USA > Pennsylvania > Early history of western Pennsylvania, and of the West, and of western expeditions and campaigns, from MDCCLIV to MDCCCXXXIII > Part 30
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Sackville cocked his gun, and in a low voice directed Johonnet to fire at one of the guards who, from the quantity of beads and silver about his head, appeared to be a chief, while he selected the other guard for a mark. Each presented at the same moment, took a steady aim and fired. Both Indians fell-the chief shot dead, the other mortally wounded. The other two Indians squatted in the grass like terrified partridges, when the hawk hovers over them, and lay still and motionless. Sackville and Johonnet reloaded their guns as rapidly as possible, and shifted their position a few paces in order to obtain a better view of the enemy. In the meantime, the two Indians cautiously elevated their heads above the grass, and glanced rapidly around in order to observe from what quarter the fatal shots were discharged. 'The thin wreaths of smoke which curled above the bushes where our adventurers lay, betrayed their hiding place to the enemy. Before they could take advantage of it, however, they were ready to fire again, and this second volley proved fatal to one of their enemies who lay without motion, but the other was only slightly wounded, and endeavored to reach the bushes upon the opposite side of the brook. Sackville and Johonnet now sprang to their feet and rushed upon him, but the desperate savage shot Sackville through the heart as he advanced, and flourished his tomahawk so menacingly at Johonnet, that he was compelled to pause and reload his gun. The savage seized
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the opportunity to grasp two rifles belonging to the Indians who had been first killed, and Johonnet in consequence was compelled to retreat to the friendly shelter of the bushes, which he had too hastily abandoned. At this instant, the two prisoners having burst their cords which confined them, sprang to their feet and ran towards the bushes for protection.
Before they could reach them, however, the Indian shot one dead, and fired his last gun at the other but without effect. Johonnet having re- loaded, again fired upon their desperate enemy and wounded him in the neck from which he could see the blood spouting in a stream. Nothing daunted, the Indian rapidly reloaded his gun and again fired without effect.
The prisoner who had escaped, now seized Sackville's gun and he and Johonnet having reloaded, once more left the bushes and advanced upon their wounded enemy. The savage, although much exhausted from loss of blood, sat up at their approach and flourishing a tomahawk in each hand seemed at least determined to die game. Johonnet was anxious to take him alive, but was prevented by his companion who was levelling his gun as he advanced, shot his adversary through the head, and thus put an end to the confiict. It was a melancholy victory to the survivors. Johonnet had lost his gallant comrade, and the res- cued white man had to lament the death of his fellow captive. The last Indian had levied a heavy penalty upon his enemies, and died amply revenged. The rescued prisoner proved to be George Sexton, of New- port, Rhode Island, a private in Harmar's army.
Fortunately for Johonnet, his new comrade was an excellent woods- men, and very readily informed his deliverer of their present situation, and of the proper course to steer. He said that, in company with three others he had been taken by a party of Wabash Indians, in the neigh- borhood of Fort Jefferson ; that two of his comrades having sunk under their sufferings, had been tomahawked and scalped upon the spot; that himself and his dead companion had been in hourly expectation of a similar fate ; and concluded, with the warmest expressions of gratitude for the gallantry with which he had been rescued. So lively, indeed, was his sense of obligation, that he would not permit Johonnet to carry his own baggage, nor would he suffer him to watch more than three hours in the twenty four. On the following day, they fortunately fell in with a small detachment from Fort Jefferson, by which they were safely conducted to the fort."(1)
(1) M'Clung's Western Adventures.
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CHAPTER XV.
ST. CLAIR APPOINTED GOVERNOR OF THE NORTH-WESTERN TERRITORY- AND IS ALSO APPOINTED COMMANDER IN CHIEF-ARMY ASSEMBLED AT FORT WASHINGTON-THE ARMY MARCHES TOWARDS INDIAN TOWNS-FORT HAMIL- TON AND FORT JEFFERSON ERECTED-ENGAGEMENT WITH THE INDIANS-ST. CLAIR'S DEFEAT-RETURN OF THE ARMY TO FORT WASHINGTON-ST. CLAIR CENSURED, BUT ACQUITTED-AN ACCOUNT OF GENERAL ST. CLAIR-GENERAL SCOTT'S MOUNTED EXPEDITION TO THT BATTLE GROUND-BATTLE WITH THE INDIANS, AND THEIR DEFEAT WITH 200 KILLED-RECOVERY OF ARTIL- LERY AND ARMS LOST AT ST. CLAIR'S DEFEAT-BURIAL OF THE BONES OF THE SLAIN.
