USA > Ohio > The history of the state of Ohio; from the discovery of the great valley, to the present time > Part 30
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" I 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 Boeuf, in order to settle the preliminaries of a lasting peace. This may eventually restore to you, and to all the tribes and nations settled on the margin of the Miami and Auglaise Rivers, your late grounds and possessions, and preserve you and your distressed 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. To remove any doubts of danger to the deputies whom you may appoint, I hereby pledge my sacred honor for their safety and return. I send Chris- topher Miller, an adopted Shawanee, and a warrior, whom I took prisoner, as a flag, who will advance in their front to meet me. Mr. Miller was taken prisoner by my warriors six months ago. He can testify to you of 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 should Mr. Miller be detained or injured, I will immediately order all of those prisoners to be put to death, without distinction. Some of them
ETHAN ALLEN BROWN Governor 1818-22.
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are known to belong to the first families of your nations. Broth- ers, be no longer deceived by the false promises 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 interests, nor your ears to this peaceful overture. In pity for your innocent women and children, come and prevent the further effusion of blood. Let them experience the kindness and friend- ship of the United States, and the blessings of peace.
" ANTHONY WAYNE."
A council of the Indians was held. Little Turtle earnestly counseled peace. In a brief but energetic speech, he said :
"We have beaten the enemy twice under separate commanders .. We can not expect the same good fortune always to attend us .. The Americans are now led by a chief who never sleeps. The night and the day are alike to him. During all the time that he has been marching upon our villages, notwithstanding the watch- fulness 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."
A renowned Indian warrior, Blue Jacket, was commander-in- chief of the Indian forces. He was strongly in favor of war, and silenced Little Turtle by accusing him of cowardice. At the close of the council, the chiefs returned the following answer :
" If General Wayne will remain where he is for ten days, and. then send Miller to us, we will treat with him. But, if he advan- ces, we will give him battle."
But General Wayne had already put his army on the march, and met his messenger on his return at the distance of but a few miles from Fort Meigs. As Miller delivered the answer, he stated that the Indians were all dressed and painted for war; that war parties were continually coming in, and were received with great enthusiasm; and that it was his opinion that the message was. merely a ruse by which the Indians hoped to gain a little more time to muster their forces. The Indians left their encampment, which, from the encouragement they had received from the British officers, they supposed to be safe under the protection of the guns: of the fort, and crossed the river to meet their foes.
At six o'clock on the morning of the twentieth of August, Gen- eral Wayne advanced from Fort Deposit, or Roche de Boeuf, as-
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the station was also called, and took position a few miles further down the river on a long ridge called Presque Isle. We give Gen- eral Wayne's official report of the battle which ensued :
" It is with infinite pleasure that I announce to you the brilliant success of the Federal army under my command, in a general action with the combined forces of the hostile Indians and a con- siderable number of the volunteers and militia of Detroit, on the twentieth of August, 1794, on the banks of the Maumee, in the vicinity of the British fort and garrison at the foot of the Rapids.
" The army advanced to Roche de Boeuf, on the fifteenth. On the nineteenth, we were employed in making a temporary post for the reception of our stores and baggage, and in reconnoitering the position of the enemy, who were encamped behind a thick, bushy wood in the rear of the forts.
" At eight o'clock in the morning of the twentieth, the army again advanced in columns agreeably to the standing order of the march. The legion was on the right - with its right flank covered by the Maumee. One brigade of mounted volunteers was on the left, under Brigadier General Todd, and the other in the rear, under Brigadier General Barbee. A select battalion of mounted volunteers moved in front of the legion, commanded by Major Price. He was directed to keep sufficiently advanced to give timely notice for the troops to form, in case of action-it being as yet uncertain whether the Indians would decide for peace or war.
" After advancing about five miles, Major Price's corps received so severe a fire from the enemy, who were secreted in the woods and high grass, as to compel them to retreat. The legion was immediately formed in two lines, principally in a close, thick wood which extended for miles on our left, and for a very considerable distance in front. The ground was covered with old fallen timber, probably occasioned by a tornado, which rendered it impractica- ble for the cavalry to act with effect, and which afforded the enemy the most favorable covert for their mode of warfare.
" The savages were formed in three lines within supporting dis- tance of each other, and extending for nearly two miles, at right angles with the river. I soon discovered from the weight of their fire and extent of their lines, that the enemy were in full force in front, in possession of their favorite ground, and that they were
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endeavoring to turn our left flank. I therefore gave orders for the second line to advance to support the first. I also directed Major General Scott to gain and turn the right flank of the savages by a circuitous route, with the whole of the mounted volunteers.
