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 9
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*Sx Spark's life of Washington. 1. 67,
52
MOVEMENTS AGAINST ACADIA, NIAGARA, ETC.
Braddock's defeat, and the fording-place became memorable. The rout continued to Philadelphia. Meeting the rear division of Dunbar, the panic communicated to the balance of the division, and cannon, baggage, wagons, de., were destroyed, and left behind. The frontier settlements were passed and left to the ravages of the savage men, who, soon after, waged a destructive war upon them.
The expedition against Acadia resulted in the speedy reduction of that point ; but three thousand inhabitants thereof, stoutly refusing to subscribe to the English oath of allegiance, were speedily placed upon vessels and shipped to British dominions.
The movement against Niagara failed entirely-the forces being unable even to reach the falls. The one against Crown Point, in part, at first, much like Braddock, were surprised by the enemy, -- French and Indians,-in a thick, woody ambuscade, and badly cut np; but afterwards rallied with superior force, and the victory on the beautiful borders of Lake George, under Sir William Johnson, was considered tolerably complete and decisive.
Five wearisome years thus passed away-Indians, English, and French waging a ceaseless warfare upon and destroying each other, in surprising, cannonading, and also attacks upon defenseless settle- ments by the savages. Great suffering necessarily awakened strong efforts and energy on the part of both the French and the English.
In 1758, from Cape Breton and Nova Scotia, extending to the Ohio river, and along the bordering regions of Lake George, the war between the rival claimants became rife again. Lord Aber- crombie was in command of the English forces of America, with some fifty thousand men under him ; and with Montcalm, who had, about two years before, with a superior force of French and Indians, achieved many important victories in the capture and destruction of Oswego, the reduction and capture of Fort William Henry-the aspect of affairs began to assume another and different shape. The English now began to regain lost ground and to capture other im- portant points. The formidable fortress of Louisburg was taken ; Fort DnQuesne, (Pittsburg-lost by Braddock)-soon fell into Eng- lish hands. Bradstreet soon struck a favorable blow, and captured Fort Frontenac. Lord Abercrombie, with a force of some sixty thousand men, advanced upon Ticonderoga, and though the many brave Highlanders under him were badly ent up-though a retreat became necessary, from the great disadvantage of the attack,-yet the English never lost heart, but pushed forward with renewed vigor. Canada was to be reduced and taken. A new plan of assailing the province. from three sides, found a lodgement in the British mind- General Prideanx was to move upon Niagara from the west ; Ticon- deroga and Crown Point were to be reduced or captured from the south by General Amherst ; while the brave Wolfe, from the cast, was to move upon Quebec. General Prideaux, of the first. having
53
HISTORY OF FORT WAYNE.
been killed by the bursting of a cohorn, the command and capture of Niagara fell upon Sir Willam Johnson. The loss of Niagara was equal to the loss of the Province, and the French began to exhibit strenuous efforts to save the fort and beat back the enemy. The French and Indian forces then holding Detroit, Presque Isle, Venango and Le Bœuf, were speedily ordered to the rescue of Niagara. Sir William advanced upon the enemy. They soon fled, and for five miles Sir William pursued the retreating forces. The success of Niagara was complete. Amherst's advancement upon Ticon- deroga was the signal for its destruction, and the French blew it up, passing down Lake Champlain to Crown Point, whither they soon retreated, and concentrated their forces upon Isle Aux Noix. Preparing formidable breast-works here, they determined to brave the worst, and put a stop, if possible, to the further invasion of the enemy. But winter came, and the armies ceased hostilities for a season.
