USA > Ohio > The Western Reserve and early Ohio > Part 11
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CAPTAIN PIPE WARNING SCOUT
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here, there is no direct evidence that he was ever born or that he ever died.
One of the saddest tales of early Ohio History hangs around his sister. In Ashland County is "Pipe's Cliff"; connected with it, but detached from it, rises a rock tower over one hundred feet above the surround- ing country. In its center it is said Capt. Pipe made sacrifices. It is called, in commemoration of the mur- dered sister of Captain Pipe, "Onalaska's Tower".
Chief Beaver Hat was another Delaware Chieftain, and although he did not live on the Reserve, yet living so close to it he was connected largely with its history. His village was situated at "Apple Orchard" on the Great Scioto War Trail, whose northern terminus was the "portage path". He was here much of his time upon his hunting and fishing expeditions. Beaver Hat was a deep, bitter, unrelenting enemy to the whites. He was a heavy drinker and when intoxicated he was abusive and bragged of the white men he had killed. He carried with him a string of thirteen dried tongues, which he claimed were tongues of white men he had killed. He made this exhibition in presence of George Harter, one day, and in the next he was missing.
Gen. Bierce, in his history of Summit County, pub- lished in 1854, gives the following account of Ogontz, a celebrated chief of the Ottawas.
"He had been educated by French Missionaries at Quebec, for a Catholic Priest, but no sooner were the restraints of Civilization removed, than he left for the freedom of his forest home. He lived near Fort Indus- try (Sandusky). Ogontz was brave, talented, and well educated, but like his race, wild and intractable. At
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the time of the first settlement in Hudson, he had no power other than what his talents and education gave him. Coming along one day, near dusk, on horseback, he inquired of Capt. Heman Oviatt, the path to "Ponty's Camp." Capt. Oviatt walked along into the woods to show him, when Ogontz ordered him to go no further ; but the Captain was the wrong man to order-the more he was ordered, the more he wouldn't. Ogontz drew up his rifle to shoot him, when the Captain sprung, and seizing his rifle, wrenched it from him, and then order- ed Ogontz to "right about"! The haughty Indian, knowing whom he had to deal with, obeyed orders like a drill sergeant, and the Captain drove him back to Hudson, where after discharging his rifle, and taking from him his rifle and ammunition, he discharged HIM, in no very pleasant humor. In 1808, the Indians hold- ing a grand pow-wow, became greatly excited by whiskey. Ogontz, almost alone, remained sober. In the frenzy of intoxication, the chief of the tribe struck Ogontz, who immediately laid the head of the chief open with his tomahawk. On the following day the Indians held a council, in which Ogontz was acquitted, and made Chief in place of the one he had slain. Ogontz having no children, adopted the only son of the deceased Chief, and with all the tenderness of a father reared him to manhood-but no sooner had he arrived at the age prescribed for a warrior, than with the re- taliating spirit of the savage, he shot his benefactor, and avenged the blood of his father.
Ogontz was one of the most remarkable Chieftains that ever lived on the Reserve. As a Catholic priest he had been educated with the hope that he would be able
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to evangelize th north-western tribes. The hopes were falacious, and of that period of his life, he said :
"In my heart I had never been a good Catholic, though I had tried to be a good Christian. I found it, however, easier to make Catholics than Christians of other Indians. What I mean is, that they were much more willing to observe the forms than obey the laws of Christianity, and that they grew no better under my teaching. I became discouraged, and feared that my preaching was an imposition and I an impostor."
Several years before the breaking out of the last war with England, Ogontz finally abandoned his village on the Cuyahoga and retired to his Village of Ogontz, at Sandusky. Here he remained until 1812, when with his people he fled to Canada. After the declaration of peace between the United States and Great Britain he and his people proceeded to the Maumee River, where he was murdered by his stepson.
Ogontz many times carried Jay Cooke, the great banker on his shoulders, and in later years the great financier named his magnificent country seat, near Phil- adelphia, in honor of the old Indian. Sandusky has one of its streets, flouring mills, a Knights Templars lodge, and a fire company named after him, while an Indian namesake, a grandson of his, yet holds sway among the Lake Superior Indians.
Wam-pe-tek was a Chief of a band of about forty Indians who lived at Turkey Foot Lake, the history of whose sad murder is given in another place and chap- ter. These Indians were kind, inoffensive and the friends of the whites.
