Illustrated Historical Atlas of the State of Indiana, Part 19

Author:
Publication date: 1876
Publisher: Baskin, Forster & Co.
Number of Pages: 472

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MOVEMENTS WEST DI' THE ALLEGHANIES

During the yeur 1710, a number of persons fretu Virginia mul of her Bril- ish Provinces explored and miniked ucarly all the valuable lunda on the Red. dloue ao'l other waters of the Monongahela, nud ulong the Ohio ny far douo u4 The Little Kanawha. This was followed by nuother exploring expedition, in which George Washington, the father of hus country, was a juuriy, The latter, necompamed by Dr. Craik, Cap ;. Crawford, Joseph Nicholson, Robert Bell, William, Charles, Morgan nudl Inniel Rendan, on the 20th of October, 1770, embarked in a progue al l'iltsburgh, anil deseenited the cthiu to the month of the Kanairba ; ascending the latter sfreum nhuul fourteen miles, they marked several large Imets of' land und killed several Inffaloes, which were then pleuly in the Ohio Valley.

l'utshargh, ol this time, was a village of shout firenty log bouses, inhab- iled by lwlinn trailers; the garrison of Fort l'ill, consisting of two com- junies af Royul Irish, commandeil by Capit. Mohuouson. In 17TH, notwith- sululing the rentonstrunees of English Indlors in the West, the troops were willilmin from Fort Pitt by order of Gen. Gage, and tho Assembly ol Peou- sylrumu refosel to moinlaiu a garrison ul flint proml,

Svou after this, muny odrenturers frun Virginia, Maryland aud North Carolinu crossed the Alleghanies for the purpose of surveying Imtuls and iunking settlements along the southern borders of the Ohio. The Inuds in the neighborhood uf Fort Pitt were surreyed for the Peunsylsubin proprie- lors in Itup, Magistrates were appointed lo net there iu 1771.

At this time, the policy of Great Britain wus strongly opposed to the ex- lension of the culonics west. This policy had been pursued lor zuvernl years. In 1703, the King of England forbnie, by a proclamation, hig colonini sub- jects from making any purchase, or settlements, or luking possession of any of the lauds beyond the sources of the rivets which full Into The Atlantic Ocean, At the instance of the English Bonnl of Trade und Plunlotions, measures were taken to confine the Laghsh selfiequeuta in America lo such distaure from the sea coast ns to be within the reuch of the frude and com- merce of Great Britain. For, as the Communmiler-in- Chief of the King's forces said in s letter written in 1700, in the course of a few years necessity would cummpel the colonists, should they extend their settlements west, to provide mpanofactures af some kind for themselves, and when all connection upheld hy commerce will the mother country should couso, it might be expected That an independeuey in their government irould suon follow.

It isus in necordonce with the policy above indiented thul Gen. Onge, in 1772, issued u proelauntiun commanding the tuhalbuns of lost Vincennes lo break up their settlement mudd ilisperse lo como uno of the English culo- nies, Tho inhabiluuls replied, in n letter iluted Soplember 11, 1772, 1lnl tbeir Inude hid been granted by llis Medt Cathohe Mujealy, The king of Franco, und that they held Them by n suered tie, that their sullemout was of aevenly yents' standing, cie. They were permitted to remain in the peaet- uble possession of their homes.

The opposition of Ibe colonies, and the influence of Inu companies sous imilneed the British Government lo change is policy, and lo pursue such a conren os to gain The ulinchment of the French population. Cortain influential

205

HISTORY OF THE STATE OF INDIANA .- CONTINUED.

inhabitants of Quebec having. in December, 1773, memoriulized the King for an extension of the boumlnry lines of that Province, the British Parlin- ment pasved an urt on the 2d uf fune, 1774, which extended the boundaries of the Provinve an na tu luchtile the territories lying within lho present lim- its of Ohio, Iniliuun, Illinois and Michigan. The Fame set restored to the French inlinhitants their own civil Inws and customs, und the free exoreine n' Their religion.

