articles of capitulation.
WM. HULL,
B. Genl. Com.
We are informed by the express who
favored us with the
above articles, that Gen. Hull gave up
the fort with very little
resistance, that there were but seven
men killed. Our in-
formant saw but about 100 of the Ohio
volunteers, who arrived
at Cleaveland on the 23d inst., and who
were set at liberty
by the British commanders, after
surrendering their arms with-
out being restrained from again entering
into the service--
that the regiment under command of Col.
McArthur did not
think proper to surrender themselves to
the British arms, but
have made their escape, and are
retreating with their arms,
etc., towards Urbana, Ohio--that he saw
an express pass
through Cleaveland with the dispatches
from Gen. Dearborn
to Gen. Hull, who says that an armistice
has been agreed upon
between him (Gen. Dearborn) and the
governor of Canada.
318 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
Verbal information was received here on
the 22nd instant,
stating the capture of Gen. Hull and his
army. In consequence
of which, orders were issued to the
commanding officers of
each regiment in the 3d brigade, 4th
division of the Ohio
militia, to have one-half of the
effective men under their re-
spective commands in the field,
completely equipped, and ready
for a tour of duty. In obedience to
which orders, about 200
of the drafted militia under the command
of Col. John S.
Edwards marched from this place on the
24th inst., destined
for Cleaveland; about 1 o'clock, p. m.
the drums beat for volun-
teers; a number of our most respectable
citizens immediately
turned out; before 5, a company was
raised, equipped, had
chosen their officers, and on their
march.
We also understand, that the quota of
men required of
Col. William Rayen of the 1st regiment and Col. Richard
Hays of the 3d regiment are on their
march.
The drafts made, in pursuance of the
requisition of the
governor some time ago, consisting of
one company of artillery
equipped with one 8-pounder and two
companies of infantry,
commanded by Major William W. Cotgreave, leave town
this day.
We further learn that subsequent orders
have been issued
by the general of the 4th division, to
have all the effective men
in the 4th brigade brought into the
field.
Issue September 2.
We last week announced to our readers
the disagreeable
news of the surrender of Detroit, and
its dependencies to the
enemy. We are happy to say that this
great misfortune did not
happen in consequence of any fault in
our government, but in
the treason of the infamous Hull. All
accounts agree in ascrib-
ing our loss to the treachery of the
commander. Cols. Cass and
M'Arthur, together with about an hundred
of the brave volun-
teers of this state, landed, a few days
since, at Cleaveland. Col.
Cass has gone on to Washington. We are
informed that at
the surrender of the place, the American
force was greatly su-
perior to the British. The army was
supplied with every nec-
Ohio in the War of 1812.
319
essary, and a large convoy of provisions
was at the Miami of
the lakes, under the command of Capt.
Brush, waiting for an
additional number of men to escort it on
to Detroit. It is said
that this party have made good their
retreat to Urbana.
Major General Wadsworth has established his head-
quarters at Cleaveland, and pushed
forward a body of troops
under the command of Brigadier General
Perkins, to Huron.
The detachment, from the brigade under
the command of Gen.
Bell, have been ordered to Mansfield.
The unfortunate prison-
ers belonging to this state, who
surrendered at Detroit, are daily
coming into Cleaveland. All accounts
concur in the establish-
ment of the treachery of Gen. Hull. But,
we trust, if the gov-
ernment of the United States will put
arms in our hands, that
the patriotic militia of Ohio, will soon
take abundant satisfac-
tion. As soon as the news of the fall of
Detroit was confirmed,
every man ran to arms, old and young,
without distinction of
politics, repaired to the post of
danger-no man waited for
the cold formality of the reception of
orders, but every one,
exempt or not from military duty put on
his armour.
Issue September 9.
Capt. Brush has arrived safe at
Chillicothe from the river Raisin.
CHILLICOTHE, August 25.
Extract of a letter from a gentleman
of respectability and
high standing, dated Sandwich, Upper
Canada, Aug. 9, 1812,
to his friend in this place.
"As for news I have little of
interest to give you-Our
army remains idle and inert, though
anxious to be active. Like
a body without a head it remains in statu quo--you will
not
understand me as wishing to convey an
idea that our army is
without a head, for what it wants in
head, it has in Hull.
'There was a vain old man when he scarce
could walk alone,
That from his shoulder undertook to
heave a huge round stone
But fatal the exertion prov'd, as
consequences shew,
His sinews crack'd, he broke his
back, John Anderson my Joe.'
320
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
It is not my wish or intention to
stigmatize the character
of any man; but I fear that government
has been extremely
unfortunate in its choice of a Brigadier
General for the North
Western Army. I dare not say that
H-l is a dangerous man,
but every day's experience tells us in
the plainest language that
energy is wanting, and that integrity
and plighted honor are
overwhelmed by the torrent of interest
and the ties of close
consanguinity, which exists in this
province. Had our army
been commanded by any other general than
Hull, I feel con-
fident that we would now be in
possession of Maiden. Three or
four times have detachments from
M'Arthur's regiment, been
called out to go to the bridge over Aux
Canard to observe the
movements of the enemy at that place,
five miles from Maiden
-Not more than 150 men were called out
at any time for that
purpose. - The consequences were that we
have had three
skirmishes with the enemy--In the last
we lost 5 men killed
or taken prisoners by the Indians. To a
prejudiced mind, even
these things might be construed to mean
that our army is to
be sacrificed by the Indians and the
British by piecemeal. The
fact is, contrary policy would have a
contrary effect: Su-
peranuation and stubborn imbecility,
poor excuses for indiscre-
tion. There are men in the army who
would lead it to Maiden
with the same spirit that animated
Montgomery. -Why are
the officers so diffident in electing
from among themselves a
commander whose enterprising spirit
would ensure victory to
their arms?
Extract of a letter from an officer
of high rank in the Ohio
army, to the Editor.
"To speak of our beloved Col.
M'Arthur I cannot do him
justice--he claims more from his country
for his meritorious
exertions in organizing the corps under
his command than my
feeble pen can describe. If you were not
acquainted with my
oppenness of sentiment, I should have
had a reluctance to speak
so freely of his merit-I esteem him
much: Never was an
officer so universally respected by his
soldiers. - If he continues
to merit their confidence, the happiest
effects will result from
it."
Ohio in the War of 1812. 821
VINCENNES, August 18.
The editor has been politely furnished
by Gen. Gibson,
(acting governor) with the perusal of a
letter from the com-
manding officer of Fort Harrison, dated
the 9th inst. in which
he says, that he has been informed by
three different friendly
Indians, that Tecumseh was preparing a
considerable force to
strike an important blow somewhere
against the whites, and
the full of this moon was the time fixed
for his commencement
of hostilities.-All the accounts
received concur in stating his
present force as being much greater than
at the battle of Tippe-
canoe, and that he expects a large
reinforcement about the time
of his contemplated attack. All agree in
opinion that this place
is their first object. Western Sun.
Western Sun.
We have good reason to believe that the
president of the
United States has rejected the proposed
armistice between Gen-
eral Dearborn and the governor of
Canada, and directed that
six days' notice should be immediately given to the respective
officers of the recommencement of
hostilities.
We hear nothing from Detroit --report
says, that the Ken-
tucky militia have arrived on the Miami
of the lake. Things
remain as they have done for some days
past at Cleavland.
We are told, that Gen. Wadsworth has
ordered most of his
troops to Pipe-creek, Huron county. It
is presumed that noth-
ing further, in this quarter will be
done until orders are re-
ceived from Washington.
Mr. Editor.
We are almost every day witnessing the
distressing effects
of the treachery of the traitor Hull.
Several of the Ohio volun-
teers have passed through this place,
who, with hundreds of
others, landed at the city of
Cleaveland, unite in declaring that
Detroit was surrendered, not for want of
powder, but attribute
it solely to the treachery of Hull, who
we are sufficiently au-
thorized to state was anxiously
solicited to permit the troops
Vol. XXVIII-21.
322
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society
Publications.
within the fort to fire on the enemy,
but to no effect, Hull al-
leging for reason that they were too
destitute of ammunition
which has since proved to be a palpable
falsehood, as there was
then in the magazine both powder and
lead in abundance to have
commenced and continued the fight as
long as occasion might
require. Some of the soldiers quite
recently from Detroit, state,
that the Indians are committing most
abusive depredations on
the river Raisen, stripping the
defenseless inhabitants of every
thing they can lay hands on, and
destroying what they cannot
take with them. The Indians are mightily
elated by their late
success-they almost all since the
surrender of Detroit, are
seen riding on good horses, well
equipped, while their swords
challenge us to fight. We hope the
government will speedily take
decisive measures to retrieve the almost
inconceivable loss sus-
tained by the treachery of Hull, and
bestow that reward on our
enemy which injustice, barbarity and
dishonor justly merit.
Maj. Gen. Wadsworth's headquarters are
at the city of
Cleavland, thirty-six miles from Huron
river, to which place
Brigadier General Perkins has marched
with 500 men, for the
purpose of building blockhouses, and to
guard the frontier
settlements.
TEN DOLLARS REWARD.
DESERTED on the 26th inst. James Dunlap,
a drafted soldier,
in the artillery of the 1st regt. 3d
brigade, 4th division Ohio
militia; he is of a dark complexion,
about six feet high, a tailor
by trade, late resident of Liberty
township, Trumbull county.
The above reward will be given, if
delivered at Cleaveland, or
secured in any jail in the state, and
reasonable expences by
JAMES HAZELIP, Capt.,
1st Regt. 3d Brigd. 4th Div. Ohio
Militia.
August 29, 1812.
Issue September 16.
We have received a communication, signed
James Dunlap,
which is an answer to certain
assertions, made by Capt. Hazelip,
of the artillery company, attached to
the 1st regiment, 3d
Ohio in the War of 1812. 323
brigade and 4th division of Ohio
militia, in an advertisement
published in our paper- We, in our
prospectus declared, that
we would never make our paper
subservient to private differ-
ence. Had we supposed this advertisement
was merely a thing
of a private nature, we should never
have published it. We
know not now whether it is such; but
this we know, if we ad-
mit of a replication to it, our paper
will be filled with such news
as will not be interesting to the public
- for in return Capt.
Hazelip may wish to rejoin-We are
willing to say thus much,
that Mr. Dunlap denies that he is a
deserter.
When I left Piqua which was on Monday,
the 24th, there
were about 700 Indians present, of whom
22 were Kickapoos,
27 Delawares, one family of Wyandots,
and the remainder
Shawanoes-they arrived at Mr. Johnston's
the Indian agent
the 15th inst. and encamped. On Monday,
the 17th, their war-
riors about 300 formed a novel
procession, and marched to
Piqua 3 miles - with all the ceremonies
and music peculiar to
Indians--there they saluted the
commissioners with two hearty
cheers, and the discharge of rifles, the
salute was returned by 100
Riflemen and 30 Cavalry. The Council was
then opened by Black
Hoof, who addressed the commissioners in
behalf of the
Shawanoes, in a very friendly manner.
Gov. Meigs replied;
he stated to them the object of the
council, etc., and then ad-
journed until more Indians should
collect-since which time
the greatest order and harmony have
prevailed their camps and
the neighboring inhabitants place
confidence in their assurances
of friendship. The news of the murder of
Capt. Wells which
they got on Wednesday and of the
surrender of Detroit on
Thursday have not altered their minds. -
About 350 Delawares
had arrived within a few miles of Piqua,
when I left there,
it was said that many of the Miamies
were on their way there
and about 100 Wyandots.
The greatest alarm prevails all over the
frontiers of Ohio
in consequence of the gloomy
intelligence from Detroit. On
Sunday Mr. Johnston sent down the
ammunition and some of
the other Indian annuities to Dayton.
