The History of Warren County, Ohio, Part 45

Author: W. H. Beers & Co.
Publication date: 1882
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1081

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"About 10 o'clock. Bowman and his party commenced their march home- ward, after having nine men killed. The men had not marched more than eight or ten miles on their return home before the Indians appeared in con- siderable force on their rear, and began to press hard upon that quarter. Bowman selected his ground, and formed his men in a square; but the Indians declined a close engagement, only keeping up a scattering fire. It was soon evident that their object was to retard their march until they could procure re- enforcements from the neighboring villages.

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"As soon as a strong position was taken by Col. Bowman, the Indians re tired, and he resumed the line of march, when he was again attacked in the rear. He again formed for battle, and again the Indians retired, and the scene was acted over several times. At length, John Bulger, James Harrod and George Michael Bedinger, with about one hundred more, mounted on horse- back, rushed on the Indian ranks and dispersed them in every direction, after which the Indians abandoned the pursuit. Bowman crossed the Ohio at the mouth of the Little Miami, and, after crossing, the men dispersed to their sev- eral homes."

The " Notes on Kentucky " gives the number of men under Bowman on this expedition as 160, but the memoranda of Col. Robert Patterson, after- ward of Dayton, who was in it, puts the number at 400.

The next two expeditions passing through the county were both led by Gen. George Rogers Clark. The first of these was in 1780, when he destroyed the Piqua town on Mad River, near the site of Springfield ; the second. in 1782, when he destroyed the Upper and Lower Piqua towns on the Great Mi- ami, within the present limits of Miami County, and also Loramie's store. on Loramie's Creek, within the present limits of Shelby County. In the first of these expeditions, Gen. Clark probably marched near the present site of Leb- anon, and crossed the Little Miami about a mile below the mouth of Caesar's Creek. This was Gen. Harmar's route in 1790, and he followed the old trace of Clark. There is a reference in the description of Virginia Military Lands. located in 1787, on the east side of the Little Miami. above Cæsar's Creek, to " Clark's Old War Road." In the expedition of 1782, Gen. Clark appears to have marched between the site of Lebanon and the Great Miami, and to have crossed Mad River not far from the site of Dayton. The army in both cases consisted of about one thousand men, all Kentuckians.

" On the 2d of August, 1780, Gen. Clark took up the line of march. from where Cincinnati now stands, for the Indian towns. The line of march was as follows: The first division, commanded by Clark, took the front position; the center was occupied by artillery, military stores and baggage; the second. commanded by Col. Logan, was placed in the rear. The men were ordered to march in four lines, at about forty yards distant from each other, and a line of flankers on each side, about the same distance from the right and left lines. There was also a front and a rear guard, who only kept in sight of the main army. In order to prevent confusion, in case of an attack of the enemy. on the march of the army, a general order was issued, that, in the event of an attack in front, the front was to stand fast, and the two right lines to wheel to the right, and the two left-hand lines to the left, and form a complete line. while the artillery was to advance forward to the center of the line. In case of an attack on either of the flanks or side lines, these lines were to stand fast. and likewise the artillery, while the opposite lines wheeled and formed on the two extremes of those lines. In the event of an attack being made on the rear, similar order was to be observed as in an attack in front.

" In this manner the army moved on without encountering anything worthy of notice until they arrived at Chillicothe (situated on the Little Miami River, in Greene County), about 2 o'clock in the afternoon on the 6th day of August. They found the town not only abandoned, but most of the houses burnt down and burning, having been set on fire that morning. The army encamped on the ground that night, and, on the following day, cut down sev- eral hundred acres of corn; and, about 4 o'clock in the evening, took up their line of march for the Piqua towns, which were about twelve miles from Chil- licothe [in Clark County]. The army came in sight of the Indian town on the west side of Mad River. about five miles west of the site of Springfield. at 2

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o'clock in the afternoon of the 8th. The Indians were concealed in the high grass of a prairie adjoining the town. A desperate battle ensued. Twenty whites were killed, but the Indians were defeated and put to flight, and their town utterly destroyed.

" It was estimated that at the two Indian towns, Chillicothe and Piqua. more than five hundred acres of corn was destroyed, as well as every species of estable vegetables. In consequence of this, the Indians were obliged. for the support of their women and children, to employ their whole time in hunting. which gave quiet to Kentucky for a considerable time.

