Wayne to Knox Battle of Fallen Timbers Report by Anthony Wayne Lyrics
Head Quarters
Grand Glaize 28th Augt. 1794
Sir
It’s with infinite pleasure that I now announce to you the brilliant success of the Federal army under my Command in a General action with the combined force of the Hostile Indians & a considerable number of the Volunteers & Militia of Detroit on the 20th Instant, on the banks of the Miamis, in the vicinity of the British post & Garrison at the foot of the rapids.
The army advanced from this place on the 15th & arrived at Roche de Bout, on the 18th. the 19th we were employed in making a temporary post for the reception of our stores & baggage, & in reconnoitering the position of the enemy who were encamped behind a thick brushy wood and the British Fort.
At 8. OClock on the morning of the 20th the army again advanced in Columns agreeably to the standing order of March—the Legion on the right, its right flank cover’d by the Miamis, One Brigade of Mounted Volunteers on the left, under Brigr General Todd, & the other in the rear under Brigr Genl Barbee, a select Battalion of Mounted Volunteers moved in front of the Legion commanded by Major Price, who was directed to keep sufficiently advanced, so as to give timely notice for the troops to form in case of Action.
It being yet undetermined whether the Indians wou’d decide on peace or war:
After advancing about Five miles, Major Price’s corps received so severe a fire from the enemy, who were secreted in the woods & high grass, as to compel them to retreat.
The Legion was immediately formed in two lines principally in a close thick wood which extended for miles on our left & for very considerable distance in front, the ground being cover’d with old fallen timber probably occasioned by a tornado, which render’d it impracticable for the Cavalry to act with effect, & afforded the enemy the most favorable covert for their mode of warfare these savages were formed in three lines within supporting distance of each other & extending near two miles at right angles with the River I soon discover’d from the weight of the fire, & extent of their Lines that the enemy were in full force in front in possession of their favorite ground & endeavoring to turn our left flank, I therefore gave orders for the second line to advance to support the first, & directed Major Genl Scott to gain & turn the right flank of the savages with the whole of the Mounted Volunteers by a circuitous route, at the same time I ordered the front line to advance & charge with trailed arms & rouse the Indians from their coverts at the point of the bayonet, followed by a br[i]sk charge, so as not to give time to load again I also order’d Capt Mis Campbell who commanded the Legionary Cavalry to turn the left flank of the Enemy next the river & which afforded a favorable field for that Corps to act in,
All those orders were obeyed with spirit & promptitude, but such was the impetuosity of the charge by the first line of Infantry—that the Indians & Canadian Militia & Volunteers were drove from all their Coverts in so short a time, that altho every possible exertion was used by the Officers of the second line of the Legion & by Generals Scott, Todd & Barbee of the Mounted Volunteers, to gain their proper position’s but part of each cou’d get up in season to participate in the Action, the enemy being drove in the course of One hour more than two miles thro’ the thick woods already mentioned, by less than one half their Numbers, from Every account the Enemy amounted to two thousand combatants, the troops actually engaged against them were short of nine hundred; [illegible] Savages with their allies abandoned themselves to flight & dispersed with terror & dismay, leaving our victorious army in full & quiet possession of the field of battle, which terminated under the influence of the Guns of the British Garrison as you will observe by the enclosed correspondence between Major Campbell the Commandant & myself upon the Occasion
The bravery & Conduct of every Officer belonging to the Army from the Generals down to the Ensigns merits my highest approbation; there were however some whose rand & situation placed their Conduct in a very conspicuous point of view, and which I observed with pleasure & the most lively gratitude, among whom I must beg leave to mention Brigt Genl Wilkinson & Colo Hamtramck the Commandants fo the right & left wings of the Legion whose brave example inspired the troops, to them I must add the names of my faithful & Gallant Aids de Camp Captains DeButts & T Lewis & Lieut Harrison who with the Adjt General Major Mills, rendered the most essential services by communicating my orders in every direction & by their Conduct & bravery exciting the troops to press for Victory; Lieut Covington upon whom the Command of the Cavalry now devolved cut down two savages with his own hand & Lieut Webb one in turn & [illegible] the Enemies left flank.
The wounds received by Captains Slough & Prior & Lieut Campbell Smith (an extra aid de Camp to Genl Wilkinson) of Legionary Infantry & Capt Van Renselaer of the Dragoons, Captain Rawlins Lieut McKenny & Ensign Duncan of the Mounted Volunteers, bear honorable testimony of their bravery & Conduct.
