USA > Indiana > Allen County > History of Allen County, Indiana, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 14
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* At a general council of the confederated
the Northwest. *
trihes, held on the 19th of August, Little Turtle was most earnest in liis endeav- ors to persuade a peace with Gen. Wayne. Said he, ' We have heaten the enemy twice under different eircumstances. We cannot expect the same good fortune to attend us always. The Americans are now led by a chief that never sleeps. The nights and the days are alike to him, and during all the time he has heen march- ing on our villages, notwithstanding the watchfulness of our young men, we have never heen ahle to surprise him. Think well of it. There is something whis- pers me, it would he prudent to listen to his offers of peace.' But his words of wisdom were but little regarded. One of the chiefs of the council even went so far as to charge him with cowardice, which he readily enough spurned, for there were none hraver or more ready to act, where a victory was to be won or a defense required, than Little Turtle ; and so, without further parley, the council broke up, and Little Turtle, at the head of his hraves, took his stand to meet and give hattle to the advancing army." [Hist. Fort Wayne, pp. 47, 48.]
The sequel showed the wisdom and foresight of Little Turtle, and well had it heen if the counsel of the sagacious chief heen heeded. But destiny willed it otherwise, and the Indians paid dearly for their temerity.
FORT WAYNE ERECTED-ITS AFTER HISTORY-SUCCESSIVE COMMANDERS AND FINAL ABANDONMENT.
That the junction of the St. Joseph's of the lakes with the St. Mary's, form- ing the Maumee, is a strategie point of more than ordinary consequence, the experiences of the past two centuries sufficiently demonstrates. The first knowl- edge of the locality obtained hy Europeans, of which we have information, embodies descriptions of its importance in a commercial as well as in a military point of view. The statement is additionally established by the consequence attached to it by the ahorigines themselves, as ascertained through their traditions handed down from generation to generation in regular succession. But the object of this article is not so much to record the opinions entertained by its prim- itive inhabitants and their immediate followers, as to show what the more modern conception of it has brought forth. The contemplated expedition of George Rogers Clarke, in 1779, of La Balme, in 1780, followed by that of Harmar and St. Clair, in 1790 and 1791, foreshadow the operations of succeeding years, and determine the motives which induced Gen. Wayne to guard the point by the crection of substantial and permanent works for its defense by the military power of the Government. Accordingly, having defeated its combined Indian forces at the rapids of the Maumee, and almost under the guns of the British Fort Miami, an account of which has already been given, his army took up its line of
march for the Miami villages at the junction of the St. Joseph's and St. Mary's, on the 14th of September, 1794, arriving at the destined point on the 17th, and on the 18th selected the site for a fortification, afterward kuown by his name.
On the 24th, work commenced on the garrison, and, considering the state of the weather and the surroundings, proceeded toward completion with proper rapidity, occupying the time until the 18th of October, just one month from the selection of the site. On the 17th of October, the day preceding the completion and dedication of the work, Gen. Wayne forwarded to the War Department a dispatch containing a description and plan of the new fort. It was constructed of logs, and not very safe, hut deetued to be sufficiently so for the time and purpose contemplated in its erection, commanding the Maumee for a half-mile helow the junction, and the mouth of the St. Joseph's and of the St. Mary's. The follow- ing extracts from the daily journal of the campaign, giving a hetter idea of the proceedings and casualties than can he elsewhere ascertained, is inserted here as a part of the account.
" CAMP MIAMI VILLAGE, September 18, 1794.
= Four deserters from the British camp came to us this day ; they hring the information that the Indians are encamped eight miles below the British fort, to the number of 1,600.
" September 20. Last night it rained violently, and the wind blew from the N. W. harder than I knew heretofore. Gen. Barhour, with his command, arrived in camp ahout 9 o'clock this morning, with 553 kegs of flour, each containing 100 pounds.
" September 23. Four deserters from the British garrison arrived at our camp ; they mention that the Indians are still emhodied on the Miami, nine miles helow the British fort ; that they are somewhat divided in opinion-some are for peace, and others for war.
" September 24. This day work commenced on the garrison, which, I am apprehensive, will take some time to complete it. A keg of whisky, containing teu gallons, was purchased this day for eight dollars, a sheep for ten dollars ; three dollars was offered for one pint of salt, but it could not be obtained for less than six.
" September 25. Lieut. Blue, of the dragoons, was this day arrested by Ensign Johnson, of the 4thi S. L., hut a numuher of their friends interfering, the dispute was settled upon Lient. Blue asking Johnson's pardon.
