USA > Ohio > The history of Ohio, from its earliest settlement to the present time > Part 8
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135
LOCKHART'S ADVENTURE,
1793.]
and was in the act of drawing forth his ramrod. The Indian finding him ready, ran back to the tree he had left. There they remained watching each other until night approached, both being too cautious to uncover any part of the body, so as to give the other a chance of an effective shot. Lockhart, as it grew darker, became afraid that the Indian would steal off unobserved, and de- termined if possible to draw him by a stratagem from his cover. He therefore took his low- crowned beaver hat, and mounting it on his ram- rod, slowly pushed it round the tree, imitating as much as possible the motions of a human head. The Indian instantly caught a glimpse of the hat and fired, and Lockhart letting the hat fall to the ground completed the delusion. The Indian, uttering a cry of triumph, rushed forward to secure the scalp of his enemy. Lock- hart waited until he was within a few yards, and then stepping from behind the tree, deliberately shot him. The undaunted ranger now went in search of his horse, but failing to find him, re- turned alone to the garrison.
The next morning a party of the garrison found the Indian dead whom Lockhart had last shot, but the wounded one was missing. After a further search, the old horse was found on Carpenter's Run, about six miles above Marietta. It was supposed that the wounded Indian had contrived to catch the horse, which was very
L
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HISTORY OF OHIO.
[1793.
gentle, and had ridden him to the vicinity of the Ohio, where he either crossed the river, aided by some other Indians who belonged to the war party, or had hidden himself among the rocks. No trace of him could be found.
CHAPTER X.
Wayne's preparations for the Indian campaign-Wayne com- mences operations-Death of Lieutenant Lowry-Kentucky volunteers-Exploits of Josiah Hunt-General Wayne's spies-A remarkable escape-Captain Wells preserves the lives of an Indian family-Attack on Fort Recovery-Fort Defiance erected-Wayne's last offer of peace to the In- dians-Little Turtle opposed by Blue Jacket at the Indian council-The Battle of the Fallen Timbers-Major Camp- bell and General Wayne.
WHILE negotiations with the Indians were earnestly prosecuted by the United States, every effort was made by General Wayne to prepare his soldiers for the field, in accordance with the instructions of the commander-in-chief. " Train and discipline them for the service they are meant for," said Washington, " and do not spare powder and lead, so the men be made marks- men."
All hostile movements north of the Ohio having been forbidden by Washington until the northern commissioners were heard from, it was not until
137
DEATH OF LOWRY.
1793.]
the 10th of August, 1793, that matters were brought to a crisis. On that day the chiefs as sembled in grand council demanded that the Ohio River should henceforth remain forever the boundary between their hunting grounds and the American settlements. The commissioners fail- ing to impress them with the utter impossibility of complying with any such restrictive stipula- tion, the conference was abruptly terminated, and both parties prepared to renew the war.
At this period Wayne was encamped at Cin- cinnati, where he was contending with the pre- judices of the Kentucky militia, with fever, in- fluenza, and desertion. On receiving intelligence of the failure of Indian negotiations, he broke up his camp at Cincinnati, and marching to Greenville, proceeded to fortify his position for the winter.
On the morning of the 17th of October, 1793, Lieutenant Lowry, of the second sub-legion, and Ensign Boyd, of the 1st, with a command con- sisting of ninety non-commissioned officers and privates, while escorting to the camp at Green- ville twenty wagons loaded with grain and stores, were attacked by Little Turtle, at the head of a party of Indians. After an obstinate resistance against superior numbers, the Americans were totally routed with the loss of fifteen men includ- ing both the officers in command, the greater part of the escort having fled at the very first
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HISTORY OF OHIO.
- [1793.
discharge. The savages killed or carried off about seventy horses, leaving the wagons with their contents standing in the middle of the road. The last words of the gallant Lowry were, "My brave boys, all you that can fight now display your activity and let your balls fly."
On the 24th of October, General Wayne was reinforced by a company of volunteers from Kentucky, under General Scott. The Kentucky troops, however, were soon after dismissed until spring, but they had seen sufficient in General Wayne's army to convince them of the admira- ble discipline of the regulars; and on their return to their native state so earnestly communicated their own confidence to others, that the requisite number of volunteers was easily procured in the spring.
