USA > Ohio > The Revolution on the Upper Ohio, 1775-1777 > Part 15
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28 Probably one of the family noted in Dunmore's War, p. I37, note 95 .- ED.
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ALONG THE OHIO
committee should the enimy come & more men be call'd together we shall be very bad off for that ar- ticle unless som is sent us. I shall be Expedisious in leting you Know of any appearance of the Enimy that may happen and am with Respect
Your Most Humbi. Servt.
JOHN STEWART
Colo William Fleming Botetourt favour of Capt Jno An- derson.
FORTS ON THE OHIO
[Col. Dorsey Pentecost to David Shepherd. ISS15-A. L. S.]
September 4th. 1776
SIR-It is has been thought Expedient for the Pro- tection and Safety of the frontiers to Station a Num- ber of Men at Different places on the Ohio between Fort Pitt, and the mouth of Grave Creek,29 and at a Council of war held this day you have been Ap- pointed Commissary for to Victual &c. Such of the Militia as are now or may be Imployed on the pres- ent Emergency, and I having also Laid your Ap- pointment . before the Committee of the County which they have been pleased to approve, I am therefore to Desire that you immediately proceed to provide Such provisions &c. as shall be wanting on this occassion taking care to supply them in due Time, & purchase on the best Terms you can on the faith of Gov. ernment. I need not suggest to you the Great Ne- cessity there is of your Exerting Your self, but am
29 For Grave Creek see Ibid., p. 36, note 64 .- ED.
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full assured that you will Exert your best Endeav- ours in facilitating the Business at this Time of alarm and Great Calamity
I am Sir your Most Hme Servt DORSEY . PENTECOST C. Liut To David Shepherd Esqr Wheeling 30
REINFORCEMENTS ORDERED
[Pres. John Page to Col. William Fleming. IU35 - L. S.] WILLIAMSBURG in Council Sepr gth. 1776
SIR-Having received a Letter from the Commis- sioners appointed to treat with the Northern Indians, representing the Danger which in their opinion threatens Fort Pitt from the hostile Disposition of those Tribes, who under the pretence of treating with the Commissioners are collecting in such numbers, that the present Garrison at that . Fort would be un- able to baffle their attempts. You are therefore re- quired to pay a particular attention to the orders
80 Col. David Shepherd, eldest son of Thomas, was born in Berkeley County, Virginia, near Shepherdstown, where his father was one of the earliest settlers of the Shenandoah Val- ley, allied with the Hites and Van Meters. In 1770 he re- moved to the West and settled at the forks of Wheeling Creek, in what is now Ohio County, W. Va. Having acted as commissary under Pentecost, he was in January, 1777, chosen county-lieutenant for the newly-erected Ohio County, and acted in that capacity until his death in 1795. He commanded Fort Henry during its siege in 1777, and led a regiment on Brodhead's Coshocton expedition (1781). During 1783-85 Shepherd served in the Virginia legislature, and during the Indian wars was efficient in guarding the frontier. For a ful- ler biography see West Virginia Historical Magasine, January, 1903 .- ED.
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REINFORCEMENTS ARRIVING
they have sent you, and hold such a body of Men in readiness to march to their assistance, as they may require.
We are Sir your hle. Servts Signed by order of Council JOHN PAGE Pt.31
P. S. If you can make out another Compa you are also required to send it to Point Pleasant.
J. P. County Lient. of Botetourt
[Capt. John Stuart to Col. William Fleming. 3ZZ6 - A. L. S.]
GREENBRIER Sept. 16th 1776
Sr .- I Recd. yours by Express & shall Indeavour to embody the Number of men you mention with all expedition. Capt Givens arrived yesterday at camp union with about thirty men & Expects he will have as many as will make them thirty seven soon, as a party is to follow, they will march Immediately to mudday creek I have not heard anything of Capt McKee,32 but his Lieut. Thompson is now at Camp union & has about seven or Eight of his Recruits
31 John Page (1744-1808), coming of an old Virginia fam- ily, was elected first president of the governor's council under the new constitution, June 29, 1776. He was Virginia mem- ber of Congress (1789-97), and governor of his state (1802- 05) .- ED.
