USA > Ohio > Seneca County > History of Seneca County, Ohio; a narrative account of its historical progress, its people, and its principal interests, Vo. I > Part 24
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The night of the seventh the front camped by the Rainey or Newkirk spring while the rear stopped at a spring above Long Lake. Two men died in the camp of the rear guard. They were buried in one grave and a log heap was burned over them to keep the Indians from finding the grave and scalping the dead. The enemy did not molest them in this camp, which was not broken until noon of the eighth. From here forward discipline was re- laxed and by easy marches they reached Mingo Bottom. on the thirteenth. Leet and his company had just arrived a few others who had outran the main body were also there. On the fourteenth 380 men were discharged. others came straggling home until the total loss of men did not exceed 70. The state of Pennsylvania afterward paid the men and settled their losses. It is much to be regretted that no complete roster of this gallant troop has ever been found.
Captain William Caldwell was in command of the British and Indians. He was wounded shortly after the retreat commenced and Lieutenant John Turney succeeded to the command. Caldwell in his report now on file with the English archives of the war says :
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"Our losses are very inconsiderable. One ranger killed, myself and two wounded; LeVellier, the interpreter killed; four Indians killed and eight wounded. * * The enemy were totally demoral- ized." Survivors of Crawford's army, neighbors of the writer's mother, gave quite a different account of the British-Indian losses. They never admitted that the Americans were whipped by the Indians but it was the presence of British cavalry and the rumor of artillery that induced them to retreat. The fact that about 300 retreated in one body and 90 in another is evidence that they were not totally demoralized. The confusion of the enemy must have been equal to that of the Americans or they would have fallen on the flank and rear and totally destroyed the army. America had
no more accurate marksmen than were in this troop. men accus- tomed to Indian fighting, and who took deliberate aim before pull- ing the trigger. It is not probable, nor believable, that the foe tried for three hours to retake the lost position of Battle Island and only lost four killed and eight wounded. Leet's descendants claimed there were 15 dead Indians left when they were run out of the grove and others dead or wounded were being carried out by their comrades.
The Allisons, intimate friends of Colonel Crawford, claim that Pipe, in a fiery speech just prior to the burning of Crawford, stirred the Indian blood by saying. "The blood of a hundred of our brothers slain in battle calls for vengeance." Many are the tales of how saddles were emptied by the fatal volley fired at the Rangers and Indians near the Olentangy. One thing is true, the Rangers never after came near enough to receive another such volley. We have a right to be proud of the fact that the retreat was skillfully and successfully conducted and the battle against large odds no disgrace to the splendid reputation of the American volunteer.
Why did the expedition fail to accomplish expected results ? Well, some things must be charged to the unavoidable. Our government at that time strained by the cost of the Revolutionary war felt poor to send out an expensive expedition of regular troops who could conquer and hold every foot as they advanced. General Irvine was forced to yield to the demands for protection and was therefore compelled to resort to a cheap expedition the cost of which was first borne by the volunteers and their friends. Con- gress made up at that time of eastern men evidently did not com- prehend the situation in the west, and even General Washington does not seem to have fully apprehended the gigantic effort Eng- land was making to sneak into our national backdoor until the St. Clair defeat of 1791 gave him a shock that opened his eyes. The fatal mistake of the Crawford campaign was to suppose that they could surprise the British Indians. No sooner had Irvine given the order to raise and equip an army than tories acting as British
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spies carried the news to Indian runners, stationed along the bor- der, who hastened with all speed to Detroit and informed De Peyster, who really had as much time to get his men on the field as had Irvine. Every Indian town was speedily alarmed and the haughty warriors painted and plumed themselves and hurried to their rendezvous; and, confident of their numbers, were just as impatient for the conflict as were the whites. The little army was watched from the moment it left Mingo Bottom. to the hour of battle. No sooner was the camp vacated each morning than cun- ning Indian spies .slipped in to hunt for any serap of evidence of the intentions of the volunteers and carried it to headquarters. Crawford, careful to guard against surprise or ambuscade, rushed on to his fate, not knowing that he must fight a combined army of English and Indians. Irvine naturally shielded his own reputa- tion in this matter by saying his orders were not exactly obeyed. yet no great blame can be charged against him. hence we come back to the conclusion, the disaster was unavoidable.
