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 4
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refused to sanction or take part in the accomplishment of the base artifice which had been practiced by their commander. Not more than eight or ten out of the entire number were actors in the foul con- spiracy, and the remainder stoutly protested against it, but in vain. The firing having attracted the attention of the Indians in camp, they sent over two of their number in a canoe to ascertain and report the cause of the alarm, but these last had no sooner landed than they were ruthlessly and mercilessly shot down. Thereupon, another and larger canoe was promptly manned, filled with armed Indians who ventured out and essayed in vain to reach the shore, being prevented from so doing by a well directed fire which proved to be so deadly and effective as to greatly cripple them and compel their return. Shots were then exchanged between the parties across the river, but these did but little if any execution, the distance being too great to prove disastrous to either. Among the killed, however, were the brother and sister of Logan, the famous Mingo chief, who, with him- self, were the only remaining members of his family.
Prior to this time Logan had been the firm friend and unflinching ally of the whites and the advocate of peace, on many occasions effi- ciently using his efforts to promote harmony and good feeling, but this disastrous event aroused all the frenzy of the savage in his na- ture, and the implacable hatred towards the whites thereafter became as bitter, as before his devotion to them had been unswerving. A brief quiet followed, but it was the calm which preceded the ap- proaching storm when it gathers its forces for its fierce outburst. In the meantime measures were taken to arouse all the tribes by sound- ing among them the tocsin of war.
In July, 1774, Logan, at the head of a small party of eight warriors, made his presence felt ivhere it was least expected, by striking a blow against some inhabitants on the Monongahela. It was presumed by every one, that in case of war, the settlements on the Ohio would be the first to be attacked. Taking advantage of this belief, was the reason for his successes. Drake, in his Indian Biography, Book V., p. 41, says: Logan's "first attack was upon three men who were pull- ing flax in a field. One was shot down and the two others taken. These were marched into the wilderness, and as they approached the Indian town, Logan gave the scalp halloo, and they were met by the inhabitants who conducted them in. Running the gauntlet was next to be performed. Logan took no delight in tortures, and he in the most friendly manner instructed one of the captives how to proceed to escape the severities of the gauntlet. This same captive, whose name was Robinson, was afterward sentenced to be burned; but Logan, though not able to rescue him by his eloquence, with his own hand cut the cords that bound him to the stake, and caused him to be adopted into an Indian family. He became afterward Logan's scribe."
As confirmatory of the facts which led to the war, known as Dun- more's war, we submit the following extract from a letter from Col- onel Ebenezer Zane to Hon. John Brown, one of the senators in congress from Kentucky, dated " Wheeling, February 4, 1800."
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" I was myself, with many others, in the practice of making improve- ments on lands upon the Ohio, for the purpose of acquiring rights to the same. Being on the Ohio, at the mouth of Sandy creek, in com- pany with many others, news circulated that the Indians had robbed some of the land-jobbers. This news induced the people, generally, to ascend the Ohio. I was among the number. On our arrival at Wheeling, being informed that there were two Indians with some traders near and above Wheeling, a proposition was made by the then Captain Michael Cresap, to waylay and kill the Indians upon the river. This measure I opposed with much violence, alleging that the killing of those Indians might involve the country in a war. But the opposite party prevailed, and proceeded up the Ohio with Cap- tain Cresap at their head. In a short time the party returned, and also the traders in a canoe; but there were no Indians in the company. I enquired what had become of the Indians, and was informed by the traders and Cresap's party that they had fallen overboard. I exam- ined the canoe and saw much fresh blood and some bullet-holes in the canoe. This finally convinced me that the party had killed the two Indians, and thrown them into the river.
"On the afternoon of the day this action happened a report pre- vailed that there was a camp or party of Indians on the Ohio below and near Wheeling. In consequence of this information Captain Cresap, with his party, joined by a number of recruits, proceeded im- mediately down the Ohio for the purpose, as was then generally understood, of destroying the Indians above mentioned. On the succeeding day Captain Cresap and his party returned to Wheeling, and it was generally reported by the party that they had killed a number of Indians. Of the truth of this report I had no doubt, as one of Cresap's party was badly wounded, and the party had a fresh scalp, and a quantity of property which they called Indian plunder. At the time of the last mentioned transaction, it was generally re- ported that the party of Indians down the Ohio were Logan and his family; but I have reason to believe that this report was unfounded.
