USA > Ohio > The Revolution on the Upper Ohio, 1775-1777 > Part 16
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Sir We Remain your Hume. Servts.
ANDW. DONELY & ARCHE. MATHEWS
To Colo. Wm. Fleming, pr Express
INDIAN DEPREDATIONS
[Col. William Fleming to Donnally and Matthews. 1U42 - A. L. S.]
SIRS-Yours of Novr. 1st. came to hand by the Messenger from Fort Charles. I expect Instructions every day from Wmsburg relative to the Continuance of the Men on Our Frontiers till that reaches me I
62 Probably Benjamin Harrison, later of Rockingham, for whom see Dunmore's War, p. 272, note 87 .- ED.
14
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REVOLUTION ON UPPER OHIO
cannot send you positive Instructions with regard to the Escort. Nor have you mentioned what Number you think might be necessary. It is my Oppinion that those Indians who scalp'd the Men at the Point & fired on the Party near Hockhoking53 were the same that did the damage at Wheeling"+ & were on their Return if so they are gon home, & the dainger in going to the Point may not be great. However as You do not design to Start before the 12th. I shall have it in my power to write you particularly before then. I am Sir &c
Wm FLEMING Novr 3. 1776
Donaly & Mathews
53 Pentecost gives a full description of this event in his let- ter of Nov. 5 to Patrick Henry, post. The party was under the charge of Robert Patterson, afterwards of Lexington, Ky. Patterson went to Kentucky in 1775, and in 1776 was in com- mand of a party of seven, returning up the Ohio, carrying despatches to the commander at Wheeling. They passed Point Pleasant in safety, but during the night of the 11th or 12th of October were fired upon near the mouth of Hockhocking River. Patterson was one of those severely wounded, and lay in the woods eight days until rescued by a party from the Grave Creek fort. See his pension statement, Draper MSS., IMI. The names of his men were David Perry, Isaac Green, James Templeton, James Wernock, and Joseph McNutt, of whom the last two were killed .- ED.
54 The Pennsylvania Gazette of Nov. 6, 1776, contains the following : "WILLIAMSBURG, VA., Oct. 25 .- By a gentleman from Fort Pitt we learn, that eleven settlers at the mouth of Wheeling, about fifty miles below that post, were killed by the Tawahs, Wyandots, Mingoes, and other disaffected In- dians, on the 9th of this instant." This is doubtless an exag- gerated report of the killing of two women and capture of a boy, mentioned by Pentecost, post .- ED.
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HOSTILE RAIDS
[Capt. Matthew Arbuckle to Capt. John Stuart. 1U40 - A. L. S.]
FORT RANDOLPH NoVr. 2d 1776
SIR-I think it my Duty to acquaint you with every Particular relative to Indian affairs as they occur to mne here in hopes what information I can give you may be a great means of giving you Satisfaction Besides securing you from Danger. Since I wrote you last I immediately after that accident Sent two Spies cross the Ohio with orders not to return for ten Days without making some Discovery - Nine of which elapsed without any. But Yesterday (which was the tenth) as they were returning about a Mile from the Ohio Bank just opposite this fort they saw some Indian Signs & was immediately fired on by an Indian not above eight yards Distance. Just at the very moment the foremost of the Spies was jerking his Gun off his shoulder in order to Shoot & the In- dian Bullet took the Box of his Gun (just Opposite his Breast) & lodged there the Spy received very little Damage only grazed on the Arm in two or three Places either by Part of the Bullet or of the Box lid-Such as Buck Shot might have done The Spies Shot at him as soon as Possible Both, & he fell But recovered immediately & he & his Partners Cleared them selves as quick as Possible, with the loss of his Shot Pouch Powder horn & many other little articles the Damnd. Savages had the assur- ance to Camp there within a Mile of this Fort but on their own Side of the River. they were so Pro- vident as to Bring a String for a Prisoner but un-
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REVOLUTION ON UPPER OHIO
luckily lost it in the fray along with the other Arti- cles. I intend keeping out Spies both up, Down, & over the Ohio Constantly & shall always endeavour to Protect the Inhabitants on the Frontiers to the utmost of my power I hope you will inform me Par- ticularly what Success we have had against the Cher- okees as soon as Convenient. we are not Certain what Nation of Indians they are of; whom our Spies Defeated but they Suppose them to be either Shaw- nies or Mingoes.
