USA > Ohio > Allen County > A standard history of Allen county, Ohio : an authentic narrative of the past, with particular attention to the modern era in the commercial, industrial, educational, civic and social development > Part 11
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sioners had received reliable information that all of the tribes represented at this council, with the exception of the Shawnees, Wyandots, Miamis, and Delawares, were favorable to peace, and that many others were chafing at the long delays. Owing to these commissioners not being able to visit the council, and probably to unfaithful translations by the inter- preter, which was not an uncommon occurrence, they were unable to make any progress. They, therefore, presented a long statement in defense of the American settlements on the ground that they were abso- lutely justified by previous treaties with the aborigines. As the British still refused to allow the commissioners to proceed to the Maumee, they announced that negotiations were at an end and returned to Fort Erie. They then reported to General Wayne.
It became the firm conviction of General Wayne that it was useless to make any further delay in his proposed expedition. Although his forces were not so numerous as he expected, he decided to advance, and so left Fort Jefferson. The first blood was shed near Fort St. Clair, south of Hamilton, where a detachment was attacked and a number of men killed. The savages also carried off about seventy horses. This demonstrated to Wayne that his advance was likely to be contested step by step. A lit- tle later he established Fort Greenville, on the present site of the town of that name, which he named in honor of his friend of the Revolutionary war, Gen. Nathaniel Green. This encampment was about fifty acres in extent, was fortified, and a part of the army passed the winter at the stockade. The fixed determination of this man, known as "Mad Anthony," is shown by a report in which he says: "The safety of the Western frontiers, the reputation of the legion, the dignity and interest of the nation, all forbid a retrograde manoeuvre, or giving up one inch of ground we now possess, until the enemy are compelled to sue for peace." Regular drill and teaching of the devices known to backwoods warfare were continued during the entire winter. A detachment under Maj. Henry Burbeck was dispatched to the battlefield of General St. Clair's defeat and instructed to erect a fortification there. They reached the site of this tragedy on Christmas Day, 1793. The stockade enclosure with blockhouse erected by them was given the name of Fort Recovery. A reward was offered for every human skull discovered, and several hun- dred were thus gathered together and interred.
The Indians watched with apprehension the steady advance of the troops of General Wayne toward their retreat hitherto so secure. The building of the various stockades were reported to them promptly by their watchful observers. The chiefs kept in close commnuication with the British officials at Detroit and with McKee, who was in charge of a trading post and supply station at the rapids near the present village of Maumee. The British were gradually changing from passive to active hostility. They told the Indians that the peace with the United States was only a temporary truce, and at its expiration "their great fathers would unite with them in the war, and drive the long knives (as they called the Americans) from the lands they had so unjustly usurped from his red children."
On April 17th we read as follows in a communication from Detroit : "We have lately had a visit from Governor Simcoe; he came from Niagara through the woods. * * * He has gone to the foot of the (Maumee) rapids and three companies of Colonel England's regiment have followed him to assist in building a fort there." This fort was a vertible stronghold, and it was named Fort Miami. One official wrote that this fort "put all the Indians here in great spirits" to resist the Amer- icans. It was situated on the left bank of the Maumee River, within the
The pricked lines show the route of the army of the United States under the command of General Wayno during the campaign of 1794. 444 Encampments. d Indian Villages
The army consisted of a legion of regular troops & a deischment of Kentucky Militia, in all about 3000.
BATTLE BETWEEN THE ARMY OF PAT L'UTED STATED
SWAN CREEP
INDla ENCAMPPIENI
LAKE ERIE.
COCOPAR I.
TUARET FOOT CHEEK
ST JOSEPH'S R.
LAK
MIAMI OF THE
R
-
The square figures denoto the cessions of territory beyond the Indian boundary. made by the treaty of 1795.
AND
GLAIZE R.