In consequenen of this pelioy of the British Government toward the French inlinhitants of the colonies, they were generally ilisposed to side with Ghent Brituin in the early part of the llovolutionnry struggle ; but the alli- nave uf France with the Amerienn colonies soon brought them to the side of the war for independence.

Gor. Duminore, of Virginia, itt 1774, hegun to encourage settlements on the western Innils. He appointed inngistentes to net at Fort Hitt, under the meteuse that the fort wny within the boundaries of Virginin, One of his Justiecs, Jolin t'onolly, who irns one of the potentees of n tract of Innil at the Falls of the Ohio, collected a number of men and garrisoned Fort Fitt, nail changed its unine to Fort Dunmore. He eent out from this point [ l'itta- birght parties for the purpose of selecting sites for new settlements along the southern borders of the Ohio. These parties soon coming into condiet with the Imlinus, the valley became the theater of contention and blooilsheil during the geunter part of the year 1774.

The principal exprilitions led agninet the Indians ivere those of Major Angus SeDuonlil, in July, 1774, and of Gor. Dunmore, in October, of the s.Itre year.

The fatnons bottle of the Kannwlin ung fought on the 10th of Ortober, 177-4 The Indian force nmounted ta 800 er 000 warriors. They were leil by Cornstolk, n hotell Shinynee chief; Reil Hnwk, a chief of the Delanures, acil Lugan, the fnmotes t'nyngn chief nul orator. While the battle rageil fiercely, the Virgininos contil often hear the voice of Cornstalk calling out to his warriors, " tle atrung! he strong!" In the course of the night, the Lodians rotrentvil aeruys the Ohio. ftn the morning of the 11th, liventy.ony Imliuns were fouil dlemil mui the field. The bodies of twelve biore were fraini) in parys where they bil tiven concealed during the night. The loss of the Virginians wns seventy-fire killed and one hundred nud forty ivomded. Among the killed were Col. Charles Lewis nod Major Field.

Login, if we inuy trust huis own stateincut, was induced to tako part in this war heennisy Col. Cresap, the spring before, in cold blood and unpro- rokel, Imd murderul ull his reintiens, not even sparing his women and chil- Jren. Thes is patheticully expressed in his closing wordly to ,Jefferson : " Who is there to mourn for Lagun? Not one l"

In the course of the rents 1776 and 1776, by the operations of land com. ponies atul the perseverance of inilividunis, soveral hundred settlers ivere oildid to the white population between tho Alleghanies and the Ohio Rirer. While the-e erents were tintispiring in the East and along the Ohio. western spvenintors nud Inud jobbers were busy in Illinois and on the Walat.

At n conneil helil in Kuskaskia, on the 5th of July, 177;1, an association of English traders, calling themselves the "Illinois Land Company," obtained from ten chiefs of the Kaskoskin, Cnhekin ami! Peorin tribes, a cession uf two inst tracts of land lying on the east side of the Missis. sippi lliver, nud below the mouth of the Illinois.

It will serre to illustrate wvlint the Governor of Virginia thought the best policy tor the sale of western Innils in those days, to state thut Gov. Dun- mory, by proclutution, on the List of March, ITis, ordered that all the sucuut lands of Ilis Majesty within the colony of Virginin he surveyed in districts, and land mit in lots of from 100 10 1,000 neres, and put up at queb. lic inle

In 1775, n mvreliant from the Illinois country, named Vivint, came to Post Vilseunes, As the ngent for an usseeintion culled the "Wabash Land Com- pay." On the Sth of Ortober, 1776, he obtained, from eleren Piankosbu w rhinvf, & devd for 37, 197, 600 neres of land. This deed was signed by the grantees, uttested by n number of the inhabitants of l'ost Vincennes, nul sulernttently registered in the offre of a Notary Public, nt Kasknykin. This amd alher Inud companies hiul extensivo schiemes of speculation, and for the colunization of the West by British subjects, but they were all frustrated by the breuktug out of the Rovolution. On the 20th of April, 1780, the Wabash and Illinvis Laned Companies were consolidated, under the name of the "Uniteil Illinmis ntul Wubash Land Company." Sereml applications were afterouril made to Congress, by the Agents of this company, for the con. firmation of their cluitits, but the applications ivere rejected.

