History of Sandusky County Ohio with Illustrations 1882, Part 11

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Sandusky county, a notice of it seems proper in this work.

WAYNE'S VICTORY ON THE MAUMEE.

Before the defeat of Crawford at Upper Sandusky, in 1782, the United States had acquired, by treaty with certain separate tribes, a portion of the land north of. the Ohio River. After this the Indians were induced by the notorious half-breed Mo- hawk, Brandt, and the white renegade, Simon Girty, to confederate together and insist that the Ohio River should be the boundary line between the lands of the two races. They cunningly insisted that the territory was the common property of all the tribes, and that no single tribe could give title to any portion of it. President Washington, by commissioners appointed at different times, strenuously endeavored to convince them of the wrong they were insisting upon; that the lands ceded to the United States were acquired in good faith, and some of it sold to actual settlers; and that the Government had no right to deprive these settlers of their land or remove the owners from it. He offered to make peace and to protect the Indians' occupancy of all their land not ceded to the Government. But the Indians had already destroyed two armies sent to punish them for their murders of frontier settlers, and they felt strong enough to resist any force that would follow them into the wilderness. To this feeling may be added that love of war, cruelty, and plunder so characteristic of the North American Indian.

While these efforts for peace were being made, President Washington, who so well understood the character of the natives, made preparation for the other alternative in case pacific overtures should fail. The concluding paragraph of the answer of the confederated Indians to the offers of peace and protection will show the reader how determined they were to have the Ohio

HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY.

River for the southern boundary of their lands. The extract is taken from "Annals of the West," by James H. Perkins, published at Cincinnati in the year 1847, and is as follows:

Brothers, we shall be persuaded that you mean to do us justice, if you agree that the Ohio shall remain the boundary line between us. If you will not consent thereto, our meeting will be altogether unnecessary. This is the great point which we hoped would have been explained before you left your homes, as our message last fall was principally directed to obtain that information.

Done in general council at the foot of the Maumee Rapids, the 13th day of August, 1793. NATIONS:

WYANDOTS,

MASSASSAGOES, CHIPPEWAS,

SEVEN NATIONS OF CAN- ADA,

MUNCIES,

POTTAWATOMIES,

MOHICANS,

SENECAS OF THE GLAIZE,

CONNOYS,

SHAWNESE,

DELAWARES,

MIAMIS,

NANTAKOKIES,

OTTAWAS,

CREEKS.

ENGLISH INFLUENCE TO PREVENT PEACE.

It was suspected at the time that the British emissaries, or some indirect influence from that source, was employed to prevent the peace so much desired by the United States. The histories of the time inform us that Brandt said, in speaking about efforts for peace:

That for several years we were engaged in getting a confederacy formed, and the unanimity occasioned by these endeavors among our Western brethren enabled them to defeat two American armies. The war continued without our brothers, the English, giving any assistance, except a little ammunition, and they seeming to desire that a peace might be concluded, we tried to bring it about at a time that the United States desired it very much, so that they sent commissioners from among their first people to endeavor to make peace with the hostile Indians. We assembled for that purpose at the Miami River in the summer of 1793, intending to act as mediators in bringing about an honorable peace, and if that could not be obtained, we resolved to join our Western brethren in trying the fortunes of war. But to our surprise, when upon the point of entering upon a treaty with the commissioners, we found that it was opposed by those acting under the British Government, and hopes of further assistance were given to our Western brethren, to encourage them to insist on the Ohio as the boundary between them and the United States .*

The talented and wily Brandt no doubt knew whereof he spoke, and his testimony puts a grave responsibility upon the British Government for those terrible Indian wars.

