USA > Ohio > The Ohio country between the years 1783 and 1815 : including military operations that twice saved to the United States the country west of the Alleghany Mountains after the revolutionary war > Part 5
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17
69
From 1790-1792
front line met the enemy. It was but a few minutes, however, until the men were engaged in every quarter. The enemy from the front filed off to the right and left, and completely surrounded the camp, killed and cut off nearly all the guards, and approached close to the lines. They advanced from one tree, log, or stump to another, under cover of the smoke of our fire. Our artillery and musketry made a tremendous noise huddled together as they were but did little execution. The Aborigines seemed to brave every- thing, and when fairly fixed around us they made no noise other than their fire [guns] which they kept up very constant and which seldom failed to tell, al- though scarcely heard.
"Our left flank, probably from the nature of the ground, gave way first; the enemy got possession of that part of the encampment but, it being pretty clear ground, they were too much exposed and were soon repulsed. I was at this time with the General [St. Clair] engaged toward the right; he was on foot and led the party himself that drove the enemy and regained our ground on the left. The battalions in the rear charged several times and forced the Savages from their shelter, but they always turned with the battalions and fired upon their backs; indeed they seemed not to fear anything we could do. They could skip out of reach of the bayonet and return, as they pleased. They were visible only when raised by a charge.
"The ground was literally covered with the dead. The wounded were taken to the centre, where it was thought most safe, and where a great many who had quit their posts unhurt had crowded together. The General, with other officers, endeavored to rally these
70
The Ohio Country
men, and twice they were taken out to the lines. It appeared that the officers had been singled out; a very great proportion fell, or were wounded and were obliged to retire from the lines early in the action. General Butler was among the latter, as well as sev- eral other of the most experienced officers. The men, being thus left with few officers, became fearful, despaired of success, gave up the fight, and to save themselves for the moment, abandoned entirely their duty and ground, and crowded in toward the centre of the field, and no exertions could put them in any order even for defence; they became perfectly ungovernable. The enemy at length got possession of the artillery, though not until the officers were all killed but one and he badly wounded, and the men [gunners] almost all cut off, and not until the pieces were spiked.
" As our lines were deserted the Aborigines contracted theirs until their shot centred from all points, and now meeting with little opposition, took more delib- erate aim and did great execution. Exposed to a cross fire, men and officers were seen falling in every direc- tion; the distress, too, of the wounded made the scene such as can scarcely be conceived-a few minutes longer, and a retreat would have been impossible- the only hope left was, that perhaps the Savages would be so taken up with the camp as not to follow. Delay was death; no preparation could be made; numbers of brave men must be left a sacrifice, there was no alternative. It was past nine o'clock when repeated orders were given to charge toward the road. The action had continued between two and three hours. Both officers and men seemed confounded, incapable of doing anything; they could not move until it was told that a retreat was intended. A few
7I
From 1790-1792
officers put themselves in front, the men followed, the enemy gave way, and perhaps not being aware of the design, we were for a few minutes left undis- turbed. The stoutest and most active now took the lead, and those who were foremost in breaking the enemy's line were soon left behind.
" At the moment of the retreat one of the few horses saved had been procured for the General; he was on foot until then; I kept by him, and he delayed to see the rear. The enemy soon discovered the move- ment and pursued, though not more than four or five miles, and but few so far; they turned to share the spoil. Soon after the firing ceased I was directed to endeavor to gain the front and, if possible, to cause a short halt that the rear might get up. I had been on horseback from the first alarm, and well mounted; and now pushed forward, but met with so many diffi- culties and interruptions from the people that I was two hours at least laboring to reach the front. With the assistance of two or three officers I caused a short halt; but the men grew impatient and would move on. I got Lieutenants Sedam and Morgan, with half a dozen stout men, to fill up the road and to move slowly; I halted myself until the General came up. By this time the remains of the army had got some- what compact, but in the most miserable and defence- less state. The wounded who came off left their arms in the field, and one half of the others threw theirs away on the retreat. The road for miles was covered with firelocks [flintlock guns], cartridge boxes, and regi- mentals. How fortunate that the pursuit was dis- continued; a single Savage might have followed with safety upon either flank. Such a panic had seized the men that I believe it would not have
72
The Ohio Country
been possible to have brought any of them to en- gage again.
