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 5
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The following extract from Hazard's Pa. Register, 8th vol., goes to prove that the French had extensive settle- ments in their possession in the Mississippi, and cultivated the soil to considerable extent. The statement is from John M'Kinney, who was taken a prisoner by the Indians, and carried to Fort Du Quesne, in February, 1756.
" While I was at the fort, there came up the Ohio from the Mississippi about thirty batteaux and about one hundred and fifty men, laden with pork, flour, brandy, tobacco, peas, and Indian corn. They were three months in coming to Fort Du Quesne, and came all the way up the falls without un- loading."
Fort Du Quesne, while in the occupancy of the French
42
INDIAN TREATY.
was a mere stockade of small dimensions, and not suited to resist the attacks of artillery, and some more formidable work was deemed necessary at a post so important as this. General Forbes, the captor of the fort, having died a few months after its surrender, at Philadelphia, General Stan- wix was appointed to succeed him. In the following year a substantial fort was built, and a treaty held with the In- dians, as appears from the following letters, printed in the New American Magazine, at Woodbridge in New Jersey, in November, 1759, dated September 24.
"It is now near a month since the army has been em- ployed in erecting a most formidable fortification-such a one as will, to the latest posterity, secure the British em- pire on the Ohio." " Upon the General's arrival, about four hundred Indians, of different nations, came to confirm the peace with the English ; particularly the Ottawas and Wy- andots, who inhabit about Detroit. These confessed the errors they had been led into by the perfidy of the French, -showed the deepest contrition for their past conduct, and promised not only to remain fast friends to the English, but to assist us in destroying the common enemy, whenever we should call on them to do it. They also said they would deliver up what prisoners they had in their hands to the General, at a great meeting that is to be held in about three weeks. As soon as the congress was ended, the head of each nation presented the calumet of peace to the Gene- ral, and showed every token of sincerity, that could be ex- pected, which the surrender of the prisoners will confirm. In this, as in every thing that can secure the lasting peace and happiness of these colonies, the general is indefatigable."
Judge Brackenridge, in a description of Pittsburgh, pub- lished in the Gazette, in July, 1786, says the building of Fort Pitt cost the British government sixty thousand pounds.
Upon the 10th of February, 1763, peace was established between Great Britain, France, and Spain. By this treaty,
43
THEIR TREACHERY.
France surrendered to the English the Canadas and all her possessions east of the Mississippi river, as low down as the 31st degree of latitude ; while Spain gave up Florida. In 1764, France ceded to Spain, Louisiana ; thus abandon- ing all her territory in North America.
The Indians being now deserted by their old allies, the French, who had, for a long series of years, been their friends, and supplied them with clothing and implements of war, and environed along the lake shores by the garrisons of the English, it was thought would remain at peace, and not again molest the inhabitants of the frontier settlements. On the faith of their fair promises to General Stanwix, in the summer of 1759, traders had gone among them, with valuable assortments of merchandise to give in exchange for their peltries, little dreaming of the calamities that awaited them. While acting under these delusive appear- ances, during the year 1763, the Indians formed one of the most formidable alliances for the extermination of their new masters ever entered into by this brave and cunning people. It was composed of all the western tribes, from the heads of the Muskingum to Michillimackinac. At the head of this grand confederacy was Pondiac : a chief as greatly renowned for his wisdom, as he was celebrated for his bravery. They were, doubtless, instigated to this re- sult, partly by the persuasions of their old allies, the French, who felt sore at their late defeat, as well as to re- sist and put a stop to the encroachments of the English settlers whose slow but gradual progress on their territo- ries they had the foresight to perceive must, in a few years, deprive them of their whole country. They preceded their attacks on the forts by plundering and murdering the Eng- lish traders, who had gone among them since the late peace. It is stated by the writers of that day, that nearly two hundred traders, and their servants, lost their lives; while the loss of goods was estimated at more than one
44
THEIR SUCCESS.
hundred thousand pounds sterling. A simultaneous and sudden attack was made on all the western posts. They got possession of the forts of Le Beouf, Venango, Presque Isle, Miamis on the Miami of the Lakes, St. Josephs on the river of that name, Ouachtanon on the Wabash, San- dusky, and Michillimackinac, and put the garrisons to death. Detroit was barely saved, after a long and close siege, by the Indians under Pondiac. Fort Pitt and Niag- ara both narrowly escaped.
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INDIAN WARFARE.
CHAPTER III.
