The Medallic History of the United States of America 1776-1876 Part 66

No. 50. (p. 254) PLATE LI.

_October 5, 1813._

Major General William H. Harrison. [Rx]. Resolution of Congress April 4. 1818.

MAJOR-GENERAL WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON.

[_Victory of the Thames._]

MAJOR GENERAL WILLIAM H. (_Henry_) HARRISON. Bust of General Harrison, in uniform, facing the right. FuRST. F. (_fecit_).

RESOLUTION OF CONGRESS APRIL 4, 1818. America, personified as a maiden, with a spear in her right hand and resting on the American s.h.i.+eld, places with her left a crown of laurel on a trophy formed of the arms of the enemy, on which hangs a buckler, with the inscription FORT MEIGS BATTLE OF THE THAMES. Exergue: BATTLE OF THE THAMES OCTOBER 5. 1813. FuRST. F. (_fecit_).

WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON was born in Berkeley, Charles City County, Virginia, February 9, 1773. He entered the army as ensign in 1791; served in the north-west against the Indians, under General St. Clair, and afterward under General Wayne, to whom he was aid-de-camp; became captain in 1795; resigned in 1797; was appointed secretary of the North-west territory, and was its delegate in Congress, 1799. He was governor of the territory of Indiana, 1801-1813; defeated Tec.u.mseh at Tippecanoe, November 7, 1811; was made brigadier-general and commander of the North-west territory in 1812, major-general in 1813; gallantly defended Fort Meigs, and defeated the British army at the battle of the Thames, October 5, 1813, for which victory Congress gave him a vote of thanks and a gold medal. He resigned his commission shortly afterwards. Was a member of Congress from Ohio, 1816-1819; Ohio State senator, 1819-1824; United States senator, 1825-1828, and (p. 255) President of the United States, March 4, 1841. He died in the White House, Was.h.i.+ngton, on April 4, one month after his inauguration. He was known in the West by the sobriquet of "Old Tippecanoe." No presidential medal of him was struck.

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ORIGINAL DOc.u.mENTS.

_Resolutions of Congress Voting Medals to General Harrison and Governor Shelby, etc._

_Resolved unanimously by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress a.s.sembled_: That the thanks of Congress be, and they are hereby, presented to Major-General William Henry Harrison, and Isaac Shelby, late Governor of Kentucky, and, through them, to the officers and men under their command, for their gallantry and good conduct in defeating the combined British and Indian forces under Major-General Proctor, on the Thames, in Upper Canada, on the fifth day of October, one thousand eight hundred and thirteen, capturing the British army, with their baggage, camp equipage and artillery; and that the President of the United States be requested to cause two gold medals to be struck, emblematical of this triumph, and presented to General Harrison and Isaac Shelby, late Governor of Kentucky.

_Resolved_, That the President of the United States be requested to present to Colonel Richard M. Johnson a sword, as a testimony of the high sense entertained by Congress of the daring and distinguished valour displayed by himself and the regiment of volunteers under his command, in charging and essentially contributing to vanquish the combined British and Indian forces under Major-General Proctor, on the Thames, in Upper Canada, on the fifth day of October, one thousand eight hundred and thirteen.

Approved April 4, 1818.

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_General Harrison to the Secretary of War._

To Headquarters, near Moravian Town, GENERAL JOHN ARMSTRONG, On the river Thames, Secretary of War, Was.h.i.+ngton, D. C. 80 miles from Detroit, October 5, 1813.

Sir: I have the honour to inform you that, by the blessing of Providence, the army under my command has obtained a complete victory over the combined Indian and British forces under (p. 256) the command of General Proctor. I believe that nearly the whole of the enemy's regulars are taken or killed. Amongst the former are all the superior officers, excepting General Proctor.

My mounted men are now in pursuit of him. Our loss is very trifling. The brave Colonel R. M. Johnson is the only officer whom I have heard of that is wounded, he badly, but I hope not dangerously.

I have the honour to be, &c., William H. HARRISON.

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_General Harrison to the Secretary of War._

To GENERAL JOHN ARMSTRONG, Head Quarters, Detroit, Secretary of War, Was.h.i.+ngton, D. C. October 9th, 1813.

Sir: In my last letter from Sandwich, of the 30th ultimo, I did myself the honour to inform you, that I was preparing to pursue the enemy on the following day. From various causes, however, I was unable to put the troops in motion until the morning of the 2d instant, and then to take with me only about 140 of the regular troops, Johnson's mounted regiment, and such of Governor Shelby's volunteers as were fit for a rapid march, the whole amounting to about 3500 men. To General M'Arthur, with about 700 effectives, the protection of this place, and the sick, was committed. General Ca.s.s's brigade, and the corps of Lieutenant-Colonel Ball, were left at Sandwich, with orders to follow me as soon as the men received their knapsacks and blankets, which had been left on an island in Lake Erie.

