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HISTORY 



OF 



OLD VINCENNES 



AND 



KNOX COUNTY 

INDIANA 



By GEORGE E. GREENE 



VOLUME I 



ILLUSTRATED 



THE S. J. CLARKfe" PUBLISHING COMPANY. 



1911 

3.0. 



TH£ N'EW YORK 

PUBLIC LIBRARY 

«BlO«, LENOX »NC 
TILOeN FOUnD»T!ON» 



CONTENTS 



CHAPTER I. 



INTRODUCTION. 



The historical relation of Vincennes and Knox County to the Northwest 
Territory and the Nation — Gen. George Rogers Clark's adventure- 
some nature and patriotic zeal lead to the acquisition for the common 
country of a scope of land as vast as an empire 5 



CHAPTER n. 

THE PRESENT REMINDERS OF A FORGOTTEN PAST. 

The Mound Builders — The memorials they left in Knox Coimty — Orna- 
ments and implements of stone — The pipe a fine specimen of their 
mechanical skill — Had knowledge of pottery and were tillers of the 
soil — Wabash Indians — The Miamis — Shawnees — Pottawatomies — 
Weas, or Quiatenons — Kickapoos — Indian treaties — Glacial deposits 
and remains of prehistoric mammals 

CHAPTER in. 

THE FIRST BLACK ROBED ?RIE~I TO VISIT VINCENNES. 

Early communications between the peQpieis:©^. Canada and the Old Post 
— Fate of these missionaries broaglu 'by Champlain from France to 
America — Routes of voyagers to western country — Fame forgets 
some good actors in military drama presented at Vincennes a century 
and a third since — The village of Giippecoke — The Wabash Country 

iii 



' iv CONTENTS 

supposed to contain gold and silver deposits — Illinois Indians mould 
bullets on Bunker Hill — Marquette's exploration of the Mississippi 
river and his supposed visit to X'incennes 22 



CHAPTER IV. 

SPECULATIONS OF HISTORIANS ON FIRST SETTLEMENT OF VINCENNES. 

The Indians' hospitable treatment of French voyageurs — Random data 
relating to early settlement of Vincennes, which introduces General 
Gage and his demand on the inhabitants at the post to show land 
titles — Extent of fur trade in the northwest and how viewed by 
Louis XIV — La Salle in the Wabash Country — The Vincennes anti- 
quarian and historical society placed the founding of Philadelphia and 
Vincennes about the same time 33 

CHAPTER V. 

THE FIRST SETTLEMENT OF VINCENNES. 

A tribute to the missionaries and their labors — National acts of Euro- 
pean nations make local history — Important results growing out of 
Clark's conquest — How foreign powers acquired territory in North 
'America — Vincennes an historic spot — The mad rush for land and 
its baleful effects on Burr and Clark — Cross and sword implanted in 
new soil — "Key to the Northwest Territory" dedicated to religion 
and civilization — First church west of the Alleghany mountains 46 

CHAPTER VI. 

THE SOCIAL, RELIGIOUS AND EDUCATIONAL LIFE OF FIRST SETTLERS. 

Homes of the people — Functions of society's votaries in the eighteenth 
century — The diffibittie's, Of traye,l^--;Pahcies of French insure unity 
among themselves' arid" -secure good .will, of Indians — Land allotments 
for agricultural purpose? — JN^itive-j'not annoyed by lawyers or courts 
— How many of the'inhafbitaKtS i/iewed education and religion — 
Father Marest and'-Fa^ief. }.fe'r.nipt jteach and preach — Father Mer- 
met and the Mascoutm's' — ^FatHer'Rwet and the first public school 
west of the Alleghanies — Racial suicide not in vogue in early times — 
Adventures of voyageurs celebrated with balls — The Earl of Selkirk 
entertained by Vincennes' four hundred 57 



CONTENTS V 

CHAPTER VII. 

THE ARRIVAL OF MORGANE DE VINSENNE AT THE OLD TOST. 

Peace and quietude of the ancient village — Historians find the problem 
of De Vinsenne's origin difficult of solution — Battle with the Chicka- 
saw Indians — De Vinsenne and Father Senat burned at the stake — 
De Vinsenne's military career — Three brothers of the Richardville 
family killed by the Chickasaws — The fourth brother, wounded, 
taken prisoner — Escapes after nearly two years' captivity 69 

CHAPTER VIII. 

THE ADVENT OF THE OLD POST's FOURTH COMMANDANT. 

Arrival of St. Ange Belle Rive from Fort Chartres — His faithful and 
beneficent administration — Improves the fort, church and village — 
Specimen of land grants issued by him — Wabash Indians show a 
streak of hostility — Pontiac interviews St. Ange — Brief biography 
of the old commandant — His death in St. Louis 77 

CHAPTER IX. 

A PEN PICTURE OF VINCENNES' POPUL.ATION .\T AN EARLY DAY. 

Missionaries pave the way for the pioneers — The French always allies 
of America^ — The effect of the savage and the wilderness on refined 
natures — Glimpses of the Wabash Country by early travelers — 
Spaniards said to have occupied the post for a very brief season, 
and sold land in this vicinity — Except Colonel Vigo, no Spaniard 
ever became a permanent resident of \'incennes 82 

CHAPTER X. 

THE BEAUTIES AND BOUNTIES OF N.\TURE. 

The early settlers avocations — The forests yield abundantly of fruit and 
nuts — Superior quality of grapes — Primitive implements and modes 
of agriculture — Peculiar harness for beasts of burden — The bee 
hunter — How the French viewed the British — Descendants of dis- 
tinguished French families — Messieurs. Poullet and Richardville — 
The Wabash Creole an interesting character 88 



vi CONTENTS 

CHAPTER XI. 

THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY BECOMES DOMAINS OF THE BRITISH. 

France and England's first decisive clash of arms on the American con- 
tinent — Defeat of General Braddock— The fall of Quebec, and death 
of General Wolfe and the Marquis De Montcalm — The treaty be- 
tween France and England — Pontiac, and the wily chiefs conspiracy 
— Old Fort Chartres and its commanders — The Piankeshaws and 
other tribes at Vincennes convey more than thirty-seven million acres 
of land — St. Marie and the happy inhabitants at the Old Post 97 

CHAPTER Xn. 

THE FIRST ENGLISH AND AMERICAN COMMANDANTS AT VINCENNES. 

Lieutenant Ramsey's brief visit — Lieutenant-Governor Abbott, of De- 
troit, assumes charge as superintendent of Post St. Vincennes — A 
kind and considerate English officer — The old fort rechristened 
"Sackville" — Its site determined after years of controversy, and a 
marker placed to designate the spot — The location of Fort Knox a 
mooted question — Fruit trees and vegetable gardens features of the 
premises of early inhabitants — "Forts" as defenses of settlements 
against Indians built in several sections of Knox County — Descrip- 
tion and legends of beautiful Fort Knox 110 

CHAPTER XIII. 

A PATRIOT WHO DESERVES THE NATION'S PRAISE. 

Father Pierre Gibault proves himself a worthy ally of America — His 
great love for liberty and humanity endear him to all loyal citizens 
— His inestimable services to General Clark in the conquest of the 
Northwest Territory — How the patriotic man won the British sub- 
jects at Kaskaskia and Vincennes to the American cause — Colonel 
Francis Busseron a valuable aid to Gibault in perfecting his patriotic 
plans — Captain Busseron, prominent in civil and military affairs — 
Foster father of Alice of old Vincennes — Burning of the old La • 
Salle house 123 

CHAPTER XIV. 

THE LOYALTY OF A SPANISH SOLDIER TO AMERICA. 

Colonel Francis Vigo shows his sympathy for an oppressed people — 
Spends money to aid the cause of liberty and dies in poverty — Cap- 



CONTENTS vii 

tured by Indians and taken before Hamilton^Vigo's substantial aid 
to Colonel Clark — His sad death and neglected grave — Short sketch 
of John Badollet, a colleague of Vigo — First registrar of public lands 
and his successors — Alleged uprising at Vincennes against Spain — 
Seizure of Vincennes merchant by Spaniards 134 



CHAPTER XV. 

THE CONCEPTION OF CLARK's NORTHWESTERN CAMPAIGN. 

George Rogers Clark leaves X^irginia to become a citizen of Kentucky — 
A tower of strength with people of adopted state — Elected to legis- 
lature — Urges needs of his constituents before Governor Henry and 
legislature — Procures gimpowder from Virginia for protection of 
Kentucky settlements — The voyage with the ammunition — Reveals to 
Governor Patrick Henry plans of his proposed campaign against 
British in Northwest Territory — Expedition leaves Corn Island un- 
der distressing conditions — The voyage down the Ohio — The march 
from Fort Massac to Kaskaskia — The bewildered guide — Arrival of 
Clark and his men at Kaskaskia — The surprised natives — Capture of 
the Fort — Rochblave, commandant, taken prisoner to Virginia — 
Councils with the Indians 150 

CHAPTER XVI. 

THE CAPTURE OF VINCENNES FROM THE BRITISH. 

Colonel Clark casts a longing look at \'incennes from Kaskaskia — Father 
Gibault visits the old post to convert its inhabitants to Americanism 
— Capt. Helm takes charge of Fort Sackville — Clark wins the "Grand 
door of the Wabash" — Trouble with the Troops — Clark makes 
friends with Spaniards — ^His speech to the Indians — Virginia estab- 
lishes Illinois County — Hamilton's march from Detroit to Vincennes 
— Helm's alarming letter to Clark — Hamilton takes Fort Sackville 
from Helm — Clark's ignorance of Hamilton's presence at Vincennes 
— X igo gives Gark valuable information — Clark decides to move 
against Hamilton — The dreadful march from Kaskaskia to Vincennes 
— Clark's message to the inhabitants of Vincennes — Firing on the 
fort — The battle between the contending forces — Clark demands 
Hamilton to surrender — The fight resumed — Hamilton surrenders — 
Articles of capitulation — Capture of British boat on the Wabash — 
Hamilton taken in irons with other British prisoners to Williamsburg 
— His blood-stained record 173 



,iii CONTENTS 

CHAPTER XVII. 

VIRGINIA EXTENDS CIVIL GOVERNMENT TO THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 

A fieht with the Delawares-Clark's reinforcements arrive-Death of 
Labalme-Arrival of Col. Todd as Heutenant-governor of lUrnois 
County-Appoints Mr. Le Gras to act for him at Vincennes-Queer 
conduct of court in issuing land grants-Governor Harrisons letter 
on the subject-High cost of living at the old post-Indian hostili- 
ties—Death of Col. Todd-Treaty of peace between England and 
America-Indians make war on American settlers-Clark's position 
in the Spain affair and treatment of Spanish merchants-Last days 
and death of General Clark-Virginia cedes the Northwest Temtory^^^ 
to the United States " 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

THE ORGANIZATION OF NORTHWEST TERRITORY BY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. 

Arthur St. Clair appointed first governor-Preceded to the territory by 
General Harmar and Major Hamtramck-First laws P^onn. gated 
-Indian hostilities on the frontiers-Killing of troops on the Wabash 
-Toel Tougard sends Indian to happy hunting grounds-Tougard s 
flatboat e.xperiences-Col. Vigo and other traders encounter band 
of Indian pirates on Wabash-Antoine Gamehn holds conferences 
with warriors of several nations-Views of Washington, Kno.x, St. 
Clair and Hamtramck on the Indian situation-Famine-stncken in- 
habitants-Father Gibault to the rescue-Judge Henry Vanderburg 
-Early customs-Typical French dwelling-Count Volney s views 
of the people and country-Capt. Toussaint Dubo.s-His tragic 
death-John lackson and Judge Bowman-Bowman s suicide-Dr. 
Capman and his pupils-Legend of Dark Hollow 236 

CHAPTER XIX. 

OLD VINCENNES BECOMES FIRST CAPITAL OF TERRITORY OF INDIANA. 

William Henry Harrison appointed first S^^^^'-'^^^-^^^'^!!:;' J^'^^^^j 
population of territory-The sentiment on ^^.^^^^^-^'^^^f "^on 
assembly-Old legislature buiUling-Benjamin P^'-ke-Hamson 
treats with Indians-Value of manufactured products in ^^^^-M- 
rival of Harrison at Vincenncs-The Harrison m^ns'on-Effo'-t^/_° 
preserve it-Ind.an complaints not without justihcation-The prophet 



CONTENTS IX 

and Tecumseh — Tecumseh and Harrison in council — The celel)rated 
pow-wow — Harrison addresses a speech to the prophet and Tecum- 
seh — Seat of government changed to Corydon — Governor Posey ar- 
rives — The battle of Tippecanoe — Names of Vincennes men who 
took part in it— General Harrison bullet proof — Pen picture of Te- 
cumseh — The battle of the Thames — Death of Tecumseh — Harrison 
elected president of the United States — His inauguration and sad 
death— His tomb at North Bend 276 



CHAPTER XX. 

A FEW OF vincennes' NOTABLE CITIZENS IN EARLY DAYS. 

Governors Gibson and Posey — Logan's speech — General Zachary Taylor 
— His daughter wooed by Jefferson Davis— The "Trysting Boulder" 
— General Robert Evans — Judge William Prince — His romantic 
courtship — Nathaniel Ewing — Judge John Law — The fading of 
forests and streams — Disappearance of beasts and birds — The buf- 
falo and the paroquet — Sporting items of the past and present — 
Horse racing and cock fighting — Old Man Black — Fishing resorts 
and big game fish — Athletic, sporting, hunting, fishing and outing 
clubs — The feats of William Lake, pedestrian — The Skinner-Murray 
prize fight — Pugilist Tom Allen trains at Vincennes — Camp Dexter, 
the Mohawk, and the much-named Wabash river 315 



CHAPTER XXL 

THE ESTABLISHMENT OF KNOX COUNTY. 

Tile products of the soil — First courts and judges — Formation of first 
townships — First jail and court house — Murder of the De Bussieres 
and Julius Kluck — Lynching of Canfield and Epps — Last legal hang- 
ing — Burning of county records — Building of second court house — 
The Beckes-Scull duel — Present court house — Orphans' home — Poor 
asylum — Highland orphan asylum — Good Samaritan hospital — Gravel 
roads and railways — Early agricultural and medical societies — Bril- 
liant lawyers and doctors of the past and present — Members of the 
bar today — Names of men who have held official positions in county 
from its organization to date 335 



X CONTEXTS 

CHAPTER XXII. 

THE BEAUTY AND BOUNTY OF LAND AROUND THE OLD POST. 

Townships and towns of Knox County — Their earliest settlements — 
Old-time industries — Merchants of pioneer days and the present— 
The Shakers of Busseron Township — First Presbyterian church in 
Indiana built in Palmyra Township — The Old Maria Creek Baptist 
church— Brief mention of the commercial, social, religious and frater- 
nal life of Busseron, Bruceville, Bicknell, Deckers, Dicksburg, Emi- 
son, Edwardsport, Freelandsville, Frichton, Monroe City, Oaktown, 
Purcell's, Sandborn, Wheatland and Westphaha. 367 

CHAPTER XXIII. 

THE EDUCATIONAL ADVANTAGES OF CITY AND COUNTY. 

The \'incennes university — Brief history of its trials and tribulations 
for nearly a century — First and present trustees of the institution — 
After a lapse of years their efforts to establish a just claim are re- 
warded — The public schools of \'incennes — Pioneer and present 
schools of the rural districts, towns and hamlets — Graded schools 
of Oaktown, Emison, Monroe City, Decker, Frichton, Wheatland, 
Bicknell, Edwardsport. Sandborn, Bruceville and Freelandsville. .. . 393 

CHAPTER XXIV. 

PROGRESS ALONG THE RELIGIOUS HIGHWAYS. 

The relationship between the first church and first fort of the North- 
west Territory — The old St. Francis Xavier's church — Its first bish- 
ops and priests — Its present pastors — The rare and priceless collec- 
tion of ancient volumes in the Cathedral library — Brief sketches of 
the Catholic and Protestant churches of Vincennes, where the laity 
look with favor on all faiths — Pictures of St. Xavier's, St. John the 
Baptist, Sacred Heart, Methodist, Baptist, St. James, Christian, First 
and Bethany Presbyterian, St. John's Evangelical and St. John's 
Lutheran churches 411 

CHAPTER XXV. 

THE .SOCIAL AND FR.\TERNAL SIDE OF VINCENNES. 

Twentieth century society at the old post — Beautiful and hospitable 
homes — Brief mention of some up-to-date clubs — The first Masonic 



CONTENTS ^^ 

lodge in Indiana— Its distinguished members, and the important parts 
they played in the history of the Northwest Territory— An array of 
secret societies, fraternal and industrial organizations, historically and 
politically considered— Soldiers of city and county to be honored 
with a fifty thousand dollar monument— The university cadets in the 
Spanish war— Reminiscences of men and the orders they founded. .433 

CHAPTER XXVI 

OLD .\ND NEW VINCENNES. 

Incidents in the history of its shadowy past and events of the living pres- 
ent— \aron Burr's visit to the Old Post, and the promment men 
with whom he held audiences— Slavery in early days— Formation 
of the borough— Its first officers— The common lands— Banks and 
financial institutions of the past and present-Public libraries-The 
public press— Municipal matters of today— Early merchants— Old 
landmarks— Manufacturing industries and commercial enterprises 
of modern X'incennes— Their large volume of business— The city's 
present advantages and future possibilities— Public utilities 464 




(;k(»I!(;k Iv (jukkxe 



HISTORY OF 

Old Vincennes\ Knox County 



CHAPTER I. 
INTRODUCTION. 

THE HISTORICAL RELATION OF VINCENNES AND KNOX COUNTY TO THE NORTH- 
WEST TERRITORY AND THE NATION — GEN. GEORGE ROGERS CLARK's AD- 
VENTURESOME NATURE AND PATRIOTIC ZEAL LE.\D TO THE ACQUISITION FOR 

THE COMMON COUNTRY OF A SCOPE OF LAND AS VAST AS AN EMPIRE. 

History, authenticated and systematically compiled, that deals directly 
with pioneer life of the great northwest territory, is as charming as the 
most beautiful romance and as fascinating as any picture ever drawn 
with the facile pen of fiction. The historian, in the development of a field 
that invites his thought and inspires his pen, unearths facts that lie buried 
beneath the dust of ages, which shine forth as the light of truth reveals 
the story of their being with a delightful brilliancy that the recital of 
fanciful tales cannot impart. 

The story of the growth and development of the boundless territory 
of which Vincennes was the capital will begin at a period when the land- 
scape was a gloomy and impenetrable wilderness, whose tranquility was 
broken only by the cries of savage men and still more savage beasts, when 
the dark and dense woods rang with the me!ody of feathered songsters 
and caught the rhythmic rippling of many waters, and end with the brilliant 
achievements of today, which the twentieth century has wrought, ever 
revering the memory of those men whose hearts of steel and muscles of 
iron, whose indomitable courage and nobility of purpose impelled them to 
invade that hostile land and blaze the way for the higher civilization and 
its attendant blessings which we now enjoy. 

The historical relation \'incennes and Knox County bears, not only 
to the northwest territory, but to the nation at large, is so consequential 



6 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

that every patriotic American, be he young or old, should be swayed by 
the lessons of patriotism to be learned from a recital of the incidents 
preceding and following their conquests of arms, which were precipitated 
by the revolution. 

The capture of Yincennes from the British was an event of such 
moment that it subsequently contributed very largely to the greatness of 
the American nation. The Grecian and Roman conquests for supremacy, 
the gory fields of Trenton and Princeton, the exploits in every sanguinary 
conflict which marked the dark days of the revolution, including the 
battles of Bunker Hill. Brandywine and Concord, to recount which quickens 
the heart and heightens the pulse, furnished no loftier examples of valor, 
bravery, skill and devotion to country. And all the battles fought during 
the revolution did not result in the acquisition of as much territory as was 
acquired by this signal victory. 

From that early day in the spring of 1775, when George Rogers Clark 
disdained the ofifer of Lord Dunmore as a commissioned officer in the royal 
service of Great Britain, Vincennes, Knox County, Indiana, was destined 
to play an important part in the history of this great republic. While the 
fires of revolt against the mother country were smouldering in the bosoms 
of the people of the thirteen original colonies, ready at any moment to 
burst forth into lurid flames of revolution, Clark forsook his native county 
of Albemarle, in the "Old Dominion," where he had distinguished himself 
as a warrior when just out of his teens, and made his first pilgrimage to 
the wilds of Kentucky. A mere youth, he was drawn at first from the 
Virginian hills to the habitat of Daniel Boone by a spirit of adventure, 
which grew with his growth. He made the trip alone and on foot, encoun- 
tering dangers innumerable and overcoming obstacles which would have 
been unsurmountable to the average man, fighting blood-thirsty Indians 
and savage beasts on hills and mountains, and in glens and deep ravines, 
armed only with a bowie-knife and flint-lock musket. The haunts of 
Boone, and Harrod, and Todd, and Logan, not only intensified his adven- 
turesome nature, but it awakened anew his patriotism, his love of liberty 
and devotion to country. He saw at a glance the resourcefulness of the 
new territory he had just invaded and that of the trackless wilderness that 
lay beyond the Ohio river which, at that time, had not been noted on the 
maps and was, comparatively, unknown. The spirit of revolution thrilled 
his heart, the fires of patriotism burned in his breast, and he returned 
shortly to his beloved Virginia, only to again go forth into the new world, 
as it were, to conquer an empire vaster in domain than the united king- 
doms of England, Ireland and Scotland — which was the ultimate result of 
Clark's capture of Vincennes from Hamilton. 

The history of Vincennes and Knox County is the history of Indiana 
and the northwest territory, and it is the purpose of this publication to 
give honorable mention to every patriot and pioneer, and to their descend- 
ants, who have contributed in any way towards the glory of the past, the 



HISTORY OF KKOX COUNTY 7 

greatness of the present, or the grand possibilities the future has in store 
for this city, county, state or nation. Alongside the name of Clark, high 
up on the same scroll, we will write that of Pierre Gibault, Francis Vigo, 
Harrison, Johnston, Francois Morgan de Vinsenne. Marquette, La Salle, 
and a host of other names familiar throughout the length and breadth of 
the land, and which are identified with the history of the past as well as 
the affairs of the present. The civil, judicial, legislative, political, religious, 
social, educational, militar}', official, commercial, industrial and agricultural 
life of the city and county, from the first dawn of civilization up to the 
high noon of today, will be presented. The busy marts of every trade and 
industry will be reviewed, the atmosphere of every profession will be 
invaded, the history of every church and school house will be given, th^ 
products of every farm and the output of every mill and factory and shop 
described and estimated, the traffic and tonnage of railroads and common 
carriers, the volume of wholesale and retail business commuted, the value 
of lands, lots and buildings approximated, and the manifold advantages 
possessed by Knox County and Vincennes for the pursuit of commercialism, 
industrial farming, and the many comforts and conveniences both afford 
as places of residence, will be minutely noted as the story of progress is 
unfolded. 

The antiquities of the locality will not be lost sight of in the compila- 
tion of the pages which comprise this volume. The savant, and all students 
of archjEolog)', whether founded on sacred or profane history, romance or 
fiction, will find its perusal interesting. Its chapters will reveal that long 
before the ax of the sturdy pioneer resounded in the woodlands, ere the 
dusky children of the forest awakened its density with the echoes of their 
voices, while only the cry of the wild broke the stillness of wilderness 
solitudes extending from the gulf streams to the great lakes, when masto- 
dons roamed tho earth and prehistoric man was monarch of these vast 
domains, Vincennes and Knox County was peopled by a race long since 
extinct, which has left imperishable monuments of its existence, but only 
fragmentary evidences of its modes and customs. 



CHAPTER II. 
THE PRESENT REMINDERS OF A FORGOTTEN PAST. 

THE MOUND BUILDERS — THE MEMORIALS THEY LEFT IN KNOX COUNTY 

ORNAMENTS AND IMPLEMENTS OF STONE — THE PIPE A FINE SPECIMEN 

OF THEIR MECHANICAL SKILL HAD KNOWLEDGE OF POTTERY AND WERE 

TILLERS OF THE SOIL — WABASH INDIANS THE MIAMIS SHAWNEES 

POTTAWATOMIES WEAS, OR QUIATENONS KICKAPOOS— INDIAN TREA- 
TIES GLACIAL DEPOSITS AND REMAINS OF PREHISTORIC MAMMALS. 

Old Vincennes! As one stands within its modernized confines 
and views its immediate surroundings, or looks searchingly beyond 
the landscape that environs the ancient city, the shadowy light of far 
gone years, which wrought a magical influence and seemed to have lived 
with the invisible spirits of the mighty, breaks forth from the dark- 
ness of ages and enchants his vision with its mysterious beauty. The 
murmuring waters of the Wabash, "the venerable hills, rock-ribbed and 
ancient as the sun," proclaim that he is standing on hallowed ground- 
that he is within the precincts where the gods of the aborigines thundered 
their terrors; where heroes have bled in battle, and heroines of beauty 
and virtue have blossomed into girlhood and bloomed into womanhood 
amid scenes of wild and savage splendor ; where military genius has been 
immortalized in deeds of glory, and where the forests, with a gleam of 
their pristine beauty and grandeur still lingering, recall the abodes of 
brutality and cruelty. Looking out from the portals, as it were, of the 
old^ town, on either side the eye falls upon a great treasure-house of 
antiquity, which awakens awe and invites silent communion with the 
venerable forms of unseen and unknown beings and a steadfast contempla- 
tion of their imperishable works. The enchanting scene provokes an en- 
quiring mind to penetrate into the mysteries of nature and the handiwork 
of a forgotten race and search out the unchangeable beauties in remnants 
of a woodland world. Before the advent of the red man, and even before 
the Mound Builders peopled this locality, it is conjectured that a race 
designated as Fishermen were here, as evidenced by discoveries of bone 
heaps and tumuli of a character peculiar to that race. There is no doubt 



HISTORY OF K'X'OX COUNTY 9 

that the Mound Builders at one period of the world's existence inhabited 
this locality in large numbers, as indicated by the numerous mounds to 
be found in all sections of the county. But whence these mysterious 
people came, or whither they went, has always been a matter of historical 
conjecture. Among many learned writers of the day there is a great 
diversity of opinion respecting the 

MOUND BUILDERS AND THEIR CULTURE. 

The revelations of history and tradition, the rock-carved hieroglyphics 
and inscriptions, the earthen effigies of which they were the authors, are 
all susceptible of different interpretations by the students of archaolog}', 
and do not reveal with any degree of certainty the identity of this pre- 
historic race. The crumbling mounds and broken down embankments, 
a study of their locations and an observation of their forms, are the only 
avenues left open, according to Mr. Allen,* to seek information. In this 
respect the state geologist's report, printed some years ago, and an ac- 
count by the late Orland F. Baker, published in Goodspeed's History of 
Knox County, 1886, furnishes a bit of interesting reading. The works 
in Knox County of the vanished people we are discussing consist of 
moundst of habitation, sepulchral and temple embankments, and number 
more than two hundred, with probably as many more not yet explored. 
"Mounds of habitation are found a short distance to the north and south- 
west of \'incennes, along the summit of the high bluff of White river 
south of Edwardsport, on the graveled road between the latter town and 
Sanborn, and on the top and sides of the Dicksburg hills, in Decker 
township. A group of fifty-two mounds on the old Vaulting farm, six 
miles southeast of Purcell station, show more attention to regularity than 
is elsewhere seen, being arranged somewhat in regular lines from north 
to south, and from east to west. Sepulchral mounds are rare. The only 
one certainly identified is situated centrally in the last mentioned group. 
Explored by Samuel Jordon, it was found to contain human skeletons and 
round-bottomed pottery. Plumb-bobs, stone shuttles, spinerets and numer- 
ous fragments of potterj' have been found on the land adjoining, which 
was formerly owned by the late Samuel Catt, in survey twenty-two. 
Decker township. Other tumuli of this character will reward the am- 
bitious archaeologist who desires to prosecute further explorations at this 
point. This region was well to the center of the Mound Builders' nation. 
Remote from the dangers incident to a more exposed situation, and en- 
circled by a bulwark of loving hearts, forts, walled inclosures and citadels 
were unnecessary, and not erected as at exposed points on the frontier. 



* E. A. Allen, History of Civilisation. 

t The measurements of these mounds were taken by James E. Baker, dvil 
engineer, Kansas City, formerly of Vincennes. 



10 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

Perhaps the seat of a royal priesthood, their efforts essayed to build a 
series of temples which constituted at once a capital and holy city — the 
Heliopolis of the west. Three sacred mounds thrown upon, or against 
the sides of the second terrace or bluff east and southeast of Vincennes 
are the result ; and in size, symmetry and grandeur of aspect, rival, if not 
excel, any prehistoric remains in the United States. All three are trun- 
cated cones or pyramidal, and without doubt erected designedly for sacred 
purposes ; their flat areas on their summits being reserved for oratorical 
forums and sacred altars, as in the Teocalli of Mexico. The Pyramid 
mound, which is about one mile southeast of the city, on what is known as 
the A'liller farm, (commons lot 83, division "B.") is placed on a slightly 
elevated terrace surrounded by a cluster of small mounds. It is oblong 
with extreme diameter from east to west, at the base of three hundred 
feet, one hundred and fifty feet wide, and is forty-seven feet high. The 
level area on the summit, 15x50 feet, is crowded with intrusive burials 
of a later race. The Sugar Loaf mound, on the land of Dr. George Knapp, 
just east of the city's eastern corporate limits, is built against and on the 
side of the bluff, but stands out in bold relief with sharply inclined sides. 
Its diameter from east to west is two hundred and sixteen feet ; from 
north to south, one hundred and eighty feet, and towering aloft one hun- 
dred and forty feet above Vincennes plain, it commands by twenty-seven 
feet the high plateau to the east. Its area on top is 16x25 f^^'. A section 
of the Sugar Loaf mound was developed' quite a number of years ago. 
by sinking a shaft directly from the top, and the log of results then shown 
is as follows : 

Materials. Feet. Inches 

Loess sand 10 o 

Ashes, charcoal and bones o 10 

Loess sand 17 o 

Ashes, charcoal and bones O 10 

Loess sand 9 O 

Ashes, charcoal and bones 2 o 

Red altar clays, burned 3 o 

41 20 

"The shaft evidently closely approached or actually reached the former 
surface of the hill. It settled beyond all dispute that the mound was of ar- 
tificial origin, and indicated that it was a temple of three stories in height. 
The Terraced mound, on Burnet's heights, skirted by Fairground 
avenue, almost within the city limits, has an east and west diameter of 
three hundred and sixty feet ; from north to south, two hundred and 
eighty-two feet, and rises to an elevation of sixty-seven feet above the 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 11 

plain, with a level area on top of lo x 50 feet. A winding roadway from 
the east furnished the votaries of the sun easy access to the summit. 

"The Dicksburg Hills, which comprises a chain of elevation, rear their 
summits one hundred and fifty feet above the level plain and hence re- 
quired no additional elevation to catch the first kiss from the god of day, 
the deity whom the Mound Builders worshipped. These hills are very 
imposing viewed from any direction, but the view presented from White 
river to the east of them is probably the more pleasing. In extent they 
cover an area of from thirty-five to forty acres and their broad and flat 
summits were easily shaped for the establishment of sacred and 
sepulchral mounds. No very extensive explorations have been made of 
these hills (which have a strong suggestiveness of containing minerals), 
in quest of information pertaining to the Mound Builders, who have left 
unmistakable signs of having been there in implements wrought from 
stone and other articles of different material. The specimens of the 
handicraft of the Mound Builder as executed in stone and displayed in 
private collections, show a symmetry of form and perfection of finish, 
which could scarcely be equaled by a skilled mechanic if deprived of 
steel implements, the emery wheel and diamond dust. They consisted 
of hoes, spades, awls, knives, saws and spear and arrow points of flint 
and quartz; axes, chisels, hammers and pestles of drift granite; pipes,* 
beads and ornamental gorgets of greenstone, jasper and cornelian; and 
plumb-bobs (pendants), made from the specular ores of Missouri; all the 
last harder than steel, indicating a maturity of skill (not possessed by 
human beings between whom and the lower order of animals it would be 
difficult to draw a line of distinction, to be found only where society is 
stable and advancing towards a degree of civilization. 

The LaPlante hill, one and one-half miles south of the city, is noted 
for its height and symmetery ; and its gigantic proportions, when clad in 
the mantle of springtime's verdure, give it the appearance of a picturesque 
miniature mountain. There is a legend that a portion of the hill is com- 
posed of foreign soil, brought by the Indians from Missouri, to make a 
tomb for their medicine man, who had delivered the tribe from a terrible 
scourge and afterwards came here and died among his people ; the earth 
having been transported from the spot where the invocation of the Great 
Spirit, preceding the deliverance, took place. It has never been explored 
and that is was used as a temple mound by the Mound Builders is as 
much a matter of conjecture as that it was the burial place of Indians. 

* We are apt to judge the culture of a people by the skill they display in works 
of art. The article on which the Mound Builder lavished most of his skill was his 
pipe. This would show that with them, as with the modern Indians, the use of the 
pipe was largely interwoven with their civil and religious observances. In making 
war and concluding peace it probably played a very important part. To know the 
whole history of tobacco, of the custom of smoking, and of the origin of the pipe, 
would be to solve many of the most interesting problems of ethnology. [E. A. Allen, 
History of Civilization, vol. i, p. 398.] 



12 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

Robeson's hills,* just across the river, are another chain of minia- 
ture mountains of which a commanding view may be obtained from the 
wagon bridge. Studded with giant trees and decked with wild flowers 
of variegated hues, in the summer time the hills are a grand feature in 
a landscape picture of surpassing beauty. There are many legends con- 
nected with these hills relating to the Indians, who undoubtedly used them 
for entombing their dead. 

There seems to be no doubt in the minds of archaeologists that the 
Mound Builders practiced agriculture, which of course, could not have 
been anything more than rude tillage, such as was followed by the village 
Indian tribes. t "This is evident," says Mr. Allen, "from the tools with 
which they worked. In a few cases copper tools have been recovered 
which may have served for digging in the ground, but in most cases their 
art furnished them nothing higher than spades, shovels, picks and hoes 
made of stone, horn, bone and probably wood." The stone implements, in 
the opinion of Mr. Allen, were doubtless furnished with handles of 
wood. "That we are right," says he, "in regarding these implements as 
agricultural tools, is shown not only by their large size, but also by the 
traces of wear discovered on them. We must admit, however, that agri- 
culture carried on with such tools as these, must have been in a compara- 
tively rude state." 

There is yet much mystery connected with the modes and customs of 
the Mound Builders and the real purposes for which their variety of 
effigy mounds were builded, despite the luminous light historians of today 
are throwing upon the subject. Some writers have concluded that the 
mounds were constructed as a great tomb for the dead, but Mr. Allen 
is not one of that class. He says it should not be supposed "that the mounds 
were the sole cemeteries of the people who built them. Like the barrows 
of Europe, they were probably erected only over the bodies of the chiefs 

* In and around Vincennes the topography of the country gives evidences of the 
glacial period. The Dicksburg, La Plante and Robeson Hills are no doubt the 
deposits from glaciers, as the soil on the summits of each is altogether different 
from that which is found at the base, and the timber growth of the hills (especially 
noticeable on Robeson's), is unlike the varieties which grow on the level plain. 
The Indian legend relative to the Missouri soil on La Plante's Hill probably had its 
origin on account of that elevation being a glacial deposit. That the Dicksburg Hills 
belong to the glacial epoch is further evidenced by the fact that in range of them 
skeletons of mastodons have been found. Skeletons of these prehistoric mammals 
have also been unearthed on the farm adjacent to Robeson's Hills; but the most 
remarkable find of remains of mammalia was recently made at Beaver Dam, north 
of Robeson's Hills, when the shovel of a steam dredge lifted from the bed of that 
stream the huge skull of a mastodon. The upper jaw held a portion of one tusk, 
which measured nine inches in diameter. Bones of these prehistoric monsters are 
frequently found in Johnson township, and have recently been discovered on the 
Brevoort farm, near St. Francesville, and on Tindolph's farm, in the vicinity of 
Bunker Hill. 

t E, A. Allen, History of Civilization, p. 409. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 13 

and priests, the wise men and warriors of the tribe. The amount of work 
required for the erection of a mound was too great to provide one for 
every person. The greater number of the dead were deposited elsewhere 
than in mounds, but it is doubtful whether we can always distinguish 
the prehistoric burial places from those of the later Indians." The re- 
mains of mounds indicate that different sections of country are dis- 
tinquished by different classes of mounds. While the western country 
has a greater number of burial mounds than any other kind, the temple 
mounds seem to predominate in the south. Beyond the northern lakes 
their presence has never been noted and it is said that no definite trace of 
them can be found in Texas. "And, yet," says Mr. Allen, in speaking 
further of these "vanished people," particularly of the remains of their 
industry, "we must not forget that these are the antiquities of our own 
country ; that the broken archwological fragments we pick up will, when 
put together, give us knowledge of tribes that lived here when civiliza- 
tion was struggling into being in the east. It should be to us far more 
interesting than the historj' of the land of the Pharoahs, or of storied 
Greece. Yet, strange to say, the facts we have just mentioned are un- 
known to the mass of our people. Accustomed to regard this as the new 
world, they have turned their attention to Europe and the east where 
they would learn of prehistoric times. In a general way we have regarded 
the Indians as a late arrival from Asia, and cared but little for their early 
history. It is only recently that we have become convinced of an ex- 
tended past in the history of this country and it is only of late that able 
writers have brought to our attention the wonders of an ancient culture 
and shown us the footprints of a vanished people." 

Neither the period of the arrival of the Mound Builders in this country 
nor the date of their withdrawal from it has been stated by writers of an- 
tiquities, but it is known that at a very early day this broad land, with its 
rolling prairies and dense woodlands, its mighty lakes and endless rivers, 
was inhabited by a race of people whose knowledge of the arts seemed 
several stages in advance of a barbarian age. They had preceded Co- 
lumbus to this country many years, and had established settlements, 
reared monuments and practiced religion long before the ill-fated dis- 
coverer landed on these shores. That they were not unlearned in war 
is shown in their implements of warfare and the fortified inclosures they 
left behind them and that they were tillers of the soil and had perfected 
an organized state of society is quite evident. But whether or not they 
were associated with the American Indian by tribal ties, or otherwise, 
has never been determined. It is the general supposition that the Indian, 
who seemed to adopt many of the customs of the Mound Builders — from 
mining minerals and metals and working them into implements of useful- 
ness and articles of ornament — banished them from the domains over 
which for so many years he ruled as lord and master and earned the title 



14 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

of the first American. Though long since withdrawn from the stage of 
action, the part played by the Indian in the history of the northwest ter- 
ritory — especially the Wabash country — has been of such importance as 
to call for a review at this juncture of his dealings with the white man. 
The habitable continent of America at the time of its discovery- was 
traversed by the Indians, who, from their resemblance to the inhabitants 
of the Indies, were given their name. They were divided into nations, 
families and tribes, according to locality, habits and degree of consan- 
guinity. The Algonquins were the Primitive family, the chief elements of 
whose language constituted the base of the original language of the abori- 
gines of North America. Modifications of this originated, no doubt, in the 
offshoots of the parent stock finding a habitation in adjacent territory 
and subjected to local influences. The representative family of this stock 
was recognized in the Miamis, whose territory was most extensive. The 
different tribes which have from time to time inhabitated the territory 
with which we are concerned, occupied a relation more or less remote 
from the Miamis, who appear to have been the original and exclusive 
occupants of this part of Indiana. About one hundred and ninety years ago 
the Pottawatomies took either forcible or permissive possession of a por- 
tion of the Miami territory in Indiana and occupied it until their removal 
westward. The Weas, an immediate branch of the Miamis, the Kicka- 
poos, Shawnees, Winnebagoes and other tribes, have occupied territory 
on and adjacent to the Wabash river and its tributaries. 



THE MIAMIS. 

When the white man first acquired a knowledge of the aboriginal 
races of America, the Miamis possessed and occupied an extent of terri- 
tory greater than any other nation or tribe on the continent, exerting 
also a more powerful influence over the adjacent tribes. The Algonquin 
family, of which the Miamis are the representative division, occupied 
about half the territory of the United States east of the Mississippi and 
extending north to the St. Lawrence and the lakes, including among others 
the Knistniaux, scattered throughout the extensive domain lying be- 
tween Hudson's bay and the Rocky mountains ; to the southward, cover- 
ing the area occupied by the middle states of our national union. At 
that date the Algonquin family possessed more warriors than all the 
other nations combined. 

Because of the widely extended dominion of the Miamis and the 
numerous branches acknowledging the relation, they were in times past 
known as the Miami confederacy. We find among them no traditions 
that they had ever occupied other or different territory than that occupied 
by them when their existence first became known to the white race; hence 
it is fair to presume that they never were a migratory people. On the 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 15 

20th of July, 1748, a treaty of alliance and friendsiiip was concluded be- 
tween the Miamis and the agents of Great Britain, at Lancaster, in the 
province of Pennsylvania, whereby the Miamis, by the name of Twigh- 
trees, were accepted as friends and allies of the English nation, recog- 
nized as subjects of the British king, entitled to the privileges and pro- 
tection of the English laws. Anterior to this date, however, the French 
missionaries and traders, for a long series of years, had exerted a very 
powerful influence over the same tribe ; and in after years, also, the early 
supremacy of the French over them was not forgotten and numerous 
trading posts continued to be established and maintained in the face of 
the British alliance. 

By the treaty of Greenville, in August, 1795; by the treaty at Grouse- 
land, near Vincennes, on the 21st of August, 1805; by the treaty at Fort 
Wayne, on the 30th of September, 1809; by the second treaty at Green- 
ville on the 22d of July, 1814; and again at the Spring Wells, on the 8th 
day of September, 1815, the Miamis, in connection with other tribes, 
ceded to the United States certain joint interests in lands lying chiefly in 
Ohio and Indiana. In was reserved, however, to the treaty of St. Mary's, 
Ohio, on the 6th day of October, 1818. between the chiefs, warriors and 
head men of Miamis, on the one part, and Jonathan Jennings, Lewis Cass 
and Benjamin Parke, commissioners, representing the United States, on 
the other, for the Miamis to make the large cessions of territory to the 
United States, which most interest the people inhabiting the Wabash val- 
ley. By the provisions of that treaty, the United States acquired title to 
the following territory: "Beginning at the Wabash river, where the pres- 
ent Indian boundary line crosses the same, near the mouth of Raccoon 
creek ; thence up the Wabash river to the reserve at its head, near Fort 
Wayne; thence to the reserve at Fort Wayne; thence, with the lines 
thereof, to the St. Mary's river; thence up the St. Mary's river to the 
reservation at the portage ; thence with the line of the cession made by the 
Wyandotte nation of Indians to the United States, at the foot of the rapids 
of the Miami of Lake Erie, on the 29th day of September, in the year 
one thousand eight hundred and seventeen, to the reservation at Lora- 
mie's store; thence with the present Indian boundary line to Fort Re- 
covery and with the said line thereof, following the course thereof, to 
the place of beginning," 

In consideration for the cession aforesaid the Miamis were to receive 
a perpetual annuity of $15,000, payable in silver; also, 160 bushels of salt; 
and, in addition thereto, were to be provided by the United States one 
grist and sawmill, one blacksmith and one gunsmith shop, with the neces- 
sary agricultural implements. 

The Miamis, for the most part, were of medium height and well built, 
active and excessively fond of racing; their heads were more round than 
most other tribes, with countenances rather agreeable than otherwise and in 



16 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

their habits cleanly, with a disposition favorable to the cultivation of the 
soil. 

THE SHAWNEES. 

This tribe is classed with that branch of the Algonquin family known 
as the Lenni Lenapes and claim that their ancestors were not inhabitants 
of the American continent but originated beyond the waters of the Paci- 
fic; that, becoming dissatisfied with their country, they marched in a body 
to the seashore, when, under the guidance of a leader of the Turtle 
tribe, they walked into the sea, the waters of which separated before 
them, and they walked, dryshod, along the bottom of the ocean until they 
reached the opposite shore. The earliest mention of any settlement of 
this tribe was in the beginning of the sevententh century, on the Susque- 
hanna, in Pennsylvania. Mr. Jefferson, in his "Notes on Virginia," in 
speaking of the arrival of Captain John Smith on this continent, in 1607, 
says that during the following year a fierce war was raging against the 
allied Mohicans, residing on Long Island and the Shawnees on the Sus- 
quehanna and to the westward of the river by the Iroquois. An enumera- 
tion of the Indians inhabiting territory adjacent to the Delaware river, 
places this tribe among others in that vicinity. Forty years later Charle- 
voix refers to them as occupying a location on the south of the Senecas ; 
and in 1682 they appear to have been a party to the treaty with William 
Penn, under the great elm tree at Kensington ; subsequently at the treaty 
of Philadelphia, in February, 1701, the Shawnees were parties, repre- 
sented by their chiefs Wap-a-tha, Le-moy-tu-ngh and Pe-moy-aj-agh. 
Within the period of fifty years afterward, we find this tribe occupying 
territory far to the south, in Kentucky, Georgia and the Carolinas, as early 
as 1708, from which, in consequence of their restless, warlike disposi- 
tion, as a measure of safety, they migrated to Ohio about the year 1752. 
A few years antecedent thereto, with the consent of the Delawares, they 
built a town at the mouth of the Wabash, on Delaware territory. The re- 
lations of these two kindred tribes were very amicable and so continued 
for a number of years, but subsequently a difficulty arose between them 
which terminated in a fierce battle, in which the Shawnees were defeated 
and again removed westward of the Ohio river. After the removal of 
the Miamis from the Big Miami river, in 1763, they established them- 
selves at Upper and Lower Piqua, making those points their headquarters. 
At one time, it is said, they numbered nearly four thousand at the former 
place. Owing to their close proximity to the border settlements on the 
Ohio, a fierce warfare was waged upon the whites for a number of years, 
in which the Delawares, Wyandottes, Mingoes and Miamis were partici- 
pants, the Shawnees being the most aggressive and troublesome. Their 
warlike dispositions, added to their faithlessness in the observance of com- 
pacts with other tribes, exerted a strong influence toward gradual de- 
generacy. Though courageous and powerful, they were deceptive and 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 17 

treacherous, arrogating to themselves a prominence not only over other 
tribes, but also over the whites. A characteristic account of the grounds 
upon which they claim superiority was given by one of the chiefs of that 
tribe at a convention held at Fort Wayne, in 1803, when he declared that 
"the Master of Life, who was himself an Indian, made the Shawnees 
before any other of the Indian race and they sprang from his brain ; He 
gave them all the knowledge He Himself possessed and placed them upon 
the great island and all the other red people are descendants from the 
Shawnees. After He made the Shawnees He made the French and Eng- 
lish out of his breast, the Dutch out of His feet and the Long Knives out 
of His hands." 

Along the valley of the Ohio the progress of settlement was resisted 
by this tribe with persevering continuity, the decisive engagement with 
the army of Gen. Wayne, at the rapids of the Miami of the Lakes, August 
20, 1794, being the first effective check upon their movements. In the 
meantime, however, stimulated by the action of British emissaries, they 
participated in most of the predatory excursions into the Kentucky set- 
tlements along the border; and through their agency, also, it is believed, 
more property was destroyed and more lives sacrificed than by all the 
other tribes of the northwest. Nevertheless, they encountered fre- 
quent reverses in the progress of their warlike expeditions; for example: 
Bowman's expedition, in 1779, into the Mad river country; Clark's, in 
1780 and 1782 and Logan's, in 1786, to the same locality; Edwards', in 
1787, to the head waters of Big Miami and Todd's, in 1788, into the Scioto 
valley. The castigation received at the hands of Gen. Wayne, in 1794, had 
a most salutary effect; so that, in the treaty at Greenville, on the 3d day 
of August, 1795. we find them participating in the preliminary councils, 
and expressing a wish to conclude a firm and lasting peace with the white 
people. 

Conspicuous among the refractory elements at the treaty last named 
were Tecumseh and his brother the Prophet ; the former of whom mani- 
fested his hostility by endeavoring to induce an alliance with other kin- 
dred tribes for the enforcement of their opposition and the latter by a sys- 
tem of jugglery, to insure support by the power of superstition. In the 
spring of 1808, having by his artful policy drawn around him a consider- 
able number of followers, with Tecumseh, his brother, he removed from 
Greenville, Ohio, their former residence, and by permission of the Potta- 
wattomies and Kickapoos, settled on the west bank of the Wabash near 
the mouth of the Tippecanoe near the city of La Fayette, the place there- 
after being known as the Prophet's Town. From that time the Prophet's 
adherents began to increase in number until they became formid- 
able, making their presence felt along the border settlements in a manner 
to excite the gravest apprehensions among the settlers and the Govern- 
ment authorities at Vincennes for the maintenance of peace, resulting, 
finally in the battle of Tippecanoe. After this im()ortant event took place 



18 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

the Prophet's followers were not long in deserting him, and his own peo- 
ple, after contending against the fates for the succeeding four or five 
years, finally succumbed to the authority of the United States and ac- 
cepted a home beyond the Mississippi. 

THE POTTAWATOMIES. 

Next to the Miamis, perhaps the Pottawatomies were considered the 
most powerful of the several tribes who formerly inhabited the Wabash 
country, having, early in the eighteenth century, crowded the Miamis from 
their dwellings in Chicago and forced a settlement on territory which had 
been held by the Miamis from time immemorial. They belonged, like 
nearly all the tribes on the Wabash, to the great family of Algonquins 
and were related, by ties of consanguinity, to the Ojibvvays — better known 
as Chippewas. The first trace of them was in the regions of Lake Su- 
perior, on the islands near the entrance of Green Bay, where they adopted 
into their tribe many of the Ottawas from Upper Canada. In the name 
of Pottawatomie there is a marked significance developed touching cer- 
tain characteristics fro'm which they acquired some early distinction. The 
name is a compound of Put-ta-wa, signifying a blowing out or expansion 
of the cheeks, as in blowing a fire; and me, a nation, which, being inter- 
preted, means a nation of fire-blowers. The Pottawatomies have been 
generally aggressive in character, not infrequently locating themselves on 
territory not their own without consulting the right of the reputed owners 
to object. After the close of the war with Great Britain, in which most 
of the tribes in the Northwest had been engaged in opposition to the 
whites, a treaty was held at the Portage des Siou.x, on July iS, 1815, be- 
tween the Pottawatomies and the United States, for the purpose of es- 
tablishing "perpetual peace and friendship between all the people of the 
United States of America and all the people composing the said Pottawa- 
tomie tribe or nation." By this treaty at St. Mary's on October 2, 1818, 
the Indians ceded to the United States all the territory embraced within 
the following limits. "Beginning at the mouth of the Tippecanoe river 
and nmning up the same to a point twenty-five miles in a direct line from 
the Wabash river, thence on a line as nearly parallel to the general course 
of the Wabash river as is practicable, to a point on the Vermillion river, 
twenty-five miles from the Wabash ; thence down the Vermillion river to 
its mouth, and thence up the Wabash river to the place of beginning. The 
Pottawatomies also ceded to the United States all their claim to the 
country south of the Wabash river." The most important treaty of the 
Wabash Valley, held with this tribe, was that on the "Old Treaty Ground," 
at Paradise Springs, on the Wabash, near the mouth of the Mississinnewa 
river, on the i6th day of October, 1826. Under this treaty they ceded 
to the United States territory comprised within boundary "beginning on 
the Tippecanoe river, where the northern boundary of the tract ceiled by 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 19 

the Pottawatomies to the United States, by the treaty of St. Mary's, in 
the year 1818, intersects the same; thence, in a direct line, to a point on 
Eel river, half-way between the mouth of the said river and Pieresh's 
Village; thence up Eel river to Seek's Village, near the head thereof; 
thence, in a direct line, to the mouth of a creek empyting into the St. 
Joseph's, of the Miami, near the IMetea's village; thence up the St. Jo- 
seph's to the boundary line between the states of Indiana and Ohio; thence 
south to the Miami ; thence up the same to the reservation at Fort Wayne ; 
thence, with the line of the said reservation, to the boundary line estab- 
lished by the treaty with the Miamis, in 1818; thence with the said line to 
the Wabash river; thence with the same river to the mouth of Tippe- 
canoe river and thence, with the Tippecanoe river to the place of begin- 
ning." And the said tribe also ceded to the United States all their right 
to land with the following limits: "Beginning at a point on Lake Michi- 
gan, ten miles due north of the southern extremity thereof, running east 
to the land ceded by the Indians to the United States, by the treaty of 
Chicago; thence southerly therof, ten miles; thence west to the southern 
extremity of Lake Michigan ; thence with the shore thereof to the place 
of beginning." In the course of time, nineteen other treaties with the 
Pottawatomies were concluded by the United States, by which certain 
reservations withheld by former treaties, were ceded to the United States. 
By the final treaty held on February 11, 1837, between John T. Douglass, 
on the part of the United States and this tribe, all their remaining inter- 
ests in Indiana came into possession of the United States and they accepted 
a tract of country appropriated to their use beyond the Missouri river and 
agreed to move thither. They were accordingly moved in the fall and 
winter of 1838 and 1839. 

THE WE.\S OR QUIATENONS. 

This tribe is also a branch of the Miamis and belongs as well to the 
Algonquin family, and it is said, were here in 1702, when M. Jucherean 
de St. Dennis came with his Canadian companions and formed a settle- 
ment on the Ouabache. At this date there were four other villages of the 
tribe here — Ouj-a-tanon, Petitscotias, Les Goas and Peanquinchias (Pi- 
ankeshaws) — the last named being the larger of the five and all of them 
capable of mustering twelve hundred warriors. The Weas ceded to the 
United States (by the Greenville treaty, 1795), a tract at Quiatenon, or 
Weatown, six miles square. This cession, though small, appears to have 
been the first made by them as a separate tribe, or jointly with other in- 
terested tribes, and embraced a portion of their most valuable possessions. 
By a subsequent treaty in which the Weas, jointly with the Miamis, Eel 
rivers, Delawares and Pottawatomies, at Grouseland, Vincennes, on 
August 21, 1805, declared that those tribes were "joint owners of all the 
country on the Wabash and its waters above the Vincennes tract," and 



20 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

which had not been ceded to the United States by that or any other treaty 
and as such they agreed to recognize a community of interest in the same. 
By the provisions of the same treaty the joint interest of these tribes in 
certain lands south of White river was relinquished to the United States, 
in consideration of which the Weas were to receive an annuity of $250. 
Again, by the treaty of Fort Harrison, on June 4, 1816, the Weas, with 
the Kickapoos, entered into a treaty of peace with the United States and 
confirmed the treaties before made by them, involving the title to lands 
on the west side of the Wabash river. Under a subsequent treaty en- 
tered into October 2, 1818, the Weas, for themselves, ceded to the United 
States, all the lands owned by them in Indiana, Ohio and Illinois, except 
certain special reservations made in their interest, from which the United 
States stipulated to pay them, in addition to their former annuity of 
$1,150. the sum of $1,850, thus making the aggregate annuity $3,000 an- 
nually in silver. On the nth of August, 1820, at Vincennes, this tribe 
made a further cession of all their lands reserved by the last preceding 
treaty, to the United States, in consideration of the sum of $5,000 in 
money and goods ; the receipt of which was then and there acknowledged. 
Inasmuch, also, as it was contemplated by the foregoing provisions, that 
the Weas should shortly remove from the Wabash, their annuities were 
thereafter directed to be paid at Kaskaskia, in Illinois. 

THE KICKAPOOS. 

This tribe was also of the Algonquin family, and appears first to have 
occupied with the Pottawatomies a portion of the territory between Lake 
Michigan and the Mississippi river. By invitation of the Miamis they 
went further south and at the beginning of the eighteenth centui-y were 
numerous and powerful. As a result of a furious war between them and 
the Sacs on the one side and the Kaskaskias, Cahokias, Peorias, Michi- 
ganians and Temorias on the other, these latter tribes were almost anni- 
hilated, though a short time previously they aggregated four thousand 
warriors. By the provisions of the treaty at Greenville, August 3, 1795, 
the Kickapoos ceded their interest in certain lands disposed of by that 
treaty to the United States in consideration of annuity of $500. By pro- 
visions of article 7 of that treaty they were allowed "the liberty to hunt 
within the territory and lands which they have now ceded to the United 
States, without hindrance or molestation, so long as they demean them- 
selves peaceably and offer no injury to the people of the United States." 
Again, by the treaty at Fort Wayne on the "th day of June, 1803, this 
tribe, with others, made further cession of rights and privileges to the 
United States, "as a mark of their regard for and attachment to the United 
States, whom they acknowledge for their friends and protectors." Sub- 
sequently, by the treaty of Fort Harrison, on the 4th day of June, 1816, 
they, with the Weas, acknowledged the cession by them of certain lands on 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 21 

the north-west side of the Wabash, on the Wabash and VermilHon rivers, 
and again entered into a league of friendship with the United States, hav- 
ing, by former treaties, on the 30di of September and 9th of December, 
1809, made joint cession of the same territory to the United States. By 
final treaty with the United States, on the 30th day of July, 1819, at Ed- 
wardsville, in the State of Illinois, they ceded to the United States, "all 
their land on the south-east side of the Wabash river, including their 
principal village, in which their ancestors formerly resided, consisting of 
a large tract to which they have had, from time immemorial and now 
have, a just right; that they have heretofore ceded, or otherwise disposed 
of, in any manner whatever;"' also, all other lands in the state of Indiana 
not before ceded by them, promising to continue under the protection of 
the United States and no other nation. In consideration for this last 
treaty they were to receive $3,000 worth of merchandize, in addition to 
an annuity of $2,000 in silver, as a consideration for former cessions made, 
together with certain lands in Missouri Territory; provided they never 
sell said lands without the consent of the United States. Aside from the 
alliance of some of the tribe with Tecumseh and his brother in their pro- 
posed scheme for the confederation of the tribes, the Kickapoos have 
kept faithfully and maintained the integrity of every stipulation of their 
treaties. 



CHAPTER III. 
THE FIRST BLACK ROBED PRIEST TO VISIT VINCENNES. 

EARLY COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN THE PEOPLES OF CANADA AND THE OLD 
POST — FATE OF THREE MISSIONARIES BROUGHT BY CHAMPLAIN FROM 
FRANCE TO AMERICA — ROUTES OF VOYAGERS TO WESTERN COUNTRY — 
FAME FORGETS SOME GOOD ACTORS IN MILITARY DRAMA PRESENTED AT 
VINCENNES A CENTURY AND A THIRD SINCE — THE VILLAGE OF CHIPPE- 
COKE — THE WABASH COUNTRY SUPPOSED TO CONTAIN GOLD AND SILVER 

DEPOSITS ILLINOIS INDIANS MOULD BULLETS ON BUNKER HILL — MAR- 

QUETTE's EXPLORATION OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AND HIS SUPPOSED 
VISIT TO VINCENNES. 

The lack of precision of some historians in fixing the date of the first 
settlement of Vincennes has been more or less annoying to students of 
history who value positiveness of statement in the chronicling of an event 
above the details of mere conjecture. The Indians, of course, has their 
"happy hunting grounds" here long before the advent of the white man. 
The French missionaries were the first white settlers, and came here as 
early as 1609, although it was not until the year 1702 that the first per- 
manent white settlement was perfected, the first fort builded and the first 
church erected west of the Allegheny Mountains. These three import- 
ant events comprised the germ, as it were, from which the civilization, 
religion and military glory of the Northwest Territory budded, blossomed 
and bloomed, emitting a wholesome fragramce that permeated a scope of 
country within the borders of which now dwell one-fourth of the popu- 
lation of the United States. 

In the earlier days, following the establishment of Nouvelle France 
and the domination of Louis XIV over the same, and especially after 
the treaty of Ryswick, in 1697, Canada was bound to \'incennes re- 
ligiously, socially and commercially and through the marital ties existing 
among the aborigines, by a friendly chain in which Detroit, then only a 
spot in the wide expanse of the great Northwestern domain, was an im- 
portant and closely-connecting link. Before Marquette, before La Salle, 
before Juchereau, intercommunication was had by the peoples of Canada 
and this section of the Northwest Territory. 

22 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 23 

Quebec was founded by Champlain in 1608, more than a decade after 
Cartier had taken voyage up the St. Lawrence river to a settlement com- 
posed entirely of Indians who, in after years, look unto themselves squaws 
of French-Canadian extractitjn, which he subsequently named Mount 
Real, on account of the topography of the country, which showed an ele- 
vation of great eminence surrounded by a pleateau of surpassing beauty. 
The original name of the settlement was *Hochelaga and was known to 
the ancestors of the French who formed the first permanent settlement at 
Port Royal, in Nova Scotia, on the Bay of Fundy, in the year 1605. It 
was the zealous Christian spirit of Champlain which led him to bring from 
the sunny shores of southern France a quartette of Franciscan friars to 
the bleak and barren coasts of a country overrun with savages, "whose 
untutored mind" had not yet learned to "see God in clouds or hear Him in 
the wind." Forsaking the comfortable homes of their native land and 
turning tlieir backs forever upon the place of their birth, their kindred 
and friends, to carry the cross into the very heart of a howling wilderness 
wherein death, danger and cunning treachery confronted them at every step 
and to proclaim the Word of God to beings who refused to listen, fur- 
nished such thrilling examples of self-sacrifice and devotion as to meet 
only with a counterpart in the sacred annals of the deeds of martyrs. 
All but one of this devoted band of religious pilgrims were the victims 
of Indian treachery, and their bleached bones have long since returned to 
the dust whence they came, and the silent solitudes and the chief actors 
in the tragedies that witnessed their dissolution have disappeared 
forever. One of these four "heralds of the cross" established a Cathohc 
mission here, harmonious with the primeval forests, in 1609, although he 
came to \'incennes several months before actively engaging in missionary 
work. All record of this holy man, however, disappeared when some sac- 
riligious vandal, as late as 1873, purloined from the Cathedral library a 
letter, addressed by the priest to his mother in France, recounting his ex- 
periences in the New World. 

As early as 1646 the remote wilderness centres of the Northwest Ter- 
ritory had been visited by forty-five Jesuit missionaries, besides nineteen 
assistants. To these light bearers in a wilderness of darkness and men 
like Champlain, Marquette and La Salle, explorers for the purpose of in- 
creasing man's knowledge of worldly afifairs and awakening his sense of 
spiritual bliss, their missions were as epic poems, resplendent with stanzas 
having the rhythmic measure of celestial music, which made them forget 
the hardships and perils of their undertakings. To these devout French- 
men the birch canoe was made to answer the purpose of the steamboat 
of a later day. With this frail craft they not only navigated the lakes 
and rivers of Canada and ascended the Mississippi and all it tributaries. 



* Today an eastern suburb of the modern city of Montreal. 



24 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

but also *"surmounted the most dangerous rapids, passed from river to 
river, penetrated into the bosom of trackless forests and struck into the 
recesses of inhospitable mountains." By this means of navigation, which 
was the only way possible at such an early date for these indomitable 
voyagcurs to traverse this vast region, f'the French succeeded in secur- 
ing its trade, cultivating the friendships of its inhabitants and gaining a 
power which, if ably wielded, must have permanently subjected the whole 
of this country to their language, their customs, their religion, and per- 
haps, to their dominion." 

It was, therefore, more through religious enthusiasm than any other 
agency, that the first settlements were established in the Northwest Terri- 
tOTy. fit was religious enthusiasm which colonized New England; re- 
ligious enthusiasm took possession of the wilderness on the Upper Lakes 
and explored the Mississippi. Puritanism gave New England its worships 
and its schools ; Catholicism and the Jesuit priests built for Canada its altars, 
its hospitals and its seminaries. The influence of Calvin can be traced in 
every New England village; in Canada not a cape was turned, nor a mis- 
sion founded, nor a river entered, nor a settlement begun, but a Jesuit led 
the way. Religious enthusiasm not only raised altars, chapels and churches 
and built schools and hospitals, but wherever it erected a church it con- 
structed a fort, planting the sword beside the cross. 

It was religious enthusiasm that built the first fort at Vincennes more 
than two centuries ago, which was the prelude to one of the most thrilling 
and sensational military dramas — presented more than two-thirds of a 
century later — ever enacted upon any stage of any continent. The dra- 
matis pcrsonac were of a class which have long since withdrawn from the 
flare of the foot-lights, their places having been usurped by an altogether 
difl^erent set of actors which new schools of acting, demanded by the 
changing tastes of patrons, have created. The scenic efifects were grand 
beyond description. Dense woods, hemmed either bank of a beautiful 
river, reflecting their great nude limbs in its mirrored depths. Beyond 
these towering forest giants stretched wondrous expanses of prairie lands, 
their dead and dying vegetation, stirred by gusts of chilling winds, heaved 
like the troubled bosom of an ochreous ocean. On the east shore of the 
classic stream nestled an Arcadian village, its peaceful inhabitants dwell- 
ing in white houses, thatched with golden straw, within hail one with an- 
other. Above the house-tops, the frowning bastions of a rude fort and 
the belfry of the quaint church gleamed in the sunlight and cast their 
shadows towards the river, at whose landing battcaux of handsome design, 
pirogues and dug-outs, laced together with raw-hide, were moored or 
beached. Aside from the fort and church — inanimate things, yet full of 
animation in this instance — there were little less of artificial properties 

* Milbvirn, Pioneers, Preachers and People of the Mississippi Valley. 
t Milburn. 
X Milburn. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 25 

to add to the settings of natural scenery. There was no large audience 
to greet the hero of the play with deafening plaudits or sounding plati- 
tudes as he strode upon the stage. He made his entrance after boldest 
announcement, and his presence was an inspiring, if not an ominous, one 
to all except the small aggregation of which he was the star. No actor 
ever threw his heart and soul into a part as did the leading man in this 
great drama — this noble son of \'irginia, a commonwealth so prolific in 
heroes, warriors and statesmen. He displayed talents of the highest 
order, military genius unsurpassed ; possessing qualifications but rarely 
combined in one man and a versatility not often allied with a sound judg- 
ment. "To great quickness of perception and clearness of mind, he added 
a solidity of judgment, a boldness of thought and a vigor of action, that 
carried everything before them. The hardihood of his designs, the alac- 
rity with which he reached decisions, the rapidity of his movements sur- 
prised his friends as well as his foes, inspiring fear on the one hand and 
confidence on the other. This latter characteristic of the man led his 
critics to remark, that his actions always had the appearance of rashness, 
until the results were developed, and then they seemed to have been con- 
ceived in consummate prudence and profound sagacity.* Throughout the 
play his appearance and manners were prepossessing and commanding, 
his address dignified and winning, yet it required no efifort, when occa- 
sion demanded, for him to fly into a tempest of anger and terrify his 
beholders with the fierceness of his aspect. He knew men and men's na- 
tures, and had studied them well, selecting for his company a very capable 
corps of actors from the backwoods — frontiersmen and border-fighters, 
born close to Nature — who essayed their respective roles with a profound 
knowledge of the characters they had assumed, displaying histrionic ability 
that was both marked and marvelous. The whole caste, from the first 
walking gentleman down to the drummer boy and supernumeraries, ac- 
quitted themselves admirably. So well, in fact, did all the perfonners 
play their respective parts, that when the curtain descended on the final 
act of the drama, to be again rung up by an encore, a grand transforma- 
tion scene — the immensity of which beggars description and whose spec- 
tacular finale, for brilliant eiTects, has never been approached by any com- 
pany, on any stage of the world's vast theater — was presented. A new 
era in the eventful career of Vincennes had been wrought. The old town 
became the key, as it were, to unlock the door to a scope of country of 
matchless beauty, vast in extent and pregnant with resources — the em- 
porium of an empire, the seat of government of a trackless territory 
now embracing the great states of Indiana, Illinois, Alichigan, Wisconsin 
and a portion of Minnesota. Regretfully, it must be said, that the actors 
who played tragic roles in this great historical drama, with its all-im- 
portant scenes laid at Vincennes, have been permitted, by the faithful 



*Hall, The Romance of Western History, pp. 418, 419. 



26 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

chroniclers of the times, to pass from the worldly scenes of action with- 
out a meed of praise; aye, without even a friendly criticism of how well 
they played their parts. Men whose brilliant deeds would add additional 

lustre to the pages of American historj- — the history of which we write 

have been accorded but a passing notice, or ignored entirely, by historians. 
\'erily, 

We build with what we deem eternal rock ; 

Die too: the deep foundations that we lay, 

Time plows them up, and not a trace remains. ' 

We build with what we deem eternal work; 

A distant age asks where the fabric stood; 

And in the dust, sifted and searched in vain, 

The undiscoverable secret sleeps." 

While it is of little or no consequence to the average reader to know 
of the first white man to visit a certain locality, or the date of its found- 
ing, there are quite a few persons desirous of gaining such information, 
especially if either the place or the visitor subsequently become noted or 
famous. 

Because of the establishment of friendly relations between Canada 
and this particular spot in the Northwestern country almost simultaneous 
with the founding of Quebec, it is not unreasonable to suppose that mis- 
sionaries were here many years before the establishment of a military 
post. The quest for sinners among savages by the Jesuits, the tribal re- 
lations of the Indians, and the knowledge possessed by the latter and 
French-Canadian trappers, gained through communication with fur hunt- 
ers here, of this immediate locality as superior hunting grounds, abundantly 
supplied with a variety of game, had a magnetic effect in drawing these 
three different classes of people hither, at a very early day, from the great 
lakes of the northland. 

The French colonial records of Quebec. Canada, make mention of this 
country and the beautiful river, called by the Creole natives "Ouabache" 
[pronounced "We-ba" — meaning a summer cloud, moving swiftly] and of 
the labors of the missionaries and the achievements of trappers and trad- 
ers, placing the settlement at 1702. The earliest written account of 
"Poste St. Vincent" (Vincennes) and the country, and the Indians in- 
habiting the place, [a Piankashaw-Miami tribe then occupied with a vil- 
lage, a strip of ground bounded by Busseron and Perry streets and ex- 
tending from the banks of the river easterly as far, probably, as Eighth 
or Ninth street, called "Chip-Kaw-Kay." and pronounced by the settlers 
*"Chip-pe-coke" or "Brushwood"] is found in a book printed in the city 

* "Chippecoke'' (an appellation which ching to Vincennes for some time atfer it 
became a settlement of the white man), while occupied as an Indian village, and as 
the exclusive habitation of the Piankeshaws, ever had its portals open to all repre- 
sentatives of tribes belonging to the Miami confederation. Above the door of its 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 27 

of Paris in 1761, entitled "Letters Edifying and Curious,"* which con- 
tains a letter written by Gabriel Marest, Missionary of the Company of 
Jesus, to Father Gerom of the same company. The letter was written at 
Kaskaskia and dated November 9, 1712, one himdred and ninety-eight 
years ago. Still, the place was known to exist twelve years before that 
and French traders and missionaries were here twelve years, if not, in 
reality, ninety-one years, previous. What did the first Frenchman think 



quaint circular council-house was the tribal totem of the turtle, and within its 
walls many conferences were held between the red and white man as well as 
numerous secret meetings to which only the Indians were admitted. In appearance 
it was not unlike a tnarine light-house, and towered above the huts and shanties 
that afforded shelter to the villagers. The boundaries of the village were probably 
Busseron street on the south and Perry street on the north. Near the south side 
of Buntin street, between the river bank (colline gravois) and First street, was a 
large mound, which was used for burial purposes. This, however, was removed when 
ground was broken for the elevator (on the site) now operated by J. & S. Emison, 
and the bones of many braves were e.xhumed. Just how far eastward the limits of 
the village extended is not known— but it is very probable that they reached from the 
river as far back as Eighth or Ninth street. At least, it is reasonable to suppose 
that the Piankeshaws had jurisdiction over that portion of the city. There is a ridge, 
or elevation, extending from Willow, between Eighth and Ninth street, as far north 
as Scott street, which was, possibly, before the streets were improved and graded, the 
only section of the city not subject to inundation. That the Indians made use of this 
high ground (especially in the southeast end of the city) for burying their dead is 
evidenced from the fact that well-preserved skeletons are frequently unearthed in 
that locality. While Joseph V. Hershey was having ground broken March, 1910, for 
the foundation of his house, in Eighth street, between Vigo and Church streets, the 
workmen exhumed three skeletons of Indians. The bones of all three denoted that 
they were the remains of men of unusually large proportions. Of the larger one 
Mr. Hershey measured the femor of the right leg. which was the only section of the 
frame intact, and concluded that — calculating upon the proportions of an ordinary 
man's anatomy — the deceased was fully eight feet in heighth. In 1875, on the same 
lot, while excavations were being made, the remains of a warrior were uncovered. 
The bones were in a fair state of preservation, and beside them were war paint, and 
a hunting knife with buckhorn handle, encased in a raw-hide scabbard, all of which 
were well preserved. While the Piankeshaws were the only Indians who had a per- 
manent home here, there were other bands who established temporary wigwams in 
Vincennes and at various places in the county. The venerable Thomas Dubois says 
his mother told him often that a tribe of Indians had their camp in her back yard. 
A large hill, in Washington township, on a farm of L. A. Meyer, near Maria creek, 
and east of the Frisco (E. & T. H.) railroad, is said to have been the burial ground 
of the Indians, and tradition has it that the dead there entombed were placed in a 
sitting posture with their faces turned towards the north. 

t There are quite a number of volumes bearing this title — "Leitres Edifiant et 
Curieuse" — in the Cathedral library, from one of which the interview of Father Mer- 
met with the Medicine Man of the Mascouten Indians, published in another chapter 
of this volume, is taken. In another book of the same series Father Marset refers to 
the unusual number of buffaloes and bears to be found along the banks of the Wabash, 
of the fine quality of the flesh of these animals; and, of course, in this respect, speaks 
from experience, and as one having the tastes of an epicure, for he says — "the meat 
of a young bear is very delicious, for I have tried it." 



28 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

and see when his canoe passed the place then? More than two hun- 
dred years have rolled into the abyss of time since that eventful era! 
If he could rise up now, and pass down the same streams, what would 
he see and think? Were it possible for him to get in communica- 
tion with Quebec, from which he took his departure in a frail birch 
canoe two long centuries ago for the Gulf streams, he could leam that 
last June an automobile party departed from the same place, with the Gulf 
of Mexico its destination, and made the trip in one-hundredth part of the 
time he had consumed in his lonely voyage, with only the silent stars to 
bear him company. Water navigation in his day was the only means of 
transportation known in the inhospitable region he called his own; locomo- 
tion overland by steam and electricity was unheard of, and, even the 
thought of aerial navigation, in ships having speed compared to the winged 
fleetness of the water fowl he was wont to slay with the most primitive 
implements of destruction, was to him neither a vision remote nor a dream 
of the far distant future. 

Father Marest, in the letter referred to above, speaks of the richness 
and fertility of the country and of the abundance of ore. He expressed 
the belief that experienced miners could find especially lead and tin, and 
did not doubt that "gold and silver would be found in abundance." 
Whether or not lead ore, or tin, or gold, or other metal, is present in this 
region has never been determined by any scientific demonstration or test. 
In fact, the bowels of the earth around here have never been penetrated 
for the purpose of obtaining hidden treasures other than coal, gas and oil, 
which articles are found in the subterranean recesses underlying this local- 
ity in such innumerable quantities and possessed of such superior qualities 
as will, of necessity, eventually place Vincennes in a distinct class with the 
leading cities of wealth and progress. For many years, however, the Illi- 
nois Indians made annual pilgrimages in the fall of the year to Vincennes, 
by fording the Wabash river below the city, coming here ostensibly for the 
purpose of moulding bullets for the winter's chase. Whether the lead from 
which these missiles of death were cast was obtained therefrom, or not, 
the moulding operations were always performed on Bunker Hill, south of 
town, the supposition of the older inhabitants being that the raw material 
used in the manufacture of the bullets was then there extracted from the 
earth. 

Bancroft, the historian in his history of the United States says, "that 
no bay, no lake, no river, no mountain in all the vast expanse of this con- 
tinent has ever yet been visited by any explorer but that a Jesuit mission- 
ary had been there before him." The "robes noir" (black robe) priests, 
all of whom came direct from France, were swayed by a Divine impulse 
to christianize the savages that dominated the wilderness of the northwest 
territory. Taking their bearings from Quebec to penetrate the wilds of 
a country that had not, up to that time, been invaded by a white man, they 
pointed the bows of their frail water craft towards the south and west, tra- 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 29 

versing the northern lakes, establishing missionary stations along the bor- 
ders thereof, crossing the portage between the Fox and Wisconsin, descend- 
ing the Mississippi, building chapels at Peoria, (then called St. Louis) at 
Cahokia, Prairie du Rochen, Kaskaskia, St. Joseph, Quiatenon and Vin- 
cennes. Wherever, between the lakes and the Ohio, (the Wabash) a chapel 
could be erected, at whose altar the Indians might be persuaded to bow, 
they established it, and gathered around it every dusky denizen of the forest 
who had not been brought irredeemably under the influence and charlatan- 
ery of the "medicine man." Jacques Marquette was among the most 
learned and intrepid of these missionaries, and, in all probability, was here 
before his exploration of the Mississippi, in 1673, or, at least, had been in 
the Wabash country prior to that event, as Bishop Brute in his writings 
says that "the St. Joseph portage was used by Father Marquette long before 
La Salle and Hennepin passed through it ; that Father Marquette and Al- 
louez passed through that portage on their way to the 'Ouachasche' coun- 
try soon after 1660." 

The late Hon. Henry S. Cauthom, in "History of Vincennes," published 
in 1901, says: "While there is no positive evidence that Father Marquette 
was ever at the site of Vincennes, yet, reasoning by the inductive process, 
we are bound to conclude that he was here as early as 1660. It would be 
unreasonable to suppose that this indefatigable worker for the conversion 
of the Indians would fail to visit so important a point in the Wabash valley 
as this when he was known to be in its vicinity. This site was a favorite 
resort for all the Indian tribes on both sides of the Wabash river. It was a 
safe place of abode for them in consequence of its high situation and the 
conditions then existing in this part of the surrounding country. From 
the earliest times until very recent years the entire country on both 
sides of the Wabash river was covered with water many feet deep 
twice during each year during the January and June freshets. Dur- 
ing these flood seasons the country for hundreds of miles in all di- 
rections from the site of Vincennes was covered with water many feet 
deep and offered no suitable abiding place for the Indians. As late as 1846 
the Wabash and Embarrass rivers annually overflowed their banks and 
united their waters, covering the intervening space of eight miles to a 
depth of seven or eight feet. And in the same way, by overflow, the White 
river united its waters with the Wabash to the east to a like depth. In 1846 
the steamboat Daniel Boone was carried by the force of the overflow cur- 
rent a short distance above Vincennes from the channel of the Wabash 
river out into the prairie for over a mile, and was only returned to the 
river with difficulty. And in the same year the United States mail was 
carried from Vincennes over the overflowed prairies on the Illinois side to 
the high ground on the Embarrass river at Lawrenceville, and this was 
not an unusual or singular occurrence, but happened frequently, until the 
country was protected by levees. These conditions made the site of Vin- 
cennes a resort and place of abode for the Indians, as it was always on high 



30 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

ground above the reach of any flood. It was here they had their permanent 
village and fields, which were still visible when the white settlers came to 
the place. It was here they had their council houses and where all the sur- 
rounding tribes assembled many times during the year when they returned 
from the chase or forage. And such a place, where so many of the In- 
dians could be easily found, it is contrary to reason to suppose that such 
a zealous missionary as Father Marquette would fail to visit when he was 
in the Wabash country. I wish to locate Father Marquette at the site of 
Vincennes, as it will fix the probable date of his visit. It is well known 
that he left the Jesuit mission at Kaskaskia a sick and worn-out man, in 
consequence of his labors and exposure, to return to St. Ignace, a few days 
after Easter, 1675. On this, his final trip, he traveled by way of the St. 
Joseph portage. He died May 18, 1675, ascending the eastern shore of 
Lake Michigan, and was buried in the sands of the lake shore before he 
reached his destination. Therefore, he must have visited the site of Vin- 
cennes, if at all, prior to 1675, and in all probability about 1660." 

It is certain, beyond a reasonable doubt, that missionaries otlier than 
one of the four which Champlain brought from France, had been here 
prior to 1700. "They," says Mr. Cauthorn, in his History of Vincennes, 
referring to the Jesuit missionaries, "accomplished wonderful results in 
converting the Indians that inhabited the country about the present site of 
Vincennes. The records of St. Francis Xavier's church as preserved (I 
use the words 'as preserved' as Bishop Brute used them whenever he re- 
ferred to these records) show from April, 1749, and for a half century 
after, the greater part of the entries of baptisms, marriages and funerals 
were of Indian converts. This vast number of Indian converts to the 
faith as evidenced by these records as preserved show that the work of the 
missionaries, while fruitful of good, was not the work of a day or month, 
but of many years. The untamed savages of the forest could not be con- 
verted to Christianity at short notice. The labors of the missionaries were 
not only slow, but dangerous." In this connection. Judge Law, in an ad- 
dress delivered before the Vincennes Historical and Antiquarian Society, 
on February 23, 1839, says: "It was not only toil, hunger and cold that 
the Jesuit missionaries of the cross were called upon to endure, but many, 
very many, were tomahawked, or, what was far worse, burned at the stake. 
No sooner was it known that their predecessors had perished at the stake, 
or by the scalping knife, than new recruits ofifered their services to fill their 
places. In fact, a mission among the Indians was a labor of love to these 
heralds of the cross. 

Jacques Marquette was a blood relative of the late Cyr. PouUet, the dis- 
tinguished father of Mrs. John Burke, this city. Mr. Poullet, in discus- 
sing his pious and scholarly relative, always considered, as a matter of 
fact, that Marquette, prior to his first voyage of exploration and discovery 
along the Mississippi, had visited Vincennes and spent several days in this 
vicinity in his efforts to christianize the savages. But just how it were pos- 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 31 

sible for Bishop Brute and Mr. Cauthorn to fall into the same error with 
reference to the probable visit of Father Marquette to Vincennes, and 
both to fix the date as early as 1660, six years before the distinguished 
Frenchman took his departure for America from the land of his birth, can 
only be accounted for from the fact that each of these careful and painstak- 
ing writers were equally unfortunate in coming in contact with the same 
erroneous data, made so either by the negligence of the printer who put 
it in type, or the ignorance of the historian who furnished the copy. 

At the age of seventeen Marquette entered the Society of Jesus, and in 
1666 sailed from his birth-place in Laon, France, for Canada as a mis- 
sionary, and was one of the first explorers of the Mississippi river. He 
spent about eighteen months in the vicinity of Three Rivers, where he ac- 
quired the Montagnais and Algonquin languages, and in April, 1668, went 
to Lake Superior and there founded the mission of Sault Ste. Marie. In 
die following year he was sent to take the place of Father Allouez among 
the Ottawas and Hurons of Lapointe ; but his stay here was short, these 
tribes being soon dispersed by the Sioux. Marquette then followed the 
Hurons to Mackinaw, and there in 1671 built a chapel at the mission of St. 
Ignatius, or Alichilimackinac, to which Mr. Cauthorn refers as St. Ignace. 
In the following year he wrote of his success at Mackinaw to Father 
Dablon, the superior of the Jesuit missions in Canada. "I am ready, how- 
ever," he continued, "to leave it in the hands of another missionary to go 
on your order to seek new nations toward the South sea, who are still un- 
known to us, and to teach them of our great God whom they have hitherto 
not known."* As early as 1669 in fact he had resolved upon exploring 
the Mississippi, of which he had heard from the Indians, and had made 
preparations at Lapointe to visit "this river, and the nations that dwell upon 
it, in order to open the passage to so many of our Fathers who have so long 
awaited this happiness." His desire was not gratified, however, until 1673, 
when Frontenac and Talon, the Governor and Intendant of Canada, hav- 
ing resolved to send an expedition under Louis Jolliet to explore the di- 
rection and mouth of the Mississippi, Marquette was instructed to accom- 
pany the party as a missionary. With five other Frenchmen they left 
Mackinac in two canoes on May 17th, and reaching the Wisconsin river by 
way of Green bay. Fox river, and a portage, floated down to the Missis- 
sippi, on whose waters they found themselves by the seventeenth day of 
June. On June 25th they stopped at an Indian village, where they were 
kindly received. Somewhere near the mouth of the Ohio, then called the 



* The purpose of discovering the Mississippi, of which the tales of the natives 
had published the magnificence, sprung from Marquette himself. He had resolved on 
attempting it, in the autumn of 1669, and, when delay intervened, from the necessity 
of employing himself at Che-goi-me-gon, which Allouez had exchanged for a new 
mission at Green Bay, he selected a young Illinois as his companion, by whose in- 
structions he became familiar with the dialect of that tribe. Bancroft, History of the 
U. S., vol. Ill, p. J53- 



32 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

Ouaboukigou, they met savages who assured them that it was not more than 
ten days' journey to the sea, and that they bought 'stuffs' and other articles 
of Europeans on the east side. Continuing their voyage, they arrived at 
a village called Akamsea, probably about the mouth of the Arkansas. 
Here they held a council, and having satisfied themselves that they were not 
more than two or three days' journey from the mouth of the river which 
undoubtedly emptied into the Gulf of Mexico, or off the Florida coast, and 
not, as had been conjectured, in California or Virginia, they resolved to 
return, especially as their further progress would expose them to the danger 
of a captivity among the Spaniards. They began their homeward voyage 
on July 17th, 1673, and, passing up the Illinois, instead of the Wisconsin, 
arrived in September at Green Bay. They had accomplished the object of 
their mission, and traveled in their open canoes a distance of over 2,500 
miles. On the banks of the Illinois Marquette had promised the Kaskaskia 
Indians to return and preach to them. He was detained by sickness at the 
mission of St. Francis Xavier on Green bay a full year; but in October, 
1674, having previously sent to his superiors an account of his journey 
down the Mississippi, he set out with two white men and a number of 
savages for the village of Kaskaskia. On December 14th he was stopped 
at the portage on the Chicago by infirmities and severe cold, and, dismiss- 
ing the Indians, resolved to winter there with his two white companions. 
Resuming his journey March 30, 1675, he reached Kaskaskia April 8th, 
and immediately upon his arrival began the erection of an altar for the 
purpose of celebrating in an imposing manner the festival of Easter, but, 
conscious that his end was approaching, he soon thereafter brought his 
labors to a close and attempted to return to Mackinaw. He reached no 
further than a small river whose mouth is on the east shore of Lake Michi- 
gan, and which still bears his name, and there he died in the presence of 
the two Frenchmen who had attended him from Green bay. He was buried 
on the spot, but in 1677 his remains were carried to Mackinaw. The nar- 
rative of his voyage on the Mississippi was not published until 1681, when 
it appeared at Paris in Thevenot's Recucil dc Voyages, accompanied by a 
map. This narrative, as well as a journal of the missionary's last expedi- 
tion, and his autograph map, may be found in Shea's "Discovery and Ex- 
ploration of the Mississippi Valley." His narrative, for some years after 
its first publication, was regarded as a fable; but his claim has long since 
teen fully established as the first explorer of the great river of the west, 
and the first European who saw it after De Soto. 



CHAPTER IV. 

SPECULATIONS OF HISTORIANS ON FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

VINCENNES. 

THE INDIANS' HOSPITABLE TREATMENT OF FRENCH VOYAGEURS RANDOM 

DATA RELATING TO EARLY SETTLEMENT OF VINCENNES, WHICH INTRO- 
DUCES GENERAL GAGE AND HIS DEMAND ON THE INHABITANTS AT THE POST 
TO SHOW LAND TITLES — EXTENT OF FUR TRADE IN THE NORTHWEST AND 

HOW VIEWED BY LOUIS XIV LA SALLE IN THE WABASH COUNTRY THE 

VINCENNES ANTIQUARIAN AND HISTORICAL SOCIETY PLACED THE FOUND- 
ING OF PHILADELPHIA AND VINCENNES ABOUT THE SAME TIME. 

The establishment of commercial relations, which opened communi- 
cation early in the eighteenth century between the wilderness of the north- 
west territory and the cities of continental Europe, could never have been 
effected had not the Indians been first won over by the early trappers and 
hunters. The first adventurers were French and knew exactly how to 
win the confidence and respect of the red man, without the bestowal of 
gifts. How they did it was by artifice which other nations could never 
fully comprehend. But that they succeeded admirably is shown in the 
fact that they not only persuaded the Indians to permit them to hunt 
and trap over the latter's vast domains, but induced the red men to join 
them and follow the chase for profit, and procure peltries and furs for 
commercial purposes instead of gathering them for home consumption, to 
be peddled out for fire-water and trinkets. And the result was that the fur 
industry in this locality, as will be shown in detail further along, became 
an enterprise of large proportions. 

Unless he was entertaining a Frenchman, the Indian was as fickle as 
the wind towards his guests, displaying little or no regard for social 
ethics ; and, yet, when he felt so disposed, was the most hospitable and 
generous host, dispensing not only hospitality but bestowing valuable gifts 
with a lavish hand to any one who appealed to his fancy and had the 
courage to boldly ask for shelter beneath the roof of his tepee or tan- 
barked home. Timidity, in the Indian's eyes, was a crime which could 
not be condoned. Whether at war or peace with their neighbors, the 
red men and women, and even the children, vied with one another in be- 

33 



84 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

stowing attentions and showing consideration for the voyaging robes de 
noir and their companions whenever an occasion presented. Before, how- 
ever, the white man had begun to exert a civihzing influence over the 
savage to a marked degree, while the country was yet wholly in its primi- 
tive state, the friendly attitude of the red man towards the priestly 
z'oyagcurs was so pronounced as to be almost incredible to those who 
had not been brought directly in contact with it. The adventurous 
voyages of the French, or, more properly the voyages of the adventurous 
French, were not more amazing than the consideration shown the z'oyagcurs 
by the Indians ; and this hospitality was not extended by the children of 
the forest in one section of the country, but was universal, and prevailed 
in all localities. When the early voyageurs began to explore the shores 
of the St. Lawrence, extending their explorations over its grand chain of 
tributary lakes, they encountered all along these water courses many 
tribes of savage and hostile Indians who, surprising though it may seem, 
offered them no resistance. When England and France were on the eve 
of having their first passage at arms on American soil, and the eyes of 
the nations of the Old World were turned in this direction, wondering 
what the outcome would be, French priests were pushing their frail ca- 
noes from the mouth of the Father of Waters up to the Falls of St. An- 
thony, thousands of miles distant, and were also plying the waters of the 
Wabash, the Ohio, the Illinois, the Wisconsin and many other important 
tributaries, in search of souls, when all the land about them echoed with 
the cry of the wild. The hostile red skins, many of whom looked for 
the first time on the features of "pale faces," not only allowed them to 
pass unmolested, but accorded them the most cordial reception, inviting 
them to their wigwams that they might receive family as well as tribal 
salutations and partake of hospitality wholly unaffected. On such occa- 
sions the fat hump of a buffalo, the steak of a bear, or the saddle of a 
deer or antelope, were prepared with extra care, and a bevy of dusky 
maidens, dressed in their gaudiest clothes and adorned with beads and 
trinkets, waved the brilliant plumes of the paroquet* above the devoted 
heads of the guests, while they ate or slept, that insect interlopers might 
not offend their appetites nor disturb their slumbers. 

The attachments formed between the Indians and French were both 
instantaneous and lasting, and soon led to the amalgamation of the races ; 
which probalily gave rise to the tradition that long before the beginning 
of the eighteenth century an Indian village, which thrived at \'incennes. 



* Paroquets (a variety of small parrot), which according to reports of travelers 
were abunclant in the Ohio Valley a hundred years ago, are now found only in lati- 
tudes from further south. Cuming, in 1807, writing from the mouth of the .Scioto, 
says : "We observed here vast numbers of beautiful, large, green paroquets, which 
our landlord. Squire Brown, informed us abound all over the country. They keep in 
flocks, and when they alight on a tree they are not distinguishable from the foliage 
from their color." — [Early Western Trm'cls. IV, p. 161.] 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 35 

was half French. And, from this story some historians, no doubt, get 
their idea of the first French settlement at the old post. 

According to a version of Mr. J. AI. Hiatt, speaking through "The 
Political Manual," a publication that came from the Indianapolis press in 
1865, "About the year 1690, a French settlement, the first in Indiana, was 
made at Vincennes, the place then being within the territory claimed at 
that time by the French upon priority of discovery of La Salle." 

The American Cyclopedia, in its treatment of Indiana, says: "Indiana 
originally constituted a part of New France, and subsequently a part of 
the northwest territory. The exact period of its settlement is not ascer- 
tained. In 1702 a party of French Canadians descended the Wabash, and 
established several posts on its banks, and among others, Vincennes. The 
Indians made little opposition to the newcomers." 

Mr. George J. Langsdale, a brilliant newspaper man, and a writer of 
considerable ability, several years ago published a bright and sparkling 
volume entitled, "Monograph of Indiana History," in which he refers to 
the subject of Vincennes' first settlement in language as follows: "The 
exact period of the first settlement is not known, but between 1702 and 
1710 a party of French Canadians descended the Wabash river and estab- 
lished a post at Vincennes, which subsequently became the capital of the 
territory until 1813, and remains the oldest town in the state." 

♦Denonville declared in 1688 that there were posts on the Wabash and 
Ohio rivers. This was before Juchereau's post at the mouth of the Ohio. 
Bishop Brute, the first bishop of the Vincennes diocese of Indiana, fixes 
the date of the founding of tlie post and church at from 1700 to 1702. 
David Thomas, a Quaker, a class of people not often led into exaggera- 
tions or misstatements, said in 1816 that the post was first visited in 1690 
and established in 1702. He adds: "I think the chronology of the first 
should be preferred." In Hinsdale's "Old Northwest," the statement is 
made that in 1702 twenty thousand skins Were shipped out of the Wabash 
plain. This strongly indicates the presence of a post somewhere, or sev- 
eral of them. General Harmar was sent to Vincennes in 1787, and in 
writing to the secretary of war under date of August 7, 1787, he observes 
as to the founding of the post: "Monsieur Vincennes, the French officer 
from whom it derives its name, I am informed, was here and commenced 
the settlement sixty years ago." That would be 1727. But his testimony 
is of no more worth than others who conversed with the original settlers 
or their immediate descendants. Major Ebenezer Denny, who accom- 
panied Harmar to the post, says with some respect to tradition: "It wias 
first settled by Monsieur Vincennes near 70 years ago, from whom it takes 
its name." This would be 1717. And his statement is entitled to as much 
credit as General Harmar's — no more. Another testimony is that of the 



' F. A. M«yers, Post Vincennes, p. 10. 



36 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

journal of Joseph Biiell, an orderly sergeant in Harmar's regiment. He 
accompanied his regiment to Vincennes in 1787. Mr. Dunn in his "In- 
diana," reports him as "a man of excellent character, and withal a typical 
New Englander of the period in his religious and political notions." Mr. 
Buell wrote this of Vincennes at that time: "The people give themselves 
up to all kinds of vice, and are as indolent and idle a community as ever 
composed one town. They might live in affluence if they were industrious. 
The town has been settled longer than Philadelphia, and one-half of their 
dwelling houses are yet covered with bark like Indian wigwams." And 
Philadelphia was laid out by William Penn in 1682. 

In the first edition of Bancroft's History of the United States occurs 
this significant statement : "Vincennes, the only settlement in Indiana, had 
rapidly and surprisingly increased. Its own population, consisting of two 
hundred and thirty-two white persons, ten negro and seventeen Indian 
slaves, was recruited by one hundred and sixty-eight 'strangers.' " 

This was in 1768, when the whole country was in deadly strife with 
Great Britain, when France and England were resorting to any method 
whatsoever, and by all manner of means, honorable and otherwise, to 
force the North American Indians to become their respective allies in 
waging holy and unholy warfare, one nation against the other, for terri- 
torial possessions. In his last revised edition Bancroft says, after weigh- 
ing all the facts by his superior judgment and mature methods of histori- 
cal test: "The permanent settlement at Vincennes belongs to the year 
1702. It is the oldest village in Indiana." In a footnote he quotes his 
authority for this fact. It reads: "Inhabitants of Post Vincennes to Gen- 
eral Gage, 18 Sept., 1772. MS." He gave this evidence his full credence. 
The General Gage referred to bore also the no less numerous, as well as 
distinguished titles of "Lieutenant-General of the King's Armies, Colonel 
of the Twenty-second Regiment, General Commander-in-Chief of All His 
Majesty's Forces in North America," and, acting under instructions from 
King George, issued from his official headquarters in the city of New 
York, a proclamation designed for the inhabitants of the Wabash country. 
The document was dated April 22, 1772, and proclaimed that "Whereas, 
many persons, contrary to the order of the king, have undertaken to make 
settlements beyond the boundaries fixed by the treaties made by the Indian 
nations ; and a great number of persons on the river Oubache are leading 
a wandering life without government and without laws, interrupting the 
free course of trade, destroying the game, and causing infinite disturbance 
in the country, which occasions considerable disturbance to the king, as 
well as those of the Indians, his majesty has been pleased to order, and 
by these presents, orders are given in the name of the king to all those 
who have established themselves on lands upon the Oubache, whether at 
St. Vincent [Vincennes] or elsewhere, to quit those countries instantly and 
without delay, and to retire at their choice into some one of the colonies 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 37 

of his majesty, where they will be received and treated as the other sub- 
jects of his majesty." This unwarranted and unlooked-for message came 
to the peaceful and contented inhabitants like a clap of thunder from a 
clear sky. After recovering from the effects of consternation it produced 
in the minds of the citizens generally, a coterie of the more prominent and 
influential residents of Vincennes, headed by St. Marie Racine, made reply 
to the document on the fourteenth day of September of the same year, stat- 
ing, in substance, that their possessions were held by "sacred titles," dating 
from the first settlement of the place, which were of "seventy years' stand- 
ing," and that their "land had been granted by order and under the pro- 
tection of his most Christian majesty." To this remonstrance General 
Gage made answer, demanding forthwith the proof of their assertion, 
which he desired "to be transported to the feet of his majesty." But 
meanwhile, and ever after, he left them in the quiet possession of their 
homes and their lands — a highly important circumstance, the barrister 
would say — tending to strengthen the evidence that the date of the settle- 
ment of Vincennes was 1702, if not earlier. 

Robert Cavalier Sieur de La Salle, one of the daring French voyageurs, 
who visited Vincennes at a very early day, was born of an ancient and 
honorable family in Rouen. Renouncing his patrimony, or in some way 
deprived of it by unjust laws, he became a Jesuit, and received in a college 
of that order a thorough education. But finding the life of a priest in- 
compatible with his tastes, he quit the fraternity, receiving high testimonials 
of capacity and fidelity, and embarked as an adventurer for Canada, where 
he arrived between 1665 and 1667. In 1669 he descended the Ohio, La 
Belle Rknere, as far as the falls, where Louisville now stands. The as- 
sertion that about this time he descended the Illinois river to the Missis- 
sippi, rests on an anonymous report of conversations and is unsupported 
by his own petitions and documents. Afterward, however, he descended 
the Illinois and the Mississippi, and at the mouth of the great "father of 
waters," on April 9, 1682, set up a column with the French arms and 
took formal possession of the vast fertile valley or domain for his king. 
In a later effort, from the gulf of Alexico, to reach the mouth of this 
mighty river, he failed, and while wandering through the wilds of Texas 
was treacherously murdered by his men in 1687. As he fell his brutal 
murderers exclaimed : "There, you grand bashaw, there you are !" In 
1699 D'Iberville succeeded better in finding "the hidden river" and founded 
Biloxi, about thirty miles below the site of New Orleans. There seems 
to be little doubt that La Salle* was here about 1683, as that was the 



* We have met with an old volume containing an account of La Salle's second 
voyage into North America in 1683, written in French, "by Monsieur Joutel, a com- 
mander in that expedition." They landed at the mouth of the Mississippi, and as- 
cended that river : "We came to the mouth of a river called the Houabache, said to 
come from the country of the Iroquois, towards New England" * * » "a. fine 



38 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

year in which he passed up the Wabash, giving the stream the name of 
"Ouabache," as indicated by his maps. Finding an Indian settlement, he 
stopped, as was his wont, to make friends with the tribes and drive bar- 
gains with them in trading in furs. A few years later the town was 
abandoned on account of the invasion and depredations of the Iroquois, 
whose hostility towards the French was very fierce, and which induced La 
Salle subsequently to retire to his fort on the Illinois, gathering all the 
other Indian tribes around him, where they remained until about 171 1, 
when the Iroquois withdrew to the mountains. The Piankeshaws promptly 
returned to their village here, the Weas went to the mouth of the Tippe- 
canoe and built wigwams, and the Twightwees located at the headwaters 
of the Maumee. The Delawares later took up their abode in the central 
part of the state, the Shawnees in the eastern portion, and the Pottawato- 
mies at the foot of Lake Michigan. The fact that La Salle never miscalled 
the "Agouassake" (Wabash*), is proof of his intimate knowledge of the 
stream and a circumstances in itself tending to show that he, in some of 
his many exploring expeditions, had passed up the river. He was prob- 
ably the first white man to make the short t portage between the upper 
Wabash and the Maumee, and open a near way for traders and trappers 
to a splendid hunting region. The intimate knowledge had by the early 



river, its water remarkably clear, and current gentle." The expression "towards New 
England," shows how inadequate an idea they had of the extent of our country. Hall's 
Romance of Western History, p. 29. 

* This would seem to force the conclusion that the "fort" established by Sieur 
Juchereau in 1702 was on the Wabash, and not the Ohio. Judge Law claims that no 
"fort" or "post" was ever founded by the French on the Ohio within the limits of 
either Indiana or Illinois. He says, further: "The French had no settlement on the 
Ohio in the early part of the eighteenth century — by a settlement I mean a fi.xed es- 
tablishment, a garrison, a town. Sieur Juchereau, for aught I know, may have had 
a trading house there, but there was no regular French establishment ; and, according 
to Father Marest, it was to such an establishment already garrisoned — a 'fort' — that 
Father Mermet went * * * As the French settled Vincennes and established a 
fort there early in the eighteenth century; and as the Mascoutens were located on 
that stream, and not on the Ohio, and being a branch of the Miamis, and a portion 
of the Algonquin race, of course supposed to understand the 'Illinois,' I think it 
conclusive that the 'local' of Father Mermet's labors was the 'post' or 'fort' at Vin- 
cennes, and not the site of the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi, where Sieur 
Juchereau may, or may not, have had a settlement." 

t * * * In the southeast angle of the lake was the portage of the St. Joseph 
river, which La Salle was much accustomed to traverse. There was by it about four 
miles of carriage to the Kankakee. The northward current of the eastern shore of 
Lake Michigan, and the southward current of the western shore, naturally made the 
St. Joseph portage a return route to Canada, and the Chicago an outward one. At 
a later day, this same river was found to afford a carriage to an upper branch of the 
Wabash, and it became the principal channel of supplies for the settlers at Vincennes. 
One can well imagine how this broad prairie land struck the Canadian from his sterile 
north — the flower-studded grass of the spring and the tall waving bannerets of the 
later season, with the luxury of the river bottoms and their timbered margins. 
Winsor, The Mississippi Bnsin, pp. 24-26. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 39 

Jesuitt explorers, traders and trappers of this region and its streams may 
have been obtained by traversing the country themselves, or from the 
nomadic Indians, which would naturally lead to the conclusion that trad- 
ing and missionary posts (not military, not permanent settlements) were 
established on the Wabash prior to the erection of a fort or the founding 
of a settlement. 

Mr. Cauthorn places the first settlement of Vincennes, as a possibility, 
at a much earlier date than any of his contemporaries. He says that the 
Vincennes Historical and Antiquarian Society — among whose members 
were William Henry Harrison, John Gibson, Waller Taylor, Nathaniel 
Ewing, John Badollette, Elihu Stout, Moses Tabbs, Isaac Blackford, 
Thomas Randolph. John Law, John Ewing, Benjamin Parke and George 
Rogers — was organized to investigate and establish authentic evidence con- 
cerning the early history of the place, and the first subject that occupied 
the attention of the society was fixing the date of the first settlement by 
the French. "Before 1820,'' says Mr. Cauthorn, "the date of the settle- 
ment of \'incennes by the French was fixed at 1680. Here the matter 
quietly rested until the advent of Bishop Brute in 1834. He found in the 
church library connected with St. Francis Xavier church registers and many 
manuscript documents which had been neglected, as no one had before 
him been inclined to burn the midnight oil in looking them over, page by 
page, the only way to obtain the valuable historic information they con- 
tained, as they were not indexed, but a confused mass. But Bishop Brute 
did this. He furnished the public, from time to time, through the columns 
of the Western Sun newspaper results of this investigation. He was a 
studious, careful and truthful man, and made no statement unless fully 
sustained by authority in making it, and which can be relied on as correct. 
He stated that he had found evidence in the church records here and in 
the records of the mission of St. Louis of Peoria, and the Church of the 
Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary at Kaskaskia, Illinois, and the 
recorder's office there, that toth the town of Vincennes (not then known' 
by that name) and the church of St. Francis Xavier here were both in 
existence as early as 1708, and perhaps earlier. And in one of his last 
communications published in the Western Sun, he says he will continue 
the search, and if anything additional is found indicating an earlier date, 
he will communicate it to the public. But his investigations were unfor- 
tunately terminated by his death in 1839. In this connection I will remark 
that in 1835 Bishop Brute, to familiarize himself with the wants of his 
immense diocese, embracing all of Indiana and Illinois, made a pastoral 
visit in person, traveling on horseback, to all the missionary stations in 



* Mr. F. A. Meyers, a former citizen of Vincennes, now residing at Evansville, 
in an excellent little book entitled, "Post Vincennes." says that he learned from a 
former pastor of St. Francis Xavier's Cathedral, through documentary evidence, that 
a missionary priest had been here in i68g and administered the holy offices of the 
church to the savages. 



40 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

that vast territory and carefully examined the church records they con- 
tained. He made a detailed report of this pastoral visit through his diocese 
in his own happy manner to the Leopoldine Association in France in re- 
turn for assistance lent him to build up his diocese, a great part of which 
report is inserted in Father Allerding's (now bishop of Fort Wayne, In- 
diana) History of the Diocese of Vincennes. 

"The communications of Bishop Brute on the subject of the early set- 
tlements of Vincennes published in the Western Sun, revived interest in 
the question, and the Vincennes Historical and Antiquarian Society again 
considered it. John Law, at the request of this society, delivered his cele- 
brated address on February 22, 1839, when the question was under dis- 
cussion by this society for the second time. Upon this reconsideration, 
that society, before 1840, settled upon 1683 as the date of the settlement 
of Vincennes by the French. This decision of that society was generally 
accepted by the citizens of Vincennes as conclusive of the question, and 
it became a common saying as I well remember, and as many old citizens 
of Vincennes now living also remember, that Vincennes was settled the 
year after Philadelphia. It is well known as a historical fact that Phila- 
delphia was settled in 1682. 

"Were these men qualified and competent to examine, adjudicate and 
determine this question? It is sure they were far better qualified than 
persons living at a distance who have written upon and expressed opinions 
as to the true date of the settlement of Vincennes. To illustrate, I will 
only refer to three members of the Vincennes Historical and Antiquarian 
Society, and the peculiar opportunities they possessed of examining and 
passing a reliable judgment upon the question. These three members are 
Nathaniel Ewing, John Badollette and Elihu Stout. The two first came 
to Vincennes almost with the advent of the territorial government in 1800. 
The first as receiver of public monies, and the second as the register of 
the United States land office in this land district. The third came a little 
later, in the spring of 1804. They were all members of that society and 
took an active part in the discussion of the question. Messrs. Ewing and 
Badollette were the equals intellectually of any of the able men who came 
to Vincennes in territorial days. They all located here permanently and 
died and were buried here. They all possessed superior advantages for 
examining and determining this question above all others from the very 
nature of their several employments. Elihu Stout published the first paper 
in the northwest territory, at this place, commencing on July 4, 1804, and 
continuing its publication until the fall of 1845, ^^^ from the nature of 
his business came in contact with the people generally and ascertained 
their views upon all public questions. Messrs. Ewing and Badollette con- 
stituted the board of commissioners appointed by the federal government 
to examine and adjust land titles founded upon the grants of land to the 
early French settlers from the different commandants of the post while 
the country was under the jurisdiction of France, and which grants had 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 41 

been secured to the several grantees by treaty stipulations and acts of 
congress. These commissioners held their sessions at Vincennes from 
1804 to 1810, and examined and passed upon these old French land grants 
reaching back to the first settlement of Vincennes by the French. And as 
there was no record of documentary evidence of these old French grants, 
the commissioners were compelled to hear oral testimony to establish them. 
This necessarily brought them in close contact in their official capacity 
with the old French settlers who could give testimony concerning these 
French land grants extending back, in many cases, to the first settlement 
of Vincennes by the French. 

