Indiana Rangers
Encyclopedia
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
. At the peak of their activities they numbered over 400 men.
when they were attacked by a band of Native Americans. The father was killed, and Mrs. Larkins and her five children were taken into captivity. The incident sparked outcries for better protection along the route, and Territorial Governor William Henry Harrison
organized the Rangers to provide a fast response to attacks, primarily as a deterrent to random American Indian raids. The Rangers were modeled on the mounted troops used by General Anthony Wayne
at the Battle of Fallen Timbers
. The primary objective of the Rangers was to safeguard the Buffalo Trace, the main transportation route between Louisville, Kentucky
and the Indiana Territory's capital of Vincennes, Indiana
(and Illinois Territory
), starting on 20 April 1807.
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 French Lick
. The 2nd Division patrolled from French Lick to the Falls of the Ohio. One of their bases was at the Shaker village of Cuzco, Indiana
. The 3rd Division secured an area East along the Ohio River to Lawrenceburg
, on the Ohio border. All Rangers were paid $1 per day, and were required to supply their own horse, ammunition, tomahawk
, a large and small knife, and a leather belt.
Although the mounted militia units lacked uniformity, the men- and sometimes women- 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 a 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.
As tensions between settlers and Native Americans increased, the Indiana Rangers were reactivated. Two Rangers companies were based out of Vincennes, Indiana
. Prior to the War of 1812
, Rangers under Captain William Hargrove found a British spy believed to be instigating Indian attacks upon Indiana settlers. Attacks by American Indians became frequent in Indiana Territory. Some, such as the Pigeon Roost Massacre, are still remembered. During the war, the Rangers were used to augment larger armies. Colonel William Russell
used the Rangers to supplement his infantry in the 1812 Peoria War
, and General Samuel Hopkins
utilized the Rangers in his Second Tippecanoe Campaign (1812), where several were killed at the Battle of Wild Cat Creek.
In 1813, the federal government authorized an additional four Ranger companies to secure Indiana Territory. The new companies consisted of 100 men each, and as before, they armed and equipped themselves. The officers of the rangers were paid the same as those regular army officers of the same rank. Those with horses were paid a dollar a day, and those without horses were paid 75 cents a day.
One of the new ranger companies authorized in 1813 was commanded by Captain James Bigger, a veteran of the 1811 Battle of Tippecanoe
, although he later had to go to court for recognition of his services with the Rangers. Another of the new rangers was John Ketcham
, who built Ketcham's Fort and would later become a judge.
John Tipton
served as a major in command of two companies of rangers at Fort Vallonia during the War of 1812. He would later become a United States senator, and is the namesake of Tipton
and Tipton County, Indiana
.
.
The 151st Infantry Regiment
traces its heritage to the pre-statehood Indiana Rangers. The motto of the regiment, "Wide Awake - Wide Awake!" was earned at the Battle of Tippecanoe. Delta Company (Ranger) was the only National Guard Infantry unit to serve intact in Vietnam during the Vietnam War
, and called itself the Indiana Rangers.
Indiana Territory
The Territory of Indiana was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 4, 1800, until November 7, 1816, when the southern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the state of Indiana....
from attacks by Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
. The rangers were present at the Battle of Tippecanoe
Battle of Tippecanoe
The Battle of Tippecanoe was fought on November 7, 1811, between United States forces led by Governor William Henry Harrison of the Indiana Territory and Native American warriors associated with the Shawnee leader Tecumseh. Tecumseh and his brother Tenskwatawa were leaders of a confederacy of...
, and served as auxiliaries to the army 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...
. At the peak of their activities they numbered over 400 men.
History
In 1807, the Larkins family was travelling along the Buffalo TraceBuffalo Trace (road)
The Buffalo Trace was a trackway running through what are now the American states of Kentucky, Indiana, and Illinois. Originally formed by migrating bison, the trace crossed the Ohio River near the Falls of the Ohio and the Wabash River near Vincennes...
when they were attacked by a band of Native Americans. The father was killed, and Mrs. Larkins and her five children were taken into captivity. The incident sparked outcries for better protection along the route, and Territorial Governor 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...
organized the Rangers to provide a fast response to attacks, primarily as a deterrent to random American Indian raids. The Rangers were modeled on the mounted troops used by General Anthony Wayne
Anthony Wayne
Anthony Wayne was a United States Army general and statesman. Wayne adopted a military career at the outset of the American Revolutionary War, where his military exploits and fiery personality quickly earned him a promotion to the rank of brigadier general and the sobriquet of Mad Anthony.-Early...
at the Battle of Fallen Timbers
Battle of Fallen Timbers
The Battle of Fallen Timbers was the final battle of the Northwest Indian War, a struggle between American Indian tribes affiliated with the Western Confederacy and the United States for control of the Northwest Territory...
. The primary objective of the Rangers was to safeguard the Buffalo Trace, the main transportation route between Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
and the Indiana Territory's capital of Vincennes, Indiana
Vincennes, Indiana
Vincennes is a city in and the county seat of Knox County, Indiana, United States. It is located on the Wabash River in the southwestern part of the state. The population was 18,701 at the 2000 census...
(and Illinois Territory
Illinois Territory
The Territory of Illinois was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 1, 1809, until December 3, 1818, when the southern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Illinois. The area was earlier known as "Illinois Country" while under...
), starting on 20 April 1807.
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 French Lick
French Lick, Indiana
French Lick is a town in French Lick Township, Orange County, Indiana, United States. The population was 1,807 at the 2010 census. In early 2006 the French Lick Resort Casino, the state's tenth casino in the modern legalized era, opened drawing national attention to the small town.- History :French...
