Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-10-23
wers formed n petesct upsn the loft

Whilst l was engaged In forming
the infantry, I had directed col.
Jshnson,s regiment, which was still
ID front, to Be Formed in two lines
opposite to the enemy. and, upon the
advance of the Infantry to take
ground to the left and forming upon
that flank to endeaysur to turn the
right Of the Indians. A moments
reflection, however. convinced me
that from the thickness of the woods
and swampiness Of the ground. they
| would be unable to do any thing on
horseback, and there WAS no time to
dismount them and place their hor.
SEES in security ; | therefore deter
mined to refuse my left TO the In
| dams, and 10 break the British lines
| at once by a charge Of the mounted
infantry the measure was not sane
toned by any thing that had seen
or heard of, but was fully convinc-
! ed that it would succeed. The A
merican backw oodsmen ride better
in the woods than any other people.
A inuskct or rifle is no impeachment
to them. being accustomed to carry
them on horseback from their earliest
youth. / was persuaded TOO that the
enemy would be quite unprepared
for the shock and that they could
not resist it. Conformably to; this
idea. L directed the regiment to be
drawn up in close column. with its
right at the distance of fifty yards
from the road. (that it might be in
some measure protected by the trees
from the artillery its left upno the
swamp. and to charge at full speed
as soon as the enesny delivered their
fire. The few regular troops of the
9Th regt. under their col. (Pau)
occupied, in column of sections Of
four. the small space between the
road and the river, for the purpose
Of seizing the enemy's artillery. and
some ten or Twelve friendly Indians
were directed to move under the
/ bank.
The Crotchet formed by the front
line and Gen Desba's division was an
imporlant point Al that place, the ve-
nerabls governor Of Kentucky was post
ed, VINO at he age of Sky SIX preserves
/ all tle vigor of youio, tee ardent zeal
watch distinguished him In the Revolu-
| ,oDary war, and the uDdaunted bravery
which he manitesteda al Kings Mountain
WIn my aids de camp, the acting A..
s'tant adj gen capt. Butler, my gallant
| friend C,.n. Perry who did me the no.
aor TO serve as my volunteer aid-de.
! camp, and Brig: Gen Cass, who having
no command rendered me his assistance,
| 7 placed myself at the head of the front
line OF infantry, to direct the movements
of the cavalry and give them the neces-
sary support. The Army had moved on
| in this order but short distance, when
the mounted men received the fire Of
the British line and were ordered to
charge the horses inthc front OF the
column recoil.d from the fire, another
was given by the enemey, and our CO"
lunn, at length getting in motion, broke
through the enemy with irresistible
force. In one minute, the contest in
front was over; the British officers See
ing no hopes Of reducing their disorder.
ed ranks 10 order, and our mounted men
wheeling upon them AMI pouring in
~, Iop-
ed. 1t is certain hat three only OF our
troops were wounded in this charge
Upun the left, however. the contest was
more severe with the Indians. Colonel
| johnson, who commanded on that flank
ofhis regiment, received a most calling
| FIRE from them, which was returned with
great effect The Indians still farther
to the right advanced aud fell III with our
front line OF Infantry, near its junction
! with De, has division, and for a moment
made AN Impression upon it. His ex.
celency Gov Shelby however brought
up regiment to it, support, aud the
! enemy receiving a severe FIRE in front,
and part OF Jobnson's regiment having
gained their rear, retreated with preci-
| Ditation. Their loss Was very conside-
rabIe N the action, and many were kill.
F! cd In their retreat.
can give no satisfactory information
of the number of Indians that were in
the action, but they must have been con-
! sidcrably upwards of one thousand
| From the documents in my possession,
q
Gen. ,Proctor's official letters, all OF
which were taken) and from the 'Dior-
nation of respectable inhabitants OF this
territory, the Indians kept III pay oy
| the British were much more numerous
than has been generally supposed. In
| letter to General De Rottenburg, OF
4 ,he a7,h inst. General Proctor speaks