"These were the men who took an active part in the discussion of the 
question as to the date of the settlement of Vincennes by the French, and 
who finally fixed the date of settlement at 1683. Messrs. Ewing and Bad- 
ollette were perhaps better qualified to determine this question than any 
other persons from the very nature of their employment in tracing back 
matters to the very beginning. Is not more reliance and confidence due 
and should be given in determining this question to the opinions and con- 
clusions of men who lived and died in Vincennes and were actually a part 
of its history, than upon the mere dicta and opinions of men who never 
lived here, nor visited the place, or who were here only for a few days, 
and with these crude and imperfect impressions thus obtained in hasty 
visits, went oS and published books purporting to be facts? Count Vol- 
ney, the celebrated traveler who was here in 1796 for a few days only, 
states in the history of his travels that the place was settled by the French 
in 1735. David Thomas, who was here at a much later date, and for a 
few days only, follows in his wake and gives the erroneous date given by 
Count Volney. Monnette, Flint and Scott, who have all given an opinion 
on the subject of the date of the settlement of Vincennes by the French, 
were never here so far as I know, and derived their information from sec- 
ond-hand sources, upon which they based their opinions and conclusions. 
John B. Dillon, who published a book purporting to be a history of In- 
diana, cannot be regarded as any authority on the subject against the com- 
bined opinions of such men as I have referred to. 

"It is a matter of sincere regret that the Vincennes Historical and 
Antiquarian Society was permitted to perish for want of appreciation and 
support. The valuable collection of important physical specimens con- 
tained in its museum, and its documents and records were suffered to be 
carried oiT and scattered, and are not now, for the greater part, in exist- 
ence, or at least are not accessible to the public." 

Not the least feature to invite an early settlement* were the great 



* William Henry Smith, who is a careful historian, and whose productions of 
Northwest Territorial history — of which he has written several volumes — read like 
charming romances, in his History of Indiana, says: * * * "It is about as difficult 
to determine when the first actual settlement of the whites was made in Indiana as 
to determine the exact time and route of the early explorers. For Ft. Wayne it has 



42 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

rolling prairies, traversed by rivers, dotted with lakes, hemmed by forests, 
where both game and fish abounded. The limitless and verdant plains, 
above which the tall grasses waved like the wind-swept bosom of an emer- 
ald sea, were criss-crossed with beaten paths over which the buffaloes 
passed to and fro in vast numbers. The industrious beaver, otter, mink 
and musk rat filled the streams and alluvial bottoms with their houses 
and feasted on fish of many varieties ; while elk, deer, bear, to say nothing 
of panthers, wild cats, lynx, skunks and catamounts, sought the deep 
recesses of woodland or glen. It was to gather these fortunes in furs from 
field and forest and stream that Canadians came here so early, so often 
and in such large numbers. It was the unlimited wealth wrapped, as it 
were, in the skins of these wild animals that made the fur trade of Mon- 
treal, Quebec and Detroit the most gigantic and profitable enterprise of 
colonial days. It was the commodities obtained from the wild beasts of 
this locality that gave Vincennes as early as the eighteenth century com- 
mercial recognition in France, and placed the wilderness of tlie northwest 
in direct communication with the marts of the old world, bringing at 



been claimed that it had an important trading post as early as 1672, and several dates 
have been fixed for the first occupation of Vincennes extending over more than half a 
century. According to one tradition, French traders visited the site of Vincennes 
as early as 1690, and many of them remained there, marrying among the Indians and 
raising families. Another tradition puts the first arrival of the traders or explorers 
in 1680. Still another is to the elTect that a party of French Canadians, in 1702, de- 
scended the Wabash river, and established several posts, Vincennes being one of them. 
The historians of the Maumee Valley claim that the first post was established on the 
present site of Fort Wayne. A part of the confusion which exists as to Fort Wayne 
has been caused through the misapprehension as to certain visits of the French 
missionaries. The missionaries left records of their work among the Miami Indians, 
and as the main villages of the Miamis, when record history first begins, were around 
the headwaters of the Maumee, it has been taken for granted that the labors of the 
missionaries were at that point. However, the Miamis first lived around Green Bay, 
Wisconsin, and when the larger part of the tribe migrated to Indiana and Ohio, a 
remnant remained at Green Bay. It was among that remnant the missionaries 
labored. As has already been stated, the maps covering the explorations up to 1684 
show no settlements anywhere in Indiana, from the importance attached by the French 
Government to all such settlements, the conclusion is irresistible that prior to that 
time none existed. On the Wabash near the present site of Vincennes was an impor- 
tant Indian village, known as Qiip-kaw-kay. and it is highly probable that when the 
first French settlers arrived they heard stories of prior visits made by traders, and 
after a lapse of time, these traditions became transposed into facts relating to the 
first actual settlement. To hold their claim upon the Mississippi Valley, the French, 
in 1702, determined to establish some posts along the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, and 
M. Juchereau did erect a fort at the mouth of the Ohio. Some writers have attempted 
to claim that Vincennes was the site of this fort, but all the records oppose such a 
view. M. de Denonville adds to the confusion. In a memoir on the French posses- 
sions in North America, dated the 8th of March, 1688, he says the French at that 
time had 'divers establishments' on the Mississippi 'as well as on that of the Oyo, 
Ouabache, etc., which flows into the said river, Mississippi.' What he meant by the 
term 'divers establishments' is doubtful." 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 43 

a very early date from European shores to the banks of the Wabash a 
heterogeneous mass of humanity. Tliis traffic in furs and peltries assumed 
such enormous proportions that the ambitious governor of Canada and 
his official household were charged with being silent partners in some of 
the concerns that were sending shiploads of products across the ocean. 
The volume of money arising from the trade created trusts [even in those 
early days], and monopolies sprang up to squelch the weaker traders and 
trappers ; church and state alike sharing in the revenue derived from sums 
paid for privileges, which were diverted into channels of charity and for 
the benefit of widows and orphans. In short, the northwest had gone mad 
on furs. The worldly motive for gain and gold had supplanted the re- 
ligious fervor that impelled men and women to leave luxurious homes of 
culture and refinement to enter upon lives of deprivation and danger in 
the solitudes of an unknown land. The good and enterprising King Louis 
XIV, awe-stricken by the spectacle, determined that Canada should not 
be wholly abandoned to temporal afifairs at the sacrifice of spiritual needs 
and governmental necessities, and suggested to his ministiy that immediate 
steps be taken to infuse the blood of LaBelle France into the veins of 
Nouvelle France. And subsequently royal heads of the kingly realm dis- 
patched a fresh allotment of soldiers, young women of a marriageable 
age, settlers, horses, sheep and cattle to stay the impending danger of a 
commercialism that threatened the stability of the civil and religious in- 
stitutions of La Grande Monarque in the new world. 

Another eminent authority, Mr. John B. Dillon, whose name is linked 
with the thoughtful and profound historians of the day, having at that 
time a large collection of vastly important documents, which have been 
greatly and regretfully scattered since his death in 1879, says, in his His- 
tory of Indiana, edition 1859: "After Lamotte Cadillac founded a perma- 
nent settlement at Detroit, and about the close of the year 1702, the Sieur 
Juchereau, a Canadian officer, assisted by the missionary, Mermet, made 
an attempt to establish a post on the Ohio, near the mouth of that river; 
or, according to some authorities, on the river Wabash, at the site which 
is now occupied by the town of Vincennes." And again Mr. Dillon says : 
"The Miami villages which stood at the head of the river Maumee, the 
Wea villages which were situated about Quiatenon, on the Wabash river, 
and the Piankeshaw villages which stood on and about the site of Vin- 
cennes, were, it seems, regarded by the early French fur traders as suitable 
places for the establishing of trading posts. It is probable that, before the 
close of the year 17 19, temporary trading posts were erected at the sites 
of Fort Wayne, Quiatenon and Vincennes. These points had, it is be- 
lieved, been often visited by traders before the year 1700." 

Mr. J. P. Dunn, Jr., whose historical works are highly prized and have 
been given conspicuous places in every public library of the state, is ir- 
reconcilable to the idea that Vincennes was founded in 1702. He admits, 
however, that it is the "earliest permanent town" in the state, and that 



44 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

"although there were three posts in Indiana during the greater part of the 
French occupation in the eighteenth century, Vincennes was the only one 
that could be considered a town." While we are only contending that Vin- 
cennes was formally established in 1702, there is an abundance of evi- 
dence to show tliat there were settlements here many years prior to that 
date. In a very able article, published in May, 1889, in the Magazine of 
American History, Prof. E. A. Bryan, then president of the Vincennes 
University, a man of profound learning, devoid of prejudicial or selfish 
motives, contends that Vincennes was visited by white men during the last 
quarter of the seventeenth century. In his judgment the fame of its 
beaver grounds, even if it were not well established by historical data, 
would alone remove all further doubt of the question. The maps* of that 
period lay down the Wabash and White rivers very clearly and correctly ; 
and references to the river St. Jerome (Ouabachet) occur in documents 
published prior to 1700. From a mass of somewhat misty evidence, va- 
rious dates, ranging from 1680 to 1735, have been assigned as the time 
of the first settlement which, as a matter of course, obtained prior to the 
establishment of the first fort. The large and open river, the limited 
portage from the Maumee, which obviated the lengthy water route by the 
Straits of Mackinaw or the extensive portage across southern Michigan 
or northern Indiana, had early made the Ouabache (WabashJ) a favorite 
highway of travel, not alone to the pioneers of this section of country, but 
to the French traders, trappers and Indians who rendezvoused on the lake 
shores of Canada and made annual pilgrimages to the hunting grounds in 
this immediate locality. The country around the Indian village of Chip- 
pe-coke (Vincennes), which was one of the most populous on the Wabash, 
contained numerous lakes and bayous, wherein the aquatic and fur-bearing 
animals, with the skill of masons drilled in the deft handling of a trowel, 
reared their homes. Inviting prairie lands, easy of cultivation and annually 
fertilized with the productive sediment of the river, lay around and about 



* Franquelin's Maps, 1684. 

t The Wabash is strictly the principal stream of Indiana, from the surface of 
which it draws the far greater part of its waters. The head branches of the Wabash 
are in the Indian country, of course very imperfectly explored, * * * The entire 
length of the Wabash exceeds three hundred miles ; it is a fine stream, without falls 
or extraordinary rapids. It was through the channel of the Wabash that the French 
of Canada first discovered the Ohio, to which they gave the name of Belle Riviere, or 
beautiful river, but considered the Wabash the main branch and gave the united 
rivers its name. Darby's Emigrant's Guide, 1818, p. 214. 

t The Wabash Valley was occupied about 1700, the first settlers entering it by 
the portage leading from the Kankakee. Later the voyageurs found a shorter route 
to the fertile valley, ascending the Maumee, then called "The Miami of the Lake," 
whose heads are interlaced with those of the Wabash, and crossing the short portage 
leading to that stream, they could descend to the Ohio. As the Frenchmen found 
their way to the confluence of the two streams by the Wabash, and as they knew 
little of the Ohio, then called "the river of the Iroquois," they took the Wabash for 
the main stream. * * * Hiesdale, The Old Northwest, p. 44. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 45 

the town. Just below, with its gravelly bottom, was the river ford, a 
favorite resort for youthful bathers a third of a centurj- ago. This par- 
ticular place in the Wabash and the falls in tlie Ohio river at Louisville, 
Ky., were on a parallel line with and extended along the old Indian and 
buffalo trail, by which the swarthy sons of the forest and herds of bison, 
by hundreds and thousands, passed back and forth from the fertile prairies 
of Illinois to the blue grass pastures of Kentucky. The route across the 
country to the lower Illinois and Mississippi* settlements was one that 
impressed the traveler very favorably. It was not only inviting, but at 
once easily attainable, and provided comforts not usually to be found in 
journeys undertaken in those early days. The sheltering places to be 
found en route, the abundance of water and the plenitude of game, be- 
sides its directness, made it at once desirable and preferable to all other 
avenues of travel if, in reality, there were any others to be had at that 
time. "In view of all these facts," says Mr. Bryan, "it would be in- 
credible that under these circumstances it should not have early become a 
favorite stopping place." 



* The directors of the Canadian Company, as we have heretofore stated herein, 
said November lo, 1701, that "the River Ouabache will serve as a boundary between 
this colony and that which is established on the Mississippi, for it is by it that one goes 
to Carolina and that the English come also to our lands." It is very plain that the 
Ouabache was well known and a great line of travel between Canada and the South 
as early as 1701, at least. F. A. Meyers, Post Vincennes, p. 16. 



CHAPTER V. 
THE FIRST SETTLEMENT OF VINCENNES. 

A TRIBUTE TO THE MISSIONARIES AND THEIR LABORS NATIONAL ACTS OF 

EUROPEAN NATIONS MAKE LOCAL HISTORY IMPORTANT RESULTS GROW- 
ING OUT OF CLARK's conquest — HOW FOREIGN POWERS ACQUIRED TERRI- 
TORY IN NORTH AMERICA VINCENNES AN HISTORIC SPOT THE MAD 

RUSH FOR LAND AND ITS BALEFUL EFFECTS ON BURR AND CLARK CROSS 

AND SWORD IMPLANTED IN NEW SOIL "KEY TO THE NORTHWEST TERRI- 
TORY" DEDICATED TO RELIGION AND CIVILIZATION FIRST CHURCH WEST 

OF THE ALLEGHENY MOUNTAINS. 

The lives and achievements of the early explorers of the northwest 
territory should excite our interest and invoke our sympathies. The mis- 
sionary and the z'oyagcur paved the way for the pioneers to fell the for- 
ests, clear the prairies, reclaim swamps, lay out farms, build cities, con- 
struct railroads — in short, to transform the bleak and howling wildernesses 
into landscapes of bewildering beauty, glorified with a lofty civilization 
unparalleled anywhere beneath the great blue dome of heaven. The one 
gave himself to the service of the church and the salvation of souls ; the 
other, with an energy and hardihood almost as pronounced, to scientific 
research and the development of the fur trade, thus connecting by com- 
mercial ties the kings and castles of the old world with the hunting grounds 
and Indian wigwams of the new. The fur trade, however, which carried 
its votaries into the recesses of wilderness wilds, over pathless snows, 
through fastnesses of interminable forests, up the winding courses of 
treacherous streams, over the bosom of mighty rivers and lakes, almost as 
boundless as seas, was outstripped by religion, whose onward march the 
greed for gold could not stay. The bearers of the cross held the emblem 
aloft in the jungles of wild beasts and in the haunts of savages, where 
men followed, impelled by a force they could not resist, inspired by a 
daring enterprise and lofty ambition the world had never seen before nor 
has not since. As the ranks of these holy pilgrims were thinned by the 
cruel tomahawk, torturing death at the stake, or from disease, the voids 
were filled by others who pressed onward, undismayed by the fate of those 
whose places they had taken, coveting to bear the burden of the cross and 

46 




TK( IM^KII AMI I III'. I'Kiil'IIK I 




(i;(iSS AM)S\\(i|;li AT \ IXCKXMCS. 1703 



r 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 47 

to wear a crown of thorns even unto the end of their earthly pilgrimages. 
The examples of Marquette and LaSalle, of Fathers Marest, La Veigne, 
Senat, Mermet, Meurin and Gibault, with which we are familiar, and a 
host of other zealous missionaries who established their "tabernacles in 
the wilderness," impress us visibly, regardless of our religious opinions or 
belief, when we contemplate the great hardships they endured, the perils 
they suffered, the sacrifices they made in the pursuit of spiritual as well 
as temporal objects. *"\\'hatever else Jesuitism may have done, it has 
given to history one of the noblest of those armies of heroes and martyrs 
with the record of whose deeds and sufferings its pages are glorified. No- 
where does tlie love of souls, the contempt of danger and death, patient 
endurance of hunger, cold, nakedness and bonds, serene self-possession 
under stripes, and the joyful welcome of martyrdom stand out in more 
illustrious contrast to the ordinary selfish and sordid phases of our nature 
than in the early mission story of one region of this continent." 

The mind of the Jesuit Father, however, was not entirely absorbed in 
religious thought at all times. While the conversion of a single Indian to 
the doctrines of the Catholic faith, or the baptism of an infant were con- 
sidered a joy and a full recompense for the labor, toil and suffering en- 
tailed, the frontier priest found time to devote his talents and finely- 
trained intellect to temporal affairs. And this is the reason, strange as it 
may seem, that the best and only authentic accounts of the country bounded 
on the north by the lakes, on the east by the Miami, south by the Ohio, and 
west by the Mississippi, to be had two centuries ago, were gathered from 
detailed reports of the missionaries relative to their labors in this field, 
transmitted annually to their superior. 

If it were possible to reproduce these reports, they would no doubt 
decide for all time the mooted question of the first settlement of Vin- 
cennes — a subject discussed at length from different viewpoints in para- 
graphs presented in preceding chapters, and which we cannot dismiss with- 
out further discussion. The evidence along this line already adduced, as 
well as that which is to follow, points unmistakably to the fact that the 
founding of Vincennes. the establishment of a military post, as well as a 
mission, t were contemporaneous with the founding of other such posts 



* Milburn, The Pioneers, Preachers and People of the Mississippi Valley, 
PP- 72, 73- 

t But few of the old records of the early French missions are available. During 
the French domination of Louisiana, many of the inhabitants of the Northwestern 
Territory who had emigrated from New Orleans, becoming alarmed after a great 
flood of the western waters returned thither, and, at the suggestion of the clergy, 
carried the greater portion of the mission and church records with them, for greater 
safety. There they were deposited in a vault of the principal church of that place, 
where they remained for many years untouched. When afterward they were brought 
to light and examined, it was discovered that they were entirely decomposed by the 
humidity of the atmosphere. 



48 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

along the northern lakes and the Mississippi at the beginning of the 
eighteenth century; and further, that 1702 was the date when these events 
transpired. 

The consequences of discovery and conquest on the North American 
continent made by European countries from the beginning of the sixteenth 
to the close of the seventeenth century, that bear relationship to the north- 
west territory, have more than a foreign connection with Vincennes and 
its first settlement. Some national act committed by either Spain, France 
or Great Britain has had, directly or indirectly, an influence on the old post 
— proud and haughty Vincennes — the gem city of the Wabash valley, 
whose past is enveloped in a halo of historic glory, whose present is made 
resplendent by the glorious sun of prosperity that shines, undimmed by a 
single cloud of distrust, upon the devoted and happy heads of a prosperous 
and enlightened people, and whose future greatness is assured by the grand 
possibilities to which a progressive spirit and an advanced education point 
the way. The seat of an empire, within the confines of which a war was 
waged as far-reaching in its effects as the conquests of the Persians in 
western Asia and Egypt, as productive of effects as the long hostility be- 
tween Persia and Greece, finally ending in the expeditions of Xenophon 
and Alexander. These campaigns in the far east directly enlarged geo- 
graphical knowledge ; they increased the inter-communication of stranger 
peoples by facilitating locomotion ; they stimulated industry and extended 
commerce; by increasing commodities they added to the enjoyments of 
mankind, although such enjoyments may not be of the highest order; and 
finally, by establishing Alexandria they gave rise to an emporium where 
the remotest east and west could meet. The conquests of the northwest 
territory, however, in which America and England were involved, were 
more holy and righteous, and provided a characterization of heroic gen- 
eralship on the part of one American commander that has never been ex- 
celled in the military annals of the old world, either in ancient or modern 
warfare. Armies of the old world have devastated countries and slaugh- 
tered myriads, but they have left states and their rulers pretty much as 
they found them. Lust of conquest and love of glory have impelled Euro- 
pean nations to engage in war, but Americans have never yet arrayed 
themselves in battle except for the establishment of human rights and for 
the preservation of human liberties. The physical and moral advantages 
gained by George Rogers Clark in capturing Vincennes from the British, 
in the conquest of the northwest territory, have been so great that a proper 
estimate has never been given them by tlieir beneficiaries, else an ungrate- 
ful republic and unappreciative commonwealth would have never allowed 
their author to have gone to his grave "unwept, unhonored and unsung." 
But this inexcusable negligence and lack of appreciation on the part of 
the nation and the states in which he held citizenship do not detract from 
the glory of Clark's achievement or lessen its beneficent results. Genera- 
tions yet unborn, and those who are to follow them, long after we have 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 49 

gone and been forgotten, will sing his praises and pay tribute to the mem- 
ory of one of the bravest soldiers and one of the most strategic warriors 
that ever lived. For the expeditions of Clark and his followers in the 
north and west of America were no less productive of results than those 
of Xenephon and Alexander in the east and west of Asia and Egypt. They, 
too, enlarged geographical knowledge by extending the jurisdiction of the 
colonies from the Alleghenies to the Mississippi river, carrying with it 
American liberty, American progress and American ideas. By the acquisi- 
tion of territory greater in extent than some of the provinces of Asia or 
Egypt, they converted wilderness fastnesses into communities of civilization 
and progress, and created new fields for the cultivation of commercial and 
social relations. While the expeditions of the latter led to the establish- 
ment of Alexandria on the Egyptian border, giving rise to an emporium 
where east and west could meet, the expeditions of the former re-estab- 
lished Vincennes far beyond the line of the North American frontier, 
made it the capital of the northwestern territory, where north, south, east 
and west could meet untrammeled by British rule and unawed by the 
presence of Briton's red-skinned allies. Aye! more than this — Clark's ex- 
pedition, culminating in the capture of Vincennes from Hamilton, made 
possible the Louisiana Purchase, which in turn was followed by the an- 
nexation of Texas, the securing of California and the Pacific coast, and 
the later acquisition of Hawaii and the Philippines. It installed American 
freedom and unfurled the glorious banner of American liberty over a 
dominion extending from the Allegheny mountains to the Pacific ocean, 
and even unto the Orient, reclaiming a territory which would be other- 
wise under British or Spanish control. 

To briefly recount a few of the many achievements and exploitations 
of three European nations on American soil is but to present an index to 
a summary of events pertaining to Vincennes as a field of international 
warfare and as a seat of international government, as well as furnish, in- 
cidentally, information relating to it as the scene of not a few international 
controversies during colonial days, if not to dispel the doubt of its first 
settlement, a point upon which all historians are further apart today thart 
ever before. 

Great Britain was the first European nation to send, by royal authority, 
adventurers to this country after the advent of Columbus. As early as 
1496, only four years after the discovery of America, John Cabot, by birth 
a Venetian, but a subject of the king of England, having obtained a com- 
mission from Henry VII to discover unknown lands and annex them to^ 
the British crown, sallied forth accompanied by his three sons, falling in 
with the coast of Labrador, along which he proceeded as far as 67° north 
latitude. The year following he undertook a second voyage, and on the 
24th of June, 1497, discovered the island of Newfoundland and before 
his return traversed the coast from Davis' straits to Cape P'lorida. In 



50 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

1502 Sebastian Cabot again fell in with Newfoundland and on his return 
carried three of the natives of that island to England and presented them 
to his patron, Henry VH. England's claim to territory in America grew 
out of discoveries made by the Cabots, and the subsequent explorations 
and conquests of Sir Walter Raleigh, William Brown, Sir Francis Drake 
and others. But, thanks to American valor and bravery, to the strong 
arms and stronger hearts of our fathers and their ability to foresee fu- 
ture possibilities, the domains we have wrested from the claws of the 
British lion, are the choicest of all the parcels over which dissensions have 
arisen in the centuries that have gone by. And when one contemplates 
the glory of the deeds that comprise the victorious crown on Columbia's 
brow, Vincennes' contribution will shine forth as the brightest jewel in 
the coronet. 

Acting upon authority from the Spanish government, John Ponce 
(Ponce de Leon) in the early spring of 1512 sailed from St. Germain in 
Porto Rico and discovered the continent of America in 30° north latitude, 
where the town of Pensacola now stands. Here he landed, and finding the 
country overspread with a delightful verdure and the trees and herbs in 
full bloom, he named it Florida, which for long after was the common 
name of both North and Soutli America. Having taken possession of the 
"Land of Flowers" in the name of the king of Spain, he subsequently re- 
turned to Porto Rico, whence he reembarked, in 1521, to assume control 
of the province he had discovered nine years before. In Florida he was 
met by the natives with determined hostility, and in an attack made by 
them, the Spaniards were driven to their ships, and Ponce de Leon him- 
self was mortally wounded and died after his arrival in Cuba. Ferdinand 
De Soto was the second explorer and soldier to go from Spain to America 
for conquest and adventure. Having led a reinforcement of 300 soldiers 
and materially aided Pizzaro in the capture of Peru, he set sail for Florida, 
landing at Esperitu Santo bay in May, 1539. He and his band of adven- 
turers continued for four years to wander from one point to another, ever 
deceived in their expectations and ever allured by the report of the wealth 
that lay beyond. The Mississippi river, of which De Soto is the accredited 
discoverer, was reached in 1541, and the following winter was spent at 
Washita. As they were returning in 1542, along the Mississippi, De Soto 
died and his body was sunk in its waters. Upon the discoveries which the 
dead explorer and other members of his expedition had made, Spain laid 
claim to the western and southern part of the continent, just as she did 
to possessions in South America after the conquest of Peru. 

It was not until the year 1524 that France attempted to make discover- 
ies in America. For this purpose John Verrazano, a native of Italy, was 
sent out by Francis I, and having traversed the coast from latitude 28° to 
50° north, returned to Europe; and in a second voyage some time after, he 
was lost at sea. In 1534 a fleet was sent from France under Jules Car- 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 51 

tier for the purpose of making further discoveries in America. He arrived 
at Newfoundland in May, and on the tenth of August found himself in 
a broad gulf, which, with the river that falls into it, he named St. Law- 
rence, in honor of the day. In this voyage he coasted as far north as lati- 
tude 57°, expecting in vain to find a passage to China. The next year he 
sailed 200 leagues up the river St. Lawrence and named the country "New 
France,"* where he built a fort in which he found an abiding place during 
the winter, and in the ensuing spring returned to France. Upon these ex- 
plorations and the subsequent ones of Roberval, Champlain and others, 
France regarded herself justly entitled by right of discovery to portions at 
least of this vast and resourceful Eldorado. 

In 1753 a conflict arose between Louisiana and the Atlantic colonies 
which resulted in France being dispossessed of the immense territory ac- 
quired through conquest and discovery of her explorers and missionaries, 
and in September, 1760, Montreal, Detroit and all of Canada became the 
possessions of his majesty, the king of England. In February, 1763, the 
treaty of Paris was concluded, by which Great Britain became possessed 
of all New France, and all that portion of the province of Louisiana lying 
on the east side of the Mississippi, except the island and town of New 
Orleans, which remained under French dominion. The treaty of Paris, 
though signed on November 3, 1762, was not concluded until three months 
later, and during the interim (between November 3, 1762, and February 
10, 1763) France, in a secret treaty, ceded to Spain all her possessions on 
the west side of the Mississippi, including the whole territory to the head- 
waters of the Great river and west to the Rocky mountains. Thus did the 
great province of Louisiana become the domain of Great Britain and Spain, 
the reigning power established by Louis XIV terminate, and the domina- 
tion of proud France over all sections of American territory, which had 
been exercised for a period covering more than two hundred years, was 
abruptly and ingloriously ended. 

The attitude of this trio of European kingdoms towards one another in 
relation to their American possessions, and the civil and military acts of 
their respective governments on this continent have resulted in making 
local history, here in this city, subordinate to national history only to the 
extent that the chapters which comprise a book are subordinate to the vol- 
ume of which they are an integral part. They have made Vincennes the 
most historic town in the country. Sanctified by age, she has been the 
scene of more stirring incidents of bloodshed, intrigues, love and hate, 



* The English colonies in America began with villages and outlaying farms ; the 
French colonies with missionary stations, fortified posts or trading houses, or with 
the three combined. The triple alliance of priest, soldier, and trader continued 
through the period of colonization. Often, but not always, settlements grew up around 
these missions or posts, and these settlements constituted the colonies of New France. 
Hinsdale, The Old Northwest, p. 38. 



52 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

strategic warfare, military skill and bravery, than any other spot on the 
continent. When aborigines held sway, and the blood of Saxon and Celt 
intermingled with her native born, when a Latin civilization had barely 
made its impress beyond the borders of the original thirteen colonies, above 
the ramparts of her primitive fortress had floated in turn the Fleur de Lys, 
the Cross of St. George and America's banner. Within her garrison had 
been mobilized the mosquetaires of Louis XIV, the gendarmes of George 
III, the riflemen of Clark, and the regular troops of Harmar, St. Clair and 
Harrison. From her blazing altars the light went forth into the darkness 
of the wilderness, with the chanted prayers of black-robed priests, to arouse 
the mind and awaken the heart of the child of the forest to his duty to the 
maker. The position of the old post, topographically and otherwise, from 
the day of its establishment, and even prior thereto, has been one of im- 
portance. The real history of the place, until late years but little known 
even to many dwelling within its precincts, is of greater national import 
than was ever dreamed by a casual observer of events. Looking backward 
more than two hundred years, we behold the old town, nestling in the 
shades of giant forests, far removed from the line of the frontier, a for- 
midable post in the trackless wilderness, forming one link of a grand chain 
by which France strenuously attempted to hold her possessions in this 
country. One hundred years later, during which period it had repeatedly 
repelled the hostile attacks of savage and semi-savage foes, it is seen yield- 
ing to British dominion and subject to British power. The war of the 
revolution, by which all the parental ties that bound us steadfastly to the 
heaving bosom of our mother country were severed, wrested it also from 
its conquerors and snatched the northwest territory, in its beauty and 
grandeur as a priceless gem from the British crown. 

The acquisition of the territory by the three great powers above named 
before the close of the seventeenth century, and, particularly, subsequent to 
that period, brought about what might be termed an epidemic of conquest 
and colonization among the people on this side of the ocean so virulent 
in form as to attack victims of high and low degree, spreading its baleful 
influence even unto the other side of the great waters. The symptoms of 
the disease manifested themselves in a maddened race for land, in which 
England (though more neutral than her rivals), France and Spain were 
involved; creating also a pursuit for possession bordering on the insane 
among individuals of greedy or adventurous calibre. It sowed the seeds 
of dissension and selfishness broadcast throughout the land. Men, having 
an inordinate desire for wealth and social power, and greed for gain and 
gold, were lured, through the tempting avenues disloyal citizens had con- 
structed, to forsake the paths of principle and forget their patriotism, else 
the pages of American history would have never depicted Aaron Burr, at 
the beginning of the nineteenth century, as a traitor, no grand jury indict- 
ments would have been lodged against him for treason, and William Henry 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 53 

Harrison of Vincennes, Indiana, would have never had the opportunity 
to give him the first decisive check he had encountered in his gigantic 
scheme to dismember the Union. Neither would have George Rogers 
Clark, in the last quarter of the eighteenth century, feigned an intrigue 
with Genet, minister from France to the United States, going so far in 
his pretentions of sincerity to issue a proclamation signed by himself as 
Major-General of the Armies of France, Commander-in-Chief of the French 
Revolutionary Legions on the Mississippi ; nor would have Daniel Boone 
accepted a commission as a Spanish officer; and consequently no breath of 
suspicion of a treasonable nature would have blurred the bright records of 
two of the most fearless of frontier fighters, the bravest of soldiers, and 
the most loyal of American citizens. Clark's position, however, with ref- 
erence to his proposed conquest of Louisiana, was not in itself treason- 
able. His prenteded loyalty for France could not be construed as disloyalty 
to America, when he felt, in putting on the epaulets of a French officer, he 
had to deal solely with Spain. Notwithstanding his intrigues with Genet 
and his willingness to undertake an expedition for the conquest of St. Louis 
and upper Louisiana, he was not really so much in sympathy with the 
project as he was with the opportunities it might afford for venting his 
spleen and for paving the way for personal advancement and aggrandize- 
ment. In the first place, he was espousing a cause of Kentucky at the 
time that was a personal matter on the part of his constituents and him- 
self with Spain, because of the latter's attempt to block the Mississippi in 
order to divert products of Kentucky soil from the markets of New Or- 
leans. Secondly, he perceived an occasion to appease a warlike spirit, 
which was ever dominant in his mental and physical makeup. This feel- 
ing, combined with an uncontrollable desire for adventure and for unsel- 
fish gain and glory, actuated him and his followers and the followers of 
Boone — the backwoodsmen of Kentucky and Missouri — to jointly conspire 
for a conflict of arms in Spanish possessions on the American continent. 
Although both of these sturdy frontiersmen and pioneer warriors had 
fought Indians shoulder to shoulder, in this contemplated enterprise they 
had arrayed themselves to all outward appearances one against the other. 
The Indiana legislature certainly did not attribute disloyal motives to 
the attitude of Clark in this connection, when both branches of that hon- 
orable body, in 1903, passed a bill making provision for placing a statue 
of the man commemorative of his patriotism and heroism in the Hall of 
Fame of the national capitol, a fitting testimonial by a great state — not to 
a favorite son, but to a distinguished soldier and patriot whose country, 
native and adopted states had flagrantly neglected to take cognizance of 
the valiant services he had rendered his common country or the manifold 
blessings that accrued to the nation therefrom. Governor Durbin, with 
more or less ceremony, vetoed the measure, performing an official act which 



64 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

failed to provoke a single plaudit from the ranks of his admiring con- 
stituents. 

Clark and Vincennes are inseparable — they are synonymous. Hence 
the hero of the place of which we write bids us proceed with the story. 

According to tradition, it was in September, 1702,* when autumn was 
just beginning to tinge the leafy verdure with gold, that M. Juchereau de 
St. Dennis and his four companions looked upon Vincennes for the first 
time. This quintette of Canadians — headed by Juchereau, soldier, citizen, 
trader, trapper, consisted also of Pierre Leondary, a French commissioned 
ofificer; Messrs. Godare and Troitre. coitrcurs de bois, and Father Le 
Veigne (predecessor of Father Mermet) — came by water and portage at the 
behest of religo-commercial people of Quebec, bearing credentials of their 
worth. The mission on which they were bent was fraught with an object of 
three-fold significance. Juchereau [regarded by some of his biographers as 
a Huront half-breed, and as a Frenchmant of Irish descent] was a French 
gentleman (a type of the gcntillioinine) with a penchant for adventure and 
speculation, and came here ostensibly to establish a trading post on the banks 
of the St. Jerome (Wabash) river, with full permission from the governor 
of Canada to engage in the lucrative and fascinating traffic of peltries, a 
trade out of which the noblesse of Canada and continental Europe were 
reaping harvests of fabulous wealth. Lieutenant Leondary had been or- 
dered, in conjunction with Juchereau, by the French government, to build 
a fort, and Father Le Veigne came from Montreal at the instigation of a 
Jesuit, to whom he was only an assistant, with instructions to erect a chapel 
and carry the light of the gospel farther into the darkened recesses of wil- 
derness wastes. This trio of voyageurs, nurturing impulses born with them 
upon the far-away shores of another continent, swayed by' conditions aris- 
ing in the land of their adoption, along the borders of the St. Lawrence, 
were easily persuaded to become the light-bearers in a country flooded with 
darkness, accepting as their guide and sceptre the cross and the sword. 
Representing, as they did, a separation of duties, they were nevertheless 
firmly held by a union of interests, for the furtherance of which they in- 
cessantly labored. Encouraged by the reception accorded them by the na- 
tives when their pirogues — convoyed by a flotilla of birch canoes manned 
by Indians— landed at the foot of Broadway [now] street, in the shadow 
cast by the Piankashaw council house upon the placid bosom of the Wa- 
bash, their labor of love at once became a joyful task. They immediately 
began the erection of a primitive church and the construction of a rude 
fortification further down the river at the foot of Barnet street, the French 
Canadians and Piankeshaw Indians, between whom friendly relations ex- 
isted, voluntarily aiding in the work as it progressed. In selecting the 



* La Harpe's Journal, Feb. 8, 1703. 

t O. F. Baker, History Knox County, 1886. 

t Bishop Brute quoted by Bishop de la Hilandeire. 




Oo^ 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 55 

sites for these buildings, the voyagcurs simply carried out the idea char- 
acteristic of the French, displaying a judgment most admirable in the loca- 
tion as to proximity of the structures, one with the other, and the command- 
ing view of the river, up and down, both afforded. 

In the formulation of this plan could be seen the wisdom of the priest, 
of the soldier and trader combined. These triple alliances were coexten- 
sive with the northwest territory, and were worked for an immediate end, 
but the sites they chose [especially the one now under consideration] are 
as important today as when they were chosen. Nature, the far-seeing 
goddess, undoubtedly decided all these questions long, long before the 
white race set foot upon the virgin soil of the new world. 

On the first Sunday following the day of the voyageurs' arrival, Father 
Le Veigne celebrated high mass out in the open on the plot of ground sur- 
rounding St. Francis Xavier's cathedral, hard-by the partially built church. 
Villagers, hunters, trappers, courcurs de hois, and hundreds of Indians 
composed the congregation, and were more mystified and awed than they 
were spiritually impressed with the ceremonies. Within a comparatively 
short time both the church and the fort were completed, the cross and the 
sword implanted in new soil, the post formally established, and the "key 
to the northwest territory" consecrated to Christianity and dedicated to 
civilization. 

The "fort," which was intended more as a protection for furs and pel- 
tries, and the men engaged in handling them, was nothing more than a small 
palisade, which Fort Sackville eventually supplanted and subsequently took 
on larger proportions. For more than a third 'of a century, however, it 
had an awe-inspiring effect on the savages, its presence preventing Indian 
uprisings that seemed ever and anon imminent. It was builded of heavy 
timbers, planted in the earth, sharpened on top and leaning outward, en- 
closing a log magazine buried in the sand; a storehouse constructed pat- 
teaux en terra (posts in the ground) with the interstices filled with mortar 
toughened by long prairie grass, and a few rude sheds, or huts of bark. 
Around this antiquated fortification the inhabitants builded their modest 
domiciles, and at its portals two-thirds of a century later contending armies 
of powerful nations adjusted international controversies, altered the boun- 
daries of nations, states and territories, and transposed their laws. 

The modest church, within whose walls, soon after its completion. 
Father Mermet offered up the holy sacrifice of the mass as the regular 
celebrant, was named St. Francis Xavier's by this pious and zealous priest. 
In this crude house of worship, on the site of which the present magfnifi- 
cent cathedral — with its paintings in oil and its marble statuary, its altars 
with tabernacles of gold and silver, candelabra of brass and bronze, vest- 
ments and robes of brocaded velvet and satin — rears its lofty spire towards 
the sky, no light fell upon the earthen floor except through apertures in 
the slabbed roof, cut for windows and ventilators, and no decorations re- 



56 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

lieved the nude walls except a faded print of the patron saint to whom good 
Father Mermet had dedicated his church. There were no fires in the 
stoves, because there were no stoves to be had, warmth being obtained 
from burning logs in the central aisle, the smoke finding its way out of the 
building through holes cut in the roof. Here the successor of Father Le 
Veigne, clothed in the sombre habiliments of a Jesuit, told penitents the 
story of the Christ and administered to supplicants the consoling sacraments 
in the first church erected west of the Allegheny mountains. 



CHAPTER VI. 

THE SOCIAL, RELIGIOUS AND EDUCATIONAL LIFE OF FIRST 

SETTLERS. 

HOMES OF THE PEOPLE FUNCTIONS OF SOCIETY'S VOT.'MUES IN THE EIGHT- 
EENTH CENTURY THE DIFFICULTIES OF TIL-WEL POLICIES OF FRENCH 

INSURE UNITY AMONG THEMSELVES AND SECURE GOOD WILL OF INDIANS 

LAND ALLOTMENTS FOR AGRICULTURAL PURPOSES NATIVES NOT ANNOYED 

BY LAWYERS OR COURTS — HOW MANY OF THE INHABITANTS VIEWED EDU- 
CATION AND RELIGION FATHER MAREST AND FATHER MERMET TEACH AND 

PREACH FATHER MERMET AND THE MASCOUTINS FATHER RIVET AND 

THE FIRST PUBLIC SCHOOL WEST OF THE ALLEGHENIES — RACIAL SUICIDE 

NOT IN VOGUE IN EARLY TIMES ADVENTURES OF VOYAGEURS CELEBRATED 

WITH BALLS — THE EARL OF SELKIRK ENTERTAINED BY VINCENNES' FOUR 
HUNDRED. 

At the first dawn of the eighteenth century Vincennes awakened from 
infantile slumber to look out upon a land of grandeur, beauty and pic- 
turesque loveliness. Few were the civilized habitations in the great north- 
west territory to accord her kindly greeting, Detroit, which still had on her 
swaddling clothes when Vincennes was born, being the only one of any con- 
sequence. At both these places the manners and habits of the people, and 
their adventures, were very similar. Detroit, however, being situated at a 
more exposed point, and surrounded by warlike Indian tribes, who were en- 
gaged in hostilities with each other, experienced more of the vicissitudes of 
war, of which Vincennes always had an ample sufficiency. Sparse, indeed, 
were the settlements in the vast country lying between these two points. 
Stockade forts, garrisoned by a handful of men, guarded and protected the 
portages by which it was possible — often at great risk— to penetrate this cov- 
etous country from the northern lakes. Kaskaskia, in the Illinois country, 
with its outlying hamlets, inhabited mostly by Indians, had its birth about the 
same time as Vincennes, and was governed by the same laws, and had, prac- 
tically, the same class of people. To these niulei of civilization, furnished 
by the three towns, the Wabash, the Illinois, the Mississippi, or some 
affluent of them, afforded a highway. The famous "Wilderness Road," 
a route with which the first settlers of Tennessee and Kentucky subse- 

57 



58 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

quently became familiar, was also utilized frequently as an avenue of travel 
by emigrants. Leading down from the mountains, it crossed the Ohio at 
Louisville, Ky., passed through Vincennes and led directly to Kaskaskia. 
The architectural design of the homes of the inhabitants of these villages 
was unique, if it was not artistic. Long, zig-zagged lines of log cabins, 
with broad verandas, stood along the narrow streets, the interstices filled 
with mud, or yellow clay, mixed with straw or prairie grass, the chim- 
neys, built of mud and sticks, standing on the outside. The interior decora- 
tions of these humble, but happy, homes evidenced that neither the ener- 
gies nor the tastes of the housekeepers had been overtaxed. A crucifix, the 
hide of a black bear nailed to the logs, or a pair of antlers of deer, elk, or 
the horns of a buffalo, were the characteristic furnishings of the average 
cabin, in which tlie few articles of furniture used bore the unmistakable 
trade-mark of having been home-made — puncheon chairs and puncheon 
tables, and pallets on the puncheon floors. The pristine glory and beauty 
of the forests were little disturbed by these denizens, who preferred the 
dark shades of woodland and dell, and the pursuit of the wild beasts that 
inhabited them, or the bosom of the sky-colored river, to the open fields, 
whose bright verdure and fertility would seem to invite the occupation of 
agriculture. The industry of tilling the soil, however, was carried on to 
a limited extent, but never to a degree that would detract from the charm 
of the chase. Trapping, hunting and fishing were always paramount to 
hewing, chopping or delving. 

After the establishment of the fort and church, the average citizen of 
Vincennes, as well as those who dwelt remote from these institutions, felt 
more secure in the exercise of his social privileges, and religious preroga- 
tives. And, consequently, an additional glamor was given to a life that in 
a high degree had been characterized by a constant whirl of social gaieties 
in a perpetual atmosphere of congeniality. Christenings and weddings, 
the planting, the harvest, the husking, saints' days — every occasion that 
was the least bit out of the ordinary was made a gala day and every occur- 
rence of note called for a carnival or festival. The Creole fiddler was a 
much sought man, and the inspiring, though cacophonous, music his price- 
less instrument gave forth nearly every night in the week never ceased 
to commingle with the joyous and boisterous notes of the merry revelers 
until the gray dawn of morn gently peeked through the cabin windows or 
boldly sought admission at the door. 

For more than a century the settlers at Vincennes lived in a world of 
their own, and, after the sceptre of His Britanic majesty was wielded over 
the regions of the northwest, for a long time, without molestation or hind- 
rance, the English allowed the French to hold sway in whatever region 
the adventuresome nature and keen discernment of the latter led them, by 
permitting them to establish themselves and exert their influence along the 
banks of the Allegheny to the Ohio. They had already possessed them- 
selves of the three other great avenues from the St. Lawrence to the 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 59 

Mississippi; for the safe possession of the route by way of the Fox and 
Wisconsin, they had no opponents but in the Sacs and Foxes ; that by way 
of Chicago had been safely pursued since the days of Marquette; and a 
report on Indian affairs, written by Logan in 1718, proves that they very 
early made use of the Miami of the Lakes, where, after crossing the carry- 
ing place of about three leagues, they passed the summit level, and floated 
down a shallow branch into the Wabash and Ohio. It was upon this line 
of communication the French established their forts — the nuclei around 
which human habitations clustered— and, hence, the major portion of pop- 
ulation of these settlements, at Vincennes, at Detroit, and at Kaskaskia, 
traced their lineag-e to the first voyagcurs from Canada. This route may 
have been adopted at a very early period after LaSalle's return from Illi- 
nois. All routes, however, leading to Vincennes, were more or less circuit- 
ous, especially overland, and progress necessarily slow. In journeying 
from one point to another between the Wabash and Illinois countries, con- 
siderable time was consumed, necessitating two, three, four, or five days 
in the wilderness. At all seasons of the year travelers were compelled 
to swim quite a number of water courses in their journey, which were too 
deep to be forded ; the country being wholly destitute of bridges and fer- 
ries, travelers had, therefore, to rely on their horses as the only substi- 
tute for those conveniences. That fact made it common, when purchasing 
a horse, to ask it he were a good swimmer, which was considered the 
most valuable qualities of a saddle horse, tlie best of which sold at from 
$50 to $60. 

"In all the settlements of the French on the Illinois and Wabash rivers " 
says Monnette, in his History of the Mississippi Valley, "as well as in Louis- 
iana, they adopted a policy at once singular and benevolent; a policy well 
adapted to insure unity and harmony among themselves and to secure the 
good will and friendship of the numerous tribes in the northwest by which 
they were surrounded. They seemed, indeed, constituted to harmonize in 
all their habits and feelings with the Indians among whom they took up 
their abode. They had left behind them, among the colonists near the 
Atlantic border, avarice, that ruling passion of the European emigrants 
in the new world, which has too often sought its gratification 
in plundering the natives of their little patrimony and the comforts 
of savage life. Hence, while other colonies were continually embroiled 
with the natives in exterminating wars, the French who sought 
peace and friendship, lived in harmony and mutual confidence with the sur- 
rounding tribes. In all their migrations and explorations to the remotest 
rivers and hunting grounds, they associated with the Indians 'like a band 
of brothers,' as equally the children of the same great Father of all. Free 
frop-' ♦'"t selfish feeling which prompts men to associate in separate com- 
munities, with distinct and discordant interests, each endeavoring to mon- 
opolize all the advantages of time and circumstances, they lived among 
themselves as one common brotherhood and yet shared with the Indians 



60 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

their sufferings, and their hospitahties. Providence smiled upon the happy 
union of the white man of Europe with the red man of the American wil- 
derness. The early French were remarkable for their talent of ingratiating 
themselves with the warlike tribes around them, and for their easy amal- 
gamation in manners and customs, and blood. Unlike most other European 
emigrants, who commonly preferred to settle in sparse settlements, remote 
from each other, the French manifested in a high degree, at the same 
time, habits both social and vagrant. They settled in compact villages, 
although isolated, in the midst of a wilderness a thousand miles remote 
from the dense settlements of Canada. On the margin of a prairie, or on 
the bank of some gentle stream, their villages sprung up in long, narrow 
streets, with each family homestead so contiguous that the merry and so- 
ciable villagers could carry on their voluble conversation, each from his 
own door or balcony. The young men and voyageurs, proud of their in- 
fluence among the remote tribes of Indians, delighted in the long and 
merry voyages, and sought adventures in the distant travels of the fur 
trade. After months of absence upon the sources of the longest rivers 
and tributaries among their savage friends, they returned to their village 
with stores of furs and peltries, prepared to narrate their hardy adventures 
and the thrilling incidents of their perilous voyage. Their return was 
greeted with smiling faces, and signalized by balls and dances, at which the 
whole village assembled, to see the great travelers, and hear the fertile 
rehearsal of wonderful adventures and strange sights in remote countries. 
The participants in these festive occasions— the men and women com- 
prising at this period the population of the Old Post, manifoldly blessed 
as they were with healthy offspring — had followed the Indian trails, over- 
land, or had pursued the same route, by water, over which the red man, 
many years previous, paddled his frail canoe. Distinctive among them were 
Spanish, English and French merchants, chaperoned by coureur de bois, 
who came to seek, Mohammedan-like, a traffic which had refused to come 
to them, and, whether from choice or policy, adapted themselves very agree- 
ably to the existing conditions of society.* A community of happy and 
simple people, indeed, was Old Vincennes from 1702 to the very end of 
Indiana's territorial existence. The laws which governed, the religious, 
social, commercial and industrial life it presented, the mannerisms of its 
inhabitants, the characters and occupations of its people, were so at va- 
riance with present day conditions, so hostile and diametrically in opposi- 
tion to the established codes of the descendants of French and English 
settlers, so repulsive to latter day ethics, as to be almost beyond the com- 
prehension of the present generation. 

While there was little or no adjudication carried on in those days be- 
tween the peaceful and contented people, the ancient Roman law, which 
had undergone modification in the different countries of Europe, was the 



* Milburn, Pioneers, Preachers and People of the Mississippi Valley. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 61 

code that obtained there, as well as throughout the length and breadth 
of the country, only that every principle upon which it was founded seemed 
susceptible of greater elasticity to the average jurist who held sway in these 
parts, often to the detriment of litigants on both sides of the case. How- 
ever, by common consent, or otherwise ; probably more for self-protection 
than for expediency; there were substituted laws providing for allodial 
titles to lands, which received the sanction of both the French and Eng- 
lish governments. While individual grants were made, land was assigned 
to communities as a whole for farming and raising stock. Each family 
was permitted to stake off for itself the portion desired for live stock and 
agricultural purposes, and never found it necessary to guard against in- 
truders or interlopers. By an edict issued by "the powers that be" — the 
official dignitaries of the village, whose ermine was worn by the common 
consent of the governed — the sowing and planting of seeds, the cultiva- 
tion and harvesting of the crops had to be performed on certain prescribed 
days. A rail fence separated the stock pastures from the fields, to pre- 
vent the cattle from feeding on the grain, and, judging from the quantity 
of land claimed by the settlers, whose titles were subsequently disputed by 
designing military officers as well as civilians, agriculture, in which the 
Piankeshaw Indians also engaged, must have been carried on to a far 
greater extent than some earlier writers imagined. By the unanimous con- 
sent of the "field commissioners" — the same official household which pro- 
mulgated regulations for seed time and harvest — who were supposed at 
all times to voice the universal sentiments of the permanent populace, new 
settlers were permitted to join the colony and share in the rewards and 
reverses of the common field. After many years of occupancy, foreign 
land speculators and, be it said to their shame, men of royal blood wearing 
judicial ermine, sought to dispossess these incredulous people of tlieir pos- 
sessions, which led the latter as late as 1789, to appeal to Winthrop Sar- 
gent, secretary of the territory northwest of tlie Ohio river, for protection. 
In his official report, 1790, in reference to this appeal, Mr. Sargent said: 
"A petition has also been presented by the inhabitants of Vincennes, pray- 
ing a confirmation of their commons, comprehending about two thousand 
four hundred acres of good, and three thousand acres of sunken lands. 
They have been, it appears, thirty years under a fence, which is intended 
to confine their cattle within its boundaries, and keep them out of their 
wheat fields; for, contrary to the usage of farmers generally, the cattle are 
enclosed and the cultivated lands left at large, except those parts which 
immediately approach the commons. But this fence, and quiet possession 
under the French and British governments, they seem to think entitle them 
to a good prescriptive right." Congress had previously recognized that the 
habitants of the Old Post did have a "prescriptive right" to the land, for it 
donated it to them for commons purposes, subject to the control of the 
commandant of the post. The fence, evidently, was the bane of existence 
of all the commandants at the post for many years prior to 1791, a period at 



62 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

which control of the lands in question passed into other hands. In 1763, St. 
Auge, in full charge of Poste au Oubache as commandant, in the last official 
document he issued as such, addressed two of his trusty lieutenants as fol- 
lows : "Messieurs Deroite de Richardville and de Caindre can not watch 
too carefully that the inhabitants keep up their fences, it being to the in- 
terest of the public that the animals should not pass from the commons to 
the grain." 

Aside from these trivial annoyances, so amicable, season in and out, 
were the relations between the people of the village, so sacred were their 
social intercourse, their commercial dealings, that the barrister, for a long 
time, at least, like Hamlet, found his occupation gone. Statutory rights 
were unknown things, common law, courts and judges, pleas and pleadings, 
fees and findings, were names f which the commune had little or no 
knowledge, for there were no civil courts established nor civil authority 
exercised in any of the settlements of the northwest territory until two 
years after its formal organization, in 1788. Being no courts, there were 
no judicial adjustments of any character under way up to 1790 or 1791, 
when the stern arm of the law, with a sort of a palsied movement, was 
extended to the western settlements. While noted for adapting themselves 
to conditions as they arise, looking with philosophical vision upon every 
emergency that confronts them, the French by no means took kindly to the 
new procedure, placing little faith in the so-called fairness and equity to 
be derived from a trial by jury, especially when such afifairs were to be 
subject to American or English censorship. Heretofore, whatever little 
differences arose among the habitants, the priest was appealed to as a 
court of competent jurisdiction, whose rulings generally resulted satis- 
factorily to all parties to the suit. If not, then the case was taken before 
the commandant of the fort as a court of last resort, from whose merciful 
decisions there was no appeal. 

The religious training of these simple people, and all the spiritual food 
with which they were provided, was furnished by the Jesuit fathers, highly 
educated, classical scholars, who experienced much difficulty in imparting 
book learning to the major portion of their parishoners, and some with- 
out the fold, who seemed content with gaining less than a smattering of 
the knowledge contained in books — many declining to take even elemen- 
tary steps in reading and writing, feeling, intuitively, that "where ignorance 
is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise." The tutors were in every way capable of 
imparting instruction had the pupils been willing to take it. A very learned 
priest at this period was dean of a theological college here and at Kaskas- 
kia, and superior of all the missions in the Illinois and Wabash countries, 
who received for his services, as did all the other Jesuits engaged in mis- 
sionary work, only the paltry sums derived from marriage, baptismal or 
burial fees, or the voluntary contributions of parishioners. The name of 
this priest was Father Marest, who, with Father Mermet, the founder of 
St. Francis Xavier's cathedral, divided his time between Kaskaskia and 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 68 

Vincennes in religious and educational work, which he inaugurated at both 
places very early in the eighteenth century. It was these holy men who 
nurtured the religion that had barely been planted in the northwest terri- 
tory at the time of their arrival. Pious, humble, devoted, penniless, they 
imitated in their everyday walks the earthly life of the meek and lowly 
Nazarene, inspiring their scattered flocks with a purity of thought and a 
sincerity of purpose which disappeared with the temporary withdrawal of 
their priestly presence, only to find their erstwhile pious supplicants on the 
holy Sabbath, at the conclusion of services, indulging in pastimes that 
would grate harshly even on the delicate sensibilities of a frigidarium 
follower of Calvin. 

Father Mermet was an indefatigable, influential and conscientious 
worker among the natives, and the power he exerted over the Indians was 
something wonderful. He was performing priestly duties at \'incennes as 
early as 1710, and no doubt the motive which impelled him to come at such 
an early date was an uncontrollable impulse to look after the spiritual wel- 
fare of the savages. At any rate, we find him engaged in that "labor of 
love" almost simultaneously with the founding of the settlement, bending his 
energies for the conversion of a band of Indians who were then both nu- 
merous and hostile, but whose numbers and racial antecedants long since 
faded rapidly away. They were known as the Mascoutins, and were un- 
doubtedly of the Miami confederation, as they spoke the language of the 
latter. They were very superstitious and dwelt in a village not far re- 
moved from the fort. Like all other tribes they had their medicine man, 
but unlike most others, they seemed to pin greater faith in him, being 
absolutely immovable in their attachment for him, and placing implicit 
confidence in his wisdom. . They were, therefore, ill disposed to listen to 
the new doctrines as expounded by the learned Jesuit. Having concluded 
in his own mind that the better way of counteracting their unbelief in the 
Christian religion, was to point out to them the error of their way in a joint 
debate, in a public discussion, to be had with their most learned medicine 
man, in the presence and hearing of all that oracle's followers, he was suc- 
cessful in securing their assent to the plan. The success with which the 
eflForts of the reverend Father were crowned are best told in his own words. 
"The way I took," says he, "was to confound, in the presence of the whole 
tribe, one of these charlatans, whose Manitou, or Great Spirit, which he 
worshipped, was a buffalo. After leading him on insensibly to the avowal, 
that it was not the buffalo that he worshipped, but the Manitou, or spirit 
of the buffalo, which was under the earth, and which animated 
all buffaloes, which heals the sick, and has all power; I asked him if other 
beasts, the bear for instance, which some of his nations worshipped, was not 
equally inhabited by a Manitou, which was under the earth? 'Without 
doubt,' said the medicine man. 'If this is so,' said the missionary, 'men 
ought to have a Manitou who inhabits them?' 'Nothing more certain,' 
said the medicine man. 'Ought that not convince you, then,' said the 



64 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

Father, pushing his argument, 'that you are not very reasonable? For, if 
a man upon the earth is master of all animals; if he kills them; if he eats 
them; does it not follow that the Manitou which inhabits him, must neces- 
sarily have a mastery over all other Manitous? Why, then, do you not 
invoke him, instead of the Manitou of the bear and buffalo, when you are 
sick?' This reasoning," says the Father, "disconcerted the charlatan. And" 
— probably with a sigh of regret at the listless manner in which his logical 
argument had been received, the good priest concludes — "this was all the 
effect it produced." It was not a great while after this memorable meet- 
ing of the missionary and medicine man that a severe malady broke out in 
the village, and the Indians, says Father Mermet, gathered around the fort 
for the purpose of making a great sacrifice to their Manitou. They slew 
thirty or forty dogs, hoisted them on poles, and, forming a procession 
danced and sang around the fort, their countenances depicting the anguish 
and pain of their minds and bodies. Finding that their own efforts were 
unavailing to stop the pestilence, they appealed again to the missionary to 
stay the wrath of the fell destroyer whose fetid breath was withering 
and lessening their ranks daily. But neither the "manitou" of the French 
or Indian was powerful enough to check the ravages of the plague ; and, 
despite the untiring efforts of the self-sacrificing priest, who daily and 
hourly exposed himself to the unconquerable disease in ministering to the 
afflicted, more than one-half of the village perished. The Mascoutins 
seemed more susceptible to disease than any of their kindred, and were 
the first people as a nation among the Indian tribes to become extinct. 

The average native, though, perhaps, a very poor e.xemplar of the faith 
in the eyes of some people, absorbed, as well as retained, religion more 
readily than he did education. To read and write were, to his mind, rare 
accomplishments. As for arithmetic, it was a meaningless thing, as in- 
comprehensible as Greek. Having advanced far enough to distinguish 
words from phrases, to pusli the quill sufficiently to sign his name 
to instruments, or sketch characters on paper, and to spell un- 
pronounceable words that appeared in the catechism, or the lives of 
saints, or in the pages of church history, he felt his store of knowledge 
complete, and rested his fate in the hands of the priest and the command- 
ant. To him the days, with their sun and shade, came and went like the 
visions of a dream, filling his mind with peace and his heart with 
contentment. 

It must not, however, be inferred by the reader that Vincennes, at the 
time we are considering, was a hot-bed of ignorance. On the contrary, 
it was considered far advanced, intellectually, for an outlying post in a new 
country dominated by savages. We have simply shown the illiteracy of a 
class that rode, as it were, upon the crest of the first wave that touched these 
untrodden shores — the semi-savages, the descendants of the conrcur de 
bois, whose sires had acquired the tastes and habits of the aborigines and 
intermingled their blood with them. From the date of its first 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 65 

settlement the Old Post has been the home of educated, religious, 
refined and intellectual people, and was at the period of which we 
write. It was the first place in the northwest territory to promote ecclesias- 
tical and secular education by founding theological seminaries, parochial 
schools, and by establishing the first public school west of the Allegheny 
mountains. Soon after the inauguration of the first president of the United 
States, Monsieur Rivet — a noted friar brought here from France, through 
the instrumentality of the Catholic church — "taught the young idea how to 
shoot" in an improvised school-room in the basement of St. Francis Xa- 
vier's library, around which cling so many sweet and sad memories of by- 
gone days. A man of deep thought and profound learning, thoroughly 
French in his dress and mannerisms, he seemed wedded to his profession, 
performing his arduous duties with a pleasantry and precision refreshing 
to behold. For his services this talented and distinguished instructor re- 
ceived the annual stipend of two hundred dollars, and George Washing- 
ton, "Father of His Country," was his paymaster. Upon the roll of Mon- 
sieur Rivet's pupils were the names of quite a number of Indians, indi- 
cating that the more progressive inhabitants of the town believed in a 
universal spread of education, by extending it even unto the children of the 
forest. 

There were no symptoms of racial suicide manifested by the first set- 
tlers. Births and marriages were very frequent, and as soon as a son or 
daughter left the parental roof to enter upon a state of connubial felicity, 
a new cabin home sprang up in the shadow of the old homestead of either 
the bride or groom upon the original patriarchal grant, embracing small 
territory, but frequently containing domiciles of sufficient numbers to shel- 
ter five generations. To look in upon these homes of happiness and con- 
tentment, builded in the shades of wilderness wilds, and solitudes, where 
death and danger stalked, hand in hand, one is thrilled and fascinated by 
the love and virtue and bravery they portray. At what cost of mental 
anguish and physical suffering the ancestors of those who occupied them 
made possible their very existence, no one will ever know. In the lives of 
the courcur de bois, and their immediate descendants, are to be found 
more wonderful and thrilling stories of adventure, hardship, darkness, 
despair, romance, love, hate, sunshine and pleasure, than have ever been 
conjured in the fertile brains of the most versatile students in the advanced 
schools of fiction. The father's daring was a heritage he bequeathed to 
his son, who sought all the wild pleasures and fascinating dangers of the 
limitless forests and endless streams. In the pathless wilderness the sire 
found a highway that led to fields of pleasure and profit. To his acute ear 
the cries of the wild were as the dulcet notes of a familiar air, that lured 
him into the recesses of dense woods as the songs of the sirens drew the 
mariners out on the boundless seas. In the expeditions he made for sub- 
sistence, for pleasure, for gain, the rushing torrent, the untrodden forest, 
the irksome portage, with all their perils, hardships and dangers, appeared 



66 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 



to his optimistic vision as things of beauty, before which thoughts of fear, 
hunger, toil and deprivation vanished, hke the mist of morning before the 
rays of the ascending sun. The skillful and laborious occupation of the 
hunt, the dealings with the treacherous and fickle redskins, whether for 
traffic or sequestered rights, became to him both a pleasure and a pastime — 
the face of the deadly Sioux, the less bloodthirsty miens of the Algon- 
quins, Ottawas, Chippewas or Piankeshaws having no more terror for him 
than the countenances of his white brethren. Congenial as were his village 
environments — the cabin home, brightened by the cheerful presence of a 
loving wife and children, the narrow streets, with their motley crowds of 
gossipers, witliout a care, amiable, hospitable, happy, generous; the games, 
the chase, the dance, the unlimited number of social functions in which 
everybody participated — the young man could not get away from his long- 
ing for woodland and stream, and whenever this spirit asserted itself its 
mandates were imperative; he could no longer stay himself with the ties of 
home and friends, but had to go where the cry of the wild called him. 
Oftimes it led him, in his frail canoe, far up into the lake regions at the 
head of the Father of Waters, or to the rugged steeps and desolate plains 
towards the source of the unpoetic Missouri, through the land where the 
savage Sioux was always an inhospitable host, or even to the peaks and 
barren wastes of the Rocky mountains. By day his trusty gun was his 
sole and constant companion, and at night his only bed-fellow, with whom 
he courted sleep in forest shades, having no roof to cover him save the 
star-studded dome of heaven. But all the time busy with rifle and brain — 
killing game and driving bargains with the Indians — he would invariably 
return with a canoe laden with furs, only to reverse his course, and be 
gone in a jiffy to steer his barque towards the great southern metropolis. 
New Orleans, or to penetrate, with his fragile water craft, the creeks, the 
bayous and brooks — small arteries of the coast — that led the way to far- 
off inland towns or ports of the southland, at which points his commodi- 
ties, secured in wildernesses and upon streams hundreds of miles away, 
were exchanged for money, goods, and articles of merchandise that suited 
his fancy, with which he would depart, light-hearted and gay, for his fron- 
tier home on the Wabash, to prepare, refit and start (if the wild spirit 
within him was still at work) upon another expedition far towards the 
northland. Perhaps his penchant for bartering and trading (a characteris- 
tic of the son of the conrciir dc bois) would carry him, without a stop, 
into the Indian country, to trade the goods and wares he had obtained in 
the south; or, perchance, (the moving spirit having become dormant) he 
would become domesticated for the nonce, bury* under the cabin floor the 
French and Spanish coins that were the fruits of his hunting and trading 
expeditions, and make an effort to resume the laborious task of cultivating 
the soil. Apparently, it made little difference to him whether the final re- 



' Milburn, Pioneers, Preachers and People of the Mississippi Valley. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 67 

suits of his expeditions — the business ends thereof — made his purse more, 
or less, plethoric, the adventures they afforded him were always a satis-- 
factory recompense for the time and energy they involved. If they failed 
to be productive from a monetary standpoint, they, nevertheless, furnished 
a rich fund of harrowing tales and blood-curdling episodes, that were 
highly prized, besides affording excellent opportunities for the young man 
(especially if he were possessed of a semblance of descriptive powers) to 
dilate upon his own strange and varied experiences on turbulent waters, or 
in the recesses of dark and desolate woods and swamps, or to recount 
the stories of the nameless wanderers that he met on rivers and lakes, 
mountains and plains, or in the busy marts of southern towns, wherein he 
had gathered louis d'ors and doubloons. Frequently ten, twelve, twenty, 
and sometimes twenty- four months were consumed in making these 
voyages, the concluding end of which was always emphasized with 
a celebration, which generally partook of the character of a ball, 
as dancing was not only a favorite diversion of the natives but 
it was an accomplishment in which they all showed wonderful pro- 
ficiency. As soon as official announcement had been made of the return of 
the wanderers, the inhabitants, young and old, began to get their evening 
toilets ready for the dance, which was always a foregone conclusion. The 
ball room scenes of those days were certainly pictures of rarity and 
uniqueness, impossible to portray with pen. Youth — Creole girls with poses 
of the gracefuUest statues, having the beautiful faces and fine eyes that 
enslave, dressed in homespun — and old age vied with each other in efforts 
of light-heartedness and gaiety ; grandfather and grandmother, grandsons 
and granddaughters, fairest of maidens and rough and ready fellows in 
appearance, but decorous in deportment, negro slaves and Indian free- 
man, were all participants in the joyous event, which was notable for the 
presence of a propriety not excelled in the circles of social swelldom among 
the creme de la creine. At such functions, in accordance with time-honored 
custom, there was selected by the assemblage a "chief-hostess," a matron 
of eminent respectability, who assumed complete charge of all details per- 
taining to the affair; who made it a point to see that "everybody" danced 
with "somebody" else; that there were no wall flowers in evidence, and no 
lack of partners; that even the little children be permitted to participate 
in the labyrinthian mazes of the innocent and alluring diversion. At a 
prescribed hour the dance was concluded by official authority and the ball 
room — which was not infrequently graced by the presence of the good priest 
— became like a banquet hall deserted ; the violin was hushed, and the merry 
throng withdrew, to go home and content themselves with reflections upon 
the many pleasing incidents the occasion furnished, until another daring 
voyageur's exploitations called for a repetition of the celebration. 

To all of these aflfairs, and upon all occasions of pomp and ceremony, 
whether of a public or private character, every stranger within the village 
gates was provided with carte blanche and urged to attend. This generous 



68 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

display of hospitality and courtesy, for wliich Vincennes is noted to this day, 
has been extant since the beginning of the first settlement, and many aris- 
tocratic Europeans, from time to time, have been noticeable figures at her 
primitive balls and parties. At a much later day from the one with which 
we are now dealing, Thomas Dundas, fifth earl of Selkirk, was an occa- 
sional visitor at the Old Post, and one of the many notable personages who 
had come directly in touch with its social life and been a participant in its 
social gaieties. He was a native of Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland, a gradu- 
ate of the University of Edinburgh, and in 1779 succeeded to the title and 
property of his father. His life was devoted largely to the promotion of 
emigration to British America. As early as 1802 he put forth considerable 
effort to influence the British Government to provide for the transportation 
of discontented and impoverished Scottish peasants to the new world. 
In 181 1 he secured from the Hudson Bay Company a large tract of fertile 
land in the valleys of the Assiniboin and Red river of the North, where, 
late in the same year, his first band of colonists was established. Many 
difficulties were encountered, arising chiefly from the opposition of the 
northwest traders to the enterprise, and in 1816-17 the settlement was 
broken up. It was soon restored, however, under Selkirk's personal su- 
pervision, and the conflict was transferred to the courts, where the energetic 
promoter at length secured judgment in favor of his avowed rights. In 
1816 Selkirk published "A Sketch of the British Fur Trade," and in the 
next year "The Red River Settlements." He died in 1820. Of his last visit 
here, which was in the latter part of 1817, Frederic A. Ogg, A. M., in a 
reprint of "Fordham's Personal Narrative," says: "Rough and democratic 
as these backswoodsmen are, they show great respect to talent, to superior 
knowledge to age, and to wealth. There is no danger to a European who 
possesses these advantages, of being jostled or of not being of consequence 
among his neighbors. Lord Selkirk and suite were at Vincennes the other 
day at a dinner and ball, and received the most marked attentions. But 
worth and talent, without rank, will command respect. Indeed, no rank is 
known here, but military rank, and that is obtained by tavern-keepers and 
farmers. English aristocrats could not live here." 



CHAPTER VII. 

THE ARRIVAL OF MORGANE DE VINSENNE AT THE OLD 

POST 

PEACE AND QUIETUDE OF THE ANCIENT VILLAGE HISTORIANS FIND THE 

PROBLEM OF DE VINSENNES ORIGIN DIFFICULT OF SOLUTION BATTLE 

WITH THE CHICKASAW INDIANS DE VINSENNE AND FATHER SENAT 

BURNED AT THE STAKE DE VINSENNE's MILITARY CAREER — THREE 

BROTHERS OF THE RICHARDVILLE FAMILY KILLED BY THE CHICKASAWS 

THE FOURTH BROTHER, WOUNDED, TAKEN PRISONER ESCAPES AFTER 

NEARLY TWO YEARS' CAPTIVITY. 

Save for occasional incursions of the savages, who left blood trails in 
their wake remote from this post, the sylvan serenity of Old Vincennes 
until 1779 was undisturbed by any tragic occurrences of great moment. In 
171 7 Sieur Juchereau returned to Canada, and was succeeded as command- 
ant of the fort by Lieut. Leonardy, who was the immediate predecessor of 
Morgane de Vinsenne;* but when Leonardy gave up his command or 
whither he went have never been stated with any degree of authenticity. 
It was at some period in the year 1732 that Vinsennef came here, but the 
exact date has never been fully established, historically, any more than 
has the identity of the individual himself. And, is it not strange, that the 
delvers into the mists forming the haze that veils the mysterious past have 
been unable to trace the genealogy of such a distinguished personage ?t 



* At what time he took possession here is not exactly known ; probably somewhere 
about the year 1732. There is nothing on our records to show but an act of sale made 
by him and Madame Vinsenne, the daughter of Monsieur Philip Longprie, of Kaskas- 
kia, and recorded there. * * * Law, Colonial History of Vincennes, p. 21. 

+ De Vinsenne came and erected a fort in 1702, but he did not remain. He sub- 
sequently returned here and remained in the command of the fort until 1736. That he 
returned here after building the fort and his northern campaign in 1704, there is 
abundance of evidence to be found remaining in the official records of Kaskaskia. 
Cauthorn, Brief Sketch of Vincennes, 1884, p. 17. 

} * * * A letter written by Morgan de Vinsenne, March 7, 1733, and was in 
answer to his superior officer, asking what progress he had made in establishing a 
post at this place, he having been ordered here through an edict of the French Gov- 
ernment, which was dated Paris, France, 1731. ♦ * * In his answer to his supe- 

69 



70 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

It certainly is to be regretted that the identity of a man in honor of whom 
Vincennes was named — whose heroism and valorous deeds should be en- 
shrined in the hearts of liberty-loving people and commemorated on im- 
perishable tablets — should be enveloped in a cloud of doubt. But, the 
claims of contentious historians as to the genealogy of the man can never 
dim the halo of glory the heroism of his deeds has cast around his mem- 
ory. Morgane de \'insenne was an officer in the service of the King of 
France, ranking as an ensign in the celebrated Carignan-Salieres regiment, 
which was the first military organization sent by France to America. The 
regiment was first organized at Savoy by the Prince of Carignan and won 
undying fame at the battle of Porte St. Antoine, on the bloody fields of the 
Fronde, prior to the peace of Pyrenees. At the termination of this treaty 
the Prince, feeling himself no longer able to sustain it, gave it over to the 
charge of the King. Subsequently it was incorporated by His Chrjstian 
Majesty into the armies of France, and the same year (1664) distinguished 
itself by playing an important part with the combined forces of France 
in carrying on the Austrian campaigns against the Turks. The year fol- 
lowing the successful conquests over the Musselmen the regiment, which, 
in the meantime, had been consolidated with a fragment of a regiment com- 
posed largely of German soldiers, was placed in charge of Colonel de Sal- 
ieres as commander and ordered by the king to the shores of America, to 
protect the interests of His Most Christian Majesty in this country, and to 
lend encouragement to the spread of the Catholic religion. It was probably 
as early as 1710 or 171 1 when de Vinsenne* was commissioned an officer 



rior he stated that he had built a fort and two houses, but needed a barracks, thirty 
more soldiers and an officer. This statement made in March, 1733, indicates the erec- 
tion of the fort the previous year, and that the year 1732 is, no doubt, when the first 
fort was built. Smith, Historical Sketches Old Vincennes, p. 57. 

* At the time Morgane de Vinsenne came into the Wabash country, and several 
years before taking command at the Old Post, the territory along the Wabash and up 
the Ohio and its lateral valleys was already in dispute between the French and Eng- 
lish. "Charlevoix," says Winsor (The Mississippi Basin, pp. 148, 149), "speaks of 
the region north of the Ohio as likely to become the granary of Louisiana. Senex, 
the English cartographer, made it appear that through this region 'of one hundred 
and twenty leagues the Illinois hunt cows,' and he magnified the reports of the trade 
in buffalo peltries. The waning power of the Iroquois and the coming of the Dela- 
wares and Shawnees into the Ohio Valley had permitted the French to conduct more 
extensive explorations, and they had found themselves liable to confront all along 
the valley the equally adventurous English. The Mississippi Company had urged 
(Sept. 15, 1720) the building of a fort on the Wabash as a safeguard against the 
English, and the need of it had attracted the attention of Charlevoix. Some such 
precaution, indeed, was quite as necessary to overcome the savages, for now that the 
Maumee-Wabash portage was coming into favor, the Indians had lately been prowl- 
ing about it and murdering the passers. La Harpe, in 1724, feared the danger of delay. 
In 1725, the necessity for some such protection alarmed Boisbriant early in the year. 
The Carolina traders had put up two booths on the Wabash, and rumors reached 
Kaskaskia of other stations which they had established farther up the Ohio Valley. 
These last intruders were probably Pennsylvanians — at least it is so assumed in the 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 71 

in the ranks of this famous military organization. At any rate, in 171 2, 
he went "for the King" to Detroit to safeguard the French interests at 
that post. At this period a syndicate of English gentlemen in New York, 
liaving sympathy for Great Britain at heart, but more directly concerned 
in the advancement of British interests on this continent, and for the pur- 
pose of accomplishing their own selfish ends, concocted a scheme of a most 
damnable character, the prime object of which was the destruction of the 
fort at Detroit. For this purpose the aid of two Indian villages, in proxi- 
mity to the fort, had already been secured. Bright and early on the morn- 
ing of May 13th Francis Morgane de Vinsenne arrived with a small detach- 
ment of Frenchmen from Quebec. Soon after his arrival a Huron warrior 
came, as a delegated messenger to announce that a Pottawattomie chief de- 
sired a conference with the French officers and would meet them at the 
old Huron fort, which was independent and remote from the villages of the 
Mascoutins and Outaganires, who were the allies of the English. Vin- 
senne responded to the request of the messenger and repaired to the Hu- 
ron fort where he was informed by the Pottawattomie chief that a band 
of six hundred braves from the villages along the banks of the St. Jerome 
(Wabash) were en route to Detroit to aid the French in defense of the 
garrison. Upon his return Vinsenne reported to Jean Dubussion, the com- 
mandant, what he had learned from the Pottawattomie chief. Thereupon 
the fort was put in order and all preparations made for the beginning of 
a siege. At the peep o' day on the following morning Dubussion ascended 
a bastion of the fortifications and, casting his eyes across the prairies 
towards the woodlands, beheld in the shadows of the trees the advanc- 
ing lines of his friendly hosts from the Wabash, in whose ranks were the 
Illinois, the Missouris, Osages, and other nations, whose wigwams were 
far remote from the fields of carnage towards which they were marching. 
The battle between the ^lascoutins and the French began immediately 
upon the arrival of the French's red allies from the Wabash, and was the 
first and most deadly conflict in which the Mascoutins were ever engaged. 
After four days and nights of fierce fighting, the Mascoutins surrendered. 



treaty made at Albany in 1754. The language of such treaties is rarely the best au- 
thority; but it is certain that Vaudreuil, in Quebec, believed it at the time. He 
reported to his home government that the English were haunting the upper waters 
of the Wabash and trading among the Miamis. As a result, we find the Company of 
the Indies (December, 1725 instructing Boisbriant to beware of the English, and to 
let M. Vincennes, then among the Miamis, know that these rivals were moving in 
that direction. The next year the company informed Perier (Sept. 30, 1726), of their 
determination to be prepared, and authorized him, in concert with Vincennes, to repel 
the English if they approached. Vincennes had already been reconnoitring up the 
Ohio Valley, to see if any English were there. Here, on the Ohio, the claims of au- 
thority again clashed. The region which Vandreuil wished to protect on the upper 
Wabash was held by him to be within Canada. But there was a very uncertain line 
separating it from the lower regions on the same river which Vincennes was urging 
the government of Louisiana to strengthen." 



72 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

their ranks almost depleted, with the exception of the women and chil- 
dren, who were spared. A survey of the field, after the smoke of battle 
had lifted, showed that the loss to the allies was about sixty Indians killed 
and wounded and seven French wounded, while the enemy lost more than a 
thousand braves. For bravery and gallantry displayed upon this occasion, 
which were an inspiration to his followers, and the direct result of such 
an overwhelming victory, de Vinsenne was not only restored to a rank he 
had previously forfeited by a slight act of insubordination, but received 
at the hands of the king a promotion from ensign to general commander 
for the Illinois country. Shortly after receiving his commission, however, 
M. de Vaudreuil, the governor of Canada, acting by consent of the king, 
ordered him to Sault Ste. Marie, at which place, and Michilimacinack, he 
remained until 1732 — at intervals making expeditions into the Wabash 
country — when he was ordered by Governor Longueville, "for the King," 
to assume military charge at Vincennes. And this movement proved to be 
the initial step in a journey which subsequently led to his torturous death 
at the stake in a Mississippi wilderness. However, immediately upon his 
arrival here he began the enlargement of the primitive fort and its fortifica- 
tions, removing the frail palisades and constructing new and more formi- 
dable defenses. The boundaries of the old fort were also extended beyond 
their original limits and made to embrace the territory which is now bounded 
on the north by Vigo street, on the east by that portion of Second street 
that parallels the west side of the cathedral grounds, on the south by Bar- 
net street, and the west by the river. Small cannon, implements of war- 
fare with which the fort had not been hitherto supplied, were transported 
from Canada and mounted, their menacing mouths amazing as well as 
terrorizing some of the natives. De Vinsenne* remained as the com- 
mandant of Poste du Ouabache for four years, during which period the 
peaceful inhabitants, in whose behalf he manifested more than ordinary 
interest, experienced no discomfiture from the invasion of savages or for- 
eign foes, and were less prone to profligacy. 



* Vincennes [Vinsenne] was won over from Canada to Louisiana, and with a 
few soldiers proceeded to build a little palisade fort at the Indian village lowest on 
the river and nearest the English, which was the Piankeshaw town of Chippecoke 
or Qiipkawkay. The exact date of the establishment is not known, but it was probably 
in 1727, for in October of that year the names of "Vinsenne" and "St. Ange His," 
his lieutenant, were inscribed on the parish records of Kaskaskia in witness of the 
marriage of Joseph Lorrin and Marie Phillippe. The next known documentary 
trace of M. de Vincennes is in a deed by him and his wife, dated January s, 1735, 
and recorded at Kaskaskia. In this he is styled commandant paste du Ouabache. 
His wife, who was at the post at the time, was the daughter of Philip Longprie, then 
the wealthiest trader at Kaskaskia. The date of their marriage cannot be given, 
as there is a gap in the Kaskaskia marriage record from June 7, 1729, to January 7, 
1741, but it was probably in 17.13, as in that year is dated the acknowledgment by 
Vincennes of the receipt of 100 pistoles given by his father-in-law as dowry. 
[Dunn, Indiana, Commonwealth Series, p. 55] 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 73 

About this time, however, other French settlements between the Illi- 
nois country and New Orleans were greatly annoyed and retarded in 
growth and advancement by the Chickasaws, who were obstinately oppos- 
ing every step taken by the white man in the direction of civilization. The 
hostility of these Indians was carried on to such an extent that it made 
regular and safe communication between Canada and the southern settle- 
ments of Louisiana utterly impossible. There was, therefore, no other 
recourse left for the French authorities of these provinces but the concen- 
tration of the northern military forces with those of the south in the coun- 
try of the Chickasaws, to whip this defiant tribe into subjugation. Accord- 
ingly, Major D'Artuguiette, who had succeeded Morgane de Vinsenne as 
"commandant-general for the king for the province of Illinois,"* left the 
place of rendezvous in the Illinois country in 1736, having mustered about 
two hundred French and four hundred Indians, to pass down the Missis- 
sippi, for the purpose of joining the forces of Bienville,! who had recruited 
and concentrated his forces in the south. De Vinsenne and his recruits, 
among whom were Father Senat, pastor of St. Francis Xavier's cathedral, 
accompanied the expedition and formed a conspicuous part of D'Artugui- 
ette's soldiery. The troops of Bienville, having failed to arrive at the 
time and place designated, D'Artuguiette and Vinsenne began hostilities 
by attacking the inhabitants of several Indian villages and applying the 
torch to the cabins of the savages. And still Bienville did not arrive. 
Hosts of Chickasaw warriors soon gathered upon the scene. While their 
advances were frequently repulsed, the savages eventually came out vic- 
torious ; and, at the end of the conflict, the result of which would have 
been reversed had Bienville been permitted to have kept his appointment, 
the dead bodies of forty Frenchmen and eighty of their Indian allies lay 
upon the battlefield. Many others were taken prisoners and transported 
from the scene of battle to subsequently undergo the tortures of burning 
at the stake — a ceremony which was deferred by the red fiends until Easter 
Sunday. Besides the gallant and brave D'Artuguiette, those singled out as 
victims to feed with their flesh the torturing flames that brightened the 
darkened shades of a Louisiana (Mississippi) forest were Morgane de 
Vinsenne and Father Senat, both of whom died the deaths of martyrs — 
a soldier of the sword and a soldier of the cross.J De Vinsenne, of whom 



* Dillion, History of Indiana. 

t In 1736 came a call to arms on the Louisiana side. A part of the Natchez 
Indians, after their defeat and dispersion by the French, had taken refuge with the 
Chickasaws, who, urged on by English traders, also committed some acts of hostility. 
Bienville, who had been reappointed Governor in 1733, determined to crush them. 
He repelled all proposals for peace, and ordered the forces of Illinois to unite with 
him in the Chickasaw country. [Dunn, Indiana. Commonwealth Series, p. 59.] 

* Mr. Edmond Mallet, in a splendid work — that displays a knowledge of history 
and bears evidence of intelligent and laborious research — published at Indianapolis, 
in 1897, under the auspices of the Indiana Historical Society, says : "A century and 
a half of learning in American colonial history has left, in neglected obscurity, the 



74 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

it is said by Charlevoix, the historian, who learned the fact from an In- 
dian witness of the tragedy, might have escaped, but he preferred to die 
by the side of his priest and four other companions, whom he "ceased not 
until his last breath to exhort to behave worthy of their religion and their 
country." 

Engaged with de Vinsenne and D'Artugaiiette in battle against the Chick- 
asaws was a band of Iroquois Indians, to the number of about forty, 
who fought with such desperation as to prevent the annihilation of de \'in- 
senne's command. These Indian allies of the French came from Canada 
and were commanded by John Deroite de Richardville, the younger of four 
brothers of that family, all of whom were officers of the militia and had 
charge of squads composed of both Frenchmen and Indians. The cruel 
tomahawks of the Chickasaws had been swung in battle with death dealing 
efifect, and three of the Richardville boys lay dead upon the field. John, 
while wounded, made his escape, but was afterwards captured, and taken 
a prisoner before the great sachem of a Chickasaw village called Jan- 
tilla, and placed under guard in the cabin of the chief. For six months 
or more he lay upon a bed of pain, carefully watched by young warriors, 
whose sympathies he incited and whose friendships he won. After becom- 



identity of the founder of the first settlement in one of our great states, who was a 
valiant soldier as well as a chivalrous Christian hero, devoted to his God and his 
country." Referring to a vast amount of data, ably and systematically compiled, and 
appearing in the publication ("Sieur de Vincennes"), Mr. Mallet observes: "The 
above excerpts and notes contain the only statements, serving to lead to the identity 
of our hero, that are accessible or known to this writer, and from these it must be 
confessed, that it is not any easy matter to determine his true name or establish his 
family connections. Archbishop Spalding and Rev. Mr. Alerding, on the authority 
of Bishops Brute and Hailandriere of the diocese of Vincennes, regard him as of 
Irish extraction; Judge Law, the historian Dillon, Archbishop Spalding and Rev. 
Mr. Alerding gave him the name of Morgan, a prominent Irish name; the historians. 
Charlevoix, Bancroft, Bibaud, Shea, Ferland, Daniel, Margry, Lossing, Suite, Roy 
and Dunn, the Ambassador Poussin, the genealogist Tanquay and the Editor of Ap- 
pleton's Cyclopxdia of Biography, call him a Canadian ; Shea, Ferland, Daniels, Tan- 
quay, Margry, Lossing, Suite and Roy give his family name as Bissot ; Shea, Tanquay, 
Suite and Roy believed him to have been Jean Baptiste Bissot, son of Francois 
Bissot; Margry finds that he was the son of Jean Bissot; Suite — very probably 
through a typographical error — gives the name of an officer named Coulanges Bissot 
as burned at the stake with de Vincennes; Thomas and the joint authors Goodrich 
and Tuttle print his name as Saint Vincennes or Saint Vincent; Dunn observes that 
his name must not be confounded with those of the Saint Vincent family; Shea, Tan- 
quay and Dunn, after recent researches, agree that Margane de la Valtrie is the 
correct name; Tanquay finds the name to be Pierre Francois Margane, Sieur Des 
Forets; Shea concludes it to be Pierre Margane; Dunn adheres to Francois Morgan, 
the form of the name used by western writers during the last half century, but con- 
nects it, generally, with the Canadian family of Margane de la Valtrie ; he was a 
half-pay lieutenant in 1726, according to a memorial of the Royal Company of the 
Indies, whilst Daniel, from his compilation of Canadian documents, finds that he was 
ensign in 1732, and aged forty-four years. What are we to think of all these discrep- 
ancies and contradictions?" 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 75 

ing convalescent he was treated as one of the tribe, and pretended to be 
wholly content with his surroundings, going and coming with entire free- 
dom, and accompanying his newly-made friends on fishing and hunting 
expeditions, following the chase and displaying a prowess that provoked 
the envious feelings of his red companions. Having met an English trader 
on one of his jaunts alone through the woods, more than a year and a half 
after his captivity, he sought the Englishman's aid to escape from his cap- 
tors. Having wandered many miles through a mountainous country of 
dense forests, without seeing a human being, and regaled only with the 
sight and cries of savage beasts, he came on to a camp of British traders, 
to whom he gave an account of his adventures, awakening their interest 
and gaining their good will. His newly-formed friends provided him with 
comfortable quarters for the night and on the following day took him into 
the august presence of the governor of Georgia, Mr. Oglethorpe, who paid 
his ransom to a party of Chickasaw Indians, who had evidently been fol- 
lowing upon his heels, for they made their appearance before the executive 
almost simultaneous with that of their escaped prisoner. The governor 
very generously provided Air. Richardville with means to return to Canada, 
and he went on his way rejoicing, arriving at his destination, Montreal, 
in June. 1739, after an absence of nearly three years, only to again return 
to the Wabash country a few years later and become the central figure of 
an Indian tribe and one of the prominent officials of the village of 
Vincennes. 

The forces of the Chickasaws began to multiply in the south, and Bien- 
ville, soon after the invasion of his expedition in that region, was forced 
to sue for peace. For at least twelve years after the treaty was concluded, 
the quiet and peaceful conditions prevalent in all the French settlements of 
the western country remained undisturbed. And, when the war between 
England and France broke out in 1744, and was unrelentingly waged until 
after the treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, in 1748, only the French and English 
colonies lying along the borders of the Atlantic coast were involved, while 
the isolated settlements of the Wabash and Illinois countries lay in peace- 
ful repose, feeling no tremors of war from the remote battle fields. 

The name of "Vinsenne" was not applied to the old post until some con- 
siderable time after the death of our hero (M. de Vinsenne), when the ap- 
pellation, in 1749, for some reason that has never been fully explained, was 
changed to "Vincennes." This alteration in orthography gave rise to the er- 
roneous impression, in the minds of some people of the younger generations, 
that the town had been named after a city in France — formerly a suburb, 
but now a part of Paris. The substitution of the c for the .? in the second 
syllable, and the addition of the .j in the final syllable, do not, however, alter 
the pronunciation of the word (according to the native French), but really 
makes it easier to pronounce, which probably accounts for the change in 
spelling, a change that should have never been permitted, but which, alas ! 



76 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

it is now too late to remedy. This particular instance is one where the oft- 
repeated question of Hamlet — "What's in a name?" — would meet with a 
contradictory and negative response, while the other appellations of the old 
town— "Ancient Post," "Le Poste," "Au Poste," "Poste du Ouabache," 
"Post St. Francis Xavier," "Post St. Vincent" — like the rose, to which the 
melancholy Prince refers, "would smell as sweet" — or, words to that effect. 



CHAPTER VIII. 
THE ADVENT OF THE OLD POST'S FOURTH COMMANDANT. 

ARRIVAL OF ST. ANGE BELLE RIVE FROM FORT CHARTRES HIS FAITHFUL AND 

BENEFICENT ADMINISTRATION IMPROVES THE FORT, CHURCH AND VIL- 
LAGE SPECIMEN OF LAND GRANTS ISSUED BY HIM WABASH INDIANS 

SHOW A STREAK OF HOSTILITY — PONTIAC INTERVIEWS ST. ANGE BRIEF 

BIOGRAPHY OF THE OLD COMMANDANT — HIS DEATH IN ST. LOUIS. 

Soon after the tragic death of Morgane de Vinsenne, there came out 
from Fort Chartres, on the Mississippi, within twenty miles of Kaskaskia, 
at the behest of M. de Bienville, Governor General of Louisiana, St. Ange 
Belle Rive, to assume military and civil control of affairs at Vincennes.* 
Like that of his predecessor, upon arrival, his attention was first directed 
to the fort, which he at once proceeded to strengthen and improve, as well 
as to make alterations in the surrounding territory. He likewise repaired 
and enlarged the primitive church Father Mermet had dedicated, procuring 
at his own expense a bell — the same one that is now suspended in the upper 
galler>' of the cathedral steeple and which has proclaimed the Angelus for 
one hundred and sixty years. To open and extend Second (St. Honore) 
street from the church grounds to Broadway (St. Peter) street, into the 
very confines of the Piankeshaw village, was another improvement the new 
commandant lost no time in executing. He established a school and issued 
an edict akin to a compulsory educational law. His very presence seemed 
to imbue the inhabitants with confidence and arouse their latent energies 
to action. He exerted a wonderful influence over the Indians, especially 
the Piankeshaws — a powerful tribe of the Miami confederacy, which had 



* Some historians contend that St. Ange did not reach Vincennes until 1744. 
Goodspeed, publisher of History of Knox County, 1886, says that "not until the war 
broke out between England and France, in 1744, so far as ascertainable, was any 
successor designated to command Vincennes." Dr. Smith says "that about the year 
1749 the fort's name became that of Fort St. Ange, in honor of the successor of 
Vinsenne in, command of the post, he having, it is said, improved the church and 
placed on it a belfry and bell." St. Ange's certificate, published in Mr. Dunn's 
Indiana, and reproduced in this chapter, shows that St. Ange was appointed a com- 
mandant at the Old Post by the Governor of Louisiana in 1736. 

77 



78 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

been organized to drive back to the eastern mountains the invading hosts 
of the Six Nations, and who had long since established a village at this 
point on the Wabash. By assuring the red men that the native forests, 
wherein roamed the buffalo, elk, deer and bear, would be undisturbed, he 
persuaded them to donate a large track of land immediately surrounding 
the post for the use of settlers. This land, as has already been announced, 
was held in common by the entire population, and certain sections of it 
were allotted every spring to the respective heads of families, or to any one 
else who would agree to cultivate it. After the harvest season was over, 
however, the fences were removed, and the tract became a public property 
until another apportionment had been made to individuals. Subsequently, 
he deemed it advisable for the betterment of social and commercial condi- 
tions of the community, to divide this land up into lots and issue individual* 
grants for their permanent possession, which grants, as has been heretofore 
shown, caused no small amount of annoyance to all who held them. 
Through the constant intercessions of the commandant the friendliest rela- 
tions were maintained between the settlers and the Indians, and peace and 
tranquility hovered o'er the ancient village until towards the close of 1751, 
when Great Britain, through the machinations of emissaries sent forth 
ostensibly for tlie purpose of inciting the Indian tribes to destroy the 
French forts and annihilate the settlements in the Ohio Valley, caused the 
shadow of war cloud to fall across the serene scene. t This was the signal 
for St. Ange to divert his mind, momentarily, from civil to military matters, 
and he further strengthened the fortifications and augmented the garrison 
by the acquisition of additional forces. While the red allies of tlie English 
came within close proximity, and massacred quite a number of friendly 
Indians in the immediate vicinity, they were not courageous enough to 
advance within gun shot of the fort, nor brave enough to attack it. By the 



* The following is a specimen of all the grants issued under St. Ange's admin- 
istration, and will readily explain why it were a difficult task to establish clear titles 
to, or prevent questions of, rightful ownership : 

"Nous, Capitane Commandant pour le Roi au paste Vincennes, CertiHons avan 
consede an Antoine de la Richardville, un Einplaacement devingt-cinq toises feu tout 
bordere a faces Rue Calvarie, et autre Rue de pcrdupond. Fait audo le trois diem 
Februaire mil. sept, cent soixante. ST. ANGE." 

[Translation.] 

We, capitan commanding for the King at Post Vincennes, certify that there is 
conceded to Antoine de la Richardville, a lot twenty-five yards on each face, border- 
ing Rue Calvary street, on the other, the street of the Lost. Made on the 3rd day 
of February, 1760. ST. ANGE. 

t It seems that an epidemic to kill broke out afresh among the Wabash Indians, 
and even the erstwhile friendly Piankeshaws were not immune to the disease to 
destroy. At any rate the savages killed several French citizens in the vicinity of 
Vincennes and massacred three slaves within sight of the village during the fall 
of that year. A few months later five or si.x of the French inhabitants were killed 
at a village near the mouth of the Vermillion river. St. Ange provided every means 
for a defensive position directly at the post, but took no aggressive move against the 
savages remote from the post. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 79 

cession of Canada the posts of Weatovvn and those at the head of the ^Mau- 
mee, at a later date, became the possessions of the British, and consequently 
were garrisoned by British soldiers. In his strategic conspiracy to banish 
the Britons from the country, the wily Pontiac contemplated the seizure 
and destruction of all British posts west of the Alleghenies. The great 
chieftain succeeded without hindrance in capturing the forts at Ft. Wayne 
and La Fayette, but the one at Vincennes was not molested. Pontiac, how- 
ever, was in conference with the commandant, and in person made many 
appeals to St. Ange to induce the latter to join him in his movement against 
the British colonies north of the Ohio river, but the commandant turned 
a deaf ear to the blandiloquent overtures of the big Warsaw chief, pre- 
ferring to remain here and complete the good work he had so auspiciously 
begim in behalf of the natives. Again diverting his attention from mili- 
tary to civil matters, St. Ange promulgated a civil code for the govern- 
ment of the immediate community, which forbade traders to traffic in fire- 
water with Indians, and prohibited gambling, drunkenness and loitering, 
making them all penal ofifenses. A social scale was also established, by 
which games, recreations and amusements were brought within the pale 
of more civilized bounds. Industry, piety and good behavior were taught, 
especially among the Indians, and the encouragement of these virtues 
sought through a system of rewards and punishments. St. Ange did more 
to encourage the cultivation of the soil among the inhabitants of the old 
post than any man who came here before Governor Abbott. He preached 
social economics to the people in such a simple way that his hearers were 
capable of grasping the full purport of his meaning. Through his per- 
sistent efforts, indolence gave way to industry to a very great extent, and 
in a measure the populace became producers as well as consumers. The 
condensation of salt was one of the lines of manufacture he encouraged, 
and the enterprise was quite profitable to those who engaged in it. The 
huge mill, to which the raw product was transported from the saline springs 
in Illinois, in suitable kettles which he imported from Pittsburg at his own 
expense, was operated by the wind and constructed much after the fashion 
of the old Dutch mills of Holland. In 1764 Commandant St. Ange re- 
turned to Fort Chartres to assume charge of that post, leaving the military 
and civic affairs at Vincennes in care of Jean Baptist Racine (St. Marie), 
commandant defactotum, Jean Deroite de Richardville and Sieur le Cain- 
dre. He seemed to have an abiding faith in the two gentlemen last named, 
and defines their respective duties in a farewell address* to the inhabitants, 
which reads as follows : "By virtue of the order of M. de Neyon, major 
commandant of the Illinois country, to name a person to attend to the 
police, and to maintain good order among the citizens of this post, as also 
of the voyagcurs and the Indians : I, invalided captain, being about to de- 
part to the Illinois country, according to the order of Monsieur de Neyon, 
have named Monsieur Deroite de Richardville, performing the functions 

* Indiana Historical Publications, vol. I., 1897. 



80 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

of captain of militia, jointly with Sr. le Caindre, soldier of the troops. 
Their first care should be to maintain good feeling- among the Indians, to 
prevent disorder so long as they are in charge. Whenever complaint shall 
be made to them against anyone, they will proceed to call an assembly of 
the more notable of the citizens of the place, where the matter shall be 
decided by a plurality of votes. Messieurs Deroite de Richardville and 
le Caindre cannot watch too carefully that the citizens keep up their 
fences, it being to the public interest that cattle should not pass from the 
commons to the grain fields. They will check, as far as they are able, the 
disorders which occur too frequently, occasioned by drinking. Whenever 
any news shall come to them which may be of importance to the good of 
the service, they will take care to apprise me of it. In conclusion, in all 
cases which I have not been able to foresee, I depend upon their good man- 
agement and their devotion to the public welfare. Given at Post Vin- 
■cennes the i8th day of Alay, 1764. ST. ANGE." 

Mr. J. P. Dunn, the eminent historian, in his valuable Indiana edition 
of American Commonwealths series (p. 60), refers to the officer we are 
now discussing, as Louis St. Ange, second son of Jean St. Ange de Belle 
Rive, and quotes from a certificate made by the former, on August 30, 
1773, that he "commanded at Poste Vincesnes in the name of his most 
Christian majesty, with a garrison of regular troops, from the year 1736 
until the year 1764, and that my first commission as commandant of the 
said post was from his most Christian majesty under the government of 
M. de Bienville, governor-general of Louisiana, in the said year 1736; 
that thereafter I was continued under the government of Messieurs de 
Vaudreville, de Revlerec, and D'Abadie, successors one to another in the 
said government, until the year 1764; that further, the said post was es- 
tablished a number of years before my command, under that of M. de 
Vincesne, officer of the troops, whom I succeeded by order of the king." 
Mr. Dunn, in the same edition (p. 62), concludes that St. Ange was "a 
discreet officer and a wise ruler ; that he always possessed the affection and 
confidence of the people of the Wabash, the Illinois, and the Mississippi 
is unquestionable ; that tradition describes him as prudent, pacific, generous 
and philanthropic. All of the existing documentary evidence confirms this 
estimate, while his promotion to a half-pay captaincy in 1738, and his long 
continuance in office at Vincennes, show that his administration was sat- 
isfactory to his superiors, as well as to the people." Of all his biograph- 
ers, Dunn gives the completest and most accurate history of St. Ange's 
career and the truest estimate of his worth. Taking up the life of the old 
commandant subsequent to his departure from Vincennes, the historian 
says: "After the surrender of Fort Chartres he had gone to the infant vil- 
lage of St. Louis, and he appears to have continued his government of 
that place, as a remnant of the district of Illinois. No other source of 
his authority there is known ; in fact it was made the subject of judicial 
inquiry many years since, and the decision then reached was that he had 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 81 

no authority at all, so far at least as the granting of lands was concerned.* 
It is said, however, that he took service under Spain in 1766, and was in 
command as a Spanish officer at St. Louis until 1770, when he was suc- 
ceeded by Don Pedro Piernas.t He certified in 1773 that he was a half- 
pay captain in the Spanish service; and in certifying his will in 1774, 
Piernas calls him a 'captain of infantry in the service of his Catholic 
majesty.' Whatever may have been the legal power appurtenant to his 
station, he was in actual authority at St. Louis until the arrival of Piernas, 
and in command of troops thereafter. At St. Louis, as at Vincennes and 
Fort Chartres, his nobility of soul was evident. In 1769 he had a kindly 
word for Pontiac, then assuming only the place of a warrior; and when 
the great barbarian fell a victim to his Kaskaskian assassin, St. Ange sent 
across the river for his body and buried it with honors of war near the 
fort at St. Louis. In 1773 we have found him coming to the relief of the 
people of Vincennes with the strongest confirmations he could give for the 
protection of their homes. A few months later he passed to rest. On 
December 26, 1774, Lieutenant Governor Piernas was called to the house 
of Madame Chouteau 'where the said M. de St. Ange is abed,' to draw and 
attest his will. In this, 'first as a good Roman Catholic and a true member 
of the Roman Catholic and Apostolic church, he commends his soul to 
God, to the Blessed Virgin, and all the saints of heaven, praying them to 
intercede for him before the Almighty that it may please Him to admit 
his soul on its separation from his body into the kingdom of the blessed.' 
He then recites his debits and credits, and after providing for certain 
masses, and appropriating the sum of 500 livres 'towards the erection of 
the church projected in his parish,' he bequeaths his little property to his 
nieces and nephews. And here his worthy disposition is manifest in spe- 
cial provision for a blind nephew, and in a provision that the two chil- 
dren of his Indian slave, Angelique, who are left to his niece. Madame 
Belestre, are to be freed on arriving at the age of twenty-one ; the com- 
mandant is requested to look specially to this. Pierre Laclede is made 
sole executor, and finally, whether with cause of apprehension we know 
not, he solemnly declares he has never entered into the married state. His 
preparation was timely. On the following morning at 9 o'clock Piernas 
was summoned to view his dead body and seal his eiifects in accordance 
with the formalities of the civil law. So he set his house in order and 
was gathered to his fathers at the ripe old age of seventy-three years. 
He was buried in the little churchyard at St. Louis, in conformity with his 
dying request, and there, like Pontiac, he sleeps beneath the bustle and 
din of the great city. Peace to thy ashes, faithful soldier of France, and 
may thy honest life be an example to all who shall follow thee as rulers 
of Indiana." 



* Admrs. of Wright vs. Thomas, 4 Mo. S77- 
\ Magazine of Western History, vol. II., p. 60. 



CHAPTER IX. 

A PEN PICTURE OF VINCENNES' POPULATION AT AN EARLY 

DAY. 

MISSIONARIES PAVE THE WAY FOR THE PIONEERS THE FRENCH ALWAYS 

ALLIES OF AMERICA — THE EFFECT OF THE SAVAGE AND THE WILDERNESS 

ON REFINED NATURES GLIMPSES OF THE WABASH COUNTRY BY EARLY 

TRAVELERS SPANIARDS SAID TO HAVE OCCUPIED THE POST FOR A VERY 

BRIEF SEASON, AND SOLD LAND IN THIS VICINITY EXCEPT COLONEL VIGO, 

NO SPANIARD EVER BECAME A PERMANENT RESIDENT OF VINCENNES. 

Old Vincennes — the quaint, the beautiful, the picturesque, the ancient 
village — her feet laved with the crystal waters of the romantic Wabash, 
her brow kissed by the refreshing- breezes wafted from fertile prairie 
sweeps or flower-strewn woodlands, basked for a score of years in an at- 
mosphere suggestive of Continental Europe. Among her heterogeneous 
population were personages from the kingdom of George III, having carte 
blanche to the royal court of St. James; notables in gold and lace frlom 
the land of Ferdinand and Isabella, natives of Madrid and Cadiz; suave 
subjects of his most Christian majesty, punctuated with ripened savants 
from Paris and fresh buds from the gardens of Versailles, who mingled 
with the first American (Indian) citizen; courcurs de bois, roving spirits 
of the wilderness, who came and went as the wind; people of the frontier, 
bronzed by a life in the open, whose raiment was secured with their own 
hands from forest and stream, or woven from wooden looms that hummed 
in a half hundred humble cabins; militiamen with stately tread, wearing 
epaulettes of brightest gold, clothed in uniforms of blue and scarlet, adorned 
with the head-gear of plumed knights ; backwoodsmen, armed with flint- 
lock muskets, attired in fringed and frayed buckskins, bearing arms in de- 
fense of their common country, or to safeguard loved ones from the mur- 
derous assaults of hostile redskins ; black-robed priests, with classical brows 
and gentle miens; dark-eyed maidens, with the tint of roses on their lips 
and cheeks, gowned by French modistes, or wearing the comely garb of 
homespun, conversing in sweet and captivating undertones ; Canadian mer- 
chants of French, English and Spanish extraction, absorbed in furs and 
fire-water; soldiers of fortune, hailing from nowhere, buffeted like rud- 
derless ships upon the billows of the surging sea of population that was 

82 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 83 

steadily sweeping towards the forest fastnesses and the domains of the 
savage; the pohte Frenchman, in the van of European rivals, resplendent 
with the glow of Parisian polish; his Canadian cousin, whose blue blood 
had become intermingled with that of the Ottawa or Algonquin; Creole- 
French, with the distingue features of the noble red man; and Indians, 
outnumbering all the rest, from every confederation of the Miami nation; 
the indispensable and irresistible Creole fiddler, in whose unpretentious 
domicile the violin was a necessary adjunct, second in importance only to 
the rifle, and to whose entrancing strains the denizens for miles around 
were wont to "chase the glowing hours with flying feet" upon the puncheon 
floors of every cabin home.* 

This mise en scene was the creation of the enterprises of the first 
voyageurs, undertaken without ostentation, executed without inviting the 
attention or coveting the applause of the outside world — the silent, un- 
selfish, hazardous pursuits of a coterie of courageous Frenchmen, in whom 
amiability and politeness were distinct characteristics — whose companions 
were devout, zealous followers of the meek and lowly Savior — who sur- 
mounted obstacles with no apparent effort, encountered perils innumerable, 
climbed mountains and rode the rapids, fought men and beasts on land 
and water, emerging from every conquest victorious, courting dangers and 
mocking a fate that would have carried adventurers less fearless and daunt- 
less down to destruction and death. These men were the redeemers of 
the untamed wastes of a new world, the forerunners of a new civilization, 
who braved the dangers of forest and stream, who engaged in deadly strife 
with the forces of nature, and emerged from the conflict unscathed ; whose 
story of adventure, instead of being a serial of bloody tragedies, becomes 
merely a narrative of thrilling incidents. And for this reasun : The French- 
man is an apt scholar of human nature, and never for a moment loses 
sight of the fact that he must accord to the uncivilized the same treatment 
he would to the civilized man — thus deporting himself toward the Indian 
as he would toward his white brother. Wonderfully resourceful is the 
Frenchman in his adaptability — conforming himself to conditions and meet- 
ing the requirements of men and measures with unerring intelligence and 
cheerfulness. The Frenchman is willing to await his opportunities, and 



* It was not a great while after the establishment of the fort and church at 
Vincennes that the tide of emigration, not only from the North, but from the South 
and East as well, surged in this direction with large volume and velocity. Merchants, 
seeking location, European adventurers, looking for anything they could find on the 
American continent, turned their attentions in this direction. The hardy and honest 
frontiersman, English and American farmers were attracted by the description of 
the wonderful country for agricultural purposes and the cheapness of the fertile 
lands. The supposition that, besides the beauty and resourcefulness of the earth, 
hidden treasures beneath its surface were to be found in the shape of precious metals 
and minerals, brought a few scientific men from all parts of the world and a host 
of fellows who were not adverse to seek the end of the rainbow in quest of the 
fabled bag of gold. 



