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CHAPTER XXXI:

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THE MUSKINGUM MISSION.

The student of American history cannot fail to recall the fact that parallel with the spirit of adventure and conquest from the earliest known. record, has been the missionary endeavor to elevate and refine the people, however barbarous, or civilized. And it is manifest that the enduring civilizations have made the cause of religion their bulwark of strength, until some form of religion permeated the masses of society. It was this religious zeal that gave birth to the Muskingum Mission, a few extracts concerning which are selected from Taylor's History of Ohio.

" Towards the close of 1774, a warm debate sprung up among the Delawares ; although believing the Indians had been hospitably received, yet there had been no act of adoption or guaranty, by the tribe. Glikhikan, whose former rank as a warrior and orator was not forgotten, often attended the Indian council at Gehelemukpechink, by the invitation of its leading members. Here he often enforced the doctrines and duties of the Gospel, but Was not unmindful of the material interests of his brethren. At first he encountered the opposition of old Netawatwes, whose jealousy of the whites had now overcome his prepossessions in favor of the missionaries ; but, on the other hand, was powerfully supported by the eloquence of Captain White-Eyes, whO demanded (in the words of Loskiel) that the Christian Indians should enjoy perfect liberty of conscience, and their teachers safety and protection ; adding, that it was but right that the believers should live separate from the rest, and be protected by the chiefs and council against every intruder. But finding that his remonstrance would not avail, he separated himself entirely from the chiefs and council. This occasioned great and general surprise, and his presence being considered, by both the chiefs and people, as indispensable, a negotiation commenced, and some Indian brethren were appointed arbitrators (Glikhikan among them, doubtless). The event was beyond expectation, successful, for Chief Netawatwes not only acknowledged the injustice done to Captain White-Eves, but changed his mind with respect to the believing Indians, and their teachers, and remained their constant friend to his death. He likewise published this change of his sentiment to the whole council, in presence of the deputies from Shoenbrun and Gnadenhutten. Captain White-Eyes then repeated the proposal which they had formerly rejected ; and the council agreeing to it, an act was made in the name of the Delaware nation, to the following effect ; "From this time forward, we solemnly declare that we will receive the word of God, and that the believing Indians, and their teachers, shall enjoy perfect liberty throughout the Indian country, with the same rights and privileges enjoyed by other Indians. The country shall be free to all, and the believers shall have their right to share it as well as the unbelievers. Whoever wishes to go to the brethren, and receive the gos7

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pel, shall be at liberty to join them, and none shall hinder him.

"Netawatwes expressed great joy at this act and declaration, and concluded his speech in these words : am an old man, and know not how long I may live in this world. I therefore rejoice that I have been able to make this act, of which our children and grandchildren will reap the benefit ; and now I am ready to go out of the world whenever God pleases.' He sent, moreover, the following message to Chief Pakanke, in Kaskaskunk, (on the Beaver River, in Pennsylvania, to whom Glikhikan had been a favorite counselor). You and I are both old, and know not how long we shall live ; therefore let us do good before we depart, and leave a testimony to our children and posterity, that we have received the word of God.. Let this be our last will and testament.' Pakanke accepted the proposal and he and the other chiefs made it known by solemn embassies, in all places where it was necessary. For a still greater security, a treaty was set on foot with the Delamattenoos, (Wyandots) who had given this part of the country to the Delawares about thirty years before, by which a grant was procured insuring the believing Indians an equal right with the other Delawares to possess land in it ; and that this transaction might be duly ratified in the Indian manner, and the act remain unrepealed, the Christian Indians sent a formal embassy to the chiefs and council of the Delaware nation, to return their humble thanks for it. The deputies repeated the whole declaration of the council concerning the believing Indians and their teachers, and Netawatwes confirmed it to be their own act and deed, in the presence of all the people ; adding, that they had called the Indian congregation in their missionaries, and that all the words now repeated by the deputies had been spoken and ratified by this council. Then the deputies proceeded to return thanks in the name of both congregations, delivering several belts of wampum, which were forwarded to the neighboring nations. They were made without ornaments, and immediately known by their plainness, to be the belts of the Christian Indians. Thus this important business was concluded."

"This year" (1774), says Heckewelder, "had been remarkable to the Christian Indians. First, the chiefs of the nation, both on the Muskingum and Cushcushkee, had unitedly agreed and declared that the brethren should have full liberty to preach the Gospel to the nation wherever they chose, and this resolution they also made publicly known ; and secondly, seeing that their friends and relations pursued agriculture, and kept much cattle; they enlarged the tract of land first set apart to them by moving their people off to a greater distance."

And Loskiel says : " Gehelemukpechink was forsaken by its inhabitants, and a new town built on the east side of the Muskingum, opposite the influx of the Walhonding. This town was called Goshhocking, and chief Netawatwes chose it for his future residence."

