Colonel William Dudley
Encyclopedia
William Dudley was a colonel in the 13th Regiment of the Kentucky Militia during the War of 1812
.
He was born in Fredericksburg, Virginia
to Robert and Joyce (Gayle) Dudley. He married Lucy Smith on August 23, 1792.
. He eventually settled in Fayette County, Kentucky
. There, he served as the local magistrate
for several years. When the War of 1812 broke out, he was a colonel
in the 13th Regiment of Kentucky Militia.
. Clay's forces numbered some 1,200 strong as they travelled up the Maumee River
to Fort Meigs
. Clay's forces arrived at the fort on May 4, 1813, in the midst of the Siege of Fort Meigs
.
General William Henry Harrison
sent a courier to General Clay ordering him to take an offensive against the British battery on the other side of the Maumee to drive them away and spike (disable) their cannons. General Clay left this task up to Colonel Dudley and a force of 800 men.
On the morning of May 5, Dudley made his assault on the British and succeeded in driving them off. After this, however, Clay's plan fell apart. The soldier with the tools to spike the cannons had accidentally landed on the opposite side of the river. In desperation, Dudley's men tried, and somewhat succeeded, to spike the guns with their bayonet
s and ramrod
s.
In addition, the Indians became quite a problem when they began to fire at the Kentuckians from some distance inside the woods. In a fit of revenge for their fellow statesmen from the River Raisin Massacre, the Kentucky militiamen charged after the natives against their officers' orders. The Indians soon drew the militia further and further into the woods, and they were eventually surrounded by the Indians and the British Army.
After being taken prisoner and led downriver to the ruins of Fort Miami
, the Indians proceeded to fire randomly into the parade of prisoners, killing several. This soon grew into natives tomahawking the men and stripping them of their valuables. This all occurred while several British officers, including Colonel Henry Procter, were standing some distance off watching. The only thing that stopped this massacre was the arrival of Tecumseh
himself, who held off his warriors with his tomahawk. Tecumseh reportedly called Procter a woman for failing to act, saying, "You are unfit to command, go and put on petticoats!" This 'massacre' resulted in an additional 30 dead.
Of the 800 men who took the assault, about 650 were killed, wounded or captured and only 150 escaped to the safety of Fort Meigs. Among the dead was Colonel Dudley himself, who was killed during the first few minutes of the fighting. This became known as "Dudley's Massacre" or "Dudley's Defeat."
Today, a Historical Landmarker is placed on the grounds of the Maumee Library in Maumee, Ohio
very near the site of the battle.
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...
.
He was born in Fredericksburg, Virginia
Fredericksburg, Virginia
Fredericksburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia located south of Washington, D.C., and north of Richmond. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 24,286...
to Robert and Joyce (Gayle) Dudley. He married Lucy Smith on August 23, 1792.
Life in Kentucky
As a young man, William went to seek his fortune west of the Appalachian MountainsAppalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains #Whether the stressed vowel is or ,#Whether the "ch" is pronounced as a fricative or an affricate , and#Whether the final vowel is the monophthong or the diphthong .), often called the Appalachians, are a system of mountains in eastern North America. The Appalachians...
. He eventually settled in Fayette County, Kentucky
Fayette County, Kentucky
Fayette County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. The population was 295,083 in the 2010 Census. Its territory, population and government are coextensive with the city of Lexington, which also serves as county seat....
. There, he served as the local magistrate
Magistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
for several years. When the War of 1812 broke out, he was a colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
in the 13th Regiment of Kentucky Militia.
Military service
In the spring of 1813, Dudley was under command of General Green ClayGreen Clay
Green Clay was a United States politician and a soldier in both the American Revolutionary War and the War of 1812....
. Clay's forces numbered some 1,200 strong as they travelled up the Maumee River
Maumee River
The Maumee River is a river in northwestern Ohio and northeastern Indiana in the United States. It is formed at Fort Wayne, Indiana by the confluence of the St. Joseph and St. Marys rivers, and meanders northeastwardly for through an agricultural region of glacial moraines before flowing into the...
to Fort Meigs
Fort Meigs
Fort Meigs was a fortification along the Maumee River in Ohio during the War of 1812. It is named in honor of Ohio governor Return J. Meigs, Jr., for his support in providing General William Henry Harrison with militia and supplies for the line of forts along the Old Northwest...
