Illustrated Historical Atlas of the State of Indiana, Part 21

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

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unter necer got shullouer, but continued deepening. Getting to the mods, where the men expected land, the icater way up to my shoulders, hul gain. ing tho woody uns of great consequence ; all the low meu und The weakly buug to the trees nul floated on the oldl logs, und They were taken off by the cauory. The strong and the toll pol ashore aud hult fires Muny would rebel the shore Quil full with their bilies half in the water, not being able to support thomselces without it,

" This was a delightful dry spul of ground, of about Tele neres. We soou found that the fires nnawereil no purpose ; but thul lwo strong men laking a wenker one by the arius was the only way to recover lut, and heing u delight- ful ilny it soon dul so. But fortunately, as if ilesigned by Providence, a canoe of Indiuu sqnows and chillren was coming up to town, und look through part of this plain as a uigh way It was iliscovered by our canoes as they wore out ufter the men. They garo chase and took The lodian que, ou bourd of which was near hult a quarter of a buffalo, somno corn, lallow kettles, etc. This was a grand prize, and uns inculuuble. + ++

" Crossing a nurrow, Jeep Inke, in the canves, nud marching sowe dis- tance, we came In n copse of timtier called the Warrior'a islaud. We were nuw in full view of the fort and town, not a shrub between us, nl aboul tiro

miley' distance. Our siluntion uns nou Iruly erilich]- uo possibility of relrenting in case uf n defent, and iu full view of a loun that bad at this time upward of six hundred wen in it, troops, fuchwhitnats anul Indinns. The orew of the gulley, though not fifty mnou, would have been noir a reinforcement of imquiense magnitude to our littlo army (if I may so call it |, but we would not think of them. We were non in the situa- tint thut f boil labored to get ourselves in. The ulen of being nuulo prison- CTA wos foreigu tu nimost every muun, ng they expected nothing but forture from tho savages if they foll into their hands. * * I know that n

nuuher of the iuluibitants wished us well, that lungy wore lukewarm to the interests of either, and I ulso leutined that the grand chief, the Tobacco's son, hnul but a few days before opeuly declared, in council with the British, That he was o brother nod friend of the Dig Knives. These were fui orable circumstances anil as there was little probability of our remujuing till Inrk undiscovered, I deleriuined to hegin the cureer inuuelliotely, nail wrote the following plocaril to the inhahitunts :

!! ! To the Inhabitants of Post l'incellules :

I' GENTLEMEN-Being nois within tivo tuiles of your village with toy army, determined to take your tort this night, art not being willing to surprise you, I lake this methoil to request such of you os are true citizens, nud willing to wujoy the liberty I bring you, to reuinin wlill in your huuses. And thuse, if nny there he, that are friends to the King, will in winntly repair to the fort and join the hair-tuyer General, nud tight like men. And if quy much as do uot go to the furt shull bo disenvered after- word, they umy depend on secere punishment. Oh the contrary, those who ure true friends of liberty niny depend ou being well irealel, and I ouce utore request thiem to keep oul of the streets. For overy one I fimil in uruis

ou iny arrival I aludt trent him is au enemy. 11 : [Signed]

G. R. CLARK.'"

The little nrmy moved in, iu the evening, nuil took possossion of the ul rougest poris of the town. Lleutennnl Bayley was ordered, with fourleen men, lo murel nud fire on the furt So complete uas tho surprise, that the garrison did uol suspect tho presence of un quomuy till one of their nieu was eliot ihnen through'n port-holo. " We uow found,"' anys Col. Clurk, " thal the garrison lind known nothing ul us; that, linving finished the fort thal evening, they had umused themselves ol differout games, onil Inul just retired before my litter arrived, as it wus uent roll cull. "The plocurd being mmde public, many of tho inhabitants were afraid to shinw themselvey out of their houses for fear of giring offense, und uut one ilared give informatiou. 4

" The Tobneco's ann, beiug in town with a uuwilwr of warrinrs, iumme linely clusteredl thema nul let us kanie that he wished to join us, saying that hy the morning he would have u lutulrel men. The garrison was suon completely

207

HISTORY OF THE STATE OF INDIANA .- CONTINUED,

surroundled, and the firing continued without intermission (except about fifteen minutes, ut little hofore dny) until nhout uine o'otock the following moruittg. Col. Clark theu seut a messenger with n letter demnading the sur- reuder of tho garrison. Lieut. Gor. Hamilton, in reply, begged " leave to nequaint Col. Clark that he and his garrison were not disposed to he awed into nuy action unworthy British subjects." Upon the receipt of this auswer, the firing upon the fort was renewed, utul continned till toward evening on The 14th of February, when a flag was sent from luinilton requesting a truco for three days. Col. Clark refused to graut it, informing llumilton that ho would agree to un other terius than " his surrender of hunself and garrison as prisoners at discretion." lle added in his ante : " If Mr. Hinm- ilton is desirous of A conferenoo with Col. Clark, be will meet him at the church with Capt. Ilelm." The following is Cal. Clark's necount of the meeting

