Battle and massacre at Frenchtown, Michigan, January, 1813 / by Thomas P. Dudley, one of the survivors.

CLEVELAND, O., AUGUST, 1870.
HISTORICAL AND ARCHELOGICAL TRACTS.
NUMBER ONE.
BATTLE AND MASSACRE AT FRENCHTOWN, MICHIGAN,
JANITJA=RY, 1813
BY REV. THOMAS. P. DUDLEY,
ONE OF THE SURVIVORS.
The following incidents relating to the enough to kill a mouse." They reached the
march of a detachment of Kentucky troops River Raisin about three o'clock in the afterunder Colonel Lewis to Fren~htown, on the noon, and while crossing the river on the ice
under Colonel Lewis to Frenchtown, on the I
the British began firing their swivels, when
River Raisin, Michigan, January, 1813; te the American troops were ordered to drop
battles of the 18th and 22d; the massacre of their knapsacks on the ice. Reaching the opthe prisoners, and the march to Fort George, posite shore, they raised a yell, some crowing
on the Niagara river, were written by the Rev like chicken cocks, some barking like dogs,
and others calling, "Fire away with your
Thomas P. Dudley, of Lexington, Kentucky, mouse cannon again." The troops weredisMay 26, 1870, and indorsed as follows: posed as follows: The right battalion commandA. T. Goodman, Esq., Secretary Western Re- ed by Colonel Allen, the center by Major Madiserve Historical Society: son, the left by Major Graves. The latter battalDEAR SIR: I take pleasure in forwarding to ion was ordered to dislodge the enemy from
your society an interesting and reliable narra- the position occupied by them, "being the same
tive, by the Rev. Thomas P. Dudley, of this occupied by the American troops in the
city. Very truly yours. battle of the twenty-second," during which
LESLIE COOMBS. the right and center were ordered to remain
LEXINGTON, June 1st, 1870. where they were, in the open field, until MaOn the seventeenth day of January, 1813, jor Graves's command should force the enemy
a detachment of five hundred and fifty men, to the woods. While Graves was driving the
under command of Colonel William Lewis, enemy occasional balls from the woods, oppo-ith Colonel John Alien, and Majors Ben. site Colonel Allen's command, wounded some
Graves and George Madison, from the left of his men. Hence Colonel Allen ordered a
wing of the Northwest Army, was ordered to partial retreat of some forty or fifty yards, so
Frenchtown, on the River Raisin, where it as to place his men out of reach of the Indian
was understood a large nnmber of. British had guns. Just as this order was accomplished,
collected, and were committing depredations we discovered, from the firing, that Major
on the inhabitants of that village. O; the Graves had driven the enemy to the woods,
17th, at night, the detachment encamped at when he was ordered to advance the right and
the mouth of Swan Creek, on the Maumee of center. Up to this time the fighting was done
the lake. On the 18th, they took up the line bv Major Graves's battalion. So soon as the
of march, meeting a number oI the inhabi- right and center reached the woods
tants retreating to the American camp, op- the fighting became general and most
posite to where Fort Meigs was subsequent- obstinate, the enemy resisting every
ly built. Our troops inquired whether inch of ground as they were
the British had any artillery, to which the re- compelled to fall back. During three hours
ply was,'They have two pieces about large the battle raged, the American detachment lost