This was Jim Dresslar's horn for a number of years, before he finally sold it. I've handled the horn a number of times over the years, and sketched it back in the mid-1990s. The paper label on the butt plug was still readable back then, and it stated: "In the Year 1812 ------ ------'s Horn Taken at the Battle of River Raisin with Vice Pres. R. M. Johnson & his brother james Johnson, Speed Smith & (in small script along rim edge) General Wm. H. Harrison." The names are all well known early Kentuckians, and I am sure a lot of accoutrements were dropped by the Kentucky militia at River Raisin. But the date of "1812" creates an awkward situation for this horn's veracity.
John Tansel's first dated horn was in 1818. He probably carved horns a year or two before that one, but not as early as 1812. In addition, by comparative studies with other Tansel horns, this horn was carved about 1820-1822. So an explanation is needed for the 1812 date.
The best explanation, given to me by the current owner, was that the horn probably was a battle field pick-up after the battle. The horn was kept as a momento of that battle, which was a terrible loss for the Kentuckians, and provided the rallying cry for Kentucky militia in future battles of that war with "Remember River Raisin." Sometime after the war, probably ca. 1820, the owner took the horn to John Tansel and had it carved, proably to make it a more attractive war souvenier. Thus the horn would be a valid relic of the battle, and the carving was added sometime later by the owner. This almost makes sense... except for:
The two blank areas in the label description, when closely viewed years ago, contained a scratched out "John Tansel's" in similar script to the rest of the inscription. Thus whoever wrote the label saw the name on the horn, and assumed it was the name of the horn's original owner, who "fell" at River Raisin and left the horn. But we know that was the carver's name, and the horn was decorated well after the Battle of River Raisin. Someone in later years must have realized the name was that of the carver, not the owner, so scratched it out so it wouldn't invalidate the inscription. So the real issue is WHEN was the label applied. If by the original person who picked it up, then it is a bogus label, since John Tansel's name could not have been on a battle field horn at that time. If a second generation family member applied the label, to recall what he/she had been told about the horn, then it is possible to believe they would mistake the name on the horn as the owner's, and put it into the inscription as it originally appeared.
I have mixed thoughts about the label, and mostly bending toward the inscription being a later fantasy, or "wished for" scenario for the horn. But if we believe the horn was picked up as a plain horn, then around 1820 taken to John Tansel to decorate, and if we believe a second generation of the post-war owners added the label based on family stories about it, then perhaps the events in the label are true, except for the mix-up in thinking the name was the owner's, rather than the later carver's. But it's a little hard for me to believe a "later decorated" horn would not be remembered as such in the family, but then, it was in Kentucky, and they loved their heros and often embellished them, and their feats. So each viewer has to make up his/her own mind about the label. We'll probably never know the real truth.
A couple of additional comments about the horn. I do not believe the applied tip is orignal to the horn. As others have surmised, it is most likely a later replacement for the pressure-fit original applied tip that was lost. I've seen a number of early horns that had pressure fit spout tips, or at least had such a tip at one time. I have one original such horn circa 1810-1812 where the tip survived with the horn, and a number of others where the tip was lost over time. Perhaps there was a type of adhesive (resin???) used when the horn was new, to help keep the applied tip in place. If so, it is no longer visible, nor did it leave any traces of being there. But my guess is that the owner lost the original tip, made this simpler tip with faceted sides (foreign to Tansel work), then added a small iron nail to make "dam sure" it wouldn't fall off again. The other possibility is that this non-Tansel tip was on the horn originally, and left in place when John Tansel decorated the horn later in its life. If it ever had a Tansel-made tip with hand-cut beads, it would disprove the label, because it would mean the horn was in use after 1820 (when carved) in order to lose the tip, and that's not likely if it really was a momento of River Raisin, where many Kentuckians died. But we'll never know that for sure, either.
As to the slant of the carving, or particularly the many little shading cuts, I don't think we should read too much into the direction of cutting, as one responder pointed out. I quickly checked a couple of horns tonight, and the direction of cutting runs in both directions on most horns, depending on which figure he was filling in. I think they probably flipped the horns around while carving, more than is done today, and most have mixed carving angles. A nice signed John Tansel horn ca. 1823-1824 has all its small shading cuts in exactly the opposite direction! But regardless, this is a fine John Tansel powder horn, one I'd love to own. Shelby Gallien
