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The British Version of Lochry™S Defeat

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THE BRITISH VERSION OF LOCHRY'S DEFEAT by C. J. MAURER In the closing months of the Revolutionary War and seven years before John Filson and his party were looking over the ground of what was soon to become the infant town site of Cin- cinnati, a tragedy was enacted on the banks of the Ohio River near the point where Aurora, Indiana, is now located. The story of Colonel Lochry's defeat and massacre, August 24, 1781, has been told, and is pretty well known in its slightly different Ameri- can versions, but the British accounts as revealed in letters and documents in the Canadian archives and the Library of Congress, present some features of the story that are not so familiar and hence have interest for us today.* The Ohio has rightly been called a river of destiny. No history or set of histories has ever been able to capture all the stories of war and intrigue that have occurred on or near this great river. Destiny has reserved this important valley for its eventual place in the sun as one of the greatest industrial regions of America. Many prospective settlers and early travelers just disappeared, and history can only guess at the total number of people who lost their lives in this now populous region because of their eager desire to see and acquire property in the promised land. But to get on with our story. Just to keep the record straight, it should be kept in mind that General George Rogers Clark, during the summer of 1781, made another effort to raise troops to defend the Kentucky settlements. His efforts in the east were not very successful but he did enlist the aid of Colonel Archibald Lochry and Captain Robert Orr, of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, these gentlemen raising, at their own expense, a company of 107 mounted volunteers. They marched to Fort Henry (Wheeling) to join General Clark's army but missed Clark there by one day. This was to prove their undoing for they were unable in subsequent days to catch up with the main army. General Clark in the following letter explains his haste: *Colonel Lochry's name has been spelled in different ways. The above spelling is correct. 216 The Quarterly Bulletin "On Publick Service "Archibl Lochry, County Lt. "Westmoreland, Esq., "1 per Mr. Wallace "Middle Island, 9th Aug 1781 "Sir, "I this moment received yours of the 8th ins. I am heartily sorry that after waiting so long for you I should set out but a day before your arrival. I also learn that you were so kind as to send an express but it did not arrive, and I, of course, supposed that you had shared my fate in meeting with every disappointment from the populace. I am exceedingly unhappy in our not joining at Wheeling, but don't know that either of us is to blame. The militia with us continue to desert, and consequently I can not remain long in one place. Otherwise I should be happy in forming a junction here. The following plans are proposed. I have augmented the command of Mr. Wallace to eight alert men furnished with fifteen days provisions from the whole of your troops, and there will be left at the lower point of the third island below middle Island for your expedition one large boat and sufficiency of small ditto with what [illegible] you will be able to collect on your voyage Camp Kettles [illegible]. Under the protection of a few men I shall move on slowly for the reasons before stated, and you will use the greatest industry, as you can not possibly pass us without our knowledge. I have suffered much lately, but you again encourage me. I have the honour to be with mightiest esteem "Your Obet. Servt. "NB Capt Wallace will give you) "every intelligence you wish ) G. R. Clark" In a few days Colonel Lochry replied as follows: "August 141781 "My Dear Gr. "This evening we arrived at Camp Three Island. We are every man in great spirits and determined to go where ordered. There is no desertion in our troops. We had the pleasure to apprehend an Officer and fifteen deserters on our march, which I hope we will safely deliver to their duty. "We will proceed after you as quickly as possible, and am "Dear Gr. "Your Most Obedt. "humble servt. A. Lochry." "(Gr. George Ror. Clark)" Courtesy of American Heritage JOSEPH BRANT, the Nearest Thing to a Statesman His Race Ever Produced. From the Painting by Gilbert Stewart. 218 The Quarterly Bulletin Lochry should have known that the Indians were watching his every move poised for an attack, but apparently lulled by the fact he had at length passed the mouth of the Great Miami with- out incident, he gave the order to land the horses on the north shore, when about ten miles below the Miami River, because of the lush grass. No sooner had the party landed than the Indian attack commenced with great fury. Led by that famous Indian Mohawk chieftain, Joseph Brant, together with the renegade George Girty* one-third of Lochry's little force were soon killed, the balance surrendering. Only one American account by a participant has come down, namely, the diary of Captain Isaac Anderson. He states that when the attack began the soldiers took to the boats and tried to cross the river. But the Indians in canoes prevented this and forced the surrender. Later Colonel Lochry was murdered as he sat on a log, several of his men being killed in cold blood. General Clark had passed this point the night before with a force too large to tempt an Indian attack. The prisoners, to the number of 64 by British report, were marched up the Ohio about eight miles where they encamped for the night. The next day the march continued up the Great Miami about eight miles where a camp site was chosen. Today this is a quiet, beautiful spot (see illustration), about one hundred and fifty yards west of the junction of the East Miami River and Jor- dan Roads, some three miles north of Cleves. The Miami has changed its course some since 1781 but the old course can still be traced. This spot became the internment camp for a short period, while soon one hundred British soldiers (Butler's Rangers), and more than three hundred additional Indians, under the command of Captain Thompson and Alex McKee, joined Brant's force. The plan now was to move against General Clark and despoil the Kentucky settlements before returning to Canada, in much the same manner as Bird had succeeded in doing the previous year. More than four hundred Indians in their full war paint and regalia, plus one hundred uniformed British rangers, the force commanded by renowned Indian chieftains, must have presented a colorful sight in what was to become later populous Hamilton County. Let us see what happened next! To follow the move- *Some accounts say Simon Girty. But Simon came with McKee's Indians a day or two after Lochry's defeat. Indian Warfare Along the Ohio 219 ments of this army we will turn to the British accounts. A letter written by Thompson and McKee to their superior officer at Detroit carried the first official news of Lochry's defeat: "Camp near the Ohio Aug. 29th 1781 "Sir: "The 26th you had enclosed an account that Capt Brant and George Girty with the Indians, advanced upon the Ohio, had taken one of Clark's boats, after having passed down the river in the night. Not thinking themselves in number suffi- cient to attack him, and having found by his orders to Major Cracraft that more troops were to follow under the command of a Colonel Lochry, lay in wait for them, attacked and took the whole, not allowing one to escape. "Agriable to a return it appears there has been thirty-seven killed, amongst whom is Lochry, their commandant, with some other officers. This stroke, with desertions, will reduce Clark's army much, and if the Indians had followed advice and arrived here in time, it is more than probable he would have been now in our possession with his cannon. The prisoners seem to be ignorant of what his intentions are [Clark's]. Perhaps loss may oblige him to change his measures. However, we shall endeavour to keep the Indians together and watch his motions. His first intention was to penetrate to Sandusky through the Indian country, from whence the troops from Fort Pitt were to return home and he to Kentucky. The enclosed papers will furnish you with further particulars. "We are with great Respect "Your Most Obedient and Humble Servants "Andw Thompson "Alex McKee "N. B. The Indians have not determined what to do with the prisoners, but seem inclined to adopt a good many. "To Major De Peyster at Detroit." [Here followed list of Lochry's dead and prisoners taken.] Major De Peyster was pleased to receive this report and hastened to inform his superior officer, General Frederick Haldi- mand, Governor General of Canada, at Montreal, as follows: "DETROIT "September 11,1781 "Sir: "Having got in several accounts from the Indian Country, I have ordered M. Macombily to make up the general account 220 The Quarterly Bulletin of Expenditures at this post, which they now transmit to their Correspondent with my letter of advice. "I, however, think it necessary to acquaint your Excellency that Mr. Alex McKee has not sent his final account in. He may have some small demand on his return from the Indian Country.
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