March 10, 1812.—We experienced some heavy shocks of an Earthquake about this time, which occasioned considerable alarm; but did no other damage than throwing down a few chimnies in the town.—On the Mississippi the shocks were more severe, where considerable damage was done, especially to buildings. It is said the motion of the earth in that quarter was from six to eight inches to and fro; but at Vincennes, 250 miles to the north, it did not exceed three inches in the heaviest shocks, as was ascertained with a lead ball suspended by a thread from the ceiling in the house.—The duration of the longest shock was about 3 minutes—they continued at intervals throughout the month.
March 29.—About 150 Indians who were said to have remained neutral in the late contest, came to Vincennes, and encamped about two miles north of the town. They were requested to deliver up their arms, and a guard of soldiers should be placed over them for their protection, and tents supplied them while they tarried with us: this they complied with, and desired an audience of the Governor on the ensuing day, which was granted.
In Council, they declared their detestation of the Prophet and his adherents, expressing their wishes to remain in peace and friendship with their father, the President of the U. States.—The Governor, in a short reply, warned them against entering into any alliance with the Prophet and his warriors—telling them, if he should again be disturbed, and obliged to come among them, it would be out of his power to restrain his young warriors from destroying them all. A treaty was signed, and the Indians received their annual presents of blankets, broadcloths, calicoes, &c. and left the town for their encampment.
April 2.—The Indians again came in, habited in their new dresses, performing their dances through the town, to the great diversion of the Regiment, who were unacquainted with their peculiarities, except their propensity to deception and treachery; the ill consequences of which we had been taught at the battle of Tippecanoe.—Towards evening they retired in good order, and soon after received their arms, and returned to their villages up the Wabash.
There were still remaining many refractory Indians on the Wabash, who would agree to no terms of peace with the U. States. They had even opened the graves of our unfortunate comrades who fell in the late action—stripped and scalped them, and left their bodies above ground. Col. Miller was preparing to send a detachment of troops to the battle ground to have them again interred; but some friendly Indians undertook this office, and the bodies were again replaced.
April 4.—Information was received of the murder of a family of seven persons on White river, and others in Indiana, besides many depredations on the Mississippi. The settlers were alarmed, and fled to the forts and the most populous towns for protection, leaving their property to the mercy of the savages.
April 9.—A family on the Embaras river, only seven miles from Vincennes, consisting of a man, his wife and three small children, were massacred while in the act of leaving their home for the purpose of finding protection at Vincennes. A young man who had resided with the family escaped and fled to Vincennes, where he arrived about 12 o'clock at night, and gave the alarm; the troops were immediately called to arms, expecting an attack upon the town. The next day Col. Miller, with a small detachment from the regiment, proceeded to the river Embaras, where they found the bodies of the murdered family, shockingly cut up with the tomahawk and scalping knife. The man had his breast opened, his entrails torn out and strewed about the ground. They were all scalped except an infant child in the mother's arms, which was knocked on the head.—The bodies were decently interred and the party returned to Vincennes without being able to discover the perpetrators of this horrid massacre.
We received information soon after the above transaction, that the famous Indian Chief, Tecumseh, brother to the Prophet, had collected a considerable force on the Wabash with the intention of attacking the town of Vincennes,—saying to the Governor—"You have destroyed my town in my absence; I shall, when the corn is two inches high destroy yours before your face." Tecumseh was not an enemy to be despised; and the information of his approach towards Vincennes, created considerable alarm among the inhabitants. The town was filled with families who came to avoid the fury of the savages. Many of the principal dwelling-houses were piqueted in, and the militia were called upon to be at their posts at a moment's warning;—thus were we kept in fearful apprehension of an attack being made upon us by the Indians, whenever we should retire to rest; add to this the frequent shocks of earthquakes, and the reader may imagine the unhappy situation in which we were placed.
A serious misunderstanding had for some time existed between Gov. Harrison and Col. Boyd, the grounds of which, the author could never correctly ascertain; yet was supposed to originate from some hasty remark of Col. Boyd upon the conduct of the militia of Indiana, during the campaign; and perhaps he had laid claim to a greater share of the laurels won in the late engagement, than the people of Indiana were willing to allow him; however, it is admitted by all, that the bravery, good order and discipline of 4th Regiment secured to the army the victory at Tippecanoe;—for this Col. Boyd deserves the highest praise.
April 17.—Col. Boyd left Vincennes for the city of Washington, and Col. Miller assumed the command of the Regiment, when we soon after received orders from Government to march to Dayton, in the State of Ohio, there to join the army under Brigadier Gen. Hull.—The citizens of Vincennes, sincerely lamented our departure, as there would be but a small force left for their protection against the savages, who had now assumed a formidable aspect, and threatened destruction to the place.—Capt. Snelling, and his Company arrived from Fort Harrison, where they had been stationed during the winter.