USA > Pennsylvania > Early history of western Pennsylvania, and of the West, and of western expeditions and campaigns, from MDCCLIV to MDCCCXXXIII > Part 25
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up that stream, and take station a few miles below Vincennes ; and then to permit nothing to pass him. (1)
Having completed his arrangements and disregarding the inclemency of winter, he commenced his march, at the head of only one hundred and thirty men, to surprise and capture Vincennes. To effect this, it was necessary to pass one hundred and sixty miles through a trackless, un- inhabited country, whose fertile soil and light spongy loam, saturated with water, afforded no firm footing to the steps of the soldiery ; and to cross the Kaskaskia, the Little Wabash, the Embarras and the Great Wabash rivers, besides a number of their tributaries, all of which were swollen, and margined by wide belts of inundated land. But the un- daunted leader pressed on,-without wagons, without tents,-with only such provisions and ammunition as could be carried on the backs of a few pack horses, and the shoulders of the men,-toiling by day through mud and water, and sleeping at night upon the wet ground.
"Upon reaching the waters of the Great Wabash, our adventurous troops beheld before them an obstacle which must have daunted the hearts of warriors less resolutely determined than themselves, upon the successful achievement of their enterprise. On the eastern bank of the river stood the British fort, on a high shore, swept by the foaming cur- rent of a great river. On the western side was a tract of low alluvial land, five miles in width, entirely inundated. The whole expanse of water to be crossed, was nearly six miles in width-first the marshy flats, in whose treacherous quick-sands, at this day, the horse has been seen to sink under his rider, and become instantly buried in the mire; at that time covered with water, too deep in some places to be forded, and too shallow in others to admit of navigation by boats, and impeded throughout by growing timber, floating logs, or tangled brushwood,- and then, the swift, powerful current of the river.
Colonel Clarke was laboriously employed for sixteen days, in effect- ing the march from Kaskaskia to Vincennes ; five of which were spent in passing the wilderness of water just described, through which he meandered in such a manner, as to conceal his forces from the enemy, by avoiding the prairie, and keeping as much as possible under the cover of the timber-wading sometimes breast deep, sometimes proceeding upon rafts and canoes, and at last, crossing the river in the night, and presenting himself suddenly before the town, which was completely surprised.
Here the American commander performed a manoeuver, which shows
(1) Marshall's History of Kentucky, Vol. I. p. 70.
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that he was prudent as well as daring ; that while he had the bravery and courage to attempt the most desperate enterprises, he was fertile in ex- pedients, and cautious in availing himself of any incidental advantage which might be presented. As he approached the town, over the wide beautiful prairie on which it stands, and at the moment when his troops were discovered by the enemy, he found himself near a small circular eminence, which concealed a part of his force from the observation of the foe. Under this cover, he counter-marched his column in so skilful a manner, that the leading files, which had been seen from the town, were transferred, undiscovered, to the rear, and made to pass again and again in sight of the enemy, until all his men had been displayed seve- ral times, and his little detachment of jaded troops was made to assume the appearance of a long column, greatly superior in number to its actual force. He then promptly summoned the garrison to surrender. Gov- ernor Hamilton, after a brief defence, struck his flag, and the gallant Clarke found himself master of an important fortified post, whose gar- rison, now prisoners of war, consisted of a well appointed body of Bri- tish soldiers, twice as numerous as his own followers.
These brilliant exploits had an important bearing upon the interests of the west, both direct and consequential. They gave for the moment safety and repose to the harrassed inhabitants of the border settlements, and struck with terror the whole savage population of the wide region through which he passed. They deranged an extensive plan of opera- tions on the part of the enemy, the design of which was to drive every white inhabitant out of the valley of the Ohio and the Mississippi, and destroy their dwellings, by pouring in a combined Indian force along the whole line of the frontier. They detached many tribes from the British interest, who had long acted under the control of that power .- They hastened, if they did not contribute to produce the most important event connected with the history of the west,-the acquisition of Lou- isiana. The limits of the United States were now extended to the Mis- sissippi, never more to be circumscribed ; and Virginia, claiming the conquered country, in right of her charter, as well as of the conquest by her own arms, proceeded at once, to incorporate it into a new county, which was called ILLINOIS." (1)
One of the direct consequences of these achievments, was the found- ing of LOUISVILLE, in the State of Kentucky. The families which had been left by Colonel Clarke at the falls of the Ohio, when on his way
(1) Hall's Sketches of the West, Vol. II. p. 121-124.
