USA > Ohio > Miami County > Piqua > The first century of Piqua, Ohio > Part 3
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JEROM HOLT, Lieut. Col. Comd.
At this Council, which convened at Piqua on August 15, 1812, and lasted several days, the Indians were represented by delegations from the tribes of the Shawanoes, Miamis, Wyandots, Delawares, and Senacas. The govern- ment was represented by the three commissioners, Gen. Harrison, and Col. John Johnston, with Francis Dochouquet as interpreter.
Much credit must be given Chief Little Turtle of the Miamis, and Chief Black Hoof of the Shawanoes for their peaceful attitude, and their influence among the tribes assembled. The result of this council or treaty was, that these tribes agreed to remain neutral during the war, and to congregate at Upper Piqua under the control of Col. Johnston (who had previously been appointed agent at this point), the government agreeing to furnish sup- plies, and to protect them during good behavior on their part.
The number of Indians at this point between 1812 and 1815 has been var- iously estimated at from six to ten thousand, and with only a few excep- tions the terms of the agreement were kept inviolate by both parties.
It was during this early part of the war of 1812 that our village became historically known as the "Border Town", and as such has been referred to ever since, except that since 1850 it has been called the "Border City".
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After the middle of August 1812, Fort Wayne and Fort Harrison were the only posts above Piqua that had not been taken by the British and Indians. Fort Wayne was commanded by Capt. J. Rhea, and Fort Harrison by Capt. Zachary Taylor. These two points were then beseiged by the enemy, and though the garrisons were weak in numbers, held out until relieved by Gen. Harrison. In the latter part of August 1812, Col. Johnston, knowing that there were a number of women and children at Fort Wayne, and realizing their dangerous situation, asked for volunteers to go there and escort them to Piqua. The intreped Shawanoe Chief Logan, with a small company of loyal red men instantly responded, and though the country swarmed with hostile foes, succeeded in his hazardous undertaking. The late Major John- ton's father was also stationed at Fort Wayne, acting as clerk in the govern- ment store, and wishing to visit his family in Piqua, on the night of August 28, 1812, attempted to make the trip, but when only a short distance on his journey was killed and scalped by the Indians, and his scalp sold to the Brit- ish. His body was recovered by paying an Indian twenty dollars for bring- ing it in, and was afterward buried at Upper Piqua. After this occurence the Indians disclosed their hostile designs by open acts of hostility. At a subsequent parley, Winnemac, a noted Pottawatomic chief, denied the killing of Johnston by his tribe, but exhibited his base treachery by his efforts to massacre the garrison while denying the murder.
About the first of September of this year (1812), Wm. Oliver, who had volunteered his services to Gen. Harrison to find out if Fort Wayne still held out, reached that place in safety, despite the fact that the besiegers num- bered more than five hundred. His only companions in this perilous un- taking were the indomnitable Chief Logan and three other Indians. Oliver, finding the commander of the fort incapable of defending his position, stayed there to assist in its defence, while he dispatched a letter by Logan and his companions to Harrison, whose headquarters were then at Camp Wash- inton, or Upper Piqua. These messengers succeeded in leaving the fort, and reaching their destination, found the Kentucky volunteers already there, having marched from Fort Washington (Cincinnati) over the same trail taken by Harrison in 1811. They had camped one night on what is now the Thomas farm in East Piqua, and crossing the river at the ford joined the rest of the army at Upper Piqua the next morning.
The letter from Oliver was delivered to Gen. Harrison, who upon reading it immediately assembled his men, and addressing them said; "If there is a man under my command who lacks the patriotism to rush to the rescue, he, by paying back the money received from the government, shall receive a discharge, as I do not wish to command such." A man named Miller, of the Kentucky militia, responded to the proposition. The narrator says that he received his discharge on the morning of Sept. 6; his comrades, not willing to let him go without some special manifestation of their appreciation of
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his course, put him on a rail, carried him around the lines to the music of the "Rogues March" and down to the Miami, where they took him off the rail, led him into the water, and baptised him in the name of King George, Aaron Burr, and the Devil. As he came up out of the river the men formed in two lines, making him run the guantlet, each man throwing a handfull of mud on him as he passed, and then let him go.
