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Arcer Bush Wars: Difference between revisions
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→Battle of Inborough
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[[File:Settlers defend.png|thumb|The local garrison of Innborough defends themselves from an Indigenous attack, August 1797. ]] | [[File:Settlers defend.png|thumb|The local garrison of Innborough defends themselves from an Indigenous attack, August 1797. ]] | ||
Teewkami during this period was well aware of Thompson's marauding militia forces, however had chosen not to engage them. After the humiliating defeat and casualties at the Battle of Loughton, he was hesitant to engage the Arcer and Carnish forces in open field. Tewekami marched his warband Southeast, away from the A'awaskan homeland and towards Innborough, and avoided burning settlements along the way so as not to arouse suspicion. As well, he had his warriors travel in many smaller groups and mostly at night, to avoid detection by any pickets or roving patrols from Chester-on-Moore. They convened near a small cluster of farms owned by Timothy Laweson, just Northwest of Innborough, which they attacked, killing the settlers and using the buildings as a temporary settlement from which to rest before the oncoming battle. However, one of the children they had neglected to kill managed to make it to Innborough, alerting the local garrison who sent for the company of militia to reinforce them from Chester-on-Moore. Tewekami's scouts however reported that the town had limited defenders and no cannon, and the decision was made on the morning of August 22nd, 1797 to attack. | Teewkami during this period was well aware of Thompson's marauding militia forces, however had chosen not to engage them. After the humiliating defeat and casualties at the Battle of Loughton, he was hesitant to engage the Arcer and Carnish forces in open field. Tewekami marched his warband Southeast, away from the A'awaskan homeland and towards Innborough, and avoided burning settlements along the way so as not to arouse suspicion. As well, he had his warriors travel in many smaller groups and mostly at night, to avoid detection by any pickets or roving patrols from Chester-on-Moore. They convened near a small cluster of farms owned by Timothy Laweson, just Northwest of Innborough, which they attacked, killing the settlers and using the buildings as a temporary settlement from which to rest before the oncoming battle. However, one of the children they had neglected to kill managed to make it to Innborough, alerting the local garrison who sent for the company of militia to reinforce them from Chester-on-Moore. Tewekami's scouts however reported that the town had limited defenders and no cannon, and the decision was made on the morning of August 22nd, 1797 to attack. | ||
Attacking at dawn, Tewekami's men experienced no resistance on the outer farms, all of them having been abandoned. Concerned that they had lost the element of surprise, they rushed quickly towards the town hall, which they found surrounded by overturned carts, interlocked with barrels and bags of wheat. The sixty-seven defenders were vastly outnumbered, but were constantly firing at the Indigenous forces, who attempted to breach the small building several times but were repelled. Meanwhile, Captain Edward Murray had force marched the Chester-on-Moore company of militia from the town overnight, and had reached by the evening the town of Greywater. He sent a scout ahead, and on the morning of August 23rd the scout reported that Tewekami's men had taken to rest but still maintained a loose cordon around the town hall, as they waited for their Chief's instruction. Tewekami was faced with a tough decision, as he was aware that reinforcements from Chester-on-Moore would arrive likely by the evening of August 24th. What he had not expected was the extra day's notice from his men's need to rest and their attack on Lawson's farm. He decided he would press his attack and try and capitulate the defenders of Innborough by the evening of the 23rd, and if unsuccessful burn as much of the town as he could. However he was having extreme difficulty controlling his warriors. Unaccustomed to extended visits into Occidental and Arcer towns, they had looted and pillaged much of Innborough, including a large number which had taken to emptying the Pub of its alcohol and beer stores, becoming drunk and disorderly, starting many fights between the multitude of tribes in the warband. Tewekami now had to focus on solving internal discipline issues while also maintaining pressure on the defenders in the town hall. | Attacking at dawn, Tewekami's men experienced no resistance on the outer farms, all of them having been abandoned. Concerned that they had lost the element of surprise, they rushed quickly towards the town hall, which they found surrounded by overturned carts, interlocked with barrels and bags of wheat. The sixty-seven defenders were vastly outnumbered, but were constantly firing at the Indigenous forces, who attempted to breach the small building several times but were repelled. Meanwhile, Captain Edward Murray had force marched the Chester-on-Moore company of militia from the town overnight, and had reached by the evening the town of Greywater. He sent a scout ahead, and