Butler County, Ohio - Chapter 3: Early Adventures and Reminiscences, 1905 (part 1 of 2)

Chapter 3: Early Adventures and Reminiscences

All efforts at peace with the In 'Ions appearing to be useless, an ex pedition was set on foot which begai >ts march on the 30th of September 1790. from Fort Washington (which stooi on the site of the present city of Cincin nati). Brigadier General Harniar. a veterar of the Revolution, led the expedition, hav >ng under him three hundred and twenty regu ars, with militia detachments from Pennsylvania and Virginia (or Kentuckv). making m all fourteen hundred and fifty-

,1ree After a march of seventeen "ays. they approached the principal village of the Miami on the Maumee river, he Indians did not await an attack, to rt|Set hre t(> the viIIa?e and fled 1 the woods- The destruction of the P'ace. with that of large quantities of proisions was completed. An Indian trail men an 1 "L0"* hundred and of his ' and about thirty regulars under Captain Armstrong and Ensign Hartshorn. They followed the trail for about six miles, and were crossing a plain covered by thickets, when suddenly there were volleys of rifles on each side from unseen marksmen, accompanied by the horrid war-whoop. The trail had, in fact, decoyed them into an ambush of seven hundred savages, under the famous warrior. Little Turtle. The militia fled without firing a musket. The savages now turned upon the little handful of regulars, who stood their ground and made a brave resistance with the bayonet until all were slain excepting Captain Armstrong, Ensign Hartshorn, and five privates. The ensign was saved by falling behind a log, which screened him from his pursuers Armstrong plunged into a swamp, where lie sank up to his neck, and remained for several hours of the night within two hundred yards of the field of action, a spectator of the war dance of the savages over the slain. The two officers who escaped thus narrowly found their way back to the camp, - about six miles distant. The army notwithstanding effected the main purpose of the expedition, in laying waste the Indian village and destroying their winter s stock of provisions, after which it commenced its march back to Fort Washington On the of October, when it was halted about ;en miles to the west of Chillicothe, an opjwrtunity was given Colonel Hardin out the late disgrace of his detached with a larger body of militia t than before, and sixty regulars, under Major Willys, to seek and bring the savages

^'The accounts of these Indian wars are very confused. It appears, however, that he had another encounter with Little Tu tie and his braves. It was a bloody battle, fought well on both sides. The militia behaved bravely, and lost many men and officers. as did the regulars; Major Willys fe at the commencement of the action. Colonel Hardin was at length compelled to retreat, leaving the dead and wounded m the hands of the enemy. After he had rejoined the main force, the whole expedition made its xvay back to Fort Washington on the banks of the Ohio.

And Defeat

Arthur St. Clair was appointed major o-eneral in the United States army on March 4, 1791 and invested with the chief command of the troops to be employed against the Indians of the Northwest. An army was raised and assembled at Fort Washington the ensuing summer. On September 6, the troops, except a small garrison for the fort, moved to Ludlow Station, on Mill creek. On September 10, 1791, a portion of the army which had been previously reconnoitered was led by Colonel William Darke to the Miami river at Hamilton, and encamped on the prairie near the pres Columbia bridge. On Septem r , General St. Clair, who had been detained at Fort Washington, arrived a"d c0"T"" building Fort Hamilton, which had been laid out August 2, 1791- the fort being completed, so far at least, as to be in a condition to receive the garrison, two pieces of artillery were placed m A on the platform; a salute was fired, and it was named Fort Hamilton, in honor of Gem Alexander Hamilton, then secretary of th treasury. Gen. Richard Butler, second in command, and Captain Denny, aid-de-camp to General St. Clair, joined the army a Fort Hamilton on September 18th. me whole armv was mustered and inspected Fort Hamilton bv Colonel Mentgez, inspector of the army. The whole force numbered two thousand three hundred noncommissioned officers and privates fit to. duty While they lay at Hamilton fifty - seven horses were stolen by the Indians. On October 3d, the night before the army took up its line of march, twenty-one men deserted. A detachment of troops was made, to be left in garrison at Fort Hamilton,

. which was committed to the command o Captain Armstrong. General St. air 1 sued an order directing the manner in which the armv was to march, to encamp, and form in order of battle, under various circumstances. «

On the morning of October 4. *79 » army was put in motion, and marc e eight o'clock, led by General Butler, in y crossed the river at the ford opposite lower part of Hamilton, and marched < mile and a half to Two Mile creek, and encamped on the land since owned by * McClelland. General Butler thought change the order of march laid down by General St. Clair so as to march the troops in one line, which required the opening of a road forty feet wide.

The next day, October 5 th. they marched over the hill to Four Mile creek, and encamped in the bottom, where the Feamot mill has since been built. October 6th the army marched to Seven Mile creek, and encamped on the east side of the creek, on lands since belonging to Robert Lytle, in the southeast corner of section 24, Milford township. They gave those streams which they crossed names corresponding with the distance measured from Fort Hamilton to the place where they crossed them.

The army continued their march north, near the eastern line of what is now Milford township. On the 8th General St. Clair came up with them. General Butler, the next morning, made an apology to General St. Clair for having changed the order of march and substituting another, giving his reasons for doing so. The reasons assigned did not appear satisfactory to General St. Clair.

But as it had been done, the army might continue to march in the same order for some days, but that as they advanced into the country, where the enemy was likely to be met with, the original order of march should be resumed.

On Friday, October 14th, having advanced forty-four miles from Fort Hamilton and a proper place presented itself for another post, the army halted, and encamped in two lines, the artillery and cavalry being divided upon the flanks, and the riflemen without them at right angles.

The little army, on the 24th of October, according to the diary of an officer, was respectable in numbers - "upon paper" - but, adds he, "the absence of the First Regiment. and desertions from the militia, had very much reduced us."

After placing garrisons in the fort the General continued his march. It was a forced one with him, for he was so afflicted with the gout that he could not walk, and had to be helped on and off his horse; but his only chance to keep his little army together was to move on. The army had proceeded six days after leaving Fort Jefferson, and were drawing near a part of the country where they were likely to meet with Indians, when, on the 30th of October, sixty of the militia deserted in a body, intending to supply themselves by plundering the convoys of provisions which were coming forward in the rear. The First United States Regiment, under Major Hamtranck, was detached to march back beyond Fort Jefferson. apprehend these deserters, if possible, and at all events prevent the provisions that might be on the way from being rifled. The force thus detached consisted of three hundred of the best disciplined men in the service, with experienced officers. Thus reduced to one thousand four hundred effective rank and file, the army continued its march to a point about twenty-nine miles from Fort Jefferson, ninety-seven miles from Fort Washington, and fifteen miles south of the Miami villages, where it encamped (November 3d) on the rising ground with a stream forty feet wide in front, running westerly. This stream was mistaken by General St. Clair for the St. Mary, which empties itself into the Miami of the lakes; but it was, in fact, a tributary of the Wabash. The troops were encamped in two lines, the right wing composed of Butler, Clarke and Patterson battalions ; commanded by Major-General Butler (after whom Butler county was named), forming the first line; Patterson on the right, and four pieces of artillery on the right of Butler. The left wing consisted of Gaither's and Beddinger's battalions; and the Second United States Regiment, commanded by Colonel Darke, formed the second line, with an interval of about seventy yards, which was all that the ground allowed. The length of the line was nearly four hundred yards; the rear somewhat more, and the front somewhat less. A* troop of horse, commanded by Captain Truman, and a company of riflemen under Captain Faulkner, were upon the right flank, and Snowden's troop of. horse upon the left. The militia were encamped beyond the stream about a quarter of a mile in the advance, on a high flat ; sentinels posted around the camp, about fifty paces distant from each other, formed the principal security. About half an hour before sunrise on the next morning (November 4th), and just after the troops had been dismissed on parade, a horrible sound burst forth from the woods around the militia camp, resembling, says an officer, the jingling of an infinitude of horse-bells. It was the direful Indian yell, followed by the sharp report of the deadly rifles. The militia returned a feeble fire and then took flight, dashing helter-skelter into the other camp. The first line of Continental troops, which was hastily forming, was thrown into disorder. The Indians were close upon the heels of the flying militia, and would have entered the camp with them, but the sight of troops drawn up with fixed bayonets to receive them checked their ardor, and they threw themselves behind logs and bushes at the distance of seventy yards, and immediately commenced an attack upon the first line, which soon was extended to the second. The great weight of the attack was upon the center of each line, where the artillery was placed. The artillery, if not well served, was bravely fought; a quantity of canister and some rounds of shot were thrown in the direction whence the Indians fired. The artillerists themselves were exposed to a murderous fire, and every officer and more than two-thirds of the men were killed or wounded. Twice the Indians pushed into the camp, delivering their fire and then rushing on with the tomahawk, but each time they were driven back. General Butler had been shot from his horse, and was sitting down to have his wound dressed, when a daring savage, darting into the camp, tomahawked and scalped him. General St. Clair, unable to mount his horse, was borne about on a litter, and preserved his coolness in the midst of the peril and disaster. Great carnage was suffered from the enemy concealed in the woods ; every shot seemed to take effect ; all the officers of the Second Regiment were picked off excepting three. The contest had now endured for more than two hours and a half; half the army was killed, and the situation of the remainder was desperate. There appeared to be no alternative but a retreat. "Having collected in one body the greatest part of the troops," writes one of the officers, "and such of the wounded as could possibly hobble along with us, we pushed out from the left of the rear line, sacrificing our artillery and baggage." Some of the wounded officers were brought off on horses, but several of the disabled men had to be left on the ground. The poor fellows charged their pieces before they were left; and the firing of musketry heard by the troops after they quitted the camp told that their unfortunate comrades were selling their lives dearly. It was a disorderly flight. The troops threw away arms, ammunition and accoutrements. The general was mounted on a pack-horse which could not be pricked out of a walk. By seven in the evening the fugitives reached Fort Jefferson, a distance of twenty-nine miles. The retreat was continued to Fort Washington, where the army arrived on the 8th at noon. In this disastrous battle the whole loss of regular troops and levies amounted to five hundred and fifty killed, and two hundred wounded. Out of ninety-five commissioned officers who were on the field, thirty-one were slain, and twenty-four wounded. Of the three hundred and nineteen militia, Colonel Oldham and three other officers were killed and five wounded; and of non-commissioned officers and privates, thirty-eight were killed, and twenty-nine wounded. Fourteen artificers and ten pack-horsemen were also killed, and thirteen wounded. So that, according to Colonel Sargent's estimate, the whole loss amounted to six hundred and seventy-seven killed, including thirty women, and two hundred and seventyone wounded.