The army left the same day (Sept. 6, 1812) and camped in the woods that night about twelve miles from Piqua. When in the vicinity of Fort Wayne, the Indians endeavored to surprise them in the night, but finding them prepared reported to the main body that the "Kentucks" were coming thick as trees.
The Indians soon raised the siege, and the army entered the fort amid the shouts of welcome from the beleagured garrison to Gen. Harrison and the brave boys of Ohio and Kentucky. Many men from this vicinity joined Harrison on this expedition, and several remained with his army until the close of the war. In the early part of the year 1812, and prior to any military operation by Gen. Harrison, our county militia officers, General Munger, Col. Ewing and Major McCorkle, called for a company of volunteers, and the citizens readily responded to the call. On the third of May, at Staun- ton, fifty names were put on the rolls, volunteers to be armed and ready to march for Camp Wayne by sunrise on the morning of May 6, 1812. An election of officcers was held, and on counting the votes it was found that George Buchanan was elected Captain of Volunteers, John Bobo, First Lieut. and John McLary, Second Lieut. or Color Bearer. Men who could not go sent arms or substitutes. This company of volunteers arrived at Camp Wayne a little before midnight of May 6th, and in a few days rebuilt and fortified the old camp at Greenville, and scouting the thickets and swamps, took many prisoners, mostly old men, squaws, and children, which were sent to the agency at Upper Piqua. About the first of Sept., Buchanan's com- pany was relieved of duty at Camp Wayne and sent to old Fort Rowdy at what is now Covington, where they rebuilt that place and rechristened it Fort Buchanan. While Gen. Harrison had his headquarters at Upper Piqua, mem- bers of his staff were engaged in recruiting men and hiring horses for the army. Early in Sept. 1812, a call for 800 horses was made in Dayton, which were to be delivered at Reed's Inn, and were to be paid for at the rate of fifty cents per day while in service. Blank receipts were issued by Har- rison and used by the men in charge. Two of these old receipts were recent- ly unearthed by the assistant postmaster at Dayton, bearing the names of Jesse Hunt and Payton Short, members of Gen. Harrison's staff. The appointment of Gen. Harrison to the post of Commander-in-chief over all the forces of the north-west was on Sept. 24, 1812, and after the relief of Fort Wayne, he removed his headquarters from Piqua to points farther north.
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THE FIRST CENTURY OF PIQUA
The exact location of Camp Washington was on the spot now occupied by the house, barn, and a part of the field in front of the house afterward built by Col. Johnston. Johnston's original dwelling was a log structure which stood about 90 feet north-west of the present brick house. This house and camp was surrounded by a stockade of pickets enclosing several acres. In the Autumn of 1812, Col. Johnston commenced building the old part of the present house, but owing to his multitudinous duties connect- ed with the government stores and the Indians under his care, that part of the building was not finished until late in the year 1814. The brick used in this, and the addition built later, were burned on the farm, and the remains of the brick-yard is yet plainly discernible in one of the fields to the north of the house.
During the occupancy of Camp Washington in 1812, Gen Harrison had the cut through the hill at Swift Run repaired and made deeper, in order to facilitate the transportation of supplies from the agency at Upper Piqua to points north which he expected to accupy. This old road through the hill was used until the St. Marys pike was built in 1850. Its origin dates back beyond historic times, and it may have been used as an entrance to the old stone enclosure which occupies the ground on the hill.
Harrison continued his warfare in the north during the winter of 1812-13 with indifferent success, and disquieting rumors circulated freely in our town and neighboring settlements. People in this vicinity usually kept within reach of the different block-houses which were scattered over the country, and small companies of rangers took turns in guarding these posts. There was one of these posts on the Hilliard Farm in Huntersville, one which has been described in Piqua, and one on the old Turk farm north-west of Piqua, this latter usually being occupied by a company commanded by Joseph Hunter, Sr. The state of suspense which burdened the people is well illustrated by the following letters copied from Knapp's History of the Maumee Valley.
Dayton, Feb. 2, 1813.
