April 30—the besieged kept up a well directed fire against the enemy's batteries and considerably impeded their progress. Boats filled with men were seen to pass to the Fort Meigs' side of the river; this induced the Gen. to believe that their intention was to draw his attention to their batteries, and to surprise and storm the camp in the rear. Orders were therefore given for one third of the men to be constantly on guard, and the remaining two thirds to sleep with their muskets in their arms, and to be constantly prepared, at a moment's warning, to fly to their posts. These orders were strictly obeyed, and every duty performed with cheerfulness. Notwithstanding the incessant fire of the enemy, the men were obliged to go to the river for water every night—the well not being finished. Several of the men were this day wounded, and the General being continually exposed, had several narrow escapes. During the night the enemy towed up a gun boat near the fort and fired at point blank shot for some time, but without effect. They retired from this position as soon as it was light enough for our gunners to see her.
The grand traverse was now completed, as well as several small ones in various directions. The fire from the garrison was begun with effect. During the day (May 1st) the enemy fired 256 times from their gun batteries. Their 24 pound shot passed through the pickets without cutting them down. Our gunners silenced one of their pieces several times. They did not fire so rapidly as the enemy, but with a better aim—8 of the Americans were wounded this day—a bullet struck the seat on which the General was setting, and a volunteer was at the same time wounded as he stood directly opposite to him.
On the 2d of May both parties commenced firing very early with bombs and balls, and continued it very briskly all day. Our troops had one killed and ten wounded, besides several others slightly touched with Indian bullets. The enemy this day fired 457 cannon shot.
The next day commenced with a very brisk and fierce firing of bombs and cannon balls, and continued at intervals all day. They opened two batteries upon the fort, which they established on this side of the river within two hundred and fifty yards of the rear right angle of the camp, one of which was a bomb battery. An Indian who had ascended a tree, shot one of our men through the head, and six were killed by the enemy's bombs. They fired five hundred and sixteen times during the day, and forty-seven times during the night.
It rained very hard on the 4th which retarded the fire of the besiegers. A new battery was discovered erecting on this side of the river, in the same direction with the others, and traverses were commenced to guard against them. Several were killed and wounded; Lieut. Gwynne killed a British officer on this side the river with a rifle. 233 shots were fired this day.
General Clay was now at Fort Winchester, with twelve thousand men, on his way to relieve the garrison.
On the 5th the enemy kept up but a feeble fire but they killed three men with bombs. An officer arrived with a detachment of Gen. Clay's men, with the welcome news that the General was but a few miles up the river, descending in boats. An officer was sent to him with directions for him to land one half of his force on the opposite side of the river, for the purpose of forcing the enemy's batteries and spiking their cannon. Col. Dudley, who was charged with the execution of this movement, performed it in fine style, but his men elated with their success, continued to pursue the retreating enemy till they were finally drawn into an ambush and overwhelmed by superior numbers; the greater part of this detachment were killed or taken prisoners. Some few effected their escape to the garrison. About forty of these unfortunate men were tomahawked by the Indians, several hours after their surrender. The killed on the field of battle were horribly mutilated. Colonel Dudley was among the killed. He displayed in his last moments the most heroic firmness, and actually killed one Indian after he was mortally wounded.
The other moiety of Gen. Clay's force, if not less prudent, were more fortunate; when they landed a little above the fort, they could easily have made the fort without loss, but instead of doing this or securing their sick and baggage, they marched directly into the woods in pursuit of a few Indians that were purposely leading them to their destruction. Gen. Harrison perceiving their folly, caused Colonel Ball to sally out with the cavalry and protect their retreat to the fort. He succeeded in bringing them into the fort; but in the mean while a party of Indians had tomahawked their sick, left in the boats, and plundered their baggage.
While Col. Dudley's party was engaged with the enemy on the left bank of the river, several brilliant and successful charges were made on the right. In these charges Colonel Miller, Maj. Alexander, Capt. Croghan, Longhom, Bendford, and Neveing, were conspicuous. Our troops conducted with the most determined bravery; all their batteries on this side were carried, and many prisoners taken.
From the 6th to the ninth there was no firing. Flags of truce passed and repassed between the two armies. An exchange of prisoners took place. The Kentucky militia, taken at Dudley's defeat, were to be sent to Harrison, in order to return home by that route. On the morning of the 9th the enemy commenced their retreat down the river, after having been before the place thirteen days, during which time he had fired at the works, eighteen hundred shells and cannon balls besides keeping up an almost continual discharge of small arms. The American loss during the siege in the fort and in the different sorties on this side, was seventy-two killed and one hundred and ninety-six wounded. The loss of Col. Dudley's detachment was about two hundred killed and missing. That of the enemy was about equal.