Colonel Crawford vainly searching for his missing relatives, met Dr. Knight and begged him to go with him. They fell in with Captain Biggs and Lieutenant Ashley (the latter wounded) and four others. Before they were aware of it they were isolated from the troops. Recognizing the folly of following in the wake of the army they journeyed north about an hour and then turned due east. Crawford's exhausted horse had to be left and part on foot and part on horseback they kept on until about noon of the seventh. Butterfield says they bore to the southeast and struck the trail of the main army near Leesville and soon after walked into an ambuscade of Delaware Indians. Knight and the others
prepared to fight. Crawford persuaded them to surrender. He had good reason to think they would be turned over to the British as prisoners of war because of the presence of English troops dur- ing the battle. They were taken to the Delaware camp where were nine other prisoners. From this camp they were all taken to a camp near Upper Sandusky. the village of the Half King. From here Crawford was taken to the village where he had an in- terview with Simon Girty, who promised to exert his influence to save his life, with probably no intention of doing it. Crawford was carefully kept out of sight of the Half King and returned to the Delaware camp. A day or two later Pipe and Wigeund, Delaware chiefs of fame. came in. Crawford had seen these men before and they professed great pleasure at meeting him. They may have been glad but it was not the joy of friendship but that of the tiger waiting to consume his prey. Pipe, with his own hand, painted Crawford. Knight and the others black, and started them toward the Wyandotte village but soon the course was changed in the direction of the Delaware village on the Little Tymochtee.
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During the journey four of the prisoners were tomahawked by the warriors. At the village all the prisoners were made to sit on the ground and squaws and boys sunk their tomahawks into the brains of five and tore the scalps from their heads, leaving Crawford and Knight for another occasion. A brutal squaw cut off the head of John McKinley and it was tossed against the prisoners and kicked about on the ground.
It was here Crawford and Knight gave up all hope of life. After an hour of this grewsome entertainment they were com- manded to get up and move on. It was then about 1 o'clock of the 11th of June. In a short time they met Simon Girty and Elliott (and some say McKee). Girty spoke to Crawford, but made no effort to save his life. As they neared the Big Tymochtee every Indian boy and squaw they met struck the captives in the face with their fist or a stick. At last they came to the stream near which was a fire and a stake about 15 feet high set in the ground. On the opposite side was a low knoll with a grove of trees on it. A company of thirty or forty warriors and about sixty squaws and boys were gathered about the fire. Crawford was now
stripped naked and ordered to sit down. 3 His hands were tied behind him and a rope passed between them and tried to the stake allowing length sufficient to walk about twice around the stake and to lie down. Crawford asked Girty if they intended to burn him
and the white savage answered ves.
try to endure it like a man. At this point Chief Pipe made a speech at the conclusion of which the Indians all set up a yell and the warriors grasped their guns and shot Crawford's body full of burnt powder from heels to neck. They crowded around him and when they drew away blood was trickling down his neck and shoulders as if his ears had been cut off. The fire was made about twelve feet from the stake and consisted of hickory poles ten or twelve feet long, so laid on as to burn off in the middle leaving each end a firebrand. Three or four Indians at a time would each take up a pole and press the fiery end against the naked body of their victim, then others with fresh brands. would take their places. No matter which way he turned he was met and poked with the blazing fagots, thus slowly roasting the flesh until in places it fell from the bones and the air was made foul with the stench. After enduring this awful torture without uttering a word or making an outcry the suffering man delirious with pain turned to Girty and begged him to shoot him. At first this inhuman ingrate made no reply, but to the second urgent appeal he answered: "I have no gun," and turning to a red savage he made some sneering remark and laughed as if the painful scene greatly delighted him. Craw- ford was walking on a bed of hot coals and his smoking feet were burned to a crisp. At last he grew faint and fell on his face.
