Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1937-10-21
McConnelsr Thursday

properly, the name of the Shoal il
| the Tennessee river that caused sI
much discussion. Evidently it should
! be "Mussel,'' as that was the origi
nal way the first settlers spelled it
General Rufus Putnam was mucl
interested in the Northwest Terri
tory and attended some of the coun
ellis with the Indians. He left his
report of the speeches that Wert
made, and extracts from some ot
them may be Of interest as showing
the way the minds Of the Indians
acted and how they looked on the
actions of the Americans that were
coming into the territory. The
British had been trying very hard
to keep up an alliance with the In
dians in the territory, and, SO en-
couraged them on all occasions,
sometimes openly, but usually un-
der cover, as much as possible.
Putnam wrote, the British told
ter your lands, and mean to take
them from you and drive you out of
the country When the Delawares
were asked to join in the raids, they
replied: ''For why should we go to
war;. We have no quarrel with
the Americans. When our father,
(meaning the king of England) was
at war, and called on us to join him
against set Of rebellious children,
We did so,....but our father has now
made peace with those children,....
there is no reason. (why) we
should go to war against them....' y
(then addressing the chief of the
ChippeWas) "....you are always quar-
reling with your neighbOrs; It
would be better for you to be at
peace"
The Shawanese chief said "the 13
fires (meaning the 13 cOlOnies) were
endeavOring to take the land from
them. ....they claimed the whole coun-
only a small tract of hunting ground
on which they could not live
The Delaware replied, "....what is
that to us, the Americans have done
us no harm. why should we fight
for your lands. You may fight for
yourselves. there is reason why you
(but) We get nothing by
it....it is better that we mind our
own business and live in peace..;.".
pered in their ears, "...when the
Americans have conquered you.
they will take theirs too....that is
their intention. they will never rest
till they have got the whole coun
try" The chief replied, ''Is that
the case?.. Then we will fight
too. ....then they agreed to assist in
against the encroach-
ments of the Americans Putnam
then says, 81 have, been particular
in relating this. which is a fact and
reason why SO many nations are
Drawn into the war against us. ~.
Putnam wrote in July, 1892, after
ne had made survey of the situa-
ion, ''My opinion, lis to carry a |
inc of stations from the mouth of |
he river (Muskingum) to the mouth |
If the Cuyahoga on Lake Erie:...
)uild such water craft as may. ...be |
necessary to transport the army.
hey can never know when the army |
will move nor where it will strike..."
lie goes on to say his information
.omes from a man "Of Judgment
md undoubted veracity.... (whol has
esided 10 years among the Della
wares. lis fully acquainted with all
he streams that make the Mus
,ingum river. (and) the southern
hore of Lake Erie.... (and) all the
treams between the Muskingum and
he Cuyahoga.... In some parts the
wamps.. lumber is plentiful and
landy. IF it should be a dry fall.
he road can be easily built. when
speak of....rOad....I mean a wagon
oad.. there is pack-horse path
he whole distance. fused by trad
rs and war parties....we can build
t least five miles of road day..
his is the best mode Of carrying on
he war the sooner the better....
ust our appearance will be cOnvic~
ion to the Indians that many things
old them by the British are false;...
nd finding they have been imposed
n in some things, they will doubt
he rest" However, like so many
ther good plans made by those on
he frontier and acquainted with
this plan was laid aside
or future consideration by the de
artment, and the troops got along
S best they could.
The year 1892 was full of terror
0 those in the territory. The cit
zens withdrew into their strong
olds and kept watch as militia for
he protection of the frontier. Such
gricultural pursuits as were car
led on required men with guns in
heir hands as well as axes and
OeS.
(No part of these articles may be
eproduced without the written per-
lission of the publisher.)
MOuntville
Mr. and Mrs. VIM. Forthy and