USA > Ohio > Greene County > History of Greene County : together with historic notes on the Northwest, and the state of Ohio, gleaned from early authors, old maps and manuscripts, private and official correspondence, and all other authentic sources > Part 24
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 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94
While the casus belli between the two nations was settled, the In- dians, who had generally espoused the cause of France, were by no means satisfied. In the breast of the Indian, the seeds of hatred for the English, early sown by the French, took ready root, and, nurtured by the same, grew into implacable animosity; therefore the task of spreading her authority over the savage hordes of the west, and securing peace to the colonies, was both difficult and dan- gerous. Foreseeing the inevitable destruction of his people unless the French were victorious, and the English driven from the soil, in 1762 the great Ottawa chief, Pontiac, sent messengers, with black wampum and red tomahawk, to all the surrounding tribes, notifying them that on a certain day a simultaneous attack would be made on all the English posts, followed by a general onslaught
243
INDIAN WARS.
upon the whole border. Pursuant to this, a grand council was held April 27, 1763, at the river Ecorces, at which Pontiac delivered a fiery speech, appealing to their superstition, their manhood, and their bravery, and portrayed the wrongs they had suffered. The chiefs listened, and burned for revenge; the day was set, and each tribe eagerly awaited the bloody moment.
The history of Detroit, Major. Gladwin, the beautiful Ojibaway girl through her love revealing the plans of the Indians, the short- ened guns, the entrance of Pontiac and his chiefs, their apprehen- sions at the bristling appearance of the garrison, the signal of the wampum, the click of the revolvers, rattle of swords, and consterna- tion of the baffled Indians, are well known to every school-boy, who has laughed in his sleeve to see the Indians, who came in with so much pomp, go out with so much humiliation. The mask was thrown off, and a furious attack began, but unavailing. Not so with the other posts. At Fort Sandusky, St. Joseph, Oniatenon, Miami, Presque Isle, and Mackinaw, they gained access under pretext of a game of ball, called baggataway. Only one escaped from Green Bay, Lieutenant Garell. Meanwhile war raged along the borders with savage cruelty.
Colonel Bouquet was sent to the relief of Fort Pitt, then closely beseiged. Reaching Carlisle July 1, 1763, he found the people in a panic, huddled together, and without provisions. After eighteen days spent in relieving them, he resumed his march toward Bushy Run, where he was suddenly attacked by an overwhelming force of Indians. In vain did he charge, and drive them back. From be- hind trees and rocks they poured in an invisible yet destructive fire, until defeat seemed inevitable. The genius of Bouquet saved them. Two companies were ordered to fall back, as if retreating. Two others were to lie in ambush. The Indians rushed upon the re- treating column, when they received a heavy fire in flank, followed by a bayonet charge, which totally routed them. This closed the war during this year.
The next spring Pontiac again laid seige to Detroit. Bradstreet and Bouquet were sent against him. The former was duped by a pretended treaty. The same ruse was attempted upon Bouquet, but he treated their delegates as spies, and informed them that if they delivered all their prisoners in ten days, they might hope for peace, otherwise he would show no mercy. His terms were instantly complied with, and a permanent peace was established.
244
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
The appearance of security and immunity from danger which succeeded this treaty of 1765, contributed to the advancement of prosperity all over the northwestern frontiers. The necessity of con- gregating in forts and block-houses no longer existing, each family enjoyed the pleasures of its own fireside, undisturbed by apprehen- sions of danger from the bloodthirsty savage. No longer did they cultivate their little patches in common, with tomahawks in their belts, and rifles attached to their plow-beams. They could sow, ex- pecting to reap; and this feeling of safety increased their prosperity, and encouraged others to join them. As a consequence, immigra- tion flowed in, and settlements sprang up in the forests.
This peaceful condition of things, however, received a check in 1774, caused, in the main, by the gradual encroachment of the whites upon Indian territory. This (Lord Dunmore's war), after much bloodshed, was brought to a close, principally through the agency of the celebrated chief, Cornstalk, after the decisive battle of Point Pleasant, October 10, 1774.
This leads us up to the Revolution, when again the Indians, or, as Lord Chatham truly said, the " horrible hounds of war, torturing, murdering, devouring, drinking the blood of their mangled victims," were let loose upon the defenseless frontiers.
