USA > Ohio > Hamilton County > Cincinnati > The Cincinnati miscellany, or, Antiquities of the West, and pioneer history and general and local statistics, Volume I > Part 9
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"The ice was frozen to my clothes, and very much benumbed, I extricated myself from the pond, broke some sticks and rubbed my thighs and legs to circulate the blood, and with some difficulty at first, slowly made my way thro' the brush. Believing the Indians would be travel- ing between their own and the American camp, I went at right angles from the trace about two miles to a piece of rising ground, thinking to myself it is a cold night, if there are any Indians here, they will have fire, if I can't see their's they can't see mine, and fire is necessary for me. I went into a ravine where a large tree was blown up by the roots, kindled a fire, dried myself, and laid down and took a nap of sleep. In the morning, threw my fire in a puddle of water, and started for camp."
Capt. A. being a first rate woodsman, and con- versant with the Indian habits, when he came to open wood, passed round it, in wet ground walked logs, and stepped backwards to prevent being tracked. About half way from the bat- tle ground to the American Camp, he discover- ed three Indians coming along the path meeting him, he squatted in the hazle bashes, about 20 steps from the trace, and the Indians passed him undiscovered. Said he, "I never so much wish- ed for two guns in my life. I was perfectly cool -- could have taken the eye out of either of them, and with twoguns should have killed two of them and the other rascal would have run away, but with one gun thought it best not to make the attack, as the odds was against me, as three to onc."
Reaching the vicinity of the ground where he had left the main army the day before, the day being now far spent, he expected soon to meet with those he had left there, but was suddenly ar- rested in his lonely march by the commence- ment of a heavy battle, as he supposed, at the encampment. Hesitating for a moment,and then cautiously moving to a position from which he could overlook the camp, instead of seeing there his associates in arms from whom he had then been separated two days, a different scene was presented. The savages had full possession of the American camp ground. Is it possible, said he, that the main army has been cut off. IIav- ing been these two days without eating a mouth- ful, except the breakfast taken early in the morning of his leaving camp, he began to reflect upon what should be his future course. Much exhausted from fatigue, without food, alone in the wilderness, far removed from any settle- ments and surrounded by savages, the probabil- ity of his escape was indeed slight, but duty to himself and country soon determined him upon the attempt. At this moment the sound of a cannon attracted his attention. He knewit was a token for the lost men to come in, and taking
/ a circle, passed in the direction from Whence the sound came, and arrived safely at the camp; the army had changed position, from the time he had left, to a point two miles lower down the creek, which presented ground more favorable for encampment. The dusk of the evening had arrived when he got to camp, greatly to the sur- prize of his acquaintance. who had numbered him with the men who had fought their last fight. Col. Armstrong in speaking of this engagement and the heavy loss in his command, always e- vinced much feeling, saying "the men of my command were as brave as ever lived; I could have marched them to the mouth of a cannon, without their flinching." Much difference of opinion has been expressed by writers and authors as to the place where this battle was fought; but the memorandum kept by Col. Armstrong, and now found in his own hand writing, of the march of Harmar's Army from Ft. Washington, fixes be- yond doubt the place to be near the St. Mary and St. Joseph, a few miles from Ft. Wayne in Indiana.
Col. Armstrong was well known as a Soldier and woodsman. The importance to the coun- try, of a tour of exploration and examination of the Western wilds, of the number of the Indians, the location of their towns, &c., becoming man- ifest; the charge of this hazardous enterprise was given to and accepted by him. On the 20th Feb. 1790, Gen. Harmar notifies him that he is 10 make the tour, provided the Governor of the Western Territory judges it advisuble. If not, he is to return from Vincennes, and explore the Wabash-make particular examination of the communication of that river with Lake Erie- depth of water-distances, &c., and if it can be done with safety, proceed to the Miami village. He immediately started on this tour, and procee- ded up the Missouri some distance above St. Louis, not with an army to deter the savages, nor yet an escort, but entirely alone! It was his in- tention to examine the country of the upper Missouri, and cross the Rocky Mountains-bur, meeting with some French traders, was persua- ded to return in consequence of the hostility of some of the Missouri bands to each other, as they were then at war, that he could not safely pass from one nation to another. Returning then as he was directed, to Post Vincennes, he cal- led on Hamtramck for an escort-whose force being small, desired to know the extent of the escort, Armstrong replied, "an escort of two friendly Indians." The Indians being called out, he selected from among them, judging for himself their characters-the choice proved to be that of a father and his son. With these he traversed the then wilderness of Illinois and In- diana-his savage companions proved to be faithful, and in every way a good selection for the object he had in view.
