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HARRISON TO EUSTIS

(No 15) U

Head Quarters Franklinton,Ohio

15th Octr 1812

Sir,

My last letters to you was from Piqua on the 27th and St Marys on the 29th Ultimo. I have been so constantly in motion since that I have been unable to write. On the 30th Ultimo I was at St Mary waiting the arrival of some Companies of Mounted Volunteers to make up with those which I had with me 15 or 1800 Men and which under the Command of Brigadier General Tupper of this State I intended to have sent on the Expedition mentioned in my letter of the 27th Ultimo. On that day however (the 30) I received information by two officers who were sent from General Win- chester that in his march from Fort Wayne to Defiance, he had been greatly impeded by a considerable body of Indians who were frequently engaged with his advanced guard and that upon his arrival near Defiance he had discovered that the Indians were attended by British Troops who had with them some pieces of Artillery. Within a few minutes after the arrival of these Gentlemen I received by an express sent by Governor Meiggs a letter from Genl. Kelso commanding a Detachment of Pennsylvania Troops on lake Erie informing me that on the 16th of September 2000 Indians with a detachment of British regulars and Militia had set out from Malden with two pieces of Artillery for the purpose of attacking Fort Wayne. Having no doubt but that this was the force which was in front of Genl. Winchester I immediately ordered the two Regiments of Infantry which were with me and the whole of the Mounted Men amounting to about 1000 to divest them of all their Baggage and prepare to go in pursuit of the Enemy. We marched six miles that Evening, but the follow- ing day I left the Infantry and pushed on as rapidly as possible and reached defiance on the Evening of the 2nd where I found General Winchester incamped and had the mortification to learn that the Enemy had passed that place at least three or four days before. Gen. Winchester met with the Indians the day after his departure from Fort Wayne but he was not able to ascertain their members [numbers?] or there position. When he arrived within a few Miles of Fort Defiance he found the Tracts of the Enemies Carriages on the south side of the Miami both going and returning and upon further Examination it was discovered that they had not advanced more than eight or ten Miles above Fort Defiance. Gen Winchester Kept his Troops so well prepared to receive the Enemy that they did not dare to attack him. In the course of the march he lost an Ensign and six man and one wounded. My presence being absolutely necessary in the rear to make Arrangements for supplies for the army I left Defiance on the 4th Ist having previously directed Gen Winchester to build a small Fort at that place and General Tupper to proceed with the Mounted Men to the Rapids if he should think proper (from the information he should then receive) as far as the river Reisin. on my way to St Mary's I met an Express from Fort Wayne informing me that the Indians were again collect- ing round that place and that it had been thought advisable that a Troop of Dragoons (armed with Muskets) which I had sent to bring off a six pounder left there by Gen. Winchester should not proceed with it until they were reinforced. At St Mary's I found about 500 Mounted Riflemen who had come on to go the Expedition towards Detroit. (These were dis- patched under a Colo. Trimble to Fort Wayne with directions to proceed on to endeavour to surprise the Potawattimie Town (called White Pigions Town) about 65 Miles from Fort Wayne. I sent also a Battallion of Ohio Infantry to Fort Wayne with a supply of provisions & for the purpose of collecting for the Garrison a Quantity of Fuel which they are unable to get from the distance they have to have it when there are parties of Indians round them. Before I left St. Marys for Defiance some Miamis had arrived [at] fort Wayne with a flag and a Message from their Cheifs begging for Peace. I had not time to listen to their speech at that time and upon my return I found here the Owl, Charley (the Eel River Cheif) the Turtles Son and several others had joined them. They came pre- pared to palliate or deny the hostility of their Tribe as the one as the other might best suit their purpose, but finding that I was in possion of Facts which unequivocally proved it they then threw themselves upon the Mercy of the Government and have agreed to abide by the decision of the President whatever it may be. I have named five Chiefs as Hostages whom they are to send in to Piqua there to be kept in Custody until the de- cision of the President is made. The facts which we can prove upon them are the assistance given by Chappein one of their principal war Cheifs in the Siege of Fort Wayne. One of their Warriors particularly in the mur- ders committed in Clark County Indiana and a Scalp taken by him and ex- hibited in the Town of Mississinway, and a declaration made to the Dela- wares of their having taken up the Tomahawk again; and I may add their refusal to attend the Council at Piqua, altho they were informed that their not attending would be considered as Evidence of their having with- drawn from the protection of the United States. There is great reason to believe that the Weas assisted in the late attack upon Fort Harrison and Mr. Johnson thinks that his Brother was killed by a Miami. I have no doubt but some of the Chiefs have done every thing in their power to prevent the young men from going to war with us and as little that the great bulk of the Tribe were decidedly Hostile. The revolution in their affairs and in their disposition towards us was very Sudden. The de- claration of Hostility which I have spoken of above was followed in two days by a message entreating the Delawares in their favour. In the in- termediate time an Army had appeared at Fort Wayne, three Villages and provisions destroyed and their utter extirpation threatened. You are so well acquainted, Sir, with all the Circumstances connected with the situation of this Tribe that it would be presumptious in me to indicate my opinion of the course to be pursued towards them. I will merely obser- ve that they can still do us considerable injury if they are drawn off and united with the hostile Bands which are collecting towards the Southern extremity of Lake Michigan. From the Miamis I learn that the Prophet had abandoned his position upon the Wabash and had taken one near the head of the Tippacanoe River, that the Winebagos had abandoned him and returned Home disgusted I suppose with their late want of success in the attempt upon Fort Harrison -- Having made every arrangement in my power for forwarding on supplies for the army to Defiance and committed the command of that wing to General Winchester who agreed to serve under me without the least hesitation I left St Marys for the purpose of making similar arrangements for the right Wing. The accumulation of pro- visions on the Au Glaize route is quite equal to my expectation. There are at St Marys and advanced of that place about 250,000 Rations of Flour Whiskey and small parts of that purchase by the Commissaries. Mr. Piatt is actively and usefully employed in building two Block Houses and ten Batteaux for the purpose of conveying supplies to the rapids of it if there should be a rise of Water which often happen in the Fall. Upon the Upon the Urbanna Route little has been done towards the accumulation of provisions excepting of the meal kind which can be procured of Cattle or Hogs to any extent. The Ohio Troops have marched from Urbanna to Manaras Block House twenty Miles in advance and will be employed in repairing the road to McArthurs Block House forty miles from Urbanna where I have dir- ected two hundred thousand Rations to be deposited by the Contractor White and the same Quantity by the Commissary. Further information upon this subject has however convinced me that my first opinion as to the propriety of adopting the Sandusky route as that which ought principally to be relied upon for the conveyance of our supplies was correct. But I was misinformed as to the Eligibility of Wooster as the place of deposit and the Rendezvous of the right Wing it should have been Mansfield, indeed that place is not far enough West to serve as a Deposit for the supplies procured on the Scioto nor the junction of the two Corps of Pennsylvania & Virginia, the former with all the artillery and supplies from Pittsburg will pursue the route by Canton and Wooster to Mansfield and I have sent an Express to conduct the latter through Chilicothe this place and Worthington to Delaware from which place a road is now cutting by a de- tachment of Ohio Militia to the upper Sandusky where I have directed Block Houses to be built for a principal Deposit -- I have directed Major Denny to forward by the Canton and Wooster route 400,000 complete rations but I do not think that further quantity need be sent from that place of any Article composing the ration except it is Whisky. All the information I receive corroborates the opinion I have given that any thing else can be procured here cheaper than it can be brought from Pittsburg. My only fears on the score of provisions arises from the difficult of getting it transported from the fronteers of the settlements. My experience in the Campaign of Genl Wayne and opinions of men conversant in such Matters have determined me to have ox teams they can live on the food which the forests can furnish for some time if well sal ed whilst our best horse Teams require a constant supply of Grain. I have therefore directed Colo Morrison to purchase one hundred Ox Waggons and Teams for the San- dusky route being convinced that purchasing in the end will be more Economical than hiring.