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Peter Wilson, a Seneca Chief, was educated by Mr. Bissel of Twinsburg. After returning to his tribe, he was an interpreter to a missionary. He was an orator of no mean ability. He performed great services for his tribe. At different times he appeared before the New York legislature, also before Congress. He suc- ceeded in obtaining concessions for his tribe that no other enjoyed. He lost his health in protracted efforts made to save a drowning white man.
Blackbird was an Ottawa Chief, also educated by and at the expense of Mr. Bissel, of Twinsburg. He was a fine scholar, an author and diplomat. Blackbird was a direct descendant of Pontiac, the greatest chief the Indians ever had. Pontiac's first appearance before the American public was at the time Major Rogers' Expedition landed a few miles south of Cleveland. He came with all the rude panoply of war and haughtily demanded the reason of the white chief's invasion of the Indian country. Blackbird appeared before the legislature of Michigan in the interest of his tribe and by his impassioned eloquence moved them to accede to his demands.
Black Hawk, the celebrated warrior and Indian chief, was born previous to 1772. He was a resident of Cuyahoga Valley. At the close of the Black Hawk War in which Gen. U. S. Grant and Abraham Lincoln took part, Black Hawk was captured and brought to Cleve- land on his way to Washington. Here he asked per- mission to visit the grave of his mother located on the Cuyahoga. This was granted and he paid a farewell tribute to the graves of his sires.
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During this exciting war the United States em- ployed an Indian Chief by the name of Black Wolf to command its Indian contingency. Black Wolf was afterward assassinated by his nephew at White Tavern, Iowa. The writer placed the skull of Black Wolf in the museum of Buchtel College, and it was consumed at the time of the fire which destroyed the great building of which Horace Greely laid the corner stone.
Chief Piqua, of the Massanga tribe, was a noble looking Indian, of lofty stature, full of native talent, dignified and impressive in bearing. His village was situated near the mouth of Conneaut Creek. It con- sisted of some thirty wigwams, and was laid out with some degree of engineering skill; regularly and sys- tematically. It presented an appearance of neatness and comfort unusual in the habitations of the red man. The tribe claimed that they had lived here for a time far beyond the memory of their oldest men. The tribe was war-like and had taken an active part in the Indian Wars.
Pontiac was called the tiger of the Northwest. In his early manhood he spent much of his time in the village of his people, on the Cuyahoga. "Ponty's Camp", was a well known land mark to the earliest adventurers across the Alleghenies. In Lewis Evan's map of the Middle British Colonies, London, 1755, the point is designated as "Tawas." Victor in his "American Conspiracies", says : Proceeding in row boats up Lake Erie he reached the mouth of the Cuya- haga River, in Ohio, November 7, 1780, where the Major determined to encamp for a few days to rest his wearied men. He had scarcely lit his camp fires ere a
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troop of Indians appeared, proclaiming themselves the messengers of Pontiac, and, in his name, ordering the English to go no further. Rogers demanded an inter- view with the chief, who soon appeared, accompanied by an imposing retinue of warriors. It was HERE that the great conspirator FIRST came forward into the full light of history. From Rogers minute account of the interview, we have a clear conception of the In- dian Attila. He approached with a haughty stride, gorgeously attired in his savage costume, demanding at once, in an impervious tone, to know by what author- ity the British officer presumed to enter the Indian country without permission or treaty. Rogers was not a man without nerve. He stood as unabashed before that son of the forest as he would have done before a great oak, surging and roaring in the wind".
"Pontiac was powerful in person, commanding in presence, resolute to an extraordinary degree, possess- ed of a rare gift of eloquence, sagacious and subtile as a beast of prey. He rightfully claimed the office of chief over many tribes and became the minister of vengeance for his race."
Mingotown, on the Cuyahoga, had Logan for a chief, Logan, the white man's friend, Logan, all of whose relatives were murdered on the upper Ohio by the whites and which precipitated one of the most cost- ly and bloody wars in the history of the Ohio Country. Logan's speech will be found on chapter of Indian Elo- quence.
Chief Seneca's camp was a half mile south of "Ponty's Camp" and on the same side of the river.
201
TECUMSEH THE LAST OF THE GREAT INDIAN CHIEFTAINS IN OHIO.
Ohio became a part of the great Northwestern Ter- ritory in 1788. Fifteen years later, having gone through the second grade of territorial organization in 1798, she became a State on March 3, 1803.
