History of Van Wert County
CHAPTER I
INDIAN WARS IN NORTHWESTERN OHIO
Pontiac's Conspiracy—Massacre of the Moravian--First Legislation by Congress on. the Indian Question—Harmar's Expedition—St. Clair's Defeat—Wayne's Successful Campaign—Battle of the Fallen Timber—The Scout, Capt. William Wells—War of 1812—Siege and Relief of Fort Meigs—Dispossession of the Indians.
During 1762 a treaty of peace between France and England was signed by which France recognized England's right to what is now included in Northwestern Ohio. As early as 1763 England saw the importance of keeping control of the Maumee and its tributaries, the Auglaize, the St. Mary's and the St. Joseph; and forts were erected at the mouth of the Maumee and also at the head waters at the junction of the St. Mary's and the St. Joseph. The latter was known as Fort Miami and was destined to be the scene of sanguinary strife and bloodshed. These and other forts along the shore of Lake Erie were expected to keep the Indians in check as well as to administer the internal affairs of the country, which were largely placed in the hands of army officers.
PONTIAC'S CONSPIRACY.
But about this time a great chief by the name of Pontiac appeared, claiming that he was commissioned by the Great Spirit to gather together all the Indians and drive the British from the country. The French had used all their influence to instill into the minds of the Indians their hatred of the British and told them that, now that the French were compelled to withdraw, the British would oppress. them still more. When Pontiac with his great eloquence called upon them to rise in their might and drive the invaders from the land, he told them the Great Spirit said : "Why do you suffer these dogs in red clothing to enter your country and take the lands I have given you? Drive them from it. Drive them. And
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when you are in distress I will help you."
The Mingoes, Shawnees, Delawares, Miamis, Chippewas, Wyandots and Ottawas were carried away by his eloquence and believed that it was a message direct from the Great Spirit with both a command and a promise that was all powerful. And for a time the -tribes laid aside their past differences and raised .a large army ready for war and anxious to avenge their wrongs, real or fancied, and urged on by the promise of scalps and of plunder. Some Frenchman had sent them a letter, purporting to be from the King of France, promising that if they would drive out the British he would not allow anyone else to come in and molest them.
With their enthusiasm aroused, a large army was raised that was irresistible. The Indians gathered in the vicinity of the different posts, Detroit, Maumee, Presque Isle, Niagara, Pittsburg and Ligonier were surrounded by Indians apparently friendly, who were waiting for the signal from their leader to attack. The Indians thus appeared at Fort Miami which they took by strategy. They first lured the commander out of the post and killed him. Then they called upon the post to surrender on their promise that the prisoners would be protected. Following the fall of Fort Miami, nine English posts surrendered only to be massacred. Then followed in rapid succession one .of the bloodiest scenes in the annals of the Indian warfare. Age or sex was no protection from the desire for bloodshed and slaughter, which was only stayed when there was none to kill. Detroit was only saved by the timely information given by an Indian woman who was friendly to the commandant of the post. She gave the plans of the Indians, the manner of the signal for the slaughter to commence, so that it was easy to counteract their treacherous plans at the critical moment. The commandant
called a council of the head officers, laid the information before them and was advised to pay no attention to it as it was only the imaginings of an old woman, but he took counsel of caution and laid his plans accordingly. He had the guards strengthened and the troops called out for drill in front of his quarters when the chiefs called to show- their respects to the commandant. He also notified the traders to have arms ready to repel any attempt at plundering. The chiefs came to the conference, and found the whole garrison was under, arms. Pontiac asked how it came that the men were armed, and was told that it was their regular drill. The chiefs with Pontiac at their head were conducted to headquarters and proceeded to declare their great friendship for the whites and the commandant in particular, and their desire to live in peace and to trade with his people. But when he came to deliver the belt of wampum, that was to be the signal of slaughter, he noticed that the English officers grasped the hilts of their swords and drew them half from the scabbards, and a company of soldiers halted in front of the door which was left open, Pontiac hesitated, turned pale and finally delivered the belt in the usual manner; his chiefs looked at him in surprise, but Pontiac knew that his plot had been discovered. The commandant in his speech charged Pontiac with being a traitor and as proof that he knew their treachery he drew back the blanket of one of the chiefs and disclosed his shortened gun hidden beneath. This convinced the Indians that their plans had failed. The commandant then told Pontiac that as he had given his word that they would not be harmed he would still adhere to his promise and they would be allowed to leave the fort unharmed, hut it would be well for them to leave hastily lest some of his men might hear of their treachery and kill them. It seems that the proof of
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their treachery should have been sufficient to absolve the commandant from his promise.
