USA > Indiana > Hamilton County > History of Hamilton County, Indiana : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 6
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the enemy were in full force in front, in possession of their favorite ground and endeavoring to turn our left flank. I therefore gave orders for the second line to advar re and suquet the first, and directed Major General Seutt to gain and turn the right flank of the savages, with the whole of the mounted volunteers by a circuitons route ; at the same time I ordered the front line to advance and charge with trailed arms and rouse the Indians from their ouverts at the point of the bayonet, and, when up. to deliver a close and well-directed fire on their backs, followed by a brisk charge, so as not to give them time to load again. + *
* From every account, the enemy amounted to two thousand
combatants. The troops actually engaged against them were short of nine hundred. This horde of savages, with their allies, abandoned themselves to flight and dispersed with terror and dismay, leaving our victorine- army in full and quiet possession of the field. *
* We remained three days and nights on the banks of the Manmee, in front of the field of battle. during which time all the houses and cornfields were consumed and destroyed for a considerable distance both above and below Fort Miami, as well as within pistol-shot of the garrison, who were conqu-led to remain tacit spectators to this general destruction and conflagration, among which were the houses, stores and property of Col. MeKer, the British Indian Agent, and principal stimulator of the war now existing between the United States and the
"The hes of the Indians can only be estimated by the number of their dead left on the field, and, npon that basis, it would be safe to fix the number of killed at little less than eighty, and about two hundred wounded, for. when the battle war ended and the Indians had withdrawn, forty of their dead remained on the field. in addition to the large number necessarily taken off the field during the progress of the engagement, areording to their universal usage, until their compulsary retirement -the wounded being more than double their death loss," According to the official report of Gen, Wayne, in the War Depart- ment, his love was twenty-six regularsand seven Kentucky volunteers killed, while of the wounded. there were eighty-seven regulars and thirteen volunteers. Sub- sequently, nine regulare and two volunteers died from the effect of their wounds -at the date of the report, August 28, 1794.
CHAPTER V.
Expedition against the Mississinara Towns-Battle and Destruction of the Torras-Delaware Mission-Col. Rusar's Expedition-Burning the Dhl- aware Towns-Incidents.
I N this portion of Indiana Territory, there was comparative peace with the
Indians, except frem marauding parties, who not unfrequently, in the ar- complishment of their mischievous purposes, committed murders and other acts of violence, which, in the course of time, became unbearable-from the date of the treaty, at Greenville, Ohio, until in the fall of 1812, after and during the second war with threat Britain, in which the Indians, through the ageney of English emissaries, were induced to participate, according to the products of military advantage, or from motives of plunder. These movements, in the course of time, began to be intolerable, and devisive steps were taken to meet the crisis and enforce obedience to the treaty stipulations, for the preservation of peace. On the tith of September, 1812, the militia of Clarke County, including sixty mounted volunteers from Jefferson County, under the command of t'il. William MeFarland, and 350 Kentucky volunteers who arrived on the following day, were drawn together for an apparenty common purpose-that of burning the Delaware towns on White River. For some unexplained reasons. however, the purpose was not exrented, owing, no doubt, to the concentration of effort by whites and Indians, toward the expedition against Fort Wayne, n month or two later.
The hostile spirit of the Miamis continuing, the necessity for destroying their towns' on the Mississinowa became imminent, and Lient. Col. Conqdwell, of the Nineteenth Regiment of United States Infantry, was nusigned by tien. Harrison for that duty. The detachment was composed chiefly of a regiment of Kentucky dragoons commanded by Col. Simall, a squadron of United States volunteer dragoons commanded by Maj. James V. Hall, and a corps of infantry consisting of Capt. Elliot's company of the Nineteenth United States Regiment, Butler's Pittsburgh Bines, and Alexander's Pennsylvania Hiflemen -the entire command comprising about six hundred mounted men. Receiving instructions on the 25th of November of that year, Col. Campbell took up the line of march toward the Mississinewa towns by the way of Springfield,
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HISTORY OF HAMILTON COUNTY, INDIANA.