CAMPAIGN OF COL. GEORGE ROGERS CLARK

At the commencement of the Revolution, Kentucky uns an unorganizeil fibtier settlement. It was exposed to the ravages of hostile Indiens, incitel by the British commandants at Koskaskin and Post Vincennes. Col. ticosge Ilugers Clark, a untive of Athermarle County, Virginia, but who hait previously removed to Kentucky, determined to ilo something for ils relief and wnfety. Hlv derisell the scheme of organizing Kentucky into a connty uf Virginin, in order that he, together with the Kentnekians, might act utuber the nuthority miul with tho couperation of that State is providing mesures of defense, and in currying on offensive operations against the British in Illinois and on the Wuhash. The magnitude of this undertaking, the skill und perseverance ivith nhich il nas exeented, nad the beneficinl consequienres resulling therefrom to the people of the West, plave it among the crost memorable onmpnighs uf the llorolulionary war. It was the tuas- ter-stroke of n grønt mind, prer-minently endowed with n genius to foreseo Dild mvel the exigencies of the times, which, in its sucreasful accomplish. mønt, in the midst of diffienlties apparently insurmountable, not only mavel the infant sellleuwenis nh the enstern borders of the Ohio, but guro to the United States the cenntry included hetweon the Ohio nnil Mississippi Rivers.

t'al. (nfterwaril Gen.) Gvorge llogers Cinrk wrote his " Memoirs" nt the enited regnesty of I'residents ,Jefferson ant Modison. We are indebted ta Dillon's Thatory of Inlinnn for the following extracts, in which the lender of the cmujerign tells his own story of its principal inchilents :

" Whine I luft Kentucky, October 1, 1777, I plainly anw thint every eye was inrued towntil mno, os if expecting some stroke in thet favor. Some doubtul my return, expecting I wonkl juin the army in Virginia. 1 left them with relertnuce, promising them I would certainly return to their as- elstnice, which I hnil predetermined. On my arrival ut Williamsburg, 1 re- inoneil n vonsillershlo time, settling the accounts of the Kentucky militin, und making remarks of verything I saw or heard that conll leud me to the Amurledge of the thisposition of those in power. Burgoyne's army having byen enpenred, nmil theuge scoming to wenr a pleasing aspect, on the 10th of Iterember, I rommunientul my ilesign to Gor. Henry. At first he seemedl to be fuel of it ; but to sletuch n porty ist so grent n distance (although the service performed might bo of grent utility) appenred Anring aus linenrd- vus, na nytinng bnt arerery couhl gire success to the enterprise. To Iny the matter before the Assembly, then sitting, wonll he dangerous, as it wrenlil Boen be known thrughent The frontiers; Aml probably the first prisoner taken by the Imliaus would give tho ninrin, which would end in the certnn ilestrurtinn of the purly. Ile lint several private commeils composed of selest gentlemen. After making erery inquiry into my proposed plenty of epemtion (mud unetienlerly thnl of n refrent, iu ense of misfortune, noruss the Mississippi inty Spanish territory), the expertilion ins respirent tput ; und, as nu emmiragement to those who wonhl engage in sunt service, m in- sirviavnt uf writing was signed wheroin those gentlemen promistil tu use Their intluwire to proenre fram the Assetably three bundled neres of Imnl for vnole, in ense uf ancers4. Thy Gur ernor nad Conneil so warudy engngeil in The surorss of the outerpitise that I hnul very little Irouble m getting tant-

ders ndjnsted ; and on the 2il ilny of Jnnuury, 1778, received muy instruc- tiens, nud £1, 200 for the use of the expedition, with an oriler on l'ittahurglt for honts, nmniunition, etc. Finiling from the Governor's converention in general to ine, on the subject, that he ilid not wish nn implicit attention to his instructions slinulil preveul my executing nnything that would trubifestly tetul to the good of the public, on the Ith I eet forwaril, rlotheil ivith ull the Authority I wished. I odinneed to Major William Smith .ElAt) to recruil men on Holston, anil to meet me in Kentucky. Capt. Leohuril llelut, of Fauquier, mud Capt. Joseph Bowman, of Frederick. irre to raise ench & company, nud on the lat of February arrivo at Reil Sinne Old Fort.