Pontiac and his warriors the next clay lay siege to the fort and it was kept up from May, 1763, until March, 1764. During the siege a sailing vessel with provisions and ammunition for the fort was becalmed in the Detroit River along the flats between Detroit and Wyandotte. It was surrounded by a large number of canoes and the Indians clambered up the side of the vessel but the captain was prepared for them. He had had several kegs of powder opened and stood with a lighted torch and told them that the first thing they touched he would blow every one of them to the happy hunting grounds. They scrambled down the side of the vessel as fast as they had come up. Shortly afterward a breeze sprang up and the vessel reached the fort with the much-needed provisions and powder. I am indebted to Col. T. S. Sprague, of Detroit, for much of this in-formation. This ended for a time the blood-shed in Northwestern Ohio.
MASSACRE OF THE MORAVIANS.
About this date or perhaps a little earlier, some Moravian missionaries established missions among the Indians along the Muskingum River and later others joined in the good work and were successful in converting many of the Indians and withdrawing them from the more warlike tribes. To these were added Christian Indians from Pennsylvania. But as times became more strained between the whiles and the Indians, the Christian Indians became objects of suspicion to both sides. This culminated in their being forcibly removed to Upper Sandusky as prisoners by the Wyandots in September, 1781. Their cattle were driven along but were held as trophies of war by the Indians. After suffering for want of food and
clothing during the winter, as nearly everything had been stolen by the Indians, in March, 1782, a part of the Moravians were permitted to return to their former homes to gather their corn which had been left in the fields. But about this time an attack had been made on some of the border white settlers. A company of white men under the command of Captain Williamson started out to retaliate and wreaked their vengeance on these innocent Christian Indians and not one was allowed to escape. After they had bound their captives Williamson, their commander, asked if the men, women and children should be taken to Pittsburg or be killed; less than 20 voted to take them to Pittsburg, the rest voting to kill. Forty men, 20 women and 24 children—defenseless, innocent, fellow Christians—were murdered in cold blood by 80 or 90 Americans, who were too cowardly to follow up and punish the guilty parties.
Another expedition was immediately formed to annihilate the Delawares and Wyandots, no Indian to be spared, friend or foe. The expedition consisted of about 500 or 600 men under the command of Col. William Crawford. They marched to Upper Sandusky carrying a black flag; no quarters were to be given to man, woman or child. On reaching Upper San-dusky they found the Indians waiting for them nearby. In the battle that followed the whites were defeated with great slaughter and among the prisoners was Colonel Crawford, on whom the Indians wreaked their vengeance by burning him at the stake. At this late clay we can have some charity for the untutored savage when the whites were scarcely less barbarous.
FIRST LEGISLATION BY CONGRESS ON THE INDIAN QUESTION.
