"In a few moments I heard the crack of rifle fire....I had just time to thing that some sentinel was alarmed and had fired his rifle without cause, when I heard the crack of another rifle, followed by an awful Indian yell all around the encampment. In less than a minute I saw the Indians charging our lines most furiously and shooting a great many rifle balls into our camp fires, throwing the live coals into the air three feet high. At this moment my friend Warnock was shot by a rifle ball through his body. He ran a few yards and fell dead on the ground. Our lines were broken and a few Indians were found on the inside of the encampment. In a few moments they were killed...
"The sentinels, closely pursued by the Indians, came to the lines of encampment in haste and confusion. Daniel Pettit was pursued so closely and furiously by an Indian...that to save his life he cocked his rifle as he ran and turning suddenly around, placed the muzzle of his gun against the body of the Indian and shot an ounce ball through him. The Indians made four or five most fierce charges on our lines, yelling and screaming as they advanced, shooting balls and arrows into our ranks. At each charge they were driven back in confusion, carrying off their dead and wounded as they retreated.
"Colonel Owen...one of General Harrison's volunteer aides, fell early in action by the side of the General....Colonel Davis was mortally wounded early in the battle, gallantly charging the Indians on foot with his sword and pistols....Just after daylight the Indians retreated across the prairie towards their town, carrying off the wounded....An almost deafening and universal shout was raised by our men. 'Huzza! Huzza! Huzza!'
"Our was a bloody victory, theirs was a bloody defeat."
(Quoted in U.S. Army, A Complete History by the Army Historical Foundation)
Plan of Tippecanoe Camp
(From The Life of General John Tipton by M. W. Pershing)
-Peter Bringe
Memor!
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