Xenia, Dayton, Eaton and Greenville, that route being prescribed by fien. Harrison because of its bring more distant from the Delaware towns, which he desired to avoid, in consequence of the friendly relations existing between the meulers of that tribe and the United States. In another part of his instruc- tions, Gen. Harrison says : " It will be necessary that care sleenki be taken to avoid coming in contact with them, or to avoid any ill consequences, should it happen to be the case. Inform yourself' as minutely as possible from Conner and others who have been to Mississinewa, of the localities of the place, and the situation of the Indians, * * * There are, however, some of the [ Miami] chiefs who have undeviatingly exerted themselves to keep their warriors quiet, url to preserve their friendly relations with us. This has been the case with reference to Richardville (a half-breed Frenchman, the seul chief of the Miamis), Silver Heels, [nud] the White Loon certainly, and, perhaps, of Peran, the principal chief of the Miamis, and Charley, the principal of the Eel River tribe. *
* * * The same remark will also apply to the sun and brother of the Little Turtle, who continued to his last moments the warm friend of the United States, aml who, in the course of his life, rendered them many important services. Your character as a sol- dier, and that of your trong, is a sore guarantee of the safety of the women and children. They will be taken, however, and conducted to the settlement. * *
* The utmost vigilantes of your guards will not, however, afford
yom perfect security. Your men must, at all times, be kept ready for action, by night as well as by day. When you wivaner into the enemy's country, your men must be made to lie mjem their army, and with their nrconterments on."
In his report of the expedition Col. Campbell says : " Early io the morn- ing of the 17th [of December, 1812], I reached, undiscovered, an Indian town on the Mississineva, inhabited by a number of Delawares and Miamis. The troops rushed inta the town, killed eight warriors, amel took forty-two pri -- wners, right of whom are warriors; the residue are women and children. 1 ordered the town to be immediately burned -- a house or two excepted, in which 1 confined the prisoners-and the cattle and other stock to be shot. 1 then
* I burnt, on this left the infantry to guard the prisoners. * * occasion, three considerable villages, took several horses, killed many cattle, and returned to the town I first hurnt, where I left the prisoners, und en-
* * * At four, on the morning of the 18th, I ordered the reveille to be beaten, and the officers convened at my fire a short time after- ward. While we were in council, and alot half an hour before day, my comp was not furiously attacked by a large party of indians, preceded by and accompanied with a most hidcons yoff. This immediately broke up the coun- cil, and every man ran to his post."
Thr encampment was of the usual form. The infantry and riffemen were in the front line, the company of Capt. Elliot on the right, Butler's in the center and Alexander's on the left. Major Ball's squadron occupied the right and oor half of the rear line ; Col. Simrall's regiment the left, and the other half of the rear line. The attack was commenced at the angle formed by the left of V'apt. Hopkins' troops and the right of Garrard's, but soon became general from the entraure of the right to the left of Ball's squadron. Every man, ofrer, and soldier stood firm, animated and enenraged carh other. After an action of more than one hour the enemy fed with precipitation, having suffered great low, Fifteen Indians were found dead on the battle-feld, and many more were probably carried away. The Indian forec engaged in the battle was inferior to that of Col. Campbell, whose loss was reported at right killed and forty-two wounded, several others afterward dying of their wounds.
The Indians who were taken prisoners were nearly all Munsies, and included among those who composed Silver Heels' hand. The villages destroyed were situated on the books of the river, at points fifteen or twenty miles distant fruta ita junction with the Wabash, the site of the principal Mississinowa village, " Laent. Col. Campbell sent two messages to the Delawares, who lived on White River, and who had been previously directed and requested to aban- don their towns on that river, and to remove into the State of Ohio. In these messages he expressed his . regret at unfortunately killing some of their people,' and urged them to move to the Showanne settlement on the Auglaize River." Not long afterward, the Delawares, with a small number of Miamis, moved to the State of Ohio, and there placed thenyelves under the protection of the L'oited States Government.