Under these auspicious circumstances, the year 1775 commenced, and proved a season of external repose and internal prosperity to the mission. "The rest enjoyed by the Indian congregation in the year 1775, was peculiarly pleasing," says Loskiel, "and much favored the visits of set-ang- ers, who came. in such numbers that the chapel at Shoenbrun, which might contain about five hundred persons, was too small." At the close of the year, their number was four hundred and fourteen persons. All were in the enjoyment of the comforts, almost the luxuries, of civilization. The lives and deaths of the Indian converts were very exemplary, while the children were zealously taught in schools, into which the missionary, Zeisberger, had introduced a spelling book, published in the Delaware language.

In April, 1776, Zeisberger and Heckeweider founded another settlement, within two miles of Goshhocking, and called it Lichtenau. This spot had been selected by the chiefs themselves, ac, cording to Heckewelder, that they, as well as their children, might have an opportunity of hav- ing the Gospel preached—a Wish which the old and principal chief, Netawatwes, had repeatedly informed them of, both by public and private messengers."

The external relations of the mission, (to adopt a favorite expression of the Moravian historians), have been incidentally included in our narrative of the efforts of the Delaware peace chiefs, to pre- serve the neutrality of their nation. As Netawat- wes and the other chiefs, at the forks of the Muskingum, were the protectors of the missionaries, and concurred in the pacific dispositions of the Christian Indians, their interests and sympathies, in that respect, were identical, and the American people unquestionably owe to the locality and labors of the Moravian teachers, at this critical period, that a general combination of the Western Indians was postponed until 1780—a date when the French alliance and the increase of population on the southern bank of the Ohio conspired to arrest most disastrous consequences.

In the summer of 1781, there was an illustration of the .different sentiments with which the Moravians were regarded by the American officers, and the militia under their command. Colonel Daniel Brodhead, then stationed at Pittsburgh, led an expedition against Goshhocking, the Del- aware town, on the east bank of the Muskingum, and, on his march thither, halted about four miles below. Salem. Here he addressed a note to Heckewelder, requesting a supply of provisions, anti that the missionary would visit his camp. Heckewelcier hastened to comply, and personally received; from the American officers, assurances that their troops should not molest the Moravian Indians, who had conducted themselves, he proceeded to say, in a manner that did them honor, and that neither the English or Americans could, with justice, reproach them with improper conduct in their situation. While Colonel Brodhead was speaking, however, an officer hastily entered to inform him that a body of militia were about "breaking off for the purpose of destroying the

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Moravian settlements up the river," and it was with great difficulty that the commanding officer, aided by Colonel David Shepherd, of Wheeling, could restrain the men from adding such an outrage to the other acts of inhumanity which attended the Coshocton campaign.

Immediately after this Coshocton campaign, a deeply interesting interview occurred between a distinguished Delaware chief and the inhabitants of the Moravian villages. Heckewelder calls him "the head war chief of the Delaware nation," and we are satisfied that he is the same individual of whom we first hear, in the French and English war as "Shingess ;" next, in 1762, as Bog Meadow or Kingas ; now, in 1781, as Pachgantschihilas ; again, in 1785, at an Indian council, near the mouth of the Great Miami, as Pacanchihilas ; and long afterwards, as the Bockingehelas, whom many of the early settlers of Ohio recollect to have been living in 1804.; at a great age. This chief, on the present occasion, was accompanied by eighty warriors, who silently surrounded Gnadenhutten before day break. As they approached, the town was hailed, and their leader demanded the delivery of Gillelemend, or Killbuck, and the other peace chiefs of the Delawares. He was informed that they had gone to Pittsburgh some time before, and, after strict search, the Indians were satisfied that they were not in town. The nation now being at war, these peace chiefs had become subordinate to the war chiefs, and Pachgantschihilas was determined to remove them where they could exercise no function until their services were required to conclude peace.

The Delaware chief then demanded that deputies from the three Moravian towns should be assembled, and he proceeded to address them (according to Heckewelder) as follows :

" Friends and kinsmen, listen to what I have to say to you. You see a great and powerful nation divided. You see the father fighting against the son, and the son against the father. The father has called on his Indian children to assist him in punishing his children, the Americans, who have become refractory. I took time to consider what I should do, whether or not I. should receive the hatchet of my father to assist him. At first I looked upon it as a family quarrel, in which I was not interested. However, at length it appeared to me that the father was in the right, and his children deserved to be punished a little. That this must be the case, I concluded from the many cruel acts his offspring had committed from time to time on his Indian children, in encroaching on their lands, stealing their property, shooting at and murdering, without a cause, men, women and children. Yes, even murdering those who at all times, had been friendly to them, and were placed for protection under the roof of their father's house ; the father himself, standing sentry at the door, at the time. (The allusion here, is to the slaughter of the Conestoga Indians, of Pennsylvania, by a mob of whites, although they had taken refuge in Lancaster Jail.)

