USA > Ohio > Pioneer history : being an account of the first examinations of the Ohio valley, and the early settlement of the Northwest territory ; chiefly from original manuscripts > Part 24
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
Indians killed on the Little Muskingum.
From the commencement of the settlement the sabbath was observed as a day of rest, and from and after 1789, regular religious service was kept up in the north-west block house at Campus Martius. After the war commenced, and large block houses were built in the garrison at "the point," religious worship was held there a part of the time. The Rev. Daniel Story officiated as clergyman. The law regulating the militia required a muster of the troops every sabbath day at ten o'clock, A. M., when they were paraded by beat of drum, the roll called, and their arms inspected ; after which a procession was formed, headed by Colonel Sproat, with his drawn sword, the civil officers and the clergyman, with the fife and drum, marched to the hall for divine service. All the New Englanders being versed in psalmody, there was no lack of good singing to aid in the solemnities of the day. On these occasions nearly all the population attended. The arms of the soldiers were sitting by their sides, or kept near them, during the service, ready for use if needed.
The latter part of September, on a sabbath morning, Peter Niswonger, one of the rangers, went up to visit a field
291
MARIETTA, 1791.
of corn and potatoes he had cultivated on the east side of Duck creek, near the mouth. He had some fat hogs in a pen, one of which he found killed, and a portion of the meat cut out and carried off. Several hills of potatoes had been dug, and in the loose earth he discovered fresh moc- casin tracks, a proof that Indians had been there and done the mischief. He hurried back to the garrison at "the point," and gave the alarm. It was in the midst of the forenoon service, and the inhabitants were generally assem- bled in the large block house listening to the sermon. The instant the word was heard, of "Indians in the vicinity," the drummer seized his drum and rushing out at the door, beat "the long roll," as the' well known signal for every man to hasten to his post.
Among the warlike instruments of music invented by man, the drum above all others possesses the power of communicating to the human heart the sensations of alarm, or of confidence. Whoever has once heard that long roll of continuous sound, sent forth by it, in a time of danger, will never forget the impression. The shrill, sharp notes of the fife enliven and cheer us at all times, but can never convey, in sounds almost articulate, the meaning of the expressive drum.
The place of worship, so quiet and calm a few moments before, was now filled with confusion and alarm. The women caught up their little children and hastened to their homes, and the place of prayer was abandoned for that day. Anxiety and fear for the fate of their brothers and husbands, who had gone in pursuit of the dreaded Indians, banished all holy thoughts, but the silent prayer for their safe return. A party was soon mustered, made up of five or six of the rangers, ten volunteer citizens, and twelve United States soldiers from the company stationed at "the point." The men went up in canoes to the mouth of Duck creek, where they left their water craft. The more experienced rangers soon fell upon the trail, which they traced across
292
MARIETTA, 1791.
the wide bottoms on to the Little Muskingum. At a point about half a mile below where Conner's mill now stands, the Indians forded the creek. In a hollow, between the hills, about a mile east of the creek, they discovered the smoke of their camp fire. The rangers now divided the volunteers into two flanking parties, with one of the spies at the head of each, and three of their number to act in front. By the time the flankers had come in range of the camp, the Indians discovered their pursuers, by the noise of the soldiers who lagged behind, and were not so cautious in their movement. They instantly fled up the run on which they were encamped. Two of their number leaving the main body, ascended the point of a hill, with a ravine on the right and left of it.
The rangers now began to fire, while the Indians, each one taking his tree, returned the shot. One of the two In- dians on the spur of the ridge was wounded through the hips, by one of the spies on the right, who pushed on man- fully to gain the flanks of the enemy. The men in front came on more slowly, and as they began to ascend the point of the ridge, Ned Henderson, who was posted on high ground, cried out "Ham ! Ham! there is an Indian behind that white oak, and he will kill some of you." Kerr in- stantly sprung behind a large tree, and Peter Anderson who was near him, behind a hickory, too small to cover more than half his body, while John Wiser jumped down into the ravine. At that instant the Indian fired at Anderson, and as John looked over the edge of the bank to learn the effect of the shot, he saw Peter wiping the dust of the hickory bark out of his eyes. The ball grazed the tree, just opposite his nose, and glancing off did him no serious harm, but filling his eyes with the dust, and cutting his nose with the splinters. At the same time Henderson, with others, fired at the Indian, and he fell with several balls through his body. The brave fellow who was killed lost his life in a noble effort to aid his friend, who had been wounded
293
MARIETTA, 1791.
through the hips, and could not spring up on to the little bench, or break in the ridge, where he was standing.
