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 35
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277
INDIANS TO DELIVER THEIR PRISONERS AT FORT WAYNE.
especially when they know that their errors will not be noticed by the adversary."
On the 6th the American troops continued to occupy the battle ground, and the Moravian town, about two miles above it, being employed in burying the dead and collecting the public property of the enemy, of which a considerable quantity was found in different places. In addition to the artillery already mentioned, and a great variety of military stores, there were at least 5000 stand of small arms captured by the American troops and destroyed by the ene- my on this expedition. A large proportion of them had been taken at the surrender of Detroit, the massacre of the river Raisin, and the defeat of Colonel Dudley. Early on the 7th, Gen. Harrison left the army under the immediate command of Governor Shelby and returned to Detroit; and in the course of the same day the different corps commenced their return home, having embarked the greater part of the property they had captured in boats on the Thames, and set fire to the Moravian town, which was a very in- considerable village, occupied chiefly by Delaware Indians, who professed to be of the Moravian sect of religion. On the 10th all the troops arrived with their prisoners at Sandwich. It now began to snow, and the weather was extremely cold and stormy. Fortwo or three days the wind blew down the strait with such violence, that it was impracticable to cross it, and the vessels bringing down the public property, were greatly endangered, and much of it was lost.
In the meantime, an armistice was concluded by Gen. Harrison with the Indians. Before he marched in pursuit of the British, a deputation of Ottawas and Chippewas had sued for peace, which he had promised them on condition that they would bring in their families, and raise the tomahawk against the British. To these terms they had readily acceded ; and before his return the Miamies and Pottawattamies had solicited a cessation of hostilities from General M'Artur on the same conditions. Even the ferocious and inveterate Mai-pock, of the Pottawattamies, now tendered his sub- mission, and an armistice was concluded with seven of the hostile tribes, which was to continue till the pleasure of the President was known. They agreed to deliver up all their prisoners at Fort Wayne, and to leave hostages in security for their good behavior. Sepa- rated from their allies, by the American victories on the Lake and the Thames, from whom they had received subsistence and council, they were now glad to accept the American friendship on any terms, which would save them from extermination by famine and the sword .*
On the 12th the storm had so far abated, that the mounted regi- ment crossed over the strait to Spring Wells; and on the next day the Kentucky infantry crossed at the mouth of the river Rouge.
On the 20th of October, a general order having been issued for *M'Afee.
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HISTORY OF FORT WAYNE.
the return of the troops to Kentucky, Governor Shelby said : " Al- though, in the course of this campaign, you necessarily encountered many difficulties and privations, yet they were met with that cheerfulness, and sustained with that manly fortitude which the oc- casion required. The uninterrupted good fortune which has attend- ed us, is a source of the most pleasing reflection, and cannot fail to excite the warmest feelings of gratitude towards the Divine Being, who has been pleased in a peculiar manner to favor us, and to crown with success the exertions we have made for our country.
"In the course of the very active operations which we have performed, it is possible that expressions may have dropped, tend- ing to irritate and wound the feelings of some who were engaged in them. The Commanding General hopes, that with the campaign will end every unpleasant sensation, which may have arisen from that source, and that we shall return home united as a band of brothers, with the sweet solace of having served our country from the purest motives, and with the best of our abilities."
In pursuance of this order, the troops returned to Kentucky, and were discharged by Major Trigg, at Limestone, on the 4th of No- vember. The mounted regiment was detained a few days at Detroit, till the Indians had dispersed, after the armistice, and then returned home without any remarkable occurrence.
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CHAPTER XXIV.
"See ! again, the smoke is enrling From the friendly calumet, And the club of war is buried, And the star of slaughter set."
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Further movements of the American Army-Holmes' expedition against the British near the old battle-ground-He posts his men on a height, and gives the enemy battle-The Americans again victorious-Movement against Mackinaw-Expedi- tion of General M'Arthur-Resignation of General Harrison-The treaty of Greenville-Chief Pe-eon-Durability of the old fort-Succession of commanders here-Destruction of the old fort and building of a new one-Peaceful attitude of the Indians after the war-Spirit of order and desire for peace among the Indians -Their close observation and intuition-New comers-An incident-James Pel- tier, the interpreter, and the Indian.
