The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1812-12-24

tior passed this house for the spon of certain
persons To- examine the alledsed self moving ma
lnghan, Robert Patterson, Nathan Sellers, .2rohi
bald Binney, Oliver Evans, Lewis Wormwa., JOSH
an White and Mr.. Noign
Mr.. Ge'n1niPs Hess!afions Oh the subject OF
the war, passed the cun,,t,ce of the whole tli.
day.
Extract of a letter from an officer in the
N. w. army, to his friend in Washing
ton, dated WABASH, near tue mouth
OF Pine Creek. leagues below the Pro-
phet's town, 27th November, 1872"
:" hasten ~ inform yuu OF the situation
OF the army ON this station, under command
Of major-general Samuel Hopkins, * drtai.
To you as toi"ws Our force consists of the
ST.. 9th and 9Th regiments Kentucky de-
tachcd militia; the tormer commanded by
colonel Nicholas Miller. I'll Hardin county
the next by col. Philip Barbour, of Hcnder-
son; the latter by col. George Wilcock, of
Shelby county; about C6 regular soldiers
under the &C nmand of capt. Zachaiiah
Taylor, who is now one of general Hop
kins' ads; part of captain Beck's COM
pahy OF rangers, spies, guides, &c. making
an aggregate ct about 1900 men. We set
on, from Fort Harrison Oh the 18th instant,
and on the 9th day thereafter, attained the
Prophets town, where we epcamped on the
east side OF the Wabash. Some of our de-
tachment who assembled the river in the
boats (seven OF which we had with us) land
ed, and welt Oh shore ut the Prophets town,
which is OH the w. side eft the w. bash -,
They there found Wmcbagoe souaw.
whom they took prisoner, and brought her
to camp; from every appearance She did
not possess lively mind, even for sa-
wage she however, informed us, through
our Interpreters. having two Frenchmen for
hat ho Shox
Potawatamies inhabited the town which
governor Harrison destroyed last season, x
which was agin rebuilt, but In an indif-
ierent way: the kicSapoos were situated
IN some huts just erected below the Pro-
phets town, he whole of which we burnt
on the goth One day after our arrival> the
Wnebasoes mad village On the L. side of
the Wabash on the water course; miles
below the Prophets town. which the French
Call Paunchau Pichuo" through which
we passed and burnt it on our way Up, the
morning of the day on which VIC reached
the town. The sQuaw Informed us, that
the Potowatamies and Ninibagoes has gone
towards Illinois river, about 4 DAYS prevj-
o'is To our, arrival; that the Kckapoos and
ohawanoes were lurking on this (the E.)
side of the Wabash, anti that the Miamies
and Delawarcs had conferred together, and
hnallyi determined to build fort on the
water course which empties into the Wa
bash about twenty leagues above the Pro-
phet's town, called" Massasinaway," and
that the Prophet alledged he would fight
the white'~pcople, (n,eaning as pre-
sume,) as long As he lived. On the Goth
party OF the army crossed the Wabash in
search ct plumber and to view the battle
ground OF last fall, found al quantity of their
corn buried in round holes, about Ave or
six feet deep, lined and covered with mats,
made OF flags and bark: of trees The ba-
lance OF the army, were employed in ma.
king breast work round our camp under the
direction of col. h. Taylor, of Frank
fort. our Q. M. G.. which was completed the
next day. (21st) fort erected in which to
deposit our Stores, during h,our" .ma rch
WHICH the general contemplated making to
Massassina way, to rout those Indians. On
that evening lieut.. The obold, of the ran
gers, accompanied by three Others, left
the camp to rcconncitre, deserted a party
| OF Indians ahead & retreated for the camps
or miles off; Isaac Dunn, (Abner) one
OF the party, was Killed and cut to pieces,
OF them having fleet horses escaped, the
other quit his horse and got into swamp
| and got in after night. 22d a party of 50
! men went out TO seek Dunn, thinking there
was oniy-a small band of-Indians whom they
could defeat. They were however led by
an Indian whom they had pursued near a
mile. INFO large body OF horse and foot In
dians concealed IN a hollow: The Indians
Killed IL OF the rangers and 5 others, "a
nong whom ensign James MARS {thc bro
ther OF the Tippecanoe vict1n) lieut.. Muir
ray, OF Bardstown, MGut. Edwards * Samu
ell Rose fell the other was a MIR. Webb,
whom did not know. Thus have we lost
| IL men. That nghtit showed and became
| intensely cold, III SO great degree, that on
the Esd we did not go out. Gath the cold,
which still continued much more severe
than ever experienced IL at this season,
| dld not retard our march to where we cal
colated certainly to combat the savage
! foe. 90 - s., 'f.'. 80.
| When we attained the spot where they
had lurked, the line OF battle was formed,
IN the execution Of which the troops dis
played the utmost intrepidty (at a moment
when every man anticipated the savage
yell.) Indeed such desire seemed to per-
wade every man torcvenge the death Of our
manglcd' brethren, over whose manglt d
corpse we had just passed. that surpassed
the most sanguine expectations of the gene
lral. 25th we set out from Fort Taylor, for
$50 was ours called, and destroyed the fort,
set the old Squaw at liberty over the Wa
lbash---Our situation was truly alarming at
lour departure, having 3 wounded persons
IN the boats, who escaped the tom ahaws
lamongst the cher miraeulois escapes Ct
ltected or the occasion (; the Ice in the river
beng that thiCk, almost incredible to tell
Thus, SIS, have / given you a correct state
ment, and j hope the situation am in will
be sufficient apology FOR the manner in