"Friends and relatives, often has the father been obliged to settle and make amends for the wrongs and mischiefs done to us by his refractory children, yet these do not grow any better. No ! They remain the same, and will continue to be so, so long as we have any left of us. Look back at the murders committed by the Longknives (Virginians) on many of our relations, who lived peaceable neighbors to them on the Ohio. Did they not kill them without the least provocation? Are they, do you think, any better than they were then? No, indeed not, and many days are not elapsed since you had a number of these very men near your doors who panted to kill you, but fortunately were prevented from so doing by the Great Sun, (Colonel Brodhead,) who, at that time, had, by the Great Spirit, been ordained to protect you.

“Friends and relatives, you love that which is good, and wish to live in peace with all mankind, and at a place where you may not be disturbed, whilst praying. You are very right in this, and I do not reproach you in having made the choice. But, my friends and relatives, does the place you are at present settled at answer this purpose? Do you not live in the very road the contending parties pass over when they go to fight each other? Have you not discovered the foot-steps of the Longknives almost in sight of your towns, and seen the smoke arising from their camps? Should not this be sufficient warning to you, and lead you to consult your own safety ? We have long since turned our faces towards your habitations, in the expectation of seeing you come from where you now are, to Us, where you would be out of danger, but you were so engaged in praying, that you did not discover our anxiety for your sakes.

" Friends and relatives, now listen to me and hear what I have to say to you. I am myself come to bid you rise and go with me to a secure place. Do not, my friends, covet the land you now hold under cultivation. I will conduct you to a country equally good, where your fields shall yield you abundant crops, and where your cattle shall find abundant pasture ; where there is plenty of game, where your women and children, together with yourselves, will live in peace and safety, where no Long-knife shall ever molest you. Nay, I will live between you and them, and not even suffer them to frighten you. There, you can worship your God without fear. Here, where you are, you cannot do this. Think on what I have said to you, and believe that if you stay where you now are, one day or the other, the Longknives will, in their usual way, speak fine words to you, and at the same time murder you."

In the course of an hour the Christian. Indians replied to the foregoing address, with thanks for the kind expressions of their friends and relatives, but stating that they were unwilling to believe that their American brethren, against whom they had never committed a hostile act, should inflict such injuries upon them. They hinted that their only danger grew out of the fact that war parties, like the present, by going,

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or returning through their villages, might draw an enemy upon them ; otherwise, they had no fears. As to the invitation to leave their settlements, they objected that they were much too heavy (in possession of too much property, provisions, etc.,) to think of rising and going with their friends and relatives.

Pachgantschiffilas, after another consultation with his captains, repeated his former warning, but disclaimed any purpose of compelling the Moravians to leave their settlements. We requested, in conclusion, that anyone who chose to avoid the dangers which he anticipated, might be free to accept his protection, to which the missionaries assured him there would be no objection. The next day the chief and his warriors proceeded to Salem, where .a feast had been prepared for them, under the direction of Glikhikan, who came forth to greet and welcome his guests. The warriors approached gravely and decorously, without yell or .shout. When they arrived in the centre of the village, opposite. the chapel and residence of.Heckewelder, Pachgantschihilas ordered a halt, and publicly pronounced a warm eulogy upon the believing Indians'. He then dismissed them to their entertainment, which had been provided in a grove of sugar maple, while the chief himself, accompanied by two Shawanese and two Delaware war captains, repaired to the house of Heckewelder, in whom they recognized the youthful pall-bearer at the funeral of his favorite wife, nineteen years before, at Tuscaroras. Here, where also were assembled the national assistants of the mission, he repeated his friendly assurances, and soon after departed with his warriors, having first proclaimed from the centre of the street, in a tone audible to all the inhabitants, that "if at any time they should hear it said that Pachgantschihilas was an enemy to the believing Indians, they should consider such words as lies."

