USA > Ohio > Sketches and statistics of Cincinnati in 1859 > Part 5
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pany with Symmes when he was engaged in taking the meanders of the Miami river at the time John Filson was killed by the Indians."
In 1788, just previously to the settlement of Cincinnati, a party of hunters, five men in all, from the station near Georgetown, Ky., landed at the edge of Deer creek in two canoes. After hiding the canoes among the willows and weeds that grew thick and rank upon that little stream, they proceeded to ascend the creek along the left bank. At the distance of about one hundred and fifty yards from the mouth, in the shade of a branching elm, they halted for refreshment, and sat down to partake of the rude repast of the wilderness. The month was September, the day clear and warm, and the hour almost sunset. Having partaken of their evening meal, the party, at the suggestion of a man named Hall-one of their number-proposed, as a matter of safety and comfort, that they should go among the northern hills, and there encamp until the morning's dawn. His proposition was acceded to, and the party started on their journey. Emerging from a thicket of iron weed, through which a deer-path was open, and into which the party walked single file, they entered one after another upon a grassy, weedless knob, which, being elevated some distance above the tops of the blossomed weeds around, had the appearance of a green island in the midst of a purple sea. The deer-path crossed the knob, and entered the weed thicket again on the northern side. The hunters did not pause for a moment, but entered the narrow avenue one after another.
As the last man was about to enter the path, he fell simulta- neously with the crack of a rifle, discharged from among the weeds on the western slope. The whole party dashed into the thicket on either side and "squatted," with rifles cocked, ready for any emergency. Quietly in this position they waited until nightfall . but everything around being still, and no further hostile demonstra- tions being made, one after another, they again ventured out into the path and started toward the opening, observing, however, the utmost caution.
Hall, a bold fellow, and connected by ties of kindred with the man who had been shot, whose name was Baxter, crawled quietly upon his hands and knees to the spot where his comrade had fallen, and found him dead, lying with his face downward. a bullet having entered his skull forward of the left temple. Baxter had
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fallen some ten feet from the thicket's entrance, and Ilall, after getting out of the thicket, rolled slowly to the side of the dead man, lest he should be observed by the skulking enemy, as, in an up- right position, notwithstanding the gloom of nightfall, he would have been. He lay for several minutes by the side of the corpse analyzing, as it were, the sounds of the night, as if to detect in them the decoying tricks so common with the Indian. There was nothing, however, that, even to his practiced ear, indicated the presence of an enemy ; and he ventured at length to stand erect. With rifle ready, and eye-ball strained to penetrate the gloom that bung like a marsh-mist upon the purple fields around, he stood for several seconds, and then gave a sigual for the approach of his companions. The party cautiously approached the spot where Hall stood, and, after a moment's consultation in whispers, agreed to bury the unfortunate man, and then pursue their journey. Poor Baxter was carried to the bank of the river and silently interred under a beach, a few feet from the bluff, the grave being dug by the tomahawks of his late companions.
Having performed the last sad duties to the departed, the party prepared to leave, and had advanced, silently, a step or two, when they were startled by a sound upon the water. "A canoe!" whis- pered Hall. A suspicion flashed upon his mind, and he crawled to the spot where the canoes had been hidden, and found one of them gone.
Quick to decide, and fired with a spirit of vengeance, he pro- posed to his comrades that immediate pursuit be made. The proposition was agreed to, and, in less than five minutes, three ot the hunters, armed and determined for their mission, were darting silently through the quiet waters in the direction of the sound which they had recently heard. About one hundred yards below the mouth of Licking, on the Kentucky side, they came within rifle-shot of the canoe, fired at the person who was paddling it, scarcely visible in the dim starlight, and a short exclamation ot agony evidenced the certainty of the shot.
Paddling up alongside, the canoe was found to contain but a single person, and that an old Indian, writhing in death's agony, the blood gushing from his shaven brow. In the bottom of the canoe lay a rifle, and near it a pouch of parched corn, and a gourd about half filled with whisky. It was this Indian, evidently, who shot Baxter, and it seemed equally evident that he was alone upon 5
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the war-path. The savage was scalped, and his body thrown into the river.
Hall and his party returned to the mouth of the creek, again hid the canoes, encamped near Baxter's grave for the night, and with the morning's dawn started upon their journey home.
