Yellow Jackets (Indiana) facts for kids

The Yellow Jackets were a special group of soldiers, called a militia company. They came from Harrison County in what was then the Indiana Territory. This company had sixty men and officers.

They were part of a larger army sent to deal with a conflict involving Native American tribes during a time known as Tecumseh's War. The Yellow Jackets also served later in the War of 1812.

How the Yellow Jackets Started

In September 1811, John Gibson, who was like the secretary for the Indiana Territory, asked for soldiers to join the militia. This was because tensions were growing with Native American tribes in the area. The Yellow Jackets were one of the groups that answered this call.

They got their unique name from the uniforms they wore. Harrison County provided these uniforms. The cuffs and edges of their buckskin and wool coats were dyed a bright yellow color.

Who Led the Company?

The Harrison County militia was made up of sixty men. Their leader was Captain Spier Spencer, who was also the county sheriff. Captain Spencer had a lot of experience, having been in at least forty battles with Native Americans before.

His second-in-command was 1st Lieutenant Richard McMahan. He was a new settler living near Corydon. The company also had four sergeants and four corporals. Each of these leaders came from a different township in the county.

Some notable members included Pearse Chamberlain, Henry Batman, and William Pennington. William was the younger brother of Dennis Pennington, who was an important speaker in the territory's government. Dennis Pennington was also a member of the company. However, he could not join the trip because he was busy building the new county courthouse. He also had to attend an important meeting of the legislature.

The company had eight ensigns, which were like junior officers. One of them was John Tipton, who later became a U.S. Senator. Tipton kept a detailed journal of the company's activities. Most of what we know about the Yellow Jackets comes from his writings.

Youngest Members and Pay

The Yellow Jackets also had two musicians. Daniel Cline played the drum, and Isham Stroud played the fife. Both boys were fifteen years old, making them the youngest members of the company. There were forty-three regular soldiers, called privates. Many important men from the county were among them.

The privates were paid between $8 and $6.66 for their four months of service. The officers earned more, between $50 and $26. All the men had to bring their own horses. They were paid forty cents a day to feed their horses.

The company first gathered at Harrison Mill on the western side of the county. After camping there for one night, they left to join the main army of the territorial militia.

The Tippecanoe Expedition

On September 8, the Yellow Jackets began their journey. They traveled along the Buffalo Trace towards the capital city of Vincennes. Along the way, they met other groups of soldiers traveling by wagon. They continued the journey together.

By September 16, they crossed the White River. On September 18, they met the main army, which was led by Governor William Henry Harrison. For the next twelve days, the company stayed in camp just north of Vincennes.

On September 30, they received orders to march to Maria Creek. There, they would meet the regular army soldiers already stationed near Maria Creek. When they arrived, the Yellow Jackets were given a special role. They would only report to Governor Harrison directly.

Scouting and Foraging

Governor Harrison planned to use the Yellow Jackets as scouts and foragers. This meant they would spread out around the main army. Their job was to watch for enemies and find wild game to bring back for the army to eat.

The company was very good at this. They even found beehives and brought back ten gallons of honey! On October 3, the army reached the area of modern Terre Haute. This was an important spot on the Wabash River. The Yellow Jackets continued to scout and find food while the rest of the army built Fort Harrison. A small group of mounted soldiers, led by Lieutenant Thomas Berry, also joined the Yellow Jackets.

On October 10, a small group of Native Americans attacked the guards at the fort. One man was wounded. The Yellow Jackets quickly got ready for a fight around the fort, but no major attack happened. On October 22, the company held elections for more officers. John Tipton was promoted to Lieutenant.

The army soon moved forward again. By the end of October, they had reached what is now Vermillion County. On November 2, Harrison ordered the entire army to parade for his inspection. Everyone did, except the Yellow Jackets, who were out looking for food. Harrison was upset and threatened to demote their officers. However, he never did, fearing they might leave the army.

The Battle of Tippecanoe

On November 3, the army moved again. The Yellow Jackets, along with other mounted soldiers, rode in front of the army. Their job was to clear the way and look for any enemies. By November 6, they reached Prophetstown. This was a main village for the Native American resistance.

That night, the army camped on a hill near the village. The soldiers were arranged in a battle formation. The Yellow Jackets were placed on the far right side of the army's line. Early on the morning of November 7, the Native American forces launched a surprise attack on the army.

The attack caught the army off guard. Most of the attack hit the right side where the Yellow Jackets were. Captain Spencer was one of the first to be killed. He was shot in both thighs. Governor Harrison later wrote about his death. He said Spencer "exhorted his men to fight valiantly." Even after falling, he kept encouraging them. He was then shot through his body, which ended his life. Lieutenants McMahan and Berry were also wounded and killed soon after.

As the Yellow Jackets were being overwhelmed, a backup company of regular soldiers arrived. They helped strengthen the line and changed the course of the battle. The fight lasted for three hours before the Native American forces pulled back.

The Yellow Jackets had the most casualties of any group in the army. Over 30% of their men were lost. Eleven men were killed in the battle or died from their wounds, and thirteen were wounded. The dead were buried together in a large grave at their campsite. However, after the army left, the Native Americans returned, dug up the graves, and scattered the remains.

A few days after the battle, the campaign ended successfully. The militia soldiers were released from duty and went home. The Yellow Jackets reached Corydon on November 27. They officially disbanded after seventy-four days of fighting. Later, the town built a memorial in the town square to honor the soldiers who died in the battle.

Images for kids

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  A memorial in Corydon for the soldiers of the Battle of Tippecanoe.

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  Another view of the Tippecanoe memorial.

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  Close-up of the memorial.