Mr. Johnston's brother in
Fort Wayne writes by the last express
that he expects an attack
324
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society
Publications.
soon, and that his women and children
will start to Piqua in a
few days. He calls loudly for more men.
Gov. Meigs wrote
on Saturday from Urbana to Messrs.
Worthington and Mor-
row that the British flag was flying at
the foot of the rapids
of the Miami of the lake, and if they
wanted more men at
Piqua to send to him, or order them out
themselves. - Satur-
day night false reports were
industriously circulated in the ad-
jacent country that the Indians at the
council were meditating
hostilities and that Indians were
expected from Detroit, etc.
These together with the belief that
Detroit was in possession of
the British caused a general resort to
arms. Never did patriotic
ardour burst forth in a more general
flame in Ohio. Men of
all ranks went to meet danger. On Monday
and Thursday I
met great numbers of men well armed on
their way to Piqua
and Urbana there to do as may seem most
expedient.
J. H. MARCH.
Pittsburgh Mercury.
CHILLICOTHE, Sept. 5.
A letter from Cincinnati, to the
editors dated August 30,
says-"Two thousand Kentucky
volunteers left here yesterday
for Urbana; and about 400 more are
expected here this week.
The whole are to be under the command
of Gov. Harrison, who
is now in this town. He is appointed
a major general, by Gov.
Scott, of Kentucky, and the
volunteers from that state are much
pleased with the appointment."
An express which arrived at
Cincinnati, the 29th of Au-
gust, from Gen. Worthington to Col.
Wells, supposing him to
command the detachment from Kentucky,
requesting him to
order the troops under his command to
Fort Wayne, as they
had received pretty certain
intelligence that the Indians from
Lake Michigan, would soon attack that
post. General Harrison
immediately ordered the whole of his
force amounting to six
thousand, to Fort Wayne.
A letter from Gen. Thomas
Worthington, to a gentleman
in this town, dated at Piqua, August
25, says-"I expect and
hope that within the next three days,
a thousand men perhaps
more; will be on, and be beyond the
frontier. No mischief has
Ohio in the War of 1812. 325
been done in this neighborhood by
Indians, as yet; and if the
arrangements made are carried into
effect, of which there is a
great prospect, I have every reason
to hope that the whole fron-
tier of Ohio will be secured against
our savage neighbors, and
our more savage enemies--the British.
More than two regi-
ments have arrived and are on their
way; some of the detach-
ments have arrived here today.
COMMUNICATION.
On the 14th of August, at mid-day, the
British commenced
throwing up a breast work, on the east
side of Detroit river op-
posite to fort Detroit, within cannon
shot from the fort, and
planted their cannon, without a gun
being fired to molest them.
On the 15th Hull called a council of
officers to know, whether
he should fire upon the enemy, before
they fired upon him.
This inquiry was treated by the officers
with the contempt,
which it merited; all declaring, that
they supposed a general
could settle that question without
calling a council of war. On
the 15th at noon, the firing commenced,
from the breast work
so thrown up by the enemy upon the fort;
which was returned,
and continued until late in the evening;
it recommenced, on
both sides, on the morning of the 16th,
and while answered
from Detroit not a man was killed; after
it had ceased from
Detroit, 7 men were killed by 2 shot. On the
morning of the
16th Gen. Brock crossed the Detroit two
miles below, in sight
of the fort, without any attempt being
made to prevent him,
although Col. Miller and other officers
urged that they might
be permitted to prevent him; which they
thought, they could
do. Brock marched to the attack, with
700 regulars and militia
and 700 Indians, in, a lane, in solid
columns, in the face of six
pieces of heavy cannon charged with
grape shot, to within 600
yards of the fort; the men stood with
their matches lighted,
ready to fire, but were not permitted.
Col. Findlay's regiment
was posted behind a picket fence, having
port holes cut in it,
prepared to attack whenever the enemy
displayed. Cols. M'-
Arthur and Cass were in the rear of the
enemy with 400 men
waiting to attack their rear as soon as
the firing should com-
326
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society
Publications.
mence from the fort: in this situation Hull ordered
the white
flag to be hoisted, in opposition to the
opinion of every officer
and soldier with him. Hull had 2,500
effective men, provisions
for 40 days, and an abundant supply of ammunition.
By the Express Mail.
A detachment under the command of Major
Austin, of this
town, were sent a few days since on to
the peninsula between
lake Erie and Sandusky bay for the
purpose of procuring re-
freshment for the troops under the
command of Gen. Perkins.
They passed over to Cunningham's island,
where they discov-
ered a British schooner on shore, and
abandoned by her crew
-they set her on fire and left her. On
their return they dis-
covered the dead body of Mathew Guy of
this neighborhood.
Returning from that place, one of their
own number was shot
through the head and fell dead. This is
the first blood that
has been shed since the declaration of
war at Sandusky bay.
We are told that the president has
ordered on to Gen. Wads-
worth 1500 muskets.
Issue September 23.
The News.
From the west. On the 5th instant Gen. Harrison had his
headquarters at Piqua. He has issued a
proclamation, requiring
every person who is able to do so, to
join him, well mounted
with a rifle and 20 or 30 days'
provisions. His present forces
amounted to between 5 and 6,000. He is
marching to the relief
of fort Wayne, which was then besieged
by the British and
Indians. Fort Wayne was not taken on the
6th instant. He
writes to Governor Shelby of Kentucky,
on the 5th instant, that
he had detached 900 Kentucky infantry
under the command of
Col. Allen, who would be joined by 700
mounted men, who
were in advance of him, to the relief of
that fort; but that he
had not been able to move with the main
body of the army for
the want of two essential articles-that a small
supply would
be up that day, and the troops would
then be ready to march
Ohio in the War of 1812. 327
in two hours. He says, we are well
supplied, however, with
bayonets, and our spirits are up to the
highest pitch. Indigna-
tion and resentment fire every breast.
General Brock has issued a proclamation
to the citizens of
Michigan territory, dated the 16th
August, declaring that Gen-
eral Hull had that day ceded the
territory of Michigan to his
Britanic majesty's army; announcing that the laws heretofore
in existence shall be continued in
force, until the pleasure of
his Britannic majesty is known; and that
the inhabitants thereof
shall be protected in the enjoyment of
their religion, etc. All
persons having arms in their possession
are requested to deliver
them up, for which receipts will be
given; as also all kinds of
public property. Pittsburgh Mer.
CHILLICOTHE, September 12.
No news of importance has been received
from our fron-
tier since our last paper. Gen. Harrison
arrived at Piqua on
the 2d inst. with about 2,000 Kentucky
volunteers and 400
regulars under Col. Wells. Col. Allen,
with about 900 Kentucky
volunteers, and a company of horsemen,
commanded by Capt.
Garret, were soon despatched to
reinforce the Ohio volunteers
who had previously marched for the
relief of fort Wayne.
Capt. Langham left Urbana on Saturday
last, for the same pur-
pose. The whole force in that quarter,
amounts to about 6,000
men; and from the movements and orders
of Gen. Harrison,
we believe he intends to scour the whole
Indian country and
completely crush our savage adversaries.
Great fears are enter-
tained that fort Wayne will be taken
before the above detach-
ments get there. A large body of Indians
and British had sur-
rounded the fort, which was, we
understand, in a bad state
of defense. Supporter.
Supporter.
General Wadsworth, we are told, has
removed his head-
quarters from Cleaveland, to the Portage
between the Cuyahoga
and the Tuskarawas branch of the
Muskingum, after having
sent reinforcement to Gen. Perkins, at
Huron. The object of
328 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
this movement, we are told, is to open a more direct communica-
tion between Pittsburgh and Sandusky, and to facilitate the
transportation of cannon and military stores to the Michigan
Territory.
PROCLAMATION.
WHEREAS, The United States are now at war with Great
Britain, whose forces are aided by savages of the most ferocious
nature, and the frontiers of the state of Ohio are exposed to
their cruelties and depredations, as well as to the machinations
of traitors and spies--creating discontent among our citizens,
and giving our enemies information of our situation, forces
and movements.
In order therefore (as far as lays in our power) to pre-
vent such cruelties, machinations, treachery, and spying--I is-
sue this proclamation, EXHORTING all the citizens and inhabitants
of the state of Ohio, to the strict observance of all their duties,
as such; requiring all military officers according to their rank
to be strict, in their attention to the discipline, arms and order
of all those under their command, and to hold themselves in
constant readiness for active service.
Also, requiring all magistrates, conservators of the peace,
and all civil officers and others, to be vigilant in the apprehen-
sion, examination, and commitment of all such traitors or spies,
in order that they may be dealt with according to law.
R. J. MEIGS,
Governor of Ohio.
Issue September 30.
We are informed by a gentleman directly from Gallipolis,
that two large boats loaded with cannon, completely mounted,
and several others with ammunition and public stores, descended
the Ohio, for Cincinnati, on Monday last. They are, no doubt,
intended for the northwestern army, now at Urbana. If so,
our brave volunteers will have warm work this fall.
Scioto Gazette.
Ohio in the War of 1812. 329
By the British Col. Proctor's
"civil regulations for the gov-
ernment of the Michigan territory,"
AUGUSTUS B. WOOD-
WARD, a U. States judge of the
supreme court of that terri-
tory, is appointed secretary to the
British governor! It ap-
pears that there was more than one man
at Detroit who had
an "itching palm."
The News.
By the last accounts from General
Harrison's army, it ap-
pears that about 3000 troops are at St.
Mary's, on the 8th inst.
which is 55 miles this side of fort
Wayne.
The following is about the force General
Harrison has
with him from Kentucky:
Col. Allen's regiment 650; Scott's, 600;
Lewis', 650;
Poague's 640; Barbee's, 640; Jennings,
600; mounted volunteer
for a short period, 500; regulars under
Col. Wells, 400; Col.
Simrall's regiment of horse 300; Capt.
Garrard's troops of
horse, 80-Total, 5060.
A number of mounted volunteers from
Kentucky were to
rendezvous at Louisville, on the 18th,
and were to march im-
mediately for Vincennes. They are to be
joined by Col. Wil-
cock's regiment of 588 men, and Col.
Miller's of 700. The
whole force, when collected, will amount
to about 3000, and
will be under the command of Gen.
Hopkins, who, it is ex-
pected, will march against the Wabash
Indians, and then to
co-operate with Gen. Harrison.
To the Independent Electors of the
State of Ohio.
You will soon be called upon to exercise
the inestimable
right of suffrage; to do that act,
which, practically, evidences
you to be freemen. The proper
designation of persons to fill
the respective offices of government is
of the utmost conse-
quence. This is a time of danger; a
"time which" in some de-
gree "tries men's souls". It
is very important, that we should
select a proper person for our executive
magistrate. To assist
in that object, the writer of this
offers, to his fellow citizens,
his thoughts upon the subject.
330 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
Many of us are unfortunately, beginning
to doubt the in-
tegrity of our present governor. I say,
unfortunately, for I
believe those suspicions are without
foundation; and that we
shall not find here, or anywhere else, a
better man. It has been
said that, he has had a connection with
the traitor Hull. To
support this position, it is said, he
has put the militia of Ohio
under the command of Hull. I would ask,
if it was not his
duty so to do? Was not Hull, at a time,
when no man sus-
pected him of treachery, appointed a
brigadier general in the
army of the U. States, and ordered by
the president, to take
the command of that part of the militia
of the state which were
ordered to Detroit. Will any man say,
that Governor Meigs
ought to have refused to put the militia
under an officer of the
U. States. I trust, that in this state,
no friend of the Union
will advance a doctrine, so pregnant
with evil. Has not Gov-
ernor Meigs used every exertion to
provide for the convenience
of the troops. It must be answered in
the affirmative. He has
advanced 9000 dollars from his private
purse, for the equipment
of the first army of Ohio. The most of
the past year has been
spent, by him, in the organization of
different detachments of
militia. He is now at Urbana, organizing the detachment,
which have been put under the command of
Gen. Harrison.
