USA > Ohio > History of the Upper Ohio Valley, with family history and biographical sketches, a statement of its resources, industrial growth and commercial advantages, Vol. I > Part 10
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92
During February, 1782, several murders had been perpetrated on the frontier in the vicinity of Wheeling, which were probably the work of the Wyandots, but were charged upon the Moravians. The peo- ple along the border were wrought up to a state of fierce frenzy. Early in March, some ninety or 100 men rendezvoused at Mingo, and appointed Col. David Williamson to the command. Their pre- tended object was the capture and removal of the Christian Indians, and the destruction of their fields and houses. Although the villages had been uninhabited during the winter, just at this time, about 150 Moravians were there. These had been permitted to temporarily re- turn from Sandusky where they had been carried as prisoners by their Indian enemies during the preceding year, for the purpose of gathering corn, large quantities of which remained in their old fields. They were so engaged when the expedition under Williamson arrived at the place of their former peaceful and happy homes. The victims apprehended no danger at the hands of the Americans, believing them to be their steadfast friends. The men professed to have come on a peaceful errand, and with expressions of good will in- formed them that they had come to remove them to Fort Pitt for their greater safety. The Indians unhesitatingly believed these dec- larations, and immediately delivered up their weapons of defense. The soldiers then went to Salem and induced the Indians there to ac- company them to Gnadenhutten, the inhabitants of which latter place had in the meantime been bound without resistance. When those brought from Salem arrived they were treated in a similar manner.
A council of war was now held to decide upon their fate, and the question was referred to the whole of those who composed the expe- dition for decision. The question was then put-"Whether they should be taken as prisoners to Fort Pitt, or be put to death?" When
81
HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY.
Col. Williamson requested those in favor of preserving their lives to step to the front, only sixteen advanced from the ranks and the doom of the unfortunate Moravians was fixed. They were ordered to pre- pare for death. They at once knelt in prayer and engaged in religi- ous exercises. While they were thus engaged the blood-thirsty majority rushed upon them and began the sanguinary work of death and continued until one by one the wretched prisoners fell beneath the blows of the tomahawk and the cruel stroke of the scalping knife. Those who had protested against the decree of death, while their col- leagues were engaged in this murderous butchery, stood apart and in loud and vehement tones indignantly condemned the atrocities of which they were unwilling witnesses. It is said that forty men, twenty-two women and thirty-two children were destroyed in the limits of a few minutes. Two boys alone escaped, one of whom fell into a cellar, and the other, after being tomahawked and scalped, se- creted himself. All the property which could not be removed was de- liberately destroyed. The houses containing the mutilated bodies of the slain were fired, and by the light of this burning hecatomb of human victims the expedition set out on its return through the forest which echoed with the rude sounds of their ill-timed jests and their songs of victory. Doddridge, in vindication of the character of Will- iamson, writes of him as follows:
"In justice to the memory of Col. Williamson, I have to say, that although at that time very young, I was personally acquainted with him, and from my recollection of his conversation, I say with confi- dence that he was a brave man, but not cruel. He would meet an enemy in battle, and fight like a soldier, but not murder a prisoner. Had he possessed the authority of a superior officer in a regular army, I do not believe that a single Moravian Indian would have lost his life; but he possessed no such authority. He was only a militia officer who could advise but not command. His only fault was that of too easy a compliance with popular opinion and popular prejudice. On this account his memory has been loaded with unmerited reproach."
On the return of the expedition to the settlements, a number of the whites expressed their horror and disapproval of the act. Encouraged by the success which had attended the expedition against the innocent and unoffending Moravians, some of those who had been engaged in that enterprise, desired to inaugurate a larger undertaking of more extended operations, with a view of attacking the Indian towns on the Sandusky. The proposition met with the approval of the general commanding the western military department, who, on the 21st of May, 1782, wrote to Gen. Washington, informing him of the movement as follows: "Sir :- A number of the principal people of this country made application to me, about two weeks since, for my consent to their collecting a body of volunteers to go against Sandusky, which I agreed to on these express conditions: that they did not mean to ex- tend their settlements, nor had anything in view but to harrass the enemy, with an intention to protect the frontiers, and that any con- quests they might make should be in behalf and for the United States;
6-A.
