USA > Ohio > Hamilton County > Cincinnati > The Cincinnati miscellany, or, Antiquities of the West, and pioneer history and general and local statistics. Volume II > Part 62
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then interrogated me about the Indians-how will they conduct in the war between us and the English; can they be kept quiet? I answered promptly and decidedly, that the Indians would be for or against us in the war; that we must imme- diately engage their services or they would go over to the enemy; that they were altogether mercenary in their feclings, and governed by a thirst for blood and plunder, and did not much care on which side they fought; but that they would be on one side or the other was most cer- tain-and I urged him to take the most prompt and decisive measures in time to engage them. I offered to raise a thousand Indians within my agency, provided their families were fed and sup- ported by the United States, and such a force would be fit to beat any two thousand of the same kind which the enemy could raise. The Dela- wares, Shawanese, Wyandotts, and Senecas of my charge, constituted the veterans of the Indian army in all former wars, and they were anxious to take part with us. The Secretary replied that the President-Mr. Madison-on this point was immovable; that no entreaty could induce him to consent to the employment of such a force; and further, he remarked that Governor Hull, who was there, assured him that he could keep the Indians neutral; that (using a figure) he had only to beckon with his finger and they would obey. The counsels of Governor Hull prevailed; the consequences was most disastrous; the loss of some of the best blood of the country; the tem- porary disgrace and loss of Michigan, and the loss of forty millions of the treasury of the Uni- ted States, all of which I fearlessly assert might have been prevented by the employment of the Indians named in the beginning of the war; and furthermore, the Upper Province of Canada ta- ken from the enemy the first campaign. Whilst at Washington, I learned that Hull was an ap- plicant for the command of the North Western Army. Gov. Worthington was then in the Sen- ate. I took the liberty of warning him against the appointment. The people of the country where he was to operate had no confidence in him: the Indians despised him ;- he was too old, bro- ken down in body and mind to conduct the mul- tifarious operations of such a command. The nomination was made, objected to, refered to a committee, reported on favourably, and confirm- ed. On the very same day he passed the Senate, the poor, vain, weak old man was seen in full dress uniform, parading the streets of Washing- ton, making calls. When the army rendevoused at Dayton, Hull requested me to send him twelve
299
or fifteen trusty Indians to accompany the army into Canada, as spies and guides. The requisite number went. On parting with them, they were requested, as soon as discharged, to return, find me out and make report. They did so. They left the army at the river Canard, between Sand- wich and Malden. The Chief Butler, son by a Shawanese woman, of Gen. Richard Butler, who fell at St. Clair's defeat, an intelligent and observ- ant man, was the speaker. He said they left the army doing no good; would he thought do no good, and at last be defeated; that the Indians from the north were coming down like a swarmn of bees, and by and by would eat them all up. This Butler was at the defeat of St. Clair, and it has been often reported, put an end to the life of his own father. The story runs thus: General Butler, being mortally wounded early in the bat- tle, was, by his own request, set up leaning against a tree with his pistols loaded and cocked; that an Indian rushing towards him, was fired at and missed, when the savage dispatched him with his tomahawk. I never asked the Indian, But- ler, to give me any information on the subject, knowing the repugnance they always feel to speak about such matters. I never saw General Butler, the reputed father of the Shawanese chief, but the Indian was a marked half breed, and very closely resembled both in person, features, and cliaracter, all the members of the family I ever did see. He had one sister who bore the same striking resemblance to the parent stock. The General was a trader among the Shawanese be- fore the revolutionary war. His last wife was a Semple from near Carlisle, Pennsylvania, lived at Pittsburgh in my time, and enjoyed a pension from the United States.
The following is on a street in which lawyers abounded, and at the bottom of which many boats were found :-
" At the top of the street the attorneys abound, And down at the bottom the barges are found; Fly, honesty, fly, to some safer retreat,
For there's craft in the river and craft in the street."
Shakspeare makes one of his characters say-
"How sweet the moonshine sleeps upon this bank."
The modern reading about banks and moon- shine is this --
" How sweet these banks do sleep upon this moonshine!"
Not Bad.
A friend of ours, says a New York paper, who had recently made a trip up the Hudson, was asked what he thought of St. Anthony's Nose. " Why it was once a great curiosity," he replied, " but now they are blowing it all to pieces !"