While occupied in this labor of love, the rangers on his flanks had so far advanced, that the shelter of the friendly tree could no longer secure him from their shots, as it had done while his enemies were more in front of him. The wounded Indian escaped for the present, although it is pro- bable he died soon after. The other five Indians, there being seven in the party, seeing that their enemies out- numbered them so greatly, after firing a few times, made a circuit to the right and came up in the rear of the soldiers, who were occupying themselves with the contents of the kettle of hog meat and potatoes, which the Indians in their hurry had left boiling over the fire. The first notice they had of their danger was the report of their rifles. It made a huge uproar amongst the musqueteers, who taking to flight, ran in great alarm for protection to the rangers. As it happened the Indians were too far off to do much harm, and no one was injured but one poor fellow, who was shot through the seat of his trowsers, just grazing the skin. He tumbled into the brook by the side of the camp, screaming at the top of his voice, " I am kill'd, I am kill'd," greatly to the amusement of the rangers, who were soon at his side, and dragging him out of the water, searched in vain for the mortal wound. The dead Indian was scalped, and his rifle and blanket taken as the legitimate plunder of a conquered foe. The other five retreated out of reach of the ran- gers, after their feat of frightening the soldiers. They returned to the garrison, well pleased that none of their men were killed, but much vexed with the soldiers, whose indescretion had prevented their destroying the whole of the Indians, had they encircled them as first arranged by the leaders of the party. It served as a warning to the In- dians not to approach too near the yankee garrison, as their rangers were brave men, whose eyes and ears were always open.
294
MARIETTA, 1791.
Doings of the Ohio company.
In March, the agent directed Colonel Sproat to enlist another company of men, equal to that ordered in January, to serve three months from the first of April. The Direc- tors were notified to pay the troops and all other debts in- curred by the war, as speedily as possible. There being little or no specie in the country, these orders for the pay of the troops, being generally in small sums, served as a circulating medium for the colony, in place of money, during the war. They were drawn on the treasurer at Philadel- phia, and were taken in payment for debts by the people, or at the store for provisions and merchandise. They served all the purposes of the old continental currency, without its disastrous termination, as they were all promptly paid. To encourage the young men who were now here to remain in the country, and others to come in, it was re- solved that whoever shall continue here during the present Indian war, and defend the purchase, either at Marietta, Belpre, or Waterford, shall receive a hundred acres of land equal in quality to that already bestowed.
This notice, spread abroad through Pennsylvania and Virginia, brought in a number of able bodied men in the midst of the war, whose services were very valuable in the defense of the country. Had the settlement at Ma- rietta commenced like most others in the western country, since that period, it would doubtless have been destroyed or broken up. But the wealth, wisdom, and firmness of the agents, and directors, backed by the council of so many old officers of the revolution, with General Putnam at their head, preserved it in safety amidst all the horrors and dangers that surrounded it. The greatest regularity and order was pre- served in all their transactions, like those of a well ordered government. In March a non-commissioned officer, one drummer, and eleven privates were added to the guards at Marietta, and one drummer and four privates to the gar- rison at Belpre, all under the pay of the Ohio company.
295
MARIETTA, 1791.
Funds were also voted for the support of the Rev. Daniel Story, as a preacher of the gospel, and twenty dollars to Colonel Battelle for religious instruction at Belpre ; thus pro- viding for the welfare of the souls, as well as the safety of the bodies, of the inhabitants under their care.
In the spring of 1791, Colonel Ichabod Nye erected buil- dings and laid down vats for a tannery and dressing of leather, on the outer margin of the plain, distant about three furlongs from Campus Martius. It was in quite an exposed situation, as it lay near the border of the forest, where an enemy could lie concealed. Although the Indians often visited the establishment, pulling the hides out of the vats, and cutting up the leather for their own use, yet no one was ever killed, or attacked while working the yard. This was doubtless the first attempt to manufacture leather in Ohio.
