Bartholomew County, Indiana - Chapter 9, 1888 (part 2 of 6)

" Our situation was now critical. No possibility of retreat in case of defeat, and in full view of a town containing at this time more than COO men, troops, inhabitants and Indians. The crew of the galley, though not 50 men, would have been now a re-enforcement of immense magnitude to our little arm}', if I may so call it, but we would not think of them. AVe were now in the situation that I had labored to get ourselves in. The idea of being made prisoner was foreign to almost every man, as the}' expected nothing but torture from the savages if they fell into their hands. Our fate was now to bo determined, probably in a few hours; we knew tliat notliiiiii; but the most dnrinij; conduct would insure success; I knew also tliiit a number of the inhabitants wished us well. This was a favorable eircumstanoe; and as there was but little prooability of our rcmainin>^ until dark undiscovered, 1 di'.lerniincd to begin operations immediately, and therefore wrote the following placard to the inhabitants:

Gentlemen: - Being now within two miles of your village with - my array, determined to take your fort this night, and not being willing to surprise you, I take this method to request such of you as are true citizens and willing to enjoy the liberty I bring you, to remain still in your houses; and those, if any there be, that arc friends to the king, will instantly repair to the fort and join the hair-buyer general and fight like men; and if any such as do not go to the fort shall be di-scovered afterv,'ard, they may depend on severe punishment. On the contrary, those who are true friends to liberty may de])end on being well treated; and I once more request them to keep out of the streets; for every one I find in arms on iny arrival 1 shall treat as an enemy.

" I had various ideas on the i-esults of this letter. I knew it could do us no damage, but that it would cause tlie lukewarm to be decided, and encourage our friends and astonish our enemies. We anxiously viewed this messenger until he entered the town, and in a few minutes we discovered hy our glasses some stir in every street we could penetrate, and great numbers running or riding out into the commons, we supjDosed to view us, which was the case. But what surprised us was that nothing had yet happened that had the appearance of the garrison being alarmed, - neither gun nor drum. We began to suppose that the information we got from our prisoners was false, and that the enemy had already knew of us and were prepared. A little before sunset we displayed oui'selvcs in full view of the town, - crowds gazins: at us. We were plun'T^inf ourselves into certain destruction or success; there was no midway thought of. We had but little to say to our men, except inculcating an idea of the necessity of obedience, etc. We moved on slowly in full view of the tov/n ; but as it was a point of some consequence to us to make ourselves appear formidable, Vv'e, in leaving the covert we v/ere in, marched and counter-marched in such a manner that we appeared numerous. Our colors were displayed to the beet advantage; and as the low plain we marched through was not a ])orfcc't level, but liml frequent risings in it, of 7 <n' 8 higher than the eonmion level, Nvhieb \v;\s covered with water; and as these risiiiii;t: "xener.-illy run in an oMique <lircctii)n to the town, we took the advantage of one of them, niarehing through llie water h}' it, which coni])letely ])reventcd our hi'ing niiinhered. We gained the heiglits liack of tlie town. As there were as yet no hostile appearance, we were impatient to have the cause unriddled. Litait. Bay'ley was ordered witli l-i men to march and fire on the f^a-t; the main body moved in a dili'erejit direction and took possession of the strongest part of the town."

Clark then sent a writrei: order to Hamilton commanding liim to surrender immediately or he would be treated as a murdei-er; Hamilton replied that he and his garrison were not disposed to be awed into any action unworthy of British subjects. After one hour more of fighting, Hamilton proposed a truce of three days for conference, on condition that each side cease all defensive work; Clark rejoined that he would "not agree to any terms other than Mr. Hamilton surrendering himself and garrison prisoners at discretion," and added that if he, Hamilton, wished to talk with him he could meet him immediately at the church with Capt. Helm. In less than an hour Clark dictated the termsof surrender, Feb. 24, 1779. Hamilton agreed to the total surrender because, as he there claimed in writijig, ho was too far from aid from his own government, and l)ecause of the " unanimity" of his officers in the surren-: -, and his "confidence in a generous enemy."

"Of this expedition, of its results, of its importance, of the merits of those engaged in it, of their bravery, their skill, of their prudence, of their success, a volume would not more than suffice for the details. Suffice it to say that in my opinion, and I have accurately and critically weighed and examined all the results produced by the contests in vv'hich we were engaged during the Revolutionary war, that for bravery, for hardships endured, for skill and consummate tact and prudence on the part of the commander, obedience, discipline and love of country on the part of his followers, for the immense benefits acquired, and signal advantages obtained by it for the whole union, it was second to no enterprise undertaken during that struggle. I might add, second to no uudertaking in ancient or modern warfare. The whole credit of this conquest belongs to tv,^o men; Gen. George Rogers Clark and Col. Francis Vigo. And when we consider that by it the whole territory now covered bj the threo great states of Indiana, Illinois and J\^c]li^^^,n Avaa added to the union, and so admitted to lie by the British commissioners at the preliminaries to the treaty of peace in 1TS3; (and but for this ver}^ conqncstj the boundaries of our territories west would have been the Ohio instead of theMississijipi,and so achnowlcdged by both our commissioners and the British at that conference;) a territory embracing upward of 2,Cl'0,000 people, the humau mind is lost in the contemplation of its effects; and we can but wonder tliat a force of 170 men, the whole number of Clark's troops, should by this single action have produced such important results.''* [John Law.

The next day Clark sent a detachment of 00 men up the river Wabasli to intercept some boats which were laden with provision?, and goods from Detroit. This force was placed under cominand of Capt. Helm, Major Bosseron and Major Lcgras, and they jjrocecded np the river, in three armed boats, about 120 miles, when the British boats, about seven in number, were surprised and captured without firing a gun. These boats, which had on board about $50,000 worth of goods and provisions, were manned by abont 40 men, amOng whom was Philip Dejean, a magistrate of Detroit The provisions were taken for the ])ublic, and distribu! ' among the soldiery.

Having organized a military government at Yincennes and appointed Capt. Helm commandant of the town, Col. Clark returned in the vessel to Kaskaskia, where he was joined by reinforcements from Kentucky under Capt. George. Meanwhile, a party of traders who were going to the falls, were killed and plundered by the Delawares of White River; the news of this disaster having reached Clark, he sent a dispatch to Capt. Helm ordering him to make war on the Delawares and use everj' means in his power to destroy them; to show no mercy to the men, but to save the women and children. This order was executed without delay. Their camps were attacked in every quarter where they could be found. Many fell, and others were carried to Post Vinccnnes and put to death. The surviving Delawares at once pleaded for mercy and appeared anxious to make some atonement for their bad conduct. To these overtures Capt. Helm replied that Col. Clark, the " Big Knife," had ordered the war, and that he had no power to lay down the hatchet, but that he would suspend hostilities until a messenger could be sent to Kaskaskia. This was done, and the crafty Colonel, well understanding the Indian character, sent a message io.tlie Dclawaros, telling tliein tliat lie would not accept their friendship or treat with tlieiu for i)c;icc; but that if they could get some of the iieighboriug tribes to become resj)ousiblo for their future conduct, lie would discontinue the war and spare their lives; otherwise they must all perish.

Accordingly a council was called of all the Indians in the neighborhood, and Clark's answer was read to the assembly. After duo deliberation the Piankcshaws took on themselves to answer for the future good conduct of the Delawares, and the '' Grand Door" in a long speech denounced their base conduct. This ended the war with the Delawares and secured the respect of the neighboring tribes.

Tradition says that when Clark captured Hamilton and his garrison at Fort Sackville, he took possession of the fort and kept the British flag flying, dressed his sentinels with the uniform of the Britisli soldiery, and let everything about the premises remain as they were, so that when the Indians sympathizing with the British arrived they would walk right into the citadel, into the jaws of death. His success was perfect. Sullen and silent, with the scalplock of his victims hanging at his girdle, and in full expectation of his reward from Hamilton, the unwary savage, unconscious of danger and wholly ignorant of the change that had just beeneifectcd in his absence, passed the supposed British sentry at the gate of the fort unmolested and unchallenged; but as soon as in, a volley from the rifles of a platoon of Clark's men, drawn up and awaiting his coming, piercrd their hearts and sent the unconscious savage, reeking with murder, to that tribunal to which he had so frequently, by order of the hair-buyer general, sent his American captives, from the infant in the cradle to the grandfather of the family, tottering with age and infirmity. It was a just retribution, and few men but Clark would have planned such a ruse or carried it out successfully. It is reported that fifty Indians met this fate within the fort; and probably Hamilton, a prisoner there, witnessed it all ward, wi til two other prisoners of war, Dojean and LaMotlic, to WillianisLuri:;, Y;i., carlj in June following-, 1779. Proclamations, iu his o\Vii handwriting, were found, in which lie had oHercd a specific sum for every Ainericaii scalp broui^ht into the camp, either by his own troops or his allies, the Indians; and from this lie was denominated the "hair-bnyer General." This and much other testimony of liviufj^ witnesses at the time, all showed what a savage he was. Thomas JcfForson, then Governor of Virginia, being made aware of the inhumanity of this wretch, concluded to resort to a little retaliation by way of closer couGueuient. Accordingly he ordered that these three prisoners be put in irons, conlincd in a dungeon, deprived of the use of pen, ink and pa])er, and be excluded from all conversation except with their keeper. Major General rhillips, a British officer out on parole in the vicinity of Charlottesville, where the prisoners now were, in closer confinement, remonstrated, and President Washington, while approving of Jefferson's course, requested a mitigation of the severe order, lest the British be goaded to desperate measures.

Soon afterward Hamilton was released on parole, and he subsequently appeared in Canada, still acting as if lie had jurisdiction in the United States.