Bell and Krass Foundry.
This is an important item of manufacturing industry in Cincinnati, and of increasing value. Its importance consists not more in the amount of industry which it stimulates, than in the inci- dental aid it supplies to other business, by con- centrating to this point, the entire demand for bells north, south, and west of us. In 1840 there were eight of these establishments, with sixty-two hands, which have been increased at this date to twelve foundries, with one hundred and six hands, all engaged in the various opera- tions of casting and finishing of articles in brass, of which the article of bells is of the greatest magnitude, affording an aggregate value of $135,000 for the past year. As an example of its character and operations, I select the business for the last three years, of G. W. COFFIN, at the Buckeye Foundry, on Columbia street, whose bell business is of greater magnitude than all the - other establishments combined, but whose brass business, generally, would not constitute more than an average of the general aggregate. In 1843, Mr. Coffin made, all to order,
36 steamboat bells, from 150 to 706 lbs. each.
8 plantation do 50 to 360 do.
2 foundry do 150 to 350 do.
11 college, academy, and school house bells, 50 to 350 do.
I court house, 350
do.
1 engine house, 326 do.
38 church do 80 to 3,363 do
Besides 206 of lighter sizes of which no regis- ter has been kept. The whole weighing 40647 pounds, including the iron works connected there- with-worth more than twenty thousand dollars. The entire operations in brass, in this foundry reached the value of $31,000.
During the year 1844, there were made in this establishment:
39 steamboat bells, weighing 11,660 lbs
31 plantation farm bells 3,406
6 foundry, factory, and engine bells 376
9 school house and college bells 1,000 8 court house and fire engine bells 3.630
57 church bells 19,758
21 hotel do 694
40,525
Exclusive of the iron work connected with the bells.
The value of bells made in the Buckeye Brass and Bell Foundry for 1844 was 31,000 dollars; of all manufactured articles of brass and bell metal, 39,000 dollars, being an increase of 25 per cent on the business of 1843. I presume there is a proportionate increase in the other establishments, Mr. Coffin being in bells, and theirs in brass foundry, generally. He has late-
ly p· C8 ne a· of an
at as m e;
ep lad ald ed; of m- the ni- ght the and ta- ilst ap- ern en- inst try im:
ul. The o a rm- ate, full
sed
1
t
· 0
h y
300
ly put up a new Foundry, where bells only will be made.
During the past year, bells have been made at this foundry for the following boats:
Blue Ridge
200 Doctor Watson 326
J. E. Roberts 82 Mary Pell 200
Daniel Boone
50 Clermont 150
Felix Grundy
500 Isaac Shelby
326
War Eagle 200 Belle Creole 500
Daniel Boone
200
Princess 500
Isaac Shelby
220
Cadmus
100
Daniel Boone
100
Bulletin 720
Lancet
226
James Dick 500
Confidence
225
Andrew Jackson 500
Richmond
500
Geo.Washington 500
Dove
150
Reindeer 500
Pike No. 8
350
Eureka
100
Convoy
500
Hercules
500
Queen City
500
Huntsville 500
Windsor
350
Pride of the west700
Magic
170
Edward Shippen 350
C. Connor
350
Belle Air
300
Jim Gilmer
224 Albatross
500
Magnolia
625 Old Hickory
500
Belle of the West
300
American Eagle 500
Sea
500
W. R. M'Kce
200
Mentoria
200
45 steam boat bells,
15,492
28 plantation and farm bells,
262
262
262
80
35
40
262
500
31
150
80
35
40
260
100
35
100
80
35
224
350
100
80
100,
80
50
80
226
262
-3,977
5 foundry, factory and furnace,
82
50
326
100
84
642
20 school house and college,
50
120
50
100
50
100
50
100
100
30
60
50
158
60
100
100
50
120
100
100
1,648
3 fire engine house bells,
774
700
700
2,174
61 churches,
383
120 326
110
720
120
500
500
279
120
700
110
326
224
275
275
326
150
326
116
720
100
332
275
326
120
326
220 1300
170
700
350
700
200
326
100
500
125
400 300
450
120
326
170
326
400
300
362
400
100
350
262
362
200
326
100
200
- 19,596
20 hotels,
51
25 31
25
35
22
30
35
25 40 25
35 35
35
25
25
25- -649
ments during the heaviest period of the business season, disabled Mr. Coffin from pushing his foun- dry operations to the extent he is now prepared to do.
