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 12
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As security for Miller's safe return word was sent that several Indians were being held as hostages. With characteristic impatience Wayne refused to delay until his messenger returned but began his march down the river. When Miller met the advancing command he reported that the Indians asked ten days' delay, within which time they would decide for peace or war. It was at the rock known as Roche d'Bouef that the scout encountered his commander, on the 15th of August, and delivered his message. This massive rock still rises above the western edge of the river, about a mile above the village of Waterville, where an electric railroad now crosses the stream. Here some light works were thrown up as a place of deposit for the heavy baggage, which was named Fort Deposit.
Wayne recognized this request for delay as only a savage ruse to secure delay so that more warriors might be assembled. Hence it was that he decided to press on with his troops, who now numbered about 3,000 men. One thousand of these men were mounted Kentucky rifle- men, while the others were regulars, both infantry and cavalry. Through his spies and captives, Wayne learned that at least 2,000 braves, Shaw- nees, Delawares, Wyandots, Ottawas, Miamis, Pottawattomies, Chippe- was and Iroquois, were gathered near Fort Miami. Associated with them were the infamous trio of renegades, McKee, Girty, and Elliot, together with some seventy white rangers from Detroit, who were dressed
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in Indian costume and could scarcely be distinguished from the savages themselves. The Indians were in command of Blue Jacket, a Shawnee chieftain, and Little Turtle, the head chief of the Miamis. As a warrior Little Turtle was fearless, but not rash; shrewd to plan, bold and ener- getic to execute. No peril could daunt him, and no emergency could sur- prise him. Like Pontiac, he indulged in gloomy apprehension of the future of his people, and had been one of the leaders in the defeat of both Generals Harmar and St. Clair.
It is said that Little Turtle was averse to battle, and in council said : "We have beaten the enemy twice under separate commanders. We can- not expect the same good fortune always to attend us. The Americans are now led by a chief who never sleeps. The night and the day are alike to him. During all the time that he has been marching upon our villages, notwithstanding the watchfulness of our young men, we have never been able to surprise him. Think well of it. There is something whispers me it would be well to listen to his offers of peace." Blue Jacket leaped up in the council, however, and silenced Little Turtle by accusing him of cowardice. Little Turtle then replied : "Follow me to battle."
The Indians swept up through the woods in long columns and estab- lished themselves in what seemed to them an impregnable position, on and around Presque Isle Hill, about two miles above Maumee. Only a year or two previously a tornado had torn down the forest trees, inter- lacing them in such a manner as to form a secure covert for the savages, and rendering it very difficult for cavalry to operate. It was also a rainy morning. The drums could not communicate the concerted signals with sufficient clearness, so that some contemplated maneuvers were not exe- cuted. The Indians formed in three long lines, their left resting on the river and their right extending some two miles into the forest at right angles to the Maumee. About 8 o'clock in the morning of the 20th Wayne marched down the river farther, realizing that the Indians were . near and that a battle could not be delayed much longer. As a precau- tion he sent forward a battalion of the mounted Kentuckians, with in- structions to retreat in feigned confusion as soon as they were fired upon, in order to draw the Indians out of their covert and increase their confidence. The order of the advance as stated by Wayne in his sub- sequent official report was : "The legion on the right, its right flank cov- ered by the Miamis (Maumee), one brigade of mounted volunteers on the left, under Brigadier-General Todd, the other in the rear, under Brigadier-General Barbie. A select battalion of mounted volunteers moved in front of the legion, commanded by Major Price, who was directed to keep sufficiently advanced, so as to give timely notice for the troops in case of action, it being yet undetermined whether the Indians would decide for peace or war."
The Kentuckians kept far enough in advance to give Wayne time to form his troops in perfect order after the shooting should begin. After about an hour's march, they received such a hot fire from the Indians concealed in the woods and high grass as to compel them to retreat. Wayne immediately drew up his forces in two lines, placing one troop of cavalry near the Maumee and the other farther inland near the right flank. He then gave orders to his front line to advance and charge with trailed arms. They were to rouse the savages from their covert at the point of the bayonet, to deliver a close and well-directed fire at their backs, and then to charge before the Indians had a chance to reload.
