USA > Indiana > Johnson County > History of Johnston County, Indiana. From the earliest time to the present, with biographical sketches, notes, etc., together with a short history of the Northwest, the Indiana territory, and the state of Indiana > Part 6
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Mr. Jefferson had vainly tried to secure a system of government for the Northwestern territory. He was an emancipationist and favored the exclusion of slavery from the territory, but the South voted him down every time he proposed a measure of this nature. In 1787, as late as July 10, an organizing act without the anti- slavery clause was pending. This concession to the South was expected to carry it. Congress was in session in New York. On July 5, Rev. Manasseh Cutler, of Massachusetts, came into New York to lobby on the Northwestern territory. Everything seemed to fall into his hands. Events were ripe. The state of the public credit, the growing of Southern prejudice, the basis of his mission, his personal character, all combined to complete one of those sudden
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and marvelous revolutions of publie sentiment that once in five or ten centuries are seen to sweep over a country like the breath of the Almighty.
Cutler was a graduate of Yale. He had studied and taken de- grees in the three learned professions, medieine, law, and divinity. He had published a scientific examination of the plants of New England. As a scientist in America his name stood second only to that of Franklin. He was a courtly gentleman of the old style, a man of commanding presence and of inviting face. The Southern members said they had never seen such a gentleman in the North. He came representing a Massachusetts company that desired to purchase a tract of land, now ineluded in Ohio, for the purpose of planting a colony. It was a speculation. Government money was worth eighteen cents on the dollar. This company had collected enough to purchase 1,500,000 acres of land. Other speculators in New York made Dr. Cutler their agent, which enabled him to represent a demand for 5,500,000 acres. As this would reduce the national debt, and Jefferson's poliey was to provide for the public credit, it presented a good opportunity to do something.
Massachusetts then owned the territory of Maine, which she was crowding on the market. She was opposed to opening the North- western region. This fired the zeal of Virginia. The South caught the inspiration, and all exalted Dr. Cutler. The entire South ral. lied around him. Massachusetts could not vote against him, be- cause many of the constuitents of her members were interested personally in the Western speculation. Thus Cutler. making friends in the South, and doubtless using all the arts of the lobby, was enabled to command the situation. True to deeper convic- tions, he dictated one of the most compact and finished documents of wise statesmanship that has ever adorned any human law book. He borrowed from Jefferson the term "Articles of Compact," which, preceding the federal constitution, rose into the most sacred ehar- acter. He then followed very closely the constitution of Massa- chusetts, adopted three years before. Its most prominent points were:
1. The exclusion of slavery from the territory forever.
2. Provision for public schools, giving one township for a semi- nary and every section numbered 16 in each township; that is, one thirty-sixth of all the land for public schools.
3. A provision prohibiting the adoption of any constitution or the enactment of any law that should nullify pre-existing contracts.
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Be it forever remembered that this compaet declared that "re- ligion, morality, and knowledge being necessary to good govern- ment and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of edu- eation shall always be encouraged." Dr. Cutler planted himself on this platform and would not yield. Giving his unqualified dec- laration that it was that or nothing .- that unless they could make the land desirable they did not want it,-he took his horse and buggy and started for the constitutional convention at Philadelphia. On July 13, 1787, the bill was put upon its passage, and was unani- mously adopted. Thus the great States of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin, a rast empire, were consecrated to free dom, intelligence, and morality. Thus the great heart of the nation was prepared to save the union of States, for it was this act that was the salvation of the republic and the destruction of slavery. Soon the South saw their great blunder and tried to have the compact repealed. In 1803 Congress referred it to a committee, of which John Randolph was chairman. He reported that this ordinance was a compaet and opposed repeal. Thus it stood, a rock in the way of the on-rushing sea of slavery.
