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<h1><span class="ss">ST. CLAIR’S DEFEAT</span></h1>
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<p class="center">Prepared by the Staff of the
<br/>Public Library of Fort Wayne and Allen County
<br/>1954</p>
</div>
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<p class="smaller cur">One of a historical series, this pamphlet is published
under the direction of the governing Boards of the Public
Library of Fort Wayne and Allen County.</p>
<p class="center"><span class="ssn">BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE SCHOOL CITY OF FORT WAYNE</span></p>
<dl class="undent smallest"><br/><i>B.F. Geyer, President</i>
<br/><i>Joseph E. Kramer, Secretary</i>
<br/><i>W. Page Yarnelle, Treasurer</i>
<br/><i>Mrs. Sadie Fulk Roehrs</i>
<br/><i>Willard Shambaugh</i>
<p class="center"><span class="ssn">PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD FOR ALLEN COUNTY</span></p>
<p class="smaller cur">The members of this Board include the members of the Board of Trustees of the
School City of Fort Wayne (with the same officers) together with the following
citizens chosen from Allen County outside the corporate City of Fort Wayne:</p>
<dl class="undent smallest"><br/><i>James E. Graham</i>
<br/><i>Arthur Nieneier</i>
<br/><i>Mrs. Glenn Henderson</i>
<br/><i>Mrs. Charles Reynolds</i>
<div class="pb" id="Page_i">i</div>
<h2 id="c1"><span class="small">FOREWORD</span></h2>
<p>Several survivors of St. Clair’s Defeat wrote vivid
accounts of their experiences during that terrible battle.
These personal reports detail one of the worst defeats ever
suffered by an American army. Encouraged by victories
over the forces of Generals Harmar and St. Clair, the Indians
preyed upon the defenseless frontier. Therefore, the
success of General Wayne’s expedition, undertaken in 1792
to subdue the redskins, was of primary importance to the
development of the West.</p>
<p>The first of the three articles in this pamphlet contains
the accounts which Henry Howe included in his HISTORICAL
COLLECTIONS OF OHIO, first published in 1847.
Sources of quotations used in Howe’s COLLECTIONS are
not always clear, but the material is considered of sufficient
historical significance to warrant reprinting without exact
citations. The second item appeared in the INDIANA HERALD
on April 13, 1864. The third article is a brief newspaper
report which was published in the INDIANA STATE
JOURNAL on September 27, 1851.</p>
<p>The Boards and the Staff of the Public Library of Fort
Wayne and Allen County present this publication in the hope
that it will prove interesting to the general public as well
as to students of the history of the Old Northwest. Grammar,
spelling, and punctuation have been changed to conform
to current usage.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_1">1</div>
<p class="tb">The great objective of St. Clair’s campaign was to establish
a military post at the Miami village (the site of the
present city of Fort Wayne) at the junction of the St. Mary’s
and St. Joseph rivers. Intermediate posts of communication
were to be maintained from that place to Fort Washington
at Cincinnati. This was felt to be the only way to prevent
future hostilities.</p>
<p>Acting under instructions, St. Clair proceeded to organize
his army. At the close of April, 1791, he was at
Pittsburgh where troops and munitions of war were being
collected. On the fifteenth of May he reached Fort Washington.
The expedition was expected to start before the first
of August, but mismanagement in the quartermaster’s department
and other hindrances prevented the departure for
many weeks. From Fort Washington the troops advanced
only six miles to Ludlow’s Station. The army of 2,300, exclusive
of the militia, remained there until September 17,
when it moved forward and built Fort Hamilton on the Great
Miami River. From there the army marched forty-four
miles farther and built Fort Jefferson. On the twenty-fourth
of October the toilsome march through the wilderness began.
We copy below from the NOTES ON THE EARLY SETTLEMENT
OF THE NORTH-WESTERN TERRITORY by Judge
Jacob Burnet.</p>
<p>“During this time 300 militiamen deserted and returned
to their homes. The supplies for the army were still
in the rear, and General St. Clair was afraid that the deserters
might seize them for their own use. He decided
very reluctantly to send the first regiment back for the dual
purpose of bringing up the provisions and, if possible, of
overtaking and arresting some of the deserters.</p>
<p>“After that arrangement had been made, the army
resumed its march; and on the third of November, it arrived
at a creek flowing toward the southwest. This stream was
thought to be the St. Mary’s River, one of the principal
branches of the Maumee River; but it was afterward ascertained
to be a branch of the Wabash River. Since it was late
in the afternoon and the men were fatigued by the laborious
march, they encamped on a commanding piece of ground by
<span class="pb" id="Page_2">2</span>
the creek.</p>
<p>“General St. Clair intended to occupy that position until
the first regiment arrived with the provisions. According
to a plan he had made with Major Ferguson, he intended
to begin work on a fort the next day; but he was not permitted
to do so. Half an hour before sunrise on the fourth of
November, just after the men had been dismissed from parade,
the Indians attacked the militiamen posted at the front.
By rushing back into camp with the Indians close upon their
heels, they threw the army into disorder from which it could
not recover. In a short time the Indians were checked by
the fire of the first line, but they immediately concentrated
a very heavy fire on that line; and in a few minutes they extended
their fire to the second line.</p>
<p>“In each case their heaviest fire was directed into the
center of the line where the artillery was placed, and men
were frequently driven from the center with great slaughter.
Bayonets were resorted to in that emergency. Under orders
from St. Clair, Colonel Darke made a spirited charge with
a part of the second line. The Indians instantly gave way
and were driven back several hundred yards. But there was
not a sufficient number of riflemen to preserve the advantage,
and the enemy soon renewed the attack and forced our
troops to retreat.</p>
<p>“When the Indians entered the American camp from
the left, another charge was made with great success by
the battalions of Majors Butler and Clark. Several other
charges were made with equal effect. These attacks, however,
caused a heavy loss of men, particularly of officers.
In the charge made by the second regiment, Major Butler
was dangerously wounded. All but three of the officers of
that regiment fell, and one of these three was shot through
the body. The cannon was silenced, and all the artillery
officers were killed except Captain Ford who was dangerously
wounded. Half the army had fallen; it was necessary
to gain the road, if possible, and to make a retreat.</p>
<p>“A successful charge was made on the enemy, as if
to turn their right flank, but in reality to reach the road.