Colo Buford is also ordered on here for the purpose of procuring the provisions I am much relieved by the information given in your letter of the 26th Ultimo of the number of Shores and Blankets which have been sent on destined for this army. Great Exertions are making in Kentucky to procure other Articles of Clothing. Socks and Mittens will be obtained in sufficient numbers and it is probable a considerable number of overalls and Jackets will also be obtained without them I shall never be able to get the army to Detroit. With a thoughtlessness that hardly can be accounted for many of the Volunteers have left Home clad entirely in linen and Cotton.

I am fully sensible of the responsibility vested in me by your letter of the 23rd Ult. I accepted it with full confidence of being able to effect the wishes of the President or to shew unequivocally their im- practicability. If the fall should be very dry I will retake Detroit before the Winter sets in but if we should have much rain it will be necessary to wait at the rapids until the Miami of the lake is sufficiently frozen to bear the Army and its baggage. A Simultanous Movement with the army below will be highly useful as the Enemy will be able for some time to transfer their force from one end of the lake to the other, by Water. I have written to Gen. Van Ransilair, and shall keep him informed of my movements and prospects. I am indeed highly pleased with the appointment of Colo Morrison I know of no man who could discharge with as much propriety himself the duties of Quarter Master Genl to an army. The Colonel has applied to me to appoint a Deputy to him under the act establishing the Quarter Master Generals Department. The Colo cannot get a proper person to assist him for the compensation allowed for the assistant Deputy Quarter Master by the law under which his own appointment is made. Will it be proper to appoint a Deputy Quarter Master under the lst Section of the Act of the 28th of March

General Winchester agreed to continue under my Command without the least hesitation, a circumstance that has given me great pleasure. But I am at a loss in what light I am to consider myself. If as a Brigadier Genl. Winchesters prior Commission will entitle him to the Command. My Commission from Kentucky has not been abrogated. Would it be proper to continue to act under it and at the time that I am a Brigadier in the service of the United States, However the Government may decide I am content.

I have the Honor to be &c Willm Henry Harrison

P.S. In a former letter I request that a Detachment of the Artillery Corps should be sent to me In an army composed almost exclusively of Militia and operating in a Country where Rivers are to be crossed in the presence of highly disciplined Troops and Posts to be taken it is al 1 important that the Corps of Artillery should be respectable for its numbers and Knowledge of its duty. I beg leave also to recommend that another officer of Engineers should be sent on. A fit of sickness or an accident depriving us of the services of Capt Gratiat might put a stop to our operations.

W.H.H.

William Eustis Esqr
Secy of War

38, 39, 40, 41