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to Kaskaskia, dared not remove from the island on which they landed, so long as Vincennes was occupied by British troops, and their savage allies. The conquest of this place was, therefore, to them the mandate of liberation from their insular position, and an invitation to remove to the Kentucky shore. Hence the origin of the settlement on the site of Louisville. Colonel Clarke afterwards established his head quarters here. (1)
Among those who composed the army of Colonel George Rogers Clarke, and whose active, enterprising spirit fitted him to follow such a commander, was Simon Kenton, one of the most celebrated and daring of the pioneers of the west. - After the capture of Kaskaskia, he was sent with others to Kentucky, by Colonel Clarke, with dispatches. On their way they fell in with a camp of Indians, with horses. 'They broke up the camp, dispersed the Indians, took the horses, which they sent back to Kaskaskia, and pursued their route to Vincennes. Entering that place in the night, they traversed several of the streets, and departed with- out being discovered or alarming the British garrison, after taking from the hostile inhabitants two horses for each inan. When they came to White River, a raft was made on which to transport the guns and bag- gage, while the horses were driven in to swim across the river. On the opposite shore, a party of Indians were encamped, who caught the horses as they ascended the bank. Such are the vicissitudes incident to border war! The same horses had been in a daring manner, taken only the night before, from the interior of a garrisoned town, and were lost by being driven, accidentally, by the captors, into a camp of the enemy. Kenton and his party now found themselves in great peril .- They permitted their raft to float down the stream, returned themselves to the western shore, concealed themselves until night, when they con- structed another raft, on which they crossed the river at a different place, reached Kentucky in safety, and delivered the despatches of Colonel Clarke, as directed.
At another time he accompanied Colonel Daniel Boone, in an expedi- tion against an Indian town on Paint creek. After crossing the Ohio, Kenton being at some distance in advance of the main body, was sud- denly startled at a loud laugh in an adjoining thicket, which he was just about to enter. Instantly halting, he took his station behind a tree, and waited for a repetition of the noise. In a few minutes two Indians ap- proached the spot where he was concealed, both mounted upon a small
(1) Marshall's History of Kentucky, Vol. I. p. 73.
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horse, and indulging merrily in loud conversation and laughter. Having permitted thiem to approach within rifle shot, he raised his gun, fired, and both Indians fell ; one was killed, and the other severely wounded. The frightened horse ran back into the thicket, giving the alarm to the rest of the Indian party who were some distance in the rear. Ken- ton instantly ran up to the wounded Indian, and was about to put an end to his struggles, when he beheld two Indians about twenty yards from him, very deliberately taking aim at his person. A quick spring to one side, on his part, was instantly followed by the flash and report of their rifles, and the balls whistled close to his ears without doing him any injury. Retreating to an adjoining wood, and taking shelter be- hind a tree, he soon found himself surrounded by a dozen Indians .- At this critical instant, Colonel Boone and his party appeared, opened a brisk fire upon them, and compelled them to retreat with the loss of several wounded.
From the small number of Indians engaged, Colonel Boone conclu- ded that most of the warriors were on their march to attack Boones- boro'. He instantly retraced his steps, and marching night and day, reached home on the seventh day. On the eighth, the enemy appeared in great force. There were nearly five hundred Indian warriors armed and painted, and conducted by Canadian officers, skilled in the usages of modern warfare. The British colors were displayed, and an officer sent with a summons to surrender. Colonel Boone took time, consulted his men, and then from the gate of the fortress announced to Captain Du Quesne, the British commander, his determination to defend the fort to the last extremity. Du Quesne then offered to enter into a treaty with the garrison, if nine of the principal inhabitants would come to his camp, and then to instantly depart without further hostility. This was agreed to, and the treaty was concluded. Du Quesne then informed Colonel Boone that it was the custom with the Indians, in the conclusion of treaties with the whites, for two warriors to take hold of the hand of each white man. Although suspecting this Indian mode of cementing friendship, he signified his willingness to conform to it .- Instantly two warriors approached each white man, with the word " bro- ther " upon their lips, but with the expression of the hyena in their eyes, and grappling them with violence, attempted to bear them off. All, at the same moment, sprung from their enemies, and ran to the fort under a heavy fire, which fortunately wounded only one man. The attack was instantly commenced by a heavy fire upon the fort, and was returned with fatal accuracy by the garrison. Finding that his fire upon the fort
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produced but little effect. Du Quesne resorted to a more formidable mode of attack. 'The fort* stood upon the south bank of the river,
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1-House. 2-Stockades. 4-House.