84 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

accepts conditions as he finds them. The American, on the contrary, is 
impatient, and chaffs too easily under restraint. Without the presence of 
the churchman, however, who paved the way, after having acquired a 
foothold here, for the pioneer to cause the wildernesses and barren wastes 
to blossom with fragrant flowers of civilization, the acquisition of this re- 
sourceful country would have probably never taken place. It was the 
wonderful influence the priest exerted over the savage that routed the evil 
spirit, at least momentarily, from the red man's heart. It was through the 
labor and ingenuity of the black-robed herald of the cross, by a display of 
emblems of burnished metals, ceremonies, devotions and instructions, in 
which pomp, patience and kindly consideration were shown, that savage 
instincts in the breast of the untutored child of the forest were supplanted 
by peaceful emotions, and the seeds of civilization sown in a benighted 
land. By pursuing such methods as these, and by being at all times at- 
tentive, bestowing presents generously and judiciously, having diplomat- 
ically gained possession of their implements of war, the priests were won- 
derful conciliators of the savages, and by kindnesses exerted by them- 
selves, which they forced others to exercise, the untamed waifs of the 
wilderness not only became meek and docile, but in many instances obedi- 
ent and courteous. 

Separated from the world, as were the earlier pilgrims following in 
the wake of I'oyageiir and priest, they acquired novel and varied peculiari- 
ties. Transplanted, as it were, in new soil, they necessarily lost the fine 
finish, in language, dress and manners, imparted by their original native 
polish, but never surrendered entirely the many characteristics of their 
respective nationalities. The Frenchman, especially, never forgot his earlier 
training, and never neglected to celebrate the ancient religious and social 
holidays as often as the dates of these festivals recurred. With luxuries 
comparatively few, and actual wants fewer, this heterogeneous people be- 
came a homogeneous class, and a happier or more cheerful loi never eked 
out an existence upon this mundane sphere. The French were the first 
allies of America and the first and only friends of the nation who proved 
their fealty by true tests of friendship. Of all the emigrants from foreign 
shores who came to make their abiding place with us, their sincerity of 
purpose was illustrated by a cheerful submission to our laws and the wil- 
lingness with which they readily grasped our language and adapted them- 
selves to our manners, customs and habits. They engrafted themselves in- 
stantly, as it were, branch and limb, on the trunk of our stock, and took 
deep root in the soil of our affections and in the fields of our social ac- 
tivities. But strange indeed were the influences exerted by the savage a:id 
the wilderness over the more sensitive and refined natures of civilized man. 
Many of the Europeans of the class we have attempted to portray in the 
first paragraph of this chapter, isolated from the refining influences of a 
ripened civilization, frequently showed tendencies, more or less pronounced, 
to drift into the state of savagery by which they were surrounded, without 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 85 

having a taint of wild blood coursing through their veins. Like many of 
the coureurs de bois, some of whom came of good stock, quite a number 
of these early Continental adventurers in the new world were prone to 
throw to the winds upon tlie slightest provocation all the lofty sentiments 
acquired by training and education, and sink to the level of the lowest 
fiends of the forest. 

While courageous to a marked degree, the French preferred to fight 
Indians with love and kindness instead of shot and shell, and in so doing 
the doughty Frenchmen won nine-tenths of their battles. This mode of 
"warfare" eventually created bonds between the two races akin to sym- 
pathy and fraternalism, and it was no uncommon sight to see dusky war- 
riors, painted and plumed, lounging about the premises of the white man 
with the same familiarity displayed by a dog attached to the place. A 
noticeable characteristic of the settlement was the scarcity of females 
among the white population, which condition led to matings that were as 
frequent as they were irregular, with the result that at certain seasons the 
infantile class of half-breeds at the post often outnumbered the pure-blood 
children. Formerly a predominant element in the permanent population 
of Vincennes, the intermarriages of the Frenchmen with Indians and 
Anglo-Americans obliterated all lines of lineage in their progeny, and 
hence the pronounced type of a race which gave the old town its life and 
its inspiration melted away like the forest and the savage. 

George Croghan, Sir William Johnson's sub-commissioner, who came 
to the west for the purpose of visiting the more distant Indian tribes, and 
securing, as far as it could be done, the alliance of the French, who were 
scattered through the western valleys, and who, it was thought, might be 
stirring up the savages to warfare, throws a luminous light on the antiquity, 
as well as the importance, of Vincennes as a settlement. The journal of 
his voyage may be found in the appendix of Butler's History of Kentucky 
(second edition), together with the estimate of the number of Indians in 
the west — "a very curious table, though of course vague and inaccurate," 
according to Mr. Perkins, the versatile historian. The journal contains 
passages relative to the character, size and condition of western French 
settlements at that time (1765) — indicating that they had their origin long 
before — and states that on June 6th he reached the mouth of the Wabash, 
and on the 8th was taken prisoner by a party of Indians from the upper 
Wabash; that upon the 15th he reached Vincennes. "On my arrival." 
continues Mr. Croghan, "I found a village of about eighty or ninety French 
families settled on the east side of the river, being one of the finest situa- 
tions that can be found. The country is level and clear, and the soil very 
rich, producing wheat and tobacco. I think the latter preferable to that 
of Maryland or Virginia. The inhabitants hereabouts are an idle, lazy 
people, a parcel of renegades from Canada, and much worse than the In- 
dians. Post Vincennes is a place of great consequence for trade, being a 
fine hunting country all along the Ouabache, and too far for the Indians, 



86 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

which reside hereabouts, to go either to the Illinois or elsewhere, to fetch 
their necessaries." 

Capt. Philip Pitman, the author of the first English publication de- 
scribing the Wabash and Illinois countries, printed in London in 1770, of 
which a reprint edition was issued by Frank Haywood Hodder, A. M., 
professor of American History, University of Kansas, 1906, writes that 
the air in general of this (Illinois*) climate "is pure, and the sky serene, 
except in the month of March and the latter end of September, when there 
are heavy rains and hard gales of wind. The months of May, June, July 
and August are excessively hot and subject to sudden and violent storms; 
January and February are extremely cold. The other months of the year 
are moderate. The principal Indian nations in this country are die Cas- 
casquias, Kaoquias, Mitchigamias and Peoryas ; these four tribes are gen- 
erally called the Illinois Indians. Except in the hunting seasons, they 
reside near the English settlements in this country, where they have built 
their huts. They are a poor, debauched and dastardly people. They count 
about tliree hundred and fifty warriors. The Peanquichas, Mascoutins, 
Miamis, Kickapoos and Pyatonons, though not very numerous, are a brave 
and warlike people. The soil of this country in general is very rich and 
luxuriant; it produces all sorts of European grains, hops, hemp, flax, cot- 
ton and tobacco, and European fruits come to great perfection. The in- 
habitants make wine of the wild grapes, which is very inebriating, and is, 
in color and taste, very like the red wine of Provence. The country abounds 
with buffalo, deer, and wild fowl, particularly ducks, geese, swans, turkeys 
and pheasants. The rivers and lakes afford plenty of fish. In the late 
wars New Orleans and the lower parts of Louisiana were supplied with 
flour, beer, wines, hams and other provisions from this country. At pres- 
ent the commerce is mostly confined to peltries and furs, which are got 
in traffic with the Indians, for which are received in return such European 
commodities as are necessary to carry on that commerce and the support 
of the inhabitants. The men of these countries are very superstitious and 
ignorant; they are, in general, active and well made; they are as good 
hunters, can bear as much fatigue, and are as well acquainted with the 
woods as the Indians; most of them have some knowledge of the dialects 
of the neighboring Indians and much affect their manners. The price of 
labor in general is very high, as most of the young men rather choose to 
hunt and trade among the Indians than apply to agriculture or become 
handicrafts. At the Illinois a man may be boarded and lodged the year 
round on condition of his working two months, one month in plowing the 
land and sowing the corn, and one month in the harvest. The only trades 
they have among them are carpenters, smiths, masons, tailors and mill- 
wrights. The number of white inhabitants in this country, exclusive of 
the troops, are about two thousand, of all ages and sexes ; in this number 
are included those who live at Ft. St. Vincent, on the Ouabache. Thirty 



♦Vincennes was at that time in the Illinois country. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 87 

French soldiers were withdrawn from thence in the latter end of the year 
1764. The inhabitants at this post live very much at their ease, having 
everything necessary for their subsistence of their own production. Their 
commerce is the same as that of the other inhabitants of this country." 

For some unexplained reason, the Spaniards who early made frequent 
visits to this part of the country, never became transfixed in its social or 
commercial soil. After the secret treaty with France in 1762, by which 
Spain, in 1769, came into possession of Louisiana, Vincennes occasionally 
felt the bitter effects of that power's prohibition of navigation on the Mis- 
sissippi. That government, however, did not exert domination as a nation 
over any of the territory in the Wabash country, yet it has been asserted, 
by the older settlers, who put their faith in traditional stories handed down 
by their ancestors, that alleged representatives of his most Catholic majesty 
came here (by what authority it is not stated) and took possession of a 
small quantity of land, and subsequently sold portions of it to settlers. This 
tract of land (according to Thomas Dubois, an old citizen of Vincennes, 
who volunteered the information to the writer) a portion of which lay 
within Vincennes, extending into Illinois for some distance beyond the 
west bank of the Wabash, and reaching to a point on this side of the 
river as far south as Gibson County, comprised about seven leagues — 
equal to about twenty-one square miles. The pretended agents of the 
king of Spain (so says tradition) sold the land aforesaid in parcels to in- 
dividuals who, not being able afterwards to furnish clear titles of posses- 
sion, were deprived of their purchases. From the same source, informa- 
tion is given out that a small number of Spaniards, claiming delegated 
powers from the king, occupied the fort here for a brief season shortly 
after the retirement of St. Ange as commandant and before the advent of 
Governor Abbott, which, if it were true, would have made Vincennes the 
military post of three instead of two, nations of the old world. However, 
in the earlier stages of Vincennes' village existence, the social as well as 
the commercial life of the old town presented a variety of Spanish types, 
as it did also of French and English peoples. Those hailing from the coun- 
tries last named seemed to find permanent lodgment; while natives of the 
former land, after a brief sojourn, sought more congenial climes. Not 
since the advent of Col. Francis Vigo, who rendered such valuable services 
to George Rogers Clark in the conquest of the northwest territory, and 
especially in the capture of Vincennes from the British, and who was at 
that time a Spanish subject, has the census reports of the old post con- 
tained the name of a Spaniard. Nor can it boast of another citizen, unless 
it be Father Gibault, a Frenchman, who was more readily swayed by the 
promptings of American patriotism, or who believed more firmly in the 
doctrines of American liberty. 



CHAPTER X. 
THE BEAUTIES AND BOUNTIES OF NATURE. 

THE EARLY SETTLERS' AVOCATIONS THE FORESTS YIELD ABUNDANTLY OF 

FRUIT AND NUTS SUPERIOR QUALITY OF GRAPES PRIMITIVE IMPLE- 
MENTS AND MODES OF AGRICULTURE — PECULIAR HARNESS FOR BEASTS OF 

BURDEN— THE BEE HUNTER HOW THE FRENCH VIEWED THE BRITISH — 

DESCENDANTS OF DISTINGUISHED FRENCH FAMILIES MESSIEURS. POULLET 

AND RICHARDVILLE — THE WABASH CREOLE AN INTERESTING CHAR.\CTER. 

While never overly exercised as to what the morrow would bring forth 
in worldly goods, the life of the first settlers, who followed closely on the 
heels of the coureur dc bois, trappers and traders from Canada, was de- 
voted primarily to agriculture in its crudest and most primitive state. Trad- 
ing with the Indians and hunting were also occupations followed by the 
pioneer agriculturists, who had strolled into this part of the country in 
an aimless sort of way, only to become bewildered at beholding the beauties 
and bounties spread broadcast by the lavish hand of nature. Verily, to 
those who came from the cold regions of the northern lakes, or the barren 
mountain sides of Carolina, Tennessee and Kentucky, the lovely landscape 
of woods, prairie and stream appeared to their astonished gaze like the 
vision of a panoramic picture. Wild fruits in abundance and in endless 
variety hung temptingly from the boughs of numberless trees. The grapes, 
plums, crabapples, cherries and persimmons attained a large and healthy 
growth and a delicious flavor, which less favored regions did not impart, 
while the hardy hazel nut (which is a scarce article now), the delicate pecan 
and "shell bark," and hickory nut, the rich walnut and butternut, in quanti- 
ties so numerous and in quality said to excel in flavor any of the correspond- 
ing products which grow to perfection in the states along the Atlantic coast, 
at the first touch of frost, covered the ground as thick as autumn leaves. 
The domestic fruits were also of prolific growth, and appealed to the eye 
as well as the palate. In the van of these varieties were apples, peaches, 
pears and grapes,* the latter possessing a palatableness and wine-producing 



* Many of the residents of Vincennes, who have not as yet fully entered the 
"sere and yellow leaf season of life, will recall the splendid vineyards of Dr. Realty, 
corner Second and Hart streets; John B. Dofar, at First and Hart; W. J. Slinkard, 
First and .Scott; Cyr. Poullet, Barnet and Dubois, between Sixth and Seventh streets; 

88 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 89 

properties likened unto those produced on the vine-clad hills of southern 
France. The innumerable maple trees yielded unlimited quantities of nec- 
tareous sap, from which was made a superior grade of sugar, a staple 
article of merchandise at the fur buyer's cabin, which was generally the 
only commercial institution of which some localities could boast. Fibrous 
cotton, to be woven into garments, sweet potatoes, squashes and Indian 
corn were gathered in goodly quantities, and the fields yielded abundantly 
of wheat, rye, and other cereals, while the natural meadows, vast in ex- 
tent, luxuriant in growth, resplendent in garments of verdure, sowed by 
nature, and untilled by man, were the grazing grounds for buffalo, elk and 
deer, which congregated in vast herds. The beautiful Wabash was alive 
with fish for market or home consumption, and the feathered songsters, 
which made the woods resound with their melodies, and the fowls of the 
streams, or the meadows, were easily converted into articles of food for the 
huntsman or became commodities on which he realized small sums of 
money. 

The hunter and farmer of early times and even of a later day, made 
bee hunting a side industry, which proved a profitable avocation when 
properly followed. To become a honey and beeswax merchant it was only 
necessary to catch a bee in the act of sipping nectar from succulent wild 
flowers, keep her captive for a little while and then give unto the industrious 
insect her liberty. Nine times out of ten, when the bee was liberated, she 
would straightway fly to her home in a hollow tree, to which the watchful 
eye of her former captor followed, thus directing him to her storehouse 
of honey, from which he was able to supply himself later on without hav- 
ing to bother in attending to the hive. When the locality in which the 
hunter or farmer happened to find himself was not brightened with the 
bloom of flowers, he tempted the busy bee with a bait of some sweetened 
substance, frequently using a honeycomb saturated with saccharine fluid 



Henry Hauser, Dubois and First streets ; and the more recent extensive grape arbors 
(at present in the prime of a productive age) of Anton Heitz, on Lower Ninth 
street. Many years ago on the Bunker Hill farm, now? owned by Hon. Mason J. 
Niblack, an eccentric Hungarian, said to be the scion of a noble family, who went 
under the name of George Omoda, cultivated a large vineyard and engaged exten- 
sively in the manufacture and sale of wines. To facilitate the sales of his grape 
juices he fitted up a rustic garden, in the very face of Nature, so to speak, which 
was frequented by some of the best people, as well as good judges of wine, who 
pronounced his beverages superior to the finest of domestic goods and equal to the 
choicest brands of the imported varieties. Mr. Omoda had a lively competitor in 
the person of Maurice Schabbacher, whose resort was within a half mile of Omoda's, 
on the Evansville road, corner Fifteenth street. "Brother" Joseph was another wine 
grower, who held forth at the Highlands. In the seventies and early eighties all 
three of these resorts were liberally patronized by a class of people in whose pres- 
ence to-day it would be the heighth of impropriety to even mention a wine or beer 
garden. The purity of the goods, and the establishment of decorum not now so 
easy to maintain, were features that made the wine gardens of Omoda, Schabbacher 
and Joseph attractive places for some people classed as the better element of society. 



90 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

to lure her to captivity, and after releasing the insect she would sometimes 
lead her pursuer for miles through the woods before reaching her home. 
Another method of luring bees for the purpose of captivity and to sub- 
sequently learn the location of their hives, was to place a small, shallow 
receptacle filled with sweetened water on a stump, which served as a very 
attractive bait. A novice might pass a bee tree a hundred times and take 
no notice of its presence. So adept were a few of these bee hunters, they 
could tell at a glance, without noting whether or not the insects flew to or 
from it, the signs of a bee tree. Whenever a bee tree was located, it was 
marked by the finder, and the same respect for the mark on the tree was 
shown as if it had been placed on a hog or a cow — tlie right of property 
had obtained, and no one questioned the ownership. If the swarm was 
composed of a large colony of bees, the tree was felled towards the end 
of the season when food became scarce; if the colony was weak, the tree 
was left standing for another year. Great quantities of honey were often 
taken from a single tree, the superiority of its flavor and the pliableness 
of its wax making it preferable to the domesticated variety. 

The earlier agriculturists used plows made entirely of wood, with the 
exception of the shares. The ordinary plow had a wooden mould-board, 
and the beam and handle were usually twelve feet in length. Two wooden 
wheels were directly in front of the share — a small one and a larger one— 
the former revolving on the unplowed ground and the latter "tracking" 
in the furrow. Instead of chains or whiffletrees, a long pole, attached with 
a hinge to the beam was fastened to the oxen, and performed a similar 
service quite well. Both oxen and horses were used for plowing, as well 
as other farm work, and the sight of a horse and ox hitched double was 
not an unusual sight. The harness consisted of withes or plaited rawhides. 
Instead of using a yoke for oxen, twisted rawhides, made in the form of 
a rope, were wound around the horns of the beasts, while a hickory withe 
wrapped with rawhide answered for a horse's bit, to which was attached 
twisted rawhide lines. Later on the ox-yoke was introduced, which con- 
sisted of a straight stick of wood, cut at the ends to fit the horns, and tied 
securely in position with thongs of rawhide. Tandem was the way teams 
were driven when horses were used — the headstall and reins being attached 
to rings fastened on either end of the wooden bits. While the single and 
double-trees, which came at a later date, were similar in construction to 
the kind in use today, the clips, devices and lap-rings were made of hick- 
ory withes, and lasted just for one season. Horse collars were made of 
corn shucks, plaited in rope-like sections, and sewed together with leather 
thongs, the bulge in which the hames fitted was made by rolling two plaited 
pieces together and sewing them on the edge of the collar. Fine ash shav- 
ings, pounded and mixed with deer hair and stuflfed into rawhide of suffi- 
cient dimensions to roll and sew together, was also used in the manufac- 
ture of horse collars. The husbandman of ye olden time was satisfied 
to pitch hay with a wooden fork made from saplings, generally dogwood, 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 91 

to rake the meadows with a wooden rake, and dig potatoes or post holes 
with a hickory spade, which, it is said, if properly oiled, could do effective 
work. 

Naturally, when one surveys the landscape to which the pioneers im- 
parted a life teeming with human thought and pulsating with human en- 
deavor, he longs to look upon the scenes of the northern and western world 
with the wondering eyes of the French who first beheld them — "the eyes 
of Cartier as he sailed up the St. Lawrence; of Champlain, as he paddled 
his bark canoe up the current of the Richelieu or shouldered it around the 
rapids of Ottawa; of Nicollet as he steered through the straits of Macki- 
naw into the expanse of Lake Michigan; of Jolliet as he rode beneath the 
cliffs of the Saguenay — tlie eyes of Boule at the Saut, of Hennepin at 
Niagara, of Marquette on the River of Conception, of Du L'Hut in the 
country of the Dakotas — the eyes of La Salle as he descended the Ohio, 
followed the Indian trails of Illinois and Arkansas, or pronounced that 
sounding formula at the mouth of the Mississippi — we seem to look out 
of their eyes upon this virgin world of forest and stream, of prairie and 
lake, of buffalo and elk, of natural beauty and human ugliness. But after 
all, our impressions are faint compared with theirs. Ideal presence is 
not real presence. Even if we could follow them on their old paths, we 
could not undo the great changes civilization has wrought. Nor can we 
recall the innocency of their eyes any more than we can renew the devo- 
tion of their hearts to king and church. All that is possible for us is a 
pale picture of as grand a panorama of natural beauty and solemnity as 
was ever unrolled to the vision of explorers."* 

The people of the old post, and for that matter, all the French settle- 
ments east of the Mississippi, were permitted to "pursue the even teuor 
of their way," so far as English military or civil power asserted itself, 
from the inception of the conspiracy of Pontiac, the giant chief of the 
Ottawas, until the lowering clouds of the American revolution had fully 
descended upon tlie fair land. Practically, there was no civil government 
at Vincennes from the time St. Ange took his departure from here for 
Fort Chartres, in 1764, until 1777, when Lieutenant Governor Edwin Ab- 
bott came from Detroit, without display of pomp or ceremony, to repre- 
sent the king of Great Britain. Governor Abbott's first duties, like tho^^e 
of the French commandants who had preceded him, was to enlarge, 
strengthen and fortify the fort Juchereau built, Morgane de Vinsenne re- 
established, improved, enlarged and occupied, St. Ange reconstructed, Ram- 
sey held for a brief space, and St. Marie was holding at the time, which 
he rechristened "Fort Sackville."t He wrote to his superiors at Quebec 



* Milburn, The Pioneers, Preachers and People of the Mississippi Valley. 

t According to Mr. Cauthorn, the name Sackville was given the fort in honor 
of Sir Thomas Sackville, Earl of Dorset, an English scholar and statesman, who 
was in great favor with the English government, had been employed in many im- 



92 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

describing the Wabash in glowing terms, characterizing the stream as the 
most beautiful river in the worid, and the inhabitants as peaceful, happy 
contented and generally well behaved. Through the persuasive powers of 
the adroit Abbott, and on the strength of a proclamation he issued as com- 
mandant, a great number of the inhabitants, with apparently no concern 
whatever, subscribed their names to an oath of fidelity to the government 
of Great Britain, which, in form, was as follows: 

"^' . do sincerely promise and swear that I will be faithful and bear 

true allegiance to his majesty, King George, and him will defend to the utmost 
of my power, against all traitorous conspiracies, and attempts whatsoever, which 
shall be made against his person, crown and dignity; and will do my utmost 
endeavors to disclose and make known to his majesty, his heirs and successors 
all treasons and traitorous conspiracies and attempts, which I know shall be 
against him or any of them; and all this I do swear, without any equivocation, 
mental evasion or secret reservation; and renouncing all pardons and dispensa- 
tions from any power or person whomsoever, to the contrary. So help me God." 
Former conditions, however, prevalent at the different villages under 
French sovereignty, underwent little or no change with the ascendency of 
British commandants, the political independence enjoyed by former sub- 
jects of Louis XR' living in isolated places like Vincennes, where neither 
the exercise of national or constitutional prerogatives of self-government 
had been felt, were not made to suffer by the transfer of kingly sceptres. 
The awful apprehensions entertained by the inhabitants when the con- 
templated shift of power was first made known, were dispelled by the 
subsequent conduct of the new commandants, who by no means "ruled with 
an iron hand." However, the average native of French extraction con- 
tinued to eye the British officers with incredulity, and treated tlie back- 
woodsmen, who had begun to stroll in from Virginia, Carolina, Tennessee 
and Kentucky with distrust and disdain. By diplomacy on the part of the 
British commandants, who allowed the natives to keep intact their old laws 
and policies, the latter became entirely reconciled to the so-called enforce- 
ment of the new regime. The French language, in all civil or military 
transactions, was as much in vogue as the English, and the old system of 
land allotments and titles was closely adhered to, the commandant grant- 
ing demesne tracts for residence and agricultural purposes on the same 
conditions as their official predecessors — that the applicant live on the same, 
and that a portion of it be put in cultivation within a year. It is safe to 
say that in the majority of cases, where such grants were made, either the 
spirit or the letter of the compact was violated by the petitioner, for it 
was just as difficult for many of the natives to forsake the woods and the 
chase as it would be for a duck to shun water. From their half-savage 
lives these well-meaning people could not banish an inherent love for the 
forest any more than they could speak the native tongue of their fathers, 

portant foreign missions, and, upon the death of Lord Burleigh, succeeded him as 
Prime Minister of England. Lieut. Ramsay, a British officer, who came here in 
1766, named the fort. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 93 

which, tlirough association with half-breeds and intermarriages with the 
Anglo-American races, had degenerated into a patois, wholly unintelligible 
to a native of La Belle France,* but generally understood by some of the 
older French citizens. 

While this class of people may have been a dominant part of the popu- 
lation at the time of which we write, Vincennes nevertheless was the abid- 
ing place of quite a number of direct descendants of the nobility and aris- 
tocracy of France, England and Spain. Nor were all the French who 
came from Canada, including the couretirs de bois, of the ignorant and 
vulgar type that Volney and other travelers of the remote past would have 
us believe. The La Salles, the Gamelins, the Duboises, the Campagniottes, 
the Richardvilles, and a host of others were all descendants of noble fami- 
lies, and the purest of French blood coursed through their veins. In the 
first stages of development of the great northwest, no names are more 
prominent than those of Jacques Marquette and Robert La Salle. To the 
first belongs the honor of having first explored the Mississippi, and the 
other, after incomparable perseverance, under the most distressing condi- 
tions, succeeded in reaching its mouth. These two men were cousins. One 
a priest, the other unmarried, they died and with them closed their in- 
dividual pedigrees. In France, however, a large family of brothers and 
sisters remained, several of whom added other honors to the names which 
shine with lustre in the brilliant chapters of American history. More than 
a century after Jacques Marquette was laid to rest in the sands upon the 
shores of Lake Michigan, and Robert La Salle had fallen at the hands of 
an assassin in the long grass of the Texan prairies, their families again 
became represented on the American continent. Marie Francoise Mar- 
quette, sister to Jacques Marquette, and third child of Nicholas Marquette 
and Rose La Salle, married Cyr Alexis De Driencourt in 1754. Their 
great granddaughter, Emilie De Driencourt, married Jean Charles Poullet 
in 1794, and their son, Cyr Alexis Gideon Poullet, bom in Laon, France, 
1803, came to America in 1837 and took up his residence at Vincennes. 
Mr. Poullet was a man of high culture and accomplishments, a graduate 
of the College of Rheims, and honored with the degree of belles lettres, 
bachelor of law and bachelor of science, from the University of France. 



* Quite a few years ago, a very suave gentleman, direct from one of the provinces 
of France, had occasion to visit Vincennes. Aaron Tootles, a verj- dignified Afro- 
American, who stood si.x feet four inches in his stockings, a veritable monument of 
pomposity, was the proprietor of the only first-class barber-shop in the city, into 
which the stranger strolled in quest of information. It was impossible, however, for 
the latter to make known his wants to the gentleman of color. Mr. Tootles, always 
exceedingly polite to strangers, and not without curiosity as to the visitor's mission 
here, started out to locate an interpreter, whom he soon found in the person of 
"Billy" Watson, a native "Frenchman," whom he presented to the stranger with great 
eclat. After laboring for fully a half hour with the Frenchman, to make himself 
understood, Mr. Watson withdrew in disgust, and, calling Mr. Tootles to the door 
from the outside, exclaimed, in a loud tone of voice, "Hell ! Tootles, that feller can't 
talk French !" 



94 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

He was also an epicure of fine discernment, a lover of flowers, trees and 
birds; and, being possessed of independent means, upon his arrival in this 
city, purchased a large section of land on the south side, formerly known 
as Frenchtown, and now the present site of the Good Samaritan hospital, 
and built a comfortable and commodious residence, which subsequently be- 
came surrounded with tempting orchards and vineyards, where he dis- 
pensed a hospitality as lavish as it was graceful and gracious. He was 
married in 1850 to Margurite Campagniotte, grandniece of Pierre, Paul 
and Antoine Gamelin, all of whom rendered valuable assistance to Father 
Gibault and Francis Vigo in behalf of the American cause, pending the 
capture of Vincennes from the British. Paul Gamelin was the father of 
the mother of John B. La Plante. deceased, and great grandfather of Ed- 
mond B. La Plante, and quite a prominent figure in the judicial and mili- 
tary affairs of the northwest territory. Soon after taking up his residence 
here, Mr. Poullet was admitted to the Knox County bar, and, as an advo- 
cate of the law, his services were frequently called into requisition in ques- 
tions involving the old French claims, and his knowledge of French techni- 
calities was invaluable in this branch of his profession. He was a very 
successful practitioner, but retired early from active practice. He never, 
however, relinquished his friendship for members of the profession, and 
maintained to the last a close association with his legal brethren, his annual 
dinners tendered to members of the bar being among the marked features 
that characterized the social life of Vincennes. He died in 1884 at Indian- 
apolis, whither he had gone for treatment, leaving to mourn their loss his 
devoted wife and two children, Charles and Emile Marguirete, all of 
whom survive him. The latter was married in 1874 to John Burke, de- 
ceased, and their daughters, Marie Maurice and Claire Agnes (wife of 
Dr. Barney Dryfuss), both of New York city, are the eldest of a large 
family of children who represent an honored lineage of characters con- 
spicuous in the pioneer history of the northwest territory. The genealogy 
of the La Selles can also be traced to Gilles de la Celle, a distinguished 
man of letters of Savigny sur Orge, diocese of Paris, France, whose con- 
sort was Anne Beauregard; Jacques de la Celle, who married Angelique 
Gibault at Montreal, Canada, August 8, 1698; Jacques La Selle, who mar- 
ried Marie Anne La Lande at Montreal, February 16, 1733, died Novem- 
ber 17, 1778; Jacques La Selle, fils, married Therese Berthelet at La Chine, 
Canada, February 18, 1765, died at Detroit, Mich., about 1796; Hyacinthe 
Lasselle married Julie Ridday Bosseron, and was born at the Indian town 
of Quaitenon, near the present city of Fort Wayne, February 25, 1777, 
and died at Logansport, Ind., January 23, 1843. The La Salle-Busseron 
wedding, which occurred here February 8, 1805, was a notable social event, 
and joined together two of the most prominent families of the old post. 
The fruits of this union were ten children, all of whom were born at 
Vincennes, and of which only two are now living — Julie Francois, widow 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 95 

of Louis Chamberlin, and Caroline Victoria, widow of Cornelius Corn- 
well, both of Washington, D. C. 

Through all the intervening ages Poste du Ouabache, with an air of 
Arcadian idealism ever present, extending back to the dark and mysterious 
days of centuries that have gone, has always been the small fount from 
which larger streams have flowed into the channels of history. Long be- 
fore Francois Morgane de Vinsenne, in whose honor it was named, ap- 
peared upon the scene, many years preceding the first preserved church 
records of St. Francis Xavier cathedral, telling of the happy nuptials, on 
April 21, 1749, of Madame Troittier, to be followed by the sad sequel a 
year later of the burial of the bride beneath her pew "on the gospel side," 
grandsires of the Racines, Duboises, Barrois, Deloriers, Bonneaux, Ma- 
lettes, Bordeleaus, La Deroutes, Brouillettes, Goderes, Chapeaus, Goim- 
ards, Levrons, La Violettes, Pagets, Pelletiers, Busserons, De Noyons, 
Villeneuves, Boyers, Cornoyers, Chapards, Racicaults, were very material 
factors in shaping the destinies and establishing the social codes of the 
northwest territory. They were of the people to whom General Gage, 
tliat gruff and blufY Englishman, with an elongated military title, issued 
an order in 1772 to quit this country without delay and to retire at their 
choice into some of the colonies of his majesty, the king of England, vvhere 
they would be received and treated as other subjects of Great Britain, and 
to whom they sent back the plea that for seventy years their ancestors had 
held the land under the king of France, registering a strong protest against 
dispossession. But the grasping Gage was unrelenting, and demanded crr- 
tified copies of deeds to titles. Alas, for the ravages of time! Few of 
the original concessions remained. It had been customary for past com- 
mandants to record them upon small scraps of paper which were deposited 
with a royal notary. Some did then, and always had, regarded long occu- 
pation as evidence of title, because they were honest in all dealings with 
their fellow-men, and were not all of that indolent, idle class, which Mr. 
Volney claims to have encountered. However, tangible proofs of rightful 
ownership were scattered, many destroyed. Some had been transferred to 
Fort Chartres, others had been carried away by an absconding notary, and 
still others had been "eaten by rats." There was a hasty recension, and 
from the "Moms des Habitans et Titrc par leyuel Us Reclcmient," for- 
warded to Gage there came no reply. 

Connected, also, with the pioneers above mentioned, but not generally 
known by the present generation, were the Lagannierres, Perodeaus, Binet, 
and others, whose descendants' names have been changed in marriage, as 
Wetzel and Smock, descended of the Chapards, the numerous branches 
of the Bayard family from the De Noyons, and the La Salles of Logans- 
port, from the Busserons. A name prominent in the early affairs of the 
poste, conspicuously absent in the "recensement" to Gage, is that of John 
Baptiste Deroite de Richardville, who held no concessions of land from 
his sovereign. A nobleman of distinction, holding office under King Louis, 



96 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

he was sent to New France, and with Francois Morgane de Vinsenne, 
came to the Wabash country on a mission of treaty with the Indians. 
The independence and fascination of savage life so attracted him that he 
tarried, eventually fell in love with and married the chief's daughter. The 
news was received with resentment and disapproval by his family and at 
court. The young man was shorn of his possessions and ordered not to 
return to France. At once reconciling himself to his fate, he adopted the 
drifting life of a coureur de hois, trapping and hunting with his Indian 
brethren and making his home among his wife's people. But, unlike many 
others, he never forgot his early training, nor lost the bearing of an offi- 
cer or courtier. By his gentlemanly deportment he became a factor in the 
councils of governmental affairs, and in the everyday social life of the 
old post. At the close of the French possession, when the retiring com- 
mandant, St. Ange, was empowered to name a person "to maintain good 
order among the citizens of the poste, as also of the voyagcurs and In- 
dians," he named Monsieur Deroite de Richardville to perform the func- 
tions of captain of militia. The latter did not live long after having been 
honored with this commission, death having come to his bed-chamber in 
the night time, wholly unannounced, where he had retired the same even- 
ing in the best of spirits lo court a soothing slumber begotten by the 
knowledge of faithful performance of duties of the preceding day. His 
demise, as citizen and officer, was generally deplored, and at his obsequies 
the populace gave a universal expression of its grief. He was survived 
by his wife and only child, a son, who married Susan Vondrie. Five chil- 
dren were born of this union, of whom John Baptiste, the second son, was 
the first to marry. His wife was Victoria Levron, whose ancestors held a 
concession of land from Commandant St. Ange. Of their ten children, 
there are none now living, Celestine, wife of Felix Bouchie, deceased, who 
departed this life about ten years ago, being the last survivor of that im- 
mediate family. The Creole character — of which few types now remain — 
the product of the Indian settlements along the Wabash, seemed to be of 
a better grade than was developed among other localities where intermar- 
riages of white and red people produced this attractive genus homo. Al- 
ways a picturesque personality, the Creole of the Wabash country, com- 
bining the lithe, slender figure of the Indian with the vivacity and natural 
courtesy of the Frenchman, was also an interesting study, and were the 
secrets of his history revealed, there would be discovered in more instances 
than suspected strains of blood as blue as ever coursed through noble 



* The foregoing paragraphs relating to tlie Poullets and Richardvilles are 
adapted from the Evansville Pocket, a weekly publication of twelve years ago, edited 
by Mrs. Clotilde Pilard-Thomas (Mrs. Kehough), of Buenos Ayres, S. A., formerly 
of Vincennes, and retain the original trace of the talented editress' facile pen. 



CHAPTER XL 

THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY BECOMES DOMAINS OF THE 

BRITISH. 

FRANCE AND ENGLAND'S FIRST DECISIVE CLASH OF ARMS ON THE AMERICAN 

CONTINENT — DEFEAT OF GENERAL BRADDOCK THE FALL OF QUEBEC, AND 

DEATHS OF GENERAL WOLFE AND THE MARQUIS DE MONTCALM THE 

TREATY BETWEEN FRANCE AND ENGLAND PONTIAC, AND THE WILY 

chief's CONSPIRACY OLD FORT CHARTRES AND ITS COMMANDERS THE 

PIANKESHAWS AND OTHER TRIBES AT VINCENNES CONVEY MORE THAN 
THIRTY-SEVEN MILLION ACRES OF LAND — ST. MARIE AND THE HAPPY IN- 
HABITANTS AT THE OLD POST. 

In dealing with St. Louis St. Ange Belle Rive — (in a preceding chapter) 
at a period when France and England were fully engrossed in a European 
warfare, of which the treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, in 1748, was the sequel — 
the reader's attention was diverted momentarily from the attitude toward 
one another of the French and British forces on the American continent. 
While that war to some extent involved the French and English colonies 
on the Atlantic coast, neither it nor the treaty which followed, by any 
means settled the dispute over the territorial boundaries of these respective 
nations in this country. England* sought to extend dominion over 
territory lying west of her possessions on the Atlantic coast, while France 
set up claim to the Mississippi valley in its entirety, and opposed with 
dogged determination, from 1748 to 1760, every efifort put forth by Eng- 
land to establish settlements in any quarter west of the Allegheny moun- 
tains. In order to more successfully combat the French, the English, in 
1748, concluded a treaty of alliance and friendship with the Twightvvee 
Indians at Lancaster, in the province of Pennsylvania, which was the first 
attempt made by the English to win the good graces of the Miami confed- 
eration through treaty. The same year witnessed the formation of the 
Ohio Company, instigated by Thomas Lee of the king's council, of Vir- 
ginia, to whom the king granted a half million acres of land bordering on 
the Ohio, for the purpose of enabling the English to establish settlements 
west of the Allegheny mountains, through the agency of said company. 

* Dillion, History of Indiana. 

97 



98 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

France's opposition to England's efforts to establish trading posts west 
of the Alleghenies, and to extend her colonies to territory lying about the 
Ohio river, became so pronounced that in 1754 the French built Fort 
Duquesne, for the protection of the frontiers and to prevent the further 
advances of the armed forces of the British, who had been ordered by the 
British ministry as early as 1753 to settle all further disputes with France 
growing out of the possessions of territory west of the Alleghenies by the 
sword. And on July 9, 1755, when General Edwin Braddock, with his 
solid columns of British soldiers, was marching to attack Fort Duquesne, 
and when within seven miles of the fortification, he found himself sur- 
rounded by an army of about two hundred and fifty French and six hun- 
dred Indians (commanded by M. Beaujeu and M. Dumas) who had lain 
in ambush for two days. In the conflict that ensued Braddock was mor- 
tally wounded, after having three horses shot under him. On General 
Braddock's staff was Colonel Gage, of revolutionary fame, a gallant and 
brave officer, who, twenty years later, was humiliated by the fleeing of 
his cowardly brigade at the battle of Bunker Hill. General Gates, who be- 
came the future conqueror of Burgoyne, was also of Braddock's forces, 
as was General George Washington, who had four bullets pierce his coat 
and two horses shot under him. Of the occurrence, Mr. Dillon writes as 
follows : 

"Notwithstanding the orders of the general to the contrary, the 
three companies of Virginia troops took positions behind trees and other 
coverts, and fought in the Indian manner. These troops 'showed a good 
deal of bravery, and were nearly all killed; out of three companies that 
were there, scarcely thirty men were left alive. Capt. Peyrouny and all 
his officers down to a corporal were killed. Capt. Poison had nearly as 
hard a fate, for only one of his men was left.' Many of the Indians, gain- 
ing confidence by the confusion of the British regulars, rushed from their 
coverts and carried on the carnage with their tomahawks. In the midst 
of the slaughter, Braddock himself, who was unwisely brave, struggled in 
vain to form his men into platoons and columns. In the meantime nearly 
all of his offfcers were killed or wounded. The whole number of officers 
in the engagement was eighty-six, of whom twenty-six were killed and 
thirty-seven wounded. Sir Peter Hallet fell by the first fire, at the head 
of his division. Col. Washington, who was one of the aids of General 
Braddock, escaped without a wound, though four bullets passed through 
his coat, and two horses were shot under him. Braddock had three horses 
shot under him ; but his obstinacy seemed to increase with the danger, and 
he continued his efforts to maintain the conflict until at last he received a 
mortal wound from a musket ball which jjassed through his right arm and 
lungs. He was immediately carried from the field and the renmant of the 
army then retreated in a very disorderly manner across the Monongahela. 
The Indians, being attracted by the plunder which they found on the field, 
did not pursue the retreating forces, who continued their flight until they 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 99 

arrived at the camp of Col. Dunbar, where the unfortunate Braddock died 
on the 13th of July. All the stores except those necessary for immediate 
use were then destroyed ; the provincial troops returned to their homes, 
and the British regulars were marched to Philadelphia, where they went 
into quarters. In this conflict the loss of English private soldiers, killed 
and wounded, amounted to seven hundred and fourteen. Of this number 
about one-half were killed. . . . The loss on the side of the French 
was, in the words of an imperfect return, 'three officers killed and four 
wounded ; about thirty soldiers and Indians killed, and as many wounded.' " 

Immediately following the humiliating defeat of Braddock's forces, the 
kingdoms of both England and France sent reinforcements across the 
waters to all their American colonies. The French, elated and emboldened 
by the decisive victory which had been won with the aid of their Indian 
allies, at once assumed a position more on the offensive than the defensive, 
and for a period of three years maintained undisputed possession of Fort 
Duquesne; but toward the close of 1758, on learning of the contemplated 
invasion of General Forbes with seven thousand British soldiers,* dis- 
mantled the fort and 'to the number of about five hundred men' retreated 
to different French posts. . . . The fortifications were hastily repaired 
by the English and garrisoned by four hundred and fifty men, chiefly pro- 
vincial troops from Pennsylvania, Virginia and Maryland, under command 
of Colonel Alercer, and the name of the post was changed to Fort Pitt. 
By the evacuation of the fort and their withdrawal from that part of the 
country, the French virtually gave England possession of the territory on 
the borders of the Ohio. The Indians realized that the military prestige 
of the French was on the wane, and nearly all the tribes between the Ohio 
and the northern lakes subscribed to treaties with their former foes, the 
English. 

While engaging in no sanguinary battles, the French proved themselves 
foes worthy of English steel until the autumnal days of September, 1759, 
when Generals Wolfe. Monckton and Townsend with a gallant force of 
British soldiers stormed the French strongholds at Quebec, Canada, and 
from the Heights of Abraham, nobly defended by the Marquis de Mont- 
calm, amid the thunders of war were uttered, and are still repeated, the 
dying words of a British and a French officer, who gave to the world thril- 
ling examples of how heroically die soldier-patriots in the defense of their 
country.! While the heat of battle was fiercest, a leaden missile embedded 
itself in Wolfe's wrist. Hastily bandaging the wound with his handker- 
chief, he encouraged his men with renewed vigor to push forward. An 
instant later a shot entered his groin. This wound he sought to conceal, 
and would have been partially successful had it not been that, while ad- 
vancing at the head of a column of grenadiers, with their bayonets fixed, 
a third bullet struck his left breast, reaching a vital spot. Unable to 



* Dillion, History of Indiana. 
t Dillion. 



100 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

stand, and realizing that he had been mortally wounded, he supported him- 
self on the shoulder of a lieutenant, who had gone to his aid. This officer, 
seeing the French on the eve of retreat, exultantly exclaimed: "They flee! 
they flee !" "Who flee ?" anxiously queried the dying general, pain and 
doubt depicted on his countenance. When the lieutenant replied : "The 
French," Wolfe's face brightened with a smile as he exclaimed, "Then I 
depart content." Montcalm, brave and patriotic, had received a mortal 
wound in battle and died on the same day. When told, shortly before his 
death, of his approaching end, he calmly replied, "So much the better; I 
shall not then live to see the surrender of Quebec." 

The crushing blow administered by the British to the French in tliis 
struggle demoralized and humiliated the latter power, and subsequently 
led to the treaty of 1763, which gave England possession of nearly all 
the territory in this country that was formerly under the dominion of 
France, and included also Nova Scotia, Canada, and their dependencies. 
For the purpose of preventing future disputes as to English and French 
possessions on the North American continent, an imaginary line of separa- 
tion was "drawn along the middle of the river Mississippi from its source 
to the river Ibberville, and from thence by a line drawn along the middle 
of this river, and the lakes Marepaus and Pontchartrain, to the sea." By 
the cessions made by France to England at this time, the river and port at 
Mobile, and all the territory possessed by the former power on the left side 
of the Mississippi, except New Orleans, became the domains of Great 
Britain. It was further stipulated that the navigation of the Mississippi 
from its source to the Gulf of Mexico, its entire length and breadth, was 
to be open to navigation at all times, affording a free and uninterrupted 
avenue for travel and traffic. France, however, had previously made a 
secret treaty with Spain, ceding that portion of Louisiana lying to the 
west of the Mississippi, which did not become generally known until a 
year after the treaty of 1763; and it was not until six years from the date 
last named that Spain took formal possession or began to exercise control 
over her new dominions.* It was on account of the Spanish government's 
acquisition of this new territory, or, rather, because of its attempt to es- 
tablish private ownership of the Mississippi river after the territory had 
been acquired, that came near involving Spain and the United States in war. 
The people in all sections of country west and north of Louisiana, felt out- 
raged, and justly so, upon being denied the use of the Mississippi for the 
purpose of entering southern ports with their merchandise. 

The year following the fall of Quebec the Marquis de Vandreuil sur- 
rendered Canada and all her dependencies to the English General Amherst, 
commander-in-chief of the British army in North America. By the articles 



* The province was to be delivered whenever Spain should be ready to receive 
it; but this was not officially announced to the inhabitants of Louisiana until April 
21, 1764; nor did Spain receive possession until August 17, 1769. Dillion, History of 
Indiana, p. 78. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 101 

of capitulation Kaskaskia. Detroit and Michilimackinac were included, but 
Vincennes not being considered as a Canadian dependency, was not, and 
St. Ange, the commandant at this post, was left in charge of affairs, and 
held possession of the fort for four years more, or until the year follow- 
ing the treaty of 1763, when he went to Fort Chartres to relieve Neyon de 
Villiers, a French commandant, who was merely awaiting the arrival of 
the English to deliver the fort to them. Major Robert Rogers had been 
sent forth, however, by General Amherst to take possession of Detroit and 
Michilimackinac. At the former place he met the haughty Indian chief 
Pontiac, who called a halt on him and his troops, hitherto cordially received 
along their journey by all of the Indian tribes, who pretended to be de- 
lighted with the information that the French had surrendered the country 
to the English.* The Ottawa chieftain sent word to the English major 
and his forces to approach no further until he should visit their camp and 
see them with his own eyes, and for them to await his coming. Accordingly 
the troops were drawn into line, and soon afterward Pontiac appeared upon 
the scene. At the conclusion of formal salutations, the Indian demanded 
to know, with much emphasis, the mission on which Rogers and his men 
were bent, and by what authority they had entered his territory without 
obtaining his consent. Major Rogers, who has been referred to as a 
prudent officer and a cautious man, replied that they came for the purpose 
of displacing the French, whose presence had prevented the formation of 
closer ties of friendship between the English and Indians, and that in com- 
ing they meant good, instead of evil, to the red men.t While Rogers pre- 
sented Pontiac with several belts of wampum and received from him 
smaller presents in return, the great warrior remarked to the Major, "I 
shall stand till morning in your path," meaning thereby that, until permis- 
sion was granted, the English expedition must advance no further. Be- 
fore withdrawing Pontiac told Rogers that if his soldiers were in need 
of provisions they would be suppHed by his braves. The offer was ac- 
cepted with thanks, the provisions furnished, and the Indians liberally paid 
for their trouble. While Pontiac feigned friendship for the English he 
hated them thoroughly, and was playing the hypocrite that he might more 
readily destroy them. The next day Pontiac went to Roger's camp and 
smoked the pipe of peace with him. Later he sent a hundred or more of his 
warriors with the English troops to Pittsburg to aid the British in driving 
herds of cattle from Fort Pitt to Detroit to be used by the English garri- 
son. The chief further freely consented to permit tlie English to pass to 
and fro over his domains to take peaceful possession of the forts that 
were still occupied by the French, ready for delivery upon the arrival of 
the English. But all these evidences of friendship were feigned, as shown 
in his intense hostility towards the English in 1762, which manifested it- 



* Dilloa 
t Dillon. 



102 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

self with greater fierceness in 1763, when the secret of his conspiracy to 
murder all the inmates of the fort at Detroit was betrayed by a squaw, who 
informed an officer of the garrison of the dastardly plot, thus foiling the 
red-skinned and red-handed assassins. It took nearly the whole year of 
1762 for Pontiac to embitter the Ottawas, Chippewas, Pottawattomies, Sacs, 
Foxes, Menomimies, Miamis, Shawnees and Wyandots sufficiently for an 
attack on all the British forts and trading posts in the country northwest 
of the Alleghenies, which attack was made simultaneously in May, 1763, 
resulting in the Indians taking possession of the posts of Michilimackinac, 
Green Bay, St. Joseph. Quiatenon, Miamis, Sandusky, Presq-Isle, Leboeuf 
and Venango. The British garrisons at Detroit and Fort Pitt resisted the 
attacks successfully. "Pontiac, early in May, 1763, appeared before De- 
troit with three or four hundred warriors" says Dillion.* "These Indians, 
who were accompanied by their women and children, encamped near the 
fort, without exciting at first, any suspicion in the mind of Major Glad- 
wyn, the commandant. The post was then garrisoned by one hundred and 
thirty men, including officers. There were block houses at the corners and 
over the gates. With a few exceptions the houses of the French inhabitants 
were situated within the enclosure ; and an open space which was called 
by the French Ic chemin du ronde intervened. The fortifications did not 
extend to the river Detroit, but a gate opened in the direction of that 
stream, in which, near the fort, an armed English schooner, the Beaver, 
was moored. The ordnance of the fort consisted of two, six pounders, 
a few small brass pieces and three mortars. 

"Such was the condition of affairs at Detroit on the 8th of May, 1763, 
when Pontiac proposed to hold a council with Major Gladwyn, saying to 
that officer that 'the Indians desired to take their new father, the king of 
England, by the hand.' " Gladwyn having assented, it was agreed that 
the council should be held on the following day. "Pontiac's object in mak- 
ing this apparently friendly overture," says Dillon, "was to gain admit- 
tance into the fort at the head of a number of warriors who had been 
armed with rifles which had been made so short that they could be con- 
cealed under the blankets of those who carried them. At a peculiar signal, 
which was to be given by the chief, these Indians were to massacre all 
the officers in the fort, and then open the gates to admit the other Indians, 
who were to rush in and complete the destruction of the garrison." But 
the warning of an Indian woman, whom Major Gladwyn had employed 
to make for him a pair of elk-skin slippers, balked the red skins in their 
game, t" Pontiac and his warriors, having repaired to the fort, were ad- 
mitted without hesitation and were conducted to the place assigned for the 
meeting, where Gladwyn and his staff were prepared to meet them. Per- 
ceiving at the gate that there was unusual activity among the troops, and 
noticing that the garrison was under arms, the guards doubled, and the 

* Dillion. History of Indiana, pp. 83, 84. 
t Dillon. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 103 

officers armed with swords and pistols, Pontiac inquired of the British 
commander what was the cause of this unusual appearance. He was 
answered that it was proper to keep the young men to their duty, lest they 
should become idle and ignorant. The business of the council then com- 
menced, and Pontiac proceeded to address Mayor Gladwyn. His speech 
was bold and menacing, and his manner and gesticulations vehement, and 
they became more so as he approached the critical moment. When he 
was on the point of making the preconcerted signal, the drums at the 
door of the council-house suddenly rolled the charge, the guards levelled 
their pieces, and the British officers drew their swords from their scabbords. 
Pontiac was a brave man ; but this imexpected and decisive proof that his 
plot was discovered, disconcerted him, and he failed to give his party the 
signal of attack. Major Gladwyn immediately approached the chief, and 
drawing aside his blanket, discovered the shortened rifle; and then, after 
stating his knowlede of the plan, and reproaching him for his treachery, 
ordered him from the fort." 

Much crest-fallen at the failure of his murderous plan, Pontiac and his 
braves immediately withdrew from the fort, and, upon gaining the outside, 
opened fire upon the garrison. They subsequently visited a near-by cabin 
where lived an English woman and her two sons, whom they murdered ; 
and, afterwards repairing to Hog Island, where a discharged sargeant 
resided with his family, massacred him and all members of the household 
except one. For several days succeeding these occurrences the Indians 
made several attempts to carry the fort by storm. While the method of at- 
tack at close range was abandoned at the end of the fifth day, the red 
skins nevertheless maintained the siege through the months of May, June, 
July and August, compelling the British garrison to subsist during the 
major portion of the time on half rations. Fort Pitt during this same period 
was besieged by the warriors from the Shawnee and Delaware tribes, prin- 
cipally, aided by a score of red warriors from other confederations, while the 
other followers of Pontiac, from the northern lakes to the Mississippi, 
were making war on English soldiers and colonists, on land and water. 
But the support that Pontiac had expected to receive from the French 
was not forthcoming, which had a tendency to discourage his followers as 
well as himself. The British authorities were placing their best fighters 
in the field, and increasing the number of their troops, in a determined 
effort to subdue the Indians, among whom the Shawnees, Delawares, Wy- 
andots, Ottaw-as, Chippewas and other Indian tribes were the most for- 
midable fighters. The spectacle of General Bradstreet at the head of three 
thousand men, who came into the field in 1764 with orders to annihilate 
the savages along the borders of lakes Erie, Huron and Michigan, had a 
salutary effect on the hostile Indians, for it was while the general and his 
forces were en route from Niagara to Detroit that he was accosted by quite 
a number of chiefs, representing nearly all of the tribes of the northwest- 
ern country, who expressed a strong desire to sign treaties of peace. 



104 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

which were promptly executed and concluded immediately upon Brad- 
street's arrival at Detroit. Pontiac, however, would not consent to become 
a party to any of these pacific negotiations. Disappointed in not receiv- 
ing the proffered aid from the French and brought to a full realization of 
the superiority of British arms over Indian, and humiliated by the treachery 
of his own people, he withdrew from the scenes that witnessed the con- 
ception and failure of his grand conspiracy, to take up his abode in the 
Illinois country, where, in 1767, he was felled by the hand of an assassin.* 
It was not until October, 1765, that Fort Chartres passed into British 
hands and the Illinois country came under British control.! After Major 
Lx)ftus and Captain Pittman had vainly attempted to reach the fort from 
New Orleans, and Capt. Morris had been baffled in an effort to gain the 
same point by the Maumee, Lieutenant Fraser was permitted to pass down 
the Ohio uninterrupted, on a mission of conciliation, but on reaching the 
fort, and remaining for a very brief season, was content to escape with his 
life down the Mississippi, by effecting a disguise. Captain Croghan, who 
followed Fraser, a month or two later, down the Ohio, had smooth sailing 
until he struck the Wabash coimtry, where he was captured by a band of 
Kickapoos and carried a prisoner to Quiatenon. The Weas, however, 
treated him with consideration and allowed him much freedom. Several 
days after his capture Maisonville came to Weatown, bearing a message 
from St. Ange, in which the latter invited Croghan to come to Fort Char- 
tres. This message, together with assurances from Maisonville, led to 
Croghan's position being changed from a captive to a guest. He was al- 
lowed to depart the ne.xt day down the Wabash, when he met Pontiac, with 
a big band of warriors, headed for Quiatenon. After assuring the great 
chief that the English cession of French posts did not mean the sale of the 
Indians' lands, Pontiac, (having already been apprised by his lieutenants 
at New Orleans that the French would not aid the Indians, in a fight 
against the English) pretended to become fully reconciled to the exchange 



* A tradition that has come all the way down from generation to generation was 
often told by the Indians as follows : The great chief, Pontiac, in destroying bands 
of Indians opposing his confederation, captured mostly women and children who 
were sold by his agents to the resident French at the different posts, receiving in 
e.xchange gims, powder, lead, flints, tomahawks and blankets. He was killed by an 
assassin in the woods where East St. Louis now stands, because several years before 
one of his bands of warriors had captured the women and children of a hunting 
party of Illinois Indians while they were drying meats and fish on the shores of 
Lake Michigan, and Pontiac ordered all of them sold into slavery except a beautiful 
woman who was the wife of the chief of the hunting party, whom he took for his 
wife. While making a visit to St. Ange, at the village of St. Louis, hunted up some 
of her kindred and assisted them in murdering Pontiac. The hold this great chief 
had on the people of his confederation was so firm that when they learned of his 
murder they brought on a war of extermination and before it was over the Illinois 
Indians were nearly all killed. The beautiful woman who caused his death was re- 
captured and burned at the stake. Cochrum, A Pioneer History of Indiana, p. 23. 

t Dunn, Indiana, American Commonu-ealth Series, p. 75. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 105 

of Great Fathers,* and, accompanied by Croghan, proceeded to Post Quia- 
tenon, where, in council, he denounced the French for having deceived him 
and his people and declared that henceforth he would wage war neither 
against the British or British interests. This promise was faithfully kept, 
and the remaining days of the great warrior, who voluntarily cast aside the 
robes of a chieftain, were devoted to the humble occupation of fishing 
and hunting. 

Croghan's mission in the Wabash and Illinois country, as has already 
been stated in a previous chapter, was for the purpose of conciliating the 
Indians. It was not intended that he was to take charge at Fort Char- 
tres. Loftus, Pittman, Morris and Fraser, respectively, had been delegated 
to receive the fort from St. Ange, but it remained for Captain Sterling 
of the Forty-second Highlanders ("Black Watch") to relieve the man, 
who had distinguished himself as the second commandant at Post Ouabache, 
of his thankless job. Sterling's first official document to the inhabitants 
was in the form of a proclamation, enunciating an order which emanated 
in December, 1764, from the celebrated General Gage, to whom reference 
has hitherto been made, and set forth that liberty of conscience, and the 
full enjoyment of personal and property rights would be accorded to all 
the inhabitants. The people were allowed to go and come at will, but all 
of them were required to swear allegiance to Great Britain. In less than 
four months after assuming command of Fort Chartresf Sterling died, 



*J. p. Dunn, Indiana, American Commonwealth Series. 

t After it was rebuilt, in 1756, and until the cruel waves of the mighty Missis- 
sippi rent asunder its massive foundations. Fort Chartres was considered the most 
formidable fortification in all the western country; and for this reason a description 
of the fortress by John B. Dillion, the "father of Indiana history," can not prove 
amiss. "Fort Chartres," says Mr. Dillon, "was in shape an irregular quadrangle, 
with four bastions. The sides of the exterior polygon were about four hundred and 
ninety feet in extent. The walls, which were of stone, and plastered over, were 
two feet two inches thick, and fifteen feet high, with loop-holes at regular distances, 
and two port-holes for cannon in each face, and two in the flanks of each bastion. 
There were two sally-ports ; and within the wall was a banquette raised three feet 
for the men to stand upon, when they fired through the loop-holes. The buildings 
within the fort were the commandant's and commissary's houses, the magazine of 
stores, the guardhouse, and two lines of barracks. Within the gorge of one of the 
bastions was a prison with four dungeons. In the gorges of the other three bastions 
was the powder magazine, the bake-house, and some smaller buildings. The com- 
mandant's house was ninety-six feet long and thirty feet deep, containing a dining 
room, a parlor, a bed chamber, a kitchen, five closets, for servants, and a cellar. The 
commissary's house was built in a line with this edifice, and its proportions and dis- 
tribution of apartments were the same. Opposite these were the storehouse and 
guardhouse, each ninety feet long by twenty-four feet deep. The former contained 
two large storerooms, with vaulted cellars under the whole, a large room, a bed 
chamber, and a closet for the keeper. The guardhouse contained officers' and soldiers' 
guard rooms, a chapel, a bed chamber, and a closet for the chaplain, and an artillery 
storeroom. The lines of the barracks, two in number, were never completely finished. 
They consisted of two rooms in each line for officers, and three for soldiers. The rooms 



106 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

and his immediate successors, all of whose official careers were brief, were 
Major Farmer, Colonel Edward Cole and Colonel Reed. In September, 
1768, Lieutenant-Colonel John Wilkins, of the Royal Irisli regiment, as- 
sumed command, "and two months later," says Mr. Dunn.f "he issued a 
proclamation for the government of the country, and established a court 
of common law, the first that existed west of the Alleghenies. It con- 
sisted of seven judges, and dealt out English justice at monthly terms 
until the British Parliament restored the civil law to its French-Canadian 
subjects in 1774. It was during his command, on a gloomy spring night in 
1772, that the Mississippi made its last wild leap at the old fort, and 
swept away the southern curtain and bastions. The troops vacated the 
place as speedily as possible, and soon afterwards built Fort Gage, on the 
bluffs near Kaskaskia, which was headquarters during the remainder of 
the British occupation. Fort Chartres was never reoccupied. Its walls 
formed a convenient quarry for the people of the neighborhood, who car- 
ried them off stone by stone until now there remain only broken mound 
lines, to show its extent. The old magazine alone remains intact, and 
solitary lifts its bramble-covered arch amid the modern features of the 
farmyard into which the place has been converted ; but its solid masonry 
aids one to imagine something of the structure of the ancient capital of 
Illinois and Indiana." 

At the period now being considered (1765) the white settlement at 
Vincennes comprised probably an hundred families, while the French 
population at Fort Quiatenon, on the Wabash, did not exceed twenty fam- 
ilies, and at the village of the Twightwees. at the confluence of the St. 
Joseph and St. Mary rivers, less than a dozen adobe homes were occupied 
by white settlers. "These three small colonies were, at that time," says 
Dillon, "the only white settlements in all the large territory which now lies 
within the boundaries of the State of Indiana." And, according to the 
same author, "the aggregate number of French families within the limits 
of the northwestern territory (comprising the settlements about Detroit, 
those near the river Wabash, and the colony in the neighborhood of Fort 
Chartres) did not, probably, exceed six hundred. At Detroit, and in the 
neighborhood of that place, there were about three hundred and fifty 
French families. The remainder of the French population resided at 
Kaskaskia, Cahokia, Prairie du Rocher, and in the vicinity of those 
villages." 

The sparse population at these several posts, which had settlements very 
early in the eighteentli century, and the absence of any settlements over a 
vast area of the northwest territory, were due to the adoption of Eng- 



Nvere twenty-two feet square with passages between them. .-Ml the Imildings were of 
solid masonry. The ruins of this fort may still be seen, on the eastern bank of the 
Mississippi, about twenty-five miles above the river Kaskaskia, in the State of 
lUinois." 

t J. P. Dunn, Indiana, American Commonzs.<caltli Series, pp. 76, 77. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 107 

land's colonial policy, subsequent to the treaty of 1763, which discouraged, 
rather than encouraged, colonization west of the Alleghenies, the British 
throne having forbidden all his subjects "from making any purchases, 
or settlements whatever, or taking possession of any of the lands, beyond 
the sources of any of the rivers which fall into the Atlantic ocean from 
the west or northwest;" "and, at the suggestion of the English board of 
trade and plantations," says Dillon, "the British government took measures 
to confine the English settlements in America, 'to such a distance from 
the sea coast as that those settlements should be within the reach of the 
trade and commerce of Great Britain." * In pursuing this policy the gov- 
ernment neglected the propositions of various individuals who proposed 
to establish English colonies in the west." The commander-in-chief of 
the king's forces in North America, in a letter, written in 1769, to the Earl 
of Hillsborough, who was the presiding officer of the British colonial de- 
partment, "conceived it altogether inconsistent with sound policy to in- 
crease the settlements northwest of the Ohio river to respectable provinces." 
The royal governor of Georgia in addressing the British lords of trade, 
stated that the "granting of large bodies of land in the back parts of any 
of his majesty's northern colonies" appeared to him "in a very serious 
and alarming light, and may be attended with the greatest and worst of 
consequences, for, if a vast territory be granted to any set of gentlemen, 
who really mean to people it, and actually do so, it must draw and carry 
out a great number of people from Great Britain, and they will soon be- 
come a kind of separate and independent people, who will set up for them- 
selves ; that they will soon have manufactories of their own; and in pro- 
cess of time they will become formidable enough to oppose his majesty's 
authority." 

In consequence of this opposition to colonization the village of Pitts- 
burgh in 1770 boasted of only twenty or thirty log houses, and Fort Pitt 
was garrisoned by only two companies of Royal Irish, commanded by 
Captain Edmondson.t 

By an act of the British Parliament, passed in 1774, the boundaries of 
the province of Quebec were extended so as to include Ohio, Indiana, 
Illinois and Michigan. By this act the French inhabitants were allowed the 
free exercise of religious rights, and the Roman Catholic clergy the same 
rights provided in the capitulation at the time of the surrender of the 
province, and, in addition to these privileges, the French inhabitants of the 
province of Quebec, by said act, had restored to them their antiquated 
laws in civil cases, which provided for trial without jury. But, in Sep- 
tember of the same year, at a convention held at Falmouth, in the province 
of Massachusetts, the English assembly passed an act which declared 
that "the very extraordinary and alanning act for establishing the Roman 

* Dillon quoting from Report of the Board of Trade and Plantations to tlie 
Lords of the Privy Council. 
t Dillon, Historical Notes. 



108 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

Catholic religion and French laws in Canada may introduce the French 
and Indians in our frontier towns, we recommend that every town and in- 
dividual in this country should be provided with a proper stock of military 
stores, according to our province law; and that some patriotic military 
■officer be chosen in each town to exercise their military companies and make 
them perfect in the military art." The French who dwelt in American 
colonies, realizing the attempt of the English provinces to deprive them 
of privileges which had been granted to them by the British Parliament, 
rallied to the support of Great Britain during the earlier stages of the 
revolutionary war. 

The policy of restricting colonization west of the Alleghenies, however, 
was not long maintained by Great Britain. In 1769, a year after assuming 
command at Fort Chartres, Colonel Wilkins granted to English traders, 
several tracts of land, declaring that such grants were made because "the 
cultivation of lands not then appropriated, was essentially necessary and 
useful towards the better peopling and settlement of the said country, as 
well as highly advantageous to his majesty's service in the raising, pro- 
ducing and supplying provisions for his majesty's troops, then stationed, 
or thereafter to be stationed, in the said country of Illinois." 

In 1773 the Illinois Land Company, an organization formed at Kas- 
kaskia and composed of English traders, bought of Indian chiefs hailing 
from the Kaskaskia, Cahokia and Peoria tribes large quantities of land 
lying east of the Mississippi. 

In 1773 Governor Dunmore ordered, by proclamation,! that all vacant 
land of his majesty within the colony of Virginia "be surveyed in districts 
and laid out in lots of from one hundred to one thousand acres," and 
■"put up to public sale." During the same year the Wabash Land Company, 
of which Louis Viviat, a merchant from the Illinois country, was agent, 
secured at Vincennes (Post St. Vincent) from eleven Piankashaw chiefs 
deeds to an immense tract of land,* including parcels owned by Tabac, 
Montour, La Grande Couette, Ouaouaijao, Tabac, Jr., La Mouche Noire, 
(Black Fly), Le Maringouin (Mosquito), Le Petit Castor (Little Beaver), 
Kiesquibichias, Gerlot, Sr., and Gerlot, Jr. 

St. Marie (Jean Baptiste Racine) from 1764 to 1776, while acting in 
the capacity of chief executive of the old post, issued many land grants. 



♦Dillon, Historical Notes, p. 118. 

t A parcel of the land conveyed lay on both sides of the Wabash river, beginning 
at the mouth of River Dushee (called Riviere du Chat, or Cat river), being about 
fifty-two leagues distant from Post St. Vincent. Of the whole amount deeded, a 
tract twenty-four leagues in length and seventy leagues in width was reserved for 
the inhabitants of Vincennes. In the aggregate the quantity of land included in the 
conveyance was about thirty-seven millions, four hundred and ninety-seven thousand, 
six hundred acres. The War of the Revolution, coming on at a period before the 
Illinois and Wabash Land Companies had fully perfected their titles to unlimited 
quantities of land, prevented the said companies from establishing English colonies 
in many sections of the Northwest Territory. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 109 

chiefly for small tracts lying within and contiguous to the village, and the 
original owners of the realty never knew what it was to pay taxes on 
their possessions. Not until three years after the British Parliament de- 
cided to exert British influence over the northwest territory, (which had 
become a part and parcel of the province of Quebec) was any attempt 
made by the English to cliange existing conditions at Vincennes. Jean 
Baptiste Racine, whom the French, as well as the English, had utilized a3 
a commandant, and in whom the inhabitants of the old post, through two 
or three generations, had imposed explicit confidence, proved himself in 
the truest sense a "general utility man" of inestimable worth to the com- 
munity. He probably indulged his subjects too much, but withal he main- 
tained a discipline which more strenuous measures would have failed to 
produce. His constituents, with apparently no care upon their minds, no 
ambitions to gratify, no thoughts of the morrow, no wants which the forest 
or stream, or little garden, could not supply, lived in an atmosphere of 
blissful serenity — eking out an existence of which every passing moment 
went towards making the hours that filled out the days of contentment 
and happiness. Truly, the life of many of the natives was not the most 
edifying, but where is the exacting individual, cognizant of the environments 
by which these people were surrounded, who would say nay to those who 
enjoyed it ? 



CHAPTER XII. 

THE FIRST ENGLISH AND AMERICAN COMMANDANTS AT 

VINCENNES. 

LIEUTENANT RAMSEY's BRIEF VISIT LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR ABBOTT, OF 

DETROIT, ASSUMES CHARGE AS SUPERINTENDENT OF POST ST. VINCENNES 

A KINDAND CONSIDERATE ENGLISH OFFICER THE OLD FORT RECHRISTENED 

"SACKVILLE" ITS SITE DETERMINED AFTER YEARS OF CONTROVERSY, AND A 

MARKER PLACED TO DESIGNATE THE SPOT THE LOCATION OF FORT KNOX A 

MOOTED QUESTION — FRUIT TREES AND VEGETABLE GARDENS FE.\TURES OF 
THE PREMISES OF EARLY INHABITANTS — "fORTs" AS DEFENSES OF SET- 
TLEMENTS AGAINST INDIANS BUILT IN SEVER.\L SECTIONS OF KNOX COUNTY 
— DESCRIPTION AND LEGENDS OF BEAUTIFUL FORT KNOX. 

Unheralded and unannounced, in 1776, Lieutenant Ramsey, command- 
ing the Forty-second Regiment of British troops, marched into \'incennes 
and hauled down the French Fleur de Lis that floated above the ramparts 
of Fort St. Ange and hoisted a British ensign bearing the red cross of St. 
George, tenderly placing- the lily banner of France in the hands of St; 
Marie, and succeeded the latter as commandant. Ramsey's stay was brief 
and without incident, and upon his withdrawal St. Marie again resumed 
the official position of which he had been temporarily deprived. Immedia- 
tely upon his pompous, though uninterrupted, entree Ramsey changed the 
name of the fort — hitherto known as "St. Vincent" and "St. Ange," re- 
spectively — to that of "Sackville." 

Lieutenant Governor Abbott, who was the real successor of St. Ange, 
and the first British officer to receive officially orders to take command at 
Post Vincennes, did not arrive here until May 19. 1777. He was accom- 
panied by quite a number of Canadians, acting as an escort. Mention has 
been made already of this man and the first impressions made upon his 
mind by the place and its people, which he reiterates in an official report 
made later, in language as follows: "Since the conquest of Canada, no 
person bearing his majesty's commission has been to take possession; from 
this your excellency may easily imagine what anarchy reigns. I must do 
the inhabitants justice for the respectful reception I met with, and for the 
readiness in obeying the orders I thought necessary to issue. The Wabache 

110 




OLD FORT SACKVnXE IX 1779 



*i • 








TILO' 


.N 


Ft) 


jKO- 




_^ 







HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 111 

is perhaps one of the finest rivers in the world, on its banks are several 
Indian towns, the most considerable is the Ouija [Wea, Quiatenon], where 
it is said there are i,ooo men capable to bear arms. I found them so nu- 
merous, and needy, I could not pass without great expense ; the presents 
though very large, were in a manner despised, saying their ancient father 
(the French) never spoke to them without a barnfull of goods; having no 
troops and only a handful of French obliged me to esquiese [acquiesce] 
in part of their exorbitant demands, wliicli has occasioned a much greater 
expense than I could have imagined, but I believe it not thrown away, 
as I left them seemingly well disposed for his majesty's service. I have 
drawn. . . . for 6428 livres in favour of Jean Baptiste dit St. Marie, 
who has acted as commandant of this place since it was conceded to his 
majesty. The fair character he bears with the certificate annexed to his 
account makes me think it just."* Although remaining here little less 
than a year, Governor Abbott was a power for good in the community, 
and from the very day of his arrival the history of the old town began to 
contain brighter chapters. Unlike the general run of Englishmen, he en- 
tertained the broadest and most liberal views ; wonderfully sympathetic in 
his nature, he shuddered at the sufifering of a fellow-being, and strove 
hard to lighten the burdens and brighten the pathways along which trudged 
those over whom he had been given official power. By an untiring energy, 
born of a determination to lessen the cares of his luckless subjects, and a 
desire to better the social conditions of the community at large, he accom- 
plished wonderful results. By displaying a sympathy that was deep, honest 
and sincere, he imbued the natives with higher ideals, brought them to a 
fuller realization of the amenities of life, and left them in every way better 
citizens than he found them.f His departure from the old post, in Jan- 



* Abbott, who was Lieutenant-Governor of Detroit, had been ordered by His 
Britanic Majesty's ministry to go to the Old Post and to personally take charge of 
affairs as the "Superintendent of St. Vincennes." He was not only the first, but was 
one of the most considerate and gentlemanly English commanders that ever held 
sway at this post. 

t Lieutenant-Governor Abbott was never a partisan. Unlike the general run of 
British ofificers, he always sympathized with wretched humanity. A further illustra- 
tion of his honorable methods and humane policies — so at variance with those of 
Governor Hamilton — is given in a letter he wrote General Carleton from Detroit 
June 8, 1778, advising against the policy of the murderous Hamilton, in which he 
says : "Your E.xcellency will plainly perceive the employing of Indians on the rebel 
frontiers has been of great hurt to the cause, for many hundreds would have put 
themselves under His Majesty's protection was there a possibility; that not being the 
case, these poor, unhappy people are forced to take up arms against their sovereign, 
or be pillage and left to starve; cruel alternative. This is too shocking a subject to 
dwell upon. Your E.xcellency 's known humanity will certainly put a stop to such 
proceedings, as it is not people in arms that Indians will ever daringly attack; but 
the poor, inoffensive families who fly to the deserts to be out of trouble, and who 
are inhumanly butchered, sparing neither women or children. It may be said it is 
necessary to employ Indians to prevent them serving our enemies. I will be bold 



112 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

uary, 1778, was a pathetic leave-taking, which only illustrated the loyal com- 
mandant's goodness of heart and showed the kindly feeling he entertained 
for those with whom he was about to sever relations. As a reciprocal 
testimonial of their high esteem, the inhabitants gathered about him on the 
eve of his farewell, and, delegating one of their number to speak for all, 
gave sincere manifestations of regret and eloquent expressions of gratitude 
for the unselfish manner in which he had so ardently and arduously labored 
for their welfare. Before taking his leave. Governor Abbott placed a 
Frenchman named J. M. P. Le Gras in charge of the British militia. The 
latter, evidently, did not remain long in command, neither were the British 
troops in evidence for any length of time, for it was only seven months, 
after Abbott's departure that Captain Leonard Helm came from Virginia 
and installed himself as the first American commander of the old post, 
St. Marie Baptiste Racine delivering the fort into his hands without resist- 
ance. Governor Abbott, soon after his arrival, as previously stated, not 
only rechristened the fort, but put it in much better shape, a condition in 
which both Helm and Hamilton found it in 1778-9. It remained in a very 
good state of preservation until 1816, when it was razed, and nearly all the 
timber entering into its construction was subsequently used in the erec- 
tion of the smaller dwellings about the village (the greater number being 
in Frenchtown) which have since given place to more modern structures. 
For many years the site of Fort Sackville* had been a mooted question 
with local historians, no two of whom had ever agreed upon a fixed location. 
Many of the older inhabitants contended that it was located on the east 
bank of the river at a point between Broadway and Buntin streets. This 
locality, however, was early used as a burial ground by the Piankeshaw 
Indians, and it is not probable that the savages, with the great veneration 
they had for their forefathers, would permit their ashes to be distributed 
by the erection of such a structure within the sacred precincts of their 
necropolis. There was, however, after the withdrawal of the Indians, from 
rhis spot, a fortification of some character built near the foot of Broad- 
way, but it was not called "Sackville," and it did not long endure. About 
the same time, the territory lying between the river and First street, and 
extending from Broadway to Perry street, was used as parade grounds by 
the troops, and, later, near the corner of Buntin and First streets, a liberty 
pole was erected and the space surrounding it was utilized for patriotic 
celebrations and gatherings of a civil and military character. These con- 



to say their keeping a neutrality will be equally, if not more, serviceable to us, as 
their going to war, for the reason I have already given ; and surely the presents will 
prevent them acting against us." 

* Goodspeed, in his History of Knox County, says the fort was named in honor 
of Jean Sacqueville, a French trader and soldier, an employe of the Detroit Fur 
Company. Several other historians coincide with him; but the conclusion of Mr. 
Cauthorn and Mr. English, that it was called after an English nobleman bearing the 
title of Lord Sackville, is evidently the correct solution of a problem that has long 
been a vexatious one to historical writers. 



^Vi) 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 113 ^.\'' 

ditions no doubt led many people to reach an erroneous idea regarding the 

location of Fort Sackville. Count Volney, who paid Vincennes a visit in ^ 

1796, says that the main street [which is First street] of the village ran . 

in an irregular course along the river and ended in a stockade.* Major ( 

Bowman, one of Clark's most trusty lieutenants in his Illinois campaign, > 

and who was with him when the latter stormed Fort Sackville, relates that , 

"during the interview at the church between Hamilton and Clark, a party < ^^ >^ 

of Indian warriors, returning from a scalping expedition to the Falls of x ^ 

the Ohio, were discovered as they entered the plain near the village. A ^ 

party of American troops sent out to meet them killed two on the spot, V( ' -^ 

wounded three, took six prisoners and brought them to town. Two of t^ K 

them, proving to be whites, were released. The Indians were brought down ^ ^ 

the main street (First) before the gates of the fort, here tomahawked and J, t 

thrown into the river." General Clark, referring to incidents preceding the ;^ ^ 

interview of which Bowman speaks, in his journal, says that he, with v ^j- 

Hamilton and others, "repaired to th e chux cb. distant from the fort eighty 'X '%/ 

yards." The church referred to was St. Francis Xavier's, and it was ^ ^ 

located near the intersection of Second and Chur ch streets_in proximity -C 

— — K -i — ^ 

to the fort, accordmg to Clark's idea of distances, which would not apply . 

at all were the fort located at either Broadway, Buntin or Perry streets. 
Mr. English is of the opinion that "there may have been two forts called 
'Sackville,' erected at dififerent dates, and both not exactly on the same 
site," which could have been possible, but is hardly probable. Inasmuch 
as there is no documentary evidence to prove to the contrary, the conclu- 
sion must obtain that there was but one Fort Sackville. 

Butterfield is one of the few historians who advances the idea that 
Abbott built a new fort remote from the old one, which claim is greatly 
confused by an attempted computation of the time during which the event 
is alleged to have taken place. He says, in his History of George Rogers 
Clark's Conquest of the Illinois and the Wabash Towns, 1778-1779, (pp. 
49-50) : "It was, however, some years after the abandonment of the 
French fort before Abbott erected Fort Sackville, and the two evidently 
did not occupy the same ground." 

When Lieutenant Governor Abbott arrived in Vincennes, as stated in 
his official report to his superiors, he found St. Marie Jean Baptiste Racine 
in charge of the fort. The fort was the old French fort, which Racine 
had received from St. Ange, when the latter took his departure from Vin- 
cennes in 1764. It was the same one which Lieutenant Ramsey found 
Racine in possession of when he came here in 1776. Abbott arrived here 
in May, 1777, and left the place in January, 1778, and in the same year, 
only seven months later. Captain Helm, as an American officer in charge 
of Virginia troops, took possessior? of the only fort located here, which 



* This description would seem to indicate tlint the fort was located at Barnet and 
First, as the latter has an abrupt ending with the former street. 



114 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

he subsequently yielded, with the honors of war, to General Hamilton who, 
in turn, surrendered it to General Clark. Hence there had been no "aban- 
donment" of the fort prior or subsequent to the time Abbott put in an ap- 
pearance ; and, as he only remained here eight months, how were it possible 
for him "some years after the abandonment of the French fort" to erect 
another fort? There is no question but what he greatly strengthened and 
fortified the old palisaded fortification, but there is every reason to doubt 
that he changed the location of the fort. Mr. Butterfield, in the same 
publication, and on the pages above designated, pursues the subject, relative 
to Abbott and his fort, as follows : "At the date of Hamilton's being 
made Lieutenant Governor of Detroit, David Abbott was appointed to a 
like office for Vincennes ; but he did not reach his post until the nineteenth 
of May, 1777. He met with a cordial welcome from the inhabitants, 
mostly French Canadians, whom he required to take an oath of fidelity 
to his government. He formed three companies of militia; but the savages 
of the Wabash gave him considerable trouble. 'The Indians are striving,' 
he wrote, 'to set the French [meaning the Vincennes people] against the 
English government and have told many of them I should not live long. I 
am endeavoring to secure myself as well as I can by stockading* the cabin 
I am in. I have likewise desired Monsieur Rochblave to send me four 
pieces of cannon from the Illinois, which he writes he has done.' Toward 
the close of the year Abbott wrote that his stockade was half finished and 
would be completed in a fortnight. t It was named Fort Sackville.t 
During the next January he determined to leave his post and return to 
Detroit. His reasons were to avoid the large expense for presents to the 
savages (who were soon expected from their hunt) which he would be 
compelled to incur, or exasperation on their part would follow. He started 
from Vincennes on the third day of February, 1778, and after a painful 
journey through the woods arrived with his family at Detroit on the 
seventh of March — leaving J. M. P. Legras in command of the militia upon 
his departure." 

Although known, at various times, prior and subsequent to the advent 
of Governor Abbott, under different names, it was the same fort from 
which Helm wrote his distressing letter to Clark at Kaskaskia; the one 
which Hamilton took from Helm, which was subsequently captured by 
Clark from Hamilton, and had previously been occupied by Juchereau, 
Leonardy, Vinsenne and St. Ange. Since the "marker" has been placed 



* Abbott to Carleton, July 9, 1777, Haldimand MSS. and Rocheblare to the 
former, June i, 1777, in same. The cannon were iron and were sent on the second 
of June. 

t Abliott to Carleton, Nov. 23, 1777. — Haldimand MSS. 

t The old cathedral at the end of Second street (in Vincennes) marks the spot 
of the beginning of Caucasian civilization in Indiana, while hard by it on the river 
bank stood the first rude fort in Indiana, and a little later the stronger Fort Sack- 
villc. (E. A. Bryan, in "Indiana's First Settlement," Magazine of American History, 
vol. XXI, p. 394.) 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 115 

at the corner of First and Barnet streets, designating the site* of Fort 
Sackville, there has been no further controversy regarding the spot cov- 
ered by the ancient fortification, at the gates of which great international 
questions have caused a clash of arms between three of the most powerful 
nations in the world. The "marker," however, was not the means of set- 
tling the dispute relative to location. An old deed, describing the property 
on which the fort was located, unearthed only a few years ago, was the 
instrument which put a stop to further discussions and ultimately fixed the 
site. From the rudest of fortifications Fort Sackville grew to be a for- 
midable fortress, and at the time of its capture by Clark from Hamilton, 
according to a description given by Goodspeed, the historian, it presented a 
substantial and menacing appearance for a frontier post. The fort proper 
was located in front of the old catholic church [which then faced the river] 
in a northwesterly direction and the boundaries of the territory enclosing 
it composed lots 34, 35, 24 and 25, 23 and 26 [Block House Square] and 
extended westward to the river, east to First street, north to Vigo and 
south to Barnet street. Goodspeed, in describing the location, fortifica- 
tions and the material entering into the construction of the fort, says : 
"Upon the river's side, and within forty feet of the water's edge, two lines 
of palisades, reaching twenty feet above the surface of the earth, con- 
structed of large timbers from the forest, planted firmly in the ground. 



* The monument, which marks the site of Fort Sackville, was a gift to the city 
of Vincennes by the Fort Sackville Chapter of the Daughters of the Revolution, and 
was unveiled, amid pomp and ceremony, on Saturday afternoon, November 18, 1905. 
Miss T. L. Voss, of Indianapolis, State Regent of the Daughters of the Revolution, 
had charge of the exercises, and Hon. Clarence B. Kessinger delivered the opening 
address. Mrs. Reuben G. Moore, Regent of the local chapter of the Daughters of 
the Revolution, made the presentation speech. Master Robert Moore, son of Dr. M. 
G. Moore and grandson of Mrs. R. G. Moore, and Miss Emily Judah, daughter of 
Charles B. Judah, and granddaughter of Mrs. Samuel B. Judah, unveiled the monu- 
ment by drawing aside the large American flag that hid from view the tablet and 
its inscription. Mrs. Eunice Bedell, aged seventy-two years, the only living daughter 
of a revolutionary soldier belonging to any of the Indiana chapters, was one of the 
interested spectators of the ceremonies, having come from Mt. Carmel, Illinois, by 
special invitation, for the occasion. Preceding the exercises a "procession" was 
formed at the City Hall, followed by a parade to the historic spot where the unveil- 
ing of the tablet took place. The procession was headed by the First Regiment Band, 
under direction of Professor Arthur Blue, and proceeded via Main, Second, Church 
and Barnet streets. Major Thomas B. Coulter, of the Indiana National Guards, acting 
as Grand Marshal. Following the band was a squad of Vincennes University Cadets 
who, upon arrival at the site, stood guard around the monument. Following the 
cadets, keeping time to martial music, were soldiers of the Civil war, and in the rear 
of the grizzled, gray and loyal veterans were automobiles and carriages containing 
the members of the local chapter of the Daughters of the Revolution, venerable 
men and women, and prominent citizens, who had been selected to take part in the 
exercises. A large concourse of people assembled to witness the ceremonies, which 
were marked throughout with inspiring and patriotic features, not least among which 
was the singing of the High School quartette, directed by Miss ."Vda Bicking. 



116 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

were backed by a line of earthworks thrown up about eight feet high, 
behind which were mounted four six-pounders, en barbette. Along the line 
of Vigo street, at right angles with the river, and crossing First street, 
was the principal entrance, a gateway ; and opening upon the latter high- 
way, protected by this, were similar lines of defense, protected by guns 
of the same calibre at each angle, mounted upon platforms of heavy tim- 
bers. At the elevation of twenty-five feet at each side of the gateway were 
swivels, trained to command the approach along the street. The entire 
walls were pierced at convenient height by a row of port-holes, from which 
musketry could be fired. A similar palisade, defended by two gims of 
ten pound calibre, protected the flank next to the church in the rear of 
the works, south of Barnet street, where there were two towers, or bastions, 
pierced for musketry, made exceptionally strong against an assault by 
a line of heavy timbers joined tightly together and covered with earth. 
Within the fortifications were barracks for one thousand men, a magazine 
and officers' quarters." 

This, however, was not the condition in which Captain Leonard Helm, 
commanding a small detachment of Virginia troops, found the fort when 
he took possession on August 6, 1778. Four months later General Hamil- 
ton, the "hair buyer," became Helm's successor, as will be noted in suc- 
ceeding chapters, and it was he who put on the finishing touches. Within 
two months after assuming charge Hamilton had "built a guard house, 
barracks for four companies, sunk a well, and constructed two large block 
houses of oak embrazures above for five pieces of cannon each ; altered 
and lined the stockades, and laid the fort with gravel." And. later, as if 
to ofifer an excuse for his surrender, in the face of the statement of the 
"apple-pie" condition in which he placed the fort, he reasons out the cause 
of his humiliating defeat thusly: "The officers, who had continued in 
tents all winter, were exposed to the fire of the enemy's riflemen, as the 
picketing of the fort was so poorly set up that one might pass the clenched 
hand between the timbers of the stockades." When he penned the fore- 
going lines. General Hamilton had evidently forgotten that he had pre- 
viously written to his superiors of how nicely he had "altered and lined the 
stockades," etc., or else he was as conscienceless about telling the truth 
as he was about other matters of decency and propriety. And how are we 
to know whether the "clenched hand" could, or not, be passed "between the 
timbers of the stockades?" And who cares?' 

The names the old fort has borne since its foundation by Juchereau in 
1702 has been "Vinsenne" (St. Vincent) "St. Ange," "Sackville," "Patrick 
Henry" and "Knox." The application of the last two names were, respec- 
tively, in honor of the Governor of Virginia and the secretary of war. 
There has been no little contention among historians relative to the name 
"Knox" as applied to "Fort Sackville," some writers maintaining that each 
was an appellation of a different fort. The late Dr. H. M. Smith who, in 
1902, published a volume of "Hi.storical Sketches of Old Vincennes," con- 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 117 

taining much interesting information and scintillating with original poetical 
gems, addressed a letter to an official of the war department, Washing- 
ton, D. C, inquiring as to the number of forts said to have been erected 
in Vincennes, and asking if there was any evidence on file there showing 
that there was ever more than one fort erected here, and if so, had it ever 
been moved out of the town, as had been supposed by many in reference 
to Fort Knox. The following reply was received : "The following writers 
who have said more or less on the history of Fort Sackville (otherwise 
known as Fort St. Vincent, Fort Patrick Henry and possibly identical 
with Fort Knox) make no mention of it having been removed from its 
original location : Butler's History of Kentucky, Dunn's History of In- 
diana, Brown's Old Northwest, Albuck's Annals of the West, Brice's His- 
tory of Ft. Wayne, Davidson and Stevenson's History of Illinois, Law's 
History of Vincennes, and Dr. Haas' Indian Wars of West Virginia." 
Dr. Smith pursues this interesting subject at considerable length, taking 
issue with quite a number of contemporaneous writers, and concludes his 
comments thereon as follows ;* 

"Dunn, in his history (p. 265) says: 'A fort was built in 1787 and 
named Fort Knox by General Harmar.' ■ This is evidently a mistake, but 
one that might have been easily fallen into. At the time specified Major 
Hamtramck was in command of this post, where some correspondence 
occurred between General Harmar, then at his post in Cincinnati ; and 
Major Hamtramck, located at Post Vincennes, which in part is as follows : 

'"Fort Hammar, Oct. 13, 1788. 

" 'Dear Major : . . . Let your fort be named Fort Knox,' etc. 

"One need not conclude, from this expression of General Harmar, 
that a new fort had been built. There was precedent and reason why the 
name of the old fort should be changed. First, for many years the name 
of the fort at Vincennes had been changed by each successive commander ; 
second, General Knox was then secretary of war and it would be paying 
him a compliment to give the fort his name. On the accession of Virginia 
to the ownership of the country, the fort's name was changed from the 
name of Sackville to that of Fort Patrick Henry (the then governor and 
commander-in-chief of the Virginia forces) by General Clark. Third, 
why should Hamtramck desire to build the fort when there was one already 
constructed? In 1788 the rights of Virginia had passed to the United 
States government, when a United States army officer was placed in charge 
of the post then the pretty compliment to the secretary of war. General 
Knox, was suggested by General Harmar to Major Hamtramck — 'Let 
your fort be named Fort Knox. * * * As there is no record of a second 
fort having been built here, or removed elsewhere, the only rational solu- 
tion for the discrepancies that can be found is in the change of names, as 
suggested, as no new fort was erected at that time. If Major Hamtramck 



* Hubbard Madison Smitb, Historical Sketches Old Vincennes, pp. 62, 63. 



118 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

actually built a fort in Vincennes in 1788, as some historians assert, where 
was that fort in 1796, only eight years later, when Count Volney, a dis- 
tinguished French traveler, visited and remained some days here, and 
described the town? Mention was made by him of but one fort, and to 
suppose that this one was the new alleged fort built by Major Hamtramck 
is to suppose an unreasonable thing. At the time of the alleged building 
of a second fort for defense the necessity for forts was passing away, 
and dismantling them was the order of the day, if the condition of Fort 
Knox was truly represented by Count Volney, when he wrote of it in 
1796. At that time the red man was turning his face towards the w'est, to 
return no more, and Great Britain had been whipped into good behavior. 
Thus it will be seen that Vincennes never had but one real fort, although 
during the passing years subsequent to its erection and the successive offi- 
cials controlling it it received many names." 

"Another* statement has been made," says Dr. Smith, "that the alleged 
fort was built by Hamtramck early in July, 1788, and that it was moved to 
a site three miles up the river on the east bank of the same. The fact is. 
Major Hamtramck did not arrive at Vincennes until July 25th of that year 
to be commandant of the post. And no evidence exists to show that he 
built a fort here, except the mere suggestion of General Harmar, October 
13, 1788, 'Let your fort be called Fort Knox'; nor is there any evidence 
to show that Fort Knox, or any other fort, was removed from Vincennes 
to any place outside of town. There is a tradition existing that the French 
citizens living in the vicinity of the fort complained to Governor Harri- 
son that the soldiers at the garrison gave them great annoyance and pe- 
titioned him to remove them ; that he gave heed to their prayer, and that in 
1803 the garrison was removed to the high ground facing Buntin street, 
west of Water street, about the place where the Baltimore & Ohio South- 
western Railway freight depot stands, and that the palisades of the old 
fort were used in making the new one."t Dr. Smith further states that 
the late A. B. McKee told him many years ago that one of the latter's aunts, 
a Mrs. Buntin, who lived above the Broadway mill site, told him that by 
looking out of her window north she could see a fort. And tradition says 
that the palisades of the old fort were used to build it, which leads Mn 
Smith to remark: "My investigations in relation to these traditions cor- 
roborate the contentions. After Governor Harrison came here the United 
States troops were mostly withdrawn from this post, and militia troops 
took their place. This being the case, he would have jurisdiction over the 
defences and management of the garrison, hence we can readily see that 
the governor might wish to please the people and grant their prayer for the 
removal of the soldiers. Another consideration might have influenced him 
to take this step, and that is, that the garrison moved up to the position 



* H. M. Smith, Historical Sketches Old I'inceniies, pp. 65, 66, 67. 
t Smith cites History of Kno.x County, p. 239, but says that, as to date, it is a« 
error, as the fort was standing at the locaHty designated in 1803. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 119 

named would be nearer his residence, and could the more readily protect 
him in case of an Indian attack. As no record exists on file at the war 
department in Washington City of the removal of the fort, the foregoing 
explanation given may account for the existence of the second one, called 
Fort Knox. No published record exists, to the author's knowledge, of this 
second fort, but from facts recently developed* he is constrained to ac- 
cept the tradition as facts, for the following reasons : First, through his 
friend, Hon. Chas. G. McCord, abstractor of land titles, an old deed was 
discovered which General W. H. Harrison made to George Wallace in 
1804. In the description of the property mentioned in this deed the in- 
strument recites: 'Beginning at a place situated about 210 yards above 
Fort Knox, at Vincennes aforesaid, called the Stone Landing place, etc. 
This description indicates that the fort occupied the ground covered now in 
part by the Baltimore & Ohio Southwestern Railway freight depot, on the 
west side of Water street. Second, the writer has a map in his possession, 
which is a certified copy of one of the Vincennes land districts, made in 
1803, by Thomas Freeman, the original being in the archives of the war 
department, on which a fort is indicated, and it was doubtless the one men- 
tioned in describing the property in the deed from Harrison to Wallace." 
Mr. Dunn cites "St. Clair Papers, vol. ii, p. 92" as his authority for the 
statement that Fort Knox was built in 1788. A writer in the Vincennes 
Commercial of recent date says that "from the war department records 
it is learned that Fort Knox was erected in 1787 and was located on the 
Wabash river near the mouth of Mariah Creek, three miles above Vin- 
cennes" quoting from "Hamersley's Army Register of the United States, 
part 2, page 140, and Lossing's 1812, page 195," to substantiate his claim. 
The mouth of Mariah Creek is four or five miles above the location pop- 
ularly supposed to be the site of Fort Knox, and is seven or eight miles 
above Vincennes. It would appear, therefore, that somebody has erred. 
But, whether there was, or was not, a real fort at Fort Knox, there is no 
question of the beautiful spot having been used as a garrison for United 
States troops, as well as a burial place for soldiers, before and after the 
establishment of the Indiana territory. Tradition says that during its oc- 
cupancy by the federal troops there were buried within its sacred precincts 
great quantities of gold and silver coin and, that, in after years, strangers 
who had been directed by persons having knowledge of the spots where 
the money was concealed, came here and recovered the hidden wealth and 
departed as quietly and as mysteriously as they came, the object of their 
mission not being fully understood by any one here until they had taken 
their departure. After they had gone, frequent expeditions were made 
to the "garrison tract" by the natives, who had hoped, by delving into the 
earth, to uncover some rich "find" which the prospectors who preceded 
them had overlooked. The land comprising the tract upon which Fort 



' Deed Record Book B., 155, Vincennes. 



120 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

Knox is said to have been located contains about eighty-five acres and 
was owned at one time by Captain Touisant Dubois, who sold it to the 
United States government for the purpose of a garrison, and it is fre- 
quently referred to today as the "garrison tract." The place, like many 
other localities of a hilly nature, in different parts of Knox county, was 
used by the Indians as burial grounds before the white man came into 
possession of it, and there are many stories relative to pots of gold having 
been buried there and subsequently recovered by persons who made noc- 
turnal visits to the hallowed place to gain possession of the hidden and 
forgotten stories of glittering wealth. That there were buildings on the 
tract to shelter the troops, to store their supplies and to aflford protection 
against the elements and the stealthy Indians, there is no question; that there 
may have been a fortification of some character is not altogether improb- 
able, as the site is a most commanding one for a fort, whence the approach 
of an enemy, who sought the river as a route to drop down on Vincennes, 
could be detected while he was miles above the town. It is not likely, how- 
ever, that the fort which General Hamtramck commanded, and from which 
he addressed many important communications to Governor St. Clair and 
General Harmar, was located at the point under discussion. It is more 
than likely that it was at Vincennes, and was identical with Fort Sack- 
ville. At this time Vincennes was classed among the larger settle- 
ments in the territory. "Defended* by Fort Knox, its citizens were 
enabled to prosecute a paying trade with the Indians, and to improve the 
agricultural resources around them. At this date the town contained about 
fifty dwelling houses, all presenting a thrifty and tidy appearance. Each 
house was surrounded by a garden fenced with pales, and peach and apple 
trees grew in most of the enclosures. Garden vegetables of all kinds were 
cultivated with success, and corn, tobacco, wheat, barley and cotton grew 
in the fields around the village in abundance. Adjoining the village was 
Fort Knox enclosed by a ditch eight feet wide and by sharp stakes from 
eight to six feet high. This palisade, protected by the gims of the fort, 
was a sufificient fortification against hostile Indians." 

There were quite a number of other "forts," so-called, in different parts 
of Knox Cotmty, which were not of sufficient importance to provoke a dis- 
cussion among historians as to location, and whose very existence today is 
only a memory. According to the History of Knox and Daviess Counties, 
published by Goodspeed, in 1886, each community in 1812, during the 
period of America's second war with Great Britain, built its own fort. 
In Widner township, in the respective localities where dwelt the Widners, 
Chambers, Polks, Lemons and Taylors, arose these crude fortifications 
which were "madet by setting timbers in the ground, closely set and so 
high as to preclude the possibility of being scaled. The corners were 
made with bastions to enable those within to rake the sides as well as to 



♦Goodrich and Tutlle, An Illustrated History of the State of Indiana, pp. 129, 130., 
t Goodspeed, Publisher, History Knox and Daviess Counties, 1886, p. 7^. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 121 

fire in front." None of these defenses, which were built for safety from 
prowHng and hostile Indians, were ever attacked, notwithstanding the 
red skins, on one dark night stole from under the protecting shadows of 
Polk's "garrison" a number of valuable horses. Fort Widner was the 
largest of these rural defenses, being a stockade fort, enclosing nearly an 
acre of ground. While its own history furnishes no incidents of bloody 
events, not a great distance from its portals a wilderness tragedy was 
enacted that brought sadness and consternation to the settlement in which 
it stood, which is thus related by Goodspeed: "Daniel Hollingsworth and 
a man named Honeycutt were hunting near the forks of Marie Creek 
in 1812. The two became separated. Honeycutt saw two Indians going 
in the direction of his companion. Through timidity he failed to fire upon 
them, yet he had a good opportunity. Soon he heard a shot, and Hollings- 
worth fell dead. The Indians scalped him and left his body." In Bus- 
seron township, on the Orchiltre farm, which produced a giant pear *tree, 
bearing wonderfully of luscious fruit, stood another fort. Another one, in 
the same township, was on the site of Emison's mill, nine miles north of 
Vincennes. It is recalled to memory more readily than any of the others, 
because of an incident occurring by which it was given the peculiar ap- 
pellation of "Fort Petticoat," which grew out of the fact that one day 
during the absence from duty of nearly all the men, the women assumed 
charge of the garrison. Palmyra township had a fortress called "Roe's 
Fort;" Johnson township boasted of a fortification near what is now Pur- 
cell station; Decker, Harrison and Steen settlements were also "fortified," 
as were localities in Washington and Vigo townships. 

But, to return to Fort (Camp) Knox, just for the sake of one glance at 
its beauteous environments and to recall the sweet and sad memories which 
make it a hallowed spot — all of which are so beautifully and considerately 
set forth by Dr. Smith that we have taken the liberty to use his words to 
close the discussion on the subject and end this chapter. "It is so closely 
connected with the history of Old Vincennes," says the Doctor in his 
book, "that it deserves a niche in this volume. It was the site of a garri- 
son of United States soldiers early in the last century, whither they were 
removed from Fort Kno.x into the village. It is situated three miles above 
the city on a bluff of the eastern bank of the Wabash river. It overlooks 
the river far into Illinois, and beautiful views present themselves to the 
eye, as the borders on either shore are set -with silver linings by the [en- 
vironment of water, which calmly reflects grove and sky, or dances in 



*"This historic tree, 'the giant of its race,' stood on the Ochiltree farni. * * * 
This was planted about three-quarters of a century ago. Several years ago it was 
'blasted and riveted' by lightning. This tree was visited by the Rev. H. W. Beecher 
some years ago, and a full description of it given then. It was twelve feet in circum- 
ference at the base, one hundred twenty feet high, and had a lateral spread of one 
hundred twenty feet, and bore an average crop of fifty bushels.— [Goodspeed, History 
Knox and Daviss Counties, 1886, p. 77.] 



122 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

coruscating, sunlit wavelets in answer to the calling winds. While the 
garrison was stationed there the home of Dr. Samuel McKee, United 
States army surgeon, was the objective point of frequent outings of Gov- 
ernor William Henry Harrison and his friends, the governor often remark- 
ing that the viands served out there seemed more tasteful than those in 
town.* When the soldiers were encamped there it was, without doubt, a 
central place of interest to the country folk, as well as the denizens of the 
town, as little toil, plenty of leisure and amusements combined to enliven 
the barracks days and months ; but with the passing away of the pomp 
and circumstance of war the crumbling, corroding hand of time and decay 
robbed it of its artificial glory, strewn there by the hand of art, and left it 
for nature to restore to it again its pristine beauty and loveliness. And, yet, 
bereft of its camp adornments,! it presents many points of attraction, and 
needs only a willing hand reinforced by taste and enterprise, to restore 
to it the glory of the past. Its inaccessibility to visitors, except by water, 
prevents it from becoming a place of more frequent resort for the worship- 
ers of beautiful scenery. By row or sail boat nothing is more inviting than 
a jaunt on the 'rolling deep' in spring's balmy mornings, when the shores of 
the river are garlanded with myriads of flowers, or in autumn's calm, in- 
vigorating evenings, when the parti-colored foliage of October, on the 
adjacent forest-lined shores, rivals in beauty the shimmering meteoric 
showers that stud the firmament during the twilight ides of a November 
evening. Yet, unadorned by the hand of art, it is an ideal spot for lads 
and lassies to while away the rosy hours of day, as 'love's young dream' 
clothes it with a halo of glory, while woodland songsters warble their 
sweetest notes, embowered in the shady groves, and the piping notes of 
quail and lark echo back responses from copse and bush. But, in contem- 
plating these scenes, a tinge of sadness casts a shadow on the wings of 
thought, as one realizes that within these precincts forgotten heroes lie, 
'unwept, unhonored and imsung,' who will never more waken until Eter- 
nity's reveille is sounded on the receding shores of time. 

They served their country in its time of need, 
And though remembered not in name or deed. 
Their resting place, although their souls have fled. 
Should sacred be, in memory of the dead ; 
And honored be the hands, in spring's bright hours. 
That strew their lonely graves with beauteous flowers." 



* This information came from the late A. B. McKee, wlio was a son of the 
surgeon, received through his aunt, Mrs. Capt. Robt. Bunten, then a resident of Vin- 
cennes. 

t Camp Knox, the Second, was established during the Civil war, in Eberwine's 
Grove, a mile northeast of the city. 




UEV. KAi iii:i: i'ii:i;ki: i.ii;Ari/r 



CHAPTER XIII. 
A PATRIOT WHO DESERVES THE NATION'S PRAISE. 

FATHER PIERRE GIBAULT PROVES HIMSELF A WORTHY ALLY OF AMERICA HIS 

GREAT LOVE FOR LIBERTY AND HUMANITY ENDEAR HIM TO ALL LOYAL- 
CITIZENS HIS INESTIMABLE SERVICES TO GENERAL CLARK IN THE CON- 
QUEST OF THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY HOW THE PATRIOTIC MAN WON 

THE BRITISH SUBJECTS AT KASKASKIA AND VINCENNES TO THE AMERI- 
CAN CAUSE COLONEL FRANCIS BUSSERON A VALUABLE AID TO GIBAULT IN 

PERFECTING HIS PATRIOTIC PLANS CAPTAIN BUSSERON, PROMINENT IN 

CIVIL AND MILITARY AFF.'MRS FOSTER FATHER OF ALICE OF OLD VIN- 
CENNES BURNING OF THE OLD LA SALLE HOUSE. 