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After completing this exploration, he returned to Fort Washington and discharged his escort .-
This was a tour of great hazard and exposure of constitution; the notes taken by him of the country, the quality of the soil, and water eour- ses, are evidence that he anticipated that the country would ere long, be populated by white men. And here may be introduced an anecdote to show his opinions on that subject.
While stationed at the Falls of Ohio, having just returned from an excursion after a party of Indians, he was making some notes of the coun- try over which he had travelled, when his broth- er came to see him, who enquired what ho was doing, and on being informed, remarked, "you are giving yourself much trouble for no benefit -you will never live to see this country settled. The reply was, "I expect not only to live to see this country settled, but to see vessels built at this place, and freighted for Europe! He did see the country settled, and four vessels lying at anchor below the Falls at one time -- none of them were however, built at that point, but before his death a large steam boat, the "United States," was built at the Jeffersonville ship yard. From one of his memorandums, it seems he was at the Falls preparing for this exploring expedition on 27th Feb., 1790, was at Vincennes 18th March, 1790; at Fort Washington 28th July, 1791, pre- paring for the campaign under Gen. St. Clair.
Of his participation in Harmar's campaign mention has already been made. He again went out in the campaign of Gen. St. Clair, at the time of the battle, was some distance from the scene of action, having been sent back with Hamtramck's regiment to protect the provision. On the opening of the fire, they made press march for the battle ground, but met the army retreating-when they covered the rear, and as- sisted the men who were wounded or given out. Col. A. dismounted from his horse and placed on him two men, who could travel no farther .--- After some time, they came up to Capt. John S. Gano-who had given out and seated himself on a log, the two men on the horse having rested, they gave place to Gano -- and alternating, in this way many men were saved who must other- wise have perished by the savages' tomahawk, or in the flames-returning from this expedition he was put in command at Fort Hamilton .- Most of the fortifications at that post were eree- ted under his superintendance there, he took charge of the wounded, provided for them until they were able to go forward to Fort Washing- ton. Of the service here, the letters of St. Clair are highly complimentary ; he continued in com- mand here until the spring of 1793, when he resigned, and soon after married a daughter of Judge Goforth of Columbia. When Gen. Wayne came west, he urged Col. Armstrong to take | hour to midnight of the 22d of October,
command of a regiment, expressing great con- fidence in his bravery, and regretting the loss of so well tried an officer and soldier. Having then a family and his constitution failing from hard- ships and exposures in the service of his coun- try for a period of 17 years, he declined service in this campaign. Soon after his retirement he was appointed Treasurer of the North Western Territory. His first commission as Treasurer, is dated 13th Sep., 1796. Another commission to the same office is dated 14th Dec., 1799 .-- He served also, as one of the judges of the Court of Hamilton county, and many years as magis- trate in Columbia, where he resided from 1793 to the spring of 1814, when he removed to his farm opposite the Grassy Flats, in Clark coun- ty, Indiana, and died there on the 4th February, 1816, after a confinement of five years and 24 days; during which time he was unable to walk unless supported by persons on either side of him -his remains were interred on that farm where a monument is placed to mark his resting place
Miilerism -- The Finale here.
I feel it my duty to record the late exhibitions of Millerism, as far as they have been made in Cincinnati, as part of tho history of the times.
For the last eighteen months the delusion has been spreading west, and was propagated here with great industry and zeal by Himes, Jacobs and others. As a part of its influences, the Mid- night Cry was established and circulated gratu- itously. Roligious services, originally commen- ced and carried on for a length of time at the Cineinnati College edifice, have been maintain- ed with a degree of feeling and devotedness, worthy of a purer and better grounded faith, and as the numbers of the believers increased, and their resources augmented by the addition of men who were possessed of means, the Taber nacle, a broad building of 80 feet square, uncouth in outward appearance, but well adapted for their purpose otherwise, was erected. This build- ing is capable of seating two thousand persons on benches.
