The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1905-03-11
PAY HOMAGE. TO
IN
VETERANS OF 1872
Fine Monument Marks Scene
of Bloody Struggle Near
Detroit.
rom the Detroit Free Press:

From the Detroit Free Press:
1t is doubtful If the majority of the
people of Detroit realize that it is only
forty miles from this city to the bat
tlefield of one Of the most momentous
struggles in the war of 1912. Down on
the rvier Raisin where the city of Mon
roe now stands, occurred one of the
bloodiest events in all American his
tory, where hundreds of brave men
from another state gave up their lives
in defense of the young republics
existence. There is no more thrilling
or touching incident in American an
nails, than this, nor is there any which
more thoroughly arouses every drop
of blood in the readers body to patriot
heat.
At the outbreak of the war, Michi-
gan, or what is now Michigan, was the
object of an early move on the part
of the British forces. Gen. VIM. Hull
surrendered Detroit without shot In
it's defense; Mackinac was captured by
the British, the American supplies in
Frenchtown, which is now Monroe,
fell into their hands, and the entire
territory came. for. the time being. in
the territory which is now Michigan,
was then little more than wilderness.
There were only nine small settle
ments in the entire region which
stretched from the river Raisin to
Mackinac. and in the whole territory
there were only 5000 people. The In
dams under Pontiac had conspired and
been beaten; Tecumseh and his horde
of bloodthirsty savages had been thor
pecanoe.
Indians Were Bitter.
The Indians were very bitter and
hostile to the Americans and were anx-
ious to drive them out so that they
might again possess the land for them
selves. 1t was thus easy for the in
vading English to persuade them that
to defeat and drive out the Americans.
the red mems interest lay in helping
The American plan of campaign was
to send three armies against Canada.
after first regaining the captured bor-
der region. The western army was to
recover Michigan and then invade
Canada from the head of Lake Erie.
This army was under the command Of
Gen. Harrison and any less intrepid q
leader would have shrunk from the
task imposed upon him. This was the
leading Of an army through track
less wilderness of woods, through
and swamps. where no sup
plies or provisions could be obtained,
and where there was the ever threat
ening danger of hiding and treacher-
GUS Indians.
For this hazardous undertaking Gen.
Harrison had an army Of hardy. loyal
men. most Of them Kentucky volun-
lar soldiers. Among the Kentuckians
We're many Of the best known and
most able and brilliant men Of the
state, always ready to do their country
service,-men trained to life in the
woods. careful and crafty, hardy and
fearless.
Among the young men Of Kentucky
who responded to the call for volun-
teers at this time and who were of
the foremost in professional and bust
ness life in the state, none was more
prominent, brilliant. or. beloved than
the handsome young lawyer; John AL
len, who was in the fun tide Of pro-
fessional and political success. He was
thirty years Of age and had married
one Of Kentucky's most beautiful and
brilliant women. In his pretty home
at Shelbyville, in the4heart Of the Blue
and little daughter, patriotism burning
high in his noble breast.
Set Out to Join Harrison.
Several regiments under Coils. Lewis
Scott, Wells and Allen, all under Brig
adler General Payne. set out to join
Gen. Harrison's army. They were to
help relieve the northwestern forts and
then to invade Canada.
Great Britain had offered rewards to
the Indians for scalps, and this in
furiated the Kentuckians, who were
made still more eager for service by
the news that General Hull had sur
rendered Detroit The British and In
dams were about to move on French
town, now Monroe, where a consider
able quantity Of supplies was located.
It was a perilous undertaking for the
little American army. No supplies were
through a wilderness of forests and
marshes. The march was made in WIN
ter, when the rivers and swamps could
be crossed on the ice, and the pros
pect of the successful invasion of
Canada" seemed indeed remote
The story Of this campaign reads
like a page from the description of
Washingtons winter at Valley Forge,
except that the Kentuckians had to
deal with more treacherous and more
dreadful foe. Through the storms of
winter, over impossible roads, or roads
that would have been impossible to
any but men fired with the desire to
serve their country. through cold and
snow and wet, the army went, horses
dropping dead of starvation on the
way. Sometimes, when the horses fell,
AASA IoOn LAACAI places Ill tuc ndTn0SS
and helped to drag the guns and sup
plies through the drifts. The country
through which they passed was dense
with forests, in which might Turk their
savage foe. Supplies ran short and
sometimes for days there was not a
bit of bread in camp
British Move on FrencFtown.
When word was received that the
British under Gen. Proctor, and the
Indians under the renowned Tecumseh
were moving on Frenchtown, Gen.
dispatched Col. Allen and
Col. Lewis with $50 men to hasten to
tn relief Of the town. This they did,
the river Raisin and crossing
1t on the ice with such enthusiasm and
Impetus as to drive the 200 Canadian
militia and their hundreds of Indian
allies from thep lace which they had
captured. The engagement was q |
fierce one. IL Americans being killed
and IS wounded.
Although Frenchtown was only 20
miles from Maiden, the headquarters
Of the British in Ontario, whence nu-
reinforcements could be sent
against them. the heroic little band of
Americans determined to hold the place
at all hazards. Gen. Winchester soon