Rising Sun Times, Volume 1, Number 5, Rising Sun, Ohio County, 14 December 1833 — Page 1

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THE RISING SUN Is Frtnttd and published eiery Saturday Ily Isaac Stevens, A: Co. TERMS. Two Don ns per annum, if paid in advance, Two Dollaks a.d Fifty CtxTS if paid in six months, or TuitEK 1)u.lus at the end of hi- w ar. A failure to notify a discontinuance :t the end of i In-time subscribed or will be con-idt red a now engagement. Ctr Arrearages must be i i previous to discontinuance. Advertisements not exceeding one square, one dollar for throe weeks, each sub-equent insertion twenty-live cent?, larger one in proportion.

Letters addressed to the editor, must be poft-p dd to receive attention. i:li;ctkd talks. Itattlo ot Tippecanoe. To the Editor of the Vinffnncs (Jaztltf : Sin: In your paprr of the 1 T l li of la-t month, yon have published an erroiv.cus account of the battle of Tippecanoe, written by a visiter to the battle ground, in .May, 1 331, and first publisheJ in the Kentucky Intelligencer. I deem it due as well to the character of General 1 l.i rrion, as to that of the United State' lnfthtry,and the Volunteer and .Militia of the Indiana Territory-, engaged in that memorable battle, that the errors in the publication above mentioned should be corrected. 1 do not behove that (he visiter misstated facts knowingly, but that he has been misled by erroneous information, 1 can not doubt; therefore, with no other objection than to do justice to all conc rued, I will endeavor to give a brief statement of some of the transactions that led to that memorable campaign and victory. In doing this, after the lapse of twenty-two years, and writing as I do, mostly from my own recollection, 1 may fall short of relating all the particulars, bull will set down nothing but what I know or have reason to believe is true, and will feel obliged bybeing corrected by those who knew wherein I have fallen into error. As early as the year 1803, or 1309. the. celt hrated Shawnee Chief, Tecumsch, and his brother the Prophet, were known to be. fomenting t lie Indians against us, and about that time thev located themselves near Tippecanoe, upon the Wabash, and Terumseh conceived the grand design of uniting all ilie Indians to make common cause :gaint the em ro ichments of (he white p in, and to mike an effort to regain their former territory, and to check the growth ..f our settlement in the north west. Governor Harrison, then superintendent of Indian affairs, believing these Indian were stimulated by British traders, and fearing it would lead to something inure serious, kept the Pn-sident informed of their movements, and under instructions from our Government, held frequent friendly talk? with the Indians, and endeavored by presents and kindness to satisfy them, hut without effect. In 1810 serious apprehension were felt for the safety of our frontier inhabitants, and a call was made on the militia of the Indiana Territory for the purpose of protecting the inhabitants on the Wabash, against Tecumseh's banditti; but, on his pro mise to remain peaceable, the march of our men to the Wabash was countermanded. This suspended, but did .not prevent hostilities. Early in the year 1811, the Indians; assembled a more offensive attitude; large numbers were collecting at Tccumseh's town, from all the tribes in the north west. This alarmed the inhabitants of the frontier of Indiana and Illinois Territories, checked emigration, and prevented the settlement of the country. Meetings of the people were holden in both Territories, and rcsolutionsadopted expressing the sense, of the inhabitants of their imminent danger from the hostile Indians, collecting at the Prophet's town. Captain Walter Wilson, of Vincennes, with Barron, interpreter, were sent by (iov. Harrison, late in June, of 1811, with a talk to Tecumseh and the Pro phct, and on arriving at their town, he found about fifteen hundred warriors assembled there. After the talk Te cumeh promised to visit Vincennes in eighteen days; he came in about twon-ly-live day s, with six hundred warriors, and the result ot the council between Gov. Harrison and Tecumseh left no doubt war was unavoidable; and, at the earnest request of the people, ex pressed through public meetings, and petition. h? President dircdd Gov.

Harrison to disperse Tccumseh's banditti. Col. Boyd with the fourth regiment of United Stales Infantry, was placed under Gov. Harrison, who called on the Militia of Indiana Territory ; manv volunteered their services, and others were drafted for the expedition. The object of the campaign was, to march up the Vaba?h towards Tippe canoe, build a fort, and station troops near the Indian boundery, and if possible, to disperse Tecumseh' banditti without shedding blood. The time was considered favorable to affect the object of the Government, as it was known, that immediately afierlhe council at Vincennes, in July, 1811, the