I am Sir your very Hble. Servt MATTHEW ARBUCKLE P. S. you will much Oblige me by giving Mrs. Arbuckle an acct. from me at this Place as soon as Convenient.
[To Capt. John Stewart. Green brier.]
ICol. Dorsey Pentecost to Gov. Patrick Henry. Draper's combined summary and transcript from Virginia State Records, in Draper MSS., 13SI90, 191.]
WEST AUGUSTA, Nov. 5, 1776.
He is exerting himself to defend & protect the people, has one company at mouth of Fishing creek & another on the heads of Dunkerd & Middle Island Creeks ;55 speaks of the cruel depredations "of the infernal, relentless band of Mingoes.
55 Dunkard Creek is a Western affluent of the Mononga- hela, embouching in Greene County, Pa. A famous Indian war-road led up Fish Creek and along Dunkard, hence the
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HOSTILE RAIDS
"On the 9th of October two women were killed at the mouth of Fish Creek, & a little boy taken pris- oner. The husbands of the women were in canoes moving home from the fort at Grave Creek; one of the men upon hearing the women fired on, ran ashore & discharged his gun at one of the Indians, & it is thought wounded him, as the party that went to bury the dead the next day, found near where he stood three bags of paint, a hoppus, a pair of moc- casons, a looking glass & a head dress.
"On the 11th of the same month, seven men on their return from Caintuck were fired on in their camp nearly opposite the mouth of Hockhocking; one was killed on the spot & scalped; one shot through with two bullets, of which he died the next day; two of the men had an arm broken each, one slightly wounded, the other two not hurt. When the men awaked, the Indians were amongst them with their tomahawks and war clubs; a scuffle ensued, but the Indians being prepared & having the advan- tage the men were obliged to run, one was cut with a tomahawk by the side of his back bone to the hol- low of his body, another cut under the shoulder to the ribs. After plundering the camp, they crossed the river. One of the well men ran back to Fort Randolph, the other (Edward Mitchell) a near neigh- bor of mine, sent the person who was slightly wounded up to Grave Creek, & hid the wounded in
white settlers in that district were especially exposed to depredations.
Middle Island Creek rises in Doddridge County, W. Va., and enters the Ohio in Pleasants, about twenty-five miles be- low Fishing Creek .- ED.
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an obscure place & sustained them nine days upon paw paws. The Captain of the militia stationed at Grave Creek, with 33 men of his own company, joined with an Ensign & 12 men of the Regulars at Wheeling, went down, & four days ago came up with the wounded, who are likely to do well." Speaks of Indian sign being seen all over the upper Ohio region, & the people forted, scouts & spies out, &c., houses & corn fields destroyed where deserted.
NEWS FROM WILLIAMSBURGH
[Capt. William McKee to Col. William Fleming. IU39- A. L. S.]
