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EDITED BY REV. D. W. CLARK, D. D. -Q?,?»^HB^- CINCINNATI: CRANSTON & CURTS. NEW YORK: HUNT & EATON. NW F5\S f K «! r R E F A C E . -•••- No living man, probably, has seen and known more of the Indians in the north-west than my- self. During almost seventy years I have been among them, as it wei-e — have been acquainted with their principal men, studied their history, character, and manner of life. With me it has not been, as with most who have written about them, a mere matter of theory; for I have been among them, hunted and fished with them, ate and lodged in their wigwams, and been subjected to all the labors, excitements, perils, and priva- tions of life among them. In this long experi- ence and observation, I have gathered up many things which I thought worthy of record. Some of them occurred in my experience as a mission- ary among them. I Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan, were the great battle-fields between barbarism and civ- ilization in the west My acquaintance extended 3 201^54 PREFACE. rr Iff over all these states; and there is scarcely a spot celebrated in Indian warfare which I have not vis- itc'l again and again. Tales of Indian life and warfare were the entertainments of my childhood; the realities of these things were among the ex- periences of my manhood. Now, when the scene is nearly over with me on earth, I have gathered up these reminiscences of the past, to amuse and instruct the generations of a later age. Those who enjoy so goodly a heritage in this vast region, ought to know through what trials and perils their forefathers obtained it for them. I have endeavored to connect the facts nar- rated in these pages, so as to give a condensed view of Indian history in the north-west. In the preparation of the work I am indebted to Flint, M'Donald, Drake, Schoolcraft, and others. Col. M'Donald's work was written at my suggestion, and a portion of the material was also furnished by me; consequently, I have felt free to draw upon rt The work of Mr. Flint is rich in the mate- rials of history; but they are so entirely com- mingled and without system, as to detract much from its value. This work is also out of print; and I have gleaned from it some narrations of m PREFACE. intei-esfc. But the great body of the matter has been gleaned from my own resources — not a little of it, indeed, connected with my own experience. Thus I send this work out, hoping that it em- bodies some historic elements and some practical lessons that may be useful to those who now live, and also to those who shall come after me. The Author. CONTENTS. - * » • •, » C U A P T E R I . BBMO/AIi TO TUE N RT H - W EST £R N TURRITOBT. Emigration to tbo North-Wostorn Territory — Tho country a wilderness — Uuoortainty of land titles — Slavery— Scioto Valley : Its great fertility^ Col. Massio— Doronso — Columbia— Gullipolis— The "Three Islands" — Surveys — Attack—Donaldson : His capture — Escape — " Donaldson'* creek " — Massio's narrow escape — Ellison's capture — Runs the gantlet — Is imprisoned — Edgington killed — A race for life — Manner of surrey- ing — Manner of Ijodging— Attack contemplated— Indians escape — Another battle— Action ot Brush creek — Settlement at Chillicothe— Scioto — The Finloy family emigrate — A Wyandott killed— Indians de- mand the murderer— Refused — Two innocent men killed in revenge — Whisky — A pioneer magistrate— Stolen collar- Thief whipped — Rapid ■ettlemonts Paqk 17 CHAPTER II. 2K0IDENTS OF INDIAN LIFE AND WARFARE. Cbilliootbo — Shawnees— Mrs. Dennis: Becomes a squaw, physician, and nurse — Becomes celebrated — Her escape— Indians pursue— Firo upoii her — She conceals herself— Crosses the Ohio — Reaches Qrcenbrier— , Lies down to die — Is discovered and sent forward— Dreadful revenge- Daniel Boone — Hi is captured— Adopted by a chief— Shows great skill in hunting — Is compelled to make salt— Resolves to escape— Succeeds — ' An encounter with savages — The Indiana are routed — Anecdote — The stolen venison — The Indian's inquiry— His acuteness- -Duke Holland— A savage murde; — Pursuit of tho murdoren* — Mode of tracking them— Discover them — Cowardice — Report at home— Pressure of emigration- Indian hostilities and barbarities- Combination against them v 'I'ji- •othe attacked— Plan of Attack— Retreat— Colonel Bowman- Captains Logan and Harrod— Black-Foot killed— Kentucky rangers— Various tribet— The monster Qirty— General Uarmar— Colonel Hardin — A se- 7 •3^'-'^^:^ '$^^!^i^WB' 8 CONTSNTS. fwn oonfliot— The number slain— Geuorol St. Clnir— Terrible barbari- ties — Loud call for vongnanoe— Qroat mourning — Two thousand sottlert killed — Movements aguinat the saragos — A general action — Ucneial Butler killod— The whites flee— Roach Fort Waiihington— The Missii> ■ayo ohiof— His great military skill— General Sooti— Indians attacked— Their defeat complete— Final great battle— General Wayne— Fort R«- oorery— Miami of the Lnkos- Offers of pence to the savages -Evasirs reply— Preparations for battle— Savages completely routed— British poit — Indian towns and corn destroyed— Treaty of peace— emigra- tion Pao« At CHAPTER III. INDIAN OBUKLTIES. l*roTOoat!on8 to the Indians— Moravian missionaries— Their mission ni* lages— Colonel Williamson and his company— Moravian Indians give up their arms — Are confined— Entreaty for mercy— Prayers and praises in prison— One hundred Christian Indians murd'Tod— Savages greatly exasperated- Revenge impending— Colonel Crawford and his expeal» tion— Attacked and defeated by the Indians— Colonel Crawford and Dr. Knight captured— Wingenund— Interview between Wingenund anu Crawford— The interview unsuccessful- Preparations for the horribU tragedy— Crawford appeals to Qirty— His answer— Captain Pipe— The rush upon Crawford— Horrible tortures — The brutal Girty— His words to Knight— Crawford faints— Is scalped— Dies— Dr. Knight escapes- Crawford's son meets the same fate — Another tragedy— A white family attacked— Most of them murdered — Mr. Morgan— Struggle for life— Dunkard's creek— Mrs. Bosarth— Her Heroism— Mrs. Merrill — She kills seven savages — The boys, Henry and James Johnson — Their brave exploit and escape from captivity 88 ■■•I! : CHAPTER IV. INDIAN TRIBES IN THE NOBTH-WESTEBNTERBITOBT. Leading Indian nations — Indian origin unknown — Their own traditions differ— Different names of the same tribes— Wyandotts or Hurons — Their territory— The " Grand Fathers "—War with the Six Nations- Origin of the Seminolos— Wyandotts' removal west— Their wars with other tribes — Their humane and hospitable character— Their bearing toward tribes at peace— Treatment of prisoners — Their great number — Their heroic valor— The great change— The Indians despaii^The "Five Nations" — Their territory— Reason of thoir name— Called Iroquois by the French— Tradition about their origin— Mohawks the oldest— Onel- CONTENTS. doi-OuondagM SaneoM— Cayugiw Tusoaroru- Mr. Thaloh«r - Adl- rondaoks— Thoir warlike oharaotur— Tbeir allianoe with the French — Iroquois prevail— Become the loading tribe of the continent— Piskaret greatly oolobrated— Great exploit— Uther strange adventures of I'isk»> ret— Scattering of the tribes before the Iroquois — Extent of their ter ritory— Lose their pre-eminence with the advance of civilisation- Origin of Ottawas, Chippewas, and I'ottawataniios— Their emigra- tioof— Detroit— Pontiuo and the North-Wcutorn tribus—Braddock's do- feat- -Qreat influence of Pontioo— Colonel Uogers— The two meet— Pontiac's domaud— Rogom's ii ply— Pontiuo's responso—Hia fricndabip toward the English — His curiosity — Dosire to visit England— His change toward the English — Plan of operations — Unfolds his plan to L'<: ' ib(^— The Ottawas warmly sympathize- The groat Indian allianoe— \' >r — Nine Uritisih stations captured— Traders taken- Horrible devas'rti >ns— Indian strategy— Mackinaw and Detroit— The Delawar.::— WilHnm Peon — Captain Pipe — White-Eyes— Fate of the Shawni-c. — Cincintip.ti Gazette— Sarcoxv -His hospitality — Miasourians and Yankees — Ti:e Indian girl — Lodging— The papoose — Moravian missions — Horrl ble mas- •acre o' peaoeful Indians at Conostoga—Shawnees— Originally from the South — Their character — Alliance against thom — Emigrate north - Principal headquarters — Names of the Shawnee tribes — Sitting in council— Origin of the name Pt^ua- Shawnoes' theory of races— Their explanation of their condition — Their decline — Condition in 1840 — Civilization— Policy of the Government— Treaties with fM several tribes — Government appropriations to the Indian tribes Pack 92 OH AFTER y. IIEOB OF DETBOIT AND THE DEATH OF POKTIAO. Detroit in 1763— Fortifications— Garrison— Major Gladwin— Indian plan- Detection—" Bloody Bridge " — Carver's statement — The Indian woman — Her revelation— Active preparations — Pontiao admitted within the fort — Addresses Major Gladwin — Is ordered from the fort — Attacks the fort— Driven back — A treaty proposed— Major Campbell and Lieutenant M'Doagal sent to treat — Are detained — Hostilities renewed — A fleet of boats approach— Is attacked by the Indians and captured— Another attempt to relieve the garrison — Indians attempt to board the vessels — Defeated— HxtraoM from letters to Atlantic papers, 1763— Fate of Ma- jor Campbell — M'Dougal escapes — Detroit reinforced— Attack on the Indians oontemplated— Is unsuccessful— Indians weary of the war — Pontiao's army reduced— Wyandotta of Sandusky— General Bmdstreet — A gnni oounoil— Peace — Pontiao disappears— Goes to the Illinois — Let- ter respecting him — Is assassinated — His great influence — His death rarenged — His memory revered by his countrymen 128 if 10 C r T E N T S . CHAPTER VI. VALL OF MACKINAWAND CAPTIVITTOF MB.HEMBT. Mr. Uenry— Hostile disposition of the Indians — Plan against the garri' son — M. Ducharme— Strength of the garrison — Gathering of Indians — Major Ethcrington — Wawatain— His friendship for Henry — Occasion of it— His present— His second visit— His talk with Henry — Urges him to leave the fort — Indians in great numbers — Baggatiway — Suspicions- - Mr. Tracy — War cry — The Massacre begun— Henry seeks refuge — M. Langlade — A Pani woman— Sheltered in a garret— Horrible scene of blood — Indian search — The concealment — Dark prospect — Respite of sleep — Is discovered — Wenniway — His appearance— A reprieve — Still in danger — Life attempted — A narrow escape— Other prisoners— Num- ber killed — The Jesuit missionary — Distressing suspense — Destitute condition — Isles du Castor — Seized by Ottawas — Ottawas take posses- sion of the fort— Complaint of the Chippowas— Prisoners returned to the Chippewas— Desperate condition — Wawatam — His speech — The re- ply — Henry delivered to Wawatam — More murders — A horrid feast — English traders seized— Council seized — Fears of the Indians — Mourn- ing custom — Canoes captured — Drunkenness— Origin of the isame Mack- inaw — Place of safety— Proves to be a place of bones and skulls — Final Escape Page 150 I.!]- If' ! 'm CHAPTER VII. TECUMSEH AND HIS WAR. Tecumsoh — His character — Apprehensions-^ His father — Birth — Early bravery — John Waggoner — His escape — Murder of his family — Tocum- seh's obstinacy in fight — His influence extending — A stout Kentuck- isn— His alarm— Tecumseh's expression— His brother, "the Prophet" — Tecumseh's theory respecting Indian lands— Governor Harrison's letter to the Secretary of War — Tecumseh at Vincennos- Cantain Floyd's aocount — The council — Tecumseh states his objections to the treaty of Fort Wayne — His declaration of his position — Governor Harrison re- plies — Tecumseh's singular conduct — Winnemac — Rev. Mr. Winans — Harrison demands an explanation — Tecumseh's reply — Harrison breaks up the council — Listens to Tecumseh's explanations next day — Position of other chiefs — The Governor's answer— Governor visits Tecumseh's camp— Further conversation — The overflowing water — The dam— Te- (Aimseh's proposal and threat — Final declaration — Reflections on Tecam- seh's conduct at the council — Bearing of the Indians — Wrongly treated by the whites— Harrison's Testimony — Military force secured for emorg< CONTENTS. u enoies — Hamson'!> speech to the Indians — Tecumsoh's reply — Frequeut Indian murders and robberies — Another council — Tecuniseh in the south— Interview with Big Warrior— His strange threat — Its singular fulfillment— Ilarrison'd efforts for peace— Assurances of the Prophet- Battle of Tippecanoe— Defeat of the Indians — Their rage against the Prophet — Loses his popularity and power — Teoumseh returns from the louth — Reproaches the Prophet— Declares his peaceful intentions — In- sincerity — Joms the British Page 182 CH A PTER VIII. , DEATHOFTEOUMSEH. War with Great Britain— Tecumseh declares his real position — Crosses to Brownstown — Attacks Major Van Home, who retreats — General Hull — Battle with the British and Indians — General Brock — Tecumseh's Rkotch of the country — Investment of Fort Meigs — Battle — Proctor's plans — His pledge to Tecu seh — Capture of Colo lel Dudley — Murder of his troops — Tccumseh's interference — Releases the Shawnee captives — Be- comes disheartened — Meditates withdrawal from the contest — Is pre- vented—Address to Proctor— Proctor's promises — Tecumseh's prediction of his death — Arrangement of the British forces — Arrangement of the Americans- British in open orcfer— Colonel Johnson's charge — British recoil— Surrender — Loss on either side — Tecumseh's conduct — His fate- Description of him 209 CHAPTER IX. - JOHN STEWART. The Wyandott natiori — Its degradation— Roman Catholics — Their instruc- tion — John Stewart — Origin — Birthplace — Emigration — '"' ipation — ' Conviction and conversion — Joins the Methodist Church — Call to preach — Voices from the North-west- Impressions to travel thither — Seta off— Reaches Goshen— Goes to Pipetown— Indian dance— Stewart sings— Indians listen — "Sing more'* — Exhorts — Goes to Upper San- dusky — Suspected to be a slave- Finds friends — Jonathan Pointer — Becomes Stewart's interpreter — Meetings — Some Indians converted — Persecution — The Catholic priest— Stewart's Bible — Mrs. Walkor— Great religious interest— Pointer's conversion— Stewart's faithfulness — John Hick« — His speech — Mononcue — His views— Stewart replit!«--A fresh revival — The power of the Spirit— Heathen efforts— Groat feast and dance— Siewart leaves Sandusky— Regrets — Promises to return — Goes to Marietta — His letter to Mr. Walker — Accompanying address to the Indians •• 233 12 CONTENTS. CHAPTER X. JOHN STEWART'S RETURN TO THE WTAND0TT8. Backslidings and disorders — Stewart's porseverauce — Opposition — Meaoi used — Stewart has some success — Returns to Marietta — Again among the Indians — Interference — Moses Grume's remarks of Stewart — Local preachers aid Stewart — John P. Finley — Robert Armstrong — Mission taken into the regular work — J. Montgomery — R. Bigclow — R. W. Fin- ley — Moses Henkie — First Indian quarterly meeting — Between-the- Logs's testimony — John Hicks's — Scuteash — Mononoue's interesting speech — Finley's address — Meeting appointed — Mononcue, speaker— Henkie reappointed— 1820— First Indian mission of the Method:.'! Episcopal Church— School proposed — Indian address to the confer- ence Page 257 Hi ' CHAPTER XI. THE AI^THOR APPOINTED MISSIONARY TO THB W YANDOTTS. Finley missionary to the Wyandotts — Preparations for moving — The mis- sion family — Safe arrival — Camp Meigs — Accident — Recovery— Hard work — Cold winter — Stewart — Happy death of an Indian woman — So- ciety formed — Rules — Numbers increase — Influences of traders and whisky — Indian god, the devil — Indian exhortation — The squaw'a dream — Sugar-making — Raccoons and molasses — Winter hunting- camps — Raccoon traps — Bears in winter — Mode of catching them — Their young — Bear-oil — Indian provision in war — Meetings at the hunt- ing-camps — Preaching — Mononcue's views of rum-waking and selling — Use of law— Confession of faults— Plain talk— The heathen party — Judicious instruction — Indian camp meeting — The desert blossoms as the rose — A squaw converted on horseback — Sickness — Triumph — Be- covery — Stewart— Provision for him — Chiefs at the conference — Their address — Bishop M'Kendree's reply 288 CHAPTER XII. VISIT TO NEIOHBORINQ TRIBES. Author appointed to Lebanon district and superintendent of the mission — Charles Elliott, missionary — School rapidly increases— Great opposi- tion— Bloody-Eyes — Threatens his brother — Is converted — Dies {■ peace— De-un-quot and his party— The sermon— The Indiana reply— The missionary's^answer— The chief becomes excited —Death of Deun- CONTENTS. 18 qaot — Between-the-Loga and the fraudulent trader— The trial — YMt to the neighboring tribes — Difference of Presbyterians and Method- ists—Rescue of Jonathan— Van Meter — He is made class-leader — Fort Ball — Seneca chiefs— Speech of the head chief— Answered by Between- the-Logs— Recommends the true religion — Hicks speaks — Mononoue speaks — His stirring eloquence — An Indian recognized after twenty-fire 7^.ar8 — Rattlesnake root — Senecas and Delawares Pjlob 324 CHAPTER XIII. ' BISHOP H'KENDBEE AND THE MISSION. Quarterly meeting— Eloquent address of Betwecn-thc-Logs — Rerival— • The mission school — Bishop M'Kendree — His letter respecting the mis- sion — His notice of* the schools — Opinion of the chiefs about the schools — Letter of Mr. Johnston— Temptations — The Sabbath— The In- dian's Christian experience — T'le true civilization — Importance of a skillful interpreter — Eril' infljence of white men — The Indian to the Indian agent — Expense of the mission — The national brand — Journal of acts- Stand against polygamy and adultery — Case of divorce — A great advance — Indian independence of character — Discipline of chil- dren—Favorable traits 347 CHAPTER XIV. EXOUBSION TO THE NOBTHEBN TBIBE8. Reappointment to the mission— Jacob Hooper — Mrs. Hooper — Instruction to extend missionary labors— Governor Cass — His statement of facts — Chippewas- John Stewart — His feeble health — Death — Start for tho north — Reflections amid tho journey — Lodging — Anecdote of Indian war — Black Swamp — The ring-hunt — Fording the Maumee — An In- dian Christian— View of rum-selling — Praying in the snow — Difficul- ties — Honnis — His address— His history — Fort Maiden — Reaches De- troit — Interview with Governor Cass — Kish-a-kauk-o— His desperate character — Adam Brown — Preaching to the Indians — A Church organ- ised — First Methodist Indian society in Canada — Journeyings and preaching — Returns to Detroit — A time of refreshing. 377 CHAPTER XV. OONYEBTBD INDIANS ON A WINTKB HUNT. Betnm joomey— Sea-biscuit— Crossing tho Maumee— Reaches the mis- rion— Heathenism at work— Objections to the Biblo— Difficulties with the sub-agent— Mission defended— Indian honesty— Revival— Its inta- iS- IVI mmm 14 CONTENTS. onee among tho children— Ilannah Armstrong— Her conversion — Trl- amphant death — The winter hunt— Instructions — Christian steudfast- ness — Indiana reprove the whites — Astonishment — Sum-mun-de-wat — His interview with a preacher — Return of the hunting party to the mission— Efforts against religion — Keasoning with the erring — Friend- ships — Improvements — Policy of tho mission— Place of worship— Visit to Washington — Monroe— Calhoun Page 402 CHAPTER XVI. BISHOPS M'KENDBEE AND SOULE IN COUNCIL WITH THE INDIANS. Missionary meeting, Baltimore, 1824— Addresses — Author reports the work among the Wyandotts — Summerfield — His address — Amusing account — The little girl's penny and shilling — William Wirt — Visit to the mission by M'Kendrce and Soule — Bishop Soulc's account— Ap- pearance of the crops — Public worship — Great devotion of tho Indians — The school — Promising appearance of the children — Mononcue's ad- dress tf, the Bishop — Punch — Peacock — Sum-mun-de-wat— Gray-Eyes — Big-T ree — Washington — Two-Logs — Joseph Williams — Mononcue's closing speech — Mr. Walker— Good prospects 424 I ' ?. CHAPTER XVII. REMOVAL or THE WYANDOTTS. Return to the mission, 1824 — Removal of the Indians — Their opposi- tion—Their appeal to Government — Reply of the Department — Tho pledge of the Government renewed— Indians quieted — Two things req- uisite — Permanent establishment of the school — Division of lands — General Cass — Removal still agitated — Exhibit of condition and claims of the Wyandotts — A conquered enemy — Become faithful friends — A merciful tribe — Civilization probable— Pledge of Government— Pretext for removal — Pretext examined — Author's views of removal— Number in society — Death of Robert Armstrong— His early capture— Adoption pf Indian habits and life — Became an interpreter— Became a Christian — His character — Last sickness — Author appointed sub-agent— Scuteash — His fall — Promises reform — Falls again— His sun sets in a cloud* •• 442 ^ CHAPTER XVIII. VISIT TO THE EAST WITH INDIAN CHIEFS. Author retamed to the mission, 1825— John C. Brooke— A haxardou journey— A terrible night — Conversion of Soionta— His former char- CONTENTS. la acter — Powerfui conviction and conversion — Great stir— His porscvor- »nce — A powerful influence — Statistics of the mission — Letter of in- vitation to the missionary anniversary — The journey — The party — Reception at Bubiilo— Canal beat— Captain Smith— Sabbath — Preach- ing — The Indian prayer and exhortation— Effect — Arrive at Albany — New York — Noise of the city — Sight-seciiig — The sea-turtle— Gas-light exhibition — The party lionized — The anniversary — Bascom's sermon — Betwecn-the-Logs — His account of Catholic influence — Soneca prophet — Shawnee prophet — Finley and Mononcue follow— Durbin's speech — Philadelphia— Dr. Sargent — Sam. Merwin — Meetings — Water-works — Baltimore — Bishops Soule and M'Kendree — Great interest— Baltimore camp meeting— Thrilling address of Botween-the-Logs — Washington City— Judge M'Lean— Return homo Paok 463 C H A P T E R X I X . DIVISION OF THE WYANDOTT LAND3. Author's health impaired— M'Kendree's influence — His address to the Indian Christians — Reply — The Bishop's valedictory— Solemn parting — Division of land — Principles of the division — Principles approved by the chiefs --Good effect of the division — Mononcue's letter to the Author, 1830— Happy death of Big-Troe's wife— Murder— The Mur- derer executed — Big George — His wife — Her conversion — Marries Sum- mun-de-wat — Her triumpbunt death — The fruitful cause of Indian murder 490 CHA PTER XX. BIOQRAPHICAIi SKETCHES. I. Captain John • 508 II. Contain Lewis 612 III. Capiain Shigser 513 IV. Little Turtle 514 V. Billy Wyandott and wife 618 VL John Van Meter 519 VII. Blaok-Hoof 620 Vin. The Crane, or Tarhe 52.'