Chief, Tecumseh, went on a tour amotig the Southern Indians, to stimulate them to join in his plan of operation against us. Our army assembled at Vincennes, in September, and, before its march from that place, was joined by Col. J. H. Davies, and a few les than twenty, dragoons, from Kentin ky, to go on the expedition. The troops left Vincennes about the 2Gth of September, and, on one of the first days of October, commenced building the fort. While the troops were then employed, (iov. Harrison sent message inviting the Indians of Tecumseh's banditti to a friendly counsel, or warning them to disperse. They declined doing either, and about this time a family wa killed on Embarra river, in Illinois, a tew miles north of incenncs; and one of our sentinels was shot bv an Indian, on the night of the 10th of October. These transactions indicated too strongly to be misunderstood, what we had to apprehend from that ban ditti of savages, and Gov. Harrison called on the citizens of the Territory. manv of whom volunteered and flocked to the standard of their Governor. Cant. Funk, with a few drafoons from Kentucky, also joined the army, and the fort being near its completion, the army, consisting of about seven hundred and fifty men, after leaving the sick, and a small garrison in the fort, marched, on the 29th of October, for the Indian town, and was overtaken on the march, about lb first of November, by Gen. baml. Wells, and Cols. Owen and Keigar, from Kentucky , with about thirty or forty volunteers from that State. I am confident that the number of men thr.t were in the battle, from Kentucky, did not exceed eighty, perhaps not more than seventy. About half the number were dragoons, under Col. Davies and Capt. Funk, the balance were riflemen, under Gen. Wells and Col. Kciger; Col. Owen acting as volunteer aid to the commander in chief. On the night of the 5th of .November, the army encamped ten or eleven miles from the Indian town. During our march, on the morning of the Gth, Indians were frequently seen by our advance; attempts were made but failed to bring them to a friendly talk. When within less than two miles of the village, the army having formed in order for battle, halted. Our troops were in good spirits, and every officer appeared anxious to engage the enemy; but Gov. Harrison in strict conformity to his instructions from the President, resolved to make one other effort to adjust the difficulty without sheding blood, and for that purpose he rode forward, accompanied by some of his principal officers and protected by Spencer's company of volunteers from the Territory. Arriving within less than two hundred yards of the town, he directed his interpreter, Barron, to go into the tow n and invite the Prophet to come out and talk with him as a friend, stating that the difficulties could be arranged better than to let their young men kill each other in battle. Two other chiefs came out, and after shaking hands in the most friendly manner, these chiefs assured the general thai they were not able, nor had they a wish to fight, and that their principal chief, the Prophet, had gone out to meet the aimy to make peace, but that he had crossed to the east side of the Wabash, believing the army was marching up that side, and these chiefs repeatedly declared, that if the Governor would wait until the next day, they would come into a council,imake peace, bury the hatchet, and thereafter live like brothers. Gov. Harrison directed Majors Tay lor and Clark, his aid de camp, and Brigade Inspector, to select a suitable camp-ground. They did so, and reported that they had found the best encampment that the army had occupied since its march; and, after mutual pledges of friendship, be tween the General and the Chief",

orders were given to march to the ground, and the lines of the encampment were marked oil' by the proper officers. No one was heard to object to the ground for an encampment. Indeed no one who is a competent judge could with propriety object. Something was said about building a breastwork, but tiiis was abandoned, owing, as the w riter understood, and believed, to the scarcity if camp-aNc. and the prevalent opinion that it was unnecessary. The army encamped in the form of a hollow square, occupying a grove of timber, surrounded on three sides by prairie; the right wing fronting to the south east, towards the Indian tow n, was composed of pari of the C States'1 regiment, and a few companies of (lie Militia of tin: Territory, constituting what was termed, on the morning of the battle, the front line; the left wing also, consisting of a part of the fourth regiment, and a portion of the Militia of the Territory, composed the rear