In April a committee was appointed to report on the mode of furnishing the settlements with future religious instruction. On their report it was resolved that the sum of one hundred and sixty dollars be appropriated for that pur- pose, as follows : eighty-four dollars for Marietta, fifty dol- lars for Belpre, and twenty-six dollars for Waterford, on condition that Marietta support a teacher one year, Belpre seven months, and Waterford three months and a half. Should either of these places not comply with the above, such place shall not receive the money allotted to it. One hundred and twenty dollars of the above sum was to be paid out of the interest of the money loaned to the inhabi- tants, and forty dollars from the treasury of the company. Committees were to be appointed in each settlement to carry these designs into operation, and to engage teachers of such a character as shall be approved of by the directors. General Putnam and Robert Oliver were the directors at this time.
Surgeons for the troops were also appointed, and provided with instruments and medicines. They received their pay
296
MARIETTA, 1791.
and rations from the same liberal source-Dr. Jabez True at Marietta, Dr. Samuel Barnes at Belpre, and Dr. Nathan McIntosh at Waterford.
The war having put a stop to the use of the mills built by Captain Shepherd, on Duck creek, all the corn meal needed for bread was ground in hand mills. It was a labo- rious and slow process, requiring two men to grind half a peck an hour. The flour used by the inhabitants, and for the troops, was procured "at head waters." For these reasons encouragement was given to Mr. Charles Greene and associates to build a floating mill on the Muskingum river, opposite to the garrison, within the protection of the guns of Campus Martius. One of this kind was now build- ing at Belpre by Captain Devoll. It was completed in the course of the year, with a substantial timber wharf for the landing of goods, and buildings for the convenience of the mill. A lease of an adjacent lot on the commons was given him for twenty years, as an encouragement to the work. It proved, however, to be of very little use the greater portion of the year, the current in the river being too slow to move the ma- chinery. During the summer months the mill was towed up the Muskingum, about three miles, to a rapid called "rocky ripple," and fastened with a grape vine to a tree. At this point it could grind a little ; but for the larger portion of the time before and during the Indian war, nearly all the corn meal was made on the hand mill, that primitive implement so often mentioned in the Scriptures, and still in use among many of the eastern nations.
The news of Governor St. Clair's defeat by the Indians, which took place on the 4th of November, did not reach Marietta until the 5th of December. The word was brought by Major Denny, quarter-master in the army, as he was on his way to Philadelphia. (At this period there was no regular intercourse between the different posts. All the traveling was done on the river in keel boats or barges, especially up stream. Expresses by land could not be
-
297
MARIETTA, 1791.
sent on account of the Indians. They sometimes traveled across the country by " the crab orchard" route, through North Carolina and Virginia. In a year or two after, a regular line of packet row boats was established by the secretary of war, J. Pickering, from Pittsburgh to Fort Washington, as will be more fully noticed in the events of that year.)
On the receipt of this news, a special meeting of the agents was called, and two expresses sent to notify Mr. Lud- low and his party of the defeat. He was engaged in the woods, running the line defining the northern boundary of the purchase, and since known as "Ludlow's line." This adverse and unexpected event for a while filled the inhabit- ants with consternation and alarm, fearing lest the Indians, now assembled in large numbers and flushed with victory, should attack all the posts of the company, and execute in earnest the threat of "putting out every white man's fire north of the Ohio."
So greatly alarmed were a portion of the settlers, that they began to talk of evacuating the country. In a few days, however, these evil forebodings began to subside, and by the calm deportment and resolute counsel of the more influential and experienced men, a better spirit prevailed, and they determined to defend their families and possessions to the uttermost; and sooner be buried under the ruins of their homes, than abandon them to the savages. In a day or two the party under Mr. Ludlow arrived in safety.