The " Northwestern Territory " included of course what is now the State of Indiana; and Oct 5, 1787, Maj. Gen. Arthur St. Clair was elected by Congress Governor of this territory. Upon commencing the duties of his office he was instructed to ascertain the real temper of the Indians and do all in his power to remove the causes for controversy between them and the United States, and to effect the extinguishment of Indian titles to all the land possible. The Governor took up quarters in the new settlement of Marietta, Ohio, where he immediately began the organization of the government of the territory. The first session of the General Court of the new territory was held at that place in 1788, the Judges being Samuel H. Parsons, James M. Varnum and John C. Symmes, but under the ordinance Gov. St. Clair was President of the Court. After the first session, and after the necessary laws for government were adopted, Gov. St. Clair, accompanied by the Judges, visited Kaskaskia for the purpose of organizing a civil gov- ernment there. Full instructions had been sent to Maj. Hamtramck, commandant at Vineennes, to ascertain the exact feeling and temper of the Indian tribes of the Wabash. These instructions were ac- companied by speeches to each of the tribes. A Frenchman named Antoine Gamelin was dispatched with these messages April 5, 1790, who visited nearly all the tribes on the Wabash, St. Joseph and St.
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Mary's rivers, but was coldly received; most of the chiefs being dissatisfied with the policy of the Americans toward them, and prejudiced through English misrepresentation. Full accounts of his adventures among the tribes reached Gov. St. Clair at Kaskas- kia in June, 1790. Being satisfied that there was no prospect of effecting a general peace with the Indians of Indiana, he resolved to visit Gen. Harmar at his headquarters at Fort Washington and consult with him on the means of carrying an expedition against the hostile Indians; but before leaving he intrusted Winthrop Sargent, the Secretary of the Territory, with the execution of the resolutions of Congress regarding the lands and settlers on the Wabash. He directed that officer to proceed to Vincennes, lay out a county there, establish the militia and appoint the necessary civil and military officers. Accordingly Mr. Sargent went to Vin- cennes and organized Camp Knox, appointed the officers, and noti- fied the inhabitants to present their claims to lands. In establish- ing these claims the settlers found great difficulty, and concerning this matter the Secretary in his report to the President wrote as follows:
" Although the lands and lots which were awarded to the inhabi- tants appeared from very good oral testimony to belong to those persons to whom they were awarded, either by original grants, pur- · chase or inheritance, yet there was scarcely one case in twenty where the title was complete, owing to the desultory manner in which public business had been transacted and some other unfor- tunate canses. The original concessions by the French and British commandants were generally made upon a small scrap of paper, which it has been customary to lodge in the notary's office, who has seldom kept any book of record, but committed the most im- portant land concerns to loose sheets, which in process of time have come into possession of persons that have fraudulently de- stroyed them; or, unacquainted with their consequence, innocently lost or trifled them away. By French usage they are considered family inheritances, and often descend to women and children. In one instance, and during the government of St. Ange here, a royal notary ran off with all the public papers in his possession, as by a certificate produced to me. And I am very sorry further to observe that in the office of Mr. Le Grand, which continued from 1777 to 1787, and where should have been the vouchers for important land transactions, the records have been so falsified, and there is such gross fraud and forgery, as to invalidate all evidence and informna- tion which I might have otherwise acquired from his papers."
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Mr. Sargent says there were about 150 French families at Vin- cennes in 1790. The heads of all these families had been at some time vested with certain titles to a portion of the soil; and while the Secretary was busy in straightening ont these claims, he re- ceived a petition signed by 80 Americans, asking for the confirma- tion of grants of land ceded by the Court organized by Col. John Todd under the authority of Virginia. With reference to this cause, Congress, March 3, 1791, empowered the Territorial Governor, in cases where land had been actually improved and cultivated under a supposed grant for the same, to confirm to the persons who made such improvements the lands supposed to have been granted, not, however, exceeding the quantity of 400 acres to any one per- son.
LIQUOR AND GAMING LAWS.
The General Court in the summer of 1790, Acting Governor Sargent presiding, passed the following laws with reference to vending liquor among the Indians and others, and with reference to games of chance:
1. An act to prohibit the giving or selling intoxicating liquors to Indians residing in or coming into the Territory of the United States northwest of the river Ohio, and for preventing foreigners from trading with Indians therein.
2. An act prohibiting the sale of spirituons or other intoxicat- ing liquors to soldiers in the service of the United States, being within ten miles of any military post in the territory; and to pre- vent the selling or pawning of arms, ammunition, clothing or a ccontrements.
3. An act prohibiting every species of gaming for money or property, and for making void contracts and payments made in consequence thereof, and for restraining the disorderly practice of discharging arms at certain hours and places.
