GENERAL HARMAR'S EXPEDITION.
BY BASIL MEEK, FREMONT, OHIO.
JOSIAH HARMAR was born in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, in
1753, and there died in 1813. He was a
captain in the First
Pennsylvania Regiment, Continental Army,
Lieutenant Colonel
of the same and served till the close of
the Revolutionary War.
He was in Washington's army from 1778 to
1780. In 1783 he
was made Brevet Colonel, First U. S.
Regiment. In 1787 he
was breveted Brigadier General, by
Congress, and assigned to
duty in northwest. He became
General-in-Chief of the army,
1789-1792, resigning the latter year.
General Harmar was Adju-
tant General of Pennsylvania, 1793-1799,
and was active in rais-
ing and equipping soldiers of the state
for Wayne's campaign
against the Indians in the Northwest.
Spain, France and England, as we know,
contended for
dominion over the country of the
Northwest, basing their re-
spective claims upon discovery and
settlement, but as it would
seem the principal ground of contention
was more that of occu-
pation than discovery. According to the
principle maintained
by civilized nations regarding the
territorial acquisition by dis-
covery, it was not sufficient as among
themselves, to discover
alone, but such discovery must be
followed by actual settlement
or occupancy. Discovery gave only the
right initiate; occupancy
must follow to consummate it.
But there was another power asserting
rights to sovereignty,
whose claim could not be entirely
ignored by the contending
powers mentioned. This consisted of the
native inhabitants, the
North American Indians, whose rights, if
occupancy governed,
were paramount to all others. They
considered themselves to
be the rightful owners of the land from
which they had sprung.
According to their traditions and
belief, they were, so to speak,
indigenes, their first ancestors having,
as a noted Indian chief
once said; "Come up out of the
ground." They knew nothing
(74)
General Harmar's
Expedition. 75
of the laws of civilized nations, and
never had been permitted
to have their "day in court,"
where their claims could have been,
or were, represented for them, and their
rights determined after
a fair hearing. That they should feel
not disposed to be dis-
possessed of what they sincerely
believed to be their just pos-
sessions without their consent is not to
be wondered at.
But according to the rule maintained by
civilized nations,
occupancy by savage people, gave only a
qualified right as against
discovery by civilized powers; complete
sovereignty, with the
right of disposition, was denied them;
and their rights acquired
by occupancy might be superseded or
destroyed by conquest or
forced purchase.
Discovery by the civilized was superior
to occupancy by the
savage upon the ground, it has been
claimed, that the Creator
could never have designed that a
comparatively few savages
should monopolize for hunting grounds an
extent of territory
capable of supporting many millions of
civilized people.
Our American doctrine maintained that
the Indians had no
complete fee in the lands occupied by
them, but only a qualified
vested right, by occupancy, which
however could only be invaded
in just wars or extinguished by treaty,
but like the other civilized
powers, our government denied to the
savages unrestricted do-
minion; and in its dealings and treaties
with them, these prin-
ciples were applied, and no complete
title to lands was recog-
nized in the savages, unless by express
grant from the govern-
ment.
The treaty of Paris in 1783, following
the Revolutionary
war, did not bring peace with the Indian
tribes of the North-
west; and though outwardly peace existed
with all the civilized
nations, the war continued with the
Indians. Their claims and
rights, whatsoever they were, had not
been recognized or in any
way settled, in the treaty with England
and the other powers
of 1783. The British, meanwhile, kept on
good terms with the
Indians, and intrigued with them, and
encouraged them in these
hostilities against the Americans, which
continued with savage
fury. Murderous incursions by the Miamis
and confederate
tribes from the Maumee and western
country, and by the Wyan-
dots and their immediate allies from the
Sandusky valley, were
76
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
frequent, attended with characteristic
savage cruelties. It was
believed that British officers at
Detroit furnished the Indians
with arms and supplies on occasion of
the Harmar expedition,
of which we are writing.
The principal western tribes claimed
that they had not been
parties to the treaty of Fort McIntosh
in 1785, and were not
bound by its provisions, respecting
boundary lines; that they
were rightfully, as original occupants
of the soil, entitled to the
unrestricted dominion over the
Northwest, and that no white set-
tlements should be made therein, and any
already made should
be destroyed. During the years 1787,
1788 and up to 1789,
ravages on the frontiers by the hostile
tribes were frequent.
The Federal authorities in the meantime,
were vainly endeavoring
to negotiate with these Indians, and
come to some peaceable
terms, by which settlers might be
suffered to remain unmolested
in their homes, and that other
settlements might be made, within
the disputed territory. The ultimatum of
the Indians was un-
restricted title to the Ohio River line.
Finally at Fort Harmar, January 9th,
1789, by the treaty
with all the nations, the treaty of Fort
McIntosh, as to
boundaries, was reaffirmed with the
concession to the Indians,
"that the individuals of said
nations shall be at liberty to hunt
within the limits ceded to the United
States, without hindrance
or molestation, so long as they demean
themselves peaceably or
offer no injury or annoyance to any of
the subjects or citizens
of the United States." It will be
remembered that the Six Na-
tions had ceded all their claims to
these lands to the United
States in 1784, by the treaty at Fort
Stanwix.
The Shawnees had by treaty made at the
mouth of the
Great Miami, at Fort Finney, January
3rd, 1786, ceded to the
United States all territory acquired by
it, by treaty with Great
Britain, and placed themselves under the
jurisdiction and pro-
tection of the United States.
The peace following the treaty at Fort
Harmar was of very
short duration. Hostilities by the
western Indians was renewed
within a few months thereafter, and by
the summer of 1790 the
raids of the Indians had become
unbearable.
Fresh robberies and murders were
committed every day
General Harmar's Expedition. 77
in Kentucky or along the Wabash and
Ohio. Writing to the
Secretary of War, a prominent
Kentuckian, well knowing all the
facts, estimated that during the seven
years which had elapsed
since the close of the Revolutionary
war, the Indians had slain
fifteen hundred in Kentucky itself, or
on the immigrant routes
leading thither, and had stolen twenty
thousand horses, besides
destroying immense quantities of other
property. In the mean-
time a number of ineffectual attempts to
conduct expeditions into
the enemy's country were made.
The Federal generals were also urgent in
asserting the folly
of carrying on a merely defensive war
against such foes. All
the efforts of the Federal authorities to
make treaties of peace
with the Indians which they would keep
had failed. The In-
dians themselves had renewed hostilities
after making treaties
as we have seen and the different tribes
had one by one joined
in the war, behaving with a treachery
only equalled by their
ferocity. With great reluctance the
National government con-
cluded that an effort to chastise the
hostile savages could no
longer be delayed, and those on the
Maumee and on the Wabash,
whose guilt had been peculiarly heinous,
were singled out as
the objects of attack.
On June 7, 1790, General Knox, Secretary
of War, in a
letter to General Harmar, directed him
to consult with Gov-
ernor St. Clair upon the means of
effectually extirpating these
bands of murderers, and outlining plans
of an expedition for
that purpose, but leaving the details of
the expedition to the
Governor and to General Harmar.
On July 15th, 1790, at Fort Washington,
the present site
of Cincinnati, where he had arrived from
Kaskaskia, Governor
St. Clair, in consultation with General
Harmar, determined to
send a strong expedition against the
Indians, located in their
towns above the headquarters of the
Wabash; and having been,
by General Washington, President of the
United States, vested
with authority to call for one thousand
militia from Virginia,
and five hundred from Pennsylvania, he
accordingly addressed
circular letters to several of the
County Lieutenants of the
western counties of those states.
Virginia, of which Kentucky
then formed a part, was called upon to
furnish the following
78 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
number of men, to rendezvous at Fort
Steuben, on the 12th of
September: Nelson County, 125, Lincoln,
125, and Jefferson,
50, total 300. To rendezvous at Fort
Washington, September
15th, Madison County, 125, Fayette County,
200,
Bourbon, 125,
Woodford, 85, and Mason, 40, total 700.
Pennsylvania was requested to furnish
the following num-
ber to assemble at McMahen's Creek, four
miles below Wheel-
ing, September 3rd: Washington County, 220, Fayette, 210,
West Moreland, 110, Allegheny, 60, total
500.