The unavoidable delay at Sandwich was attended with no disadvantage to us. General Proctor had posted himself at Dalson's, on the right bank of the river Thames (or French), fifty-six miles from this place, where I was informed he intended to fortify and to receive me. He must have believed, however, that I had no disposition to follow him, or that he had secured my continuance here, by the reports that were circulated that the Indians would attack and destroy this place, upon the advance of the army, as he neglected the breaking up of the bridges until the night of the 2d instant. On the night our army reached the river, which is 25 miles from Sandwich, and is one of four streams crossing our route, over all of which are bridges, and being deep and muddy, are unfordable for a considerable distance into the country. The bridge here was found entire, and in the morning I proceeded with Johnson's regiment, to save, if possible, the others. At the second bridge, over a branch of the river Thames, we were fortunate enough to capture a lieutenant of dragoons and 11 privates, who had been sent by General Proctor to destroy them. From the prisoners I learned that the third bridge was broken up, and that the enemy had no certain information of our advance. The bridge, having been imperfectly destroyed, was soon repaired, and the army encamped at Drake's farm, four miles below Dalson's.

The river Thames, along the banks of which our route lay, is a fine deep stream, navigable for vessels of considerable burthen, after the pa.s.sage of the bar at its mouth, over which there is six and a half feet water.

The baggage of the army was brought from Detroit in boats, (p. 257) protected by three gun-boats, which Commodore Perry had furnished for the purpose, as well as to cover the pa.s.sage of the army over the Thames itself, or the mouth of its tributary streams; the banks being low, and the country generally open (prairies), as high as Dalson's, these vessels were well calculated for the purpose. Above Dalson's, however, the character of the river and adjacent country, is considerably changed. The former, though still deep, is very narrow, and its banks high and woody. The commodore and myself, therefore, agreed upon the propriety of leaving the boats under a guard of 150 infantry, and I determined to trust to fortune, and the bravery of my troops, to effect the pa.s.sage of the river. Below a place called Chatham, and four miles above Dalson's, is the third fordable branch of the Thames. The bridge over its mouth had been taken up by the Indians, as well as at M'Gregor's Mills, one mile above. Several hundred of the Indians remained to dispute our pa.s.sage, and, upon the arrival of the advanced guard, commenced a heavy fire from the opposite bank of the creek, as well as that of the river. Believing that the whole force of the enemy was there, I halted the army formed in order of battle, and brought up our two six-pounders to cover the party that were ordered to repair the bridge, and cross the troops. Colonel Johnson's mounted regiment, being upon the right of the army, had seized the remains of the bridge at the mills, under a heavy fire from the Indians. Our loss, upon this occasion, was two killed and three or four wounded; that of the enemy was ascertained to be considerably greater. A house near the bridge, containing a very considerable number of muskets, had been set on fire; but it was extinguished by our troops, and the arms saved. At the first farm above the bridge, we found one of the enemy's vessels on fire, loaded with arms and ordnance stores, and learned that they were a few miles ahead of us, still on the right bank of the river, with the great body of Indians. At Bowles's farm, four miles from the bridge, we halted for the night, found two other vessels, and a large distillery, filled with ordnance and other valuable stores, to an immense amount, in flames. It was impossible to put out the fire; two twenty-four pounders, with their carriages, were taken, and a large quant.i.ty of ball and sh.e.l.ls of various sizes. The army was put in motion early on the morning of the 5th. I pushed on, in advance, with the mounted regiment, and requested Governor Shelby to follow, as expeditiously as possible, with the infantry. The governor's zeal, and that of his men, enabled them to keep up with the cavalry, and by 9 o'clock, we were at Arnold's mills, having taken, in the course of the morning, two gun-boats and several bateaux, loaded with provisions and ammunition.

A rapid at the river at Arnold's mills affords the only fording to be met with for a very considerable distance; but, upon examination, it was found too deep for the infantry. Having, however, fortunately taken two or three boats and some canoes, on the spot, and obliging the hors.e.m.e.n to take a footman behind each, the whole were safely crossed by 12 o'clock. Eight miles from the crossing we pa.s.sed a farm where a part of the British troops had encamped the night before, under the command of Colonel Warburton. The detachment with General Proctor had arrived the day before at the Moravian towns, four miles higher up. Being now certainly near the enemy, I directed the advance of Johnson's regiment to accelerate their march, for the purpose of procuring intelligence. The officer commanding it, in a short time, sent to inform me that his progress was stopped by (p. 258) the enemy, who were formed across our line of march. One of the enemy's wagoners being also taken prisoner, from the information received from him, and my own observation, a.s.sisted by some of my officers, I soon ascertained enough of their position, and order of battle, to determine that which it was proper for me to adopt.

