USA > Indiana > Miami County > History of Miami County, Indiana : from the earliest time to the present, with biographical sketches, notes, etc., together with an extended history of the Northwest, the Indiana Territory, and the state of Indiana > Part 23
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The letter, after being given up by the writer as having failed of its purpose, was accidentally discovered, some two years after it was written, and published in a Lancaster, Pa., paper. The facts it narrated regarding the captive satisfied the Slocums that she was, beyond a doubt, their long lost relative, and they at once opened a correspondence with Col. Ewing on the subject. The following letter will explain itself as a part of the present nar- rative.
"WILKESBARRE, PA., August 9, 1837. "GEO. W. EWING, EsQ.,
"Dear Sir: At the suggestion of my father and other relations I have taken the liberty to write to you although an entire stranger. We have received but a few days since, a letter written by you to a gentleman in Lancaster, in this State, upon a sub- ject of deep and intense interest to our family. How the matter should have lain so long enwrapped in obscurity we cannot conceive. An aunt of mine, sister of my father, was taken away when five years old, by the Indians, and since then we have had only vague and indistinct rumors on the subject. Your letter we deem to have entirely revealed the whole matter and set everything at rest. The description is so perfect and the incidents (with the exception of her age) so correct, we feel confi- dent.
"Steps will be taken immediately to investigate the matter, and we will endeavor to do all in our power to restore a lost relative who has been sixty years in Indian
bondage.
*
*
"Your friend and servant,
"ION J, SLOCUM."
The narrative of the life of Frances Slocum, as given her- self to the interpreters who went with her relatives, as above related, is as follows:
"One evening about dusk, in the year 1777, while Frances and other children were at play, near her father's house, at Wilkesbarre, Pennsylvania, the hostile Delawares approached them, killed one boy and bore off another and herself prisoners. She was taken by two Delawares and by them transferred to
2
264
HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY.
Tuck-hos, a chief of that nation, whom she represented to be a man of great distinction. This chief after receiving his little prisoner, dressed her in the gayest manner, decorating her with wampum, beads and fine feathers, and treated her with great humanity.
"Shortly after her captivity, the party left the Wyoming Valley, and went to Genesee Falls; from thence, after a transient stay, they proceded to the falls of Niagara, where they remained during Gen. Wayne's war, and were supplied with provisions and munitions of war by the British. The Chief, Tuck-hos, and his party, of whom Frances was one, remained at this place two winters, and during the time, she says, the Indians frequently went out and returned with many white men's scalps, being hos- tile at the time. From Niagara the party went to Sandusky, where they remained a short time and then returned to the falls, Some time after this, she states, the Indians made bark canoes, and several thousand of them went to Detroit, where they remained three years; from thence they removed to Brownstown, where Frances lived for a time with a Delaware as his wife but had no issue by him. From Brownstown they proceeded to Fort Wayne, in this state, and remained there some years during the late war. While at Fort Wayne, the Indians suffered much from want of provisions and other neces- saries, and were for a time at the very point of starvation, hav- ing nothing but wild meat whereon to subsist."
"About forty-four years ago [this narrative was given in 1837] she was married to Deaf Man .[She-pah-can-nah, war Chief of the Osage village] by whom she had four children, two sons and two daughters, and her husband has been dead about four years. From Fort Wayne, she, with her husband, came to the Osage Village, and went thence to the place known as Deaf Man's Village, where she resided when she first disclosed her history to Col. Ewing, and until she died.
Thus ends the story of Frances Slocum's captivity and sub- sequent life, as published in the Peru Forester forty years ago. This now noted woman died on the 9th of March, 1847, aged seventy-five years. Her Indian name, as given by her Indian relatives, was Mah-cones-quah, which means Young Bear. Her daughter, Ke-ke-na-kush-wa, wife of Capt. John B. Brouil- lette, died on the 13th of March, 1847, aged forty-seven years. The other daughter mentioned in the narrative, was, at the time of the visit of her white relatives, the wife of Tah-co-nah. Her name was O-zah-wah-shing-quah. She was afterward married to Wah-pa-pe-tah (Peter Bondy), and several children, now adults, are the offspring of this marriage. She died in January, 1877,-the last of the Children of Frances Slocum.
265
EARLY TRIBES OF INDIANS.
In the Peru Forester, of September 26th, 1837, there is an editorial article which says:
" A few evenings ago, Mr. Isaac Slocum, a younger brother of Frances, arrived in town from Sandusky County, Ohio, and, in company with James T. Miller, of this place, interpreter, pro- ceeded to the place of her residence known by the appellation of 'Deaf Man's Village,' about nine miles above Peru, on the Mississinewa River.