The faithful, self-sacrificing and patriotic services of Father Pierre Gibault iu behalf of the Americans require a special notice of him in this connection. He was the parish priest at Yincennes, as well a? at Kaskaskia. He was, at an early period, a Jesuit missionary'^ to the Illinois. Had it not been for the iufiucnce of this man, Clark could not have obtained the influence of the citizens at either place. He gave all his property, to the value of 1,500 Sjianish milled dollars, to the supjwrt of Col. Clark's troops, and never received a single dollar in return. So far as the records inform us, he was given 1,500 Continental paper dollars, which proved in the end entirely valueless. He modestly petitioned from the Government a small allowance of land at Cahokia, but we find no account of his ever receiving it. He was dependent upon the public in his older days, and in 1790 Wintlirop Sargent "conceded" to him a lot of about "1-i toises, one side to Mr. Millet, anoUior to Mr. Yauurey, and to two streets," - a vague description ol laud.

Col. Francis A^igo was born in Moudovi, in tlic kingdom of Sardinia, in 17i7. He loft his parents and guardians at. a very early age, aTid enlisted in a Spanish rc^iuient as a soldier. The regiment was ordered to Havana, and a detachment of it sul)5e<|ncntly to New Orleans, then a Spanish post; Col. Vigo acconipaiued this detachment. Blithe left the army and engaged in trading v.-ith the Indians on the Arkansas and its tributaries. Next he settU;d at St. Louis, also a Spanish post, where lie became closely connected, both in friendship and business, with the Governor of Upper Louisiana, then residing at the same place. This friendship he enjoyed, though he could only write his name; and we have many circumstantial evidences that lie was a man of high intelligence, honor, purity of heart, and ability. Here he was living when Clark captured Ivaskaskia, and was extensively engaged in trading up the Missouri.

A Spaniard by birth and allegiance, he was under no obligation to assist the Americans. Spain was at peace with Great Jh-itain, and any interference by her citizens was a breach of neutrality, and subjected an individual, especially one of the lugh character and standing of Col, Vigo, to all the contumely, loss and A'engeance which British power could inflict. But Col. Vigo did not falter. "With an innate love of liberty, an attachment to Republican principles, and an ardent sympathy for an oppressed people struggling for their rights, he overlooked all personal consequences, and as soon as he learned of Clark's arrival at Xaskaskia, he crossed the line and went to Clark and tendered him his means and influence, both of which were joyfully accepted.

Kn-wing Col. Vigo's influence with the ancient inhabitants of the country, and desirous of obtaining some information from Vincennes, from which he had not heard for several months, Col. Clark proposed to him that he might go to that place and learn the actual state of affairs. Vigo went without hesitation, but on the Embarrass river he was seized by a party of Indians, plundered of all he possessed, and brought a prisoner before Hamilton, then in possession of the post, which he had a short time previousl}"- captured, ~ holding Capt. Helm a prisoner of war. Being a Spanish subject, and consequently a non-combatant. Gov. Hamilton, although he strongly suspected the motives of the visit, dared not confine him, but admitted him to parole, on the single condition that he should daily report himself at the fort. But Hamilton was embarlIISTOliV OF INDIAXA. GT rassed by liis detontioi), beii\:^ 1>cslo^cd by the iiili:ibitants of the town, who loved Vigo and threatened to witlidraw their supjiurt from tlife gaiTJson if he would not rclen o him. Father Gibault was the chief ])leader for Yigo's release, llaiuilton finally yielded, on condition that he, Yigo, would do no injury to the British intercsta on his way to St. Loui.^. Tie went to St. Louis, sure enough, doing no injury to British interests, but immediately returned - > Kaslcaskia and reported to Clark in detail all he had learned at Yinccnnes, Avithout which knowledge Clark would have been unable to accomplish his lauions expedition to that post with final triumph. The redemption of this country from the Britiiih is due as much, probably, to Col. Yigo as Col. Clark.

Col. John Todd, Lieutenant for the county of Illinois, in the spring of 17T0 visited the old settlements at Yincennes and Kaskaskia, and organized temporary civil governments in nearly all the settlements west of the Ohio, Previous to this, however, Clark had established a military government atKaskaskia and Yincennes, appointed commandants in both places and taken up his headq^uarters at the falls of the Ohio, Avhcre he could watch the operations of the enemy and save the frontier settlements from the depredations of Indian v/arfare. On reaching the settlements, Col. Todd issued a proclamation regulating the settlement of unoccupied lands and reipiiring the presentation of all claims to the lands settled, as the number oi' adventurers who would shortly overrun the country would be serious. lie also organized a Court of civil and criminal jurisdiction at Yincennes, in the month of June, 1779, This Court was composed of several magistrates and presided over by Col. J. M. P. Legnis, who had been appointed commandant at Yincennes. Acting from the precedents established by the early French commandants in the AYest, this Court began to grant tracts of land to the French and American inhabitants; and to the year 17S3, it had granted to different ])ai'ties about 2G,000 acres of laud; 22,000 more was granted in this manner by 1787, when the practice was jirohibited by Gen. Harmer. These tracts varied in size from a house lot to 500 acres. Besides this loose business, the Court entered into a stu])cndous speculation, one not altogethci' creditable to its honor and dignity. The com;nandant and the magistrates under him suddenly adopted the opinion that they were iuvestca witli the autliority to dispose of tlie wliolo of tluit i;u'i;e reirion wliicli ill 18-12 Jifvd heoii ^-ranted by tho Piankcsliaws to the FivhcIi inliabitants of Yincenncs, Accord iiiijlj' a vory convenient arrangement was entered into Ijy which the whole tract of couniry mentioiied was to bo divided between the members of the honorable Court. A record was made to tliat elTect, and in order to gloss over the steal, each mtynber look pains to be absent from Court on the day that the order was made in his f;ivor.

In the fall of 1780 La Balme, a Frenchman, made an attempt to capture tiie British garrison of Detroit by leading an expedition against it from Kaskaskia. At tlie head of 30 men he marched to Vinccnnes, where Jiis force was slightly increasetl. From this place he proceeded to tlie Jjritish trading post at the head of the Mauuiee, where Fort A\''ayne now stands, plundered the British traders and Indians and then retired. While encamped on the bank of a small stream on his retreat, he was attacked by a band of Miamis, a number of his men v/ere killed, and his expedition against Detroit was ruined.

In this manner border war continued between Americans and their enemies, with varying victory, until 1783, when tho treaty of Paris was concluded, resulting in tho establishment of tlie independence of the United States. U]) to this time the territory now included in Indiana belonged by conquest to the State of Virginia; but in January, 1783, the General Assembly of that State resolved to cede to the Congress of the United States all the territory northwest of the Ohio. The conditions offered by Virginia were accepted by Congress Dec. 20, that year, and early in 1781 the transfer was completed. In 1783 Virginia had platted the town of Clarksville, at tlie falls of the Ohio. The deed of cession provided that the territory should be laid out into States, containing a suitable extent of territory not less than 100 nor more than 150 miles square, or as near thereto as circumstances would permit; and that the States so formed shall be distinct Eepublican States and admitted members of the Federal Union, having the same rights of sovereignty, freedom and ind. pendence as the other States. The other conditions of the deed were as follows: That the necessary and reasonable expenses incurred by Virginia in subduing any British posts, or in maintaining forts and garrisons within and for the defense, or in acquiring any j)art of the territory so ceded or relinquished, shall be fully reimbursed by the United States; that the French and Canadian inhabitants and other settlers of theKas- kaskia, Post Yincennes and tlie neigliboritii^ villai^GS wliohave professed tlieinselvcs citizens of Virginia, sliall liavc tlieir titles and possessions confirnaed to tliem, and bo protected in tlie enjoyment of their rif^liis and privileges; that a qnantitj not exceeding 150,- 000 acres of land, promised by Virginia, shall be allowed and granted to the then Colonel, now General, George Rogers Clark, and to the ollicers and soldiers of his regiment, who marched with him wlien the posts and of Ivaskaskiaand Vincennes were reduced, and to the ollicers and soldiers that have been since incorporated into the said regiment, to be laid ofl' in one tract, the length oC which not to exceed double the breadth, in such a place on the northwest side of the Ohio as a majority of the officers shall choose, and to be afterward divided among the officers and soldiers in due proportion according to the laws of Virginia; that in case the quantity' of good lands on the southeast side of the Ohio, upon the waters of Cumberland river, and between Green river and Ten. nessec river, which have been reserved by law for the Virginia troops upon Continental establishment, should, from the North Carolina line, bearing in further upon the Cumberland lands than was expected, prove insufficient for their legal bounties, the deficiency shall be made up to the said troops in good lands to be laid off between the rivers Scioto and Little Miami, on the northwest side of the river Ohio, in such proportions as have been engaged to them by the laws of Virginia; that all the lands within the territory so ceded to the United States, and iiot reserved for or appropriated to any of the before-mentioned purposes, or disposed of in bounties to the officers and soldiers of the American army, shall be considered as a common fund for the use and benefit of such of the United States as have become, or shall become, members of the confederation or federal alliance of thesaid States, Virginia included, according to their usual respective proportions in the general charge and expenditure, and shall be faithfully and honafidd disposed of for that purpose and for no other use or purpose whatever. After the above deed of cession had been accepted by Congress, in the spring of 1784:, the matter of the future government of the territory was referred to a committee consisting of luessrs. Jefferson of Virginia, Chase of ISIaryland and Howell of Rhode Island, which committee reported an ordinance for its government, providing, among other things, that slavery should not exist in said territory after ISOO. except as punishment of criminals; but this article of the ordinance was i-ejected. and an ordinance for the temporary governmeni; of the county was afloj^ted. In ITSo laws -svcrc jkisscJ by Congi'v , for the dis])osllIon of lauds in the territory and ])ruhibiting the scttlciDcnt of iinappropriated lands by reokless speeu- * lators. But human passion is ever strong enough to evade the hiw to some extent, and large associations, representing consideral)le means, were formed for the purj^ose of monopolizing the land business. Millions of acres were sold at one time by Congress to associations on the installment plan, and so far as tiie Lidian titles could be extinguished, the v/ork of settling and improving the lands was ])ushed rapidly furwiird.