The militia then commenced to retreat, followed by the
<span class="pb" id="Page_3">3</span>
United States troops, with Major Clark’s battalion covering
the rear. The retreat, as might be expected, soon became
a flight. The camp was abandoned and so was the artillery
for there were no horses to move it. For about four miles
the road was almost covered with the arms and accouterments
which the men continued to throw away even after the
Indians had stopped pursuing them.</p>
<p>“All of General St. Clair’s horses had been killed,
and he was mounted on a broken-down packhorse that could
scarcely be forced out of a walk. It was, therefore, impossible
for him to get forward to command a halt; and the orders
which he dispatched by others for that purpose were
not executed. The rout continued until about dark when the
remnant of the army arrived at Fort Jefferson, twenty-seven
miles from the battleground. The battle had lasted about
three hours; it began a half hour before sunrise, and the
retreat did not start until nine-thirty in the morning. With
only one exception, the troops behaved with great bravery
during this time; this accounts for the very large number of
casualties.</p>
<p>“Among those killed were Major General Butler, Colonel
Oldham, Major Ferguson, Major Hart, and Major Clark.
Among the wounded were Colonel Sargeant (the adjutant-general),
Colonel Darke, Colonel Gibson, Major Butler, and
Viscount Malartie, who served as an aide. In addition to
these, the list of officers killed contained the names of Captains
Bradford, Phelon, Kirkwood, Price, Van Swearingen,
Tipton, Purdy, Smith, Piatt, Gaither, Crebbs, and Newman;
Lieutenants Spear, Warren, Boyd, McMath, Burgess,
Kelso, Read, Little, Hopper, and Lickins; Ensigns Cobb,
Balch, Chase, Turner, Wilson, Brook, Beatty, and Purdy;
Quartermasters Reynolds and Ward; Adjutant Anderson; and
Dr. Grasson. In addition to the wounded officers whose
names are mentioned above, the official list contains the
names of Captains Doyle, Truman, Ford, Buchanan, Darke,
and Hough; Lieutenants Greaton, Davidson, DeButts, Price,
Morgan, McCrea, Lysle, and Thompson; Adjutants Whistler
and Crawford; and Ensign Bines. The melancholy result of
that disastrous day was felt and lamented by all who had
<span class="pb" id="Page_4">4</span>
sympathy for private distress or public misfortune.</p>
<p>“The only allegation made by General St. Clair against
his army was that the men lacked discipline, a quality which
could not have been developed during the short time the men
were in the service. That defect rendered it impossible to
restore order once the men were thrown into confusion, and
this is the chief reason why the loss fell so heavily on the
officers. They were compelled to expose themselves to an
unusual degree in their efforts to rally the men and to overcome
the want of discipline. Although worn down by sickness
and suffering from a painful disease, General St. Clair
set the example. It was alleged by the officers that the Indians
far outnumbered the American troops. That conclusion
was drawn, in part, from the fact that the Indians outflanked
and forcefully attacked all sides of the American
lines at the same time.</p>
<p>“When the fugitives arrived at Fort Jefferson, the
first regiment was just returning from its unsuccessful effort
either to overtake the deserters or to meet the convoy
of provisions. The absence of that regiment at the time of
the battle was believed by some men to have been the cause
of the defeat. They supposed that had it been present the
Indians would have been defeated or would have attacked at
another time. General St. Clair seemed to think it uncertain,
judging from the superior number of the enemy, whether
he ought to consider the absence of that corps fortunate
or otherwise. On the whole, he seemed to think it fortunate,
for he gravely doubted whether its presence would have
changed the fortune of the day. If it had not, the triumph of
the enemy would have been more complete, and the country
would have been left without means of defense.</p>
<p>“As soon as the troops reached Fort Jefferson, it became
a question of whether they ought to stay there or return
to Fort Washington. General St. Clair asked the advice
of his surviving field officers; these included Colonel Darke,
Majors Hamtramck, Zeigler, and Gaither, and Colonel Sargeant.
After discussing the subject, they reported unanimously
that they believed the troops could not be accommodated
in Fort Jefferson nor could they be supplied with provisions
<span class="pb" id="Page_5">5</span>
there. The officers thought it proper to proceed
immediately toward supplies which were known to be on the
road not more than two marches distant. This plan was
adopted, and the army set out at ten o’clock and marched
all night. The next day they met a convoy with a quantity of
flour which was one day ahead of a drove of cattle. These
supplies were used by the troops on their march to Fort
Washington.</p>
<p>“The loss sustained by the country in the fall of so
many gallant officers and men was most seriously regretted.
General Butler and Major Ferguson were spoken of with
particular esteem. The public feeling, however, was in
some measure alleviated by the fact that those brave men,
officers and privates, fell covered with honor while defending
the cause of their country.</p>
<p>“The principal complaint made by the commander was
that some of his orders given during the night to Colonel
Oldham were not executed. He also complained that some
very important information sent during the night by Captain
Hough to General Butler was not imparted to him, and he
did not hear of it until he arrived at Fort Washington.</p>
<p>“Because of the almost treasonable negligence of the
government agents in furnishing supplies, the army had been
on short allowances for many days. This had made it absolutely
necessary either to retreat or to send the first regiment,
which was the flower of the army, to bring up the
provisions and military stores. The latter alternative was
chosen, and in the absence of that corps the attack was made.
In regard to the negligence of the War Department, it is a
well-authenticated fact that boxes and packages were carelessly
put up and marked. During the battle a box marked
‘flints’ was found to contain gunlocks; a keg of powder
marked ‘for the infantry’ was found to be damaged cannon-powder
that could scarcely be ignited.</p>
<p>“Under all of these disadvantages, it was generally
believed by candid, intelligent men that the commanding
general was not justly liable to severe censure. With one
exception at the commencement of the action, the troops
behaved with great bravery. They maintained their ground
<span class="pb" id="Page_6">6</span>
for three hours in an uninterrupted conflict with a superior
force. They did not attempt to leave the field until it was
covered with the bodies of their companions and a retreat
was ordered. The General, less anxious for himself than
for others, was the last to leave the ground after he had ordered
the retreat.</p>
<p>“For some time after the disaster, St. Clair was universally
censured. After a thorough investigation, a committee
of Congress, with Mr. Giles of Virginia as chairman,
found that the campaign had been conducted with skill and
personal bravery. The committee concluded that the defeat
was caused chiefly by the lack of discipline in the militia
and by the negligence of those whose duty it was to procure
and forward the provisions and military stores necessary
for the expedition.</p>
<p>“Secretary of War Henry Knox addressed a letter to
Congress complaining that an injustice had been done him
by the committee. The report was then reconsidered by
the same committee. After hearing the statements and explanations
of the Secretary and after reconsidering the whole
matter, they reaffirmed their first report.”</p>
<p>From one part of the country to the other, this defeat
caused one loud and merciless outcry of abuse and detestation
of St. Clair. Many a general with far less bravery and
military skill has, when successful, been applauded by the
unthinking multitude with vehement acclamations. The following
excerpt from the narrative of St. Clair’s campaign
shows that he deserved a better fate.</p>
<p>“During the engagement, Generals St. Clair and Butler
were continually going up and down the lines; as one general
went up one side, the other one went down the opposite
side. St. Clair was so severely afflicted with the gout that
he was unable to mount or dismount a horse without assistance.
