The Battle of Chippawa

Porter’s Statement

by Richard V. Barbuto

In 1840, Peter B. Porter, former congressman, war hawk, secretary of war and commander of the Third Brigade of Jacob Brown's Left Division, finally wrote an account of the 1814 campaign. Below is an extract of that memoir which is the fullest account of the Forest Fight. I have maintained the original spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

"By 3 o'clock in the afternoon, the men having been refreshed from the fatigues of the preceeding 24 hours; the plan of march & attack settled; and the warriors duly arrayed in their battle dress - Gen. Porter's command (with the exception of 200 Pennsylvanians who were left on parade subject to future orders) was formed about half a mile in the rear of the main camp, into a single or Indian file, with the Indians on the left & thence marching into the woods in the same order, in a line at right angles with the river, until the whole Indian force was immersed in the forest, leaving the white troops in the open field, they had only to halt & face to the right, when the whole were formed in line of battle, three fourths of a mile long, and one man deep, looking in the direction of Chippewa.

Red Jacket was placed at the extreme left of the line, & Genl. Porter took his station on the margin of the woods between white and red troops, accompanied by Capt. Pollard (who was considered as the first in command among the Indians) Col. Flemming the Qtr_master of the Indian corps, Lieut. (now major) Donald Fraser, his aid, Henry Johnson, his interpreter. He was also accompanied by major (now Adjutant General) Jones, and Major Wood of the Engineers who afterwards fell in the sortie from Fort Erie, as Volunteers: and supported by a company of regular Infantry, marching in column in the rear, as a reserve. The Indians were commanded by their war chiefs, and were indulged in their own mode of conducting the attack, marching about 20 yards in advance of the warriors of their respective tribes.

Having previously sent out scouts to reconnoiter the enemy, the march was commenced by signal & proceeded at first with great stillness and caution. The chiefs have signals by which, on the discovery of any circumstance requiring consultation or a change of route or action, they convey notice through their ranks with great celerity; on which the whole line of warriors drops instantly to the ground & remain there until further orders. Two manuevres of this kind occurred on the march, the first of little moment, but the second communicating through the scouts, the exact position of the enemy who, apprised of their assailant's approach, lay concealed in a thicket of bushes along the margin of Street's creek.

A consultation was therefore held and new orders given, the purport of which was - To change the line of march so as to meet the enemy to more advantage, to increase the speed as much as was consistent with the preservation of order - to receive their first fire but not to return it, except singly & when it could be done with certain effect - and then to raise the war whoop, pursue, capture and slay as many as practicable, until they should reach the open ground in front of Chippewa, and thence return to camp."

"The march was accordingly rsumed, the fire of the enemy received, and a rush, accompanied with savage yells, made upon them, & continued for more than a mile, through scenes of frightfull havoc & slaughter - few only of the fugitives offering to surrender as prisoners, while others, believing that no quarter would be given, suffered themselves to be cut down by the tomahawk, or, turning upon their pursuers, fought hand to hand to the last."

"On reaching the open field in front of Chippewa the assailants were met by a tremendous discharge of musketry by which the warriors, who were principally in front were thrown back upon the volunteers & reserve, who for want of equal speed, were a short distance in the rear. Presuming that the fire had come from the enemy he had been pursuing, & who had rallied on reaching the open ground, Gen. Porter made an effort, not without success, to reform his line with the volunteers, reserve & a portion of the warriors, but on again advancing to the margin of the woods, found himself within a few yards of the whole British regular army, formed in line of battle & presenting within a given space, at least three men fresh from their camp to a single one of his attenuated & exhausted line.

After receiving & returning two or three fires, the enemy rushed forward with charged bayonets, when, hearing nothing from Gen. Scott, he gave the order to retreat, sauve qui peut, and form again on the left of Gen. Scott's Brigade, whereupon it should be reformed."

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© Copyright 2002 by Rich Barbuto.
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