1 -
ATOM WAYNE 1794
1
GENERAL WAYNE'S ROUTE ALONG THE MAUMEE
Maker's STORE
9 ROCHE DE BOUT
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HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY
limits of the present village of Maumee, which was a long advance into United States territory. He reported with the greatest pleasure the rapid growth of the warlike spirit among the redskins. "This step," referring to Fort Miami, said he, "has given great spirit to the Indians and impressed them with a hope of our ultimately acting with them and affording a security for their families, should the enemy penetrate to their villages." Guns, gun-locks, flints, and other necessities for war- fare of the best design were freely supplied through this post. McKee's agency house was one mile and a half above this fort and near the foot of the lowest rapids. Fort Miami received regular reports of the advance of General Wayne's command, and the fort was strengthened and fur- ther garrisoned to meet the anticipated conflict. The Indians reported that the army marched twice as far in a day as St. Clair's, that his troops marched in open order ready for battle, and that the greatest precaution was exercised at night by breastwork of fallen trees, etc., to guard against ambuslı and surprise.
On July 7, 1794, General Wayne reported that a few days previously one of his escorts had been attacked by a numerous body of the aborigines under the walls of Fort Recovery, which was followed by a general assault upon that fort and garrison. The enemy was soon repulsed with great slaughter, but immediately rallied and continued the siege for sev- eral days, keeping up a very heavy and constant fire at a respectable distance. They were ultimately compelled to retreat, however, at a considerable loss, and the Upper Lake Indians were so disheartened that they began to return home. The American loss was twenty-two killed, thirty wounded, and three missing. The loss of horses was very large, for the savages were very anxious to gain mounts. It was apparent that the Indians were reinforced by a considerable number of the British ; like- wise they were armed and equipped with the very latest style of firearms, and seemed to be provided with an abundance of ammunition. "There was a considerable number of armed white men in the rear," said Gen- eral Wayne in his dispatch, "whom they frequently heard talk in our language, and encouraging the savages to persevere in the assault; their faces generally blacked."
It seems as though the attack upon Fort Recovery was not a part of the British and Indian program. The trader McKee wrote to Detroit as follows :
("Maumee) Rapids, July 5, 1794.
"Sir :- I send this by a party of Saganas (Saginaws) who returned yesterday from Fort Recovery where the whole body of Aborigines, except the Delawares who had gone another route, imprudently attacked the fort on Monday, the 30th of last month, and lost 16 or 17 men besides a good many wounded.
"Everything had been settled prior to their leaving the fallen timber, and it had been agreed upon to confine themselves to take convoys and attacking at a distance from the forts, if they should have the address to entice the enemy out ; but the impetuosity of the Mackinac Aborigines and their eagerness to begin with the nearest, prevailed with the others to alter their system, the consequences of which from the present appearance of things may most materially injure the interests of these people. * * *
"The immediate object of the attack was three hundred pack horses going from this fort to Fort Greenville, in which the Aborigines con- pletely succeeded, taking and killing all of them. Captain Elliott writes that they are immediately. to hold a council at the Glaize in order to try
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HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY
if they can prevail upon the Lake Aborigines to remain; but without provisions, ammunitions, &c, being sent to that place, I conceive it will be extremely difficult to keep them together.
"With great respesct, I have the honor to be
"Your obedient and humble servant, "A. McKEE."
On August 13th, McKee again wrote: "A scouting party from the Americans carried off a man and a woman yesterday morning between this place and Roche de Bout. * * * They killed a Delaware woman. Scouts were sent up to view the situation of the army ; and we now mus- ter 1,000 Indians."
In the spring General Wayne's forces were increased by about 1,600 Kentucky cavalrymen, until the total number of troops under his imme- diate command exceeded 3,000. General Wayne and every man under him keenly realized that this was to be a momentous campaign. If this third army was defeated, the entire country within the boundaries of the Alleghenies, the Ohio, and the Mississippi would be completely dominated by the British, and absolutely lost to the Americans. These men were not knights in burnished steel on prancing steeds, they were not even regularly trained troops, but they were determined men who were sturdy and weather-beaten. Most of them wore the individual costume of the border. They may not have been drilled in the art of scientific warfare, as practiced in Europe, but in physical power and patient endurance they were absolutely unsurpassed in any country. The army broke camp at Fort Greenville, on July 28, 1794, and proceeded by the way of Fort Recovery. The route led through what was long known as the Black Swamp country. It was indeed a tedious progress, for roads had to be cut, swampy places made passable by throwing in brush and timber, and streams bridged with logs. He halted at Girty's Town long enough to build Fort Adams. Lieutenant Boyer has left us a detailed account of this expedition, which is most interesting reading. While marching through this country, so inhospitable for an army, we find the following entry :
"The weather still warm-no water except in ponds, which nothing but excessive thirst would induce us to drink. The mosquitoes are very troublesome, and larger than I ever saw. We are informed there is no water for twelve miles." "Camp St. Mary River, August 2nd, 1794. An accident took place this day by a tree falling on the Commander-in-Chief and nearly putting an end to his existence; we expected to be detained here for some time in consequence of it, but fortunately he is not so much hurt as to prevent him from riding at a slow pace. No appearance of the enemy today, and think they are preparing for a warm attack. The weather very hot and dry, without any appearance of rain."