In December, Judge Gilman and his son, B. J. Gilman, erected a block house on the west side of the Muskingum, on the lands attached to Fort Harmer, near the spot now occupied by the dwelling of L. Barber. A number of fami- lies had lived here since the removal of the troops in 1790; and considerable tracts of land were cleared and cultivated within a quarter of a mile of the fort. Several families arrived this winter from Nova Scotia, who had lands allot- ted to them for building and cultivation, in the vicinity of
298
MARIETTA, 1791.
the fort, until they could occupy their donation lots. Among them were the Olneys, Seamans, &c., who lived after the war on the Muskingum, in the townships of Union and Adams. In December, Commodore Abraham Whipple had a lot of land assigned to him on the commons, west of the land leased to Charles Green, for the purpose of building thereon a horse-mill for grinding corn, and Peletiah White a small lot for an earthen ware pottery; which was proba- bly the first establishment of the kind north of the Ohio. The commodore's mill did but little in the way of grinding ; the main dependence of the people for bread still being the hominy block and hand mill.
Providential escape.
During the continuance of the war, the inhabitants were obliged to work in their fields as the Israelites did at the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem, every man with his weapon in his hand. All their food was procured at the risk of life. Whether in seed time or in harvest, they worked in parties of fifteen or twenty men, three or four of whom were posted as sentries in the edge of the woods or around the more exposed portions of the field. Without these precautions they were almost certain to be killed, as several were who carelessly exposed themselves alone. They were obliged to plow and plant for the sustenance of themselves and families, or starve. Famine on the one side and the tomahawk on the other; there was no alter- native.
In July, 1791, a party of this kind had been engaged in harvesting a field of flax and oats for General Putnam, lying adjoining to, and east of the mound square. The square itself was planted with corn, then in the tassel. The work was nearly finished, except the binding of a few oats. The next morning, the job being so small, it was decided that the whole need not go out again, but that the Gene- ral's two sons, William Rufus and Edwin, with William
299
MARIETTA, 1791.
Browning, his son-in-law, and Augustus Stone, then a boy of ten or twelve years, who lived in the family, should finish the work, thinking there would be no danger from Indians, as none had been seen lately, and it would occupy but a short time. Directly after breakfast Mr. Putnam's sons and Stone were ready to go to the field, but on calling for Browning, found he had gone to "the point" on some important errand. The others did not choose to go without him, and he did not return until ten o'clock, when they all started for the field. On their arrival, they thought it pru- dent to reconnoitre the ground. Edwin, a lad of fifteen, was posted on the fence between the field and the low ground east of it. Augustus was sent to the top of the mound to look out for Indians; the others traversed the cornfields around it. The corn had recently been hoed, and the track of a man in the loose earth was readily seen. They directly discovered signs of Indians made since the last night, and following on, found where they had stood between the mound and the field for a long time, by the number of their tracks, about fifty yards or a short rifle shot distance from the oats. They also saw where two had stood on the outer margin of the corn, near the spot where the path came into the field, as if watching for their approach., The party now called in their out-posts and retreated unharmed to the garrison. There is no doubt the savages had seen them at work the day before, but thought the party too strong to attack. When they were gone, by seeing how the work was unfinished, they knew that some of them would be back next morning, and made their ar- rangements by posting themselves around the margin of the field. Had this small band gone out early in the morn- ing, as intended, there is little doubt they would have been killed or taken prisoners.
But a gracious and overruling Providence so ordered this small matter of Browning's delay at " the point," that they were detained, much against their wills, until their enemies
300
MARIETTA, 1791.
had left the ground, thinking it was now so late in the day, they had given up the work. There were among these Indians two whose foot prints were well known to the rangers. One of them left a track eleven inches long, the other not more than seven or eight. They were known as the big and little Indian. They were men of great subtlety and caution ; often seen together by the spies, yet never but once within reach of their rifles. Joshua Fleehart, a noted hunter, and as cautious and cunning as any savage, got a shot at the big Indian as the two lay in their camp below Bellville. The ball cut loose his powder horn, which Joshua took as a prize, and wounded him in the side, but he escaped.
Death of Nicholas Carpenter and four men.
