DOCSLIB.ORG

The British Version of Lochry™S Defeat

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The British Version of Lochry™S Defeat 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.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • War and Legitimacy: the Securement of Sovereignty in the Northwest Indian War
    i ABSTRACT WAR AND LEGITIMACY: THE SECUREMENT OF SOVEREIGNTY IN THE NORTHWEST INDIAN WAR During the post-revolution period, the newfound constitutional government of the United States faced a crisis of sovereignty and legitimacy. The Old Northwest region, encompassing what is now Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, was disputed between several groups. The U.S. government under George Washington claimed the region and sought to populate the land with white settlers, British officials in North America wished to reestablish British hegemony in the Ohio River valley and Native-Americans wished to protect their ancestral homeland from foreign invasion. In the 1790s, war broke out between a British backed alliance of Native tribes and the United States of America. Historians have named this conflict the Northwest Indian War. Examining government records, personal correspondences between Washington administration officials and military commanders, as well as recollections of soldiers, officials and civilians this thesis explores the geopolitical causes and ramifications of the Northwest Indian War. These sources demonstrate how the war was a reflection of a crisis which threatened the legitimacy to American sovereignty in the West. Furthermore, they also demonstrate how the use of a professional federal standing army was used by Washington’s government to secure American legitimacy. Michael Anthony Lipe August 2019 ii WAR AND LEGITIMACY: THE SECUREMENT OF SOVEREIGNTY IN THE NORTHWEST INDIAN WAR by Michael Anthony Lipe A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in History in the College of Social Sciences California State University, Fresno August 2019 APPROVED For the Department of History: We, the undersigned, certify that the thesis of the following student meets the required standards of scholarship, format, and style of the university and the student's graduate degree program for the awarding of the master's degree.
    [Show full text]
  • Orders of George Washington to General John Sullivan, at Head-Quarters May 31, 1779
    Orders of George Washington to General John Sullivan, at Head-Quarters May 31, 1779 The Expedition you are appointed to command is to be directed against the hostile tribes of the Six Nations of Indians, with their associates and adherents. The immediate objects are the total destruction and devastation of their settlements, and the capture of as many prisoners of every age and sex as possible. It will be essential to ruin their crops now in the ground and prevent their planting more. I would recommend, that some post in the center of the Indian Country, should be occupied with all expedition, with a sufficient quantity of provisions whence parties should be detached to lay waste all the settlements around, with instructions to do it in the most effectual manner, that the country may not be merely overrun, but destroyed. But you will not by any means listen to any overture of peace before the total ruinment of their settlements is effected. Our future security will be in their inability to injure us and in the terror with which the severity of the chastisement they receive will inspire them.[4] The 1779 Sullivan Campaign A Little-Known Offensive Strategic To The War Breaks The Indian Nations' Power by Stanley J. Adamiak The 1779 Sullivan Campaign emerged as one of the larger of the Continental Army's offensives during the American Revolution, yet remains relatively unknown.1 It was an act of reprisal to break the Iroquois Confederation, a Native American political and military alliance that included the Seneca, Cayuga, Mohawk, Onondaga, 0neida, and Tuscarora tribes.
