USA > Ohio > Darke County > History of Darke County, Ohio, from its earliest settlement to the present time, Volume I > Part 7
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54
80
DARKE COUNTY
had to pass from the north to the south and from the east to the west." The troops were to consist of two small regiments of regular infantry, two regiments of levies and three hun- dred or four hundred Kentucky militia. "The mounted men were to receive two-thirds of a dollar per day and to be under command of their own officers, while footmen were to receive three dollars per month and be subject to military law." It proved a difficult task to preserve harmony among the regu- lars and volunteers, as the latter would scarcely submit either to the discipline of the army, or to the slow movements which one having a road to cut every step he advanced, and forts to build was necessarily subjected to-neither would they labor. St. Clair found himself confronted by the same problems that had vexed poor Harmar. The small pay and unattractive conditions of service filled the ranks of the regulars with many weak, diseased and unfit men from the streets of the Eastern cities. The best of the troops were trained only in regulation mass movements which were totally inadequate for fighting a stealthy savage foe concealed in the fastness of a dense forest. The experienced backwoodsmen with the militia were better trained for meeting the Indians on their own ground, but they were in the minority. The Indians on the other hand were unencumbered with baggage, free, stealthy and elastic in their movements, were thoroughly acquainted with the shadowy recesses of the forest and in- ured to hardship and deprivations.
Preparations for the expedition were now pushed vigor- ously but at a great disadvantage. The Secretary of War was just getting initiated in a newly created office and suf- fared for want of adequate equipment. Maj .- Gen. Richard Butler, an officer of the Pennsylvania line in the Revolution who had served in Harmar's expedition, had been placed second in command with orders to remain in Pennsylvania to recruit and forward troops. Two thousand levies were to be raised, marched to Fort Pitt (Pittsburg) in companies as soon as collected ; and there receive orders from St. Clair. They could be safely sent in small companies, but were held back by Butler to protect the frontiers according to orders from the War Department, much to the annoyance of St. Clair. who kept urging that they be sent to Fort Washington MIr. Samuel Hogdon had been appointed Quartermaster-Gen- eral of the army and, although zealous, seems to have been totally unfit for the responsibilities of the position. The
81
DARKE COUNTY
delay in forwarding troops was also partly due to his failure in furnishing horses, supplies, provisions, and the necessary boats for transportation. St. Clair arrived at Fort Wash- ington on the 15th of May after passing through Lexington to arrange for the forwarding of the Kentucky militia. Here he found a garrison of but eighty-five men fit for duty. The arms and accoutrements left from Harmar's expedition were in bad condition and the supplies forwarded later by the quartermaster from time to time were deficient both in quan- tity and quality. New gun carriages had to be made: the deficiencies of the camp equipage supplied ; nearly all oi the ammunition had to be made up and a laboratory equipped for this purpose. Musket shells, artillery cartridges, and shells for the howitzers had to be filled-a tedious and labor- ious business. Not only ammunition for the campaign but also for the garrison of 1,200 or more for the projected post at the Maumee and intermediate posts must be prepared. Workshops and an armory had to be built and tools con- structed. In his report the general said: "A great number of axes, camp kettles. knapsacks, kegs for the musket cart- ridges, and spare cannon ball, and boxes of ammunition had to be made; and cordage of various kinds, and the cartridge boxes to be repaired. Splints for the wounded were to be made of half-jacked leather prepared on the spot. In short, almost every art was going forward, and Fort Washington had as much the appearance of a large manufactory on the inside, as it had of a military post on the outside." To per form all this labor smiths, carpenters, harnessmakers, col- liers, wheelwrights, etc., had to be drafted from all that could be found among the troops as they slowly arrived. Consid- erable cattle and horses for the use of the army had to be cared for and, on August 7th, the country near the fort being eaten off, all the troops that had arrived, except the artificers and a small garrison, advanced about six miles northward to Ludlow's station. On the 1st of September the Secretary of War wrote to St. Clair: "The President enjoins you by ev- ery principle that is sacred to stimulate your operations in the highest degree, and to move as rapidly as the lateness of the season and the nature of the case will possibly admit." The balance of the troops, however, had not yet arrived at the above date, but soon came on and joining those at Lud- low's station, moved northward on the 17th toward the cross- ing of the Great Miami river about twenty miles distant.