"Camp Grand Oglaize, 8th August, 1794. Proceeded in our march to this place at five o'clock this morning, and arrived here at the con- fluence of the Miami and Oglaize Rivers at half past ten, being seventy- seven miles from Fort Recovery. This place far excels in beauty any in the western country, and believe equalled by none in the Atlantic States. Here are vegetables of every kind in abundance, and we have marched four or five miles in corn fields down the Oglaize and there are not less than one thousand acres of corn round the town. The land is generally of the fir nature.
"This country appears well adapted for the enjoyment of industrious people, who cannot avoid living in as great luxury as in any other place
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throughout the states. Nature having lent a most bountiful hand in the arrangement of the position, that a man can send the produce to market in his own boat. The land level and river navigable, no more than sixty miles from the lake."
Wayne had planned to surprise the enemy at the junction of the Auglaize and Maumee. He found the headquarters of the red men abso- lutely deserted. The vegetables and fruits growing there furnished much needed food for the weary soldiers, for the corn was in just the stage of the roasting ear. He sent detachments up and down the river to destroy the crops and burn the Indian villages. A smoking ruin scene of desola- tion quickly supplanted what had before been a picture of plenty and peace. On a prominence overlooking the confluence of the Auglaize and the Maumee, General Wayne erected a fortress where he could defy the hostile aborigines and the British. This was the strongest fortifica- tion constructed by him on this expedition, and he styled it "an important and formidable fort." He said this location was "the grand emporium of the hostile Indians of the West." Here began a string of Indian towns that extended along the banks of "the beautiful Miami of the Lake." This fort was begun on August 9th and completed on the 17th of the same month. Thus only eight days were occupied in its building.
"I defy the English, Indians, and all the devils in h-1 to take it," said General Wayne after surveying its blockhouses, pickets, ditches and fascines.
"Then call it Fort Defiance," suggested General Scott, who chanced at that very instant to be standing at his side.
Hence the name of Fort Defiance affixed itself to this advance outpost in this wilderness. "Thus, Sir," wrote General Wayne to the Secretary of War, "we have gained possession of the grand emporium of the hostile Indians of the West, without loss of blood. The margin of those beauti- ful rivers in the Miamis of the Lake and Auglaize-appear like one con- tinued village for a number of miles, both above and below this place; nor have I ever before beheld such fields of corn in any part of America from Canada to Florida."
There was not a great delay at Fort Defiance, for we read in Lieu- tenant Boyer's diary, "Camp Forty-one miles from Grand Oglaize (Roche de Bout) 18th August, 1794. The legion arrived on this ground, noth- ing particular taking place. Five of our spies were sent out at three o'clock-they fell in with an advanced body of the enemy, and obliged to retreat ; but May, one of our spies, fell under the enemy's hold. What his fate may be must be left to future success."
We learn of his fate through a published account of John Brickell, who was then a captive among the Indians. He says: "Two or three days after we arrived at the Rapids, Wayne's spies came right into camp among us. I afterwards saw the survivors. Their names were Wells, Miller, McClelland, May, Mahaffy and one other whose name I forgot. They came into camp boldly and fired upon the Indians and Miller was wounded in the shoulder. May was chased by the Indians to the smooth rock in the bed of the river, where his horse fell, and he was taken pris- oner. The others escaped. They took May to camp where they rec- ognized him as having been a captive among them, and having escaped (mentioned earlier), they said: 'We know you; you speak Indian lan- guage; you not content to live with us; tomorrow we take you to that tree (pointing to a large oak) we will tie you fast, and make a mark on your breast, and we will see which one of us can shoot nearest to it.' It so turned out. The next day, the day before the battle, they riddled his body with bullets, shooting at least fifty into him."