President Washington knew the Indian character and his mode of warfare. Early in life he, as a surveyor, had seen the red men in their homes, and knew their domestic habits and propensities from actual observation. He had seen the defeat of Braddock and the destruction of his army at Pittsburgh, then called Fort Duquesne; as commander-in-chief of the American forces in the Revolutionary War he had witnessed their cunning duplicity and cruelty as exhibited under the employment of the British Government in that war, and with his usual discernment and wisdom calculated all chances. Therefore, while he hoped for peace he was busy preparing for war. Accordingly, after St. Clair's defeat on the Wabash, the President allowed that general to withdraw from the service without a court-martial, and appointed Anthony Wayne, who had served so well in the war of the Revolution, to the command of the army to conquer the allied tribes of Indians in the Northwest. He instructed Wayne to organize an army at Pittsburgh, with spe- cial reference to the subjugation of the Indians. In June, 1792, Wayne moved westward to Pittsburgh, and proceeded to organize the army which was to be the ultimate argument of the Americans with the Indian Confederation. Through the summer of 1792 the preparation of the soldiers was steadily attended to. "Train and discipline them for the service they are meant for," said Washington, "and do not spare powder and lead, so the men be made marksmen."

In December, 1792, the forces now re- cruited and trained, were gathered at a point twenty-two miles below Pittsburgh,

*Stone's Life of Brandt.

HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY.

on the Ohio, called Legionville. The army itself having been christened The Legion of the United States, was divided into four sub- legions and provided with legionary and sub- legionary officers. While these wise preparations were going on, the peace propositions above mentioned were offered and urged upon the savages, and resulted in their final reply above given that nothing short of an agreement that the Ohio River should be the boundary of the land to be occupied on the south by the whites and on the north by the Indian tribes. Freeman, who left Fort Washington April 7th, Truman, who left on May 22d for Maumee, and Colonel Hardin, who on the same day started for Sandusky with proposals for peace, were all murdered. The particulars of their deaths will be found in the Western Annals.

The final reply to all these overtures for peace is contained in the last clause of the answer of the tribes, which is quoted above, and closed the attempts of the United States to make peace. Some few further attempts were made to secure the Iroquois to the cause of America, but they ended in nothing; and from the month of August the preparations for a decision by arms of the pending questions between the white and the red men, went forward constantly.

Wayne's Legion moved from Legionville about the last of April, 1793. It was taken down the Ohio River to Cincinnati, where it encamped near Fort Washington, and there it continued until October, engaged merely in drilling and preparation. Legionville was situated on the Ohio River, about twenty-two miles below Pittsburgh; Fort Washington was at Cincinnati; Fort Jefferson was located about six miles south of the town of Greenville, in Darke county.

GENERAL WAYNE EXPLAINS THE SITUATION.

On the 5th of October, 1793, General Wayne wrote from Cincinnati that he could not hope to have, deducting the sick and those left in garrison, more than two thousand six hundred regular troops, three hundred and sixty mounted volunteers, and thirty-six guides and spies to go with him beyond Fort Jefferson. He further said, in the same communication to the Secretary of War:

This is not a pleasant picture, but something must be done immediately to save the frontier from impending savage fury. I will therefore advance tomorrow with the force I have, in order to gain strong position in front of Fort Jefferson, so as to keep the enemy in check (by exciting a jealousy and apprehension for the safety of their own women and children) until some favorable opportunity may present to strike with effect. The present apparent tranquility on the frontiers and at the head of the line is a convincing proof to me that the enemy ate collected or collecting in force to oppose the legion, either on its march or in some unfavorable position for the cavalry to act in. Disappoint them in this favorite plan or maneuver and they may probably be tempted to attack our lines. In this case I trust they will not have much reason to triumph from the encounter. They cannot continue long embodied for want of provisions, and at their breaking up they will most certainly make some desperate effort upon some quarter or other. Should the mounted volunteers advance in force we might yet compel those haughty savages to sue for peace before. the next opening of the leaves. Be that as it may, I pray you not to permit present appearances to cause too much anxiety, either in the mind of the President or yourself, on account of the army.

Knowing the critical situation of our infant Nation, and feeling for the honor and reputation of Government (which I will support with my latest breath) you may rest assured that I will not commit the legion unnecessarily; and unless more powerfully supported than I at present have reason to expect, will content myself by taking a strong position advanced of Jefferson, and by exerting every power, endeavor to protect the frontiers, and to secure the posts and army during the winter, or until I am honored with your further orders.