Ancient map, with a plan of Colonel Bouquet's march to Muskingum .- Indi- an depredations in western Pennsylvania. - Extracts from Colonel Bouquet's expedition on to the Muskingum river, in 1764, with various incidents connected therewith .- Indian treaty at Fort Pitt in 1765.
In the summer of the year 1763, the whole western fron- tier of Pennsylvania was ravaged by the savages; killing the inhabitants, burning their buildings, and destroy- ing their cattle, to the vicinity of Shippensburg and Carlisle, which towns became now the frontier. It was estimated that a territory, three hundred miles long and thirty miles wide, was abandoned by the whites. This district was but thinly peopled it is true, but was occupied at various points by settlers. Fort Pitt was surrounded and cut off from all intercourse with the country east of the mountains. The fort was attacked with great spirit by the savages, who endeavored to set it on fire with lighted com- bustibles attached to arrows ; and kept up a constant dis- charge at the troops, from under cover of the bank of the Alleghany river, from their rifles. But, under the com- mand of Captain Ewyer, the soldiers, who had been strengthened by a number of traders, who had escaped the massacre of this class of men which preceded the attack on the posts, defied all their exertions and maintained the fort. Runners having been dispatched to the settlements with notice of the critical condition of the garrison, General Amherst appointed Colonel Bouquet to march to their re- lief, with a detachment of five hundred men, military stores and provisions. The abandoned settlements, through which
46
BOUQUET'S EXPEDITION.
he passed, presented a melancholy spectable. On the 4th of August, when within four days march of Fort Pitt, he was attacked on Bushy run by the Indians, in great force. After two days of severe fighting, in which the Colonel dis- played great military tact and coolness, the Indians were defeated, and the troops reached the fort without further in- terruption. The winter following his visit to Fort Pitt, the Indians again obstructed and way-laid the road across the mountains, rendering all intercourse very dangerous. The next summer a plan was set on foot by the Governor of Pennsylvania, for invading the territory of the Indians north-west of the Ohio river, being the first attempt to at- tack them in that region ever made by the English colonists. The larger portion of the operations of this campaign having taken place within the territory now embraced in the state of Ohio, they become more interesting and valu- able to the historical society. The volume, which contains the history of this campaign, was published in London, in the year 1766, and has now become scarce and difficult to procure. It is accompanied by the map of the country tra- versed, on which is delineated the location of the old forts and Indian towns. A sketch of the route and camping grounds of the army is also given, drawn by Thomas Hutchins, assistant engineer, who it seems accompanied the expedition. Plans of the order of march and of encamping are also given, which go to show that Colonel Bouquet was a commander of no ordinary military attainments. A copy of the map has been taken, and is presented to the society with these historical papers.
Extracts from the history of Colonel Bouquet's expedition into the Indian towns north-west of the river Ohio, in the year 1764.
This expedition was placed under the command of Colonel Bouquet, and consisted of fifteen hundred men. At the same time a detachment of men under Colonel Bradstreet,
47
BOUQUET'S EXPEDITION.
was to make an inroad upon the towns on the southern shore of Lake Erie. Although the bill for raising the troops was passed in May, it was as late as August before they left Carlisle, and the 17th of September when they arrived at Fort Pitt. While at Fort Loudon, east of the mountains, Colonel Bouquet received dispatches from Colonel Brad- street, dated Presque Isle, August 14th, acquainting him that he had effected a treaty of peace with the Delaware and Shawanese Indians ; but Colonel Bouquet at once decided, that no faith was to be put in their promises, and prepared to press onward. About the time he reached Fort Pitt, ten Indians appeared on the north side of the Ohio river, and desired a talk. This was taken by the Colonel as a strata- gem to enable them to ascertain his number, &c. Three of them at length came over to the fort; and as they could give no satisfactory reason for their visit, he detained them as spies, while their associates fled back to their towns. On the 20th of September, one of the captive Indians was sent with a talk to the hostile tribes, in which they were told that their duplicity with Colonel Bradstreet was understood, and that no mercy would be shown them unless they now came forward and complied with his just requisitions. " First, he said to them, you are to leave the path open for my expresses from here to Detroit. And as I am now to send two men with dispatches to Colonel Bradstreet, who commands on the lakes, I desire to know whether you will send two of your people with them, to bring them safe back with an answer? If they receive any injury, or the letters are taken from them, I will immediately put to death the Indians now in my power, and will show no mercy hereafter to any of your nation that may fall into my hands. I allow you ten days to have my letters delivered at Detroit, and ten more to bring me back an answer."