" Bring naw in the country where all the arrangements were to be made, I uppointedl Cupt. William llarred and many ellier officers to the recruiting service, nnil contracted for flour and other stores tlint I wanteil. . On the 20th uf March, I received a letter frotn Major Smith by express, in- forniing me that he lind raised four companies on Holston, to be marched it. mieilintely to Kentucky, ngreenbly to his orders ; nnil an express from Kon- tncky informeil mo that they had gained considerable strength since 1 left clint quarter The information of four componies being raised, with Bow- mna's nud lleln'e, which I knew were on their way to juin me nt Red Stone, caused me to be more onsy, respecting recruits, than I otherwise should have been. The officers only got sueb as had friends in Kentucky, or those in. itucel hy their own interests and desire to see the country. Meeting with several iliappointments, it why Inte in May before I could leare the Red Stone settlement with those companies nod o considerable number of families und private niventurers. Taking in my stores at Pittsburgh and Wheeling, I proceeded down the river nith cantion."

Dilton says: "On arriving with his forves at the Falls of the Ohio, Cot. Clark took possession of an island which contained about seven neres. ile divided thus island among a small number of fumilies, for whiost protection hie constructeil some light fortifications.

"Of The foter companies that were recruited by Major Smith on the Hol- ston, ouly ono bnd arrived in Kentucky ; and when Clark disclosed to his troaps luis during designs ngainst Post Vincennes and Rinskaskin, he ivas ilvserted by the grenier part of that company. Another obstocle interfered with his pions. He found that the settlers of Kentucky, owing to the Instile temper of thy Indiuns, could not at that time hozard o material ilininution of the strength of their forts by joining the expedition under bis command."

Clark's memoir procceils : " On the 24th of June, 1778. we left our little island amil ran about a mile up the river, in order to goin the main chunel ; and eliot tho falle ut the very moment of the sun being in a great eclipse, which enused inrious conjectures among the superstitious. As 1 kteir thini spies were kept on the river below the towns of the Illinois, I hait resolvel to march part of the ivay by land ; anil, of course, left the whole of our bng- gage, except As much as would equip us in the Inilian mode. The whole of onr foree, after leaving such as was judged not competent to the expected fatigue, consisted only of four companies, commonded by Copls. John Montgomery, Joseph Bowman, Leonard Helm and William Harrod. My force being so small to what I expected, owing to the various circumstaners already mentioned, I found it necessary to alter my plans of operation. A. l'ost Vincennes, at this time, was a town of considerable force, consisting of near four humilred militia, with an Indina towu ndjoining, and great num- bery continually in the neighborhood, and, in the scale of Imilian affairs, of mure importmico than any other, I had thought of attucking it first; but noir found that I could by no means venture near it. 1 resolred to begin my career in the Illinois, where there were more inhabitants, but scattered in ilifferent villuges, nud less danger of being immediately overpoivered by the Indiuns ; in case of necessily, we could probably make our retrent to the Spanish side of the Mississippi ; but if successful, we might paro our wny to the possession of l'osl Vincennes."

" I lidl fully nequninted myself that the French inhabitants of those wesl. ern vettleinents had great intuenec among the Indians in general, mil wero moro heloved by them than any other Furnpenns ; that their commercial in- tercontse uns universal throughout the weslery and northwestern countries ; and that the governing interest ou the lakes was mostly in the body of the English, who were not much beloved by them. These, und ninny other idras similar therelo, enused me to resolve, if possible, to mrengthien myself by such train of conthtet as might probably attach the French inhubitu uts lo our interest and give us influence of a greater ilistance than the country ive were niming for. These were the principles that influenced my future comluet ; unil, fortunately, I had just received a letter from Col. Campbell, duted Fitts. hurgh, informing me of the contents of the trentes between France and Aincrica.''