The close of the War of the Revolution in 1783 brought the question of dealing with the
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Indians in Ohio before the thoughtful. It was fraught with great difficulties. Washington urged Congress to pass stringent laws against settling upon or surveying west of a line extending from the mouth of the Great Miami to the Mad River, from there to Fort Miami on the Maumee, and thence north to include Detroit. He pointed out the propriety of excluding Indian agents from all share in the trade with the Indians and of prohibiting all purchasing of land from the Indians except by Congress or, the State. On the 22nd clay of September, Congress in pursuance of the President's recommendation forbade all purchase of or all settlement on Indian lands and commissioners were instructed to require the delivery of all prisoners; to inform the Indians of the boundaries between the British possessions and the United States; to dwell upon the fact that the Indians had not been faithful to their agreements; to negotiate all lands east of the line proposed by Washington ; to learn all they could about the French at Kaskaskia ; to hold one convention with all the tribes ; to confirm no grants made by Indians to individuals; to look after American stragglers beyond the Ohio ; to signify the displeasure of Congress at the invasion of the Indians' lands; and to prevent further intrusion.
The following year the boundary line was made to run clue north from the lowest point of the falls of the Ohio to the northern limit of the United States.
HARMAR'S EXPEDITION.
Commissioners were sent out and treaties were made with the Indians, only to be broken. At last the government determined to send an expedition to the Maumee Valley to punish the Indians. A force of about 1,500 regulars and militia were placed under the command of Gen.
Josiah Harmar with instructions to chastise the Indians of the Maumee and of Lake Erie. On the 20th of September they set out on the march, passing where Xenia now stands. On the 13th of October, they crossed the head waters of the Auglaize. Here they were joined with reinforcements from Cincinnati with ammunition.
On the night of the 17th of October, the Indians succeeded in stealing and driving through the lines from 50 to 100 horses. They had now reached the junction of the St. Mary's and St. Joseph rivers, where they found a number of villages of Maumees, Shawnees and Delawares. They spent the day in searching in the hazel brush for treasure. A large amount of corn was found buried in the earth. They destroyed about 20,000 bushels of corn and burned all the villages that had been abandoned by the Indians. During the night Captains McClure and McClary took a horse some distance down the river and hobbled him; after unloosing the clapper of a bell they had fastened to the animal as a decoy, they secreted themselves near-by with their rifles. An Indian came cautiously up and was untying the hobble when McClure shot him. He proved to be Captain Punk, a noted Delaware chief. His head was cut off and brought into camp.
Here General Harmar detached 180 militia-men and 30 regulars and sent them in pursuit of the Indians that had gone west from their camping ground. When about 12 miles west of Fort Wayne, they discovered a camp ; as they had to cross a swamp, they were thrown into some disorder and before they could re-form they were fired upon by the Indians from an ambush. The militia broke and fled and could not be rallied, 50 of them being killed in a few moments. The regulars in attempting to check the Indians had one sergeant and 21 privates killed on the battle-field. The militia
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were reported to have flung away their arms without firing a shot. General Harmar then concluded to return to Cincinnati.
On the 21st the army started on the return and marched eight miles. That evening the scouts reported that the Indians had returned to their burnt homes at the junction of the St. Mary's and St. Joseph. General Harmar, being anxious to efface the stigma resting upon his troops in the affair of the 19th, sent Colonel Hardin with orders to surprise the Indians and bring on an engagement, the force assigned to this work consisting of 300 militia, and 6o regulars under command of Colonel Wyllys. Colonel Hardin arrived at the Miami town early on the morning of the 22nd. His force was divided into two parties. The left division was to have marched down the St. Mary's and across the St. Joseph and commence the attack on the Indians in front, who were encamped out near the ruins of their village. The right, under Hardin and Wyllys was to proceed to Harmar's ford on the Maumee, where the detachment was to remain until McMillan's party had reached the river and commenced the attack, which was to be the signal for Hardin to cross the Maumee and attack the Indians in the rear. Owing to the treachery or ignorance of the guides, McMillan's force lost its way in the thickets, through which they had to pass and although traveling all night did not reach the ford until daylight. As soon as the Indians, who had been encamped about the ruins of their homes, discovered Hardin's men, they began to rally for the fight, the alarm spreading and the Indians rushing iii. Colonel Hardin, discovering that unless he crossed immediately he would be compelled to do it in the face of superior numbers, and expecting every moment to hear the report of McMillan's men in the enemy's rear, gave order to cross. By the time two-thirds of his force
had passed over, the battle began. The Indians were desperate, and their bravery surpassed anything before known in Indian warfare. A great portion of them throwing down their guns rushed on the bayonets of the soldiers, tomahawks in hand, thus rendering everything useless but the rifles of the militia, and carrying rapid destruction everywhere in their advance. While this desperate charge was being made, the remaining Indians were picking off the officers with their rifles. Majors Fountain and Wyllys, both valuable officers, fell directly after the battle began, the former pierced with 18 bullets. Fifty-one of Wylly's regulars shared his fate and the other divisions suffered severely in both killed and wounded. Major McMillan came up with his force while the battle was raging, but was not able to do more than enable Hardin's troops to retire in good order. The militia behaved well in this fight, and received the thanks of General Harmar.
