On my way back from North Carolina in a couple weeks, I plan on taking US-41from Evansville to Terre Haute in the state.
I plan on visiting the locations of both Fort Knoxs in Vincennes and Fort Harrison in Terre Haute. Also, there was the site of the ambushes at Attack At the Narrows in between the two towns. At Vincennes, I always knew the story of Fort Sackville and george Rogers Clark, but nothing about Fort Knox and I had no knowledge of Fort harrison at Terre Haute.
That will be of interest since a lot of operations at the three places took place 200 years ago, so it will be my bicentennial thing.
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.
Showing posts with label Attack At the Narrows. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Attack At the Narrows. Show all posts
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Fort Harrison, the Aftermath
Fort Harrison is considered the first American victory of the War of 1812, coming after some disastrous and embarrassing losses.Shortly afterwards, Fort Wayne was also relieved and thus ended the last Indian threat to Indiana Territory.
In retaliation for the attack on the fort and the Pigeon Roost massacre, Colonel Russell continued into Illinois with the Indiana Rangers where they fought the Kickapoo Indians at Peoria Lake.
Fort Harrison's beleaguered commander, Captain Zachary Taylor, was breveted to major.
Since both Taylor and William Henry Harrison went on to become president, Fort Harrison is sometimes referred to as "The Fort of the Two Presidents."
Many years after the Attack At the Narrows, Lt. (Sgt) Fairbanks' sword was found stuck in a log and given to the Indiana State Museum where it is today.
In 1908, the Indiana Society of the Sons of the American Revolution attempted to make the site of Fort Harrison, long gone by then, a national historic park, but failed.
More to Indiana's War of 1812 Role Than I Knew. --Brock-Perry
In retaliation for the attack on the fort and the Pigeon Roost massacre, Colonel Russell continued into Illinois with the Indiana Rangers where they fought the Kickapoo Indians at Peoria Lake.
Fort Harrison's beleaguered commander, Captain Zachary Taylor, was breveted to major.
Since both Taylor and William Henry Harrison went on to become president, Fort Harrison is sometimes referred to as "The Fort of the Two Presidents."
Many years after the Attack At the Narrows, Lt. (Sgt) Fairbanks' sword was found stuck in a log and given to the Indiana State Museum where it is today.
In 1908, the Indiana Society of the Sons of the American Revolution attempted to make the site of Fort Harrison, long gone by then, a national historic park, but failed.
More to Indiana's War of 1812 Role Than I Knew. --Brock-Perry
Friday, September 28, 2012
Fairbanks, Indiana
Yesterday, I wrote that this town was named after Lt. Fairbanks, leader of the first group to be ambushed at the Attack of the Narrows. I looked up the town, and didn't find much about it other than it is unincorporated and has a population of about 100. It is in the Terre Haute Metropolitan Statistical Area, in Fairbanks Township in Sullivan County.
Plus, Fairbanks might also have been a sergeant and his first name was Nathan.
I did come across plenty of stuff about Fairbanks, Alaska, though. Also, there was no mention of who the Fairbanks in Indiana was named, but I'm fairly sure it must have been the lieutenant.
According to IMDB, an Indiana State Historical Marker was erected in Fairbanks in 1989 that reads:
A War of 1812 military action occurred in September 1812 three miles west of here. While escorting supplies from Fort Knox near Vincennes to Fort Harrison at Terre Haute, Sergeant Nathan Fairbanks and approximately a dozen soldiers were ambushed--and most killed-- by Indians."
I definitely Will Have to Do a War of 1812 Tour the Next Time I'm On US-41 Driving Through There. --Brock-Perry
Plus, Fairbanks might also have been a sergeant and his first name was Nathan.
I did come across plenty of stuff about Fairbanks, Alaska, though. Also, there was no mention of who the Fairbanks in Indiana was named, but I'm fairly sure it must have been the lieutenant.
According to IMDB, an Indiana State Historical Marker was erected in Fairbanks in 1989 that reads:
A War of 1812 military action occurred in September 1812 three miles west of here. While escorting supplies from Fort Knox near Vincennes to Fort Harrison at Terre Haute, Sergeant Nathan Fairbanks and approximately a dozen soldiers were ambushed--and most killed-- by Indians."
I definitely Will Have to Do a War of 1812 Tour the Next Time I'm On US-41 Driving Through There. --Brock-Perry
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Two Attacks At the Narrows
From Wikipedia.
While not a huge fight, it was part of the overall action at Fort Harrison in Terre Haute, Indiana.
A group of 13 soldiers under the command of Lieutenant Fairbanks of the 7th Infantry escorted a supply wagon with flour and meat from Vincennes' Fort Knox to Colonel Russell at Fort Harrison.
On September 13th, they were ambushed by the Pottawatomi at a part of the trail called the Narrows near present-day Fairbanks, Indiana (named after the lieutenant), which had many ravines from the tributaries of Prairie Creek.
The draft horses panicked and ran away with the wagon. Only two Americans, wagoneer John B. Cook and Private Edward Perdue, managed to escape back to Fort Knox alive, but Perdue was later discharged because of severe wounds. Fortunately, the Pottawatomi had elected to pursue the wagon instead of them.
Eleven soldiers were killed and all provisions lost. Several Indians were killed or wounded as well.
Two days after the first relief wagon left, a second group also headed for Fort Harrison. Lt. Richardson had 15 soldiers and two wagons and followed the same trail, unaware of the fate of the first group. The Pottawatomi ambushed them September 15th and the Americans retreated, losing the wagons, seven men were killed and one wounded.
Beware the Narrows. --Brock-Perry
While not a huge fight, it was part of the overall action at Fort Harrison in Terre Haute, Indiana.
A group of 13 soldiers under the command of Lieutenant Fairbanks of the 7th Infantry escorted a supply wagon with flour and meat from Vincennes' Fort Knox to Colonel Russell at Fort Harrison.
On September 13th, they were ambushed by the Pottawatomi at a part of the trail called the Narrows near present-day Fairbanks, Indiana (named after the lieutenant), which had many ravines from the tributaries of Prairie Creek.
The draft horses panicked and ran away with the wagon. Only two Americans, wagoneer John B. Cook and Private Edward Perdue, managed to escape back to Fort Knox alive, but Perdue was later discharged because of severe wounds. Fortunately, the Pottawatomi had elected to pursue the wagon instead of them.
Eleven soldiers were killed and all provisions lost. Several Indians were killed or wounded as well.
Two days after the first relief wagon left, a second group also headed for Fort Harrison. Lt. Richardson had 15 soldiers and two wagons and followed the same trail, unaware of the fate of the first group. The Pottawatomi ambushed them September 15th and the Americans retreated, losing the wagons, seven men were killed and one wounded.
Beware the Narrows. --Brock-Perry
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