" The day after the battle, the 9th, was occupied in cutting down the growing corn, and destroying the cabins and fort, etc., and collecting horses. On the 10th of August, the army began their march homeward, and encamped at Chillicothe that night, and on the 11th, cut a field of corn, which had been left for the benefit of the men and horses on their return. At the mouth of the Licking, the army dispersed, and each individual made his best way home.

" Thus ended a campaign in which most of the men had no other provis- ions for twenty-five days then six quarts of Indian corn each, except the green corn and vegetables found at the Indian towns, and one gill of salt; and yet not a single complaint was heard to escape the lips of a solitary individual. All appeared to be impressed with the belief that. if this army should be de- feated, that few would be able to escape, and that the Indians then would fall on the defenseless women and children in Kentucky, and destroy the whole. From this view of the subject, every man was determined to conquer or die."

Mr. Abraham Thomas, afterward of Troy, Ohio, was in both of Clark's · expeditions. He says:

"In the summer of 1780, Gen. Clark was getting up an expedition, with the object of destroying some Indian villages on Mad River. One division of the expedition, under Col. Logan, was to approach the Ohio by the way of Licking River; the other, to which I was attached, ascended the Ohio from the falls in boats, with provisions and a six-pound cannon. The plan of the expedition was for the two divisions to meet at a point in the Indian country opposite the mouth of Licking. and thence march in a body to the interior. In ascending the Ohio, Daniel Boone and myself acted as spies on the Ken- tucky side of the river, and a large party on the Indian side was on the same duty. The latter were surprised by the Indians, and several killed and wound- ed. It was then a toilsome task to get the boats up the river, under constant expectation of attacks from the savages, and we were much rejoiced in making our destination. Before the boats crossed over to the Indian side, Boone and myself were taken into the foremost boat, and landed above a small cut in the bank, opposite the mouth of Licking. We were desired to spy through the woods for Indian signs. I was much younger than Boone, ran up the bank in great glee. and cut into a beech tree with my tomahawk, which I verily believe was the first tree cut into by a white man on the present site of Cin- cinnati. We were soon joined by other rangers, and hunted over the other bottom. The forest everywhere was thick-set with heavy beech and scattering underbrush of spicewood and papaw. We started several deer, but. seeing no sign of Indians. returned to the landing. By this time the men had all landed, and were busy in cutting timber for stockades and cabins. The di- vision under Col. Logan shortly crossed over from the mouth of Licking. and, after erecting a stockade, fort and cabin, for a small garrison and stores, the army started for Mad River. Our way lay over the uplands of an untracked. primitive forest. through which, with great labor, we cut and bridged a road for the accommodation of our pack-horses and cannon. My duty in the march was to spy-some two miles in advance of the main body. Our progress was

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slow, but the weather was pleasant, the country abounded in game; and we saw no Indians, that I recollect, until we approached the waters of Mad River. In the campaigns of these days, none but the officers thought of tents-each man had to provide for his own comfort. Our meat was cooked upon sticks set up before the fire; our beds were sought upon the ground, and he was the most fortunate man that could gather small branches, leaves and bark to shield him from the ground in moist places. After the lapse of so many years, it is difficult to recollect the details or dates so as to mark the precise time or dura- tion of our movements. But. in gaining the open country of Mad River, we came in sight of the Indian villages.

" In the year 1782, after corn-planting. I again volunteered in an expedi- tion under Gen. Clark, with the object of destroying some Indian villages about Piqua. on the Great Miami River. On this occasion, nearly one thousand men marched out of Kentucky. by the route of Licking River. We crossed the Ohio at the present site of Cincinnati. where our last year's stockade had been kept up, and a few people then resided in log cabins. We proceeded immediately onward through the woods, without regard to our former trail, and crossed Mad River not far from the present site of Dayton. We kept up the east side of the Miami, and crossed it about four miles below the Piqua towns. On arriving at Piqua, we found that the Indians had fled from the villages, leaving most of their effects behind. During the following night. I joined a party to break up an encampment of Indians said to be lying about what was called the French Store. We soon caught a Frenchman, tied him on horseback. for our guide, and arrived at the place in the night. The Indians had taken alarm and cleared out. We, however, broke up and burned the Frenchman's store [Lorimie's store], which had for a long time been a place of outfit for Indian marauders, and returned to the main body early in the morn- ing, many of our men well stocked with plunder. After burning and other- wise destroying everything about Upper and Lower Piqua towns, we com- menced our return march."

