USA > Ohio > Jefferson County > Steubenville > Century History of Steubenville and Jefferson County, Ohio and Representative Citizens, 20th > Part 11
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Cornstalk was in command of the Indians at Point Pleasant with Logan as his col- league. They had approached by stealthy marches, and expected to surprise the camp, but were themselves discovered by a couple of soldiers early on the morning of the tenth. One of them named Hiekman,
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was killed, but the other, Robertson, rushed one of his followers felt the force of this threat.
back to camp with the intelligence "that he had seen a body of the enemy covering four acres of ground as closely as they could stand by the side of each other." General Lewis, who had served with honor under Washington understood Indian tactics, and pushed forward a detachment under Col. Charles Lewis and Feming, which was at once attacked by the Indians and driven back on the main body, Colonel Lewis be- ing mortally wounded. But the whites now became the attacking body and forced the Indians back behind a temporary intrench- ment of logs and trees. The brave Vir- ginians, hemmed in by the Kanawha River at their rear, the Ohio on one flank and Crooked Creek on the other were obliged to fight their foe squarely in front. It was one of the fiereest frontier contests ever re- corded. At intervals Cornstalk's Jond voice could be heard encouraging his followers and bidding them "be strong, be strong." All day the battle raged, and fearing the re- sult if the Indians were not driven away before night General Lewis ordered three companies to steal through the weeds and bushes up Crooked Creek, get behind the flank of the enemy when he emerged from his covert, and attack him in the rear. The movement was a success, and the Indians finding themselves between two nrmies, and believing that this force was fresh troops which had been delayed, began to fall back. Fighting continued until darkness, when the baffled foe retreated across the Ohio and made for the Scioto towns. The victory was won, but with a loss of seventy-five killed and one hundred and forty wounded.
It is said that on the evening preceding the battle, Cornstalk called a council of war- riors and proposed to go personally to Gen- eral Lewis and negotiate for peace, but was voted down. "Then," said he, "since you have resolved to fight you shall fight. It is likely we will have hard work to-morrow; but if any warrior shall attempt to run away from the battle, I will kill him with my own hand," and it is said that at least
General Lewis leaving his sick and wounded at Point Pleasant with a guard crossed the Ohio on October 18th, joined Dunmore, who as we have seen had made a direct march for the Scioto country where he was to meet the Indian forces from Point Pleasant. Cornstalk was already there, and reminded the Chiefs of their ob- stinacy in preventing him making peace be- fore the battle of Point Pleasant, and per- tinently asked, "What shall we do now? The 'Long Knives' are coming upon us by two routes. Shall we turn out and fight them!" No response. "Shall we kill our squaws and children, and then fight until we are all killed ourselves?" Still there was dead silence, when he rose up, and striking his tomahawk into the war-post in the middle of the council House said: "Since you are not inclined to fight, I wil! go and make peace."
The term "Long Knives" used above first applied by the Indians to the Vir- ginians and afterwards to all the whites is said to have arisen from an occurrence in Jefferson County in 1759; in consequence of a settlement near Redstone (now Browns- ville) having been destroyed and most of its inhabitants murdered by n party of Del- awares and Mingoes, a detachment was sent from Fort Pitt under command of Capt. John Gibson to punish the marauders. They failed in their purpose. but aeci- dentally came across a party of six or seven Mingoes on the upper waters of Cross Creek. Some of them were lying down, others were sitting around a fire making thongs of green hides. Kiskepila, or Little Eagle, a Mingo Chief, headed the party. As soon as he discovered Captain Gibson he raised the war whoop and fired his rifle -the ball passed through Gibson's hunting shirt and wounding a soldier just behind him. Gibson sprang forward, and swing- ing his sword with herculean force severed the head of Little Eagle from his body, two other Indians were shot down, and the re-
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inainder escaped to their towns on the from hostilities and molestation of trav. Scioto. When the captives, who were re- stored under the treaty of 1764 came in, those who were at the Miugo towns when the remnant of Kiskepila's party returned, stated that the Indians represented Gib- son as having eut off Little Eagle's head with a long knife. Several white prisoners were then sacrificed to appease the manes of the dead Kiskepila, and a war dance en- sued, accompanied by terrific shouts and bitter denunciations of revenge on "the Big Knife warrior. This name was soon applied to Americans generally, and they are yet known among the northwestern In- dinns as "Big Knives" or "Long Knives."
