A SHORT CHRONOLOGY
The War of 1812 in the Northwest
1813--GENERAL HARRISON'S SECOND CAMPAIGN AND THE FIRST
SIEGE OF FT. MEIGS, February 11-May 4.
February 11 cont.
of Ft. Meigs. Leftwich does a very poor job and, when he leaves, Major
Amos Stoddard assumes the command of the post.
1813, February 26. The Secretary of War orders Colonel R. M. Johnson to
hold in readiness a regiment of mounted volunteers to serve from
4-6 months after actually being called into service.
1813, February, late. General Harrison sends out an expedition to burn the
British vessels at Malden by going across Lake Erie via the
Bass Islands in sleighs, but the ice is not hard enough and the expedition
returns.
1813, March 22. Col. R. M. Johnson puts out an order for raising a
regiment of mounted volunteers in Kentucky.
1813, April 8. Colonel James Ball arrives at Ft. Meigs with 200 dragoons.
1813, April 12. General Harrison arrives at Ft. Meigs, bringing with
him about 300 men. He had come because he had heard that the
British were investing the post.
1813, April 26. The enemy are discovered at the mouth of Maumee Bay.
1813, April 28. Captain William Oliver is sent to General Green Clay to
persuade him to hurry his force down the river. The British
and Indians land near old Ft. Miamis and across from Ft. Meigs. They
begin building three batteries during the night. Two were gun batteries
with four embrasures, situated high up the river than Ft. Meigs; the
other was a bomb battery, a little below the fort.
1813, April 29. The guns of Ft. Meigs fire on the British batteries and
progress in the construction of the batteries is considerably
impeded.
1813, April 30. A number of boats loaded with British and Indians are
seen crossing the river on the southeast side of Ft. Meigs.
The British fix cannon in their batteries.
1813, May 1. The British batteries are completed. Inside Ft. Meigs the
grand traverse is built: 12' high, 20' wide, and 300 yrds,
long. All tents are moved to the rear of It. Major Amos Stoddard is
killed by British fire.
1813, May 2. The siege continues.
1813, May 3. General Green Clay's force is at Defiance. The British take
three artillery pieces and a howitzer to the left of Ft. Meigs
on the same side of the river as the fort and open fire. They are forced
out of their first position by fire from the fort, but reopen at another
place.
1813, May 4. The siege of Ft. Meigs is continued. British still fire
from the Ft. Meigs side of the river, but with less vehemence.
General Green Clay's 1200 men start the descent of the river from
Defiance in 18 boats. It is too dark when the force arrives to debark.
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