USA > Ohio > History of Ohio; the rise and progress of an American state, Volume Two > Part 22
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n time he was transferred to the Shawnees upon the Scioto, where he remained six years longer. In 1773 he deserted the Indian life and at Fort Pitt declared is allegiance to the whites, subsequently serving in he Continental army in the Revolution. No one was nore familiar than he with the country at the head- vaters of the Sandusky River and the Miamis.
On the morning of the 3d of June, "the army emerged rom the dark woods, which had so long enshrouded hem, into the sunlight of the open country." The Sandusky Plains lay before them, the Olentangy being o the south. On the 4th, the mouth of the Little Sandusky was reached, from which three trails led ff: one southwest through the plains to Owl Creek, .ow Vernon River, leading thence down the Walhond- ng; one up the east side of the Little Sandusky, to he portage; the third southwest to the Shawnee towns n the Mad and Miami rivers. The invading army ow moved with greatest caution up the river to the Vyandot town, Sandusky, or Upper Sandusky Old `own; the location was three miles in a southeasterly irection, from the site of the present town of Upper andusky. To their consternation the village was eserted and "all was solitude."
The movements of the converging armies, at this oint of our narrative, are somewhat obscure, owing to ne imperfect and contradictory accounts of various uthorities. Indeed many of the oft-quoted partic- lars rest mainly on tradition.
Upon the morning of the 4th, while Crawford was reparing to move northward from his camp, distant pout twenty miles from Pipe's Town, the Delaware
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war chief set out from his village with about two hun- dred of his braves. He soon reached the place ap- pointed for the assemblage of the allied forces-a spot nearly two miles southwest of the town of the Half- King (Dunquat). Here Captain Pipe found the Wyandot warriors under their chief, Zhausshotoh. The combined Indian force now outnumbered the approaching Americans. But two hundred Shawnee warriors were also on their way from their towns to the west. It was on the morning of the 4th, also, that the Detroit Rangers and "Lake Indians" left Lower Sandusky for the scene of action, having with them Mathew Elliott, "in the full uniform of a British Captain," who, when the place of rendezvous was reached, assumed command of the Indians, "a position he was eminently qualified to fill."
A brief hour terminated the halt of Crawford's army at the deserted Wyandot town. He crossed the Sandusky and marched to the present site of Upper Sandusky. The men at this point began to lose courage as they feared an ambuscade by Indians in overwhelming numbers. A council of war was held, followed by a cautious advance some two miles north- east, toward a "beautiful island, or grove, which seemed to beckon them from the fierce heat of the sun." Here they halted and dismounted for a short rest. While moving leisurely on from the grove, that for a hal: hour had sheltered them, they suddenly came in ful view of the foe, running directly toward them.
The Indians had chosen a favorable point for the assembling of their forces; "it was not far distant from two traces-the one leading northeast to the Half
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King's town; the other, northwest to Pipe's town." The Delaware warriors under Captain Pipe, who was accompanied by Chief Wingenund and Simon Girty, vere rapidly hastening to secure the grove before it could be reached by Crawford's force. Crawford mmediately drew his men in lines to meet the enemy. The Indians were first at the grove, taking full posses- ion, but the brisk and brave attack by Crawford's nen drove the dusky warriors into the open prairie beyond, thus giving the Americans the grove-ever fter known as Battle Island, three miles north and a alf mile east of the present Upper Sandusky and about wo miles southwesterly of the Upper Sandusky Old Town of 1782. It was the afternoon of June 4th, when his contest, designated as the Battleof Sandusky, began.
Girty, dressed as an Indian, "the very incarnation f fierceness and cruelty," was conspicuous in his xcitement and endeavors. Among the Americans, lose, "cool and collected," riding the best horse in he army, "galloped up and down the lines carrying he orders of his commander, his gallantry and martial earing attracting general attention."
The Indians were sheltered by the tall grass which rew so high and rank on the plains. The Americans ere protected by the grove-on Battle Island-they ad so bravely secured. The battle raged with varying dvantage to each side until finally dusk began to eil the field of war, when the Indians drew farther ito the grass-covered plains. The foe had five killed nd eleven wounded, among the latter Captain Cald- ell, who was compelled to leave the field at the eginning of the action.