The regular United States troops in the
west, were esti-
mated by General Harmar at four hundred
effective men. With
these the militia were to act in
concert. The manner of em-
ploying the whole force was arranged as
follows: Three hun-
dred of the Virginia militia were
ordered to rendezvous at
Fort Steuben, and with the garrison of
the fort, to march to
Vincennes and join Major Hamptramck, who
had orders to
call for aid from the militia of
Vincennes, and to move up the
Wabash and attack any of the Indian
villages on that river, to
which his force might be equal. The
remaining twelve hundred
of the militia were ordered to assemble
at Fort Washington,
and to join the regular troops at that
post under the command
of General Harmar.
The militia from the counties of the
Kentucky district, in
Virginia, began to assemble at the mouth
of the Licking river,
about the middle of September. They were
poorly equipped;
their arms generally bad and unfit for
service, and the men
were almost destitute of camp kettles
and axes. General Har-
mar, however, in the midst of many
difficulties, began to organize
them. In the course of two or three days
they were formed into
three battalions, under Majors Hall,
McMullen and Ray, with
Lieutenant Colonel Trotter at their
head. The Pennsylvania
militia arrived at Fort Washington about
the 24th of September.
They were badly equipped, and among them
many substitutes of
old infirm men, and young boys. They
were formed into one
battalion with Major Paul, under
Lieutenant Colonel Truby;
and four battalions of militia were
placed under the command
of Colonel John Hardin, subject to the
command of General
Harmar. The regular troops were formed
into two small bat-
General Harmar's Expedition. 79
talions under Major Pleasgrave Wyllys
and Major John Doughty.
The company of artillery which had three
pieces of ordnance
was commanded by Captain William
Ferguson. A small bat-
talion of light troops or mounted
militia was placed under the
command of Major James Fontaine. The
whole of General
Harmar's command may be stated as
follows:
Three battalions, Virginia Militia, one
battalion Pennsyl-
vania militia, and one battalion light
troops mounted, in all of
the militia, 1133; and 320 regulars in
two battalions, making the
total number of his troops 1453 men.
On September 26th, the militia, under
the command of
Colonel Hardin, moved from Fort
Washington, and advanced
into the country, in order to find for
the cattle and to open a
road for the artillery. The regular
troops under General Har-
mar, marched on the 30th of September,
and joined the militia
on the 3rd of October, when the order of
march was arranged
in the manner shown on page 80 herein.
The daily movements of the army were
recorded in a manu-
script journal, which was kept by
Captain John Armstrong of
the regulars, which is here given as
follows:
"September 30th, 1790, the army moved
from Fort Wash-
ington at half past ten o'clock, A. M.,
and marched about seven
miles N. E. Course. Encamped on a branch
of Mill Creek.
"October 1st. Took up the line of
march at half past eight
o'clock. At four o'clock halted for the
evening, having marched
about eight miles; general course a
little to the westward of
north.
"2nd. Moved forty-five minutes after seven o'clock.
Marched about ten miles, a northwest
course. The first five
miles were over a dry ridge to a lick;
then five miles through
a low swampy country, to a branch of the
waters of the Little
Miami, where we halted one hour; and
forty-five minutes after
one o'clock moved on for five miles, and
encamped on a muddy
creek, a branch of the Little Miami, one
mile from Colonel
Hardin's command.
"3rd. The army moved at eight
o'clock; passed Colonel
Hardin's camp and halted at Turtle
Creek, about ten yards
80 Ohio Archi. and Hist. Society Publications. |
|
General Harmar's Expedition. 81
wide, where we were joined by Colonel
Hardin's
command.
Here the line of march was formed.-Two
miles.
"4th. The army moved at
half past nine o'clock * * *
*,
and at three o'clock crossed the Little
Miami, about forty yards
wide; moved up it one mile, a north
course to a branch called
Sugar Creek. Encamped. -Nine miles.
"5th. The army moved from Sugar
Creek forty-five minutes
after nine o'clock. Marched through a
level county a N. E.
course up the Little Miami, having it in
view. * * * Halted
at five o'clock on Glade Creek, a very
lively clear stream. -
Ten miles.
"6th. The army moved ten minutes
after nine o'clock. The
first five miles the country was brushy
and somewhat broken;
reached Chillicothe, an old Indian
village; recrossed the Little
Miami; encamped at four o'clock on a
branch. - Nine miles, a
northeast course.
"7th. The army moved at ten
o'clock; the country brushy
for miles, and a little broken until we
came to the waters of the
Great Miami. Passed through several low
prairies and crossed
the Pickaway fork of Mad River, which is
a clear lively stream
about forty-five yards wide; encamped on
a small branch one
mile from the former; our course, the
first four miles, north,
then northwest.- Nine miles.
"8th. The army moved at half past
nine o'clock. Passed
over rich land, in some places a little
broken. Passed several
ponds and through one small prairie. A
northwest course.-
Seven miles.
"9th. The army moved at half past
nine o'clock. N. W.
course. Passed through a level rich
country, well watered,
course N. W. Halted half past four
o'clock, two miles south
of the Great Miami. -Ten miles.
"10th. The army moved forty-five minutes after nine
o'clock, crossed the Great Miami. At the
crossing there is a
handsome prairie on the S. E. side; the
river about forty yards
wide: * * * * halted on a large branch of the Great Miami
at half past three o'clock; the general course
N. W. * * *
-Ten miles.
Vol. XX-6.
82 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
"11th. The army moved at half past
nine o'clock; marched
a northwest course seven miles, to a
branch where French traders
had a number of trading houses; thence a
north course four
miles, to a small branch and encamped at
five o'clock; * * *
- Eleven miles.
"12th. The army moved at half past nine o'clock. Our
course a little to the W. of N. W.
Crossed a stream at seven
miles and a half, running to the N. E.,
on which there are
several old camps, much deadened timber,
which continues to
the river Auglaize, about a mile. Here
has been a considerable
village. Some houses still standing.
This stream is a branch
of the Omi (Maumee) River, and is about
twenty yards wide.
From this village to our encampment our
course was a little to
the N. of W. Rich land. - Fourteen
miles.
"13th. The army moved at ten
o'clock. Just before they
marched, a prisoner was brought in, and
Mr. Morgan from Fort
Washington joined us. We marched to the
W. of N. W. four
miles, to a small stream, through low
swampy land; thence a
course a little to the N. of W., passing
through several small
prairies and open woods to an Indian
village, on a pretty stream.
Here we were joined by a detachment from
Fort Washington
with ammunition. - Ten miles.
"14th. At half past ten in the
morning, Colonel Hardin
was detached for the Miami village, with
one company of reg-
ulars and six hundred militia; and the
army took up its line
of march at eleven o'clock, a N. W.
course. Four miles, a
small branch; the country level; many
places drowned lands,
in the winter season. - Ten miles.
"15th. The army moved at eight
o'clock. N. W. course.
* * * * The army halted at half past one
o'clock on a branch
running west. - Eight miles.
"16th. The army moved at forty five
minutes after eight
o'clock. Marched nine miles and halted
fifteen minutes after
one o'clock; passed over a level country
not very rich. Colonel
Hardin, with his command, took
possession of the Miami town
yesterday (15th) at four o'clock, the
Indians having left it just
before. - Nine miles.
"17th. The army moved at fifteen minutes after eight
General Harmar's Expedition. 83
o'clock, and at one o'clock crossed the Miami river to the vil- lage. The river is about seventy yards wide, a fine transparent stream. The river St. Joseph, which forms the point on which the village stood, is about twenty yards wide, and when the waters are high is navigable a great way up it. |
|
"On the 18th I, (Armstrong) was detached with thirty men under the command of Colonel Trotter. On the 19th Colonel Hardin commanded in lieu of Colonel Trotter. Attacked about one hundred Indians, fifteen miles west of the Miami village, and from the dastardly conduct of the militia, the troops were obliged to retreat. I lost one sergeant and twenty-one out of thirty men of my command. The Indians on this occasion gained a complete victory, having killed in the whole, near one |
84
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
hundred men, which was about their
number. Many of the
militia threw away their arms without
firing a shot, ran through
the federal troops, and threw them into
disorder. Many of the
Indians must have been killed as I saw
my men bayonet many
of them. They fought and died
hard." Here ends the journal
of Captain Armstrong.
