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 36
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ATTACK ON FORT FRYE.
completed. In two days they had it all finished, and just at evening hung their strong outer gates, secured with heavy wooden bars. That night was passed more quietly, as they now felt comparatively safe.
As the Indians had not yet appeared, nor any signs of them been seen by the rangers, their suspicions of John's false alarm began again to revive, and many to think and say there were no Indians near them. It seems that the reason of this delay was occasioned by their changing the time of attack. After leaving John, they con- cluded to destroy the settlement at Duck creek first, and then come over to Waterford, not being aware of the eva- cuation of that station immediately after the affair at Big bottom. On reaching the forks of the creek, they were not a little vexed to find the houses vacant, and the cattle all driven away. Full of ire at the disappointment, they turned away on their trail, and hastened over to Muskin- gum. They reached the vicinity of the garrison on the evening of the second day after John's arrival, wholly un- conscious of his escape, or that the whites had any know- ledge of their approach.
Early the following morning, which was the 11th day of March, they posted their warriors along the margin of the plain, while four or five went below to the deserted houses and fodder stack, expecting their enemies out to feed their cattle or to milk their cows. Wilbur Sprague, a young man, had gone out very early, before it was light, to milk a cow, which was kept at their deserted cabin, eighty or one hundred rods below. He had finished his task, and commenced his return to the fort, before the Indians saw him. They immediately fired at him, and rushed on in pursuit. One of their balls took effect in the hip, and nearly disabled him. He, however, ran to within a few rods of the gate, and fell down under cover of a large stump of a tree, which protected him from further injury. His brothers, Jonathan and Nehemiah, rushed out and
447
ESCAPE OF McCULLOCK.
brought him in, amid a shower of bullets from the Indians. They escaped unharmed, although several shots struck the gate, and others threw up the mud and earth around them.
When the firing commenced, McCullock and McGuffy, the two spies, were at their breakfast, preparing to go out on their daily range. They instantly hurried out, to learn the cause. It seems that several of the flanking party of Indians, who fired at Sprague, were dressed with hats and match coats, like those worn by the soldiers of the garrison, which they had procured from the English traders, and used as a decoy. McCullock, seeing these men, thought they were a party of whites, from Marietta, and ran up near to them, with the intention of assisting them to enter the fort, and escape from the Indians on the edge of the plain, who had commenced firing at the garrison. When he had approached within fifty or sixty yards, one of them called out, in broken English, "come on, my good fellow, we'll protect you;" while another, behind a tree, raised his rifle to fire at him. At this instant, Wanton Devoll, who stood looking out from a loop hole, in the upper story of the block house next the river, screamed at the top of his voice, " look out, that man is going to shoot you !" As the gun cracked, he sprang to one side, and the ball passed through the body of his faithful dog, who had run out with his master, and was a few paces behind him. Perceiving his mistake, he turned and ran from his deceitful foes, for the garrison, not in a strait course, but in a zig-zag manner, jumping from side to side, as is often the manner of the Indians, when endeavoring to avoid the aim of their ene- mies. A number of shots were fired at him by the other Indians, but he escaped unharmed. Samuel and William Sprague, brothers of Wilbur, thinking there were no Indians near, had just left the fort in a canoe for Marietta, and had proceeded down about a quarter of a mile, when the firing commenced.
Hearing the shots, and the yells of the Indians, the truth
1 448
INDIANS KILL CAPTAIN RODGERS.
of John's statement flashed across their minds; they instantly put about, and by keeping close under the edge of the bank, escaped detection, and entered the water gate unobserved. The Indians finding themselves so manfully opposed, a constant fire being kept up at them from the garrison, whenever they appeared in sight, ceased any further attempts at its capture, and commenced shoot- ing the cattle of the settlers, which they found at the vacant clearings. They killed not less than twenty-five or thirty head, and drove away two yoke of oxen and several cows, to Sandusky, some of which were seen at that place, by Daniel Convers, about six weeks after. When they had completed their mischief, they retired beyond the reach of gun shot on to the edge of the plain, in fair sight of the garrison.
