St. Charles, Mo. & War of 1812-- Part 5: Death of James Callaway

In early march 1815, a detachment of the Rangers headed north out of Camp Clemson to recapture horses taken by the Indians.  They succeeded in doing this, but as they were returning they were attacked by Indians at Loutre Creek.  At least four Americans were killed, including James Callaway.

Afterwards, his father and a group of men traveled to the site and buried him.

By June, the company was operating further north out of Woods Fort where the town of Troy was later established.  This is where William Becknell was discharged at the rank of ensign after two years of service.

Later that year, he hire a lawyer to get money owed him for his second year of service.  Becknell considered it to be $601 that he was owed.

--Brock-Perry

St. Charles, Mo. & the War of 1812-- Part 3: Battle of Credit Island

William Becknell witnessed a conversation between Benjamin Howard and James Callaway where Howard either borrowed $400 from Callaway or had somehow ended up indebted to Callaway.  This came up in litigation several years later.

Shortly afterwards, the U.S. Mounted Rangers traveled up the Mississippi River to the Rock River in present day Quad-Cities, where the Battle of Credit island took place September 4 and 5.  The American force was led by General Zachary Taylor and was defeated forcing a retreat down the Mississippi River to Fort Johnson, located where the state boundaries of Missouri, Illinois and Iowa meet.

Benjamin Howard returned to St. Louis, but fell sick along the way and died soon afterward.

--Brock-Perry

St. Charles & War of 1812-- Part 2: Benjamin Howard

William Becknell was appointed ensign by order of General Benjamin Howard.  James Callaway at the same time was appointed captain of the company of U.S. Mounted Rangers.

In 1810, Benjamin Howard had been appointed governor of the Louisiana Territory by President Madison.  That territory was later renamed the Missouri Territory.  In 1812, he resigned his position to become a brigadier general and assumed command of American troops west of the Mississippi River, including the U.S. Mounted Rangers.

Becknell and his company then spent the majority of the next two years in service northwest of St. Charles, Mo. in an area between the Missouri and the Mississippi rivers.

In the mid-summer of 1814, the company was at Cap au Gris, where the Cuivre River flows into the Mississippi near present-day Troy.

--Brock-Perry