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 42

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 42
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 42

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Upon hearing the firing at the creek, Rogers, Biggs and Lemon left the fort to join their comrades slaughtered, and met the triumphant enemy, who, with a horrid yell, were rapidly advancing on the fort. The three were fired upon and com- pelled to return. On their arrival at the gate of the fort, so near were the savages, that it was not without the most immi- nent danger that it was opened for their admission. A general attack was then immediately made on the fort by the whole body of Indians, consisting of about 500 men, commanded by the infamous Simon Girty.

The general assault was from the east side under cover of a paled garden and a few half-faced cabins within forty or fifty yards of the fort, of which they took possession, and from whence a brisk fire was kept up until a late hour at night. During the engagement the Indians sustained great injury from the bursting of a maple log, which they had bored like a cannon and charged to fire upon the fort.

The little garrison of twelve sustained this protracted siege from about seven o'clock in the morning until 10 or 11 o'clock at night, when the savages were finally repulsed and obliged to retreat without having killed or wounded a single individual in the fort. The loss on the part of the Indians was variously estimated at from twenty to one hundred, but their dead were principally carried off or concealed, and a conjecture of the number killed could only be formed from the great appearance of blood which was observable for many days after the battle. The day was fair, and the most of the gunners were called "sharp-shooters," all of whom had a great number of "fair shots," it is therefore not improbable that some thirty or forty of the enemy were killed, and, perhaps, many more, for there was a continual firing during the whole time of the engage- ment. Every man did his duty, and all were entitled to an equal meed of praise and thanks from the commander. But our informant particularly distinguished one person, whom he said contributed more to the successful termination of the issue than any other. This was Mrs. Zane, wife of Ebenezer, and mother of the late Noah Zane, Esq., who rendered much actual service to the men by running bullets, cutting patches, making eartridges

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and hurrying from post to post, cheering and encouraging by her presence, exhortations, and assistance, the sometimes almost exhausted efforts of the brave defenders of the fort. By her example, zeal, and presence of mind, much assistance was also .afforded by a number of the other "blessed women" in the fort (as our informant termed them). A rapid fire was con- tinued from the fort from the commencement of the assault until the Indians retired. Their rifles were used until they became too much heated to handle, when they were obliged to exchange them for muskets, which were fortunately found in the magazine. This more than Spartan band of patriots had no time to take any sustenance from Sunday, the last day of August, until the 2d of September, after the retreat of the Indians.

When it is considered that the Indians were led to the attack by the noted Simon Girty, a man who had much experience in the art of savage warfare, that he mustered more than five hundred veteran warriors, and that the fort was defended by only twelve men, and those chiefly old men and boys-the suc- eessful and glorious defence of the place by that little band of Western pioneers, their names will richly merit a place in the pages of history with the most renowned heroes of the "olden time."

We much regret that from a want of acquaintance with the localities of the place, as well as from other circumstances, we have been unable to do full justice to the subject, but we are not without a hope that some more expressive pen will take a hint from these crude remarks and redeem from oblivion this memorable event.

CHAPTER XV.

CRAWFORD'S EXPEDITION AGAINST SANDUSKY-CONDITION OF THE FRONTIER IN THE SPRING OF 1872-EXPEDITION PLANNED AGAINST THE INDIAN TOWNS-ITS OBJECT-ASSEMBLES AT MINGO BOTTOM, JEFFERSON COUNTY OHIO-THE MARCH FROM MINGO BOTTOM TO SANDUSKY-JONATHAN ZANE AND JOHN SLOVER GUIDES THE INDIAN AND BRITISH FORCES-BATTLE OF SAN- DUSKY-CRAWFORD'S RETREAT, AND ESCAPE OF THE MAIN BODY UNDER THE COMMAND OF WILLIAMSON, PILOTED BY JON- ATHAN ZANE- - CAPTURE AND DEATH OF COL. CRAWFORD- ESCAPE OF DR. KNIGHT AND JOHN SLOVER-SLOVER'S RETURN TO WHEELING AND REPORT OF THE DESIGNS AGAINST THE FRONTIER-COL. ZANE'S REQUISITION ON GEN. IRVINE FOR POWDER-SIEGE OF FORT HENRY, SEPT. 11TH, 1782-MILITARY REPORT OF COL. ZANE TO GEN IRVINE OF THE SIEGE-LETTER OF JAMES MARSHALL.

