The Frontier Soldier

"On the second day of  our march, a courier arrived from General Harrison ordering the artillery to advance with all possible speed.  This was impossible in all the snow, and swampy terrain.  That evening news arrived that General Harrison had retreated to Portage River.  As many men as could went to re-enforce him.  We struck up camp at 2 am.  I confess that on that day I regretted being a soldier.  We marched 30 miles under constant rain.  In the best of the road, the Black Swamp took us to our knees through rotted ice to 4-5 feet of water.

That night we camped on wet ground.  Fires were difficult, no tents, wet clothes, no arms, nothing to cook with, little to eat.  We killed a hog nearby, secured some flour from some pack horses close.  Backed bread in the ashes, broiled pork on the coals - a sweeter meal I never partook of.  We went to sleep on two logs laid close together to keep our bodies from the wet ground.  Good God!  What a pliant being a man is in adversity!"

--Written by a volunteer in the backwoods of the Old Northwest territory during the War of 1812.

Most able-bodied men saw years of hard military service, many never come home or else came home weak, crippled or dying.  Their farms had been neglected, Indian attacks still kept settlers afraid.  For most of the backwoods country, it was believed that the British would rule the Old Northwest again at the end of the War.  It wasn't until 1815 when peace was concluded, did the frontier breathe easier.  There was never again a general uprising against the whites - with the exception of Black Hawk's rebellion in 1832.  Tecumseh was dead and with him the spirit of his people.

Once again, the migration tide came westward.  Indiana and Illinois were promising places to build fortunes.  The population of Indiana grew from 25,000 in 1810 to 70,000 in 1816.  Indiana became a state with Illinois following two years later.  The Old Northwest was officially "settled" now and the movement continued westward across the Mississippi. 

Next time...The National Road
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Today in Pioneer History:  "On May 23, 1934, the infamous bank robbers, Bonnie and Clyde Barrow's reign came to an end as they were killed by Texas and Louisiana police near Salles, Louisiana.  Their reputation as dangerous outlaws was followed by the public as a romantic "Robin Hood" like couple. The posed in photographs as a playful pair, but they were responsible for the deaths of 13 people, including 9 police officers.