On the 18th, the following general
orders were published:
"CAMP AT THE MIAMI VILLAGE, Oct.
18, 1790.
"The General is much mortified at
the unsoldier-like be-
havior 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 the 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. * * * * The rolls
are to be called at troop and retreat
beating, and every man ab-
sent is to be reported. * * * * The
army is to march tomorrow
morning early for their new encampment
at Chillicothe, about
two miles from here.
"JOSIAH HARMAR, Brigadier
General."
On the arrival of General Harmar at the
Miami village,
about two-thirds of the militia
dispersed in search of plunder.
The "Chillicothe" referred to
by General Harmar was a Shawnee
village.
On the morning of the 19th, a detachment
under the com-
mand of Colonel Hardin marched a
northward course on the
Indian path, which led toward the
Kickapoo towns; and after
passing a morass about five miles
distant from the Miami vil-
lage, the troops came to a place where
on the preceding day a
party of Indians had encamped.
At this spot the detachment made a short
halt, and the
commanding officer stationed the
companies at points, several
rods apart. From here the detachment
moved on without re-
ceiving orders to make any arrangements
for an attack; and
when Captain Armstrong informed Colonel
Hardin that the
General Harmar's Expedition. 85
fires of the Indians had been
discerned, Colonel Hardin believed
that the Indians would not fight, and
rode in front of the ad-
vancing columns, until the detachment
was fired on from be-
hind the fires. The militia, with the
exception of nine, who re-
mained with the regulars and were
killed, immediately gave way,
and commenced an irregular retreat,
which they continued until
they reached the main army. Hardin, who
retreated with them,
made several unsuccessful efforts to
rally them. The small band
of regulars obstinately brave,
maintained their ground until
twenty-two were killed. Captain
Armstrong, Ensign Hartshorne
and five or six privates escaped from
the carnage, eluded the
pursuit of the Indians, and arrived at
the camp of General
Harmar.
The number of the Indians engaged on
this occasion has
been variously estimated. Captain
Armstrong placed the num-
ber at one hundred, while Colonel Hardin
estimated it at one
hundred and fifty. They were commanded
by the distinguished
Miami chief, Mish-e-ken-o-quoh, which
signifies, Little Turtle.
The ground on which this action took
place is about eleven miles
from Fort Wayne, near the crossing of
Eel River, by the Goshen
State road.
On the morning of the 19th the main body
of the army
under Harmar, having destroyed the Miami
village, moved about
two miles to the Shawnee village,
Chillicothe, which, after be-
ing destroyed, was left on the 21st, at
ten o'clock, A. M., the
army marching about seven miles on the
route to Fort Wash-
ington and encamped. Here, at the urgent
request of Colonel
Hardin, General Harmar sent back a
detachment of four hun-
dred men. Accordingly, late on the night
of the 21st. a corps of
three hundred and forty militia and
sixty regular troops, under
command of Major Wyllys, were detached
that they might gain
the vicinity of the Miami village before
day break, and surprise
any Indians who might be found
there. The detachment
marched in three columns. The regular
troops were in the
center, at the head of which Captain
Joseph Ashton was posted,
with Major Wyllys and Colonel Hardin in
the front. The
militia formed the columns to the right
and left. Owing to some
delay, occasioned by the halting of the
militia, the detachment
86
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
did not reach the banks of the Maumee
till some time after
sunrise. The spies then discovered some
Indians, and reported
to Major Wyllys, who halted the regular
troops and moved the
militia on some distance in front, where
he gave his orders and
plan of attack to the several commanding
officers of the corps.
General Harmar reserved to himself the
command of the regular
troops. Major Hall, with his battalion
was directed to take a
circuitous route around the bend of the
Maumee River, cross
the St. Mary's, and there, in the rear
of the Indians, wait till
the attack should be brought on by Major
McMullen's battalion.
Major Fontaine's cavalry, and the
regular troops under Major
Wyllys, were all ordered to cross the
Maumee at and near the
common fording place. It was the
intention of Hardin and
Wyllys to surround the Indians'
encampment; but Major Hall,
who had gained his position
undiscovered, disobeyed his orders,
by firing on a single Indian before the
commencement of the
action. Several small parties of Indians
were soon seen flying
in different directions, and the
militia, under McMullen, and
the cavalry, under Fontaine, pursued
them in disobedience of
orders, and left Major Wyllys
unsupported. The consequence
was, that the regulars, after crossing
the Maumee, were attacked
by a superior force of Indians and
compelled to retreat with
the loss of Major Wyllys and the greater
part of their corps.
Major Fontaine, at the head of the
mounted militia, fell, with
a number of his followers in making a
charge against a small
party of Indians; and on his fall, the
remainder of his troops
dispersed. While the main body of the
Indians, led by Little
Turtle, were engaged with the regulars
near the bank of the
Maumee, some skirmishing took place near
the confluence of
the rivers St. Marys and St. Josephs,
between detached parties
of Indians and the militia under Hull
and McMullen. After
the defeat of the regulars, however, the
militia retreated on the
route to the main army; the Indians
having suffered a severe
loss did not pursue them. As soon as the
news of the defeat
of the detachment reached the camp of
Hardin, he immediately
ordered Major Ray to march with his
battalions to the assistance
of the retreating parties; but so great
was the panic which
prevailed among the militia, that only
thirty men could be in-
General Harmar's Expedition. 87
duced to leave the main army. With this
small number, Ray
met Colonel Hardin, on his retreat. On
reaching the encamp-
ment, Hardin requested of Harmar that
the main army be sent
back to the Miami village. This request
General Harmar re-
fused, on the ground of lack of forage,
and inability to move
the baggage. He also claimed that the
Indians had received a
good scourging, and should they think
proper to follow him, he
would keep the army in perfect readiness
to receive them. The
general at this time had lost all
confidence in the militia. The
bounds of the camp were made less, and
at eight o'clock on
the morning of the 23rd, the army took
up the line of march for
Fort Washington, which was reached on
the 4th day of No-
vember. The army had lost one hundred
and eighty-three killed,
and thirty-seven wounded. Among the
killed were the follow-
ing officers: Major Wyllys and
Lieutenant Ebenezer Farthing-
ham of the regular troops; and Major
Fontaine, Captains Thorp,
McMurtrey and Scott; Lieutenants Clark
and Rogers, and En-
signs Bridges, Sweet, Higgins and
Thielkeld of the militia.
A considerable number of the regulars of
General Harmar's
army had followed Washington and other
generals in the War
of the Revolution. The killed of his
little army were buried in
the low bank of the Ford of the Maumee,
the present site of
Fort Wayne. General Harmar had lost the
best of the militia,
and of the regulars; and was forced to
struggle homeward to
Fort Washington as best he could, a
greatly disappointed com-
mander. It was indeed a dreary march.
The militia became
nearly ungovernable, so that at one time
Harmar reduced them
to order only by threatening to fire on
them with the artillery.
He had, however, succeeded sufficiently
to, in some measure,
remove the sting of his defeat, by the
destruction of the villages,
crops and other property of the enemy,
and the killing of many
of the warriors.
On October 20th, 1790, Governor St.
Clair, from Fort
Washington, wrote the Secretary of War
concerning the result
of the expedition, in which he said:
"I have the pleasure to inform you
of the entire success of
General Harmar at the Indian towns on
the Miami and St.
Joseph rivers, of which he has destroyed
five in number and a
88 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
very great quantity of corn and other
vegetable provisions.
And on November 6th, he writes: "On
the 20th of last month,
I had the honor to inform you,
generally, of the success that at-
tended General Harmar. I could not then
give you the par-
ticulars, as the General's letters had
not reached me; it is not
necessary now, because he writes
himself. One thing, however,
is certain, that the savages have got a
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 3rd instant, in good health and
spirits." It may be well
said to the optimistic Governor that he
could "Wrest victory
out of defeat!"