I speak advisedly when I say that the Buckeye Bell and Brass foundry is the most extensive es- tablishment in the manufacture of bells, of any in the United States.
Narrative of John Hudson,
A Revolutionary Soldier, and now resident in Cincinnati .- No. 3.
On reaching my company I heard discharges of cannon fired in quick succession, and the sound of their balls striking some object. Inquiring what was doing, of my associates, I was told, that they had raised a redoubt the morning of their ar- rival and that the balls were from the enemy, who were striking a large oak tree in front of the redoubt. On that very day, as I afterwards learnt, Col. A. Scammel, who was out with a re- connoitering party was taken prisoner by Tarle- ton's light horse and inhumanly murdered after his capture. I was told also, that the night be- fore, the Marquis de la Fayette, with a party of Frenchmen who had been landed from the fleet, had stormed two batteries of two twelve pound- ers to each battery, putting every man to the sword-literally-as the very privates among the French wore that weapon. These events all took place on the 26th September, 1781, and I refer particularly to this date to remove an impression erroneously but extensively prevalent, that the important events of this siege were crowded all into one night at a later date.
Our army was composed of three divisions, and throughout the siege of Yorktown, which had now commenced, each division was twenty-four hours in the works and forty-eight in the camp. One of these divisions was under command of Brig. Gen. James Clinton, and to this was at- tached the New York line. I belonged to the oldest company of the oldest regiment of these troops, which of course was the head of the col- umn. We left the camp a short time before sun- down, and marching along a road, came to a high mound of earth, and wheeling short round to the right, we reached within a few feet of the end of a cause way, made of pitch-pine logs recently put down, perhaps fifteen, or twenty rods long. This crossed a marsh, otherwise impassable. Yorktown was virtually an island, the river pas- sing at an elbow, two sides of it-and an exten- sive deep marsh faced the other side.
50 35 40 We marched over the causeway to the batte- The value of the bells and brass castings made here, during the past year, is about equal to that of the year 1844, and would have been much ries which I have already stated were stormed by Lafayette. I saw two embrasures to each batte- ry, which proved that there had been the same greater, had not has spacious building improve- number of cannon. These, with the dead, had
301
been all removed, and the batteries being thirty feet apart, we marched between the two. Every thing that I could see there was covered with blood.
We passed these batteries a short distance, the night approaching, when we were halted, every man directed to sit down, and neither to talk nor leave his place. As I had been sick through that day, and had, like the rest, my knapsack on my back, I laid my cartouch box under my head, and with my musket in my arms, soon fell asleep. During my repose a sudden and violent rain came on, falling in torrents, which failed, how- ever, to wake me, such had been my fatigue. In the course of the night-I cannot tell at what time-the non-commissioned officers came along the ranks, and without saying a word, woke us all and got us to our feet. I rose up with the rain dripping from my clothes. We were direct- ed to shift our arms to the right shoulder, and cach man to put his right hand on the shoulder of his file leader, marching in two ranks, the right in front. The road being clear of all obstruc- tions, our progress was uninterrupted, although nothing was visible-no man being able even to see his comrade. We finally halted, and every man had a spade put into his hands. Shortly af- terwards-the rain still pouring down-a party of men, with gabions, came along. I will de- scribe them, for the better comprehension of my narrative. Sticks are cut about five feet in length, of the thickness of a man's wrist; one end is sharpened and set in the ground, in a circle of perhaps three feet diamater. Flexible brush, about the size of a hoop-pole, with such branches as adhere to them, are interlaced as in making a basket, working upwards from the bottom. The gabion thus made is thrown on its side, a long pole run through it, and passed on the shoulders of as many men as can get beneath it. These were placed, when brought to the ground for use, in such position as the engineer judged proper, the stakes being, as before, pressed into the earth. We were then directed, and as at first, merely by signs, to commence three feet inside of where they had been placed, and shovel up earth suffi- cient to fill the gabions. The ground was of sand, which being thoroughly wet by the rain, was very casy digging. We shoveled until we filled these gabions, and finished by throwing up a bank in front, when the work was completed. The gabions being side and side the earth fornied a solid line of breast works, through which a cannon ball could not pass. From what I after- wards saw of the efficacy of this description of defence in repeling cannon balls, there is no doubt that it is a better protection than a stone wall six feet thick, and has this advantage, that
it can be made in a few hours. Not a single cannon ball penetrated this defence during tl.e whole siege.