(6)
82
DARKE COUNTY
where a fort was built to command the river crossing, to serve as a place for depositing provisions, and to form the first link in the chain of forts projected between Ft. Wash- ington and the Indian village on the Maumee. St. Clair de- scribed this post in the following very interesting manner : "A stockade fifty yards square, with four good bastions, and platforms for cannon in two of them, with barracks for about two hundred men, with some good storehouses, etc." "The circuit of that fort is about one thousand feet, through the whole extent of which a trench about three feet deep was dug to set the picquets in, of which it required more than two thousand to enclose it; and it is not trees, taken promis- cuously, that will answer for picquets; they must be tall and straight and from nine to twelve inches in diameter (for those of a larger size are too unmanageable). Of course few trees that are proper are to be found without going over a considerable space of woodland. When found they are felled, cleared of their branches, and cut into lengths of about twenty feet. They were then carried to the ground and butted, that they might be placed firm and upright in the trench, with the axe or cross-cut saw; some hewing upon them was also necessary, for there are few trees so straight that the sides of them will come in contact when set upright. A thin piece of timber, called a ribband, is run round the whole near the top of the picquets, to which every one of them is pinned with a strong pin, without which they would decline from the perpendicular with every blast of the wind, some hanging outward, and some inward, which would render them in a great measure useless. The earth thrown out of the trench is then returned and strongly rammed to keep the picquets firmly in their places, and a shallower trench is dug outside about three feet distant, to carry off the water and prevent their being moved by the rains ; about two thousand picquets are set up inside, one between every two others; the work is then inclosed. But previously the ground for the site of the fort had to be cleared and two or three hundred yards round it, which was very thickly wooded and was a work of time and labor. (The ground where this fort stands is on the east side of the Miami river, on the first bank; but there is a second bank consid- erably elevated, within point blank shot, which rendered it necessary to make the quicquets, particularly along the land side, of a height sufficient to prevent an enemy seeing into
83
DARKE COUNTY
the area, and taking the river in reverse, and a high platform was raised in one of the bastions on the land side to scour the second bank with artillery. Another made with the trunks of trees, and covered with plank, as that was, was raised in one of the bastions toward the river, in order to command the ford, and the river for some distance up and down. Plank was sawed for the platform and the gate, and barracks for one hundred men ; a guardroom, two storehouses for provisions, and barracks for the officers were constructed within it, and all this was done in about fourteen days, al- most entirely by the labor of the men; though some use was made of oxen in drawing timber; the woods were so thick and encumbered with underwood, it was found to be the most expeditious method to carry it.)" This post was named Fort Hamilton.
The main part of the amy, consisting of two small regi- ments of regular infantry, and the levies, about two thou- sand in all, left this place October 4, and were followed on the 5th by some three hundred and fifty Kentucky militia. Many of the regulars had rendered distinguished service during the Revolution and the militia included a number of the hardy pioneers who had engaged in the recent raids and expeditions of the exposed border. St. Clair, in describing the marching order of the troops, observes: "When the army was in march, it was preceded by a small party of rifle- men, with the surveyor, to mark the course of the road; for we had no guides, not a single person being found in the country who had ever been through it, and both the geog- raphy and the topography were utterly unknown; the march was, therefore, made up on a compass course, conjectural in- deed, but which proved to be sufficiently correct, as it brought us into a large path leading to the Miami towns about twenty miles from them ; from that party scouts were sent out to scour the country every way. Then followed the road cut- ters with a party to cover them : then the advanced guard, and after them the army in two columns, with one piece of artillery in front, one in the center, and one in the rear of each. In the space betwen the two columns marched the remaining artil- lery, destined for the fort at the Miami towns ; then the horses with the tents and provisions, and then the cattle with their proper guard, who were to remove them in case of the enemy appearing. Without the columns, at a distance of about one hundred yards, march the cavalry in file, and without them at
84
DARKE COUNTY
the same distance, a party of riflemen, and scouts without them; then followed the rear guard at a proper distance." Roads for the artillery had to be cut through the thick tim- ber nearly all the way and some considerable bridges built.