I have the honour herewith to enclose you my general order of the 27th ultimo, prescribing the order of march and of battle when the whole army should act together. But as the number and description of the troops had been essentially changed since the issuing of the order, it became necessary to make a corresponding alteration in their disposition. From the place where our army was last halted, to the Moravian towns, a distance of about three and a half miles, the road pa.s.ses through a beech forest without any clearing, and for the first two miles near to the bank of the river. At from two to three hundred yards from the river a swamp extends parallel to it throughout the whole distance. The intermediate ground is dry, and although the trees are tolerably thick, it is in many places clear of underbrush. Across this strip of land, its left _appuyed_ upon the river, supported by artillery placed in the wood, their right in the swamp covered by the whole of their Indian force, the British troops were drawn up.

The troops at my disposal consisted of about one hundred and twenty regulars of the 27th regiment, five brigades of Kentucky volunteer militia infantry under his excellency Governor Shelby, averaging less than five hundred men, and Colonel Johnson's regiment of mounted infantry, making in the whole an aggregate something above 3000. No disposition of an army opposed to an Indian force can be safe, unless it is secured on the flanks and in the rear. I had therefore no difficulty in arranging the infantry conformably to my general order of battle. General Trotter's brigade of 500 men formed the front line, his right upon the road and his left upon the swamp. General King's brigade as a second line, 150 yards in the rear of Trotter's, and Childs's brigade, as a corps of reserve, in the rear of it. These three brigades formed the command of Major-General Henry; the whole of General Desha's division, consisting of two brigades, were formed _en potence_ upon the left of Trotter.

While I was engaged in forming the infantry, I had directed Colonel Johnson's regiment, which was still in front, to be formed in two lines opposite to the enemy, and upon the advance of the infantry, to take ground to the left, and forming upon that flank, to endeavour to turn the right of the Indians. A moment's reflection, however, convinced me, that from the thickness of the woods and swampiness of the ground, they would be unable to do anything on horseback, and there was no time to dismount them and place their horses in security; I therefore determined to refuse my left to the Indians, and to break the British lines at once by a charge of the mounted infantry; the measure was not sanctioned by any thing I had seen or heard of, but I was fully convinced that it would succeed. The American backwoodsmen ride better in the woods than any other people. A musket or rifle is no impediment to them, being accustomed to carry them on horseback from their earliest youth. I was persuaded, too, that the enemy would be quite unprepared for the shock, and that they could not resist it. Conformably to this idea, I directed the regiment to be drawn up in close column, (p. 259) with its right at the distance of fifty yards from the road (that it might be, in some measure, protected by the trees from the artillery), its left upon the swamp, and to charge, at full speed, as soon as the enemy delivered their fire. The few regular troops of the 27th regiment, under the command of their colonel (Paul), occupied, in column of sections of four, the small s.p.a.ce between the road and the river, for the purpose of seizing the enemy's artillery, and some ten or twelve friendly Indians were directed to move under the bank. The crotchet, formed by the front line and General Desha's division was an important point. At that place the venerable governor of Kentucky was posted, who, at the age of sixty-six, preserves all the vigour of youth, the ardent zeal which distinguished him in the Revolutionary war, and the undaunted bravery which he manifested at King's Mountain. With my aids-de-camp, the acting a.s.sistant Adjutant-General, Captain b.u.t.tler, my gallant friend Commodore Perry, who did me the honour to serve as my volunteer aid-de-camp, and Brigadier-General Ca.s.s, who, having no command, tendered me his a.s.sistance, I placed myself at the head of the front line of infantry, to direct the movements of the cavalry and give them the necessary support. The army had moved on this order but a short distance, when the mounted men received the fire of the British line, and were ordered to charge; the horses in the front of the column recoiled from the fire; another was given by the enemy, and our column, at length getting into motion, broke through the enemy with irresistible force. In one minute the contest in front was over. The British officers seeing no hopes of reducing their disordered ranks to order, and our mounted men wheeling upon them and pouring in a destructive fire, immediately surrendered. It is certain that three only of our troops were wounded in this charge. Upon the left, however, the contest was more severe with the Indians. Colonel Johnson, who commanded on that flank of his regiment, received a most galling fire from them, which was returned with great effect. The Indians still further to the right advanced and fell in with our front line of infantry, near its junction with Desha's division, and, for a moment, made an impression on it. His Excellency, Governor Shelby, however, brought up a regiment to its support, and the enemy, receiving a severe fire in front, and a part of Johnson's regiment having gained their rear, retreated with precipitation.

Their loss was very considerable in the action and many were killed in their retreat.