" We now come to one of the heaviest disasters which occurs in the annals of Indian warfare. The failure of Harmar made a deep impres- sion upon the American nation, and was followed by a loud demand for a greater force, under the command of a more experienced General.
General Arthur St. Clair was, at that time, Governor of the North- Western Territory, (1) and had a claim to the command of such forces as should be employed within his own limits. He had uniformly ranked high as an officer of courage and patriotism, but had been more unfortu- nate than any other officer in the American service. He had commanded at Ticonderago, in the spring of 1777, and had conducted one of the most disastrous retreats that occurred during the Revolutionary War. Not- withstanding his repeated misfortunes, he still commanded the respect of his brother officers, and had the undiminished confidence of Washington. He was now selected as the person most capable of restoring the Ame- rican affairs in the north-west, and was placed at the head of a regular force, amounting to upwards of two thousand men, (2) well furnished with artillery, and was empowered to call out such reinforcements of militia as might be necessary. Fort Washington, now Cincinnati, was as usual the place of rendezvous.
In September, 1791, an army was assembled at that place, greatly superior in numbers, officers, and equipments, to any that had yet ap- peared in the west. The regular force was composed of three complete regiments of infantry, two companies of artillery, and one of cavalry. The militia who joined him at Fort Washington, amounted to upwards of six hundred men, most of whom had long been accustomed to Indian
(1) Under the act of Congress of July 13th, 1787, St. Clair was appointed Governor of the North-Western Territory. July 9th, 1788, he arrived at Fort Harmar, Marietta; and on the 15th of that month, he published the ordinances of Congress for the government of the Territory. Soon afterwards he ap- pointed judges and other officers. January 2d, 1790, he arrived at Fort Wash- ington, and organized Hamilton county.
(2) St. Clair's letter to the Secretary of War, Appendix, 239.
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warfare. The General commenced his march from Fort Washington, on the seventeenth of September, (1) and cut a road through the wilder- ness, to where Fort Hamilton now stands. Here a fort was erected, and called Fort Hamilton. It was on the east bank of the Great Miami river, about twenty miles within the present limits of Ohio. Having completed this fort and garrisoned it, St. Clair left this place on the fourth of October,(2) marched some twenty miles northward, where he established another military post, and called it Fort Jefferson. It is some six miles south of the town of Greeneville, in Darke county., Having garrisoned this post, on the twenty-fourth of October, he marched from this place. Two days before leaving, Mr. Ellis, with sixty militia from Kentucky, joined the army, and brought up a quantity of flour and beef, Shortly after leaving Fort Jefferson, one of the militia regiments, with their usual disregard to discipline, determined that it was inexpedient to proceed farther, and detaching themselves from the main body, returned rapidly to the fort, on their way home. (3)
'This ill-timed mutiny not only discouraged the remainder, but com- pelled the General to detach the first regiment in pursuit of them, if not to bring them back, at least to prevent them from injuring the stores, collected at the fort for the use of the army. ~ By this time the main army was only fourteen hundred strong, and moved forward where afterwards Fort Recovery was erected, within the limits of Mercer county, or on the line between it and Darke county. (4)
Here, on the head waters of the Wabash river, among a number of small creeks, thirty feet in width, on the third day of November, Gene- ral St. Clair, who was sick at the time, encamped with the remaining troops, where he determined to throw up slight works, for the purpose of protecting their knapsacks and baggage, being determined to move upon" the Miami villages, supposed to be within twelve miles, as soon as the first regiment should rejoin them. The remainder of the evening was em- ployed in concerting the plan of the proposed work, with Major Fergu- son, of the engineers, and when the centries were posted at night, every thing was as quiet as could have been desired. The troops were en- camped in two lines, within an interval of seventy yards between them, which was all that the nature of the ground would permit. The batta- lions of Majors Butler, Clarke, and Patterson, composed the front line,
(1) Atwater's History of Ohio, p. 136.
(2) Appendix, p. 239.
(3) This was on the 31st of October, Appendix, 241.
(4) Atwater's History of Ohio, 137.