The loss in this battle was 18o killed and wounded, fully one-half of those engaged.
General Harmar issued the following order on the 22nd of October, the day of the second battle :
"Camp eight miles from the ruins of the Maumee towns, 1790.
"The General is exceedingly pleased with the behavior of the militia in the action of this morning. They have laid very many of the enemy dead on the spot. Although our loss is great, still it is inconsiderable in comparison to the slaughter among the savages. Every account agrees that upward of one hundred warriors fell in the battle. It is not more than man for man, and we can afford them two for one. The resolution and firm, determined conduct of the militia this morning has effectually retrieved their character, in the opinion of the General. He knows they can and will fight."
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It was well that he returned to Fort Washington. He had shown his entire incompetency, if not cowardice. He had sent out a small force to be slaughtered while he remained with an army in camp, within eight miles, and had not even the humanity to go back and bury his dead. Or was this cowardice?
This ended this disastrous campaign.
ST. CLAIR'S DEFEAT.
In 1791 Gen. Arthur St. Clair was appointed major general and placed in chief command of the frontier forces, after many delays, on the 17th of September with an army of 2,300 men. On the 12th of October he established a fort six miles south of Greenville. From there he marched through the wilderness, harassed by sickness, short rations and desertions, until November 3rd, when he reached a branch of the Wabash, where he remained until the 4th, when he was attacked by the Indians. The militia were encamped a quarter of a mile in advance of the rest of the command. At about half an hour before sunrise, just as the men were dismissed from parade, the Indians made an attack and the militia soon gave way, rushing into camp and through Major Butler's battalion and part of Clark's, which they threw into disorder, which those officers were not able to remedy. The Indians were checked by the heavy firing of the first line. But a heavy attack was commenced all along the line, the heaviest part of it being directed on the center, where the artillery was placed. The men were driven from their pieces frequently with great slaughter. A bayonet charge was ordered. The Indians immediately gave way, but attacked in another quarter. Charge after charge was made, but in every one of them many men were lost. Major Butler was dangerously wounded
and every officer in the second regiment fell, except three. The artillery was silenced and all the officers killed, except Captain Ford, who was badly wounded. More than half the army had fallen.
A retreat was ordered which was a disgraceful one, the men throwing away their guns, even after the Indians had ceased to pursue, and the rout continued to Fort Jefferson, 29 miles, which was reached a little after sun-set. The march was again resumed at 10 o'clock and continued all night. So ended another disastrous campaign.
WAYNE'S SUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGN.
Gen. Anthony Wayne was then placed in command and on the 7th of October started on the march. An account as given by John M. Scott will be interesting, as showing the difference between General Wayne and the two former commanders :
"October 7th. Our first day's march, was great considering that the army had not got properly into their gears. I think it was about ten miles. Our second, the 8th, was greater; it reached Fort Hamilton. Many of the men were exceedingly fatigued, and it was pretty generally believed hard marching, though the General thought otherwise, and it must be so.