The last and largest of the armies in the Indian wars which marched through the county was that led by Gen. Josiah Harmar, in 1790. This mili- tary expedition was the first one organized after civil government had been es. tablished in the Northwest Territory. Although the objective point of the ex- pedition was the Indian villages on the Maumee, in the vicinity of Fort Wayne, Ind .. Gen. Harmar followed the old trace of Gen. Clark, and crossed to the east side of the Little Miami. His route was readily traced in the early set- tlement of the Miami country. One of his encampments is believed to have been on the hillside between the town of Lebanon and the County Infirmary. The army was organized at Fort Washington, and consisted of 1,453 men, in- cluding one battalion of Kentucky mounted riflemen, and a small artillery com- pany, with three brass pieces. Among the troops were several persons who saw for the first time fertile lands in Warren County, which they afterward pur- chased and resided upon. On the 15th of October, Gen. Harmar reached the Indian villages on the Maumee, and, finding no enemy, spent the next four days in burning the villages and about twenty thousand bushels of corn. After this was done, the General sent Col. Harding, with a detachment of 300 men. to look for the enemy, and to bring them to an engagement. Col. Harding fell into an ambuscade of Indians numbering about seven hundred, commanded by Little Turtle. The Indians fought with great fury, and the militia and the regulars alike behaved with gallantry. More than one hundred of the militia. and all the regulars except nine, were killed, and the rest were driven back to the main body. Dispirited by this severe misfortune, Harmar immediately marched to Cincinnati, and the object of the expedition in intimidating the Indians was entirely unsuccessful.

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The route of Gen. Harmar from Fort Washington to Old Chillicothe will now be more particularly described. The General ordered Col. John Harding to proceed with 600 of the Kentucky troops in advance of the main army. Accordingly, Col. Harding set out from Fort Washington on the 26th of Sep- tember, 1790, and marched to Turtle Creek, and encamped a few miles west of the present site of Lebanon. Gen. Harmar, on September 30, followed with the remainder of the army, and formed a junction with Col. Harding on Octo- ber 3. The following account of the daily movements of the army is abridged from the journal of Capt. John Armstrong, the parts of the journal relating to Warren County being given entire. The stream called in the journal Sugar Creek is undoubtedly Cæsar's Creek:

" September 30, 1790 .-- The army moved from Fort Washington about seven miles northeast course. Encamped on a branch of Mill Creek.

" October 1. - Marched about eight miles to a small branch of Mill Creek. General course, a little westward of north.

" October 2 .- Marched about ten miles a northwest course. The first five miles over a dry ridge to a lick; then five miles through a low, swampy country to a branch of the Little Miami, where we halted one hour and forty-five min- utes. After 1 o'clock, moved on five miles further, in a northeast, east and southeast course, and encamped in a rich and extensive bottom on Muddy Creek, a branch of the Little Miami. This day's march, fifteen miles, and one mile from Col. Harding's command.

"October 3 .- The army, at 8 o'clock, passed Col. Harding's camp, and halted at Turtle Creek, about ten yards wide. where we were joined by Col. Harding's command. Here the line of march was formed. Two miles.

" October 4 .-- The army moved at half past 9 o'clock. Passed through & rich country (some places broken), a northeast course, and, at 3 o'clock, crossed the Little Miami, about forty rods wide, moved up it one mile a north course to a branch called Sugar Creek and encamped. Nine miles.

"October 5. - The army moved from Sugar Creek at forty five minutes after 9 o'clock; march through a level country in a northeast course up the Little Miami, having it often in view. The latter part of this day's journey, through low glades or marshy land. Halted at 5 o'clock on Glade Creek, a very lively, clear stream. Ten miles.

" October 6 .- Reached Chillicothe, an old Indian village. Re-crossed the Little Miami. Encamped at 4 o'clock on a branch. Nine miles."

