USA > Ohio > Hamilton County > Cincinnati > The Cincinnati miscellany, or, Antiquities of the West, and pioneer history and general and local statistics, Volume I > Part 39
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"I was on a visit to Vermont, a few weeks since," said he, "and intended to buy a parlor Organ, which I was told were made in the Eastern cities, first rate articles. I called at the shops in Boston and New York, to see what they could show me. Tbcy all fell short of what I supposed a first rate article of parlor Or- gans ought to be, and I concluded not to buy one; and for the rest of my visit Eastward, and for some time after my return to Cincinnati. dismissed the subject from my thoughts. One day, however, while calling on business, just beyond the corporation linc, 1 heard the sound of an Organ, which I followed to a shanty from which it proceeded, and there I found a Ger- man playing on an Organ which he had just
finished. I fell into conversation with him, and examined his work, and from what I saw and heard, was satisfied that he could build me the Organ I wanted, and I gave him an order accordingly, for I meant to give him a chance."
The Organ is now finished, and for beauty of construction and finish, and for melodious giv- ings forth, may defy the severest scrutiny. If there be a lover of music among my subscri- bers, let him visit it before it is taken home to the owner's residence.
Dogs.
The Marietta Intelligencer quotes with appro- bation, a law enacted in 1662 in the colony of Massachusetts, "that every dog that comes to the meeting after the present day, either of Lord's day, or Lecture day, except it be those dogs that pays for a dog-whipper, the owner of those dogs shall pay six-pence for every time they come to the meeting that doth not pay the dog-whipper." The names of twenty-six men are recorded as agreeing to pay to the Dog-whip- per. Five years afterwards another law was enacted of a similar kind. "It was ordered that every dog that comes into the meeting house in time of service shall pay a six-pence for every time he comes."
Dogs create trouble of various kinds in a house of worship. I recollect an example.
Brother - of the Baptist church many years since, had a fine terrier named Cato, who regularly accompanied the family to church, en- sconcing himself quietly beneath the seat in time of public service. Whatsoever was the weather, rain or sunshine, intensely warm, or se- verely cold, Cato never absented himself; in this respect setting an example of punctuality. which the family to which he belonged was far from following. During one period indeod ; when a preacher not as acceptable as his pred ecessor officiated for some months, Brother - absented himself totally. Not so Cato. As soon as he heard the bell, he would spring up. look- ing wistfully at the family to see who were go: ing. If he found none of them preparing to set out, he trotted off alone, followed the crowd and couched himself in a most exemplary atti- tude under the pew seat, where he lay without stirring a limb until the services were through, when he would trot out with the congregation, some of whom were illnatured enough to hint that Cato was a better Christian than his mas- ter. So much indeed was said on the subject in and out of the church that Brother . - was at last compelled to remove his membership to another society, for the purpose of removing the scandal.
Poor Cato! I knew him well, he was an ex- traordinary dog, and his sagacity surpassed any thing I ever saw of the canine species,
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Montes, the Hero of the Bull Fights.
Montes is a native of Chiclana, near Cadiz .--* He is a man of forty to forty-five years of age, a little above the middle height, of grave aspect and deportment, deliberate in his movements, and of a pale olive complexion. There is noth- ing remarkable about him, except the quickness and mobility of his eyes. He appears more sup- ple and active than robust, and owes his suc- cess as a bull-fighter to his coolness, correct eye, and knowledge of the art, rather than to any muscular strength. As soon as Montes sees a bull, he can judge the character of the beast; whether its attack will be straight forward or accompanied by stratagem ; whether it is slow or rapid in its motions; whether its sight is good or otherwise. Thanks to this sort of intuitive perception, he is always ready for an appropri- ate mode of defence. Nevertheless, as he push- es his temerity to fool-hardiness, he has been often wounded in the course of his career; to one of which accidents a scar upon his cheek bears testimony. Several times he has been car- ried out of the circus grievously hurt.
The day I saw him, his costume was of the most elegant and costly description, composed of silk of an apple green color, magnificently embroidered with silver. He is very rich, and only continues to frequent the bull-ring from taste and love of excitement, for he has amassed more than fifty thousand dollars: a large sum, if we consider the great expenses which the Ma- tadores are put to in dress, and in travelling from one town to another, accompanied by their quadrilla or assistant bull-fighters. One costume often costs fifteen hundred or two thousand francs.