An expedition, composed of about one hundred and thirty-seven mounted men under the command of Col. Joseph Bartholomew, in June, 1813, started from Valonin toward the Delaware towns on the west fork of White River, with the intention to surprise and punish some hostile Indians supposed to be
lurking about these villages. This expedition was made up of parts of three companies of rangers, one of which was commanded by C'apt. Williamson Punt, uoother by Capt. James Bigger, and a third by Capt. C. Peyton, with a small detachment of militia under Maj. Depauw, of Harrison County. In a letter written by Col. Bartholomew and addressed to fios. Posey, we have the fil- lowing brief seront of the movements of this expedition " Lient. Col. Juhu Tipton, of Harrison County, und Maj. David Owen, of Kentucky, acted as aids. We left Valonia on the 11th inst. [June, 1813], and pursued a course between north and northeast, about one hundred miles, to the E'pper Delaware town on White River. We arrived there on the 15th, and found the princi- pal part of the town had been Iment three or four weeks previous to our getting there. We found, however, a considerable quantity of corn in the four remain- ing houses, We went from there on the [leith] down White River, a west course, and jeosed another village three or four miles below, which had also been burnt. At the distance of twoke miles below the upper town, we cour to another small village, not burnt. Here we discovered the signs of Indians who had come to this village for the purpose of carrying off corn. the the morning of the Fish, Capt. Dann, Licat. Shivids and myself, with 30 men took the trail, and pursued it about a mile, when we met with three of the Iulian horses, which we secured. The words being very thick, we find it necessary to leave most of our horses under a small guard, and tenk with us only six mmented men, which were kept in the rear. After following the back frail of the Indian horses two miles farther, we discovered a camp of two Indinos on a high piece of ground. In attempting to surround them, they discovered one of our flanking parties, and immediately broke and van. They were, how- ever, fired on, and one killed. The mounted men were ordered to charge ; hut, before they could come near to the surviving Indian, he had gut into some brush and hid himself. One of Capt. Peyton's rangers, being thrown from his horse on returning, was considerably in the rear, and, coming suddenly and unexpectedly un the Indian who had concealed himself, he was fired on, and dangerously wounded through the left bip. The Indian then made his escape to a swamp, where he could not be found. At the same time that we set out on the Indian trail, the main force tuved on to the lesser town. They found no fresh appearance of Indians there, but much of their having some time previously frequented it to carry of corn. The lower town had, from appearances, been burnt carly in the winter. We found at all the towns, from 800 to 1,000 bushels of corn, and, discovering that the destile Indians were making use of it, [we destroyed it]. We conceived it was the more necessary to do this, as the corn would, if nut destroyed, enable considerable bodies of the enemy to fall upon and harass our frontier. Having the wounded man to take care of, whom we had to carry on a horse litter, it was thought prudent to return to Valonia, at which place we arrived on the 21st [June]."
CHAPTER VI.
Personal Sketches of Noted Indian Characters-Tumeneud-While Eges- Captain Pipe-Burkonguhelas-Captain Killbir k.
A MONG the ancient Delaware worthies," says Thatcher," " whose career
is too imperfectly known to us to be the subject of distinct sketches, we shall mention only the name of the illustrious Tamenend. This individual stands foremost in the list of all the great men of his nation in any age. He was a mighty warrior, an accomplished statesman and a pure and high-minded patriut. In private life he was still more distinguished for his virtues, than in public for his talents. His countrymen could only necount for the perfections they ascribed to him, by suyuwing him to be favored with the special communica- tions of the fireat Spirit. Ages have elapsed since his death, but his memory Was " still fresh among the Delavares of the last century.
Possessing, in his day, so many admirers among the white people, that the old chieftain was recognized by them as almost a saint, his name was inserted in the calendars, mint the lat day of May annually celebrated as the " Festival of Tmmeneml." "On that day a numerous society of his voturies walked in pro- cession through the streets of Philadelphia, their hats decorated with bucks' tails, and proceeded tan sylvan rendezvous out of town, which they called the Wigwam, where, after a long talk or speech had been delivered, and the calumet of friendship passed around, the remainder of the day was spent in high festivity. A dioner was prepared, and Indian dances performed on the
.Indian Diog. II, p. 121.
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HISTORY OF HAMILTON COUNTY, INDIANA.
green." This enstom ceased. however, a few years after the conclusion of Joace. From the best information at command, this noted chief flourished in the vicinity of Philadelphia, the seat of the ancient Delawares, tvar the middle of the seventeenth century, and died about the year 1685. The society of St. Tomurray appears to have had its origin among the early admirers of Tamenend.
CAPTAIN WHITE EYES.