Benjamin Van Cleve. the eighteen-yearold soldier, who fled in bare feet through the snow and ice to Fort Hamilton, gives a thrilling account of this momentous battle

"On the 4th of November, at daybreak, I began preparing to return from the army to Fort Washington, and had got about half my luggage on my horse, when the firing commenced. The attack was made on the Kentucky militia. Almost instantaneously the small remnant of them that escaped broke through the line near us, and this line gave way. Followed by a tremendous fire from the savages, they passed me. I threw my horse's bridle over a stump and followed a short distance, when, finding that the troops had halted. I returned and brought my horse a little further. I was now between two fires and was compelled to leave my horse a second time, as the troops were giving away again. As I quitted the horse he was shot down. Not more than five minutes had elapsed when a soldier near me had his arm swinging with a wound. I asked him for his gun and ammunition, and I began firing. The fighting became more brisk near the rear of the west wing, and I hurried over there. Two officers were just ordering a charge. By this time I had fired away my ammunition and some of the bands of my musket had blown off. I picked up another, and a cartridge-box almost filled and pushed forward with about thirty others. The Indians ran to the right, where there was a small ravine filled with logs. By this time our artillery had been taken.

"Thirty or forty of our men were lying around us with their scalps taken. Many of them were officers. It appeared that the Indians had not been in a hurry, for their hair was all skinned off.

by my uncle and brought up. with me, received a shot through the hips and was unable to walk. I procured a horse and got him on. My uncle, Captain Robert Bonham, had received a ball near his wrist that lodged near his elbow. The ground about us was literally covered with dead and dying men. My uncle told me a retreat was ordered, and that I must take care of myself. Bonham insisted that he had a better chance of escaping than, I had and urged me to look to my own safety. I found the troops pressing to the right. I saw an officer whom I took to be Lieutenant Morgan, an aid to General Butler, with six or eight men, start on a run a little to the left of where I was. I immediately ran and fell in with him. In a short distance we were so suddenly among the Indians, who were not apprised of our object, that they opened to us and ran to the right and left without firing.

A boy had been thrown or fell off a horse and begged my assistance. I ran, pulling him along about two miles further, until I had become nearly exhausted. I made an exertion and threw him on behind the two men. The Indians followed but about a half mile further. The boy was got in safely. My friend Bonham I did not see on the retreat, but understood he was thrown off about this place and lay on the left of the trail, where he was later found and buried.

the Indians were tomahawking the old and wounded men, and I stopped there to tie my pocket handkerchief around a man's wounded knee. I saw the Indians close in pursuit and I felt in despair. I threw the shoes off my feet and the coolness of the ground seemed to revive me. I thereupon made a dash and succeeded in getting away.

"I fell in with Lieutenant Shaumburg. the only officer of artillery that got away unhurt, with Corporal Mott and a woman who was called 'Red-headed Nance. The latter two were both crying, Mott was lamenting the loss of his wife and Nance that of an infant child. Shaumburg was nearly exhausted and hung on Mott's arm. I carried his fusee and accoutrements and led Nance, and in this way we arrived at Fort Jefferson a little after sunset.

"On the day before the defeat the ground was covered with snow. The flats were now filled \tfith water, frozen over. I was worn out with fatigue, with my feet knocked to pieces, and splashing through the ice without shoes. In the morning we got to a camp of pack horsemen and among them I got a dough-boy or water dumpling and proceeded. We got within several miles of Fort Hamilton on this day, and arrived there soon on the morning of November 5th."

General St. Clair dispatched the news to President Washington, and the scene that followed its reception is thus described by Mr. Lear, the President's private secretary.

delphia, at that time the national capital. The river was swollen, there were incessant snowstorms and ice formed heavily so that it took twenty days of toil and cold before Denny reached Wheeling and got horses. For ten days more he rode over the bad winter roads, reaching Philadelphia with the evil tidings on the evening of December 19th. It was thus six weeks after the defeat of the army before the news was brought to the anxious Federal authorities.

"The young officer called first on the secretary of war, but as soon as the secretary realized the importance of the information he had it conveyed to the President. W ashington was at dinner with some guests, and was called from the table to listen to the tidings of ill fortune. He returned with unmoved face, and at the dinner and reception which followed he behaved with his usual stately courtesy to those whom he was entertaining, not so much as hinting at what he had heard. But when the last guest had gone his pent-up wrath broke forth in one of those fits of volcanic fury which sometimes shattered his iron outward calm.

"Walking up and down the room, he burst out in wild regret for the rout and disaster, and bitter invective against St. Clair, reciting how in that very room he had wished the unfortunate commander success and honor, and had bidden him, above all things, beware of a surprise. 'He went off with that last solemn warning thrown into his ears,' spoke Washington, as he strode to and fro, 'and yet, to suffer that army to be cut to pieces, hacked, butchered, tomahawked by a surprise, the very thing I guarded him against! Oh, God! Oh, God! he's worse than a murderer! How can he answer for it to his country ?' Then calming himself by a mighty effort, 'General St. Clair shall have justice, he shall have full justice.' And St. Clair did receive full justice and mercy, too, from both Washington and congress. For the sake of his courage and honorable character they held him guiltless of the disaster, for which his lack of capacity as a general was so largely accountable."

Many localities in. Butler county are indelibly associated with the military movements of General Arthur St. Clair, and after him of General Anthony Wayne, in their warfare with the Indians who once roamed the valley of the Miamis in their native freedom and resisted conquest and encroachment by the whites at every step. They fought for their firesides and their hunting grounds and their final subjection was marked by deeds of daring, heroism, peril and suffering to friend and foe alike. The Miami country was then a primitive wilderness and its submission to the domination of the whites involved the exercise of cunning against cunning, artifice against artifice, until the weaker yielded to the strong and the reign of the red man in the Miami valley was forever ended. When it is remembered that this great struggle began one hundred and thirteen years ago, when this country was comparatively in its infancy, when the great Northwest territory, of which the state of Ohio and afterward Butler county were made component parts, was undefined, unbounded and practically ungoverned, the magnitude, the hazards and hardships undergone and endured by the pioneers who, as

But, however fancy may picture the times and characters who were then on the stage of action, the living testimony of one who was there, who took part in all of those history-making events and who preserved the chronicle of his experiences and handed the history down to his descendants of a later day, far outweighs and outmeasures the fancies of fiction with the outspoken facts.

One of the bravest soldiers in the army of General St. Clair was Colonel Winthrop Sargent, whose honor and courage was never questioned. He was an adjutant-general on the staff of General St. Clair, was St. Clairs confidante and had full access to all records relating to the line of march from time to time and the general movements of the army. He wras with St. Clair from the time he left Ludlow Station on September 6, 179T. until his disastrous defeat on November 4th, on the site of the old Fort Recovery. He was with the army in its retreat, and through all the movements forward and to the repulse he kept a diary in which he recounted each day's events and the results attending. He noted dcnvn the condition of the weather from day to day, the character of the roads hewn out, the character and topography of the country, the location of the various encampments and the distances between them, and lie accurately fixed dates of events and occurrences which must be accepted as absolutely true but which conflict, to some extent, with dates held to be true heretofore. The journal is of intense interest throughout and it is nowr published in this history for the first time. The original manuscript is in possession of Winthrop Sargent, of Philadelphia, a grandson of Colhistory of onel Winthrop Sargent, its author. Through the courtesy of Mr. Sargent, C. B. Galbreath, state librarian of Ohio, has been given access to it and expects to issue it in full in booklet form in the near future. Through permission of Mr. Galbreath and his courtesy extended to Stephen D. Cone, of the editorial staff of the Centennial History of Butler County, Ohio, it is embodied in the history and is as follow's .

