Indiana Rangers
Indiana Rangers | |
---|---|
Active | 1807–1809 1811 1812–1815 |
Disbanded | 1809 (first time) 1811 (second time) June, 1815 (third time) |
Country | Dragoons (1812–1815) |
Role | Protect Indiana Territory from Indian attacks |
Size | 3 divisions (1807–1809): 1st Division 2nd Division 3rd Division 6 companies (1812–1815)
|
Part of | Territorial Governor tomahawk sword |
Engagements | Battle of Tippecanoe (1811) War of 1812
|
Commanders | |
Current commander | Major John Tipton |
Ceremonial chief | Captain William Hargrove |
Colonel of the Regiment | Captain James Bigger |
The Indiana Rangers, also known as the Indiana Territorial Mounted Rangers, were a mounted militia formed in 1807 and operated in the early part of the 19th century to defend settlers in Indiana Territory from attacks by Native Americans. The rangers were present at the Battle of Tippecanoe, and served as auxiliaries to the army during the War of 1812. At the peak of their activities they numbered over 400 men.
History
Origins
First formation of Rangers
In 1807, the Larkins family was travelling along the
Beginning of Ranger Operations
The first Indiana Rangers who patrolled the road in 1807 did so on foot. The Rangers had three divisions: Captain William Hargrove's 1st Division patrolled from the Wabash River to
Final operations and disbandment
Although the mounted militia units lacked uniformity, the men—and sometimes women[3]—were well trained. In keeping with their mission, the Indiana Rangers were involved in numerous incidents involving Native Americans. Native Americans and white settlers were considered to be at peace during this time, and the early Rangers were so effective that clashes between Native Americans and white settlers effectively ended. Harrison disbanded the Indiana Rangers in 1809.[6]
War of 1812
Reformation of the Indiana Rangers
As tensions between U.S. settlers and Native Americans increased, the Indiana Rangers were reactivated. Two Rangers companies were raised and stationed in Vincennes, Indiana.[6] Prior to the War of 1812, an Indiana Rangers detachment under Captain William Hargrove detained a British subject they believed was supporting indigenous resistance to white American settlers in Indiana.[7] Resistance to U.S. colonization in the Indiana Territory by Native Americans became more frequent after the outbreak of war, which led to attacks such as the Pigeon Roost raid. During the war, the Rangers were used to augment larger American armies.
Battle of Wild Cat Creek
General Samuel Hopkins utilized the Rangers in his Second Tippecanoe Campaign (1812), where several were killed at the Battle of Wild Cat Creek.
Ambushing Shawnee Native Americans at the Battle of Tipton’s Island
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.[10] The Rangers took ambush 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.[11] One Shawnee was killed and several were wounded, but three Shawnees drowned when they tried to swim across the flooded White River.
The Rangers 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.[12]
Joseph Bartholomew’s Raid
On June 11, 1813, Indiana General Joseph Bartholomew led a force of 137 Rangers to patrol the White River. Bartholomew and his Rangers raided the Native American Delaware villages destroying 1000 bushels of corn, and capturing 3 horses. No Native Americans were seen during the raid,[13] until they found and attacked two Native Americans at a campfire. One was killed and the other escaped, after critically wounding a Ranger. The Rangers withdrew to Fort Vallonia. The wounded ranger, a man named Hays, was brought back to the fort and later died from his wounds.[14]
Colonel William Russell’s Raid
Colonel
That July, Rangers under General Bartholomew supplemented Colonel Russell's mounted force, which traveled 500 miles through the Indiana territory destroying hostile Indian villages. The Americans had located an Indian stockade fort in Miami County Indiana and he burned it to the ground. Russell and his mounted raiders destroyed at least 5 enemy village bases. This raid lasted for about one month. After completing the raid, Russell and his fellow mounted raiders withdrew safely back to Fort Harrison. No Native Americans were seen during the expedition,[13] and no one in Russell's force was lost in the campaign.[15][16][17][18]
Further Formations of Rangers and final disbandment
In 1813, the federal government authorized an additional four
Legacy
People
One of the new
Organizations
The Indiana Rangers inspired the creation of the more famous Texas Rangers.[22]
The
See also
Notes
- ^ Wilson, p. 235.
- ^ a b c Allison, p. 241.
- ^ a b c "Indiana Territorial Mounted Rangers: Introduction". 2007. Retrieved January 19, 2009.
- ^ Robinson p. 375.
- ^ Dean, p. 375.
- ^ a b c Allison, p. 242.
- ^ Dean, p. 377.
- ^ 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
- ^ a b Heighway, David. "Warfare in the Wilderness". Hamilton East Public Library. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
- ^ "The United States Cavalry: An Illustrated History, 1776-1944" by Gregory J. W. Urwin pg. 45.
- ^ William Henry Harrison Papers: Series 1, General Correspondence, 1734-1939; 1734-1813, Aug.
- ^ "Indiana to 1816: The Colonial Period" by John D. Barnhart pg. 405.
- ^ "A History of Indiana, from Its Earliest Exploration by Europeans to the Close of the Territorial Government, in 1816: Comprehending a History of the Territory of the U. S. Northwest of the River" by John Brown Dillon pg. 525-527.
- ^ "Fort Vallonia". Encyclopedia of Things. Discover INDIANA. April 30, 2005. Retrieved February 8, 2018.
- ^ Barr, p. 316.
- ^ Indiana State Teachers Association-History Section (1914). Readings in Indiana History. Indiana University. p. 120.
- ^ "Depostion of James Bigger". April 6, 1813. Retrieved January 22, 2009.
- ^ Ferguson, Rich (March 3, 2008). "Indianapolis Tonight". WIBC. Retrieved January 15, 2009. [dead link]
- ^ a b c 1st Battalion, 151st Infantry Regiment "Warhawks" at globalsecurity.org. Website accessed November 24, 2009.
- ^ Indiana National Guard – Our History Archived February 27, 2010, at the Wayback Machine. Website accessed November 28, 2009.
- ^ "Indiana Rangers". US Army Center of Military History. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
- ^ Ramey, Timothy. "History of The Indiana Rangers". Ranger151.com. Retrieved January 20, 2009.
Sources
- Allison, Harold (1986). The Tragic Saga of the Indiana Indians. Paducah: Turner Publishing Company. ISBN 0-938021-07-9.
- Barr, Arvil S. (1918). "Warrick County Prior to 1818". Indiana Magazine of History (March 1918). Indiana University, Dept. of History.
- Dean, Thomas (1919). "Journal of Thomas Dean". Indiana Historical Society Publications. v. 6 (1916–19). Indiana Historical Society.
- Ferguson, Rich (2008). "Spur's Defeat by Shawnee in November 1812". Retrieved January 11, 2009.
- Wilson, George R.; Thornbrough, Gayle (1946). The Buffalo Trace. Indiana Historical Society Publications, volume 15, number 2. Indianapolis: Indiana Historical Society.
External links
- http://www.indianarangers.com – Recreated Indiana Territorial Mounted Rangers (reenacting unit)