Montes does not content himself, like most matadores, with killing the bull when the sig- nel of death is given. He superintends and di- rects the combats, and goes to the assistance of those who are in danger. More than one torero has owed him his life. Once a bull had over- turned a horse and a rider, and after goring the former in a frightful manner, was making violent efforts to get at the latter, who was shel- tered under the body of his steed-Montes seiz- ed the ferocious beast by the tail, and turned him round three or four times, amidst the fran- tic applause of the spectators, thus giving time to extricate the fallen man. Sometimes he plants himself in front of the bull, with crossed arms, and fixes his eyes upon those of the animal, which stops suddenly subjugated by the keen and steadfast gaze. Then comes the torrent of applause, shouts, vociferations, screams of de- light ; a sort of delirium seems to seize the fifteen thousand spectators, who stamp and dance upon their benches in a state of the wildest excite- ment; every handkerchief is waved, every hat is thrown into the air; while Montes, the only collected person amongst this mad multitude, enjoys his triumph in silence, and bows slightly, with the air of a man capable of much greater things. For such applause as that, I can under- stand a man's risking his life every minute of the day. It is worth while. Oh! ye golden throated singers, ye fairy footed dancers, ye em- perors and poets, who flatter yourselves that you have excited popular enthusiasm, you never heard Montes applauded by a crowded circus.
[which is his christian name; ] "you who are so gallant, do something for a lady's sake; una cos- tila, some trifling matter." Then Montes puts his foot on the bull's head, and jumps over him; or else shakes his cloak in the animal's face, by a rapid movement envelopes himself in it so far as to form the most graceful drapery, and then by a spring on one side, avoids the rush of the irritated brute.
In spite of Montes's popularity, he received on the day on which I saw him, at Malaga, rather a rough proof of the impartiality of a Spanish public, and of the extent to which it pushes its love of fair play towards beasts as well as men.
A magnificent black bull was turned into the arena, and from the manner in which he made his entrance, the connoisseurs augured great things for him. He united all the qualities desi- rable in a fighting bull; his horns were long and sharp, his legs small and nervous, promising great activity ; his large dewlap, and symmetri- cal form indicated vast strength. Without a mo- ment's delay he rushed upon the nearest pica- dor, and knocked him over, killing his horse with a blow ; he then went to the second, whom he treated in like manner, and whom they had scarcely time to lift over the barrier and get out of harm's way.
In less than a quarter of an hour he had kill- ed seven horses; the chulos or footmen were in- timidated, and shook their scarlet eloaks at a re- spectful distance, keeping near the palisades and jumping over as soon as the bull showed signs of approaching them. Montes himself seemed disconcerted, and had once even placed his foot on the sort of ledge which is nailed to the barriers at the height of two feet from the ground, to assist the bull-fighters in leaping over. The spectators shouted with delight, and paid the bull the most flattering compliments. Presently, a new exploit of the animal raised their enthusiasm to the very highest pitch.
The two picadores or horsemen were disabled, but a third appeared, and lowering the point of his lanee awaited the bull, which attacked him furiously ; and without allowing itself to be turned aside by a thrust in the shoulder, put its head under the horse's belly, with one jerk threw his fore feet on the top of the barrier, and with a second raising his hind quarter, threw him and his rider over the wall into the corri - dor or passage. between the first and second bar- riers.
Such a feat as this was unheard of, and it was rewarded by thunders of bravos. The bull re- mained master of the field of battle, which he paraded in triumph, amusing himself for want of better adversaries, with tossing about the car- casses of the dead horses. He had killed them all; the circus-stable was empty. The banderil- leros remained sitting upon the barriers, not dar- ing to come down and harrass the bull with their banderillas or darts. The spectators, im- patient at this inaction, shouted out "Las bande- rillas! Las banderillas!" and "Fuego al Alcalde!" -to the fire with the Alcade; because he did not give the order to attack. At last on a sign from the Governor of the town, a banderillero advanced, planted a couple of darts in the neck of the bull, and ran off as fast as he could, but scarcely quick enough, for his aim was grazed, and the sleeve of his jacket rent by the beast's
Occasionally it happens that the spectators themselves beg him to perform some of his feats | horn. Then, in spite of the hooting of the spec- of address. A pretty girl will call out to him, "Vamos! Senor Montes, vamos, Paquirro"
tators, the Alcade ordered Montes to despatch the bull, although in opposition to the laws of
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tauromachia, which require the bull to have re- ceived four pair of banderillas before he is !cft to the sword of the matador. .
