The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1875-12-02
The Primeval Wilderness One Hun
dred and Eleven Years Ago.
"AULD LANG SYNE.'
INTERESTING HIST ORTCAL REM
NLSCENCES.
BY JOSIAH Q, KERN,
rFrom the Alliance Monitor, ]

From the Alliance MOnlJOr'I
Colonel Henry Bouquet, with an expe-
dition consisting of 1900 men, left Fort
Pitt, (now Pittsburgh on Wednesday,
October Sd, 1764, his object being to pur-
sue and thoroughly intimidate the In
dian tribes roaming about the head wat
ers of the Muskingum, Along their
route there existed no roads and settle
ments, no farms and villages. All was a
dense forest tenanted with warlike In
dians. Occasionally there was an Indian
path or trail leading from the Ohio river
to the lakes. The army had to cut roads
and construct bridges in order that their
wagons might pass. 1t was into such a
country that it was ordered to make an
incursion. We must not fail to estimate
the full merit of the men and officers en-
gagged in this arduous undertaking. I'm
der all the circumstances, the successful
performance of the various duties assign
ed them was no small matter. They
knew full well the fate that awaited
them. They realized that torture and
death were in store for the unfortunate
victims of defeat. In short, they were
fully sensible of the difficulties of their
position, and were not found wanting in
any emergency. They advanced cauti-
ously, surveyinga road and measuring
each days travel with chain. From
the first they were closely watched by
the spies the Delaware tribes. The
stratagems of Indian warfare, though at
tempted, were of no avail. The troops
were always in close order and ready for
battle.
During the first day, the army marched
only mile and half, over rich
level country, covered with stately tim
ber. ....
On the 9Th day they crossed the Big
Beaver, now called the Mahoning river,
bya ford About mile below the its
mouth, where the town of Beaver now
stands, the French had previously estab
lished a trading post and built a large
town, the houses being of square logs
and having stone chimneys, for some of
the Shawnee, Delaware and Mingo tribes
who abandoned it in 1857, when the
French deserted Fort Du Quesne.
At the close of their march on the 9TH
the army had advanced thirteen miles
and five furlongs, by their route, beyond
the mouth of the Mahoning.
On the Sth day they crossed the Little
Beaver and one of its branches. At the
close of this day they were fully twenty
five miles beyond the mouth of the Ma
honing. 1t is probable that their route
passed up the east branch of the Little
Beaver, and across the highlands, to the
waters of Yellow creek, through an open
bush country. ...usg u... I
AT the close of the 9th day, they had
left the Mahoning thirty one miles be-
hind them. On this days march the
Indian trail which they were following,
divided into two branches, the one to
the Southwest leading to the lower In
dian towns upon the Muskingum, and
the other continuing Westward towards
the TusCaroras and Sandusky villages.
Several trees standing in the forks of the
trail had been painted in hieroglyphic
manner. Toward the close of this day
the army encamped by a run, ona level
piece of ground with Yellow creek close
on the left, and rising ground near the
rear of the right face, having marched
only about six miles during the whole
day. r5l I'd t.I. ,,.-
On the 10th they marched one mile,
Yellow creek on the left at small dis
tance all the way, then crossed it, at the
distance of thirty-two miles from the
mouth ofthe Mahoning. by good ford,
fifty feet wide, thence proceeding through
an alternate succession of small hills and
wales finely watered with rivulets, and
makinga distance of seven miles and
sixty rods for the entire days march.
They had now penetrated into the wilder
ness thirty eight miles and sixty-one rods
from the confluence of the Big Beaver
with the Ohio. I. i..
On the 18th they crossed Sandy creek,
about fifty feet wide, the country being
much the same as that traversed on the
previous day, but abounding in freestone.
At the close of this day, after a march of
ten miles and three flrlongs, they
encamped on the North bank of the
Sandy. .r.a 81 u.. ,r.f
On the 18th, continuing on the north
side fthe Sandy, they marched through
much fine land, watered with small rivers
and springs They also proceeded
through several "SavannahsJ or clear
spots, which were "by nature extremely
beautiful" They thought the second
one they passed particularly so, it being
one continued plain nearly two miles in
extent, with a fine rising ground form
ing semicircle round the right hand
side, and a pleasant stream of water about
quarter of a mile distant on the left. At
the close of this day, after marching ten
miles and three quarters they again en-
camped north of the Sandy. ,f5Fh +
On the 18th, continuing down the
north bank of this stream, they crossed
the Nimishillen, about fifty feet wide,
little above where it empties into the
Sandy. The Nimishillen, so familiar in
Stark county, lis spelled "Memenshehelas"
in the historic account of the expedi-
tion, and also on the maps of Thomas
Hutchins, the military engineer accom-
panying it. In their way they had
pleasant prospect over a large plain, for
nearly two miles on the left, Below the
Nimishillen they crossed another small
river ABOUT fifty rods above where it
emRtes into the Sandy. Here high