USA > Indiana > Allen County > Fort Wayne > History of Fort Wayne, from the earliest known accounts of this point, to the present period. Embracing an extended view of the aboriginal tribes of the Northwest, including, more especially, the Miamies with a sketch of the life of General Anthony Wyane; including also a lengthy biography of pioneer settlers of Fort Wayne. Also an account of the manufacturing, mercantile, and railroad interests of Fort Wayne and vicinity > Part 28
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On the 5th of August, Major Stickney, the Indian agent, was prostrated by severe illness, from which he only became convales- cent, after twelve days. He was then conveyed from the agency house to the fort for safety. It was now very plain that the state- ment of Bondie was no fiction. He, with his Indian family, moved into the fort. The Indian warriors, to the number of some five hundred, as then supposed, began to assemble in the neighborhood of the fort ; and it was now evident that they had hopes of getting possession of it by stratagem. They would lie in wait near the fort, day after day,-a few near and in sight, but the majority of them would be scattered about, as much out of sight as possible. Those near were watching an opportunity to force the sentries. The sen- tinels were so faithful to their duty, that no chance was presented.
Stephen Johnston, who was a clerk in the United States factory store,* feeling very solicitous about the safety of his wife, who had
*Which had been erected near the fort, sometime subsequent to the erection of Fort Wayne, in 1794, for the purpose of supplying the Indians with agricultural implements.
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INDIANS ADMITTED INTO THE FORT.
been sent to the frontier in a delicate situation, accompanied by Peter Oliver, and a discharged militiaman, attempted to elude the vigilence of the Indians, and visit the place of her abode. They left at 10 o'clock at night. Johnston was fired upon by six Indians and killed instantly. Before the Indians could reload their pieces, the remaining two men made good their retreat to the fort ; and for a reward of twenty dollars, an Indian was induced to bring in the body of Mr. Johnston.
The Indians now began to disclose their hostility and real pur- poses by violent and premature acts, showing most conclusively their full designs. On one occasion two soldiers were sent out on horseback, three or four miles, to drive in some cattle. One of them was taken prisoner, the other made his escape. The Indians ob- tained possession of both horses. They killed cattle and hogs near the fort, stole horses, and committed many other minor depreda- tions.
Both parties wished to delay the final conflict-Major Stickney, to give time for Gen. Harrison to send the fort the necessary re- lief, in compliance with his dispatch ; and the Indians, from a hope and expectation of the daily arrival of the British force, which had been promised them. The Indians, however, did not cease to em- ploy many devices and stratagems, to accomplish their object, be- fore the arrival of the British. An Indian would occasionally come near the fort, and hold conversation with an interpreter, who would be sent out for the purpose. The interpreter would be informed that the depredations had been committed by the young men, con- trary to the wishes of the chiefs-that the chiefs wished for peace. At length the Indians expressed a desire to be admitted to see the commandant of the post, that they might agree upon some terms for a cessation of hostilities; and asked for a signal by which they might approach the fort and be permitted to talk with their wliite father. A white cloth was accordingly sent to them to be used as a flag of truce. For several days they delayed making use of the flag, and continued their depredations. The agent finally sent a message to them, by an Indian, that they had dirtied his flag, and he could not suffer them to retain it any longer ; that they must re- turn it immediately. The next day, the whole body of Indians moved up to the fort, bearing the white flag in front. The gates of the fort had been kept closed for a number of days. They were in hopes of obtaining the admission of a large number of their war- riors. But the agent, who was still quite weak from his recent at- tack, was too well acquainted with Indian character to be deceived. Having, with difficulty, walked to the gate, he designated by name the chiefs to be admitted, who, upon their entrance into the fort, one by one, were disarmed by the guard, and examined very close- ly. Thirteen only were admitted, who at once followed the agent to his sleeping apartment. The officers in the garrison remained in their quarters. The agent now addressed a note to Capt. Rhea,
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HISTORY OF FORT WAYNE.