^ IX. De-un-quot 630 X. Keokuk 631 XI. Snm-man-de-wat 644 LIFE AMONG THE INDIANS. CHAPTER I. REMOVAL TO THE NORTH-WESTERN TERRITORY. In the spring of 1796, I emigrated to the North- western territory, and commenced planting corn on the prairie, a little below where Chillicothe now stands. The country was then a dense wilderness. There was not even a " blazed path " connecting with Wheeling, Va., or Maysville, Ky.; nor was there a single inhabitant along all the route. Civilization now began to assert the supremacy of her claim to the uncultivated land over which the native savage and the wild beast had roamed for untold ages. This was, in reality, " life among the Indians ;" and espe- cially was it the commencement of a series of events in my personal history, as related to the Indians, which I design to record in this volume. My father, after emigrating to Kentucky, pur- chased some land, and settled near the present town of Flemingsburg. This was in 1789. Ours was the frontier house of the settlement, and we were much 2 17 18 LIFE AMONG THE INDIANS. exposed to the incursions of Indians and wild beasts. The next year we moved to Bourbon county. Here my father ministered to two congregations — one at Cane Ridge, the other at Concord. Both were pros- perous in a high degree. But we found here also causes of serious discon- tent. There was great uncertainty among the set- tlers as to the title to their lands. Some of them had spent their last farthing in the purchase of their lands; and then, after encountering all the dangers and toils of pioneer life, in clearing and bringing them under cultivation, some other claimant would come and dispossess them of their homes. In such cases there was often no redress. The unprincipled speculator, having sold his spurious title, would dis- appear, and when the defrauded settler discovered that his claim was worthless, could not be found. My father was also utterly opposed to the system of slavery which prevailed in Kentucky, and had liberated his slaves. This brought down upon him the ill-will and persecution of the fiery advocates of the system. The main body of both his congre- gations, however, strongly sympathized with him in his antislavery views; and the mutual ties that bound them together were so strong, that -nearly the whole of them finally emigrated with him to the North- Western territory. While this state of things existed on the Kentucky side of the river, their attention was drawn to the rich lands of the Scioto Valley. These lands had ;. ammmtwmmt^n^mmkti I 'f !- ' . ' i. ' .-i ' L ' J '. ' I" '* ?- ' !"J l'' 'i ' '' ' .' !! '! ' l ' 'iI.!J)* tlj! COL. massie's station. 19 been surveyed by Col. Massie, in 1792, and he gave the most glowing accounts of the fertility of the soil and the beauty of the scenery. My father, in the latter part of 1794, opened a negotiation with Massie for a tract of from fifteen to twenty miles square, for the settlement of his two congregations, ?nd such other friends from eastern Pennsylvania, as might choose to join him. On the succeeding March, Col. Massie visited him at his residence. Here he had an interview with a large company of those who were anxious to emigrate, and arrange- ments for that purpose were made. A day was fixed upon for a general rendezvous at Massie*s Station, now Manchester, and my father took immediate meas- ures to apprise his friends in the east of the arrange- ments, and the prospects of the enterprise. Massie's Station was about twelve miles above Mays- ville, but upon the opposite side of the river. The settlement had been made in 1791, and now consisted of about thirty families. They were strongly in- trenched in their log-cabins, and the whole town was inclosed with strong pickets firmly fixed in the ground, with block-houses at each angle for defense. Though the most desperate Indian war was then rag- ing, and fearful barbarities were committed by the savages, this settlement, owing to its excellent prepa- rations for defense, and the watchfulness of the brave spirits that guarded it, suffered comparatively little. £yen their agricultural labors were prosecuted with comparative safety ; for having cleared the lowest of ■«i 20 i'FE AMONG THE INDIANS. the " Three Islands," which were in the river just op- posite to their settlement, they planted it with corn. The soil was very rich, and the crops abundant, so that the wants of the little settlement were abund- antly supplied. Besides this, there were at this time only two settlements on the north-western bank of the Ohio — one at Columbia, eight miles above Cin- cinnati, and one at Gallipolis, near the mouth of the Great Kanawha. These were the germs of the great north-western states, which now, in population, enter- prise, wealth, and refinement, take their rank as stars of the first magnitude in the glorious constellation of our Union. The location at the " Three Islands " was the head- quarters of Massie's surveying party. From this point he went out in every direction, surveying the country and making locations. An incident may illustrate the perilous nature of this work. It was his invariable rule to keep spies around him; and if signs of Indians in the neighborhood were discovered, he would retire to his strongly-fortified post. At one time, however, in the spring of 1792, while prosecu- ting his surveys, accompanied by three men — one of them named Donaldson — a party of Indians suddenly came upon them. Fortunately, the Indians had left their arms in their canoe, at the landing. Massie and his party fled. The Indians, with horrid yells, pursued them. Descending a hill, the party had to leap a ravine some twelve feet in width, and about the same depth. Three of them succeeded in effect* I itthimmi iMWi INDIAN CAPTURE. 21 ing tbo leap ; but poor Donaldson failed to reach firm footing on the opposite bank, and fell back into the ditch. The other three made good their escape to the Station, and gave the alarm. The next morning, with a party of twenty men, Massie returned to learn the fate of his companion, and to rescue him, if possible. He found that Donaldson had evidently been captured and taken off by the Indians. lie pursued their trail some distance, but found no chance to surprise them; and knowing that if the Indians were aware of his pursuit, they would immediately butcher the unfortunate Donaldson, while, if left un- molested, they might spare him till he found some chance to escape, he gave over the pursuit. Ho judged rightly — Donaldson finally escaped. When he made his unfortunate plunge, the fore- most Indian was close to his heels, and instantly leaped upon him, tomahawk in hand. Donaldson im- mediately surrendered, and was made a prisoner. The party consisted of eight or ten Indians, who. had been trapping, up the Big Sandy, and were now on their return to Wapatomaka — now Zanesfield — on Mad river. It was late in the evening when they took him, and they immediately loaded him with their peltry, and made a rapid march homeward. In a few days he began to think about effecting his escape, although the difficulties against which he had to con- tend were great, owing to the extreme CEution and watchfulness of the Indians. At night they took a Btrong tug — a rope made of the raw hide of the 22 LIFE AMONG THE INDIANS. I i| I 11! buffulo or elk — and fastened it around his body, each end of tlie tug being tied around the body of an Indian. The tug was tied so tightly, that it could not be slipped, nor could he move to the one side or the other without drawing the Indian after him. It was from such a situation he had to extricate himself. One night, while the Indians were tying him after the usual manner, he puffed up his body to its full extent, by drawing in his breath ; and when they had com- pleted the process, he found that there was a good deal of play in the noose of the tug. He laid very still till the Indians were fast asleep; then, having partly undressed himself, he began slowly and cau tiously to slip from the ncose. After a long trial he succeeded, and found himself once more a free man. He instantly rushed to the thickets. The night was clear, and he could steer his course by the stars. Striking off in a southern direction, he trav- eled all night. The next day he fell on Harmer's old trace, and followed its course to the south. In two days he reached Fort Washington, now Cincin- nati. Here he remained a few days to lecruit him- self, and then returned to his friends at Massie's Station, where he was most joyfully received, as they had felt great anxiety as to his fate. The creek, at the mouth of which he was taken, wps called after him " Donaldson's Creek ;" which name it still retains, and will retain when the event which gave birth to its name will be forgotten. About the year 1840, Mr. Donaldson was still living at the old settlement— A NAUROW ESCAPE. 23 the only one of the original settlers remaining there. He was a member of the convention which formed the Constitution of the state of Ohio, and lived to witness the gigantic development of the state in which he was one of the first pioneers. During this same year Massie had another narrow escape. He had advanced with his surveying party up the Little Miami, till he reached the spot where the town of Xenia now stands, witliout the least molestation or obstruction from the Indians. Early one morning, as they were going out to resume their labors. General Lytic perceived an Indian leveling his gun at Massie, who was in advance of the others. Quick as thought he fired at the Indian, killing him dead. The party then advanced cautiously, and soon discovered an encampment of one hundred and fifty Indians. It was now time to retreat. The Indians were in full chase. It was a race for life; but the whole party succeeded in making good their flight, and reached the Station in iafety. In the spring of 1793 the settlers at Massie's Sta- tion commenced clearing some lots outside of their picket-fence, but in its immediate vicinity. Here an incident occurred, which will illustrate the constant peril of the early settlers. A Mr. Andrew Ellison, one of the settlers, cleared a lot immediately adjoin- ing the fort. He had completed the cutting of the timber, rolled the logs together, and set them on fire. The next morning, a short time before day-break, Mr. Ellison opened one of the gates of the fort, and went mimm^^ 24 LIFE AMONG THE INDIANS. out to throw his logs together. By the time he had finished this job, a number of the heaps blazed up brightly, and as he was passing from ore to the other, he observed, by the light of the fires, three men walking briskly toward him. This did not alarm hinc in the least, although, he said, they were dark-skinned fellows ; yet he concluded they were the Wades, whose comrlexions were very dark, going early to hunt. He continued to right his log-heaps, till one of the fellows seized him by the arms, and called out in broken English, "How do? how do?" He instantly looked in their faces, and to his surprise and hor- ror, found himself in the clutches of three Indians. To resist was useless. He, therefore, submitted to his fate, without any resistance or an attempt to es- cape. The Indians quickly moved off with him in the direction of Paint creek. When breakfast was ready, Mrs. Ellison sent one of her children to ask their father home ; but he could not be found at the log- heaps. His absence created no immediate alarm, as it was thought he might have started to hunt, after the completion of his work. Dinner time arrived, and Ellison not returning, the family became uneasy, and began to suspect some accident had happened to him. His gun-rack was examined, and there hung his rifle and his pouch in their usual place. Massie raised a party, and made a circuit around the place, and found, after some search, the trails of four men, one of whom had on shoes; and as Ellison had shoes on, the truth, %4^\- ■.-rfal M»»» ■«»' :■» ■ CAPTURE 0\ tfliLISON. 25 that the Indians had made him a prisoner, was un- folded. As it was almost .iigLt at the time the trail TV as discovered, the party returned to the. Station. Next morning, early preparations were made by Mas- sie and his party to pursue the Indians. In doing this, they found great diflSculty, as it was so early in the spring that the vegetation was not of suflScient growth to show plainly the trail of the Indians, who took the precaution to keep on hard and high land, where their feet could make little or no impression. Massie and his party, however, were as unerring as a pack of well-trained hounds, and followed the trail to Paint creek, when they found the Indians gained so fast on them that pursuit was vain. They therefore abandoned it, and returned to the Station. The Indians took their prisoner to Upper San- dusky, and compelled him to run the gantlet. As Ellison was a large man, and not very active, he re- ceived a severe flogging as he passed along the line. From this place he was taken to Lower Sandusky, and was agiiin compelled to run the gantlet, and was then taken to Detroit, where he was generously ran- somed bv a British oflScer for one hundred dollars. He was shortly afterward sent by his friend, the offi- cer, to Montreal, from whence he returned home be- fore the close of the summer of the same year. Soon after this another incident, of a still more serious character, occurred; and when it is remem- bered that it occurred less than two years before our Bcttlement wa« effected in the interior of the Scioto 3 wm 26 LIFE AMONG THE INDIAKP I 'ill II 'f region, the reader will readily conceive that our sit- uation was not without its perils. The incident of which I,speak i? as follows: John Edgington, Asahel Edgington, and another man, started out on a hunting expedition, toward Brush creek. They camped out six miles, in a north- east direction from where West Union now stands, and near Treber's tavern, on the road from Chillicothe to Maysville. The Edgingtons had good success in hunting, having killed a number of deer and bears. Of the deer killed, they saved the skins and hams alone. The bears they fleeced; that is, they cut oflf all the meat which adhered to the hide without skin- ning, and left the bones as a skeleton. They hung up the proceeds of their hunt on a scaffold, out of the reach of the wolves and other wild animals, and re- turned home fcr pack-horses. The two Edgingtons returned to the camp alone. No one apprehended danger, as the winter season was usually a time of repose from Indian incursions. They arrived at their hunting camp, alighted from their horses, and were preparing to strike a fire, when a platoon of Indians fired upon them, at the distance of not more than twenty paces. A;:?ahel Edgington fell to rise no more, John was more fortunate. The sharp crack of the rifles, and the horrid yelb of the Indians, as they leaped from their place of ambush, frightened the horses, who took the track toward home at full speed John Edgington was very active on foot, and now •an occasion offered which rer^uired his utmost speed. A RACE FOR LIFE. 27 The Indians threw down their guns and pursued him, screaming and yelling in the most horrid manner. Edginglon ran no easy race. For about a mile the Indians stepped into his tracks almost before the bending grass could rise. The uplifted tomahawk was frequently so near his head, that he thought he felt its edge. Every effort was made to save his life, and every exertion of the Indians was made to ar- rest him in his flight. At length he began to gain on his pursuers, and after a long race, distanced them, and safely reached home. It was a most fearful and well-contested race. The big Shawnee chief. Captain John, who headed the Indians on this occasion, after peace was made, and Chillicothe settled, frequently gave the writer of this sketch an account of the race. He said, " That white man smart felloAv; he run and I run; he run and run; and at last he run clear oflf from me." During the winter of 1792-3, Massie explored the valley of Paint creek and part of the Scioto country. These excursions were full of peril; but the plan adopted by Massie was such as to insure the greatest possible security. He usually had three assistant surveyors ; each surveyor, including himself, was ac- companied by six men, which made a mess of seven, and the whole party would amount to twenty-eight Every man had his prescribed duty to perform. Theii operations were conducted in this manner: In front went the hunter, who kept in advance of the surveyor two or three hundred yards, looking for game, and mm 28 LIFE AMONG THE INDIANS. .!i prepared, to give notice, should any danger from In- dians threaten. Then followed, after the surveyor, the two chain-men, marker, '^nd pjlck-horse man with the baggage, who always kept near each other, to be pre- pared for defense, in case of an atti.ck. Lastly, two or three hundred yards in the rear, camv^ a man, called the spy, whose duty it was to keep on tho back trail, and look out, lest the party in advance might be pur- sued and attacked by surprise. Each man — the sur- veyor not excepted — carried his rifle, his blanket, and such other articles as he might stand in need of. On the pack-horse was carried the cooking utensils, and such provisions as could be most conveniently taken. Nothing like bread was thought of. Some salt was taken, to be used sparingly. For subsistence, they depended alone on the game which the woods af- forded, procured by their unerring rifles. In this manner was the largest number of surveys made in the district. , When night came, four fires were made for cook- ing, that is, one for each mess. Around these fires till sleeping time arrived, the company spent theij time in social glee, singing songs, and telling stories When, danger was not apparent or immediate, thej were as merry a set of men as ever assembled. Rest- ing time arriving, Massie always gave the signal, and the whole party would leave their comfortable fires, carrying with them their blankets, their fire-arms, and their little baggage, walking in perfect silence two or three hundred yards from their fires. They would ('■V IM LODGING AMID THE SNOW. 29 then scrape away the snow, and huddle down together for the night. Each mess formed one bed ; they would spread down on the ground one half of the blankets, reserving the other half for covering. The covering blankets were fastened together by skewers, to pre- vent them from slipping apart. Thus prepared, the whole party crouched down together with their rifles in their arms, and their pouches under their heads for pillows ; lying " spoon-fashion," with three heads one way and four the other, their feet extending to about the middle of their bodies. When one turned, the whole mess turned, or else the close range would be broken, and the cold let in. In this way they lay till broad daylight — no noise, and scarcely a whisper be- ing uttered during the night. When it was perfectly light, Massie would call up two of the men in whom he had the most confidence, and send them to recon- noiter, and make a circuit around the fires, lest an ambuscade might be formed by the Indians to destroy the party as they returned to the fires. This was an invariable custom in every variety of weather. Self- preservation required this circumspection. If immortality is due to the names of heroes who have successfully labored in the field of battle, no less honors are due to such men as Massie, who ran equal risk of life from danger with less prospect of eclat, and produced more lasting benefit to his country. In this manner the winters of 1793-4 and 1794-6 were spent in exploring and surveying the valleys of the Scioto and Little Miami rivers and their trib' so LIFE AMONG THE INDIANS. utaries. An incident that occurred during the win- ter of 1794-5, will illustrate, in some degree, the perils of the work. Massie was, at this time, sur- veying the lands on Buckskin creek, near where its waters interlock with those of Paint creek. Late one evening, he came upon the tracks of In- dians in the snow. Some of his men were dispatched to search out the Indian encampment, while others were sent in pursuit of the assistant surveyors, in order to collect the force into one body, that he might be prepared to attack or defend as circum- stances might direct. A short time before sundown, his force was collected. In a few minutes after, the two men returned who had been sent to discover the Indian camp. They reported that they had pro- ceeded as near the Indian encampment as they could with safety, and that it consisted of eight or ten tents; and that •from the noise about the camp, they had no doubt but that there was a large number of In- dians. Massie thereupon concluded that it would be too hazardous to attack them while the snow was on the ground, believing it would endanger the whole party if they should be compelled to retreat, incum- bered with any wounded. He therefore resolved to desist from surveying, and to make a rapid retreat to his own Station, not doubting that he would be pursued, as the Indians would have no difficulty in tracking them through the snow. The line of march was formed for home by the party, who traveled till 10 or 11 o'clock at night, when they halted and PREPiiRATION FOR ATTACK. 