CONDITION OF FRONTIER IN THE SPRING OF 1782.

HE massaere of the Moravian Indians at Gnadenhütten, al- ready described, only served to increase the excitement on the frontier. The more thoughtful of the settlers at once saw the fearful consequences that were sure to follow, and the gathering of the bands of infuriated Delawares, Shawanese and Wyandots, along the west side of the Ohio, seeking vengeance, eaused the most direful apprehensions throughout the border. Another important circumstance occurred. On the 24th of March, a party of borderers attacked a few friendly Delawares who were living on a small island at the mouth of the Allegheny -known as Smoky or Killbuck's island, since gone-just oppo- site Fort Pitt. Several of the Indians were killed, including two who held commissions in the service of the government ; the remainder effected their escape into the fort, except two who ran into the woods and succeeded in eluding their pur- suers. Even the life of Colonel Gibson was in jeopardy, who, it was conceived, was a friend to the Indians-so great was the agitation throughout the western country. And it is not to be wondered at-savages were making their way into the settle- ments; the settlers were threatened, on all sides, with massa- cres, plunderings, burnings, and captivities. There was alarm and dismay in every quarter.

The people of the border were forced into the forts which dotted the country in every direction. These were in the highest degree uncomfortable. They consisted of cabins, block- houses, and stockades. In some places, where the exposure was not great, a single bloek-house, with a eabin outside, con-

stituted the whole fort. For a space around, the forest was usually cleared away, so that an enemy could neither find a lurking place nor conceal his approach.

Near these forts the borderers worked their fields in parties guarded by sentinels. Their necessary labors, therefore, were performed with every danger and difficulty imaginable. Their work had to be carried on with their arms and all things be- longing to their war-dress deposited in some central place in the field. Sentinels were stationed on the outside of the fence; so that, on the least alarm, the whole company repaired to their arms, and were ready for the combat in a moment .*

It is not surprising that there was deep and wide-spread feel- ing of revenge against the hostile and marauding savages. The horrid scenes of slaughter which frequently met the view, were well calculated to arouse such passions. Helpless infancy, vir- gin beauty, and hoary age, dishonored by the ghastly wounds of the tomahawk and scalping knife, were common sights. When the slain were the friends or relatives of the beholder- wife, sister, child, father, mother, brother-it is not at all a wonder that pale and quivering lips should mutter revenge.

"It should seem," says Doddridge: "that the long contin- uance of the Indian war had debased a considerable portion of our population to the savage state of our nature. Having lost so many of their relatives by the Indians, and witnessed their horrid murders and other depredations upon so extensive a scale, they became subjects of that indiscriminating thirst for revenge which is such a prominent feature in the savage char- acter." But, to say that "a considerable portion " of the peo- - ple of Southwestern Pennsylvania and Pan-handle Virginia, was, in 1782, " debased to the savage state of our nature," is al- together too harsh a criticism.

When Gen. Irvine arrived at Fort Pitt, and took command of the Western Department, he found the people throughout the border in a frenzied condition to all appearances. In the spring of 1782, he resolved to call a convention of the lieuten- ants of the several counties, and the principal field officers of the militia, as well as of citizens of note, in the Western De- partment, to devise ways and means for the defence of the border.

To David Shepherd, lieutenant of Ohio county, Virginia, Gen- eral Irvine addressed a letter on the 28th of March. "You are already acquainted," wrote the commander, "with the resolu- tion of Congress, and orders of the President and Council of Pennsylvania, respecting my command in this quarter: in ad- dition to which, I have received instructions from his Excel- lency, General Washington. As making arrangements to cover and protect the country, is the main object, and, as it is to be done by a combination of regulars and militia, the business will be complicated. And, further, as there will be a diversity of interests, I think it of the utmost importance, that, whatever plan may be adopted, it should be as generally understood as the nature of the service will admit." Irvine continued : " You will conceive that I shall stand in need of the counsels and as- sistance, on this occasion, of some of the principal people of the country." He then added : "I wish, therefore, to see you and at least one field officer of every battalion in your county; for which purpose I request you will be pleased to warn such as you may think proper, to attend at this post, on Friday, the 5th of April, next. Punctual to the day will be necessary, as I have written to Colonel Marshall, and others, in Washington county also, to attend on the same day." To this was also ap- pended these words : "Whatever difference local situations may make in sentiments respecting territory, a combination of forces to repel the enemy is clearly, I think, a duty we owe ourselves and our country." It was thus the skillful comman- der poured oil upon the troubled waters of the boundary con- troversy.