Winthrop Sargent's administration was highly enlogized by the citizens at Vincennes, in a testimonial drawn up and signed by a committee of officers. He had conducted the investigation and settlement of land claims to the entire satisfaction of the residents, had upheld the principles of free government in keeping with the animus of the American Revolution, and had established in good order the machinery of a good and wise government. In the same address Major Hamtramck also received a fair share of praise for his judicious management of affairs.
MILITARY HISTORY 1790-1800.
EXPEDITIONS OF JIARMAR, SCOTT AND WILKINSON.
Gov. St. Clair, on his arrival at Fort Washington from Kas- kaskia, had a long conversation with Gen. Harmar, and concluded to send a powerful force to chastise the savages about the head- waters of the Wabash. He had been empowered by the President to call on Virginia for 1,000 troops and on Pennsylvania for 500, and he immediately availed himself of this resource, ordering 300 of the Virginia militia to muster at Fort Steuben and march with the garrison of that fort to Vincennes, and join Maj. Hamtramck, who had orders to call for aid from the militia of Vincennes, march up the Wabash, and attack any of the Indian villages which he might think he could overcome. The remaining 1,200 of the mi- litia were ordered to rendezvous at Fort Washington, and to join the regular troops at that post under command of Gen. Harinar. At this time the United States troops in the West were estimated by Gen. Harmar at 400 effective men. These, with the militia, gave him a force of 1,450 men. With this army Gen. Harmar marched from Fort Washington Sept. 30, and arrived at the Man- mee Oct. 17. They commenced the work of punishing the Indians, but were not very successful. The savages, it is true, received a severe scourging, but the militia behaved so badly as to be of little or no service. A detachment of 340 militia and 60 regulars, under the command of Col. Hardin, were sorely defeated on the Maumee Oct. 22. The next day the army took up the line of march for Fort Washington, which place they reached Nov. 4, having lost in the expedition 183 killed and 31 wounded; the Indians lost about as many. During the progress of this expedition Maj. Hamtramck marched up the Wabash from Vincennes, as far as the Vermillion river, and destroyed several deserted villages, but without finding an enemy to oppose him.
Although the savages seem to have been severely punished by these expeditions, yet they refused to sue for peace, and continued their hostilities. Thereupon the inhabitants of the frontier settle- ments of Virginia took aların, and the delegates of Ohio, Monon-
(75)
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galela, Harrison, Randolph, Greenbrier, Kanawha and Mont- gomery counties sent a joint memorial to the Governor of Vir- ginia, saying that the defenseless condition of the counties, form- ing a line of nearly 400 miles along the Ohio river, exposed to the hostile invasion of their Indian enemies, destitute of every kind of support, was truly alarming; for, notwithstanding all the regula- tions of the General Government in that country, they have reason to lament that they have been up to that time ineffectual for their protection; nor indeed could it be otherwise, for the garrisons kept by the Continental troops on the Ohio river, if of any use at all, must proteet only the Kentucky settlements, as they immediately covered that country. They further stated in their memorial: "We beg leave to observe that we have reason to fear that the conse- quenees of the defeat of our army by the Indians in the late expe- dition will be severely felt on our frontiers, as there is no doubt that the Indians will, in their turn, being flushed with victory, in- vade our settlements and exercise all their horrid murder upon the inhabitants thereof whenever the weather will permit them to travel. Then is it not better to support us where we are, be the ex- pense what it may, than to oblige such a number of your brave citizens, who have so long supported, and still continue to support, a dangerous frontier (although thousands of their relatives in the flesh have in the prosecution thereof fallen a sacrifice to savage in- ventions) to quit the country, after all they have done and suffered, when you know that a frontier must be supported somewhere?"
