USA > Ohio > Wayne County > History of Wayne County, Ohio, Volume I > Part 5
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"From this point the army moved westward along the north side of what is known as Odell's lake, passing between two small lakes, where they found the heads of two large fish, freshly caught, lying on the ground, which awakened suspicion that Indians were near. Thence they passed the spot
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where afterward was founded the village of Greentown, in Ashland county, as now known. From this point they struck across to the Rocky Fork of the Mohican, up which stream they traveled until a spring was reached, near where the city of Mansfield now stands, in Richland county; thence a little north of west, to a fine spring five miles farther up in what is known as Spring Mills, on the line of the present Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago railroad, eight miles east of the town of Crestline, in Crawford county. The army halted and pitched camp there for the night.
"It forcibly pressed forward into what is now Crawford county, to a point on the Sandusky river a short distance west of Crestline, where a brief halt was made and enjoyed. Although on the enemy's threshold, being then but twenty-five miles from the contemplated point, there was not visible the face of a solitary red devil. Their march was vigorously conducted, leaving Bucyrus about three miles to the north, when a rest was made near the present village of Wyandot. After extraordinary caution and the most cir- cumspect care, on the morning of the 4th of June the expedition-then but ten miles from its destination-opened march. This was executed with considerable celerity, and the Wyandot town was soon in possession of Crawford and his men. But the artful and wary Copper Cheeks were not there! The cunning of the wily savages was demonstrated and the surprise strategy forestalled and outwitted !
"The abandoned Indian village was occupied but a few brief hours by the somewhat disappointed but indomitable commandant and his troops. He resolved upon pursuit, which was commenced. But before much progress in this respect had been made, and for prudential and grave reasons, he checked his advance and convened his subordinates for purposes of con- sultation. The substance of their deliberations was to not much longer continue in the pursuit, as the absence of the Indian force on the plain lands induced the sober conjecture that they were concentrating their hordes for bloody and stubborn opposition. For such is the antithesis of the Indian character, such its fecundity of plot and design, such its fertility in original conception, that to circumvent it is no easy task-and with this vast central fact was Crawford familiar. As a consequence a body of light horse was utilized as scouts. Their reconnoiterings soon developed the locality and position of the tawny warriors, of which fact Crawford was immediately ap- prized. The advance of the savages was slow but determined. Crawford prepared for battle and ordered a forward movement. Sharp volleys from his ranks soon caused them to withdraw from a grove which they had selected, a most favorable position. Captain Pipe. or The Pipe, commanded
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the Delawares, the van of the assailants, and with him were Girty and Win- genund. Soon the Delawares were reinforced by the Wyandots, the whole force being under the command of the infamous Elliott, a white demon, who ordered a flank movement, which for a while tasted mightily like dis- aster to the brave boys who mustered on Mingo Bottom. But the American position, in spite of the craft of the enemy, was valorously maintained. From four o'clock, when the gauntlet of the battle was accepted, until the shadows of the night were descending the conflict was carried on, and very frequently with ambiguous success to our arms. However, as night approached, the firing perceptibly diminished and by daybreak it had substantially subsided.
"The victory was clearly with the Americans, and although Crawford was left in full possession of the battlefield, yet the Indians were far from being dispirited. They well knew that reinforcements were hastening to their relief-that these would certainly reach them on the morrow.
"The next day, June 5th, irregular and random interchanges of mus- ketry were indulged in without serious 'hurt or inconvenience' to either side. Meanwhile plans had been consummated for a desperate and decisive assault.
"'Alas! how hope is born to expire.'
"This project was dashed in its inception, crushed in embryo. Mounted Assyrians from a British camp made their appearance in the interests of the barbaric wretches whom they were inciting to cruelty and revenge. Here was an element of resistance on which Crawford had not calculated, and which had not excited the remotest suspicion. That night a council of war resolved that prudence dictated retreat, and when orders were issued to that effect, the same took place at 9 P. M. Suspecting a retreat and general back- ward movement, the Indians began a sharp fire, which produced some tem- porary confusion and consternation, but which was unaccompanied with any stirring results. This was but a slight impediment to the retreat, as it was soon undertaken, with Crawford in the front. The Delawares and Shawnees interposed prompt and stout resistance. Flank and rear of the army were sorely harassed. A portion of it had become considerably demoralized. For the first time it was now discovered that Colonel Crawford was missing. as was also Doctor Knight, the surgeon of the command.
