USA > Ohio > The picturesque Ohio : a historical monograph > Part 5
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" Should it be asked, What sort of people composed this band of mur- derers? I answer, they were not all miscreants or vagabonds; many of them were inen of the first standing in the country. Many of them had recently lost relations by the hands of the savage, and were burning with
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revenge. They cared little on whom they wreaked their vengeance, so they were Indians.
" When attacked by our people, although the Moravians might have de- fended themselves, they did not. They never fired a single shot. They were prisoners, and had been promised protection. Every dictate of justice required that their lives should be spared. It was, therefore, an atrocious and unqualified murder."
"The object of the campaign which succeeded was twofold: First, to complete the work of murdering and plundering the Moravians at their new establishment on the Sandusky ; and secondly, to destroy the Wyandot towns on the same river. It was the resolution of all concerned in this ex- pedition not to spare the life of any Indian that might fall into their hands, friend or foe, man, woman, or child. But, as will be seen in the sequel, the result was widely different from that of the Moravian campaign of the pre- ceding March.
"It would seem that the long continuance of this Indian war had greatly demoralized the early settlers, and being prompted by an indiscrim- inate thirst for revenge, they were prepared to go to almost any extreme of barbarity.
"On the 25th of May, 1782, four hundred and eighty men mustered at Mingo Bottom and preceeded to elect their commander. The choice fell upon Colonel William Crawford, who accepted the command with some de- gree of reluctance.
"The army marched along 'Williamson's Trail,' until they arrived at the ruins of the upper Moravian town, in the fields, belonging to which there was still plenty of corn on the stalks, with which their horses were fed during the night.
"Shortly after the army halted at this place, two Indians were discov- ered by some men who had walked out of the camp. Three shots were fired at one of them, but without effect. As soon as the news reached the camp, more than one-half of the men rushed out, without command, and in the most tumultuous manner, to see what had happened. From that time Colonel Crawford felt a presentiment of the defeat which followed.
"The truth is, that notwithstanding the secrecy and dispatch with which the enterprise had been gotten up, the Indians were beforehand with the whites. They saw the rendezvous on the Mingo Bottom, and knew the number and destination of the troops. They visited every encampment
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immediately after the troops had left, and saw from their writing on the trees and scraps of paper that 'no quarter' was to be given to any Indian, whether man, woman, or child.
"Nothing of importance happened during their march until the 6th of June, when their guide conducted them to the site of the Moravian villages on one of the upper branches of the Sandusky River. From this retreat the Christian Indians had lately been driven away by the Wyandots to the Scioto, and here the army of Colonel Crawford, instead of finding Indians and plunder, met with nothing but vestiges of ruin and desolation.
"In this dilemma what was to be done? The officers held a council, in which it was determined to march one day longer in the direction of Upper Sandusky, and if they should not reach the town in the course of a day, to make a retreat with all possible speed.
"The march was commenced the next morning, through the plains of Sandusky, and continued until two o'clock, when the advance guard was attacked and driven in by the Indians, who were discovered in large num- bers in the high grass with which the place was covered. The Indian army was at that moment about entering a large piece of wood almost entirely surrounded by plains ; but in this they were disappointed by a rapid move- ment of the whites. The battle then commenced by a heavy fire from both sides. From a partial possession of the woods, which they had gained at the outset of the battle, the Indians were soon dislodged. They then at- tempted to gain a small skirt of wood on the right flank of Colonel Craw- ford, but were prevented from so doing by Major Leet, who at the time com- manded the right wing. The firing was heavy and incessant until dark, when it ceased, and both armies lay on their arms during the night.
"In the morning Colonel Crawford's army occupied the battle-ground of the preceding day. The Indians made no attack during the day until late in the evening, but were seen in large bodies traversing the plains in various directions. Some of them appeared to be carrying off the dead and wounded.
"In the morning of this day a council of officers was held, and a re- treat was resolved on as the only means of saving the army, the Indians appearing to increase in numbers every hour.