HONOUR'. SIR-Yours by Capt. Stuart only came to hand last Night !on my Return from Willmsburg at we place I have been to Receive the advance for my Compy and some Necessary Disbursements. I have Just Recd an acct. of the safe arrival of the De- tachment I sent to Fort Randolph I Intend March- ing'another Detachment of between 40 & 50 Monday n [oon] (God Willing) Under two Subalterns (viz) [MS. torn] and Gilmore. And shall now make an application to you 'for about an Equal [quanti]ty of Powder you sent before (viz) 201b [Ms. torn] to Each Man near 121b we I think is little [enough] wc I hope youll Be kind Enough to Send by the bearer John Moor from the Same Cask you sent the other. Dear Sir after Informing you of my being at the Metropolis you think strange if I had no News to
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AT WILLIAMSBURGHI
Impart Indeed Sir News are not so plenty there as they Rather Expect some Important News from our Quarter Relative to our Expedition Southwes- terly God Grant they may be Good and I hope thay will From New York nothing of Importance has Transpird, some Private . Letters say Howe has sent or Gone up the North River ten thousand Men above General Washingtons lines and from that move- ment some Decissive Stroke is Expected. The affair of Ticonderoga we I Suppose you have heard of had not arrivd. there last Saturday If that is true its. an Important Blow. But I coud. wish it were better Confirmd. Some French Vessels have lately arrived and a Prize of Considerable Value. Some Private Intelligence have been Recd. by the Assembly with wc they appear well pleased but they keep it a profound secret. Colº. Bland Died Suddenly of an appoplexy last Saturday Morning having the Day before De- clared himself warmly in favour of Establishment5 That Affair is to be Decided the 11th Instant the Ma- jority both in & out of Doors Seem [to] be for breaking it. I heard a long Debate in the House about a Bill for Docking Entails. But it Carried by
56 Col. Richard Bland (1710-76), a prominent patriot, had opposed the stamp act. A representative of Virginia in Con- gross, he had been a leader during the stirring days of the early Revolution. Like most of the older statesmen he was a conservative on the subject of religious liberty. The major portion of the legislative session of the autumn of 1776 was occupied with discussion of the question of an established church. An act was passed November 19 exempting dissenters from paying tithes for the established church. Complete re- ligious liberty, however, was not secured until the passage in 1785 of Jefferson's bill for religious liberty .- ED.
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a great Majority. The most Important thing the House was about when I left the City was a Bill for Raising five new Battalions in this Commonwealth agreeable to a Resolve of Congress and fixing the Regular advancement of officers in the old Battalions and the appointment of Field officers. our Troops on the Ohio are Regimented Colo. Crawford to have the Command and to be compleated to 'a full Battal- ion During the war if the Men are willing.57 The Compys of one Hundred Men are to be Reduced to 68 Rank & file & those of 50 Raised to that Quota. But I am to Continue to Recruit Under the former ordinance till further orders I have now above 68. Many other things of a Political Nature 'begin to Crowd themselves into my Imagination not worth communicating I am Dear Sir your Friend & Hble servt.
Nov 2d. 1776
Wm MCKEE
TREATY OF 17 76
[Summary of a letter from Col. George Morgan to the Presi- dent of Congress, dated Nov. S. 1776, in Amer. Archives, 5th series, iii, pp. 599, 600.]
The cloud which has threatened to break over this part of the country has now dispersed.58 The Six Na-
57 This is the well-known 13th (or West Augusta) regiment of the Virginia continental forces .- ED.
58 Morgan appears to have been too sanguine, or too politic, to admit the continued dangers. In a letter to Dorsey Pente- cost, written Nov. 17, 1776, he takes the latter to task for ex-
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IROQUOIS PEACEFUL
tions, Delawares, Shawnee, Munsee, and Mahican en- voys have assembled here to the number of six hundred and forty-four, and promised inviolable peace with the United States, and 'neutrality during the war with Great Britain. The perpetrators of all the recent mis- chief are a band formerly situated near Cross Creeks, on the Ohio, but now removed to the heads of the Scioto.
Recent murders reported are of two women at Fish Creek, where a 'boy is missing, one man killed and four wounded opposite Hockhocking River, and two soldiers killed and scalped not far from Fort Ran- dolph.
Several chiefs have accepted the invitation to visit Congress, which is a further proof of their peaceable disposition.59
citing alarm; see Bausman, History of Beaver County, i, p. 71. It will be noted that the Western tribes were absent from the treaty-the Wyandot, Chippewa, Miami, and Ottawa. Mur- ders continued to be committeed; see Hildreth, Pioneer His- tory, pp. III, 113, and Pentecost's letters, post. In December two scouts were overtaken near Bridgeport, Ohio, opposite Wheeling, one being killed and the other captured; see J. H. Newton, History of the Panhandle of West Virginia ( Wheel- ing, 1879), p. 97 .- ED.
59 Twelve chiefs were taken to Philadelphia at an expense of nearly twelve hundred dollars. They were introduced on Dec. 7, when a pacificatory speech was made, to which, two days later, they made an unimportant response. See Journals of Congress (new ed.), v, pp. 1010, 1011, 1013 .- ED.