line; lite right Hank was composed of Spencer's company of eighty volunteer riflemen, of the Territory, fronting south west and closing the space between the front and rear lines, in the south west point of the grove in which we encamped. The left flank consisted of the company of Kentm kv volunteer riflemen under Keigar. and a company of riflemen of the Territory under Capt. Kobb; this flank w as commanded by (jen. W oils-, who ranked as Major. Capt. Sneliing's company of the fourth encamped within the square, as a reserve. The dragoons, both of Kentucky and the Territory, were encamped within the square, with orders that in case of a night attack, to parade sw ord in hand, with their pistols in their belts. A double line of sentinels was placed out, and all the precaution that experienc e and prudence could dictate with a due regard to the exhausted condition of the soldiers, owing to forced marches on reduced rations, was taken bv the commander :n chief. Between four and me o'clock in the morning of the ?th of November, 18'!, a sentinel at the south east angle discovered the India s i raw ling through the grass in the prairie, approaching him. He fired, and fled towards the line, pursued by hundreds of Indians, who reached our line at the same moment with the sentinel. So sudden and unlocked for was the attack on the left flank, that the officers had no opportunity to form their men for action, hut were compelled to retire towards the centre of the encampment. Gov. Harrison, seeing his left driven in, ordered Captains Si.elling, Wilson and Scott, to charge the Indians; they did so, and checked them. This timely aid enabled Wells and Keigar to rally their men, and regain their ground, which they immediately did, and throughout the battle, folly sustained their former high reputation assoldiersof Kentucky. The attack in a few moments became general along the front line, right flank and part of the rear line. All our sentinels, and both guards, were driven into the encampment, and nothing saved the army from defeat, but the cool, deliberate courage of Gen, Harrison, aided by the field ofliccrs ami the steadiness of our troops amidst dangers the most desperate. The. writer is a witness that Gov. Harrison rode along our fines giving such orders as were neces sary to restore order and to ensure a victory. The battle had continued for some time, when Col. Davies observed to Gov. Harrison, that the Indians wen sheltering behind a log and some stand ing trees, near the front angle, formed by the front line and left flank, and were annoy.ig our line very much, and he asked permission to dislodge them. Permission being granted, he called on his first division, as he. termed them, w hich consisted of not more than twen ty picked men, to follow him, and rush ed to the charge, through the United States' Infantry, who were formed in his front, followed by about six or seven of his men, and of that number at least three, to wit: While, Floyd and Pcrcil, were citizens of the 1 erritory, not citi zens of Kentucky, as claimed by the visiter to the battle ground. Davies and White fell, and were with dilficul ty borne into our lines, without dis lodging the Indians, and a company of the fourth regiment was ordered by Gov. Harrison to dislodge them, which order was most gallantly executed. By the foregoing statement, for the truth of which the writer appeals to all who were present, the world may judge whether Col. Davies threw awav his

life by rashness, or whether it was sacrificed by the order of his commander. It is admitted, that if Col. D. had have been followed by his whole command they were competent to died his object ; but. ow ing to the noise and confusion of the battle, his order were either not heard or were misunderstood and not obeyed. The visiu r seem inclined to claim all the credit of the victory to what he terms the Kentucky rangers. Nothing could he more unjust than this. Let works bear witness. It is true they a)l behaved well, and that (lie gallant Owen, of Kentuckv, fell in the front of the battle while animating our men in the retiring line, by his words and his example, to face, about, charge the enemy, and maintain their ground. Maj. Bain, of the army, fell mortally, and Col. Bartholomew, of Indiana Territory severely wounded, also leading and animating (heir commands to the charge; and lew, if rmv, of our field

officers were more eminently useful th in Majors Clark and Taylor, of the Territory. In comparing the loss of the different companies of the armv, it hould not bo forgotten that the grcatst loss was not sustained bv the Kentuckians. Compare the loss of Snellinsr ind Barton, of the fourth regiment. Keigar and Funk, of Kentucky, and Spencer and Wilson of the Territory. Snelling and Spencer's loss was nearly equal, and probably the heaviest, about twenty 'lien each, (spencers loss was twenty-one) and either of these companies lost more men than both the com panies from Kentuckv. (I write with out the aid of the official report. Capt. Snelling ma.de several success ful charges. Wilson was drawn from the rear line and charged the enemv three times. Scott, also of the Territory, was drawn from the front line and charged the enemv. Capt. Spen cer's line was engaged in close action by a vastly superior force, in poinl of numbers, for nearly two hours, unaided by other forces, and lost their Captain, two Lieutenants, and five others killed md thirteen wounded. As soon as it was sufficiently light to enable our men to distinguish objects, the enemy was charged and routed from every point, leaving part of their dead upon t lie field. Our loss was severe; about 179 in killed and wounded, of whom, none was more lamented than Uwen :.nd Dav ies, of Kentucky, and 3Iaj. Buin of the fourth. But the Territory lost Spencer, Warrick, White, M'Mahan and Berry, with many others, and nothing could be farther from fhe intention of the writer, than to detract from the merits of the gallant dead, from any section of our country; his object being to claim justice, and nothing more, for the brave sons of Indiana who fell, and for their General, what is due to him, for both courage and prudence, in conducting his command to a glorious victory". The victory being won, the fust care of the General was, to restore order. provide for the wounded, and buryr the dead. On the day after the battle the Indian town was burned, and preparations for the return march were made, and on the 9th the army left the battle ground. On its arrival at Busscrow, the militia and volunteers were disbanded. It has always been believed, by those qualified to judge, that this victory had much influence in shortening the war that commenced the ensuing spring, and. in saving many lives of the people of the Territory, as the Prophet's town would have been a rallving point for the follower's of (he brave and intrepid Tecumseh, w ho lost such a number of his warriors at I ip pecanoe, as evidently to dishearten the Indians and cripple his operations, and the combined Indian forces were beat en upon their own ground with the advantage of their favorite mode of at tack, by the united skill and courage of the army of the United States, and the volunteers and militia of Kentucky and the Indiana Territory, jointly; and it is unjust to claim or to ascribe the credit of this victory to any one c orps of that little army. Let it suffice to saythat it was an American armv, led by Gov. Harrison, of the Indiana Territo ry, and followed by manv of the first citizens of our country , who confided in his ability to command, and fhey were. not disappointed. We are informed, that a day or two after the army left the battle ground. the Indians returned, tore our dead men from their grave and stripped and otherwise mangled them. Their bones lav bleaching on the field of their glo