Governor Meigs :- Sir: Since the news reached this place of the destruction of the left wing of the North-western Army under Winchester, the inhabitants are much alarmed. Many families, even in this town, are almost on the wing for Kentucky. If the posts at Greenville are to be abandoned, this place will be a part of the frontier in ten days after. The collection of Indians on our frontiers also heighten the alarm. I verily believe that if the Indians are not re- moved from Piqua, the people will rise in a mass and drive them off. I am sorry the second expedition to Mississanaway is given up for the present. I am confident, from very recent information, that Tecumseh is now at Mississanaway with upwards of one thousand warriors. He has not been sent there by Proctor to be an idle
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spectator of passing events; the frontier and the rear of our army I presume, is marked out for him to act upon. Lieut. Graves, who bears this, and a memorial from the citizens of the town, can relate to you information received from Col. Wells, who is immediately from Gen. Harrison's camp. I have just heard the officers of three regiments of militia have been exchanged, but know nothing as respects my situation.
Your obedient, humble servant,
A. EDWARDS. Miami County, State of Ohio, Feb. 3. 1813.
To His Excellency, R. J. Meigs, Governor of said State.
The petition of the undersigned humbly sheweth; That whereas there are a considerable number of Indians of the Delaware tribe called in by the order of Gen. Harrison, and are now in our County; that it is but a thinly settled frontier, distant from a market where provisions can be furnished them, and the people of the neighborhood feel themselves in a dangerous situation in consequence of their being exposed to depredation and invasion from them, they being contiguous to the enemy; hence every opportunity of conveying information to them of our situation, moving off and joining them, and doing much mischief from their knowledge of our country, &ct. This brief petition we would humbly beg your Excellency to take into consideration, and relieve us from a state of uneasiness and alarm, by having them removed into the interior of the State, where, from its population, they will be awed into submission to the authorities having charge over them, and supported at much less expense to the Government.
G. SMITH HOUSTON, and fifty-two others.
The ensuing summer was no better, and in quoting the following, which was written by Jas. W. Hunter, and published in a local paper July 27, 1875, we find the version of the Dilbone massacre so nearly a counterpart of the story as told us personally by John Dilbone in 1890, that we will repeat it in full. John was the little seven year old boy who saw the murder com- mitted.
THE PIONEERS
A NARRATIVE OF EVENTS OCCURING IN MIAMI COUNTY DURING THE MONTH OF AUGUST, 1813
There was one event that occurred during the War of 1812-15, that created a terrible alarm to the then sparsely inhabited frontier of North- western Ohio-viz; - the murder of David Garrard and Henry Dilbone and wife, by Indians on Springcreek, on August 18, 1813. By refering to the
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history of that period you will find that the headquarters of the Indian Agency for the north-west was located under the management of Col. John Johnston, Agent at Upper Piqua, in this immediate vicinity, and from the breaking out of the war with England it had been Mr. Johnston's policy, in his offi- cial capacity, to keep the Indians neutral; and, the better to effect this object, the different tribes with their families were brought to the imme- diate vicinity of the agency and there maintained at the expense of the U. S. Government.
At this particular juncture they were numbered by thousands, the Dela- wares alone numbering 1200. It is also well remembered that while the U. S. authorities were maintaining neutrality with the Indian tribes on our borders, the English were trying to excite hostilities and enlist them on their side. Although neutrality was accepted and adhered to by the Chiefs of the different tribes constituting the agency, yet they could not or did not prohibit communication of their people with the English on the Cana- dian borders, and any event of importance, transpiring on their border was known to the camps days before the same event reached the whites through the regular mode of transmission-and it was marked by those settlers living in the vicinity of the camps that when the U. S. forces gained the victory, the "red rascals" were very friendly, but when they met a re- verse, the manner of the Indians was haughty, even insolent; or, in some an- ticipated movement of the British forces, when success was expected, the insolence was manifested on every opportunity.
Such was the condition of affairs at the time of which we write. A fearful foreboding of some approaching evil rested on the minds of many of those who had daily intercourse with the Indians. Rumors were about of emissaries from the northern tribes being among the camps. Some loyal Delaware squaws and youths surprised and drove away a small party of strange Indians in a plum bush thicket near Agent Johnston's house, sup- posed to have placed themselves in ambuscade to murder the agent as pass- ing opportunity offered. Those who remember this month of August agree in desrcibing it as the most critical period to these border settlements of the whole war of 1812. The reader will please bear in mind that what- ever is described hereafter in this communication, is confined within three days, viz; 17th, 18th, and 19th of August, 1813.
