[CRUIKSHANK] HARRISON AND PROCTER 135 
as they could be caught, there was an immediate stampede in pursuit. 
Small bands of excited horsemen dashed through the ford in spite of 
their officers’ efforts to detain them, and scoured the woods in every 
direction. When they returned their horses were too exhausted to 
proceed on the march that day.! Logan’s Indian scouts after examining 
the trail reported that the enemy seemed to be in considerable force 
and they were sent forward next morning to reconnoitre the river below 
as far as the little rapids, a distance of fourteen miles. They came upon 
Muir’s track and perceived that he had retired in great haste, forcing 
his carriages over logs and tearing up small trees by the roots. In 
their absence, camp rumour had persistently magnified the strength of 
the enemy and there were symptoms of a panic. Simrall’s dragoons 
had received instructions to return to the frontier settlements to recruit 
their horses, many of Tupper’s men announced their intention of going 
with them. On October 8th he advanced with the remainder to the 
Delaware village, twelve miles above the rapids, where he found an 
abundant supply of sweet corn; but on preparing to continue his march 
next morning, found that he had only two hundred men. As this 
number seemed too large for a reconnaissance and too small for an 
offensive movement he decided to return at once to Urbana by Hull’s 
road, greatly mortified by the conduct of his troops.? 
The departure of the dragoons reduced Winchester’s force to less 
than 1,800 effectives. They had not drawn full rations for a month. 
They were sometimes without flour, and generally without salt. Some 
were barefooted, others without blankets; many had torn their clothing 
to rags in forcing their way through the woods. None of them was 
supplied with under garments of any kind. More than two hundred 
were disabled by sickness. Any further advance before the arrival of 
supplies seemed decidedly unwise. Winchester therefore contented 
himself for the present with the construction of a palisaded fortification 
enclosing about a quarter of an acre of ground with log blockhouses at 
the angles. Several hours daily were spent in drill. Reconnoitring 
parties were constantly sent out; but his white scouts seldom ventured 
to go very far into the woods and little reliance was placed on the 
reports made by the Indians. A party of men who had strolled off 
to gather wild plums was surprised and five of them killed. On another 
occasion a detachment of Garrard’s mounted infantry was attacked, 
losing one man killed and another wounded.? 
A report of Winchester’s advance had reached Amherstburg on 
October 4th. An officer of the commissariat was then at the River 

* Atherton, p. 12. 
? Tupper to Harrison, Oct. 12, 1812; Atherton, p. 12. 
’ Tupper to Harrison, Oct. 12, 1812. 
