The evacuation began at 9 AM. The previusly agreed-upon Pottawatomi escort is nowhere to be seen.
MARCH ALONG THE LAKE
The column proceeds south along the lakeshore, close to what is today Michigan Avenue (back then, the shore line was considerably to the west). Somewhere between a half-mile and two miles, those in the column become aware they were surrounded by Pottawatomi.
INITIAL CONFLICT
The Indians, armed with muskets, had been concealed by a sandbank to the column's right. Wells orders his troops to charge the sandbank. The Indians fired an initial volley at the Americans, but after that the fighting was hand-to-hand. Within 15 minutes, only 10 to 20 American soldiers were still able to fight.
Both Hald and Lt. Linai Helm, who was transferred to Fort Dearborn and had married John Kinzie's stepdaughter, were wounded, and Heald led the surviving soldiers further west, away from the hostile Indians.
The Miami Indian escort fled after the first shot was fired. Captain Wells fought with the US soldiers at first, but later broke away and rode to the wagons to defend the women and children, where he was killed.
Still Fighting. --Brock-Perry
2012 marks the 200th anniversary of America's "Forgotten War," the War of 1812 that took place over three years, 1812 to 1815.
Battle of New Orleans.
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