Nearly all of the priests who came to the northwest territory in the 
earlier part, as well as the latter end, of the eighteenth century were of 
noble birth and descendants of families of the French nobility. Learned 
as they were in ecclesiastical lore, possessing a large fund of general 
knowledge, and having princely patrimonies, they separated themselves 
from wealth, titles and luxurious homes to brave the dangers and encoun- 
ter the vicissitudes of wilderness fastnesses for tlie glory of preaching the 
Christ to savages in an unknown and hostile land. There were, however, 
others from the humbler walks of life, who were neither heirs to wealth 
nor power, but whose courage, piety, devotion and self-sacrifices were as 
pronounced and as commendable. And one of these was Pierre Gibault 
— a priest and a patriot. He was the son of Peter Gibault and Mary St. 
Jean, and was born in Montreal, Canada, April 7, 1737. Having received 
a classical education at a theological seminary in the place of his nativity, 
he was ordained a priest on the anniversary feast of St. Joseph, March 19, 
1768, and immediately set out for the Illinois country, where he was to 
play a conspicuous part, and subsequently incur the displeasure of those by 
whose graces he was permitted to go; for it was with the full consent of 
the English authorities and upon the especial desire of General Gage that 
he went forth. Constant rains delayed him on the journey ; and, upon 
reaching Michilimackinac, the first of the posts in the district assigned to 
him, he was suffering greatly from the efifects of the inclement weather, 
incident to a voyage in an open boat. He, however, realized the import- 

123 



124 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

ance of at once entering upon his duties as spiritual adviser, and began to 
hear confessions, remaining until late in the night in order to accommodate 
all, for many of the faithful had not seen a priest for three years and some 
not even for ten. He spent a week at the post, striving to effect all the 
good possible, baptizing several children and blessing one marriage. Among 
those to whose spiritual wants he ministered was a number of Indians, who 
had formerly been charges of Father Du Jaunay, and who spoke French 
fluently enough to express themselves at the confessional. These penitents 
were still lamenting the absence of their former missionary (Du Jaunay) 
who had gone several years before to his long reward. It was originally 
intended that Rev. Gibault should take up his residence at Cahokia, so as 
to revive the old Tomarois mission ; but that settlement had dwindled away ; 
the fine property, orchards, house, mills and barns erected by the seminary 
priests were crumbling to ruin, the church little better. Kaskaskia was the 
important place, and the inhabitants generally wished him to make it his 
residence. Father Meurin, desirous that the new missionary should have 
this more populous post, which had better means of support, withdrew to 
Cahokia, spending part of his time at Prairie du Rocher, where the pros- 
perous settlers offered to build him a house and supply all his needs. "In 
fact," says Shea, the great authority on Catholic church history, "they gave 
him a horse and caliche, as well as a servant. The people of Kaskaskia, 
influenced by the dominant party in Louisiana, were hostile to Father 
Meurin as a Jesuit, and many would not recognize him at all ; indeed not 
ten men had been to confession in four years. Rev. Mr. Gibault accord- 
ingly took up his residence at Kaskaskia, where he was well received by 
the British commandant, and on the 8th of September, 1768, he records a 
baptism in the 'register of the Immaculate Conception,' styling himself 
'parish priest of Kaskaskia.' He also visited Saint Genevieve, which Father 
Meurin could enter only by stealth at night ; but that veteran visited Fort 
Chartres and St. Phillippe. The young Canadian priest entered on his 
duties with zeal and energy, but was soon prostrated by the western fever, 
but he rallied, and went on bravely with the work before him, the magni- 
tude of which became daily more appalling. At Kaskaskia, by having pray- 
ers every night in the church, and by catechetical instructions four times 
a week, he revived faith and devotion. He brought nearly all to their 
Easter duty in 1769, and a better spirit prevailed, the tithes being promptly 
paid. Besides Kaskaskia there were other villages and hamlets ; it was only 
by constant travel he was able to reach the scattered Catholics, who had 
long been deprived of the services of a priest. Besides the inhabitants of 
French origin and the Indians of the former missions, he found Catholics 
in the Eighteenth (Royal Irish) regiment, which was stationed at Kaskas- 
kia, the commandant giving the men every facility to attend to their re- 
ligion. The next year Rev. Mr. Gibault blessed the little wooden chapel 
which had been erected at Paincourt, our modern St. Louis." Vincennes 
at this time, with a luuulred or more families, had not seen a priest since 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 125 

the carrying away of Father Devernai in 1763, in consequence of which 
vice and ignorance were becoming dominant ; yet the people were earnestly 
awaiting and urgently soliciting the presence of a black-robed missionary. 
"Bishop Briand," says Shea, "encouraged these isolated priests, and gave 
them wise and temperate counsels for their conduct in correcting evils that 
had grown up while the people were left without priest or sacrifice. Evi- 
dently at the instance of Father Meurin and to give that missionary greater 
authority, the bishop of Quebec had made Rev. Gibault his vicar-general. 
That priest succeeded in inducing the people to resume the payment of 
tithes, which though only as in Canada one twenty-sixth of the produce, 
not one-tenth, amounted in 1769 to two or three bushels of wheat, and five 
or six hundred of Indian corn. In the winter of 1769-70, Very Rev. Mr. 
Gibault set out for Vincennes, although hostile Indians waylaid the roads, 
killing and scalping many travelers. Already he could report that twenty- 
two of his people had fallen victims to the savage foe since he reached the 
Illinois country. The frontier priests always, in these days of peril, car- 
ried a gun and two pistols. He reached Vincennes safely, and after de- 
ploring the vices and disorders that prevailed, tells of his touching recep- 
tion. 'However, on my arrival, all crowded down to the banks of the river 
Wabash to receive me ; some fell on their knees, unable to speak ; others 
spoke only in sobs; some cried out, 'Father, save us, we are almost in hell;' 
others said : 'God has not then yet abandoned us, for He has sent you to 
us to make us do penance for our sins.' 'Oh, sir, why did you not come a 
month sooner; my poor wife, my dear mother, my dear father, my poor 
child would not have died without the sacraments.' Father Meurin attests 
the good which his younger associate accomplished, and urged him to send 
a resident priest to the Wabash." Very Rev. Mr. Gibault spent two months 
at Vincennes, laboring earnestly to revive religion in the people, and found 
a Presbyterian family here who asked to be instructed and received into 
the Catholic faith. Animated by his zeal, the people began to rebuild St. 
Francis Xavier's church, which was lengthened and heightened and made 
into a very presentable wooden structure, with a belfry of no mean altitude, 
which overlooked a large parish residence, surrounded by a fine orchard, 
garden and farming lands. At this time the number of Catholics in the 
district were seven or eight hundred, of whom eighty or ninety were farm- 
ers cultivating the soil. Feeling that he had sufficiently reanimated the 
faithful of the flock to a higher sense of religious duty, he withdrew tem- 
porarily from the scene of his satisfying labors and set out for Kaskaskia, 
accompanied by twenty men as a body guard. On his return to his home 
he found that the Spaniards had acquired possession of the western shore 
of the Mississippi, but that they had come unattended by a priest. He 
therefore continued his missionary visits to St. Genevieve and St. Louis, 
and in 1770 proposed to the bishop to extend his labors to Peoria, St. 
Joseph. Michilimackinac, the Miarais and Weas. But the failing health 
and memory of Father Meurin made it impossible to leave him alone to 



126 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

attend the Illinois missions, and on the withdrawal of English troops, the 
acts of Indian violence became fearfully frequent. Thrice did Rev. Mr. 
Gibault fall into their hands, escaping with life only on his promising not 
to reveal their presence in the neighborhood. In 1772 he was relieved of 
the St. Louis mission by the arrival of the Capuchin Father Valentine as 
its parish priest, and the year following Father Hilary of the same order 
took up his residence at old St. Genevieve, both priests having been de- 
tailed to take charge of their respective missions by Father Dagobert, su- 
perior of the Capuchins at New Orleans, who is said to have acted in 
utter disregard of the bishop of Quebec. In 1775 Rev. Mr. Gibault visited 
Canada, and on returning to his laborious post, he reached Michilimackinac 
in September, but waited in vain till November for any opportunity of pro- 
ceeding farther. As he could not winter there or reach the Illinois country, 
he returned at great risk to Detroit, steering a canoe which was paddled 
by a man and a boy who had never before made the trip. In constant 
peril from the ice and with great suffering, he at last arrived at Detroit. 
"The suffering I have undergone between Michilimackinac and this place," 
he wrote, "has so deadened my faculties that I only half feel my chagrin 
at being unable to proceed to the Illinois. I shall do my best not to be 
useless at Detroit, and to relieve the two venerable old priests who attend 
it." But a year later he was again ensconced in the church and the hearts 
of the people of Kaskaskia, and here is where we find him a conspicuous 
figure in 1778-9, displaying an interest for the establishment of American 
liberty and the perpetuity of republican institutions as lofty and sincere 
as his zeal for the extension of religion and the stability of the Roman 
church. The sacrifices he made, both at Kaskaskia and Vincennes, to aid 
Clark in his memorable Illinois campaign, were so great, so far-reaching 
in their results, so expressive of patriotism, courage and love of liberty, 
that the Virginia legislature, in 1780, took cognizance of them by a resolu- 
tion, which was unanimously adopted by that honorable body. And yet, 
the proud Old Dominion, be it said sorrowfully to her everlasting shame, 
never recompensed him, after he had made it possible for her armed troops 
to achieve a victory that resulted in the acquisition of territory on American 
soil vaster in extent three kingdoms of Great Britain on the European 
continent. Colonel Clark, however, was one man who fully appreciated 
the services of Rev. Mr. Gibault, and never failed to commend him in the 
highest terms as a patriot whenever occasion presented itself. The Vir- 
ginia colonel's first introduction to the Canadian priest, patiiot and diplo- 
mat, was at Kaskaskia, immediately following the arrest of Mr. Roche- 
blave, the commandant of that post, and the astute soldier — observing at 
a glance the hold the missionary seemed to have upon the natives — deter- 
mined to secure his services as a conciliator, if possible. On approaching 
Fatlicr Gibault, Clark was received with a degree of such marked polite- 
ness and courtesy that he was momentarily bewildered. The priest, real- 
izing as readily as the soldier the importance of adopting conciliatory meas- 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 127 

ures, not only expressed a willingness, but a cheerfulness, to exert all the 
influence he had towards allaying any -hostility that might arise among 
the inhabitants against the American cause, but voluntarily promised he 
would encourage them to become American subjects. And through his 
pleadings and his eloquence not only were the French citizens of Kaskaskia 
induced to supply the Virginia troops witli provisions and other essential 
articles, but to receive at its face value all of the depreciated continental 
paper currency of Virginia, Colonel \'igo, then the merchant prince of 
Kaskaskia, adding his guaranty for its redemption, and receiving it, dollar 
for dollar, not only from the soliders, but the inhabitants, until it became 
entirely worthless.* "Father Gibault," says Law, "but especially Vigo, 
had on hand at the close of the campaign, more than twenty thousand dol- 
lars of this worthless trash [the only funds, however, which Clark had in 
his military chest] and not one dollar of which was ever redeemed either 
for \'igo or Father Gibault, who, for this worthless stuff, disposed 'of all 
his cattle, and the tithes of his parishioners," in order to sustain Clark and 
liis troops, without which aid they must have surrendered, surrounded as 
they were by the Indian allies of the British, and deprived of all resources 
but those furnished by the French inhabitants, through the persuasion of 
\'igo and Father Gibault." It was at the mere suggestion of Clark that 
Fatlier Gibault consented to go to Vincennes (where he was quite as well 
known and as dearly beloved as he was at Kaskaskia, having for years 
performed apostolical services at both places) and urge the inhabitants to 
declare their fealty to the United States and renounce allegiance to Great 
Britain. Accordingly, on July 14, 1778, he set out for the old post. He 
was accompanied on this expedition by Dr. Jean B. La Font, a civil magis- 
trate, and Moses Henry, an Indian interpreter and envoy. Upon arrival, 
Father Gibault had the announcement made broadcast that there would be 
a meeting at the church. The fort at that time was under command of 
British commandant Abbott, who had gone to Detroit on a mission of busi- 
ness importance, leaving the affairs of the post and a garrison of British 
troops in charge of St. Marie Racine, a worthy citizen, who, by the way, 
had charge of the fort after St. Ange was withdrawn, and held it until 
Ramsey came, and after the latter's departure, until Abbott put in an ap- 
pearance. Quite a crowd assembled at the church, among the number Ra- 
cine (St. Marie) to ascertain the object of Father Gibault's visit, which he 
told in a speech of impassioned eloquence, at the conclusion of which the 
inhabitants took the oath of allegiance to the American cause, and without 
the shedding of a drop of blood, the first capture of Fort Sackville was 
effected — through the diplomacy and patriotism of the priest-patriot ally — 
and the cross of St. George hauled down and trailed in the dust, and the 
glorious American banner unfurled above the pinnacle of the highest bas- 
tion, much to the astonishment of the Indians, who had been told that 



* Law, History of Vincennes, p. 54. 



128 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

their great French father, whom they mourned as dead, had come back 
to Hfe. 

Through the influence of Father Gibault, who was materially aided by 
Colonel Vigo in his efforts, Clark's forces, prior to departing from Kaskas- 
kia for Vincennes, were augmented by an addition of fifty men. It was 
largely due to his pleadings that Hamilton released Vigo when the latter 
was sent to Vincennes to supply Capt. Helm and his men with provisions 
and incidentally learn the true condition of aft'airs at the post. Twelve 
years after this notable event, in a memorial addressed to Gen. St. Clair, 
then governor of the Northwest Territory, the patriotic Gibault — who felt 
keenly the sting of penury which his patriotism and the ingratitude of Vir- 
ginia had inflicted — displays the fine and delicate feeling, modesty and un- 
ostentation so characteristic of the man. The document was written at 
Kahokia (Cahokia) May i, 1790, and reads as follows: 

"The undersigned memorialist has the honor to represent to your excellency that 
from the moment of the conquest of the Illinois country by Col. George Rogers Clarke 
he has not been backward in venturing his life, on the many occasions in which he 
found his presence was useful, and at all times sacrificing his property, which he gave 
for the support of the troops, at the same price he could have received in Spanish 
milled dollars, and for which, however, he has received only paper dollars (continental 
currency of which he has had no information since he sent them, addressed to the 
Commissioner of Congress, who required a statement of the depreciation of them at 
the Belle Riviere in 1783, with an express promise in reply, that particular attention 
should be paid to his account, because it was well known to be in no wise exagger- 
ated. In reality, he parted with his tithes and his beasts, only to set an example to 
his parishioners, who began to perceive that it was intended to pillage them and aban- 
don them afterwards, which really took place. The want of seven thousand eight 
hundred livres (or upwards of $1,500 American currency) of the non-payment of 
which the American notes have deprived him the use, has obliged him to sell two 
good slaves, who would now be the support of his old age, and for the want of 
whom he now finds himself dependent on the public who, although well served, are 
very rarely led to keep their promises, except that part who, employing their time in 
such service, are supported by the secular power, that is to say, by the civil govern- 
ment. 

"The love of country and liberty have also led your memorialist to reject all the 
advantages offered him by the Spanish government ; and he endeavored by every 
means in his power, by exertions and exhortations, and by letters to the principal 
inhabitants, to retain every person in the dominion of the United States in expecta- 
tion of better times, and giving them to understand that our lives and property having 
been employed twelve years in the aggrandizement and preservation of the United 
States, would at last receive an acknowledgment, and be compensated by the enlight- 
ened and upright ministers, who sooner or later would come to examine into and 
relieve us of our situation. We begin to see the accomplishment of these hopes under 
the happy government of your e.xcellency, and as your memorialist has ever reason 
to believe, from proofs which would be too long to explain here, you are one of the 
number who have been the most forward in risking their lives and fortunes for the 
country. 

"He also hopes that his demand will be listeiied to favorably. It is this: The 
missionaries, like lords, have at all times possessed two tracts of land near this vil- 
lage ; one three acres in front which produces but little hay, three-quarters being use- 
less by a great morass; the other of two acres in front, which may be cultivated, and 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 129 

which the memorialist will have cultivated with care, and proposes to have a dwelling 
erected on it, with a yard and orchard, in case his claim is accepted. Your excellency 
may think, perhaps, that this might injure some of the inhabitants, but it will not. 
It would be difficult to hire them to have an enclosure to be made of the size of these 
tracts, so much more land have they than they cultivate. May it please your excel- 
lency, then, to grant them to your memorialist as belonging to the domain of the 
United States, and give him a concession to be enjoyed in full propriety in his private 
name, and not as missionary and priest, to pass to his successor, otherwise the 
memorialist will not accept it. 

"It is for the services he has already rendered, and those which he still hopes to 
render, as far as circumstances may offer, and he may be capable, and particularly on 
the bounty with which you relieve those who stand in need of assistance, that he 
founds his demand. In hopes of being soon of the number of those who praise heaven 
for your fortunate arrival in this country, and who desire your prosperity in every- 
thing, your memorialist has the honor of being, with the most profound respect, 

"Your excellency's most obedient and most humble servant. 

"P. GiBAULT, Priest." 

"Whether," says Judge Law, " 'a concession to be enjoyed in full 
propriety' by the venerated Father in his private name, and not as mis- 
sionary and priest, of the two acres in front of the village of Kahokia,' 
on which he proposed to have 'a dwelling erected, with a garden and or- 
chard on it,' was ever made, I do not know ; if there was, there is no record 
of it. Governor St. Clair, in his report to Mr. Jefferson, Secretary of State 
in 1791, makes the following remarks in relation to this memorial: 'No. 24 
is the request of Father Gibault, for a small piece of land that has long been 
in the occupation of the priests at Kahokia, having been assigned them 
by the French, but he wishes to possess it in propriety, and it is true that 
he was very useful to Gen. Clark upon many occasions, and has suffered 
very heavy losses. I believe no injury would be done to any one by his 
request being granted, but it was not for me to give away the lands of 
the United States.' In the concessions made by Winthrop Sargent, at the 
'town at Post Vincennes,' while acting as governor in place of Gen. St. 
Clair, I find the following made July, 1790: 'Rev. Peter Gibault, a lot about 
fourteen tosics, one side to Mr. Millet, another to Mr. Vaudrey, and to 
two streets.' Rather an indefinite description of the boundaries; but the 
'ambitious city' of 1856, I presume in 1790 had neither a mayor or city 
engineer to run out the good Father's lines." 

Father Gibault did not have the privilege of becoming the beneficiary 
under the above grant, for the reason that Bishop Carroll protested, as soon 
as he learned of it, against any attempt to alienate property belonging to 
the church to its individual clergymen. The grant was made two years 
after the priest-patriot had left Vincennes. His last permanent stay here 
was from the beginning of 1785 to the middle of 1788; and just previous 
to its termination, while on one of his missionary journeys, he narrowly 
escaped with his life — the occasion being when the Indians killed Sieur 
Paul Diesruisseau.x and wounded Sieur Bonvouloir, the courageous priest 
being so near as to have his clothing saturated with their blood. His last 
visit to Vincennes was in October, 1789. Having withdrawn from the 



130 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

Baltimore (this) diocese, after Bishop Carroll filed his protest with the 
United States government against the alienation of church property (but 
whether in consequence thereof, we do not know) he retired to Spanish 
territory beyond the Mississippi. Later he removed to New Madrid, Mo., 
where his earthly career was brought to a close in the fore part of 1804. 

William Henry Smith,* who has written so much that is interesting 
and intsructive on the history of the Northwest Territory, in commenting on 
the ungrateful treatment received by Father Gibault in consideration of the 
splendid service he had rendered the country in the dark days of the revo- 
lution, says ". . . Before leaving this subject it will be well to glance 
at some other acts of gross injustice perpetrated by Virginia and the United 
States upon some of those who had served them well, and to whose help 
the country owed the capture and retention of the vast empire now known 
as Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin. It will be remembered 
that when General Clark arrived at Kaskaskia he found there Father Gi- 
bault, a parish priest, and that the Father was Clark's earliest and best 
friend, and staunchest adviser and assistant. He not only won over the 
French residents of the village, but at the instigation of General Clark 
went to Vincennes and there induced the French residents to take the oath 
of allegiance to the American government, and by his influence prevailed 
upon the Indian tribes to make peace and forsake the British. He was 
still at Vincennes when Clark reached that point after it had been recap- 
tured by Hamilton, and he was again of the greatest assistance. For his 
services to the Americans he was excommunicated by the Bishop of Detroit, 
and deprived of his pastorate. When Gen. St. Clair appeared at Vin- 
cennes as governor of the Northwest Territory, Father Gibault presented a 
memorial to him, setting forth that he had 'parted with his tithes and 
beasts' to aid Gen. Clark, and had been paid in depreciated currency, which 
he had sent to the United States commissioner for redemption, but had 
never heard from it afterward. He set forth that because of this loss he 
had been compelled to sell two slaves who would have been a support to 
his old age and that he was then dependent upon the public. He asked 
that a small tract of land at Kaskaskia, which had been formerly held by 
the parish priests, be returned to him. Governor St. Clair recommended 
that this be done, but it never was. Finally, after several years, a small 
lot was given him in Vincennes, and subsequent to that he was allowed 
four hundred acres of land, but the old man had parted with his claim for 
a trifle, and this act of tardy justice did him no good. Upon Gen. Clark's 
arrival at Kaskaskia, on his first expedition, his troops were entirely out 
of supplies. He was out of money as well. Without help, his attempt 
against Vincennes must be abandoned. The French merchants of Kaskas- 
kia came patriotically to his help and furnished him with whatever was 
needed. He gave them bills on Virginia. Virginia took no steps toward 



* William Henry Smith, The History of the State of Indiana, pp. 85, 86, 87, 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 131 

honoring the bills, and in 1780 Charles Gratiot, on his own behalf, and 
as agent for some of the others, visited \'irginia. He remained there three 
years before he could get his claims allowed. Many of the other claims 
were never presented, owing to the discouragements Gratiot had met 
with. . . ." 

It is quite as sorrowful as it is singular that the unselfish deeds and 
patriotic acts of this holy man, who is deserving of the praise of every true 
American citizen, have not been commemorated by the erection of a monu- 
ment, or the establishment of some institution bearing his name. When 
the city and county, several years ago, appropriated funds jointly for the 
erection of a hospital, it was suggested by a number of well-meaning people, 
to those in whom the corporations had vested such authority, to name the 
institution the Clark-Gibault hospital. This would have certainly been a 
nice testimonial to two illustrious men who performed, upon this very spot, 
such heroic and inestimable service in behalf of the United States. Clark- 
Gibault would have been a most appropriate appellation, for the reason that 
the names of George Rogers Clark and Pierre Gibault are firmly linked 
together when their deeds of valor and bravery, (denoting devotion 
to country) performed in the darkest hour of the nation's peril, are con- 
sidered and revealed in the pure light of patriotism. However, for some 
reason best known to those having the matter in charge, the name was 
rejected, and that of Good Samaritan adopted. 

Mr. English, in his conquest of the northwest, places a high estimate 
on Father Gibault's untiring efforts and the success of his labors in behalf 
of the American cause, and says, with an apparent tinge of sadness in his 
statement and a true ring of sincerity in every word : "There was no rea- 
son, however, why his great services should not have been properly recog- 
nized, but they never were. As far as the author is advised, no county, 
town or postoffice bears his name; no monument has been erected to his 
memory and no headstone even marks his grave, as its location is entirely 
unknown. It was well for him that he could turn to the religion of which 
he had been so faitliful a servant and find consolation in the trust that 
there was a heaven where meritorious deeds such as his find reward, since 
they were so poorly appreciated and requited on earth." 

"The influence of Father Gibault's labors," says Dr. Smith, "were more 
than local, and his name should be cherished by American citizens with an 
ardor fully equal to that displayed for LaFayette or Rochambeau, for the 
beneficent results following Gibault's patriotic zeal, his tenacious fidelity to 
the American cause of liberty, will give measure for measure with those 
great French generals." 

Among the score of friends, tried and true, who rallied to the support 
of Father Gibault in the attainment of his diplomatic and patriotic designs, 
was Francois Busseron, another Frenchman, in honor of whom Busseron 
township, in Knox County, and Busseron street, in Vincennes, were named. 
In August, 1778, when Father Gibault went from Kaskaskia to Vincennes 



132 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

to persuade the inhabitants of the latter place to forswear King George 
and take the oath of allegiance as American citizens, he carried a com- 
mission,* previously secured from Colonel Clark, conferring upon Mr. 
Busseron the rank of captain of militia, his company to be raised in Vin- 
cennes. Capt. Busseron was a prominent and influential citizen, and when 
the patriotic priest at the little church was exhorting his faithful flock 
to forsake the banner of His Britannic Alajesty and join the American forces 
in the glorious struggle for liberty and independence against the tyrant 
king, made his presence keenly felt and aided the cause very materially. 
t"He arose at the close of the meeting, while the audience was detained, 
and interrogated the holy Father so skillfully concerning the power of the 
arms of Virginia and the justice of the cause of the colonies against Eng- 
land that all of the assembly were at once inclined to make friends with 
the new power. 'Then,' said Busseron, 'why delay? Let us show him 
that we are his [Gibault's] friends, and if Virginia will receive us, let us 
become her subjects.' " When Colonel John Todd was sent by Virginia 
to the Northwest Territory as civil governor in 1779, he appointed Capt. 
Busseron one of four judges of a court for the district of Vincennes, hav- 
ing civil and criminal jurisdiction, of whom the other three were Pierre 
Gamelin, Pierre Querez and Louis Edeline. Similar judicial honors were 
again conferred on him by Winthrop Sargent, when the latter came in 
1790, for the purpose of perfecting the organization of the Northwest Ter- 
ritory, by virtue of an act of the Congress of the United States, passed in 
1787. Capt. Busseron was a generous, kind-hearted and philanthropic man, 
and because of the fact that he had taken under his roof and accorded to 
Mary Shannon the same fatherly care and attention he would bestow upon 
his own daughter, an eminent local historian dubbed him the "foster father 
of Alice of Old Vincennes." The hostile Indians, it is said, had murdered 
the father of Mary Shannon, and knowing the strong attachment existing 
between her stern parent and Mr. Busseron, she sought the latter for pro- 
tection. To the orphaned girl he became greatly attached, and watched her 
with tenderness and care as she grew from beautiful girlhood into charming 
womanhood, when her fair hand was claimed in marriage by Capt. Robert 
Buntin, one of the leading citizens of the Old Post. She, it is, declares 
our historian, whom Alaurice Thompson has made the heroine of his beau- 
tiful novel, "Alice of Old Vincennes" — and she it was, so it is said, that 
hoisted the American flag over Fort Sackville immediately upon the sur- 
render of Hamilton. And after leading us up to this point, our historical 
critic robs us of all the romance we had reasoned out, and dims the halo 
of Thompson's pretty story, by saying that "the anachronism is excusable 
in the author, as he must have a heroine for the dramatic scene of the sur- 
render. Had she been born a little earlier than May i, 1777, says our his- 



* The commission had really been placed in the hands of Doctor La Font for 
delivery by Father Gibault^ at whose solicitation it was issued. 
+ Hubbard M. Smith, Historica! Shetches Old Vincennes. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 133 

torian, the event might have been historically correct in all particulars, 
since Capt. Busseron was the officer of the town and captain of the militia, 
as the reputed foster father, Gaspard Roussilon, appeared to have been." 
When Father Gibault, in front of the church, was exhorting the French 
inhabitants of Vincennes to renounce allegiance to Great Britain and es- 
pouse the cause of America, Capt. Busseron was at the priest's side; and 
when the assemblage, enthused and electrified by the eloquent and patriotic 
words that fell from the lips of the holy man, marched en masse to the fort 
to take possession, accompanied by their adviser, Capt. Busseron was still 
at his side, and was the man who hauled down the British colors and hoisted 
an improvised flag,* to indicate that the French no longer acknowledged 
King George as their sovereign. He was highly esteemed by his fellow- 
citizens from every walk of life, who made him daily the recipient of cour- 
teous considerations. That his constituency had the utmost confidence in 
his honesty, integrity and ability — when Winthrop Sargent, secretary of 
the Northwest Territory, demanded to know of the citizens and public offi- 
cials by what right and authority certain portions of the public lands had 
been disposed of — was shown when they selected him to prepare and pre- 
sent an explanation. He died in 1791, and his remains were laid to rest 
in the Catholic cemetery. He left a long line of descendants, many of 
whom have occupied important positions of honor and trust, and of whom 
Hon. Charles Busseron Lasselle of Logansport, Indiana, for many years 
judge of that circuit, is one. Another descendant of Capt. Busseron, quite 
well known to the older inhabitants, was Gen. Hyacinth Lasselle, who was 
a prominent citizen of Vincennes at the beginning of the nineteenth cen- 
tury, and the builder and proprietor of the Lasselle House, erected in 181 2. 
For many years the hostelry was a popular resort for both travelers and 
citizens, and many distinguished men of this and foreign countries have 
been its guests. General Thomas Posey, who succeeded Gen. Harrison 
in 1813 as governor of the Indiana Territory, made his home at the "La- 
selle" for a while, and transacted quite a good bit of official business there. 
The house was located at the corner of Second and Perry streets, where 
the large wholesale grocery of Bierhaus Bros, now stands, and was later 
known as the Beeler House, and Merchants' Hotel. It was entirely con- 
sumed by fire on the night of October 23, 1871, all efforts to save it 
on the part of the department — whose most formidable weapon with which 
to fight the fire fiend on that occasion was a hand-engine — proving inef- 
fectual. 



* The flag was a two-colored emblem, and the material of which it was made and 
the cost of its making is explained in a receipted bill (which was tendered by Capt. 
Busserm to Capt. Helm) containing the following entries: "1778. Paid to St. Marie 
for 5 ells of red serge for the flag, 45c. Paid to Mr. Defonet for 3^ ells of green 
serge for flag, 37}^c. Paid Mrs. Godare for making the flag, 25c." 



CHAPTER XIV. 
THE LOYALTY OF A SPANISH SOLDIER TO AMERICA. 

COLONEL FRANCIS VIGO SHOWS HIS SYMPATHY FOR AN OPPRESSED PEOPLE — 
SPENDS MONEY TO AID THE CAUSE OF LIBERTY AND DIES IN POVERTY — 
CAPTURED BY INDIANS AND TAKEN BEFORE HAMILTON VIGO'S SUBSTAN- 
TIAL AID TO COLONEL CLARK — HIS SAD DEATH AND NEGLECTED GRAVE — 
SHORT SKETCH OF JOHN BADOLLET, A COLLEAGUE OF VIGO FIRST REGIS- 
TRAR OF PUBLIC LANDS AND HIS SUCCESSORS — ALLEGED UPRISING AT VIN- 
CENNES AGAINST SPAIN SEIZURE OF VINCENNES MERCHANT BY SPAN- 
IARDS. 

A few eighteenth century Spaniards took up their abode at Vincennes, 
but only for temporary residence. While several of them remained a score 
of years, with the exception of one man, none of them were recognized as 
full-fledged citizens. The one man referred to was Francis Vigo — and he 
was not only a citizen in name, but in spirit, and constantly labored for the 
advancement of the community and the prosperity of its people. His love 
for liberty as enunciated by the Declaration of Independence was as deep- 
seated, pure and fervent as that which found lodgment in the breast of the 
most loyal American, and he impoverished himself to aid the fellow-citizens 
of his adopted country in their struggles to throw off the yoke of British 
tyranny. 

Like quite a number of historical writers, Mr. Roosevelt, in his charm- 
ing work, The Winning of the West, refers to Colonel Vigo as a Creole, 
leaving the inference to be drawn that he belonged to the class of French 
Canadians popularly but erroneously styled Creoles. This, however, is a 
likely error and can be accounted for from the fact that he spoke the 
French language, as the foreign tongue was spoken by the natives in those 
days very fluently. Vigo, nevertheless, was born ef Spanish parents in 
Mondovi, in the Kingdom of Sardinia, in 1740'. Leaving the parental roof 
when a mere lad, he enlisted in a Spanish regiment as a private soldier. 
Subsequently the regiment was ordered to Havana, Cuba, after which a 
detachment of it "shipped" to New Orleans, then a Spanish post, young 
Vigo filling an important place in its ranks. Having firmly ingratiated 
himself into the good graces of his commanding officer by a display of 

134 




COL. FRAN( I-- N'THO 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 135 

soldierly bearing and gentlemanly deportment, he sought and received an 
honorable discharge, quitting the service to engage in the Indian trade on 
the Arkansas river and its tributaries. Not a great while after leaving the 
Spanish army, his energetic, resourceful commercial mind led him, in 1772, 
to change the scenes of his earlier operations as a trader on the Arkansas 
river to St. Louis, which was then the seat of the government of Louisiana. 
Here he formed the acquaintance, won the friendship and became asscv- 
ciated in business with Don Francisco de Luba, the governor of Louisiana, 
whose official residence was St. Louis. A strong attachment, signalized by 
confidence and esteem, was soon formed between the two. The governor 
was a haughty personage, a polished gentleman of refinement and educa- 
tion, and commander-in-chief of the military forces. Vigo was a private 
soldier, unlearned in letters, without the rudiments of an education, able 
only at that time to write his own name, but withal he was one of the 
most successful and enterprising traders that ever came into the Northwest 
Territor}'. That these two men, occupying such vastly different stations in 
life, should become cemented in the most endearing ties of friendship and 
associated in business enterprises involving immense sums of money, was 
singular indeed, and only shows that the absence of caste governed the 
social as well as the commercial conditions of the earlier days. Vigo, while 
ignorant, was the embodiment of honor and honesty, and had absorbed, 
despite his daily contact with savages and uncouth adventurers, the man- 
ners of a cultured gentleman, which made his presence always agreeable 
to those moving in the higher circles of society. His straightforwardness 
was the foundation upon which he builded business enterprises that made 
him rich ; it was the key that unlocked the hearts of the people with whom 
he came in contact, and gave him their confidence, love and esteem, treas- 
ures which he carried with him down to the grave. Gentleness, combined 
with loftiness of thought, "purity of mind, a high, honorable and chivalric 
bearing"' were strong qualities in his character. Col. Clark first met Vigo 
at Kaskaskia, where the latter was temporarily residing, his business fre- 
quently calling him away, in all directions, from his permanent residence 
in St. Louis. Clark had recently received word from Capt. Helm, in com- 
mand of \'irginia troops at Vincennes, that he was destitute of provisions 
and ammunition, and learning that Vigo was well acquainted with the in- 
habitants at this post, sent him (December 18, 1778) for the purpose of 
supplying these wants. It* has been erroneously stated by quite a number 
of writers that Vigo came here as a spy from Kaskaskia, at tlie behest of 
Clark, to ascertain the number and condition of Hamilton's forces. As 
a matter of fact, neither Clark nor Vigo knew that Hamilton was really 
here at that time. Clark, having heard nothing to the contrary, naturally 
supposed that Helm was still "holding the fort." Vigo was accompanied 
on his pilgrimage from Kaskaskia by a single body-guard. Having hitherto 



* W. H. English. The Conquest of the Northtvest. 



136 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

experienced little or no trouble with the Indians, and being lionized by the 
French of this locality, he had little to fear. Great was his surprise when, 
on reaching the Embarrass river, he was set upon by a band of Indians 
who confiscated all of his possessions and led him, an unwilhng captive, be- 
fore General Hamilton, then in full charge of the fort at Vincennes. He 
pleaded that he was a subject of the king of Spain, and therefore a non- 
participant in any conspiracies against the British crown. While eyeing 
the prisoner with many misgivings and suspecting him of all manner of 
ulterior motives, Hamilton did not deem it prudent to place him in durance 
vile; admitting him instead to parole, conditioned that he should make 
daily reports of his conduct at the fort, which he did, and by so doing was 
enabled to make a mental diagram of the garrison, its defenses, and numeri- 
cal strength — his keen eye, active brain and retentive memory serving as 
instruments by which he was afterwards capable of presenting to Clark a 
true picture of the situation. The love which the inhabitants of the Old 
Post had for Vigo was shown in the persistency with which they* impor- 
tuned Hamilton to release him, making his detention, to the commandant, 
a source of great embarrassment and annoyance. Hamilton, unable to 
longer withstand these manifestations of indignation and disapproval, which 
were finally accompanied with a threat to refuse to furnish the garrison 
with everyday necessities, yielded, and released the prisoner; not, however, 
before making a futile attempt to have him sign articles of agreement, con- 
ditioned "not to do any act during the war injurious to British interests." 
This compact Vigo positively and emphatically refused to sign, at the same 
time displaying much indignation. As a compromise, submitted for final 
adjustment of the matter, after much parleying. Colonel Vigo signed an 
agreement "not to do anything injurious to the British interests on his way 
to St. Louis." On the following day he took his departure for St. Louis 
in the same pirogue in which he was captured, accompanied by two voy- 
ageurs, coursing down the Wabash to the Ohio, thence up the Mississippi 
to the place of destination. With faithfulness and fidelity he sacredly kept 
his word to every letter in the agreement, and in all of the long journey 
was careful not to do a single act derogatory to anything that was English. 
He had no sooner landed in St. Louis, however, until he hurriedly provided 
for a trip, in the same pirogue, to Kaskaskia, to apprise Clark of the true 
condition of affairs at Vincennes, which he had learned by heart. It was 
at this time (January 29, 1779), without any solicitation from Clark, that 
Vigo, a Spaniard by birth, and consequently owing allegiance to Spain, 
volunteered to aid Clark in the capture of Vincennes, without in the least 
being obligated to become a party to such an undertaking, and with a full 
knowledge of the peaceful relations then existing between Spain and Eng- 
land, and cognizant of the fact that he was committing a breach of neu- 



* Father Gibault was instigator of the movement and the leader of the remon- 
strators. It is said that it was really through the personal efforts of the priest that 
Vigo's release was secured. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 137 

trality that might trail his good name in the dust, entail the loss of his 
property, and cause to be heaped upon him all the indignities, contumely 
and vengeance British power in the Wabash and Illinois countries could 
invent or inflict. But he could not stifle a feeling that burned within his 
breast, a sentiment akin to that which caused American arms to be taken 
up against British oppression ; and filled with a love for humanity and a 
desire for the liberty of a nation's people, and a knowledge of the blessings 
that could come to them from a republican form of government, he cast 
aside all fears of personal consequences, and tendered not only his serv- 
ices, but promised to give to the enterprise every financial aid, which he 
did. And through the money alone contributed by Vigo was Clark en- 
abled to undertake that ever memorable march from Kaskaskia and carry 
out successfully his conquest against Vincennes. Colonel Vigo and General 
Clark became the truest and most devoted of friends, and it was because 
of this attachment that Vigo transferred his residence from Kaskaskia to 
Vincennes. There never was a demand made by Clark on Vigo to which 
the latter did not respond. As a matter of fact, Vigo seemed to take a 
livelier interest in maintaining the credit of Virginia than did Clark. When- 
ever the latter failed to receive funds from the Old Dominion with which 
to pay her soldiery, Vigo supplied them. Whenever Clark presented a 
voucher for money to pay soldiers, buy supplies for the commissary, or 
for any other expenses or incidentals, Vigo honored them, thus keeping 
the credit of Virginia at par and sparing her the shame and humiliation of 
repudiating her obligations. And what did Virginia offer Vigo in consid- 
eration of his generosity and patriotism, through which untold blessings 
subsequently came to her and the nation ? Be it said, to the everlasting 
shame of the Old Dominion, that she never as much as tendered a vote of 
thanks to her liberal and patriotic benefactor. Several years after removing 
to \'incennes Colonel ^'igo married Miss Elizabeth Shannon, a comely lass, 
and native of the Old Post, who died shortly after marriage, without is- 
sue. From the wealth accumulated through his dealings with the Indians 
and settlers he invested heavily in real estate in Knox County, as evidenced 
by many of the earlier deeds bearing his name, but he seemed incompetent 
to grapple with the more advanced methods of commercialism, and his 
large fortune eventually slipped from his grasp. About the year 1800 he 
built a residence that was considered palatial for those days. It stood on 
a lot at the southwest corner of Broadway and Second streets, its magnifi- 
cent proportions being greatly admired by the populace. The builder of 
the house, it is said, was given twenty guineas for completing it in time 
to enable its hospitable owner to tender it for occupancy to William Henry 
Harrison, who had just been appointed governor of the Indiana Territory, 
upon his arrival. The governor, however, declined to occupy more than 
one room, and was assigned the parlor, the floor of which was laid in square 
blocks of white oak and black walnut, in alternating rows. The furnishings 
of the parlor (as did those of other rooms) harmonized with the elegance 



138 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

and beauty of the floor, and comprised, among the few pictures that hung 
upon the walls, a handsome oil painting of Thomas Jefferson. Mr. Vigo 
doted on fine furniture, linens and tableware, articles with which he kept 
both his house and boat supplied. About the time the governmental reins 
of the Northwest Territory were placed in the hands of Arthur St. Clair, 
Dr. Manasseh Cutler,* who was one of the founders of an early colony 
near Marietta, Ohio, had occasion to meet Vigo when the latter was making 
his way up the Ohio in a large keel boat, propelled by ten oars and a square 
sail. The boat, the Doctor found, was also provided with a cabin and an 
awning top, making the surroundings very pleasant, and he gladly con- 
sented to become a passenger during part of the journey. He remained 
aboard several days and nights, which led him to observe that the boat 
was amply supplied with comforts and even luxuries, and its lockers con- 
tained silver-handled knives and forks, and flasks of spirits, while its beds 
were luxurious for the frontier, and were provided with sheets, articles 
comparatively unknown tO' the average pioneer.t Colonel Vigo acquired 
his military title by being a commissioned officer in the First Regiment of 
the Territorial Militia, of which he was a major commandant in 1790, and 
continued to do military duty until May 5, 1810, when he resigned. With 
the exception of four or five years, when he moved to his country seat 
(McKee farm) southeast of the city. Colonel Vigo had cast his lot for 
nearly a half century with the good people of Vincennes, his honesty and 
probity in all his dealings receiving and meriting their good will and ap- 
probation. As a testimonial of the esteem in which the people of city and 
county held him, \"incennes named a street, and Knox County a township, 
in his honor, to perpetuate his memory — gracious acts that were performed 
during his lifetime. During the closing days of his life he lived in a 
humble cottage on the south side of Main, between Fourth and Fifth 
streets. Governor St. Clair, in a report to the secretary of war, in 1790, 
tersely says: "To Mr. Vigo, a gentleman of Vincennes, the United States 
are much indebted, and he is, in truth, the most distinguished person I 
have almost ever seen." 

The engraving presented below is made from a photograph of an oil 
painting of the heroic and patriotic subject of this sketch, which adorns 
the walls of the auditorium of the Vincennes University, and is probably 
the only picture extant of the man. Vigo could never be persuaded to sit 
for a photograph, and how it ever happened, if it really did, that the first 
paper money of the State Bank bore an engraved reproduction of his 



* Dr. Cutler is credited with having been the author of quite a number of pro- 
visions in the ordinance of 1787. He was a very wily politician, and as an officer of 
the Ohio Company, which he helped to organize, was deemed guilty of many transac- 
tions alleged to have been neither legitimate nor honest. 

t Mr. Roosevelt, The IVinning of the West, vol. V, p, 49. 




FltAXCIS \|(;<i AIiiMMKN'T 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 139 

physiognomy, has never been fully explained. Vigo County, of which 
Terre Haute is the seat, was named in honor of Col. Vigo, and in his 
will, dated December 9, 1834, he provides that the contract, made by him 
with John Law, Abner T. Ellis and Luther H. Reed for the prosecution of 
his claim against \'irginia for supplies furnished Gen. George Rogers Clark 
in the Illinois campaign, shall be faithfully observed and carried out. He 
also requested that out of the money that may be recovered on his claim 
a sufficient sum be appropriated to buy a bell for the court house of Vigo 
County. He died in 1836, and for a long time his grave, marked by a 
cnmibling slab of sandstone, bearing the simple inscriptionf — 

Colonel Francis Vigo, 

Died 22d Day March, 1835, 

Aged 96. 

— gave no evidence of care or attention until 1908, when the Daughters of 
the American Revolution formed a Francis Vigo chapter, and reared above 
the ashes of the dead patriot a more pretentious monument, from which 
the photographic view presented below was obtained. 

His funeral expenses (amounting to forty-two dollars) remained as an 
unpaid item on the books of Andrew Gardner (great grandfather of George 
E. Gardner, who conducted an undertaking establishment in 1816, and 
whose successors to the business have been the representatives of four gen- 
erations of the Gardner family) until 1876, when it was paid, without in- 
terest. Vigo's advances and credits made for the maintenance of the Amer- 
ican army in the northwestern wilderness eventually reduced him to a state 
of penury, and the dilatoriness of the federal government in recognizing 
his claim, while furnishing a shameful illustration of the ingratitude of 
republics, filled the declining years of his life with misery and humiliation. 
Years after this self-sacrificing man had been gatliered to his fathers, the 
nation he had so faithfully served began to evince some knowledge of its 
indebtedness to him. In June, 1872, congress referred the claim of the 
executors of Vigo's estate to the court of claims "with full jurisdiction and 
power to act," and in 1875 the court rendered judgment on a bill of ex- 
change drawn by George Rogers Clark in favor of Vigo for army supplies 
for $8,616 of principal and $41,282.60 interest, being the interest at five 
per cent from March 20, 1779, to January 18, 1875, making a total of 



* And it is the writer's recollection that one of the first notes of the old State 
Bank of Indiana, chartered in 1836, had upon it a vignette likeness of him— H. M. 
Smith, Historical Sketches Old Vincennes, p. 165. 

tThe date 1835 is an error; it was 1836, as the record of the undertakers, Andrew 
Gardner & Son, shows. The junior member of this firm, Mr. Elbridge Gardner, who 
is yet living, remembers all the circumsatnccs connected with the death and burial, 
Mrs. Doctor W. W. Hitt, just across the street, being buried the same day, and the 
inscription on her grave's shaft bears the date of March 22, 1836. Col. Vigo was born 
about 1740, and calculating from this he would have been ninety-six years old at the 
time of his death. [H. M. Smith, Historical Notes Old Vincennes, p. 164.] 



140 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

$49,898.60. How much of this amount found its way into the hands of 
the executors, after claim agents and lobbyists got tlirough with it, is not 
known, but there is a strong probabiHty that its volume, in passing through 
these channels, was greatly diminished, liy the will, Archibald McKee and 
Francis Vigo McKee, nephews, and children of a sister of testator's wife, 
were made residuary legatees ; but, singular as it may seem, the estate was 
never settled in court,* and hence its exact proportions will never be 
known. 

At the close of Clark's conquest of the Northwest Territory, Colonel 
Vigo renounced allegiance to the king of Spain, and was energetic in a 
movement inaugurated at Vincennes to resist the interference of the Span- 
ish government on the Mississippi with the commerce of the Old Post. 
While the dominion of Spain was never extended over the Wabash coun- 
try, and this section was never considered in her treatment of interna- 
tional affairs, her domination of the Father of Waters visibly affected 
the people of Vincennes. In October, 1786, when the controversies between 
this country and Spain, growing out of the prohibition of navigation of the 
Mississippi by the latter government, were becoming frequent and heated, 
it is said that George Rogers Clark harangued the populace, declaring that 
Spain contemplated extending her possessions further into the western 
country, which meant that Vincennes would be included in her territory ; 
that John Jay, United States Minister to Spain, had permitted the latter 
country to say who should or should not navigate the waters of the Missis- 
sippi ; that Jay had acquiesced in Spain's plan of drawing her boundary line 
far enough west to include Vincennes in her territory. There probably has 
been a little false coloring given to the picture that was actually presented, if 
any credence is to be placed in Clark's version of the affair, which appears 
in a subsequent chapter. However, there was great excitement at the Old 
Post, and it has been related that the occasion called for a mass meeting, 
at which it was resolved to garrison the town, raise an army by recruiting 
and obtain supplies with which to provide the soldiers by impressment. That 
part of the story, so far as it relates to raising troops, establishing a garri- 
son, and obtaining supplies therefor by impressment is true; but the real 
object in raising troops was for the pur]jose of fighting Indians in the Wa- 
bash country instead of Spaniards in Louisiana. There is, however, more 
humor than pathos in the acts of the good people of Vincennes growing 
out of their indignation of Spain's prohibition of navigation on the Missis- 
sippi, and to portray them as they appeared to a local historian of that 
period can possibly do no harm. The historian, referring to the conduct of 
some of the citizens, says :t "They actually took steps to raise an army, seize 



* Mr. Cauthom, who is quoted in English's Conquest of the Northwest (pp. 269, 
270) says : "I have carefully examined the records and files in the clerk's office, and 
find his estate was never settled in court, and all the papers have been taken from the 
files." 

t Vincennes Jl'estern Sun, July 4, 1904. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 141 

upon the property of Spanish citizens here, and at other places, as a hostile 
measure, and openly declared their intentions of driving the Spaniards out 
of the west, possessing themselves of the vast territories and bid defiance 
to their own government. This was all done in consequence of erroneous 
information that congress had sanctioned Spain's action. So they began to 
marshal their forces for war. Soon after, however, a letter from one of 
these patriots to the governor of Georgia was dispatched, informing him that 
'they had taken all the goods belonging to the Spanish merchants at Post 
Vincennes and the Illinois and that preparations are now making here to 
drive the Spaniards from their settlements at the mouth of the Mississippi. 
In case we are not countenanced and succored by the United States (if we 
need it) our allegiance will be thrown off and some other power applied.' 
The messenger hearing this letter took too much 'burbon' at Danville, Ky., 
and gave the scheme away, showing the letter, and a copy of it was sent to 
Washington, D. C. Congress investigated and informed General Clark that 
his actions were disavowed by the United States government, and troops 
were ordered out to Vincennes to dispossess the unauthorized intruders who 
had taken possession of the posr. The affair was finally adjusted amicably 
; and the war between \'incennes and Spain was over." 

Mr. Roosevelt, in The Winning of the West, relates that, in 1787, a Cre- 
ole, living at Vincennes, loaded a pirogue with goods valued at two thousand 
dollars, and went down to trade with the Indians near the Chickasaw Bluffs, 
when the commandant of the Spanish port at the Arkansas — who was also a 
Creole — seized the boat, confiscated the goods and imprisoned the crew. 
All appeals made by the Vincennes merchant to the commandant were in 
vain, the latter insisting that he had been ordered by Spanish authorities to 
seize all persons who trafficked on tlie Mississippi below the mouth of the 
Ohio, inasmuch as Spain claimed both banks of the river; and when the 
merchant made a final appeal to Miro, he was coldly received, and dismissed 
with a warning to never again attempt the offense of conducting traffic on 
the Mississippi at the risk of being sent to the mines of Brazil. It has been 
said that the man intercepted was either a representative of Colonel Vigo, 
or that Vigo had a monetary interest in the cargo that was seized, both of 
which claims are sustained only by badly manufactured tradition.* 

Judge John Law, the pioneer jurist and historian of Vincennes, who was 
greatly beloved by all her citizens, was a personal friend of Colonel Vigo. 
In his Colonial History of Vincennes, in a beautifully written biographical 
sketch of Vigo, recounting the sacrifices that loyal Spaniard made for 
the success of American arms and the establishment of American liberty 
and independence, concludes with the following paragraph : " . . . Spirit 
of the illustrious dead, let others judge of this matter as they may, we who 



* It is recorded in the Executive Journal of the Territory that Colonel Vigo ap- 
plied for and was granted a license to run a ferry-hoat from the Illinois side of the 
Wabash river (where he owned a large tract of land) to the Indiana shore — indicating 
that his penchant for pursuing an avocation on or along waterways never deserted him. 



142 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

have lived to see the immense advantages of that conquest to our beloved 
country — so little known and so little appreciated when made — will do you 
justice, and we will also teach our children, and our children's children, 
who are to occupy our places when we are gone, to read and remember 
among the earliest lessons of the history of that portion of the country 
which is to be also their abiding place — our own lovely valley — that its 
conquest, and subsequent attachment to the union, was as much owing to 
the councils and services of Vigo as to the bravery and enterprise of Clark." 
The late Honorable Henry S. Cauthorn, in his History of the City of 
Vincennes, devotes many pages to a biography of Colonel Vigo, who, says 
this biographer, was induced to locate in Vincennes in consequence of the 
land grants of congress to the French inhabitants, by which, and through 
shrewd trading with the "red savages or ignorant Frenchmen he became 
the largest land owner in the community ; but when he came in contact with 
the educated class who came here when the territory was organized, this 
vast estate disappeared as the morning mist is dissipated by the rising sun, 
and he died in 1836 an object of charity. . . . When he came, and 
long before, he was a devout Catholic. It was through his influence that 
many priests were sent here by Bishop John Carroll of Baltimore, before 
and after 1796. He was a very zealous Catholic in all church functions and 
his name appears on the church register as godfather at many baptisms and 
as witness to many marriages. When the church here was incorporated in 
1807, he was elected one of the trustees and so continued until 1822, yet 
his body after his death was buried in a Protestant cemetery. He was poor 
and wanting the necessaries of life at the time of his death. . . . When 
the branch of the state bank of Indiana was organized here in 1834, the first 
five dollar bill issued by the branch was made payable to Colonel Vigo. He 
would not use this money, although in distress, but deposited the bill in the 
archives of the Vincennes Historical and Antiquarian Society as a relic, and 
it remained there for many years after his death. It was abstracted from 
the archives of that society and put in circulation by one John Decker. 
Efforts were made to secure its return, but with what success is not known. 
In relation to his claim against the government on account of advances of 
money he had furnished General Clark, he frequently stated that the gov- 
ernment was slow in allowing it, and that he had become too old for it to 
be of any use to him, and that if ever paid, the Catholic church should have 
it. He made this statement to Bishop Brute when on his death bed at 
the house of Betsy La Plante. But the claim was not paid until forty years 
after his death and the church got nothing out of the appropriation made by 
congress. In 1834 he executed what purported to be his last will. But 
this document, on account of remarkable provisions in it, was thought by 
his friends to have been executed when he was 'non compos.' When Mr. 
English was here looking up data for his history, he requested the author 
to accompany him to the Catholic cemetery and show him the grave of Col- 
onel Vigo. When informed Colonel Vigo was not in the Catholic, but in 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 143 

the Protestant, cemetery lie expressed surprise. He was accompanied to 
the Protestant cemetery, and the neglected grave hunted up, and after cut- 
ting the briars and scraping away the moss on the plain slab lying on the 
grave, we found the date of his death erroneously given. This satisfied us 
that tlie plain slab had been placed there by some good Samaritan not ac- 
quainted with the facts connected with his death. In the remarkable will 
executed in his declining years it is provided that after death ^his body 
should be disposed of in any manner his executors might see proper. This 
clause particularly caused remarks and his friends doubted his sanity at the 
time of its execution. He died at the home of Betsy La Plante, who lived 
in a rented frame house on the southwest side of Main street, midway be- 
tween Fourth and Fifth streets. She was a poor French woman and at- 
tended him in his last sickness and until his death, March 22, 1836, and 
never received any compensation for her services. He was buried in the 
Protestant cemetery on March 23, 1836, with the honors of war." 

During tlie earlier years of his life Colonel Vigo was an important factor 
in the affairs of Kaskaskia as well as Vincennes. After Clark's arrival and 
capture of Kaskaskia, "it was a very difficult matter," says Judge Law, "to 
induce the French inhabitants of the place to take the continental scrip 
which Clark and his soldiers had brought along with them ; and it was not 
until after Colonel Vigo went there and gave his guaranty for its redemption 
that they would generally receive it. Peltries and piastres were the only 
currency known to these simple and unsophisticated Frenchmen. They 
could neither read nor write, and Colonel Vigo had great difficulty in ex- 
plaining the operations of this new financial arrangement to them. 'Their 
commandants never made money,' was the only reply to the Colonel's ex- 
planation of the policy of the Old Dominion in these issues. But notwith- 
standing the Colonel's guaranty, the paper was not in good credit, and ulti- 
mately became very much depreciated. The Colonel had a trading establish- 
ment in Kaskaskia after Clark's arrival. Coffee was one dollar per pound. 
The poor Frenchman coming to purchase was asked 'what kind of pay- 
ment he intended to make for it?' 'Doulcnr,' said he. And when it is recol- 
lected that it took about twenty continental dollars to purchase a silver 
dollars' worth of coffee, and that the French word 'douleur' signifies 'grief 
or 'pain,' perhaps no word, either in the French or English languages, ex- 
pressed the idea more correctly, than 'douleur' for 'continental dollars.' At 
any rate, it was truly 'douleur' to the Colonel, for he never received a single 
dollar in exchange for the large amount he had taken in order to sustain 
Clark's credit. The above anecdote I had from the Colonel's own lips." 

It has long been a mooted question with historians as to whether Clark 
sent Vigo from Kaskaskia to \'incennes to supply Helm with provisions, or 
to ascertain the exact strength of the British post, or whether Vigo just 
happened to be at the Old Post on a business mission when he acquired, and 
subsequently communicated, the important information relative to the Brit- 
ish stronghold here, which proved of such vital importance to Clark. Mr. 



144 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

English, with whom the writer agrees, says Vigo was sent by Clark to look 
after the needs of Captain Helm, and that Clark had no knowledge of Ham- 
ilton's presence at Vincennes at the time. Consul Wilshire Butterfield, the 
learned historian, writes rather voluminously on Vigo's visit to Vincennes 
at that time, and the circumstances that occasioned it, taking issue with sev- 
eral of his contemporaries, and placing a different construction from them 
on the language pertaining to the events as set forth in the memoirs of 
Clark. This historian even denies the capture of Vigo and the fact that 
Vigo was taken before Hamilton as a prisoner, assailing the authenticity of 
the generally accepted story, thus making fiction of what have been hither- 
to considered facts. Mr. Butterfield says :* 

"In Law's Vincennes (pp. 26-30). there is an extended account of Vigo's 
visit to Vincennes and his return, which is replete with errors. . . . Law 
adds subsequently (p. 55), more errors: 'It was entirely through the means 

of Father Gibault that Hamilton released Col. Vigo,' etc The errors 

of Judge Law to be especially noted and guarded against are : ( i ) There 
were no reinforcements soon to be sent from Detroit to Vincennes after 
Gov. Abbott's departure. (2) Capt. Helm was not in command of Fort Sack- 
ville without a single soldier under him. (3) Vigo did not go to Vincennes 
at the request of Clark — was not sent there by the latter. (4) Vigo was not 
seized by the Indians, plundered of everything he had and taken a prisoner 
before Hamilton. (5) Vigo was not paroled by Hamilton in Vincennes. 
(6) Hamilton did not release Vigo upon any condition whatever, or at the 
request of any persons — he simply escaped from Vincennes, where Hamil- 
ton had detained him and on his way to St. Louis called upon Clark at 
Kaskaskia." 

Continuing at length in this vein of criticism, Mr. Butterfield concludes 
his comments, relative to Vigo's visit to Vincennes, as follows:! 

"... Mann Butler, who, while writing his History of Kentucky, was 
in communication with Vigo, says (p. 70) : 'After all his successes with the 
Indians, Col. Clark began to entertain great apprehensions for St. Vincents 
(Vincennes). No news had been received for a considerable length of time 
from that place, till on the 29th of January, 1779, Col. Vigo, then a mer- 
chant in partnership with the governor of St. Louis, now ( 1834) a venerable 
and highly respectable citizen of Vincennes, brought intelligence that Gov- 
ernor Hamilton had marched an expedition from Detroit, which had in De- 
cember captured St. Vincents, and again reduced it under the power of the 
British.' That January 29th was the day Vigo reached Clark there can be 
no doubt. Bowman's Journal in the archives of the Department of State, 
Washington— (Letters to Washington, vol. 33, p. 90). Clark to Mason- 
Clark's Campaign in Illinois, p. 62. Dillon's Indiana (ed. of 1859), p. 137. 



* Butterfield, Conquest of George Rogers Clark's Conquest of the Illinois and 
Wabash Tozvns, 1778-1779, pp. 689, 690, 691, 692. 

t Butterfield, History of George Rogers Clark's Conquest of the fllinois and the 
Wabash Tokens, 1778-1779, pp. 686, 687, 688, 689. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 145 

In Bowman's Journal as printed in Clark's campaign in the Illinois, p. 99, 
the date is given as the 27th, but this is an error. In a letter dated February 
3d, written by Clark to the governor of Virginia he speaks of Vigo's ar- 
rival the day previous (Calendar of Virginia State Papers, Vol. I, pp. 315- 
316) ; but this is explained from the circumstances that the letter was in 
reality written January 30th. Concerning Vigo's visit to Vincennes and his 
subsequent calling on Clark in Kaskaskia, the latter says: (i) 'Yester- 
day, I fortunately got every intelligence that I could wish for by a Spanish 
gentleman who made his escape from Mr. Hamilton.' (Letter to the Governor 
of Virginia from Kaskaskia, Feb. 3 [Jan. 30] 1779 — Calendar of Virginia 
State Papers, vol. I, pp. 315-316). (2) 'But in the height of the hurry, a 
Spanish merchant who had been at St. Vincents (Vincennes) arrived and 
gave the following intelligence' (Letter to the Gov. of Va., April 29, 1779, 
from Kaskaskia — Jefferson's Works, Vol. I, p. 222n). (3) 'In the height 
of our anxiety, on the evening of the 29th of January, 1779, Mr. Vigo, a 
Spanish merchant, arrived from St. Vincents (Vincennes), and was there 
at the time of its being taken [by Hamilton] and gave me every intelligence 
I could wish to have.' (Letters to Mason, Nov. 19, 1779 — Clark's Cam- 
paign in the Illinois, pp. 62, 63.) (4) 'On the 29th of January, 1779, in the 
height of the hurry, a Spanish merchant, who had been at Post Vincennes 
arrived and gave the following intelligence.' (Clark's memoir in Dillon's 
Indiana (ed. of 1859), p. 137.] Bowman's Journal in the Dept. of State 
MSS., has this to say of Vigo's arrival, of the information he imparted to 
Clark : 'Mr. Vigo, a Spanish subject, who had been at Post St. Vincent 
(Vincennes) on his lawful business, arrived (Jan. 29, 1779) and gave us in- 
telligence that Gov. Hamilton and thirty regulars with fifty French volun- 
teers and about four hundred Indians, had come last Nov. (Dec.) and taken 
that fort with Capt. Helm and several other Americans, who were there, 
with a number of horses designed for the settlement of Kentucky, etc' " 

Mr. Butterfield, in the same connection, further remarks: "But Rey- 
nolds (see his Pioneer History, p. loi, edition 1887) says 'Vigo was sent to 
Vincennes by Clark as a spy ; that he was captured by the Indians and taken 
to Hamilton, who suspected the character of his mission; and that he was 
released on the ground of being a Spanish subject, and having influential 
friends among the French residents.' The only assertion in this that is not 
error (and that one is stated inferentially) is that Vigo had influential 
friends among the French residents." 

It is presumed that Mr. Butterfield knows what he is "talking about," 
and, likewise, Mr. Reynolds, and it is also presumed that Judge Law knew 
what he was talking about when he published in his Colonial History of 
Vincennes (edition 1858 pp. 28, 29) the statement he gave expression to in 
a public address nineteen years previous, when he said, in reference to Col- 
onel Vigo's visit to Vincennes : "When on the Embarrass river he was 
seized by a party of Indians, plimdered of everything he possessed, and 
brought a prisoner before Hamilton, then in possession of the place, which. 



146 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

with his troops, he had a short time before captured, liolding Captain Helm 
a prisoner of war. Being a Spanish subject, and consequently a non-com- 
batant, Governor Hamilton, although he strongly suspected the motives 
of his visit, dared not confine him ; he accordingly admitted him to his 
parole, on the single condition, that he should daily report himself at the 
fort," etc. Judge Law was a personal friend of Colonel Vigo. The two 
men were frequently in one anotlier's society, and it would be strange, in- 
deed, if they failed to confide in each other. Judge Law says Colonel Vigo 
had "the most powerful memory he ever knew." It is, therefore, reasonable 
to suppose that when Law questioned Vigo with reference to his visit to 
Vincennes, his capture, and subsequent release, the loyal Spaniard vividly 
recalled every incident bearing relation to these events. At any rate, there 
was nothing bombastic, sensational or spectacular about Colonel Vigo. He 
was not guilty of magnifying things, and his recital of his experiences was 
no doubt given without any attempt at coloring. Judge Law was a high- 
minded, honorable gentleman, and loved the tnith too well to distort it. 
What he, as well as many other eminent historians have said in reference to 
Colonel Vigo's capture by Indians on the Embarrass, and his subsequent ap- 
pearance before Hamilton as a prisoner and his release, will stand, at least 
until controverted by evidence more substantial than a mere affirmation un- 
supported by material facts. This in reference to Vigo's capture and de- 
tention. Judge Law is frequently quoted by some of the most reliable his- 
torians of the country, and all that he has written or said on colonial history 
is regarded by them as being authentic. Law had better facilities than 
Butterfield for gathering the true facts in the case, and, consequently, was 
less liable to err in his presentation of them. 

Among his stanchest friends Colonel Vigo reckoned John Badollet, 
and the ties of afifection which bound the two men were only severed by 
the grave. Their separation, however, was of short duration, as it was 
only a year after Colonel Vigo sought "his chamber in the silent halls of 
death" until he was joined in the realms beyond by the spirit of his bosom 
companion. John Badollet was foremost among the citizens of his day, and 
the many virtues he possessed will continue to be recalled by the people of 
Old \'incennes for a long time to come. He was a native of Switzerland, 
and was born in the city of Geneva in the year 1758. His father was a 
Lutheran minister, and the son inherited from him a spirit of goodness and 
benevolence which characterized all his acts. While not overzealous in 
church work, but dispensing charity lavishly and unostentatiously, he was a 
devout Christian and never lost an opportunity to attend religious devotions. 
Badollet and Albert Gallatin were natives of the same town in Switzerland, 
and an attachment formed between them in their youth ripened into the 
most fervent friendship after they became citizens of the United States. 
Both young men arrived in this country in the year 1776, Gallatin coming 
over several months in advance of Badollet, and later sending the latter 
money by which he was enabled to make the trip. Their destination was 




.KJIIN J'.ADOLLET 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 147 

some settlement in the state of Pennsylvania, where they located and formed 
a copartnership in business. While residents of the province of Pennsyl- 
vania both were honored with positions of trust. Mr. Gallatin was 
subsequently given a portfolio in the cabinet of President JefTerson, and 
Mr. Badollet, at the request of Mr. Gallatin, took up his residence at Vin- 
cennes, where, through the personal influence of the latter, he was several 
years later appointed registrar of the public land office. The faithfulness with 
which he discharged his official duties is attested by the fact that during all 
of his administration of the exacting and complicated requirements of that 
office, extending over a period of nearly thirty-five years, his work was prac- 
tically errorless, and he never invited the criticism of his superiors, nor in- 
curred the displeasure of a patron. He continued to hold the responsible 
position of registrar until the year 1836, when he resigned, his son Albert 
becoming his successor. John Badollet acted in the capacity of one of the 
commissioners to adjust land grants in the district of Vincennes, receiving 
his commission from the United States government. In 1816 he was one 
of the members of a convention that framed the first constitution of the 
state of Indiana, and a conspicuous and prominent figure of that distin- 
guished body, engrafting into the celebrated document some of its wisest 
provisions. As a member of the convention of Indiana, he was placed on 
the most important committees, proving himself always wise, resourceful 
and considerate in the promulgation of laws. John Badollet was a man 
close to the hearts of the people and by them frequently had thrust upon him 
official honors he did not seek. Among the important public positions he 
was called upon to fill was that of a member of the board of trustees of the 
Vincennes university. Colonel Vigo was also one of the trustees of the 
university, and both received their appointment at the same time, in the 
year 1806, and aided in the organization of the first board created for the 
government of that institution. On the chapel walls of the university is a 
crayon drawing of these two men, reproduced from oil paintings of the 
originals, enclosed in a single frame, suggestive of the close relationship ex- 
isting between them. 

The Western Sun* of August 5, 1837, contains the following mention of 
Mr. Badollet: "Died, on Saturday, the 29th of July, 1837, in this place, 
John Badollet, Esq., aged eighty-two years. Mr. Badollet was for a num- 
ber of years registrar of the land office in this place, which situation he re- 
signed some time last year. He was a member of the convention that 
framed the constitution of Indiana, and in every situation in life was honest, 
faithful and just. He lived without an enemy and died regretted and 
mourned by all." 

John Badollet had the distinction of having been the first registrar of 
the first public land office established in the west, and received his appoint- 
ment in 1804. In 1836, as already stated, he was succeeded by his son 



* The Western Sun, Centennial Edition, July 4, 1904. 



148 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

Albert, who held the position until March, 1840. The latter's successors, 
with date of the beginning of their respective terms, were as follows : Dr. 
H. Decker, April, 1844; John Meyers, 1845; James S. Mayes, January, 
1847; John C. Clark, 1849; John R. Jones, 1853; James S. Mayes, Septem- 
ber, 1856. For some reason, not definitely known today, the office was 
closed June 12, 1850, and reopened by an order from the executive head of 
the department of public lands April 23, 1853, when the appointment of 
Jones as registrar was made. In December, 1861, the office was abolished. 

The first receiver of the land office at Vincennes was Nathaniel Ewing, 
grandfather of William L. Ewing, Jr., who received his appointment in 
May, 1807. Nathaniel Ewing was another of the pioneer citizens who was 
honored with position and power. He was a man of sterling worth, wealthy 
and influential, and an evidence of his honesty and ability in the discharge of 
the duties of his position is had in the fact that he was allowed to hold the 
office through the workings of four or five different administrations, volun- 
tarily tendering his resignation in 1824. His immediate successor was John 
Cleves Simms Harrison, son of Governor Harrison, who took charge in 
February, 1824. He was succeeded by John D. Wolverton, June, 1830; he 
by James P. Drake. August, 1834; he by John Love, July, 1838; he by 
Thomas Scott, March, 1841 ; he by Samuel Wise, the uncle of Messrs. Louis 
and John B. Wise, who are the only male descendants of this numerous 
and prominent pioneer family now living. The successor of Mr. Wise was 
R. N. Carnan, father of William Caman; he by John C. Heberd, great uncle 
of William Heberd; he by J. H. E. Sprinkle, father of Wythe Sprinkle; 
he by George E. Greene, father of Ex-Mayor Greene. The last receiver 
was the late Abner T. Ellis, who took charge of the office in January, 1861. 
On December 20th of that year the office was permanently closed. Mr. 
Ellis at this time was one of Vincennes' most prominent citizens, and held 
the important position of president of the Ohio and Mississippi Railroad. 
He was a brilliant lawyer, a refined and highly educated gentleman, and 
lived in an elegant colonial mansion on Second street, now the home of the 
Pastime Club. Judge Ellis' daughter, Miss Lucy, was the acknowledged 
belle of Vincennes in the early sixties, her personal charms and rare accom- 
plishments winning her a legion of admirers. 

When the land office was discontinued in 1853 nearly all of the public 
domains in Indiana had been disposed of — "and that was the reason," says 
Dr. Suntli, "for the closing of the establishment here at that time; but some 
swamp and hilly lands were yet owned by Uncle Sam, and the office was 
reopened by executive order to make a finale disposition of them. To facili- 
tate the sale of these waste lands, congress passed a special act, reducing 
the price of them to twelve and a half cents per acre. There were many 
superior small tracts scattered over the state termed 'lost lands,' where no 
owners were visible, and many swamp lands that could be easily reclaimed, 
hence there was soon a rush to the Vincennes land office, and soon there 
was done, in this city, truly a 'land office business;' for home-seekers and 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 149 

speculators crowded the office in real Oklahoma style, and but a few months 
elapsed until all the lands in the state were entered, and Vincennes ceased to 
be the Mecca of land brokers. In less than fifty-five years nine-tenths of 
the wild Indian lands of this vast Indiana territory have been retrieved by 
the Caucasian race, through the hands of industry and thrift, and advanced 
to the present pinnacle of civilization, refinement and power, and until 
'Hoosierdom' is at a premium in science, literature and art." 



CHAPTER XV. 
THE CONCEPTION OF CLARK'S NORTHWESTERN CAMPAIGN 

GEORGE ROGERS CLARK LEAVES VIRGINIA TO BECOME A CITIZEN OF KENTUCKY — 
A TOWER OF STRENGTH W^ITH PEOPLE OF ADOPTED STATE ELECTED TO LEG- 
ISLATURE URGES NEEDS OF HIS CONSTITUENTS BEFORE GOVERNOR HENRY 

AND LEGISLATURE — PROCURES GUNPOWDER FROM VIRGINIA FOR PROTECTION 

OF KENTUCKY SETTLEMENTS THE VOYAGE WITH THE AMMUNITION — 

REVEALS TO GOVERNOR PATRICK HENRY PLANS OF HIS PROPOSED CAM- 
PAIGN AGAINST BRITISH IN NORTHWEST TERRITORY EXPEDITION LEAVES 

CORN ISLAND UNDER DISTRESSING CONDITIONS — THE VOYAGE DOWN THE 

OHIO THE MARCH FROM FORT MASSAC TO KASKASKIA THE BEWILDERED 

GUIDE ARRIVAL OF CLARK AND HIS MEN AT KASKASKIA — THE SURPRISED 

NATIVES — CAPTURE OF THE FORT ROCHBLAVE, COMMANDANT, TAKEN 

PRISONER TO VIRGINIA COUNCILS WITH THE INDIANS. 

The conquest of the Northwest Territory furnished a great drama of 
change, revealing Vincennes, alternately, in the grasp of three of the most 
powerful nations upon the face of the globe, and creating four characters 
which stand forth with distinctive boldness and striking individuality. First 
and foremost among them is George Rogers Clark, in a role calling for a dis- 
play of patriotic and heroic acting so powerful, impressive, eloquent and 
thrilling, so replete with terrible realism, that the fulsome comments of some 
historical critics but convey a faint conception of its marvelous interpreta- 
tion. Pierre Gibault and Francis Vigo are two other personages who ap- 
pear in the full flare of the lime-light of commendation, and the echoes from 
the stinted plaudits they elicited while on the stage of action will gather 
strength with the passing years and continue to resound in the mental cor- 
ridors of coming generations as long as patriotism and love of country re- 
main holy themes with the American people ; while the fourth character- 
Henry Hamilton — conspicuous only because of the plutonian shades that 
surround it, will grow darker and more fiendish the oftener the bloody 
scenes and incidents of the powerful historical tragedy are recalled. 

To comment upon the magnitude, as well as magnificence of design, the 
perseverance and zeal preceding its inauguration, the valor and patriotism 
displayed in its consummation, the bravery and skill and tact required in 

150 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 151 

its execution, and the momentous results to the whole nation following the 
last act in the great drama without first giving a formal introduction to the 
chief actor, would be to slight the author, commander and executive head of 
an expedition that is unparalleled in the military annals of the old or new 
world. 

George Rogers Clark was born in Albermarle County, Virginia, of Eng- 
lish and Scotch parents, in 1752. His early education was obtained in the 
log school houses of the Old Dominion. In the studies of mathematics and 
geography he was very proficient, his application to these branches no doubt 
being stimulated by a desire to adopt surveying as a profession, an avocation 
that would enable him to satiate an innate desire for adventure; and he 
quitted school at the age of seventeen fully equipped for the work. It was 
not long thereafter until the confines of his native county became too small 
for him, and in 1775 his love for adventure and gain led him for the tliird 
time across the mountains into Kentucky. He had, prior to this time, com- 
manded a company of militia in Dunmore's war, and his army experience, 
together with the pursuits of a surveyor, had imparted to his fine physique 
additional strength and agility and a soldierly bearing, while his counte- 
nance, aglow with vigor and health, denoted the activity of a mind filled with 
noble and inspiring thoughts.* Returning to the home of his father in the 
fall of that year, he was importuned to do military service with the Virginia 
Continentals in the east, but the wild fascinations of the trackless wilder- 
nesses he had just visited created such a longing within him to return that 
he refused to accept the tempting offer of an army officer's commission. 
The spring of 1776 found him again plodding the mountain passes and path- 
less forests towards Kentucky, which he proposed to make his future home, 
that he might more readily be enabled to realize his dream of empire and 
formulate the plot for enacting the great drama of change in the Northwest 
Territory, in which fate had cast him to play such an important part. While 
his penetrating mind unfolded to his mental vision the resourcefulness of 
the vast country that lay beyond the Ohio river, and he had already con- 
jured up in his youthful brain the plan for acquiring it, his first thoughts 
were of the people of Kentucky and those from his own state who had pre- 
ceded, and were yet to follow, him into the wilds of a country which at that 



* Quite a number of historians, who have written learnedly and exhaustively on 
the exploitations of George Rogers Clark, make no reference to the physical appear- 
ance of the man. Governor Reynolds, however, is a notable exception, and in his 
splendid Pioneer History of Illinois describes our hero thusly : "Colonel Clark him- 
self was nature's favorite, in his person as well as mind. He was large and athletic, 
capable of doing much ; yet formed with such noble symmetry and manly beauty that 
he combined much grace and elegance, together with great firmness of character. He 
was grave and dignified in his deportment ; agreeable and affable with his soldiers, 
when relaxed from duty; but in a crisis — when the fate of his campaign was at stake, 
or the lives of his brave warriors were in danger — his deportment became stern and 
severe. His appearance, in these perils, indicated, without language, to his men, that 
every soldier must do his duty." 



152 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

time had only two or three white settlements. No sooner had he put foot 
on Kentucky soil than he busied himself in visiting these sparse settlements 
for the purpose of laying before the settlers his plans of a proposed meeting 
to be held at Harrodstown, to discuss the better means to be adopted by 
the colonists for protection against the savages, and for the further purpose 
of invoking the aid of Virginia in establishing defenses and making provi- 
sion for military operations along the Kentucky borders. At this meeting, 
the assemblage of hardy backwoodsmen, impressed by Clark's pleasing ad- 
dress, manly and prepossessing appearance, his eloquence and enthusiasm, 
and knowing his energy, boldness, bravery and fearlessness, and his knowl- 
edge of the red man, with all the latter's cunning, craftiness and skill, ap- 
pointed him commander-in-chief of militia, and subsequently delegated him 
and John Gabriel Jones to go to Virginia and acquaint the legis- 
lature of the Old Dominion with the condition of the harassed 
settlements and the demands of the settlers. The journey from Har- 
rodstown to Williamsburg, as made by Clark and Jones, was by land, in- 
stead of water, and was a long and hazardous trail over the wilderness road 
where travel was impeded by mountains and mud and the traveler subjected 
to constant danger from Indian attacks. During the trip one of Clark's 
horses died, and he was obliged to walk until his feet became so sore and 
blistered that, in long years after, he declared he "suffered more torment 
than he had ever done before or since." Owing to the many interruptions 
along the route, when they arrived at Williamsburg, much to their sorrow 
and disappointment, they found that the legislature had adjourned. Jones 
immediately retraced his steps towards the settlements on the Holston ; but 
Clark, with a determination to do and dare ever present, was more per- 
severing, and resolved if he could not have a conference with the legisla- 
ture he would at least hold an interview with the governor. Accordingly 
he sought the famous patriot and orator, Patrick Henry, then governor of 
Virginia, who lay upon a bed of sickness at his home in Hanover County. 
The handsome frontiersman, who was scarcely more than twenty-three years 
old, but whose youthful mind was then being directed to the solution of 
difficult military, as well as governmental, problems of broad and far-reach- 
ing consequences, impressed the governor with much favor and was gra- 
ciously received into his presence. Young Clark explained the importance 
of organizing society in the settlements of Kentucky and of the necessity 
of providing the colonists with military as well as civil protection, by the 
enactment of laws for the government of the people, guaranteeing them 
personal and property rights and protecting them in the same by forces of 
armed men drilled in the arts of war. In the gathering clouds of the revo- 
lution, which were now casting an ominous shadow over the country, Clark 
discerned the fury of the impending storm, and realized that the sparsely 
settled wilderness beyond the Allegheny mountains, and the brave and dar- 
ing people who had risked so much to take up their abodes therein, were in 
imminent peril unless provided with better military protection than that 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 153 

afforded by the untrained militia that guarded the irregular defenses of 
isolated posts. Governor Henry listened attentively to the young patriot, 
and was overcome with the zeal and earnestness in which he pleaded the 
cause of the people of his adopted state, giving him a favorable letter to 
the Virginia legislature and recommending that Clark's request for five hun- 
dred pounds of gunjxjwder be granted. The legislature at first refused to 
grant an order for the gunpowder, upon the ground that they had no legal 
authority to do so, and that* if they violated the law by disposing of money 
or property of the state which they were not authorized to do, their only 
remedy would be to trust to a future legislature to legalize their actions 
which they hesitated to do unless Clark would agree to be responsible for 
the powder in the event the legislature failed to legalize the transaction ; be- 
sides, they expected Clark to be at the expense of transporting it to Ken- 
tucky. Whether this latter requirement appeared within the bounds of rea- 
son to members of the legislature, or not, it struck Clark as being very un- 
reasonable, inasmuch as he desired the powder for the protection of the 
state and the frontiers and the people along its western borders, and had 
already gone to considerable personal expense and subjected himself to ex- 
posure and discomfiture, without the hope or desire of reward or reimburse- 
ment. To say the least, the conduct of the legislature was not only un- 
reasonable in this respect, but it was unjust, and Clark very promptly re- 
fused to approve of it by notifying the honorable body that if it did not 
see fit to grant his request, without conditions, he would refuse to receive it 
otherwise, maintaining that if Virginia claimed the Kentucky country, then 
it was her duty to aid in protecting the Kentuckians against tlie hostilities 
of savages ; that "a country which was not worth defending was not worth 
claiming." He called the attention of the legislators to the fact that the 
Kentuckians would consider they had been abandoned by Virginia, and 
predicted that necessity would force them, in all probability, to look in 
another direction for protection, which, he doubted not, would be readily 
forthcoming; that if the settlers could not obtain assistance to protect them 
from the enemy, they would either be subjected to annihilation or driven 
from the country, and the older settlements would then become the objec- 
tive points of attack. So manfully, eloquently, adroitly, did he press his 
claim before the council of Virginia that that body, on August 23, 1776, 
took favorable action thereon by making an order reading as follows : 

"Mr. George Rogers Clark, having represented to this board the defenseless state 
of the inhabitants of Kentucki ; and having requested, on their behalf, tliat they should 
be supplied with five hundred weight of gunpowder ; 

"Ordered, therefore, that the said quantity of gunpowder be forthwith sent to 
Pittsburg, and delivered to the commanding officer of that station, by him to be safely 
kept, and delivered to the said George Rogers Clark, or his order, for the use of the 
said inhabitants of Kentucki." 



* W. H. English. Conqvest of the Northiuesi, vol. i, pp. 74, 75- 



154 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

By the foregoing proceeding the Kentucky country was not only con- 
sidered as a part of Virginia, but George Rogers Clark's credentials as a 
member of the Virginia council from Kentucky was recognized, and he 
was made a major of Virginia militia. The transportation of the gun- 
powder from Fort Pitt to Kentucky was an undertaking which called for 
heroism and resourcefulness, qualities which made Clark conspicuous among 
all his fellows. It was early in the spring of 1777, when a flat-boat, laden 
with the ammunition, secretly and cautiously left the shores of the Ohio at 
Fort Pitt, headed for Harrodstown. The crew consisted of Clark, his col- 
league Jones and five other men. While yet within the shadow of the fort 
the crew beheld the forms of Indians, moving stealthily along the shore. 
At the very outset the journey became one of excitement, anxiety and 
danger ; but, apparently unalarmed, Clark moved on. As the boat progressed 
in its course the savages increased in numbers and in boldness, and from 
along the shores sent their poisoned arrows and leaden missiles towards 
the voyageurs, who made use of the boat's gimnels for breast-works. Not 
a bend in the river was turned but what the boatmen were greeted by de- 
fiant bands of prowling Indians who fired on the voyageurs without effect 
and were answered by the sharp report from long-barreled rifles in the 
hands of marksmen having unerring aim. After two days' voyage the men, 
with the exception of Jones, became so alarmed at the multiplying numbers 
of the savages along the route that they advised the abandonment of the 
boat and an escape to the woods as a means of safety. Clark, who was 
made of sterner stuff, with an oath and a scowl, shamed them out of the 
notion, and thus saved both the munition and the lives of those who were 
guarding it. And for four more days and nights, with bloodthirsty Indians 
in sight the greater part of the time, the boat plied on, at the close of the 
fourth night, under cover of darkness, and' with muffled oars, pulling up at 
Limestone Creek (Maysville, Ky.) Clark and his men, well nigh exhausted, 
disembarked and secreted the powder on shore, dragging themselves to th>- 
nearest settlement, which was too weak to offer any substantial aid. Here 
Clark met Kenton, the companion of Boone, and an Indian fighter of dis- 
tinction, who guided him to Harrodstown where the overjoyed populace 
greeted him with exclamations of joy and admiration. Clark left Jones and 
the balance of the crew at Limestone to guard the boat and powder until 
he could make provision to remove them with safety. Soon after his de- 
parture "Colonel John Todd* arrived with a small military force, and being 
apprised by Jones of the situation, they attempted to transport the powder 
with an escort of only ten men, but before reaching it they were attacked 
and entirely routed by Indians, several taken prisoners and three killed, 
among the latter John Gabriel Jones." Clark was pursued on his way to 
Harrodstown by Indians, but good fortune, as usual, attended him, and he 



* W. H. English, Conquest of the Northwest, pp. 78, 79. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 156 

reached his destination unharmed. On* learning of the defeat of Todd's 
party Clark raised a company of thirty men who were sent after the powder 
and brought it in safety to Harrodstovvn. Clark proved to be the most 
daring and successful Indian fighter the frontier borders ever knew, and 
had he not come into Kentucky at the time he did the fate of the people 
would have been vastly different. Boone and his followers believed in a 
defensive warfare against the savages. Clark was for the aggressive mode 
bf fighting, and insisted on carrying the fight into the enemy's camp — in 
burning and plundering their villages, destroying their crops and reducing 
to ashes every habitation wherein the hostile red men dwelt in order to 
impress them with the horrors of invasion. It was through the wise leader- 
ship of Clark, as a warrior and a counsellor, that Indian hostilities became 
less frequent in Kentucky and social order was brought out of chaos. His 
wonderful ability to cope with the savages and his wisdom and discretion 
in the organization of society in the backwoods settlements were largely in- 
strumental in Kentucky taking rank at any early day among the important 
commonwealths of the western countr)\ There was nothing superficial 
about the man. While not a statesman, he had all the qualifications of one, 
had made a close study of governmental afifairs, and was capable of grasping 
the most intricate economical problems. His talents were varied and had 
he cultivated them there is hardly a station in the world of afifairs in any 
country of any day he could not have filled with distinction. He was a 
born leader of men, around whose standard individuals as well as com- 
munities rallied. He was quick in reaching conclusions because his fine 
discernment permitted him to take in a situation at a glance, and his power- 
ful mental vision enabled him to foretell results of actions far in advance 
of their actual occurrence, and to gauge the strength of a position at first 
sight. He was aware that the British in the north and west were inciting 
murderous and foraging bands of Indians to make forays into Kentucky, 
and that the settlements of the middle west could never expect peace, 
growth or prosperity as long as these conditions were tolerated. His men- 
tal gaze swept the country in the direction of the northwestern horizon, 
and at Detroit, Kaskaskia and Vincennes he saw the British installed in 
positions formerly occupied by the French. From these posts the savages 
were sent forth to plunder and kill the colonists, for whose welfare and 
happiness he was bending his every energy. His quick and keen percep- 
tion made clear to him that to march against and destroy these British 
strongholds would not only lessen the invasions of their bloody emissaries 
on Kentucky soil, but it would be a bold strike at British tyranny in de- 
fense of American liberty and humanity, with the ultimate result of ac- 
quiring for his beloved Virginia a vast scope of rich and fertile country. 
The importance of such an undertaking grew upon him. The proposed 
enterprise, which was the conception of his own brain, engrossed his every 



* VV. H. English, Conquest of the Northwest. 



156 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

thought. The more he contemplated it, the stronger became his desire to 
carry it into execution. His dream of empire had awakened new ambitions. 
His patriotism was aroused by the thought of deaUng a death blow to 
His Britannic Majesty and wresting from the monarch's grasp the most 
priceless of his North American possessions. He saw the possibility of 
becoming the conqueror of the domains of a king. The idea quickened the 
pulsations of his heart. His whole being was electrified with enthusiasm, 
but he never allowed his emotions to betray his thoughts. Confiding in no 
one, he kept his plan hidden from even intimate friends, and guarded it 
with as jealous care as the miser does his hoarded gold. Clark had openly 
and freely advocated the establishment of a military post in the enemy's 
country, north of the Ohio, as a means of intercepting the savages on their 
detours towards Kentucky, and for the purpose of breaking up the rally- 
ing points in the northwest, where the English formed foray parties to 
descend on the settlers. Two young hunters in the meantime had been 
dispatched to the Illinois country as spies, not dreaming that the informa- 
tion Clark* sought might be for ulterior purposes. However, they soon 
returned, reporting that at Kaskaskia and Vincennes the British, who were 
careless in the maintenance of their fortifications, had attempted to make 
the French believe that the backwoodsmen of Virginia and Kentucky, and 
all Americans, were worse than barbarians and more cruel and hostile than 
the savages ; that, while this deception was undertaken for the purpose of 
winning the French over to the British, the former gave no evidence of 
other than a cold attachment for His Britannic Majesty. 

Clark's dream of the conquest of the northwest led him to again tread 
the wildernesses and trail over the mountains, with his secret locked within 
his bosom, and as far removed as ever from the knowledge of the settlers, 
but soon to be revealed in strictest confidence to one man. It was in Oc- 
tober, 1777, when he started from Harrodstown for Virginia, taking cau- 
tious leave of his devoted constituents, who implored him with tears not 
to forsake them, feeling that in his absence some direful calamity might 
befall them. The attachment between this resourceful man, this wonderful 
genius, and the settlers was mutual, and in taking his departure on this 
occasion, he subsequently said that, "I left them with reluctance, promising 
them that I would return to their assistance, which I had predetermined."! 



* From the reports they brought him in the late summer, he judged the French 
of the northern territory were very passive and indifferent in their loyalty to the 
British, without any partisan feeling in the revolutionary struggle, but much in dread 
of an incursion from the Kentucky frontiersmen of whose ferosity they had heard 
strange talcs.— [Lynn Lew Sprague, in The Outing Magazine, January, 1907I 

t He had carefully looked over the western field and determined that he could 
best serve his country by leading a force against the enemy's posts in the Illinois and 
on the Wabash. The authority to do it, and the men and means to make it a success, 
could only come from the home government of Virginia. To that he now directed his 
attention, with his usual caution, good judgment and energy. He went to Williams- 
burg, still the capital of the state, and there, at first, quietly employed himself in set- 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 157 

Having found himself once again within the confines of the Old Dominion, 
his native state, which witnessed his daring exploits before he was out of 
his teens, winning the confidence, respect and admiration of soldiers, pa- 
triots and statesmen, young Clark sought Governor Patrick Henry at Wil- 
liamsburg, and to him confided the secret hitherto known only to himself. 
Governor Henry had not forgotten the stalwart young warrior who had, 
the year before, called on him at his home in Hanover County, and on this 
occasion was even more cordial and considerate to his guest. In the tall 
and graceful figure that stood before him the governor, recognizing a man 
of destiny — a leader of men, born to execute marvelous deeds, whose aim 
in life was to accomplish great things — readily acquiesced in the scheme 
which the visitor laid before him with irresistible bursts of passionate and 
patriotic eloquence. 

This memorable meeting occurred on December lo, 1777, and of 
it, [in his memoirs] Clark says: "At first he [the governor] seemed to be 
fond of it, but to detach a party at so great a distance, although the service 
performed might be of great utility, appeared daring and hazardous, as 
nothing but secrecy could give success to the enterprise. To lay the matter 
before the assembly then sitting would be dangerous, as it would soon be 
known throughout the frontiers, and probably the first prisoner taken by 
the Indians would give the alarm, which would end in the certain destruc- 
tion of the project." Governor Henry, while realizing the danger to which 
the invading party might be subjected, did not fail to comprehend the im- 
mense benefit that might accrue to the country should the campaign prove 
successful. He. however, felt that the matter was one of most vital im- 
portance, calling for the prayerful and earnest consideration of men of 
wisdom and discernment, and accordingly surrounded himself with a coterie 
of able and distinguished citizens with whom to counsel and advise. The 
gentlemen composing this secret and confidential board of advisers and 
counselors were Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, George Wythe, George 
Mason and George Rogers Clark — "five men," says Mr. English, "who 
made an honorable impress upon the age in which they lived, and who 



tling the accounts of the Kentucky militia, which shows that he had been in military 
authority in the Kentucky country, but he was, in fact, all the time feeling his way to 
the development of his great plan of striking the British posts northwest of the Ohio 
river. — [W, H. English, Conquest of the Northzvest, p. 87.] What gave Clark greater 
confidence in having the Governor consider his proposition with favor was Burgoyne's 
recent defeat and captivity of the British regulars, which represented a large portion 
of Great Britain's military forces in America at that time, and why he delayed so long 
presenting his views to Virginia's chief executive after his arrival in Williamsburg is 
not stated. Mr. English says Clark "talked confidentially upon the subject to a few 
discreet friends, but it was about two months after his arrival in Virginia before he 
ventured to lay his plans before the Governor of the State." If he did really divulge 
his secret to any of his friends, before confiding in the Governor, the names of his 
confidants have never been made public. It has always been understood, until his 
interview with the Governor, that he kept his own counsel in the matter in question. 
Vol. I— 11 



158 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

may justly be ranked with the first men of their time, if not, indeed, of any 
time; and seldom in the annals of military affairs has a stronger body of 
men assembled to consider the expediency of a campaign than was as- 
sembled on this occasion." 

Contrary to the inference of many, neither Jefferson, Wythe nor Mason 
— who, with Henry and Clark, had the weighty proposition under advise- 
ment for several weeks — were members of the Virginia Council. These 
distinguished gentlemen, say the memoirs of Clark made the minutest 
examination into his proposed plan of operations, inquiring particularly as 
to his method of retreat (in the event of failure of tlie project) into Span- 
ish territory, across the Mississippi. The matter was not brought officially 
to the attention of the Council until Friday, January 2, 1778, when the 
"expedition against Kaskaskia" was set forth in a communication addressed 
by the governor to the honorable body and approved — the same to be in- 
augurated "with as little delay and as much secrecy as possible." The 
council also empowered the governor to issue his warrant upon the treas- 
ury for twelve hundred pounds to George Rogers Clark, "who is willing to 
undertake the service, he giving bond and security faithfully to account for 
the same." And thus the expedition was launched. The authority for 
these proceedings was under a law of the Virginia legislature, passed by 
the general assembly then in session, authorizing "the governor, with the 
advice of the privy council," to organize an expedition "to march against 
and attack any of our western enemies, and give the necessary orders for 
the expedition." According to a statement alleged to have been made by 
Clark, the real intent of this law (which, of course, was framed and passed 
for the purpose of giving the governor power to issue orders to aid Clark 
in carrying out his conquest against the British in the northwest) was 
known to "but few in the house" at the time of its passage. Whether or 
not this was the case, it was intended that the general public should be 
kept in blissful ignorance of Clark's intentions, and for that reason Gov- 
ernor Henry issued two sets of orders to Colonel Clark — one public, direct- 
ing him to proceed to Kentucky without delay to enlist seven companies of 
men, officered in the usual manner, to act as militia under his orders ; the 
other, secret, directing him "to march against Kaskaskia, seize the British 
fort, munitions of war, and whatever articles that may be of advantage to 
tlie state, but to treat British subjects and all who may fall into his hands 
with humanity." 

Having been given authority to enlist for his expedition three hundred 
and fifty men, Clark, after much labor, was obliged to content himself with 
less than half that number. "The jealousy between \'irginia and Pennsyl- 
vania," says Mr. Thwaites,* "and the impossibility of revealing his pur- 
pose, made it difficult for Clark to raise volunteers ; indeed, he met with 
considerable opposition from those who apparently suspected this western 



* R. G. Thwaites, How George Rogers Clark Won the Norllnvest, p. 19. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 159 

movement, on political grounds, or were jealous of an attempt to sequester 
men whose services were needed in the defense of the mountain valleys.! 
It was May, 1778, before he could collect about one hundred and fifty bor- 
derers from the clearings and hunters' camps of the Allegheny foothills, 
both east and west of the range." 

The rough and ready recruits that formed Clark's first contingent of 
the army of conquest was a queer lot no doubt; fresh from the backwoods, 
unfamiliar with military tactics, clad in homespun or buckskin, shod with 
moccasins, the dress of the privates and the uniforms of the officers were 
very similar. "Perhaps," says Mr. Thwaites,* "the majority of the corps 
had loose, thin trousers of homespun or buckskin, with a fringe of leather 
thongs down each outer seam of the legs ; but many wore only leggings of 
leather, and were as bare of knee and thigh as a Highland clansman ; in- 
deed, many of the pioneers were Scotch-Irish, some of whom had been 
accustomed to this airy costume in the mother land. Common to all were 
fringed hunting shirts or smocks, generally of buckskin — a picturesque 
flowing garment reaching from neck to knees, and girded about the waist 
by a leather belt, from which dangled the tomahawk and scalping knife. 
On one hip hung the carefully scraped powder horn ; on the other a leather 
sack, serving both as game bag and provision pouch, although often the 
folds of the shirt, full and ample above the belt, were the depository for 
food and ammunition. A broad-rimmed felt hat, or a cap of fox skin or 
squirrel skin, with the tail dangling behind, crowned the often tall and al- 
ways sinewy frontiersman. His constant companion was his home-made 
flintlock rifle — a clumsy, heavy weapon, so long that it reached to the 
chin of the tallest man. but unerring in the hands of an expert marksman 
such as was each of these backwoodsmen. They were rough in manners 
and in speech. Among them, we must confess, were men who had fled 



t In a letter to Mason Clark says : "Many leading Men in the f ronteers * * * 
had like to have put an end to the enterprise, not knowing my Destination, and 
through a spirit of obstinacy they combined and did everything that lay in their power 
to stop the men that had Enlisted, and set the whole Fronteers in an uproar, even con- 
descended to harbour and protect those that Deserted ; I found my case desperate, the 
longer I remained, the worse it was * * * j plainly saw that my Principal Design 
[an attack on Detroit] was baffled * * * j ^vas resolved to push to Kentucky with 
what men I could gather in West Augusta ; being joined by Capts. Bowman and 
Helms, who had raised a Compy. for the Expedition, but two thirds of them was stopt 
by the undesigned Enemies to the Country that I have before mentioned. In the 
whole I had about one hundred and fifty Men Collected and set sail for the Falls of 
the Ohio [Louisville]." 

* R. G. Thwaites, //ojc George Rogers Clark Won the NortliwesI, pp. 20, 21, 22. 
The garb which Mr. Thwaites so interestingly describes was not confined to any 
nationality, nor did it belong to any particular locality — it was the typical dress of the 
pioneer hunters and trappers, as well as many of the early colonists of all western and 
northern sections of the country, and, as he says, was the conventional attire of the 
borderers during the eighteenth century — "an adaptation to local conditions, being in 
part borrowed from the Indians." 



160 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

from the coast settlements because no longer to be tolerated in a law-abiding 
community. There were not lacking mean, brutal fellows, whose innate 
badness had, on the untrammeled frontier, developed into wickedness. 
Many joined Clark for mere adventure, for plunder and deviltry. The 
majority, however, were men of good parts, who sought to protect their 
homes at whatever peril — sincere men, as large of heart as they were of 
frame, many of them in later years developing into citizens of a high type 
of effectiveness in a frontier commonwealth. As a matter of history most 
of them proved upon this expedition to be heroes worthy of the fame they 
won and the leader whom they followed." Clark had a wonderful faculty 
of winning the confidence and respect of his men, who looked on him with 
both awe and admiration. Over these heroic backwoodsmen who had en- 
gaged in bloody hand-to-hand encounters with savages and fought wild 
beasts in forest and glen, Clark wrought a magic spell— bringing them 
within a few days completely under his control by enforcing disciplinary 
measures among a class who had never known restraint, to which they con- 
formed without a full realization of having been taught discipline ; "and on 
the I2th of May," he writes in his celebrated letter to Mason, "I set out 
from Redstone [Brownsville, Pa.], leaving the country in great confusion, 
much distressed by Indians." Regulation flatboats such as were used by 
the early settlers were the vessels in which the party floated cautiously 
down the Monongahela into the waters of the Ohio, stopping at Wheeling 
and Pittsburg to take on supplies and to provide themselves with munitions 
of war through requisitions drawn by Governor Henry on the military offi- 
cials at those points ; and on the last day of May, or first of June, the ex- 
pedition arrived at the falls of the Ohio (Louisville). They encountered 
little or no opposition from the numerous Indian war parties they met en 
route, and having been joined at the mouth of the Great Kanawha by a 
party of immigrants on their way to the Ozark country, had a pleasant time 
during the remainder of the voyage. "Corn Island," in the center of the 
falls, was selected as the spot to pitch tents, for the reason, as Clark* says 
[his memoirs] "that my secret instructions were yet unknown, even to 
the party with me, and not knowing what would be the consequence when 
they should be divulged on our being joined by the whole, I wished to have 
everything secure as much as possible. I observed the little islandt of 
about seventy acres oi)posite where the town of Lewisville now stands, 
seldom or never was entirely covered by the water. I resolved to take 
possession and fortify, which I did, in June, dividing the island among the 



* This portion of Clark's memoirs, according to the statement of the late William 
H. English, who was in possession of the original manuscripts at the time of his death, 
had never appeared in print until published in English's "Conquest of the Northwest," 
from which valuable work we are enabled to reproduce it. 

t Here a rude fort, designed after the regulation block-houses of frontier posts, 
was built. The settlers also planted the first crop of Indian corn on the island, on 
account of which, it is said, the name Corn Island was applied. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 161 

families for gardens. These families that followed me I now found to be of 
real service, as they were of little expense, and with the invalids, would keep 
possession of this little post until we should be able to occupy the main shore, 
which happened in the fall, agreeable to instructions I had sent from the 
Illinois. The people on the Monongahela, hearing by word, I had sent them, 
of this post, great numbers had moved down. This was one of the princi- 
pal, among other causes, of the rapid progress of the settlement of 
Kentucky. 

Within a few days after taking possession of Corn Island, Colonel Clark 
was joined by Capts. Helm,i Bowman,^ Harrod ^ and Montgomery ,•• 



1 Captain Helm was a native of Fauquier county, Virginia— a man of some 
wealth, having a lair education, and imbued with a spirit of patriotic devotion to 
country. He was the senior in years of both Clark and Bowman, and, unlike them, 
was a married man and the proud head of an interesting family, from whom he tear- 
fully tore himself to answer the call of a soldier. His military career is high and 
honorable, and the splendid service rendered his country on the field of battle was at 
the sacrifice of all his earthly belongings. He died worse than poor in Louisville, in 
1782, and an inventory of his personal estate showed that he only had two coats, one 
waistcoat, one hat, one pair of shoes and a blanket, aggregating in value is 12s. His 
poverty was induced by his representations, while he was in service of Virginia at 
the front, selling his landed estates for continental scrip, which, contrary to belief, 
proved utterly worthless. Much of his property, however, was subsequently recov- 
ered by his children on the ground of lack of consideration. 

2 Major Joseph Bowman came of a wealthy family — a native Virginian, and left 
his comfortable home, in Frederick county, to go on this expedition. He and Gark 
were very close friends, and the latter advised with him in some of his most impor- 
tant military afTairs. In the Illinois campaign he stood shoulder to shoulder with 
Clark, and was next to him in rank. He was probably the only officer of the Amer- 
ican forces to lose his life in actual service. He died in Fort Patrick Henry about 
two months after Vincennes was captured from the British, and his remains were 
interred on the shores of the Wabash near the fort. 

3 Captain William Harrod was a brother of James Harrod, after whom Harrods- 
town, Ky., was named. He had served with Clark in Dunmore's war, and, like his 
colleague, was also a Virginian, having been born in Big Cove Valley, Franklin 
county, December, 1737. He was an expert scout, and had the reputation of being a 
judicious purchaser of army supplies. After the capture of Vincennes he commanded 
a company in the expedition of Colonel John Bowman, a brother of Joseph, against 
the Ohio Indians. He was married in Western Pennsylvania in 1765 and died there 
in 1801, in the locality from which he had recruited a portion of his company. 

•* John Montgomery was the fourth and last captain to join the expedition. Like 
Helm, Bowman and Harrod, he was also born a Virginian, the place of his birth being 
Bottecourt county and the year 1748. He belonged to the celebrated "long hunters" 
which did such effective fighting against the savages in the settlements of southwest- 
ern Kentucky in 1771, had fought with Dunmore at Point Pleasant and figured in 
many other bloody conflicts against the Indians. After Clark took Kaskaskia he sent 
Montgomery to Virginia with prisoners. For a time he lived in Tennessee, where he 
was elected Sheriff, but subsequently returned to Kentucky, to take up arms against 
the hostile Indians, who were again terrorizing the settlements in the southwest por- 
tion of that state. In the latter part of November, 1794, in Livingston county, while 
engaging a host of warriors in deadly conflict, he was killed by a ball from a rifle 
in the hands of one of the enemy. 



162 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

commanding four companies of volunteers, mustered for an invasion of 
the Illinois country. After consulting Colonel Bowman, the county 
lieutenant, and several other gentlemen prominent in the Kentucky 
affairs of that day, Clark decided that it would be inadvisable, at that time, 
owing to the exposed condition of Kentucky, to take too many men with 
the expedition. However, it was decided that the entire command of Capt. 
Montgomery, which was the last to put in an appearance, should be pressed 
into service. Clark had estimated that, to properly carry out his plan of 
conquest and assure the success of his campaign, it would require at least 
five hundred men. Had he succeeded in marshaling such a force, there is 
no doubt but that the taking of Detroit would have followed the capture 
of Kaskaskia, Cahokia and Vincennes. The failure to raise the requisite 
number of troops for carrying out the project as originally conceived by 
the dauntless Virginian, was due largely to the interference of leading men 
in the frontier settlements who, Clark says, not knowing his real design, not 
only discouraged enlistments, but caused the desertion of some who had 
enlisted. And on this account, after a temporary absence, both Bowman 
and Helm returned to Corn Island to find that the ranks of their respective 
commands had been lessened by withdrawals. Clark had not yet found in 
his lexicon the word fail, and in the face of all these discouraging and 
distressing circumstances, resolved to carry out his project or die in the 
attempt. Although he had scarcely more than one hundred and fifty men 
now mustered, he bid defiance to the fates and determined to start out on 
a campaign, the end of which would reveal to the world the inspiring 
visions of his ambitious dreams. The hope of securing additional forces 
for Kentucky's defense, or of obtaining troops from the Holston country, 
which were being recruited by Major Smith,* for the nonce gave him en- 
couragement. On learning subsequently that Smith's boasted numbers 
were only large enough to form one small company, he felt keenly dis- 
appointed, but not disconcerted ; and when many of them withdrew, on 
being apprised of the objective point of the expedition, he heroically and 
strategically kept his outward appearances from betraying the feelings of 
discouragement and disgust he experienced inwardly. 

All of the available forces Clark could collect being now assembled on 
Corn Island, and the eve of departure being close at hand, he revealed to 
his companions in arms for the first time the real object of the campaign 
on which they were about to enter. t While it has never been shown, it is 



* An express had already arrived from Major Smith with information that he 
had recruited four companies on the Halston, ready to be marched to Kentucky. 
Clark also received word that the military strength in Kentucky had been largely in- 
creased since he left there by new-comers. — [W. H. English, Conquest of the North- 
west, p. 127.] 

t Butler's History of Kentucky says : "Here Clark disclosed to the troops his real 
destination to be Kaskaskia; and honorably to the gallant feelings of the times, the 
plan was ardently concurred in by all the detachment, except the company of Captain 
Dillard. The boats were, therefore, ordered to be well secured, and sentries were 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 163 

presumed that Helm and Harrod (and certainly Bowman) were given 
knowledge of the scheme prior to making their voyage down the Ohio, and 
that Montgomery, who came to the falls at a later day, was informed of 
the undertaking immediately upon his arrival. The men whom Clark first 
recruited, and disciplined with kindness, at the announcement of his pro- 
gramme were inclined to be more mutinous than obedient. Many of them 
felt that, having been taken into the ranks in a sort of an informal way, 
and not knowing the nature of the service expected of them, they had a 
perfect right to withdraw after learning of the real object for which they 
were enlisted without being considered deserters. This assumption was 
more than the stifled emotions of Clark could withstand, and he burst forth 
in a torrent of rage, terrorizing the malcontents with the savagery of his 
demeanor and the fierceness of his visage. His frame shook with the 
tremors of anger and his eyes flashed with the fire of defiance and deter- 
mination as he declared that henceforth the strictest military discipline 
would be enforced and that the first man who talked of deserting the ranks 
would do so at his peril.* With this admonition he dismissed the men, 



placed where it was supposed the men might wade across the river to the Kentucky 
shore. This was the day before Clark intended to start; but a little before light the 
greater part of Captain Dillard's company, with a lieutenant whose name is gener- 
ously spared by Colonel Clark, passed the sentinels unperceived, and got to the oppo- 
site bank. This disappointment was cruel, its consequences alarming; Clark immedi- 
ately mounted a party on the horses of Harrodstown gentlemen and sent after the 
deserters, with orders to kill all who resisted ; the pursuers overtook the fugitives 
about twenty miles in advance ; these soon scattered through the woods, and except 
seven or eight, who were brought back, suffered every species of distress. The people 
at Harrodstown felt the baseness of the lieutenant's conduct so keenly and resented 
it with such indignation that they would not for some time let him or his companions 
into the fort." 

