100 - HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES, OHIO. destroy their foes. Accordingly they would detach from their main body sufficient numbers to threaten the forts in the vicinity of their proposed attack to prevent aid being furnished the beleaguered garrison or the marching of forces From one fort to another to assist in its defence. This was the plan of their invasion of Kentucky at this very time. On the 14th of March they suddenly appeared with a force of two hundred warriors. Dividing their forces they employed their most active and ex-pert men to watch and invest Boone's and Logan's forts, while their main body marched to the attack of Harrodsburg. The gallant, spirited, and successful defence of these forts, it is not proposed to narrate here, but is a part of the operations against the frontier during the revolution. This incursion, also, disclosed the final success of the British agents, in inducing the savages to espouse their cause, and in-flict upon the border, all the horrid barbarities of savage war-fare. As if to leave no doubt of the source from which this raid was projected, the besiegers left a proclamation, from Gov. Hamilton, of Detroit, pinned to the dead body of one of the men, killed outside the garrison, in which protection and reward, was promised to those who would renounce the cause of the colonies, and become the supporters of the British king. The military authorities of the government made Some changes in the administration of affairs at this time, and Brig. Gen. Edward Hand was placed in command of the Department. with headquarters at Fort Pitt. The raids and murders, however, did not cease. In June a Mrs. Grigsby and child, were killed and scalped on Rooting creek, and, shortly afterwards, a daughter of Mr. Coon was also killed near Coon's Fort, on the West Fork. On the 7th of June, a man was killed on Wheeling creek within a half mile of the fort. It was promptly reported to the Department commander, Gen. Hand, in the following letter from CAPT. SAMUEL MEASON IN COMMAND OF FORT HENRY. " FORT HENRY, June 8, 1777. " Yesterday between the hours of five and six o'clock, in the afternoon, as a few of Capt. Vanmeter's company were fishing about half a mile from this fort up Wheeling creek, a certain Thomas McCleary and one Lanimore being some distance from the others, were fired on by a party of Indians to the number of six, seven or eight guns, of which the several persons near do not agree, as some say eight, or upwards. Lanimore and others gave the alarm. I went to the place and found tracks, but difficult to ascertain the number of Indians. McCleary's shoe being found which he wore when he received the wound; we presently found him killed and scalped. He had run about three hundred yards from the creek. Night coming on by the time that we were satisfied of its being Indians. I proposed to set out this morning by daylight, in pursuit and have drawn out of Capt. Virgin's company eight men, so that we, amount to thirty men, well equipped, and to cross the river at this place, as they seethed by their tracks to bend their direction down the river, and propose to pursue them to the last extremity and hazard. I set off at 8 this morning, and flatter myself that you will not disapprove our proceeding, but call on me, if any occa-sion should require, and as I may not return to the, ensuing council at Catfish, I take this opportunity to return your Honor the strength of my company, which consists of fifty men, of which forty-five, are in good order, and furnished for going on any emergency and expedition that may be necessary. I am with great respect your Honors Most Obedient and Humble Servant, SAM'L MEASON.* Directed to Brig. Gen. Hand. The following letter also gives some of the OCCURRENCES AT GRAVE CREEK. Dear Parents :—This comes to let you know our distressed situation at present. Last Saturday night the Indians came and drove off my two horses, and two of Joseph Tumbleston's, shot a mare of his dead and, took a valuable mare of John Harnesses, and one large horse of Samuel Harris and one of Zaphiniah Blackfords, and some young creatures, and with their arrows shot four of Mr. Zodgers cattle and two of Yeates Conwells. The cattle came home with the arrows sticking in them twelve inches, which -cut a shocking aspect; upon which we * Penn. Arch., vol. 5, p. 415 immediately turned out all that vas fit for action, which was only twenty-three, leaving. not eight effectual men in the fort, and went down the river to the mouth of Fish creek, by water and then crossed the Ohio and marched by land to Sunfish creek, and then took the tracks of the Indians and it was partly dark, the road was plain and followed up the creek by moonshine a few miles with great hopes of overtaking them, and discovered their fire and as we were surrounding them, John McClean"s gun went off by accident and they returned the fire smartly and only one of our men were in proper view of' the Indians, who shot twice and they then fled from their camp, and scolded us for some time. We immediately took possession of a hill that joined their camp and discovered two More fires, and not thinking ourselves sufficient for an attack, we retreated and got a reinforcement and sallied down and went up the creek, but finding they were two days gone we concluded to cross to our side of the river, and look for some that we expected on that side, we took the advantage of a rifle, two of our canoes being advanced close to the shore in order to land, the Indians fired their shots as thick .9,S hail upon them, our men all fell flat in the canoes only two that steered and pushed back under cover of our guns, and got safe back to the savage shore without the loss of a man, we exchanged many shot but to no purpose we then pushed up and crossed the river below Fish creek, and lay on our arms until morning, and found a number of tracks coming up the river which we followed with all speed to our fort and. was agreeably' surprised to find them a party of Capt. Pigman's company that had been at the Little Kanawha, and so you won't fail to come down with five or six horses 'with all speed to help us up to your parts. The sign of the Indians is very numerous over the Ohio, hav-ing numbers of camps, and one large bark camp below Fish creek. I Was in both actions and saw the signs myself. MORGAN JONES, Grave Creek. † CONFEDERATION OF INDIANS UNDER BRITISH INFLUENCE—MIS-SION OF CORNSTALK TO THE VIRGINIANS—HIS DASTARDLY MUR-DER—PROPOSED EXPEDITION UNDER GEN. HAND. The efforts of the British agents to secure a confederation of all the tribes to assume offensive warfare against the Colonies had become well known at all the principal settlements along the border. Up to this time their success had been but partial, but, as the summer began it was found that the assent of the Shawanese alone was wanting to perfect the coalition. The distinguished head of that nation, the noted chief Cornstalk, however, was not only averse to any alliance with the British, but desirous rather of preserving friendly, relations with the Virginians. All his influence was exerted' in this behalf, but his counsels met with much opposition in his tribe, who were anxious to retaliate, on the whites, the loss of so many war-riors: at the battle of Point Pleasant. This feeling was shrewdly fomented by British emissaries from neighboring tribes until it became evident that the time would soon arrive when the Shawanese would override the wise counsels of their chief. This condition of affairs led Cornstalk to visit Fort Randolph, then in command of Capt. Matthew Arbuckle, during the summer in company with Red Hawk and another Indian to make known the probable course of the Indians in the coming season: When Cornstalk had told the Captain of the hostile attitude and preparations of the Indians, that the Shawanese were likely to join the confederacy, and were alone wanting to its completion, saying "the current set so strongly against the colonies even they would float with the stream in *despite, Or his endeavors to stem it," he deemed it the part of prudence to detain this distinguished chief and his associates as hostages for the peace and neutrality of the Indians. Upon communicating to the Government of Virginia the information received from Cornstalk, they determined to march an army into the Indian country and so utterly destroy it as to prevent further molestation from them. Troops from Augusta, and Botetourt were to rendezvous at the mouth of the Big Kanawha as soon as possible, and were to be joined by forces from Fort Pitt, under General Hand, who was to assume the command of the expedition. Three or four companies were raised in Botetourt and Augusta, and one company in Greenbrier and marched to Point Pleasant under Col. George Skillern. Here they awaited the arrival of Gen. Hand. It was during this interval that Cornstalk was joined by his son, Ellinipsico, and the affectionate and tender meeting, described by Capt. Stuart, occurred. † Penna. Archives, vol. v. p. 448. HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES, OHIO - 101 The unfortunate circumstance of the killing of One of Captain Hall's men, which happened the next day, and led them to wreak their vengeance on the unoffending chief and his son, are also fully stated in Capt. Stuart's narrative, in a preceding chapter. It is said. that when the interpreter's wife, who had taken quite an interest in the captives, ran in to apprise,' them of their danger, she told them that Ellinipsico was charged with having brought the Indians who had killed the soldier. "This he positively denied, averring that he came alone, and only to learn something of his father's fate. By this time Capt. Hall and his men had arrived within hearing, and Ellinipsico appeared much agitated. His father turned to him, encouraging him to meet his fate composedly, saying, My son, the Great Spirit has seen fit that we would die together, and has sent you here to that end. It is his will, and let us submit; it is all for the best.' And turning to meet his murderers at the door, received seven bullets in his. body, and fell without a groan." "Thus perished the mighty Cornstalk Sachem of the Shawanees; and king of the Northern Confederacy in 1774: a chief remarkable for many great and good qualities. He was disposed to be at all times the friend of the white man; as he ever was, the advocate of honorable peace. But when his country's wrongs called aloud. to battle, he became the thunderbolt of war, and made her oppressors feel the weight of his uplifted arm. He sought not to pluck the scalp from the head of the innocent, nor to wage war against the unprotected and defenceless; choosing rather to encounter his enemies, girded for battle, and in open conflict. His noble bearing, his generous and disinterested attachment to the colonies, when the thunder of British cannon was reverberating through the land—his anxiety to preserve the frontier of Virginia, from desolation and death (the object of his visit to Point Pleasant)—all conspired to win for him the esteem and respect of others; while the untimely and perfidious manner of his death, caused a deep and lasting regret to pervade the bosoms, even of those who were enemies to has nation; and excited the just indignation of all, towards his inhuman and barbarous murderers. When the father fell, Ellinipsico continued still and passive, not even raising himself from his seat which he had occupied before receiving notice of, impending danger. He met death in that position with the utmost composure and calmness. The trepidation which at first seized upon him, was of but monentary duration and was succeeded by a most dignified and stoical sedateness." * The young Red Hawk and his companion were also murdered with the utmost barbarity and cruelty. A few days after this outrage General Hand arrived from Fort Pitt without an army or provisions for those who were enlisted and awaiting his arrival. It was then determed to abandon the expedition; and the volunteers returned to their homes. The killing of Cornstalk was a fearful deed and brought a fearful retribution on those who were in. D.0 wise responsible for it. It not only broke the last link which held the Shawanees back from the Confederate tribes, but whetted their appetite for blood, and gave to their vengeance the semblance of a virtue. IMPENDING HOSTILITIES. From this time forth, the inhabitants of the border lived in constant peril. The foes, whom. they were expecting every day to encounter, were savages, whose known mode of warfare was most barbarous and cruel. Cherishing an hereditary sense of injury against the white race; despoiled of their lands; driven backward by the advancing emigration; they had now the. added wrong,. to avenge, of slaughtered kindred, and chieftains, who had fallen in. the struggle to repel the invasion of their homes. Having once entered into the fray, the savages, seemed, like the tiger, to have a fiercer thirst for blood, the more. they were able to glut their appetite and now that they were leagued with Great Britain, would be enabled more 'fully and effectually to gratify their hatred, by deeds of direst cruelty. According to a very careful, and doubtless, very accurate esti-mate of Col. Morgan's, the number of warriors in the different tribes, who could at any time, within a few weeks, be assembled to fall upon the frontiers, was about ten thousand and sixty; and when the comparative feebleness of the settlements, along the border, is remembered, and their wide separation from each other, it seems a marvel that any of the settlers should have remained to face what would appear a certain destruction. * Withers' Chronicles. At this time the only places where the inhabitants could find refuge, besides private forts and block-houses, were at Fort Pitt, Redstone, Wheeling and Point Pleasant. in the immediate vicinity of Wheeling, there were block houses at Beach Bottom, Cross Creek and Grave Creek. There was also a small stockade on Short Creek called Fort Van Metre, sometimes styled the Court House Fort, from the circumstance that the first civil court was held in it after the organization of Ohio county. It was commanded. at this time (1777) and subsequently, by Maj. Samuel McColloch, so famous in all our border annals, for conspicuous bravery and ability as an Indian fighter and scout. But of all these defences, Fort Henry was the only military work, on this part of the frontier, considered tenable in open war. The information derived from Cornstalk of the extensive preparations making by the Indians for war, and the probability of its early commencement, led to the immediate adoption of such measures as should prevent its success. The Government of Virginia issued a proclamation advising the inhabitants to retire into the interior as soon as practicable, and forwarded ammunition to some of the settlements to enable them to defend themselves from the incursions of the savages. Gen. Hand also sent express to different settlements advising their abandonment, and that the inhabitants should seek shelter in some neighboring fortress or retire east of \the mountains. They were all apprised of the impending danger and the im-practicability of the Government to afford them any effective protection. Some who were unwilling to encounter the horrors of an Indian war, prudently withdrew from the danger, but by far the greater number, who had taken up their abode on the western border, determined to remain, making such prepara-tions to meet the contingency as they best could. They had not long to wait. As the season advanced the depredations of the Indians became more frequent and bold. In the neighborhood of Wheeling some mischief was done about this time by Indians, who were sufficiently wary to avoid discovery and punishment. A man named Thomas Ryan was killed in a field some distance from the house, and a negro, at work with him, was taken prisoner and carried off. "No invasion, however, of that country had been as yet of sufficient importance to induce the people to forsake their homes and go into the forts. Scouting parties were constantly trav-ersing the woods in every direction, and so successfully did they observe every avenue to the settlements that the approach of Indians was generally discovered and made known before any evil resulted from it. But in August the whole country bordering on the Ohio, from. Fort Pittb to Wheeling, became justly alarmed for its fate, and the most serious apprehensions for the safety of its inhabitants were excited in every bosom. Intelligence was conveyed to Gen. Hand, at Fort Pitt, by some friendly Indians from the Moravian towns, that a large army of the Northwestern Confederacy had concentrated on the Sandusky river, and were now come as far as those towns, and might soon be expected to strike an awful blow on some of the Ohio river settlements, The Indian force was represented as being so great as to preclude all idea of purchasing safety by open conflict; and the inhabitants along the river generally retired into forts as soon as they received information of their danger, and made every preparation to repel an assault on them. When this force left the Sandusky upper village and took up their line of march in the direction of Limestone, in Kentucky, that settlement was supposed by some to be the objective point of their attack. They did not, however, remain long in suspense as to the point against which the enemy would direct ifs operations. Although the Wheeling fort had been erected by the proper authorities of the Government, and was supplied with arms and ammunition from the public arsenal, it was not, at this time, garrisoned, as were the other State forts on the Ohio, by a regular soldiery, but was left to be defended solely by the heroism. and bravery of those who might seek shelter within its 'walls. The settlement around it was flourishing, and had grown with a, surprising rapidity, when its situation, and the circumstances of the border generally, are taken into consideration. A little village of twenty-five or thirty houses had sprung up, where but a few years before the foot of civilized man had never trod; flocks and herds—evidences of present prosperity and future wealth—ranged in the fields, and the broad and fertile bottom lands covered with bountiful crops ripening in the autumn sun evinced the thrift and prosperity of the people. In the enjoyment of this comparatively prosperous condition of things the inhabitants little dreamed how quickly these smiling prospects were to be blighted, their future 102 - HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES, OHIO. hopes blasted, and they deprived of almost the necessaries of life. They were not insensible to the danger which, in time of war, was ever impending over them, but, relying on the vigilance of their scouts to ascertain and apprise them of its approach, and on the proximity of a fort into which they could retire upon a minute's warning, they did not shut themselves up within its walls until advised of the immediate necessity of doing so, from the actual presence of the enemy."* SIEGE OF FORT HENRY IN 1777. On the evening of the last day of August Captain. Ogle, who with a party of twelve men, had been for several days engaged in watching the paths to the settlement, endeavoring to ascertain the approach of danger, came into Wheeling with the assurance that the enemy were not at hand. He reported, however, that as he was returning from Beech Bottom fort, accompanied by Abraham Rogers, Joseph Biggs, Robert Lemon † and others, he discovered as he neared Wheeling, the appearance of considerable smoke in the atmosphere, in the direction of Grave creek, and conjectured, it might arise from the burning of the block house at that place by the Indians. Col. Shepherd, the commandant, ‡ promptly dispatched two men in a canoe down the river to ascertain the facts, and to report if there were any Indians in the neighborhood. In the course of the night, however, the Indian army, consisting of three hundred and eighty-nine warriors, came near to the village, and believing, from the lights in the fort, that the inhabitants were on their guard, and that more might be effected by an ambuscade in the morning, than by an immediate and direct attack, posted themselves advantageously for that purpose. Two lines were formed, at some distance from each other, extending from the river across the point to the creek, with a cornfield to afford them concealment. In the cen-tre between these lines, near a road leading through the field to the fort, and in a situation easily exposing them to observation, six Indians were stationed, for the purpose of decoying within the lines, any force which they might discover and come out to attack them. The leader of the army had conducted his march with such celerity and caution, that, although there was attached to the fort, and kept in constant service a body of the most trusty, and experienced scouts, that ever figured in border warfare, he managed to elude their observation—deceiving them utterly as to his point of destination—and actually brought his whole force under the walls of Fort Henry before his real design was discovered. Early in the morning of the 1st of September the commandant, wishing to dispatch expresses to the nearest settlements, sent a man, accompanied by a negro, to bring in some horses which had been turned loose the day before to graze on the bank of the creek. While these men were passing through the cornfield south of the fort they encountered the party of six savages and immediately turned to escape by flight. A single shot brought the white man to the ground, but the negro was permitted to escape to the fort and give the alarm. Captain Samuel Meason, who, with Captain Ogle and some other men, had occupied the fort the preceding night, on learning that there were but six of the enemy, marched with fourteen men to the place where they had been seen. When lie came in view of them he led his men briskly forward in pursuit, but suddenly found him-self inclosed by a body of Indians, who, till then, had remained concealed. The Captain rallied his men from the confusion of this unexpected demonstration, and, seeing the impossibility of maintaining a conflict with them, endeavored to retreat with his men to the fort, gallantly taking the lead and hewing his way through the savage ranks. But it was in vain; they were intercepted at every turn and his band literally cut to pieces. One by one these devoted soldiers fell at the crack of the enemy's rifle. Captain Meason, however, and his Sergeant * Withers' Chronicles of Border Warfare. † Appendix A. ‡ In the absence of any official documents, or contemperaneous letters, or accounts of this siege, we have adopted the view of McKiernan. that in the absence of a regular garrison and commandant, Col. Shepherd, who was the county lieutenant, and had considerable military experience, having served in several campaigns against the Indians, was the one who would naturally, and by virtue of his office, be called upon to assume the command. In the "Chronicles of Border Warfare," by Mr. Withers, which is the earliest account of this siege and has the merit of being gathered and published in the life time of many of the actors in this event, it is stated that Col. Zane had charge of the de fences and was in command at this siege. There can be no question of Mr. 'Withers general accuracy and reliability, hut he might, in this instance, have confounded this siege with that of 1782 where Col. Zane did command. It is certain, however, that both gentlemen were present in the fort and rendered valiant service for its defence. succeeded in passing the front line, but, being observed of the enemy, were pursued and fired at as they began the hill. The Sergeant was so wounded by the ball a him that he fell, unable to get up; but, seeing his Capt. near without a gun, and so crippled that he moved but in advance of his pursuers, he handed him his own and calmly surrendered himself to his fate. Captain Meason had been twice wounded, and was the so enfeebled by the loss of blood and faint from fatigue that he almost despaired of ever reaching the fort; yet he pressed forward with all his powers. He was sensible that the Indian who was eagerly pursuing him was quite near, and expecting every instant that the tomahawk would cleave through his skull, he forgot for a while that his gun was yet charged. The recollection of this inspiring him with fresh hopes, he wheeled to fire at his pursuer, but found him so close that he could not bring his gun to bear on him. Having greatly the advantage of ground, he thrust the savage back with his hand. The up lifted tomahawk descended to the earth with force, and before the Indian could so far regain his footing as to hurl the fatal weapon from his grasp, or rush forward to close in deadly struggle with his antagonist, the ball from Capt. Meason's gun had done its errand, and the savage fell lifeless to the earth. Capt. Meason, from extreme physical exhaustion, was able to proceed only a few paces further, but was fortunate enough to conceal himself in a pile of fallen timber where he remained unobserved while the Indians continued' about the fort. The critical situation of Capt. Meason becoming know at the fort, from the discharge of the guns and the shrieks of the men, Captain Ogle, with twelve of his scouts, immediately sallied forth for their relief and to cover their retreat. This noble band, eagerly pressing forward for the rescue of their suffering fellow-soldiers, also fell into an ambuscade. Capt. Ogle being some distance in the rear of his men, the Indians, in closing around them, fortunately left him without the circle, and he was able to conceal himself amid some briars in the corner of the fence, where he lay until the next day. The same fate awaited his men which had befallen Capt. Meason's. Two-thirds of those were slain upon the spot. Of the twenty-six who were let out by these two officers only three escaped death, and two of these were badly wounded—a striking evidence of the fact that the ambuscade was judiciously planned and the expectations of its success well founded. Sergeant Jacob Ogle, though mortally wounded, managed to escape into the woods with two soldiers, but died subsequently. While these things were doing, the inhabitants of village were busily employed in removing to the fort, and preparing for its defence. A single glance at the situation of the parties led on by Meason and Ogle, convinced them of helming overwheming force of the Indians, and the impossibility of maintaining an open contest with them. And so quick had been the happening of the events which have been narrated, that the gates of the fort were securely closed before the Indian army appeared under its walls, to attempt its reduction by storm. Three men, Rogers, Biggs and Lemon who had left the fort to join their comrades, met the enemy advancing upon the fort; the savages were formed in two ranks, in open order, their left flank reaching to the liver bank, and their right extending into the woods as far as eye could reach. When the three volunteers were about to enter the gate of the fort, a few random shots were fired at them, and instantly a loud whoop arose on the enemy's left flank, which passed, as if by concert, along the line to the extreme right, filling the welkin with a chorus of the wildest and most startling character. This salute was responded to by a few well directed rifle shots from the lower block houses, which produced a manifest confusion in the ranks of the besiegers. They discontinued their shouting and retired a few paces, probably to await the coming up of their right flank, which, it would seem, had been directed to make a general sweep of the bottom, and then approach the stockade on the eastern side. When the right flank came up, and the forces were properly disposed, the commander of the Indians* summoned the garrison to surrender in the name of his Brittanic Majesty. Ap-pearing at the end window of a house not far from the fort he *All the early historians state that the Indians were commanded at this siege by Simon Girty, the notorious white renegade. How this impression arose it cannot now be ascertained —possibly they may have confounded Simon with his brother George Girty, who is said to have been in command of the Indians at the siege of 1782. However this may be, it is nom known that Simon Girty, together with Elliott and McKee, and twelve soldiers, deserted frog Fort Pitt on 28th March, 1778, and so could not well have been present at the siege of 1777. HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES, OHIO - 103 told them that he had come with a large army to escort to Detroit, such of the inhabitants along the frontier, as were willing to accept. the terms offered by Governor Hamilton, to those who would renounce the cause of the colonies and attach