Notwithstanding the loss to the Indians,
they became more
than ever angry; all the western tribes
made common cause with
the Miamis, and banded together in more
open warfare. Their
murderous raids on the frontiers
continued and increased in
numbers, so that the settlers were kept
in constant fear of the
tomahawk and scalping knife. Subsequent
history relates the
further measures and expeditions
necessary to subdue the sav-
ages and bring peace to the harassed
frontiers; but these are
not within the limits of this article.
But it may be mentioned,
however, that in the spring of 1791, the
President appointed
Governor St. Clair Major General and
placed him in command
of the army. Colonel Richard Butler was
promoted to general
and placed second in command. It was
resolved to make another
campaign against the Indians in the
summer. General Harmar,
smarting under what he considered to be
unjust criticisms upon
his conduct of the expedition, demanded
a Court of Inquiry,
which was granted by General St. Clair,
Commander in Chief,
with General Richard Butler president,
and Colonels Gibson and
Darke members. (State papers military
affairs, Vol. 1, pages
20 to 36.)
The court sat at Fort Washington,
beginning September
15,
1791, and spent several days examining the
testimony. On
October 3rd General Butler transmitted
to General St. Clair
the proceedings and finding of the Court
of Inquiry. The
finding of the Court was highly
honorable to General Harmar,
(Vol. II St. Clair Papers, p. 251) fully
exonerating him from
General Harmar's Expedition. 89
any blame in regard to the expedition.
On the inquiry, the
principal witnesses in their testimony
attributed the failure of the
expedition to the insubordination of the
militia. General Har-
mar declined to take part in the
proposed St. Clair expedition,
resigned from the army and returned to
his home in Phila-
delphia.
In the preparation of the foregoing, the
following works
have been freely drawn upon,
"History of Indiana," by Dillon;
"Winning of the West," by Col.
Roosevelt, and "The St. Clair
Papers," by Smith.
GENERAL HARMAR'S
JOURNAL.
Diary of General Harmar from the Draper
MSS., by courtesy of the
Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison,
Wisconsin.
(Draper MSS. "W" Harmar's
Papers, Vol. II, pp. 335-348 incl.)
"Wednesday, Sept. 8th, 1790.-Fort Washington, H. Qrs.
Capt. McCurdy arrived here this morning
at daybreak, & left
the same morning at half past eleven
o'clock on his way to Fort
Knox at Post Vincennes.
"Sunday, Sept. 12th--This afternoon a Captain-2 subs-
3 serjeants & 30 privates
arrived, & encamped on the margin of
the Ohio, the lower Side of Licking.
They are militia from Ma-
son County.
"Wednesday, Sept. 16th.--Lt. Col. Hall
arrived this morning
at the mouth of Licking with 102 militia
from Bourbon county.
"Thursday, Sept. 17th.--Col.
Hardin & St. Col. Comt.
Trotter arrived this morning. The militia assembled are from
the following counties, viz: Fayette,
Mercer, Bourbon, Mad-
ison, Woodford & Mason.
"Saturday, Sept. 25th.-- Major Doughty
with the militia &
Federal troops arrived at the garrison
this day.
"Sunday, Sept. 26th.--This day the Kentucky militia, &
Major Paul with part of the Pennsylvania Militia marched &
encamped about 4 miles from the
garrison. Rained almost in-
cessantly during the whole night.
"Monday, Sept. 27th.- Rainy day - retards
our movement.
"Tuesday, Sept. 28th -
Still cloudy & Rainy.
90 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
"Thursday, Sept. 30th--
Marched this morning at eleven
o'clock, & encamped about 7 miles
from Fort Washington, on
the waters of Mill Creek. Hilly country,
but fine rich land; spice
bushes in abundance. Course N. E. by E.
"Friday, Octr. 1st,
1790.- Very fine day; marched thro' rich
level ground, well watered, but thick of
underbrush; encamped
on the waters of Mill Creek-course N. by
E. This day's march
about 9 miles. Col. Truby with the
cattle left at Fort Washing-
ton arrived and encamped with us this
evening-formed a
square encampment.
"Saturday, Octr. 2d. - Weather very fine. Marched & en-
camped upon the waters of the Little
Miami, through rich land
generally, but we passed over some but
middling: encamped in
a rich bottom in the military range, one
mile in the rear of the
militia under Colonel Hadin. This
day's march about 13 miles,
& a N. E. course.
"Sunday, Octr. 3d-- Marched
about two miles and joined
Colonel Hardin - encamped on Turkey Creek on the waters of
Little Miami early, about 10 o'clock in
the morning, & spent the
day in making arrangements for the order
of March, &c., &c.
We are about 31 miles from Fort
Washington on Clark's Old
Trace.
"Monday, Octr. 4th.-- Marched about eleven miles &
crossed the Little Miami--course about
N. E. by E. Several
horses lost last night, supposed to be
stolen by the Indians. En-
camped on Caesar's Creek, two miles from
the Little Miami, in
a square.
"Tuesday, Octr. 5th. Marched &
encamped on Glady Creek
- course about North- 10 miles - 52 from
Ft. Washington:
Generally bottom land, a few small
prairies we crossed.
"Wednesday, Octr.- 6th.- Marched about 10 miles & en-
camped on the waters of the Little
Miami, about 3 miles north
of Old Chillicothy: Recrossed
the Little Miami-passed
through two or three beautiful prairies:
62 miles from Ft. W.
Lieut. Frothingham with a few Federal,
& Capt. Hall (or Hale)
with a reinforcement of militia joined
me this evening. Sharp
frost last night - the first of the
season.
"Thursday,
Octr. 7th. - Marched about 9 miles & encamped
General Harmar's Expedition.
91
on Mad River, alias the Pickaway Fork of the Great Miami.
Good country- 71 miles from Ft. W.:
course a little W. of N.
"Friday, Octr. 8th-- Rainy -marched
about 9 miles & en-
camped within 131/2 or 14 miles of the
Great Miami - course a
little W. of N.- about 80 miles from Ft.
W.- good country.
"Saturday, Octr. 9th. - Rainy, disagreeable
weather-
marched & encamped within 31/2
miles of the Great Miami: About
90 miles from F. W. Course a little W.
of N.
"Sunday, Octr. 1Oth. - Clear, cool weather.
Crossed the
Great Miami at New Chillicothe on
its banks - Course W. of N.
distance from F. W. about 100 miles.
Several tracks of Indians
discovered this day - encamped on a
branch of the Great Miami.
Frost at night.
"Monday, October 11th.- Cool weather.
Passed through a
place called The French Store, situated
on the waters of the
Great Miami, & encamped on the same
small waters: About 12
miles this day, & 112 from F. W. A
level poor country, white
oak land, badly watered: course about N.
W.
"Tuesday, Octr. 12th-- Cloudy.
Passed another New Chil-
licothy, at which is Girty's house, situated on Glaze
Creek or
Branch of the Omee, which empties into
Lake Erie - & en-
camped about 7 miles to the N. W. of it -about
125 miles from
F. W. Course nearly N. W.--level poor
land, very badly
watered.
"Wednesday, Octr. 13th-- Disagreeable day.
Encamped on
a branch of the Omee near La Somer's old
house, about 135
miles from F. W. Course to the W. of N.
W. Very level coun-
try, but badly watered. This morning a
Shawanoese was taken
prisoner by the horse. Mr. Morgan
arrived this morning.
"Thursday, Oct. 14th - Rainy,
disagreeable day. Detached
Col. Hardin with a corps of 600 men
before me to the towns
this morning. The army marched &
encamped about 145 miles
from F. W. Very badly watered
country--course, a little to
the W. of N. W.
"Friday, Octr. 15th.--Cleared in the afternoon; Encamped
on the waters of Omee, about 153 miles
from F. W. Course
about N. W. We have travelled through a
very level country
92 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
since we crossed the Great Miami, but
amazingly badly watered.
This day's march we had the sight
several times of water.
"Saturday, Octr.- 16th.- Fine, clear weather. The Savages
have evacuated (with the traders) their
favorite Miami Village
& towns. March & encamped about
163 miles from F. W. They
have left, Col. Hardin informs me, a
great quantity of corn and
vegetables behind. Level country - very
badly watered - course
nearly W.
