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American State Papers,
Indian Affairs,
March 3, 1789 to March 3, 1815.
vol. 1.
98 |
INDIAN AFFAIRS. |
[1790. |
The Shawanese, and banditti associated with them, are said to reside on the
eastern branches of the Wabash river, towards its head. I have learned from
Major Doughty and Captain Ferguson, that the Wabash has a more easterly course
than is laid down in Hutchin's map. If this be so, the distance from the mouth
of the Great Miami, over, cannot greatly exceed the distance from the rapids over
to Post St. Vincennes. But, suppose the distance should be one hundred and
thirty or forty miles, it could be marched on horseback, in four days, at
furthest.
It would be unnecessary to enter into any further details. To the judgment of the Governor and you, the expedition may justly be confided. Efficacy, and the peace of the frontiers, are the great objects; with these are to be blended due economy. But, all future depredations of the Indians from the southwest of the Ohio, in considerable numbers, must, if possible, be prevented; and, for this purpose, the orders now given, or even an extension of them, one or two hundred men, must be considered as a standing order, until the object of extirpating the murderous banditti before mentioned, be effected.
It is, however, strongly to be observed, that
the highest precautions must be taken in all incursions into the Indian
country, that the friendly, or even neutral tribes, be uninjured, but, that the
strongest assurances be given to such tribes, of the pacific and just
dispositions of the United States, and, at the same time, of their firm
intentions of inflicting severe punishment upon all those of a contrary nature.
_______
The Secretary of War to the Secretary of the Treasury.
|
23d August, 1790. |
An estimate of the expense of employing,
for three months, one thousand seven hundred militia, and four hundred
continental troops, in an expedition against the Wabash Indians-
two hundred of the militia to be mounted.
THE MILITIA.
|
The pay, |
$24,012 |
THE CONTINENTAL TROOPS.
|
Additional expense of
subsistence and rations to the continental troops, during the same period. |
|
The contractors are to execute the duties of the quartermaster's department; the extra services, therefore, which will be required of them, independent of the sum set down for contingencies, will amount to sixty-five thousand six hundred and eighty-two dollars. One half of this sum may be necessary to be advanced immediately, to enable them to perform effectually the services required.
______
The Secretary of War to Governor St. Clair.
|
23d August, 1790. |
I have submitted to the President of the United States, your letter of this date, and the papers therein referred to, containing the reasons on which you have founded the proposed operation against the Wabash Indians.
While the President regrets exceedingly the occasion, he approves the measures you have taken, for preventing those predatory incursions of the Wabash Indians, which, for a considerable period past, have been so calamitous to the frontiers lying along the Ohio.
The offers of peace, which have been made upon principles of justice and humanity, to the Wabash Indians, and refused, will fully justify the conduct of the United States in the operations which have been directed for the prevention of future murders and robberies.
It is the earnest desire of the President that the operation should be effectual, and produce in the Indians proper dispositions for peace. He therefore confides in your judgment and abilities, as being perfectly acquainted with the force of the Indians, the nature of the operation, and all the circumstances of the case, whether any further force shall be added to that already ordered. If, upon due deliberation, you should be of opinion that the force you have directed should be inadequate to the end proposed, and that an additional number of militia should be requisite, he consents to the measure, and hereby authorizes you for that purpose.
In this case, the additional number of militia should be taken from the frontier counties of Virginia, on account of their vicinity to fort Washington, the place of rendezvous.
And, if you should be of the judgment that two hundred of the militia should be mounted on horse-back, he also consents to such arrangement, under the regulations prescribed in my letter to Brigadier General Harmar, of the 7th day of last June.
It may not, however, be improper to observe, in all the arrangements for the expedition, that, while energy is the first principle to be observed, it must be blended with a just economy.
There are existing jealousies in the minds of the British officers, in Canada, of the designs of the United States respecting the posts to have been relinquished by the last peace. It will be a point, therefore, of delicacy, that you should take measures, by sending some officer or messenger, at a proper time, to assure the commanding officer of the real object of the expedition. That the Shawanese, and some others joined with them, have committed such enormous offences against the citizens of the United States, as are any longer insupportable; but, to assure him of the entire pacific disposition of the United States towards Great Britain and its possessions.
You will also find it, at some certain moment, highly proper to inform the Indians, with whom you have formed treaties, of your pacific disposition towards them.
And it may also be proper, under certain circumstances of humiliation of the Indians, to conclude with them treaties of peace, provided it can be done on proper security of their good behavior, and consistently with the dignity and interest of the United States.
The President has directed me to observe, that many important circumstances concur to press, that the operation should commence immediately after the assembling of the militia; and as the main force will march from fort Washington, it is his opinion, as far as an opinion can be formed from the maps, that the march of the troops from that post, should commence two or three days previous to those from Post Vincennes.