Having strengthened his position by the erec- tion of Fort Greenville, General Wayne, in De- cember, 1793, ordered a detachment to take possession of the field of St. Clair's defeat. HIere, when the remains of St. Clair's brave but unfortunate men had been gathered together and interred, Fort Recovery was built and gar- risoned; and when this was accomplished, the re- mainder of the detachment returned to the camp at Greenville.
During the winter, while General Wayne's army lay at Greenville, Josiah Hunt, who was an
139
EXPLOITS OF HUNT.
1793.]
excellent woodsman, was employed by the officers of the garrison to supply them with venison, and was in consequence exempted from all other duties. It was the practice of the Indians to climb the trees in the neighbourhood of the fort, so as to see when any person left it. The di- rection of the victim was then noted, his path ambushed, and his scalp secured. To avoid this
danger Hunt always left the fort at night. Hc
used to say, " When once I get into the woods without their knowledge I have as good a chance as they." He would, therefore, go out after dark, and make for that part of the forest in which he intended to hunt the next day. To keep from freezing to death it was necessary to have a fire during the night, and this too without flame, which if seen by the Indians would ensure his certain destruction. He contrived a camp fire in the following manner. He dug a hole in the ground with his tomahawk, about the size and depth of his hat crown. He then procured from a dead tree, the bark of the white oak, which he severed into strips, and placed in the bottom of the hole crosswise, until the pit was full. This bark will retain a strong degree of heat when covered with its ashes. After his fire was kindled, and his " coal-pit," as he termed it, sufficiently ignited, he would cover it with dirt, leaving two openings at its margin for the ad- mission of air. To ward off all injury from the
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HISTORY OF OHIO. [1793.
dampness of the ground, he seated himself upon strips of bark covered with his blanket, his hand resting on his trusty rifle, and the fire between his legs. If his fire became too much smothered. he would freshen it by blowing into one of the air holes. At daybreak he commenced hunt- ing, proceeding very slowly and with extreme caution, looking for his game and the Indian enemy at the same time. Previous to shooting a deer, he always put another bullet in his mouth, so as to be able to re-load with all possible des- patch, which he did before leaving the spot, or going in search of the deer after his rifle was discharged. The process of skinning was con- ducted with his back toward a tree, and his rifle Jeaning against it within reach of his hand. In this cautious manner he would skin for a short time, and then get up and narrowly survey the surrounding forest, to see if the report of his rifle had brought the Indians to his vicinity. When he had stripped and divided the animal, the four quarters were packed in the hide, which was so arranged as to be slung to his back like a knapsack, and in this manner he was accustom- ed to return to the garrison. Amid all the dangers to which he was exposed, his constant vigilance insured his safety.
At the treaty of Greenville, in 1795, the In- dians eagerly inquired for Hunt, whom they scemed to consider not inferior to Wayne himself
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141
1793.] EMPLOYMENT OF SCOUTS
as a warrior. When he was pointed out to them he was immediately surrounded, and a profusion of compliments showered upon him: "Great man, Captain Hunt; great warrior, good hunting man ; Indian no can kill !" They informed him that some of their bravest and most cunning warriors had frequently gone out for the express purpose of killing him. They knew how he con- structed his secret camp fires, the ingenuity of which excited their admiration. The warriors in quest of him had often seen him, and could describe every article of his clothing-his cap, which was made of a raccoon's skin with the tail hanging down behind, the front turned up and ornamented with three brass rings. The scalp of such a great hunter and warrior was con- sidered an invaluable trophy. Yet they could never catch him off his guard-never approach him within shooting distance without being in- stantly perceived, and exposed to the fire of his death-dealing rifle.
Knowing the Indians to be bold, dexterous, and vigilant, Wayne judiciously guarded his camp from surprise, by employing several scouts under the command of Captain Wells, to range the forest in various directions, and keep up a keen scrutiny upon the movements of the enemy.
Captain Wells, when a child, was made prisoner by the Indians, and adopted into the family of
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HISTORY OF OHIO.
- [1794.