"During the day preparations were made for a retreat by burying the dead, burning fires over the graves to prevent discovery, and preparing means for carrying off the wounded. The retreat was to commence in the
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course of the night. The Indians, however, became apprised of the intended retreat, and about sundown attacked the army with great force and fury, in every direction except that of Sandusky. When the line of march was formed and the retreat commenced, Colonel Crawford's guides prudently took the direction of Sandusky, which afforded the only opening in the In- dian lines and the only chance of concealment. After marching about a mile in this direction the army wheeled about to the left, and by a circuit- ous route, gained before day the trail by which they came. They continued their march the whole of the next day, without further annoyance than the firing of a few distant shots by the Indians at the rear-guard, which slightly wounded two or three men.
"But several parties, supposing that they could more effectually secure their safety by breaking off from the main army in small numbers, were pursued by the Indians and nearly all of them slain.
" At the commencement of the retreat Colonel Crawford placed himself at the head of the army, and continued there until they had gone about a quarter of a mile, when, missing his son, John Crawford, his son-in-law, Major Harrison, and his nephews, Major Rose and William Crawford, he halted and called for them as the line passed, but without finding them. After the army had passed him he was unable to overtake it, owing to the weariness of his horse. Falling in company with Dr. Knight and two others, they traveled all night, to avoid the pursuit of the Indians.
"On the next day they fell in with Captain John Biggs and Lieutenant Ashley, the latter of whom was wounded. Two others were in company with Biggs and Ashley. They encamped together the succeeding night. On the next day, while on their march, they were attacked by a party of In- dians, who made Colonel Crawford and Dr. Knight prisoners.
""'The colonel and I,' says Dr. Knight, 'were then taken to the Indian camp, which was about half a mile from the place where we were captured. On Sunday evening five Delawares, who had posted themselves at some distance further on the road, brought back to the camp where we lay Cap- tain Biggs's and Lieutenant Ashley's scalps, with an Indian scalp which Captain Biggs had taken in the field of action. They also brought in Biggs's horse and mine. They told us the two other men got away from them.
"'Monday morning, the 10th of June, we were paraded to march to Sandusky, about thirty-three miles distant. They had eleven prisoners of us and four scalps, the Indians being seventeen in number.
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"'Colonel Crawford was very desirous to see a certain Simon Girty, who lived among the Indians, and was on this account permitted to go to town the same night, with two warriors to guard him, they having orders at the same time to pass by the place where the colonel had turned out his horse, that they might if possible find him. The rest of us were taken as far as the old town (Sandusky), which was within eight miles of the new.
"'Tuesday morning, the 11th, Colonel Crawford was brought out of town on purpose to be marched in with the other prisoners. I asked the colonel if he had seen Mr. Girty. He told me he had, and that Girty had promised to do everything in his power for him, but that the Indians were very much enraged against the prisoners, particularly Captain Pipe, one of the chiefs; he likewise told me that Girty had informed him that his son-in-law, Colonel Harrison, and his nephew, William Crawford, were made prisoners by the Shawnees, but had been pardoned. This Captain Pipe had come from the towns about an hour before Colonel Crawford, and had painted all the prisoners' faces black.
"'As he was painting me, he told me I should go to the Shawnee towns* and see my friends. When the colonel arrived he painted him black also; told him he was glad to see him, and that he would have him shaved when he came to see his friends at the Wyandot town. When we marched, the colonel and I were kept between Pipe and Wingenim, the two Delaware chiefs; the other nine prisoners were sent forward with a party of Indians. As we went along we saw four of the prisoners lying by the path, tomahawked and scalped; some of them were at the distance of half a mile from the others. When we arrived within half a mile of the place where the colonel was executed, we overtook the five prisoners that remained alive. The Indians had caused them to sit down on the ground; also the colonel and myself at some distance from them. I was then given in charge of an Indian fellow to be taken to the Shaw- nee towns.
"'In the place where we were now made to sit down, there were a number of squaws and boys, who fell on the five prisoners and tomahawked them. There was a certain John McKinley among the prisoners, formerly an officer in the 13th Virginia Regiment, whose head an old squaw cut off. The young Indian fellows came often where the colonel and I were, and dashed the scalps in our faces. We were then conducted along
* Pickaway Plains, on the Scioto River.