32 For a brief sketch of Capt. William McKee see Dun- more's War, p. 348, note 69. He was in command of Fort Randolph during Arbuckle's absence in the spring of 1778, when beseiged by an Indian force .- ED.
REVOLUTION ON UPPER OHIO
gathered there. Mr. Mathews 33 will have the cat- tle gathered against wedensday night, that they will be ready to start on the next morning, Mr. Wallace & Galloway has now about 20 Recruits at .Camp Union & I have Desired Morris to detain with his party of 10 men at muddy creek untill the cattle are ready to Start, however, I apprehend without the addition of som militia to those they are not willing to go, & I understand by Capt Givens his men refuses to go. I shall if no better will do Indeavour to make them 50 Strong as it may be necessary from the pres- ant aperance of danger out of my own Militia, & have them sent off as soon as possible the messen- gers I sent for the point Returned with a party of Capt. Arbuckles Soldiers who's time was expired & were coming home these brings no further Inteli- gence than the Indians were all withdrawn from the point and two days before they came away Capt . Her- rod34 had arived there from Kentucke, with four- teen men & had met several partys of Indians going down the River who were very sivle, & this I find has made the people at the point less apprehensive of an attack then formerly. but without any other reason than that, & the forbearance of the Indians. I expect more of Capt. Arbuckles men soon & if there is any thing meterial shall let you Know Immediately. one of our scouts from that quarter next the warrior
33 Probably Archer Matthews, brother of George and Samp- son, who were captains in Dunmore's War. Archer early re- moved to the neighborhood of Matthew Arbuckle, in Green- bricr .- ED.
34 Capt. William Harrod, for whom see Dunmore's War, p. 68, note 14 .- ED.
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NEWS OF THE TRIBESMEN
199
fording came in yesterday they have for several day: past heared gunns & seen som signs & seems to be much persuaded its Indians but could never discover the certainty. I have nothing more at present to In- form you of & am with Esteem
Your most Obd. Humb !. Servt.
JOHN STEWART.
On Publick Service To Col. William Fleming Botetourt
DISPOSITION OF THE INDIAN TRIBES
[Summary of a report made by the Commissioners of Indian Affairs at Pittsburgh to Congress, printed in Amer. Ar- chives, 5th series, ii, pp. 511-518.]
The report ( dated at Pittsburgh, September 25, 1776) is to the effect that news has been received that fifteen hundred Chippewa and Ottawa intend soon to rendezvous at Tuscarawas, 33 with the probable purpose of an attack on Fort Pitt; also that a party of Potawatomiª" has started to attack the settlements. The Mingo, Wyandot, and Caughnawaga are known to be hostile, and have already taken some prisoners from Kentucky.
35 The Tuscarawas River, branch of the Muskingum, in east- ern Ohio, where there were several Delaware Indian towns.
86 The Potawatomi are an Algonquian tribe who were first encountered by French explorers on the shores of Green Bay, in what is now Wisconsin. Later they had villages in the vicinity of Detroit, St. Josephs (Mich.), and Milwaukee (Wis.). They were early known as "French Indians," being subservient to the whiteman's wishes, and afterwards followed the British directions. Their part in the Revolution was small .- ED.
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Fearing an attack of some of these hostiles on Pittsburgh, Colonels Carnahan and Proctor37 of Westmoreland County, and Col. Dorsey Pentecost of West Augusta, were ordered to call out the militia for the defense of the post. Col. Aenaes Mackay 88 was also ordered to lay in provisions for his battalions at Kittanning. 39 Conferences were held with such
37 Col. John Carnahan was of Scotch-Irish ancestry and set- tled first at Carlisle, in Cumberland County, Pa. In 1775 he was appointed high-sheriff of Westmoreland County, holding that office until 1781, being also colonel of the county militia. He was drowned in the Allegheny in 17SS. His son James be- came president of Princeton College.
