Expedition to Omee River
Item
Type
Manuscript Translation of Letter
Title
Expedition to Omee River
Description
Letter, describes expedition to Omee River; describes lay of land along river; discusses frontier abbreviations for Indian names.
short description
Ltr, des expedition to Omee River.
year created
1790
month created
11
day created
23
author
sent from location
Fort Washington
recipient
in collection
in image
note
no digital document is on file.
notable person/group
Henry Knox
Josiah Harmar
Captain Gaines
Brigade Major Ormsby
Major Hall
Major McMillan
Major Fontaine
Major Hamtramck
Captain Scott
General Scott
Lieut. Armstrong
Hutchins
Captain Hall
Lieut. Frothingham
Colonel Trueby
Colonel Hardin
Captain Ferguson
Major Wyllys
Major Doughty
Lieut. Denny
notable location
Fort Washington
Nelson County in Kentucky
Fayette
Bourbon
United States
Fort Knox, Vincennes
Wabash River
Kegaiogue
the Ohio
Omee Town
La Source's Old House
Glaise, or Glace, River
English Tawixtwi
Pikkawa fork
Mad River
Great Miami
Old Chillakothe
Chillakothe
Sugar Creek, or Cesar's Creek
Little Miami River
Hill Creek
Kentucky
Pennsylvania
Clarke's old trace
Fort Washington
Au Mi
Au Miami
Omee River
Miami of the Lakes
River St. Joseph
River St. Mary
notable item/thing
slew with his own hand
impressive exertions
obedient & brave
personal courage
rallying a broken body of militia
gallant young officer
soldierly conduct
personal combat of some duration with a mounted savage
bringing off the arms of the antagonist as trophies of the fact
field officers
endeavors
strict attention to discipline
promptitude to obey orders
alacrity in the execution
good consequences will be the result
our loss can be repaired
their's is irreparable
pack horses of the line
shot and stolen
lost in the woods
forage
flour
extraordinary consumption arose of that article
detained in confinement
ideas of superior power, his own insignificance and our contempt of his brethren
trinkets
escort
departed from the garrison with a mixture of sorrow gratitude and joy
economy
operations of the army
different quarters
engaged with various success
body of the Savages
cherished the idea of an attack
gained the unoccupied heights on the right & turned his flank
long and meritorious services claim the grateful remembrances of his country
talents of a cultivated mind he united the best virtues of the heart
middle party
superior members
dead upon the field
free use made of the bayonet
savages experience to their cost
worthy man
behaved with the spirit of veterans
slew numbers of the enemy
met their fate with uncommon bravery
emulous to establish a character over the other
striking proofs of determined courae
slaughter was reciprocal
best information
lost in the course of this affair upwards of an hundred of their prime warriors
men who appeared to fear no danger
squaw or shild
swell the number of the slain
young gentleman of the most amiable manners with a soul formed for enterprize
covered with wounds in singly charging with his sword
killed
few wounded
distinguished themselves
brave and deserving officer
serving as my Aide de Camp
corps
importance the life of every warrior is held among them. Filed off in three columns
enemy studiously avoided coming to a general action
conceiving it improper to leave them in the quiet enjoyment of their late success
partial engagement
Federal Infantry
Kentucky Cavalry
make a movement
diversion to prevent an Union of Indian strength
effecting a junction with our whole force
tolerable prospect of success
original numbers
remainder so worn down with hard service
communication
propriety of employing oxen
openly timbered
light ox carts
provisions
stores
baggage
beef
expence of pack and bat horses
great temptation a savage enemy will feel to steal them
dead loss
hire must be paid
moderate duration
sufficient number of trained oxen
body of regular horse on the frontiers
eyes and feet of an army
scour and cover
rapidity of their movements
cautious how they provoked a pursuit
security
surprise
warriors would be taught to dread the continuance of a war
wives and children
arm of government
regions not otherwise to be protected
humanity and interest
loss sustained by the savages
incensed at the disgraceful conduct
reprehended it in my next orders with great severity
operated as a stimulus to wipe off the foul stain
reputatuion
provisions laid up for their subsistence
Ouiattanon
Weeah
part of the detachment
main body of the army
body of Indians appeared and advance to the attack
militia made no resistance but fled
handful of federal troops to their fate
