Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1900-10-28


culated throughout West Augusta
hideous stories of murders, massacres
burnings and robberies committed b,
the Indians along the Ohio border
Captain Michael Cresap and Genera
George Rogers Clarke, who were al
the mouth of the. Kanawha ready tc
start with a colony to Kentucky, heard
of these stories and believing them
gave up their expedition and moved up
the river to Wheeling for safety. The
Doctor having stirred the whites OF
West Augusta up to the greatest ex-
citement, invited some Indian chiefs to
visit him at Pittsburg. They came
out and he entertained them royalty,
but while so doing he sent letter to
Captain Cresap at Wheeling, telling
him that the Indians meant war, that
| they were not to be trusted, that he
would know about matters in a few
days. and that he. wanted Cresap in the
interval to be on the alert and watch
and guard the part of the country. The
Doctor loaded the chiefs with presents,
filled their canoes with stores, ammu-
milton and guns, and then the chiefs
departed down the Ohio to their
homes. Early in the morning the
next day after Cresap had received
Connolly's message, the canoes were
seen approaching Wheeling island.
Unfortunately they took the west
channel. The Cresap party made in
stant pursuit, and overlook the In
dians at the mouth of the Captina.
The Indians were murdered and their
scalps brought back to Wheeling in
triumph. The next morning the Gre
sap party started for Yellow Creek,
but after going few miles Cresap
told his men that it would be nothing
but murder to kill the Indians at Yel-
low Creek as they were surely peace
able, as they had their women and
children with them. The party then
returned to Fort Fincastle.
Il appears that in the latter part of
April, IVA, large body of Indians
were encamped just above the mouth
Of Yellow Creek on both sides of that
stream. A person by the name of
Joshua Baker, who had been in the
habit of selling whiskey to the Indians,
resided on the Virginia side of the
Ohio river Upon the preteXt Of pro-
:ecting Baker and his family, one Dan
lei Greathouse, in command of force
CT some thirty men, went to his relief.
1t is said that upon arriving in the vi
cinity of Bakers cabin he placed his
men in ambush and crossing the river
under the pretense of making friend
ly visit, entered the encampment with
a view really to ascertain their
strength and position, intending, if his
force was sufficient for the purpose, to
crcs5 to their side and attack them.
Tie Indians, deceived by his appar-
ent frankness and friendliness, and not
for an instant suspecting his. con-
caaled motives, welcomed and re-
celved him in the same spirit in which |
he professed to be influenced. He |
spent some time with them, and then |
recrossed the river and returned to his !
and planned to murder them |
by stratagem. 1t was therefore ar
ranged between Baker and himself, |
that the former should furnish free to |
such Indians as might cross the river |
as much "fire water" as they could |
drink, and thereby get as many of
them drunk as he possibly could. He |
did not have long to wait to begin the |
but when he gave the signal |
to fire only eight out of the thirty SOL
diers would take part in the massacre |
Among those killed were the brother
and sister of Logan, who with him
self, were the only remaining mem
bers of his family. The red men at
the camp made several efforts to come
to the aid Of their friends but were
driven back by deadly fire from the
whites. So they left their dead with |
their murderers. Logan was on the |
other side Of the river and saw the
slaughter of his people; he heard their
screams and cries for help but he was
powerless. But the spirit of revenge
filed his soul The camp at Mingo
Bottom broke up, and the Indians de-
parted for their villages on the Mus
klrgum. This massacre happened on
May oath, 1774.
Logan is now changed from a man
CT love and peace to one of vengeance
and war-vengeance and war against
the whole white race. Drake in his
Indian Biography, Book V, Page Al,
says: "Logan's first attack was upon
three men who were pulling fax in
field. One was shot down and the 9TH
or two taken. These were marched
into the wilderness, and as they ap-
preached the Indian town, Logan gave
the scalp halo, and they were met by
the inhabitants who conducted them
in. Running the gauntlet was next to
be performed Logan took no delight
in torturac and ba T., fbo ,,,o.4