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HOSTILITIES IMMINENT
[Col. Dorsey Pentecost to Capt. William Harrod. 4NN34 - transcript, probably in Harrod's handwriting.]
Nov 12th 1776
SIR-I am now at Cap. Wells upper station"0 and did Intend as Low as yours but the Comissarry is so Low that I Expect that he will Not Live and I have a grate deal of Business to Settel with him which will purvent my 'Coming Down I am tharefore to advise you that Detroyt and niagara are Reinforced and a Runner from St duskay arived Last Friday with A letter which I Saw Informing that they Expect that that place will be fortified and garrisoned"1 this Win-
60 Richard and Alexander Wells emigrated from Baltimore County, Md., to the waters of Cross Creek, W. Va., about 1772 .- ED.
61 As a locality Sandusky was known from the earliest occu- pation of the country, a portage being made from the river of that name to the upper waters of the Scioto. The first recorded settlement of Indians was that following the secession of the Huron (Wyandot) chief Nicolas, who went thither from the neighborhood of Detroit about 1745, with the purpose of trad- ing with the English. Gradually a considerable number of the Wyandot settled upon the bay and river of Sandusky. A trad- ing house was established (1750) on the south shore of the bay, which is sometimes alluded to as the "old French fort." It does not, however, appear to have been a settled post, and apparently was abandoned before 1759. In 1761 the English had a blockhouse built on the south shore of the bay, which was garrisoned by thirty men. These were massacred in May, 1763, and their commander, Ensign Paully, taken cap- tive. The following July. Captain Dalzell took vengeance by burning the Wyandot lower town. These Wyandot towns as- sumed much importance during the Revolution, but there seems to be no evidence that the proposed British fort and garrison was ever established. During the War of IS12-15 Lower Sandusky was fortified, and the gallant defense of Fort Stephenson is an heroic incident in the annals of the Western border .- ED.
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HOSTILITIES IMMINENT
ter and in the Spring as the Winedots Cockinwaugau Mingows &c are now Concluding thare to Attack us in three Different placess: Viz Fort Pitt Fort Ran- dulph and Som place betwixt and that thare is now A party Out which Intend Strikeing us About now in Order to Lay it on the Deleways and Shawneways as the [y] Return from the P[itt] treaty and Brake the Peace between us and them I am tharefore to ad- vise you to keep up Strick gard and if aney Indians Appears on our side you are to Chastise them in the Best manner you Can and Look on them as Open and Avowed enemise. fore the deliways and Shanaways are not so mutch as to put ashore on our Side Except thare Intended to Come to Your Camp then tha are to Hollow over and you are to go and fetch them and then you are to treat them Civelly 9 of the Chiefs are gon to set in the Congress 3 of the Senekays also are gone the Latter I think Nothing of. tha de. sire to go to War with us and have declared an Inde- pendency from the Six Nations. I have sent down an Acount of the Melitia with the Comisoners to the Congress who Intend we shall be paid by the Con- tenent. The Governor has Aprouved of my Conduct in regard of the Melitia and has left it to me how many Men Should be kept to Cover the Settlements and the Comisiners have Left the time of dischargeing them to me Likewise if no Acodents happens Ile keep up the Stations till About the 10th of the Next Month. 1
I was Informed a Numbers of peopel has Combined to Cross the Ohio and kill some of 'the Indians on thire Return from the treaty An action of this kind
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REVOLUTION ON UPPER OHIO
would forever Distroy the faith the Indians harbour of us and as a war is Sartin from the Norrad [North- ward] Indians in the spring I think we Should keep the Nabouring Indians as mutch in our favour as pos- sable I tharefore desire and Require you if you should find that aney Should Attempt the Like you Exert your Power to frustrate it.
DORSEY PENTECOST
on the Publick Sarvis To Capt William Harrod Fishing Creek
PRECAUTIONARY ORDERS
[Dorsey Pentecost to Capt. William Harrod. 4NN36- A. L. S.]