"Sunday, Octr. 17th--Clear weather.
Gained the Miami
Village about noon this day. It is
beautifully situated between
the Rivers Miami and St. Joseph, and is
about 170 miles from
F. W. Course nearly due W. this day. But
in a direct line I
question whether it is more than 1OO
miles from the fort. The
traders and savages have retired from it
in the utmost consterna-
tion, leaving behind them vast
quantities of corn and vegetables,
supposed 10,000 bushels in ears.
"Monday, Octr. 18th--
Cloudy, & like for falling weather.
Rode to Chillicothy, a Shawanoe
Village, distant about two miles
from camp, & situated on the Omee -
contains about 80 houses
& wigwams. A vast quantity of corn
and vegetables hid in var-
ious places, holes, etc. Two Indians
killed & scalped this day
by the calvary, & one killed at
night by Capt. McLure. A great
number of horses lost last night.
"Tuesday, Octr. 19th. -The party under command of Col.
Hardin was worsted this day about ten miles from hence, by
about 100 or 130 Indians, owing to the shameful cowardly con-
duct of the militia who threw away their
arms and would not
fight. The loss is considerable- Capt.
Armstrong & the chief
part of the Federal part of the Federal
troops are supposed to
have fallen a sacrifice.
"Wednesday, Octr. 20th.--Fine
weather. Capt. Armstrong
got in this day much fatigued - 24 of
the Federal troops killed
& missing, & of the
militia-Total . Completed
burning & destroying the several
towns with their corn, &c. this
day. The regular troops were shamefully
left in the lurch by
the militia the clay before yesterday. (
?)
"Thursday, Octr. 21st--Fine
weather-Indian summer.
Having completed the destruction of the
Maumee Towns (as
General Harmar's Expedition. 93
they are called), we took up our line
of march this morning
from the ruins of Chillicothy for
Ft. Washington. Marched
about 8 miles -detached
Major Wyllys with 60 Federal & about
300 militia back to where we left this
morning, in hopes he
may fall in with some of the savages.
"Friday, Octr. 22nd,- Fine weather. The detachment un-
der Major Wyllys & Col. Hardin
performed wonders, although
they were terribly cut up. Almost the
whole of the Federal
troops were cut off, with the loss of
Major Wyllys, Major Fon-
taine, & Lt, Frothingham - which is
indeed a heavy blow. The
consolation is, that the men sold
themselves very dear. The
militia behaved themselves charmingly.
It is supposed that not
less than 100 warriors of the savages
were killed upon the
ground. The action was fought yesterday
morning near the
old fort & up the river St. Joseph. The savages never received
such a stroke before in any battle that
they have had. The
action at the Great Kanhawa, &c. was
a farce to it.
"Saturday, Octr. 23d.- Indian
Summer. Took up our line
of march this morning at 8 o'clock &
encamped about 24 miles
from the ruins of the Maumee Towns, or
the Miamii Village.
This day's march about 16 miles-much
encumbered with our
wounded men.
"Sunday, Octr.- 24th. --Cloudy & like for rain. Sent off
Mr. Britt early this morning before we
started (express) to
the Governor at Ft. W. Marched about 11
miles this day, &
35 miles from the ruins of the M. Towns
- encamped on the
waters of the Omee near La Somce's old
home.
"Monday, Octr. 25th. - Cold, rainy disagreeable weather.
Passed through a prairie about 4' or 5
miles in length, & en-
camped at Chillicothy near Girty's
house on Glaze Creek or
River, about 52 miles from the ruins of
the M. Towns. Snow at
night.
"Tuesday, Octr. 26th - Clear,
cold weather. Encamped at
a place called the French Store, the
farthest the Kentuckians
have ever penetrated the Indian country
this way. Fine food,
blue grass, &c. for our horses. It
is about 64 miles distant from
the ruins of the Maumee Towns. It is
situated on a branch of
the Great Miami.
94 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
"Wednesday, Octr. 27th. - Fine, clear weather. Passed
through one of our old encampments 7
miles from the French
Store and a great branch of the Miami,
& encamped at New
Chillicothy on the banks of the Great Miami 7 miles further
(& supposed to be what Hutchins is
his Map called Tawixtive)
-a beautiful prairie about 3 miles from
the Great Miami before
we reached it. This day about 78 miles
from the ruins of
the Maumee Towns.
"Thursday, Octr. 28th. - Like for
falling weather. Marched
from New Chillicothy & encamped
about 16 miles from it, &
94 from Ft. W. We have now got into a
different kind of
country, finely watered (Symmes'
Purchase): From New Chil-
licothy to Miamii Village is the most
level & the poorest watered
I have ever seen.
"Friday, Octr. 29th. - Very rainy,
disagreeable day.
Marched through a succession of
beautiful prairies; passed two
branches of Mad River, & encamped on
the waters of the Little
Miami near the where the militiamen were
flogged-
about 110 miles from the ruins of the
Maumee Towns. Finely
watered, excellent country.
"Saturday, Octr. 30th.--
Marched about 4 miles & halted
for two hours at Old Chillicothy, on
the eastern side of the Lit-
tle Miami, in order to refresh our
horses. Then immediately
came into a large prairie (better than a
mile) - marched through
it & encamped on Glady Creek, the
waters of the Little Miami
(land belonging to Col. Hardin) about 8
miles from Old Chilli-
cothy, & about 122 miles from the
ruins of the Maumee Towns.
"All these Chillicothys are
elegant situations-fine water
near them and beautiful prairies. The
Savages knew how to
take a handsome position as well as any
people upon earth.
When they leave one Chillicothy, they
retire to another place &
call it after the same name. We are now
in the Virginia Officers'
Lands.
"Sunday, Octr. 31st--Fine,
clear weather-Indian sum-
mer. Marched & halted a little while
at what is called Sugar
Camp, about 5 miles - from thence to Caesar's Creek, a branch
of the Little Miami, 3 miles. Thence
crossed the Little Miami
General Harmar's Expedition. 95
(Symmes' Purchase again) 1 mile &
halted 4 miles to the S.
W. of it, about 135 miles from the ruins
of the Maumee Towns.
"Monday, Novr. 1st--Fine, warm weather. Marched 5
miles to Turkey Creek, a branch of the
Little Miami. From
thence to the Bridge on Muddy
Creek 3 miles - from thence 3
miles further: 146 miles from the ruins
of the M. Towns.
"Tuesday, Novr.- 2d.- Fine weather. Marchd by the Big
Lick & encamped on the waters of
Mill Creek about 7 miles from
Ft. W., & 159 miles from the ruins of the M. Towns. A great
deal of white oak land in this day's
march.
"Wednesday, Novr. 3d.-- Marched
and gained Fort Wash-
ington 7 miles, & about 166 miles
from the ruins of the Maumee
Towns- having in 5 weeks accomplished
the destruction of the
Maumee Towns, with the vast quantity of
corn, &c. therein, &
slain upwards of 100 of their
warriors, but not without consid-
erable loss on our side-about 180
Federal & militia.
"Thursday, Novr. 4th - Fine weather. Busy in discharging
the Militia.
"Friday, Novr. 5th. -The Kentuckians set off for their re-
spective homes yesterday.
"Saturday, Novr. 6th.- Sunday, Novr. 7th. Lt. Denny
set off
at rev. beat. Major Doughty with
the Penna. militia ascended the
Ohio this afternoon for the Muskingum.
"Monday, Novr. 8th. --Fine weather.
The Governor &
family also ascended the river this
morning for Muskingum.
"Thursday, Novr. 18th. -Early this morning detached Lt.
Kersey with a small party as far as the
bridge on Muddy Creek
with the Shawanoe prisoner, from that
place to set him at liberty
& let him run to his nation.
"Saturday, Novr. 20th. - Lt. Kersey returned this
morning,
taken the Shawanoe as far as the bridge,
who parted from him
seemingly with regret.
"Col. Mentzes, Inspector,
arrived here this morning, in a
Ky boat, with Lt.- McPherson of Capt. Trueman's
detachment &
57 Federal troops.
"Novr. 24th. -
Capts. Trueman & Cushing arrived.