" We mot at the church, about eighty yards frout the fort-Lient. Gov. lumilton, Major llay, Superintendent of hulinn Atfuirs ; Capt. Hehu, their prisouur ; Major Bomnun and myself. The conference began. Hamilton produced terms of enpitulation, sigued, that contained various articles, one of which was that the garriyou should be surrenderedl on their being permit- ted to go to Pensacola on parole. After drliberating on every artiole, I re- jected tho wholo. lo thon wishvil that I trould make some proposition. 1 told him I had no other to make than what I lind alrenily mode-that of big surrendering ns pristuers ut discretion. * * * Various alterentions took place fur n cousiderublo tinie. Capt. Helm attemupfeil to thedernto our 6xed determination. 1 told him he uns n British prisnuer, nud it was iloulitful irhether or not he could with propriety spenk on the subject. Ilamilton iben said that Capt. Helmu was from that moment liberated, and coubil uge his pleasure, I informed the Captain that I would not receive him on such terms -that ho tanst return to the garrison nud await his fote. I they told Liout. Gor. Ilmuilton that hostilities should not commetee until five minutes after the drums gare the ninrn We took our leute, nud parteil but a few steps, when limuilton stopped, and politely neked me if I nouhit be so kind na to give him my reasons for refusing the garrison on any other terms that those I huil ottered. I told him 1 had no objections to giring him my reat reasons, which were simply these : That I knew the grenter part of the principal In- ilian partisnus of Detroit were with hitu ; that I unuted an excuse to put them to death, or otherwise trent them us i thought proper ; that the cries of the widows and the fatherless, on the frontiery, which they had occasioned, how required their blood from my linnds, and that I did not choose to be so timorous as to disobey the absolute communnds of their nuthority, which 1 looked upon to be noxt to ilivino ; that I would rather lose fifty men than not empower myself to executo this picco of business with propriety , that if he choso to risk the minssnero of liis garrison for their sakes, it was his euro plensure ; and that 1 might, perhaps, take it into my head to send for Eomo of those trilou's to see it executed Major IIny, paying great atten- tion, I haut observed a kind of distrust in his countenance, which, in n great Incustre, influenced tuy conversation at the time, on my concluding, " Pray, sir, " anid he, " who is it that you call ludinn partisans!" "Sir," I replied, "I tako Major Ilny to bo one of the principal." I uorer sow n mau, in the moment of execution, so struck ay he appeared to be-pale, trenthling, and scarcoly uble to stand. Hemilton blushed, und, 1 observed, was much ntfeeted at his belinvior. Major Bowman's countenance sufficiently explained his diskun for the one und his sorrow for the other.

Iu the course of the afternoon of the 24th of Fobruury, 1779, tho follow- ing articles were signed nud the garrison capitulated :

1. lueut .. Gov. Hamilton engages to ileliver up to Col. Clark Furt Sack- rille, ay it is at present, with all tho stores, etc.

Il Tho garrison ute to ilelirer thruisches os prisoners of war, und tuareh out with their arms, uecoutrements, etc.

IIt. The garrison to bo delivered up at ten o'clock to-morrow.

IV. Three days' time to be allowed tho garrison to setile their necounts wth the iubobilants ittil traders of the plare.

V. The officers of the garrison to be allowed their necessary baggage, etc. " >igneil at Post St Vincent | Vincennes), February 24, 1179.

"Agreed to for the following reasons The remoteness from succor ; the stato aud quantity of provisions, etc .; utinnimity of officers oud niet in its exjulieticy ; tho honorablo terms allowed; and, Instly, the confidence in n HENRY ILAMILTHIN

gonerouy quemiy. [Signed] " Lieut. Gov. and Superintendent. '

About ten o'clock, ou the 25th, the garrison, cousining of serenty-nine meu, was formally surrendered.

Ou the dny following tho surrender of tho garrison, Col. Clark seut a detachnient, undor comuuttal of Capt. Helm, up the Walsh Rirer to inter- cepi Houte British bouts Inden with provisions and goods from Dotroit. The expedition procceleil up the river it three armrd beats about one hundred and tivonty miles, when the British hoots, seven in number, were surprised and captured without tiring a gun. The goods utul prorisious ou hourd antounteil in value to about ten thousand pounds, nud were chiefly distrib- uted among tho soliliets.

