Editing Battle of Fort Dearborn (section)

==Battle==
{{Further|Peoria War}}
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On June 18, 1812, the United States declared [[War of 1812|war on the British Empire]],<ref>{{cite web | title=Senate Journal—Wednesday, June 17, 1812| url=http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/hlaw:@field(DOCID+@lit(sj005181))| work=Journal of the Senate of the United States of America, 1789–1873| publisher=Library of Congress| access-date=2011-12-28}}</ref> and on July 17, British forces [[Siege of Fort Mackinac|captured Fort Mackinac]] near the north coast of [[Lake Michigan]].<ref>{{harvnb|Heidler|Heidler|1997|p=347}}</ref> On July 29, General [[William Hull]] received news of the fall of Fort Mackinac and immediately sent orders to Heald to evacuate Fort Dearborn near the south coast of Lake Michigan, for fear that it could no longer be adequately supplied with provisions.<ref>{{harvnb|Quaife|1913|pp=215–216}}</ref> In his letter to Heald, which arrived at [[Fort Dearborn]] on August 9,<ref name="HealdJournal" /> Hull ordered Heald to destroy all the arms and ammunition and to give the remaining goods to friendly Indians in the hope of attaining an escort to Fort Wayne.{{refn|A facsimile copy of Hull's letter to Heald appears in {{harvnb|Quaife|1913|p=217}}|group=n}} Hull also sent a copy of these orders to [[Fort Wayne]] to the southeast of Lake Michigan, with additional instructions to provide Heald with all the information, advice and assistance within their power.<ref name="Irwin1812-11-12">Letter of Matthew Irwin to General John Mason, October 12, 1812. Published in {{harvnb|Quaife|1915|pp=566–570}}</ref> In the following days, the sub-Native American agent at Fort Wayne, Captain [[William Wells (soldier)|William Wells]], who was the uncle of Heald's wife, Rebekah, assembled a group of about 30 [[Miami people|Miami]] Native Americans. Wells, Corporal Walter K. Jordan, and the Miamis traveled to Fort Dearborn to provide an escort for the evacuees.{{refn|Wells had been brought up by the Miami, and was married to [[Wanagapeth]], the daughter of Miami Chief, [[Little Turtle]].<ref>{{cite journal | last=Hutton|first=Paul A.| title=William Wells: Frontier Scout and Indian Agent| journal=Indiana Magazine of History| date=September 1978| volume=74| issue=3| pages=183–222| jstor=27790311}}</ref>|group=n}}<ref>{{cite book | last=Brice| first=Wallace A.| title=History of Fort Wayne| year=1868| publisher=D. W. Jones & Son| location=Fort Wayne, Indiana| pages=206–207| url=https://archive.org/details/historyoffortway00briciala}}</ref>

Wells arrived at Fort Dearborn on August 12 or 13 (sources differ),<ref name="Heald Report" /><ref>{{Harvnb|Helm|1912|p=16}}</ref> and on August 14, Heald held a council with the Potawatomi leaders to inform them of his intention to evacuate the fort.<ref name="HarpersPokagon" /> The Native Americans believed that Heald told them that he would distribute the firearms, ammunition, provisions, and whiskey among them and that if they would send a band of Potawatomis to escort them safely to Fort Wayne, he would pay them a large sum of money. However, Heald ordered all the surplus arms, ammunition, and liquor destroyed "fearing that [the Native Americans] would make bad use of it if put in their possession."<ref name="Heald Report" /> On August 14, a Potawatomi chief called [[Black Partridge (chief)|Black Partridge]] warned Heald that the young men of the tribe intended to attack and that he could no longer restrain them.<ref name="HarpersPokagon" /><ref>{{harvnb|Quaife|1913|pp=220–221}}</ref>

At 9:00 am on August 15, the garrison, comprising, according to Heald's report, 54 US regulars, 12 militia,{{refn|Three of the 15 militia had deserted shortly after the militia had been formed.<ref>{{harvnb|Quaife|1913|p=213}}</ref>|group=n}} nine women and 18 children, left Fort Dearborn with the intention of marching to Fort Wayne.<ref name="Heald Report">Captain Heald's Official Report of the Evacuation of Fort Dearborn, dated October 23, 1812. Reproduced in {{cite book | last=Brannan| first=John| title=OfficialLletters of the Military and Naval Officers of the United States, During the War with Great Britain in the Years 1812, 13, 14, & 15| year=1823| publisher=Way & Gideon| pages=84–85| url=https://archive.org/details/officialletterso00branuoft}}</ref> Wells led the group with some of the Miami escorts, while the rest of the Miamis were positioned at the rear.<ref>{{Harvnb|Helm|1912|p=53}}</ref> About {{convert|1+1/2|mi|km}} south of Fort Dearborn, a band of [[Potawatomi]] warriors ambushed the garrison. Heald reported that, upon discovering that the Indians were preparing to ambush from behind a dune, the company marched to the top of the dune, fired off a round and charged at the Native Americans.<ref name="Quaife 1913 227">{{harvnb|Quaife|1913|p=227}}</ref>

The maneuver separated the cavalry from the wagons, which allowed the overwhelming Native American force to charge into the gap, divide, and surround both groups. During the ensuing battle, some of the Native Americans charged at the wagon train that contained the women and children and the provisions. The wagons were defended by the militia, as well as Ensign Ronan and the fort physician Van Voorhis. The officers and militia were killed, along with two of the women and most of the children.<ref name="Quaife 1913 227"/> Wells disengaged from the main battle and attempted to ride to the aid of those at the wagons.<ref>{{harvnb|Quaife|1913|p=228}}</ref> In doing so, he was brought down. According to eyewitness accounts, he fought off many Native Americans before being killed, and a group of Indians immediately cut out his heart and ate it to absorb his courage.<ref>{{harvnb|Quaife|1913|p=411}}</ref>

The battle lasted about 15 minutes, when Heald and the surviving soldiers withdrew to an area of elevated ground on the prairie. They surrendered to the Native Americans, who took them as prisoners to their camp near Fort Dearborn.<ref name="Heald Report" /> In his report, Heald detailed the American loss at 26 regulars, all 12 of the militia, two women and twelve children killed, with the other 28 regulars, seven women, and six children taken prisoner.<ref name="Heald Report" /> Survivors of the massacre filed different accounts regarding the [[Miami warriors]]. Some said that they fought for the Americans, and others said they did not fight at all.<ref name="Birzer"/>