Inasmuch as the principal depredations in this war were commit- ted in this region by the Shawanoes Indians, then located upon the Scioto, Mad, and Little Miami rivers, a brief resume of their history may not be uninteresting. The Shawanoes were known as the most warlike nation of the great Algonquin family. This family seemed to have possessed a language almost uniform throughout all the tribes. The Algonquins are supposed to have numbered at one time not less than 90,000. It is said that the language was very complex, yet capable of lofty flights of oratory, beautiful rhetorical figures, and ill-adapted to light and trifling speech.
The Shawanoes were very nomadic, therefore their history is somewhat obscure. We hear of them as early as the advent of John Smith, 1607. They were then on the Susquehanna. In 1632 they were on the Delaware. The Swanee, or Suawanee River, in Florida, derives its name from them. From these many conflicting accounts, we are to suppose that originally they were one great tribe, but, by war, became separated into subdivisions, which, after many years wandering, were again reunited. We have an authentic account from their noted chief, Blackhoof, who told Colonel John
245
INDIAN WARS.
Johnston, of Piqua, that he well remembered having bathed on the Florida beach. It is evident that they came from the south, under the leadership of Blackhoof, to the Miami Valley, and established themselves, about 1770, in the neighborhood of the Little Miami, Scioto, and Mad River valleys. In Lord Dunmore's war, the Sha- wanoes took an active part, under the great and noble chief, Corn- stalk. After his defeat by General Lewis, he sued for peace, and ever after was the firm friend of the whites, and by them was cruelly murdered, even while under their protection on a mission of peace. It appears that about 1770 the Shawanoes made their headquarters at Old Chillicothe (now Oldtown, on the Little Miami, in this county). It was here that Captain Bullitt visited them, in 1773. It was here that Simon Kenton ran the gauntlet, in 1776. (Vid. Xenia Town- ship.) It was here that Daniel Boone was taken, with twenty-seven others, in 1778. (See, also, Xenia Township.) Having now nar- rowed the horizon of our observations to that portion of territory circumscribed by the boundaries of Greene County, we shall proceed more specifically to narrate the events that transpired within her borders.
In the autumn of 1779, a number of keel-boats were ascending the Ohio, commanded by Major Rogers. When they had advanced as far as the Licking, they observed a few Indians upon a sand-bar, while a canoe, with three savages, was in the act of putting off from the Kentucky shore, evidently to bring them over. Instantly making his boats fast to the Kentucky shore, and cautiously landing his men, he sought to attack them unawares, but was discovered, furiously attacked, and his whole force almost totally destroyed, only two or three escaping to convey the doleful tidings to the set- tlements. As their capital, Chillicothe (now Oldtown), was within reach of retaliation, an expedition, in 1779, under Colonel Bowman, with Colonel Benjamin Logan second in command, was fitted out against the Shawanoes, to strike a blow at Chillicothe. They left Harrodsburg in July, and took their preliminary measures so well, that they arrived within a mile of Chillicothe without giving the slightest alarm to the enemy.
Here the detachment halted at an early hour in the night, and, as usual, sent out spies to examine the condition of the village. Before midnight they returned with the intelligence that the enemy remained unapprised of their presence in the vicinity, and were resting in a state of unmilitary security. Upon the receipt
246
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
of this, the army was instantly put in motion. It was determined that Logan, with one half the command, should march around the town on the left, while Bowman, with the remaining forces, was to make a corresponding movement on the right. Both should grope their way through the woods with profound silence until they met on the opposite sides, when the attack was to commence. Logan having completed his part of the maneuver, stationed his men be- hind trees, logs, and stones, and awaited in silence and extreme anxiety the preconcerted signal of attack. Hour after hour stole away, and Bowman did not appear. At length the rays of the sun began to peep over the hills and shoot across the valley. Logan, still expecting the arrival of his colonel, more securely seereted his men in the high grass and awaited the signal. No orders arrived.
In the meantime, while changing positions through the grass they chanced to alarm a dog which was prowling around the vil- lage. He instantly set up a vociferous baying, spasmodically ad- vancing toward the men who had attracted his attention. Presently a solitary Indian left his cabin, advanced cautiously toward the dog, frequently halting and raising upon his tiptoes, and furtively gazing around him.