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LTHOUGH the defeat of the British at the battle of the Thames had virtually terminated the struggles in the north- west, yet there was a determinatiou to push the war still further. In February following, (1814,) an expedition was formed under Captain Holmes, to invade Canada, the enemy having, in the month of January, again taken a position at the point of Proctor's defeat, against which Holmes aimed to direct his expe- dition ; but learning that the British were advancing with a superior force, he took his position upon an elevated point a few miles from the old battle ground, and at once proceeded to fortify himself. Here he was now soon attacked with much vigor, but after considerable loss, the British were again forced to retreat.
The next was a movement against Mackinaw, which had first been proposed soon after the battle of the Thames, but the unfa- vorable condition of the weather prevented the safe navigation of the lakes, and the purpose was abandoned. In the following April, however, the plan was again proposed, and put into execution for the double purpose of destroying some vessels the British were supposed to be building at Gloucester Bay, and to capture Mackin- aw ; which, through some misunderstanding, resulted in a fruitless effort, and was at length abandoned. It was again revived, late in the month of July following, from further information received
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HISTORY OF FORT WAYNE.
relative to the building of vessels at Gloucester Bay. Failing at length to reach the point in question, the vessels sailed to St. Joseph's, where a trading house was destroyed, and the goods thereof seized. A portion of this fleet at once sailed for Mackinaw, and on the 4th of August made a landing upon the west side of the Island, where a rather spirited action occurred, in which Captain Holmes and 11 others were killed, which induced an abandonment of any further attempt to capture Mackinaw. The British were now somewhat successful in several efforts against the Americans.
M'Arthur, on the 26th of October, with seven hundred and twenty mounted men, left Detroit. Soon reaching Oxford, he proceeded to Burford, whence, instead of joining General Brown, at Fort Erie, as had been previously proposed, he moved towards the lake, by the Long Point road, and there defeated a body of militia, who had thought to stop his further march ; destroyed also some five or six mills, and then made his retreat along the lake shore towards Sandwich, pursued by a body of regulars, nearly double his own number, arriving at Sandwich, on the 17th of November, with a loss of but one man; and this closed the struggles in the North- west.
General Harrison, feeling, for certain manifest reasons, that the Secretary of War entertained a dislike for him, resigned his position as commander-in-chief of the western forces, on the 11th of May, 1814. Prior to his resignation, however, he had arranged for a treaty at Greenville, where, on the 22d of July, with General Cass, on behalf of the United States, they had met the friendly Wyan- dotts, Delawares, Shawanoes, Senecas, and concluded a peace with the Miamies, Weas, and Eel River Indians, and certain of the Pottawattamies, Ottawas and Kickapoos ; all of whom had engaged to join the Americans, should the war continue. On the 24th of December, the treaty of Ghent having been signed, by the rep- resentatives of the two governments, the difficulties ended, and the proffered aid of the Indians was no longer required.
The treaty of July, 1814, at Greenville, was one of the largest treaties that had ever been held with the tribes. Pe-con,* the successor of Little Turtle, as the representative of the Miamies, with one hundred and thirteen others, were signers to this treaty.
The old Fort, as originally built by order of General Wayne, in 1794, had withstood the ravages of time and the efforts of the Indians to destroy it, remarkably well. From the period of Gen- eral Hamtramck's occupation of it, after the departure of General Wayne, to its final evacuation, in 1819, it had been in charge of many commandants. After the resignation of Captain Ray, in 1812, Captain Hugh Moore, assumed command, who, in 1813, was superseded by Jos. Jenkinson. In the spring of 1814, Major Whist- ler became its commandant, who in turn was superseded by Major
* Chief Pe-con died soon after this treaty, near the old residence of his successor, Chief Richardville, some four or five miles up the St. Mary's river.
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PEACEABLE CHARACTER OF THE INDIANS.
Josiah H. Vose, in 1815, who continued in command until its final evacuation, 19th of April, 1819.
