The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1857-09-17

IlHc 4tu Vi JuLc, HHlCh
day of our march, about one o'clock we
came to the spot where the town of San
dusky formerly stooh;the inhabitants had
moved miles lower down the creek, near
er Lower Sandusky; but as neither our
guides or any who were with us, had
known anything of their removal. we be-
gan to conjecture there were no Indian
towns nearer than Lower Sandusky,
which was at least forty miles distant.
However after refreshing our horses,
we advanced on in search of some of
their settlements, but had scarcely got
the distance of three or four miles from
the old town, when number of our
men expressed their desire to return,
some of them alleging that they had only
FIVE days provisions; upon which the field
officers and captains, determined, in coun-
Gil to proceed that afternoon, and no lon
ger. Previous to the calling of this
council, a small party of light horse had
been sent forward to reconoiter. Just
as the council had ended, an express re-
turned from the above mentioned party
of light horse with intelligence, that they
had been about three miles in front, and
had seen large body of Indians running
towards them. In "a short time we saw
the rest of the light horse, who joined US
and having gone one mile further met a
number of Indians who had partly got
possession OF piece of woods before us;
whilst we were in the plains, but our man
alighting from their horses and rushing in
to the woods, soon obliged them to aban
don that place.
The enemy being by this time reinforc-
ed, danked to the right and part of
them coming in our rear, quickly made
the action more serious. The firing con-
tinued very warm on both sides from four
O'Clock until the dark of the evening each
party maintaining their ground. And
next morning about six o'clock, some guns
were discharged at the distance of two or
three hundred yards; which continued
till day, doing little or no execution on Ell
ther side.
The field officers then assembled and
agreed as the enemy were every moment
increasing, and we had already a number
wounded, to retreat that night. The
whole body was to form into three lines,
keeping the wounded, in the centre. We
had four killed and twenty three wound
ed, of the latter, seven very dangerously,
on which account as many biers were
got ready to carry them; most of the rest
were slightly wounded and none so bad
but they could ride on horse back. After
dark the officers went on the outposts and
brought in all the men as expeditiously as
could. Just as the troops were about to
form, several guns were fred by the enc
my, upon which some of our men spoke
out and said, our intention was discover
ed by the Indians who were freing alarm
guns, upon which some in front hurried
off, and the rest Immediately followed,
leaving the seven men that were danger
ously wounded, some of whom however
cot off on horse back by means of some
good friends, who waited for and assisted
them.
We had not got a quarter of a mile
from the field of action, when I heard
Col. Crawford calling for his son John
Crawford, his son-in-law Major Harrison,
Major Rose and William Crawford, his
Nephew, upon which came up and told
him l believed they were before us. He
asked, is that the doctor?-I told him it
was-He then replied. they were not in
front, and begged of me not to leave him
i promised him [ would not
We then waited, and continued calling
for these men, till the troops had passed
us. Tho COL told me that his horse had
almost given out, that he could not keep
up with the troops, and wished some of
his best friends to remain with him; pres
emily there came two men riding after US,
one of them an old man, the other lad.
We enquired if they had seen,,any of the
above persons, and they answered they
had not
BY this time there was a very hot firing
before US. and, as we judged, near where
our main body must have been. Oul
course was then nearly south h-west, but
changing it, we went north about txe
miles, the two men remaining in compa-
ny with US. Judging ourselves now ou
: Of the enemy's line, we took due cas-
r course, taking care to keep at the dis tance
; of fifteen or twenty yards apart, and di
recting ourselves by the north STAR
The old man often Jagged behind, ant
t when this was the case, he never failed {,
| call for us to halt for him. When W.
I we were near the Sandusky river he f.l
one hundred yards behind, and bawlet
t out for us to stop as usual; while we wer,