This ordinance has a marvelous and interesting history. Considerable controversy has been indulged in as to who is entitled to the credit for framing it. This belongs, undoubtedly, to Kathaa Dane; and to Kufus King and Timothy Pickering belong tlie credit for suggesting the proviso contained iu it against slavery, and also for aids to religion and knowledge, and for assuring forever the common use, without charge, of the great national highway's of the Mississippi, the St. Lawrence and their tributaries to all the citizens of the United States, To Thomas Jefferson is also due much credit, as some features of this ordinance were embraced iu his ordinance of 1781, I' t tb.e part taken by each in the long, laborious and eventful struggle which liad so glorious a consummation in the ordinance, conriec-"ting forever, by one imprescriptible and unchangeabh monumc the very heart of our country to Freedom, Knov/ledge, and Unioi-, will forever honor the names of those illustrious statesmen.

Mr, Jefferson liad vainly tried to secure a sj'stem of government for the Northwestern territory. He was an emancipationist and favored the exclusion of slavery from the territory, but the South voted him down every time he proposed a measure of this nature. In 17S7, as late as July 10, an organizing act without the antislavery clause was pending. This concession to the South was expected to carry it. Congress was in session in New York. On July 5, Rev. Manasseh Cutler, of Massachusetts, came into New York to lobby on the Northwestern territory. Everything seemed to fall into his hands. Events were ripe. The state of the public credit, the growing of Southern prejudice, the basis of his mission, his personal character, all combined to complete one of those sudden and inarvelinis revolutions or])ulilic soiitiiuciit iliat once in fiveor ten centii. ies arc seen to Rwec]) over ii country like the breath of the Almighty.

Cutlet' was a gi'iidnatc of Yale. IJo h;ul ?! iidied and taken degrees in the three learned professions, medicine, law, and divinity. He had published a scientific examination of the plants of New England. As a scientist in America liis name stood second only to that of Franklin. He was a oourtlj'- gentleman of the old style, a man ofcoirunanding presence and of inviting face. The Southern members said they had never seen such a gentleman in the Xorth. He ca,me representing a Massachusetts company that desired to purchase a tract of land, now included in Ohio, for the purpose of planting a colony. It was a speculation. Government money was worth eighteen cents on the dollar. This company had collected enough to purchase 1,500,000 acres of land. Other speculators in New York made Dr. Cutler their agent, which enabled him to represent a demand for 5,500,000 acres. As this would reduce the national debt, and Jefferson's policy was to provide for the publiccredit, it presented a good opportunity to do something.

Massachusetts then owned the territory of Maine, which she was crowding on the market. She was opposed to opening the JSTortliwestern region. This fired the zeal of Virginia, The South caught the inspiration, and all exalted Dr. Cutler. The entire South ral. lied around him. Massachusetts could not vote against him, because many of the constuitents of lier )nembers were interested personally in the Western speculation. Thus Cutler, making friends in the South, and doubtless using all the arts of the lobby, was enabled to command the situation. True to deeper convictions, he dictated one of the most compact and finished documents of wise statesmanship that has ever adorned any human law book. He borrowed from Jefferson the term "Articles of Compact," which, preceding the federal constitution, rose into the most sacred character. He then followed very closely the constitution of Massacliusetts, adopted three years before. Its most prominent points were:

1, The exclusion of slavery from the territory forever, - 2, Provision for public schools, giving one townsliip for a seminary and every section numbered 16 in each t( .'nship; that is, one thirty-sixth of all the land for ptublic schools.

Be it forever r'.nicnibcrcil tluit tin's coin])act declftved tliut '- religioT), morality-, unci knowledge being necessary to good government and the hai)pines3 of mankind, schools and the means of edu- ^ cation shall always be cncouragcil." JDr. Cutler jdantod himself on thi.s platform and would not yield. Giving his iintjuaHlIcd declaration that it was that or nothing, - that unless they could make the land desirable they did not want it, - ho took his horse and buggy and started for the constitutional conventiun at Philadelphia. On Jiily 13, 17S7, the bill was put upon its passage, and was unanimously ado^'ted. Thus the great States of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin, a vast empire, were consecrated to free dom, intelligence, and morality. Thus the great heart of the nation was prepared to save the union of States, for it was this act that was the salvation of the republic and the destruction of sla\'cry. Soon the South saw their great blujider and tried to have the com})act repealed. In 1S03 Congress referred it to a conimittoe, of which John Randolph v.'as chairman. He reported that this ordinance was a compact and opposed repeal. Thus it stood, a rock in the waj" of the on-rushing sea of slavery.

The " North western Territory " included of course what is now the State of Indiana; and Oct 5, 1787, Maj. Gen. Arthur St. Clair was elected by Congress Governor of this territory. Upon commencing the duties of his office he was instructed to ascertain the real temper of the Indians and do all in his power to remove the causes for controversy between them and the United States, and to effect the extinguishment of Indian titles to all the land possible. The Governor took up quarters in the new settlement of Marietta, Ohio, where he iram.ediately began the organization of the government of the territory. The first session of the General Court of the new territory was held at that place in 17^8, the Judges being Samuel II. Parsons, James M. Yarnumand John C. Syniraes, but under the ordinance Gov. St. Clair was President of the Court. After the first session, and after the necessary laws for government were adopted. Gov. St. Clair, accompanied by the Judges, visited Kaskaskia for the purpose of organizing a civil government there. Full instructions had been sent to Maj. Hamtramck, commandant at Vincennes, to ascertain the exact feeling and temper of the Indian tribes of the Wabash. These instructions u'cre accompanied by speeches to each of the tribes. A Frenchman named Antoine Gamelin was dispatched with these messages April 5, 1790, who visited nearly all the tribes on the Wabash, St. Joseph and St.

Mary's rivers, but was coldly received; most of tlio chiefs IjcIdc^ dissatisfied wiili the policy of the Americans toward them, and prejudiced through English misrepresentation. Full accounts of his adventures among the tribes reached Gov. St. Clair at 1va?l<askia in June, 1700. Being satisfied that there v/as no pros])ect of eflfecting a general peace with the Indijins of Indiana, ho resolved to visit Gen. llarmar at liis headquarters at Fort Washington and consult with him on the means of carrj'ing an expedition against the hostile Indians; but before leaving he intrusted Winthroj) Sargent, the Secretary of the Territory, vrith the execution of the resolutions of Congress regarding the lands and settlers on the Wabash. lie directed that officer to proceed to Vincennes, lay out a county there, establish the militia and appoint the necessary civil and military' ofiicers. Accordingly Mr. Sargent went to Vincennes and organized Camp Knox, aj)pointed the officers, and notified tliLj inhabitants to present their claims to lands. In establishing these claims the settlers found great difficult}'-, and concerning this matter the Secretary in liis report to the President MTote as follows :

"Although the lands and lots which were awarded to the inhabitants appeared from very good oial testimony to belong to those persons to whom they were awarded, either by original grants, purchase or inheritance, yet there was scarcely one case in twenty where the title was complete, owing to the desultory manner in which public business had been transacted and some other unfortunate causes. The original concessions by the French and British commandants were generally made upon a small scrap of paper, which it has been customary to lodge in the notary's office, who Las seldom kept any book of record, but committed the most important land concerns to loose sheets, which in process of time have come into possession of persons that have fraudulently destroyed them; or, unacquainted with their consequence, innocently lost or trifled them away. By French usage they are considered family inheritances, and often descend to women and children. In one instance, and during tl;e government of St, Angc here, a ro^-al notary ran off with all the public papers in his possession, as by a certificate produced to me. And I am very sorry further to observe that in the office of Mr. Le Grand, which continued from 1777 to 1787, and where should have been the vouchers for important land transactions, the records have been so falsified, and there is such gross fraud and forgery, as to invalidate all evidence and information which I might have otherwise acquired from his papers."

JMr. Sari:;;ent says tliero were alxmt 150 Frcncli families at YinceiiiK'S in 17LU). The Jiead.-? of all these fauiilics had been at .some time, vebtod with certain titles to a poi'tion of the soil; and while the Secretary was busy in straii^htening out these claims, he received a petition signed by SO Americans, askinj^ for the confirmation of grants o" land ceded by the Court organized by Col. John Todd under the authority of Virginia. AVith reference to this cause, Congress, March 3, 1791, empowered the Territorial Governor, in case? where land liad been actually improved aiKl cultivat'xl under a supposed grant for the same, to confirm to the persons who made such improvements the lands supposed to have Ijoeii granted, not, however, exceeding the quantify of iOO acres to any one person.

Liquor And Gaming Laws

The General Court in the summer of 1790, Acting Governor Sargent presiding, passed the following laws with reference to vending li(pior among the Indians and others, ai d with reference to games of chance:

1. An act to prohibit the giving or selling intoxicating liquors to Indians residing in or coming into the Territory of the United States northwest of the river Ohio, and for preventing foreigners from trading with Indians therein.

2. An act prohibiting the sale of spirituous or other intoxicating liquors to soldiers in the service of the United States, being within ten miles of any militarj^ post in the territory; and to prevent the selling or pawning of arms, ammunition, clothing or accoutrements.

3. An act prohibiting every species of gaming for money or property, and for making void contracts and payments made in consequence thereof, and for restjraining the disorderly practice of discharging arms at certain hours and places.

V»^inthrop Sai'gent's administration was highly eulogized by the citizens at Yincennes, in a testimonial drawn up and signed by a committee of officers. lie had conducted the investigation and settlement of land claims to the entire satisfaction of the residents, had upheld the principles of free government in keeping with the animus of the American Kevolution, and had established in good order the machinery of a good and wise government. In the same address Major Hamtramck also received a fair share of praise for Lis judicious management of .afiairs.

