Dudley’s Defeat

War of 1812

Before the stirring calls to battle of “Remember the Alamo” and “Remember Pearl Harbor”, there was the cry “Remember the Raisin” which created excitement in all Kentuckians as they had suffered a great defeat and massacre at the hands of the British and their Indian allies on the banks of the Raisin River. The memories of the long brutal frontier warfare with the British and Indians were still firmly planted in the psyche of these sons of the original pioneers. This time in our state’s history was not for the squeamish, and political correctness would have been laughed at. From the distance of our century and the comfort of our armchair, we can condemn wresting the frontier from the Indians, but we must not forget that creating and holding a new country was a messy and deadly business. Brutal tactics was the norm on both sides of the argument.

The Massacre at Raisin River

To the fury of his countrymen, General Hull surrenders the Northwestern Army to British Colonel Henry Proctor on August 16, 1812. The surrender was an exercise in timidity if not downright cowardice, as it was not by the force of arms. Among the reasons given was the lack of supplies and Hull’s concern that he could not get reinforcements, but trumping those was his overwhelming fear of the Indians, how else to account for surrendering Detroit without a fight. The surrender gives Tecumseh all the reason he needs to take control of the Maumee Valley as far west as Ft. Wayne.

Fortunately, we still have a man in the field that will fight - General William H. Harrison of Indiana. He calls for more militia and Kentucky, along with other states, responds. On January 10, 1813, the Kentuckians under General James Winchester reach the Maumee. On January 22, 1818, Proctor surprises them in their camp at French town (Monroe, Michigan) catching them totally unprepared. The majority of the troops were killed or captured at the Raisin River with only about 50 escaping without injury.

Major General William H. Harrison then appeals to Governor Shelby to raise 1500 men to go against the enemy. The Kentucky Legislature wasted no time in passing an act calling 3000 of the militia into the field.

Four regiments were formed under Colonels Dudley, Boswell, Cox and Caldwell, all forming a brigade under Brigadier General Green Clay of Madison County. The regiments of Dudley and Boswell, 1500 men, were ordered to Newport, Kentucky on April 1, 1813 and then to march to Ft. Meigs, Ohio (now on the outskirts of Toledo). Three companies of Dudley’s regiment were sent forward in March to the fort, which they reached on April 12.

Among the two regiments of Kentucky militia that marched out of Cincinnati for Ft. Meigs on April 7, 1813 were eleven companies (including three that had gone in advance) of Colonel Dudley’s under Captains John D. Thomas, Armstrong Kier, James Dyametto, Joseph Clark, John Yantis, Archibald Morrison, Dudley Farris, Ambrose Arthur, Joel Henry, Thomas Lewis and John L. Morrison.

Ft. Meigs and Dudley’s Defeat

Ft. Meigs was built on the south side of the Maumee River with the British facing them across the river. The British side was heavily fortified with 12 guns that shot twenty-four pound balls. The British then set artillery on the same side of the river overlooking Ft. Meigs. The fort was becoming surrounded.

On May 5, Brig. General Green Clay and part of the 3000 Kentuckians fight their way into the fort reinforcing Harrison. A detachment of 800 of Dudley’s men were sent to spike the guns of the British, which they did successively, but with their fighting blood up, they pursued the Indians into the forest and right into an ambush. Although fighting bravely against an overwhelming force of Indians and British, 220 were killed, 350 captured and about 118 escaped to the fort. One of the unlucky captives was Colonel Dudley who was killed and scalped while Proctor stood by. The massacre of unarmed captives, termed later as the slaughter pen, continued until Tecumseh intervened virtually calling Proctor a woman and a coward. These men were later ransomed and returned to Kentucky by their own means.

The words of General Harrison illustrate the vigor in which the Kentuckians pursue the fight, in this case, to their detriment. In his report, the Generals says, “It rarely occurs that a General has to complain of the excessive ardor of his men yet such appears always to be the case whenever the Kentucky Militia are engaged. It is indeed a sorce (sic) of all their misfortunes. They appear to think valor alone can accomplish anything.” In other words, excessive bravery sometimes has the same result as cowardice.

Captain John Yantis formed a company of Infantry in Garrard County. Company mustered in on February 27, 1813 and mustered out September 27, 1813.