A number of white families lived in the vicinity of the Agency, having come, some from their improvements farther out, some to be near to propos- ed improvements, all for mutual help and protection in case of need.
There were several block-houses in the vicinity in which families resided, and it was customary for two or three to go together when work called them to their improvements. We would just remark here that by a military order, or civil proclamation, or by tacit agreement of the settlers during these troublesome times, there was very little discharging of fire-arms in
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the woods. A gun-shot would always attract attention, if not some de- gree of alarm. Owing to the causes existing, the rumors afloat, and the insolence of the Indians, those settlers immediately around the Agency were particularly alive to any indications of evil.
On the 17th, Alex. Russell and Jos. Hunter, accompanied by Hunter's son William, a lad of 10 or 12 years, and now the venerable Wm. Hunter Esq., went up the north branch of Swift Run to work in a clearing on Russell's farm. Both families were residing in the same house near the Agency. In the afternoon the dogs, that had followed them to their work, gave signs of alarm and great uneasiness, running in the direction of a small field of corn growing on the Russell improvement. Russell and Hunter quickly heeded the warning, quit their work and returned home.
The same day Jos. McIntire and his sons, William and John, were on their land on the south branch of Swift Run, sawing clapboard stuff in prep- aration for building his first cabin residence, and at a distance of perhaps two miles from the first named parties. While the old gentleman and one son sawed, the other did picket duty with his trusty rifle. In the after- noon they heard a gun-shot and tried to persuade themselves that some neighbor had been tempted to shoot a deer-but the premonition of danger was too strong and they too returned home to the Agency.
The night of the 17th, the family living on the farm, now owned by Jas. McMaken-and then by Alex. Moffett, were alarmed by their dogs keeping a continued barking and running in a certain direction; but they were too cautious to show any light in their house or open their doors until after day-light next morning. And, on examining in the direction indicated by their dogs they found behind a Linn-wood stump, grown over with sprouts, marks of persons having lain there through the past night. These indica- tions as communicated from one to another created no little alarm and a fearful heart-throbbing as to where the blow might fall, or when it should end. We now pass to Springcreek. From anything we have been able to gather from the traditions of the times we write about, the foreboding and alarm was not felt as much where the blow fell as in the immediate vicinity of the Indian camps.
On the 18th, David Garrard, on Springcreek, and a Mr. Ross were making shingles in the woods some distance from Garrard's house. After dinner, on the way to the shingle tree, they were fired on by two Indians. Garrard was wounded while Ross was unhurt. Ross ran toward the house and was followed by an Indian, and, when near the house a call was heard from the savage with Garrard, Ross' pursuer immediately left the chase. It s said that Ross ran through the house without stopping, there being no guns in it for defense; nor had he or his companion any with them at their vork. Ross ran to Staunton and gave the alarm to a company of vol- inteers who were drilling at that place. Garrard's remains were recover-
.
1
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ed that evening, and, from the indications around the poplar tree, at whose foot he lay, he had fought for his life bravely with such clubs as he could lay hands on. A correspondent of your paper says that Garrard was scalped, but old pioneers in the vicinity of the murder say he was not. Old Father Shell, who now owns the land, can still point out the stump of the poplar tree where Garrard's body was found.
On this same day, the 18th of August, after the usual noon meal, Henry Dilbone, living also on Springcreek, four miles north of the scene of Gar- rard's murder, left his house accompanied by his wife and four children, and proceeded to a flax patch, which they were intending to pull that after- noon. Just here I will leave them and get the positon of the immediate neighborhood on that eventful afternoon.
Taking the Urbana Pike for our base and the crossing of Springcreek as the starting point, at the date of which we write, Wm. Mckinney owned and lived on the quarter section north of the pike and west of Springcreek. Geo. Cavin owned and lived on the quarter north and east of Mckinney. Henry Dilbone owned and lived on the quarter east of Cavin, and John Cavin owned and lived on the quarter east of Dilbone.