Col. John Proctor was a neighbor and near friend of Ar- chibald Lochry, for whom he served as executor. He took up land in Westmoreland as carly as 1769 and was first sheriff of Bedford, then of Westmoreland upon its erection in 1773. Ap- pointed colonel of the first battalion, he took his men to the Eastern army in 1777. He died some time after 1791 .- ED.
38 Col. Aeneas Mackay's former place of residence does not appear in the records. From 1773-76 he was prominent in Westmoreland County politics, and in July of the latter year became colonel of the 8th Pennsylvania regiment. His regi- ment was at Kittanning when the commissioners wrote, march- ing thence to the Eastern army in the following December. The fatigues of the winter expedition were too much for Colonel Mackay, who succumbed to the strain, and died February. 1777. in New Jersey, being buried with military honors at Philadelphia .- ED.
89 "The Kittanning" was a term applied to a stretch of country along the banks of the Allegheny, about fifty miles above Pittsburgh, where had been several Delaware Indian villages, built soon after 1730. These villages were under the chiefs Captain Jacobs and Shingas, during the French and In- dian War, and were a rendezvous for the hostiles who issued thence for attacks upon the frontier. Here also prisoners were detained, and several tortured and burned. In September. 1756, Col. John Armstrong at the head of a punitive party of Pennsylvanians raided the district and burned the villages. No further notice is found of this place until the opening of the land office in 1769 led land speculators thither. However a permanent settlement was not made until 1774, when on the advice of Arthur St. Clair, some Pennsylvania troops were
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NEWS OF THE TRIBESMEN
chiefs as came in to Fort Pitt, and no more outrages being reported from the Mingo party at Kispapoo Town, the minds of the commissioners and inhabi- tants were somewhat reassured. Friendly chiefs of- fered to seek Pluggy's Town and the Wyandot in the interests of peace. Finally, four Chippewa came to treat, and were prevailed upon to remain until the arrival of Wasson. their principal chief.40 All this lessened the necessity for the militia, and led to or- ders for disbanding most of those that had assembled. Their spirited conduct on the occasion of this alarm, deserves praise. Two spies have been sent to Cuya-
stationed here, and a stockade built as a base for the Indian trade. Early in the Revolution there was stationed here a company under Captain Van Swearingen, which remained until the Western battalion, commanded by Colonel Mackay rendezvoused at this place. When marching thence in Decem- ber, 1776, Mackay left one company under the command of Capt. Samuel Moorhead, who strengthened the fort, and re- mained as a bulwark against Indian invasions until ordered by General Hand, in the autumn of 1777, to evacuate the block- house. In December of the same year a scouting party had a small skirmish at this spot; and again, in 1779, Brady rescued some prisoners here. In June of that year, Col. Stephen Bay- ard built a fort at Kittanning under the orders of Col. Daniel Brodhead. This he named Fort Armstrong; but under orders it was evacuated in November, 1779, and never again regularly garrisoned. Fort Armstrong was situated about two miles be- low the present town of Kittanning, and some ruins thereof were visible in the early part of the nineteenth century .- ED.
40 Wasson was the Chippewa chief who joined Pontiac in the siege of Detroit (1763). One of his nephews having been killed in a sortie. Wasson demanded the death of Capt. Don- ald Campbell as a matter of revenge, and put him to torture. The following year he humbly sued for peace and forgiveness. This granted. he retired with his band to Saginaw. The chiefs of the Saginaw band of Chippewa continued to use the name of Wasson. which was modified into Owasso, borne by a chieftain living near the present Michigan town of that name. In 1838 the last incumbent of the name was forcibly removed by the government from his village .- ED.
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hoga, and the minds of all are somewhat reassured.
