USA > Kentucky > A history of the commonwealth of Kentucky > Part 34
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Although this was the most efficient warfare the corps could levy; yet it must not be supposed that such hostilities could materially impair the efficiency of the enemy, particularly when they were supplied with rations by the British. It would scarcely reach their squaws and papooses, who are entitled to the commiseration of a civilized foe. It must be by actual encounter and defeat, as at Point Pleasant, the Maumee, Tip- pecanoe and Mississinoway, with all their mortality of strife, that the Indians can be brought to submisson. The mounted expeditions of Kentucky have never materially reduced the . military power of the savages, by surprise; they have alarmed them, put them to flight, until an opportunity for advantage and' bitter retaliation presented itself; and when fighting without an European ally, they may have been straitened by these inroads, for provisions : but hostilities were only suspended for a season more appropriate for gratifying their vengeance; and the whole work was to do over again. To make our arms felt by the Indians, their country must be taken possession of, and they must be fought openly, and conquered on their own ground; not merely put to flight, to return a Parthian arrow; but they must be defeated by manly, hard fighting, which they readily respect.
The subsequent circumstances attending this very expedition, illustrate the superiority of the Indians to these hasty enter- prises. On the 2let, a gallant soldier of the name of Duna, in Captain Duval's company, was killed by the Indians, on Ponce Passu creek, seven miles east of the camp. A party of sixty men, under Colonels Wilcox and Miller, went out to bury their companion, when they fell into an ambuscade of a large body of Indians, and lost nearly a third of their party. The General now determined to engage this body of the enemy;
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but "a violent snow storm, attended with the coldest weather," the General savs, "I ever felt or saw," delayed the march until the 24th. Upon reaching the ground of the Indian encamp- ment, which was found to present one of the strongest natural fortifications ever seen; it was discovered that the enemy had decamped before the fall of the snow. With this manifestation of the disposition of the enemy not to engage, which the Indians can almost always indulge at their pleasure; the advanced season of the year, and the clothing of the troops unprovided for the inclement weather, the General very properly, and with the concurrence of all his officers, withdrew his troops, on their return. Although the enemy were still only "scotched, not killed," our troops had behaved with honorable obedience under ten-fold greater ditliculues and privations, than those which had driven the former expedition into mutiny, at once disgraceful to themselves, and subversive of their country's interest. By their insubordination, they exposed the detach- ment of Colonel Russell to destruction.
This officer had penetrated, with Governor Edwards of Illi- nois, to the Peoria towns, at the head of the lake of the same name. He surprised the village, and drove the enemy over the Illinois river. having killed twenty persons on the field, destroyed the town, and brought away a large body of horses. The intention of this officer had been to co-operate with Gene- ral Hopkins, on the Illinois river, to which the latter purposed going, after striking the Kickapoo town. But hearing nothing of the great expedition in that quarter, Colonel Russell made the best use of his resources, and effected the useful service just described, in the far north-west.
Had the disobedience of orders, in the first expedition of General Hopkins, sacrificed the gallant corps of Russell to the vengeance of our savage foes: what reproaches must have stung the hearts of the mutineers, to their latest hour of ex- istence! Yet such was the direct tendency of this conduct, and the indignant justice of their country, would have exacted the responsibility from the characters of those, who had been concerned in the base desertion of plighted duty.
APPENDIX.
The following journal is so curious and little known that it has been thought, it would gratify the western public to lay it before them. It is extracted from the Monthly American Journal of Geology and Natural Science, December, 1831, by G. W. Feather- stonhaugh, Esq., Philadelphia. The following copy purports to be from the original, in the possession of the Editor of the above work .- AUTHOR.
THE JOURNAL OF COLONAL CROGHAN .*
May 15th, 1765. I set off from fort Pitt with two batteaux, and encamped at Chartier's Island, in the Ohio, three miles below Fort Pitt.