"Within a few days after the transaction above mentioned, a party of Indians were killed at Yellow creek. But I must do the memory of Captain Cresap the justice to say that I do not believe that he was present at the killing of the Indians at Yellow creek. But there is not the least doubt in my mind that the massacre at Yellow creek was brought on by the two transactions first stated.
"All the transactions which I have related happened in the latter end of April, 1774; and there can scarcely be a doubt that they were the cause of the war which immediately followed, commonly called Dunmore's war.
"I am with much esteem, yours, etc.,
" EBENEZER ZANE."
Prior to the successful attacks made by Logan on the settlements on the Monongahela it had been ordered by the authorities of Vir- ginia, that a force should be raised in the district of West Augusta for the purpose of making an inroad into the Indian country and 3-A.
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attacking their towns with a view of calling off the straggling bands of predatory Indians which greatly infested the neighborhoods of the frontier settlements, in which forts were erected by the settlers for their protection. It was in this year that the fort at Wheeling was erected. At the same time many private ones were erected, among which may be mentioned Tomlinson's, at Grave creek, Shepherd's and Bonnett's, near Wheeling, Van Atetre's on Short creek, the court house fort at West Liberty, Wolff's on the waters of Buffalo, Jackson's on Ten-mile with other stockades and defences too numerous to mention.
Owing to the threatening state of affairs expresses were sent to Williamsburgh, the then seat of government of Virginia, informing the authorities of the commencement of hostilities, and thereupon a plan was adopted for the purpose of taking active measures against the Indians. Withers in his account of the expedition raised at this time says: "Early in June the troops, destined to make an incursion into the Indian country, assembled at Wheeling, and being placed un- der the command of Col. Angus McDonald, descended the Ohio to the mouth of Captina, debarking at this place from their boats and canoes they took up their march to Wappatomica, an Indian town on the Muskingum. The country through which the army had to pass was one unbroken forest presenting many obstacles to its speedy ad- vance, not the least of which was the difficulty of proceeding directly to the point proposed. To obviate this, however, they were accom- panied by three persons in the capacity of guides; * whose knowledge of the woods, and familiarity with those natural indices, which so un- erringly mark the direction of the principal points, enabled them to pursue the direct course. When they had approached within six miles of the town, the army encountered an opposition from a party of fifty or sixty Indians lying in ambush; and before these could be dislodged two whites were killed and eight or ten wounded-one Indian was killed and several wounded. They then proceeded to Wappatomica without further molestation.
"When the army arrived at the town, it was found to be entirely de- serted. Supposing that it would cross the river, the Indians had retreated to the opposite bank, and concealing themselves behind trees and fallen timber, were awaiting that movement in joyful antici- pation of a successful surprise. Their own anxiety and the prudence of the commanding officer, however, frustrated that expectation. Several were discovered peeping from their covert, watching the mo- tion of the army; and Col. McDonald, suspecting their object, and apprehensive that they would re-cross the river and attack him in the rear, stationed videttes above and below, to detect any such purpose, and to apprise him of the first movement toward effecting it. Foiled by these prudent and precautionary measures, and seeing their town in possession of the enemy, with no prospect of wresting it from them until destruction would have done its work, the Indians sued for peace; and the commander of the expedition consenting to negotiate with
* They were Jonathan Zane, Thomas Nicholson and Tady Kelly. A better woodsman than the first named of these three, perhaps never lived.
