CHAPTER IV.

Reception of Col. Cass at Washington-His promotion-Confidence of the Government in him-Is appointed Brigadier General-He joins the army under Harrison-Harrison assigns to Gen. Cass the command of the army at its debarkation on the Canada shore-Proctor's flight-Movements of the army in Canada-Battle of the Thames-Gen. Cass, with Com. Perry, acting as aids to Gen. Harrison-Defeat and flight of Proctor-Is pursued by Gen. Cass-Harrison's testimony to the personal exertions and bravery of Gen. Cass-General Cass is left by Harrison in command at Detroit-Is appointed Governor of the Territory, by President Madison-The responsibilities of his Office-His qualifications-The attachment of the citizens of the 'Territory-His journey to Albany in midwinter.

COLONEL Cass, on repairing to Washington on his parole, was received by the administration with the favor due to his distinguished services, in Canada and Michigan. He held in Hull's army the rank of Colonel of militia. The administration conferred upon him a Colonelcy in the regular service. About the same time he was also elected by the volunteers of Ohio a Major General of militia. He could not, however, at that time, take an active part in the war. He was not enabled to do so until after the commencement of the year 1813. At the time of his appointment as Colonel, so great was the confidence of the government in his ability and judgment, that he was permitted to select his own officers for the regiment to be placed under his command. For this purpose, blank commissions were issued to him by the War Department. Col. Cass was exchanged and released from his parole in the middle of January, 1813. The rank of Brigadier General was con ferred upon him in March following. In April, the United States was divided into nine military districts, and General Cass, with Gens. Harrison and McArthur, was assigned to the command of the eighth division, composed of Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois and Missouri.

In pursuance of his appointment, he left Washington for the west, to join in the patriotic movements there among the volunteers, and attach himself to the command of Major General Harris. An expedition against Malden was contemplated. General

son.

Harrison was at Senecatown, awaiting the arrival of the Erie flotilla under Perry, to carry his army to Canada. On the 20th of September, 1813, the army, two thousand regulars and three thousand militia, embarked. They reached the Canadian shore, a few miles below Malden, and landed on the 27th of the same month, To Gen. Cass was assigned, by Gen. Harrison, the charge of the army at their debarkation from the vessels. He formed the troops

into line and arranged them for their march upon Malden. The following is a part of the general order, addressed to the soldiers: "Kentuckians-remember the river Raisin; but remember it only when the victory is suspended. The revenge of a soldier cannot be gratified upon a fallen enemy."

Within an hour after landing, the American force took possession of the town. Gen. Proctor, who was in command of the British army, retreated up the Detroit river, carrying with him every thing moveable. Before leaving, he burned the fort, navy-yard, barracks, and public store houses.

This sudden flight, betraying cowardice in Proctor, served, in some degree, to alienate his Indian allies. Tecumseh, and other warriors, were indignant that no resistance was to be attempted. In the name of all the chiefs and warriors, Tecumseh addressed a "talk" to Proctor, in which he used plain language to express his displeasure at the treatment they had received.

Gen. Harrison's army were entirely destitute of means of pursuing, expeditiously, the retreating enemy. Proctor had laid the country under contribution, and collected upwards of one thousand horses for the use of his flying army. The only horse in our army at the time, was a small French poney, devoted to the use of the venerable Gov. Shelby, of Kentucky, who was then sixty-five years of age, but as full of military ardor and laudable desire for revenge as any of the young officers around him. On the 29th September, Gen. Harrison moved up to Sandwich, opposite Detroit, crossed over and took possession of the town and territory. He was warmly welcomed by the poor and oppressed inhabitants, who had been so long subjected to the tyranny and robbery of their enemies. He issued his proclamation re-instating the civil government which had been interrupted by Hull's surrender. The officers who were, at the capitulation, exercising authority within the territory, were

authorized to resume their functions; the citizens were restored to the enjoyment of their former rights and privileges, and the laws at that time in force, were re-established. On the 30th of Sept., Col. R. M. Johnson arrived at Detroit, with his regiment of mounted men. With these Gen. Harrison joined his army at Sandwich, and begun his pursuit after Proctor's army. By rapid marches, diversified by skirmishes with parties of the enemy, he overtook Proctor near the Moravian town, on the river Thames, in Canada, eighty miles from Detroit. On the evening of the fifth of October he forced the enemy to fight, and achieved a complete victory over the combined British and Indian forces.

