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 7
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" At a council of war held at Catfish Camp, in the district of West Augusta, on Tuesday the 28th day of January, Anno Domini, 1777, there were present:
"Yohogania County- Dorsey Pentecost, county lieutenant; John Cannon, colonel; Isaac Cox, lieutenant colonel.
"Ohio County- Henry Taylor, major; David Shepherd, county lieutenant; Silas Hedge, colonel; David McClure, lieutenant colonel; Samuel McCollogh, major.
" Monongahela County - Zachariah Morgan, county lieutenant; John Evins, major.
"Captains- John Munn, David Andrew, John Wall, Cornelius. Thompson, Gabriel Cox, Michael Rawlings, William Scott, Joseph Ogle, William Price, David Owings, Henry Hoglang, John Pearce Duvall, James Brinton, Vinson Colvin, James Buckhannon, Abner Howell, Charles Crecraft, John Mitchell, Joseph Tumblenson, Ben- jamin Frye, Matthew Richey, Samuel Meason, Jacob Lifter, Peter Reasoner, James Rogers, John Hogland, Reason Virgan, William Harrod, David Williamson, Joseph Cisnesy, Charles Martin, Owin Daviss.
"Colonel Dorsey Pentecost was unanimously chosen president of this council, whereupon Col. Morgan and Col. Shepherd conducted him to his seat. Col. David McClure was unanimously chosen clerk. The president informed the council of the importance of the busi- ness for which he had convened them, and concluded with recom- mending deliberation on their councils, decency and decorum in their debates, and then produced two letters from his excellency the gov- ernor, dated the 9th and 13th of December last, signifying the neces- sity of a speedy and vigorous exertion of the militia and putting them in a proper state of defence, etc. Upon motion made,
" Resolved, That Colonels Dorsey Pentecost, Shepherd, Morgan, Cannon, Captain Richey, Col. McClure, Maj. Evins, Captain Mitchel and Captain Martin be appointed a select council to consider of the before-mentioned letters, and make their report to this council, to be. then reconsidered."
WILLIAMSBURGH, February 28, 1777.
SIR :- You are forthwith to send 100 men properly officered, in order to escort safely to Pittsburgh the powder purchased by Capt. Gibson. I suppose it is at Fort Louis on the Mississippi, under the protection of the Spanish government. The canoes necessary for the voyage, the provisions, and every other matter must be provided and the officers' orders must be to loose not a moment in getting the powder to Fort Pitt. If the present garrison leave that fortress, you are to order 200 militia to guard it till further orders; let all neces- sary repairs be forthwith done that it may be put in a good posture
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of defence. I've ordered four four-pound cannon to be cast for strengthening it, as I believe an attack will be made there ere long. Let the ammunition lead included be stored there, and let it be de- fended to the last extremity-give it not up but with the lives of yourself and people. Let the provisions be stored there, and con- sider it the bulwark of your country. No militia shall be paid but those on actual duty. I wonder anyone should think otherwise. Let me know the quantity of ammunition and stores at Pittsburgh; upon any alarm of dangerous invasion take care to defend Pittsburgh. Capt. Lynn has a good boat capable of bringing the powder.
I am sir, Your Hble. servant, P. HENRY, JUNR, County Lieutenant of Monongahela. WILLIAMSBURGH, December 18, 1776.
SIR: The more I consider of things in your quarter the more I am convinced of the necessity there is to prepare for hostilities in the spring, and although continental troops will be stationed in Ohio, yet the militia must be the last great resource from which yours is de- rived. In order to form something resembling magazines, for the present I have ordered about six tons of lead for West Augusta, and that this article may be deposited in the proper places, I wish you to summon a council of field officers and captains, and take their opin- ions which places are the fittest for magazines in the three counties of Yohogania, Monongahela and Ohio, and transmit the result to me. I wish you would please to find out where Capt. Gibson's cargo of powder is and let me know. In the council of officers I would desire it would be considered whether the militia with you want any article the government can furnish and what it is, for be assured it will give me great pleasure to contribute to your safety. I am of opinion that unless your people wisely improve the winter you may probably be destroyed. Prepare then to make resistance while you have time. I hope by your vigorous exertions your frontier may be defended, and if necessity shall require, some assistance be afforded to combat our European enemies, I have great expectations from the number and known courage of your militia, and if you are not wanting in foresight and preparation they will do great things. Let a plan of defense be fixed and settled beforehand - I mean principally the places of rendez- vous and the officers who are to act, as well as to provide speedy and certain intelligence. Let the arms be kept in constant repair and readiness, and the accoutrements properly fixed. It will be proper to send out scouts and trusty spies towards the enemies' country to bring you accounts of their movements. I wish great care may be used in the nomination of military officers with you, as so much depends on a proper appointment. You will please to give strict attention to the great object here recommended to you and I shall be happy to hear of the safety of your people, whose protection the government will omit nothing to accomplish.