"9th. Our third day's march was to the five-mile spring, advance of Hamilton; observe we fortified our camp every night, and were very vigilant, or ought to be so.
"l0th. Our fourth day's march we encamped about the seventeen-mile tree, and nothing extraordinary happened, excepting that our line of march extended for five miles, owing to the rapidity of the marching and the badness of the roads for our transportation. superadding the straggling soldiers. worn down with fatigue and sickness, brought up by
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the rear guard, whom they retarded considerably.
"11th. We proceeded on to the twenty-nine-mile tree, fortified as usual, and occupied a fine commanding ground. And nothing of consequence happened here.
"12. The roads were very had and some of our wagons broke down, but as the General's orders declared there should be no interstices the line of march was not impeded, and we made, say ten miles this day.
"13th. We advanced by tolerably quick movements until we came within a mile or so of Fort Jefferson, and this day furnished a good deal of sport, for, as the devil would have it, Colonel Hamtramck was maneuvering his troops, and had a sham fight, which was construed by the whole army as an attack upon our advance guard or flankers. It really frightened a good many, but we all said, `Let them come,' or, `We are ready for them.' We had marched hard this day and I think were not so well pre-pared. However, it was at length discovered to be a sham fight, and everybody knew it then. Oh, it was Hamtramck's usual practice, they say. But it was all in my eye; they never thought of Hamtramck.
"14th. We marched past Fort Jefferson without even desiring to look at it ; indeed some of us turned our heads the ether way with disdain and it has been threatened (as report says) to be demolished entirely. This day's march brought us to where I am now sitting writing to my friends. We fortified our encampment very strong and feel secure.
"15th. The wagons were sent back to Fort St. Clair for stores, provisions, &c., with an escort of two subalterns and between eighty and ninety men, and nothing happened extra this day.
"16th. The devil to pay! Colonel Blue with near twenty of the cavalry went out to
graze the horses of the troops and after some time Blue discovered something crawling in the grass, which he at first thought was turkeys, but immediately found them to be two Indians, and ordered a charge; himself, two sergeants and a private charged, the rest ran away; the consequence, the two Indians killed the two sergeants, Blue and the private escaped. The leader, the rascal who behaved so cowardly, was immediately tried and condemned, but pardoned the next day.
"17th. Lieutenant Lowery and Ensign (formerly Dr.) Boyd, with the escort of ninety men guarding the wagons, were attacked by a party of thirty or forty Indians, who rushed on with savage fury and yells, which panic struck the whole party (excepting the two officers and fifteen or twenty men, who fell a sacrifice to savage barbarity) and they all fled and have been coming into Fort St. Clair, by twos and threes, ever since. The Indians plundered the wagons and carried off with them sixty-four of the best wagon horses in the army, killing six horses at the wagons in the defeat. Colonel Adair pursued the Indians and found several horses dead, which he supposed had been tired and they killed them, a proof that their flight was very rapid.
"In this attack we lost two promising, worthy and brave officers, and about twenty men, mostly of Captain Shaylor's company, for his and Captain Prior's formed the escort and are both now rather in disgrace."
Late in October, General Wayne established his winter headquarters about six miles north of Fort Jefferson, and there erected Fort Greenville, the present site of the county seat of Darke County.
On Christmas Day a detachment reoccupied the ground where General St. Clair had been defeated three years before, and called it Fort Recovery.
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A reward was offered for every human skull, and 600 were gathered and buried beneath one of the blockhouses.