Can this man be an enemy to his country?
-certainly not.
The enemies of our worthy chief
magistrate, envious of
his justly acquired popularity, have
attempted to injure him,
by reporting, that he is the
brother-in-law of Hull. This is
false-the writer of this article is
personally acquainted with
Governor Meigs, and his family. He knows
this assertion not
to be true. But even suppose it were
true, does it follow, that
because a man is a traitor, that all his
relatives are? Was the
nephew of Hull, who, with tears in his
eyes, besought his uncle
not to abandon Sandwich, but to make an
attack upon Maiden,
a traitor?-who when offered protection
by his uncle, if he
would go with him to Lower Canada,
spurned the offer, and
chose rather to abandon his all to the
merciless savage, and
risk the lives of himself, wife, and
infant child, in a retreat
through the wilderness to Urbana.
Is the brave Capt. Hull, of the
Constitution frigate, who
Ohio in the War of 1812.
331
has gained the most brilliant naval
victory, ever obtained by
an American, a traitor because he is the
nephew of Gen. Hull?
No man supposes, that he was bought by
English gold, when he
fought, and conquered the British
frigate Gurriere.
It is reported from a quarter entitled
to credit, that Gen.
Harrison having placed two men upon each
of his horses, made
a forced march for fort Wayne, where he
has arrived before it
was necessary for the fort to surrender
Issue of October 7, 1812.
From Montreal, September 7, 1812.
"Yesterday Gen. Hull and the 4th
regiment U. S. regulars
arrived here, prisoners of war, and were
confined in the gov-
ernment house. The general rode at their
head in a calash,
and, looked dignified but distressed. A
great crowd followed
them and when the troops which guarded
them arrived at the
government house, the populace gave
three cheers, and the
drums beat Yankee Doodle. If this
was intended as an insult
to the prisoners, it was mean and
pitiful."
CHILLICOTHE, September 23.
GOOD NEWS!!
An express from Gen. Harrison has just
arrived in town.
About 4000 men are encamped near fort
Wayne. The Indians,
which were about it, would not stay to
fight. The headquarters
of the northwestern army, are at St.
Mary's between Piqua and
fort Wayne. A detachment of the army,
under Col. Wells, has
destroyed five Indian towns, burnt all
the corn, etc., one of the
towns which has been destroyed, was
occupied by the Potowa-
tomies; and two by the Miamies. We have
not been able to
ascertain, to what tribes the other two
Indian villages belonged.
CINCINNATI, September 22.
On Saturday, the 12th inst., Gen.
Harrison, with about 3000
troops arrived at fort Wayne. A scouting
party immediately
332
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society
Publications.
went out to search for Indians, and
scoured the woods for sev-
eral hours; but not an Indian could be
found-though some
had so suddenly decamped as to leave
their fires burning, and
baskets lying near. It was supposed
there had been from three
to 400 Indians. They had burnt 12 or 14 cabins in the neigh-
borhood of the fort, and killed nearly
all the cattle, milch cows,
sheep, hogs and chickens, belonging to
the fort, and the people
who had been living in those cabins
which were burnt. Not
wanting all the meat, the putrifying
carcases were numbers of
them lying above the ground when the
army arrived. -The In-
dians, previous to the arrival of the
army shot two men who
incautiously were outside of the fort a
short time. Friday, the
11th, a small party of spies and four friendly Indians, who
were
a few miles in advance of the army,
discovered a small party
of hostile Indians, who fired on them
without doing any injury
-but one of the spies shot an Indian,
and tracked him by the
blood a considerable distance, until he
left his blanket and rifle,
but could not find him. They briskly
pursued the Indians sev-
eral miles, but without effect.
Since writing the above (Monday afternoon)
Lieut. Bryson,
of Newport, Ky., has politely
communicated the following. -
That an express had just arrived, who
states verbally, that the
detachment under Gen. Wells, which left
fort Wayne on the
14th inst. returned on Friday last-having
destroyed FIVE
Potowatamie and Miami towns, without
having seen an Indian.
WAR DEPARTMENT,
September 1, 1812.
Your excellency's letter of August 24th
is received. It
is the determination of the president to
regain the ground which
has been lost, and to prosecute with
redoubled vigor the original
object of the campaign. In addition to
the troops under Gen-
eral Winchester, a brigade of militia
will be marched from the
upper part of Pennsylvania, as soon as
practicable, with such
volunteers as may offer from that
quarter. Fifteen hundred in-
fantry have been ordered from Virginia,
and the troops under
General Harrison will co-operate with
this force on the frontier.
Ohio in the War of 1812. 333
The president has great confidence in
your zealous support of
these measures by all the means within
your control.
Very respectfully yours,
W. EUSTIS.
His excellency R. J. Meigs,
Governor of Ohio.
SIR. I
arrived at camp last evening, and find that the en-
gagement on the peninsula, has proved
less unfortunate than
was at first apprehended--our loss are
six killed, and ten
wounded; the wounded are mostly very
slight, and none I think
mortal.
The names of the killed, are James S.
Bills, Simon Black-
man, Daniel Mingus, Abraham Simons,
- Ramsdale,
Mason.
Wounded, are Samuel Mann, Moses
Eldridge, Jacob
French, Samuel B. Tanner, John Carlton,
John M'Mahon,
Elias Sperry, James Jack, a Mr. Lee, an
inhabitant of this
neighborhood, etc. Mr. Ramsdale, also of this vicinity.
Knowing the anxiety of the inhabitants
at the eastward, I detain
the messenger no longer than to write
the above, and am,
Sir, yours,
SIMON PERKINS.
P. S. Our men fought well, and the
Indians suffered very
considerably.
The commandant at Cleavland.
Camp at Avery, Huron county, October 3d,
1812.
Mr. Editor.
The commissioners appointed under an act
of Congress,
to lay out a road from the rapids of
Miami to Sandusky, and
thence to the west line of the Reserve,
have struck the west line
of the Reserve, eleven miles and some
chains, north of the
southwest corner of the same; this
affords a fair opportunity
to the citizens of Portage and the south
part of Trumbull
county, to secure to themselves, the
great leading road of travel,
and the great mail rout from Pittsburgh
to Detroit: and we
334
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society
Publications.
trust that they will not let the
opportunity escape them. By
placing the road in good state of
repair, they render the busi-
ness certain, and such we trust is their
intelligence, enterprise
and industry, that it will be done; it
is to them a great and im-
portant object, their only competitors
will be the citizens of Co-
lumbiana, Stark and Wayne counties: the
distance by the two
routes will be nearly the same, but the
road was unquestionably
laid out with a view to pass through
those three counties.
After leaving the Sandusky, it takes a
direction pointing directly
to Worcester in Wayne county, Gen. Bell,
one of the commis-
sioners, is largely interested in lands
in and about the county
seats, of those counties and of course
much interested in the
road going through Worcester, Canton and
Newlisbon, and upon
a late occasion he declared at Canton,
that the route through
those towns was the nearest, and best,
and would obtain the
travel. It is hoped that those
interested in the first mentioned
route will take measures to get an
appropriation made by our
next Legislature upon it. It is
interesting to them, and the
public generally.
IMPROVEMENT.
ZANESVILLE (Ohio) September 23.
Extract of a letter from Governor
Meigs to General Vanhorn,
dated Urbana, September 19, 1812.
General Harrison's army reached fort
Wayne on Saturday
last, all safe. The Indians had retired
four days before, after
burning and destroying every species of
property, public and
private, outside of the garrison. My
brother and two soldiers
are the only persons that have fallen at
that place. Expeditions
have gone out in different directions
from fort Wayne to harras
the Indians. The Miamies were associated
with the Potawa-
tamies and are of course against us. One
party had gone
against their towns on the Wabash, and
another against the
Potawatamies on the waters of lake
Michigan.
There is now altogether in advance of
this place between
4 and 5000 men, and about 2000 within
two days' journey com-
Ohio in the War of I812. 335
ing on. We have every reason to believe
that the frontiers
will be visited by the savages.
R. J. MEIGS.
P. S. Eight hundred Indians are here and
their families,
and appear friendly.
Issue October 14.
(From the Crawford Messenger.)
MR. ATKINSON.
I arrived here a few days ago from
Detroit, which place
I left the 19th inst. I did not belong
to the army under Gen.
Hull, but was there previous to his
arrival, and at the time of
his surrender of the place to the
British arms. On the morning
of the surrender I was in the militia of
the territory, com-
manded by Col. Brush, who informed us
that Hull was going
to give the place up, and the reasons
for doing so were, that
1800 British regulars were marching up to
attack us, and that
we had not on hand ammunition sufficient
to last one hour, and
the provisions for the supply of the
army did not exceed one
day. After the surrender, I enquired of
Col. Brush from whom
he got this information, and he told me
from Gen. Hull. I
then undertook to collect, from the best
sources, a statement
of the arms, etc., on hand, at the time
of the capitulation, in
order to refute this unfounded
assertion, which I give you for
publication. I will not undertake to say
that it is entirely cor-
rect, but I am confident it varies but
little from the truth. The
information I give of the provisions on
hand I had from the
contractor's agent the other was
obtained either from the
British officers or from American
gentlemen who had con-
versed with them.
Yours, etc.,
WILLIAM FOSTER.
Meadville, 28th September, 1812.
336
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society
Publications.
Memorandum of arms, ammunition, etc.,
in Detroit, 16th Au-
gust, 1812, the day
of the treasonable surrender of the place
to the British forces, by Brig. Gen.
Wm. Hull.
2000 muskets and
accoutrements stacked on the esplanade
after the surrender.
450 do. do. brought in after the
surrender by Cols. M'-
Arthur and Cass, and stacked on do.
N. B. The number in the arsenal not
known.
9 twenty-four pounders mounted.
27 iron and brass pieces from 18 to 4
pounders, 4 or 5 of
which were not mounted.
2 howitzers.
1 mortar.
480 rounds of fixed ammunition for the
24 pounders.
600 do. do. for the 6 pounders.
For the ordnance not ascertained.
200 cartridges of grape shot for the 24 pounders.
200 do for the 4 pounders.
The shells prepared and filled not
ascertained, but the num-
ber very considerable.
60 barrels of gunpowder.
75,000 musket cartridges made up,
besides 24 round in
possession of each man.
150 tons of lead.
150 do. cannon ball of different sizes.
25 days provisions on hand, besides 120 pack horse load
of flour, and 300 head of cattle at the
river Raisin, 36 miles
from Detroit, under the escort of Capt.
Brush, and 300 men
from Chillicothe--also 200 barrels of
flour at the same place,
sent there by the contractor in boats
from Black Rock.
Two thousand men under arms in Detroit,
beside the de-
tachment of 450 under Cols. McArthur and
Cass, who had been
sent to meet Capt. Brush at the river
Raisin, but for want of
provisions had returned on the 15th, and
encamped that night
within six miles of Detroit. About
sunrise on the morning of
the 16th, they saw the British cross the
river three miles above
them, and sent word immediately to Hull
where they were, but
no advantage was taken of their eligible
position, who could
Ohio in the War of 1812.
337
have completely cut off the retreat of
the enemy, had the traitor
who commanded in Detroit gratified the
wishes of his men, and
suffered them to commence fighting.