themselves to the interests of Great Britain; calling upon them to remember their fealty to their sovereign.; assuring them of protection, if they would join his standard, and denouncing upon them all the woes which spring from the uncurbed indulgence of savage vengeance, if they dared to resist, or fire one gun to the annoyance of his men. He then read to them Gov. Hamilton's proclamation, and told them he could allow only fifteen minutes to consider his proposition. It was enough. In love with liberty, attached to their country, and without faith in his proffered protection, they required but little time to "deliberate, which of the two to choose, slavery or death." Col. Zane replied to him* "that they had consulted their wives and children, and that all were resolved to perish, sooner than place themselves under the protection of a savage army with him at its head, or abjure the cause of liberty and of the colonies.' The commander then represented to them the great force of the Indians; the impossibility that the fort could withstand the assault; the certainty of protection if they acceded to his proposition, and the difficulty of restraining the assailants if enraged and roused to vengeance by opposition and resistance. A shot discharged at him from the fort caused him to withdraw from the window, and the Indians commenced the assault. There were then in the fort but thirty-three men, † to defend it against the attack of upwards of three hundred and eighty Indians; and bravely did they maintain their situation against the superior force of the enemy, and all that art and fury could effect to accomplish their destruction. So far the fortunes of the day had been fearfully against them ; two Of their best officers, and a large proportion of their original force, were missing. The exact fate of their comrades, was unknown to them, but they had every reason to apprehend that they had been cut to pieces. Still, they were not dismayed—their mothers, sisters, wives and children were assembled around them—they had a sacred charge to protect, and they resolved to fight to the last extremity, and confidently trusted in Heaven for the successful issue of the combat. When the attack began it was yet quite early in the morning, the sun not having appeared above the summit of Wheeling hill. The day is represented to have been one of surpassing beauty. Parties of Indians were placed in such of the village houses as commanded a view of the blockhouses; a strong body occupied the yard of Col. Ebenezer Zane, about fifty or sixty yards from the fort, using a paling fence as a Cover, while the greater part were posted under cover in the edge of the cornfield, to act offensively or serve as a corps of reserve as occasion might require. The Indians, not entirely concealed from the view of the garrison, kept up a brisk fire for the space of six hours without much intermission. The little garrison in spite of its heterogeneous character, was, with scarcely an exception, composed of sharp-shooters. Several of them, whose experience in Indian warfare gave them a remarkable degree of coolness and self-possession in the face of' danger, infused confidence into the young, and as they never fired at random, their bullets, in most cases, took effect. The Indians, on the contrary, gloated with their previous success, their tomahawks reeking with the blood of Meson's and Ogle's men, and all of them burning with impatience to rush into the fort and complete their work of butchery, discharged their guns against the pickets, the gate, the logs of the block-houses, and every other object that seemed to shelter a white man. Their fire was thus thrown away. At length some of their most daring warriors rushed up close to the block-house, and attempted to make more sure Work by firing through the logs; but these reckless savages received from the, well direeted rifles of the frontiersmen the fearful reward of. their termerity. About one 'o'clock the Indians discon-tinued their fire and fell back against the. base of the hill. About half past two o'clock the Indians put themselves again in motion and advanced to renew the siege. As in the first. attack, a portion of their warriors took possession of the cabins contiguous to the fort, while others availed themselves of the cover afforded by Zane's paling fence. A large number posted themselves in and behind a blacksmith shop and stable that stood opposite the northern' line of pickets, and another party, probably the strongest of all, stationed themselves under * Withers. † This is Withers' statement; MeKiernan says twelve men and boys. cover of a worm fence and several large pieces of fallen timber on the south side of the fort. The siege was now reopened from the latter quarter, a strong gang of Indians advancing under cover of some large stumps that stood on the side of the declivity below the fort and renewing the combat with loud yells and a brisk fire. The impetuosity of the attack on the south side brought the whole garrison to the two lower block houses, from which they were enabled to pour out a destructive fire upon the enemy in that quarter. While the garrison was thus employed, a party of eighteen or twenty Indians, armed with rails and billets of wood, rushed out of Zane's yard and made an attempt to force open the gate of the fort. Their design was discovered in time to defeat it, but they only abandoned it after five or six of their number had been shot down. Upon the failure of this scheme, the Indians opened a fire upon the fort from all sides, except from that next to the river, which afforded no shelter to a besieging host. On the north and the east the battle raged most fiercely, for notwithstanding the strength of the assailants on the south, the unfavorableness of the ground prevented them from prosecuting with much vigor the attack which they had commenced with such fury. The rifles used by the garrison towards evening became so much heated by the continued firing that they were rendered measurably useless, and recourse was then had to muskets, a full supply of which was found in the store-house. s darkness set in, the fire of the savages grew weaker, though it was not entirely discontinued until. next morning. For twenty-three hours, all was life, and energy, and activity within the walls of the fort. Every individual had particular duties to perform; and promptly and faithfully were they discharged. The more expert of the women, took stations by the side of the men ; and handling their guns with soldier like readiness, aided in the repulse, with fearless intrepidity. Some were engaged in moulding bullets; others in loading and supplying the men with guns already charged; while the less robust were employed in cooking, and in furnishing to the combatants, provisions and water, during the continuance of the attack. It seemed, indeed, as if each individual were sensible, that the safety of all depended on his lone exertions; and that the slightest relaxation of these, would involve them all in one common ruin. Soon after the attack was begun to be made on Wheeling, the alarm reached Shepherd's fort, and a runner was dispatched from thence to Fort Van Metre and Holliday's fort with the intelligence, and the apprehension that if speedy relief were not afforded the garrison at Wheeling must fall. No expectation of being able to collect a force sufficient to cope with the assailants was entertained. All that was expected was to throw succor into the fort, and thus enable the garrison the more successfully to repel assaults and preserve it from the violence of the Indian assaults. "About daybreak," according to one account, "Major Samuel McColloch, with forty-five mounted men from Short creek, came to the relief of the little garrison. The gate was thrown open, and McColloch's men, though closely beset by the Indians, entered in safety; but McColloch himself was not permitted to pass the gateway. The Indians crowded around him and separated him from his party. After several ineffectual attempts to force his way to the gate he wheeled about and galloped with the swiftness of a deer in the direction of Wheeling hill. When McColloch was hemmed in by the Indians before the fort they might have taken his life without difficulty, but they had weighty reasons for desiring to take him alive. From the very commencement of the war his reputation as an Indian hunter was as great, if not greater, than that of any white man on the northwestern border. He had participated in so many rencontres that almost every warrior possessed a knowledge of his person. Among the Indians his name was a word of terror; they cherished against him feelings of the most phrensied hatred, and there "was not a Mingo or Wyandotte chief before Fort Henry who would not have given the lives of twenty of his warriors to secure to himself the living body of Maj. Samuel McColloch. When, therefore, the man whom they had long marked out as the first object of their vengeance, appeared in their midst, they made almost superhuman efforts to acquire possession of his person. The fleetness of McColloch's well-trained steed was scarcely greater than that of his enemies, who, with flying strides, moved on in pursuit. At length the hunter reached the top of the hill, and, turning to the left, darted along the ridge with the intention of making the best of his way to Short creek. A ride of a few hundred yards in that direction brought him suddenly in contact with ft party of Indians who were returning to their camp from a marauding 104 - HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES, OHIO. excursion to Mason's bottom, on the eastern side of the hill. This party beirig too formidable in numbers to encounter single handed, the Major turned his horse about and rode over his own track in the hope of discovering some other avenue of escape. A few paces only of his counter-march had been made, when *he found himself confronted by his original pursuers, who had by this time gained the top of the ridge, and a third party was discovered pressing up the hill directly on his right. He was now completely hemmed in on three sides, and the fourth was almost a perpendicular precipice of 150 feet descent, with Wheeling creek at its base. The imminence of his danger allowed him but little time to reflect upon his situation. In one moment he decided upon his course. Supporting his rifle in his left hand and carefully adjusting his reins with the other, he urged his horse to the brink of the bluff, and then made the leap which decided his fate. In the next moment the noble steed, still bearing his intrepid rider in safety, was at the foot of the precipice. McColloch immediately dashed across the creek and was soon beyond the reach of the Indians."* Finding that they could make no impression on the fort, and fearing to remain longer before it, lest their retreat might be cut off by reinforcements from the surrounding country, the assailants fired all the houses without the walls, killed all the stock which could be found, and, destroying everything on which they could lay their hands, retired almost as suddenly as they had appeared, and left the garrison in possession of the fortress, but deprived of almost everything else. Col. Andrew Swearingen, when he received information of the attack on Fort Henry, left Holliday's fort with fourteen men, who nobly volunteered to accompany him, in this hazardous enterprise of attempting to afford relief to the besieged ̊unison. These men got into a large continental canoe and plied their handles industriously to arrive in time to 'be of service. But the night being dark, and a dense fog. hanging over the river, they toiled to great disadvantage, frequently coming in contact with the banks; until, at length, it was thought advisable to cease rowing, and float with the current, lest they might unknowingly, pass Wheeling. Floating so slowly, they were further from their destination, when day began to dawn, than they had expected, and, with all their expertion, found they would be unable to attain their purpose without great risk. They at length descried the light which proceeded from the burning of the houses and were in much doubt what plan to pursue. Could they have realized their expectation of arriving before day, they might from the river bank in the darkness of the night, have gained admission to the fort; but being frustrated in this, they landed some of the men near above Wheeling, to reconnoiter and ascertain the situation of things; it being doubtful to them, from the smoke and fog, whether the fort and all, were not a heap of ruins. Col. Swearingen, Capt. Bildubock, and William Boshears, volunteered for this service, and proceeding cautiously, soon reached the fort. When arrived there, it was still questionable whether the Indians had abandoned the attack, or were only lying concealed in the cornfield, in order to fall on any who might come out from the fort, under the impression that danger was removed from them. Fearing that the latter was the case, it was thought prudent not to give the preconcerted signal for the remainder of Col. Swearingen's party to come on, lest it might excite the Indians to greater vigilance, and they intercept the men on their way to the fort. To obviate this difficulty, Col. Swearin-gen, Capt. Bildubock and William Boshears, taking a circuitous route to avoid passing the cornfield, returned to their companions, and escorted them to Wheeling. It then remained to ascertain whether the Indians had really withdrawn, or were only lying in ambush. A council, consisting of Col. Zane, Col. Shepherd, Doctor McMahon, and Col. Swearingen, being re-quested to devise some expedient by which to be assured of the fact, recommended that two of their most active and vigilent men, should go out openly from the fort, and carelessly, but surely, examine the cornfield near the palisade. Upon their return, twenty others, under the guidance of Col. Zane, marched round at some distance from the field and approaching it more nearly on their return, became assured that the Indians had indeed despaired of success, and were withdrawn from the siege. They then all proceeded to view the battlefield. Here was indeed a pitiable sight. Twenty-three of the men, who had accompanied Captains Mason and Ogle in the preceding morn-ing, were lying dead; few of them had been shot, but the * McKiernan. greater part most inhumanely and barbarously butchered with the tomahawk and scalping knife. Upwards of three hundred head of cattle, horses and hogs, wantonly killed by the savages, were seen lying about the field, and all the houses, with eve thing which they contained, and which could not convenienntly be taken off by the enemy, were but heaps of ashes. The alarm of the presence of Indians having been. given after day light, and the attack on the fort commencing before sunrise, but little time was afforded the settlers for securing their movable property. The greater part had taken with them nothing but their clothes while some had left their homes with their night apparel only. Few were left the enjoyment of a bed the humble gratification of the coarse repast of bread and milk. Their distress was consequently great, and their situation some time not much more enviable than when pent up with the fort, and straining every nerve to repel its savage ass, ants. It was long, indeed, before the inhabitants of that neighborhood regained the comforts of which that night's desolation had deprived them. During the investiture not a man within the fort was killed and only one wounded, and that but slightly. But the 1 sustained by the settlers during the enemy's inroad was remarkably severe. With the twenty-three men who were killed in the cornfield at the beginning of the action must also reckoned the two men who had been sent down the river canoe the previous night and were intercepted by the Indians on their return and killed. The Indian loss was estimated about one hundred, but as, according to their ancient custom, they removed their dead from the field, the extent of their loss must be merely conjectural. The defense of Fort Henry, when we consider the extreme weakness of .the garrison and the immense superiority of besieging host, was admirably conducted. Col. Shepherd the brothers, Ebenezer, Jonathan and Silas Zane, and John Caldwell, men of influence in the community, contributed greatly to the success of the battle. The name of every individual composing the little garrison should be inscribed on pages of history, but many of them have escaped the record. Besides the names mentioned above those of Abraham Rodgers, John Linn, Joseph Biggs and Robert Lemon must not omitted, as they were among the best Indian fighters on frontier, and aided much in achieving the victory of the day The wife of Col. Ebenezer Zane,* together with several other females in the fort, undismayed by the sanguinary strife that was going on, employed themselves in running bullets and p paring patches for the use of the men, and by their presence every point where they could make themselves useful, and their cheering words of encouragement, infused new life the soldiers and spurred them on, in the performance of du Mrs. Glum and Betsy Wheat are mentioned as performing the duties of soldiers with firmness and alacrity. Thus ended the first invasion and attack in force on t western frontier, after the war between Great Britain and the colonies began. It was emphatically one of the battles of the Revolution, and as such deserves to rank in history with the other patriotic defences of the land. Not only was the garrison summoned to submit to the British authorities, by a British official, but the northwest Indians, who assaulted their fortifications, were as much the mercenary tribes of Great Britain, as were the Hessians, and Walkecks, who fought at Saratoga, and Trenton, and Princeton. If the price received by the Indians for the scalps of American citizens did not always amount to the daily pay of the European minions of England, it was, nevertheless, sufficient to prove that the American savages, and the German hirelings, were precisely on the same footing as part and parcel of the British army. † FOREMAN MASSACRE NEAR GRAVE CREEK. Soon after the siege of Fort Henry, a company of militia, under the command of Capt. Foreman, came from east of the Alleghenies, to take charge of the fort at Wheeling, and for the protection of the settlements in that vicinity. While stationed there, it became known that parties of Indians were still lurking in the neighborhood, and, to prevent mischief at their. hands, detachments were frequently sent out on scouting expeditions to learn their whereabouts, and disperse or capture them. On the 26th of September, Captain Foreman himself, *See Abraham Rogers statement. Appendix A. † This account is compiled from several sources—principally Withers and McKirnan. A general acknowledgment is here made in lieu of the multiplicity of notes otherwise required. HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES, OHIO - 105 with forty-five men, started in search of them, and marched dwoiwn the river about twelve miles below Wheeling, where he encamped. Here, through ignorance of the methods and practices of Indian warfare and a foolish perversity in rejecting the prudent counsel of one of the settlers, named Lynn, who accompanied him as a spy, his command was ambushed. and almost destroyed. Twenty-one of his men were killed outright, and but for the judgment, skill and bravery of Lynn and his four comrades the whole party must have been completely annihilated. Among the slain was the unfortunate Foreman and his two sons. "On the ensuing day the inhabitants of the neighborhood of Wheeling, under the direction and. guidance of Col. Zane, proceeded to Grave Creek and buried those who had fallen."* Sundry outrages and massacres occurred towards the close of the year on the Kanawha, Tygart's Valley and other interior settlements, but, the cold weather setting in, prevented further inroads for that season. It had proved a trying and eventful year. to the border, but they "'quitted themselves like men" amid the terrible scenes that were enacted from one extremity of the frontier to the other. RENEWED EFFORTS OF GOVERNOR HAMILTON TO ENTICE THE FRONTIER SETTLERS FROM THEIR ALLEGIANCE-BORDER TORIES -TORY CONSPIRACY. Early in January, 1778, Col. Morgan received notice from the chief, White Eyes, of an intended raid of the Wyandots against Redstone, and also of the actions of an emissary of Governor Hamilton's in disseminating a proclamation designed to entice the settlers away from their homes and from their allegiance to the cause of the colonies. He says: "...A man from Detroit, his name Edward Hazel, came here with some writings from the Governor of Detroit, and desired us to send some Indians with him to bring them into the inhabitants of the white People, but we declined it, and told him we would not meddle with such affairs. Writings of the same kind were also sent to the Shawanese, to leave them where they should kill any white people, which they delivered to Me. Both I send to you, and you will see the contents thereof." † This proclamation bears date January 5, 1778, and calls upon all the people to resume their fealty to the British Crown, and promises protection and security for all those who will entrust themselves to the care of his Indian allies, and " who wish to. exchange the hardships experienced under their present mas-ters for security and freedom under their lawful sovereign " Appended to it is the certificate of certain persons who Claim to have been conducted to Detroit from the border by the savages in Hamilton's interest, and of their good treatment and happiness generally. It is curious to note that of the signers to this document there are but six all told. Their names and localities are given below, and go 'to show that the border did not cherish many tories if these can be said to be a fair specimen. They are George Baker, from five miles below Logstown; James Butterworth, rrom the Big Kanawha; Thomas-Shoers, from Harrodsburg, Ky.; Jacob Pugh, from six miles below the fort at Wheeling; Jonathan Muchmore, from Fort Pitt; James Whitaker, from Fish Creek; John Bridges, from Fish Creek. A conspiracy was discovered about this time for the murder. of the Whigs, as those were called who espoused the cause of' the colonies, and for accepting the terms offered by the Governor of Canada to those who would renounce their fealty to the colonies and repair to Detroit. The discovery was made through the confession of one of the conspirators who had qualms of conscience about the matter, and it is possible much mischief was prevented. A court for the trial of tilt? conspirators was organized at Redstone, but as their object have been defeated, and their number was insignificant, they were finally released on taking the oath of allegiance to the United States. " THE SQUAW CAMPAIGN:" General Hand, who for some months had been meditating an expedition against Cuyahoga to capture the arms, ammunition, provisions and clothing, said to have been sent there from Detroit, at length succeeded in gathering a sufficient force and marched in February, 1778, from Fort Pitt to the point of attack. Not succeeding in finding what he had expected, and otherwise meeting. with no. success he terminated his exploit at. the Salt Licks, in what is now Mahoning county, Ohio, with killing and capturing a few squaws. It was the first campaign *Withers. † Hildreth's Pioneer History.  ‡ Ibid. 14—B. & J. COS. into the Indian country from Southwest Pennsylvania during the revolution, and, from its inglorious result; was named, in derision, the "Squaw Campaign." DISCOVERIES OF A SPY AT DETROIT-GOV. HAMILTON'S COMPLICITY WITH THE INDIAN MASSACRES-OFFERS REWARDS FOR THE SCALPS OF VIRGINIA AND PENNSYLVANIA SETTLERS. "In March, 1778, Daniel Sullivan, who had been employed by the State of Virginia, tinder the direction of Col. Morgan, to act as a spy in the Indian country and at Detroit, in the spring of 1777, returned and made a statement of his discoveries. It seems that he had been taken prisoner, when a boy, by the Delawares, and lived among them nine years, but was released about the year 1773. His attachment, however, to the ways and manners of the Indians induced him to return and live with them again. He was directed by Colonel Morgan to attach himself to one of the Indian traders, who sold goods at Cuyahoga, and, in the capacity of a servant, go with him to Detroit. This he succeeded in doing. At that period it took a batteau eight days to coast from Cuyahoga to Detroit. He wore the Indian dress, and was questioned by Governor Hamilton as to his business there. He also inquired of him the strength of the garrison at Fort Pitt. He gave him liberty to stay as long as he pleased and to walk about the place. A white man, named Tucker, one of Governor Hamilton's inter-preters, took him home to his house and treated him well. His wife, it seems, was a Virginia woman, who had been a prisoner with the Indians, and knew Sullivan's family. This woman told Sullivan that Governor Hamilton used all his influence with the Indians to induce them to massacre the white inhabitants of the frontiers of Virginia and Pennsylvania—paying them very high prices for all the scalps they would bring. That he also paid for prisoners, but would not redeem them so long as the war continued. One day, as he was walking round the town, looking at the defences and strength of the place, he was recognized by a son of the notorious banditti chief, Pluggy. He immediately applied to Governor Hamilton to have him arrested, on account of his killing his brother-in-law, at the Kanawha, in the fall of 1776. John Montour also testified to the same thing. He was arrested and put in irons and sent down to Montreal and Que-bec. From here, as a white man, he was sent round with other prisoners to New York, and set at liberty on parole. His testimony only confirms that of many others as to the fact of Governor Hamilton paying the Indians for all the scalps of the Americans which they could bring. This policy was, no doubt, the cause of the death of many poor women and children, whom the Indian clemency might have spared but for this odious bounty."* PROJECTED INVASION OF 'THE TERRITORY OF THE INDIANS IN 1778. The projected invasion into the enemy's territory, in the year 1777, having been abandoned, the plan was again renewed on a much larger scale, early in the spring of 1778. As it would take several months to collect the provisions, pack-horses and boats necessary for an army of three thousand men,. preparations were commenced in April by purchasing cattle, flour, &c. The State of Virginia was to furnish nearly all the men. Twenty-seven hundred came from the counties east of the mountains and three hundred from those on the west side. Fifteen hundred were to march through Greenbrier, down the Big Kanawha to Fort Randolph, and as many more were to assemble at Fort Pitt, and descend the Ohio to that post. From this point the assembled forces Went to invade the Indian country and destroy their towns and crops. Colonel Morgan was directed to make an estimate of the quantity of provision necessary for the support of three thousand men for three months—the number of pack horses, beef cattle &c. The amount is so great that we are led to look With wonder and admiration at the courage and patriotism of the brave men- of that day, whose heroism led them to make such sacrifices on the altar of their country's liberties." † GEN. M'INTOSH RELIEVES GEN. HAND IN COMMAND OF THE DEPARTMENT. While these preparations were making by Col.. Morgan for provisioning the troops, in May, 1778, Brigadier General Lachlan McIntosh was appointed by General Washington to the command of the Western Department. He arrived at that *Hildreth's Pioneer History, p. 125. † Hildreth's Pioneer History, p. 131. 