He replied that he would
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Immediately a savage tore the scalp from his head and a hideous old squaw scooped a wooden shovel-full of hot coals and poured them on his head and back. Ile struggled to his feet and for a few moments longer staggered back and forth calling on God to have mercy on his soul and to take care of his family. He then fell to rise no more and pitving angels threw back the portals of death through which the spirit of this noble patriot and unselfish hero passed into the presence of a compassionate judge where he could bathe his released soul in the cooling River of Life. If vengeance can be a satisfaction to wicked hearts, surely British malignity and savage cruelty could rejoice together over a scene like this. Let the curtain drop. Though the thick mist of nearly a century and a quarter hides the awful scene. vet the yell of the savage and the laugh of the white demon still resound in our ears and disturbs our dreams of man's final brotherhood.
Crawford died like a hero. If, as has been said, the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church, then may we not say the blood of our martyred forefathers is the seed of ten thousand happy homes? Yea, more, the grandest free commonwealth on the face of earth. England thought to hold back this beautiful Ohio coun- try as a herding place for tawny Indians, indolent savages. But thank God the power of liberty could not be staid by the hand of monarchy. £ The smoke of our blazing cabins and cherished martyrs cleared away and freedom's hand planted a constitutional government. O. England look, see the mighty tide of immigration rise above the Alleghenies and sweep with resistless flow across the hills and plains of Ohio, and behold the wilderness changed into blooming fields rich with the fruitage of faithful husbandry. In fifty years from the time you bought the scalps of our ancestors of the frontier, one million and a half of people had settled on the banks of the Ohio. But once again look, O ve lords of England ! Today there are four and a quarter millions of people in this one state. Count the church steeples pointing toward the heaven of the God we worship ; count the school houses of country and town with their thousands of well dressed girls and boys; count the vil- lages and cities each a free republic; count the factories sending the smoke of industry high into the clouds; count the railways with their flying palaces; measure the wheat and the oil that are feeding and lighting all parts of the earth. Then fall on your knees, O ye lords of England. and thank the mighty God that you were not permitted in your years of despotism to retain a land like this to make it a habitation of cruel savages.
For years after the close of the Revolutionary war England was jealous of American prosperity; was haughty and insolent. and in certain cases refused to grant us the rights that were ac- corded to other governments by the law of nations. Great Britian
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captured our vessels, searched our ships and impressed our seamen, and denied the right of sailors who were English born. There was no redress left but a resort to arms, and our nation bravely took up the gage of battle. Two years of active war on land and sea brought England to recognize our international rights. The courage and fighting qualities of American soldiers again con- manded the respect and admiration of the world.
It was no ordinary military duty that devolved upon the soldiers of the war of 1812. They were surrounded with the most dire perils, and saw war in its most terrible aspects. They had to fight the British Red Coats and the savage red skins. Their bark was launched on the "Sea of Glory" when the storms were raging over its waters, and many of them fought with blood flowing from their wounds. Under such circumstances not only the highest qualities of the soldiers, but the nerve and energy and the patriotie spirit of the hero were indispensible to success. The American arms were covered with glory that was far-reaching in its influence and cast its patriotic inspiration not only over the battle fields of Mexico, but over those of the Civil war as well. And it seems not only meet and proper, but a patriotic duty that a society should be organized with the special object of caring for the graves of those heroes.
The several wars in which the United States has been engaged have tested American courage and tried American patriotism, and on the part of this country those conflicts were not fomented by passion, were not fostered by military ambition, but were waged for home rule, for constitutional government, for international rights, for the advancement of civilization and for the betterment of the people-objects and aims which are entitled to the highest commendation, and the graves of the soldiers who fought the battles of their country's wars should receive careful, loving care.
To understand the state of apprehension and the results which · followed, let us briefly consider the condition of the country and the menacing attitude of Great Britain which culminated in the war of 1812.