Military Iiistop.Y 17 90-1 Sco

Gov, St, Clair, on his arrival at Fort Washington from Kaskaskia, liacl a long conversation witli Gen, llarinar, an<I concluded to send a powerful force to chastise tiic ravages about tlic headwaters of tlie Wabash. He had been empowered by the President to call on Virginia for 1,000 troops and on Pennsjdvania for 500, and he immediately availed himself of this resource, ordering 300 of the Virginia militia to muster at Fort Steuben and inarch with the garrison of tliat fort to Viucennes, and join Maj. llamtramck, who had orders to call for aid from the militia of Viucennes, march up the Wabash, and attack any of the Indian villages which ho might think he could overcome. The remaining 1,200 of the militia were ordered to rendezvous at Fort Washington, and to join the regular troops at that post under command of Gen. tlarmar. At this ti le the United States troops in the West were estimated by Gen. Harniar at 400 effective men. Tliese, with tiie militia, gave him a force of 1,450 men. With this army Gen. Ilarmar marclied from Fort Washington Sept, 30, and arrived at the Maumee Oct. 17. They commenced the work of punishing the Indians, but were not very successful. The savages, it is true, received a severe scourging, but the militia behaved so badly as to be of little or no service. A detachment of 340 militia and GO regulars, under the command of Col. Hardin, were sorely defeated on the Maumee Oct. 22. The next day the army took up the line of march for Fort Washington, which place tliey reached Nov. 4, having lost in the expedition 183 killed and 31 wounded; the Indians lost about as many. During the progress of this expedition ilaj. Hamtramck marched up th - Wabash from Viucennes, as far as the Vermillion river, and destroyed several deserted villages, but without finding an enemy to oppose him.

Although the savages seem to have been severely punished by these expeditions, yet they refused to sue for peace, and continued their hostilities. Thereupon the inhabitants of the frontier settlements of Virginia took alarm, and the delegates of Ohio, Monon- f^lifla, ILuTison, Jlandolpli, OrooiihritM-, KaDawlia niid ^[untgomeiy counties sent a joint nioniorial to the Governor ot' Wrginia, snyini^ tliat the dcfcnselc.-^s condition of the countios, fonn- ,ing a line of nearly 400 niiics alon^- tlie Ohio river, exposed to the hostile invasion of their Indian enemies, dcstitnteof every kind of siipport, was truly alarming; for, notwithstanding all the regulations of the General Government in tiiat country, they Imvc reason to lament that they have been up to that time ineffectual for their protection; nor indeed could it be otherwise, for the garrisons kept by the Continental troops on the Ohio river, if of any use at all, must protect only the Kentucky settlements, as they immediately covered that country. TJiey further stated in their memorial: "Wo besr leave to observe that wc have reason to fear that the consequences of the defeat of our army by the Indians in the late expedition will be severely felt on our frontiers, as there is no doubt that tlie Indians will, in their turn, being iluslied witli victory, invade our settlements and exercise all their borrid murder upon the inhabitants thereof whenever the weather will permit tliem to travel. Tlien is it not better to support us where we are, be the expense what it may, than to oblige such a number of your brave citizens, who have so long supported, and still continue to support, a dangerous frontier (altliough thousands of their relatives in the flesh have in the prosecution thereof fallen a sacrifice to savage inventions) to quit the country, after all tliey have done and suffered, when you know that a frontier must be supported somewhere?"

Tliis memorial caused tlie Legislature of Virginia to authorize the Governor of that State to make any defensive operations necessary for the temporary defense of the frontiers, until the general Government could adopt and carry out measures to suppress the hostile Indians. The Governor at once called upon the military commanding officers in the western counties of Virginia to raise by the lirst of March, 1791, several small companies of rangers for this purpose. At the sanie time Charles Scott was appointed Brigadier- General of the Kentucky militia, with authority to raise 226 volunteers, to protect the most exposed portions of that district. A full report of the proceedings of tlie Virginia Legislature being transmitted to Congress, that body constituted a local Board of War for the district of Kentucky, consisting of five men. March 9, 1791, Gen. Henry Knox, Secretary of War, sent a letter of instructions to*Gen. Scott, recommending an expedition of mounted men not exceeding 750, against the Wea towns on the Wabash. With this foi'cc Gen. Scutt accoi\linicly crossed the Ohio, 'May 2o_ iTOl, and reached the Wabasii in al)out ten days. !Many of the Indians, having discovered his upproacli, Hod, but he succeeded in destroyinir all the villaires around Ouiatenon, tOircther with several Kickapoo towns, killing 32 w rriors and taking 53 prisoners. IIo released a few of the most infirm prisoners, giving them a "talk," which they carried to the towjis farther up the Waba^li, and v, IdcU the wretched condition of his horses prevented him from reaching. March 3, 1701, Congress provided for raising and equijiping a regimejit for the protection of the frontiers, and Gov. St. Clair was invested with the chief comniand of about 3,0'*0 trooi)S, to be raised and employed against the hostile Indians in the territory over which his jurisdiction extended. He was instructed by the Secretary of "War to raarcli to the JFiami village and establish a strong and permanent military post there; also such posts elsewhere along the Ohio a'9 would be in communication with Fort Washington. The j)Ost at Miami village was intended to keep the savages in that vicinity in check, and was ordered to be strong enough in its gai'- rison to afford a detachment of 500 or (iOO men in case of emergency, eitlier to chastise any of the Wabash or other hostile Indians or capture convoys of the enemy's provisions. The Secretary of War also urged Gov. St. Clair to establish that post as the first and most important part of the campaign. In case of a previous treaty the Indians were to be conciliated upon this point if possible; and he presumed good arguments might be offered to induce their acquiescence. Said he: "Having commenced your march upon the main expedition, and the Indians continuing hostile, you will use every possible exertion to make tliern feel the effects of your superiority; and, after having arrived at the Miami village and put your works in a defensible state, }-ou will seek the enemy with the wliole of your remaining force, and endeavor by all possible means to strike them witli great severity. * '''^' * *

In order to avoid future wars, it might be proper to make the Wabash and thence over to the ]\raumee, and down the same to its mouth, at Lake Erie, the boundary between the people of the United States and the Indians (exce ing so far as the same should relate to the Wyandots and Delawares), on the supposition of their continuing faithful to the treaties; but if they should join in the war against the United State?, and your army be victorious, the said tribes ought to be removed without the boundary mentioned.'* Previous to marching a strong force to the Miami town, Gov. St.

Clair, June 25, 1701, authorized Geii Wilkinson to conduct apccond expedition, not exceeding 500 niounted men, aj^ainst tlie Incuan »vil]af;ea on the Wahrush. Accordingly Gen. Wilkinson mustcicd his Ibrces and wa.s ready July 20, to inarch witli o25 mounted volunteers, well armed, and provided with 30 days' jirovisions, and M'ith this force he reached the Ke-na-])a-com-a-(.]ua village on the north hank of" Eel river about six miles above its mouth, Av^. 7, where lie killed six warriors and took 31 prisoners. Tiiis tov.'u, which was scattered along the river for three miles, was totally destroyed. lA'ilkinsou encamj^ed on the ruins of the town thatnight, and the next day he commenced Iiis march for the Ivickapoo town on the prairie, M'hich lie was unable to reach owing to the impassable condition of the route which he adopted and the failing condition of his horses. lie reported the estimated results of the expedition as follov/s: "I have destroyed the chief town of the Ouiatenon nation, and have made prisoners of the sons and sisters of the king. I have burned a respectable Ivickapoo village, and c;.tdown at least 400 acres of corn, chieily iu the milk."

Expeditions Ob' St. Clair And Wayne

Tl'.e Indians v;ere greatly damaged Ijn' the expeditions of Ilarmar, Scott and Wilkinson, but were far from being subdued. Thc}' regarded the pclic}^ of the United States as calculated to exterminate them from the land; and, goaded on by the English of Detroit, enemies of the Americans, they were excited to desperation. At this time the British Government still supported garrisons at Niagara, Detroit and Michilimackinac, although it was declared by the second article of the definitive treaty of peace of 17S3, that the king of Great Britain would, " with all convenient speed, and without causing any destruction or cariying away any negroes or property of the American inhabitants, withdj-aw all his forces, garrisons and fleets from tlu; United States, and from every ])ost, place and harbor within the same." That treaty also provided that the creditors on either side should meet with no lav.-ful impediments to the recovery of the full value, in st<. Iiig money, of all houa ^de debts previously contracted. The liritish Government claimed that the United States had broken faith in this particular understanding of the treatj^ and in consequence refused to withdraw its forces from the territory. The British garrisons in the Lake liegion wero a source of much annoyance to the Americans, as they afforded onctor \o i;osti!c Indians, encouraging them to make raids among tlio Aniericiins. Tlii.^ st;itc of affairs in the Territory Nortlnvest of tlic Ohio continr.cJ froiri tlie coinmenceluont of the Revolutionary war to 179(5, wlien under a second treaty all British soldiers wore withdrawn from tlie country.

In Scpteaiber, 1791, St. Clair moved fmm Fort "Washington Avitli about 2,000 men, and Xovemhcr 3, t.lic main army, consisting of about 1,400 effective troops, moved forward to the head-waters of the Wabash, where Fort Recovery was afterward erected, and here the army encamped. About 1,200 Indians were secreted a few miles distant, awaiting a favorable opportunity to begin an attack, whicli they improved on the morning of Kov.-l, about half an hour bef A-e suririse. The attack was first mode upon the militia, which immediately gave way. St. Clair was defeated and he returned to Fort Washington with a broken and dispirited ar»ny, having lost 39 officers killed, and 539 men killed and missing; 22 officers and 232 men were wounded. Several pieces of artillery, and all the baggage, ammunition and provisions were left on the field of battle and fell into the hands of the victorious Indians. The stores and other public property lost in the action were valued at $32,S00. There were also 100 or more x^merican women with the army of the Avliites, very few of whom escaped the cruel carnage of the savage Indians. The latter, characteristic of their brutal nature, proceeded in the flush of victor^'' to perpetrate the most horrible acts of cruelty and brutality upon the bodies of the living and the dead Americans who fell into their hands. Believing that the whiles had made war for many years merely to acquire land, the Indians crammed clay and sand into the eyes and down the throats of the dying and the dead !