This manly and patriotic letter, while it indicates the danger of the situation, expresses no fear, for Anthony Wayne never knew what fear was.

HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY.

On the 7th of October the legion left Cincinnati, and on the 13th of the same month, without any accidents, encamped on the strong position referred to in his letter, afterwards called Fort Greenville. The town of Greenville now covers the site of the fort. Here, on the 24th of October, 1793, he was joined by one thousand mounted Kentucky volunteers under General Scott, to whom .he had written pressing requests to hasten 'forward with all the men he could muster. This request Scott had hastened to comply with, and upon the 28th of September, 1793, the Governor, in addition to these volunteer forces, had ordered a draft of militia. The Kentucky troops, however, were soon dismissed until spring, but their march had not been in vain, for they had seen enough of Wayne's army to give them confidence in it and in him, so that the full number of volunteers was easily procured in the spring.

One attack had been made upon the troops previous to the 23d of October, and only one. A body consisting of two commissioned officers and ninety noncommissioned officers and soldiers, convoying twenty wagons of supplies, was assaulted on the 17th of that month, seven miles beyond Fort St. Clair, which was built in 1791-92, about one mile west of Eaton, now the county seat of Preble county. In this attack by the savages Lieutenant Lowry and Ensign Boyd, With thirteen others, were killed. Although so little opposition had thus far been encoun- tered, General Wayne determined to stay where he was during the winter, and having seventy thousand rations on hand in October, with the prospect of one hundred and twenty thousand more, while the Indians were sure to be short of provisions, he proceeded to fortify his position, which he named Fort Greenville, and which was situated on ground now occu-

pied by the town of that name. This being done, on the 23d of December a detachment was sent forward to take possession of the field of St. Clair's defeat, in the now county of Darke. On Christmas day this detachment reached the ground on which St. Clair's army was slaughtered November 4, 1791, or a little more than two years before. "Six hundred skulls," says one present, "were gathered up and buried. When we went to lay down we had to scrape the bones together and carry them out to make our beds." Here Fort Recovery was built, properly garrisoned, and placed in charge of Captain Alexander Gibson. Thus situated, during the early months of 1794 General Wayne was steadily engaged in preparing everything for a sure blow when the time to strike should come. By means of Captain Gibson and his various spies, he kept himself informed of the plans and movements of the savages. All this information showed that the Indians were relying on British assistance, and this reliance animated the doomed race of red men to resist offers of peace, and stealthily prepare to fight.

On the 5th of June, 1794, Captain Gibson captured two Indians of the Pottawatomie tribe, and had them examined, and their examination showed reports to them that the British were then at Roche de Boeuf, on the Maumee River, on their way to war against the Americans; that the number of British troops there was about four hundred, with two pieces of artillery, exclusive of the Detroit militia, and that they had made fortifications around McKee's house and store at that place, in which they had deposited all their stores of ammunition, arms, clothing, and provisions, with which they promised to supply the hostile Indians in abundance. They further reported that there were then collected there not less than two thousand warriors, and were the Pot-

HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY.

tawatomies to join, the whole would amount to upwards of three thousand hostile Indians; that the British troops and militia that will join the Indians to go to war would amount to fifteen hundred according to the promise of Governor Simcoe, of Canada. To the question, "At what time and at what place do the British and Indians mean to advance against this army?" these prisoners an- swered, "About the last of this moon or the beginning of next they intend to attack the legion at this place" (Fort Trumbull). Two Shawnee warriors captured on the 22d of June, substantially corroborated the statements of the Pottawatomies. The conduct of the savages proved these reports of the Indian prisoners not to be fables.

On the 30th of June Fort Recovery, the advanced American post, was assaulted by Little Turtle at the head of more than one thousand warriors, and, although repelled, the assailants rallied and returned to the charge and kept up the attack through the whole day and part of the day following. Nor was this assailing force composed entirely of natives. White men, and some in scarlet coats were there advising and directing the savages.

ST. CLAIR'S CANNON.