The convention of the 5th of April, was well attended. Marshall, lieutenant of Washington county, and John Evans, lieutenant of Monongalia county, who had received similar letters, did not attend, but wrote to Irvine that they would "most heartily concur in any plan adopted for the good of the country."

Shepherd, of Ohio county, was at the meeting, and reported that he could not aid in the general defense of the frontier with any men, as nearly all, in his distriet, were enrolled in Penn- sylvania. Colonel Cook, lieutenant, and Colonel Campbell, sub-lieutenant, represented Westmoreland county. In place of Marshall, from Washington county, came Colonel Vallandig- ham, sub-lieutenant; also Colonels Williamson and Cook, and Major Carmichael, of the militia, and James Edgar, Esq., citi-

"Duddridge.

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zen and member of the State legislature. Major McColloch, also, of the militia, was present from Ohio county, Virginia.

A full and free interchange of views was had at the meeting. The principal questions discussed were the mode of defense and the number of men necessary to be called out in cach district. The officers of Monongalia and Ohio counties had received no instructions from the executive of Virginia to call out the militia upon Irvine's requisitions, as had the lieutenants of Westmoreland and Washington counties from the governor of Pennsylvania. Only volunteers could therefore be had front the two former counties. Irvine was placed in full possession of all necessary information touching the different forts, sta- tions, and block-houses upon the frontier; the number and con- dition of the men in actual service.

A plan was agreed upon to keep flying bodies of men con- stantly on the frontiers, marching from place to place, and the few regular troops were to remain at Forts Pitt and MeIntosh. The militia were to patrol the Ohio from Pittsburgh to Wheel- ing. Every precaution was taken to guard against surprises of the enemy. Nevertheless, it was well understood that a defen- sive policy, with whatever care plans might be laid, would prove ineffectual against occasional inroads of the wily, prowl- ing savages, who, in spite of every precaution, frequently crossed the Ohio, fell suddenly upon helpless victims, and then quickly recrossed that river into the wilderness beyond. Hence it was, that, notwithstanding the exertions and success of Ir- vine, in covering and protecting the borders, the belief was very prevalent in the Western Department that positive se- curity was to be obtained only by carrying the war into the Indian country.

EXPEDITION PLANNED AGAINST THE INDIAN TOWNS-ITS OBJECTS -ASSEMBLES AT MINGO BOTTOM, JEFFERSON COUNTY, OH10, MAY 24, 1782.

On the 2d of April, Marshall, of Washington county, wrote to General Irvine, saying: " This is most certain, that unless an expedition be carried against the principal Indian towns early this summer, this country must unavoidably suffer." Although at this time the war of the Revolution was virtually ended, the conflict on the western border was still raging with undimin- ished fury. Cornwallis had surrendered the British forces at Yorktown, and the hostilities of the Indians of the north had ceased. In the west the murderous incursions of the savages still continued, and in fact their thirst for blood had really in- creased and they had become more bold and aggressive. On the 27th of March, Mrs. Walker, living on Buffalo creek was taken prisoner, but made her escape. On the first of April, the savages captured Mr. Boice and family, consisting of eight per- sons, and hurried them into the wilderness. The same day a man was killed near where the Washington county court house now stands. On Easter Sunday, Miller's block house on the Dutch fork of Buffalo, was attacked by a party of about seventy Shawanese.

The necessity and feasibility of an expedition against the In- dian towns in the Sandusky country was strongly urged upon General Irvine. Notwithstanding the fact that no regulars could be spared from the garrisons, and the obstacles to calling out the militia of all the border countries, it was believed that a volunteer expedition could be organized of such magnitude as to insure success if proper efforts were put forth. After much agitation and discussion an expedition was at length planned and preparations began to be made for its organization.

While this was being done another scheme was agitated to a considerable extent among the settlements. This was an en- terprise to emigrate beyond the Ohio and set up a new state. We can scarcely imagine why a scheme that would seem to be so hazardous should be for a moment contemplated by people that were apparently threatened with destruction by the sav- ages at a much safer distance from their power for mischief. Many, doubtless, entertained the project with a view to acquir- ing large tracts of land; but it is claimed that many advocated the occupation of the country by a large force of whites as a practicable means of more effectually destroying the power of the Indians. The same day was appointed for a meeting to be held at Wheeling, of those who proposed to emigrate, as those who were making the effort to organize the expedition against Sandusky. De Hass says that "Placards were posted at Wheel- ing, Catfish, and other places, of a new State that was to be organized on the Muskingum."