    [Show full text]
  • Foundation Document, George Rogers
    NATIONAL PARK SERVICE • U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Foundation Document George Rogers Clark National Historical Park Indiana July 2014 Foundation Document George Rogers Clark National Historical Park and Related Heritage Sites in Vincennes, Indiana S O I Lincoln Memorial Bridge N R I L L I E I V Chestnut Street R H A S Site of A B VINCENNES Buffalo Trace W UNIVERSITY Short Street Ford et GEORGE ROGERS CLARK e r t S Grouseland NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK t A 4 Home of William Henry Harrison N ot A levard c I Bou S Parke Stree t Francis Vigo Statue N D rtson I Culbe Elihu Stout Print Shop Indiana Territory Capitol 5 Vincennes State Memorial t e Historic Sites ue n Building North 1st Street re t e e v S et u n A Parking 3 Old French House tre s eh ve s S li A Cemetery m n po o e 2 Old State Bank cu Visitor Center s g e ri T e ana l State Historic Site i ar H Col Ind 7 t To t South 2nd Street e e Fort Knox II State Historic Site ee r Father Pierre Gibault Statue r treet t t North 3rd S 1 S and 8 Ouabache (Wabash) Trails Park Old Cathedral Complex Ma (turn left on Niblack, then right on Oliphant, t r Se Pe then left on Fort Knox Road) i B low S n B Bus un m il rr r Ha o N Du Barnett Street Church Street i Vigo S y t na W adway S s i in c tre er North St 4t boi h Street h r y o o S Street r n l e et s eet a t Stree Stre t e re s Stree r To 41 south Stre et reet To 6 t t reet t S et et Sugar Loaf Prehistoric t by St t t et o North 5th Stre Indian Mound Sc Shel (turn left on Washington Avenue, then right on Wabash Avenue) North 0 0.1 0.2 Kilometer
    [Show full text]
  • Some Perspectives on Its Purpose from Published Accounts Preston E
    SOME PERSPECTIVES ON ITS PURPOSE FROM PUBLISHED ACCOUNTS PRESTON E. PIERCE ONTARIO COUNTY HISTORIAN DEPARTMENT OF RECORDS, ARCHIVES AND INFORMATION MANAGEMENT ERVICES CANANDAIGUA, NEW YORK 2019 (REPRINTED, UPDATED, AND REVISED 2005, 1985) 1 Front cover image: Sullivan monument erected at the entrance to City Pier on Lake Shore Drive, Canandaigua. Sullivan-Clinton Sesquicentennial Commission, 1929. Bronze tablet was a common feature of all monuments erected by the Commission. Image from original postcard negative, circa 1929, in possession of the author. Above: Sullivan-Clinton Sesquicentennial Commission tablet erected at Kashong (Yates County), Rt. 14, south of Geneva near the Ontario County boundary. 1929. Image by the author. 2004 2 Gen. John Sullivan. Image from Benson J. Lossing, Pictorial Field Book of the Revolution. v. I. 1860. p. 272. 3 Sullivan-Clinton Campaign monument (front and back) erected in 1929 in Honeoye. Moved several times, it commemorates the location of Ft. Cummings, a temporary base established by Sullivan as he began the final leg of his march to the Genesee River. Images by the author. Forward 4 1979 marked the 200th anniversary of the Sullivan-Clinton expedition against those Iroquois nations that allied themselves with Britain and the Loyalists during the American Revolution. It is a little-understood (more often misunderstood) military incursion with diplomatic, economic, and decided geo-political consequences. Unfortunately, most people, including most municipal historians, know little about the expedition beyond what is recorded on roadside markers. In 1929, during the sesquicentennial celebrations of the American Revolution, the states of New York and Pennsylvania established a special commission that produced a booklet, sponsored local pageants, and erected many commemorative tablets in both states.
    [Show full text]
  • The Commemoration of Colonel Crawford and the Vilification of Simon Girty: How Politicians, Historians, and the Public Manipulate Memory
    THE COMMEMORATION OF COLONEL CRAWFORD AND THE VILIFICATION OF SIMON GIRTY: HOW POLITICIANS, HISTORIANS, AND THE PUBLIC MANIPULATE MEMORY Joshua Catalano A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate College of Bowling Green State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS May 2015 Committee: Andrew Schocket, Advisor Rebecca Mancuso ii ABSTRACT Andrew Schocket, Advisor In 1782, Colonel William Crawford led a force of a few hundred soldiers in a campaign to destroy the Indian forces gathered on the Sandusky Plains in present day Ohio. Crawford was captured by an enemy party following a botched offensive and was taken prisoner. After being tried, Crawford was brutally tortured and then burned alive in retaliation for a previous American campaign that slaughtered nearly one hundred peaceful Indians at the Moravian village of Gnadenhutten. This work analyzes the production, dissemination, and continual reinterpretation of the burning of Crawford until the War of 1812 and argues that the memory of the event impacted local, national, and international relations in addition to the reputations of two of its protagonists, William Crawford and Simon Girty. iii For Parker B. Brown iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank both members of my committee, Andrew Schocket and Rebecca Mancuso, for their continuous support, critique, and feedback. Their flexibility and trust allowed me to significantly change the overall direction and composition of this work without sacrificing quality. Ruth Herndon’s encouragement to explore and interrogate the construction and dissemination of historical narratives is evident throughout this work. I am also in debt to Christie Weininger for bringing the story of Colonel Crawford to my attention.