Diary

In this diary (principally intended as a record of meteorological observations) brief memorandums of public transactions in which the author has borne a part or been officially interested are frequently made, and on the 16th of June, being appointed adjutant general of the army operating against the Western Indians, the movements and casualties of the troops, with all immediately connected circumstances, were minutely detailed in their order to the close of the campaign, and afforded proper documents for a narrative thereo . The unfortunate defeat upon the 4th of November, by involving the loss of all his papers, excepting some loose notes, has put it out of his power to take up even the march of the army with any degree of regularity at an earlier period than the 7th of October.

From memorandums of some of the officers, and a reference to the Acts of Congress, the fol lowing succinct prefatory statement is made, to perpetuate a right understanding of. the commencement, progress and failure of the expedition under Major-General St. Clair, and as a necessary introduction to the writer's minute account of the action upon the 4th of November, 1791.

In addition to the First United States Regiment, which, by an act of congress of April 30, 1790, it was provided should consist of twelve hun dred and sixteen non-commissioned officers and privates, a second, to consist of nine hundred and twelve, was granted by a law passed the 3d of March, 1791; authorizing at the same time the President to cause to be enlisted at his discretion any number of men not exceeding two thousand, under the denomination of levies, for the term of six months'*, and in case there should be a failure in obtaining the due complement for the First or

Second Regiment, to make up the same either of levies or militia, - thus providing for an army of four thousand one hundred and twenty-eight noncommissioned officers, privates and musicians.

That a part of this force was destined for the Southern States there can be no doubt. Small garrisons were necessary for Venango, Fort Harmar, Forts Washington, Knox and Steuben; and the posts necessary to preserve a communication upon our march from Fort Washington, it must have been intended should have been garrisoned from this army also. With the residue the General was to have marched to the site of the Miami towns and there established himself. There was no alternative - his orders were positive.

It was not until the 3d of March, as has been observed, that the bill authorizing the raising a second regiment, levies, etc., passed into a law, and so unsuccessful was the recruiting service, and so many obstacles in the way of marching the men to the frontier, that upon the last of May (the time of my arrival at headquarters. Fort Washington) the whole effective strength was little more than one company and the garrisons at the posts before mentioned were small indeed.

By memorandums of Mr. Inspector Mentzees, it appears that upon June 13th, Captain Armstrong's company of the First Regiment, and Captain Kirkwood's of the Second, arrived at headquarters.

Upon the 1st of August, General Wilkinson marched from headquarters to the Indian towns with some Kentucky mounted volunteers. General Scott did the same thing before him, and the principal effects of both these expeditions were an enormous public expense.

August the 14th, such of the First and Second United States Regiments as had arrived, with Rhea's, Gaither's and Patterson's levies, encamped at Ludlow's Station, upon Mill creek, five miles advance of Cincinnati. This movement, it was expected, by abstracting the men from the debaucheries of the town, would preserve them in better health and condition for service and acquaint them in some degree with camp duties, of which officers as well as men were generally very ignorant. Another advantage in advancing this little army was the opening a road towards the Miami and reconnoiterlng the proper position whereon to erect a fort of deposit.

Upon the 29th, Lieutenant-Colonel Darke arrived with Beddinger's battalion of Virginia levies, some detachments for the Maryland and Jersey levies, together with Beattie's and Doyle's companies of the First United States Regiment.

September 5th, Beddinger's battalion marched for Ludlow's Station. Up to this time, the immediate command in camp was with Major Hamtranck. General St. Clair being either stationary at Fort Washington, or in Kentucky, upon the necessary arrangements for the campaign and to make up, if possible, the very great deficiencies of the regular and levy corps by volunteers or draughts from the militia. At this period, or on the 4th, Lieutenant-Colonel Darke assumed the command in camp.

Upon the 6th, Captain Bradford moved from Fort Washington with two pieces of field artillery, etc., and upon the same day the troops marched from Ludlow's Station for the Miami; the distance, about eighteen miles; a road to be cut the whole way through considerable woods, and three days elapsed before their arrival. About the 10th the work, now called Fort Hamilton, was commenced; but the troops were very indifferently supplied with tools.

Upon the 8th, Lieutenant-Colonel Gibson arrived with Butler's and Clark's battalions of Pennsylvania levies. With these troops, as well as with Major Gaither, came a considerable number of pack horses and some intended for the dragoons. Hardships and inattention, during a long and tedious water-passage, had unfitted them for the arduous service to which they were devoted.

Upon the 10th, General Butler and the quartermaster general arrived, with Major Hart, three companies of the Second United States Regiment, and a company of riflemen, commanded by Captain Faulkner.

Upon the 11th, two other companies of the Second United States Regiment, together with a detachment of artillery and five field pieces were put in motion to join the camp.

Upon the 18th, I accompanied General St. Clair to camp, and remained stationary with the army during the residue of the campaign. His frequent absences from the territory, to this period, by vesting the executive duties of the civil pen From the 20th to the 27th, General St. Clair at Fort Washington, and the command of the army with Major Hamtranck. Large fatigue par^®8 c""' stantly at the works upon the Miami. About the last of September Captain Ford joined the army with five pieces of artillery.

From the 1st to the 9th of October, General St. Clair absent from the army, and the command with General Butler. Previous to the Generals leaving camp, he was pleased to publish the order of march, battle and encampment.

Upon the morning of the 4th of October we beat the General. Some deficiencies of pack horses postponed the march till twelve o'clock, when the army was put in motion by two columns from their encampment at the prairie near Fort Hamilton, crossed the Miami (the fording of which at this time was not deep) and advanced three miles, opening two roads, about two hundred and fifty yards apart, as they marched; the pack horses and bullocks moving in the center interval of wood, and the artillery in the front, centre and rear of the columns.

Upon the 5th, General Butler so far changed the disposition prescribed by the commanding general as to advance the artillery by a single broadcut road of twelve feet. Five pieces in front, and dressing with the heads of columns marching by single files about one hundred yards on right and left; the ammunition and baggage horses following immediately this artillery, and the five additional pieces bring up the rear, covered by the rear guards et cetera; the bullocks between the road and the columns. The woods were everywhere so compact as made the opening of a road extremely tedious. Bridges were frequently to be thrown over streams and ravines, and the infantry, though marching by single files, were necessitated to cut their way at every step. Our progress was consequently slow, and we made only a distance of miles.

The march of the 7th and succeeding days to the defeat and return of the army to Fort Washington, with a description of the country we passed over and a particular account of the action upon the 4th of November, 1791, is entered in this diary.

joined the army with upwards of three hundred Kentucky militia. Upon paper, we now 8tood «- spec table in numbers; the accompanying report of the morning immediately preceding our defeat will show the effectives. The absence of the First Regiment and desertions from the militia has very much reduced us; with the residue there was too generally wanting the essential stamina of soldiers. Picked up and recruited from the ^offscourings of large towns and cities; enervated y idleness, debaucheries and every species of vice, it was impossible they could have been made competent to the arduous duties of Indian warfare.

An extraordinary aversion to service was also conspicuous amongst them and demonstrated by the most repeated desertions, in many instances to the very foe we were to combat. The late period at which they had been brought into the field left no leisure or opportunity to attempt discipline them. They were, moreover, badly clothed, ha y paid and badly fed.

Their ammunition, powder particularly, » with sufficient reason. I apprehend, supposed to be of very inferior quality, although some experiments since the campaign have tended to confirm another opinion. That our magazines, however, contained some very bad powder, sent out for use of the army, and that this powder, in a number of instances, was served out, I am ful' w convinced. Captain Faulkner and Major Clark have both made complaints to me upon this subject, and Major Ferguson has very frequently represented to me that the military stores and arms were sent on in most infamous order.

The various arrangements in the different epartments resting with the commanding general almost altogether, he was worn down by the fatigues before the commencement of the paign. Early in May he arrived at Fort Washington, and before the army took the field was compelled to make three journeys into Kentucky. It was not until the 10th of September, as had been observed, that the quartermaster genera joined the army; all his arduous duties were therefore with the General to that date. rea delinquencies continued with the contractor, evaa to the defeat of the army, and were beyond a dou one amongst the many primary causes of that ms fortune. To correct, remedy or avert, was « province of the General, and helped to accumula e his difficulties. . ,

Moved at ten o'clock this morning and marched four and a half miles; thirty-seven and a half from Port Washington by a direct course, but the necessity of deviation, to avoid fallen timber and for the advantage of ascending and descending hills, sometimes considerably lengthens the way. The country we have passed over this day has been rougher than in any of the preceding marches, but good wheat-land with much and various sized timber; many springs and small runs of water; lime and some sandstone.

. The army moved at ten o'clock, and made a march of six and three-fourths miles; distance -from Washington, forty-four and one-fourth miles. The country level or small irregularities only, and upland of good soil and well watered by small runs. A stream of twenty feet meanders in the line of march, which, of course, was several times crossed by troops and upon the banks of which is very rich land. The flank guards fired unsuccessfully upon an Indian this day; the first we have seen upon our march.

