The Madisonian., 1840-02-08
HARRIsoNs VICTORY
n. H.snrsos 10 The Secretary Of W@'.

o6,h ultimo. | did myself the honor TO inform
you. that was preparing TO pursue the enemy
The followiop day. From various causes,
however. | was unable to put the troops in
motion until the morning of the I'd inst, and
then 10 take with mo only about one hundred
aud forty of the regular troops, Johnson's
mounted regiment, and such of Gov. Shelby's
volunteers as we're fit for rapid march, the
whole amounting to about three thousand five
hundred men. To Gen. M'Arthur with
about 700 eHectives) the protecting of this
place and the sick was committed. General
Cass's brigade, and the corps Of Lieut.. Col
Ball, were left at Sandwich, with orders TO io-
low me as soon as the men received their
knapsacks and blankets, which had been lett
on an island in Lake Erie.
The unavoidable delay at Sandwich was
attended with no disadvantage to Us. Gen.
Proctor had posted himself AT Dason's on
the right bank Of the Thames Tor Trench)
fliy-six miles from this place, where ! was
informed he intended to iortily and wait 10
receive me. He must have believed, however,
that had no disposition to follow him, or that
he had secured my continuance here, by The
reports that were in circulation that the In
dians would attack and destroy this place upon
the advance Of the army as he neglected to
commence the breaking up OF the bridges un-
ill the night Of the I'd iast. On that night
our army reached the nver, which is twenty
five miles from Sandwich, and is one OF four
streams crossing our route, over all OF which
are bridges, and being deep and muddy, rre
unlordable for considerable distance into the
countryside bridge here was found entire,
and in the morning proceeded with John
sons regiment 10 rave if possible the others.
tha. hr.j, hran nph., ttt
yer Thames, we were fortunate enough to
capture Lieutenant of dragons and eleven
privates, who had been sent by General Proc
tor to destroy them. From the prisoners !
learned that the third bridge was broken up
and that the enemy had no certain information
of our advance The brioge having been
imperrectly destroyed. was soon repaired and
the army encamped at brakes farm, four
miles below Dalson's.
: The river Thames, along the banks of
which our route lay, is fine deep stream, ma
vigable for vessels OF considerable burden,
after the passage of the bar at its mouth, over
which there is siy and n half feet of water.
I. A rapid a, the river at Arnods mills af-
!ords the only fording 10 be met with for
considerable distance, but upon examination.
it was found too deep for the Infantry. Hav-
ing, however, fortunately taken two or three
boats and some Indian canoes on the spot,
and obliged the horsemen 10 take footman
behind each, the whole were safely crossed
by IL o'clock. Eight miles from the oios-
sing we passed farm, where a part OF the
British troops had encamped the night before,
under the command of Col. Warburton. The
detachment with Gen. Proctor had arrived
the day before at the Moravian towns, miles
higher up. Being now certainly near the
ehemy, directed the advance Of Johnson's
regiment to accelerate their march for the
purpose Of procuring intelligence. The Of
ficer commanding 1t, in short time, sent TO
inform me, that his progress was stopped by
the enemy, who were formed across our line
Of march. One of the enemy's waggoners
being also taken prisoner, from the lnforma-
ton received from him, and my own obscrva-
ton, assisted by some of my officers, soon as
certained enough of their position and order
of battle, to determine that, which it was pro-
per for me to adopt
From the place where orr army last halted,
TO the Moravian towns, distance OF about
three and half miles, the road passes
through beach forest without any clearing,
and for the first two miles near to the bank OF
the river. Al from to three hundred yards
from the river, swamp extends parallel to II,
throughout the whole distance. The inter-
mediate ground is dry, and although the
trees are tolerably thick, it is in many places
clear Of underbrush. Across this strip of
land, its left oppayed upon the river, sup
portedby artillery placed in the wood, their
right in the swamp covered by the whole OF
the Indian force, the British troops were
drawn up.
The troops at my disposal consisted of
about 100 regulars of the 9th regiment
five brigades Of Kentucky volunteer militia
infantry, under his Excclency, Gov. Shelby,
averaging less than five hundred men, and
Col Johnson's regiment of mounted infantry,
making in the whole an aggregate, something
aboat 5000. No disposition of an army op-
posed to an Indian force can be safe unless Il
is secured on the hnnks and in the rear.
had therefore no difficulty in arranging the. in
fantry conformably to my general order Of bat
tie. Gen. Trouer's brigade of 500 men,
formed the front line, his right upon the road
and his left upon the swamp. Gen. Kings
brigade as second Line. $50 yards in rear Of
Troiter's, and Chiles' brigade corps OF
reserve in the rear Of it. These three brl-
gades formed the command of Ma jor General
Henry the whole of Gen Desha's division,
consisting of two brigades, were formed en-
potence upon the left of Tro'ter.
The baggage Of the army was brought from
Detroit in boats, protected by three gun-boats,
which Commodore Perry had furnished for
the purpose, as well as to cover the passage
of the army over the Thames itself, or the
mouths of its tributary streams the banks
being low and the country generally open
/o.a;r;asN hioh DaIson's these vessels