    [Show full text]
  • The Emergence and Decline of the Delaware Indian Nation in Western Pennsylvania and the Ohio Country, 1730--1795
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by The Research Repository @ WVU (West Virginia University) Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports 2005 The emergence and decline of the Delaware Indian nation in western Pennsylvania and the Ohio country, 1730--1795 Richard S. Grimes West Virginia University Follow this and additional works at: https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd Recommended Citation Grimes, Richard S., "The emergence and decline of the Delaware Indian nation in western Pennsylvania and the Ohio country, 1730--1795" (2005). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 4150. https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/4150 This Dissertation is protected by copyright and/or related rights. It has been brought to you by the The Research Repository @ WVU with permission from the rights-holder(s). You are free to use this Dissertation in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you must obtain permission from the rights-holder(s) directly, unless additional rights are indicated by a Creative Commons license in the record and/ or on the work itself. This Dissertation has been accepted for inclusion in WVU Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports collection by an authorized administrator of The Research Repository @ WVU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The Emergence and Decline of the Delaware Indian Nation in Western Pennsylvania and the Ohio Country, 1730-1795 Richard S. Grimes Dissertation submitted to the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences at West Virginia University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in History Mary Lou Lustig, Ph.D., Chair Kenneth A.
    [Show full text]
  • The Redlands Guardian Redlands Chapter, 35
    Generated by Foxit PDF Creator © Foxit Software http://www.foxitsoftware.com For evaluation only. The Redlands Guardian Redlands Chapter, 35 California Society Sons of the American Revolution Serving the High Desert, Mountains, and Inland Empire Corridor October 2005 Volume 13 Issue 10 page 1 Color Guard a hit at the Boy & Girl Scout Stampede An estimated three hundred boys and girls visited our encampment at the Scout Stampede, held on Sept 24, at the Glen Helen Recreation Area in San Bernardino County. They heard discussions on the uniforms, weapons, and flags that were used in the Revolutionary War, and experienced using a quill pen to sign their name on the Company roll book as they were “enlisted” in the Continental Army. Children and parents were treated to demonstrations of loading and firing of muskets throughout the day, applauding when the muskets boomed. By the end of the day we had exhausted our supply of cartridges, printed literature, and energy. We also manned an information table with material about the Sons of the American Revolution Eagle Scout Recognition and Scholarship Program. It was an ideal venue for showcasing these outstanding programs. While some Scoutmasters and Parents were familiar with the programs, a large majority of those who heard the presentation were not aware of either program, and many whose sons were Eagle scouts and had celebrated their 19 birthday, were disappointed that they were not eligible for the Scholarship program. Hopefully, our efforts will stimulate a greater interest in the program in the future. John Ford, Richard Maynard, and Dave Diefendorf John Ford enlisted the new “recruits” into the posed for pictures with the youth during the day.