106 - HISTORY OF BEtMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES, OHIO post with a body of five hundred regular troops in August, relieving Brigadier General Hand of the command. Col. George Rogers Clark, of Virginia, having planned a secret expedition against what was known as the Illinois country, then occupied by Indians and Canadians in the interest of Great Britain, arrived early in the year to complete his undertaking. In May he descended the Ohio from Fort Pitt to the Falls, (now Louisville) with a small force and proceeded directly against Kaskaskia. The result of his expedition was the capture of Kaskaskia, Fort Phillips, Cahokia and Prairie du Rocher. Col. Crawford wrote Washington, July 12, that the effect of Col. Clark's successes had been "to change the disposition of the Indians much," and it is said the tribes living on the Mississippi nearest his conquests changed their relations to the colonies permanently. Soon after Gen. McIntosh's arrival he descended the Ohio river with the regulars and some militia from Fort Pitt to the the mouth of Big Beaver creek, where he directed the building of a fort, both as a protection for an exposed portion of the frontier and also as a covering point for any invasions of the Indian country which might be attempted, affording them a base of supplies and protection in case of retreat. It was a regular stockade work with four bastions, was garrisoned, and had a six-pounder* mounted for its defence. It was named Fort McIntosh. Before proceeding with the projected invasion it was thought advisable to convene the Delaware tribe of Indians to obtain their consent to the expedition passing through their country. This was done accordingly on September 17th. In the meantime the various fortifications erected along the northwestern portion of the border had the manifest tendency. of driving the Indians engaged in predatory excursions to the more exposed portions of the southwestern frontier and interior settlements. In May a party of savages came to the house of Mr. Doddridge, on Dunkards' creek, tomahawked his aged father, and carried off his three little girls and their grandmother into captivity. Other murders occurred at Hacker's creek, West Fork, Cheat river, Greenbrier, Booth's creek, Coburn's creek, and Valley river. An attempt was also made against Fort Randolph, then in command of Capt. McKee, but without suc-cess. Capt. McKee sent his reply to the summons to surrender by the Grenadier Squaw, sister to the celebrated Cornstalk, and very friendly to the whites, refusing their demand. For a week the garrison was closely besieged, when the Indians withdrew,. and made a raid through Greenbrier, committing many murders and depredations. In October, Gen. McIntosh assembled one thousand men at the fort on Beaver creek, and marched into the enemy's country. The season. however, was so far advanced that he only pene- trated seventy miles west of Fort McIntosh and halted on the west bank of the Tuscarawas river, a little below the mouth of Sandy creek. Here he built a stockade fort called Fort Laurens. The other branch of the expedition intended to be assembled at the mouth of the Big Kanawha was never collected. No opposition was offered to the march of Gen. McIntosh's army by the hostile Indians, as they were hardly aware of his presence before he had fallen back.. In January, 1779, Fort Laurens was closely invested by a large body of Shawanese and Wyandot warriors, cutting off all intercourse with Fort McIntosh, and reducing the 'garrison to very great straits besides killing quite a number. This siege fully demonstrated the folly of building a fort in the enemy's country without the means or ability to maintain it, and it was finally abandoned in August, ten months after its erection, having cost a large sum of money and several useful lives. Col. Morgan was absent at Philadelphia, at the time of the treaty with the Delawares and did not return until the 20th of January, 1779. The affairs of the department, under the direction of Gen. McIntosh, in the meantime, became much deranged, and in the spring he was recalled, at his own request. He was succeeded by COL. DANIEL BRODHEAD IN COMMAND OF THE DEPARTMENT. The change was a beneficial one to the department, as Colonel Brodhead proved to be an active and efficient commander. The frequent incursions of the savages in the preceding year led to the adoption of many defensive measures for the greater security and defence of the border. Most of the settlements built forts or block houses into which the neighboring inhabi- * Hildreth's Pioneer History says snx pieces of artillery; but Withers' statement above seems more probable. tants could retire when the alarm was given. Some private houses were also stockaded and fortified to resist attack from the small predatory band which prowled through the country. CAPTURE OF VINCENNES AND GOVERNOR HAMILTON. The success of Col. Clark in the capture of Kaskaskia and the other settlements becoming known at Detroit, led to extensive preparations to expel him from the place and open up an unobstructed passage for the savages to the Virginia frontier. Six hundred .Indians, led on by Gov. Hamilton, of Detroit, whom Withers describes as "a bold, active, bloodthirsty and cruel man, and well known as the chief instigator of the savages to war, and a prop of Tories," left Detroit for the scene of Clark's exploits. They arrived at Fort, St. Vincent, now Vincennes, Indiana, in December, 1778 and, finding the season too far advanced to attempt the reduction of Kaskaskia, Governor Hamilton detached a greater portion of his force in marauding parties against the border settlements, reserving one company for the security of his own headquarters. Intelligence of Hamilton's movements reaching. Clark, he took immediate and, active measures for defense. Subsequently learning of the reduced condition of Hamilton's force, he instantly determined to change the aspect of affairs by offensive operations, and set out, on the 7th of February, 1779, in his march across the country at the head of one hundred and thirty brave and intrepid men. Amid many difficulties and through unnumbered hardships this gallant band penetrated to and Captured the town and immediately besieged the fort, which fell into their hands after eighteen hours' struggle. The capture included the infamous Governor Hamilton himself, the entire garrison, and a large quantity of stores. Clark's. successes roused the spirit of the whole border, gained him an honorable and enviable fame, and secured many and great advantages to the entire frontier. These events were soon followed by COL. BRODHEAD'S CAMPAIGN UP THE ALLEGHENY, 1779—FORCES FROM WHEELING PARTICIPATE. One of the. important events of the Revolution was the campaign of General Sullivan, against the Six Nations in the summer and fall of 1779. It was successfully executed and had an important influence in promoting the general welfare of the American cause.. General Washington; in order effectually to cripple the Indians, originally planned a campaign up the Allegheny from Pittsburgh under the command of Gen. Brodhead, to co-operate with Gen. Sullivan. The impracticability of the co-operation afterward became apparent to Washington, and a simultaneous expedition against the Munceys and Senecas up the Allegheny under Brodhead was determined upon. These Indians had been long engaged in active hostilities, and committed frequent depredations on the frontiers of Pennsylvania. In the campaign against them, as many of those who resided in the settlements around Wheeling, as could be spared from the immediate defence of their own neighborhoods, were associated with .the Pennsylvania troops and the continentals under Brodhead. Among them was Jonathan Zane, who acted in the capacity of a guide, and rendered very efficient service. In the march, he was wounded by a bullet front a savage.. The expedition met with little resistance, only coming in contact with a party of forty warriors who were on their way to attack the settlements in Westmoreland, county. These were attacked and driven in all directions, Eire being killed and several wounded. The expedition then proceeded against their towns, which the Indians deserted, on the approach of the troops. leaving nothing for them to do but to destroy' them and the crops of corn and vegetables. General Brodhead; in his report of the expedition, says: " The troops remained on the ground three whole days destroying the towns and corn fields. I never saw finer corn, although it was planted much thicker than is common with our farmers. The quantity of corn and other vegetables destroyed at the several towns,. from the best accounts I can recollect from the officers employed to destroy. it, must certainly exceed five hundred acres, which is the lowest estimate, and the plunder taken is estimated at three thousand dollars." HOSTILE OPERATIONS OF 1780—INDIAN INVASION BELOW WHEELING AND AT RACCOON CREEK. The severity of the following winter put a stop for a time to the inroads of the savages. On the first appearance of spring, however, hostilities were resumed and acts of murder and de-vastation begun as if to utterly exterminate the inhabitants of the border. An expedition was concerted at Detroit, in which a <HTML> <HEAD> <TITLE></TITLE> <META name="description" content=""> <META name="keywords" content=""> <META name="generator" content="CuteHTML"> </HEAD> <BODY BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#000000" LINK="#0000FF" VLINK="#800080"> </BODY> </HTML> •1 HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES, OHIO - 107 combined force of British and Indians were to proceed against Kentucky, and simultaneously an Indian army was to penetrate North western Virginia to devastate and destroy whatever fell in their way. In the meantime the depredations of small parties of savages continued with scarcely an intermission. Until this year (1780), the Delaware Indians had withstood the influences and threats of the British and their savage allies, but now declared for war—only a small band remaining friendly to the Americans; the residue joined the confederacy of the northwest. This, with the previous abandonment of Forts Lauren's and McIntosh, the withdrawal of the American forces from the Indian country, and the information that an Indian army was preparing to invade Northwestern Virginia, caused general dismay throughout the settlements on the border. "The Indian army* destined to operate against Northwestern Virginia, was to enter the country in two divisions of one hundred and fifty warriors each; the one crossing the Ohio near below Wheeling, the other at the mouth of Raccoon creek, about sixty miles farther up. Both were, avoiding the stronger forts, to proceed directly to Washington, then known as Catfishtown, between which place and the Ohio, the whole country was to be laid waste. "The division crossing below Wheeling, was Soon discovered by scouts, who giving the alarm, caused most of the inhabitants of the more proximate settlements, to fly immediately to that place, supposing that an attack was meditated on it. The Indians, however, proceeded on the way to Washington making prisoners of many,. who, although apprized that an enemy was in the country, yet feeling secure in their distance from what was expected to be the theatre of operations, neglected to use the precaution necessary to guard them against 'becoming captives to the savages. From all the prisoners, they learned the same thing—that the inhabitants had gone to Wheeling with a view of concentrating the force of the settlements to effect their repulsion. This intelligence alarmed them. The chiefs held a council, in which it was determined, instead of proceeding to Washington, to retrace their steps across the Ohio lest their retreat, if delayed till the whites had an opportunity of organizing themselves for battle, should be entirely cut off. Infuriate at the blasting of their hopes of blood and spoil, they resolved to murder all their male prisoners—exhausting on their devoted heads, the fury of disappointed expectation. Preparations to carry this resolution into effect were immediately begun to be made. "The unfortunate victims to their savage wrath, were led forth from among their friends and their families—their hands were pinioned behind them—a rope was fastened about the neck of each and that bound around a tree, so as to prevent any motion of the head. The tomahawk and scalping knife were next drawn from their belts, and the horrid .purpose of these preparations, fully consummated. "'Imagination's utmost stretch' can hardly fancy a more heart-rending scene than was there exhibited. Parents, in the bloom of life and glow of health, mercilessly mangled to death in the presence of children, whose sobbing cries served but to heighten the torments of the dying. Husbands, cruelly lacer- ated, and by piece-meal deprive. d of life in view of the tender partners of their bosoms, whose agonizing shrieks, increasing the anguish of torture, sharpened the sting of death. It is indeed "A fearful thing, To Bee the human soul, take wing, In any shape,—in any mood ;" but that wives and children should be forced to behold the last ebb of life, and to witness the struggle of the departing spirit of husbands and fathers, under such horrific circumstances, is shocking to humanity, appalling, even in contemplation. "Barbarities such as these, had considerable influence on the temper and disposition of the inhabitant's of the country. They gave birth to a vindictive feeling in many, which led to the perpetration of similar enormities, and reduced civilized man, to the degraded level of the barbarian. They served too, to arouse them to greater exertion, to subdue the savage foe in justifiable warfare, and thus prevent their unpleasant recurrence. PROPOSED EXPEDITION AGAINST THE MUSKINGUM TOWN. "So soon as the Indian forces effected a precipitate retreat across the Ohio, preparations were begun to be made for acting offensively against them. An expedition was concerted, to be carried on against the towns at the forks of the Muskingum, *Withers. and through the instrumentality of Cols. Zane and Shepherd, Col. Brodhead commander of the forces at Fort Pitt,. was prevailed upon to co-operate Withers here states that before the expedition could be carried into effect it was deemed advisible by General Brodhead to "proceed against the Muncey towns up the north branch of the Allegheny river." But this is an egregious error, for Brodhead's campaign against the Senecas and Munceys up the Allegheny took place in the year 1779. The truth is, the proposed campaign against the Indians on the Muskingum had been discussed throughout the whole of the year 1780, and different times had been fixed upon for assembling the militia at Fort Henry for that purpose (see following documents,) but obstacles invariably arose which compelled a postponement. In the first place the militia did not promptly assemble, and it would have been of little use if they had, for supplies for the expedition were not at hand and could not be had. The main project that occupied the attention of General Brodhead at this time, and in fact the American government, was an expedition against Detroit. That was a movement which was deemed of more importance than all others in the western department, and, of course, if it could have been successfully executed, would have effected greater and more permanent protection for the frontier than all the military projects combined. But the want of supplies and munitions, after a number of plans to raise them had failed, rendered the coveted project impracticable. For the same reason was the proposed expedition from Wheeling against Coshocton postponed from time to time until the summer and fall of 1780 had been consumed without any movement being executed. Accordingly Col. Brodhead began his preparations; writing circular letters to the different county lieutenants, to furnish their quota of TROOPS TO RENDEZVOUS AT FORT HENRY by the 22d of May, to have their crops planted by the 10th and be in readiness for the march. The quota for Ohio county was Seventy-five men. The following is a copy of the circular as addressed to .Col. Evans : "HEADQUARTERS, PITTSBURGH, April 13th, 1780. "DEAR SIR: Inclosed I send you the copy of a letter just received from the Delaware Council at Coochocking, and extracts from a letter from the Rev. Missionaries, Messrs. Zeisberger and Heckwelder, who live in the Delaware towns, and by whom I. have' hitherto been furnished with authentic. intelligence. " It remains to strike a home stroke against one of the hostile Indian nations, and I conceive a lasting tranquilitywill ensue to the inhabitants of this frontier. This I have in contemplation and expect the hearty concurrence and aid of the country. Let industry be encouraged; let your farmers have their spring crops in the ground by the 10th of next month, and do you have two .hundred and fifty men with a proportionate number of officers rendezvoused at Fort Henry by the twenty-second day. These; with the number I expect from the other counties, will enable us to strike terror into the hostile western nations, and as the expedition will be rapid and of short duration, it will be attended with very small inconvenience to the planters. Encourage those who can afford it to bring eight or ten days' provisions with them, for which they shall be paid out of the public funds. Please to write to me your opinion of this measure, by the bearer. "I have the honor to he, with regard, your most obedient humble servant,  DANIEL BRODHEAD. "Directed, "COL. JOHN EVANS. "Circular to David Shepherd, for seventy-five men, and to Col. Beeler, for three hundred men."* Not being able to secure provisions in time, the date of the rendezvous at Fort Henry was changed to the 9th of June, in the following letter from COL. BRODHEAD TO COL. JOHN EVANS. "HEADQUARTERS, FORT PITT, May 9th, 1780. "DEAR SIR : I find it will not be in my power to provide for the number of men I have ordered to be called into service so soon as I expected, besides I have heard that a number of artillery and stores and two regiments .of infantry are now on their march to reinforce my command. The account of artillery and Stores I have received officially and I believe the other may be credited. "It will be essentially necessary for the leading officers. of. *Appendix Pennsylvania Archives, p. 219. 108 - HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES, OHIO. your county to excite the greatest industry in planting and sowing the summer crop and to have your troops at Fort Henry by the fourth day of next month. The militia should be drafted for two months, although the expedition will probably end in one, and let them be well armed and accoutred as cir-cumstances will admit. Encourage them to bring two-weeks' allowance of provisions lest there should be a deficiency. "I have no doubt but you and all the good people of your county are convinced of the necessity there is for prosecuting some offensive operations against the savages, and I trust that by a well-timed movement from the new settlements down the river to favor our expedition we,' shall be enabled to strike a general panic amongst the hostile tribes. I am averse to putting too much to hazard, as a defeat would prove fatal to the settlements, and therefore I expect the full quota of men mill be furnished, which, with the blessing of Divine Providence, will insure success. Indeed I expect, besides the militia, many will turn as out volunteers to secure to themselves the blessings of peace. I have the honor to be, with great respect, yours, "DANIEL BRODHEAD, "Col. Commanding, W. D. " Directed, "COL. JNO. EVANS. "Circular to Col. Jos. BEELER."* Advice of the change was also sent to the General-in-Chief of the Army in the following letter of COL. BRODHEAD TO GEN. WASHINGTON. "FORT PITT, May 13th, 17806 "DEAR GENERAL: I have put off the. assembling of the militia until the 4th of next month to endeavor to procure a sufficient quantity of provisions for them. But I fear it will not be in my power, as Gen. Gates, who presides at the Board of Inspection, has ordered the commissaries to stop purchasing, and the Mingoes, in sundry. parties, have been discovered in their march toward the inhabitants. Several persons have lately been killed and wounded in Westmoreland county, which will probably prevent. my receiving any aid from -the militia of that county. They have hired sixty- men who are now sta-tioned on their frontier. A Delaware Indian informed me this day that two parties of warriors had just crossed the Ohio river near Logstown and Chartier's creek, which will probably, by alarming and driving the inhabitants prevent my getting the men. from the other counties, as I expected. The remaining Continentals are the cullings of our troops, and I cannot promise anything clever from them. I have written to the artillery officer to hurry up the artillery and stores, but I hear he is badly furnished with carriages and forage .which must 'prevent his marching with expedition.' "I think it is probable the enemy are meditating an attack on some of our posts, which, fol. want of sufficient garrisons and supplies cannot make much resistance. I am preparing to receive them here, but the detachments to Fort McIntosh, Holliday's Cove, Fort Henry and Fort Armstrong leaves but a small garrison to defend this post, wherefore I have armed the inhabitants of the town and assigned them an alarm post. The Delaware Indians continue their professions of friendship, and Some of their warriors are now out with my scouts, but as I have little or nothing to give them but good words and fair promises I apprehend they will soon decline the service. "I have the honor to be &c., &c., " DANIEL BRODHEAD. "Directed,  " His Excellency General WASHINGTON."† On the 16th of May, Col. Brodhead directed CAPT. BENJAMIN BIGGS, IN COMMAND AT FORT HENRY, to supply the garrison at Holliday's Cove with beef, in the following letter: HEADQUARTERS, FORT PITT, May 16, 1780. DEAR SIR : Lieut. Harrison writes from Holliday's Cove that he has no provision for his garrison and that you informed him you could not spare him any. I intended his garrison should be supplied with meat from the magazine at Fort Henry and the commissary informs me that there is a great quantity of the best kind. Meat cannot be spared from hence and he will be compelled to send to you again and I expect you will send him supply at least to serve three weeks. *Appendix Pennsylvania Archives, p. 231. † Ibid, p.233. It will be necessary to furnish me with a return sof all kind of stores at your post, likewise of the strength of your garrison and I wish you to engage some artisans at the current price t repair the boats you have there. If pitch, tar or oakum cannot be had, let them be otherwise repaired until the materials ca. be sent from hence. I am with regard, Dear Sir, your most Obedient Servant, DANIEL BRODHEAD. " Directed, CAPT. BENJ'N BIGGS. He also notified Lieut. Harrison of this direction to Capt. Biggs, as follows: HEADQUARTERS., FORT PITT, May 16, 1780. "DEAR SIR: I have your letter of the 13th inst. and am much surprised at the inattention of the commissary, who ought t supply your garrison with provisions, as well as Capt. Biggs' refusal to supply you with beef. I cannot afford any quantity .c salt meat from hence, but it can be furnished from Wheeling and I have herewith wrote Capt. Biggs to let you have some( Mr. Irwin will send you some flour, and I must request you will see that no waste be cominitted of any stores that are or may come to your garrison. I have directed Major Finley to Send you a Sergeant, but a reinforcement cannot under present circumstances be spared, and therefore you must not suffer an of your men to be absent from the garrison, except when the are employed as spies. Your post is designed to protect an give countenance to the inhabitants and to give an alarm to adjacent settlements, as often as the enemy or any sign of them in discovered. You can only answer the second purpose in you present weakness, which you will by no means neglect when discoveries are made. I am, Dear Sir, your most Obedient Servant, DANIEL BRODHEAD. "Directed, LIEUT. JOHN HARRISON.* Failing still to obtain. the necessary supplies, the expedition was further postponed. In September, advices were received that a large party of Indians were on the march for the settle ments, and on September 17th, Col. Brodhead made a call on the different county lieutenants for their quota of troops to rep the invasion and punish the enemy. " In the following lett to Col. Shepherd,. he makes a REQUISITION ON OHIO COUNTY FOR TROOPS, who are to be immediately equipped and ready to be marched an hour's warning. " HEADQUARTERS, FORT PITT, September 17th, 1780. DEAR SIR: The Delaware runners with letters from Ma; Lanctot and Captain La Lucerne arrived last evening from, Coochocking. As that from the Major is much the same in substance with the other, I have got it translated into our guage, and enclose you a copy for perusal. " The contents, if true, in our present circumstances, are alarming, and I must therefore request you will immediately upon receipt hereof cause the whole three-fourths of the men in your county to be equipped with arms and accoutrements as much provision as will last them fifteen days, and be in readiness to march at an hour's warning; but this additional number need not furnish horses to ride, as they are intend( act defensively. "The messengers add that a party of twenty Muncies and Delawares were discovered about six days ago near the Moravian town on their march towards our settlements, which it is expected will cross the river near to the old Mingo towns and that they have heard that the Seneca Indians intended come in a large body down the Allegheny river to attack settlements. They likewise inform me that in the attack our by Captain McIntyre's party on the Wyandot warriors, eighteen or nineteen were killed and some are still missing. "Advise the inhabitants to be unanimous and I will undertake to give a good account of the enemy. The former 03 tending to offensive operations we are not to lose sight of. should the enemy fail of coming in force against us, I will if possible, visit them. I have the honor to be, &c., " D. BRODHEAD " Directed, " COL. DAVID SHEPHERD. "Circular to all the county Lieutenants."† *Appendix Pennsylvania Archives, p. 235. † bid, p. 270. HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES, OHIO - 109 The people still failing to furnish the necessary supplies, Col. Brodhead determined to take.by military force such stores as were needed for the expedition, under instructions received from the Government. To furnish the necessary troops for this service he was obliged to withdraw the regulars garrisoned at Fort Henry and Holliday's Cove. The following is a copy of his order to CAPT. JOHN CLARKE, IN COMMAND AT FORT HENRY. " HEADQUARTERS, PITTSBURGH, October 13th, 1780. "DEAR SIR : As the intended expedition is put off for want of provisions to subsist the troops, and provisions cannot be collected but by parties of men employed for that purpose, you will immediately evacuate (unless relieved by a party of militia) Fort Henry, bringing from thence to Fort McIntosh all the public stores, likewise those, from Holheiday's Cove and its garrison. When you reach Fort McIntosh you will leave under the command of Capt. Briggs, two sergeants, two corporals and thirty private soldiers, the most unfit for active service, and march the residue without loss of time to this place. I have written to Col. Shepherd to send some militia to those lower posts, and expect he will act accordingly. "Assure the inhabitants of every possible protection, and desire them to be on their guard until the expedition can be executed, and then they will have nothing to fear. "I am, &c., "D. B. " Directed, " Capt. JNO. CLARKE."* On the same day he also wrote Col. David Shepherd of his intentions to withdraw the garrison, and directed him to supply Fort Henry with a captain and twenty-five militia, including a subaltern and two sergeants. The letter is as follows: " HEADQUARTERS, PITTSBURGH, October 13th, 1780. " DEAR SIR : Finding that the fairest proposals to the people and the faith of the public will not procure a sufficient quantity of provisions to enable me to secure the inhabitants by acting offensively against the savages, I have determined to take provisions agreeable to recent instructions, and in order to facilitate the business have called for the garrisons of Fort Henry and Holliday's Cove. I do not mean to detain those garrisons longer than they have executed the business they are to be sent upon, and in the -meantime you will please to order a captain and about twenty-five militia, including a sub-altern and two sergeants, to take post at Fort Henry, and a subaltern, two sergeants and fifteen rank and file to Holliday's Cove. Let them. be supplied as the regulars were, and they shall be paid by the public. "I have received discouraging accounts from Cols. Beeler and McClerry, but all those will not deter me from doing everything I. can for 'the good inhabitants. I am, &c., "D. B. "Directed, "Col. DAVID SHEPHERD, Lieut., Ohio county, Va." † The season had now become so late, that the expedition was finally postponed until the succeeding spring. THE COSHOCTON CAMPAIGN—AN EXPEDITION UNDER THE COMMAND OF COL. BRODHEAD STARTS FROM WHEELING AND PUNISHES THE DELAWARE INDIANS ON THE MUSKINGUM-1781. General Brodhead, being constantly urged by the inhabitants of Wheeling, determined that no more time should be lost and early in the spring of 1781 began preparations. for the campaign. Troops and supplies were gathered at Fort Henry and Col. Brodhead announced his intention to lead the expedition in person. The number of troops is given by Doddridge, Withers, and De Hass as eight hundred, but later authorities, carefully compiled from records and archives, and the report of Col. Brodhead himself, place the number at. only. three hundred, nearly half of which were volunteers. The force was largely composed of experienced Indian hunters, and Colonel (afterwards General) Broadhead was a successful commander in Indian warfare. Their rendezvous was at Fort Henry—Wheel-ing. Colonel David Shepherd, Lieutenant of Ohio county, accompanied the expedition and commanded one hundred and thirty-four men. They left Wheeling in April, 1781, * App. Penna. Arch., p. 277.   † Ibid. crossed the Ohio, and made a rapid march, by. the nearest route, to the principal Delaware village upon the Muskingum, where the present town of Coshocton now stands. The army reached the point of destination by a forced march on the evening of the 19th of April, 1781, completely surprising the Indians. Owing to high water, however, the Indians on the west side of the river escaped, but all on the east side were captured with-out firing a shot. Sixteen Indian warriors captured were taken below the town and scalped, by direction of a council of war held in the camp of Brodhead. The next morning an Indian called from the opposite side of the river for the " big captain," (as they called Brodhead,) saying he wanted peace. Brodhead sent him for his chief, who came over under a promise that be should not be killed. After he got over it is said that the no-torious Indian fighter, Lewis Wetzel, tomahawked him. Another village, two and a, half miles below, was also de-stroyed. The, army then commenced their homeward march, up the valley of the Tuscarawas, with some twenty prisoners, but had gone but a short distance when the soldiers killed them all, except a few women and children, who were taken to Fort Pitt, and afterwards exchanged for an equal number of prisoners hold by the Indians. On his return up the valley, Brodhead met some friendly Delawares, who accompanied him to Fort Pitt and placed themselves under the protection of the United States. Before leaving the valley, Brodhead conferred with the Mo-ravian missionaries and Christian Indians who then resided at their villages, called New Schönbrunn, Gnadenbiitten, and Salem, all situated in what is now Tuscarawas county. Brodhead advised them, in view of their dangerous position, "between two fires," to break up their settlements and accompany him to Fort Pitt. This they declined doing, and they were left to their fate.* This sanguinary march and safe return was called the "Co-shocton campaign," and many of the men in it, a year later, were with the expedition under Williamson, which committed the Gnadenhutten massacre. COLONEL, BRODHEAD'S REPORT OF THE EXPEDITION TO PRESIDENT REED OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL OF PENNSYLVANIA. " PHILADELPHIA, May 22d, 1781. "SIR: In the last letter I had the honor to address to your Excellency, I mentioned my intention to carry an expedition against the revolted Delaware towns. I have now the pleasure to inform you, that with about three hundred men (nearly half the number volunteers from the country), I surprised the towns of Cooshasking and Indaochaie, killed fifteen warriors and took upwards of twenty old men, women and children. About four miles above the town, I detached a party to cross the river Muskingum and destroy a party of. about forty warriors, who had just before (as 1 learned by an Indian whom the advance guard took prisoner), crossed over with some prisoners and scalps, and were drunk, but excessive hard rains having swelled the river bank high, it was found impracticable. After destroying the towns, with great quantities of poultry and other stores, aria killing about forty bead of cattle, I marched up the river about seven miles, with a view to send for some craft from the Moravian towns, and cross the river to pursue the Indians; but when I proposed my plan to the volunteers, I found they conceived they had done enough, and were determined to return, wherefore I marched to Newcomerstown, where a few Indians, who remain in our interest,. had withdrawn them-selves, not exceeding thirty men. The troops experienced great kindness from the Moravian Indians and those at Newcomerstown, and obtained a sufficient supply of meat and corn to subsist the men and horses to the Ohio river. Captain Killbuck and Captain Luzerne, upon hearing of our troops being on the Muskingum, immediately pursued the warriors, killed one of their greatest villains and brought his scalp to me. The plunder brought in by the troops, sold for about eighty pounds at Fort Henry. I had upon this expedition Captain. Mantour and Wilson and three other faithful Indians who contributed greatly to the success. "The troops behaved with great spirit and although there was considerable firing between them and the Indians I had not a man killed or wounded, and only one horse shot.. * It is stated by Doddridge and others that on the way out a party of militia had resolved on destroying the Moravian villages, but were prevented from executing their project by General Brodhead, and Colonel Shepherd, of Wheeling. 110 - HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES, OHIO. "I have the honor to be with great respect and attachment, your Excellency's most obedient most humble servant, "DANIEL BRODHEAD, "Col. 1st P. R. "Directed, "His Excellency JOSEPH REED, ESQ."* COLONEL ARCHIBALD LOCHRY'S EXPEDITION. In the early summer of 1781, Colonel Lochry, the county lieutenant of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, was re-quested by Colonel George Rogers Clark to raise a military force, and join him in his then contemplated military movement against Detroit, and the Indian tribes of the northwest generally. The mouth of the Big Miami river was first named as the place of general rendezvous, but it was, subsequently, changed to the Falls of the Ohio." Colonel Lochry raised a force of one hundred and six men, who, on the 25th of July,'" set out for Fort Henry, (Wheeling,) where they embarked in boats for their destination." They passed down the Ohio river to a point a few miles below the mouth of the Big Miami, where, having landed, they " were suddenly and unexpectedly assailed by a volley of rifle-balls, from an overhanging bluff, covered with large trees, on which the Indians had taken position in great force." The result was, the death of Colonel Lochry and forty-one of his command, and the capture of the remainder, many of whom were wounded—some of the captured being killed and scalped, 'while prisoners! This occurred August 25, 1781, and such of the captured as were not murdered, died, or escaped, did not reach their homes again until after the peace of 1783, When they were exchanged at Montreal, and sent home, arriving there in May, 1783. The murder of prisoners was al-leged to be in retaliation for the outrages committed by Brodhead's men a few months before ; and it has been said that this treatment of Lochry's men was one of the provocations for the brutal murder of the Moravian Indians, on the Tuscarawas, in 1782! CAPTURE OF THE MORAVIAN INDIANS BY THE CONFEDERATE TRIBES AND BRITISH TORIES IN 1781—THEY ARE CARRIED TO SANDUSKY. On the 10th of August, 1781, the Half King, chief of the Wyandots, arrived at the Moravian town of Salem, on. the Tuscarawas, with a hundred and forty armed warriors, accompanied by the tory, Captain Mathew Elliott. On the following day a party of forty Munceys arrived. All marched to Gnadenhütten. Within four days, upwards of 300 warriors had arrived at the latter place, of the following tribes and nations : The Wyandots, from Upper Sandusky, commanded by the Half King—others of the same nation from De-troit and Lower Sandusky, commanded by Kuhn, a, head war Chief of the latter place,—Delawares, from Upper Sandusky, under the command of Captains Pipe and Wingemund—the forty Munceys, commanded by their war chief—and Shawanese from the Scioto, under two chiefs named by traders, John and Thomas Snake. The object of this strong force of Warriors was to remove the Christian Indians and Moravian missionaries from the Tuscarawas, or the Muskingum, as it was then called, to Sandusky. They made prisoners of the missionaries, and compelling the compliance of the Christian Indians to leave their towns, they started for Sandusky on the 11th of September, having remained at the Moravian towns one month. Col. Brodhead, commanding the department, received very prompt information from the missionaries and Christian Indians respecting this affair, and rightly conjectured the purpose of these hostile tribes in removing the friendly nation, was to enable them more readily to penetrate to the frontiers on their bloody mission without being observed and reported, and that they probably expected to be joined by other forces at this time, who were to cooperate with them in some attack. He accordingly informs the different county lieutenants in a circular letter of the fate of the Moravians, and advises them of the proper measures of defence to be taken to repel any invasion. The circular is as follows: HEADQUARTERS, FORT PITT, September 7th, 1781. "GENTLEMEN: By the inclosed extract of a letter just come to hand by express, you will learn the fate of the Moravians on the Muskingum and the dangers to which our dependent posts and the settlements are exposed. " I think it probable that this large party of Indians would *Pennsylvania Archives, Vol. IX. p. 161. not have remained so long at the Moravian town had they expected a greater force from another quarter down the A1 gheny river to cooperate with them. It will therefore be high expedient for the militia immediately to assemble in bodies consisting of at least one hundred men, and step to the fron- tiers to cover them to keep out spies and small scouts, at le for a few days, or until we can ascertain what the principal object of the enemy is. "You will therefore immediately appoint such places of ren- dezvous as may be best calculated for the purpose I have men- tioned, and give me notice thereof that in case of extreme necessity they may be collected to a general rendezvous, order to raise a siege, or otherwise act according to circum- stances. "County lieutenants who have not and cannot otherwise procure a supply of ammunition are immediately to apply to to have a suitable quantity deposited in their respective country to enable the militia to act in conjunction with the regular troops, and this application with the means of transportation must not be delayed. I am, &c., " D. B "Circular to the County Lieutenants." WHEELING THREATENED-LETTER FROM COL. BRODHEAD TO CC MANDER OF FORT HENRY. From some of his many sources of information, Col. Br head received intelligence that a large force of Indians were moving to the attack of the border, and were particularly 1 pected to concentrate their efforts against Wheeling. He ; cordingly dispatched an Express with the following note warning : "FORT PITT, August .24th, 1781 "SIR : I have this moment received certain intelligence that the enemy are coming in great force against us and particularly against Wheeling. "You will immediately put your garrison in. the best post of defence and lay in as great a quantity of water as circumstances will admit, and receive them coolly; they intend decoy your garrison, but you are to guard against stratagem and defend the post to the last extremity. "You may rely on every aid in my power to frustrate 1 designs of the enemy, but you Must not fail to give the alarm to the inhabitants in your reach and make it as general as possible, in order that every man may be prepared at this crisis "I am, Sir, your 'most ob't servant, " D. B. "Col. commanding W. D. " To the commanding officer at Fort Henry, (Wheeling)" RAID ON WHEELING IN 1781. Accordingly, some time in September, the Indians made their second attempt on Wheeling. The particulars of the at tack are not known, neither as to the numbers of the India force, by whom commanded, nor the results, except that the savages were baffled in their efforts to surprise the settlement and capture the fortress. s it was on the 11th of September that the Moravian Christian Indians were carried away cal tive to the Sandusky plains by the confederate tribes, under Captain Pipe, it has been supposed by some, that the force lel behind at the Moravian towns was the one which made the raid on Wheeling at this time. Heckwelder's account of the removal of the Moravians states that the Half King of the Wyandots remained with his warriors at the towns, and did not join the other forces until the 19th, although they had proceeded but a short distance up the Walhonding. It is barely possible, therefore, that the Half King may have marched from the. Moravian towns, in the meantime, and attempted a surprise on Wheeling, but the inhabitants being timely warned, the expedition failed of success. It was during this raid, as is understood, that the house c Col. Ebenezer Zane was burned the second time. He thereupon declared his intention to wild the next house for defence miere remain in it, which he did in the siege of the ensuing year. Perhaps, also, it was about this time that the following incidents occurred, related by Mr. John Caldwell and his daughter Nancy, at Wheeling in 1797, to Meshach Browning, then in Mr. Caldwell's employ, and who published this account of them a narrative of his own personal adventures. "Some years ago," Nancy tells him, "before Gen. St. Clair lost so many men in a great fight with the Indians, father and mother were compelled to leave this place, (their home, on HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES, OHIO - 111 Caldwell's run, about a mile and a half south of the site of the old fort,) and we all went up to the town fort. The neighbors were obliged to leave their farms and go into the fort also. My father and three or four of his friends used to go out, and some stood guard while the others worked, and either dressed their corn or chopped their wood, all the time expecting to be shot by those yellow savages. "At length news came that the Indians were in the neighborhood. The fort was put in the best condition for defence, and we awaited their approach. But no attack was made. Several days passed by, when it was supposed they had given up the assault. At length two Indians made their appearance on the high hill above the town. This hill runs from north to south, while Wheeling creek runs from east to west, passes this elevation about a mile north of the town, and then turns south, coursing along the foot of the hill until it arrives at a point a little south of the fort, where it empties into the river, thus leaving the hill a mile north of the mouth of the creek, with that stream on one side of the hill and the river on the other, with a space of not more than three-quarters of a mile between them. Whenever the river is a little high the water is backed up the creek to the depth of ten or twelve feet. On this hill, opposite the fort, these two Indians showed themselves, fired a shot or two at the fort, and then went off slowly, slapping their hands behind them in token. of derision and contempt of those within the fortification. "Fired with such an insult, our men commenced running out, and would have all gone had not the commanding officer stood in the gate and stopped them. "While the men advanced up the hill the Indians were to be seen still retreating until the top of the hill was reached, when to their great dismay the white men found themselves hemmed in between two galling fires. "The only hope left them was to break through the north line of the enemy and escape down the river to the fort. "As they approached the enemy they made a desperate push through the line and many fell, but some escaped unhurt though they were pursued and shot as they ran. My father was one of the last three of this brave party. As he was running for his life, with a friend of his a little before him, he saw his friend fall. As he passed him, the wounded man called to him, 'John, don't leave me.' But on he ran, and after that he saw him no more. My father, however, perceived a white man who had left the settlement some years before and whom he recognized at first sight. This fellow carried a spear, mounted on a handle like that of a pitchfork. an ran before all the Indians. He was close at my father's *heels when he arrived at the break of the hill next the fort. There was a large tree lying on the ground and another small one standing very near it. Something tripped up ray father's feet, and in he fell between two trees; and as he went down the white Indian made a furious lunge at him. The spear, however, glanced off the log, turned its point upward, and stuck so fast in the standing tree that the white savage could not withdraw it before my father slipped out of his position, escaped unhurt, and reached the fort in safety. A short time after in came another with one arm broken; the balance of the party fell a sacrifice to the savages." Mr. James Caldwell, fatner of the gentleman above referred to, was one of the early and prominent settlers of Wheeling. He came from Baltimore, Or that neighborhood, in the early part of 1774, and remained, for many years, a respected and influential citizen of the place. He reared a large family, some of whom occupied prominent and responsible public positions. Among them, his son, Hon. Alexander Caldwell, was for many years a distinguished Judge of the United States Court for the Western District of Virginia. The rest of the family were John, above referred to ; Samuel, who resided in the neighborhood of Wheeling, until. the latter part of his life, when he removed, with his family, to Illinois; Jame's, the father of the late Hon. Alfred Caldwell, who lived, during the early part of his life, in St. Clairsville, O., and afterwards, moved to Wheeling, and became one of the prominent citizens of the place, and Joseph, father of A. Bolton Caldwell, Esq., Henry C. Caldwell and Alexander J. Caldwell, all of whom now live in Wheeling or vicinity, who resided in Wheeling all his life, and was, for many years, President of the Merchants and Mechanics Bank. BRIG. GEN'L IRVINE, IN COMMAND OF DEPARTMENT--GARRISON OF CONTINENTAL TROOPS AT FORT HENRY RELIEVED-LIEUT. HAY PUT IN CHARGE OF THE FORT. On the 24th of September, 1781, General William Irvine was appointed commander of the Western Department, with headquarters at Fort Pitt. Immediately on his taking command of the Department, he set about making arrangements to meet the various emergencies for the protection of the frontier. The Post at Wheeling, (Fort Henry,) was found, November, 1.781, to have a garrison of one Continental officer and fifteen privates. Irvine did not see bow he could spare any of the soldiers at Fort Pitt for their relief. The latter was so few and ill provided for, so irregular, and, in every respect, so unlike soldiers, that it seemed absolutely necessary they should be kept together as much as possible for the present. Neither did the commander desire to make haste to draw out all the citizens of the different counties for tours of military duty. He would try- whether enough volunteers could not be obtained, to take the place of the men at Fort Henry. In case of failure, however, he resolved to call out, for that purpose, according to law, a suf-ficient number of the militia. "On the 18th of November, Irvine wrote to James Marshall, lieutenant of Washington county—which then comprehended all the territory west of the Monongahela and south of the Ohio, to the State line—asking him to engage, if practicable, "one discreet, intelligent subaltern officer, with six or seven men," to march "to the relief of the garrison, at Wheeling, " to take charge of the Post by the 1st of December, at furthest, and to remain there till the 1st of March, unless sooner discharged or relieved—they to be allowed for it as having served a tour of Militia duty, and every other emolument and allowance, agreeable to law." If this force could not be engaged as volunteers, then . Marshall was to order out one subaltern, one sergeant, one corporal, and fifteen privates of the militia; .and, when ready to march, they were to be sent to Fort Pitt, for instructions. "I can not comply with your requisition," was the answer of Marshal, two days after, " of engaging a number of men for the defense of Fort Wheeling, as I am heartily tired out with volunteer plans." But he was ready and willing to obey orders : " I shall order out, according to class, the number of militia you have demanded, and order the officer to wait upon. you for instructions." Marshall made good his word. Lieutenant Hay waited upon General Irvine; and, on the 28th, received his orders " to proceed to Wheeling with the detachment under his command, there to relieve the garrison of Continental troops—taking upon himself the charge of the post."* In December Lieut. John Hay was, accordingly, placed in command at Fort Henry, with a garrison consisting of one sergeant and fifteen, privates of Washington county militia. On the first day of February, 1782, Lieut. Hay and his men were relieved by a lieutenant (name unknown), sergeant and fifteen Washington county militia.. This lieutenant remained in charge with his force about two months. MASSACRE OF THE MORAVIAN INDIANS AT GNADENHUTTEN, MARCH 6, 1782. The British at Detroit, their auxiliaries, and the hostile Indians at Sandusky, used their influence conjointly in the fall of 1781 to induce, the missionaries and their Indian converts to leave Tuscarawas and join the enemies of the United States. Failing in this, a party of British and Indians came down to the valley, captured Zeisberger, Heckwelder, and other missionaries, gathered together the converts from Schönbrunn, Salem, and Gnadenhütten and drove them to the Sandusky country, leaving their cattle, hogs, corn, and other winter provisions behind. Zeisberger, Heckwelder, and the other missionaries, were taken to Detroit to be tried as spies, having been charged with holding correspondence with the agents of the American colonies, but after a trial were acquitted and returned to Sandusky. Ignorant of these events, David Williamson, a colonel of militia in Washington county, marched, some time afterward, to the Muskingum with a detachment of men, to compel the missionaries to remove further away from the border ; or, in case of a refusal, to take them prisoners. Upon their arrival in the valley they found this task anticipated by the enemy. They captured a small party, however, who had returned from Sandusky to gather corn left standing in the fields; and -with * Butterfield's Crawford's expedition. 112 - HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES, OHIO. these they returned to the settlements. These " Moravians" were immediately set at liberty by Gen. Irvine. Early in the winter the missionaries at Sandusky heard that a party of Virginians, under Captain Benjamin Biggs, bad gone out from the Ohio to Schönbrunn and murdered a number of Christian Indians found there gathering corn. Captain Biggs had been in 1778 and 1779 one of the defenders of Fort Laurens, and in the fall of 1781 was sent from Wheeling with a party to rout out and kill the Muncey and other Indian warriors who had, after the missionaries were carried off, taken possession of Schönbrunn and the other forsaken settlements in the valley. When Biggs got to Schönbrunn he found only some straggling Christian Indians; these he took to Fort Pitt, and they had liberty to go and come as they pleased. Biggs' campaign had drawn no blood in the valley, and this dissatisfied the border settlers along the Ohio who were continually being raided upon by western Indian warriors, and their families murdered or carried into captivity. The abandoned Schönbrunn, Gnadenhütten and Salem, were during the winter, made the resting places of the warriors going to or returning from the Ohio with scalps and prisoners; and small pursuing. parties of whites from the east, as well as parties of Christian Indians who had ran back from Sandusky to the warmer Tuscarawas, made the valley one continual scene of excitement and discordant border warfare until the bloody scenes of 1782 began to unfold. A cold winter setting in, and the means of sustenance at Sandusky being very scant, one hundred or more of the con-verts had asked and obtained leave to go back to the towns in the valley for provisions. At the same time warriors were sent to the Ohio to rob and murder the whites, with intent thereby to exasperate the borderers who were in the American interest, and incite them to cross the Ohio, and pursue the raiders to the Tuscarawas towns, where it was expected they would fall in with the Christian Indians gathering corn and dispatch them. Thus was the Williamson expedition planned in reality by the British at Detroit and Sandusky. On account of the weather during the month of February, 1782, being unusually fine, the scalping savages were astir at a much earlier season than was their custom. The party of war-riors from Sandusky crossed the Ohio above and below Mingo town, near what is now Steubenville, committed some murders and took many captives on Raccoon and Buffalo creeks, Washington county. The incursions of the Indians later in the spring was anticipated by the settlers along the border, feelings of alarm and great exasperation became general, and they began organizing the expedition under Colonel Williamson, which afterward perpetrated the unfortunate excesses at Gnadenhütten. The early period at which those fatal visitations of the Indians took place, led to the belief among the settlements that the murderers were either Moravians or that the warriors had their winter quarters at their towns on the Tuscarawas. The borderers came to the conclusion that a quick and spirited exertion was necessary to save their country, and hastened the preparations for marching against the Indian towns. A party of warriors discovering Williamson's expedition organizing, immediately thereafter attacked the house of Robert Wallace, upon Raccoon creek, in the northern part of Washington county, during his absence, and carried off his wife and three children. Wallace, upon his return home in the evening, finding his wife and children gone, his home broken up, his furniture destroyed, and his cattle shot and lying dead in the yard, immediately alarmed the neighbors, and a party was raised that night, who started early next morning in pursuit; but, unfortunately, a snow fell, which prevented their coming up with the savages, and the men were obliged to return. With their prisoners, consisting of Mrs. Wallace, her little son Robert, two and a half years old, and another son ten years of age, and an infant daughter, and what plunder they could carry off, the savages made their way toward the Ohio; but finding the mother and her infant somewhat troublesome, they were tomahawked and scalped. The two boys were carried to Sandusky, where the elder died. About the time of the attack upon Wallace's house, John Carpenter was taken prisoner, from the waters of Buffalo creek, in the same county, by a party of six Indians—two of whom called themselves Moravians, and spoke good Dutch—and hurried across the Ohio. His two horses, which they took with him, nearly perished in swimming the river. The savages as well as their captive, suffered severely before reaching the Muskingum. The two Moravians Indians treated their prisoner with particular indignity. In the morning, after the first day's journey beyond that stream, Carpenter was sent out to bring the horses, which had been turned out in the evening, after being hobbled. The animals had made a circuit and fallen in the trail by which they came the preceding day, and were making their way homeward. He immediately resolved to tempt an escape. This was a very hazardous undertaking, should he be retaken, he well knew the most cruel torture awaited him. However, he made the effort and was success —coming in to Pittsburgh by the way of Forts Laurens a McIntosh. Near to and on the west side of the Ohio river, the Indian impaled the body of Mrs. 