His own four horses had been turned out to feed overnight,
but they had been brought in before the battle. St.
Clair first attempted to ride a young horse, but the animal
was so frightened by the firing that it could not be mounted.
He had just moved the horse to where he could have some
advantage from the slope of the ground when the horse was
shot through the head. The boy holding it was wounded in
the arm. A second horse was brought and harnessed; but
as St. Clair was about to mount, the animal and the servant
who held it were killed. The General then ordered the third
horse to be prepared and brought to him at the left of the
front line, which was then warmly engaged. The man and
horse were never heard of afterward, and it is supposed that
they were killed. General St. Clair’s fourth horse was killed
under the Count de Malartie, one of his aides, whose horse
had died on the march.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_7">7</div>
<div class="fig"> id="fig1"> <ANTIMG src="images/p03.jpg" alt="" width-obs="600" height-obs="890" /> <p class="pcap"><i>the horse was shot through the head</i></p> </div>
<div class="pb" id="Page_8">8</div>
<p>“On the day of the battle, St. Clair was not in his uniform;
he wore a coarse coat and a three-cornered hat. A
long queue and heavy gray locks flowed from under his beaver
hat. Early in the action, a ball grazed the side of his
face and cut off a portion of one of his locks. It is said that
during the battle eight balls passed through his clothes. After
his horses were killed, he exerted himself on foot for a
considerable time with a degree of alertness that surprised
everybody who saw him. When he was nearly exhausted, a
packhorse was brought to him. Although he could scarcely
prod the animal out of a walk, he rode it during the remainder
of the day. Had he not been furnished with a horse, he
would have had to remain on the field, even though he was
unhurt.</p>
<p>“During the action General St. Clair exerted himself
with a courage and presence of mind worthy of the best fortune.
He gave his orders in person to Colonel Darke, and
he was present when the first bayonet charge was made upon
the enemy. When the Indians first entered the camp by
the left flank, General St. Clair led the troops which drove
them back. When a retreat became indispensable, he put
himself at the head of the troops which broke through the
enemy ranks and opened the way for the remainder of the
army. When this was done, he remained in the rear and
made every exertion to obtain a party to cover the retreat.
The panic, however, was so great that his exertions were
of little avail. At the height of the action, a few of the men
crowded around the fires in the center of the camp; St. Clair
was seen drawing his pistols, threatening them, and ordering
<span class="pb" id="Page_9">9</span>
them to turn and repel the enemy.”</p>
<p>In commenting upon the General’s honorable acquittal
of all blame by the committee of Congress appointed to inquire
into the causes of the failure of the expedition, Chief
Justice John Marshall, in his LIFE OF GEORGE WASHINGTON,
remarks with his usual felicity of expression: “More
satisfactory testimony in favor of St. Clair is furnished by
the circumstance that he still retained the undiminished esteem
and good opinion of President Washington.”</p>
<p>To the foregoing description of the battle we extract
from the narrative of Major Jacob Fowler his own personal
experience in the events of that fatal day. Charles Cist published
Fowler’s story in his ADVERTISER, with the following
introduction:</p>
<p>“There was hardly a battle fought in the early struggles
with the Indians in which Mr. Fowler did not participate.
He is now (July, 1844) eighty years old, but his eye
has not dimmed nor his natural force abated. He can still
pick off a squirrel with his rifle at one hundred yards. He
can walk as firmly and as fast as most men of fifty, and I
cannot perceive a gray hair in his head. His mind and memory
are as vigorous as his physical body.”</p>
<p>Major Fowler’s story is as follows:</p>
<p>“Excepting a single instance, St. Clair kept out no
scouting parties during his entire march. We would have
been completely surprised by the attack if it had not been
for volunteer scouting parties from the militia who were out
on the evening before the battle. The constant discharge of
rifles throughout the night also warned us to prepare for the
event. The militia, encamped about a quarter of a mile in
front of the main army, received the first shock of the attack
a little after daybreak. The camp was on the bank of
a small creek, one of the upper branches of the Wabash River.
The ground was nearly level and covered with a heavy
growth of timber. As surveyor, I drew the pay and rations
of a subaltern; but as an old hunter, I was not disposed to
trust myself among the Indians without my rifle. Indeed, I
found it very serviceable during the march, for the army
never had more than half rations during the whole campaign.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_10">10</div>
<p>“My stock of bullets had become low from using them
for hunting; and as soon as it was daylight that morning, I
started for the militia camp to get a ladle to pour some
more. By this time the battle had begun, and I met the militia
running into the main body of troops. I hailed one of
the Kentuckians, whom I found disabled in the right wrist
by a bullet; and I asked him if he had bullets to spare. He
told me to take out his pouch and to divide with him. I poured
out a double handful, put back what I supposed was half, and
was about to leave him, when he said, ‘Stop, you had better
count them.’ I could hardly resist the impulse to laugh, for
the idea of counting a handful of bullets was ludicrous under
the circumstances. ‘If we get through this day’s scrape,
my dear fellow,’ said I, ‘I will return you twice as many.’
But I never saw him again, and I suppose he shared the fate
that befell many a gallant spirit on that day. I owe the bullets,
at any rate, at this moment.</p>
<p>“When I returned to the lines, I found that the engagement
had begun. One of Captain Piatt’s men lay shot through
the belly near the spot I had left. I saw an Indian behind a
small tree not twenty steps away and just outside the regular
lines. He was loading his piece, squatting down as much as
possible to screen himself. I sighted and shot him through;
he dropped as soon as I had fired, and I retreated into our
lines to reload my rifle. Finding that the fire had ceased
at this point, I ran to the rear line, where I met Colonel
Darke leading a charge with about three hundred men. I
followed with my rifle. By this movement the Indians were
driven out of sight, and the Colonel called a halt to rally
his men. A number of trees had been blown down near
where we stood. As an experienced woodsman and hunter,
I suggested to Colonel Darke that these trees would form an
excellent breastwork of sufficient length to protect the whole
force. We might yet need that protection, for judging by
the shouting and firing, the Indians behind us had closed the
gap we had made in charging. I told the Colonel that if we
turned and charged the Indians at our rear, we should have
them with their backs to us. No doubt we would be able to
give a good account of them. ‘Lead the way, then,’ said the
Colonel, as he rode to the rear to march the whole body forward.
