Elsie's Journey on Inland Waters

city, which extends six or seven miles along the river, then on down the str

iscussed with interest Perry's victory of September 10, 1813, though, as all were familiar with the

p, papa?" Grace asked, as they neared t

autiful bay on this north side: that is Put-In-Bay-it is what gives the name to the island and is celebrated as the place where Captain Perry with his little United States fleet on Lake

it into the lake, but spite of illness, head winds, and being narrowly watched by t

ng his vessels over the bar, h

he use of camels; a ve

xclaimed Grace, w

desert, however," returned the capta

on both sides. Those cases are first filled with water and sunk, in order to be fixed on. The water is then pumped out, and

a very persevering and energet

to fame rests less on his actual victory than on the pluck, energy, and readiness to adapt himself to circumstances, which he showed in the preparation of the two brigs and getting them and the other vessels out in the lake, collect

tone, "you are really the last person I should have e

er in gentle, reproving accents. "I would not have

might have known that,"

island lying at the mouth of th

e and rocky, and on it stands the monument

t the island one of th

t hasten on our way if we would make even a flying visit to other and more interesting and important points. The islands are wort

think we might be able to pass some days or weeks

ne grapes raised here, are

being better suited to them than is any other in the Union; or rather, I should say,

how long did that batt

in a splendid victory for Perry, who was about twenty-seven ye

as terrible," said Mr. Dinsmore. "What

at all the officers of the first division were either killed or wounded. I don't know that he mentioned himself among them, but it was very evident that he had been h

low to go on fighting with all those hurts," s

said. And now he could not help smiling at Yarnall's appearance, for in addition to his swelled nose and the blood on his face he was covered with cattails from the hammock mattresses that had been struck and torn by

fighting his division, when a grape-shot struck him in the breast, and he fell. Perry lifted him up, and as there was no wound to be seen, told him to rally, for he could not be hurt.

e tackle had been shot away. Perry stepped nearer to him to see what was the matter. 'I can fire, sir,' the sailor said, and was

wife's prayers had saved him; I have no doubt that his mother's helped him, for I have read that she was a Christian woman, and had brought him up in the fear of the Lord. His young bro

ly painful wound, so that he shrieked with agony, and besought Perry to shoot him dead. Perry ordered him carried below, and while that was being done a mulatto boy, his servant, rolled on the deck, crying

ent of silence,

e sighed. "I hope we will never have a

"What sort of condition would this country be in now had

as they were," she acknowledged, "the choice being betwee

d we tamely submitted, instead of resisting as we did, we c

der, scalping, and fire. Also it wiped away the disgrace of Hull's ignominious surrender of Detroit, strengthened the hands of the Government, and gave great encouragement to General Harrison and his brave and patriotic soldiers; indeed, to

all upon Governor Shelby of Kentucky, for fifteen hundred men, accompanied by the generous offer

militia who defeated the banded Tories under Major Ferguson on King's Mountain, South Carolina, on the 7th of Octo

in 1813, I suppo

to rouse his martial spirit to such an extent that he resolved to lead, instead of sending his men against the enemies of his country. He called for mounted volunteers to assemble at

nt calls to rally to the defence of their country, for Old King's Mountain would certainly lead them to victory. Twice the requir

nd on the way heard the glad tidings of Perry's victory. He despatched a courier with the news to M

gloomy forebodings of evil, leading, as it did, to the destruction of the Indian confederacy, which, in conjunction with the British military power, had been the cause of

s army to penetrate into Canada and to our repossession of the territory of Michigan. Also r

e concluded an epi

ns may brag of the

thing, by the L

worth, who take

of the sea, we'll b

e on the borders of Lake Erie. Shelby arrived there on the 14th, only a few minutes before a part of Perry's squadron came in, bringing t

hould sail, then march toward Detroit, keeping as nearly as possible abreast of the army on the transports, and General M'Arthur, at that time in command of

On the 24th they rendezvoused on Put-in-Bay Island, and the next day were on

besides, I presume

ckians left their horses on the pe

successful, and returned at sunset. An order was issued that evening, giving directions for the embarking of the tr

were to fight for the rights of their insulted country, while their opponents would combat for the unjust pretensions of a master. 'Kentuckians,' he

tion at nine o'clock, going northward toward the hostile shore, and then Harrison's stirring address was read to the men on each vessel. At its conclusion there

below Maiden. A low, sandy beach stretched out in front of high sand drifts, behind which the enemy were supposed to be lying in wait, and o

hward with his army and all he could take with him; leaving Fort Maiden, the storehouses, and navy buildings smok