'Wallace and her infant child on trees near the trail by which they knew the settlers' expedition would take on its way to the Indian country. Arriving Gnadenhütten, these warriors found the Christian Indians work in their cornfields, getting together the grain they soon intended to carry to their starving brethren in; the northwest. They informed them of the murders they had Committed. Christian Indians becoming alarmed for their own safety, remonstrated with the warriors for stopping at their town, and warned them off. Before leaving the town, the warriors barter among other things, the dress they had taken from Mrs. Wallace, to some young and thoughtless Indians girls, for some p visions. The Christian Indians, upon the departure of till unwelcome guests called a council at Salem, for the purpose deliberating upon the proper course to pursue. At this meeting it was agreed to remain and continue gathering the corn, a if the whites from the settlements came in pursuit of the murderers, to trust to the fact of their being known as Christian and peaceable Indians, for their safety. As they had by the time secured the crop of corn, it was agreed to begin preparations for the return, and the day of starting was fixed. While these poor creatures were busily engaged in getting ready carry succor to their famishing brethren on the Sandusky, feeling perfectly safe, conscious of their. innocence of any co. blooded acts that were inflaming the settlements east of the Ohio, the Williamson party was on its march toward their towns. Col. Williamson's party consisted of about ninety men a were hastily collected together. They rendezvoused and en- camped the first night at Mingo bottom, in what is now Jeff son county, and the next morning, the 3d of March, 1782, start upon their march, passing up Cross creek. Each man furnish with his own arms, ammunition, and provision, many of them having horses. On the evening of the second day's march they arrived within one mile of the middle Moravian town, and en- camped for the night. Thus, on the very day previous to t one fixed for the departure of the Christian Indians March 1782, and while they were engaged in binding up their packs. the white party made its appearance, having been in the forests the night before, within sight and hearing of Gnadenhütten. On their way to the town a detachment that was to go from the north met a young half-breed, Joseph Shabosh, who was out early in the morning to catch a horse. Young Shabosh was struck down and scalped while begging tor his me on the grounds of his being a Christian and the' son of a white man. From the spot of Shabosh's death the detachment went to the river bank, from where they expected to get a view of the town, and on. the way passed Jacob, a brother-in-law to Shabosh, who was in the standing corn tying up some sacks recently filled. Although they passed within thirty yards of him he was not discovered. He recognized some of the whites, having seen them in the party that took the Christian Indians from Schönbrunn. the preceding fall to Fort Pitt, whence they were released by the commandant and returned home, he having been one of those taken. Jacob was about to hail a man he knew, when the sharp crack of a rifle checked him, and the next instant he beheld one of his brethren drop in his canoe: This so alarmed Jacob that he fled out of the field and into the forest and did not stop until several miles away, where he remained for twenty-four hours. The Williamson party seeing a number of the Indians in a cornfield, on the opposite side of the river, sent a detachment of sixteen men, two at a time, in a large sugar trough, for want of a canoe, over the river, it being very high. They hailed the Indians as friends. and shook hands all round, and then advised them to stop work, recross to the town., and prepare to return with the whites to Fort Pitt,. declaring that upon reaching there they would be at once supplied with everything they needed. This being pleasing news to the ears of the Indians they at once repaired with the whites to the town. While these transactions were going on at Gnadenhütten, John Martin and his son, Christian Indians, were on the west HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES, OHIO - 113 side of the river, observing from an eminence, the Indians of the town and the white men walking together and conversing in a friendly manner. Martin sent his son over to the town while he went to Salem to apprise the brethren at that place of what was going on. The Salem Indians sent two of their own men with Martin to Gnadenhütten, where the Williamson men appointed a. party of their own number to go with these Indians back to Salem, and assist in bringing those at tne lower town to Gnadenhütten. When the main body, of the Salem Indians arrived at the river bank opposite Gnadenhütten, they discovered blood in tne sand and on a canoe that was lying at the edge of the water. They had already given up their guns, axes and knives, being assured that the same would all be returned when they arrived at Fort Pitt. Being taken over to the town they found the inhabitants confined, preparatory to the slaughter that was to take place. The whites now ceased calling them friends and Christians, and charged them with being enemies and warriors. In proof of this averment the whites pointed to the pewter plates, cups, spoons, tea ket-tles, pots, basins, &c., and declared it all stolen property from the settlers. They also seized the Indian horses and pointed to the brands thereon as further evidence that all this property had been stolen from the border families. Finding all this property in their possession, together with the bloody dress that was recognized as having belonged to Mrs. Wallace, they were told to prepare for death, and the execution was fixed for the next day. In refutation of .the charges, the Indians ac-counted for the brands on the horses by offering to produce their own branding irons, which were used for the purpose of enabling them:to identify their own horses. In regard to the other property,. they insisted that the most of it was brought by the missionaries from the Pennsylvania missions, and the balance bought from traders who had from time to time visited the towns. Finding all efforts to save their lives fruitless, they begged for a short time to prepare for death. While they wen' at their devotions their captors discussed the manner of putting them to death. Some were in favor—of burning them. alive, and some of killing first, then burning the bodies after scalping. The commander, Williamson, became powerless, in the excited and frenzied condition of his men, to whom had been exhibited the bloody dress of Mrs. Wallace, which operated on their minds, as history tells us, the bloody robe of Cæsar, when shown to the Romans by Antony, operated on their minds. All Williamson could do was to submit the matter to a vote, as proposed by the most excited of tile men. Upon taking a vote, those who were in favor of saving the Indians and taking them to Port Pitt were invited to step out to the front, which was responded to by but eighteen out of about one hundred in all (some accounts put the number at three hundred), the residue voting to kill, scalp and burn the captives. It has never been settled whether Williamson voted or not, the presumption from the scene, fact of his being commander, that he did not vote. Those of the men who voted against death then retired at the same time calling upon the Almighty to witness that they Washed their hands ot tne crime about to be perpetrated. The victims were then asked if they were ready to die, and, the a.nswer being in the affirmative, the work of death commenced. Heckwelder says that the number killed exceeded ninety, all of whom, except four, were killed in the mission houses, they having been tied there (according to Heckwelder's version), and there knocked in the head with a cooper's mallet. One man, he says, taking up the mallet, began with an Indian named Abraham, and continued knocking down until he counted fourteen; he then handed his mallet to one of his fellows, saying, "My arm fails me go on in the same way; I think I have. done pretty well." In another house, where mostly women and children were tied, Judith, an. aged and pious widow, was the first victim. After they had finished they retreated a short distance, but, on returning to view the dead bodies and finding one of them named Abel, although scalped and mangled, attempting. to raise himself from the floor, they despatched him, and, having set fire to the house, went off shouting and cursing. Of the number killed sixty-two were grown persons, one-third of whom :were women, the remainder being children. Two youths, who were knocked down and shut up in the first escaped death. One named Thomas, was knocked down and scalped, but being only stunned, after a while recovered, and on looking around he saw Abel alive, but scalped, with blood running down his face. The lad quickly laid down as if dead, and had scarcely laid a minute, when the party came and finished. Abel by chopping his head with a hatchet. Soon after they went away, Thomas crept over the dead bodies to the door, 15-B. & J. COS. and on getting out, hid himself until dark, whenm, he made his. way to the path leading to Sandusky. The other lad, who was in the house where the. women were, raised a trapdoor and got down into the cellar with another boy, where. they lay concealed during the time the butchery was going on. After dusk, they attempted to get out through a window opening in the foundation of the house. The first succeeded, but the second stuck fast, and was burned alive, the house being set on. fire soon after the poor little fellow got fast. The two who escaped, afterwards made their way to Sandusky, having fallen in with the Schoenbunn Indians in their flight. One of Williamson's party saved a little boy of eight years old, took him home, and raised him to a man, when he' left and returned to his tribe. In Zeisberger's version of the massacre, as detailed by his biographer, it is reported as occurring on the 8th of March. He says that the victims were tied, some singly, and others two and two, dragged to the appointed house, and then tomahawked and scalped. When the men and boys were all killed, the women were brought out, taken to the other house,. and dispatched. in the same manner. He states that Christiana, a widow, who was well versed in the English language, appealed to Col. Williamson, as she was being led. away, and he replied: "I have no power to help you." She was killed with the others. The massacre being over, 'Williamson and his men returned home to the Ohio and Monongahela, with the scalps and about one hundred horses. In the valley, all was desolation. Not a, warrior, was afterward found to be following Williamson to pick off his men on their way to the. Ohio, which they reached on the 10th: of March, two days after the massacre unmolested. Within a radius of twenty-five miles around the three burned towns, not a human being was known to be alive, while but two or three days' march out on the Sandusky there were, perhaps, a thousand warriors, and they. knew of Williamson's expedition having marched west from the Ohio, but no warriors intercept-ed him going or coming. That was part of the British policy matured at Detroit, of having these peaceable Indians massacred by excited American borderers, in order to bring over to the British side all the Indian tribes united against the colonists. How completely it succeeded will be seen. Simon Girty returned to the Wyandott towns, from Which his absence had been short, but sufficiently long to have ena-bled him, in disguise, to reach the border settlements, and, among his old acquaintances, start and hurry on the expedition against the Moravian towns. On the Sandusky, at the, present Fremont, Heckwelder and Zeisberger first heard of the massacre by a convert, who had run from Captives town to apprise them of the news that had just been brought in by a Wyandot band of warriors, who had crossed the valley with border scalps and stolen horses. This was evidently the party who had killed and impaled the. child of Mrs. Wallace, sold her bloody dress at Gnadenhutten to the unsuspecting Indian converts, and then hid in the vicinity until the massacre previously planned was over, when they fled homeward to receive their scalp premiums at Detroit. At the captives' huts, where the residue of convert captives were who had not gone down to the death at Gnadenhutten, the news of the slaughter of their relatives had also come in by Jacob, who had escaped from under the floor of one of the burning houses, and fled to the Sandusky. The news reached the warrior towns of the Shawanese on the Scioto and Miami, the Delawares, under Pipe, at Sandusky, Monceys, under Welenduvacken, on the Wabash, and other tribes, calling for a revenge in corresponding magnitude to the murders committed on their kin. This was the kind of double life that Girty gloried in, first on the border, exciting the whites to kill the christian Indians and burn their towns in the valley ; next at the warrior's towns, inciting them to revenge the deaths of those christians, and he lost no time in fanning the flame in their camp fires. At all their British camps a unanimous determination existed. to take a bloody and two-fold vengeance on. the Americans. A vow was made that no white man should ever have that valley for a home, but that it should remain uncontaminated by his. presence through all time, and that the boundary line of future treaties with the whites should be the Ohio forever and ever. To carry out their intentions, large bands of picked warriors started at once to raid afresh on the Pennsylvania, Virginia and Kentucky borders, and each prisoner was to be taken to the place of massacre, and there dispatched by the tomahawk and fire brand until the two-fold vengeance had been consummated. The massacre was a month old, and already the vengeance taking warriors on the Ohio, and its eastern tributaries in 114 - HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES, OHIO. Pennsylvania and Virginia, had sunk their hatchets into the skulls of many white borderers, who fought for life, and were killed in their tracks. These deaths were to be counted as no vengeance until the scalps were carried to the massacre ground, dried, painted red or black on the inside, with the picture of a bullet or a hatchet in another color, to indicate how its owner died. In like manner were the scalps of those whites who should suffer death by fire to be painted, but in lieu of the bullet or hatchet, a bunch of faggots were to be represented on the skin side, indicative of the fire-death. After the retreat of Crawford's army, which is recited in these pages, and the last of its stragglers and escaped prisoners had recrossed the valley of the Tuscarawas, it was not soon again visited by white men. Until 1785, the savage warriors after scalps, in fulfillment of the vow of vengeance, were its only hu-man inhabitants. In that year an escaped prisoner crossed the river at the massacre town and reached the Fort at Wheeling, but he reported that he saw no human being in the valley. The bones of the christian martyrs were scattered around, and the fruit trees planted by the missionaries were in bloom, but the limbs had been broken down by the bears, and the place had become the abode only of rattlesnakes and wild beasts. INDIAN RETALIATION FOR THE MORAVIAN MASSACRE-THE FIRST ACTOR IN THE TRAGEDY, THE LAST VICTIM OF VENGEANCE. At the massacre at Gnadenhütten, the first blood shed was that of a Christian Indian named Joseph Shabosh, who was tomahawked and scalped by Charles Builderback, one of Williamson's men. He was a Virginian who had settled in what is now Jefferson county, Ohio, near the mouth of Short creek. After the massacre he was out with Crawford's army, but escaped the fate of Crawford and returned home. Seven years after, in 1789, he and his wife were captured by Indians near their cabin on the Ohio. When the Indians first attacked her husband and his brother, she hid in the bushes. The brother escaped; but as soon as Charles was tied, the Indians hunted, but failing to find her, they told Builderback to call her by name or they would kill him then and there. At his first call she would not answer, but when he called her again, and told her of his fate if she kept silent. the woman came out. The Indians then retreated west with the two captives. Nearing the Tuscarawas, they separated into two bands, one taking him toward Gnadenhütten, and the other, with Mrs. Builderback, came to the Tuscarawas higher up the stream, where they encamped at an Indian town, probably "Three-Leg Town," near the present Urichsville. In a short time the other band came up, and an Indian threw into her. lap the scalp of her dead husband. The sight so overcame her that she swooned. They laid her against a tree, and when she awoke the scalp was gone. They took her to the Miami Valley, where she remained a captive nine months, but was finally ransomed and sent to her home up the Ohio. In 1791 she married John Green, and moved fo Fairfield County, where she died in 1842, near Lancaster, and is said to have given birth to the first white child born in Fairfield county. captors knew Builderback, and had been watching for him for years, determined to take re-venge for the death of Shabosh, their relative, seven years before, at Gnadenhütten. Some of his Ohio river friends, who pursued these Indians, found his body a short distance from the spot where he had killed Shabosh. His body was terribly mutilated, and it was evident to his friends that the Indians had intended burning Builderback at the massacre ground, but the pursuers were so close after them that they abandoned burning him alive, and made their escape, after tomakawking and scalping him. He was the last white man known to have been in the massacre who paid the forfeit of his life for his connection therewith. APPENDIX A. ATTACK ON WHEELING FORT IN THE YEAR 1777. From the Brooke Republican, Published in Wellsburg, July 8, 1833. We are indebted to Mr. Abraham Rogers, a distinguished actor in the scene, and now a resident of this county, for the following particulars of the attack by the Indians in the year 1777, on Wheeling Fort, and the successful defense of the place by twelve men. As an interesting incident connected with the early settlement of the country, and as a tribute of respect and gratitude to the early and adventurous pioneers of the west, for their valor, perseverance and long suffering, it is due to their memry that it should be recorded, and find a place in the history 0 our country. The fort was situated on the higher bank or bluff, not fa] from the place, where the mansion house of the late Noah Zane Esq., was subsequently erected. It covered between one-half and three-quarters of an acre of ground and was enclosed with a stockade eight feet high. The garrison at the time of the attack, including all who were able to bear arms, did not exceed fifteen in number, and of these, several were between the ages of twelve and eighteen. The number of women and children is not known. The first intimation the commandant of the fort (Col. David Shepherd) had of the approach of an enemy, was received the evening before the attack, from Capt. Ogle, who with Abraham Rogers, Joseph Biggs, Robert Lemon, and two others, who had just arrived from Beech Bottom Fort, on the Ohio, about twelve miles from Wheeling. Capt. Ogle, on his approach to Wheeling, had observed below that place the appearance of large volumes of smoke in the atmosphere, which he rightly conjectured was caused by the burning of Grave Creek Fort, by hos-tile Indians, and upon his arrival immediately communicated his suspicions to Col: Shepherd, but it was too late in the even-ing to reconnoitre. At a very early hour the next morning (first day of September) the commander of the fort sent two of his men in a canoe, down the river, to ascertain .the cause of the smoke, and whether any Indians were in the neighborhood. These two men were massacreed by the Indians (on their return it was supposed) at the mouth of Wheeling creek, a few hundred yards below the Fort. In the meantime an Irish servant and a negro man had also been sent out to re-connoiter in the immediate vicinity. The Irishman was de-coyed, seized and killed by the Indians but the negro was permitted to escape, who on his return gave the first alarm of the actual approach of the Indians. Capt. Ogle, on the receipt of this intelligence accompanied by fifteen or sixteen of the garrison, leaving but twelve or thirteen in the Fort, immediately proceeded towards the mouth of the creek, in pursuit of the savages. The Indians were lying in ambush and permitted the Captain and ids devoted followers to advance almost to the creek, when a brisk and most deadly fire was opened upon them. They fought bravely—desperately; but were overpowered by the number of the enemy, were all except the Captain and two others, killed and scalped. Upon hearing the firing at the creek, Rogers, Biggs and Lemon left the fort to join their comrades slaughtered, and met the triumphant enemy, who, with a horrid yell, were rapidly advancing on the fort. The three were fired upon and compelled to return. On their arrival at the gate of the fort, so near were the savages, that it was not without the most imminent danger that it was opened for their admission. A general attack was then immediately made on the fort by the whole body of Indians, consisting of about 500 men, command by the infamous Simon Girty. The general assault was from the east side under cover of a paled garden and a few half-faced cabins within forty or fifty yards of the fort, of which they took possession, and from whence a brisk fire was:kept up until a late hour at night. During the. engagement the Indians sustained great injury from the, bursting of a maple log which they had bored like a cannon and charged to fire upon the fort. The little garrison of twelve sustained this protracted siege from about seven o'clock in the morning until 10 or 11 at night, when the savages were finally repulsed and to retreat without having killed or wounded a single individual in the fort. The loss on the part of the Indians was variously estimated at from twenty to one: hundred, but their dead were principally carried off or concealed, and a conjecture of the number killed could. only be formed from the great appearance of blood which was observable for many days after the battle. The day was fair, and the most of the gunners were called "sharp-shooters," all of whom had a great number of “fair shots, it is therefore not improbable that some thirty or forty of the enemy were killed, and, perhaps, many more, for there was a continual firing during the whole time of the engagement. Every man did his duty, and all were entitle to an equal meed of praise and thanks from the commander. But our informant particularly distinguished one person, whom he said contributed more to the successful termination of the issue then any other. This was Mrs. Zane, wife of Ebenezer, and mother of the late Noah Zane, Esq., who rendered much actual service to the men by running bullets, cutting patches, making cartridges HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES, OHIO - 115 and hurrying from post to post, cheering and encouraging by her presence, exhortations, and assistance, the sometimes almost exhausted efforts of the brave defenders of the fort. By her example, zeal, and presence of mind, much assistance was 'also afforded by a number of the other "blessed women" in the fort (as our informant termed them). A. rapid fire was con-tinued from the" fort from the commencement of the assault until the Indians retired. Their rifles were used until they became too much heated to handle, when they were obliged to exchange them for muskets, which were fortunately found in the magazine. This more than Spartan band of patriots had no time to take any sustenance from Sunday, the last day of August, until the 2d of September, after the retreat of the When it is considered that the Indians were led to the attack by the noted Simon Girty, a. man who had much experience in the art of savage warfare, that he mustered more than five hundred veteran warriors, and that the fort was defended by only twelve men, and those chiefly old men and boys—the successful. and glorious defence of the place by that little band of Western pioneers, their names will richly merit a place in the pages of history with the most renowned heroes of the "olden time." We much regret that from a want of acquaintance with the localities of the place, as well as from other circumstances, we have been unable to do full justice to the subject, but we are not without a hope that some more expressive pen will take a hint from these crude remarks and redeem from oblivion this memorable event. CHAPTER XV. CRAWFORD'S EXPEDITION AGAINST SANDUSKY-CONDITION OF THE FRONTIER IN THE SPRING OF 1872--EXPEDITION PLANNED AGAINST THE INDIAN TOWNS-ITS OBJECT-ASSEMBLES AT MINGO BOTTOM, JEFFERSON COUNTY OHIO-THE MARCH FROM MINGO BOTTOM TO SANDUSKY-JONATHAN ZANE AND JOHN SLOVER GUIDES THE INDIAN AND BRITISH FORCES-BATTLE OF SANDUSKY-CRAWFORD'S RETREAT, AND ESCAPE OF THE MAIN BODY UNDER THE COMMAND OF WILLIAMSON, PILOTED BY JONATHAN ZANE-CAPTURE AND DEATH OF COL. CRAWFORD-ESCAPE OF DR. KNIGHT AND JOHN SLOVER-SLOVER'S RETURN TO WHEELING AND REPORT OF THE DESIGNS AGAINST THE FRONTIER-COL. ZANE'S REQUISITION ON GEN. IRVINE FOR POWDER---SIEGE OF FORT HENRY, SEPT. 11TH, 1782—MILITARY REPORT OF COL. ZANE TO GEN IRVINE OF THE SIEGE-LETTER OP JAMES MARSHALL. CONDITION OF FRONTIER IN THE SPRING OF 1782. THE massacre of the Moravian Indians at Gnadenhütten, al-ready described, only served to increase the excitement on the frontier. The more thoughtful of the settlers at once saw the fearful consequences that were sure to follow, and the gathering of the bands of infuriated Delawares, Shawanese and Wyandots, along the west side of the Ohio, seeking vengeance, caused the most direful apprehensions throughout the border. Another important circumstance occurred. On the 24th of March, a party of borderers attacked a few friendly Delawares who were living on a small island at the mouth of the Allegheny —known as Smoky or Killbuck's island, since gone—just opposite Fort Pitt. Several of the Indians were killed, including two who held commissions in the service of the government ; the remainder effected their escape into the fort, except two who ran into the woods and succeeded in eluding their pur-suers. Even the life of Colonel Gibson was in jeopardy, who, it was conceived, was a friend. to the Indians—so great was the agitation throughout the western country. And it is not to be wondered at--savages were making their way into the settlements; the settlers were threatened, on all sides, with massacres, plunderings, burnings, and captivities. There was alarm and dismay in every quarter. The people of the border were forced into the forts which dotted the country in every direction. These were in the highest degree uncomfortable. They consisted of cabins, block-houses, and stockades. In some places, where the exposure was not great, a single block-house, with a cabin outside, constituted the whole fort. For a space around, the forest was usually cleared away, so that an enemy could neither find a lurking place nor conceal his approach. Near these forts the borderers worked their. fields in parties guarded by sentinels. Their necessary labors, therefore, were performed with every danger and difficulty imaginable. Their work had to be carried on with their arms and all things belonging to their war-dress deposited in some central place in the field. Sentinels were stationed on the outside of the fence; so that, on the least alarm, the whole company repaired to their arms, and were ready for the combat in a moment.