port to me their opinion; desiring at the same time to be furnished with the person on whom I had relied for intelligence of the country.

This council was held, and all the intelligence furnished that had been requested, and I had a report highly favourable to the enterprise. This, to me, was more gratifying, as early as our encampment at Vincennes, discontents and murmurings, that portended no wish to proceed further. At Busseron I found an evident increase of discontent, although no army was ever better or more amply supplied with rations and forage than at this place. At Fort Harrison, where we encamped on the 10th, and where we were well supplied with forage, &c. I found on the 12th and 13th many breaking off and returning, without applying to me for a discharge, and, as far as I know, without any notification to their officers: indeed I have every reason to suppose the officers of every grade gave no countenance to such a procedure.

Thinking myself now secure in the confidence of my brother officers and the army, we proceeded on our march early on the 15th, and continued it four days, our course nearly north in the prairie, until we came to an Indian house, where some corn, &c. had been cultivated. The last day of the march to this place, I had been made acquainted with a return of that spirit of discontent, that had, as I had hoped, subsided, and when I had ordered a halt near sun-set (for the first time that day), in a fine piece of grass in the prairie, to aid our horses, I was addressed in the most rude and dictatorial manner, requiring me immediately to resume my march, or his battalion would break from the army, and return! This was a major Singleton! I mention him in justice to the other officers of that grade. But from every information I began to fear the army waited for a pretext to return. This was afforded next day by our guides, who had thought they had discerned an Indian village on the side of a grove about ten miles from where we encamped on the fourth night of our march, and turned us about six or eight miles out of our way. An almost universal discontent seemed to prevail, and we took our course in such a direction as we hoped would best atone for the error in the morning. About or after sun-set, we came to a thin grove affording water; here we took up our camp; and about this time arose one of the most violent gusts of wind I ever remember to have seen, not proceeding from clouds. The Indians had set fire to the prairie, which drove on us so furiously, that we were compelled to fire around our camp, to protect ourselves.

This seems to have decided the army to return: I was informed of it in so many ways, that early in the next morning (October 20th), I requested the attendance of the general and field officers, and stated to them my apprehensions, the expectations of our country, the disgrace attending the measure, and the approbation of our own consciences.Against this I stated the weary situation of our horses, and the want of provisions (which to me seemed only partial, six days having only passed since every part of the army, as was believed, was furnished with 10 days in bacon, beef, or bread stuff), the reasons given for returning; I requested the commandants of each regiment to convene the whole of the officers belonging to it, and to take fully the sense of the army on this measure; report to commandants of brigades, who were requested to report to me in writing; adding that if 500 volunteers would turn out, I would put myself at their head, and proceed in quest of the towns; and the balance of the army might retreat in safety to Fort Harrison. In less than one hour the report was made almost unanimously to return. I then requested that I might dictate the course to be pursued that day only, which I pledged myself should not put them more than six miles out of the way, my object being to cover the reconnoitering parties I wished to send out for the discovery of the Indian towns. About this time the troops being paraded, I put myself in front, took my course, and directed them to follow me; the columns moved off quite a contrary way. I sent captain Taylor and major Lee to apply to the officers leading the columns, to turn them. They were told it was not in their power. The army had taken their course, and would pursue it. Discovering great confusion and disorder in the march, I threw myself in the rear, fearing an attack on those who were there from necessity, and continued in that position all day. Neither the exhausted state of the horses, nor the hunger of the men, retarded this day's march; so swiftly was it prosecuted that it was long before the rear arrived at the encampment. The generals Ray, Ramsay, and Allen, lent all their aid and authority in restoring our march to order, and so far succeeded as to bring on the whole with much less loss than I had feared; indeed I have no reason to think we were either followed or menaced by an enemy. I think we marched at least 80 or 90 miles in the heart of the enemy's country: had he possessed a design to fight us, opportunities in abundance presented. So formidable an appearance in the prairie, and in the country (as I am told) never trod before by hostile

feet, must impress the bordering tribes with a sense of their danger. If it operates beneficially in this way, our labour will not be altogether in vain.

I hope the expense attending this expedition will be found less than usual on such occasions. I have consulted economy in every instance; subject only to real necessity has been the expenditure; the forage has been the heaviest article.

To the officers commanding brigades, many of the field officers, captains, &c. my thanks are due; many of the old Kentucky veterans, whose heads were frosted by time, are entitled to every confidence and praise their country can bestow. To the adjutant, quarter-master-general, and the members of my own family, I feel indebted for ready, able, and manly support, in every instance. Let me here include our friend George Walker, our judge advocate general; who lived vith me, took more than a common share of fatigue and toil, and who did all in his power to further the service in the corps of spies and guides, under the direction of major Dubois, and the two companies of Kentucky and Gwatkin, who encamped near me, and were under my immediate orders. I experienced an alertness and attention highly honourable to them; these corps were ready to have gone on to execute any service; the whole amounted to about 120, and deserve honourable mention.