escaped
fell lamented by his acquaintances
houses on the bank
Delawares
scattered town
Shawanee
habitations
nation
ordered to be burned
bushels of corn in the ear
consumed or destroyed
name of an influential chief
driven from their town
retired in some other spot
Indians were killed and scalped by the cavalry
killed at night
lost a great number of horses
negligence of the militia guards
disobedience of Orders
appearances confirmed accounts
consternation into which the savages and their trading allies had been thrown by the approach of the army
valuables of the traders were destroyed in the confusion
vast quantities of corn
grain and vegatables
secreted in holes dug in the earth
hiding places
traders houses
rendezvous of a sett of Indian desperadoes who infested the settlements & stained the Ohio and parts adjacent with the blood the defenceless inhabitants
reconnoitre the country
enemy's pulse
army advanced
the weather rainy
avages & traders
worst savages of the two
evacuated
appearances of precipitation
burnt the principal village
Cavalry took a Shawaoe prisoner
availed myself of this evet to obtain some intelligence of the force and probable designs of the enemy
ruins of an old French fort
extensive prairies skirt both sides of the river
subsequent part of our march described the segment of a circle
discovered many tracks of the savages
fertile
abundantly watered
dead flat excepting a solitary eminence with a soil much inferior
scarcely a stream of water
woods were open free from underwood and the timber was chiefly white oak
suffered extremely through want of water
deluged every spring with standing water and rendered impassable
so stones of any kind except in one spot were seen during the whole march from the place of departure to the point of destination
further description
ruins of a French store
burnt
utmost point to which, in this diredtion, they ever penetrated the Indian country
general face of the country
rapid stream running through pleasant country of the greatest fertility
j low wet glade
impassable for the pack horses
stream
rich and level
weather proved wet and disagreeable
map
joined me with a few soldiers
reinforcement
first frost this season
Indian town destroyed
route lay in an open fine country beautifully checkered with prairies
several horses supposed to have been stolen last night by the savages
face of the country was open and level generally rich bottom or lowland diversified with small prairie or natural meadows
army marched
previously recrossed this river
Kentucky Militia
employed in making arrangements
Pennsylvania Militia
cattle
pack horses
level face covered thickly with underwood
substitutes and by no means equal either in spirit or appearance to the generality of their countrymen
whole force
troops of cavalry
deduct as good for nothing
encamping at night on the waters
halt till further orders
militia had been draughted
ordered to advance
men including non-commissioned officers
proceeded to join the militia
brass pieces of ordnance
six pounder
three pounder
5 1/2 inch howitz
Captain Ferguson's Company of Artillery
consisting of two battalion
commanded
took the field with such of the Federal troops as were then assembled
corruptions or contractions universally used among the French Americans in pronouncing Indian Names
hurry occasioned on my return by disbanding the militia
detail of facts
object of the following sheets to supply that Omission
submitting to your notice any occurrence and transaction of any consequence that happened during the expedition
remarksas may tend either to elucidate events and connect their order or convey an idea of the country through which we passed
plans of the several dispositions for forming the order of the march
the order of encampment
order of battle
explanatory of the route taken by the army
actions which took place
severllay and particularly laid down
rivers in the North Western Territory all bearing the name Miami
Omee towns
frontier
deliver you the latter of those letters
contains the substance of the late expedition undertaken against the savages of the Miami of the Lakes
duplicates enclosed
adjutant
document number
1790112340101
page start
1
number of pages
15
Item sets
Document instances
| In image | In source | Location in source | |
|---|---|---|---|
| [view document] (0 pages) | ARA12 (0 pages) | Collection: Berthrong Collection | [unknown] |
Document names
| Type | Name | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author | Josiah Harmar | Fort Washington | [n/a] |
| Recipient | Henry Knox | [unknown] | [n/a] |