"Novr. 25th. - Capt. Armstrong & Ens. Hartshorn start for
Vincennes.
96 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
"Monday,
Novr. 29th. -An express
arrived from Col. Todd
& Col. Johnson, County
Lieutenants in Kentucky, informing that
the people are desirous of carrying on
another expedition against
the Savages (to strike the Weau Towns) - wishing
my consent.
I have returned them a favorable answer,
& despatched Cadet
Armstrong with
500 lbs. powder, & 1000 lbs.- lead & some pro-
visions, to be lodged at the mouth of
the Kentucky river for the
use of the militia upon the proposed
expedition.
"Tuesday, Novr. 30th. - Capt. Ballard
Smith & Lieut. Spear
arrived at the garrison this
evening--the former from the
Rapids - the latter from Post
Vincennes."
MAJOR FERGUSON'S
REPORT.
Major Ferguson's report of General
Harmar's expedition, made to
Richard Butler, Esquire, Major General
and President of the
Court of Enquiry, now sitting.
(Draper MSS. "U" Frontier
Wars, Vol. IV, pp. 47-56, and 58-61 incl.)
SIR:-I have duly considered the objects
which now em-
ploy your attention and investigation:
the following is a just de-
tail of the transactions of the late
Companies as far as came
within my knowledge. Some time about the
15th July it was
determined to carry on an Expedition
against the Miamie Vil-
lages. 1000 Militia from Kentucky and
500 from Pennsylvania
with what could be collected of the 1st
U. S. Regt. and one Com-
pany of artillery was to form the army.
The Militia from Kentuckey began to assemble at Fort
Washington about the middle of
September, these were very ill
equiped, being almost destitute of Camp
Kittles and axes, nor
could a supply of these essential
articles be procured. Their
arms were generally very bad and unfit
for service. I being
Commanding Officer of Artillery, they
came under my inspection
in making what repairs the time would
permit, and as a specimen
of their badness am to inform the court,
that a Riffle was brought
to be repaired without a Lock and
another without a stock; I
asked them what induced them to think
these guns could be
repaired at that time, and they gave me
for answer that they
were told in Kentuckey that all repairs
would be made at Fort
Washington; Many of the officers told me
that they had no idea
General Harmar's Expedition. 97
of the there being half the number of
bad arms in the whole
District of Kentucky as was then in the
hands of their men.
As soon as the principal part of the
Kentucky Militia arrived,
the General began to organize
them, in this he had many diffi-
culties to encounter. Col. Trotter
aspired to the command (altho
Col. Hardin was the eldest officer) and
in this he was encour-
aged both by men & officers, who
openly declared unless Col.
Trotter commanded them they would return
home; After two
or three days the business was settled
& they were formed into
three battalions under the command of
Col. Trotter, and Col.
Hardin had the command of all the
Militia. As soon as they were
arranged, they were Mustered, crossed
the Ohio and on the 25th
March and encamped about ten miles from
Fort Washington.
The last of the Pennsylvania Militia
arrived on the 25th
Septr. These were equipped nearly as the
Kentuckey, but were
worse armed, several were without any.
The Genl. ordered all
the arms in store to be delivered to
those who had none, and those
whose guns could not be repaired.
Amongst the Militia were a great many
hardly able to bear
Arms, such as old infirm men, and young
boys. They were not
such as might be expected from a
frontier country, viz. The
smart active woodsmen, well accustomed
to arms, eager and
alert to revenge the injuries done them
and their connections:
No, there were a great number of them
substitutes who prob-
ably had never fired a gun. Major Paul
of Pennsylva told me
that many of his men were so awkward
that they could not take
their gun locks off to oil them and put
them on again, nor could
they put in their Flints so as to be
useful; and even of such
materials the numbers came far short of
what was ordered, as
may be seen by the Returns.
On 31st Septr. the Genl. with
the Continental Troops marched
from Fort Washington to join Col. Harden
who had advanced
into the country for the sake of feed
for the cattle & to open
the Road for the Artillery. On the 3rd.
the whole army joined,
and was arranged in order of March,
Encampment & Battle,
these will appear by the orderly Book,
with this difference in
the Encampment; this space we were to
occupy when in order
Vol. XX-7.
98 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
of Battle (which was to be open) was
always to be fitted up
with our fires, nor was any intervals to
be left between Battalion;
this was done to prevent in some measure
the cattle & horses
from getting out of Camp, and the
Centinels Ground Camp had
orders not to let the cattle or horses
pass out after dark; just
before which time they were brought
within our fires. These
precautions aided by the care and
industry of Mr. Wells & his
assistants succeeded well in preventing
loss of Cattle; I have
been informed there were only two Oxen
lost from the time
the whole army took up the line of march
until it returned to
Fort Washington. But I am sorry to say
it was not the case
with the Pack Horses, the generality of
the people employed
in that department were ignorant of
their duty, Indolent and
inactive; nor was it the power of the
General to remedy these
defects, the shortness of the time for
assembling & organizing
the Army put it out of his power to look
about and select fit
characters, he was of course obliged to
take those that offered,
after he was in the woods it was out of
his power to exchange
them for better & punishments for
neglect of duty was out of
the question. The principles on which
the horses were employed
induced the drivers (who were chiefly
parties in the business)
to loose & otherwise destroy them,
rather than return them
to their owners, by this means the
proprietors had a high ap-
praisement paid them for their horses
and daily pay for services
untill they were lost, by adding to the
above the negligence of
Centinels, I account for the number of
Horses lost which in
my opinion was out of Gen. Harmar's
power to prevent. After
the Army was arranged we continued our
march without any
material occurrence untill the 13th
when the Horse fell in with
two Indians & took one of them
prisoner, who informed that
the Indians were not in force at the
Mamie Village. This day
we reached a place called the French
Store at which place a
French man who was then with the General
as a guide, had lived,
he informed that the Village was about
ten leagues distant. From
this place on the morning of the 12th, Col. Hardin was detached
with 600 men to endeavor to surprise the
Mamie Village, the
Army moved at the same time, and altho'
it rained the whole
day we continued our march with
diligence untill late, the horses
General Harmar's Expedition. 99
were ordered to be tied up this night to
enable the Army to move
early the next day which it did; this
diligence of the Army on
its march induces me to believe the
General was endeavoring to
guard against any disaster that might
happen to Col. Harden,
which I am of opinion would have been in
his power, for Col.
Harden had not gained more than four
miles of the army
in the first days march. On the 17th
the Army arrived at the
Mamie Village, here were evident signs
of the enemy having
quitted the place in the greatest
confusion. Indian dogs & Cows
came into our Camp this day which
induced us to believe the
families were not far off. A party of
300 men with three days'
provisions under the command of Col.
Trotter was ordered (as
I understood) to examine the country
round our Camp, but
contrary to the Generals orders returned
the same evening, this
conduct of the Colonel did not meet the
Generals approbation,
and Col. Hardin anxious for the
character of his countrymen
wished to have the command of the same
detachment for the
remaining two days which was given
him. This command
marched on the morning of the 19th & was the
same day shame-
fully defeated: Col. Hardin told me that
the number which
attacked him did not exceed 150 and that had
his people fought
or even made a shew of forming to fight
he was certain the
Indians would have run; But on the
Indians firing (which was
at a great distance) the Militia run
numbers throwing away their
arms, nor could he ever rally them.
Major Rhea confirmed the
same. I do not know what influenced the
General to make the
detachment on the 21st. But
from the enemy being flushed with
success on the 19th, it became
necessary, if in his power, to give
them a check to prevent the army from
being harrassed on its
return, which they might have done, will
readily be granted by
everyone who has the least knowledge of
the Indians, and an
Army encumbered with cattle & Pack
horses much worn down:
and altho the detachment was not so
fortunate as was reasonably
to have been expected, yet I firmly
believe it prevent the savages
from annoying our rear, as the never
made their appearance
after. With respect to reporting that
detachment which consisted
of four hundred chosen Troops I always
believed them superior
to 150
Indians which was the greatest number as
yet discovered;
100 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
had it not been for misconduct &
disobediance of orders by the
officers who was on the command. I
understood that Major
Rheas Battalion had been advanced to
cover them which was
as many as could possibly have been
spaired, taking into view
that those in Camp could not be depended
on, & many were
without arms, having thrown them away.