A JOURNEY THROUGH WARREN COUNTY IN 1797.

The following is an extract from the manuscript journal of Rev. James Smith, father of Judge George J. Smith:

" Monday, October 9, (1797). - We returned to Columbia, where we had occasion to visit Mr. Smith, the Baptist minister. We breakfasted with Mr. Smith, and then returned to Bro. McCormick's. After we got dinner, we started for the old Chillicothe Indian town near the head of the river. We proceeded as far as Col. Paxton's, with whom we spent the evening.

"Tuesday, 10th. - Having sent for Mr. Donnels, a surveyor of the military lands, he arrived this morning, and we bargained with him to do ours, return the work and send us a certificate in eight months, for which we agreed to give him one-third of the land. We breakfasted at Col. Paxton's, then rode on to Deerfield, took dinner and pursued our course, and took up, in the evening, with a Richard Kirby. The land through which we have passed to-day has been various. A considerable part we found to be thin, white-oak land, but we found also some large bodies of fine, rich, fertile land, well adapted to farming and excellent for meadow and the raising of stock. It may not be amiss here

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to observe that there has not been a frost to bite anything in this country till this morning; hence it appears that this climate, though about one hundred and twenty miles north from Lexington, is not near as cold, for when I left those parts. the corn blades in many places were entirely killed. But on my arrival northwest of the Ohio, I was surprised to find not the smallest symptom of frost. To account for this surprising circumstance, it may be observed that the soil of this country is a little inclined to sand, which is naturally warm. It is also generally very clear of stones, whereas Kentucky, being without sand. and at the same time has everywhere a bed of stone under the surface, makes it (as I suppose) subject to frost and those sudden chills which are so common in that country. During last winter, the wheat in Kentucky was al- most entirely killed, while the wheat in this country grew and produced a fine crop.

" Wednesday, 11th .- We started pretty early, baited at Martin Keever's, and then rode on to Waynesville. This little town is situated on the western bank of the Little Miami. The lots are sold to none but actual settlers, and, though it was only settled last spring, about fourteen families are already here They have the advantage of good air, good water and good land. They are also on an equality. Pride and slavery are equally strangers; industry is seen in all, and the consequences are, they are happy.

" We lodged here with a Mr. Heighway, an emigrant from England, who. with a number of his country people, suffered inconceivable hardships in get- ting to this country. It was curious to see their elegant furniture and silver plate glittering in a small, smoky cabin. We have to-day traveled through a fine country; the land is extremely rich and well-watered.

" Thursday, 12th .- Mr. Heighway, after compelling us to take breakfast with him, accompanied us some distance, and put us into the right way to Old Chillicothe. We pursued our journey, still north, over fine land and streams of water. About 1 o'clock, we were saluted with a view of one of those beau- tiful plains which are known in the country by the name of 'pararas.' Here we could see many miles in a straight direction, and not a tree or a bush to obstruct the sight. The grass in the ' parara' we found higher than our heads on horseback as we rode through it. After riding about two miles through this enchanting paradise, we arrived on the spot where the old town of Chilli- cothe stood, of which scarcely a vestige now remains. We saw a few slabs, and something like an old breastwork, but so decayed and covered with grass that it was scarcely discernible. The stumps of gate-posts were still to be seen, but the houses were all destroyed, having been burnt a few years ago by the order of a commander of an expedition against the Indians. We sat us down on the green grass and eat our dinner of bread and cheese on the very spot, where, a few years ago, the bloody savages held their grand councils. While we rested here, there came a man to us and informed us that himself and his two brothers (who lived about a mile from this place) had found sixty bee-hives within a mile and a half of their house, three of which they had taken the week before, and had gotten fourteen or fifteen gallons of honey. The land about this town, I think, is equal, for wheat and grass, to any that I ever saw. Hav- ing now traveled sixty or seventy miles from the Ohio, we determined here to put a period to our travels northwardly, and pursue a different route to the Ohio again. We returned about ten miles, and lodged with a Mr. Vaunts.