"At the same time, I ordered the front line to advance and charge with trailed arms, and rouse the Indians, from their covert, at the point of the bayonet. When the Indians were up and fly- ing, they were to deliver a close and well-directed fire upon their backs. This was to be followed by a brisk charge, so as not to give them time to load again, or to form their lines. I also ordered Captain Campbell, who commanded the legionary cav- alry, to turn the left flank of the enemy next the river, which afforded a favorable field for that corps to act in.
"All these orders were obeyed with spirit and promptitude .. But such was the impetuosity of the charge, by the first line of infantry, that the Indians, and Canadian militia and volunteers, were driven from all their coverts in so short a time that although every possible exertion was used by the officers of the second line of the legion, and by Generals Scott, Wood and Barbee, of the. mounted volunteers, to gain their proper positions, only a part of each could get up in season to participate in the action. The: enemy were driven, in the course of one hour, more than two miles through the thick woods, by less than one-half of their number.
" From every account, the enemy amounted to two thousand. combatants. The troops actually engaged against them were short of nine hundred. This horde of savages, with their allies, abandoned themselves to flight, and dispersed with terror and dismay, leaving our victorious army in full and quiet possession of the field of battle, which terminated under the influence of the guns of the British garrison."
The battle, though very decisive in the victory over the sav- ages, was too short to be very sanguinary. The loss of the Ameri- cans was thirty-three killed and one hundred wounded. The Indian loss was much more severe; but just what it amounted to could never be ascertained, as they made great exertions to re- move their dead and wounded. Still, the woods were strewed for a long distance with the bodies of the dead. Among them were found many of their white auxiliaries, armed with British muskets and bayonets.
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The victorious American army encamped for three days on the banks of the Maumee, within sight of the fort. This fort, erected by the British, for the protection and encouragement of the In- dians, was clearly within the limits of the territory which had been ceded to the United States by the British Government, in the Treaty of Paris. If the region belonged to the United States, the British had no right to construct a fort there. If it belonged to Great Britain, the Americans had no right to fight a battle there. Still neither party wished to renew the war which had so recently terminated.
Major Campbell, the commander of the fort, sent a letter to General Wayne, asking him what he meant by bringing his army within reach of the guns of a fort garrisoned by the troops of the King of Great Britain. General Wayne, with spirit, replied, that Major Campbell would find the most satisfactory answer to his question in the brilliant action which had just been fought against a horde of savages in the vicinity of his fort; and that he should pay no respect to a British fort, which was only established since the commencement of the present war between the United States and the Indians. Major Campbell replied :
"Although your letter of yesterday's date fully authorizes me to any act of hostility against the army of the United States, in this neighborhood, under your command, yet, anxious to prevent that dreadful decision, which perhaps is not intended by either of our countries, I have forborne, for these two days past, to resent those insults which you have offered to the British flag, flying at this fort, by approaching it within pistol-shot of my works, not only singly, but in numbers, with arms in their hands.
" But should you, after this, continue to approach my post in the threatening manner you are this moment doing, my indispensable duty to my king and country, and the honor of my profession, will oblige me to have recourse to those measures which thousands of either nation may hereafter have cause to regret, and which, I solemnly appeal to God, I have used my utmost endeavors to arrest."
To this General Wayne replied that Major Campbell was com- mitting an act of hostility against the United States by building a fort within the acknowledged limits of the States. "This," said he, "is an act of the highest aggression. Hence it becomes my duty to demand, in the name of the President of the United States,
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that you immediately desist from any further act of hostility or aggression, by forbearing to fortify, and by withdrawing the troops, artillery and stores under your direction, forthwith, and remov- ing to the nearest post occupied by his Britannic Majesty's troops, at the peace of 1783."
Campbell replied : "I cannot enter into any discussion of the right or impropriety of my occupying my present position. That must be left to the ambassadors of our different nations. I cer- tainly will not abandon this post, at the summons of any power whatever, until I receive orders from those I have the honor to serve under, or the fortune of war should oblige me. I must still adhere to the purport of my letter this morning to deny that your army, or individuals belonging to it, will not approach within reach of my cannon, without expecting the consequences attend- ing it. Let me add that I am much deceived if his Majesty the King of Great Britain had not a post on this river at, and prior to the period you mention."
General Wayne had received private instructions from Presi- dent Washington that, should he find himself in sufficient force to capture the British fort, he was to do so, and drive the garrison out of the country. He accordingly carefully inspected the works. They had an armament of ten pieces of artillery, and were garrisoned by four hundred and fifty men. It was there- fore decided that the attempt to storm the fort would result in great slaughter, and probably in a failure.
After the defeat, the officers of the fort did not venture to open its gates to receive the fugitive savages. This would have been, indeed, a declaration of war against the United States. As the British had encouraged the Indians, in every possible way, before the battle, they were greatly disgusted by this unexpected treat- ment. One of their celebrated chiefs - Buckongahelas, of whom we have before spoken - who had fled down the river, beyond the fort, assembled his tribe in a little fleet of canoes, to ascend the stream and enter into a treaty of peace with the victors. As they were approaching the fort, the officer of the day hailed Buckon- gahelas, and said that Major Campbell wished to speak to him.