Judge Devoll had in his possession a long barreled, large bored, old ducking gun. Seeing a group of savages in the border of the clearing, making obscene gestures, and defy- ing the whites, he elevated his gun from one of the upper loop holes and fired into the midst of them, aiming at one who was more noisy than the rest, pointed out to him by his daughter, who stood by his side during the whole attack, and often showed him the best chances for a shot. The group directly scattered ; and one of them went limping from the ground, shot through the hip, as was ascertained after the peace. They soon left the vicinity of the fort, but continued for several days to lurk about and harrass the other settlements, killing Captain Rodgers at Marietta, and firing at Waldo Putnam at Belpre.
During the attack on the garrison, Jabez Barlow, (a simple hearted, misanthropic old bachelor, one of the Waterford associates, and brother of Joel Barlow, the poet,) lived about a mile below, in a small cabin by himself, having refused to move into the garrison, alleging as a reason, that he had never harmed the Indians, and they would not injure him. During the first few months of the
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JABEZ BARLOW.
settlement, he lived in the upright trunk of a large, hollow, sycamore tree. Being of a religious turn of mind, and some- what of an enthusiast, he fully believed that the word of God, contained in his bible, would protect him from all harm. He had just risen from bed, and hearing the continued firing, he started to go up to the garrison. When he reached about half way, the firing ceased, and thinking they had been shooting at a mark, he retraced his steps. As he approached within a few rods of his clearing, he saw the back of an Indian standing in the door way of his little cabin, inspecting the interior. Greatly alarmed at this unexpected sight, he instantly dropped down on to the earth, amidst the dead weeds and bushes which surroun- ded him, and sheltered him from view. The Indians, after plundering the house of such articles as pleased them, breaking up his pot and kettle, and tearing a number of leaves from the large bible which lay on the table, and scattering them over the floor, departed without suspecting the vicinity of the owner. Fearing that the dreaded Indians were still near him, Barlow continued in his present con- cealment without stirring until night. In the evening there came on a heavy rain, which made it very dark. He now ' started for the garrison, following the little blind path as well as he could, and fancying every dusky object an In- dian, he reached the gate of the fort about eight o'clock. Here he hailed the guard, who inquired very strictly his name, at that time of night, and, fearing an ambush from the savages, whether he had any Indians with him. After some parley he was admitted. Finding the Delawares paid no respect to his bible, he deserted the little cabin and lived in the fort until after the close of the war, when he returned to his former home in New Hampshire.
The greatest injury suffered by the settlers from this at- tack was the loss of their cattle, which could not be re- placed but at a great expense. No lives were lost, and only one of their number was wounded, who recovered
29
450
CAPTIVITY OF DANIEL CONVERS.
after a long and painful illness. The kind hand of Provi- dence, setting the councils of the Indians at nought, and overruling their plans for the good of the whites, may be clearly traced in all these transactions. The escape of John Miller to give notice of their approach, and the changing of their minds on the way, going first to Duck creek, gave the settlers time to complete their defenses, and be ready to re- pel the attack of their foes. Without these interpositions it is more than probable many lives would have been lost, and perhaps the garrison destroyed. The Indian war party was composed of about thirty Indians.
Captivity of Daniel Convers.
After the defeat and disappointment of the Indians in their attack on the garrison, no other attempt was made to harrass the settlements until the last of April following. The small domestic lots near the garrison had been planted, and the inhabitants had commenced work in the large field on the plan. In the forenoon of the 29th of April, the men with their usual guard had been out to work in this inclo- sure; at noon it began to rain and they did not go out again. Some of the young men were in want of a new drum for the use of the garrison, and as they could not work that af- ternoon, concluded to go and cut a tree suitable for making the hoop, or body of the instrument. While talking over the matter some of the older and more cautious men ad- vised them not to do so, as it was reported that an Indian had been seen that morning on the other side of the river. They, however, did not credit the report, and thought there was no danger. Accordingly, Jonathan Sprague, Nehemiah Sprague, and Daniel Davis, being well armed, went out, accompanied by Daniel Convers, then a lad in his six- teenth year, who was unarmed, and went with them by way of amusement. Between the fort and the field was a patch of forest yet uncleared, in which they soon selected a suitable tree about forty or fifty yards from the edge of
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CAPTIVITY OF DANIEL CONVERS.
the field. Jonathan Sprague was the axeman, and as he pulled off his coat to begin work, handed his gun and pow- der horn to young Convers, who stood by his side. Nehe- miah was posted a few yards distant as a kind of guard, while Davis was within a step or two, looking at the work.