This memorial caused the Legislature of Virginia to authorize the Governor of that State to make any defensive operations neces- sary for the temporary defense of the frontiers, until the general Government could adopt and carry out measures to suppress the hostile Indians. The Governor at once called upon the military commanding officers in the western counties of Virginia to raise by the first of March, 1791, several small companies of rangers for this purpose. At the same time Charles Scott was appointed Brigadier- General of the Kentucky militia, with authority to raise 226 vol- unteers, to protect the most exposed portions of that district. A full report of the proceedings of the Virginia Legislature being transmitted to Congress, that body constituted a local Board of War for the district of Kentucky, consisting of five men. March 9, 1791, Gen. Henry Knox, Secretary of War, sent a letter of instruc- tions to Gen. Scott, recommending an expedition of mounted men not exceeding 750, against the Wea towns on the Wabash. With
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this force Gen. Scott accordingly crossed the Ohio, May 23. 1791, and reached the Wabashı in abont ten days. Many of the Indians, having discovered his approach, fled, but he succeeded in destroy- ing all the villages around Oniatenon, together with several Kick- apoo towns, killing 32 warriors and taking 58 prisoners. Hc released a few of the most infirm prisoners, giving them a "talk," which they carried to the towns farther up the Wabash, and which the wretched condition of his horses prevented him from reaching.
March 3, 1791, Congress provided for raising and equipping a regiment for the protection of the frontiers, and Gov. St. Clair was invested with the chief command of about 3,000 troops, to be raised and employed against the hostile Indians in the territory over which his jurisdiction extended. IIe was instructed by the Secre- tary of War to march to the Miami village and establish a strong and permanent military post there; also such posts elsewhere along the Ohio as would be in communication with Fort Washington. The post at Miami village was intended to keep the savages in that vicinity in check, and was ordered to be strong enough in its gar- rison to afford a detachment of 500 or 600 men in case of emer- gency, either to chastise any of the Wabash or other hostile Indians or capture convoys of the enemy's provisions. The Secretary of War also urged Gov. St. Clair to establish that post as the first and most important part of the campaign. In case of a previous treaty the Indians were to be conciliated upon this point if possible; and he presumed good arguments might be offered to induce their acquiescence. Said he: " Having commenced your march npon the main expedition, and the Indians continuing hostile, you will use every possible exertion to make them feel the effects of your superi- ority; and, after having arrived at the Miami village and put your works in a defensible state, you will seek the enemy with the whole of your remaining force, and endeavor by all possible means to strike them with great severity. * * * *
In order to avoid future wars, it might be proper to make the Wa- baslı and thence over to the Maumee, and down the same to its mouth, at Lake Erie, the boundary between the people of the United States and the Indians (excepting so far as the same should relate to the Wyandots and Delawares), on the supposition of their continuing faithful to the treaties; but if they should join in the war against the United States, and your army be victorious, the said tribes ought to be removed without the boundary mentioned."
Previous to marching a strong force to the Miami town, Gov. St.
HISTORY OF INDIANA.
Clair, June 25, 1791, authorized Gen Wilkinson to conduct a second expedition, not exceeding 500 mounted men, against the Indian villages on the Wabash. Accordingly Gen. Wilkinson mnustered lis forces and was ready July 20, to march with 525 monnted vol- untecrs, well armed, and provided with 30 days' provisions, and with this force he reached the Ke-na-pa-com-a-qua village on the north bank of Eel river about six miles above its mouth, Aug. 7, where he killed six warriors and took 34 prisoners. This town, which was scattered along the river for three miles, was totally de- stroyed. Wilkinson encamped on the ruins of the town that night, and the next day he commenced his march for the Kickapoo town on the prairie, which he was unable to reach owing to the impassa- ble condition of the route which he adopted and the failing condi- tion of his horses. He reported the estimated results of the expe- dition as follows: " I have destroyed the chief town of the Ouiate- non nation, and have made prisoners of the sons and sisters of the king. I have burned a respectable Kickapoo village, and cut down at least 400 acres of corn, chiefly in the milk."
EXPEDITIONS OF ST. CLAIR AND WAYNE.