* The obstacles with which Clark was confronted, the discouragements he met, 
the disappointments that beset him from the inception of the movement to recruit 
men up to the very moment he started upon hi? expedition, were sufficient to crush 
the spirits of the most ambitious. Here he was, launching a gigantic undertaking with 
a force of one-half the men he expected. His position was so desperate that it filled 
the hearts of his well-wishers with despair. No one realized his weakened condition 
more fully than Clark himself, for he says, "I knew my case was desperate, but the 
more I reflected on my weakness the more I was pleased with the enterprise." To 
falter would have been ruinous. To have shown the least bit of hesitation would 
have led to the disorganization of his lukewarm followers. Few men would have 
been equal to the emergency at this crisis in the progress of such a stupendous under- 
taking. But Clark was. He saw that the only way to hold his half-hearted forces 
in line and win success was to get them in action, and for that reason started several 
days in advance of the designated time towards the enemy's country. Most men would 
have abandoned the project altogether. This, however, was an epoch that marked 
a turning point in the life of George Rogers Clark, as well as in the destiny of the 
nation, and he determined to make the best of a distressing situation, which only 
increased his enthusiasm for conquest and heightened the charm of adventure. Had 
Clark deferred, or declined, to start upon the journey, which ended in such magnifi- 
cent achievements and glorious results, the Northwest Territory may never have 



164 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

whom he had called in a circle around him, and proceeded to give further 
instructions, prior to his departure therefrom, to those who were to re- 
main to guard the island, which had been provided with cabins, temporary 
storehouses and fortifications. Among the men selected for this duty, some 
of whom had seen military service under Clark, were Richard Chenowith, 
James Patten, John McManus, Sr., John AIcManus, Jr., Edward Worth- 
ington, William Swan, Neal Dougherty, Samuel Bickens, John Sitzer, John 
Tuel, William Faith, John Means, Isaac Kimbley, James Graham, James 
Galloway, John Donne, Joseph Hunter, Jacob Reager, John Sinclair, Rob- 
ert Travis. 

It was on June 24, 1778, in the early dawn of a bright morning, that 
Clark and his "small army," comprising in all about one hundred and sev- 
enty-five men, with a transport of flatboats, shot the falls of the Ohio and 
pulled down the river. Three hours before noon of that memorable day 
the moon's shadow, passing over the northern part of the Gulf of Mexico, 
obscured the "tender eye of the pitiful god of day," causing an almost total 
eclipse* of the sun — a phenomenon not understood by the simple back- 
woodsmen, who viewed the spectacle with superstitious dread, looking upon 
it as an ominous foreboding for the success of the undertaking. 

The usual water route — by descending the Ohio to its mouth and as- 
cending the Mississippi — was not pursued, for the reason that Clark knew 
that spies were kept on the river below Kaskaskia, and had resolved to 
march part of the way by land, which necessitated leaving behind much 
necessary baggage and the discarding of all equipments that would be in 
the least cumbersome. By pressing into service relays of oarsmen, and 
running the boats day and night, towards the close of the fourth day the 
party landed at the foot of a small island in the mouth of the Tennessee, 
three leagues above Fort Massac. At the latter place Clark had decided 
to leave the Ohio and take to the land, and the stop at this island was made 
for the purpose of preparing for the march. Shortly after the landing had 
been made, a boat was sighted, and when it hove within hailing distance, 
required to land. Fortunately, the occupants proved to be a hunting party 
friendly to the American cause who were out only eight days from Kas- 
kaskia, and readily imparted much valuable information regarding the con- 
dition of affairs at that post. They stated the fort was in good repair, 



become the priceless possessions of the United States, the boundary lines of our 
common country west would have been the Ohio instead of the Mississippi, the 
Louisiana purchase may not have occurred, and it is not likely the star spangled 
banner would have ever been recognized as an emblem of authority in any of the 
isles of the sea. 

* If Clark's departure at the very time of the occurrence of this eclipse was 
accidental the coincidence is very singular, and it may be he had some information 
of its expected occurrence, and took advantage of it. At all events the departure was 
attended with surroundings but seldom, if ever, equaled in awe-inspiring effect. It 
was a fitting introduction of an event humble in itself, but truly great and far-reaching 
in its ultimate results. [W. H. English, Conquest of the Northwest, p. 100.] 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 165 

strongly fortified and garrisoned, the force defending it outnumbering 
Clark's three to one; that large numbers of Indians, friendly to the British 
and hostile to the Americans, had been in conference with the commandant 
for several days, but had taken their departure, leaving behind only a few 
chiefs. The hunters expressed a desire to join Clark's expedition, and 
after a consultation among the officers and a critical examination of the 
applicants, only one of their number was accepted — John Duff. 

Having concluded preparations at the island, "we moved down to a 
little gully," relates Clark, "a small distance above Massac, in which 
we concealed our boats," etc. And here the forces were allowed to repose 
for the night, "and in the morning took a route to the northwest, having 
a very fatiguing journey for about fifty miles, until we came into those 
level plains that are frequent throughout this extensive country. As I 
knew my success depended on secrecy, I was much afraid of being discov- 
ered in those meadows, as we might be seen in many places for several 
miles." The distance from Fort Massac to Kaskaskia was about one hun- 
dred and twenty miles, affording pathless wildernesses and untrodden prai- 
ries. Before starting on the dreary march Colonel Clark received a letter 
from Colonel Campbell, dated at Pittsburg, infomiing him that France had 
formed an alliance with the United States in the prosecution of the Revo- 
lutionary war, which inspired him with the hope of more readily inducing 
the French inhabitants of settlements in the Illinois and Wabash counties 
to rally under the banner of America, and impelled him to hasten his steps 
in the direction he was going. Indian signs were numerous, but they had 
no terror for Clark. Since the severe reprimand given the men at Corn 
Island a day or two before the expedition started, he had exhibited neither 
passion nor anxiety, until the third day of the march, when John Sanders, 
the principal guide, became bewildered and confused, and finally confessed 
that he had lost the way. Clark strongly suspected the man of deception, 
and charged him with treachery, declaring that he would give him two 
hours in which to regain his bearings, and if he failed to discover the route 
within that length of time he would put him to death. The terror that 
struck his heart by this warning seemed to quicken his perceptive faculties, 
and with the cry of traitor from the whole detachment ringing in his ears, 
the wretched pilot went in search of the trail, which he found within an 
hour, much to his own gratification and to the great satisfaction of Clark 
and his men, who were now convinced, after all, that the poor fellow had 
been really bewildered. 

With renewed vigor, the dauntless and fearless Colonel pushed on, 
reaching the banks of the Kaskaskia river three miles below the town on 
the Fourth of July, just as the shades of evening were falling towards the 
west. Under cover of darkness and with a silence enjoined through fear 
of the death penalty being enforced by the commander, the troops were 
cautiously rowed to the opposite bank of the stream, two hours being re- 
quired in the prosecution of the work. The night being now well advanced, 



166 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

Clark's forces crept stealthily toward the town, having been divided into 
two divisions, one long-drawn out column to surround the village, so that 
none of the villagers might escape, the other, composed of picked men, 
Clark himself led in the direction of the fortress. From every aperture of 
the fort shafts of light shot forth into the darkness and strains of music 
floated out on the still air of a sultry night. Crawling on his hands and 
knees with the stealth of an Indian, Clark approached to within a few feet 
of the British stronghold. Sounds of mirth and jollity and the melody of 
sweet voices fell upon his ear. The officers of the garrison were giving a 
ball, and from the loud and continuous exclamations of the joyous revelers 
it seemed as though the entire populace had graced the occasion with their 
presence. His quick eye noticed that in the midst of all this revelry the 
sentinels had temporarily left their posts, and, gliding swiftly to a postern 
gate on the river side of the enclosure, he passed through and entered the 
fort, having first taken the precaution to place his men about the entrance. 
Finding his way alone to the great hall where the mirth-making spirit had 
reached its zenith, he leisurely strolled to the ballroom door, and leaning 
with folded arms against the jamb, calmly watched the beautiful Creole 
girls whirling in the mazy waltz, apparently as much interested in the fes- 
tivities as though he were an invited guest. He loved the spectacular, and 
eagerly grasped this opportunity for the enactment of a dramatic scene. 
It was, however, some moments before his presence was regarded, and no 
notice had been taken thereof until a painted and plumed Indian chief, re- 
clining on the floor at some distance from the doorway, observing the armed 
stranger, gave a frightful w^ar-whoop. At this alarm the dancing instantly 
ceased, and the joyous mouthings of the merry throng were changed into 
exclamations of alarm. Frightened women ran hither and thither and the 
faces of the men took on grave and serious aspects. But Clark, standing 
as firm and immovable as a statue* of adamant, never twitched a muscle or 
changed his facial expression, as he solemnly bade them to proceed with 
the dance, but to remember that they would dance under Virginia and not 
Great Britain. His men by this time were at his side, with the officers of 
the garrison, including M. Rochblave, commandant of the post, as prison- 
ers. A panic ensued, the females shrieked with fright and swooned on the 
floor, the captured officers gave vent to profane invectives, the war-whoops 



* The ball room incident, preventing Clark as the central figure in the picture, is 
discredited by some historians — at least portions of it. Reuben Gald Thwaites, in his 
Essays in Western History, refers to it as "a picturespue hero tale." Colonel Roose- 
velt, in his Winning of the West, introduces it in the pages forming the body of a 
volume of his work, making the following comment in a foot-note : "Memoir of 
Major E. Denny, by Wm. H. Denny, p. 217. In 'Record of the Court of Upland and 
Military Journal of Major E. Denny. The story was told to Major Denny by Qark 
himself, some time '87 or '88; in process of repetition it evidently became twisted, and, 
as related by Denny, there are some very manifest itiaccuracies but there seems no 
reason to reject it entirely.'" 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 167 

of tlie Indians grew less shrill, and Clark's men overjoyed at the manner 
in which the enemy had been entrapped, rent the air with shouts of victory. 
Instantly every street was guarded, and runners dispatched in all direc- 
tions to notify the people of the town to keep within their homes on the 
penalty of death ; and before the dawn of morning all of the inhabitants 
had been disarmed. Squads of soldiers patroled the streets all night long, 
and a deathly silence such as had never been experienced pervaded the ter- 
rorized village, the inhabitants of which huddled in their adobe houses mute 
with fear. The appearance of the backwoodsmen was so sudden and myste- 
rious that it dumbfounded the villagers. The stern and grim visage of the 
commander and his stubborn silence struck terror to their very hearts. The 
ferocious mien and unkempt condition of his followers and their mad 
onslaught led the dazed inhabitants to believe they had to deal with demons 
and the thought filled their souls with terrible anxiety for their future fate. 
Within two hours after their arrival in Kaskaskia, Clark and his men had 
taken complete possession of the town. The surprise to the officers and 
natives at beholding the invaders was not greater than the victory was over- 
whelming. And not a gun was fired nor a drop of blood shed.* A num- 
ber of the leading citizens had been arrested and put in irons, and other 
bloodless means of increasing the terror of the French inhabitants had 
been resorted to by the resourceful and strategic Virginia Colonel. The 
half-crazed villagers feared that on the morrow they would be put to death, 
or torn from their families and homes and taken as slaves to the Ken- 
tucky country by the murderous backwoodsmen with tales of whose bru- 
tality they had been so often regaled. The British had painted the ''Long 
Knives," as these frontier fighters were called, as fiends incarnate, and the 
simple folks regarded them as nothing less than murderers and assassins 
of women and children. Clark, diplomat that he was, saw a splendid op- 
portunity not only to indulge his passion for the dramatic, but to 
win over the natives to his cause, and he readily took advantage of 
it. After his stern demeanor and stolid indifi^erence to the pitiful pleas 
of the terrified natives had brought them cringing at his feet, he changed 
his attitude completely — surprised his supplicants greatly, and won their 
loyalty, confidence and esteem by the unexpected performance of acts 
that savored of justice, humanity and generosity. A deputation of 
six aged citizens, among whom was the beloved Father Gibault, the 



* It is marvelous that a military post, well provided with soldiers, cannon and 
provisions, in an old town of several hundred families, should have been captured 
without the firing of a gun, by less than two hundred tired and hungry backwoods- 
men, without cannon, army supplies, transportation, or even food. This little band 
had been three days on the river, rowing, by turns, day and night, and for the next 
six days marching across a wild and unknown country, without roads, much of it 
brush or swamp, and in the range of savage foes, making ten days of continuous 
strain and labor, and the last two without food. — [William Ha.vdcn English, Conquest 
of the Country Northivest of the River Ohio, p. 170.] 



168 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

parish priest, called on the haughty Colonel, and feeling themselves 
as captives in the clutches of barbarians, pleaded to be spared, de- 
claring, says Clark, "with the greatest servility they were willing to 
be slaves to save their families." Clark received the callers with a 
feigned military dignity so pronounced that it was painful. Noticing that 
it had the desired effect, he bade Father Gibault speak for the delegation. 
The priest, with a grave look on his face, said that the inhabitants ex- 
pected to be separated, perhaps never to meet again, and they begged to be 
permitted to assemble in their church and there to take leave of each other. 
Clark, relaxing into a more natural pose, mildly told the priest that he 
had aught to say against his religion ; that it was a matter which Americans 
left every man to settle with his God; that the people might assemble in 
their church, if they would, but they must not venture out of town. The 
little church was inadequate to accommodate those who assembled, as nearly 
every man, woman and child in the village turned out, leaving empty homes, 
which Clark had forbidden the soldiers to enter. At the close of the meet- 
ing Father Gibault again sought Clark, and. speaking for his parishioners, 
said that "their present situation was the fate of war; that they could 
submit to the loss of their property ; but they solicited that they might not 
be separated from their wives and children; and that some clothes and pro- 
visions might be allowed for their support." Clark, feigning astonishment 
at such a request, abruptly, but not ineloquently, exclaimed, "Do you mis- 
take us for savages? I am almost certain you do, from your language! 
Do you think that Americans intend to strip women and children, or take 
the bread out of their mouths? My countrymen," said he, waxing in elo- 
quence and increasing in stature, "disdain to make war upon helpless in- 
nocence. It was to prevent the horrors of Indian butchery upon our own 
wives and children that we have taken arms and penetrated into this re- 
mote stronghold of British and Indian barbarity, and not for the despicable 
prospect of plunder. That now the king of France had united his powerful 
arms with those of America, the war would not, in all probability, continue 
long; but the inhabitants of Kaskaskia were at liberty to take which side 
they pleased, without the least danger to either their property or families. 
Nor would their religion be any source of disagreement, as all religions 
were regarded with equal respect in the eye of the American law, and any 
insult offered it will be immediately punished. And now, to prove my sin- 
cerity, you will please inform your fellow citizens that they are quite at 
liberty to conduct themselves as usual without the least apprehension. I 
am now convinced, from what I have learned since my arrival among you, 
that you have been misinformed and prejudiced against us by British oiTi- 
cers; and your friends who are in confinement shall immediately be re- 
leased." 

Here was an opportune time for Clark to make a diplomatic move and 
play a winning card. He knew full well it were hopeless to think of his 
"little army" permanently holding down a hostile population that was nu- 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 169 

merically superior by many hundreds to his own forces. alHed as it was 
with neighboring tribes of warring Indians. He first tooic Father Gibault 
into his confidence, and then discoursed to the natives of the joys of a 
free and untrammeled democracy and of the untold blessings and privileges 
that would be theirs if they would renounce allegiance to the king of Eng- 
land and become citizens of the new republic. The Creoles were captivated 
by Clark's eloquence, and listened to his speech in open-mouthed astonish- 
ment. He completely won their hearts and lifted the gloom that had rested 
on their minds. What he had left undone Father Gibault finished, and the 
now grateful and happy members of his flock cheerfully took the oath of 
allegiance to Virginia. The beautiful Creole girls, who doted on garments 
of variegated colors, tore up their gowns to make flags, and the "stars and 
stripes" were afloat everywhere. Arms were restored to the citizens, and 
a volunteer company of French militia was hastily formed and joined a 
detachment under Captain Bowman, when that officer, a day later, marched 
against and took peaceable possession of Cahokia. The inhabitants of this 
settlement, which lay about sixty miles north of Kaskaskia, through the 
entreaties of Father Gibault and other new found friends of Clark, who 
accompanied Bowman, offered no resistance, made no effort to defend the 
fort, and subsequently subscribed an oath of fidelity to the American cause. 

In the estimation of the people, within a few days, Clark had won an 
enviable place. At times theatrical, he was always courageous, brave, gen- 
erous and far-seeing, combining the cunning of the fox with the courage 
of the lion. His graceful figure, "prudent* swagger, calculating rashness, 
graceful lies, blustering finesse, and his high spirits and dashing espieglerie 
won the Frenchmen's hearts." In all the Illinois country there was only 
one man whom Clark, with all his bluster, treated harshly — and that was 
M. Rochblave, whom he unceremoniously yanked out of bed the night Kas- 
kaskia was surprised. M. Rochblave, however, who was the French com- 
mandant of the British fort, behaved badly after he was captured, and 
probably deserved harsh treatment. Clark invited him to dinner, and he 
responded to the invitation in an insulting manner, whereupon his captor 
promptly put him in irons and sent him a prisoner by Captain Montgomery 
to Virginia, sold his slaves for five hundred pounds and divided the money 
as prizes among the troops. 

The Indians feared Clark intensely, and no man knew how to handle 
the redskins better than he did. He knew their savage natures, and in 
dealing with the more hostile ones always assumed an attitude of haughti- 
ness and defiance, securing by adroitness, diplomacy and intimidation what 
he had neither force nor strength to take. He made them believe that he 
only waited an excuse to fall upon and crush them out of existence, and 
they trembled at the mention of his very name. After having them com- 
pletely cowed, he would enfold the great sachems to his bosom in affection- 



* L>-mn Lew Sprague, Outing Magazine. 



170 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

ate embrace. By this method he won their esteem and confidence. They 
looked on him with adoration, and considered him of heroic mould, so 
superior to any of their white brothers that years afterward in conference 
with commissioners, the wily chiefs would address themselves. to no one 
but Clark, were he present. 

While at Kaskaskia Clark had to deal with hordes of Indians, hailing 
from wigwams scattered from the Great Lakes to the Mississippi, who 
came from as far aw^ay as five hundred miles to learn what had actually 
taken place in the Illinois country, and to hear personally what the "Long 
Knives" had to say. Having hitherto been hostile to the Americans, but 
friendly to the Spanish and French, they were much confused by the change 
in the sentiments of the latter, and the sudden turn affairs had taken 
put them in a quandary. Clark engaged them in conference.! For several 
days no conclusion was reached, though speech-making was much indulged. 
On the night following the third day of the conference a party of war- 
riors made an attempt to forcibly enter the house where Clark was lodging 
for the purpose of kidnapping him. Clark, who had been, so he says, "un- 
der some apprehensions among such a number of devils," was anticipating 
treachery. His guards promptly seized the savages, and the natives, 
aroused by the alarm, hastily armed themselves, evincing their sincerity in 
espousing the American cause. The captives, by Clark's orders, were put 
in irons. While he had treated the Indians well and had not incurred their 
displeasure by brutality or harshness, which often embittered them against 
the English and Americans, and made them side with the French, he knew 
to display timidity would be ruinous, and he simply exercised the boldness 
and decision for which he was noted, and carried his point. The cringing 
prisoners protested that they were simply trying to find out the friendship 
of the French for Clark, and begged mercifully for their release. The 
chiefs from other tribes came to intercede in their behalf, but Clark, with 
his characteristic haughtiness and indifference, absolutely refused to release 
the captives. Indians and whites had become greatly confused by the in- 
cident, mistrusting what the outcome might be. Clark was apparently not 
agitated by the attempt to carry him away, for he did not even transfer 
his lodgings to the fort, but he took the precaution to secretly place a body 
of armed men in the room adjoining his own, while the guards were kept 
in readiness for immediate action. To more effectively carry out his ap- 
pearance of indifference, he "assembled a number of gentlemen and ladies 
and danced nearly the whole night" ; while the time was put in by the 
savages in holding continuous councils among themselves. "Next' morn- 

t This notable gathering, however, was held at Cahokia, where Clark did nearly 
all his treating with savages while in the Illinois country, and among the many tribes 
having representation were chiefs and warriors from the Shawnees, Weas, Chippewas, 
Ottawas, Pottawattomies, Sacs and Foxes, and other confederations whose names and 
deeds are buried in oblivion, 

1 Theodore Roosevelt, The Winning of the West, pp. 197-198. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 171 

ing he invited all the tribes to assemble in grand council, liberating the 
captive chiefs that they might hear what he had to say to them in the pres- 
ence of their friends and allies. The preliminary proceedings were marked 
by rigid rules of Indian etiquette. Clark, standing in the center of a circle 
formed by the squatted warriors — his riflemen, with tasseled and tattered 
uniforms stationed on the outside edge — produced the bloody war belt of 
wampum and handed it to the chiefs who had been taken captive, telling 
the assembled tribes that he scorned alike their treachery and their hos- 
tility; that he would be thoroughly justified in putting them to death, but 
that instead he would have them escorted safely from the town and after 
three days would begin war upon them. He warned them that if they did 
not want their own women and children massacred, they must stop killing 
those of the Americans. Pointing to the war belt, he challenged them, on 
behalf of his people, to see which would make it the most bloody; and he 
finished by telling them that while they stayed in his camp they should be 
given food and strong drink, and that now he had ended his talk to them, 
and he wished them to rapidly depart." 

As Clark concluded his remarks, not only the prisoners, but all the 
other chiefs rose, and in a submissive and dignified manner, expressed a 
deep regret at having listened to the blandishments of the British, who had 
led them into error by falsehood, expressing a determination thenceforth 
to be loyal to Americans and the American cause. Clark further told them 
that he was there as a warrior, not as a counsellor ; that he was not begging 
for truce, but that he carried in his right hand peace and in his left hand 
war; that for their w-orst men he had no terms whatever. To those who 
were disposed to be friendly he would be a friend; but if they chose war, 
he would call from the thirteen- council fires warriors so numerous that 
they would darken the land, and from that time on the red people would 
hear no sound but that of the birds that lived on blood. He^ went on to 
tell them that there had been a mist before their eyes, but he would clear 
away the cloud and would show them the right of the quarrel between the 
"Long Knives" and the king who dwelt across the great sea ; and then he 
told them about the revolt in terms which would have applied almost to an 
uprising of Hurons or Wyandots against the Iroquois. At the end of his 
speech he offered them the two belts of peace and war. 

"The^ peace belt was eagerly accepted by the savages, but the Colonel 
rejected the pipe of Calumet, announcing that he would not enter into the 
solemn peace treaty with them until the following day. He likewise de- 
clined to release all his prisoners, and insisted that two of tliem should be 
put to death. They even yielded to this, and surrendered to him the young 



2 In his speeches, as in those of his successors in treaty making, the United States 
were sometimes spoken of as the Thirteen Fires, and sometimes as the Great Fire. — 
[Roosevelt] 

' Theodore Roosevelt. 

* Roosevelt. 



172 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

men, who advanced and sat down before him on the floor, covering their 
heads with their blankets to receive the tomahawk. Then he granted them 
full peace and forgave the young men their doom. After this treaty there 
was peace in the Illinois country; the Indians remained for some time 
friendly, and the French were kept well satisfied." 



CHAPTER XVI. 
THE CAPTURE OF VINCENNES FROM THE BRITISH. 

COLONEL CLARK CVSTS A LONGING LOOK AT VINCENNES FROM KASKASKIA — 
FATHER GIBAULT VISITS THE OLD POST TO CONVERT ITS INHABITANTS TO 

AMERICANISM— CAPT. HELM TAKES CHARGE OF FORT SACKVILLE CLARK 

WINS THE "grand DOOR OF THE WABASH" TROUBLE WITH THE TROOPS — 

CLARK M.-VKES FRIENDS WITH SPANIARDS HIS SPEECH TO THE INDIANS 

VIRGINIA ESTABLISHES ILLINOIS COUNTY — HAMILTON'S MARCH FROM 

DETROIT TO VINCENNES HELM's ALARMING LETTER TO CLARK HAMILTON 

TAKES FORT SACKVILLE FROM HELM CLARK's IGNORANCE OF HAMILTON'S 

PRESENCE AT VINCENNES VIGO GIVES CLARK VALUABLE INFORMATION 

CLARK DECIDES TO MOVE AGAINST HAMILTON THE DREADFUL MARCH FROM 

KASKASKIA TO VINCENNES CLARK's MESSAGE TO THE INHABITANTS OF 

VINCENNES — FIRING ON THE FORT ^THE BATTLE BETWEEN THE CON- 
TENDING FORCES CLARK DEMANDS HAMILTON TO SURRENDER— THE FIGHT 

RESUMED HAMILTON SURRENDERS — ARTICLES OF CAPITULATION CAPTURE 

OF BRITISH BOAT ON THE WABASH HAMILTON TAKEN IN IRONS WITH 

OTHER BRITISH PRISONERS TO WILLIAMSBURG — HIS BLOOD-STAINED 
RECORD. 

Disappointed, no doubt, at the lameness of some incidents which fol- 
lowed, but nevertheless gratified at the success attained at the inauguration 
of his Illinois campaign on the western side of the Wabash — which not 
only resulted in the capture of the important towns of Kaskaskia and Ca- 
hokia, but in securing as well all the white settlements of lesser significance 
in the Illinois country — Clark now turned his gaze in the direction of the 
eastern side of that classic stream, his eye resting on Old Vincennes, a 
post, he records, that "never had been out of his mind" from the 
instant he conceived of an expedition against the British posts in the 
Northwest Territory. The glory, however, that came with the initial 
move in a conquest that was to end so brilliantly and be productive of 
such overshadowing results, did not engross the mind of the gallant Vir- 
ginian as much as the duties it brought with it. 

Straining every nerve, and exercising all the strategic and diplomatic 
energies that an active brain or courageous heart could devise or suggest, 

173 



174 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

to keep his unruly backwoodsmen half disciplined, to extend his protecting 
arm out over a territory as vast as an empire, and peopled with subjects 
of an alien race, speaking a foreign tongue, and to fortify himself against 
the contemplated advances of large numbers of well-drilled and well-fed 
British soldiers, who were inciting hordes of blood-thirsty Indians to deeds 
of treachery and violence, were some of the perplexing problems that pre- 
sented themselves for Clark's solution immediately after he had taken 
Kaskaskia. 

At the time of its capture, Kaskaskia's population consisted of two hun- 
dred and fifty families, and its fortifications had the strength to resist 
the force of a thousand men. Today it doesn't contain enough 
people to entitle it to a postoffice. Cahokia is another town that 
has almost completely disappeared, with scarcely a physical trace of its 
former existence. Cahokia formerly stood on the east side of the Missis- 
sippi, a few miles below where St. Louis now stands. When Captain Bow- 
man marched against the place there were more than a hundred families 
living there; and when he took Prairie du Rocher it had a population of 
about one hundred and thirty souls. All three of these places, which had 
their birth about the same time as Vincennes, were at one time consequen- 
tial towns. Prairie du Rocher was within five miles of the celebrated Fort 
Chartres, and St. Phillippe, a thriving hamlet, was also in the cluster of 
French settlements (in the shadow of the ancient fortification), which Clark, 
through Bowman, seized and converted to Americanism. After Clark and 
Bowman had captured Kaskaskia and Cahokia, respectively, the forts at 
these places were given the names of their captors. 

At the close of their first meeting a strong attachment was formed be- 
tween Colonel Clark and Father Gibault, and only a few days intervened 
until the assurances previously had by the gallant \^irginian of the holy 
man's sympathy for the American cause were made doubly sure by con- 
vincing proofs of his loyalty. That the generous-hearted and brave soldier 
saw in the lowly man of the cloth a worthy exponent of the doctrines of 
liberty and a powerful ally is best told in his own words : "I had some 
reason to suspect that Mr. Gibault, the priest, was inclined to the American 
interest previous to our arrival in the country. He had great influence over 
the people at this period, and Post Vincennes was under his jurisdiction. 
I made no doubt of his integrity to us. I sent for him, and had a long 
conference with him on the subject of Post Vincennes. In answer to all 
my queries, he informed me that he did not think it worth my while to 
cause any military preparations to be made at the Falls of the Ohio for 
the attack of Post \'incenncs, although the place was strong and a great 
number of Indians in its neighborhood, who, to his knowledge, were gen- 
erally at war ; that Governor Abbott had a few weeks before left the place 
on some business to Detroit ; that he expected that when the inhabitants 
were fully acquainted with what had passed at the Illinois, and the present 
happiness of their friends, and made fully acquainted with the nature of 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 175 

the war, that their sentiments would greatly change; that he knew that 
his appearance there would have great weight, even among the savages; 
that if it was agreeable to me he would take this business on himself, and 
had no doubt of his being able to bring that place over to the American 
interest without my being at the trouble of marching against it; that his 
business being altogether spiritual, he wished that another person might 
be charged with the temporal part of the embassy ; but that he would 
privately direct the whole ; and he named Doctor La Font as his associate. 
"This was perfectly agreeable to what I had been secretly aiming at 
for some days. The plan was immediately settled, and the two doctors, 
with there intended retinue, among whom I had a spy, set out preparing 
for their journey, and set out on the 14th of July, with an address to the 
inhabitants of Post Vincennes, authorizing them to garrison their own 
town themselves, which would convince them of the great confidence we 
put in them, etc. All this had its desired effect. Mr. Gibault and his party 
arrived safe, and after spending a day or two in explaining matters to 
the people, they universally exceeded to the proposal (except a few 
emissaries left by Mr. Abbott, who immediately left the country) and went 
in a body to the church, where the oath of allegiance was administered 
to them in the most solemn manner. An officer was elected, the fort 
immediately garrisoned, and the American flag displayed to the astonish- 
ment of the Indians, and everything settled far beyond our most sanguine 
hopes. The people here immediately began to put on a new face, and 
to talk in a different style, and to act as perfect freemen. With a garrison 
of their own, with the United States at their elbow, their language to the 
Indians was immediately altered. They began as citizens of the United 
States, and informed the Indians that their old father, the King of France, 
was come to life again, and was mad at them for fighting for the English; 
that they would advise them to make peace with the Americans as soon 
as they could, otherwise they might expect the land to be very bloody, etc. 
The Indians began to think seriously : throughout the country this was now 
the kind of language they generally got from their ancient friends of the 
Wabash and Illinois. Through the means of their correspondence spreading 
among the natives our batteries began now to play in a proper channel. 
Mr. Gibault and party, accompanied by several gentlemen of Post Vin- 
cennes, returned to Kaskaskia about the first of August with the joyful 
news. During his absence on this business, which caused great anxiety in 
me, (for without the possession of this post all our views would have 
been blasted) I was exceedingly engaged in regulating things in the Illi- 
nois. The reduction of these posts was the period of the enlistment of 
our troops. I was at a great loss at this time to determine how to act, 
and how far I might venture to strain my authority. My instructions 
were silent on many inmportant points, as it was impossible to foresee 
the events that would take place. To abandon the country, and all the 
prospects that opened to our view in the Indian department at this time, 



176 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

for the want of instruction in certain cases I thought would amount to 
a reflection on government as having no confidence in me. I resolved 
to usurp all the authority necessary to carry my points. I had the greater 
part of our troops re-enlisted on a different establishment — commissioned 
French officers in the country to command a company of the young in- 
habitants — established a garrison at Cahokia, commanded by Captain Bow- 
man ; and another at Kaskaskia, commanded by Captain Williams. Colonel 
William Linn, who had accompanied us a volunteer, took charge of a 
party that was to be discharged on their arrival at the Falls, and others 
were sent for the removal of that post to the main land. Colonel John 
Montgomery was despatched to government with letters." Continuing, 
Colonel Clark says : 

"I again turned my attention to Post Vincennes. I plainly saw that 
it would be highly necessary to have an American officer at that post. 
Captain Leonard Helm appeared calculated to answer my purpose. He 
was past the meridian of life and a good deal acquainted with the Indian 
disposition. I sent him to command at that post, and also appointed him 
Agent for Indian Affairs in the Department of the Wabash, and about 
the middle of August he set out to take possession of his new command. 
An Indian chief called the Tobacco's Son, a Piankeshaw, at this time re- 
sided in a village adjoining Post Vincennes. This man was called by the 
Indians 'The Grand Door to the Wabash,' and as nothing of consequence 
was to be undertaken by the league on the Wabash without his assent, 
I discovered that to win him was an object of signal importance. I sent 
him a spirited compliment by Mr. Gibault : he returned it. I now, by 
Captain Helm, touched him on the same spring that I had done the 
inhabitants, and sent a speech, with a belt of wampum, directing Captain 
Helm how to manage, if the chief was pacifically inclined or otherwise. 
The captain arrived safe at Post Vincennes and was received with ac- 
clamations by the people. After the usual ceremony was over he sent for 
the 'Grand Door' and delivered my letter to him. After having read it, 
he informed the captain that he was happy to see him. one of the Big 
Knife chiefs, in his town — it was here he had joined the English against 
him; but he confessed that he always thought they looked gloomy; that 
as the contents of the letter was of great moment he could not give an 
answer for some time ; that he must collect his counselors on the subject, 
and was in hopes the captain would be patient. In short, he put on all 
the courtly dignity that he was master of ; and Captain Helm, following 
his example, it was several days before this business was finished, as the 
whole proceeding was very ceremonious. At length the captain was in- 
vited to the Indian council, and informed by Tobacco that they had ma- 
turely considered the case in hand, and had got the nature of the war 
between the English and us explained to their satisfaction ; that, as we 
spoke the same language and appeared to be the same people, he always 
thought that he was in the dark as to the truth of it; but now the sky 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 177 

was cleared up; that he found the Big Knife was in the right; that per- 
haps if the English conquered they would serve them in the same manner 
that they intended to serve us; that his ideas were quite changed, and that 
he would tell all the red people on the Wabash to bloody the land no 
more for the EngHsh. He jumped up. struck his breast, called himself a 
man and a warrior, said that he was now a Big Knife and took Captain 
Helm by the hand. His example was followed by all present, and the 
evening was spent in merriment. Thus ended this valuable negotiation 
and the saving of much blood. * * * In a short time almost the whole 
of the various tribes of the different nations on the Wabash, as high as 
the Quiatenon, came to Post Vincennes and followed the example of the 
'Grand Door' chief; and as expresses were continually passing between 
Captain Helm and myself the whole time of these treaties, the business was 
settled perfectly to my satisfaction, and greatly to the advantage of the 
public." 

Before the news of Clark's victory in the Illinois country had reached 
the Virginia authorities, the time of service of his troops had expired and 
every mother's son of them was anxious to go home. Thus was the 
courageous Virginian beset with a new difficulty, which really made his 
position one of imminent peril, and caused the high hopes he had builded 
for a final move against Detroit, after he had succeeded in capturing the 
southern towns forming the outposts of this formidable base of British 
operations, to become perceptibly shattered, although he revealed his feel- 
ings to but few friends. While he had received no direct information 
of the strength of the British forces at Detroit, he had no idea of march- 
ing against it with the small number of men he then had ; but he feared 
by them returning home at this time it would make it more difficult for 
him to recruit later on a larger army in the localities whither they went. And, 
worst of all, he needed the men at this most critical time to carry out his 
campaign against Vincennes ; and the condition which confronted him in 
this instance was one calling for the exercise of both strategy and diplomacy, 
prerequisites for which he was never lacking. "It was," he says, "with 
Difficulty that I could support that Dignity that was necessary to give my 
orders that force that was necessary, but by great preasants and promises 
I got about one hundred of my Detachment Enlisted for eight months, and 
to colour my staying with so few Troops I made a faint of returning to 
the Falls, as though I had sufficient confidence in the People, hoping that 
the Inhabitants would remonstrate against my leaving, which they did in 
the warmest terms. Then seemingly by their request I agreed to stay 
with two Companies of Troops, and that I hardly thought, as they alledged, 
that so many was necessary; but if more was wanted I could get them 
from the Falls, where they were made to believe there was a Considerable 
Garrison." 

After having despatched the dissatisfied volunteers who refused to re- 
main with him, to the Falls, and delivering into their hands for extradition 



178 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

to Williamsburg the crest-fallen prisoner, JMr. Rochblave, Clark forwarded 
by special messenger a letter to Governor Henry "letting him know of my 
situation and the necessity of Troops in the Country," and determined on 
spending the winter at Kaskaskia. His "little army" had now been re- 
duced to merely a handful. His position was one of such distress that 
had he not been a man of undaunted courage, daring and determination 
he would have forsaken it. Removed by hundreds of miles from any post 
garrisoned by American soldiers, and being still further separated from 
the seat of government he was striving with unparalleled heroism to serve, 
knowing that it would be impossible for him to get reinforcements, or 
even advice or instruction, from Virginia for months to come, he made 
up his mind to "hold the fort" at any and all hazard. He recognized that a 
temporarj' relinquishment of the territory he had just acquired would 
result in it again falling into the hands of the British and forever destroy 
the plans he had formulated for the capture of Vincennes. Governor 
Henry had an abiding faith in Colonel Clark and had given him the privi- 
lege of exercising his own powers of discernment and descretion in every 
measure of a last resort, and it was Clark's aim to hold on to what he had 
acquired at the sacrifice of his life. Few. if any, men could have main- 
tained the position that Clark did. It is doubtful whether any other man 
could have counciled so successfully with and subdued so completely the 
treacherous and warlike Indians with whom he was called upon to treat. 
In spite of the fact that the dusky warriors were coached by the Britons, 
Clark's knowledge of the nature of the red people enabled him to pacify 
and win them over by the adoption of measures as phenomenal in results 
as they were bold and courageous in character. 

There was one man at least in all the Illinois country to whom Clark 
knew he could look for aid — Father Gibault. The magnanimous con- 
queror had been given as.surance of the good priest's friendship after tell- 
ing him that American soldiers had nothing to do with churches further 
than to defend them all alike from insult; that in the eyes of the laws of 
Virginia the Catholic church had as great privileges as any other, and for 
the priest to assemble his flock in the little church as often as he wished. 
Clark had also been given unmistakable evidence of Father Gibault's loyalty 
by the impressive manner in which he had told his parishioners of the alli- 
ance formed between France and America in the prosecution of war against 
the British, and the earnestness with which he exhorted them, both at 
Kaskaskia and Cahokia, to espouse the cause of Virginia. And, at the 
mere suggestion from Clark, the holy man gave the Virginian all the aid 
possible in filling the ranks of his depleted troops with young French re- 
cruits, until, as Clark observes, "the difTerent Companies soon got Com- 
pleat." While the undaunted Colonel was much elated in thus having the 
gaps in his lines closed up, it brought him, nevertheless, additional difficulties. 
His situation and weakness, he says, convinced him that more depended 
on his own behavior and conduct than all the troops he could raise — so 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 179 

far removed from the seat of the government he was serving, located 
among French and Spaniards, and surrounded on every side by numerous 
bands of savages who were just as Hable to become favorably as well as 
unfavorably impressed with his actions, with the result of leaving lasting 
effects of good or evil. But he persevered, and tells how he went about it : 
"Strict subordination among my troops was my first object, and I soon 
effected it. Our Troops being all Raw and undissiplined You must be 
sensible of the pleasure I felt when harrangueing them on Perade, Telling 
them my Resolutions, and the necessity of strict duty for our own pres- 
ervation, &c. For then to return me for answer, that it was their zeal 
for their Country that induced them to engage in the Service, that they 
were sencible of their situation and Danger; that nothing could conduce 
more to their safety and happiness, than good order, which they would 
try to adhere to, and hoped that no favour would be shown those that 
would niglict it. In a short time perhaps no Garrison could boast of 
better order or a more Valuable set of Men."* 

St. Louis, then a hamlet of little consequence, was the home of Don 
Francisco de Leyba, Lieutenant-Governor of Louisiana, the business part- 
ner of Colonel Vigo. Clark sought to cultivate the friendship of all the 
Spaniards with whom he came in contact, and, on account of de Leyba's 
official prominence, nerved himself in order to make proper advances for 
the purpose towards that individual. The first meeting between the two, 
which occurred at Cahokia, seems to have been mutually agreeable to 
both, inasmuch as it subsequently led Colonel Clark to assert that as he 
"was never before in company with any Spaniard Gent I was much surprised 
in my expectations ; for instead of finding that reserve thought peculiar 
to that Nation, I here saw not the least symptoms of it; freedom almost 
to excess gave the greatest pleasure." How well Clark succeeded in his 
advances to gain the sympathies and good will of other subjects of Spain 
is disclosed in his letter to Governor Henry, which relates that "our friends, 
the Spaniards, are doing everything in their power to convince me of 
their friendship." 

In the preceding chapter mention is made of Clark's conduct towards 
the Indians, who came from far and near to treat with him while he was 
in the Illinois country, and especially has reference been made to a mem- 
orable conference held at Cahokia, which was attended by warriors repre- 
senting every Indian nation between the Northern Lakes and the Mis- 
sissippi river. These conferences began about the last of Augfust and con- 
tinued for five or six weeks. On the second day of the great council Clark 
delivered a speech, in reply to the speeches of several chiefs who had 
spoken the day before — and while it may be a slight digression, and a 
repetition of a few phrases heretofore quoted, to introduce in full his 
remarks here, they will, nevertheless, be acceptable to the reader as show- 



* Reuben Gold Thwaites, How George Rogers Clark Won the Northzfcst, p. 36, 37. 



180 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

ing more clearly the great Indian fighter's method of handling his red- 
skinned subjects — -friends and foes. He said: 

"Men and warriors! pay attention to my words. You informed me yesterday that 
the Great Spirit had brought us together, and that you hoped, as he was good, that it 
would be for good. I have also tihe same hope, and expect that each party will strtctly 
adhere to whatever may be agreed upon — whether it be peace or war— and hence- 
forth prove ourselves worthy of the attention of the Great Spirit. I am a man and 
a warrior — not a counsellor. I carry war in my right hand, and in my left, peace. 
I am sent by the Great Council of tIhe Big Knife, and tiieir friends, tO' take posses- 
sion of all the towns possessed by the English in this country ; and to watch the 
motions of the Red People ; to bloody the paths of those who attempt to stop the 
course of the river ; but to clear the roads from us to those who desire to be in peace 
— that the women and children may walk in them without meeting anything to strike 
their feet against. I am ordered to call upon the Great Fire for warriors enough to 
darken the land, atid that the Red People may hear no sound, but of birds that live 
on blood. I know there is a mist before your eyes. I will dispell the clouds that you 
may clearly see the cause of the war between the Big Knives and the English, then 
you may judge, for yourselves, which party is in the right; and if you are warriors, 
as you profess to be, prove it by adhering faithfully to the party which you shall 
believe to be entitled to your friendship, and do not show yourselves to be squaws. 

"The Big Knives are very much like the Red People ; they don't know how to make 
blankets, and powder, and cloth. They buy these things from the English from whom 
they are sprung. They live by making corn, hunting, and trade, as you, and youir 
neighbors, the French, do. But the Big Knives, daily getting more numerous, like 
the trees in the woods, the land became poor, and hunting scare; and having but 
little to trade with, the women began to cry at seeing their Children naked, and tried 
to learn how to make clotlies for themselves. They soon made blankets for the hus- 
bands and children, and the men learned to make guns and powder. In this way we 
did not want to buy so much from English. They then got mad with us, and sent 
strong garrisons through our country; as you see they have done among you on the 
lakes, and among the French. They would not let our women spin, nor our men make 
powder; nor let us trade with anybody else. The English said we should by every- 
thing from then ; and, since we had got suasy, we should give two bucks for a blanket, 
w'hich we used to get for one ; we should do as they pleased, and they killed some of 
our people, to make the rest fear them. This is the truth, and the real cause of the 
war between the English and us, which did not take place for some time after this 
treatment. 

"But our women became cold and hungry and continued to cry. Our young men 
got lost for want of counsel to put them in the rigiht path. The whole land was dark. 
The old men held down their heads for shame, because they could not see the sun; 
and thus there was mourning for many years over the land. At last the Great Spirit 
took pity on us, and kindled a Great Council Fire, that never goes out, at a place called 
PJiiladelphia. He then stuck down a post and put a war tomahawk by it, and went 
away. The sun immediately broke out; the sky was blue again, and the old men 
held up their heads and assembled at the fire. They took up the hatchet, sharpened it, 
and put it into the hands of our young men, ordering them to strike the English as 
long as they could find one on this side of the great waters. The young men im- 
mediately struoJv the war post, and blood was shed. In this way the war began; and 
the English were driven from one place to another, mitil they got weak ; and then they 
hired you Red People to fight for them. The Great Spirit got angry at this, and caused 
your old father, the French King, and other great nations, to join the Big Knives 
and fig'ht with them against all their enemies. So the English have become like deer 
in tile woods; and you may see that it is the Great Spirit that has caused your waters 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 181 

to be troubled, because you have fought for the people he was mad with. If your 
women and children should now cry, you must blame yourself for it, and not the Big 
Knives. 

"You can now judge who is in the right. I liave already told you who I am. 
Here is a bloody belt, and a white one; take which you please. Behave like men, and 
don't let your being surrounded by the Big Knives cause you to take up the one belt 
with your hands, while your hearts take up the other. If you take the bloody path you 
shall leave the town in safety, and may go and joun your friends, the English. We 
will then try, like warriors, who can put the most stumbling blocks in each other's way, 
and keep our clothes longest stained with blood. If, on the other hand, you should 
take the path of peace, and be received as brothers to the Big Knives, with their 
friends, the French, should you then listen to bad birds that may be flying through 
the land, you will no longer deserve to be counted as men, but as creatures with two 
tongues, that ought to be destroyed without listening to anything you might say. As 
I am convinced you never heard the truth before, I do not wish you to answer before 
you have taken time to counsel. We will, therefore, part this evening; and when the 
Great Spirit shall bring us together again, let us speak and think like men with but 
one heart and one tongue." 

The speeches of Clark to the Indians, which were delivered frequently, 
without effort or study, eventually convinced the red people that the Big 
Knives were in the right ; that the Indians would be subjected to the same 
treatment as the Big Knives by the English if the latter were not prevented 
from building forts and increasing the number of their soldiers in the red 
man's country. They, therefore, accepted the belt of peace, and proinised 
their loyal support to the Big Knives; and at the conclusion of the council 
the Piankeshaws, Ouiatenons, Kickapoos, Illinois, Kaskaskias, Peorias, 
Chippewas, Ottawas, Pottawattomies. Puans, Sacs, Foxes, Sayges. Tau- 
ways and Maumees signed articles of peace. 

Colonel Clark was holding his own in the Illinois country against many 
difficulties, but he met every emergency with such determination that his 
demeanor, outwardly, was that of confidence and composure rather than 
of doubt and anxiety. While he was conferring with the Indians his 
communication to Governor Henry, relative to the success of his expedition 
in the Illinois country, conveying the important intelligence that the French 
inhabitants of Kaskaskia, Cahokia and Vincennes, had taken the oath of 
allegiance to Virginia, had not yet reached the chief executive of that 
State. Soon after receiving the message, however, the Governor put its 
contents before the General Assembly of the Old Dominion with the re- 
sult that in an act passed by that honorable body in October, 1778, pro- 
vision was made that "all citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia who 
are already .settled, or shall hereafter settle, on the western side of the 
Ohio, shall be included in a district county, which shall be called Illinois 
county: and the Governor of this Commonwealth, with the advice of the 
Council, may appoint a County Lieutenant, or Commander-in-Chief in 
that county, during pleasure, who shall appoint and commission so many 
Deptity Commandants, Militia officers and Commissaries, as he shall think 
proper in the different districts, during pleasure; all of whom, before they 



182 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

enter into office, shall take the oath of fidelity to this Commonwealth, and 
the oath of office according to the form of their own religion. And all civil 
officers to which the inhabitants have been accustomed, necessary for the 
preservation of the peace, and the administration of justice, shall be chosen 
by a majority of the citizens in their respective districts, to be convened 
for that purpose by the County Lieutenant, or Commandant, or his Deputy, 
and shall be commissioned by the said County Lieutenant or Commandant- 
in-Chief." 

At this stage of the great drama of change a new character appeared, 
and prevented any provisions of the law above set forth being carried into 
execution at this time. The character referred to was Henry Hamilton, 
who bore also the ignominious title of the "Hair-Buyer General." Hamilton 
was the British Lieutenant-Governor of Detroit and acquired the appella- 
tion of "Hair-Buyer General" from the fact that he incited the Indians to 
raid the exposed and unprotected settlements of the American frontiers, 
which necessarily led to the taking of scalps of the defenseless settlers and 
subjecting them to all the indignities and atrocities that savage and fiend- 
ish natures could suggest. The fame of the "Hair-Buyer General" was 
known to Clark and the Kentuckians long before the Illinois expedition 
was undertaken, and the name of Hamilton had become a stench in the 
nostrils of all self-respecting people in the Northwest Territory before the 
blood-thirsty Briton's triumphant entry therein. Governor Abbott, who 
preceded him, discountenanced his policies — his barbarous treatment of 
American settlers — and wrote to the Governor of Canada that they were 
working an irreparable injury to the cause of His Britannic Majesty in 
this country. Hamilton claimed that in inciting Indian raids on the borders, 
by which helpless women and innocent children were made to suffer the 
most horrible indignities, he was simply executing orders received from 
his superior officers. Mr. Bancroft, the historian, says as much. But 
Governor Abbott intimates that Hamilton went beyond his instructions; 
that he was the instigator of policies which led to events "too shocking to 
dwell upon." Mr. English, unlike many of his contemporaries, places all 
blame on Hamilton for these Indian outrages, and scorns his pretentions 
that "all parties going to war (meaning the Indians, in this instance) were 
exhorted to act with humanity." Mr. English says : "The idea of giving 
arms and ammunition to savages raiding a frontier, coupled with an ad- 
monition that they were to be humane and behave well, is absurd. Hamil- 
ton must have known perfectly well that Indians were strangers to humanity 
on such occasions, and that to 'behave well' in their estimation, meant to 
take as many scalps as possible. To furnish arms and ammunition, and 
to encourage Indians by presents and otherwise to make raids upon the 
frontier settlements, meant the practice of every enormity savage ingenu- 
ity could devise, and there was but little difference discernible between the 
guilt of the actual perpetrators and those who sent the Indians on such 
expeditions. Thomas Jefferson believed there was no difference. Referring 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 163 

to the subject, he said 'he who employs another to do a deed of an assassin, 
or murderer, himself becomes the assassin or murderer.' These raids, in- 
stigated or encouraged by Hamilton, soon brought legitimate results, and 
his own admissions show the falsity of the pretense that they were con- 
ducted with humanity. He wrote General Carleton, early in 1778, that 
the Indians had 'brought in seventy-three prisoners alive, twenty of which 
they presented to me, and one hundred and twenty-nine scalps,' and on the 
i6th of September of that year he wrote to General Haldimand, who in 
the meantime had succeeded Carleton as Governor, that 'since last May 
the Indians in this district have taken thirty-four prisoners, seventeen of 
which they delivered up, and eighty-one scalps, several prisoners taken and 
adopted not reckoned in this number.'* Eighty-one scalps and thirty-four 
prisoners show the kind of humanity practiced by Hainilton's Indians. 
That Hamilton was guilty of encouraging these Indian expeditions is mani- 
fest, and mere pretty speeches about favoring humanity could not relieve 
him of the odium of the usual savagery of such raids. Hence the ani- 
mosity of Clark and the Americans towards him was natural, and not at 
all surprising." 

General Haldimand, in writing to Hamilton under date of August 26, 
1778. says: "The expediency of supporting the Ouabash Indians is very 
evident and I can not therefore but approve of such steps as you shall 
find necessars' to take for this purpose. And I must observe that, froin 
the great expense to which government had been put for the Indians in 
general, it might be expected that some of them might be induced to un- 
dertake expeditiously to clear all the Illinois of these invaders. * * ♦ 
The situation of the Ouabash Indians is very favorable for this design, 
to which all the parties you sent out from Detroit would also contribute 
best, as it appears to me, by acting in concert with those, as they might 
together fill all the lower parts of the Ohio with bodies of savages that 
such constantly succeeds each other, and at no time leave the river without 
a force which would be ready to fall upon all the rebels that appear there," 
etc. Commenting on the letter in full, from which only excerpts are here 
given, Mr. English says : "It will be seen that this letter recommends 
not only that the Wabash Indians 'be induced to undertake expeditions 
to clear all the Illinois of these invaders' (Clark's forces) but that such 
a union of various Indian tribes should be secured as would fill the Ohio 
river border with savages, 'ready to fall upon all the rebels that appear 
there.' Here w^as a proposal for destruction by the wholesale ! Even on 
the line claimed by Hamilton that the Indians were advised to be humane 
it amounted to this in substance, that all the rebels appearing on the 
Ohio were to be killed after the Indian fashion — but with humanity. The 
wrong was the employment of savages for such purposes at all. well know- 
ing that under certain circumstances it was impossible to restrain them 



•Canadian Archives — Haldimand Papers, B., 122, p. 26, and B. 122, p. 156. 



184 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

from brutal barbarities utterly inconsistent with warfare between civilized 
peoples.* The contrast between the British officers and Colonel Clark, 
who refused to employ the Indians against his white enemies, must ever 
stand to his credit in the estimation of posterity. When he had Hamilton 
'shut up like a rat in a trap' at Fort Sackville, and it was not certain but 
an assault on the fort would be resorted to, Tobacco, son of a chief of 
the Piankeshaws, offered the assistance of a hundred of his tribe, but 
Clark, in an adroit manner, avoided accepting the offer. On another oc- 
casion, when Indian assistance was offered by Lajes, another Indian chief, 
Clark replied, 'We never wished the Indians to fight for us ; all we wished 
them to do was for them to sit still and look on.'t His fame is not tarnished 
with setting a savage and heathen race against a civilized and ChrFstian 
people. "$ 

Hamilton was an ambitious soldier, as well as a merciless warrior — a 
valiant fighter and ungenerous victor— and plied the nefarious business of 
buying scalps in whatever section of country his military duties called him. 
Having been rather successful in his operations in and around Detroit, 
and more than gratified at the wholesale slaughter of the innocents by his 
bands of red marauders on the frontiers of Pennsylvania and Virginia, he 
was planning to march against Fort Pitt, when news of the fall of Kas- 
kaskia, the capture of his pet, Mr. Rochblave, and, later on, the reduction 
of Post Vincennes, reached him. His great chagrin at this turn of affairs 
in the Illinois and Wabash countries was heightened all the more when he 
learned that the inhabitants at two of the most important British posts in 
the Northwest Territory, excepting Detroit, had foresworn allegiance to 
Great Britain and even taken up arms against His Britannic Majesty. He 
forthwith sent Frenchmen friendly to British interests into these locali- 
ties to win back the inhabitants to the British cause and to incite the In- 
dians to make war on the American soldiers and settlers that had come 
into the country from Virginia, Tennessee and Kentucky, and began im- 
mediately preparations for an e.xpedition into the Illinois and Wabash 
countries. And again Clark felt his position becoming more perilous. 
While the Piankeshaw Indians were disposed to remain friendly towards 
him, the Kickapoos and Weas signified a willingness, in consideration of 
numerous presents, and the assurance of the support of British arms, to 
violate the obligations of their late treaty, and sally forth on forays of 
murder and pillage. The Miamis were quite as easily persuaded to take up 
arms against the Big Knives, to whom, a few months before, they swore 
eternal friendship; and nearly all the other tribes, especially in the lake 
regions, were lured by British blandishments and bought by British gold 
to turn against their best friends and massacre the women and children of 

*Wm. H. English, Conquest of the Northwest, p. 222. 

tCLirk's Memoir. 

^Wm. H. English, Conquest of the Northwest, p. 223 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 186 

a people who were disposed to treat them humanely and just. The French, 
however, were not as susceptible as the Indians to the entreaties of the 
British, although Clark had slight misgivings as to their ability to stand 
firm against the further overtures likely to be made by the enemy to win 
them over. 

It was on August 8, 1778, that Governor Hamilton was informed by a 
messenger named Francois Masonville, that Clark had taken Kaskaskia, 
Cahokia, and several smaller settlements, in the Illinois country, and that 
his men (the "rebels") were advancing towards Vincennes, in the Wabash 
country. It took the Hair-Buyer General just two months, lacking one 
day, from the receipt of the foregoing intelligence, to fit out his expedition. 
During the preliminary steps toward shaping ends "he led the main body 
in person," says Colonel Roosevelt* in his Winning of the West, "and 
throughout September every soul in Detroit was busy from morning until 
night in mending boats, baking biscuits, packing provisions in kegs and 
bags, preparing artillery stores, and in every way making ready for the 
expedition. Fifteen large bateaux and pirogues were procured, each capable 
of carrying from 1,800 to 3,000 pounds; these were to carry the ammuni- 
tion, food, clothing, tents, and especially the presents for the Indians. 
Cattle and wheels were sent ahead to the most important portages on 
the route that would be traversed ; a six-pounder gun was also forwarded. 
Hamilton had been deeply exasperated by what he regarded as the treach- 
ery of most of the Illinois and Wabash Creoles in joining the Americans ; 
but he was in high spirits and very confident of success. He wrote to his 
superior officer that the British were to succeed if they acted promptly, 
for the Indians were favorable to them, knowing they alone could give 
them supplies; and he added: 'the Spaniards are feeble and hated by the 
French, the French are fickle and have no man of capacity to advise or 
lead them, and the Rebels are enterprising and brave, but want resources.'! 
The bulk of the Detroit French, including all their leaders, remained staunch 
supporters of the crown, and the militia eagerly volunteered to go on the 
expedition. Feasts were held with the Ottawas, Chippewas and Potta- 
wattomies. at which oxen were roasted whole, while Hamilton and the Chief 
of the French Rangers sang the war-song in solemn council, and received 
pledges of armed assistance and support from the savages." 

It was in the early dawn of a hazy morning, October 7, 1778, at De- 
troit, when General Hamilton, with a force of one hundred and eighty 
men, including English regulars, militiamen, volunteers and Indians, "drew 
up" his flotilla, received divine blessing from the venerable Catholic priest. 
Father Pere Potier, and coursed down the Detroit river. As the shades 
of evening began to gather in the east, the wind shifted to the north, and 
when darkness fell a terrific blizzard accompanied with a biting snow, 



•Theodore Roosevelt, The Winning of the West, pp. 202, 203. 
tHamilton to Haldimand, September 23, October 3, 1778. 



186 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

found the party, who had "traversed" its course, on Lake Michigan, tive 
miles from the mouth of the Maumee, the objective point. The crossing 
was attended with great danger and difficuhy, but was accomplished with- 
out loss of life; and the men. deprived of fires or tents, spent the first 
night out on the cold and wet ground, not far from the mouth of the Mau- 
mee. Proceeding up the last named stream, the army arrived at the rapids 
on October nth, and thirteen days later pulled up at Quiatenon, (Fort 
Wayne) where they were joined by a large number of Indians from various 
tribes, whose services had been previously engaged. The red men were 
overwhelmed with handsome presents, bestowed by the late arrivals, and 
readily consented to send messengers to the Shawnees and other nations 
along the route to join Hamilton, or at least, in the language of the Hair- 
Buyer General, "watch the motions of the rebels on the frontiers, for 
which purpose I sent them ammunition." 

Travel on the Maumee was necessarily slow and irksome, as the river 
was at a very low stage, and particularly shallow from Miamitown 
(Quiatenon) to the deeper waters of the Wabash. After passing the por- 
tage of nine miles, which brought the army to Petite Riviere, one of the 
sources of the Wabash, the waters were so uncommonly low that had not 
the industrious beaver been busy in that locality the boats would have 
never been able to make the passage. About four miles above the landing 
place, however, the beavers had constructed a complete dam, which kept 
up the water, and up to this embankment it was "smooth sailing." Putting 
the bows of the boats against the dam, the same was cut in order to admit 
of passage through. It was due solely to the beavers that this portion of 
the stream was made navigable, and for that reason these valuable ani- 
mals, led by nature to repair the dam as often as it was cut by voyageurs, 
were never molested by either the white or red trappers and hunters. 
Passing on to the swamp of Les Volets, the fleet entered La Riviere Boete, 
a very small stream joining the beaver-dammed river, wiiere it was found 
necessary to dam both rivers in order to back the water into the swamp, 
after which the dykes were cut and permitted the craft to pass through in 
safety. Similar difiiculties were encountered at the Riviere a I'Auglais, at 
which point the damming process had to be renewed. Once on the Wabash, 
progress was impeded by the frosts lowering the water lines, floating ice 
interfering with the men as they worked in the water to haul the boats 
over .shoals and rocks; "and our bateau.x," says Hamilton, "were dam- 
aged and had to be repeatedly unloaded, caulked and paved; ninety-seven 
thousand pounds of provisions and stores to be carried by the men. in 
which the Indians assisted cheerfully when the boats were to be lightened. 
It was sometimes a day's work to get the distance of a half league. It was 
necessary to stop frequently at the Indian villages to have conference 
with them, furnish them with necessaries, and engage a few to accompany 
us. At length we got into a good depth of water, a fall of rain having 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 187 

raised the river; this advantage was succeeded by fresh difficulties, the 
frost becoming so intense as to freeze the river quite across." 

While Hamilton's march was longer and productive of many disagree- 
able features, when compared to the hardships and sufferings endured in 
Clark's march from Kaskaskia, it bears about the same relation to the 
latter as a rolling pebble to the side of Himalaya. Hamilton, however, had 
lots of trouble, and fought courageously against innumerable obstacles, 
eventually overcoming them all. When within a few days' journey of 
Vincennes, his advanced guards ran on to a scouting party — a lieutenant 
and three men — which had been sent out from Fort Sackville by Captain 
Helm to look out for the approach of the enemy, and made them prisoners. 
Helm, however, was not aware of the presence of the British troops in this 
immediate locality until they got within a few miles of the town. He 
thereupon wrote a letter to Clark, apprising him of the fact, and despatched 
the same with a trusty messenger, who was killed by Hamilton's Indians 
and the letter intercepted. The letter (a copy of which was enclosed in 
a letter written by Hamilton December i8th and marked December 25th) 
is part of the Canadian Archives, and is printed in the Collections of the 
Illinois State Historical Librarj', (vol. i, p. 226) edited by H. W. Beckwith. 
It reads : 

"Dr. Sir: — At this time there is an army within three miles of this place. I 
heard of their comin several days beforehand, I sent spies to find the certainty, the 
spies being taken prisoners, I never got intelligence till they got within 3 miles of the 
town, as I had called the militia & had all assurance of their integrity I ordered, at 
the fireing of a Cannon, every man to appear, but I saw but few. Capt. Buseron be- 
haved much to his honour & credit but I doubt the certaint (conduct) of a certain 
gent. E.xcuse haste as the army is in sight. My determination is to defend the Gar- 
rison though I have but 21 men but wh't has lef me. I referr you to Mr. Wm. for 
the test. The army is in three hundred y'd of village, you must think how I feel, 
not four men that I can really depend on, but am determined to act brave; think of 
my condition I know its out of my power to defend the town as not one of the 
militia will take arms thoug l)efore sight of the army no braver men than. Their is a 
flag at a small distance. I must conclud 

"Yr humble serrt 

■'Le'oo Helm. 
"To Col. Clark. "Must stop." 

In the foregoing letter, Captain Helm, without the least attempt at 
braggadocio, illustrates that he was not only a man of determination, but 
a valorous and brave soldier, ready to defend his position against the enemy 
notwithstanding he had full knowledge that his defeat was inevitable. Ac- 
cordingly he had a cannon planted at the entrance to the fort, loaded 
to the mouth, and "not four men he could really depend upon," to extend 
General Hamilton greeting — truly, a completiient not likely to terrorize 
the mildest of invading hosts. 

After a march (and voyage) of over si.x hundred miles, to accomplish 
which required seventy-one days, on December i8, 1778. Hamilton entered 
Vincennes at the head of his forces, which at this time had increased to 



188 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

five or six hundred, mostly Indians. The sight of the Hair-Buyer General 
and the great number of his troops, and especially the red-coated English 
soldiers, struck terror to the hearts of the natives. The boasted bravery 
of the Creole militia, who had been loud in their declarations of fealty to 
the American cause, seemed to desert them instanter, and one by one they 
slipped away to surrender their arms to the British. Helm was practically 
left all alone, and Hamilton knew it full well when he marshaled his forces 
and marched towards the fort for an attack. When Hamilton arrived at 
the gate he found Helm beside the cannon, with a lighted fuse in hand, 
ready to fire the weapon. "Halt!" exclaimed Helm, addressing Hamilton; 
"no man shall enter here until I know the terms." The reply came back, 
"You shall have the honors of war." "Then," rejoined Helm, "I surrender 
the fort on that condition." Immediately upon its surrender, the Indians 
broke into the fort and plundered it, and began to terrorize and rob the 
inhabitants. Old Vincennes had again fallen into the hands of the British. 
The French inhabitants, who were not disposed to take issue with either 
side, feeling more kindly towards the Americans perhaps, were forced, 
under duress, to assume an attitude repulsive to their convictions and 
attachments.* However, they went to the little church— the same one 
in which four months before, at the behest of Father Gibault, they had 
taken the oath of fidelity to America — and swore allegiance to Great Britian. 
The arms they had previously surrendered were returned and they avowed 
themselves as .soldiers of the Briti.sh King. Clark, on learning later of 
the turn afi"airs had taken, manifested but little surprise, for he had felt 
all along the strong aversion of the Frenchman to be on the minority side 
would assert itself as soon as the English forces showed a superiority in 
numbers and adopted coercive methods to secure subjects. 

Hamilton, therefore, had nothing to fear from the inhabitants, even 
had they been inclined towards hostility, for the fort virtually commanded 
the town ; and he immediately installed himself as supreme dictator of the 
community and began to issue orders. His first move against the natives 
was to "take up all the spirituous liquors in the place, which is better 
surety for their good behavior, and a more beloved hostage than wife or 
child." The next step he took — which certainly appears at this late day 
and date as an incredulous thing— was to destroy two billiard tables, which, 
he declared were "sources of immorality and dissipation in such a settle- 
ment." And, in the letter to Governor Haldimand, conveying the forego- 
ing information, he concludes that if he could "catch the priest, Mr. Gibault, 
who has blown the trumpet of rebellion for the Americans, I should send him 



*SeveraI days before Hamilton's arrival at Vincennes he says "Major Hay was 
detached with orders to fall down the river, and sent to the principal inhabitants of 
St. Vincennes acquainting them that unless they quitted the rebels and laid down their 
arms there was no mercy for them. Some chiefs accompanied him to conciliate the 
Peau Kashaa Indians residing at St. Vincennes, and to show the French what they 
might except if they pretended to resist." 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 189 

down unhurt to Your Excellency, to get the reward for his zeal," * thus 
unintentionally paying the good Father a high compliment and bringing 
the holy man closer to the hearts of loyal Americans, for the only offense 
of which he was guilty in the eyes of the blood-thirsty British officer was 
in showing his unfaltering devotion to America and the principles for 
which that nation stood. 

Immediately upon taking possession thereof — as has been shown in 
a previous chapter — Hamilton began extensive aherations and improve- 
ments on the fort. He at once sent to Mr. Stewart, the British agent of 
Indian affairs in the southwest, a number of letters, proposing that early in 
the spring a meeting be held at either Vincennes, or the Cherokee river, 
for the purpose of reconciling the southern Indians with the Shawnees and 
other nations, with a view of making a concerted and general invasion of 
the frontiers. In fact, he had determined on putting in the winter formu- 
lating plans for the spring campaign. Had he decided, while commanding 
a force of five or six hundred men. to have left a sufficient number at 
X'incennes, to maintain the garrison and protect the post from the invasion 
of foes or the overt acts of disloyal people, and pushed on to the Illinois 
country with the remainder of his troops, there is no doubt but that he 
could have succeeded in dislodging Clark and Bowman and wresting Kas- 
kaskia and Cahokia from the grasp of the Americans. It is fortunate for 
Clark that Hamilton did not make this move. Had he done so, there is no 
doubt that he would have succeeded in regaining for England the whole 
of the Illinois country. t And, again, the question presents itself, where 
(in that event) would be the western and northern boundaries of our 
common country today? At this time Clark had no definite knowledge of 
the strength of Hamilton's forces ; indeed, he had no idea that the Hair- 
Buyer General was in full possession of X'incennes, or anywhere near it. 
He, however, realized that his own troops were too few to engage an army, 
but determined on holding the Illinois country that year at any and all 
hazards; but to retain his hold beyond that period, unless provided with 
reinforcements, he had faint hope, as indicated in a letter to Governor 
Henry in which he says that "I think I shall keep His Excellency out of 
possession of it this year; as for the next you are the best judge." 



•Illinois Historical Collections, Vol. i, p. 234. 

■j-If Hamflton had at once pushed forward and attacked Clark at Kaskaskia, there 
is no doubt the .Americans must either have succumbed or retired beyond the Mis- 
sissippi into Spanish territory. But in the miidwinter the way was filled with great 
difficulties for the advance of an army column, hampered with baggage. Hamilton 
therefore remained at Vincennes, allowed all but some eighty or ninety whites and a 
hundred Indians to return home, and spent the time planning for a great spring cam- 
paign against the Illinois, in which he proposed to batter down the forts with cannon, 
and then turning southward make a clean sweep of the Kentucky stations. Had he 
succeeded in this bold project, all American settlements west of the AUeghenies would 
have been destroyed, and the United States might have lost the West forever. — [Reu- 
ben Gold Thwaites, How George Rogers Clark Won tlie Xorthwest, p. 42] 

Vol. 1—13 



190 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

Clark received no news concerning the recapture of Vincennes for 
more than a month following the event. He had not, in fact, heard any- 
thing of Hamilton's movements since the latter reached Miamitown, (Fort 
Wayne) but surmised that his expedition was headed towards the Illinois 
country, and he accordingly left Kaskaskia early in January for Cahokia, 
for the purpose of conferring with the inhabitants of the latter place rela- 
tive to the defense of the settlements.! He was accompanied on the journey 
by his "guard of about six or seven men and a few gentlemen in chairs," 
who narrowly escaped being ambushed, three miles out of Kaskaskia, by 
a party of "40 savages headed by white men," whom Hamilton had sent 
out from Vincennes to take Clark prisoner, having given them "such instruc- 
tion for my treatment as did him no dishonor." Having encountered a 
variety of obstacles en route the evening shades found the party no further 
advanced on the journey than Prairie du Rocher, about fifteen miles out 
of Kaskaskia, to the northwest. The gay villagers were in the midst of a 
ball, to which Clark had been invited, and had just become imbued with 
the spirit of the occasion when a messenger rushed up to him with the 
startling intelligence that Hamilton, with eight hundred men, was within 
three miles of Kaskaskia. In describing this incident, Clark says that he 
never saw greater confusion among a small assembly than was manifest at 
this time ; and that every person in the room set their eyes on him, as 
though a word from him would "determine their good or evil fate." With 
a coolness, almost approaching indifference, he gave orders for his horses 
to be harnessed for the return to Kaskaskia, and calmly remarked to the 
terrified company, that he hoped they would not allow the news to "spoil 
our diversion sooner than was necessary; that we would divert ourselves 
until our horses were ready;" and, further, he adds, "I forced them to 
dance, and endeavoured to appear as unconcerned as if no such thing was 
in adjutation." 

On his arrival at Kaskaskia Clark found the French inhabitants greatly 
agitated, fearing every moment would bring Hamilton's invading hosts 
into their midst. Having by this time acquired knowledge of the great 
strength of Hamilton's army, as compared with Clark's, the Creoles felt 
that their only safety lay in affecting neutrality, or in veering over to the 
side of the British, whom they feared would — unless they did so — show 
them no mercy for having taken up American arms. Clark was again in a 
trying position, which required the exercise of tact and talent, and he 
displayed both, by professing ignorance of his Frenchmen's fears, and 
moved about as though he felt himself fully capable of coping with the 
British army. And this attitude had a tendency to bolster up the faith of 
his lukewarm followers. He ordered Major Bowman to evacuate the fort 
at Cahokia and join him at Kaskaskia; set fire to several houses around 
the fort, in oriler to gain a clear field, and made every preparation possible 

tReuben Gold Thwaites. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 191 

for the reception of the attacking party, all of which brought the faltering 
Kaskaskians back into line, with reassurances of their fealty to Virginia. 

But the alarm of Hamilton's approach was premature, and the incident 
which gave rise to it was the discovery of a band of about forty whites 
and Indians (thought to be the army) making a retreat for Vincennes, 
with all possible speed, and sent for no other purpose, as was learned after- 
wards, than to capture Clark and take him a prisoner before Hamilton. 
While he had not as yet received any news from Vincennes, (the messen- 
gers despatched by Helm were captured by British spies) Clark very prop- 
erly conceived the idea that Hamilton was at the Old Post, but he had 
nevertheless already "suffered more uneasiness," he says, "than when I 
was certain of an immediate attack, as I had more time to reflect." 

A few days later, (January 29, 1779) Colonel Vigo returned to Kas- 
kaskia from Vincennes, whither Clark sent him to provide Helm with 
supplies, and removed all further doubt as to General Hamilton's presence 
at the Old Post. The thrilling incidents connected with the colonel's trip, 
and his treatment by the general on arriving at Vincennes as a captive, have 
already been mentioned. Suffice to say Vigo brought back valuable 
information to Clark, pertaining to Hamilton's future movements, the 
strength of his garrison, which was provided with three pieces of cannon 
and some swivels mounted. He also learned that Hamilton was planning 
a big meeting for next spring at Vincennes of all the hostile tribes along 
the Wabash for the purpose of routing Clark and his men in the Illinois 
country, and to later "attack the Kentucky settlements, in a body, joined 
by their southern friends ; that all goods were taken from the merchants 
of Post Vincennes for the King's use; that the troops under Hamilton 
were repairing the fort and expected reinforcements from Detroit in the 
spring; that they appeared to have plenty of all kinds of stores; that they 
were strict in their discipline; but, that he did not believe they were under 
much apprehension of a visit ; and believed that, if we could get there 
undiscovered, we might take the place. In short," continues Clark, "we got 
every information from this gentleman that we could wish for; as he had 
had good opportunities, and had taken great pains to inform himself with 
a design to give intelligence." * 

Clark thereupon decided to beard the British lion in his den, as it 
were, and, instead of waiting for Hamilton to come and get him, deter- 
mined to sally forth and get Hamilton, while the latter was yet pleasantly 
ensconced in his winter quarters. Clark knew that Hamilton, in the 
spring, by the junction of his northern and southern Indians, would be at 
the head of such a force that nothing in this quarter could withstand his 
arms ; that Kentucky was doomed to fall, and that the desolation the 
Briton sought would not end there. "If we could immediately make our 



*Dillon's publication of Jefferson's Correspondence, i, 451, and Clark's MS. 
Memoir. 



192 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

way good to Kentucky," reasoned Clark, "we were convinced that before 
we could raise a force even sufficient to save that country, it would be too 
late — as all the men in it, joined by the troops had, would not be sufficient ; _ 
and to get timely succor from the interior counties was out of the ques- 
tion. We saw but one alternative, and that was to attack the enemy in 
their quarters. If we were fortunate, it would save the whole. If other- 
wise, it would be nothing more than what would certainly be the conse- 
quence if we should not make the attempt." 

During all of his stay in the Illinois country Clark had not received a 
"scrip of a pen" from Governor Heni-y. He was, therefore, without 
instructions from his superiors and virtually destitute of means to procure 
the necessaries of life for his soldiers, let alone carry on a warfare against 
a "foe worthy of his steel." His situation was truly desperate, and he 
declared that it was "at this moment I would have bound myself seven 
years a slave to have had five hundred troops." But Colonel Vigo assured 
him that he would advance the funds to carry on the campaign ; and, with 
tears of gratitude trickling down his cheeks, the valiant Virginian thanked 
the kind and patriotic Spaniard, and accepted his generous offer. 

"Orders were immediately issued for preparations," wrote Clark, "and 
the whole country took fire at the alarm ; and every order was executed 
with cheerfulness by every description of the inhabitants — preparing 
provisions, encouraging volunteers, etc." To convey the artillery and 
stores a large Mississippi boat — subsequently named "The Willing" — was 
purchased and fitted out as a galley, provided with two four-pounders and 
four large swivels. It was manned by forty-six men under command of 
Captain John Rogers, who "set sail" on February 4, 1779, with instruc- 
tions to force his way up the Wabash as high as the mouth of White river, 
and to secret himself until further orders; "but, if he found himself dis- 
covered, to do the enemy all the damage he could without running too 
great a risk of losing his vessel, and not to leave the river until he was out 
of hope of our arrival by land ; but by all means to conduct himself so as 
to give no suspicion of our approach by land." 

Father Gibault again appeared upon the scene, and busied himself in 
behalf of his friend Clark and the cause of Virginia. In the line-up of 
Clark's men, gathered from the French settlements, were a goodly number 
who enlisted at the solicitation of the patriotic priest, who had also been 
among his parishioners pleading with them to encourage the young men to 
stand by their guns for the sake of American liberty. The pretty black- 
eyed Creole girls urged the brave fellows on, presenting their sweethearts 
with mementos of affection, and bestowing on the regiments beautiful 
banners (pavillions) of brightly colored silk and satin which their deft 
hands had wrought. 

The marshaling of Clark's forces at Kaskaskia on the morning of 
February 5, 1779, furnished a beautiful and inspiring scene in the great 
drama of change, in whicli the climax was reached on the very eve of 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 193 

departure, when Father Gibault, in the presence of the entire populace, 
who had assembled on the banks of the Kaskaskia river to accord the 
departing heroes a farewell cheer, after delivering a soul-stirring lecture 
to the men in arms, gave absolution to one hundred and seventy as brave 
soldiers as ever marched under the victorious banner of a righteous cause. 

The "little army," having crossed to the opposite bank of the river, 
deserted their boats and proceeded to a point about three miles distant, 
where they lay in camp until the morning of February 7th, when there 
began a march that, for the display of human endurance, intensity of suf- 
fering, continuity of hardships, imminent perils and dangers, deeds of 
valor, bravery, skill, ingenuity, daring, rashness, defiance and perseverance, 
has never met with a counterpart in the military annals devoted to the 
marching amiies of either the old or new world. The weather for several 
days had been unusually mild for the season and climate and heavy, inces- 
sant rains had caused the streams to leave their banks and inundate the 
lowlands to a great depth. In the verdant glow of summer or the golden 
haze of autumn, when the numberless streams were confined to their 
natural courses, the region of country traversed by Clark and his chivalrous, 
patriotic and devoted band, with rivers and lakes, woodlands and prairies, 
presented a landscape picture of dazzling beauty, and afforded an avenue 
of travel over which one could pass with comparative ease. The worldly 
wastes of water, however, not only made the established route utterly 
impassable, but had obliterated every vestige of it, and in making that 
wonderful pilgrimage from Kaskaskia to Vincennes the men composing 
the expedition walked over two hundred and forty miles. 

Clark says he could not account for it, but he had an inward assurance 
of the success of his undertaking, which the weight of circumstances could 
not make doubtful. His first object, however, was to keep his men in good 
humor, which he did by encouraging them to "shoot game on all occasions, 
and feast on it like Indian war-dancers ; each company by turns inviting the 
other to their feasts ; which was the case every night ; as the company 
that was to give the feast was always supplied with horses to lay up a 
sufficient store of wild meat during the day ; myself and principal officers 
putting on the woodsmen, shouting now and then, and running as much 
through the mud and water as any of them." 

With such freedom as this, and by the introduction and encourage- 
ment of other diversions, the troops, without a murmur, were led insensibly, 
through incredible difficulties, to the banks of the Little Wabash, which 
they reached on February 13th. By the glow of the log-heap fires, with 
jest and song and story, the unpleasant incidents of the preceding day 
were forgotten in the diversions furnished by the night. Forming a camp 
on a single knoll on the bank of the river, the troops were suffered to 
amuse themselves in any way they saw fit, while the commander-in-chief 
silently viewed the sheet of water with feelings of apprehension and dis- 
trust. The two branches of the river had converged, forming a lake prob- 



194 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

ably five miles in width. But fearing he might be accused of doubting, 
Clark, without consulting anyone, and not suffering others to consult in his 
presence, ordered a pirogue to be built at once, suggesting that to cross 
the stream would only afford a new piece of diversion. The pirogue was 
completed on the following day, and a party sent forth to explore the 
drowned lands on the opposite side, where a half acre that had not been 
submerged was discovered. The 15th was a wami, moist day, for the 
season, and the men were early put to work building a scaffold on the 
opposite shore, which was covered with about three feet of water, and to 
this the baggage was ferried over; then the pack horses, after swimming 
across the channels of the two rivers thirty yards in width, were brought 
up to the scaffold and, standing belly-deep in the water, received the loads. 

Then began the march through mud and water, the disagreeableness 
of which was forgotten at the close of day, when the party ascended the 
elevated plateau discovered by the advanced guard of boatmen. Mirth and 
jollity banished all feelings of misery and woe entertained on the march, 
and the men laughed heartily and twitted one another over some of the 
ridiculous incidents that had taken place in ferrying across the river or 
walking through its surplus waters — the antics of the little drummer boy, 
who had floated on his drum, furnishing them with no end of amusement. 
Clark encouraged the spirit of levity which had taken possession of his 
men, and they really began to think themselves superior to other men, and 
that neither the rivers nor the seasons could stop their progress towards 
the citadel of the Hair-Buyer General, whose scalp they were all eager to 
obtain. Clark says that the spirits of his little band on this occasion 
reached such a height and that "they wound themselves up to such a pitch 
that they soon took Post Vincennes, divided the spoil, and before bedtime 
were far advanced on their way to Detroit." 

Clark now fully realized that all of the lowlands on the Wabash were 
overflowed and that it would be an easy matter for the enemy to get to 
him, if discovery was made, and they had any desire to risk an action. But 
he kept his counsel to himself, not wishing to disturb the minds of his 
followers. He resolved, however, if not discovered by the enemy, to cross 
the river, by some means or other, even though Captain Rogers, with his 
galley, did not arrive at his station at the appointed time. 

The next morning (February 16) after marching a half day in the 
cold, drizzling rain, the "little army" crossed Fox river, near where 
Olney, 111., now stands. It rained almost every day since the party left 
the first camping ground. The weather had begun to tell on the men, 
and physically, as well as mentally, they were becoming more distressed. 
Provisions were running out, and game had became painfully scarce, and 
some of the volunteers, under breath, were talking of retreating. It was 
the unrest among his soldiers that led Clark to hastily jump into dangerous 
places and carry his forces hurriedly and farther towards the point of 
destination so as to thwart any hope of retreat. The crossing of the 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 195 

Little Wabash was an undertaking attended with the greatest hazard, and 
would have balked the most daring of men not in the same frame of mind 
as the dauntless Virginian. It was made at a time of greatest danger, so 
as to impress the men with what they would be obliged to forego were they 
to retrace their steps. 

All day long "the low-hung clouds dropped their garnered fullness 
down," and Clark, commanding and impetuous, led his disheartened fol- 
lowers through seas of ice, mud and water, praying that the frigidity of 
the weather would become intense enough to freeze the watery wastes and 
banish all hopes of retreat. The night was passed in camp on one of the 
northwestern tributaries of the Fox river, in proxmity to the St. Louis 
trace; and the next morning, (February 17) with a view of reaching the 
troublesome Embarrass river before nightfall, an early start was taken by 
the weather-beaten, half-frozen, half-starved band of patriots, who were 
compelled to cross some very deep runs in an endless sea of water. The 
sun was an hour high in the heavens when the Embarrass was sighted, 
and the wordly wastes of water satisfied Clark, at that great distance, that 
the Wabash, too, was out of its banks. More than ever was he convinced 
that to have success attend him in his invasion of Vincennes, he must 
catch the enemy off their guard by perfecting a speedy surprise ; that unless 
secrecy was enjoined the presence of his forces in the vicinity of the fort 
would be revealed and preclude all hope of its capture; that were the 
invading party discovered, Hamilton, who was well equipped with boats, 
would ride out on the boundless bosom of the Wabash and have Clark and 
his men completely at his mercy. As a precautionary measure, Clark sent 
Mr. Kennedy, a commissary, forth, with three guards, to cross the Embar- 
rass, if possible, and gain what information he could pertaining to Vin- 
cennes. This occurred near Lawrenceville, whence the party followed the 
course of the Embarrass towards its mouth for a mile or two, often wad- 
ing in water up to their arm-pits vainly striving to find the Wabash, and 
tramping until darkness overtook them, in mud and water, without locat- 
ing a spot on which to camp. Mr. Kennedy and his men, finding it impos- 
sible to cross the Embarrass, returned and joined the forces who, after 
traveling some distance further, found a small knoll from which the waters 
had receded, and, huddled and cramped, spent the night, benumbed with 
cold and weakened by hunger. 

On the morning of the i8th, at break of day. they heard Hamilton's 
morning gim. The Embarrass was a barrier against their further approach 
to the town, and they retraced their steps, following the ridges in the direc- 
tion of St. Francesville, which was reached about two o'clock in the after- 
noon. Here upon the rock* that lies at the foot of the town, Clark put 
his men to work building pirogues, in which to cross the river, with instruc- 



*The river bank at St. Francesville is of rocky formation. 



196 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

tion to steal boats if any were to be found on the opposite side, and at the 
same time select a camping place. 

On the morning of the 19th the men returned, having spent the preced- 
ing night on some logs in the water and reported that there was not one foot 
of dry land to be found. Captain McCarthy's company had been busy 
making canoes, and in one of these the captain and three men embarked on 
a voyage of exploration. At the same time two men were sent down the 
Wabash to meet tlie galley, with instructions for them to come on day and 
night ; that being the last hope for the starving troops to get food. Captain 
McCarthy and party returned soon after embarkation, having discovered 
four large fires about a league distant from camp around which were as- 
sembled whites and Indians. 

The whole "little army" was much dispirited, having now been without 
food for two days. The Creoles were much cast down and still talked of 
returning home, and the report from the morning and evening guns at the 
fort, which came floating o'er the waters, did not lessen that desire. The 
Kentucky and Virginia backwoodsmen were less complaining, although all 
of them sorely felt the pangs of hunger and cold. Clark made fun of the 
poor wretches who talked of turning back, and told them to go out and 
bring in a deer and have a feast. He knew that their detention could be 
effected without resort to drastic measures and hence attempted none. 

The morning of the 20th found all the men weakened from exposure 
and starvation and drenched with cold rains that had been falling for two 
nights and a day. About noon, however, their drooping spirits were 
raised by the appearance of a boat from Vincennes, containing five French- 
men, who had been hailed by the sentry and brought to shore. The 
voyageurs told Clark that neither Hamilton or the inhabitants had an 
inkling of the approach of the Long Knives, and also informed him that 
two canoes were adrift some distance above. Captain Worthington was 
ordered with a party to go in quest of the boats, returning at a late hour 
with only one. One of the men, acting on Clark's suggestion, had gone out 
and killed a deer and brought it into camp, much to the delight of his 
starving companions. 

On the morning of the 21st the nose of a mamelle was discovered 
through the thick growth of trees on the Indiana shore, about an eighth of 
a mile up the river from St. Francesville and about equi-distant back of 
the eastern shore line. It took the greater part of the afternoon to ferry 
the troops across. The horses were abandoned on the opposite side. The 
whole army being over, the march was resumed and the men plunged into 
the water with a look of despair on their countenances, wading sometimes 
up to their necks for a distance of more than a league — when they reached 
another mamelle (hill.) The spot is designated as Compangionet Hill, an 
elevation on the east side of the Cathlinette road where the same is inter- 
sected by the St. Francesville ferry road. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 197 

Here a much-needed rest was taken, and the fresh vension brought 
from across the river prepared and devoured with a relish, notwithstand- 
ing the quantity was only sufficient to deal out in limited portions. Another 
plunge into the icy water and the forlorn band groped and floundered 
about for a distance of more than a mile, when they reached the old 
Bouchie farm,* now owned by \\'- H. Brevort, where they stopped for the 
night, the "little antic drummer,"t as Clark called the youth, keeping the 
men in good humor with jokes and funny sayings. 

Next morning (22d) the march was resumed. As far as the eye could 
reach, save where a few hillocks reared their small heads above the flcKxl, 
the land was covered with water. Bearing towards the east, the "little 
army" plodded on in the direction of town, until they got opposite Horse 
Shoe Pond, when they veered to the west and followed a ridge that parallels 
the pond, which brought them in sight of Sugar Camp, a mile ahead, and 
at the foot of a stretch of water of greater depth than they had just been 
through. Here, through pure exhaustion, some of the men balked. The 
stronger ones, however, waded painfully in, while the weaker and famished 
were taken in canoes, the progress of which was so impeded by under- 
brush and bushes that the boats made little better headway than some of 
the men. Clark, always in the lead, continually urged the men on. At one 
place the water came up to Clark's shoulder, and the men seeing this fal- 
tered, but the tall Virginian determined that there should be no standing 
still or turning back and, blackening his face with gunpowder he gave an 
Indian war-whoop and dashed on through the icy water, gave his officers 
orders to close up the rear and shoot the first man who refused to march. 
On reaching Sugar Camp, which was on the old John Deloria farm, about 
six miles south of town, between the Cathlinette and the New York Central 
railroad, the men were well nigh exhausted. Wet to the skin, frozen to 
the bone, and famished for food, even the sinewy, lion-hearted and steel- 
nerved backwoodsmen winced and wore a look of utter hopelessness, but 



*An elevation on the east side of the Cathlinette, where the same is intersected by 
the St. Tliomas road. 

tWhile many of the writers are silent on this point, Winston Churchill in The 
Crossiing, and Judge Law. in his Colonial History of Vincennes, tell rather a pretty 
6tory about the drummer boy. Clark speaks of the little fellow in his memoirs, from 
which no doubt Judge Law takes the picture, to which he adds his own coloring. 
He says : "In one of the companies was a small boy who acted as drummer. In the 
same company was a seargeant, standing six feet two inches in his stockings, stout, 
athletic, and devoted to Clark. Finding that his eloquence had no effect upon the men, 
in persuading them to continue their line of march, Oark mounted the little drumr 
mer on the shoulders of the stalwart seargeant, and gave orders to him to plunge 
into the half-frozen water. He did so, the little drummer beating his charge from 
his lofty perch, while Clark, sword in hand, followed them, giving the command as he 
threw aside the floating ice — 'Forward !' Elated and amused with the scene, the 
men promptly obeyed, holding their rifles above their heads, and in spite of all 
obstacles, reached the high land beyond them safely." 



198 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

Clark was buoyant and hopeful and showed no sign of discouragement. 
The night was intensely cold and a thick coat of ice formed on the surface 
and along the edges of the still water, and from sheer exhaustion the men 
sank to sleep on the cold ground. 

The most trying of all the ordeals with which the men had to contend 
was yet to come, when on the morning of the 23d they looked out from the 
little island upon Horse Shoe Plain, which the floods had converted into 
a lake four miles wide. It lay between Sugar Camp and Warrior's Island,* 
the only dry spot visible. The sun came above the eastern horizon with a 
brilliant glow and Clark, his face wreathed in smiles, told the men, in a 
burst of eloquence, that before the god of day sank in the west they 
would have attained the goal of their hopes and reached Vincennes. And 
without waiting to hear a response, he plunged into the water with a cheer, 
and his men took up the glad acclaim and followed him in Indian file. 
When a dozen or so of the more stalwart followers reached his side the 
water was breast high to him, and it showed no diminution in depth as 
they advanced towards the farther side. When the middle was reached, 
some of the men became so weakened from cold and exhaustion that the 
canoe men had to exercise the greatest dexterity in taking them aboard to 
save them from drowning. Those who were still able to stay on their 
feet clung to their stronger comrades in arms, Clark all the while infusing 
them with animation by encouraging words and the display of his hercu- 
lean strength. At a clump of woods, forming a sort of an island in the 
lake, the water became so deep that it reached to the shoulders of the 
tallest man, but to the limbs and bushes and drift and logs the weaker 
ones and those of lower stature could cling until rescued and taken in 
canoes to dry land. The more hardy fellows got to shore and built fires, 
and took care of the weaklings, many of whom fainted on landing, falling 
prone upon the icy ground, some with their faces in the water, who would 
have drowned had they not been rescued. To some of them the fire had 
no life-giving properties, and the only way they could be revived was to 
be taken up by the arms between two strong men who ran them up and 
down. 

How opportune was the appearance of a canoe at this juncture, paddled 
by squaws, which was run down by one of the men in a dug-out. Besides 
the Indians, it contained a quarter of a buffalo, a saddle of venison, corn, 
tallow and an iron kettle. These articles seemed to have come to the starv- 
ing backwoodsmen through a providential act, and the owners parted with 
them almost without protest, all of which made the broth, that was hastily 
prepared, taste all the better. There was plenty to go around, but the 
weaker ones were given their portions first. These morsels of food, which 
were the first the men had seen or partaken of in days, had an exhilerating 



*VVarrior's Island is an elevated piece of ground south of the residence of Jacob 
Kline, on the Cathlinette road, now covered by the barn lot. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 199 

effect, and put them in a mood to laugh, jest and joke the same as they 
did immediately after crossing the Little Wabash. The rich broth, the 
bright sunshine and the thought of being so near their destination put 
them all in the most pleasant frame of mind they had found themselves 
since leaving Kaskaskia, 

They were now within three miles of town, which was plainly visible 
from Warriors' Island, although the fort could not be seen. The plain 
that stretched from east to west between the town and the island was 
well covered with water, yet it contained many shallow places, and seemed 
to aiiford a gathering place for water-fowl, of which large numbers were 
noticeable. Observing a number of mounted horsemen with fowling- 
pieces, in quest of game, Clark sent out a trio of young Creole soldiers to 
bring in as a prisoner one of the hunters, which was soon accomplished. 
From the prisoner, who was a Frenchman, it was learned that neither 
Hamilton or any one else had the least suspicion of an attack being made 
on the fort at this season of the year; although just the day before two or 
three hundred warriors, supposedly British allies, had entered the town. 
Clark was not disposed to receive kindly the latter part of the hunter's 
information, since he opined that Hamilton's forces, including English, 
French and Indians, were five times more numerous than his own. The 
odds were so heavy against him that the advantages of a surprise were 
greatly lessened, notwithstanding he had every assurance that his follow- 
ers would fight to the last ditch before they would take chances of capture 
and the subsequent torture, which was sure to come with defeat. "A 
thousand ideas," says Clark, "flashed in my head at that moment." His 
pet scheme — the surprise! — became a dubious proposition. He argued 
that if he were to take the populace unawares, in the fight that was to 
ensue some of the friendly French and *Indians might be killed and thus 
bitter enemies would be made of all the rest, for his captive had told him 
that the French were not at all loyal to the British and would not take up 
arms against the Long Knives unless forced to it. He resolved, therefore, 
to appear as bold and daring as possible, in order to give the enemy the 
impression that he had a band of soldiers who were both numerous and 
courageous. Accordingly, he "determined to begin the career immediately, 
and wrote the following placard to the inhabitants," entrusting the hunter 
prisoner with its delivery : 

"To the Inhabitants of Post Vincennes. 

"Gentlemen : Being now within two miles of your village with my army, deter- 
mined to take your fort this night, and not being willing to surprise you, I take this 
method to request such of you as are true citizens and willing to enjoy the liberty 
I bring you to remain still in your houses. And those, if any there be that are friends 
to the King will instantly repair to the fort and join the hair-buyer General and fight 



*"I also learned that the Grand Chief, the Tobacco's son, had but a few days 
before openly declared in council with the British that he was a brother and friend to 
the Big Knives." — [Clark's Memoirs.} 



200 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

like men. And if any such as do not go to the fort shall be discovered afterwards they 
may depend on severe punishment. On the contrary those who are true friends to 
liberty may depend on being well treated ; and I once more request them to keep out 
of the streets. For every one I shall find in arms on my arrival I shall treat him as an 
enemy. 

"G. R. Clark." 

After the messenger had departed Clark marshaled his forces as one 
company, marched down the Cathlinette road until a point through which 
the city ditch now runs was reached, when the column veered to the east 
and south, and following the higher ridges marched to the thill whereon 
the brick house of William Brevoort is located, southeast of the city cem- 
etery. Here the men rested, dried their powder and clothing and got their 
long-barreled rifles in trim. Saplings were cut and the vari-colored flags 
the Creole girls had given the troops on their departure from Kaskaskia 
were fastened on poles held high in the air to deceive the townspeople into 
the belief that a dozen or more companies had assembled on the hill, the 
rapidly-gathering dusk aiding in the deception. In the falling shades of 
evening the descent of the hill was made and the troops were drawn up in 
line at the foot of Tenth street, where the same intersects Willow, and two 
divisions consisting of two companies each was formed, Clark assummg 
charge of one division and Bowman the other. Clark's final instructions 
to the men were to maintain perfect silence, march with regularity and 
obey their superiors. Captain Charleville, who was with Clark's detach- 
ment, proceeded with his men along Willow street to Sixth, thence to Vigo, 
thence to Ninth. Bowman, with whom were Captains McCarthy and 
Worthington. proceeded up Tenth street to Church, thence to Sixth ; and 
Clark, who entered Sixth from Willow, marched up Sixth to Dubois, to 
Fifth, and to Barnet. 



tit is as much an error for writers to claim that Clark marched his men to Bun- 
ker Hill as it is to aver he crossed the Wabash near the mouth of the Embarrass. Had 
he gained the eastern shore of the Wabash nearly opposite the Embarrass it is not 
likely that he would have gotten anywhere near Horse Shoe Plain or Warrior's Island. 
The route followed by Clark and his men on this side of the Wabash was pointed out 
to the writer by Mr. W. H. Brevoort, on a bright afternoon of last December, after 
Mr. Ike Henderson had placed his touring car at our disposal. While it differs in some 
respects from accounts hitherto published, it is probably nearer correct than any of the 
others. Mr. Brevoort has studied the route, which he learned from the older descend- 
ants of the first French settlers who were here forty-five years ago when he came to 
Knox County. He says he has surveyed the territory in the height of the greatest 
floods, taken mental observations of the land when it was completely inundated, and 
that it would have been impossible for Clark at that time to have followed any other 
route than the one we have attempted to describe. Another fallacy, not quite as popular 
today, however, as it was years ago, is that when Dark left the Cathlinette road at the 
city ditch he proceeded in a circuitous course to Sugar Loaf Mound, which he encircled 
with his marching troops, Indian file, to give the impression to the townspeople of the 
numerical superiority of his forces. This would have certainly been a ridiculous move, 
inasmuch as the Sugar Loaf could not be seen from the site which the town then 
occupied. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 201 

At eight o'clock that night Clark gave Lieutenant Bagley fourteen 
picked men with instructions to march directly under the fort and open fire 
upon its port-holes. This was a signal for all the commands to move. 
Charlesville, who had come double-quick, sheltered his men behind houses 
in the rear of the fort and fired a volley into the barracks. Bowman 
brought his command to the river front at the foot of Main street. Lieuten- 
ant Bagley, having been re-enforced, now opened fire upon both the rear 
and front of the fort. The garrison, thinking that the fusillade was the 
prank of ^ome drunken Indians, gave no response. A moment later a 
Briti?h soldier, pierced by a rifle-ball, fell dead at a port-hole. Then, it 
was that Captain Helm, a British prisoner, engaged in pleasant conversa- 
tion with Hamilton, rose suddenly from his seat with an oath and exclaimed, 
"By the eternal, that's Clark." Immediately Hamilton gave orders to beat 
the drums, and as the long roll of alarm was sounded the men scampered 
from the barracks across the parade towards the fort, the sure-shot back- 
woodsmen and Charleville's French volunteers, who had been joined by 
quite a number of young men of the village, dropping several in their 
tracks as they ran. 

Immediately upon Clark's entry quite a number of the Indians, who 
were there by Hamilton's invitation, left town. Some Kickapoos and 
Piankeshaw-s, however, to the number of about one hundred remained, 
armed themselves and volunteered their services to the Americans which 
were promplty declined with thanks, the colonel informing the friendly 
red skins that all he asked of them was to occupy neutral ground. The 
Indians vied with the French in their admiration for the bold \'irginians. 

Nearly all of the Creole inhabitants were overjoyed at Clark's arrival 
and rendered him every assistance. Major Busseron and Colonel La Gras 
replenished his scanty stock of ammunition by supplying the troops with 
powder and ball, which they had buried on learning of Hamilton's 
approach. Tobacco, the Indian chief, mustered thirty of his warriors to 
fight with the Long Knives, and begged Clark to "let these young men go 
to the front: they will climb in." But Clark, while expressing himself as 
grateful, refused to accept the proffered assistance, explaining to the chief 
that there were a great many Indian enemies in and near the town, and 
in the darkness confusion was likely to occur; that he hoped, however, 
the chief would give him his company and counsel during the night, to 
which Tobacco readily assented. The women busied themselves in supply- 
mg food for the famished Americans, who were not, however, permitted to 
l)artake thereof until the next morning, when they had breakfast "in the 
street behind the church, the first food," says Clark, which "the men had 
tasted for two days." 

Notwithstanding a small detachment of the American troops had 
been detailed to guard against any relief from without, while the remainder 
were devoting their attention to a concerted attack on the fort, Hamilton's 
scouting party sent out the night before to ascertain the cause of Clark's 



202 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

camp-fires, crept in unobserved, lay in an old barn all night and before 
daylight next morning rushed into the fort unharmed. The firing was 
kept up almost incessantly all night long. The heavy artillery of the fort 
shattered some of the houses, but did no damage to the wily backwoods- 
men, who sought protection behind cabins, palings, ditches and the banks 
of the river. At one o'clock the moon sank to rest, and taking advantage 
of the darkness Clark threw up an earthen embankment within rifle 
shot of the strongest battery, which comprised two guns. All of the cannon 
and swivels in the fort were planted on embrasures at a height of about 
eleven feet from the ground and occupied the block-houses forming the 
angles of the palisaded enclosure. Clark had no cannon, having been 
forced to abandon his artillery on the march shortly after leaving Kaskas- 
kia. Bowman, in anticipation of the arrival of artillery on the Willing, 
began some works near Vigo street for the purpose of blowing up the fort's 
magazine. Clark had determined, if the vessel did not arrive before the 
following night, to undermine the fort, selecting the spot and perfecting 
plans for the execution of the work. 

The British hac} become painfully aware of the unerring aim of the 
backwoods riflemen before the battle had progressed far. Eight of Hamil- 
ton's men had been picked through one loop-hole before the cannon had 
been fired thrice. The embrasures of the cannon were frequently shut as 
the riflemen poured such volleys into them that the gunners could not 
stand the fire. The Americans by taunts and jeers sought to make the 
British open their ports and fire their cannon that they might have the 
pleasure of cutting them down, and the instant a port flew open forty long- 
barreled rifles were levelled at the opening. The Americans lay within 
thirty yards of the walls of the fortress and had the British stood courage- 
ously at their posts, "I believe," says Clark, "the greater part of them 
would have been destroyed in the course of the night." 

The methods adopted by the backwoodsmen mystified as well as 
alarmed the British. "Sometimes an irregular fire, as hot as possible," 
says Clark, "was kept up from diiTerent directions for a few minutes, and 
then only a continual scattering fire at the ports as usual ; and a great noise 
and laughter immediately commenced in difTerent parts of the town, by 
the reserved parties, as if they had only fired on the fott a few minutes 
for amu.sement; and as if tho.se firing at the fort were only regularly 
relieved. Conduct similar to this kept the garrison in constant alarm, 
they did not know what moment they might be stormed or blown up, as 
they could plainly see that we had flung up some intrenchments across the 
streets and appeared to be frequently busy under the bank of the river, 
which was within thirty feet of the walls of the fort." 

At daylight on the morning of the 24th, taking advantage of an opening, 
the riflemen from the entrenchments sent a perfect hail of shot into the 
loop-holes of the battery and completely silenced both guns, mortally 
wounding one of the gunners. Soon after the troops were withdrawn 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 203 

from their positions about the fort, with the exception of a few sharp- 
shooters, who were kept to take observations, and the firing practically 
ceased. 

Captain Lamothe, Hamilton's right-hand man, who had been out in 
charge of an Indian foray party, was hovering around, awaiting an oppor- 
tunity to make his way good into the fort, and had evaded the clutches of 
a searching party, who suceeded in capturing several of his companions, of 
whom one was Francois Maisonville, a famous Indian partisan. The two 
young men who effected his capture during the storming of the fort, 
tied him to a post in the street and fought from behind him as a breast- 
work — supposing the enemy would not fire at them for fear of killing him, 
as he would alarm them by his voice. Discovered by an officer while thus 
amusing themselves, the young men were ordered to untie the prisoner 
and take him to the guard, which they did ; but were cruel enough to take 
part of his scalp on the way. But aside from this no damage was done 
him. 

Clark was anxious to get Lamothe in his grasp and feared if the British 
officer found he could not get in the fort he would go out and do more 
proselyting with the Indians. "Finding that without some unforseen acci- 
dent," says Clark, "the fort must inevitably be ours, and that a reinforce- 
ment of twenty men, although considerable to them, would not be of great 
moment to us in the present situation of affairs, and knowing that we had 
weakened them by killing or wounding many of their gunners, after some 
consideration we concluded to risk the reinforcement in preference of his 
going again among the Indians." Orders were therefore given in case of 
his approach not to fire on him, without a certainty of killing or capturing 
the whole party. In less than a quarter of an hour he passed within ten 
feet of an officer and some soldiers who lay concealed. "Ladders were 
flung over to them," relates Clark, "and as they mounted them our party 
shouted. Many fell from the top of the walls — some within and others 
back; but as they were not fired on they all got over, much to the joy of 
their friends." And Clark took the cheerful unction to his soul that by 
him allowing Lamothe and his followers to scale the fort walls without 
molestation the British would think him indifferent as to the men compos- 
ing it or the size of their garrison. 

No sooner had Lamothe and his friends been safely ensconced behind 
the walls of the fortress than there came boldly marching into town 
another band of Hamilton's murderous Indians, who had been out on a 
scalping expedition towards the Kentucky frontiers, bringing back many 
trophies of their bloody work. They had not heard of the turn affairs had 
taken at the Old Post, and scarcely before they realized it were in the hands 
of Clark's avenging backwoodsmen. Two Frenchmen were discovered 
among the number taken prisoners. One of these happened to be the son 
of a lieutenant in one of Clark's companies, and after the father and his 
friends had pleaded piteously for the young man's release he and his col- 



204 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

league were allowed to go. Clark had resolved, however, to make a dread- 
ful example of the six Indian captives, both for the purpose of striking 
terror to the hearts of the hostile red skins and to illustrate the povverless- 
ness of the English to protect their savage allies; and he had them led in 
full view of the fort, where they were tomahawked and their hapless bodies 
thrown into the river — a spectacle which the garrison failed to enjoy. 

This performance called for a resumption of hostilities, which had 
suffered temporary suspension — the firing commencing simultaneously on 
both sides with renewed vigor; and "more noise." says Clark, "could not 
have been made by the same number of men; their shouts could not be 
heard for the fire arms, and a continual blaze was kept around the garri- 
son. A loop-hole could scarcely be darkened but a rifle ball would pass 
through it. To have stood to their cannon would have destroyed their 
men without a probability of doing much service. Our situation was 
nearly similar. It would have been imprudent in either party to have 
wasted their men, without some decisive stroke required it." 

It was about nine o'clock of the morning of the 24th when the bom- 
bardment ceased. A survey of the field showed that the attacking party, 
in spite of the heavy artillery and musketry of the defenders, had suffered 
but little, having lost but one man and four wounded, although some of the 
houses near the fort were demolished by cannon balls. The British loss 
was seven or eight killed or wounded. Learning that the two prisoners 
brought into the fort the day before had a large quantity of letters on 
their persons. Clark says, "I supposed it an express that we expected about 
this time, which I knew to be of the greatest moment to us, as we had not 
received one since our arrival in the country ; and not being fully acquainted 
with the character of our enemy, we were doubtful that those papers be 
destroyed to prevent which I sent a flag (with a letter) demanding the 
garrison." The letter, which was addressed to Lieutenant Governor Henry 
Hamilton, reads as follows : 

"Sir: In order to save yourself from the impending storm that now threatens you, 
I order you immediately to surrender yourself with all your garrison, stores, etc., etc. 
For if I am obliged to storm you may depend on such treatment as is justly due to a 
murderer. Beware of destroying stores of any kind, or any papers or letters that are 
in your possession, or hurting one house in town — 'for, by heaven ! if you do, there 
shall be no mercy shown you. 

G. R. Clark." 

In answer to the foregoing the British commandant immediately 
returned the following reply : 

"Lieutenant Governor Hamilton begs leave to acquaint Col. Clark that he and his 
garrison are not disposed to be awed into any action unworthy British subjects." 