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the whole under the orders of Major General Butler, an officer of high merited reputation. The front of the line was covered by a creek, its right flank by the river, and its left by a strong corps of infantry. The second line was composed of the battalions of Majors Gaither and Bad- inger, and the second regiment under the command of Lieutenant Colo- nel Darke. 'T'his line, like the other, was secured upon one flank by the river, and upon the other by the cavalry and pickets. (1) The night passed away without alarm. The sentinels were vigilant, (2) and the officers upon the alert.
A few hours before day, St. Clair caused the reveille to be beaten, and the troops to be paraded under arms, under the expectation that an attack would probably be made. In this situation they continued until day- light, when they were dismissed to their tents. Some were endeavoring to snatch a few minutes sleep, others were preparing for the expected march, when suddenly the report of a rifle was heard from the militia, a few hundred yards in front, which was quickly followed by a sharp, irregular volley in the same direction. The drums instantly beat to arms, the officers flew in every direction, and in two minutes the troops were formed in order of battle. Presently the militia rushed into the camp, in the utmost disorder, closely pursued by swarms of Indians, who. in many places, were mingled with them, and were cutting them down with their tomahawks. (3)
Major Butler's battalion received the first shock, and was thrown into disorder by the tumultuous flight of the militia, who, in their eager- ness to escape, bore down every thing before them. Here Major Gene- ral Butler had stationed himself, and here St. Clair directed his attention, in order to remedy the confusion which began to spread rapidly through
(1) The militia, amounting to about two hundred and fifty men, were thrown across the creek about three hundred yards in front of the first line, and a small detachment of regulars under the orders of Captain Slough, were pushed still further in advance, in order to prevent the possibility of surprise.
(2) Captain Slough was alarmed in the course of the night, by the appear- ance of an unusual number of the enemy in his front and upon both flanks .- A short time before day, they had collected in such numbers as seriously to alarm him, and induced him to fall back upon the militia. He instantly in- formed General Butler of the circumstance, but that officer, unfortunately, slighted the intelligence, and did not deem it of sufficient importance to in- form the commander-in-chief.
(3) In a letter written at Fort Washington, April 20, 1792, it is said, " Two of our men have lately made their escape from the Miami villages, and arrived here, who give account of a mock fight lately exhibited by the Indians assem- bled there, to divert the squaws and children. It was in ridicule of General St. Clair's disposition of his troops, on the 4th of November last, and of his flight before the Indians, who pursued him and his army, whilst the others plundered the camp. They gave out that they mean to celebrate this event annually by a like sham fight, and a great dance, to be called " St. Clair's Fight Dance."
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the whole line. The Indians pressed forward with great audacity, and many of them were mingled with the troops before their progress could be checked. Major General Butler was wounded at the first fire, and before he could be dressed, an Indian who had penetrated the ranks of the regiment, ran up to the spot where he lay, and tomahawked him be- fore his attendants could interpose. The desperate savage was instantly killed. By great exertions, Butler's battalion was restored to order, and the heavy and sustained fire of the first line compelled the enemy to pause and shelter themselves.
This interval, however, endured for a moment. An invisible, but tremendous fire quickly opened upon the whole front of the encamp- ment, which rapidly extended to the rear, and encompassed the troops on both sides. St. Clair, who at that time was worn down by a fever, and unable to mount his horse, nevertheless, as is universally admitted, ex- erted himself with a courage and presence of mind worthy of a better fate. He instantly directed his litter to the right of the rear line, where the great weight of the fire fell, and where the slaughter, particularly of the officers, was terrible. Here Darke commanded, an officer who had been trained to hard service during the Revolutionary War, and who was now gallantly exerting himself to check the consternation which was evidently beginning to prevail. St. Clair ordered him to make a rapid charge with the bayonet, and rouse the enemy from their convert. The order was instantly obeyed, and, at first apparently with great effect. Swarms of dusky bodies arose from the high grass, and fled before the regiment with every mark of consternation ; but as the troops were unable to overtake them, they quickly recovered their courage, and kept up so fatal a retreating fire, that the exhausted regulars were compelled, in their turn, to give away. This charge, however, relieved that par- ticular point for some time ; but the weight of the fire was transferred to the centre of the first line, where it threatened to annihilate every thing within its range. There, in turn, the unfortunate General was borne by his attendants, and ordered a second appeal to the bayonet .- This second charge was made with the same impetuosity as the first, and with the same momentary success. But the attack was instantly shifted to another point, when the same charge was made, and the same result followed. The Indians would retire before them, still keeping up a most fatal fire, and the Americans were uniformly compelled to retire in turn. St. Clair brought up the artillery in order to sweep the bushes with grape, but the horses and artillery men were destroyed by the ter- rible fire of the enemy, before any effect could be produced. They
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were instantly manned afresh from the infantry, and again the defenders were swept off.
