The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1869-03-03

-. :
sseAtfment of disaster. The Indians
apprised of the movement, dogged tn,
western march. continnally with spies
until they.arriyed, on The 9th of J une
at the .Morayian- villages on the San
dusky Rive, ,cThere instead Of finding
Indians and plunder, they met moth
ing but the testiges of desolation
1dke4 n apolean at Moscow, Crawford
found only smoking ruins and deyas
tffDn. Marching directly across
| %lsat $ is known as the "Leesvillc
Grayel Bank and Crawford county,
] 4.tswarfE Upper Sa1fdusky;f he found
himself and corps entirely -etsY-ollnded
by the enemy, well mounted, and pre-
pared for battle,
On the line of march across our
county, several skirmishes took place,
and many lives were lost. We are
informed that the ''firing was heavy
and incessant until dark, and both
armies lay on their arms during the
! night" The indians increasing in
numbers and ferocity every hour, q
council of war was held, and a retreat
agreed upon as the only means of safe
ty. Disagreeirg as to the best mode
of retreat, the little army broke ranks,
and forming small squads of men,
fled in every direction which offered
safety. Terrible mistake! Fallacious
hopel Very few ever returned to the
embrace of friends OF kindred, but
were ferociously slaughtered wherever
found. Some were pursued and slain
on the very banks of the Ohio.
Hiding ley day, and directing his
course at night by the North Star,
Col. Crawford avoided capture a short
time, but was soon taken by party
of Indians, wilhelm company with DR.
Knight Several of the prisoners
were Immediately killed and scalp: d,
while Crawford ard his. friend were
sent to the Delaware Chiefs, Pipe and
Wingenund, to be executed with all
the malice ard cruelty which savage
nature, long accustomed to such deeds,
could suggest. ''The spot where
Crawford suffered" says Colonel John
Johnston, "was a few miles west of
Upper Sandusky, on the old trail
leading to the Big Spring, in Wyan-
dot county, Ohio. 1t was at a Della
ware town, on the right hand trail
going west, OR low bottom on the
east bank of Tymochtcc Greek.
Wingenund, an Indian chief, had
an interview with Colonel Crawford
just before his execution. He had
before, and had been on terms of
friendship with him, and kindly enter
tanned by him at his own house and
therefore felt much attached to the
Colonel. Wingcnund had retired to
his cabin, that he Ioight not see the
sentence executed but Crawford sent
for him with the faint hope that he
would intercede for and save him.
Wingcnund accordingly appeared in
the presence of Crawford, who was
naked and bound to stake. Winge-
nund commenced the conversation
with much embarrassment and agita
ton, as follows:
Wingenund-s'Are you not Col.
Crawford p
Crawford am"
Wingenund, somewhat agitated,
CALCULATED, "So;-indeed ~
Crawford-"Do you not recollect
the friendship that always existed be-
tneen us, and that we were always
glad to see each other!'
Wingenund-"Yes L remember
all this, ard that we have often drank
together, and that you Rave been kind
to me.
Crawford" "Thcn 1 hope the same
friendship still continue"
Wingenund-''I would, of course,
were you where you ought to be, and
rot here.
Crawford ''And why not here? l
hope you would not desert friend in
time of need. Now is the time for
you to exert yourself in my behalf, as
/ should do for you were you in my
place"
Wingenund-:'Colonel Crawford !
you have placed yourself in situation
which puts it out of my power, and
that of others Of your friends, to do
anything for YOU"
Crawford-''How SO, Captain Win
genund ,"
Wingenund-t:sBy joining yourself
to that eXecrable man, Williamson,
and his party-the man who, but the
other day, murdered such number
of Moravian Indians, knowing them
to be friends, knowing that he ran no
risk in numbering people who would
not fight, and whose only business
was praying. ~, f.'. .e.... -........
Crawford-"But L assure you,
Captain Wingenund, that had | been
with him at the time. this would not
have happened. Not 1 alone, but all
your friends, and all good men, who
ever, they are, reprobate acts OF this
kind" .a.l aa-f...s. .5 -
Wingenund-s'That may all be;
vet these friends, these good men, did
not prevent him from going out again
to kill the remain der of these inotfen-
sive, yet foolish Moravian Indians;
I say foolish, because they believed
the whites in preference. to MS. We
had often told them they would be one
day so treated by these people, who
called themselves their friends. We
told them there was no faith; that
their fair promises were only intended
to allure US, that they might the iEore
easily kill us, as they had done many
Indians before these Moravians."
Crawford -''I am sorry to hear you
speak thus, as to Williamson's going
out again, when it was known that
he was determined on it; I went out
with him to prevent his committing
- 4 ~Jo,-. ,, ---.s. "'t- -..-- tt.at