When St. Clair was defeated in 1791 (December 4), his guns were left on that field of slaughter. Some time afterwards General Wilkinson dispatched Captain Bunting from Fort Washington to the field of St. Clair's defeat. The captain, in his report, says, among other things: "We found three whole carriages; the other five were so much damaged that they were rendered useless." This indicates clearly that St. Clair had left eight pieces of artillery on the ground. It was winter when Bunting examined the battlefield. He did not believe the Indians had taken off the cannon, and it was his opinion that

they had been thrown into the creek, which was then frozen over and so thickly covered with snow that it was vain to look for them. The next recorded notice is found in General Wayne's dispatch after the assault on Fort Recovery. After asserting that there were British officers and privates engaged with the Indians in the assault, the dispatch continues:

It would also appear that the British and savages expected to find the artillery that was lost on the 4th of November, 1791, and hid by the Indians, in beds of old fallen timber or logs which they turned over and hid the cannon in, and then turned the logs back into their former places. It was in this artful manner that we generally found them deposited. The hostile Indians turned over a great number of logs during the assault, in search of these cannon and other plunder which they had probably hid in this manner after the action of the 4th of November, 1791. I therefore have reason to believe that the British and Indians depended much on this artillery to assist in the reduction of the post; fortunately they served in its defence.

WAYNE MOVES HIS LEGION FORWARD.

On the 26th of July, 1794, Scott, with about one thousand six hundred men from Kentucky, joined Wayne at Greenville, and on the 28th the legion moved forward. On the 8th of August the army was near the junction of the Auglaize and Maumee Rivers, at Grand Glaize, and proceeded at once to build Fort Defiance, where the rivers meet. At the place had been the Indian headquarters, and Wayne expected to surprise them there, but a deserter from his army had informed them of his approach, and they were gone. It had been Wayne's plan to reach the headquarters of the savages undiscovered, and in order to do this he had cut two roads, one towards the foot of the rapids (Roche de Boeuf), the other to the junction of the St. Mary's and St. Joseph Rivers, while he in fact pressed forward between the two, and this stratagem General Wayne believed would have succeeded but for the deserter above referred to, who was in his quartermaster's department, when he

HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY.

left and went to the Indian headquarters. While engaged upon Fort Defiance, the American commander received full and accurate accounts of the Indians and the aid they would receive from the volunteers of Detroit and elsewhere; he learned the nature of the ground and the circumstances favorable and unfavorable; and upon the whole, considering the spirit of his troops, officers and men, regulars and volunteers, he determined to march forward and settle matters at once. But still true to the spirit of compromise and peace so forcibly taught by Washington, on the 13th of August he sent Christopher Miller, who had been naturalized among the Shawnees, then taken prisoner by Wayne's spies, as a special messenger, offering terms of friendship. To aid the reader in forming a correct judgment upon Wayne's subsequent dealing with the savages and to vindicate the United States against any charge of deception or cruelty, it seems necessary to give in full the message sent by Miller on this occasion. It is found in Perkins' Annals of the West, on page 404, and is as follows:

To THE DELAWARES, SHAWNEES, MIAMIS, AND WYANDOTS, AND TO EACH AND EVERY OF THEM, AND TO ALL OTHER NATIONS OF INDIANS NORTHWEST OF THE OHIO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

I, Anthony Wayne, Major General and Commander-in- Chief of the Federal Army, now at Grand Glaize, and Commissioner Plenipotentiary of the United States of America, for settling the terms upon which a permanent and lasting peace shall be made with each and every of the hostile tribes or nations of Indians northwest of the Ohio, and of the United States, actuated by the purest principles of humanity, and urged by pity for the errors into which bad and designing men have led you, from the head of my army now in possession of your abandoned villages and settlements, do hereby once more extend the friendly hand of peace towards you, and invite each and every of the hostile tribes of Indians to appoint deputies to meet me and my army, without delay, between this place and Roche de Boeuf, in order to settle the preliminaries of a lasting peace, which may eventually and soon restore to you the Delawares, Miamis, Shawnees, and all other tribes and

nations lately settled in this place and on the margin of the Miami and the Glaize Rivers - your late grounds and possessions, and to preserve you and your distressed and hapless women and children from danger and famine during the present fall and ensuing winter.