It was from the English quarter, that their first serious interruption to the peaceful pursuits of the Moravian community proceeded. The tory .leaders of the Ohio savages, McKee, Elliott, and Simon Girty, were extremely hostile, and were charged with having instigated several attempts to assassinate or seize the missionaries. Baffled in these by the vigilance and devotion of the Christian Indians, they represented to the British Commandant at Detroit, Colonel Depeyster, that the missionaries were partizans and spies of .Congress, and that their influence was extremely prejudicial to the British interest. That officer was induced to insist upon their removal from the vicinity of Pittsburgh, and early in 1781, his wishes were communicated to the great council of the Six Nations, assembled at Niagara, by whom a message was sent to the Ottawas and Chippewas to the following effect : "We here with make you a present of the Christian Indians On the Muskingum, to make both of;" an expression well understood to mean : "We desire you to put those people to death." But those two nations being a branch of the Delaware stock, and ranking as their grandchildren, replied : "We have no cause for doing this." The Wyandots, at first, were even more disinclined to assume the ungrateful task, because the Detroit division of the tribe held the relation of guardian or protector of the Christian Indians among themselves, who were the converts of Catholic missionaries, and they knew no sectarian distinction between Catholic Wyandot and the Protestant Delaware, or Mohican, while Pamoacan, or the Half King, at Upper Sandusky, had hitherto avowed and conducted himself as a friend and champion of the Muskingum mission. But Captain Pipe and his followers were now neighbors of Half King, at Upper Sandusky, and the latter was persuaded to lead a body of two hundred warriors against the Moravian towns. Heckewelder, after the arrival of some reinforcements, states the whole force at three hundred men, and classifies them as Wyandots from Upper Sandusky, commanded by Half King ; another band of Wyandots, from Detroit and Lower Sandusky, commanded by Kuhn, a head war chief of the latter place ; a party of Delawares from Upper Sandusky, led by the war chiefs Pipe and Wingemund ; about forty Muncies, also from Upper Sandusky, (probably under the apostate Newalike) ; two Shawanese Captains, named by the traders John and Thomas Snake, with a few warriors from the Scioto ; several straggling Indians of the Mohegan and Ottawa tribes, and Elliott, whose rank in the British service was Captain, with his attendant, Michael Herbert, and Alexander McCormick, the bearer of a British flag ; and a small train of unarmed Wyandots, men and women, with horses, who had come to assist in removing the booty.

When this formidable band approached Salem, the Half King sent a message to the Christian Indians, desiring them to fear nothing ; adding, that he came himself to see that no injury should be done to them ; but, having good words to speak, he wished to know which of their settlements would be most convenient for a meeting. Now, as Gnadenhutten was in every respect the most proper place, it was accordingly fixed upon. The warriors, therefore, pitched their camp, on the 11th of August, on the west side of Gnadenhutten, and were treated in the most liberal manner.

On the 20th of August, Half King appointed a meeting of the believing Indians and their teachers, and delivered the following speech :

"Cousins ! ye believing Indians in Gnadenhutten, Shoenbrun, and Salem : I am much concerned on your account, perceiving that you live in a dangerous spot. Two powerful, angry and merciless gods, stand ready, opening their jaws wide against each other. You are sitting down between both, and are thus in danger of being ground to powder by the teeth of one or the other, or both. It is, therefore, not advisable for you to stay here any longer. Consider your young people, your wives, and your children, and preserve their lives, for here they must all

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perish. I, therefore, take you by the hand, lift you up, and place you in, or near, my dwelling, where you will be safe, and dwell in peace. Do not stand looking at your plantations and houses, but arise and follow me. Take, also, your teachers with you, and worship God in the place to which I shall lead you, as you have been accustomed to do. You shall likewise find provisions, and our father beyond the lake (meaning the Governor, at Detroit) will care for you. This is my message, and I am come purposely to deliver it."

He then delivered a string of wampum, and the missionaries and Indian assistants of the three settlements met in conference, to consider the unexpected address, and, on the 21st, the latter delivered the following answer to Half King :

"Uncle, and ye captains of the Delawares and Muncies, our friends and countrymen, ye Shawanese, our nephews, and all ye other people here assembled : We have heard your words ; but have not seen the danger so great that we may not stay here. We keep peace with all men, and have nothing to do with war, nor do we wish or desire anything, but to be permitted to enjoy rest and peace. You see, yourselves, that we cannot rise immediately and go with you, for we are heavy, and time is required to prepare for it. But we will keep and consider your words, and let you, Uncle, know our answer next winter, after the harvest ; upon this you may rely."

Half King, certainly, and perhaps Captain Pipe, were not disposed to press the matter further, and, in the Indian camp, the current was so strongly in favor of the Christian Indians, that some were disposed to make a shooting-target of the British flag, as a retaliation upon the agency of Captain Elliott. That officer, whose zeal for the English cause was stimulated by the prospect of pecuniary advantage in the sacrifice of the stock and other valuable property of the mission, labored zealously to remove the reluctance of Half King and Pipe. He represented to them that the English Governor at Detroit would be greatly dissatisfied if they returned without the missionaries. It unfortunately happened that two Moravian Indians, whorir the missionaries had dispatched to Pittsburg, with information of the existing state of things, were intercepted by the savages, and this circumstance was exaggerated by Captain Elliott, into proof not only that the missionaries were leagued with their enemies, but that they were instigating a hostile expedition against the party of Half King and Pipe. This turn of affairs greatly exasperated those chiefs. At a second council, held on the 25th, Half King had seemed to waver ; at least, he listened to the remonstrances of Glikhikan and his associates in silence ; but, in his altered humor, he no longer hesitated. A third council was convened, on the 2d of September, before which Zeisberger, Seuseman and Heckewelder, with their assistants, were summoned, and Half King insisted upon their giving an immediate answer, whether they would go with him or not, without retiring to consult upon it. The missionaries appealed to their former answer, the meeting broke up without debate and in some confusion, and, soon afterwards, Zeisberger, Seuseman, and Heckewelder, were violently seized and imprisoned. They were voluntarily joined by their associate, William Edwards, who was determined to accept no exemption from their fate. During that night and the subsequent day, their residences were pillaged. The other missionaries, Young and Youngman, were also imprisoned, although the latter was released the next day. The wives and children of the five missionaries were brought to Gnadenhutten, as captives, but were soon released, as were the missionaries themselves, after five days' close confinement and distressing anxiety.

