The Land of the Miamis: An Account of the Struggle to Secure Possession of the North-West from the End of the Revolution until 1812Barce, Elmore
History
The Land of the Miamis: An Account of the Struggle to Secure Possession of the North-West from the End of the Revolution until 1812
Barce, Elmore
Indians of North America -- Wars -- 1750-1815; Miami Indians; Northwest, Old -- History
In the month of June, 1792, Wayne arrived at Pittsburgh to take charge
of his new command. Most of the new army were ignorant of military
tactics, and without discipline, but the General at once entered
vigorously upon his great task. On the twenty-eighth of November, the
army left Pittsburgh and encamped at Legionville, twenty-two miles to
the south. Here the great work of training the raw recruits proceeded.
"By the salutary measures adopted to introduce order and discipline, the
army soon began to assume its proper character. The troops were daily
exercised in all the evolutions necessary to render them efficient
soldiers, and more especially in those maneuvers proper in a campaign
against savages. Firing at a mark was constantly practiced, and rewards
given to the best marksmen. To inspire emulation, the riflemen and the
infantry strove to excel, and the men soon attained to an accuracy that
gave them confidence in their own prowess. On the artillery the General
impressed the importance of that arm of the service. The dragoons he
taught to rely on the broadsword, as all important to victory. The
riflemen were made to see how much success must depend on their
coolness, quickness and accuracy; while the infantry were led to place
entire confidence in the bayonet, as the certain and irresistible weapon
before which the savages could not stand. The men were instructed to
charge in open order; each to rely on himself, and to prepare for a
personal contest with the enemy." The orders and admonitions of Wayne
fell not on deaf ears. The Legion of the United States became a thing of
life. In the battle at the Miami Rapids a soldier of the Legion met a
single warrior in the woods and they attacked each other, "the soldier
with his bayonet, the Indian with his tomahawk. Two days after, they
were found dead; the soldier with his bayonet in the body of the
Indian--the Indian with his tomahawk in the head of the soldier."
About the first of May, 1793, the army moved down the Ohio in boats and
encamped near Fort Washington, Cincinnati, at a place which was named
"Hobson's Choice." At this place the main body of the troops was halted
until about the seventh of October, to await the outcome of the repeated
attempts of the government to make peace with the Indian tribes.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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