We then charged the Indians, but they were so thick
that we could do nothing with them. In a few minutes they
had surrounded us, and we found ourselves beside the army
baggage and the artillery, which had been captured. I then
climbed a tree. After firing twelve or fourteen times, two
or three rods being my longest shot, I discovered that many
of those whom I had struck were not brought down. I had
not then had sufficient experience to know that I must shoot
them in the hip to bring them down. The unprotected regulars
armed with muskets could do little better than to fire
at random.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_11">11</div>
<div class="fig"> id="fig2"> <ANTIMG src="images/p04.jpg" alt="" width-obs="600" height-obs="900" /> <p class="pcap"><i>While he was crawling away</i></p> </div>
<div class="pb" id="Page_12">12</div>
<p>“By this time only about thirty men of Colonel Darke’s
command were left standing; the rest were lying around us,
either killed or wounded. I ran to the Colonel, who was
waving his sword in the thickest of it to encourage his men,
and told him we should all be down in five minutes if we did
not charge. ‘Charge, then!’ said he to the little line that
remained, and they did so. Fortunately, the main army
charged on the other side at the same time, and the Indians
were momentarily put to flight.</p>
<p>“I had been partially sheltered by a small tree, but
two Indians behind a larger tree fired simultaneously at me.
Feeling the stream of air following the passage of their
shots, I supposed myself cut to pieces; but no harm had been
done. I brought my piece to my side and fired without aiming
at the one that stood his ground. The fellow was so close
to me that I could hardly miss him, and I shot him through
the hips. While he was crawling away on all fours, Colonel
Darke, who had dismounted and stood close by me, cut off
the Indian’s head. By this time the cock of my rifle lock
had worn loose and gave me much trouble. I told my difficulty
to an acquaintance from Cincinnati who had picked up
a gun from a militiaman. ‘There is a first-rate rifle,’ he
said, pointing to one at a distance. I ran to get it as soon
as I ascertained that my bullets would fit it.</p>
<p>“Here I met Captain J. S. Gano, who was unarmed.
I handed him the rifle I had gone into the battle with, and I
told him that we were defeated and would have to make our
<span class="pb" id="Page_13">13</span>
escape as speedily as possible. If we escaped, we would
need the rifles for subsistence in the woods. While the battle
still raged, a group of soldiers had gathered together, but
they did little more than present targets for the enemy. The
soldiers appeared stupefied and bewildered. At another spot
a group of soldiers had broken into the officers’ marquees
and were eating the breakfast from which the officers had
been called. It must be remembered that neither officers
nor men had eaten anything the whole morning. Some of the
men were shot down in the very act of eating.</p>
<p>“Just where I then stood, no Indians were visible, although
their rifle balls were striking all around. At last I
saw an Indian dash for a tree about forty yards off. From
this protection he loaded and fired four times, bringing down
his man at every shot. He fired too quickly to give me a
chance to aim at him. At length I got a range of two inches
inside his backbone and blazed away; down he fell, and I saw
no more of him.</p>
<p>“A short time later I heard the cry given by St. Clair
and his adjutant sergeant to charge to the road. I ran through
the disorganized army to where I had left my relative, Captain
Piatt, and I told him that the army was broken up and
in full retreat. ‘Don’t say so,’ he replied. ‘You will discourage
my men, and I can’t believe it.’ I persisted a short
time, but finding him obstinate, I said, ‘If you will rush
your fate, in God’s name do it!’ I then ran off toward the
rear of the army, which was rapidly retreating.</p>
<p>“Piatt called, ‘Wait for me!’ It was no use to stop,
for by this time the savages were hardly twenty yards behind
me. Being uncommonly active in those days, I soon
got from the rear to the front of the troops; but I had great
trouble in avoiding the bayonets which the retreating men
had thrown down with the sharp points toward their pursuers.</p>
<p>“It has been stated that the Indians followed us for
thirty miles, but this is not true. My duty as surveyor led
me to mark the miles every day we proceeded on our march,
and it was therefore easy to ascertain how far we were pursued.
The Indians, after every other fire, fell back to load
their rifles and regained the lost distance by running on
<span class="pb" id="Page_14">14</span>
afresh.</p>
<p>“Even during the last charge of Colonel Darke, the
bodies of the dead and dying were shrouded with smoke and
in the heavy morning frost looked like so many pumpkins in
a cornfield in December. It was on the fourth of November,
and the day was severely cold for the season. My fingers
became so benumbed at times that I had to take the bullets
in my mouth and load from it, while I had the wiping rod in
my hand to force them down.”</p>
<p>The map of the battleground is taken from the survey
of John S. Houston of Celina. The localities were pointed
out to him by Mr. McDowell, who was in the action and who
is now living near Fort Recovery. In a letter headed Celina,
March 20, 1847, Mr. Houston reported on a conversation
with Mr. McDowell.</p>
<p>“Mr. McDowell states that on the morning of the battle
he and several others had just gone out to look after their
horses when suddenly they heard discharges of musketry and
the most hideous yells from the opposite side of the river.