"David Williamson, on whom devolved the control of the force, dis- played great activity and zeal in restoring order and dispelling confusion. Nor was the jewel of good luck to be awarded him either, for, on the 6th of the month, he was 'brought up standing' by his persistent pursuers. Yet he delivered heroic battle, and although attacked on the front, left flank and
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rear, his assailants soon inclined to withdraw. As the retreat continued, at intervals the enemy would pour a destructive fire into our ranks, but through the chivalrous efforts of Williamson and Lieutenant Rose any rout or stam- pede was avoided.
"After the final shots were exchanged the boys who had escaped the torment and the tormentors were permitted to return to the Ohio as best they could through the wilderness, without any serious molestation or fear."
Of this ill-turned military campaign it is useless to write further, than to describe as best we can from the writings of others the harrowing catas- trophe which befell the bold and gallant leader, Crawford.
THE BURNING OF COLONEL CRAWFORD.
Col. William Crawford's capture and cruel death by burning paints one of the darkest pictures in the great Indian warfare of this country. His capture resulted from the confusion incident to the retreat and the solicitude he had for his son John, his son-in-law and nephew, from whom he had become separated. He was ambuscaded by a gang of Delawares about twen- ty-eight miles east of the battlefield, and borne to an Indian camp where, be- sides the Colonel and Dr. Knight, were nine other prisoners. On the 10th of June the prisoners were marched to Sandusky, over thirty miles distant, accompanied by seventeen Delawares, who carried the scalps of four white men. The next day, The Pipe and Wingenund visited them, The Pipe paint- ing the faces of all the prisoners black. They were then marched to Wyan- dot, a distance of eight miles, and thence to Tymochtee creek, where it was distressingly evident that their doom was sealed. Here an Indian took pos- session of Knight, who was to escort him to the Shawnees' towns, distant, as the Indian said, forty miles. The Doctor became somewhat sociable with his red companion, and, as it was the 12th of June, the mosquitoes were rather bothersome, so they concluded to build a fire to banish the little tor- mentors. The Doctor, in poking up the fire, managed to secure a good dog- wood club and, vigilant of an opportunity, delivered a staggering blow upon the head of his custodian, precipitating him to the ground. Recovering from the blow, the Indian sprang to his feet and scampered away, yelling in true Indian fashion. This was Knight's moment of escape, and gloriously did he embrace it. Narrow indeed was his escape from the fagot and the tor- mentor's flame! Doctor Knight, after passing through Wayne county, reached Fort Pitt July 4th, just twenty-one days after his escape.
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But no such story is to be recorded concerning poor Colonel Crawford. Butterfield describes the inhuman burning of Crawford in these graphic words :
"Crawford was stripped naked and ordered to sit down. The Indians now beat him with sticks and their fists. The fatal stake-a post about fifteen feet high-had been set firmly in the ground. Crawford's hands were bound behind his back, and a rope fastened, one end to the foot of the post and the other to the ligature between his wrists. The rope was long enough for him to sit down or walk around the post once or twice, and return the same way. Crawford then called to Girty and asked if they intended to burn him. Girty answered 'Yes.' He then replied he would take it all patiently. Upon this Captain Pipe made a speech to the Indians; who, at its conclusion, yelled a hideous and hearty assent to what had been said.
"The spot where Crawford was now to be immolated to satisfy the re- vengeful thirst of the Delawares for the blood of the borderers, was in what is now Crawford township, Wyandot county-a short distance northeast from the present town of Crawfordsville.
"About four o'clock in the afternoon, on Tuesday, June II, 1782, the awful torture began. The Indian men took up their guns and shot powder into Crawford's naked body, from his feet as far up as his neck. It was the opinion of Knight that not less than seventy loads were discharged upon him! They then crowded about him and, to the best of Knight's observation, cut off both of his ears, for when the throng dispersed, he saw blood run- ning from both sides of his head.