The slaughter had become prodigious. Four-fifths of the officers and one half of the men were either killed or wounded. The ground was covered with bodies, and the little ravine which led to the river was running with blood. The fire of the enemy had not in the least slack. ened, and the troops were falling in heaps before it in every part of the camp. To have attempted to maintain his position longer, could only have led to the total destruction of his force, without the possibility of annoying the enemy, who never showed themselves, unless when charged, and whose number was equal to his own, if not greater. The men were evidently much disheartened, but the officers, who were chiefly veterans of the revolution, still maintained a firm countenance, and exerted themselves with unavailing heroism to the last. Under these circumstances, St. Clair determined to save the lives of the sur- vivors if possible, and for that purpose collected the remnants of several battalions into one corps, and at the head of which he ordered Lieutenant- Colonel Darke to make an impetuous charge upon the enemy, in order to open a passage for the remainder of the army. Darke executed his orders with great spirit, and drove the Indians before him to the distance of a quarter of a mile. The remainder of the army instantly rushed through the opening, in order to gain the road ! Major Clarke, with the remnant of his battalion, bringing up the rear, and endeavoring to keep the Indians in check.(1)
The retreat soon degenerated into a total rout. Officers who strove to arrest the panic, only sacrificed themselves. Clarke, the leader of the rear guard, soon fell in this dangerous service, and his corps were totally disorganized. Officers and soldiers were now mingled without the slightest regard of discipline, and " save himself who can," was the order of the day.(2)
The pursuit, at first, was keen ; but the temptation afforded by plun- der of the camp, soon brought them back, and the wearied, wounded,
(1) General St. Clair,s horses were killed, as well as those of his aids. He was placed by a few friends upon an exhausted pack-horse, that could not be pricked out of a walk, and in this condition fellowed in the rear of the troops. -Appendix, p. 243.
(2) There were in the army at the commencement of the action, about one hundred and fifty wornen, of whom fifty-six were killed in the battle, and the remainder were made prisoners by the enemy, except a small number who reached Fort Washington. One of the survivors lived until recently in Cin- cinnati, a Mrs. Catherine Miller. This woman ran ahead of the whole army, in their flight from the field of battle. Her large quantity of long red hair,
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and disheartened fugitives, were permitted to retire from the field unmo- lested. The rout continued as far as Fort Jefferson, twenty-nine miles from the scene of action. The action lasted more than three hours, during the whole of which time, the fire was heavy and incessant.
The loss, in proportion to the number engaged, was enormous, and is unparalleled, except in Braddock's disastrous defeat. Sixty-eight officers were killed on the spot, and twenty-eight wounded. Out of nine hundred privates who went into action, five hundred and fifty were left dead on the field, and many of the survivors were wounded.(1) General St. Clair was untouched, although eight balls passed through his hat and clothes, and several horses were killed under him.
The Indian loss was reported by themselves at fifty-eight killed and wounded, which was probably underrated, as they were never visible after the first attack, until charged with the bayonet. At Fort Jefferson the fugitives were joined by the first regiment, who, as noticed above, had been detached in pursuit of the deserters. Here a council of war was called, which terminated in the unanimous opinion that the junction with the first regiment did not justify the attempt upon the enemy in the present condition of affairs, and that the army should return to Fort Washington without delay. This was accordingly done, and thus ended St. Clair's campaign against the Indians.
Several private incidents connected with this unfortunate battle remain to be noticed.
William Kennon, of Fleming county, in Kentucky, at that time a young man of eighteen years of age, was attached to a company of rangers, that accompanied the regular force. He had long been re- markable for strength and activity. On the evening preceding the action, his corps had been advanced, as already observed, a few hundred yards in front of the first line of infantry, in order to give seasonable notice of the enemy's approach. Just as day was dawning, he observed thirty Indians within one hundred yards of the guard fire, advancing cautiously towards the spot where he stood, together with about twenty rangers, the rest being considerably in the rear.