* It is not surprising that there was deep and wide-spread feel-ing of revenge against the hostile and marauding savages. The horrid scenes of slaughter which frequently met the View, were well calculated to anouse such passions. Helpless infancy, virgin beauty, and hoary age, dishonored by the ghastly wound& of the tomahawk and scalping knife, were common sights. When the slain. were. the friends or relatives' of the beholder—wife, sister, child, father, mother, brother—it is not at all a wonder that pale and quivering lips 'should mutter revenge. "It should seem," says Doddridge: "that the long continuance of the Indian war had debased a oronsiderable portion of our population to the savage state of our nature. Having lost so many of their relatives by the indians, and witnessed their horrid murders and other depredations upon so extensive a scale, they became subjects of that indiscriminating thirst for revenge which is such a prominent feature in the savage char-acter." But, to say that "a considerable portion" of the peo-ple of Southwestern Pennsylvania and Panhandle Virginia, was, in 1782, " debased to the savage state of our nature," is altogether too harsh a criticism. When Gen. Irvine arrived at Fort Pitt, and took command of the Western Department, he found the people throughout the border in a frenzied condition to all appearances.. In the spring of 1782, he resolved to call a convention of the lieutenants of the several counties, and the principal field officers of the militia, as well as of citizens of note, in the Western Department, to devise ways and means for the defence of the border. To David Shepherd, lieutenant of Ohio county, Virginia. General Irvine addressed a letter on the 28th of March. " You are already acquainted," wrote the commander, " with the resolution of Congress, and orders of the President. and Council of Pennsylvania, respecting my command in this quarter; in addition to which, I have received instructions from his Excellency, General Washington. As making arrangements to cover and protect the country, is the main object, and, as it is to be done by a, combination of regulars and militia, the business will be complicated. And, further, as there will be a diversity of interests, I think it of' the utmost importance, that, whatever plan may be adopted, it should be as generally understood as the nature of the service will admit." Irvine continued : "You will conceive that I shall stand in need of the counsels and assistance, on this occasion, of some of the principal people of the country." He then added : "I wish, therefore, to see you and at least one field officer of every battalion in your county; for which purpose I request you will be pleased to Warn such as you may think proper, to attend at this post, on Friday, the 5th of April, next. Punctual to the day will be necessary, as I have written to Colonel Marshall, and others, in Washington' county also, to attend on the same day." To this was also appended these words " Whatever difference local situations may make in sentiments respecting territory, a combination of forces to repel the enemy is clearly, I think, a duty we owe ourselves and our country." It was thus the skillful commander poured oil upon the troubled waters of the boundary controversy. The convention of the 5th of April, was well attended. Marshall, lieutenant of Washington county, and John Evans, lieutenant of Monongalia county, who had received similar letters, did not attend, but wrote to Irvine that they would "most heartily concur in any plan adopted for the good of the country." Shepherd, of Ohio county, was at the meeting, and reported that he could not aid in the general defense of the frontier with any men, as neatly all, in his district, were enrolled in Pennsylvania. Colonel " Cook, lieutenant, and Colonel Campbell, sub-lieutenant, represented Westmoreland county. In place of Marshall, from Washington county, came Colonel Vallandigham, sub-lieutenant; also Colonels Williamson and. Cook, and Major Carmichael, of the militia, and James Edgar, Esq., citi- * Doddridge. 116 - HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES, OHIO. zen and member of the State legislature. Major McColloch, also, of the militia, was present from Ohio county, Virginia. A full and free interchange of views was had at the meeting. The principal questions discussed were the mode of defense and the number of men necessary to be called out in each district. The officers of Monongalia and Ohio counties had received no instructions from the executive of Virginia to call. out the militia upon Irvine's requisitions, as had the lieutenants of Westmoreland and Washington cotinties from the governor of Pennsylvania. Only volunteers could tnerefore be had from the two former counties. Irvine was placed in full possession of all necessary inforxnation touching the different forts, sta-tions, and block-houses upon the frontier; the number and condition of the men in actual service. A plan was agreed upon to keep flying bodies of men constantly on the frontiers, marching from place to place, and the few regular troops were to remain at Forts Pitt and McIntosh. The militia were to patrol the Ohio from Pittsburgh to Wheeling. Every precaution was taken to guard against surprises of the enemy. Nevertheless, it was well understood that a defensive policy, with whatever care plans might be laid, would prove ineffectual against occasional inroads of the wily, prowling savages, who, in spite of every precaution, frequently crossed the Ohio, fell suddenly upon helpless victims, and then quickly re-crossed that river into tne wilderness beyond. Hence it was, that, notwithstanding the exertions and success of Irvine, in covering and protecting the borders, the belief was very prevalent in the Western Department that positive security was to be obtained only by carrying the war into the Indian country. EXPEDITION PLANNED AGAINST THE INDIAN TOWNS-ITS OBJECTS -ASSEMBLES AT MINGO BOTTOM, JEFFERSON COUNTY, OHIO, MAY 24, 1782. On the 2d of April, Marshall, of Washington county, wrote to General Irvine, saying: " This is most certain, that unless an expedition be carried against the principal Indian towns early this summer, this country must unavoidably suffer." Although at this time the war of the Revolution was virtually ended, the conflict on the western border was still raging with undiminished fury. Cornwallis had surrendered tne British forces at Yorktown, and the hostilities of the Indians of the north had ceased. In the west the murderous incursions of the savages still continued, and in fact their thirst for blood had really increased and they had become more bold and aggressive. On the 27th of March, Mrs. Walker, living on Buffalo creek was taken prisoner; but made her escape. On the first of April, the savages captured Mr. Boice and family, consisting of eight persons, and hurried them into the wilderness. The same day a-man was killed near where the Washington county court house now stands. On Easter Sunday, Miller's block house on the Dutch fork of Buffalo, was attacked by a party of about seventy Shawanese. The necessity and feasibility of an expedition against the Indian towns in the Sandusky country was strongly urged upon General Irvine. Notwithstanding the fact that no regulars could be spared from the garrisons, and the obstacles to calling out the militia of all the border countries, it was believed that a volunteer expedition,. could be organized of such magnitude as to insure success if proper efforts were put forth. After much agitation and discussion an expedition was at length planned and preparations began to be made for its organization. While this was being done another scheme was agitated to a considerable extent among the settlements. This was an enterprise to emigrate, beyond the Ohio and set up a new state. We can scarcely imagine why a scheme that would seem to be so hazardous should be for a moment contemplated by people that were apparently threatened with destruction by the savages at a much safer distance from their power for mischief. Many, doubtless, entertained the project with a view to acquiring large tracts of land; but it is claimed that many advocated the occupation of the country by a, large force of whites as a practicable means of more effectually destroying the power of the Indians. The same day was appointed for a meeting to be held at Wheeling, of those who proposed to emigrate, as those who were making the effort to organize the expedition against Sandusky. De Hass says that "Placards were posted at Wheeling, Catfish, and other places, of a new State that was to be organized on the Muskingum." While nothing came of the new State scheme, the meeting at Wheeling did further the project for the expedition against Sandusky. General Irvine, having charge of all military matters in the Western Department, took into account the number of men necessary to insure success, and decided that all must volunteer for the campaign and place themselves under his orders as militia. It was advisable that the force be large enough for all contingencies; fewer men would place the lives of all in jeopardy; but it was out of the power of the commandant to furnish any material aid to the expedition. Every volunteer was therefore required to supply himself with a horse, a rifle, equipments, and provisions; and it. was necessary that the expedition be conducted with the utmost secrecy and dispatch. The project against Sandusky was as carefully considered and as authoritatively planned as any military enterprise in the West during the Revolution. As a distinct undertaking, it was intended to be effectual in ending the troubles upon the western frontiers of Pennsylvania and Virginia. The scheme was not irruptive in its origin, but smooth and steady-flowing. Its promoters were not only the principal military and civil officers in the Western Department, but a large proportion of the best known and most influential private citizens. In the month of May, 1782, there was an unusual stir among the settlements when it became known that the expedition against Sandusky was to go forward. The place for assembling was carefully considered, and from its central location on the line of a majority of the settlements Mingo bottom, in Jefferson county, Ohio, the place where Williamson's men had rendezvoused for the expedition against the Tuscarawas, was deemed the most desirable and chosen. Mingo bottom has gained much celebrity in history. It is what is now Steubenville township, Jefferson county, Ohio, about two and a half miles below the "town of Steubenville, and is a rich plateau, on the immediate bank of the Ohio, in the south half of section twenty-seven of township two, range one, of the government survey, extending south to a small affluent of the Ohio known as Cross creek. Opposite the upper portion of Mingo bottom is Mingo island, containing about ten acres, although much larger in 1782. It supports a scanty growth of willow bushes only; but, within the recollection of many now living, it was studded with trees of large: size,. particularly the soft maple. Cross creek, on the Virginia side, flows into the Ohio about three-fourths of a mile below. Before the great flood of 1832, the island contained not less than twenty acres. The usual place of crossing was directly from shore to shore across the head of the island. At the landing on the west bank the vagrant Min-goes had once a village—deserted, however; as early as 1772. Their town gave name to the locality. The Ohio has been forded at this crossing in very low water. The bluffs of the river are below the island, on the Virginia side; above, on the Ohio side. Mingo bottom contains about two hundred and fifty acres. The 20th of May was the day set for the meeting, and it had been arrange to meet on the east side of the river opposite the place of rendezvous. Many, however, were dilatory in their arrival at the Ohio, so that all had not gathered opposite Mingo bottom when the crossing began—indeed, some crossed the river at Wheeling and other points, and traveled along the west bank until they reached the site of the old Mingo town. On the 21st General Irvine wrote to Washington: "The volunteers are assembling this day at Mingo bottom, all on horseback, with :thirty days' provision." Irvine believed that the expedition would be able to effect a surprise and be successful in striking a severe blow to the Indians. He sent instructions directed " To the Office?. who will be appointed to command a detachment of Volunteer Militia on an expedition against the Indian town at or near Sandusky." Among other things contained in these instructions was the following: "The object of your command is to destroy with fire and sword (if .practicable), then you will doubtless perform such other services in your power as. will, in their consequences, have a tendency to answer this great end." Butterfield, in his history of Crawford's Expedition against Sandusky, makes the following foot-note in reference to this paragraph in Irvine's instructions: "The fictitious story of the bloody design of the volunteers against the remnant of the Christian Indians supposed to have been upon the Sandusky, had its origin in the publication, by a New York newspaper (the city then being in possession of the British), some time after the Gnadenhütten affair, of a report that Williamson and his band had been prevented, at that time, from proceeding to the Sandusky from the Muskingum, to destroy the remnant of the Moravian congregation. Therefore, reasoned the Moravian missionaries (who were then at or near Detroit), when an army did come to the Sandusky, it must, forsooth, have been the same band, come for the purpose of murdering the rest of the Christian Indians. Dr. Joseph Doddridge, in HISTORY OF BELMONT A.ND JEFFERSON COUNTIES, OHIO - 117 1824, following the Moravian Heckwelder, puts this down as an historical verity ; but adds: "The next object was that of destroy-ing the Wyandot towns on the. same river."—Notes, p. 269. In all examinations of the correspondence of those projecting the expedition against Sandusky, and of those who took part in that enterprise, as well as of papers and documents of that period relating thereto, and of cotemporaneous publications, I have not met with a single statement or word calculated to awaken a suspicion even of intended harm to the Christian In-dians upon the Sandusky. Whenever the objective point of the expedition is mentioned, it is invariably given as Sandusky or the Wyandot town or towns. " Against the Wyandot towns. —Knight's Narr., p. 4 (ed. 1783). " Against Sandusky."—Irvine to Washington, 21st May and 16th June 1782. "For Sandusky."—Marshal to Irvine, 29th May, 1'782. Even to the present day, the real object of the enterprise, strange as it may seem, is not understood by the Moravian historians. So firmly grounded in the belief of the bloody design is the Rev. Edmund de Schweinitz, in his Life of Zeisberger (p. 576), that when he discovers Irvine to have been a friend to the Christian Indians —heartily disapproving of the massacre at Gnadenhütten—he declares it evident that the Sandusky expedition " was under-taken without the knowledge of General Irvine, or that he was unable to hinder it!" This writer speaks of the expedition (p. 564) as a "second campaign against the Christian Indians, ' referring to the Gnadenhütten massacre as the first one. Certain it is that when the expedition was organizing it was understood that it was to be under the instructions of the com-mander of the -Western Department. In a letter to John Lyon, of Uniontown, Pa., dated Carlisle, November 10, 1799, Irvine says relative to the expedition: "In looking over my instructions to the officer who should be appointed to command that expedition, I find that he was enjoined to regulate rank of officers before he took up his line of march, and to impress on their minds that the whole must, from the moment they march, be, in all respects, subject to the rules and articles of war for the regular troops." He adds: "All the troops, both regulars and militia, were under my orders." Butterfield makes two other foot notes in reference to them, as follows: " In striking contrast with this language are the animadversions of the Moravian writers: 'Gang of murderers,' —Loskiel, Hist. Miss , P. iii P. 188. 'Gang of banditti:—Heckwelder, Hist , Ind. Nations, p. 120." "'Undertaken,' says Doddridge (Notes, 278), with the very worst views—those of murder and plunder !' A statement as erroneous as one could well be." In his appendix to the chapter containing the foregoing, Butterfield oh gives the following: "Note 2. That it was the intention of the expedition against Sandusky to destroy the remnant of the Christian Indians, is an error widely circulated. I have in my possession manuscript recollections of some of the volunteers, in which are indignant denials of the accusations made in Heckwelder's Narrative and Doddridge's Notes concerning the animus of the campaign. There seems to have been considerable feeling aroused in W estern Pennsylvania and Virginia upon the publication of these calumnies. . In justice, however, to Doddridge, who, as has been stated, early gave this error currency, it must be said that the Moravian writers, Loskiel and Heckwelder, were the first to assert it as truth." On the 24th of May, all had crossed the river, and were present. at the place appointed for the general meeting. Among the number was an aid-de-camp of Irvine, named John Rose, whom the General had sent to act as an aid to the officer who should be chosen by the men to command the expedition. He wrote Irvine that evening from Mingo bottom : Our number is actually four hundred and eighty men.", They were all from Washington and Westmoreland Counties, Pennsylvania, and the Pan Handle of Virginia. They assembled at one o'clock to elect their officers, and distributed themselves into eighteen companies. After a lively contest four. hundred and sixty-five votes were cast in the election for general officers, two hundred and thirty-five being for Col. William Crawford, of Westmoreland, and two hundred and thirty for David Wil-liamson, who had led the expedition to the Tuscarawas. Four field majors were then elected, ranking in the order named : David Williamson Thomas Gaddis, John McClelland, and Major Brinton. 'Williamson was therefore second in command. Daniel Leet was elected brigade-major; Dr. John Knight was appointed surgeon; and Jonathan Zane and John. Slover were chosen pilots. The named of all the captains of the companies have not been preserved for the use of the present historian, but among their number we have been enabled to obtain the following names : John Biggs, Craig Ritchie, John Miller, Joseph Bean, Andrew Hood, McGeehan, Hoagland, Beeson, Munn, Ross and Ogle. THE MARCH FROM MINGO BOTTOM TO SANDUSKY. Mr. Butterfield's work on "Crawford's Expedition to Sandusky" is the most carefully completed and valuable collection of facts of anything that has been presented to the public on this subject. From it we make the following extracts concerning the march of Crawford's army from Mingo bottom to the Sandusky plains: "Early on the morning of Saturday, the 25th of May, 1782, the army, under Crawford, in four columns, began its march from Mingo bottom, in the straightest direction, through the woods, for Sandusky, distant one hundred and fifty miles. A perfect harmony existed among the officers and men, and all were in high spirits:* The route lay through what is now the counties of Jefferson Harrison, Tuscarawas, Holmes, shland, Richland and Crawford—nearly to the centre of Wyandot county, Ohio. A direct course would have led near the present towns of New Philadelphia, Millersburg, Loudonville and Galion; but, as will hereafter be seen, this straight line was not followed. The whole distance, except about thirty miles at the end of the route, was through an unbroken forest. "The only indication of civilization—and that a very sad one—in all the region to be traversed, was the wasted missionary establishments in the valley of the Muskingum. Except in the open country just before reaching Sandusky, and along the immediate margins of the streams, the surface is hilly. The principal impediments to a rapid march were the hills, swamps and tangled growth of forests. * * * It had been estimated by Irvine that the distance could be made in seven days, and that one hundred and seventy-five miles would have to be traveled."   "As the cavalcade moved up over the bluff, an almost due west course was taken striking at once into the wilderness, now deepening and darkening around it. The army progressed rapidly at first, moving along the north side of Cross creek, which had already received the name it still bears. After leaving what is now Steubenville township, it passed through the present townships of Cross creek and Wayne, to the western boundary of Jefferson county, as at present defined; crossing thence into what is now Harrison county, in German township; thence across the summit to the spot where the town of Jefferson now stands. "From this point, a straight course would have led them at no great distance into what is now Carroll county. But their horses had tired under heavy loads in the hills and swamps. This obliged them to incline to the southward, toward the wasted Moravian towns, into a more level country, though. more frequented by hunters and warriors. This alternative was accepted by Crawford with great reluctance, as his policy was to avoid Indian trails and the region infested by the enemy, relying for success, as already stated, upon effecting a surprise. Otherwise, he would have followed "Williamson's trail" from Mingo bottom to the Muskingum, † which led along a considerable distance south, near where Smithfied, in Jefferson, and Cadiz, in Harrison county, now stand,—though a region not so difficult to be traversed, but on the line of Indian traces between that river and the Ohio. ‡ From the moment of starting, every precaution was taken against surprises or ambuscades, and this, too, although, as yet, not an Indian had been seen. The wily nature of the savage was too well understood by the commander of the expedition, to allow of any confidence of security, because no foe had been discovered. Unceasing vigilance was the watchword. Captain John Biggs' company, its lieutenant being young William Crawford, nephew of the commander, took the advance, on the march, led by the two pilots Slover and Zane. "John Rodgers stated to me," writes Robert A, Sherrard, " that the company he belonged to, in which were James Paull, Daniel * Marshal to Irvine, 29th May, 1782: Original letter. † Tuscarawas. ‡ Doddridge, in his account of Crawford's campaign, says: " The army marched along Williamson's Trail, as it was then called, until they had arrived at the upper Moravian town. But that of Butterfield is so minute that it bears evidence of being prepared from the most reliabe and trustworthy sources. Mr. Butterfield gives a foot note on page 160 of his work, in reference to this matter, as follows : " It is asserted by Doddridge that Williamson's trail was the one along which the volun-teers marched until their arrival at the upper Moravian village (Notes, 269) ; but, in addition to the testimony of Knight and Rose to the contrary, is the positive assertion that James Paull made to Robert A. Sherrard, in January, 1826, upon his attention being called to the subject. In that conversation, he gave the route indicated by Knight and Rose. Of this fact, I am informed by Mr. Sherrard." 118 - HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES, OHIO. Canon, Alexander Carson, my father (John Sherrard), and others, marched all the way as the first company. "Nothing worthy of note transpired until Monday night, the 27th, while at their third encampment. Here a few of the men lost their horses, which were hunted for the next morning, without success. It was thought best by Crawford that these men should return home, as their continuing with the army, unable as they would be, to carry little besides their arms, would only prove a source of embarrassment. Reluctantly, therefore, they retraced their steps to Mingo bottom. "On Tuesday, the 4th day of March, the army reached the Muskingum, some distance below the upper Moravian village, known as New Schönbrunn. * * * * "Crossing the Muskingum in the afternoon, and marching up the western side of the stream until they reached the upper village of the Christian Indians, they made their fourth encampment among its ruins. Only sixty miles had been made in the four days' travel—an average of but fifteen miles a day. This was a discouraging prospect to Crawford ; however, it was believed that better time could be made on the balance of the route, as the country would be less hilly and the loads upon the horses less burdensome. While the army lay encamped at this point, the horses were plentifully fed in the fields upon corn from the stalks, which was found still ungathered and in abundance—the unharvested crop of the previous year ! During the evening, Major Brinton and Captain Bean went some distance from camp to reconnoiter. When but a quarter of a mile away- they espied two savages, 'upon whom they immediately fired, but without effect. These were the first hostile shots fired at the foe. It was supposed, by Crawford, that the army had not before been discovered by the enemy. Fallacious belief ! Secrecy being now out of the question—as the two Indians had made their escape—it only remained for Crawford to press forward, with all practicable dispatch, to afford the enemy as little time as possible for offensive preparations." * * Concerning the discovery and escape of the two savages, Butterfield makes the following foot note : "Concerning this affair Doddridge in his Notes, p. 270, says: As soon as the news of the discovery of Indians had reached the camp, more than one-half the men rushed out without com-mand, and in the most tumultuous manner, to see what happened. Upon what authority this statement is made does not appear. It certainly is wholly unworthy of credit. 'From that time,' adds Doddridge, 'Colonel Crawford felt a presentiment of the defeat which followed.' This adds much to its improbability ; for surely, had he such a presentiment it would have been kept in 'his own breast. Schweitzer (Zeisberger p. 565), in copying this account from Doddridge, makes it still more absurd : A glimpse of two Indian scouts, watching their movements, threw them into such confusion that dark forebodings filled the mind of their leader!'" To this statement, Doddridge adds the following : " The truth is, that notwithstanding the-secrecy and dispatCh of the enter-prise, the Indians were beforehand with our people. They saw the rendezvous on the Mingo bottom, knew their number and destination. They visited every encampment immediately on their leaving it, and saw from their writing on the trees and scraps of paper that 'no quarter was to be given to any Indian, whether man, woman or child.'" De Hass, copied the same idea from Heckwelder and Doddridge, and clothed it in the following language : "The Indians were observing the motions of the troops. From the time the Christian Indians were murdered on the Muskingum, the savages had kept spies out, to guard against being again surprised. There was not a place of any importance on the Ohio, from Pittsburgh to Grave creek, left unobserved. Thus, when in May, two months after the destruction of the Moravian towns, the white settlers were seen in agitation, as if preparing for some enterprise, the news was brought to the Indians, and so from day to day, until Crawford's men had crossed the Ohio river, and even then their first encampment was reconnoitered. They knew the number of troops and their destination, visited every encampment immediately on their leaving it, when on their march, and saw from their writings on the trees, and scraps of paper, that `no quarter was to be given to any Indian, whether man, woman or child.'" The latter statement, like ;those in reference to the design of the expedition, originates with Heckwelder, who writes under the influences of extravagant prejudices, and is equally sus-ceptible of the charge of fiction. In reference to this matter, Butterfield makes foot note. See page 158. "The story that no quarter was to be given the Indians was set afloat in this wise: The Moravian Heckwelder, who, whern the campaign was undertaken, was at or near Detroit, was after ward told by Indians that it was reported that the Indian spiel who were sent to watch the movements of the Americans be fore and after their rendezvous at Mingo bottom, had, in examining their camp on the west side of the Ohio. after it ha( been left by the volunteers, found on trees peeled for that purpose, these words, written with coal and other mineral sub stances: `No quarter to be given an Indian, whether man woman or child ; and that papers with these words written or them, were picked up in their camp.