The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1906-06-26

relief arrived. the garrison had been
put on the short allowance of half a
pound of sour flour. and an equal
weight of stlnking meat for every
two days. The greater part of the last
week they had nothing to subsist on
but such roots as they could find IN
the woods and prairies, and raw htues.
Two men lost their lives by eating
wild parsnip roots by mistake Four
more nearly shared the same fate, but
we're saved by medical aid
"On the evening of the arrival of
the relief, two days rations were is
sued to each man in the fort. These
rations were intended as their allow
ance during their march to Fort Nc
Intoshs but many of the men, suppos-
ing them to have been back ratlous.
ate up the whole of their allowance
before the next morning. In conse-
'quence of this imprudence in eating
immoderately, after such extreme star
vation from the want of provisions,
about forty of the men became faint
and sick during the first days march.
| On the second day, however, the suf-
| ferers were met by a great number OF
| their friends from the settlements to
which they belonged, by whom they
were amply supplied with provisions"
Major Varnum succeeded Colonel
| Gibson in command at Fort Laurens,
and so remained until the abandon
ment of the works. The time of his
taking command was about the mid
| die of April, 1878, and 1t was some
| time during the month Of August fol-
lowing that he with the garrison about
one hundred in number left the place.
During the time he was in command
| (about four months) the fort was
frequently threatened with hostile
bands of Indians, and occasionally
with some British soldiers, said to
be under the leadership of the rene
gade Simon Girty. While being in
vested it was very difficult matter to
get provisions to the garrison and they
suffered so much for want of the neces-
saries of life that they took what we
would call at this day, French leave
of the fort, and made their way back
to the Ohio as best they could. IN
their starved condition, after burning
everything likely to impede their re-
treat. or that would be of use to the
Indians if captured.
But the fort itself was not destroyed.
1t still remained intact in the year
1882. as we learn from the statement
of a Young man named Carpenter, VINO
| was captured by the Indians In wash
ington county. Pa, early that year.
and brought by them to one OF their
camps on the Muskingum, probably
| at Coshocton. from whence ne made
his escape, and ran for his life up the
valley trail. and reached Fort Lau-
rens. which he found unoccupied, put
In good condition. From there ne
made his way east to the Ohio, over
the great trail and reached nome III
the fall of 1882.
ONE OF THE CHIEFS.
1t will be remembered that one Oh
the chiefs among the Indians who oc-
cupied the Indian village before men
toned whose name was white Eyes"
had been a person of great Importance
among them, but during the latter part
of his life he had been supplanted IN
the affections Of many of the Deia-
ware Indians on account of his later
friendship for the whites and the
prosperity of their colonies, and Cap
tain Pipe had been made chief In his
stead. Through the preaching and In
auence of the Moravian missionaries,
Chief White Eyes became the hrm
friend of the whites. and ever after
lent his aid in their behalf Thus 1t
was that the Delawares would no long
err have him for their chief After
White Eyes was dethroned as chief ne
went to Fort Pitt. Pa. and was with
General McIntosh's army when they
came west to build Fort Laurens.
Very shortly after they arrived here,
White Eyes was stricken down with
smallpox, and shortly afterward died,
and was buried close by where the
fort wac built
1t was very close to the location OF
Fort Laurens that Colonel Bouquet
in 1854 erected small stockade fort
which was called Fort Tuscarawas.
The spot where this fort was built was
discernable for many years afterward.
Bringing down history to the pres
ent day and searching for remains OF
what was once a place of note in the
pioneer period OF our country, we are
informed that the location of the old
fort can still be pointed out, and that
small portions of the earthwork still
remain. These, however, are so indis-
tinct and small that it requires the
sight of the antiquarian to locate them,
as the ground has been cultivated so