[On the 6th of February, 17is, France acknowledged thy Independence of the Uniteil States and concluled n treity of amitr nul commerce and a treaty of allinnee with the new Republic. The British ministry considered these nels equivalent ton declaration of war by France mminst Grent Brituin. The first article of the Treaty of Alliance betireen the United States nud France was fixed in these words : " Art. I. If nur should break out be- tireen France and Great Britain during the continunuce of the present wir between the limited States amit England, His Majesty nad the United States ylinll inake it a common cause and aid each other toutually in their good ofhees, thivir connsels anil their forces. according to the exigence of conjuny- turis ns becomes good, nad faithful nllies." This treuty of alliance iras no- Inled by an act of L'ongriss on the 7th of July, 1798 .- Dettwx.]

PAS I inteuileil to leare the Ohio at Fort Massac, thirco Irugues heluir the Trinessee, T Innded on a small island in the month of that river in order to prepnro for the muryl. In a fow hours nfter, on Jolm Itutf und n parly of Ininters coming down the river were brought to by our boats. They were win formerly from the States and nssured ns of their happiness is the udren- inre. * * * * They had been but Intely from Kaskeskin mul were able to giren ns all the intelligence wo wished. They snid tint Gior Abbott hail Intely left Post Vinceunes aud gone to Detroit ou some business ot inpurtauce; that Mr. Revhulare commonasted at Ansknskis ete .; that the intlitis was kept in good order, mil spies in the Mississippi ; minl thut all hunters, both Iulians mul others, wrere ordered to keep n good lookont for the rebels ; tlint the furt ins kept in good order as nn nxylum, ete .; beel they believed the whole to proceed ture from n fondness of parade than the expertntion of a visit . thint if they received timely notire of iss, they would collect undl give us n worm reception. ns they were innght to harbyr & mos horrpl wles of the haibarity of rebels, especially the Virginians ; bnt thint if we could surprise the pince, which they were in hopes we might, they made no iloubt of our twing alde to do as wre pleaseil -that they hoped to tie referred ns parukers in the enterprise aml wished us to put full voufideney in them anul they wonlil nasist the gunles in comlueting the party This wus ngreed to nul they pravedl vulunble men. *

" Inring everything prepared, ne mored down to a little gully. A small listnnee nhove Magere, in which we concenled our boits, amt set out a north- west course. The weather was ficorable; in some parts unter was source, as well as game: of course, wo suffered droth and hunger, but not to excess. On the third dny, Juhn Sanders, our principal guide, nppeared confused, muudl ny suou discovered tlint he was totally lost, withuut there ins samy uther enuse of his present conduct. I asked him vprimes questions, real than his Answers I cantil scarcely determino what tu think of bnn, whether or not that he arns lost, or that he wished to vereiro us. * * * . The cry of tho whole iteluelement uns thuet hu irns u traitor. Hy begged thut ho might hwcantiereil to go some distance into a plnit tant ins in full view, tu try to minko Sotny discovery whether or not he was right. I tohit him he might go, Imt Thui E wns suspicions of him from his ronsheet; thul From the first ilay of his heing roupdoyel ha nhirays soul hy knen the uny well, Ilint thory wns now n different appearattve ; thal I snur the unigre of the cuientry was such tlint n person wiecy nempainted with it would not, in n short time, forget it ; flint n few enet should go with bim to prerent his wseupu ; mut that if he ilul

not disrover and take us into the hunter's rond that led from the east into Kaskeskin, which he hadl frequently described, I would have him immediately put to death, which I had determineil te have ilone ; but after & search of an hour or two he emmo to u place which he knew perfectly, and we iliscovered thint the poor fellow had been as they call it, bewildered.

