USA > Ohio > Hamilton County > Cincinnati > Extracts from the history of Cincinnati and the territory of Ohio, showing the trials and hardships of the pioneers in the early settlement of Cincinnati and the West > Part 8
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On the 18th of October the main body of the troops was moved to Chillicothe, the principal town of the Shawanees, General Harmar having previously detached a party of thirty regulars and one hundred and eighty militia in pursuit of the Indians, who had retired westward across the St. Joseph after they had destroyed Omee town, Captain John Armstrong com- manding the regulars and Colonel Trotter, of the Kentucky militia, com- manding the entire force. They failed to overtake the main body, cutting off only a few stragglers, and being signaled by the firing of a six-pounder, returned to camp late in the evening. The next morning the same force was ordered out under the command of Colonel Hardin. They pursued the same direction in search of their enemy, and finding himself in their neigh- borhood, he detached Captain Faulkner, of the Pennsylvania militia, to form on his left, which he did at such a distance that his company was of no assistance in the engagement which followed. Hardin's command
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moved forward to what they discovered to be the encampment of the savages, which was flanked by a morass on either side, as well as by one in front, which was crossed with great promptness by the troops, now reduced to less than two hundred, who, before they had time to form, received a galling and unexpected fire from a large body of concealed savages. The militia immediately broke and fled, despite all the efforts of the officers to rally them, fifty-two of them being killed in a few minutes. The enemy pursued until Major Fountaine, who had been sent to hunt up Captain Faulkner and his company, returning with them, compelled the Indians to retire, and the survivors reached camp in safety. The regulars, under Armstrong, bore the brunt of this affair, one Sergeant and twenty-five pri- vates being killed on the battle-ground out of thirty men. They were thrown into disorder by the militia breaking through their ranks and flinging away their arms without firing a shot, while they were en- deavoring to maintain their position. The Indians killed nearly one hun- dred men.
The strength of the savages has been variously stated. Marshall, in his life of Washington, puts it at seven hundred, whilst Lieutenant Armstrong, a regular officer, and an active participant in the fight, who would not under the circumstances be liable to underestimate their forces, as twenty-five out of thirty of his men were killed, says it was about one hundred. The great strength of the Indians was in their well chosen position and in the panic of the militia, who formed numerically the principal force against them.
The terrible slaughter took place near where the Goshen road crosses Eel River, about twelve miles from the city of Fort Wayne, Indiana. Captain Armstrong broke through the pursuing Indians and plunged into the deepest of the morass referred to, where he remained, to his chin, all night, in the water, with his head hidden by a bunch of high swamp grass. In this position he was compelled to listen to the savage orgies of the Indians through the night over the dead bodies of the brave men.
As day approached the Indians retired to rest, and Armstrong, chilled to the last degree, extricated himself from the swamp, but found himself obliged to kindle a fire in a ravine, into which he crawled, having his tinder box, watch, and compass still on his person. By the aid of the fire he recovered his feelings and use of his limbs, and at last reached the camp in safety. For some years bayonets were found on the spot and bullets were
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cut out of the trees in such quantities as to fully attest the desperate charac- ter of this engagement.
On the 21st the army left Chillicothe on its return to Fort Washington, marching eight miles that day, when the scouts, who had been scouring the country, came in and reported that the Indians had re-occupied the "Omee" village lying in the junction of St. Joseph and Maumee Rivers. Colonel Hardin, anxious to wipe out the stain of the defeat of the 19th, asked per- mission to once more attack the enemy, and Colonel Harmar, equally anxious to efface the stigma resting upon the American Army, detached Colonel Hardin with orders to surprise the savages and bring on an engage- ment. His force consisted of three hundred militia and sixty regulars, under command of Major Wylys. He arrived at the "Omee" town early on the morning of the 22d of October. He divided his force into two divisions; the left, under McMullen, was to form down the St. Mary River and cross at the ford and rest until daylight, and cross the St. Joseph and commence the attack on the Indians in front who had encamped out near the ruins of their town. The right division, under Hardin and Wylys, were to proceed to "Harmar's Ford" on the Maumee, where they were to remain until Mc- Mullen's party had reached the river, and commenced the attack, which was to be the signal for them to cross the Maumee and attack the Indians in the rear.
