USA > Indiana > Allen County > Fort Wayne > The pictorial history of Fort Wayne, Indiana : a review of two centuries of occupation of the region about the head of the Maumee River, Vol. I > Part 9
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The leader of this adventurous body of men was Augustus Mottin de LaBalme. He had served in France as a lieutenant-colonel of cavalry, and as a colonel in the colonial army during the latter part of the American revolution. LaBalme had come to America with the Marquis de LaFayette and entered at once into active service for the republic.
Without announcement, he appeared in October, 1780, at Kas- kaskia on the Mississippi, now under the American flag, where he was received with gladness9 by the French and the Indians who encouraged his plan to proceed to Detroit to capture that post for
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LA BALME MASSACRE-WASHINGTON'S VISION
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the United States.10 Fired with the vision of a success which should equal or surpass that of Clark on the lower Wabash, LaBalme lost no time in gathering his followers and starting to the northward. A great demonstration attended the departure from Kaskaskia. The inhabitants en masse, as well as large companies of Indians, ac- companied the expedition for a considerable distance on its way up the Wabash. At Quiatanon, LaBalme went into camp with the hope that re-enforcements would reach him before his movement northward. Here he passed twelve impatient days. The four hundred men who were to have joined him failed to ap- pear. Meanwhile, he feared, the anti-American settlements on the site of Fort Wayne might learn of the proximity of his detachment and prepare for defense. So he decided to make the raid on the offending vil- lages and then go into camp and await the addition to his numbers before proceeding to Detroit.
Old Drawing
We have seen his confisca- tion of the villages, and now SIMON GIRTY. we find the small company of The savage deeds of the Girty broth- ers-Simon, James and George-darken the pages of pioneer history of the Maumee region. After their desertion of the United States cause during 1778 and 1779, the three, with McKee, Elliott and other traitors, entered heartily into the plans of the British commandant, Colonel Henry Hamilton, to carry for- ward a reign of terror to all foes of Great Britain. Simon was the most ac- tive of all as a party to the outbreaks of the savages about the Maumee dur- ing the campaigns of Harmar, St. Clair and Wayne. The portrait is after a print in Vol. VI of the "Ohio Archaeologolical and Historical Society's Publications," from a work of Prof. W. H. Venable. 10311 men settling themselves for the night in their camp on the Aboite. The tragic fate of the expedition is soon told. While the men were arranging for a few hours of comfort, Charles Beaubien, the chief trader at Miami Town, who seems to have been the chief anti-American agitator of the region, was active in assembling the savages and laying plans for a fierce retaliation. That LaBalme's attack on the Miami village was directed against Beaubien is shown by a clause in a letter written by Richard Winston to Colonel John Todd to the effect that "'tis the general opinion that he will take Baubin [Beaubien], the general partisan at Miamis [Fort Wayne], and proceed thence to Fort Pitt."
With the gathering of the shades of night, a large number of Indians, fully armed, were assembled at the village. A council,
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directed by Beaubien, resulted in the choice of Little Turtle to plan and execute the attack on the camp of the invaders. Following the custom of savage warfare, to which LaBalme and his men appear to have been strangers, the Indians quietly surrounded the place, and then, with the terrifying warwhoop, fell upon the sleeping encampment. The scene is best imagined from the story of the results. During the few minutes that followed the opening of the attack, thirty or forty of the Americans, including LaBalme, were killed, a few escaped in the darkness, and the remainder, among whom was one "Mons. Rhy, who styles himself aide-de-camp"12 were taken prisoners. The Miamis lost five of their party.
Such re-enforcements as may have been on the way to join LaBalme were turned back by the news of his destruction, and the Wabash valley, above the influence of Vincennes, remained in the hands of the British partisans.
The LaBalme escapade sent a thrill of alarm throughout Can- ada. "It was certainly the beginning of a general attack against this province," wrote Governor Haldimand, at Quebec, to DePey- ster, in command at Detroit, "which, from different intelligence I have received, I have every reason to think, will be attempted in the spring against these upper posts. Monsr. LaBalm's papers clearly evince the sentiments of the Canadians, and you will benefit by the discovery."
An alarming feature of the hour was the revelation that the French in Canada knew of the expedition and were prepared to assist LaBalme when he reached Detroit. Thomas Bentley, at Vin- cennes, already had written to DePeyster-indeed, before the mas- sacre of LaBalme's men-that "war belts have been sent off to the Shawnee and other nations by the French Colonel who came here about a month ago, which belts, from what I can understand, import that the savages should remain quiet and not go to war any longer, as the French are coming again amongst them, who are to drive both the Americans and the English out of the country and are to possess themselves of Canada and its dependencies."
