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HARRISON TO EUSTIS

No. 1

St.Marys 30 Miles Advanced of Piqua

21st Septr. 1812

Sir.

When I had last the honor to address you I was advancing to the relief of Fort Wayne - I reached it with the Army on the 12 Inst. A Considerable body of I dians had besieged it closely for several days but retreated with precipitation upon our advance. Having previously consumed the factory & all the other buildings with out [illeg.] Having allowed the troops one day to refresh and being unable to pursue the route to Fort Defiance until a Convoy of provisions should arrive -- I determined to employ a few days in distroying Corn & other [illeg.] at the Potawatime & Miami Towns of Elk Hart & the forks of the W bash -- The participation of the Chiefs of both those villages in the attack upon Fort Wayne having been ascertained by satisfactory Testimony adduced to a Council of War Composed of all the field officers of the army left me no room to [illeg.] upon the subject. Accordingly upon the 14th the troops were divided into two Detachments the first composed of the 4 Companies of the 17th U. States Regt. Scotts Regt of Kenty Militia 3 Companies of [illeg,] Mounted Rifle Men under the Honbl. Phd.[?] Mr. Johnson & about 100 Ohio Rifle Men under Cole [illeg.) -- the whole under the Command of Colo Wells and directed against the Potawatime Village of Elk Hart -- The second Detachmt. Under the immediate Command of Brigd. Gnl. Payne was Composed pf Lewis's & Allen Rgts. of Ky Militia & Garrards troop of Dragoons. I accompanied this Detachmt. & we reached the towns at the forks of the Wabash on the evg. of the 15th. they had been abandoned by the Inhabitants for several days. About 1500 hundred bushels of Corn were cut up & distroyed as completly as the state it was in would permit -- I returned to Fort Wayne on the 16th & the day after the Detachment under Colo. Wells returned also having succeeded in dis- troying the Corn & the Village at Elk Hart which had also been several days abandoned by its inhabitants with every mark of precipitancy -- Colo. Wells detachment performed the March to the Village (60 Miles) & back to Fort Wayne in 4 days & an half upon a very scanty allowance of food. this Colo. had been ordered to take the Little Turtles Town in his way & distroy the Corn there also but he was unable to accomplish it from the want of provision -- Colo Simrall who had arrived at Fort Wayne during our absence with 4 troops of Kenty. Dragoons (armed with Muskets) was accordingly sent the next day in that service & accomplished it -- I had no evidence of the Inhabitants of that town having joined in the Hostil- ities against Fort Wayne but as they had fled from it & the corn would support the Hostile Indians in a second attempt upon Fort Wayne it became necessary for the safety of that place that would be distroyed--[?] how- ever no doubt of the Hostile disposition of the Miamis Generally Many of the chiefs are no doubt desirous of renewing their friendly relations with us but as they are unable to Controle the licentious part of their Tribe it is impossible to discriminate & we have no alternative but that of operating upon their fears by severe Chastisement -- I am Convinced that the appearnace of so large a force at Fort Wayne & the destruction of the Indian Villages & property will be of Considerable Service to our future operations --

Genl Winchester arrived at Fort Wayne on the 18th. On the l9th the enclosed order was issued succeeding to him this Commd. My letter of the 3rd Inst. I took the liberty of requoting you sir to permit me to [illeg.] my decision as to the acceptance of the Commission of Brigdr. which the Presidt. was pleased to Confer upon me. I should not have done so, if I were not fully convinced that it was the almost unanimous wish of the people of the Western Country that I should not accept of an appoint- ment which would place me in a subordinate situation in this army. Before Genl. Winchester left Lexington to come on hither he was spoken to by several Members of Congress & others who were apprehensive of some Collision between us he was understood to say that he would make no difficulty at giving me the Command the Genl however sd. nothing to me upon the subject & I was obliged to prepare[?] what we should [illeg.] -- the forces & act in support of cause other with out for[?] When I left him it was my intention to be [illeg. ] pursued the plan formerly mentioned of an expedition against[ed. two pages missing] & to which the rapidity of my movements heretofore would not permit me to attend. I have noted yr. observations upon the subject of the appointment] of an officer for the Commd. of the frontiers. I will write against to you on that subject.

With respect to my appointment as Brigr. I should certainly not think that I had a right to complain if the public service should make it necess- ary for the Presidt. to [illeg.] elsewhere -- Nor indeed with any other arrangement but that which would make me [illeg.] the chief to the second in Command of this army. An event which perhaps has never before occurred in any army.

I have the Honor to be with great Respect sir yr. Hul. Set

Honbl
Wm. Eustis Esqr
Sey of War

31, 32