Captains H Lewis & Brock with their Companies of Light Infantry had to sustain an unequal combat for some time which they supported with fortitude, in fact every Officer & soldier who had an Opportunity to come into action displayed that true braver which will always insure success: & here permit e to declare that I never discover’d more true spirit & anxiety for Acton than appeared to pervade the whole of the Mounted Volunteers, & I am well persuaded that had the Enemy maintained their favorite ground but for one half hour longer they wou’d have most severely felt the prowess of that Corps
But whilst I pay this just tribute to the living I must not forget the Gallant dead, among whom we have to lament the early death of those worthy & brave Officers Capt Mis Campbell of the Dragoons & Lieut Towles of the Light Infantry of the Legion who fell in the first Charge.
enclosed is a particular return of the killed & Wounded—the loss of the Enemy was more that [than] double to that of the Federal Army—the woods were strewed for a considerable distance with the dead bodies of Indians & their white Auxiliaries, the latter armed with British Muskets & bayonets:
After remaining three days & nights on the banks of the Miamis in front of the Field of battle during which time all the Houses & Corn fields were consumed & destroyed for a considerable distance both above & below Fort Miamis as well as within pistol shot of the Garrison who were compeled to remain tacit spectators to this general devastation & Conflagration; among which were the Houses stores & property of Colo McKee the British Indian Agent & principal stimulator of the War now existing between the United States & the savages
The army returned to this place on the 27th by easy marches laying waste the Villages & Corn fields for about Fifty miles on each side fo the Miamis—there remains yet a number of Villages & a great Quantity of Corn to be consume or destroyed upon Au Glaize & the Miamis above this place which will be effected in the course of a few days, In the interim we shall improve Fort Defiance & as soon as the Escort return[s] with the necessary supplies form Greeneville & Fort Recovery—the Army will proceed to the Miami Villages in order to accomplish the Object of the Campaign.
It is however not improbable that the Enemy may make one more desperate effort against the Army—as it is said that a Reinforcement was hourly expected at Fort Miamis from Niagra, as well as Numerous tribes of Indians living on the Margins & Islands of the Lakes: This is a business rathar to be wished for than dreaded whilst the army remain in force—their Numbers will only tend to confuse the Savages-- & the victory will be the more complete & decisive—& which may eventually ensure a permanent and happy peace
Under those Impressions I have the honor to be Your Most Obt & very Huml Sert
Anty Wayne
The Honble
Major Genl H Knox
Secretary of War
Grand Glaize 28th Augt. 1794
Sir
It’s with infinite pleasure that I now announce to you the brilliant success of the Federal army under my Command in a General action with the combined force of the Hostile Indians & a considerable number of the Volunteers & Militia of Detroit on the 20th Instant, on the banks of the Miamis, in the vicinity of the British post & Garrison at the foot of the rapids.
The army advanced from this place on the 15th & arrived at Roche de Bout, on the 18th. the 19th we were employed in making a temporary post for the reception of our stores & baggage, & in reconnoitering the position of the enemy who were encamped behind a thick brushy wood and the British Fort.
At 8. OClock on the morning of the 20th the army again advanced in Columns agreeably to the standing order of March—the Legion on the right, its right flank cover’d by the Miamis, One Brigade of Mounted Volunteers on the left, under Brigr General Todd, & the other in the rear under Brigr Genl Barbee, a select Battalion of Mounted Volunteers moved in front of the Legion commanded by Major Price, who was directed to keep sufficiently advanced, so as to give timely notice for the troops to form in case of Action.
It being yet undetermined whether the Indians wou’d decide on peace or war:
After advancing about Five miles, Major Price’s corps received so severe a fire from the enemy, who were secreted in the woods & high grass, as to compel them to retreat.
