Evansville weekly journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 184?-18??, 1848-06-29

SEIGE OF FORT HARRISON IN 1912.
ETtract of q letter from Captain Zachary
Taylor, commanding Fort Harrison. Lldi-
ana Territory, to Gourr7lor Harrison,
dated.
Fort HARRISON. Sept. 10, 1912
DEAR SIR:-As had not been able IN
mount quad Of more than six pfvates and
Two non commissioned officers for some time
past, and sometimes part of them every 9th
er day, from the unhealtiIiness of The com.
pany, had not conceived my force adequate
TO The defence OF this post, Should il be wig
orously attacked) As had just recovered
from severe attack of the fever, was no,
able to keep up much through the night -
After tattoo cautioned the guard to be vigil
lent, and ordered one of The non-commis-
stoned officers las sentinel could not see
every part of the garrison,) to walk around
the inside during The whole of the night, to
prevent The Indians from taking any advanl-
age ofus, provided they had any idea of at
lacking us. About III o'clock, was awak-
ened by The firing of one OF The sentinels.-
spfang up, aud ran out; and ordered,
the men 10 their posts, when my or
DERBY sejeant, who had charge of the upper
block-house, called out that The Indians had
fred the lower block house, (which contained
the property Of the contractor, deposited in
the lower part, the upper having been as
signed 10 a corporal and ten privates as an
alarm post The guns had begun to FIRE
pretty sharply from both sides. directed
the buckets TO be got ready, and wafer bro,
from the well, and The fire extnenished
Immediately, as ii was hardly peIceivable
at that time. But from debility, or some
other cause, the men were very slow in ex
ecuting my orders. The word FIRE appeared
to throw The whole of them into confusion;
by the lime they had got the water and bro
ken open the door. the fire had unfortunate
ly communicated to quantity of whiskey,
the stock having licked several holes through
the lower part of the building, after the sal,
which was stored there, through which the
Indians had introduced The fire, without be-
ing Dissolved, as the night was very dark ;and
IN spite of every exeItion we could make
use OF, in less than moment il assembled 10
the roof, and baff1ed every effort TO extlu-
gush il. As that bIock-house adjoined the
barracks that make part of the Notifications,
mos; OF the men gave themselves up for lost,
and had The greatest difficulty in getting
any ofmy orders executed. And, sir, what
from the raging of the fire, the yelling and
following of several hundred Indians, the
cries of nine women and children, a parI
soldiers and part citizens wives, who had
taken shelter in the fort, and the disponding
of so many men, which was worse than all
can assure you that my feelings were very
| H.
than ten or fifteen men able TO do great
deal, the others being sick or convalescent
and 10 add to our other misforlunes, two o
the soulesi men in the fort, that had every
confidence in.lumped the pickets and left us
But my presence of mind did not for a mo-
ment forsake me. saw that by throwing
off a part of the roof that joined the block
[ house which was on fire, and keeping The
f end perfectly wet, that the whole row o
buildings might be saved, and leave only al
entrance oil Is or 20 feet for the Indians, afle
the house was consumed, and that tempo
rary breast work might be erected 10 pleven
their even entering there. ! convinced tn
men tina, this could be accomplished, and
f appeared 10 inspire them with mole frmnes
e and desperation. Those thai were able
d while others kept up constant fire fIol
the other block bouses and the two 5asions
mounted the roofs ofihe houses, with DIR
= Clark al their head, under shower of blu
lets, aud in less than moment threw off a
much of The roof as wa $ necessary. Tn
q was done with the loss OF only one man, an
e two wounded, and am in hopes neither
It them dangerously The man that was Kill
= ed was little deranged, and did not get o
, the house as soon as directed, or he woul
; not have been hurt. Although the barracl
!. were several times in a blaze, and an in
n mense quantity OF fire against them, III
e men used such exeriions that they kept
under, and before day raised temporar
n breastworks as high as mans head. Til
u Indians continued 10 pour in heavy fire
- ball, and an innumerable quantity of arrow
a during the time The attack lasted, in ever
10 part of the parade had but one other ma
er killed, [nor any other wounded inside ii
er fort. and he lost his life by being TOO an
m ious. He got into one Of the gallies in ii
10 bastion, and fired over the pckets and ca
ed out 10 his comrades that he had kille
an Indian, and neglecting TO sloop down,
an instant was shot dead. After keepir
~ mp constant fire till 6 O'Clock next NOR
X ing, which we began TO return with son
m effect after daylight, they removed out
S. the reach of our guns. The Indians suffere
lr. smarlly, but were so numerous rs 10 take {
IT. all that were shot. They continued with
until the next morning, but made no fuIth
attempts on The fort, nor have we seen al
"a, more Of them since. We lost the whole
ed our provisions, but mus, make out TO live {
Ok green corn until we can get a supply, whi'
es hope will not be long
OF If you carry on an expedition against Il
er Prophet this fall, you ought to be well pr
re vided with everything, as you may calcula
n on having every inch of ground disputed b
ad tween this and there, that they can defer
ID with advantage.
ar FoRr Harrison, Sept. Is, 1912.
as DEAR SIR: | wrote you on the 10th ms
he giving you an account of the attack on tn
ed place, as we'll as my situation; which a
IL count attempted 10 send by wafer, but u