The eastern line of Indiana then became the east- ern line of the Northwestern Territory. General Wm. Henry Harrison, who served in both St. Clair's and Wayne's campaigns, became its first governor in 1799, and remained its Governor for thirteen years ..
Through British intrigue the Indians of the north- west became active and restless under the teachings of the Shawaneese Chieftain Tecumseh and his broth- er the Prophet.
Tecumseh was regarded as the greatest hunter of his tribe. During one hunt he brought in twelve deer. He was born at Piqua, Ohio, in 1768, and his first battle was on the Ohio River at Limestone, in 1785, where he showed great bravery and prowess. His intellect was far above that of his tribesmen and he was a fluent and natural born orator. His was not the inhumanity of his predecessors and he made his tribesmen promise to burn no more prisoners at the stake. He became a chief in 1795, and was at many battles, among them Fort Recovery and Fallen Timbers. He removed to White River in Indiana in 1798, but again removed to
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Ohio in 1805, locating on, or near the present town of Greenville.
His brother, Lanlewasikaw, commonly known as "The Prophet," practiced low cunning and sorcery and was able to sway and influence the Indian mind to an unbelieveable extent. Both he and they claimed that he was the earthly agent of the Great Spirit. From the time of their removal to Ohio, they became trouble- some and aggressive. Their hostile demonstrations gradually increased. Harrison tried to conciliate them but British emissaries were too strong for him. Throughout 1806 the brothers remained at Greenville and gathered around them nearly a thousand war- riors. In the autumn of 1807 Harrison sent to the chiefs of the Shawanesse an address exhorting them to send away the people at Greenville. In the spring of 1808 Tecumseh and his brother removed to the Tip- pecanoe, a tributary to the Wabash.
In 1809 a council was held at Fort Wayne. The governor purchased of them the title to 3,000,000 acres of land. Tecumseh refused to sign and threatened the lives of all who had signed. Hearing this, Harrison invited him to visit Vincennes, the then capital of the north-west territory, but stipulated that he should not bring more than thirty warriors with him.
In August, 1810, he came with 400 armed warriors. He came before Harrison with forty armed men and refused to either lay aside their arms or meet on the portico of Harrison's house. The meeting was held in a nearby grove. It was a stormy session and at one time a fight was nearly precipitated. Harrison drew his sword and said to Tecumseh: "You are a bad man.
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I will have no further talk with you. You must now hasten immediately to your camp and take your de- parture from these settlements."
In the autumn of 1811 he began to prepare for the coming struggle and October 5, receiving the re-inforce- ments he had been looking for, he advanced up the Wabash where he built a block-house and struck direct- ly for Prophetstown on the Tippecanoe. When within a few miles of his destination Indians appeared who asked for a conference on the following morning. Their request was granted and the army encamped for the night. The place selected was the west line of the en- campment. On all sides was prairie marsh land cover- ed with tall grass.
Before daybreak of the morning of Nov. 1, 1811, seven hundred Indians crept through the tall grass sur- rounding the camp and burst on the camp like demons. But the American borders were under arms in a mom- ens't time. The battle of Tippecanoe was on; fighting behind trees the soldiers held the Indians in check until daylight, and then in several vigorous charges sent them flying in every direction.
On the next day the army went to Prophetstown and then returned to theim homes.
Tecumseh was not in this battle. He was with the Creeks in the south trying to raise recruits. When he returned he found ashes and a scattered people. He at once joined the British in Canada.
The Maumee River in early accounts is frequently called "The Miami of the Lakes", hence misleading to the youthful investigator. General Harrison, about the first of February, 1813, built Fort Meigs on the Mau-
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mee River. It was built at the foot of Maumee Rapids, which is frequently referred to as "The Rapids". This fort was on the east side of the river, a few miles below the British Fort, Fort Miamis, which was on the west side of the river. At this time Harrison's army num- bered about 2,000 men. From Fort Meigs ran two roads; one to Lower Sandusky (Fremont) and one to Upper Sandusky.
On April 26, 1813, Gen. Proctor with his army of whites and Indians appeared on the west bank of the Maumee and established batteries opposite Fort Meigs. On the 27th the Indians invested the fort in the rear and on the east side. General Harrison in his report says: Proctor's force consisted of 1350 whites and from 1,600 to 2,000 Indians under the command of Tecumseh, to whom Proctor had promised to deliver General Harrison should the British force be successful.
On the first, second and third days of May, the bombardment of the fort was incessant from the Brit- ish batteries. On the night of the third the British erected a battery within 250 yards of the fort, on the east side of the river.