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towards the place where the colonel was afterwards executed. When we came within half a mile of it, Simon Girty met us, with several Indians on horseback. He spoke to the colonel; but as I was about one hundred and fifty yards behind, I could not hear what passed between them.
"'Almost every Indian we met struck us with fist or sticks. Girty waited till I was brought up, and then asked: "Is that the doctor?" I an- swered, "Yes," and went toward him, reaching out my hand; but he bid me begone, and called me a damned rascal; upon which the fellow who had me in charge pulled me along. Girty rode up after me, and told me that I was to go to the Shawnee towns.
"'When we came to the fire, the colonel was stripped naked, ordered to sit down by the fire, and then they beat him with sticks and fists. Presently after I was treated in the same manner.
"'They then tied a rope to the foot of a post, about fifteen feet high, bound the colonel's hands behind his back, and fastened the rope to the ligature between his wrists. The rope was long enough either for him to sit down or walk round the post once or twice, and return the same way. The colonel then called to Girty, and asked if they intended to burn him? Girty answered, "Yes." The colonel said he would take it all pa- tiently. Upon this Captain Pipe, a Delaware chief, made a speech to the Indians, consisting of about thirty or forty men, and sixty or seventy squaws and boys.
"'When the speech was finished, they all yelled a hideous and hearty assent to what had been said. The Indian men then took up their guns and shot powder into the colonel's body, from his feet as far up as his neck. I think not less than seventy loads were discharged upon his naked body. They then crowded about him, and to the best of my obser- vation, cut off his ears. When the throng had dispersed a little, I saw the blood running from both sides of his head.
"'The fire was about six or seven yards from the post to which the colonel was tied; it was made of small hickory poles, burnt quite through in the middle, each end of the poles remaining about six feet in length. Three or four Indians, by turns, would take up individually one of these burning pieces of wood and apply it to his naked body, already burnt black with powder. These tormentors presented themselves on every side of him, so that whichever way he ran round the post they met him with the burning fagots and poles. Some of the squaws took broad boards, 6
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upon which they would put a quantity of burning coals and hot embers and throw them on him, so that in a short time he had nothing but coals of fire and hot ashes to walk upon.
"'In the midst of these extreme tortures, he called to Simon Girty, and begged him to shoot him; but Girty making no answer, he called him again. Girty then, by way of derision, told the colonel he had no gun, and at the same time turning about to an Indian who was behind him, laughed heartily, and by all his gestures seemed delighted at the horrid scene.
"'Girty then came up to me and bade me prepare for death. He said, however, "I was not to die at that place, but to be burnt at the Shawnee towns. He swore by G-d I need not expect to escape death, but should suffer it in all its horrors."
"'Colonel Crawford, at this period of his suffering, besought the Almighty to have mercy on his soul, spoke very low, and bore his tor- ments with the most manly fortitude. He continued, in all the extrem- ities of pain, for an hour and three-quarters or two hours longer, as near as I can judge, when, at last, being almost spent, he lay down on his belly. They then scalped him, and repeatedly threw the scalp in my face, telling me, "That is your great captain's." An old squaw (whose appear- ance every way answered the idea people entertained of the devil) got a board, and took a parcel of coals and ashes and laid them on his back and head after he had been scalped. He then raised upon his feet and began to walk round the post. They next put a burning stick to him, but he seemed more insensible to pain than before. After he expired, his body was thrown into the fire and consumed to ashes.'"
One of the earliest settlers was David Morgan, a man of great energy of character and sterling worth. He was a near relative of General Morgan, of Revolutionary memory.