Lewis's army reached a deserted village thirteen miles south of Chillicothe, on Octo- ber 24, when a messenger was met with orders from Dunmore to halt, as he was already at the Chillicothe towns, and was about concluding a treaty. But Lewis hav- ing been fired on continued his march when another order came to halt, as the Shaw- anese had come to terms. He however went on to Grandiers Squaw's Town, five and one-half miles from old Chillicothe not far from the Indian towns. This alarmed the Shawanese, and Dunmore with the Dela- ware Chief, White Eyes, a trader John Gib- son and fifty volunteers rode over to Lewis's Camp to stop him and reprimand him. Lewis's explanations satisfied Dun- more but he and his command were ordered back to Point Pleasant to the great indig- nation of the provincials who had counted on punishing their enemy badly. It is said that it was necessary to treble the guards that night to prevent Dunmore and White Eyes from being killed.
Dunmore had erected a palisade and temporary blockhouse naming the place af- ter Queen Charlotte of England. The united forces of Dunmore and Lewis would have numbered 2,500 men and it was the realization that it would be useless to con- tend against such an army that induced Cornstalk to make pence. After various parleyings the Indians agreed to give up all their prisoners and stolen horses, cease
elers on the Ohio and "surrender all claims to the lands south of the Ohio." This Intter provision has been disputed, and as there is no copy of the treaty in existence it cannot be verified, although as a matter of fact no Indian settlements were after. wards made south of that river. The Vir- ginians regarded the victory as a barren one, but it accomplished a very important result, for as Roosevelt says "It kept the northwestern tribes quiet for the first two years of the Revolutionary struggle; and above all, it rendered possible the set- tlement of Kentucky, and therefore the win- ning of the West. Had it not been for Lord Dummmore's War it is more than likely that when the colonies achieved their free- dom they would have found their western boundary fixed at the Allegheny Monn- tains." At least it might have been the Ohio River.
But while Cornstalk and his followers unwillingly acceded terms of peace there was an Achilles who would have nothing to do with it. John Gibson was sent to Lo- gan's tent with a request for him to take part in the conference. He disdainfully re- fused, and on being pressed took Gibson under a neighboring tree and there dictated that famous address which has been the model of every school boy orator, and the subject of controversy as to its genuineness the echoes of which have scarcely subsided even to this day. It was first published in the Virginia Gazette, and afterwards in Jefferson's notes on Virginia, which cansed Jefferson himself to be charged with its authorship and palming it off as Logan's in order to combat the theories of some European scientists who maintained that American air and enviroment were not condneive to oratorieal eloquence. It was declared that after all Logan was a drunken savage, who could not read or write, who could not even speak English, and was utterly incapable of making the address attributed to him. Jefferson indignantly repndiated the charge that he had com- posed the speech, aud furnished a mass of
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evidence to the effect that not only had he received the same on the return of the Dunmore expedition, but direct testimony of those who had heard the speech re- hearsed in camp, not spoken by Logan to Dunmore as many supposed, but the writ- ten document transmitted to him. Among those was a long affidavit from Gibson who was sent to Logan as related above, in which he says:
"This deponent further says that in the year 1774 he accompanied Lord Dunmore on the expedition against the Shawanese and other Indians on the Scioto, that on their arrival within fifteen miles of the towns they were met by a flag and a white man of the name of Elliott, who informed Lord Dunmore that the chiefs of the Shaw- anese had sent to request his lordship to halt his army and send in some person who understood their language; that this de- ponent at the request of Lord Dunmore and the whole of the officers with him, went in; that on his arrival at the towns, Logan, the Indian came to where this deponent was sitting with Cornstalk and the other chiefs of the Shawanese, and asked him to walk out with him, that they went into a copse of wood, where they sat down when Logan, after shedding abundance of tears, deliv- ered to him the speech nearly as related to by Mr. Jefferson in his notes on the State of Virginia, etc." An eye witness testifies: "I saw John Gibson on Girty's arrival, get up and go out of the circle and talk with Girty, after which he (Gibson) went into a tent and soon after returning into the circle drew out of his pocket a piece of clean, new paper, on which was written in his own handwriting, a speech for and in the name of Logan."