American State Papers,
Indian Affairs,
March 3, 1789 to March 3, 1815.
vol. 1.
104 |
INDIAN AFFAIRS. |
[1790. |
Two inspectors, omitted in the general estimate of the War Department, for the
year 1791, formed the 7th December 1790, one of whom to act as brigade-major-
Two inspectors-
|
Pay, |
30 dollars per month, |
$720 00 |
|
The establishment of a quartermaster, as per estimate B. |
1,126 80
|
|
Total, to be provided for, |
$320,942 20 |
|
H. KNOX,
|
____________________________
|
1st CONGRESS.] |
No. 15. |
[3d SESSION. |
NORTHWESTERN INDIANS.
COMMUNICATED TO CONGRESS, DECEMBER 14, 1790.
Gentlemen of the Senate
and of the House of
Representatives:
Having informed Congress of the expedition which had been directed against certain Indians, northwest of the Ohio, I embrace the earliest opportunity of laying before you the official communications which have been received upon that subject.
|
GEO. WASHINGTON |
UNITED STATES, December 14th, 1790.
_____
|
WAR DEPARTMENT, December 14th, 1790. |
SIR:
Lieutenant Denny arrived last evening from fort Washington, on the Ohio, charged with letters from Governor St. Clair and Brigadier General Harmar, copies of which I have the honor herewith to submit, and also extracts from the orders issued during the late expedition; also a return of the killed and wounded.
Lieutenant Denny reports verbally, that, after he left fort Washington, he saw, in Kentucky, several men of the militia of that district, who had been out with Major Whitly, under Major Hamtramck, of the federal troops, who commanded a separate expedition.
The said militiamen informed Lieutenant Denny, that Major Hamtramck had destroyed several of the hostile Indian towns, on the Wabash, and had returned to his garrison, at Post Vincennes, without having met any opposition.
I have the honor to be, with the highest respect, sir, your most obedient servant,
|
H. KNOX, Secretary of War. |
THE PRESIDENT of the United States.
_____
Governor St. Clair to the Secretary of War.
|
FORT WASHINGTON, November 6th, 1790. |
SIR:
On the 29th of last month, I had the honor to inform you generally of the success that attended General Harmar. I could not then give you the particulars, as the General's letters had not reached me; (the officer however who had them in charge got in a few days afterwards) it is not now necessary, because he writes himself. One thing, however, is certain, that the savages have got a most terrible stroke, of which nothing can be a greater proof than that they have not attempted to harass the army on its return. They arrived at this place on the 3d instant, in good health and spirits. There is not yet any account from Major Hamtramck; I trust he also has been successful; but this I think is certain, that no great misfortune can have happened to him: for in that case we should certainly have heard of it.
Mr. Denny, the gentleman who takes General Harmar's despatches, I beg leave to mention to you in a particular manner; and if you will be pleased to do so to the President in his favor, you may be assured he will not disappoint any expectations that may be formed. He has every quality that I could wish a young man to possess, that meant to make the army his profession. There are, however, some traits in his character as a man, that are not generally known, that would endear him. Out of the little pittance he receives, he has maintained two aged parents for a long time.
_____
Brigadier General Harmar to the Secretary of War.
|
HEAD QUARTERS, FORT WASHINGTON, November 4th, 1790. |
SIR:
I have the honor to inform you, that, on the 30th September, I marched with 320 federal troops, and 1,133 militia, total 1,453. After encountering a few difficulties, we gained the Miami village. It was abandoned before we entered it, which I was very sorry for. The villanous traders would have been a principal object of attention. I beg leave to refer you to my orders, which are enclosed. The substance of the work is this, our loss was heavy, but the head quarters of iniquity were broken up. At a moderate computation, not less than 100 or 120 warriors were slain, and 300 log-houses and wigwams burned. Our loss about 180. The remainder of the Indians will be ill off for sustenance; 20,000 bushels of corn, in the ears, were consumed, burned, and destroyed, by the army, with vegetables in abundance. The loss of Major Wyllys and Lieutenant Frothingham, of the Federal troops, and a number of valuable militia officers, I sincerely lament.
The bearer, Lieut. Denny, is my adjutant. It will afford me great satisfaction to know that some mark of honor will be shown to him. His long and faithful services merit it. There is a vast deal of business in this Western world. If there is no impropriety in giving me an aid-de-camp, I wish him to be the person.
In my next despatches I shall enter into the minutiae of business, and give you a particular description of each day's march, with all the occurrences and observations.
N.B. My adjutant is really and truly an officer.
American State Papers,
Indian Affairs,
March 3, 1789 to March 3, 1815.
vol. 1.
|
1790.] |
THE NORTHWESTERN INDIANS. |
105 |
EXTRACTS FROM THE ORDERS.
