The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-03-16
THE BATTLE OF MIsSlSSINEWA.
1t Vas an Important Fight, and Should Be
Recognized by the Monument Commissioners.
To the Editor of the Indianapolis Journal:

To the Editor OF the Indianapolis Journal:
In the Journal of yesterday a statement
was made that the monument cominis-
sioners desired the number of all Indian
ians who participated in any naval battles
in any wal In which Indiana was engaged,
in order that their numbers might be prop
erly inscribed on tablets for the purpose of
preserving their vslor and heroism in the
memories of a grateful people. I%nasmuch
as it is the settled purpose of the commits
sioners that the soldiers monument now
being erected shall perpetuate all cam
paigns and battles in which Indiana took
any part, from the time of the
Clark in 1779 down to the present
time this, of course. would include the
desperate and sanguinary battle of PoRue's
rum. it might be we'll TO mention that early
in the summer of 1912 Col. John Ii. Camp
bell. with a detachment of six hundred
mounted men. left the headwaters OF the
MississInewa. and after encOuntering all
most insuperable difficulties and enduring
great hardship. reached the mouth of
Metocinyah creek. near the present
boundary linel between Grant and Wabash
counties. Here they encountered O large
force OF hostlles. Dec. IL. 1872, and after q
desperate engagement. lasting most of the
day, the Indians lied and the whites re-
manned in possession OF the field.
Colonel Campbell. on the following day,
crossed his to the west bank of
the Mississinewa river, TO a point near the
present site of Jalapo. in Grant county,
where he was suddenly attacked by O large
force under the immediate command of the
celebrated Indian chief, John Godfrey.
This battle was long and fierce. and was
fought with desperation by both Sides. hut
the lndiaps. being unable TO resist the
well-dlrected ire of CampbelPs men, fed
In dismay. The Indians lost in this engage
ment. which Is known IL history as the bat
tie of the Misslssinewa. fifteen killed
and forty-eight the whites
eight killed and fOrty-two wounded.
This defeat of the Miainis. following
SO soon after their defeat at Tippecanoe.
completely wrested the Indiana Territory
from further Indian domination, and the
white settlers along the Mississinewa val
ley were ever after able to cultivate their
fields unmolested.
magnificent engagement. do you eayf
Well, yes. But, when compared with the
losses sustained by Indiana regiments In
the Mexican war-forty-seven killed and
wounded-does II not then become eignifi-
can't If our astute commissioners would
ami into the results OF this engage
msnt we have no hesitaDcy III believ-
ing that this battle OF Mississinewa
would receive due recognition on
the great historical bulletin board
which they are now erecting. and tina it
would find q place by the side of those
other very important but lesser engage
ments of Antietam, of C~hiokamauga, of
Atlanta. of Vicksburg, OF Gettysburg. of
the Wilderness. of Spottsylvania, of Cold
Harbor, OF Petersburg and of Appornattox.
Let the names of the heroic dead who gave
their lives on the sanguinary battlefield of
Mississinewa be properly amblaZoned on
our decentralization d-dollar bulle-
tin board. and then we can all say of our
worthy commissioners: You builued. not
for yourselves. but for your country"
MARION, March ID. s. B. BEsHoRE.