The History of Miami County, Ohio, Part 29

Author: W. H. Beers & Co.
Publication date: 1880
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1051

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This company of volunteers was on the march twelve days before war was declared at Washington.

Wives and friends knew no Sabbath that week, but stitched and sewed in tears and silence.

Money was scarce, but patriots could rally forward to the charge without it. All arrived at Camp Wayne, a little before midnight, May 6, and in a few days rebuilt and fortified old Camp Wayne, at Greenville, Ohio scouting the thickets and the swamps, daily taking prisoners, mostly old men, squaws and papooses, and sending them to Upper Piqua, to the Indian agent, John Johnston, residing there.

Guard and military operations were vigorously pushed until the first of September. The sickly season approaching, and Capt. Nesbit, Capt. Brier, McCormic and Van Cleve arriving, Capt. Buchanan and his company asked Gen. Munger to be relieved from their old position, and sent to some new place, with the privilege of making new defenses. Whereupon Gen. Munger and the War Department ordered that Capt. George Buchanan and his command remove near Fort Rowdy (Covington), make defenses, place pickets and build a block- house.

In June, 1793, Gen. Wayne moved his army from Fort Washington (now Cincinnati) to Dayton, there to be furnished with small boats, rafts, skiffs and canoes, to carry his cannon and military stores up the West Branch of the Great

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HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY.

Miami River (now Stillwater), forty miles by water, both sides of the river to be well guarded by spies and pickets ; axmen and soldiers cutting drifts and remov- ing obstructions. It raining almost incessantly, the voyage was performed in thirteen days to Fort Rowdy, one mile west of the mouth of Greenville Creek, and south of the falls. About two miles east of this, at the Lehman Big Spring, on the ridge a few rods north, where the Pan Handle depot is built, and extending west to the high bank of Stillwater, by Government order, in September, 1812, the new fort was built, dedicated and christened Fort Buchanan, by pouring whisky and water on it from large canteens and buckets. All returns, pay-rolls, etc., were reported from here to the City of Washington. Fort Buchanan was eighteen miles east of Camp Wayne, at Greenville, Ohio ; eight miles south of Fort Brier, Webster, Ohio ; nine miles south of Fort Loraimie ; nine miles southwest of Camp Washington, Upper Piqua, Ohio.

About the middle of October, 1812, a delegation, composed of Drs. Coleman and Telford, of Troy, officers, soldiers and citizens-a squad-in cavalcade, arrived at Fort Buchanan (the ragged, dirty soldiers were under arms, and in review), and passing the guards, asked an escort and pilots to point out the big Indian's grave, killed by Trader Price in 1809, near the entrance of the big cave. south of Covington, Ohio.

The citizens fell into procession, and, with banners flying, fixed bayonets and martial music, assembled around the Indian's grave. The soldiers, standing firm in their shoes, looked on while the delegation proceeded to remove the many big logs and stones piled round the place, tearing up the stakes and grape-vines, strips of blankets, etc., that marked the sacred place.

A very large oak had blown out by the roots, the top very large, one limb splitting off from the tree, upper side, showed it was decayed and hollow ; here the Indians had hacked out a vault, into which they laid the big Indian ; then cut the limb off near the trunk, placed it back on the tree again, making it neat and secure. Drs. Coleman and Telford brought a neat box, put the Indian in it, and took it to Troy for students to practice upon.

Price's account of how he killed the Indian with his own gun, is thus related : " While I was stooping and crouching through thickets, over logs and rough rocks, a horrible big Indian rose up suddenly before me and commanded me to walk in the path right on before him." Price's budget hung on his back, over his heavy, large cane. After a few moments, Price thought he heard a gun snap ; looking back, he saw the Indian bring his gun down to his side. Price walked on care- lessly ; again, a gun snapped; he looked back, and the Indian was taking his gun down from his face. Stopping almost still, Price drew his cane suddenly out from his pack; it quickly fell at the Indian's feet, claiming his sight and attention. Price turned in an instant, knocked the Indian down, seized his snapping gun, now ready to fire, and shot him ; confiscated his shot-bag, powder-horn and tomahawk, leav- ing his peddler's sack to explain the act of the death angel.