    [Show full text]
  • Along the Ohio Trail
    Along The Ohio Trail A Short History of Ohio Lands Dear Ohioan, Meet Simon, your trail guide through Ohio’s history! As the 17th state in the Union, Ohio has a unique history that I hope you will find interesting and worth exploring. As you read Along the Ohio Trail, you will learn about Ohio’s geography, what the first Ohioan’s were like, how Ohio was discovered, and other fun facts that made Ohio the place you call home. Enjoy the adventure in learning more about our great state! Sincerely, Keith Faber Ohio Auditor of State Along the Ohio Trail Table of Contents page Ohio Geography . .1 Prehistoric Ohio . .8 Native Americans, Explorers, and Traders . .17 Ohio Land Claims 1770-1785 . .27 The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 . .37 Settling the Ohio Lands 1787-1800 . .42 Ohio Statehood 1800-1812 . .61 Ohio and the Nation 1800-1900 . .73 Ohio’s Lands Today . .81 The Origin of Ohio’s County Names . .82 Bibliography . .85 Glossary . .86 Additional Reading . .88 Did you know that Ohio is Hi! I’m Simon and almost the same distance I’ll be your trail across as it is up and down guide as we learn (about 200 miles)? Our about the land we call Ohio. state is shaped in an unusual way. Some people think it looks like a flag waving in the wind. Others say it looks like a heart. The shape is mostly caused by the Ohio River on the east and south and Lake Erie in the north. It is the 35th largest state in the U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • Girty, the White Indian
    B. Geo. Washington Ranck. G529r [Simon] Girty, the White Indian. (1886; 1955 rept.) ILLINOIS HISTORICAL SURVEY U.S. -920 GIP2TV5-fati. The White Indian Qriy.ihc untitle \nSxn Qwrq«y.\M2ck Prepared by the Staff of the Public Library of Fort Wayne and Allen County 1955 One cf a ftbtorical scries, ifti* pampfclet is published under ifte direction of % governing Boards 4 tte Public library of Tort Wayne and Qllcn County, }Tbs5adie. <Kj/k%^,s »0f-IPUM5f-M-M{ITyW^WAyffl "'*«**•"; grin^* aTiS^er, 5WxW ,x 4 %se/>^ CJcfcmer, Jic«Za/y -^v PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARP FOR ALLEN COUNTY % members oflfrbBoard mchiddfc mmbmofiteBcaid^fek^^ citizen* clwsai|jvm QlknCouitty<rabi&'tfte corjwaleCity offaiWayne -- o — . «~ •, 7 1 • Bfct- ;r- wH ^2>x CAjoj-Us 9?ey/)o/a/s ff2n. G/enn f/eruterson . 3. 6 52^ FOREWORD Simon Girty, known as "the Great Renegade, " was despised and hated by the frontier settlers in the Old Northwest during and after the Revolutionary War. His conduct was characterized by savage malignity and atrocious acts of cruelty toward the white race. The following account originally appeared in the MAGAZINE OF AMERICAN HISTORY, volume XV, March, 1886. George W. Ranck signed the article. The Boards and the Staff of the Public Library of Fort Wayne and Allen County reprint the article verbatim in the hope that it will be interesting and informative to Library patrons Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012 with funding from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign http://archive.org/details/girtywhiteindianOOranc Though Simon Girty was one of the most unique and lurid characters that ever figured in the annals of the West ; though the part he played among the Indian tribes was frequently important and sometimes con- spicuous, and though his life was a tragic romance from the cradle to the grave, yet all that was known of him for more than a hundred years from the time that he first made himself feared and hated was comprised in a few widely scattered fragments written entirely by his enemies and dis- figured by errors and inconsistencies.