McArthur and Cass had
left Detroit on Thursday evening the
13th, without provisions,
under the promise that a supply would be
sent after them the
next morning. The supply was not sent.
They had orders to
take a private road, which was seventy
miles to the river Rai-
sin; they travelled most part of
Thursday night and Friday,
and on Saturday morning concluded it was
best to return to
Detroit, as they could not proceed
without provisions. It was
supposed by many that this detachment
was sent off on pur-
pose to have it out of the way at the
time of the disgraceful
surrender of Detroit, and its return was
as unexpected to Hull
as its beneficial co-operation with the
army in Detroit, was ap-
parent.
The whole force of the enemy did not
amount to more than
one thousand men, of which there were
about two hundred
Indians, who kept skulking through the
woods, and who would
not have dared to come within reach of
the guns of the fort.
There were three hundred and fifty
regulars of the fourth regi-
ment, and the balance were Canadian
militia.
The treaty making at Piqua has been
broken up. The com-
missioners' report will be given in our
next. The Indians who
attended there are required to remain
within our protection,
and are enrolled and mustered daily to
prevent desertion. The
warriors are said to amount to upwards
of 300 men. Gen.
Harrison has marched with a strong force
to Fort Wayne, 700
of whom are mounted riflemen and
musketeers. Governor
Meigs remains at Urbanna with a strong
force waiting orders
from the war department. Detroit has a
small detachment left
in it as a guard by the British, but
they have carried off the
greater part of its military supplies.
Maiden is also defended
at present by a small force.
Mus. Messenger.
Vol. XXVIII -22.
338
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society
Publications.
Extract of a letter from Wm. S. Hutt,
a volunteer under Gen.
Harrison, to his lady in Chillicothe,
dated,
HEAD QUARTERS, CAMP ST. MARY'S, Sept.
22.
"This morning at 9 o'clock, we
paraded agreeably to gen-
tral orders, and formed in a hollow square, when general
Hart i-
son mounted a waggon and delivered a
harrangue, in which he
set forth the absolute necessity of
subordination among the mili-
tary, and expressed his confidence in
the strength of the army
now collected and collecting to reduce
Malden and Detroit Le-
fore Christmas, which he was determined
to effect. The gen.
told the army that if any of the six
months' men wished to stay
behind, he would place them in a
garrison; and if any of the
thirty days' men wished to return, they
should receive their
discharge, &c. and at the signal a
few of them declared they
would (and have) returned. We do not
know how long we
are to remain in this place, but that is
one of my least con-
cerns. Gen. Harrison wears his hunting
shirt every day: he
appears quite affable, and has a keen
eye."
GEN. HULL'S ACCOUNT.
WASHINGTON CITY Sept. 19.
Yesterday afternoon at 2 o'clock lieut.
Anderson, of the
U. S. army, reached the city, bearer of
dispatches from brig.
gen. Wm. Hull, to the department of war,
of which the fol-
lowing copies have been obtained for
publication:
MONTREAL, 8th Sept. 1812.
SIR - The enclosed dispatch was prepared
on my arrival
at fort George, and it was my intention
to have forwarded it
from that place by major Wetherill, of
the Michigan volun-
teers. I made application to the
commanding officer at that
post, and was refused; he stating that
he was not authorized,
and gen. Brock was then at York. We were
immediately em-
barked for this place, and major
Wetherill obtained liberty at
Kingston to go home on parole.
This is the first opportunity I have had
to forward the
despatches.
Ohio in the War of 1812. 339
The 4th U. S. regiment is
detained for Quebec, with a
part of the first. The whole consists of
a little over three
hundred.
Sir George Prevost, without any request
on my part, has
offered to take my parole, and permit me
to proceed to the
states.
Lieut. Anderson, of the 8th regiment, is
the bearer of my
despatches. He was formerly a lieut. in
the artillery, and re-
signed his commission on account of
being appointed marshall
of the territory of Michigan. During the
campaign he has had
a command in the artillery; and I
recommend him to you as
a valuable officer.
He is particularly acquainted with the
state of things previ-
ous and at the time when the
capitulation took place. He will
be able to give you correct information
on any points about
which you may think proper to enquire.
I am, very respectfully, your most
obedient servant,
W. HULL.
HON. W. EUSTIS, Sec. of War.
FORT GEORGE, Aug. 26, 1812.
SIR-Enclosed are the articles of capitulation,
by which
the fort of Detroit has been surrendered
to major-general Brock,
commanding his Britannic majesty's
forces in Upper Canada,
and by which the troops have become
prisoners of war. My
situation at present forbids me from
detailing the particular
causes which led to this unfortunate
event. I will, however,
generally observe, that after the
surrender of Michillimackinac
almost every tribe and nation of
Indians, excepting a party of
the Miamies and Delawares, north from
beyond lake Superior,
west from beyond the Mississippi, south
from the Ohio and
Wabash, and east from every part of
Upper Canada, and from
all the intermediate country, joined in
open hostility under the
British standard, against the army I
commanded, contrary to the
most solemn assurances of a large
portion of them to remain
neutral - even the Ottawa chiefs from
Arbacrotch, who formed
the delegation to Washington the last
summer, in whose friend-
340
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
ship I know you had great confidence,
are among the hostile
tribes and several of them distinguished
leaders. Among the
vast number of chiefs who led the
hostile band, Tecumseh,
Marpot, Logan, Walk-in-the-water,
Split-Log, etc., are consid-
ered the principles. This numerous assemblage of savages,
under the entire influence and direction
of the British com-
mander, enabled him to obstruct the only
communication which
I had with my country.
This communication had been opened from
the settlements
in the state of Ohio, two hundred miles
through a wilderness,
by the fatigues of the army which I
marched to the frontier on
the river Detroit. The body of the lake
being commanded by
the British armed ships, and the shores
and rivers by gun boats,
the army was totally deprived of all
communication by water.
On this extensive road, it depended for
transportation of pro-
visions, military stores, medicine,
clothing and every other sup-
ply, on pack horses -all of its
operations were successful until
its arrival at Detroit, and in a few
days it passed into the
enemies' country, and all opposition
seemed to fall before it.
One month it remained in possession of
this country, and was
fed from its resources. In different directions, detachments
penetrated sixty miles in the settled
part of the province, and
the inhabitants seemed satisfied with
the change of situation
which seemed to be taking place. The
militia from Amherst-
burg were daily deserting, and the whole
country, then under
control of the army, was asking for
protection. The Indians
generally in the first instance,
appeared to be neutralized, and
determined to take no part in the
contest. The fort of Amherst-
burg was 18 miles below my encampment.
Not a single cannon
or morter was on wheels suitable to
carry before that place.
I consulted my officers, whether it was
expedient to make an
attempt on it with the bayonet alone,
without cannon, to make
a break in the first instance. The
council I called was of the
opinion it was not. The greatest
industry was exerted in mak-
ing preparations, and it was not until
the 7th of Aug. that two
24 pounders, and three howitzers were prepared. It was then
my intention to have proceeded on the
enterprise.
While the operations of the army were
delayed by these
Ohio in the War of 1812. 341
preparations, the clouds of adversity
had been for some time
and seemed still thickly to be gathering
around me. The sur-
render of Michillimackinac opened the
northern hive of In-
dians, and they were swarming down in
every direction. Rein-
forcement from Niagra had arrived at Amherstburgh under
the command of Col. Proctor. The
desertion of the militia
ceased. Besides the reinforcements that
came by water, I re-
ceived information of a very
considerable force under the com-
mand of major Chambers, on the river Le
French, with four
field pieces, and collecting the militia
on his route, evidently
destined for Amherstburg; and in
addition to this combination,
an increase in force, contrary to all my
expectations, the Wyan-
dots, Chippawas, Ottawas, Pottawamies,
Munsees, Delawares,
&c. with whom I had the most
friendly intercourses, at once
passed over to Amherstburg, and accepted
the tomahawk and
scalping knife. There being now a vast
number of Indians at
the British post, they were sent to the
river Huron, Browns-
town and Maguago to intercept my
communication. To open
this communication, I detached major
Vanhorn of the Ohio
volunteers with 200 men to proceed
as far as the river Raisin,
under an expectation he would meet Capt.
Brush with 150 men,
volunteers from the state of Ohio, and a
quantity of provisions
for the army. An ambuscade was formed at
Brownstown, and
major Vanhorn's detachment defeated and
returned to camp
without effecting the object of the
expedition.
In my letter of the 7th inst. you have
the particulars of
that transaction with a return of the
killed and injured. Under
this sudden and unexpected change of
things, and having re-
ceived an express from gen. Hall,
commanding opposite the
British shore on the Niagara river, by
which it appeared that
there was no prospect of any
co-operation from that quarter,
and the two senior officers of the
artillery having stated to me
an opinion that it would be extremely
difficult, if not impossible,
to pass the Turkey river and river Aux
Cannard, with 24 pound-
ers, and that they could not be
transported by water, as the
Queen Charlotte, which carries eighteen
twenty-three pounders,
lay in the river Detroit above the mouth
of the river Aux Can-
nard; and as it appeared indispensibly
necessary to open the
342 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
communication to the river Raisen and
the Miami, I found my-
self compelled to suspend the operation
against Amherstburg,
and concentrate the main force of the
army at Detroit. Fully
intending, at that time, after the
communication was opened,
to recross, the river and pursue the
object at Ambersburg, and
strongly desirous of continuing
protection to a very large num-
ber of the inhabitants of Upper Canada,
who had voluntarily
accepted it under my proclamation; I
established a fortress on
the banks of the river, a little below
Detroit, calculated for a
garrison of 300 men. On the evening of
the 7th and morning
of the 8th inst. the army, excepting the
garrison of 350 infantry
and a corps of artillerists, all under
the command of major
Denny of the Ohio volunteers, recrossed
the river and en-
camped at Detroit. In pursuance of the
object of opening the
communication, on which I considered the
existence of the army
depending, a detachment of 600 men under
the command of
lieutenant-colonel Miller, was
immediately ordered. For a par-
ticular account of the proceedings of
this detachment, and the
memorable battle which was fought at
Maguago, which reflects
the highest honor on the American arms,
I refer you to my
letter of the 13th August
inst. a duplicate of which is enclosed,
marked G. Nothing however but honor was
acquired by this
victory; and it is a painful
consideration, that the blood of
seventy-five gallant men could only open
the communications as
far as points of their bayonets
extended. The necessary care
of the sick and wounded, and a very
severe storm of rain, ren-
dered the return to camp indispensably
necessary for their own
comfort. Capt. Brush, with his small
detachment, and the pro-
visions being still at the river Raisin
and in a situation to be
destroyed by the savages, on the 13th
inst. in the evening I
permitted cols. McArthur and Cass to
select from their regi-
ment four hundred of their most
effective men, and proceed an
upper route through the woods, which I
had sent an express
to capt. Brush to take, and had directed
the militia of the river
raisin to accompany him as a
reinforcement. The force of the
enemy continually encreasing, and the
necessity of opening the
communication and acting on the
defensive, becoming more ap-
parent, I had, previous to detaching
cols. McArthur and Cass
Ohio in the War of 1812. 343
on the 11th inst. evacuated and
destroyed the fort on the op-
posite bank. On the 13th in the evening,
gen. Brock arrived
at Amberstburg about the hour cols.
McArthur and Cass
marched, of which at that time I had
received no information.
On the 13th I received a summons from
him to surrender
fort Detroit, of which the paper marked
A is a copy. My
answer is marked B. At this time I had
received no informa-
tion from cols. McArthur and Cass. An express was im-
mediately sent strongly escorted, with
orders for them to re-
turn. On the 15th as soon as gen. Brock
received my letter,
his batteries opened on the town and
fort, and continued until
evening. In the evening all the British
ships of war came
nearly as far up the river as Sandwich,
3 miles below Detroit.