To support with the
whole army was impracticable, the pack
horses being weak and
greatly reduced in numbers; the
Artillery Horses being much
reduced and unable to undergo much more
fatigue, but at the cer-
tain loss of the Artillery. As it was,
we were obliged to send
to Fort Washington for horses to assist
in hauling it in. The
march of the Army was regular and as
well conducted as was
possible to be done with Militia.
With respect to the General's conduct
report says he was
intoxicated all the Campain and unable
to execute the impor-
tant duties of his Station. I have
mentioned my commanding
the Artillery which was posted at the
head of the center Column,
and here the General chiefly was during
the march, of course.
I had an opportunity of seeing and being
with him through the
day in the morning I received my orders
from him and when
we halted to encamp he chiefly pointed
out the ground where
the Artillery should be posted, my duty
called me often to his
Tent before we marched in the morning
and after we halted in
the evening; in short had he been given
to Drunkeness I had as
good an opportunity of seeing it as any
other officers in the
Army, yet I do declare that from our
leaving Fort Washington
untill our return I never seen Genl.
Harmar intoxicated or so
as to render him unfit for the execution
of any duties: In him
and his abilities as an officer I placed
the greatest confidence never
doubting in his orders but obeying with
chearfulness being con-
scious they. were the production of
experience and sound judg-
ment.
I am sir
Your Most Obedient Humble Servant
W. FERGUSON, Major.
General Harmar's Expedition. 101
STATEMENT OF ENSIGN
BRITT.
To Major General Butler, President of
the Court of Enquiry, Fort
Washington.
Being called upon to relate the
circumstances attending Gen-
eral Harmar's expedition against the
Maumee Indians; the fol-
lowing have come particularly under my
notice.
With respect to the personal conduct of
General Harmar,
I knew that he was indefatigable in
making arrangements for
the execution of the plans which had
been formed for the ex-
pedition; and know also that the
difficulties were great which
he had to encounter in Organizing the
Militia, and endeavoring
to establish that harmony which was
wanting in their Com-
manding officers, Colonels Hardin &
Trotter which he accom-
plished apparently to their
Satisfaction. He was at all times
diligent in attending to the conduct of
the Officers in the dif-
ferent departments of the Army, and was
always ready to
attend to such occurrences as were
consequent to the same-
and the necessary exertions to have his
orders carried into ex-
ecution were not wanting-but there were
great deficiencies on
the part of the Militia-either owing to
the want of authority
in some of their Officers, or from their
Ignorance or inatten-
tion. Indeed the generality of them
Scarcely deserved the name
of anything like Soldiers. They were
mostly substitutes for
others-who had nothing to Stimulate them
to their duty.
As to the disposition for the Order of
March, form of en-
campment, and Order of battle; they are
matters which I being
a young Officer can say little about. I
presume they will answer
for themselves.
The General's motives for detaching Col.
Hardin on the 14th
October, when he was told we were but 10
Leagues from the
Indian Town-I supposed to be from
information he received
by a prisoner who was taken on the 13th.
That the indians at
the Maumee Village were in great
consternation and confusion-
and the prospects were they might be
easily defeated if found
in that Situation. In order to support this detachment, the
Horses of the army were ordered to be
tied up at night, so that
the whole army might be ready to march
early in the morning;
which was done accordingly and when
Colonel Hardin reached
102 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society
Publications.
the Village the main body was not more
than 5 or 6 miles in his
rear.
The detachment under Colo. Trotter was
ordered to recon-
noitre for 3 days the neighborhood, to
endeavor to find out the
Savages, who had fled from their
Towns-this party returned
the evening of the same day they
Started-and next morning
Col. Hardin marched with the same party
and fell in with the
Indians, and an engagement ensued in
which he was routed-
Owing to the cowardly behaviour of the
Militia under his com-
mand.
The motives which I conceived led to the
detaching the party
under Major Wyllys on the 21st Were
that the Indians having
avoided engaging the whole army, would
collect at their Towns
and harrass the rear and flanks, as much
as possible on its re-
turn; and a Stroke at them before they
could assemble in large
bodie would prevent their doing it with
much effect. The party
accordingly met with the Indians and a
battle followed, in which
numbers were killed on both sides. The
moment the news of
this arrived in Camp, Major Ray with his
Battalion of Kentucky
militia was ordered to March to the
support of Major Wyllys;
but did not proceed far before they
returned.
Any Occurrences that followed this last
action I am unac-
quainted with, as I was sent from the
Army with dispatches for
his Excellency Govr. St. Clair then at
this place.
FORT WASHINGTON; Septr. 16th, 1791.
D. BRITT, Ensign 1st U. S.
Regt.
DIARY OF LIEUTENANT
DENNY.
FORT WASHINGTON, September 16th'
1791.
The honorable
MAJOR GENERAL BUTLER
President of Court of Enquiry.
(Draper MSS. "U" Frontier
Wars, Vol. IV, pp. 25-33 incl.)
SIR: Agreeably to your directions I
present the court with
the following detail of circumstances
relative to the campaign
carried on by General Harmar against the
Maumee Towns:
July 11th, 1791 Governor St.
Clair arrived at Fort Washing-
General Harmar's Expedition. 103
ton from the Illinois country, he
remained only three days, during
which time it was determined that
General Harmar should carry
on an expedition against certain hostile
tribes of Indians, for
which purpose, I understand, he was to
have 1000 Militia from
Kentucky & 500 from Pennsylvania
with all the federal troops
on the Ohio.
15th. The Governor embarked for New York, intending, on
his way, to order out the Militia as
soon as possible; I believe
the 15th of September was the
appointed time for the army to
assemble at Fort Washington.
General Harmar began his preparations,
and every day was
employed in the most industrious manner.
The calculations for
provisions, horses & stores were
immediately made out, & orders
given accordingly. Great exertions were
used by Captn. Fer-
guson to get in readiness the artillery
& military stores, & in-
deed every officer was busily engaged
under the eye of the Gen-
eral in fitting out necessary matters
for the expedition, but par-
ticularly the quarter master-not a
moment's time appeared to
be lost.
15th
& 16th
of Sept. The Kentucky Militia arrived, but in-
stead of seeing active rifle men, such
as is supposed to inhabit
the frontiers, we saw a parcel of men,
young in the country, and
totally inexperienced in the business
they came upon, so much
so, that many of them did not even know
how to keep their
arms in firing order. Indeed their whole
object seemed to be
nothing more than to see the country,
without rendering any ser-
vice whatever -a great many of their
guns wanted repairs,
& as they could not put them in
order, our artificers were obliged
to be employed - a considerable number
came without any guns
at all. Kentucky seemed as if she wished
to comply with the
requisitions of Government as
ineffectually as possible, for it was
evident, that about two-thirds of the
men served only to swell
their number.
19th Sepr. A small detachment of Pennsylvania militia ar-
rived.
22nd. The
Governor returned from New York.
25th. Major Doughty with two companies of
federal troops
joined from Muskingum, & the remains
of the Pennsylvania Mi-
104 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
litia came this
day - the Militia last mentioned were similar to
the others - too
many substitutes. The General lost no time in
organizing
them, tho he met with many difficulties. The Col-
onels were
disputing for the command, & the one most popular
was least
entitled to it. The General's design was to reconcile
all parties,
which he accomplished after much trouble. The
Kentuckians
composed three Battalions under the Majors.
Hall, McMillion
& Rhey, with Lt. Col. Coml. Trotter at their
head. The
Pennsylvanians were formed into one Battalion under
Lieut Col.
Truby and Major Paul, the whole to be commanded by
Colonel John
Hardin, subject to the orders of Genl. Harmar.
26th Sepr. The Militia marched on the rout towards the
Indian towns.
30th. The General
having got forward all the supplies that
he expected, he
moved out with the federal troops formed into
the small
Battalions under the immediate command of Major
Wyllys & Major
Doughty, together with Captain Ferguson's
company of
artillery, & three pieces of ordnance.