For years previous to this period Great Britain had been im- pressing our seamen and trying to deprive American vessels of the rights of commerce upon the high seas and British ships of war had even been stationed before the principal harbors of the American coast to board and search our merchantmen departing from, or returning to the United States, and a number of our ves- sels had been captured and sent as prizes to British ports. From 1805 to 1811 over 900 American vessels, laden with valuable car- goes, had been captured by British cruisers, and hundreds of American citizens had been impressed into British service.
The contempt in which the British officers held the American
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navy led to an action prior to the war. The frigate "President." commanded by Commodore Rogers, met a vessel one evening off the Virginia coast, which he hailed, but for an answer a shot was fired which struck the mainmast of the "President." The fire was in- stantly returned and was continued until Commodore Rogers ascer- tained his antagonist was disabled, whereupon he desisted. The vessel proved to be the British sloop-of-war "Little Belt." carrying eighteen guns. There was no loss on the American side, but thirty-two were killed and wounded on the British sloop. This was the first lesson.
Early in November, 1811. President Madison convened con- gress and his message to that body indicated apprehensions of hostilities with Great Britain, and congress passed acts increasing the efficiency of both the army and navy.
Although continuing to prepare for war, the administration still cherished the hope that a change of policy on the part of Great Britain would make an appeal to arms unnecessary. But in May, 1812, the "Hornet" brought still more unfavorable news from across the waters, and on the first of June the president sent a message to congress, recounting the wrongs received from Great Britain and submitting the question whether the United States should continue to endure them or resort to war. The message was considered with closed doors and on the eighteenth an act was passed declaring war against Great Britain, and the next day a proclamation was issued by the president to that effect.
For a while the American army met with reverses, defeat being added to defeat and surrender following surrender. General Hull, who was the governor of the territory of Michigan, com- manded our troops at Detroit, then considered the most important point on the lakes. With a flourish of trumpets, he crossed the river on the 12th of July to attack Malden, with Montreal as an ulterior point. But receiving information that Fort Mackinaw had surrendered to the British. and that a large force of red coats and red skins were coming down to overwhelm the American troops, General Hull hastened to leave the Canadian shore, recrossed the river and returned to Detroit.
General Brock. the commandant at Malden, pursued General Hull and placed batteries opposite Detroit. The next day, meet- ing with no opposition. General Brock marched directly forward as if to assault the fort. The American troops, being confident of victory, looked with complacency upon the approach of the enemy and calmly waited orders to fire; but, to their dismay and consternation. Hull ran up a white flag and surrendered. An event so disgraceful has no parallel in history.
Later, General Van Rensselaer, with headquarters at Lewis- town, led his troops across the Niagara river to attack a fort at
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Queenstown which. after a long and hard fought engagement, was forced to surrender. In that action General Brock was killed. While these reverses prolonged the war and emboldened the Indians to commit greater atrocities, the Americans never lost confidence in the final result.
While the army suffered defeat, the navy gained victory after victory, which was particularly gratifying to American pride, for they were won by that class whose rights had been violated; and these victories gained over a nation whose navy was the "mistress of the seas." These naval victories were extended from the ocean to the lakes, where Perry, on the 10th of September, (1813), "as we all remember," won imperishable fame.
The question has been asked whether that war advanced or retarded the settlement of the country. We have read history to little purpose if we have not learned that the progress of civiliza- tion has been enhanced by wars. The fighting instincts of human nature have brought more important results than any other force.
Homer, the earliest of the great poets, began his "Iliad" by invoking the muse to sing of martial exploits, and expressed his faith in war as a means of progress. The spirit then displayed was not materially different from that which the patriots of colonial times manifested, which culminated in the war of the American Revolution. The same impelling tendency was seen in the heroic events of the war of 1812 and in the war with Mexico in 1848, as well as in our recent Civil strife. The records of the "dull, piping times of peace" do not show the advance of civiliza- tion as do the annals of war.