November 21st 1776
SIR-I am glad to hear you are safely arrived and fixed at your Station, but am Sorry to hear your drafts did not fully appear, but I have now taken cear [care] to furnish them & they will Soon be with you. I am Exceeding sorry to hear of the misfortune of Row's boys,62 I am to beg that you do evrything in your Power to Serve your Country in whose abili- ties I place the greatest confidence in your abilities, all the fear I have for you is that you will be toc rash, I am strictly to recommend to you that you are cearful and use good Oeconomy and dont be too Ven- turesome, but Keep a good look out for I am really
G2 Not far from the garrison at Grave Creek, about the mid- dle of September, two sons of Adam Rowe were set upon by Indians. the elder being killed, and the younger captured; see letter of Pentecost in Bausman, Beaver County, i, p. 72 .- ED.
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TAKING PRECAUTIONS
apprehensive you are in great danger, and if you find any Indians on our side the river Treat them as Open and avowed Enemies & do Every thing in your power to Protect the Inhabitants and your selves, & I rec- ommend that you build some Snug close Little garri- son for your Own Defence, and you will be Supplied with Provision by Mr Shepherd. Colº Cannon will be with you in a few days.63 I have ordered another Company to the mouth of fish Creek your duty will then be much easier. I rest assured of your best En- deavours and am Dr Bill
Your Very Hle Servt DORSEY PENTECOST
P. S. no man is to be suffered to leave the Post untill they are releved by others under the Severest Penalty and it is my Positive orders that you do not suffer your men to Cross the river to hunt under no pertence whatsoever
[Col. John Canon's orders to Capt. William Harrod. 4NN38 - A. D. S.]
December 7th 1776
1. you are to keep up a Recular Sargents Gard Ex- cept where it makes the Dutey Too hard by sending
63 Col. John Canon removed to the Western country early in 1774. He was justice of the peace for Augusta County, and colonel of militia for its western district, being thus next in rank to Pentecost. Upon the erection of Yohogania County, he held the same position. In 1787 he laid out the town of Canonsburg, where he became concerned in the Whiskey Re- bellion. Colonel Canon founded the academy that became Jef- ferson College, and died at his Canonsburg residence in 1799 .- ED.
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REVOLUTION ON UPPER OHIO
out men to Gard the Inhabitants in that Case you imust keep as good a Gard as you Can.
2. you are not to suffer any man to Exempt him- self from his Dute or Leave his Post with out your Leave or the Leave of the oficer first in Command in your Absence and that furlows be only given in Rale Case of Necesaty,
3 you are not to sufer any of your men to make it Practice of s[h]uteing About the Garrison without your knoladge or 'Acquanting the Garison As Evry such Brach of orders will be Looked ypon as an Alarm.
4 you are to Assist the Inhabitants with what Guard you Can Spare with Prudence for the Safety of the Garrison to Anable them to Save their Crops,
5 you are to Send Such Scouts as you Can Spare from the garison to Recuniter the River up and Down as far as the [y] Can Return the Same Day, and not to sufer them to neglect their Dutey in Hunting or other wise.
6 If any Discoverys Should be mad [e] or mischief Done you are to Signify it to the next field oficer with all Possible Despatch,
As the Dutey we ow to our Creator Should never be neglected I hope Sir you will not Sufer men to Practice of prefain Swareing or Brackng the Sabat Day by hunting or other wise
S and as I hope Evry man here Come for the Se- curity and protection of their Cuntry and as it is the gratest honour a Solder can have to obay the Com- mands of their oficers, I hope there will be no Com- plaints on that Account,
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TAKING PRECAUTIONS
9 you are to proseed to Inclouse your self with some Kind of a fort as Soon as you Can get Horse and the Assistance of the Inhabitants,
10 you are to see that the men Perade Dayley and Endeavour to Larn their 'Exe [r]cises.
JOIIN CANON
General orders to Capt. William Herod
PREPARATIONS FOR DEFENSE
[Summary of a letter from Gov. Patrick Henry to Col. Dor- sey Pentecost, in Crumrine, History of Washington County, Pennsylvania, p. 185.]
This letter, dated Williamsburgh, Dec. 13, 1776, states that the danger of hostilities in the spring should cause measures to be taken to prepare the militia to act in the most efficient manner. Magazines are to be erected in Yohogania, Monongalia, and Ohio coun- ties,5+ lead has been ordered sent to the frontier, and Captain Gibson's cargo of powder is expected. Spies should be kept out, and arms and accoutrements put in the best possible order.