on the morning of August 23rd the scout reported that Tewekami's men had taken to rest but still maintained a loose cordon around the town hall, as they waited for their Chief's instruction. Tewekami was faced with a tough decision, as he was aware that reinforcements from Chester-on-Moore would arrive likely by the evening of August 24th. What he had not expected was the extra day's notice from his men's need to rest and their attack on Lawson's farm. He decided he would press his attack and try and capitulate the defenders of Innborough by the evening of the 23rd, and if unsuccessful burn as much of the town as he could. However he was having extreme difficulty controlling his warriors. Unaccustomed to extended visits into Occidental and Arcer towns, they had looted and pillaged much of Innborough, including a large number which had taken to emptying the Pub of its alcohol and beer stores, becoming drunk and disorderly, starting many fights between the multitude of tribes in the warband. Tewekami now had to focus on solving internal discipline issues while also maintaining pressure on the defenders in the town hall. | ||
[[File:Battle of Innborough.png|thumb|Arcer National Archives depiction of the 1797 Battle of Innborough. ]] | [[File:Battle of Innborough.png|thumb|Arcer National Archives depiction of the 1797 Battle of Innborough. ]] | ||
Late in the afternoon on August 23rd, Captain Murray's men sighted the smoke clouds rising from Innborough's burnt and burning buildings. They pressed on, and shortly before dinner began to sight the Indigenous encampment. Murray devised a plan. He cut fifty of his men away under the command of Lieutenant Johnathan Quicke, to attack the enemy lodgings, while he would take the remainder of the company into the town and relieve the defenders. With the sun setting, the militiamen pressed on, and engaged with musketry the Indigenous forces at 6:34pm, August 23rd, 1797. | Late in the afternoon on August 23rd, Captain Murray's men sighted the smoke clouds rising from Innborough's burnt and burning buildings. They pressed on, and shortly before dinner began to sight the Indigenous encampment. Murray devised a plan. He cut fifty of his men away under the command of Lieutenant Johnathan Quicke, to attack the enemy lodgings, while he would take the remainder of the company into the town and relieve the defenders. With the sun setting, the militiamen pressed on, and engaged with musketry the Indigenous forces at 6:34pm, August 23rd, 1797. | ||
Tewekami was furious, and attempted to quickly organize a counter-attack, but many of his senior warriors and elders were too busy disciplining soldiers, breaking up fights, drunk, or looting the residences of Innborough. What limited warriors he could muster were cut down in rapidly rising numbers as they tried to attack the Arcer Militia, who were slowly advancing, one line of men firing while two reloaded, then a fresh line advancing several paces down the main street before firing, repeating the process. Tewekami also received a hurried report from a runner that their camp was being burned and many scores of his warriors were being killed by another Arcer militia group. He chose to flee into the night, abandoning his men as he felt the Arcers encircling him. In total, he lost over two hundred warriors killed and the same number wounded, the Arcers suffering a dozen killed and twice that number wounded. | Tewekami was furious, and attempted to quickly organize a counter-attack, but many of his senior warriors and elders were too busy disciplining soldiers, breaking up fights, drunk, or looting the residences of Innborough. What limited warriors he could muster were cut down in rapidly rising numbers as they tried to attack the Arcer Militia, who were slowly advancing, one line of men firing while two reloaded, then a fresh line advancing several paces down the main street before firing, repeating the process. Tewekami also received a hurried report from a runner that their camp was being burned and many scores of his warriors were being killed by another Arcer militia group. He chose to flee into the night, abandoning his men as he felt the Arcers encircling him. In total, he lost over two hundred warriors killed and the same number wounded, the Arcers suffering a dozen killed and twice that number wounded. | ||
The militiamen consolidated their gains and withdrew to the town hall, expecting a counter-attack the morning of August 24th that never materialized, as the remainder of Tewekami's warband had fled with what loot they still had into the night, effectively ending his tenure as a senior Chieftain of the A'awskan peoples. | The militiamen consolidated their gains and withdrew to the town hall, expecting a counter-attack the morning of August 24th that never materialized, as the remainder of Tewekami's warband had fled with what loot they still had into the night, effectively ending his tenure as a senior Chieftain of the A'awskan peoples. | ||
1798 | === 1798 - Turning Point and Lowland Settlement === | ||
Battle of Loughton Field | Battle of Loughton Field | ||
major pitched battle between multiple awaska tribes and three militia companies back in Loughton to resupply | major pitched battle between multiple awaska tribes and three militia companies back in Loughton to resupply | ||