On the 25th November, the celebrated partizan chief, Logan,[ [2] died of his wounds.—This loss was regretted by the whole army. He was a brave and enterprising warrior, sincerely attached to the Americans, and possessed a powerful influence over the Indians.
On the 8th November a detachment of 600 men, commanded by Colonel Campbell, left Franklinton on an expedition against the Miami Indians, living on the head waters of the Wabash. On the 17th of December, they arrived at one of the Mississinway villages, surprized & killed five warriors, and took thirty-seven prisoners. They burnt three other villages three miles further down the river, and then returned to the first town destroyed, and encamped. About an hour before the dawn of day, they were attacked in the camp. The fire commenced on the right line, commanded by Major Ball, who sustained and returned it till day light, when the Indians were charged and dispersed with the loss of thirty killed. Our loss was eight killed and twenty-five wounded—several mortally. A great number of horses were killed, several officers were wounded: lieutenant Waltz, of the Pennsylvania troop was shot through the arm, but not satisfied, he again attempted to mount his horse, and in making the effort was shot through the head.—The prisoners were treated with humanity, even the warriors who ceased to resist, were spared, which is not the usual custom in expeditions against the Indians. The sufferings of the men from cold, hunger and fatigue, on their retreat from Mississinway, were beyond measure. They were in the centre of an Indian country. The terrible Tecumseh was known to be within a few hours march. The sick and wounded were to be carried on litters; their march was slow, tedious and circumspect. At night only half of the men could sleep, while the other were on guard. They suffered greatly from the inclemency of the weather; numbers were frost bitten. Pleurisy and bad colds afflicted almost the whole corps. Why the Indians suffered them to escape total destruction, is unaccountable. Perhaps the death of their celebrated Prophet, who is supposed to have been killed in this affair, was the cause of their not harrassing our men in their retreat.
The officers of Major Ball's squadron, who sustained the brunt of the action and who were complimented by General Harrison, in a general order, for their valor and good conduct, were Major Ball, Captains Hopkins and Garrard of Kentucky; Captains Markle and M'Clelland, of Pennsylvania.
On the 14th of December the left wing of the army moved from Fort Winchester to the Rapids. At this time the Ohio troops were at Fort M'Arthur—the Pennsylvanians at Mansfield and the Virginians at Delaware.—General Harrison fixed his head quarters at Upper Sandusky. The provisions and military stores, and the trains of artillery having reached the different depots, the hopes of the nation, that victory would soon crown the efforts of the north-western army, were cherished in confidence.
On the 14th of January, Col. Lewis advanced towards the river Raisin. On the 18th he found the enemy in force, and disposed to dispute the possession of the place. He attacked them in the town; on the first onset the savages raised their accustomed yell. But the noise was drowned in the returning shouts of the assailants. They advanced boldly to the charge, and drove them in all directions. On the first fire sixteen of the Indians fell—about forty were killed. Col. Lewis' party lost twelve killed, and fifty-two wounded.
On the 18th Gen. Winchester followed with a reinforcement, and concentrated his troops, amounting to eight hundred men, at the village of Frenchtown—six hundred of which were posted behind a picket fence—two hundred which composed the right wing were encamped in an open field entirely uncovered.
On the 22d they were attacked by a combined British force under Tecumseh and Proctor. The attack commenced on the right wing at beating of reveille. Our troops were immediately ready for the reception of the enemy. The right wing sustained the shock for about twenty minutes, when overpowered by numbers, they retreated over the river and were met by a large body of Indians who had been stationed in their rear. This party finding their retreat cut off, resolved to sell their lives as dear as possible, and fought desperately—few of these escaped. The left wing with Spartan valor, maintained their ground within their pickets.
The enemy's regulars made three different charges upon them; they advanced in platoons to charge the pickets, keeping up a brisk fire. Our men within the pickets, with the most determined bravery and presence of mind reserved their fire until the enemy advanced within point blank shot. They then opened a cross fire upon them—their pieces well levelled—and in this manner mowed down his ranks till he retreated in confusion.
Gen. Winchester and Col. Lewis had been taken prisoners in an early part of the battle, in attempting to rally the right wing. At 11 o'clock a flag arrived from General Winchester to Maj. Madison, who commanded in the pickets, informing our men he had surrendered them prisoners of war, and requested their compliance; whereupon a capitulation took place, and they were immediately marched off for Malden. The Americans lost nearly four hundred men in killed, wounded and missing. Among the officers, Col. Allen and Captains Hickman, Simpson, (a member of Congress) Mead, Edwards, Price and M'Cracken.
During the whole of the action a heavy canonade was kept up by six pieces of artillery. The courage of the men was never more severely tested. The party that retreated at the commencement of the battle, were pursued, surrounded, and literally cut to pieces. Some succeeded in getting three miles from the scene of action, but were overtaken and massacred. The snow was crimsoned the whole distance with the blood of the fugitives.