Progress was necessarily very slow and by the evening of the 9th the army had advanced but twenty miles from Ft. Hamilton through a level, well watered and fertile country. On the 10th an open beech country was reached (near Eaton, Ohio) and about eight miles made. Progress continued fair until the following afternoon when the army was forced to encamp on the margin of an extensive wet prairie (Maple Swamp), at the headwaters of Twin creek (near Castine, Ohio), some thirty-eight miles in advance of Ft. Hamilton. Two parties were sent out to reconnoiter on the morning of the 12th, one to the westward under Major Denny, the other eastward under Maj. Butler. It was ascertained that the army could not continue on its regular course west of north without constructing a causeway of about a thousand feet. A suitable passage was found around the swamp to the eastward which soon led into a well worn Indian path leading through and avoiding the wet places. By following this the army advanced some six miles and encamped in an excellent, well- watered spot.
On the morning of the 13th. St. Clair reconnoitered the country and selected a site for a fort of deposit a mile in advance of camp on one of the gravel knolls of this beautiful rolling region. (Hills of Judea.) A fort one hundred feet square with four good bastions was soon laid out and the work of building commenced. The weather now became cold and wet and the work progressed slowly. Provisions for the army were inadequate, the terms of enlistment of many of the levies expired.and great discontent developed. Some of the levies were discharged, and several of the militia deserted. Two artillery men were hanged for desertion and one of the levies for shooting a comrade.
At this critical time Gen. Butler, who was second in com- mand, proposed to St. Clair that he be allowed to take one thousand picked men and go to the Maumee villages, and there establish the projected post, leaving the commander-in- chief to finish the fort and follow at his leisure. The season was late, and as St. Clair was advanced in years and very much indisposed at times by attacks of the gout, this was pro- posed ostensibly to relieve him and hasten the consummation
85
DARKE COUNTY
of the campaign. The general, however, was very disagree- ably surprised by the proposition and refused the proffer. Butler seems to have taken offense at the rebuff and grown more reserved in his relations with St. Clair, although the latter thought that his own action was a proper exercise of his power as head of the army. After much delay the little log fort was completed, garrisoned with a small detachment, equipped with two pieces of artillery and named Fort Jeffer- son.
On the 24th the army took up the line of march northward following the Indian trail along the high ground on the east side of the prairie. A fine country with rich soil and beauti- ful oak woods was now encountered. After proceeding some five miles an excellent elevated camp site with a wide creek in front and a large prairie on the left was discovered. Here (Greenville, Ohio) the army halted a week, grazing the horses, awaiting the delayed supplies and preparing for the advance.
Gen. St. Clair continued ill, the weather inclement and dis- content prevailed among the troops. On the 29th, a bridge was thrown across the creek, and a corps of road-cutters sent forward under a strong guard of militia. The friendly chief Piomingo, with nineteen warriors, and Capt. Sparks, with four riflemen, were sent out to ascertain the location and strength of the enemy. The army broke camp on the 30th and proceeded on a course twenty-five degrees west of north. With much difficulty seven miles were gained this day and the troops were forced to encamp in a very thick woods. (Probably in section 20, Brown township, Darke county.) During the night a heavy storm arose, precipitating much timber in the camp and causing considerable confusion. While the troops remained encamped here awaiting provisions sixty of the disgruntled militia marched off threatening to plunder the second convoy of provisions which was then thought to be within twenty miles on the trail. In order to save the supplies, which were necessary for the sustenance of the army, and to prevent further desertions, the whole of the First regiment of regulars, the flower of the army, was de- tached and sent back. The quartermaster had failed to start the convoy at the appointed time, however, and this regiment became separated from the main body by a greater distance than anticipated, thus reducing the effective fighting force to about 1,400 men. The first convoy of some two hundred
86
DARKE COUNTY
horses loaded with flour arrived in the evening of the 31st. The road cutters advanced on Nov. 1st, and the army followed on the 2d, after depositing the heavy and superfluous baggage. The troops now labored through the flat, marshy country, near the "spreads of Stillwater," which creek they crossed about noon. In the afternoon their trail was joined by an- other Indian path, indicating that the right course was being followed. The direction this day was north, twenty-five de- grees east and the army encamped after gaining eight miles. On the 3d the troops broke camp at nine o'clock and gained nine miles on a course thirty degrees west of north. The first four miles continued very flat and wet but at noon the ridge which divides the waters of the Ohio from those of Lake Erie was passed over and descent made to a small creek three miles further on. A few Indians had been observed hanging about the flanks of the army and on the 3d a larger number than usual were noticed. After a hard march through the cold on short rations the army arrived about sunset on that day at a small stream about 60 feet wide flowing south- ward, which was supposed to be the St. Mary's branch of the Maumee, but was in fact a branch of the east fork of the Wabash. Here an encampment was made in two lines on a slightly elevated piece of timbered ground, barely large enough to accommodate the army. To the north and east the view was obstructed by the thick forest. On the south a prairie bordered by a fringe of low marshy ground, thickly studded with trees and low brush skirted the camp. Along the west side or front of the camp, the east bank of the Wa- bash was some twenty-five feet above the river, which was probably thirty or forty feet wide and knee deep at this place.
