Battle of Tipton's Island
Tipton's Island | |||||||
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Part of the War of 1812 | |||||||
| |||||||
Belligerents | |||||||
Shawnee |
United States Indiana Rangers | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
John Tipton | |||||||
Strength | |||||||
Unknown | 30 | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
1 killed 3 drowned in escape Several wounded |
3 settlers killed 2 settlers wounded |
The Battle of Tipton's Island was an engagement between a
In April 1813, during the
The Shawnee crossed the flooded Driftwood River and, thinking they had lost their pursuers, set up camp on an island in the east fork of the White River, just northeast of modern day Seymour. One of Tipton's scouts located the trail, however, and the rangers cautiously approached the river. Major Tipton ordered the rangers to maintain absolute silence, and tied one ranger to a tree when he kept talking.[3] The militia took positions along the bank of the river and opened fire. The Shawnee were taken by surprise, but returned fire for about half an hour. Few casualties were suffered due to the firing distance across the river and the shelter provided by the wooded island.[4] One Shawnee was killed and several were wounded, but a few drowned when they tried to swim across the flooded White River.
The militia could not pursue the Shawnee across the river, so they returned to Fort Vallonia. There was a victory celebration, but as details of the skirmish emerged, it was determined to be a small engagement against a war party that managed to escape. "Tipton's Island" became a term of ridicule.[5]
See also
Notes
- ^ Allison, 249
- ^ Carmony, Donald F. (1916). "Section 15". Indiana Magazine of History. Indiana University, Dept. of History.
- ^ *Pershing, Marvin W (c. 1900). Life of General John Tipton and Early Indiana History. Tipton literary and Suffrage Club.
Life of John Tipton.
Also on archive.org - ^ Allison, 250
- ^ Allison, 251
- Allison, Harold (1986). The Tragic Saga of the Indiana Indians. Paducah: Turner Publishing Company. ISBN 0-938021-07-9.