face. He was named after a Moravian mis- sionary, and was associated with the whites from babyhood. Of course he could speak Indian and had he done so in this case, the published speech would be Gibson's trans- lation. But this was entirely unnecessary, and if there had been such a proceeding Gibson would have doubtless have said so in his affidavit. Now as to the internal evidence of the speech itself. There have been some slight variations in the pub- lished reports of the address but the fol- lowing which seems to have been the first published appears to be the most accurate :
"I appeal to any white man to say that he over en- tered Logan's cabin but I gave him meat; that he ever came naked but I clothed him. In the course of the last war Logan remained in his cabin as an advocate for peace. I had such affection for the white people that I was pointed at by the rest of my nation. I should have even lived with them had it not been for Colonel Cresap, who, last spring, cut off in cold blood all the relations of Logan, not sparing women and children. There runs not a drop of my blood in the veins of any human creature. This called on me for revenge. I have sought it. I have killed many and fully glutted my revenge. I am glad that there is a prospect of peace on account of the nation; but I beg you will not enter- tain a thought that anything I have said proceeds from fear. Logan disdains the thought. He will not turn on his heel to save his life. Who is there to mourn for Logan" Not one."
Following is the version as published by Jefferson :
"I appeal to any white man to say if he ever entered Logan's cabin hungry and he gave him not meat; if he ever became cold and naked and he clothed him not. During the course of the last and bloody war Logan remained idle in his cabin an advocate for peace. Such was my love for the whites that my countrymen pointed as they passed and said, 'Logan is the friend of the white men.' I had even thought to have lived with you but for the injuries of one man. Colonel Cresap, the last spring, in cold blood and unprovoked, murdered all the relatives of Logan, not even sparing my women and children. There is not a drop of my blood in the veins of any living creature. This called on me for revenge. I have sought it. I have killed many. I have fully glutted my vengeance. For my country I rejoice at the beams of peace-but do not harbor a thought that mine is the joy of fear. Logan never felt fear. He will not turn on his heel to save his life. Who is there to mourn for Logan? Not one,"
It would be superfluous to accumulate evidence on this point. It is conclusive in that it narrows down the address to Logan or Gibson. It seems to be conceded that Gibson was an educated man, while Logan Aside from mistakes possibly arising in the act of copying there is an evident at- tempt to "improve" the original which is a dismal failure. We have given some could not read or write, in which he was not very different from many of his white contemporaries, but the assertion that he could not speak English is absurd on its previous examples of Indian oratory which
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was terse, epigrammatie, and while not lacking imagery yet does not descend to what is called flowery. There are some things education cannot do. Education did not and could not qualify Bacon to write Shakespeare's plays full of scientific and historie blunders as they are, the polished and cultivated Everett could not have com- posed the speech of Lincoln, the backwoods- man, at Gettysburg, and it is safe to say that neither Gibson nor Jefferson could have written Logan's speech; if it was they who tried to improve it they made a mess of it. Furthermore if the language of the first address is compared with the note sent to Cresap some time before the sim- ilarity of style will be manifest. It will be noted that Logan still maintains that one of the Cresaps had a hand in the Yellow Creek massacre, although Gibson says he told him otherwise. It should also be noted that Gibson in his affidavit spenks of Lo- gan's speech being "nearly as related by Mr. Jefferson, "implying that alterations had been made by somebody.
Like Pontiac, having no object in life after the Dunmore war Logan took to drink, that bane of the red man. In 1775, Simon Kenton built a cabin for him, and in 1778 when Kenton was captured by the Shawanese and condemned to be burned, Logan saved his life. During the Revolutionary War he was on friendly terms with the British, but took no active part against the Colonists, and was the means of saving the lives of many prison- ers captured in border foray. He be- lieved that he had two souls, good and bad, that when his good sonl was in the ascend-
ant he could do nothing but good, but when his bad soul had control he wished to do nothing but kill-an aboriginal Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde. He visited Detroit in 1779, and while in a fit of intoxication insulted an Indian who waylaid him on his way home. He was seated at a campfire with his blanket over his head, when the Indian crept up behind him and buried his toma- hawk in his brains. There was none to mourn for Logan, but the descendants of his white contemporaries have learned to respect and esteem him.