Jonathan had made but a few strokes into the side of the tree, when nine Indians rose up from behind some brush that lay near the edge of the field, distant not more than forty yards, and fired. So sudden and unexpected was the discharge, that the report of their guns and the sight of the Indians fell at the same instant on the astonished woods- men. The splinters, from the bushes and bark of the tree, flew thick around them, but not one was killed, or even wounded ; a ball passed through Jonathan's shirt and waist- coat, barely grazing the skin, without drawing blood. He instantly snatched his gun from the hands of his compan- ion, and in despair called out " what shall we do !" Daniel Convers, who was constitutionally brave, and not easily alarmed, boldly answered, "why, tree and fire," knowing that the guns of the Indians were now empty, and there was no immediate danger.
But his men, without any attempt at resistance, all ran as fast as they could for the fort. They were young soldiers, and not much accustomed to Indian warfare, and besides the number of the Indians was three times their own. Daniel having no arms, two of the Indians chased and took him prisoner, while the others having their loaded guns to protect them, were not pursued. Had they treed and fired, they would probably have killed one or two Indians, or at least beat them off until aid came from the fort, and so all have escaped. A short time before this affair, there had been a bounty offered of fifty dollars for Indian scalps. Young Convers, whose head was full of the prospect of getting a bounty, afterwards said that between the time of the volley from the Indians, and the retreat of his own party, when they might have returned the fire with the
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CAPTIVITY OF DANIEL CONVERS.
prospect of killing some of them, the thoughts of the bounty were constantly in his mind, and only dissipated by their seizing him and making him a prisoner; a proof that he was not overcome with fear at this sudden attack. The Indians had secreted themselves in this position on the margin of the field, while the men were gone to their din- ners, with the expectation of their returning in the after- noon.
The captors of young Convers seized him by the hands and hurried him down to the river, where they had two or three bark canoes, and crossed over, landing at the mouth of Wolf creek, fearing an attack from the men in the garri- son. Having no further use for their frail boats, they punched holes with the paddles in the bottoms, and sunk them. The war party was composed of Chippewas and Wyandots. With all haste they went to the place where their baggage was secreted in an old hollow tree, a little above the mouth of the creek, and began their journey homeward, scattering off singly through the woods so as to leave as little trail as possible, and coming together again after a few miles.
They traveled that afternoon north-westerly until they struck the old Indian path from Sandusky to Fort Harmer, which was a plain, beaten track, used by the Indians for several years past when going with peltry to trade at Mari- etta. The evening was rainy and night very dark, but as they wished to get as far as possible from the whites, fear- ing they might be pursued, they did not stop until quite late. With this long and rapid march, Daniel became so tired and sleepy that he could not keep his eyes open, and nodded as he went; when, finally, they made a halt. From their great and habitual caution, no fire was kindled. Be- fore laying down they tied a long leather thong round their captive's wrists, and stretching out the ends of it on the ground, two Indians lay down on each side of him, passing it under their bodies, so as to awaken them if he attempted
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CAPTIVITY OF DANIEL CONVERS.
to escape. The Indians did not sleep much, but lay chat- tering and talking nearly all night. At daylight they recommenced their journey. An old Ottawa Indian who was painted black, as a token that he killed all, and took no prisoners, while those painted in other colors, make prison- ers if they choose, complained that he was sick, and gave his pack to Daniel to carry.
It was very heavy, and beyond his strength to sustain for any long distance. After traveling about three miles, they stopped at a little run to drink, when he threw it to the ground, exclaiming " me sick too." He knew the Indian would resent it, and expected every moment a blow from his tomahawk, but he was so wearied with the load, and vexed at his captivity, that he cared but little for the con- sequences. Contrary to his calculation the Ottawa picked up the pack without speaking, while the Indian, who claimed him as his property by the right of capture, in- stantly patted him on the back, exclaiming "ho yee," in token of his approval of the act, and admiration of his spirit. The second day at evening, having reached the head waters of Jonathan's creek, or Moxahala, a distance of forty or fifty miles, and out of danger of pursuit, they halted before night, kindled a fire, and killed a deer for supper. Here they gathered a parcel of wild onions, and cooked with the venison in their kettles, which, as they had no salt, made a tolerable seasoning. That night they cut his hair in the Indian fashion, leaving a long lock on the top of the head, called " the scalp lock," which was braided into a cue. They also painted one of his eye lids red.
