Resurrecting the First American West

October 5th we marched at the dawn of day (last evening a house and another vessel was burnt by the British at the place of our encampment we saved a house from fire with upwards of one thousand stand of arms). in three miles still marching up the river we came to a deep ravine with a bridge across it which was thrown down beyond which was a large frame house, in sight below this in a boat at the bend of the river we got twenty British regulars & took a one masted vessel which they had just set fire ro which was extinguished by Capt Watson, my company soon filled the ravine with fence rails and passed over with Genl, Harrison and in going two miles farther we got another large boat loaded with women and children and ten or fifteen boats and canon with soldiers and plunder in them and in three miles we came to a Mill owned by Theophilus Arnold when we took a British Capt and eight men who was bringing his wife out of the way of a battle they meant to give us in a few miles as she said the Indians were found in thick woods over the river, we immediately formed a line of battle with my company and waited for the comeing [&?] of the foot as

we intended to cross the river, to the North side up which side the British were marching each horesman was ordered by Genl, Harrison to take one of the foot behind him and cross the river in that order, Col Trotters Regt advanced and we each carried one man over and I found my company in a line of battle on the opposite side along a fence. we got ten or fifteen canon with a keel boat from the Indians which they had abandoned in such hurry as to leave a good quantity of plunder which soon enabled the whole foot army to cross here Col Whitby of Capt Davisons company went up on our side of the river and killed and scalped an Indian and took several prisoners. our whole army being over, in less than three quarters of an hour, we again took up our line of march proceeding with caution expecting battle every moment, every now & then taking up Indian plunder, canon & guns, clothing and eatables which they had thrown away ina hurry and in three miles from the crossing of the river we came to another mill and bridge over the dam which had not been fired half an hour the Mill was in flames and the dam and bridge we soon extinguished so that we crossed immediately. The enemy had torn up several bridges previous

to this which we repaired as fast as they could tare up as they only had time to throw off the planks or logs and have the (ills which we soon could repair. we discovered the smoke rising from the last mill before we we approached it and pushed on to save it but could not we expected a fight at this place, in two miles from this place we came to a large farm where 8 or 10 Coke ovens had been erected very lately to supply the British with lead, and the owner of the place was the contractor and expected the British to make a stand & that his place was to be laid off in a [tower?], he met us and said that the Indians had almost ruined him by camping in his farm last night. but his duplicity was soon discovered by one view of his bake ovens; from several carts being left in the road we strongly suspected him of concealing the Indians plunder and from the number of canon left we generally believed that they did not mean to fight us as some our spies had [ran?] some of the British dragoons for two or three miles. we from the place pushed on in in a fast trot close in the rear

of our spies in a [five?] line making a solid column all in the great road and had gone near three miles all in close pursuit not expecting to see an enemy until we got to Moravian town five miles in advance when our spies discovered a British horseman before them and soon caught by a fair race and the Regt soon came up in the order before named. when the prisoners informed us that the British army with twelve hundred Indians were ready formed in order of Battle not three hundred yards before us in thick woods with a swamp on their right. this information was not believed by many but upon my suggesting to the COl. that We were considerably in advance of the foot men I thought it prudent that we should form the line of Battle and send on our spies to see the truth of the story and dispatch a messenger to give Harrison for orders. we immediately formed the line of Battle. my company on the right from the river out when it was discovered that their was a swamp at the distance of two hundred and fifty yards from the river & parallel with the river, which could

scarcely be crossed, my company [extended?] beyond it with Matson & Elliston on horseback in the rear on the right Capt [Stucker?] was formed adjoining my my company on the left and the other companies formed as laid down in Col. Johnsons Genl order. I directed My company to tie their horses and advance fifty Steps in front and take trees. in a few minutes our spies sent us a messenger that the British were actually in sight. that they had formed their line and wishd a reinforcement, an [?] which [Wm?] Thomas carried was sent to give Harrison and in the course of a quarter of an hour Genl. Harrison came riding up and sent Majr. Wood. The commander of the artillery with a spy-glass to view the situation of the nemy which when he had returned. Genl. Harrison directed us to form our lines on the extreme left with two companies at right angles on the extreme left in the form of an L. but in a few minutes and after some Conversation with Col. Johnson, the Fenl. directed each Battalion to form a charging column on each side of the swamp our Battalion on the right next the river and the 2nd Battalion beyond the swamp on one