The rigid winter months soon passed-May had glided into June, and Wolfe, with an army of eight thousand men, was sailing up the St. Lawrence. Soon forming an encampment upon the Island of Orleans, Quebec, with her " churches and convents of stone; its ramparts, bastions, and batteries " -- high cliffs, and the noted castle of St. Louis, all in full view, -- he began to survey the field of operations. Still beyond the rocky promontory which formed the base-work of the boasted city, presenting a continuons line of intrenchments and batteries for some distance along the St. Lawrence, his right rest- ing on Quebec and the river St. Charles, lay the army of Mont- calm, fourteen thousand strong. Every aspect of nature seemed to have conspired against the operations of Wolfe. A thick forest shielded Montcalm in the rear ; opposite stood the towering promon; tory of Point Levi, and to his left appcared the cascade and gulf of Montmorenci. The task before Wolfe was herculean. "I have this day (Dec. 1, 1758,) signified to Mr. Pitt," wrote Wolfe to Wm. Rickson, "that he may dispose of my slight carcass as he pleases, and that I am ready for any undertaking within the reach and compass of my skill and cunning. I am in a very bad condition, both with gravel and rheumatism : but I had much rather die than decline any kind of service that offers ; if I followed my own taste, it would lead me into Germany ; and if my poor talent was consulted, they should place me to the cavalry, because nature has given me good eyes, and a warmth of temper to follow the first impressions. However, it is not our part to choose, but to obey." The meridian of the 31st of July, 1759, had passed. Wolfe had determined to move upon Montcalm's front, and was soon embarked with a strong force. Heavy cannonading from his vessels, soon enabled him to gain a landing " just above the mouth of the Montmorenci." The ambi- tion of the grenadiers and Royal Americans " o'er leaped itself." Eager for the victory, they sprang upon the shore. Illy directed and without orders, with loud shouts, they rushed over the plain
54
WOLDE BEFORE QUEBEC.
and began, in the face of a terrible fire of the enemy, to clamber up the ramparts of the French. Hundreds of their slain soon cov- cred the slopes. A moment of comparative stillness soon elapsed. The great volleys of smoke arising from the heavy cannonading had been effectual in attracting thick clouds over the scene of ae- tion, and a pelting rain put a stop to the bloody contest. Night set in, A retreat was ordered. The surviving forces regained their vessels, and, as they moved away, the loud vive le roi from the ramparts, and the wild . whoops of the Indians, as they descended the heights to tomahawk and scalp the wounded, and plunder the the dead, all told how complete they esteemed the victory.
Wolfe was sad. "More than four hundred of the flower of his army had fallen a useless sacrifice. " The vital powers of his rather slender frame had been greatly overcome, and a burning and pro- tracted fever confined him for a period of several days to his bed ; and here it was, while suffering under the weight of a painful fever, that his soul seemed to rise above the surrounding obstacles of success, and enabled him to conceive the plan of future triumph. The scheme thus evolved was deep and daring. The army was to be divided into two divisions,-one, by seeming attacks, to engage the attention of Montcalm before Quebec-the other to move, at night, above the place, on the north side, and scale the rugged heights of Abraham. September came, and all was readiness. All worked well. The plan developed was pushed forward, and on the night of the 12th of September, clear and beautiful-the stars looking down with a glorious harmony upon the scene-noiselessly, the vessels of Wolfe floated down the stream to the point of em- barkation. " Qui vive ?" cried a sentinel of the French, as ho caught a glimpse of the moving objects.
" La France ! " was the word echoed back by one of the captains of the fleet.
" A quel regiment ?" enquired the French guard. " De la Reine ? "* was the ready response of the captain:
The sentinel, thinking no ill, and as a vessel was hourly looked for from Bougainville, all suspicions were hidden in the darkness of the hour, and the English fleet passed on. Soon another sum- mons from a sentinel brought forth similar responses from the eap- tain of the English vessel, and all was well. The designated point, at the base of the heights, was reached,-ever after memorable as "Wolfe's cove." The ascent was very great. Wolfe felt doubtful. Said he, to one of his officers, "you can try it, but I don't think you'll get up."
Soon one Donald McDonald, the same, doubtless, who had just before so readily responded to the French sentinel, began to scalo the heights. Again came a challenge from a guard above. The
#This was the name of a corps under the French commander, Bougainville, a fact. known to the captain referred to.
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55
HISTORY OF FORT WAYNE.