16th. Being joined by the deputies of the Senecas, Shawnesse, and Delawares. that were to accompany me, we set off at seven o'clock in the morning, and at ten o'clock arrived at the Log's Town, an old settlement of the Shawnesse, about seventeen miles from Fort Pitt, where we put ashore, and viewed the re- mains of that village. which was situated on a high bank, on the south side of the Ohio river, a fine fertile country round it. At 11 o'clock we re-embarked and proceeded down the Chio to the mouth of Big Beaver Creek, about ten miles below the Log's Town: this creek empties itself between two fine rich bottoms, a mile wide on each side from the banks of the river to the high- lands. About a mile below the mouth of Beaver Creek we passed an old settlement of the Delawares, where the French, in 1756, built a town for that nation. On the north side of the river some of the stone chimneys are yet remaining; here the highlands come close to the banks and continue so for about five miles. After which we pa-sed several spacious bottoms on each side of the river. and came to Luthe Beaver Creek, about fifteen miles below Big Beaver Creek, A nunder of small rivulets fall into the river on each side. From thence we'salled to Yellow Creek, being about diteen miles from the last mentioned creek: hare and there the lols come cio- to the banks of the river on each side, but where there are bottoms, they are very large, and well watered; numbers of sand rivulis running through them, falling into the Ohio on both sides. We encamped on the river bank, and find a great part of the trees in the bottom are covered with grape vines This day we paid by eleven islands, one of which being about seven nak - louz. For the most part of the way we inade this day, the banks of the river are high and steep. The course of the Ohio from Fort Pitt to the mouth of Beaver
* Not Culonii Cri ghan of Kemucky. 2 HI *
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Creek inclines to the north-west; from thence to the two creeks partly due west.
17th. At 6 o'clock in the morning we embarked: and were delighted with the prospect of a fine open country on each side of the river as we passed down. We came to a place called the Two Creeks, about fifteen miles from Yellow Creek, where we put to shore; here the Senecas have a village on a high bank, on the north side of the river; the chief of this village offered me his service to go with me to the Illinois, which I could not re- fuse for fear of giving him offence, although I had a sufficient number of deputies with me already. From thence we pro- ceeded down the river, passed many large, rich, and fine bottoms; the highlands being at a considerable distance from the river banks, till we came to the Buffalo Creek, being about ten miles below the Seneca village; and from Buffalo Creek, we proceeded down the river to Fat. Meat Creek, about thirty miles. The face of the country appears much like what we met with before; large, rich, and well watered bottoms, then succeeded by the hills pinching close on the river; these bottoms, on the north side, appear rather low, and consequently subject to inundations, in the spring of the year, when there never fails to be high freshes in the Ohio, owing to the melting of the snows. This day we passed by ten fine islands, though the greatest part of them are small. They lay much higher out of the water than the main land, and of course less subject to be flooded by the freshes. At night we encamped near an Indian village. The general course of the river from the Two Creeks to Fat Meat Creek inclines to the south-west.
18th. At 6 o'clock, A. M. we set off in our batteaux; the country on both sides of the river appears delightful; the hills are several miles from the river banks, and consequently the bottoms large; the soil, timber, and banks of the river, much like those we have before described; about fifty miles below the Fat Meat Creek, we enter the long reach, where the river runs a straight course for twenty miles, and makes a delightful prospect; the banks continue high; the country on both sides, level, rich, and well watered. At the lower end of the reach we encamped. This day we passed nine islands, some of which are large, and lay high out of the water.
19th. We decamped at six in the morning, and sailed to a place called the Three Islands, being about fifteen miles from our last encampment; here the highlands come close to the river banks, and the bottoms for the most part-till we come to the Muskingum (or Elk) river-are but narrow: this river empties itself into the Ohio about fifteen miles below the Three Islands; the banks of the river continue steep, and the country is level for several miles back from the river. The course of the river from Fat Meat Creek to Elk River, is about south-west and by south. We proceeded down the river about fifteen miles, to the mouth of Little Conhawa River, with little or no alteration in the face of the country; here we encamped in a fine rich bottom,
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after having passed fourteen islands, some of them large, and mostly lying high out of the water. Here buffaloes, bears, tur- keys, with all other kinds of wild game are extremely plenty. A good hunter, without much fatigue to himself, could here supply daily one hundred men with meat. The course of the Ohio, from Elk River to Little Conhawa, is about south.