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14-Houses for Officers.
Those places not numbered were Cabins.
*A plan of the Fort alluded to is inserted.
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within sixty yards of the water. Commencing under the bank, con- cealed from the garrison, he attempted to push a mine into the fort. The object was however, fortunately discovered by the quantity of fresh earth, thrown into the river, by which the water became muddy for some distance below. Colonel Boone instantly ordered a trench to be cut within the fort, in such a manner as to intersect the line of their ap- proach, and thus frustrated the design. The enemy continued for eight days to exhaust all the ordinary artifices of Indian warfare, but were steadily repulsed in every effort. At length finding their numbers daily thinned by the deliberate, but fatal fire of the garrison, and seeing no prospect of final success, Du Quesne raised the seige on the ninth day and returned home.
Kenton did not accompany Colonel Boone back to Boonesboro' after the skirmish near the Indian town, but with a friend named Montgomery, went back to make discoveries. Approaching the village with a cautious and stealthy step, they took their stations upon the edge of a corn field, supposing that the Indians would enter it for green corn. They patiently remained there during the whole day, but did not see a single Indian, and only heard the voices of some children, who were playing near them. At night they entered the Indian town, took four good horses, made a rapid night's journey to the Ohio, which they crossed, and on the second day afterwards reached Logan's Fort in safety.
Scarcely had he returned, when Colonel Bowman ordered him to take his friend Montgomery and another young man named Clark, and proceed on a secret mission to an Indian town on the Little Miami, against which the Colonel meditated an expedition, and of the exact condition of which he desired to have certain information. They in- stantly departed, in obedience to orders, and reached the neighborhood of the town without being discovered. They examined it attentively, and walked around the houses during the night with perfect impunity. In their nightly promenade, they came across a number of Indian horses, in an inclosure. Each mounted a horse, but not satisfied with leaving the others behind, they attempted to take them along. This took them so long, and made so much noise, that they were at last dis- covered. The cry ran through the village that the "Long Knives"> were upon them, and old and young, boys and warriors, sallied to the rescue of their property. Kenton and his men discovered that they must ride for their lives. But they determined not to give up the
* The settlers in Kentucky, then Western Virginia, were called " Long Knives," from the length of their swords.
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horses, and two of them rode in front, leading as many as they could, while the others brought up the rear, plying the whip from right to left. In this manner they dashed through the woods at a furious rate, leaving their pursuers behind them. They rode through the whole night with- out resting a moment, and halting for a few minutes at daylight, they continued their journey throughout the day, and the whole of the fol- lowing night, and on the morning of the second day reached the northern bank of the Ohio. Crossing the river would now ensure their safety ; but the wind was high, and the river rough and boisterous. It was de- termined that Kenton should swim the river with the horses, while Montgomery and Clark should construct a raft to transport their guns and baggage. Kenton, forcing the horses into the river, plunged in himself, and swam by their side. In a few minutes the high waves completely overwhelmed him, and forced him considerably below the horses. Being left to themselves, the horses turned round and returned to the Ohio shore, and Kenton was compelled to follow them. Again he forced them into the water, and again they returned to the same spot, until Kenton became so exhausted by repeated efforts, as to be unable to swim. They then hid the horses in a neighboring ravine, and took station in a wood near by, expecting the wind to cease before night. Here they remained during the day, but the wind at night blew harder than ever. In the morning the wind abated, and the river became calm, but it was then too late. The pursuing Indians arrived, Montgomery was killed, Clark made his escape, and Kenton was taken prisoner.(1)
The Indians either knew Kenton or discovered from his bearing and his conduct on this occasion, that he was an extraordinary man ; and while they exulted in his capture, they practiced upon him every possi- ble cruelty. They taunted him with sarcastic compliments upon his love of horses, and assured him that he should ride one of their best animals. He was accordingly bound securely upon a vicious young horse, which was turned loose without a bridle, to follow the party. The animal reared and plunged, and dashed through the woods, endea- voring in vain to shake off its rider ; until, wearied out, it became tame, and quietly fell into the rear of the other horses. Still the situation of Kenton was not less painful ; for the horse, becoming accustomed to its burden, would often stop to graze, lingering until the party was nearly out of sight, and then dashing forward, would pursue them at full speed. dragging the lacerated body of the wretched pioneer under the over.