reply was prompt and satisfactory. He had come, said he in French, to relieve him, (the French sentinel) and the guard was silenced. Close upon the ascent of McDonald, came a number of Highlanders, scrambling up by every available means-and still they came, until the height above swarmed with the English sol- diery. A fierce resistance ensued between the guards and the English. The guards were compelled to give way. Wolfe's idea and the stratagem of the Highlander had done the work. Morn- ing came, and with it the clear sunlight, The Plains of Abraham presented to the opposite ramparts of Quebec a scene of terror and dismay. The shining bayonets of the enemy, "and the dark-red lines of the English forming in array of battle," readily told the French what was coming. The long siege had already greatly ex- hausted the French supplies-their militia had withdrawn for want of food. Their alarm drums were beaten; and all was ex- citement. "They have gotten to the weak side of us at last, and we must crush them with our numbers," said Montcalm; and the French soldiers began to move to the front of the English. Firing began, and nine o'clock saw the two armies confronting each other. Montcalm soon began to advance. Coming yet nearer, his troops opened a heavy fire upon the English. All was still in the English ranks. No one ventured to pull a trigger, until the army of Mont- calm had advanced within some forty yards of the regulars. " At once," runs the account, " from end to end of the British line, the muskets rose to the level, as if with the sway of some great ma- chine, and the whole blazed forth at once in one crashing explo- sion." The smoke became intense, and for a time enveloped the soldiery in darkness. The execution of the English had been great ; and now, that the smoke had cleared away, they began to redouble their efforts-"hewing down the Frenchmen with their broadswords, and slaying many in the very ditch of the fortifications." The ac- tion was short and rapid. The French loss was estimated at " fif- teen hundred men, killed, wounded, and taken." The French now fled precipitately. Wolfe had fallen, mortally wounded, and been conveyed to the rear, before the flight of the French began. "See how they run," cried an English officer standing near to Wolfe, as he lay upon the soft turf. "Who run ?" anxiously enquired Wolfe, " opening his eyes, " says the account, " like a man aroused from sleep. " "The enemy, sir, " replied the officer; " they give way everywhere. " "Then, " returned the dying Wolfe, "tell Colonel Burton to march Webb's regiment down to Charles river, to cut off their retreat from the bridge. Now, God be praised, " he softly murmured, turning on his side, "I will die in peace;" and his heroic spirit passed away. Montcalm had also received a mortal wound, and was dying. "Iam happy," said he, " that I shall not live to see the surrender of Quebec." Being interrogated as to in- structions, his reply was, " I will give no more orders ; I have much business that must be attended to, of greater moment than your
56
THE DAWN OF A NEW ERA.
ruined garrison and this wretched country ;" and Montcalm, too, soon went out. The white flag was run up on the ramparts of Que- bec, and on the 18th of September, 1759, that point was forever wrested from the power of the French. A year later, September 8, 1760, and the whole dominion was swept from their grasp, and England ever after swayed the province. A new rule began at once to extend itself over the north-western territory.
A new era had dawned upon the New World. The sun-light of a new governmental superstructure-a broad Democratic-Repub- lican basis,-wherein the great principles of "life, liberty, and the pursuit of HAPPINESS, " were to form the pillars of a beautiful edifice,-had already risen above the hill-tops of the Future, soon to penetrate the thick forests and glimmer along the valleys and hill-sides of the far west.
CHAPTER VI.
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" O'er a pulse from chaos beating, With its mystic flow of pride, We are drifting-ever drifting, And are floating down the tide." -- WM. II. BUSHNELL.
Numbers and condition of the tribes of the northwest at the close of the French and Indian war-The western route-The Shawanoes and Miamies-Indian attach- ment to the French-Their hatred of the English-The 'Delaware Prophet- British occupancy of forts Miami and Ouiatenon-Treaty of 1763-The Indian domain-The conspiracy of Pontiac-His designs first discovered at this point- Discovery of the "bloody belt"-Council called-Holmes' letter-Office of the chiefs-The great council at the river Ecorces-Great speech of Pontiac-The Ojibwa girl's warning-Pontiac's visit to the fort-His failure -- Further efforts- Gladwyn's letter-Further efforts of Pontiac-Visit and retention of Campbell and MeDongal at the camp of Pontiac-Capture of the forts-The conspiracy at this point-Betrayal and death of Holmes-surrender of the fort -- One hundred and four years have passed-"Progress ! Civilization ! Onward !
T the close of the French struggle, so great had been the havoc among the various tribes of the north-west, that, from the estimates of Sir William Johnson, it was presumed there were not. more than ten thousand fighting men to be found in the whole territory lying "between the Mississippi on the west, and the ocean on the east ; between the Ohio on the south, and Lake Su- . perior on the north ;" which, according to a further estimate by Sir William, in 1763, placed the Iroquois at 1950; the Delawares at about 600 ; the Shawanoes at about 300 ; the Wyandotts at about 450; the Miamies, with their neighbors, the Kickapoos, at about 800; while the Ottawas, Ojibwas, and a few wandering tribes, northward, were left without any enumeration at all. At that period, so thin and scattered was the population," say the best ac- counts,* " that, even in those parts which were thought well popula- ted, one might sometimes journey for days together through the twilight forest, and meet no human form. Broad tracts were left in solitude. All Kentucky was a vacant waste, a mere skirmish- ing ground for hostile war-parties of the north and south. A great part of Upper Canada, of Michigan, and of Illinois, besides other portions of the west, were tenanted by wild beasts alone." *See Parkman's llistory of Conspiracy of Pontiac, D 132.