At the close of the struggles in 1814, soon after the arrival of Major Whistler, to assume command here, it was feared that the Indians might again make an effort to capture the post, and being much out of repair, and most uncomfortable for the garrison in many respects, Major Whistler applied to the War Department for permission to rebuild it, which was granted by General Armstrong, and the main structure was replaced by new pickets and other necessary timber for the rebuilding of the officers and other quart- ers within the enclosure.
Though many Indians continued, for several years after the war of 1812 to congregate here 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-place, aside from some petty quarrels among themselves, in which they would often kill each other, nothing of a war-like 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 man is referred to as presenting a general spirit of order and love of peace, not surpassed by many of the whites of the time, and well worthy of emulation in many in- stances. It was no uncommon thing in their visits to Ke-ki-on-ga, seeing a new hut, to enquire whether the new-comer was quiet-if he "make no trouble for Injun," &c. 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 Miamie had come to the village to trade a little. Soon meeting his old friend, Jas. Pel- tier, the interperter, his observing eye, in looking about the place, soon fell upon a hut near, that had but recently been built. "Ugh !" ejaculated the Indian ; " new wigwam !" He now became most anx- ious to know if the white man was peaceable-whether he come 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 enquire how many warriors (chil- dren) they had, &c. Eyeing the matron of the house or squaw, as the Indian called her, and observing that she was quite sad, the Indian became anxious to know what was the matter with her-he was sure she was sick. The woman averred that she was not sick. 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, exclaimed, "White squaw sick at heart; " and was anxious to know if she had not left something behind, at the settlement from which they came to Fort Wayne. In response to this, the woman quickly replied, that she had left her only son, by her first husband, at Piqua, and that she was anxious to have him with her, but her present husband did not want him to come. "Did'nt I tell
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HISTORY OF FORT WAYNE.
you white squaw sick at heart !" replied the Indian, much elated; and he at once proposed to go to Piqua and bring her son to her, if Mr. P. would give him a blanket-which was readily agreed to. Re- ceiving a note from the mother, 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! The woman's heart was eased, and as the faithful Indian gazed upon the happy meeting of the mother and the son, his heart warmed within him, and turning to his friend Peltier, he exclaimed : " Is'nt that good medicine for the white squaw !"
The Indian now became the faithful protector and friend of the woman and her son, assuming the special guardianship of the lat- ter-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 had to lay in the Maumee river until the moss* had grown six inches on his back."
For six or seven years the Indian continued his visits to the hut of the new-comers, always bringing them supplies in the form of venison, and animals of different kinds; and the boy very often ac- companied his kind benefactor to the forest in pursuit of game. t
*It was a custom with the Indians in warfare, when seeking to revenge themselves upon some one, often to cover their backs with moss or weeds, and thus to ereep from point to point, surprising and killing their opponents.
tAs related by Jas. Peltier to his son Louis Peltier, from whom the writer received the narration.
CHAPTER XXV.
" Broad plains-blue waters-hills and valleys, That ring with anthems of the free! "
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Fort Wayne regarded as an object of marked value to the country -- Commanding offi- cer's and soldiers' garden-Main road and general scenery from the fort-Burial grounds-Exhumation of Indian bones, &e .- Hospitality of the garrison-Early navigation of the St. Mary's and Maumee- l'he general landing-place -- Dams and mills-The fur-trade -- "Packs" -- Richardville-His wealth-French traders- Treaties at St. Mary's, Ohio-Occupants of the fort in May, 1814-Return of chief Richardville to Fort Wayne in 1814-His refusal to attend the treaty of Greenville -Rebuilding of the fort-Early traces -- The " Big Elm" -- A fourth-of-July party -Arrival of the mail -- Removal of Major Whistler, and appointment of Major J. H. Vose and Lieutenant Clark -- Abandonment of the garrison-Loneliness of the settlers-Captain James Riley's visit to and early impressions of Fort Wayne and vicinity-Early buildings-Settlers of 1815-Army contractors-Admission of In- diana as a State -- The convention at Corydon-Vincennes the seat of government for the Indiana Territory -- Whatis now Allen County, early formed a part of Ran- dolph County on the south, of which Winchester was long the county seat-Large gathering of Indians at Fort Wayne-How they drew their rations -- The old Council-house and well-Letter of Major B. F. Stickney -- Early traders-Visit here of General Cass and H. R, Schoolcraft-Formation of State Districts and elec- tion of Representatives.