"The fire was about seven yards from the post to which Crawford was tied. It was made of small hickory poles, burnt quite through in the middle, each end of the pole remaining about six feet in length. Three or four Indians, by turns, would take up, individually, one of these burning pieces of wood and apply it to his naked body, already burnt black with powder.
"These tormentors presented themselves on every side of him, so that whichever way he ran around the post. they met him with the burning fagots. Some of the squaws took broad boards, upon which they carried a quantity of burning coals and hot embers, and threw the same on him, so that in a short time he had nothing but coals of fire and hot ashes to walk on.
"In the midst of these extreme tortures, Crawford called to Girty and begged of him to shoot him. Girty, by way of derision, told him he had no gun. Crawford, at this period of his suffering, besought Almighty God to
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have mercy on his soul, spoke very low, and bore his torments with the most manly fortitude. He continued in all the extremities of pain for an hour and three-quarters or two hours longer, as near as Knight could judge, when at last, being almost spent, he lay down upon his stomach.
"The savages then scalped him, and repeatedly threw the scalp into the face of Knight, telling him that was his great captain. An old squaw whose appearance, thought Knight, every way answered the ideas people entertain of the devil, got a board, took a parcel of coals and ashes and laid them upon his feet and began to walk around the post. She next put burning sticks to him, but he seemed more insensible of pain than before. Knight was now taken away from the dreadful scene.
"Tradition is that Crawford's life went out with the setting of the sun.
"The next morning in passing the spot, Knight witnessed the bones of his old comrade and commander lying among the debris of the wasted flames of the day before.
"Who that admires valor in the human breast can fail to appreciate, aye even love, the God-like fortitude of this man. To be shot in battle, to be stabbed to the heart by an assassin, would be a glorious release from the bondage of a life compared with the damnable and diabolical process of dis- possessing the startled soul of its raiment of flesh."
While it is true that the Indians did not follow the retreating army as a body farther than the eastern line of Crawford county, some of the strag- glers were pursued much farther. A party of six was overtaken in Wayne county by some Shawnee scouts, and two of them murdered. Their names are not now known.
The story of Philip Smith, who was shot in his arm and who became separated from the command, is one of unusual interest. He was but a young man, a native of Pennsylvania, born in 1761. He was likewise a pioneer of Ohio, and came to Wayne county in 1811. He was the father of Nathan W. Smith, of Wooster township.
Isaac Newkirk, of Washington county, Pennsylvania, grandfather of John W. Newkirk, of Clinton township, and Narcissa L., wife of Benjamin Douglas (recently deceased), was a volunteer in this expedition, and it is believed that it was he who discovered, during their encampment there, near Odell's lake, the widely known Newkirk spring. He was so delighted with it and the beautiful surrounding prairies and wooded uplands, that he subse- quently entered a section of these lands.
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The above account of the famous Crawford campaign has been largely quoted from the extracts and radical historical points, as given in Butter- field's and Ben Douglas's account of it, and will no doubt ever be considered the true statement of fact as to the points visited and the movements made by this little pioneer army who sought to defend the frontier settlers as against the cruel Indian tribes.
BEAL'S CAMPAIGN-1812.
What was and is still referred to as "Beall's army," consisted of a regi- ment of raw, undisciplined Ohio militia, with, perhaps, an ingredient of similar material from some of the western counties of Pennsylvania. But little can be obtained from the government archives or state papers concern- ing this campaign-indeed Ben Douglas almost gave the task up as useless. However, to his labors are we indebted for the knowledge we do possess, and which is here imparted to the reader.