    [Show full text]
  • Frontier Family Reunion Returns to Fort Laurens Date: July 25, 2005 Ken Girty: Girty Family Reunion 724-789-7505 (H) Pittsburgh
    Frontier Family Reunion Returns To Fort Laurens Date: July 25, 2005 Ken Girty: Girty Family Reunion 724-789-7505 (H) Pittsburgh, PA Boone, Crawford, Girty, Kenton Bolivar, OH—Some of the most famous and infamous names of the American colonial frontier will assemble at Fort Laurens State Memorial, located in Bolivar, Ohio on Saturday, July 30, 2005. Family descendants of Daniel Boone, Simon Kenton, Simon Girty, Lewis Wetzel, William Crawford, Alexander McKee, and representatives of the Delaware Indian nation will converge at the site of the only American Revolutionary War fort built in what now is the state of Ohio. In addition, the Ohio Society Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) will hold its annual tribute to the Unknown Patriot of the American Revolution and the other twenty soldiers who died defending the western most U.S. military post of the American Revolution. The 8th Pennsylvania Regiment of the Brigade of the American Revolution will lead an 18th century military funeral ceremony. Several SAR state chapters and representatives from neighboring states will place memorial wreaths at the Tomb of the Unknown. This will be the second time the family descendants of these frontiersmen are returning to the site of Fort Laurens to share history, retell tall tales of great feats and adventure, and keep alive the history and memory of America’s Revolutionary years. “We had a great event at this site in 2003,” said Ken Girty. “Many of our families have a direct link to the Fort Laurens site and we were eager to return.” Many of the participants will visit a special showing of The White Savage, the outdoor drama about Simon Girty at New Philadelphia’s Schoenbrunn Amphitheatre.
    [Show full text]
  • William Wells and the Indian Council of 1793
    William Wells and the Indian Council of 1793 Edited by Dwight L. Smith* Contributed by Mrs. Frank Roberts** With the catastrophic defeat of Arthur St. Clair in early November, 1791, the American effort to establish peace with the Indians of the Old Northwest through the use of force virtually collapsed. Although the new United States had gained the area on paper, along with its independence from Great Britain, at the end of the American Revolution in in 1783, the facts seemed to indicate otherwise. The Indians posed a real threat to the very survival of the small settle- ments which hugged the north bank of the Ohio and even to those south of the river in Kentucky. Moreover, the British had not even bothered to evacuate several posts on the Ameri- can side of the Canadian border,’ evidence which the Indians certainly respected more than the treaty surrender of these posts. Seemingly determined to hold actual control, the British gave the Indians moral and material aid, They increased the garrison strength of the posts which they held and even built (later, in 1794) another one, Fort Miamis along the Maumee River, at a strategic spot in the midst of the Indian country.* Prophets of doom predicted dire consequences. Rufus Putnam accurately asserted that the Indians “began to be- lieve them Selves invin~ible,”~while John Cleves Symmes feared that Congress would abandon the frontier because of the costliness of an adequate military force and that the Ohio country settlements would soon fall to the Indians.‘ Dwight L. Smith is professor of history at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio.
    [Show full text]
  • The War Moves West and Se.Uth \Lmif1ml~
    The War Moves West and Se.uth \lmif1Ml~ ..... ..: : How did fighting in the : West and South affect : the course of the American Diar!1 : Revolutionary War? . .. .. .. A brave Mohawk war chief Joseph Brant, Reading Guide blended Native American and British Content Vocabulary blockade (p. 170) ways. Brant however, spoke strongly on privateer (p. 170) behalf ofhis people. On a 1776 visit to guerrilla warfare (p. 172) London, he said the Mohawks have Academic Vocabulary impact (p. 171) sustain (p. 173) "[shown] their zeal and loyalty to the Key People and Events ... King; yet they have been very Joseph Brant (p. 169) badly treated by his people . ... George Rogers Clark (p. 169) John Paul Jones (p. 170) Indeed, it is very hard when we Battle of Moore's Creek (p. 171) have let the King's subjects have so General Charles Cornwallis (p. 171) Francis Marion (p. 172) much ofour lands ... [and] they Nathanael Greene (p. 173) should want to cheat us." Reading Strategy Taking Notes As you read, use a -joseph Brant, speech, March 14, 1776 diagram like the one below to analyze how the Americans responded to the British naval blockade. Response to British Naval Blockade War in the West Henry Hamilton, British commander at Detroit, was called the "hair buyer." He l ~ mtjlm¥1 The British, along with their Native earned this nickname because he paid Native American allies, led attacks against settlers in the Americans for settlers' scalps. West. Victory at Vincennes History and You Do you have a nickname? If so, how did you get it? Read to learn the nickname of George Rogers Clark, a lieutenant colo­ Henry Hamilton, the British commander at Detroit.
    [Show full text]