S WITH the heat of summer and the frost of winter, so the effects and agitated state of the war element only gradually disappeared, again leaving the atmosphere of the general mind in a state of comparative passivity and reconciliation.
Still remote from the " settlements," Fort Wayne continued as in former years, to exist as an object of special interest to the nation, not knowing what trials and conflicts might sooner or later call it into action again, in defence of the northwest; and for some years after the achievements of 1812-14, the soldier still continued to stand guard at its portals.
Attached to the fort, running west to about where the " Old Fort House " is located, and where David Comparet's warehouse stands, embracing about one acre of ground, was an excellent and well cultivated garden, belonging to the commanding officer, always filled, in season, with the choicest vegetation. Still to the west of this was the company's garden, extending to about where the Hedekin House now stands, which was also well tilled. The road then main-
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HISTORY OF FORT WAYNE.
ly used, extended westward from the fort along what is now the canal, to the corner of Barr and Columbia streets.
In general appearance, in the summer of 1814, looking out upon the surrounding scene from the fort, the country and vicinity was des- cribed as of the rarest beauty. Nature everywhere wore an aspect of grandeur. The surface, as cleared by order of General Harrison, in 1812, to thwart the efforts and designs of the Indians, was now formed, here and there, with beautiful lawns of tall blue grass, of the finest growth, undisturbed, from season to season, save by the tread and hunger of a few stray ponies.
Just to the south of the fort, in what is now " Taber's Addition," was located the burial ground of the garrison ; and where also were deposited others not immediately connected with the fort. Lieu- tenant Ostrander, mentioned in a former chapter, who had un- thoughtedly fired upon a flock of birds passing over the fort, had been repremanded by Captain Ray, and because of his refusal to be tried by a court-martial, was confined in a small room in the garrison, where he subsequently died, was among the number buried 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 ad- joining block. Many bones were removed from this point some years ago, in digging cellars, and laying the foundations of build- ings.
In 1846, in the progress of excavating for a foundation wall, immediately to the west of the northwest corner of Main and Calhoun streets, were dug up and " removed the remains of an In- dian, who had long before that been buried, with a gun excellently mounted, some trinkets of silver, and a glass pint flask of whisky, which liquid was still preserved in at least as good a state as when buried. The hair was also in a fair state of preservation, though the skull was much decayed, as were the gun mountings carroded."*
Another burial ground, used principally by the Indians, within the recollection of some of the early settlers here, extended from about where Messrs. Hill ce Orbison's warehouse stands, across the basin to the brewery, and beyond. And often had been seen, years ago, swinging from the bough of a tree, or in a hammock stretched be- tween two trees, the infant of the Indian mother ; or a few little log enclosures, where the bodies of adults sat upright, with all their former apparel wrapped about them, and their trinkets, tomahawks, &c., by their side, could be seen at any time for many years, by the few pale faces visting or sojourning here.
In those hospitable periods in the northwest, when it was the pride as well as pleasure of every one to freely help his neighbor, in any way that each could be serviceable to the other, the appear- ance of a stranger at the fort, from the settlements, or any part of the country, was a treat not to be lightly considered ; and such an *' ¡Fort Wayne Times," 1853.
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EARLY NAVIGATION-THE FUR TRADE.
arrival was always hailed with unbounded pleasure by all, and en- tertained with the freest and most gratifying hospitality.
