Battle of Tipton's Island
Encyclopedia
Indiana Rangers
The Indiana 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...
under command of John Tipton
John Tipton
John Shields Tipton was an American politician.Tipton was born in what is now Sevier County, Tennessee. His father was killed by Native Americans. His great uncle, also named John, was a prominent man in the area...
in April 1813, near White River, in Indiana.
In April 1813, during the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
, a Kickapoo war party killed two white settlers eight miles away from Fort Vallonia. The war party continued towards the fort, killing another settler and wounding three more. The Kickapoo then put some distance between themselves and the fort, but were soon pursued by 30 Indiana Rangers under Major John Tipton
John Tipton
John Shields Tipton was an American politician.Tipton was born in what is now Sevier County, Tennessee. His father was killed by Native Americans. His great uncle, also named John, was a prominent man in the area...
known as "Corydon
Corydon, Indiana
Corydon is a town in Harrison Township, Harrison County, Indiana, United States, founded in 1808, and is known as Indiana's First State Capital. After Vincennes, Corydon was the second capital of the Indiana Territory from May 1, 1813, until December 11, 1816. After statehood, the town was the...
's Yellow Jackets".
The Kickapoo crossed the flooded Driftwood River
Driftwood River
The Driftwood River is a tributary of the East Fork of the White River in central Indiana in the United States. Via the White, Wabash and Ohio rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River...
, and thinking they had lost their pursuers, set up camp on an island in the east fork of the White River
White River (Indiana)
The White River is a two-forked river that flows through central and southern Indiana and is the main tributary to the Wabash River. Via the west fork, considered to be the main stem of the river by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names, the White River is long.-West Fork:The West Fork, long, is...
. 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. The rangers took positions along the bank of the river and opened fire. The Kickapoo 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. One Kickapoo was killed and several were wounded, but a few drowned when they deserted the island and tried to swim across the flooded White River.
The Rangers could not pursue the Kickapoo across the river, so they returned to Fort Vallonia. There was a celebration of the Rangers' victory, but as details of the skirmish became known, it was determined to be a small engagement against a war party that managed to escape. "Tipton's Island" became a term of ridicule.