Owing to the ignorance, but more probably the treachery of the guides, McMullen's command lost its way in the thickets through which they had to pass, and, although traveling all night, they did not reach the ford until daylight.
As soon as the Indians, who had been encamped about the ruins of their town, discovered Hardin's men they began to rally for the fight, the alarm spreading and they rushing in. Colonel Hardin discovering that unless he crossed immediately he would be compelled to do it in the face of superior numbers, and expecting every moment to hear of McMullen's men in his rear, gave the order to cross, and by the time two-thirds of his men had passed over the battle began.
The engagement which ensued was extremely severe. The desperation of the savages surpassed anything previously known, except at Point Pleasant in 1774, and the greater part throwing down their arms, rushed on the bayonets, tomahawks in hand, thus rendering everything useless but the
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rifles of the militia, carrying rapid destruction everywhere in the advance. While this carnage was going on the rifles of the remaining Indians were employed in picking off the officers. Major Wylys and Fountaine, both brave and valuable officers, fell directly after the battle began, the former pierced with eighteen balls. Fifty-one of sixty of Wylys' regulars shared his fate, and the other divisions suffered severely in both killed and wounded.
Major McMullen came up with his division whilst the battle was raging, but could not turn the tide, but succeeded in enabling the discomfited troops to retire in comparatively good order. Whatever may be said of the com- mand of the militia in the affair of the 19th, they behaved with great gallantry in this battle and received the thanks of General Harmar in the following order, issued on the 22d at the camp, eight miles from the ruin of the Maumee town :
"The General is exceedingly pleased with the behavior of the militia in the action of this morning. They have laid very many of the enemy dead upon the spot. Although our loss is great, still it is inconsiderable in com- parison to the slaughter among the savages. Every account agrees that up- wards of one hundred warriors fell in the battle; it is not more than man for man, and we can afford them two for one. The resolution and firm determined conduct of the militia this morning has effectually retrieved their character in the opinion of the General. He knows they can and will fight."
This was putting the best face on the disaster, and his incompetency for the position he held. With a force, within eight miles of the enemy, strong enough to annihilate them, to content himself with sending out detachments, to be successively destroyed, whilst three-fourths of his army remained inactive within hearing of the battle, not permitted to go to the rescue of their comrades, does not seem to be very conclusive evidence of a great mili- tary genius. As well might he have kept the rest of his army at Fort Wash- ington.
He appears to have been fully consoled for the loss of his brave officers and men, who fell by the savage tomahawk and scalping knife, by the reflec- tion expressed in his general order, that the Americans could afford to lose two for one of the enemy. There appeared no good reason why the whole force should not have been brought into action; and yet the "Court of Inquiry," in 1791, justified all his acts and conduct of the campaign. But those who
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participated in this campaign, and the country generally, viewed it in a different light. It has even been claimed, by some historians, that the American troops were not defeated, and, as a proof of this, their regu- lar retreat, and the destruction of the towns and provisions of the enemy, are cited as conclusive evidence that they were not defeated; but when it is remembered that both the attacks of the 19th and 22d were repulsed by the Indians with terrible slaughter, and both detachments were compelled to fall back to the main body, leaving two-thirds of their number on the field of battle, slaughtered, where their bones lay bleaching for four years after- wards, until General Wayne had them gathered and buried, and that the savages followed close on the heels of the army to the immediate vicinity of Fort Washington, without another effort on the part of General Har- mar to attack or drive them back, it may well be said that Harmar might have exclaimed :
" One more such victory, and I am undone ! "
Generals who are victorious, are not apt to be superseded in command ; yet Harmar was superseded, and relieved by General St. Clair, and, although he and Colonel Hardin demanded a "Court of Inquiry" into their conduct, by which they were justified, he left Fort Washington soon after his return to that post, and lived until 1803 in comparative obscu- rity, on the Schuylkill River, above Philadelphia, where he died.
Viewing his campaign dispassionately at this distant period, now almost a hundred years since it occurred, when the passions of those who might have been prejudiced against him in the regular army, or the efforts of par- tisans, who would endeavor to justify his conduct in the war, have passed away, and comparing it with the campaigns of Clark, Boone, and Kenton, it can not but be regarded as a most disastrous defeat ; scarcely less so than that of Braddock.