Montes, instead of advancing as usual into the middle of the arena, placed himself at about twenty paces from the barrier, so as to be near- er a refuge in case of accident; he looked very pale, and without indulging in any of those lil- tle bits of display, the sort of coquatry of cour- age, which have procured him the admiration of all Spain, he unfolded his scarlet muleta and shook itat the bu l, who at once rushed at him and almost as instantly fell, as if struck by a thunderbolt. One convulsive bound, and the huge animal was dead.
The sword had entered the forehead and pier- ced the brain-a thrust which is forbidden by the regulations of the bull-ring. The matador ought to pass his arm between the horns of the beast and stab him in ihe nape of the neck ; that being the most dangerous way for the man. and consequently giving the bull a better chance.
Soon as it was ascertained how the bull had been killed, a storm of indignation burst from the spectators; such a hurricane of abuse and hisses as I had never before witnessed. Butch- er, assassin, brigand, thief, executioner, were the mildest terms employed. "To the galleys with Montes! To the fire with Montes! To the dogs with him!" But words were soon not enough. Fans, hats, sticks, fragments torn from the benches, water-jars, every available missile iu short was hurled into the ring. As to Mon- tes, his face was perfectly green with lage, and I noticed that he bit his lips till they bled; al- though he endeavored to appear unmoved, and remained leaning with an air of affected grace upon his sword, from the point of which he liad wiped the blood in the sand of the arena.
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So frail a thing is popularity. No one would have thought it possible before that day, that so great a favorite and consummate bull-fighter as Montes, would have been punished thus severe- ly for an infraction of a rule, which was doubt- Icss rendered absolutely necessary by the agili- ty, vigor, and extraordinary fury of the animal with which he had to contend. There was an- other bull to be killed, butit was the Jose Parra, second matador, who despatched it, its death passing almost unnoticed in the midst of the tu- mult and indignation of the spectators. The fight over, Montes got into a calesin with his quadrilla, and left the town, shaking the dust from his feet, and swearing by all the saints that he would never return to Malaga.
Profile Likeness of Powers.
We are indebted to NICHOLAS LONGWORTH, Esq., of Cincinnati, who is now in this city, for a beautifully engraved profile likeness of HIRAM POWERS, the great American sculptor. Accom- panying it we received the following note :
"MESSES. EDITORS :- Aware of the interest you have taken in the success of our country- men Powers, in Italy, I send you his profile, taken in pencil, by P. S. Symmes, Esq., an amateur artist in Cincinnati, a few days before Powers left for Italy. The engraving is by Caston, one of the most promising engravers of Paris. The likeness is admirable, and by com- paring it with the profile engravings of Canova, you will discover a strong resemblance. The patronage some of your citizens have extended to Powers, may render his likeness a subject of interest. Yours, truly,
N. LONGWORTH. St. Charles Ilotel, January 18th, 1845."
We thank Mr. L. very sinceroly for this beat- tiful present, and shall cherish it accordingly. We never saw the great sculptor, who is now considered the greatest of his day, but the like- ness bears all the marks of genius and energy which characterize Powers. The broad brew, the large, glowing eye, the finely chiselled nose, and the compressed, sharply cut lips are replete with intellect and the fire of genius. No one could mistake the likeness for any other than a man of mind, a lover of the pure and beautiful in nature and art. The brilliant suc- cess which Hiram Powers has achieved in Italy, gratifying as it is to his countrymen generally, must be peculiarly so to Mr. Longworth. One of his best and earliest friends, that gentleman saw and appreciated, years ago, the talent which was slumbering in the bosom of the young ar- tist. When confidence, advice and friendship were valuable, because most needed, Mr. L. took Powers by the hand, and proved a friend indeed. Mr. L. has lived to see his humble friend mounting, eagle-like, to the highest niche in the temple of fame, the "observed of all observers," and an honor to the land which gave him birth .-- N. O. Tropic.
Western Lard.
It is matter of great surprise to me why the St. Louis merchants do not ship their mast fed, and otherwise inferior lard to the Cincinnati market. It commands here always 20 or 25 pr. cent higher prices on its face, but I suppose the difference would be still greater if we compute the leakage of an article like this liquified in the hold of a steamboat under the temperature of such a place.