The bluff was also thickly set with forest trees and under- brush. Across the stream to the west the bottom land par- took of the nature of a low, wet prairie about sixty rods wide, covered with tall, rank grass, and clumps of willow and spice brush.
The first line of the encampment was composed of Butler's. Clark's and Patterson's battalions of levies, and commanded by Gen. Butler. The second consisted of Bedinger's and Gaither's battalions and the Second regiment of regulars com- manded by Lieut-Col. Darke, and was about 200 feet to the rear of and parallel with the first. The right flank was pro- tected by the creek ; the left by a steep bank, Faulknor's corps and some of the infantry. The militia advanced about a
87
DARKE COUNTY
fourth of a mile across the creek bottom and camped on high ground. It had been a hard day's march and it was near 8 o'clock before the scanty mess was cooked. The soldiers. tired and worn, were soon sleeping heavily. Capt. Slough of the First battalion of levies was sent out with some thirty picked men with instructions to advance one, two or three miles along the trail in search of Indians. About midnight they returned, with the report that they had fired on a party of six or seven savages, killing one, and had been passed by a much larger party later going toward the camp. The re- port, according to Capt. Slough's testimony, was made to Maj .- Gen. Butler, who then dismissed him for the night with- out instructions to inform St. Clair. Col. Oldham of the militia also predicted an attack in the morning. Gen. St. Clair had observed on the afternoon previous that he did not expect an attack yet and in the evening concerted plans with Major Ferguson of the artillery for throwing up a small earth- work, wherein to have deposited the knapsacks and heavy luggage. He then intended to make a forced march to the Maumee village, which he thought to be about fifteen miles, but which was, in fact. some fifty miles distant, as soon as the First regiment came up. He was permitted to do neither. for on the 4th about sunrise, just after the regular morning parade, and while the soldiers were preparing breakfast. the swarming savages, who had been camping but a short dis- tance beyond the militia, made a sudden attack on the pickets of the militia across the creek. A few shots were exchanged. but fear seized the Kentuckians, and they rushed pell mell into the main camp, pursued by a large party of Indians, whooping and yelling fiercely. A volley from the artillery in the front drove the latter back to cover but they soon renewed their fire and gradually encircled the encampment, conceal- ing themselves behind trees, brush and logs and pouring in a galling fire. The soldiers were cramped for room and ex- posed because of the nature of the ground on which they were encamped and made an easy target for the savages, who were expert marksmen. The main fire was directed against the men at the guns in the center of the encampment and they were driven away again and again with great slaughter. This was kept up for perhaps an hour and a half until nearly every officer of the artillery had been killed or wounded and all the guns silenced. The roar of the artillery and rattle of the muskets of the regulars may have tended to awe the savages.