81 remained till morning, when they again resumed their marcn. moving in a southern direction. About 12 o'clock, they came to a fresh trail, which was made by four horses and eight or ten footmen. This trail was crossed diagonally, and was again struck upon after traveling a few miles. After a consultation with some of the most expe- rienced of his men, Massie concluded the Indians, whose trail had been crossed, knew nothing of them, and determined to pursue them so long as they kept the direction in which they appeared then to be going. The pursuit of the Indians was kept up as fast as the men could walk till dusk, without over- taking them. The party then halted to consult as to their future operations. In a few minutes, the Indians were heard at work, with their tomahawks, cutting wood and tent poles, within a few hundred yards of the place where the party had halted. It was put to vote, whether the Indian camp should be attacked immediately, or whether they should post- pone it to daylight. A majority were for lying by and attacking them in daylight. Two or three men were then sent to reconnoiter their camp and bring away their horses. The horses were brought away, and preparations made to lie by for the night. Mas- sie, who was more thoughtful than the rest of the company, began to reflect, on the critical situation of the party. He told them he did not approve of the idea of postponing the attack till morning, as there was no doubt they were rapidly pursued by w r 82 LIFE AMONG THE INDIANS. the Indians from the head of Buckskin creek, and that by waiting till morning, the pursuing Indiana might come up in the course of the night, and when daylight appeared, thpy would find themselves be- tween two fires. He said it was true the Indians might be destroyed more effectually in daylight, but that it was dangerous to loiter away their time on a retreat, and advised that whatever they did to the Indians should be done quickly, and the march con- tinued toward home. It was resolved to follow hia advice. It was about two hours in the night when this occurred. The day had been warm, and had melted the snow, which was eight inches deep, and quite soft on the top. At night it began to freeze rapidly, and by this time there was a hard crust on the top. In this situation, the crust, when broken by a man walk- ing on a calm night, could be heard at the distance of three hundred yards. Massie, under these cir- cumstances, prepared to attack the Indians forthwith. The men were formed in single file, with their wiping- sticks in their hands, to steady them when walking. They then commenced moving toward the Indian camp in the following manner : The foremost would walk about twenty steps, and halt; then the next in the line would move on, stepping in the tracks of the foremost, to prevent any noise when break- ing the crust of the snow. In this cautious and silent manner, they crept within about twenty-five yards of the Indian encampment, when an unexpected THE INDIANS ESrAPB. 83 '1 1 interruption presented itself; a deep ravine was found between Massie and the camp, which was not per- ceived by the reconnoitering party. The Indians had not as yet laid down to rest, but were singing and amusing themselves round their fires, in the ut- most self-security, not dreaming of danger in their own country, in the depth of winter. The bank of the ravine concealed Massie and his men, who were on low ground, from the light of the Indian fires. After halting a few minutes on the bank of the ra- vine, Massie discovered, a few paces above him, a large log which had fallen across the ravine. On this log he determined to cross the gully. Seven or eight of the men, on their hands and knees, had crossed, and were within not more than twelve or fifteen paces of the Indians, crouching low, and turn- ing to the right and left, when too many men at tho same time got on the log; and as it was old and rotten, it broke with a loud crash. This started the Indians. The whites, who had crossed over before the log broke, immediately fired into the Indian camp, shouting as they ran. The Indians fled, naked, and without their arms. No Indian was killed in the camp, though their clothing and blankets were found stained with blood. No attempt was made to pursue them. Their camp was plundered of the horses and arms, making altogether considerable booty. The party traveled that night and till noon the next day, when they halted to cook some provisions, and rest their wearied limbs. After taking some refreshments, ssa ■lii' .):■ i : g ff 84 LIFE AMONG THE INDIANS. they loitered about the fires a short time, and again corainencod their inarch through snow and brush, and, about midnight of the second day, arrived at Man- chester, after a fatiguing march of two days and nights from the head of Buckskin creek. This brings down the narrative of events, leading to the connection of our family with the history of this region, till my father's first attempt to explore it with a view to its settlement. This was in 1795. When the day appointed for the rendezvous at Mas- sie's Station arrived, there Avere assembled, including those from my father's two congregations and from Pennsylvania, about sixty individuals, all burning with ardent desire to see, with their own eyes, the country of whose fertility they had heard so much, and which seemed to them the land of promise. The party felt more secure from the attacks of the Indians, because Gen. 'Wayne was, at that very time, in treaty with them at Greenville ; and, therefore, they pushed boldly forward into the interior. They were divided into three companies, one led by Massie, one by Finley, and the third by Fallenach, an old pioneer among the Indians. In a few days they reached Paint creek, near the falls. Here they encamped for the night. In the morning they found they were in the vicin- ity of a body of Indians, and proceeding down the creek, soon came within hearing of their horse-bells. It was now too late to draw back, and an action with tho Indians was inevitable. Some of the company were what was called raw hands — that is, unaccus- i-i'i _ ,■ I ■ i ,' A N T II E K B A T '1 L E . 8& tomcd to bonier life and adventure. Full T cnthu- Bijisni, they had often expressed a de^'^e "to smell Indian powder." One of the party, who had fou^lit during the Revolutionary war, and also with the In- dians, retorte:^ upon these vaunting fellows : " If you get the smell you will run, or I'm very much mis- taken." Their vaunted courage was now brought to the test. Leaving Captain* Pattee with a rear guard, the three divisions under Massie, Finley, and Fallenach, made a simultaneous attack upon the Indian camp. They proved to be a party of Shawnees and Senecas who had refused to enter into treaty. Charley Wilky was their leader, and they were encamped on the bank of the creek, at what is called Reeve'^s crossing. They were taken completely by surprise. Two of them were killed, and several wounded; and the rest took to flight. But after escaping across the creek, they rallied in the woods for a short time, and re- turned the salute of the whites. One man, Joshua Robinson, from Pennsylvania, was shot dead. As the old Revolutionary veteran had predicted, some of the raw hands, who had boasted so much, fled at the first "smell of Indian powder," and hid behind the logs in the rear. Captain Pattee reported them, while in this condition, as "having the shakes," from the trembling of their bodies. The company, having buried their dead compan- ions, hastily gathered the horses, the skins, equipage, and other plunder of the Indian camp, and started SB ■Hi ze L I F K AMONG T H K INDIANS. ■i for the Station at Three Islands. That night they reached Scioto Brush creek, and there encamped upon an advantageous spot. Suspecting the Indians would be on the pursuit, their sentinels were carefully posted for the night. Just before day-break one of the sen- tinels perceived something gradually working toward him on the ground. Calling out, he received no an- swer, and instantly leveled his piece, probably wound- ing or killing the Indian. The batUe now commenced. The Indians met with a noble resistance from a part of the men, while the others again displayed their cowardice by hiding from the bullets of the enemy, in a deep sink-hole in the earth. The action lasted about an hour, when the Indians retreated, with the loss of two killed, and several wounded. On the part of the whites, several horses were killed, and one man, a Mr. Gilfillan, was wounded in the thigh. Af- ter this, the party made good their return to the Station, without further molestation. This ended the exploration of the Scioto Valley for that year; and it was also the last battle fought with the Indians dui ing the old Indian war. The peace concluded by Gen. Wayne, with the Indians, during the year, re- mained inviolate, and gave protection to the settler, except in rare cases, till 1812; and then the swell- Jng tide of civilization had swept the poor Indian away from the rich valleys, where had been the homes of his fathers for untold generations. The narrow escape of the exploring party, in the Scioto Valley, did not extinguish the desire to become possessed of "^iMrff^ SETTLEMENT OF CHILLI COT HE. 37 those fertile lands. Accordingly, in the spring ol' 1796, another party was organized for a second at- tempt. They collected at Massie's Station, about the first of March. Thence some of them proceeded by land, with their horses. The others went By water, carrying, in their boats, provisions, farming utensils, and other things necessary to make a per- manent settlement. The party numbered about forty. On their arrival, they immediately commenced turn- ing up the rich soil of the prairie with their plows, and soon had three hundred acres planted. There was some suffering from scarcity of provisions dur- ing the first few months; but an abundant crop of corn, together with the game which abounded in the forests, soon yielded a large supply. In August of that year, Col. Massie selected the site for the town, and laid out the lots — each of the original settlers receiving one gratis. To this town he gave the name of Chillicothe. This was an In- dian name; but of what signification, or to what ap- plied by them, is not well ascertained. The Scioto, for the most part, runs in a very reg- ular channel, almost due south. But about four or five miles above the mouth of Paint creek, the river suddenly makes a bend, and runs a short distance east; thence south-east, to where it receives the wa- ters of that tributary. These two rivers, for several miles above their junction, run nearly parallel to each other. Between them there is a largo and beautiful bottom, varying in breadth from one to 38 LIFE AMONG THE INDIANS. two miles, and containing upward of 3,000 acres. This land is of alluvial formation — the loam being from two to ten feet in depth. Nothing can exceed its fertility, not even the most highly-cultivated soils. At its western boundary is a hill, two or three hun- dred feet in hight, the terminus of the bottom-lands in that direction. The spot selected for the town site was on an elevated and dry part of the bottom, near the base of this hill. More than twenty log-cabins were immediately erected, and before the ensuing ■winter it had several stores and shops. The tide of population now began to set in with unexampled rapidity. " Zane's trace," which connected Wheeling with Maysville, was marked out simply by " blazing trees" alon^ the route. Though just completed, it became a great thoroughfare, and large companies passed along it, seeking the rich bottom-lands of the Ohio. These bottoms, when first settled, were gen- erally covered by a heavy growth of timber, such as black walnut, sugar-tree, cherry, buckeye, hackberry, and other trees which denote a rich soil. A portion of them, how^ever, were found destitute of timber and formed beautiful prairies, clothed with blue grass and blue sedge grass, which grew to the hight of from four to eight feet, and furnished a bountiful supply of pasture in summer, and hay in winter, for the live stock of the settlers. The outer edges of these prai- ries were beautifully fringed around with the plum- tree, the red and black haw, the mulberry and crab- apple. In the month of May, ^rhen these nurseries LANDS — SLAVES — PEACE. 39 of nature's God were in full bloom, the sight was complotely gratified, while the fragrant and delicious perfume, which fillev" the surrounding atmosphere, was sufficient to fill and lull the soul with ecstasies of pleasure. Some of these lands have borne sixty successive crops of corn, while the only dressing ever bestowed upon them is that provided by nature in the rich sediment deposited, upon them in their annual overflow. In the fall of this year, I returned to Kentucky, and took charge of the colored people formerly be- longing to my father, but who had been freed by him. to conduct them to the new settlement. After a tedious journey of sixteen days across the country, I reached the banks of the Scioto, one mile below the town. Here we built log-cabins, and spent the win- ter. I fed them on pounded meal, hominy, and wild game. By spring, their sleek, glossy looks attested to the excellency of their keepinor. Then my father's family moved out, and we commenced again in this new world. The Indian wars, which had harassed the new set- tlements, first in Pennsylvania and Virginia, and ilien in Kentucky and Ohio, for a period of forty years, had now been brought to an end. So thoroughly humbled were the Indian tribes, that little was now tc be apprehended from them. Indeed, they now min gled among the whites in the most friendly manner, and, for years, continued entirely peaceful, except when inflamed by ardent spirits — that bane of the i ■WW* wmm^ ■■■■■P!^ mmmm ' 40 LIFE AMONG THi; INDIANS. it poor Indian — or excited to revenge by some wrong inflicted upon them. A case of this kind occurred, during the summer of 1798. A Wyandott Indian came, one evening, into town, somewhat intoxicated, and behaved with great rudeness. He v/as reprimanded by Mr. Thomas Thompson, who was a very athletic man. The Indian drew his knife, and, concealing the blade of it in his arm sleeve, waited his opportunity to attack Thomp- son. A person who observed him ad/ised him, to leave for the camp; for if Thompson should find out that he had drawn his knife, he would kill him. The Indian mounted his horse, but refused to leave the place. Some one informed Thompson of his danger, and he immediately seized a handspike, and, striking the Indian on the head, felled him to the earth. That night the Indian died of his wounds, and was carried to the Indian encampment. As soon as the Indians learned the cause of his death, they immedi- ately demanded Thompson, that they might punish him according to their law, which was life for life; and informed the town that if he was not given up. they T ^uld fall on the place, and murder, in revenge, men, women, and children — which they could easily have done, as they were much more numerous than the whites. Some of the inhabitants were for com- plying, but the majority were opposed to it. After some considerable consultation, it was agreed to try another method, which was to 'buy the life of the murderer, by making presents to the relations of th^ tRAGEDY — WniSKt. 41 murdered man, and promising to punish the murderer according to our law. This plan succeeded, and Thompson was placed under guard of four men, there being no jail there at the time. After some two months he was permitted to make his escape, and one of the guards went with him. The half-brother of the deceased, determining to avenge the death of liis brother, took with him another Indian, and way- laying Zane's trace, they found two young men trav- eling alone, whom they killed and robbed of their horses and effects; and thus two innocent men paid the debt of a murderer, who, under the influence of whisky, committed the crime. Such were some of the evils and dangers brought on the community by strong drink. The community were, at length, aroused to take eflBcient measures for the suppression of the evils brought upon them by the whisky traders. The Irliaiifi flocked in from all parts to trade their furs jj ,)rc^ure whisky. It 7^!? the custom of the traders to give and sell whisky to the Indians, and the consequence was, that many of thr^m became intoxicated; and as a drunken Indian is a dangerous creature, the peace of society was disturbed, and the womeii and children were in a constant state of alarm, day and night. After r->ture deliberation and free discussion, it was en- acted that all traders who sold spirits to the Indians, or in any way furnished them with intoxicating liq- uors, should be required to keep all the Indians, made 4 ■P^WMP mm 42 LIFE AMONG THE INDIANS. i i II i i\ drunk by theni, in their own storehouse till they were sober, on penalty, for the first offense, of being rep- rimanded by two persons appointed for that purpose, and on the second oifense, their kegs or barrels of whisky, or strong drink, were to be taken into the street and tomahawked till all their contents were poured 01 1. This In^v Avas set at naught by one of the traders, a Mr. M., ' t was promptly executed, to the letter, the next daj dfter the sentence. This vigorous maintenance of the law, on the part of the citizens, made the traders more cautious, and gave more safety and comfort to the inhabitants. The holding of courts, and the administration of justice in the new settlement, was generally after a very primitive model. A single instance may serve for illustration. In 1797 three justices were appointed by the Gov- ernor of the territory for the settlement of Chilli- cothe. One of them, Samuel Smith, appears to have done most of the business. His prompt and decisive manner of doing business, rendered him very pop- ular. His docket could be understood only by him- self. Scarcely was a warrant issued by him, as he prefei-red always to send his constable to the accused, to bring him forward to have prompt justice executed. No law book was of any authority with him. He always justified his own proceedings by saying, ** that all laws were intended for the purpose of enforcing justice, and that he himself knew what was right and what was Avrong, as well as those who made the laws, sQuniE sMiin. 43 and thai rlierefore lie stood in need of no laws to govern his actions." In civil and criminal cases, he was always prompt in his decisions, and sometimes amusing in his mode of executing justice, as will be seen from the following case, which was brought un- der his cognizance. A man, by the name of Adam M'Murdy, cultivated some ground in the station prairie below Chillicothe. One night some one stole, during his absence, his horse-collar. M'Murdy, next morn- ing, examined the collars of the plowmen then at work, and discovered his collar in the possession of one of the men, and claimed it of him. The man used toward him abusive language, and threatened to whip M'Murdy for charging him with the theft. M'Murdy went immediately to Squire Smith, and stated his case. The Squire listened till his story was told, and then dispatched his constable, with strict orders to bring the thief and collar forthwith before him. The constable quickly returned, bringing with him in the one hand the collar, while with the other he grasped tightly the accused. The Squire immediately arraigned the accused in his court, which was held in the open air, on the bank of the Scioto. It was then asked of the accuser how he could prove the collar to be his? M'Murdy re- plied, " If the collar is mine, Mr. Spear, who is pres- ent, can testify." Mr. Spear was then called to tes- tify. Before he was sworn, he came forward and said, "that if it was M'Murdy's collar, he himself had written M'Murdy's name on the inner side of the ear ■■I 44 LIFE AMONG THE INDIA XS. V. of the collar." The Squire turned up the ear of the collar, and found, accordingly, M'Murdy's name writ- ten there, "No better proof could be given," said the Squire, and ordered the accused to be immedi- ately tied .up to a buckeye, to receive five lashes, well laid on, which was accordingly done. Thus ended the case to the satisfaction of all, ex- cept the culprit. The trial did not occupy five min- utes of time. Such was the Squire's summary man- ner of dispensing justice. Squire Smith was an honest and impartial man, with a vigorous and dis- criminating mind, always disposed to do justice in his own way. We have novir narrated the circumstances under which the pioneer enter'jd the North- Western terri- tory, across the Ohio rive/, and obtained a firm foot- hold, in what had been, heretofore, emphatically the Indian country. The tide of population now began to roll in with unexampled force, and settlements were made all along the Ohio, and up the rich valleys of its many and noble tributaries. Civilization had, driven down its stakes in the very home of the Indian, and a new era was opening up in this region. It will be interesting for the reader to pause at this point, and glance backward at some of the incidents of Indian life and warfare in this region. But we must reserve thie> for another chapter. CAPTURE OF M U S . DENNIS. 