report
of this affair, says:

"Below a place called Chatham, and four miles above Dalson's, is the
third unfordable branch of the Thames: the bridge over its mouth had
been taken up by the Indians, as well as that at M'Gregor's mills, one
mile above--several hundred of the Indians remained to dispute our
passage, and upon the arrival of the advanced guard, commenced a heavy
fire from the opposite bank of the creek, as well as that of the river.
Believing that the whole force of the enemy was there, I halted the
army, formed in order of battle, and brought up our two six pounders,
to cover the party that were ordered to repair the bridge. A few shot
from these pieces soon drove off the Indians, and enabled us in two
hours to repair the bridge and cross the troops. Colonel Johnson's
mounted regiment being upon the right of the army, had seized the
remains of the bridge at the mills, under a heavy fire from the
Indians. Our loss upon this occasion was two killed, and three or four
wounded; that of the enemy was ascertained to be considerably greater.
A house near the bridge, containing a very considerable number of
muskets, had been set on fire; but it was extinguished by our troops
and the arms saved."

Tecumseh and his party overtook they main army near the Moravian towns,
situated on the north side of the Thames. Here he resolved that he
would retreat no further; and the ground being favorable for forming
the line of battle, he communicated his determination to general
Proctor, and compelled him, as there is every reason for believing, to
put an end to his retreat, and prepare for meeting the pursuing army.
After the Indians were posted in the swamp, in the position occupied by
them during the battle, Tecumseh remarked to the chiefs by whom he was
surrounded, "brother warriors! we are now about to enter into an
engagement from which I shall never come out--my body will remain on
the field of battle." He then unbuckled his sword, and placing it in
the hands of one of them, said, "when my son becomes a noted warrior,
and able to wield a sword, give this to him." He then laid aside his
British military dress, and took his place in the line, clothed only in
the ordinary deer-skin hunting shirt.[A]

[Footnote A: Anthony Shane, and colonel Baubee of the British army.]

The position selected by the enemy was eminently judicious. The British
troops, amounting to eight or nine hundred, were posted with their left
upon the