desiring that the guard should be paraded and kept under arnis during the continuance of the council. In accordance with the customs of such occasions, tobacco was presented to the chiefs that they might smoke .*
When the pipes began to go out, Winnemac, a Pottawattamie chief, rose and commenced a speech, which he addressed to the agent; the substance of which was, that the Pottawattamies had no hand in killing Johnston, and that the chiefs could not control their young men. The soldiers and horses had been taken without the knowledge or consent of the chiefs, in opposition to whose wishes the young men had committed all their depredations. "But," con- tinued Winnemac, " ifmy father wishes for war, I am a man."t At this expression the chief struck his hand upon his knife, which he had concealed under his blanket. The agent at this time did not understand the language, but saw there was something serious. Bondie, who was present and understood the whole force of what was said, jumped upon his feet as quick as lightning, and striking his knife in a very emphatic manner, shouted in Pottawattamie, "I am a man too." At the same instant the interpreter turned quite pale, and Winnemac cast his eyes towards the principal chief pres- ent, whose name was An-ouk-sa, who was sitting at a window where he could see the guard under arms. He returned a look of disappointment, and the stratagem was brought to an abrupt term- ination ; while the interpreter, having sufficiently recovered from his confusion, readily explained what had been said. Winnemac now finished his speech, and the agent returned for an answer, that in all that had been said, there appeared to be something concealed ; and that if it was for war, he was ready for it. The Indians having been admitted under a flag of truce, were now permitted to depart. Win- nemac, however, who was the last to leave the room, was invited by Capt. Rhea to his quarters, who soon sent to the agent for an in- terpreter, and remained in conversation with Winnemac, half or three quarters of an hour. The agent subsequently learned, from the interpreter, that Rhea professed great friendship for the chief, and invited him to take breakfast with him the next morning. Upon learning this, and with a view of dissuading him from such intimacy and want of discretion, at such a time, the agent with difficulty walked to the quarters of Capt. Rhea, whom he found in such a state of intoxication that it was useless to expostulate with him. Returning to his quarters again, he now sent for the two liet - tenants, Ostrander and Curtis, and told them what had taken place, .
* In the account of this siege the writer has mainly followed the statement of Major Stickney, the Indian agent here at the time of its occurrence.
+ The whole plan of the Indians on this occasion was subsequently divulged. They were to obtain an entrance into the fort, for as many as possible. Winnemac was to be the speaker. When he should come to the expression, " I am a man," he was to dis- patch the agent. Other chiefs were to rush to each of the officers' quarters, to massacre them, and others were to open the gates of the fort, to the force without. The work was then to be finished, by butchering every soul in the fort.
217
PERILOUS ADVENTURE OF WM. OLIVER.
giving it as his opinion that an attack would be made the next morning ; and urged upon them the necessity of all possible prep- aration.
The next morning, aroused by the firing of rifles, the agent step- ped out upon a gallery that projected from the second story of his quarters, and saw two soldiers fall, mortally wounded, about fifty vards from the fort. It was now ascertained that no preparations had been made in anticipation of an attack. All was confusion in the garrison. The two men were taken into the fort, and died about one o'clock, that day.
About the first of September, a most interesting occurrence took place. A white man and four Indians arrived at the fort, on horse- back, " in full yell." It was the Indian yell of triumph. The white man, who was foremost, proved to be William Oliver. He was ac- companied by four friendly Shawanoe Indians, the brave Logan among the number. The garrison had been for more than a fort- night in a state of suspense; not knowing whether the express to Gov. Harrison had gotten through, or not, and every day, in ex- pectation that the British force would arrive. All were on tiptoe to hear the news-William Oliver had arrived in defiance of five hundred Indians-had broken through their ranks and reached the fort in safety. -
He reported that about two thousand volunteers had assembled in Kentucky for the relief of General Hull at Detroit, and had marched to Cincinnati. There they heard that Hull had surren- dered, and deemed it unnecessary to march any further in that di- rection. Harrison having received the dispatch from the agent at Fort Wayne, had determined to march to its relief. Ohio was raising volunteers. Eight hundred were then assembled at St. Mary's, sixty miles south of Fort Wayne. They intended to march to the relief of the fort, in three or four days. At Cincinnati great `fears were entertained that the fort had been captured, and its in- mates massacred. When the question arose, as to how tho condi- tion of Fort Wayne was to be ascertained, the stoutest hearts in the army quailed.
