May 19th 1813 - Wednesday - Marched my company from the county of Mercer rendevouzed at John McCouns Senr. and on the 20th we arrived at the Great Crossings in Scott county near Georgetown agreeable to the following order from Col. Rh. H. Johnson:
"A CALL FOR THE MOUNTED REGIMENT--
"The Regiment of mounted Volunteers was Organized under the Authority of the War department to await the Call or to meet any Crisis which might involve the honor, the right, and the safety of the Country. That Crisis has arrived! Fort Miegs is attacked--the North Western army is Surrounded by the enemy, and under the Command of Gen'l Harrison nobly defending the Sacred Cause of the Country against a Combined enemy, the British & Indians. They will maintain the ground until relieved, the intermediate garrisons are also in imminent danger & may fall a bleeding Sacrifice to Savage Cruelty, unless timely reinforced, the frontiers may be deluged in blood, the Mounted Regiment will present a Shield to the defenceless and United with the forces Marching, and the Ohio volunteers raising for the same purpose, the enemy will be driven from our Soil therefore on Thursday the 20th of this month the regiment will rendezvous at the Great Crossing, Scott County; except the Companies and fractions of Companies, raised in Henry, Gallatin, Boone, Campbell, Pendleton, Bracken and Mason will rendezvous on the 22nd at Newport; at which place the whole Corps will Draw arms, Rifles and Muskets, ammunition and such Camp Equipage as may be necessary. The Staff of the Regt. will be put in immediate requisition, and from Newport to the Rapids, forage with rations will be provided, also forage from the Great Crossings to Newport. Each Man will take 10 or 15 days provisions and go as lightly burthened as possible.
"The fractions of Companies shall be organized at the Great Crossings and at Newport, at which place Commissions from the Governor will be given to each officer. Every Arrangement Shall be made, there shall be no delay--The Soldier's wealth is honor--connected with his country's cause is its Liberty, independence and glory, without exertions Rezin's bloody scene may be acted over again and to permit would stain the national character.
"The companies or fractions of companies will therefore be punctual in their attendance. The officers of every description belonging to this Corps, upon receipt of this order will proceed forthwith to aid in its execution.(Signed) RH. M. JOHNSON, Col. Rgt. Mt. Vol.
"N.B.--An Extra powder horn, Bulletbag, forage-bag, five flints &c will be important. The Regiment will consist of about fifteen hundred men.
R. M. JOHNSON."
After having our horses valued 78 in number we campt at the great crossing till next morning.
May 21st--Left the Great-crossings and about 12 miles from Georgetown we met an Express from Gen'l Harrison, John T. Johnson, who turned us back a few miles, as he was not authorized to receave us, great dissatisfaction and confusion prevailed for some time until we met Col. Johnson who ordered us on again, which again restored us to order. We campt at Big eagle Creek with three other companies Capts. Stucker, Davidson and Elliston in a bottom at the crossing.
May 22--Purused our march and lay all night at Mr. Theobald's on the ridge and on the
23rd--Marched on the road to Newport as far as Gaines' tavern where I receaved the following order viz:
May 23rd, 1813Dear Capt.
I am directed by the Col. to take the regiment to North-bend at Col. Cave Johnsons, there to remain for further orders you will therefore march your company to that place.Your obt. servt. JAMES JOHNSON, Lt. Col.
In obedience to the above order we immediately left the Cincinnati road at Gaines and went on to a Mr. Cravins, within one and a half miles of Boone Court House, and
May 24th--early, we started and arrived at Col. Cave Johnson's about ten o'clock and campt near the Ohio River at North Bend.
May 25th--Lay at North Bend, raining wet and disagreeable and receaved the following order from the Col. on
May 26th--which was complied with so far as to have ten men in each mess & Lieutenant John R. Cardwell (1) went back under an order from the Col. to recruit more men and meet us at Fort Winchester the 15th of June next.