" September 26. MeClelland, one of our spies, with a small party, came in this evening from Fort Defiance, who brings information that the enemy are troublesome ahout the garrison, and that they have killed some of our men under the walls of the fort. Sixteen Indians were seen to-day near this place ; a small party went in pursuit of them. I have not heard what discoveries they have made.
" September 30. Salt and whisky were drawn by the troops this day, and a number of tho soldiers became much intoxicated, they having stolen a quantity of liquor from the Quartermaster.
" October 4. This morning, we had the hardest frost I ever saw in the middle of December ; it was like small snow ; there was ice in our eamp-kettles 2 of an inch thick ; the fatigues go ou with velocity, considering the rations the troops are obliged to live on.
" October 5. The weather extremely cold and hard frosts, the wind N. W .; everything quiet and nothing but harmony and peace throughout the camp, which is something uncommon.
" October 6. Plenty and quietness, the same as yesterday ; the volunteers engaged in work on the garrison, for which they are to receive three gills of whisky per man, per day ; their employment is digging the ditch and filling up the parapet.
" October 8. The troops drew hut half-rations of flour this day. The cav. alry and other horses die very fast, not less than four or five per day.
" October 9. The volunteers have agreed to build a block-house in front of the garrison.
" October 11. A Canadian (Rozelie) with a flag arrived this evening ; his business was to deliver up three prisoners in exchange for his brother, who was taken nn the 20th of August; he briogs information that the Indians are in couneil with Girty and McKee near the fort of Detroit; that all the trihes are for peace except the Shawaooes, who are determined to proseeute the war.
" October 16. Nothing new ; weather wet and cold wind from N. W. Tbe troops healthy in general.
" October 17. This day Capt. Gibson arrived with a quantity of flour, beef and sheep.
" October 19. This day the troops were not ordered for lahor, being the first day for four weeks, and accordingly attended divine service.
"October 20. An express arrived this day with dispatches to the Com- mander-in-chief; the contents are kept secret. A court-martial to sit this day for the trial of Charles Hyde.
" October 21. This day were read the proceedings of a court-martial held on Lieut. Charles Hyde (yesterday) ; was found not guilty of the charges exhih- ited against him, and was therefore acquitted."
On the morning of the following day, Octuber 22, 1794, the new fort having heen fully completed and ready for occupancy, passed the ordeal of a formal dedication to the god of war, with the usual ecremonies. Gen. Wayne then invested Lieut. Col. John F. Hamtramck with the command of the Post, who, upon assuming the position, placed the following officers in corumand of anh- legions ; Capt. Kingsbury, First; Capt. Greaton, Second; Capts. Sparks and Reed, Third; Capt. Preston, Fourth, with Capt. Porter of the Artillery.
The garrison being thus completely officered, a final salute of fifteen rounds of artillery was fired and the Stars and Stripes were flung to the breeze, there- after to float over the ramparts, indicative of the invincihle character of tho works as manifested in the appropriate and significant name of FORT WAYNE.
37
HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY, INDIANA.
" And here," says Mr. Brice, " was tbe starting-point of a new era in civil- ization in the great Northwest."
The fort having been completed and officered, with a garrison equal to the demands for defense, Gen. Wayne left the post on the 28th of October, and took up his line of march for Fort Greenville, reaching that point on the 2d day of November, with the main body of his regular troops. During the succeeding two years, Col. Hamtramck continued in command of the new fort, watching the movements of the Indians, who were still numerous in the vicinity, reporting, from time to time, to his superior officers the condition of the garrison, as well as the disposition manifested by the leading spirits among the Indians-whether for peace or war.
Among other things, he experienced much annoyance from a propensity to larceny, manifested by many of the soldiers, for which they were necessarily placed in confinemeut, " the economic allowance of one hundred lashes," prescribed hy the regulations, offering insufficient inducements to practice honesty. What the result of this species of tactics was, history does not inform us.