82
HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY.
that they would be governed by military laws as militia; that they must collect such numbers as might probably be successful; and lastly, that they would equip themselves and victual at their own expense. They are accordingly assemblying this day at the Mingo Bottom all on horseback, with thirty days' provisions. They have asked of me only a few flints and a small supply of powder. As they will elect their officers, I have taken some pains to get Col. [William ] Crawford appointed to command, and hope he will be. He does not wish to go with a smaller number than four hundred; whether this number will assemble I cannot say. He pressed me for some officers, I have sent with him Lieut. Rose, my aid de camp, a very vigilant, active, brave young gentleman well acquainted with service; and a surgeon. These two are all I could venture to spare," etc. Four hundred and eighty men assembled at the place of rendezvous and took up their line of march for the Sandusky on the 25th day of May. The men who had volunteered for the expedition were from Washington, Westmoreland and Ohio counties, and were all mounted. The names of those who accompanied them as scouts were Jonathan Zane, Thomas Nicholson and John Slover.
On the 4th of June the enemy were encountered, numbering over 300, consisting of about 200 savages and a company of rangers from Detroit, under command of Captain William Caldwell. A battle en- sued with the advantage on the side of the Americans. The next day the enemy being reinforced by a large force of Shawnees and a small body of rangers, a council of war was called by Crawford which decided to retreat. Soon after dark of the same day the retreat commenced in a considerable degree of confusion. After meeting with many difficulties and trials they succeeded in reaching the Mingo Bottom on their return, and re-crossed the Ohio on the 13th of June. The entire loss was fifty men. Among those retained as prisoners were Col. Crawford, Dr. Knight, Maj. McClelland and John Slover. Only two of the number taken prisoners by the enemy escaped, viz .: Dr. Knight and John Slover. Col. Crawford, his son- in-law (William Harrison), and a few others were burnt at the stake.
The expedition to which we have referred seemed to exasperate and arouse the savages to greater acts of cruelty and a more deter- mined spirit of retaliation. During this year the Indians had taken the field earlier than was customary, and their attacks upon the bor- der were more numerous and unceasing than in any former year. And these raids were not confined by them to the more exposed parts of the border, but they penetrated into the interior and with the venom of savage ferocity prosecuted an unrelenting warfare. Home after home was desolated -family after family was destroyed, and the whole country was excited and aroused by the temerity they ex- hibited and the wholesale depredations committed by them. Their revengeful manifestations were particularly apparent in and among the settlements on the upper Monongahela. The attention of the authorities of Virginia having been called to the deplorable condition of affairs in the western portion of the state, William Davies, incum-
1
83
HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY.
bent of the military department- under the state government, at the instance of the executive addressed the following communication to Brig .- Gen. Irvine, then in command of the western military depart- ment at Fort Pitt:
" WAR OFFICE, Virginia, April 12, 1782.
"SIR :- The incursions of the Indians into the county of Monon- galia and the number of the inhabitants they have killed, have induced government to order a company from Hampshire to march to their relief, to be under the immediate command of Col. Evans, of Monongalia .* The defense of these people being a continental as well as a .state object, I have desired Col. Evans to maintain a cor- respondence with you, not doubting of your readiness to co-operate in repelling the common enemy as far as may be consistent with the more particular duties of your command at Fort Pitt. From the knowledge I have of your character, and the small acquaintance I had the honor to have with you in the army, I have taken this liberty more explicitly to address you as I hope the people will meet with a more speedy and efficacious assistance from you in their present dis- tress, than the urgency of their circumstances can admit from a dependence upon government who are so far removed from them; and in this application I have a firmer confidence in your ready atten- tion to it, from the reflection that one Virginia regiment composes a part of your command. The people of Monongalia are distressed for ammunition as well as fire arms, both of which, in the low state of our finances, we find it extremely difficult to forward to them. If, there- fore, you have any to spare, particularly ammunition, it will be serving them essentially, and shall be replaced as soon as it can be forwarded; and as two or three hundred weight will be sufficient, or indeed half that quantity, I am in hopes it can be spared by you without incon- venience, etc."
Your very obedient servant,
" Brig .- Gen. Irvine, Fort Pitt." ' WILLIAM DAVIES."