Although no particular blame was attached to Gov. St. Clair for the loss in this expedition, yet he resigned the office of Major-General, and was succeeded by Anthony "Wayne, a distinguished officer of the Revolutionary war. Early in 1792 provisions were made by the general Government for ro-organizing the army, so that it should consist of an efficient degree of strength. Wayne arrived at Pittsburg in June, where the army was to rendezvous. Here he continued actively engaged in organizing and training his forces until October, 1793, when with an army of about 3,600 ; ^en lie moved westward to Fort Washington.

' refused to hear the sentiments of friendslii]) that were sent among them, and tomahawked several of the messengers. Their counuge had been aroused by St. Clrir's defeat, as well as by the unsuccessful expeditions which liad preceded it, and they now felt quite prepared to meet a superior force under Gen. Wayne. The Indians insisted on the Ohio river as the boundary line between their lands and the lands of the United States, and felt certain that they could riiaintain tliat boundary. '

Maj. Gen. Scott, with about 1,C00 mounted volunteers from Kentucky, joined the regular troops under Gen. \Yayne July 2G, 1794, and on ilic 2Sth the united forces began their march for the Indian towns on the Maumeo river. Arriving at the n)uuth of the x\uglaize, they erected Fort Defiance, and Aug. 15 the army advanced toward the British fort at the foot of the rapids of the Maumeo, where, on the 20th, almost within reach of the Eritish, the American army gained a decisive victory over the combined forces of the hostile Indians and a considerable number of the Detroit militia^ The number of the enemy was estimated at 2,000, against about 900 xlmerican troops actually engaged. This horde of savages, as soon as the action began, abandoned themselves to flight and dispersed with terror and dismay, leaving Wayne's victorious army in full and quiet possession of the field. The Americans lost 33 killed and 100 wounded; loss of the enemy more than double this number.

The army remained three days and nights on the banks of the Maumee, in front of the field of battle, during which time all the houses and cornfields w.-^re consumed and destroyed for a considerable distance both above and below Fort Miami, as well as within pistol sliot of the British garrison, who were compelled to remain idle spectators to this general devastation and conflagration, among which were the houses, stores and property of Col. McKee,"the British Indian agent and "principal stitnulator of the war then existing between the United States and savages." On the return march to Fort Defiance the villages and cornfields for about £0

Sept. Ji, 1 791, the army under Cren. W yne conimcnced its march toward the deserted ]\liami villages at the conlliieuce of St. Joseph's and St. Mary's rivers, arrivin;^' Get. 17, and on the fuHow- :n^ day the .'-ite of Fort Wayne was selected. The fort was completed Xov. 22, and garrisoned hy a strong detachment of infantry and artillery, under the command of Col. John F. Kamtramck, who gave lo the new fort the name of Fort "Wayne. In ISl-la new fort was built on the site of this structure. The Kentucky volunteers returned to Fort Wasliington and were mustered out of service. Gen. Wayne, %Yith tlie Federal troops, marched to Greenville and took up his headquarters during the winter. Ilerc, in August, 1795, after several months of active negotiation, this gallant officer succeeded in concluding a general tre fcy of peace with all the hostile tribes of the jSTorth western Territory. This treaty opened the way for the flood of immigration for many years, and ultimately made the States and territories now constituting the mighty Northwest.

Up to the organization of the Indiana Territory there is but little history to record aside from those events connected with military affairs. In July, 1796, as before stated, after a treaty was concluded between the United States and Spain, the British garrisons, with tlieir arms, artillery and stores, were withdrawn from the posts v.'ithin the boundaries of the United States northwest of the Ohio river, and a detachment of American troops, consisting of 65 uicu, under the command of Capt. Moses Porter, took possession of the evacuated post of Detroit in the same month.

In the latter part of 1796 Winthrop Sargent went to Detroit and organized the county of Wayne, forming a part of the Indiana Territory until its division iu 1805, when the Territory of Michigan was onranized.

Okganization Of In Hi Ana Tkiuutort

Ou the liiial success of Aincric;iii arms and diplomacy in 179G, the prin(;ipal town within the Territory, now the State, of Indiana was Yiucennes, whicli at this time comprised abont 50 house?, all presenting a thrifty and tidy appearance. Each house was surrounded by a garden fenced with poles, and peach and apple-trees grew in most of the enclosures. Garden vegetables of all kinds were cultivated with success, and corn, tobacco, wheat, barley and cotton grew in the fields around the village in abundance. During the last few years of the ISth century the condition of society at Yincennes imj)roved wonderfully.

Besides Yiucennes there was a small settlement near where the town of Lawrenceburg no'.v stands, in Dearborn county, and in the course of that year a small settlement was formed at "Armstrong's Station," on the Ohio, within the present limits of Clark county. There were of course several other smaller settlements and trading posts in the present limits of Indiana, and the number of civilized inhabitants comprised within the territory was estimated at 4,875,

The Territory of Indiana was organized by Act of Congress May 7, 1800, the material parts of the ordinance of 1787 remaining in force; and the inhabitants were invested with all the rights, privileges and advantages granted and secured to the people by that ordinance. The seat of government was fixed at Yincennes. May 13, ISOO, Win. Henry Harrison, a native ol Yirginia, was appointed Governor of this new territory, and on the next day John Gibson, a native of Pennsylvania and a distinguished Western pioneer, ^to whom the Indian chief Logan delivered his celebrated speech in 1774), was appointed Secretary of the Territory. Soon afterward Wm. Clark, Henry Yanderburgh and John Griffin were appointed territorial Judges.

Secretary Gibson arrived at Yincennes in July, and commenced, in the absence of Gov, Harrison, the administration of government. Gov. Harrison did not arrive until Jan. 10, 1801, when he immediately called together the Judges of the Territory, who proceeded

From this time to 1810 tlio priiicipiil sulijeclswliich attracted the attention oI' tiic people of Indiana were land spccuhitions, the adjustineut of land titles, the question of negro slaver}-, the purchase of Indian lauds hy treaties, the organization of Territorial legislatures, the extension of tlie right of .-ulTrage, tho division of Indiana Territory, the movements of Aaron Burr, and the hostile viev^'s and proceedings of the Shawauee chief, Tecumseh, and his brother, the Proplict.

Up to this time the sixth article of the celebrated ordinance of 1787, prohibiting slavery in the Northwestern Territorj', had been somewhat neglected in the execution of the law, and many French settlers still held slaves in a manner. In some instances, according to rules prescribed by Territorial legislation, slaves agreed by indentures to remain in servitude under their masters for a certain number of years; but many slaves, with whom no such contracts were made, were removed from the Indiana Territory either to the west of the Mississippi or to some of the slaveholding States. Gov. Harrison convoked a session of delegates of the 'iorritory, elected by a popular vote, who petitioned Congress to declare the sixth article of the ordinance of 1787, prohibiting slavery, suspended; but Congress never consented to grant that petition, and many other petitions of a similar import. Soon afr;:rward some of the citizens began to take colored persons out of the Territory for the purpose of selling tliem, and Gov. Harrison, by a proclamatio7i April G, 1801, forbade it, and called upon the authorities of the Territory to assist him in preventing such removal of persons of color.

During the year ISOi all the country west of the Mississippi and north of 33^ was attached to Indiana Territory by Congress, but in a few months was again detached and organized into a separate territory,

AVhen it appeared from the result of a popular vote in the Territory that a majority of 138 freeholders were in favor of organizing a General As?enibly, Gov. Harrison, Sept. 11, 1804, issued a proclamation declaring that the Territory had passed into the second grade of government, as contemplated by the ordinance of 1787, and fixed Thursday, Jan. 3, 1805, as the time for holding an election in the several counties of the Territory, to choose members of a House of Ilepresentatives, who should meet at Vincennes Feb. 1 and adopt measures for tlio orgoaiization of'aTerrilorial Council. Those delegates were elected, and met accordin<^ to the proclamation, and selected ten men from whom the rresident of the United States, *Mr. Jefilrrson, should appoint five to be and constitute the Le<;-islative Conneil of the Tcrritorj-, but he decJinini,^ requested Mr. Harrison to make the selection, which was accordingly done. Before the first scsslou of this Council, however, was held, Michigan Territory was set oiT, its south line being one drawn from thesouLherii end of Lake j\[ichigan directly east to Lake Erie.

The first General Assembly, or Legislature, of Indiana Territory met at Viucennes July 29, 1805, in pursuance of a gubernatorial proclamation. The members of the House of Representatives were Jesse B. Thomas, of Dearborn county; Davis Floyd, of Clark county; J3eujamiu Tarke and John Johnson, of Knox county; Shadrach Bond and William Bigos, of St. Clair county, and George Fisher, of Randolph county. July 30 the Governor delivered his first message to "the Legislative Council and House of Representatives of the Indiana Territory." Benjamin Farke was the first delegate elected to Congress. He had emigrated from Isew Jersey to Indiana in 180L was the first newspaper published in the Indiana Tcrrit(>ry, now comprising the four great States of Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin, and the second in all that country once known as the "Northwestern Territory." It was commenced at Viucennes in 1803, by Elihu Stout, of Xentucky, and first called the Indiana Gazette, and July, 4, 1804, was changed to the Western Sun. Mr. Stout continued the paper until 1845, amid many discouragements, when he was appointed postmaster at the place, and he sold out the office.

Indiana In 1810

The events which we have just been describing really constitute the initiatory steps to the great military campaign of Gc .. Harrison which ended in the "battle of Tippecanoe;" but before proceeding to an account of that brilliant afiair, let us take a glance at the resourses and strength of Indiana Territory at this time, 1810:

. During tlio yeai' 1810 a Board of Commissioners was established to straighten out the confused condition into which the land-title controversy liad been carried by the various and conflicting administrations that had previously exercised jurisdiction in this regard. This work was attended with much labor on the part of the Commissioners and great dissatisfaction on the part of a fc\v designing speculators, who thought no extreme of perjury too hazardous in their mad attempts to obtain lands fraudulently. In closiTig their report the Commissioners used the following expressive language: '"We close this melancholy picture of human depravity by rendering our devout aclinowledgment that, in the awful alternative in which we have been placed, of either admitting perjured testimonj'' in suppjort of the claims before us, or having it turned against our characters and lives, it has as yet pleased that divine providence whicli rules over the affairs of men, to preserve us, both from legal murder and private assassination."