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them, if he could be assured of their sincerity, five chiefs were sent over as hostages, and the army then crossed the river, with these in front. When a negotiation was begun, the Indians asked that one of the hostages might go and convoke the other chiefs, whose presence, it was alleged, would be necessary to the ratification of a peace. One was accordingly released; and not returning at the time specified, another was then sent, who, in like manner, failed to return. Col. McDonald suspecting some treachery, marched forward to the next town, above Wappatomica, where another slight engagement took place, in which one Indian was killed and one white man wounded. It was then ascertained that the time which should have been spent in collecting the other chiefs, preparatory to negotiations, had been employed in removing their old men, their women and children, to- gether with what property could be readily taken off, and for making preparations for a combined attack on the Virginia troops. To punish this duplicity and to render peace really desirable, Col. McDonald burned their towns and destroyed their crops; and being then in want of provisions, retraced his steps to Wheeling, taking with him the three remaining hostages, who were then sent on to Williamsburgh. The inconvenience of supplying provisions to an army in the wilder- ness, was a serious obstacle to the success of expeditions undertaken against the Indians. The want of roads at that early period, which would admit of transportation in wagons, rendered it necessary to resort to pack horses; and such was at times the difficulty of procur- ing these, that not unfrequently, each soldier had to be the bearer of his entire stock of subsistence for the whole campaign. When this was exhausted, a degree of suffering ensued, often attended with consequences fatal to individuals, and destructive to the objects of the expedition. In the present case the army being without provisions before they left the Indian towns, their only sustenance consisted of weeds, an ear of corn each day, and occasionally a small quantity of venison; it being impracticable to hunt game in small parties, because of the vigilance and success of the Indians in watching and cutting off detachments of this kind, before they could accomplish their purpose and regain the main army. No sooner had the troops retired from the Indian country, than the savages in small parties invaded the settlements in different directions seeking opportunities of gratifying their insatiable thirst for blood. And although the precautions which had been taken, lessened the frequency of their success, yet they did not always prevent it. Persons leaving the forts on any occasion, were almost always either murdered or carried into captivity-a lot sometimes worse than death itself."
In addition to the measures, we have recounted for the repression of Indian outrages, more extensive ones had been taken by Governor Dunmore in the adoption of a plan of campaign, by an army of such superior force, as promised to effectually crush the spirit of the Indians and call a halt in their warfare on the borders. To resist this force would require the combined efforts of all the Indian warriors. The army, designed for this expedition was chiefly composed of volunteers
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and militia collected from the counties west of the Blue Ridge, and consisted of two columns, the one commanded by the Earl of Dunmore in person, and the other by Gen. Andrew Lewis. The former were to assemble at Fort Pitt and the latter were to rendezvous at Camp Union, in the Greenbrier country.
On the 17th of September, 1774, Gen. Lewis with a force of 1, 100 men took up his line of march from Camp Union (now Lewisburgh) for Point Pleasant, situated at the confluence of the Great Kanawha and the Ohio, a distance of 160 miles. This march was through an unbroken wilderness through which by means of a guide acquainted with the passes in the mountains and the trails of the Indians, they were safely conducted to the Point after a laborious and toilsome march of nineteen days, arriving there on the afternoon of the 30th of September, fully expecting, according to the arrangemements with the Earl of Dunmore to meet this latter at this place. To the great disappointment and chagrin of Gen. Lewis, Dunmore failed to keep his appointment. The army at once went into camp, expecting daily the arrival of the column from Fort Pitt. After an interval of nine days a runner from Dunmore came into camp, sent by the nobleman to convey to Gen. Lewis the announcement of a change of his original plan of operations and also conveying the information that he had marched for the Chellico, the town at which place he gave instructions to Gen. Lewis to join him. Prior to the arrival of the runner sent by Dunmore, Gen. Lewis had dispatched runners by land to Wheeling and if necessary to proceed to Fort Pitt, to obtain if possible some tidings of Earl Dunmore, and to ascertain the reason of his delay, with instructions to advise him promptly. In their absence, however, as already indicated, advices were received on the 9th of October from Dunmore, that he had concluded to proceed across the country by the most direct route to the Shawanee towns without mentioning the reasons which had influenced him in arriving at such determina- tion. Though left in doubt as to these, Gen. Lewis recognized it to be his duty to at once obey the command of his superior officer and immediately began to make preparations for the transportation of his troops across the Ohio river. But before the necessary preparations for crossing were concluded an attack was made upon the force of Gen. Lewis by a large body of Indians, composed of the Shawnee, Delaware, Mingo and Wyandot tribes. This attack occurred on Monday morning, the Ioth of October. The main part of the army under the command of Col. Charles Lewis and Col. Fleming was at once involved. The Indians as usual took advantage of cover and fought from behind logs and fallen timber, forming a line extending across the Point from the Ohio to the Kanawha. The battle commenced at sun rise and the severity of the engagement was unequalled. Victory for a time hung in an equal balance. But at last the pluck and discipline of the whites turned the scales in their favor, and as the sun went down in the west the shouts of victory from the whites arose and were borne away on the wings of evening as she spread the mantle of her covering over the sanguinary field.