In the course of the third day they came to a historical or hieroglyphic tree, on which was painted, in a rude man- ner, a war party, describing their number and the direction in which they were going. The warriors now figured on the same tree their own number ; also indicating the cap- ture of one prisoner. It is their custom when marching in single file to place the prisoner behind the leader, and he is
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CAPTIVITY OF DANIEL CONVERS.
further indicated by being figured without arms. In this case, to show that their prisoner was a boy, he was made of less size than the armed warriors. This was a spot well known to the Indians, and where another war path came in. Here the two Ottawa men left them, as the path led to their village. Before going they shook hands very kindly with the other Indians, not forgetting the little prisoner, who received as hearty a shake as any of them. From this place they went on as rapidly as they could, without any delay, to Upper Sandusky.
In the first cabin they entered, were seen several scalps, suspended on a pole, a disheartening and melancholy sight for the prisoner. In it was a crabbed old Indian who, after shaking hands quite cordially with the warriors, saluted Daniel with a hearty cuff on the side of his head, by way of savage welcome. With the accustomed hospitality, he fed his guests on hominy, and when they left him, accom- panied them some distance down the Sandusky river. In the course of that afternoon, they met a white man and negro, both on horseback. The white man was an Indian trader, and said but little to the prisoner, while the negro came up very kindly and shook him by the hand; inquiring with apparant interest whether any of his friends had been killed, and where he was taken prisoner. That night they encamped in the woods, and had nothing for supper among eight persons but one wood chuck, or ground hog. Here the Indians gave him a small blanket and a pair of moccasins, he being very thinly clad and barefoot at the time of his cap- ture, and so continued all the journey out.
The next morning the party came to an Indian hut, where they made a halt. The owner was absent, but soon came in, with a bridle in one hand, and a hickory stick in the other. After shaking hands with his countrymen, he turned round, and by way of salutation gave their prisoner two or three severe blows with his hickory. Daniel gave him a scrutinizing look in return, and mentally resolved, that if he
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CAPTIVITY OF DANIEL CONVERS.
ever had an opportunity hereafter, he would be fully re- venged on him. At this place they procured some food, and traveled on down the river until they came to a vacant hut, where they passed the night. Here he saw a cow that belonged to his mother, and was driven away by the Indi- ans at the time of their attack in March. She directly knew her old friend Daniel, came up to him, and looked as if she felt sorry for his unhappy condition. The oxen and other cattle were at Lower Sandusky.
As a proof that there is some kind feeling in savages, that day, as they approached a village on a prairie, two In- dian boys came up, and taking him by each hand, ran with him past the town, and then stopped. This was evidently done to screen him from the sight of those in the village, who have a cruel custom of making all the prisoners who pass through their towns run the gauntlet. On the tenth day of his captivity, or the 9th of May, the party arrived at Lower Sandusky, where there was a large Indian village. Here they crossed the Sandusky river in a canoe. As soon as they had landed an Indian came up, took Daniel by the hand, and bid him go with him. He hesitated for a moment, when one of the warriors motioned him to go. He ran with him up the river bank about twenty rods and stopped, appearing very friendly, and no doubt took this course to keep him out of the sight of the other Indians belonging to the town. While waiting there for his party to join him, a large Indian came to him who was drunk, and struck him over the eye, knocking him down. The eye instantly swelled so that he could not see with it. As he repeated the blow, an elderly Indian who was much smaller ran up to his rescue, and seizing the drunken one by the hair, jerked him to the ground and beat him severely. He then in a very kind manner took young Convers by the hand, calling him, in broken English, his friend. At the same time two squaws came up and expressed their pity for the poor young prisoner.
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CAPTIVITY OF DANIEL CONVERS.
They went away, but directly returned, bringing some hominy and meat for him to eat; thus showing that the female heart in the savage, as well as in the civilized races, is readily moved at the sight of distress, and ever open to compassion and kindness. The party to which he belonged encamped near this spot; and during the night some of the warriors who had been present at the attack on the garri- son at Waterford, and driven away the cattle, hearing from their countrymen the result of their foray at the same place, and the ill treatment of their prisoner by the drunken Indian, came into the camp, and passed the night to pro- tect him from any further abuse.