Supposing it to be a mere scouting party, as usual, and not superior in number to the rangers, he sprang forward a few paces in order to shelter himself in a spot of peculiarly rank grass, and firing with a quick
floated in the breeze, which the soldiers followed through the woods, as their fore-runner, that moved rapidly onward, to the place of their ultimate des- tination .- Atwater's History of Ohio, p. 142.
(1) For an authentic list of killed and wounded, see Appendix, p. 246.
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aim upon the foremost Indian, he instantly fell flat upon his face, and proceeded with all possible rapidity to reload his gun, not doubting for a moment, but that the rangers would maintain their position, and support him. The Indians, however, rushed forward in such overwhelming masses, that the rangers were compelled to fly with precipitation, leaving young Kennan in total ignorance of his danger. Fortunately, the captain of his company had observed him when he threw himself in the grass, and suddenly shouted aloud, " Run, Kennan ! or you are a dead man !" He instantly sprung to his feet, and beheld Indians within ten feet of him, while his company was already more than one hundred yards in front.
Not a moment was to be lost. He darted off with every muscle strained to its utmost, and was pursued by a dozen of the enemy, with loud yells. He at first pressed straight forward to the usual fording place in the creek, which ran between the rangers and the main army, but several Indians who had passed him before he arose from the grass, threw themselves in the way, and completely cut him off from the rest. By the most powerful exertions, he had thrown the whole body of pur- suers behind him, with the exception of one young chief, probably Masshawa, who displayed a swiftness and perseverance equal to his own. In the circuit which Kennan was obliged to take, the race con- tinued for more than four hundred yards. The distance between them was about eighteen feet, which Kennan could not increase nor his adver- sary diminish. Each, for the time, put his whole soul into the race.
Kennan, as far as he was able, kept his eye upon the motions of his pursuer, lest he should throw the tomahawk, which he held aloft in a menacing attitude, and at length, finding that no other Indian was im- mediately at hand, he determined to try the mettle of his pursuer in a different manner, and felt for his tomahawk in order to turn at bay. It had escaped from his sheath, however, while he lay in the grass, and his hair had almost lifted the cap from his head, when he saw himself totally disarmed. As he had slackened his pace for a moment, the In- dian was almost in reach of him, when he recommenced the race, but the idea of being without arms, lent wings to his flight, and for the first time, he saw himself gaining ground. He had watched the motions of his pursuer too closely, however, to pay proper attention to the nature of the ground before him, and he suddenly found himself in front of a large tree which had been blown down, and upon which brush and other impediments lay to the height of nine feet or more,
The Indian, who heretofore had not uttered the slightest sound, now
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gave a short quick yell, as if sure of his victim. Kennan had not a moment to deliberate. He must clear the impediment at a leap or perish. Putting his whole soul into the effort, he bounded into the air with a power which astonished himself, and clearing limbs, brush, and every thing else, alighted in perfect safety upon the other side.
A loud yell of astonishment burst from the band of pursuers, not one of whom had the hardihood to attempt the same feat. Kennan, as may be readily imagined, had no leisure to enjoy his triumph, but dashing into the bed of the creek,-upon the bank of which this feat had been performed-where the high banks would shield him from the fire of the enemy, he ran up the stream until a convenient place afforded for cross- ing, and rejoined the rangers in the rear of the encampment, panting from the fatigue of exertions which have seldom been surpassed. No breathing time was allowed him, however. The attack instantly com- menced, and as we have already observed, was maintained for three hours with unabated fury.
When the retreat commenced, Kennan was attached to Maj. Clarke's battalion, and had the dangerous service of protecting the rear. This corps quickly lost its commander, and was completely disorganized .- Kennan was among the hindmost when the flight commenced, but ex- erting those same powers which had saved him in the morning, he quickly gained the front, passing several horsemen in the flight. Here he beheld a private in his own company, an intimate acquaintance, lying upon the ground with his thigh broken, and in tones of the most pierc- ing distress, implored each horseman who hurried by to take him up behind him. As soon as he beheld Kennan coming up on foot, he stretched out his arms, and called loud upon him to save him. Not- withstanding the iminent peril of the moment, his friend could not re- ject so passionate an appeal, but seizing him in his arms, he placed him upon his back, and ran in that manner for several hundred yards .- Horseman after horseman passed them, all of whom refused to relieve him of his burden.
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