The terrible state of affairs prevailing along the border, and par- ticularly along the upper Monongahela, was made the subject of earnest complaint to the Virginia authorities, and the distress and troubles of the people in the western portion of the state continued to be pressed upon the attention of the executive. But neither in a financial nor military point of view was the state in a condition just then to meet these urgent demands. In both of these respects she had put forth every effort to further the cause of the revolution. But she did what she could as will be perceived from the tenor of the following letter addressed to Brig .- Gen. Irvine:
"WAR OFFICE, May 22, '82.
"SIR: Agreeable to the direction of his excellency in council, I have the honor to inform you of the steps taken for the defense of the frontiers. Several orders have from time to time been issued accord- ing to the various circumstances of our affairs in that quarter. Upon a representation of their distresses orders were issued for one com-
* County lieutenant.
84
HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY.
pany of militia from Hampshire to march to Monongalia, and be disposed of as Col. Evans should direct, and an officer and twenty privates from Augusta were ordered to be stationed at Tyger's Val- ley. The Hampshire men were to be relieved by a company formed from Rockingham and Augusta, and the ensign and twenty were to return without relief at the end of two months. In addition to these detachments it was afterwards found necessary to order a reinforce- ment of thirty-one rank and file from Augusta, including the ensign and twenty before mentioned, and nineteen rank and file from Rock- ingham to rendezvous at Tyger's Valley, under the immediate orders of Lieut .- Col. Wilson, but subject to the general direction of Col. Evans, and to be relieved after performing a tour of two months by the counties Shenandoah, Frederick and Berkeley, and the company first ordered from Hampshire will therefore return without relief at the expiration of their tour. There have likewise been subsequent orders to the county lieutenants of Augusta and Rockingham for twenty-two rank and file to be furnished by the first, and thirteen rank and file from the latter, to be stationed at such places as the commanding officer of Augusta should think best for the defense of his county, and to be returned after performing a tour of two months by the militia of Rockbridge.
"I have informed Col. Evans of the order of his excellency that the defense of the frontier should be subject to your directions in future, and have requested him to furnish such portion of his militia as you may think necessary to call for.
"I have the honor to be with great respect, "Your most obedient servant,
" WILLIAM DAVIES." " Addressed: " The Honorable
" BRIGADIER GENERAL IRVINE, " War Office " Fort Pitt.'
Immediately on the receipt of the letter of April 12th heretofore given, General Irvine, under date of April 20th, replied, addressing his letter to the executive of Virginia (Benjamin Harrison), suggest- ing that "it would be generally better to place the whole defense of that country under one commander," and also proposing a plan by which the forces might be shifted from the territory of one state to that of the other in case of necessity, etc. In reply to this the gover- nor of Virginia wrote as follows:
"In Council May 22, 1782.
"Sir: Your favor of the 20th ult., by Lt. Thomas came safe to hand. Orders have been long since sent from hence, to the counties of Aug- usta and Hampshire to send to Monongahela seventy men to assist in guarding the frontiers of that county. These troops, I expect, will probably be stationed at or near Tyger's Valley and the West Fork. As these posts are not too great a distance for you, I suppose it would be improper to remove the men from them, though I perfectly agree in opinion with you, that it would be generally better to place the whole defense of that country under one commander, for which rea-
85
HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY.
sons orders are now sent to the commanding officers of Monongahela and Ohio, to furnish so many men as they can spare to assist you, though there is one great obstruction to your plan, which is, that as our law now stands the militia of this state cannot be removed out of it. The assembly may probably make some alteration in the law. If they do I shall advise you of it. Measures are taking for run- ning the boundary line between the two states and I expect com- missioners will meet for that purpose on the extremity of the Maryland line on the 10th day of July next, which I hope will quiet the people and reconcile them to the present governments.
" I am your most obedient and humble servant, " BENJ. HARRISON." "GEN. IRVINE," Endorsed (" Public Service.") " Brigadier General Irvine, Fort Pitt." " BENJ. HARRISON."
The year 1782 was one of marked hostility and activity against the whites upon the part of the Indians, which rendered it one of the most fearful and trying to the former. The news of the surrender of Lord Cornwallis to the American army in the preceding year having come to the knowledge of the Indians within a few weeks after it occurred, they became apprehensive that peace would soon be declared between the mother country and the colonies, when the whole power of the whites would be concentrated against them, and they would be over- whelmed by the force of a disciplined soldiery. Accordingly a call was issued for a council of the confederated tribes with instructions to meet in the following month of August, at the Chillicothe, to de- termine as to their future course of action, and to adopt such meas- ures as in their judgment the emergency demanded.