Logan's party lay close, scarcely breathing, anxiously hoping to take him alive without giving the alarm. But at that instant a gun was fired in an opposite quarter of the town, as was afterwards ascertained, by one of Bowman's men, and the Indian, giving one shrill whoop, ran swiftly back to the council house. Believing this to be the signal for attack, and concealment now being impossible, Logan's party sprang from the grass and rushed upon the village. As they advanced they perceived a motley crowd of all ages, and both sexes, yelling, leaping and running toward the council house, where they collected in full force, determined upon a stubborn . re- sistance. Logan instantly threw his men into the cabins, deserted by the Indians, and rapidly advancing from hut to hut, at last es- tablished himself within rifle-shot of the Indian stronghold.
Now listening impatiently for sounds of the conflict which should have taken place on the other side in co-operation with him, his anxious ears detected no sound. All was silent in that quarter. The Indians having recovered from their temporary panic, poured in a heavy and deadly fire upon the cabins that protected his men. His position grew each moment more critical. He had pushed his detachment so close to the redoubt that advance or retreat was
247
INDIAN WARS.
equally dangerous. The enemy outnumbered him, and indications soon revealed a disposition to turn both his flanks and cut off his retreat. Under these circumstances, ignorant of the movements of his commander, and cut off from all communication with him, he resolved upon the bold and judicious plan of forming a movable breastwork of the materials furnished by the cabins, and under ' cover of it rush upon the stronghold of the savages and carry it by assault.
Had this bold plan been consummated, with the co-operation of Bowman, the victory would no doubt have been complete, and many subsequent outrages have been averted. But in its very in- itiation a messenger arrived from Bowman with orders to retreat. Astonished at such an order, when honor and safety required an offensive movement, Logan hastily asked if "Bowman had been overpowered by the enemy ?" "No." "Had he ever beheld an enemy ?" "No." "What then was the cause of this extraordinary abandonment of a design so prosperously begun ?" He did not know. The colonel had ordered a retreat ! Logan was reluctantly compelled to obey.
With militia, in the face of an enemy superior in force, a retreat is almost certain to terminate in a demoralized rout, and this was no exception. As soon as the order was made known, a most tumultuous scene began. Not being sustained by that mutual con- fidence-offspring of discipline-which buoys up regular soldiers under all circumstances, they no longer acted in concert. Each man selected the time, manner, and route of his individual retreat. Here a solitary Kentuckian would start up from behind a stump and scud away through the grass, dodging and turning to avoid the balls that whistled around him. There a dozen men would run from a cabin and scatter in every direction, each anxious to save himself, and none having leisure to attend to his neighbor. The Indians, astonished at seeing men fleeing apparently from them- selves, sallied out, pursued and cut them up as a sportsman would a flock of geese. They soon joined Bowman's party, who, from some unaccountable panic in their commander, or fault in them- selves, had not stirred from the spot where Logan had left them the night before. All was confusion. Some cursed their colonel; some reproached other officers; one shouted one thing; one bel- lowed another; but all seemed to agree that they ought to make the best of their way home without a moment's delay. By great
248
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
exertions on the part of Logan, ably assisted by Harrod, Bulger, and Major Bedinger, of the Blue Licks, some degree of order was restored, and a tolerably respectable retreat commenced. The In- dians, however, soon surrounded them on all sides, and kept up a hot fire, which soon grew fatal. Colonel Bowman appeared totally demented, and sat upon his horse like a pillar of stone, neither giving an order or taking any measures to repel the enemy. The sound of the rifle shots had, however, restored the men to their senses, and they readily formed in a large hollow square, took to the trees and returned the fire with great spirit. The enemy were quickly repelled, and the troops resumed their march.