Ou tho 10th of March, 1770, Col. Clark took his departure from Post Vincennes for Kasknskin, on board of tho gulloy which had been sent from that place, at the commencement of the campaign. Bofore lenving Post Vlocennes, ho made the following appointments. Lieut, Richard Brashear, Cominandant of tho garrison, which consisteil of Lieuts. Bayloy nud Chop- line nnil forty picked nieu ; Capt. Leonurd Helmi, Contunndout of the tuwn and Superintendent of Indian Affairs, Moses Heury, Indian Agent, and Patru k Kennedy, Quarteriuaster.

Shortly after Col. Clark's arrit al nt Kasknskis, he was informed by Cont. Helm that a part of the Delnuare nation, at the Forks of White River, had Killed and plutelered a party of men, on their way to the Falls of the Olno. "I uns sorry," says Clurk, " for the loss of the mou; othertriso pleased at wbat luul happened, as it would gire mo an opportunity of showing tho olber luilians tho horrul fato of those who would ilnro to make unr on the Big Kuife; und to excel them in barbarity I know was, auit is, the only way to jouke war and guin u unme among the Indians I iunnodintily sent orders to l'ost Vincennes to winke irar on the Delnunres-to shou no kind of mercy to tho wen, hut to spare tho women and children. This order was executed without ilelay. Their camps wore uttneked iu orrry quartor where they could In found. Mouy fell, and others were brought tu Post Vincennes and put to death, the womout and children secured, eto. They inuncdintely applied tor reconellintiou, but wero informed that I hind ordered the war, + + anıl that they dare not Iny down the tomahawk without permission from me, but that If the Indians were ngreed, no moro blood should be spilt until no express could go to Kaskaskia, which was immediately sent I refused to mako pener with the Deluunres, and let thom know that tro uerer trusted those who had ouce violated their faith, but if they hudl n mind to bo quiot, they might ; and if they could get any of the neighboring ludians to be security for thoir guoi behavior, I would let thom aluno, but that 1 cared very little about it, eto .- privately directing Capt. Helm how to manngo."

Col. Clark and his men bod entortained the project of taking the post at Detroit from the British. From the timo of the rapture of Post Vineonnes, circumstances thvoriug, iltis tras lookeil to us tho ulterior object of all their moretuonis, but oireumistaneos ilid not prore fiorable, nud the plau uas nbaudouril. They woro to concentrato tho forces and supplies at l'ost Vin- ceones.

"Emily in June," says Clark, "Col. Montgomery uns disputehed by water with tho wholo of ua of uur stores; Major Bowmau marchoil the remainder of our troops by land; myself, with a party of horso, reached Fost Vin- seunes tu four days, whoro tho whole anfely orrivel in n short thun after.

Instend of 300 men from Kentucky (us had been expected), there appeared about thirty volunteers commentlel hy Captain MeGary. The loss of the oxpedition was too ohvious to hesitate shout it -- Col. Bowman had turned his attention against the Shinwnee towns and got repulsed ond his men discour. aged. 4 + * +

"Arranging things to the best advantage was now my principal study. The troops were divuled between Post Vincennes, Kaskaskin, Cohokin and the Falls of the Ohio. Col. Montgomery ivas appointed to the command of the Illinois ; Major Bowman to superintend the recruiting busine44: n numher of officers were appointed to thnt service, and myself to take up my quarters nt the Falls, as the most convenient spot to have an eye over the whole."

On the 2d of July, 1783, Gen George Rogers Clark was dismissed from the service of Virginin. On this occasion, Hon. Benjamin Harrison, Gor- ornor of Virginia, paid lho following deservel tribute to the services of Gen Clark: "Before I take my leave of you, I feel myself called upon, in the tuost forcihlo manuor, to return you my thanks, and tltoso of my Coun- cil, for the very great nivel singular services you have rendered your coun- try, in wresting so great and ralunble n territory out of the banils of the British enemy, repelling the attacks of' their sarago allies, and carrying on a successful war in the heart of their country. This tribute of praise and thanks, so justly due, I nin happy to communicate to you, as the united voice of the Executive."

CESSION OF THE NORTHWESTERN TERRITORY BY VIRGINIA.