William Oliver was then a young man of about twenty-three years of age. He possessed the true spirit ; was at the time sutler to Fort Wayne. Previous to any knowledge of the hostile inten- tions of the Indians, Oliver had gone to Cincinnati on business. He went to Governor Harrison and made an offer of his services, indi- vidually, to obtain the necessary information. Harrison thought the danger too great, and endeavored to dissuade him from making the attempt; but he had determined to accomplish it, or loose his life in the effort. When Governor Harrison shook hands with him, he observed that he " should not see him again."
A man by the name of Worthington, an Indian commissioner of the time, embarked with Oliver in this adventurous undertaking, placing themselves at the head of about eighty whites, forty of
.
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HISTORY OF FORT WAYNE.
whom, so perilous seemed the task before them, after a march of about three days, returned home. The balance, however, pursued their way to the Indian village of Waupaukonetta, where Oliver found friends and acquaintances among some friendly Shawyanoes, and selected four of the bravest to accompany them through to Fort Wayne, Logan among the number.
Having pursued their course, with much care, until within some twenty-four miles of the fort, a council was called to consider the expediency of a further advance, when it was concluded best for all to remain behind except Oliver, Logan, and the other Indian at- tendauts. On the following morning, with their horses, they con- tinued their way " with the common wariness of Indians, and without any remarkable occurrence until they came within some four miles of the fort. Oliver had determined to enter the fort in broad day- light." They now began an examination of the ground with great precaution, determining to ascertain, if possible, what movement had taken place, and the exact locality of the Indians.
The keen eye of Logan now soon discovered that the enemy was concealed along the road, with a view to cut off any reinforcements that might attempt to reach the garrison.
Leaving the main road, they now moved cautiously across to the Maumee river, whither, leaving their horses in a thicket, they ad- vanced on foot towards the fort, in order to get a view of it, and to ascertain, if possible, whether it still held out against the besiegers. Being fully satisfied on this point, they again repaired to the thicket where they had left their horses, remounted, and soon struck the main road again.
The moment of greatest peril and determination had now come. The fort was to be gained at the risk of life itself; and putting whip to their horses, Oliver and his faithful Shawanoe companions started in full speed for the fort.
What was most remarkable, the moment the scouts gained the fort proved to be the only safe one that had for some days presented itself, as though a kind providence had opened the way for the safe arrival of the party to cheer the inmates of the perilous garrison.
First reaching the gate of the esplanade, and finding it inacces- sible, they descended the river bank, and were soon admitted by the northern gate.
Said one of the lieutenants of the fort: " The safe arrival of Oliver at that particular juncture may be considered miraculous. One hour sooner or one hour later, would no doubt have been inevitable destruction both to himself and his escort. It is generally believed by those acquainted with the circumstances, that not one hour, for eight days and nights preceding or following the hour which Mr. Oliver arrived, would have afforded an opportunity of any safety."
So close was their contact with the Indians, in this fearful ride, that they even saw the beds upon which they lay as they main- tained their nightly guard.
219
OLIVER'S ARRIVAL AT FORT WAYNE. 1
Entering the general gateway, which was located about where now stands the residences of the late Jas. B. Hanna, or Martin Knoll, on Wayne street-the fort then, with several acres of ground, being enclosed by a substantial fence-a few moments more, and all was safety. The fort was gained, the north gate opened, and Oliver and his companions rode quickly in, to the great astonishment and joy of the little garrison, who eagerly gathered about the heroic riders to learn the news.
Oliver's story was soon told. When the volunteers of Ohio, as- sembled at St. Mary's, learned the extent of the Indian force about Fort Wayne, they deemed it imprudent to advance with so small a. force, and concluded to await the arrival of the Kentuckians, thus subjecting the garrison to a still longer state of suspense. The anx- iety was intense; and it was through extreme good fortune, and mere accident, that the fort was enabled to hold out, with so little good management-" the commanding officer had been drunk nearly all the time, and the two licutenants inefficient men ; entirely unfit to hold commissions of any grade." The non-commissioned officers and privates, eighty in number, behaved very well. The Indian agent was feeble and incapable of much exertion. Oliver, though a private citizen, was now the most efficient man in the fort.
Having prepared a letter, announcing to General Harrison his safe arrival at the fort, and its beleaguered situation, Oliver imme- diately started his Shawanoe companions back with the letter to Worthington, while he determined to take his chances with the oc- cupants of the fort.