Little Turtle. He was present at the defeat of St. Clair, and commanded three hundred Indian warriors, who being ambuscaded in front of the artillery, caused so dreadful a carnage among the artillerists that the bodies of the slain were heaped up almost to the height of their guns. Wells, perceiving that the whites would finally gain the ascendency, joined General Wayne's army, and was employed by him as a spy on the movements of the Indians. Attached to his command were the following men :- Rober M'Clellan, one of the most active men on foot that ever lived, and Henry Miller, who with a younger brother named Christopher, had been made captives, and adopted into Indian families when young. Henry Miller lived with the Indians twenty-four years, and finally left them and joined the whites, after having in vain attempted to induce his brother to accompany him.
Being desirous of ascertaining the plans of the Indians, Wayne, in June, 1794, despatched Cap- tain Wells, at the head of his scouts, to bring a prisoner into camp. In obedience to this order Wells crossed the St. Mary's, and entering the Indian country, penetrated into the depths of the wilderness. Perceiving a smoke rising above the forest, he dismounted his men, who after fastening their horses, proceeded cautiously on foot until they came within sight of a fire
143
WAYNE'S SPIES.
1794.]
- -
which had been kindled by three Indians, encamped on a piece of ground so free from trees and undergrowth, that it was almost im- possible to approach within shooting distance without being discovered by them. While care- fully reconnoitering this position, the scouts, observed a fallen tree within rifle shot of the en- campment, and creeping forward cautiously, gain- ed a position behind it, without attracting obser- vation. It was decided that Wells and Miller were each to shoot one of the Indians, and M'Clellan was to pursue the other and take him prisoner. Captain Wells and Miller accordingly selected their men, fired, and the Indians fell, while M'Clellan, with tomahawk in hand made a dash at the fugi- tive, who rushed toward the river. On reaching the stream the Indian sprang into it, and imme- diately sank to his middle in the soft mud at its bottom. M'Clellan approached him with up- lifted tomahawk and the Indian drew his knife : but on being threatened with instant death if he offered any resistance, he surrendered himself a prisoner without further opposition. The captive thus secured was at first morose and taciturn, and refused to speak one word cither in Indian or English. While washing the mud from his person the paint also came off, and. he proved to be a white man. Henry Miller suspecting that the prisoner might be his brother Christopher, called him by his Indian name,
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HISTORY OF OHIO.
[1794.
The captive started and eagerly inquired how Henry knew him. The mystery was soon ex- plained. It was indeed his brother Christopher whose life had been thus providentially spared. He stood an even chance of death with the two Indians, and might have been killed by his own brother. But that Providence which appears to have doomed the Indian race to extinction, per- mitted the white man to live.
In one of these excursions, Captain Wells, on approaching the banks of the St. Mary's, dis- covered a family of Indians coming up the river in a canoe. As he was dressed in Indian costume and spoke their language, the Indians turned their canoe toward him, unsuspicious of danger. The moment they approached the shore Captain Wellsrecognised, among others, his Indian father and mother, and at the same moment heard his companions, from their concealment behind the bushes on the bank, preparing to pour a destruc- tive fire into the canoe. Alarmed at the danger to which his foster parents were exposed, Wells suddenly ordered his men to desist, and turning his own rifle upon them, declared he would shoot the first man that disobeyed. "That family," said he, « has fed me when hungry, clothed me when naked, and nursed me when sick, and has treated me with as much affection as one of their own children." This short speech was quite sufficient. The hearts of his comrades were
145
FORT RECOVERY ATTACKED.
1794.]
moved, and approving the lenity of their com- mander under such circumstances, they dropped their rifles and tomahawks, and hastening to the canoe, shook hands with the trembling Indians in the most friendly manner. Captain Wells assured the family they had nothing to fear. He told them that General Wayne was approach- ing with an overwhelming force, and that the best thing the Indians could do was to make their peace with the whites as soon as possible. He urged his Indian father to keep for the future out of danger, and then affectionately bade them all farewell. They appeared grateful for this manifestation of clemency, and pushing off their canoe from the shore, paddled away as rapidly as possible.
On the 30th of June, the Indians attempted to regain the ground of St. Clair's defeat; and on the same day, Fort Recovery was attack- ed by Little Turtle, at the head of an army of from one thousand to fifteen hundred warriors. The Indians made the attack with the determi- nation to carry the fort, or perish in the attempt. They were repulsed, but they renewed the combat the next day; and it was not until a great num- ber of their bravest chiefs and warriors were killed, that they reluctantly abandoned the en- terprise.