Instantly, he rushed to camp where his regiment was preparing
for action. He joined them and gallantly charged the
enemy. On the retreat he was among those who defended
the rear and kept the enemy in check for several miles. The
ground was covered with a slushy snow which greatly retarded
their progress. After a while many soldiers became
so dispirited and hungry—having eaten no breakfast—that
they threw down their arms and made their way as best they
could among the retreating crowd.</p>
<p>“About this time, Mr. McDowell saw a mother carrying
her year-old infant. She was so tired that she was about
to fall by the wayside when he took the child and carried it
some distance. Afterward, to save her own life, the woman
left the child in the snow. The Indians carried it to the
Sandusky towns and reared it. Soon after this, McDowell
overtook a youth about eighteen years old who was hobbling
along, wounded in the leg. McDowell gave him a drink of
spirits and a little bread, although he himself had not had
time to eat. This refreshed and encouraged the young man;
and when a pony came dashing by, McDowell caught it and
mounted the young soldier upon it. In this way the youth
reached the fort safely.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_15">15</div>
<div class="fig"> id="fig3"> <ANTIMG src="images/p05.jpg" alt="" width-obs="600" height-obs="562" /> <p class="pcap">PLAN OF ST. CLAIR’S BATTLEFIELD</p> </div>
<dl class="undent pcap"><dt class="center"><i>REFERENCES</i>:
<br/><i>A. HIGH GROUND ON WHICH THE MILITIA WHERE ENCAMPED AT THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE ACTION.</i>
<br/><i>B. & C. ENCAMPMENT OF THE MAIN ARMY</i>
<br/><i>D. RETREAT OF THE MILITIA AT THE BEGINNING OF THE BATTLE</i>
<br/><i>E. ST. CLAIR’S TRACE ON WHICH THE DEFEATED ARMY RETREATED</i>
<br/><i>F. PLACE WHERE GENERAL BUTLER AND OTHER OFFICERS WERE BURIED</i>
<br/><i>G. SITE OF FORT RECOVERY BUILT BY WAYNE</i>
<p class="pcapc">from Historical Collection of Ohio by Howe.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_16">16</div>
<p>“At Stillwater Creek, twelve miles from the battleground,
the Indians gave up the pursuit and returned to share
the booty. ‘Oh!’ said an old squaw who died many years ago
on the St. Mary’s River, ‘my arm that night was weary
scalping white man.’</p>
<p>“‘Some years ago,’ McDowell said to me (and here
his cheeks became moistened with tears), ‘I was traveling
in Kentucky to visit a sister I had not seen in many years.
When I arrived at Georgetown, I entered my name on the
hotel register with the place of my residence—Fort Recovery,
Ohio.</p>
<p>“‘After I had been sitting some time at ease before a
comfortable fire, a gentleman who had noticed the entry of
my name and residence opened a friendly conversation about
the place and country. He soon remarked that he was at the
defeat of St. Clair, and that if it had not been for the assistance
of a young man of Butler’s regiment, he would have
been there yet.’</p>
<p>“After a few more questions and replies, both men
recognized each other. The gentleman was the youth who
had been shot during the retreat and whose life had been
saved with McDowell’s assistance. At this discovery their
surprise and consequent mutual attachment may be imagined.
The gentleman insisted upon taking McDowell home
and introducing him to his wife and daughters. He had become
a wealthy merchant and gave McDowell a new suit of
clothes and other presents which he has carefully preserved
to this day.”</p>
<p>In his SKETCHES OF WESTERN ADVENTURE, John
A. McClung relates some anecdotes which show the heroism
and activity of a young man who was in this action.</p>
<p>“The late William Kennan, of Fleming County, when
a young man of eighteen, was attached to the corps of rangers
who accompanied the regular force. He had long been
noted for his strength and activity. In the course of the
march from Fort Washington, he had repeated opportunities
to test his astonishing physical powers; and it was universally
admitted that he was the swiftest runner in the light
corps. On the evening preceding the action, his corps had
been advanced a few hundred yards in front of the first line
of infantry in order to give reasonable notice of the enemy’s
approach. Just as day was dawning, he observed about thirty
Indians within one hundred yards of the guards’ fire. They
advanced cautiously toward the spot where he stood with
about twenty rangers; the other men were considerably in
the rear.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_17">17</div>
<div class="fig"> id="fig4"> <ANTIMG src="images/p06.jpg" alt="" width-obs="600" height-obs="906" /> <p class="pcap"><i>mounted the young soldier</i></p> </div>
<div class="pb" id="Page_18">18</div>
<p>“Supposing it to be a mere scouting party, numbering
no more than the rangers, he sprang forward a few paces
in order to shelter himself in a spot of rank grass. After
firing with a quick aim upon the foremost Indian, Kennan
instantly fell flat upon his face and proceeded with all possible
rapidity to reload his gun. He did not doubt for a moment
that the rangers would maintain their positions and
support him. The Indians, however, rushed forward in such
overwhelming numbers that the rangers were compelled to
run. Kennan was in total ignorance of his danger until his
captain, who had observed him when he threw himself into
the grass, suddenly shouted, ‘Run, Kennan! or you are a
dead man!’ Instantly, Kennan sprang to his feet and beheld
Indians within ten feet of him; his company was already more
than one hundred yards in front.</p>
<p>“Not a moment was to be lost. He darted off with
every muscle strained to its utmost. A dozen yelling Indians
were close behind him. At first he pressed straight
forward to the ford in the creek which separated the rangers
from the main army. Several Indians, who had passed him
before he rose from the grass, threw themselves in the way
and completely cut him off from the other rangers. By the
most powerful exertions, he left all of the pursuers behind
him, with the exception of one chief who displayed a swiftness
and perseverance equal to his own. The circuit which
Kennan was obliged to take extended the race for more than
four hundred yards. The distance between them was about
eighteen feet, which Kennan could not increase nor his adversary
diminish. Each runner put his whole soul into the
race.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_19">19</div>
<p>“Kennan, as far as he was able, kept his eye upon the
motions of his pursuer, for he was afraid the Indian would
throw the tomahawk which he held aloft in a menacing position.
At length, finding that no other Indian was immediately
at hand, Kennan determined to try the mettle of his pursuer
in a different manner. He felt for his own tomahawk but
discovered it had slipped out of its sheath while he lay in the
grass. His hair almost lifted the cap from his head when
he realized he was totally unarmed! Kennan had slackened
his pace for a moment, and the Indian was almost in reach
of him when he again sprinted forward. Fear lent wings to
his feet, and for the first time he saw himself outdistancing
the Indian. He had watched the motions of his pursuer too
closely, however, to pay proper attention to the nature of
the ground before him; and he suddenly found himself in front
of a large tree which had been blown down. Brush and other
impediments increased the height of the obstacle to eight or
nine feet.</p>
<p>“The Indian, who heretofore had not uttered the slightest
sound, now gave a short, quick yell as if sure of his
victim. Kennan had not a moment to deliberate. He must
clear the tree at a leap or perish. Putting his whole soul
into the effort, he bounded into the air with a power that
astonished himself. Clearing limbs, brush, and everything
else, he alighted in perfect safety on the other side. A loud
yell of astonishment burst from his pursuer, who had not
the hardihood to attempt the same feat. Kennan, as may be
readily imagined, had no leisure to enjoy his triumph but
dashed into the bed of the creek. With its high banks shielding
him from the fire of the enemy, he ran up the stream
until he found a convenient place to cross. Soon he rejoined
the rangers in the rear of the encampment. He was panting
from the fatigue of exertions which have seldom been surpassed,
but no breathing time was allowed him. The attack
instantly commenced and, as we have already observed,
was maintained for three hours with unabated fury.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_20">20</div>
<div class="fig"> id="fig5"> <ANTIMG src="images/p07.jpg" alt="" width-obs="600" height-obs="900" /> <p class="pcap"><i>he alighted in perfect safety</i></p> </div>
<div class="pb" id="Page_21">21</div>
<p>“When the retreat commenced, Kennan was attached
to Major Clark’s battalion which was assigned the task of
protecting the rear. This corps quickly lost its commander
and was completely disorganized. Kennan was among the
hindmost when the fight commenced; but by exerting those
same powers which had saved him in the morning, he quickly
gained the front and passed several horsemen in the flight.