"In the afternoon Lieutenant Kersey with a detach- ment of the First Regiment met us. This regiment, the only complete and best disciplined portion of the army, had been ordered back upon the road on the 3Ist October. They were thirty miles from the battle ground when they heard distinctly the firing of the cannon, were hastening forward, and had marched about nine miles when met by some of the militia who informed Major Hamtramck, the com- manding officer, that the army was totally destroyed. The Major judged it best to send on a subaltern to obtain some knowledge of things, and to return him- self with the regiment to Fort Jefferson eight miles back, and to secure at all events that post. He had made some arrangements, and as we arrived in the evening, found him preparing again to meet us. Strag- glers continued to come in for hours after we reached the fort.
" The remnant of the army, with the First Regiment, were now at Fort Jefferson, twenty-nine miles from the field of action, without provisions, and the former without having eaten anything for twenty-four hours. A convoy was known to be upon the road, and within a day's march. The General determined to move with the First Regiment. and all the levies [militia] able to march. Those of the wounded and others unable to go on were lodged as comfortably as possible within the fort. Accordingly we set out a little after ten and continued our route until within an hour of day- light, then halted and waited for day and until the rear came up. Moved on again about nine o'clock; the morning of the 5th we met the convoy; stopped
73
From 1790-1792
a sufficiency to subsist us to Fort Hamilton; sent the remainder on to Jefferson under an additional escort of a captain and sixty men; proceeded, and at first water halted, partly cooked and eat for the first time since the night preceding the action. At one o'clock moved on, and continued our route until nine at night when we halted and made fires within fifteen miles of Fort Hamilton. Marched again just before day, the General soon after rode on to the fort. Troops reached there in the afternoon.
"November 7, 1791. Fort Hamilton command was ordered off with a small supply for the wounded, etc. About twelve same day continued our march, and halted before night within fifteen miles of Fort Wash- ington, which place we reached the afternoon of the eighth.
" The prediction of defeat by General Harmar before the army set out on the campaign was founded upon his experience and particular knowledge of things. He saw with what material the army was composed; men collected from the streets and prisons of the cities, hurried out into the enemy's country, and with the officers commanding them totally unacquainted with the business in which they were engaged, it was utterly impossible they could be otherwise than defeated. Besides, not any one department was sufficiently pre- pared; both quartermaster and the contractors ex- tremely deficient. It was a matter of astonishment to him [General Harmar] that the commanding general [St. Clair], who was acknowledged to be perfectly competent, should think of hazarding with such peo- ple and under such circumstances, his reputation and life, and the lives of so many others, knowing too, as both did, the enemy with whom he was going to con-
74
The Ohio Country
tend; an enemy brought up from infancy to war, and perhaps superior to an equal number of the best men that could be taken against them. It is a truth, I had hopes that the noise and show which the army made on their march might deter the enemy from attempting a serious and general attack. It was un- fortunate that both the general officers were, and had been, disabled by sickness; in such situation it is pos- sible that some essential matters might be overlooked. The Adjutant-General, Colonel Winthrop Sargent, an old Revolutionary officer, was, however, constantly on the alert; he took upon himself the burden of every- thing, and a very serious and troublesome task he had. But one most important object was wanting, can't say neglected, but more might have been done toward obtaining it; this was a knowledge of the col- lected force and situation of the enemy; of this we were perfectly ignorant. Some few scouts out, but no great distance. ."
In this overwhelming defeat General St. Clair's army lost five hundred and ninety-three privates killed and missing. Thirty-nine officers were killed, including Major-General Richard Butler, one lieutenant-colonel, three majors, twelve cap- tains, ten lieutenants, eight ensigns, two quarter- masters, one adjutant, and Surgeon Grasson. Thirty-one officers and two hundred and fifty-two privates were wounded. The artillery and all supplies, including clothing, two hundred tents, three hundred horses, one hundred and thirty
75
From 1790-1792
beef cattle, and food in the wagons, with muskets and other equipment thrown away by many stricken soldiers, all valued at $32,810.75, were left to be gathered by the highly elated Savages, who took to their lodges by the Maumee, Auglaize, and other rivers all they could transport.
