A SHORT CHRONOLOGY
The War of 1812 in the Northwest
1813--HARRISON'S THIRD CAMPAIGN AND THE SECOND SIEGE OF FT.
MEIGS, July 1-July 20.
1813, July. Harrison, hearing that the British had returned to Ft. Meigs.
removes his headquarters from Lower Sandusky to Seneca Town,
about 9 miles up the Sandusky River, where he constructs a fortified
camp. Major George Croghan with 160 regulars is left in Ft. Stephenson.
1813, July 1. Harrison, upon hearing R.M. Johnson's report of no new
activities on the part of the enemy, returns to Lower Sandusky.
1813, July 2. A mounted regiment is sent to River Huron from Ft. Meigs
via Lower Sandusky. Colonel Ball's squadron arrives at Lower
Sandusky to help Harrison track down some unruly Indians who had been
raiding the frontier.
1813, July 3. A mounted regiment from Ft. Meigs reaches Lower Sandusky.
Colonel Ball's squadron escorts Harrison from Lower Sandusky
to Cleveland. There Harrison makes arrangements for the better security
of boats which are being built there. He also has a small fort constructed
on the lake and directs the new boats to be sunk as soon as
they are built in a deep part of the Cuyahoga River. Colonel Ball is
put in command of the new post.
1813, July 4. The fourth of July was celebrated by the garrison and
mounted men of Ft. Meigs in great harmony and enthusiasm.
Colonel Johnson delivers an appropriate address and a number of toasts,
breathing sentiments of the republican soldier, were drunk and cheered.
There was a firing of small arms and the discharge of a six pounder. The
militia soldier, whose patriotism was satisfied with going to the boundary
line and looking at the enemy, while he refused to cross and fight them,
was strongly reprobated.
1813, July 6. R.M. Johnson's regiment proceeds in detachments to Huron
and encamps on the shore of the lake.
1813, July 13. Harrison, upon orders from the Secretary of War, sends
Johnson's much fatigued regiment to protect the Illinois
country. Johnson remonstrates.
1813, July 16. R. M. Johnson's regiment arrives at Upper Sandusky. Its
proposed route is: Upper Sandusky, Ft. McArthur, St. Mary's,
Greenville, Delaware Towns on White River, Ft. Harrison, Vincennes. This
is later changed to pass Urbana to pick up supplies.
1813, July 19. First of R.M. Johnson's regiment arrives in Urbana;
next part comes in next day.
1813, July 20. A meeting of the officers of R.M. Johnson's regiment
is called and they ask that the regiment be allowed to pass
through Kentucky on their way west. Johnson agrees and orders a rendez-
vous at Vincennes on August 20. This is in direct violation of Harrison's
orders. Meanwhile, Harrison is notified by the Secretary of War that he
and Oliver H. Perry are to cooperate and that Harrison is to call upon
the governors of adjoining states for militiamen to fill out his force.
From Ft. Meigs, two parties are sent out to determine the position of the
enemy. One goes by land, the other by water. They return having heard
only some cannon fire from near Malden. However, late in the evening,
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