Robert McAfee's Company Memorandum Book, 1813-1814

the mouth of the creek we pushed on to the night and swing to the fork coming in at a very acute angle we were some time before we got in sight of the [Creek?], which when we approach'd the [firing?] be came general along our lines which we immediately ormed in order of batte and my company came up directly at the Bridge and Indian Camp which a few [fires?] soon [?], they having first set fire to the Bridge and Mill. the latter of which was consumed with several thousand Bushells of wheat several of my company narrowly escaped being killed or wounded, but half an hour put us in possession of the Bridge and whole Indian Camps which they had abandoned with [?] [expectation?], having stowed their plunder in every direction. In this fight Capt Price and Combs of our Regt each had a man killed and Sargeant Major Dickison was shot thru the thigh and had his horse killed under him. Capt Craig was wounded in the shoulder, the enemy had also torn up the town Bridge and [?], as soon as the firing had ceasd [Genl?] Harrison sent his aid to know our situation Col Johns went to the [Genl?], and upon his Return

Capt Combs and Rice were sent with their company to cross at the Lower Bridge and reconoiter around our bridge on the opposite side in the mean time several of my company crossed over on foot upon the cills of the Bridge which had not been cut and [J?] Cardwill was shot at by an Indian & the Bullit cut his overhalls between his legs. we found several fine bear skins and many fine Brass Kettles & Indian plunder of all kinds and four or five lambs of flour the Indians had pound out all the flour they had. a party was sent immediately to repairing the bridge and in one hour we crossed and in about a mile we halted and found that the British [?] Indian had set fire to a fine Schooner with two masts loaded with muskets, cannon balls & Military Stores of an immense amount, which had all burnt down to the water edge, every eight or ten minutes a bomb would burst which, the enemy supposed with [injure?] us but they were mistaken for our caution was equal to their craft and [civil?] designs. after grazing our horses a few minutes. we marched on after the fact

[?] and in about one mile we passed the carriage of a 24 pounder which at once convinced us that the enemy were retreating as fast as possible. in this attack Tecumseh with hundred warriors fought us and his loss amounted to twelve and ours to two only which is an odds worth fighting for. an order from Gnl, Harrison & Col. Johnson who was with the front guard now met us[?] as that the foot troops were within three miles of the main body of the enemy. we immediately Hurried on it being very late in the evening and in five miles came up with the foot troops and campt for the night. in a large farm as the river is thickly settled with elegant farms. we got plenty for ourselves and horses and after dark Col, Johnson collected us together [&?] the Captains & Col. Harrison soon came up and directed us to furnish ourselves with beef for a forced march on tomorrow as he was determined if possible to bring them to a stand, according beef was drawn in my company & every preparation made for an early start with high anticipation of success our watch word being never [fe an?] a Deserter came in and gave us full information as to the situation and movements of the enemy. every part of the army seemd to vie with each other as to discipline and anxiety to out do one another in case we got into a contest.

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