While nothing came of the new State scheme, the meeting at Wheeling did further the projeet for the expedition against Sandusky. General Irvine, having charge of all military mat-

ters in the Western Department, took into account the number of men necessary to insure success, and decided that all must volunteer for the campaign and place themselves under his orders as militia. It was advisable that the force be large enough for all contingencies; fewer men would place the lives of all in jeopardy; but it was out of the power of the commandant to furnish any material aid to the expedition. Every volunteer was therefore required to supply himself with a horse, a rifle, equipments, and provisions; and it was necessary that the ex- pedition be conducted with the utmost secrecy and dispatch.

The project against Sandusky was as carefully considered and as authoritatively planned as any military enterprise in the West during the Revolution. As a distinct undertaking, it was intended to be effectual in ending the troubles upon the western frontiers of Pennsylvania and Virginia. The scheme was not irruptive in its origin, but smooth and steady-flowing. Its promoters were not only the principal military and civil officers in the Western Department, but a large proportion of the best known and most influential private citizens.

In the month of May, 1782, there was an unusual stir among the settlements when it became known that the expedition against Sandusky was to go forward. The place for assembling was carefully considered, and from its central location on the line of a majority of the settlements, Mingo bottom, in Jeffer- son county, Ohio, the place where Williamson's men had ren- dezvoused for the expedition against the Tuscarawas, was deemed the most desirable and chosen. Mingo bottom has gained much celebrity in history. It is what is now Steuben- ville township, Jefferson county, Ohio, about two and a half miles below the town of Steubenville, and is a rich plateau, on the immediate bank of the Ohio, in the south half of section twenty-seven, of township two, range one, of the government survey, extending south to a small affluent of the Ohio, known as Cross creek. Opposite the upper portion of Mingo bottom is Mingo island, containing about ten acres, although much larger in 1782. It supports a scanty growth of willow bushes only; but, within the recollection of many now living, it was studded with trees of large size, particularly the soft maple. Cross creek, on the Virginia side, flows into the Ohio about three- fourths of a mile below. Before the great flood of 1832, the island contained not less than twenty acres. The usual place of crossing was directly from shore to shore across the head of the island. At the landing on the west bank the vagrant Min- goes had once a village-deserted, however, as early as 1772. Their town gave name to the locality. The Ohio has been forded at this crossing in very low water. The bluffs of the river are below the island, on the Virginia side; above, on the Ohio side. Mingo bottom contains about two hundred and fifty acres.

The 20th of May was the day set for the meeting, and it had been arranged to meet on the east side of the river opposite the place of rendezvous. Many, however, were dilatory in their arrival at the Ohio, so that all had not gathered opposite Mingo bottom when the crossing began-indeed, some crossed the river at Wheeling and other points, and travelcd along the west bank until they reached the site of the old Mingo town. On the 21st General Irvine wrote to Washington: "The volunteers are assembling this day at Mingo bottom, all on horseback, with thirty days' provision." Irvine believed that the expe- dition would be able to effect a surprise and be successful in striking a severe blow to the Indians. He sent instructions directed " To the Officer who will be appointed to command a detach- ment of Volunteer Militia on an expedition against the Indian town at or near Sandusky." Among other things contained in these in- structions was the following: "The object of your command is to destroy with fire and sword (if practicable), then you will doubtless perform such other services in your power as will, in their consequences, have a tendency to answer this great end."

Butterfield, in his history of Crawford's Expedition against Sandusky, makes the following foot-note in reference to this paragraph in Irvine's instructions :

"The fictitious story of the bloody design of the volunteers against the remnant of the Christian Indians supposed to have been upon the Sandusky, had its origin in the publication, by a New York newspaper (the city then being in possession of the British), some time after the Gnadenhütten affair, of a re- port that Williamson and his band had been prevented, at that time, from proceeding to the Sandusky from the Muskingum, to destroy the remnant of the Moravian congregation. There- fore, reasoned the Moravian missionaries (who were then at or near Detroit), when an army did come to the Sandusky, it must, forsooth, have been the same band, come for the purpose of mur- dering the rest of the Christian Indians! Dr. Joseph Doddridge, in