On account of necessary delays, the cold weather, and bad roads, it required six weeks for St. Clair's aide, Lieutenant Denny, to convey on horseback the news of this crushing defeat to the office of the Secretary of War, General Knox, in Philadelphia.
President Washington was greatly distressed by the news. General St. Clair requested the appoint- ment of a Court of Inquiry regarding the defeat. This was done by the War Department, and the Court exonerated him. He resigned his com- mission March 5, 1792. He was, however, further retained as Governor of the Territory, which many prominent men in the Territory thought another great mistake.
The principal causes of the failure of the expe- dition, as recorded in the Secretary of War's office, are: "Ist. The deficient number of good troops, according to the expectation in the early part of the year. 2d. Their want of sufficient discipline, according to the nature of the service. 3rd. The lateness of the season."
76
The Ohio Country
The wet and cold weather, with thin ice and snow, certainly added much to the inefficiency of the volunteers who were unused to such cam- paigning, and added greatly to their sufferings in defeat. Certainly the illness of General St. Clair should not be urged as an excuse for the laxity in fortifying and reconnoitering by his subordinates.
There were other unwise features of this expe- dition associated with undisciplined soldiers and incompetent officers. The wives and women of many soldiers were with the army. They were favored as much as practicable, but many of them were killed by the Savages. 1
General Wilkinson visited this field of slaughter about the last of January, 1792, with one hundred and fifty-two volunteer cavalrymen, some of whom were frost-bitten on the way from Fort Jefferson. From the distance of about four miles from the site of the encampment they found scat- tered along the way the remains of Americans who had been pursued and killed, or who had died of their wounds while endeavoring to escape. The field of action was thickly strewn with remnants
1 Caleb Atwater writes in his History of the State of Ohio, 1838, that there were with this army at the commencement of the attack of the Savages about two hundred and fifty women, of whom fifty-six were killed. But few escaped death or captivity.
77
From 1790-1792
of human bodies showing horrible mutilations by the Savages. Sand and clay were found packed into the eyes and throats, done probably while the wounded were alive; limbs were found sepa- rated from bodies; and stakes the size of arms were found driven through the bodies of women. The flesh had been stripped from many bones, but the relative part done by the savage cannibals and the wolves could not be determined. The latter were yet at work.
As many of these remains as possible on account of the snow and cold weather were gathered and buried in shallow trenches dug with difficulty in the frozen ground by the benumbed soldiers. Three whole cannon carriages were found and re- moved to Fort Jefferson; the other five were in damaged condition. All the cannon were missing.1
1 General Wayne's army gathered and buried all bones that could be found on and around this field Christmas week, 1793, previous to the building of Fort Recovery. Six hundred skulls were counted .- American Pioneer, 1842, volume i, page 294.
CHAPTER VII
FURTHER NEFARIOUS WORK CULMINATING
Great Efforts of British Allies-Distress of Frontier Settle- ments-British Fear Loss of Fur Trade-Advance of Civil Jurisdiction-General Wayne Chosen to Lead Another Army against the Hostiles-Further Treaties with the Aborigines-Secret Efforts to Learn Status of the British-Largest Council of Savages for British Con- federation-Kentucky Admitted as a State-Forts Built by Americans-Commissioners Appointed to At- tend the Great Council-Their Object Defeated by the British-Specific Charges of Fraud and Force by British Presented to the British Minister.
T HE British and their savage allies did not want the peace that the Americans would have ac- cepted previous to the defeat of General Harmar's army; much less would they comply with the pro- clamation of Governor St. Clair, or respond favor- ably to various other peace overtures made to them after this disaster. They rallied all the available warriors of the different tribes nearby-the Mia- mis under Chief Little Turtle, the Delawares under
78
79
From 1792-1793
Buckongehelas, the Shawnees under Blue Jacket, the Ottawas, Wyandots, Pottawotamis, Kicka- poos, and bands of lesser significance-against the coming of General St. Clair; and the easy destruc- tion of this, the second large army, commanded by the Governor-to them, the great American chieftain,-was to them the cause of extreme joy. This, their second great success, with the largely increased number of scalps and other rich spoils gathered from their victims, was looked upon as full license for a continuance of their raids on the settlements, and as an omen of their ultimate success, on the plan of Pontiac in 1763, in driving the Americans from the western country.