DePeyster, as soon as he heard of the proximity of LaBalme's expedition through the refugees from Miami Town, hastened to send troops to the head of the Maumee. "Upon the alarm," he wrote to Brigadier H. Watson Powell, "I ordered the Rangers to take post at the Miamis, to cover the cannon, which cannot be brought off till there is water. You will see, sir," he added, "that this ex- cursion was no less than an attempt on Detroit, independent of the rebels. I shall not say how necessary troops are to be sent to this garrison, instead of weakening it for Michilimackinac. This is a numerous settlement. Should the enemy enter it, the Canadian in-
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LA BALME MASSACRE-WASHINGTON'S VISION
habitants would require good looking after, since Colonel LaBalm's papers fail not to say that the inhabitants of Post Vincent [Vin- cennes] have been invited by those of Detroit."
An interesting incident in connection with DePeyster's rela- tion to the affair is revealed in his postscript to this letter. He says: "I have opened this dispatch upon the arrival of Colonel LaBalm's aide-de-camp, who says the Indians mistook him for the Colonel, who was killed in the action.13 I forward the NORT ERIE NUDI HURONS young man to Niagara. He ap- pears to be a very smart young TERI DETROIT gentleman, and a very intelli- gent one. He acknowledges YLAR LAKE their loss and says that the 1787 Colonel's little army consisted SITE OF FORT WAYNE! of four hundred men, and three POST QUIATANON MISSOURI had only got up to engage." MARIETTA SPOST (CAPITAL
4
VINCENNES
To STATE OF INDIANA INDICATED (BOUNDARIES OF THE PRESENT R BY DOTTED LINES) It has been observed that LaBalme stopped at the Miami village to "take" Charles Beau- bien, who, in turn, appears to THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. The map shows the vast area of the original Northwest Territory, created by the "Ordinance of 1787." General Arthur St. Clair was made governor, with Marietta as the seat of govern- ment. Out of this area were carved the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin. have been the real organizer of the attacking party which "took" LaBalme, instead. Never before has the name of Charles Beaubien figured prominently in the written history of Fort Wayne. An understanding of succeeding events requires a better knowledge of the man.
BEAUBIEN, THE ANTI-AMERICAN PARTISAN.
Charles Beaubien came from Detroit to the Miami village at the head of the Maumee in 1776 to operate a trading post under the protection of the authorities at Detroit. That he served the British to their entire satisfaction in his treatment of Americans is shown in the letter of Governor Haldimand of Canada to DePeyster, directly after the LaBalme massacre. "I approve much your per- mitting Monrs. Beaubien to remain amongst them [the Miamis]," said he. "His allowable resentment against the people of Post Vincennes and the benefit he will derive from the present situation, under the King's protection, may, if he is clever, be turned to good account."
Beaubien14 already had made a name for himself because of his anti-American activities. From his home on the site of Fort Wayne,
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he, with a young Frenchman named Lorimer, and a band of savages, made a raid into Kentucky where the party captured Daniel Boone and a number of his men in April, 1778. Boone was taken to Detroit, where the Indians refused to sell him to Governor Hamil- ton, giving as their excuse the claim that they desired to make him their chief. Boone escaped, was tried by courtmartial for surrendering his camp, and soon received a promotion to major in the American army.
In September of the same year, Beaubien, with five Chippewas and fifteen Miamis, preceded Governor Hamilton's army to Vin- cennes, serving as scouts. In June, 1780, the Miamis pleaded with DePeyster to send them ammunition and supplies to enable them to carry on their war against the Americans, with .Beaubien as their leader.
Such was the man whom LaBalme sought to destroy.
The news of the triumph of the savages and their British supporters determined George Rogers Clark, now promoted to brigadier general, to carry forward his plan to take Detroit. His appeal to General Washington for troops, however, met with the regretted response that "it is out of my power to send any re- enforcements to the westward." Clark's visit to Governor Thomas Jefferson of Virginia was also without favorable result. That Washington realized the need of troops in the west is shown by his letter of explanation to Jefferson written December 28, 1781, in which he said: "I have ever been of the opinion that the reduc- tion of the post at Detroit would be the only certain means of giving peace and security to the whole frontier, and I have con- stantly kept my eyes on that object. But such has been the re- duced state of our Continental force, and such the low ebb of our funds of late that I have never had it in my power to make the attempt."
