The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1934-08-30
Hy ELMO SCOTT WATSON


reaching consequences won us easily
and as quickly as was Mad An.
thony" Waynes victory over the
confederated Indian tribes of the
oiu Northwest at Fallen Timbers on the banks
OF the Maumee river In northwestern Ohio ON
August 20, 1904
Not only was 1t all the more brilliant by con-
Irast with the disasters which had befallen two
american generals who had previously tried TO
subdue these same red men, but 1t led directly TO
another victory, won around the council fire In
stead of on the battlefed-the Treaty of Green
Vilie, signed Just year later. Without these
TWO the settlement of the Ohio country the push
Ing OF the frontier line clear to the MisssspnI
river and the opening up of the rich inland
empire of the Mississippi Valley to the land
hungry Americans OF the early Nineteenth CEN
fury might have been postponed indefinitely.
so the Battle or Fallen Timhers is mepost In
the history or our westward expansion
Ihat expansion began even before the Revolu-
ton was over and the decade which followed
the signing Of the Treaty OF Paris saw thou
sands OF settlers streaming through Pittsburgh
the Gateway to the Vest OF that period and
noating down the Ohio to seek new homes both
10 the north and to the south of that river The
indians OF that region--the Miamis Wvandots
DelaWares, ShaWnees. Ottawas and Pottawato-
tide OF white men pouring into their hunting
grounds
BRUSH imperial officers In Canada also watched
the flood OF immigration with dismay II 1t kent
up, u meant the end of the profitable fur trade
In That area. So II they did not actually encour-
age the Indian attacks on the American settlers
they certainly did not discourage them. and
the forts and trading posts which they still held
In the West In spite Of the terms OF the Treaty
OF Paris were QUILTING points for many scalp
Ing party that went out to harass the immigrant
traffic on the Ohio.
Not only were they threatening to wipe out
these new settlements, but back In PHILADELPHIA
the new federal government seemed to be tot-s
tering to Its ruin because OF the blows which
the Harmar and st. CLAIR defeats had dealt to
IFS prestige. In this crisis President Washington
called upon an old friend of Revolutionary war
Gays to make good where the others had failed.
Gen. Anthony Wayne had retired to private life
IN pennsylvania after the Revolution but when
Washington asked him TO reorganize the army
and take command of a third expedition against
the Indians, he accepted the responsibility as
readily as he had accepted the task of capturing
Stony Point In 1777.
Wayne's popular nickname of Mad Anthony"
was misnomer insofar as 1t implied rashness
and reckless daring. But it was true as a syno-
nym for one poets Characterization of him
''fiery heart and cool, clear brain" And Ii ever
adequate preparation. caution and eternal vigil
lance had splendid reward they had It IN
Waynes campaign which eliminated at Fallen
Timbers.
When Wayne took command OF the army I'm
April 1892, he found Its men unframed. lacking
In discipline and with little faith In their officers
mot much to be wondered at considering what
had happened In 1890 and 1901. But Wayne
brought about thorough reorganization, even to
The name, which he changed to 1.-THE Legion of
he United States" and which he began drilling
1t Pittsburgh In June, 1902
1t was his original plan to form an army Of
Iome 5000 men, but he saw that this would
'e impossible with the recruits that we're fur
llshed him. There were almost constant deser-
ions, even at Pittsburgh, which was not far
nough away from the Indian country to allay
ne fear Of some of his soldiers who expected
ne redskins to come whoopIng out OF the for
SITS and scalp them as they drilled.
From December, 1902, to May, 1903, Wayne
vas camped some n miles below Pittsburgh at
place he named Leglonvllle and during this
me his army Of $500 men was being whipped
lto~some semblance of military organization.
IN May sSNnsacamped at Hobson's Choice, 80
AIMED because he could find no other suitable
round In the vicinity. In August negotiations
18th the Indians were finally broken of and
wayne, who already had been advancing toward
ne indian country, prepared for a campaign
hich he saw would mean the success or failure
the United States In enforcing its rights
gainst the British as well as the Indians In the
hio territory.
The next stopping place noted In his orderly
BOX was Head Quarters near Fort Hamilton
D October g. 1893. At this point he began a
gorous order of march and constant vigilance
yaInst surprise attacks
Mad Anthony" bearing In mind the earlier
lures, was at great pains to impress rpen the
oops the necessity OF constant vigilance On
,tober 10 two soldiers we're shot for sleeping
bile on sentry duty. In that month cold weather