University of Virginia Library

CHAPTER XI.

CRAWFORD'S CAMPAIGN.

The signal success attending the expedition against the
Moravians induced many who had been engaged in that atrocious
affair to get up a second one on a more grand and
extensive plan against the Indian settlements at Sandusky.
This was the ostensible motive, but some believed it was merely
intended to finish the work of murder and plunder upon the
Moravians. Such at least is said to have been the object with
some who composed the expedition; with the majority, however,
it was regarded as an expedition to punish the Wyandotts
for their many and long-continued depredations upon the
whites. Every inducement was held out to join the expedition.
Placards were posted at Wheeling, Catfish, and other
places, of a new State that was to be organized on the Muskingum,
and no effort left untried that could excite either the
cupidity or revenge of the frontier people. A force was soon
raised in the western parts of Pennsylvania and Virginia of
four hundred and eighty men, well mounted and armed; each
man furnished his own horse and equipments, except a small
supply of ammunition provided by the Lieutenant-colonel of
Washington county, Pennsylvania. The place of rendezvous
was Mingo Bottom, where, on the 25th of May, 1782, nearly
five hundred men mustered and proceeded to elect their commander.
The choice fell upon Col. William Crawford, who
will be remembered as Washington's old friend and agent.
He was reluctant to go, but at length yielded to the entreaties
of friends. (See biography of Col. C. in this volume.)

The army marched along "Williamson's trail," as it was

then called, until they arrived at the ruins of the upper
Moravian town, on the fourth day of their march, in the fields
belonging to which, there was still an abundance of corn on
the stalks, with which their horses were plentifully fed, during
the night.

Shortly after the army halted at this place, two Indians
were discovered, by some men who had walked out of the
camp. Three shots were fired at one of them, but without
hurting him. As soon as the news of the discovery of Indians
reached the camp, more than one-half of the men rushed out,
without command, and in the most tumultuous manner, to see
what happened.[74] From that time Colonel Crawford felt a
presentiment of the defeat which followed.

The Indians were observing the motions of the troops.
From the time the Christian Indians were murdered on the
Muskingum, the savages had kept spies out, to guard against
being again surprised. There was not a place of any importance
on the Ohio, from Pittsburgh to Grave creek, left
unobserved. Thus, when in May, two months after the destruction
of the Moravian towns, the white settlers were seen
in agitation, as if preparing for some enterprise, the news was
brought to the Indians, and so from day to day, until Crawford's
men had crossed the Ohio river, and even then their
first encampment was reconnoitred. They knew the number
of troops and their destination, visited every encampment
immediately on their leaving it, when on their march, and saw
from their writings on the trees, and scraps of paper, that "no
quarter was to be given to any Indian, whether, man, woman
or child."[75]

Nothing of consequence happened during their march,
until the 6th of June, when their guides conducted them to
the site of the Moravian villages, on one of the upper branches
of the Sandusky river. From this retreat, the Christian
Indians had lately been driven away, by the Wyandotts, to
the Scioto.

In this dilemma, what was to be done? The officers held
a council, in which it was determined to march one day longer
in the direction of Upper Sandusky, and if they should not
reach the town in the course of the day, to make a retreat
with all speed.

The march was commenced on the following morning

through the plains of Sandusky, and continued until two
o'clock, when the advance guard was attacked and driven in
by the Indians, who were discovered in large numbers in the
high grass with which the place was covered. The Indian
army was at that moment about entering a piece of woods,
almost entirely surrounded by plains; but in this they were
partially prevented by a rapid movement of the whites. The
battle then commenced by a heavy fire from both sides. From
a partial possession of the woods, which they had gained at
the outset of the battle, the Indians were soon dislodged.
They then attempted to gain a small skirt of wood on the
right flank of Colonel Crawford, but were prevented from so
doing by the vigilance and bravery of Major Leet, who commanded
the right wing at the time. The firing was heavy and
incessant until dark, when it ceased, and both armies lay on
their arms during the night. Both adopted the policy of
kindling large fires along the line of battle, and then retiring
some distance in the rear of them, to prevent being surprised
by a night attack. During the conflict of the afternoon, three
of Col. Crawford's men were killed and several wounded.

On the next morning, the army occupied the battle ground
of the preceding day. The Indians made no attack during
the day, until late in the evening, but were seen in large
bodies traversing the plains in various directions. Some of
them appeared to be carrying off their dead and wounded.