Forty years afterward, some boys, digging for worms at the mouth of Deer creek, just below the bridge, discovered a skeleton with a. bullet-hole in the skull, and the ball itself inside. It is supposed this was the remains of the unfortunate Baxter.
Dificulties and Conflicts with Indians .- Symmes appears to have got on with his Indian neighbors so well as to have had, for some time, little or no trouble in his settlement; but the grounds of collision, which sprang out of ungencrous advantages taken of the Indians by mercenary traders, and reprisals made by them in stealing horses, led to hostile demonstrations, more or less exten- sive, according to circumstances.
An instance or two will suffice to show the provocations given on this score. A trader, who had stopped at Columbia with his boat, sold a party of Indians whisky, which, before they had reached their camp, froze in the barrel. He also extorted from the party forty buck-skins, worth a dollar each at the time, for a rifle, compelling them to give a horse, worth forty more, into the bargain. A worth- less gunsmith, who' undertook to put a new chop, worth twenty cents, for the flint, to the cock of an Indian rifle, made the Indian leave two bucks for the work, before he would undertake it, and another Indian calling for it, was forced to pay two bucks more before the smith would give up the rifle.
As the Indians considered the whites one people, they held whoever they met with accountable for the misconduct of those by whom they had been injured, and reciprocal injuries soon sepa- rated the aborigines and the settlers.
In the carly settlement of Columbia, that fine flat, known by the name of Turkey Bottom, which had been originally an Indian clearing, and planted for many years by the aborigines in corn, was leased from Major Stites by several of the settlers. Among them was an emigrant from New Jersey, named James Seward, who occupied one of the lots into which that bottom was divided. His dwelling was on the side of the hill near Columbia, and a path of about two miles led to the improvement referred to
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Across this path and near the outside of the fence, toward Colum- bia, Abel Cook, another of the settlers, in fact, one of the party which landed first in that place, had felled a large hickory tree for the sake of the nuts. Two of Seward's sons, Obadiah and John, one almost twenty-one; and the other aged fifteen, attended to the cultivation of this field. One afternoon, in September, 1789, they were on their way to their clearing, and had just Icapod over the hickory tree, when two Indians sprung on them from the tree-top, which had served them as a concealment, one sliding along cach side of the tree, so as to intercept them, either in retreat or ad- vance. The boys were unarmed, no danger being apprehended from the Indians at that period, Obadiah at once surrendered, and was fastened with twigs by his captors; but John, with a desperate effort to escape, made circuitously for home. The Indian on his side of the tree soon gained on him, however, and when within striking distance, hurled his tomahawk after him which brought him down, having cloven his skull just behind his right ear. As soon as overtaken he was again struck on the head, and scalped. He was then left, as supposed, dead, part of his brains oozing from his wounds, but was found by some of his neighbors and his own family next morning, and being lifted on the back of John Clawson, the stoutest of the party, was carried home.
When found, although thus shockingly mangled, he had pos- sessed sufficient vitality and vigor to crawl round in a regular cir- cle, although unable to lift his head, making a deep track with his hands and knees and feet, doubtless unconscious of what he was doing. When taken home, everything which the kindness and care of friends could suggest was done for his relief and cure. But, after lingering thirty-nine days, he died, mortification having taken place. During this interval, he became not only sensible, but cheerful even, and, in some measure, able to give an account of what had occurred up to the time the fatal blow had been inflicted.
Of Obadiah nothing was heard for some time, when the follow- ing incident was the means of conveying to the unhappy parents tidings of his fate: A hired man, belonging to John Phillips, named Ned Larkins, had been, on the same day. engaged topping and blading corn for fodder, when he felt himself grasped by the arm by an Indian, while another, at the opposite side, brandished his tomahawk over him. He screamed with affright, but was soon awed into silence by threats made from his captors-partly in
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signs, and partly in broken English-that they would finish him on the spot, if he did not keep quiet. He was then tied and taken away. The three pushed forward on an Indian trail till they struck a broad road leading from Pittsburg to Detroit, to which place they took Larkins, and sold him to a Frenchman-a trader- for a trifle. His new master soon got tired of him, and set him at liberty to make his way, with a number of whites, who had been redeemed from captivity, and were just setting out for Pittsburg, to which place he accompanied the party. Once at Pittsburg, he made his way down to Columbia, without delay or difficulty. His return was the first opportunity of learning what had become of the elder Seward.