Here he beheld a private of his own company, an intimate
acquaintance, lying upon the ground with his thigh broken.
In the most piercing tones of distress, the wounded man
implored each horseman who hurried by to take him up behind
him. As soon as he beheld Kennan coming on foot, he
stretched out his arms and called aloud for help. Notwithstanding
the imminent peril of the moment, Kennan could
not reject so passionate an appeal and carried him for several
hundred yards. Horseman after horseman passed them,
but each rider refused to take the wounded man.</p>
<p>“At length the enemy was gaining upon them so fast
that Kennan saw their deaths to be certain unless he relinquished
his burden. Accordingly, he told his friend that he
had used every possible exertion to save his life and that
he must relax his hold around his neck or they would both
perish. The unhappy man, heedless of every remonstrance,
still clung convulsively and impeded Kennan’s exertions until
the foremost of the enemy, armed with tomahawk alone,
was within twenty yards of them. Kennan then drew his
knife from its sheath and cut the fingers of his companion.
The unhappy man rolled upon the ground in utter helplessness.
He was tomahawked before Kennan had gone thirty
yards. Relieved of his burden, Kennan darted forward with
a speed which once more brought him to the front. Here
again he was compelled to neglect his own safety in order
to attend to that of others.</p>
<p>“The late Governor George Madison of Kentucky, who
afterward commanded the troops who defended themselves
so honorably at Raisin River, was a man of amiable temper
and unconquerable courage. At that time, he was a subaltern
in St. Clair’s army. His health was poor; and now,
totally exhausted by the exertions of the morning, he was
calmly sitting on a log awaiting the approach of his enemies.
Kennan hastily accosted him and inquired the cause of his
delay. Madison, pointing to a wound which had bled profusely,
<span class="pb" id="Page_22">22</span>
replied that he was unable to walk any farther and
that he had no horse. Kennan instantly ran back to a spot
where he had seen an exhausted horse grazing and caught it
without difficulty. Having assisted Madison to mount, he
walked beside the animal until they were out of danger. Fortunately,
the pursuit soon ceased, as the plunder of the camp
presented irresistible attractions to the enemy. The friendship
thus formed between these two young men endured without
interruption for the rest of their lives. Kennan never
entirely recovered from the severe exertions which he had
been compelled to make during this unfortunate expedition.
He settled in Fleming County where he was a leading member
of the Baptist church for many years. He died in 1827.”</p>
<p>The number of Indians engaged in this action can never
be ascertained with any degree of certainty. Estimates have
varied from one to three thousand. Colonel John Johnston,
long an Indian agent in this region, had many opportunities
to form a correct opinion on this subject. His statements
in a letter of 1846 are worthy of consideration.</p>
<p>“The number of Indians at the defeat of St. Clair must
have been large. At that time game was plentiful, and a
large number of Indians could have subsisted easily. Wells,
one of our interpreters, was there and fought for the enemy.
To use his own language, he tomahawked and scalped the
wounded, dying, and dead, until he was unable to raise his
arm. The principal tribes in the battle were the Delaware,
Shawnee, Wyandot, Miami, and Ottawa. A few Indians of
the Chippewa and Potawatomi tribes were also present. I
had no accurate means of knowing the total number, but it
could not have been less than two thousand.”</p>
<p>Some time after the defeat of St. Clair, General Wilkinson,
who had become commander of Fort Washington,
ordered an expedition to visit the battleground. Captain
Buntin, who was with the party, afterward wrote a letter to
St. Clair from which the following is extracted.</p>
<p>“In my opinion, those unfortunate men who were captured
alive suffered the greatest torture by having their
limbs torn off. The women were treated with the most indecent
cruelty; stakes as thick as a person’s arm were driven
<span class="pb" id="Page_23">23</span>
through their bodies. The former I observed while burying
the dead; the latter was discovered by Colonel Sargeant and
Dr. Brown. We found three carriages whole; the other five
were so badly damaged that they were useless. By the General’s
orders, we dug pits in different places and buried all
the bodies that were exposed to view or that could be found
conveniently.</p>
<p>“During this time several small parties were detached—some
to protect the main group and others to examine the
course of the creek. At some distance in front of the ground
occupied by the militia, these parties found a large camp,
not less than three quarters of a mile long. They thought
it had been the camp of the Indians the night before the action.
We remained on the field that night, and the next morning
we hitched horses to the carriages and started for Fort
Jefferson.</p>
<p>“There is little reason to believe that the enemy carried
off the cannons, and it is thought they were either buried
or thrown into the creek. I think the latter more probable,
but as it was frozen over with thick ice and covered
with a deep snow, it was impossible to make a search with
any prospect of success. I have mentioned the camp occupied
by the enemy the night before the action. Could Colonel
Oldham have complied with your orders on that evening,
things at this day might have worn a different aspect.”</p>
<p>Mr. McDowell, previously mentioned, was one of
those who visited the battleground. He stated that although
the bodies were much abused and stripped of everything of
any value, they were recognized and interred in four large
graves. General Butler was found in the shattered remains
of his tent. After he had been wounded, he was carried to
the tent; while two surgeons were dressing his wounds, a
ball struck one of them in the hip. At that instant, an Indian,
who was determined to have Butler’s scalp, rushed in.
