The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1931-10-30


later, on November Z, the situation
yersed. This time it was the white who
triumphant and the victory started their
leader on the road which led to the White House.
The two battles were the defeat of Gen. Arthur
st. Clair on the headwaters the Wabash
river in Ohio near the Indiana-Ohio boundary
line November 4, 1871, and the victory of Gen.
William Henry Harrison the Tippecanoe
river in Indiana on November T. 1911.
The st. Clair defeat was the climax of
futile attempt by the newly-organized and weak
federal government to subdue the tribes of the
old Northwest who had been attacking imm-
grants along the Ohio river and raiding settle
ments in Ohio and Kentucky. An expedition Of
800 regulars and LOO Pennsylvania and Ken
lucky militia, led by Gen. Josiah Harmar, had
been sent against the Indians in 1890 but had
ended in failure.
Next the United States tried to win peace
in the Northwest by treaty but this failed.
So another expedition was organized to proceed
against the savages. This time President WASH
ington gave the command to Gen. Arthur St.
Clair who had served with him in the Revo-
luton st. Clair then sixty years of age
and so seriously i'll that he was unable to ride
upon his horse and had to be carried in lit
ter most of the time. He was totally inexpe-
rienced in Indian fighting, as were most of his
officers, and his men, composed Of two small
regiments of newly-organzed regulars, two reg
iments of siX-mOnth leves and large body of
unframed militia, who better fitted for
the stern task ahead of them than their leaders,
The arms and equipment of st. Clair's force
were of the poorest sort, the commssary and
quartermaster departments inefficient and
the outlook for the success of the expedition
seemed doubtful from the start When ST. Clair
arrived to take command and found the mser-
able stuff of the army which he to lead
against the Indians who had repulsed Harmar,
30 +n1 rSrra h;c DIT
they were either helpless to better conditions
or Indifferent
SO on October 4, 1891 the army got under
way from Fort Washington. st. Clair's troubles
increased as he advanced. Men struggled from
the army despite warnings that they would be
cut off by the Indians who were hanging on the
TANKS of the army, assertions frequent
and there was little if any discipline. Most of
the time they had to cut their way through the
dense damp woods or drag their weary feet over
sodden praires Sickness increased and the
soldiers were greatly disheartened by the
slant snping attacks of stray parties.
By November the army had reached the east
fork of the Wabash They were now near the
principal Miami villages and it was ST. Clair's
plan to camp here, and erect small fort. Here
he would leave the sick and his extra baggage
and push to destroy the towns. By his
army reduced to less than 400 men. They
camped in clearing narrow rise of
ground surrounded on every side by dense
woods, except for narrow road which they had
cut through the forest to get to this place. A
small creek through their camp which was
pitched in the form of a long hollow square.
pitched in the form of long hollow square.
Early the next morning the men were paraded
usual at sunrise 1t was cold raw morning
and they hurried through the parade to prepare
their breakfast. Suddenly the sound of rifle
shots was heard ahead and few moments later
the firing became general Before st. Clair
militia had been routed by the Indians and came
running pellmel back across the stream They
dashed through the camp, throwing the regulars
into disorder. ST. Clairs officers hastily rallied
their and poured in two quick volleys which
drove the Indians back into the woods for
moment.
But the relief was only temporary. For with
in few moments st. Clair's men found them
selves surrounded From every side the Indians
were pouring hot fire in upon them. ST. Clair
had two small batteries of light guns and these
were Immediately numbered. But they
roared out their volleys they covered the army
with dense clouds of smoke through which the
ma fired aimlessly at the hidden foe. The SOL
diers were becoming more diSOrganiZed despite
the efforts of St. Clair and his officers to hold
the line steady
came out into the open. They rushed recklessly
upon the Americans thing almost unheard of