45 CHAPTER II. INCIi^ENTS OF INDIAN LIFE AND WARFABl. During the long series of Indian wars, to which I have referred, old Chillicothe and the surrounding region witnessed many thrilling adventures, as well as fearful tragedies. It was the headquarters of the Shawnees, and the principal place of rendezvous, fron fvhich the war parties went forth on their excursions against the white settlers among the cane-brakes of Kentucky, and along the Ohio border. As early as 1761, when the Indians made a descent upon the settlement on James river, Mrs. Dennis, who was then captured, was brought over the mount- ains and through the forests to this place. Her hus- band was murdered soon after he was taken ; and she seeing no way of escape, conformed to the usages of the Indians, painted and dressed herself, and lived like a squaw. In addition to this, she gained great fame, by attending to the sick, both as nurse and physician. She soon became so celebrated for the cures she effected as to obtain the reputation of being a necromancer; and the natives paid to her the honor due to a person supposed to have power with the Great Spirit. After continuing among them two years, s^ie won* «■■■•■ 46 LIFE AMONG THE I N D I A N .1 . out, one (lay, under the pretense of obtaining me- dicinal herbs, as she had often done before. Net returning at the usual time, her object was suspected, and the Indians started in pursuit of her. To avoid leaving traces of her path, she crossed the Scioto throe times, and was making her fourth crossing, forty miles below the town, where she was discovered and fired upon, without effect. But in the speed of her flight she wounded her foot with a sharp stone, so as to be unable to proceed. The Indians had crossed the river, and were just behind her. She eluded their pursuit by hiding in a hollow sycamore log. They frequently stepped on the log that concealed her, and encamped near it for the night. Next morning they proceeded in their pursuit of her; and she started in another direction as fast as her lameness would permit, but was obliged to remain near that place three days. She then set off for the Ohio, over which she rafted her- self on a drift-log, at the mouth of the Great Ka- nawha. She traveled only by night, concealing her- self by day, and subsisting on roots, wild fruits, and the river shell fish. At length she reached Green Brier, having passed forests, rivers, and mountains, more than three hun- dred miles. Here she laid down exhausted, and resigned herself to die ; when, providentially, she was discovered by some of the people of that settlement, who kindly took her, supplied her wants, and sent her forward. For this act of mercy the whole set- tlement suffered a dreadful penalty at the hands of I> A M E L B N E S CAPTIVITY. 47 the savages. Sixty warriors came to it, pretending the most perfect friendship, for it was a time of peace. While the inhabitants were treating their guests with hospitality, and altogether without the least suspicion, tiie Indians rose upon them, killed nearly every man in the settlement, and carried the women and children away into captivity. Chillicothe was also the scene of Daniel Boone's captivity in 1776. In January of that year he went to the lower " Blue Licks," with about thirty men, to make salt for the different settlements. On the 7th of the next month, while he was in the woods on a hunt to supply the salt-makers with food, he came upon a party of one hundred and two Indians, march- ing to the assault of Boonsboro, the third attempt upon that ill-fated place. Boone fled, but the sav- ages pursued and took him prisoner. They then advanced upon the Licks, and made twenty-seven of the salt-makers prisoners by capitulation. Delighted with their signal success, the Indians marched their prisoners off in triumph through the forests, and across the Ohio to Chillicothe. After spending about a month here, eleven of the prisoners, among whom was Boone, were carried to Detroit, and presented to the British commandant at that post. He offered them one hundred pounds as a ransom for Boone. They refui^ed it ; and while his companions were left, he was compelled to return with the Indians to Chil- licothe. The British offered him some necessary sup- plies for his wants, but his noble spirit refused t( 1 48 LIFE AMONG TIIK INDIANS. accept them from the enemies of his country, when he had no prospect of ever being able to pay for them. This was about the beginning of the Revolu- tionary war. Soon after his return to Cliillicothe, he was adopted into the family of one of the principal men of the tribe. He wisely appeared to be reconciled to his new way of life, and accommodated himself to it with cheerfulness. Such deportment, by such a mighty hunter and untamed spirit, could not but win the confidence and aflfection of his masters. When chal- lenged to a trial of his skill with the rifle, he found it much less difficult to surpass them in the close- ness of his shooting, than to vanquish the envy and ill-will, created by this visible superiority in a point of so much importance in the eyes of that race. But he found it easy to ingratiate himself wuth the chief of the Shawnees, by showing great deference to him, and by always granting him a share of the proceeds of his hunts. His skill and success in hunt- ing secured for him great honor among the Indians. This manner of life, and wild adventure, was so in accordance with his instinctive propensities and ac- quired habits, that it is highly probable his seem- ing acquiescence in his lot, would, in the end, have become real, had it not been for the remembrance of his wife and children, at Boonsboro. These cher- ished recollections constantly haunted his mind, and prompted the desire and the purpose to escape. In June, he was taken to the Scioto salt-works, BOONE'S ESCAPK. 49 and there compelled to labor so hard in making salt, that no chance of escape occurred. On his return with his masters to Chillicotht, he found four hun- dred and fifty warriors assembled, and accoutered in all their horrible painting and war-garnish, prepared for an expedition against Boonsboro. With all his love of country and family, natural to such a man, he now became thoroughly bent u )on an attempt to escape at any and every hazard. In the morning he arose, and went forth, as usual, to engage in the hunt. This was done in a manner not to excite the suspicion of the savages. Ho had secreted a little food, but only enough for a single meal. In less than five days he traversed a distance of one hundred and sixty miles, fording or rafting across the rivers in his course. He found the fort in no state of prep- aration for the formidable attack that was impend- ing. But his timely warning enabled them to put themselves in so complete a state of defense, that the savages were defeated, with the loss of thirty- seven of their warriors, and compelled to retreat. During this same year, to illustrate the restless activity of these pioneers, Boone, taking advantage of the knowledge acquired during his captivity, set out with a company of select men to surprise the *' Paint Creek town," an Indian settlement, not far from the place where Massic, Finley, and Fallenach, had their conflict with the Indians on their first ex- pedition into the Scioto country. Having arrived within four miles of the place, they met an armed 60 LIFE AMONG TUB INDIANS. part^ of thirty Indians. An exteuipore battle was fought, resulting in the flight of the savages. Not one of Boone's party fell ; but knowing that it would be perilous to continue longer in that region, they inarched back to Boonsboro. with all possible dis- patch. It is painful to think of the uncertainty of life in which both the white citizen and the Indian lived at this perio this point by the barking of a dog. At the sanie moment, a gun was accidentally discharged by one of tlic other party. The whole village of course was aroused in a moment. The women and children were hurried into the woods through a path not yet occupied by the assailants ; and the warriors collected in a strong ;abin. All this passed under tlie eyes of Logan's party, who immediately took possession of some of ihe deserted cabins. It was now broad daylight, and 'requent shots were exchanged between the parties. The expedient of Logan, to march safely to the as- sault of the cabin was an ingenious one, and, as far as our reading extends, original. He proposed to his party to tear off the Indian cabin doors, aud 66 lAVt AMOS^G THE tNDlANS. eaoL to carry one before him as a breast-Tork, in advai cing iipou the Indian cabin, where the warriors were issembled. As they were marching upon tlie foe behind their movable wall, Col. Bowman, per- ceiving that their plan for surprising the Indians was disconcerted, sent an order to retreat. Capt. Logan's party were astonished at this order, and reluctant to obey it. The retreat must take place over an open prairie, exposed to the covert fire of the Indians. Instead of a concerted retreat, in good order, every one endeavored to make the best of his way from the danger, in the mode indicated by his own judg- ment. Each one started away from behind his con- cealment, ana made for the wood at his utmost speed. Some of their number fell by the bullets which the savages showered upon, them us they fled over the prairie. The stragglers assembled in the woods, and assumed something like order. The Indians sallied out upon their invaders, commanded by their chief, Black Fish. They were much inferior in numbers, not exceeding thirty; yet Col. Bowman's fo.rce, once intimidated, continued to fly before them under the impulse of terror, and were sorely pressed. His force was brought to a halt in a low and sheltered ground. His fire upon the surrounding enemy, who were protected behind bushes produced litHe effect. Captains Logan and Harrod mounted some pack- horses and made a charge Upon the Indians. This kssault somewhat staggered them. Black Fish was kiHed, and the Indians, in their turn, took to flight. ciittttco'rtiK — Gtni'V. 67 The men pursued an unmolested march homeward. In this ill-managed expedition, nine rnen were killed, and one wounded. The Indian loss was compara- tively small ; though the number of the killed among them was never fully ascertained. But we must hasten over these events. Though now removed from us by the space of three-quarters of a century, they were fresh, when, with others, the writer assisted to carry the tide of civilization into that region. In 1780 the Kentucky rangers, under Col. Clark, destroyed not only the cornfields of the Indians at Chillicothe, but also every thing that re- lated to subsistence, on which they could lay their hands. Thus, for a time, the savages were compelled to relinquish their barbarous and treacherous assaults upon the settlers, and devote themselves to the hunt, in order to obtain subsistence for their people. But it was the grand rendezvous of the Shawnees, Wyan- dotts, Fawas, Pottawataraies, and various other tribes, preparatory to their incursion into Kentucky, in the summer of 1782, of which a more particular account will be given, when we come to narrate the history of that monster, Simon Girty, who was one of the leading spirits in this savage council. That very fall, the whites took vengeance in the destruction of all the cabins at Chillicothe, though the Indians, them- selves, escaped. In 1791 old Chillicothe was the scene of a despe- rate battle between General Harmar and the Indians. lie had entered the Indian country from Fort Wash- 58 LIFE AMONG THE INDIANS. li ington, now Cincinnati, at the head of one thousand, four hundred and fifty-three men. Colonel Hardin, with six hundred Kentucky militia, formed a recon- noitering party, in advance. The Indians every-where fled as he approached, setting fire to their villages, and destroying their goods with their own hands To overtake them, he placed himself at the head of a scout of two hundred and ten men, and pushed ahead with great rapidity. This scout was attacked by an inconsiderable party of Indians, when the raw militia broke and fled, leaving the brave men who would not fly, to their fate. TAventy-three of the party fell, and only a small portion succeeded in re- joining the army. Yet General Harmar pushed on, and succeeded in reducing most of the Indian towns to. ashes, and destroying their provisions. When within eight miles of Chillicothe, on the Little Miami, he halted, and, late at night, sent forward Colonel Hardin to attack the enemy. The action commenced early in the morning. The savages fought with des- peration. Some of the American troops again acted the coward, but the officers bore themselves gallantly, and, utterly regardless of personal safety, rushed for- ward into the thickest of the fight. It was a severe and disastrous conflict. More than fifty regulars and one hundred militia, and a large portion of the officers, including the brj^ve Fontayne, Willys, and Frothingham, were slain upon the battle-ground. The number of th« enemy slain was not known. But it must have been great, as General Ilarmar waa INDIAN BAtlBAKlTlES. 5d permitted to retire without molestation. Ilarmar, in his official report, claimed the victory; but it was doubtful which party lost most by the conflict. Major General Arthur St. Clair succeeded Ilnrmar in command of the forces at the north-west. There was now a loud and earnest appeal from the exposed settlers, for protection; and this could be obtained only by the destruction of their savage foes. If this assertion seems too strong, let me give a fact in evidence. In 1790 a treaty was proposed to the savages at Miami. They asked thirty days for de- liberation. It was granted; and before the thirty days had passed, more than one hundred and twenty persons had been killed and captured, and several prisoners roasted alive. At the close of the specified time, the Indians utterly refused to make any answer to the proposition for a treaty. Nor is this all ; their prisoners were often roasted alive, aiid the most re- volting barbarities w ere practiced upon them ; then, too, m«any who surrendered under promise of having their lives spared, were immediately butchered in cold blood. Can we wonder that those whom war had exposed to these barbarities, and whose friends had been victims of them, called aloud for vengeance? The whole land was in mourning. More than two thousand of the settlers had, in some form, been mur- dered or killed in battle by the savages. Along with the wail of sorrow, and the appeal for protection, the deep, muttered cry for vengeance was heard. The destruction of the Indian towns, indtho cstab- ; I wnvHi 60 LIFE AMONG THE INDIANS. . I "i it lishment of a chain of military posts, was the only thing that could give protection to the settlements. With these objects in view, General St. Clair, in 1702, entered the Indian territory, at the head of over two thousand men. On the second of November, he en- camped within fifteen miles of the Miami villages. Soon after daylight, the savages commenced an at- tack upon the militia, which was thrown into confu- sion, and fled in disorder. They burst through the line of the regulars into the camp. The officers made great efforts to restore order, but with only partial success. The Indians pressed upon the heels of the flying militia, and engaged General Butler with great intrepidity. The action now became warm and general; and the fire of the assailants passing round both flanks of the first line, in a few minutes was poured with equal fury upon the rear. The sirtillerists, in the center, were mowed down ; and the fire was the more galling, as it was directed by an invisible enemy, crouching on the ground, or con- cealed behind trees. In this manner they advanced toward the very mouth of the cannon; and fought with the infuriated fierceness with which success always animates savages. Some of the soldiers ex- hibited military fearlessness, and fought with great bravery. Others were timid, and disposed to fly. With a self-devotion which the occasion reauired, the officers generally exposed themselves to the hot- test of the conte§t, and fell in great numbers, in desperate efforts to restore the battle. The com- A DESPERATE CONFLICT. 61 nianding general, though he had, some time, been en- feebled by severe disease, acted with personal bravery, and delivered his orders with judgment and self-pos- session. A charge was made upon the savages with the bayonet; and they were driven from their covert "with some loss, a distance of four hundred yards. But as soon as the charge was suspended, and the soldiers had withdrawn, the savages, with fresh vigor, returned to the attack. General Butler was mortally wounded, the left wing was broken, and the artillerists were killed, almost to a man. The guns were secured, and the camp penetrated by the enemy. A despe- rate charge was headed by Colonel Butler, although he was severely wounded; and the Indians Avere again driven from the camp, and the artillery recov- ered. Several charges were repeated, with partial success. The enemy only retreated to return to the charge, flushed with new ardor. The ranks of the troops were broken, and the men pressed together in crowds, and were shot down without resistance. A retreat was all that remained to save the remnant of the army. Colonel Drake was ordered to charge a body of the savages that intercepted their retreat. Major Clark, with his battalion, was ordered to cover the rear. These orders were carried into eflfect, and a most disorderly flight commenced. A pursuit was kept up foiir miles, when, fortunately, the natural greediness of the savage appetite for plunder, called back the Indians to the camp, to share in the spoils. Throwing away their arms to expedite their flight. ■i C2 LIFE AMONG THE INDIANS. >i m the disorderly troops continued their retwat till they reached Fort Washington. This was a most disastrous battle. Six hundred and thirty-one were left dead upon the field, of whom thirty-eight were officers, and two hundred and sixty- three were wounded. The savages were led on, in this engagement, by a Mississayo chief, who had ac- quired experience in the arts of war under the Brit- ish, during the Revolution. So very superior was his knowledge of tactics, that the Indian chiefs, though extremely jealous of him, yielded the entire com- mand to him ; and he arranged and fought the battle with great combination of military skill. Their force amounted to four thousand. They reported their killed were sixty-five, but it must have been more. They took a vast amount of plunder, including seven pieces of cannon, a large number of horses, and over two hundred oxen. The chief restrained the pursuit, saying they had killed enough. Though the news of this battle spread gloom over the country, it stimulated rather than retarded ac- tion, and multitudes were eager for revenge. Gen- eral Scott, at the head of one thousand mounted Kentucky volunteers, marched against a party of the victors. He came up to them on the fated field. They were still rioting in their plunders, riding upon the backs of the captured oxen, and acting, as if the whole body were drunken. He instantly attacked them. Their defeat was complete. More than two hundred of their number were left dead upon the <3 E N K l\ A T. W A Y N K . 