Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1895-12-12
NORTHWEST, NAPOLEON O. DECEMBER 12 1895

hamilton, on the Danks OF the Gfeat
Miami. He then advanced father
north a miles, and built Fort Jefer-
son. This was the first building
erected in Drake county. Leaving q
small garrison at both Of those forts,
be pushed on to his ever memorable
'.St. Clair's defeat. of November 3,
l79l." To use the language Of S. A.
Thompson, This sad event occurred
on tae banks of one of the branches
OF the Wabash. 1t was the intention
TO erect some slight defenees the
next morning, but this wss not &C.
complished tor at the break of day
the Indians made q fierce attack on
the outposts, drove the militia, by
which they were defended, over the
river, and pursued them closely into
camp. The battle which followed
was one of the most bloody and dis
astrous of the many that were
fought at different times on the from.
tier. The Indians were in great
force, and poured In a great storm of
bullets on the bewildered troops,
shooting down the artillerists at the
guns, and effectually preventing the
pieces from being used. Several des.
perate charges were made, the first
Of which was led by Lieutenant Col.
onel Darke, from whom the county
Of Darke gets its name, but for the
want of sufficient rihemen to follow
up the advantage thus gained, the
only result was sacrifice of human
life. At last st. Clair seeing that the
total destruction of his army was in
evitable, if it remained longer in that
position, resolved on the desperate
expendient of charging the right
flank of the enemy, IN order to gain
the road, which was in their posses.
sion. This was successfully done,
St. Clair heading the column, and
the soldiers leaving the artillery and
throwing away their arms and equip.
ments, never paused in their head
long fight until they reached Fort
jefferson, 20 miles distant from the
scene of the battle. Great numbers
of arms and implements have since
been ploughed up along the line OF
the retreat, or near the field of battle.
Shortly after the battle, William
son, who had succeeded to the com.
mand of Fort Washington, organized
an expedition to visit the scene of the
defeat and bury the remains of the
dead. The bodies were horribly
mutilated and those who had not
been killed outright during the battle,
lad been put to death with tortures,
too terrible and revolving to describe
here"
During the winter of 1892 and 1898
Congress finally determined to settle
matters. Armies were placed un der
the command of General Anthony
Wayne, known to the Indians as the
''sleepless chief" Commissioners
were sent to the northwestern Indians
to negotiate a treaty, but failed to
come to an agreement. Upon hear
ing this, Gen Wayne began making
for an advance. and es-
his army at Fort Jefferson,
and several detachments were sent to
erect a strong fortifcation five miles
northeast, which they gave the name
of Fort Greenville. A second detach.
ment went to the site of ST. Clair's
defeat, % miles northward, and erect
ed strong fort, which they named
Fort Recovery.
Desperate attempts were made the
following year, 1894, by the Indians,
of whom were discovered
TO oe English soldiers and officers in
disguise. The battle was hotly con-
tested, being fierce and bloody. This
strife was continued for two days,
assaults were frequently made upon
The fort, but the brave Americans
we're always able to hold their ground,
until the assailants retreated from
the field, with red coat tails flying in
The air, and the feathers of the In.
dians trailing through their bloody
gore. This was a victory, glorious
and complete.
August 10, l795, the treaty of Fort
became an established fact
and large tract Of country was sur
to the United States.
In the cabinet of DR.. Gabriel Miesse,
Sr., of Greenville, Ohio, we're twelve
skulls of men who fell in the battle Of
i'St. Ciair's defeat" all of which bear
marks Of the fury of their savage con-
querors. Several show plainly where
The scalping knife was drawn around
the head, one has a portion cut of,
clean and smooth by q single, power
full blow, while another is cleft open
from top to bottom. DR.. g. Messe,
Jr., of this city, has in his possession
some of the skulls, ETC., also 8 very
fine watch, which had been found
upon the field of st. Clsir's defeat,
once owned by the generals aid-de-
camp.
The doctor has quite selection OF
these relics, such as tomahawks, In
dian pipes, portion Of General
Wayne's tent, mess knives, hatchets,
bayonets, scabards, Indian arrows and
many other relics too numerous to
mention at this writing. A horse
shoe of It'll, also among his collec-
stIuulIunmuniHiHiiiiiin IIu,uursniuuuiliu.muurnIe
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