The savages so considered it, as was evidenced by their continued predatory and murderous incursions into the settlements, which immediately followed. In justification of his retreat without giving battle to the enemy with his whole force, it has been said, he had no confidence in the militia, by reason of the enmity that existed between them and the regular troops. Yet he complimented them in no measured terms in his order of the 22d for their gallantry in the battle of that morning, and surely no troops ever fought more bravely in the face of almost certain destruction than this
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same militia, and none were more justly entitled to the confidence of their commander.
General Harmar could not be accused of cowardice; he had proved his courage on many a bloody field during the Revolutionary War, and had the entire confidence of President Washington and General St. Clair. Still, to say the least of it, his management of the campaign was inexplicable.
The defeat of Harmar-for it was nothing else-alarmed the settlers, especially on the northwest of the Ohio, and a considerable number left Losantiville, Columbia, and North Bend, and settled in Kentucky, and many on their way by river to join settlements in Ohio passed on to the Kentucky River for settlements in that State. It was seen, therefore, that something more efficient must be done, else the settlements in Ohio would be abandoned. General St. Clair was appointed commander-in-chief of the forces to be raised. Great hopes were entertained that he would inflict such punishment upon the savages as would give perfect security to the pioneers and their families, but, as we shall see, it was a vain hope.
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CHAPTER XVI. THE FIRST CHURCHES ORGANIZED.
H ARD and exposed as their lives appeared to be the early settlers did not forget or neglect their religious duties, nor that other handmaid of civilization, the education of their children.
Religious services were held and schools were taught in the block houses.
The Baptist Church at Columbia was the first organized in the county, on the 20th day of March, 1790, at the house of Benjamin Davis, and the first sermon preached by Rev. David Jones, in the block house built by Major Benjamin Stites. There were six Baptists in his party when he landed.
The names of those who were present were Benjamin Davis, Mary Davis, Isaac Ferris, J. Reynolds, Amy Reynolds, John Ferris, Thomas C. Wade, John S. Gano and Elizabeth Ferris.
Isaac Ferris was chosen Deacon and John S. Gano Clerk.
On the 20th of June three more were added to the Church by baptism- Elijah Stites, Rhoda Stites and Sarah Ferris.
They endeavored to prevail upon Rev. Stephen Gano to become their pastor, but he had not emigrated permanently to the West, and declined. Rev. John Smith was chosen pastor, but was compelled to return East to settle up his affairs, and while absent Rev. Daniel Clark, from Whitely Church, Greene County, Pa., supplied this place while absent, and preached for them for about five years. In 1791 fifteen were added to the Church by letter and two by baptism. On the 11th day of February, 1792, it was re- solved to build a meeting-house, and five trustees were appointed. Benja- min Stites gave a lot to the Baptists of Columbia Township upon which to build their meeting-house. It is the old burying ground at the upper end of Columbia, upon which the first house was built, and still belongs, according to the deed, to the Baptists of Columbia Township; but the old Church
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH AT COLUMBIA.
The above cut has been generally accepted as representing the first house of worship in the County at Columbia; but O. M. Spencer, in his reminiscences, says this was the second ; that the first house erected on the same spot was a rough log house, and that this represents the second built. (See Howe's History of Ohio). The late Zadduck Williams, of Mt. Lookout, has frequently told the author that the first was a log cabin where he attended church with his father's family.
.FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, FOURTH AND MAIN.
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has long since been torn down, and the graves of the pioneers are all that remain to tell of the days long gone.
"A sacred band;
They take their sleep together, while the year Comes with its early flowers to deck their graves, And gathers them again as winter frowns."
It is a burning shame, and an everlasting disgrace to their descendants, that they have not long since erected a monument over their graves, on this sacred spot. It is a stigma they should wipe out at once by erecting one on the one hundredth anniversary of the settlement, and unveil it on the 18th of November next.
When the old church was built those who attended were required to carry their rifles with them to protect themselves from the savages, and whilst services were being held in the church sentries were pacing their beats around it.
The next religious society was the First Presbyterian Church.
In laying out the town of Cincinnati the proprietors dedicated in-lots Nos. 100, 115, 139 and 140 to church and school purposes. The succeed- ing year Rev. David Rice, of Kentucky, organized a religious society of the Presbyterian faith and order, which proceeded to occupy the premises thus set apart, but found themselves at that day too feeble, even with such aid as they could obtain in the town, to build a church edifice ; the only use, therefore, for some time made of the premises was that of a graveyard. Meet- ings for worship were held at a horse mill, on Vine street, below where Third street has since been opened, being then the foot of the hill, and, also, occa- sionally at private houses.
John Smith, of Columbia, then a Baptist preacher, better known since as one of the early Senators from Ohio in the United States Senate, and implicated in Aaron Burr's memorable project, occasionally preached to the society.
In 1791 a number of the inhabitants formed themselves into a company to escort the Rev. James Kemper from beyond the Kentucky River to Cin- cinnati They accompanied him hither, and on his arrival a subscription was set on foot to build a meeting-house. Before this time the trees upon a portion of the lot at the corner of Fourth and Main streets had been par- tially cleared, and within a small circle, seated upon the logs, the people
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met for worship, in the open air, with their rifles by their sides. In 1792 the meeting-house was erected, and the whole four lots were inclosed with a post and rail fence. The timber for the building was taken from the spot upon which it was erected. The subscription paper for the erection of the church is still in existence. It is dated January 16, 1792. It is headed as follows:
We, the subscribers, for the purpose of erecting a house of public wor- ship in the village of Cincinnati, to the use of the Presbyterian denomina- tion, do severally bind ourselves and executors firmly and by these presents the several sums of money and commutations in labor, respectively annexed to our names, to be paid to John Ludlow, Jacob Reeder, James Lyon, Moses Miller, John Thorpe, and William McMillan, or either of them, their heirs or administrators, trustees appointed for the business of superintending the building aforesaid, payments to be made as follows: One-third part of our several subcriptions to be paid so soon as the timbers requisite for the aforesaid building may be collected on the ground where the said house is to be built; another third when the said house is framed and raised; and the other third part when the aforesaid house may be under cover and weatherboarded.
In witness whereof, we have hereunto subscribed our names, on the day affixed to our names.
Here follow the names of the subscribers, which are given that we may cherish the memory of the generous dead and furnish an example to the living.
John Ludlow,
Thomas Brown,
Elias Waldron,
Moses Miller,
John Darrah,
John Bartle,
John B. Smith,
Moses Jones,
William Miller,
Joel Williams,
Jacob Reeder,
Matthew Deary,
Jeremiah Ludlow,
John Thorpe,
Samuel Martin,
John Cutter,
David E. Wade,
Cornelius Miller,
Levi Woodward,
Francis Kennedy, James Lyon, William McMillan, James Brady,
Samuel Pierson,
James Dement,
James Kemper,
Joseph Lloyd,
Wm. Miner,
Abram Bosten,
William Woodward,
S. Miller,
Daniel Bates,
Richard Benham,
William Harrison, Asa Peck,
James Miller,
Samuel Dick,
John Lyon,
Matthias Brant,
Margaret Rusk,
David Logan,
Robert Hind,
John Adams, Seth Cutter,
James McKane,
Alex. McCoy,
Joseph Shaw,
Nehemiah Hunt, Gabriel Cox, Benj. Fitzgerald,
Isaac Bates,
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James Blackburn,
Samuel Williams,
Benj. Valentine,
James Wallace,
James Lowry,
Robert Benham,
Thomas Ellis,
Joseph Spencer,
Samuel Kitchell,
Benjamin Jennings,
James Cunningham,
Jabesh Wilson,
Reuben Roe, Thomas McGrath,
Dan'l Shoemaker,
David Hole,
Henry Taylor,
John Gaston,
Isaac Felty,
James Richards,
John Cummins,
Jona Davies,
H. Wilson,
James Burg,
John Blanchard,
Jonas Seaman,
M. McDonough,
W. Elwes,
Elliott & Williams,
William Peters,
John Dixon,
Thomas Gibson,
H. Marks,
Winthrop Sargent,
Thomas Cochran,
Samuel Gilman,
John Wade,
J. Mercer,
J. Gilbreath,
Joshua Shaylor,
James Reynolds,
James Wilkinson,
W. M. Mills,
James McKnight,
Mahlon Ford,
Ezekiel Sayre,
Israel Ludlow,
James Kremer,
Richard Allison,
Matthew Winton,
In 1792, as stated, the first church edifice was built. This was a plain frame, about thirty by forty, roofed and weatherboarded with clap boards, but neither lathed, plastered nor ceiled. The floor was of boat plank, laid loosely upon sleepers. The seats were formed by rolling in the necessary number of logs, which were placed at suitable distances, and covered with boards, whip-sawed for the purpose, at proper spaces for seats. There was a breastwork of unplaned cherry boards, which served for a pulpit, behind which the clergyman stood on a plank supported by blocks.
The congregation were required to attend with rifles, under penalty of a fine of seventy-five cents, which was actually inflicted on John S. Wallace, formerly auditor of this county, who had left his rifle at home through for- getfulness. Others also, doubtless, incurred fines on this account.
As a specimen of the manner in which the clergyman of that day were sustained is annexed an original receipt :
Received, February the 14th, 1794, of Mr. McMillan, Esq., the sum of three dollars, it being for Mr. Kemper's salary for the year '94, as an sub- scriber. Received by me, CORNELIUS VAN NUYS.
On the 11th of June, 1794, another subscription was circulated for the purpose of further finishing the Presbyterian meeting-house in Cincinnati, and also for paling the door yard and fencing in the burying ground, to be paid to the same persons named as trustees.
Daniel C. Cooper,
J. Mentzies,
Daniel Hole.
Robert Caldwell,
David Long,
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To this paper, in addition to those who had already subscribed to build the meeting-house, and who again contributed to its completion, we find the names of-
Ezra F. Freeman, David Zeigler,
Oliver Ormsby, Job Gard,
Martin Baum, G. Zeatman,
John Brown,
Joseph Prince,
Andrew Park,
John Riddle,
Patrick Dickey,
A. Hunt & Co.,
C. Avery, Robert Mitchell,
Peter Kemper.
When the property was dedicated by the proprietors they held the equit- able title only; the government held the legal estate, but had contracted with John Cleves Symmes to convey to him a large tract of land, which included the plat of Cincinnati, the proprietors claimed under Symmes. In 1794 the President of the United States issued a patent to Symmes, who was thus invested with the legal estate; and afterward, on the 28th of December, 1797, conveyed the lots to Moses Miller, John Thorpe, John Ludlow, James Lyon, Wm. McMillan, David E. Wade and Jacob Reeder, trustees for the Presbyterian congregation of Cincinnati.
The church building was removed in 1804 to Vine, below Fifth Street, and became what was known for many years here as "Burke's Church."
It was substituted by a large brick building, which stood until a few years since, and was then replaced by a splendid edifice occupied by the First Presbyterian Society at this time.
HOSPITALITY OF PIONEERS.
Hospitality was one of the characteristics of the pioneers of the West; their houses and tables were free to all. If the good pioneer mother could set a table before her husband or guest with hot Indian corn bread and fried venison, buffalo, or bear meat, or roast wild turkey and a cup of milk, it was considered most bountifully supplied. The meal was baked into bread in various ways. There was the "Johnny Cake," baked on a board, gen- erally about three feet long and one wide, upon which the corn dough was placed and the board set before the fire, leaning against a stone; or the thick pone or corn dodger baked in the "Dutch Oven," and frequently the hoe cake, baked on the hoe set before the fire like the "Johnny Cake" board; and the ash cake, the dough being placed between cabbage leaves and covered with hot ashes. Later they had "bake-ovens," built of cat and clay
The Cut of the First Presbyterian Church, page SS, represents it as it was when removed to Vine street, in 1814
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on boards raised from the ground. In this the pies and wheat bread, if they had any flour, were baked.
Their laws were simple, plain, and efficient. There was no difficulty in enforcing them, as at present with the Sunday Law. The punishment con- sisted in tying the culprit to a post and inflicting a certain number of lashes on the bare back, or a coat of tar and feathers, being then driven through the streets and from the town. For the milder offenses against the morals of the public a ducking in the Ohio River or some pond, or being rode on a sharp rail through the streets; and when a case was decided upon, the laws were enforced stringently and efficiently. They had no police court juries to interfere with the execution of the laws.
" Monongahela whisky" has been mentioned several times, but it must not be inferred from this that the pioneers were addicted to an excessive use of it. It is true that it was to be found in almost every house, and when neighbors called, if the old decanter, often with a cob stopper, was not set out, together with a pitcher of cold spring or well water, and a bowl of maple sugar, it was considered a slight. In the harvest field it was consid- ered a necessity to keep the heat from injuring the harvesters. In the winter the hunters carried it to keep the cold from being injurious.
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