I know one lard oil manufacturer alone, whose capacity of producing lard oil if a suffi- cient supply were afforded him, would require for his year's business 2,000,000 lbs, lard. Most of the inferior lards which are sent from Missou- ri and Illinois east, and converted into soaps, would pay much better prices if sent to Cincin- nati, sold and?to the lard oil factories.
MARRIAGES.
AT New Albany. on February 18th. by the Rev. Mr. Saunders, A. M, JOHN LOWRY, of Cincinnati, to Miss EMILY MORECRAFT, of New Albany.
In this city, on Thursday the 27th ult., by the Rev. Mr. Watker, Mr. WILLIAM GILMAN, LO Miss BULAH ANN STEARNES.
On Sunday, March 2d, by the Rev. John F. Wright, Mr. PAUL F. HAHN to Miss ALICE MANSELL.
DEATHS.
IN this city. Tuesday, Feb. 25th, DENTON DUNN, in the 49th year of his age.
On Wednesday 261h inst, B. FRANKLIN WOOD, aged 23 years.
Same day, Mrs. CORNELIA WIGGINS, wife of Samuel wiggins.
On Thursday 27th ult., Dr. SAMUEL ADAMS, aged 78 years.
Same day, EDWARD FELIX ASSELINEAU, in the 3rd year of his age.
On Monday, March 3rd, CHARLOTTE E. WOOD, aged 37 years, formerly of Hartford, Ct ..
Same day, Mr. JAMES WILDEV, aged 38 years, late li- brarian of the Young Mens' Librarian Association
Same day, Mr. SIRAH B. LAVMAN,
182
Harmar's Campaign.
Having gathered a variety of papers, which shed light on the various campaigns of Harinar, St. Clair and Wayne, I feel it a duty imposed on me by that circumstance to compile a fuller and more accurate narrative of those events than I have thus far seen in print. Nor need it at all appear strange, under the existing state of society and condition of things, that much of what is already on record should abound in errors. That both Harmar and St. Clair should mistake the locations of the battle they fought, and that many statements founded on conjec- ture, should pass current for years in the com- munity to an extent which even yet serves to confuse the truth of history. These things are all easily accounted for, by the wilderness char- acter of the untrodden West, the scattered state of the settlements in the Miami country, the little communication between the respective parts, and the utter absence of newspapers.
I commence with HARMAR's campaign. A col- umn would hardly serve to point out the errors in dates, places, and facts generally, in print, upon this subject. The best mode of correction is to compile the narrative anew, availing my- self of unpublished manuscript notes of Capt. John Armstrong, who commanded a company of the United States regulars attached to Har- mar's army during that campaign, and whose escape with life in the first battle was so remark- able.
The western frontiers had been for some years say from 1782 to 1788, in a very disturbed state by reciprocal aggressions, of Indians and whites. There does not appear, in the history of those days, however, any systematic and general move- ment of the Indians for the extirpation of the whites, as was alleged to be the object of their great confederacy of 1782, which dividing into two parties broke, one, upon the upper Ohio set- tlements, the other on the various Kentucky sta- tions, carrying massacre and captivity so exten- sively along their course. The irregular and precarious mode of living among the savages forbade the accomplishment of such design, if it had even been their settled purpose; the sub- sistence of themselves and families being prin- cipally derived from the chase, a species of pro- vision which did not permit the laying up ex- tensive and permanent stores, if even their im- provident mode of living had permitted the ef- fort. But when they found the settlers entrench- ing themselves in fort after fort, circumscribing their range and cutting them entirely off from their favorite hunting grounds south of the Ohio, there can be no doubt that a determined hos- tility sprung up in the minds of the savage, which all the exertions of the American govern- -ment failed to allay, and soon rendered it appa-
rent that the two races could not live together in amity, where it was the policy of the one to reclaim the country from the hunter, and of the other to keep it a wilderness.
After treaty upon treaty had been made and broken,-and the frontiers had been suffering through this whole period from the tomahawk and the scalping knife, the government, then just going into operation, detached a force of 320 regular troops, enlisted in New Jersey and Penn- sylvania for the protection of the frontiers, and develved the command on Josiah Harmar, who had borne arms as a colonel with credit, during the late revolutionary struggle. A force of 1133 drafted militia from Pennsylvania and Ken- tucky, was also placed under his orders. The regulars consisted of two battalions, comman- ded respectively by Majors Wyllys and Dough- ty, and a company of artillery under Captain Ferguson with three brass pieces of ordnance. Col. Hardin of Ky, was in command of the Militia, in which Cols. Trotter and Paul, Majors Hall and McMillan held subordinate commands. The orders to General Harmar were to march on to the Indian towns adjacent to the lakes, and inflict on them such signal chastisement as should protect the settlements from future dep- redations.