"General Wayne," said Lieut. William Henry Harrison, then an aide on that officer's staff, just as the attack was ordered, "I am afraid you'll get into the fight yourself and forget to give me the necessary field
.
Perrysburg.
"Manimeen
FORT
SIMMEIGS
Maumee
Waterville
Proctor's Encampmien!
Maumee City
Ruche
de Beruf
hin
Wayne's Battle tiround
PLAN ILLUSTRATING THE BATTLES OF THE MAUMEE
Explanations,-The map shows about 8 miles of the country along each side of the Maumee, including the towns of Perrysburgh, Maumee City and Waterville.
Just previous to the battle of the Fallen Timbers, in August, 1791. Wayne's army was encamped at a locality called Roche de Beruf, a short distance above the present site of Waterville. The bartje .com- menced at the Presque Isle hill. The routed Indians were pursued to even under the gun of the British Fort Miami.
Fort Meigs, memorable from having sustained two sieges in the year 1813, is shown on the east side of the Maumee, with the British batteries on both sides of the river, and above theBrifish fort, the position. of Proctor's encampment.
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HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY
orders." He knew that in the heat of the battle Wayne was apt to for- get that he was the general and not a soldier.
"Perhaps I may," replied Wayne, "and if I do, recollect the standing order for the day is charge the d-d rascals with the bayonets."
In the face of a deadly fire the American troops dashed upon the savages among the fallen trees, and prodded them from their hiding with cold steel. What a sight it was! A host of painted and plumed warriors, the very pick of the western tribes, with their athletic and agile bodies decked in their gay strappings, with their coarse raven hair hang- ing over their shoulders like netted manes, met their white foes face to face. Each carried his flint, ready for instant use, while hung over his shoulders were the straps of the powder horn and shot-pouch. The frontiersmen among Wayne's troops also carried the deadly tomahawk and scalping knife, as well as their dusky opponents. It was truly a tragic tableau here among the fallen timbers that nature had prepared for this historic event.
All the orders of General Wayne were obeyed with promptness and alacrity. It was not long until the savages and their white allies were fleeing precipitously from their enemy "who never sleeps." Wayne heaped encomiums upon all his officers in his official reports, saying that the bravery and conduct of every officer merited his highest approbation. They followed up the fleeing and painted savages with such swiftness and fury, and poured such a destructive fire upon their backs, that but few of the second line of Wayne's forces arrived in time to participate in the action. "Such was the impetuosity of the first-line of infantry," reported Wayne, "that the Indians and Canadian militia and volunteers were drove from all their coverts in so short a time that, although every possible exertion was used by the officers of the second line of legion, and by Generals Scott, Todd, and Barbie, of the mounted volunteers, to gain their proper positions, but part of each could get up in season to participate in the action, the enemy being drove, in the course of one hour, more than two miles, through the thick woods already mentioned, by less than one-half of their numbers." Many of the Indians endeavored to escape by swimming the river, but they were cut down in the midst of the stream by the cavalry. The woods were strewn for miles with dead and wounded savages and the Canadian rangers. In the course of one hour the whole force of the enemy was driven back more than two miles through the thick woods.
The shrewd scheme of Wayne had proved most successful. The sud- den and systematic attack from all points stampeded the savage war- riors, forcing them into a promiscuous flight which their chiefs tried in vain to check. It is certain that the enemy numbered at least 2,000 com- batants. The troops actually engaged against them were less than half that number. The battle was too brief to be sanguinary in its results. The Americans lost 33 killed and about 100 wounded. The death loss occurred almost entirely at the first fire of the savages, who took deadly aim as the Americans swept down upon them. The cavalry galloped boldly among the Indians, leaping their horses over the fallen logs and dodging in and out among the trees. They swung their long sabres with telling effect among the dismayed and yelling Indians. The loss of the Indians was far more serious than that of the Americans, but the number has never been definitely reported. At least a hundred bodies were found upon the field, but many of the killed and wounded were dragged away by their friends. The Indian tribes were represented about as follows : Wyandots 300, Shawnees 350, Delawares 500, Miamis 200, Tawas 250. There were also small bands of other tribes. The garrison numbered
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HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY
probably 400 and a couple of hundred other mixed troops under Girty and his associates who remained at a respectful distance.