At day light on the 16th (at which time
I had received no in-
formation from cols. McArthur and Cass,
my expresses sent
the evening before, and in the night,
having been prevented
from passing by numerous bodies of
Indians) the cannonade
recommenced, and in a short time I
received information, that
the British army and Indians were
landing below the Spring-
wells, under cover of their ships of
war. At this time the whole
effective force at my disposal at
Detroit did not exceed 800 men.
Being new troops, and unacquainted to a
camp life, having per-
formed a laborious march, and having
been engaged in a num-
ber of battles and skirmishes, in which
many had fallen, and
more had received wounds, in addition to
which a large number
being sick, and unprovided with medicine
and the comforts
necessary for their situation; are the
general causes to which
the strength of the army was thus
reduced. The fort was at
this time filled with women, children
and the old and decrepid
people of the town and country. They
were unsafe in the
town, as it was entirely open and
exposed to the enemy's bat-
teries. Back of the fort, above or below
it, there was no safety
for them on account of the Indians. In the first inst. the
enemy's fire was principally directed
against our batteries. To-
wards the close it was directed against
the fort alone, and al-
most every shot and shell had their
effect.
It now became necessary either to fight
the enemy in the
field--collect the whole force in the
fort -or propose terms
344 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
of capitulation. I could not have
carried into the field more
than 600 men, and left any adequate
force in the fort. There
were landed at that time of the enemy a
regular force of much
more than that number, and twice the
number of Indians. Con-
sidering this great inequality of force,
I did not think it ex-
pedient to adopt the first measure. The
second must have been
attended with a great sacrifice of
blood, and no possible ad-
vantage, because the contest could not
have been sustained
more than a day for want of powder, and
but a very few days
for the want of provisions. In addition
to this, cols. McArthur
and Cass would have been in a most
hazardous situation. I
feared nothing but the last
alternative. I have declared to
adopt it. I well know the high
responsibility of the measure,
and I take the whole of it on myself. It
was dictated by a
sense of duty, and a full conviction of
its expediency. The
bands of savages which had then joined
the British force were
numerous beyond any former example.
Their numbers have
since increased, and the history of the
north of Europe does
not furnish examples of more greedy
violence than those sav-
ages have exhibited. A large portion of
the brave and gallant
officers and men I commanded, would
cheerfully have con-
tested until the last cartridge had been
expended, the bayonets
worn to the sockets. I could not consent
to the useless sacri-
fice of such brave men, when I knew it
was impossible for me
to sustain my situation.
It is impossible, in the nature of
things, that an army
could have been furnished with the
necessary supplies of pro-
visions, military stores, clothing and
comforts for the sick, on
pack horses, through a wilderness of 200 miles, filled
with hos-
tile savages. It was impossible, sir,
that this little army, worn
down by fatigue, by sickness, by wounds,
and deaths, could
have supported itself not only against
the collected force of
all the northern nations of Indians, but
against the united
strength of Upper Canada, whose
population consists of more
than twenty times the number contained
in the territory of Michi-
gan, aided by the principal part of the
regular forces of the
province, & the wealth and influence
of the north-west and
other trading establishments among the
Indians, which have in
Ohio in the War of 1812.
345
their employment and under their entire
control more than
2000 white men. Before I close this
dispatch it is a duty I
owe my respectable associates in command
colonels McArthur,
Findlay, Cass, and Lieut. Col. Miller,
to express my obligations
to them for the prompt and judicious
manner they have per-
formed their respective duties. If aught
has taken place during
the campaign, which is honorable to the
army, these officers are
entitled to a large share of it. If the
last act should be dis-
approved, no part of the censure belongs
to them.
I have likewise to express my obligation
to general Taylor,
who has performed the duty of quarter
master general for his
great exertions in procuring everything
in this department which
it was possible to furnish for the
convenience of the army;
likewise to brigade major Jessup for the
correct and punctual
manner in which he has discharged his
duty; and to the army
generally for their exertion and the
zeal they have manifested
for the public interest. The death of
Dr. Foster soon after he
arrived at Detroit, was a severe
misfortune to the army; it was
increased by the capture of the Chachaga
packet, by which the
medicine and hospital stores were lost.
He was commencing
the best arrangements in the department
of which he was the
principal, with the very small means he
possessed. I was like-
wise deprived of the necessary services
of captain Partridge by
sickness, the only officer of the corps
of engineers attached to
the army. All the officers and men have
gone to their respective
homes, excepting the 4th U.
States regiment, and a small part
of the first, and captain Dyson's
company of artillery. Cap-
tain Dyson's company was left at
Amherstburg, and the others
are with the prisoners. They amount to
about three hundred
and forty. I have only to solicit an
investigation of my con-
duct, as early as my situation and the
state of things will ad-
mit; and to add the further request,
that the government will
not be unmindful of my associates in
captivity, and of the
families of those brave men who have
fallen in the contest.
I have the honor to be, &c.
W. HULL,
Brig. Gen.,
Commanding N. W. Army of the
U. S.
346 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
Issue Oct. 21, 1812.
A CARD.
Col. Symmes, of the senior division of
the Ohio Militia,
presents his respectful compliments to
major General Brock,
commanding his Britannic Majesty's
forces, white and red, in
Upper Canada.
Col. Symmes observing, that by the 4th
article of capitula-
tion of Fort Detroit to Major General
Brock, all public arms
moving towards fort Detroit are to be
delivered up. But as no
place of deposit is pointed out by the
capitulations, forty
thousand stand of arms coming within the description, are at
the service of Maj. Brock, if his
Excellency will condescend to
come and take them.
Independent Chronicle.
(From the National Intelligencer.)
Letter of Col. Cass, of the army late
under the command of
Brig. General Wm. Hull, to the
Secretary of War.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 10th, 1812.
Sir: Having been ordered on to this
place by col. Mc-
Arthur, for the purpose of communicating
to the government
such particulars respecting the expedition
lately commanded by
brig. gen. Hull, and its disastrous
results, as might enable them
correctly to appreciate the conduct of
the officers and men, and
to develope the causes which produced so
foul a stain upon the
national character, I have the honor to
submit to your con-
sideration the following statement.
When the forces landed in Canada, they
landed with an
ardent zeal and stimulated with the hope
of conquest. No
enemy appeared within view of us, and
had an immediate and
vigorous attack been made upon Malden,
it would doubtless
have fallen an easy victory. I know gen.
Hull afterwards de-
clared he regretted this attack had not
been made, and he had
every reason to believe success would
have crowned his efforts.
The reason given for delaying our
operations was to mount our
heavy cannon, and to afford to the
Canadian militia time and
Ohio in the War of 1812. 347
opportunity to quit obnoxious service.
In the course of two
weeks, the number of their militia who
were embodied had de-
creased by desertion from six hundred to
one hundred men;
and, in the course of three weeks, the
cannon were mounted,
the ammunition fixed, and every
preparation made for an im-
mediate investment of the fort. At a council, which were
present all the field officers, and
which was held two days be-
fore our preparations were completed, it
was unanimously agreed
to make an immediate attempt to
accomplish the object of the
expedition.
If by waiting two days we could have the
service of our
heavy artillery, it was agreed to wait;
if not, it was determined
to go without it and to attempt the
place by storm. This
opinion appeared to correspond with the
views of the general
and the day was appointed for commencing
our march. He
declared to me, that he considered
himself pledged to lead the
army to Maiden. The ammunition was
placed in the waggons;
the cannon were embarked on board the
floating batteries, and
every requisite article was prepared.
The spirit and zeal, the
ardor and animation displayed by the
officers and men on learn-
ing the near accomplishment of their
wishes, was a sure and
sacred pledge that in the hour of trial
they would not be found
wanting in their duty to their country
and themselves. But a
change of measures in opposition to the
wishes and opinions
of all the officers was adopted by the
general. The plan of
attacking Maiden was abandoned and
instead of acting offen-
sively, he broke up our camp, evacuated
Canada, and recrossed
the river in the night, without even the
shadow of an enemy
to injure us. We left to the tender
mercy of the enemy the
miserable Canadians who had joined us,
and the protection we
afforded them was but a passport to
vengeance. This fatal and
unaccountable step dispirited the
troops, and destroyed the
little confidence which a series of
timid, irresolute, and inde-
cisive measures had left in the
commanding officer.
About the tenth of August, the enemy
received a rein-
forcement of 400 men. On the twelfth,
the commanding of-
ficers of the three regiments (the
fourth was absent) were
informed through a medium which admitted
of no doubt that
348 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
the general had stated that a
capitulation would be necessary.
They on the same day addressed to Gov.
Meigs of Ohio a
letter of which the following is an
extract:
"Believe all the bearer will tell
you. Believe it, however
it may astonish you, as much as if told
you by one of us. Even
a
c............ is talked
of by the ...................
The
bearer will fill the vacancy."
The doubtful fate of this letter rendered
it necessary to
use circumspection in its details, and
therefore these blanks
were left. The words 'capitulation' will
fill the first, and 'com-
manding general' the other. As no enemy
was near us, and
as the superiority of our force was
manifest, we could see no
necessity for capitulating, nor
propriety in alluding to it. We
therefore determined in the last resort
to incur the respon-
sibility of divesting the general of his
command. This plan
was eventually prevented by two of the
commanding officers of
regiments being ordered upon detachment.
On the 13th. The British took
a position opposite to De-
troit, and began to throw up works.
During that and the two
following days, they pursued their object
without any inter-
ruption and established a battery for
two 18 pounders and an
8 inch howitzer. About sunset on the
evening of the 14th, a
detachment of 850 men from the regiment
commanded by Col.
M'Arthur and myself was ordered to march
to the river Raisin,
to escort the provisions which had some
time remained there
protected by a party under the command
of Capt. Brush.
On Saturday the 13th, about
one o'clock, a flag of truce
arrived from Sandwich, bearing a summons
from General Brock
for a surrender of the town and fort of
Detroit, stating he
could no longer restrain the fury of the
savages. To this an
immediate and spirited refusal was
returned. About four
o'clock their batteries began to play
upon the town. The fire
was returned and continued without
interruption and with little
effect till dark. Their shells were
thrown till 11 o'clock.
At daylight the firing on both sides
recommenced; about
the same time the enemy began to land
troops at the Spring-
wells, three miles below Detroit,
protected by two of their
armed vessels. Between six and seven
o'clock they had effected
Ohio in the War of 1812. 349
their landing, and immediately took up
their line of march.
They moved in a close column of
platoons, twelve in front,
upon the bank of the river.
The fourth regiment was stationed in the
fort; the Ohio
volunteers, and a part of the Michigan
militia, behind some
pickets, in a situation in which the
whole flank of the enemy
would have been exposed. The residue of
the Michigan militia
were in the upper part of the town, to
resist the incursions of
the savages, two 24-pounders, loaded
with grape shot, were
posted upon a commanding eminence ready
to sweep the ad-
vancing column. In this situation the
superiority of our posi-
tion was apparent, and our troops, in
the eager expectation of
victory, awaited the approach of the
enemy. Not a sigh of
discontent broke upon the ear; not a
look of cowardice met
the eye. Every man expected a proud day
for his country, and
each was anxious that his individual
exertion should contribute
to the general result.
When the head of their column arrived
within five hun-
dred yards of our line, orders were
received from General Hull
for the whole to retreat to the fort,
and for the 24-pounders
not to open upon the enemy. One
universal burst of indigna-
tion was apparent upon the receipt of
this order. Those, whose
conviction was the deliberate result of
a dispassionate examina-
tion of passing events, saw the folly
and impropriety of crowd-
ing 1100 men into a little work, which
300 could fully man,
and into which the shot and shells of
the enemy were falling.