(1) Incidents of Border Life, pp. 323, 324, 325.
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hanging branches, and plunging with him through the closest thickets, as if with the purpose of increasing his misery.
On his arrival at Chillicothe, the most populous of the Indian towns in this region, he was painted black, tied to the stake, and suffered to remain in this painful situation for twelve hours, anticipating the horrors of a slow, and cruel death, the Indians dancing around him, yelling, screaming and beating him, during the time. He was led out the next morning to run the gauntlet. The Indians, several hundred in number, of both sexes, and every age and rank, armed with sticks, whips, clubs, and other implements of annoyance, were formed in two lines, between which the unhappy prisoner was made to pass ; having been promised, that if he reached in safety the door of the council-house, at the farther end of the lines, no further punishment would be inflicted. The mo- ment for starting arrived,-Kenton was stripped naked,-the great drum of the council-house was struck,-and he sprang forward in the race. Avoiding the row of his enemies, about a mile in length, he turned to the east, and drew the whole party in pursuit of him. He ran with great activity, now this way and now that, until observing an opening, he darted through it, and pressed forward to the council-house, with a rapidity which left his pursuers behind, and reached it without being seriously injured.
As soon as this race was over, a council was held to determine whe- ther he should be burned to death on the spot, or carried round to other villages for exhibition, and then burned. The council determined upon the latter course. He was then taken from village to village, and obliged to run the gauntlet in thirteen towns. Upon one occasion, he attempted to escape, broke through the ranks of his tormentors, and had outstripped those who pursued him, when he was met by some warriors on horseback, who compelled him to surrender. He was then con- demned in council to suffer the terrible death of torture.
Before this was to take place, he was compelled again to run the gauntlet and had nearly reached the gaol, when he was knocked down by a warrior with a club, and the demoniac crew, gathering around his prostrate body, continued to beat him until life seemed nearly extin- guished. At length, he was summoned to attend the council, being in- formed that his fate was already decided. Upon entering the council house, the renegade white man, the notorious Simon Girty, who had just returned from an unsuccessful expedition against the frontiers of Penn- sylvania, and was in a very bad humor, threw a blanket upon the floor, and harshly ordered Kenton to take a seat upon it. The order not be-
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ing immediately obeyed, Girty impatiently seized, and threw him upon the floor. But upon learning of Kenton his name, he became greatly agitated -- and springing from his seat, he threw his arms around the prisoner's neck and embraced him with much emotion. Girty and Kenton had served together in Dunmore's war, before Girty had deserted to the Indians, and they were bosom friends. He then turned to the assembled warriors, who remained astonished spectators of this extraor- dinary scene, and addressed them in a short speech, which the deep earnestness of his tone, and the energy of his gesture, rendered eloquent. He informed them that the prisoner, whom they had just condemned to the stake, was his ancient comrade and bosom friend-that they had travelled in the same war path, and slept upon the same blanket. He entreated them to have compassion upon his feelings-to spare the agony of witnessing the torture of an old friend, by the hands of his adopted brothers. He recapitulated the services he had rendered the Indians, and the many instances of attachment to them he had given. The life of Kenton, he asked as the first and last favor.
The council debated the question for some time, with great earnest- ness, when the war club was produced and the final vote taken. A majority refused to strike the floor of the council house, and Kenton was liberated.