At the treaty hetivecu Great Britant and the United States, in 1;83, the farmer ceded to the latter all her possessions ou the east side of the Missis- siqui Rirer. At the mme time Great Britain cedel to Spain all the Floridas, coinprising oll the territory east of the Mississippi oud south of the sunthern limit of the Uniteil States, ns the lutter irus then bounded. The great ferritury nurthn est uf the Ohio River belonged to the State of Virginia. Ou the 2dl of Jennary, 1781. the Geurral Assembly of Virgimin hnd possed a resolution that, on errtain conilitions, they iroull cede to Congrras, for the lwuwefit of the United States, all the right, title nud claim of Virginin to the territory northwest of the Ohio. Congress, by au net of the 18th of Sep- tomber, 1783, agreed to accept of the territory. The General Assembly of Virginia, on the 20th of Decriuber, 1788, authorized her delegates in Congress to make the session of the territory to the United States. This was carried into effect ou the first day of March, 1784. At this date. Thomas Jefferson, Sonmuel Har, Arthur Lee quil Juines Monroc, delegates in Congress ou the part of Virginin, executed the ileed of cession with the followring conditions : " That the territory so cedeil shall be laid out and fortund iuto States, containing n suitable extent of territory, not less than que huudred nor more than one hundred and Any miles square ; or as near thereto ns circumstances nill admit ; and that the States so furmed shall be distinct Republican States, and admitted members of the Federal Union, linving the same rights of sorereignty, freedom and independence us the other States That the necessary iind rensuuable expenses incurred hy Virginiu, iu subduing any British posts, or iu manjutniniug forts unil gurri- sons within, aud for the defense, ur in nequiring quy part of the territory so ecued or relinquished, shall be fully reimbursed hy the United States, That the French aud Chusdinn inhubitants, and other settlers of the Knakaskin, Post Vincennes and the neighboring villages, who have professed themselves eitizeus of Virginia, shall have their possessions nud titles confirmed to thetu, und be protected in the cujoyment of their rights and liberties. That n quantity not exceeding fifty thousand acres of lanil, promised by Virginia, sball be allowed and granted to the thet Colonel, now General, George Rogers Clark, nud to the otheers and soldiers of his reguueut, who msrched with him u hen the posts of Kaekaskia and Vincennes u ere reduced, and to the officers onit soldiers that huve been since incorporated into said regiment, to be Inuil off in one truet, the length of which not to exceed double the brendth, in such place on the northu est side of the Ohio as n umjorhy of the officers shall choose, and to be ofterword divided among the officers and soliliers in due proportion arvording to the laus of Virginin."

This reservation, called the " Illinois Grout, ' or " Clark's tirant, ' was laid off on the thiio River, near the Fully, in what is noir Clark County, ludintin. In October, 1743, tho Grueral Assembly of Virginia passed un act for loring off the tou'n of Clarksville on this reservation. The act provided flint the lots, of balf un acre euch, should bo sold at public auction for the hest price that could be had. The purchasers respectively were to hold their lots sulyject to the condition of building on each, within three years from the day of sale, n dwelling house, "twenty feet by eighteen at least, with n brick or

ORGANIZATION OF THE NORTHWESTERN TERRITORY.

On the Isth of July, 1787, Congress passed nu ardinquee for the govern- inrut of the territory of the United States northwest of the Ohio River. On the ith of Detober following, Major General Arthur St. Clair was elected Goreruor by Congress. St. Clair uns a Scotchusu by birth, and came 10 America in 1754. He was engaged in the British service during the ivar with France, and after the peace of 1763, settled in Pennsylvania, On the breaking out of the Revolution he was commissioned Colonel, and afterward promoted to Tho muk of Major General. In [ist, he was elected to Con. gress, and was I'resulent of that body when the famous ordinance of 1987 wus mlopted, with reference to the eslublishment of' i government in tho ter- ritory which bod heon ceded by Virginin to the United States. From 1:86 to 1800, a period of about hirelve years, Geu. >t Clair was Governor of the Northwestern Territory. We give the following summary of ereuts which occurred under his administration :

In July, 1788, the Goreruor arrived af Fort larmar (now Marietta, Ohio), irhere, during that year, tho temporary gorerumucut of the North- western Territory wus organized. There was ue Legislature, but the Gov. erbur uud Judges of tho Territorial Court externporized a coile of lous cubreing the most necessary points for the got erumeut of a now country. inhabited chiedy hy Indiaus The following instructions of the Governor hy Congress, according to which he was to net in the new Territory, inilicate that Ins hrst and great concern was with tho ludmus inhabiting the country. Ile wus instructeit as follows :

"First. To examine enrefully into the real triupor of the ludiaus.