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During the engagement Col. Lewis was slain, and Col. Fleming was wounded. The battle was sustained with stubbornness and ob- stinacy by both sides. During the engagement a large number of officers were killed, besides privates, these latter numbering not less than seventy and about 140 wounded. Owing to their peculiar mode of warfare and the facility with which they carry away and conceal their slain, it is impossible to give an accurate account of the number of Indians who were killed, but thirty-seven of their dead were found upon the field and it is known that many of their slain were cast into the waters of the Ohio. It is also impossible to state the number of the enemy engaged. Some of their prominent leaders were Red Hawk, a Delaware chief; Scopathus, a Mingo; Ellinipsco, a Shaw- nee; Chyawee, a Wyandot, and Logan; but the most prominent one, whose bravery was prominent and whose skill was conspicuous, was that able and consummate warrior, Cornstalk. If for a moment amid the contest his warriors seemed to waver, his shout in stentorian tones rung out above the din of the conflict as he urged them on- ward, with the voice of a trumpet, " Be strong! Be strong!" If one hesitated and was reluctant to engage in the charge, or showed the least sign of trepidation, with giant-blow he severed the skull of the' recreant with one swing of his tomahawk. Inspired by his presence and animated by his example, his undisciplined followers manifested a bravery and exhibited a fortitude unexcelled by the most thoroughly furnished and well-drilled troops among civilized nations.
Withers in his mention of this battle, in speaking of Cornstalk, says: "This distinguished chief and consummate warrior, proved himself on that day, to be justly entitled to the prominent station which he occupied. His plan of alternate retreat and attack was well con- ceived and occasioned the principal loss sustained by the whites."
After burying his dead he entrenched his camp, and leaving a suffi- cient guard to minister to the wounded and to protect them during his absence, on the day subsequent to the battle, Gen. Lewis com- menced his march to the Shawnee's towns on the Scioto. Dunmore, who had in the meanwhile gathered his forces at Fort Pitt, where he had provided boats and canoes, descended the river to Wheeling, arrived at which latter place he halted his army and remained for a few days before proceeding down the river on his voyage. While at Fort Pitt he was joined by the notorious Simon Girty, who remained with him until the close of the expedition. After completing some neces- sary arrangements at Wheeling he continued his journey down the Ohio, and on his way was joined by that infamous tory, Dr. John Con- nolly. Instead of proceeding to the mouth of the Great Kanawha, as he had arranged to do with Gen. Lewis, he landed at the mouth of the Big Hockhocking, where he built a block house as a receptacle for his surplus stores and ammunition. Resuming his movements from this point and re-commencing his advance toward the Indian towns, in a day or two he was met by an Indian trader bearing a flag of truce, with proposals of peace and requesting that a council might be held at Fort Pitt. Dunmore replied to these overtures in effect that as the
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chiefs were already near him, it would be advisable and more conven- ient to hold a treaty then and there. The movements of Gen. Lewis after he had crossed the Ohio were rapid, and in a short time he had reached the Pickaway plains. Here he was met by an express from Dunmore ordering him to stop, as he was about to negotiate a treaty of peace with the Indians. But Lewis, disregarding the orders, con- tinued to advance until when he had arrived within three or four miles of Dunmore's camp, he was met by Dunmore himself, who re- iterated his orders and peremptorily ordered him to return to Point Pleasant, where he was to leave a competent guard to protect the place and a sufficient amount of provisions for the wounded, and then to march the remainder of his troops to the place of rendezvous, where he was instructed to disband them.
