Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1811-12-26

esssnt, killed early IN tle a,,icn; nc wasnn- I
rleSnonahiy %ood OFT Ger Ddyaliaut soldier Capts
Spencer and Warriek and licuts. M'NIahan and |
berry, were all my particular friends have ever
had the utmost confidence in their valor and WAS
not deceived. Spencer was wounded in the head -
&c eNhoitcd ms men 10 S,sat yaantly--he was shot
through both thighs AMI zen, still continuing To cr-
courage thcm--he was rnised NJ, and received n
bali through his bnlv, which put an immediate end
to his existence, Warwick was shot Immediately
through the body; being taken to the surgery to
DC dressed, as soon as IS over (be:ng a man oc
great bodily vgor aud st able wak) he insisted
upon going back &c head his company. ationel,
IT WAS evldeut that he had but few hours 10 live.
All these gentlemen, sir, capt. Baen excep-
ted, have lett wives, and five If them large IA
miles of children this is the ease too with
with many OF the -priyatcs among the militia
who fell III the action or who have died since of
their wounds. VIII the bounty of their coun-
try be withheld from their helpless orphans,
many OF whom viii be in the most destitute
CONDITION and perhaps W ant even the he ccssa-
rlcs OF life With respect to the number of
the indians that were engaged against us, am
possessed OF no data by which can form 4 cor
rect statement. II must, however, have been
considerable * perhaps not much inferior to our
own which dcducting the dragons, who were
unable to do us much service, was very little 4
Dove seven hundred, oa-conmissioned officers
least SIX hundred. The Prophet had 5 weeks
before ASCOT bis own proper followers 1 am
induced TO believe that The was joined by a
number OF the lawless yagabonds who live on
the iumois river aslarges,trains we're seen COM
ing from that direction. Indeed shall not be
surprised TO find that some of those who pro-
fessed the warn!est Friendship for us were ar
rayed against us-tis certain that one of this
description came outtrom the town and spoke
to ME on the night before the action. The Pot
towatlinle chief whomI mentioned to have been
wounded and taken prisoner in my letter of the
9Th inst. l lett en- the battle ground, after hav
ing taken all the care of him in nv power, re-
quested him to Inform those of his own tribe
who had joined the Prophet and the Kickapoos
and Winebagoes that If they would Immediate
iy abandon the prophet and return 10 their own
tribes their past conduct would be forgiven ard
that we wculd treat them as We formerly had
done RE assured me that lie would DO so, and
that there was doubt ofthcir compliance In
deed he said that he wa, certain that they
would put the Prophet to death. i think up
on the whole that there will &c no further hos
ulities; but OF this Il shall be enabled TO give
you some more certain information in. few
days.
The troops left the battle ground on the 9th
INST. 1t took every Wagon TO transport the
wounded. We managed, however, to bring off
the public property although almost all the pri.
Vate baggage of the officers was necessarily de-
stroyed.
1t may perhaps be imagined, sir, that some
means might have been adopted to have made
more early discovery of the approach of the
enemy to our camp the morning of the 9TH inst.
but II had employed two thirds ofthe army as
out posts 1t would have been Intellectual; the
Indians IN such night would have found
means to have passed between them-pIaced in
the situation that we were, there is no other
mode OF avoiding a surprise, than by chain
OF centinels so close together that the enemy
cannot pass between without discovery, and ha-
wing the army III such readiness that they, can
get to their alarm posts at moments warning.
Our troops could not have been better prepared
than they we're, unless they had been kept I'M
DER arms the whole night, as they lay with their
Announcements on, and their arms by their sides
and the moment they were up they were at their
posts Ii the sentincls and the guard had done
their duty even the troops on the left flank
would have been prepared TO receive the Indians
have the honor to enclose you correct re-
turn OF our killed and wounded. The wounded
suffered very much before their arrival here,
but they are now comfortably fixed and every
attention has been and shall continue TO be paid
to them. Doctor Foster is not only possessed
OF great professional merit, but is moreover a
man OF feeling and honor.
am convinced, sir, that the Indians lost ma
r.
ty-six to forty on the field. They were seen to
take OFT not only the wounded but the dead
an Indian that was killed and sealped in the
beginning of the action by one of our men, was
found in house in the town; several others
were also found in the houses, and many graves
which were fresh dug; one of them was opened
and found 10 contain three dead bodies
Our infantry used principally cartridges con-
tanning twelve buck shot which were admirably
calculated for night action.
have before informed you, sir, that Colonel
Miller was prevented by illness from going on
the expcdition--he rendered essential service
in the command of Fort Harrison; he is an of.
hcer Of great merit. II
There arc so many circumstances which il is
important for you TO know, respecting the ST.
tuaton ofthis country that I have thought it
best to commit this dispatch to my aid-de.eamp
MAJOR Taylor, who will have the honor of de.
lIvering it to you, and who Will be able to give
you more satisfaction than could do by Wri-
ting. Major Taylor (who is also one ofour su.
Prcme Judges)i is man of integrity and honor.
make. ~
With the highest respect,
i have the honor to be,
Sir, your humble servant,
WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON.
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