The fort was in this manner filled; the
men were directed to
stack their arms, and scarcely was an
opportunity afforded of
moving. Shortly after a white flag was
hung out upon the
walls. A British officer rode up to
enquire the cause. A com-
munication passed between the commanding
generals, which
ended in the capitulation submitted to
you. In entering into
this capitulation, the general took
counsel from his own feelings
only. Not an officer was consulted. Not
one anticipated a sur-
render, till he saw the white flag
displayed. Even the women
were indignant at so shameful a
degradation of the American
character and all felt as they should
have felt, but he who held
in his hands the reigns of authority.
350
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society
Publications.
Our morning report had that morning made
our effective
men present fit for duty, 1060, without
including the detach-
ment before alluded to, and without
including 300 of the
Michigan militia on duty. About dark on
Saturday evening the
detachment sent to escort the provisions
received orders from
Gen. Hull to return with as much
expedition as possible. About
ten o'clock the next day they arrived
within sight of Detroit.
Had a firing been heard, or any
resistance visible, they would
have immediately advanced and attacked
the rear of the enemy.
The situation, in which this detachment
was placed, although the
result of accident, was the best for
annoying the enemy and
cutting off his retreat that could have
been selected. With his
raw troops enclosed between two fires
and no hopes of succour,
it is hazarding little to say, that very
few would have escaped.
I have been informed by Col. Findlay,
who saw the return
of their quarter-master general the day
after the surrender, that
their whole force of every description,
white, red and black,
was 1030. They had twenty-nine platoons,
twelve in a platoon,
of men dressed in uniform. Many of these
were evidently
Canadian militia. The rest of their
militia increased their white
force to about seven hundred men. The
number of the Indians
could not be ascertained with any degree
of precision; not many
were visible. And in the event of an
attack upon the town and
fort, it was a species of force which
could have afforded no
material advantage to the enemy.
In endeavoring to appreciate the motives
and to investigate
the cause, which led to an event so
unexpected and dishonorable,
it is impossible to find any solution in
the relative strength of
the contending parties, or in the
measures of resistance in our
power. That we were far superior to the
enemy; that upon any
ordinary principles of calculation we
would have defeated them,
the wounded and indignant feelings of
every man there will
testify.
A few days before the surrender, I was
informed by Gen-
eral Hull, we had 400 rounds of 24 pound
shot fixed and about
100,000
cartridges made. We surrendered with the
fort 40 bar-
rels of powder and 2500 stand of arms.
The state of our provisions had not been
generally under-
Ohio in the War of 1812. 351
stood. On the day of the surrender we
had fifteen days of
provision of every kind on hand. Of meat
there was plenty
in the country, and arrangements had
been made for purchas-
ing and grinding flour. It was
calculated we could readily
procure three months' provisions,
independent of 150 barrels
flour, 300 head of cattle which had been
forwarded from the
state of Ohio, and which remained at the
river Raisin under
Capt. Brush, within reach of the army.
But had we been totally destitute of
provisions, our duty
and our interest undoubtedly was to
fight. The enemy invited
us to meet him in the field.
By defeating him the whole country would
have been open
to us, and the object of our expedition
gloriously and success-
fully obtained. If we had been defeated
we had nothing to
do but to retreat to the fort, and make
the best defense which
circumstances and our situation rendered
practicable. But
basely to surrender without firing a
gun-tamely to submit
without raising a bayonet-disgracefully
to pass in review be-
fore an enemy as inferior in quality as
in the number of his
forces, were circumstances, which
excited feelings of indigna-
tion more easily felt than described. To
see the whole of our
men flushed with the hope of victory,
eagerly awaiting the ap-
proaching contest, to see them
afterwards, dispirited, hopeless
and desponding, at least 500 shedding
tears because they were
not allowed to meet their country's foe,
and to fight their coun-
try's battles, excited sensations, which
no American has ever
before had cause to feel, and which, I
trust in God, will never
again be felt, while one man remains to
defend the standard of
the Union.
I am expressly authorized to state that
Col. M'Arthur and
Col. Findlay and Lieut Col. Miller
viewed this transaction in
the light which I do. They know and
feel, that no circum-
stance in our situation, none in that of
the enemy, can excuse
a capitulation so dishonorable and
unjustifiable. This too is the
universal sentiment among the troops;
and I shall be surprised
to learn, that there is one man, who
thinks it was necessary to
sheath his sword, or to lay down his
musket.
I was informed by General Hull the
morning after the
352 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
capitulation, that the British forces
consisted of 1800 regulars,
and that he surrendered to prevent the
effusion of human blood.
That he magnified their regular force
nearly fivefold, there can
be no doubt. Whether the philanthropic
reason assigned by
him is a sufficient justification for
surrendering a fortified town,
and army and a territory, is for the
government to determine.
Confident I am, that had the courage and
conduct of the general
been equal to the spirit and zeal of the
troops, the event would
have been brilliant and successful as it
now is disastrous and
dishonorable. Very respectfully, sir,
I have the honor to be,
Your most obedient servant,
LEWIS CASS, Col.
The Hon. WILLIAM EUSTIS, 3d Regt. Ohio Vol.
Secretary of War.
Besides the facts so clearly and lucidly
stated in Col. Cass'
report, there are other material and
important facts that ought
to be made public which would not
perhaps properly enter into
a military report. Let one suffice for
the present.
After the surrender of Detroit, the
British and American
officers of necessity mingled together
and entered into conver-
sation. In conversation with Col. Cass,
on the subject of the
present war, its probable duration,
etc., an officer of the British
army, of as high a grade as captain,
said, in such a manner as
evidenced his own belief in it, that the
New England States
WOULD REMAIN NEUTRAL in this war; that a CON-
VENTION WAS TO MEET IN MASSACHUSETTS,
the
object or effect of which would be to
ensure this neutrality!
Col. Cass told the officer he had
mistaken the character of his
(Col. Cass's) countrymen. We trust in
Heaven he had; but
the doctrine lately laid down as
orthodox in Fanuil Hall, with
the contemporaneous language of the
federal prints, had a most
"awful squinting" towards such
a state. We publish this fact
at the present moment with no other view
than to shew to the
opposition how an enemy, judging from their
conduct, has dared
to calculate on the disaffection to the
general cause.
Nat. Intel.
Ohio in the War of 1812. 353
CHILLICOTHE, October 7.
Important.- The advance of the northwestern army, con-
sisting of Payne's brigade of Kentucky
volunteers, Garrett's
troop of horse, and the 17th regiment of
regulars, all under
the command of Brig. Gen. Winchester,
moved, not long since,
from fort Wayne towards fort Defiance.
By Colonel James
Dunlap, who has lately arrived from fort
Wayne, we under-
stand, that, on last Wednesday General
Harrison, at St. Mary's,
received an express from Gen.
Winchester, giving the informa-
tion, that the American army lay
encamped near fort Defiance;
that the British and Indians to the
number of 3000, lay within
three miles; and that they had six
field pieces. General Har-
rison immediately marched for fort
Defiance, with more than
2000
mounted riflemen. Gen. Tupper and a few of
the Ohio
officers, started, also, to join the
corps of the mounted volun-
teers. This account confirms the
information, transmitted by
Gen. Kelso, of Pennsylvania, to Gov.
Meigs. We shall, prob-
ably, soon hear of a battle-and we
trust, the result will be
glorious to our country.
We understand, that Col. Samuel Finlay's
regiment, of
mounted riflemen, and Major Jenkinson's
battalion, (both Ohio
volunteers) have marched with Gen.
Harrison to fort Defiance.
We understand, that Gen. Tupper's
brigade of Ohio volun-
teers, has marched towards Manary's
block-house.
NEW LISBON, October 2.
It is confidently reported that General
Harrison with an
army of 6000 men has had an engagement
with a corps of 300
British and 2000 Indians at Ft. Wayne;
that the enemy left
1000
killed on the field of battle -and
that the loss on our side
is about two hundred in killed and
wounded.
From the late preparations and movements
of the army
under Gen. Harrison there is no doubt
that a battle has taken
place before this time - and it is very
probable that tomorrow's
mail will furnish us with some
particulars, if not official ac-
counts, if the above report should not prove
premature.
Vol. XXVIII- 23.
354 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
A few days ago a small party of British
landed at San-
dusky; shortly after a party of our
militia appeared in sight,
when a signal gun was fired for the
British to repair on board
their vessels, which was immediately
done - from this has
grown a mighty tale.
Issue of October 28, 1812.
(From the Western Intelligencer.)
The council with the Indian tribes on
the western frontier
having been concluded, the commissioners
deem it their duty
to give to their fellow citizens a
concise view of the proceed-
ings and result.
The Delaware and Shawanoe tribes
together with several of
the Kickapoos, Seneca, Mingoe and
Wyandots attended.
The commissioners according to their
instructions have en-
deavored to ascertain their views and
dispositions. They in-
formed them of the inevitable
consequence of any act of hos-
tility on their party. That the
president stood in no need of
their assistance in the war with G. B.
and that for their own
sakes he desired them to remain quiet
and pursue their usual
occupations. -The
chiefs in behalf of the tribes that attended
have made professions of friendship and
attachment to the U.
S. have in the most positive manner
declared their determina-
tion to adhere to and observe the
existing treaties, to remain
neutral in the present war, and to
reject the overtures of the
British (which they state to have been
repeated and pressing,)
to engage in it-They have engaged by the
most solemn
promise to restrain their young men from
hostile acts against
us, and have agreed to be responsible
for their conduct, and to
prohibit hostile Indians from going to
their towns, and to give
notice of any premeditated hostility-The
commissioners pre-
sume not to judge of the sincerity of
professions, especially of
the professions made by savages it being
the alone prerogative
of the supreme ruler of the Universe to
judge the heart, but
considering that their conduct will
accord with their obvious
interest, and having taken every
possible means to ascertain their
views, have from the result of their
inquiries formed the opinion
Ohio in the War of 1812. 355
that their professions are sincere, and
accordingly in virtue of
their instructions given the tribes who
attended assurance that
no act of hostility will be committed
against them by any citi-
zens of the U. S. while they observe a
peaceable conduct.
The commissioners were of opinion that
the non-attendance
at the council by any tribe after having
been invited, was such
evidence of an hostile disposition, as
to justify the suspension
of the delivery of their annuities or
presents - No goods, either
as annuities or present, have been
delivered except to the tribes
who attended, nor has ammunition or
other implements of war
been given in any case. R.
J. MEIGS
T. WORTHINGTON,
J. MORROW,
Commissioners.
BUFFALO, October 13, 1812.
From several of the American prisoners
who were cap-
tured on board of the Adams we have the
following account
from Detroit:
The Adams left Malden on the 5th and
arrived at Port
Erie on the 8th. They state that the
expedition which went
against Fort Wayne on the 14th of
September, had returned to
Malden on the 4th of October
unsuccessful. The expedition
consisted of about 400 regulars and
militia, and 1500 Indians -
they had proceeded towards Fort Wayne
until they came within
I6 miles of an American army, which they
learned from a
prisoner their spies took, to be
Harrison's. They then precip-
itately retreated, leaving much of their
ammunition, etc., on the
ground. It was understood at Maiden that
Harrison was ad-
vancing upon Detroit, with his army. -The Queen
Charlotte
was detained at Detroit, on account of
the expected arrival of
Gen. Harrison. At Detroit much property
had been destroyed
by the Indians. The town was full of
Indians. It is much feared
that the savages will massacre all the
Americans at Detroit.