Captain Cresap, who was so unfortunate as to have his name mixed up in the Yel- low Creek tragedy, took an active part in the opening struggles of the Revolution. Having raised a company of Maryland riflemen, the beginning of the Continental army, he went to New York in the summer of 1775, where he sickened and died. He is buried in Trinity church yard in that city, and on his tombstone is the inscription : "In memory of Michael Cresap, First Capt. of the Rifle Battalions and son to Col. Thomas Cresap, who departed this life October 18th, 1775."
Cornstalk was brutally murdered while held as a hostage at Point Pleasant, with his son Elinipsico, a young warrior named Redhawk, and another Indian. This oc- erred in May, 1777 in revenge for the mur- der of a white man with which event the great chief, who had come on an errand of peace and mercy, had nothing to do. As in the case of the Logan massacre the border suffered severly for this act of treachery, and there was no real peace thereafter until Wayne's victory in 1794.
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CHAPTER VI
THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
War Along the Border-Battle of Fort Henry-Clark Secures the Ohio Valley-The Gnadenhutten Massacre and Crawford Expedition.
When Lord Dunmore arrived home he rages were increasing. A council was held was warmly congratulated by the Legis- at Fort Pitt on March 24th, and twenty- five men sent to each of the following places : Logstown, Holliday's Cove opposite Steubenville, and Cox's about five miles be- low. The raids continued, and every here and there settlers were massacred with all the accompaniments of savage cruelty, their homes burnt and their wives and chil- dren murdered or carried into captivity. In the meantime Cornstalk and party had been murdered at Point Pleasant, an event calculated to excite the Indians to frenzy if they needed any such incitement. The number of warriors who could be brought against the settlements at this time was estimated at over 10,000, and when the weakness of the whites is considered, with the fact that the struggle for independence deprived them of any substantial aid from the east, truly the outlook was a gloomy one. The only strong positions along this border were at Fort Pitt, Redstone, Wheel- ing and Point Pleasant. There were block- houses at Beech Bottom, Cross Creek and Grave Creek, and a small stockade on Short Creek. commanded by the famous Samuel MeColloch. The Virginian government did what it could. Ammunition was forwarded, and the settlers advised to retire into the interior. Some did so, but the majority de- termined to remain and stand their ground. In August intelligence was received by lature on the result of his expedition. But this good feeling was not of long duration. Resistance to the demands of Great Britain was to the front, and as the governor took the Royalist side the situation soon be- came too hot for him. On June 8, 1775 he took refuge on a British man of war, prac- tically abdicating his functions, and the colony took steps to raise and equip at once nine regiments, which afterwards made a good record in the Continental army. Major Connelly had been arrested at Fort Pitt by a Pennsylvania sheriff for trespassing in that State, and left the country, and the fort passed into the hands of the Amer- icans, who held it all through the war. Ohio County, Virginia, was organized in 1776, it including what is now the Pan Handle. The name of Fort Fincastle at Wheeling was changed to Fort Henry, and became famous afterwards as the scene of two bloody battles. As a whole the Dnmore treaty was observed by the Indians along the border, but this did not prevent spo- radic raids by individuals or small bands, evidently incited by British influence. The outrages seemed to be mainly by Mingo banditti, and an expedition against them was talked of but not carried out. In the spring of 1777 apprehensions of an Indian war became very acute, as border ont-
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some friendly Indians from the Moravian towns in Ohio that a large army had con- centrated on the Sandusky River and would probably march towards the Ohio.
ranks, their left flank extending to the river bank and their right to the woods. They ran back to the fort followed by a few ran- dom shots and a yell which made the valley ring. A few well directed rifle shots from the fort checked the advance of the Indians, but when the main body had been bronght up a demand was made for surrender in the name of his Brittanie Majesty. An officer appearing at the window of a house said he had come with a large army to escort to De- troit such frontier inhabitants as would accept the terms offered by Governor Ham- ilton, namely renounce the cause of the Colonies and attach themselves to the in- terest of Great Britain. Protection was assured to all who would accept these terms, while those who refused would be left to savage vengeance. He read Ham- ilton's proclamation, and gave the inmates of the fort fifteen minutes to consider his proposition. Colonel Zane replied that they had consulted their wives and chil- dren, and that they were all resolved to perish sooner than place themselves under the protection of a savage army with him at the head, or abjure the cause of liberty and the colonies. The British Commander proceeded to depict in lurid colors the re- sult of the obstinacy, but a shot from the fort caused his withdrawal, and the assault began.
