Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1894-06-01

citing incidents occurred on the site of it's
old blockhouse during and preceding the
Revolution. Fort Presque isle, adjoining
it, established in 1853, was one of the most
important French outposts in the days of
the French-Indian war Inc later was the
garrison ground and military post for our
own troops.
Even as late as 1919 this historic spot
echoed with the sounds of martial activity,
for right under the bluff on which the
blockhouse stands and within a stones
throw ran the old channel that led from
the bay to Lake Erie, through which
Perry's fleet passed on it's way from the
shipyards to the famous naval fight and
victory on Lake Erie. Through this chan
mel n cold day in the autumn of 1896
passed a vessel from Detroit bearing Gen
eral Wayne, who had embarked at that
port after concluding peace negotiations
with the northwestern Indians, subsequent
to a successful military campaign against
them.
The general, who was on his way to visit
his eastern home, had been seized with a
severe attack Of govt soon after going
aboard the vessel, and when the port Of
Erie was reached he was SO ill that it was
not deemed safe to move him any farther.
By his own direction he was taken to the
blockhouse, and a courier was sent to
Pittsburg for DR.. J. G. Wallace.
Before tho doctor could reach him the
general died, the date of his demise being
Dec. Is, 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 at the foot Of the flagstaff of
the blockhouse.
Twelve years later, in the fall of 1908,
General Wayne's daughter, Mrs. Alice,
while seriously ill, expressed the wish that
her fathers remains should be transferred
to the family burying ground. Realizing
that she was on her deathbed 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
the wilderness in a sulky. Upon arriving
at his destination he sent for DR.. Wallace,
! who had in the meantime located in Erie,
n with him concluded arrangements
whereby the remains were to be prepared
for removal.
The body had lain in the grave SO long
bnaG IL wa u nOthlng but the bones
remained; but, to DR.. Wallace's great sur
prise, when disinterred it was found to be
in u semipetrified 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 wa made nee
essary because with the primitive means
Of transportation at Colonel Wayne's com
mand it was impossible to carry more than
the bones packed into the smallest com.
pass through the wilderness that then *.
listed. They were strapped to the colonel's
sulky and in that way safely conveyed to
the family burying ground in eastern
Pennsylvania. The flesh and other parts
of the body were reinforced in their for.
mel resting place.
In 1875 the late DR.. Germer Of Erie, who
was an enthusiastic admirer of General
Wayae's heroic history, melted by local