6H field; tlic cannon, nnd most of tlic Htorcs wove re- taken, and tlic party rcturntd in triuin[)h. The final great battle, before the termination of tlio oarly Indian uar, was fougl t under the direction of General Anthony Wayne, w'.io had been appointed to the command, upon the resignation of General St. Clair. He commanded the confidence of the western people in a high degree, and was generally called, on account of his reckless bravery, "Mad Anthony." But his appointment to the command of the western army was no "mad" act. Negotiations were at first earnestly attempted with the Indian tribes, but with- out any effect. Two excellent oflficers. Colonel Har- din and Major Truman, who had been sent to convey overtures to the Indians, were cruelly murdered by them. The horrors of war were again to be realized. The first step of General Wayne was to enter the Indian country, and to erect a fortification upon the old site of St. Clair's defeat. This he called " Fort Recovery." His principal camp was called Green- ville. He had under his command about two thou- sand soldiers; and soon after he commenced his op- erations he was joined by General Scott, vith eleven hundred mounted militia, from Kentucky. Though the Revolutionary Avar had closed, and the two countries were at peace, yet the British Govui'n- ment still retained many of their forts, which were vr»thii> the territory of the United States. At this juncture, while Wayne was progressing northward ♦vPrough the western part of Ohio, a detachment of i^M 64 L I F K A M X (} T II K I N U I A N S . British soldiers from Detroit, occupied a fortified position on the Miami of the Lakes. They evidently designed to give encouragement and protection to the Indians, if not to aid them directly. But Wayne was too determined in purpose, and too strong in his force to be turned aside. On the 8th of August he reached the confluence of the Auglaize and the Miami of the Lakes. Here were the most extensive and richest settlements of the western Indians — and it was only about thirty miles from the fort established by the British. The whole strength of the Indians was about two thousand, and they were encamped in the vicinity of that post. Still another attempt was made to prevent the effu- sion of blood. Suitable messengers were dispatched to have an interview with the savages. They were exhorted to forsake the evil counsels that were plung- ing them into ruin, and to accept the offers of peace, and be restored to their homes, and delivered from the horrors of famine, which was consuming them and their families. The reply was evasive, and suf- ficiently indicated that the Indians were not yet pre- pared to enter into a treaty. General Wayne now settled it in his mind that a battle must be fought. On- the 20th of August his army marched forward in columns. Major Price was in advance, at the head of a reconnoitering scout. After advancing five miles, suddenly a heavy fire, from concealed savages, was poured upon him. He immediately retired beyond the reach of their guns, and Wayne prepared foi „(■>, A SUCCESSFUL BATTLE. (35 a general action. The Indians had chosen their p6- flition witli great judgment. They had moved into a thick wood, in advance of the British post, and had taken position among some fallen timber, which had been blown down by a tornado. Here they weio formed in three lines, according to Indian custom, and were inaccessible to the horse. The American legion was ordered to advance in front, with trailed arms, and first rouse the enemy from his covert, and then pour upon him their fire. The cavalry, commanded by Captain Campbell, "vas to advance between the Indians and the river, where the wood permitted them ^0 penetrate and charge their left flank. General Soott, at the head of his mounted volunterrs, was commanded to make a circuit, so as to turn their right. This programme of the action was promptly carried out by the gallant oflicers in command, and with brilliant success. But such was the impetuosity of the charge made by the first linp of th^ infantry, that the enemy were completely broken and dislodged from their position. The brave men who had dis- lodged them did their work so suddenly, and then followed up the pursuit with such rapidity, that very few of the second line, or of the mounted volunteers, had an opportunity to take any part in the action. The savages were pursued to the very gates of the British fort. It appears that the British commandant had prom- ised the Indians, that, if defeated, he would open to them the gates of the fort, and give them protection. 5 66 LIFE AMONG THE INDIANS. r\ Accordingly, when routed, they huddled, lilcc fright ened sheep, before the gates, and here, pressed in the rear by the infantry, and on either side by the horse, they were cut down in great numbers, almost with- out resistance. The slaughter of the Indians was immense. This battle was fought on the 20th of August, 1794. The American loss, in killed and wounded, was one hundred and seven ; but among hese were some of the bravest officers upon the field, such as Captain Campbell and Lieutenant Towles The rout of the Indians was complete. Their force was broken and scattered. General Wayne remained three day a on the field of battle, reducing the houses and corn-fields, above and below the fort, and some of thom within pistol- shot of it, to ashes. The houses and stores of Col. M'Kee, an English trader, whose great influence am^^ng the savages had been uniformly exerted for the continuance of the war, were burned among the rest. Correspondence, on these two points, took place between General Waynes and the commander of the fort. The latter, however, soon came to understand that he could avoid hostilities with Wiyne only by being careful not to interfere with his operations. Having completed the work of destruction here. Gen- eral Wayne returned to Auglaize, and destroyed all the Indian towns and corn within fifty miles of the river. The savages were thus made to understand that peace or entire destruction were the only altern- atives. Yet they continued to commit struggling PEACE. 67 depredations till the next summer. QMien, on the^ 3d of August, as we have already noticed, a definite treaty of peace Avas established. Thus terminated the long-protracted struggle between civilization and barbarism. The number of individuals wantonly mur- dered by the savages, independently of those slain in battle, can be numbered only by thousands. Yet, strange as it may appear, the tide of immigration was scarcely checked by these outrages; and the civilized population of the great valley Avas constantly on the increase. 68 LIFE AMONG TUB INDIANS. Mi pi CHAPTER III. INDIAN CRUELTIES. During the progress of these wars, scenes of thrill- ing interest, and of appalling, savage barbarity, were enacted. The record of some will be known only at the great day. Others are scattered along the iiistory of those times, as so many monumental piles, to tell us what our fathers suffered, that we might come into possession of this goodly land. But it must be confessed that these acts of savage cruelty were not all on the side of the Indians. In- deed, had the acts of the pioneers toAvard the Indians always been characterized by kind treatment and fair dealing, it is doubtful whether the savnge cruelties inflicted on them would ever have occurred. To show that these statements are not unfounded in fact, we will begin these narrations with one of the most cruel and tragic outrages ever perpetrated by mortal man, whether savage or professedly civil- ized. This was the butchery of the Moravian Indians, by a party of whites, in 1782. The Moravian mis- sionaries, whose zeal is un quenched by the snows of Lapland, and ^ hose energy braves \\ie burning sands of Arabia and Africa, had penetrated these western wilds before the white man had made his settlement, CRUELTY TOWARD INDIANS. 69 und had succeeded in establishing missions ou the Tuscarawas, among the Delaware Indians. They bad three stations on the river; namely, Gnadenhutten, Shoenbrun, and Salem. These villages were occupied by the Indians, all of whom had become Christian- ized, and were peacefully engaged in the various pursuits of civilization. Several depredations having been committed by hostile Indians, about the time of which I am writing, on the frontier inhabitants of western Pennsylvania and Virginia, they determ- ined to retaliate, and a company of one hundred men was raised, and placed under the command of Colonel Williamson, as a corps of volunteer militia. They set out for the Moravian towns on the Tuscarawas river, and arrived within a mile of Gnadenhutten on the night of the fifth of March,. On the morning of the sixth, finding the Indians at work in their cornfield, on the west bank of the river, sixteen of Williamson's men crossed over, two at a time, in a large sugar trough, taking their rifles with them. The remainder went into the village, where they found an Indian and squaw, both of whom they killed. The sixteen on the west side, on approaching the Indians, found them more nu- merous than they had anticipated. The Indians had their arms with them, which they carried not only for purposes of protection, but for killing game. The whites accosted them kindly, telling them 'that they had come for the purpose of taking them to a place where in future they would be protected in safety, wmmm n 70 LIFE AMONG THE INDIANS. no longer to be startled by the rude alarm of angry foes. They advised them to quit work, and g6 with them to Fort Pitt. Some of the tribe had b^cn taken to that place in the preceding year, and were treated with great kindness by their white neighbors, and especially the governor of the fort, and returned to their homes with tokens of friendship and kind- ness. Under such circumstances, it was not surpris- ing that the innocent and unsuspecting Moravisin In- dians surrendered their arms, and at once consented to place themselves under the protection and control of Williamson and his men. An Indian messenger was dispatched to Balem, for the purpose of appris- ing their brethren of the urrangement, and then both companies returned to Gnadenhutten. On reaching the village, a number of mounted militia started for the Salem settlement, but ere they reached it, so great was the dispatch of the messenger, that they found the Moravian Indians at that place had already left their cornfields, and were on the road to join their brethren at Gnadenhutten. Measures had been previously adopted to secure the Indians whom they had at first decoyed into their power, and accordingly they were bound, and confined in two houses, securely guarded. On the arrival of the Indians from Salem — their arms having been secured witho'.t any sus- picion of their hostile intentions — they wei e at once seized, fettered, and divided between the two prison- houses, the males in one, and -the females in the other. The number thus confined in both houses, HEART-RENDING TRAGEDY. 71 incUiMing men, women, and children, amounted to from ninety to one hundred. A council w»? then held to determine how tne Moravian Indians should be disposed of. This self- constituted military court consisted of both officers and privates. Williams )n put the question whether the Indians should be taken, prisoners, to Fort Pitt, or put to death, requesting those who were ii; favor of saving their lives to march out of rank, and form a second rank in advance. Only eighteen, out of the whole number, stepped out as the advocates of mercy. In these the feelings of humanity prevailed; but in the others, constituting the large majority, humanity and justice were utterly extinct. They had delib- erately come to the conclusion to murder the whole of the Christian Indians in their power. Among the doomed were several who had contributed to aid the missionaries in the work of conversion and civiliza- tion; two of whom emigrated from New Jersey after the death of their pastor. Rev. David Brainard. One Indian female, who could speak good English, fell upon her knees before Williamson, the commander, and begged most eloquently and piteously for his protection; but all her supplications and pleadings were urheeded by the heartless and dastardly wretch, whj orderedher to prepare for death. J 3y had anticipated the cruel fate that awaited them • and their hymns of praise and fervent prayers ascenaed fi'om their prison, during the whole of that eventful night, to their great Father in heaven. Their 72- LIFE AMOKG THE INDIANS. .^li 'I. i 4 prayers and tears, and their pleadings for mercy and protection were lost upon their white murderers, but they entered the ears of an avenging God. When the morning sun arose, the work of death commenced, and a scene of human butchery occurred, of sufficient enormity to move the heart most used to blood and carnage, and gather paleness on the cheek of dark- ness itself. One after another, men, women, and children were led out to a block prepared for the dreadful purpose, and, being commanded to sit down, the ax of the butcher, in the hands of infuriate de- mons, clave their skulls. Two persons, who were present at that time, and who related to me the fear- ful story, assured me that they were unable to wit- ness, but for a short time, the horrid scene. One of these men stated that when he saw the incarnate fiends lead a pretty little girl, about twelve years of age, to the fatal block, and heard her plead for her life, in the most piteous accents, till her innocent voice was hushed in death, he felt a faintness come over him, and could no longer stand the heart-sick- ening scene. The dreadful work of human slaughter continued till every prayer, and moan, and sigh, was hushed in the stillness of death. No sex, age, or condition was spared, from the gray-haired sire to the infant at its mother's breast. All fell victims to the most cold-blooded murder ever perpetrated by man. There lay, in undistinguished confusion, gashed and gory, in that cellar, where they were thrown by their butchers, nearly one hundred murdered Chris- Crawford's defeat. n tian Indians, hurried to an rntimely grave by those who liad but two days before sworn to protect them. It was an act shocking to humanity; and its perpe- trators should be consigned to eternal infamy. * No wonder that the savages were excited to the highest pitch of fury. Nor was the opportunity of revenge — a revenge that might have glutted the Ikeart of an incarnate fiend — long wanting. The event narrated above took place on the 8th of March, 1782. On the 22d of the succeeding May, tlie ill-fated Colonel Crawford headed another expe- dition from western Pennsylvania. The army con- sisted of four hundred and fifty men, and commencing its march on the day above-named, it proceeded due west, visiting, in its way, the Moravian towns, which had just been the scene of such a horrible tragedy. On the 6th of June, when near the Upper Sandusky, they were attacked by the Indians, and defeated. -At least one hundred were killed and taken prisoners; and of the latter, it is said, two only escaped. When the rout commenced, instead of retreating in a body, they fled in small parties, and thus fell an easy prey into the hands of their pursuers. Colt)nel Crawford became separated from the main body of his soldiers, by his extreme anxiety for his son, and two or three other relations, whom he suspected were in the rear, and, therefore, waited for them an unreasonable time. He, at length, fled, in company with a Dr. Knight * Autobiography. 7 II 74 LIFE AMONG THE INDIANS. and two others. Unfortunately, after traveling ncarlv two days, they were, with several others, surprised by a party of Delawares, and conducted to the Old Wyandott town. The Indians halted within two miles of the town. Here Captain Pipe, a celebrated Del- aware chief, painted both Crawford and Knight black. AsHhey were conducted toward the town, the cap- tives observed the bodies of four of their friends, tomahawked and scalped. This was regarded as a sad presage. In a short time they overtook the five prisoners who remained alive. They were seated on the ground, and surrounded by a crowd of Indian squaws and boys, who taunted and menaced them. Crawford and Knight were compelled to sit down apart from the rest, and immediately afterward the Doctor was given to a Shawnee warrior, to be con- ducted to their town. The boys and squaws then fell upon the other prisoners, and tomahawked them in a moment. Crawford was then driven toward the village, Girty accompanying the party on horseback. At the village resided an Indian chief, named Wingc- nund. This chief had been known to Crawford some time before, and had been on terms of true friendship with him, and kindly entertained by him at his own house ; and such acts of kindness all red men remember with gratitude. Wingenund does not appear to have been present when the first preparations were made for burning the prisoner, but resided not far from the fatal spot, and had retired to his cabin, that he might CRAWPORD AND WINQENUND. 75 ;h not see the sentence of his nation executed upon one calhng liim his friend; but Crawford requested that he might be sent for, cheering his almost raylesa mind with the faint hope that he would interpose and save him. Accordingly, Wingenund soon appeared in the presence o^ the bound and naked white man. lie was asked ?3y Crawford if he knew him, who said, he believed he did, and asked, " Are you not Colonel Crawford?" "I am," replied the Colonel. The chief discovered much agitation and embarrass- ment, and ejaculated, " So ! — Yes! — Indeed!" "Do you not recollect the friendship that always existed between us, and that we were alM'ays glad to see each other?" said Crawford. "Yes," said the chief, "I remember all this, and that we have often drank to- gether, and that you have been kind to me." " Then I hope," added Crawford, "the same friendship still continues." " It would, of course," said Wingenund, "were you where you ought to be, and not here." "And why not here?" said the Colonel. "I hope you would not desert a friend in time of need. Now is the time for you to exert yourself in my behalf, as I should do for you, were you in my place." "Col. Crawford," replied Wingenund, "you have placed yourself in a situation which puts it out of my power and that of others of your friends to do any thing for you." "How so. Captain Wingenund?" said the Colonel. He added, " By joining yourself to that execrable man, Williamson and his party; the man who but the other day murdered such a number of I 7rt LIFE AMONG THE INDIANS. tlie Moravian Indians, knowing them to be friends; knowing that ho ran no risk in murdering a people who would not fight, and whoso only business was praying." "But I assure you, Wingenund," said Crawford, " that had I been with him at the time, thia would not have happened. Not I alone, but all your friends, and all good men, wherever they are, repro- bate acts of this kind." "That may be," said Win- genund, "yet these friends, these good men, did not prevent him from going out again, to kill the re- mainder of those inoffensive, yet foolish Moravian Indians! I say foolish, because they believed the whites in preference to us. We had oftc. told them that they would be, one day, so treated by those peo- ple who called themselves their friends! We told them that there was no faith to be placed in what the white men said; that their fair promises were only intended to allure us, that they might the more easily kill us, as they have done many Indians before they killed these Moravians." "I am sorry to hear you speak thus," said Crawford; "as to Williamson's going out again, when it was known that he was de- termined on it, I went out with him to prevent him from committing fresh murders." " This," said Win- genund, " the Indians would not believe, were even I to tell them so." Crawford then asked, "And why would they not believe it?" "Because," replied Wingenund, " it would have been out of your power to prevent his doing what he pleased." " Out of my power?" exclaimed the Colonel, and asked, "Have CBAWFOUD DOOMED. 77 any Moravian Indians boon killed or hurt since we came out?" "None," answered the chief; " but you went first to their town, and finding it empty and deserted, you turned on the path toward us. If you had been in search of warriors only, you would not have gone thither. Our spies watched you closely. They saw you while you were embodying yourselves on the other side of the Ohio. They saw you cross that river — they saw where you encamped at night — they saw you turn off from the path to the dosovto/j Moravian town — they knew you were going out of your way — your steps were constantly watched, and you were suffered quietly to proceed, till you reached the spot where you were attacked." Crawford, doubtless, with this sentence, ended his last rays of hope. He asked, with faint emotion, "What do they intend to do with me?" when Winge- nund frankly replied, "I tell you with grief. As Williamson, with his whole cowardly host, ran off in the night, i. the whistling of our warriors' balls, being satisfied that now he had no Moravians to deal with, but men who could fight, and with such he did not wish to have any thing to do — I say, as lie escaped, and they have taken you, they will take revenge on you in his stead." "And is there no possibility of preventing this ?" said Crawford ; " can you devise no way to get me off? You shall, my friend, be well rewarded if you are instrumental in saving my life." " Had Williamson been taken with you," answered the chief, "I and some friends, by 78 LIFE APIONQ THE INDIANS. making use of what you have told mo, might, per- haps, have succcodod in saving you; but as tho matter now stands, no man would dare to interfere in your behalf. The king of England himself, were ho to come to this spot, with all his wealth and treasure, could not effect this purpose. The blood of tho innocent Moravians, more than half of them women and children, cruelly and wantonly murdered, calls aloud for rcveiuje. The relatives of the slain, who are among us, cry out and stand ready for reve)i(je. The nation to which they belonged will have revevge. The Shawnces, our grandchildren, have asked for your fellow-prisoner; on him they will take revenge. All the nations connected with us cry out, revenge!' revenge ! The Moravians, whom you went to destroy, having fled, instead of avenging their brethren, tho offense is become national, and the nation itself is bound to take revenge F* "My fate then is fixed," said the wretched man, " and I must prepare to meet death in its worst form." "Yes, Colonel," replied the chief; "I am sorry for it, but can not do any thing for you. Had you attended to the Indian principle, that as good and evil can not dwell together in the same heart, 60 a good man ought not to go into evil company, you would not be in this lamentable situation. You see, now, when it is too late, aftor Williamson has deserted you, what a bad man he must be ! Nothing now remains for you but to meet your fate like a brave man. Farewell, Colonel Crawford! they are PRIGIITFUL rHEP A RATIONS. 