October 3rd.
General Harmar joined the advanced troops
early in the
morning, the remaining part of the day was spent
in forming the
line of March, the Order of Encampment &
Battle, and
explaining the same to the militia field officers. Gen-
eral Harmar's
orders will shew the several formations.
4th. The army took up the Order of March as is
described
in the orders.
5th. A
reinforcement of horsemen & Mounted infantry
joined from
Kentucky. The Dragoons were formed into two
troops, the
mounted rifle men made a company & this small Bat-
talion of light
troops were put under the Command of Major
Fontain. The
whole of General Harmar's command then may
be stated thus-
3 Battalions of
Kentucky Militia ......................
1 Battalion
of Pennsylvania Militia ................... 1,133
1 Battalion
light troops mounted
Militia...............
2 Battalions federal
troops ............................ 320
Total .......................................... 1,453
General Harmar's Expedition. 105
The Line of March was certainly one of
the best that could
be adopted & great attention was
paid to keep the officers with
their commands in proper order, &
the pack horses etc. as com-
pact as possible.
The Order of Encampment appeared to be
well calculated
not only for defense but to preserve the
horses & cattle from
being lost; however, notwithstanding
every precaution was taken,
& repeated orders given to the
horsemaster to hopple well their
horses, and directions to the Officers
& men not to suffer any to
pass through the lines, many of them,
owing to the carelessness
of the Militia, & the scarcity of
food, tho great attention was
paid in the choice of ground, broke
loose and strayed through
the lines after night, & even passed
the chain of sentries which
encircled the camp, and were lost -
patroles of Horsemen were
ordered out every morning by daylight to
scoure the neighbour-
ing woods & to bring in any horses
that might have broke
through the lines; and a standing order
directed the picquets
to turn out small parties & drive in
every horse. This was done,
I believe, to expedite the movement of
the army. There was
no less attention paid to securing the
cattle--every evening
when the army halted, the guard which
was composed of a
commissioned officer & 30 or 35 men,
built a yard always within
the chain of sentries & sometimes in
the square of encampment,
& placed a sufficient number of
sentries round the enclosure,
which effectually preserved them. There
was not more than 2
or 3 head lost during the whole of the
campaign.
13th October. Early in the morning a patrole of horsemen
captured a Shawanoe Indian.
14th October. Colonel Hardin was detached with 600 light
troops to push for the Miami Village. I
believe that this detach-
ment was sent forward in consequence of
the intelligence gained
of the Shawanao prisoner, which was,
that the Indians were
clearing out as fast as possible, and
that if we did not make
more haste, the towns would be evacuated
before our arrival.
As it was impossible for the main body
with all their train to
hasten their march much, the General
thought proper to send
on Colonel Hardin in hopes of taking a
few before they would
all get off. This night the Horses were
all ordered to be tied
106 Ohio Arch.
and Hist. Society Publications.
up that the army might start by day
light on purpose to keep
as near Colonel Hardin as possible,-the
distance to the Indian
towns when the detachment marched ahead
was about 35 miles.
15th. Every exertion was used to get forward the main
body--this day we found that the
advanced party had gained
but very few miles.
16th. In the evening, met an
express from Col. Hardin, who
had got into the village, informing the
General that the enemy
had abandoned every place.
17th. About noon, the army arrived at the Omee Towns.
18th.
Col. Trotter was ordered out with 300 men Militia
& regulars, to reconnoitre the
country & to endeavor to make
some discoveries of the enemy; he
marched but a few miles
when his advanced horsemen came upon 2
Indians & killed them.
The Colonel was contented with this
victory & returned to camp.
Colonel Hardin was displeased, because
Col. Trotter did not
execute his orders - requested the
General to give him the Com-
mand of the party, it was granted, &
accordingly Hardin marched
next morning, but I believe that he had
not two thirds of his
number when two miles from camp, for to
my certain knowl-
edge many of the Militia left him on the
march & returned to
their companies. Whether he knew it or
not, I can't tell, but
proceeded on with a determination to
trace some fresh signs of
the enemy. I believe the plan was merely
to gain some knowledge
of the savages. He at length came upon a
party not exceeding
one hundred, but was worsted, owing
entirely as I am informed,
to the scandilous behaviour of the
Militia, many of whom never
fired a shot but ran off at the first
noise of the Indians & left
the few regulars to be sacrificed - some
of them never halted
until they crossed the Ohio. The Army in
the main time was
employed burning & destroying the
houses & corn, shifting their
position from one town to another.
21st Oct. The army having
burned five villages besides the
Capital Town & consumed &
destroyed near 20,000 bushels of
corn in ears, took up the Line of march
on the rout back to Fort
Washington & encamped about 8 miles
from the ruins-9 o'clock
p. m. the General ordered out 400
choice men, Militia & regulars,
General Harmar's Expedition. 107
under the command of Major Wyllys to
return to the Towns in-
tending to surprise any parties that
might be assembled there,
supposing that the Indians would collect
to see how things were
left. The General had felt the enemy,
knew their strength, &
calculated much upon the success of this
enterprise. It was the
general opinion that the force of the
savages was nothing equal to
this detachment, and unless by some such
means, there was no
possibility of getting any advantage of
them. However, the best
laid plan, was in some measure defeated
by the disobeydiance of
the Militia who ran in pursuit of small
parties & left Major
Wyllys unsupported, the consequence was
that the Major with the
most part of the regulars were killed
& our loss was equal if not
greater than the savages.
The intention of this detachment was
evident to all the army
& would have answered the fullest expectations, provided
a due
obeydiance had been observed on the part
of the Militia to
provide against disobeydiance of orders
what I believe no one
would think of, & had it not been
the case, the Major might have
returned crowned with laurels. The main
body waited for the
return of his detachment, but to our
mortification, about 11
o'clock of the 22nd, a fellow who ran back from the field give
some information of Major Wyllys's
misfortune. The General
immediately dispatched Major Rhey with
his Battalion to the
assistance of the parties, but the Major
did not get the length
until he met Col. Hardin returning to
camp with his wounded.
I am led to believe that about this time
the General lost the
confidence he had in the Militia, those
of them among the dead
were of the best men--the effective
strength was very much
reduced by sickness & other
ways--the regular troops did not
furnish more than 200, they were very insufficient, and I am
clearly of the opinion, that had the
enemy made an attack upon
our camp this evening or the morning
following, the Militia were
so panic struck, that very few of them
would have stood. The
consequences that would have happened
stared every person with
horror - the sick & wounded &
all the stores artillery etc. would
have fallen a prey to the savages. This
was also the opinion of
several of the principal officers, who
advised General Harmar
108
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
of the danger of attempting to return to
the Towns, from the
time it would take up & the
probability that the delay would give
the savages time to collect from distant
quarters.
22nd October.
Continued encamped, fixing biers for the
wounded, and making repairs.
The frost had destroyed the food early
on our march out,
& the horses of the army was now
very much reduced, so much
so, that it was utterly impossible for
the main body to perform
anything rapidly, and to get back upon
the road which we had
so lately passed, was attended with
difficulty - however, the
greatest attention was paid, the little
army was kept compact,
and vigilancewas the word from all who
had any reputation to
lose.
The Militia on the return began to be
refractory, showing
great signs of a revolt-discharging
their pieces in open defiance
of the General orders, some of them,
however, were detected
& punished, which give umbrage, and
was afterwards the cause
of many idle ill-natured reports spread,
without any foundation,
to injure the General's reputation.
The army returned by slow marches back
to Fort Wash-
ington. General Harmar's conduct during
the campaign was
observed to be sober, steady, &
attentive to the service, and as
my duty required me to be frequently
near him, should certainly
have discovered it, had he been at any
time intoxicated as has
been reported. Every evening as duly as
the army halted, the
General made his remarks for that day,
& issued orders for
the movement & arrangements for the
next, and every morning
he was found among the first prepared
for the field.
I have the honor to be
Sir
Your very humble servant
E. DENNY,
Lieut. & Agt. 1st Regt.
of the U. S.
(Endorsed)
LIEUT. DENNIS Statement of Genl Harmar.