The loud roar of the shot resounded through the forest, and in a moment Indian yells and startling screams rang through all the desert round. Price hastened his escape, not fearing the ghost of the dead Indian would pursue him, but knowing the blood-thirsty warriors would. They prowled around through all the country, pursued him to Kentucky, and then to Missouri, but never succeeded in catching him. No one knows the name of the big Indian to this day. Finally, at the close of the war, treaties were made with the several tribes of Indians. At Upper Piqua, Ohio, the middle of November, 1812, thousands were there assem- bled under their agent, John Johnston.

Thus, a treaty of peace and an alliance was entered into by and between these wild red-men of the forest and the pale-faces, their new neighbors, the Indians moving westward like shadows, and the whites disbanding their defenses and returning to their homes, rejoicing in the sunshine of peace. We shall close our brief and imperfect history of the war of 1812 by giving the names of the officers and a few privates. We should take much pleasure in giving a complete list of

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HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY.

all the honored names who went from this county, but space forbids. In giving names, we wish it understood that we have made no choice, manifested no partiality, but simply have given those names within our knowledge, honoring those left out as much as those inserted ; their absence is owing to necessity, not choice.

It appears that James Blue was the first Captain from Miami County who went from the east of the Miami, and Charles Wolverton was the first from the west side. Capt. Blue was not promoted, but afterward became Judge. Capt. Wolverton was promoted to Major. In the early part of the war a Mr. Rush was killed by the Indians, near Greenville, which so alarmed the inhabitants that they all rushed for the block-houses. Maj. Wolverton took a squad, commanded by Capt. Westfall, and started for Greenville ; within four miles of the place they came upon a large camp of Indians. The whites rushed upon them, killing about a dozen men and squaws. After scalping them, they learned that they were friendly Indians, and knew nothing of the murder of Rush. On August 13, 1813, a company went to Covington, and from there up Stillwater, about twelve miles, and camped for the night. The next day they marched toward Piqua, and there learned of the murder of Gerard and Dilbone ; arriving near Troy, they found much alarm. Old Mr. Tullis and wife started for Troy, by way of Peter Sewells', who lived on the McKaig farm ; Mrs. Sewells was so low with consumption as not to be able to travel. She asked to be left alone, as she would soon die anyway, but they resolved to remain with her, and if need be perish together. Mr. McClung was in the army, and his wife and children were at home ; they started for town, but lost their way in the neighborhood of what is now Shilling's Foundry. She was afraid to make her situation known until she heard the voice of Mr. James Brown, when she was taken to town and cared for.

Through the courtesy of Mr. Culbertson, of Troy, we gained access to the records during 1812-13. We found the rolls of all the companies raised for the defense of Fort Wayne and the frontiers. Three rolls of Capt. Reuben Westfall, called out by Maj. Wolverton for the defense of the frontier : from May 1 to 15, 1812; from October 24 to November 13, 1812; from December 1, 1812, to April 25, 1813. Capt. E. Kirtly, from May 28 to November 27, 1812 ; Capt. William Barbee, Sr., for the relief of Fort Wayne, August 12, 1812 ; Capt. Charles Wolverton, for the relief of Fort Wayne, from August 24, to September 23, 1812 ; Capt. Jacob Mann, from November 15, 1812, to March 15, 1813; Capt. Buchanan, from May 5 to August, 1812 ; Capt. William Luce, from August 20, 1812, to February 22, 1813; Lieut. Gardner Bobo, from September 26, 1812, to March 26, 1813 ; Capt. Charles Hillard, from February 22 to August 22, 1813. In addition to these, we have Lieut. J. Orr, Capts. John Williams, Conrad Flesher, Robert Reed, Moses Patter- son, James Patterson, John and Francis Patterson, Timothy Titus, and John Johnson. We can only mention a few names of privates who volunteered for their country's defense, referring the reader to the rolls of Mr. Culbertson for the other. honored names. We would gladly publish all, but space forbids, and we put in a few indiscriminately, viz .: Joseph Marshall, Joseph Culbertson, William and James Shackelford, Andrew and John G. Telford, William Barbee, Jr., David McClung. James Yowart, Aaron Tullis, Andrew Thomson, James Brown, Samuel Mackey, and a host of others, who hazarded their lives to defend their dear ones from the tomahawk and scalping-knife of the savage, and uphold the freedom and dignity of their country, and to secure peace and immunity henceforth, in this beautiful valley of the Miami, for themselves and those who might follow after them, and enjoy the blessings for which they so valiantly fought.