One of the principal ways by which Fort Wayne was reached at this period, was by water, either by way of the St. Mary's or Maumee rivers, usually in flat boats and what was then known as pirogues, embarking at St. Mary's, Ohio, when coming by way of the St. Mary's river. The boat landing was just below the fort, about where the Maumee bridge is, and in the bend of this river-a road leading obliquely down the embankment from the fort to the landing ; and up to 1838, it was no uncommon thing to see pirogues and flatboats, laden with various articles of merchandise, whisky, flour, furs, &c., land and unload, and re-load, at this point. But many dams hav- ing been subsequently erected along the St. Mary's, with a view to the establishment of mills, navigation at length became impeded, and finally abandoned altogether. Among the early mills built along the St. Mary's and near Fort Wayne, was one erected by Captain James Riley, in 1822, at a point familiarly known as the " Devil's Race Ground," or what is now Willshire, Ohio ; in 1824-5 Samuel Hanna and James Barnett built a mill some three miles from Fort Wayne, now known as " Beaver's mill."
Great quantities of hides and peltries arriving here on horses, familiarly called " packs," or by water, across by portage,* from the Wabash, &c., were placed in pirogues, and re-shipped to Detroit, and other points below. And this business was for many years the principal commerce of the place-in fact, the coin itself, by which notes and " promises to pay," were usually liquidated ; and it was through these that goods of various kinds were generally
*This business of the portage or transporting of goods and furs to and from the waters of the Maumee and Wabash; had, before the erection of the fort, become of considerable importance. For some time previous to about the year 1800, it had been pretty much monopolized by the mother of the late chief Richardville, who usually employed a considerable number of men-Indians-and horses for that purpose. The extent and profit of the business was such, that the Indians, upon the grant of a tract of land on Little river, at the treaty of Greenville, endeavored to have reserved to themselves the exclusive right of transportation across the portage, a portion of which was included in the grant ; and it was stated that as much as one hundred dollars had been yielded from this source in one day. It is quite certain that this woman amassed a consider- able fortune at the business. Afterwards, Mr. Louis Bourie, of Detroit, who had a tra- ding house here, principally carried on this business, from about the year 1803, to 1809. His clerk here, who usually employed a number of men and horses for the purpose, ae- ted also as a kind of forwarding merchant for the traders. Upon the deposit of goods in their absence, he issued regular receipts for the same, and paid off the charges of freight and duties at the post of Miami. The traders would purchase their goods in Detroit or Canada, usually in the summer or fall ; transport them in pirogues, in case of pur- chase from the former, to Detroit or Post Miami, where they paid duties ; thenee they ascended the Maumee river, by the same road to the portage at Fort Wayne ; crossed the same by pack horses to the head waters of the Wabash, and down the same by pi- rogues to their respective establishments In the spring they returned, in the same manner with the furs they had collected in winter, to the marts of Detroit and Canada, whence they were sent to Europe. We can scarcely conceive, at this day, of the im- mense quantities of furs, consisting principally of beaver, bear, otter, deer, and coon, which were formerly collected on the Wabash and Illinois rivers, and nearly all of which passed over this portage. They were the principal staple of the country, and among the traders the only currency-when debts were contracted, or payments to be made, notes were usually drawn payable in furs. Such notes are found extending back in
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HISTORY OF FORT WAYNE.
obtained in exchange-such as dry goods, boots, shoes, hardware, &c-which were sold at exorbitant prices to the Indians, and others, and by which means, and the early purchase of lands, at a very low figure, many in after years became very wealthy. Richard- ville, the late chief of the Miamies, who was licensed as a trader with the Indians at this point, as early as 1815, amassed an immense fortune, mainly by this trade and the sale of lands. Schoolcraft estimated his wealth some years prior to his death at about $200,000 in specie ; much of which he had had so long' buried in the earth that the boxes in which the money was enclosed, had mainly de- cayed, and the silver itself greatly rusted and blackened.
In 1818, several French traders came here, but not meeting with such inducements as they had desired, passed on, after a few days, to the more remote regions of the West, where furs were supposed to be more abundant.
In this year there were also a number of treaties held with the Indians at St. Mary's, Ohio, on behalf of the United States, under the direction of Governor Jennings and Benjamin Parke, of Indi- ana, and General Lewis Cass, of Michigan; at one of which, on the 6th of October, a purchase of a considerable body of land lying sonth of the rivers St. Mary and Wabash, was effected.
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