Enclosed in this report was one from William Wil- son,41 detailing his experiences during a journey to the Indian tribes in June and July of this same year, in order to invite the tribesmen to a treaty at Fort Pitt. Cornstalk and the Hardman, Shawnee chiefs, accompanied him, and Joseph Nicholson was met en route. While among the Delawares, Wilson deter- mined to go to the Wyandot towns, whercupon Cap- tain White Eyes acted as his escort. At Wingen- und's town John Montour joined them, and they all proceeded to the Wyandot town opposite Detroit. There they were present at a council called by the British governor, who threatened Wilson, and tore his message in pieces before the eyes of the Indians. 42 The governor likewise treated White Eyes with con- tumely, and ordered him to depart from that vicinity.43
41 William Wilson was a well-known Indian trader, resident at Pittsburgh, who frequently acted as messenger and inter- preter. He had a trading post near Beaver River, and in 1793 gave information that led to the arrest, trial, and acquittal of Capt. Samuel Brady for Indian murders. He was in Detroit the same year, and later went down to Cincinnati, whence he proceeded to Greenville, where he died in 1796 .- ED.
42 See Hamilton's own account of this conference in Michi- gan Pion. & Ilist. Colls., x, pp. 264-267 .- ED.
43 Heckewelder, Narrative, p. 146. John Gottlieb Ernestus Heckewelder was born in England. of German parentage, in 1743. In 1754 he emigrated to Bethlehem. Pa. His first visit to the Ohio country was in 1762, when he accompanied the veteran missionary Frederick Post on a tour to the Ohio In- dians. During the years 1765-71 he was in temporary service at various missions, in the last-named year becoming first as- sistant to Zeisberger in the latter's Delaware mission. About 1786, Heckewelder retired to Bethlehem and devoted himself to literary pursuits, writing a History of Indian Tribes, philo- logical notes, etc. In 1792, and again the following year, he
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Wilson was civilly entertained, however, by the Brit- ish interpreter, William Tucker,44 who admitted that he thought it probable that the Indians around De- troit would soon attack the American settlements.
On their return these envoys met Isaac Zane,45 who brought Half-king, chief of the Wyandot, to see Wil- son. The latter secured from this important chief- tain a promise of neutrality.
White Eyes has asked the Americans to aid his tribe, the Delawares, to build a strong fort to protect
assisted at treaties, and was in the civil service of Ohio 1797- 1800. For ten years thereafter, he lived among his former converts at Gnadenhütten, retiring finally to Bethlehem, where he died in 1823 .- ED.
44William Tucker was born in New Jersey, but early re- moved with his parents to the frontier of Virginia. In 1754, Tucker's father, while harvesting grain, was killed, and two of his sons captured by a band of Chippewa Indians. Young Tucker was at that time eleven years of age. He was kept a prisoner for seven years, and then entered the Indian trade at Detroit, where he was present during Pontiac's siege. He is said to have given notice of the aboriginal plot to Major Gladwin, and thus saved the garrison. In 1773 he re-visited Virginia, married, and brought to Detroit his bride and sev- eral slaves. During the Revolution he was the official Ottawa and Chippewa interpreter, and a captain in the Indian depart- ment. At its close, Tucker settled on his farm on the site of the modern Mt. Clemens, and there resided until his death in 1805. His sons were in the American service in the War of 1812-15, and many descendants still live in Michigan .- ED.
45 Isaac Zane was born on the south branch of the Potomac about 1754, the youngest of several brothers who afterwards became the first settlers at Wheeling. When nine years of age Isaac was captured by Indians and grew up among them, marrying into the Wyandot tribe and living like an aborigine. He often warned the border settlers of their danger from Indian raids, and acted as guide and interpreter. About 1795 he bought a tract of 1800 acres in the present Logan County, and settled near Zanesfield, where he died in 1816 .- ED.
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them from the Western tribes, whom they fear will attack them because of their friendship for the col- onists.
FORT RANDOLPH RE-INFORCED
[Capt. William McKee to Col. William Fleming. IU38 - A. L. S.]
