War 1812 (13 page)

“Aye, sir,” Jonah replied, proud he’d remembered the correct naval reply.

Smiling, the commodore reached into his pocket and brought out an envelope, which he tore the back off and scribbled a note. When he finished writing, he looked at Jonah and said, “Forrest here is going to deliver a message for me to General Harrison. If you wish you may accompany him ashore.” The commodore then smiled after a brief pause then added, “Unless, of course, you’ve decided to join the Navy. If so, we’ll swear you in directly.”

Now it was Jonah’s time to smile. “I thank you for having me, sir. I will never forget this day but I think my talents are more land based.”

The two men then shook hands. After climbing down into the little boat that would take them ashore Jonah noticed Forrest staring at the note he’d been given to deliver to General Harrison.

“Interesting?” Jonah asked.

Without speaking, Forrest handed the note to Jonah. A list of ships captured was written down but what stood out was a single phrase… a phrase that said it all. As he read the phrase, the devastation of the battle between the ships at sea was at the forefront of his thoughts. The commodore had written a single, simple phrase that Jonah would never forget.
“We have met the enemy, and they are ours.”

Chapter Fourteen

M
oses was waiting when
Jonah made it back to Camp Seneca. Seeing how haggard Jonah looked sent a wave of concern through Moses.

“The victory did not come easy, I see,” Moses stated.

Recalling the roar of cannons, the screams of pain and curses of helpless men had taken an emotional toll on Jonah. How did you explain the very hell that was all about to a person who’d never been in such a battle at sea?

“No,” Jonah replied to his friend. “It did not come easy.” As he recalled the number of dead men sewn into their hammocks with a cannon ball at one end and at sunset sent to the bottom of Lake Erie. No grave, no marker. Nothing but a letter to some family member informing them their loved one was gone, having made the ultimate sacrifice for his country. Fine words did little to provide for a man’s family. How would they survive? That was the question on Jonah’s mind.

Perry had done his part. Now it was the Army who had to press the battle. He’d not let those brave sailors and Kentucky volunteers who died such a brave death do so in vain. He would prod Harrison all the way to Canada if he had to; even it meant shoving the tip of his sword up the general’s arse. Harrison would not take it kindly to being prodded but that was what the President had sent him to do. To push.

Reporting to General Harrison, Jonah found their leader to be in rare good humor.
He should be,
Jonah thought. When greetings were completed, Jonah gave his report, leaving nothing out. When he finished his narrative, he took a deep breath and spoke again.

“General, we now have the British on the run. We must push forward while they are reeling from the loss of their Navy.”

“You think, if given time, they will regroup, do you?”

“Yes sir, I do. We have them on their heels, sir. It’s time to put them on their backs.”

“I agree with you, Jonah. I will send a rider to recall Colonel Johnson and his mounted rifles. That will add another twelve hundred men to our numbers.”

“But sir,” Jonah objected. “We have over four thousand men in camp now. We can mobilize them while the rider seeks out Colonel Johnson. Being mounted, they will catch up. General, I watched good men die trying to drive the British from the lakes and cut their supply line to the army. I don’t think the president would be happy if we didn’t take full advantage of the victory the navy paid so dearly for. The time to move, General, is now. It’s time to attack the British with every man, every gun, and every blade that’s at hand. They are now on the run. Let’s not give them time to regroup. We must attack now.”

Harrison turned red and showed his displeasure by the tone of his voice. “Well, you don’t mind if I have my supper first do you, Mr. Lee? I’m sure the president would approve of a man eating before he begins a force march.”

Now it was Jonah who was fuming. “I doubt he’d have the stomach for it at a time like this, General. If you don’t mind, I will accompany your rider to recall Colonel Johnson.” Without waiting for a reply, he wheeled around and left thinking,
I don’t really give a damn whether you like it or not, I’m going.

As he left, Jonah heard Harrison slamming down his eating utensils and barking out orders. He couldn’t catch the exact words. But he didn’t care; if he could push Harrison into action, damn his displeasure. He owed it to those brave sailors. Nay, he owed it to his country. Moses was drinking a cup of cider when Jonah entered the tent. Taking another cup, he filled it half full with cider then filled it the rest of the way with liquid from a stone jug, thinking it was water. Downing the fiery liquid caused Jonah to cough and his eyes to water.

“Damn, Moses! You trying to kill me?”

“No, more like putting out a fire.”

“By starting a back fire,” Jonah wheezed.

“If that’s what it takes.”

“Damn,” Jonah cursed again.

“Keep that up and you’re going to upset some of them Kentucky boys. They set a heap of store in what they call sipping whiskey.”

“You have to sip it,” Jonah said, getting his voice back. “Otherwise, it burns your throat clean through. A full cup of that downed at one time could cause a man to lose his voice forever.”

Hearing this, Moses smiled and said, “There’s a woman or two I might like to try that on.”