64 In October, 1776, the Virginia assembly defined the lim- its of West Augusta district, at the same time dividing it into three counties, Ohio, Yohogania, and Monongalia. For their militia officers see post .- ED.
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REVOLUTION ON UPPER OHIO
SITUATION AT GRAVE CREEK
[The inhabitants of Grave Creek to Capt. William Harrod 4NN44-A. D. S.]
SIR-we the Subscribers finding it impossible to De- fend ourselves against the Common Enemy of this Country by the Militia's being drawn away from this Garrison & if we do not Get Some Assistance Imme- diately we will be obliged to Quit this place it being the frontier fort & so near to the savage that we hope you will be so Kind as to Get as many of Your men as you Can to Stay to our Assistance as we under- stand you have a very great Influence over your men and as there is not any particular Orders for men to be Stationed at this place David Shephard Esqr. will find you & your men provisions while you stay here & we flatter ourselves At the same time that the Com- missioners for paying the former Militia will in no ways refuse to pay you & your men for this 'Service done the Country as well as those done by the former Capts at this Place Sr. your Complyance in this re- quest will very much oblige yr. very Humble Servants Grave Creek fort 2d January 1777
YATES CONWELL' ZEPHANIAH BLACKFORD
JAMES WILLIAMS
MORGAN JONES
MATTHEW KARR CHARLES MCCLEAN
JOSEPH TOMLINSON JAMES CALDWELL
STEPHEN PARR
JOHN WILLIAMS
DAVID MCCLURE
WILLIAM McMECHEN
SAMUEL HARRIS Sen
To Capt Wm Harrod at Grave Creek
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A MILITIA PLEDGE
[Agreement to serve in the militia. 4NN45 - A. D. S.]
We whose Names are hereunto Subscribed do agree to Join Capt Wm Herrods Comp" and Serve under him as Militia Soldiers to Assist the Inhabitants of Grave Creek fort to Defend themselves against the Savages for a Term of Time Not Exceeding fifteen days & as the same is done without proper orders we do agree to run the risk of the Colony's paying us for the same he the s' Capt Herrod is to make 'proper Application if the sd Colony does not pay the sd Capt Herrod In behalf of us we agree to Loose the same provided that David Shepherd Esq". finds us provis- ions during the time at his proper risk as witness our hands this 2d day of January 1777
JOSEPH MCCLAIN
PAUL ARMSTRONG
JOHN MCCLAIN
MATTHEW KERR
JAMES HARRIS
SAMUEL STILWELL
STEPHEN HARRIS
JOHN BOYD
THOMAS KNOX
MICHAEL FLOOD
GEORGE KNOX
JOSEPH GLEN
JAMES MeMECHEN
ADAM Row Jun.
JOSEPH ALEXANDER
JAMES DAVIS
ADAM ROW JOHN HARKNESS
FRANCIS PURCELL
PHILLIP O FINN
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REVOLUTION ON UPPER OHIO
SUPPLIES FROM NEW ORLEANS
[Col. Dorsey Pentecost to Capt William Harrod. 4NN46 - A. L. S.]
YOUGHIOGHENY COUNTY January 28th 1777 CAPTAIN WILLIAM HARROD
SIR-I have received his Excellency the Governor's directions to endeavour to find out where Captain Gib- sons Cargo of Powder is.65 In consequence of which I am to order that you do with all possible expedition raise a Company of Fifty privates in Conjunction and with the assistance of Lieutenant Nathan Hammond and Ensign Andrew Steel,66 with whom, and under
65 Capt. George Gibson and Lieut. William Linn left Fort Pitt July 19, 1776, and reached New Orleans some time in August. There, aided by Oliver Pollock, they succeeded in purchasing ten thousand pounds of gunpowder for $1800. Gib- son was at one time thrown into prison by a concerted ar- rangement with the Spanish governor, to mislead the British spies in the town. He got off by ship in October, and safely conveyed to Virginia a large portion of the powder.
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