Before proceeding to give an account of the resolutions arrived at by this council we ask the attention of the reader to the sad fate of that brave and fearless Indian fighter and scout, Maj. Sam McColloch, whose almost miraculous escape from the hands of the savages at the siege of Fort Henry in the year 1777 we have already referred to. Fort Vanmetre was located on the waters of Short creek about four miles south of the town of West Liberty. It was a square build- ing, built of rough hewn logs and occupied the center of a space which was enclosed with pickets about twelve feet in length, and was ample in its accommodations to shelter all who might be expected to avail themselves of its protection, On the morning of the 30th of July, in the year 1782, Maj. Sam McColloch set out on the last scout he ever made. Indications of prowling savages having been discovered in the vicinity, he, together with his brother John, was ordered out on a scout to ascertain the correctness of the fact. In company the two set out and cautiously and carefully made their way toward the river without discovering any signs of Indians in the neighborhood. They had reached a point on the river about two miles above Wheeling and then took their course up the banks of the stream to the mouth of Short creek, where they again changed their course in the direction
86
HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY.
of the fort, mounting a hill known as "Girty's point." Their scout, it appears, had satisfied them of the absence of Indians in the neigh- borhood, and resting under this belief they relaxed in a degree their watchfulness and caution, and were riding along and conversing pleas- antly when suddenly the silence of the surrounding forest was broken by the sharp crack of rifles and Maj. McColloch fell dead from his horse, and at the same moment the horse bestrode by John sank to the ground in death. Instantly springing to the major's horse which was unhurt, he mounted him and dashed off at full speed, and thus succeeded in eluding his enemies. During this time no enemy was to be seen, but he had not ridden far before turning in his saddle he be- held a large crowd of Indians gathered around the body of his de- ceased brother and one Indian engaged in the act of taking the scalp lock. Quick as thought he raised his rifle and taking a fatal aim, the savage with scalping knife in hand fell dead before the unerring mis- sile. With the exception of a slight gunshot wound John escaped un- hurt to the fort and communicated the sad tidings of his brother's death.
The next day a party of men from Vanmetre's Fort went out and gathered up the remains of this heoric pioneer. The Indians had taken out his entrails which were found hanging upon a tree near by, having secured and eaten his heart under the belief that it would make them bold and brave like the great captain they had slain. The tree upon which the entrails of McColloch were suspended is still standing and is well known to those residing in the vicinity. That was a sad and sorrowful party that bore back his remains to the fort. The scene when they arrived at the fort is described as most pathetic. The eyes of those stalwart men, unused to weeping were suf- fused with tears and as they entered the fort bearing his remains, heartbroken sobs and groans were heard on every side. Mourned and honored they laid him to rest, beneath the greensward under the overhanging branches of the forest trees, and then with aching hearts turned away to meet and discharge the stern duties of the present hour. It was but a few months preceding this that he had been mar- ried to a most estimable lady and worthy companion, Miss Mitchell, who was subsequently married to Mr. Andrew Woods.
The tract of land lying on Short creek which he owned at the time of his death, was a portion of the tract taken up by John Wilson and himself in the year 1772. John Wilson emigrated to this section from the state of New Jersey. His first visit was made about the year 1771, and in about two years thereafter he returned to his native state and brought with him to his western home his wife, Rebecca. Before going east he had erected a small log cabin. On his return with his wife, as they arrived in sight of it he pointed it out to her and at the same time remarked: "There, Becky, is your future home." It was with a mighty effort that she restrained her struggling tears. She made no reply, but cheerfully acquiesced in the lot which had been assigned to her. Her life of wifely devotion and heroic fortitude has embalmed her memory and kept it green through all the generations
87
HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY.
of her offspring. In this year (1772), Mr. Wilson planted a pear tree on his farm which has grown and flourished, and for more than a cen- tury has brought forth fruit year by year. It still stands, and its lower branches are still thrifty and productive, as within a year past I have conversed with a person- Dr. Wilson, of this city - who ate pears plucked from its boughs within the period indicated. The tract of land thus taken up by Maj. McColloch and John Wilson, as well as the land taken up by the brothers Abraham McColloch and John McColloch, are still owned and occupied by the descendants of these respective families, whose farms are among the most fertile and pro- ductive in the county.
