The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1843-08-02

out now, so that he might not be behin'
too far So it was with Proctor. He ha'
run away some time before.
Such was the battle of the Thames, SAT-
4 Col. johnson. The British were deieale'
lby my brother James, and his brave men
without losing scarcely man.
/ Here Col. Johnson concluded, but wa
called upon 10 give an account of the con
due, of that pa.t Of the regiment engaged
with the Indians.
Col. Johnson said tina, al his age II was
wrong to put on any false modesty /; and
us he had been called upon to relate that
portion Of the fight which took place with
the Indians, he would endeavor TO do so.
The Indians were / 400 strong, comman-
ded by Tecumseh, one Of the brayest war.
riors who ever drew breath.
lie was sort Of Washington among
the Indians that is, they looked upon him
like we did upon Washington. The In
dams were ia ambush on The other side Of
what we we're informed was an impossible
swamp; but just before the battle came on,
a narrow passage across the swamp was
discovered. knowing well the Indian
character, | determined TO push forward
with about twenty men, in order 10 draw
forth the entire Indian fire, so that The
remainder of the regiment might rush for.
ward upon them while their rifles were
empty. Having promised the wives,
mothers, and sisters Of my men, before |
left Kentucky, that would place their
husbands, sous, and brothers, in no hazard
which | was unwilling 20 share myself, |
put myself at the head Of these 20 men,
and We advanced upon the covert in which
| knew the Indians were concealed. The
moment we came in view, we received
the whole Indian fire. Nineteen Of my
twenty men droprod IN the field. / felt
that | was myself severely wounded
The mare ! rode staggered, and fell TO
her knees she had fifteen balls 10 her, as
was afterwards ascertained bu. the noble
animal recovered her feet by touch Of
the rein. | waited but few moments,
when the remainder of The troop came up,
and we pushed forward on the Indians,
Who Instantly retreated. noticed an In
dian chief among them, who succeeded in
rallying them three different times
This thought | would cndeayor to pre-.
vent, because il was by this time known
10 the Indians that their allies, the Bri.
Iish, had surrendered, | advanced singly
upon him, keeping my right arm close TO
my side, and covered by the swamp he
took tree, and from thence deliberately
fred upon me. Although | previously
had four balls in me, this las, wound was
more acctely painful than all Of them.-
His ball struck me on the knuckIc of nv
Ell hand, passed through my hand, and
came out just above the wrist. ran my
Ell arm through the bride rein, for my
hand instantly swelled and became useless.
The Indian supposed he had moriallv
me he came out from behind
he tree, and advanced upon me with IN
Lifted tomahawk. When he had come
within my mares length Of me, drew
my pistol and instantly fired, having
lead aim upon him. lie fell; and the
Indians shortly after either surrendered or
lad fed. My pistol had one ball and
hTec buckshot in it and the body OF the
Indian was found to have a ball through
us body end three bucksihot 10 different
,arts of his breas, and head.
Titus fell Tecumseh, cried on, gorae
no Of the audienee.l
Col. Johnson said he did not know lha,
I was Tecumsch of that time. [Crcu,n.
stances have since rendered this a matter
II certainty. No intelligent man. we be.
Iese, now pretcnds 10 doubt the fact.l
As Col. Johnson described these Thrill.
ing incidents, the vast hall was so still as
o render the liuttcring of one Of The win.
low curtains distinctly heard all over the
Dom. Some cried out EIuzza for The
nero : and the simultaneous shout which
instantly arose from a thousand voices.
night have walked the dead. We have
gwen very imperfect sketch Of the re.
marks Of Col. Johnson they are taken
entirely from memory. His speech was
nterspersed with lively anecdotes-such
IS he knows how to tell, and which We
should only spoil by attempting a rcpet,.
Ion. lie concluded by SAYING tina, the
noble animal upon which he fought tina,
Jay survived only till she had borne him
out Of the press Of the battle, when she
Tell dead, and | was myself unable 10 rise.
felt that dreamy feeling coming over me
consequent upon the loss Of blood, and af.
Ter the excitement Of deadly strife had
passed away. was reported as dead TO
Ien. Harrison, who instantly rode M to
The spot when i was found that was moi
lead, but only possuming.
! cannot conclude, said Col. Johnson
without dong justice to the memory Of nv
brave commander, Gen. Harrison. He
was a brave and experienced General.-
lie was just where be ought to have been
throughout this battle he was ready, with
the remainder Of the army to push forward
TO our support if it had been necessary.
But Proctor was an arrant coward. and
ran away at the commencement of the
battle. The foot soldiers Of Harrison's
forces were also drawn IN in n hoI,o,,