NOTE. The orders issued previously to the march of the troops and militia from fort Washington and until they arrived at the Miami village, relate to the arrangement of the troops, the order of march, of encampment, and of battle, and the discipline necessary to be observed, all of which are particularly detailed.
GENERAL ORDERS.
Camp at the Miami Village, about 170 miles from Fort Washington, October 17th, 1790.
The General is highly pleased with the zeal and alacrity show by the army, (particularly the corps which was detached under the command of Colonel Hardin) to come up with the savages, although it was impracticable, as they had evacuated their favorite towns before the light corps could possibly reach them.
Leaving behind them such a vast quantity of corn and vegetables, is a certain sign that they decamped in the utmost consternation, and dare not face the enemy.
The army is to remain in its present position until further orders; in the mean time, Quartermaster Pratt is to have the corn brought in and deposited in one place, or in as many houses as he can find, and a guard is to be placed over it for its security. He will receive directions how it is to be distributed.
The superintendent of the horse department (Mr. Caldwell) is to be responsible that his pack saddles are repaired and put in as good order as possible, ready for the next movement of the army.
The General calls upon the commanding officers of battalions not to suffer their men to straggle from the encampment, otherwise they will certainly stand in danger of being scalped.
The guards are to be extremely vigilant; to which the field officer of the day is to pay the most pointed attention.
A detachment, under the command of Lieut. Col. Com. Trotter, consisting of
|
|
Federal troops, |
|
30
|
|
morrow early.
Lieut. Col. Com. Trotter will receive his orders from the General.
|
JOS. HARMAR, Brig. General. |
GENERAL ORDERS.
|
Camp at the Miami Village, October 18th, 1790. |
The General is much mortified at the unsoldier-like behavior of many of the men in the army, who make it a practice to straggle from the camp in search of plunder. He, in the most positive terms, forbids this practice in future, and the guards will be answerable to prevent it. No party is to go beyond the line of sentinels without a commissioned officer, who, if of the militia, will apply to Colonel Hardin for his orders. The regular troops will apply to the General. All the plunder that may be hereafter collected, will be equally distributed amongst the army. The kettles, and every other article already taken, are to be collected by the commanding officers of battalions, and to be delivered to-morrow morning to Mr. Belli, the quartermaster, that a fair distribution may take place.
The rolls are to be called at troop and retreat beating, and every man absent is to be reported. The General expects that these orders will be pointedly attended to- they are to be read to the troops this evening.
The army is to march to-morrow morning early for their new encampment at Chillicothe, about two miles from hence.
|
JOS. HARMAR, Brig. General. |
GENERAL ORDERS.
Camp at Chillicothe, one of the Shawanese towns, on the Omee river, October 20th, 1790.
The party under command of Captain Strong is ordered to burn and destroy every house and wigwam in this village, together with all the corn, &c. which he can collect.
A party of 100 men (militia) properly officered, under the command of Colonel Hardin, is to burn and destroy effectually, this afternoon, the Pickaway town, with all the corn, &c. which he can find in it and its vicinity.
The cause of the detachment being worsted yesterday, was entirely owing to the shameful cowardly conduct of the militia, who ran away, and threw down their arms, without firing scarcely a single gun. In returning to fort Washington, if any officer or men shall presume to quit their ranks, or not to march in the form that they are ordered, the General will, most assuredly, order the artillery to fire on them. He hopes the check they received yesterday will make them in future obedient to orders.
|
JOS. HARMAR, Brig. General. |
GENERAL ORDERS.
|
Camp at Chillicothe, October 21st, 1790. |
The army having completely effected the object for which they were ordered, viz. a total destruction of the Maumee towns, as they are generally called, with the vast abundance of corn and vegetables, &c. in them, and their vicinity, are now to commence their march, and to return to fort Washington.
The General was in fond hopes that he should be able to break up the Wea towns on his return, but the weak state of the pack horses, and several other circumstances, conspire to render it impracticable at present.
The generale is to beat at nine, the assembly at half past nine, and the whole army to take up the line of march precisely at ten this morning.
It is not improbably but the savages will attempt to harass the army, on its return, particularly the rear and flanks; it is therefore incumbent upon every officer to attend to the duties of his station, and, by no means, to quit their ranks, or create the least confusion; but, on the contrary, to keep silence and good order, otherwise the artillery (agreeably to the orders of yesterday) shall certainly be ordered to fire upon such men as are so lost to every principle of honor, as to run away in the time of danger.
The cattle and pack horses are to be kept in the most compact order, and the officer, commanding the rear battalion, is to be responsible with the field officer of the day, that these orders are strictly carried into execution. Such horses as Mr. Caldwell may absolutely stand in need of, are to be taken from the mounted militia, not attached to Major Fontaine's corps, for public service; if these should be found insufficient, the remainder must come from Major Fontaine's corps.
|
JOS.
HARMAR, |
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