On the 1st of October, an Oneida and a Seneca Indian came to Fort Pitt, pretending friendship, and endeavored to dissuade the Colonel from proceeding against the Indians.
-
48
BOUQUET'S EXPEDITION.
As a particular reason, they urged upon him the small num- ber of his army, and that if he would wait a little time, all the Indians would come and make peace with him. As to the spies he held captive, they said if he would let them go it would much expedite peace, and the coming in of the nations for that end. This was too weak a web to catch such old flies as Colonel Bouquet. He told them, no depen- dence was to be placed in the promises of the Delawares and Shawanese; that he should proceed forthwith to Tusca- rawas, where if they had anything to say, he would hear them.
Order of march.
Colonel Bouquet, having at length with great difficulty collected his troops, formed his magazines, and provided for the safety of the posts he was to leave behind him, was ready, on the 2d of October, to proceed from Fort Pitt, with about fifteen hundred men, including drivers and other ne- cessary followers of the camp. As a just idea of the con- duct of this expedition, and the great caution taken to pre- vent surprise, will be best obtained from the order of march, we shall insert it, with an accurate draught, taken from actual surveys, of the road and adjacent country through which the army passed.
In his address to the troops, he expressed the greatest confidence in their bravery, and told them that the distance to the enemy's towns, with the clearing of roads to them, must necessarily require considerable time; that in those deserts they had no other supplies to expect but the pro- visions and ammunition they carried with them; and that therefore the utmost care and frugality would be necessary in the use of them. He published the severest penalties against those who should be found guilty of stealing or em- bezzling any part of them.
The order of march was as follows :
A corps of Virginia volunteers advanced in front, detach- ing three scouting parties- one of them furnished with a
4
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BOUQUET'S EXPEDITION.
guide, marched in the center path, which the army was to follow. The other two extended themselves in a line abreast, on the right and left of the aforesaid party, to re- connoitre the woods. Under cover of this corps the axe men, consisting of all the artificers, and two companies of light infantry, followed in three divisions, under the direc- tion of the chief engineer, to clear three different paths in which the troops and the convoy followed, viz: The front face of the square, composed of part of the forty-second regiment, marched in a column, two deep in the center path. The right face of the square, composed of the re- mainder of the forty-second and of the sixtieth regiment, marched in a single file in the right hand path. The first battalion of Pennsylvanians composed the left face, march- ing in like manner in the path to the left of the center The corps of reserve, composed of two platoons of grena- diers, followed the right and left faces of the square. The second batallion of Pennsylvanians formed the rear face of the square, and followed the corps of reserve, each in a single file, on the right and left hand paths; all these troops covering the convoy, which moved in the center path. A party of light horsemen marched behind the rear face of the square, followed by another corps of Virginia volunteers, forming the rear guard. The Pennsylvania volunteers, dividing themselves equally, and marching in a single file, at a proper distance, flanked the right and left faces of the square. The ammunition and tools were placed in the rear of the first column, or front face of the square, followed by the officers' baggage and tents. The oxen and sheep came after the baggage, in separate droves, properly guarded. The provisions came next to the baggage, in four divisions, or brigades of pack horses, each conducted by a horse master. The troops were or- dered to observe the most profound silence, and the men to march at two yards distance from one another. When the line or any part of it halted, the whole were to face 4
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BOUQUET'S EXPEDITION.
outward; and if attacked on their march, they were to halt immediately, ready to form the square when ordered. The light horse were then to march into the square, with the cattle, provisions, ammunition and baggage. Dispositions were also made in case of attack at night.
" These arrangements being made, the army decamped from Fort Pitt, on Wednesday, October 3d, and marched about one mile and a half, over a rich and level country, with stately timber, to camp No. 2,- a strong piece of ground, pleasantly situated, with plenty of water and food for the cattle.
" Thursday, October 4th. Having proceeded about two miles, they came to the Ohio river, at the beginning of the narrows, and from thence followed the course of the river along a flat gravelly beach, about six miles and a quarter, with two islands on their left, the lowest about six miles long, with a rising ground running across, and gently slo- ping on both sides to its banks, which are high and upright. At the lower end of this island the army left the river, marching through good land, broken into small hollows, to camp No. 3,- this day's march being nine miles and a quarter.