" On the fourth of July, in the evening, i've got within a few miles of the lown, where we lay till near ilork, keeping spies ahead, after which we enm- menged our forel and took possession of n house wherein a large family liveil, on the bank of the Kaskuskin River, about three-quarters of a mile above the town. Ilere we were informieil that the people n few duys befure were under arms, but hwl concluded that the cause of ulnrm ivas without foundationt und that at that time there was a great unmber of men in town, but that the Indians had generally left it und ut present all was quiot. We soon procured o sufficiency of vessels, the more in case to ronvey us across the river. + + + With one of the divisions I marched to the fort and ordered the other two into different quarters of the toivn. If I met with no resistance, at a certain signal n general shout nas to be giren and certain puris were to he immediately possessed, and the men of each detachment ivho could speak the French language were to run through every street and procinim what had happened ood inform the inhabitants that crery person who appeared in the streets would be shot ilown. This disposition had its ilesired effect. In a very little time tre liml complete possession, and every nvenue was guarded to prevent an escape to give the alarm to the other villages in ense of opposition. Various orders nere issued not irorthi mon- tioning. ] do not suppose greater sitenee ever reigned among the inbabi- tants of n place than did at this at present , not a person to he seen. not a worl to he heard from them for some time; hut, designedly, the greatest nvise kept np by our troops through every quarter of the toisn, noil patrols continuolly the whole night round it, as intercepting uny information was a copilul objevt, and in nhout two hours the irhole of the inlinhitanty ivere dis- nrmed and informed that if one ivas taken attempting to ninke his esenpe he shonll be innberlintely put to death.

On the taking of the town, a few of the principal then ivere arrested and put in irons, but this was only designed to inspire a salutary terror. It was the policy of Col. Clark first to excite the fears uf the French inhabitants to n high pitch, and then to surprise them and win their confidence by unex- pveted nets of justico und generosity. An opportunity for such netion sborily occurred. The people, expecting soon to be separated never to meet again, besonght Col. Clark, through the agency of their priest, M. Gibanlt, that they might be permitted to assemble in their church to take their leave of each other. The request was readily granted. Col. Clark at the same time took occasion to inform the priest that the religion of o people was a mniter in wbieb Americans did not interfere, but on all such questions left every man alone with his God. The people, he saul, might nssemble at the church, but, upon the peril of their lives, none should attempt to leave the toivn. Nearly the whole French population assembled st the church. At the close of the meeting, a deputation, consisting of M. Gibault and others, waited upon Col Clark, and said " that their present situation ivas the fate of war, and that they could submit to the loss of their property, but they solicited that they might not be separated from their ivives and children, und that some clothes und provisions might be allowed for their support." CInrk answered them : " Do you mistake us for savages ! I am almost certain you do, from your language! Do you think that Americans intend to strip women and children, or take the hreail out of their mouths ! My country- men disdain to make war upon helpless innocence. It isas to prevent the horrors of Indian butchery upon our own ivive, and children that we have taken arms and peuetrated into the remote stronghold of British and Inilinn barbarity, and not the despicable prospect of plunder That now the King of France bad united his powerful arms with those of America, the war would not, in all probability, continue long. Bitt the inhabitants of Kaskos- kin were at liberty to take which sito they pleaseil, without the least danger to either their property or their families. Nor ivonhil their religion he any source of disagreement, as all religions irere regarded with equal respect in the oye of American law, and that any insult offered to it wontd he immediately ponisbest. And now, to prove my sincerity, you will please inform your fellowv citizens that they are quite nt liberty to conduct themselves as usual, withont the least apprehension. I ot now vonrinced, from what 1 have heard since my arrival. that you have heen misinformed and, prejudiced against us by British officers, and your friends itho are in confinement shall be released."

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Illustrated Historical Atlas of the State of Indiana, Part 19

Author: Publication date: 1876 Publisher: Baskin, Forster & Co. Number of Pages: 472

Author:
Publication date: 1876
Publisher: Baskin, Forster & Co.
Number of Pages: 472