58
CONDITION OF AFFAIRS AT THE CLOSE OF THE WAR.
The most favored route westward from the central colonial dis- tricts, at that period, "was from Philadelphia across the Allegha- nies, to the valley of the Ohio, " by way of Fort du Quesne, (after the war, being rebuilt by the English, called "Fort Pitt,") where Pittsburg now stands. It was this route that most of the traders westward took, whither, from that point, they penetrated the inte- rior with their goods, upon pack-horses, to traffic with the Indians. An Englishman, for sometime subsequent to the war, became a ready subject for the scalping-knife, and, consequently, was com- pelled to move with great precaution.
At this period, says Parkman, in his interesting researches, " the Shawanoes had fixed their abode upon the Scioto and its branches. Farther towards the west, on the waters of the Wabash and the Maumce, dwelt the Miamies, who, less exposed, from their posi- tion, to the poison of the whiskey keg, and the example of de- bauched traders, retained their ancient character and custom in greater purity than their castern neighbors, " "From Vincennes, " says the same writer, "one might paddle his canoe northward up the Wabash, until he reached the little wooden fort of Ouiatenon. Thence a path through the woods led to the banks of the Maumee. Two or three Canadians, or half breeds, of whom there were num- bers about the fort, would carry the canoe on their shoulders, or, for a bottle of whisky, a few Miami Indians might be bribed to undertake the task. On the Maumee, at the end of the path, stood Fort Miami, near the spot where Fort Wayne was afterwards built. From this point, " continues he, " one might descend the Maumee to Lake Erie, and visit the neighboring Fort of Sandusky ; or, if he chose, steer through the strait of Detroit, and explore the watery wastes of the northern lakes, finding occasional harborage at the little military posts which commanded their important points. Most of these western posts were transferred to the English during the autumn of 1760; but the settlements of the Illinois (Kaskaskia, Cahokia, &c.,) remained, " says Parkman, "several years longer under French control."
The Indians of the northwest had lost their French Father, and with him, for a time, their trinkets, and much besides, in the form of powder, balls, &c., that they had long annually been accustomed to receive from that quarter. They could hardly realize, not- withstanding the many whisperings to that effect, that their French Father was forever divested of his power in America, and that his rule this side of the great waters had ceased. They believed the oft repeated stories of the many habitans, coureurs des bois, &c., of the various villages, and wandering from point to point among the tribes of the northwest, which were also greatly strengthened by similar assurances from those of the French still holding possession of the territory along the Illinois and Mississippi rivers, and at other points, that their French Father "had of late years fallen asleep," and that his numerous vessels and soldiers would soon be
59
HISTORY OF FORT WAYNE.
moving up the Mississippi and St. Lawrence, to drive the English from their dominions, leaving them again in quiet possession of their former hunting grounds. Every means was now resorted to by the French thus scattered about the wilderness to arouse the savages, and their efforts were not in vain. The rancor of the In- dians was greatly increased from time to time, until at length, after a laspe of two years, a great scheme was developed and put on foot for the overthrow and destruction of the English and the various posts so recently occupied by them. As had been frequent at other periods among the aborignies in the wilds of the New World, a great Prophet suddenly began to exert a powerful influ- ence among the tribes of the northwest. He held his mission un- der the Great Spirit, and carnestly enjoined upon the tribes to re- turn again to their primitive habits-to throw away the weapons, apparel, &c., obtained from the pale faces. Here, said he, is the starting point of success. The force of the new prophet's teachings were truly great, and the tribes came from long distances to hear him. For the most part his suggestions were much regarded by the tribes; but the weapons of the white man could not be dis- pensed with. These they retained. The prophet was a. Delaware, and the great leader of the movement, was an Ottawa chieftain, whose Indian name was PONTIAC. Detroit was surrendered to the English on the 29th of November, 1760; and while many prisoners were removed down the lake, " the Canadian inhabitants were al- lowed to retain their farms and houses, on condition of swearing allegiance to the British crown." An officer being speedily dis- patched to the southwest, Fort Miami, at the confluence of the rivers St. Mary and St. Joseph, and Ouiatenon, below the present site of Lafayette, so long standing gnard between the Ohio river and Lake Erie, were soon possessed by the English, and a new rule begun.
