A History, of the War of 1812-15 Between the United States and Great BritainJohnson, Rossiter
History
A History, of the War of 1812-15 Between the United States and Great Britain
Johnson, Rossiter
United States -- History -- War of 1812
prevented the fire from spreading, but erected a temporary breastwork
to cover the gap made by the destruction of the blockhouse, and thus
completely foiled the Indians, who disappeared next day, driving off as
many as possible of the cattle belonging to the neighboring farmers. Of
the garrison, two men were killed and two wounded. For this skilful
and gallant action, Taylor was made a major. A passage in his official
report of the affair is interesting, not as having any bearing on the
result, but because by detailing the experience of two individuals
it gives us a vivid idea of the manner in which such contests were
conducted. He says: "One man lost his life by being too anxious; he got
into one of the galleys in the bastions, and fired over the pickets,
and called out to his comrades that he had killed an Indian, and
{043}neglecting to stoop down, in an instant he was shot dead. One
of the men that jumped the pickets returned an hour before day, and,
running up toward the gate, begged for God's sake for it to be opened.
I suspected it to be a stratagem of the Indians to get in, as I did not
recollect the voice; I directed the men in the bastion, where I happened
to be, to shoot him, let him be who he would; and one of them fired at
him, but fortunately he ran up to the other bastion, where they knew
his voice, and Dr. Clark directed him to lie down close to the pickets,
behind an empty barrel that happened to be there, and at daylight I had
him let in. His arm was broke in a most shocking manner, which he says
was done by the Indians--which I suppose was the cause of his returning.
The other they caught about one hundred and thirty yards from the
garrison, and cut him all to pieces."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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