It ceased raining just as the day was about to dawn, when we observed that our artillery had thrown up a battery a few rods from our right, and on the bank of the river; and had raised a lofty flag staff with the star spangled banner streaming to the wind upon it. This was called Matchem's bettery, being erected under the direc- tion of a captain of that name, who retained it as his command during the siege. I wish it dis- tinctly understood, that we were so near the British lines with these defences that there never were any other works erected in our front, in the whole progress of the campaign. After it was fully daylight, the British had the hardihood to come out with a six pounder, immediately in front of the battery I had assisted to construct, and so near to us that a horseman could have shot any one of these artillerists with his pistol. There they stood firing their piece rapidly for half an hour, battering at the fortification with- out any apparent effect. After they found that we treated them with silent contempt, for we took no notice of them, they desisted and return- ed to their own lines. Our allies, the French, who occupied our left, were doubtless busy, but in what way I had no means of knowing.
I am very confident that there was no firing on our part upon the enemy for eight days; while they were keeping up a constant cannonade, night and day, during that period. General Washing- ton and Count Rochambeau used to ride to the rear of the works, side by side, each equipped with a spy glass, of which they made frequent use. This was repeated every day while we were rais- sing other works, assisting the French, and strengthening batteries. On the ninth-day-the 4th or 5th of October-the generals, as usual, came down, attended with their retinue, and' General Washington, not seeing Captain Match -- em, inquired where he was. He was shewn- where the Captain lay asleep upon a plank, in the open air. The General chid him gently for. thus exposing himself, asking him why he did not go into his marquee. He answered spiritedly, that he would never enter his marquee till he' had stopped that bull dog from barking-allu- ding to a twelve pounder in the wall of the town, which had been playing night and day on his bat- tery, annoying him greatly. Washington then directed him to open his battery immediately, the Generals riding back as customary. There was now a general shout among the soldiers, that we should now see some fun. In my simplicity, I asked " what fun?" Up to this time I had never seen a cannon fired. " Don't you ses
302
those matchets burning," they replied. I looked and saw them on staff's, four or five feet long, at the side of the guns.
Review.
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE-Appointed at the Meeting of the Citizens of Cincinnati, held at the Council Chamber. January 22d, 1846; on the subject of improv- ing the navigation around the Falls of the Ohio river.
This is a document of great ability, compre- hensive as well as minute in its researches, and co- gentin its conclusions. It covers the whole canal question, in its difficulties and the remedies; and manifests the impolicy and injustice of the pres- ent facilities, or rather want of them, as a means of conveying the vast freights of the west to and from their appropriate markets. The remedy proposed in this report for the vexations and op- pressive burthens imposed by the existing state of things, is the construction of a new canal on the Indiana side, of dimensions greatly larger than that on the Kentucky sidc, which the present commerce of the upper Ohio has years since out- grown. The objections for relying on any al- teration or enlargement of the canal on the Ken- ticky side, as a remedy or relief to present and future difficulties, are stated thus :---
"We are opposed to the alteration of the pres- ent canal, because we think the increasing com- merce of the river will require two canals, before the desired alterations could be completed. To verify the truth of this assertion, it is only neces- sary to examine the extent of territory embraced in the Valley of the Mississippi. By reference to a map of the United States, it will be perceived, that the territory of the Union is divided into three distinct Geographical Sections. The first being the Atlantic slope, extending from the At- lantic ocean to the Allegheny mountains; the second, from the Alleghenies to the Rocky moun- tains, and the third from the Rocky mountains to the Pacific ocean ;- the first division, present- ing an area of about 400,000 square miles; the second, or Valley of the Mississippi, including some southern rivers, which empty into the Gulf stream, about 1,200,000 square miles; and the third, or Pacific slope, about 425,000 miles. Thus you will perceive that the Ohio and Mississippi rivers are the main avenues, on which the com- merce of this middle section is to be conducted- which nearly doubles in extent of territory the two other divisions of the Union.
" In this vast region nature has been most bountiful in scattering over the whole land all the valuable minerals, including the most exten- sive coal formations known to the world. Every portion of the country is interspersed with streams, affording water power, and every ele- mentary principle furnished, which could be de- sirable for manufacturing industry.