While we are dwelling upon the military, we may as well introduce an old- - time practice required of all male youth, previous to and after the war of 1812 :

THE OLD MUSTER.

As it may be a matter of interest to many to know the military discipline to which the youths of early days were subjected, we devote a page to its explana-

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HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY.

tion. On the 25th of July, 1788, a law was published at Marietta, for " regulating and establishing the militia," which was confirmed by the Territorial Legislature and approved by the Governor (St Clair). This law provided that all male citizens between the ages of sixteen and fifty should perform military duty, be armed with a musket and bayonet, cartridge-box and pouch, or powder-horn and bullet-pouch, with one pound of powder and four pounds of lead, priming-wire, brush, and six flints. For the promotion.of health, civilization and morality, they were required to drill on the first day of the week, at 10 o'clock A. M., armed and equipped, adja- cent to the place of public worship, and at all other times and places as the Com- mander-in-Chief should direct. For failing so to appear on the first of the week they were fined 25 cents, and for failure on the day designated by the Commander- in-Chief, 50 cents; or refusing to do guard duty, 100 cents, and for refusing to serve in case of invasion they were considered guilty of desertion and court- martialed.

On the 23d of November, 1788, the Governor and Judges published a law, providing that all who were subject to military duty should furnish arms and accouterments according to law, and for neglecting the same for thirty days, for a musket and bayonet, 5 dimes ; for every pound of powder and four pounds of lead not furnished in fifteen days, 2 dimes and 5 cents ; for every powder-horn and bul- let-pouch, 2 dimes ; for every six flints not provided within ten days, 1 dime and 5 cents; and brush not provided in thirty days, 1 dime. They were also to be inspected by the Commandant of Companies on the first Sabbath of each month. '

By a law passed July 2, 1791, all commandants of companies were to drill their men two hours on each last day of the week, and examine their arms, ammu- nition, etc. All who attended the drill on Saturday were excused from attending church or drill on Sunday ; provided they attend church armed and equipped, they were not compelled to drill on Saturday. This remained unchanged until Decem- ber 13, 1799, when the whole was revised by the Territorial Legislature, by which the age was fixed at eighteen and forty-five ; men were to be armed and equipped in six months, officers to have sword or hanger and espoutoon (spoutoon or pike). Arms exempt from execution. It also provides for districting and officering the militia ; the commissioned and non-commissioned officers to be drilled by the Brig- adier six days, five hours each, during the year. Company musters once in every two months, except December, January, February and March. Each battalion to muster in the month of April every year, and a muster of the regiment in October. For non-attendance at company muster, fine not more than $3, nor less than $1; regimental or battalion, not more than $6 nor less than $1.50.

By act of December 30, 1803, Quakers, Mennonites and Tunkers were exempt from military duty, on payment of $3 each year. By the same act, privates were allowed twelve months to arm and equip, and fine reduced to $1 and $1.50.

February 14, 1809, all laws for organizing, etc., were repealed. Only two com- pany musters a year, one in April and one in September. Battalion muster once in April, regimental in September of each year. Commissioned officers to meet by regiments, in August of each year, for two days' exercise, according to Steuben tactics.

February 2, 1813, a bounty of $12 per month was allowed to soldiers whose term of service had expired, and who would continue until their place could be supplied. We pass over all the intermediate laws, continually changing the mode of organization, times of drilling, fines, etc., until we come to the act of 1844, which declares military duty a failure, in so far as the improvement of morals is concerned, and excuses the rank and file from military duty during peace. From our understanding of the exercises, we are inclined to think its tendencies were in the opposite direction. It seemed to be a gala day. At the command of the Cap- tain to stand at ease, the Sergeants would pass along the line with a bucketful of whisky, tin cups in hand, to which every private helped himself liberally. But, says an eye witness and participant, this was not to be compared with the privileges of the officers. Days of battalion and regimental muster were high days, but