In a note to Gen. Wayne, dated December 29, 1794, he conveyed tlie in- formation that a nuinher of the chief's of the Chippewas, Ottawas, Sacs and Pot- ta watomies, had arrived the day previous, who seemed to apprehend that they would be corupelled, from force of circumstances, to follow the example of other Indians, and accept conditions of peace foreshadowed in the proposed treaty of Greenville ; but that some of the Shawanoes, Delawares and Miamis, who, unable to release themselves from the influence of Col. McKee, the British Agent on the Maumee, were in doubt what to do. A subsequent note, however, of the salue date, gave a more encouraging view of the situation, so far as the Miamis were concerned, two war chiefs of that nation having arrived with the information that their people would, in a few days, be on their way to Greenville, and that the remaining tribes would follow their lead in the measures for peace. The Miamis and other tribes entertaining and manifesting a similar disposition, true to their prowise, repaired early to the treaty-grounds at Greenville, and participated in the council proceedings.
Aside from what has already heen stated, little of importance took place while Col. H. remained in command, and he retired from duty at this point, on the 17tli of May, 1796. Then passing down the Maumee to Lake Erie, he was afterward placed in command of the post at Detroit. When Col. Hamtramck bad departed, the commaud of the fort devolved upou Col. Thomas Hunt, with the First Regi- ment of United States Infantry as a garrison, who held the position during the succeeding two years.
The size and strength of this fort proving insufficient for the purpose con- templated in its original construction, it was torn down ahout the year 1804, and another, larger, and better adapted to the wants of the time, erected on nearly the same site, which is now Lot No. 40 in Taber's Addition to Fort Wayne .* This new fort was built under the supervision of Col. Hunt, then commandant. In 1815, this fort, proving insufficient, was taken down also, and a new one reared in its place by Maj. Whistler, in a more substantial manner. From the best information at hand, it " inclosed an area of about one hundred and fifty fect square, in piekets ten feet bigh and set in the ground, with a block-house ut the southeast and north west corners, two stories high and rising above the second floor, which projeeted and formed a bastion in each when the guns were rigged, that on the southeast commanding the south and east sides of the fort, and that on the northwest, the north and west sides. The officers' quarters, commissary department and other buildings, located on the different sides, formed a part of the walls, and in the center stood the liberty-pole, on which was placed a metal American eagle, and over that floated the stars and stripes of the United States. The plaza in the inclosure was smooth and gravelly. The roofs of the houses all inelined within the inclosure, after the shed fashion, and to prevent the enemy from setting it on fire, and if fired, to protect the men in putting it out ; and the water which fell within was led, in nicely-wade wooden troughs, just below the surface of the ground, to the flag-staff, and thence, by a sluiceway, to the Maumee.
" It is thought that it left out a small portion of the old ground, for it is definitely known that the southwest corner of the new fort was exactly at the southwest corner of Lot 40, the pickets running south of east toward John Brown's blacksiuith shop, and near where the shop now stands [1860], and where was one of the forts [corners] ; the east side ran to a point on the north bank of the canal, the west, to the second fort, and thence to the place of beginning.
" The stone curhing of the old well may yet be seen in the edge of the south bank of the canal, and near the northwest corner of the fort. The canal cut off the north end of the ground, by which the pickets were removed and this ancient relic invaded, about 1833.
" After the death of the commanding officer, Col. Hamtramck, in about 1799, Thomas Hunt was promoted to the colonelcy of the old First Regiment, and ordered to Fort Wayne from Detroit." Connected with the execution of this order is the following incident :
" As Col. Thomas Hunt was on his way, with his family and regiment, frow Detroit to Bellefontaine, coming up the Maumee, A. D. 1803, in fifty Montreal batteaux, and approaching Fort Wayne, the commanding officer, Capt. Whipple, was standing beside the Surgcon's mate, Dr. Edwards, when Dr. E. reumarked to Capt. Whipple, of a daughter of Col. Hunt, 'That's a fine-looking girl ; ' and, as a coincidence, the girl remarked at the same time, to her mother, 'That's a good-looking young man.' This mutual attachment resulted in a marriage of Dr. Edwards and Miss Hunt in ten days, at which wedding the celebrated Indian chief, Five Medals (whose town was on Turkey Creek Prairie, now Elkbarkly), was present, at his own solicitation, and was very highly pleased."
" Fort Wayne was commanded by Maj. Whipple, after Col. Hunt. Maj. Whipple died at Detroit ; afterward, Capt. Ray was in command, till it was
besieged in 1812 by the Indians. Capt. Ray was allowed to resign rather than bave charges preferred against him."* Upon the acceptance of the resignation of Capt. Ray, Capt. Ilugh Moore was appointed his successor. In 1813, he was superseded by Joseph Jenkinson, who in turn was succeeded by Maj. Whistler, in the spring of 1814, under whose supervision the fort was rebuilt, as we have already seen. After the completion of the fort, in 1815, Maj. J. H. Vose assumed command, and continued to oceupy the post until it was abandoned, in 1819. Subsequently, the reservation and public grounds around the fort were made subject to sale as other public lands, and tho particular site occupied by the fort and adjacent buildings was purchased by a land company at New Haven, Conn., and was placed under the control of Hon. F. P. Randall. At a later date, the property came into the possession of IIon. Cyrus Taber, who laid out the addition known by his name. Allen County, also, laid out another addition on a part of the same grounds.