Quite a village had grown up around Fort Henry at the mouth of Wheeling Creek, and twenty or thirty houses dotted the bottom land, while flocks and herds ranged over the fields, an Acadia in the wilderness. There was no garrison in the fort, dependence being placed on the set- tlers to guard it in case of necessity. Scouts had returned from the up river country and reported no signs of Indians, but on the night of August 31st, 1777 a party of three hundred and eighty-nine warriors stealthily approached the village, and supposing from lights in the fort that it was guarded, posted themselves for an ambuscade the next morning. Early the following day a white man and negro were sent out to bring in some horses which were grazing in a field, who came across a party of six savages. They fled and the white man was shot down, but the negro fled to the fort and gave the alarm. Capt. Samuel Meason, who with Captain Ogle and some others were in the fort marched out with fourteen men, when they found themselves surrounded by a large body of Indians. They endeavored to retreat but were shot down one by one. Captain Meason, though badly wounded endeavored to reach the There were in the fort but thirty-three men, another account says but twelve men and boys, to defend it against three hun- dred and eighty Indians, with the two ter- rible disasters of the morning to depress them. The Indians used the village as a cover, part of them behind the paling fence of Colonel Zane's yard, fifty or sixty yards from the fort, while a strong reserve was posted in the cornfield. Every man in the garrison was a sharpshooter, and made his shots tell, while the Indians did a great deal of wild firing against the fort and thus wasted their energy and ammunition. Shortly after dinner the Indians discon- tinued their firing and retired to the base of the hills. About 2:30 they again ad- fort but was unable to do so, and con- cealed himself under some fallen timber until the battle was over. In the meantime Captain Ogle with twelve of his scouts sallied to the relief of those outside. They fell into the ambuscade and met the same fate as their companions. Captain Ogle was able to conceal himself in the briars where he lay nutil the next day. Of the twenty-six men led ont by these two officers, only three escaped death, and two of these were badly wounded. While this was going on the inhabitants were hastening to the fort, and the gates were scarcely closed be- fore the Indians were upon them. Three men who had left the fort to join their com- rades met the enemy advancing in two vanced on the fort, protecting themselves
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as before. There was an impetnous attack on the south side, drawing the garrison to the two lower blockhouses, where they poured a destructive fire on the enemy. While this was going on, eighteen or twenty Indians, armed with rails and wooden bill- ets, rushed out of Zane's yard and at- tempted to force open the gate of the fort. Their design was discovered and after five or six had been shot down they retreated. They next attacked the fort simultaneously on three sides, the river side affording them no protection, and the battle raged furi- ously until evening. The rifles used by the settlers became so heated from continuous nse that they were laid aside and recourse had to muskets, of which there was a sup- ply in the storehouse. The battle lasted twenty-three hours, almost without inter- mission, women using guns alongside the men, while others engaged in moulding bullets; others loaded rifles and passed them to the defenders, while some engaged in cooking, furnishing provisions, water, etc. Each realized that it was a life and death struggle.
A runner had been dispatched early in the day to Fort Van Metre on Short Creek, and Holliday's fort at the Cove, asking for assistance, and about daybreak on the morning of the 2d Major Samuel MeCol- loch, with forty-five mounted men from the former place, arrived at the fort. Though closely beset by the Indians, McColloch's men entered the gate, but their commander was surrounded and forced back, and gal- loped off in the direction of Wheeling Hill. The savages could have shot him, but they wished to take him alive, as he was one of the greatest fighters along the border. His name had been a terror, and anticipating the delight of taking him alive for torture they sped after him. He reached the top of the hill and turned to the left towards Short Creek, when he ran into a party of Indians. He turned back and met his orig- inal pursuers, with a third party, coming np the hill. He was now hemmed in on three sides, with an almost perpendicular precipice in front, leading to Wheeling
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