About 2 a. m. on the morning of the fifth, Harrison was re-inforced by General Clay of Kentucky with 1,200 men. Col. Dudley with his Kentuckians landed on the west bank with 800 men and drove the British from their batteries and spiked their guns. Crazed with their success they pursued the Indians for two miles through swamps and woods and were finally am- buscaded, surrounded and taken prisoners. Then be- gan the massacre of prisoners. Out of 800 men only
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150 escaped. The remainder were either killed or taken prisoners.
Had it not been for the nobility of Tecumseh there would not have been any alive to tell the story.
Harrison seeing the rashness of Dudley's men and foreseeing its results, exclaimed with despair: "They are lost! They are lost! Can I never get men to obey my orders!" He then offered $1,000 to any man who would cross the river and apprise Col. Dudley of his danger. Outside of Dudley's loss, Harrison's loss dur- ing the thirteen days of seige was 81 killed and 189 wounded. This left him with less than 1,100 fit for duty.
Forty of Dudley's men had already been massacred after they had surrendered when Tecumseh rode upon a horse at full speed and commanded the Indians to de- sist and in a loud voice shouted he would kill the first savage who lifted a hand against the prisoners.
Ewing in a letter states: While this bloodthirsty carnage was raging, a thundering voice was heard in the rear, in the Indian tongue; when, turning around he saw Tecumseh coming with all the rapidity his horse could carry him, until he drew near to where two In- dians had an American, and were in the act of killing him. He sprang from his horse, caught one by the throat, the other by the breast and threw them to the ground ; drawing his tomahawk and scalping knife, he ran in between the Americans and the Indians, brand- ishing them with the fury of a madman and daring anyone of the hundreds that surrounded him to attempt to murder another American. They all appeared con- founded, and immediately desisted. His mind appear-
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ed rent with passion, and he exclaimed almost with tears in his eyes: "Oh! What will become of the In- dians !" He then demanded in an authoritative tone where Proctor was, but seeing him, demanded why he had not put a stop to the inhuman massacre. "Sir," said Proctor, "your Indians cannot be commanded". "Begone", retorted Tecumseh with the greatest disdain, "you are unfit to command ; go and put on petticoats".
The Indians withdrew on the 8th, and on the 9th Proctor sullenly started on the road to Malden, Canada. Harrison left the command of Fort Meigs with Gen. Clay and proceeded to Lower Sandusky where he ar- rived on May 12. Major Croghan, who commanded at Fort Stephenson (Fremont) was ordered by General Harrison to abandon and burn the post. This the lad refused to do, sending a note to Harrison saying: "We have determined to maintain this place, and BY Heav- ens we can". Harrison ordered his removal and placed Col. Wells in command; Croghan, a nephew of Gen. George Rogers Clark, of pioneer fame, was only 21 years old, but he proceeded at once to call on Harrison, who returned to him his command on July 30. The next day, July 31, the enemy was discovered approach- ing Sandusky Bay. In the afternoon of August 1, 1813, the enemy appeared, first the Indians under Tecumseh, 200 strong; next the regulars and militia under Gen. Proctor, with selected Indian forces amounting to 1,400 men. Opposed to these forces was Croghan with one hundred sixty men and one canon-a six-pounder. The Proctor vessels embarked about a mile below the fort while the two gun boats remained above the fort and opened fire upon the brave little garrison and maintain-
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ed all night long assisted by a howitzer on shore. The enemy during the night had landed three six-pounders which had been placed 250 yards from the fort. About 4 p. m. they concentrated their fire upon the northwest angle. Croghan realizing their intention, strengthened that point with bags of sand and flour from Akron. Late in the evening of the 2nd, while smoke clouds en- veloped the fort, the enemy made the assault. After feinting the south-angle twice, 350 men were discover- ed within twenty paces of the north-west angle. The British under Col. Short leaped into the ditch until it was full. Just then the canon of the fort opened up at a distance of 30 feet, loaded to the muzzle with grape and slug. Hardly any were left alive. The soldiers of the fort poured in a most destructive fire from rifles and pistols, and in a few moments the British began a retreat which soon became a rout; hiding themselves in the woods.
Col. Short with twenty-five of his men and one Lieutenant, was found dead in the ditch. Harrison says the enemy's loss was 83 killed, 25 prisoners, wounded unknown. Before light the next morning Proctor's forces were in full retreat. Thus ended the battle of Fort Stephenson or Sandusky as it is some- times called.