79 coming, I will retire to a solitary spot." Having Buid the^o words, he withdrew. It 18 said that Wingcnund shed tears at parting with his former friend.* The preparations for the horrible tragedy were goon completed. A largo stake was dnven into the gi'ound, and piles of dry wood heaped up around it. Colonel Crawford's hands were then tied behind liis back ; a strong rope was produced, one end of which was fastened to the ligature between his wristb, and the other to the bottom of the stake. The rope was long enough to permit him to walk round the stake several times and then return. Fire was then ap- ulicd to the hickory poles, which lay in piles at the distance of six or seven yards from the stake. The Colonel observing these terrible pr'^parations, called to Girty, who sat on horseback, at the distance of a few yards from the fire, and asked if the In- dians were going to burn him. Girty replied in the affirmative. The Colonel heard the intelligence with firmness, merely observing that he would bear it with fortitude. When the hickory poles had been burnt asunder in the middle, Captain Pipe arose and ad- dressed the crowd in a tone of great energy, and with animated gestures, pointing frequently to the Colonel, who regarded him with an appearance of unruffled composure. As soon as he had ended, a loud whoop burst from the assembled throng, and * Drake's Indians of North America. 80 LIFE AMONG THE INDIANS. tii I! ^iW they all rushed at once upon the unfortunate Craw- ford. For several seconds the crowd was so great around him that Knight could not see what they were doing; but in a short time they had dispersed sufficiently to give him a view of the Colonel. His ears had been cut off, and the blood was streaming down each side of his face. A terrible scene of torture now commenced. The warriors shot charges of powder into his naked body, commencing with the calves of his logs, and continuing to his neck. The boys snatched the burning hickory poles land applied them to hio flesh. As fast as he ran around the stake, to avoid one party of tormentors, he was promptly met at evci-y turn bv others, w ith burning poles, red-hot irons, and rifles loaded with powder only; so that in a few minutes nearly one hundred charges of powder had been shot into his body, which hnd become black and blistered in a dreadful manner. The squaws would take up a quan- tity of coals and hot ashes, and thvow them upon his body, f)0 that in a few minutes he had nothing but fire to walk upon. In the extremity of his agony, the unhappy Colonel called aloud upon Girty, in tones which rang through Knight's brain with maddening effect: "Girty! Girty! shoot me through the heart! Quick! quick! Do not refuse me!" "Don't you see I have no gun. Colo- nel!" replied the renegade, bursting into a laugh, and then turning to an Indian beside him, he ut- tered soro.e brutal jests upon the naked and miserable I 1 THE AWFUL SCENE. 81 appearance of the prisoner. While this awful scene was being acted, Girty rode up to the spot where Dr. Knight stood, and told him that he had now had a foretaste of what was in reserve for him at the Shawnee towns. He swore that he need not expect to escape death, but should suffer it in all the ex- tremity of torture. Knight, whose mind was deeply agitated at the sight of the fearful scene before him, took no no- tice of Girty, but preserved an impenetrable silence. Girty, after contemplating the Colonel's sufferings for a few moments, turned again to Knight, and indulged in a bitter invective against a certain Colonel Gibson, fi'om whom, he said, he had received deep injury, and dwelt upon the delight with which he would see him undergo such tortures as those which Crawford was then suffering. lie observed, in a taunting tone, that most of the prisoners had said, that the white people would not injure him, it the chance of war was to throw him into their power; but, that for his own part, he sliould be loth to try the experiment. "I think," added he, with a laugh, "that they would roast me alive, with more pleasure than those red fellows are now broihng the Colonel! What is your opinion, Doctor? Do you think they would be gla up for their relief. All th€ children in the yard t ere butchered by the incarnate fiends. The 6d L 1 1" E AMONG THE I N t) t A N S . im li'i 1 •; whole transaction lasted hardly three minutes; ana yet, considering the numhers and the circumstances, it was a severe and bloody affair. Another, and perhaps a still more striking instance of female heroism occurred, in 1791, in Nelson county. The house of a Mr. Merrill was assaulted by savages. Hearing the dogs barking, Mr. Merrill opened the door to ascertain the cause. He was fired at, and fell wounded into the room. The savages attempted to rush in after him, but Mrs. Merrill and her daughter succeeded in closing the door. The assailants began to hew a passage through it with their tomahawks; and, having made a hole large enough, one of them attempted to squeeze through it into the room. Un- dismayed, the courageous woman seized an ax, gave the ruffian a fatal blow as he sprang through, and he sunk quietly to the floor. Another, and still an- other, followed till four of the number had met the same fate. The silence within induced one of them to pause and look through the crevice in the door. Discovering the fate of those who had entered, the sava/^es resolved upon another mode of attack. Two of their number clambered up to the top of the house, and prepared to descend the broad, Avoodcn chimney. This new danger was promptly met. Mrs. Merrill did not desert her post; but directed her little son to cut open the feather bed, and pour the feathers upon the fire. This the little fellow did with excellent effect. The two savages, scorched and suffocated, fell down into the fire, and were soon dispatched by the fi.^pLoit 01' T^vol^oVs. 8t) cliildren and the wounded liusband. At that moment a fiftli savage attempted to enter the door; but he received a salute upon the head, from the ax held by Mrs. Merrill, that sent him howling away. Thus seven of the savages were destroyed by the courage and energy of this heroic woman. When the sole survivor reached his town, and was asked, " what news?" a prisoner heard his reply — "bad news! The squaws fight worse than the long knives." The above story I have often heard from the lips of Mrs. Merrill herself. She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. After the death of her first husband she was married to a Mr. Hunter. She settled on Paint creek, in 1797; and subsequently died there, in the triumphs of faith. - ; ' One more anecdote must close this chapter. Two boys, Henry and James Johnson, living on Short creek, on the west bank of the Ohio, while at play, some distance from the house, were taken prisoners by two savages. They were led several miles into the wood, and then the Indians built a fire, and lay JoAvn for the night — each holding one of the captive boys in his arms. The younger wept bitterly at finding himself in the hands of the savage monsters, but his older brother tried to comfort him. The little one soon fell asleep in the muscular arms of his mas- ter. The other slept not; his mind was too busy. At length, finding his keeper sound asleep, he grad- ually slipped from his arms, and arose to his feet. He might have run away, and escaped; but there waa 8 1 ^f 00 LlFii AMONG THE IKDlAXS. y 'it a • '111 'i ill! lil his little brother asleep in the arms of his savage master, and he wouM not leave him. At first, he stepped around, and to tiy the soundness of tlic In- dians' sleep, he renewed the fire — knowing if they awoke and found him thus occupied it would occnsion no alarm. But their sleep was too profound to be disturbed. lie then walked up to his brother, gently woke him, .and drew him from the embrace of his master. The older brother put the muzzle of one of their guns to the ear of one of the Indians, and directed his brother to put his finger on the trigger, and pull it the moment he saw the hatchet descend- ing on the head of the other. The plan succeeded. The tomahawk descended and the gun went off at the same moment. The first blow of the tomahawk was not fatal. "Lay on," cries out the little fellow; "I have done it for mine." A few more blows from the older boy "did it" also for the other Indian. The two boys immediately started for home; and just as the day was dawning they came round the corner of the log-cabin, and heard their mother, in agony, lamenting their hard fate, and saying that they had been taken prisoners and perhaps killed by the Indians. The joy of that meeting it would be difficult to describe, but we can readily conceive of the pride and delight with which that mother listened to the narrative of the heroic achievements of her two sons. When I traveled Wills Creek circuit in 1809, I became acquaintod with the Johnson family. The i m jwnng-rfftfcHBiiil— IIEXUY AND JAMES JOllKSoN. 91 father and mother were still living. Henry, their old- est son, was a class-leader and steward in the Church at St. Clairsville; James, the younger son, was a locnl preacher on the circuit. From the different members of the family — and especially from the mother — I have often heard the above narrative; and have also been upon the very spot where the Indians were killed. Having sketched the incidents of Indian life and warfare up to the treaty of Wayne in 1795, and the first establishment of the white population, it will aid the understanding of the reader to take a brief survey of the Indian tribes in this region at that period. This will form the subject of the next chapter. • • r V; IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) *\f^ "^ ^ o 1.0 1.1 |»o ^^* HHH £ Its 12.0 IL25 m 1.4 ?i ^j**' y Hiotographic Sciences Corporalion ■< a>' ,v <^ J^^ ^ ^->^ 23 WiST MAIN STRUT WIUTIR.N.Y. MSM (716) t72-4S03 ;\ ' \ iw" !)<) LIFE AMONG tHS INDtxK^d. ■ lU CHAPTER IV. INDIAN TRIBES IN THE NORTH -WESTERN "TERRITORY. I HAVE brought down the incidents of Indian life and warfare in the North- Western territory, to the treaty concluded by Wayne, in 1795. This was also the period when the whites began to pour into the country, and civilization to assume her supremacy in regions over which the savage had exercised un- disputed sway for ages. Just at this point, then, it will be interesting to take a hasty survey of the occupants of the country. We shall therefore notice some of the leading Indian nations. Of the origin of the Indian race, history is alto- gether silent. And although God "hath made of one blood all nations of men to dwell upon the earth," yet, from what branch of the family of Noah they have descended, or how and when they reached this continent, as well as their subsequent history, nothing bettor is left to us than mere conjecture. Even their own traditions on th. ] subject differ, and, at best, are shrouded in great obscurity, or rejected as ridic- ulous fables. It is, therefore, utterly impossible to determine, with any degree of certainty, their origin. And it JNDIAN TRIBES AND HISTORY. 93 is equally difficult to keep up the 'listinct line of their history, even in more modern times. Many of their tribes ivere broken up, and portions intermin- gled with other tribes "• nations. Sometimes whole nations became dispossessed of their own lands by the gradual encroachment of the white population; and changed their locality, either in a body, or by families, or tribes. Indian history is a thing of tra- dition ; and, of course, such events become intermin- gled and confused in the lapse of a very few yeai*s. Another source of perplexity in Indian history, is the different names by which the same tribe or nation is designated by travelers and historians. From the histories relating to these times, and from my per- sonal intercourse with leading men of most, if not a\\ these nations, I have gathered what can be had con- cerning them* The nations of which I- shall principally speak, arc the Wyandotts or Hurons, the Dclawarcs, the Iro- quois or Five Nations — sometimes called Mingocs— ? the Dclawares, the Shawnees, Chippewas, Ottawas, and Pottawatamies. The "Five Nations" included the Mohawks, Senccas, Cayugas, Onondagas, and Oneidas. First among these nations were the \ /^yandotts, or Hurons, as they were formerly called. So far as history and their traditions inform us, they were the original proprietors of all the country from Macki- naw, down the lakes to Quebec, west to the Great Miami river, and north-west to L^ke Michigan. When ■PMIP 94 LIFE AMONG THE INDIANS. the French first settled in Canada, the nation was it possession of this whole country. They were then a numerous, bold, and warlike people ; and were con- sidered the strongest and oldest tribe of all the north- ern Indians, and were, therefore, called the "Grand Fathers."* All the surrounding tribes looked to t hem for counsel ; and their decisions were respected, and, in most cases, were final. When the French settled in Canada, it was by their permission. At that time the Huron s were at war with the Six Nations — so called — all living in the state of New York. Their traditions say that this war lasted seventy summers, was a severe conflict, and was characterized by dreadful scenes of blood and car- nage. The Six Nations, being much better furnished with arms and ammunition, at first vanquished the Wyandotts, and carried the war into their country. But the Ottawas and Chippewas united with the Wy- andotts, and drove the Six Nations back to their former ground; and would, in all probability, have cut them rff entirely, but for the interposition of the French and English, who brought about a treaty, which so much offended the nation as to result in a lasting separation ; and a part settled below Quebec. Anothei* part, supposed to be fully one-third of the whole nation, left their country and went down the Mississippi river; and by traders who can speak the Wyandott language, are supposed now to be the Sen\- * ti«iier#l Psrrisof)'a IfOtt^r* THE WYANDOTTS. 95 inoles of the south, from the fact of their speaking nearly the same dialect. The great body of the nation, however, continued to occupy a portion of their old grounds. They were situated principally in the vicinity of Detroit. Still later their principal headquarters w ?re upon the San- dusky river. Here they remained on their reserva- tion, till they were removed, by the United States Government, to the lands assigned them west of the Missouri river, at the mouth of the Kansas. Hero a small fragment of the Wyandott nation still re- mains. While the nation remained together with their al- lies, they were a terror to all the surrounding tribes. They drove the Sac and Fox, and the Sioux tribes, west of the Father of Waters — the Mississippi — and had long and bloody wars with the Cherokees. Ken* tucky was their battle-ground; and, it is said, this was the reason why Kentucky was never settled by Indians. Each party frequently went there to hunt, but it was always at great hazard. The Wyandotts were always a humane and hospi- table nation. This is clearly manifested in thei. suf- fering their former enemies to settle on their lands, when driven back before the white population. They kindly received the Senecas, Oayugas, Mohegans, Mohawks, Delawares, and Shawnees, and spread a deer-skin for them to sit down upon; signifying the allotment of a certain portion of their country, the boundary of which wna designated by certain rivers, ^5 H LIFE AMONO THE INDIANS. i ;i or points ou certain lakes ; and freely given for their use, without money and without price. This fact was clearly developed when the different tribes carao to sell their lands to the Government. The Wyandotts pointed out these bounds; and I heard Between-lhe-LogB^ a distinguished chief, say, that the Senccas on the Sandusky river had no right to sell their land without the consent of the Wyandott chiefs, for they at first only borrowed it from them. Another proof of their humanity is their treatment of their prisoners, the most of whom they adopted into their families, and some in the place of their own chiefs who had fallen in battle. Hence, the greater part of their nation is now very much mixed with our own people — as the families of Armstrong, Brown, Zane, Walker, and others, whose descendants now constitute the strongest part of the nation. According to their traditions, it is about two hun- dred years since this nation divided; before which time, I was told by Honnis, one of their most ven- erable chiefs, that the warriors of their nation were called upon to put each one grain of corn into a wooden tray that would hold more than half a bushel, and that before all had done so, the tray was full and running over. They were a numerous and pow- erful people, covering a largo tract of country along the great lakes, and extending their claims to the Ohio river. But now, like many other mighty nations of the earth, they are gbne into the shades of forget- fulness, and another race, with its teeming millions,. f m INDfAN UEROISM. 97 18 filling up the whole extent of their vast posses* sions. Their history, like themselves, too, is almost extinct ; and but little is left to tell of the deeds of valor, or the mi^lity achicvcmci ts of these heroes of the forest. A few only of their children now remair, pent up on small reservations, and these are, in moBt cases, dwindling away under the vices of a Christian and civilized people. Much has been said about the barbarity of these tribes in their mode of warfare ; but let it be always recollected that they were nobly engaged in the de- fense of their country, their families, and their nat- ural rights, and national liberties. Never did men acquit themselves with more valor, nor, according to their means, make a better defense. It is true, they M'cre ignorant of military tactics, and unacquainted with the science of war. They had not equal ad- vantages of weapons, nor the art of combining their whole forces, nor the numerical strength of their enemies. But how long and bloody was the con- flict before they yielded to their new masters, and with what great reluctance they submitted to their numerous and increasing enemies, let the history of by-gone years testify. Their bravery and unwilling- ness to yield were clearly proved by the last struggles which they made; but at length they were obliged to submit and be dictated to by their masters. Their spirits are, in a great measure, broken, and the red man sits and smokes his pipe, and looks on his coun- try as tost. The pleasant hunting-grounds, in which mummmmmm ■Pi 98 I/IFE AMONG THE INDIANS. :if: Ui H' he used to chase the deer and bear, and the luxuriant cane-brakes, where the elk and buffalo fed, which fur- nishet^ him and his family with meat and clothing, have fallen into the hands of strangers. The cheer- ful notes of the flute, and the hoarser sound of the turtle shell, no longer make the groves vocal with joy- ful melody. The red man is no more seen stretched before the sparkling fire, nor the tinkling horse-bell heard in the blue-grass plains. The Indian now sits and looks at the graves of his fathers and friends, and heaves a sigh of despair, while his manly face is bedewed with the silent tear. In strains of sor- rowful eloquence he tells of the happiness of ancient days, and relates to his listening children the mighty achievements of his ancestors. Gloom fills his heart, while he sees, at no great distance, the end of his tribe. He walks pensively into the deep and silent forest, wrapped up in his half-worn blanket, and pours out his full soul in his prayers to the Great Spirit, to relieve his sufferings by taking him and his to rejoin his tribe in another and better world. There he ex- pects to have once more a country of his own, sepa^ rate from white men, and good or bad hunting-ground, according as he has been virtuous or vicious in this life. But why should my pen dwell on these gloomy scenes? Am I, alone, called to sing the mournful dirge of this most of all injured, peeled, and ruined people ? No ; ten thousand voices shall be heard to eympathize with the poor Indian ; and that God, wlic -*/, ^rt THE ''FIVE NATIONS. » » 99 "hath made of one blood all nations of men to dwell upon the earth," will judge his cause and avenge his wrongs. The "Five Nations" have become somewhat cele- brated in Indian history. They originally occupied a large portion of the territory now included in the state of New York. The name of "Five Nations" was given to them by the English, because they con- stituted a confederacy of that number of distinct na- tions. The French called them Iroquois ; the Dutch called them Maquas; and the Virginia Indians gave them the name of Massawomckes. At home, they were known by the name of Mingocs, an tion of the author. mm V2^ LtP£ iMONO til£ INDIANS. Indians. At the convention held at Fort Wayne, in 1803, one of their principal men set forth their views in the following manner: He said, "The Master of Life, who was himself an Indian, made the Shaw- nees before any other of the human race ; and tlicy sprang from his brain: he gave them all the knowl edge he himself possessed, and placed them npon the great island, and all the other red people dre descended from the Shawnees. After he had made the Shawnees, he made the French and English out of his breast, the Dutch out of his feet^ and the long-knives out of his hands. All these inferior races of men he made white, and placed them beyond the stinking lake.