The Indians were greatly damaged by the expeditions of Harmar, Scott and Wilkinson, but were far from being subdued. They regarded the policy of the United States as calculated to extermi- nate them from the land; and, goaded on by the English of Detroit, enemies of the Americans, they were excited to desperation. At this time the British Government still supported garrisons at Niagara, Detroit and Michilimackinac, although it was declared by the second article of the definitive treaty of peace of 1783, that the king of Great Britain would, " with all convenient speed, and without causing any destruction or carrying away any negroes or property of the American inhabitants, withdraw all his forces, garrisons and fleets from the United States, and from every post, place and harbor within the same." That treaty also provided that the creditors on either side should meet with no lawful impedi- ments to the recovery of the full value, in sterling money, of all bona fide debts previously contracted. The British Government claimed that the United States had broken faith in this particular understanding of the treaty, and in consequence refused to with- draw its forces from the territory. The British garrisons in the Lake Region wero a source of much annoyance to the Americans, as they afforded onscor to hostile Indians, encouraging them to
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make raids among the Americans. This state of affairs in the Territory Northwest of the Ohio continued from the commence- ment of the Revolutionary war to 1796, when under a second treaty all British soldiers were withdrawn from the country.
In September, 1791, St. Clair moved from Fort Washington with about 2.000 men, and November 3, the main army, consisting of about 1,400 effective troops, moved forward to the head-waters of the Wabash, where Fort Recovery was afterward ereeted, and here the army encamped. About 1,200 Indians were secreted a few miles distant, awaiting a favorable opportunity to begin an attack, which they improved on the morning of Nov. 4, abont half an hour before sunrise. The attack was first made upon the militia, which immediately gave way. St. Clair was defeated and he returned to Fort Washington with a broken and dispirited army, having lost 39 officers killed, and 539 men killed and missing; 22 officers and 232 men were wounded. Several pieces of artillery, and all the baggage, ammunition and provisions were left on the field of bat- tle and fell into the hands of the victorious Indians. The stores and other public property lost in the action were valued at $32,800. There were also 100 or more American women with the army of the whites, very few of whom escaped the cruel carnage of the sav- age Indians. The latter, characteristic of their brutal nature, proceeded in the flush of vietory to perpetrate the most horrible acts of cruelty and brutality upon the bodies of the living and the dead Americans who fell into their hands. Believing that the whites had made war for many years merely to acquire land, the Indians crammed clay and sand into the eyes and down the throats of the dying and the dead!
GEN. WAYNE'S GREAT VICTORY.
Although no particular blame was attached to Gov. St. Clair for the loss in this expedition, yet he resigned the office of Major-Gen- eral, and was succeeded by Anthony Wayne, a distinguished officer of the Revolutionary war. Early in 1792 provisions were made by the general Government for re-organizing the army, so that it should consist of an efficient degree of strength. Wayne arrived at Pittsburg in June, where the army was to rendezvous. Here he continued actively engaged in organizing and training his forces until October, 1793, when with an army of about 3,600 men he moved westward to Fort Washington.
While Wayne was preparing for an offensive campaign, every
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possible means was employed to induce the hostile tribes of the Northwest to enter into a general treaty of peace with the Ameri- can Government; speeches were sent among them, and agents to make treaties were also sent, but little was accomplished. Major Hamtramck, who still remained at Vincennes, succeeded in con- cluding a general peace with the Wabash and Illinois Indians; but the tribes more immediately under the influence of the British refused to hear the sentiments of friendship that were sent among them, and tomahawked several of the messengers. Their courage had been aroused by St. Clair's defeat, as well as by the unsuccess- ful expeditions which had preceded it, and they now felt quite pre- pared to meet a superior force under Gen. Wayne. The Indians insisted on the Ohio river as the boundary line between their lands and the lands of the United States, and felt certain that they could maintain that boundary.
Maj. Gen. Scott, with about 1,600 mounted volunteers from Kentucky, joined the regular troops under Gen. Wayne July 26, 1794, and on the 28th the united forces began their march for the Indian towns on the Maumee river. Arriving at the mouth of the Auglaize, they erected Fort Defiance, and Ang. 15 the army advanced toward the British fort at the foot of the rapids of the Manmee, where, on the 20th, almost within reach of the British, the American army gained a decisive victory over the combined forces of the hostile Indians and a considerable number of the Detroit militia. The number of the enemy was estimated at 2,000, against about 900 American troops actually engaged. This horde of savages, as soon as the action began, abandoned themselves to flight and dispersed with terror and dismay, leaving Wayne's vic- torious army in full and quiet possession of the field. The Ameri- cans lost 33 killed and 100 wounded; loss of the enemy more than double this number.
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