The American frontier settlements, with, if possible, increased apprehension, sent more urgent petitions to the authorities for protection. Some of these petitions represented that not less than fifteen hundred Kentuckians-men, women, and children-had been slain or carried into captivity by the Savages within seven years; that the fron- tier settlements of Pennsylvania and Virginia had suffered nearly as much; and that the prospect was now more gloomy than before, as the enemy was, if possible, more aggressive and savage.
On the other hand, the allies of the Savages, the British, were becoming more apprehensive
80
The Ohio Country
regarding their fur trade on account of the deple- tion of their allies, the Savages, by American armies. The defeat of two armies was sure to be followed by another army, stronger and more destructive. The Montreal merchants whose lucrative trade with the American Savages had lessened during the more active hostilities, on December 9, 1791, petitioned Colonel John Graves Simcoe, Lieuten- ant-Governor of Upper Canada, for protection; and suggested closer union with the Savages, and a continued retention of the American forts yet occupied by the British.
Secretary of War Henry Knox, "in obedience to the command " of President Washington, made, on the 26th of December, an interesting state- ment relative to the frontiers northwest of the Ohio River, which includes the following para- graph, viz:
"Hence it would appear that the principles of jus- tice as well as policy and, it may be added, the prin- ciples of economy, all combine to dictate that an adequate military force should be raised as soon as possible, placed upon the frontiers, and disciplined ac- cording to the nature of the service, in order to meet with the prospect of success against the greatest probable combination of the enemy."
Messages and overtures for peace were again
OBTÍ 8 ₸
From 1792-1793
sent to the various tribes of Aborigines, includ- ing the Six Nations; and preparations for the proposed army were also entered upon.
To advance the civil jurisdiction as much as possible, Hamilton County was, February II, 1792, extended by Governor St. Clair, who yet retained his civil office, eastward to the Scioto River, and northward to the territorial limits in Lake Erie.
President Washington having been greatly dis- appointed in the result of the expedition of General St. Clair, who was a former member of his military staff, made the selection of the commander for the proposed campaign with great circumspection. Generals Anthony Wayne, Henry Lee, Daniel Morgan, Andrew Pickens, Rufus Putnam, Charles Scott, James Wilkinson, and Alexander McGilli- vray were those of most prominence from whom to choose; and Anthony Wayne was selected early in 1792. The result showed the wisdom of the choice, notwithstanding the statement of General Lee that this appointment "caused extreme dis- gust among all orders in the Old Dominion."
Soon after this appointment, General Wayne issued a proclamation to acquaint the anxious frontiersmen with the efforts in progress to secure peace by treaty, and to request all persons to
6
078011 911804 3100
81188
STES 82 188/1
The Ohio Country
avoid all action that would further anger the Abo- rigines. The governors of Virginia and Pennsyl- vania issued similar proclamations.
Major John F. Hamtramck effected, at Vin- cennes in March, 1792, treaties with small bands of the Wabash and Eel River tribes, and he also sent peace messages to those of the Maumee River. About fifty chiefs of the Six Nations visited Phil- adelphia by invitation, and accepted the over- tures for peace.
On April 7th, General Wilkinson sent two mes- sengers, Freeman and Girard, with peace messages to the Miamis of the Maumee River; and, on the 20th of May, Colonel John Hardin and Major Alexander Truman started northward on like mis- sions-but not one of the four returned to tell of the savage treatment, and death, they suffered.
General Putnam on the 27th of September suc- ceeded in closing terms of peace with thirty-one Aborigines of the Wabash and Illinois tribes at Vincennes. Each of the parties to these peace ne- gotiations carried copies of the treaties of 1784, '85, '86, '89, and many expressions and assurances by the Americans to turn the Savages from their work of carnage. But all availed nothing with the strong tribes who claimed to be directly under influence and command of the British, and the
83
From 1792-1793
murderous raids by the Savages continued unabated.