. " Mr. Slocum, on the way, remarked to his guide that if the woman (Frances) was really his sister, he would recognize her by a scar upon the forefinger of her left hand, caused by a blow from a hammer upon an anvil, while at play with her brother before she was taken captive, but he knew not in what other way he should be able to convince either her or himself of the relationship which existed between them.
" Mr. Miller proceeded to the house alone, in order to pre- pare the old lady for the reception of her brother, but found her unwilling to believe that such a thing could be. The brother then entered the house, and, gazing upon the changed appear- ance of Frances, involuntarily exclaimed, 'Good God! is this my sister?' Then, grasping her hand, he drew her toward the light and beheld the scar! the identical scar which he had described. He was then satisfied; but Frances was still unwilling to believe Mr. Slocum her brother. Mr. Miller, at the request of Mr. Slocum, interrogated her in the Indian language (as she speaks or understands no other) concerning the scar upon her finger, and she related the same story which her brother had told him on the way; and finally, before they separated, Frances was satisfied to acknowledge Isaac to be her own brother, but expressed no inclination to leave her wigwam to partake of the comforts of his hospitable mansion, after a residence of near sixty years among the red men of the wilderness. Mr. Slocum states that his brother Joseph and sister, Mrs. Mary Town, will be here in a few days and that he will await their arrival."
The parties referred to arrived in due time, and the follow- ing letter, written from here to their relatives in Pennsylvania, and published in the Wyoming Republican, will give the further history of Frances :
Extract from a letter dated Peru, Miami County, Indiana, September 27th, 1837:
" We arrived here on the 21st inst. The town is new and flourishing; situated on the north side of the Wabash, a little below the mouth of the Mississinewa, which empties in from the south. The last twenty-five miles was through the Miami Reserve, without any white inhabitants. We found Isaac Slo- cum here awaiting our arrival. He had visited the woman in
266
HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY.
the Reserve, mentioned in the letter of Mr. Ewing, and is per- fectly satisfied that she is the sister taken captive in 1778. The next day we repaired to the village with Mr. Miller, the inter- preter, together with Mr. Hunt, a half-breed that was educated at Col. Johnson's school, in Kentucky, and another gentleman. Fording the Wabash at this place, we passed up the river to. the Mississinewa, and in about five miles came to an Indian town, surrounded with blue grass pasturage and corn fields intermixed without order. Some of the natives were about their houses; others were at tents pitched in corn fields, gather -. ing corn, their ponies standing saddled near the tents. When- ever they have any work to do at ever so short a distance from their houses, they pitch a tent, and cook and live there until the work is done, a few only returning to their houses at night. We soon after came to the seat of Godfroy, the second war chief of the Miamis, consisting of five or six two-story houses, within an inclosure of perhaps half an acre, which we entered through a gate wide enough for a carriage to pass. Upon entering the house we were all introduced to the Chief by Mr. Miller, who told him our business in the nation. He received us very courteously, and proffered us all the assistance in his power. He is probably over 50 years of age, of portly and majestic appearance, being more than six feet high, well proportioned and weighing about 320 pounds. He was dressed in leggings and a blue calico shirt that came down to the knee,. profusely ornamented with ruffles of the same, his hair nearly half gray and tied in a queue hanging elegantly down his back. After taking leave of the Chief, we proceeded to Deaf Man's. Village, the residence of the captive woman, a distance of about four miles further up the Mississinewa, where the natives were employed in the same way as before described. At one of which we found the husband of the youngest daughter of the captive woman. He mounted his pony and went with us to the village, where we were introduced to the captive, her two. daughters, and Capt. Brouillette, the husband of the elder. The girls are aged, one thirty-three and the other twenty-three .. The youngest has three small children, but not by this husband. The elder had two, but both are dead. Capt. Brouillette is a half-French breed Indian, of elegant appearance, very straight and slim, and about six feet high. Uncle Joseph at once recognized his sister, and, after conversing with them some time, in the course of which we endeavored, by all means in our power, to. gain their confidence, it was proposed to them to accompany us to Peru to see Mrs. Town. Mr. Miller had to give the old lady very strong assurances that we had no intention to take her away contrary to ker inclination before she would go; but.