The whole plan had been devised by Wash- ington himself, who well understood the sub- ject, having prior to the revolution as is well known, learnt much practically of the Indian character, as well as the condition of the west, although it is not easy to conceive why he should have selected such men as Harmar and St. Clair, who were destitute of the training he had him- self acquired, and which could have been found on the frontiers of Pennsylvania and Kentucky, in many distinguished Indian fighters, ready for use. The force of circumstances probably biased his judgment, as it served to effect ap- pointments equally exceptionable during the war of 1812, such as those of Hull, Dearborn, Bloomfield and Chandler, men who had outliv- ed their energies, if ever qualified practically for the weighty trust devolving on them.
On the 29th December, 1789, Gen. Harmar arrived at Cincinnati. He had been stationed for some months prior to this at the mouth of Muskingum, waiting at that post for militia force and military supplies from the upper country, aud the completion of Fort Washington-which Major Doughty with 146 men from Fort Har- mar had been detached to construct. From this period to the 30th September, 1790, he was employed in making every thing ready for the expedition, and on that day all his preparations being made, he started with the regulars, the militia under Col. Hardin having already set out.
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Punk-great man-Delaware chief."
The army burned all the houses at the differ- ent villages, and destroyed about twenty thon- sand bushels corn, which they discovered in va . rious places where it had been hid by the Indi- ans, a large quantity having been found buried in holes dug for that purpose. In this destruc- tion a variety of property belonging to French traders, was involved. On the 18th, the main body of the troops was moved to Chillicothe, the principal town of the Shawnese, Gen. Har- mar having previously detached a party of 180 militia, and 30 regulars in pursuit of the Indians
who appeared to have retired westward, across the St. Joseph after the destruction by them- selves of the Omee town, Capt. John Armstrong commanding the regulars, and Col. Trotter of the Kentucky militia the entire force. They found and cut off a few Indian atragglers, but did not overtake the main body, being recalled to camp by signal late in the evening. Next morning the same detachment was ordered out anew, and being placed under the command of Col. Hardin, pursued the same route in search of the savages. Finding himself in their neigh- borhood, he detached Captain Faulkner of the Pennsylvania militia, to form on his left, which he did at such a distance, as to render his com- pany of no service in the approaching engage- ment. Hardin's command moved forward to what they discovered to be the encampment of the enemy, which was flanked by a morass on each side as well as by one in front, which was crossed with great promptness by the troops, now reduced to less than two hundred, who be- fore they had time to form, received a galling and unexpected fire from a large body of sava- ges. The militia immediately broke and fled, nor could all the exertions of the officers rally them; fifty two of the dispersing being killed in a few minutes. The enemy pursued until ma- jor Fountain who had been sent to hunt up Faulkner and his company, returning with them compelled them to retire, and the survivors of the detachment arrived safe in camp.
The regulars under Armstrong bore the brunt of this affair. One sergeant and twenty-one pri- vates being killed on the battle ground, and while endeavoring to maintain their position, were thrown in disorder by the militia running through their lines, flinging away their arms without even fireing a shot. The Indians killed in thia affair nearly one hundred men.
sition, and in the cowardicc of the militia, who formed numerically, the principal force opposed to them. This destructive contest was fought near the spot where the Goshen State road now crosses Eel river, about 12 nules west of Fort Wayne. Capt. Armstrong broke through the pursuing Indians and plunged in the deepest of the morasses referred to, where he remained to his chin all night in water, with his head con- cealed by a tussock of high grass. Here he was compelled to listen to the nocturnal orgies of the Indians, dancing and yelling around the dead bodies of his brave soldiers. As day ap- proached they retired to rest, and Armstrong chilled to the last degree, extricated himself from the swamp, but found himself obliged to kindle a fire in a ravine into which he crawled, having his tinder box, watch and compass atill on his person. By the aid of the fire, he recov- ered his feeling, and the use of his limbs, and at last reached the camp in safety. For some years after, bayonets were found upon this spot in numbers, and bullets have been cut out of the neighboring trees in such quantities as to atteat the desperate character of this engagement.
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