But scarcely had they advanced half a mile when the Indians reappeared, and again opened fire on the front, rear, and both flanks. Again a square was formed, and the savages repelled ; but they had not fairly resumed their march when the same galling fire was again poured in upon them, from every tree, bush, and stone capable of concealing an Indian. Matters began to look serious. The enemy were evidently endeavoring to detain them until fresh Indians should arrive, cut off their retreat, and take them all prisoners. The troops began to waver, and a panic was rapidly spreading from colonel to privates. At this crisis, Logan, Harrod, and Bedinger, selected the boldest and best mounted men, and dashing into the bushes on horseback scoured the woods in every direction, forcing the Indians from their coverts, and cutting them down as they ran from tree to tree. This decisive step com- pletely dispersed the enemy, and the weary and dispirited troops continued their retreat unmolested, with the loss of nine killed and several wounded. The Indians in this action were led by Black- fish, the adopted father of Daniel Boone while he was their cap- tive.
The Indians, in retaliation for this, resolved upon the invasion of Kentucky. In 1780, aided by their English allies, who supplied them with men and artillery, they formed an army at Old Chilli- cothe, and under the command of Colonel Byrd marched for the settlements of Kentucky. Ruddles' Station was attacked, and the garrison murdered. Colonel Byrd, being unable to restrain his savage allies, refused to go further unless all prisoners were de- livered to him; which being promised, he led them along the val- vey of the Licking five miles further, to Martin's Fort, where, despite their solemn promise, the same atrocities were committed,
249
INDIAN WARS.
and, he, to his credit, refused to go any further. The Indians load- ed their victims with the plunder of their own dwellings, and started for their towns, and as the unfortunate prisoner sunk under the weight the tomahawk was buried in his brains.
After the outrages committed by Colonel Byrd and his Indians, it was determined to punish them by carrying the war into their own stronghold, which was then Old Chillicothe, on the Little Miami, in this county. We can give no better account than from Bradford's notes :
" On the 2d of August, 1780, General Clarke took up the line of march from where Cincinnati now stands for the Indian towns. The line of march was as follows: The first division, commanded by Clarke, took the front position; the center was occupied by artillery, military stores, and baggage; the second, commanded by Colonel Logan, was placed in the rear. The men were ordered to march in four lines, at about forty yards distant from each other, and a line of flankers on each side, about the same distance from the right and left line. There was also a front and rear guard, who kept only in sight of the main army. In order to prevent confusion, in case of an attack of the enemy during the march, a general order was issued, that in the event of an attack in front, the front was to stand fast, and the two right lines wheel to the right, and the two left lines to the left hand, and thus form a complete line, while the artillery was to advance to the center of the line. In case of an attack upon either of the flanks, or side lines, these were to stand fast, and likewise the artillery, while the opposite lines wheeled and formed on the two extremes of those lines. In the event of an attack upon the rear, similar order was to be observed as in an at- tack in front. In this manner the army moved on without encoun- tering anything worthy of notice.
"About 2 o'clock on the afternoon of the 6th of August, they arrived at the village. They found the town not only abandoned, but most of the houses burned down, and burning, having been set on fire that morning. The army encamped on the ground that night, and on the following day cut down several hundred (proba- bly two hundred) acres of corn (and every tree which bore any kind of fruit was destroyed), and about 4 o'clock in the evening took up their line of march for the Piqua towns, which were about twelve miles from Chillicothe (in Clarke County).
" They had not marched more than a mile from Chillicothe, before
250
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
there came on a very heavy rain, with thunder and lightning, accom- panied by considerable wind. Without tents, or any other shelter from the rain, which fell in torrents, the men were as wet as though they had been plunged into the river; nor had they power to keep their guns dry. It was nearly dark before the rain ceased, when they were ordered to encamp in a hollow square, with the baggage and horses in the center, and as soon as fires could be made, dry their clothes, etc. They were ordered to examine their guns, and see that they were in good condition ; to discharge them in the fol- lowing manner: One company was to fire, and time given to re-load, when a company at the most remote part of the camp from that which had fired, was to discharge theirs, and so on, alternately, until all the guns were fired.
"On the morning of the 8th, the army marched by sunrise, and having a level, open way, arrived in sight of Piqua, on the west side of Mad River, about 2 P. M. The Indian road from Chillicothe to Piqua, which the army followed, crossed Mad River about a quarter of a mile below the town, and as soon as the advanced guard crossed into a prairie of high weeds, they were attacked by the Indians, who had been concealed there, awaiting their approach.