During the early months of 1794, General Wayne kept himself well posted by the services of numerous spies, and was aware that he was surrounded by a powerful enemy in the surrounding country. The government had already sent five different commissions to offer generous terms to the Indians, but to no avail. The Indians, urged on by the promise of assistance by the British and French, and elated by their former victories, would not listen to the pleadings and promises of the commissioners. In June, 1794, a detachment, which had acted as escort of provisions from Fort Recovery, fell into an ambush of Indians about a mile from the fort and were driven back with great loss, the victors following the fugitives to the gates of the fort and attempting to enter the fort with them. The siege lasted two days, and General Wayne states that there were a number of white men, speaking the English language, in the rear, urging the Indians on to the assault; they had their faces blackened. And there were a number of ounce balls and buckshot lodged in the fort, these being suited to the British arms. It was evident that during the siege they were looking for the artillery abandoned by St. Clair and hidden by the Indians in the fallen timber, but this had been recovered by the soldiers, and was being used in defending the fort.
On July 26th reinforcements of 1,600 mounted troops, from Kentucky, joined Wayne, and he started on the 28th to follow the line of retreat of the Indians. He halted at Girty's long enough to build Fort Adams on the bank of the St. Mary's; from here he was able to arrive unobserved almost in sight of Auglaize, the headquarters of the Indians, of which he took possession without opposition.
The Indians abandoned their villages in great haste, having been informed by Newman, the deserter, of the strength of Wayne's army.
The treachery of the deserter Newman enabled the Indians to escape punishment, but at the expense of all their property, with extensive, cultivated fields and gardens. Here General Wayne took possession and erected a strong fort, with four blockhouses, at the junction of the Auglaize and Maumee, and called it "Fort Defiance." This fort might well be called "Defiance" from its construction. Out-side of the fort and blockhouses there was a wall of earth, eight feet thick, and sloping upwards and outwards, supported by a log wall, on the side of the ditch, which was 15 feet wide and 'eight feet deep, surrounding the whole fort, except on the side towards the Auglaize. What a difference between this precaution and that observed by Harmar and St. Clair!
Explanations.—At each angle of the fort was a block-house. The one next the Maumee is marked A, having port-holes B, on the three exterior sides, and door D, and chimney C, on the side facing to the interior. There was a line of pickets on each side of the fort, connecting the block-houses by their nearest angles. Outside of the pickets and around the block-houses was a glacis, a wall of earth eight feet thick, sloping upwards and outwards from the feet of the pickets, supported by a log wall on the side of the ditch and by fascines, a wall of fagots, on the side next
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the Auglaize. The ditch, fifteen feet wide and eight feet deep, surrounded the whole work except on the side toward the Auglaize; and diagonal pickets, clever feet long and one foot apart were secured to the log wall and projected over the ditch. E and E were gate-ways. F was a bank of earth, four feet wide, left for a passage across the ditch. G was a falling gate or drawbridge, which was raised and lowered by pulleys, across the ditch, covering it or leaving it uncovered at pleasure. The officers' quarters were at H, and the storehouses at I. At K, two lines of pickets converged toward L, which was a ditch eight feet deep, by which water was procured from the river without exposing the carrier to the enemy. M was a small sand-bar at the point.-From Knapp's "History of the Maumee Valley."
BATTLE OF THE FALLEN TIMBER.
On the 13th of August, General Wayne sent a messenger of peace in the person of Christopher Miller, who had lived among the Shawnees, offering terms of peace. After waiting three days for word from Miller, Wayne ordered an advance and met Miller, who said that if the army would wait at Fort Defiance ten days the Indians would decide whether it would be peace or war, but Wayne refused to return. The Indians had chosen as the battle-ground the place that gave the name to the battlefield, "Fallen Timber," as a cyclone had recently passed and the fallen timber was a protection against the use of cavalry.
On the 20th the army moved forward to attack the Indians, who were encamped at Fallen Timber on the bank of the Maumee, at a place called Presque Isle, about two miles south of the present Maumee City, and four miles south of the British fort, Miami. This fort had been occupied by a garrison sent from Detroit in the spring of the same year, although the country had been ceded to the United States 11 years before. General Wayne had about 3,000 troops and the Indians numbered about the same. As he approached the Indian encampment, he sentforward a battalion of
mounted riflemen, with orders if attacked to retreat in apparent disorder so as to draw the Indians away from their chosen position. This was done and the Indians fell into the trap. When fired on, the troops fell back in apparent disorder and were pursued by the Indians, and when they reached the ground chosen by Wayne, the battle opened. After hard fighting, the victory was complete, about 100 Indians being killed.
