The Hawk-eye and Iowa patriot. (Burlington, Iowa) 1839-1843, 1840-02-13

BURLINC
lasted nearly two hours, and until
daylight enabled him to see the posi-
ton of the Indians, when a vigorous
charge was ordered, which termina-
ted in their defeat and dispersion
The army then marched to the vii
lage and destroyed it. We may
safely affirm that this was the first
instance in which American troops
have sustained themselves against a
superior force of Indians, in night
attack of two hours continuance
AS fruits Of this victory, the treaty
was preserved, and the peace and
safety Of the frontier secured. twas
from this battle, so important to the
Government and People of Indiana,
and so brilliant in the mode Of its a.
chievement against desperate foe,
that General Harrison derived the APP
lpellation Of the s:Hero of Tippeca-
noe.'
The savages on the frontier of In
diana having been thus defeated and
scattered, Governor Harrison, hear
ing that they were taking scalps and
breaking up the settlements on the
frontier of Ohio, resigned his commits
sion as Governor and Superintend-
ant Of Indian Affairs, together with
their emoluments, repaired to Cincin-
natl, and volunteered in our defence.
|, In a'few months he Succeeded in
scattering the savages on our bor-
ders; part of them he drove to the
lakes, and the residue he compelled to
remove to a place Of safety within
our settlements. By this operation
1.-THE settlers on our frontier were re-
lieyed from danger, and hundreds who
had fled to the denser settlements of
the State for protection, returned to
their Improvements, and occupied
them in safety.
A person who has not an accurate
knowledge Of the condition Of the
Northeastern portion Of Ohio at the
! time Of the late war, when it was an
unbroken Wilderness, without inhab-
Iitants, other than aboriglnes, without
roads, bridges, ferries, or improve
ments Of any kind, cannot form an
idea of the difficulty General Harri-
son encountered, in feeding, sustain
ing, and keeping together his army.
The difficulties and perplexities which
beset him during all his campaigns
are known to but few, and cannot be
justly appreciated by any; yet, by
unceasing activity, and by the efforts
of his powerful mind, he overcame
them all. But it is impossible to
dwell on minutia- volume would
: not contain the half of such a detail.
Pressed down by all those difficulties.
he kept the field; he never despaired
for moment; and such was the con.
tidence reposed in his bravery and
skill, by both officers and soldiers
that their spirits never tagged, theil
hopes never sunk. 1t is not general
ly known that the fleet built at Erie
by which the command Of the lakes
was obtained, was a project recon-
mended by General Harrison, anc
that it was adopted by Mr.. Madison
in consequence Of his unbounded con
fidence in the prudence and sounc
judgment Of him who proposed it,
Before the period OF which I am nov
speaking, Gen. Harrison had been ap
pointed a Major General in the mi
litia of Kentucky, by law of tina
State, and had been appointed a Ma
jor General in the Army of the Uni
:, ted States by Mr. Madison.
Passing over a multitude of affair
) of smaller moment, let us point you
: attention to the memorable seige o
] Fort Meigs, that work of defence
) consisting Of a mud embankment ant
$ an enclosure of piquets, was defend
: ed, triumphantly and successfully, b.
s about a thousand men; for many day
i Gf mistake not, seven or eight a
f gainsto the attack Of Proctor, VIII,
commanded an army of British an,
) Indians at least four times the uuuebe
h of the besieged, which was Furnished
> with all the material necessary 70
f the occasion. Such were the skill
: the bravery, and the indetatigable Ell
fl forts of General Harrison such wa
i the success of the repeated sallies h
g made, that he compelled the enem.
f to abandon the seige in despair. |
E is worthy Of remark, that, on the Sc
: cond day Of the attack, Proctor sen
i an officer with a flag, to demand tn
: surrender Of the post. The ground
/ Iof this demand were, that the Amer
n lean force was too weak to defend tn
! works against the overwhelming tore
y of the besiegers, and that Gener;