"Friday, October 5th. In this day's march the army passed through Logstown, situated seventeen and a half miles, fifty-seven perches, by the path, from Fort Pitt. This place was noted before the last war, for the great trade carried on there by the English and French; but its inhabi- tants, the Shawanese and Delawares, abandoned it in the year 1750. The lower town extended about sixty perches over a rich bottom to the foot of a low ridge on the summit, of which, near the declivity, stood the upper town com- manding a most agreeable propect over the lower, and quite across the Ohio, which is about five hundred yards wide here, and by its majestic, easy current, adds much to the beauty of the place. Proceeding beyond Logstown, through a fine country, interspersed with hills and rich
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BOUQUET'S EXPEDITION. 1
valleys, watered by many rivulets, and covered with stately timber, they came to camp No. 4, on a level piece of ground, with a thicket in the rear, a small precipice round the front, with a run of water at the foot, and good food for cattle. This day's march was nine miles, one half, and fifty three perches.
" Saturday, October 6th. At about three miles distant from this camp, they came again to the Ohio. Pursuing its course half a mile further, and then turning off, over a steep ridge, they crossed Big Beaver creek, which is twenty perches wide, the ford strong and pretty deep. It runs through a rich vale, with a pretty strong current; its banks high; the upland adjoining it very good; the timber tall and young. About a mile below its confluence with the Ohio stood formerly a large town, on a steep bank, built by the French, of square logs, with stone chimneys, for some of the Shawanese, Delaware and Mingo tribes, who aban- doned it in the year 1758, when the French deserted Fort Du Quesne. Near the fording of Beaver creek also stood about seven houses, which were deserted and destroyed by the Indians, after their defeat at Bushsy run, (1763,) when they forsook all their remaining settlements in this part of the country.
" About two miles before the army came to Beaver creek, one of our people, who had been made prisoners by six Delawares about a week before, near Fort Bedford, made his escape from them, and came and informed the Colonel, that these Indians had the day before fallen in with the army, but kept themselves concealed, being surprised at our numbers. Two miles beyond Beaver creek, by two small springs, was seen the skull of a child, that had been fixed on a pole by the Indians. The tracks of fifteen In- dians were this day discovered. The camp No. 5 is seven miles, one quarter, and fifty seven perches from Big Beaver creek; the whole march of this day, being about twelve miles.
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BOUQUET'S EXPEDITION.
" Sunday, October 7th. Passing a high ridge, they had a fine prospect of an extensive country on the right, which in general appeared level, with abundance of tall timber. The camp No. 6 lies at the foot of a steep descent, in a rich valley, on a strong ground; three sides thereof sur- rounded by a hollow, and on the fourth side a small hill, which was occupied by a detached guard. This day's march was six miles, sixty-five perches.
" Monday, October 8th. The army crossed Little Beaver creek and one of its branches. This creek is eight perches wide, with a good ford; the country about it interspersed with hills, rivulets, and rich valleys, like that described above. Camp No. 7 lies by a small run on the side of a hill, commanding the ground about it, and is distant eleven miles, one quarter, and forty-nine perches from the last en- campment.
" Tuesday, October 9th. In this day's march, the path divided into two branches ; that to the south-west leading to the lower towns upon the Muskingum. In the forks of the path stand several trees, painted by the Indians, in a a hieroglyphic manner, denoting the number of wars in which they had been engaged, and the particulars of their success, in prisoners and scalps. The camp No. 8 lies on a run, and level piece of ground, with Yellow creek close on the left, and a rising ground near the rear of the right face. The path, after the army left the forks, was so brushy and entangled, that they were obliged to cut all the way before them, and also to lay several bridges, in order to make it passable for the horses ; so that this day they pro- ceeded only five miles, three quarters, and seventy perches.
" Wednesday, October 10th. Marched one mile, with Yellow creek on the left at a small distance, all the way, and crossed it at a good ford, fifty feet wide; proceeding through an alternate succession of small hills, and rich vales, finely watered with rivulets, to camp No. 9,-seven miles, and sixty perches in the whole.
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BOUQUET'S EXPEDITION.
" Thursday, October 11th. Crossed a branch of Muskin - gum river, about fifty feet wide; the country much the same as that described above; discovering a good deal of free stone. The camp No. 10 had this branch of the river parallel to its left face, and lies ten miles, one quarter, and forty perches from the former encampment.