I am Sir, Your Most Obedient Servant, P. HENRY, JR.
COLO. DORSEY PENTECOST.
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" The council adjourned until tomorrow at 10 o'clock.
" January 29th, 1777-present as yesterday .--- The council met ac- cording to adjournment, and Col. Isaac Cox was unanimously chosen vice president. Col. Pentecost from the select council delivered the following resolutions, which he read in his place, then handed them to the clerk's table where they were read a second time, and
" Resolved, That it is the opinion of your committee, that the follow- ing are proper places for magazines in the district of West Augusta (vizt) the house of Gabriel Cox, in the county of Yohogania, the house of John Swearingen, in the county of Monongahela and the house of David Shepherd, in the county of Ohio, and that the six tons of lead to be sent to this district mentioned in his excellency's letter of the 13th of December last, addressed to Col. Pentecost, be divided in the following manner, and deposited at the before men- tioned places (vizt) for Yohogania county, 21/2 tons, for Mononga- hela county, 214 tons, and for the Ohio county, 1 14 tons, being (as this committee conceives) as equal a division of the said lead and other ammunition that may be sent to this district, according to the number of people in each county, as may be.
" Resolved, That his excellency, the governor, be requested to send with all convenient expedition, powder equivalent to the before men- tioned lead, which agreeable to the rifle use, is one pound of powder to two pounds of lead, with ten thousand flints.
" Resolved, That in consequence of his excellency's requisition, that it is highly necessary and it is accordingly strongly recommended to Col. Pentecost, to send a captain and fifty men down the Ohio to find out, if possible, where Capt. Gibson's cargo of powder is, and conduct it up to the settlements, and that it is the opinion of this council that the officers and men to be employed in this business, deserve double wages.
" Resolved, As the opinion of your committee, that upon the best information they can at this time collect, that one-third of the militia of this district is without guns, occasioned by so many of the regular troops being furnished guns out of the militia of this district, and that one- half of the remaining part wants repairs.
" Resolved, therefore, That the governor be requested to send up to this district, one thousand guns (these rifles, if possible to be had, as muskets will by no means be of the same service to defend us against an Indian enemy) .
" Resolved, For the purpose of repairing guns, making tomahawks, scalping knives, etc., that proper persons ought to be employed in each county, at the public expense, and that Thomas and William Parkes- son be appointed in the county of Yohogania, and that they immedi- ately open shops at their house on the Monongahela river for the above purpose, and that they make with all possible expedition all the rifle guns they can, and a sufficient number of tomahawks and scalping knives, etc., and that the county lieutenant recieve or direct the distribution thereof.
" Resolved, That Robert Cunie be employed for the above purpose in
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the Monongahela county, and that he open shop at his own dwell- ing house in the forks of Cheat.