After being fully satisfied that the Indians were dispersed, General Wayne ordered a stockade built below the mouth of the junction of Swan Creek and the Maumee, and placed in charge of Capt. J. Rhea, and a sufficient force to hold the same.
Thereupon the army returned to Fort Defiance, destroying the villages and crops on the way. On the 14th of September, after leaving a sufficient force to garrison Fort Defiance, the army took up its march to the Miami villages, where a fort was constructed and placed in command of Lieutenant Colonel Hamtramck, who christened it "Fort Wayne." On the 28th of October, General Wayne, having fully accomplished his mission, returned to Fort Greenville.
Gen. Anthony Wayne, was called "Mad Anthony," but was there ever more method in madness? There was never a precaution left untaken, and caution was as much a characteristic as that of dash when all was ready.
THE SCOUT, CAPT. WILLIAM WELLS.
It is said that one of the most valuable aids to General Wayne was Capt. William Wells, captain of the spies connected with Wayne's army. He was captured by the Indians when 12 years old and adopted by the Miami tribe. He married the sister of the great war chief, Little Turtle. After the war he was joined by
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his wife and family and settled, near the junction of the St. Marys and the St. Joseph, on a small stream that bears the name of Spy Run.
WAR OF 1812.
By the surrender of General Hull, at Detroit, August 16, 1812, the whole Maumee Valley, except Fort Wayne and Fort Harrison, was again in the possession of the British and the Indians. Early in September Fort Ham-son was attacked, and was defended by Zachary Taylor, who was afterwards elected President, in 1848.
On the 17th of September, 1812, Gen. William Henry Harrison was appointed to the command of all the forces in the Northwest.
He repaired to St. Marys where about 3,000 men were collected for the purpose of an expedition against Detroit. While at St. Marys he was informed that a large force of British and Indians with artillery was passing up the left bank of the Maumee toward Fort Wayne. General Harrison immediately determined by a rapid march, to Fort Defiance at the junction of the Auglaize and the Maumee, to try to intercept the return of this detachment, knowing it would be met in front by the return of General Winchester. He had with him the Ohio cavalry under Colonel Finley, the Kentucky cavalry under Col. R. M. Johnson, and the infantry regiments of Poague, Barbee and Jennings. Jennings was then at Fort Jennings, where he had been sent to build a fort between St. Marys and Defiance. On the 30th of September. General Harrison set out on the march at the head of the cavalry, having ordered the infantry to remain in camp, thinking it would be a hindrance. On the third day the General was met by an officer from General Winchester, who informed him of the arrival
of Winchester at Fort Defiance, and that the British had retired down the Maumee.
SIEGE AND RELIEF OF FORT MEIGS.
In the spring of 1813, General Harrison stationed his forces at Fort Meigs, at the foot of the rapids, and there awaited the result of the naval operations on Lake Erie. As soon as the ice broke up in the lake, the British General Proctor with all his disposable force of regulars and Canadian militia from Malden, and a large body of Indians, under Tecumseh, in all about 2,000 men, laid siege to Fort Meigs. To encourage them, the British promised the Indians an easy victory, and assured them that General Harrison should be delivered up to Tecumseh.
On the 26th of April, the British established their principal batteries opposite Fort Meigs. On the 27th the Indians crossed the river and established themselves in the rear of the Americans. The garrison, not having their wells completed, had no water, except what was obtained from the river under constant fire from the enemy. On the 1st, 2nd and 3rd of May, the enemy kept up an incessant shower of balls and shells on the fort and erected a gun and mortar battery, in the night, on the left hank of the river within 250 yards of the American lines. The Indians climbed the trees in the vicinity of the fort and poured a galling fire upon the garrison. In this situation, General Harrison received a summons from Proctor to surrender the garrison, greatly magnifying his means of annoyance. This was answered by a prompt refusal, assuring the British general that if he obtained possession of the fort, it would not he by capitulation, and that the fort would not be surrendered upon any terms; that if it should fall into his hands,
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it would be in a manner calculated to do him more honor and give him higher claims upon the gratitude of his government than any capitulation could possibly do.
