1812.

OFFICIAL REPORT OF CAPTAIN IIEALD.

875

"I destroyed all the liquor on hand soon after they began to collect. The collection was unusually large for that place, but they conducted themselves with the strictest propriety, till after I left the fort.

" On the 15th, at 9 o'clock, A. M., we commenced our march   a part of the Miamies were detached in front, the remainder in our rear, as guards, under the direction of Captain Wells. The situation of the country rendered it necessary for us to take the beach, with the lake on our left, and a high bank on our right, at about one hundred yards distance. We proceeded about a mile aud a half, when it was discovered the Indians were prepared to attack us from behind the bank.

" I immediately marched the company up to the top of the bank, when the action commenced ; after firing one round, we re-charged, and the Indians gave way in front, and joined those on our flanks. In about fifteen minutes, they got possession of all our horses, provision and baggage of every description, and, finding the Miamies did not assist us, I drew off the few men I had left, and took possession of a small elevation in the open prairie, out of shot of the bank or any other cover.

" The Indians did not follow me, but assembled in a body on the top of the hank, and, after some consultation among themselves, made signs to me to approach them. I advanced toward them alone, and was met by one of the Pottawattamie chiefs, called the Blackbird, with an interpreter.

" After shaking hands, he requested me to surrender, promising to spare the lives of all the prisoners. On a few moments' consideration, I concluded it would be the most prudent to comply with his request, although I did not put entire confidence in his promise. After delivering up our arms, we were taken back to their encampment, near the fort, and distributed among the different tribes.

" The next morning they set fire to the fort, and left the place, taking the prisoners with them. Their number of warriors was between four and five hundred, mostly of the Pottawattamie nation, and their loss, from the best information I could get, was about fifteen. Our strength was fifty-four regulars and twelve militia, out of which twenty-six regulars, and all the militia, were killed in the action, with two women and twelve children.

M Ensign George Ronan, and Doctor Isaac Y. Van Yoorhees, of my company, with Captain Wells, of Fort Wayne, are, to my great sorrow, numbered among the dead.