Early in August, general Hull, then in Detroit, was notified by express that a company of Ohio volunteers, under the command of captain Henry Brush, with provisions for the army, were near the river Raisin, and needed an escort, as it had been ascertained that some British and a considerable body of Indians, under the command of Tecumseh, had crossed from Malden to Brownstown, with a view to intercept this convoy.  General Hull, after some delay, gave a reluctant consent to the colonels of the Ohio militia, that a detachment of troops might march to the relief of colonel Brush.  Major Van Horne, with a small body of men, started as an escort to the mail, with orders to join captain Brush at the river Raisin.  He set off on the fourth of August, marching that evening as far as the river De Corce.  On the next day, captain McCullough of the spies, was killed by some Indians.  In the course of the succeeding one, near Brownstown, the detachment under major Van Horne was suddenly attacked by the Indians, who were lying in ambush.  Apprehensive of being surrounded and entirely cut off, the major ordered a retreat, which was continued to the river De Corce, the enemy pursuing them to that point.  Our loss was seventeen killed, besides several wounded, who were left behind.  Among the former were captains Ulry, Gilchrist, Boersler, lieutenant Pents, and ensign Ruby.  The loss of so many officers resulted from their attempts to rally the men.  The loss of the enemy was supposed to be equal to that sustained by major Van Horne.  There were about forty British soldiers and seventy Indians in this engagement, the latter being commanded by Tecumseh in person.

After general Hull had ingloriously retreated from Canada, he detached colonel Miller, with majors Van Horne and Morrison, and a body of troops, amounting to six hundred, to make a second effort to reach captain Brush.  They were attended by some artillerists with one six pounder and a howitzer.  The detachment marched from Detroit on the eighth, and in the afternoon of the ninth the front guard, commanded by captain Snelling, was fired upon by a line of British and Indians, about two miles below the village of Maguaga.  At the moment of the attack, the main body was marching in two lines, and captain Snelling maintained his position in a gallant manner, until the line was formed and marched to the ground he occupied, where the whole, except the rear guard, was brought into action.  The British were entrenched behind a breast-work of logs, with the Indians on the left covered by a thick wood.  Colonel Miller ordered his whole line to advance, and when within a short distance of the enemy, fired upon them, and immediately followed it up by a charge with fixed bayonets, when the whole British line and the Indians commenced a retreat.  They were vigorously pursued for near two miles.  The Indians on the left were commanded by Tecumseh, and fought with great bravery, but were forced to retreat.