Prior to the war of 1812 General Beall, who had served in the regular army and who had removed to Columbiana county, Ohio, in 1803, was made colonel of the militia of said county, and subsequently a brigadier-general. After the surrender of Hull, August 16, 1812, a terrible consternation seized upon the whole community, whereupon a detachment of the militia was or- ganized under Beall and turned in the direction of the western frontier. He marched his detachment to Canton, Stark county, Ohio, where additions were made to it from Stark and Jefferson counties, etc., enlarging its rank and file to the dimensions of a full regiment. No time was lost in organiz- ing the new militia companies, when a regular frontier campaign was inaug- urated. Reaching the Wayne county line, they passed through Sugarcreek township and Paint township, thence on to Wooster where they made a brief encampment ; thence to the northwest, crossing the Big Killbuck a few rods north of the old salt works, on the line of the Indian trail; thence west and south to the farms of John A. Lawrence, Esq., and Joshua Warner, Sr., about two miles west of Wooster; thence due west, near the line of the state road, passing through or near the present site of Jefferson and Reedsburg, in Plain township; thence on to Jeromeville, and going to the north of Hayesville, Ashland county ; thence to the Huron, Sandusky and Fort Meigs. Throughout this march General Beall accompanied the army to Camp Huron, where he joined the troops of the Western Reserve, under Gen. Elijah Wads- worth and Gen. Simon Perkins. Here they were personally visited by the
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commander-in-chief, Gen. William Henry Harrison, who organized all the troops into a single brigade, devolving the command upon General Perkins. From this point General Beall returned home.
A detachment of three hundred men, under Major Cotgreve, were at one time ordered to the relief of General Winchester, but, hearing of the disaster that had befallen that officer, they retreated to the Rapids where General Harrison was stationed, and who retired to Carrying river, for the purpose of forming a junction with the troops in the rear and favoring the convoy of artillery and stores then coming from Upper Sandusky. What proportion of the army of General Beall was at the siege of Fort Meigs is not now known, but possibly all of them. His army was an eager, patriotic band, composed largely of farmers and their sons, though their march was seem- ingly an irregular one and at times widely scattered and without the order of military discipline, but their patriotism was none the less genuine. As far as Camp Huron it presented but few obstacles, and was characterized by sudden alarms, scouts, scares and skirmishes. Beyond that, its part in the drama is only seen by dim lights and almost disappears in the excitement of the actors in the heavier scenes.
There can be no doubt that the transit of this army through the country was a source of terror to the Indians, and that its very presence was a great protection to the early settlers against their murderous invasions.
Thomas Eagle, who settled in Mohican township, then Wayne, but now in Ashland county, in May, 1809, piloted Beall's army from Wooster to Jeromeville and on farther west, and it was by the direction of this officer that the old fort at Jeromeville was built. He also took the Jerometown In- dians prisoners, and Baptiste Jerome's wife and daughter, who shortly after died, an act for which the General was criticized.
General Beall, during the earlier stages of the war, caused the arrest of Jerome on the grounds of disloyalty and had him incarcerated in Fort Stidger for a short period.
BATTLE OF THE COW PENS.
The following concerning the battle of the Cow Pens is the account given in Knapp's History of Ashland County, and also verified by others :
"In the summer of 1812 General Beall passed through Ashland county with the army, composed mostly of the militia and mounted volunteers, on their way to Fort Meigs. They encamped for two weeks upon what is now known as the Griffin farm, about one mile and a half northeast of the present
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village of Haysville. While there one dark night, when it was raining, when the army was wrapped in slumber and not dreaming of war, when nothing was heard but the patter of the rain and the sentinel's cry 'All is well,' there came, borne upon the damp night air, the sharp, shrill crack of a rifle. The sentinels rushed in and reported the enemy upon them. The drums beat to arms, horses neighed, bugles sounded. The ground trem- bled with the dull thud of squadrons tramping. The order was given to 'Fire,' and never before or since was such a noise and din heard in Ver- million as there was on that eventful night. The cavalry charged in the di- rection of the supposed enemy, but, finding no person or thing, they returned from the charge and reported that the foe had retreated; but when the first gray of morning appeared, the outposts discovered that they had been firing upon a herd of cattle belonging to the settlers, which had been roam- ing through the woods, and had slaughtered seventeen. This was afterward known among the soldiers as 'The battle of the Cow Pens,' and was the only engagement in which many of them were employed, although others gave vent to the patriotism that filled their bosoms and yielded up their lives upon the bloody ramparts of Fort Meigs."
LATEST TRIBES OF WAYNE COUNTY INDIANS.
Fortunate indeed it was that the early settlers did not have to fight and defend themselves against the savage Indians as did the pioneers in other sections of Ohio and farther west, especially in Indiana, where the Prophet and his brother, old Tecumseh, made long and bloody war upon the whites. But little Indian blood was shed by the early settlers among the few skirmishes that occasionally took place.