Obadiah had been directed to drive the horses that carried the plunder of his captors on pack-saddles. He was of course in ad- vance of the Indians. After they reached the road from Pittsburg, referred to, they had fallen in with another party of Indians from that place, and a general carouse of the savages ensued, after which they all set forward. A short distance further the road forked, and Obadiah having taken the wrong fork, one of his cap- tors, doubtless under the influence of whisky, sent a ball after him which brought him lifeless to the ground. His head was cut off, part of the skin of the breast adhering to it, and placed on a stake, which was driven alongside of the road. Here it was seen and instantly recognized by Larkins, who was intimate with young Seward. The man who killed him alleged that he did not know that his gun was loaded, and only fired to frighten him; but the subsequent barbarity renders this improbable.
Obadiah had long felt a presentiment that he would be killed by Indians, and said repeatedly, that, as soon as he was his own master-meaning when he should become of age-he would re- turn to New Jersey.
Seward, the father, never recovered this blow to his domestic happiness. Ile removed to the neighborhood of Springdale, in this county, where he lost another son by the fall of a tiec, and died only a few years since.
Thomas Irwin, who resided at Blue Ball, Butler co., O., in 1845, and if yet living, probably still a resident of that place, writes me : I forward you, as I promised, my recollections of the incidents connected with Harmar's campaign, which fell under my observa- tion, or in which I bore a part.
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" General Harmar marched his army from Fort Washington, if I recollect right, the last week of September, 1790. His expedition was designed against the Indian towns on the St. Joseph, or Mau- mee, near where Fort Wayne was afterward built. The army fol- lowed the trace made by General George Rogers Clark, with the Kentucky troops, in October, 1782, as far as the Pickaway towns; on both sides of the Great Miami, which were destroyed by him on that visit. Thence we had a tolerable Indian trace to where there had been a large trading establishment, St. Mary's, from which we had a good Indian trace to our final object, which was sixty-four miles from there into the wilderness.
" There were, perhaps, one hundred and thirty of the Kentucky militia mounted and armed: one-third of that force with swords and pistols, the balance with rifles. They were remarkably useful in that campaign, being found active and efficient in hunting up pack-horses or beef cattle, which were apt to stray off after night, scouring the woods for the purpose, and sometimes rousing from their concealment Indians who were watching our movements. On account of these services they were exempt from camp duty at night.
" When the army got within thirty or forty miles of the Indian towns for which we were marching, there were ten or twelve of these mounted men sent out in search of some pack-horses that had been lost over night. They started a smart young Indian, took him prisoner, and brought him into camp, where he was examined by two of the Kentuckians, who understood the Indian language. He spoke freely, and told all he knew respecting the movements of his people, saying that they had at first intended to make a stand and defend their town; but after holding council, gave up the idea, and had moved their families and property down the river, intending to burn their wigwams. When the army arrived, they found all his statements true.
.. Two days after the army reached the Indian towns, orders were given to draft four hundred men from the different com- panies, with a view to send them out and see what discoveries they could make respecting the enemy. They were to draw two days' provisions, and be out over night.
"About twenty of the mounted men, and perhaps half a dozen footmen, volunteered to go along. I was one of these last. The detachment crossed the St. Joseph where the centre of the town
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stood, struck a trace on the west bank that led a west course, and followed it within one mile of the river. On the route, the mounted men started two Indians, and shot them both; lost one man ourselves. Pursued the trace till sunset, and found evident signs, though much scattered, of Indians. None of them appeared fresh. About sunset the six pounder in camp was fired. Colonel Trotter, of Lexington, Ky., who had the command of the detach- ment, concluded this was a signal for our recall, and, counter- marching, we got into camp a little after dark. The next day's tour we were placed under the command of Colonel Hardin. We crossed the river where we did the day before, and struck a good Indian trace a short distance from the river, directly north; after following it four or five miles, we found considerable of fresh signs of savages .. Two or three Indian dogs got in among the troops, which disappeared again shortly, discovering that they were not among their masters. .
