Grant County, Indiana - Chapter 2: By W. W. Fuller, 1886

INDIAN HISTORY - THE MIAMI TRIBE - TREATIES - THE MISSISSINEWA EXPEDITION - THE BATTLE - COL. CAMPBELL'S REPORT - MAP OF THE BATTLE GROUND - THE MIAMI CHIEFS - MESHINGOMESIA - PREHISTORIC RACES - - CLASSIFICATION OF MouNDS--MouNDS OF GRANT COUNTY.

Shae MIAMI, the only tribe that deserves more than a passing notice in these pages - was a branch of the Algonquin family, which primitively occupied the region surrounding the great lakes. The Miamis, according to Schoolcraft, occupied a high position among the tribes of North America. They were leading and influential, and were superior to many in point of intelligence and moral characteristics. They were strict observers of treaty stipulations, and were not easily influenced by neighboring tribes to commit deeds of desperation or take up arms without what they believed to be a just cause. When once aroused they fought with the skill of trained warriors, and under Little Turtle, in some respects the greatest warrior of his race, won on many a battle-field.

Touching the location of their land and early settlement of this tribe the following extract from a speech made by Little Turtle at the treaty of Greenville in the year 1795 is probably the best authority: "It is well known by all my brothers present that my forefather kindled the first fire at Detroit; from there he extended his lines to the head-waters of the Sciota; from there to its mouth; from there down the Ohio to the mouth of the Wabash, and from there to Chicago, on Lake Michigan." Thus the whole Territory of Indiana and a large portion of Ohio was owned by this tribe, but much of it was occupied by other tribes, who, according to the claim of the Miamis, were not the legitimate owners, and who had ceded it to the British, who at the close of the war for independence relinquished all their claims to the colonists. It was this injustice to the Miamis that caused them to take up arms against the United States, which resulted in the defeat of Gen. Harmar in 1790, the defeat of Gen. St. Clair at Fort Wayne in 1791, and the final victory of Gen. Wayne in 1794. Shortly after the defeat of the Miamis by Gen. Wayne a treaty of peace was concluded at Greenville in which the Miamis made their first cession of land to the United States, for which they received a small sum and an annuity of $1,000 forever.

The next most important'treaty was the famous treaty of St. Mary, made October 6, 1818, and is bounded as follows: Commencing near the town of Lagro in Wabash, where the Salamonia unites with the Wabash River; running thence through Wabash and Grant Counties into Madison County to the center of Section 17; thence running south of west parallel with the general course of the Wabash River, across Tipton County, close to the town of Tipton just north thereof, to where it intersects a line running north and south from Logansport, which is the western boundary of Howard County, one mile westof Range line No. 1 east; thence north to Logansport; thence up the Wabash to the mouth of the Salamonia, the place of beginning. There were at this time 930,000 acres ceded to the United States. A large part of this reservation remained in possession of the Indians until the fall of 1840, when it was relinquished.

The next cession of land by the Miamis was made October 23, 1826, at Paradise Springs, for which they received from the Government $31,040.53 in goods and $31,040.53 in cash; the following year $61,259.47, after which an annuity of $25,000 was to be paid during the existence of the tribe.

According to the report of the commissioners the purchase of 1834 contained 177,000 acres. This was to be used for the completion of the Wabash & Erie Canal. For this the Indians were paid $335,680. The records of the Interior Department of the Government further show that a cession was made in November, 1838, and two years later, November, 1840, they relinquished all claims to territory in Indiana, except the specific reservation set apart for the band of Me-tocin-yah, the father of Me-shin-go-mesia, which was bounded as follows: Beginning on the eastern boundary of the Big Reserve where the Mississinewa crosses the same; thence down said river with the meanderings thereof to the mouth of the creek called Forked Branch; thence north two miles; thence on a direct line to a point on the eastern boundary line, two miles north of the place of beginning; thence south to the place of beginning - containing ten square miles. For this final cession the Government paid the Miamis $550,000 with the provision that they should vacate the land within five years. They remained till 1847, when they were removed to the west of the Mississippi at the expense of the Government.