It will be recollected, that Miller, the author of this movement, predicted originally, that the second advent, or consummation of all things, would take place with the close of 1843. When that period passed, it became necessary to assign a new one, or abandon the faith. It was then discovered that the termination of the Jewish year, on the last day of Nisan, or the 23d March, 1844, was the proper date. After the fallacy of this calculation was demonstrated by the result, it was finally concluded that the long expected advent would be the day of Jubilee-according to Jewish chronology, the 10th day of the seventh month-which brought us at the last day and
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All these periods were referred to in succes- sion, in the Midnight Cry, and so firmly was the faith of the Milleritcs fixed on the last calcula- tion, that the number published Oct. 22d, was solemnly announced to be the last communica- tion through that channel to the believers. In this progress of things, both in the press and the tabernacle, as might have been expected, deeper exercises of mind, among the Millerites, was the result, and within a few days of the 22d, all the brethren had divested themselves of their earth- ly cares, eating, drinking and sleeping only ex- cepted. Chests of tools which cost forty dollars were sold for three. A gold watch worth one hundred dollars was sacrificed for one fifth the value. Two brothers of the name of Hansel- mann, who owned a steamboat in company with Capt. Collins, abandoned to him their entire in- terest in it, alleging they had nothing farther to do with earthly treasures. John Smith. an esti- mable man, once a distinguished member of the Baptist Church, and a man of considerable pro- perty here, left it all to take care of itself. A dis- tinguished leader in this movement, shut up his shop and placed a card on his door, " Gone to meet the Lord"-which, in a few hours, was irreverently replaced by some of the neighbors with " Cone up."
One of the believers, the clerk of one of our Courts, made up his business papers to the 22d, and left later business to those who were willing to attend to it. Another, a clerk in one of the city banks resigned his position in order to devote his entire attention to second advent prepara tions. And others settled up their worldly busi- ness, paying their debts, as far as was in their power, and asking forgiveness of their unpaid creditors, where they were unable to discharge the account. Others, again, spent weeks in vis- iting relations and friends for the last time, as they supposed. In short, after all these things, all ranks and classes of the believers assembled at the Tabernacle on the night of the 22nd and 23rd successively, to be ready for the great event.
In the meantime, considerable ill feeling had been engendered among the relatives of those who had become infatuated with these doctrines, as they saw their wives, or sisters or daugh- ters led off by such delusions, to the neglect of family duties, even to the preparing the ordinary meals, or attending to the common and every day business of life. The spirit of Lynching was about to make its appearance. Crowds upon crowds, increasing every evening, as the alloted day approached, aided to fill the house or sur- round the doors of their building. A large share were ready to commence mischief so soon as a fair opportunity should present itself.
Jlar displeasure broke out. Every species of an- noyance were offered to the Millerites at the doors of the Tabernacle, and even within its walls, on that and Monday evening-much of it highly discreditable to the actors. At the close of an exhortation or address, or even a prayer by the members, the same tokens of approbation, by clapping of hands and stamping of feet, as are exhibited at a theatre or a public lecture, were given here,interspersed with groans of Oh Polk! Oh Clay !- shouts of, Hurrah for Clay, Hurrah for Polk, IIurrah for Birney; and loud calls of " move him," " you can't come it," varied occa- sionally with distinct rounds of applause. A pigeon was let into the Tabernacle also, on Mon- day evening to the general annoyance. On Tues- day the crowds in and outside the building, still increasing, and not less than twenty-five hun- dred persons being within the walls, and near- ly two thousand in the street adjacent, a general disturbance was expected. But the Mayor and police had been called on, and were upon the ground, and distributed through the crowd .--- The clear moonlight rendered it difficult to com- mit any excess irresponsibly ; and above all, Fa- ther Reese, venerable for his age, erndition and skill in theology, and his magnificent beard, oc- cupied the great mass outside the doors, as a safety-valve to let off the superfluous excitement. At nine o'clock the Millerites adjourned, as it proved sine die, going home to watch at their re- spective dwellings, for the expected advent .- They held no Tabernacle meeting on Wednes- day evening, to the disappointment of the crowd which assembled as usual, to which, by way of solace, Reese again held forth. At 9 o'clock, the out-door assembly dispersed, also without day.
