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 year 1800, William Henry Harrison was appointed by President John
Adams as Governor of Indiana Territory, and he arrived at Vincennes on
the tenth day of January, 1801, and immediately entered upon the
discharge of his duties. At that time he was twenty-eight years of age,
but notwithstanding his youth he had seen hard duty as a soldier and
officer on the frontier and as we have seen, had served as aide-de-camp
to General Wayne at the battle of Fallen Timbers. In that struggle he
had distinguished himself for gallant conduct. At a time when a
detachment of the troops were wavering under the murderous fire of the
savages, and hesitating as to whether they would advance or retreat, he
had galloped to the front of the line, and with inspiring words had
cheered the soldiers on to victory. The report of General Wayne says
that he "rendered the most essential services by communicating his
orders in every direction, and by his bravery in exciting the troops to
press for victory."
In personal appearance, Harrison "was commanding, and his manners
prepossessing. He was about six feet high, of rather slender form,
straight, and of a firm, elastic gait, even at the time of his election
to the presidency, though then closely bordering on seventy. He had a
keen, penetrating eye, denoting quickness of apprehension, promptness
and energy."
Though descended from an old and aristocratic family of Virginia, and
having been reared amid surroundings of luxury and elegance, the
youthful soldier never shrank from the most arduous duty and the
severest hardships of camp or field. At the time of his first arrival at
Fort Washington (Cincinnati), after the defeat of St. Clair's army, he
had been placed in command of a company of men who were escorting
packhorses to Fort Hamilton. The forest was full of hostile savages, and
the winter season was setting in with cold rains and snow. The company
was ill provided with tents and Harrison had nothing to shelter him from
the weather but his uniform and army blanket. He not only eluded the
attacks of the Indians and convoyed his charge through in safety, but
made no complaint whatever to his commanding general, and received St.
Clair's "public thanks for the fidelity and good conduct he displayed."
"During the campaign on the Wabash, the troops were put upon a half
pound of bread a day. This quantity only was allowed to officers of
every rank, and rigidly conformed to in the general's own family. The
allowance for dinner was uniformly divided between the company, and not
an atom more was permitted. In the severe winter campaign of 1812-13, he
slept under a thinner tent than any other person, whether officer or
soldier; and it was the general observation of the officers, that his
accommodations might generally be known by their being the worst in the
army. Upon the expedition up the Thames all his baggage was contained in
a valise, while his bedding consisted of a single blanket, over his
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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