Mississinewa Expedition. - In a letter addressed to the Secretary of War, bearing date of October 13, 1812, Gen. Harrison called the attention of the War Department to the fact that the Miamis had taken up the tomahawk and were committing depredations upon the settlements along the frontier, citing such evidence as the besieging of Fort Wayne and the attack on Fort Harrison. Notwithstanding these unfriendly movements they were still claiming to maintain a neutral position in the war between the United States and Great Britain. It was determined that a force should be sent against those living along the banks of the Mississinewa, for the purpose of destroying their villages. This duty was assigned to Lieut.-Col. John B. Campbell, of the Nineteenth Regiment of United States Infantry, with a detachment of 600: mounted men. The detachment was composed mainly 'of a regiment of Kentucky Dragoons, commanded by Col. Simrall, a squadron of United Stateg Volunteer Dragoons, commanded by Maj. James V. Ball and a corps of infantry consisting of Capt. Elliott's company of the Nineteenth United States Regiment; Butler's Pittsburgh Blues, and Alexander's Pennsylvania Riflemen. The detachment was commanded to march on the 25th of November, and in his letter of instructions to Col. Campbell, Gen. Harrison directed him to march by the "Greenville route," in order that he might not come in contact with the Delaware towns, and suggested that any trouble with them would be unfortunate, for the reason that the faith of the Government was pledged for their safety. He further states that some of the Miami chiefs had exerted themselves to keep their warriors quiet. He named among others Richardville, Silver Heels, White Loon, and the son and brother of Little Turtle, and asks that they be left unmolested. Well knowing the methods of Indian warfare he advised Col. Campbell to keep his men at all times ready for action by night as well as by day, and when in the enemy's country to have his men lie upon their arms.

followed will be found in the following official report of Col. Campbell to Gen. Harrison, which is now on file in the War Department at Washington: " Early in the morning of the 17th I reached undiscovered an Indian town on the Mississinewa, inhabited by a number of Delawares and Miamis. The troops rushed into the town, killed eight warriors and tgok forty-two prisoners, eight of whom are warriors, the residue women and children. I ordered the town to be immediately burned, a house or two excepted, in which I confined the prisoners. I then left the infantry to guard the prisoners, and with Simrall's and Ball's dragoons advanced to some Miami villages a few miles down the Mississinewa, but found them evacuated. I burned on this occasion three considerable villages, took several horses, killed many cattle, and returned to the town I first burned, where I left the prisoners and encamped. My camp was in the usual form. The infantry and riflemen were in the front line, Capt. Elliott's company on the right, Butler's in the center, Alexander's on the left; Maj. Ball's squadron occupied the right and onehalf of the rear line, Col. Simrall's regiment the left and the other half of rear lines. Between Ball's right and Simrall's left there was an interval which had not been filled up. I now began to deliberate upon our future movements, whether to go on further encumbered with prisoners, the men much fatigued, and many frostbitten, and horses suffering for want of forage. At 4 on the morning of the 18th I ordered the reveille to be beaten, and the officers convened at my fire a short time afterward. While we were in council and about half an hour before day, my camp was most furiously attacked by a large party of Indians, preceded by and accompanied with a most hideous yell. This immediately broke up the council, and every man ran to his post.