Sunday, the 9th of October. - Fair and pleasant weather, with moderate southwest wind. The army moved at ten o'clock, distance four miles, over gently swelling lands with several small streams; good soil, and but little underbrush; timbered with large oak, hickory, ash, walnut, sugartree and a considerable proportion of beech, which seems indeed to abound In lands of every description in this country.

Monday, October 10th. - Fair weather and moderate southwest wind. Moved at eight o'clock this morning; our march eight miles, and fifty-six miles from Fort Washington. The country level, of good soil and open woods, composed of great variety of timber, with many small runs of water and two streams of fifteen feet, with some large sand stone. We passed an old Indian camp yesterday and several today, and have observed some fresh tracks. Lieutenant-Colonel Oldham, from Kentucky, with nearly three hundred militia, joined the army.

Tuesday, the 11th of October. - Fair weather and light southwest wind. In motion this morning at eight o'clock; distance, six and a quarter miles, and sixty-two -and a quarter from Fort Washington. The country rich, level and well watered, though not so plentifully as in the preceding marches; the woods open and timber good.

This day, at one o'clock, we were halted by a swamp or sunken "prairie" in our front, which appears extensive to right and left. One mile in rear of this is a stream of six feet, gliding gently to the westward.

Wednesday, October 12th. - Fair weather and light north wind. Last evening and this morning the country was reconnoitered to the right and left, down the swamp. Upon the left and we3t it was crossed by a single horseman and some foot, though with considerable difficulty, the horse sinking to his belly and the distance being between two and three hundred yards. A mile or two more westerly this party came into a large, well-beaten path, running north and south. Upon the right an old Indian path was discovered, through which the army marched, being put in motion at twelve o'clock. Our distance, five miles, and sixty-seven and a half from Fort Washington. The given course till this day has been north seventeen degrees west, but in the last five miles we have moved thirty degrees east of north, in order to clear the defile mentioned. The country has been of open woods and young timber, with several small runs from the swamp, upon which the soil is rich, but generally, our way being upon a gentle ridge, the quality of the land is inferior to any we have before passed over. We have discovered many Indian tracks this day, with old and new camps of warriors and hunters, 'and had almost surprised some of them. Our parties were near enough to shoot down a single Indian and seize upon his gun, although he was carried off or concealed near his camp, in which a considerable quantity of fresh peltry was found, and some blankets, and near it four or five horses were taken. Our encampment this evening Is in a pretty bottom of good land, with a gentle stream of ten feet passing through it, and, from appearances, almost at the head of the swamp.

Thursday, October 13th. - Light northerly wind and fair weather all day. Ice made in shallow vessels one-twentieth of an inch thick last night. The army has advanced one mile this day, and are sixty-eight and a half from Fort Washington. Encamped in two lines facing to the front and rear, the militia in the rear of the whole and the horse upon the flanks, covered by Faulkner's company of riflemen. The artillery disposed in the first and second line, in the intervals between the battalion, the whole occupying I from some unevenness in the ground) a length of more than one thousand yards. In the distance from our last encampment, we have passed a ridge of indifferent soil. On this ground1 we are to halt for some days, to erect a small fort of deposit.

Friday, the 14th of October. - Heavy rain for two hours before daylight; cloudy until ten o'clock, with moderate west wind; the residue fair and wind strong. Notwithstanding that the orders of the General are very pointed against firing, and a penalty of one hundred lashes is directed to be inflicted for the crime, the militia and the levies are every day guilty of it, and more particularly at the present encampment. Game, it is true, is very plenty and presents a strong temptation, but the consequences are extremely injurious to the service, and tend, amongst other improprieties, to destroy all order in the army. Two hundred men, properly officered, have been this day on duty in clearing the face of the ground for a fort, and laying the foundation. It is a square work, with one-hundred-and-fourteen-feet sides, with four small bastians; to be built of rough logs, laid horizontally, and the barracks and store rooms to compose the curtains. The situation is a pretty, rising ground, terminating in gentle and low descents to east and west, to a prairie. A continua-. tion of swelling grounds to the north for a considerable distance, and a small prairie near, on the south, with a stream of eight feet in that direction and a good spring at less than thirty yards distance.

The provision of tools for this work, Fort Hamilton on the Miami, and the great services for which they must be wanted, has been scanty in the extreme. Eighty axes only can be furnished by the quartermaster, and of these, thirteen are borrowed from the troops, who are but ill supplied for this season of the year. Besides the axes, are one saw and one frow. Of spades and mattocks we have sufficient.

Saturday . October the 15th. - Rain the latter part of last night and all this day, with moderate northeast wind. The fatigue party of two hundred men at work upon the fort, and to be continued till the business is completed. A detachment ordered out to surprise an Indian camp discovered by one of the militia yesterday five miles distant returned without being able to find it. information received from Fort Washington this day of the arrival of twenty Chickasaw Indians there, upon their way to congress.

Monday, October the 17th. - Rain the latter part of last night and this afternoon, with cloudy weather and moderate northwest wind all* day. The army was served with all the flour in the magazines this day, amounting to one day's rations only; and of liquor there is but sufficient for tomorrow's issue. With the best disciplined troops, the General would at this season have much to apprehend. The roads are becoming very bad, and forage almost exhausted. The resources of the contractor are so limited that we can not look forward to any considerable supply of rations. The militia discontented, and under no subordination and the time of service for the levies very near expiring. Melancholy considerations, these, to the whole army; but distressing beyond measure must they be to the commanding general, whose reputation is to be hazarded upon events extremely precarious. Two soldiers of -the artillery and one of the First United States Regiment were apprehended this afternoon, attempting to desert to the enemy.

Tuesday, October the 18th. - Rain almost all last night, with some hail; the morning cloudy, and faint sun at noon, with moderate northwest wind all day. A militia-man was shot through the thigh yesterday by an Indian, five miles from our camp, but was protected by a companion who advanced to his assistance, and after lying concealed all night in the bushes, he was this day brought in. Several Indians have been discovered in our vicinity, and flve or six men are missing, but whether by desertion, or to the enemy, is uncertain. About six thousand weight of flour was brought to camp this evening, which, with two hundred and forty bullocks of three hundred weight each, is our whole stock of provisions; and the daily issues, including for women and retainers, amounts to nearly twenty-seven hundred rations per diem.

northerly wind and cloudy weather all day, except two hours of sun at noon. Provisions have become so scarce, and the means of transportation to our camp so uncertain, that the General has directed nearly three hundred baggage-horses, in addition to fifty of the contractor's, to Fort Hamilton, to bring on flour, and ordered that the officers and others entitled to extra rations shall be limited to a single one, and the troops are put to half allowance of bread.

Thursday, October 20th. - The morning pleasant, with sunshine; strong northeast wind and cloudy during the day; moderate and northwest wind in the evening, clouds dispersing and appearance of fine weather. No appearance of Indians for a day or two last past near our camp and some of the soldiers who were supposed to have been taken by them are come in, after having been lost in the woods. Discontentment and murmuring prevails in the militia camp at being put to half-allowance of flour, notwithstanding they are served with beef for the deficiency, and they talk loudly of returning home. Upon an order for an escorte to some provisions from Fort Hamilton this day, the commanding officer assured the General that his men could not be depended on, for they would indisputably all desert, and Captain Faulkner's company of riflemen was put upon this duty, although their services are essential in camp. The militia has never been enrolled in the general roster for duty, because it has been deemed inexpedient, and, indeed, they have rendered no service whatever; but produce, by their example and general conduct, much disorder and irregularity amongst the soldiery.

Friday, October the 21st. - Fair weather and moderate northerly wind till noon; residue cloudy, with a small flight of snow and strong wind. The troops have this morning been served with one quarter of a ration of flour for the morrow and the whole stock is now expended. Dependence upon the contractor, even while the army halts, has become precarious indeed, and the General has ordered the quartermaster to Fort Washington for the purpose of ascertaining precisely the ultimate resources. In case the contractor should find himself inadequate to our supplies, Mr. Hodgedon is directed to make every exertion, either jointly with him, or independently, to effect the desired purpose. Ice made last night in small vessels around our tent half an inch in thickness. By a single observation of Major Ferguson the latitude of the fort erecting here is found to be forty degrees, four minutes and twenty-two seconds.

Fair weather and moderate northwest wind all this Saturday, the 22d of October, and sixteen thousand pounds of flour has been brought to camp in the course of the day under an escorte of sixty militia, which augments the corps to upwards of three hundred and forty only, as a dozen men deserted from them last night. The fatigue for the fort has been reduced to sixty men this day, and one captain, one subaltern, the sick and those unable to march are ordered to remain as a garrison to the work. The army to hold itself in readiness to march at the shortest notice.