" Resolved, That Thomas Jones (or some other proper person to be appointed by the county lieutenant) be appointed for the above pur- pose in the Ohio county, to open shop at the house of Col. Shepherd. "Your committee maturely and deliberately considered the truly critical and distressed situation of the county, and with the deepest anx- iety have viewed the very recent cruel depredations committed on our people by our relentless neighbors, the Indians, and with the utmost regard have considered his excellency's recommendation to prepare for hostilities in the spring and to prepare to make defense while we have time, and to form a plan of defense for the county, are of opinion that if no field officer appear to take the command of the troops now raised and raising in this district, at the next meeting of the different committees, that the said committee forthwith order the said troops to such place on the frontier as they shall think proper for the present protection of the inhabitants, and at least 100 of said troops be ordered to Grave Creek Fort, and in case the said troops are not stationed as aforesaid, then the county lieutenant, of Yoho- gania county, is to order a lieutenant and twenty-five men to Baker's Fort and a lieutenant and twenty-five men to Isaac Coxe's, on the Ohio, and that the county lieutenant, of Ohio county, order a lieu- tenant and twenty-five men to Beach Bottom, and a lieutenant and twenty-five men to Grave Creek Fort, and that the county lieutenant of Monongahela county, order a captain and fifty men to be sta- tioned at the house of Captain Owin Daviss and the head of Dun- kard Creek, and a lieutenant and twenty-five men to Grave Creek, to augment garrison to fifty men. Those men to be ordered at such time as the county lieutenant shall think proper and the exigency of the times require ** * and that militia be drafted, officered (and held in constant readiness) to rendez- vous at the following places and in the following manner." Here is mentioned the active officers, the place of rendezvous in each county, which are the places of the magazines, the drafts and who heads them from each company, which is fifteen privates, one sergeant and a com- missioned officer, making in the whole about 1, 100 men.
" Resolved, Unanimously, that upon the first hostilities being com- mitted on our settlements, that the county lieutenant, in whose county the same may happen, immediately call a council of the three counties as proper measures may be pursued for the chastisement of the cruel perpetrators.
"Agreed to in full council, " DAVID MCCLURE, clerk."
In the early part of the month of April, 1777, Col. George Morgan, Indian agent for the middle department, wrote to Col. William Craw- ford from Fort Pitt, as follows:
" Last Monday a messenger arrived from the Delaware town and informed me that a party of Mingos were out and it was supposed would divide themselves into two parties and strike nearly at the
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same time between this place and Yellow creek. Yesterday after- noon an express arrived from Capt. Steel, by which we learn that the first mentioned party had divided as supposed, and killed a man just below Raccoon creek, and burned two cabins, viz .: Muchmore's and Arnot's; the body of the latter was found, his wife and four children are supposed to be burned in the cabin, or carried off prisoners."
The following letter gives another and more detailed account of the affair and the condition which prevailed along the border. The letter is dated:
" FORT PITT," April 22d, 1777.
" HONORABLE SIR :- I have received orders to join his Excellency, Gen. Washington in the Jerseys with this battalion now under my command, which orders I would willingly have obeyed, had not a council of war held at this place (proceedings of which were trans- mitted to Congress by express), resolved that I should remain here until further orders. I am sorry to find the accounts therein con- tained are likely to prove but too true, and from the late depreda- tions and murders which were committed by the Indians at different places in the neighborhood, it appears to me as if a general eruption was intended. On the 6th and 7th inst. they killed and scalped one man at Raccoon creek, about twenty-five miles from this place; at Muchmore's plantation about forty-five miles down the Ohio, they killed and scalped one man and burnt a woman, and her four chil- dren; at Wheeling they killed and scalped one man, the body of whom was much mangled with tomahawks and other instruments suitable for their barbarity; at Dunkard's creek, one of the west branches of the Monongahela river, they killed and scalped one man and a woman, and took three children; and at each of the above places, they burned houses, killed cattle, hogs, etc. I have taken all possible means for the protection of this country as the nature of my circumstances would afford. I am at a great loss for arms; two- thirds of the battalion have none. Had I been at this post when the accounts of the above cruelties came here, I would have transmitted them immediately to you; being busily engaged in putting the bat- talion in proper stations for the frontiers, this, together with the bad state of my health, prevented my getting here sooner than the 18th inst .; and finding that no authentic accounts had been transmitted to congress, think it my duty to inform you of the above facts, and that I only await further directions; as I have received no marching orders dated since the council held at this place resolved that I should wait till further orders.
" I am, etc.,
' WILLIAM CRAWFORD."
Muchmore had been killed, and it was supposed that his wife and four children had been burned in their cabin. Muchmore's oldest son, Samuel, escaped to tell the fearful story. It was supposed that he was the only survivor.
