Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1908-09-04
STORY OF FORT MEICS
Continued from First Page

elevated ground, which was near the
middle and running the whole length
of the camp. 1t was from 10 TO 10
feet high, and was completed early on
the morning of the first of May, Just
as 1t was discovered that the enemy
had finished three of his principal
batteries, had his guns in, and was
then loading and bringing them to
battery. Orders were now given for
all our tents in front to be instantly
struck and carried to the rear OF the
traverse. 1t was done in almost
moment, and that prospect of beat
ing up our quarters, which but an in
stant before presented itself to the
view of the eager artillerists had now
entirely fled, and in its place sudden
ly appeared an immense shield of
earth, obscuring from the sight OF the
enemy every tent, every horse, OF
which there were 200, and every crea-
ture belonging to the camp.
AT II O'Clock a. M, the British bat
teries were opened, and most tre-
mendous cannonading and lombard
ment was commenced and kept up,
the former until dark and the latter
until II O'Clock at night, when all was
again silent. Our loss was one or
two men killed, and five or six wound
ed-the latter principally by the In
dians. Our ammunition being made
quate to the necessity of long siege,
we fired very little, contenting our
selves in safety and listening to the
music furnished by the enemy.
On the second at dawn, the can
nonade commenced again with great
vigor. and the batteries continued to
play with much briskness through the
day, and with about the same effect
as on the preceding day. A 24-pound
shot struck the roof of one of our
magazines, but no damage of conse-
quence was done. When firing ceased
in the evening Captain Bradford, with
party of men, went to work and be-
fore morning had the magazine thor
oughly repaired, making it impreg-
nable to any shell that might strike it.
In order that we might be prepared
to receive the enemy at all points, an
other traverse, parallel with the first,
and distant about 100 yards, had been
commenced-was soon finished and
tr.l l,v oh, ,,Nt.t
ones.
About II o'clock on the night of
the fourth, Major Oliver, who had
left camp on the 2Sth of April, brought
word that General Clay was about
eight miles above with 1900 militia.
General Harrison then planned to
have the batteries across the river
stormed, the guns spiked and the
magazine destroyed. Colonel Dudley
was furnished with spikes for the pur-
pose. According to the orders receiv-
ed General Clay landed 500 of his men
to storm the batteries, with Colonel
Dudley in command. After the ac-
complishment of their work they were
ordered to return at once to the Fort.
With great yell they stormed the
batteries, the artillerists fled with
great precipitation. Colonel Dudley
was then in complete possession of
the guns. Only portion of them
were spiked and the magazine was
left untouched. The Kentuckians,
elated with their victory, pursued the
Indians into the woods, in defiance of
the orders of General Harrison that
they should destroy the battery and
pursuing the Indians column of
British regulars marched up from
Fort Miami, and attacked the rear of
Colonel Dudleys badly demoralized
force. Thus between two fires and
surrounded by overwhelming numbers
his fate and that of the brave men un-
der him was inevitable. OF the 500
men thus entrapped only about 100 es-
caped-S0 or more reached Fort
Meigs, the balance escaped to Fort
Wayne, some 60 or 70 were killed and
the rest were taken prisoners. About
900 were marched under the escort of
Indians to Fort Miami.
The Indians were then permitted
by General Proctor to assemble upon
the surrounding rampant, and there at
their leisure amuse themselves by
firing at the prisoners until at length
they preferred slaughtering their
wretched victims in a manner more
suitable to their savage hatred. They
laid aside their rifles, went into the
slaughter pen, seized those they pleas
ed, and leading them to the gateway
tomahawked and scalped them with
out mercy and without restraint. Nine
bodies were found lying in one pile
near the gate of the Fort after Gen-
eral Proctor left the Maumee. Many
were found in other places tomahawk-
ed and scalped, and their bodies
mangled in the most inhuman and
barbarous manner. Colonel Dudley