Part of William Henry Harrison's account to the Secretary of War
"On the morning of the 7th, I had risen a quarter after 4 o'clock, and
the signal for calling out the men would have been given in two minutes,
when the attack commenced. It began on our left flank; but a single gun
was fired by the sentinels or by the guards in that direction, which made
not the least resistance, but abandoned their officer and fled into camp,
and the first notice which the troops of that flank had of the danger,
was from yells of the savages within a short distance of the line, but
even under those circumstances, the men were not wanting to themselves
or to the occasion. Such of them as were awake, or easily awakened, seized
their arms, and took their stations, others, which were more tardy, had
to contend with the enemy in the doors of their tents. The storm fell first
upon Capt. Barton's company, of the 4th United States' regiment and Capt.
Geiger's company of mounted riflemen, which formed the left angle of the
rear line. The fire upon these was excessively severe, and they suffered
considerably before relief could be brought to them. Some few Indians passed
into the encampment near the angle, and one or two penetrated to some distance,
before they were killed. I believe all the other companies were under arms
and tolerably formed before they were fired on. The morning was dark and
cloudy. Our fires afforded a partial light, which, if it gave us some opportunity
of taking our positions, was still more advantageous to the enemy, affording
them the means of taking a surer aim; they were, therefore, extinguished
as soon as possible. Under all these discouraging circumstances, the troops
(nineteen-twentieths of whom had never been in action before) behaved in
a manner that can never be too much applauded. They took their places without
noise, and with less confusion than could have been expected from veterans,
placed in a similar situation. As soon as I could mount my horse I rode
to the angle that was attacked. I found that Barton's company had suffered
severely, and the left of Geiger's entirely broken. I immediately ordered
Cook's company, and the late Capt. Wentworth's, under Lieutenant Peters,
to be brought up from the center of the rear line, where the ground was
much more defensible and formed across the angle in support of Barton's
and Geiger's. My attention was then engaged by a heavy firing upon the
left of the front line, where was stationed the small company of United
States' riflemen (then, however, armed with muskets) and the companies
of Baen, Snelling, and Prescott, of the 4th regiment. I found Major Daviess,
forming the dragoons in the rear of those companies; and understanding
that the heaviest part of the enemy's fire proceeded from some trees about
fifteen or twenty paces in front of these companies, I directed the major
to dislodge them with a part of the dragoons; unfortunately, the major's
gallantry determined him to execute the order with a smaller force than
was sufficient, which enabled the enemy to avoid him in front, and attack
his flanks. The major was mortally wounded, and his party driven back.
The Indians were, however, immediately and gallantly dislodged from their
advantageous position by Capt. Snelling, at the head of his company. In
the course of a few minutes after the commencement of the attack, the fire
extended along the left flank, the whole of the front, the right flank,
and part of the rear line. Upon Spencer's mounted riflemen, and the right
of Warrick's company which was posted on the right of the rear line, it
was excessively severe. Capt. Spencer, and his first and second lieutenants
were killed, and Capt. Warrick mortally wounded. Those companies however
still bravely maintained their posts, but Spencer had suffered so severely,
and having originally too much ground to occupy, I reinforced them with
Robb's company of riflemen, which had been drawn, or, by mistake, ordered
from their position on the left flank, towards the center of the camp;
and filled the vacancy that had been occupied by Robb, with Prescott's
company of the 4th United States' regiment. My great object was to keep
the lines entire, to prevent the enemy from breaking into camp, until daylight
should enable me to make a general and effectual charge. With this view
I had reinforced every part of the line that had suffered much, and as
soon as the approach of morning had discovered itself, I withdrew from
the front line Snelling's, Posey's (under Lieutenant Albright), and Scott's,
and from the rear line, Wilson's companies, and drew them up upon the left
flank, and, at the same time I ordered Cook's and Baen's companies, the
former from the rear, and the latter from the front line, to reinforce
the right flank, foreseeing that, at these points, the enemy would make
their last efforts. Major Wells, who commanded on the left flank, not knowing
my intentions precisely, had taken the command of these companies, and
had charged the enemy before I had formed the body of dragoons, with which
I meant to support the infantry; a small detachment of these were, however,
ready, and proved amply sufficient for the purpose.
The Indians were driven by the infantry at the point of the bayonet,
and the dragoons pursued and forced them into a marsh, where they could
not be followed. Capt. Cook and Lieutenant Larabee had, agreeably to my
order, marched their companies to the right flank; had formed them under
the fire of the enemy, and, being then joined by the riflemen of that flank,
had charged the Indians, killed a number, and put the rest to a precipitate
flight."
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