267
MISSISSINEWA EXPEDITION.
at length she consented, and, accompanied by her two daughters and their husbands, she returned with us to town, where they were introduced to Mrs. Town, who recognized her long lost sister. They then joined us at the supper table and appeared to be perfectly at ease. They had now become perfectly satis- fied that we were their relations, and their confidence was so much strenghtened that she felt justified in proffering us their friendship. This was done by one of them placing on the stand something wrapped in a white cloth, after which they spoke with the interpreter in a solemn manner, when he rose up and said they were our friends, and by way of acknowledg- themselves as such, they presented us with a piece of fresh venison, which they wished us to receive as a token of friend- ship, as that was their manner of confirming their friendship. We then arose and thanked them and received the token, Mrs. Town taking up the ham of venison and removing the cloth, which made them satisfied. The next morning they all came to breakfast with us, and the captive gave us, in the course of the day, all the history of her life which she could recollect. Mr. Miller, to whom we are greatly indebted, and Mr. Hunt acted as interpreters. I wrote down the narration in the words of the interpreter. There are not many striking incidents in her life, but she and her family, in their native costume, their extreme simplicity of manner, the natural modesty and solemnity of their deportment, formed the most interesting group I ever beheld. They are decidedly the most respectable family in the nation, and they are also very wealthy, having upward of a hundred horses, and many cattle and hogs. Capt. Brouillette is the only Indian who cultivates corn with the plow. He has a yoke of oxen, and wagon, and frequently takes beef and other articles to market."
Mississinewa Expedition .- In a letter addressed to the Secretary of War bearing date of October 13, 1812, Gen- eral Harrison called the attention of the War Department to the fact that the Miamis had taken up the tomahawk and were com- mitting depredations upon the settlements along the frontier, citing such evidence as the besieging of Fort Wayne and the attack on Fort Harrison. Notwithstanding these unfriendly movements they were still claiming to maintain a neutral posi- tion in the war between the United States and Great Britain. It was soon determined that a force should be sent against those living along the banks of the Mississinewa for the purpose of destroying their villages. This duty was assigned to Lieut. Col. John B. Campbell of the Ninteenth Regiment of United States Infantry, with a detachment of six hundred mounted men. The detachment was composed mainly of a regiment of Kentucky
A
268
HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY.
dragoons under command of Col. Simrall, a squadron of United States Volunteer Dragoons, under Maj. James V. Ball and a corps of Infantry, consisting of Capt. Elliott's company of the 19th. U. S. Regiment, Butler's Pittsburgh Blues and Alexander's Pennsylvania Riflemen. The detachment was commanded to march on the 25th of November, and in his letter of instructions to Col. Campbell General Harrison commanded him to march by the "Greenville route" in order that he might not come in contact with the Delaware towns, and suggested that any trouble with them would be unfortunate, for the reason that the Gov- ernment was pledged for their safety. He further stated that some of the Miami Chiefs had exerted themselves to keep their warriors quiet. He named among others Richardville, Silver Heels, White Loon and the son and brother of Little Turtle, and asked that they be left unmolested. Well-knowing the methods of Indian warfare he advised Col. Campbell to keep his men at all times ready for action by night as well as by day, and when in the enemy's country to have his men lie upon their arms.
The expedition did not reach the villages on the Mississin- ewa until the morning of December 17, and a full description of what followed will be found in the following official report of Col. Campbell to General Harrison, which is now on file in the War Department at Washington: "Early in the morning of the 17th, I reached, undiscovered an Indian town on the Mississinewa, inhabited by a number of Delawares and Miamis. The troops rushed into the town, killed eight warriors and took forty-two prisoners eight of whom are warriors, the residue women and children. I ordered the town to be immediately burned, a house or two excepted, in which I confined the prisoners. I then left the infantry to guard the prisoners, and with Simrall's and Ball's. Dragoons advanced to some Miami villages a few miles down the Mississinewa, but found them evacuated. I burned on this occasion three considerable villages, took several horses, killed many cattle and returned to the town I first burned, where I had left the prisoners, and encamped. My camp was in the usual form. The infantry and riflemen were in the front line, Captain Elliott's company on the right, Butler's in the center, Alexander's on the left; Major Ball's squadron occupied the right and one-half of the rear line. Col. Simrall's regiment the left, on the other half of the rear line. Between Balls right and Sim- rall's left there was an interval which had not been filled up. I now began to deliberate upon our future movements whether to go on further encumbered with prisoners the men much fatigued and many frost-bitten, and horses suffering for want of forage. At 4 o'clock on the morning of the 18th, I ordered the
269
MISSISSINEWA EXPEDITION.
reveille to be beaten and the officers convened at my fire a short time afterward. While we were in council and about half an hour before day, my camp was most furiously attacked by a large party of Indians, preceded by and accompanied with a most hideous yell. This immediately broke up the council and every man ran to his post.