I can give no satisfactory information of the number of Indians that were in the action, but they must have been considerably upwards of one thousand. From the doc.u.ments in my possession (General Proctor's official letters, all of which were taken), and from the information of respectable inhabitants of this territory, the Indians, kept in pay by the British, were much more numerous than has been generally supposed. In a letter to General de Rottenburg, of the 27th instant, General Proctor speaks of having prevailed upon most of the Indians to accompany him. Of these it is certain that fifty or sixty Wyandot warriors abandoned him.

A British officer, of high rank, a.s.sured one of my aids-de-camp, that on the day of our landing, General Proctor had at his disposal upwards of three thousand Indian warriors, but a.s.serted that the greatest part had left him previous to the action.

The number of our troops was certainly greater than that of (p. 260) the enemy, but when it is recollected that they had chosen a position that effectually secured their flank, which it was impossible for us to turn, and that we could not present to them a line more extended than their own, it will not be considered arrogant to claim for my troops the palm of superior bravery.

In communicating to the President, through you, Sir, my opinion of the conduct of the officers who served under my command, I am at a loss how to mention that of Governor Shelby, being convinced that no eulogium of mine can reach his merits. The governor of an independent State, greatly my superior in years, in experience and in military character, he placed himself under my command, and was not more remarkable for his zeal and activity, than for the prompt.i.tude and cheerfulness with which he obeyed my orders.

The Major-Generals Henry and Desha, and the Brigadiers Allen, Caldwell, King, Childs, and Trotter, all of the Kentucky volunteers, manifested great zeal and activity. Of Governor Shelby's staff, his adjutant-general, Colonel Walker, rendered great service, as did his aids-de-camp, General Adair, and Majors Barry and Crittenden. The military skill of the former was of great service to us, and the activity of the two latter gentlemen could not be surpa.s.sed. Illness deprived me of the talents of my adjutant-general, Colonel Gaines, who was left at Sandwich. His duties were, however, ably performed by the acting a.s.sistant adjutant-general, Captain b.u.t.tler. My aids-de-camp, Lieutenant O'Fallon and Captain Todd, of the line, and my volunteer aids, John Speed Smith and John Chambers, Esquires, have rendered me the most important services from the opening of the campaign. I have already stated that General Ca.s.s and Commodore Perry a.s.sisted me in forming the troops for the action. The former is an officer of the highest merit, and the appearance of the brave commodore cheered and animated every breast.

It would be useless, Sir, after stating the circ.u.mstances of the action, to pa.s.s encomiums upon Colonel Johnson and his regiment.

Veterans could not have manifested more firmness. The colonel's numerous wounds prove that he was in the post of danger.

Lieutenant-Colonel James Johnson, and the Majors Payne and Thompson were equally active though more fortunate. Major Wood of the engineers, already distinguished by his conduct at Fort Meigs, attended the army with two six-pounders. Having no use for them in the action, he joined in the pursuit of the enemy, and with Major Payne, of the mounted regiment, two of my aids-de-camp, Todd and Chambers, and three privates, continued it for several miles after the rest of the troops had halted, and made many prisoners.

I left the army before an official return of the prisoners, or that of the killed and wounded, was made out. It was however ascertained that the former amounts to 601 regulars, including 25 officers. Our loss is 7 killed and 22 wounded, 5 of which have since died. Of the British troops 12 were killed and 22 wounded.

The Indians suffered most, 33 of them having been found upon the ground, besides those killed on the retreat.

On the day of the action, six pieces of bra.s.s artillery were taken, and two iron 24 pounders the day before. Several others were discovered in the river, and can be easily procured. Of the bra.s.s pieces, three are the trophies of our revolutionary war, that were taken at Saratoga and York, and surrendered by General Hull. The number of small arms taken by us and destroyed (p. 261) by the enemy, must amount to upwards of 5000; most of them had been ours and taken by the enemy at the surrender of Detroit, at the river Raisin, and at Colonel Dudley's defeat. I believe that the enemy retain no other military trophy of their victories than the standard of the 4th regiment; they were not magnanimous enough to bring that of the 4th regiment into the field, or it would have been taken.

You have been informed, Sir, of the conduct of the troops under my command in action; it gives me great pleasure to inform you, that they merit also the approbation of their country for their conduct, in submitting to the greatest privations with the utmost cheerfulness.

The infantry were entirely without tents, and for several days the whole army subsisted upon fresh beef, without bread or salt.

I have the honour to be, etc., William H. HARRISON.

P.S. General Proctor escaped by the fleetness of his horses, escorted by 40 dragoons and a number of mounted Indians.

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_General Orders of Debarkation, of March, and of Battle._

Head Quarters, on Board the United States schooner Ariel, September 27, 1813.

As it is the intention of the general to land the army on the enemy's coast, the following will be order of debarkation, of march, and of battle: