The next day we reached Sandwich at two o'clock in the afternoon. At the same time the fleet came up the river to Detroit. The Gen. made dispositions for passing the river. Governor Shelby's corps remained at Sandwich, while Ball's legion and the brigades of Generals M'Arthur and Cass passed over to Detroit.
The Indians appeared in groups, on the bank of the river below Detroit; a few shots from the gunboats caused them to disperse.
The Indians did not leave Detroit till the boats containing the troops were halfway across the river. Just before we landed on the American side, the inhabitants hoisted the United States' flag amid the acclamations of thousands. We were received by the inhabitants with demonstrations of unfeigned joy. They had suffered all that civilized and savage tyranny could inflict, save death. The Indians had lived at free quarters for several months. It was natural for them to hail us as deliverers.
The enemy had set fire to the fort, but the walls and picketing remained entire. The public store, a long brick building near the wharf was injured only in the roof which our men soon repaired. In the course of the night there was an alarm in camp, the fires were extinguished, and the men ordered to lie on their arms.
On the 30th Col. Johnson's regiment arrived from Fort Meigs, they immediately commenced the passage of the river in boats.—Gen. M'Arthur with the mass of the regular troops was charged with the defence of Detroit. It was the general opinion of the inhabitants that there were 1000 Indian warriors, under Marpot and Split Log, lurking in the woods between the river Rouge and Huron of Lake St. Clair. The friendly Indians had taken several prisoners in the immediate vicinity of Detroit.
On the 2d of October every arrangement was completed for pursuing the retreating British army up the Thames. The force selected for this service were the mounted regiment of Col. Johnson, three companies of Col. Ball's legion and the principal part of Governor Shelby's volunteers.
From Sandwich to the Moravian Towns is eighty four miles. We found the roads for the most part good. The country is perfectly level. The advance of the troops was rapid—so much so that we reached the river Riscum, one hundred and twenty-five miles from Sandwich, in the evening. The enemy had neglected to destroy the bridge. Early in the morning of the 3d, the general proceeded with Johnson's regiment, to prevent the destruction of the bridges over the different streams that fall into Lake St. Clair and the Thames. These streams are deep and muddy, and are unfordable for a considerable distance into the country. A lieutenant of dragoons and thirteen privates, who had been sent back by Gen. Proctor to destroy the bridges, were made prisoners near the Thames; from them the general learnt that the enemy had no certain information of our advance.
The baggage of the army was brought from Detroit in boats, protected by a part of commodore Perry's squadron. In the evening the army arrived at Drake's farm, eight miles from the mouth of the Thames and encamped. This river is a fine deep stream, navigable for vessels of considerable burthen, after the bar at its mouth, over which there is generally seven feet water. The gunboats could ascend as far as Dalson's below which the country is one continued prairie, and at once favorable for cavalry movements and for the co-operation of the gunboats. Above Dalson's, the aspect of the country changes; the river, though still deep, is not more than seventy yards wide, and the banks high and woody.
At Chatham, four miles from Dalson's and sixteen from lake St. Clair, is a small deep creek, where we found the bridge taken up, and the enemy disposed to dispute our passage, and upon the arrival of the advanced guard, commenced a heavy fire from the opposite bank as well as a flank fire from the right bank of the river. The army halted and formed in order of battle. The bridge was repaired under the cover of a fire from two six pounders. The Indians did not relish the fire of our cannon, and retired. Col. Johnson being on the right, had seized the remains of a bridge at M'Gregor's mills, under a heavy fire from the Indians. He lost on this occasion, two killed and four hundred wounded.—The enemy set fire to a house near the bridge containing a considerable quantity of muskets; the flames were extinguished and the arms saved. At the first farm above the bridge we found one of the enemy's vessels on fire, loaded with arms and ordnance stores. Four miles higher up the army took a position for the night—here we found two other vessels and a large distillery filled with stores to an immense amount, in flames; Two 24 pounders, with their carriages were taken, and a large quantity of ball and shells of various sizes.
The army was put in motion early on the morning of the 5th. The General, accompanied by Col. Johnson—Gov. Shelby followed with the infantry. This morning we captured two gun-boats and several batteaux loaded with provisions and ammunition. At nine we had reached Arnold's mills where there is a fording place, and the only one for a considerable distance.—Here the army crossed to the right bank—the mounted regiment fording and the infantry in the captured boats. The passage, though retarded for want of a sufficient number of boats, was completed by twelve.