left, which we immediately did by countermarching while the foot army formed in our rear. we then came up, my company in three lines with [Just?], Cardwell, Sharp & Adams at the head of each line & myself between the head of the Divisions with Col, James Johnson, & Majr Payne in front, Capt Elliston & Matson in two lines each on my right and Capt Hamilton on my left, making sight lines with Capt Church & Berrys companys in line of battle in front, Maj Thompsons Battalion composed of Capt Stuckers Davision, Combs, Rice and Coleman formed in like order on the left beyond the swamp with orders to charge thro the enemies lines and form in the rear at the first fire, when thus foormed the two Battalions were not in sight. Col Richard commanded on the Left and at a signal of the trumpet from our wing when ordered both battallions were to charge. it was now about two and a half hours by sun, when Genl Harrison came riding up and inform'd, me, that the infantry were ready and to charge and ifwe would follow it up close we would not lose any men scarcely ( Col. R. Johnson when informed that there was four Hundred British & twelve hundred Indians, told Genl. Harrison that his Regt could whip them) the trumpet then sounded and we charged on horse back about fifty yards when the spys fired and were fired upon by the British, they nearly all dismounted and began to fire from behind trees which gave us a [check?] and we had to halt our [danger?] thus on Horseback in column was immediately [seen?]. the spy

were ordered to mount and charge every officer [existed?] himself and Genl. Harrison exclaimed, charge them my brave Kentuckians and the Indian yell was raised and we rushed up on them like a storm and received a heavy fire by the whole British line when at the distance of twenty steps, but it only inspired us with fresh coiurage and before they coould reload we broke their lines & one half of the Battalion wheel,d to the left and the others to the right & completely surrounded the British who immediately surrendered as fast as they could thrown down their arms. I wheel,d to the right and pursued the road in full chase after a few horse men who were making off with Genl. Proctor at their head we continued on two miles to the Moravian town (a large Indian village of Delawares with Moravian Missionarys with them) and in full view of six pieces of their Artillery where about twenty Dragoons were on the wings spiking their Cannon, orders then came to return & the firing still contuining on the left wing & only at the time having nine of my men with me I returned & soon ,et Capt Riddings & [Berry?] and they suggestd with small parties, when we were

all directed to return. I came then back about one mile and met Majr Payne, Genl. Cass & Majr Chambers with a considerable part of our division of my company some of Capt Matson Ellistons & the spys with orders to Pursue Genl Proctor. I now discovered that my horse was lame and upon examination I found that he was shot in the fore leg & side of the hip. I However put myself at the head of my men and continued the pursuit six or seven miles on the road beyond the town which was full of waggons, coats, ,caps, valices, knapsacks and clothes all thrown off and lying in confusion the enemy being routed had retreated in the utmost confusion. women and children were in ever waggon, in about seven miles Genl, Cass ordered me to take charge of the women and children which I immediately did. directing each man to take a woman behind him & a child before and bring them back to the town. I did not get back till after dark when I took up quarters in some of the cabbins next the River.

The Battle on the left wing by the 2nd Battallion was against Genl, Tecumseh and his Indians and was much more obstinate so much so that the logs brush and swamps prevented them from chargeing thro & the Indians fired so hot that

behind trees and logs in the Indian way & repeated charges and repeaters took place on each side, Col Johnson was wounded at the first fire & Genl. Tecumseh it is said fell bu the hands of our col, the battle lasted near an hour and was fought entirely by Col Johnsons Regt and two companies of [Gov?] Shellys troops which eventuated in the total defeat of the British & Indians and the capture of Genl Proctors aid, Major Chambers, Col Evans Cap Muir and twenty other officers were taken and between four & five hundred Prisoners and with the loss of all their artillery & ammunition waggons & private property Elliot's carriage & Proctors chain which at once give us [?] of all this part of Upper Cannada. the Battle was fought on the North bank of the river Thames two miles below the Moravian Town, but lasted to the town and several miles beyonds it. This Battle will at once crown Col Johnsons Regt & the Kentuckians with immortal Honor The Governor of Kentucky Col Shelly gallantly encouraged encouraged his men & did everything in his power to inspire his men with ardor, and never did enthusiastic valor inspire men with more heroic courage than upon this occassion, no dastardly fears

or hanging back, every eye beamed with the fire of freemen and each officer & Soldier discharged his duty to the utmost, for at most our [?] did not exceed nine-hundred and fifty men and we had to fight a combined force of British and Indian amounting to sixteen hundred so that Heaven has smiled upon us beyond our asking the very elements conspired in our favor. So that Hulls dastardly surrender and Raisins Bloody fields and Fort [Mings?] massacre has in some measure been revenged by the Kentuckians, and I most fervently hope that a total separation has taken place between the British & Indians and that Peace will once more smile upon our North western fontiers so long staind by the Blood of innocent women & children. We lost ten killed & thirty five wounded. The enemy sixty nine killed & ten wounded I encamped in town with about one hundred men of my company Ellistons, Matson, & Hamiltons. we took possession of the houses and picketting and got plenty of corn for our horses, about 11oClock at night Col Gano & 150 men came to aid us and about three oClock in the night or morning of October 6tha British Ensign Cochran came in with six men and surrenderd himself a prisoner of war he was a well informed young man and much of a Gentleman. our conversation turned on the war and he