. Clay's forces arrived at the fort on May 4, 1813, in the midst of the Siege of Fort Meigs
Siege of Fort Meigs
The Siege of Fort Meigs took place during the War of 1812, in northwestern Ohio. A small British army with support from Indians attempted to capture the recently-constructed fort to forestall an American offensive against Detroit, which the British had captured the previous year...
.
General William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison was the ninth President of the United States , an American military officer and politician, and the first president to die in office. He was 68 years, 23 days old when elected, the oldest president elected until Ronald Reagan in 1980, and last President to be born before the...
sent a courier to General Clay ordering him to take an offensive against the British battery on the other side of the Maumee to drive them away and spike (disable) their cannons. General Clay left this task up to Colonel Dudley and a force of 800 men.
On the morning of May 5, Dudley made his assault on the British and succeeded in driving them off. After this, however, Clay's plan fell apart. The soldier with the tools to spike the cannons had accidentally landed on the opposite side of the river. In desperation, Dudley's men tried, and somewhat succeeded, to spike the guns with their bayonet
Bayonet
A bayonet is a knife, dagger, sword, or spike-shaped weapon designed to fit in, on, over or underneath the muzzle of a rifle, musket or similar weapon, effectively turning the gun into a spear...
s and ramrod
Ramrod
A ramrod is a device used with early firearms to push the projectile up against the propellant . It is also commonly referred to as a "scouring stick"...
s.
In addition, the Indians became quite a problem when they began to fire at the Kentuckians from some distance inside the woods. In a fit of revenge for their fellow statesmen from the River Raisin Massacre, the Kentucky militiamen charged after the natives against their officers' orders. The Indians soon drew the militia further and further into the woods, and they were eventually surrounded by the Indians and the British Army.
After being taken prisoner and led downriver to the ruins of Fort Miami
Fort Miami
Fort Miami was the name of several forts in what is now the United States.*Fort Miami *Fort Miami *Fort Miami...
, the Indians proceeded to fire randomly into the parade of prisoners, killing several. This soon grew into natives tomahawking the men and stripping them of their valuables. This all occurred while several British officers, including Colonel Henry Procter, were standing some distance off watching. The only thing that stopped this massacre was the arrival of Tecumseh
Tecumseh
Tecumseh was a Native American leader of the Shawnee and a large tribal confederacy which opposed the United States during Tecumseh's War and the War of 1812...
himself, who held off his warriors with his tomahawk. Tecumseh reportedly called Procter a woman for failing to act, saying, "You are unfit to command, go and put on petticoats!" This 'massacre' resulted in an additional 30 dead.
Of the 800 men who took the assault, about 650 were killed, wounded or captured and only 150 escaped to the safety of Fort Meigs. Among the dead was Colonel Dudley himself, who was killed during the first few minutes of the fighting. This became known as "Dudley's Massacre" or "Dudley's Defeat."
Today, a Historical Landmarker is placed on the grounds of the Maumee Library in Maumee, Ohio
Maumee, Ohio
Maumee is a city in Lucas County, Ohio, United States. It is a suburb of Toledo along the Maumee River. The population was 14,286 at the 2010 census. Maumee was also declared an All-America City by the National Civic League in June 2006.-Geography:...
very near the site of the battle.
See also
- Fort MeigsFort MeigsFort Meigs was a fortification along the Maumee River in Ohio during the War of 1812. It is named in honor of Ohio governor Return J. Meigs, Jr., for his support in providing General William Henry Harrison with militia and supplies for the line of forts along the Old Northwest...
- Green ClayGreen ClayGreen Clay was a United States politician and a soldier in both the American Revolutionary War and the War of 1812....
- Siege of Fort MeigsSiege of Fort MeigsThe Siege of Fort Meigs took place during the War of 1812, in northwestern Ohio. A small British army with support from Indians attempted to capture the recently-constructed fort to forestall an American offensive against Detroit, which the British had captured the previous year...
- William Henry HarrisonWilliam Henry HarrisonWilliam Henry Harrison was the ninth President of the United States , an American military officer and politician, and the first president to die in office. He was 68 years, 23 days old when elected, the oldest president elected until Ronald Reagan in 1980, and last President to be born before the...