This chief is written as " the first captain among the Delawares." His Indian name was Ko-gue-tha-geek-ton, and he was the recognized leader of the pearr party of the Delasares, at the commencement of the Revolution. in 1773-76. At that time he was head chief of the Turtle branch of the Del- awares, and re-ided in Ohio. *
I'mon the death of Nota-wa-twees, in 1776, he became chief sachem of his tribe, to which place his former position of first counselor to that chief would eminently quality him. Since he was this not the chief by regular descent, the place was only accepted until a younger chief in the regular line should bereue, by nature age, authorized to everis the function of that office. Bring at the head of the peace party during the eri-is which involved the lih- erties of the white people in this country, and favorable to the movement uf maintaining missionaries among his people, be naturally awakened the enmity, if not the jealousy, of many of the other leading chiefs, Among these, Cap- tain Pipe, so called, was most conspicuous, as well as most forward in signify- ing his dislikes. This latter chief was of the Wolf branch of the Delaware, lived and had his runneil fire fifteen miles to the northward of the former, occu- ping his time and talents in forming the plan of a belligerent union with the British against the American forres, While Pipe was esteemed a great man by his eotemporais, Captain White Eyes was his acknowledged superior, as well as bis senior, in all that aggertained to the positions respectively occupied by them.
The purpure of the prace party was, in effect, to conviner the Indians that they had no concern with either the British or Americans, while their welfare clearly suggested the policy as well as the propriety of maintaining amicable relations with both, as the true relation. Soon after the commencement of the war, in 1775, a conference between a number of the Seneca tribes and the Delawares was held at Pittsburgh, with a view to ascertaining the status of the latter and their disposition to assist the British, or otherwise. The Serveas, as the representatives of the confederated tribes (Six Nations), were the cham- pions of the British cause, and hoped to use the prestige of their own warlike exploits as a means of securing the co-operation of the peaceful Delawares. White Eyes represented the interests of his tribe and refused to be aved into sulnoi-siun. Notwithstanding the Delawares had been reproached by their haughty conquerors with being only women - subjugated, these insolent reproaches of the Senecas were met by the following bold reply from White Eyes :
" I know," said he gravely. "I know well, that you consider us a con- quered nation-as women-as your inferiors. You have, say you, shortened our logs and pat petticoats on us! You say you have given us a hoe and a corn-jamnder, and told us to plant and pound for you-you men. you warriors! Mint look at me. Am I not full grown, and have I not a warrior's dress? Aye, I am a man, and these are the arms of a man [showing his musket]; and all that emintry [ waving his hand proudly in the direction of the Alleghany River ], all that country on the other side of that water is miar."
He maintained his independence of character in every fiery ordeal through which he passed, denouncing, in unmeasured terms, the treasm of the red man to their countrymen and their best interests. He died at Philadelphia in 1780, send 120 years.
CAPTAIN PIPE.
His Indian name, according to Herkeseller, was Hap-a-can (a tobacco pipe). Salerquently, however, he was known by the title Kopiesch-qua-no- bei (the maker of daylight ). In his day, he was one of the most couspiemonte of the war-captains of the Delawares, being a principal chief of the Wolf branch of that tribe. As compared with Capt. White Eyes, he was the inte- rior of that justly celebrated warrior in all that goes to make up genuine Bohility of character. Withal, however, aside from his untoward ambition and jealousy, his want of the characteristic magnanimity of his nation, he was a great man and noted warrior, a representative man of the Wolf trilw. His ambitions protivities made him warlike, energetic, restless. Brooding over old resentments, he panted for revenge, and longed for the coming of the political
millennium, when " rogues" should be turned out of office, and " honest men" put in. With such a make-up, he could not fail to become the retailer of artifice whenever better motives failed, and was controlled by motives of self- ishness rather than by principle, expecting in all conferences " to monopolize the thinking and talking." * He and his party were the outspoken enemies of the colonists, and, when the commanding officer of the British garrison at Detroit ordered the Moravian Indians on the Susquehanna to be taken to Can- ada with their priests, dead or alive. Capt. Pipe, with his followers, joined Wolf- King's band to enforce that order. The result of this exjuulition was the capture of this people and their subjection to cruelties little better than death. After their arrival at Detroit, a grand Indian commeil was convened. at which were present large numbers of various triles, including Capt. Pipe's warriors, who had just returned from a scalping expedition, with four of the Moravian missionaries, who had been summoned at the instance of Cape, Fipe and others of his band, to aid in the maintenance of the charges against the prisoners. Before the conferener was ended, the innoerner of the missionaries had been clearly established, Capt. Piper having failed to make good his acensa. tions against them, and he was constrained to say. in the midst of his con- fission, "The missionaries are innocent. What they have done, they were compelled to do. We were to blame. We forced them to it when they refused." referring to the interpretation of certain letters to the Delaware chief, received from Pittsburgh. Subsequently, he said: "I never wished your teachers any harm, knowing that they love the Indians, but ! have all along been imposed upon and importuned to do what I did by those who do not love them ; and now, when these were to speak, they hung their heads, leaving me to extricate myself. after telling our father things they had dictated and persuaded me to tell him." After this he lived a comparatively quiet life until the time of his death, which occurred about the year ISIS.