Atrocities of the bloodiest order now startled the entire frontier. An American expedition against Sandusky, under Colonel William Crawford, resulted in disaster, and its leader was burned at the stake. Emboldened by these successes, a horde of savages was gathered by Colonel Alexander McKee, Captain William Caldwell and the Girtys for a successful raid of the town of Bryan's Station, in Kentucky.
WASHINGTON WOULD FORTIFY FORT WAYNE SITE.
Immediately after the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, in 1783, which was supposed to bring to a close the Revolutionary war, Washington demanded of Governor Haldimand the evacuation of the British posts at Detroit, Michilimackinac, Niagara and Oswego,
1780 1789
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LA BALME MASSACRE-WASHINGTON'S VISION
in compliance with the terms of the treaty. The request was re- fused, on the ground that the treaty was provisional and had no specific application to the western posts. From that moment the mind of Washington centered upon the saving of the west to the Union.15 He determined to exert every power to compel Great Britain to evacuate the American posts, and as an opening wedge, he proceeded to use his influence to the end that a garrisoned fort should occupy the lands at the head of the Maumee, where
TWO "TURTLE" RELICS.
Herewith are shown two curious In- dian relics found at different times on the site of the city of Fort Wayne. The ladle is of a hard, fine-grained white wood, measuring about five inches in length. It is now in the private col- lection of Leslie W. Hills. It was found by boys who were assisting in some excavation work on the land plat- ted by George Jaap in Spy Run, be- tween Spy Run avenue and the St. Joseph river, where the Miami burying ground was located, and in the vicinity of the grave of Chief Little Turtle. The ladle was enclosed in a copper kettle. The iron handle of the kettle was rusted away, but the contents, thor- oughly sealed, were in perfect condi- tion. A turtle is carved in relief on the handle of the ladle. The second speci- men is carved from bone and was found Stories.")
by the late J. W. Stockbridge in the neighborhood of Rockhill, Wayne and Berry streets. It now forms a part of the collection of Charles A. Stock- bridge, a brother. The design of the turtle according to students of Indian life and customs, was of common use. Jacob P. Dunn says: "The Mi- amis have specific names for the most common turtles-at-che-pong for the snapping turtle, ah-koot-yah for the soft-shell turtle, we-neet-chah for the box turtle or tortoise, kach-ki-yot for the map turtle, and mi-shi-kin-noq- kwa, spelled by many writers me-che- can-noch-qua, for the painted terrapin." The name of the latter, the commonest of the turtles of this region, was the Indian title of Chief Little Turtle. "When it came to translation," adds Mr. Dunn, "the interpreters knew no spe- cific English name for the painted ter- rapin, and, as it is a little turtle, never growing more than six or eight inches across, they conveyed the idea as well as they could by saying. The Little Turtle," (Dunn's "True Indian
the city of Fort Wayne now stands. But he was not yet in execu- tive power. Possibly he had no thought that he would be honored with the presidency of the republic. Nevertheless, there remains the evidence that as early as 1785, Washington's plans were clear and positive. Writing to Richard Henry Lee, February 8, 1785, he said :
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"Would it not be worthy of the wisdom and the attention of congress to have the western waters well explored, the navigation of them fully ascertained, and accurately laid down, and a com- plete and perfect map of the country, at least as far westerly as the Miamis running into the Ohio [the Great Miami] and Lake Erie [the Maumee], and see how the waters of these communicate with the River St. Joseph, [which empties into Lake Michigan], for I cannot forbear observing that the Miami village [site of Fort Wayne] points to an important post for the Union. The expense attending such an undertaking could not be great; the advantages would be unbounded, for I am sure Nature has made such a display of her bounties in those regions that the more the country is explored the more it will rise in estimation, consequently the greater will be the revenue to the Union. The spirit of emigra- tion is great. People have got impatient and, though you can not stop the road, it is yet in your power to mark the way; a little while and you will not be able to do either. It is easier to prevent than to remedy an evil."16
In so expressing himself, Washington advocated a "military" road to the west, a pathway for settlers protected by garrisons at convenient centers. Writing to Major General Knox, secretary of war, Washington recommended the placing "at Miami fort or vil- lage [site of the city of Fort Wayne] and dependencies, two hun- dred [soldiers]."17
"What has already been quoted concerning the fortification of the Miami village [and other points] shows that Washington was the ultimate authority on the western problem. * * When, during his first presidency, the Indian war waged by Harmar, St. Clair and Wayne attracted the nation's attention, no one knew better the country or the conditions that prevailed than did the man at the helm. For years, Washington kept up a private correspond- ence with military men on the frontier for the sole purpose of getting additional pieces of information concerning the rivers and portages of the west."18
From the realm of suggestion, Washington, soon elevated to the presidency, put his recommendations into direct action. In 1789, addressing General Arthur St. Clair, governor of the newly- created Northwest Territory,19 Washington cautioned St. Clair against hasty action against the Indians who, as the president well knew, were acting under the influence of the British who had poisoned their minds with the belief that the sole purpose of the Americans was to rob them of their lands. However, Washington authorized the calling of militiamen to the number of 1,000 from Ohio, and 500 from Kentucky, if necessary, to control the situation and insure protection to the pioneers.