" The Colonel ordered a halt, directing the different companies to station themselves on the right and left of the trace, and keep a - sharp look-out. Our company went round the point of a brushy grove, which threw us out of sight of the trace, though not far from it. The Colonel sent Major Fountain, with eight or ten mounted men, to reconnoitre. After traveling a short distance on that trace, they came to where it crossed a small stream of water, which, being muddy on each side, pointed out plainly the fresh tracks of Indians, who had been making a hasty retreat, with a view of drawing the detachment into an ambuscade. The Major returned, and reported accordingly. Colonel Hardin was so keen for pursuit, that he started off with the principal part of the troops in such a hurry, he forgot to give us any orders. After waiting awhile, we became impatient, struck the trace, and, finding they were gone, followed on. We had not gone far, however, until we met Major Fountain and Captain Faulkner; having explained that we had been directed to halt until we should get orders to march, we pressed forward to overtake the main body of our comrades.
"In a short time we met two of the mounted men at full speed, each having a wounded man behind him. 'Retreat" said they, ' for God's sake! There are Indians enough to eat us all up.' Wc proceeded on, however, till we had gained a high swell of ground, when we saw our troops putting back upon the trace-the Indians in pursuit, yelling and shooting. We halted, formed a line
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across the trace, and treed, with a view to give them a shot. They came within seventy or eighty yards of us, when they halted in- stantly. I expect the reason was, Colonel Hardin, Hall, Fountain, and four or five others, were on horseback close by where we were. We remained there until the retreating troops had all passed by, none of whom halted with us except the men on horseback. We covered their retreat, and marched into camp a short time after dark, under the direction of Colonels Hardin and Hall. The six pounder was discharged every hour till daylight, as a signal for the benefit of the stranglers, of which several came in that night.
" Having been acquainted with Colonel Hall in Bourbon county, Kentucky, and knowing he was near the front, I went to his tent next morning, to learn what had been the movements in front on the day before. He stated that the trace passed through a narrow prairie, with a heavy growth of timber and underbrush on cach side, At the far end it entered into a thick growth of timber. At this spot, within a few feet of the trace, the enemy had kindled up a fire. Here the advance halted as soon as they came up, and just at this moment the Indians rose from their coverts on the prairie sides, and poured in a deadly fire so suddenly and unex- pectedly, that it threw our troops into a confusion, from which they could not be rallied, and it was on their retreat, we being within a short distance of that prairie path, that we protected their right. about movement, as I have already stated.
" The army lay some days encamped, after Hardin's detachment had been thus defeated, when preparations were made for our re- turn to Fort Washington, after destroying all the property of the enemy within reach. The first day the army marched about five miles, leaving a party of three or four mounted men, with an officer, on a commanding piece of ground, to observe if the Indians should make their appearance and offer signs of pursuit. About two hours after the army had disappeared, the Indians began to come in by droves, hunting for hid provisions, as they had large quanti. ties put up in that way. On learning this late in the evening, from the party left behind to watch their movements, Colonel Hardin was keen to have another brush with the savages. A draft of four hundred men was accordingly made and placed under his com- mand, in the calculation to surprise them before daylight. The detachment marched back to the post where this officer, with his party, had been stationed, when, taking to the left hand, Colonel
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Hardin crossed the St. Mary's near its junction with the St. Joseph's, and pushed forward up the west bank of that river to- ward the Indian town built there. He was followed by Majors Fountain, McMillan, and Wyllys. Harmar's trace crossed the Maumee river at Harmar's ford. As soon as the river was passed, the town was in sight. The day was just dawning as the troops moved on, Major Fountain, with a few mounted men, in front. As they turned the point of a hazel thicket, and at a few rods distance, fifteen or twenty Indians were discovered around a fire. The Major charged right in among them, fired both his pistols, and then drew his sword; but ten or twelve of the savages, at the time not more than as many feet off, discharged their rifles at him. One of the soldiers, George Adams by name, being close by, fired on them and received four or five flesh wounds by a volley in re- turn. Wyllys and McMillan, with a small party of regulars, finally succeeded in drawing them into the river. Fountain, although wounded in several places, and surviving but a few minutes. yet hung to his saddle. Our men took him off, and buried him under the side of a log, or under a bank, and Adams rode the horse in. When Wyllys, with the regulars, was driving the savages into the river, Hardin met them on the other side, but was compelled, by inferiority of force, to retire.