The order was again given the Americans to open fire, and the exchange 
of shots between the contending forces became spirited and was kept up for 
quite a while, during which period Clark found it necessary to caution 
his men, who had been animated by Hamilton's rejoinder to his message 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 205 

to not venture too far beyond the danger line. Bullets were sent whizzing 
into every crack discernible about the fort, which led Bowman to exult- 
antly remark, "Fine sport for the sons of Liberty." The sharpshooters 
were steadily advancing towards the stockade, precluding all possibility of 
the defenders standing near the embrasures, and a dozen British soldiers 
lay fatally wounded within the inclosure. The silence of the batteries made 
the crack of the long rifles grate harsher on the British ears, and there 
were evidences of disconcerted action within the fort. About 4 o'clock in 
the afternoon Hamilton ran up a flag of truce and sent a messenger to 
Clark with the following proposal : 

"Lieutenant Governor Hamilton proposes to Colonel Clark a truce for three dayss 
during which time he proposes there shall be no defensive works carried on in the 
garrison, on condition that Colonel Clark shall observe on his part a like cessation of 
any defensive work: that is, he wishes to confer with Colonel Clark as soon as can be; 
and promises that whatever may pass between them two, and another person mutually 
agreed upon to be present, shall remain secret till matters be finished; as he wishes, 
that whatever the result of the conference may be, it may tend to the honor and credit 
of each party. If Colonel Clark makes a difficulty of coming into the fort, Lieutenant 
Governor Hamilton will speak to him by the gate. 

"February 24, 1779. 

Henry Hamilton." 

Clark was at a "loss to conceive what reason Lieutenant Governor 
Hamilton could have for wishing a truce of three days, on such terms as 
he proposed." Some had suggested to the Virginia colonel that it was a 
scheme to entrap and take him prisoner, which he would not entertain, for 
the reason he argued, that such an act on Hamilton's part "would infallibly 
ruin him." Notwithstanding he had every reason to expect reinforce- 
ments within three days, which would virtually mean the end of the siege, 
he did not think it the better part of valor to agree to such a proposal, and 
immediately had conveyed to Hamilton the following answer : 

"Colonel Clark's compliments to Lieutenant Governor Hamilton, and begs leave 
to inform him that he will not agree to any terms, other than Mr. Hamilton's surren- 
dering himself and garrison prisoners at discretion. If Mr. Hamilton is desirous of 
a conference with Colonel Clark he will meet him at the church with Captain Helm. 

"February 24. 1779. 

G. R. C." 

The conference was accordingly held at the church, where four months 
before Father Gibault had induced the natives to oppose the cause Hamil- 
ton espoused. Hamilton was attended by Major Hay, British superintend- 
ent of Indian affairs; Clark was accompanied by Major Bowman; and 
Captain Helm, still a British prisoner, was mutually agreed upon as a. 
witness. Hamilton produced terms of capitulation, already signed, the 
articles of which provided that the garrison should be surrendered on con- 
dition that the officers and men be allowed to go to Pensacola on parole. 
After deliberating on each article separately the whole was rejected by 
Clark, who was then asked to make a proposition. He replied that he had 
none to offer other than the one already made — that Hamilton and his 



206 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

men surrender as prisoners at discretion. Telling Hamilton that his 
troops had behaved with spirit, but that they should not suppose they 
would be worse treated in consequence of it, it were far better for him, 
though hard it seemed, to comply with the request. "You," said Clark, 
addressing Hamilton, "must be sensible that the garrison will fall ; and both 
of us must view all blood spilt in the future by the garrison as murder." 
Clark's men it seems were thirsting for British gore, for the commander 
declares that "my troops were already impatient, and called aloud for 
permission to tear down and storm the fort. If such a step were taken 
many of course would be cut down ; and the result of an enraged body of 
woodsmen breaking in must be obvious to him. It would be out of the 
power of an American officer to save a single man. \'arious altercations 
took place for a considerable time. Captain Helm attempted to moderate 
our fixed determination. I told him he was a British prisoner and it was 
doubtful whether or not he could with propriety speak on the subject." 
Hamilton thereupon interrupted with the remark that "Captain Helm is 
from this moment liberated and may use his own pleasure." "Upon no 
such terms will I receive him," said Clark; "he must return to the garrison 
and await his fate." And with these words, Clark told Hamilton that 
hostilities should not commence until five minutes after the drums were 
sounded. And thus ended the conference. 

The party had only proceeded a few steps outside the church door and 
were on the eve of parting when Hamilton stopped suddenly, saluted Clark 
and asked him politely if he would be kind enough to give his reasons for 
refusing to grant the garrison any other than the proposed terms. Clark, 
as if glad of the opportunity, gave his reasons in an elevated tone of voice 
in which he took occasion to let Hamilton know that he knew the greater 
part of the principal Indian partisans of Detroit were with him, and that 
he wanted an excuse to put them to death or subject them to such other 
treatment their conduct merited. "The cries of the widows and the father- 
less on the frontiers, which they had occasioned, now require their blood 
from my hands," spoke Clark, "and I do not choose to be so timorous as to 
disobey the absolute commands of their authority, which I look upon to 
be next to divine; and I would rather lose fifty men rather than not to 
empower myself to execute this piece of business with propriety." Clark 
further told Hamilton that if he choose to risk the garrison for the sake 
of these murderers it was his own pleasure, and that if Hamilton persisted, 
he "might perhaps take it into his head to send for some of those widows 
to see justice executed." 

Major Hay, who had been an attentive listener, wore a look of dis- 
trust on his countenance all the while Clark was speaking, and at the con- 
clusion of the remarks hesitatingly enquired, "Pray, sir, who is it that you 
call Indian partisans?" "Sir," promptly replied Clark, "I take Major Hay 
to be one of the principal." Abashed, pale and trembling. Hay skulked 
back at this last remark, Hamilton blushed a deep crimson, and the features 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 207 

of Bowman's face betrayed the disdain he felt for the one and the sorrow 
he experienced for the other. For a moment the Httle group stood in 
silence, and in that moment sympathy, provoked by Hamilton's humilation, 
softened Clark's heart, and the attitude of the Mrginia colonel towards 
the British general was completely changed. Clark then told Hamilton, in 
a softer tone of voice than he had yet spoken, that they would return to 
their respective posts, where the matters discussed at the conference would 
be reconsidered and the results attained subsequently made known ; that 
in the meantime no offensive measures should be adopted by either side. 
The agreement being mutual, the officers parted, to meet again in the 
afternoon, when previous resolutions were modified, the following articles 
duly signed, and the garrison capitulated : 

I. Lieutenant Governor Hamilton engages to deliver up to Colonel Clark Fort 
Sackville as it is at present with all the stores, etc. 

II. The garrison are to deliver themselves as prisoners of war, and march out 
with their arms, accoutrements, etc. 

III. The garrison to be delivered up at ten o'clock to-morrow. 

IV. Three days' time to be allowed the garrison to settle their accounts with the 
inhabitants and traders of this place. 

V. The officers of the garrison to be allowed their necessary baggage, etc. 
Signed at Post St. Vincent [Vincennes] 24th of Feby., 1779. 

Agreed for the following reasons: The remoteness from succor; the state and 
quantity of provisions, etc.; unanimity of officers and men in its expediency; the hon- 
orable terms allowed ; and, lastly, the confidence in a generous enemy. 

Henry Hamilton. 
Lt. Gov. and Superintendent. 

In compliance with the articles of capitulation on the morning of the 
25th, at the hour appointed. Lieutenant Governor Hamilton and liis gar- 
rison, consisting of seventy-nine men, filed out of the fort past the com- 
panies of Bowman and McCarthy, while Captains Williams and Worthing- 
ton, at the head of their respective companies, passed inside, relieved the 
sentries, hoisted the American colors and took possession of all the arms. 
Thirteen guns were fired as a national salute and as a signal for a general 
jubilation, in the midst of which, unfortunately, by the premature explo- 
sion of a box of cartridges belonging to one of the batteries Bowman, 
Worthington and four privates were seriously injured. As a mark of 
respect to the patriotic governor of Virginia, by whose grace Clark was 
enabled to formulate his plans for the conquest of the Northwest Terri- 
tory, the name of the fort was changed from .Sackville to Fort Patrick 
Henry. 

The capture of Vincennes from the British furnishes one of the most 
brilliant chapters in American history. It is doubtful whether in the 
military annals of two continents there are to be met such acts of bravery, 
valor, heroism, self-sacrifice and devotion to country as were called forth 
by this achievement. When the conditions under which it was accom- 
plished are taken into consideration, the event becomes a marvel in either 
ancient or modern warfare. Well may historians, who have scanned bat- 



208 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

tlefields and traced with mental vision the historic highways over which 
have passed the greater soldiers of all times and all climes, call George 
Rogers Clark the Hannibal of the west. Whether in action or at rest Clark 
was always brave, courageous, daring, diplomatic, magnanimous, undaunted, 
and he accomplished brilliant results where other men would have met with 
dismal failures. His courage was of ten taken for rashness, but his fine mili- 
tary mind never permitted him to become so rash that he did not succeed in 
every undertaking he put on foot. He never was defeated, and never 
allowed himself to be outwitted by an enemy, whether dealing with the 
treacherous savages of the wilderness or the trained and disciplined soldiers 
from the advanced grades of the best military schools. Hamilton's morti- 
fication and humiliating defeat cannot be justified on the ground of the 
superority in numbers of Clark's forces. The British general was in pos- 
session of a strong fortress, heavily stockaded, protected by cannon and 
swivels, garrisoned by trained soldiers, officered by men of military educa- 
tion, with all the munitions of war and plenty of provisions, and would 
have certainly held the fort had it not been for the fact that he had a 
superior commander to deal with. There are plenty of instances where 
forts have been defended against much larger forces than Clark's. It was 
the boldness and skill with which Clark made the attack that baffled Ham- 
ilton and his followers and awed them into surrendering. The more one 
thinks of what Clark and his "little army" underwent for the sake of taking 
Fort Sackville the more memorable becomes that event. The hardships, 
suffering and perils of tliat dreadful march we have but faintly described 
form the most thrilling and important incidents in the story of Clark's con- 
quest of the Northwest Territory, of which the capture of Vincennes was 
the climax. All records of marching armies on the American continent 
are uneventful when compared with Clark's — when the difficulties which 
beset his half-clad, half-famished militiamen at every step, in a hostile and 
unknown country, for a distance of two hundred and forty miles, are 
taken into consideration. No greater generalship than Clark displayed in 
this campaign has ever been shown. The alacrity with which he trans- 
formed raw recruits into well-disciplined soldiers only serves to illustrate 
the power of a masterful military mind, and the man's wonderful influence 
over his men, all of whom are entitled to share in the glory of their com- 
mander's victory, which shall ever remain on the pages of American his- 
tory as one of the greatest military achievements of the Revolutionary war 
west of the Alleghany mountains, if not the greatest enterprize that has 
to do with the success of American arms during that memorable struggle. 
But the results growing out of the capture of Vincennes from the 
British were greater than the event itself. They momentarily gave repose 
and safety to the western frontier settlements wherein the very name of 
Clark struck terror to the hearts of every savage nation that was wont to 
harrass the peaceful inhabitants. They deranged an elaborate plan of oper- 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 209 

ations on the part of the British designed for wiping out all the white 
settlements on the borders of the western frontiers, which was to be 
accomplished by an invasion of the combined Indian forces of the north 
and south. They temporarily stilled the war cry of the savage and made 
American allies of British Indians. They insured greater safety to every 
infant settlement in the western country, and opened new territory for 
homes of the people who came across the eastern mountains. They gave 
Kentucky new life by extending greater protection to her settlements and 
made that commonwealth the haven for early colonists from the south and 
east. They made it possible for Virginia to extend her laws and arms over a 
vast area of new territory. The capture of \^incennes from the British 
gave to the United States the great states of Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, 
Wisconsin and a portion of Minnesota. It was an event that made possi- 
ble the purchase of Louisiana, paved the way for the annexation of Texas, 
brightened the galaxy of states by the addition of California, extended 
the dominion of Uncle Sam to the Hawaiian and Philippine Islands, un- 
furled the stars and stripes in every clime and gave sweeter tone to the 
glorious song of American freedom, on land and on sea, at home and 
abroad. 

The gun boat Willing did not arrive until three days after the sur- 
render. The crew, whom Clark complimented for their diligence, were 
sorely disappointed in not being in time for the battle, in scenes of which 
they were anxious to participate and share with their comrades in arms 
the glory of that momentous siege. On its passage the Willing had picked 
up William Myres, express from the Virginia government, who brought 
despatches of an encouraging nature, setting forth that Clark's present bat- 
talion was to be completed and that an additional one was to be furnished 
in the spring. The despatches, with which their respective commissions 
were enclosed, announced that, for the splendid services both had rendered 
Virginia in the Illinois country. Colonel Clark had been appointed General 
and Captain Bowman, Major; and that the Legislature had given an offi- 
cial vote of thanks to all the soldiers, with assurance of more substantial 
awards for the future.* 

On the day following the fall of Fort Sackville, General Clark had 
received intelligence that a fleet from Detroit, laden with provisions and 
reinforcements for the British, was hourly expected, and he sent a detach- 
ment of sixty men to intercept the flotilla. The detachment, under com- 
mand of Captain Helm, Major Busseron and Major Lagras, proceeded 



*One hundred and fifty thousand acres of land opposite Louisville were finally al- 
lotted them. Some of the Piankeshaw Indians ceded Clark a tract of land for his 
own use, but the Virginia Legislature very properly disallowed the grant. — [Theodore 
Roosevelt, The IVinning of the West, p. 234.] 



210 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

up the Wabash in three armed boats a distance of about a hundred and 
fifty miles when the British boats, seven in number, were surprised and 
captured without firing a gun. The bateaux liad on board goods and pro- 
visions of the value of about ten thousand pounds sterling and were 
manned by about forty men, among whom was Philip Dejean, a magistrate 
of Detroit. The captured fleet was sighted descending the river when a 
mile above town, on the evening of March 5th. Men, women and children, 
with jubilant shout and joyous song, gathered on the banks to witness 
the spectacle of Vincennes' naval expedition towing its captive vessels 
down the long stretch of river. The natives were completely beside them- 
selves with excitement. Frantic men waded and swam out into the river 
in their anxiety to reach the boats and be the first to learn of the details 
of capture. Bareheaded women, dressed in the gaudy colors of the rain- 
bow, their raven locks, unadorned, flying in the wind, rushed madly along 
the shore towards the incoming vessels to bear the conquering heroes com- 
pany on their triumphal entry into town. The landing was made near 
the fort, and the ranks of Clark's prisoners were augmented by an ad- 
dition of nearly fifty. With the exception of articles valued at £800, re- 
tained to clothe the expected reinforcements, the cargo was divided among 
Clark's faithful followers, "who got almost rich."t 

The number of British prisoners had grown so large that Clark found 
it necessary to parole many who had been least offensive, which, of course, 
had no reference to any of the Indian partisans. The backwoodsmen 
mutually and bitterly hated Hamilton for pursuing the policy of reward- 
ing Indians for bringing in scalps of Americans, and lost no opportunity 
to impress the fact upon the mind of the distinguished prisoner. Clark 
would no doubt have entertained great admiration for Hamilton as a 
General had he not blighted his reputation as a soldier with the blood of 
innocent victims. Neck-iron fetters and handcuffs were the "decorations" 
which Clark proposed for the more distinguished of the British captives, 
and in giving orders for their design he was particular to announce in 
a tone of voice sufficiently loud for all to hear that they were intended 
"for those officers who had been employed as partisans with the Indians." 
Hamilton interposed, by taking Clark aside to remind him that by the 
articles of capitulation these men were recognized as prisoners of war and 
could not be subjected to such treatment. But Clark could not be disuaded, 
saying he had taken a solemn vow to spare neither man, woman or child 
of the Indians, or those who were employed with them. 

On March 7 Captain Williams and Lieutenant Rogers, with a de- 
tachment of twenty-five soldiers, set oft for the Falls of the Ohio, having 



tClark's Memoirs. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 211 

the following prisoners in custody: Lieiit.-Gov. Henry Hamilton, Major 
John Hay, Captain William Lamothe, Monsieur Dejean, grand judge of 
Detroit, Lieutenant John Schieffelin, Doctor I. McBeth, Francis' Mason- 
ville, Mr. L. F. Bellefenille, French interpreter, and eighteen privates. 
The prisoners* were received at Louisville on March 31 by Captain William 
Harrod, who, witli an escort, composed of Kentucky militiamen, con- 
ducted them to Williamsburg, Va. The route as followed from Vincennes 
to Williamsburg provided three hundred and sixty miles of water carriage 
and eight hundred and forty to march — quite a journey for the astute 
British officers to make, especially when they went in irons. 

On the arrival of the prisoners at Williamsburg, Thomas Jefferson, then 
Governor of Virginia, fully cognizant of the Indian atrocities committed 
on the defenseless white settlers, for which Hamilton and his colleagues 
were solely responsible, and not unmindful that acts of kindness and gen- 
erosity towards the vanquished had been reciprocated on the enemy's part 
by persistent and wanton outrages, signalized by the most inhuman treat- 
ment of American prisoners, determined to make an example of these 
British captives. He accordingly issued an order, by advice from the coun- 
cil, directing that Hamilton, Lamothe and Dejean should be "put in irons, 
confined in the dungeon of the public jail, debarred the use of pen, ink 
and paper, and excluded from all converse except with the keeper." Sub- 
sequently an order was issued by the Governor to send the aforesaid prison- 
ers to Hanover Court House, there to remain on their parole within certain 
reasonable limits; and, later, another order was issued to send Major Hay, 
under parole to the same place. The conditions of the parole were that the 
British trio should be inoffensive in word and deed. To this demand they 
objected, insisting on a privilege of abusing verbally the "rebels" to their 
heart's content. They were remanded to prison cells, but with their irons 
removed. Lamothe and Dejean shortly after lamented, and subscribed 
to the parole, but Hamilton, with characteristic stubbornness, remained 
obstinate, until informed by General Phillips, another British prisoner 
who had been exchanged, that his further confinement would be entirely 
gratuitous, he yielded with a great deal of reluctance. 



*0n taking charge of the prisoners Capt. Harrod gave a receipt for them. But, 
according to Mr. English, (in his Conquest of the Northwest, p. 608) there were other 
prisoners taken from Vincennes at the same time as those above mentioned and formed 
part of the deputation that arrived at Louisville. In addition to the names of the eight 
officers already given, Mr. English says "the list accompanying the receipt gives the 
names of Sergeant James Parkinson and Corporal Abel Leazenby, and sixteen privates, 
as follows: Robert Bryant, George Spittal, John Eraser, John Sutherland, Thomas 
Keppel, John Wall, Christ McCrow, John Brebonne, William Taylor, Patrick McKin- 
lie, Reuben Vesey, Amos Ainsley, Benjamin Pickering, John Home, William Ferry 
and Belser Givine." 



212 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

The drastic measures enforced against British prisoners in due time 
had the effect that Governor Jefferson anticipated. Where first applied 
they provoi<ed considerable indignation on the part of the enemy, who 
talked of retaliatory methods of the severest character, and issued a pro- 
nouncemento "that no officers of the Virginia line should be exchanged 
until Hamilton's affair should be settled satisfactorily." After this was 
done Mr. Jefferson ordered the exchange of all British prisoners stopped, 
with a determination, expressed, to use them as pledges for the safety of 
American prisoners in the hands of the enemy. The practicability of 
Jefferson's course as here applied was shovwi in the subsequent progress 
of the war when the British, yielding to the admonitions of experience and 
the cries of their own countrymen, became less savage as captors and more 
amiable as captives. On April i8th, 1780, Lieutenant Schieffelin, in com- 
pany with Monsieur De Rochblave, make his escape, and the twain, after 
running many risks and encountering great difficulties, arrived safely in 
New York. On the first day of June, Masonville committed suicide while 
in jail. On the first day of August, Hamilton and Major Hay were trans- 
ferred from Williamsburg to the jail at Chesterfield, while Doctor Mc- 
Beth and Mr. Bellefenille were taken to King William Court House. Mr. 
Hamilton states that "while at Chesterfield our confinement was rendered 
very tolerable, and several of the military and others who were convinced 
of the injustice and illiberality of our treatment showed by their behavior 
what opinion they had of the executive power. In this jail Major Hay 
and I had a very severe, though short, attack of fever, which was pretty 
generally felt through the country. We were well attended. We had 
liberty to walk about in the neighborhood of the jail." He had stubbornly 
refused, until the fall of 1780, all proffered paroles, and only consented 
to accept when informed by the British authorities that unless he did so 
there was no likeliliood of him being exchanged. By having signed the 
parole he gained the consent of Governor Jefferson a month later to go 
to New York and join his British comrades, "until he shall be exchanged 
or otherwise liberated with consent of the Governor of Virginia for the 
time being or until he shall be recalled by him." Major Hay was also al- 
lowed to go to New York under conditions similar to those provided in 
Hamilton's case. In March, 1781, through the medium of exchange of 
prisoners, Hamilton became an entirely free man, and on May 27th of 
that year sailed for England. He took up his abode in St. Jerrnyns street, 
London, from which place on the sixth day of July he indicted his famous 
letter, (of which a brief extract is published in a preceding chapter) at- 
tempting to justify himself for the overwhelming and humiliating defeat 
he sustained at the hands of Colonel George Rogers Clark, attributing the 
same largely to the treachery of his French, Canadian and Creole troops, 
but remaining silent as to his Indian allies. He highly compliments Clark 
and his devoted band of frontier soldiers for their courage, bravery and 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 213 

wonderful perseverance exhibited in the march from Kaskaskia to Vin- 
cennes, and on tlie heroic and miraculous manner in which they overcame 
difficulties seemingly unsumiountable. Clark, he says, was more fortunate 
than he in not having traitors in camp, but whether on the whole the 
conqueror of the Northwest Territory was entitled to the success that 
crowned his efforts was not for him to decide. 

Mr. English, in his Conquest of the Northwest, says: "The author 
tried in every direction to procure his (Hamilton's) portrait for this volume 
but was not successful in finding it. Knowing the thorough information 
of Mr. Douglas Brymner, the custodian of the Canadian archives, upon 
such subjects, a letter was addressed to him inquiring as to the existence 
of any portrait of Governor Hamilton, and as to his history after his 
return to Canada. Mr. Brymner promptly replied: T do not know of 
any portrait of Henry Hamilton. He was lieutenant-governor of Que- 
bec (Canada was then the province of Quebec) from the 14th of November, 
1784, till the end of 1785, having only the civil authority, the civil and mili- 
tary having been separated in the retirement of his predecessor. General 
Haldimand. On the 13th of August, 1785, the secretary of state notified 
Hamilton that the king had no further need of his services. On the 20th 
Hope was informed that he was to succeed. Hope's first letter as lieu- 
tenant-governor is dated 12th October, 1785. Hamilton became lieutenant- 
governor of Bermuda on the i6th of September, 1788, and governor on 
the nth of January, 1790; he was afterwards appointed governor o^ 
Dominica, the date of his appointment being the 23d of April, 1794: Henry 
Hamilton, Esq., to be captain-general and governor-in-chief of the Island 
of Dominica, vice Orde. He assumed the duties on the 30th of Novem- 
ber, 1794. The date of his death I have not ascertained.' From other 
sources the author ascertained that Hamilton died in Antigua in Septem- 
ber, 1796." 

Hamilton's fame as a "remorseless destroyer of not only men, but 
innocent, unoffending women and children," will endure for a longer time 
than any laurels he may have won as soldier, statesman or diplomat; and 
the attempt of some historians to ameliorate the fiendishness of his acts 
or the brutality of his deeds on the ground that they were perpetrated 
by orders from his superiors, can never cleanse his liands of bloody stains. 
Under his own hand and seal he issued proclamations offering specified 
amounts for every American scalp brought to his headquarters, and not 
only encouraged, personally, the Indians to engage in the bloody business, 
but offered bribes to his own troops to become active along that line. He 
instigated and planned the murderous forays, and incited the savages to 
greater activity by paying rewards for scalps — not prisoners. He had 
the instincts and cunning of the most brutal savage, and planned incursions 
against peaceful white settlements, suggesting the commission of crimes 
of such a heinous nature against the settlers as to cause the less hostile 



214 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

Indians to hesitate in their perpetration. Not satisfied with the scalps of 
the frontiersmen, he sought the blood of their wives and children, and took 
a more fiendish delight in the wholesale slaughter of the helpless and in- 
nocent than the red demons he had incited to commit murder and rapine. 
He was the author of the methods, the designer of the plans, of the most 
revolting atrocities witnessed on the borders of the northern and western 
frontiers, and the fact that his .superiors condoned his dark and bloody deeds 
does not lessen their criminality nor diminish their enormity or brutality. 



CHAPTER XVII. 

VIRGINIA EXTENDS CIVIL GOVERNMENT TO THE NORTH- 
WEST TERRITORY. 

A FIGHT WITH THE DELAWARES CLARK's REINFORCEMENTS ARRIVE — DEATH 

OF LABALME ARRIVAL OF COL. TODD AS LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR OF ILLI- 
NOIS COUNTY APPOINTS MR. LE GRAS TO ACT FOR HIM AT VINCENNES 

QUEER CONDUCT OF COURT IN ISSUING LAND GRANTS GOVERNOR HARRI- 
SON'S LETTER ON THE SUBJECT HIGH COST OF LIVING AT THE OLD POST — • 

INDIAN HOSTILITIES — DEATH OF COL. TODD TREATY OF PEACE BETWEEN 

ENGLAND AND AMERICA INDIANS MAKE WAR ON AMERICAN SETTLERS — 

CLARK's POSITION IN THE SPAIN AFFAIR AND TREATMENT OF SPANISH 

MERCHANTS — LAST DAYS AND DE.\TH OF GENERAL CLARK VIRGINIA 

CEDES THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY TO THE UNITED STATES. 

The news of the capture of Vincennes from the British spread rapidly 
to the western settlements and was not long in reaching the other side of 
the eastern mountains. Clark became the lion of the hour. His men fairly 
worshipped him. The French and Americans alike paid him every dis- 
tinction; and the Indians, thrilled by his daring and prowess, looked on 
him as a being to be respected and feared. On the 20th of March he set 
about putting his military and civil household in order by appointing Lieu- 
tenant Richard Brashear commandant of the garrison of Fort Patrick 
Henry, which consisted of Lieutenants Bayley and Chaplin and forty 
picked men ; Captain Leonard Helm, commandant of the town and super- 
intendent of Indian affairs ; Moses Henry, Indian agent, and Patrick Ken- 
nedy quartermaster, with forty volunteers at his beck and call. Having 
imparted to his appointees necessary instructions for the fulfillment of 
their official trusts, he took his departure on the same day for Fort Clark 
at Kaskaskia, setting sail on the Willing, which had been subjected to a 
thorough overhauling. Beside the Willing, his flotilla consisted of five 
armed boats and seventy men, who, with favoring winds and no important 
incidents to mark the progress of the voyage, landed a few days later 
at the harbor of Kaskaskia, where Capt. George, the successor of Dillard, 
greeted the crew "with great joy." 

215 



216 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

A small party of Indians from the Delaware nation, feigning friend- 
ship for the whites, but in reality having murder in their hearts, estab- 
lished a settlement at the two forks of the White river, having their hunt- 
ing grounds along the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. These red skins were 
as objectionable to the other tribes as they were to the whites as they 
were great hunters and generally reduced the quantity of game alarm- 
ingly in the localities they were wont to stop. Their patched peace did 
not deceive Clark in the least, for he knew, when augmented in numbers, 
they would be for an open fight, and he was only awaiting an excuse to 
make war on them in such a way that the horrible plight in which he left 
them would deter any other tribes from desiring to engage the Long Knives 
in conflict. The opportune time came on the first day of May when a 
party of traders who were going by land to the Falls were killed and 
plundered by the hostiles. Clark received this information by express from 
Capt. Helm. He immediately sent orders from Kaskaskia to Vincennes 
for the post to make relentless war on the Delawares — to destroy them 
by any means possible — to show the bucks no mercy whatever, but to spare 
the squaws and pappooses. The order was executed without delay. The 
camps of the Delawares were attacked in the night time, when the warriors 
lay in peaceful slumber, and the surprise was so complete that many of 
their number were killed, while others were captured, unharmed, and 
brought as prisoners to Fort Patrick Henry. They immediately sought 
a reconcilation, but were told by ?Ielm that the war had been ordered by 
Clark, who had forbidden them to lay down the tomahawk without per- 
mission from him ; but, if agreeable to the Indians, no more blood would 
be split until an express would go to Kaskaskia. The messenger went, 
and came back with the word from Clark that there would be no peace 
for the Delawares, who had violated their faith and were not to be trusted ; 
*"but that if they had a mind to be quiet, they might; and if they could 
get any of the neighboring Indians to be security for their good behavior, 
I would let them alone; but that I cared very little about it, etc. — privately 
directing Capt. Helm how to manage." Tobacco's son came to the rescue 
as surety for the Indians; bitterly arraigned them for the baseness of 
their conduct, and said they richly merited the punishment administered ; 
that when he had given them permission to settle in the country where 
their latest outrage had been perpetrated it was with the implicit under- 
standing that neither the Long Knives or any of their white friends should be 
molested. The putting to death of quite a number of the Delawares had 
the effect of subduing that nation completely and temporarily stopping 
hostilities towards the whites on the part of all other tribes. 

Several days after reaching Kaskaskia General Clark's long-looked-for 
reinforcements arrived at Vincennes, at which place four days later the 
General put in an appearance, having journeyed hither "with a party on 



♦Clark's Memoir. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 217 

horse, where the whole safely arrived in a short time after." He was 
very much down-cast on ascertaining the reinforcements to be less than 
half the number he had anticipated, which necessitated the postponement 
of his cherished expedition against Detroit and caused him to lament the 
fact that he had not undertaken it immediately following the fall of Fort 
Sackville. 

Augustin Maltin de la Balme, a Frenchman by birth, who had been a 
lieutenant-colonel in the French cavalry, and who also claimed that he 
came to this country with Lafayette, in the fall of 1780 was at the head 
of an expedition that marched against Detroit. He recruited about forty 
or fifty soldiers at Kaskaskia and Cahokia and raised a like number of 
men at \'incennes. On August 22d he embarked upon the Wabash, ar- 
riving on September 3d at the Indian village of Miamitown, (Ft. Wayne) 
where his troops plundered the English traders of large quantities of stores. 
The conduct of the pillagers not only exaspei'ated the traders, but incensed 
the Indians as well. Under the leadership of Little Turtle, the Miami In- 
dians determined to avenge the wrongs that had been committed on their 
villages, and in the night stealthily crept to the tents of the looting soldiers 
on the banks of the river Aboite. Antoine Rembault, an officer of the 
troops, who had joined the expedition at Vincennes, was the first man to 
discover the approach of the enemy and had just risen from his berth to 
awaken his sleeping companions, when he fell dead in his tracks, with a 
tomahawk buried in his brain. La Balme and forty of his followers were 
killed outright, while the remainder of the troops were taken prisoners 
and many of them burned at the stake. While the looting of the English 
traders may not have been an honorable war measure to adopt, the ostensi- 
ble purpose of La Balme's expedition was laudable, and furnishes only 
another illustration of the loyalty and devotion to their adopted country 
of the French citizens, whose patriotic zeal and earnest endeavors in be- 
half of America during her struggle for the establishment and maintenance 
of liberty and independence have noticeably contributed in more instances 
than one to the success of American arms. 

Clark had been looking after the civil as well as the military aflfairs 
of the Illinois and Wabash countries since his capture of Kaskaskia. The 
Virginia Legislature, as has already been stated, in October, 1778, passed 
a law providing for the organization of all territory lying northwest of 
the Ohio river as the county of Illinois. Under this law, the rights of 
property of the inhabitants were unabridged, and their religious and civil 
institutions were left undisturbed. By its provisions power was vested 
m the Governor of Virginia to appoint a county lieutenant and commandant 
in-chief, who, in turn, was authorized to appoint deputy commandants, 
militia officers and commissaries. The county lieutenant was given also 
power to pardon offenders where the crimes charged were not murder 
or treason, in which cases he was permitted to issue a respite, pending the 
laying of the charges before the Executive Council or the Governor of the 



218 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

Old Dominion. In May, 1779, Colonel John Todd was sent out here by 
Governor Patrick Henry to act as county lieutenant and commandant-in- 
chief of the county of Illinois. He was formally presented to the citizens 
of Vincennes and later escorted by General Clark to Kaskaskia, the terri- 
torial seat, to put in motion the machinery of civil government. Clark 
was glad enough to be delivered from the care of civil responsibilities and 
took his departure for the Falls of the Ohio. He reached his desti- 
nation on the 20th of August and at once assumed a sort of 
a military supervision over both the counties of Illinois and Kentucky, 
with the hope to some day gratify his long-cherished wish to march against 
Detroit— but the day never came. Not long after his arrival at the Falls 
Clark was made a brigadier general. His presence in that locality had 
a salutary effect on the Southern Indians, and even alarmed the British 
at Natchez, who, on learning of the bold and feariess methods he em- 
ployed in taking possession of Kaskaskia and Vincennes, feared he might 
descend upon them. He built a fort on the eastern shore of the Missis- 
sippi, below the Ohio, as a menace to the Chickasaws. whose hostilities 
were renewed afresh after a season of rest. The Indians, after repeated 
attacks on the fort, attempted one night to take it by storm. They were 
repulsed with heavy losses, and yet, in order to neutralize the savages, the 
Americans deemed it expedient to yield the fort and abandon the country. 
Clark, however, was not there. 

It appears that on his arrival at Vincennes, prior to his departure for 
Kaskaskia, Colonel Todd organized a "court of common pleas for the 
counties of Vincennes and Illinois" by appointing as judges Francois Bus- 
seron, Louis Edeline, Pierre Gamelin and Pierre Ouerez, with Mr. Le 
Grand as clerk. J. M. P. Le Gras was selected as lieutenant colonel of 
militia, Francois Busseron, major; Latulippe, first captain; L. Edeline, sec- 
ond captain; W. Brouibet and P. Gamelin third and fourth captains; Goden, 
Richardville, Goden, Richardville and Joseph Rougas, first, second, third, 
fourth and fifth heutenants. Mr. Le Gras acted as a substitute for Col. 
Todd at the Old Post, and manipulated the power of issuing land grants 
("fantastically" arranged by Mr. Todd) with greater celerity and lesser 
scruples than even his superior. Le Gras not only took it upon himself 
to dispose of the public domains, but he delegated that power to the court 
composed of the four judges above mentioned. The court, it is charged, 
did a "land office" business in issuing grants— not only to others, but to 
themselves, and gobbled up "arpents" as well as "leagues." Three of the 
four judges (so it is asserted by Judge Law) were left on the bench while 
one retired. "The court then made a grant of so many 'leagues' of land 
to their absent colleague, which was entered of record— he returned as 
soon as the grant was recorded, and another of these 'ermined' gentle- 
men left the bench, while the chief justice and the other judges made a 
similar grant to their absent friend. After the grant was made and duly 
recorded, he returned— the third departed, and a similar record was made 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 219 

for his benefit ; and so with the fourth. In this wholesale transfer of the 
public land, if continued, Virginia would have had but a small donation 
to make her sister states of the confederacy when she gave up the em- 
pire she held in the Northwest Territory for the common benefit." 

Governor Sargent complained to General Washington in 1790 of the 
"looseness" of these transactions, and among the documents accompany- 
ing the letter addressed to the "Father of His Country," was a reply from 
the judges in answer to Sargent's enquiry "by what right these concessions 
were made." It reads as follows : 

"Sir : As you have given orders to the magistrates who formerly composed the 
court of the district of Vincennes, under the jurisdiction of Virginia, to give you their 
reasons for having taken upon them to grant concessions for the lands within the dis- 
trict, in obedience thereto we beg to inform you that their principal reason is, that since 
the establishment of the country the commandants have always appeared to be vested 
with the powers to give lands. Their founder, Mr. Vinsenne, began to give concessions 
and all his successors have given lands and lots. Mr. Le Gras was appointed com- 
mandant of Post Vincennes by the lieutenant of the county and commander-in-chief. 
John Todd, who was in the year 1779 sent by the state of Virginia for to regulate the 
government of the country, and who substituted Mr. Le Gras with his power. In his 
absence, Mr. Le Gras, who was then commandant, assumed that he had in quality of 
commandant authority to give lands according to the ancient usages of other command- 
ers, and he verbally informed the court of Post Vincennes that when they would judge 
it proper to give lands or lots to those who should come into the country to settle, or 
otherwise, they might do it, and then he gave them permission so to do. These are the 
reasons, we acted on, and if we have done more than we ought, it was on account of the 
little knowledge which we had of public affairs. We are with great respect, your honors 
most obedient and very humble servants, 

"F. BOSSERON. 

"L. E. Edeline. 
"Pierre Gamelin. 

his 
"Pierre X Querez." 

mark 

No confirmation was ever inade by the government of any of the grants 
made by the above named court. The tract disposed of extended on the 
Wabash river, twenty-four leagues from Point Coupe to the mouth of 
White river and forty leagues into the country west and thirty east from 
the Wabash, excluding about twenty or thirty thousand acres lying adja- 
cent to Vincennes, which had previously been granted. The government, 
however, experienced considerable trouble over these authorized grants, 
as attested by extracts from a letter written June 19, 1802, by General 
Harrison, Governor of the Northwest Territory, to Mr. Madison, Secre- 
tary of State, in which he says : "The authors of this ridiculous transaction 
soon found that no advantage could be derived from it, as they could find 
no purchasers; and I believe that the idea of holding any part of the land 
was, by the greater part of them, abandoned a few years ago. However, 
the claim was discovered, and a part of it purchased by some of those 
speculators who infest our country, and through these people a number 



220 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

of others in different parts of the United Stated have become concerned, 
some of whom are actually preparing to make settlements on the land the 
ensuing spring. Indeed I should not be surprised to see five hundred fami- 
lies settling under these titles in the course of a year. The price at which 
this land is sold enables anybody to become a purchaser — one thousand 
acres being frequently sold for an indifferent horse or gun. And as a 
formal deed is made reciting the grant of the court many people have 
been induced to part with their little all to obtain their ideal property; 
and they will no doubt endeavor to strengthen the claim as soon as they 
discover the deception, by an actual settlement. The extent of these specu- 
lations was unknown to me until lately. I am now informed that a num- 
ber of persons are in the habit of repairing to Vincennes where they pur- 
chase two or three hundred thousand acres of this claim for which they 
get a deed properly authenticated and recorded, and then disperse them- 
selves over the United States to cheat the ignorant and credulous. In 
some measure to check this practice I have forbidden the recorder and 
prothonotary of this county from recording or authenticating any of these 
papers — having determined that the official seals of the territory shall not 
be prostituted to a purpose so base as that of assisting an infamous fraud." 

There is no doubt but that the court, in the exercise of "personal privi- 
leges," felt that they were clothed with authority from Virginia, and had 
been led to believe so through the representations of Governor Todd, Signer 
Le Gras, colonel commandant, and Gabriel Le Grand, clerk of the court; 
and the culpability of their acts, which they averred were performed in 
good faith, were charged directly to the last named trio. The members 
of the court, however, never lost caste entirely with their fellow-citizens, 
and continued up to the termination of their respective earthly careers 
to occupy positions of honor and trust, while Todd, Le Grand and Le Gras 
(the latter decamping between two days) were accredited with being the 
real culprits. 

When the legislative act of Virginia, providing for the establishment 
of civil government by that state in the county of Illinois was passed, its 
provisions were to remain in force for a period of twelve months, or to 
the close of the following session of the Virginia assembly. By a subse- 
quent act, passed in May, 1780, the time was extended to the period when 
Virginia had agreed to relinquish her claim on the Northwest Territory to 
the federal government. 

Todd's stay in the Wabash and Illinois countries was as brief as it 
was inglorious, as he departed in the fall following the year of his ar- 
rival, going to Kentucky, from whence, in the spring of 1780, he was sent 
as a delegate to the Virginia legislature. The same year, in November, 
he was appointed commandant of Fayette county, one of three counties 
then comprising the whole state of Kentucky. He commanded a small 
force of men at the battle of Blue Licks, and while leading a charge on 
August 18, 1782, was killed. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 221 

Virginia, by her own volition, allowed her statutory organization of 
Illinois to expire by limitation in 1781. The elective and appointive offi- 
cers of the territory, however, continued in exercising the functions of 
their respective offices ; and their authority was not questioned by the 
people, and probably would not have been by the general government had 
they not attempted to exert powers with which they were not clothed, es- 
pecially with reference to grants for lands. And, while we have again 
touched upon this subject, it may not be amiss to hear from Mr. Dunn, 
who speaks in a more charitable tone of those directly interested than some 
other gentlemen whom we have quoted. Mr. Dunn, referring to the court 
heretofore discussed, says, "they assumed power to make grants of land, 
and having used it freely for the benefit of others, they generously divided 
all that remained of the old Indian grant, of twenty-four leagues square, 
among themselves, each judge, in turn, absenting himself for a day while 
his associates voted him his portion. The United States of course repudi- 
ated this action ; and yet the French judges had arrived at the conclusion 
that they possessed this power, in a very natural way. Todd, whom they 
labelled 'Colonel ct Grande Judge civil pour Les Etats Unis,' had been sent 
to govern them. He had commissioned Le Gras lieutenant colonel of the 
militia of Vincennes, and consequently Le Gras was commandant of the 
post. The commandants had always made concessions of land ; hence Le 
Gras had the same power, and Le Gras had given the court permission to 
make grants. Such was the course of their authority as they explained it 
to Secretary Sargent."* 

The condition of the French settlements of the Illinois and Wabash 
countries while Virginia occupation prevailed and during the subsequent 
years, prior to the arrival of General Harmar, caused the inhabitants no 
little trouble and annoyance. The severance of commercial relations be- 
tween Vincennes and Detroit after the fall of Fort Sackville, the inter- 
ference with northwestern trade and traffic on the Mississippi south by 
the Cherokees, Chickasaws and other southern Indians, who had been 
won by British gold to make war against Americans and American in- 
terests, paralyzed commerce and trade to such an extent that the price of 
commodities advanced more than five hundred per cent and the cost of 
living at Vincennes then was one hundred per cent higher than it is to- 
day. And, while it is not pleasant to relate. General Clark charged that 
a few of the leading merchants took advantage of the direful situation to 
enrich themselves at the expense of the helpless public. The Mississippi 
settlements suffered more or less from the impediment of trade, but none 
of them to such an alarming extent as the Old Post. At the beginning 
of the year 1781 the Virginia troops were withdrawn from Fort Patrick 
Henry and sent to Fort Jefferson, the void thus created being filled by 
the militia. The departure of the regular soldiers, within whose ranks 



*J. P. Dunn, Indiana, American Commonwealth Scries, p. 158. 

Vol. 1—15 



222 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

were many of the fearless Long Knives who came with Clark, was noted 
by the Indians, who began to lose that respect for American arms which 
the terror of the valorous Virginian had enforced, and went forth again 
on the war path. 

Clark's final effort for an expedition against Detroit was made at the 
Falls of the Ohio in 1781, but the slaughter at Loughery Creek, of a de- 
tachment of his picked men, under Colonel Archibald Lochry, by a band 
of Indians, led by Joseph Brandt, disarranged every preparation that had 
been made for it. In this conflict nearly half of Lochry's men were killed, 
the remainder taken captives and tortured. 

The year 1782 was prolific for hostilities between the red and white 
people, and the western frontiers witnessed many battles in which the In- 
dians were often the victors. The massacre of the Moravians on the 
Muskingum was a notable exception ; and the plight of these Christianized 
savages was such as to excite pity. The Indians had assembled in two 
houses — the men in one and the women and children in the other. When 
the white murderers descended upon them the doomed Moravians asked 
one another's forgiveness for any wrongs they had inflicted, knelt and 
prayed, kissed each other farewell, sang songs of praise to the Almighty, 
and delivered themselves into the hands of their blood-thirsty foes, who 
slew them all, the list composing ninety-six men, women and children. A 
few months after the enactment of this terrible tragedy the bloody oc- 
currence at Estill Springs, on the Kentucky border, took place. Capt. Estill, 
with a force of twenty-five men had been pursuing for two days a like num- 
ber of Wyandot Indians who had scalped a white girl. The Indians when 
brought to bay put up a standing fight, which resulted in the death of the 
Captain and nine of his followers and the wounding of five, who, with 
their uninjured comrades, escaped. The Wyandots suffered the loss of 
only four or five braves. A month later followed the siege at Sandusky, 
towards which Col. Wm. Crawford marched his men with instructions to 
destroy every Indian in sight, whether hostile or otherwise. Entering the 
plains of Sandusky with nearly five hundred (480)- soldiers he was met 
by a strong force of Wyandot and Delaware Indians which had been per- 
mitted to gather through his lack of generalship. Notwithstanding his forces 
were trained militiamen, gathered from Pennsylvania and Virginia, they 
were overwhelmed by the savages, and routed from the field, after sus- 
taining a loss of more than one hundred men. Crawford himself, with 
others, was taken pri.soner and subjected to torturing death at the stake. 
Three months later in Simon Girty's attack on Bryan's Station and the 
subsequent battle of the Lower Blue Licks, where more than a hundred 
men were killed outright, including Colonel Todd and Lieut.-Colonel Trigg, 
and in both of which engagements Boone and Kenton participated, the 
savages out-classed some of the greatest Indian fighters the Kentucky bor- 
ders furnished and came out victorious mid scenes of dreadful slaughter. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 223 

Clark, straining every effort to formulate an expedition against Detroit, 
was forced by the fierceness of the recurring Indian hostilities to abandon 
the project altogether, and in November he left the Falls with ten hun- 
dred and fifty troops to march against the Indian settlements towards the 
head of the Miami. In this, as in all other expeditions he ever under- 
took, he was successful, and completely routed the savages in every settle- 
ment from the Ohio to the head waters of the Miami, burning their villages, 
destroying their crops and supplies, driving the hostiles, terror-stricken, from 
the country. 

During the pendency of peace negotiations between the United States 
and Great Britain there was a cessation of hostilities towards Americans 
on the part of both the English and their Indian allies. Provisional articles 
of peace between the two countries were signed at Paris, France, in No- 
vember, 1782, followed by a negotiated armistice at Versailles, January, 
1783, declaring a cessation of hostilities, and culminating in a definite peace 
treaty at Paris in September, 1783, which the Congress of the United 
States ratified in January, 1784. The surrender of Cornwallis at York- 
town, in October, 1781, precipitated the treaty of two years later, for 
it was an event which practically broke the backbone of the Revolution. 
By proclamation, in April, 1783, Congress declared a cessation of hostili- 
ties between the United States and Great Britain, In the acquisition of 
the territory resulting from the treaties between America and the mother 
country, the only argument advanced by the United States Commissioners 
to this country's claim to the Northwest Territory (embracing the great 
states of Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin and a portion of Minne- 
sota) was that it belonged to the chartered limits of Virginia by reason 
of "the conquest of it by George Rogers Clark, and the establishment of 
the forts and garrisons to the lakes by himself and troops, 'serving as 
the monuments of our possession,' and, carrying out the rules of 'uti possi- 
deltes,' was adopted as the basis of our negotiations. The British Com- 
missioners had to yield to evidences so apparent of our use and occupa- 
tion, and the Mississippi became our boundary on the west and the Lakes 
on the north, through the wisdom of Jefferson and the valor and enter- 
prise of Clark. But where now are these monuments of title? — these em- 
blems of our power? — these land-marks of our possessions? Echo answers 
— where? Their very foundations are removed. The tall grass of the 
prairie grows over their dilapidated bastions. The plough-share of the 
husbandman has furrowed their parade grounds; and the hardy pioneer 
of the west has long since preempted the localities upon which they stood. 
More than one generation of the 'sons of the west,' who have occupied 
these fields, have been gathered to their fathers ; while they, as well as their 
present descendants, have been for the most part ignorant of the valor by 
which they were won, or the patriotism and wisdom which secured them. 
The names of Jefferson and Clark should have been household words 
in every log cabin between the Miami and the Father of Waters, and the 



224 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

present owners of these countless acres should never forget the memory 
of those by whose courage and peril this immense empire was added to 
the Union. To no state but Virginia is the west indebted for this price- 
less treasure. It is her child ; and cold be the tongue and palsied the arm 
that would not speak our gratitude for her princely gift, or strike a blow, 
if required, in defense of her honor and her rights. I very much doubt 
whether any other state in the old confederacy would, under the circum- 
stances have made such a donation, 'for the common benefit.' "* 

From 1782 to 1785 there was much activity shown by the United 
States to induce the savage tribes northwest of the Ohio to enter into 
treaties of peace. Only a portion of them, however, agreed to the terms, 
and, as an evidence of their sincerity in accepting the government's proffered 
peace and friendship, they signed articles of agreement held at Fort Stan- 
wix. Fort Mcintosh and Fort Finney. The greater niiirfcer wfere determined 
to hold fast to the lands they had long claimed north of the Ohio, and, 
to check the tide of white emigration that was sweeping in that direction, 
formed a powerful confederacy and for ten years or more prevented any 
perceptible growth of the border settlements. 

It was on May 11, 1783, that Congress issued a proclamation declar- 
Hig a cessation of hostilities between the United States and Great Britain, 
and in July of the same year General George Rogers Clark was dismissed 
from the services of Virginia. Benjamin Harrison, the Governor of Vir- 
ginia, who issued the order of dismissal, addressed a letter to Clark ex- 
planatory of his action, which contained the following paragraph : "The 
conclusion of the war and the distressed situation of the state, with respect 
to its finances, call on us to adopt the most prudent economy. It is for 
this reason alone I have come to a determination to give over all thoughts 
for the present of carrying on an offensive war against the Indians, which 
you will easily perceive will render the services of a general officer in 
that quarter unnecessary; you will therefore consider yourself as out of 
command. But before I take leave of you I feel myself called upon in 
the most forcible manner to return you my thanks and those of my coun- 
cil for the very great and singular services you have rendered your coim- 
try, in wresting so great and valuable a territory out of the hands of the 
British enemy, repelling the attacks of their savage allies, and carrying 
on successful war in the heart of their country. This tribute of praise 
and thanks, so justly due, I am happy to communicate to you as the united 
voice of the executive." At a later period when the ravages of disease 
and the inroads of age had rendered George Rogers Clark a helpless cripple 
at his humble home in Clarksville, the autliorities of Virginia presented him 
with a sword as a token of their appreciation for the valuable services he 
had rendered the commonwealth. It is said he received the gift demurely, 
thrust the sword in the ground, snapped it off, and flung away the hilt, 



♦Judge Law, Colonial History of I'incenncs, ed. 1858, p. 132. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 225 

exclaiming, with bitterness and sorrow : "I asked \'irginia for bread and 
she sends me a sword." 

Representatives of the non-treaty Indians from all the tribes on the 
Wabash assembled at Quiatenon in August, 1785, and held a great coun- 
cil of war. Emboldened by the defiant stand his brethren had determined 
on, a Shawnee murdered in cold blood one of the French inhabitants of 
Vincennes. Friends of the dead man avenged the crime by killing the 
murderer, slaying four or five of his companions, and in wounding three 
or four others. During the winter the murderous forays of the red skins 
became less frequent, but with the coming of spring they increased in 
number and atrociousness. 

The red men, who opposed the coming of the white settlers, and were 
bent on stopping the eastern tide of emigration westward at the Ohio river, 
had already served notice on the settlers to leave the country, informing 
the French inhabitants, to whom they had been friendly disposed, that 
war was to be declared against all Americans and if the French persisted 
in remaining they would be treated as Americans. Only a few months be- 
fore the Indians had brutally attacked a trading party in boats on the 
Wabash, near the mouth of the Embarrass, killed the occupants of several 
lonely cabins in the sparsely settled districts, and singled out two or three 
American farmers as the objects of their wrath, burning their huts and 
scalping the inmates. Many of the settlers who had come to this locality 
from the east and south fled for their lives, leaving behind them the 
charred ruins of their homes, and came to the fort for protection, or con- 
tinued in their flight across the borders into the settlements of Kentucky. 

As the weather grew milder the hostilities increased and became more 
barbarous.* "In May Clark wrote to Governor Henry (from the Falls) 
that the Wabash Indians, encouraged by British traders from Detroit, 
had begim war. Letter after letter brought confirmation of the state- 
ment. In June it was reported that 'the whole of the Americans settled 
at Post Vincennes on the Wabash, are massacred.' " Settlers from Ken- 
tucky had been the victims largely of the Indian outrages, which the in- 
timidated French seemed powerless to prevent, and at once there came a 
universally expressed desire on the part of the Kentuckians that Clark 
should be clothed with authority to lead an expedition to the Wabash and 
squelch the offending red skins, who once fawned at his feet. The refusal 
of the French to accord the Americans protection was no doubt due to 
fear for their own safety, rather than from indifiference. They are never- 
theless charged not only with not attempting to aid the Americans, but in 
absolutely refusing to allow them to protect themselves, by denying the use 
of the cannon left for the protection of the fort. It is further charged that 
after the Americans had succeeded in repulsing the Indians in an attack 
against the post Colonel Le Gras had ordered them to leave Vincennes and 



*J. P. Dunn, Indiana, American Cominomvcatth Scries, p. 163. 



226 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

and quit the country; that the Americans had called for assistance on Ken- 
tucky and that a party had gone to their succor. t 

Through the intervention of Kentucky, Virginia sent a military ex- 
pedition into the Wabash country to deal with the Indians, whose future 
move against the Kentucky settlements was anticipated. Clark was ap- 
pointed commander of the forces that were to be used, and in September 
with a force of one thousand men marched over the old buffalo trace from 
Louisville to Vincennes, arriving here in October. The Kentucky forces, 
which had been reinforced by quite a number of the inhabitants of the Old 
Post, were ordered to proceed up the Wabash towards Quiatenon, which 
was a cluster of Indian villages. The savages had learned of the com- 
ing of the enemy and ambushed themselves along Pine creek. On arriv- 
ing within a short distance of the Vermilion river, the army found the 
villages deserted. Tired, hungry, and depressed in spirits by disappoint- 
ment at finding no signs of the enemy, the feelings of officers and men 
partook of supreme disgust when a thoughtless fellow announced that 
Clark had sent to the Indians a flag of truce, with the offer of peace or war. 
The report had a demoralizing effect on the men, and, when coupled with 
the sad and sorrowful transformation their commander had undergone — 
when they saw the fire that beamed in his eye had died out, the fine lines 
of his face had faded, when they heard the rasping notes of a voice once 
clear and musical — they gave way to a spirit of rankest insubordination; 
nor tears nor entreaties of the once brave, bold, fearless and handsome com- 
mander, who had thrilled the country with the brilliancy and grandeur of his 
military achievements, could subject them to discipline. About three hun- 
dred of the troops, who had been given their first intimation of Clark's 
intemperance, deserted the camp and marched homeward in a body. The 
expedition was then abandoned, and the remainder of troops, with Clark, 
returned to Vincennes. 

Colonel Benjamin Logan had in the meantime marched with his troops 
against the Shawnee villages. His detachment consisted of four or five 
hundred mounted riflemen, who crossed the Ohio near Maysville and 
penetrated the Indian country as far as the head waters of Mad river. 
They burned eight large towns, and destroyed the corn in many fields 
by applying fire brands. About seventy or eighty savages were taken 
prisoners, and twenty warriors were slain, among the number the great 
sachem of the nation, whose death was deeply regretted by Logan, and 
who had given his men explicit orders to spare the life of the great chief. 
The Kentuckians sustained a loss of about ten men. 

The field officers who had been sent out from Kentucky by the execu- 
tive council of Virginia, were in session at Vincennes when Clark and the 
remnant of his brigade returned down the Wabash. They had determined 
that the establishment of a garrison at the Old Post would "be of essential 



f J. P. Diiiiii, Indiana, American Commonn'calth Series, p. 163. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 227 

service to the district of Kentucky, and that suppHes might be had in the 
district more than sufficient for their support, by impressment or other- 
wise, under the direction of a commissary to be appointed for that pur- 
pose." Clark, before leaving the Falls, had invited the chiefs of all tribes 
along the Wabash to meet him in council at Clarksville for the purpose of 
effecting a treaty. The Indians did not object to the meeting, but they 
did to the place of holding it, and gave expression to their disapproval 
through a communication addressed to Clark by a chieftain named "The 
Goose and Fusil," who referred to Clark as "my elder brother" and wrote 
to him thus wise: "Thou oughtest to know the place we have been ac- 
customed to speak at. It is at Post Vincennes. There our chiefs are 
laid. There our ancestor's bed is, and that of our father, the French- — 
and not at Clarksville, where you required us to meet you. We do not 
know such a place : but at Post Vincennes where we always went when 
necessary to hold councils. My Eldest Brother, thou informest me I must 
meet you at the place I have mentioned; yet thou seest, my brother, that 
the season is far advanced ; and that I would not have time to invite my 
allies to come to your council, which we pray to hold at Post Vincennes." 

Clark's reply to the foregoing communication was in his characteristic 
style, and portrays the quickness of decision and determination of the man, 
who promptly declared : "I propose the last of April for the grand council 
to be held at this place, Post Vincennes, where I expect all those who are 
inclined to open the roads will appear, and we can soon discover what 
the Deity means." 

The same board which recommended the establishment of a garrison 
at Vincennes as being "of essential service to the district of Kentucky," 
appointed John Craig, Jr., a commissary of purchases. He, however, for 
some cause not stated, did not qualify, and his place was filled by the 
brilliant John Rice Jones. It was further decreed by the board that one 
field officer and two hundred and fifty men — which did not include a com- 
pany of artillery to be commanded by Captain Valentine Thomas Dalton — 
be recruited for the Old Post garrison ; that Colonel John Holder take 
command of troops; and that the "supreme direction" of the officers and 
men be vested in General Clark, who began at once the enlistment of re- 
cruits, appointment of officers and the impressment of provisions for supply- 
ing the garrison. 

While considerable indignation was manifest, at this particular time, 
on the part of some of the citizens of Vincennes on account of Spain's atti- 
tude towards the western country relative to the navigation of the Mississ- 
ippi, which feeling was intensified by the seizure and confiscation of the 
property of a Vincennes merchant at Natchez, the attitude of the com- 
munity was not quite so revolutionary as has been represented. This, 
too, at a period when General Clark was actively engaged in encouraging 
treaties with the Wabash Indians. 



228 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

The order, however, issued by the field officers made it possible for 
some of the "impressees" to take retaliatory steps against Spanish mer- 
chants for alleged wrongs perpetrated on the Mississippi against Ameri- 
can traders by Spanish authorities, and they no doubt sought to give ex- 
pression to their indignation by making the impressments on Spanish mer- 
chants heavier than on any other class. In a deposition of one Daniel 
Neeves, sworn to before Christopher Greenup, December 20, 1786, the 
treatment to which Spanish merchants were subjected, is minutely told. 
The deposition reads : 

"The deposition of Daniel Neeves, being first sworn on the Holy Evangehsts of 
Almighty God, deposeth and saith, that he, this deponent, was enhsted by Captain 
Thomas Mason as a soldier in the Wabash regiment ; that he was summoned as one 
of a guard by a Captain Valentine T. Dalton, and was by him marched to a store ; and 
he, the said Dalton by an interpreter demanded of a Spanish merchant to admit him, 
the said Dalton, into his cellar. The Spaniard asked what he wanted. The said 
Dalton said he was sent by the commanding officer to search his cellar. It being at a 
late hour of the night, the Spaniard lighted a candle and opened his doors, and went 
and opened his cellar door. The said Dalton with several others entered the cellar; 
after some time he came out and placed this deponent as a guard over the cellar, and 
took the rest of the guard to another store. That the succeeding day the said Dalton 
came with a number of others and plundered the cellar of a large quantity of peltry, 
wine, taffy, honey, tea, coffee, sugar, cordial, French brandy, and sundry other articles, 
together with a quantity of dry goods, the particular articles this deponent does not 
at present recollect ; that part of the goods was made use of to clothe the troops, 
the remainder with the other articles was set up at public auction and sold; that the 
sale was conducted by a certain John Rice Jones, who marched in the militia com- 
manded by General Clark as a commissary general. And further this deponent saith 
that he obtained a furlough, dated the 24th day of November, 1786, signed Valentino 
Thomas Dalton, Captain Commandant Wabash Regiment, of which the following is a 
copy : 'Daniel Neeves a soldier in the Wabash Regiment, has liberty to go on a fur- 
lough for two months from the date hereof; at tfie expiration he is to return to his 
duty, otherwise looked upon as a deserter. November 24, 1786. Valentine Thomas 
Dalton, Captain Commandant Wabash Regiment. To all who it may concern. And 
further this deponent saith not.' " 

In the seizure of property the soldiers were simply acting in accordance 
with the instructions from the board comprised of field officers of the 
Wabash expedition — a necessary procedure to secure provisions for the 
sustenance of the garrison. In the instance above referred to, however, 
Dalton may have been a little harsh as well as indiscreet. But it is not 
likely that his conduct on this occasion, and the action of other officers 
and privates on other occasions, with reference to the treatment of Spanish 
merchants, were influenced or condoned by Clark. As stated at the outset, 
there was a very strong sentiment among some of the inhabitants of Vin- 
cennes against Spain, which was largely shared by Clark, but the feeling did 
not manifest itself at any time in such a general or demonstrative manner 
as Mr. Thomas Green, a settler at Louisville, Ky., represented in a letter 
written to the governor of Georgia in December, 1786. Mr. Green, who 
deplores the condition to which the western country generally has been sub- 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY . 229 

jected by Spanish prohibition of the navigation of the Mississippi, says, 
among other things, that "the troops stationed at Post Vincennes by orders 
of General George Rogers Clark have seized upon what Spanish property 
there was at that place, also at Illinois in retaliation for their many offenses. 
General Clark, who has fought so gloriously for his country, and whose 
name strikes all the western savages with terror, together with many other 
gentlemen of merit, engages to raise troops sufficient, and go with me to 
the Natchez to take possession, and settle the lands agreeable to the lines 
of that state, at their own risk and expense; provided you in your infinite 
goodness will countenance them and give us the lands to settle it agreeable 
to the laws of your state. Hundreds are now waiting to join us with their 
families, seeking asylum for liberty and religion. Not hearing that the 
lines are settled between you and the Spaniards, we therefore wish for 
your direction concerning them and the advice of your superior wisdom. 
At the same time assuring you that we have contracted for a very large 
quantity of goods, we hope sufficient to supply all the Indians living within 
the limits of Georgia. Trusting that we shall be able to make them inde- 
pendent of the Spaniards, wean their affections and procure their esteem 
for us and the United States, as we expect to take the goods down with 
us. We earnestly pray that you would give us full liberty to trade with 
all those tribes, and also give your agents for Indian affairs all the neces- 
sary instructions for the prosperity of our scheme. The season for the 
Indian trade will be so far advanced that I await with very great impa- 
tience. General Clark, together with a number of other gentlemen, will 
be ready to proceed down the river with me on the shortest notice, there- 
fore hope and earnestly pray that you will despatch the express back with 
all possible speed with your answer, and all the encouragement due to so 
great an undertaking. As to the further particulars I refer you to the 
bearer, Mr. William Wells, a gentleman of merit who will be able to 
inform you more minutely than I possibly can of the sentiments of the 
people of this western country." 

General Clark, after the contents of Green's letter was made public, 
claimed that the only tacit understanding he and the writer had had was in 
relation to establishing a settlement within the borders of Georgia — the 
other propositions never having been discussed. Be that as it may, the 
culpability of Clark's actions, if really they were culpable, is lessened when 
one considers that he was acting under the direction of a board which had 
received its authority from the executive of Virginia. The said board 
decided that it was necessary to raise troops here for the purpose of pre- 
senting a more formidable front to the warring Wabash Indians ; that the 
establishment of a garrison here would "be of essential service to the dis- 
trict of Kentucky," and that supplies for the support of the garrison 
should be raised by impressment. Clark, therefore, as "supreme director 
of the corps," was simply exercising an authority which he believed the 
board had a right to confer, when he subsequently recruited, garrisoned 



230 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

soldiers and procured supplies for the garrison by impressment. The execu- 
tive council of Virginia, however, repudiated the action of the board 
whence these orders came, and demanded the prosecution of persons respon- 
sible for alleged outrages against Spanish merchants at Vincennes, which 
had no doubt been greatly magnified. Had it not been tnat the seizure 
of goods from Spanish merchants occurred at a time when negotiations 
were pending for a treaty on the Mississippi question between Mr. Jay and 
Mr. Gardoqui, on the part of the United States and Spain, and the rela- 
tions between these two countries were not strained to the highest tension, 
the enormity of the offense would have not been nearly so apparent. Mr. 
Green's extravagant statements regarding affairs at the Old Post, and Mr. 
Neeves' affidavit of an isolated case gave a false coloring to the picture. 
The true situation is presented in a report of a committee, which called on 
General Clark for an account of his conduct in the premises. Thomas 
Todd acted as clerk of the committee, which was appointed and convened 
at Danville for the purpose of eliciting such information it could relative to 
the establishment of troops and seizure of Spanish property at Vincennes. 
The report states that the committee find "by enquiry from General Clark, 
and sundry papers submitted by him for their inspection, that a board of 
field officers composed from the corps employed on the late Wabash 
expedition, did in council held at Post Vincennes, the 8th of October, 1786, 
unanimously agree that a garrison at that place would be of essential ser- 
vice to the district of Kentucky, and that supplies might be had in the 
district more than sufficient for their support, by impressment or other- 
wise, under the direction of a commissary to be appointed for this pur- 
pose, pursuant to the authority vested in the field officers of the district by 
the executive of Virginia. The same board appointed Mr. John Craig, 
Jr., a commissary of purchases ; and resolved that one field officer and two 
hundred and fifty men, exclusive of the company of artillery to be com- 
manded by Captain Valentine Thomas Dalton, be recruited to garrison 
Post Vincennes. That Colonel John Holder be appointed to command the 
troops in this service. In consequence of these measures it appears to your 
committee that a body of men have been enlisted and are recruiting for 
one year; that General Clark hath taken the supreme direction of the 
corps, but by what authority it does not appear; and that the corps hath 
been further officered by appointments made by General Clark, who 
acknowledges that the seizure of the Spanish property was made by his 
order for the sole purpose of clothing and subsisting the troops ; and that 
the goods seized were appropriated in this way; that John Rice Jones, 
who acts as commissary to the garrison, had passed receipts for the 
articles taken. The General alleges that the troops were raised for the 
security of the district; that he considers them subject to the direction of 
this committee, who may discharge them if they think proper, but con- 
ceives this measure may prevent the proposed treaty, and involve this 
country in a bloody war. He denies any intention of depredating on the 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 231 

Spanish possessions or property at the Illinois; and declares that he never 
saw the intercepted letter from Thomas Green ; that he understood Green's 
object was to establish a settlement at or near Gaso river, under authority 
of the state of Georgia ; that his view was by encouraging the settlement 
to obtain a small grant of land, and that he had no idea of molesting the 
Spaniards, or of attending Green in person. He informed the committee 
that the garrison now at Post Vincennes is about one hundred strong, 
and that the merchants at the Illinois had determined to support it for 
which purpose they had sent for the commissary, Jones, to receive pro- 
visions. That Major Bosseron was sent to Illinois to advise the settlers 
there of certain seizures made at Natchez of American property by the 
Spanish commandant, and to recommend to them to conciliate the minds 
of the Indians, and be prepared to retaliate any outrages the Spaniards 
might commit on their property ; but by no means to commence hostilities." 

The so-called outrages, in view of the facts contained in the foregoing 
report, which clearly define General Clark's position, it would seem, were 
not so terrible after all. *And. according to an opinion of the supreme 
judges and attorney general of Kentucky, relative to their perpetration, 
there was nothing illegal in them either. The court referred to say, in 
passing upon the military laws of \'irginia, under which the troops were 
raised and seizure of goods made : "We are of opinion that the executive 
council have delegated all their power under the said law and article of con- 
federation, so far as they relate to invasions, insurrections and impress- 
ments, to the field officers of that district, and that the officers, in conse- 
quence thereof have a right to impress, if necessary, all supplies for the 
use of the militia that may be called into service by their order or orders 
under said order of council." 

Colonel Logan, acting under the same authority with which the field 
officers clothed Clark, impressed supplies for his troops after he had been 
detached by Clark, and his acts in this respect seemed eminently proper — 
at least there was naught said against him. Clark in his latter days seemed 
to have acquired a number of secret enemies, for reasons not assigned. 
Singular as it may seem, the attorney general and two supreme judges of 
Kentucky, who pronounced Clark's action relative to the impressment of 
supplies in the Wabash and Illinois countries as legal and proper, after 
giving that decision were the first to accuse him of wrong-doing, and 
particularly the attorney general, who appears to have worked up the case 
against him. There was a noticable change of sentiment, however, in the 
minds of the people of the east before the flowers of spring blossomed in 
regarding the Spanish question, and in April 1787, when documentary evi- 
dence of the seizure of Merchant Amis' goods and the Green-Clark episode 
was presented to congress, Mr. Jay's accompanying letter declared that he 
was convinced that "the United States have a good right to navigate the 



*Dunn, Indiana, Commonziralth Series, p. 171. 



232 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

Mississippi river from its source to and through its mouth,." and that, 
unless the states could agree to relinquish the use for a time, as he had 
suggested, they should remonstrate against Spain's action, and in case of 
continued refusal "declare war against Spain." As to the action of the 
people of the west, he said: "If war is in expectation, then their ardor 
should not be discouraged nor their indignation diminished."* 

Clark sufifered greatly mentally and physically towards the close of his 
earthly career. He was the victim of false friends — an object of a nation's 
and man's ingratitude — and it is no wonder that he sought solace in the 
cup that inebriates. His reputation as a soldier and citizen could never 
be justly assailed, and no taint attached to his fair name, no selfish act 
detracted from the glorious fame he won in the heroic fights he made for 
the country he loved so well, save the great indiscretion which came with 
the unbearable miseries of his old age. How pitiful the concluding words 
of a letter addressed to Governor Randolph in October, 1787, when he was 
smarting under the doubtful treatment received at the hands of the Vir- 
ginia authorities: "Conscious of having done everything in the power of 
a person under my circumstances, not only for the defense of the country, 
but to save every expense possible. I can with pleasure View Countries 
flourishing that I have stained with the blood of its enemies, pitying them 
when I deign to think of them as citizens ; otherways with the utmost con- 
tempt." With the exception of the very brief period he came forward to 
act as brigadier general for the erratic French minister Genet, who made a 
futile attempt to raise American troops and invade Spanish territory for 
possession, in defiance of the protest of the president of the United States, 
the remainder of Clark's life was spent in comparative retirement. Mr. 
Genet had simply gotten to the point where he had issued a proposition 
calling for troops, when his goveniment recalled him. It is said Clark 
knew the scheme would fail at the time he accepted his commission, but 
he put on the epaulets to gratify his Kentucky friends and at the same 
time show his contempt for the Spaniards. 

In the prosecution of his campaign in the Northwest Territory Clark 
had spent his little all, and neither Virginia nor the United States made an 
effort to reimburse him. Virginia, it is true, gave him some land, but the 
quantity was not greater than a large-sized homestead tract and afforded 
him nothing more than a home. Both Virginia and the federal govern- 
ment repudiated the debts incurred by the impressment of goods at Vin- 
cennes, and the merchants who were made victims thereby brought suits in 
the territorial courts against Clark to recover damages, and obtained judg- 
ments, by virtue of which what little property he had was sold, leaving him 
poor indeed. For years he suffered excruciating pain from an attack of 
chronic rheumatism, contracted on one of his dreadful marches, which 
eventually developed into paralysis. The last affliction seized him when he 



*J- P- Dunn, Indiana, American Commonii-calth Scries, p. 172. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 233 

was the sole occupant of the house, the attack occurring while he was 
standing in front of an old-fashioned fire place. He fell unconsciously to 
the hearth in such a position as to burn one of his legs, which restored 
him to consciousness, but he never recovered from the stroke. He lingered 
hopelessly on for a score of years after this occurrence. The burn was 
very painful and annoying, and finally produced erysipelas, which neces- 
sitated the amputation of the limb, an operation which the patient bore 
with unflincliing bravery and wonderful fortitude. Wrecked by sickness 
and disease, humiliated by the ingratitude of a republic to which he had 
devoted his very life, penniless and neglected, he eked out a miserable 
existence in his log home at Clarksville, overlooking the falls of the Ohio, 
the starting point of his northwestern expedition, whose triumphant and 
ever-memorable climax gave to the United States a territory which is 
today the most priceless among all of the nation's valuable possessions. 
In 1814, when the ravages of disease had rendered him absolutely helpless, 
he was taken to the home of his sister, Mrs. William Croghan, at Locust 
Grove, near Louisville, where, on the morning of February 13, 1818, his 
earthly afflictions were ended by death, and his body consigned to earth in 
a country church yard. His remains were subsequently taken up and 
interred in Cave Hill cemetery, at Louisville, where for many years his 
grave bore evidences of neglect. And thus ended the career of one of the 
bravest of American patriots, and the greatest general of Revolutionary 
days, whose valuable services to his common country, while never fully 
appreciated, can scarcely be overestimated. 

The Piankeshaws were great admirers of Qark and showed their admi- 
ration in substantial gifts, some of which he reluctantly accepted, but was 
not permitted to retain. Tobacco and Grand Cornette, big chiefs of the 
tribe, voluntarily conveyed by deed to him a tract of land, lying on the 
northwestern side of the Ohio opposite the F"alls. Virginia refused to con- 
firm this (alleged) purchase, for the reason that the articles engrafted in 
the constitution of that state, which was formed in May, 1776, set forth 
that no purchase of lands should be made of the Indians unless for the 
benefit of the general public, subject to authority of the general assembly. 
It was in January, 1781, that the Virginia assembly resolved that, on cer- 
tain conditions, they would cede to congress for the benefit of the United 
States all of \'irginia's title and claim to the territory lying northwest of 
the Ohio river, which generous ofTer was accepted in September, 1783, 
and acknowledged by a congressional act ; and in December, 1783, the 
Virginia delegates in congress were authorized to convey to the United 
States the aforesaid lands. In October, 1783, the town of Clarksville, 
near the falls, was laid ofif as being in the county of Illinois. .Under pro- 
visions of the act by which this measure was executed the site selected for 
the town was laid ofif in half-acre lots and sold to the highest bidder, with 
the understanding that each purchaser of a lot within three years from day 
of sale was required to build thereon "a dwelling house twenty feet by 



234 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

eighteen, at least, with a brick or stone chimney." By an act of the \'ir- 
ginia assembly George R. Clark, William Fleming, John Edwards, John 
Campbell, Walker Daniel, Abraham Chaplin, John Montgomery, John 
Bayley, Robert Todd and William Clark were chosen as a board of trustees 
of the town of Clarksville. 

The real deed of cession of Virginia to the United States of lands lying 
northwest of the Ohio river did not fully materalize until March, 1784, 
when Thomas Jetiferson, Samuel Hardy, Arthur Lee and James Monroe, 
who were representatives of Virginia in the National Congress, executed the 
instrument, which provided that the territory should be formed into states 
containing not less than fifty nor more than one hundred and fifty square 
miles. Provision was further made that the states so formed should be 
strictly republican and admitted as members of the federal union, having 
the same rights of sovereignty, freedom and independence as other states. 
Virginia was also to be reimbursed for any expense she may have incurred 
in subduing any British posts, or in the maintenance of any forts or gar- 
risons, for defense, in the prescribed territory. The French and Cana- 
dian inhabitants of Vincennes, Kaskaskia and Cahokia and the adjacent 
settlements thereto, who made professions of citizenship of Virginia were 
to have their possessions and titles confirmed to them and be protected in 
the fullest enjoyment of their rights and liberties, and George Rogers 
Clark, and the officers and soldiers who marched with him against Kas- 
kaskia and Vincennes, granted not exceeding one hundred and fifty thou- 
sand acres of land, to be laid off in one tract, the length not to exceed 
double the breadth, in such place on the northwest side of the Ohio river 
as a majority of the officers shall choose, and to be afterwards divided 
among the holders in accordance with the laws of Virginia. 

During the same year of the acceptance of the deed of cession by 
Congress an ordinance, which did not become effective until after the year 
1800, was passed by the honorable body, declaring that there should be 
neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, otherwise than in punishment of 
crime, in any of the states to be formed out of the said territory. This 
ordinance was rejected; but a month later, in April, 1784, by a series of 
resolutions Congress provided for the maintenance of temporary govern- 
ment in the country which the United States had acquired northwest of 
the Ohio river. 

George Rogers Clark, Richard Butler and Arthur Lee, as authorized 
agents of the United States, in January, 1785, effected a treaty of peace 
with the Wyandot, Delaware, Chippewa and Ottawa Indians. 

An ordinance was passed by congress in May, 1785, for the purpose of 
ascertaining the mode of disposing of territorial lands. This act, however, 
had no reference to the Northwest Territory, its application affecting only 
the territory on the northern side of the Ohio river, in the vicinity of 
Beaver creek, and nine or ten miles below Pittsburg. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 235 

By act of Congress of March, 1785. a treaty was held at Vincennes, 
two months later with the Pottawatomie, Twightwee and Piankeshaw 
Indians and other western tribes for the purpose of deciding on the estab- 
lishment of a boundary line between the possessions of the aforesaid 
nations and the United States, with a view to securing greater security to 
frontier settlements. United States commissioners were about the same 
time directed to obtain from the western tribes of Indians cessions of land 
"as extensive and liberal as possible." 

All of the foregoing congressional acts pertaining to land concessions 
from the Indians wrought up the red people to the highest pitch, and 
aroused the jealous feelings of all western tribes, while it produced no 
small amount of excitement and uneasiness among the French settlers and 
the American adventurers at the Old Post. The French claimed, through 
grants made them by the Indians and concessions obtained through the 
commandants, about fifteen thousand square miles of territory northwest 
of the Ohio river. The Wabash Land Company's domains were even 
larger in extent, and neither the company, the Indians or the French inhab- 
itants of Vincennes were inclined to relinquish to the United States any 
claim they might have on lands northwest of the Ohio. The Wabash 
Indians' opposition was all the more intense because they objected to the 
white race advancing their settlements. The British had Michilimackinac, 
Detroit, and their dependencies; the Spaniards claimed the Mississippi river, 
as well as its right and left banks, and declared that the western borders 
of the United States never did extend as far as the Father of Waters; 
and at Vincennes and Kaskaskia the inhabitants became distressed lest 
they might not be able to establish title to what they did have. January, 
1786, the United States concluded at the mouth of the Great Miami river a 
treaty with the Shawnee Indians. Treaties did not always bring the 
desired results, and the adventurers who sought land grants through the 
French court at Vincennes during the years of 1785 and 1786 were regaled 
with accounts of, if they did not really experience, the hostilities of the 
savages. Each deed of cession issued by the court cost its applicant four 
dollars, and many who secured deeds were killed by the Indians before 
they had a chance to occupy the lands. 



CHAPTER XVIII. 

The Organization of Northwest Territory by Federal Government. 

arthur st. clair appointed first governor— preceded to the territory 
by general harmar and major hamtramck — first laws promul- 
gated indian hostilities on the frontiers killing of troops on 

the wabash — joel tougard sends indian to happy hunting 

GROUNDS — TOUGARD's FLATBOAT EXPERIENCES COL. VIGO AND OTHER 

TR.ADERS ENCOUNTER BAND OF INDIAN PIR.\TES ON WABASH ^ANTOINE 

GAMELIN HOLDS CONFERENCES WITH WARRIORS OF SEVERAL NATIONS — 
VIEWS OF WASHINGTON, KNOX, ST. CLAIR AND HAMTRAMCK ON THE 

INDIAN SITUATION — FAMINE-STRICKEN INHABITANTS FATHER GIBAULT 

TO THE RESCUE JUDGE HENRY VANDERBURG EARLY CUSTOMS — ^TYPICAL 

FRENCH DWELLING COUNT VOLNEY^'s VIEWS OF THE PEOPLE AND COUN- 
TRY CAPT. TOUSSAINT DUBOIS — HIS TRAGIC DEATH JOHN JACKSON 

AND JUDGE BOWMAN — EOWMAN's SUICIDE — DR. CAPMAN AND HIS PUPILS 
— -LEGEND OF DARK HOLLOW. 

During the period between the spring and fall of 1787, the Wabash 
Indians, which included representatives of nearly all tribes belonging to the 
Miami confederation, excepting the Piankeshaws, became very treacherous 
and hostile, and made it especially hazardous for the subalterns who led 
their little bands of soldiers and settlers from one post to another. Not- 
withstanding these murderous savages were permitted to come and go 
from the town, and even allowed to loiter in and about the fort at Vin- 
cennes at their own sweet will, they did not hesitate to murder and plunder 
the soldiery that had kept the white man from intruding upon their 
domains ; and, whether the troops passed back and forth by land or water,, 
they were frequently murdered and robbed by the ungrateful savages, who 
were ambushed along the banks of the river or in the dense underbrush 
that hemmed the intricate wilderness passage ways. On two different 
occasions of the period with which we are dealing the Indians attacked 
small detachments of troops that were making their way in boats down 
the Wabash, opening fire on them from the river banks. In the first 
instance only one or two soldiers were killed out of a party of probably 
ten or twelve. The second attack, however, was more disastrous to the 

236 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 237 

troops, and occurred only about a week later. In this cowardly onslaught, 
out of a squad of thirty-eight or forty soldiers, ten were killed outright, 
eight were wounded, some mortally, and the supplies with which the 
expedition had been provided were confiscated. The surviving members 
of militia floated down the Wabash and the day following met with a party 
of mounted riflemen from the borders of Kentucky, who had crossed the 
Ohio on a retaliatory foray in quest of a band of thieving Indians who 
had stolen quite a number of horses. These daring frontiersmen were 
given the details of the tragedy of the preceding day, and, with renewed 
vigor and heightened spirits for vengeance, started toward the place of 
its enactment. Within a few miles of town they came upon the identical 
band of cowardly red skins who were the principal actors in its bloody 
scenes. The Indians were taken unawares, ten or twelve of their number 
were killed, and the remainder retreated in all directions, leaving twenty 
or thirty horses behind, which were promptly taken in charge by the 
avenging Kentuckians. 

Joel Tougas (Tougaw) a powerful Frenchman, learning of these 
Indian outrages, left his cabin on the banks of the Wabash, at St. Francis- 
ville, and came to town, on horseback, to investigate. 'While conversing 
with some friends in front of the old church shortly after his arrival, the 
alarm was given that an Indian had killed a soldier at the fort. Tougas, 
observing the red assassin fleeing from that direction, and coming toward 
him, jerked the "rider" ofif a "worm" fence, and swung the rail, with full 
force, against the middle of the Indian's back, breaking his spinal column 
and killing him almost instantly, after which Tougas resumed the conversa- 
tion at the point where it had been interrupted as though nothing out of 
the ordinary had transpired. Joel Tougas, or Tougard, was one of three 
brothers — the other two being Joseph and William — all of whom were 
over six feet tall, having the strength of giants and the courage of lions. 
Joel has been referred to as "the man who dwelt alone on a rock," while 
the fires of war were burning all around him. That is to say, he lived at 
St. Francisville while Indian hostilities and the conflicts between the 
French and English were at meridian height, undismayed and undis- 
turbed. He was probably the first man to run a flat boat from this locality 
to New Orleans, and generally made two trips a year. He built his boats 
with his own hands, taking the timber from the forest and shaping its 
ends. He was captain, mate and crew of every vessel he built, and made 
his long voyages single-handed and alone. The only animate thing on 
board his "merchant-marine" craft, besides himself, was his faithful horse, 
which always carried him safely back overland and from the southern 
metropolis he had entered z'ia the water route. 

Colonel Vigo was a heavy loser by the Indian outrages which were 

being perpetrated about this time. While on a trading expedition up the 

Wabash, his boat and crew were attacked by a warring band of red skins, 

the lives of three of his men were taken, and he was forced to reverse his 
Vol I— le 



238 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

course and drop down stream. Taking up with another boat, belonging to 
American traders, he made a second attempt to force his way up stream, 
but met with greater resistance and more hostile treatment. During the 
skirmish that ensued the Americans' boat got away, but \'igo was captured. 
The Indians, however, released the gallant colonel when he made his 
identity clear, stating that it was only Americans against whom they made 
war, notwithstanding they plundered his boat of all the cargo they could 
carry away. 

The Indian outrages gradually spread to the borders of Kentucky and 
along the banks of the Ohio as well as the Wabash, and in the seven years 
following the close of the Revolution thousands of lives had been sacrificed 
and thousands of horses stolen in Kentucky alone. The emigrant routes 
between all the settlements in the Northwest Territory were traversed by 
the hostile red skins, and became the scenes of the bloodiest murders and 
the most heinous crimes, by which women and children were subjected to 
all manner of outrages. Despite the efforts to conclude treaties on the 
part of the general government, the Indians grew more hostile and brutal, 
and would listen to no terms of peace. The Federal authorities, realizing 
how futile it were to assume simply a defensive attitude towards such 
blood-thirsty foes, prepared to pacify the savages with shot and shell ; and 
it was not long until the valleys of the Maumee and the Wabash reverbe- 
rated with the thunders of war. 

The Federal Congress on July 13, 1787, passed an ordinance for the 
government of the territory of the United States northwest of the river 
Ohio; and, eight days later, on the 21st of July, 1787, a resolution was 
adopted by the same august body, the full text of which is as follows: 

Resolved, That the Superintendent of Indian Affairs for the Northern Department 
and, in case he be unable to attend, then Colonel Josiah Harmar, immediately proceed 
to Post Vincennes, or some other place more convenient, in his opinion, for holding a 
treaty with the Wabash Indians, the Sliawanees, and other hostile tribes ; that he inform 
those Indians that Congress is sincerely disposed to promote peace and friendship 
between their citizens and the Indians: that to this end, he is sent to invite them, in 
a friendly manner, to a treaty with the United States to hear their complaints, to know 
the truth, and the causes of their quarrels with those frontier* settlers ; and having 
invited those Indians to the treaty, he shall make strict enquiry into the causes of their 
uneasiness and hostile proceedings, and ask for a treaty of peace with them, if it 
can be done on terms consistent with the honor and dignity of the United States. 

In October of the same year (1787) Congress, taking cognizance of 
the fact, by resolution, that the time for which the greater part of the troops 
engaged in service on the frontiers would expire in the course of the 
ensuing year, resolved "that the interests of the United States required 
that the frontiers should be furnished with seven hundred troops, to pro- 
tect the settlers on the public lands from Indian depredations, and to 



*"The French and Canadian inhabitants and other settlers of the Kaskaskia, Saint 
Vincents and the neighboring villages, who have heretofore professed themselves 
citizens of Virginia." — [Ordinance of July 13. 1787] 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 239 

facilitate the surveying and selling of said lands, in order to reduce the 
public debt, and to prevent all unwarrantable intrusions thereon." 

It seems that Colonel Harmar, who had been meanwhile promoted by 
brevet to the rank of major general, had arrived at Vincennes before the 
resolution authorizing him to come had passed Congress. f His treaties 
with the Indians, which were carried on here and at Kaskaskia, were 
unavailing, and, after remaining about three months, he appointed Major 
John F. Hamtramck, U. S. A., commandant of Post Vincennes, and took 
his departure for the borders of the Ohio. Major Hamtramck was a man 
of commanding presence and fine military bearing, and thoroughly capable 
of handling the intricate and perplexing problems of civil and military life 
on the frontier.:}: Following the example of his predecessors, he rechris- 
tened the fort by changing the name of "Patrick Henry" to that of 
"Knox," out of consideration to General Knox, a compliment suggested 
by General Harmar. The first move he made towards bringing order out 
of chaos at the Post was the issuance of a proclamation prohibiting the 
sale of intoxicating liquors to Indians. During the years 1787 and 1788 
repeated attempts on the part of the commissioners to treat with Indians 
occupying land along the borders of the Ohio had proven failures, the 
Indians always maintaining that the river Ohio was the boundary line 
between their possessions and those of the United States. About this time 
General Harmar, who was a busier, if not a more useful, man than when 
at Vincennes, had erected fortifications at the mouth of the Muskingum 
river, strengthened the fort and garrison at the Falls of the Ohio, and sent 
out confidential agents to all parts of the country to treat with the Indians 
and to ascertain the sentiment of western settlers relative to the invasion 
of Spanish possessions. The strengthening of the forts had been suggested 
in a letter dated November 14, 1787, from the secretary of war to General 
Harmar, who was then the commanding officer of troops stationed on the 
borders of the Ohio, and whom the secretary had advised "to form your 
posts of such strength, if in your power, as will be able by force to prevent 
the passage of the party for the invasion of Spanish possessions. Previous 
to exerting actual force you will represent, on behalf of the United States, 
to the persons conducting the enterprise, the criminality of their conduct 
and the obligation of the sovereign authority to prevent at any hazard such 
an audacious proceeding." 

The Northwest Territory, as a recognized province of the United States, 
had no executive official head until, by an act of Congress, passed October 



f Harmar had arrived at Vincennes two days before the adoption of this resolution 
in obedience to orders previously given him to take possession of the place from 
Clark. — [Dunn's Indiana, p. 261.] 

:j:Major Hamtramck remained for three years the autocrat of the Wabash— the 
sole legislative, executive and judicial authority. He had the good sense to assume all 
the power that he considered best for the public welfare, and to assert it with firm- 
ness. — [J. P. Dunn, Indiana, American Coinmonucaltli Scries, p. 262.] 



240 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

5, 1787, Arthur St. Clair was elected its first governor. He, however, 
never received any instructions from Congress until 1788, and the federal 
laws, pertaining to the government of the Northwest Territory, which did 
not have its organization fully established until the year last named, were 
not extended to Vincennes and many of the French settlements until 1790. 
Quite a number of causes contributed to the delay in perfecting the com- 
plete organization of the Northwest Territory, not least of which was the 
hostility of the Indians, who bitterly opposed every advance made by 
white settlers north of the Ohio river, and whose blood-thirsty natures 
had been wrought to the highest tension by the conduct of riflemen from 
Kentucky, who were bent on a relentless and exterminating war against 
the savages. The stubbornness and contentions of the Indians were ag- 
gravated largely by the British who, contrary to the terms of existing 
treaties between England and America, were attempting to hold possessions 
that did not belong to Canada, and who sought to further establish them- 
selves by urging the Indians to resist all attempts of the general govern- 
ment to claim lands north of the Ohio, to insist on their independence, 
and to recognize no power or potentate other than England and King 
George. 

But, if the reader will permit, we would like to give a further intro- 
duction to Arthur St. Clair, and recount a few of his acts prior to his 
selection as the chief executive of the Northwest Territory. A Scotch- 
man by birth, he was quite a young man when he left his native land in 
1755 to seek his fortune in the British colonies of North America. He 
first came into notoriety as a member of the Royal American, or Sixteenth 
British Regiment, serving under General Amherst at the taking of Louis- 
bourg, in 1758. When the gallant General Wolfe, with his valiant troops 
stormed and captured Quebec, in 1759, he was the bearer of the victorious 
standard. Shortly after the conclusion of the peace treaty of 1763, he 
wandered into the western part of the province of Pennsylvania, locating 
in Ligonier Valley, where he made his home until the beginning of the 
Revolutionary war, when, having received from Congress a commission 
of Colonel, he joined the American forces in command of a regiment of 
seven hundred and fifty men. Later he was promoted to the rank of 
Major General, and was tried by a court martial, in 1778, for evacuating 
Ticonderoga* and Mount Independence. His trial, however, resulted in 
his complete acquittal, and the further establishment of his honor, integrity 
and bravery ; and, to the very close of the war, he continued to act in the 
capacity of an officer of the United States, with the rank of Major Gen- 
eral, always considered among the bravest of American soldiers. Writ- 



*On the evacuation of Ticonderoga, St. Clair said to Major James Wilkinson: 
"I know I could save my character by sacrificing the army; but were I to do so, I 
should forfeit that which the world could not restore, and which it can not take away 

— the approbation of my own conscience." — [Wilkinson's Memoirs, p. 85.] 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 241 

ing to Hon. William B. Giles, of Virginia, St. Clair discloses in a private 
letter the following bit of personal history: "In the year 1786 I entered 
into public service in the civil life, and was a member of Congress and 
president of that body, when it was determined to erect a government in 
the country to the west, that had been ceded by Virginia to the United 
States; and in the year 1788, the office of governor was in a great measure 
forced on me. The losses I had sustained in the Revolutionary war, from 
the depreciation of the money and other causes, had been very great; 
and my friends saw in this new government means that might be in my 
power to compensate myself, and to provide handsomely for my numer- 
ous family. They did not know how little I was qualified to avail myself 
of these advantages, if they had existed. I had neither taste nor genius 
for speculation in land : neither did I think it very consistent with the office." 

Among the first instructions St. Clair received from Congress, nearly 
a year following his selection as Governor of the Northwest Territory, 
were to examine carefully into the real temper of the Indians ; to remove, 
if possible, all causes of controversy, so that peace and harmony might 
be established between the United States and the Indian tribes; to regulate 
trade among the Indians ; to neglect no opportunity that might offer of 
extinguishing the Indian rights to lands westward as far as the Missis- 
sippi, and northward as far as the completion of the forty-first degree 
of north latitude ; to use every possible endeavor to ascertain the names 
of the real head men and warriors of the several tribes, and to attach 
these men to the United States by every possible means ; to make every 
exertion to defeat all confederations and combinations among the tribes, 
and to conciliate the white people inhabiting the frontier towards the 
Indians.* 

Arriving at the settlement, which is now the town of Marietta, Ohio, 
St. Clair, in conjunction with Samuel Holden Parsons, James Mitchell 
\'arnum and John Cleves Symmes, who had previously qualified as mem- 
bers of the General Court of the Territory of the United States North- 
west of the River Ohio, took the initiatory towards the establishment of 
government for the Territory by formulating, adopting and publishing the 
following laws within a period covered from December to August, 1788: 

1. A law for regulating and establishing the militia in the territory of the United 
States northwest of the river Ohio. 

2. A law for establishing general Courts of Quarter Sessions of the Peace, (and 
therein of the powers of single justices) and for establishing county courts of common 
pleas (and therein of the power of single judges to hear and determine upon small 
debts and contracts) and also a law for establishing the office of sheriff, and for the 
appointment of sheriffs. 

3. A law establishing a Court of Probate. 

4. A law for fixing the terms of the General Court of the Territory of tlie Ignited 
States northwest of the River Ohio, provides : "The General Court for the territory 



♦Dillon, History of Indicina, ed, 1859. 



242 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

of the United States northwest of the river Ohio, shall hold pleas, civil and crimi- 
nal, at four certain periods or terms in each and every year in such counties as the 
judges shall from time to time deem most conducive to the general good; they giving 
timely notice of the place of their sitting; that is to say, upon the first Monday of 
February, May, October and December. Provided, however, that but one terra be 
holden in any one county in a year ; and that all processes, civil and criminal, shall be 
returnable to said court wheresoever they may be in said territory. And as circum- 
stances may so intervene to prevent a session of the court at the time and place fixed 
upon, it shall and may be lawful for the court to adjourn from time to time, by 
writ directed to the sheriff of the county; and to continue all process accordingly: 
And in case either of the judges shall attend at the time and place aforesaid, and no 
writ be received by the sheriff, it shall be his duty to adjourn the court from day to 
day during the first six days of the term ; and then to the next term ; to which all 
processes shall be continued as aforesaid. Provided, however, that all issues in fact 
shall be tried in the county where the cause of action shall have arisen." 

5. A law respecting oaths of office. 

6. A law respecting crimes and punishments made treason, murder and house- 
burning (in cases where death ensued from such burning) punishable by death. The 
crimes of burglary and robbery were each punishable by whipping, (not exceeding 
thirty-nine stripes) fine and imprisonment not exceeding forty years. For the crime 
of perjury the offender was amenable to a fine not exceeding sixty dollars, or whip- 
ping, not exceeding thirty-nine lashes, and disfranchisement, and standing in the pil- 
lory for a space of time not exceeding two hours. Larceny was punishable by a fine ' 
or whipping, at the discretion of the court. If the convict could not pay the fine of 
the court it was lawful for the sheriff, by the direction of the court, to bind such con- 
vict to labor for a term not exceeding seven years, to any suitable person who would 
pay such fine. Forgery was punishable by fine, disfranchisement, and standing in the 
pillory for a space of time not exceeding three hours. The statutes relating to crimes, 
and providing punishment therefor, contained also the following sections : 

"If any children or servants shall, contrary to obedience due to their parents or 
masters, resist or refuse to obey their lawful commands, upon complaint thereof to a 
Justice of the Peace, it shall be lawful for such Justice to send him or them so offend- 
ing, to the jail or house of correction, there to remain until he or they shall humble 
themselves to the said parent's or master's satisfaction. And, if any child or servant 
shall, contrary to his bounden duty, presume to strike his parent or master, upon com- 
plaint and conviction thereof, before two or more Justices of the Peace, the offender 
shall be whipped not exceeding ten stripes. 

"If any person shall be convicted of drunkenness before one or more Justices of 
the Peace, the person so convicted shall be fined, for the first offense, in the sum of 
five dimes, and for every succeeding offense, and upon conviction, in the sum of one 
dollar; and in either case, upon the offender's neglecting or refusing to pay the fine, 
he shall set in the stocks for the space of one hour, provided, however, that complaint 
be made to the Justice or Justices within two days next after the offense shall have 
been committed. 

"Whereas, idle, vain and obscene conversation, profane cursing and swearing, and 
more especially the irreverently mentioning, calling upon, or invoking the Sacred and 
Supreme Being, by any of the divine characters in which he has graciously con- 
descended to reveal his infinitely beneficent purposes to mankind, are repugnant to 
every moral sentiment, subversive of every civil obligation, inconsistent with the 
ornaments of polished life, and abhorcnt to the principles of the most benevolent! 
religion. It is expected, therefore, if crimes of this kind should exist, they will not 
find encouragement or approbation in this territory. It is strictly enjoined upon all 
officers and ministers of justice, upon parents and others, heads of families, and upon 
others of every description, that they abstain from practices so vile and irrational ; 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 243 

and that by example and precept, to the utmost of their power they prevent the neces- 
sity of adopting and pubUshing laws with penalties upon this head. And it is here- 
by declared that government will consider as unworthy its confidence all those who 
may obstinately violate these injunctions. 

"Whereas, mankind in every stage of informed society, have consecrated certain 
portions of time to the particular cultivation of the social virtues, and the public 
adoration and worship of the common parent of the universe ; and whereas a prac- 
tice so rational in itself and conformable to the divine precepts is greatly conducive 
to civilization as well as morality and piety and whereas for the advancement of such 
important and interesting purposes, most of the Christian world have set apart the 
first day of the week as a day of rest from common labors and pursuits ; it is there- 
fore enjoined that all servile labor, works of necessity and charity only excepted, be 
wholly abstained from on said day." 

7. A law regulating marriages, among others, contained this provision in its 
third section: "Previously to persons being joined in marriage as aforesaid, the in- 
tention of the parties shall be made known by publishing the same for the space of 
fifteen days at least, either by the same being publicly and openly declared three sev- 
eral Sundays, holy days, or other days of public worship in the meeting in the towns 
where the parties respectively belong, or by publication in writing under the hand and 
seal of one of the judges before mentioned, or of a Justice of the Peace within the 
county, to be affixed in some public place in the town wherein the parties respectively 
dwell ; or a license shall be obtained of the governor under his hand and seal, author- 
izing the marriage of the parties without publication, as is in this law before required." 

8. A law in addition to a law entitled "A law for regulating and establishing the 
militia in the territory of the United States northwest of the river Ohio." 

9. A law appointing Coroners. 

10. A law limiting the times of commencing civil actions and instituting criminal 
prosecutions. 

Having, with his associates, coinpleted the compilation and publication 
of the foregoing laws, Governor St. Clair repaired to Fort Harmar, at the 
mouth of the Muskingum river, and, on the 9th day of January, 1789, 
concluded a treaty with the Six Nations, the Wyandots, Delawares, 
Ottawas, Chippewas. Pottawatomies and Sacs. The terms of the treaty, 
however, were repudiated by all the tribes named, (except the Six Nations) 
who subsequently denied having any authorized representatives at the meet- 
ing; and during the early spring of the following year the red demons 
again went on the war path and continued to murder and rob the inhabit- 
ants of defenseless white settleinents on the western frontiers. Within 
less than six months after the alleged treaty, following which the Indians 
seemed to grow more savage, if possible, than before, General Knox, Sec- 
retary of War, in an official report to the President of the United States 
dated June 15th. 1789. sums up the Indian situation in the Northwest 
Territory, and gives expression to the following patriotic and humane 
sentiments : 

"By information from Brigadier General Harmar, the commanding officer of the 
troops on the frontiers, it appears that several murders have been lately committed 
on the inhabitants by small parties of Indians probably from the Wabash country. 
Some of the said murders have been perpetrated on the south side of the Ohio, the 
inhabitants on the waters of that river are exceedingly alarmed, for the extent of 
six or seven hundred miles along the same. It is to be observed that the United 



244 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

States have not formed any treaties with the Wabash Indians ; on the contrary, since 
the conclusion of the war with Great Britain, hostilities have almost constantly ex- 
isted between the people of Kentucky and the said Indians. The injuries and mur- 
ders have been so reciprocal that it would be a point of critical investigation to know 
on which side they have been the greatest. Some of the inhabitants of Kentucky dur- 
ing the past year, roused by recent injuries, made an incursion into the Wabash 
country, and possessing an equal aversion to all bearing the name of Indians, they 
destroyed a number of peaceable Piankeshaws who prided themselves in their attach- 
ment to the United States. Things being thus circumstanced, it is greatly to be ap- 
prehended that hostilities may be so far extended as to involve the Indian tribes with 
whom the United States have recently made treaties. It is well known how strong 
the passion exists for war in the mind of a young savage, and how easily it may 
be inflamed, so as to disregard every precept of the older and wiser part of the 
tribes who may have a more just opinion of the force of a treaty. Hence, it results 
that unless some decisive measures are immediately adopted to terminate those mutual 
hostilities, they will probably become general among all the Indians northwest of the 
Ohio. 

"In examining the question how the disturbances on the frontiers are to be 
quieted, two modes present themselves, by which the object might perhaps be effected: 
the first is by raising an army and extirpating the refractory tribes entirely ; or, 
secondly, by forming treaties of peace with them, in which their rights and limits 
should be explicitly defined, and the treaties observed on the part of the United States 
with the most rigid justice, by punishing the whites who should violate the same. 

"In considering the first mode, an enquiry would arise, zvhether, under the existing 
circumstances of affairs, the United States have a clear right, consistently with the 
principles of justice and the laws of nature, to proceed to the destruction or expul- 
sion of the savages on the IVabash, supposing the force for that object easily attainable. 
It is presumable that a nation solicitous of establishing its character on the broad 
basis of justice, would not only hesitate at, but reject every proposition to benefit itself, 
by the injury of any neighboring community, however contemptible and weak it may 
be, either with respect to its manners or power. When it shall be considered that 
the Indians derive their subsistence chiefly by hunting, and that, according to fixed 
principles, their population is in proportion to the facility with which they procure 
their food, it would most probably be found that the expulsion or destruction of the 
Indian tribes have nearly the same effect ; for, if they are removed from their usual 
hunting grounds, they must necessarily encroach on the hunting grounds of another 
tribe, who will not suffer the encroachment with impunity— hence they destroy each 
other. The Indians being the prior occupants, possess the right of the soil. It cannot 
be taken from them unless by their free consent, or by the right of conquest in case 
of a just war. To dispossess them on any other principle would be a gross violation 
of the fundamental laws of nature, and of that distributive justice which is the glory 
of a nation. But, if it should be decided, on an abstract view of the question to be 
just, to remove by force the Wabash Indians from the territory they occupy, the 
finances of the United States would not at present admit of the operation. 

"By the best and latest information it appears that, on the Wabash and its com- 
munications, there are from fifteen hundred to two thousand warriors. An expedition 
against them, with a view of extirpating them, or destroying their towns, could not 
be undertaken with a probability of success, with less than an army of two thou- 
sand, five hundred men. The United States troops on the frontiers are less than six 
hundred :* of that number not more than four hundred could be collected from the 



♦Detachments of regular troops were stationed at Fort Pitt. Fort Harmar, Fort 
Washington, Fort Steuben (at the Falls of the Ohio) and at Post Vincennes.— [Dil- 
lion. History of Indiana. Vol. i, p. 2,38.] 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 245 

posts for the purpose of the expedition. To raise, pay, feed, arm and equip one thou- 
sand, nine hundred additional men, with the necessary officers, for six months, and to 
provide everything in the hospital and quartermaster's line, would require the sum of 
two hundred thousand dollars ; a sum far exceeding the ahility of the United States to 
advance, consistently with a due regard to other indispensable objects." 

Colonel John Hardin, a regular United States army officer of Revolu- 
tionary fame, knowing the Kentuckians' aversion to the red man, in Au- 
gust, 1789, organized a volunteer company of mounted men at Fort Steuben, 
and marched from the Falls of the Ohio to the Wabash country to "sack" 
some Indian villages and exterminate their inhabitants. After devoting 
a month to the work of destroying corn, pillaging and burning Indian 
towns, and killing a quantity of savages, the scouting party returned to 
Kentucky, without having sustained the loss of a single man. 

.Meantime Governor St. Clair was wrestling hard with the Indian 
problem, and, in a letter written to President Washington, under date of 
September 14th, 1789, leaves the inference to be drawn that, probably, 
Hardin's expedition was without authority or sanction of his superior offi- 
cers. The letter, of which only a portion is here given, contains the follow- 
ing comments : "The constant hostilities between the Indians who live 
upon the river Wabash and the people of Kentucky, must necessarily be 
attended with such embarrassing circumstances to the government of the 
Northwest Territory, that I am induced to request that you will be pleased 
to take the matter into consideration, and give me the orders you may 
think proper. It is not to be expected, sir, that the Kentucky people will 
or can submit patiently to the cruelties and depredations of those savages. 
They are in the habit of retaliation, perhaps zcithont attending precisely 
to the tuitions from zcliicli the injuries are receiz'ed. They will continue 
to retaliate, or they will apply to the Governor of the Northwest Territory 
(through which the Indians must pass to attack them) for redress. If 
he cannot redress them (and in the present circumstances he cannot) they 
also will march through that country to redress themselves, and the gov- 
ernment will be laid prostrate. The United States, on the other hand, 
are at peace with several of the nations, and should the resentment of 
these people [the Kentuckians] fall upon any of them, which is likely 
enough to happen, very bad consequences may follow. For it must ap- 
pear to them [the Indians] that the United States either pay no regard 
to their treaties, or that they are unwilling or unable to carry their engage- 
ments into effect. They will unite with the hostile nations, prudently pre- 
ferring open war to a delusive and uncertain peace." 

The alarm occasioned by Indian incursions and hostilities during the 
year 1789 was so great that the United States Congress in September of 
that year passed an act empowering the president to call out the militia 
of the respective states for the protection of frontier settlements ; and, sub- 
sequently, the president addressed Governor St. Clair a communication 
announcing that "It is highly necessary that I should as soon as possible. 



/ 



246 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

possess full information, whether the \\'abash Indians are most inclined 
for war or peace. If for the former, it is proper that I should be informed 
of the means which will most probably induce them to peace. If a peace 
can be established with the said Indians on reasonable terms, the interests 
of the United States dictate that it slioukl be effected as soon as possible. 
You will, therefore, inform the said Indians of the disposition of the Gen- 
eral Government on this subject, and of their reasonable desire that there 
should be a cessation of hostilities as a prelude to a treaty." 

It was made a part of the president's order that the militia at the 
different posts should act in conjunction with the regular troops. Wash- 
ington further said, in his message to St. Clair: "I would have it observed 
forcibly, that a war with the Wabash Indians ought to be avoided by all 
means consistently with the security of the troops and the national dignity. 
In the exercise of the present indiscriminate hostilities, it is extremely diffi- 
cult, if not impossible, to say that a war without further measures would be 
just on the part of the United States. But, if, after manifesting clearly 
to the Indians the disposition of the General Government for the preserva- 
tion of peace, and the extension of a just protection to the said Indians, 
they should continue their incursions, the United States will be constrained to 
punish them with severity." 

The concluding paragraph of the message contains these words, in 
which George Washington expressed anxiety for the well being of the 
citizens of the Old Post : "You will, also, proceed, as soon as you can, 
with safety, to execute the orders of the late Congress respecting the in- 
habitants at Post Vincennes, and at the Kaskaskias, and the other villages 
on the Mississippi. It is a circumstance of some importance, that the said 
inhabitants should, as soon as possible, possess the lands to which they 
are entitled, by some known and fixed principle." 