In the morning of this day, a council of officers was held,
and a retreat was resolved on, as the only means of saving
the army. The Indians appearing to increase every hour.

During this day, preparations were made for a retreat
by burying the dead, burning fires over their graves to prevent
discovery, and preparing means for carrying off the
wounded. The retreat was to commence in the course of the
night. The Indians, however, became apprized of this intended
retreat, and about sundown attacked the army with
great force and fury, in every direction, excepting that of
Sandusky.

When the line of march was formed by the commander-in-chief,
and the retreat commenced, the guides prudently
took the direction of Sandusky, which afforded the only opening
in the Indian lines, and the only chance of concealment.
After marching about a mile in this direction, the army
wheeled about to the left, and by a circuitous route gained,
before day, the trail by which they came. They continued

their march the whole of the next day, without annoyance,
except the firing of a few distant shots, by the Indians at the
rear guard, which slightly wounded two or three men. At
night they built fires, took their suppers, secured the horses,
and resigned themselves to repose, without placing a single
sentinel or vidette for safety. In this careless situation, they
might have been surprised and cut off by the Indians, who,
however, did not disturb them during the night, nor afterwards,
during the whole of their retreat. The number that
retreated in the main body is supposed to be about three
hundred.

At the commencement of the retreat, Colonel Crawford
placed himself at the head of the army, and continued there
until they had gone about a quarter of a mile, when missing
his son John Crawford, his son-in-law Major Harrison, and
his nephews Major Rose and William Crawford, he halted and
called for them, as the line passed, but without finding them.[76] After the army had passed him, he was unable to overtake it,
owing to the weariness of his horse. Falling in company with
Dr. Knight, and two others, they travelled all night, first
north and then to the east to avoid the pursuit of the Indians.
They directed their courses by the north star.

On the next day, they fell in with Capt. John Biggs and
Lieut. Ashley, the latter of whom was wounded. Two others
were in company with Biggs and Ashley. On the next day,
Capt. Biggs and Dr. Knight insisted upon continuing their
course through the woods, and avoiding all paths, but Crawford
overruled, assuring them that the Indians would not urge the
pursuit beyond the plains, which were already far behind,
and abandoning their due eastern course, the party pursued
the beaten tract, travelled over by the army a few days before.
Crawford and Knight moved one hundred and fifty yards in
front, Captain Biggs and his wounded friend, Lieut. Ashley,
were in the centre, both on horseback, and the two men on
foot brought up the rear.

Scarcely had they proceeded a mile, when several Indians
sprang up before Crawford and Knight, and presenting their
guns, ordered them, in good English, to stop. Knight sprang
behind a tree and leveled his gun. Col. Crawford ordered
him not to fire, Knight reluctantly obeyed, and the Indians
ran up to Col. Crawford in a friendly manner, shook him by

the hand cordially, and asked him how he did. Biggs and
Ashley halted, while the two men in the rear prudently took
to their heels and escaped. Colonel Crawford ordered Captain
Biggs to come up and surrender, but the Captain took aim at
one of the Indians, fired, and then he and Ashley put spurs
to their horses and for the time escaped. They were both
overtaken and killed the next day.

On the morning of the tenth of June, Col. Crawford and
Dr. Knight, together with nine more prisoners, were conducted
by seventeen Indians to the old Sandusky town, about thirty-three
miles distant. The nine prisoners were marched ahead
of Crawford and Knight, who were conducted by Pipe and
Wingemund, two Delaware Chiefs. All the prisoners, including
Col. Crawford and Dr. Knight, had been previously
painted black by Pipe. Four of the prisoners were tomahawked
and scalped on the way at different places; and when
the other five arrived at the town, the boys and squaws fell
upon them and tomahawked them in a moment. (For particulars
of what followed, see sketch of Colonel Crawford.)

Thus ended this disastrous campaign. It was the last
one which took place in this section of the country during the
war of the Revolution. It was undertaken with the very worst
views—those of murder and plunder. It was conducted without
sufficient means to encounter, with any prospect of success,
the large Indian forces upon the plains of Sandusky. There
was not that subordination and discipline which is always
necessary to success; and it ended in total discomfiture, and
an awful sacrifice of life. Never did any enterprise more
signally fail, and never was a deed of blood more terribly
revenged, than the murder of the Christian Indians at the
Moravian towns."[77]