While attempting to scalp the General, he was shot by the
dying surgeon.</p>
<p>In December, 1793, General Wayne arrived with his
army at Greenville and sent forward a detachment to the
spot of St. Clair’s Defeat. They arrived on Christmas Day
<span class="pb" id="Page_24">24</span>
and pitched their tents on the battleground. Before the men
could make their beds in their tents that night, they had to
gather the bones together and carry them out. The next day
graves were dug and the bones remaining above ground were
buried. Six hundred skulls were among them. The flesh
was entirely off the bones, but in many cases the sinews yet
held them together. After this melancholy duty was performed,
a fortification was built and named Fort Recovery
in commemoration of its being recovered from the Indians
who had been in possession of the ground since 1791. On
the completion of the fort, one company of artillerymen and
one of riflemen were left there; the others returned to Greenville.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Henry Howe, HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS OF OHIO (Cincinnati:
Published by the state of Ohio, 1908), Vol. II, pp.
223-32.</p>
</blockquote>
<div class="pb" id="Page_25">25</div>
<p class="tb">The terrible battle known as St. Clair’s Defeat was
fought on the morning of November 4, 1791, in what is now
the northwestern part of Darke County, Ohio, near the Indiana
boundary. Early in the preceding spring General St.
Clair had received orders to raise and organize an army,
to march into the wilderness as far as the junction of the St.
Mary’s and the St. Joseph rivers, and to establish a line of
military posts from Fort Washington at Cincinnati to the
present site of Fort Wayne. The forts were intended to keep
the Indians in wholesome dread of the power of the whites
and to prevent those fearful depredations which had already
done so much to check the advancing tide of civilization. In
the execution of these orders, St. Clair surmounted many
serious obstacles. After building Forts Hamilton and Jefferson,
he reached a branch of the Wabash and encamped
there in supposed security on the evening of the third of November.
His army numbered between two and three thousand
men. Several hundred women and children, the families
of the soldiers, traveled with the army.</p>
<p>St. Clair’s great and fatal mistake was in his fancied
security. Instead of having a large number of experienced
scouts to scour the wilderness far in advance of the main
army and to warn him of danger, he marched blindly forward
as if passing through friendly territory. The Indians
proved themselves more circumspect, for their scouts and
runners had not been idle and had brought their leaders intelligence
of the whites. To check and punish what they regarded
as an invasion of their territory, the Indians collected
a great force and marched forward to battle with their enemies.
Because of the American commander’s neglect, these
dusky sons of the forest were enabled to concoct their plans
without suspicion, to arrange their attack without detection,
and to carry out their designs with the most terrible effect.</p>
<p>About half an hour before sunrise on the fourth of November,
the Indians fiercely attacked the militia posted in
front of the main army. The first ranks made a slight resistance
and then fell back in wild disorder to the main camp.
The overwhelming force of savages, led by their most distinguished
chiefs, came rushing on with yells of fury, creating
<span class="pb" id="Page_26">26</span>
panic and confusion impossible to describe. Then began
a desperate fight and a fearful slaughter. Though taken
completely by surprise, the brave soldiers seized their
arms, rallied under their respective leaders, and stood
their ground like heroes. Their first regular fire checked
the onset of the foe to some degree, but the Indians were
too great in numbers and held too great an advantage to give
way permanently. In a short time our gallant soldiers were
violently assailed on all sides, and officers and men went
down before the deadly rifle fire like leaves before the blasts
of autumn wind. Several charges were ordered and made
with great spirit. The savages at times gave way before the
impetuous charges of their disciplined foes, yet it was only
to rally in greater force and to press more fearfully upon
some weaker point.</p>
<p>For three hours the battle raged with wild fury, and
the ground everywhere was covered with the dead and dying.
General St. Clair saw with dismay that the day was hopelessly
lost. Four of his own horses had already been killed,
his clothes were riddled with bullets, and nearly every officer
had been cut down. Under these distressing circumstances,
there was but one thing for him to do. He gave
the order to retreat.</p>
<p>This retreat, as might have been anticipated, soon
became a rout of the most terrible kind. The Indians, finding
themselves masters of the field and finding their enemies
flying in wild disorder, rushed after the fugitives with
yells of triumph. They followed the soldiers for four or
five miles, shooting, tomahawking, or scalping all they
could overtake. Then the most eager of the savages, satisfied
with their morning’s work, gave up the chase and returned
to the battlefield to gather the scalps of the dead and
dying. Nearly all of the wounded were butchered. Those
unfortunate ones who had been taken unharmed were generally
reserved for later tortures, and there were enough
captives to provide many holidays for the different tribes.</p>
<p>We have thus given a brief sketch of the disaster on
that woeful day. The details of that horrifying scene of conflict
would fill volumes. This we cannot do. We can, however,
<span class="pb" id="Page_27">27</span>
piece together a narrative from the records of the
actors in that dreadful tragedy. It is our purpose to publish
the story of Robert Branshaw, a Kentuckian, who has
left behind him an account of what he saw and did on that
memorable day.</p>
<p>“The main camp was pitched in a level wood by a small
stream which was one of the branches of the Wabash River;
on higher ground about a quarter of a mile across this
stream, the militia and a company of rangers had been on
duty through the latter part of the night and were prepared
for an attack by Indians whom we knew to be in front of us.
We supposed them to be a mere scouting party sent out to
gather information about our movements. We did not think
that they planned anything more serious than to pick off some
of our number and to get a few scalps if they could do so
without serious risk. Certain it is, we were not prepared
for what took place.</p>
<p>“In the gray of the morning, before objects had become
distinct at any considerable distance, I was standing near
one of the fires conversing with a comrade. Suddenly I saw
twenty or thirty painted savages dodging around among the
trees in front of us, as if they planned to attack by surprise.