"Head-quarters North Bend
May the 24th, 1813
"The Commandant of Companies of the mounted Regt. will immediately proceed to lay of their Companies in Messes of twelve men each (first written ten and crossed out) & then number each mess which must be done by lot, they will then make out a list of their Companies which will be a list for calling out the guard in such order that an equal proportion of men Shall be taken from the different Messes as near as can be. The manner of making out the lists will be as follows (viz) First take the first named Man in each Mess Next the second man in each Mess and so on Until each Soldier is enrolled--
(Signed) JAMES JOHNSON Lieut. Col."
May 26th--We crossed the Ohio river and came on up the Big Miami on the road to Hamilton and staid all night at Mr. Bruces one and a half miles below the river and on
May 27th--Early came thru Hamilton formerly Fort Hamilton, a beautiful village of about 50 or 60 houses, and passed thru Middleton and Franklin and came within two miles of Dayton & staid all night with a Col. Patterson, wet and raining.
May 28th--About ten o'clock we marched into Dayton and drew tents and forage and 30 Rifles and 27 Muskets which partially supplied my company.
May 29th--Lay at Dayton, drew provisions in part and forage and other necessary camp equipage, we also arranged the rank of the Captains and formed Battallions. I drew lots with Capt. Matson and obtained the first Captaincy in the first Battalion under Major David Payne, and on this day after the Battallions were formed as follows, viz.:
Robt. B. McAfee 1st
Richard Matson 2nd
Jacob Elliston 3rd
Benjamin Warfield 4th
John Payne 5th
Elijah Craig 6th
The following order was issued viz:
"Head Quarters Dayton
May 29th, 1813
"It is important that the Mounted Regiment should be at St. Mary's. The Majors will give notice to the Captains in their respective Battallions that every possible exertion will be made to proceed from this place as soon as the high waters of the Miami and Mad Rivers will permit. The Companies will march by Arsenal with a view of drawing any ammunitions of War that may have been expected. It is desirable that the Rifflemen should take as much powder and lead as possible and the Musket-men as much fixed ammunition. Every Capt. and commissioned officer is charged in the most essential manner to use every exertion to have the arms put in prime order, and when any repair is necessary which cannot be done without a Gunsmith application will be made to Capt. Turner who has opened a shop for the purpose of repairing guns in this place. It is a high evidence of the merit of officers to find the arms of the men in good order, and in readiness to march under any difficulty to the call of duty. It is desirable that the arms should be tried, and that the men should practice at a target, But Capts. of companies are seriously called to the necessity of having a commissioned officer or some prudent person present with the men that no accident may happen by promiscuous shooting. The Majors are charged with the march of their respective Battallions direct to Piqua. Each Battallion may march by companies. At St. Mary's the Regiment will be consolidated, each Major will cause company returns to be immediately made to them that they may forthwith make a Battallion return a correct record should be made of the state of the Regiment during its continuance in Service. This will depend on the Officers in whose puntuality, fidelity, intelligence & industry the greatest confidence is placed. The Bridge over Mad River will be ready in a few hours for crossing and the Majors are recommended to take advantage of it to cross today even if the Battallion should encamp on the other side, it is important that every gun which requires a shop to repair it should be repaired at this place, if a small part of the company has such funs that part should remain & join the Battallion at Piqua.
(Signed) RH. M. JOHNSON, Col.
May 30th--Agreeable to this order on Sunday morning before sun up I marched my company from Dayton and crossed Mad River over a very narrow sidelong bridge with considerable difficulty, the roads very bad and swampy, and when we came to Honey creek a branch of the Miami not more than ten yards over it was so full that we had to Ferry it, which being done we only had time to go to a Mr. Dyes about one mile off the road for the purpose of getting forage and campt all night, and next morning.
May 31st--at light we marched and had to ferry the Miami at Piqua about 29 miles from Dayton a small & handsome village of about 30 houses, it was about nine o'clock we campt on a small rise west of town and about 200 yards from the river here we drew provisions and prepared to march on and on Tuesday,
Updated May 21, 2000. This transcription is copyrighted by . It may be freely used for non-commercial purposes and family research, but must not be used for any other purpose without written permission from the transcriber.