" Our climate is admirably adapted to all kind of agricultural productions; and even our most extensive mineral regions, may be explored un- der ground by the miner, whilst the agricul- turalist is raising abundant crops on the surface of the same soil.
" A large portion of this valley is yet a wilder- ness, or uninhabited prairies; but we already
number a population equal to nearly half the Union. The value of property annually floating upon onr western rivers is still morc astonishing. If we can depend upon statements furnished through committees at different points, and Cus- tom House registers, we may estimate the an- nual value of property, transported on our great rivers, at a sum over two hundred millions of dollars, which is a much lager amount than the exports and imports of the United States from foreign nations.
" In our agricultural productions we far cxceed any people in the world, compared with the num- ber of our population.
" From Mr. Peyton's report made to Congress, in 1844, we find that the surplus of grain raised in the Mississippi Valley in 1843, was one hun- dred and fifty-nine millions of bushels, whilst the surplus of the Atlantic States, for the same year, was two millions. Scarcely thirty years have passcd, since steamboats were fairly introduced upon our western whters, and we may now esti- mate the number at six hundred, exceeding, by forty thousand tons, the entire steamboat com- mercial tonnage of the British Empire.
" The introduction of steam upon these great rivers gave the first impulse to the rapid growth of the west, and the life and energy of western commerce depends mainly upon the engine of the steamboat. It is thereforc important to pro- tect and foster all the connexions with this ele- ment of our prosperity. If it were possible to es- timate the future growth of our country, and our commerce by what has taken place, we might take our city as an evidence of increase. Within half a century we have acquired a population of eighty thousand inhabitants, who build yearly from thirty to fifty steamboats, and export from ten to twelve millions of dollars worth of their own manufactures.
" A very important portion of the Mississippi Valley, which produces two of the great agricul- tural staples of the country, cotton and sugar, has but one natural outlet to the Atlantic ocean. This being the mouth of the Mississippi river, in timc of war, it might be easily blockaded by a superior naval force. Under such circumstances these products would have to find a market in the Atlantic States by ascending the Mississppi and Ohio rivers, necessarily passing through the canal around the Falls, unless the Ohio was at more than ordinary height.
" To give an idea of the facilities necessary at that point for this change of commerce, we will take the export of cotton from New Orleans for the last year, as given in the Commercial Re- view; and the sugar crop of Louisiana for the last year, as reported by the New Orleans Chamber of Commerce.
" The export of cotton is stated at 984,616 bales of four hundred pounds each, which redu- ced to tons, would amount to 196,923.
" The sugar crop is stated at 204,913 hogs- heads of 1000 pounds each, which would give, in tons, 102,456, making in cotton and sugar, 299,379 tons, which would require for trans- portation, nineteen hundred ninety-five steam- boats carrying one hundred and fifty tons each. Allowing these boats two hours each, the usual time for passing the present canal, and you will find that it would require one hundred and sixty days, or a period of more than five months to ac- commodate the ascending navigation through the canal, of these two items of trade. If we add to
303
this, the molasses connected with the sugar trade, and the enormous exports of lead, hemp, and to- bacco from St. Louis, which would have to be di- verted from its natural channel up the Ohio river, it would be clearly demonstrated, that to pass all the commerce, which now passes through the mouth of the Mississippi from these two States, the present canal would be occupied all the time by their export trade."
" If it be asked upon what principles we call upon the National Government to furnish anoth- er canal? wc answer, that these great rivers arc under the control of the nation, and, as national highways, beyond the influence of States border- ing on them, they are properly speaking " inland seas," entitled to the same protection of the Gen- eral Government, as all other harbours and dc- fences of the country, which have received the fostering care of the nation, since the establish- ment of our government.
" We ask it, because we have contributed our blood in defence of the country during war, and our treasure annually to support its expenditures; and here we may state, that the nation is largely our debtor for nearly one hundred millions of dollars, received for sales of the public lands, whilst all the appropriations in return for in- ternal improvements is not one tithe of that sum. Let us, for a moment, look at the cxpenditures of the government since cur independence, which, according to the annual register, for fifty-six years, amounts to nearly one thousand millions of dollars. Of this sum the Valley of the Mis- sissippi has received but a small proportion of the disbursements for Public Works.
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