"In that case," said the proud chieftain, "let him come to me."
" That he will never do," was the reply; "and he will not allow you to pass the fort unless you comply with his wishes."
"What shall prevent my passing?" the chieftain responded.
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"Those guns," answered the orderly, as he pointed to the ar- tillery which could sweep the stream with grapeshot.
"I fear not your cannon," the chief replied. " After suffering the Americans to insult your flag, without daring to fire upon them, you must not expect to frighten Buckongahelas."
The canoes pushed on, and passed the fort unmolested.
A white man, Jonathan Alder, who was at that time living with the Indians, an adopted member of one of the tribes, gives the following account of the battle as seen from the Indian side of the field .
"We remained near Fort Defiance about two weeks, until we heard of the approach of Wayne. We then packed up our goods, and started for the old English fort, at the Maumee Rapids. Here we prepared ourselves for battle, and sent the women and children down about three miles below the fort. As I did not wish to fight, they sent me to Sandusky to inform some Wyandots there of the great battle that was about to take place. I remained at Sandusky until the battle was over. The Indians did not wait more than three or four days, before Wayne made his appearance at the head of a long prairie on the river.
"The Indians are curious about fighting. They will not eat just before going into battle. They say that if a man is shot through the body, when his bowels are empty, there is not so much danger as when they are full. So they started the first morning without eating anything, and, moving up to the end of the prairie, ranged themselves, in order of battle, at the edge of the timber. There they waited all day, without any food, and at. night returned and partook of their suppers.
"The second morning they again placed themselves in the same position, and again returned at night and supped. By this time they had begun to get weak from eating only once a day, and con- cluded that they would eat breakfast before they again started. So the next morning they began to cook and eat. Some were eating, and others, who had finished, had moved forward to their stations, when Wayne's army was seen approaching. As soon as they were within gunshot, the Indians began firing upon them. But Wayne, making no halt, rushed on. Only a small part of the Indians being on the ground, they were obliged to give back, and finding Wayne too strong for them, endeavored to retreat. Those who were on the way heard the noise and sprung to their
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assistance. So some were running from, and others to, the field of battle, which created great confusion. In the mean time General Wayne's light horse had gone entirely around, and came in upon their rear, blowing their horns, and closing in upon them. The Indians now found that they were completely surrounded. All that could, made their escape, and the balance were killed, which was no small number. The main body of the Indians were back nearly two miles from the battle ground. Wayne had taken them by surprise, and made such slaughter among them, that they were entirely discouraged, and made the best of their way to their res- pective homes.
General Harrison, subsequently President of the United States, was aid to General Wayne in this campaign. The following letter from him, addressed to Honorable Thomas Chilton, in February, 1834, is too important to be omitted :
"That the northwestern and Indian war was a continuation of the revolutionary contest, is susceptible of proof. The Indians, in that quarter, had been engaged in the first seven years of the war as the allies of Great Britain, and they had no inclination to continue it after the peace of 1783. It is to British influence that their subsequent hostilities are to be attributed. The agents of that government never ceased to stimulate their enmity against the government of the United States, and to represent the peace which had been made as a temporary truce, at the expiration of which their great father would unite with them in the war, and drive the Long Knives from the land they had so unjustly usurped from his red children. This was the cause of the detention of the posts of Detroit, Mackinaw and Niagara, so long after the treaty of 1783.
"The bare suggestion of a wish, by the British authorities, would have been sufficient to induce the Indians to accept the terms proposed by the American Commissioners. At any rate, the withholding the supplies with which the Indians had been previously furnished, would have left no other alternative but to make peace. From that period, however, the war was no longer carried on in disguise. Acts of open hostility were committed. In June, 1794, the Indians assembled at the Miami of the Lake, and were completely equipped out of the king's store. From the fort, a large and regularly fortified work which had been built
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there the preceding Spring, for the purpose of supporting the operations of the Indians against the army of General Wayne.
"Nor was the assistance limited to the supply of provisions and munitions of war. On the advance of the Indians, they were attended by a captain of the British army, a sergeant, and six matrosses, provided with fixed ammunition, suited to the caliber of two field pieces, which had been taken from General St. Clair, and deposited in a creek near the scene of his defeat, in 1791.
"Thus attended, they appeared before Fort Recovery, the advanced post of our army, on the 4th of July, 1794, and having defeated a large detachment of our troops, encamped under its walls, and would probably have succeeded in taking the fort, if the guns which they expected to find had not been previously dis- covered and removed. In this action, Captain Hartshorn, of the first sub-legion, was wounded by the Indians, and afterwards killed in a struggle with Captain McKee, of the British army.