A number of instances have been preserved to us showing the des- perate character of the fighting which took place at Fallen Timbers. Much individual heroism was displayed on both sides. A soldier who had become detached a short distance from the army met a single Indian in the woods. The two foes immediately attacked each other, the soldier with his bayonet, the Indian with his tomahawk. Two days after they were found dead. The soldier had his bayonet imbedded in the body of the Indian, the Indian had his tomahawk in the head of the soldier.
The victorious Americans pursued the flying savages to the very palisades of Fort Miami. The Indians evidently expected the British to throw open the gates of the fortress and admit them to its protec- tion. To their surprise and indignation, however, the British basely.
FORT MIAMI AS IT IS TODAY
abandoned them in the hour of their sore defeat, and they were obliged to scatter in the forest for safety from the American bayonets. The British looked on with apparent unconcern at this humiliation and defeat of their late allies. The Indians were astonished at the lukewarmness of their white allies; that they had regarded the fort as a place of refuge in case of disaster was evident from circumstances.
General Wayne had definite instructions from General Washington to attack and demolish Fort Miami. Seriously contemplating storming Fort Miami, he rode up with his aids to within a few hundred feet of it, from which vantage point he surveyed it with his glasses from all sides. The extreme danger and narrow escape of the general was revealed by a British deserter on the following day. A captain of the marines who happened to be in the garrison resented the approach so strongly that he seized a gun and trained it upon Wayne. Just as he was about to apply the fire Major Campbell hove in sight and threat- ened to cut him down with his sword if he did not immediately desist. The major might have been led to such action by fear for his own safety, knowing that the American commander had a large force with him.
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HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY
Independent of its results in bringing on a possible war with Great Britain, Wayne knew that Fort Miami was garrisoned by a force of several hundred men and mounted ten pieces of artillery. Against this he had no suitable artillery. Hence he wisely concluded to sacrifice his troops and precipitate war between the two countries by making the attack. The Americans contented themselves with proceeding imme- diately to burn and destroy all the supplies and buildings without the walls of the fort, including the residence of the trader. Alex McKee. While this ravaging and burning was going on, it is said that the British stood sullenly by their guns and lighted torches, but not daring to fire, well knowing what the result would be. Wayne sent out his cavalry and they destroyed the Indian villages for miles up and down the river.
A little war of blustering words upon the part of the British com- mander and tart rejoinders upon the part of the American commander followed. No blood was spilled and not a single shot was fired.
"MIAMI (MAUMEE) RIVER, August 21st, 1794.
Sir :- An army of the United States of America, said to be under your command, having taken post on the banks of the Miami (Maumee) for upwards of the last twenty-four hours, almost within the reach of the guns of this fort, being a post belonging to His Majesty the King of Great Britain, occupied by His Majesty's troops, and which I have the honor to command, it becomes my duty to inform myself, as speedily as possible, in what light I am to view your making such near approaches to this garrison. I have no hesitation, on my part, to say that I know of no war existing between Great Britain and America.
I have the honor to be, sir, with great respect, Your most obedient and very humble servant,
WILLIAM CAMPBELL,
Major 24th Reg't Comd'n a British Post on the banks of the Miami. To Major-General Wayne, etc."
"CAMP ON THE BANKS OF THE MIAMI,
August 21st, 1794.
"Sir :- I have received your letter of this date, requiring from me the motives which have moved the army under my command to the posi- tion they at present occupy, far within the acknowledged jurisdiction of the United States of America. Without questioning the Authority or the propriety, sir, of your interrogatory, I think I may without breach of decorum, observe to you, that were you entitled to an answer, the most full and satisfactory one was announced to you from the muzzles of my small arms, yesterday morning, in the action against the horde of savages in the vicinity of your post, which terminated gloriously to the American arms; but, had it continued until the Indians, etc., were driven under the influence of the post and guns you mention, they would not have much impeded the progress of the victorious army under my command, as no such post was established at the commencement of the present war, between the Indians and the United States.