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The second day dawned upon the combatants ready for renewed and decisive efforts. The enemy were re- enforced by one hundred and forty Shawnees, who had just arrived from their Miami quarters, and more Canadian troops, with whom were captains Alexander McKee, and James Girty. Thus three of the Girty brothers aided the foe that met Crawford; tradition has it that George Girty "behaved well on the battle field," while Simon Girty rode upon a white horse- appropriately says Butterfield-"death on a pale horse. "
The positions of the opposing contestants were un- changed, the Indians on the plains, the Americans in the grove, into the trees of which the soldiers would climb and "from their bushy tops take deadly aim at the heads of the enemy as they rose above the grass." The battle of the second day, the 5th, was a waiting game, Crawford deciding to make no offensive attack until after nightfall and Caldwell holding his Rangers and savage allies in check for a favorable moment. The unexpected presence of Butler's Rangers, and the arrival of the reserve Shawnees, led Crawford, after a council of war, to the conclusion that in an offensive action he certainly would be overpowered by superior numbers and that there was no other safe alternative, but to await the darkness of night and then attempt a stealthy retirement in the direction whence they had come. "Prudence, therefore, dictated a retreat," wrote Rose to Irvine at Fort Pitt. Orders were given and preparations at once begun, "for a retrograde movement," to commence at nine o'clock. The whole body was to form in four lines, keeping the nineteen
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wounded in the center. The killed-five-were buried and by sundown all arrangements were completed. The narrative of Anthony Dunlevy, John Rose and others-simple but graphic statements of eye-witnesses of the event-tell the sad and tragic sequel of that retreat.
It was no sooner dark than the columns were formed, as silently as possible, the fires being left burning so as to deceive the Indians, and the whole army set in motion with Crawford at their head. The Indians in the front lines of their encampments at once compre- hended the intention of the Americans and opened a 'hot fire." The line of retreat lay toward the south- west-"directly between the two camps of the sav- ages." There was no other way. Confusion followed, and Major McClelland, who led the first division, was soon engaged with the Shawnees and Delawares. Some in the front ranks hurried off, crowded by many pushing forward from the rear. The brave Major fell from his horse, desperately wounded. He fell into the hands of the enemy and "frightful tortures were doled out to him afterward." The panic became general, and the slaughter of the Americans would have been terrible had it not been that the Indians in their un- certainty, feared the retreat was a feint-"a ruse or maneuver of some kind, not a flight,"-and the body of the Americans got away before the real situation was understood by the red warriors and their Canadian allies.
The flight of the Americans became a disorderly out, the three columns plunging into the plains and with great disorder hastening on till break of day.
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when they came to the site of the deserted village of the Wyandots-Upper Sandusky Old Town-when a halt was called and the distracted men, exhausted and hungered, endeavored to regain order, attend the sick and wounded and learn the extent of their loss. McClelland's division, after the loss of their commader, more demoralized than the other divisions, had taken a more direct route and had already arrived, "ir- regularly and in much confusion, at the Old Town." Detached and belated parties continued to arrive at the deserted village, until the re-assembling force numbered upwards of three hundred. Besides the dead and wounded left behind, and the stragglers that had not yet caught up, there were many missing- both of men and officers-among the latter Crawford himself, and the command of the distracted army now fell upon Colonel Williamson.
The retreating army, it must not be supposed, had been permitted to pursue its way unmolested or free from danger and disaster. Soon after entering the open country east of the Little Sandusky, a large body of the enemy consisting of mounted Indians and British light cavalry, was discovered rapidly overtaking the rear columns of the Americans. In a few hours they were not only upon the retreating troops but flanking them both right and left. It was in the early afternoon of the 6th, when the Americans were brought to a standstill by the pursuers, not far from a small branch of the Olentangy Creek-then called the Whetstone- the Indian for which was Keenhongsheconsepung. It was a tributary of the Scioto. Here the Americans made their stand, fronting to the west to meet the
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¿emy, whose superiority of numbers was painfully ident. Colonel Williamson encouraged his weary ren to the utmost, and Rose, "whose cheerfulness, savity and coolness, were only equalled by his wonder- f. skill and intrepidity," exhorted and enthused the ren to heroic deeds.