88
DARKE COUNTY
but much ammunition was wasted by the random shooting of the untrained troops. Men were falling in great numbers in all parts of the camp, confusion was spreading, and the Indians, becoming emboldened, swarmed forward to seize the guns. Previously they had flitted from cover to cover under the pall of smoke, but now they became more exposed at close quarters. A spirited charge was made against them under Col. Darke and they were driven back across the creek at the point of the bayonet. For want of a sufficient number of riflemen to follow up this charge, they were forced to return and were gradually followed by the Indians, who pressed for- ward from tree to tree and soon came into camp on the left flank. Here they were met by a spirited charge from the Sec- ond regiment, Butler's and Clark's battalions, and pushed back. Again and again this was repeated, but with great loss, especially of the officers, who had to expose themselves to rally the raw and undisciplined troops. Early in these charges Major Butler was dangerously wounded and all the officers of the Second regiment fell except three. Both St. Clair and Butler exhibited great bravery throughout, the latter, al- though indisposed, having been mortally wounded, continued to give orders while propped up in the center of the camp. In spite of his advanced age and enfeebled condition, St. Clair rode up and down the lines attempting to rally and reassure the fearful troops. The fire was continued nearly three hours on front and flank until the majority of the officers and half of the army were either killed or wounded. The terri- fied soldiers now crowded to the center of the camp, where the wounded had previously been taken for safety, being pressed gradually closer from all sides by the exulting sav- ages. The remnant of the army became stupefied and be- wildered and it became necessary to order a retreat. Accord- ingly, about 9 o'clock Col. Darke was ordered to make a charge and with a'number of the best men made a feint, driv- ing the Indians beyond the road and thus making an opening through which the balance of the troops hurried pell mell with the militia in front. The Indians had been thrown into confusion by the charge, but, discovering its object, soon pursued the straggling army along the trail and harassed the rear for four or five miles. Attracted by the rich booty, how- ever. they soon returned to plunder the camp and mutilate, torture and kill those of the wounded who had been left on the field. Here a sickening sight presented itself. Huddled
GRANITE EFFIGY OF FRONTIERSMAN ON MEMORIAL MONUMENT AT FORT RECOVERY, OHIO
89
DARKE COUNTY
in a comparatively small space were piles of the slain on the frozen ground, the silent cannon, the deserted tents and val- uable camp equipments all abandoned in the flight for life. While the Indians were carousing, securing their plunder, scalping and disfiguring the slain, and gloating over their victims, the routed army continued its retreat and kept throw- ing away arms and equipments in the panic of fear. Nearly all the horses had been taken or killed and St. Clair, mounted on a slow pack-horse, was unable to reach the front himself and the other officers found it impossible to establish order and check the flight. The rout continued along the rude trail to Fort Jefferson, a distance of about thirty miles through the dense wilderness, where the men arrived just after sun- set. Here the First regiment, which had been sent back to intercept the deserters, was met, but in view of the broken condition of the troops, the lack of provisions in the fort, and the strength of the enemy, it was decided to leave the wound- ed here and continue the march toward Fort Washington. Accordingly the advance troops set out about ten o'clock. marched until nearly daylight of the 5th, and halted until the rear came up. The army moved on about 9 o'clock and soon met the convoy, arrived at Fort Hamilton on afternoon of 6th, and at Fort Washington in afternoon of 8th.
The number of Indians, Canadians and half breeds in this engagement has been variously estimated at from 700 to 2,500 or 3,000, but 1,000 or 1,500 is considered a conservative figure, and the amount of government property either lost or de- stroyed is put at about $34,000. The principal tribes engaged were the Delawares, Shawanese, Wyandots, Miamis. Otta- was, Chippewas and Pottawatomies. Litte Turtle, chief of the Miamis, was their leader, and was ably assisted by Blue Jacket, Bukongehelas, Black Eagle, and the renegades Simon Girty and Blackstaffe. The warriors had poured in from the Wabash and the far north ; and it is even asserted that Captain Brant with one hundred and fifty select Mohawk warriors took part in this remarkable engagement.
Their loss was estimated at about 150 killed and several wounded, but because of their custom of carrying away or concealing the slain it is difficult to ascertain their exact num- ber. The Americans had thirty-nine officers killed and twen- ty-one wounded, and their entire loss was estimated at 677 killed, including thirty or more women, and 271 wounded, a loss probably as great as any suffered in a single battle of
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.