The Delawares, Wyandots, Shawnees, etc., were among the most nu- merous and the last tribes of the red race to roam over Wayne county soil, as they gave a last farewell look upon this fertile and goodly domain and receded to the far-off West.
THE DELAWARES.
According to Heckwelder, the Moravian, the Delawares, from a tradi- tion of their tribe, possessed the western portion of this continent,-the Lenni Lenape supposed to be residing there,-but in the distant and receding ages they traveled eastward to the Mississippi, where they encountered the warlike Iroquois, with whom they formed a league against other tribes.
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Successful in their achievements, they arrogated to themselves all the territory east of the Mississippi, whereupon a division was made, in which the Dela- wares extended themselves to the Potomac, Susquehanna, Hudson and Dela- ware rivers. .
In 1650 the Five Nations subjugated them and they were again reduced to vassalage by their old confederates, the Iroquois. A westward movement was afterwards made by the larger portion of them, when they recrossed the Alleghany mountains and finally, about 1768, made their chief settlements in Ohio. In the Revolutionary struggle with England these Indians stood with Great Britain. They grew riotous over the defeat of St. Clair and danced and yelled and got drunker than King Bacchus himself.
In 1795 the United States obtained possession of their lands on the Mus- kingum and they were removed to the Wabash valley in Indiana, where they remained until 1819, when they went toward the setting sun. Some of the branch tribes did not follow the main tribe, however, but for a time remained in the East, hovering around Pittsburg, but ultimately journeyed West. The Wolf tribe was one of the branches of which Captain Pipe was a notable chief, and who experienced much savage, delirious joy in the roasting of Colonel Crawford, mentioned elsewhere in this chapter. Of this tribe and quality were the Delawares, who roamed over Wayne county at an early day and were here when the whites first came in.
THE WYANDOTS.
These Indians were a fragmentary tribe from out the Tobacco nation of the great Hurons. Judge Jeffries is authority for the following concerning these people.
"In the dispersion of the Hurons, after halting for a time at Michilli- mackinac, being there attacked by the Iroquois, they removed to the islands at the mouth of Green bay, where they fortified on the main land. Here they were pursued by the Iroquois and for safety went southward to the domains of the Illinois, from thence westward to the Mississippi and country of the Sioux, where their stay was very short, as the Sioux soon drove them beyond their lines. Their next place of residence was at the southern extremity of Lake Superior, which country they abandoned in 1671 and emigrated to Michillimackinac. They did not remain upon this land, but located in the northern part of Michigan, and later many of the tribe settled near Detroit and on the Sandusky river in Ohio. There they went by the name of the Wyandots. They wielded great influence over the neighboring tribes. Tra-
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dition traces them back no farther than the landing of the French at Quebec in 1535. They were many years neighbors and friendly with the Senecas, and left their ancient lands and took up a residence near Green bay. After the French had supplied the Senecas with guns, powder and lead, they made another attack upon the Hurons at Green bay and at first were entirely suc- cessful, but by the strategem of the Hurons all the Senecas were cut off, not one of the war party remaining alive to tell the sad tale of blood.
"The Wyandots thereafter, also being furnished with arms and muni- tions of war, resolved to return to their own country in the vicinity of Detroit. On the way thither they encountered the Senecas on the lake, in the vicinity of Long Point, where a desperate battle was fought upon the water, in which the Wyandots were victors. Not a single Seneca escaped and the Wyandots' loss was very heavy. This was the last battle between the Wyandots and Senecas. The former took an active part on behalf of the French in the war which resulted in the reduction of Canada by the English, and were a potent power against the English in Pontiac's war.
"By the timely treaty of September 29, 1817, between the Wyandots and the federal government there was granted to the former a body of land twelve miles square, the center of which was the fort, now the site of Upper San- dusky, the county seat of Wyandot county, Ohio. Also, at the same time, was granted them a tract of a mile square on Broken Sword creek. They occupied these lands until July, 1843, when they emigrated to their present place of residence west of the Mississippi river, having disposed of their lands by treaty in 1842. At the time of their emigration they numbered about seven hundred."
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