Kenton remained with Girty for three weeks, being treated with great kindness. In the meantime, several chiefs from a distance arrived and another council was called, and Kenton ordered to attend. Girty again advocated the cause of his friend, but without effect. He was seized, bound, and immediately marched off under a guard. Upon reaching a village upon the head waters of the Scioto, Logan, the celebrated Mingo chief, told him not to be disheartened, and sent runners to Sandusky to intercede for him. The runners returned without succeeding in their efforts to save him, and Kenton was immediately taken to Sandusky. Here a British agent by the name of Drewyer, interposed and once more rescued him from the stake. He was then taken to Detroit to be inter- rogated, in relation to the American force in Kentucky. From this place he made his escape with two other Americans ; and after thirty days travelling through the wilderness, continually exposed to recapture, had the good fortune to reach the settlements in Kentucky.(1)
(1) Indidents of Border Life, pp. 323-337. Hall's Sketches of the West, Vol. 11, pp. 125-129. Marshall's History of Kentucky, Vol. I, pp. 74-77.
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CHAPTER XIII.
COL. JOHN BOWMAN'S EXPEDITION AGAINST THE OHIO INDIANS, AND ITS UN- FORTUNATE RESULT-THE SURPRISE AND DEFEAT OF MAJOR RODGERS, THE SLAUGHTER OF HIS MEN, AND THE MIRACULOUS ESCAPE OF CAPT. BENHAM -THE COMBINED BRITISH AND INDIAN EXPEDITION UNDER COLONEL BYRD AGAINST RIDDLE'S AND MARTIN'S FORTS, AND THE CAPTIVITY OF THE GAR. RISONS AND FAMILIES UNDER THEIR PROTECTION-COL, CLARKE'S EXPEDI- TION AND VICTORY OVER THE INDIANS AT PICKAWA-ESCAPE OF COL. BOONE FROM THE MURDERERS OF HIS BROTHER- CAPTAIN WHITAKER'S SUCCESSFUL CONFLICT WITH THE INDIANS-COL. FLOYD'S DEFEAT-SINGULAR ENCOUN- TER OF SAMUEL, JAMES AND ROBERT MCAFEE-SIGNAL DEFEAT OF THE INDI- ANS AT FORT MCAFEE-THE APPEARANCE OF A LARGE INDIAN FORCE BEFORE BRYANT'S FORT-ITS FAILURE TO CAPTURE IT-THE FATAL BATTLE AT THE BLUE LICKS-THE THIRD EXPEDITION OF COL. CLARKE, AND THE DESTRUC- TION OF THE INDIAN TOWNS.
In the year 1779, the insecurity of the settlements south of the Ohio river, the surprise and murder of families by predatory bands of In- dians, and the constant danger of attack upon every station, whether for- tified or defenceless, induced the pioneers to take measures to carry the war into the enemy's towns, north of the Ohio. They assembled at Har- rodsburg, where it was determined to raise a body of volunteers for an expedition against Chillicothe, the chief town of the Shawanese. About two hundred men were raised, and the command given to Colonel JOHN BOWMAN. George M. Badinger was chosen adjutant, and Benjamin Logan, John Holder, James Harrod and John Bulger commanded com- panies. Many of the best men in the country enrolled themselves as privates.
The expedition left Kentucky in July, crossed the Ohio river, and its march was so well conducted that it appeared before Chillicothe without being discovered by the foe. Having arrived within a short distance of the town in the dusk of the evening, the army halted. Here it was de- termined to attack the place just before the ensuing day.
The plan of attack was well formed, and showed considerable mili- tary skill and caution. The army was divided into two divisions: one was to act under the command of Colonel Bowman in person, and the other under Captain Logan. Captain Logan had orders to take his posi- tion on one side of the town, partly surrounding it, while Colonel Bow- man was to move to the other side, meet the other division, and give the signal for the assault. Captain Logan, with great promptitude, exe- cuted his orders, and the place was half surrounded. But he neither saw nor heard any thing of the Commander-in-chief. As the day light began to appear, Captain Logan ordered his men to conceal themselves
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in the grass, and behind such objects as hid them from the view of the town, and anxiously awaited the signal to commence the attack .- No signal was given, and it was now day light. The soldiers in shift- ing their places of concealment to avoid exposure, alarmed an Indian dog, the violent barking of which brought out a warrior, who proceeded with caution towards the place, and would have been taken prisoner, had not a soldier fired his gun. The Indian in an instant gave a loud yell, and ran immediately to the town and gave the alarm. Preparations were instantly made for defence ; while the party under Captain Logan was near enough to hear the bustle, and to see the women and children escaping to the cover of the woods, by a ridge, which ran between them and the place where Col. Bowman was remaining inactive.
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