The contest lasted but an hour, during which the eemy, "daring and furious," attacked in front and o the flanks, gave way on all sides. It was called t: Battle of Olentangy-in which, reported Rose, "re had three killed and eight wounded." The pur- sng enemy tarried no longer but beaten off and wakened by losses, never ascertained, slowly returned to the Sandusky Plains. "It was a welcome adieu; nt a single savage or British Ranger was afterward son by the army," of the Americans, who thereafter continued their homeward march without further ahoyance, reaching Mingo Bottom and crossing the Cio on June 13th. They were discharged on the I.h, the expedition having occupied less than a month al the entire loss having numbered about seventy, jed, captured, missing and those who died of wounds. [1vas an unexpected "miscarriage," and on the 16th of The, General Irvine forwarded to General Washington h report, he had just received from Colonel William- 1c and aide-de-camp Rose, of the disastrous outcome ofthe Sandusky expedition and Washington replied rn Newburgh, "I cannot but regret the misfortune, ar more especially for the loss of Colonel Crawford, fo whom I had a very great regard."
CHAPTER XVII. THE BURNING OF WILLIAM CRAWFORD
A T the halt of the retreating army, on June 6th, Colonel Crawford, his son John Craw- ford, his son-in-law William Harrison, William Crawford, his nephew, Dr. Knight, the sur- eon, and John Slover, the pilot, were counted among he missing. The fate of those men is the tragic nale to the failure of the expedition.
The confusion incident to the commencement of he retreat of the Americans from their Battle Island amp under the veil of night, June 5th, was the cause f .the separation of Crawford from his command. ust as the army began its excited exit from the grove he commander missed his son, son-in-law and nephew, hose welfare was naturally uppermost in his mind. )r. Knight was at his side and joined with the colonel 1 calling aloud for the missing men, as the retreating olumns straggled by. There was no response. The onfusion as the lines emerged from the forest, became orse confounded, the firing of the approaching Indians, riving the American soldiers forward, added to the anger, while the onrush of the savages cut off the ›lonel and his companion from the fleeing army. 1 the recital of Crawford's capture we follow closely le narrative of Dr. Knight, than whom there is no etter authority, as originally printed in Pittsburg, September, 1782. The colonel and the doctor were mpelled to flee for their lives in a northerly direction, vay from the conflict and along paths most likely give them security; they were later joined by other gitive soldiers.
On the afternoon following the night of their flight, ey came upon the route which had been taken by
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the retreating army and they were not far dista when the Battle of Olentangy was being wage. Avoiding the Indian and British forces, the colorl and his companion continued their stealthy fligt until past midday of the 7th, when, picking their w/ cautiously along the banks of the Sandusky, near te present Leesville, "several Indians suddenly starti up within fifteen or twenty steps of the colonel ad me." The escaping party had fallen into an ambi- cade of the Delaware Indians, from Chief Wingenunes camp, which was only half a mile away, to which Cra - ford and Knight were speedily taken, and to whih within a few hours nine other prisoners were brougl, the captors in addition boastfully waving the sca s of two American captains. The news was quicly conveyed to the nearby villages that the "Big Captai" of the Americans had been taken. His doom vis foreordained, for at the news of Crawford's intencd expedition the chiefs of the Indian allies had decred that all prisoners taken were to be tortured and kild either by the fagot or the tomahawk.
Nothing less than burning at the stake would sufice to appease the vengeance of the Delawares in the cse of Crawford. But, according to Butterfield, tis method of death had become "an obsolete custom with the Wyandots," though still practiced by he Delawares and other tribes. The Delawares, Criv- ford's captors, therefore, did not dare to inflict ti form of death penalty within the territory of he Wyandots without the consent of the Half-Kig, Pomoacan, in whose Sandusky country the Delawaes were "tenants at will." This consent Captain Fpe
COLONEL WILLIAM CRAWFORD
The unfortunate hero of Crawford's expedition. He was the personal friend of, and land agent for Washington. This picture represents him at the age of thirty-five. It is from a likeness in the possession of his descendants.
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the retreatHo WAH MATufw HaMotonot far dis when the Battle of SH . bring wa
until past midday of the 7th, when, picking their cautiously along the banks of the Sandusky, near present Leesville, "several Indians suddenly sta up within fifteen or twenty steps of the colonel me." The escaping party had fallen into an om cade of the Delaware Indians, from Chief Wingen camp, which was only half a mile away, to which C ford and Knight were speedily taken, and 10 within a few hours nine other prisoners were brou the captors in addition boastfully waving the a of two American captains. The news was qu conveyed to the nearby villages that the "Big Cap of the Americans had been taken. His doom forcordained, for at the news of Crawford's inte expedition the chiefs of the Indian allies had de that ill promeni taken wie to be tortured and either by the Tapnt . 15/ tomahawk.