"The attack commenced upon that angle of the camp formed by the left of Capt. Hopkins' troops and on the right by Capt. Garrard's, but in a few seconds became general from the entrance of the right to the left of Ball's squadron. The enemy boldly advanced to within a few yards of the line and seemed determined to rush in. The guards posted at the differ- ent redoubts retreated to camp and dispersed among their differ- ent companies, thus leaving me without a disposable force. Capt. Smith, of the Kentucky Light Dragoons, who commanded one of the redoubts, in a handsome and military manner kept his position, although abandoned by half his guards, until ordered to fill up the interval in the rear line, between the regiment and squadron.
" The redoubt at which Capt. Pierce commanded was first attacked. The Captain maintained his position until it was too late to get within the line. He received two balls through the body and was tomahawked. He died bravely and much lamented. The enemy then took possession of Capt. Pierce's redoubt and poured a tremendous fire upon the angle, to the right and left of which were posted Hopkins' and Garrard's troops, but the fire was as warmly returned. Not an inch of ground was yielded. Every man, officer and soldier, stood firm and animated and encouraged each other. The enemy's fire became warm on the left, at which Capt. Markle's troops were posted; and the right of Elliott's company, which, with Markle's, formed an angle of the camp, was severely annoyed by the enemy's fire.
"I had assisted in forming the infantry composed of Elliott's company of the 19th U. S. Regiment, Butler's Pittsburg Blues, and Alexander's Pennsylvania Riflemen, and ordered them to advance to the brink of a declivity from which they could more effectually defend themselves and harrass the enemy should they attempt an attack on that line. While I was thus engaged Maj. Ball rode up to me and observed that he was hard pressed and must be relieved. I galloped immediately to the left wing with the intention of ordering Capt. Trotter's troops to reinforce the squadron, but was there informed that the enemy was approaching in that direction, and believing it improper, on second thought, to detach a large troop from that line, which also covered an angle of the camp, I determined to give relief from the infan-
270
HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY.
try. I wheeled my horse and met Maj. McDowell, who observed that the spies and guards under Capt. Patterson Bain, consisting of ten men were. unemployed. We rode to them together and ordered Capt. Bain to the support of the squadron. Seven of them, to-wit: James Adrian, William Conner, Silas Mccullough, James Thompson, James Noggs, John Ruland and Joseph G. McClelland, followed their brave leader and rendered most effectual assistance. I then ordered Capt Butler, with the Pittsburg Blues, to repair immediately to reinforce the squadron, and Capts. Elliott and Alexander to extend to the right and left and fill up the interval occasioned by the withdrawal of the Blues. Capt Butler in a most gallant manner, and highly worthy the name he bears, formed his men immediately and in excel- lent order, and marched them to the point to which he was ordered. The alacrity with which he formed and moved was never exceeded by any troops on earth. The Blues were scarcely at the post assigned them before I discovered the effect they produced. A well directed fire from them and Hopkins' Dragoons nearly routed the enemy in that quarter. The enemy then moved in force to the left of the squadron and right of the infantry, where Capts. Markle and Elliott's companies were posted. Here again they were warmly received. At this time daylight began to dawn. I then ordered Capt. Trotter, whose troops had been ordered by Col. Simrall to mount for that pur- pose, to make a charge. The Captain called to his troops to follow him and they tilted off at full gallop. *
* * Major McDowell, with a small party, rushed into the midst of the enemy and, exposed himself very much. I cannot say too much for this gallant veteran. Capt. Markle, with about fifteen of his troops, and Lieut. Warren also made a daring charge. on the enemy. Capt. Markle avenged the death of his relative, Lieut. Waltz, upon an Indian with his own sword. * Fearing that Capt. Trotter might be too hard pressed, I ordered Capt. Johnson, of the Kentucky Light Dragoons, to advance with his troops to support them. Capt. Johnson did not join Trotter until the enemy was out of reach. The cavalry returned and informed me that the enemy had fled precipitately. I have on this occasion to lament the loss of several brave men."
The battle lasted about one hour and resulted in a loss to the whites of eight killed and forty-two wounded. . The number of horses killed, was, according to one of the colonels, 107. Fifteen Indians were found dead upon the battle field, and it was estimated by Col. Campbell that as many more had been carried away dead or mortally wounded. The Indian force was estimated at 300.
