Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1876-07-07

eeN ehvIt once more 20 try and stay the
onward progress Of the Americans. IN his
great soul he dreamed OF being able todrive
PACK the invader Of his country and restore
y 70 the Indians for hunting ground
TEcUMsEH.
Shawnee Chef. His grand design was
70 unite all the tribes of Indians in a last
vigorous effort TO break the American DOW.
err The scene Of action which be selected
TOR the execution Of his plans was we'll
chosen. IL was 10 form an unbroken chain
OF warriors along the Maumee and Wabash
rivers, from the lakes to the Ohio and uti-
mately down the Mississippi TO the ocean.
But It was q forlorn hope, and one which
required all OF Tecumsehs greatness 10
conceive, but which the means at his com
mand we're insufficient to accomplish. The
failure was not for wan. OF leader, but in
the insuihciency oftbe power under his com.
mand.
In the execution of his design he visited
all the tribes along the Maumce and Wa
bash, with his brother the prophet, and
crossed the Ohio and visited the Creeks,
kinSiolk of the Shawnees, and the Chick
asas, the most warlike and powerful tribes
IN the south east of the Mississippi, and in
duced them to hold themselves in readiness
to cooperate with him. Leaving his broth
or to take charge Of the southern end Of
the line, he returned to take command of
the northern wing The Americans first
telt his power and learned the prowess and
sagacity of the commander against whom
they had to contend at the battle of French
town, where Winchester suffered a total
defeat
Though bat young Chief and not Of the
principal tribe which fought this battle, his
renown was so great that all the Indians
present. including the Chiefs, yielded to his
command and the result justified the con
hdence reposed in him
Iecumseh was actuatcd by no spirit Of
revenge, but in all his acts was governed
by noble desire, which. in white man,
would be called patriotism, an unselhsh
desire to save his country from the Invasion
ot an usurper. To the accomplishment of
thus end he devoted all the energies of his
life, and nobly fell with character unsul-
he'd and hands unstaincd by plunder
Such men are no drawbacks TO the cause
of Christian civilization; although they
have put forth almost superhuman efforts
to check its progress. They were as sim
cere in their labors for their race, as the
Christian for his, and the conflict arose
solely, because each sought the same FOR
his people, but from different stand points
When such men as Tecumseh fall, it clear
ly displays the superiority of the civiliza-
ton OF the conqueror, and makes each sue
ceeding effort for its destruction more in
effectual. But the example never dies, but
leaves halo around unadorned greatness,
which cheers the humble in their efforts to
rise by virtue.
HULL's CAMPAIGN AND SURRENDER.
In the mean time Hull had assembled a
force OF 100 Ohio volunteers, and 300 reg
ulars at Dayton. But before he reached
the Maumee river, the savages had been
apprised, by their British allies, of the
declaration of war, and too eager to wait
for a regular military movement. they ut
once began their depredations on the de.
fenceless settlements along the frontier.
The intelligence, however. of the ap-
preaching army of Hull, which reached and
crossed the Maumee river in the early part
of July saved our little settlement, at the
foot Of the rapids from the incursions Of
the Indians until after the surrender of De-
troit. This left the frontier defenseless, and
the settlers had to flee or submit to the
scalping knife.
The first intimation the settlers on the
| Maumee had of the surrender Of Detroit
was the appearance at the foot of the rap
IDS of party of British and Indians AZ
| ter plundering the inhabitants they return
| ed in their canoes to Detroit
Manor, the Frcnchman above spoken of,
won the confidence of Sacamac one of the
Indians engaged in the depredations, and
from him learned that, in few days a
grand assemblage of all the northern tribes
was contemplated at Ft. Maiden aud that
in about two days after that large number
of British and Indians would he at the loot
of the rapids, on their way to relieve Fort
| Wayne, which they then supposed to be in.
vested by the American army. And he
! told Manor that when the Indians came
again they would massacre all the Yankees
in the valley. Manor lost no time in
in making this known TO the settlers, and
they He'd, but not too soon, for they heard
the yells of the savages, and saw the smoke
OF their log houses as they passed down
the river in their frail bark Thus tragic
ally ended the first settlement within the
limits OF Wood county, and the space va.
Gated by the destruction of their houses be-
came the theatre of war, always dreadful
but revolving when carried on by savage
foe, and still more So when those claiming
to be Christians, use the savage scalping
knife, to reduce Christians to abiect sub.
lection. The news of the surrender OF
Detroit, which had struck the frontier set.
Elements with dismay, aroused the people
from their letbargy, and showed the gov
ernment the necessity of greater activity
and skill in the conduct of the war. In
this year, General Upper. of Gallia County,
raised 600 men, mainly from the counties
of Gallia Lawrence, Jackson, and marched
to the foot of the rapids of the Maumee
river From Urbana they followed Hull's
trail As they approached the river the
Indians appeared on the opposite bank
upper endeavored TO cross the river in the
night, but owing TO the rapid current and
the inexperience of his men, he failed and
went into camp on the ground where Per
rysburg now stands. The enemy soon after
collected superior force and attacked him
IN his camp but they were defeated with
considerable loss and returned to Detroit
The Americans fell back on Fort Macarthur
Gen. Winchester whose troops had been
stationed at Fort Wayne and Defiance, ar,
rived at the foot Of the rapids on the 10th
of January, 1913, and there encamped un,
til the l7th when he resumed his march
nOrthward. He arrived at French Town
on the river Raisin, in Michigan. near the
place where Monroe is built, on the 22l oil
the same month where he suffered most
disastrous defeat 0nr Generals had moi
yet learned how to elude the skill. nor IL
ward the bold strokes of Tecumseh
Far from being discouraged by the dis.
eomiiture Of our armies under Hull and
Winchester, the government dispatched q
third and more
FORMIDABLE EXPEDITION UNDER GEN. HAE
MsOS,
who reached the foot of the rapids about
the LIST of February, 1873 Here he estAb
lished his headquarters and ordered Capt
Wood OF the engineer corps, to tortify the
position. In obedience to this order be
built Fl. Meigs. This fort, Harrison made
his grand depot and ordered all the troops
in the north to join him Immediately. BY
the first Of May the fort was completed and
ready for the enemy who had strained every
nerve to reach and attack it before it could
be put in complete state of defense And
there on the lst morning in May, 1919, when
the young and gay Of the older settlements