Wednesday evening having dissipated the last hopes, and confounded all the calculations of the " Adventists," they have since, to a great ex- tent, resumed that position in the community which they previously held. The carpenter has again seized his jack plane, the mason his trowel, and the painter his brush. Eshelby has tied on anew the leather apron, and brother Jones again laid hold of the currying knife. The clerk in the bank, whose post was kept in abeyance until he should recover from his delusion, is again at his desk, and John the Baptist, by which well known soubriquet, one of the principal leaders is designated, has gone back to his houses and his farms, content to wait, as other Christians are willing, for the day and hour to come, as the CHART has pointed it out.
In most popular delusions, the leaders are craf- ty, designing and dishonest men, and the mass honest dupes. I have watched this movement in every stage of its progress, and believe that
On last Sabbath, the first indications of popu- | all concerned, " Pricst and people alike," were
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sincere in their convictions. As respects the ex- ( regulations, from the Common Schools of the tent to which the delusion spread, and the con- city. The new establishment to embrace the 4 collegiate classes, and to give as thorough an education as any institution in the land ; thereby carrying out the system as it exists in our public Schools, of entire equality in the education of the youth of this community. sequences to its followers and to those who were connected with them as familics, there is notha- ing new in the result. History records fifty or more similar extravagances, which, on account of the greater ignorance of our fathers, were on a more extensive scale. I conclude with a sy- nopsis of one of these, by which, it will be seen that man is the same in all countries and in eve- ry age.
William Whiston, a divine, astronomer and writer of considerable eminence, in the early part of the last century, prophesied, on a given day, the destruction of the world by its coming in collision with a comet then visible. A gen- eral consternation was the result. In London, not less than fifty thousand packs of cards were burned, and seven thousand kept mistresses mar- ried in one day. The archbishop, at Lambeth, was applied to for a form of prayer suitable to the event. The Governor of the Bank of Eng- land gave it in charge to the officers of the Fire Engine companies to keep a good look out for the Bank. The theatres were closed, and the Churches could hardly contain the multitudes that rushed to them. The mob compelled the Captain of a lighter in the Thames,loaded with gun powder, to commit his freight to the river. Every vessel in port was filled with the crowd, who sought refuge on water as the safest place in the impending danger. The sailors, of which there are always vast numbers in London, as is the custom on board ships that are not expected to survive, dressed themselves in their best clothes, and drinking, to drown all conscious- ness, filled the streets with riot and alarm by day and night. In short, a general consterna- tion pervaded all ranks and classes of society.
Such is human nature in every age.
Popular Education.
MR. CIST-Dear Sir :- Knowing the deep in- terest you feel in the Common School enterprize of our city, I take pleasure in presenting you with the fifteenth " ANNUAL REPORT" of the Trus- .tees and Visiters, embracing, among other things, the laws and ordinances under which the Schools are conducted.
The friends of education have much to hope for from these Schools. Since their commence- ment they have been gradually growing up into system' and emphatically pointing, at no distant day, to a " CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL," which shall complete the series.
While on this subject, I will mention, that an individual in the city has liberally offered to be one of ten, who will give $1000 each, for the establishment of a " CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL" for the educating of boys, to be taken, under certain
The Trustees of the Hughes Fund, it is hoped, will yet unite on some plan with the Trustees of the City Schools, to establish a CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL for girls, taken from the Common Schools, by which all those who may desire, may re- ceive a finished education without going from home to obtain it.
These contemplated institutions, with the Woodward and Cincinnati Colleges, will entitle our city to rank high in the estimation of those who may make the facilities for education the reason for selecting this city as a place of per- manent residence. Let the appeal, then, be made to the lover of western enterprise, the lover of his country, the lover of his race, to_ceme for- ward at once, and mect this noble proposition of a citizen, to establish a "CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL." Cannot nine men be found in this city who will delight to enroll their names as brethren in this noble enterprise? I send you the name of the first, to be used on any proper occasion.
ONE OF THE TRUSTEES OF COM. SCHOOLS.
Ancient Marriage Licence.