The life of Isaac Glikhikan was endangered by the heroic act of a young Indian relative, who rode Captain Pipe's best horse to Pittsburgh, with the news of the violence. As soon as her departure was discovered, she was instantly pursued, but, as she could not be overtaken, the savages were enraged in the highest degree, and a party of warriors immediately started for Salem, and brought Isaac Glikhikan, bound, to Gnadenhutten, singing a death song. Loskiel relates that while they were binding him, perceiving that they seemed so much terrified, he encouraged them, saying, "Formerly, when I was ignorant of God, I should not have suffered any one of you to touch me ; but now, having been converted unto Him, through mercy, I am willing to suffer all things, for His sake." He no sooner arrived in the camp than a general uproar ensued, the savages demanding that he should be cut in pieces. The Delawares, who hated him more particularly for his conversion, thirsted for his blood, but Half King, interfering, would not suffer him to be killed. However, they examined him very severely, and, though his innocence was clearly proved, they attacked him with opprobrious language. After some hours' confinement, he was set at liberty. Although the young woman reached Pittsburgh, the commandant there deemed it too late, or otherwise unadvisable, to attempt a forcible rescue. It was a prudent decision, and, probably, prevented a massacre of the missionaries and their families.

On the l0th, the Indians resumed their outrages to such a degree, that emigration seemed the desirable alternative. It was accordingly proposed to the congregations, who sorrowfully assembled. "But they never," says Loskiel, "forsook any country with more reluctance. They were now obliged to forsake the beautiful settlement, Gnadenhutten, Salem and Shoenbrun, and the greatest of their possessions in them. They had already lost above two hundred head of horned cattle, and four hundred hogs. Besides this, they left a great quantity of Indian corn in store, above three hundred acres of corn land, where the harvest was just ripening, besides potatoes, cabbage, and other roots and garden fruits in the ground. But )vhat gave them the most pain was the total loss of all books and

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writings, for the instruction of their youth ; these were all burned by the savages."

On the third day after their departure, they arrived at Goshocking, where a short halt was made to hunt a tamed buffalo cow, which was shot as it came to the river to drink. Here Elliott left for the Scioto to meet McKee, greatly to the relief of the Moravian teachers. They then ascended the Walhonding, partly by water, and partly along the banks of that stream. On the 19th, two of their best canoes, heavily laden with provisions, sunk in a violent storm of wind and rain, and the women. and children suffered severely from exposure. Half King halted, to give the encampment an opportunity to dry their clothes, and baggage, and hence dispatched a war party to the Ohio. "While they were marching so proudly through our camp," adds Heckewelder, "they were not aware .of what would befall them. They were defeated with the loss of some of the, party, among whom were, the Half King's two sons."

The month of October had not passed, before a message was received from the British com- mandant at Detroit, requiring the missionaries to appear before him. On the 25th, Zeisberger, Heckewelder, Seuseman and Edwards, with four Indian assistants, Started on the. journey, and reached Detroit at the expiration of nine days.

In the first interview with the Governor, (Arend Schuyler Depeyster,) he informed them that the reason of calling them from their settle- ments on the Muskingum, was because he had heard that they carried on a correspondence with the .Americans to the prejudice of the English interest. The missionaries justified themselves from such an imputation, and a further investigation was postponed until the arrival of Captain Pipe. Fortunately, that Chief was not accompanied by Elliott or Girty, and when he was confronted with the missionaries on the 9th of November, he bore a frank and honorable testimony to their impartiality and worth, and in answer to a direct appeal by the. Governor, advised that they should be allowed to return to their congregation. "I never witnessed," Heckewelder, piously observes, "a More manifest instance of the powerful workings of conscience than during the whole of this transaction. Of course, all who were present, immediately acquitted us of all the charges brought against us; expressing their sincere regret that we had innocently suffered so much."

