Siege of Fort Meigs [pp. 75-81]

SIEGE OF FORT MEIGS.
men took his station on the embankment, and gratuitously forewarned us of every shot. In this he
became so skillful that he could, in almost every
case, predict the destination of the ball. As soon
as the smoke issued from the muzzle of the gun he
would cry out "shot," or "bomb," as the case
might be. Sometimes he would exclaim, "Blockhouse No. 1," or, "Look out main battery;" "Now
for the meat-house;" "Good-by, if you will pass."
In spite of all the expostulations of his friends, he
maintained his post. One day there came a shot
that seemed to defy all his calculations. He stood
silent-motionless-perplexed. -In the same instant he was swept into eternity. Poor man! he
should have considered that when there was no
obliquity in the issue of the sm6ke, either to the
right or left, above or below, the fatal messenger would travel in the direct line of his vision.
He reminded me of the peasant, in the siege of Jerusalem, who cried out, "Woe to the city! woe to
the temple! woe to myself!" On the most active
day of the-investment there were as many as five
hundred cannon balls and bombs thrown at our
fort. Meantime, the Indians, climbing up into the
trees, fired incessantly upon us. Such was their
distance, that many of their balls barely reached
us, and fell harmless to the ground. Occasionally
they inflicted dangerous and even fatal wounds.
The number killed in the fort was small, considering the profusion of powder and ball expended on
us. About eighty were slain, many wounded, and
several had to suffer the amputation of limbs. The
most dangerous Aty which we performed within
the precincts of the fort, was in covering the
magazine. Previous to this the powder had been
deposited in wagons, and these stationed in the
traverse. Here there was no security against
bombs. It was therefore thought to be prudent to
remove the powder into a small blockhouse, and
cover it with earth. The enemy, judging our design from our movements, now directed all their
shot to this point. Many of their balls were redhot. Wherever they struck they raised a cloud of
smoke, and made a frightful hissing. An officer
passing our quarters, said, "Boys, who will volunteer to cover the magazine?" Fool-like, away several of us went. As soon as we reached the spot,
there came a ball and took off one man's head.
The spades and dirt flew faster than any of us had
before witnessed. In the midst of our job a bombshell fell on the roof, and lodging on one of the
braces, it spun round for a moment. Every soldier
fell prostrate on his face, and with breathless horror
awaited the vast explosion, which we expected
would crown all our earthly sufferings. Only one
of all the gang presumed to reason on the case.
He silently argued that, as the shell had not bursted as quick as usual, there might be something
wrong in its arrangement. If it bursted where it
was, and the magazine exploded, there could be no
escape: it was death any how; so he sprung to his
feet, seized a boat-hook, and pulling the hissing
missile to the ground, and jerking the smoking
match from its socket, discovered that the shell
was filled with inflammable matter, which, if once
ignited, would have wrapped the whole building in
a sheet of flame. This circumstance added wings
to our shovels; and we were right glad when the
officer said, "That will do: go to your lines."
When retired to my cool subterranean lodge, I
called a meeting of the whole cabinet of "Mansoul;" in which, after considerable discussion, the
following preamble and resolution were unanimously adopted:
"Whereas, Volunteering is a mere work of supererogation, and commonly founded on animal
passions, and, moreover, brings no revenue of respect to our judgment, therefore,
"Resolved, That this shall be the last volunteer
service with us, come what will."
To this I have strictly adhered, both in state and
Church. Indeed, in our Church, where there is
such stupendous locomotive power, volunteering is
truly ridiculous. Although I have generally gone
where the determinate council have sent me, yet
I still cherish an abiding and habitual diffidence
about flourishing in a "forlorn hope."
The siege still went on with various success on
both sides, the enemy becoming more formidable
by experience and practice, until the fifth of May.
We will begin with that day by saying, it was set
apart, by the authorities of the state of Ohio, as a
day of fasting, humiliation, and prayer. The infidel may say, "Pshaw! that was only accidental."
But if that said infidel will take the pains to examine the papers and journals of the times, he
will find that nearly all the victories which were
gained in the last war, by the American arms, were
gained on fast-days. On the fifth of May a reinforcement, under General Clay, was descending the
Maumee. The previous evening Harri:qe, had sent
a confidential officer to meet the foree, and give
them the plan of operation. A division of the
body was to land on the western shore, and by a
rapid and secret march, come down upon the enemy's batteries, spike their cannons, and then retreat down to the river, under cover of our guns,
until they could be transported to the fort. The
other division was to make their way down the
river, in their boats, to the garrison. As soon as
this last division came in sight on the Rapids, they
attracted the sole attention of the armies on both
sides of the river. Meeting with some obstructions in the river, they were obliged to land. This
they did under a heavy fire from the Indians on
the eastern shore. A detachment, embracing our
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