The above gentleman did not understand
that any scalps were
paid for by the British. The British
commanders had in several
instances ransomed American prisoners
taken by the Indians.
356 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
LEXINGTON, (Ky.) Oct. 13.
Extract of a letter to the editor,
dated, fort Defiance, October
3, 1812.
"The north-western army, under the
command of Gen.
Winchester, marched from fort Wayne, on
the 22d September,
and pursued Wayne's route down the
Miami, towards the old
fort Defiance, where it arrived on the
30th. During the latter
part of the march we were frequently
annoyed by the enemy.
Our advance party of spies fell in with
a body of Indians, and
a smart skirmish ensued, in which one of
the spies was slightly
wounded, and several of the enemy-the
exact number could
not be ascertained only from appearance,
as the Indians, when-
ever it is practicable, carry off their
dead. The day before
Ensign Ligget of the regulars, with four
men, were unfortunately
surprised by this party of Indians and
scalped. The loss of
Ensign Ligget is much to be lamented, as
he was a promising
young officer, remarkable for his
bravery and intrepidity. He
had left the company of spies with his
four companions, with a
view to examine the country round fort
Defiance, and had ad-
vanced several miles ahead of the party,
when they were killed.
This annoyance from the enemy greatly
retarded our move-
ments, as it was impossible to ascertain
to any degree their
situation or force. In crossing the
river, however, their whole
movements were discovered. The British
with their artillery
from Detroit, and a large party of
Indians, were progressing
towards fort Wayne. After engaging our
spies, and annoying
our advanced guard, they faced to the
right-about and retreated
precipitately. Owing to the peculiar
situation of the army,
(being short of provision) it was
impossible by forced marches
to interrupt them - supplies have since
reached the army.
"Governor Harrison returned to the
army on the 2d Octo-
ber and will again act as
commander-in-chief, having received
that appointment from the president of
the U. States. Gen.
Winchester will act as second in
command. We are now flat-
tered more than ever, with a prospect of
success -the cam-
paign, I entertain not the least doubt,
will produce incalculable
benefit to the country, and terminate to
the honor and glory of
Ohio in the War of 1812. 357
the Kentuckians. The enemy has in every
direction retreated
before us, leaving an extensive
territory to be occupied by our
army-where a chain of fortified posts
will be established, in
order to facilitate the supplies
necessary for a speedy conquest
of Upper Canada. Very extensive
arrangements have been made
and are now making to accomplish that
object.
"Headquarters will continue at this
place for several days,
until suitable fortifications,
store-houses, etc., are erected. In
the meantime the army will be augmented
- and at the Rapids
(fifty-six miles below this place,) the
Virginia and Pennsylvania
troops will join.
Names of Persons Killed.
"Ensign Liggett, of the 7th regt.
regulars.
Alexander McCoy, of Georgetown, Scott's
regt.
Wyatt Stepp, Guy Hinton, Wm. Bevis,
- Mitchell, all
of Woodford, volunteers in Capt. Virgil
McCracken's company.
Another extract, dated, October 4, 1812.
"General Harrison informed the army
today, that he had
no doubt from documents which he has
just received that the
army driven before us, was the whole
British force of Upper
Canada. He leaves us today to join the
right wing of the army,
but will join us again at the
Rapids-meantime we shall be
engaged in rebuilding the old fort, and
probably shall not march
hence under three weeks - but
this depends on the movements
of the right wing, at Worcester on the
lake."
Another of the same date.
"There is no doubt now, but Gen.
Har-
[line cut out in binding paper]
discretionary powers. We expect as soon
as his whole force
is collected, (which it is supposed will
be near 10,000 men) that
he will invade Upper Canada. Very
extensive magazines are to
be provided. Seven or eight hundred men
start for the Rapids
immediately, where it is supposed they
will find an enemy to
disperse.
358 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
PARIS, (Ky.) October 10.
A letter from Alexander R. Depew,
esq., to a gentleman in this
town, dated St. Mary's, October 1,
1812.
This day at twelve o'clock we arrived at
this place, after
a rapid journey of forty miles per day.
We had heard on the
road that Gen. Harrison was about to
march to Detroit, and
we wished if possible to join him before
he set out. After we
had passed Piqua about six miles, we met
Capt. Trotter, of the
Lexington dragoons, who informed us that
Gen. Harrison would
set out with all his army for Detroit in
three weeks; that he
had ordered Captain Garrard's troop of
horse, from their march
towards fort Defiance, back to this
place to recruit their horses
to fight the British in Canada; and that
during those three weeks
the mounted volunteers were to scour the
frontier towards the
head waters of the Wabash, and destroy
all the Indian towns in
that quarter. But an unexpected event,
has for a time thwarted
all these designs. A part of the army,
composed of three regi-
ments commanded by Cols. Allen, Scott,
and Lewis also the
regulars under Col. Wells, and Capt.
Garrard's dragoons, all
under the command of General Winchester,
were on their march
to fort Defiance, cutting their road as
they went, and when they
arrived within about four miles of the
fort, they were sur-
rounded by so large a body of Indians,
that they were unable
to proceed backwards or forwards.
Yesterday about two o'clock
P. M. an express arrived to General
Harrison, from General
Winchester, stating that the detachment
under his command was
entirely surrounded by a very large
number of Indians; that they
had been compelled to fortify their
camp, by making a breast-
work of logs on all sides of them. The
breast-work is about
five feet high. The express stated that
in consequence of the
Indians having surrounded them, they had
received no provisions
for several days; that they had nothing
but beeves, and but few
of them. And he desired immediate
relief, lest his troops should
be either starved to death or cut to
pieces by the Indians. Two
hours after the express came Gen.
Harrison with his whole
army marched to his relief. The express
was brought by Thos.
D. Carneal of Frankfort, and Abraham
Ruddell. They say that
Ohio in the War of 1812.
359
from the trails of the Indians they must
be equal to the army
under Gen. Winchester (which is composed
of two thousand
men.) They further state that they saw
the tracks of four or
five wagons or carriages by which they
suppose the Indians have
cannon with them. They further state
that five of the spies
belonging to Allen's regiment were
killed by the Indians and two
wounded.
The army under General Harrison has
advanced about
twenty-five miles from this place. Capt.
Trimble and myself
shall set out tomorrow morning at
daylight with five or six hun-
dred mounted riflemen and infantry from
the state of Ohio to
join the army. We expect to have a
battle the day after tomor-
row, which will be the day on which we
expect to reach fort
Defiance.
N. B. Richard M. Johnson commands the
regiment of
mounted volunteers from Kentucky.
CHILLICOTHE, October 14.
IMPORTANT.
Extract of a letter from his
excellency R. J. Meigs, to a gentle-
man in this place.
[Line showing date, if any, cut out in
binding.-EDITOR.]
"Our army of Ohio is encamped at
Manary's 4 miles from
the Indian villages. -Gen. Harrison and
Gen. Tupper, when
they arrived at fort Defiance found the
Indians fled-and the
British artillery supposed to be taken
by water down the
Maumee. Gen. Harrison was on Sunday last
passing down the
Maumee hoping to cut off their retreat
to Brownstown. Two
hundred wagons marched from St. Mary's 3
days ago with bis-
cuit, flour and bacon for Defiance. Fort
Wayne is again beseiged
by Indians - The troops of Ohio, Gen.
Harrison does not wish
to advance farther than Manary's until
he orders.-We have
with us a traveling forge, three
ammunition wagons, four pieces
of artillery one thousand two hundred
troops one company of
spies, one company of dragoons and at
last have tents and camp
equipage in good order. I shall join the
army tomorrow."
360 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
OCTOBER 17.
We understand that before Gen. Harrison
and the mounted
volunteers arrived at fort Defiance the
Indians had all fled.
Gen. Winchester pursued them with the
detachment under his
command, and General Harrison endeavored
to cut off their re-
treat at Brownstown, but was not able to
bring them to an en-
gagement. Gen. Harrison has since
discharged his mounted vol-
unteers for thirty days' service.
Generals Finlay and Kerr, with
the rest of the volunteers from this
neighborhood have returned
home. Gen. Harrison is also expected
here in the course of a
day or two. Four regiments under the
command of Gen. Win-
chester, are now at fort Defiance--two
regiments are at fort
Jennings, on the Auglaize river -one
regiment is at St. Mary's
-and three regiments of Ohio volunteers
are at Manary's
block-house.
Issue November 11.
Brigadier General Perkins has returned
from a journey to
the headquarters of General Harrison. He
was accompanied
on his return by General Harrison. -
General Wadsworth will
return home, and General Perkins is to
take the command of
the fifteen hundred men and proceed on
to join the army under
the command of General Harrison. Gen.
Harrison left Huron
on Monday of last week, and we are told
that General Perkins
marches with his detachment this week.
Issue, November 25.
LATEST FROM GEN. HARRISON.
A letter from Gen. Harrison, dated at
Huron (near Cleav-
land) on the 1st of November, inst. to a gentleman in this town,
states -
That he, (Gen. Harrison) had then under
his command
4500 men well appointed - that by the
10th he should arrive at
Sandusky-by the 20th he would be at
Miami- at this point,
which is only 6 days' march from
Detroit, Gen. Winchester, with
2 or 3000 men it is expected will form a junction with Harrison.
-The army was well provisioned.
Ohio in the War of 1812. 361
CHILLICOTHE, October 28, 1812.
VIRGINIA VOLUNTEERS.
Yesterday two regiments of Virginia
volunteers, under the
command of Gen. Leftwich, arrived
at this place. The appear-
ance of both officers and soldiers is
highly honorable to the
patriotic state from which they came.
While such men leave
the enjoyments of domestic life, for the
dangers and perils of
the field, our national rights will be
respected, our wrongs
redressed, and the glory of our fathers
will pass unsullied to
remote generations. We understand, they
will soon move to-
wards Franklinton, to join the right
wing of the western army.
A company of the U. S. regulars under
Capt. Elliott, and
a detachment of upwards of 30 regulars
under Lieut. Campbell
marched yesterday to Franklinton.
MEMORANDUM
Of public stores ordered from
Philadelphia to Pittsburgh,
in September, 1812, for the use of
the northwestern army.
September 9, 10,000 pairs of shoes,
5,000 blankets, 1oo bar-
rels of powder, 1,000 felling axes, 500
spades, 500 shovels, 350
mattocks, 50 pick-axes, 300 facine-axes,
200 grass-hooks, 50
briar-scythes, 30 whip and 30 cross-cut
saws, with files, 20 broad-
axes, 20 adzes and three sets carpenter
tools, 500 fathom of pack
cords. 21st, 5,000 blankets. 25th,
10,000 pair shoes. 29th,
equipments for 250 cavalry, saddles,
bridles, etc., 1,000 axes and
30,000 flints.
List of ordnance and other military
stores, sent from Wash-
ington City to Pittsburgh, since 1st
September, 1812.
September 18, 20-18 pounders, 8-12 do,
7-6 do, 3--51/2
inch howitzers, 5 boxes of harness, 6
gun carriages for 6 pound-
ers, 20 barrels of musket, 10 barrels of
rifle powder.
From Fredericktown.
470 common and 10 wall tents, 200 swords
and about 25
pair pistols, 100 reams musket cart'g
papr, 700 pounds of
common cartridge paper.
362 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
Stores sent from Philadelphia to
Pittsburgh. September 3,
250
horseman's swords, 250 pair pistols.
8th, 50 reams cartridge
paper and 2 barrels flints. 29th, 10,000 pair
woolen socks. Octo-
ber 7, 5,000 round jackets, 5006 pair of
pantaloons.
Woolen cloth made up and forwarded
immediately to the
west, besides the winter clothing for
Col. Miller's regiment
ordered some days before.