* "The Shawnees, for many ages, continued to be masters of the continent, using the knowledge they had received from the Great Spirit in such a manner as to be pleasing to him, and to secure their own happiness. In a great length of time, however, they became corrupt, and the Master of Life told them that he would take away from them the knowledge which they possessed, and give it to the white peo- ple, I'o be restored when, by a return to good prin- ciples, they would deserve it. Many ages after that they saw something white approaching their shores. At first they took it for a great bird ; but they soon found it to be a monstrous canoe filled with the verv people who had got the knowledge which belonged *Atlai)tio OoeoD. •^ssssaamBssm^ssa^: ^.,Ma«tJiiiSMMsmaMli»-»m£Uii!>^aMtu\uai^: THfi SltAWNfiES. 123 to the Shawnces. A.fter these white people landed, the^ were not content with having the knowledge which belonged to the Shawnees, but they usurped their lands also. They pretended, indeed, to have pur chased these lands ; but the very goods they gave for them were more the property of the Indiana than the white people, because the knowledge which en- abled them to manufacture these goods actually be- longed to the Shawnees; but these things will soon have an end. The Master of Life is about to restore to the Shawnees their knowledge and their rights, and he will trample the long-knives under his feet." Some of the Shawnee villages had quite a large population. That called Upper Piqua, on the Miami, is sa,id to have numbered over four thousand. But, since the inroads of civilization, no tribe had dwin- dled away more rapidly. So reduced were they that, of the forty thousand Indians removed to the Indian territory west of the Mississippi, prior to 1836, only eighteen hundred were Shawnees. A mere fragment of them now remains; and soon the race will exist only in history. Mr. Schoolcraft thus describes the condition of the Shawnees in 1840: "They are placed at the junction of the Kansas with the Missouri, extending south and west. They number a little short of thirteen hundred, and own a territory of ten thousand square miles, or six mill- ion, four hundred thousand acres. They are culti- vators and graziers in an advanced state of improve* 124 LtFfi AMONG Tlli) lNt>lANS. ment. Hunting may be occasionally resorted to as a sport or amusement, but it has, years since, been abandoned as a source of subsistence. Indeed, the failure of game in that region, would have ren- dered the latter imperative, had not their improved habits of industry led to it. This tribe have essen- tially conquered their aversion to labor. They drive oxen and horses trained to the plow. They split rails and build fences. They erect substantial cabins and barns. They have old corn in their cribs from year to year. They own good saddle-horses and saddles, and other articles of caparison, and a trav- eler or visitor will find a good meal, a clean bed, and kind treatment in their settlements." From this we learn, that though driven by neces- sity to change their habits, even this has not checked their downward course. Inevitable ruin seems to be their doom A few only will probably escape this doom, by attaining to a higher civilization, and inter- mingling with the white race, which even now is flow- ing all around their forest home. We have referred to the wrongs perpetrated too often upon the poor natives, by the more intelligent white man. We are happy now in being able to add that, so far as our Government is concerned, the pro- prietorship of the soil has been always recognized as b«^ing vested in the aboriginal occupants, and only by aty have they been required to relinquish it. A Vkr.ier in the Democratic Review, for 1844, says: "It remained for the patriots of 1775. who set up INDIAN TREATIES. 126 the frame of our present government, by an appeal to arms, to award the aboriginal tribes the full pro- prietary right to the soil they respectively occupied, and to guarantee to them its full and free use, till such right was relinquished by treaty stipulations. So far, they were acknowledged as sovereigns. This is the first step in their political exaltation, and dates, in our records, from the respective treaties of Fort Pitt, September 17, 1778, and of Fort Stan- wix, of October 22, 1784. The latter was as early after the establishment of our independence, as these tribes — the Six Nations, who, with the exception of the Oneidas, sided with the parent country — could be brought to listen to the terms of peace. They were followed by the Wyandotts, Delawares, Chippewas, and Ottawas, in January, 1785; by the Cherokees, in November of the same year; and by the Choctaws and Shawnees, in January, 1786. Other western nations followed in 1789; the Creeks did not treat till 1790; and from this era, the system has been continued up to the present moment. It may bo aflSrmed, that there is not an acre of land of the public domain of the United States, sold at the land- oflSces, from the days of General Washington, but what has been acquired in this manner. War, in which we and they have been frequently involved, since that period, has conveyed no territorial right. We have conquered them on the field, not to usurp territory, but to place them in a condition to observe how much more their interests and permanent pros- ■"'"TWi^^lli^WPP an 126 LIFE AMONG THE INDIANS. pcrity would be, and have ever been, promoted by the plow than the sword. And there has been a prompt recurrence, at every mutation from war to peace, punctually, to that fine sentiment embraced in the first article of the first treaty ever made between the American Government and the Indian tribes; namely, that all offenses and animosities ^ shall be mutually forgiven, and buried in deep oblivion, and never more be had in remembrance.' "* In addition to the occupation of their lands, which is guaranteed by the United States Government, an annual appropriation is made to the various Indian tribes, pursuant to the treaty with each. The follow- ing is ihe appropriation bill for the present year, making an aggregate of $2,350,368: For the Camanches, Kiowas, and Apaches of Arkansas rivor-* •• $25,000 Blackfoet Nation - 52,000 Chippowas of Jjake Superior 48,680 Chippcwas of the Mississippi 30,000 Pillager and Lake Winnibigoshish bands 31,387 Chippcwas of Saginaw, Swan creek, and Black river 20,140 Chippcwas, Monomonees, Winncbago^s, and Now York Indians- • 1,500 Chickasaws 3,000 Chickasawsof Sault St. Mario 17,474 Chootaws 36,520 Creeks • 649,140 Calapoosas, Molala, and Klockamas Indians of Willamette Valley 12,260 Polawarcs 3,764 Florida Indians, or Seminoles 329,100 lowas 2,876 Kansas 10,000 K asknskias, Peorias, Weas, and Piankeshaws 9,940 Kiokapoos 19,000 Monomonees • 48,665 • Trwtjr of Fort Pitt^ 1779, INDIAN APPROPRIATIONS. 127 Miamit'i of Knnsos f42,fl43 Miamios of Indiana 16,700 Mianiies of Eol river 1,100 Navnjocs 6,000 Nisqually, Puyallupj and other tribes 7,600 Omahas 42,140 Orfagos 26,45f Ott/)es ttnd Missouris 22,140 Oiia was and Chippewas of Michigan 65,040 Ottawas of Kansas 2,000 Pawnees 1,000 Pottawatamies • 80,600 Pottawatamies of Huron 400 Quapanrs 2,660 Chasta, Scoton, and Umpqua Indians 6,980 Rogue River ••' 2,500 Sa«sand Foxes of Mississippi 73,880 Sacs and Foxes of Missouri 16,870 Seneoas 2;860 Seaecas of New York 11,000 Seneoas and Shawnces 2,060 Shawnees 105,000 Six Nations of New York 4,600 Sioux of the Missouri 150,050 Treaty of Fort Laramie 70,000 Umpquas 850 Umpquas and Calapoosas 6,360 Utahs 6,000 Winnebagoes. 97,485 Wyandotts 126,667 Sioux of the Mississippi 42,841 Uleoellaneous purposes 291,760 Totid $2^360^ mmw^ 128 LIFE AMONG THE INDTANS. m -ii i CHAPTER V. SIEGE OF DETROIT AND THE DEATH OF PONTIAO. One of the most thrilling scene? in western history was the siege of Detroit by the Indians in 1763. We have already given an account of the extensive combination of the western tribes under the leader- ship of Pontiac. Detroit was, at that time, the most important post in the western country; and on this account its reduction was undertaken by Pontiac hnn- self. We take our account, with some modifications and retrenchments, from the interesting work of Mr. B. B. Thatcher.* The town is supposed, at this period, to have been inclosed by a single row of pickets, forming nearly four sides of a square; there being block-houses at the corners and over the gates. An open space in- tervened between the houses and the pickets, which formed a place of arms and encircled the village. The fortifications did not extend to the river, but i gate opened in the direction of the stream, and net far from it, where, at the date in question, two armt d vessels, fortunately for the inhabitants, happened to lie at anchor. The ordnance of the fort consisted of • lodian Biotrrapby. DETROIT THREAT EKED. 129 to. eel two six-pounders, one three-poundcr, and throe mor- tars; all of an indifferent quality. The garrison numbered one hundreji and thirty, including oflficcrs, besides whom there were in the village something like forty individuals who were habitually enga^ i in the fur-trade. The inadequate proportion of this force, even to the size of the place, may be inferred from the fact that the stockade which formed its periphery was more than one thousand feet long. Such was the situation of Detroit Avhen the Ottawa chieftain, having completed his arrangements, on the 8th of May presented himself at the gates of tlie town, with a force of about three hundred Indians, chiefly Ottawas and Chippewas, and requested a coun- cil with Major Gladwyn, the commandant. He ex- pected, under this -pretext, to gain admission for him- self and a considerable number of attendants, who, accordingly, Avere provided with rifles, sawed off so short as to be concealed under their blankets. At a given signal — which was to be the presentation of a wampum-belt in a particular manner by Pontiac to the commandant, during the conference — the armed Indians were to massacre all the officers; and then, opening the gates, to admit a much larger body of warriors, who should be waiting without, for the com- pletion of the slaughter and the destruction of the fort. Fortunately, Major Gladwyn obtained a knowledge of the scheme, before an opportunity occurred for its execution. One of the French residents in tho 9 ^^^^^mt^^^m^mrm i»"""«iW^ 180 LIFE AMONQ THE INDIANS. vicinity, returning home, on the morning of the da-y last mentioned, is said to have met Pontiac and hii* party upon Bloody Bridge. This place, which still retains its name, is between one and two miles from the village. The last warrior in the file, being a particular friend of the white man, threw aside his blanket, and significantly exhibited the shortened rifle beneath. Whether his disclosure was commu- nicated to Major Gladwyn, can not be determined. Carver states — and his account is substantially con- firmed by tradition, as well as by other authorities— that an Indian woman betrayed the secret. She had been employed by the commandant to make him a pair of moccasins out of elk-skin ; and having com- pleted them, she brought them into the fort, on the evening of the day when Pontiae made his appear- fiuce, and his application for a council. The Major was pleased with them, directed her to convert the residue of the skin into articles of the same descrip- tion, and having made a generous payment, dismissed her. She went to the outer door, but there stopped, and, for some time, loitered about as if her errand was still unperformed. A servant asked her what she wanted, but she made no answer. The Major himself observed her, and ordered her to be called im, when, after some hesitation, she replied to his inquiries, that as he had always treated her kindly, she did not like to take away the elk-skin, which he valued so highly ; she could never bring it back. The commandant's curiosity was of course excited, and he ACTIVE PREPARATIONS. 181 presscvl the cxainiiintion, till the woman at l'-»ngtli dis- closcd every thing which had come to her knowledge. Her information was not received with implicit cre- dulity, but the Major thought it prudent to employ the night lu taking active measures for defense. His arms and ammunition were examined and arranged; and the traders and their dependents, as well as the garrison, were directed to be ready for instant serv- ice. A guard kept watch on the ramparts during the night, it being apprehended that the Indians might anticipate the preparations now known to have been made for the next day. Nothing, however, was heard after dark, except the sound of singing and dancing, in the Indian camp, which they always indulge in upon the eve of any great enterprise. The particu- lars of the council of the next day we shall furnish on the authority of a writer already cited.* In the morning, Po||tiac and his warriors, sang their war-song, danced their war-dance, and repaired to the fort. They were admitted without hesitation, and were conducted to the council-house, where Major Gladwyn and his officers were prepared to receive them. They perceived at the gate, and as they passed through the streets, an unusual activity and move- ment among the troops. The garrison was under arms, the guards were doubled, and the officers were armed with swords and pixels. Pontiac inquired of the British commander what was the cause of this * Governor Cass. 182 LIFE AMONG THE INDIANS. unusual appearance. He was answered, that it was proper to keep the young men to their duty, lest they should become idle and ignorant. The busi- ness of the council then commenced, and Pontiac proceeded to address Major Gladwyn. His speech was bold and menacing, and his manner and gesticu- lations vehement, and they became still more so, as he approached the critical moment. When he was upon the point of presenting the belt to Major Glad- wyn, and all was breathless expectation, the drums at the door of the council-house suddenly rolled the charge, the guards leveled their pieces, and the Brit- ish officers drew their swords from their scabbards. Pontiac was a brave man, constitutionally and habitu- ally. He had fought in many a battle, and often led his warriors to victory. But this unexpected and decisive proof, that his treachery was discovered and prevented, entirely disconcerted him. Tradition says he trembled. At all events, he delivered his belt in the usual manner, and thus faileu to give his party the concerted signal of attack. Major Gladwyn im- mediately approached the chief, and drawing aside his blanket, discovered the shortened rifle, and then, after stating his knoAvledge of the plan, and reproach- ing him for his treachery, ordered him from his fort. The Indians immediately retired, and as soon as they had passed the gate they gave the yell; and fired upon thf garrison. They then proceeded to the commons, where was lying an aged English woman with her two sons. These they murdered, and afterward repaired THE FutlT ATTACKED. 133 to Hog Island, where a discharged sergeant resided with his family, who were all but one immediately massacred. Thus was the war commenced. "The tenth, in the morning — Tuesday — they at- tacked the fort very resolutely. There continued a very hot fire ou both sides tir» the evening, when they ceased firing, having had saveral killed and wounded. They posted themselves behind the garden-fences and houses in the suburbs, and 'some barns and out-houses thai were on the side of the fort next the woods, which were immediately set on fire by red-hot spikes, etc., from the cannon." In this manner, and by oc- casional sorties, the enemy was dislodged and driven back, till they could only annoy the fort by approach- ing the summit of the low ridge which overlooked the pickets, and there, at intervals, they continued their fire. Little damage was done in this way, nor did the Indians at any time undertake a close assault. The commandant, however, ignorant of their style of war- fare, apprehended that movement; and he believed that in such a case — their numbers being now, ac- cording to some estimates, six or seven hundred, and according to others, about twice as many — the situa- tion of the garrison would be hopeless. Besides, he had but three weeks' provision in the fort, "at a pound of bread and two ounces of pork a man per day." Under these circumstances, fearful of the con- sequences of delaying, he immediately commenced preparations for an embarkation on board the two 134 LIFE AMONG THE INDIANS. vessels vhicli still lay in the streanji, with the inteu tion of retreating to Niagara. He was dissuaded from this course by the French residents, who positively assured him that the enemy would never think of taking the fort by storm. A truce or treaty was then suggested. Some of the French — who were the chief medium of communica- tion between the belligerent parties — mentioned the circumstance to Pontiac; and the latter, it is said, soon after sent in five messengers to the fort, pro- posing that two of the officers should go out and confer with him at his camp. He also requested, that Major Campbell might be one of them. That gentleman accordingly went, with the permission, though not by the command of Major Gladwyn, in the afternoon of Wednesday, the eleventh. Campbell took Lieutenant M'Dougall with him, and both Avere attended by five or six of the French. Whether the latter had meditated a treachery or not, does not appear. The French residents gener-> ally, at all events, can not be fairly charged with improper conduct between the contending parties, during the siege. They were naturally enough sus- pected and accused, but v.'e have seen nothing provf ^ against them. The two officers were, however, de- tained by the Indians ; and Ponti.ic, who is generally supposed to have conceived this scheme for obtaining an advantap;e over the garrison, now sent in terms of capitulation. These were to the effect, that the troops should immediately surrender, " lay down their HOSTILITIES RENEWED. 135 [y or >ner^ with ■ties, sus- hovf ^ I, de- jrally Ining ierms the Itheir arms, as their fathers, the French, had been obliged to do — leave the cannon, magazines, and merchants' goods, and the two vessels — and be escorted in bat- teaux by Indians to Niagara." The Major promptly made answer,*th«.t "his commanding ofiicer had not sent him there to deliver up the fort to Indians or any body else, and he would therefore defend it so long as a single man could stand at his side." Hostilities now recommenced, and were so vigor- ously sustained on the part of Pontiac, that, for some month.s — says the diary — "the whole garrison, offi- ce*''^, ^. urs, merchants, and servants. *vere upon the ramparts every night, not one having slept in a house, except the sick and wounded in the hospital." Three weeks after the commencement of the siege — on the thirtieth of May — the English sentinel on duty announced, that a fleet of boats, supposed to contain a supply of provisions and a reinforcement of troops from Niagara, was coming round "the point," at a place called the Huron Church. Tho garrison flocked to the bastioT -,, nd for a "moment, at least, hope shone upon • ly countenance. But presently the death-cry of i,iie I 6»ans was heard, and the fate of the detachment was at once known. Their approach having ^ en ascertained. Pontiac had stationed a body of warriors at Point Pelee. Twenty «mall batteaux, manned by a considerable number of troops, and laden with «* ores, landed there in the evening. The Indians wat vV d their movements, and fell upon them about daylighi. One officer, with thirty men, escaped 136 LIFE AMONG THE INDIANS. across tlje lake; but the others were either killed or captured; and the line of barges ascended the river near the opposite shore, escorted by the- Indians on the banks, and guarded by detachments in each boat, in full view of the garrison, and %{ the whole French settlement. The prisoners were compelled to navigate the bonts. As the first batteaux arrived opposite to the town, four British soldiers determiner! to effect their libera- tion, or to perish in the attei./ They suddenly changed the course of the boat, a i by loud cries made known their intention to the crew of the vessel. The Indians in the other boats, and the escort on the bank, fired upon the fugitives, but they were soon driven from their positions by a cannonade from the armed schooner. The guard on board this boat leaped overboard, and one of them dragged a soldier with him into the water, where both were drowned. The others escaped to the shore, and the boat reached the vessel, with but one soldier wounded. I^est the other prisoners might escape, they were immediately landed, and marched up the shore, to the lower point of Hog Island, where they crossed the river, and were immediately put to death, with all the horrible accompaniments of savage cruelty. During the month of June, an attempt to relieve the garrison proved more successful. A vessel which had been sent to Niagara, arrived at the mouth of the river, with about fifty troops on board, and a supply of stores. The Indians generally left the ^k INDIANS DISCOMFITED. 