Ohio History Journal

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A Surgeon's Mate at Fort Defiance:

A Surgeon's Mate at Fort Defiance:

The Journal of Joseph Gardner Andrews

For the Year 1795--II

Edited by RICHARD C. KNOPF*

 

 

In this second installment of the Andrews journal, which covers

the months of May, June, July, and August, 1795, the author again

records the flow of events through this crossroads outpost of the

American army. He notes the movement of Indian delegations to-

wards Greene Ville, the arrival and departure of chiefs, the coming

and going of traders, the capture of deserters, and the passing of

white captives returning home. He dines with the chiefs and the

traders, comments on their manners or character, carries on a large

correspondence, plants a garden, visits Fort Wayne, attends an

Indian dance or two, treats the sick, and himself comes down with

the ague.

When Little Turtle comes to Fort Defiance, he and two fellow

officers take the benevolent chief to see their garden, where he

showed "marks of pleasure at our improvements; but soon after as-

sumed a melancholy air & observed that that land was once his own

property." When a trader named Wilson stops, he sets down the

fact that "Mr. Wilson was taken prisoner in 1782 & has been with

the Indians ever since," and adds that "he appears to be a decent

well behaved man." When another trader, John McPherson, appears

on his way to Greene Ville with a party of Indians, he reports that

"McPherson informs that all the Savages are in motion for H. Q."

And when the Indians begin to come back from the treaty, he notes

that some return "with much apparent satisfaction" and others

"surcharged with presents & pleasure."

All in all, he is a faithful and appealing reporter.

 

*The first installment of the Andrews journal appeared in the January issue of the

Quarterly, pages 57-86.