Sunday, October the 23d. - Fair weather and light northwest wind. The fort, which, in compliment to the secretary of state, has been called Jefferson, being almost completed. Captain Shalor, with nearly ninety men (invalids), took possession of it this morning. Two pieces of artillery are to be left for the defence of the place, and the army, being now without horses, is under the necessity of depositing all its baggage; the military and ordnance stores must also for the present remain here; and tents, with entrenching tools, only carried forward. These will be transported in four-ox teams, which, upon all occasions, we have found very useful; indeed, they seem better, for a thousand obvious reasons, than packhorses to attend the movements of a large army. A few horses. Indeed, for pushing forward light pieces of artillery, may be necessary, but the great burden of transportation I am more than ever persuaded, from attentive observation, should rest upon oxen. The General has been under the necessity of executing three soldiers today; one of them for shooting a brother soldier and threatening the life of an officer, and two for desertion. These last mentioned seem rather unfortunate than extremely criminal, though it appears that their intention was to have robbed their officers and have gone to the enemy, by the information of a third person, whose general character has been extremely infpmous, and who Is believed by the immediate officers of the condemned to have been the author of the plan. Yet he made oath to a court martial that he was seduced by them into it, and escaped with his life, being sentenced to receive one hundred lashes at five different times. The General's humanity is well known, but desertions have become so prevalent as to be very alarming, and examples (in terrorem) are necessary. It seems indeed to be the opinion of some officers of experience that pardon to deserters under any circumstances encourages very much the crime and is a mistaken clemency, producing, in a course of service, more capital punishments than would probably be necessary if the troops were once assured that death must be the inevitable consequence of abandoning their colours.

Monday, October the 24th. - Calm and cloudy, with mild weather; some small rain towards the evening. The army moved this morning at nine o'clock, marching by the Indian path nearly a north course over rich, level grounds of flue young white oak, walnut, hickory and ash timber, with some sandstone, and encamped (after a mafch o five and a half miles, and seventy-four from Fort Washington) upon high ground with op- wornis at the bank of a handsome stream of forty feet running east, and which, it is supposed discharges itself into the Great Miami below Tawlntwa_ We have passed no water in this day's march, though there is no doubt but we might have found it in a short distance either to the right or left. Many new and old camps have been observed near our route and they are very plenty about this encampment. The ashes at some of them were warm upon our arrival, and we are probably now upon the last hunting-grounds of the Indians. The army is disposed of in two lines, with the artillery and cavalry upon the right and left, and the militia in the rear and towards the left flank of the army, about half a mile distant, near a considerable wet the last night and small showers until four P. M. with light and variable wind; the residue fair, and moderate wind from the northwest. A detachment of fifty men from the militia with the deputy surveyor have marched this morning to explore the country for twenty miles to the northwest, and a party of twenty as an escorte for two days to some return horses, on their way to Fort Hamilton. The army halts from the impossibility of being supplied with beef or flour for any forward movement at present. By despatches received this day it appears that no magazines are established at Fort Hamilton, and that our horses sent back must proceed of course to Cincinnati, and even there supplies are precarious. So that any further operations have become doubtful. Small delays alone will render it impracticable for the General to advance, as the time of service for some of the levies is nearly up, and their example of going off, if followed by the militia, will render our force contemptible indeed.

Wednesday, October the 26th - Damp, cloudy day and light northwest wind. The militia were moved across the creek this day upon a pretty defensible piece of ground, half a mile in advance. The country to the northwest for nineteen miles has been found -by the deputy surveyor to be principally upland, timbered with young white oak and hickory. A large beaten path, running north and south, was crossed by him about ten miles from camp and his party had nearly surprised a camp

Of five Indians in that distance, the rear of whom were fired upon but escaped into a small swamp and made off, leaving their blankets and some peltry twelve miles upon an east course, and foundthe stream upon which we are encamped fully eighty feet wide; in about three miles it makes a sudden turn to the northwest, but in a short distance flows in an opposite direction. One of the militia is supposed to have fallen into the hands of the savages the last evening, as he was observed by two of his companions who were out hunt ng o sued by them. ,

Thursday, October the 27t^1°Udy' light north wind, with damp weather all day. T twenty Chickasaw Indians mentioned to have l*e at Fort Washington arrived in ^mp this ,day. Flamingo, who is now their king, w and some other character of distinction, are among the number. These people have the m0Bt 'nJ®t; of the Ohio, but most particularly to the Kicka poos, and have been at war with the whole o them from time immemorial. We have also one of the Cubashe Indians, who was upon a visit to his friends in captivity with us ^ ^ offered his services to the General. I have been expecting that this poor fellow, who Is '"di8Pf ^ would be under some dreadful apprehensions from these guests, as every species of cruelty s tually practiced by their nations, but he has demeaned himself like a man upon the 0<'cas'° ' and they have politely condescended to take him by the hand, as our friend. This is the day of issuing provisions to the troops and the contrac tor has it not in his power to serve them more than a single ration of flour, but we such a supply on the morrow as will enable u move forward for a few marches. Beyon our prospects are gloomy; no magazines es lished, and even an uncertainty of a suppy Fort Washington, with the difficulties of ra portatlon every day Increasing by the season to become still greater, as we add to our dlBt^"c ' may make events fatal to the whole army. the General is compelled to move on, as the omy chance of continuing our little army. r men of the Virginia troops have insisted upo their discharges this day; almost the whole - talion will speedily follow their example, an a short time the period of enlistments wl other battalions will begin to expire. So that ta only prospect of effecting the purpose of the p&ign is by immediately marching the army so far into tne enemy's country that they may be afraid to return in such detachments as shall from time to time be entitled to claim their discharges.

Friday, October the 28th. - The morning and until twelve o'clock cloudy; residue fair with light northwest wind all day. We had a soldier killed and scalped this morning three miles from camp. He was hunting with another man, who received a shot in his body, but had strength enough to run half a mile and conceal himself in the bushes till night, when he joined the army, and, most probably, will die of his wound. About ten thousand weight of flour was brought to camp this evening.

Saturday, October the 29th. - Fair weather and pleasant, with light northwest wind. The Chickasaw Indians, with an officer and five privates, are gone out for a short war excursion. There appears some little discontent in the party, but resting principally with Piamingo and Colbert, the former of whom came out from his nation expressly to go to congress, and Colbert for hostility, and therefore, although Piamingo has altered his intention, yet the other insists he can not yield to him in the field. The division of them might put it out of their power to meet any war parties of Indians upon equal terms, and from this consideration the chief voluntarily follows Colbert as his leader. This man had latterly had one brother killed, and another wounded, by the Western Indians.

Sunday, October the 30th. - Strong south wind all last night and this day, with warm weather. A fatigue party with one hundred and thirty noncommissioned officers and privates were detached yesterday morning to open a road forward, under cover of two hundred militia. They were to work until three o'clock this day, and then return to the army. This has been the usual strength of our fatigues for this purpose, but they have heretofore been covered by the piquets, and never preceded the army more than three or four hours. The army was put in motion this morning at nine o'clock, and have marched seven miles over a level country, with oak, hickory, maple, buckeye and some beech, and have encamped upon a small run of poor water, near the commencement of a very brushy piece of land, eighty-one miles from Fort Washington. One spring and two or three runs of water, issuing from low land or stagnant marshes, and of bad quality, have laid in our route.

from the same quarter, with fair weather, all day. The impossibility of getting forward with all the baggage of the army, and the expectation of flour, has determined the General to halt this day. Some military stores that were brought on to the last encampment from Fort Jefferson, together with baggage which the officers took the liberty of bringing up, delayed our last movement ver^ much, and so overloaded the wagons and the few packhorses of the troops that in many instances it was found necessary to discharge them in part upon the road, whereby some corps were deprived of their tents. Sixty of the militia have deserted In a body this day, and it has become probable that a considerable part (and perhaps the whole) of the residue may speedily follow. They murmur at the allowance of provisions, and complain that they are not sufficiently clothed for the service at this season. The First United States Regiment is detached upon this occasion; they are to move back beyond Fort Jefferson, and prevent our provisions which may be upon the way from being rifled by these deserters, and to apprehend them, if it be practicable. This movement may have a further good effect upon the militia that are in camp, and be the means of keeping them to their duty; but however necessary it may be, T have to regret that we are hereby deprived for a time of a corps of three hundred effective men (effective, from the experience of the officers, and the opportunities they have had for discipline) which must be estimated as the best in the service. Captain Powers, of the levies, has been ordered in advance today with fifty men, to reconnoitre the country.

