



Produced by Tricia Groeneveld; Source text from Archive.org:
http://archive.org/details/narrativeofsuffe00athe





[Transcriber's note: all misspellings and typographical errors
in the original have been retained in this text.]

NARRATIVE

OF THE

SUFFERING & DEFEAT

OF THE

NORTH-WESTERN ARMY

UNDER GENERAL WINCHESTER:


MASSACRE OF THE PRISONERS; SIXTEEN MONTHS IMPRISONMENT OF THE
WRITER AND OTHERS WITH THE INDIANS AND BRITISH:

BY WILLIAM ATHERTON.

FRANKFORT, KY.
Printed for the author by A. G. Hodges.
1842.


[Copy Right secured according to law.]



PREFACE.

The greater part of this short narrative was written years ago.
At that time it was intended for publication. But for several
years past the writer had declined ever letting it come before
the world; and had it not been for the solicitations of friends,
it is highly probable this intention would never have been
changed. But relying upon the opinion of those whom he believed
to be well qualified to judge of it, and believing them to be
sincere in their expression of opinion, I have consented to let
it go and take its chance before the public.

It was found difficult to give such an account of that part of
the campaign which it was thought to be most important, without
commencing as far back as the departure of the army from
Kentucky. This part of the history has, however, been passed
over very rapidly, perhaps rather too much so to make it at all
satisfactory. The writer is aware that he has omitted much which
would have added to the interest of this little history; but he
has not leisure to go over it again. History has given us an
account of the sufferings of the North-Western Army only in
general terms, but no where, so far as I have been able to learn,
has there been given a particular detail of the sufferings and
privations of that detachment of the army.

I think it proper that the rising generation should know what
their fathers suffered, and how they acted in the hour of danger;
that they sustained the double character of "_Americans and
Kentuckians_." This narrative has been made as concise as I could
conveniently make it, and on that account, perhaps, the writer
has not said all that might, and that should have been said. But
it is hoped that what has been said will be sufficient to give
the youthful reader some idea of what that "Spartan band" were
called to endure. To the old men of our country these things,
perhaps, will not be new.

With regard to the massacre at Raisin, the writer has related
nothing but what he saw. What is said in reference to the brave
Hart and Hickman, he witnessed with his own eyes.

It may be thought that I have been a little too severe in what I
have said of British officers. Should any think so, all I have to
say is, had they seen and felt what we did there would have been
no difference of opinion. By some it will be thought strange to
find the savages, in point of feeling and humanity, placed above
the British--but the truth ought always to be told.

One thing the writer regrets, and that is his being compelled so
frequently to speak of himself. But he found it impossible to
give a full narration without it. Nothing is aimed at but a plain
unvarnished statement of facts, a sober description of scenes, in
the principal part of which the writer himself was an actor.


NARRATIVE.

The volunteers from Kentucky, under the command of Colonels
Allen, Lewis and Scott, left their homes on the 12th of August,
1812, and rendezvoused at Georgetown. Thence took the Dry Ridge
road to Cincinnati, where we remained a few days. We then pursued
our march through the State of Ohio, by the way of Piqua; from
which place we were called to the relief of Fort Wayne.

Nothing worthy of public notice occurred on the way, except the
alarm we had at the camp we called "Fighton," which every soldier
that was on the ground no doubt recollects. Though we were
alarmed at Piqua, by one of the sentinels shooting at a horse,
yet we had seen nothing such as occurred here. It was a dark
rainy night, just such a time as the Indians would choose to make
an attack. We anticipated danger, and made arrangements to meet
it. The army encamped in a hollow square, within a strong
breastwork, and guards were placed at every point. Whether there
were Indians about or not, some of the guard thought they heard
them, and many guns were fired on post, and all the camp called
to arms. The line of battle was more than once formed during the
night, and at one time kept under arms an hour and a half. As
this was the the first campaign with most of us, and also the
first alarm worthy of notice, it is not easy to imagine the
degree of excitement produced throughout the camp. It fell to my
lot to be on guard that night, and at the time of the greatest
alarm was on post; the guard was not relieved for near an hour
after their time had expired--an attack being momently expected.

When we arrived at Fort Wayne, we found that the Indians which
had annoyed the fort for some time, had retreated. We were then
ordered to march to two Indian towns, for the purpose of burning
the houses and destroying their corn. When we had accomplished
this, and returned to Fort Wayne, we there met the Kentucky
mounted volunteers under the command of Colonel Simrall. We
marched from Fort Wayne on the 22d of September, and pursued
Wayne's route down the Miami towards old Fort Defiance, where we
arrived on the 30th. During the latter part of this march we were
frequently annoyed by the