Harrison said: "What will Proctor say when he finds he has been baffled by a youth of 21. He (Crog- han) is a hero, worthy of his gallant uncle."
The battle of Lake Erie had been fought and won, and Sept. 27, 1813, Gen. Harrison's army embarked at Sandusky Bay for Malden; it was here that Harrison was to meet Tecuseh for the last time. That redoubt-
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able Chieftain had said to Proctor: "Listen! When war was declared, our father stood up and gave us the tomohawk, and told us he was then ready to strike the Americans ; that he wanted our assistance, and that he would certainly get us our lands back, which the Amer- icans had taken from us."
Listen, Father! The Americans have not yet de- feated us by land; neither are we sure that they have done so by water; we therefore wish to remain here, and fight our enemy if they should make their appear- ance. If they defeat us, we will then retreat with our father."
Father! You have the arms and ammunition which our great father sent to his red children. If you have an idea of going away, give them to us, and you may go and welcome, for us. Our lives are in the hands of the Great Spirit. We are determined to defend our lands, and if it be his will, we will wish to leave our bones upon them."
Harrison's army landed near Malden and the Brit- ish retreated to Sandwich; the Americans were hard on their heels and Proctor continued his retreat to the river Thames, and there faced about. The battle ground was well chosen by the British, whose lines ex- tended from a river to a swamp. Here on October 5, 1813, the Americans under Gen. Harrison and Gov. Shelby, of Kentucky, gave battle. The mounted men charged the front, broke through, turned and re-charg- ed and in a moment it was all over with. The British front surrendered; but it was a different proposition with the Indians under Tecumseh, who boldly raised the war cry and pushed forward to meet the enemy.
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From the commencement of the attack his voice was distinctly heard animating them to deeds worthy of their race. When that well known voice was heard no longer, and it was not until Col. Johnson and his mount- ed men had gained their rear, did the Indians cease to battle like demons.
Tecumseh fell by a pistol shot fired by Col. Richard M. Johnson, of Kentucky. He was scalped, flayed, and his skin cut into razor-straps.
The British loss was 12 killed, 22 wounded, 634 taken prisoners. Our loss, 7. killed, 22 wounded. Over 100 dead Indians were found on the field, their wounded had been carried away as was their custom.
The victory was complete; Harrison captured 609 non-coms and privates, two generals, four majors and nineteen officers of the line, 12 cannon, 6,000 stand of arms, five gun-boats and ammunition and stores to the amount of $1,000.
Tecumseh had fallen, and thus died one of the greatest of Ohio's Great Indian Chiefs. So ended the campaign of the west. The Indian Confederacy was broken forever. No more was there to be the ringing war-whoop, the mid-night attack, the glide of the hatchet, the moans of outraged womanhood, the child- ish cries of terror, or the manly yell of despair.
Tecumseh was born too late. Had he been fifty years earlier, Ohio would have a different tale to tell.
Tecumseh was brave, generous, humane, eloquent, untiring, vigorous and enthusiastic. He felt deeply the wrongs of his people. Their lands had been stolen, their camp-fires in the beautiful "Ohio Country" had gone
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out, the graves of their sires were violated, and they were being driven far to the untroden west. They look- ed towards the western mountains and read their doom in the setting sun.
INDIAN ELOQUENCE
Among the various tribes inhabiting the Western Reserve before, and at the time of the first arrival of the pale-faced race, were the Delewares, Senecas, Chip- pewas, Ottawas, Wyandotte, Massangas and Mingoes.
When Moses Cleveland in 1776, held a peace talk, or treaty with the Indians, preparatory to commencing the original survey of the territory, he had a confer- ence with over one hundred chiefs. Among these were many able leaders, men noted for their ability as war- riors and that more pacific art of oratory and logic. When we stop to consider that at one time or another such men as Pontiac, Black Hawk, Logan, Seneca and Captain Pipe, made their home here, we are impressed by the fact that as in the more modern times, the West- ern Reserve has had more than her share of eloquent, able and trustworthy chiefs.
After the War of 1812 had come to a close, a few of the Indians who had made the Reserve their home, returned, but to prepare for the final leave-taking of their beloved rivers, their former hunting grounds and the graves of their sires. We are indebted to General Bierce for one of these specimens of native loquence. This old Chief being asked why they were leaving Rich- field, raised himself to his full height, and with eye flashing with a sense of tribal injuries, replied :
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