"The rest of his men were to land on the fort side of the river,
opposite the first landing, and fight their way into the fort through
the Indians. Harrison knew that the British force at the batteries was
not large, the main body being still near the old Fort Miami, and that
the bulk of the Indians with Tecumseh were on the eastern side of the
river. His object was to strike effective blows on both sides of the
stream at the same time.
"While these orders of his were being carried out, he intended to make
a sally from the fort, destroy the batteries in the rear, and disperse
or capture the whole British force on that side of the river.
"Clay came down the river early the next morning, and about five miles
above the fort Hamilton met him with Harrison's order. Clay then
directed Dudley to take the twelve front boats and carry out
Harrison's commands in regard to the British batteries, while he
should hasten forward and perform the part assigned to him.
"Colonel Dudley landed his detachment in fine order, and they gained
the plain on which Maumee City now stands, unseen by the enemy, formed
for marching in three parallel columns, one led by Dudley, one by
Major Shelby, the other by Acting-Major Morrison. Captain Combs with
30 riflemen, including 7 friendly Indians, flanked in front fully a
hundred yards distant. Thus they moved through the woods a mile and a
half toward the British batteries, which were still firing upon Fort
Meigs.
"There was a prospect of capturing the whole force, but Dudley had
unfortunately failed to inform his men of his exact plans, and that
was a fatal mistake. Shelby's column, according to his orders, moved
on to a point between the British batteries and their camp below, when
the right column, led by Dudley in person, raised the horrid Indian
yell, rushed forward, charged with vehemence upon the enemy, captured
the heavy guns, and spiked eleven of them without losing a man.
"At the same time the riflemen had been attacked by the Indians, and,
not having been told that they were to fall back upon the main body,
thought it their duty to fight. That was a fatal mistake, as the main
object of the expedition was already fully accomplished, although the
batteries were not destroyed. The British flag was pulled down, and as
it reached the earth loud huzzahs went up from Fort Meigs. Harrison,
who was watching from his chief battery, with intense interest, now
signaled Dudley to fall back to the boats and cross the river
according to his former orders.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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