The road by which the Moravian town was reached, at about the distance of three miles from the settlement ran through a dense beech forest, and for most of the way near the bank of the river Thames. A swamp ran paralle! with the river, distant from it a few hundred yards. The ground between is high and dry. Across this strip of land the British and Indian force were drawn up when Harrison came up with them. The American army was then formed for attack. Gen. Trotter's brigade formed the front line, his right upon the road, his left upon the swamp. Gen. King's brigade as a second line, one hundred and fifty yards in the rear of Trotter's, and Child's brigade as a corps of reserve in the rear of it. These three brigades were commanded by Major General King. The whole of Gen. Desha's division, of two brigades, was formed upon the left of Trotter. Col. Johnson's regiment of mounted men were drawn up in close column, its right some fifty yards from the road, its left upon the swamp. The duty of this regiment was to charge at full speed upon the enemy, with the This was a new

bayonet, as soon as they discharged their fire. manoeuvre in military tactics suggested by the exigency of the occasion, and was eminently successful.

A few regulars of the twenty-seventh regiment under Col. Paull occupied, in column of sections of four, the small space between the road and the river, for the purpose of seizing the enemy's artillery.

The crochet formed by the front line and Gen. Desha's division was an important point. At this spot Gov. Shelby was posted. Gen. Harrison, with his aids Gen. Cass, Com. Perry, and Capt. Butler, took station at the head of the front line of infantry. The

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army moved in this order a short distance, when the mounted men received the British fire, and were ordered to charge; the horses in the front of the column recoiled from the fire; another was given by the enemy, and the column getting in motion broke through the enemy with irresistible force. In one minute the contest in front was over. The enemy were unable to re-form their disordered ranks, and our mounted men charging upon them with destructive effect, they soon surrendered. The contest on the left flank was more severe and longer in duration. Col. R. M. Johnson there engaged with the Indians, who poured upon him a galling fire, which he returned with great effect. A part of the Indian force advanced and attacked our front line of infantry, near its junction with Desha's division. They made a temporary impression upon it, but Gov. Shelby came up with a regiment and the enemy being fired upon, both in front and in rear, made a precipitate retreat, in which many of them were killed. Col. Johnson was severely wounded, but as a recompense for his sufferings which were protracted, he has the credit awarded him by his countrymen, of killing in personal combat, during the fight, the celebrated chief and warrior, Tecumseh. The American army amounted to about three thousand men, superior in numbers it is true, to the enemy, but the latter had the advantage in having the choice of ground and time in arrangement of the line of battle. Of the exact force opposed to Harrison there is no satisfactory account. It is certain that just before Proctor fled from Malden he had there at least three thousand Indians, but great numbers, disgusted with his pusillanimity, left him. His force at the Moravian town was at least two thousand. The white prisoners captured were more than six hundred in number; not many British soldiers were killed. The slaughter among the Indians was much greater; they fought with greater bravery and sacrificed themselves for the benefit of their civilized but unnatural allies. Among the trophies of this victory, there were taken a number of field pieces, and several thousand small arms. Most of the latter and two of the former were those taken from Gen. Hull. Excepting one standard, all the emblems of conquest acquired during the campaign by the British, were re-captured. Among the prisoners, were all the superior officers of the British army but Gen. Proctor. He made

his

escape with some dragoons and mounted Indians, and although extraordinary efforts were made to capture him, they were unsuccessful. In this battle were many, conspicuous for deeds of personal bravery. Gen. Cass was prominent among those, who by individual exertions deserved and received honorable commendation from the commanding General. As one of the confidential, staff of Gen. Harrison he rendered important service in forming the lines for battle. The difficulty in the performance of this duty, which is always highly responsible, was enhanced by the nature of the ground. Woods, marshes and streams surrounded them, and it required all the knowledge and discretion of a military veteran, and which Gen. Cass possessed in an eminent degree, to put our forces in advantageous positions.

Gen. Cass led the pursuit after Proctor, who had fled at the first moment of encounter. He was not able to take the flying General, and had to remain satisfied with the capture of his carriage, baggage, and papers relating to the operations of the enemy, the possession of which, from their disclosures, was considered of no small consequence.

Gen. Harrison's official account of this battle does justice to the brave men engaged in it. He speaks in terms of the highest encomium of Gen. Cass, and acknowledges the valuable aid derived from his presence and exertions. By order of Gen. Harrison a part of Cass' Brigade remained at Sandwich, with directions to follow when their baggage should arrive from the Lake, where it had been left. "Having no command," says Gen. Harrison," he tendered me his assistance." I have already stated that Gen. Cass and Com. Perry assisted me in forming the troops for action. The former is an officer of the greatest merit; and the appearance of the brave Commodore cheered and animated every breast."

This decisive and brilliant victory was the cause of rejoicing throughout the Union. It was indeed a triumph. The enemy were driven from the north-western frontier. Previous to the battle of the Thames, Gen. Harrison invested Detroit with a detachment of his army. Soon after the battle an armistice was concluded with the hostile Indians, and Gen. Harrison sailed down the Lake to Buffalo with about thirteen hundred troops. Gen. Cass was left in command at Detroit. No military movement, of note,