The Indianapolis journal., 1893-10-22
A QUESTION OF HISTORICAL
ACCURACY.

Der or troops on the American SIDE en-
gagged in the battle of Tippecanoe. The
proposed inscription reads: Battle of Tip
pecanoe. Nov. Z, 1871. Indians defeated by
about eight hundred Americans. mostly In
diana militia" Questioning the accuracy
of the statement in regard to the number
of troops, the Journal quoted from Dill
Ions History of Indiana" to show that the
number of troops engaged in the battle
was 80, of whom, he says, ''250 were
United States regulars. sixty were volun-
teers from Kentucky and six hundred
were citizens of Indiana"
The Hon. w. H. English, who has given
the question close study and who is good
diana history, made the point in COM
munication to the Journal that Dillons
statement related to the time when 1.-The
force was at Fort Harrison or on the
march, more than week before the bat
tle." 1t was after Fort Harrison had been
completed and garrisoned and the force
had resumed it's march up the Wabash
that Dillon placed 1t at 80 men. 1t was
not materially diminished during the few
days that followed before the battle. Mr.
English says some of the troops were left
10 garrison blockhouse. built during the
march, on the west bank of the Wabash,
few miles below the mouth of the Ver-
million. Moses Dawson, in his Life Of
Harrison published in 1924 says of this
blockhouse: From this place the route
through the prairies, leaving the Wabash
for a considerable distance. it was no
longer practicable to give protection to the
boats. The Governor therefore determined
to leave them at this place, and a block
house. partly jutting over the river, was
erected for their protection. This work en-
ployed the troops the 31st Of October and
part of the following day. A confidential
sergeant and eight men were left to pro-
tect it, and the troops again took up the
line of march" From this it appears that
the only reduction of the force after it
was stated by Dillon to be $40 men was by
this detail of sergeant and eight men to
protect the blockhouse
In Sketches of the Military Services of
William Henry Harrison" by Col C. S.
Todd and Benjamin Drake, published In
1S47, it is stated that Passing over the
intermediate details. the Governor, on the
evening of the 9Th of November, with a
force of nine hundred men, was within a
mile and half OF the Prophets town.,
where he halted the army" In another
place the same author says, 1.-THE force of
Governor Harrison on the day of action
amounted to about nine hundred men,"
The accuracy of Dillon's statement is in
part confirmed by General Harrison him
self. who, in letter to Governor Scott,
Dec. 13, 1911, said 'I had with me 25O regu-
lars who were highly disciplined" etc.
This is exactly the number of regulars
stated by Dillon. Dawson says 1.-The
Fourth Regiment of United States regulars
was about $50 strong. and there were
about sixty volunteers from Kentucky"
This confirms Dillon in another point.
Aug. 1, 1911, Governor Harrison who was
then organizing the expedition, wrote to the
Secretary of War: 'I shall, about the
middle Of September, move up to the upper
line of the new purchase with two COM
panies of regulars, fourteen or fifteen COM
panies of militia and two troops of dragons,
the latter composing about one hundred
men," Thus we have clearly accounted for
a force of $50 regulars, one hundred dragons
and sixty Kentucky volunteers, making al
together 40 men. In addition to these,
Governor Harrison said he would have
He knew the militia thoroughly, and had
been drilling them for considerable
length of time. If there were fourteen or
fifteen companies of them there could
scarcely have been less than seven hun
dred men. which, added to the 40 already
accounted for, would make LILO. 1t hardly
dwindled to eight hundred men. The Gov
ernor had special authority from the War
Department to call out the territorial
| militia, and it is hardly possible that he
could have been so deceived in the force
| he would have as to get only four hundred
| men when he had informed the Secretary
of War that he would have fourteen OF
| fifteen companies
| The question is not important except as
| historical accuracy Is always important, and
as the inscriptions on the monument are
| to be as enduring as stone it is desirable
| to avoid mistakes. To avoid all question or
this score, why state the number of troops
engaged in the battle of Tippecanoe at all.
| Why not say the battle was fought by g
| force of Americans. of whom the most
were Indiana militia? Why state that the
Indians were defeated? Everybody know.
that. Why not say simply. 'In honor OF
the Indiana militia engaged in the battle
| OF Tippecanoe?'