The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-08-04

the stores of the traders. who fed with the
Indians, and after a short occupation re-
treated with his spoils to Aboit creek,
camping for the night near where 1T Is
crossed by the w. & Z. canal. Enraged at
the outrage. the indians assembled under
Little Turtle. pursued and surprised Le
Balme and his men. and massacred them
without an exception.
The expeditions of General Harmar IN
1Iy0. and of General st. Clair in 1915. ETere
the first ever organized in force by the
United States against the Northwest In
dams, and both were Inundated and al
most annlhilated by our Eel-river Napo-
leon. In the first two engagements. one
about ght miles northwest of the present
site of Fort Wayne. and the other near the
same place, fought on succeeding days.
Little Turtle completely out-generaled Col.
Harden. who was in command of the Amer
leans, regulars and militia. In the hrst;;
ON the march in the middle OF
the day. After desperate lighting
for some hours, during which
the Kentucky militia a threw , away their
won the fight The loss to the Americans
was eighty killed, fifty wounded and many
prisoners, besides the fugitives. About
i've HUNDRED men Tere sa ah tas b ngn
nearly all fresh, and some very able officers.
1t was a regular pitched contest. and Little
Turtle showed himself more than match
for the white officers Ho secured an ad:
drove his enemy TO- ground OF his own Sc
lection for the finishing strokes. 1t was an
ably-fought contest. and at Its close the
willy and artistic Indian warriors re-
NAMED in possession of the field. Both
sides lost heavily, but the percentage OF
slain. wounded and prisoners was largely
against the Americans.
Little Turtle was victor in the hardest
fought and greatest battle that ever took
place on this continent between white sol
diers and Indian warriors. Tie battle was
| fought on the 4th of November. 179l, at the
headwaters of the Wabash river, near
where Fort Recovery is located. between
| seven hundred, or more, Americans under
| General St Clair. commander in-chief of
| the American army. a brave and successful
| Revolutionary officer, and an equal num-
| the completest surprise on record. pre-
| cisely what President Washington had per-
sonally warned st. Clair against. About
| half an hour before sunrise. just after the
troops had been dismissed from parade, an
unexpected attack was made upon the
militia, who fed in the utmost confusion,
and rushing into camp throuth the first
| line of regular troops, which had been
| formed the instant the first gun was dis
| charged, threw them, too, into disorder.
"Such was the panic, and so rapid and IT.
| regular the fight. that the exertions of the
| officers to recall the men to their sense OF
| duty were unavailing. 1t was soon per-
ceived that the fire of the Americans could
! produce no effect on concealed foe. and
| that the only hope of victory was 10 the
bayonet. An impetnous charge was made
upon the enemy, who were, with some
| loss, forced back about 400 yards. but the
want of q sufficient number of ritemen To
press the advantage deprived the officer of
his benefits, and as soon as he gave over
the pursuit the Indians renewed the at
| tack. In the meantime the left of the
| right wing was broken, the artlllerists al
| most to a man killed. the guns seized and
| the camp penetrated by the enemy. Charge
nf$ .hn odd xxrrth nit on
! momentary success but all of no avail. To
| save the remnant of the army was all that
now remained to be done. and while one
| officer was ordered to charge with his
regiment a body of Indians who inter
cepted their retreat and gain the road.
! another with his battalion was di-
rected to cover the rear. These orders
were executed and then disorderly fight
about four miles" About half the army of
st. Clair was killed. nearly all of the offi-
GERS and all of the horses. When Washing
ton was informed of the disaster he became
struck his clenched hands with fearful
| force against his forehead. and in n
| paroxysm of anguish exclaimed. Its all
| over; st. Clair's defeated-routed, the OFF,
GERS nearly all killed. the men by whole
sale; that brave army cut to pieces. the
rout complete-too shocking TO think of.
and q surprise In the bargain" He
uttered all this with great We,
about the room several times. agitated but
| saying nothing. Near the door he stopped
| short and stood still few moments Then
turning to his Secretary. who stood amazed
at the spectacle of Washington in all his
terrors the General. in his wrath, again
broke out, saying. yes, sir; here, in this
| very room, on this sery spot. took leave
| of him; wished him success and honor.
You have your Instructions. i said. from
| the Secretary Of War; had q strict eye to
| them and viii add but one word-beware
of surprise! repest 1t, beware of sur
prisel You know how Indians fight u.s. He
went OF with that asmy last solemn warning
thrown in his ears. And yet to suffer that
army to be cut to pieces. hacked by sur
prise-the very thing guarded him against.
| Oh, God! oh. God'-he's worse than q muir
derer! How can he answer to his country
The blood of tue slain is upon him-the
curse of widows anu orphans-the curse of
heavenv Ills torrent came out in tones
appalling: His very frame shook 1T was
he threw mis- hands mp as he hurled impre-
cations upon st. Clair"
The Ind IAN name Of Little Turtle
his mans hs was six feet high,
dlgnified in his manners, though of very
sour and moroae coMat nance, and appar-
emily very crafty and ST bsle. His warlike
training was Of that stern and hardening
kind which was never omitted In his ma
ton" He was afraid of General Wayne.
and opposed armed resistance TO him,
though he was in the battle at the Fallen
| TimbersL near Defiance, in 1874 in q subor-
dlnate capacity. In the treaty at Green
vile be proved himself as able in council
the treaties, returned home and became a
steadfast friend of the United States. He
died and was buried at Fort Wayne in 1872.
and Richardville became his successor.