20th. At six in the morning we embarked in our boats, and proceeded down to the mouth of Hochocken or Bottle River, where we were obliged to encamp, having a strong head wind against us. We made but twenty miles this day, and passed by five very fine islands; the country the whole way being rich and level, with high and steep banks to the rivers. From here I despatched an Indian to the Plains of Scioto, with a letter to the French traders from the Illinois residing there, amongst the Shawnesse, requiring them to come and join me at the mouth of Scioto, in order to proceed with me to their own country, and take the oaths of allegiance to his Britannic Majesty, as they were now become his subjects, and had no right to trade there without license. At the same time I sent messages to the Shaw- nesse Indians to oblige the French to come to me in case of re- fusal.
21st. We embarked at half past 8 o'clock in the morning, and sailed to a place called the Big Bend, about thirty-five miles below Bottle River. The course of the Ohio, from Little Con- hawa River to Big Bend, is about south-west by south. The country hereabouts abounds with buffalo, bears, deer, and all sorts of wild game, in such plenty, that we killed out of our boats as much as we wanted. We proceeded down the river to the Buffalo Bottom, about ten miles from the beginning of the Big Bend, where we encamped. The country on both sides of the river, much the same as we passed the day be- fore. This day we passed nine islands, all lying high out of the water.
22d. At half an hour past 5 o'clock, set off and sailed to a place, called Alum Hill, so called from the great quantity of that mineral found there by the Indians; this place lays about ten miles from Butfalo Bottom; thenice we sailed to the mouth of Great Conhawa River, being ten miles from the Alum Hill. The course of the river, from the Great Dend to this place, is mostly west; from hence we proceeded down to Little Guyondott River, where we encamped, about thirty miles from Great Conhawa: the coun- try still fine and level; the bank of the river lagh, with abun- dance of creeks and rivulets falling into it. This day we passed six fine islands. In the evening one of our Indians discovered three Cherokees near our encampment, which obliged our In- dians to keep out a good guard the first part of the night. Our party being pretty strong. I imagine the Cherokees were afraid to attack us, and so ran off.
23d. Decamped about five in the morning, and arrived at Big Guyondott, twenty miles from our last encampment: the country as of yesterday; from hence we proceeded down to Sandy River,
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being twenty miles further; thence to the mouth of Scioto, about forty miles from the last mentioned river. The general course of the river from Great Conhawa to this place inclines to the south-west. The soil rich, the country level, and the banks of the river high. The soil on the banks of Scioto, for a vast dis- tance up the country, is prodigious rich, the bottoms very wide, and in the spring of the year, many of them are flooded, so that the river appears to be two or three miles wide. Bears, deer, turkeys, and most sorts of wild game, are very plenty on the banks of this river. On the Ohio, just below the mouth of Scioto, on a high bank, near forty feet, formerly stood the Shawnesse town, called the Lower Town, which was all carried away, ex- cept three or four houses, by a great food in the Scioto. I was in the town at the time, though the banks of the Ohio were so high, the water was nine feet on the top, which obliged the whole town to take to their canoes, and move with their effects to the hills. The Shawnesse afterwards built their town on the opposite side of the river, which, during the French war, they abandoned, for fear of the Virginians, and removed to the plains on Scioto. The Ohio is about one hundred yards wider here than at Fort Pitt, which is but a small augmentation, considering the great number of rivers and creeks, that fall into it during the course of four hundred and twenty miles; and as it deepens but very little, I imagine the water sinks, though there is no visible appearance of it. In general all the lands on the Scioto River, as well as the bottoms on Ohio, are too rich for any thing but hemp, flax, or Indian corn.
24th, 25th, and 26th. Stayed at the mouth of Scioto, waiting for the Shawnesse and French traders, who arrived here on the evening of the 26th, in consequence of the message I sent them from Hochocken, or Bottle Creek.
27th. The Indians requested me to stay this day, which I could not refuse.
28th. We set off: passing down the Ohio, the country on both sides the river level; the banks continue high. This day we came sixty miles; passed no islands. The river being wider and deeper, we drove all night.