But a few years ago a letter was found among the papers of Maj.
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Isaac Craig, who at one period commanded at Fort Pitt, with the following address on the outside: "Mr. Samuel Muchmore at or Nigh Four Pitt at Walnut Bottom beginning at falling Springs Forty Nine Miles beLow Foart Pitt." This letter sheds some light on the fortunes of Mrs. Muchmore and her four children, who were supposed for more than twenty years to have been destroyed in the flames which consumed their cabin. They had evidently been carried prisoners to Canada by the Indians. It is probable that Samuel Muchmore never received the letter. The following is a copy of it verbatim et litcratim:
" APRIL 29, 1797, At Detroit.
" DEAR SON, After my Kind love to you I Rite to let you Know That I am in the Land of the Living though in a very indefent State of health at present I woold inform you that your Brothers Jonathan and Schedrick Muchmore is dead Long a Go and Reachel your Cis- ter Likewise is dead and your Sister Abbigall is married at moun- treal to one Peter Smith a black Smith by trade I woold inform you that if it should Pleas god to give me my health I shall go and See him This Summer and then in the fall have Lade out to come home and see you if it Pleases god to give me my healthe a nouf to undergo the fotage. I think it Little Strange that I never got any Knows from you never sinc I have been hear for I have Rote you a good many the Last I rote you was Last august I would have you Rite if an opertunity Presents and Subscribe your letters to Samuel Eddy wich is my husband and in Close it and Rite on the cover to John Askin a square I have been of Late a good deal troubbled with Rumetesm Pains but I trust in the Lord and I hope I shall get better of them Pray dont fail of Riting to me if I ant hear they will be Convod to me, these oppertunitys will be for the Soldiers coms and goes to Foart Pitt all most weekly and you Can Rite and [send] Your Letters to Foart Pitt to som body to fored them Long the States. Soldiers took Pouson of this Place Last July and Keeps goin and coming often I shall Pleas god Com by The way of Priskili* as there is watter Car- rege all the way Only Eleven miles for I am not able to Com by Land I have nothing more to Rite you at Present but trusting God to see you in the fall Early and so I Conclude wishing Kind Loav to you and all frinds Remaining at the same time your Long absent mother till death once mary Muchmore but now mary Eddy.
." To Mr. Samuel Muchmore."
A flourishing little village consisting of twenty-five or thirty log cabins, clustered around the fort at Wheeling at this time, where but a few years before the silence of the primeval forest was undisturbed by the voice or tread of civilized man. By toil and labor they had gathered around them some of the rude comforts which serve to make home attractive and pleasant, and had collected their flocks and herds. But this prospous condition of affairs was soon to be dissipated, their toils and labors rendered abortive, their homes destroyed or consumed
* Presque isle, now Erie, Penn.
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by the torch of the incendiary savage, and their flocks and herds slain or driven away by their implacable foes. While aware of the danger resulting from a state of war, and fully aware of the fact that at any day this danger might descend upon them, yet they depended on their scouts to give them timely notice of its approach, and thus forewarn them in time to enable them to secure some, if not the greater por- tion of their possessions, by removing them into the fort for their security and protection. But on this occasion the vigilance of the scouts had been eluded.
On the night of the 31st of August, Capt. Joseph Ogle, who with a squad of about a dozen men, had for some days been out watching the paths usually followed by the Indians, returned to the fort with the information that they had carefully scanned the adjacent country and that not only had they seen no Indians, but no signs of them had been discovered.
Suspecting that their movements would be watched, the Indians had on reaching the river, divided their numbers into small parties, abandoning the usual paths of travel and followed other lines and thus made their way to the Ohio river, concentrating their forces at or in the vicinity of Bogg's Island, about four miles below Wheel- ing, where they crossed the river and proceeded to the creek bottoms, below the fort, under the cover of darkness of the night, where they perfected their plans and sought an ambush among the corn and weeds and patiently awaited the dawning of the day. Their army was com- posed of between 300 and 400 warriors, composed of picked men from the Shawnees, Mingoes, and Wyandots.