Supposing the ones I saw to be the entire party, and thinking
it a good chance to bring down one of them and at the same
time to alarm the camp, I instantly raised my rifle to my
eye, took a quick aim, and dropped the nearest Indian. The
smoke had not cleared away from my rifle when a terrific
volley was poured in upon us. It was accompanied by appalling
yells from a thousand throats. At the same instant
I saw Indians springing from behind their covers and rushing
down upon us in overwhelming numbers. Instantly, I
turned to fly and stumbled over the dead body of the comrade
with whom I had been conversing. He had been shot
through the temples, and he was the first dead man I saw
on that fatal day.</p>
<p>“As we fell back, the militiamen behind us discharged
their pieces at the approaching savages; then they turned
and fled in the wildest alarm through the little hollow back
toward the main camp. Many of them never reached it, for
<span class="pb" id="Page_28">28</span>
by this time the Indians were firing rapidly from all sides
and were following up the advantage with their murderous
tomahawks and scalping knives. All the while, they were
screeching with such appalling effect that I believe some of
our men, who might otherwise have escaped, became bewildered,
stupefied, and lost.</p>
<p>“As for myself, I had some very narrow escapes. Although
I was a pretty good runner, I had been singled out by
an ambitious young warrior, who, in a race of about two
hundred yards, had almost caught up with me. With a good
reach of his arm, he might have sunk his tomahawk in the
back of my head. A glance over my shoulder showed him
about to strike, and instinctively I threw myself down to
avoid the blow. As fortune would have it, he struck his foot
against one of mine and pitched headlong over me. His
weapon flew from his grasp. Before he could recover himself,
I was upon him, driving my hunting knife through his
throat and severing his jugular vein.</p>
<p>“As I again sprang to my feet, I beheld three other
savages close at hand, bounding toward me with yells of
rage. I had no hope of escaping from them; but still I ran,
straining every nerve to its utmost. Fortunately, they were
not as fleet-footed as the one I had killed, and to my unspeakable
joy, I found that I was outdistancing them. Each
Indian carried a gun in his hand, but I had thrown mine away
during my first race. This probably gave me some advantage.
Seeing that they could not overtake me, they suddenly
stopped; one of them took deliberate aim and fired. The
ball sung loudly in my ear, the outer portion of which felt
as if it were touched with a live coal. A small portion of
my ear had been shot away.</p>
<p>“As I neared the creek, I discovered another small
party of Indians in front of me. Turning quickly to the left,
I crossed the stream at a bend thirty or forty rods higher
up; and by making a broad circuit, I came into camp from
the right.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_29">29</div>
<div class="fig"> id="fig6"> <ANTIMG src="images/p08.jpg" alt="" width-obs="600" height-obs="904" /> <p class="pcap"><i>I was upon him</i></p> </div>
<div class="pb" id="Page_30">30</div>
<p>“Here I found a scene of the wildest confusion. Two
or three hundred women and children were gathered together
in a state of excitement bordering on distraction. Some
were running to and fro, wringing their hands and shrieking
out their terrors; some were standing speechless, like statues
of horror, with their hands clasped and their eyes fixed
upon the not very distant scene of strife; some were kneeling
and calling on Heaven for protection; some were sobbing
and groaning in each other’s arms; and several who had
swooned from fright lay as if dead upon the ground.</p>
<p>“I did not tarry even to answer the questions that many
eager voices put to me but hurried forward to the raging
battle. As yet I had no rifle, but I soon supplied myself with
one from an old comrade who had been shot through the
heart. Thinking I could do quite as well alone as by attaching
myself to any company, I hastened to a tree that looked
suitable for my purpose. I began to load and fire as fast as
possible, and I brought down a savage with nearly every shot.</p>
<p>“I wish I could describe that battle, but I lack the
power. As I look back on it now, it seems like a wild, horrible
dream, in which whites and savages, friends and foes,
were all mixed in mad confusion. They melted away in
smoke, fire, and blood, amid groans, shouts, shrieks,
yells, clashing steel, and exploding firearms.</p>
<p>“I fired eleven shots and had the grim satisfaction of
seeing nine savages go down before my aim; four of them
fell within ten feet of me. While I was loading for the twelfth
time, a ball struck my right wrist and fractured the bone.
I dropped to the ground and bound my wound as well as I
could. Finding that I could be of no further use where I
was, I started for the rear, feeling weak and faint. I had
eaten nothing that morning, which was the case with nearly
all of the army. On my way to the center of the camp, I
met pale, frightened men running in all directions. Numerous
dead bodies, some of them scalped and presenting ghastly
spectacles, proved that many of the Indians had been
there before me. Wounded soldiers called to me and begged
for help and water. But I could do nothing for them, and I
hurried on. When I came within sight of the spot where the
women and children had been collected, I beheld a large
body of Indians busy at their work of slaughter. Turning in
another direction, I ran down the road.</p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_31">31</div>
<p>“Fortunately, I caught a horse that had lost its rider,
and with a good deal of difficulty I succeeded in mounting.
There were many fugitives running in the trail ahead of me;
and I rode after them, passing some in my flight. In this
way I escaped before the order to retreat was given; and I
was spared the painful sight of seeing the whole army in
flight, with the victorious savages in hot pursuit, butchering
at every step.</p>
<p>“I succeeded in reaching Fort Jefferson, twenty-two
miles from the battlefield. I fainted as soon as I found myself
in a place of safety. The remnant of the army arrived
about dark, and nothing was heard that night but sounds of
lamentation and woe. Subsequently my arm was amputated.
My career as a soldier ended with that disastrous day, in
which nearly a thousand gallant men and two or three hundred
women and children had been killed or wounded. Oh,
woeful, woeful day!”</p>
<blockquote>
<p>INDIANA HERALD, April 13, 1864</p>
</blockquote>
<div class="pb" id="Page_32">32</div>
<p class="tb">The ceremony of reburying the remains of the soldiers
slain at the site of Fort Recovery during St. Clair’s Defeat
took place on September 24. When we arrived there the preceding
afternoon, the hotels and many of the private houses
were crowded to overflowing. People continued to arrive
throughout the night and until noon the next day. The number
who attended was variously estimated at from five to
seven thousand, and it was impossible to make a closer estimate.
Two thousand persons formed a procession. The
sons and the grandsons of those who were to be carried to
their last resting place were present.</p>
<p>The occasion was one of solemn import. If these
bones had heretofore been neglected, it was only through
ignorance of the spot where they lay. Now that mere chance
had exposed the grave, the citizens were enthusiastically
paying that respect which is due from every true and patriotic
American. These men died to maintain liberty and the
peace and quiet of the fireside. There were some old gray-haired
veterans present with recollections of the defeat
vividly stamped upon their memories.</p>
<p>The bones were placed in thirteen coffins, representing
the thirteen original states. They were buried in one
large grave in the village cemetery. Peace to their ashes.
Beneath the sod in one common grave lie the bones of officers,
soldiers, and citizens. May their memory live in
the heart of every American.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>INDIANA STATE JOURNAL, September 27, 1851</p>
</blockquote>
<h2>Transcriber’s Notes</h2>
<ul>
<li>Silently corrected a few typos.</li>
<li>Retained publication information from the printed edition: this eBook is public-domain in the country of publication.</li>
<li>In the text versions only, text in italics is delimited by _underscores_.</li>
</ul>
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Update Required
To play the media you will need to either update your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin.