History of Belmont and Jefferson Counties, Ohio, and incidentially historical collection pertaining to border warfare and the early settlement of the adjacent portion of the Ohio Valley, Part 34

Author: Caldwell, J. A. (John Alexander) 1n; Newton, J. H., ed; Ohio Genealogical Society. 1n
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Wheeling, W. Va. : Historical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 728

USA > Ohio > Jefferson County > History of Belmont and Jefferson Counties, Ohio, and incidentially historical collection pertaining to border warfare and the early settlement of the adjacent portion of the Ohio Valley > Part 34
USA > Ohio > Belmont County > History of Belmont and Jefferson Counties, Ohio, and incidentially historical collection pertaining to border warfare and the early settlement of the adjacent portion of the Ohio Valley > Part 34

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"A few days after this catastrophe General Hand arrived, but had no troops, and we were discharged and returned home a short time before Christmas. Not long after we left the garri- son a small party of Indians appeared near the fort, and Lieut. Moore was ordered with a party to pursue them. Their design was to retaliate the murder of the Cornstalk.

"Moore had not proceeded over one-quarter of a mile until he fell into an ambuscade and was killed, with several of his men."

Narrated by John Stuart, of Greenbrier county, Virginia, December, 1820.

THE REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD.

CHAPTER XIV.

1774-1782.

WHEELING IN THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR-MEASURES OF DEFENCE AGAINST INROADS OF SAVAGES-BUILDING OF THE FORT-WAKA- TONICA CAMPAIGN-DUNMORE WAR-ARREST OF CONNOLLY AT FORT PITT-IMPRISONMENT OF PENNSYLVANIA MAGISTRATES AT WHEELING-EXCHANGE OF PRISONERS-INCIPIENT STAGES OF THE REVOLUTION-MEETING OF THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS- FLIGHT OF LORD DUNMORE-CAPTURE OF TICONDOROGA AND CROWN POINT-BUNKER HILL-WASHINGTON APPOINTED COM- MANDER-IN-CHIEF-ACTS OF VIRGINIA ASSEMBLY FOR PROTEC- TION OF FRONTIER-AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE-FORMATION OF OHIO COUNTY-FORT HENRY AND MILITARY ORGANIZATION- INDIAN MURDERS AND AGGRESSIONS-GENERAL HAND COMMANDS WESTERN DEPARTMENT-EXPEDITION AGAINST PLUGGYS TOWN- SIEGE OF FORT HENRY IN 1777-BRODHEAD'S CAMPAIGN-RAID ON WHEELING IN 1781-THE MORAVIAN MASSACRE.

HEN the pioneers, surveyors and other inhabitants of the border had gathered together in considerable num- bers at the Wheeling settlement in the latter part of April, 1774, alarmed at the rumors of Indian aggression and threatened hostilities then circulating along the frontier, they were met by a messenger with a circular letter from Dr. John

HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES, OHIO.

Connolly,* then commander at Fort Pitt, informing the settlers that "a war with the Indians was inevitable, and directing them to cover the country with scouts until the inhabitants could fortify themselves."f Connolly was the royal "Captain commandant of the District of West Augusta," of which Wheel- ing formed a part, and his communication was received with such confidence as to give it almost the force of a command. While there can be little doubt that Capt. Cresap, into whose hands the communication came, was led by it to make the reprisals noted in a former chapter, and thereby helped to pre- cipitate the anticipated war, it is quite certain that prompt and vigorous measures were soon taken for the defence of the settle- ment should actual hostilities occur. Scouts were thrown out in different directions, and the settlers proceeded at once to "fortify" by building a stockade work according to Connolly's suggestion. This was the beginning of the fort which served in all the subsequent years of the revolutionary struggle as a refuge and protection to the inhabitants of the surrounding country.

BUILDING OF FORT FINCASTLE.

The current histories, deriving their information from the early pioneers, state that this fort was planned by Col. George Rogers Clark,¿ who was present with the Cresap party in Wheeling at that time, (April 1774,) and that it was eon- structed under the superintendence of Ebenczer Zane and John Caldwell,¿ two of the principal men of the settlement. Doubtless this may be correct, so far as the beginning of the work is concerned, but, under the plan as finally carried out, it became a very considerable undertaking, requiring large assistance from elsewhere and was finally completed under other auspices.

It is known that Connolly himself proposed to undertake building the fortification with the forces under his command,§ superintending it in person, and that he sought the approval of the Governor, Lord Dunmore, to that project, and to a con- templated expedition against the Shawanese towns on the Mus- kingum and the Scioto. The work at Wheeling received the hearty support of Lord Dunmore, who wrote Connolly, under date of June 20th, 1774: "I entirely approve of the measure you have taken of building a fort at Wheeling,"| etc. It would appear, however, from Valentine Crawford's letter to Washing- ton, that his Lordship did not wish Connolly to take charge either of the fort or the expedition, but recommended that both be placed under the conduct of Capt. William Crawford. Ac- cordingly the two hundred men who had been recruited at Fort Pitt by Connolly were turned over to the command of Captain Crawford with instructions to proceed to Wheeling and com- plete the building of the fort, q, it being also understood that this force when joined to others, recruited for the purpose, were to proceed against the Shawanese towns. This is fully indi- cated in Valentine Crawford's letter, of July 27, already referred to, as follows :

" All the men except some old ones, are gone with my brother down to the Indian towns." * * * X

* *

" The Governor (Dunmore) wrote very earnestly to Captain Connolly, to give my brother William Crawford, the command of all the men that are gone against the Indian towns. They number, including the militia that came from below, seven hundred men. It was also the wish of the Governor that Con- nolly himself should reside at Fort Pitt. However, Major Mc- Donald came up here, and is gone down to Wheeling, in order to take the command; but I have seen several letters from Lord Dunmore, both to my brother and to Connolly, and he has not mentioned McDonald's name in them." **

In July, Maj. Angus McDonald arrived in Wheeling, and took command, and, under the joint direction of himself, and Capt. William Crawford, the large force under their command, soon completed the stockade fort. "It was located immediately on the left bank of the Ohio river, about a quarter of a mile above

the mouth of Whceling creek, and at a much less distance from the foot of the immense hill that rises with unusual bold- ness from the inner margin of the bottom land. Just beyond the lower line of piekets the high bench of ground, on which the fort was erected, terminates; and after an abrupt descent of about thirty feet another level commences, which stretches along with uniform grade to the creek. Much of this bottom, particularly that portion next to the river, was cleared, fenced and cultivated in corn. Between the fort and base of the hill, the forest had likewise been cleared away, and here stood some twenty-five or thirty humble log dwelling houses, thrown to- gether in the form of a village, which, though of little impor- tance then, was the germ of one of the fairest cities that now grace the domain of Virginia. The fort was built on open ground, and covered a space of about three-quarters of an acre. In shape it was a parallelogram, having a block house at each corner, with lines of stout pickets about eight feet high ex- tending from one block house to another. Within the en- closure were a store house, barrack rooms, garrison wells, and a number of cabins for the use of families; the principal entrance was through a gateway on the castern side of the village. It was called "Fort Fincastle," and served as a place of refuge for the settlers during the war which followed, and which was terminated, as far as a treaty could effect the purpose, in the fall of the year, by Lord Dunmore at Camp Charlotte."*

Thesc block-houses, referred to as being built, one at each corner of the stockade, were square, heavy, double storied build- ings, with the upper story projecting over the lower about two feet, all around. They also projected slightly beyond the stock- ade, commanding all the approaches thereto, so that no lodge- ment could be made against the pickets to set them on fire, or to scale them. They were also pierced with loop-holes for musketry. The roof sloped equally from each side upward, and was surmounted at the centre by a quadrangular structure called the sentry box. This box was the post of observation, affording, from its elevated position, an extensive view on all sides. It was usually occupied in times of siege or apprehended attack, by two or three of the best riffemen, who were also well skilled in the tactics of Indian warfare.

WAKATOMICA CAMPAIGN AND THE DUNMORE WAR.

Having completed the fort at Wheeling, the forces occupied in the work, were now at liberty, to proceed on the expedition contemplated against the Indians. Arrangements were made accordingly, and Capt. Crawford, who was originally put in charge of the troops for this service, was now placed in com- mand of the garrison at Fort Fincastle, while the conduct of the expedition was committed to Major Angus McDonald. On the 26th of July, the latter left Wheeling with about four hun- dred men, and reached the mouth of Fish creek, on the eastern side of the Ohio, about twenty four miles below. From this point, they moved against the Shawanese towns on the Mus- kingum, destroying Wakatomica, near what is now Dresden, Ohio, and other Indian villages. The expedition was entirely successful in accomplishing the purpose for which it was orga- nizcd, as is fully detailed in another chapter, and was the first effective blow struck by the Virginia troops in the Dunmore war.

Lord Dunmore, himself, had already begun to move in his projected campaign. Leaving Williamsburg, Virginia, then the seat of government, July 10th, he proceeded to different places gathering troops, and completing his preparations for the expedition. In the latter part of August he marched with his forces to Fort Pitt. He arrived at Wheeling, September 30th. The strength of Dunmore's forces is given in Valentine Crawford's letter to Washington, written from the Wheeling fort the day after his arrival, and which is quoted as follows:

"FORT FINCASTLE, October 1st, 1774.

"His Lordship arrived here yesterday with about twelve hundred men, seven hundred of whom came by water with his Lordship, and five hundred came under my brother William, by land, with the bullocks, etc."}

To the little frontier settlement the advent of so large a body of troops, some of whom were British regulars, and all com- manded by the royal governor, was an event of no ordinary in- portance. The consternation and alarm which followed the expectation of an inroad of the savages, had already given place to a strong and determined feeling, not only to defend their

*The orthography of the name being somewhat uncertain, we adopted that of the Penn'a. Archives. Recent examination has satisfied us, however, that the correct spelling is that above.

#MeKiernan. Also stated in Jacob's Cresap, and Brantz Mayer's Logan and Crosap. Jacob states that he once possessed a copy of this circular letter of Connolly's.

ĮMcKiornan. ĮMeKiernan.

¿Dovereaux Smith, in a letter datod June 12th, 1774, says: "Mr. Connolly proposes to marelt from this plaec (Fort Pitt) to-morrow with 200 men to build a stockado fort at Wheel- ing ereck," ete.

[Pouna. Archives, IV. 522.

[Letter of Arthur St. Clair to Governor Penn, July 22, 1774. Penna. Archives, Vol. V.

** The Washington-Crawford Lettors, p. 95 and 96.

"Geo. S. McKiernan.

+Tho Washington-Crawford letters, p. 97.

HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES, OHIO.

homes and families from hostile incursion, but, also, by aggres- sive measures against the foe, insure themselves against future molestation. And now, when the forces embodied by the authority of the colony for the defence and protection of the border appeared in their midst, marshalled in all " the pomp and circumstance of war," the interest and excitement occa- sioned by their presence can readily be imagined.

The debarkation of the troops-their imposing and martial array-the brilliant uniforms of the regulars contrasting with the homely hunting shirts of the provincial militia-the stir- ring music of fife and drum, and the glitter of their burnished arms flashing in the September sun as they marched from the landing to their quarters in the fort, all united to stir the pulse of hardy mountaineer and bright-eyed maiden gazing on the gallant display. Even the Fort donned her holiday attire in honor of the royal governor, and floated from her ramparts the red cross banner of Saint George-that proud and gorgeous en- sign of Old England.

An amusing anecdote in connection with this event, is still preserved among local traditions. When Lord Dunmore landed at the river, from his barge, and marched up to the fort pre- ceded by his body guard of Scotch Highlanders, with their bon- neted chieftains

"All plaided and plumed in their tartan array "-

the martial strains of the bagpipes waking the morning echoes -a lively frontier damsel, catching sight of their novel dress, ran breathless to her mother exclaiming : "Come, mother, come, and see the handsome men dressed in petticoats and bonnets ! "

Lord Dunmore immediately sent Major Crawford-recently promoted-forward "with 500 men, 50 pack horses, and 200 bullocks to meet Colonel Lewis," who was coming by way of the Kanawha. After completing his preparations for the ex- pedition, he followed in a few days thereafter with the rest of the forces by river. The full account of this campaign, culmi- nating in the battle of Point Pleasant and the treaty of Camp Charlotte, are related elsewhere. The reference to it and the Wakatomica campaign here, is simply to present a connected narrative of events in their proper order, touching operations from Wheeling as a military centre.

ARREST OF CONNOLLY AT FORT PITT.

In the treaty of Camp Charlotte in October, it was arranged between Lord Dunmore and the Shawanese to hold a meeting at Fort Pitt in the following spring-1775-to make an addi- tional treaty, which should also include the other tribes. When the time came, however, Lord Dunmore had his hands full in managing the affairs of the colony at the seat of govern- ment-the troubles with the mother country having begun to assume a threatening aspect-and so he deputed Connolly to conduct the negotiations. Only a few Delawares and Mingoes assembled, and while preparing for a talk with the chiefs, Con- nolly was arrested about midnight by a Pennsylvania sheriff and posse, who carried him to Ligonier, to answer for trespass- ing on the jurisdiction of Pennsylvania by assuming the com- mand and control at Fort Pitt, under the authority of the colony of Virginia. Retaliation followed. Valentine Craw- ford's account says : " On Major Connolly being taken, the peo- ple of Chartiers came in a company and siezed three of the Pennsylvania magistrates, who were concerned in taking off Connolly-George Nelson, Joseph Spear, and Devereux Smith. They were sent in an old leaky boat down to Fort Fincastle under guard."

The magistrates complained that while they were confined at Wheeling, they "were exposed to every species of insult and abuse," while Connolly received much better treatment. "While Connolly was at my house," wrote Arthur St. Clair on the 12th of July, "endeavoring to procure bail, I treated him with a good deal of civility."

Shortly afterwards, Connolly was released, in exchange for the Pennsylvania magistrates. His career at Fort Pitt was about over. He left on the 25th of July 1775, to visit Lord Dunmore, who was then embroiled in a quarrel with the Vir- ginia Assembly, and never returned. He visited Gen. Gage at Boston, as the emissary of Dunmore. Returned with instruc- tions. Was made colonel, and undertook to raise a regiment of tories, and with reinforcements from Detroit, rendezvous at Fort Pitt, and march to the assistance of Dunmore, at Williamsburg. His capture frustrated this plan, and his subsequent career as a tory, left his name in very unsavory odor among his former friends, which still clings to his memory.

INCIPIENT STAGES OF THE REVOLT AGAINST BRITISH RULE.

The return of the Earl of Dunmore, to the seat of govern- ment, after the successful issue of his western campaign, was attended with such evidences of popular approval as must have been sufficiently gratifying to his feelings. This is fully indi- cated by the resolution passed March 25th, 1775, by the conven- tion then sitting at Richmond, and composed of the best men in the colony :

" Resolved, unanimously, that the most cordial thanks of the people of the colony are a tribute justly due to our worthy Governor, Lord Dunmore, for his truly noble, wise, and spirited conduct, on the late expedition against our Indian enemy; a conduct which at once evinces his excellency's attention to the true interests of this colony, and a zeal in the executive depart- ment, which no dangers can divert, or difficulties hinder, from achieving the most important services to the people, who have the happiness to live under his administration."

A vote of thanks was also passed to the officers and soldiers of the expedition .*

These cordial feelings do not seem to have been long main- tained. The old conflict was soon renewed, and, in the end, resulted disastrously to Dunmore's further administration of government. Indeed the disputes of the colonies with the mother country, which had been progressing through a series of years, were daily becoming more serious. Even on the remote frontiers was heard the muttering of the storm, now fast gath- ering, and soon to break forth in utmost violence, not only upon the heads of those near the centres of population, but with more bitter and pitiless fury on the unprotected inhabitants of the border. But their isolated and dangerous position did not for a moment dampen the ardor of their patriotism, and when, through the slow medium of communication with Williams- burg, came the news of how Patrick Henry-

"The forest-born Demosthenes, Whose thunder shook the Philip of the seas."t

·had electrified the Assembly by his warning that as "Cæsar had his Brutus" so might the British king find a retribution for his oppressions, and responding defiantly to the cries of treason, "If that be treason make the most of it," their own hearts caught the generous glow, and they resolved, if die they must to die freemen and in defence of the rights they had purchased with toil and blood.

In their resistance to the various oppressive acts of the Brit- ish Parliament-the stamp act, the tax on tea, and the laws regulating their trade and navigation, and restricting manu- factures-the colonies had made common cause. So, when the act was passed to close the port of Boston on the 1st of June, 1774, in punishment for the seizure and destruction of the tea in Boston harbor, Virginia, with the other colonies, passed res- olutions of sympathy and support. The House of Burgesses "resolved that the first of June, the day on which the op- eration of the Port Bill was to commence, be set apart by the members as a day of fasting, humiliation and prayer, in order devoutly to implore the divine interposition to avert the heavy calamity which threatened destruction to their civil rights, and the evils of a civil war ; and to give them one heart and one mind firmly to oppose, by all just and proper means, every injury to American rights."}

The adoption of these resolutions, as well as the discussion of them so incensed the royal governor that he promptly dis- solved the Assembly on the 26th May, expecting doubtless to cure the evil by summary measures. The work, however, had been done. The day of fasting and prayer was observed all over the commonwealth and seemed to strengthen the spirit of resistance to the oppressive measures of the British authorities. A fair illustration of the state of public feeling and opinion may be gathered from the following extract, taken from the same letter of Valentine Crawford to Washington, of October 1st, 1774, before referred to where he describes Dunmore's arri- val at Wheeling, and expresses the hope that a peace may be achieved with the Indians: "In order that we may be able to assist you in relieving the poor distressed Bostonians, if the report here be true that Gen. Gage has bombarded the city of Boston. This is a most alarming circumstance and calls on every friend of the liberty of the country to exert himself at this time in its cause."

In June, Massachusetts took steps for calling a general con- gress, consisting of deputies to be elected by each of the colo-

*Amer. Arch. v. 2, p. 179, 301. Byron.

ĮGraham's Colonial History of U. S., vol. 4, p. 365, 366.

HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES, OHIO.

nies, to concert proper measures for the protection of their rights and liberties, and also, " restore that union and harmony between Great Britain and the colonies, most ardently desired by all good men."

This Congress assembled at Philadelphia on the 5th day of September, and among other transactions passed a declaration of rights, petitioned the king and parliament for redress, and issued a memorial to the people of the eolonies.

In March, 1775, the probabilities of war, and the necessity of preparing for defence, were openly discussed in the Virginia Assembly. Some members were for postponing these prepara- tions in the hope of securing a peaceable adjustment of their difficulties, but Patrick Henry with vehement and vietorious eloquence, contended for immediate action, claiming that hesi- tation was fatal, and, saying, " There is no longer any room for hope. We must fight. An appeal to arms, and to the God of Hosts is all that is left us." "Gentlemen may cry 'Peace ! Peace !' but there is no peace. The war is actually begun. The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms."

As if in fulfillment of these prophetic words, and before their effect had died away upon the minds of his hearers, eame the portentious sounds of battle. The plains of Lexington and Con- cord witnessed, on the 19th of April, the first blood shed in the struggle for American Independence, and the spirit of resist- ance and revolution spread with surprising rapidity to the remotest borders of the land.

"In Virginia the march of the revolution was accelerated by the intemperate measures of Lord Dunmore, the governor. Having by a sudden and clandestine operation removed a por- tion of the public stores during the night from Williamsburg on board of armed vessels, and finding his conduct sharply ar- raigned by the provincial convention, he retorted their censure and condemned all their proceedings in a proclamation which concluded with the usual formula of "God save the King." They replied to him by a proclamation which concluded with "God save the liberties of America;" and Patrick Henry marched against him at the head of a detachment of the pro- vincial militia. Lord Dunmore, who at first solemnly swore, that, if any violence were offered to himself, he would proclaim liberty to all the negro slaves in the province, and lay Wil- liamsburg in ashes, finding that his menaces inflamed the pub- lic rage, instead of inspiring fear, was obliged to procure a respite from the approaching danger by granting a bill of ex- change for the pecuniary value of the stores which had been re- moved, but soon again involving himself by his violence in a quarrel (from which the utmost prudence could hardly have kept him free) with the popular party, he fled hastily from Williamsburg with his family on the 8th of June, took refuge on board the Fowey, a British man-of-war, and thus practically abdicated his functions. An interregnum ensued, but a dele- gated convention, in view of the public safety, assumed such legislative and executive control as was necessary for the de- fence and protection of the colony in all her interests.

Meantime, events of the most serious character, and fraught with the gravest consequences, were occurring in the east. The second Congress convened at Philadelphia on the 10th of May, and on the same day, Col. Ethan Allen, with a small force of Vermont militia, known as "Green Mountain Boys," sur- prised and captured the British fortress of Tieonderoga with her garrison andequipment, and also that of Crown Point ; both im- portant defenses of Lake Champlain. This sudden assumption of aggressive warfare, the gallantry and success of the enter- prise, together with Allen's characteristic demand for the sur- render "in the name of the Great Jehovah and the Continental Congress," stirred the popular feeling to a blaze throughout the whole country. These successes were followed on the 17th of June by the battle of Bunker Hill, in which a detach- ment of a thousand provincials, under Col. Prescott, supported by Putnam and Warren, twice repulsed, with great loss, the at- tack of a greatly superior force of British regulars, commanded by General Howe in person, and only fell back, on the third at- tack, from lack of ammunition. This gallant and noble strug- gle, showing how well a rude and undisciplined force could meet the trained veterans of the vaunted British army, gave the liveliest satisfaction to their expectant fellow countrymen, and determined them, if such determination were necessary, to take no step backward in the good cause of the country's rights.

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History of Belmont and Jefferson Counties, Ohio, and incidentially historical collection pertaining to border warfare and the early settlement of the adjacent portion of the Ohio Valley, Part 34

Author: Caldwell, J. A. (John Alexander) 1n; Newton, J. H., ed; Ohio Genealogical Society. 1n Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Wheeling, W. Va. : Historical Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 728

Author: Caldwell, J. A. (John Alexander) 1n; Newton, J. H., ed; Ohio Genealogical Society. 1n
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Wheeling, W. Va. : Historical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 728