"The attack commenced upon that angle of the camp formed by the left of Capt. Hopkins' troops, and the right by Capt. Garrard's, but in a few seconds became general from the entrance of the right to the left of Ball's squadron. The enemy boldly advanced to within a few yards of the line and seemed determined to rush in. The guards posted at different redoubts retreated to camp and dispersed among their different companies, thus leaving me without a disposable force. Capt. Smith, of the Kentucky Light Dragoons, who commanded one of the redoubts, in a handsome and military manner kept his position, although abandoned by half his guards, until ordered to fill up the interval in the rear line between the regiment and squadron. The redoubt at which Capt. Pierce com-, manded was first attacked. The Captain maintained his position until it was too late to get within the line. He received two balls through his body and was tomahawked. He died bravely and much lamented. The enemy then took possession of Capt. Pierce's redoubt and poured a tremendous fire upon the angle, to the right and left of which were posted Hopkins' and Garrard's troops. But the fire was as warmly returned. Not an inch of ground was yielded. Every man, officer and soldier, stood firm, and animated and encouraged each other. The enemy's fire became warm on the left of the squadron at which Capt. Markle's troops were posted; and the right of Elliott's company, which, with Markle's, formed an angle of the camp, was severely annoyed by the enemy's fire. I had assisted in forming the infantry, composed of Elliott's company of Nineteenth United States Regiment, Butler's Pittsburgh Blues, and Alexander's Pennsylvania Riflemen, and ordered them to advance to the brink of a declivity from which they could more effectually defend themselves and harass the enemy if they should attempt an attack on that line. While I was thus engaged Maj. Ball rode up to me and observed that he was hard pressed and must be relieved. I galloped immediately to the left wing with an intention of ordering Capt. Trotter's troops to re-enforce the squadron, but was there informed that the enemy was seen approaching in that direction, and believing it improper on second thought to detach a large troop from that line, which also covered an angle of the camp, I determined to give relief from the infantry. I wheeled my horse and met Maj. McDowell, who observed that the spies and guides under the command of Capt. Patterson Bain, consisting of ten men, were unemployed. We rode to them together, and ordered Capt. Bain to the support of the squadron. Seven of them, to wit: James Adrian, William Conner, Silas McCollough, James Thompson, James Noggs, John Ruland and Joseph G.'McClelland followed their brave leader and rendered most effectual assistance. I then ordered Capt. Butler, with the Pittsburgh Blues, to repair immediately to re-enforce the squadron, and Capts. Elliott and Alexander to extend to the right and left and fill the interval occasioned by the withdrawal of the Blues. Capt. Butler in a most gallant mediately and in excellent order and marched them to the point to which he was ordered. The alacrity with which he formed and moved was never exceeded by any troops on earth. The Blues were scarcely at the post assigned them before I discovered the effect they produced. A well-direoted fire from them and Hopkins' Dragoons, nearly silenced the enemy in that quarter. The enemy then moved in force to the left of the squadron and right of the infantry, where Capts. Markle's and Elliott's companies were posted. Here, again, they were warmly received. At this time daylight began to dawn. I then ordered Capt. Trotter, whose troop had been ordered by Col. Simrall to mount for the purpose, to make a charge. The Captain cried out to his men to follow him, and they tilted off at full gallop. eh teal Maj. McDowell with a small party rushed into the midst of the enemy and exposed himself very much. I cannot say too much for this gallant veteran. Capt. Markle, with about fifteen of his troop and Lieut. Warren, also made a daring charge on the enemy. Capt. Markle avenged the death of his relation, Lieut. Waltz, upon an Indian with his own sword. * * * Fearing that Capt. Trotter might be too hard pressed I ordered Capt. Johnson, of the Kentucky Light Dragoons, to advance with his troops to support them. Capt. Johnson did not join Trotter until the enemy was out of reach. 'The cavalry returned and informed me the enemy had fled precipitately. I have on this occasion to lament the loss of several brave men."

The battle lasted about one hour and resulted in a loss to the whites of eight killed and forty-two wounded. The numberof horses killed, according to one of the colonels, was 107. Fifteen Indians were found dead upon the battle ground, and it was estimated by Col. Campbell that as many more had been carried away dead or mortally wounded. The Indian force was estimated at 300.

The detachment immediately started on their return to Greenville, Ohio, and according to Gen. Harrison, 303 of the number had been frost-bitten and rendered unfit for duty when they had reached that point.

Following the course of the Mississinewa a distance of about seven miles from the county seat of Grant County, and stopping a short distance up the current of the stream from the site of Conner's mill, the voyager will find himself near the scene of the battle-field of Mississinewa. The battle was fought on the west bank of the river in the southwest quarter of Section 10. The bank at this point rises to a considerable height, but is bordered by a narrow tract of bottom land covered with a dense growth of forest trees. This tract is bounded on the east by a sloping hill, varying in altitude from twenty to forty feet and it was on the ground that recedes to the north and east"from the summit of this hill, that the scene of the conflict was laid. Here the old Indian village stood that was burned on the 17th of December, 1812, and there the mortal remains of the eight brave warriors, the gallant Lieut. Waltz among the number, who fell in that conflict, lie buried.