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officer muster a two-days' real fruition. Sometimes, going to Germantown and Eaton, there would be four days. Battalion and regimental courts of inquiry were all days when they expected to have a good time ; a good dinner and supper were always provided, and the by-laws of discipline would be invaded at the expense of a fine, in order to have "something to take" when business was over. Days of regimental and battalion musters were longed for, also. The pomp and splendor on such occasions were truly exhilarating. To be sure, there was a class of subal- terns, who gave no evidence of having associated with the "upper ten," and could not be regarded as an ornament to the profession, yet there was another larger class, who seemed adapted to the calling, and were a pride and honor to the mili- tary station. These men, on such occasions, swelled out with war-like pride, and, we may say, they " set the teeth and stretched the nostrils wide, and gave the eye a terrible aspect," and, as sable knights of old-only they wore blue coats and brass buttons-they pranced upon their pampered steeds, with the glitter of the polished saber, the waving white plume, the brilliant sash and flashing epaulet, the proud recipients of many admiring smiles from fair ladies, whose sparkling eyes rivaled their own gay uniforms in brilliancy ; while the stolid, anti-bellum Quaker, looking on, exclaimed, with the sentiment of the frogs, This may be fun to you, but it is death to us.

Among the officers who figured conspicuously in these muster exercises, we may mention a few : The first Major General resident of the county, seems to have been Robert Young ; next, Hiram Bell and J. W. Frizzell; Brigadier Generals, James Fergus, Fielding Loury, - Morris, John Webb (now living), Dr. Keifer, S. J. Hensley ; Colonels Alexander Ewing, John Mann, George Mitchell, John L. Winans, William Mendenhall, Thomas Shidler, Daniel Grosenor, D. W. Wallace, Joseph Defrees, Thomas W. Mansfield, Thomas J. S. Smith, Moses H. Barton ; Lieutenant Colonels, H. W. Culbertson, Dr. Asa Coleman, D. H. Morris, Jacob Counts, - Denman, Lewis Humbert, J. D. Brant, James W. Murry, Josias West- lake ; Majors, Jacob Mann, George Mitchel, John C. Winans, Samuel Winters, S. S. Mckinney, David Jenkins, Chesley Simms.

CUT MONEY OR SHARP-SHINS.

From the abundance of her agricultural products, Miami County was eminently fitted to supply the army with all necessary provisions in that direction in its opera- tions in the Northwest during the war. The almost impassable condition of the roads rendered transportation toward the north very expensive and difficult, and required all the assistance that could be obtained for that purpose. While the snow was on the ground, sleds were used in preference to wagons for the trans- portation of supplies to St. Mary's, thence to be forwarded north .by water. A good deal of money was put into circulation in this county by the sale of supplies to the Government for army purposes. In these transactions, the Government paid partly in specie, but mainly through the banks at Cincinnati, principally the Miami Exporting Company, Bank of Cincinnati, and John H. Piatt's bank. Piatt was a heavy army contractor, and his notes obtained an extensive circulation, and continued to be an accepted medium of circulation during the war. A noted peculiarity of the money put in circulation in the Miami Valley, previous to and during the war, was what they denominated cut money. This is said to have originated in Kentucky, the object being to keep silver in home circu- lation. While it was current at par at home, in ordinary business transactions, it was not receivable in exchange for public lands, nor for merchandise outside of the county. The Spanish milled dollar or quarter was taken to the blacksmith, who, placing it on his anvil, with a cold chisel cut it into two, four, and sometimes five pieces, keeping the fifth for toll, and yet having four quarters left ; sometimes it was cut still smaller, its vernacular names being quarters, bits and fips. Occa- sionally you would hear the term 11-penny bit, and 5-penny bit ; hence, "11 pence, fip and a bit," undoubtedly taken from the English and brought into this

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county by Pennsylvanians. The name "sharp-shins " arose from the sharp edges exposed after cutting, not unlike the tibial angle of that unfortunate class who cannot boast of adipose tissues, otherwise known as sheep-shanks. "Sharp-shins" could not be carried in the pocket, but a stout leather bag was provided, which confined it until spent for a hunting shirt or some other useful article. Though metallic in its nature, it did not seem to possess that tendency to burn through the pocket of the youth of 1802, as we now often observe in the modern greenback.