A number of the first and most important roads in our county were cut out and opened by the troops of the war of 1812, as they marched through or encamped within our borders, and grounds were cleared for drill purposes upon which the settlers, the next season, raised crops. The highways opened by the army were the avenues along which emigrant wagons came when the war was ended. Then, too. the soldiers upon their return to the east, after their discharge from service, told such enticing tales of the rich- ness of the soil in Seneca county and the beauty of the forests, that quite a tide of emigration set in, and many of the soldiers came also and made their homes here.
There were soldiers in General William Henry Harrison's army at the battle of the River Raisin, January 22, 1813, from what is now Seneca county, although the county was not organized until some years later. And some of those soldiers fell in that massacre and their bones lie in the cemetery near Monroe, Michi- gan, which was long termed the "lost grave yard of the River Raisin." This burial ground is in Monroe county, about twenty- two miles southwest of Detroit. Here on January 14, 1813, dur-
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ing the second war between the United States and Great Britain, an American force of about 650, under Colonel Lewis, defeated a force of about one hundred British, under Mayor Reynolds, and of about four hundred Indians. under Round-Head and Walk-in- the-Water. The American loss was twelve killed and fifty-five wounded, and the British and Indian loss. though not definitely known, probably considerably larger. On the 20th, Colonel Lewis was joined by General Winchester, with about two hundred and fifty men, and on the 22nd the combined force was defeated by a force of about five hundred British under Colonel Proctor, and about six hundred Indians under Round-Head and Walk-in-the- Water.
In accordance with the orders of Colonel Winchester, who had been captured by the Indians, Major Madison surrendered his troops as prisoners of war, on condition that protection be afforded by Proctor against the Indians. The prisoners who were able to march were taken by Proctor to Malden, Canada, and the wounded were left in the charge of an insufficient guard commanded by Major Reynolds at Frenchtown. On the twenty-third the wounded were massacred by the Indians. in what is known as the "Massacre of the River Raisin." Of the total American force three hundred and ninety-seven were killed or were missing, five hundred and thirty-seven were captured and only thirty-three escaped. The British lost about twenty-four killed and one hundred and fifty- eight wounded; while the Indian loss. though doubtless very large. was never accurately determined. Throughout the rest of the war "Remember the River Raisin" was used as a battle cry by the frontiersmen.
The following Associated Press dispatch recently appeared in the Tiffin Tribune, which shows that the "lost grave yard of the River Raisin" has probably been found : "What is believed to be the famous lost cemetery of the War of 1812 has been dis- covered along the north bank of River Raisin, just east of Monroe, by contractors engaged in excavating. As the work of excava- tion progresses, piles of human bones are uncovered, evidently bodies that had been buried in one large grave. Then will come a skeleton of some white man while. a few feet away, remains of an Indian will be uncovered.
"A body, evidently that of a soldier. was the last uncovered. The skull had been eleft as if a tomahawk had pierced the brain. A large brass letter "C" was with the bones, indicating that the wearer was a member of "C" company. A short distance away the skeleton of an Indian squaw was uncovered.
"This locality in the War of 1812 was the scene of the battle and massacre of the River Raisin, where 4.000 American troops, mostly Kentuckians, were surprised by English and Indians. The
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bodies were left where they had fallen, and were buried later by settlers. The interment of the bones was forgotten, and those who buried them passed away, so that none of the present genera- tion knew the location of the old cemetery."
In July, 1813, a detachment of men under the command of General William Henry Harrison erected a stockade upon the west bank of the Sandusky river. within the present limits of Pleasant township, to which was given the name of Fort Seneca.
It was situated upon a bank, about forty feet above the bed of the river, close to General Beall's trail, locally known as the old army road, and contained within the enclosure about an acre and a half of ground. It was built nearly in the form of a square, sur- rounded by pickets made of oak timber, a foot in thickness and twelve feet high. Between this site and the river there were several springs of water, and the pickets were extended around one of these for a water supply for the camp.
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