Seeking an opportune moment, Logan and his companions left the fort safely, but were soon observed, and pursued. Their exul- tant shouts, however, soon revealed to the inmates of the garrison that they had outstripped their pursuers and passed the lines un- harmed.
The Indians now again begun a furious attack upon the fort, but the little garrison bravely met the assault, 'and were, in a few days more, enabled to hail the approach of the army.
The name of Oliver deserves to be enshirined in every heart. Such heroism is seldom met with, and who among us to-day can fail to cherish a kindly memory and regard for so valiant and self- devotional a spirit as the brave, determined WILLIAM OLIVER ?
At Cincinnati, the. Kentucky volunteers elected Gov. Harrison to command them as a major-general. When he received the infor- mation from Oliver that Fort Wayne was in existence, he took up the line of march for the scene of the beleagured garrison.
The faithful Shawanoes met the advancing army at Piqua, Ohio, where the message of Oliver was readily delivered to Gen. Harri- son, who at once drew his men together, and made them a speech. Said he, in part : " If there is a man under my command who lacks the patriotism to rush to the rescue, he, by paying back the money received from the government, shall receive a discharge, as I do not
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HISTORY OF FORT WAYNE.
wish to command such." But one man responded to the proposi- tion. His name was Miller, of the Kentucky militia; and having obtained his discharge, on the morning of the 6th, his comrades not willing to let him return withont some special manifestion of their appreciation of his course, put him on a rail, carried him around the lines to the music of the Rogue's March, and down to the Miami, where they took him off the rail and let him into the water and baptized him in the name of " King George, Aaron Burr, and the Devil." As he came out of the water the men stood on the bank and threw handsful of mud on him, then, forming into two lines in an adjacent lane, made him run the gauntlet, each one throwing a handful of dirt on him, and then let him go.
Soon after this event, on the morning of the 6th, the army began its march for Fort Wayne, encamping that evening in the woods, some twelve miles from Pigna. Early on the morning of the 7th, (Monday) the army resumed its march. This day, says one of their number,* " we made fifteen miles, and encamped on a branch, three and a half miles this side of St. Mary's river. Next morning a melancholy accident happened. In the act of receiving the guard a young man by the name of Thomas Polly, a sergeant in Captain Mcgowan's company, was shot by the accidental discharge of a gun in the hands of a sentinel by the name of Thos. Hamilton. The ball entered the left side, below the nipple, and passed out near the backbone, perforating the lungs. We carried him on a litter to St. Mary's, where he lingered till the next day. This was the first death that had occurred during our march. This day, Sept. Sth, we only marched to St. Mary's, t where we lay till next day. On this evening we were joined by two hundred mounted volun- teers, under Col. Richard M. Johnson, who had volunteered for thirty days, on hearing that Fort Wayne was besieged. Wednes- day, Sept. 9th, we marched eighteen miles, to what was called Shane's Crossing of St. Mary's. Here we overtook a regiment of eight hundred men from Ohio, under Cols. Adams and Hawkins, who had started on to the relief of Fort Wayne. On arriving at this place, an Indian, of the Shawanoe tribe, a half blood, by the name of Logan, (who had been taken when a small boy by Gen. Benjamin Logan, of Lincoln county, Kentucky, and raised by him, but who, after arriving at maturity, had gone back and joined his tribe) with four others, offered his services to Gen. Harrison as spies, which he accepted."
Logan was a remarkable Indian, and had early merited the es- teem and confidence of the whites. Was some six feet in height, with robust form, broad shoulders, and prominent forehead. Was greatly attached to General Harrison, and a warm friend to the
* John D. White, of Lawrenceburgh, Ind.
+ At this point some block-houses were built for the security of provisions and pro- tection of the siek. This point had previously been known as Girty Town, doubtless after the famous Simon Girty.
221
INCIDENTS OF THE ARMY IN ITS MARCH TO FORT WAYNE.
American cause, for which he did much valuable service as a guide and spy.