SEAL.] By his EXCELLENCY the Right Honorable JOHN Earl of DUNMORE, Captain General and Governor in Chief in and over the province of New York and the Territories depending thereon in America, Chancellor and Vice-Ad- miral of the same.
To any Protestant Minister of the Gospel,
Whereas, There is a mutual purpose of Mar- riage between Charles Morse of the City of New York, Gentleman of the one party, and Marga- ret Collins of the same city, Widow of the other party, for which they have desired my License and have given Bond upon condition that neith- er of them have any lawful let or impediment of Pre-contract, affinity or consanguinity, to hinder them from being joined in the holy bonds of Matrimony, these are therefore, to impower you to join the said Charles Morse and Margaret Collins in the holy bonds of Matrimony, and them to pronounce them Man and Wife.
Given under my hand and the prerogative seal of the province of New York, at Fort George, in the City of New York, the twelfth day of April, in the eleventh year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord, George the Third, by the grace of GOD; of Great Britain, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, &c., Annoq. Dom- ini 1771. DUNMORE.
By his Excellency's command,
P. W. BANYAR, Surr.
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Executed the 13th April, by John Siegfried Geroch, Minister of Christ Church.
On this document I comment,
1. That this John, Earl of Dunmore, is the same notorious individual who figured as Gover- nor of Virginia, at the breaking out of the Amer- ican Revolution.
2. That at that date none but Protestant min- isters of the Gospel were authorized to marry in this country. This was the statute law of Great Britain, and its provisions extended to the colo- nies.
3. Can any of my New York readers point out the scite of Fort George?
4. What an absurdity is the whole system of marriage licences, availing nothing but to put fees into the hands of publie officers .- Ib.
Foreign Correspondence.
LONDON, August 1, 1844.
MY DEAR SIR :- I have just returned from an extensive tour through the Mid-land and North- ern counties of England; and as I have seen and learned much of this beautiful but ill-gov- erned island, I cannot refrain from troubling you with some of my lucubrations.
The diversified and picturesque scenery-the beautiful and secluded villages-the magnifi- cent and gorgeous habitations of the nobility, fill the mind of the traveller with emotions of wonder and delight. The whole country seems to be one beautiful garden. Every thing is in order, from the palace of the peer, to the hovel of the peasant. It is one of the distinguishing characteristics of the English peasantry, that their houses, however humble, are the abodes of neatness. Even in the wretched and miserable huts which are every where scattered over this lovely land, there is a straining at appearances which indicate how strongly home is implanted in the bosom of an Englishman. In the abodes of the rich, order, utility, refinement and luxury prevail, to a degree wholly inconceivable by the unsophisticated back woodsman. If it were pos- sible for man to shut his eyes to the misery and wretchedness which constantly obtrude them- selves upon his notice, he might well deem,this an earthly paradise. But, amid all the beauty, profusion, splendor and gorgeousness which sur- round him, the appaling fact is ever staring him in the face, that misery and disease, and crime, are here triumphant.
During my sojourn in the North, I was an eye witness to a scene of great interest, in the open- ing of the Newcastle and Darlington Junction Railway. It was an event of great importance to the surrounding country, and had drawn togeth- er a vast assemblage of people from various parts of England. Besides, there were some impor- tant historical facts connected with locomotion developed, which I think worth knowing and worth recording.
The celebration of the opening of the road, took place on Thursday June 17 at Newcastle upon Tyne. By means of this road, a direet and uninterrupted communication has been opened between London and Newcastle, the distance between the two places being 305 miles. At 5 o'clock in the morning of that day, a special train left Euston "square London, and at half- past 2 P. M. arrived at Gateshead on the banks of the Tyne, and opposite to Newcastle. The average rate of running was about forty miles an hour. This was an extraordinary and unpre- cedented achievement in the history of railroads. One train which arrived was upwards of 350 yards long, and contained between 8 and 900 passengers. It was drawn by three engines. Never before, have I witnessed such an exhibi- tion of the mighty power of steam, or of the wonderful skill and enterprise of man. It was a seene, once beheld, never to be forgotten .-- Upon the arrival of this train the excitement and enthusiasm was intense; and as car after car was delivered of its living freight, the spectators gazed in astonishment, and wondered from whence the living mass of human beings eame.
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