100 watch-coats ordered from
Philadelphia October 17th.
Stores sent from Harper's Ferry to
Pittsburgh from the
11th to the 20th September. 5,000 muskets and bayonets.
1,000 rifles, 500 carbines, 500 pistols,
11O horsemen's swords.
Issue December 2.
MILITARY MEMORANDA.
On Sunday last, left this place for the
north-western army,
the following munitions of war, etc.
Twenty-eight gun carriages, for eighteen
pounders, includ-
ing several brass twelves, sixes and
howitzers.
A large quantity of fixed ammunition for
cannon, and a
very extensive supply of musket
cartridges.
Several traveling forges; and a vast
quantity of different
articles necessary for a winter
campaign.
These supplies employ a train of nearly
one hundred
wagons and teams. They are conducted by Capt. Joseph
Wheaton, of the quartermaster-general's department, an old
revolutionary officer.
The country looks with anxiety towards
the heroes of the
northwestern army. From the preparatory
measures which have
been adopted, the complete equipment and
extensive supplies
which have been furnished; and above
all, from the spirit and
enterprise of the officers and men
composing this army, it is
confidently expected that the deeds of
this winter's campaign,
will be recorded in the brightest pages
of American history.
Pitt. Mercury.
Ohio in the War of 1812.
363
CHILLICOTHE, Nov. 18.
Gen. Harrison has been to Huron, and has
since returned
to Franklinton. The Virginia troops are
at Delaware. The
Pennsylvania troops have passed through
Mansfield, on their
route to the Rapids. The left wing of
the army under Gen.
Winchester is still at fort Winchester
(late fort Defiance.)
Col. Puthuff arrived here express this
morning from Frank-
linton, which place he left late last
night. He states that Gen-
eral Harrison had just received a letter
from Gen. Tupper, dated
the 9th instant, giving
information, that his spies which had
been on an expedition to the Rapids of
the Miami, discovered
at that place two gun-boats, a schooner
and nine batteaux, with
a considerable body of British,
Canadians and Indians, who had
visited that place for the purpose of
procuring corn and other
produce, and to prevent our troops from
descending the river
in boats. A captain of the party was
taken prisoner by Gen.
Tupper's spies and brought into camp. On
Wednesday last,
Gen. Tupper started with 650 men and one
six pounder for the
Rapids, to cut off their retreat, and
secure the provisions for
the use of the American army. Gen.
Winchester was notified
of Gen. Tupper's expedition. From the
character of General
Tupper we have no doubt but every
exertion will be used to
accomplish so important a design; and as
the men under his
command are select volunteers from his
part of the army, we
are conscious they will acquit
themselves with honor.
Issue of December 10.
CHRONICLE OFFICE,
FRANKLINTON, (O.) Nov. 19, 1812.
An express arrived here this morning
with a dispatch from
Brigadier General TUPPER, containing his
report to Gen.
HARRISON, of his late expedition to the
Rapids of the Miami,
for the purpose of driving off a body of
Indians and British
who had assembled there to take off a
quantity of corn which
remains in the fields at that place.
Gen. Tupper arrived with
364
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society
Publications.
his command at the Rapids undiscovered
by the enemy, in the
night of the 13th inst. He immediately
made a disposition for
passing the river, and some few of our
men got over, but the
greater part of them missed the ford and
many of them were in
great danger of drowning-they were
however rescued by the
few horse which Gen. T. had with him,
but lost a part of their
arms. As soon as the day appeared, and
they were discovered
by the enemy, the gun and other boats
that were in the river,
slipped their cables and escaped down
the lake. -The Indians,
however, more brave than their allies,
crossed over on horses
and made several violent attacks upon
our troops - They were
received with firmness, driven back, and
forced to recross the
river with considerable loss.
Gen. Tupper finding it impossible to
cross the river, and
being entirely out of provisions, as the
men took nothing with
them except what they carried on their
backs, were obliged to
return - four were killed on our side,
and one wounded -the
enemy were seen to carry off many of
their dead and wounded
in the action on the land, and many more
were knocked off their
horses in recrossing the river--The
Indians were commanded
by the Wyandot chief Splitlog, who was
very conspicuous, be-
ing mounted upon a fine white charger.
This chief was sup-
posed to have been killed or wounded, as
another Indian was
upon his horse at the close of the
action.
The following is the Order issued by
Gen. Harrison on the
subject of this Expedition.
NORTH W. ARMY,
HEADQUARTERS, FRANKLINTON, 19th Nov.,
1812.
GENERAL ORDERS.
The commanding general returns his
thanks to Brigadier
General Tupper and the corps which
lately advanced to the
Miami Rapids, for the perseverance,
zeal, activity, and bravery
with which they conducted themselves on
that enterprise. A
casual circumstance only, and one which
neither the general or
his men could control, prevented them
from surprising and cut-
ting to pieces a detachment of the
enemy, equal in numbers to
their own. The measures of Gen. Tupper,
appear to be highly
Ohio in the War of 1812. 365
judicious, both in his advance to the
enemy, and resisting their
attacks. The general is sorry that any
circumstances in an af-
fair which reflects honor on almost the
whole of the troops en-
gaged in it, should deserve his censure:
Such, however, is
merited, by the small detachment, which,
in the face of a posi-
tive order from their commander, left
their ranks to gather corn,
and pursue a drove of hogs.- But for
this disorderly conduct,
Gen. Tupper would have brought back in
safety his whole
command. The commanding general feels,
however, so much
more to praise than to blame, in the
conduct of Gen. Tupper's
detachment, that he derives no small
satisfaction in exhibiting
it as a worthy example of military
spirit and enterprise to the
rest of his army.
(Copy.)
NATHL. F. ADAMS,
[title not legible-EDITOR.]
We are informed by Maj. Shannon, of Col.
Rayne's regi-
ment of Ohio militia, that the remainder
of the detachment, under
the command of Gen. Perkins, would march
from Huron for
Sandusky, as soon as a supply of
provisions should arrive; that
he met a large convoy of supplies going
on, which must have ere
this arrived, so that we think the whole
of Gen. Perkins'
brigade must have advanced as far as
Sandusky Rapids. It is
said they are there to await the orders
of Gen. Harrison.
Issue of December 16, 1812.
We present our readers a short itinerary
of the road from
Pittsburgh by the way of this place and
Cleaveland, to Detroit,
together with a few descriptive remarks
upon the country
through which it passes. This road is
several hundred miles
nigher than to go down the river Ohio
and pass up through
the western part of this state. When we
consider the con-
veniencies of bridges and ferries on
this road, it is preferable
to any other through the state. Until
the traveler arrives at
Sandusky rapids, he will every few miles
find all the accommo-
dations usually attendant upon civilized
life, in a new settlement.
366 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society
Publications.
Before the disaster of Gen Hull, he
might have lodged every
night during his journey, from
Pittsburgh to Detroit, under the
hospitable roof of civilization. Every stream that cannot be
forded even in the winter season, has
now either a bridge or
a ferry across it, until we arrive at
the Miami of the lake.
Previous to our late disasters in the
Michigan territory there
was a flourishing settlement at the
crossings of this river near
the spot where Gen. Wayne in August,
'94, defeated the In-
dians. A collector of the customs was
resident here, who, it
was said collected a larger share of the
public revenue, than
any other collector on the shore of lake
Erie. There was also
at the river Raisin a flourishing
settlement of whites both of
French and English descent, scattered
along on both sides of
the river for several miles up. The
principal settlement on this
river, commenced about four miles from
lake Erie, at the first
rapid.
Brownstown is an Indian village,
situated a mile above lake
Erie, on Detroit River, opposite Malden.
After the traveler leaves Cleaveland, he
may, if he please,
travel on the dry sandy beach of lake
Erie, for a considerable
part of the way to Sandusky, through
what is improperly
called the Miami Swamp, the country is
flat, but not more so,
than the road from Urbana, to Detroit.
The traveler is there
subjected to travel a distance of one
hundred and forty miles,
without the appearance of a dwelling of
civilized man, except
it be occasionally a block-house, until
he falls into the road from
Pittsburgh at the rapids of the Miami.
We have put down the
names of some of the principal stages
from Pittsburgh to De-
troit, the distances of those places
from each other, and from
Pittsburgh; and the names of some of the
innkeepers on the
route. In some instances we have put
down the names of per-
sons who have abandoned their homes
since the war, but who
were permanent settlers and will return
as soon as our govern-
ment shall resume its authority in the
Michigan territory. We
have mentioned no names of persons as
resident at any place
this side of Sandusky river who are not
now actually residing
at those places.
Ohio in the
War of 18I2.
367
Pittsburgh
to Miles W. dis. Inkeep
Beaver
....................... 28 28
Greersburgh
.................. 12 40
Poland, Ohio
................. 20 60 Kirtland.
Youngstown
.................. 6 66 Rayne & Hillman
Liberty
....................... 5 71 Adams.
Warren ...................... 7 78
Nelson
....................... 14 92 Garret.
Aurora
....................... 10 102 Shelden.
Bissel.
Cleveland Mills
............. 20 122 Miles.
Cleveland Shore
on Lake Erie 6 128 Carter.
Wallace.
Rocky River
................. 7 135
Dover
........................ 6 141 Taylor.
Black River
.................. 14 155 Reed.
Vermilion River
.............. 10 165 Sturges.
Huron ....................... 20 185 Sprague.
Rapids of
Sandusky .......... 36 221
Rapids of Miami
............. 34 255 Spafford.
Raisin River
................. 28 283 Godfrey.
Brownstown ................. 18 301
Detroit ....................... 18 319
This state has
given but seven votes for President and Vice-
President of the
United States. David Abbot, Esq., did not
attend in
consequence of sickness. Every elector present voted
for Madison and
Gerry.
Issue December
23.
FRANKFORT,
(KEN.) December 9.
Extract of a
letter from a gentleman in the left
wing of the
North Western
Army, to the Editor of the Reporter, dated.
"CAMP 6
MILES BELOW FORT WINCHESTER, NOV. 22.
"LOGAN,
with 20 or 30 friendly Indians were lately order-
ed by gen.
Harrison to examine the movements and situation of
the enemy, and
make report to him. At the rapids this party
was discovered,
and dispersed.--Logan and six others arrived
a few days ago at
our Camp-the rest of the party with Lewis
368 Ohio Arch. and
Hist. Society Publications. and Black-Hoof escaped in another direction. I have
not under- stood that any of them were taken by the enemy. "To day Logan and two of his Indians started
towards the Rapids, and returned about ten o'clock at night
himself and one of his men wounded.-The third man was left behind
to bring the scalps which had been taken from the enemy.
Logan was shot thro' the body, and the other Indian through
the hip -the one mortal the other but slight. I have not
learned all the particulars of this unfortunate affair.-From the
very dangerous situation of Logan, it was deemed improper
that he should indulge in answering questions, although his
composure, presence of mind and cheerfulness, would willingly
have satis- fied the curiosity of all who might choose to make
enquiries about the battle in which he had been engaged. It
seems in passing from our camp, they were early in the day
taken prison- ers by party of 8, of which Winamack (a celebrated
hostile chief) was one, one other was considered a British
officer from the dress. About sunset the prisoners resolved to
liberate them- selves, or fall a sacrifice. They succeeded in
killing at the same instant Winamack the British officer, and one
other Indian (as Logan expressed it;) the 5 remaining after
discharging their pieces, fled with precipitancy, leaving those that
were killed and two horses. I fear the best efforts of our Surgeons
will be unavailing. He has fought bravely, and will die
firmly.-I shall deplore his loss as I would that of a great
man, for he is really such." |
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