" A more noted personage in his own time than even Logan, was the bel- WW,Te Hnekongabelas, who rose from the station of a private warrior to be, as Hleckewelder calls him, the head war-chief of his nation. That writer sjwaks of him at Tuscaroras, as early as 1762; and the chieftain accordingly reminded him of the fact, when, in 1781. he visited the settlements of the Christian Indians in Ohio. His deportmeut on that orra-ion was singularly characteristic of the man; for all writers agree in representing him as fearless, frank and magnanimous, It should be promised that he lived on the Miami, and, being rather in the British interest, was disposed to watch quite closely the movements of the prace party. What he did, however, he dil openly, and he never hesitated to explain himself' with the same freedom." +
In 1783, Capt. Pipe, having sent him word not to suffer any of the t'hris- tian Indians, who had been under the instruction of the Moravian mission- aries, to leave his territory, Buckongahelas answered the impertinent request in the following emphatic language: Having first, in general terms, said that he would never prevent them from going to their teachers, he contimted- " And why did you expect them ? Did I not tell you beforehand, that if you drove the teachers of, the believing Indians would follow them? But, you would not listen to me, and now we lose both! Who, think you, is the cause of all the disasters which have befallen these prople! I say yon ?- you! who threatened them with destruction! You, who instigated the Wyandlots to act the treacherous part they did-agreeing with them, that, as a recompense for their serviers, they should be entitled to all the plainsder they could lay hold of."
While he was not an instrument in the hands of the British to do their bidding, nor subject to them, the great chieftain was their ally, and Do longer their ally, even, than they treated him in a manner suitable to that capacity and to his own character. As such ally, wielding the influence of the most dis- tingnished warrior in the Indian confederacy, in the interest of the British, he indneed the Indians to commence, as well as to continue, the war against the Americans. Naturally, therefore, he confidently relied on them for support and protection in an emergency. In his expectations for protection, he was disappointed, as the sequel shows. In the engagement of the 20th of August, 1794, which resulted in a complete victory for Gen. Wayne over the combined hostile tribes, aided, it, is snid, by two companies of British militin from Detroit-then it was, in the face of all their protestations of friendship for the Indians, the gates of Fort Mimma were shut against his retreating and
ยท Thatcher, If, p. 123. { Thatcher's Bing., IT., p. 172-3
* Thatcher-Hecho welder.
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HISTORY OF HAMILTON COUNTY, INDIANA.
wounded warriors, after the battle which resulted so disastrously to them. This circumstance opened the eyes of the chieftain, and he determined upon an immediate peace with the I'nited States, and n total abandonnent of the British.
Accordingly, he assembled his remaining warriors and embarked them in cannes, designing to proceed up the river, and send a flag of truce to Fort Wayne. As he approached the British fort, he was requested to land, and he did so. " What have yim to say to me ?" said he, addressing the officer of the day. He was answered that the commanding officer desired to speak with him. The chief, in return, said: " Then he may come here." "He will not do that," the officer responded, " and you will not be suffered to pass the fort, if you do not comply." " What shall prevent me ?" promptly retorted the exasperated chief. " These," the offerr said, pointing to the cannon-bristling through the port-holes. The chief replied deliberately: " 1 for not your cannon. After suffering the Americans to defile your spring, without daring to fire on them, you cannot expert to frighten Buekongahelas." This saying, he ordered the canoes to push off, and they passed the fort without further demonstration. Forever afterward he refused to recognize the British as allies, and declined to receive presents from them. " Had the great Burkongahelas hoved," says Mr. Dawson, " he would not have suffered the schemes projected by the Prophet (brother of Tecumseh) to be matured." Mr. Dawson further states, that Buckongahelas, on his death-bed, advised his people with great carnestness, to always rely on the friendship of the United States, and to desert the cause of the British. It is said of him, abs, that no Christian knight was ever more serupalous in performing all his engagements, and he had all the quali- fications of a great hero. He died in 1801, shortly after the treaty at Vin- comes in that year.
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