. The 2nd Division patrolled from French Lick to the Falls of the Ohio. One of their bases was at the Shaker village of Cuzco, Indiana
Cuzco, Indiana
Cuzco is an unincorporated town in Columbia Township, Dubois County, Indiana.The American Civil War historian Gilbert R. Tredway was reared in Cuzco during the 1920s and 1930s....
. The 3rd Division secured an area East along the Ohio River to Lawrenceburg
Lawrenceburg, Indiana
Lawrenceburg is a city in Dearborn County, Indiana, United States. The population was 5,042 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Dearborn County...
, on the Ohio border. All Rangers were paid $1 per day, and were required to supply their own horse, ammunition, tomahawk
Tomahawk (axe)
A tomahawk is a type of axe native to North America, traditionally resembling a hatchet with a straight shaft. The name came into the English language in the 17th century as a transliteration of the Powhatan word.Tomahawks were general purpose tools used by Native Americans and European Colonials...
, a large and small knife, and a leather belt.
Although the mounted militia units lacked uniformity, the men- and sometimes women- 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 a 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.
As tensions between settlers and Native Americans increased, the Indiana Rangers were reactivated. Two Rangers companies were based out of Vincennes, Indiana
Vincennes, Indiana
Vincennes is a city in and the county seat of Knox County, Indiana, United States. It is located on the Wabash River in the southwestern part of the state. The population was 18,701 at the 2000 census...
. Prior to 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...
, Rangers under Captain William Hargrove found a British spy believed to be instigating Indian attacks upon Indiana settlers. Attacks by American Indians became frequent in Indiana Territory. Some, such as the Pigeon Roost Massacre, are still remembered. During the war, the Rangers were used to augment larger armies. Colonel William Russell
William Russell (Kentucky)
Colonel William Russell III was a soldier, pioneer, and politician from Virginia and Kentucky.He was born in Culpepper County, Virginia to William Russell and Tabitha Russell. William Russell, Sr., was a prominent citizen of southwestern Virginia and a colonel in the Continental Army during the...
used the Rangers to supplement his infantry in the 1812 Peoria War
Peoria War
During the War of 1812, the Illinois Territory was the scene of fighting between Native Americans and United States soldiers and settlers.Tensions in the Illinois Territory between U.S. settlers and Native Americans were on the rise in the years before the War of 1812...
, and General Samuel Hopkins
Samuel Hopkins (congressman)
Samuel Hopkins was a U.S. Representative from Kentucky.Born in Albemarle County, Virginia, Hopkins was educated by private tutors...
utilized the Rangers in his Second Tippecanoe Campaign (1812), where several were killed at the Battle of Wild Cat Creek.
In 1813, the federal government authorized an additional four Ranger companies to secure Indiana Territory. The new companies consisted of 100 men each, and as before, they armed and equipped themselves. The officers of the rangers were paid the same as those regular army officers of the same rank. Those with horses were paid a dollar a day, and those without horses were paid 75 cents a day.
People
Battle of Tippecanoe
The Battle of Tippecanoe was fought on November 7, 1811, between United States forces led by Governor William Henry Harrison of the Indiana Territory and Native American warriors associated with the Shawnee leader Tecumseh. Tecumseh and his brother Tenskwatawa were leaders of a confederacy of...
, although he later had to go to court for recognition of his services with the Rangers. Another of the new rangers was John Ketcham
John Ketcham (1782)
John Ketcham was a self-taught surveyor, building contractor, and judge.-Early years:John was the son of Daniel Ketcham and Keziah Pigmon Lewis and born in Washington County, Maryland. His father signed the Patriot's Oath of Allegiance in 1778...
, who built Ketcham's Fort and would later become a judge.
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...
served as a major in command of two companies of rangers at Fort Vallonia during the War of 1812. He would later become a United States senator, and is the namesake of Tipton
Tipton, Indiana
Tipton is a city in and the county seat of Tipton County, Indiana, United States. The population was 5,106 at the 2010 census. It is part of the 'Kokomo, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Area...
and Tipton County, Indiana
Tipton County, Indiana
Tipton County is located in central Indiana, north of the state capital of Indianapolis. Before the arrival of non-indigenous settlers in the early 19th century, the area was inhabited by several Native American tribes. The county was officially established in 1844 and was one of the last Indiana...
.
Organizations
The Indiana Rangers inspired the creation of the more famous Texas RangersTexas Ranger Division
The Texas Ranger Division, commonly called the Texas Rangers, is a law enforcement agency with statewide jurisdiction in Texas, and is based in Austin, Texas...
.
The 151st Infantry Regiment
151st Infantry Regiment
The 151st Infantry Regiment is an infantry unit in the Indiana National Guard, under the 38th Infantry Division.-History:The 151st Infantry Regiment traces its roots to the Indiana Territory Indiana Rangers militia...
traces its heritage to the pre-statehood Indiana Rangers. The motto of the regiment, "Wide Awake - Wide Awake!" was earned at the Battle of Tippecanoe. Delta Company (Ranger) was the only National Guard Infantry unit to serve intact in Vietnam during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, and called itself the Indiana Rangers.
External links
- http://www.indianarangers.com - Indiana Territorial Mounted Rangers (reenactingHistorical reenactmentHistorical reenactment is an educational activity in which participants attempt torecreate some aspects of a historical event or period. This may be as narrow as a specific moment from a battle, such as the reenactment of Pickett's Charge at the Great Reunion of 1913, or as broad as an entire...
unit)