Tuesday, November the 1st. - Cloudy and moderate weather, with light southerly winds all day. Thirty-two thousand weight of flour arrived in camp the last evening, under escort of Faulkner's company of riflemen. The army is ordered to halt this day to give the General time, I imagine, to make up despatches for the war office, as no other cause is obvious. It is very true that we have not the means of transporting all the tents and entrenching tools without dismounting some of the cavalry, but the same objections will remain for the morrow. Forty return horses left the camp this afternoon for Fort Hamilton, under the escorte of a subaltern and fourteen men of the Second United States Regiment, who are to give them protection to within one day's march of the fort, and rejoin the army.

erly wind, with cloudy, cold weather all day, and "1 small rain and snow from three to four o'clock p. M. The army in motion at nine moraine and made a march of eight miles which increases our whole distance from Fort Washingtonto eighty-nine miles. The first five miles, and to a creek of almost still water or gently nmulng to the east, is generally very low, level and wet land, with large oak, ash and hickory " r- The residue is also level and moist, and principally of beech timber. The whole dl8tanc® "Ui£ J* rendered almost impassible in wet weather p the left but more particularly upon the right, are tery extensive swamps. The old Indian path has been our guide through them, deviating from , however, occasionally, from a half to a whole mile in order to shorten the road, which has made ou course about north thirty degrees west The encampment is on tolerably good ground, with a small limestone run of water and some bottom land In front, in two lines, east northeast and west southwest, and the artillery equally disposed in the centre of the first and second line. One of our small commands fell upon an Indian camp yesterday and took five horses with a gun and some peltry, but according to general practice, suffered all the Indians to escape them. We are informed that one of our hunters has lately been killed near Fort Hamilton.

Thursday, November the 3rd. Light northeast wind last night and this day, with a small flight of snow, but not enough to cover the ground. The army has marched eight miles this day, and our distance from Fort Washington is ninety-seven miles by the line which the surveyor has run, the road not very materially deviating therefrom; its breadth is almost all the way sufficient for two carriages. In the first three miles of this morning, we passed small, low prairies (extensive to the right and left) and wet, sunken grounds of woodland, timbered with oak, ash and hickory; the residue, of gentle, rising grounds, timbered principally with beech, but some oak and hickory; and small limestone runs, though not abounding with water at this time. Our encampment is on a very handsome piece of rising ground, with a stream of forty feet in front running to the west. The army in two lines, and four pieces of artillery in the centre of each; Faulkner's company of riflemen upon the right flank with one troop of horse also upon the left. The militia across the stream (which is supposed to be the St. Mary, emptying itself into the Miami of the Lakes) and over a rich bottom of three hundred yar^ upon a high extensive fine flat of open woods Here we an immense number of old and new !ndian ^campe. and it appears to have been a place of their ge eral resort. About fifteen of them, horse and foot quitted this ground near the time we arrived won It as was discovered by their tracks in the banks o't the stream. Colonel Oldham, who has long been conversant with Indian a«airs, suppo^^a party of observation, and the first that has torn about us since he joined the army; imagining all Te others that havejeen noticed Friday, November the 4th, northwest wind, serene atmosphere and unclouded sky but the fortunes of this day have been as the and this army, and will blacken a full page in the future annals of America. The troops have all been defeated, and though it is impossible a this ume to ascertain our loss, yet the* ' - * no manner of doubt that more than one-haH the army are either killed or wounded The who amount of our private baggage, with the artillery, military stores, provisions and horse®' h ttered into the hands of the enemy, and the .

remains of our forces are coming into ferson this evening, at seven o clock, after precipitate flight of twenty-nine mes s'nce " o'clock in the morning. The detail of this mis fortune shall be made out as soon as I am « nished with returns from the different co p

Upon a consultation last night with the field officers, the General thought proper t? move " army at ten o'clock P. M. It appeared that Fo Jefferson was destitute of provision, that flour w near at hand and that there was no prospect .of refreshing the troops but from that source. The garrison might be suddenly invested, al* ' course, it became a matter of .the utmost quence to throw in supplies as soon as Poss ' We moved about seven miles during tha n ' and were obliged to halt from the severe fatigu the troops had undergone. At daylight we sumed our march, and at eight o'clock we 111 convoy of flour, and, soon after, a drove o ca - Two rounds of the former, per man, was serve out and the residue, about eighty-five hun r pounds, and the cattle, were immediately se back for the garrison and wounded, under an corte of fifty men from the First Regiment continued our march all day and for a couple of hours In the night, which brought the advance to within thirteen miles from Fort Hamilton, but the men are very much dispersed, and the disorder consequent upon a defeat was perhaps never more conspicuous.

Sunday, November the 6th. - Fair weather and light southerly wind. Arrived at Fort Hamilton at nine o'clock this morning. The First Regiment got in generally by evening, and the lame and wounded of the army have been dropping in singly and by small parties all day. Some of them, and of the militia more particularly, are pushing on to Fort Washington, notwithstanding orders to the contrary. Indeed, very little attention is paid by them to any regulation whatever. The officers appear to have lost almost the shadow of command, and there is scarcely a hope of reducing them to system and obedience short of the fort. Such are the effects of our ignominious flight - for so it must be deemed from the circumstances along of the men's throwing away their arms after they quitted the field of action, and which was very general in every corps engaged.

Monday, November the 7th. - Fair weather and light southerly wind all day. The garrison at Fort Hamilton relieved this day by Captain Armstrong and fifty men of the First United States Regiment. The wounded and stragglers of the army are still coming in, and probably will be for a number of days. At twelve o'clock the First Regiment, militia, and such of the other corps as have arrived, were put in motion for Fort Washington, and marched twelve miles before night

Tuesday, November the 8th. - Showery and calm before daylight and till noon; residue cloudy. In motion at daylight, and arrived at Fort Washington at twelve o'clock. The troops were immediately encamped in its vicinity upon Deer creek, and every means possible used to make them comfortable; but all the camp equipage being lost in the late action, they are destitute indeed of common necessaries, even axes they have not. The officers finding houses to cover themselves, quit their men, and the consequences are very great disorder.

Wednesday, November the 9th. - Rainy morning and until twelve o'clock; the residue fair, with moderate southwest wind. Every house in this town is filled with drunken soldiers and there seems one continued scene of confusion. The General's indisposition prevents much of his own attention to the army at this time; he has been suffering under a mbst painful fit of the gout since the 23rd ultimo, and was not able to mount his horse on the morning of the action without assistance. But no efforts have been wanting to prevent abuses and disorder, as well as to afford comfort and convenience to the soldiers and to obtain hospitals and all proper provisions for the wounded, whose situation is truly distressing at this time.

Thursday, November 10th. - Heavy showers of rain with much thunder, before day; light and wet weather until nine o'clock; the residue of this day fair weather, with a strong west wind. A detachment of fifty men as an escorte to some provisions has marched for Fort Jefferson this day.

Friday, November the 11th. - Fair and cold weather, with moderate northwest wind. Major Zeigler, with upwards of one hundred men of the First United States Regiment, marched this day as a reinforcement to the escorte for Fort Jefferson. Piamingo, Colbert and the other Chickasaws, with the white people mentioned to have gone out from our camp on the 29th ultimo, have returned with five scalps, having been twenty miles beyond the Miami towns on the road to Detroit. Here they fell in with an Indian, who, mistaking them for friends, gave so vaunting an account of the late unfortunate action and defeat, that before he had completed his narrative they shot him through the body. He told them that they had but seven hundred warriors engaged, and that his "own arm was quite weary with tomahawking."

Monday, November the 14th. - Very heavy rain from three o'clock this morning and through the day, with strong south wind. Twenty more Chickasaws have arrived under the Elder Colbert, who appears a clever, intelligent fellow, and had intended to have joined the army.

Tuesday, November the 16th. - Snow the latter part of last night and in small flights during the day, with moderate west wind and mild weather.

Friday November the 18th.-Fair weather and a,m Pfcmingo had his audience of leave from ^General thfe day, and condoied with him upon the misfortunes of the campaign- He U,» oc sion to observe that the armiesofBntaintia been formerly opposed to his nation and that the officers were at first distinguishable among * soldiery as among our troops, by cocked ha , nmrni etc and were soon ktlled-whereupon confusion ensued and the men fell easy victims of their prey. But grown wiser by experience, they dressed their forces all alike and became victorious. He recommended strongly to the ener to fight the Indians in their own way from behind tgs and trees, and be continually changing the ground in time of action. This is their manne and they seldom fire twice from under the same cover, but, as soon as they have discharged the r pieces from behind one tree, shift the"se veS another; so that it is almost impossible to find them out, or to know whither to direct your your flre' Saturday, November the 19th.-Fair and pleasant weather, with light southwest wind. By intelligence from Fort Jefferson, we are that the first escorte with provisions had safe y arrived that the wounded and missing of the army had got in there in considerable numbers and had exhausted all the supplies that were forwarded upon the 5th, and the last of them reduced to the necessity of receiving horse-flesh and green hides for their support; but we know this state of affairs can not have existed long, as Major Zeigler must have arrived with ample stores before this time. Lieutenant Dennie, aide-de-camp to the General, was despatched this evening for Philadelphia by way of the Ohio river, with the particulars of the action and losses upon the 4th and the General himself proposes soon to follow.

A Narrative Of The Unfortunate Affair Of Friday With The Disposition Of The Army, Etc

Upon the Thursday evening of November the 3d, at four o'clock, the army, having marched eight miles, and ninety-seven from Fort Washington, and being by estimation about twenty miles from the Miami towns, were immediately encamped in two lines on a small rising ground descending gradually in front to a stream of fifty feet, fordable at this time, and which is supposed to empty itself into the Miami of Lake Erie.