137 siege, and repaired to Fighting Isljind, for the pur- pose of intercepting her. They annoyed the English very much in their canoes, till the latter reached the point of the island, where, on account of the wind failing, they were compelled to anchor. The captain had concealed his men in the hold, so that the Indians were not aware of the strength of the crew. Soon after dark, they embarked in their canoes, and proceeded* to board the vessel. The men were silently ordered up, and took their stations at the guns. The Indians were suffered to approach close to the vessel, when the captain, by the stroke of a hammer upon the mast, which had been previ- ously concerted, gave the signal for action. An im- mediate discharge took place, and the Indians pre- cipitately fled, with many killed and wounded. The next morning, the vessel dropped down to the mouth of the river, where she remained six days, waiting for a wind. On the thirteenth, she succeeded in as- cending the river, and reaching the fort in safety. Pontiac felt the necessity of destroying these ves- sels, and he therefore constructed rafts for that pur- pose. The barns of some of the inhabitants were demolished, and the materials employed in this work. Pitch and other combustibles were added, and the whole so formed, as to burn Avith rapidity and intens- ity. They were of considerable length, and were towed to a proper position, above the vessels, when fire was applied, and they were left to the stream, m the expectation that they would be carried into 1S8 LIFE AMONG THE INDIANS. contact with the vessels, and immediately set fire to rhem. Twice the attempt was made, without success. The British were aware of their design, and took their measures accordingly. Boats were constructed, and anchored with chains above the vessels, and every precaution was used to ward off the blow. The blazing rafts passed harmlessly by, and other incidents soon occurred to engage the attention of the Indians.* * A week subsequent to this date, we find various letters from Detroit, published in 'Atlantic papers, of which the following passages are extracts. They will furnish the reader with an idea of the true sit- uation of the garrison at this time, much better than could be derived from any description of our own. The first is dated, Detroit, July 6, 1763: "We have been besieged here two months, by six hundred Indians. We have been upon the watch ifi^ht and day, from the commanding oflBcer to the lowest soldier, from the eighth of May, and have not had our clothes off, nor slept all night since it began; and shall continue so till we have a reinforcement up. We then hope soon to give a good account of the savages. Their camp lies about a mile and a half from the fort; and that's the nearest they choose to come now. For the first two or three day? we were attacked by three or four hundred of them, but wo * Di«>oarse of Oorernor Cas«. LETTERS FROM DETROIT, 1763. 189 gave them so warm a reception that they don't care for coming to see us, though they now and then get hehind a house or garden, and fire at us about three or four hundred yards' distance. The day before yesterday we killed a chief and three others, and wounded some more; yesterday went, up with our sloop, and battered their cabins in such a manner that they are glad to keep further off." The next letter is under date of the 9th : six itch the not ;an; up. the mlf to rere wo "You have long ago heard of our gloomy situa- tion; but the storm is blown over. Was it not very agreeable to hear every day of their cutting, carving, boiling, and eating our companions? to see, every day, dead bodies floating down the river, mangled and disfigured? But Britons, you know, never shrink; we always appeared gay to spite the rascals. They boiled and eat Sir Robert Devers; and w^e are in- formed by Mr. Pauly, who escaped the other day from one of the Stations, surprised at the breaking out of the war, and commanded by himself, that he had seen an Indian have the skin of Captain Rob- ertson's arm for a tobacco-pouch ! "Three days ago a party of us went to demolish a breast-work they had made. We finished our work, and were returning home ; but the fort espying a party of Indians coming up, as if they intended to tight, we were ordered back, made our dispositions, and advanced Y"' ' ly. Our front was fired upon . 140 tIJ*E AMONG tnfi INDIANS. warmly, and returned the fire for about five minutes, In the mean tin\e, Captain Hopkins, with about twenty men, filed oif to the left, and about twenty French volunteers filed off to the right, and got between them and their fires. The villains immediately fled, and "we returned, as was prudent; for a sentry, whom I had placed, informed me he saw a body of them coming down from the woods, and our party, being but about eighty, was not able to cope with their united bands. In short, we beat them handsomely, and yet did not much hart to them, for they ran extremely well. We only killed their leader, and wounded three others. One of them fired at me, at the distance of fifteen or twenty paces, but I sup- pose my terrible visage made him tremble. I think I shot him." - This "leader" was, according to some accounts, an Ottawa chief; according to others, the son of a chief. At all events, he was a popular if not an important man: and his death was severely revenged by one of his relatives, in the massacre of Major Campbell. That gentleman had been detained a prisoner ever since the proposal of a ' capitulation, together with his friend M'Dougall. The latter escaped, a day or two before the skirmish; but his unfortunate com- rade was tomahawked by the infuriated* savage. One account says, "they boiled his heart and ate it, and made a pouch of the skin of his arms!" The brutal assassin fled to Saginaw, apprehensive of the ven- ABLOODY ENGAGEMENT. 141 geance of Pontiac; and it is but justice to the mem- ory of that chieftain to say, that he was indignant at the atrocious act, and used every possible exertion to apprehend the murderer. The reinforcement mentioned above, as expected, arrived on the 26th of July. It was a detachment of three hundred regular troops. Arrangements were made, the same evening, for an attack on the Indian camp. But, by some unknown means, Pontiac ob- tained information of the design; and he not only removed the women and children from his camp, but peasonably stationed two strong parties in ambus- • cades, where they were protected by pickets and cord- wood, and concealed by the high grass. Three hun- dred men left the fort, about an hour before day, and marched rapidly up the bank. They were suflfered to reach the bridge over Bloody Run, and to proceed about half-way across it, before the slightest move- ment indicated that the enemy was aware of their approach. Suddenly a volley of musketry was poured in upon the troops; the commander fell at the first discharge, and they were thrown into instant confu- sion. A retreat was, with some difficulty, effected by driving the Indians from all their positions at the bayonet's point, but the English lost seventy men killed, and forty wounded. This was the last important event attending the prosecution of the siege. A modern author observes, that Pontiac relaxed in his efforts, that the Indians Boon began to depart for their wintering-grounds, and 142 LIFE AMONG THE INDIANS. that the various bands, as they arrived in the spring, professed their desire for peace. Such seems to have been the case at a much earlier date ; for we find it stated, under date of the 18th of August, 1763, that "the Hurons, who begin tc be wearied of the war," had brought in and given up eight prisoners. The writer adds, that "the Hurons and Pottawatamies, who were partly forced into the war by the menaces of the Ottawas, begin to withdraw." Pontiac had been so confident of success as to have made some arrangements, it is said, for dividing the conquered territory with the French ; and several Indians planted, fields of corn. But his warriors grew weary of the siege, and his army was, at this time, reduced to about five hundred. Where or how he passed the winter, we are not told. But his movements were still watched with anxiety, and the garrison at Detroit, especially, seem not to have thought themselves safe from his opera- tions from day to day. " We have lately been very busy," says a respectable writer, under date of De- cember 3, 1763, " in providing abundance of wheat, flour, Indian corn, and peas, from the country, in which we have so far succeeded as not to be in dan- ger of being starved out." It further appears that detachments of the enemy were still in the neighbor- hood. " The approach of Major Wilkins's party had a very good effect; the enemy moved farther off. ' Tis said that Pontiac and his tribe have gone to the Mississippi, but we dont believe it." Again: "Th« A GRAND COUNCIL. 143 Wyandotts, of Sandusky, are much animated againai us; they have been reinforced lately by many vil- lains from all the nations concerned iti the war." Sc late as March 25th, we are told that '• about twelve days ago, several scalping-parties of the Pottawata- mies came to the settlement, etc. We now sleep in our clothes, expecting an alarm every night.'' But the reign of terror maintained by the move- ments of Pontiac was drawing to its close. The power of the civilized party was too much ibr a com- bination like his. General Bradstreet, with a force of three thousand men, proceeded to Niagara early in the summer of 1764, on* his way to the north- west. Here a grand council was held, at which nearly two thousand Indians attended. One account says there were representatives present from twenty-two different tribes, including eleven of the western — a ^lct strikingly indicating the immense train of oper- ations managed by the influence of Pontiac. Many of his best allies had now deserted the chieftain. The traveler, Henry, who was under Bradstrcet's com- mand, mentions that he was himself appointed leader of ninety-six ChippcATas of the Sault de Sainte Marie, and other savages, under the name of the Indian Bat- tallion; "Me," he adds, "whose best hope it had. very lately, been to live through their forbearance." It Dught to be observed, however, in justice to the men who were thus led against their own countrvmen and kinsmen, that by the time the army reached Fort Erie, their number was reduced t:> fourteen by desertion. 144 LIFE A MONO THE INDIANS. On tlic arrival of the army at Detroit, which they reached without opposition, all the tribes in that re- gion came in and concluded a peace, with the excep- tion of the Delawares and Shawnees. But Pontiac was no more seen. He not only took no part in the pending negotiation, but abandoned the country, and repaired to the Illinois. We find no authority for the assertion of Carver, that henceforward he laid aside his animosity for the English; and still less, that "to reward this new attachment, Government allowed him a handsome pen- sion." Even this writer admits that his conduct "at length grew suspicious.'/ Rogers, on the other hand, who had good opportunities of knowing the facts, says, that while "some of the Indians left him, and by his consent made a separate pe.ace, he would not he personally concerned in it, saying, that when h^ made a peace, it should be such a one as would be useful and honorable to himself, and to the King of Great Britain. But he has not as yet proposed his terms. ''^'^ This account bears manifest marks of correctness. It agrees with many other illustrations of a mag- nanimity which might have made Pontiac a fit coni- radp for the knights of the middle ages. But con- firmation of it may be found elsewhere. It was the common belief of the times, that he had gone among the Illinois, with a view of there holding himself iu *R«g.3rtt's Account, page 24i \ PONTIAC'S POSITION. 145 renuiness for whatever might happen to the benefit of the great cause for which he was resolved to live and die; and probably, also, to use active measures as fast and as far as might be advisable. The fol- lowing passage occurs in an authentic letter from Detroit, dated May 19, 1765: "Pontiac is now raising the St. Joseph Indians, the Miamics, the Mascontins, the Ouiattenons, the Pians, and the Illinois, to come tc this place the beginning of next month, to make what effort they can against us; for which purpose he has procured a large belt for each nation, and one larger than the rest for a ''hatchet' for the whole. They are to be joined by some of the northern Indians, as is reported. This, -ley say, is to be an undertaking of their own, as they are not to have any assistance from the French. * * When Pontiac left the Miamies, hp told them to remain quiet till he came back ; it should then be *all war, or all peace.' * * I make no doubt of their intention to perform what we have heard of, though I don't think it will come to any head. I am likewise well convinced, if Pontiac he made to believe he would be well received at this place, he would desist from any intention he may have; but it will be impossible to convince him of that, while there are such a number of traitorous villains about him. You can't imagine what most infamous lies they teli." It appears from this testimony, that Pontiac had at this period re-engaged in his plan of combination. It would also appear, that he was instigated by some 10 mmmmmm 146 LIFE AMONG THE INDIANS. i X'' of the French; for it is believed that only individ' uah among them were guilty of the practices alleged. Those at Detroit conducted themselves amicably, even during the war; and some of them, we have seen, volunteered to fight against the Indians. Still, where Pontiac now was, there would be the best possible opportunity of exerting a sinister influence over him, there being many Frenchmen among the Illinois, and they not of the most exemplary character in all cases. On the whole, it seems to us probable, that while the last-mentioned combination was really " an under- taking of his own," it might have been checked at any moment, and perhaps never would have been commenced, had not Pontiac been renewedly and repeatedly prejudiced against the English interest by the artifice of some of the French, and perhaps some of the Indians. However his principles in regard to that subject might remain unchanged, no abstract inducement, .^ ) think, would have urged him to his present measures under the circumstances to which he was now reduced. But, be that as it may, the principles themselves need not be doubted; nor can we forbear admiring the energy of the man in pur- suing the exemplification and vindication of them in practice. His exertions grew only the more daring, as his prospects became more desperate. But his death at length ended at once his disap- pointments and hopes, together with the fears of his enemies. This event is supposed to have taken place in 1767. He was assassinated, at a council held DEATH OF PONTIAC. 147 [sap- his ^lace held among the Illinois, by an Indian of the Peoria tribe. Carver says, that "either commissioned by one rf the English Governors, or instigated by the love ho bore the English nation, the savage attended him as a spy, and being convinced from the speech Pontiac made in the council, that he still retained his former prejudices against tliose for tvhom he now professed a friendship, he plunged his knife into his heart, as soon as he had done speaking, and laid him dead on the spot." As to what is here said of professed friendship, the writer evidently alludes to his own previous as- sertion, which we have shoAn to be unfounded, and for which we are still unable to perceive the slightest grounds. Still, several of these suppositions, though only to be received a.- such, are probably true. There is but little doubt that Pontiac continued firm in his original principles and purpose; that he expressed himself without disguise ; that he endeavored to influ- ence, and did influence, a large number of his coun- trymen; and that the Peoria savage, whether a per- sonal enemy, or a " spy " — or, what is most probable, both, (a spy because an enemy) — did assassinate him with the expectation, to say the le^-'^t, of doing an acceptable service to some foreign party, and a lucra- tive one for himself. We need not assert that he was " commissioned by an English Governor;" Pon tiac was an indefatigable and powerful man, and a dangerous foe to the English. He was in a situation to make enemies among his countrymen, and the i 148 LIFE .. MONG THE I VIDIANS. f English were generally in a situation and disposition to avail themselves of that circumstance. From the manner of life adopted by the chieftaii. subsequent to the treaty at Detroit, it might be in- ferred, perhaps, that he became alienated from th« northern tribes, including his own, who had been his best friends, or that they became alienated from him, We are inclined to believe, on the contrary, thai their negotiations took place " by his consent," as has been stated heretofore ; and that he removed southward, as well with a view to their good — as regarded the friendship of the English — as, at the same time, for the purpose of recommencing his OAvn operations upon a new theater, and with fresh actors. He would thereby gain neAv influence, while he would lose little or none of the old. This supposition is confirmed by the well-authen- ticated fact that the Ottawas, the Chippewas, and the Pottawatamies — some writers add the Sacs and Foxes — made common cause in tie revenge of his death. Following that principle Avith the customary Indian latitude of application, they made war upon the Peoria tribe. The latter associated with them- selves, in defense, the Kaskasl^ias, the Cahokias, and the Illinois ; but to no purpose. The two latter tribes are believed to have been wholly exterminated, and of the former only a few families remain. " The memory of the great OttaAva chief," says a distin- guished historian of that section, "is yet held in reverence among his countrymen; and Avhatever is 1»0NTIAC*S INFLtTENCB. 140 the fate that may await them, his name and deeds will live in their traditionary narratives, increasing in interest as they increase in years." The astonishing influence exerted by this remark- able man, so long as he lived, may be inferred from the period of peace which succeeded his death, and the punishment of his murderer, still more forcibly than from any circumstances we have noticed. It has been seen, that more than twenty tribes, who had engaged in his combination, appeared at the Niagara Council. His movements are believed to have been felt as far east as among the Micmacks of Kova Scotia. As far south as Virginia, th ;y were not only perceptible, but formidable, in the highest degree. •> ij" 1 150 LIFE AMONG THE INDIANS. CHAPTER VI. BALL OF MACKINAW AND CAPTIVITY OF MR HENRY. The only reliable account of the capture of Mack- inaw, by the Indians, in old Pontiac's war, was that given by Mr. Henry, in his travels, which were pub- lished in New York, in 1809, and preserved by Mr. Schoolcraft. Mr. Henry was an Indian trader, and happened to be at Mackinaw at the time; conse- quently, he shared in the calamities of the scene. We shall give his own account of the capture, as well as of his suLot quent captivity. When I reached Mackinaw, says he, I found sev- eral other traders, who had arrived before me, from diiferent parts of the country, and who, in general, declared the disposition of the Indians to be hostile to the English, and even apprehended some attack. M. Laurent Duxjharme distinctly informed Major Eth- erington that a plan was absolutely conceived for destroying him, his garrison, and all the English in the upper country; but the commandant believing this and other reports to be without foundation, pro- ceeding only from idle or ill-disposed persons, and of a tendency to do mischief, expressed much diw- pleasure against M. Ducharme, and threat