The question of dividing the Territory of Indiana was agitated from 1800 to 1809, when Congress erected the Territory of Illinois, to comprise all that part of Indiana Territory lying west of the Wabash river and a direct line drawn from tliat river and Post Vincennes due north to the territorial line between the United States and Canada. This occasioned some confusion in the government of Indiana, but indue time the new elections were confirmed, and the new territory started off on a journey of prosperity which this section of the United States has ever since enjoyed.

From the first settlement of Vincennes for nearly half a century there occurred nothing of importance to relate, at least so far as the records inform us. The place was too isolated to grow very fast, and we suppose there was a succession of priests and commandants, who governed the little world around them with almost infinite power and authority, from whose decisions there was no appeal, if indeed any was ever desired. The character of society in such a place would of course grow gradually different from the parent society, assimilating more or less with that of neighboring tribes. The whites lived in peace with the Indians, each under-

Standing the other's peculiarities, which rcinaincii iixc<l long enough for l)oth parties to study out and understand them. The government ^va3 a mixture of the niilitary and thecivii. There M'as iittlo to incite to enterprise. Speculations in money and property, and their counterpart, beggary, were both imknown: the necessaries of life were easily procured, and beyond these there were but few wants to be supplied; hospitality was exercised by all, as lliere were no taverns; tJiers seemed to be -no use for law, judges or prisons; each district had its commandant, and the proceedings of a trial were singular. The comj)laining party obtained a notification from the commandant to his adversary, accompanied 'by a command to render justice. If this Lad no effect he was notified to appear before the commandant on a j)articaiar day and answer; and if the last notice was neglected, a sergeant and file of mca were sent to bring Irlm, - no sheriff and no costs. The convicted party would be fined and kepL in prison until he rendered justice according to the d ee; when extremely refractory the cat-o'-ninetails brought him ;.. a sense of justice. In sucli a state of society there was no demand for learning and science. Few could read, and' still fewer write. Their disposition wa^ .. ., ..i.. always to deal' honestly, at least simply. Peltries were t; ard of value.

Iiniiiediately after the or" anizatiou of Iiuliaua Territory Governor Harrison's attention was directed, 1)3' necessity as well as by instructions from Congress, to settling affairs with those Indians wlio still held claitns to lands. He entered into several treaties, by which at the close of ISOo the United State? Government had obtained about 40,000 sfjuare miles of territory, includino- all the lands lyini;- on the borders of the Ohio river between the mouth of the TV; ')ash river and the State of Ohio.

Tiie levying of a tax, especially a poll tax, by the General Assembly, created considerable dissatisfaction among man}' of the inhabitants. At a meeting held Sundaj', August 16, 1807, a number of Frenchmen resolved to " v»'ithdra\v their confidence and support forever from those men who advocated or in any manner promoted the second grade of government."

In 1807 the territorial statutes were revised and under the new code, treason, murder, arson and liorse-stcaling were each punishable b}' death. The crime of manslaughter was punishable hy the common law. Burglary and robbery were punishable hy whipping, fine and in some cases by imprisonment not exceeding forty years. Hog stealing was punishable by fine and whipping. Bigamy was punishable by fine, whipping and disfranchisement, etc.

In 1801 Congress established three land offices for the sale of lands in Indiana territory; one was located at Detroit, one at Vincennes a'.id one at Kaskaskia. In 1807 a fourth one was opened at Jeffersouville, Clark county; this town was first laid out in 1802, agreeably to plaris suggested by Mr. Jelferson then President of the United States.

Governor Harrison, according to his message to the Legislature in 1806, "seemed to think that the peace then existing between the whites and the Indians was permanent; but in the same document he referred to a matter that might be a source of trouble, which indeed it proved to be, namel^', the execution of white laws among the Indians - laws to which the latter had not been a party in their enactment. The trouble was aggravated by the partiality with which the laws seem always to have been executed; the Indian was nearly alwiiys tlie siifForcr. All along iVom ISOo to ISIO the Indians complained bitterly against the tMicroachments of the white people upon the lands that helonged to t.hein. The invasion oftlu-ir li-nting gronnds and the unjnstitlal)lc killing of many of their people were the sources of their discontent. i\n old chief, in laying the trouble of his ])co})le before Governor TIarrisou, said: "You callus children; why do you not make us as happy as our father.---^ the French, did? They never took from us onr lands; indeed, they were common bctv\-ccn tis. They planted where they pleased, and they cut wood where they jilcased; and so did we; but now if a poor Indian attempts to take a little bark from a tree to cover him from the rain, up comes a white man and threatens to shoot him, claiming the tree as liis own."

The Indian truly had grounds for his oomidaint, and the state of feeling existing among tlie tril>es at this time was well calculated to develop a patriotic leader who should carry them all forward to victory at arms, if certain concessions were not made to them hy the whites. But this golden opportunity was seized by an unworthy warrior. A brother of Tecumsch, a "prophet" named Law-le-was-ikaw', but who assumed the name of Pems-quat-a-\vah (Open Door), was the crafty Shawanee warrior who was enabled to work upon both the superstitions and the rational judgment of his fellow Indian.--, ne was a good orator, somewhat pecidiar in his appearance and well calculated to win the attention and respect of the savages. He began by denouncing witchcraft, the use of intoxicating lirpiors, the custom of Indian women marrying white men, the dress of the whites and the practice of selling Indian lands to the United States. He also told the Indians that the commands of the Great Spirit required them to punish with death those who practiced the arts of witchcraft and magic; that the Great Spirit had given him power to find out and expose such persons; that he had power to cure all disc: 'js, to confound his enemies and to stay the arm of death in sickness and on the battle-field. His liarangues aroused among some bands of Indians a high degree of superstitious excitement. An old Delaware chief named Ta-te-bock-o-she, through whose influence a treatj' had been made with the Delawares in 1804, was accused of witchcraft, tried, condemned and tomahawked, and his bodj^ consumed by fire. The old chief's wife, nephew ("Billy Patterson ") and an aged Indian named Joshua were next accused of witchcraft and condemned to death. The two men were burned at the stake, but the wife of Ta-te-bock-o-she was saved from death by her brother, whit suddeu]}'^ iipj-.roiu-liod lier, took her by the hand, and, without mcetin<jj any op))OS)tion from tlie Indians present, led lier (.nitof the council-house, llctlien inunediiitel}- returned and checked tlie --^rowing inflncnco of tlie Propliet by cxchuming in a strong, carne.-;t voice, " Tlie Evil S]>irit ha.-^ come among us and we are killing eacli other." - [DiIlon''s Ilhforn of [ndlana.

"When Gov. IIarri.-Jon was made acquainted with the.-e events he sent a sjiecial messenger to the Indians, strongly entreating them to i-enonnce the Pi'ophet and liis works. This really destroyed to some extent tlio Projihet's iniluence; but in the spring of 1808, having aroused nearly all the tribes of the Lake Region, the Prophet with a large number of followers settled near the mouth of tlie Tippecanoe river, at a place which afterward had the name of "Prophet's- Town." Taking advantage of his brother's influence, Tecumsch actively engaged himself in forming the varic.is tribes into a confederacy. He announced publicly to all the Indians that the treaties by which the United States had acquired lands northwest of the Ohio were not made in fairness, and should be considered void, lie also said that no single tribe was invested with power to sell lands without the consent of all the other tribes, and that he and his brother, the Propliet, would oppose and resist all future attempts %vhich the white people might make to extend their settlements in the lauds that belonged to the Indians.

Eai'ly in 1808, Gov. Harrison sent a speech to the Shavian ees, in which was this sentence: " My children, this business must be stopped; I will no longer suiler it. You have called a number of men from the most distant ti-ibcs to listen to a fool, who sjjeaks not the words of the Great Spirit but those of the devil and the British agents. My children, your conduct has much alarmed the white settlers near you. They desire that you will send away those people; and if they wish to have tlie impostor Avith them they can carry him along with them. Let him go to the lakes; he can hear the British more distinctly." This message wounded the pride of the Prophet, and he prevailed on the messenger to inform Gov. Harrison that he was not in league with the British, but was sjieaking truly the words of the Great Spirit.

In the latter part of the summer of 1808, the Proj)hct sj^ent several weeks at Yincennes, for the jiurpose of holding interviews with Gov. Harrison. At one time lie told the Governor that he was a Christian and endeavored to persuade his people also to become Christians, abandon the use of liquor, be united in broth- crly love, etc., Tiiak ill :i; Mr. TlanMt.on believe at least, that lie was hoiiCGt; but bel'urc Ion;; it was demonstrated that tiic ''Proplict'' ^ was designin,^-, cunning and unreliable; that both heand Tecunisch were enemies of the rinited States, and tViendg of tlie Englisli; and that in case of a war between the Americans and Eiigli,<h, they would join the latter. The next year the Prophet again visited Yincennes, with assurances that he was not in syinpatliy with the English, but tlie Governor was not disposed to believe liiin; and in a letter to the Scc^retary of War, in July, 1S09, lie said that ' e regarded the bands of Indians at Prophet's Town as a combinatioa which had been produced by Pritich intrigue and inllucnce, in anticipation of a war between thein and the United States.

In direct opposition to Tecuuisch and the prophet and in spite of all these dillicalties, Gov. Harrison continued the work of extinguishing Indian titles to lands, with very good success. Ey the close of 1809, the total amount of land ceded to the United States, under treaties v/hich had been effected by Mr. Ilarrison, exceeded 30,000,000 a res.

