The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-01-08
INCIDENTS OF EARLY INDIANA HISTORY.

In attempting to collect and preserve ma
terials relating to the early history of the
Northwest, and especially of Indiana Terri
tory, the Indiana Historical Society has
undertaken an interesting and useful work.
History is rapidly made, but its materials are
easily scattered and lost. Unless collected
and preserved during the generation that
makes the history much is irretrievably lost,
and that which remains is with difficulty re-
covered. No complete history ever was
written, for the facts and details that are lost,
forgotten or overlooked must always greatly
outnumber those that were preserved. The
early settlement of the Northwestern Territory,
including the present States of Ohio, Indiana
and Michigan, was attended by great and inn
portant events of which comparatively little
record was kept. In those days-the latter
part of the last and early part Of the present
century-there were no newspapers to speak
of, correspondence difficult and meager,
and little record was made of current events.
Of tn little that was made much has
persisted. Participants and eye-witnesses
have passed away and local traditions
are almost extinct A good deal of
the history of those times is buried in official
reports and state papers, and these are scat
tered and comparatively inaccessible. The
Indiana Historical Society proposes to lend its
aid to collecting and preserving as much of
this early history possible, and to this end
it has caused to be published four pamphlets,
viz: "The Laws and Courts of Northwest and
Indiana Territories" by Judge D. w Howe;
1.-THE Life and Services of John B. Dillon"
by Gen. John Coburn and Judge Horace P.
Biddle; "The Acquisition of Louisiana" by
Judge Thomas NJ. Cooley, and "Loughery's
Defeat and Pigeon Roost Massacre" by Chas.
Martindale. These pamphlets are printed and
sold for the benefit of the Indiana Historical
Society. It is the purpose of the society to
publish, from time to time, other original pa
pers and to reprint rare and valuable
documents relating to the history of
the State. No. 4, recently published,
tells the story of Loughery's defeat
and Pigeon Roost massacre. Both of these
events occurred within the present limits of
Indiana. Col. Archibald Loughery was the
county lieutenant of Westmoreland county,
Pennsylvania. In 1871, on the urgent solic-
itation and requisition of Gen. George Rogers
Clark, he raised force of about one hundred
mounted men to assist Clark in a proposed
expedition against the Indians and ultimately
against the British garrison at Detroit. The
capture of Detroit was pet scheme of Clarks,
who had been trying to organize the expedi-
ton for two or three years. General Clark
was noted explorer and fighter at that
time, trusted friend of Washing
ton and Jefferson, and a man of
decided force of character, though
rather illiterate, as mis- letters show. He
spelled Canada "Kanaday," and had mo scru-
Piles against using singular verb with plural
subject, or vice versa, but that was common
failing in those days. A man may be poor
speller and yet great man. Washington
himself was not strong in photography. Gen
eral Clark was full of plans and full of fight.
Those were days of scheming for territorial
ACKNOWLEDGMENT and power, of promoting
communities and states, and of carving out
the bounds of empire. Troops were hard to
raise, and great things were undertaken, and
sometimes accomplished with very small forces
Colonel Laughery's force rendezvoused at
point in western Pennsylvania, in August,
1881, and marched by way of Pittsburg to
Fort Henry, Va, new Wheeling, reaching
there only short time after Clark had de-
parted with his main force. leaving orders for
Colonel Loughery to follow and overtake him
at the mouth of the Kanawha river. Loughery
at once embarked his force and proceeded
down the Ohio. His movements were closely
watched by an Indian force under Joseph
Brant. Here we quote from Mr.. Martindale's
narrative:
s.At about 10 o'clock on Aug. "a,
Loughery having reached attractive spot
about ten miles below the mouth of the Big
Miami, near the present town of Aurora,
Dearborn county, Indiana. landed on the
north side of the Ohio river in the mouth of a
creek which has since been called Loughery's
creek The Ohio river was very low and
large sandbar extended from the south almost
across to the north bank of the river. Colonel
Lougherys party, wearied with their slow and
laborious progress and discouraged by the
failure to oyertake Clark's army, removed
their horses ashore and turned them loose to
feed while some of the men cut grass
sufficient to keep them alive until they should
reach the Falls. A buffalo had been killed
and all were engaged IN preparing meal.
when the Indians appeared on both sides of
the river and began firing from the woods
The soldiers seized their arms and made
defense as long as their ammunition
held out An attempt was made to escape