On the 18th of August, Geo. Cavin and his wife went, early in the day, to his brother, John Cavin's, passing over Dilbone's land. After dinner, early in the afternoon, Mrs. Cavin returned alone, over the same path, car- rying her child, the late John Cavin; passed near the Dilbone improvement, entered her own house, and, before she was seated, was startled by hearing a gun-shot in the direction she had come. Attentively listening a few min- utes she was sure she heard some one screaming. Being now fully alarm- ed she took up her child, closed her house and flew with all possible speed down the creek to Wm. Mckinney's. Mr. Mckinney was not at home; and it is painful to reflect on the feeling of those unprotected women and children during those afternoon hours until Mckinney returned.
On leaving their house the Dilbone family passed through a field of grow- ing corn, the flax patch being on the furthest side from the house. Plac- ing the babe, a child of nine months, in the care of John, the eldest of the children, a boy aged seven years, the parents proceeded to their labor, and after some time Margaret, aged five years, went home for a drink. That act saved her from seeing the merciless stroke of the hatchet that deprived her of a mother's care and love. On her return through the intervening corn she met John, with the babe and her little sister, and she heard the sor- rowful tale that the Indians had shot their father and tomahawked their mother, and that they were orphans.
This little group of sorrow-stricken children returned to what had been their happy fireside, shut the door on the world outside that sacred pre- cinct, their home, pulled in the string that lifted the wooden latch, lulled their baby brother to sleep in his cradle, and all three crawled into their
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dead mother's bed. Thus the weary hours of that August afternoon wore on until at length a woman's hand was thrust through an opening in the wall beside the door, the latch was lifted, and the neighbor woman stood within the house with the earnest inquiry; "What does this mean children? Why are you all in bed?" John earnestly and sorrowfully told the horrid tale: "The Indians have shot father, and he ran off into the corn, and they tomahawked mother right beside us, and she is lying dead in the flax patch." Terror-stricken this woman turned on her heel, pulled the door shut behind her, ran home, gathered her little ones and fled to the nearest station for safety. About sundown that door was again opened, this time by Wm. Mckinney. Again the question; "What does this mean?" was put to these children. Again John's sorrowful story was repeated. Mr. Mc- Kinney feigned to disbelieve it, and John challenged him to show the truth of it by going with him to the flax-patch. Mckinney accepted and found the boy's story too true. There lay Mrs. Dilbone on her face, her right knee doubled up to her breast, a ghastly wound in the back of her neck low down between the shoulders. Mr. Dilbone was nowhere to be seen. Near where the children had sat was found the Indian's gun, blanket, and scalping knife. John's story of the murder as he witnessed it, was, that on the crack of the rifle his father uttered a loud exclamation and ran off in- to the corn, and, almost instantly, two Indians jumped the fence into the field and came toward his mother, and that he knew the Indian with the gun, and that she knew him and called him by his name (George) saying, 'George, don't kill him", meaning her husband-and George, answering in English, told her to "hush, or he would kill her".
Mrs. Dilbone then commenced screaming, and from the position in which she was found lying, it was supposed she was running when the fatal hatchet arrested her forever. John also stated that the Indians came and stood ooking at the children for some time. Only one had a gun. The other vas only a boy. Then suddenly, the one with the gun threw it and his blanket and knife down, and both ran off as fast as they could.
McKinney took the gun, which had been discharged, with him to the touse, charged it from Dilbone's amunition, and taking Dilbone's gun, al- eady charged, with the two little girls, and John carrying the baby, started n the gathering twilight to his own residence. On nearing George Cavin's mprovement some human object presented itself to Mckinney's over-excited ision. Setting down his burden and one gun, he raised the other and ailed-"Who's there?"-No answer was given. A second hail was given, nd only in time to save his life the answer came, "I'm looking for my wife". t was George Cavin, who, having returned from his brother John's, found is house deserted and was directing his course toward Dilbone's in hopes f finding the whereabouts of his wife. The dreadful story of the after- oon was soon told and the two neighbors, with their orphan charges, were
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