" The ground on which this attack was made, as well as the man- ner in which it was done, left no doubt but that a general engage- ment was intended. Colonel Logan was therefore ordered, with about four hundred men, to file off to the right and march up the river on the east side, and continue to the upper end of the town, so as to prevent the Indians from escaping in that direction, while the remainder of the men, under Colonels Flynn, Lloyed, and Har- rod, were ordered to cross the river and encompass the town on the west side, while General Clarke, with the troops under Colonel Slaughter, and such as were attached to the artillery, marched directly toward the town.
" The prairie in which the Indians who commenced the attack were concealed, was only about two hundred yards across to the timbered land, and the division of the army destined to encompass the town on the west side, found it necessary to cross the prairie to avoid the fire of a concealed enemy. The Indians evinced great military skill and judgment, and to prevent the western division from executing the duties assigned them, they made a powerful effort to turn their left wing. This was discovered by Lloyed and Flynn, who, to prevent being outflanked, extended the line of battle
,
251
INDIAN WARS.
west, more than a mile from the town, which continued, warmly contested on both sides, until about 5 o'clock, when the Indians disappeared, everywhere unperceived, except a few in the town.
" The field-piece, which had been entirely useless before, was now brought to bear upon the houses, when a few well-directed shots dislodged the Indians which were in them. From a French pris- oner among them, General Clarke learned that the savages did not expect the army to reach their town so soon; and that it was their intention, had it not rained, to attack the whites with the knife and tomahawk the previous night. The firing of the guns also deterred them. It seems that the alarm was universal, and every village was deserted. Occasionally, it is said, a solitary Indian would crawl through the grass within shooting distance, deliver his fire, and sink out of sight. The town was stretched along the banks of the river for a long distance, and in order to surround it on the east, Logan was compelled to march over three miles. In the meantime the Indians concentrated their whole force on the troops under General Clarke, and Logan never saw an Indian; hence, the great loss to the whites, and severity of the battle, which led to the re- mark of Girty, who drew off his three hundred Mingo warriors, saying it was folly to fight madmen. And true; the Kentuckians fought with desperation, well knowing that if they were defeated none would escape; and the Indians, elated with success and thirst- ing for blood, would fall upon the defenseless settlements of Ken- tucky, and murder their wives, their daughters, mothers, and children. The next day was spent in cutting down the growing corn, destroying the cabins and food, and collecting horses. On the 10th, the army began their homeward march, remaining in Chillicothe over night, and destroying a field of corn that had been left standing for their horses on their return.
"It is supposed that about five hundred acres of corn were de- stroyed on this expedition, besides every other vegetable, and food of any kind, to afford nourishment to the foe. Killing a few In- dians only served to exasperate them, but destroying their suste- nance struck at their vitals, and compelled them to hunt for support, and thus the settlements were left in repose."
This state of immunity from Indian outrage lasted but two years. In August, 1782, there was a grand council held at Chillicothe (now Oldtown), composed of the Wyandots, Shawanoes, Mingoes, Tawas, Pottowatomies, Delawares, and numerous other tribes. In their
252
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
deliberations they were aided by those two fiends in human shape, Girty and MeKee. The Revolutionary War was virtually over, and these disgraceful traitors and renegades feared the avenging arm of Virginia, and had thus sought, for their own safety, to in- stigate the Indians to murder the settlers of the surrounding country.
In pursuance of their plans, two armies, one of six hundred, the other of three hundred and fifty, prepared to march to their assigned. stations. Toward the last of August, the army of redskins who were destined for Kentucky, marched toward Bryant's Station, placing themselves in ambush. But in their eagerness for blood, they foiled their own scheme by prematurely firing upon a few stragglers around the fort.
The Indians were repulsed by the garrison; and receiving rein- forcements from Lexington, Harrodsburg, and Boonesborough, pursuit was immediately commenced, and at the Lower Blue Licks they first caught sight of the foe. From the signs on the trail, the practiced eye of Boone detected evidences of a large force of In- ยท dians, and these, he concluded, were in ambush on the opposite bank, and he advised a separation of the forces, and extreme cau- tion. But the impetuous McGary, exclaiming, "Let all who are not cowards follow me," spurred his horse into the river, and was fol- lowed by all into the ambush, and the terrible result of his rashness was the slaughter-pen of the Blue Licks.
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.