The next day they moved with their captive down the Sandusky, to the head of the bay, and stopped a short time at Mr. Whitaker's, an Indian trader. He had a white wife, who, like himself, was taken prisoner in childhood, from western Virginia, and adopted into the tribe. The trader made them a present of a loaf of maple sugar, which they divided, giving Daniel a share. In the season of sugar making, it is often used by the Indians as food. Whitaker said but little to the prisoner, lest he should excite the jea- lousy of the warriors. Just below the trading house they crossed the head of the bay, landing at a place where there was a large camp of Indians. Among them was an old man who had lost his nose. He took quite a fancy to the white prisoner, and wanted him to sing. That evening they went to the house of a Frenchman, named La Ponce, who was a baker, and gave them some nice flour bread, the first good food he had eaten for eleven days. Here they passed the night. The following day he arrived at the mouth of Portage river, which was the 11th of May, and was delivered over to his new master, who had bargained for him the day after he was taken prisoner, but was not transferred until he could pay the purchase money, or articles to be received in exchange. Captives belong to the warrior who first lays his hand upon them; at that moment it is optional with him,
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CAPTIVITY OF DANIEL CONVERS.
either to kill or to take alive; if he chooses the latter they belong to him to dispose of for his own benefit. This, among savage races, has been a custom from the earliest times, and is doubtless the origin of slavery.
The price paid for young Convers, was a horse and sev- eral strings of wampum, the Indian substitute for money. The prisoner was fortunate in this exchange, as his new master and mistress were both very kind hearted people. His condition was not that of a slave, but rather an adop- tion into the family, as a son. The Indian's wife, whom he was directed to call mother, was a model of all that is ex- cellent in woman ; being patient, kind hearted, humane, and considerate to the wants and comfort of all around her, and especially so to their newly adopted son. To sum up her excellences in a brief sentence of the captive's own language, " as good a woman as ever lived !"
How few among the more civilized race of whites would ever imitate the christian charities, of this untaught daugh- ter of nature! Who among us would adopt an Indian cap- tive into our household, and treat him with all the kindness and affection bestowed upon our own children? Yet this was not uncommon among the savages of North America, and is a redeeming trait among their many cruel customs.
It is to be regretted that the Indian names of these good people are forgotten, for it would be a pleasure to know and preserve them. They were members of the Chippewa tribe. The family was composed of the Indian, his wife, a son about the same age as his adopted brother, and two daughters who were younger. All their worldly wealth consisted of three horses, a canoe, two or three brass ket- tles, tomahawks, guns, knives, and traps, with a few blan- kets. Their house, or wigwam, was a movable one; made of flag matting, wound spirally round poles stuck into the earth in a circle, and tied together at the top in the shape of a cove, making quite a picturesque appearance, when grouped together in a village. It is a common mode
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of constructing their dwellings along the low shores of the bays and marshy grounds, where the flag grows in great abundance. They are easily taken down and rebuilt ; or moved from place to place in their canoes. His Indian father gave him as good a dress as he could afford, com- posed of a calico shirt, leggins, and moccasins. He cut his hair short, and by way of ornament put a jewel in his nose.
From the mouth of the Portage river the family went over to Maumee bay, spending their time in hunting, fishing and trapping, in which Daniel assisted with cheerfulness, and being naturally of a lively disposition, soon gained the good will of the Indians. The Chippewas are a far less thrifty people than the Delawares, and many of the other tribes ; seldom raising any corn or vegetables, but depending on fishing and hunting for food. This is probably in part ow- ing to their location along the lake shores, and about the mouths of the streams, being less favorable to cultivation than higher and more inland situations. Four or five weeks were spent on the borders of the bay, passing up and down from the mouth to the rapids. While they were at this place, his Indian mother was attacked with a severe and dangerous illness, so that they all thought she must die. After his father, who was a doctor, had exhausted all his simple remedies in vain, he as a last resource appealed to the great spirit, in behalf of his sick wife. Among them the dog is considered a sacred animal, and never used for food. One day a squaw, who had probably been consulted on the occasion, came into the lodge with a young dog or pup, concealed under her blanket. She stood and looked a a few minutes at the sick woman, without speaking, drop- ped it on the ground and went out. The Indian doctor, or priest, took it up and killed it as an offering to the deity, probably sprinkling some of the blood on the sick. He then, with his adopted son, took the dead dog into the canoe and crossed the bay, where it is about three miles wide, to the Indian burying ground, and interred it. Not a word was
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