There were left dead on the ground about fifty or sixty Indians with some wounded. It is supposed that 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.

Governor Harrison in a letter to Col. Scott states, that among the killed were Cpl. Abraham Owen, of Shelby county Ky. aid to the Governor Col. Joseph Hamilton Davies of Lexington. Col. Isaac White, formerly United States agent of the Saline Salt works, Capt. Spears Spencer, of Corrodon, Capt. Warrick, Thomas Randolph, Esq. and Mr. Mahon of Vincennes - - That the Prophet's town was burned on the morning of the 8th inst the corn, amounting as was supposed to 50 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 of the enemy.Capt. Dubois reports, that Captain 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 favor of [Capt?] Boyd's regiment of regulars, and Major [Boyd'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 9th.  That Col. 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 Governor 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.

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

 

How to cite this article: "Some Particulars of the Action on the Wabash, from Kentucky Papers," Louisiana Gazette (St. Louis, Missouri Territory), 7 Dec. 1811, p. 4, available at http://history.hanover.edu/texts/1811.