Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1871-07-20
Pioneer Life and History of
WyslntlOt County. L.
By A. W. BRrNKERuoFF.
CH HAPI Ia N-No. l3.

'Whrn the line Of march was formed |
ny the comm anderin-chirf, and the re- |
rr"at 60 mmenced, our guides prud1 ntly |
fo"k the direction o. SIndusIlv. which |
afforded the only opening in the Indian |
lines and the only chance uI conceal |
ntnt. After marching about mile I'm |
tins direction. the army wherled ahoui !
70 inc lett. ana by Il circuitous rOntr |
Tiined the trail by which they came. Il @
" before. They continued their n,nrh |
the whole of the next hav. with n triflin"
annoyance from the Indians who fired
few distant shots at the rear guard. whici
slightly wounded two or three men. At
night they built fires. took their suppers
-r.'urrd The .Eorses an resigned them
selves to repose. without placing single
Srntinel or vidette for safety. In this
careless situation. they might have been
surprised and cut off by the Indians. who.
however. gave them no disturbance dur
ing the night. nor afterwards during the
whole OF their retreat. The number Of
those composing the main body in the
retreat was Supposed to be about three
hundred
Most unfortunately. when n rptrcai
was resolved on. difference of opinion
prevailed concerning the hest mode oi
etfecting it. The greater 1uml er thought
aS possible while a considerable number
Thought it safest to break off in sm1r
paltieS and make their way home in dit
'"rrRt directions, avoiding the route ~
which they came. Accordingly MANY
attempted to do so. calculating that tI,
Whole body of the Indians would follow
the main army; in this they were en-
tirrly mistaken. The Indians paid bui
it'll attention to the main body of til
iriuV- but nurSnc1 tIa n,nlI ,1..r+;a- I,
'uch activity that but very few of tl,oS
lat composed them made their escape
The only successful party who wrr.
e-arhei! from the main army was thn'
.; ii It 20 ~ men und tie romm1nd
Il Captain Williamson. VITO. pretty lar,
N the night of the retreat. brni ti,rou@'
he Indian lines under severe fire. aud
it'll some loss. overlook the main army
on the morning of the second day of tn,
t-trelt.''
'For several days after the retreat G {
sur main army. the Inlians were sprea'
'ver the whole country. from the San
husky to the Muskingum, i'm pursuit of
dhe straggling parties, most snf whom
were killed on the spot. ThPy'even pur-
-led them almost to the banks of th'
Ohlo. man of the name OF Mills was
>i.led. two miles TO the eastward of til.
site OF st. Clairsville. in the direction q
Wheeling from that place. Tie number
Killed in this way must have been very
.reat, the precise amount, however, VII,
never fairly ascertained "
AT the commencement OF the retreat
Col. Crawford placed himself at the hra
OF the army and continued there mt !
hey had gone about a quarter of mile
when missing his son, John Crawt'."
md his nephews, Major Rose and Will
liam Crawford. he halted and calleI for
them as the line passed. but " ithou
finding them. After the army had passed
him he was unable to overtake it. 0wing
to- til wearineSs of his horse. Falling
in company with Doctor Kni ght and two
Others, they travelled all the night. firSi
north. and then east, to avoid the Dur-
suit of the Indians They directed thpir
course during the night by the North
Star"
'-On the next day they fell in with
Captain john Bigys and Lieu.enant
Ashley. the latter of whom was severely
Wounded. There We're two others in
company with BiggS and Ashley. III ey
''ncampel together the succeeding night.
On the next day. while on their march.
they were attacked by a party of Indians.
who made Col. Crawford and DR.. Knight
prisoners The other four nllde their
| escape, hut Captain BiggS and Lieuuten-
ant Ashley were killed the next day"
were Immediately taken to an indian en-
rampment Il short distance from where
| .hey were captured Here they found
nine fellow prisoners and seventeen In
| iianS. On t.e next day they were
marched to the old Wvandot town. and
hn the next morning wtre paradrd. to
set off, as they We're told, to 90 TO the new
town. But alas! very different desti-
nation awaited these captives, Nine of
/ fha nricnnnrs m, ,u1 oG =,
| tance before the Colonel and the Doctor
who were conducted by Pipe and Win
/. genund, two Delaware Chiefs
"Fnnr of the prisoners were toma-
| hawked and scalped on the way. at diff
| ferent places"
Preparations had been made for the
execution of Colonel Craw ford, by set
| tin = Il post ahOut fifteen feet high in the
| gro und, and making large
fire OF hickory poles about six yards from
/ it. About half a mile from the place ol
execution the remaining five of the nine
pris 1nerS were tomahawked ana scalped
| by q number of squawS and boys. Colo
mel Crawford's son and son-in-law were
executed at the Shawanese town."
"Dr. Knight was doomed to be burned
at a town about forty miles distant iron
Sandusky. and committed to the car" q
Il voung Indian to he taken there. Th'
miles, and encamDed for the night. II
the morning the @natS being very trouh
lesome, the doctor requested the Indial
to unite him that he might help him t
make fire to keep them off With thi:
request the Indian complied. While the
Indian was on his knees and elbows
blowing the fire. the doctor caught up
piece OF tent pole which had been burn
ed in two, about eighteen inches long
with which he struck so as to knock hin
him forward into the fire.
The stick. however. broke. so that tn
Indian, although severely hurt. was no
killed, but immediately sprang upi OF
this the doctor caught up the Indian
gun TO shoot him, but drew back the cocl
, with so much violence that he broke tn
main Spring. The Indian ran off wit
an hideuus yelling. Doctor knight the
made the best of his wav homo, which h
, reached in twenty one days. almost fam
ished to death. The gun being of no usC
after carrying it day or two he left
: behind. On his iournay he SubsiSted o.
roots, a few young birds and berries"
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