The lands referred to above were acquired by the following named 
heads of families who settled at Vincennes on or before the year 1783, 
and who had taken the oath of allegiance to the United States, and com- 
prised 400 acres in each individual tract, being situated in the Old Donation ; 
and the instructions in the foregoing paragraph in relation thereto were 
based upon resolutions adopted by Congress in June and August, 1788, 
confirming titles thereto: Louis Alaire, Joseph Andrez, Francois Brouillet, 
Francois Boraye, Jr., John Baptiste Binette, Charles Boneau, Vital Ben- 
cher, Marie, widow of Louis Bayer, Amble Boulon, Charles Bugard, Mit- 
chel Burdelow, Mitchel Brouillet, Francois Bosseron, Francois Boraye, 
Sr., Antoine Burdelow, Sr., Louis Brouillet, Louis Bayer, John Baptiste 
Cardinal, Francois Coder, Pierre Comoyer, Joseph Chabot, Antoine Cary, 
Francois Compagniat, Jacques Cardinal, Joseph Chartier. Nicholas Chapard, 
Joseph Charpontier, Pierre Ciiartier, Sr., Moses Carter, Antone Dronette, 
John Baptiste Dubois, John Baptiste Duchene, Charles Delile, Charles 
Delisle. Pierre Daigneau, Antoine Dorrys, Louis De Claurier, John Baptiste 
Deloyier, Honore Dorrys, Charles Dudevoir, Amble Delisle, Jacques Denze, 



IIISTORY OF KNOX COL'xXTY 247 

Joseph Ducharme, Bonaventure Drogier, Nicholas Ditart, Francois Desauve, 
Louis Edehne. Joseph Flamelin, John Baptiste Javale, Paul Gamelin, Charles 
Gusille, Toussaint Goder, Antoine Gamelin, Paul Gamelin, Amble Gaurqui- 
pie, Alexis A. Gallinois, Pierre Gilbert, John Baptist Harpin, Joseph Hunot, 
Sr., Etienne Jacques, Edward Johnson, Jacques Latrimoille, Francois Log- 
non, Joseph Lognon, Jacques La Croix, Pierre Laforest, Anthony Lune- 
ford, Charles Languedoc, Louis Lamere, John Baptiste Mangen, Pierre 
Sanglois. Joseph Leveron, Louis Laderoute, Francois Languedoc, Pierre 
Mallet, Antoine Mallet, Andre Montplesir, Louis Meteyer, Francois Winie, 
John Baptiste Mallet, Nicholas Mayat, Francois Mallet, Joseph Michael, 
Antoine Marier, Frederick Mahl, Joseph Mallett, John Baptiste Mayes, 
Michael Nean, John Baptiste Quillet, Joseph Perrdeau, Guillaume Payes, 
Pierre Perret, Amble Perron, Pierre Zuivez, Sr., John Baptiste Ste. Marie 
Racine, Joseph Sabelle, Pierre Regnez, John Baptist St. Aubin, Francois 
Racine, Pierre Andre Racine, Louis Ravellette, Louis Raupiault, Joseph 
Raux, Joseph St. Marie, Etienne St. Marie, Francois Turpin, Francois 
Tuidel, Joseph Tougas, Francis Vatchette, John Baptiste \'andray, Sr., 
John Baptiste Vandray, Jr., Francis Vigo, Alexander \'allez, Antoine Van-f 
drez, John Baptiste Vilray, Angelique, widow of Etienne Phillibert, Mary 
Louisa, widow of Nicholas Perrot, Felicite, widow of Francois Peltier, 
Angelique, widow of Francois Basinet, Marie, widow of Nicholas Cardinal, 
Susanna, widow of Pierre Coder, iMarianne, widow of Louis Denoyou, 
Marie, widow of Hyacinthe Denoyou, \'eronique, widow of Guilleaume 
Daperon, Francois, widow of Ambrose Dagenet, Genevive, widow of Pierre 
Gremore, Ann, widow of Moses Henry, Catharine, widow of John Baptiste 
Lafontaine, Madaline, widow of St. Jean Legarde. Veronique, widow of 
Gabriel La Grande, Maria Louise, widow of John Philip Marie Legras, 
Louise, widow of Antoine Lefevre, Catarine, widow of Amble Lardoise, 
Madeline, widow of Joseph Stone, Genevive, wife of Joseph Laboissier, 
the husband deserted. Renez Godene de Pannah, Agate, widow of Amble 
Rumay. 

Governor St. Clair, accompanied by Winthrop Sargent, Secretary of 
the Northwest Territory, arrived in the Illinois country in 1790 for the 
purpose of organizing the government in this section, and to carry into 
effect the congressional resolutions referred to above relative to the lands 
and settlers in and about \'incennes and Kaskaskia. St. Clair, however, 
had previously sent Major Hamtramck, in command at \"incennes, certain 
despatches containing speeches which were addressed to the Indian tribes 
on the Wabash. Among the despatches was a letter, (dated at Fort 
Steuben, Jan. 22,. 1790) in which the Governor expressed great pain at 
having heard of the scarcity of corn prevalent in the settlements about Vin- 
cennes and hoped that the reports had been exaggerated ; "but it is repre- 
.=ented to me," he continues in the letter, "that unless a supply of that 
article can be sent forward, the people must actually starve. Corn can 
be had here in any quantity; but can the people pay for it? I entreat you 



248 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

to enquire into the matter, and if you find they can not do without it, 
write to the Contractor's Agent here, to whom I will give orders to send 
forward such quantity as you may find to be absolutely necessary. They 
must pay for what they can of it ; but they must not be suffered to perish : 
and though I have no direct authority from the government for this pur- 
pose, I must take it upon myself." 

There was much distress caused by the corn famine at Vincennes in 
the fore part of the year 1790 and many people were driven to sheer des- 
(leration. Major Hamtramck replied to the letter of Governor St. Clair 
in March, stating he had sent a boat as directed for the purpose of con- 
veying eight hundred bushels of corn to the starving people. In the same 
connection he relates that on the i6th inst. a woman, a boy of about thirteen, 
and a girl about seven years were forced to the woods by hunger and 
there committed suicide by eating some nameless poisonous weeds. 

It was early in the year 1790 that Governor St. Clair, while at Kas- 
kaskia, named the territory in which that settlement was located St. Clair 
county. He appointed civil officers and issued a proclamation directing 
claimants to show their land titles in order that they might be approved 
and possessions to the land confirmed. While a large number of claims 
and title deeds were exhibited, and orders issued for a survey to be made 
of the lands to those holding them, "only a part of the surveys," says 
the Governor, were returned, because the people objected to paying the 
surveyor, and that it was "too true that they were ill able to pay." And 
in the same report, wherein the foregoing fact is stated, the Governor says : 

"The Illinois country, as well as that upon the Wabash, has been involved in 
great distress ever since it fell under the American dominion. With great cheerful- 
ness the people furnished the troops under General Clark and the Illinois regiment, 
with everything they could spare, and often much more than they could spare with any 
convenience to themselves. Most of the certificates of these supplies are still in their 
hands, unliquidated and unpaid; and, in many instances where application has been 
made for payment to the state of Virginia, under whose authority the certificates 
were granted, it has been refused. The Illinois regiment being disbanded, a set of 
men pretending the authority of Virginia, embodied themselves, and a scene of gen- 
eral depredation and plunder ensued. To this succeeded three successive and extra- 
ordinary inundations from the Mississippi, which cither swept away their crops or 
prevented them from being planted. The loss of the greatest part of their trade with 
the Indians, which was a great resource, came upon them at this juncture, as well as 
the hostile incursion of some of the tribes which had ever before been in friendship 
with them: and to these was added the loss of their whole last crop of corn by an 
untimely frost. Extreme misery could not fail to be the consequence of such accu- 
mulated misfortunes." 

Good Father Gibault, always ready and willing to lighten the burdens 
of suffering huinanity, could not perinit himself to remain silent when his 
parishoners at Kaskaskia and Cahokia were in the depths of misery and 
despair. Accordingly, he addressed a communication (containing eighty- 
seven signatures besides his own) to Governor St. Clair, which is under date 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 249 

of "St. Clair county, June 9, 1790," and of which the following is an 
excerpt : 

"The memorialists humbly showeth that by an act of Congress of June so, 1778, 
it was declared that the lands heretofore possessed by the said inhabitants should be 
surveyed at their expense; and that this clause appears to them neither necessary nor 
adapted to quiet the minds of the people. It does not appear necessary, because from 
the establishment of the colony to this day, they have enjoyed their property and pos- 
sessions without disputes or law suits on the subject of their limits: that the surveys 
of them were made at the time they were obtained from their Ancient Kings, Lords 
and Commandants; and that each of them knew. what belonged to him without at- 
tempting an encroachment on his neighbor, or fearing that his neighbor would en- 
croach on him. It does not appear adapted to pacify them, because, instead of assur- 
ing to them the peaceable possession of their ancient inheritance, as they have en- 
joyed it till now, that clause obliges them to bear expenses which, in their present sit- 
uation, they are absolutely incapable of paying, and for the failure of which they must 
be deprived of their lands. 

"Your Excellency is an eye witness to which the inhabitants are reduced, and of 
the total want of provisions to subsist on. Not knowing where to find a morsel of 
bread to nourish their families, by what means can they support the expense of a 
survey, which has not been sought for on their parts, and for which, it is conceived by 
them, there is no necessity? Loaded with misery, and groaning under the weight of 
misfortunes, accumulated since the Virginia troops entered their country, the unhappy 
inhabitants throw themselves under the protection of your Excellency, and take the 
liberty to solicit you to lay their deplorable situation before Congress ; and, as it may 
be interesting for the United States to know exactly the extent and limits of their 
ancient possessions in order to ascertain the lands which are yet at the disposal of 
Congress, it appears to them, in their humble opinion, that the expense of the survey 
ought more properly be borne by Congress, for whom alone it is useful, than by them 
who do not feel the necessity of it. Besides, this is no object for the United States, 
but it is great, too great, for a few unhappy beings who, your Excellency sees yourself, 
are scarcely able to support their pitiful existence." 

Major Hamtramck conducted the expeditions against the savages in 
this locality, meeting with but little resistance ; and, after applying the 
torch and reducing to ashes the bark huts and tepees of quite a number 
of villages, and destroying the crops and provisions of the inhabitants 
thereof, returned to Vincennes to enjoy the temporary quietude which 
came as the result of his incursions. For a period of two years, dur- 
ing which there were lucid intervals, the savages continued to kill, plunder 
and outrage the settlers and to frequently attack the frontier soldiers, 
their depredations growing fiercer and more numerous in the regions north 
of the Ohio river. Major Hamtramck ordered Antoine Gamelin to de- 
liver the speeches which Governor St. Clair had addressed to the Wabash 
Indians, and on April 5th, 1790, Gamelin left Vincennes to execute the 
orders, visiting all the principal villages that were far or near the borders 
of the Wabash, and penetrating the country as far eastward as the Miami 
village of Ke-ki-ong-gay, which stood at the junction of the St. Joseph 
and St. Mary rivers, the present site of Fort Wayne. Monsieur Gamelin 
kept a complete journal of all the events which transpired during his con- 
ferences with the Indians, to which he subsequently subscribed an oath 



250 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

that all statements contained therein were true, making affidavit to that 
effect before Major Ilamtramck on May 17, 1790. The following para- 
graphs, (excerpts from Gamelin's journal) not only show the faithful- 
ness with which he discharged the trust confided in him, but display the 
attitude of the Indians at the time towards their white brethren, as well 
as the spirit in which the red skins regarded Governor St. Clair's overtures 
for peace : 

"The first village I arrived at is called Kikaponguoi. The name of the chief of 
this village is called Les Jambes Creches. Him and his tribe have a good heart and 
accepted the speech. The second village is at the river du Vermillion, called Pianke- 
shaws. The first chief, and all the warriors, were well pleased with the speeches con- 
cerning the peace : but they said they could not give presently a proper answer, before 
ihey consult the Miami nation, their eldest brethren. They desired me to proceed to 
the Miami town [Ke-ko-ong-gay] and, by coming back, to let them know what recep- 
tion I got from them. The said head chief told me that he thought the nations of the 
lake had a bad heart, and were ill disposed for the Americans : that the speeches 
would not be received, particularly by the Shawanees in Miamitown. . . The 

inh of April I reached a tribe of Kickapoos. The head chief and all the warriors 
being assembled, I gave them two branches of white wampum, with the speeches of 
His Excellency Arthur St. Clair and those of Major Hamtramck. It must be observed 
that the speeches have been in another hand before me. The messenger could not pro- 
ceed farther than the Vermilion, on account of some private wrangling between the 
interpreter and some chief men of the tribe. Moreover, something in the speech dis- 
pleased them very much, which is included in the third article, which says '/ do noiv 
make you the offer of peace; accept it, or regret it, as you please.' These words seemed 
to displease all the tribes to whom the first messenger was sent. They told me they 
were menacing; and finding that it might have a bad efifect, I took upon myself to 
exclude them; and, after making some apology, they answered that he and his tribe 
were pleased with my speech, and that I could go up without danger, but they could 
not presently give me an answer, having some warriors absent, and without consulting 
the Ouiatenons, being the owners of their lands. They desired me to stop at Quite- 
piconnae [Tippecanoe] that they would have the chiefs and warriors of Quiatenons and 
those of their nation assembled there, and would receive a proper answer. They said 
they expected by me a draught of milk from the great chief, and the commanding 
officer of the post, for to put the old people in good humor; also some powder 
and ball for the young men for hunting, and to get some good broth for their women 
and children; that I should know a bearer of speeches should never be with empty 
hands. They promised me to keep their young men from stealing, and to send speeches 
to their nations in the prairies for to do the same. 

"The 14th of April the Ouiatenons and the Kickapoos were assembled. After 
my speech one of the head chiefs got up and told me — 'You, Gamelin, my friend and 
son-in-law, we are pleased to see in our village, and to hear by your mouth the good 
words of the great chief. We thought to receive a few words from the French 
people ; but I see the contrary. None but the Big Knife is sending speeches to us. 
You know we can terminate nothing without the consent of our brethren, the 
Miamies. I invite you to proceed to their village and to speak to them. There is one 
thing in your speech I do not like : I will not tell of it : even was I drunk, I would 
perceive it ; but our elder brethren will certainly take notice of it in your speech. 
You invite us to stop our young men. It is impossible to do it, being constantly en- 
couraged by the British.' Another chief got up and said — 'The Americans are very 
flattering in their speeches; many times our nation went to their rendezvous. I was 
once myself. Some of our chiefs died on the route ; and we always came back all 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 251 

naked ; and you, Gamelin, you come with speech, with empty hands.' Another chief 
got up and said to his young men, 'If we are poor, and dressed in deer skins, it is 
our own fault. Our French traders are leaving us and our villages, because you 
plunder them every day; and it is time for us to have another conduct.' Another 
chief got up and said, 'Know ye that the village of Ouiatenon is the sepulchre of 
all our ancestors. The chief of America invites us to go to him if we are for peace. 
He has not his leg broke, having been able to go as far as the Illinois. He might 
come here himself; and we would be glad to see him at our village. We confess 
that we accepted the axe, but it is by the reproach we continually receive from the 
English and other nations, which receive the axe first, calling us women; at the 
present time they invite our young men to war. As to the old people, they are 
wishing for peace. They could not give me an answer before they received advice 
from the Miamies. 

"The i8th of April I arrived at the river a rAifguille [Eel river]. The 
chief of the village,* and those of war were not present. I explained the 
speeches to some of the tribe. They said they were well pleased ; but 
they could not give me an answer, their chief men being absent. They 
desired me to stop at their village coming back ; and they sent with me 
one of their men for to hear the answer of their eldest brethren. 

'The 23d April I arrived at the Miami town. The ne.xt day I got the iMiami 
nation, the Shawanees and Delawares, all assembled. I gave to each nation two 
branches of wampum, and began the speeches, before the French and English traders, 
being invited by the chiefs to be present, having told them myself I would be glad 
to have them present, having nothing to say against anybody. After the speech, I 
showed them the treaty concluded at Muskingum [Fort Harmar] between his excel- 
lency Governor St. Clair and sundry nations, which displeased them. I told them that 
the purpose of this present time was not to submit them to any condition, but to 
offer them the peace, which made disappear their displeasure. The great chief told 
me that he was pleased with the speech ; that he would soon give me an answer. 
In a private discourse with the great chief he told me not to mind what the Shawa- 
nees would tell me, having a bad heart, and being the perturbators of all the nations. 
He said the Miamies had a bad name, on account of mischief done on the river Ohio ; 
but he told me it was not occasioned by his young men, but by the Shawanees, his 
young men going out only for to hunt. 

"The 2Sth of April, Blue Jacket, chief warrior of the Shawanees, invited me 
go to his house, and told me, 'My friend, by the name and consent of the Shawanees 
and Delawares, I will speak to you. 'We are all sensible of your speech, and pleased 
with it; but, after consultation, we can not give an answer without hearing from our 
father at Detroit ; and we are determined to give you back the two branches of wam- 
putn, and to send you to Detroit to see and hear the chief, or to stay here twenty 
nights for to receive his answer. From all quarters we receive speeches from the 
Americans, and not one is alike. We suppose that they intend to deceive us. Then 
take back your branches of wampum.' 

"The 26th, five Pottawattamies arrived here with two negro men, which they 
sold to English traders. The next day I went to the great chief of the Miamies called 
Le Oris. His chief warrior was present. I told him how I had been served by the 
Shawanees. He answered me that he had heard of it ; that the said nation behaved 
contrary to his intentions. He desired me not to mind those strangers, and that 
he would soon give me a positive answer. 



*This village stood on the north side of Eel river, about 24 miles above the 
junction of that stream with the Wabash. — Dillon, Historical Notes, p. 247. 



252 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

"The 28th April, the great chief desired me to call at the French trader's 
and receive his answer. 'Don't take bad,' said he, 'of what I am to tell you. You 
may go back when you please. We can not give you a positive answer. We must 
send your speeches to all our neighbors, and to the lake nations. We can not give 
a definite answer without consulting the commandant at Detroit.' And he desired me 
to render him the two branches of wampum refused by the Shawanees ; also a copy 
of speeches in writing. He promised me that in thirty nights he would send an 
answer to Post Vincennes by a young man of each nation. He was well pleased with 
the speeches, and said to be worthy of attention, and should be communicated to all 
their confederates, having resolved among them not to do anything without a unani- 
mous consent. I agreed to his requisitions, and rendered him the two branches of 
wampum and a copy of the speech. Afterward, he told me that the Five Nations, 
so-called, or Iroquois, were training something; that five of them and three Wyan- 
dots, were in this village with branches of wampum. He could not tell me presently 
their purpose, but he said I would know of it very soon. 

"The same day Blue Jacket, chief of the Shawanees, invited me to his house for 
supper; and before the other chiefs, told me that after another deliberation, they 
thought necessary that I should go myself to Detroit, for to see the commandant, 
who would get all of his children assembled for to hear my speech. I told them I 
would not answer them in the night, that I was not ashamed to speak before the 
sun. 

"The 29th of April I got them assembled. I told them that I was not to go to 
Detroit; that the speeches were directed to the nations of the river Wabash, and 
the Miami; and that for to prove the sincerity of the speech, and the heart of Gov- 
ernor St. Clair, I have willingly given a copy of the speeches to be shown to the 
commandant of Detroit; and according to a letter wrote by the commandant of De- 
troit to the jMiamies, Shawanees and Delawares, mentioning to you to be peaceable 
with the Americans. I would go to him very willingly, if it was in my directions, be- 
ing sensible of his sentiments. I told them I had nothing to say to the commandant; 
neither him to me. You must immediately resolve, if you intend to take me to De- 
troit, or else I am to go back as soon as possible. Blue Jacket got up and told me, 
'My friend, we are well pleased with what you say. Our intention is not to force 
you to go to Detroit; it is only a proposal, thinking it for the best. Our answer is 
the same as the Miamies. We will send, in thirty nights, a full and positive answer by 
a young man of each nation, by writing to Post Vincennes.' In the evening. Blue 
Jacket, chief of the Shawanees, having taken me to supper with him, told me, in a 
private manner, that the Shawanee nation was in doubt of the sincerity of the Big 
Knives, so-called, having been already deceived by them. That they had first de- 
stroyed their lands, put out their fire, and sent away their young men, being a hunt- 
ing, without a mouthful of meat; also had taken away their women; wherefore many 
of them would, with a great deal of pain, forget these affronts. Moreover, that some 
other nations were apprehending that offers of peace would, may be, tend to take 
away by degrees their lands; and would serve them as they did before. A certain 
proof that they intend to encroach on our lands is their new settlement in Ohio. If 
they don't keep this side [of the Ohio] clear, it will never be a proper reconcilement 
with the nations— Shawanees, Iroquois, Wyandots, and perhaps many others. Le 
Gris, chief of the Miamies, asked me in a private discourse what chief had made a 
treaty with the Americans at Muskingum [Fort Harmar]. I answered him that their 
names were mentioned in the treaty. He told me he had heard of it some time ago; 
but they are not chiefs, neither delegates, who made that treaty ; they are only young 
men who, without authority and instructions from their chiefs, have concluded that 
treaty, which will not be approved. They went to the meeting clandestinely and they 
intend to make mention of it in the next council to be held. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 253 

"The 2d of May 1 came back to the river a I'Anguille. One of the chief men of 
the tribe being witness of the council at Miami town, repeated the whole to them; 
and whereas the first chief was absent, they said they could not for the present time 
give answer, but they were willing to join their speech to those of their eldest breth- 
ren. 'To give you proof of an open heart, we let you know that one of our chiefs 
is gone to war on the Americans ; but it was before we heard of you, for certain they 
would not have been gone thither. They also told nie that a few days after I passed 
their village, seventy warriors, Chippewas and Ottawas from Michilimackinack, ar- 
rived there; some of them were Pottawattamies, who, meeting in their route the 
Chippewas and Ottawas, joined them. 'We told them what we heard by you, that 
your speech is fair and true. We could not stop them from going to war. The Pot- 
tawattamies told us that as the Chippewas and Ottawas were more numerous than 
they, they were forced to follow them.' 

"The 3d of May I got to the Weas. They told me thai they were waiting for 
an answer from their eldest brethren. 'We approve very much our brethren for not 
to give a definite answer without informing of it to all the lake nations; that De- 
troit was the place where their fire was lighted; then it ought first to be put out 
there; that the English commandant is their father, since he threw down our French 
father ; they could do nothing without his approbation.' 

"The 4th of May I arrived at the village of the Kickapoos. The chief, present- 
ing me with two branches of wampum, black and white, said, 'My son, we can not 
stop our young men from going to war. Every day some set ofT clandestinely for 
that purpose. After such behavior from our young men, we are ashamed to say to 
the great chief at the Illinois and of the Post Vincennes that we are busy about some 
good affairs for the reconcilement ; but be persuaded that we will speak to them con- 
tinually concerning the peace; and that when our eldest brethren will have sent their 
answer, we will join ours to it.' 

"The 5th of May T arrived at Vermillion. I found nobody but two chiefs ; 
all the rest were gone a hunting. They told me they had nothing else to say but 
what I was told going up." 

On May 22, 1790, Major Hamtratnck, in a message written at Vin- 
cennes to Governor St. Clair, says : "I enclose the proceedings of Mr. 
Gamelin by which your Excellency can have no great hopes of bringing the 
Indians to peace with the United States. Gamelin arrived on the 8th of 
May, and on the nth some merchants arrived and informed me that as 
soon as Gamelin had passed their village on his return, all the Indians had 
gone to war; that a large party of Indians from Michilimackinac and 
some Pottawattomies had gone to Kentucky and that three days after Game- 
lin had left the Miami village, Kekionga, an Ainerican, was brought there, 
scalped and burned at the stake." At a much later date, December 2, 
1790, Hamtramck, writing to St. Clair, draws a lucid picture of the situa- 
tion then existing, which is the product of an intelligent and observing 
mind, and reads as follows : 

"I hope your excellency will excuse me if I take the liberty of writing on a sub- 
ject so remote from the duty of a soldier. I do it because you have requested it of 
me in your letter of January 2.3, 1790, and if I have not communicated my senti- 
ments before, it was from an apprehension that they might be contrary to the general 
opinion of Indian afifairs. They are now presented to your e.xcellency, with full ex- 
pectation that it will not be ascribed to arrogance or ostentation on my part, it 
being the result of the purest intention. On those calculated expectations I will speak 



254 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

freely, and give as my opinion that nothing can establish a peace with the Indians as 
long as the British keep possession of the upper forts; for they certainly are daily 
sowing the seed of discord betwixt the measures of our government and the Indians. 

"Perhaps the Indians will call for a peace early this spring. If so, I can assure 
you that I am not mistaken if 1 prognosticate that it will be done to deceive us, and 
ought not to be granted before we have another expedition and have established re- 
spectable garrisons in the most important parts of their country ; then we will be 
able to make peace on our conditions and not on theirs. 

"The Indians can never be subdued by just going into their towns and burning 
their houses and corn, and returning the next day, for it is no hardship to an Indian 
to live without; they make themselves perfectly comfortable on meat alone; and as 
for houses, they can build them with as much facility as a bird does his nest. 

"As for obtaining any advantage of them in action, there is, in my opinion, very 
little to be calculated on that head ; for they will not fight without having a decided 
advantage over their enemies, and if they find they cannot meet them, they always 
have a sufficient country which affords them a secured situation. 

"Should government be disposed to carry on an expedition in the spring without 
establishing garrisons in their country, I would then beg the permission to suggest 
an idea, which would be to surprise them in their towns, which can be done by 
having all the men mounted on good horses, and every man to be his own commis- 
sary ; that is, he should furnish himself with provisions for so many days ; by that 
means a large body of troops would be able to perform (with probability) such an 
expedition undiscovered, and with very great dispatch. This plan appears to me to 
be the most eligible one that can be adopted; for if the United States want to chas- 
tise the Indians, there is no other way to do it with success than by surprising them 
in their town or camp. Another observation which I beg to make that, admitting a 
treaty should take place this spring, the people of our frontier will certainly be the 
first to break it. The people of Kentucky will carry on private expeditions against 
the Indians and kill them whenever they meet them, and I do not believe that there 
is a jury in all Kentucky who would punish a man for it. These combined circum- 
stances, sir, make me think that until we are securely intrenched in the Indian coun- 
try, we never can be sure that peace is fully established ; for as the thirst for war is 
the dearest inheritance an Indian receives from his parents, and vengeance that of 
the Kentuckians, hostility must then be the result on both sides." 

To recount the Indian murders and depredations that reddened the 
soil and terrorized the inhabitants of the Northwest Territory during the 
period encompassing the years 1786 and 1790 would require volumes. 
Scenes of horrible suffering, of bravery, heroism and prowess, bom of 
love, fear and hate, enacted in the light of the fierce flames of lonely cabins, 
were of nightly occurrence. Brave men and craven cowards, innocent 
women and children, were the victims of the blood-thirsty red demons, 
who gloated over the massacre of entire families, without having sustained 
the loss of a single brave. The fields and forests were strewn with the 
ashes of cabin homes and fertilized with the blood of women and chil- 
dren, besides whose mutilated corpses lay the dead bodies of their defenders, 
pierced with bullets, telling too plainly how desperate, but how hopeless, 
had been the struggle for the protection of loved ones. Along the banks 
of rivers and creeks the plumed and painted red fiends lay in wait for 
the voyageurs, and, from ambush on either side of the streams, opened 
fire upon the primitive crafts of the daring occupants, whose lifeless bodies 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 255 

frequently went down to watery graves. An exchange of shots from the 
boatmen, which was inevitable, precipitated a rain of lead, during which 
the river ran red with the blood of the dead and wounded. No pen can 
portray the courage and bravery displayed by the pioneers who were the 
chief actors in these tragedies ; no words can convey the depth of filial de- 
votion, the endearing ties of tenderness and love that bound families to- 
gether, and made the log cabins in which they dwelt, amid scenes of desola- 
tion and death, abodes of virtue and fidehty and even happiness. And, it 
is doubtful, whether the men or women were the more courageous. Both 
were nevertheless experts in handling the rifle, had acquired the art of 
marksmanship, and were as learned in woodcraft and cunning as the red- 
haniled marauders who sought their lives by day and night. 

Acting upon the advices furnished by Hamtramck, Governor St. Clair, 
who was at Kaskaskia, abandoned all hope of making peace treaties with 
the Miamis and their confederacies, and proceeded at once by water to 
(■red skins. He took his departure from Kaskaskia on the nth of June, 
Fort Washington, the headquarters of General Harmar, to consult with 
him as to the better plan for carrying out an expedition against the hostile 
but before leaving the place entrusted to Winthrop Sargent, Secretary of 
the Territory, the duties of Governor, with instructions to execute the 
provisions of the Congressional resolutions relative to the lands and settlers 
on the Wabash river, and to proceed to Vincennes, lay out a county at 
that point, establish the militia and appoint the requisite number of military 
and civil officers for the Old Post. Besides finding the terrible tangle in 
land matters (already referred to in a preceding chapter) he discovered 
that in July, 1800, there were one hundred and twenty-three heads of 
families living at Post Vincennes who were residents of the place in 1783; 
and while busily engaged in looking into measures to confirm these ancient 
inhabitants in their possessions, rights and titles to real estate given them 
by the general government, a deputation of eighty Americans waited on 
him, praying for the confirmation of various land grants which the cele- 
brated court had made between the years 1779 and 1787. Quite a num- 
ber of the French inhabitants importuned him on the same subject, which 
led him to call on the court to explain their transactions in the premises 
and to say some uncomplimentary things about Mr. Le Grand, the clerk, 
whom he charged with falsifying vouchers and records, and being guilty 
of "such gross fraud and forgery as to invalidate all evidence and informa- 
tion which might otherwise have been acquired from the papers." 

Secretary Sargent and Major Hamtramck were very popular with the 
inhabitants of the Old Post, who gave assurances of their high regard 
for both officers in a nicely-worded communication addressed to Mr. Sar- 
gent on July 23, 1790. The names of some of tlie judges of land-grant 
fame are among the signatures to the document, indicating, it would seem, 
that Sargent's chastisement of them for alleged judicial misconduct was 



256 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

mild, and that the citizens regarded it proper to put them forward on 
state occasions. The communication reads : 

"To the Honorable Winthrop Sargent, Esq., secretary of the territory of the United 
States, northwest of the river Ohio, and nou.' vested with all the jrowers of gov- 
ernor and commander-in-chief thereof: 

"The citizens of the town of Vinccnnes approach you, sir, to express as well 
their personal respect for your honor, as their full approbation of the measures you 
have been pleased to pursue in regard to their government and the adjustment of 
their claims, as inhabitants of the territory over which you at present preside. While 
we deem it a singular blessing to behold the principles of free government unfolding 
among us, we cherish the pleasing reflection that our posterity will also have cause 
to rejoice at the political change now originating. A free and efficient government, 
wisely administered, and fostered under the protecting wings of an august union of 
states, cannot fail to render the citizens of this wide extended territory securely happy 
in the possession of every public blessing. 

"We cannot take leave, sir, without offering to your notice a tribute of gratitude 
and esteem which every citizen feels he owes to the merits of an officer [Major Ham- 
tramck] who has long commanded at this post. The unsettled situation of things 
for a series of years previous to this gentleman's arrival tended in many instances to 
derange, and in others to suspend, the operation of those municipal customs by 
which the citizens of this town were used to be governed. They were in the habit 
of submitting the superintendence of their civil regulations to the officer who hap- 
pened to command the troops posted among them. Hence, in the course of the late 
war, and from the frequent change of masters, they labored under heavy and various 
grievances. But the judicious and humane attention paid by Major Hamtramck, dur- 
ing his whole command, to the rights and feelings of every individual craving his 
interposition demands, and will always receive, our warmest acknowledgments. 

"We beg you, sir, to assure the supreme authority of the United States of our 
fidelity and attachment ; and that our greatest atnbition is to deserve its fostering 
care, by acting the part of good citizens. 

"By order and on behalf of the citizens of Vincennes. 

"ANTOINE GAMELIN, Magistrate. 
"PIERRE GAMELIN, Magistrate. 
^ni}L -^^^**^^ GAMELIN, Magistrate. 
"'" ' ^ "JAMES JOHNSON, Magistrate. 

"LOUIS EDELINE, Magistrate. 
"LUKE DECKER, Magistrate. 
"FRANCIS BOSSERON, Magistrate. 
"FRANCIS VIGO, Major Command- 
ant of Militia. 
"HENRY VANDERBURGH, Major 
of Militia." 

Mr. Sargent two days later made graceful acknowledgment to the com- 
munication, in a written statement, in which he said : "Next to that happi- 
ness which I derive from a consciousness of endeavoring to merit the ap- 
probation of the sovereign authority of the United States by a faithful 
discharge of the important trusts committed to me, is the grateful plaudit 
of the respectable citizens of this territory: and be assured, gentlemen, that 
I received it from the town of Vincennes upon this occasion with singular 
satisfaction. In an event .so interesting and important to every individual 



HISTORY. OF KNOX COUNTY 257 

as is the organization of civil government, I regret exceedingly that you 
have been deprived of the wisdom of our worthy Governor. His extensive 
abilities and long experience in the honorable walks of public life might 
have more perfectly established that system which promises to you and 
posterity such political blessings. It is certain, gentlemen, that the govern- 
ment of the United States is most congenial to the dignity of human nature, 
and the best possible palladium for the lives and property of mankind. 
The services of Major Hamtramck to the public, and his humane atten- 
tion to the citizens while in command here, have been highly meritorious ; 
and it is with great pleasure that I have officially expressed to him my full 
approbation thereof. Your dutiful sentiments of fidelity and attachment 
to the general government of the United States shall be faithfully trans- 
mitted to their august President. With the warmest wishes for the wel- 
fare and prosperity of \'incennes, I have the honor to be, gentlemen, your 
most obedient, humble servant." 

Numerous small Indian parties waged irregular war in the spring and 
summer of 1790 against emigrants and settlers, the localities along the 
borders of the Ohio river from its mouth to the neigliborhood of Pittsburg 
being the scenes of hostilities. Kentucky suffered much from these forays, 
which General Harmar, in the summer of 1790, was endeavoring to check 
with a hundred regular troops and two hundred and fifty Kentucky vol- 
unteers. 

After consultation with Harmar at Fort Washington, General St. Clair, 
who had gone from Kaskaskia for that purpose, determined to send a 
strong expedition against the Indian towns on the Wabash. The President 
of the United States, having clothed St. Clair with authority to call for 
one thousand Virginia militiamen and five hundred from Pennsylvania, 
he sent in July, 1790, circulars to county lieutenants of the western counties 
of those states, and obtained the requisite number of troops, securing from 
Kentucky, which was then a part of Virginia, three hundred men ; from 
Virginia seven hundred, and from Pennsylvania five hundred. Orders 
have been given for three hundred of the Virginia militia to rendezvous at 
Fort Steuben and to march with the reg^ilar garrison of that fort to Vin- 
cennes and join Major Hamtramck, who had instructions to call to his aid 
the Vincennes militia, and to proceed up the Wabash and attack any of 
the Indian villages on the river with which he felt able to cope. The 
remaining twelve hundred militiamen were ordered to assemble at Fort 
Washington and unite with the regular troops under General Harmar's 
command. Harmar engaged the Miamis in battle near the head waters 
of the Maumee in October. Some of the militiamen acted very cowardly, 
and, in making their retreat, threw away their guns without firing a shot. 
In the struggle Harmar lost one hundred and eighty-three killed and thirty- 
one wounded. Among tlie dead were Major Wyllys and Lieut. Ebe- 
nezer Frothingham of tlie regular troops and Major Fontaine, 
Captains Thorp, McMurtrey and Scott, and Lieutenants Clark and Rogers, 



258 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

and Ensigns Bridges, Sweet, Higgens and Thielkeld of the militia. The 
Indians, who sustained a loss about equal to that of the whites, doffed 
their feathers and war paint and for a long time were very peaceably in- 
clined. Hamtramck's experience was altogether different from that Har- 
mar underwent. He marched with his troops up the Wabash as far as the 
moutii of the Vermilion river, destroying teh Indian villages at Quiatenon 
and along the route, and returned to the Old Post, without losing a man 
or meeting with much opposition. The number of regular soldiers* at 
Vincennes (Ft. Knox) under command of Major Hamtramck at this time 
was eighty-three, being a portion of the First United States regiment. The 
entire regiment only consisted of two hundred and ninety-nine commissioned 
officers and privates; and in July, 1791, under orders from Governor St. 
Clair, mobolized at Fort Washington, preparatory to entering upon the 
expedition against the Miamis, where they were subsequently joined by 
fourteen hundred militiamen and volunteers. In the memorable battle, 
which occurred on November 4, 1791, the Indians, whose greater leaders 
were Little Turtle, Blue Jacket, Buck-ong-a-he-las and the notorious Simon 
Girty, and other renegades of his ilk, gave the whites a terrible drubbing. 
St. Clair lost thirty-nine officers, killed, and five hundred and ninety-three 
men killed and missing. The defeat with which the expedition met sorely 
disappointed the United States government and was the means of stopping 
the tide of emigration for the time being from the eastern and middle 
states into the Northwest Territory. Subsequently St. Clair resigned the 
office of Major General and was succeeded by Anthony Wayne, whose 
successful campaigns against the red monarchs of the forest were terrible 
in their effects and eventually brought peace and tranquillity. In March, 
1792, Major Hamtramck concluded treaties of peace at Vincennes with 
representatives of the Wea and Eel river tribes. During the same year, 
in September, 1792, Rufus Putnam, who was one of the Judges of the 
territory of the United States northwest of the river Ohio, and Brigadier- 
General in the army, came to Vincennes in company with John Hecke- 
welder, and concluded treaties of peace and friendship with a small band 
of Indians from the Wabash and Illinois tribes. 

The fact that many of the nations signed treaties did not deter some 
of their tribesmen from forming foray parties and invading settlements, 



*Pierre Gamclin was captain of a company of militia at Vincennes, composed of 
the following named members : Christopher Wyant, ensign ; Peter Thorn, Frederick 
Mehl, Jeremiah Mays, sergeants ; Richard Johnson, Joseph Cloud, Daniel Pea, John 
Loc, Godfrey Paters. John Murphy, John Laferfy, Frederick Barger, George Barger, 
Peter Barger, Frederick Midler, Benjamin Beckes. Robert Day, Edward Shoebrook, 
John Westfall, Edward Johnson, Joshua Harbin, J<ilin Rnbbins. John Martin, .^bra- 
ham Westfall, James Watts, Thomas Jordon, William Smith, Daniel Smith, James 
Johnson, Ezekiel Holiday, Michael Thome, Solomon Thome, Daniel Thorne, Charles 
Thornc, Christian Barkman, John Rice Jones, Patrick Simpson, John Wilmore, Fred- 
erick Lindsy, Matthew Dibbons, Hugh Demsey, John Culbert, Robert Garavert, Isaac 
Carpenter. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 259 

murdering and pillaging the settlers, and robbing and tomahawking travelers 
and emigrants who followed the lonely trails through the wildernesses or 
wild prairie lands. Towards the close of the eighteenth century, how- 
ever, for a protracted period, there was a decided lull in Indian hostilities 
in the Wabash country. In March, 1796, the United States and Spain 
adjusted the question as to the .boundaries of their respective domains by 
the ratification of a treaty, which also settled further controversies relative 
to the navigation of the Mississippi river; and before the close of the 
month of July of the same year, under the provision of a treaty negotiated 
by John Jay in London, in 1794, the British withdrew from all the posts 
in the Northwest Territory- their soldiers, arms and stores. The Indians, 
learning of this condition of affairs, realized that with the withdrawal of 
the British troops from the country the strongest prop on which they had 
to lean had been removed, and in August, 1795, submitted with great re- 
luctance to almost any terms Mad Anthony Wayne saw fit to dictate. It 
was necessary that the United States should become possessed of Indian 
lands for the purpose of reducing the national debt and to provide for the 
maintenance of the government, and that, because of its conquest of the 
country at the time the savages were allied with Great Britain to aid her 
to maintain supremacy, left the Indians no other recourse than to sub- 
mit to whatever terms the conqueror saw fit to offer. While Congress' 
instructions to St. Clair were to pursue pacificatory policies in dealing with 
the Indians, they also advised him "to neglect no opportunity that might 
offer of extinguishing the Indian rights to lands westward as far as the 
river Mississippi and northward as far as the completion of the forty- 
first degree of north latitude." The Wabash Indians were more contentious 
than any of the other tribes and for a while refused to make any concessions, 
which led other nations, who had assented, to change their minds and re- 
pudiate some of their treaties. "The treaty of Fort Harmar," says *Dunn, 
"on January 9, 1789, was little more than a farce, and hastened rather 
than retarded war. The Indians claimed that the few who joined in the 
treaty were not chiefs, had no authority, and were intimidated by the 
whites. The war opened in the following summer and raged for five years, 
the Indians having rather the better of their enemies until they were over- 
whelmed by Wayne at the rapids of the Maumee in August, 1794. In 
September, Wayne's army moved to Kekionga, and there estblished a fort 
which was garrisoned by a strong force of infantry and artillery under 
Colonel Hamtramck, the former commander of Fort Knox.f The new 
post was called Fort Wayne, and the place has been so called ever since." 



*J. P. Dunn, Indiana, American Commonii.-ealth Series, p. 265. 

t"The fort built at Vincenncs in 1788," says Mr. Dunn in a footnote, giving as 
authority St. Clair papers vol. II, p. 92, "was named Fort Knox at the request of 
General Harmar." Both the date of erection and location of the fort have provoked 
discussions among historians, who are greatly at variance on the subject, especially 



260 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

In September, 1796, Winthrop Sargent, Secretary of the Northwest 
Territory, went to Detroit, erected the county of Wayne and extended 
the civil authority of the United States over that section of country. By 
terms of a treaty which was conckided at St. Ildefonso in October, 1800, 
Spain agreed to retrocede the province of Louisiana to France; and in 
April, 1803, France sold and ceded in its entirety Louisiana to the United 
States in consideration of about fifteen millions of dollars. The Missis- 
sippi Territory was established in April, 1798, by an act of Congress, and 
Winthrop Sargent was appointed to the office of Governor of that territory, 
and in June of the same year William Henry Harrison was chosen as 
Secretary of the territory northwest of the river Ohio. 

Governor St. Clair issued a proclamation in October, 1798, directing 
the qualified voters of the Northwest Territory to hold elections in their 
respective counties on the third Monday in December, to elect representa- 
tives to a General Assembly, which he ordered to convene at Cincinnati 
in January, 1799. Heretofore the governor and judges of the territory 
had constituted the civil, military, executive and legislative departments. 
The representatives, as directed, met at Cincinnati ; and, guided by the pro- 
visions of the ordinance of 1787, nominated ten persons, whose names 
were forwarded to the president of the United States. September 16, 1799, 
was then set by Governor St. Clair for the meeting of the representatives. 
On March 2, 1779, President Adams selected from the list of the ten 
nominees the names of Henry Vanderburg, Robert Oliver, Jacob Burnet, 
James Findlay and David Vance and nominated these gentlemen to sit in 
the legislative council of the terrritory of the United States northwest of 
the river Ohio, which nominations were confirmed by the senate. On 
September 16, 1799, several members of the territorial legislature repre- 
senting countries that had been previously carved out of the territory, met 
at Cincinnati, but no organization in either of the houses was perfected until 
the following September, when Henry Vanderburg was elected president 
of the legislative council; William C. Schenk was chosen secretary; George 
Howard, doorkeeper, and Abner Cary, sergeant-at-arms. The counties 
represented, with the names of their respective representatives were : Ham- 
ilton — William Goforth, William McMillan, John Smith, John Ludlow-, 
Robert Benham, Aaron Caldwell, Isaac Martin; Ross — Thomas Worthing- 
ton, Samuel Finley, Elias Langham, Edward Tiffin ; Wayne — Solomon Sib- 
ley, Charles F. Chobert de Joncaire, Jacob Visger ; Adams — Joseph Darling- 
ton, Nathaniel Massie; Knox — Shadrach Bond; Jefferson — James Pritch- 
ard ; Washington — Jonathan Meigs. 



as to location, of which there seems to be no record. Some claim the fort was none 
other than the one Clark took from Hamilton ; others that it stood on the river 
bank near the foot of Broadway, while still others contend it was four miles above 
town. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 261 

Henry Vanderburg, first president of the territorial legislature, came 
to Vincennes with the first influx of Americans, and his name added luster 
to the old town and gave dignity to the judiciary of the Indiana territory, 
which he entered at the close of the Revolutionary war, honored and dis- 
tinguished in the service of his country. Descended of a prominent Dutch 
pioneer family of New Amsterdam, Judge Henry Vanderburg was born 
in Troy, N. Y., in 1760, and when a mere lad shouldered a musket and 
went to the front to fight for American liberty and independence. His 
public services have been ably noted in an old sketch written many years 
ago by Judge Law, who obtained the facts of Mrs. Vanderburg, and are 
of sufficient importance to admit of reproduction in this publication. It 
is stated in the sketch that Judge Vanderburg was appointed a lieutenant 
in the Fifth New York regiment to rank as such from the 21st day of No- 
vember, 1776, his commission being signed by John Jay. He was re- 
appointed on the 20th day of June 1779, and a year later was made captain 
of the Continental troops, serving with honor until peace was declared. 
Independence being secured, iniigration began to flow westward and, young 
Vanderburg following the tide came to Indiana and established himself 
at Vincennes. Here he married Miss Frances Cornoyer, daughter of Pierre | 
Cornoyer, a member of one of the pioneer families of the town. His 
judicial career soon became marked. He was appointed justice of the 
peace and judge of probate for the then new county of Knox, in 1791. 
As previously announced, in 1799 he was elected president of the legis- 
lative council of the Northwest Territory holding sessions in Cincinnati ; 
and the following year was appointed judge of the Indian territory by 
President Adams, his jurisdiction extending over the vast area which 
now embraces the states of Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin. 
Though filling an exalted position of honor and trust, his official duties 
imposed upon him many hardships and necessitated pilgrimages that were 
lonely and hazardous. Judge Law says "he actually held court the same 
year in Vincennes, Indiana, Kaskaskia, Illinois, and Detroit, Michigan, 
journeying on horseback, unaccompanied save by his body servant, carry- 
ing their own provisions, through a wilderness occupied solely by the In- 
dian and wild beast of the forest," thus displaying a fearless and rugged- 
ness that characterized the ideal pioneers of the northwest. Scholarly, re- 
fined, a man of fine presence, polished and courtly in manners, he was an 
honored and distinguished member of the Order of Cincinnati, an organi- 
zation composed exclusively of officers who had been participants in the 
war of the Revolution. His commission as an army officer of that period, 
now in possession of his grand.son, Henry Vanderburg Somes, Sr., of 
Vincennes, is signed by George Washington, president, and Henry Knox, 
secretary. At his beautiful country villa Bellevue (the present site of 
Burnet Heights, just beyond the eastern corporate line of the city) Judge 
Vanderburg frequently entertained in royal style his aristocratic and plebian 
friends, dispensing the genial and generous hospitality of territorial days. 



262 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

There he reared a large family of children, three sons and six daughters, 
and there he died, on April 12, 1812. His remains were consigned to a 
grave on his own estate with military honors and the impressive services 
of the Masonic ritual. Four years after his death, Indiana was made a 
state and admitted into the Union, and two years after entering into 
statehood she sub-divided the county of Warrick and took unto herself a 
new county. It was christened "Vanderburg," in honor of the subject of 
this sketch. 
1 There were no descendants of the three sons. The eldest, Henry, who 
graduated in 1832 from West Point, became one of the managers of the 
American Fur Company, and while acting in that capacity on one of his 
missions to the extensive hunting and trapping preserves of the company 
in the northwest was betrayed by Blackfoot Indians and foully murdered. 
His tragic death is related by Washington Irving, in Bonneville, wherein 
the author concludes the description of the event in these words: "Such 
was the fate of Major Henry Vanderburg, one of the best and worthiest 
traders of the American Fur Company, who by his manly bearing and 
dauntless courage is said to have made himself universally popular among 
the bold-hearted rovers of the wilderness." So ended the earthly career 
of a man who had largely inherited the excellent and brilliant qualities of 
his distinguished father. 

Of the six daughters a number of descendants remain in Illinois, Iowa, 
Colorado, Minnesota, New York and Indiana. Julia, the eldest, married 
J. B. McCall, one of the three men in whose honor the name "Lamasco"t 
originated. Cora LeRoy, the daughter of Elizabeth married Hon. W. W. 
Belknap, formerly Secretary of War under President Grant. Their only 
son, Hon. Hugh Belknap, was a member of congress from the Chicago 
district. Another granddaughter Cornelia Sullivan, married Hon. W. A. 
Richardson, for many years a member of congress and United States Sen- 
ator from Illinois, colleague with Stephen A. Douglas.* 

The branch remaining in Indiana are the families of the two sons of 
Frances Sidney Vanderburg, who married Dr. Joseph Somes, a young 
physician of Northamptonshire, England, who came to America early in 
the eighteenth century and for nearly fifty years was a practicing physi- 
cian at Vincennes. Henry Vanderburg Somes their eldest son, was for- 
merly mayor of Vincennes, and married Mary Elizabeth Bayard in 1864, 
since which event they have been residents of this city. Four sons and 
one daughter blessed this union, all of whom, with the exception of Bayard, 
who lives at Evansville, reside in Vincennes. The other children are Dr. 
Joseph v., Harry V., Jr., John F., and Mrs. W. F. Calverly. James Ellis, 
second son, married Mary Oliver, of Hopkinsville, Ky.. and with their 
only child, a daughter, reside at Terre Haute. 



■tAn appellation that was applied to Evansville a decade ago. 
*Evansville Pocket, edition, 1897. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 263 

In the division, by partition, of the Vanderburg estate Mrs. LeRoy be- 
came the owner of Bellevue which she subsequently sold to Wilham ♦Patter- 
son, a nephew of Mrs. Jerome Bonaparte of Baltimore, Maryland. In 
disposing of the land it was the fervent wish of the family to have the 
remains of Judge Vanderburg exhumed and removed to the city cemetery, 
but all trace of the grave had disappeared, and, notwithstanding persistent 
and vigorous search was made, it was never found. In the touching words 
of the Evansville Pocket: "Nothing is left to mark even the last of all 
that is mortal of Judge Henry Vanderburg, but in striking contrast to the 
mutability of human life is the still surviving grace of his moral force 
exemplified in the honor which a state still bears him." 

In October, 1779, the territorial legislature selected William Henry 
Harrison a delegate to congress from the Northwest Territory. His op- 
ponent in the race for that office was Arthur St. Clair, Jr., son of Governor 
St. Clair, who received ten votes, while Harrison got eleven. 

The president of the United States in May, 1800, placed the seal of ap- 
proval on an act of congress entitled "an act to divide the territory of the 
United States northwest of the river Ohio into two separate governments." 
The said act provided that "from and after the 4th day of July next all that 
part of the territory of the United States northwest of the Ohio river which 
lies to the westward of a line beginning at the Ohio, opposite the mouth 
of the Kentucky river, and running thence to Fort Recovery, and thence 
north until it shall intersect the territorial line between the United States 
and Canada shall, for the purposes of temporary government, constitute 
a separate territory and be called the Indiana Territory." 

At this stage in the existence of Old \'incennes her historic glory, ad- 
vantageous location, the beauty of the landscape by which she was sur- 
rounded, the fertile prairies and e.xhaustless woodlands, as well as being a 
seat of government, attracted emigrants from the east and south, and 
among the newcomers were men who subsequently became noted in the 
affairs of state and nation. General Harmar, who came to Vincennes in 
1787, about a dozen years earlier than the period of which we write says 
"the town contains near four hundred houses — log and bark — out-houses, 
barns, etc. ; the number of inhabitants about nine hundred souls, French ; 
and about four hundred souls, Americans." Joseph Buell, an orderly ser- 
geant in Harmar's regiment, who was, says Mr. Dunn, "a man of excellent 
character and withal a typical New Englander of the period in his religious 
and political notions," in his description of the place is as uncomplimentary 
as Mr. Volney, and there must have been something in his composition 
deeper than New England prejudice that led him to talk thus about us: 



•Patterson was a very eccentric man in many respects. One of his greatest ec- 
centricities, however, was his love for dogs. He continually surrounded himself with 
a large pack of canines of the bull terrier species, which earned for him the so- 
briquet of "Bull Dog Patterson." 



264 HISTORY UF KNOX COUNTY 

"Post Vincent is a beautiful place was it settled with respectable people; 
but they are a mixture of all nations. The principal inhabitants are French, 
and pay little regard to religion or law. They are under guidance of an 
old Roman Catholic friar, who keeps them in ignorance as much as he 
can and fills them full of superstition. The people give themselves up to 
all kinds of vice, and are as indolent and idle a community as ever com- 
posed one town. They might live in affluence if they were industrious. 
The town has been settled longer than Philadelphia, and one-half of their 
dwelling houses are yet covered with bark like Indian wigwams. The in- 
habitants are quite numerous, and people from all parts of the United 
States are emigrating to this place." "The scheming friar," says Mr. Dunn, 
"to whom this Puritan soldier refers is none other than our good friend 
Father Gibault, and the superstition with which he filled his parishoners 
does not appear to have been anything worse than Catholicism." 

Count Volney, who was in Vincennes in 1796 has written rather volu- 
minously about the place; and, in rather an interesting vein, says of his 
mental observations : "The eye is at first presented with an irregular sa- 
vannah eight miles in length and three in breadth, skirted by eternal forests 
and sprinkled by a few trees and an abundance of umbelliferous plants three 
or four feet high. Maize, tobacco, barley, wheat, squashes and some fruits 
grow in the fields around the village which contains about fifty houses, 
whose cheerful white relieves the eye after gazing upon the constant dark 
and green of the woods. The houses are placed along the left bank of the 
Wabash, which is about two hundred feet wide, and falling so low as to 
be but a few feet wide below the 'scite' of the town. The bank is sloping 
towards the savannah which is a few feet lower. Each house, as is custom- 
ary in Canada, stands alone and is surrounded by a court and garden fenced 
with poles. I was delighted with sight of peach trees loaded with fruit, 
but was sorry to see thorn apples, which are to be seen in all cultivated 
places from Gallipolis. Adjoining the village is a space enclosed by a 
ditch eight feet wide and sharpened stakes six feet high. This is called 
the fort and is a sufficient protection against the Indians. I had a letter 
of introduction to a principal man of the place, a Dutchman by birth, 
who spoke good French. I was accommodated at his home in the kindest 
and most hospitable manner for ten days. 

"The day after my arrival a court was held to which I repaired to 
make my remarks on the scene. On entering I was surprised to observe 
the difference in the races of men. The first has a ruddy complexion, 
round face and plump body, whicli indicates health and ease. This set 
was forcibly contrasted in strength with the emaciated form and meager 
and tawny visage of the other. I soon discovered that the former were 
.'settlers from the neighboring states, whose lands had been reclaimed for 
five or six years' standing in the district. The latter, with a few exceptions, 
knew nothing of English, while the former were almost as ignorant of 
the French. I had acquired in this country a sufficient knowledge of the_ 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 265 

English to converse with them, and was thus enabled to hear the tale of 
both. The French, in a querulous tone, recountered the losses and hard- 
ships they had suffered, especially since the Indian war in 1788. Be- 
fore the peace of 1763, by which England obtained control of this terri- 
tory and Spain, Louisiana, they enjoyed tranquility and happiness under 
the protection of Spain, in the heart of the wilderness, unmolested, seques- 
tered, fifty leagues from the nearest post on the Mississippi, without taxes, 
and in friendship with the Indians, they passed their lives in hunting and 
fishing, bartering in furs, and raising a little corn and a few esculents for 
their familes. They probably numbered three hundred persons, and were 
free from all taxes till they were visited in 1788 by a detachment, which 
killed or drove away the greater part of their cattle, their chief source of 
wealth. They trade their land grants, four hundred acres to each family, 
for thirty cents an acre, when it is worth two dollars, and this in 
goods at an exorbitant rate. They have nothing to live on except fruit, 
maize, and now and then a little game. They complain that they are 
cheated and robbed in the courts, in which there are five judges, who know 
little of the law, and three of them know nothing of the language. Their 
education was entirely neglected tell the arrival of Abb. R., (Father Rive) 
a patriotic, well educated and liberal-minded man who was exiled by the 
French Revolution. Out of nine of the French, six only could read or 
write, while the English could do both. To my surprise they speak pretty 
good French, intermixed with some foreign phrases, mostly learned from 
the soldiers. 

"Notwithstanding I was at considerable trouble I could not fix the settle- 
ment earlier than 1757, but by talk with old settlers it may have been as 
early as 1735. We must allow that they are a kind and hospitable set, 
but for idleness and ignorance they beat the Indians themselves. They 
know nothing at all of the arts or domestic affairs ; the women neither sew 
nor spin, nor make butter, but pass their time in gossip and tattle, while 
at home all is dirt and disorder. The men do nothing but hunt, fish, wan- 
der about the woods or lie in the sun. They do not lay up stores for a 
rainy day as we do. They can not cure pork or venison, or make sauer 
kraut, or spruce beer, or distil spirits from apples or rye, all necessary arts 
to the farmer. When they trade they try by extortion to make much 
out of little, and what they get they fool away in beads and baubles upon 
Indian girls, and spend their time in relating stories of insignificant personal 
adventures." 

The French inhabitants at the Old Post were puzzles to the Ameri- 
can emigrants. Their habits and social customs were so different from 
anything ever experienced by the newcomers, who were particularly amused 
by the names applied by the natives to streams and places which, they 
subsequently learned from the translation, were given to recall some simple 
incident. A paragraph appearing in Spark's Expansion of the American 
People, p. 229. will serve as an illustration: "Vide Poche (empty pocket) 



266 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

might signify either an inlet of water or it might commemorate the ad- 
venture of some impecunious wayfarer. Prairie du Chien (prairie of 
dogs) recalled the "dog' tribe of Fox Indians. Some French names were 
transformed or translated by the incoming Americans. La Riviere au Vase 
was rendered into Muddy River; Port des Marts became Death's Door; 
Roche Jaune was turned into Yellowstone; Bois Briile (burnt wood) grew 
into Bob Ruby; au Post to O'Post; Bonne Passe (good crossing) to Bon- 
pas, or Bumpas; Wabash to Way-bosh; Terre Haute (high land) into 
Tar Holt." The primitive methods of agriculture were also a revelation 
to the new settlers, who had never before seen farmers working oxen to 
a plow where a wooden stick tied across the horns of the beast was made 
to answer for a yoke, and where dumb animals pushed instead of hauled 
their burdens. Rawhide harness and wooden bits for horses, which were 
generally driven tandem, was another feature of the work about the farm 
and streets that came under the observation of the new arrivals for the 
first time; and the calachc was a vehicle the likes of which they had never 
heard. It was constructed with so much originality and ingenuity that it 
had no counterpart anywhere in the country, and hence instantly became 
a great novelty. The vulgar term for the calache was a French-cart — a two- 
wheeled arrangement into the construction of which not a single piece of 
iron entered. It answered the purpose of a family carriage as well as a 
vehicle for transporting wood and other products of the farm to market. 
The French-cart as late as the middle of the nineteenth century was a 
familiar sight on the streets and until after the establishment of the In- 
diana territory it was the only kind of conveyance used by the farmers. 
There are quite a few residents of Vincennes now living who can recall 
to mind the picture of these primitive vehicles, laden with wood, and the 
honest farmers, standing beside them, as they were drawn in line around 
the old market house. The top layers of wood were piled in the cart solid and 
even, but the sticks on the bottom of the bed were generally placed in 
such a manner as to give the load the appearance of possessing a quantity 
which in reality it did not have. The deception along this line got to be a 
legitimate stock in the wood trade, practiced by all dealers, and the buyer 
who failed to have delivered to him a smaller load than he bargained for 
felt disappointed. 

The calacHe was a product of necessity and was always a home-made 
affair. Every man who owned a cart was the manufacturer of it. While 
the body of the cart was not roomy — being about the size of a large dry- 
goods box and very similar in shape — it always seemed to have sufficient 
capacity to accommodate the entire family ; and on Sundays and fast days 
around the primitive church "might be seen the patriarch of his flock, with 
blanket capot, a blue cotton handkerchief around his head, with pipe in 
his mouth, and with his family seated in chairs, in his untired cart, which, 
had never known the use of iron, drawn by a Canadian pony, and con- 
veying his generation, as his fathers before him had done theirs, to the wor- 



HISTOR\ OF KNOX COUNTY 267 

ship of the same God, and in the same manner, and after the same creed 
as their ancestors for centuries before had worshipped in La Belle France, 
from whose shores they had been transplanted to those of the St. Lawrence."* 

The French habitants of Vincennes in every relation of life were 
swayed by honest, upright and honorable motives. Their hospitality was 
unbounded, and they accorded to a stranger within their gates the most 
cordial and generous treatment, inviting him to their homes to partake 
of the best the lartier afforded, and bidding him remain under the shelter 
and protection of their thatched roofs as long as he wished. While not 
strictly in accord with the Puritanical ideas of religion, nor in keeping with 
the orthodox views of any other religion, the practices they indulged in 
on the Sabbath after mass were acts of indiscretion merely, more mis- 
chievous than malicious. 

The same social customs prevalent in the settlements of Louisiana back of 
the Mississippi during Creole supremacy were in vogue at Vincennes during 
territorial days. But with the passing of the second generation of de- 
scendants of the French pioneer settlers the old customs have entirely dis- 
appeared — naught remains of the early social customs among the people but 
a natural inclination to be hospitable. The Creole fiddler is now only a 
being which tradition points out and the music of his inspired instrument 
is heard no more. 

The French Creoles were certainly a fun-loving people, and seemed to 
get more real enjoyment out of life than any other class. The charivari 
was purely of French origin, and was practiced early in the eighteenth cen- 
tury. It was an invention originally intended by the French to show dis- 
approval of the mismating of married people. When the Americans came 
on the scene, they borrowed the idea, but "charivaried" just for the sake 
of teasing, or annoying, the newly wedded pair. The French accepted the 
corruption placed on it by the Americans, and now, while the practice is 
frequently indulged in today by all classes, it does not follow that the 
parties who are made the victims of the charivari are looked on with dis- 
favor by those participating. The wedding feast was always an occasion 
for pranks and jollity, not alone with the French, but with the pioneers 
of all nationalities, and in the majority of marriages of territorial days 
there was no distinction of rank and very little of fortune, and for this 
reason "love at first sight" marriages were more frequent than any otlier 
kind. After the ceremony, after the feast, which was always held at the 
home of the bride, the order was given "on with the dance," which began 
immediately at the conclusion of the wedding meal, whether breakfast, 
dinner or supper, and continued until the following morning. About nine 
or ten o'clock on the evening of the eventful day, while the dance was in full 
swing, a deputation of young ladies would steal away the bride and put 
her to bed, a performance that necessitated the use of a ladder, in order to 



*Law's Colonial History of Vincennes, pp. 139-140. 



268 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

gain the cock-loft. The upper floor was laid loosely and was generally 
immediately above the kitchen. Here, in this pioneer bridal chamber the 
imsophisticated, sweet-tempered and simple-hearted girl was put to bed by 
her admiring and enthusiastic friends. This feat having been accomplished, 
a deputation of young men escorted the groom to the same apartment and 
tenderly laid him by the side of his bride. The dance has not been inter- 
rupted while these interesting incidents are transpiring, and the boys and 
girls who enacted them — except two — have joined the merry revelers 
again. If the assemblage has grown so large there are not sufficient seats 
for all, the gentlemen who are not dancing occupy the chairs and ofifer the 
ladies who are not dancing to sit on their laps, the invitation always being 
accepted. Fermented spirits were always in evidence on these festive 
occasions and freely used, but not often to excess. 

The favorite dance with the French natives was the King ball, which 
at first was only an annual occurrence, given on New Year's night, but in 
later years such affairs took place frequently, during the fortnightly season 
immediately preceding Lent. At these functions a king and queen were 
selected, to whom the guests paid pronounced deference, who led the 
march and with whom it was esteemed a great honor to dance. 

On New Year's eve, as well as the day following, every household laid 
in a goodly supply of edibles and drinkables for visitors, who were wont 
to come to the cabin door and sing French songs of gladness and cheer for 
the edification of the inmates, who never allowed the singers to depart with- 
out furnishing them with plenty of refreshments and bestowing mementos 
of some character. The custom of making New Year's calls was quite 
general among the French Canadians. 

Another feature of New Year's regulations was masquerading parties, 
which generally made night calls, at the various houses, where they were 
cordially received and royally entertained. The custom is followed to some 
extent to this day. Hut, the "antideluvians," who many years ago turned 
out in grotesque costumes, and rode like mad through the streets on horse- 
back, had their origin in the eighteenth century and ended their existence 
towards the close of the nineteenth. 

Easter Sunday was another occasion when the Creoles made special 
visits among neighbors and acquaintances and made presents of colored 
eggs and other articles ; and on Christmas, did they not make a general 
bestowal of gifts and an exchange of presents with relatives, friends and 
acquaintances, they would deem themselves almost guilty of sacrilege. 

F)Ut, with all these evidences of a more refined nature, they could not 
resist the temptation to gamble, sport and carouse, and the cock-pit, race 
track and card table held out to them fascinations they could not resist. 
Yet, with all these weaknesses, they frequently displayed a true nobility of 
heart. Ignorant of wrong doing, they dwelt in peace and contentment, in 
a house in architectual design like the accompanying illustration. The 
dwelling in reality was a log cabin, made more modern looking by an 




A TVI'ICVr, FriKXCII DWF.rj.IXG 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 269 

addition of weatherboarding. The photograph from which this cut is 
made is after the "last survivor" of these ancient domiciles, which is fre- 
quently pointed out as the home of "Alice of Old Vincennes." 

A Typical French Dwelling 

Mr. Volney"s reference to the nine citizens he met at court is not a 
sufficient number from which to get a gauge to measure the worth of the 
average citizen. There were quite a number of respectable French gentle- 
men having an abiding place in Vincennes at the time the blase traveler 
paid his visit, and of one of these it is now the writer's pleasure to speak. 

Another distinguished citizen of Vincennes, who came prominently into 
notice with the establishment of the Indiana territory, was Toussaint 
Dubois, in honor of whom Dubois county was named. Like quite a num- 
ber of the French settlers of the Old Post, he was of noble birth, but left 
his native country at an early age to seek his fortune in the new world. 
His objective point was Canada, but shortly after his arrival in the dominion 
he saw brighter prospects beyond, and it was not long until he had invaded 
the wild regions of the Wabash, locating at Vincennes. Possessed of con- 
siderable wealth, and having acquired large tracts of land before he was 
here a great while, he began to enlarge the volume of his worldly goods by 
trading with the Indians, into whose good graces he had a wonderful 
faculty of ingratiating himself. The fur trade was to his liking, and he 
soon familiarized himself with every branch of the business, becoming an 
adept in drying, compressing, packing and preparing peltries for shipment. 
Large fortunes were made at that time in the fur trade conducted along the 
banks of the Wabash, and the shrewdest of traders were engaged in the 
traffic, resulting in the liveliest competition. Mr. Dubois, who had thoroughly 
acquainted himself with the Indian character by learning their tastes and 
habits, as well as their business acumen, generally outclassed his competitors 
in driving bargains with the dusky denizens of the forest, diplomatically 
managing to get the pick and choice of the furs and peltries, for which 
blankets, guns, pistols, powder, bullets and fire-water, especially the latter, 
were exchanged. Detroit was the receiving depot for furs and peltries, 
and the quantity of these articles shipped from this locally was something 
enormous. Boats for the purpose were built of sufficient capacity to carry 
forty or fifty bales of skins after they had been cured and prepared for 
shipment, and it required from four to five men to man a boat; the route 
adopted being up the Big Wabash, thence to Little Wabash, to the portage, 
near Fort Wayne, where the boats and cargo were toted overland to the 
head waters of the Maumee, thence by that stream to Detroit. Mr. Dubois 
had frequently made the trip over this route, and, because of his familarity 
with the country between Vincennes and Detroit, General Harrison con- 
sidered him a valuable man to aid him in his contemplated attack on the 
Indians, who were terrorizing the settlements on the Upper Wabash. As 



270 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

a matter of fact, Mr. Dubois volunteered to assist in solving the vexatious 
Indian problems, and his services subsequently proved of inestimable 
worth. Later General Harrison appointed him captain of the spies and 
guides of the Indiana militia, an organization made imperative by the 
impending battle of Tippecanoe, a commission which he held subsequent 
to that memorable event, wherein he had distinguished himself as a brave 
and gallant soldier. Upon that field among the men of his brigade who 
stood shoulder to shoulder with him were Silas McCulloch, R. G. Sullivan, 
William Bruce, William Polk, Pierre Andre, Ephriam Jordan, William 
Hogue, David Wilkins, John HoUingsworth, Thomas Learens, Joseph 
Arpin, Abraham Decker, Samuel James, David Mills, Stewart Cunning- 
ham, Bocker Childers, Thomas Jordon. 

The military record of Thomas Dubois is a lengthy and honorable one; 
and his successful treaties with the Indians, by which large tracts of land 
were secured for the government and friendly relations between tribes and 
the United States maintained, are among the noteworthy features of Har- 
rison's administration as governor of Indiana territory. "Capt. Dubois 
was the last white man to visit the headstrong prophet" says Mr. Wilson, 
in his excellent history of Dubois county, "before the tocsin of war 
sounded the alarm," and the information secured by strategy from the 
prophet by the captain, relating to war preparations of the Indians pre- 
ceding the battle of Tippecanoe, no doubt resulted in lessening the loss 
to the militia in that conflict, if it did not prove the means of gaining a 
brighter record for Harrison as an Indian fighter than he would have 
otherwise achieved.* 

It has been stated that Toussaint Dubois was disinherited by his father 
for having left the parental roof to make his adventuresome journey to 
America in company with General Lafayette, which statement is denied 
in toto by a descendant of the Duboises, (Mrs. Arthur Huntington) a 
bright and intelligent woman of Springfield, 111., who has devoted consider- 
able time in collecting data pertaining to the Dubois family, and who cer- 
tainly knows whereof she speaks. She says Mr. Dubois never came to this 
country until after Lafayette's arrival. However, Mr. Dubois proved to 
be a most valuable citizen to Vincennes, and his exemplary life, his patriot- 
ism, his loyalty to his friends and adopted town are worthy the emulation 
of every good citizen who has at heart the welfare of the community in 
which he lives. Through his untiring energy Mr. Dubois, as a merchant in 
Vincennes, and as a fur trader whose operations extended all over the 
Wabash country, through honest and square dealing, amassed quite a for- 
tune in his day, and his landed estates were among the most extensive, as 
well as the most picturesque, held by any individual in the community at 
that time. For many years he was the proud possessor of Robeson's Hills 
— (then called "Dubois Hills") — those minature mountains on the west 



♦Wilson's History of Dubois County, p. 68. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 271 

bank of the Wabash, the outhnes of which are reflected in the mirrored 
depths of the river. For a time the Dubois homestead nestled at the foot 
of these hills, where Jesse K., the infant son, was kidnaped by a band of 
roving Indians, who held him for quite a while as hostage. Jesse K. Dubois 
later fell heir to this lovely country seat, and became quite prominent in 
Illinois politics, having been chosen by the voters to represent Lawrence 
county for several terms in the Illinois legislature. He was a man of 
commanding presence, tall and portly, with a Grecian cast of countenance, 
and frequently visited Vincennes. He lived well, and always had a retinue 
of servants, having inherited from his father a couple of black slaves, man 
and wife, who at one time lived in a house built high above the ground 
among the branches of an immense cotton-wood tree, located on the prem- 
ises. This estate subsequently passed into the hands of a Mr. Shuler, 
and, latterly, to Judge Joseph Bowman, one of the ablest lawyers in the 
state, and an eminent jurist. He disposed of the property to John Jackson 
and removed to this city, taking up his residence in a large frame house, 
yet standing on a lot at the northwest corner of Second and Seminary 
streets. He was afflicted with chronic rheumatism, which caused him 
intense suffering; and, unable to withstand the tortures to which the disease 
subjected him, ended his misery by driving a large butcher knife to the 
hilt into his bosom, accomphshing the deed by placing the butt of the 
handle to the wall and pressing the full weight of his emaciated body 
against the blade, the act being committed while he was abed. 

Mr. Jackson was a Hoosier by birth, and came here from Richmond at 
the outbreak of the civil war, taking possession of the "hills" immediately 
upon his arrival. In politics he was a democrat, with such strong party 
predilections that the more radical republicans classed him with the south- 
ern "fire eaters." He was a giant in stature and intellect, of jovial manner, 
and rapidly made friends with a prominent class of people, coming across 
the river every morning to exchange courtesies with acquaintances and 
incidentally talk politics. In 1864 he married Miss Nannie Chapman, eldest 
daughter of Dr. Chapman,* president of the university from 1855 to 1866; 



*Dr. Chapman was an ordained Episcopal minister, as well as an educator, and 
for a number of years officiated as rector of St. James' church. As a teacher, he was 
practical and progressive, a stern disciplinarian, and imparted instruction to his pupils 
in such a way that they absorbed and retained that which they were taught. He was 
ably assisted in his educational work by Prof. McKenney, a very eccentric man, 
whose knowledge of chemistry and mathematics was profound. The fact that none 
of Dr. Chapman's pupils, who applied for admission to the military and naval acade- 
mies, respectively, at West Point and Annapolis, ever failed to pass the exacting and 
rigid examinations of these institutions, speaks volumes in favor of the university 
as an educational institution, and Dr. Chapman as an educator. Among the students 
of the university — pupils of Chapman and McKenney — who became prominent in pro- 
fessional, commercial and military life, are Noble Judah, Chicago, well known bar- 
rister; John Judah. lawyer, Indianapolis, and Samuel Judah. this city; J. P. L. Weems, 
Richard J. Greenhow, Charles G. McCord, Vincennes : William C. Niblack, president 



272 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

and two or three years after her death, which occurred the same year as 
her wedding, he married the younger daughter. Miss LilHan Chapman. 
Both weddings were notable social events, and the elegant Jackson home, 
which became famed for the generous and unaffected hospitality of its host 
and hostess, was graced with the presence of the creme de la creme of Vin- 
cennes society. Among the more notable guests at the last wedding feast, 
was Lord Cavendish, an English nobleman, and "crony" of the Prince of 
Wales. Two years later, on a second visit to Vincennes, Lord Cavendish, 
who had married the celebrated American actress, Emily Thorne, brought 
his bride with him, and the couple remained for a protracted season as 
guests of the Jacksons. Cavendish was an ardent sportsman, and during 
his stay devoted considerable time in hunting big game in this section of 
country, principally deer and wild turkeys, which were quite plentiful here- 
abouts in those days. Mr. Jackson, who had become a widower for the sec- 
ond time, retained an interest in a piano factory at Richmond, and moved 
there in 1875, where he died several years later, his wife having preceded 
him to the grave eight years before. During his occupancy of them, and 
until Messrs. Robeson came into possession of the hills, early in the eighties, 
they were called "Jackson's Hills," when the name was changed to "Robe- 
son's Hills," by which appellation they are known today, and are the prop- 
erty of Messrs. Robert and William Robeson. There is also a legend con- 
nected with these hills, a weird, grewsome story— founded upon the facts 
of an actual occurrence— in which quite a few people formerly placed great 
credence. Between two of the most prominent of these miniature mountains 
is a deep, dark ravine, which the rays of the sun never penetrate. It has a 
luxuriant growth of vegetation, the verdure of which, ferns in endless 
variety intensify, and on the sultriest days of summer there issues from its 
mouth, which opens in full view of the river road, a delightfully cooling 
breeze, laden with a sweet and refreshing fragrance. The locality is known 
as Dark Hollow, and, on beholding it one can not fail to note the appropri- 
ateness of the name. Many years ago a lone traveler, who was making his 
way on horse back through the howling wilderness, was set upon in the night 
time, by a band of migrating Twightwee Indians, led a captive into the hol- 
low, and decapitated. Singularly, the Indians never scalped the prisoner nor 



Chicago Trust Co., Richard K. Dawes, cashier First National Bank, Evansville ; the 
late C. M. Allen, Jr., and Frank M. Ross, scions of illustrious sires, both of whom 
graduated with high honors from West Point, were students of the university under 
Dr. Chapman's tutelage. Commander Nathaniel P. Usher, U. S. N., and Commodore 
Francis L. Denny, U. S. N., who have rendered distinguished services to their coun- 
try, received instruction at this time-honored institution. Albert G. Caldwell, Indian- 
apolis, retired, and Francis E. Greene, deceased, both of whom attained high official 
rank in the United States navy, having entered the naval academy when mere boys, 
took preparatory instructions from Dr. Chapman. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 273 

did tliey take his horse, the animal being discovered by a party of hunters, two 
weeks later, grazing near the headless body of his master. Of course, the hunt- 
ing party took the horse in charge leaving the mutilated and badly decom- 
posed corpse of the man to remain as a feast for the buzzards. And, so the 
legend goes, on every Thursday the nocturnal spectacle of a headless rider, on 
a fractious steed, is the phantom picture which the cavernous depths of Dark 
Hollow reveal. Whether in jest, or because their overw'rought imaginations 
made such a vision as this possible, some people have solemnly declared that 
they have been confronted with such an apparition. 

Beautiful Fort Knox was also among the landed estates of Toussaint 
Dubois who, it appears, had a preference for altitudinal ground. It seems 
in acquiring these tracts, however, that Mr. D. made the beauty of the 
scenery the primary object of possession. At any rate, this locality can not 
boast of two spots that are more lovely, picturesque or romantic than Fort 
Knox and Robeson's Hills. They are studies in nature, inviting the thought 
of an artist's mind and invoking the magic touch of an artist's brush. While 
living remote from the more advanced centers of civilization, the commercial 
relations of Toussaint Dubois, with the merchants of St. Louis and Phila- 
delphia, frequently took him on long journeys to the west and east — when 
travel was both hazardous and uncomfortable — where he came in contact 
with progressive men and measures, and always brought back ideas bene- 
ficial to his neighbors. He was a component part of the social and com- 
mercial as well as the religious and educational life of the Old Post. He 
w-as an active member of the Catholic church and gave liberally of his funds 
for the maintenance of that institution. With Governor Harrison he served 
as a member of the board of trustees of the Vincennes university as early 
as 1806, and was of the committee who erected the first building of its 
character to be dedicated to educational purposes west of the Alleghany 
mountains. The dignitaries of the church held Mr. Dubois in high esteem 
as is attested by the provision in the will of the late Father Rivet, w-ho 
named him as one of the executors. Father Rivet was pastor of St. 
Francis Xavier's cathedral and was a man of extraordinary talents and 
attainments, having filled a chair in the justly famous college at Limoges, 
France. There was a strong friendship existing between them, and the 
priest was a frequent visitor at the Dubois home, which, by the way, was 
said to contain the most elegant furniture, of massive pattern, and solid 
mahogany. The tableware of the Duboises, the silver, cut glass, and costly 
bric-a-bac, were the envy of all who were fortunate enough to be guests 
within the walls of their hospitable dwelling. Mr. Dubois was twice married, 
his first wife being a lovely French girl, of aristocratic parentage, with 
plenty of money, having a vivacious disposition, a pure, noble and generous 
heart. Her maiden name was Jeannette Bonneau, a native of Vincennes. 
Her death occurred on the isth of November, 1800, and her remains were 
interred in the burial grounds of St. Francis Xavier's cathedral. Her last 



274 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

resting place is covered with a massive stone, on the surface of which is 
inscribed — 

Here Lies the Body of 

JANNE BONNEAU 

The Wife of Toussiant Dubois 

Who Departed This Life 

The 15th November, 1800, 

Aged 28 Years. 

Five children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Dubois, viz: Toussaint, Jr., 
Henry, Charles, Emanuel L. and Susanne. Mr. George R. Wilson, in a 
beautifully-written publication, styled "Wilson's History of Dubois County," 
devotes many pages of his valuable book in tracing the genealogy of the 
Dubois family, and therefrom the following paragraph is taken : 

"The daughter, Susanne, married William Jones, Esq., and of this union were 
born Edward, Elizabeth Ann, Susanna O., Mary Jane and Maria C. . . . The 
daughter, Susanne O. Jones, mentioned above, married Robert Smyth, Esq., of 
Vincennes, in 1833. Mrs. Smyth died in 1888, aged seventy-five. Their son, Samuel 
Smyth, lived at Crawfordsville, Ind. The son, Edward, died in early manhood. The 
daughter, Elizabeth Ann, became the wife of William Binford, Esq., also of Craw- 
fordsville. She died September 19, 1897, aged eighty-five. Maria C. became the 
wife of Dr. W. P. Dunn, a son of Judge Williamson Dunn, a remarkable man in the 
early history of Indiana. Mrs. Maria C. Dunn resided at Frankfort, Clinton county, 
Ind. As the reader will observe, she is the granddaughter of Toussaint Dubois by 
his first wife. These children of Susanne Dubois Jones were baptized in the Catholic 
church at Vincennes. Their parents died young, and the orphans were reared by 
the relatives on the Jones' side of the family, who were Protestants. These children 
became Episcopalians. For his second wife, Captain Dubois took Miss Jane Baird 
from near Blooniington, Ind. Miss Baird was a Protestant. By this marriage three 
sons were born : Thomas, James and Jesse Kilgore Dubois. The latter was the 
youngest child, and as he grew up to manhood's years, became a wann personal 
friend of Abraham Lincoln. His son, Senator Fred Dubois, is perhaps the most 
widely known descendant of Captain Dubois. Senator Dubois was bom in Craw- 
ford county, III., not far from Vincennes, in 1857. He was graduated from Yale in 
1872, and became secretary of the board of railway and warehouse commissioners of 
Illinois in 1875. In 1880 he went to Idaho and engaged in business. He was United 
States marshal of Idaho for four years. He represented his district in the fiftieth 
and fifty-sixth congresses. He was United States senator from Idaho. His home is 
at Blackfoot, Idaho. ... At his death, Jesse K. Dubois, youngest son of Captain 
Dubois, left a large mansion on sixty acres of ground, now within the limits of 
Springfield, 111. This estate remained intact for many years. Finally the mansion 
and thirty acres were sold by the heirs of Jesse K. Dubois, to Catholic sisters, who 
now occupy the property as a convent. . . . Senator Dubois is the youngest son 
of Captain Dubois, by the second marriage, as the reader will notice." 

Mrs. McCarthy, wife of Peter R. McCarthy, this city, who was formerly 
Miss Ophelia Dubois, is a great-granddaughter of Capt. Dubois, by his first 
marriage. Relative to the tragic end of Capt. Dubois, Mr. Wilson, the 
author f roiri which we quote above, says : "In the early days Capt. Dubois 
often had business to transact away from home. While returning from one 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 275 

of these trips, in March ii, 1816, Capt. Dubois met a tragic death. He was 
riding along the old "Buffalo Trace,' accompanied by his colored servant. 
They attempted to swim their horses across the Little Wabash river, a 
small stream in Clay county, 111., not far from Vincennes. Heavy rains had 
caused the streams to be greatly swollen. Capt. Dubois had with him a pair 
of saddle-bags, which contained a large amount of gold and silver money, 
and the weight of the money was the direct cause of the man and his horse 
being drawn down to rise no more." And, in commenting on the lamentable 
occurrence, the Western Sun of Saturday, March 16, 1816, says: 

"On Monday last in attempting to cross the Little Wabash river, was drowned 
Major Toussaint Dubois. In him the poor have lost a benefactor, his country a 
friend. He was a kind husband, an indulgent father and an honest man."* 

It is presumed the slave met with a similar fate. The body of Mr. 
Dubois was never recovered. At least, there is no record of it ever having 
been. And thus closed the earthly career of one of the pioneer citizens of 
Vincennes, whose bravery and patriotism, whose nobility of character, and 
whose true devotion to his country, his church and his friends, failed to 
receive even slight mention in historical annals until Mr. Wilson had written 
the history of Dubois county. 



*The brevity displayed in noting the untimely death of a man of such promi- 
nence cannot fail to impress the average newspaper reader of today as peculiar. But 
it was not the custom in the early days for newspaper writers to be either verbose 
or sensational. Brief as this obituary notice is, there are volumes expressed in the 
few words penned by Mr. Stout, the editor, in taking cognizance of the departure 
from earthly scenes of one of his best and truest friends. What more could be said, 
in paying a meed of praise to the virtues of a worthy man, whose spirit had winged 
its flight to the great beyond than that he was a benefactor to the poor, loved well 
his country and friends, and was "a kind husband and indulgent father?" The au- 
thor is indebted to Mr. Demarcus Brown, the efficient and affable librarian of the 
Indiana State Library, for a verbatim copy of the obituary notice as it appeared in 
the paper. The Western Sun editions, printed while Mr. Stout was editor, were 
recently purchased for one thousand dollars per volume, and form an interesting col- 
lection in the Indiana State Library. 



CHAPTER XIX. 

OLD VINCENNES BECOMES FIRST CAPITAL OF TERRITORY 

OF INDIANA. 

WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON APPOINTED FIRST GOVERNOR — OFFICERS, LAWS 

AND POPULATION OF TERRITORY THE SENTIMENT ON SLAVERY FIRST 

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OLD LEGISLATIVE BUILDING BENJAMIN PARKE 

HARRISON TREATS WITH INDIANS — VALUE OF MANUFACTURED PRODUCTS 
IN 181O — ARRIVAL OF HARRISON AT VINCENNES THE HARRISON MAN- 
SION — EFFORTS TO PRESERVE IT — INDIAN COMPLAINTS NOT WITHOUT 
JUSTIFICATION THE PROPHET AND TECUMSEH — TECUMSEH AND HARRI- 
SON IN COUNCIL — THE CELEBRATED POW-WOW HARRISON ADDRESSES A 

SPEECH TO THE PROPHET AND TECUMSEH— SEAT OF GOVERNMENT 
CHANGED TO CORYDON GOVERNOR POSEY ARRIVES — THE B.^TTLE OF TIP- 
PECANOE — NAMES OF VINCENNES MEN WHO TOOK PART IN IT GENERAL 

HARRISON BULLET PROOF PEN PICTURE OF TECUMSEH THE B.\TTLE OF 

THE THAMES DEATH OF TECUMSEH HARRISON ELECTED PRESIDENT OF 

THE UNITED STATES — HIS INAUGURATION AND SAD DEATH — HIS TOMB AT 
NORTH BEND. 

According to the first entry in the executive journal, the government of 
Indiana Territory commenced July 4, 1800. The congressional act, ap- 
proved by the President of the United States May 7, 1800, dividing the 
territory northwest of the Ohio river into two separate governments, ac- 
corded the inhabitants of Indiana Territory the same rights, privileges and 
advantages secured to the people of the Northwest Territory under the pro- 
visions of the ordinance of 1787.' Old Vincennes became the seat of gov- 



1 No attempt was made to reenact the laws of the Northwest Territory in Indiana 
Territory at any time, though the laws of the former, passed prior to the division, were 
always treated as in force in the latter. The theory adopted was that the division of 
the old Territory was merely for administrative purposes ; that the laws were as much 
in force in one division as in the other ; and that there was no use in reenacting them 
in either. [This is perhaps the onl instance of such a construction in any country 
where the common law obtained.] It was carried much farther by the territorial court 
in 1803, in a curious question concerning the law regulating prison bounds ; for it 
was then held that a law passed in Northwest Territory after 1800 was still in force 
in Wayne county, which was added to Indiana Territory in 1802, notwithstanding that 
an entirely diflerent law was in force in the remainder of Indiana. This construction 
was of vital importance to the infant Territory, for, having dropped back to the first 

276 





GEX. Wll.l.lA.M IIEMIV UAUIilSUX c:EX. UEOlKiE KUCERS CLARK 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 277 

ernment, William Henry Harrison was appointed governor, John Gibson 
secretary, Henry Vanderburg, William Clark and John Griffin, territorial 
judges. 

In July, 1800, Secretary Gibson, vvlio had preceded Governor Harrison 
to Vincennes, proceeded to make further appointments of territorial officers, 
and to provide for the administration of the laws. January 10, 1801, Gov- 
ernor Harrison, who had arrived in the meantime, issued a proclamation 
requiring the attendance of the judges at the seat of government, who ac- 
cordingly convened at \'incennes on Monday, January 12, i8oi, and con- 
tinued in session until January 26th, when they adjourned, having adopted 
and published seven laws and three resolutions, relating mainly to the judi- 
ciary and county offices. The first session of the general court of the ter- 
ritory was held at Vincennes, beginning March 3, 1801. 

The first grand jury to convene in Indiana territory was composed of 
the following named gentlemen : Luke Decker, Antoine Marchal, Joseph 
Baird, Patrick Simpson, Antoine Petit, Andre Montplaiseur, John Ochil- 
tree, Jonathan Marney, Jacob Tevebaugh, Alexander Varley, Francois Tur- 
pin, F. Compagnoitte, Charles Languedoc, Louis Severe, F. Languedoc, 
George Catt, John Bt. Barois, Abraham Decker and Philip Catt. 

The population of the territory at this time was given as four thousand, 
eight hundred and seventy-five souls, who were living in scattered settle- 
ments separated by great distances. ^ At Mackinaw, the extreme northern 
settlement, were two hundred and fifty-one citizens. The fur traders, ply- 
ing their vocations along the borders of the lakes, numbered about three 
hundred. The Green Bay settlement had fifty people. At Prairie du Chien, 
on the upper Mississippi, were sixty-five. Farther down the Mississippi the 
settlements were more extensive. In and about Cahokia were seven hun- 
dred and ninety people. Just below in Belle Fontaine township, were two 
hundred and eighty-six. In L'Aigle, the southernmost township of St. 
Clair county, were two hundred and fifty. At and about Kaskaskia were 
four hundred and sixty-seven. At and about Prairie du Rocher were two 
hundred and twelve. In Mitchell township were three hundred and thirty- 
four. Around on the Ohio were ninety souls at Fort Massac. Farther up, 
in Clark's grant, were nine hundred and twenty-nine. In the interior was 
nothing that could be called a settlement, except Vincennes, which had seven 
hundred and fourteen inhabitants, while in its immediate vicinity were eight 
hundred and nineteen more. There were, however, fifty-five fur traders 



stage, under the Ordinance, it could adopt only laws of the original states, which, as 
had been demonstrated in Northwest Territory, were inadequate to the needs of the 
people ; whereas, the laws of Northwest Territory as revised and extended by the 
last legislature were very satisfactory. — J. P. Dunn. Indiana, Commonwealth's Series, 
pp. 294-295. 

2 J. P. Dunn, Indiana, pp. 295-296-297-298-299-300. 



278 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

scattered along the Wabash, and about one hundred at "Opee."' In what 
is now Indiana, the population was 2,500; the exact number, says Dunn, 
cannot be given, because a part of those reported as in the neighborhood of 
Vincennes were west of the Wabash. Continuing, Mr. Dunn says, that in 
what is now Illinois were a little more than 2,500, nearly all of them in the 
region about Kaskaskia and Cahokia, which was commonly called the Illi- 
nois country. Of the total population, one hundred and sixty-three were 
reported free negroes, and one hundred and thirty-five slaves. "But this 
is erroneous," says Mr. Dunn, "as forty-two negroes and no slaves were 
reported from Cahokia, where there were certainly a number of slaves. 
The number reported from that place in 1810 was forty, and there must 
have been near that number ten years earlier ; hence we may estimate the 
slaves in Indiana territory in 1800 at one hundred and seventy-five, and the 
free negroes at one hundred and twenty-three. Of the slaves reported, 
twenty-eight were about Vincennes and on the Wabash, and the remainder 
were in Randolph County. 

"The only pure American settlement was in Clark's grant, though there 
were Americans scattered all through the French settlements, and a large 
number of them at Vincennes. The French were largely in the majority in 
the territory, and most of the American politicians conformed to their ideas 
for evident reasons. These people were nearly all federalistic in their sym- 
pathies. Monarchical institutions had no terrors for them, and political 
denunciations of a tendency of the government toward such institutions 
fell lightly on their ears. Their leaders had been favored by the federal 
executives, both national and territorial, to such an extent that they held 
nearly all the offices ; and the mere holding of an office added much to the 
dignity and influence of a man among the French settlers. But American 
politicians had little weight with them as compared with their local welfare, 
and the one thing which they considered essential to their welfare was the 
introduction of slaves. Their views were natural. Emigrants who objected 
to slavery usually stopped in Ohio ; those who wanted slavery, went to Ken- 
tucky, or the Spanish possessions beyond the Mississippi. Their neigh- 
bors who had crossed the river for fear of losing their slaves could not re- 
turn, and all on account of this absurd American law. The French settlers 
and their American allies wanted this law changed, and, inasmuch as a ma- 
jority of the inhabitants of the territory were of that mind, they were in 
hopes that congress would relent. Before the organization of the territory 
was completed, the Illinois people prepared a memorial to congress making 
known their wants and supplicating relief. The ingenuity of that portion 
of it which refers to the question of slavery will best be seen in the fol- 
lowing extract: 'The mode your petitioners wish and pray you to adopt is 



3 Peoria, i. c, an Peorias. This is an example of that compound of French abbre- 
viation with American orthography from which such results as Okas for Kaskaskia, 
Cahos, Cos, or Okos for Cahokia, and Opost for Post Vincennes were obtained — 
Ehjnn. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 279 

to permit of the introduction into the territory of any of those who are 
slaves in any of the United States, who, when admitted, shall continue in 
a state of servitude during their natural lives, but that all their children 
born in the territory shall serve, the males until thirty-one and the females 
until twenty-eight, at which time they are to be absolutely free. To the 
adoption of such a modification of slavery, your petitioners cannot conceive 
any well-founded objections will be made. It cannot but meet with the 
support of those who are friends to a gradual abolition of slavery, and your 
petitioners cannot entertain the idea that any will be found to oppose a 
measure which in the course of a very few years will in all human prob- 
ability rescue from the vilest state of bondage a number, and without doubt 
a considerable number of souls yet unborn. Your petitioners do not want 
to increase the number of slaves in the United States by the introduction 
of any from foreign dominions; their wishes, on the contrary, tend con- 
siderably to diminish the number by emanicpating those who, whether born 
in the states where their parents reside, or removed into the Spanish do- 
minions, would otherwise be born slaves.' 

"In addition to this modification of the sixth article of the compact, the 
petitioners asked the extinction of the Indian title to the greater part of 
southern Illinois, which was held by the little remnant of the Kaskaskia 
tribe ; the granting of tracts of land to persons who would open roads 
through the unsettled parts of the country and maintain taverns along the 
same; and the establishment of one or two garrisons of troops — all these 
being in anticipation of rapid settlement of the country when the slavery 
restriction should be removed. This petition had two hundred and seventy 
signatures, chiefly French. Among the more prominent English and Amer- 
ican signers were John Edgar, John Rice Jones, William Morrison, Robert 
Morrison and Shadrach Bond. It does not appear to have been circulated 
at Vincennes.* It was forwarded to congress, but did not receive the con- 
sideration which its philanthropic professions might seem to demand. It 
was not presented to the house, though addressed to both house and senate; 
at least there is no mention of it in the house records, and no copy of it 
on the house files. It was presented to the senate on January 23, 1801, and 
at once laid on the table, whence it was not removed. 

"The Ilhnois people soon learned that their petition would avail noth- 
ing, but they were not at all disheartened. The first result of the failure 
was a determination to have a representative in congress to urge their 
wishes. This they could not do without advancing to the second grade of 
territorial government; but as the law establishing the territory had fixed 
on a minimum of population for this advance, there was no reason why it 
could not be made at once if Governor Harrison was willing. On April 11, 
1801, John Edgar wrote to Governor St. Clair: 'During a few weeks past 
we have put into circulation petitions addressed to Governor Harrison, for 



' John Rice Jones, however, one of the petitioners, was a resident of Vincennes. 



280 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

a general assembly, and we have had the satisfaction to find that about nine- 
tenths of the inhabitants of the counties of St. Clair and Randolph approve 
of the measure, a great proportion of whom have already put their signa- 
tures to the petition. I have written to Judge Clark of Clark County, to 
Mr. Buntin and Mr. Small of Post Vincennes, urging them to be active in 
the business. I have no doubt but that the undertaking will meet with 
early success so as to admit of the house of representatives meeting early 
in the fall.' 

"It is possible that Mr. Edgar's confidence was based on a belief that 
the governor was, like himself, a federalist, for Mr. Harrison had made no 
parade of his republicanism since coming to Indiana. He afterwards de- 
clared that his appointment as governor by Mr. Adams was not a favor 
from a political friend ; that 'it was necessary to get me out of the way' in 
Ohio to secure a federal state there ; and that he refused the appointment 
until convinced by his friends that "there was no doubt of Mr. Jefferson's 
election in the ensuing November, and that I would be continued governor 
of Indiana, and some republican would succeed Governor St. Clair in the 
northwest territory.'! In the same letter, however, he says: 'I therefore 
accepted the appointment with a determination, as Indiana had no voice in 
the choice of a president, that I would take no part in the contest.' The 
closeness of his adherence to this resolve produced in 1805 the charge: 
'No sooner was Mr. Jefferson elevated to the presidency than you began 
to apprehend danger. . . . From the firmest federalist, you wheeled 
about like the cock on a steeple, and declared yourself a republican.'* On 
the other hand, while Edgar may have counted on Harrison's federalism, 
it is possible that he counted on the governor's not daring to put himself in 
opposition to the known wishes of the people, or even that he supposed the 
governor to have no discretion in the matter, for the division act provided 
that the second grade 'shall be in force and operate in the Indiana terri- 
tory whenever satisfactory evidence shall be given to the governor thereof 
that such is the wish of a majority of the freeholders.' 

"Whatever may have been their theories, Edgar, Morrison, and their 
friends secured and submitted the requisite petitions and left the governor 
confronted by a serious political problem. A republican himself, and an- 
ticipating a continued ascendency of his party in the nation, he still knew 
that the people of Indiana were mostly federalists; and he had before him 
the task of winning their favor and political friendship. If a legislature 
were established, the members would exercise an influence which would 
weaken his own ; would pass acts for political purposes ; would probably be 
enabled to maintain their political ascendency in the territory. True, he 
would still have an absolute veto, but he knew from St. Clair's experience 
that a resort to the veto would speedily make him an object of popular 



f Harrison to Lyons, June i, 1840. 
* Letters of Decius, p. 25. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 281 

odium. His only safe course was to prevent the advance to the second 
grade. He accordingly prepared a 'letter to a friend' which at once found 
its way into print. Its effect is thus stated by one of his bitterest enemies : 
'Previous to this famous letter of the governor against the second grade 
of government, the people, whether right or wrong, had generally petitioned 
the governor to adopt the measure. A declaration of his own opinion, ac- 
companied with an exaggerated calculation of the expenses incident to this 
form of government, alarmed the people by a representation of heavy taxes ; 
and they immediately changed their opinions for no other reason than those 
stated by the governor.' "f 

There was no legislature in the Indiana territory till after the separa- 
tion of Michigan, which occurred June 30, 1805, pursuant to an act of con- 
gress approved on the iith of January preceding. On September 11, 1804, 
a vote had been taken and a majority of one hundred and thirty-eight free- 
holders of the territory had voted in favor of organizing a general assem- 
bly ; whereupon Governor Harrison issued a proclamation calling for an 
election of members of a house of representatives, to be held on Thursday, 
January 3, 1805, and citing the members elect to meet at Vincennes on the 
1st of February, to take measures for the organization of a territorial coun- 
cil. In compliance with this order the members convened on the day and 
date set, and on February 7, 1805, proceeded to select by ballot the names 
of ten residents of the territory, to be forwarded to the President of the 
United States, five of whom the President was authorized by congress to 
appoint and commission as members of the legislative council of Indiana 
territory. The names of the ten persons sent to the President were : John 
Rice Jones and Jacob Kuykendalt, of Knox County ; Samuel Gwathney and 
Marston Green Clark, of Clark County; Benjamin Chambers of Dearborn 
County ; Jean Francois Perrey and John Hay, of St. Clair County ; Pierre 
Menard, of Randolph County ; James May and James Henry, of Detroit, 
Wayne County — the latter being in Indiana territory at the time of the 
election, but being set off to Michigan prior to the meeting of the legisla- 
ture, on the 29th of July following. 

President Jefferson refused to make a selection of five from the ten 
names forwarded to him as members of the legislative council for the reason 
that the men were all strangers to him ; but forwarded to Governor Harri- 
son a blank for him to fill with the names most suitable, rejecting "land- 
jobbers, dishonest men, and those who, though honest, might suffer them- 
selves to be warped by party prejudices." 

The first general assembly of Infliana territory convened at Vincennes, 
July 29, 1805, pursuant to a proclamation issued by General Harrison June 
7th. The members of the house of representatives were: Benjamin Parke 
and John Johnson, of Knox County; Jesse B. Thomas, of Dearborn County; 
David Floyd, of Clark County; Shadrach Bond and William Biggs, of St. 

j Ibid., p. 7. 



282 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

Clair County; George Fisher of Randolph County. On July 30th Gover- 
nor Harrison delivered his message. Several days later the council and 
house of representatives, by joint ballot, elected Benjamin Parke the first 
delegate to congress from Indiana territory. 

The building in which the first general assembly convened and which 
was headquarters for the governmental oflicials, was located on the south- 
east side of Main street about midway between Second and Third streets. 
More than a half century ago the house was removed to the southeast side 
of Third street, about a half block below Harrison park. It is standing 
today in a very good state of preservation, as will be seen by a glance at 
the accompanying illustration. 

Benjamin Parke was a native of New Jersey, and was born in the year 
1777. He and his accomplished wife came to Vincennes in 1801 and took 
up their residence. Several years after his arrival, he built a handsome resi- 
dence on First street, near the river, on a wooded plat of ground, occupying 
a whole block between Shelby and Scott streets. It was subsequently pur- 
chased and occupied as a homestead by the late John Wise, and always bore 
the name of Parke place, until a few years ago, when the house was rele- 
gated to the rear of the lot and the remainder of the premises, originally 
supplied with stately shade trees and ornamented with flower gardens, 
cleared to make room for a lumber yard and green-house. In 1808 Presi- 
dent JefTerson appointed Mr. Parke a territorial judge, which office he faith- 
fully filled until Indiana became a state. He was a member of the conven- 
tion that met at Corydon on the loth day of June, 1816. to form a state 
constitution, and took a leading part in its deliberations. After the admis- 
sion of Indiana to the union, President Madison appointed him a United 
States district judge, which position he held until his death, which oc- 
curred at Salem, Ind., July 12, 1835. Always a wise legislator and just 
and honorable judge, Benjamin Parke achieved distinction and won the 
hearts of the people by the display of honor, bravery and skill in the dis- 
charge of other duties that devolved on him. When the hostile redskins 
had organized for a raid on the white settlers. Judge Parke raised a com- 
pany of dragoons and went to their rescue. He was an active participant 
in the bloody battle of Tippecanoe, where he distinguished himself for brav- 
ery and valor ; and when that gallant soldier. Major Daviess, fell he was 
promoted to the majority and assumed command of the cavalry. Of his 
military conduct, General Harrison thus speaks : "He was in every respect 
equal to any cavalry officer I have ever seen. As in everything else which 
he undertook, he made himself acquainted with the tactics of that arm, and 
succeeded in bringing his troops, both as regards field maneuvering and 
the use of the saber, to as great perfection as I have ever known." While 
the territorial government was operative. Judge Parke for several years 
acted in the capacity of Indian agent. His knowledge of the Indian, by 




TEIUMTOP.IAL LKCISLATIVK IIAl^L 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 283 

actual contact with the savage in his forest home, his patience and bravery, 
made him a very desirable man in that position, and he affected many hon- 
orable and advantageous treaties with the savages. 

Judge Parke's wife's maiden name was Eliza Barton. They were mar- 
ried in Lexington, where the judge formed the acquaintance of Henry Clay 
and became one of the stanchest friends of the Kentucky statesman. Two 
children were born to Judge and Mrs. Parke — a son and daughter. The 
daughter became the wife of Abraham Hite, a prominent Louisville mer- 
chant. She died young, leaving a son whom the grandmother claimed, and 
took to her Salem home. The son's name was Barton. He was a deli- 
cate child, but talented, and had made fine progress in his college course 
when, in 1833, at Salem, one-twentieth of the population were stricken with 
cholera and died. Both Barton and his sister's little boy were carried away 
by the pestilence, rendering Benjamin and Eliza Parke childless.* 

While living at Vincennes Judge Parke was one of the instigators of a 
plan for the formation of a public library, which he aided with his means. 
The institution prospered, and in the early part of the nineteenth century 
contained more than 1,500 choice books, embracing standard works in many 
branches of science and departments of literature. He was a member of the 
first board of trustees of the Vincennes University, and consequently as- 
sisted in the establishment of the institution. He was the author of the 
movement by which the law library at Indianapolis was established and 
subsequently became a noted institution throughout the country ; and he 
also took the initiatory for the formation of the Indiana Historical Society, 
an organization which has recently taken a new lease on life. 

On assuming the office of governor of Indiana territory. General Har- 
rison was invested by the government of the United States with authority 
to make further treaties with the Indians, with a view to the extinguish- 
ment of the titles of the red men lying within the boundaries of the terri- 
tory; and, in the exercise of such authority, he made treaties in the fol- 
lowing order : 

At Vincennes, September 17, 1802, certain chiefs and head men of the 
Pottawattomie, Eel River, Piankeshaw, Wea, Kaskaskia and Kickapoo 
tribes, nominated and appointed the Miami chiefs Little Turtle and Rich- 
ardville, and the Pottawattomie chiefs, Winamac and Topinepik, to settle 
the terms of treaty for the extinguishment of Indian claims to certain lands 
on the borders of the Wabash in the vicinity of Vincenne.=. 

At Fort Wayne, June 7, 1803, certain chiefs and head men of the Dele- 
ware, Shawnee, Pottawattomie, Eel River, Kickapoo, Piankeshaw and Kas- 
kaskia tribes ceded to the United States about 1,600,000 acres of land. 

By the provisions of a treaty concluded at Vincennes, August 13, 1803, 
certain chiefs and warriors of the Kaskaskia tribe ceded to the United States 



* Woollen, Biographical and Historical Sketches of Early Indiana, p. 389. 



284 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

about 8,600,000 acres of land lying on the borders of the Mississippi and 
Illinois rivers. 

At Vincennes, August 18, 1804, the chiefs and head men of the Dele- 
ware tribe ceded to the United States their claims to the tract of land lying 
between the Wabash and Ohio rivers and south of the road which extended 
from Vincennes to the falls of the Ohio. The Piankeshaws relinquished their 
claims to the same territory by a treaty concluded at Vincennes, August 27, 
1804. 

By a treaty made at St. Louis, November 3, 1804, several chiefs of the 
Sac and Fox tribes ceded to the United States a vast extent of territory 
lying principally on the east side of the Mississippi, between the Illinois and 
Wisconsin rivers. The dispute over these lands, including the Sac villages, 
near Rock Island, brought on the Black Hawk war in 1832. 

At a treaty concluded at Grouseland near Vincennes August 21, 1805, 
certain chiefs and warriors of the Deleware, Pottawattomie, Miami, Eel 
River and Wea tribes ceded to the United States their territory lying south- 
east of the line running northeasterly from a point about fifty-seven miles 
due east from Vincennes, so as to strike the general boundary line (running 
from a point opposite the Kentucky river to Fort Recovery) at a distance 
of fifty miles from the commencement on the Ohio. 

At a treaty concluded at Vincennes, December 30, 1805, the chiefs and 
head men of the Piankeshaw tribe ceded about 2,000,000 acres lying west 
of the Wabash river. 

At Fort Wayne, September 30, 1809, the chiefs of the Delaware, Eel 
River, Pottawattomie and Miami tribes ceded to the United States about 
2,000,000 acres of land lying principally on the southeastern side of the 
Wabash, below the mouth of Raccoon creek. The chiefs and leading men 
of the Wea tribe met Governor Harrison at Vincennes on October 26, 1809, 
and acknowledged the validity of the above treaty of Fort Wayne. The 
same treaty was also confirmed by the sachems and war chiefs of the Kicka- 
poos December 9, i8og, and the Kickapoos ceded to the United States 
about 113,000 acres of land. 

Up to the date last named Harrison had procured for the United States, 
through treaties, land equal in extent to 29,719.530 acres. 

As has already been stated in a preceding chapter, by an act of congress 
approved March 26, 1804. a land office was established at Vincennes for 
the sale of these lands. About the same time a similar office was installed 
at Detroit and another at Kaskaskia. A fourth one was established at Jef- 
fersonville by an act of congress approved March 3, 1807. At this period 
JefTersonville was a town five years old, it having been laid out in 1802 in 
conformity with a plan proposed by Thomas Jefferson, then presitlent of 
the United States. 

The white population of Indiana territory in 1808 was about 28,000 
souls, of whom about 11,000 lived west of the Wabash. This was the same 
year that Benjamin Parke was appointed to a seat on the supreme bench 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 285 

of the territory, and when the legislature elected Jesse B. Thomas speaker 
of the house, to succeed Parke as a delegate in congress. 