The account of this battle is given for the reason that a
27I
MISSISSINEWA EXPEDITION.
large number of the Indians engaged were from Miami County. The scene of the conflict was in Grant County, at a command- ing point on the Mississinewa River. It is probable that more than half the number were from Miami County, and the occurrence was long an interesting topic to those that lingered here after the whites had become firmly located. The accompanying dia- gram of the battle ground is given as an interesting feature.
DIAGRAM REPRESENTING THE PLAN OF ENCAMPMENT AND THE BATTLE OF MISSISSINEWA, ON THE MORNING OF DEC. 18TH, 1812.
Magneti Bearing
Commanded by Capt. Pierce.
Half mile northward
Trute Meridian
Redoubt,
Village
Point of Attack
Open Space
--
filled by
Capt. JYoung
Capt. Smith's Co.
1
Capt. Johnson
S
Old Road to Me-shin-go-me-sia's
Maj, ~ Ball's Squadron
Capt. Pierce Capt. Garrard
Capt. Elmore
Col. Simrall's Regiment.
"Second Bottom
---
Capt Elliot
Capt. Butler
Capt. Alexander
71. Lieut. Waltz
1
killed.
19th. U.S.
Pittsburg
Penn. Riflemen
('1886)
Infantry
Blues
1
FRONT LINE 500 FEET
LONG
1
I
Road
40 Fr.1
+Sloping Hill
20 Ft. high
High
Declivity
-
1
--
9.60 Ft.
Ileary Forest
20
Bottom Lands
-
-:
Feet Perpendicular
-
Tron Bridge
(Anner's Mill
AMERICAN FORCE ENGAGED, 600 MEN; LOSS, 8 KILLED, 42 WOUNDED; 107 HORSES KILLED. INDIAN LOSS NOT KNOWN. FIFTEEN DEAD WARRIORS FOUND ON THE BATTLE FIELD.
Lu Jortg-feet above First Bottom
Capt. Markle
Soldier's
Grave's
Capt. Trotter
×
ured Land
Clear
Heary Forest
Present
Ifrom Bouff to Ride
150 FtESteep Bank of Ston
Capt. Hopkins
272
HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY.
CHAPTER .III.
COUNTY ORGANIZATION-ACTS OF THE LEGISLATURE-PROCEED- INGS OF THE COUNTY BOARD-PUBLIC BUILDINGS-CREATION OF TOWNSHIPS-COUNTY FINANCES-EXPENSES OF THE POOR -WABASH AND ERIE CANAL-RAIL ROADS-GRAVEL ROADS - -MEDICAL AND AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES-ELECTIONS- COUNTY OFFICERS.
M IAMI COUNTY became a distinct political organization on the Ist day of March, 1834. It occupies an area of 384 square miles or 245,760 acres. The surface is level or undulating, except along the course of the Wabash and its tribu- taries, the banks of which are fringed by ranges of hills prob- ably not exceeding an average altitude of one hundred feet. The county was given the name of the tribe of Indians that had for so many years owned and occupied the territory.
The several acts of the General Assembly establishing the new county and fixing its boundaries are as follows:
AN ACT ESTABLISHING THE COUNTY OF MIAMI. APPROVED FEBRUARY 2, 1832.
Be it Enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana, That from and after the first Monday in April next, all the territory included within the following bounds to-wit: Beginning at the northwest corner of Section 5, Township 29, of Range 5, being the northwest corner of Wabash county; thence south with the west- ern boundary line of said county twenty-four miles to the north-west corner of Grant County; thence south six miles; thence west to a point due south of range line divid- ing townships three and four, east of second principal meridian line; thence north from said range line to a point due west from the place of beginning; thence east to the place of beginning; shall form and constitute a county to be known and desig- nated by the name of the County of Miami.
A SUBSEQUENT ACT. APPROVED JANUARY 30, 1833.
Be it further enacted by the General Assembly, That the boundaries of the County of Miami, as described in the act referred to in the foregoing, be and they are hereby changed as follows: Beginning at the north-east corner of Section 3, Township 29 north, being the north-west corner of Wabash County, running thence south with the western boundary of said county twenty-four miles; thence from the south-west corner of the County Wabash, east four miles to the north-west west corner of Grant County; thence south six miles; thence west fourteen miles; thence north with the range line dividing ranges three and four east of the second princi- pal meridian thirty miles; thence east ten miles on the township line dividing town- ships twenty-nine and thirty, to the place of beginning.
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