We now resume the consideration of the results arrived at by the Indians in the council held by them at Chillicothe concerning their future course of action. After much deliberation they resolved to raise two armies with which to penetrate the frontier. The one numbering some 600 warriors which was destined to operate against the infant settlements in Kentucky- the other consisting of 350 war- riors which was to operate against the settlements in the upper por- tion of the Ohio valley. This latter force was accompanied by a detachment of British soldiers, fifty in number, belonging to the Queen's rangers under the command of Capt. Pratt.
In the beginning of September, 1782, the celebrated Indian spy and scout - John Linn-the same individual who was present at the time of the fatal attack and ambuscade at the " Narrows," below Wheel- ing, where Col. Foreman and twenty-one of his men were so mercilessly massacred by the savages, being out on a scout on the west side of the Ohio river discovered a large force of Indians, accompanied with British soldiers, marching with all speed in the direction of Wheel- ing. With all promptitude he hastened to inform the inhabitants at that place. Swimming the river he reached the fort a few hours in advance of the enemy and gave the alarm. But the time being lim- ited, no general alarm could be given, hence, only those present and in the immediate vicinity of the fort had the opportunity of seeking its shelter and protection, and of such there were not more than twenty effective men, all told, who were capable of doing active service. Col. Shepherd, the county commandant, and by virtue of his office the superior officer, was at the time absent on military business, and the command of the fort devolved on Capt. Silas Zane. East of, and but a short distance from, the fort, stood the log dwelling of Col. Ebenezer Zane, attached to which was a small magazine containing the military supplies which had been furnished by the government of Vir- ginia, and also a kitchen or outbuilding occupied by "Daddy Sam," so called (a negro slave owned by Col. Zane, and to whom he was much attached), and his wife, familiarly known by the name of " Kate."
On the occasion of the attack upon the fort by the Indians in the year 1777, Col. Zane and his family had abandoned his cabin and sought shelter in the fort, at which time it was reduced to ashes by the besiegers. He then declared that if the Indians again made their
88
HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY.
appearance he would not abandon his dwelling, but would defend it to the last extremity. As an outpost for the protection of the fort, and as an annoyance to an hostile force, it could not be excelled. Hence, on the appearance of the Indians at this time he made all necessary preparations possible for its defense. Had he retired from it all the military stores and ammunition stored there would have fallen into the hands of the enemy and have been des- troyed or appropriated by them. The names of those who remained with him in his cabin were Andrew Scott, George Green, Elizabeth Zane, his wife; Molly Scott, Miss McColloch, a sister of Maj. Sam and John McColloch, from Short creek, who at that time was on a visit to her sister, Mrs. Zane; and "Daddy Sam," the negro we have already mentioned, and his wife "Kate." The savages ap- proached under cover of the British flag which was unfurled to the breeze and waved in proud defiance by the color bearer in the face of the little band of heroic defenders. Before commencing their attack they demanded the immediate surrender of the fort in the name of His Britanic Majesty, to which no other reply was given than by the firing of a shot by some one in the fort at the offensive colors which were flaunted before them. Thereupon the assault commenced in dreadful earnest, the frenzied savages rushing forward like madmen, and in their wild attempt striving to destroy the pickets so as to effect an entrance to the fort and take it by storm. Col. Zane had ar- ranged and posted his limited force within his house to the best ad- vantage, and where it would do the most execution. As the Indians sounded their war-whoop and made their desperate rush, he opened upon them with a well-directed and brisk fire simultaneously with the one from the fort, so as to cause them to fall back in great disorder and to seek cover where their persons would be less exposed. But others again seeing the discomfiture of their comrades, promptly, with loud and deafening yells rushed forward to take the places of those who had retired, only to be repulsed again. And although these charges were repeated again and again, yet, in every instance they suffered a recoil. These unsuccessful efforts upon their part were continued until night threw her mantle over the earth and a brief ces- sation of conflict and a temporary rest was secured. Yet it was but for a brief time this respite was granted. Their assailants were en- gaged in holding a consultation and deliberating among themselves. how best to obtain possession of, or destroy, the cabin of Col. Zane, which had proven so offensive to them in their repeated assaults on the fort and thus balked their efforts at its reduction. The conclu- sion arrived at was to make an attempt under the cover of darkness to destroy it by firing it and reducing it to ashes.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.