Of the secret efforts to learn more of detail re- garding the relations between the Savages and the British, to be the better able therefrom to appease the former, but one succeeded, on account of the great vigilance of both parties to the alli- ance. William May was started from Fort Ham- ilton May 13, 1792, to follow on the trail of Major Truman. He was captured by Savages, as ex- pected, and after escaping many dangers was taken along the Maumee River, and sold to Mat- thew Elliott, then British Assistant Agent to the Aborigines, from whose service he finally escaped and gave sworn testimony before General Wayne at Pittsburg, October II, 1792. This evidence detailed different items of interest, among which are the following :
There were gathered in the summer of 1792 by the Maumee River at the mouth of the Auglaize, then the headquarters of several tribes, three thou- sand and six hundred warriors of many tribes, and more were arriving at the time of May's so- journ there, all of whom received daily rations from the British authorities at Detroit.
This was the largest council of Aborigines on record, and it appeared to the British as the
84
The Ohio Country
culmination of their hopes, and long-continued endeavors, for the confederation of all the Ameri- can tribes regardless of American interests.
The Seneca Chief Cornplanter and forty-eight other chiefs of the Six Nations of New York were, in the interests of peace, representing the Ameri- cans at this council; and Chief Cornplanter re- ported to General Wayne that: " we cannot tell the names of the nations present. There were present three men from the Gora1 nations; it took them a whole season to come; and twenty-seven nations [tribes] from beyond Canada. The whole of them know that we, the Six Nations, have Gen- eral Washington by the hand." This reference to General Washington was relative to their recent visit to Philadelphia, and the peace treaty there effected. Other tribes were expected at this grand council at the mouth of the Auglaize River, and they came later, from the extreme South and West. A like council was called for the next year, and, later, runners were sent with invitations to the most distant tribes in all directions, including the
1 Gora, or Gorah, was one of the names formerly given by the Six Nations (Iroquois) of New York to Sir William John- son and to Colonel Guy Johnson; and these Gora Aborigines were probably of the Iroquois of Canada who were at this time under the control of Sir John Johnson, British Superin- tendent of Indian Affairs.
85
From 1792-1793
Creeks and Cherokees of the South, urging their attendance.
William May, as he had been a sailor, was kept by his purchaser three months in the transporta- tion service, on board a schooner carrying a load of about one hundred and sixty barrels between Detroit and the foot of the Maumee Rapids, many miles within United States territory, where was situated the great supply house of the British Aborigine Agent Alexander McKee, from whom the Savages received their food, supplies of fire- arms, ammunition, scalping knives, tomahawks, etc., with which to raid and murder Americans wherever possible.
Kentucky was admitted into the Union as a State June 1, 1792, thus giving her the represen- tation she richly deserved.
A number of small forts were built by the Ameri- cans along the frontier as bases for supplies and places of refuge for the remaining settlers.
In addition to the attacks on individuals and families along the borders, a company of mounted Kentucky riflemen under Major John Adair, on November 6, 1792, near Post St. Clair, about twenty-five miles north of Fort Hamilton, Ohio, was suddenly attacked by a party of Savages who exhibited "a degree of courage that bespoke
86
The Ohio Country
them warriors indeed" reads the report of the Major. Six Americans were killed, five wounded, and four missing. The Savages also killed a num- ber of pack-horses and captured others. Their loss was thought to be about the same as that of the Kentuckians.
At this time, the army being formed by General Wayne was encamped twenty-two miles below Pittsburg, both to protect the Virginia frontier, and to give opportunity for drilling and disciplin- ing the men.
For the purpose of continuing the efforts to se- cure peace with the Savages by further treaty, President Washington, March 2, 1793, ap- pointed General Benjamin Lincoln of Massachu- setts, Beverly Randolph of Virginia, and Timothy Pickering of Pennsylvania, Commissioners, to attend the great council to be held in Amer- ican territory at the foot of the lowest Rapids of the Maumee, or at Sandusky, the Ist of June.
On May 17th, Messrs. Randolph and Pickering arrived at Fort Niagara, and there received a note from Lieutenant-Governor and Colonel John Graves Simcoe inviting them to become guests at his home, Navy Hall, nearly a mile from the fort; and there being no other suitable place for
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.