The following additional matter, pertinent to the current history of Wayne's Fort, and thought to be of sufficient value to justify its preservation, is appended in this connection :
" At the close of the struggles in 1814," says Mr. Brice, in his " History of Fort Wayne," " soon after the arrival of Maj. Whistler to assume command here, it was feared that the Indians might again make an effort to capture the post, and, being muuch out of repair, and most uncomfortable for the garrison in many respects, Maj. Whistler applied to the War Department for permission to rebuild it, which was granted by Gen. Armstrong, and the main structure was replaced by new pickets and other necessary timber for the rebuilding of the officers' and other quarters within the inclosure.
" Though many Indians continued, for several years after the war of 1812, to congregate liere for purposes of trade, to receive their annuity, and also from a feeling of sympathy and attraction for the scene of their old home and gathering. plaec, aside from some petty quarrels among themuselves, in which they would ofteu kill each other, nothing of a warlike nature was ever again manifest between the Indians and the whites.
" During 1818, a year remarkable for the congregation of many Indians here, the red men are referred to as presenting a general spirit of order and love of peace, not surpassed by many of the whites of that time, and well worthy of emulation in wany instances. It was no uncommon thing, in their visits to Ke-ki-ong-a, seeing a new but, to inquire whether the new-comer was quiet-if he 'make no trouble for Injuns,' etc. And their intuition and close observation were presented very often in the most striking and remarkable light.
" On one occasion, about this period, an elderly Miami had come to the village to trade a little. Soon meeting his old friend, James Peltier, the inter- preter, his observing eye, in looking about the place, soon fell upon a hut near, tbat bad been but recently built. 'Ugh!' ejaculated the Indian, 'new wigwam !' He now became more anxious to know if the white man was peaceable-whether he came to make trouble for Injun ? The two now soon entered the hut of the new-comers and shook hands with the inmates. The Indian at once began to look about him and to inquire how many warriors (children) they had, etc. Eyeing the matron of the house, or squaw, as the Indian called ber, and observ- iug that she was quite sad, the Indian became anxious to know what was the matter with her-be was sure sbe was sick. The woman averred that she was not siek. But the Indian knew she was. Turning to his old friend P. again, after looking at the woman and striking his hand upon his breast, cxclaimed, ' white squaw sick at heart; ' and was anxious to know if she had not left some- thing behind at the settlement from which they came to Fort Wayne. In response to this, the woman quickly replied that she had left ber only son by ber first husband, at Piqua, and that she was anxious to bave him with her, but ber present husband did not want him to come. 'Didn't I tell you white squaw sick at heart !' replied the Indian, much elated; and he at once proposed to go to Piqua and bring ber son to her, if Mr. P. would give him a blanket-which was readily agreed to. Receiving a note from the motber, the next morning early, with two Indian ponies, the generous red man was on the road to Piqua; and in five days from that time, returned with the boy ! Tbe woman's beart was eused, and the faithful Indian gazed upon tbe happy meeting of the mother and the son, his heart warmed within him, and, turning to his friend Peltier, he exclaimed, ' Isn't that good medicine for the white squaw ?'
" The Indian now became the faithful protector and friend of the woman and her son, assuming tbe special guardianship of the latter-telling the husband that if he ever heard a word of complaint either from the son or mother, as to ill treatment, he would have his hide, if he liad to lay in the Maumee River until the moss bad grown six inches on bis baek.' For six or seven years, the Indian continued his visits to the but of the new-comers, always bringing them supplies in the form of venison and animals of different kinds, and the boy very often accompanied his kind benefactor to the forest in pursuit of game." [Hist. Fort Wayne, pp. 201-2].
" Attached to tbe fort, and extending west of it to about where the ‘ Old Fort House ' afterward stood, and embracing about one acre of land, was a well- cultivated garden, belonging to the commanding officer, always filled, in season, with the choicest vegetables. West of this was the company's garden, extend- ing to about where the Hedekin House afterward stood. This was also well tilled, affording suitable labor for the soldiers, when military discipline was slackened. The main thoroughfare, in those days, extended westward from the fort, along what is now the canal.
