WAR!   WAR!   WAR!
THE BLOW IS STRUCK.


We hasten to lay before our readers the following account of a Battle between the troops under Governor Harrison and the Indians.

Louisville, Nov. [15?]

We stop the press to announce the following important intelligence brought by Doctor John M. Scott, who arrived this evening direct from Vincennes.  This gentleman has politely favored us with the following particulars of a BATTLE [the Battle of Tippecanoe] between the troops under Governor Harrison and the Indians.  Captain Dubois of Vincennes arrived at that place express from the Governor - - states, that on the 7th inst. the Prophet [Tenskwatawa] and his party consisting of about 190 Indians after professing friendship on the sixth in the evening, that they would the next morning come into the Camp of Governor Harrison, with a white flag, and take him by the hand in friendship; made an attack on his army about 4 o’clock in the morning of the 7th, and continued the Battle until 6, when they were put to flight.  There were left dead on the ground about fifty or sixty Indians with some wounded.  It is supposed they suffered considerably in their wounded, but the number is not known as the Indians are in the habit of carrying them off together with as many of their dead as possible.

The Governor sustained an injury as report says, of about one hundred and twenty.  Some say there were 160 or 70 killed and wounded.

The governor in a letter to Doctor Scott states that among the killed were Col. A. Owen, of Shelby County, Kentucky, aid to the governor, Col. Joseph H. Daviess, of Lexington. Col. Isham White, formerly the United States’ agent at the Saline Saltworks.  Capt. S. Spencer of Corrydon, (I.T.) and his two subalterns, Capt. Warrick Thomas Randolph, esq. and Mr. Mahon of Vincennes. - - That the prophet’s town was burnt on the morning of the 8th inst. the corn, amounting as was supposed, to 5000 bushels taken or destroyed - - that he expected to commence his march on the 9th to Vincennes, but it would be slow on account of the wounded, and the precautions necessary to prevent annoyance from the enemy.  Captain Dubois reports, that Capt Berry was also killed in the engagement; that the troops under the governor’s command behaved with great bravery.  Too much cannot be said in favour of Col. Boyd’s regiment of regulars and Major Floyd’s detachment who sustained the heat of the action, and acquitted themselves like heroes.  Indeed the whole army did wonders considering the disadvantages under which they labored; for an attack was not contemplated by the troops generally, after the professions made by the Indian Chiefs on the 6th.  That Colonel Daviess lived nine hours after the action, and that Captain Bane of the regular troops, was not dead, but expected to die every moment, from his wounds, that the governor received a shot through his hat which scratched the skin on the side of his head, and his horse wounded; Judge Taylor, of Jeffersonville, by the side of the governor, had his horse killed which fell on him, and he remained in that situation until relieved by a person pulling the horse off him.

It will be particularly noticed, that the troops under Gov. Harrison did not exceed the number of the Indians at the time of the engagement, he having been obliged to leave troops at the different forts on his way up.

- - - - - -

We have just had a sight of a letter received by mail, from a gentleman in the army; from which we make the following extracts.

‘Battle ground one half mile from the Prophets Town Nov. 8th 1811.’

Yesterday morning 4 o’clock, etc.
(Stating the particulars above mentioned.)

Mars and Somerville are killed, with many others.  The number of wounded is very great.  Geiger and myself (Capt. Hunter) are slightly wounded.  The most of our men from Kentucky are safe or not badly wounded.  The rascals have got all our beef, and many of our horses.  Such a battle has never been fought.  We have killed many of their Warriors—the most that we have found are old men; they were all through our camp. An old woman was left in the Town, who says, that we have killed many of them, and wounded many more.  We are all in high spirits.

Another letter, received as above, states that the army was on the watch—that they were momently expecting another attack, etc.  From the situation and circumstances of the army, we think another attack by the Indians is very probable. - - Will our government act; or, will they always sleep?  Surely this is enough to arouse them from lethargy.  In our next we will be enabled to give our readers a more particular statement of the battle, together with what may have happened subsequently.


[Note that this article appeared as a half-sheet extra edition of the newspaper.]






Steamboat
                    Adventure
Made possible by the Rivers Institute and the
History Department of Hanover College.

 

How to cite this article:  "War! War! War!," Western Spy (Cincinnati, Ohio), 21 Nov. 1811, unpaginated extra edition, available at http://history.hanover.edu/texts/1811.