James Winchester logbook
Abstract
Descriptive Summary
- Title
- James Winchester logbook
- Date
- 1812
- Creator
- Winchester, James, 1752-1826
- Extent
- 0.1 Cubic feet
- Subjects
- River Raisin, Battle of the, Monroe, Mich., 1813.
- Preferred Citation
- 87m14: [identification of item], James Winchester logbook, 1812, University of Kentucky Special Collections.
- Repository
- University of Kentucky
Collection Overview
- Biography / History
- Soldier and brigadier general, James Winchester (1752-1826) was born in Carroll County, Md. He fought in the Revolutionary War as a captain under General Nathaniel Green and was present at Yorktown in 1781. He returned to Maryland following the war and later moved to Middle Tennessee. As he became famous for his involvement in Indian campaigns, he rose from the rank of captain to brigadier general of the Mero District of North Carolina (now part of Tennessee).
- When war with England began in 1812, Winchester was appointed brigadier general in the U.S. Army. After a dispute about seniority with William Henry Harrison, Winchester was placed in command of the Northwest Army. He moved the left wing of the army from Ft. Wayne to Defiance, Ohio, constructed Ft. Winchester and moved to Frenchtown on the River Raisin. Following an initial victory, he was surprised by a combined force of British soldiers and Indians that either captured or killed his entire army. Winchester was imprisoned in Canada for over a year. Through his last remaining years he was active in business ventures and the founding of Memphis, Tennessee.
- Scope and Content
- The James Winchester logbook (dated 1812; 0.1 cubic feet; 1 item) consists of a daily journal and accounts of brigadier general James Winchester during the war of 1812. It also contains his orders and accounts of the events of the Northwest Army of the U.S. from the period August 27, 1812 to November 9, 1812, preceding the massacre at the River Raisin (January 22, 1813) at Frenchtown, Michigan. Several initial entries in the journal are signed by John Payne, Brigadier General, and Nathaniel F. Adams, Dept. of the Adjutant General. The remaining numbered entries are signed by James Winchester.
- The entries include daily orders issued by the brigadier general for company, battalion and regiment composition and planned maneuvers, rations and court martials. The journal describes the army's actions while camped at Piqua, Defiance, St. Marys, and Ft. Winchester, Ohio. Entries also include detailed plans of how the Northwest Army prepared for camp, marches, and attack as well as construction plans for Ft. Winchester, Ohio. Significant events mentioned are the point at which James Winchester takes command, the announcement of the arrival of General William Henry Harrison, and the account of the court marshalling, sentencing and pardoning of sentinel, Frederick Jacob for sleeping at his post. Additionally, the logbook contains an unidentified lock of hair.
Restrictions on Access and Use
- Conditions Governing Access
- Collection is open to researchers by appointment.
- Use Restrictions
- Property rights reside with the University of Kentucky. The University of Kentucky holds the copyright for materials created in the course of business by University of Kentucky employees. Copyright for all other materials has not been assigned to the University of Kentucky. For information about permission to reproduce or publish, please contact Special Collections.
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Questions? Contact SCRC via our Contact Form.
Table of Contents
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UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center is open Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:00pm. Appointments are encouraged but not required. Schedule an appointment here.
Researchers must have an SCRC Researcher Account to request materials. View account set-up and use instructions here.
Questions? Contact SCRC via our Contact Form.
Requests
No items have been requested.
You may come across language in UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center collections and online resources that you find harmful or offensive. SCRC collects materials from different cultures and time periods to preserve and make available the historical record. These materials document the time period when they were created and the view of their creator. As a result, some may demonstrate racist and offensive views that do not reflect the values of UK Libraries.
If you find description with problematic language that you think SCRC should review, please contact us at SCRC@uky.edu.