Patterson's, Clarke's and Butler's battall°°B composed the first line, Patterson on the right and four pieces of artillery upon the right of

BUtThe Second United States Regiment, with Gaither's and Beddinger's battalions, formed the rear line; Beddinger on the right (in a rear ta ) and four pieces of artillery upon the left of his battalion. One troop of horse, commanded by Captain Truman, and a company of riflemen.

Captain Faulkner, were encamped upon the right flank, and occupied a front of about seventy yards, . which was the whole distance between the lines, the length of them being nearly four hundred, the rear somewhat more and the front line aonre'vtat less. Snowden's troop of horse was on the left.

The encampment, very defensible against regular troops, was found on experience to be feeble to an Indian attack. Descending, as has been - served, to the front, though in some places ' t stream was more than a hundred, yar yet in others it approached within twenty-five.

He was directed to make two detachments that evening, and to send out three or four acme^enterprising officers, with twenty men each, by dayl>g the next morning, to explore the country quire information of the enemy. Although J*® Colonel seemed fully impressed with the necessity of these measures and was also soldier enoug pay implicit obedience to orders, yet his comma was of a very different complexion, and there s manner of doubt that upon any order disag*TV and repugnant to their caprice, they wou faced to the right about; and of this disposiUou we had the fullest testimony from Colone| L° barn's evidence and the conduct of the men. o detachments were never made, and the m complaining of being too much fatigued for purpose in the evening and the attack comme - ing at an early hour in the morning thoug n so soon but that they might have gone out ana done us most essential service by discovering movements of the enemy. For I was in their camp after the troops had been under arms a dismissed, and long enough to express my surI^ to Colonel Oldham that these parties had not sent out, and to receive assurance that they shou instantly be attended to.

The militia were not enrolled for any of common duties of camp, and the only services demanded of them has been for small escortes .an the usual purpose of reconnoitering, for w being woodsmen, they seem better calculated than any other part of the army. But it was not often that they could be commanded, even in this way, though, except in this present instance, their refusal was always signified and no opportunity given to perform such service by detail from the line.

Captain Stough of the levies, with a detachment of upwards of twenty men (volunteers), was ordered in advance during the evening, to come in by a detour upon the Indian path at the distance of a couple of miles, for the purpose of Intercepting any small parties of Indians that might be returning from stealing our horses. For we were under the necessity of either turning them out to feed or suffering them to starve, and there was no doubt but that some of them must be taken away. This detachment soon found itself surrounded by the enemy, and, after exchanging a few shot, escaped under cover of the night and returned to camp about twelve o'clock. But no report was made to headquarters, though the commanding officer assures me he waited on General Butler and Lieutenant-Colonel Gibson, and requested them to communicate that he had fallen in with very great number of Indians.

In the course of the night, about fifty shot were fired, principally by our own sentinels, sometimes, no doubt, at the enemy, but oftener, probably, without any object whatever. This, however, as it exceeded much our usual practice, induced the General, in addition to his orders for the men to be prepared at all times for immediate service, to direct that the troops should lay upon their arms with all their accoutrements on. And upon the morning of the 4th they were turned out somewhat earlier than common, and continued upon the parade until objects could be distinctly seen at the distance of at least three hundred yards.

In the common order of duty the troops had been paraded every morning ten minutes before daylight, and continued under arms till near sunrise, but for the purpose of collecting the horses which were to be sent back to Fort Jefferson for ammunition and stores, and to refresh the men who were to be put generally on duty in erecting some works of deposit at this place, they were dismissed at an earlier hour than usual. It was in this opportunity that I visited the militia camp and was informed that the parties to have been ordered out had been altogether neglected. Colonel Oldham mentioned to me the loss of all his own horses, and the apprehension that we must have suffered much in this way, but gave me no reason

Immediately upon my return to headquarters, and about half an hour before sun-rising, the attack commenced upon the militia. Their position appeared to me (and I had reconnoitered it well) to nave been a very defensible one. For four hundred yards in front the wood was open and afforded no cover to the enemy; It could hardly be supposed an attempt would be made upon their rear, for in that case the Indians must have been exposed to two fires - a situation they extremely dread - and besides, the bottom land in that direction, and which was just at the back of their tents, fell suddenly to near thirty feet, and men stepping off only a little distance from it must have put themselves under good cover. I regretted to the General upon the preceding evening that we could not occupy this ground, but the troops, much fatigued, had at that time got their camp, and it was too late to alter their disposition.

The firing of the enemy was preceded for about five minutes by the Indian yell, the first I ever heard; not terrible, as has been represented, but more resembling an infinitude of horse-bells suddenly opening to you than any other sound I could compare it to. The resistance of the militia deserves not the name of defence, but should be branded as the most ignominious flight. Except a very faint and feeble fire from their small guards, I can not learn that there was any opposition, or even the show of it. But dashing "helter skelter" into our camp, they threw the battalions, not then quite formed, into some confusion. And not conceiving even this a place of sufficient security, they broke through the second line, carrying with them a few men of Gaither's, and but for a fire they received from the enemy and which drove them back, there is no doubt but they would have been off. During the whole action their conduct was cowardly in the most shameful degree, a few Instances to the contrary excepted.

Close upon the heels of the flying militia followed the Indians, who for a moment seemed as if determined to enter our camp with them; but the complexion of the troops, drawn up in tolerable order and with fixed bayonets, cooled their ardour a little, and they were fain to cover themselves behind logs and bushes at the distance of about seventy yards. From the very early attack upon the left of the front, and through the whole of the second line, there can be little doubt but that we were completely surrounded at the- time of the first onset upon the militia. And though it may be impossible to ascertain with precision the numbers of the enemy, yet if wC estimate them at upwards of a thousand, I am persuaded we shall not overrate them. Taking this for granted, and when it is known that our whole force (the mlllt'a ex. cepted) amounted only to thirteen hundred and eighty men-eighty of whom were officers serv ants who are very seldom, if ever, brought into action - and that the various guards efiual to two hundred and twenty by being made up in the general detail from the corps, and dispersed ha the suddenness of the attack (never after to be effectually collected), reducing. our efflcie"t " bers to one thousand and eighty of raw and un i ciplined troops, ignorant totally of the Indian and Indeed all other mode of flghting-for the whole army was constituted by new raised troops engaged only for six months, the Second Regiment excepted. and this also was but of the moment, just brought into the field, without time for mstruction and never having fired even a blank cartridge - whoever, I say, shall be acquainted with all these circumstances must acknowledge that we entertained an unequal war and long maintained the contest, too soon rendered doubtful by the superiority of the Indian mode of fighting. For though very early in the action we lost considerable number of officers, yet it was not until a severe service of more than two hours that a retreat was thought

°f The Second United States Regiment, Butler's and Beddinger's battalions, the artillery and the cavalry were the principal sufferers; and Gaither's battalion also experienced great loss. Clarke's battalion, being advantageously posted and acquainted with this kind of fighting, lost but few men, and a company of riflemen posted on the

Whether it was that the Indians respected and stood aloof from men fighting in some measure after the manner of themselves or from some other cause, I know not; but it is certain that those corps suffered less than any others, excepting Patterson's, which was drawn up between them and which shared little in the misfortunes of this day.

The great weight of the enemy's attack and fire seemed to commence with the artillery of the first line, and to continue along Butler's battalion to the left and through the whole of the second. This battalion charged the enemy with very great spirit; and the artillery, if not well served, was bravely fought and every officer and more than wn thirds of the men killed or wounded. Con cealed t^6 the Indians were, It was almost impos- 2\e to discover them and aim the pieces to advantage; but a large quantity of cannister an ZT round shot were, however, thrown in

^"The Second United States Regiment made three successive and successful charges the enemy giving ground to the powerful effect of their bayonets-but not till they had felt its force In those arduous services, however, the regiment was ( t up, two officers only being left alive, and one of them wounded.

Our whole loss of regular troops and lev es, in non-commissioned officers and privates, amounted to five hundred and fifty kiHedandtwo hundred wounded; and of commissioned offlcers, out of ninety-five whom we had in the fleld' th"^ one were killed and twenty-four wounded. The militia* had four officers killed and five wounded, and of non-commissioned officers and privates, thirty-eight killed and twenty-nine wounded. Fourteen artificers and ten pack-horse men were also killed, and thirteen wounded.

The Indians, in more than one or two instances, during the engagement pushed with a . very daring spirit upon the artillery of the front line and on the left flank of the army, and twice gained our camp, plundering the tenta and scalping the dqad and dying - but at both times they were driven back. It happened unfortunately that this part of our encampment was feeble through the day, for the troops ordered there, being made up of detachments from different battalions, displayed not that spirit which may be expected from complete corps, where every man fights under the eye of his own immediate officer, and in the presence of those comrades, who will mark his more minute action and forever censure or applaud in proportion to the merit of his particular exertions. And it appears very extraordinary that a knowledge of the amazing power of this stimulus does not at least induce all honorary duties of the soldier to be performed in this order. There was not, however, under these circumstances, and scarcely upon any occasion, a want of bravery observable amongst the troops. At the close of the action, indeed, and after they had been engaged

* By the return of the militia uponthe morning of the 8rd they had twenty-nine commissioned officers and two hSidSS md ninety non-commissioned officers snd prirates present.

warmly for more than two hours, disorder and confusion seemed to pervade the greatest part of them. They were very much depressed in spirits by the loss of their officers, and huddled together in crowded parties in various parts of the encampment where every shot from the enemy took effect. It was in vain that their surviving leaders used threats and entreaties, and almost every other means that could be devised, to reduce them to the appearance of order.