The missionaries were thenceforth treated with much kindness by the commandant, his officers, and the inhabitants of Detroit, and soon returned to Upper Sandusky. Here, as the winter advanced, the unfortunate Indians were often on the verge of starvation. While Half King and Pipe, instigated by Girty and Elliott, resumed their persecutions, and demanded that the Governor of Detroit should remove the teachers from Sandusky. Their threats were too significant to be disregarded, and an order was received on the ist of March,. 1782, directing Girty and Half King to remove the missionaries and their families to Detroit ; but as they had just arranged on an expedition to the Ohio, one Francis Lavallie, a Canadian Frenchman, living at Lower Sandusky, was appointed to accompany them. This was a fortunate exchange, for their conductor proved himself courteous and humane, even surrendering his own horse to the missionary Zeisberger, who was sixty years old, and insisting that respect for his age and station alike, prompted the act. Lavallie, instead of urging the party, among whom were the wives and children of the missionaries, through the dreary wilderness beyond Lower Sandusky, tarried at the latter place and sent a messenger to Detroit for further instructions, while, until his return, two English traders, Messrs. Arundel and Robins, hospitably received the fugitives into their houses. In due course, two vessels arrived from Detroit, under directions from the Governor, to transport the missionaries and their families by Sandusky Bay and Lake Erie. They embarked on the t4th of April, greatly to the chagrin of Girty who.had complained in the most brutal manner of their indulgent treatment, and made the voyage safely to Detroit, where they were generously received, and allowed their choice, either to remain under the protection of Colonel Depeyster, or be returned to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, (from whence they, as missionaries, originally came). They chose to remain in the vicinity of their beloved Indian congregation, although restrained from living among them.

Simultaneously with the removal of Zeisberger and his fellow teachers to Detroit, a tragedy was enacted on the Muskingum, which fills the darkest page of the border history of the American Revolution. We refer to the cruel and cowardly massacre of a party of Moravian Indians, who had repaired to their deserted cornfields to glean the scattered ears for the relief of their suffering 'brethren on the Sandusky plains. Unhappily, while this peaceable party were thus engaged on the Muskingum, a band of Indians from Sandusky had made a descent upon the Pennsylvania frontier, and murdered the family of William Wallace, consisting of his wife and five or six children. A man named John Carpenter was taken prisoner at the same time. Enraged at these outrages, a band of one hundred and sixty men, from the settlements of Monongahela, turned out in quest of the marauders, under the command of Colonel David Williamson. Each man provided himself with arms, ammunition and provisions, and the greater number were mounted. They struck immediately for the settlements of Salem and Gnadenhutten, arriving within a mile of the latter place at the close of the second day's march. Colonel Gibson, commanding at Pittsburgh, having heard of Williamson's expedition, dispatched messengers to apprise the Indians of the circumstance, but they arrived too late.

The Christian Indians were aware of the approach of Williamson's band, but having recently

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been accustomed to regard the savage allies of the English as the source of their injuries, made no effort to escape, although their labors were accomplished, and they were about to retrace th6ir steps to Sandusky. The bloody sequel we prefer to give in the words of Loskiel :

"Meanwhile, the murderers marched first to Gnadenhutten, where they arrived on the 6th day of March. About a mile from the settlement they met young Shebosch in the wood, fired at him, and wounded him so much that he could not escape. He then, according to the account of the murderers themselves, begged for his life, representing that he was Shebosch, the son of a white Christian man. But they paid no attention to his entreaties, and cut him in pieces with their hatchets. They then approached the Indians, most of whom were in their plantations, and surrounded them almost imperceptibly, but, feigning a friendly behavior, told them to go home, promising to do them no injury. They even pretended to pity them on account of the mischief done to them by the English and the savages, assuring them of the protection and friendship of the Americans. The poor believing Indians, knowing nothing of the death of Shebosch, believed every word they said, went home with them and treated them in the most hospitable manner. They likewise spoke freely concerning their sentiments as Christian Indians, who had never taken the least share in the war. A small barrel of wine being found among their goods, they told their persecutors, on inquiry, that it was intended for the Lord's Supper, and that they were going to carry it to Sandusky. Upon this, they were informed that they should not•return thither, but go to Pittsburgh, where they would be out. of the way of any assault made by the English or savages. This they heard with resignation, concluding that God would perhaps choose this method to put an end to their sufferings. Prepossessed with this idea, they cheerfully delivered their guns, hatchets and other weapons to the murderers, who promised to take good care of them, and in Pittsburgh to return every article to its rightful owner. The Indians even showed them those things which they had secreted in the woods, assisted in packing them up, and emptied all their beehives for their pretended friends.