G. BRIAR Sepr 30th 1776
DEAR SIR -- I Recd. yours by Mr. Wallace with the Powder and am obligd. to you for the Additional ten pounds. I arrived at the Fort Charles in the Se- vannah # the 27th Instt. with only 17 men besides my self. 4 or 5 were almost Ready wh I Expect here before those are Marchd. from this place Lieutt. Thompson has Enlisted about twenty, fourteen of them will be Ready to go Down I Expect to March between 30 & 40 with Mr. Thompson for Fort Ran- dolph by this Day week. I Rec. a Letter from Majf. Nevil Desiring [me] to send Down Men as fast as the coud. be Raisd, to supply the Deficiency in the Fort occassioned by the coming away of Capt. Ar- bucles Men. ( And however Desirous I am of March- ing my whole Compy together) I think it is abso- lutely Necessary to Comply with this Measure. The People here are at Present Quite easy a number of men are lately arrived from the point from whom we learn the Shawanese are averse to any Hostility agst us (God Grant that temper may
40 The fort at Camp Union-the site used as a rendezvous for Lewis's division in Dunmore's War .- ED.
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HOSTILE RAIDS
long Continue with them). I saw Lieut. Robinson He Informd. me he had Recruited Nine. But since I came here have heard he is not sure of any more than one or Two and that he had Nominated a Mul- latto to be sergt. and he had no Right to appoint any if this be the case he is not a good Judge of Pro- priety Im afraid he will not Raise his Quota, and there are several others woud. be willing that Im Confident coud. soon Raise their Quota were they Ap- pointed I believe all the other Subalterns will Com- plete their Number sooner than any that coud. be ap- pointed in their Room I shall be Glad to let you know how Matters goes with me and have your ad- vice every oppertunity and am with Respect Sir yours &c
Wm MICKEE
To Colo. William Fleming Bellmont By favour Capt Jno. Stuart
INDIANS RAIDING
[John Cook to Capt. Andrew Hamilton. 3ZZ7-A. L. S.]
October 2d. 1776
Sr .- This minet I Recd. Express from Clover Lick which is an exact Copy of an Express from fort Pite [Pitt] from Major Nevel at [to] Point Plisent, which gives the folowing acount viz that there is four Com- panys of Indians Gon out in order for Ware Capt Pluggy and one Compney is Gon for Centuck47 tow
47 In consequence of the capture of the girls at Boones- borough, and other depredations during the summer, all the stations of Kentucky broke up save three, Boonesborough,
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REVOLUTION ON UPPER OHIO
Compnys Crosed the ohigho at ye mough of Hock- hocken which is aloud to strick at Greenbrier one Comp" Crosd. higher up ye River which is to strick on the head of the west fork48 or som of those waters. there is sixty Indens in Noumber as Pr Express their is not the Lest apperance of a treaty at Fort Pite for ther is not above forty Indens there and those old Indens and squas and it is the genarel opin- on of all the Traders and Interpetars that ther will be a General Ware the Express Was dated the 25th of Sept and brought up by Capt may and he De- sirs the Inhabitantes to have the militia in the Best order they Cane for ther Defence sent from fort Pite by Stephen Radcaff
I am st your hum1 sart JNº COOK N. B. you are by the Express to send an Express to Capt. Stawert so that all the Country my Gate Warning
ther ough [t] to be an Express sent to Co1. Flem- ing as this may be Depended on.
Capt. Andw. Hamilton
Harrodsburgh, and McClelland's. It was estimated that fully three hundred settlers left the country, and went back to the settlements. George Rogers Clark and John Gabriel Jones, delegates from the Kentucky settlements to the Virginia legis- lature, secured an advance of five hundred pounds of powder to protect the new settlements, and conveyed it down the Ohio, landing at Limestone. A party marching in from there with part of the powder, was attacked by Pluggy's gang near the Lower Blue Licks, on Christmas day, two men being killed, including the leader Jones, and two captured. Four days later the Indians attacked McClelland's Station, but were repulsed after losing their leader, Captain Pluggy. See Draper MSS., 4BI00-IIO .- ED.