rious death up to the fall of 1821, when Capt. Huntingdon, with a company from Terre Haute, collected the bones and covered them in the earth, mark ing the place by a large stone. In October 1830, anangements were made to re-inter the bones of these heroes. Gen. Harrison was invited to attend, but was prevented by indisposition. A great number of people from different states attended; among them, a son of Gen. Harrison, one of Col. Owen, and a son of Capt. Warrick, with a few of the survivors of the bailie. The hones were collected and put into one coffin, and re-interred (in the hole first made lo bury our officers) with the honors of war, and an eloquent eulogy by L'. A. Hannegan, F,sq. The friends of Gen. Harrison have always regretted that he left the territory in 1812, and accepted the command of a brigade of Kentucky volunteers; and they have equal rcaon to regret his resignation of the office of Major General of the army of th : U. States. By the dr;- he left his friends in the Territory without a leader, possessing an equal share of their confidence to conduct them through the war, by the latter, he left the army soon after hi brilliant victory of the Thames of the 5th of October. 'l Gl 3; a victorysecond only to that of New Orleans: by Ibis victory a British army was captured, a Province conquered, the famous Tecumseh slain, and all our fees humbled; and the General left the field of his usefulness and his glorv, and

others have reaped a rich harvest of well earned laurels, and must he now ha buried in obscurity? Forbid it heavenA VOLUNTEER. September, 1333. Frum the Ciiu iniiati Gazittr. rilE VI TIM OF SENTIMENT. A TALK. It was a lovely morning in Julv ; the sun was just rearing his glorious disk above the Oriental horizon, and the dew was still glistening upon the law n, when a fair and loveiy form was seen emerging from one of the cottage at the Yellow Spring. She wa beautiful as the morning, Her complexion was pale and pensive. Her cheek were bathed in tears, and her lingers in co logne. She wasc'ad in while emblematic of the innocence of her ow n heart. One of her delicate hands was placed upon the. pink zone (hat encircled her sylph like waist, while the other care fully withheld Iter snowy dress from the contact of the dewy drops which sou ght lo kiss the hem of her garment. As sheglided gracefully along, a sigh escaped her. She was unhappy. Grief had driven her thus early from the pillow. But whether love had deprived her bosom's lord of pence, or dispepsia had driven the bloom from her che k, w as a mystery which none could unravel. Our heroine languedly continued her promenade, her beautiful Chinesian feet pressing the dew from the crimson clover tops, and her delicate hands busily engaged in dispelling the amorous fog bank which panted (o enfold (he lovely creature. Suddenly she star ted forward, her eyes sparkling with animation, and her breast heaving with emotion, and hurried beyond the eye of observation. What could it mean? A mystery hung round the movements of this gentle girl! In a few moments tho object of our perplexity arrived at the foot of Pompey's Pillar the favorite resort of hair-brained youth and damsels. Doubt no longer rested in the matter. An assignation was (he cause of this early movement. Eagerly wo watched her; with haste she scaled the rocky wall, and stood upon great Pompey's head. Never had the sturdy rock borne so lovely a burden. She cast her ey es over the surrounding scenery, hut rock, and hill, and tree alone met her gaze. '"He comes not, and she is disappointed,' thought we. She drew from her 'fool' a snowllake, (vugus handkerchief.) and waved it in the air. O, heavens! how impalienily we sought for her signal'? answer! thrice did she cast aloft that token, and then, with the energy of despair, she gathered it in her grasp, and applving it to her nasal protuberance the prominent organ (hat stood forth dragon like upon her angelic face, to keep watch over the the priceless apples of her piercing eyes applying it (o her nose, we say, she blew it with all imaginable grace, and quietly retired to her room. Rewards and punishment" arc th baes of good government.