The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1871-07-26
LIE WIS W ETZEL, ,

II haterS, whose deeds have become our
hist oric herita age,:. must be named the
I Wetzels. -Four brothers - Martin,
Lewis, Jacob and George all
noted scouts and Indian fighters These
men reared in the midst of danger,
knew no more mercy for a savage than
for rattlesnake. They were. indeed,
more dreaded by their red foes than all
other border men. Especially did the
two Oldest of the brothers become a
terror. Their old father (also a ia
nous scout, and a man of wonderful
courage) having been shot by the
Shawnees 179O, the sons, then young
men, made a vow to kill every Indian
they encountered, and for years fear
fully did they keep their bloody VOW.
Their hands were red with Indian
gore their belts hung thick with scalps
and their courage, skill and implacable
will, rendered their name synonymous
with death.
This vengeful disposition was one
common to the settlers of the West
Virginia and Pennsylvania border
So many white families had suffered
under the sca1ping knife of Delaware,
Shawnee and Wyandot, that, when
the British agents let loose the savage
horde on the western settlements, the
most terrible passions were aroused in
the breasts of the hardy settlers, and
to kill an Indian was to rid the earth
of thing despised and detested.-
This barbarous feeling led to afro
cities on the part of the whites at which
humanity and civilization shudder.-
The massacre of the peaceful Mora
Wan converts at Gnadenhutten in the
spring of 1882, was a deed of unex-
ampled brutality. Ninety six persons
(more than one half being women and
chiIdren) were butchered, not in the
heat of battle-for the Indians were
unarmed and confined in their houses
but in deliberate assassination. One
man alone, with coopers mallet,
knocking out the brains Of fourteen
Indians. Whether or not this brute
was Martin Wetzel we are not told,
but as he was with that expedition of
determination and as, on q previous
expedition, he had shown a ferocity
capable of an act, it is fair to presume
that his hands were made red with
the blood of these helpless and really
unofending people.
This slaughter was committed by an
expedition from the settlements around
Fort Pitt, (now Pittsburgh underline
command of Col. Daniel Williamson.
May his name forever be execrated.
Returning to Pittsburgh, a camp OF
peaceful Delawares, then under gov
ernment protection was attacked and
a number of men, women and children
killed
Not satisfied with these deeds of
blood and bad faith, second expedi
ton was organized Composed wholly
of "volunteers"-men who served
without pay, and supplied their own
weapons, food, DC. y to proceed to
| the Sandusky towns, where the Mora
vian brethren had another settlement.
May 25th, 1882 this expedition, under
charge of Col. VIM. Crawford started.
Its avowed purpose was simply exter-
mination of the Moravian converts
men, women and children. This was
openly announced, and such was the
frenzy of the bordermen that all
seemed to applaud the movement As
the Indians had sought to ''wipe OUT
the whites, SO would they be dealt
with in return.
Lewis and Martin were with Craw
ford. The expedition arrived at the
!; Sandusky towns to find them deserted
but the exasperated Indians close al
hand in heavy force, and the two days
battle (June 7th and 0th) which fol
lowed resulted in Crawford's defeat
The retreat was ordered. The sava'
ges hovered OH every side like hungry
wolves. The main body retired in
safety, but large numbers of strag-
Cling parties that tried to escape cor
their own hook" were mercilcssly hunt
ed down. Col Crawford was among
those taken prisoner, and suffered 8
horrible death at the stake. Levi:
Wetzel escaped, and thereafter gave
up his life to Indian hunting and
scouting, and his life record from thai
time until 1895 becomes one of aston
ishing interest.
To illustrate the mans character,
General Harmer, commander in CHIEF
of the northwest frontier, erected Fort
Harmer (now Marietta) at the mouth
of the Muskingum river. Then by
proclamation, he summoned the In
dians to come in and ratify treaties Of
peace. Having tired of the war both
parties had agreed to bury the hatch
et.' This movement so displeased the
implacable Indian hatars that it was
resolved to thwart it by killing the
the first red skin who might come into
the fort. Lewis Wetzel volunteered
to become the assassin. Proceeding
down the Ohio to the vicinity of Fort
Harmer, with only one companion, he
ambushed a young chief riding alone
into the fort. The chief shot through
the thigh, rode into the fort to die
Wetzel knowing that this deed would
arrest all attempts at peace returned
to his home, which was then on the
Mingo bottom, just below where Steu
benville now stands.
IIarmer ordered his arrest, and {
party of men proceeded TO make the
arrest, but the friends of Lewis re-
:, solved 10 ambush and kill the entire
party.
This certainly would have been done
had not the detail at once retreated. -
The assassins, having friends upon ev
cry hand, and all along the border from
Fort Pitt to Vincennes, had no fear o
second attempt for his seizure; but
Harner was infexible. To punish the
treacherous act perpetratel by the
lawless scout, he only awaited the ap
pearance of the man, sure to follow
for Lewis was restless spirit, anc
one day might walk into the fort il
his bravado Phis he soon did.