" Friday, 13th .- We took in our way the town of Deerfield. It has thirty or forty families residing in it. It is a new town, having only been settled since last spring twelve-month. It is something surprising to see with what rapidity settlements are made and towns erected in this country. This, I sup- pose. is owing to two causes: First, the fertility of the land, which induces

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new adventurers to settle there; and second, that excellent regulation which shuts out slavery. This induces the mechanic and the manufacturer who choose *

to settle in towns to carry on their different employments. * *

* We crossed the river at Deerfield, and rode on six or seven miles to Col. Paxton's. " Saturday, 14th .- We took breakfast, and set forward and reached Bro. McCormick's about 11 o'clock. After resting ourselves an hour or two, we rode down the river to Mr. Smallie's, and got some old corn to take with us through the wilderness to the Scioto."

THE PILGRIMS OF 1818.

A strange sect of religious fanatics, organized about 1817, wandered from the Eastern States to Arkansas. They called themselves "Pilgrims," and were in search of the Promised Land. As they stopped at three different places in Warren County, at which some deserted and found permanent homes, an account of them is here inserted. Isaac Buller, a native of one of the New England States, was their leader and Prophet. He had suffered for many months from the effects of a fall, which had injured his spine and produced partial paralysis. Confined to his bed for a long time, he suffered great pain. His pious neighbors frequently met at his room and held prayer meetings for his recovery. On one of these occasions, he suddenly announced to his friends that he was restored to health. He had no more pain, and, with the aid of two canes, was able to walk. He announced that the Lord had restored him, and had made him His Prophet. Many believed that his sudden relief from severe suffering was by the immediate interposition of Providence. The new Prophet told his followers that the people should be collected together and he would lead them to the Promised Land. Some persons of wealth and respectable standing in society embraced the new religion. In all, about one hundred persons started, under his leadership, for the Promised Land. The Prophet stood his cane upright and let it fall. Thus was indicated the direction they should go. The cane always fell toward the Southwest.

With wagons, teams, a limited supply of beds, clothes, food and cooking utensils, they made their way from New England first to the city of New York. The next year, they arrived at Lebanon. Ohio. On the journey, the Prophet had frequent revelations from the Lord, directing the Pilgrims to change their habits of dress and mode of life. They were not to wash their persons or clothes. They were to dispense with everything superfluous. Their clothing should only be sufficient to protect them from the cold; their only meat, raw bacon. Filth, rags and wretchedness were necessary for them to enjoy the Promised Land. On their arrival in Warren County, they were truly a squalid band. Some of the more intelligent members of the company had become con- vinced that Buller was an impostor, and returned to their New England homes or remained at places along their route. At Lebanon, those who remained faithful held public meetings for worship, at which the Prophet and other speakers warned the people to avoid all pride and everything superfluous in dress and food. The speakers at their religious meetings would cry out: " Oh-a, Ho-a, Oh-a, Ho-a, Oh-a, Ho-a, My God, My God, My God!" and all the members of the congregation would repeat the same words after them. From Lebanon they went to Union Village, and remained there for some days. The records of the Shakers speak of this band as being first heard of at Xenia, where two of the brethren went to see them on the 19th of February, 1818. On the 10th of March, the Pilgrims, being then fifty-five in number, reached the Shaker village, where they were kindly received, the Shakers feeding them and their horses free of charge. At a called meeting, held in the church, five of the Pilgrims-three men and two women-preached. At the close of

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the speaking. the Pilgrims immediately withdrew from the church, probably to avoid hearing any reply. The Shakers, however, having assigned them a single room for their lodging, sent some of their preachers to address them in the evening, much to the displeasure of the leaders of the Pilgrims. The next day, they took their departure toward the Southwest. It has been said that some of the Pilgrims joined the Shakers, but there is no mention of this in the records of the society. Mason was the next stopping-place of the band. While in that vicinity, the small-pox broke out among them, of which disease many members of the band died. With diminished numbers, still following in the direction the cane fell, they arrived at New Madrid, Mo., where the Prophet sickened and died. Before his death, he promised his followers to re- turn to them in two years, and directed them to continue on their journey. The feeble band continued on to the Southwest, and at last arrived at the Promised Land, on the west bank of the Mississippi, not far from the mouth of the Ar- kansas.

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The History of Warren County, Ohio, Part 45

Author: W. H. Beers & Co. Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1081

Author: W. H. Beers & Co.
Publication date: 1882
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1081