On the 28th of July, Wayne having been joined by General Scott, with sixteen hundred
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146
HISTORY OF OHIO. [1794.
Kentuckians, moved to the confluence of the Au Glaize and the Maumee. The fertile lands lying along the shores of these beau- tiful rivers, for several miles above and below their junction, were covered with corn planted by the Indians, and appeared one continuation of an extensive Indian village. For the perma- nent occupation of this important district, Fort Defiance was erected. A deserter having in- formed the Indians of the approach of Wayne's army, he was prevented from taking them by surprise, as he had anticipated. Ile therefore found on his arrival that the main body of the Indians had retired down the Maumee about thirty miles, to the foot of the rapids, where the British had recently erected a fortification.
On the 13th of August, true to the spirit of peace advised by Washington, General Wayne released Christopher Miller, and sent him to the Indians with the following letter :---
" To the Delawares, Shawanese, Miamies, and Wyandots, and to each and every of them, and to all other nations of Indians north- west of the Ohio, whom it may concern :
" I, Anthony Wayne, Major-General and Com- mander-in-chief of the Federal army now at Grand Glaize, and commissioner-plenipotentiary of the United States of America for settling the terms on which a permanent and lasting peace
147
1794.]
WAYNE'S PROCLAMATION.
shall be made with each and every of the hostile tribes or nations of Indians north-west of the Ohio, and of the said United States, actuated by the purest principles of humanity, and urged by pity for the errors into which bad and designing men have led you, from the head of my army now in possession of your abandoned villages and settlements, do hereby once more extend the friendly hand of peace toward you, and invite each and every of the hostile tribes of Indians to appoint deputies to meet me and my army, without delay, between this place and Roche de Bout, in order to settle the preliminaries of a lasting peace, which may eventually and soon restore to you, the Delawares, Miamies, Shawa nese, and all other tribes and nations lately set- tled at .this place, and on the margins of the Miami and the Au Glaize Rivers, your late grounds and possessions, and to preserve you and your distressed and hapless women and children from danger and famine, during the present fall and ensuing winter. The arm of the United States is strong, but they love mercy and kindness more than war and desolation. And to remove any doubts of danger to the deputies whom you may appoint, I hereby pledge my sacred honour for their safety and return. and send Christopher Miller, an adopted Shawa- nce, and a Shawance warrior whom I took pri- soner two days ago, as a flag, who will advance
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HISTORY OF OHIO. [1794.
in their front to meet me. Mr. Miller was taken prisoner by my warriors, six months since, and can testify to you the kindness which I have shown to your people, my prisoners, that is, five warriors and two women, who are now all safe and well at Greenville.
" But should this invitation be disregarded, and my flag, Mr. Miller, be detained or injured, I will immediately order all those prisoners to be put to death without distinction, and some of them are known to belong to the first families of your nations. Brothers, be no longer deceived or led astray by the false promises and language of the bad white men at the foot of the rapids ; they have neither the power nor the inclination to protect you. No longer shut your eyes to your true interest and happiness, nor your cars to this peaceful overture ; but, in pity to your innocent women and children, come and pre- vent the further effusion of your blood ; let them experience the kindness and friendship of the United States, and the blessings of peace.
ANTHONY WAYNE.
"GRAND GLAIZE, Ata. 13, 1794."
Unwilling to lose time, General Wayne ordered his troops to continue their march, and on the 16th met Miller returning with the message, that if General Wayne would wait at Grand Glaize ten days, the Indians would decide for peace or
149
DEATH OF MAY.
1794.]
war. On receiving this reply the march of the army was resumeed, and on the 18th the troops had advanced forty-one miles from Grand Glaize. Being at length in the immediate neighbourhood of the enemy, a picketed work, named Fort De- posit, was hastily constructed for the reception of the heavy baggage, and while the troops were thus engaged, Captain Wells, who had been ordered with his party to attempt the capture of another prisoner, boldly rode into the very midst of the Indian camp. They were discovered; and in attempting to retreat, one of the men, named May, had his horse shot under him, and was taken prisoner. The Indians said to him, " We know you-you speak Indian language-you not content to live with us ; to-morrow we take you to that tree"-pointing to a very large burr oak on the edge of a clearing near the British fort -. "we will tie you up and make a mark on your breast, and we will try what Indian can shoot nearest it." Accordingly, the next day he was tied to the tree, a mark made on his breast, and his body riddled with at least fifty bullets.