“Well, I don’t want to know who they are,” Jonah replied. Reaching down for his bedroll, saddle, and bridle, he continued, “I’m going for a ride, want to come?”

Not waiting for an answer, Jonah shouldered his load and collided with a soldier as he walked out of the tent. “My apologies,” he stated as he offered a hand to help the soldier up.

Biting back a curse, the soldier took the offered hand. “Are you Mister Lee?”

“Guilty.”

Smiling at the response, the soldier’s anger faded. “General Harrison is sending me after Colonel Johnson, sir. He said I was to let you know as you might prefer riding to sitting.”

Another dig,
Jonah thought. Well, he might have pushed a little too hard. He’d let up, but if the general wasn’t ready to march when they got back, he’d find out just how hard Jonah could push.

The horses seem to understand the urgency their riders felt. Jonah kept going over and over in his mind his conversation with Harrison. He was certainly a better leader than Hull. In their days when both he and Harrison were with General Wayne, he showed no reluctance to give battle. Did he fear the unknown? Once, when they paused to give the horses a blow, Jonah discussed his concerns with Moses while the soldier led the horses down to a small creek.

“Maybe he fears death,” Moses said.

“Death!” Jonah exclaimed. “Every soldier lives with that possibility. He fears something worse than death, but what could it be?”

“You can’t guess?” Moses asked.

Jonah gave him a quizzical look and then replied, “You tell me.”

“His soul.”

Jonah was awestruck and stood spellbound for a few seconds. When he made no comment, Moses added, “No man can lead an army into battle, to kill or be killed without fearing the judgment of the Almighty.”

Before Jonah could reply, the soldier was back with the horses. Deep in thought, Jonah mounted and led them off down the trail. This time the pace wasn’t so hurried. It was late that afternoon when the soldier called for Jonah and Moses to hold up for a minute.

“We are almost there,” the soldier muttered.

“Where?” Jonah asked.

“The River Raisin, sir. I was there when it happened.”

“The massacre?” Jonah asked incredulously.

“Yes sir. I was one of the lucky ones. I had felt in my bones you couldn’t trust the Redcoats, and I knew we were fools to trust the red devils. We kilt too many of the savages for them not to have devilment on their minds.”

Jonah and Moses sat and waited for the soldier to speak. He was having difficulty as he relived that night in his mind. The horses stamped and pawed while they stood. Moses’ horse stretched his neck, loosening the reins on the bridle. Once loose, he shook his neck and whinnied; impatiently waiting to move on or get the weight of the saddle and rider off his back.

Suddenly, the man started speaking. “We fought ’em till we was out of powder and shot, and then the major told us to fix our bayonets but then somebody surrendered. They didn’t have no wagons to move the wounded on, so they was left at Frenchtown until some could be rounded up. My neighbor from back home in Ohio was one of the wounded to be carried in the wagons. When they marched off the unwounded prisoners, I ducked into the bushes and hid out. When it got dark, I was going to round him up, and if he could make it with my help, we’d skedaddle out of there back to General Harrison.”

“Did you find your friend?” Jonah asked.

The soldier hung his head and shook it. “No, I never did. Once it got dark, I knew our wounded was in trouble. The red devils showed up all liquored up. Some said Proctor had it waiting on them at Stoney Creek. Whether he did or didn’t, don’t much matter at this time, as the killen’s done been done, but if I ever get that Redcoat in my sites, he’s a goner.”

The soldier paused again as if recalling that night. Finally, he continued, “I wasn’t the only one hiding out. I run up on a couple of boys from Kaintuck, who had the same worries I did. As more and more Indians showed up, it was plain to see they was all worked up with an appetite for blood. All night long they drank, yelled, and whooped it up. Come morning when no wagons or sleds showed up, they started their hellish ways. They had painted their faces red and black so I knew it would be a massacre. One of the Kaintuck boys wanted to high tail it, but the other was too weak, so we just stayed put. We were between some rocks that weren’t too comfortable, but it was flanked by a deadfall and bushes. I figured as long as we didn’t move about we’d be all right. Soon the red devils started their evil doings. They began to plunder the wounded and scalped ’em while they were at it. Some were scalped even before they were killed. Two houses full of wounded men were set afire. I don’t guess I’ll ever forget the smell and the screams as men were burned alive. The wounded that could took off running toward Fort Malden, but most of them were caught. They had their heads cut off and stuck on poles to put fear into the Americans. To this day, the road to Fort Malden and Frenchtown is full of bodies left to rot where they fell.”

Without giving any indication he’d finished his story, the soldier clucked to his horse and rode off. Jonah felt moisture at his eyes and was surprised how emotional he’d gotten.

“Brave man,” Moses volunteered.

Jonah nodded but didn’t speak. The two turned their horses and rode after the lone soldier.

Chapter Fifteen