For over two years, forts Miami and Quiatenon remained in com- parative security. No hostile movement on the part of the French or savages had thus far conspired to greatly ruffle the complacency of their guardianship.
The tenth of February, 1763, at length arriving, a treaty of Peace was convened at Paris, France, between the two great Powers of France and England-the former surrendering to the latter all claims to the vast region lying east of the Mississippi, making the great Father of Waters the boundary line of the British possessions in America.
A few months later, on the 7th of October, the English govern- ment, " proportioning out her now acquisitions into separate gov- ernments," set apart "the valley of the Ohio and adjacent regions as an Indian domain, " and, by proclamation, strictly forbade " the intrusion of settlers " thereon. Each came at an unpropitious pe- riod. The seeds of future trouble had long since been sown, and the little forts in the wilderness, here (Fort Miami) and at
60
A FRIENDLY ADMONITION -- THE BLOODY BELT.
Ouiatenon, were destined ere long to feel the shock of " coming events." The great plot of Pontiac and the efforts of the Delaware prophet for the destruction of the English and the recapture of the posts so recently lost to the French, were rapidly though silently maturing. Intimations and surmises were all that could be gained, so still and cantious were the movements of the savages; and the - first really positive assurance (as it afterwards proved) of the efforts and designs of the Ottawa chieftain and his followers, was dis- closed at Fort Miami, opposite the present site of Fort Wayne.
With the utmost vigilance, on the one hand, and the greatest possible activity on the other, Pontiac was now pushing forward his scheme of destruction against the English. War belts were dispatched to various tribes at a distance, inviting them to join in the overthrow of the invaders and capture of the forts; and soon the entire Algonquin race, combined with the Senecas (of the Six Nations) the Wyandotts, and many tribes from the valley of the Lower Mississippi, were allied to the great scheme of destruction. An English officer, by the name of Holmes, was in command, with a small body of men, at this point, Fort Miami ; and it was through Holmes that the first most positive intimations were received of the premeditated plot of the Indians.
One day, carly in the month of March, 1763, Holmes was startled by a friendly admonition. A neighboring Indian, who, through some aets of kindness, perhaps, on the part of Holmes, had formed a strong friendship for the ensign. The Indian told him that the warriors of one of the villages near by had recently received a bloody belt,* with a " speech, " pressing them to kill him (Holmes) and demolish the fort here, and which, whispered the friendly In- dian, the warriors were then making preparations to do. The peril was iminent, and Holmes began at once .to look about him. Soon summoning the neighboring Indians to a council, he made bold to charge them with the design, which they readily acknowledged, with seeming contriteness and regret, charging the whole affair upon a tribe at another locality in the region. Holmes obtained the belt, and, from a speech of one of the chiefs of the Miamies, was at least partially induced to entertain the belief that all would now be tranquil.
A few days later, and the following letter, from Ensign Holmes, at this point, was on its way to Major Gladwyn, commanding at Detroit :
" FORT MIAMIS, MARCH 30TH, 1763.
" Sinee my Last Letter to You, wherein I Acquainted You of the Bloody Belt being in this village,t I have made all the search
*It was a custom with many tribes in those days to send belts of wampum and somtimes tobacco when aid was desired, or peace was to be made. The white belt denoted peace ; the black or red belt were emblamatie of war.
+The old Twightwee or Miami village, on the west side of the St. Joseph, and scat tered in the neighborhood of the " Old Apple Tree, " nearly opposite the site of old fort Wayne.
61
HISTORY OF FORT WAYNE.
I could about it; and have found it out to be True; Whereon I Assembled all the Chiefs of this Nation,* & and after a long and troublesome Spell with them, I Obtained the Belt, with a Speech; as you will Receive Enclosed ; This Affair is very timely Stopt, and I hope the News of a Peace will put a Stop to any further Troubles with these Indians, who are the Principle Ones of Setting Mischief on Foot. I send You the Belt with this Packet, which I hope You will Forward to the General."
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