Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1871-07-13
Pioneer Life and History OF
Wyandot County.
By A. W. BRINKERUoFF.
CHAPTER V-No. IL.


those who shall live after us as complete
record of the same, in shis work, as we
can possibly procure, so that the reader
may have at hand scenes that franspircd
| probably on his own farm. and at least
in his own county. long before the days
of civilized life on the banks of the San
| dGsIy.
For this purpose we will here add what
appears in the history of Wya"dot coun-
ty as contained in 'Howe's History of
| ONO which the author says he selected
| from "DoddridGe's Notes. which, as au-
thority. is the best we can get"
| 'Doddridge says :-"Crawford's cam
paign, in one point of view at least is to
be considered as second Moravian cam
paign, as one OF it's objects was that of
| finishing the work of murder and plum
der with the Christian Indians at their
new establishment on the Sanduskv.
The next object was that of destroying
| the Wyandot towns on the same river.
1t was the resolution of all those con-
cerned in this expedition not to spare
the life of any Indians that might fall
into their hands, whether friends or foes.
1t will be seen in the sequel that the re
suit ofthis campaign was widely differ
| ent from that OF the MOrayian campaign
the preceding March"
1t would seem that the long continu-
ance OF the Indian war had debased Il
considerable portion of our population
| to the savage state of our nature. Hav-
ing lost SO MANY of their relatives by the
| Indians and witnessed their horrid mur-
ders and othel depredations on so ex-
| tenSive a scale. they became subjects of
that indiscrlminating thirst for revenge
which is such prominent feature in the
| savage character. and having had q taste
| of blood and plunder without risk or loss
to them. they resolved to go on and kill
every Indian they could, whether friend
or foe"
Preparations commenced for this
campaign soon after the return of the
Moravian campaign in the month of
| March. and is it was intended to make
what was called at that time "A dash" +"
that is an enterprise conducted with Sc
| crecy and despatch. the men were all
! mounted OH the best horses they could
procure. They furnished themselves
with all their outfits except some ammu-
milton, which was furnished by the Lieu
tenant Colonel of Washington county.
| (Pennsylvania)"
"On the 25th of May, 1872, 4SO rnen
mustered at the old Mingo towns, on the
western side of the Ohio river. They
| were all volunteers from the immediate
neighborhood of the OHIO, with the eX-
ception of one company from Ten Mile,
in Washington county. Here an elec-
ton was held for the office of command
er-in-chiet for the expedition. The can
didates were Col Williamson and Col.
| Crawford; the latter being success Sful.
| When notified of his appointment it is
said that he accepted it with apparent
| reluctance"
The army marched along William
| sons trail as ii was then called, until
they arrived at the Upper Moravian
town, in the fields belonging to which
| there were still plenty of corn on the
| stalks. with which their horses were
plentilully fed curing the night of their
| encampment there"
Shorty after the army halted at this
place, two Indians were discovered by
| three men, who had walked some dis
tance out of the camp. Three shots We're
| fired at one of them, but without hurt
| ing him. As soon lis the news OF the dis
covery of the Indians had reached the
camp. more than one halt the men rushed
out, without command, and in the most
tumultuous manner, to see what had hap
! pene'l. From that time, Col. Crawford
telt presentimen6 of the defeat which
| followed"
The truth is, that notwithstanding the
secrecy and dispatch of the enterprise,
the Indians were beforehand with our
| people. They saw the rendezvous on the
Mingo bottom. and knew their number
and destination. They visited every en-
| campment Immediately on their leaving
it, and saw from the writing on the trees
anu scraps of paper that no quarter was
to be given to any Indian, whether man,
woman or child"
| IN othing material happened during
| their march until the sixth of June, when
| their guides conducted them to the sitQ
OF tue Moravian villages. on one of the
/ upper BRANCHES of the Sandusky river
| nf In
dians and plunder, they met with moth
ing bus vestiges of desolation. The place
was covered with high grass, and the re-
| mains of Il few huts, alone, announced
| that the place had been the residence of
the people whom they intended to de-
stroy, but who had moved OF to Scioto
some time before.'
I'm this dilemma what was 10 be done ?
! 1he officers held Il council. in which it
was determined to march one day longer
III The direction OF Upper SanduSky, and
II they should not reach the town in the
course OF the day, to make retreat with
all speed'
''Ihe march was commenced the next
morning through the plains of fSandusky,
and continued until about two O'Clock
when the advanced guard was attacked
and driven in by the Indians, who were
discovered in large numbers. in the high
grass. with which the place was covered
The Indian army was at that moment
about entering piece of woods, almost
entirely surrounded by plains; but in
this they were disappointed by rapid
movement OF our men. The battle tiien
commenced by Il rapid fire from both
sides. From Il partial possession of tn {
woods which they had gained at the out
set of the battle, the Indians were soon
di>lodged. They then attempted to gain
small skirt of woods on our right flank
but were prevented from doing so by the
vigilance and bravery of Major Leet
who commanded tie right wing of the
army at that time. The firing was in.
cessant, and heavy. until dark, when il
ceased. Both armies lay on their arm,
during Il e night. Both adopted the pol.
icy of kindling large fires along the line
{ of battle, and then retiring some distance
in the rear of them, to prevent being
surprised by night attack. During the
conflict of the afternoon, three of oul
men were killed and several wounded. ,
, I'm the morning our army occupied
the battle ground of the preceding day
Inc Indians made no attack during tho
day until late i'll the evening, but were
seen in large bodies during the dav ira.
, versing the pllinS In various directions
Some of them appeared to be employed
, IN carrying offCheir dead and wounded ,
In the morning of this day a council
: of the officers was held, in which a re.
: treat was resolved on, as the only mean:
OF saving their army. The Indians an.
peared to increase in numbers every
hour. During the sitting of this council
Col. Williamson proposed taking one
hundred and fifty volunteers. and march
, ing directly to Upper SIndusky. This
, proposition the commander n-cliief Dru
IDENTIFY rejected, saying, Il have no doub
but that you would reach the town, bu
you would find nothing there but empty
wigwams, and having taken off so MANY
of our best men, You would leave tho
rest to be destroyed by the host of In.
dians by which we are now surrounded
and on your return they would attach
and destroy you. They care nothins
about defending towns, for they ar,
l1:nrtl, I,ntLin. -,Chni,.