Nothing har isas barnag at the stake would to appesce the vengehace of the Delawares in th ef Crawford. Bor, according to Butterfield myhead of death had become "an obsolete o with the Wyandou," though still practiced b Delaware and other tribes. The Delawares, ford's canlun themore, did not dare to infli form of death penalty within the territory Wyandots withan the consent of the Hal' Pomoacan, in home Sandusky country The De were "tenant« at will." This consent Capmal
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nd Chief Wingenund obtained through a messenger nt to the Sandusky quarters of Pomoacan, though is alleged the permission was obtained through a ibterfuge on the part of the Delaware chiefs, they king merely that the Wyandot Half-King permit em to "accomplish a project in view," which they dently wished to carry out-not specifying the :ecution intended. Yet it would seem that Pomoacan ould have readily acceded to the request of the elawares, if the purpose of the request had been lly known, as only a few months before, two of the ns of the Wyandot Half-King had been killed on e banks of the Ohio, by the noted Indian pursuers, e Poe Brothers, Adam and Andrew, whose adventures ve furnished material for many a thrilling story of ntier life.
On Monday, the 10th, Crawford and Knight, with nine other prisoners, under guard of seventeen lawares, were "paraded" to march to Sandusky, ne thirty miles distant. On arriving at the Half- ng's town, Crawford's hopes of possible delivery re aroused by meeting Simon Girty, whom he had en met before, and to whom he "made earnest Deal for his safety," even offering the renegade a tousand dollars ransom. Girty "promised, with no i ention of keeping his word," at the same time in- ming Crawford that his nephew William Crawford 1 son-in-law William Harrison had been taken the Shawnees "but pardoned at their towns." Lis latter statement was not true. They had been dosed of in some way, probably tomahawked; hat became of them is entirely unknown-tradition,
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even, is silent concerning them." John Crawfol, only son of the Colonel, likewise disappeared, his file remaining unrecorded; it being generally supposd that he was tortured to death in the wilderness.
Crawford and Knight well knew their fate vis and sealed, for Captain Pipe, Wingenund being a witness h and reluctant to take part, for he had often been e- aty friended by both Crawford and Knight, painted te faces of the prisoners black, the first ordeal in me i d preparation of those condemned for the stake. Guared & ar by the two Delaware chiefs, and an escort of thir emer tribesmen, the blackened captives were led seveal po miles from the Half-King's village to the banks of he du Little Tymochtee Creek. Here five of the prison's, ner, thus far accompanying the colonel and the doctor, wre cons tomahawked by a party of squaws and boys, one Ide hig squaw cutting off the head of John Mckinley ade nea "kicking it about on the ground." The reeking scaoss, of the slain were dashed in the faces of Crawford ad an n Knight. The party then moved on, perhaps a rilento farther, to the spot selected for the execution, on ne ow east bank of the Tymochtee, about three-quarter of They a mile from the Delaware village, in Crawford towns. P,m fee Wyandot county, the spot now marked by a simpleed his monument in an open lot, a short distance northescreen of the town of Crawfordsville; at which spot each ya o si the county pioneer association, in the midst of lag retur gatherings of people, commemorates with fitting x-and ercises the never-to-be-forgotten event.
It was about 4 o'clock in the afternoon of Tuescy, June II, 1782, that the frightful torture and oriel were inaugurated, "exceeding in fiendish, feroci 1
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evilish cruelty and barbarity, anything recorded in avage annals." Simon Girty, Captain Pipe, Chief Vingenund and probably Mathew Elliott were present. post, about fifteen feet high, was firmly set in the round; fagots, sticks and stubble, gathered nearby, rere heaped in a pile for the fire, some eighteen or wenty feet from the stake to which Crawford was led. The colonel was stripped naked and ordered sit down by the fire and "then they beat him with lubs and their fists." Albach is responsible for the atement that after "Crawford was bound to the ital post, the surrounding Christian Indians were alled upon to come forth and take vengeance on the risoner, but they had withdrawn and their savage lations stepped forward in their stead." It is, how- ver, highly improbable that any Christian Indians ere near enough to the scene to be invited as partic- ants. We let Dr. Knight, who, guarded by an idian named Tutelu, was obliged to sit upon a log id witness the horrible spectacle, describe the scene his own rugged words:
"They then tied a rope to the foot of a post about teen feet high, bound the Col's [Colonel's] hands hind his back and fastened the rope to the ligature :tween his wrists. The rope was long enough for m to sit down or walk round the post once or twice id return the same way. The Col. then called to irty and asked if they intended to burn him ?- Girty swered, yes. The Col. said he would take it all tiently. Upon this Captain Pipe, a Delaware chief, ade a speech to the Indians, viz: about thirty or rty men, sixty or seventy squaws and boys.