—Heckwelder's Nar. pp. 341 342. This second-hand Indian report was set down, in 1824, by Rev. Dr. Jos. Doddridge (Notes, p. 270) as an historical fact ; and as such, has been extensively copied into the current histories of the day! It has thrown wide open the flood gates for the out-pouring of fierce declamation and indignation against there patriotic borderers who marched into the Indian country to in sure a better protection of their own." In regard to the vigilance of the savages, it may be said that in addition to their depredations upon the settlements, the success of Brodhead's expedition against the Delawares upon till Muskingum, followed by the two expeditions under William son to the Moravian towns, aroused the British Indians to the utmost activity and watchfulness. They kept their spies al along the Ohio, at all the most public places. Lurking savage; carefully watched the movements of the borderers, so that, in the event of the fitting out of another expedition to march into the Indian country, early intelligence of might be conveyed to the Sandusky and Miami towns. When, therefore early in May, a general stir was observed in the settlements and the borderers were seen in agitation, as if preparing for some enterprise, the news was soon carried by swift-footed braves to the Miami and the Sandusky. From day to day the progress of the movement was observed. From. day to 'day Indian runners struck swiftly into the wilderness, to carry the tidings to their towns. No sooner had the volunteers began t( cross the Ohio and rendezvous at Mingo bottom, than all doubt; vanished in the minds of the savages of a contemplated invasion of their towns and settlements upon one or the other of these rivers. Their villages were soon in a wild state of excitement—from the lower Wyandot town, the present site of Fremont, county seat of Sandusky county, to the lower Shawanese village, upon the spot where the town of Piqua, in Miami county, is now located. As yet, however, there was an uncertainty as to the particular point aimed at by the Americans. Skulking savages cautiously, and undiscovered by the volunteers, reconnoitered the camp at Mingo bottom; but the enemy gained no intelligence of the real intention of the frontiermen from their spies lurking nightly upon the distant bluffs. Judging from the point chosen for rendezvous, the army undoubtedly would march westward to the burnt Moravian villages; but not until the Muskingum was crossed, could the savages determine where the blow was to fall. The mystery would be solved by observing the course then taken. However one thing was clearly evident; the Americans were gathering in such numbers as to require a concentration of all the force the Indians could possibly muster to repel them. Runner therefore, were immediately dispatched from Sandusky to Detroit, with the startling intelligence, to the commandant that post, of the gathering of the Americans at Mingo bottom They also brought the earnest entreaty of the Wyandots for immediate help. In the meantime the Americans began their march from the Ohio river in a direction at once disclosing to the enemy t: point aimed at. Had the usual route to the Moravian village —the one taken by Williamson which followed along near the site of the present town of 'Cadiz, county seat of Harrison county—been followed, the mystery, for the reason already, explained, would not have been so readily solved. Now, however, there was no longer a question that the army was dire, ing its course for Sandusky—made doubly certain when t troops were observed to cross the Muskingum and march the stream to: the site of the upper Moravian town. Mr. Butterfield has compiled a detailed account of the mar to Sandusky, but it is not necessary to give it full in this connection. On the 2d of June the army reached a point on the Sandusky river within the limits of Crawford county. Butt, field says : "Nothing material had transpired during the mar from the Muskingum. Not an Indian had been seen. The army had traveled in the last five days about eighty-five mil They were now fairly in the enemy's country, distant due from the point of destination only twenty-five miles. They had, however, reached the river a little too far south to strike the 119 - HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES, OHIO. Wyandot trace, which led on directly west to their town. Slover announced to the commander that the open country—the Sandusky Plains—was but a few miles away, in a southwest dSiar direction. Following along the southern margin of the stream until it suddenly swept around to the north, the army then struck off from it through a somewhat broken country for two miles, and encamped a short distance beyond, where the surface was quite level." Early on the morning of the 3d the army reached the open plains and continued its march. The next day the mouth of Little Sandusky was reached—a familiar spot to Slover. Butterfield proceeds: "Crossing the river Crawford's course was along the east bank of the stream, following the Indian trace in a direction a little west of north, in what is now Pitt township. The army moved with great caution. Not an Indian, however, was seen. Crawford was assured by Slover that the Wyandot town was close at hand. As yet there had not been discovered any indications of an Indian settlement, except a sugar-camp, where maple sugar had evidently been made the previous spring. Passing a bluff bank, the river made a sudden turn, flowing almost directly west. The movement of the army was now rapid. A little farther on, just where the river enters what is now Crane township, suddenly an opening in the woods before them was discernible—and the Wyandot town was reached. To the utter astonishment of the whole army, it was found uninhabited! All was a solitude. The log huts, had, apparently, been deserted for some time. Here was a dilemma! No one in the army had known of the removal of the Wyandots from their town. It was their principal village when Slover was a captive among the Miamis, and had often been visited by him. The volunteers began to suspect there had been a great mistake made; that there was no settlement of the Indians nearer than Lower Sandusky—over forty miles below. Crawford ordered a halt. It was now one o'clock in the afternoon, and the commander desired a brief time for a consideration of the strange aspect of affairs and for a consultation with his officers. The volunteers dismounted, and many slaked their thirst from a fine spring not far from the mar in of the stream. Their horses were refreshed upon the wild grass growing luxuriantly upon the river bottom The site of the deserted village was a beautiful one. There was a considerable belt of timber to the westward, skirting to the plains, which were distant nearly a mile. It was, therefor well protected from the bleak winds of winter and from the ea autumnal fire's which swept the open country. Its location was three miles, in a southeasterly direc-tion, from the site of the present town of Upper Sandusky, county seat of Wyandot county, on the opposite or east side of the river and upon its immediate bank. THE INDIAN AND BRITISH FORCES. The dusky allies of Great Britain now making such desper-ate exertions to prepare themselves for the conflict with the Americans, were principally Wyandots, Delawares and Shawanese. The Wyandots in this region numbered, in 1782, not far from seven hundred, and their principal chief was at that time called the Half King. The village on the Sandusky found deserted by Crawford, the one known to Slover and Zane, had been occupied by the Wyandots, but they had some time previously removed to the village where the Half King dwelt on the river, eight miles below. The Delawares had, after the expedition against them by General Brodhead, drawn back from the Muskingum and located in this region. Their principal chiefs were Captain Pipe and Wingenund. They brought into the action with the Americans two hundred warriors. The Shawanese were forty miles away, but on the morning of the 4th they started to the aid of the Wyandots and Delawares with two hundred warriors. The British commandant at Detroit, after receiving intelligence of the probable invasion of the Sandusky country, dispatched a considerable force, consisting of Butler's Rangers, to help the Indian allies. These troops were all mounted and had with them two field-pieces and a mortar. The whole of the Indian forces were under the command of Captain Mathew Elliot. He was an Irishman. At the commencement of the Revolution, he lived Path Valley, Pennsyslvania. A number of tories resided in Lis township, among whom Elliot was a leader. But, as hostilities increased, the place became too warm for them, as a large portion of the population was whigs. Elliot fled to the West, where he was well known as an Indian trader. He afterwards found himself at Detroit, where he soon succeeded in convincing the commandant of his tory proclivities, who gave him a commission as cap-tain, and sent him back to Pittsburgh as a spy. Here he remained some time, and finally, in company with Alexander McKee, who had formerly been a British agent among the In-dians, but who was now suffered by the Americans to go at large on parole, and other disaffected persons and deserters from Fort Pitt,* again appeared upon the Muskingum early in 1778, to stir up the Delawares to hostility against the United States. As an officer of the Indian Department at Detroit, he served the British during the Revolution, vibrating between that post and the country of the Ohio Indians, as his services seemed to be needed. Elliot arrived at the rendezvous of the savages early on the 4th of June in the full uniform. of a British captain, and was lustily greeted by the assembled Delawares and Wyandots. He immediately assumed command of the Indians—a position he was eminently qualified to fill, owing to his intimate acquaintance with their language and customs, and to his. knowledge of the surrounding country. It was believed among the volunteers that Simon Girty had the chief command, from the fact that his voice was recognized in the battle which ensued, and by many of them it was after-wards so reported. BATTLE OF SANDUSKY, JUNE 4TH, 1782. Butterfield gives an admirable description of the battle of Sandusky, from which we make the following extracts: "A brief hour terminated the halt of the American army on the site of the deserted Wyandot town, where, at one o'clock on the 4th of June, we left Crawford—in doubt as to what ought to be done, owing to the strange state of affairs. Of the location of an Indian village eight miles below, on the west side of the Sandusky, Crawford was pretty well assured; but would not that one also be found without inhabitants? Slover was of opinion that the Indians of the upper town had moved to the lower one. Settlements, he thought, would soon be reached. He remembered their proximity in former years. Crawford, therefore, determined to move forward in search of them. "The army crossed the river just below the site of the old town, at a point half a mile from the deserted Moravian huts, followed the Indian trace, which led across a broad, level bottom, in a northerly direction, to the bluffs, or high ground, beyond. Three miles from the starting point brought them to the springs, where upper Sandusky is now located; when, after marching a mile further, some of the men, for the first time, expressed a desire to return home—alleging they had but five days' provisions in reserve. Crawford, stopping the march, im-mediately called a council of war, consisting of the captains and field officers. Knight and Rose were also invited, as were Slover and Zane. The opinion of the latter had great weight with Crawford, who knew Zane to be exceedingly well versed in Indian strategy. "Zane advised an immediate return. He was of opinion that the Indians would, in the end, bring an overwhelming force against them. A further march into their country, he reasoned, even though the army had supplies in abundance, would only be giving more time to the enemy to gather reinforcements. That none of the Indians had, as yet, been discovered in the Plains was a sure evidence, in his judgment, that they were concentrating at some point not far away for a determined resistance. The views of Crawford coincided with those of Zane. It was finally determined by the council that the army should continue its march that afternoon, but no longer."† An advance guard of light horse had been sent forward to reconnoitre, which followed the Indian trail through the open country. They came upon a beautiful grove somewhat elevated above the surrounding prairies, where they stopped a few moments, and again struck out in search of traces of the enemy. They had not proceeded more than a mile from the grove when they suddenly came upon full view of the Indians, who were moving directly toward them. One of their number, riding the fleetest horse, was immediately dispatched to inform Crawford, and the balance slowly retired as the foe advanced. The warriors in advance were the Delawares under The Pipe, their famous war chief. With him were Wingenund and Simon * Mathew Elliot, Alexander McKee, and Simon Girty fled from Fort Pitt with a squad of twelve soldiers. † Doddridge speaks of the officers holding a council, but is in error as to the time and place ; also, as to its determination. (Notes, 270.) 120 - HISTORY OF BELMONT' AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES, OHIO. Girty. Their object in moving south was to secure the grove before the arrival of the Americans. The Wyandots under Zhaus-sho-toh were held back by Elliot for the present. "Just as the officers of the American army," says Butterfield, "had ended their council of war, the scout from the north came riding up at full speed, announcing the discovery and advance of the savages. The news was received with evident satisfaction by the whole army. Rapidly the volunteers mounted and fell into line. Crawford immediately prepared to meet the enemy he bad been so anxiously looking for. An advance was ordered, which was obeyed with alacrity. The army was now joined by the retiring scouts, who reported the Indians just ahead in considerable force, evidently prepared to offer them battle." Mr. Butterfield continues his description of the battle as follows: "The Americans had advanced scarcely a, mile when the enemy was discovered immediately in front, taking possession of the grove the light horse had so recently abandoned. Crawford, instantly detecting the advantage this would give the foe, ordered his men to dismount; and a quick, forward movement, with brisk firing by the Americans, soon drove the Indians out of the wood into the open prairie to the north, the former getting full possession of the grove. The savages then attempted to gain a small skirt of woods on the right of our army, but were prevented by the bravery and vigilance of Major Leet, who had command in that quarter. Just then the Delawares, who had bravely met the first shock of the battle, were reinforced by the Wyandots. "Elliot, who was now present and in command of the entire force of the enemy, ordered The Pipe, with his Delawares, to flank to the right and attack Crawford in the rear. This was quickly accomplished, the Indians passing along just beyond the edge of the grove on the west; and the action became at once general, close and hot. This skillful manoeuvre of the savages came well nigh proving fatal to the Americans but the latter, having the advantage of position, maintained their ground, although clearly outnumbered by their assailants. The firing began at four o'clock and continued very warm on both sides. Girty was conspicuous in his excitement and endeavors. The enemy were sheltered by the grass which grew high and rank upon the plains, so that they could scarcely be seen, when on foot, at any great distance away. On the other hand, the Americans were better protected by the grove they had so bravely secured. "At times it was doubtful how the day would end, as the battle continued with varying success. After a while, however, it was evident to Crawford that the Indians were slacking their efforts. Toward sunset they became more cautious in their attacks, being evidently less inclined to expose them-selves to the deadly aim of the frontiersmen; and finally, at dusk, they drew back further into the plains, and the firing ceased as daylight disappeared. "The afternoon had been unusually hot. Little or no air was stirring. The river was over a mile away from the battle-ground, and the soldiers suffered very much from thirst. No spring was near nor running stream. Many canteens were emptied long before the battle was ended. Several of the volunteers went in search of water. John Sherrard was one of the number—his gun having become useless' to him from forc-ing a bullet into the barrel without powder. After a while, in wandering about, he came to a spot where a tree had been, blown down and a considerable depression in the ground had been caused by the upheaval of the roots. Here he found some stagnant water. After quenching his thirst he filled his canteen and hat, and, thus supplied, made his way to his company —the men eagerly drinking of the water, bad as it was. The residue of the time, during the battle, Sherrard employed in traveling back and forth with canteens filled at the pool, the bullets flying thickly around him, but he escaped unhurt. "As the battle progressed, the savages, skulking in the high grass of the prairie, would frequently get within close range of the guns of the Americans, generally to be shot before they could make good their retreat ; for, in all manoeuvres of that sort, the volunteers were the equals of the Indians. Some of the borderers climbed trees, and from their bushy tops took deadly aim at the heads of the enemy as they arose above the grass. Daniel Canon was conspicuous in this novel mode of warfare. He was one of the dead-shots of the army ; and, from his lofty hiding place, the reports of his unerring rifle, gave unmistakable evidence of the killing savages. 'I do not know how many Indians I killed,' said he, afterward, 'but I never saw the same head again above the grass after I had shot at it.'"* * This interesting incident was communicated to Mr. Butterfield by Robert A. Sherrard. Crawford was left in full possession of the battle field, yet the Indians were not dispirited, for they knew reinforcements hastening to their relief, which would soon reach them. American army, during the three hours and a half contest, five killed and nineteen wounded. Of the latter were Major Brinton, Captains Munn and Ross, Lieutenant Ashley, En McMasters, and Philip Smith. Captain Ogle was killed; private John Campbell, of Pigeorn creek, Washington county. Both parties lay on their arms during the night, and adopted the policy of kindling large fires along their lines then retiring some distance in the rear of them, to prevent being surprised by a night attack.. CRAWFORD'S RETREAT AND ESCAPE OF THE NAIN BODY UNDER WILLIAMSON. On the morning of the 5th, desultory firing at long shot began, which was kept up during the day. Little damage done and both parties retained their relative positions. Early on this morning Crawford would gladly have made a vigoous attack upon the foe, but owing to the fatigue and sickness of his men and the extreme heat, he was unable to do so, he deferred a general attack until nightfall. Throughout day plans for a night attack was agreed upon, and preparations made to strike a decisive blow with hopes of success. during the afternoon all plans and hopes were suddenly char The sentinels discovered an advancing troop of mounted hastening, to the aid of the Indians. These were Butler's Rangers from Detroit. Crawford immediately called a council of the officers. and while deliberating, another band of warriors apparently two hundred strong—were seen rapidly advancing, from the south. Other small squads of savages were discovered" constantly arriving. "They kept pouring in from. all quart are the words of John Rose in his letter to General Irvine. Instead of the contemplated attack, a retreat that night at once agreed upon. Orders were given, and immediately preparations for the retreat were made. Tne volunteers killed were 'now buried, and fires burned their graves to prevent discovery. Of the twenty-three wounded, seven were in a "dangerous condition. Biers were prep, for these. The wounds of the others were mostly slight ; so bad but they could ride on horseback. The whole body to form in four lines, or divisions, keeping the wounded in center. By sundown the arrangements were all complete. The retreat was to commence at nine o'clock at night. Indians, however, became apprized of this intended retreat and about sundown attacked the army with great force fury, in every direction, excepting that of Sandusky. When the line of march was formed by the commander-in-chief, and the retreat commenced, the guides prudently the direction of Sandusky, which afforded the only opening in the Indian lines, and the only chance of concealment. A marching about a mile in this direction, the army wheeled about to the left, and by a circuitous route gained, before the trail by which they came. Although the enemy had early discovered the movement the.. Americans and had opened fire upon them, yet they were in great confusion. and apparent alarm. It was not clear them that a retreat was really intended by Crawford. They were fearful it was only a feint—a ruse or manoeuvre of some kind, not a flight. It was, perhaps, this uncertainty, or the well-known aversion of the Indians to night contests that saved the borderers. Certain it is the enemy did not make immediate effort to pursue them. The next morning a halt was called; many had got separated, and the main army did not then number more than three hundred. It was discovered that Col. Crawford was missing one could give any information concerning him;—whether killed, captured, or making his escape through the wilderness, was a matter of conjecture with every one. Dr. John Knight and John Slover were also missing. Major McClelland was reported killed. The command of the army now devolved upon William who immediately exerted himself in collecting the different parties, and in bringing order out of the general confusion. He was powerfully aided by the gallant Rose, and the retreat was again continued. Jonathan Zane, whose skill as a woodsman is well known and who had acted as guide to the expedition, accompanied Williamson on the retreat and rend effcient service in piloting them through. Doddridge gave the following account of the separation of Crawford from the army, which has been copied by De. and others: HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES, OHIO - 121 "At the commencement of the retreat, Colonel Crawford placed himself at the head of -ate army, and continued there until they had gone about a quarter of a mile, when missing his son John Crawford, his son-in-law Major Harrison, and his nephews Major Rose* and William Crawford, he halted and called for them as the line passed, but without finding them. After the army had passed him, he was unable to overtake it, owing to the weariness of his horse. Falling in. company with Dr. Knight, and two others, they traveled all night, first north and then to the east to avoid the pursuit of the Indians. They directed their course to the north star. A full detail of the incidents of the retreat would occupy more space than we are enabled to devote to this unfortunate affair, but we make the following extract from Butterfield's work, which we deem of importance for our purpose in these pages: "John Sherrard, whose services in supplying his company with water upon the battlefield have been noticed, overtook the army just before the latter left the woodland again to thread its. way in the open country in what is now Crawford county. His story was a melancholy one. In company with Daniel Harbaugh, after having become separated from the division to which he belonged, just as the retreat commenced the evening before, he had followed, as best he could, the main body of the troops, making, however, very slow progress, owing to the darkness, which rendered it exceedingly difficult to keep the trail of the retreating forces. "It was a fortunate circumstance the two followed in the rear of the divisions moving to the southwest from the field of battle; for, had they taken the track of McClelland's party, which led between the camps of the Delawares and Shawanese, both, doubtless, would have been killed or captured. Not long after sunrise the next morning they had gained the woods, and were moving along the trace on the east side of the Sandusky, some distance south of where the Old Town formerly stood, when Sherrard, who was riding in advance of his companion, saw an Indian a short distance away on his left. He immediately dismounted and got behind a tree, calling, at the same time, to his comrade to place himself in. a like posture of defense. "Harbaugh had not been quick enough in discovering the Indian; for getting upon the exposed side of the tree, he was quickly shot by the savage; exclaiming, as he gradually sunk down in a sitting posture: 'Lord, have mercy upon me! I am a dead man!' and immediately expired. As soon as the smoke of the Indian's gun had cleared away, the savage was discovered by Sherrard, running, as if for life doubtless expecting a shot from the latter. But he had already escaped beyond the reach of a bullet. " At the sight of Harbaugh's pale face his friend was greatly moved—more unmanned than at any of the scenes he had witnessed during the battle. After a moment to collect his thoughts, Sherrard stripped the saddle and bridle from his dead companion's horse turning the animal loose. He then relieved his own 'horse of a very uncomfortable pack-saddle, and put in its place the saddle of Harbaugh. Mounting and taking a parting glance at the lifeless form of his comrade, still in a sit-ting posture, he rode sadly onward. Sherrard had proceeded on the trail not a very great distance when he made the discovery that, in the excitement of the moment, he had forgotten to disengage from the pack-saddle-he had left behind his supply of provisions, which were rolled up in a blanket. He resolved to retrace his steps and secure what had thus inadvertently been left. Upon returning to the spot where Harbaugh was shot a shocking spectacle was presented to his view. The Indian had returned, scalped the lifeless soldier and then made off with his horse, gun, and bridle. Sherrard's pack-saddle and blanket had, however, not been discovered by the savage. A brief examination disclosed the fact that Harbaugh had received the fatal bullet in his right breast. "Sherrard, securing his blanket and provisions, again re-sumed his journey, overtaking the retreating army soon after, without any further encounter with an enemy, and was cordially greeted by his companions in arms." The little retreating army was compelled to fight another battle, to save itself from destruction, which Butterfield designates as the battle of Olentangy. This took place on the 6th of June, at the eastern edge of the open country, near a small * The statement that Major Rose was a nephew of Crawford's is a great error. The man who had been an aid-de-camp of General Irvine, had passed by the name of John Rose, and had been sent as an aid to the commander of this expedition, afterwards proved to be a Russian baron who had fled his country for having killed a nobleman in an encounter, and joined the Continental army to aid in the struggle against Great Britain, for independence. Iris real name was Gustavus H. de Rosenthal. 