Individual Details

War of 1812 Compiled Service Records Index on FamilySearch.org
Meriwether Poindexter. 1st Rifle Regt (Allen's) Kentucky Vols. Private.

Killed in Battle of the River Raisin.

Poindexter-L@rootsweb.com
From: "Bill Poindexter" poindexter16@cox.net
Subject: Pvt Meriweather Poindexter
Date: Mon, 19 Jul 2004 18:56:49 -0700
I find the man on the roster of Capt. Perchal Hickman Company of Kentucky
Rifles Kentucky Militia. He enlisted 15 Aug 1812 and was committed for
two months. There is no date of his KIA as he is later listed, Could this
be the son of the son of Gabrial and Mary Swift Poindexter VA.>Ky.> to
IN>

Hello Bill ~
I neglected to document my sources, dangit, but I do have this fellow as the son of Gabriel and Mary Swift Poindexter. I noted that he was killed January 22, 1813 in the Battle of Raison River. That was just a really dreadful affair, by any account. His unit was under the command of General William H. Harrison, who was later U.S. president.
There is a brief overview of the battle here:
http://members.tripod.com/~war1812/batraison.htmlI also have him born @ 1796, which would make him only about 17 years old at his death. Hope this helps!
Cheers ~
Gloria Atwater

War of 1812
Battle of the River Raisin
The most dire calamity that ever befell the people of Franklin County happened during the decade (1810-1820). The history of the war between the United States and Great
Britain; the causes which led up to and the sequences which followed are a part of national history. The United States army in the northwest was composed almost
exclusively of Kentuckians, a history of which is properly a part of history of the State.Franklin County, however, did more than just a proportional part. She furnished more
men, and more money, and she gave more of her heroic blood for the honor and glory of this great country than could have reasonably been expected from one community.
Captain Paschel Hickman's Company, First Riffle Regiment Kentucky Militia
Two full companies enlisted from Franklin County, the first under Paschel or Perchal Hickman. As Captain he was mustered into the service, August 15, 1812 and his
company was known as Captain Paschel Hickman's Company, first rifle regiment, Kentucky Militia. It was engaged on October 14, 1812.
The eighty-six men composing this company were all killed at the Battle of the River Raisin, except thirteen of them. To this date, only twelve of these men are known to
have returned to their homes in Franklin County: Lieut. Peter Dudley, Alexander Renick,Joseph Clark, Lewis Fenwick, Elisha Herndon, John A. Holton, Z. B. Lewis, Francis
Mayhall, John Mayhall, John Richardson, Alexander Robertson and James Wilson.
Listed among the dead:
Meriwether Poindexter, Private

On January 21, 1813, the Battle of Raisin River begins. The order of the Battle of River Raisin was as follows: Lieut. Colonel John Allen commanding the right
wing: Major Graves, the left; and Major Madison, the center; Captain Ballard (acting Major) was placed in advance of the whole with two companies, one
company commanded by Captain Hickman, Subaltern Lieut. Chinn, the other by Captain Graves. The American force, commanded by General Winchester,
surrenderd to British General Proctor, 500 dead and 100 wounded.A. B. Woodward, Judge of the Supreme Court of the Michigan territory, in a letter
to General Proctor, dated February 2, 1813, stated that some of the prisoners after the capitulation of the 22nd of January had been tomahawked and others
had been shot and still others had been burned at the stake by the savages. The Indians were permitted by General Proctor to slaughter his wounded and
defenseless captives, "Captain Hickman was rudely dragged to the door, his brains dashed out with a tomahawk and his body thrown back into the house."
Captain Hickman was severely wounded and was carried from the battlefield, both of his legs were shot off, or were so badly mangled that they were amputated the
next morning, January 23, 1813. Paschel Hickman was the Jailer of Franklin County at the time he enlisted for military service, He was the son of the
Rev. William Hickman, a noted Baptist preacher and teacher of pioneer days. Paschel Hickman was six feet two inches tall and weight over two hundred
pounds. He was a very handsome man and one of the most popular of the day. Lapsley McBride, son of Colonel William McBride, and great uncle of Judge W.
Lapsley Jett, and for whom said Jett was named; and Berrisford Arnold, who was a very handsome man, the son of James Arnold, another great uncle of Judge Jett
were killed at the River Raisin. The records in the Adjutant General's office at Frankfort fail to show when any member of this noted company was discharged from service. The discharge of Sergeant Rennick is dated Urbana, Ohio, February 21, 1813. After the slaughter at River Raisin the few Franklin County men who
returned straggled in one at a time, and each time one came home the cannon fired as the whole surrounding country, as far as it could be heard, would hasten
to Frankfort to inquire about the lost ones.

Death

Jan 1813

Battle of River Raisin

Father	Gabriel Jones Poindexter (1758 - 1831)
Mother	Mary Swift (1760 - 1820)
Sibling	Clevairs Smith Poindexter (1797 - 1837)
Sibling	Lucy Poindexter (1784 - 1854)
Sibling	Harriet Poindexter ( - )
Sibling	Elizabeth Poindexter ( - )
Sibling	Margaret Poindexter ( - )