Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1884-09-05
PIONEER ADDRESS,
OF the Hon. Asher Cook. at Turkey
Foot Rock, August 20, 1884.
The Ninetieth Anniversary Of wayne's
Defeat Of the Indians at the Battle
Of The Fallen Timbers."
MY FELLOW CITIZENS :

of The Fallen Timbers."
MY FELLOW CITIZENS:
tits singular fact In the history OF our race
| the Caucasians, that our advance has been made
| with the sword-from the time the early pion-
GERS OF our race left their mountain home In
Asia, TO the close OF our rebellion, we have been
clothed in armor, and whenever moral sunsion
or the treaty making power has failed to secure
the desired object, 1t has been won by the sword.
| The battles fought on the Dnieper and Danube
and on the 70, opened the way for our race over
the Appenlncs and the Alps, and gave us indis.
putable possession of all Europe The battle OF
Bunker Hill opened the way to oui independence
and the victory at Yorktown placed the seal on
the great charter of our liberties. The battle
here fought gave us possession Of the Mississippi
Valley and opened our way to the Pacific ocean.
But We must not stand on the confines OF the
continent gazing intently westward, and, like
Alexander, weep, because there arc no other
worlds for us to conquer.
We have conquered all behind us, we must
now conquer ourselves. We have been vertable
iconoclasts we have broken the idols OF all other
| races we must now break our own. But we did
not, my fellow citizens, come here to-day to dis
cuss this interesting theme, We are here to eel
ebrate victory, which has become landmark
In the triumphal progress of our race.
Ninety years ago, almost within the memory
OF men yet living, the spot where we have assem-
bled was the center of u vast wilderness. inhab.
tied by the remnents of primitive race of men,
who had learned nothing from time nnd whose
degenerating practices were fast reducing them
to the level of the beasts on which they fed 1t
was by fnttering the cupidity of this race of men
Great Britain sought to exclude the citizens of
In fa1G i.i,
tile plains west OF the Allegheny mountains
In the treaty of peace, which terminated the
war of the Revolution, and ended in fhc nc
knowledgement of our independence, the In
dians, who had been the allies of Great Britain,
and whom she had instructed In the use of fire.
arms, were not included. They were left free to
carry on mercilcss warfare against our unpro-.
tected frontier, while Great Britain in violation
OF her treaty held possession of the forts In the
West, from which the Indians received arms and
ammunition, as well as sympathy and encour-
agement, in this most unreasonable and unnat.
ural warfare.
AT this period of our history the population of
the United States was chiefly confined within
the limits of the original thirteen States but
the adventurous spirit of our people soon began
to show itself in the desire to appropriate new
territory. Settlements were formed along the
ohio ltS trlDutiirlCS. towns were lald out,
farms cleared, and the rich soil gave assurance
of the early development of the country to tic
high state of prosperity which 1t has attained
This irritated the savages, who had been mised
by the British to believe that they had the
right to exclude the citizens of the United States
from this territory. Disputes were frequent,
often resulting in bloodshed
The government of the United States carly
foresaw the evils to which this state of affairs
would ultimately lead, and took steps to make
satisfactory arrangements by which both parties
might enjoy the territory in peace
But all efforts for peaceful solution of the
difficulty failed. The Indians, relying on the
promised protection of their British allies, who
from the forts in the neghborhood nsolently
displayed their colors on our soil, disdainfully
rejected the overtures of peace, and in one in
stance barbarously murdered the Commissioners
sent to treat with them Colonel Hardin and
Major Freeman).
Fort Miami, on the banks of the river four
| miles below here, was one OF the forts then held
by the British. in violation of solemn treaty stp
ulations- Immediately after the battle which
we to-day celebrate, the British government
agreed to give up these forts, and the year fol-
lowing Wayne was commissioned to receive
their surrender. This unsettled state of afiairs
from the close of the revolution until the year
A. d. 1871, during which time the government
of the United States used every means TO peace
| fully adjust all differences with the various
| Indian tribes.
| During this painful interval hundreds OF men,
women and children perished to crafty Indian
revenge melted by British perfdy. This state of
things had now become unendurablc, and the
government, satistisd that it was only exposing
its authority to additional insults by longer
seeking to restore amicabc relations with the
savages by peaceful means, ii was resolved to
chastise them, and by vigorous campaign make
them feel the power and obey the authority OF
the government II they did not respect our
rights.
| President Washington, who in his earlier life
had much experience in Indian warfare, seems
however, to have forgotten the necessary qualii-
cations of n General to cope with savages pro-
| tected by the forest, was mistaken in the
choice of the first selected to lead this enter
prise. In September, 1871, Gen. Harmar, with
800 Regulars aud 1900 Militia, was ordered to
march at once to the Indian settlement and re-
duce the savaSes to obedience. This expedition
was unsuccessful.
second and more powerful army was ser ,
out under the command of Gen. Arthur Stellar.
This expedition was met by the Indians before
IL had passed the limits OF the present county OF
Darke, on the 9th of December, 1871. and totally
defeated. This kindlcd in Washington the fires
of Indignation and awokc his revolutionary
ardor, and he at once looked for General to
lead this expedition who possessed the requisite
ability, and fortunately for the country he found
Gen. Wayne OH his furm in Chester county,
Pennsylvania, engaged in the peaceful pursuits
of agriculture, TO which hc hud returned at the
close of the Revolution.
The army was strengthened and recognized
and the command OF it given TO Gen. Wayne
With this army he arrived at Cincinnati in the
spring of 1892, and camped at the junction OF
Mill creek with the Ohio river. Notwithstand
: ing the vigilance and activity Of the General
this army was not sufficiently drilled, organized
and equipped to take the field until the 10th o
October, 1888
On that day IL started for the Indian country
following in the tracks OF 81. Car's army, and
in December, having arrived in Grecnvlle
Wayne sent out n detachment to the place OF St
Clnir's defeat with orders to collect aud bury the
bones of those who had fallen in that uniortu
nate action, which pious duty they performed
and on Christmas day gave Christian burial to
all they found remaining OF that nl-fated army
From Greenyille Wayne continued his march
IN search of the Indian settlements, then sup
posed 10 be near the junction OF the Auglaize
with the Maumec river. But, owing to the ne
ccssity OF building forts TO protect his rear and
keep open communication with the States from
which he was 10 receive supplies and reinforce
ments, he did not arrive at the junction OF the
Auglaize with the Maumee until the sth o.
August, 1874. Here pursuing his usual prudent
and careful policy, he built fort TO which
3 (when he considered its impregnqble positionl
he gave the name Defiance" declaring thai
. from this position he could defy the combined
powers OF the savages and their British allies.
! Wayne was not cnly brave but prudent and
cautious He made no move without careful
deliberation. His campaign in Georgia during
= the Revolution gave him the requisite knowl
edge OF Indian character and cunning. and theii
mode of warfare, 10 enable him to Anticipate ali
! their movements and defeat them beiores sthcy