"I have the honor to be, sir, with great respect,
"Your most obedient and very humble servant, "ANTHONY WAYNE,
Major General and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Army. To Major William Campbell, etc."
On the following day there came a second letter from Major Camp- bell saying: "I have forborne for these two days past, to resent those
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HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY
insults you have offered to the British flag flying at this fort, by approach- ing it within pistol shot of my works *
* should you, after this, continue to approach my post, *
* * the honor of my profession will oblige me to have recourse to those measures, which thousands of either nation may have cause hereafter to regret." General Wayne retorts by requesting him to withdraw his "troops, artillery, and stores * * * to the nearest post occupied by his Britannic Majesty's troops at the peace of 1783." To this Major Campbell replied that his posi- tion was purely military, that he acted only under orders and could not discuss the propriety or justness of the British claims or occupation. Thus the matter ended.
Jonathan Adler, who was at that time living with the Indians, has given in a manuscript left by him the Indian account of the Battle of Fallen Timbers. It is as follows:
"Now the Indians are very curious about fighting; for when they know they are going into battle, they will not eat anything just previous. They say that if a man is shot in the body when he is entirely empty, there is not half as much danger of the ball passing through the bowels as when they are full. So they started the first morning without eating anything, and moving up to the end of the prairie, ranged themselves in order of battle at the edge of the timber. There they waited all day without any food, and at night returned and partook of their suppers. The second morning they again placed themselves in the same position, and again returned at night and supped. By this time they had begun to get weak from eating only once a day, and concluded they would eat breakfast. Some were eating, and others, who had finished, had moved forward to their stations, when Wayne's army was seen approaching. Soon as they were within gunshot the Indians began firing upon them; but Wayne, making no halt, rushed on upon them.
"Only a small part of the Indians being on the ground, they were obliged to give back, and finding Wayne too strong for them, attempted to retreat. Those who were on the way heard the noise and sprang to their assistance. . So some were running from and others to the battle, which created great confusion. In the meantime, the light horse had gone entirely around and came upon their rear, blowing their horns and closing in upon them. The Indians now found that they were com- pletely surrounded, and all that could made their escape, and the bal- ance were all killed, which was no small number. Among these last, with one or two exceptions were all the Wyandots that lived at San- dusky at the time I went to inform them of the expected battle. The main body of the Indians were back nearly two miles from the battle- ground and Wayne had taken them by surprise, and made such a slaugh- ter among them that they were entirely discouraged, and made the best of their way to their respective homes."
Not long after this defeat a trader met a Miami warrior, who had fled before the terrible onslaught of Wayne's soldiers.
"Why did you run away?" the trader asked the Indian.
With gestures corresponding to his words, and endeavoring to repre- sent the effect of the cannon, the Indian replied :
"Pop! pop! pop-boo! woo! woo !- whish ! whish! boo! woo! kill twenty Indians one time-no good by dam!"
Immediately following the battle of Fallen Timbers, many of the savages fled to Detroit, the British headquarters. The following winter was a time of great suffering in the Maumee Valley. Their crops had been destroyed by General Wayne's army, so that they were rendered more than ever dependent upon the British, and they were not prepared
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HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY
for so great a task. They remained huddled together along the Maumee River near the mouth of Swan Creek, where much sickness prevailed on account of exposure, scant supplies, and the want of sanitary regulations.
An entry in Lieutenant Boyer's diary reads as follows: "Camp Deposit 23rd August, 1794. Having burned everything contiguous to the fort without any position, the legion took up the line of march, and in the evening encamped on this ground, being the same they marched from the 20th. It may be proper to remark that we have heard nothing from the savages or their allies the Canadians, since the action. The honors of war were paid to those brave fellows who fell on the 20th, by a discharge of three rounds from sixteen pieces of ordnance charged with shells. The ceremony was performed with the greatest solemnity.
"General Wayne remained in the scene of the decisive battle only three days, after which he started on his return journey to Fort Defiance, where he arrived on the 27th. Here was a safe camping place and the cultivated fields afforded plentiful food for both man and beast. So intent were the soldiers on foraging that several were killed or captured by skulking savages. This led to very stringent regulations. Any sol- dier caught half a mile outside the lines of sentinels without a proper pass was to be treated as a deserter, and the sentry permitting a soldier to go by without this pass was subject to a punishment of fifty lashes. The soldiers were much troubled with fever and ague and these ailments caused much distress.
