William Henry Harrison battle orders, ca. October 1813

n. d. [1813] [on. Oct.]

Head Quarters

As it is the intention of the General to land the army upon the enemy's Coast - the following will be the order of debar-cation, of march and of Battle - The right wing of the army will be composed of the Kentucky Volunteers under the command of his Excellency Gov^r Shelby acting as Major General - the left wing of the light corps of Leuitenat Colo. Ball & the Brigades of Genl. M^cArthur & Genl Cap - This arrangement is made with a view to the localities of the ground upon which the troops are to act & the composition of the enemy's force & is calculated in marching up the lake or straight to place our regular troops in the open ground on the Lake where they will probably be opposed by the British Regulars [torn crease] Volunteers in the woods which it is presumed will be occupied by the enemys militia & Indians.

When the signal is given for putting to the shore, the Corps of Lieut. Colo Ball will precede the left wing - the Battallion of Volunteer Riflemen the right Wing - These Corps will land with the utmost celerity consisttenly with the preservation of order & as soon as landed will [???] the most favourable position for annoying the enemy & covering the disembarcation of the troops of the line - Genl. Cap's Brigade will follow Colo. Ball's Corps & Genl. Calmes [gap] the Volunteer Riflemen - The Regiments will land & form in succession upon those which precede them - the Right Wing with its left in front displaying to the right & left wing with its right in front displaying to the left - The Brigades of Genls. Rings Allery & Caldwell will form successively to the right of Genl. Childs Calmes Calmes [insertion- Gen^l M^cArthur & Childs Brigades will form the Reserve under the immediate command of Brig. Genl. M^cArthur - The Genl. will command in person the Brigade of Genls. Cap & Calmes assisted by Major Genl. [???]. His Excellency Gov. Shelby will have the immediate command of the three Brigades on the right assisted by Major Genl

[Douglas?] - As soon as the troops are disembarked, the boats are to be immediately sent back to the fleet. It will be observed that the order of landing here prescribed is somewhat that of direct Echelon deployed into line upon the advanced Corps of the Right & Left Wing. It is the intention of the Genl. however that all the Troops which are provided with boats should land in as quick succession as possible & the General Officers commanding towards the extremities of the line an authorized to deviate from the arrangements, to counteract any movement of the enemy by landing any parts of their command, previously to the formation of the Corps which is herein directed to precede them. The Corps of Leut. Colo. Ball & the Voluntier Rifle Battallion will maintain the positions they occupy on landing untill the Troops of the line are formed to support them. They will then retire through the intervals of the line or to the flanks and form in the rear of the line. A detachment of artillery with a six pounder, four pounder & howitzer will land with the advanced light Corps. The rest of the artillery will be held in reserve & landed at such points as Major Wood may direct. The point of landing for the reserve under Brig. Gen. McArthur cannot now be designated. it will be made to support any part of the line which may require aid or be formed on the flanks as circumstances may require. The arrangement for landing the troops will be made entirely under the direction of an officer of the Navy whom Commodore Perry has been so obliging as to offer for that purpose. The debarcation of the Troops will be covered by the Cannon of the Vessels. The Troops being landed and the enemy being driven off or not opposing the landing, the army will change its front to the left & form in order of battle in the following manner. The two Brigades of Regular Troops and two of Volunteers to be formed in two lines at right angles to the shore of the lake. Genl. McArthurs Brigade & Cavalry to form the front line & [Cap's & Childs?] - the second line; the regular troops still upon the left, that flank of both lines resting on the shore _ the distance between the two lines will be three hundred yards. The remaining three Brigades of Volunteers will be drawn up in a rough line of two ranks at right angles to the line of march, its head upon the right of the front line forming

a [crochet?] (in potence) with that line & extending beyond the second line. The Corps of Leut. Colo. Ball will form the advance of the left wing at the distance of three hundred yards. the Battal-lion of Rifle Volunteers the advance of the right wing at the same distance. Some light pieces of artillery will be placed in the road leading up the Lake & at such other points as Major Wood may direct. When the order is given for marching the first & second line will advance by files from the heads of companies. in other words, those two lines will form two columns marching by three flanks by Companies at entire distances. The three Brigades on the Right flank will be faced to the left & marched forward. The head of this column still forming [in potence?] with the front line. It is probable that the two Brigades of the front line will extend from the Lake into the woods on this right flank. and it is desirable that it should be so. but should it be otherwise His Excellency Gov. Shelby will immediately prolong the front line to the right by adding to it as many companies of the leading Brigade of the flank Column as will bring the angle & consequently the flank Column itself completely within the woods. It is to be presumed that the enemy will make their attack upon the army on its march. that their Regular Troops will form then right upon the Lake. The Mili -tia occupy the ground between the Regulars & the woods, and the Indians make a flank attack from the woods. The formation herein prescribed is intended an arrangement an arrangement of this kind. Should the Genl's conjecture upon this subject prove correct as it must be evident that the right of the enemy cannot be turned & on that wing his best troops will be placed. it will be proper to refuse him our lefts & direct our principal effort to uncover the left flank of his Regulars by driving off the militia. In the event here supposed, therefore it will be proper to bring up a part of the whole of Genl. Cap's Bri-gade to assist the charge made by Gen. [?] or that the former should change positions with the [?]

second line. Should the Genl. think it safe to order the whole of Cap's Brigade to the right without replacing it with another Genl. Cap will march it to the right formed in oblique echelons of Companies. It will be the business of Genl. McArthur in the event of his wing being [refused?], to watch the motions of the enemy (and with the assistance of the Artillery) prevent his front line at least from interrupting the progress of our right. Should the Enemys militia be defeated, the Brigade of ours in advance, will im-mediately wheel upon the flank of the British Regulars and Gen.l McArthur will advace to attack them in front. In the meantime his Excellency Gov. Shelby can [use?] the Brigade in reserve of the second line to protect the flank line from its left or to reinforce any weak part of that line. In all cases when troop in advance are obliged to retire through those which are advancing to support them, it will be done by companies in files which will retire through the intervals of the advancing lines & will immediately form in the rear. The lighter troops will be be particularly governed by this direction. the disposition of the troops on the left flank is such as the commanding General thinks best calculated to resist an attack from the In -dians which is only to be expected from that quarter His Excellency Gov. Shelby will however use his discretion in making any alteration his which his experience & judgment may dictate.