Sustained honor: The Age of Liberty EstablishedMusick, John R. (John Roy)
History
Sustained honor: The Age of Liberty Established
Musick, John R. (John Roy)
United States -- History -- War of 1812 -- Fiction
The governor was well convinced of the hostility of the prophet. He
believed that after attempting to lull his suspicions he intended to
make a treacherous attack on the Americans. Little anticipation of a
night attack was indulged, yet every precaution was taken to resist one
if made. All the guards that could be used in such a situation, and all
such as were used by Wayne, were employed on this occasion. That is,
camp guards, furnishing a chain of sentinels around the whole camp at
such a distance as to give notice of the approach of an enemy in time
for the troops to take their position, and yet not far enough to prevent
the sentinels from retreating to the main body if overpowered. The usual
mode of stationing picket guards at a considerable distance in advance
of the army or camp, would be useless in Indian warfare, as they do not
require roads to march upon, and such guards would be inevitably cut
off. Orders were given in the event of a night attack, for each corps to
maintain its position at all hazards until relieved or further orders
were given to it. The whole army was kept during the night in the
military position called lying on their arms. The regular troops lay in
their tents with their accoutrements on, and their guns at their sides.
The militia had no tents, but slept with their clothes and bullet
pouches on, and their guns under them, to keep them dry. The order of
the encampment was a line of battle to resist a night attack; and so,
as every man slept opposite to his post in the line, there was nothing
for the troops to do, in case of an assault, but to rise and take their
position a few steps in the rear of the fires around which they had
reposed. The guard of the night consisted of two captains' commands of
forty-two men and of four non-commissioned officers each and two
subalterns' guards of twenty men and non-commissioned officers each--the
whole amounting to about one hundred and thirty men, under command of a
field officer of the day. The night was dark and cloudy, and after
midnight there was a drizzling rain.
At four o'clock in the morning of Nov. 7, 1811, Governor Harrison,
according to practice, had risen, preparatory to the calling up of the
troops, and was engaged, while drawing on his boots by the fire, in
conversation with General Wells, Colonel Owens, and Majors Taylor and
Hurst. The orderly drum had been roused to sound the reveille for the
troops to turn out, when there came the report of a sentry's rifle on
the left flank, followed by a score of shots, and the morning air rang
loud with the wild war-whoops of savages.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account