General Harrison had reported to the Governors of Kentucky and Ohio the situation and the necessity for reinforcements for the re-lief of Fort Meigs. His requisition had been anticipated and General Clay was at this moment descending the Maumee with 1,200 Kentuckians, conveyed on flatboats. At 12 o'clock in the night of the 4th, Capt. William Oliver arrived from General Clay with the welcome intelligence of the latter's approach, stating that he was just above the rapids and could reach the fort in two hours, and requesting General Harrison's orders. Harrison at once determined upon a general sally, and directed Clay to land 800 men on the left bank, take possession of the British batteries, spike their cannon, and then to immediately return to their boats and cross over to the American fort. The remainder of Clay's forces were ordered to land on the right bank and fight their way to the fort while sorties were to be made from the garrison, in aid of these- operations. Captain Hamilton was ordered to proceed up the river in a pirogue with a force to land on the right bank, who should be a guide to pilot Clay's men to the fort, and then to cross over and station his pirogue at the place designated for the other division to land. General Clay, having received these instructions, descended the river in order of battle.
Colonel Dudley was ordered to take the men in the 12 front boats and execute General Harrison's orders on the left bank. He effected his landing at the place designated without difficulty. General Clay kept close along the right bank, until he came opposite the place of Dudley's landing, but not finding the subaltern
there he attempted to cross over and join Colonel Dudley; but this was prevented by the violence of the current; he again attempted to land on the right bank, and accomplished this with only 5o men under a heavy fire from the enemy and made his way to the fort.
Colonel Dudley, operating on the left bank with his detachment of 800 Kentucky militia, completely succeeded in driving the British from their batteries and spiking their cannon.. But, blinded by their success, his troops refused to return to the boats and cross over to the fort, when ordered to do so, and, instead, followed the Indians about two miles and were led into a trap surrounded by double their number, where they were compelled to surrender. Fortunately Tecumseh commanded and forbade the massacre, burying his tomahawk in the head of one of his chiefs who refused to desist. Thus the lives of 500 captives were saved. Of the 800 men, only 150 escaped, the others being either killed or captured.
The battle of Lake Erie, on the loth of September, 1813, virtually closed the war. Proctor attempted to retreat, with Harrison following him closely on the 2nd of October, and on the 5th overtaking him. In a short space of time the British regulars surrendered, which was largely brought about by Col. Richard M. Johnson, and his brother .James, with whom the former had divided his force. They charged, the regulars broke through the' British lines, and wheeling, poured a murderous fire into their rear. Here Tecumseh was killed by Colonel Johnson.
The troops engaged were about equal on both side, and numbered about 5.000 in all. The whole number killed was less than 40. The time occupied was less than 30 minutes.
This virtually closed the Indian wars in Northwestern Ohio.
30 - HISTORY OF VAN WERT COUNTY
DISPOSSESSION OF THE INDIANS.
A treaty was concluded with the Delaware Indians, October 3, 1818, by which they ceded all their lands in Indiana to the United States, on condition that they be furnished a home on the west bank of the Mississippi and guaranteed peaceable possession of the same. By a treaty made at St. Marys in 1818, the Miami nation ceded their lands to the United States.
The Wyandots, in a treaty at Upper Sandusky, March 17, 1842, ceded their lands to the United States and left for Kansas in July, 1843. This was the last tribe in the State of Ohio. From a once powerful nation, they only numbered 700 souls at the time of their removal.
Thus the last vestige of the red man was removed from our border