"There were many Indians killed in the skirmish of the second day; and if we had had a few more troops detached from Harmar's command, of those who were not wanted in camp, the enemy would have received the worst drubbing they ever got from the whites; as it was, they lost more than they ever lost before in any one of our western battles. Majors Fountain and Wyllys were both killed, with other officers of inferior rank. Major McMillan col- lected the scattering troops and remained on the ground until all the Indians had disappeared, and then marched into camp, which he reached before sunset.
"Next morning General Harmar sent Captains Wells and Gaines, both of the Kentucky troops, as an express to Fort Washington. When they reached the bottoms of the Great Miami, at a short turn of the trace they were following, they met five Indians very unexpectedly. On the instant, Gaines wheeled to the left and Wells to the right, and by the promptness of the movement saved their lives. They both made a wide circuit, -- Wells got to the mouth of the Miami, and Gaines struck the river where Ripley
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now stands. The army, however, reached Fort Washington before either Gaines or Wells. * > *
" The Indian prisoner, to whom I referred in the carly part of this letter, was taken to Fort Washington, although afterward sent home."
John Bush, who resided in Boone county, Ky., as late as 1845, stated to me that he volunteered in the expedition of Gen. Harmar, in 1790, crossed the river at Cincinnati, marched to Fort Wayne, and went with the troops engaged in both days' battles with the Indians. On the first day he commanded an advanced guard of twenty men, with orders by Major Fountain to charge any body of Indians the spies might discover and fire upon. He asked the Major what he was to do if he came upon a large body of Indians ? Fountain demanded to know if he was afraid? "No, sir, I am not afraid; but wish to know my duty," was the reply. " Well, sir, if you fall upon ten thousand Indians, it is your duty to charge through them and form at their backs." The detachment, as is known, were drawn into ambuscade and defeated, and about one- third, including many of the best spies and soldiers, were killed.
After the Indian town had been burned, Harmar's army com- menced its usual march for the settlement, and encamped about six miles off. Colonel Hardin solicited permission to return to the town with another detachment and surprise the Indians, which being granted, volunteers were again called for, excusing those who had been in the first day's engagement. Major Fountain went to Bush and requested him to go. He agreed, provided they would get him a very fine horse, belonging to one Nelson, which being procured, he marched with Harmar and reached the town just be- fore day. The detachment divided into two parties, Bush with that of Colonels Hall, McMullen, and Fountain. When it became light enough to see, a number of Indians were discovered some fifty or a hundred yards in advance. Fountain, as Bush thinks, without giving the word charge, in his eagerness, charged alone, and was shot, and fell from his horse. The Lieutenant of the troops ad- vanced and ordered the charge, but was followed by only four men, Bush, Titus Mershon, and two named Moore. When reaching the place where Fountain lay, they were fired on by the Indians, and all wounded but the Lieutenant, Bush had his sword knocked out of his hand, and a ball grazed his cheek and cut off part of his queue. They then returned; but a reinforcement coming up, the
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Indians gave way, and many of them were killed in crossing the St. Joseph. They were followed by the horsemen. On reaching the opposite bank, Bush saw an Indian leave the rest, which he followed and took prisoner: some one of the troop coming up, ho cut him down beside Bush's horse. Bush cursed the fellow for a coward, and turned his horse and rode toward the firing that had - commenced under Colonels Hardin and Wyllys. Upon coming in sight, he found himself in the rear of the Indians, and Hardin's troops firing directly toward him. He then tried to turn them on the right flank; but, in ascending a small rise, he met fifty or sixty Indians, who halted and fired at him, just as he turned his horse, the ball passing through his coat. Hle then attempted to pass ou the left, but found the Indian flank reached to the river. His next effort was to retreat to the rear, where he soon met several horse- men, who told him there was a body of Indian horsemen approach- ing in that direction; they having, as he since supposed, become alarmed at seeing some of their own men. He now determined to charge through the Indian lines and join Hardin, which he ac- complished in safety, followed by his few associates. On passing the Indian town, he saw a very large Indian behind a tree, and prepared to strike him with his sword; but the Indian, turning the tree just at the moment, saved himself. Hardin's men were be- ginning to give way, but seeing the men charge through the In- dians, they rallied and fired again, but were soon compelled to retroat. During the retreat, the horsemen were directed to ride as far as they could with safety to the rear and bring up the men that were giving out.
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