It would be in vain to attempt to describe the chagrin and disap- pointment of these brave men exasperated by the losses they had nret with in the battle at the Point and the hardships they had experi- enced in their difficult march through the wilderness, to be compelled to forego the object of the expedition, which was now so near its ac- complishment and just within their grasp. It was no wonder that in- dignant murmurings were indulged in and fearful threats were uttered. But these were quelled by the tact of Gen. Lewis, who, al- though his sympathies were with his men yet his duty as a soldier led him to set the example of obedience which is the highest virtue of those who bear arms.
After the treaty was concluded the division of the army led by Dunmore returned over the same route by which they had advanced, to the mouth of the Hockhocking, where he disbanded his troops and they returned to their homes in Virginia, with the exception of a few who accompanied Dunmore by water to Fort Dunmore, which name had been bestowed upon Fort Pitt, by Dr. John Connolly, a protege of Dunmore, and which had been forcibly seized under the orders of Dunmore and at his instance, by Connolly in the winter preceding. The seizure was made under the claim that it was within the jurisdic- tion of Virginia. It was also claimed by Pennsylvania as being within her boundaries. These occurrences transpired at a time when the feel- ing between the mother country and the the colonies was daily grow- ing more bitter and intense, The destruction of the tea in Boston harbor had occurred in the month of March, of this year.
The Boston port bill, the immediate cause for actual conflict between the mother country and the colonies, had been received by the House of Burgesses in May, and they had recommended that the first day of June, the day on which the bill was to go into operation, be observed "as a day of fasting, humiliation and prayer, imploring the Divine interposition to avert the heavy calamity which threatened destruction to their civil rights and the evils of a civil war." It was on account of this recommendation that Gov. Dunmore prorogued the assembly. Dunmore, as we have already stated, on his way from Fort Pitt, had halted with his army at Wheeling. It was while at this place on that occasion that he received dispatches from the British govern-
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ment, but what their tenor was we are unable to state, but it is certain that the plan of campaign settled on between him and Gen. Lewis at Williamsburgh, was not changed until after their receipt.
It would not, however, be a violent conjecture in view of his dissolu- tion of the assembly, and the sudden change made by him in the plan of his campaign while at Wheeling and the state of feeling existing at the time between the mother country and the colonies, to conclude that his government had instructed him to take necessary steps to se- cure the Indians, if possible, as allies of Great Britain in the appre- hended conflict, which was now looming up in the near future. It is certain, at all events, that his treaty with the Indians was entered into at a time and under circumstances which gave just cause of suspicion to his conduct, and that he was inimical to the interests, well-being and prosperity of the colony of Virginia. The treaty entered into with the Indians by Dunmore was not assented to by Logan, who indig- nantly refused to be present and participate in it, but instead he sent in a belt of wampum, his famous speech which is known to every school boy and is so familiar that we forbear quoting here .* Thomas Jeffer- son first gave this speech to the public. Shortly after its publication attempts were made to cast doubt upon it, and it was declared to have been the coinage of Mr. Jefferson's brain.
The most prominent among these questioners was the able and dis- tinguished Luther Martin, of Maryland, a son-in-law of Col. Cresap, who pronounced it a sheer fabrication. A long and bitter controversy ensued, which was participated in, not only by the immediate parties interested, but by many others also not directly interested. Evidently Logan was mistaken in his views that Col. Cresap was involved in the Yellow creek massacre or that he took any part in it.
* This speech may be found on page 44 of Vol. II.
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CHAPTER III.
THE BOUNDARY LINE BETWEEN PENNSYLVANIA AND VIRGINIA -THE SEIZ- URE OF FORT PITT BY DR. JOHN CONNOLLY-CONFLICTING CLAIMS TO THE DISPUTED TERRITORY-PROCLAMATION OF LORD DUNMORE-CIR- CULAR LETTER OF THE DELEGATES OF PENNSYLVANIA AND VIRGINIA- PROPOSAL TO ESTABLISH A NEW STATE-PATRIOTISM OF THE PEOPLE- COMMISSIONERS APPOINTED BY PENNSYLVANIA AND VIRGINIA -SETTLE- MENT OF THE CONTROVERSY BETWEEN THE TWO STATES.
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