48 The west branch of Monongahela River was then the out- ward limit of settlement in that region .- ED.
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HOSTILE RAIDS
[Col. Dorsey Pentecost to Capt. William Harrod. 4NN28- A. L. S.]
October 16th 1776
SIR-I am from the late Hostilities being commit- ted on the Inhabitants by the Indians, I have thought proper by and with the advice of the Committee of this County & a Council of War held this Day for that Purpose. I have thought Proper to appoint you to the Command of a Company to be Imployed for the De- fence and Protection of the Inhabitants, I therefore or- der that you draft Ten Men of your Company and you will be joined by a Lieut & 10 Men from Capt. Vir- gins 49 Company, an Ensign & 10 Men from Capt. Ow- en's Company, a Serjant & 10 Men from Captain Enoch Enoch's50 Company, and a Sarjt. and 10 Men from Captain Hargess's Company, which you will Take the Command of. and march with all posible Expe- dition, to the mouth of Fishing Creek on the Ohio,51
49 Reazin Virgin was appointed a militia captain of Ohio County in January, 1777. He lived in what is now Fayette County, Pa., and in 1780 removed and located four hundred acres in Franklin Township, Washington County. The Draper MSS. contain several receipts, with his signature, for powder and provisions down to 1780 .- ED.
50 David Owens was captain of a company of rangers.
Henry Enoch was an early settler in Hampshire County, at the forks of the Great Cacapon River, on the road from Win- chester westward. Here a fort was erected in November, 1755, for the protection of the settlers, after Braddock's defeat. Washington stopped here on his return from the Ohio in 1770. A Henry Enoch signed several receipts at Fort Henry, and in 1777 was for a time stationed at Grave Creek fort. His brother Enoch lived in Amwell Township, Washington County, Pa., then considered a part of Virginia .- ED.
51 Fishing Creek should not be confused with Fish Creek, only a few miles below Big Grave Creek. The former is
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and there make a Camp and that you Scour up the river so as to join the scouts that will be sent down from the Garrison of Grave Creek, & down the Ohio for 10 or 12 Miles, and if you find any Indians on the south side of the Ohio, which have crossed the Ohio with Hostile Intentions you will Treat them as open & avow'd Enemys, and in Case of any Murder being Committed on our Inhabitants that you use your utmost Endeavours to overtake and Chastize them, and I must Strictly injoin you to Cover & Protect the Inhabitants in the best manner the Na- ture of the Case & your Situation will admit of, and in Case of Any Incursions being made that you Sig- nify it to me by the most Quickes [t] Conveyance, you will take cear to furnish your Company with Sufficient Quantity of Provisions, to march them to grave Creek where you will receive Provisions for your Company, you will use all possible frugality in your Expense. wishing you a good journey, & that you may be able to give a good account of those Rasculs that may attempt to Attack our Lives Lib- ertys or property, I am Sir your Humbe St
DORSEY PENTECOST C. L.
To Capt. Wm. Harrod
twenty-six miles below Grave Creek, and comes in from the West Virginia side, with the town of New Martinsville at its mouth .- ED.
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PROVISIONS FOR FORT RANDOLPH
[Andrew Donnally and Archer Matthews to Col. William Fleming. 1U41 -L. S.]
Novr. Ist. 1776
we have Purchased a large Drove of Cattle & hoggs for the use of the men at the Point & our Instructions from Col. Harison52 is to ap[p]ly to you for a guard. We shall be Ready to Start from here the twelfth of this Instant & we think their may be men Got here if you think Proper by taking a Small Part out of Each Company with Part of Capt. Giv- ens Company. we shall be glad you would Send Instructions to us as Soon as Posible, as it apears two Dangerous to go without a guard & may be of a great loss to the Country
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