The year 1791 was more fruitful in tragical events than any other during the war, in the vicinity of Marietta. After that period the attention of the Indians was more occupied with the troops assembled on the borders of their own coun- try, or already penetrating to the vicinity of their villages. The United States troops stationed at the posts within the new settlements, drew a considerable portion of their meat rations from the inhabitants of the western branches of the Monongahela, about Clarksburgh, especially their fresh beef. Several droves had been brought from that region of country in 1790 and '91, and sold to Paul Fearing, Esq., who had been appointed commissary to the troops. A con- siderable number of cattle, especially milk cows, were also sold to the inhabitants of Marietta. Among those engaged in this employment was Nicholas Carpenter, a worthy, pious man, who had lived many years on the frontiers and was well acquainted with a forest life. He left Clarks- burgh the last of September, with a drove, accompanied by his little son of ten years old, and five other men, viz. : Jesse Hughes, George Legit, John Paul, Barns, and Ellis. On the evening of the 3d of October, they had reached a
301
MARIETTA, 1791.
point six miles above Marietta, and encamped on a run half a mile from the Ohio, and since called "Carpenter's run." The cattle were suffered to range in the vicinity, feeding on the rich pea vines that then filled the woods, while the horses were hoppled, the leaves pulled out from around the clappers of their bells, and turned loose in the bottom. After eating their suppers, the party spread their blankets on the ground and lay down with their feet to the fire. No guard was set to watch the approach of an enemy. Their journey being so near finished, without dis- covering any signs of Indians, that they thought all danger was past.
It so happened that not far from the time of their leaving home, a party of six Shawanese Indians, headed as was afterwards ascertained by Tecumseh, then quite a youth, but ultimately so celebrated for bravery and talents, had crossed the Ohio river near Bellville, on a marauding expedition in the vicinity of Clarksburgh. From this place they passed over the ridges to "Neil's Station," on the Little Kenawha, one mile from the mouth, where they took prisoner a colored boy of Mr. Neil, about twelve years old, as he was out looking for the horses early in the morning. It was done without alarming the garrison, and they quietly proceeded on their route, doing no other mischief; pursuing their way up the Kenawha to the mouth of Hughes's river, and fol- lowing the north fork, fell on to the trail from Clarksburgh to Marietta. This took them about three days. There was no rain, and the leaves so dry that their rustling alarmed the deer, and they could kill no game for food. Their only nourishment for that period was a single tortoise, which they divided among them, giving Frank, the black boy, an equal share. As he was much exhausted and discouraged, they promised him a horse to ride on their return. These circumstances were related by Frank after his escape.
Soon after leaving the north fork of Hughes's river, they fell on to the trail of Carpenter's drove, and thinking, it
302
MARIETTA, 1791.
made by a caravan of settlers, on their way to the Ohio, they held a short council. Giving up any further progress towards Clarksburgh, they turned with renewed' energy and high spirits upon the fresh large trail, which they per- ceived had very recently been made. So broad was the track made by the cattle and four or five horses, that they followed it without difficulty, at a rapid pace all night, and came in sight of the camp fire a little before daylight. Previous to commencing the attack, they secured Frank with leather thongs to a stout sapling on the top of an ad- jacent ridge. The trampling of the cattle and the noise of the horse bells greatly favored the Indians in their ap- proach, but as there was no sentinel there was little danger of discovery. Tecumseh, with the cautious cunning that ever after distinguished him, posted his men behind the trunk of a large fallen tree, a few yards from the camp, where they could watch the movements of their enemies.
At the first dawn of day, Mr. Carpenter called up the men, saying they would commence the day with the accus- tomed acts of devotion which he had long practiced. As the men sat round the fire, and he had just commenced reading a hymn, the Indians rose and fired, following the discharge with a terrific yell, and rushed upon their aston- ished victims with the tomahawk. Their fire was not very well directed, as it killed only one man, Ellis from Green- brier and wounded John Paul through the hand. Ellis in- stantly fell, exclaiming " O Lord, I am killed !" The others sprang to their feet, and before they could all get their arms which were leaning against a tree, the Indians were among them. Hughes, who had been an old hunter and often in skirmishes with the savages, in his haste seized on two rifles, Carpenter's and his own, and pushed into the woods, with two Indians in pursuit. He fired one of the guns, but whether with effect is not known, and threw the other away. Being partly dressed at the time of the at- tack, his long leggings were only fastened to the belt round
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.