On August 26, Colonel John Hardin-whose defeat in the battle
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fought in the following year on the ground occupied. today by the city of Fort Wayne has placed his name prominently on the pages of the history of the middle west-led 200 mounted volunteers in an attack on some of the Indian villages on the Wabash. Without the loss of a man, the raid resulted in the killing of six Indians and the destruction of an important village and much valuable property of the savages.
This was the first blow by the Americans; it opened the wars in the middle west which were to cost the nation so dearly in the loss of lives and property.
NOTES ON CHAPTER IX.
(1) Upon the body of LaBalme, : killed by Little Turtle's band in 1780, was found the following list of names of the white residents of the present Spy Run and Lakeside, with notations concerning the character of each: "On the south side [of the St. Joseph river -the stream runs in a southeasterly direction]: M. Labelle, father, the Beaubiens, north and south, M. Ma- zontel, Godet, kinsman of M. de Placey, Father Potier, a good old man, speaking Huron (Morrisceau mis- trusts him), Melosche, a good French- man, Drouillard at the windmill, Montforton, keep an eye on as he is neither English nor honest; Baby,
merchant at the fort; Adhemar, merchant, a dangerous man, M.
Gregoire, English, a thorough
scoundrel, Navarre, a treacherous man, and Antonny amounts to noth- ing, Beaubien, a profligate. On the north side: Messierus Chacehton, merchant, three fourths of a league from the fort to whose house the proud Commandant goes now and then. * * * Put a guard over Mons. Alexis de Maisonville, captain of militia, a . two-faced man, hating the militia and a friend of England. * * Mr. Barthelemy, Mr. Rivard, * Mr. Lorrance, Mr. Gouin. of Detroit, Mr. Lascelle, Mr. Patteoin, Mr. Du- plessy, and others, equally well dis- posed, and an American, called George, a partner of Israel, are of the party." The informant adds that these men trade "at the little fort of St. Joseph's and toward Fort St. Clair, which is about an equal distance from thence to Detroit; that is to say, about one hundred miles." (Michigan Pioneer and Historical Collection.) A record of the earlier residents (1769) contains the following: Capauchin, Baptiste Campau, Nicholas Perot, Pierre Barthe, Bergerson, Barthelmy, Dorien Francois Maisonville and
Lorain. (See "Documents Relating to the French Settlements on the Wa- bash," collected by Jacob P. Dunn and published in the Indiana Historical Society's Publications, vol. ii,; Fort Wayne Public Library.)
(2) The members of Lasselle family departed hastily upon the sudden ap- pearance of the troops of LaBalme, in 1780, and made their way to Mon- treal. Hyacinth, in later years, lo- cated at Detroit, where two brothers already had preceded him, and then
came to Fort Wayne and opened the first store within Wayne's fort. After- ward, as a resident of Vincennes and Logansport, he became widely known. During the period preceding the civil war, when Indiana was taking its place with the anti-slave states, Las- selle was arrested at Logansport, charged with slave-holding.
(3) George Ironside and George Sharp are the subjects of treatment in Chapter X, of this work, in con- nection with the Journal of Henry Hay.
(4) "The village where Little Turtle was born in 1752 was located on the north tributary of Eel river, twenty miles northwest of Fort Wayne, In- diana, in Whitley county, on lands * now (1916) owned by William Ander- son, in Section 9, Smith township (Whitley county). *
* The vil- lage stood on the west side of the river."-Calvin Young in Ohio Archae- ological and Historical Society Publi- cations, vol. xxiii, page . 108.
