The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1852-01-22
TWENTY SECOND JANUARY.

r;bIe massacre which followed it, has rendered
il forever memorable in the annals OF this coun-
try.
The surrender Of the American army under
Gcneral Hall Of Detroit. on the 10th of the
preceding August, had reused the pride Of the
Western country in a very extraordinary de-
gree. Volunteers poured into the camp OF
Gen. Harrison, who had succeeded Hull, so
rapidly, that at the end of the year 1912, he
found himself at the head of powerful army.
On the 18Th of January, Gen. Winchester, who
comma nded the left wing, detached Colonies
Lewis and Allen, both of Kentucky, to French.
town, for the purpose Of protecting the inha-
bitants. On the 18th Col. Lewis fell in with
and defeated body of 500 British and Indians.
The pews Of this victory infamed the troops
under Winchester to such degree, that they
insisted on being led to The scene of action
General Winchester could not have resisted
the general wish of a volunteer force, if he had
desired it, and this he appears by no means
to have done. He was brave, good natured,
kind-hearted old man-had served with dis
linction in the war of the revolution-was a
native of Maryland, but at the time lived in Ten
nessee, 10 the same district with Andrew Jack
sou, who, strange to say, was competitor,
and an unsuccessful one, for the office which
Winchester enjoyed at the time We are treating
of. With all his good qualities, he appears to
have wanted that energy and promptness by
which his rival was SO eminently disting uished.
Witlai, he was extremely unpopular with
the Kentucky volunteers, who had been on
the point Of mutny against his authority, even
before they had marched from their rendezvous
at Lexington.
Winchester breaking up from bis camp on
the Rapids, joined Lewis on the Goth. Gen.
Harrison having learned Of Lewis advance
and victory on the 10Th, Immediately set out
for the Rapids, to unite his force to that of
Winchester, preparatory to making a move
ment for the purpose OF supporting the former
with his whole army. He found Winchester
already gone, onj followed on as fast as he
could, having first sent orders to him by Cap
tain Hart of the artillery, his Aid to maintain
his position.
The extreme severity of the weather render
ed the volunteers far more incG utious than
they should have been in an Indian country,
aud withiA twenty miles of their white allies.
Winchester found Col. Lewis, with 800 men.
in strong position, in gardens, yurds, and
other enclosures, having on his right an open
field, terminated by similar enclosures. He
broug bit with him 800 men, commanded by COL
Wells, who out-ranked Col. Lewis. and uho
insisted upon taking the right with his force,
as due TO his superior rank. This, of course,
would place his men in the open field, aud
Lewis, who foresaw the fatal consequences in
the event of a surprise, entreated Winchester
not TO consent, but to place them in some en-
closures ON his left, where they would be under
cover. Winchester had the weakness to yield
to the demand of Wells, and to this fatal de-
cision vas owing the terrible catastrophe which
followed.
On the 22d, at rereiHe, the British and In
dams fell with the utmost fury upon Wells
detachment, only 800 in number, and in the
open field. These brave men resisted with
the utmost valor, but being overw helmed by
numbers, and finding that their ammunition
had failed, they attempted to execute the order
OF Winchester to fall back upon Col. Lewis
In doing so, they fell into confusion, and mis-
taking The order to fall back for oil order to
retreat, they passed entirely over the river
Raisn on the ice, and retired into the woods.
Pursued by the Indians, they were surrounded
snd cut Off Fighting with desperation, they
were reduced to %, when they threw down
their arms, 40 having surrendered in the pur-
cp.f fgau Wipr hos opd CDl I o.,so
taken prisoners.
In the meantime, Major Madison, with
, Lewis men, now only FIVE hundred strong,
maintained desperate struggle with four
times his number until IL o'clock. Being
within The enclosures and pickets, it is rroba-
BILE that he might have kept the enemy at bay
until the arrival of renforcements, but for a
strata gem employed by the British Comman-
der Proctor. He induced Winchester, who
with Col. Lewis, was his prisoner, to send bis
aid, Col. Overton, with flag to Major Madi-
son, offering honorable terms if he would sur
render. Winchester, alarmed by the repre-.
sensations OF Proctor, who told him that this
was the only method OF screening his COM
panioas from the vengeance Of the Indians, ex
asperated to the highest point by their losses
in the battle, consented. With the greatest re.
luctance, Major Madison submitted, having as.
certained that Proctor had stipulated for the
protection of persons and property, and for the
return Of the officers side-arms, as soon as they
should have reached Maiden. Between four
and five hundred men, many of them wounded
thus fell into the hands of the enemy.
u
British commanding officer, the necessity OF
protecting the American prisoners from the In
dians, in compliance with the articles of ca
pitulation, but without the slightest effect
On the 23rd, when all the American general
officers had been sent TO Maiden, and there
were but two American Surgeons with the
wounded, the British officers gave the whole
mp TO the sayages. II had been stipulated that
the prisoners were to be conveyed to Maiden ia
sleiebS. Instead of this they were made To