Some historians have stated that this army was commanded by the notorious renegade Simon Girty, but this is a mistake, as at this time he was employed by the whites at Fort Pitt, as an Indian interpreter for which he was well qualified, as he had spent several years among the Senecas, by which he had been held a prisoner. He, in company with McKee and Elliott, deserted from Fort Pitt in March, 1778, and fled to the enemy .* At the time of the attack on Wheeling in 1777, he was at Fort Pitt. The name of the person who commanded the Indians on this occasion is unknown. The Indians had formed two diagonal lines at a considerable distance apart from each other, extend- ing across the point from the river to the creek, inside of which, and about the center, they placed in a conspicuous position where they could be most readily seen, five or six of their number as a decoy. Early in the morning of the Ist of September, as two men were pass- ing along with the object of catching horses, they suddenly dis- covered the Indians who were stationed in the center and between the two lines above mentioned. They immediately turned to flee when a shot brought one of them down, while the other was allowed to escape that he might carry the tidings to the fort. When the settlers were made aware of the presence of the Indians, they at once fled to the fort for shelter, abandoning everything in their houses except
* See Penn. Archives VI., 445; also Heckewelder's Narr., page 170.
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such articles as they snatched up in their hurried exit, and which they thought might serve them a good purpose in their emergency.
Upon learning that the Indians were few in number, Col. Shepherd, the county lieutenant, ordered Captain Meason with a force of four- teen men, to proceed to the place where they had been seen to drive them away. He had not advanced very far distant from the fort be- fore he came in sight of them, when hurrying his men forward, he ordered them to fire upon them. But no sooner was the order given than shouts and yells arose from the hitherto concealed foe, who im- mediately arose from their hiding places and closed their lines upon the little band and attempted to surround them and cut off their re- treat. Recognizing at a glance the situation and the impossibility of maintaining a conflict which would only result in certain defeat and perhaps death to all of them, Captain Meason ordered his men to flee to the fort. But the order was given too late to make sure their re- treat, as they were intercepted by the Indians and nearly all were literally cut to pieces. But they fought with the desperation of those who realized that it was a struggle of life or death, and succumbed only when the hand could no longer grasp the rifle or the merciless tomahawk cleaved with its keen edge into their unresisting skulls. Cap- tain Meason and his sergeant, however, succeeded in passing through the front rank of their foes by successfully dodging and fighting their way, and were in a fair way of making their escape when they were observed by some of the enemy, who pursued and fired at them just as they began to ascend the hill to the fort. The sergeant had re- ceived a severe wound which so disabled him as to prevent him from pursuing his way, and from the effects of which he fell bleeding to the ground and was unable to recover himself. While lying here Captain Meason passed in a crippled and wounded condition, and seeing that his captain had no gun, and that he was making slow progress, while his pursuers, who were but a few feet behind him and rapidly gaining on him, the wounded and dying sergeant called out to him to take his gun which was of no further use to him and to use it to the best ad- vantage, and then calmly surrendered himself to his fate, meeting death with the firmness of a Spartan. Such is the stuff of which heroes are made.
Captain Meason had been twice wounded in the engagement, and was so enfeebled by the loss of blood and faint from fatigue, that sev- eral times he was moved in despair to relax all efforts in his, attempt to reach the shelter of the fort; yet as often was he impelled to press forward and to make a last effort by rallying again his fast fading powers. He was sensible that there was one savage who had out- stripped the others who was fast nearing him and every instant he ex- pected that a blow from his tomahawk would prostrate him. In the excitement of the race he had forgotten that the sergeant's rifle was charged. Inspired with the recollection of the fact, his hope revived afresh and quick as thought he wheeled about to fire at his pursuer, but found that he was so close, he could not bring his gun to bear upon him. Having greatly the advantage of ground being above him, by
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reason of its elevation, he put his hand against the person of the In- dian and thrust him back. The uplifted tomahawk which this latter held in his hand, and which was about to descend with fatal aim on the head of Meason, by this action of the latter descended with swift force to the ground and confused the Indian, and before he was able to regain his footing so as to hurl the fatal weapon which he still held in his grasp at the devoted head of Meason, or rush forward to close in a death struggle with him, a ball from Captain Meason's gun sped on its death-winged errand and the savage fell to the earth lifeless.
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