16-B. & J. COS. branch of the Olentangy creek, in what is now Crawford county. On this day the enemy was discovered in pursuit, and being superior in numbers and equipments, endeavored to cut off the retreat of the Americans before they could regain the forest. The Americans made a sudden and vigorous attack, which they maintained long enough to drive back the advance of the pur-suers and gain the woods, and a drenching rain and storm ended the conflict In tnis engagement they had three killed and eight wounded. The army resumed the retreat, and the enemy continued to skirmish on the rear and flanks, during the 7th and 8th, but without serious result, and on the latter day the pursuit was abandoned to the great relief of the Americans. The last shot is said to have been fired near where the village of Crestline now stands. Williamson experienced considerable trouble, during the exciting events of the retreat, in keeping the army together and preserving order. "Not a man of you will ever reach home," he exclaimed, "if any one attempts to shift for himself. Your only salvation is in keeping in line. Our ranks once broken, and all is lost." "The homeward march," proceeds Butterfield. " was along the trail of the army when outward bound,—to the Muskingum. The stream was crossed on the 10th, between the two upper Moravian towns. From this point to the Ohio (Williamson's Trail was followed—the troops reaching Mingo bottom on the 13th, when, to their great joy, they found that several of the missing had arrived before them—some, indeed, two days previous. "On the 11th, Marshall wrote Irvine from Washington county, informing him of the failure of the campaign, and inclosing a letter from one of the soldiers who had left the army on the 6th. This moment ' says Marshall, 'came to hand the inclosed letter, by which you will learn the unhappy fate of our little army. What the consequences may be, God only knows.. I would fondly hope that matters are not quite so bad as they are represented.' Pentecost, whose home was but twenty-five miles from Mingo bottom, also heard, on the same day, of the result of the expedition, and made haste to inform himself of the true state of affairs met the men, he wrote to the executive of the State on the 17th, at Mingo bottom last Wednesday. He also informed Moore that the men were much confused when he met them and he could not get as much information as he de-sired. *list little I got, adds Pentecost, was from Major Rose, aid-de-camp to General Irvine, who went as aid to Col. Crawford. I hope the general will give you a particular ac-count, as he will receive it from the major. " The army re-crossed the Ohio river immediately upon reaching it, without accident. It was while the troops were thus engaged that Rose wrote to Irvine : 'Those volunteers who marched from here * * * under the command of Col. William Crawford, are this moment returned, and recrossing the Ohio with, Col. Williamson." I am sorry to observe,' continues the chivalric writer, " they did not meet with that success which so spirited an enterprise, and the heroic bravery of the greater part deserved." "Williamson, also, at the same time and place, wrote to the commander of the Western Department: take this opportunity to make you acquainted with our retreat from Sandusky Plains, June 6th. We were reduced to the necessity of making a forced march through the enemy's lines in the night, much in disorder; but the main body marched round. the Shawanese camp, and were lucky enough to escape their fire. They marched the whole night, and the next morning were rein-forced by some companies, of which I can not give a particular account, as they were so irregular and so confused. * * * "I must acknowledge myself ever obliged to Major Rose for his assistance, both in the field of action and in the camp. His character in our camp is estimable. "Opposite Mingo bottom on the evening of the 13th, the troops went into camp for the last time. On the 14th they were discharged, and the campaign, of only twenty days' duration, was ended. "Concerning the causes which produced the failure of the expedition against Sandusky, it may be said there was a con-catenation of circumstances contributing to the disaster. The expedition of Brodhead and Williamson to the Muskingum, produced more than usual watchfulness of the border by tile enemy. This led to an early knowledge of the movement ; whereby the savages were enabled to make preparations to meet the invaders of their territory. And to this is chargeable, to a great extent, the calamitous result of the enterprise. The strict-ures of Irvine, as given in his official account of the campaign to the commander-in-chief, were, as viewed from his stand-point, 122 - HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES, OHIO. undoubtedly just. It seems that he supposed the Wyandotte town was only deserted just before the arrival of tile army. The opinions of the rank and file were, as hereafter mentioned, that inexperience on the part of the officers contributed greatly to the failure of the expedition ; nevertheless, if this was the approximate cause of the failure, the remote ones were as we have stated. But great praise must be awarded the patriotic volunteers, who so bravely imperiled their lives, notwithstand-ing the enterprise did not prove successful. During the twenty days of the campaign, each one, with a single exception, was a day of marching. Two battles were, fought in the meantime, and two victories won. The extrication of the army from the toils woven around it by a foe so much superior in numbers, may be considered remarkable." CAPTURE AND DEATH OF COLONEL CRAWFORD. In the retreat, as we have seen, Crawford had become separated from the main body by reason of his horse falling. In the confusion and panic, every man was looking out for himself, so that no other horse could be had. Crawford called for his son John, his nephew William and his son-in-law William Harrison, who being aids to the Colonel, should have been near him in the line of duty, and from one of whom he would have obtained a horse to enable him to push forward and regain his position as commander. But neither answered his call. Doctor Knight, surgeon of the expedition, came galloping up, and both calling for the three men above named and getting no response, Crawford requested Knight to remain with him, which he did. Crawford then denounced the troops for disobeying orders. Hot firing was going on in front, toward the southwest, which indicated that the enemy was between him and the main body of his troops, and he and Knight moved east, reaching the Sandusky about midnight, and by daylight of June 6, they were but eight miles away from the battlefield, by reason of darkness and jaded horses. But by two o'clock in the afternoon they made nine miles, and fell in with Captain Biggs and others during the day, and also, a wounded Officer, Lieutenant Ashley, whom Biggs was carrying. Camping over night, they had gone a short distance next morning, (June 7), when they found a dead deer, and shortly after met a volunteer who had shot it. Making a meal of the deer, all started on their journey. Crawford and Knight by this time were on foot. When near the present site of Leesville, on the south side of the Sandusky, they were confronted by several Indians, who had ambuscaded them. One Indian took Crawford by the hand, and another the hand of Knight. They were then taken to a Delaware camp half a mile away where they remained two days with nine other prisoners. 'The Indians had killed and scalped Biggs and Ashley, and their scalps and two horses were brought into camp. On the 10th of June, Crawford was taken to the Half King's Town, and the other prisoners to another town. In the night Crawford had an interview with Simon Girty, who was at Half King's Town, and whom he offered one thousand dollars to save hi-in, he having known Girty before the latter became a British captain. This offer becoming known to Captain Pipe and the other chiefs they arranged for his death in the shortest possible time. lie was taken to the old town on the morning of June 11, with Knight and the other prisoners, with their faces painted black, indicating their fate. Pipe and Winuenund came and shook hands with Crawford, having known him years before. Pipe then painted Crawford's face black with coal and water, and all started on a trail to another Delaware town. Here they halted, and saw five prisoners tomahawked by boys and squaws, and their scalps were thrust into the faces of Knight and Crawford. Here Knight was given over to some Indians to be taken next day to the Shawanese towns. Crawford and Knight were then taken to Pipe's village. In the afternoon, Crawford was taken to a spot where a stake had been set in the ground, and a fire kindled about seven feet away. Around were nearly a hundred Indians, mostly squaws and boys. Girty, Pipe, Wingenund, and a British officer in disguise were near. Knight was present, tied and guarded, but lived to detail these particulars. Crawford was stripped, his hands bound by a rope, fastened to the stake and to his wrists, with play sufficient to enable him to walk around the post, or sit down. He then asked, after they had beat him, if they intend-ed to burn him and being answered that they did, he remarked that he would bear it patiently. Pipe then made a speech to the Indians, who took their guns and shot powder into Crawford's flesh from his feet to his neck. They then cut off his ears, and thrust burning sticks into his body. The squaws putting burning faggots upon his feet, so that he literally walked on fire. In his pain he called on Girty to shoot him, but Girty re: laughingly that he had no gun. Heckwelder says that Crawford also called on Wingenund to save him, but the chief re: that the King of England, if on the ground, could not save Being almost dead he fell on his stomach, when he was scalped and a squaw put coals on his head; then he raised upon feet again, and began to walk around. Knight was then taken away, but the next morning he was marched by the spot, told by his Indian guard to look at his "big captain," which did, and saw only his charred bones in the ashes, around were the Indians had danced all night, wildly singing the scalp of " Aw-oh-aw-oh-aw-oh." Col. Crawford's nephew and son-in-law, who were also captured, were executed at the Shawanese town. His son, John escaped and returned home. ESCAPE OF DR. KNIGHT. Knight was taken in charge by a Delaware chief', who was to guard the Doctor to a Shawanese town, more than a day's trave distant. Before starting Knight was painted black, which meant that he was to suffer torture. The Indian was mounted, splendid steed, while Knight was compelled to plod along in front of him on foot. When evening came on they halted for the night in the vicinity of Kenton, Hardin county, having made considerable more than half the journey. The Indian bound the Doctor and then ordered him to lie down and sleep, which he pretended to do, but kept awake nearly the whole night, watching for the savage to go to sleep, so he could make an effort to escape. chief, however, did not sleep a wink, but closely eyed his prisoner, evidently suspecting the Doctor's intention. Early in the morning the Indian untied Knight, and then devoted himself to stirring up the fire, preparatory to cooking some breakfast While at this, and with his back toward him, the Doctor picked up a stick of wood that lay with one end in the fire, and it struck the Indian a, blow on the side of the head which felled him to the ground, and, when in the act of drawing back to strike another blow, the Indian scrambled off on his hands and knees until out of reach of Knight, and then jumped to his feet and ran off into the forest. Knight then snatched up the Indian's gun and aimed to shoot him, but, in the excitement broke the lock in cocking it. He then followed some dist when he gave up the chase and returned to the camping ground, and, gathering up the blanket, moccasins, and ammunition which belonged to the chief, started on his way for Fort Pitt. He traveled on all that day and night, stopping at intervale to rest, and until the following evening, when he was comp to halt from fatigue and hunger. The next morning he t away the gun, since he -was unable to repair it. His course continued eastward through the present counties of Hardin, Crawford, Richland, Wayne and Tuscarawas to the Tuscarawas river, which he reached at a point a short distance above the mouth of what is known as Conotten creek (sometimes called One Leg), where he rested and refreshed himself with various kinds of berries which he found in abundance in the bottoms along the river. From the Tuscarawas he kept a course almost due east, ing all trails and open ground, and arrived at the Ohio river below Fort McIntosh. From here he followed up the ri Fort Pitt, at which place he arrived on the 4th of July weeks after making his escape. ESCAPE OF JOHN SLOVER. "John Slover, who had been a prisoner among the and was one of the pilots of the army, was also taken prisoner, to one of the Shawanese towns on the Scioto. After being there a few days and as he thought, in favor of the Indians, a c of the chiefs was held in which it was resolved that should be burned. The fires were kindled and he was blackened and tied to a stake, in an uncovered end of the council Just about as they were commencing the torture there came on suddenly, a heavy thunder gust with a great fall of rain put out the fires. After the rain was over the Indian concluded that it was then too late to commence and finish the torture that day, and therefore postponed it till the next day. Slover was then loosed from the stake, conducted to an empty house, to a log to which he was fastened with a buffalo tug fastened around his neck, his arms were pinioned behind him with a cord. Until late in the night the Indians sat up smoking and talking. They frequently asked Slover how he would like to eat fire the next day. At length one of them laid down and went to sleep, the other continued smoking and talking HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES, OHIO - 123 with Slover. Sometime after midnight, he also laid down and went to sleep. Slover then. resolved to make an effort to get loose if possible, 6,nd soon extricated one of his hands from the cord and then fell to work with the tug round his neck, but without effect. He had not been long engaged in these efforts, when one of the Indians got up and smoked his pipe awhile. During this time Slover kept very still for fear of an examination. The Indian lyin. g down, the prisoner renewed his efforts, but for some time without effect. He resigned himself to his fate, after resting for awhile,-he resolved to make another and a last effort, and as. he rela. ted, put his hand to the tug, and without difficulty shpped it over his head. The day was just then breaking. He sprang over a fence into a cornfield, but had proceeded but a little distance in the field before he came across a squaw and several children, lying asle'ep under a mulberry tree. He then changed his course for part of the .commons of the town, on which be saw some horses feeding. Passing over the fence from the field, he found a piece of an old quilt. This he took with him. It was the only covering he had. He then untied the cord from the other arm, which by this time was very much swollen. Having selected as he thought, the best hoise on the commons he tied tdhe cord' to his lower jaw, mounted him and rode off at full speed The horse gave out about 10 o'clock so he had to leave him. He then traveled on foot with a stick in one hand which he put up. the weeds behind him, for fear of bebing tracked by the Indians. In the other hand he carried a bunch of bushes to brush the gnats and mosquitoes from his from his naked body. Being. perfectly acquainted with the route he reached the river Ohio in a short time almost famished with hunger and exhausted with fatigue." A BALLAD OF THE OLDEN TIME. The following quaint old ballad, illustrative of the songs of the olden time, contains a very fair account of the Crawford campaign. Much of the early history of this region might be obtained from the verses and songs of the pioneers, but unfortunately, many of them have entirely disappeared and are beyond the reach of the antiquarian. The following is from an admirable collection of these ballads entitled "South Western Pennsylvania in Song and Story ; " compiled and published by rank Cowen, Esq., of Greensburgh, Pa. CRAWFORD'S DEFEAT. Come all you good people wherever you be, Pray draw near awhile and listen to me; A story I'll tell you which happened of late, Concerning brave Crawford's most cruel defeat. A bold hearted company, as we do hear, Equipped themselves, being all volunteer ; Their number four hundred and eighty and nine; To take the Sandusky town was their design. In seventeen hundred eighty and two, The twenty-sixth of May, I tell unto you, They crossed the Ohio, as I understand, Where brave Colonel Crawford, he gave the command. With courage undaunted away they did steer, Through the Indian country without dread or fear, Where Nicholson, Slover, and Jonathan Zane Conducted them to the Sandusky plain. Now brave Colonel Crawford, an officer bold, On the fifth day of June did the Indians behold On the plains of Sandusky; at three the same day, Both armies did meet in battle array. The Indians on horseback - Girty gave the command— On the side of the plains, they boldly did stand; Our men like brave heroes upon them did fire, Until backward the Indians were forced to retire. Our rifles did rattle and bullets did fly; And some of our men on the ground there did lie; And some being wounded, to comrades, they said, "Fight on, brother soldiers, and be not dismayed!" Then brave Colonel Williamson, as I understand, He wanted two hundred men at his command : If the same had been granted, I make no great doubt, But he soon would have put the proud Indians to rout. For this brave commander, like a hero so bold, Behaved with courage, like David of old, Who with the Philistiens he used to war, And returned safe home without receiving a scar. There was brave Major Brinton, the first in command, In the front of the battle he boldly did stand ; With courage and conduct, his part did maintain, Though bullets like hail in great showers they came. And as this brave hero was giving command, The rifle balls rattled on every hand, He received a ball, but his life did not yield; He remained with the wounded men out on the field. Brave Biggs and brave Ogle received each a ball : On the plains of Sandusky, it was their lot to fall; And not these alone, but several men Had the honor to die on the Sandusky plain. There was brave Captain Munn like a hero of old, Likewise Captain Ross, who was another as bold, Received each a ball, but did not expire, Though into the camp they were forced to retire. There was brave Captain Hogland, I must not go past: He fought out and bravely, while the battle did last, And on the retreat to a the did go— What became of him after, we never did know. There was Ensign McMasters, another as brave; He fought many battles his country to save; On the plains of Sandusky, he received a wound— Not being able to go, he was left on the ground. There were Sherrard and Rogers with Paull of renown: They marched with Crawford to the Sandusky town, Where they bravely did fight till the battle was done, And without a scar they returned safe home. Our officers all so bravely did fight, And likewise our men, two days and a night, Until a reinforcement of Indians there came, Which caused us to leave the Sandusky plain. Then said our commander, "Since we have lost ground— By superior numbers they do us surround— We'll gather the wounded men, and let us save All that's able to go, and the rest we must leave." There was brave Colonel Crawford upon the retreat, Likewise Major Harrison and brave Doctor Knight, With Slover, the pilot, and several men, Were unfortunately taken on the Sandusky plain. Well, now they have taken these men of renown, And dragged them away to the Sandusky town, And there in their council condemned for to be Burnt at the stake by cruel Girty. Like young Diabolians, they this act did pursue, And Girty, the head of this infernal crew— This renegade whiteman was a stander-by, While there in the fire their bodies did fry. The scalps from their heads while alive they did tear ; Their bodies with red-hot irons they did sear; They bravely expired without ever a groan, Which might melt the heart that was harder than stone After our heroes were burnt at the stake, Brave Knight and brave Slover, they make their escape ; And with Heaven's assistance, they brought us the news, So none need the truth of these tidings refuse. Now, from East unto West, let it be understood— Let every one arise to revenge Crawford's blood, And likewise the blood of these men of renown, That were taken and burnt at the Sandusky town. CHAPTER XVI. INDIAN PURSUIT OF FUGITIVES FROM THE CRAWFORD EXPEDITION —ADVENTURE OF LEWIS WETZEL. IN the confusion of the retreat many individual members of Crawford's ill-fated expedition became separated from their fellows, and had to make the best of their way back to the settlements alone. Of these some were overtaken by flying parties of Indians, who followed their trail, and were carried back captive to suffer the rigors of savage barbarity; others were killed on the way ; the rest successfully made their way home to the border. Among the fugitives that came to Wheeling was a man named Thomas Mills, a resident of that vicinity. In his eagerness to escape he had traveled continuously, and, riding his horse very fast, was finally forced to abandon him near the site of the present town of St. Clairsville, Ohio, and traverse the rest of the way. on foot. Arriving at Wheeling; and anxious to recover his horse, he prevailed upon Lewis Wetzel to go back with him in search of 124 - HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES, OHIO. the animal. Fully satisfied that the savages would follow up the fugitives to the border, Wetzel advised him of the danger to be apprehended of encountering them, and warned him "to prepare for fighting." They pursued their journey, however, until they came to the Indian Springs, about two miles from St. Clairsville, on the Wheeling road, when they were suddenly met by a, party of about forty Indians in pursuit of stragglers from the expedition. Each party discovered the other at the same movement. With his usual celerity of movement and quick appre-hension of the situation, Wetzel fired instantly, and, seeing an Indian fall, wheeled and ran. At the return fire of the Indians; Mills was wounded in the heel, and soon overtaken and killed. Immediately on the discharge of Wetzel's rifle and his flight, four Indians, knowing his gun to be empty, singled out, dropped their guns, and started in swift pursuit, expecting, doubtless, to speedily overtake and capture or tomahawk him. But they reckoned without their host, for Wetzel had, by practice, acquired the art of loading his gun as he ran, and did not seem to care how near the savages came, now that he was out of reach of the rifles of the rest of the party. Accordingly he kept some distance ahead of his pursuers while reloading his gun, and then, relaxing his speed until the foremost Indian had got within ten or twelve steps of him, he wheeled, shot him dead, and again took to flight. He had now to exert his speed to keep in advance of the savages until he should again load. When this was accomplished and he turned to fire, the second Indian Was near enough to catch hold of the gun, when, as Wetzel expressed it, "they had a severe wring." He. finally got the muzzle to the breast of his antagonist and killed him also. By this time both pursuers and pursued were much jaded, and, although Wetzel had now a better opportunity of loading quickly, yet the two remaining savages, taught prudence by the fate of their companions, would spring behind trees when-ever he made a movement of turning towards them. Coming to a more open piece of ground he was at last enabled to fire upon one of them who had taken refuge behind a sapling too small to conceal his body. The ball fractured his thigh and produced death. The remaining Indian, instead of pressing upon Wetzel, uttered a shrill yell and, exclaiming, "No catch 'um; gun always loaded," returned to his. party, and Wetzel reached Wheeling without further molestation. EXPOSURE OF THE BORDER—DESIGNS AGAINST WHEELING—INCURSION OF YANDOT'S AND FIGHT OF POE AND BIG FOOT—INCUR-SION ON SHORT CREEK AND KILLING OF MAJ. SAM'L M'COLLOCH. Like the unfortunate defeat of Gen'l Braddock, one serious result of the disaster to Col. Crawford's Expedition was the im-mediate exposure of the border to the incursions and attacks of the savages, who threatened to overrun the whole country. Elated with their -success; and supposing they had destroyed the principal protection of the frontier, furnished by the army under Crawford's command, they not only harrassed the settlements by frequent raids and massacres, bat almost immediately projected larger expeditions against the most strongly fortified settlements that were thought to interpose the greatest obstruc-tions to driving the whites entirely from the border. After the escape of John Slover to Wheeling, who was one of the pilots of Crawford's ill-fated expedition, and had been captured during the retreat, and carried back to the Indian towns, as heretofore related, he gave to Gen'l Irvine, and others, an account of the designs of the savages in prosecuting hostilities against the frontier. Hearing their deliberations in council, while a captive, and understanding their language, he became possessed of their plans, and his timely information was of great advantage to the Commander of the Western Department, in enabling him to anticipate and frustrate their designs. Among other things, Slover reported that in their council, they had determined upon two expeditions, one of which was designed against Wheeling. The information derived from. this and other sources to the same effect, kept the people of the border on the look out constantly for the savages, and every little band which made a foray, was immediately pursued and driven off by the whites with the most active promptitude. Sometime during the summer, a party of Wyandots, consisting of seven warriors, came into one of the settlements adjacent to Wheeling, killed an old man, robbed his cabin, and retreated with the spoils. Their presence was soon discovered by scouts who were constantly traversing the country, and a party of eight men quickly gathered, and started in pursuit. Among the party, were the brothers Adam and Andrew Poe, noted through the whole border for their activity, undaunted bravery and skill as Indian fighters. Coming on their trail, they were first overtaken by the Poe's when the celebrated encounter oc-curred with Big Foot, which is fully narrated in our account of the Poe's in a subsequent chapter. On the 30th of July, the inmates of Fort Van Metre, on Short creek, made arrangements by which they could undertake the performance of certain. field labor, necessary to the production of their crops. Accordingly, the commander of the Fort, Major Sam'l McColloch, and his brother John, were assigned the dan-gerous duty of reconnoitering the river paths, to ascertain if any Indians were lurking in the vicinity. Following the path along the south bank of the creek until near its junction with the Ohio, and then along the river to Beach bottom, a distance of three miles, and perceiving no indication of an enemy, they retraced their steps to the mouth of the creek, a short distance above which, they ascended a steep and rugged eminence, known as Girty's point, from some associations with the noto-rious renegade of that name. Not thinking of any immediate danger, after careful inspection, the- brothers pursued their course towards the Fort, following the elevated ridge rising abruptly from the northern bank of the creek; and had arrived at the. termination of a deep ravine, which made up from the stream. John being somewhat in advance of his brother, and riding around the top of a tree—which had fallen across the way when a low, half suppressed growl from a well trained hunting dog, accompanying them, arrested their. attention. Immediately they were greeted with a volley of bullets from an invisible foe. On reaching the path, John turned to look for his brother, saw him falling from his horse, and before his body reached the earth, a stalwart savage sprang from his covert, tomahawk and scalping knife in hand, with which to complete the bloody tragedy and secure a trophy of victory. While the Indian was in the act of scalping him, the younger brother, with frenzied resolution, suddenly wheeled his horse, arid, amid a shower of balls, elevating his rifle, sent the swift messenger of death to the heart of the murderer, who sprang into the air and fell dead. He quickly turned and made his way down the ravine to the Fort, though closely pursued. The next morning a party from the Fort. went to recover the remains of their beloved commander, which they found in a mutilated condition. After scalping their victim, they had opened him and abstracted his heart, influenced doubtless, by that species of hero-worship, which seems inherent in their nature. Maj. McCollock's person and heroic exploits, were well known to them, and it is reported that the savages said afterwards, that they ate his heart, that they might be brave and strong like him. The Indians composing the ambuscade are said to have numbered about one hundred, and were en route to attack the fort. While this fatal rencontre may have saved the lives of many of the garrison, it inflicted a severe blow on them in the loss of their commander, who was their pride and chief dependence, a man whose noble qualities and sterling worth endeared him to the whole border. The savages immediately decamped, well knowing that pursuit would follow and the enraged settlers swarm so thickly around them that none would be left to boast of their achievement. The remains of Major McColloch were brought in and interred within the inclosure of Fort Van Metre in the presence and amid the tears of his sorrowing neighbors, To this day his tame is a household word in the community where he lived and his fate lamented as that of a brave and generous soldier meeting an untimely death. STATE OF THE GARRISON AT FORT HENRY-EXPECTATION OF AN ATTACK ON WHEELING. The garrison at Wheeling had been frequently changed during the early part of 1782, by the General commanding the Department, and the regular troops withdrawn to other places, as the necessities of the service seemed to require. On the first day of February Lieut. John Hay and his men were relieved by a lieutenant, sergeant, and fifteen Washington county militia. On the 5th of April a meeting of the different county lieutenants, and one field officer' from each battalion of the militia, within the Department, was held at Fort Pitt on the invitation of General Irvine, to receive his instructions and give him. in-formation of their different forts and defenses, in order to be prepared for the expected invasion of the Indians or for aggressive measures. General Irvine informed them that in making arrangements for the protection of the country within his Department it would have to be done by a combination of the regulars and the militia; that from the extent of country and the limited number of troops which could be spared to his Department in the exigencies of the general service the border would have to depend in large measure upon the valor and skill