Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/90

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��HISTORY OF OHIO.

��their towns on the approach of the army, and were congregating further northward.

While engaged on Fort Defiance, Wayne received continual and full reports of the Indians — of their aid from Detroit and elsewhtsre ; of the nature of the ground, and the circumstances, fevorable or unfavorable. From all he could l(!arn, and considering the spirits of his army, now thoroughly disciplined, be determined to march forward and settle matters at once. Yet, ti'ue to his own instincts, and to the measures of peace so forcibly taught by Washington, he sent ('hristopher Miller, who had been naturalized among the Shawanees, and taken prisoner by Wayne's spies, as a messenger of peace, offering terms of friendship.

Unwilling to waste time, the troops began to move forward the 15th of August, and the next day met Miller with the message that if the Amer- icans would wait ten days at Auglaize the Indians would decide for peace or war. Wayne knew too well the Indian character, and answered the mes- sage by simply marching on. The 18th, the legion had advanced forty-one miles from Auglaize, and, being near the long-looked-for foe, began to take some measures for protection, should they be at- tacked. A slight breastwork, called Fort Deposit, was erected, wherein most of their heavy baggage was placed. They remained here, building their works, until the 2th, when, storing their baggage, the army began again its march. After advancing about five miles, they met a large force of the ene- my, two thousand strong, who fiercely attacked them. Wayne was, however, prepared, and in the short battle that ensued they were routed, and large numbers slain. The American loss was very slight. The horde of savages were put to flight, leaving the Americans victorious almost under the walls of the British garrison, under Maj. Campbell. This officer sent a letter to Gen. Wayne, asking an explanation of his conduct in fighting so near, and in such evident hostility to the British. Wayne replied, telling him he was in a country that did not belong to him, and one he was not authorized to hold, and also chargino; him with aiding the Indians. A spirited corre- spondence followed, which ended in the American conmiander marching on, and devastating the In- dian country, even burning McKee's house and stores under the muzzles of the English guns.

The 14ih of September, the army marched from Fort Defiance for the Miami village at the junc- tion of the St. Mary's and St. Joseph Rivers. It

��reached there on the 17th, and the next day Gen. Wayne selected a site for a fort. The 22d of Oc- tober, the fort was completed, and garrisoned by a detachment under Maj. IIamtramck,who gave to it the name of Fort Wayne. The 14th of October, the mounted Kentucky volunteers, who had be- come dissatisfied and mutinous, were started to Fort Washington, where they were immediately mustered out of service and discharged. The 28th of October, the legion marched from Fort Wayne to Fort Greenville, where Gen. Wayne at once established his headquarters.

The campaign had been decisive and short, and had taught the Indians a severe lesson. The Brit- ish, too, had failed them in their hour bf need, and now they began to see they had a foe to contend whose resources were exhaustless. Under these circumstances, losing faith in the English, and at last impressed with a respect for American power, after the defeat experienced at the hands of the "Black Snake," the various tribes made up their minds, by degrees, to ask for peace. During the winter and spring, they exchanged prisoners, and made ready to meet Gen. Wayne at Greenville, in June, for the purpose of forming a definite treaty, as it had been agreed should be done by the pre- liminaries of January 24.

During the month of June, 1795, representa- tives of the Northwestern tribes began to gather at Greenville, and, the 16th of the month, Gen. Wayne met in council the Delawares, Ottawas, Pottawato- mies and Eel River Indians, and the conferences, which lasted till August 10, began. The 21st of June, Buckongahelas arrived ; tlie 23d, Little Turtle and other Miamis ; the 13th of July, Tarhe and other Wyandot chiefs ; and the 18th, Blue Jacket, and thirteen Shawanees and Massas with twenty Chippewas.

Most of these, as it appeared by their statements, had been tampered with by the English, especially by McKee, Girty and Brant, even after the pre- liminaries of January 24, and while Mr. Jay was perfecting his treaty. They had, however, all de- termined to make peace with the "Thirteen Fires," and although some difficulty as to the ownership of the lands to be ceded, at one time seemed likely to arise, the good sense of Wayne and the leading chiefs prevented it, and, the 30th of July, the treaty was agreed to which should bury the hatchet for- ever. Between that day and the 3d of August, it was engrossed, and, having been signed by the various nations upon the day last named, it was finally acted upon the 7th, and the presents from

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