''In the meantime, the assistant, John Martin, went to Salem, and brought the news of the arrival of the white people to the believing Indians, assuring them that they need not be afraid to go with them, for they were come to carry them to a place of safety, and to afford them protection and support. The Salem Indians did not hesitate to accept this proposal, believing, unanimously, that God had sent the Americans to release them from their disagreeable situation at Sandusky, and imagining that when they had arrived at Pittsburgh they might soon find a safe place to build a settlement, and easily procure advice and assistance from Bethlehem. Thus, John Martin, with two Salem brethren, returned to Gnadenhutten, to acquaint both their Indian brethren and the white people with their resolution. The latter expressed their desire to see Salem, and a party of them was conducted thither, and received with much friendship. Here they pretended to have the same good will and affection towards the Indians as at Gnadenhutten, and easily persuaded them to return with them. By the way, they entered into much spiritual conversation with the Indians, some of whom spoke English well, giving these people, who feigned great pity, proper scriptural answers to many questions concerning religious subjects. The assistants, Isaac Glikhikan and Israel, were no less sincere and unreserved in their answers to some political questions started by the white people, and thus the murderers obtained a full and satisfactory account of the present situation and sentiments of the Indian congregation. In the meantime, the defenceless Indians at Gnadenhutten, were suddenly attacked and driven together by the white people, and, without resistance, seized and bound. The .Salem Indians now met the same fate. Before they entered Gnadenhutten, they were at once surprised by their conductors, robbed of their guns, and even their pocket knives, and brought bound into the settlement."

The officers, unwilling to take on themselves the whole responsibility of a massacre, agreed to refer the question to a vote of the detachment. The men were drawn up in a line, and William- son put the question, "Whether the Moravian Indians should be taken prisoners to Pittsburgh, or put to death?" requesting all in favor of saying their lives to advance in front of the line. On this, sixteen, (some say eighteen,) stepped out of the rank, and formed themselves into a second line. In this manner was their fate decided. Those who were of a different opinion," continues Loskiel, "wrung their hands, calling God to witness that they were innocent of the blood of these harmless Christian Indians. But the majority remained unmoved, and only differed concerning the mode of execution. Some were for burning them alive, others for taking their scalps, and the latter was at last agreed upon ; upon which one of the murderers was sent to the prisoners to tell them that as they were Christian Indians, they might prepare themselves in a Christian manner, for they must all die to-morrow.

“It may easily be conceived how great their terror was at hearing a sentence so unexpected. However, they soon recollected themselves, and patiently suffered the murderers to lead them into two houses, in one of which the brethren, and in the other the sisters and children, were confined like sheep ready for the slaughter. They declared to the murderers, that, though they called God to witness that they were perfectly innocent, yet they were prepared and willing to suffer death. But as they had, at their conversion and baptism, made a solemn promise to the Lord Jesus Christ, that they would live unto him and endeavor to please Him alone in this world, they knew that they had been deficient in many

HISTORY OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY, OHIO - 327

respects, and therefore wished to have some time granted to pour out their hearts before him in prayer, and in exhorting each other to remain faithful unto the end. One brother, called Abraham, who, for some time past, had been in a luke-warm state of heart, seeing his end approaching, made the following public confession before his brethren :

"Dear Brethren—It seems as if we should all soon depart unto our Savior, for our sentence is fixed. You know that I have been an unto-ward child, and have grieved the Lord and my brethren by my disobedience, not walking as I ought to have done. But yet I will now cleave to my Savior with my last breath, and hold him fast, though I am so great a sinner. I know assuredly that He will forgive me all my sins and not cast me out."

"The brethren assured him of their love and forgiveness, and both they and the sisters spent the latter part of the night in singing praises to God; their Savior, in the joyful hope that they would soon be able to praise him without sin.

"When the day of execution arrived, namely, the 8th day of March, 1782, two houses were fixed upon, one for the brethren, and one for the sisters and children, to which the wanton murderers gave the name of slaughter houses. Some of them went to the brethren and showed great impatience that the execution had not yet begun, to which the brethren replied that they were all ready to die, having commended their immortal souls to God, who had given them that Divine assurance, in their hearts, that they should come unto Him and be with Him forever more.

Immediately after this declaration, the carnage commenced. The poor innocent people— men, women and children—were led, bound two and two together with ropes, into the above mentioned slaughter houses, and there scalped and murdered.' Heckewelder says : "One of the party, now taking up a cooper's mallet, which lay in the house, (the owner being a cooper), saying: 'How exactly this will answer for the business ;' he began with Abraham, and continued knocking down, one after another, until he had counted fourteen that he had killed with his own hands. He now handed the instrument to one of his fellow murderers, saying : 'My arm now fails me go on in the same way ! I think I have done pretty well.' In another house, where the women and children were confined, Judith, a remarkably pious aged widow, was the first victim.

"According to the testimony of the murderers themselves, they behaved with uncommon patience, and went to meet death with cheerful resignation. A sister, called Christina, who formerly lived with the sisters in Bethlehem, and who Spoke English and German well, fell upon her knees before the captain of the gang and begged for her life, but was told that he could not help her.

"Thus, ninety-six persons magnified the name of the Lord by patiently meeting a cruel death. Sixty-two were grown persons, and among them were five of the most valuable assistants. There were thirty-four children.