Principal Chiefs of the Miamis. - No authentic account of the chiefs of the Miamis can be given prior to the reign of Ague-nackgue, who 'signed the' first treaty between the English and Miamis on the 23d of July, 1748. He lived in Turtle Village a few miles northeast of Fort Wayne and it was at this place in the year 1747, his son Little Turtle was born. Upon the death of his father Little Turtle became chief of the tribe. His mother was of the tribe of Mohegans and transmitted many of her superior qualities to her son. His courage, sagacity and extraordinary talent were developed at an early age and'when but a boy his influence with his own tribe, as well as with others of the confederation, was unbounded. His skill in the management of an army was not surpassed even by those trained and schooled in the profession. He was victorious in many a hotly contested battle, and it was not until he met "the man who never sleeps," as he spoke of Gen. Wayne while, addressing a council of war, did he meet his equal. He died at Fort Wayne July 14, 1812, and was buried by the whites with the highest honors. In the grave with him were buried the sword and medal presented him by Gen. Washington.

The successor of Little Turtle was Pe-che-wa, commonly called John B. Richardville.* His father was of French extraction, and his mother the sister of Little Turtle. He was born about the year 1761. His election to chieftaincy was the result of a most daring feat of voluntary heroism. A white captive had been condemned to. be burned at the stake. He had been bound and the faggots placed in position, and the one who had been commissioned to apply the torch began the performance of his duty, and as the flames began to wreathe, the young Richardville, in obedience to a signal from his mother, dashed through the wild crowd and cut the cords that bound the captive and bade him go free. So heroic was the act that he was at once accepted as chief. He was a man of great executive ability and fine business sense. He died in 1841, and was buried by the Catholics at Fort Wayne.

Francis La Fontaine, whose Indian name was To-pe-ah, became principal chief of the Miamis after the death of Richardville. His father was of French descent and his mother a Miami woman. He was born at Fort Wayne in 1820. At the age of twenty-one he married Catharine Po-con-go-qua, daughter of Richardville. He manifested great interest in the welfare of his tribe, and on this account was elected chief. When his tribe was removed to the reservation west of the Mississippi he accompanied them, but after a short stay started to return, and at Lafayette was taken suddenly ill, where he died April 13, 1847. His remains were taken to Huntington for interment, where one of his daughters, Mrs. Archiangel Engleman, still lives.

Me-shin-go-me-sia. His ancestors and descendants. - No reliable account of the ancestors of Me-shin-go-me-sia can be traced farther back than the fourth generation, or to the time of Osandiah, who, at the head of one division of the tribe, left Fort Wayne (at what date no one knows) and settled on the Big Miami River in Ohio. Soon after his settlement at this point he visited Gen. Washington, at that time President, who presented him with tokens of regard, This aroused the jealousy of the other tribes, by whom it is believed he was poisoned.

Upon the death of Osandiah his son, Ataw-ataw, became chief, and he, in turn, was succeeded by his son, Me-to-cin-yah, who removed with his tribe to Indiana and settled in what is now Wabash and Grant Counties, and after a successful reign of many years died, and his remains were buried in Wabash Jounty.

He was the father of ten children: Me-shin-go-me-sia, Ta-consaw, Mack-quaick-yno-nun-gah, Shop-on-do-sheah, Wa-pe-si-taw, Me-tack-quack-quah, So-lin-jes-yah, Wa-cau-con-aw, Po-kung-eyah and We-cop-eme-nah.

Upon the death of Me-to-cin-yah, his eldest son, Me-shin-go-mesia, succeeded to the chieftainey. He was born in Wabash County about the beginning of the last quarter of the eighteenth century (the precise date not known). At the age of about thirty he married Tac-ka-quah, a daughter of So-a-nah-ke-kah, and to them were born two sons Po-kung-gah and Ataw-ataw. He was a man of great firmness, though not obstinate. He was ordinarily intelligent and always displayed judgment and good business sense in the management of the affairs of his band. With his death which occurred December - , 1879, the last chief of this historic tribe passed away. 'The few who remain are the descendants of the old chief, and ere many years have swept away they too will have been translated to the happy hunting grounds and the last trace of the noble red man will disappear, but the romance of his life will be recited centuries after his race is extinct.