In this desperate situation of affairs, when even hope, that last consolation of the wretched, had failed the army, that the General took the resolution of abandoning his camp and attempting a retreat. There was a mere possibility that some of the troops might be brought off, though it could not be counted on among the probabilities. But there was no alternative. The men must either retreat, or be sacrificed without resistance, as the enemy were shooting them down at pleasure from behind trees and the most secure covers, whilst they could scarcely be led to discharge a single gun with effect.

Upon this occasion very extraordinary exertions were made to draw together men sufficient to give the appearance of efficiency. Feints were made in various directions and different parts of the encampment, and whilst they served in some measure to produce the first effect, they operated to deceive the enemy.

Having thus collected in one body the greatest part of the troops and such of our wounded as could possibly hobble along with us, we pushed out from the left of the rear line, sacrificing our artillery and baggage; and with them, we were compelled to leave some of our wounded.

In about one mile and a half, we gained the road, the enemy scarcely pursuing beyond that distance, and annoying us very little on our retreat. There can be no doubt they had it in their power to have cut us off, almost to a man; it is probable, however, that they might have been suspicious of the movement, and therefore thought it most eligible to embrace the opportunity to plunder, before possibly it could be snatched from them. Those unfortunate men also whom we were compelled to leave behind must for a time have engaged their attention. Although there were but a very few of them - all that were able to walk being brought off, and some of the officers on horses - yet the sympathy for those few is sufficient to torture the mind of sensibility. The soldier who has not been compelled to sacrifice his brave companion to all the torments which the most infernal invention can devise, knows not the extent of military sufferings, and is happily a stranger to the most agonizing motives of vengeance. But the determined resolution of our unfortunate friends (incapacitated from wounds to quit the field, yet who, as soon as the fate of the day became uncertain, charged their pieces with a coolness and deliberation that reflects the highest honour upon their memory) and the firing of musketry in camp after we quitted it, leaves us very little room for doubt that their latest efforts were professionally brave and that where they could pull a trigger they avenged themselves.

It is not probable that many of the Indians fell this day, though there are persons who pretend to have seen great numbers dead. I had myself an opportunity of making observations, but they were not correspondent with this assertion.

The conduct of the army after quitting the ground was in a most supreme degree disgraceful. Arms, ammunition and accoutrements were almost all thrown away, and even the officers in some instances divested themselves of their fusees and

It was half an hour past nine o'clock when we quitted the field of action, and by seven in the eveuing we had reached Fort Jefferson, a distance of twenty-nine miles. Here we met the First United States Regiment, and upon the counsel of the fields officers and myself, the General ordered the march to be resumed at ten o'clock, with that corps, the remains of the artillery, cavalry. Second United States Regiment and such of the militia and levies as could be collected. They were extremely fatigued, but no refreshments could be obtained, for them, there being: only three hundred weight of flour and no meat with the garrison; and, in fact, upon this information, the militia and levies would not be halted, but had pushed forwards towards Fort Hamilton.

The probability at this time was that Fort Jefferson would very soon be invested by the Indians, and the great object with the General was to throw in a quantity of provisions as soon as possible. A convoy of flour was known to be upon the way, and we had every reason to suppose that by forced marches it might be deposited with the garrison by next morning. We marched seven miles that night in bad roads without success and were compelled to halt, for the men could not possibly be pushed further.

motion, and in three or four miles met the packhorses with flour and a small drove of cattle. All the last, with fifty loads of the flour, were immediately pushed towards Fort Jefferson, escorted by a captain and fifty men of the First Regiment, which it was presumed would be competent to get in if the enemy were not in force, and that if they were in force the whole army could not effect it. Indeed, the First Regiment, worn down as it was by constant marching, was the only corps fit for any kind of duty, the residue of the troops being almost all destitute of arms and clothing and very much dispirited by their late defeat. The convoy, however, happily succeeded, and very few Indians had been observed about the fort upon the 5th. On the evening of this day, and having marched an hour or two in the night, we were within thirteen miles of Fort Hamilton, and sixty from the field of action; with the advance only, for the troops at this time were very much dispersed and some stragglers had stolen forward to seek refreshments. A couple of pounds of flour per man was all that we could afford them, and all, indeed, that we could promise ourselves, short of the fort.

Upon the morning of the 6th of November we moved early and crossed the Miami about ten o'clock. All this day and forenoon of the 7th the troops were coming in to Fort Hamilton, of the wounded and others, in small parties, and so continued for a number of days. Many of the poor fellows, incapable of keeping pace with the foremost of the retreat, fancied themselves quite in the rear and the savages at their heels, and being without any means of defence whatever (having, as has been observed, too generally thrown away their arms), they quit the road and dared not again attempt it till they had struck the Miami river. Some of them, and even of the wounded, were out six, seven and eight days, without the smallest refreshment.

At twelve o'clock, upon the 7th of November, we marched from Fort Hamilton with the First Regiment and some shattered remains of artillery cavalry, Second United States Regiment, levy corps and militia (leaving Captain Armstrong, with fifty men of the First United States Regiment as a garrison), and arrived at Fort Washington upon the noon of the 8th.

Every exertion was immediately made to place the wounded in an eligible situation and afford them all the comforts that the circumstances of the country would admit.

The troops were encamped, and no endeavors were spared to impress them with the idea that they were still soldiers; but officers and men seemed to have lost all consideration for military propriety and service. The First and Second Regiments and the artillery, however, soon recollected themselves in some measure, but the levies were lost forever; their time of service was near expiring; all relation between officers and men forgot, and not even the semblance of duty acknowledged for the public. Great excesses were committed in the town, and nothing was more devoutly to be wished for than that we were fairly rid of them. In justice, however, it must be observed that there were officers whose exertions were not wanting to correct abuses, and others only prevented from evincing them by wounds and inability; that they and the whole army were distressed for the want of clothing, blankets, camp equipage (except tents), and this at a season when they were most essentially necessary. Their situation indeed was truly distressing, and could only be justly conceived of by experiencing it.

List Of Killed And Wounded Officers

Captains Vanswearingen, Tipton and Price, Lieutenants McMath and Boyde, Ensigns Wilson, Reaves, Brooks, Chase and Turner, Adjutant Burges and Doctor Grasson, killed. Lieutenant- Colonel Darke, Captains Darke and Buchannon,

Captains Cribbs, Platt, Smith and Purdy, Lieutenants Kelso and Lukins, Ensigns McMichael, Beatty and Purdy, and Adjutant Anderson, killed. Lieutenant-Colonel Gibson, Major Butler, Captain Slough, Lieutenants Thomson, Cummins and Reed, Ensign Morehead and Adjutant Crawford, wounded.

Lieutenant-Colonel Oldham, Captain Lemon, Lieutenants Briggs and Montgomery, killed. Captains Thomas and Madison, Lieutenants Owens and Stagner, Ensign Walters and Doctor Ganoe, wounded.

We lost in this action three six-pounders and three threes, brass, and two pieces of iron ordnance. Two traveling forges and four four-ox teams, complete; two baggage wagons with horses; three hundred and sixteen pack-horses full-harnessed, besides those of the contractor's department; thirty-nine artillery, and a considerable number of dragoon and private riding horses; with the horseman's swords, pistols, etc.; three hundred and eighty-four common and eleven horseman's tents and marquees; twelve hundred muskets and bayonets, with cartridge-boxes, belts and all the other accoutrements complete, and all the drums of the army; one hundred and sixtythree felling axes; eighty-nine spades; eighty-eight mattocks; armourer's, carpenter's, blacksmith's and tinman's tools in whole sets; with a variety of valuable et cetera requisite for establishing works upon the great scale, at the Miami towns, also two medicine chests, and a quantity of quartermaster's stores; which, together with the provisions of bread and beef in camp, have been estimated by a tolerably accurate calculation, at the sum of thirty-two thousand, eight hundred and ten dollars.

In the before-going detail of our unsuccessful essay with the savages, I have cautiously avoided marking the conduct of individual character, and where so laudable exertion prevails for the display of military abilities and prowess, as was evident upon this unfortunate day among all ranks of officers, in a full proportion to their genius and opportunities, though to discriminate for the public eye might be deemed invidious, yet private memorandums upon those occasions are useful, In which names may be introduced and particular merit of "all ranks" (from the commanding general to the youngest subaltern officer) to be recorded without injury to individual feelings.

And to commence in the highest grade. It may with justice be observed of our General, that his conduct was cool and brave, and though very much debilitated by a long and severe fit of the gout, yet, had the army been respectable in numbers and as equal to the receiving disposition as he was of making it, there can be but little doubt that the fortunes of the day might have worn a better aspect.