CHAPTER IV.
WAPPATOMICA CAMPAIGN.
Well aware that a retaliatory blow would be given by the
Indians, the settlers along the frontier of Virginia lost no
time in erecting forts for their protection.[32]
An express was
sent to Williamsburg, calling upon the governor for immediate
aid; the House of Burgesses being in session, measures were
at once adopted to protect the frontier and drive back the
savages. Andrew Lewis, then a member from Bottetourt,
proposed that an adequate force be raised and marched to the
frontier with the least possible delay. His proposition was
at once adopted and steps taken for carrying it into effect.
In the meantime, the Indians were murdering the whites
whenever an opportunity presented. Many of the traders
who had penetrated the Indian country, could not retrace
their steps in time, and thus fell before the merciless hand of
the destroyer. One of these, near the town of White-eyes,
the Peace Chief of the Delawares, was murdered, cut to
pieces, and the fragments of his body hung upon the bushes,
the kindly chief gathered them together and buried them.
The hatred of the murderers, however, led them to disinter
and disperse the remains of their victim anew; but the kindness
of the Delaware was as persevering as the hatred of his
brethren, and again he collected the scattered limbs and in a
secret place hid them.
[33]
As considerable time must necessarily elapse before a large
force could be collected and marched from the east, it was
proposed, as the best means of diverting the Indians from the
frontier, that an invading force should be sent against their
towns. Accordingly, about the middle of June, (1774,) nearly
four hundred men rendezvoused at Wheeling, embracing some
of the most energetic and experienced on the frontier.
Col. Angus McDonald,[34]
by whom this force was to be commanded,
not having arrived, but being daily expected, the
different companies under their respective commanders, went
down the river in boats to the mouth of Captina creek,
(twenty miles), at which place they were joined by Colonel
McDonald, and thence proceeded to the Indian town, Wappatomica,
which was ten or fifteen miles below the present
Coshocton. In the command of Col. McDonald were some of
the first and bravest men in the west. James Wood, afterwards
Governor of Virginia, Daniel Morgan, the distinguished
general of revolutionary memory, Michael Cresap, and others
who became prominent, commanded companies. The expedition
was piloted by Jonathan Zane, Thomas Nicholson and
Tady Kelly, the first of whom had no superior as a wood-craftman.
The Indians having been notified by scouts of their approach,
3 Their route led along the old Indian trail toward the lakes.
formed an ambush, and as the whites came up,
opened upon them a brisk and stunning fire. But two of
our men, however, were killed, although several were badly
wounded. The Indians had one killed and a number wounded,
but their exact loss was not ascertained, as both wounded and
dead were borne from the field. A never failing characteristic
of the dying savage is, a desire that his body may not
fall into the hands of his pale-faced antagonist.
The army after this slight interruption, proceeded on its
way to the Indian town, which was found evacuated. It was
immediately discovered that the Indians were concealed on
the opposite side of the river, waiting for the whites to cross.
Col. McDonald determined to remain where he was, but took
the precaution to despatch messengers up and down the river,
to watch if the enemy should attempt to cross.
The Indians finding the whites would not follow in pursuit,
sued for peace. This was offered on condition that they sent
over their chiefs as hostages. Five accordingly crossed over.
Early on the following morning these chiefs were marched in
front of the army to the western bank of the river.
It was then ascertained that the Indians could not treat
until the chiefs of the other tribes were present. To secure
these, one of the hostage chiefs was sent off; but not returning
in time, a second was despatched on the same errand, and he
not returning, Col. McDonald, who now began to suspect
treachery, marched his army rapidly against the upper towns
(one and a half miles distant), when it was found that the inhabitants
had also been removed. A slight skirmish with a
concealed body of Indians here took place, in which one of
the enemy was killed and one of our men wounded. Colonel
McDonald now ordered the towns to be burned and the crops
destroyed. The army returned to Wheeling and was disbanded.
The three remaining hostages were sent to Williamsburg,
where they were kept until after the treaty of Dunmore,
in November following.
The army suffered much from want of provisions. Each
man was put upon an allowance of one ear of corn per day.
This invasion did little in the way of intimidating the
savages. They continued to collect their forces, and pushed
forward at the same time, predatory bands, to the great
annoyance of the settlers along the Ohio, Monongahela and
their tributaries.
One of the first of these marauding parties was headed by
Logan, who, burning with revenge for the murder of his
family, had "raised the hatchet," and sworn vengeance
against the guilty.[35]