Vol. I-5
FORT DEFIANCE AS IT APPEARS TODAY
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HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY
Upon his return to this place, after his successful battle with the enemy, Wayne reinforced Fort Defiance, as a study of the British Fort Miami had suggested some improvements. At each of the four angles there was a blockhouse. Outside of the palisades and the blockhouse there was a wall of earth eight feet thick, which sloped outwards and upwards, and was supported on its outer side by a log wall. A ditch encircled the entire works excepting the east side, which was near the precipitous bank of the Auglaize River. The ditch was some fifteen feet wide and eight feet deep and was protected by diagonal pickets eleven feet long, secured to the log walls at intervals of a foot and projected over the ditch. At one place there was a falling gate, or drawbridge, which was raised and lowered by pulleys. There was also a protected ditch leading to the river so that water could be procured from the river without exposing the carrier to the enemy. How different is the scene today about the con- fluence of the Maumee and the Auglaize.
Wayne thoroughly understood border warfare and guarded his march- ing forces carefully against any savage surprise. To the Indians he became known as the "chief who never sleeps." He constantly main- tained a body of trained scouts whose duty it was to apprise him of every move of the Indians. These men became known as his "eyes," and they were indeed tireless in their vigilance. They were men who had been cradled in frontier cabins. Some of them had been captives from child- hood in the wigwams. They thoroughly knew the language, customs, and habits of these children of the forests. They were husky athletes, fleet- footed and keen-eyed. They were skilled marksmen and destitute of fear. To them the yell of the savage had no terror. They were skilled in the arts of woodcraft, in which the savages were so proficient, and frequently excelled their preceptors. On their excursions the scouts were generally mounted on elegant horses, for they had the pick of the stables and they usually attired themselves in Indian style with their faces painted. They proved themselves of inestimable service to General Wayne.
The chief of Wayne's scouts, and the one on whom he depended most, was William Wells. He was a man of unwavering courage and was endowed with unusual intelligence. Of his birth we have no record. He had been captured by the Indians when only twelve years of age, while an inmate of the family of Nathaniel Pope, in Kentucky. He had spent his early manhood among the Miamis, was formally adopted into the tribe, and had espoused a sister of the great chief, Little Turtle. (Some accounts say his daughter.) He was the father of three daughters and one son, whose descendants live in and around Toledo and Fort Wayne. One became the wife of Judge Wolcott of Maumee. The Indian name of Wells was Black Snake. He fought against Harmar and St. Clair, with the Indians, and he now found himself opposed to his former friends. For a long time Wells was worried for fear he may have killed some of his friends or kindred. He recalled the dim memories of his childhood home, of his brothers and his playmates, and sorrow seemed to fill his soul. The approach of Wayne's army, in 1794, stirred anew conflicting emotions, based upon indistinct recollections of early ties, of country and kindred on the one hand, and existing attachments of wife and children on the other. He resolved to make his history known. With true Indian characteristics, the secret purpose of leaving his adopted nation was, according to reliable tradition, made known in a dramatic manner. Tak- ing with him the war chief, Little Turtle, to a favorite spot on the banks of the Maumee, Wells said: "I leave now your nation for my own peo-
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ple. We have long been friends. We are friends yet, until the sun reaches a certain height (which he indicated). From that time we are enemies. Then, if you wish to kill me, you may. If I want to kill you, I may." At the appointed hour, crossing the river, Captain Wells dis- appeared in the forest, taking an easterly direction to strike the trail of Wayne's army.
The bonds of affection and respect which had bound these two singu- lar and highly-gifted men, Wells and Little Turtle, together were not severed or weakened by this abrupt declaration. They embraced "and the large tears coursed down the sun-bronzed cheeks of the chieftain, who was unused to manifesting emotion." Captain Wells soon after joined Wayne's army, and his perfect knowledge of the Indian haunts, habits, and modes of Indian warfare, became an invaluable auxiliary to the Americans.