" Upon the advance of the American army in the following month, the British Fort at the Rapids was again the point of rendezvous for the Indians. There the deficiencies in arms, ammunition and equipments, were again supplied, and there they were fed with regular rations from the king's stores, consisting of flour and Irish beef, until the arrival of General Wayne with his army, on the twentieth of August. In the general action of that day there were two militia companies from Amherstburg and Detroit. The captain of the cutter, who was also clerk of the court in that place, was among the killed, and one of his privates taken prisoner.
"These unequivocal acts of hostility, on the part of Great Britain did not pass unnoticed by our Government, and, although anxious to avoid a general war, the President determined that the aggres- sion on our territory, by the erection of a fortress so far within our acknowledged limits, required some decisive measure. Authority was therefore given to General Wayne to dispossess the intruders, if, in his opinion, it was necessary to the success of his operations against the Indians. Although the qualification of this order, in its literal sense, might be opposed to its execution, after the entire defeat of the Indians, the daring violation of neutrality, which was professed by the supply of food, arms and ammunition to the enemy, on the very morning of the action, afforded, in the opinion
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of General Wayne, a sufficient justification for its being carried into effect.
" An accurate examination, however, of the defenses of the fort, made by the general at great personal hazard, showed but too clearly that our small howitzers, which had been transported on the backs of horses, our only artillery, could make no impres- sion upon its massive earthen parapet, while the deep fosse and frazing by which it was surrounded afforded no prospect of the success of an escalade, but at the expense of valuable lives which the occasion did not seem to call for. From my situation as aid- de-camp to the general-in-chief, I mention these things from per- sonal knowledge. If, then, the relation which I have given is correct, it must be admitted that the war of the Revolution con- tinued in the western country until the peace of Greenville, in I795."
Colonel English was commandant at Detroit during the cam- paign of general Wayne. Colonel McKee was Superintendent of the Indians under the King of Great Britain. In one of McKee's letters to English, just before the battle, dated "Rapids, August 13, 1794," he writes :
"Sir: I was honored last night with your letter of the 11th, and am extremely glad to find you making such exertions to supply the Indians with provisions. Scouts are sent up to view the situ- ation of Wayne's army ; and we now muster one thousand Indians. All the lake Indians, from Saginaw downwards, should not lose one moment in joining their brethren, as every accession of strength is an addition to their spirits."
The Indians utterly disheartened by their great defeat, and considering themselves very dishonorably treated by the British officers, who had spurred them on to the battle, and then had aban- doned them, were eager for peace. One of their distinguished chiefs, Blue Jacket, was associated with Little Turtle in the battle. He had, indeed, the chief control. In Drake's Life of Tecumseh, he writes:
"In the month of October following this defeat, Blue Jacket concurred in the expediency of suing for peace. At the head of a deputation of chiefs, he was about to bear a flag to General Wayne, then at Greenville, when the mission was arrested by foreign influence. Governor Simcoe, Colonel McKee, and the Mohawk Chief, Brandt, having in charge one hundred and fifty
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Mohawks and Messasagoes, arrived at the Rapids of the Maumee, and invited the chiefs of the combined army to meet them at the mouth of the Detroit River, on the Ioth of October. To this Blue Jacket assented, for the purpose of hearing what the British officers had to propose. Governor Simcoe urged the Indians to retain their hostile attitude towards the United States. In refer- ring to the encroachments of the people of this country on the Indian lands, he said :
"Children, I am still of the opinion that the Ohio is your right and title. I have given orders to the Commandant of Fort Miami to fire on the Americans whenever they make their appearance again. I will go down to Quebec and lay your grievances before the great man. From there they will be forwarded to the king, your father. Next Spring you will know the result of everything, what you and I will do."
"He urged the Indians to obtain a cessation of hostilities until the following Spring, when the English would be ready to attack the Americans, and, by driving them back across the Ohio, restore their lands to the Indians. These councils delayed the conclusion of peace until the following Summer. Blue Jacket was present at the treaty of Greenville, and conducted himself with moderation and dignity."
It was the special object of General Wayne to inflict such terri- ble chastisement upon the Indians as would compel them to bury the tomahawk, and not to dare to take it up again. He therefore sent out his cavalry and laid utterly waste the whole Valley of the Maumee, for a distance of fifty miles. The women and chil- dren fled in terror into the woods. Every village was laid in ashes. The orchards were cut down; the harvests of corn, pota- toes and other vegetables, with which the rich fields luxuriantly abounded, were destroyed. Nothing was left. Cold Winter was approaching, and the homeless families, men, women and children, were doomed to hopeless destitution, misery and death. No im- agination can probably exaggerate the woes which ensued. Such is war. "War," exclaimed Napoleon in anguish, as he witnessed its horrors, "is the science of barbarians." "War," says General Sherman, "is cruelty. You cannot refine it."
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