"Only two youths, each between sixteen and seventeen years old, escaped—almost miraculously—from the hands of the murderers. One of them, seeing they were in earnest, was so fortunate as to disengage himself from the bonds, then, slipping unobserved from the crowd, he crept through a narrow window into the cellar of the house in which the sisters were executed. Their blood penetrated through the flooring, and, according to his account, ran in streams into the cellar, by which it appears probable that most, if not all of them, were not merely scalped, but killed with hatchets , and swords. The lad lay concealed until night—no one coming to search the cellar—when, with much difficulty, he climbed up the wall to the window, and escaped into a neighboring thicket. The other youth was named Thomas. They struck him only a blow upon the head, took his scalp, and left him. After some time he recovered his senses, saw himself surrounded by bleeding bodies, among them one called Abel, endeavoring to raise himself up. But he remained still as though dead, and his caution proved the means of his deliverance, for soon after, one of the murderers, observing Abel's motions, killed him with two or three blows. Thomas lay quiet until dark, though suffering the most agonizing torment.. He then ventured to creep towards the door, and observing nobody in the neighborhood, got out and escaped into the woods, where he concealed himself. These two youths met afterwards in the woods, and God preserved them from harm on their journey to Sandusky. They took a long circuit, and suffered great hard- ships and danger on their way. Before they left Gnadenhutten, they observed the murderers making merry after their successful enterprise, and at last set fire to the two slaughter houses filled with corpses.

“Providentially, the believing Indians who were at Shoenbrun escaped. The missionaries had, immediately on receiving orders to repair to Fort Detroit, sent a messenger to the Muskingum, to call the Indians home, with a view to see them once more, and to get horses for their journey. This messenger happened to arrive at Shoenbrun the day before the murderers came to Gnadenhutten, and having delivered his message, the Indians of Shoenbrun sent another messenger to Gnadenhutten, to inform their brethren there, and at Salem, of the messages received. But before he reached Gnadenhutten, he found young Shebosch lying dead and scalped by the wayside, and looking forward, saw many white people in and about Gnadenhutten. Ile instantly fled back with great precipitation, and told the 'Indians at Shoenbrun what he had seen, who all took flight and ran into the woods. They now hesitated a long while, not knowing whither to turn, or how to proceed. Thus, when the murderers arrived at Shoenbrun, the Indians were still near the premises, observing everything that happened there, and might easily have been discovered but here the murderers seemed, as it were, struck with blindness. Finding nobody at home, they destroyed and set fire to the settlement, having

328 - HISTORY OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY, OHIO.

done the same at Gnadenhutten and Salem. They set off with the scalps of their innocent victims, about fifty horses, a number of blankets and other things, and marched to Pittsburgh, with a view to murder the Indians lately settled on the north side of the Ohio, opposite the Fort. Some of them fell a sacrifice to the rage of this bloodthirsty crew, and a few escaped. Among the latter was Anthony, a member of the (Moravian) congregation, who happened to be at Pittsburgh, and both he and the Indians at Shoenbrun arrived, after many dangers, safely at Sandusky."

The Rev. Joseph Doddridge, in his notes on the settlement and Indian wars of Western Virginia and Pennsylvania, published in Wheeling, in 1824, closes his narrative of this transaction by saying that Colonel Williamson had only the rank of a militia officer, which was to advise and not to command ; that "he was a brave man, but not cruel ; he would meet an enemy and fight like a soldier, but would not murder a prisoner. Had he possessed the authority of a superior officer in a regular army, I do not believe a single Moravian Indian would have lost his life ; but he possessed no such authority. H?s only fault was too easy compliance with popular opinion and popular prejudice.

"Should it be asked, what sort of people composed the band of murderers of those unfortunate people? I answer, they were not miscreants or vagabonds. Many of them were men of the first standing in the country. Many of them were men who had recently lost relatives by the hand of the savages. Several of the latter class found articles which had been plundered from their own homes, or those of their relatives, in the houses of the Moravians. One man, it is said, found the clothes of his wife and children, who had been murdered by the Indians but a few days before. They were still bloody ; yet there was no unequivocal evidence that these people had any direct agency in the war. Whatever of our property was found with them had been left by the warriors in exchange for provisions, which they took from them. When attacked by our people, they might have defended themselves ; they did not. They never fired a single shot. They were prisoners, and had been promised protection. Every dictate of justice and humanity required that their lives should be spared. The complaint of their villages being 'half-way houses for the warriors' was at an end, as they had been removed to San- dusky the fall before. It was, therefore, an atrocious and unqualified murder."

Soon after the massacre on the Muskingum. the congregation at Sandusky, reduced in numbers and deprived of teachers, yielded to the solicitations of their Delaware and Shawanese friends, and abandoned their settlements at Sandusky. They were ordered to do so by Half King, who persisted in holding them in some degree responsible for the fate of his two sons ; but, in their situation, it was, doubtless, a prudent resolution. Heckewelder mentions the Scioto and Miami of the Lake as their destinations, and here, while the heathen, aboriginal, and European; raged around them, the simple-hearted proselytes of a religion of peace found a refuge.

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