Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/85

 HISTOEY OF OHIO.

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��country along the Ohio, from the Miami to the Wabash, and made Vincennes the county seat. Then they proceeded across the lower part of Illi- nois to Kaskaskia, where he established the county of St. Clair (so named by Sargent), comprising all the country from the Wabash to the Mississippi. Thus the Northwest was divided into three coun- ties, and courts established therein. St. Clair called upon the French inhabitants at Vincennes and in the Illinois country, to show the titles to their lands, and also to defray the expense of a survey. To this latter demand they replied through their priest, Pierre Gibault, showing their poverty, and inability to comply. They were confirmed in their grants, and, as they had been good friends to the patriot cause, were relieved from the expense of the survey.

While the Grovernor was managing these affairs, Major Hamtramck was engaged in an effort to con- ciliate the Wabash Indians. For this purpose, he sent Antoine Gamelin, an intelligent French mer- chant, and a true friend of America, among them to carry messages sent by St. Clair and the Govern- ment, and to learn their sentiments and dispositions. Gamelin performed this important mission in the spring of 1790 with much sagacity, and, as the

��French were good friends of the natives, he did much to conciliate these half-hostile tribes. He visited the towns of these tribes along the Wabash and as far north and east as the Miami village, Ke-ki-ong-ga — St. Mary's — at the junction of the St. Mary's and Joseph's Rivers (Fort Wayne).

Gamelin's report, and the intelligence brought by some traders from the Upper Wabash, were con- veyed to the Governor at Kaskaskia. The reports convinced him that the Indians of that part of the Northwest were preparing for a war on the settle- ments north of the Ohio, intending, if possible, to drive them south of it; that river being still consid- ered by them as the true boundary. St. Claii- left the administration of affairs in the Western counties to Sargent, and returned at once to Fort Washing- ton to provide for the defense of the frontier.

The Indians had begun their predatory incur- sions into the country settled by the whites, and had committed some depredations. The Kentuck- ians were enlisted in an attack against the Scioto Indians. April 18, Gen. Harmar, with 100 regulars, and Gen. Scott, with 230 volunteers, marched from Limestone, by a circuitous route, to the Scioto, accomplishing but little. The savages had fled.

��THE INDIAN WAR OF

��CHAPTER VII.

1795 — HARMAR'S CAMPAIGN— ST. CLAIR'S CAMPAIGN— WAYNE'S CAMPAIGN — CLOSE OF THE WAR.

��A GREAT deal of the hostility at this period was directly traceable to the British. They yet held Detroit and several posts on the lakes, in violation of the treaty of 1783. They alleged as a reason for not abandoning them, that the Ameri- cans had not fulfilled the conditions of the treaty regarding the collection of debts. Moreover, they did iill they could to remain at the frontier and en- joy the emoluments derived from the fur trade. That they aided the Indians in the conflict at this time, is undenialjle. Just how, it is difficult to say. But it is well known the savages had all the ammunition and fire-arms they wanted, more than they could have obtained from American and French renegade traders. They were also well supplied with clothing, and were able to prolong the war some time. A great confederation was on the eve of formation. The leading spirits were

��Cornplanter, Brant, Little Turtle and other noted chiefs, and had not the British, as Brant said, "encouraged us to the war, and promised us aid, and then, when we were driven away by the Amer- icans, shut the doors of their fortresses against us and refused us food, when they saw us nearly con- quered, we would have effected our object."

McKee, Elliott and Girty were also actively en- gaged in aiding the natives. All of them were in the interest of the British, a fact clearly proven by the Indians themselves, and by other traders.

St. Clair and Gen. Harmar determined to send an expedition against the Maumee towns, and se- cure that part of the country. Letters were sent to the militia ofl&cers of Western Pennsylvania, Virginia and Kentucky, calling on them for militia to co-operate with the regular troops in the cam- paign. According to the plan of the campaign,

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