The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-06-15

citing Incidents occurred on the site of its
old blockhouse during and prrccdiu, the
Revolution. Fort Presque isle adjoining
it, established I'm 1853, was one Of the most
important French outposts I'm the dav- of
the French-lndian war and later was the
garrison ground and. military post for our
own troops.
Even as late as lSl2 this historic suot
echoed with the sounds Of martial activity
for right under the bluff on which the
blockhouse stands and within IA stones
/ throw ran the old channel that led from
| the bay to Lake Erie, through which
\ Perry 5 fleet passed on its way from the
/ shlpyards to the famous naval fight and
! victory on Lake Erie. Through this chan
| mel one cold day in the autumn Of 1896
| passed vessel from Detroit bearing Cen
eral Wayne, who had embarked at that
port after concluding peace negotiations
with the northwestern Indians. subsequent
to successful military campaign against
them.
The general, who was on his way TO visit
his eastern home, had been seized with n
severe attack of gout soon. after going
aboard the vessel, and when the port of
Erie was reached he was So Ill that 1t was
not deemed safe to move him any farther
BY his own direction he was taken 70 the
blockhousc, and courier was sent to
Pittsburg for DIR. j. c. Wallace.
Before the doctor could reach him the
general died, the date of his demise being
Dec 10, 1896. Throughout his illness he
had received all the care and attention it
was possible under the circumstances to
give, and two days after his death. in
obdience TO his own request, his body. clad
in uniform and boots, was buried in a
plain coffin ut the foot Of the flagstaff of
the blockhouse.
Twelve years later, in the fall Of 1908,
General Waync's daughter, Mrs. Alice,
while seriously i'll, expressed the wish that
her fathers remains should be transferred
to the family burying ground. Realizing
that she was ON her dcathbcd and with a
desire to please her, Colonel Isaac Wayne
the generals son, consented to carry out
her wishes, He went TO Erie for the pur-
pose in the spring Of 1909, driving through
tho wilderness in sulky. Upon arriving
at his destination he sent for Dr. Wallace
who had in the meantime located in Erie
and with him concluded arrangements
whereby the remains were to be prepared
for removal
The body had lain in the grave so long
that IL was thought nothing but the bones
remained; but, To DIR. Walluco's great sur
prise, when disinterred IL was found to be
In semipetriiied condition, and, with the
exception of one leg and foot, in an almost
perfect state Of preservation. Colonel
Wayne had declined to witness the disin-
terment, and without consulting him the
doctor divided the body into convenient
parts and boiled them in order TO separate
the flesh from the bones.
This course of procedure was made nee
essary because with the primitive means
OF transportation at Colonel Wayne's com
mand 1t was impossible to carry more than
the bones packed into the smallest com
pass through the Wilderness that then ex-
listed. They Were strapped TO the colonels
sulky and In that way safely conveyed To
the family burying ground In eastern
Pennsylvania. The flesh and other parts
Of the body were rointerrodf in their for
Iner resting place.
In 1875 the late DIR. Germer Of Erie, who
was an enthusiastic admirer of General
Wayne's heroic history, melted by local