"At the time we speak of, Mr. Morgan was living near Prickett's Fort, about twelve miles above Morgantown and close to the Monongahela River. He was then sixty years of age, and for some days had been slightly in- disposed. Early in April, 1779, he desired two of his children, Stephen, six- teen years of age, and Sarah, about fourteen, to feed the stock at his farm, distant about one mile on the opposite side of the river. This he did in
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consequence of feeling worse that morning than usual. No Indians had yet been seen in the neighborhood, and, of course, he considered all per- fectly safe. As the weather was fine, the brother and sister concluded to remain and prepare a piece of ground for melons. Soon after they left the fort-for they were then at the stockade-Mr. Morgan lay down, and shortly falling to sleep dreamed that he saw the children walking before him scalped. This vision awoke him, and finding upon inquiry that the children had not returned, he became uneasy and started immediately in hunt of them. Approaching the premises, he beheld his children busily engaged in the manner already indicated. %
"Seating himself upon a log close at hand, Morgan watched his chil- dren for sonie time, when suddenly he saw emerge from the house two In- dians, who moved rapidly up toward Stephen and his sister. Fearing to alarm the children, Morgan cautiously warned them of their danger and told them to go at once to the fort. They instantly obeyed, and the Indians, discovering their movements, gave their accustomed whoop and started in pursuit. Morgan, having hitherto escaped their attention, now arose, and returning their shout caused the savages to seek behind trees instant protection.
"Knowing that the chances for a fair fight were almost hopeless, Morgan thought to escape by running, and so manage as to keep the trees be- tween himself and the enemy. In this, however, he was mistaken. Im- paired health and the infirmities of age disabled him from keeping long beyond the reach of the fleet and athletic warriors. Finding, after a run of some two hundred yards, that the savages were rapidly gaining on him, he determined to shoot one and take his chances with the other. Turning to fire, both Indians sprang behind trees, and Morgan did the same; but finding the tree he first gained too small to protect his person, he quitted it and made for another, which was reached in safety.
"One of the Indians, hoping to get nearer his intended victimn, ran to the tree which Morgan had left, but finding it too small, threw himself be- hind a log close at hand. This, however, did not conceal him entirely, which Morgan noticing, instantly fired, and shot the savage through the part exposed. Feeling himself mortally wounded, with more than Spartan fortitude the Indian drew his knife and inflicted two deep stabs upon his breast. To him death had no terrors, save as dealt by the hand of his white antagonist.
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" The heroic old man having thus effectually disposed of one of his pursuers, again resorted to flight. The chances were now desperate, as the Indian had the double advantage of tomahawk and rifle. Running fifty or sixty yards, he glanced hurriedly over his shoulder just in time to see the savage ready to fire. Jumping to one side, the ball passed harmlessly by, and the two felt that the combat must be brought to close quarters. With all the fury of his nature the savage rushed upon his adversary with loud yells and uplifted tomahawk. Morgan prepared to meet him with his gun, but the savage aimed a blow with his tomahawk with such force and effect as to knock the rifle from Morgan's grasp, and cut two of the fingers from his left hand. They now clinched, and the combat became equal, except the savage was the younger and much more powerful of the two. Frantic at the loss of his companion and his own ill success, he fought with a despera- tion rarely known in a single combat. Morgan, on the other part, inspirited by the success which had thus far attended him, nerved his arm and strung every muscle to the conflict, resolved to kill his combatant or sell his life as dearly as possible. Our hero in his younger days had been a most ex- pert wrestler, and was thus enabled with ease to throw the Indian; but the latter, more active and powerful, readily turned him. With a yell of exulta- tion the savage now held his adversary down and began to feel for his knife. Morgan saw the movement, and well knew all would be over if the savage got possession of it.
"The Indian was prevented getting the knife by a woman's apron, which he had wrapped around his body in such a manner as to confine the handle. Whilst endeavoring to extricate it Morgan got one of the Indian's thunibs between his teeth, and so effectually ground it that the poor wretch was sadly disconcerted, and more than once screamed with pain. Finally he grasped his knife, but so close to the blade that Morgan, noticing it, caught the end of the handle and drew it through the Indian's hand, cutting it severely. The savage was now literally hors de combat, and, springing to his feet, endeavored to get away; but the resolute Morgan, not yet hav- ing done with him, held on to the thumb until he had inflicted a mortal thrust in the side of the enemy. Letting go, the Indian sank almost life- less to the ground, and Morgan made his way to the fort."
Captain Samuel Brady resided at one time in Wellsburg. He was tall, rather slender, and very active. He usually wore
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instead of a hat, a black handkerchief around his head. From his peculiar appearance, he was well known to the Indians.