" Not far to the south of the fort, in what is now known as ' Taber's Addi- tion,' was located the burial-ground of the garrison, and where, also, were deposited others who died, not immediately connected with the garrison. Lieut Ostrander, who had one day unthoughtedly fired upon a flock of birds passing over the fort, had been reprimanded by Capt. Rhea, and, because of his refused to be tried by
* J. W. Dawson's Notes.
. Tho original fort was on Lots 11, 12 and 13, same addition,
38
HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY, INDIANA.
a court-martial, was confined in a small room in the garrison, where he subse- quently died, and was among the number huried in this old place of interment. Another place of burial, where also a number of Indians were interred, extended along the northwest corner of Columbia and Clinton streets, and to the adjoin- ing bloek. Many hones were removed from this point some years ago, in digging cellars und laying foundations of buildings." [Tuttle's Hlist. Ind., 351.]
SIEGE OF FORT WAYNE.
As early as 1808, after Tecumseh and his prophet-brother, having obtained the right to locate their principal town on the Tippecanoe River, near its entranee into the Wabasb, began to exert an influence aulong the neighboring tribes, the ultimate purpose of which was to make war upon the frontier settlements, and prevent the further advance of emigration of the white people to territory claimed as helonging to the Indians in common. The Prophet's town, as it was called, very soon hecame the headquarters of all the disaffected spirits from the several tribes of the Northwest, that could be induced to accept the policy of the proposed eoufederation. Filled with a desire to develop his cherished purpose, in tbe spring of 1809, Tecumseb attended a council of numerous Indian tribes at Sandusky, and attempted there to exact a promise from the Wyandots and Senecas to join his embryo settlement on the Tippecanoe. The suggestion was not received with favor, and some of the old Wyandot chiefs so informed him. His ill sueeess in this direction, however, did not discourage him, hut only induced greater activity and vigilanee. In other fields he was more successful, and, in proportion to bis accessions of new adbereuts, he beenme more hold and aggress- ive in bis movements. Subsequent conferences with Gov. Harrison at Vincennes and elsewhere, were demonstrative of this fact.
Not accomplishing all that was desired in adjacent territory, he visited tribes inhabiting remote districts, seeking to gaiu their confidence and co-operation, by his persuasive eloquenee and consequential demeanor. Meanwhile the Prophet, arrogating to bimself the management of plans he was not qualified to execute in the absence of Teeumseli, precipitated an engagement with the army of Gov. Har- rison, at Tippecanoe, on the 7th of November, 1811, the result of which was disastrous, not only to his prophetie ambition but to the unmatured plans of his brother as well. Tecumseh, upon his return, in view of the situation, was less aggressive and bopeful, yet still determined in the advocaey and maintenance of bis opinions. Thus situated, hie sought an alliance with the British army as a means, in part at least, of compensating for his loss of prestige as the champion of an Indiau confederacy.
The seed sown by Tecumseh, in his teachings and the influence of his exam- ple, gave impulse to the savage ambition of nuuierous warriors of the circumjacent tribes, and slight pretexts often indueed exhibitions of the greatest eruelty. Iu tbe month of January, 1812, Little Turtle, a distinguished chief of the Miami nation, living at his village near Fort Wayne, having been an observer of the movements incident to the alliance of the Indians with the British, sent a mes- senger to Gov. Harrison, detailing some of the manifestations of an approaching war with Great Britain, and the probabilities of an Indian alliance, expressing, also, the strong attachment ol' the people of his nation generally, for the Govern- ernment of the United States. The Delawarcs, too, gave expression of friend- ship; "but it became clearly evident, early in the year 1812, that the Pottawat- omies, Kickapoos, Winnebagoes, and some other Northwestern trihes, were not disposed to remain at peace with the pioneer settlers of the West. On the 6th of April, two white men were killed by Indians at a eahin that stood almost in view of a small military post at Chicago. On the 11th of April, at a settlement on the western side of the Wabash River, about tbirty-five miles above Vineennes, Mr. Hutson, his wife, four of bis children, and a man employed in his service, were killed by Indians; and on the 22d of April, Mr. Haryman, his wife and five children, were killed hy a party of Indians near the mouth of Embarrass Creek, at a point about five miles distant from Vincennes."
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