On one of Captain Wells' peregrinations through the Indian territory, as he came to the bank of the River St. Mary, he discovered a family of Indians coming up the river in a canoe. He dismounted and concealed his men near the bank of the river, whilst he went himself to the bank, in open view, and called to the Indians to come over. A's he was dressed in Indian style, and spoke to them in their own language, the Indians, not expecting danger, went across the river. The moment the canoe struck the shore, Wells heard the cocks of his comrades' rifles cry "nick, nick," as they prepared to shoot the Indians; but who should be in the canoe but his Indian father and mother, with their children! As his comrades were coming forward with their rifles cocked, ready to pour in the deadly storm upon the devoted Indian's, Wells called to them to hold their hands and desist. He then informed them who those Indians were, and solemnly declared that the man who would attempt to injure one of them would receive a ball in his head. He said to his men that "that family had fed him when he was hungry, clothed him when he was naked, and kindly nursed him when he was sick; and in every respect was as kind and affectionate to him as they were to their own children."
"Those hardy soldiers approved of the motives of Captain Wells, in showing leniency to the enemy. They drew down their rifles and toma- hawks, went to the canoe, and shook hands with the trembling Indians in the most friendly manner. Captain Wells assured them they had nothing to fear from him; and after talking with them to dispel their fears, he said 'that General Wayne was approaching with an overwhelming force; that the best thing the Indians could do was to make peace; that the white men did not wish to continue the war.' He urged his Indian father for the future to keep out of the reach of danger. He then bade them farewell; they appeared grateful for his clemency. They then pushed off their canoe and went down the river as fast as they could propel her."
On one occasion Wells and his party rode boldly into an Indian village near Maumee. Dressed in Indian style, as they were, and speaking the Indian tongue perfectly, their true character was not suspicioned. Pass- ing through the village the scouts made captive an Indian man and woman on horseback. With the prisoners they then set off for Fort Defiance. Passing by a camp of Indians they decided to attack it. Tying and gagging their captives, the scouts boldly rode into the Indian encamp- ment with their rifles lying across the pommels of their saddles. They inquired about General Wayne's movements and the Indians freely answered. One Indian was suspicious, however, and Wells overheard him speaking to another. Wells gave the preconcerted signal, and each
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man fired his rifle into the body of an Indian. They then put spurs to their horses and dashed away. McClellan was shot through the shoulder and Wells through the arm. Nevertheless they succeeded in reaching Fort Defiance with their prisoners, and the wounded all recovered.
During Wayne's campaign alone his spies brought in a score of prisoners and killed an equal or greater number of the enemy. After the campaign ended Wells settled near the confluence of the St. Mary and St. Joseph Rivers, on a stream since called "Spy River," where he was subsequently granted a half section of land by the Government. He enlisted again during the War of 1812 and was slain at Fort Dearborn in August, 1812. The Indians are said to have eaten his heart and drunk his blood, from the superstitious belief that in this way they should imbibe his warlike endowments.
CHAPTER VII
FALLEN TIMBERS AND THE GREENVILLE TREATY
Although General Wayne was convinced that a conflict was inevitable, he omitted no effort to conciliate the savages and effect a peace without bloodshed. In reporting the situation to the Secretary of War, he wrote : "Should war be their choice, that blood is upon their heads. America shall no longer be insulted with impunity. To an all powerful and just God I therefore commit myself and gallant army."
Wayne decided to send one final and formal offer of peace to the Indians who were assembled near and around Fort Miami, about forty miles below Fort Defiance. Here the military commander and trade agents were freely distributing weapons, ammunition and food to their dusky allies. He warned them not to be misled "by the false promises and language of the bad white men at the foot of the rapids." The bearer of this message was Christopher Miller, one of his "eyes." Miller was a naturalized Shawnee and had been captured only a few months earlier under most dramatic circumstances, near Greenville. A body of scouts had been dispatched to bring in a prisoner from whom it was hoped valuable information might be obtained. Along the Auglaize they discovered three Indians around a camp fire. Two of the trio were shot and a dash was made for the third. The Indian was captured and was sulky, refusing to converse either in English or Indian. When thoroughly washed he proved to be a white man, but still he refused to answer any questions. One of the captors was Henry Miller, who had also been an Indian prisoner, and he began to have suspicions that this might be his brother. He spurred his horse alongside and called him by his Indian name. At the unexpected sound the captive was startled and finally admitted his identity. It was several weeks, however, before he consented to abandon the savage life and rejoin the whites. His decision once made, he proved an invaluable acquisition.
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