(5) Little Turtle, though not of imposing stature, was both brave and wise. He had also a remarkable dig- nity of manner that commanded re- spect, and, although not an hereditary chief, he soon rose to a position of leadership which he held until the day of the battle of Fallen Timber. His defeat of LaBalme gave him the confidence of the tribes which marked the beginning of his rise to power.
(6) LaBalme knew of this store and its contents. The memorandum, found in his pocket, contained these words: "What is the nature and quantity of the goods at the Miamis? A thousand weight of powder and lead in proportion, arms, blankets, cloth, shirts and other goods of trade, of the value of about 50,000 livres, all in Baubin's store kept by Mr. LaFon- taine and an old man. Another store kept by Mr. Moulton, a partner of Baubin, value about 50,000 livres." i
(7) Col. DePeyster, at Detroit, re- ported that LaBalme, on November 16. 1780, entered the village, took several horses, destroyed the horned cattle, and plundered a store which he al- lowed to be kept there for the benefit of the Indians. See "Maumee River Basin," vol. i, page 144.
(8) This little stream rises in Allen county, Indiana, of which Fort Wayne is the county seat, and flows in a southerly direction to join the Wa-
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bash. Some have claimed that the name Aboite is derived from "abat- toir," a slaughter house-because of the bloody event which gave it a place in history-but the name is merely a corruption of the French Riviere a Boitte, or river of minnows. (9) "He was received by the [French] inhabitants [at Kaskaskia] just as the Hebrews would receive the Messiah."-Virginia State Papers, vol. i, page 380.
(10) That LaBalme's independent movement was not countenanced by the Virgin'a authorities is shown by the words of Richard Winston, writ- ing from Kaskaskia to Colonel John Todd, October 21, 1780: "He passed about one month here without seeing Colonel Montgomery, nor did Colonel Montgomery see him."-Virginia State Papers, vol. i, page 380.
(11) LaBalme's company included seventy or eighty Creoles, many of whom were traders and bush-rangers, rather than Indian fighters. It is be- leved that the savages, awed by the punishment so recently given by Clark, would not have interfered with the progress of LaBalme if he had proceeded peaceably to Detroit and without molesting the property of the French traders at the Miami village upon whom the Indians de- pended for their supplies. (John Todd Papers, Fergus Historical Series, No. 33, page 207, note.)
(12) From Colonel DePeyster's let- ter to Governor Haldimand of Canada. LaBalme's personal effects, including his watch, set with diamonds, his arms, regimentals, spurs, commission and papers, were forwarded to Governor Haldimand by Beaubien.
(13) DePeyster, in the body of his letter, had stated that "I expect the Colonel [LaBalme] in every hour." The aide's report that LaBalme sup- porters numbered four hundred men appears to have been greatly exagger- ated.
(14) Will H. W. Peltier, in 1916, said: "I believe Charles Beaubien was an uncle of my great grand- father, James Peltier I. His mother was a Beaubien, probably a sister of Charles. James Peltier I came from Detroit to the French village, Miami Town (or Kiskios or Kekionga,
as the Indians called it), before Wayne's fort was built. We have al- ways understood that he came as early as 1787, seven years before the Wayne campaign, and it is reasonable to suppose that he was induced to settle here as a trader through the influence of Beaubien. James Pel- tier I was a messenger for the gov- ernment, passing between Detroit and Fort Dearborn in the later years. I have often heard of his experience at Fort Dearborn just before the massacre. The Indians were friendly to him. One day in 1812, as he was approaching Fort Dearborn, they in- tercepted him and made him promise to leave the fort before a certain day, which proved to be the day on which they had determined to attack the garrison."
(15) Washington's great faith in the development of the west is shown in his ownership at this time of 32,373 acres of ground in Ohio (most of it near the mouth of the Kanawha river). In 1770, he visited his proper- ties and learned much concerning the perilous condition of the pioneers of the frontier. "Had not the Revolu- tionary war been just then on the eve of breaking out," says James S. Al- bach, "Washington would, in ali prob- ability, have become the leading set- tler of the west, and all our history, perhaps, have been changed." (See "Washington and the West"; Fort Wayne Public Library.)
(16) Sparks's "Writings of Wash- ington," vol. 1x, page 80.
(17) Sparks's "Writings of Wash- ington," vol. ix, page 110.
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