From 1S05 to 1807, the movements of Aaron Burr in the OJiio valley created considerable excitement in Indiana. It seemed that he intended to collect a force of men, invade Mexico and found a republic there, comprising all the country west of the Alleghany mountains. He gathered, however, but a few men, started south, and was soon arrested by the Federal authorities. But before his arrest he had abandoned liis expedition and his followers had dispersed.

While the Indians were combining to prevent any further transfer of land to the wliites, the British were using the advantage as a groundwork for a successful war upon the Americans. In the S]unng of 1810 the followers of the Prophet refused to receive their annuity of salt, and the officials who oifered it were denounced as "American dogs," and otherwise treated in a disrespectful manner. Gov. Harrison, in July, attempted to gain the friendship of the Prophet by sending him a letter,offering to treat with him ]iersonally in the matter of his grievances, or to furnish means to send him, with three of liis principal chiefs, to tlie President at Washington ; but the messenger was coldly received, and they returned M'Ord that they would visit Vincennee in a few days and interview the Governor. Accordingly, Aug. 12, ISIO, the Shawanec cliief with 70 of his princii;al warriors, marched up to the door of the

While the Governor was replying to this speech Tecnmseh interrupted hiiu vrith an <ingry exclamation, declaring that the United States, through Gov. Ilarri.son, Iiad "clieated and imposed on the Indians." "When Tecumseii first I'ose, a number of his ])arty also sprung' to their feet, armed with clubs, tomahawks and spears, and made sonio threatening demonstrations. The Governor's guards, who stood a little way off, were marched up in haste, and the India) is, awed by tlie presence of this small armed force, abandoned what seemed to be an intention to make an open attack on the Governor and his attendants. As soon as Tecumseh's remarks were interpreted, the Governor reproached him for his conduct, and commanded him to depart instantly to his camp.

On the folknving day Tecumseh repentctd of his rash act and requested the Governor to grant him another interview, and protested against any intention of oiTensc. The Governor consented, an- the council was re-opened on the 21st, when the Shawanee chi'jf addressed him in a respectful and dignified manner, but remained immovable in his policy. The Governor then requested Tecumseh to state plainly whether or not the surveyors wlio might sent to survey the lands purchased at the treaty of Fort Wayne 1809, would be molested by Indians. Tecumseh replied: rother, when you s]:)eak of annuities to me, I look at the land and pity the women and children, I am authorized to say that they will not receive them. Brother, wevv'ant to save that piece of land. "We do not wish you to take it. It is small enough for our purpose. If you do take it, you lausfc blame yourself as the cause of the trouble between us and the tribes who sold it to you. I want tlie present boundary line to continue. Should you cross it, I assure you it will be productive of bad consequences." The next day the Governor, attended only by his interpreter, visited the camp ,,'f the great Shawanee, and in the course of along interview told him that the President of the United States would not acknowledge his claims. "Well," replied the brave warrior, "as the great chief is to determine the matter, I hope the Great Spirit will put sense enough into his head to induce him to direct you to give up this land. It is true, he is so far off he will not be injured by tLe war. JIo may sit pI ill in his town aTid drink his wine, while you and I will liave to li-ht it out." ^ In his message to t!io new territorial Legislature in IS 10 (\ov. ILirrisuii called attention to the dangerous views held by Tccuniseh and the Propliet, to the iiernicious inilucnce of alien enemies aniung the Indians, to the unsettled (X-ndition of the Indian trad.e and to the policy of extinguishing Indian titles to lands. The eastern settlements were separated from the western by a considerable extent of Indian lands, and the most fertile tracts within the territory were still iii the hands of tlic Indians. Almost entirely divested of the game from which they had drawn their subsistence, it had become of little use to them; and it was the intention of the Government to substitute for the precarious and scanty siipplies of the chase tlie more certain and plentiful sn])port of agriculture and stock-raising. The old habit of the Indians to hunt so long as a deer could be found was so inveterate that they would not break it and resort to intelligent agriculture unless they were compelled to, and to this they would not be compelled unless they were confined to a limited extent of territory. The earnest language of the Governor's appeal was like this: "Are then those extinguishments of native title which are at once so beneficial to tlie Indiau and the territory of the United States, to be suspended on account of the intrigues of a few individuals? Is one of the fairest portions of the globe to remain in a state of nature, .the haunt of a few wretched savages, when it seems destined by the Creator to give support to a large population, and to be the scat of civilization, of science and true religion?"'

Among the acts passed by this session of the Legislature, one authorized the President and Directors of the Vincennes Public Library to raise $1,000 by lottery. Also, a petition was sent to Congress for a permanent seat of go vernmc.it for the Territory, and commissioners were appointed to select the site.

With the beginning of the year ISll the British agent for Indian affairs adopted measures calculated to secure the support of the savages in the war which at this time seemed almost inevitable. Meanwhile Gov. Harrison did all in his power to destroy the influence of Tecumseh and his brother and break up the Indian confederacy which was being organized in the interests of Great Britain. Pioneer settlei's and the Indians naturally grew moj-e and more

? i^ressivc and intolerant, couimittiuij deproilalions and murders, until tbe Governor felt cojupellcd to send the followiii;^ Bpecch, substa»itially, to the two leaders of the Indian tribes: "This is the third year that all the white people in this country have l>een alarmed at your proceedings; you threaten us with war; you invite all the triljes north and west of j-ou to join against us, while your warriors wlio have lately been here deny this. Tlie tribes on the Mississippi liave sent uie word that j'ou intended to murder me and then commence a war upon my people, and your seizing the salt I recently sent up the Wabash is also sufficient evidence of such intentions on your part. "My warriors are preparing themselves, not to strike yon, but to defeml themselves and their women and children. You shall not surprise lis, as you expect to do. Your intended act is a rash one: consider well of it. "Wiiat can induce you to undertake sucli a thing vrhen tliere is so little prospect of success? Do you really think that the handful 'of men you have about j'ou are able to contend with the seventeen 'Srcs?' or even that the whole of the tribes united could contend against the Kentucky 'fire' filonc? I am myself of the Long 'Knife lire.' As soon as they hear my voice you will see them pouring forth their swarms of hunting-shirt men as ^iimerous as the niusquitoes on the shores of the ATabash. Take care of their stings. It is not our wish to hurt you: if we did, wo certainly have pov/er to do it.

" You have also insulted the Government of the United States, h}' seizing the salt that ./as intended for other tribes." Satisfaction must be given for tliat also. You talk of coming to sec me, attended by all of your young men; but this must not be. If} ar intentions are good, you have no need to bring but a few of your young men with you. I must be plain with you. I will not suffer you to come into our settlements with such a force. My advice is that you visit the Pre.-ident of the United States and lay your grievances before him.

" With respect to the lands that were purchased last fall I can enter into no negotiations with you ; the affair is with the President. If you wish to go and sec him, I will supply you with the means.

" The person who del ?.rs this is one of raj- war oflicers, and is a man in whom I have entire confidence; whatever he says to you^ although it may not be contained in this paper, you may believe comes from me. My friend Tecumseh, the bearer is a good man and a brave warrior; I hope you will treat him well. You are

The bearer oi" this epoocli .vas ])oiii.oly i\ :eivod l>y Tecuruaeli, who replied t(» tlic Goveriiur hrjeilj tliat lie should visit Viuconnes in a few days. Accordiiii^ly ho ari-ivod July 27, ISII, bringing him a considerable force of Indians, Vv'hich created much alai'ui auumi}: the iiihal>itanl:5. In view of an enieri^encv Gov. narrison reviewed hiSi'uilitia - about T.")!') armed men - and stationed two companies and a detaciunent of draL;"Oou3 on the borders of the town. At thi? interview Tecuiuseh held forth that lie intended no war again^M. the Unitetl States; that he would send messengers among the Indians to prevent murdci's and depredations ou the white settlements; that the Indians, as well as the whites, who had committed murders, ought to be forgiven; that he had set the white people an example of forgiveness, which they ought to follow; that it was his wish to establish a union among all the Indian tribes; that the uortherri tribes v.^ere united; that he was going to visit tlie southern Indians, and then return to the Prophet's town. He said also that he would visit the President the next spring and settle all ditilculties with him, and that ho hoped no attempts would be. made to make settlements on the lauds which had been sold to the Uuited States, at the treaty of Fort "Wayne, because the Indians wanted to keep those grounds for hunting.

By tiie vvray, a lawsuit was instituted by Grov. Harrison against a certain Wm. Mcintosh, for asserting that the plaintiff had cheated the Indians out of their lands, and that by so doing he had made them enemies to the United States. The defendant was a wealthy Scotch resident of Yiucenues, well educated, and a man of influence among the people o])posed to Gov. Harrison's land policy. The jury rendered a verdict in favor of Harrison, assessing the damages at $-i,000. In execution of the decree of Court a large quantity of the defendant's land was sold in the absence of Gov. Harrison; but some time afierwa.d Harrison caused about two-thirds of the land to be restored to Mr. Mcintosh, and the remainder was given to some orphan children.

Harrison's first movement was to erect a new fortou the Wabash river and to break up the assemblage of hostile Indians at the Prophet's town. For this purpose he irdered Col. Boyd's regiment of infantry to move from the falls of Ohio to Vincennes. When the military expedition organii;cd by Gov, Hai'rison was nearly rep.dy to march to the Proj>]ict'S town, several Indian cliiefs arrived at Vincenncs Sept. 25, IS 11, and declared that the Indians would oom])ly witli the demands of the Governor and disperse; but this did not clicck the niilit;iry proccedinr>. Tiie army undor con:imand of Harrison moved fi-oixi Vineennes Sept. 20, and Oct. 3, oucounterinr^j no opposition from the cncni}'-, encauijjcd at the place wliere Fort Tltirrison was afterward built, and near where the city of Tcrre Haute now stamls. On the night of the 11th a few hostile Indians ajtproached tlie encampment and wounded one of the sentinels, which caused considerable excitement. The army was immediately drawn up in line of battle, and small detachments Averc sent in all directions; but the enemy could not be found. Then the Governor sent a message to Pi'ojjhct's Town, requiring the Shawanees, "Winnebagocs, Pottawatomies and Kickapoos at that place to return to their respective tribes; he also required tlie Prophet to restore all the stolen horses in his possession, or to give satisfactory proof that such persons were not tliero, nor had lately been, under his eontroL To this message the Governor received no answer, .unless that answer was delivered iu the battle of Tippecanoe.

