Page:Messages and Letters of William Henry Harrison Vol. 1.djvu/763

Rh ordered to show no white about their dress with sentinels doubled, slept upon their arms. Capt. Funk was arroused two hours before day on the 7th by the yells of the Indians, and the ringing of their fire arms ; the morning was dark, and drizzly, nothing could be seen but the flashes of the enemies guns. He immediately mounted his troop which had been stationed near Gov. Harrisons mar- quee, the occupant of which he repeatedly saw or rather heard during the conflict — finding that the enemies missils reached some of his men while they were unable to annoy their foe he ordered them to dismount and, with sabre and pistol in hand, to stand beside thier horses, ready to repel any attack, that should force the lines of infantry in their front. Thus stationed they ceased to offer objects for the Indians aim as the shoulder of the bluft' on which the encampment was lo- cated afforded protection to those who obstained from show- ing occupying its margin or elevating themselves on horse back. The ground occupied by the Indians was in the swamp at the two lower sides of the triangle heretofore described, and as a consequence, their missils could do but little harm ex- cept to such, as in most cases needlessely exposed themselves near or on the verge of the plateau, but on the left of the encampment, left as you stood with your back to the breast work on the upland there was some down timber on the verge of the plateau, which the Indians having occupied, a galling fire was kept up by them on our encampment. Col. Daviess who some time previously had selected twenty of the best mounted and equipped men from the Cavalry, which selec- tion the governor upon remonstrance from the mounted troops, had refused to dissalow, after the fireing had con- tinued about % of an hour, came to the Gov. and in the hear- ing of Capt. Funk asked "Will you permit me to dislodge those d — d — savages behind those logs", — The Governor re- plied denying his request — again in the hearing of Capt. Funk he applyed to the Governor and met a similar response. Subsequently (as he informed Capt. F. after the engagment) he obtained the Gov.'s permission. On foot, wearing a white Capot, he lead his 20 picked men (also on foot) toward the Indians masked by the down timbers; when within 30 or 40 yards of his object he fell, shot between the right hip and ribs. From the position he must have occupied, the down