Grace, adding, "and probably they were much frighte

he town, Governor Shelby in advance, they were met by a troop of modest, well-dressed women

ot been gone an hour, and Colonel Ball at once sent an officer and twenty men of his cavalry after them to prevent the dest

lock on the 29th they entered Sandwich, and the American flotilla reached Detroit, which, you will remember, is opposite,

ll in possession of Detro

off a body of Indians who were hovering about it. Also General Harrison had, to the great joy of the inhabitant

my as rapidly as possible. There were two roads, either of which might be taken in the pursuit-by land in the rear of the British, or by Lake Erie to Long

lace for which the whole army of the Americans, except M'Arthur's brigade, left at D

the Thames. He sent some of his vessels in pursuit, followed them in the Ariel, accompanied by the Caledonia, and on the day that Harrison left Sand

e enemy's vessel

river an eagle was seen hovering above it; and that Harrison remarked to those about him that it was a presage of success, and Perry, who had lande

" remarked Grace. "Don't you suppose, pap

uite likely,"

he Saratoga, McDonough's flagship, early in the naval battle of Plattsbu

tles of the Civil War," said his sister Rose. "But ple

came upon 7 British deserters who told the general that Proctor, with 700 white men and 1200 Indians was encamped at Dolsen's farm, about 15 miles from the mouth of the Thames, on its northern bank

begun to destroy a bridge over a small stream emptying into that river. That made it evident to the Americans that Proctor had heard they were in

prairies, its channel broad, its current sluggish, but here the country became hilly, the stream narrow and rapid, the banks high and wooded, affording convenient places for Indian ambuscades, from whence shots could be fired down upon

sen's to Chatham, where an impassable stream called M'Gregor's Creek empties into that rive

ot, and remarked that when he looked at these streams

ch was a party of Indians ready to dispute the passage of the Americans should they attempt to cross or to make repairs;

in either fight, p

as here that the chief Walk-in-the-Water with 60 warriors came to Harrison and offered to join his army conditionally. But

it, papa?"

back to the

cans go on chasing

es and vessels containing military and naval stores as they went, the Americans fol

d Harrison set a double guard; which was well, for at midnight Proctor

his staff, the Kentucky volunteers under General Shelby following. It was not long before they had captur

decided to cross there and each of the mounted men took an infantryman on his horse behind him; oth

n tired," said little Elsie. "Didn

upturned to his, "they were much too eager to catch and defeat their country's foes. They hastened

embers that showed where the enemy's rear guard had been but a short time before. By that they knew

nly three hundred yards farther on. Johnson, with Major James Suggett and his spies, moved cauti

decide upon the best order for the attack. The American army now consisted of a little more than 3000 men-120 regulars of th

st parallel with the river. Between the two, about three hundred yards from the river, was a narrow swamp with a strip of solid ground between it and the lar

r artillery planted in the road near the bank of the stream. The Indians were posted betwe

the preparations were completed Major Wood, who had been reconnoitring the enemy's position, informed Harrison that the British were drawn up in open order, and, though contrary to all prece

de better in the woods than any other people. A musket or rifle is no impediment, they being accustomed to carrying them on horseback fro

sounded, and the Americans moved coolly forward, neither hesitating nor with undue haste, among huge trees, o

ore order was restored there came second volley. Then with a tremendous shout the American cavalry boldly dashed upon the British line and broke it, scattering it in all directions. Then the second line, thirty paces in the rear, was tr

e whole British force, more than eight hundred strong, were totally vanquished, an

oud of!" cried Lulu. "And what b

y him, taking with him his personal staff, a few dragoon

or saw lost

a Tranche

bore the

r return

y a part of Johnson's c

that they did not succeed in

hem continued the pursuit until d

an at fighting," said Walter; "but if I rememb

mond. "So rapid and masterly was his retreat that within twenty-four hours

n got nothing for their long chas

ptured Proctor's carriage, sword, and valuable papers. There were some beautifully

h a cruel wretch-delighting in seeing men, women, and children tortured by the savages, if he di

ved against the Indians almost at the same instant that the first battalion-under his brother James and Major Payne-attacked the British regulars. He had divided his force and led them-the second battalion-across the little swamp to attack the Indian left. They

half his vanguard of forlorn hope. On this part of the field the undergrowth and the branches of the trees were too thick to allow mounted men to do much service with their rifles, therefore Johnson ordered

ean by that, pap

-for a while it seemed doubtful which side would win; but General Shelby, perceiving it, ordered the regiment of Lie

ued and a scattering running fight ended the battle. Proctor was running away as fast as he could, like some

the rest, pap

f battle. But for his loss it is likely the Indians w

him, papa?

l from his belt and shot him through the heart. It is said that Johnson himself never either affirmed or denied that his was the hand which slew Tecumseh. Probably he did not really know whether the Indian he had killed was the great chieftai

silence, broken by Gra

was fearful:

ng his battle

d his arm for

fell prostrat

efence of his

most lovin

ll the India

f Tecumseh

ly in the battle of the Thames and was sorely wounded in the hip, thigh, and hand; the last from the Indian whom he shot. He was disabled and said to his friend, Dr. Theobald, one of his staff, fighting near him, 'I am severely wounded: where shall I go?' Theobald, sayin

a?" asked little Elsie, with a l

from the British. Captain Champlin, the commander of the Scorpion, was there on it; he took the col

and go back and fight

time for you and Elsie to go to your berths. Bid us all good-night; to-morrow you may a