The Legion was immediately formed in two lines principally in a close thick wood which extended for miles on our left & for very considerable distance in front, the ground being cover’d with old fallen timber probably occasioned by a tornado, which render’d it impracticable for the Cavalry to act with effect, & afforded the enemy the most favorable covert for their mode of warfare these savages were formed in three lines within supporting distance of each other & extending near two miles at right angles with the River I soon discover’d from the weight of the fire, & extent of their Lines that the enemy were in full force in front in possession of their favorite ground & endeavoring to turn our left flank, I therefore gave orders for the second line to advance to support the first, & directed Major Genl Scott to gain & turn the right flank of the savages with the whole of the Mounted Volunteers by a circuitous route, at the same time I ordered the front line to advance & charge with trailed arms & rouse the Indians from their coverts at the point of the bayonet, followed by a br[i]sk charge, so as not to give time to load again I also order’d Capt Mis Campbell who commanded the Legionary Cavalry to turn the left flank of the Enemy next the river & which afforded a favorable field for that Corps to act in,
All those orders were obeyed with spirit & promptitude, but such was the impetuosity of the charge by the first line of Infantry—that the Indians & Canadian Militia & Volunteers were drove from all their Coverts in so short a time, that altho every possible exertion was used by the Officers of the second line of the Legion & by Generals Scott, Todd & Barbee of the Mounted Volunteers, to gain their proper position’s but part of each cou’d get up in season to participate in the Action, the enemy being drove in the course of One hour more than two miles thro’ the thick woods already mentioned, by less than one half their Numbers, from Every account the Enemy amounted to two thousand combatants, the troops actually engaged against them were short of nine hundred; [illegible] Savages with their allies abandoned themselves to flight & dispersed with terror & dismay, leaving our victorious army in full & quiet possession of the field of battle, which terminated under the influence of the Guns of the British Garrison as you will observe by the enclosed correspondence between Major Campbell the Commandant & myself upon the Occasion
The bravery & Conduct of every Officer belonging to the Army from the Generals down to the Ensigns merits my highest approbation; there were however some whose rand & situation placed their Conduct in a very conspicuous point of view, and which I observed with pleasure & the most lively gratitude, among whom I must beg leave to mention Brigt Genl Wilkinson & Colo Hamtramck the Commandants fo the right & left wings of the Legion whose brave example inspired the troops, to them I must add the names of my faithful & Gallant Aids de Camp Captains DeButts & T Lewis & Lieut Harrison who with the Adjt General Major Mills, rendered the most essential services by communicating my orders in every direction & by their Conduct & bravery exciting the troops to press for Victory; Lieut Covington upon whom the Command of the Cavalry now devolved cut down two savages with his own hand & Lieut Webb one in turn & [illegible] the Enemies left flank.
The wounds received by Captains Slough & Prior & Lieut Campbell Smith (an extra aid de Camp to Genl Wilkinson) of Legionary Infantry & Capt Van Renselaer of the Dragoons, Captain Rawlins Lieut McKenny & Ensign Duncan of the Mounted Volunteers, bear honorable testimony of their bravery & Conduct.
Captains H Lewis & Brock with their Companies of Light Infantry had to sustain an unequal combat for some time which they supported with fortitude, in fact every Officer & soldier who had an Opportunity to come into action displayed that true braver which will always insure success: & here permit e to declare that I never discover’d more true spirit & anxiety for Acton than appeared to pervade the whole of the Mounted Volunteers, & I am well persuaded that had the Enemy maintained their favorite ground but for one half hour longer they wou’d have most severely felt the prowess of that Corps
But whilst I pay this just tribute to the living I must not forget the Gallant dead, among whom we have to lament the early death of those worthy & brave Officers Capt Mis Campbell of the Dragoons & Lieut Towles of the Light Infantry of the Legion who fell in the first Charge.
enclosed is a particular return of the killed & Wounded—the loss of the Enemy was more that [than] double to that of the Federal Army—the woods were strewed for a considerable distance with the dead bodies of Indians & their white Auxiliaries, the latter armed with British Muskets & bayonets:
After remaining three days & nights on the banks of the Miamis in front of the Field of battle during which time all the Houses & Corn fields were consumed & destroyed for a considerable distance both above & below Fort Miamis as well as within pistol shot of the Garrison who were compeled to remain tacit spectators to this general devastation & Conflagration; among which were the Houses stores & property of Colo McKee the British Indian Agent & principal stimulator of the War now existing between the United States & the savages
The army returned to this place on the 27th by easy marches laying waste the Villages & Corn fields for about Fifty miles on each side fo the Miamis—there remains yet a number of Villages & a great Quantity of Corn to be consume or destroyed upon Au Glaize & the Miamis above this place which will be effected in the course of a few days, In the interim we shall improve Fort Defiance & as soon as the Escort return[s] with the necessary supplies form Greeneville & Fort Recovery—the Army will proceed to the Miami Villages in order to accomplish the Object of the Campaign.
It is however not improbable that the Enemy may make one more desperate effort against the Army—as it is said that a Reinforcement was hourly expected at Fort Miamis from Niagra, as well as Numerous tribes of Indians living on the Margins & Islands of the Lakes: This is a business rathar to be wished for than dreaded whilst the army remain in force—their Numbers will only tend to confuse the Savages-- & the victory will be the more complete & decisive—& which may eventually ensure a permanent and happy peace
Under those Impressions I have the honor to be Your Most Obt & very Huml Sert
Anty Wayne
The Honble
Major Genl H Knox
Secretary of War