The new fort on the '^Vabash was finished Oct. 2S, and at the request of all the subordinate ofEcers it was called "Fort Harrison," near what is now Terre Haute. This fort was garrisoned v/ith a small number of men under Lieutenant-Colonel Miller. On the 29th the rem.ainder of the army, consisting of 010 men, moved toward the Pro])het's town; about 270 of the troops were mounted. The regular troops, 250 in number, were under the command of Col. Boyd. With this army the Governor marched to within a half mile of the Prophet's town, when a conference was opened with a distinguished chief, in high esteem with the Prophet, and he informed Harrison tl' it the Indians were much surprised at the approach of the army, and had already dispatched a message to him by another route. Harrison replied that he would not attack them until he had satisfied himself that they would not complj'- with his demands; that he would continue his encampment on the "Wabash, and on the following morning would have an interview with the pn. [»het. Harrison tl}en resumed his march, and, after some difficulty, selected a place to encamp - a spot not vety desirable. It was a piece of dry oak land rising about ton feet above the marshy prairie in front toward the Indian town, and nearly twice that height above a similar prairie in thereai', through which und near tlii,-? h\])k ran a small stream cloilicd witli willov; and * brush wood. Toward the left ihmk this higliiaud widened considerably, but became gradually narrower in the opposite direction, and at the distance of loO yards terminated in an al)rn])t point. The two columns of iiifiintry occui)ied the front and rear of this ground, about iriO yards from each other on the left, and a little more than half that distauce on the right, flank. One flank was filled by two companies of mounted riflemen, 120 men, under command of Major-General Wells, of the Kentucky militia, and one by Spencer's company of mounted riflemen, numbering 80 men. The front line was composed of one battalion of United States infantry, under command of Major Floyd, flanked on the right by two companies of militia, and on the left by no comp.'my. The rear line was co7npose.d of a battalion of Uiiited States troops, under command of Capt.Eean, acting as Major, and four companies of militia infantry under Lieutenant-Colonel Decker. The regular troops of this line joined the mounted riflemen under Gen. "VYclls, oil the left flank, and Col. Deckers -battalion formed an angle with Spenoer's company on the left. Two troops of dragoons, about 60 men in all, Y.'cre encamped in the rear of the left flank, and Capt. Parke's trooji, which was larger than the other two, in rear of the right line. For a night attack the order of encampment Nvas the order of battle, and each man slept opposite his post in the line. L the formation of the troops single file was adopted, in order to get as great an extension of the lines as possible.

No attack was made by the enemy until about 4 o'clock on the morning of Nov. 7, jnst after the Governor had arisen. The attack was made on the left flank. Only a single gun was fired by the sentinels or b}^ the guard in that direction, vvhich made no resistance, abandoning their posts and fleeing into camp; and the^rst notice which the troops of that line had of the danger was the yell of the savatrcs within a short distance of them. But the men were courageous and preserved good discipline. Such of them as were awak or easily awakened, seized arms and took their stations; others, who were more tardy, had to contend with the enemy in the doors of their tents. The storm first fell upon Capt. Barton's company of the Fourth United States Regiment, and Capt. Geiger's company of mounted riflemen, which formed the left angle of the rear line. The fire from the Indians was exceedingly severe, and men in tiiu^e companies suilered consideniblj before relief could be brought to tlieni. Some few Indians i-a-s^Gd into the encainpniout near tne ungle, and <.>nec>r two penetrated to some distance before they were killed. All the companies formed for action before they were fired on. The morninj^ Avasdark and cloudy, and the fires of the Amej'icans afforded onh' a partial li2;lit, which gave greater advantage to the enciny than to the troops, and they were therefore extingni-hed.

As soon ari the Governor could nionut his horse he roue to the angle which was attacked, wherehe found that Barton's conipany liad suflbred severely, and the left of Geigei^'s entirelj^ broken. lie immediately ordered Cook's and Wentworth's companies to march up to the center of the re line, where were stationed a small company of IT. S. riilemcn and the companies of Bean, Snelling and Prescott. As the General rode up he found Maj. Daviess forming the dragoons in the rear of these companies, and having n;"eertaiucd that the heaviest lire ])roceeded from some trees 15 or 20 paces in front of these companies, he directed the Major to dislodge them with a part of the dragoons ; but unfortunately the Major's gallantry caused him to undertake the execution of the order with a smaller force tlian was required, which enabled the enemy to avoid him in front and attack his iianks. lie was mortals wounded and his men driven back. Capt. Snelling, however, with his company immediately dislodged those Indians. Capt. Spencer and his let and 2nd Lieutenants were killed, and Capt. Warwick mortally wounde<:. Tiie soldiery remained brave. Spencer had too much ground originally, and Harrison re-enforced him with a company of riflemen which had becu driven from their position on the left flank.

Gen. llitnison's aim was to keep the lines entire, to prevent the eneui}' from breaking into the camp until daylight, which would enable him to make a general and effectual charge. With this view he had re-enforced every part of the line that liad suffered much, and with the approach of morning he withdrew several com]>anlc3 from the front and rear lines and re-cuforced the right and left flanks, foreseeing that at these points the enemy would make their last effort. Maj. Wells, who had connnanded the left flank, charged upon the enemy and drove them at the point of the bayonet into tlie marsh, where they coild not be followed, ileanwhile Ca2">t. Cook and Lieut. Larrabee marched their companies to the right flank and formed uiider fire of the enemy, and being there joined

In tliiii battle ^Iv. ITarrisou bad about 700 efficient men, wliile tlie Indian? liad probably more than that. The loss of the Americans was 37 hilled and 25 mortally wouiuled, and 120 wounded; the Indians lost 38 killed on the field of battle, and the number of the wounded was never known. Anioni,' the whites killed were Paviess, Spencer, Owen, Warwick, Eandolph, Bean and White. Standing on an eminence lu ; r by, the Prophet cncourac^ed his v/arriors to battle by singing a favorite war-song. He told them that they would gain an easy victory, and that the bullets of their enemies would be made harmless by tlie G reat Spirit. Being informed duringthe engagement that some of the Indians were killed, he said that his warriors must fight on and they would soon be victorious. Immediately after their defeat the surviving Indians lost faith in their great (?) Prophet, retnnicd to their respective tribes, and thus the confederacy was destroyed. The Prophet, with a very few followers, then took up his residence among a sm;dl band of Wyandots encamped on WiM-Cat creek. His famous town, with all its possessions, was destroyed the next day,' Kov. 8.

On the 18th the American arm.y returned to Yincenne;, where most of the troops were discharged. The Territorial Legislature, being in session, adopted resolutions complimentary to Gov. Harrison and tlie officers and men under him, and made preparations for a reception and celebration.

Capt. Kbgan, the eloquent Shawanee chief who assisted our forces so materiall.y, died in the latter part of November, lol2, from the effects of a wound received in a skirmish vv'ith a reconnoitering party of hostile Indians accompanied by a white man in the British service, Nov. 22. In 1:hat skirmish the white man was killed, and Winamac, a Pottawatomie chief of some distinction, fell by the riile of Logan. The latter was mortally wounded, when he retreated with two warriors of his tribe, Capt. Johnny and Bright-Horn, to the camp of Gen. Winchester, where he soon afterward died. He was buried with the honors of war.

The*victory roccntlj gained by the Amoricnns at the battle of Tippccaiioo insnrcd perfect peace for a time, but only a short tiiu,. as tlie more extensive schetnes of the British liad so far ripciiod as to compel the United States attain to declare war against them. Tecumscli had lied to Halden, Canada, v.'jice, counseled b}- tlie English, he continued to excite the tribes against the Americans. As soon as tliis war with Groat Britain was declared (June IS, 1812), the Indians, as was o\'])ected, commenced again to commit depredations. During the summer of 1813 several points along the Lake E.egioa succumbed to tlieBritish, as Detroit, under Gen. Hull, Fort Dearborn (now Chicago), commanded by Capt. Heald under Gen. Hull, the post at Mackinac, etc.

In the early part of September, 1812, parties of hostile Indians began to assemble in considerable numbers in the vicinity of Forts Wayne and Harrison, with a view to i-educing them. Capt. Rhea, at this time, had command of Fort Wayne, but his drinking propensities i'ather disij^ualified him for emergencies. For two weeks the fort was in great jeopardy. An expi-ess had been sent to Gen. Harrison for reinforcements, but many days passed without any tidings of expected assistance. At length, one day, Maj. Wm. Oliver and four friendly Itidians arrived at the fort on horseback. One of the Indians was the celebrated Logan. They had come in defiance of " 500 Indians," had "broken their ranks" and reached the fort in safety. Oliver reported that Harrison was aware of the situation and was raising'meu for a re-enforcement. Ohio was also raising volur-ieers; 800 were then assembled at St. Mary's, Ohio, GO miles south of Fort Wayne, and would march to the relief of the fort in three or four days, or as soon as they were joined by reenforcements from Kentucky.

Oliver prepared a letter, announcing to Gen. Harrison liis safe ar- : ival at the besieged fort, and giving an account of its beleaguered situation, which he dispatched by his friendly Shawanees, while he concluded to take his chances at the fort. Brave Logan and his companions started with the message, but had scarcely left the fort when they were discovered and pursued by the hostile Indians, yet passing tl Indian lines in safety, they were soon out of reach. The Indians now began a furious attack upon the fort; but the little garrison, witli Oliver to cheer them on, bravely met tlie assault, repelling the attack day after day, until the army approached to their relief. During tliis siege the cotnmuuding olhcer, wliose habits of