The army of the United States is strong and powerful, but they love mercy and kindness more than war and desolation. And to remove any doubts or apprehension of danger to the persons of the deputies whom you may appoint to meet this army, I hereby pledge my sacred honor for their safety and return, and send Christopher Miller, an adopted Shawnee warrior, whom I took prisoner two days ago, as a flag, who will advance in their front to meet me.

Mr. Miller was taken prisoner by a party of my warriors six moons since, and can testify to you the kindness which I have shown to your people, my prisoners; that is, five warriors and two women, who are now all safe at Greenville.

But should this invitation be disregarded, and my flag, Mr. Miller, be detained or injured, I will immediately order all those prisoners to be put to death without distinction, and some of them are known to belong to the first families of your nations.

Brothers, be no longer deceived or led astray by the false promises and language of the bad white men at the foot of the rapids ; they have neither the power nor inclination to protect you. No longer shut your eyes to your true interest and happiness, nor your ears to this overture of peace; but, in pity to your innocent women and children, come and prevent the further effusion of your blood; let them experience the kindness and friendship of the United States of America, and the invaluable blessings of peace and tranquility. ANTHONY WAYNE.

Grand Glaize, August 13, 1794.

WAYNE'S QUALIFICATIONS TO FIGHT THE INDIANS.

Wayne had seen enough of the Indian character in the Revolutionary War in the Northern colonies and in Georgia, .whither he had been sent to fight Indians almost exclusively, to be a judge of them. Perhaps no man had a better understanding of the war capacity and traits of the North American Indian than he. If the Indians were silent he read unerringly their intent; in their' speech he detected with great accuracy what was true and what was intended to deceive. He had no superior as a character reader of the red men he was contending with. Neither

HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY.

their shams, feints or false pretenses ever mislead him. Braddock at Fort Duquesne, Crawford at Upper Sandusky, Harmar at the Maumee, and St. Clair at the Wabash, all failed for want of those high qualities which gave such great superiority and success to Wayne.

NARRATIVE OF WAYNE'S CAMPAIGN RESUMED.

Let it be remembered that General Wayne dispatched Miller with his peace proposition on the 13th of August, 1794, from Fort Defiance. No doubt intending that if either party must be surprised it should be the Indians and not himself, Wayne moved his troops forward on the 15th, and before he had received any report from Miller. On the 16th he met Miller returning with the message that if the Americans would wait ten days at Grand Glaize they, the Indians, would decide for peace or war. Wayne was not to be deceived into giving the Indians their choice of the time and place when and where to strike. He understood this proffered delay to mean that he should wait until the Indians were more completely prepared for the decisive conflict, and he replied to their wily answer to his message by marching straight on towards them.

On the 18th the legion had advanced forty-one miles from Grand Glaize, and being now at Roche de Boeuf and near the long looked for foe, began to throw up some light works called Fort Deposit, wherein to place the heavy baggage during the expected battle. During the 19th the army still labored on their works.

WAYNE'S REPORT OF THE BATTLE.

On the 20th, at 8 o'clock, all baggage having been left behind, the white forces moved down the north bank of the Maumee; the legion on the right, its flank covered by the river; one brigade of

mounted volunteers on the left, under Brigadier-General Todd, and the other in the rear under Brigadier-General Barbee. A select battalion of mounted volunteers moved in front of the legion, commanded by Major Price, who was directed to keep sufficiently advanced so as to give timely notice for the troops to form in case of action, it being yet undetermined whether the Indians would decide for peace or war. After advancing about five miles Major Price's corps received so severe a fire from the enemy, who were secreted in the woods and grass, as to compel him to retreat. The legion was immediately formed into two lines, principally in a close, thick wood which extended for miles on our left and for a very considerable distance in front; the ground being covered with fallen timber, probably occasioned by a tornado, and which rendered it impracticable for the cavalry to act with effect and afforded the enemy the most favorable covert for their mode of warfare. The savages were formed in three lines within supporting distance of each other, and extending near two miles at right angles with the river.

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History of Sandusky County Ohio with Illustrations 1882, Part 11

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