"Secondly. To remove, if possible, all causes of controversy, so that pence mivì hormouy might be estubhished betircon the United States and the Indian tribes

"Thinly. To regulate trade among the ludians.

"Fourthly. To neglect to opportunity that might offer of' oxtingnishing The Judum rights to lamil westnand as thr as the Mississippi Itiver, and northwurd as tir as tho forty- first degree of north Intititde.

"PAthy. To use every possible endeavor to ascertain the names of the real heal men nud warriors of' the several tribes, and to atinch them to tho United States hy every possibile iarwns.

"Birthly. To make overy exertion to defeat all confederations und com- binutils muong tho tribes, and to concilinto the white pooplo ininbiting tho frontier tomurid the bulinos."

In necordaneo with these instructions, the temporary coule nboro referred to was adopted It was not ouly designed for tho regulation of the whito settlers in the Territory, but for tho punishment of the Judinns nho should vinInto the law. A treaty of muuity miul peaco, of tho cession of cortain Imuls, und tho dletuition and establishment of boundary livey between the United States mul the ludiuns, was entered iute betireen Gor. St. Clair nud

the chiefs und head men of the Six Nations, together with the Wyandlots, Delnwures, Ottoins, Chippenas and Sacs, at Fori Harmuar, un the 9th of January, 178! The principal points embraced in this treaty were the following :

The Six Nations agreed to renew and confirm all the engagements and stipulations entered into at the treaty of Fort Stanwix, October 22, 1784, and were confirmel in their reservation mude by that treaty, extending os far west as the western bouudnry of Pennsylvania on Lake Erie, and thence hy that bonnilary to the Ohio Ruer. This was ninde the western hounilary of the lands of the Six Nations, and they certed to the United States all claims to lands west of this houndary. The I'niteil States secured to them the lunds they occupied, east, nurth and youth of this line, except six miles square adjoining the post at 1)sivego.

It was stipulated in & separate article of this treaty that if n robbery.or murder should be comnittet hy nny Indiun of the Six Nations upon a citi- zen of the United Ninfea, or by any citizen upon an Indian of these nations, the party accused of the some should he tried, and, if found guilty, pun- ished according to the laws of the State or Territory where such offonse was committed.

The Wyon lots, Delawares, 1)ttowas, Chippewas and Sacs, parties to the treaty of Fort Harmer, agreed to renew and confirm all the engagements they hod mible in the treaty nf Fort Molntosh, on the "Ist of January, lisi; ond, in nldition thereto, stipulated to give up to fiov. St. Clair, at Furt Harmer, all the prisoners in their possession which had been taken in the late wora. As surety fur the fulfillment of this agreement, they deliveredl to the authorities of the Untied States two Wynnlots bu he retained as hustages. These tribes also ceded to the United States all the latuils to which they hod ony claim lying east, south and west of a certain reservation bounded as follows Beginning at the mouth of the Cuyahoga River and running up that river to the porlogr between it and the Tuscaraun branch of Ihr Muekinguin, thence duin that hranch to the forks at the crossing ahove Fort Lawrence, thenee westerly to the portare on that branch of the Great Miami which runs into the Obto, thence nlong the anid portage to the Great Mismi River, and down the south side of the same to its mouth, thenee ulong the southern shore of Lake Krie io tho place uf beginning. The United States, by this treaty, agreed to relinquish to these tribes all the lutls included in these houndaries, allowing them to hold the same as their linnting ground-, bot binding them not to dispose of them to any other pulver or guvernment than that of the United States. They were also alloweil to bunt and ash within the territories ceded to the United States su long as they shaubl conduct Themselves peaceatily. But in cher they com- mittel robhery or murder, the persons so offending should he lebvered up to the authorities at the nearest post, to be tried and punished according to the laws of the Territory northwest of the Ohio River. Horse-stealing, both on the alle of the whites and ibe Indians, wis ul-o prohibited by this treaty, and it was further stipulatel that trade should be opened with the tribes, and that they should afford protection to the persons anul property of all licensedl agents and traders nmong them.

The following reservations were made for the establishment of trading posta : Six toiles square at the mouth of the Misiui River; six miles square at the Portage, upon the Obio branch of the Minmi ; six miles square un Lake Sandusky, where the post formerly stool ; and iwo mules square on each side of the Lower Rapuls of the Sandusky River: which posts, and the lands annexed to them, should be for the use of the United States. The posts ut Detroit auil Mackinaw, with the lands udjoining, were by this treaty confirmed to the gorernment by the respective tribes, the United States taking these tribes into its friendship and protection.

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Illustrated Historical Atlas of the State of Indiana, Part 21

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

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