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C. S. TODD TO MEIGS

Head Quarters of the Miami Rapids

Feby 11th 1813

The affidavit of Medaroe Labbadie late resident near the River Raisin in the Michigan territory -- He being sword saith he was in his own house when he heard the guns at the commencement of the action at the River Raisin on the 22d Jany. 1813 between the American forces under Genl. Winchester and the British Canadians & Indian forces said to be commanded by Colo St. George -- after some little time he learned that the Indians were killing the Inhabitants as well as the Americans, upon which he went towards the scene of action in order to save his family -- as he went on he was with one other inhabitant taken prisoner by two Wyandotte Indians, & carried to the Indian lines from which he saw great part of the action -- The right wing of the Americans had given way before he got a sight of the action.

It terminated after the sun was some hours high not far from 11 o'clock A.M. by the surrendering of the American forces that then remained on the ground - He saw the flag hoisted by the british and sent to the American forces & saw it pass three times to the Americans before the surrender He could not understand English but understood that Genl. Winchester was taken prisoner before he got to the lines of his own men, That he was compelled to carry the flag to his own forces after he was taken. That he understood the reason of the flag passing so often was that the Americans refused to surrender upon any other terms than that the Wounded should be taken Care of -- The dead buried and the Inhabitants protected in their property -- That the British first refused to agree to these terms, but finally did agree to them

He also understood that the loss of the British & Indian forces in that action was about 400 Killed. He also understood that the loss of the Americans in that action was about one hundred & Eighty Killed - He knew that on the day of the action all the prisoners who were able to March were Marched of[f] toward Malden the Wounded about 60 or 80 in number left in two houses without any of their friends or a physician -- to take care of them, and without any British officers or Men -- about 10 Indians remained behind upon the ground -- The ballance of the Indians went off with the British - and he was told by some of the Canadian Militia that the British had promised the Indians a frolick that night at Stony Creek about six Miles from the river Raisin

He was liberated after the line of march was formed for Walden -- The next Morning, he was in the houses where the wounded were -- That Morning about fifty Indians returned They brought whiskey with them -- They drank some & gave some to the other indians there and between nine & ten o'Clock A.M. Commenced killing the Wounded then set fire to the Houses the Wounded were in & consumed them

He was at his fathers on this side of the Detroit river about seven days after the action & saw across the river the prisoners Marched off for Niagara from Malden

He saith that he saw taken by his house by Capt. Elliott & nine Wyandotts Indians two men that he understood had been sent by Genl. Harri- son, with a flag to the British One of the Men Mr Tessier he Knew - The other lie did not Know, but understood it was a Doct. -- He had not an opportunity of conversing with them, but understood from an Inhabitant to