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1824, following the Moravian Heckwelder, puts this down as an historical verity ; but adds: "The next object was that of destroy- ing the Wyandot towns on the same river."-Notes, p. 269. In all examinations of the correspondence of those projecting the expedition against Sandusky, and of those who took part in that enterprise, as well as of papers and documents of that period relating thereto, and of cotemporaneous publications, I have not met with a single statement or word calculated to awaken a suspicion even of intended harm to the Christian In- dians upon the Sandusky. Whenever the objective point of the expedition is mentioned, it is invariably given as Sandusky or the Wyandot town or towns. "Against the Wyandot towns. --- Knight's Narr., p. 4 (ed. 1783). "Against Sandusky."-Irvine to Washington, 21st May and 16th June, 1782. "For San- dusky."-Marshal to Irvine, 29th May, 1782. Even to the present day, the real object of the enterprise, strange as it may seem, is not understood by the Moravian historians. So firmly grounded in the belief of the bloody design is the Rev. Edmund de Schweinitz, in his Life of Zeisberger (p. 576), that when he discovers Irvine to have been a friend to the Christian Indians -heartily disapproving of the massacre at Gnadenhütten-he declares it evident that the Sandusky expedition "was under- taken without the knowledge of General Irvine, or that he was unable to hinder it!" This writer speaks of the expedition (p. 564) as a "second campaign against the Christian Indians," referring to the Gnadenhütten massacre as the first one.

Certain it is that when the expedition was organizing it was understood that it was to be under the instructions of the com- mander of the Western Department. In a letter to John Lyon, of Uniontown, Pa., dated Carlisle, November 10, 1799, Irvine says relative to the expedition: "In looking over my instruc- tions to the officer who should be appointed to command that expedition, I find that he was enjoined to regulate rank of offi- cers before he took up his line of march, and to impress on their minds that the whole must, from the moment they march, be, in all respects, subject to the rules and articles of war for the regular troops." He adds: "All the troops, both regulars and militia, were under my orders."

Butterfield makes two other foot notes in reference to them, as follows: "In striking contrast with this language are the animadversions of the Moravian writers : 'Gang of murderers.' --- Loskiel, Hist. Miss., P. iii, p. 188. 'Gang of banditti.'-Heck- welder, Hist., Ind. Nations, p. 120."

"'Undertaken,' says Doddridge (Notes, 278), 'with the very worst of views-those of murder and plunder !' A statement as erroneous as one could well be."

In his appendix to the chapter containing the foregoing, Butterfield also gives the following: "Note 2. That it was the intention of the expedition against Sandusky to destroy the remnant of the Christian Indians, is an error widely circulated. I have in my possession manuscript recollections of some of the volunteers, in which are indignant denials of the accusa- tions made in Heckwelder's Narrative and Doddridge's Notes concerning the animus of the campaign. There seems to have been considerable feeling aroused in Western Pennsylvania and Virginia upon the publication of these calumnies. In justice, however, to Doddridge, who, as has been stated, early gave this error currency, it must be said that the Moravian writers, Los- kiel and Heckwelder, were the first to assert it as truth."

On the 24th of May, all had crossed the river, and were present at the place appointed for the general meeting. Among the number was an aid-de-camp of Irvine, named John Rose, whom the General had sent to act as an aid to the officer who should be chosen by the men to command the expedition. He wrote Irvine that evening from Mingo bottom : "Our number is actually four hundred and eighty men." They were all from Washington and Westmoreland counties, Pennsylvania, and the Pan Handle of Virginia. They assembled at one o'clock to elect their officers, and distributed themselves into eighteen companies. After a lively contest four hundred and sixty-five votes were cast in the election for general officers, two hundred and thirty-five being for Col. William Crawford, of Westmoreland, and two hundred and thirty for David Wil- liamson, who had led the expedition to the Tuscarawas. Four field majors were then elected, ranking in the order named : David Williamson, Thomas Gaddis, John McClelland, and Major Brinton. Williamson was therefore second in command. Daniel Leet was clected brigade-major; Dr. John Knight was appointed surgeon ; and Jonathan Zane and John Slover were chosen pilots. The names of all the captains of the companies have not been preserved for the use of the present historian, but among their number we have been enabled to obtain the following names: John Biggs, Craig Ritchie, John Miller,

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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 42

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