Battle of New Orleans.

Thursday, July 29, 2021

War of 1812 in Peoria, Illinois-- Part 4: Building a Fort and Attacking Indian Villages

A year later, in September 1813, Brigadier General Benjamin Howard led another expedition of about 1,400 men against the Indian villages around Lake Pimiteoui.  The first portion of the expedition, a detachment of about 150 troops of the first United States Infantry under the command of Lt. Colonel Robert Carter Nicholas arrived at Lake Pimiteoui on August 29.

 The troops came from St. Louis in reinforced keel boats and immediately began to build a stockade adjacent to the river at the site of the former French village.  Trees were cut on the eastern  shore of the lake and rafted across to the western shore.

While the first blockhouse was under construction, 150 Indians under the command of Black Partridge made an attack on the troops, but were driven off.

Eight hundred mounted rangers from the Illinois and Missouri militia reached the settlement three days after the arrival of the regulars.  The rangers marched to the two Indian villages at the head of Lake Pimiteoui; on the eastern shore was the village of  Black Partridge, and on the western shore was the Potawatomi village of Chief Gomo.

The rangers burned what was left of the villages and returned to the French village.

--Brock-Perry


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