Continues White : « Previous to our arrival, Logan had gone on in disguise, and passing through the camp of the besieging party, had ascertained their number to be about fifteen hundred. Logan also went to the fort, and encouraged the soldiers to hold on, as re- lief was at hand. On this night, (the 9th) the sentinels fired at what they imagined to be Indians, but, on examination, next morning, an old horse was found shot, having strayed outside the camp. Thurs- day morning we marched early. Cols. Adams and Hawkins hav- ing waited several days to come up, (after ascertaining the superi- ority of the enemy's forces) joined our army, and we all marched
together. We now had about three thousand five hundred men. We marched ten miles and encamped. Nothing occurred of any interest. Friday morning we were under marching orders after early breakfast. It had rained, and the guns were damp. We were ordered to discharge them, and re-load, as we were then get- ting into the vicinity of the enemy, and knew not how soon we might be attacked. A strong detachment of spies under Captain James Sugget, of Scott county, marched considerably ahead of the army. Indications of the enemy having advanced from their position at Fort Wayne, for the purpose of watching the movements of our army, were manifest, and Captain Sugget came upon the trail of a large party, which he immediately pursued. After following the trail some distance he was fired on by an Indian, who had secreted himself in a clump of bushes, so near to Sugget that the powder burnt his clothes, but the ball missed him. The Indian jumped from his covert and attempted to escape, but Andrew Johnson, of Scott, shot him. At the crack of the gun, the Indian's gun and blanket fell. Supposing that he had killed him, and being eager in pursuit of the trail, they made no halt; but before they could overtake the Indians, they had to give up the pursuit, on ac- count of the lateness of the hour and the distance they were ahead of the army. On returning to where the Indian was shot, they found the gun and blanket, but he had escaped. They followed the blood for some distance and found pieces of his handkerchief, which he had cut into plugs to stop the blood, but he had bleed so profusely that it had forced them out of the wound. On abandon- ing the pursuit of the wounded Indian, the party returned to the camp. We had marched about fifteen miles, and encamped an hour before Sugget's party arrived. Logan held up the bloody blanket and exhibited it as he rode along the line. Having repaired to Gen. Harrison's marque, orders were immediately issued for the troops to turn out and make a breastwork around the encampment, which order was promptly obeyed, and before dark the same was fortified by a breastwork, made by cutting down trees and piling them on each other. A strong picket guard was detailed and posted at a considerable distance from the line. After tattoo, at 9 o'clock,
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HISTORY OF FORT WAYNE.
we lay down. After which the officer of the night came round to give us the watchword, which was 'fight on.' (The watchword is given to the sentinel as well as to the army, in order, that, in case of a night attack, and the sentinels having to run into camp, may be distinguished from the enemy by it.) Orders were given, that in case of two guns being fired in quick succession, the soldiers were to repair to the breastwork. From every indication we had strong reasons for believing that we would be attacked before day. We lay with our guns in our arms and cartridge boxes under our heads. About 10 o'clock, just as the soldiers were in the enjoyment of ' tired nature's sweet restorer,' they were aroused by the firing of two guns by the sentinels, and the drums beat the alarm. In a mo- ment all were at the breastwork, ready to receive the enemy. Just about this time some fifty guns were fired by the sentinels, and some came running in hallooing at the top of their voices, ' fight on ;' and, notwithstanding we had orders not to speak the, watchword, the cry of ' fight on' went entirely around the lines. If there had been an attack, and the enemy had understood English, it would have afforded them the advantage of getting into the lines by giv- ing the watchword.
" The Indians were around us, and we were in momentary ex- pectation of an onset. At last all was calm again, and we were permitted to rest. But just as we were in the sweet embraces of sleep, we were again aroused by the firing of a number of guns, and again we were as prompt in repairing to our posts. We now stood a considerable time, and all became quiet again, when we were ordered to count off one, two, three, and every third man was made to stand at the breastwork, and the rest were permitted to re- tire to their tents. At length day dawned, and the guards were relieved. We ascertained afterward, from Indians taken prisoners, that they came from their encampment with the design of making a night attack on us, but on finding us so well prepared to receive them, they declined prosecuting their designs.
" Without being able to get round the entire encampment before daylight of the morning of the 9th, the Indians returned to their own lines with the word that ' Kentuck was coming as numerous as the trees.'
" Lieut. Munday, of Kuley's company, of Madison county, Ky., and Ensign Herring, of Hart's company, of Lexington, being offi- cers of the guard, both left their guard fires and ran in when the firing commenced .*
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