" Friday, October 12th. Keeping the aforesaid creek on their left, they marched through much fine land, watered with small rivers and springs ; proceeding likewise through several savannahs or cleared spots, which are by nature extremely beautiful; the second which they passed being, in particular, one continued plain of near two miles, with a fine rising ground forming a semicircle round the right hand side, and a pleasant stream of water at about a quarter of a mile distant on the left. The camp No. 11 has the above mentioned branch of Muskingum on the left, and is dis- tant ten miles and three quarters from the last encamp- ment.
"Saturday, October 13th. Crossed Ne-men-she-he-las creek, about fifty feet wide, a little above where it empties itself into the aforesaid branch of Muskingum, having in their way a pleasant prospect over a large plain, for near two miles on the left. A little further they came to another small river, which they crossed, about fifty perches above where it empties into the said branch of the Muskingum. Here a high ridge on the right, and the creek close on the left, form a narrow defile about seventy perches long. Pas- sing afterwards over a very rich bottom, they came to the main branch of the Muskingum, about seventy yards wide, with a good ford. A little below; and above the forks of this river, is Tuscarawas, a place exceedingly beautiful by situation, the lands rich on both sides of the river; the country on the north-west side being an entire level plain, upwards of five miles in circumference. From the ruined houses appearing here, the Indians, who once inhabited the place, and are now with the Delawares, are supposed to
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BOUQUET'S EXPEDITION.
have had about one hundred and fifty warriors. This camp, No. 12, is distant eight miles nineteen perches from the for- mer." Making ninety one miles, one quarter, and thirty- six perches, from Fort Pitt to this camp on the Muskingum river.
"Sunday, October 14th. The army remained in camp ; and two men, who had been dispatched by Colonel Bouquet from Fort Pitt, with letters for Colonel Bradstreet, returned and reported : " That within a few miles of this place, they had been made prisoners by the Delawares, and carried to one of their towns sixteen miles from hence, where they were kept till the savages, knowing of the arrival of the army here, set them at liberty ; ordering them to acquaint the Colonel that the head men of the Delawares and Shaw- anese, were coming as soon as possible to treat of peace with them.
" Monday, October 15th. The army moved two miles and forty perches further down the Muskingum, to camp No. 13, formed by a very high bank, with the river at the foot of it, which is upwards of one hundred yards wide at this place, with a fine level country, at some distance from its banks, producing stately timber, free from underwood, and plenty of food for cattle." The site of this camp is proba- bly the spot where Fort Laurens was built, by General Mc- Intosh, in the year 1778.
"The next day, six Indians came to inform the Colonel that all their chiefs were assembled about eight miles from the camp, and were ready to treat with him of peace, which they were earnestly desirous of obtaining. He told them he would meet them the next day in a bower, at some dis- tance from the camp. In the mean time, he ordered a small stockade fort to be built, to deposit provisions for the use of the troops on their return, and to lighten the convoy.
"Wednesday, October 17th. The Colonel, with most of the regular troops, Virginia volunteers and light horse,
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BOUQUET'S EXPEDITION.
marched from the camp to the bower erected for the con- gress. As soon as the troops were stationed so as to ap- pear to the best advantage, the Indians arrived and were conducted to the bower. Being seated, they began to smoke their pipe, or calumet, agrecable to their custom. This ceremony being over, their speakers laid down their pipes, and opened their pouches, wherein were their strings and belts of wampum." The Indians present were of the Senecas, Keyashuta chief, and fifteen warriors ; Delawares, Custaloga, chief of the Wolf tribe, and Beaver, chief of the Turkey tribe, with twenty warriors; Shawanese, Ke-issi- naucht-ha, chief, and six warriors. The purport of their speeches was that of making excuses for their late treach ery and misconduct, throwing the blame on the rashness of their young men, and the nations living to the west of them ; and suing for peace in the most abject manner, and promising severally to deliver up all their prisoners. After they had concluded, the Colonel promised to give them an answer the next day, and then dismissed them, the army returning to the camp. The badness of the weather, however, prevented his meeting them again until the 20th, when he spoke to them in substance as follows : " He recapitulated the many instances of their former perfidy ; their killing or captiva- ting the traders who had been sent among them at their own request, and plundering their effects ; their attacking Fort Pitt, which had been built with their express consent ; their murdering four men who had been sent on a public message to them, thus violating the customs held sacred among all nations, however barbarous ; their attacking the king's troops last year in the woods, and after being defeated in that attempt, falling upon our frontiers, where they con- tinued to murder our people to this day." Many more things he also said, and concluded by telling them : " I give you twelve days from this date to deliver into my hands, at Wakatomeke, all the prisoners in your possession, without
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