The Prehistoric Races. - The remains of these ancient earthworks embrace such a variety and are so diverse in size and structure, in form, and designed for so many different purposes that it is with difficulty that a classification can be given. Many of the best authors have differed very materially in what they believed to be a rational classification. The two general classes into which they are divided are enclosures and mounds. The former is by an eminent French author divided into defensive, sacred, and miscellaneous enclosures, and are distinguished from mounds proper by being bounded by embankments, circumvallations, or walls, and include fortifications or strongholds, sacred enclosures and numerous miscellaneous works. It is this class that affords the most interesting study to the archxologist. The defensive enclosures are usually found on the slopes or summits of hills or table-lands along the course of a stream. They are usually composed of clay and enclose from one to several hundred acres. The sacred enclosures, unlike the defensive, are situated in low bottom lands and rarely occur where the surface is broken. The enclosures are not so large as the foregoing nor the walls so high or thick. They are principally found in groups.

lar and observatory. ' Mounds of sepulture," says MeClean "'usually have the form of a simple cone, but sometimes elliptical. They vary from six feet to eighty in height, but average from fifteen to twenty feet. Many are isolated oi others occur in groups, sometimes connected at their, Dases.

These mounds invariably cover a skeleton - frequently more than one - which is found near the original surface of the soil. The body is nearly always found disposed at length, and not unfrequently personal ornaments, weapons and pottery are found with the skeleton. Evidences of cremation are also found in some mounds of this class.

Sacrificial mounds which always occur in the immediate vicinity of enclosures, are said to possess many distinguishing features. Excavations into mounds of this class haye revealed a construction of uniform layers of gravel, earth and sand arranged alternately. An altar of burnt clay or stone is also found, and upon the altar have been found calcined human bones, pottery, spear-heads and numerous other relics.

Templar mounds are yariously formed, baing round, square, oval, octangular, ete. They are generally high and sometimes cover a large area. Lhey are usually surrounded by embankments and the summit is reached by spiral pathways. Surmounting these. mounds wooden temples were supposed to have been erected, but all evidences haye long since passed away and all theories are only speculation.

Mounds of observation are believed to have been used for signal stations or alarm posts. In times of great danger they gave the alarm of the approach of an enemy by building fires upon these mounds. Chains of these mounds exist in Ohio and Illinois and make complete lines of signal stations.

Mounds of Grant County. - While this county is not rich in the relics of this prehistoric race, yet there are abundant evidences that this section was once inhabited by them, They left no forts, military or sacred enclosures, nor any of those classes that are most interesting to the antiquarian. The mounds found in various parts of the county are oval shaped, but a few feet in height with diameters varying from ten to sixty feet. The largest was in the court house square, upon which the first court house was built. This was ten feet high and sixty feet in diametor, and when excavated re- vealed layers of gravel, burnt clay and charcoal, beneath which was found a human skeleton, which is said to have been between seven and eight feet in length. Several other well defined mounds were found near the residence of David Overman, and two near the entrance to the old Quaker Cemetery, bones, charcoal, burnt clay and small pieces of pottery were found, In some instances the bones showed traces of the fire which evidently consumed the flesh. On the bluff east of the city another has been excavated, but nothing of interest found. Three well preserved mounds were found on the farm of William Leverich, another on the farm of Milton Camblin. Near the lake in Fairmount Township, which is supposed to be in the course of the old glacial river, numerous evidences still remain.

A close inspection of the mounds of this county will lead to the conclusion that these were either sepulchral or sacrificial mounds, and if, as many authors believe, cremation was practiced by them, it is difficult to make a distinction between the two classes. Those in which cinder, charcoal, burnt clay and calcined human bones were found, as in the case of one of the mounds near the entrance to the Quaker's cemetery, were the bones of a human sacrifice or the remains of the cremated dead. It is not improbable that some of the sesupposed remains of the prehistoric races were, in fact, the burial places of the Indians.

Mastodons were, in the opinion of many archeologists, contemporaneous with the Mound-Builders, while other equally eminent authors claim that their existence antedates that of the Mound- Builders, and at the time of the coming of the latter were entirely extinct. In proof of the former theory bones of mastodons have in many cases been found in the sepulchral mounds side by side with the skeletons of the Mound-Builders. The bones of a mastodon were found in Fairmount Township on the farm of Joseph Bloomer. They were exhumed while digging a ditch through a marsh. A piece of the maxilary bone weighing thirty-seven pounds, and several teeth, the largest weighing seven pounds, were found. In the opinion of those qualified to judge this animal would have weighed