At or shortly after the beginning of the war of 1812, State banks were instituted, shinplasters became the medium of circulation, and sharp-shins took their departure.

EFFECTS OF THE WAR.

Previous to the war of 1812, the country was in a very unsettled condition ; none but the more daring had advanced into the deep forests of the wild country. The inhospitable woods were inhabited by wolves, wild Indians and panthers, who roamed undisturbed throughout the vast solitudes. But the beauty of this valley was not long hidden. The watchful eye of the daring hunter observed her rich and fertile valleys, sparkling streams, delicious summers and fruitful autumns, and game and range for all.

We introduce the following apostrophe to the Indian hunter, by Hon. R. S. Hart. "The daring Indian hunter, the pioneer of the pioneer settlers, had gone in advance of the immigration whilst yet the grand old woods shook their green boughs in the breeze, and lifted their emerald-crowned summits toward the blue heavens, unconscious that there was any such thing as the woodman's ax. But the sublimest terrors, and the most imminent and menacing dangers of the dark woods, were to the Indian hunter only so many charms. Rifle in hand and knife in belt, the solitary hero dived into the dark and awe-inspiring forest, where cap- tivity, torture, death at the stake or the gauntlet were to be the reward, perhaps, of his first unguarded moment. Under his protection the frontier was settled ; under his protecting rifle the first immigrants reared their humble cabins and dwelt in watchful, though hopeful, security. But immigration came rapidly on; the highest hills of the Alleghanies were climbed, and streams of emigrants fol- lowed. They came also from Kentucky, the dark and bloody ground, and even from the further and sunnier south.

"The sound of the ax was heard on every hand, from the Ohio .River to the prairies that border the far-off Mississippi. Look now abroad, and lo ! the mighty forest, the Indian and the Indian hamlet, the light canoe, the brown otter and the moccasined Indian hunter have disappeared. The ax of civilization and the ordi- nance of 1787 have done their work. There is not a parallel progress in the his- tory of the world."

We may add, that, auxiliary to this, some of the most potential elements in the civilization of the world, are, first, the Christian religion, the handmaid of civil- ization and bulwark of civil liberty. The love of labor, noble and honest labor, is an offspring of sober thought, immunity from evil propensities, superinduced by the first. To the combined effects of these two potent agents, therefore, are we to ascribe the great progress and the many changes that have been effected in our noble county since the first lonely pioneer cleared away a spot for. his solitary cabin.

Although the energy of the country was paralyzed for a time by the war and the reduced circumstances of the people, especially those whom it more immedi- ately concerned, we see almost supernatural recuperation and progression in all directions. It is said, that, at the commencement of the war, not more than one- half of the lands in the county were taken up by settlement, and, being a frontier county, and exposed to all the hazardous fluctuations of war, very few immigrants came in at that time; but the assemblage of so many men on her soil published her beauties all abroad and made the general character of the country favorably

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known ; the consequence of which was that when the country was entirely free from Indians, and all danger removed by the treaty of Ghent, the hardy and enter- prising Pennsylvanians, and the unique Yankee, whose inventive and mechanical genius has rendered his name almost a synonym for these terms, made their appearance in this county. A better combination for the development of a new country could not have been found. The sturdy, iron constitution, combined with naturally industrious habits and agricultural proclivities, set in motion and impelled forward by the indomitable energy and perseverance of the one, levels the forests, converts the barren wilderness into blooming and fruitful fields, and sheds the light of civilization where darkness and gloom had hitherto reigned supreme, while the ever-active, almost ubiquitous-mind of the other soon gives birth to the spinning, carding, fulling, grist and saw mills, and, we may say, com- prehensively, that mechanical industries follow by natural sequence in the wake of the Yankee. To them we owe some of the first carding-machines, the first fulling-mills, the first cotton manufactory, and the first scythe manufactory of the county, while to the industrious South Carolinians and Marylanders we award the building of one of the first grist and saw mills in this county ; all of which will be treated of at length in the townships in which they were located.

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The History of Miami County, Ohio, Part 29

Author: W. H. Beers & Co. Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1051

Author: W. H. Beers & Co.
Publication date: 1880
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1051