"Fort Defiance 4th September, 1794. The number of our sick in- crease daily ; provision is nearly exhausted; the whisky has been out for some time, which makes the hours pass heavily to the tune of Roslin Castle, when in our present situation they ought to go to the quick step of the Merry Man Down to His Grave. Hard duty and scant allowance will cause an army to be low spirited, particularly the want of a little wet. * *
* If it was not for the forage we get from the enemy's fields, the rations could not be sufficient to keep soul and body together."
These statements appear in the diary of Lieutenant Boyer. He was evidently not one of the "dry" persuasion, for a week later he writes: "The escort arrived this day about 3 o'clock, and brought with them two hundred kegs of flour and nearly two hundred head of cattle. Captain Preston and Ensigns Strother, Bowyer, and Lewis, joined us this day with the escort. We received no liquor by this command, and I fancy we shall not receive any until we get into winter quarters, which will make the fatigues of the campaign appear double, as I am persuaded the troops would much rather have half rations of beef and bread, pro- vided they could obtain their full rations of whisky. The vegetables are as yet in the greatest abundance."
That the Tiffin River which flows through Williams and Fulton coun- ties was also much frequented by the Indians is shown by the testimony of Antoine Lasselle, a Canadian trader captured on the day of the great battle. He testified that he had lived along the Maumee twenty-one years ; that he had at first lived at the Miami villages and "that he has since lived chiefly at Bean Creek or Little Glaize (now Tiffin River) at the Little Turtle's town. * * * That the Delawares have about 500 men including those who live on both rivers-the White River and Bean Creek."
From Fort Defiance the major portion of General Wayne's Legion marched to the head of the Maumee. This place was reached without any encounter with the savages. Here Colonel Hamtramck was placed in charge and he erected a fort which he called Fort Wayne, after the
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HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY
hero of Fallen Timbers. Some of his Kentucky volunteers were very troublesome, for we read: "The volunteers are soon tired of work and have refused to labor any longer; they have stolen and killed seventeen beeves in the course of these two days past." This act compelled half rations for the entire force for several days. A few weeks later Wayne conducted his troops to Greenville, where they arrived on the 2d of November. In the three months since his previous visit a vast transfor- mation in the frontier situation had taken place. A feeling of security now pervaded the settlements.
An interesting light upon army discipline at this time is shown in the following communication from Colonel Hamtramck:
"Fort Wayne, December 5, 1794.
"Sir :-- It is with a great degree of mortification that I am obliged to inform your excellency of the great propensity many of the soldiers have for larceny. I have flogged them until I am tired. The economic allow- ance of one hundred lashes, allowed by government, does not appear a sufficient inducement for a rascal to act the part of an honest man. I have now a number in confinement and in irons for having stolen four quarters of beef. * * I shall keep them confined until the pleasure of your excellency is known."
The disastrous results of Wayne's victory had convinced the savages that they could not successfully wage war with the Americans when led by a competent commander. They also recognized the hollowness of the British promises of assistance when the British crept into Fort Miami like whipped curs and closed its protecting gates to their red brethren. Hollow promises did not allay the pangs of hunger as winter crept on. Under these circumstances the Indians began to turn toward the Ameri- cans who welcomed their advances. Some of their chiefs visited Fort Wayne and Fort Defiance as well as the general himself at Greenville. The Wyandots showed the greatest solicitude. One of the chiefs called upon General Wayne and said: "I live in Sandusky. We Wyandots are determined to bury the hatchet and scalping knife deep in the ground. We pray you have pity on us and leave us a small piece of land to build a town upon. The Great Spirit has given land enough for all to live and hunt upon. We have looked all around for a piece to move and cannot find any. We want to know your mind. We intend to build a stockade (on Sandusky River) and blockhouse to defend ourselves till we hear from you. We don't know whether we are right or wrong in doing it, but have pity on us."
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