Mr. Barron and Mess. Lucelly and Le Plant, interpreters and guides, deserve well of me; I am certain we were not 20 miles from the Indian village when we were forced to retire, and I have many reasons to prove we were in the right

way.

I have myself (superadded to the mortification I felt at thus returning) been in a bad state of health from first to last; and am now so weak as not to be able to keep myself on my horse.

A violent diarrhea has pursued me ten days past, and reduced me extremely low; I had resolved to continue with the line of march a little, if unable to ride. There are yet many things of which I wish to write; they relate substantially to prospective operations. Soon again shall I have the honour to address your excellency, in the mean time be assured of the perfect consideration and high regards of your obedient friend and servant,

Governor Shelby.

SAMUEL HOPKINS.

Copy of a Letter from Major-General Samuel Hopkins, to his Excellency Governor Shelby.

On Wabash, near the mouth of Pine Creek, My dear Sir, November 26, 1812. By colonel Richard Taylor, quarter-master-general, who goes on as quick as possible to Frankfort, I have it in my power to give you general information of the movements of the army since my last.

On the 11th the army marched from Fort Harrison, on the road formerly made by governor Harrison's army, and the boats set out at the same time. The length of time the enemy had expected us, made it necessary to guard ourselves in an especial manner. The rise of the waters, from the heavy fall of rain preceding our march, and some large creeks, left us no doubt of considerable difficulty and embarrassment; insomuch that not until the 14th did we pass Sugar creek, three miles above the road.

From every information, I had no hesitation in moving on the east side of the Wabash. The Vermillions, Pine creek, and other impediments on the west side, superadded to the presumption that we were expected, and might more easily be annoyed and ambuscaded on that route, determined me in this measure. The boats too, with our provisions of rations, forage, and military stores, could be more easily covered and protected, as the line of march could be invariably nearer the river. Lieutenant-colonel Barbour, with one battalion of his regiment, had command of the seven boats, and encamped with us on the bank of the river almost every night. This so protracted our march that we did not reach the Prophet's town until the 19th. On the morning of this day I detached 300 men to surprise the Winebago town lying on Ponce Passu creek, one mile from the Wabash and four below the Prophet's. This party, commanded by general Butler, surrounded the place about break of day, but found it evacuated. There were in the main town about 40 houses, many of them from 30 to 50 feet in length, besides many temporary huts in the surrounding prairie, in which they had cultivated a good deal of corn. On the 20th, 21st, and 22d, we were embarked in the complete destruction of the Prophet's town, which had about 40 cabins and huts; and the large Kickapoo village adjoining below it on the west side of the river, consisting of about 160 cabins and huts; finding and destroying their corn, reconnoitring the circumjacent country, and constructing works for the defence of our boats and army. Seven miles east of us, on the Ponce Passu creek, a party of

Indians were discovered; they had fired on a small party of ours on the 21st, and killed a man by the name of Dunn, a gallant soldier in captain Duval's company. On the 22d upwards of 60 horsemen, under the command of lieutenant-colonels Miller and Wilcox, anxious to bury their comrade, as well as gain a more complete knowledge of the ground, went on to a point near the Indian encampment, fell into an ambuscade, and 18 of our party killed, wounded, and missing. Among these are three hopeful young officers, and one private from the 8th (Wilcox's) regiment, Mars, Edwards, Murray, and the private Webb, presumed to be killed; the other 14 were of the rangers. On the return of this party, and the information of a large assemblage of the enemy, who, encouraged by the strength of their camp, appeared to be waiting for us, every preparation was made to march early, and engage the enemy at every risk; when, from the most violent storm and fall of snow, attended with the coldest weather I ever saw or felt at this season of the year, and which did not subside until the evening of the 23d, we were delayed until the 24th. Upon arriving on the ground, we found the enemy had deserted their camp before the fall of the snow, and passed the Ponce Passu. I have no doubt but their ground was the strongest I have ever seen-the deep rapid creek spoken of was in their rear, running in a semicircle, and fronted by a bluff 100 feet high, almost perpendicular, and only to be penetrated by three steep ravines. If the enemy would not defend themselves here, it was evident they did not intend fighting at all. After reconnoitring sufficiently, we returned to camp, and found the ice so accumulated as to alarm us for the return of the boats. I had fully intended to have spent one more week in endeavouring to find the Indian camps; but the shoeless, shirtless state of the troops, now clad in the remnants of the summer dress; a river full of ice; the hills covered with snow; a rigid climate; and no certain point to which we could further direct our operations; under the influence of the advice of every staff and field officer, orders were given and measures pursued for our return on the 25th.

We are now progressing to Fort Harrison, through ice and snow, where we expect to arrive on the last day of this month. From Vincennes I shall have the honour of addressing your excellency again; but before I close this, I cannot forbear expressing the merits of the officers and soldiers of this command. After leaving at Fort Harrison all unfit for duty, we had in privates of every corps about 1000