29th. We came to the Little Miame River, having proceeded sixty miles last night.
30th. We passed the great Miame River, about thirty miles from the little river of that name, and in the evening arrived at the place where the Elephants' bones are found, where we en- camped, intending to take a view of the place next morning. This day we came about seventy miles. The country on both sides level, and rich bottoms well watered.
31st. Early in the morning we went to the great Lick, where those bones are only forral, about four miles from the river, on the south-east side. In our way we passed through a fine timbered clear wood; we came into a large road which the Buffaloes have beaten, spacious enough for two waggons to go abreast, and leading straight into the Lick. It appears that there are vast quantities
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of these bones lying five or six feet under ground, which we discovered in the bank, at the edge of the Lick. We found here two tusks above six feet long; we carried one, with some other bones, to our boats, and set off. This day we proceeded down the river about eighty miles, through a country much the same as already described, since we passed the Scioto. In this day's journey we passed the mouth of the River Kentucky, or Holsten's River.
June 1st. We arrived within a mile of the Falls of Ohio, where we encamped, after coming about fifty miles this day.
2d. Early in the morning we embarked, and passed the Falls. The river being very low we were obliged to lighten our boats, and pass on the north side of a little island, which lays in the middle of the river. In general, what is called the Fall here, is no more than rapids; and in the least fresh, a batteau of any size may come and go on each side without any risk. This day we proceeded sixty miles, in the course of which we passed Pidgeon River. The country pretty high on each side of the River Ohio.
3d. In the forepart of this day's course, we passed high lands; about mid-day we came to a fine, flat, and level country, called by the Indians the Low Lands: no hills to be seen. We came about eighty miles this day, and encamped.
4th. We came to a place called the Five Islands; these islands are very long, and succeed one another in a chain; the country still Hat and level, the soil exceedingly rich, and well watered. The highlands are at least fifty miles from the banks of the Ohio. In this day's course we passed about ninety miles, the current being very strong.
5th. Having passed the Five Islands, we came to a place called the Owl River. Came about forty miles this day. The country the same as yesterday.
6th. We arrived at the mouth of the Ouabache, where we found a breast-work erected, supposed to be done by the Indians .- The mouth of this river is about two hundred yards wide, and in its course runs through one of the finest countries in the world, the lands being exceedingly rich, and well watered; here hemp might be raised in immense quantities. All the bottoms, and al- most the whole country abounds with great plenty of the white and red mulberry tree. These trees are to be found in great plenty, in all places between the mouth of Scioto and the Ouaba- che: the soil of the latter affords this tree in plenty as far as Quica- tonon, and some few on the Miame River. Several large fine islands lie in the Ohio, opposite the mouth of the Ouabache, the banks of which are high, and consequently free from inundations; hence we proceeded down the river about six miles to encamp, as I judged some Indians were sent to way-lay us, and came to a place called the Old Shawnesse Village, some of that nation hav- ing formerly lived there. In this day's procedings we came about seventy-six miles. The general course of the river, from Scioto to this place, is. south-west.
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7th. We stayed here, and despatched two Indians to the Illi- nois by land, with letters to Lord Frazer, an English officer, who had been sent there from Fort Pitt, and Monsieur St. Ange, the French commanding officer at Fort Chartres, and some speeches to the Indians there, letting them know of my arrival here: that peace was made between us and the Six Nations, Delawares, and Shawnesse, and of my having a number of deputies of those nations along with me, to conclude matters with them also on my arrival there. This day one of my men went into the woods and lost himself.
8th. At day-break we were attacked by a party of Indians, consisting of eighty warriors of the Kiccapoos and Musquattimes, who killed two of my men and three Indians, wounded myself and all the rest of my party, except two white men and one In- dian; then made myself and all the white men prisoners, plun- dering us of every thing we had. A deputy of the Shawnesse who was shot through the thigh, having concealed himself in the woods for a few minutes after he was wounded-not knowing but they were southern Indians, who are always at war with the northward Indians-after discovering what nation they were, came up to them and made a very bold speech, telling them that the whole northward Indians would join in taking revenge for the insult and murder of their people; this alarmed those savages very much, who began excusing themselves, saying their fathers, the French, had spirited them up, telling them that the Indians were coming with a body of southern Indians to take their coun- try from them, and enslave them; that it was this that induced them to commit this outrage. After dividing the plunder, (they left great part of the heaviest effects behind, not being able to carry them,) they set off with us to their village at Ouattonon, in a great hurry, being in dread of a pursuit from a large party of Indians they suspected were coming after me. Our course was through a thick woody country, crossing a great many swamps, morasses, and beaver ponds. We traveled this day about forty- two miles.