During the 19th the troops still laboured at their works. The confederated warriors were known to be encamped in a dense forest, about four miles lower down the Maumee; the ground in front and to their right being covered by fallen trees, which some powerful tornado had pros-
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HISTORY OF OHIO.
[1794.
trated, while their left was protected by the rocky margin of the river.
On the evening before the battle, an Indian council was held, composed of chiefs from the Miamies, Shawanese, Pottawatomies, Delawares, Ottawas, Chippewas, and Senecas, the seven In- dian nations engaged in the action. Little Tur- tle, the most celebrated forest warrior and states- man of his time, was present, and addressed the council, strongly urging the propriety of accept- ing the proposals of General Wayne. " We have beaten the enemy," said he, "twice under sepa- rate commanders. We cannot expect the same good fortune always to attend us. The Ameri- cans are now led by a chief who never sleeps. The night and the day are alike to him; and during all the time that he has been marching upon our villages, notwithstanding the watchful- ness of our young men, we have never been able to surprise him. Think well of it. There is something whispers me it would be prudent to listen to his offers of peace." Blue Jacket was. however, at that time commander-in-chief. IIc opposed Little Turtle, the better judgment of that intelligent warrior was rejected, and war resolved on.
About eight o'clock on the morning of the 20th of August, the army advanced to the at- tack. As soon as the Indian fire was heard, General Wayne ordered the mounted volunteers
151
BATTLE OF FALLEN TIMBERS.
1794.]
to gain the enemy's rear by a circuitous route, and the second line of the legion into position on the left of the first, as from the weight of the fire it was evident that the Indians were endeavouring to turn the left flank of the legion. He also ordered the cavalry to push in between the Indians and the river, the ground there being more open, while the first line of the legion ad- vanced and started the enemy from their covert at the point of the bayonet. These orders were executed by the troops with courage and promptitude; but such was the impetuosity of the infantry, that before the other troops could assume the positions assigned them, the Indians were completely routed in all parts of the field, and in the course of one hour were driven two miles through the thick woods by less than one- half their number. The fugitives were hotly pursued even to the walls of the British garrison, which was presently surrounded by their blazing cornfields and cabins. The near approach of the troops to the British works drew forth a let- ter of remonstrance from Major Campbell, its commandant. A sharp correspondence ensued, in which General Wayne denied the right of the British to build a fort there, and requested the major to retire within the limits prescribed to the British by their treaty with the United States. This Campbell refused to do until com- manded to retire by his superior officer, at the
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HISTORY OF OHIO.
[1794.
same time he warned Wayne not to approach within the reach of his cannon.
The erection of this fortress within the ac- knowledged territories of the United States had received the attention of the government, and General Wayne had private orders to drive out the intruders, if, in his opinion, such a step was necessary to the success of his operations against the Indians. On the morning before the army retired he carefully inspected the defences of the fort, and soon saw that his artillery was not sufficiently heavy to make any impression on its massive walls, while the deep fosse by which it was surrounded rendered an escalade impossible, but at an expense of valuable lives which the occasion would not justify. He therefore abandoned all thoughts of effecting its reduction ; and having driven the Indians from their princi- pal settlements, destroyed their winter's provi- sions, and erected forts in the country to prevent their return, he fell back on Fort Defiance, the defences of which he completed, and finally re- tired with his army into winter quarters at Greenville.
1794.]
JONAS DAVIS.
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CHAPTER XI.
Jonas Davis killed by the Indians-John James pursues and encounters the murderers-Death of Sherman Waterford --- Wayne's treaty of peace-Settlers leave their garrisons- Increase of population-North- Western forts surrendered- Salt springs-Sufferings of two of the first salt makers- Chillicothe founded-Death of General Wayne.
THE defeat of the Indians by General Wayne having greatly humbled them, their depredations became less frequent ; but as peace was not yet concluded, no dependence could be placed on their forbearance, and the settlers still remained in the block-houses.
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