"A party of Indians having made an inroad into the Sewickley settle- ment, committing barbarous murders and carrying off some prisoners, Brady set off in pursuit with only five men and his pet Indian. He came up with them, and discovered that they were encamped on the banks of the Mahoning. Having reconnoitered their position, Brady posted his men, and in the deepest silence awaited the break of day, when the In- dians arose and stood around their fires. At a given signal seven rifles cracked, and five Indians were dead. The remaining Indians instantly disappeared.
" Brady being out with his party on one occasion, had reached Slip- pery Rock Creek, a branch of the Beaver, without seeing signs of Indians. Here, however, he came on an Indian trail in the evening, which he fol- lowed till dark, without overtaking the Indians. The next morning he renewed his pursuit, and overtook them while they were engaged at their morning meal. Unfortunately for him another party of Indians were in his rear. They had fallen upon his trail and pursued him, doubtless with as much ardor as had characterized his own pursuit. At the moment he fired upon the Indians in his front, he was in turn fired upon by those in his rear. He was now between two fires, and vastly outnumbered. Two of his men fell, his tomahawk was shot from his side, and the battle yell was given by the party in his rear, and loudly returned and repeated by those in his front. There was no time for hesitation, no safety in delay, no chance for successful defense in their present position. Brady ran to- wards the creek. He was known by many, if not by all of them; and there were the scores to be settled between him and them. They knew the country well ; he did not, and from his running towards the creek they were certain of taking him prisoner. The creek was, for a long dis- tance above and below the point he was approaching, washed in its chan- nel to a great depth. In the certain expectation of catching him there, the private soldiers of his party were disregarded; and throwing down their guns and drawing their tomahawks, all pressed forward to seize their victim. Quick of eye, fearless of heart, and determined never to be a captive to the Indians, Brady compreliended their object and his only chance for escape the moment he saw the creek; and by one mighty effort
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of courage and activity, defeated the one and effected the other. He sprang across the abyss of waters, and stood rifle in hand on the oppo- site bank in safety. As quick as lightning his rifle was primed, for it was his invariable practice in loading, to prime first. The next minute the powder-horn was at the gun's muzzle; when, as he was in this act, a large Indian, who had been foremost in the pursuit, came to the opposite bank, and with the manliness of a generous foe who scorns to undervalue the qualities of an enemy, said, in a loud voice and tolerable English : 'Blady make good jump.'
"His leap was about twenty-three feet, and the water was twenty feet deep. Brady's next effort was to gather up his men. They immediately commenced their homeward march, and returned to Pittsburg about half defeated. Three Indians had been seen to fall from the fire they gave them at breakfast."
Another famous border hero was Lewis Wetzel, the son of John Wetzel, a German, who settled on Big Wheeling Creek, about fourteen miles from the Ohio River, and was killed by the Indians in 1777, when Lewis was about twenty-three years of age. The education of Lewis, like most of his contem- poraries, was that of the hunter and warrior. When a boy, he adopted the practice of loading and firing his rifle as he ran. On account of his father's death, he and his brothers, of whom he had five, vowed sleepless vengeance against the whole Indian race.
"During the life-time of his father, when he was about thirteen years of age, Lewis was taken prisoner by the Indians, together with his brother Jacob, about eleven years old. Before he was taken he received a slight wound in the breast from a bullet, which carried off a small piece of his breast-bone. The second night after they were taken, the Indians en- camped at Big Lick, twenty miles from the river, on the waters of Mc- Mechen's Creek. The boys were not confined. After the Indians had fallen asleep, Lewis whispered to his brother Jacob that he must get up and go back home with him. Jacob at first objected, but afterwards got up and went along with him. When they had gone about one hundred
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yards from the camp, they sat down on a log. 'Well,' said Lewis, 'we can not go home barefooted; I will go back and get a pair of moccasins for each of us,' and accordingly did so, and returned. After sitting a little longer, 'Now,' said he, 'I will go back and get father's gun, and then we will start.' This he effected. They had not traveled far on the trail by which they came before they heard the Indians coming after them. It was a moonlight night. When the Indians came pretty near them, they stepped aside into the bushes, let them pass, then fell into the rear and traveled on. The next day they reached Wheeling in safety, crossing from the Indian shore to Wheeling Island on a raft of their own making. By this time Lewis had been almost spent from his wound.
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