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"When the speech was finished they all yelled hideous and hearty assent to what had been said The Indian men then took up their guns and shot pow der into the Colonel's body, from his feet as far up as hi neck. I think not less than seventy loads were dis charged upon his naked body. They then crowde about him, and to the best of my observation, cut o: his ears; when the throng had dispersed a little, I say the blood running from both sides of his head in cor sequence thereof.
"The fire was about six or seven yards from the pos to which the Colonel was tied; it was made of sma hickory poles, burnt quite through in the middle each end of the poles remaining about six feet in length Three or four Indians by turns would take up, ir dividually, one of these burning pieces of wood an apply it to his naked body, already burnt black with th powder. These tormentors presented themselves c. every side of him with the burning fagots and pole Some of the squaws took broad boards, upon whic they would carry a quantity of burning coals and h embers and throw on him, so that in a short time he ha nothing but coals of fire and hot ashes to walk upon.
"In the midst of these extreme tortures, he called Simon Girty, and begged of him to shoot him; bı Girty making no answer, he called to him again. Gir then, by way of derision, told the Colonel he had 1 gun, at the same time turning about to an Indian wb was behind him, laughed heartily, and by all his ge- tures seemed delighted at the horrid scene."
For three hours Colonel Crawford endured the mo: excruciating agonies with sublime patience, who
BURNING OF CRAWFORD
Imaginary picture, from an old print, of the burning of Crawford. The figure of Simon Girty is shown in the fore- ground on the left. Dr. Knight is sitting upon the log in the foreground on the right.
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When thisorwash Hos frisbad they all yeb hidro mindst beality ble sendt Audio Abighad been der To the Coronel from his feet as far up High auf no bruoggiof orff neck. I think not less than seventy loads were charged upon his naked body. They then cro about him, and to the best of my observation, his ears; when the throng had dispersed a little, the blood running from both sides of his head in sequence thereof.
"The fire was about six or seven yards from the to which the Colonel was tied; it was made of hickory poles, burnt quite through in the 1 each end of the poles remaining about six feet in Ii Three or four Indians by turns would take u dividually, one of these burning pieces of wodi apply it to his naked body, already burnt black wi powder These tormentors presented themselv every nde of him with the burning fagots and Some of the quees sook broad boards, upou they would carry a quantity of burning coals ebers and throw on him, so that in a short time. Enthing ba. cuth of fire and hot ashes to walk on "lo tie pihls of these extreme tortures, he ril Simon Ging, And Merged of him to shoot he Girry making no . wer, he called to him again then, by way of der lon, told the Colonel be gun, at the same th fuming about to an Indi was behind hitt Laughed heartily, and by ait turcs seemed deligved at the horrid scene."
For three hours Colonel Crawford endured excruciating agoniet with sublime patience.
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faint and almost exhausted, with the faith and fortitude of a religious martyr of the olden days, he commended his soul to God, and fell upon his face, prone upon the bed of burning coals. One of the savages, who were dancing about the victim like incarnate fiends,- Zeisberger in his Diary says it was a Moravian Indian -then scalped him and repeatedly swung the scalp nto the face of Knight, saying, "he is your great Captain." An old withered squaw then seized a board with which she poured scorching coals and ashes pon his back and head. In one final effort, he raised imself upon his feet but strength failed him and he ank into the welcome arms of death. The scene eggars description and the hand palsies in repeating he recital of Knight. Judge James Anderson closes is address, delivered on the scene of the event, a few ears ago, with this just tribute: "If Socrates died ke a philosopher, and Jesus Christ like a God, then erily the manly, calm, courageous soul, whose sufferings ere a thousand fold greater, died like a hero, and atriot and martyr. His name shall live in the great merican heart, and in the pantheon of history, hile true patriotism is cherished, and the memory the father of our country revered."
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