9th. An hour before day we set out on our march; passed through thick woods, some highlands, and small savannahs, badly watered. Traveled this day about thirty miles.
10th. We set out very early in the morning, and marched through a high country, extremely well timbered, for three hours; then came to a branch of the Quabache, which we crossed. The remainder of this day we traveled through fine rich bottoms, overgrown with reels, which make the best pasture in the world, the young reeds being preferable to sheaf oats. Here is great plenty of wild game of all kinds. Came this day about twenty- eight, or thirty miles.
11th. At.day-break we set off, making our way through a thin woodland, interspersed with savannahs. I suffered extremely by reason of the excessive heat of the weather, and scarcity of water; the little springs and runs being dried up. Traveled this day about thirty miles.
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12th. We passed through some large savannahs, and clear woods; in the afternoon we came to the Ouabache; then marched along it through a prodigious rich bottom, overgrown with reeds and wild hemp; all this bottom is well watered, and an exceeding fine hunting ground. Came this day about thirty miles.
13th. About an hour before day we set out; traveled through such bottoms as of yesterday, and through some large meadows, where no trees, for several miles together, are to be seen. Buf- faloes, deer, and bears are here in great plenty. We traveled about twenty-six miles this day.
14th. The country we traveled through this day, appears the same as described yesterday, excepting this afternoon's journey through woodland, to cut off a bend of the river. Came about twenty-seven miles this day.
15th. We set out very early, and about one o'clock came to the Ouabache, within six or seven miles of Port Vincent. On my arrival there, I found a village of about eighty of ninety French families settled on the east side of this river, being one of the finest situations that can be found. The country is level and clear, and the soil very rich, producing wheat and tobacco. I think the latter preferable to that of Maryland or Virginia. The French inhabitants hereabouts, are an idle, lazy people, a parcel of renegadoes from Canada, and are much worse than the Indians. They took a secret pleasure at our misfortunes, and the moment we arrived, they came to the Indians, exchanging trifles for their valuable plunder. As the savages took from me a considerable quantity of gold and silver in specie, the French traders extorted ten half johannes from them for one pound of vermilion. Here is likewise an Indian village of the Pyankeshaws, who were much displeased with the party that took me, telling them that "our and your chiefs are gone to make peace, and you have begun a war. for which our women and children will have reason to cry." From this post the Indians permitted me to write to the con- mander, at Fort Chartres, but would not suffer me to write to any body else, (this I apprehend was a precaution of the French, lest their villany should be perceived too soon,) although the In- dians had given me permission to write to Sir William Johnson and Fort Pitt on our march, before we arrived at this place. But. immediately after our arrival they had a private council with the French, in which the Indians urged, (as they afterwards in- formed me,) that as the French had engaged them in so bad an affair, which was likely to bring a war on their nation, they now expected a proof of their promise and assistance. Then delivered the French a scalp and part of the plunder, and wanted to deliver some presents to the Pyankeshaws, but they refused to accept of any, and declared they would not be concerned in the affair. This last information I got from the Pyankeshaws, as I had been well acquainted with them several years before this time.
Port Vincent is a place of great consequence for trade, being a fine hunting country all along the Quabache, and too far for
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the Indians, which reside hereabouts, to go either to the Illinois, or elsewhere, to fetch their necessaries.
16th. We were obliged to stay here to get some little apparel made up for us, and to buy some horses for our journey to Oui- catonon, promising payment at Detroit, for we could not procure horses from the French for hire; though we were greatly fatigued, and our spirits much exhausted in our late march, they would lend us no assistance.
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