In 1809 congress passed an act declaring that "all that part of Indiana 
territory lying west of the Wabash river and a direct line drawn from said 
Wabash river and Post X'incennes, due north to the territorial line between 
the United States and Canada, shouW constitute a separate territory and 
be called Illinois." By this division, the only counties remaining in Indiana 
territory having organization were Knox, Harrison, Clark and Dearborn; 
and in the election for delegate to congress, on the 22(1 of Alay, 911 votes 
were polled, of which Jonathan Jennings received 428, Thomas Randolph 
402 and John Johnson 81. The year following (1810) a census was taken, 
showing the population of Indiana territory to be 24,520. There were in 
the territory thirty-three grismiills, fourteen sawmills, three horse mills, 
eighteen tanneries, twenty-eight distilleries, three powder mills, 1,256 looms 
and 1,350 spinning wheels. The valuation placed on manufactured prod- 
ucts was as follows : W'oolen, cotton, hempen and flaxen cloths, and mix- 
tures, $159,052; cotton and wool spun in mills, $150; nails (20,000 lbs.), 
$4,000; leather, tanned, $9,300; products of distilleries (35.950 gallons), 
$16,230; gunpowder (3,600 lbs.), $1,800; wine from grapes (96 bbls.), 
$6,000; maple sugar, (50,000 lbs.), value not given. 

When General William Henry Harrison first came to \'incennes as the 
governor of Indiana territory, he accepted the hospitality of Colonel Vigo, 
and occupied the parlor of the Colonel's elegant home as a temporary resi- 
dence. How long he made this pretentious dwelling an abode is not stated. 
However, in 1804, the governor was ensconced in a mansion of his own — • 
the first brick house to be erected in the city, if not in the territory. The 
original cost of the building is said to have been $20,000, which does not 
seem to be excessive, even for territorial times, when one considers the 
nice material and superior workmanship entering into its construction, traces 
of which the ravages of time and the hand of the vandal have left intact. 
The old house is truly one of the few remaining land-marks of the Old Post, 
possessing historic interest of an unusual character. It has for many years 
furnished themes for the rankest romancers, whose fictitious recitals about 
an underground passage leading from the house to the river, intended as 
an avenue of escape when the inmates were threatened by a visitation from 
hostile savages, powder magazines, etc., have been given so often that they 
fail to attract even the attention of lovers of the mythical. Here in this old 
homestead Governor Harrison has received many distinguished visitors. 
The old house has been the scene of many important gatherings at which 
weighty afifairs of state have been discussed. Its spacious chambers have 
gathered within their walls the wealth, youth and beauty of colonial days, 
whose functions were always notably brilliant affairs. It was almost under 
the eaves of this grand old mansion that the wonderfully dramatic con- 
troversy between Harrison and Tecumseh occurred. For more than a hun- 
dred years this ancient dwelling, which retains its lines of architectural 



286 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

symmetry, has stood at the corner of Park and Scott streets.* The main 
building is two stories with an attic and basement. Its walls on three sides 
are square, the one on the west side facing the river being oval. The house 
is about two hundred yards inland from the stream, and rests on elevated 
ground, which recedes gently toward the river. The basement walls are 
twenty-four inches thick, while their width above is eighteen inches. The 
bricks used in the construction of the house were manufactured by Samuel 
Thompson, grandfather of Samuel Thompson of Vincennes, who, with a 
brother, operated a brick yard several miles east of the city. It is said 
that Governor Harrison gave the Thompsons two half sections of land for 
making the brick, to order. The doors, sash, mantels and stairs were made 
either at Pittsburg, Pa., or Chillicothe, Ohio, it never having been fully es- 
tablished which place produced them. However, they were manufactured 
from the best of material, and evidence that tliey were fashioned by the 
hands of skilled mechanics whose workmanship especially in the carving 
and matrixing, approaches the artistic. The glass in the windows was im- 
ported from England, and it is stated did not arrive in this country until 
two years after the order for shipment had been given. The joist and 
studding are double the width and thickness of timbers used in the con- 
struction of modern and costly houses of today and are hand-whipped 
sawed. The space between the floors and ceilings of each room is filled with 
mud and clay, mixed with straw, for the purpose of deadening sounds. The 
basement is provided with a dining room and kitchen, each supplied with an 
old-fashioned fireplace, the one in the kitchen being equipped with a crane, 
very similar to that to be seen in General Washington's old home at Mt. 
Vernon. The basement also contains apartments for servants, consisting 
of four living rooms; but its most interesting feature is a dungeon — a win- 
dowless cell or detention room — which was probably designed for the pun- 
ishment of disobedient slaves and recalcitrant soldiers. There is a secret 
shaft, a mysterious sort of an elevator, running between the inner and outer 
side of the wall, from the first floor to the attic, but closed at the lower end, 
the only opening being from the attic, the uses of which have never been 
determined. On the first floor a roomy hallway with high ceiling communi- 
cates with rooms on either side thereof, and from this a broad stairway, to 
ascend which creates a pleasing sensation, makes a three-quarter turn and 



♦ The lands on which the Harrison residence was built comprised lots Nos. i, 2, 3 
and 4 in Upper Prairie Survey, which embraced all of the river front, from Hickman 
to Hart street, running back to the Higliland foothills, and contained 280 acres. The 
ground on which the house stands, and that constituting originally the yard, garden 
and outlets, embraced all of that which is bounded by the river on the west, Scott street 
on the south, by Park on the east and by what is now called Harrison street on the 
north, this latter street being known originally as Perry. In September, 181 5, the plat of 
Harrison's addition was made and legalized by an act of the legislature on January 3, 
1817. This plat embraced that portion of the land reaching from the river to Seventh 
street, then called Troiter street. The remaining portion of this land is embraced in 
Cochran's, Malott's and Shepard's addition to the city of Vincennes. — H. M. Smith. 




n 



;^*^iS».- 



HOME 111- l.KN. W IIJ.IA.M IIKNKV IIAKIUSOX 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 287 

reaches a hallway above. The main stairway has no outside supports, yet 
is solid as a rock. Its construction is considered a wonderful piece of me- 
chanical skill by architects who have viewed it. It is made of black walnut, 
finely polished, and very much resembles mahogany. Under one of the 
staircases on the first floor is a room that until recently had not been opened 
in seventy years. It is called the secret record room where, tradition says, 
money and records belonging to the government were kept. It is built be- 
tween the walls in such a manner that the casual observer would not de- 
tect its presence. On the first floor to the left of the main hall near the 
entrance is a room of large dimensions which was used during the gover- 
nor's day as a parlor, reception room and, no doubt, for the purpose of 
allowing the graceful dames and their gallants to participate in the measured 
figures of the minuet. A room about thirty-five feet in lengih and twenty- 
five in width at the rear end of the hallway, supposed to have been used as 
a council chamber, was no doubt frequently used as a ball room. The 
main building is 60x75, and all of the rooms are spacious, with ceilings of 
extraordinary height. Tlie woodwork is hand-finished, and what few nails 
are used in it are hanil-forged. The greater quantity of wood employed 
for the interior furnishings is black walnut, even the inside and outside 
blinds being wrought of that material. The mantels are all hand-carved. 
the work combining good taste with mechanical skill. There are twenty- 
one rooms in the house, exclusive of those in the attic. The main entrances 
to the building — on the southwest and east side — are approached by steps 
which lead to the landings of covered verandas. Under the southwest en- 
trance in the basement the powder magazine (which no doubt is a creation 
of fiction) was supposed to be located. Every stranger within the city's 
gates makes the Harrison mansion an objective point, and in the course of 
a year thousands of people from abroad visit the old homestead. 

In 181 1 the governor's military duties made it necessary for him to give 
up the house as a place of residence, and on leaving he installed his son 
John Cleves Symmes Harrison therein. The junior Harrison was a cour- 
teous and talented young fellow, and had gained a popularity almost equal 
to that of his illustrious father. He had just married General Pike's young 
daughter and only child, who was a vivacious and cultured woman and, like 
lier devoted husband, loved the social whirl ; and the old mansion during 
John Cleves Harrison's occupancy witnessed quite as many brilliant society 
events as when William Henry Harrison presided as its master. During 
the time the house was in charge of Cleves Harrison, the town library was 
kept there, which enabled many cultured and refined people to mingle with 
the charming host and hostess. When the junior Mr. Harrison took his 
departure for North Bend to establish himself on his father's estate, the 
citizens of the town tendered him a banquet and farewell reception, on 
which occasion the exchange of greetings between the guests of honor and 
those who had arranged the event was marked by cordiality and tokens of 
esteem. Not long after his withdrawal from ^'incennes, young Mr. Harri- 



288 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

son sickened of typhoid fever and died at the home of his father at North 
Bend. 

General James P. Drake, who was located here as receiver of public 
monies, became an occupant of the house on the departure of Cleves Har- 
rison, and resided there until his election as treasurer of state, when he 
removed to Indianapolis, where he died in 1850. 

When Drake went out from under the roof of the old mansion, it was 
subjected to unkind treatment, especially at the hands of his immediate suc- 
cessor, General John Myers, a grain dealer, who used it for storing wheat. 
After the old O. & M. Railroad was completed to St. Louis, James Gatton 
used it for hotel purposes. For a number of years it was occupied as a 
residence by the late W. F. Pidgeon, who kept it in very good repair. After 
Mr. Pidgeon's death the property fell into the hands of his son Flavins, 
who sold it to Edward Sheperd. Mr. Sheperd spent considerable money in 
an effort to restore the old home to its former condition, and occupied it 
for ten or twelve years. In 1909, he sold it, with the real estate belonging, 
to the Vincennes Water Supply Company. In 1907, while Mr. Sheperd 
was still its owner, he offered to sell the property for nearly four times 
the amount he paid for it. A bill was introduced in the senate of the gen- 
eral assembly of Indiana providing for the purchase of the Harrison home- 
stead by the state. The bill passed the senate, but was defeated in the 
house. In 1909 a similar bill was introduced in the house and defeated, on 
the ground that the price at which the owner held the property was too high. 

The house, until the present tenant moved in. had no occupant for more 
than a year, during which time relic hunters played havoc with the interior 
arrangements, carrying away tiling, hardware, and even pieces of mantels 
and grates. The board of public works (Messrs. Watson. Zuber and Bor- 
rowman) had planned to have the building removed to Harrison park,* 
and restored to its original state, and had about closed the contract for that 
purpose with a house-moving concern of St. Louis for $3,500, when their 
official terms expired. The board's successors repudiated this action, and 
thus averted a move to soften the tread of time and stay the hand of van- 
flalism against the ancient pile. 



♦ The upper prairie survey, now in part occupied by Harrison Park, was covered 
over on the river front by many handsome brick residences. These remained as late 
as 1844, but have since entirely disappeared. The brick in these buildings were used 
in the construction of buildings in various parts of the city, and may be said to be the 
beginning of the erection of brick buildings in the city. The survey upon which these 
buildings stood on the failure of the Steam Mill Company was mortgaged to the United 
.States for $100,000, and the title subject to the mortgage passed to Hall Neilson of 
Washington City. The United States was subjected to a long litigation to establish its 
claim, which was not finally settled until 1880, when the government claim was finally 
quitted. The government then had the survey sub-divided into lots and sold all the lots 
except that portion fronting on the river, which was donated to the city for a public 
park, and is now known as Harrison Park. — H. S. Cauthorn. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 2H9 

The present owners of the old house, the Vincennes Water Supply Com- 
pany, have been asked to protect it against further decay and destruction. 
This appeal was made by the Daughters of the American Revolution, who 
are engaged in the laudable enterprise of raising funds for the purchase 
of the old historic mansion, with a view of preserving to the city one of the 
landmarks of territorial days and at the same time perpetuating the mem- 
ory of one of the great national characters in the history of that period. 

On a lawn, studded with trees, directly in front of the southwest en- 
trance to the old mansion, Governor Harrison and the greatest of all In- 
dian chiefs, Tecumseh, held their thrilling and ever-memorable pow-wow. 
But before relating that particular event, it is pertinent to briefly cite the 
incidents which led up to it. 

During the period between 1805 and 18 10 the Indians were profuse as 
well as bitter in their complaints of the white man encroaching on the do- 
mains of the red man, invading their favorite hunting grounds and killing 
without justification many of their race. An old chieftain, who came to lay 
the troubles of his people before Governor Harrison, thus spake: "You 
call us your children ; why do you not make us as happy as our fathers, the 
French, did? They never took from us our land; indeed, they were in 
common between us. They planted where they pleased ; and they cut wood 
where they pleased; and so did we. But now, if a poor Indian happens to 
take a little bark from a tree to cover him from the rain, up comes a white 
man and threatens to shoot him, claiming the tree as his own." 

Complaints of this character were generally based on facts ; and in more 
instances than one the Indians seemed to be amply justified in going on trie 
warpath. In 1805 the Shawnee warrior, Tecumseh, and his brother, La-le- 
was-i-kaw (Loud Voice), resided at one of the Deleware villages on the 
borders of the west fork of White river, within the present boundaries of 
Deleware County. Some time during that year La-le-was-i-kaw took upon 
himself the character of a prophet and reformer, assuming the name of 
Pems-quat-a-wah, which in the Shawnee's dialect signifies Open Door. 
Among the many evils he declaimed against as the sins of his time and his 
people, the chief prominence was given to witchcraft, the use of intoxicat- 
ing liquors by the Indians, the custom of Indian women intermarrying with 
white men, and the practice of selling Indian lands to the United States. 
He saw that the Indian tribes were rapidly deteriorating by contact and 
association with the whites, and in departing from their ancient spirit and 
customs, and fast being swept away by the white race ; and his purpose was 
to bring about a reform ; to unite them, and by infusing into them their 
ancient courage, virtue and endurance, make them equal to the task of re- 
sisting the encroachments of Americans upon their territory. Following out 
this trend of thought, he commenced exhorting his people, urging reforma- 
tion as to their personal behavior; and at the same time advocated a sort 
of a state policy, which he declared would make them a greater confederacy 
or nation. He avowed that the Great Spirit had inspired him and given 



290 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

liiin the power to cure all sorts of diseases, to confuse and confound his 
enemies, and to prevent the hand of death from striking his people on the 
field of battle. He was a good orator, and in presenting his doctrines and 
referring to the wonderful powers which had been bestowed on him, thrilled 
the savages with his eloquence. The Shawnees readily gathered about him 
as disciples and defenders, and with his loyal band he moved into the vi- 
cinity of Greenville, Ohio, toward the close of the year, where he remained, 
augmenting the number of his followers and causing consternation among 
the settlers, till the spring of 1808, when he settled on the banks of the 
Wabash, near the mouth of the Tippecanoe river, and established Prophet- 
town, a place which subsequently became widely known. At this time the 
prophet counted on one hundred and forty braves, of whom forty were 
Shawnees. As soon as the prophet's followers had gotten fairly settled 
in their new village, Governor Harrison sent John Conner, a pioneer settler 
of the Old Post, having wonderful power over the Indians, to the Shawnees 
with a message. It contained the following paragraph, probably not in- 
tended for the prophet's ears, but which he nevertheless heard: "My chil- 
dren, this business must be stopped. I will no longer suffer it. You have 
called a number of men from the most distant tribes to listen to a fool, who 
speaks not the words of the Great Spirit, but those of the devil and the 
British agents. My children, your conduct has much alarmed the white 
settlers. They desire that you will send away these people ; and if they 
wish to have the imposter with them, they can carry him. Let him go to 
the lakes ; he can hear the British more distinctly." 

Tecumseh meanwhile, who was a great organizer, was exerting himself 
in an effort to form all the tribes into one vast confederacy, and had re- 
peatedly called councils at which he openly and eloquently declared that the 
treaties made with the United States by the Indians for the cession of their 
lands were unfair and unjust to the latter and carried with them neither 
obligation nor binding force. 

The cunning prophet attempted to throw Harrison off his guard by 
sending a deputation of Indians to \'incennes in the latter part of June, 
1808, bearing a message of friendly greeting, in wliich he assured the gov- 
ernor that his followers had no other intention than to live in peace and 
harmony with the white people. Two months later he came in person, and 
in the course of an interview with the governor addressed him thus : "Father, 
it is three years since I first began with the system of religion vvhicli I 
practice. The white people and some of the Indians were against me; but 
I had no other intention than to introduce among the Indians those good 
principles of religion which the white people profess. The Great Spirit 
told me to tell the Indians that he had made them and made the world; 
that he had placed them on it to do good, and not evil. I told all the red- 
skins that the way they were in was not good, and that they ought to abandon 
it ; and that it is the cause of all the mischief the Indians suffer ; that we 
must always follow the directions of the Great Spirit, determined to listen 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 291 

to nothing that is bad. Do not take up the tomahawk should it be offered 
by the British or by the Long- Knives. Do not meddle with anything that 
does not belong to you, but mind your own business and cultivate the 
ground, that your women and children may have enough to live on. My 
Father, I have informed you what we mean to do, and I call the Great 
Spirit to witness the truth of my declaration." 

The prophet and his followers were so profuse in their professions of 
good faith that the governor inclined to look on them with favor for a time 
and to consider their declarations for the maintenance of pacific relations 
to be sincere. This opinion, however, only lasted until the return of the 
prophet and his followers to Prophet town, from whence he frequently 
received reports that were convincing proof of his late visitors' hypocrisy 
and led him to conclude that the prophet and Tecumseh were both danger- 
ous characters to the peace and quiet of the country and to the security and 
happiness of the settlers. 

Henceforth the governor kept a closer watch on the movements of the 
inhabitants of Prophet town, which was near the present boundaries of 
Lafayette, and frequently dispatched thereto, and to all the Indian villages 
throughout the territory, confidential messengers with assurances to villa- 
gers of the friendship and protection of the United States and warning them 
of the gravity of the offense and the great danger of encouraging the false 
prophet in any of his pretentions or claims. The tried and trusted mis- 
sionaries whom the governor generally sent out to the Indian settlements 
with messages of a pacificatory character were no lesser personages than 
Colonel Francis Vigo, Captain Toussaint Dubois, Joseph Barron, Pierre 
LaPlante, John Conner, M. Brouillet and William Prince. 

It was in the spring of 1910 that an incident occurred at Prophet town, 
which showed clearly that the prophet's professions of a desire for peace 
were not sincere, and which exasperated the governor not a little. Some 
boatmen who had gone to the village to deliver to the Indians their annuity 
of salt were received with such terms as "American dogs," "American rob- 
bers," etc. As a further display of bad temper, the Indians refused to 
receive the salt. Soon after the occurrence. Governor Harrison sent the 
prophet a letter, reproving him for his conduct on this occasion, stating 
that it was the sheerest folly for him to attempt to make war upon the 
United States, all of which seemed to have made but little impression on 
him. Mr. Barron, who was the bearer of the letter, was ushered into the 
august presence of the prophet, who was seated, surrounded by a group of 
his followers, and left standing at a distance of eight or ten feet from the 
great oracle of wisdom and power. The prophet for several minutes kept 
his eyes centered on Mr. Barron without saying a word or giving any sign 
of recognition. Unable to longer contain himself he finally broke the 
silence by demanding of the messenger, "For what purpose do you come 
here? Brouillet was here; he was a spy; Dubois was here; he was a 
spy; now you have come; you, too, are a spy. There is your grave; look 



292 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

on it" — pointing with his bony finger to the ground where Barron was 
standing. His face wore a look of injured pride and terror; but he was 
acting, and put on such a front for the purpose of terrorizing Barron, 
who was ill at ease to say the least. At the moment he was nerving him- 
self in a final effort to look undisturbed, Tecumseh stepped out from one 
of the lodges and assured him that his life would not be taken, but that it 
would be necessary for him to explain the object of his visit. Barron ex- 
plained his presence in a satisfactory manner to the big chief, who informed 
him that within a few days he would visit Mncennes in person to talk over 
the situation with the governor. 

According to promise, Tecumseh put in an appearance at the Old Post 
on August 1 2th, accompanied by seventy-five of his most attractive warriors 
as a bodyguard, and from that date until August 22d, the governor spent 
much of his time in conference with the haughty chieftain. In one of these 
meetings, the chief, addressing the executive, said: "Brother: Since the 
treaty of Greenville you have killed some of the Shawnees, Winnebagoes, 
Delevvares and Miamis, and you have taken our lands from us ; and I do 
not see how we can remain at peace with you if you continue to do so. You 
try to force the red people to do some injury. It is you that are pushing 
them on to do mischief. You endeavor to make distinctions. You wish to 
prevent the Indians from doing as we wish them — to unite and let them 
consider their lands as the common property of the whole. You take tribes 
aside and advise them not to come into this measure ; and until our design 
is accomplished, we do not wish to accept of your invitation to go and 
see the President. ... If the land is not restored to us, you will see 
when we return to our homes how it is settled. We shall have a great 
council at which all the tribes shall be present, when we shall show to those 
who sold that they had no right to the claim they set up ; and we shall see 
what will be done to those chiefs who did sell the land to you. I am not 
alone in this determination. It is the determination of all the warriors 
and red people who listen to me." 

Preceding the foregoing speech, which was delivered on August 20, 
1810, Governor Harrison, who was seated with his officers beneath the 
spreading branches of a giant maple tree which cast their inviting shades 
over the beautiful lawn, in front of his house, invited Tecumseh to take a 
seat on the bench beside him, supplementing the invitation with the remark 
that it was the desire of the Great Father that he should do so. Tecumseh, 
with folded arms, cast a glance at the soldiers, who were drawn up in line, 
and then fixing his gaze intently on Harrison for a moment, he lifted his 
expressive eyes toward the skies, and, pointing his finger heavenward, in 
a voice full of dramatic force, exclaimed: "My Father! The sun is my 
father ; the earth is my mother, and on her bosom I will recline !" And, 
suiting his actions to his words, he flung his magnificent form upon na-t 
ture's grassy carpet, where he was joined by all his braves. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 293 

During the delivery of his speech Tecumseh allowed himself to become 
wrought up to a pitch of intense excitement; and when Governor Harrison 
began his reply, and had reached a stage in the course of his remarks where 
he bitterly assailed the mighty Shawnee for charging the United States with 
acting in bad faith respecting the treatment of the Indians, and denouncing 
the statement of the big chief as false, there were several moments of pro- 
found silence. The governor declared that he had always been the friend 
of the red man, and in his treatment toward him his honor had never been 
hitherto questioned. The governor's remarks thus far had been translated 
to the Shawnees by Joseph Barron, the interpreter, who was just in the 
act of interpreting the same to the Miamis and Pottawattomies, who formed 
a part of the delegation, when Tecumseh sprang to his feet — his warriors 
following the example, brandishing their war clubs and tomahawks — and 
calling loudly, said to Barron, "Tell him he lies!" Barron, having a pro- 
found respect for his superior, as well as a reverence for the government 
he was ser\'ing, began a diplomatic interpretation of the language to wliich 
the enraged chief had given expression, and was apparently laboring to 
shore the term used of its harshness when Tecumseh, who had but limited 
knowledge of English, perceived, from the embarrassment and hesitancy 
of the interpreter, he was not giving a literal translation of the words, again 
interrupted Barron with: "No; tell him he lies!" With dark scowls on 
their faces, the Indians bowed their heads and gave gutteral grunts, ex- 
pressive of their approval of the term employed and the sentiment contained 
in the language to which their chief had given utterance. 

Secretary Gibson, who had acquired a fair knowledge of the Shawnee 
language, was by no means a listless spectator of the exciting scenes and 
incidents of this impromptu drama. He had been notified during the prog- 
ress of the play to be ready with a guard of twelve men, under command 
of Lieutenant Jesse Jennings, and the guard was brought forth instanter. 
For a time a fight between the troops and Indians seemed imminent, but 
it did not occur. 

After a literal interpretation of Tecumseh's entire speech had been 
given by Barron to the governor, the latter directed the interpreter to say 
to him that the interview was at an end; that the council fires wcnild be 
extinguished, and that no further communications would be held with the 
Indians. Harrison, however, later consented to hold another interview with 
Tecumseh provided he would make reparation for his misconduct and 
apologize for his outrageous language of the preceding day. And, accord- 
ingly, on the 2ist of August, the council fires were rekindled, Tecumseh 
appeared promptly, suiifering seemingly from humiliation for his actions, 
and deported himself in the most respectful and dignified manner. At this 
conference when Tecumseh was asked to state plainly whether or not the 
surveyors who might be sent to survey the lands ceded by the treaty of 
Fort Wayne would be molested by the Indians, and whether or not the 
Kickapoos would receive their annuities, he replied: "Brother, when you 



294 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

speak of annuities to me I look at the land and pity the women and chil- 
dren. I am authorized to say that they will not receive them. Brother, we 
want to save that piece of land. We do not want you to take it. It is 
small enough for our purpose. If you do take it, you must blame yourself 
as the cause of the trouble between us and the tribes who sold it to you. I 
want the present boundary line to continue. Should you cross it, I assure 
you it will be productive of bad consequences." When Governor Harrison 
informed him that neither his "claims or pretentions would be recognized 
by the President of the United States," Tecumseh reflectively responded: 
"Well, as the great chief is to determine the matter, I hope the Great Spirit 
will put sense enough into his head to induce him to direct you to give up 
the land. It is true, he is so far off he will not be injured by the war. He 
may sit still in his own town and drink his wine while you and I will have 
to fight it out." 

A survey was made in the fall of the year of 1810 of the boundary line 
made necessary by the land acquired through the Fort Wayne treaty, by 
a Mr. McDonald, whom Governor Harrison had detailed for the work. 
Its establishment heightened the discontent of the Indians growing out of 
the original cession of the land, which both Tecumseh and the prophet held 
was neither regular or obligatory.* 

The British agent of Indian afifairs in Canada, believing that a war be- 
tween Great Britain and the United States was imminent, in the early part 
of the year 181 1 inaugurated a policy by which he hoped to secure for Great 
Britain the sympathy and friendship of all the northwestern tribes of In- 
dians. The President of the United States in the meantime had instructed 
Governor Harrison to persist in his efforts to conciliate and pacify the In- 
dians. The governor had determined on breaking up the confederacy at 
the prophet's town, which was daily becoming more powerful and menacing, 
and began plans for the construction of forts in diflferent parts of the ter- 
ritory to check any hostile advances (which had been threatened) of the 
savages on the white settlements. During the summer of this year Indian 
outrages became both frequent and hostile, and foray parties became com- 



* In the year 181 1 a law suit in which Governor Harrison was plaintiff and a cer- 
tain William Mcintosh was defendant was determined in the supreme court of the 
territory at Vincennes. The jury in the case found a verdict in favor of the plaintifJ 
and assessed his damages at the sum of four thousand dollars. The defendant, Mr. 
Mcintosh, was a wealthy resident of Vincennes, a native of Scotland, well educated, 
and a man of considerable influence among those who were opposed to the treaty- 
making policy which had distinguished the administration of Governor Harrison. The 
suit at law was instituted against Mcintosh for asserting "that Governor Harrison 
had cheated the Indians out of their lands; and that, by his conduct in so doing, he 
had made them enemies of the United States." To satisfy the verdict of the jury in 
this case a large quantity of land owned by the defendant was sold, in the absence of 
Governor Harrison. The Governor some time afterward caused about two-thirds of 
the property to be restored to Mr, Mcintosh, and the remainder was given to some 
orphan children. — Goodrich & Tuttlc, Illustrated History of Indiana, p. 154. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 295 

mon, committing depredations of every character. The surveyors were 
driven out of the country, and others were killed in their tracks. While 
boats from Vincennes were conveying "annuity salt" to the Indian villages 
up the Wabash, a party of redskins at the prophet's town seized the boats, 
confiscated the salt and appropriated it to their own use. The prophet at- 
tempted to justify this act by sending back word to the governor by one of 
the boatmen, requesting his excellency "not to be angry at his seizing the 
salt, as he had got none last year and had more than two thousand men to 
feed." 

Harrison's treatment toward the Indians was always considerate, hu- 
mane and honorable, and, whenever it were possible to avert it, he never 
shed savage blood nor seized property of the savages. On June 24, 181 1, 
he detailed Capt. Walter Wilson to go to the prophet's town and carry a 
speech addressed to the prophet and Tecumseh, which read as follows : 

"Brothers: Listen to me. I speak to you about matters of importance, both to 
the white people and to yourselves. Open your ears, therefore, and attend to what I 
shall say. Brothers, this is the third year that all the white people in this country have 
been alarmed at your proceedings. You threaten us with war; you invite all the tribes 
to the north and west of you to join against us. Brothers, your warriors who have 
lately been here deny this; but I have received the information from every direction. 
The tribes on the Mississippi have sent me word that you intended to murder me, and 
then to commence a war upon our people. I have also received the speech you sent 
to the Pottawattomies, and others, to join you for that purpose ; but if I had no other 
evidence of your hostility to us, your seizing the salt I lately sent up the Wabash is 
sufficient. Brothers, our citizens are alarmed, and our warriors are preparing them- 
selves, not to strike you, but to defend themselves and their women and children. You 
shall not surprise us as you expect to do. You are about to undertake a very rash act. 
As a friend, I advise you to consider well of it ; a little reflection may save us a great 
deal of trouble, and prevent much mischief; it is not yet too late. Brothers, what can 
be the inducement for you to undertake an enterprise when there is so little probability 
of success? Do you really think that the handful of men you have about you are 
able to contend with the Seventeen fires? — or, even that the whole of the tribes united 
could contend against the Kentucky fire alone? Brothers, I am myself of the Long 
Knife fire. As soon as they hear my voice you will see them pouring forth their 
swarm of hunting-shirt men as numerous as mosquitoes on the shores of the Wabash. 
Brothers, take care of their stings. Brothers, it is not our wish to hurt you. If we 
did, we certainly have power to do it. Look to the number of our warriors to the east 
of you, above and below the Great Miami ; to the south, on both sides of the Ohio, 
and below you also. You are brave men, but what could you do against such a multi- 
tude? But we wish you to live in peace and happiness. Brothers, the citizens of this 
country are alarmed. They must be satisfied that you have no design to do them 
mischief, or they will not lay aside their arms. You have also insulted the government 
of the United States by seizing the salt that was intended by other tribes. Satisfaction 
must be given for that also. Brothers, you talk of coming to see me, attended by all 
of your young men. This, however, must not be so. If your intentions are good you 
have no need to bring but a few of your young men with you. I must be plain with 
you. I will not suffer you to come into our settlements with such a force. Brothers, if 
you wish to satisfy us that your intentions are good, follow the advice I have given 
you before — that is, that one or both of you should visit the President of the United 
States, and lay your grievances before him. He will treat you well, will listen to 
what you have to say and, if you can show him that you have been injured, you will 



296 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

receive justice. If you will follow my advice in this respect it will convince the citi- 
zens of this country, and myself, that you have no design to attack them. Brothers, 
with respect to the lands that were purchased last fall I can enter into no negotiations 
with you on that subject. The affair is in the hands of the President. If you wish to 
go and see him I will supply you with the means. Brothers, the person who delivers 
this is one of my war officers. He is a man in whom I have entire confidence. What- 
ever he says to you, although it may not be contained in this paper, you may believe 
comes from me. My friend Tecumseh, the bearer is a good man and a brave war- 
rior. I hope you will treat him well. You are yourself a warrior, and all such should 
have esteem for each other." 

The governor's messenger was very courteously received by Tecumseh, 
who took upon himself the responsibility of doing the honors which prop- 
erly devolved on the prophet, and when the messenger started on the re- 
turn trip to Vincennes Tecumseh gave him a letter to the governor wherein 
he announced, among other things, that within a few days he would again 
visit Vincennes. Accordingly, on the 27th of July, he marched into Vin- 
cennes at the head of about three hundred warriors, accompanied by twenty 
or thirty women and children, whose presence greatly excited as well as 
alarmed the inhabitants. The militia, however, were on hand to avert an 
uprising, having been augmented by troops from Kentucky, which swelled 
their ranks to probably seven hundred and fifty, exclusive of two companies 
of regulars and a detachment of dragoons which the governor had taken 
the precaution to place around the borders of the town. There is no doubt 
but what the large number of soldiers had a disquieting effect upon the mind 
of the irrepressible chieftain. At any rate, he made haste in declaring that 
it was not his intention to inake war against the United States. That he 
was not sincere in this declaration was shown in his subsequent maneuvers, 
for no sooner had the conference been brought to a close than he made 
preparations to proceed down the Mississippi with twenty or thirty of his 
trusty lieutenants, for the purpose of inducing the Chickasaw, Creek and 
Choctaw tribes of the southland to join his powerful confederacy. 

And thus ended the last earthly conference between two great repre- 
sentatives of two great races of people — one who swayed as if with a magic 
wand the mighty hosts of a tribal confederation — -.the other, whose military 
genius, ripe statesmanship and pure patriotism made him conspicuous among 
the long line of illustrious men who have been placed at the head of the gov- 
ernment of the greatest nation on earth. 

Military duties necessitating the absence of General Harrison from Vin- 
cennes, John Gibson, secretary of the territory, in 1812 assumed guberna- 
torial authority. At the first session of the legislature over which he pre- 
sided, February, 1813, the seat of government was declared to be at Cory- 
don, and in December, 181 3, the honorable body convened at the new capi- 
tal. This was the year when the territory, owing to the abseiice of troops, 
oflfered poor defense against the savage hostiles. There were, however, no 
general outbreaks on the part of the Indians, notwithstanding their out- 
rages in the settleinents and along the trails were of frequent occurrence. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 297 

The few militiamen who were pressed into service went about armed with 
long knives as well as rifles, while many of the rangers provided themselves 
with tomahawks. 

Thomas Posey was appointed in 1813 to succeed William Henn,' Har- 
rison as governor of Indiana territory. At the time of his appointment he 
was a United States senator from Tennessee and had been an officer in the 
Revolution. He arrived in \incennes in May and immediately began prep- 
arations for a series of expeditions against the Indian settlernents, after 
which he went to Corydon to preside at the December session of the gen- 
eral assembly. In his first message to the legislature he gloomily remarked 
that "the present crisis is awful, and big with great events. Our land and 
nation is involved in the calamity of war. But we are under the protecting 
care of the beneficent Being who has, on a former occasion, brought us 
through an arduous struggle and placed us on a foundation of independence, 
freedom and happiness. He will not suffer to be taken from us what He, 
in His great wisdom has thought proper to confer and bless us with, if we 
make a wise and virtuous use of His good gifts. . . . Although our 
affairs at the commencement of the war wore a gloomy aspect, they have 
brightened and promised a certainty of success, if properly directed and 
conducted, of which I have no doubt ; as the president and heads of de- 
partments of the general government are men of undoubted patriotism, 
talents and experience, and who have grown old in the service of their coun- 
ry. ... It must be obvious to every thinking man that we were forced 
nto the war. Every measure consistent with honor, both before and since 
he declaration of war, has tried to be on amicable terms with our enemy. 
. . You who reside in various parts of the territory have it in your 
power to understand what will tend to its local and general advantage. The 
judiciary system would require a revisal and amendment. The military law 
is very defective and requires your immediate attention." The remainder 
of the message was devoted to the advocacy of good roads in all directions; 
to the importance of education, and a recommendation for the establish- 
ment of public schools, which had been made possible by an appropriation 
of public lands by congress. 

With the advent of Governor Posey, the territory, from an impetus 
given by Harrison, began to improve, and there was quite an influx of peo- 
ple from Kentucky, Virginia and Tennessee, which was increased during 
the following year. The Indians had become more submissive, and Har- 
rison's power over them after the battle of Tippecanoe was as great as 
that of Clark's when he first came into the Northwest Territory. Harrison's 
military and executive ability, not only won him fame, but it produced last- 
ing results for good in all of the frontier settlements, bringing order out of 
chaos. People in the east soon learned of the desirable change, and made 
their way in considerable numbers into the territory. The Indians, it seems, 
at this period had decided to do better. They realized even before this that 
Tecumseh and the prophet had erroneous ideas regarding the government's 



298 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

right to treat for their lands, and concluded many treaties. The poor 
Miamis, however, were in a sorrowful plight, and the winter of 1814 found 
nearly a thousand of them in sheer destitution at Fort Wayne, where they 
had assembled to throw themselves on the mercy of charity to prevent star- 
vation. The goodly villagers barkened to the plea, and relieved the distress 
of the dejected savages, whom hunger had made gentle. The response for 
help was generous and concerted, evoking expressions of gratitude from the 
recipients and winning their lasting friendship. 

The act of congress, passed in 1809, empowering the people of Indiana 
territory to elect members of the legislative council by popular vote, and 
which was designated as the property qualification of voters, was supplanted 
by a subsequent act in 181 1, which eliminated the qualification clause, and 
extended the right of voting for members of the general assembly and for 
territorial delegate to congress to every free white male person who had 
attained the age of twenty-one years, and who, having paid a county or ter- 
ritorial tax, was a resident of the territory and had resided in it for the 
period of one year. By an act of congress passed in 1814, the right of suf- 
frage in Indiana territory was extended "to every white male person having 
a freehold in the territory and being a resident of the same." During this 
same year, by a congressional act, the house of representatives of Indiana 
territory was authorized to lay ofi" the territory in five districts, in each of 
which the qualified voters were empowered to elect a member of the legis- 
lative council ; and, in compliance with said act, the members of the house 
convened at Corydon in June, 1814, and divided the territory into districts. 
By this division the counties of Knox and Washington were made to con- 
stitute one district. Gibson and Warrick another; the counties of Harrison 
and Clark one district ; Jeliferson and Dearborn counties one district, and 
the counties of Franklin and Wayne one district.* 

The general assembly, in session at Corydon, August 14, 1814, passed 
an act dividing Indiana territory into three judicial districts, and making 
provision for holding terms of the courts therein, defining the jurisdiction 
of such courts, and investing the governor with power to appoint a pre- 
siding judge in each circuit, and two associate judges of the circuit court in 
each county, and the salaries of the judges were fixed at .seven hundred dol- 
lars each per annum. 

This was the same year that charters were granted by the general as- 
sembly to the Bank of Vinceimes and to the Mechanics' bank at Madison. 
The former institution was authorized to raise a capital stock of seven hun- 
dred and fifty thousand dollars. It was duly organized, with Nathaniel 
Ewing at the head of the organization, and flourished until the state gov- 
ernment was established, when it merged into the State Bank and its 
branches. The Madison bank, the capital stock of which was five hundred 



* Dillon, History of Indiana Territory. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 299 

thousand dollars, also became a branch of the State Bank about the same 
time. 

The last regular session of the territorial legislature was held at Cory- 
don in December, 1815, at which a memorial was adopted praying for au- 
thority to adopt a constitution and state government, which document was 
laid before congress by Mr. Jennings, territorial delegate, on December 28, 
1815. On April, 1816, the president approved the bill, enabling the people 
of Indiana territory to form a constitution and state government, and pro- 
viding for the admission of such state into the union on an equal footing 
with the original states. At an election held in the several counties for the 
selection of members to a convention to form a state constitution, John 
Johnson, John Badollet, William Polk, Benjamin Polk and John Benefiel, 
residents of Vincennes, were sent from Knox County. The convention was 
held at Corydon June, 1816, and after remaining in session for thirteen 
days, completed the important work assigned it. The first state election 
occurred on the first Monday in August, 1816, and resulted in the selection 
of Jonathan Jennings, as governor, Christopher Harrison, lieutenant gov- 
ernor, and William Hendricks was elected to represent the new state in the 
house of representatives of the United States. The first general assembly 
elected under authority of the state constitution commenced its session at 
Corydon, November 4, 1816. Knox County's population at this time was 
8,068, of which 1,391 were white males of twenty-one years of age and 
over. 

It would not be proper to close this chapter of incidents, which bear 
such close relationship to Vincennes, without a reference to one of the most 
important events which took place during the existence of Indiana terri- 
tory, and in which many citizens of the Old Post were active participants — 
the battle of Tippecanoe. 

Immediately following General Harrison's last conference with Tecum- 
seii at Vincennes, in July, 181 1, and when the American people, lashed into 
a frenzy by the repeated outrages of the British, were eager to administer 
another chastisement to the mother country, he applied to President Madi- 
son for authority to prepare the frontiers for the approaching contest, set- 
ting forth the attitude of Tecumseh, who was in league with the English, 
and the direful consequences that would follow were his designs permitted 
to mature. The president at once supplied him with armed forces from 
Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana, with instructions, however, "to abstain from 
hostilities of any kind whatever, and to any degree not indispensably re- 
quired." This certainly made his position at once disadvantageous and 
trying. Before his very eyes he saw the enemy preparing for battle ; * be- 
hind him lay a defenceless population, from which all the able-bodied men 
had been drafted, or had volunteered to form the army ; on the right and 



* Extract from Life of William Henry Harrison, published by Grigg, Elliott & 
Collins, Philadelphia, 1840. 



300 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

left stretched the forest, which it was impossible to guard, and through 
which the foe could, at any moment, fall back upon the unprotected settlers 
in the rear, and carry tlie torch and knife to the home and throats of every 
family. General Harrison had not the authority to attack until blood had 
stained the tomahawk, or the victim had writhed beneath the torture, he 
could not even unsheath his sword. Every advantage was conferred upon 
the enemy. In the defile of the mountain, on the plain, by night or by 
day, in detachments, or ^/^ )na^sc, he might come on, when, where, and as 
he chose. But a brief period elapsed before the grossest outrages upon 
the settlers afforded abundant cause to strike. The genius of Harrison — 
"the man who never lost a battle," who has never yielded to his country's 
foes, was equal to the crisis; and by a master stroke of policy he conquered 
every disadvantage, and moved down with an army of eight hundred men 
upon the prophet's town, where all the hostile Indians were asseiribled and 
before Tecumseh had returned to his visit to the southern tribes. 

When it was made known in Kentucky that Harrison was preparing to 
march against the Indians, many Kentuckians were desirous of joining his 
expedition. Among the number were prominent citizens who had attained 
an eminence at home in civil and military life, and won distinction in the 
field of letters. Those who applied and enlisted were Samuel Wells, a ma- 
jor general in former Indian wars; Joseph H. Daviess, an eminent lawyer 
of great military ambition; Col. Owen, a veteran in the Indian war; Col. 
Kreiger, and Messrs. Croghan, O'Fallon, Thipp, Chum and Edwards, who 
afterwards gained enviable notoriety as officers in the United States army. 

In September, 1811, General Harrison left Vincennes with a force of 
about eight hundred well-drilled soldiers, proceeding on the march up the 
Wabash. The expedition halted at Terre Haute, where a fort was built and 
named Fort Harrison. After remaining for several days the army proceeded 
northward, reaching the mouth of Vermilion creek on October 31st, where 
a block-house was built for the storing of supplies. Conforming to orders 
which the president had issued. General Harrison halted in his advance 
towards the Tippecanoe village while he was within the boundaries of United 
States territory, and, by the intervention of the Miami and Deleware tribes, 
endeavored to induce the phophet to deliver the murderers of his band and 
the large number of horses they had stolen from the white settlers. The 
prophet and his followers were very insolent towards the messengers and 
disdainfully rejected the demand. In order to shatter all hopes of accom- 
modation, the prophet detached a small war party to open hostilities, with 
the result that American sentinels were fired on, and one of them was 
severely wounded. The Deleware chiefs notified the governor that in his 
dealings with the prophet and his subjects a resort to force was the only 
means by which satisfaction for injuries committed or security for the future 
could be obtained. From the same source he learned that the strength of the 
prophet's forces was increasing daily, and that he had gathered about him 
a force of about one thousand braves, mostly younc;- men. The march which 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 301 

the chivalrous Harrison and his gallant army were making was one fraught 
with many hardships, perils and dangers, requiring the fording of streams, 
filled with floating ice, and long stretches across prairie lands, where the 
howling winds chilled to the marrow. The snow-covered earth was the only 
couch available, on which the men lay with their clothes and accoutrements 
on, or sat with their backs against trees, courting sleep, the reins of the 
bridle clenched in their hands, momentarily expecting an attack from the 
treacherous enemy. 

On the night of November 6th, five miles in advance of him, Harrison 
discovered the outlines of the prophet's town. Capt. Toussaint Dubois, ac- 
companied by an interpreter, was despatched with a flag to the Indians, to 
ascertain from the prophet whether he still refused to comply with the terms 
so often proposed to him. The army was made to advance slowly toward 
the town, in order of battle. Ere long from Captain Dubois came a mes- 
senger informing the governor that the Indians in great numbers were with- 
in hailing distance, but that they would return no reply to the interpreter, 
and as he advanced they attempted to cut him off from the army. On being 
thus informed Governor Harrison resolved to make no further atteinpts 
at pacification, but to treat the Indians henceforth as common enemies. He 
promptly recalled Capt. Dubois and immediately determined on moving for- 
ward for an attack. He had only proceeded a short distance, however, when 
he was accosted by three Indians, one of whom was the prophet's chief ad- 
visor. They demanded to know why the army was advancing upon the vil- 
lage, stating they had been sent forth for the purpose of ascertaining. The 
trio further declared to the governor that the prophet was desirous of avoid- 
ing- liostih'ties; that lie had placed in the hands of a Miami and Pottawattomie 
chief, who had called at the request of the governor, a message telling the 
latter he was for peace ; that the messengers had gone down on the shore 
of the Wabash opposite from the one over which the governor and his men 
traveled. This interview averted hostilities, and resulted further in an agree- 
ment for holding of a council the next day between the general and the 
chiefs at which terms of peace were to be discussed. The governor then 
voluntarily gave the information that he would withdraw to the Wabash 
and go into camp for the night. 

When the Indians had departed the governor called his ofificers and told 
them he was quite certain, from their language, as well as their peculiar ac- 
tions, they were planning for an attack on him before morning. Having been 
thus unintentionally forewarned, he concluded it prudent to be forearmed, 
and accordingly ordered his men to go into camp that night arrayed for bat- 
tle ; to lie down with their clothes on, and to sleep on their arms. 

Marching a short distance, still in the direction of the town, it was ascer- 
tained that the ground below the town was ill-adapted to an encampment, 
and the army pushed forward, thinking perhaps beyond the village a more 
suitable camping place might be found. Suddenly a halt was called, and some 
officers detailed to go forth and make an examination of a creek that ran 



302 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

near the town and of the river which flowed above it. In about half an hour 
-Brigadier Major Clark and Major Taylor returned, having found an ideal 
spot on the creek, to which the army repaired. The location was hard- 
by the mouth of the Tippecanoe, from which the name of the subsequent bat- 
tle was derived. The spot was on an elevated piece of ground, rising about 
ten feet above the level of a marshy prairie. The two columns of infantry 
occupied the front and rear. The right flank, being about eighty yards wide, 
was covered by Capt. Spencer's company consisting of eighty men. Major 
Wells, with two companies of mounted riflemen, occupied the left flank. 
Major Floyd's battalion of United States infantry occupied the front, and 
was flanked on the right by two companies of militia infantry, and on the 
left by one company of the same troops. Capt. Baen, who commanded as 
major, with a battalion of United States infantry, and Col. Decker, with four 
companies of militia infantry, occupied the rear. The cavalry, under Da- 
viess, were encamped in the rear of the front line. The distance from camp 
to the town was less than a mile. 

General Harrison's knowledge of the Indian mode of warfare had led 
him to anticipate a night attack, and he had therefore given the order for 
"each corps to maintain its ground at all hazards until relieved." The dra- 
goons were directed, in such an event, to parade dismounted, swords on and 
their pistols in their belts, and to await orders. The guard for the night 
consisted of two captains' commands of forty-two men and four non-com- 
missioned officers eacli ; and two subalterns' guards of twenty men and non- 
commissioned officers, the whole under command of the field officer of the 
day. 

"When the shades of night had fallen the men, fatigued by the march and 
the work incident to fortifying the camp, retired to take a much-needed rest, 
and soon no sound disturbed the tranquility of the dark and rainy night save 
the footsteps of the sentinel keeping his lonely vigil. 

*At a quarter before four on the morning of the 7th General Harrison 
was up, seated before his fire, conversing with gentlemen of his mess, who 
reclined on blankets awaiting the order of a general turn out of the troops. 
The orderly drummer was prepared to sound the reveille. Shortly after four 
o'clock General Harrison was joined by General Wells, Colonel Owen and 
Colonel Daviess. The troops had been called before daylight and when the 
first gray glint of dawn appeared it found them in arms. One of the sentries 
observed an Indian creeping towards him in the grass, and fired. The re- 
port of the shot was immediately greeted by the war cry, followed by an at- 
tack on the left flank. The first onset was received by Capt. Burton's com- 
pany of regulars and Capt. Keiger's company of mounted riflemen, forming 
the left angle of the rear line. The assault was fierce, but the troops, who 
had lain on their arms, made a gallant resistance. Excessive firing and the 
fierceness of the attack were features calculated to carry terror to the 



* Descriptive account in Mc.\fee's History of Last War. published in 1816. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 303 

hearts of the bravest; yet, as soon as the troops recovered from the shock, 
and were formed and posted they stood their ground heroically, notwith- 
standing many of them had never before heard the thunders of war. The 
camp fires, which aiTorded the Indians an advantageous light in the darkness 
of mom, were hurriedly extinguished. 

Harrison, astride of his horse, rushed towards the point of attack, where 
the line had been weakened, and ordered two companies from the centre of 
the rear line to march up and form across the angle in the rear of Barton's 
and Keiger's companies. Harrison, in the thickest of the fight, was now giv- 
ing orders. General Wells at once proceeded to the right of his command ; 
and Col. Owen, mounted, was dashing towards the direct point of attack, 
when a cruel bullet struck him as he was nearing the lines and he fell from 
his horse among the first victims of Indian perfidy. A perfect fusillade was 
now on, extending along the left flank, upon the whole of the front and 
right flank and on a part of the rear line. 

Harrison, in order to gain the left of the front line passed through camp, 
where Col. Daviess and his dragoons were stationed. The Colonel gained his 
permission to dislodge some Indians who, under the covert of trees near the 
line, were making it unpleasant for the troops in that quarter. Daviess called 
to his aid the first division of the cavalry, who failed to hear the order and 
but few of his men charged with him. When the charge was made two 
fine young fellows who had accompanied him from Kentucky were at his 
side, Messrs. Mead and Sanders, who subsequently served with distinction 
in the United States army. They had only left the lines a short distance 
when Daviess fell mortally wounded, with three bullet wounds in his breast ; 
and his lifeless body was carried back to camp by his youthful comrades. 

Now, from the right a dreadful attack on Spencer's and Warwick's com- 
panies was made, in which Spencer and his lieutenants were killed almost 
instantly, and Warwick received a mortal wound. Capt. Robb's army, which 
had fallen back towards camp without orders, was sent by General Harrison 
to where Spencer fell, where they put up a brave fight, but lost seventeen 
men in the struggle. Capt. Prescott and a company of United States infantry 
closed up the gap occasioned when Robb fell back to camp, prior to taking 
the position where Spencer met his fate. Snelling finished the work Daviess 
started to do, and succeeded in dislodging the same Indians after mowing 
down a goodly number. The battle raged from all sides with unabated fury. 
The Indians fought desperately and enthusiastically, and entered into the 
fray with the fixed determination to win or perish in the attempt. Their ad- 
vances and retreats were made to the accompainment of a peculiar noise 
made by striking deer hoofs together. 

When daylight came Capt. Snelling's company, Capt. Posey's, in charge 
of Lieut. Albright and Capt. Scott's, were drawn from the front line, and 
Wilson's from the rear, and formed on the left flank. Cook's and Baen's 
companies went to the right. General Wells took command of the corps 
formed on the left, and with the aid of some dragoons, mounted, and com- 



304 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

manded by Capt. Park, charged on the enemy in that direction, driving them 
into an adjacent swamp through which the cavalry could not pursue them. 
Cook's and Laribie's companies, with the aid of riflemen and militia on the 
right flank, charged on the Indians, and put them to flight in that quarter, 
which terminated the battle. 

While the battle raged the prophet held himself aloof, and from an ad- 
jacent hillside sang war songs to the accompaniment of whistling bullets. 
His previous assurance to his followers, that the Great Spirit had decreed 
that none of them should die in battles fought against Americans, had at last 
brought anguish to their souls, and they began to look on him as the vilest 
impostor. 

The whole number of Harrison's troops killed in this conflict, including 
those who subsequently died of their wounds, was fifty or more— the 
wounded being double that number. The Indians left thirty-eight warriors 
dead on the field, and buried several others in the town. The loss of the 
Indians, of whom a great many were wounded, was as heavy as that of the 
Americans. On the day before the battle Harrison's troops numbered more 
than eight hundred. After the battle the Indians estimated the number of 
their troops to have been eight hundred. 

Old Vincennes' contribution to American arms on this memorable field 
was large and effective. The troops she furnished had been carefully drilled 
in military tactics, and impressively told of the horrors of war, by General 
Harrison himself, and they made a gallant fight. The names of the officers 
and men with the casualties that befell them are as follows : Luke Decker 
was the lieutenant colonel commanding; Noah Purcell, major; Daniel Sulli- 
van, lieutenant, acting adjutant; William Reed, sergeant-major; James 
Smith, quartermaster; Edward Scull, surgeon. In Wilson's company, the 
officers were Walter Wilson, captain; Benj. V. Beckes, lieutenant; Jasper 
Malcomb, ensign ; John Decker, Isaac Minor, Thomas White and James S. 
Withers, sergeants — (the two last named being seriously wounded) ; Daniel 
Risley, William Smuck and Peter Prenton, corporals; the privates being 
Baptiste Sharalae, Asa Thorn, Thomas Chambers, John Chambers, Joseph 
Harbin, Andrew Harris, Joseph Jordon, Joshua Anthis, James Walke, Na- 
than Baker, John Barger, Louis Friderick, Louis Reel, Robt. Guentrer, 
Samuel Clutter, Jacob Anthis, Peter Barger. S. Almy, Moses Decker (badly 
wounded), Joseph Boodry, Wolsey Pride, Robert Brenton (deserted during 
seige) Jonathan Walker, David Knight and John Purcell. In Parke's com- 
pany of light dragoons, the officers were Benjamin Parke, captain ; Thomas 
Emerson, first lieutenant ; George Wallace, second lieutenant ; J. Balthis, 
bugler; Christopher Graeter, William Harper, Henry Ruble, John McClure, 
sergeants; William Donica, Charles Allen (wounded), R. Sullinger, Levi 
Elliott, corporals ; John Braden, saddler. The privates were Charles Smith, 
Peter Jones, Joel Bond, Parmer Becker (deserted), Jesse Slawson, Tous- 
saint Dubois, Theodore Randolph (killed), John McDonald (wounded), 
Miles Dolahan, Thomas Dolahan, John Elliott, Matthias Rose, Jr., Henry 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 805 

Dubois, Jesse Liicas, William I'erry, William I'lircell, John Crasby, Leon- 
ard Crasby, William Mehan (killed), Samuel Drake, Samuel Emison, Na- 
thaniel Emison, Nathaniel Harness, Daniel Decker, Hanson Seaton, John D. 
Hay, Hiram Decker, Ebenezer Welton, John T. Neeley, John McBain, Pierre 
LaPlante, James Steen, Andrew Purcell, John Pea, Albert Bodollet, Josiah 
S. Holmes, W. W. Holmes, Thomas Coulter, Charles McClure, Jacques 
Andre, Thomas McClure, Thomas Palmer, Geo. W. Johnson, Wm. A. Mc- 
Clure, Archy McClure, James Neal, John Wyant, Charles Scott, James S. 
Petty, Isaac White (killed), William McClure, Henry J. Mills, James Neal, 
George Croghan (aid-de-camp), Albert Hines, Ben Louders, James Nabb, 
John O'Fallon (wounded), William Luckett, Landon Carter, Robt. Buntin, 
Jr., John Smith, Robert Sturges and James Plarper. Captain Toussaint Du- 
bois commanded a company of Spencer's guards, composed of the following 
members : Silas McCulloch, G. R. C. Sullivan, William Brown, William 
Polke, Pierre Andre, Ephriam Jordon, William Shaw, (wounded), William 
Ilogue, David Welkins, John Hollingsworth, Thomas Sevins, Joe Harbin, 
Abe Decker, Samuel Jones, David Mills, Stewart Cunningham, B. Child- 
ress and Thomas Jordon. Scott's company was commanded by Luke 
Decker. The other officers and privates were John Purcell, first lieutenant ; 
John Scott, ensign; John Welton, first sergeant; Francis Mallett, second 
sergeant ; S. Johnson, third sergeant ; Samuel Rignet, fourth sergeant ; John 
Moore, Abe Westfall, A. C. Duschene, Charles Bono, corporals; Jesse 
Wells, James McDonald, J. Hornback, William Denny, William Young, 
William Jones, John Collins, Jr., William Bailey, Charles Mehl, Richard 
Westhorp, Thomas McCIain, Joe Risley, Harry O'Neal, Joe Alton, Boples 
Topar, Antoine Jerome (wounded), Michel Richardville, Charles Dude- 
van. John B. Bono, J. Bouchie, H. Marceau, Angel Lature, Louis Abner, 
Charles Loudnett, Ambrose Dashney, Francis Beabo, Francois Bono 
(killed), Samuel Boulonger, Louis Loneau, Medal Cardinal, Antoine 
Chenniette, Francis Arpah, Joe Sansusee, Nicholas Velmare, Eustace Lev- 
eron. Joseph Rene, I. Denneau, Joe Obie, John B. Cardinal, Antoine Ravel- 
lette, Antoine Comia, D. Page, Louis Boyeau, Joseph Beeson, Pierre De- 
lourea, Sr., Pierre Delourea, Jr., John Momimee, Francois Boyeau, Louis 
Lovelet, Thomas McCoy (killed), Zebulon Haynes, Andrew Westfall, Wm. 
A. Clarke, William Welton (wounded), Walter Neal, Henry Lane, Abram 
Wood (killed), John Cullins, Sr., William Williams, Samuel Risley, Will- 
iam Cullins (wounded), Charles Fisher, Robert Johnson and H. A. Thorn. 
Included in the above roster will be found many names, familiar to the 
present generation, of soldiers who did active military duty in subsequent 
years in the settlements, and at the Old Post, up to the time of their death. 
Many of the men mentioned have lineal descendants living in all parts of 
Knox County who are proud of the fact that their ancestc^rs were partici- 
pants in the famous battle of Tippecanoe. Towards the beginning of the 
second war with Great Britain, the Wabash Indians, who had ceased mo- 
mentarily their depredations, were incited by the British to renew their hos- 



306 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

tilities in the settlements. As a means of affording the settlements greater 
protection against the forays of the savages,* in the earlier part of the year 
i8l2 Capt. Russell raised a company of fifty men, and suhsequently Capts. 
Perry and Modrell each raised a company in the vicinity of the old town. 
About the same time Capt. Beckes commanded a small company of rangers, 
or scouts. Fifty years ago there was a census taken of the surviving soldiers 
of Vincennes who had done military service in the Wabash country under 
Perr}'. Modrell and Beckes. and the 'muster roll' of 1861 contained only the 
following names : Piere Brouillette, J. B. Bono, D. Page, Jacob Pea, George 
Catt, W. N. Cowper, John \'ankirk, William Raper. M. Richardville, John 
Moore, Thomas Johnson, R. G. McClure, H. Decker, Francois Bouchie, 
John Palley, J. Maney, Henry Fox, Capt. J. Steffen, Ben Robinson, David 
Ritchie, Pierre Cabassie, Laurient Bouchie, Amabel Bouchie and Anthony 
Carey. 

The battle of Tippecanoe was a remarkable conflict in more ways than 
one. It was undoubtedly the fiercest and, at the same time, one of the best 
conducted actions recounted in all the annals of Indian warfare. In thi^ 
contest, contrary to their usual custom, the Indians made a standing fight, 
meeting the enemy face to face, and hand to hand. The equality in numbers 
and the similarity of the weapons of the contending forces rendered the en- 
gagement both interesting and peculiar. The Indians fought with desperate 
valor, and handled their arms with as much dexterity and as effectively as 
their white brethren. Every man's life hung in the same balance, and why 
more were not killed is a mystery. General Harrison constantly subjected 
himself to the greatest personal danger, riding up and down the lines is- 
suing orders ; and how it were possible — after one bullet passed through the 
rim of his hat, another struck his saddle, and glancing, hit his thigh, while 
a third severely wounded the horse on which he rode — for him to have 
come off the field uninjured has forced the conclusion in the minds of many 
that he was controlled by a supernatural power. 

Had the victory of Tippecanoe been reversed it would have certainly re- 
sulted disastrously to the country at large. It would have made it possible 
for Tecumseh, with his powerful confederacy of Indian nations, to have 
come into full possession for awhile at least of a vast scope of country ex- 
tending from the lakes to the gulf. Had General Harrison delayed his at- 
tack on Prophet town, Tecumseh would have shortly made himself an in- 
vincible foe to the United States, and retarded the growth of the country for 
many years. The result of the battle of Tippecanoe proved to be the down- 
fall of Tecumseh and the prophet, and came as a divine blessing to all the 
settlements northwest of the Ohio river as well as the country generally. 
The various tribes over whom he had wrought a magic spell had nothing 
but denunciation for Tecumseh, and disclaimed all connection with him. 
Shortly after the clouds of battle had disappeared, when a deputation from 



'Goodspeed. History of Knox and Daries Counties, p. 210. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 307 

all the tribes waited on Governor Harrison to treat for peace on terms of 
actual submission, they promised as soon as it were possible for them to 
lay hands on the prophet they would deliver him into the custody of the 
United States; and having made these declarations, they left the presence of 
his excellency resolved "not to commit hostilities again, until a favorable op- 
portunity offered." Tecumseh, in the winter of 1811-12 put in an appear- 
ance at Fort Wayne, and demanded ammunition of the commandant at that 
post. He was refused, whereupon he announced he would go to his "Brit- 
ish father" for it, when, of course, it would have been forthcoming for the 
asking. After staying around several months, in sullen and gloomy silence, 
he uttered a savage war whoop and went forth to become lost in the shades 
of the forests. Without doubt Tecumseh was one of the greatest Indian 
characters that ever lived. While he had every trait that belongs to his race, 
he was endowed with a lofty intelligence and possessed talents far above 
any of his tribesmen. Having all the cunning, treacherous and hostile in- 
stincts belonging to the savage nature, his bearing was generally heroic, 
chivalrous and honorable. His courage was sublime, and his skill and tact, 
as a warrior were superb in one of his race. His language, full of poetic 
expression, ofttimes appeared to be that of a scholar instead of the utter- 
ances of an untutored savage. As an orator he was forceful, pleasing and 
dramatic, thrilling his listeners with his matchless eloquence. Judge Law, 
who had ample opportunity to obtain his information direct from persons 
who were present on that occasion, in describing the celebrated "pow-wow" 
at Vincennes in which Harrison and Tecumseh were the central figures, 
draws a fine pen picture of the great warrior: "Tall, athletic and manly, 
dignified, but graceful, he seemed the beau ideal of Indian chieftain. In 
a voice, at first low, but with all its indistinctness, musical, he commenced 
his reply (to Harrison). As he warmed with his subject his clear notes 
might be heard, as if 'trumpet-tongued,' to the utmost limits of the assem- 
bled crowd who gathered around him. The most perfect silence prevailed, 
except when the warriors who surrounded him gave their gutteral assent to 
some eloquent recital of the red man's wrong, and the white man's injus- 
tice. Well instructed in the traditions of his tribe, fully acquainted with 
their history, the councils treaties and battles of the two races for half a 
century, he recapitulated the wrongs of the red man from the massacre of 
the Moravian Indians, during the Revolutionary war, down to tiie period he 
had met the governor in council. He told him 'he did not know how he 
could ever again be the friend of the white man.' In reference to the public 
domain he asserted that 'the great spirit had given all the country from the 
Miami to the Mississippi, from the lakes to the Ohio as common property 
to all the tribes that dwelt within those borders, and that the land could not, 
and should not be sold without the consent of all. That all the tribes on the 
continent formed but one nation ; that if the United States would not give 
up the lands they bought from the IVTiamis, the Delewares, the Pottawat- 
tomies, and other tribes, that those united with him were determined to fall 



308 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

on those tribes and annihilate them; that they were determined to have no 
more chiefs, but in future to be governed by their warriors; that unless a 
stop was put to the further encroachment of the whites the fate of the In- 
dians was sealed. They had been driven from the banks of the Deleware 
across the Alleghanies, and their possessions on the Wabash and the Illinois 
were now to be taken from them ; that in a few years they would not have 
ground enough to bury their warriors on this side of the Father of Waters ; 
that all would perish — all their possessions taken from them by fraud, or 
force, unless they stopped the progress of the white man further westward. 
That it must be a war of races in which one or the other must perish. That 
their tribes had been driven towards the setting sun like a galloping horse 
(Ne-kat-a-cush-e Ka-top-o-lin-to.) That for himself and his warriors, he 
had determined to resist all further aggressions of the whites, and that, 
without his conesnt or that of the Shawnees they should never acquire an- 
other foot of land.' " 

The address, of which the foregoing is but a brief outline, occupied more 
than an hour in delivery, and was delivered in Shawnee, a language which, 
says Law, is the most musical and euphonious of all the Indian languages of 
the west, and which sounds, when spoken rapidly by a fluent speaker, more 
like the scanning of Greek and Latin verse than any thing else to which it 
can be compared. 

Tecumseh, before leaving the Wabash country for the south and south- 
west, repeatedly impressed upon the mind of his brother, the prophet, the 
absolute necessity of feigning friendly relations with the whites until he had 
succeeded in conciliating and confederating the tribes that dwelt on both 
sides of the Ohio river with those dwelling on the Mississippi. He had, he 
thought, made plain to him the incalculable benefits to be derived from such 
an alliance and the wonderful power and prestige to be obtained from such 
a confederation in all future controversies or conflicts with the white race. 
The chief was desirous that no aggressive move should be made on the part 
of the prophet and his followers, and especially that no blow should be 
struck at the white people in the Wabash and Illinois countries until the 
contemplated Indiana alliance had proceeded far enough to make possible, 
if needs be, their complete annihilation or their banishment to domains be- 
yond the borders of the Ohio river. The prophet had consented that during 
the absence of Tecumseh no warlike measures would be undertaken ; that 
while strengthening his forces by the acquisition of new adherents to his 
cause, he would e.xercise the utmost precaution and make his declarations for 
peace and friendship with the whites to General Harrison so loud and strong 
that his sincerity of purpose could no longer be questioned by the general, 
and whatever suspicions the latter might entertain would be dispelled by 
the cleverness of the deception. In short, there was a tacit understanding 
between Tecumseh and the prophet that while the former was in the south 
planning for his great confederation the latter would take no steps not con- 
sistent with a friendly disposition towards the United States. In short no 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 309 

move was to be made, no expedition planned, until Tecumseh had consum- 
mated his grand scheme of centralization of the tribes of the northland and 
the southland, for the sole purpose of wreaking vengeance on the whites and 
(i'iving them from the vast scope of country in which they had settled to 
impart the first touch of civilization by felling forests and furrowing fields 
which the Indians felt by inherent right to belong to them. 

The battle of Tippecanoe, as has already been stated, defeated Tecum- 
seh's grand scheme of confederation, with all the blighting effects it would 
have wrought to mankind and civilization. He immediately returned from 
the south on learning of the event, and going to Prophet town heaped upon 
the devoted head of his hypocritical brother, whose actions were the ulti- 
mate cause of the occurrence, all the vile vituperation to be found in the 
Shawnee vocabulary, denouncing him for his treachery, duplicity and cow- 
ardice; and it is said he died without forgiving his brother. He did not long 
remain with his tribe, feeling too keenly the humiliation of a defeat he could 
have himself averted had he been present to linger with the proud spirits of 
his clan who had reposed in him the most explicit confidence. When the 
war between Great Britain and the United States broke out in 1812 he 
joined General Proctor's forces at Maiden with a large band of trained war- 
riors. At the battle of the river Raisin he was slain ; but by whom, there 
seems to be a doubt among some historians, while others contend that he 
fell from the thrust of a sword in the hand of Col. Jas. Johnson. 

General Harrison was the one man capable of coping with Tecumseh and 
the versatility of the genius possessed by that wonderfully versatile red man. 
Like all the truly great, he was a man of destiny, and, therefore, appeared 
upon the scene at a most opportune time. When the General came the In- 
dians were the real monarchs of the land they surveyed. His intelligence, 
bravery, honesty, skill, humanity, permitted him to handle the Indian ques- 
tion as it should be handled. They enabled him to treat intelligently and 
humanely with the Indians, and to conclude treaties which meant much, very 
much, to the United States from a monetary view point, but which were an 
hundredfold more valuable when considered along social, political and 
economic lines. In the discharge of every official duty General Harrison 
was a faithful and obedient servant, and in every walk of private life he 
portrayed gentleness, honesty and virtue. He has bequeathed to the na- 
tion untold blessings that are the outgrowth of wise statesmanship and di- 
plomacy, patriotism, unselfishness and integrity, and has left unsullied an 
honored name which is a joy and inspiration to posterity. 

William Henry Harrison was born in Virginia, at Berkley, on the James 
river, about twenty-five miles below Richmond, February 9, 1773. He was 
the third son of Benjamin Harrison, one of the signers of the Declaration 
of Independence, and subsequently governor of Virginia. Young Harrison 
was educated at Hampden Sydney college, and by the advice of friends 
turned his attention to the study of medicine. About the time he had com- 
pleted his education the northwestern frontiers had become the scenes of 



310 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

Indian depredations and barbarities of such a character as to excite tlie en- 
tire country. The fever of excitement attacked the young medical student 
and he forsook his studies to join the armed forces which were preparing to 
march in defense of the Ohio settlements. The very life had been crushes'. 
out of some of the border settlements in the northwestern frontiers, and rap- 
ine, conflagration and wanton destruction of life and property were the ap- 
palling scenes prevailing in others. Numerous expeditions had gone forth 
to quell the savages, only to be repulsed with disastrous losses. Brigadier 
General Harmar, trained in the advanced schools of militaryism, had met 
w'ith greater reverses than all the rest, and the few experienced officers of 
his command who had escaped the terrible slaughter administered to his 
troops were so fatigued and harassed by battles in the wilderness and horri- 
fied at barbarities they produced, that they resigned their commissions. 
The settlements both north and west were in the throes of the intensest ex- 
citement and a feeling of despair, consternation and dread pervaded the 
land. And this was the dark and gloomy picture that appealed to William 
Henry Harrison, and caused him to leave his home, with all its luxurious 
surroundings, to go into the wilderness and jeopardize his life in defense of 
his country and his fellow-countrymen. 

In the autumn of the year 1791 he applied for and received a commis- 
sion as ensign in the United States artillery, when he was only eighteen 
years old, and hurriedly joined his regiment then stationed at Fort Wash- 
ington. Only a few days before his arrival at that post Gen. St. Clair had 
suffered his humiliating defeat near the Miami villages, at the hands of the 
celebrated chief Little Turtle and his confederation of Indian warriors. St. 
Clair had lost nearly a thousand men in this engagement, killed or taken 
prisoners, and in consequence of such a disastrous loss the whole of the 
northwestern frontier was practically exposed to the outrages of the blood- 
thirsty savages, which condition only added to the consternation of the ter- 
ror-stricken inhabitants. 

At this turn in the tide of affairs the government became alarmed as 
well as the people, and determined to take decisive action to stop the shedding 
of blood by savage butchers in the western and northern settlements ; and 
that gallant old hero of Revolutionary fame. General Anthony Wayne, was 
chosen to head an expedition for that purpose. His army (Wayne's Le- 
gion) in the summer of 1792 was organized and in November of that year 
went into winter quarters at Legionville, on the Ohio river, a short dis- 
tance below Pittsburg. Harrison had just been promoted to a lieutenancy, 
and he joined Wayne's Legion. The soldiery bearing of the youth com- 
pletely captivated the rigid disciplinarian, who ere long appointed him one 
of his aids-de-camp, at the age of nineteen. Harrison acted as one of the 
aids to Wayne through the whole of his ensuing campaigns, which were 
closed August 20, 1794, with the battle of the Miami, resulting in the over- 
whelming defeat of the Indians and their allies. Wayne, in speaking of 
Harrison's conduct on this occasion, complimented him highly for render- 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 311 

ing ''the most essential service and communicating his orders in every direc- 
tion, and by conduct and bravery exciting the troops to press for victory." 

Soon after this battle Lieutenant Harrison was promoted to a cap- 
taincy and placed in charge of Fort Washington, the most important fort 
on the western frontier. In 1797, there remaining no longer an oppor- 
tunity for him to render his country service on the battle field, he tendered 
his resignation and quitted the military to enter civil life. Almost im- 
mediately on leaving the army he received the appointment of secretary, 
and, ex officio, lieutenant-governor of the northwest territory. The fol- 
lowing year, by a faithful performance of his official duties, an intelli- 
gent conception of the people's needs, and a desire to promote their in- 
terests at all times, he became deservedly popular with the masses, and was 
elected their first delegate to congress, being at this time in the twenty- 
sixth year of his age. 

He took his seat in the national house of representatives, December. 
1779, at the beginning of the sixth session of congress, when some of the 
ablest men tlie country has ever produced were members of that honorable 
body — ripe in statecraft, learned in letters and law, orators and debaters of 
superior eloquence and superb skill. Yet among these talented and learned 
wiseacres Harrison's abilities were not only recognized, but they were ad- 
mired and respected. The all-absorbing topic of discussion in the national 
legislative halls at that time was the acquisition and disposition of public 
lands. Harrison framed much of the legislation pertaining to these impor- 
tant measures, and subsequently was clothed with autliority to execute the 
provisions of said measures, displaying such fine Inisiness acumen and ex- 
ercising such unscrupulously honest methods that he won the government's 
thanks and the people's approbation. By introducing legislative action to 
overthrow the pernicious system of disposing of the public domain in large 
tracts, limited to four thousand acres, Mr. Harrison made a master stroke 
in defense of the poor man, thwarted the land grabbers, speculators and 
monopolists in their scheme to get a corner on land, and paved the way 
for poor emigrants to procure a homestead at trifling cost. In defending 
the bill he had introduced in the house to reduce the size of tracts of public 
land offered for sale, which was the joint production of himself and Albert 
Gallatin. Mr. Harrison won an enviable distinction as a statesman and an 
orator. It was through the workings of this act that thousands of indus- 
trious farmers from the northern and middle states, and many of the poorer 
planters of the south came into a field where fair and honest deals for public 
lands could be had. And it was by providing such conditions as these that 
growth, life, vitality and respectability were imparted at an early day to 
the western settlements. 

The condition of the Northwest Territory, and the masterly manner in 
which Governor Harrison managed its civil and military affairs when he 
took the reins of government in 1800, have been already briefly touched on. 
The ability with which Harrison discharged the functions of territorial 



312 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

governor, extending over a period of thirteen years, during which the 
people clamored at the expiration of each successive term for his reap- 
pointment, was so marked that congress took official cognizance of it year 
by year. To reproduce these reports of commendation would require vol- 
umes; and to set out the many state papers, official reports and addresses 
of Governor Harrison, all illustrative of a patriot, statesman, soldier, scholar, 
and diplomat, would result in the compilation of an exhaustive work, re- 
plete with the purest patriotic sentiments, the choicest language, the sound- 
est logic and the nicest arrangement of words, clothed in the finest tissues 
of rhetoric. 

Upon the declaration of war against Great Britain Harrison was unan- 
imously chosen to assume chief command of the American forces in the 
northwest, where the hostile Indians were still continuing their bloody work 
at the bidding of British interests. Having been thus vested with supreme 
control of this division of the army, on September 17, 1812, he directed his 
attention to the immediate objects of the campaign — the recapture of De- 
troit (which the cowardly and imbecile Hull had surrendered), the reduc- 
tion of Maiden, and the protection of the borders on the northwestern 
frontiers. To retrieve the great losses sustained by General Winchester 
at the river Raisin (where nine hundred of the most promising young 
men of the northwest yielded up their lives), and in the disastrous defeats 
suffered by others who had preceded him, and in the maintenance of the 
defenses and the preparation of offensive movements against the British 
and Indians, he directed all his energies. 

Early in the spring of 1813 he learned that an expedition, composed 
of the combined forces of Proctor and Tecumseh, was about to march 
against Fort Meigs. By May 3d ample preparations had been made for the 
attack, and his forces had been augmented by an addition of 3.000 troops 
from Kentucky. The attack of the fort was made on May 5th, and at the 
end of a five days' siege in which many on both sides were killed, the ene- 
mies were driven from their batteries, notwithstanding their superior num- 
bers. It is said that the final charges on the enemies batteries, after whicli 
the guns were spiked, was the most spirited, desperate and sanguinary 
recorded in the annals of border warfare. The period of its duration was 
only forty-five minutes, yet in that time the British and their Indian allies 
lost nearly two hundred men while the number of killed and wounded on 
the American side was eighty or ninety. Disheartening as was this de- 
feat to the enemy, they sought to compensate for their losses by an attack 
on the fort at Sandusky of which Col. Croghan was commandant, but the 
gallant Croghan repulsed them and perceptibly thinned their ranks. 

It was the eighteenth day of September when the fleet of Commodore 
Perry arrived off Sandusky bay, and several days later he had cut a large 
swath through the columns of the enemy who fled from the scenes of 
carnage with their ranks sadly depleted. Harrison was again on the trail 
of Proctor, pursuing him up the river Thames towards the towns of the 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 313 

Moravians, where he overtook him on October 5th and illustrated the 
superiority of American arms to British by administering to the Briton 
butcher a scathing defeat. Here it was where fell the great Tecumseh, 
whose death deprived Proctor of one of his best generals and created a 
void in the ranks he never could till. The loss to the British, killed and 
wounded, was little less than seven hundred. President Madison, in his 
message to congress, December 7, 18 13, said the result of this engagement 
was "signally honorable to Major General Harrison by whose military 
talents it was prepared." And .Mr. Cheever, addressing his remarks to con- 
gress, said "the victory of Harrison was such as would have secured to a 
Roman general, in the best days of the republic, the honors of a triumph. 
He put an end to the war in uppermost Canada." Governor Snyder of 
Penn.sylvania, in his message of that year, says: "The blessings of thou- 
sands of women and children, rescued from the scalping knife and the 
ruthless savage of the wilderness, and the still more savag'e Proctor, rest 
on Harrison and his gallant army." In further recognition of his eminent 
services on that occasion, by joint resolution of both houses of congress, 
at that session, the thanks of the Union were tendered and a gold medal 
awarded him. 

This ended Harrison's brilliant military career, which was the begin- 
ning of a new chapter in the history already replete with his civil cares and 
responsibilities. He was appointed by President Madison in 1814, in con- 
junction with Gov. Shelby and Gen. Cass, to treat with the Indians of the 
northwest, at Greenville, O., the old headquarters of Gen. Wayne. In 1815 
when the treaty of Ghent provided for the pacification of several important 
tribes, he was placed at the head of the commission. In 1816 he was elected 
to represent his district in congress. He was elected to the senate of Ohio 
in 1819. In 1824, having been chosen as one of the presidential electors 
for Ohio, he cast his vote for Henr)' Clay. The same year he was elected 
to the senate of the United States, where he was honored with the chair- 
manship of the committee on military affairs. In 1828 he was appointed 
by President Adams, Minister Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Colom- 
bia, in South America, and on his arrival at the capital, Bogota, given a 
demonstrative reception and overwhelmed with evidences of profound re- 
spect and admiration. 

The inauguration of President Jackson's administration necessitated 
the recall of General Harrison from South America the year after he 
entered upon his official duties in that country. Returning joyfully to the 
land of his birth, he withdrew from the pursuits of active life, and re- 
tired to his farm at North Bend, on the Ohio river, near Cincinnati. For 
quite a number of years he was made clerk of Hamilton county, of which 
he was a resident. He tried to seek retirement towards the latter days of 
his life but the people would not sanction it, and in 1835 brought him out 
as a candidate for the presidency. While he was not elected, owing to a 
peculiar complication existing among poHtical parties at that period, the 



314 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

vote showed tliat he had a great popular following with the people. His 
race had demonstrated so clearly his popularity, that his friends induced 
him to accept another nomination, and in 1840 placed his name at the head 
of the whig ticket. In the electoral college he was given 234 of the 294 
votes cast, his opponent, Mr. Van Buren, receiving only sixty. On March 
4, 1841, he was duly inaugurated, at which time he delivered an address 
in the presence of a large concourse of people, * "expressing the fear that we 
were in danger of placing too much power in the hands of the president, 
and declaring his intention of exercising the powers intrusted to him with 
great moderation." 

He had fairly entered upon the dicharge of duties incumbent on the 
chief magistrate of the nation, to which exalted position the voice of the 
people had called him from a retirement for which he yearned, when the 
joy of his constituents was suddenly transformed to grief, by the an- 
nouncement that the president was dead ! The malady which suddenly 
seized him was pleurisy fever, and after a few days of intense sufifering he 
died on April 4th, just one month following the date of his inauguration. 
Had Harrison been permitted to have served out his term, with Daniel 
Webster, head of the cabinet, he would have no doubt given the most bril- 
liant and wholesome administration of afifairs in the country's history. In 
speaking of his death the National Intelligencer of April 9, 1841, says: 
'"Never since the days of Washington has any one man so concentrated 
upon himself the love and confidence of the American people; and never, 
since the melancholy day which shrouded a nation in mourning for his sud- 
den death, has any event produced so general and so profound a sensation of 
surprise and sorrow." 

The mortal remains of General Harrison are entombed on his farm at 
North Bend, about five miles below Cincinnati. The burial place is within 
a short distance of the Baltimore & Ohio Southwestern railroad tracks, 
on the northeast side thereof, where the attention of the traveler is directed 
by the presence of a large American flag, which perennially waves above 
the hallowed spot. 



* John S. C. Abbott, Lives of Presidents of the United States, p. 272. 



CHAPTER XX. 
A FEW OF VINCENNES' NOTABLE CITIZENS IN EARLY DAYS. 

GOVERNORS GIBSON AND POSEY LOGAN's SPEECH GENERAL ZACHARY TAYLOR 

HIS DAUGHTER WOOED BY JEFFERSON DAVIS THE "tRYSTING BOULDER" 

GENERAL ROBERT EVANS JUDGE WILLIAM PRINCE HIS ROMANTIC 

COURTSHIP NATHANIEL EWING JUDGE JOHN LAW THE FADING OF 

FORESTS AND STREAMS DISAPPEARANCE OF BEASTS AND BIRDS — THE BUF- 
FALO AND THE PAROQUET SPORTING ITEMS OF THE PAST AND PRESENT — 

HORSE RACING AND COCK FIGHTING — OLD MAN BLACK FISHIxNG RESORTS 

AND BIG GAME FISH ATHLETIC, SPORTING, HUNTING, FISHING AND OUT- 
ING CLUBS THE FEATS OF WILLIAM LAKE, PEDESTRIAN — THE SKINNER- 
MURRAY PRIZE FIGHT PUGILIST TOM - ALLEN TRAINS AT VINCENNES — 

CAMP DEXTER, THE MOHAWK, AND THE MUCH-NAMED WABASH RIVER. 

About the time Indiana as a state was admitted into the union \'incennes 
had become the home of quite a number of brainy and talented men,* 
among whom was John Gibson, who labored assiduously in the dual ca- 
pacity of territorial secretary and governor from 1800 to 1816, the year of 
our statehood. General Gibson was born in Lancaster, Pa., May 23, 1740. 
He was well schooled in boyhood days, and when but eighteen years old 
joined the e.xpedition of General Forbes, which marched against Fort Du 



*In 180s much of the territory now occupied by Vincennes was open commons. 
At this period the village, according to an account written by the late O. F. Baker, 
and published in Goodspeed's History of Kno.x and Daviess Counties, 1886. con- 
tained only sixty-two dwellings, one church, five stores, one saddlery shop, two 
blacksmith shops, four taverns, one ox mill, one windmill, and one wheel-wright. 
The professions were represented by three physicians and seven lawyers. The 
physicians were Drs. Kuykendall, McNamee and Samuel McKee, learned in their 
profession, and men of eminent respectability and intellectuality. Dr. McKee, who 
was the father of the late Archibald McKee, was a United States army surgeon, and 
died here in 1809. The lawyers were Thomas Randolph, a near relative of Thomas 
Jefferson, Benj. Parke, Henry Hurst, General W. Johnson. John Rice Jones, John 
Johnson and Henry Vanderburg. The gentlemen last named were very closely 
identified with the civil and military history of Vincennes and the Northwest Ter- 
ritory during the last half of the eighteenth and first part of the nineteenth cen- 
tury, as has been shown in the preceding chapters of this work. 

315 



316 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

Quesne. sharing in the glory of the victory that followed. Following the dec- 
larations of peace he remained in that part of the country, establishing 
headquarters at Fort Pitt (Du Quesne) as an Indian trader. He was cap- 
tured with several white companions by the Indians and condemned to die 
at the stake. An old squaw, lamenting the loss of a son in a recent battle, 
adopted the youthful trader, and his life was spared. He at once adapted 
himself to his savage environments, and remained among his new-made 
friends for several years, maintaining conjugal relations with a sister of 
Logan, the celebrated chief, acquiring the customs and habits of the red 
people and learning the Indian language. He, however, eventually tired 
of the life he was leading, and abandoned it to take up his operations again 
as a trader at Fort Pitt. He was with Lord Dunmore in 1774 in his ex- 
l^edition against the Shawnees, of which he gave an account in a deposition 
made in Pittsburg April 4, 1800, wherein he quoted the famous speech 
made by Logan on the murder of his family, including the sister of the 
chief, referred to as "Gibson's squaw." It is said that the tragedy which 
occasioned Logan to express himself so eloquently to Lord Dunmore, was 
also the ultimate cause of the war of 1774. commonly called Cresap's war. 
Logan's speech was as follows : 

"I appeal to any white man to say, if he ever entered Logan's cabin hungry, 
and he gave him not meat ; if he ever came cold and naked and he clothed him not. 
During the course of the last long and bloody war Logan remained idle in his 
cabin, an advocate of peace. Such was my love for the whites, that my country- 
men pointed as they passed and said, 'Logan is the friend of white men.' I had even 
thought to have lived with you, but for the injuries of one man, Colonel Cresap, who, 
last spring, in cold blood and unprovoked, murdered all the relatives of Logan, not 
even sparing my women and children. There runs not a drop of my blood in the 
veins of any living creature. This called on me for revenge. I have sought it ; I 
have killed many; I have fully glutted my vengeance; for my country, I rejoice at 
the beams of peace. But do not harbor a thought that mine is the joy of fear. 
Logan never felt fear. He will not turn on his heel to save his life. Who is there 
to mourn for Logan? Not one!" 

As soon as the Revolutionary war broke out General Gibson marched 
to the front with a strong regiment he had himself recruited. He joined 
forces with the army at New York, and was with it during its retreat 
through New Jersey. Not long afterward he was given absolute military 
command of the western frontiers, acquitting himself with distinguished 
ability. .\t the conclusion of the war he returned to his former home at 
Pittsburg to resume the avocation of a trader. .\s a member of the con- 
vention, he helped frame the first constitution of Pennsylvania, in 1788; 
and subsequently, for several years served as judge of the court of com- 
mon pleas of Allegheny County, while holding also a commission as general 
of the state militia. The commissioners whom President Washington ap- 
pointed in 1793 to treat with the Indians northwest of the Ohio river, 
called on him to select suitable persons to act as interpreters, and to pro- 
cure 80,000 white wampum to be used in peace negotiations, which requests 
he cheerfully complied with, selecting the best of men and material. He 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 317 

was a civil and military official of Pennsylvania up to the time of coming to 
V'incennes, in 1800. 

In September, 1812, when Fort Harrison, then under charge of Capt. 
Zachary Taylor, was attacked by Indians, General Gibson, in order to afford 
succor to Taylor and also for the purpose of protecting \'incennes against 
the anticipated invasion of Indian armies, in less than one month had mob- 
ilized probably four thousand soldiers at the Old Post, including troops of 
the regular army, two thousand mounted volunteers from Kentucky, and 
militiamen from Indiana. Taylor, in the meantime, had sent word by mes- 
senger to Gibson that he was able to maintain his garrison at Fort Harri- 
son, and had demonstrated his ability by defending the fort against an as- 
sault of the enemy lasting seven hours. 

General Gibson was an honest man — fair and just in his treatment of 
the Indians, against whom he advocated war only as a means of attaining 
peace. He was a faithful public servant, and devoted all of his time in the 
consideration and performance of his official duties, which precluded him 
becoming a conspicuous figure in any events of public concern not con- 
nected therewith. 

When the seat of government was changed to Corydon, General Gibson 
removed his residence there, but in May, 1813, when he was superseded 
by General Thomas Posey as governor he returned to Vincennes to reside. 
He remained a resident of the Old Post for several years, watching the 
progressive steps Indiana, the child of his early cares, was making as the 
nineteenth state in the union. He finally removed to Braddock's Field, Pa., 
and took up his home with his son-in-law, George Wallace, where he died 
April 10, 1822. 

General Thomas Posey, the successor of Gibson, who made the Old Post 
his home for a brief period, was born on a farm in Virginia, on the banks 
of the Potomac, July 9, 1750. His education was of the meagre kind 
which the country schools of that day afforded, but by diligent study on the 
outside he had acquired considerable knowledge when he arrived at man's 
estate. Like his predecessor, Governor Gibson, he enlisted as a private sol- 
dier before attaining his majority, and like Gibson, he, too, was a member 
of one branch of Dunmore's army in the year 1774, and fought with Dun- 
more the following year in the war of the colonies against Great Britain. 
At the conclusion of the Virginia campaign he joined Washington's army, 
and was with him in the Jerseys, later with Gates at Saratoga, to witness 
and help hasten Burgoyne's surrender. At Monmouth he was commander 
of a regiment that played an important part in that undecisive battle. In 
1779 he commanded the Eleventh Infantry, which company was a part of 
Washington's main army. At the taking of Stony Point he was with 
Wayne. "Colonel Fleury* was the first to enter the fort and strike the 



♦Marshal quoted by Woollen, in Woollen's Biographical and Historical Sketches 
of Early Indiana, p. 23. 
Vol. 1—21 



31B HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

British standard. IMajor Posey mounted the works ahnost the same in- 
stant, and was the first to give the watchword, 'The fort's our own.' " 

He was at Yorktown when CornwalHs surrendered and had campaigned 
in South Carolina prior to that event. The years 178 1-2 found him serving 
with Wayne in Georgia; and in June, 1781, he engaged Guristersigo and his 
Indian alHes in a fierce fight near Savannah, kilHng quite a number of sav- 
ages with his own hands, and giving thrilhng examples of his skill, courage 
and bravery. When the dove of peace descended he was with Greene in 
South Carolina. From 1785 at his home county until 1793, when he again 
took up arms in defense of his country, he served as colonel of militia, 
county lieutenant and magistrate. He fought with Wayne all through the 
Indian war in the Northwest Territory; and after "Mad Anthony" had par- 
lially subdued the hostiles, he resigned his army post and removed to Ken- 
tucky, where he was elected to the state senate and subsequently became 
speaker of that body. In 1809 he held a commission as major-general of 
Kentucky troops. Later he moved to Louisiana where, in 1812, when war 
between Great Britain and the United States was declared, he recruited a 
company at Baton Rouge and assumed the captaincy thereof. "Seldom," 
says Woollen,* speaking of Posey's willingness to take up the office of 
captain, "in the history of military men do we find one who, having held a 
major-general's commission, consents to command a company. But General 
Posey's patriotism was stronger than pride. Had he believed it best for his 
country, he would have shouldered a musket and marched in the ranks." 
General Posey came to be United States senator by the grace of Governor 
Claiborn, who appointed him to fill the unexpired term of John N. Destri- 
han, who resigned his seat as a member from Louisiana. He wore the sena- 
torial toga until March, 1813, when President Madison honored him with 
the appointment of governor of Indiana territory. Mr. William 'Wesley 
Woollen, from whose excellent work much of the data herein presented is 
obtained, concludes an extended biography of General Posey as follows : 
"When Governor Posey's official term expired by reason of the admission 
of Indiana into the union, he was appointed Indian agent for Illinois ter- 
ritory, with headquarters at Shawneetown. Early in the spring of 1818, 
while descending the Wabash river from Vincennes, he caught a deep cold, 
which threw him into a fever. When he reached Shawneetown he was 
compelled to take to his bed. He continued to grow worse until the 19th 
of March, when he died. 

"Governor Posey was an amiable man in private life. He was a mem- 
ber of the Presbyterian church and very active in church work. He was 
president of a Bible society, and did much to disfribute the scriptures among 
the poor and needy of the territory. 

"In person Governor Posey was exceedingly attractive and commanding. 
He was tall, athletic, and had a handsome face. His manner was graceful 



♦Woollen, Biographical and Historical Sketches of Early hidiana, p. 25. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 319 

and easy, denoting the gentleman he was. Some years ago a correspondent 
of the Cincinnati Commercial started the story that Governor Posey was a 
natural son of George Washington, hut the romance did not take root. Had 
he been Washington's son, begotten in wedlock, he would have honored his 
father's name." 

General Zachary Taylor, who subsequently became president of the 
United States, was among the noted men who resided at \'incennes in early 
days. He lived in a cottage which Benjamin Parke had erected, corner 
of Hart and First streets, where a daughter was born to him and after- 
ward became the wife of Jefferson Davis. By this marriage, which was 
the culmination of a courtship* began here in later years when Miss Sarah 
Taylor came to the Old Post on a visit and Davis was a young lieutenant in 
the United States army stationed at this point, \^incennes gained a dis- 
tinction of which few, if any, towns can boast — that of having been the 
abiding place of three presidents and the birthplace of the wife of one — 
\\'illiain Henry Harrison and Zachary Taylor, respectively presidents of the 
United States, and Jefferson Davis, president of the Southern Confederacy. 
As were many distinguished men of that day, Zachary Taylor was born in 
\'irginia, his birthplace being Orange County. In 1808 he was commis- 
sioned a lieutenant in the United States army and joined the military forces 
of General Wilkinson at New Orleans. When the American-British war 
of 1812 broke out he was given the command of Fort Harrison, near Terre 
Haute, and successfully defended the fortification against the strong as- 
saults of the Indians in the autumn of that year. For the noble defense he 
made on this occasion he was promoted from captain to major. At the 
termination of the war the army was curtailed and he was reduced in rank 
to captain, which office he promptly resigned. He was afterward rein- 
stated as major and given command of Fort Crawford on Fox river near 
Green bay, a dreary and isolated place where he watched the uneventful 
years glide by, finally attaining the rank of colonel. He was in the Black 
Hawk war, and in 1836 was sent to Florida to help subjugate the Seminoles, 



*Mr. Jeremiah Donovan, then a young man, who for many years afterward 
served as marshal of the town, was sparking a girl the same time Mr. Davis was 
courting Miss Taylor. He says that while the quartette were indulging in court- 
ship, he and his girl frequently met Mr. Davis and Miss Taylor on jaunts through 
the country which led to an inviting woods containing an enormous boulder, on 
which the couple were wont to sit — a romantic trysting place. Mr. Donovan, who 
had in the meantime made his sweetheart his wife, bought property at the corner 
of Sixth and Broadway streets, and many years before his death, as a reminder of 
the youthful dreams of love he had himself experienced, and in memory of the joy- 
ous greetings he and his wife had been accorded by Davis and his affianced bride, 
had the boulder removed and placed in his front yard. After his death the prop- 
erty was purcha.sed by the late Dr. John H. Rabb. President of the First National 
Bank^ who suffered the boulder to remain where Mr. Donovan had put it, on ac- 
count of the romantic associations it recalled ; and it occupies to-day the identical 
spot it did when the property changed hands. 



320 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

which was accomplished after a long siege of stubborn fighting in which 
losses to both whites and Indians were very heavy. As a reward for valor- 
ous deeds in these conflicts Colonel Taylor was elevated by brevet to the 
rank of major-general; and in 1838 was appointed commander-in-chief of 
United States troops in Florida, where for a long time the Indians kept the 
settlements in a state of alarm and uneasiness. At the expiration of two 
years of the most exacting and perilous military service in the everglades of 
the peninsula, at his own solicitation, he was transferred to Fort Jessup, in 
Louisiana, which gave him command of the department of the southwest, 
embracing the states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia. When 
Texas was annexed, 1845, he went to Corpus Christi and established his 
corps of observation, having fifteen hundred soldiers, which number was 
increased by reinforcements to four thousand. In 1846 he advanced to 
the Rio Grande and blocked Brazos Santiago, the port of Matamoras ; but 
on learning that the Mexicans had crossed the river with six thousand men 
and that Fort Brown was surrounded and in great peril, retraced his steps 
in haste. The first encounter with the Mexicans was on the field of Palo 
Alto, where Taylor routed about 3.000 of the enemy. The fleeing enemy 
halted at Resaca de la Palma, about three miles distant, where they were 
badly worsted in a second engagement, and the safety of Fort Brown, whose 
soldiers could hear plainly the cannonading, was secured. Taylor's next 
victory was Monterey, where he forced the Mexican General Ampudia to 
capitulate after administering to him a severe drubbing. General Scott 
soon after became commander of the American forces in Mexico, which 
left Taylor at Monterey with about only 5,000 troops, which number, how- 
ever, was subsequently increased to 6,220, and lie began a forward move- 
ment. When about fifty miles south of ^Monterey he learned from a Mexi- 
can messenger who came with a flag of truce and a summons for him to 
surrender, that Santa Anna was advancing with 20,000 men. After telling 
his men that if they were twice that number it would make no difference to 
him, he sent back to Santa Anna the curt reply that "General Taylor never 
surrenders ;" and riding down the ranks he informed his men that "he in- 
tended to stand here not only so long as a man remains, but so long as a 
piece of a man is left." The battle was fought on the 22d of February, 
1847, and lasted ten hours; and in the midst of the terrible carnage Taylor 
rode up to a battery that was belching forth volumes of death-dealing fire 
into the columns of the enemy and with an air of serenity said, "A little more 
grape, Capt. Bragg." It was feared in the American camp that the next day 
would call for a renewal of the battle, but in the morning the Mexicans had 
fled. At Buena Vista Taylor and his troops exhibited the greatest bravery 
and the victory was attributed to his valor and skill. Gen. Taylor died in 
1850, after he had occupied the presidential chair little more than a year, 
and his last words were "I'm not afraid to die; I'm ready; I've endeavored 
to do my duty." 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 321 

General Robert Morgan Evans, who laid out the city of Evansville in 
1 814, was a resident of \'incennes in 1805, coming here in that year from 
Princeton, where he bought a tract of land and soon after formed a settle- 
ment. He was born in Frederick County, \'a., in the year 1783, removing to 
Paris, Kentucky, and later coming to Indiana territory. He was an active 
participant in the battle of Tippecanoe, being one of the aids of General 
Harrison, who had commissioneil him a brigadier-general of militia, a posi- 
tion he filled with great credit during the wars of 1812-15. During the In- 
dian attack on Fort Harrison in 1 812 he marched at the head of a company 
of militia in defense of that fortification, and rendered General Taylor, in 
command of the fort, much valuable assistance. General Evans during his 
residence in Vincennes was a tavern keeper. Though closely identified with 
the town bearing his name he maintained his residence at Vincennes and 
Princeton until 1824, when he moved to Evansville. The socialistic senti- 
ment which Robert Dale Owen had made prevalent at New Harmony ap- 
pealed to him, and he went there to live, dividing his time between farming 
and conducting a hotel. After four years thus spent he returned in the year 
of 1828 to Evansville, where he terminated his early career in the year 1844. 

Vanderburg County, of which Evansville is the seat, was named after 
a citizen of Vincennes, as were Dubois, Vigo and Parke Counties, respec- 
tively ; and so was Harrison County. Princeton was named in honor of 
another distinguished citizen of the Old Post — William Prince. Judge 
Prince was an Irishman by birth and emigrated to America in 1794, while 
quite young, settling at Vincennes. He was an energetic and talented man, 
thoroughly imbued with that proud spirit of Americanism which came to us 
with the establishment of liberty and independence. His independent air 
and his talents were not long in securing for him deserved recognition. By 
profession a lawyer, he soon became the recipient of judicial honors and a 
lucrative practice. Soon after his citizenship was established he was com- 
missioned Indian agent for Indiana territory, and in 1802 served as a dele- 
gate with Governor Harrison, Col. Francis Vigo and Luke Decker, to the 
convention called by the governor to consider the advi.sability of permitting 
the practice of slave holding in the territory. He fought with Harrison at 
the battle of Tippecanoe, as a member of the General's stafif, and rendered 
Harrison valuable aid in concluding many treaties of peace with the Indians. 
\'incennes at this time, being the seat of government, was also the center of 
social life in the territory, and Judge Prince's commanding presence, courtli- 
ness and affability made him an attractive person at all functions. He had 
not been long a resident of the Old Post until Miss Theresa Fromble, a strik- 
ingly beautiful French girl of fourteen summers, completely captivated him 
with her unaffected charms, and he sought her hand in marriage. Her stern 
father, who was a man of wealth and affluence, resented the advances of 
the young Irishman as presumptuous, but the black-eyed maiden reciprocated 
all the tender and sentimental stories of love whispered into her ear by the 
dashing wooer. Prince, therefore, determined to press his suit, and putting 



322 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

on bold front sought pater familias in the hope that the latter would relent. 
But not so. The haught\' Frenchman summoned to his aid a goodly number 
of his minions, and tlirust the undesirable suitor into a barn, and placed 
him under lock and key. The idea of inflicting imprisonment as a punish- 
ment without due process of law, appealed irresistibly and irritatingly to the 
populace, who were just beginning to realize the beneficence of the spirit of 
liberty then prevalent throughout the land, and looked upon the procedure 
as outrageous to all senses of justice. The natives— friends of Prince's— 
grew highly indignant over his incarceration, and talked threateningly of 
adopting retaliatory measures. Monsieur Fromble, no longer able to with- 
stand the feeling of resentment displayed, consented to release the prisoner, 
but the young man, whose indignation had outgrown his mortification, 
spurned the proffered liberty. He held up courageously and refused for 
some time to leave the prison whose portals had been thrown wide for him 
to pass through to freedom. Fromble was beside himself with rage, and in 
his anxiety to get his precursory prisoner out of sight and mind, as well as 
off of his premises, demanded wrath fully to know what he wanted and why 
he did not vacate. The youthful lover replied that he intended to remain 
until he had secured that for which he came. Meantime the gossips were 
busy. The affair became town talk. Neither the old or the young man 
would concede an inch of ground in the stubborn stand both had taken, until 
rumors of a suit for false imprisonment were circulated by the friends of 
the injured party. The prospect of having to pay heavy damages, aided no 
doubt by the pleadings of the beautiful Theresa, JDrought Monsieur Fromble 
to terms and forced him to give his consent reluctantly to his daughter's 
hand, making the way perfectly clear for the youthful Prince to lead the 
beautiful maiden to the hymenial altar as his blushing bride. 

It is not definitely known at what date Judge Prince left Vincennes to 
take up his home in Gibson County, at which place the fame he had already 
acquired in public and private life brought him additional honors. He be- 
came the first prosecuting attorney of that county; in 1816 was appointed 
resident judge, and in 1824 was elected to congress, but died before filling 
out his temi of -office. Judge Prince spent the latter days of his life on his 
farm, near the town of Princeton, "and to the last," says the Evansville 
Pocket, 1898, "was a striking figure in public life, always clad in knee 
breeches and silver buckles. He was very fond and proud of his wife, the 
prize he had so hard a fight to win, and which he valued more than all 
others. Four children were born to them. Two sons, George and Harry, 
died without perpetuating the name. Of the daughters, the eldest, Eliza- 
beth, married Judge Samuel Hall, who held a distinguished place in the his- 
tory of Indiana. Their children are Mrs. Kidd, wife of Dr. W. G. Kidd, 
Mrs. W. D. Downey and Mr. John B. Hall, all of Princeton. Nancy, the 
second daughter of Judge Prince, married Dr. Wm. Stockwell. Their chil- 
dren are Mrs. Wm. E. French and Messrs. George and Nathan Stockwell 
of Evansville, and Mrs. Minerva Bingham, of Patoka. 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 323 

"It was men of Judge Prince's character anil gifts that gave to the early 
history of Indiana its prestige, and maintained for it the position it was 
called upon to sustain as one of the oldest and leading states of the new 
west. All honor and praise be to his memory." 

Nathaniel Ewing, the great grandfather of William L. Ewing, was one 
of Vincennes' most prominent citizens of territorial days. He first saw the 
Old Post in 1788, having come here with a piror/uc load of apples, salt and 
furs when he was sixteen years old, following at that time the dual occupa- 
tion of farming and trading on the Wabash and Ohio rivers. He was de- 
scended of pure Irish stock, his grandfather, who was a native of Colerian 
County, Ireland, emigrated to this country' in 1725 to escape the persecutions 
of the English. His father emigrated to Pennsylvania, where he died 
in 1785. Young Nathaniel was born in the last named state in 1772, and took 
up his permanent residence in Vincennes in 1807, having been previously ap- 
pointed receiver of the public land ofifice, a position he filled with marked 
ability, through a series of presidential terms, until 1824. He was chosen 
as the first president of the first bank established in Vincennes, which was 
a private concern that finally merged into the State Bank of Indiana. He 
was rather active in politics, and at the time of the admission of Indiana 
into the union was a member of the territorial legislature. He was a strong 
anti-slavery advocate and espoused the cause of freedom both in and out of 
the legislative halls. In the civil and commercial activities of the Old Post 
Mr. Ewing was a dominant figure and amassed a handsome competence. 
After his retirement from public office in 1824 he took up his residence at 
his country home. Mount Clair, where he died a peaceful death August 6. 
1846. In 1793 Nathaniel Ewing married Anna Breading, and to them were 
born eight children. The eldest daughter. Mary, married Dr. Wm. Carr 
Lane, St. Louis; Caroline married Dr. George W. Mears, Indianapolis; 
Rachael married Daniel Jencks, Terre Haute ; Harriet married James Far- 
rington, Terre Haute, and Sarah married the Hon. John Law, one of the 
most prominent attorneys of the Old Post, and a member of congress 
from this district. The sons of Nathaniel and Anna Ewing were George 
W., who became a prominent attorney and banker ; W. L., who removed to 
St. Louis and became prominent in commercial and financial circles of that 
city ; James, who resided at Mount Clair until his death. The late Wm. L. 
Ewing, Sr., ex-mayor of St. Louis, was a grandson of Nathaniel Ewing, 
and at the time of his death occupied Mt. Clair as a summer home. The 
property, which was a portion of a vast estate he left, has been in the Ewing 
family for nearly a hundred years. It is an attractive place, one of the most 
delightful suburban homes in the county, which has been the scene through 
all the years of scores of brilliant society fetes. 

John Law will ever occupy a conspicuous place among the intellectual 
giants of territorial days, and his name will always be linked with the recital 
of all important events which treat of colonial times. He was a New Eng- 
lander by birth, having been born at New London, Connecticut, in 1796, 



324 HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 

emigrating westward early in the nineteenth century, and locating at \'in- 
cennes in 1817, the same year he was admitted to the bar of the supreme 
court of Connecticut. When but eighteen years of age he was graduated 
with high honors from Yale College, New Haven. On his arrival at the Old 
Post he opened an office and began the practice of law, a profession for 
which he was eminently fitted. In a short while he was elected prosecuting 
attorney of this circuit, which then embraced nearly one-half of Indiana 
where settlements had been formed. His constituents in 1823 elected him 
by a pronounced majority a representative of Knox County to the Indiana 
legislature, where he won distinction through his activity and ability as a 
legislator. His inclination, however, to follow his chosen profession was 
stronger than his desire to enter upon a career of politics, and he declined 
to make the race for re-election. The legislature in 1830 elected him judge 
of the seventh judicial circuit, and he wore the judicial ermine with becom- 
ing grace and dignity. From 1838, to 1840 he was in charge of the office of 
receiver of public moneys, being an appointee of President Van Buren. 
Removing to Evansville in 1851, he formed a partnership for the practice 
of law with James B. McCall, Lucius H. Scott and his brother, William 
Law. With his associates he purchased a piece of land adjoining Evans- 
ville, platted it, and gave the new addition the name of Lamasco. Judge 
Law was appointed by President Pierce in 1855 judge of the court of land 
claims for Indiana and Illinois, and while confronted by many perplexing 
legal propositions in the discharge of his duties, acquitted himself with 
honor, justice and fairness, displaying signal ability. As a member of con- 
gress from the first district, in i860, he was a member of the library com- 
mittee and committee on Revolutionary pensions, and was the author of the 
measure to pay the surviving soldiers of the Revolution an annual pension of 
$100. He died in Evansville on October 7, 1873, and, in compliance with 
an oft-repeated request, his remains were brought to Vincennes for inter- 
ment. Judge Law had a warm place in his heart for the people of Vincennes, 
who looked on him as a great man. And he was a great man — not alone 
in law, but in letters. His address, delivered before the \incennes Histori- 
cal and Antiquarian Society, Februarj' 22, 1839, is a fine literary produc- 
tion, possessing more reliable information pertaining to colonial history. 
especially that part applicable to \'incennes. than is contained in many of the 
publications of more recent years. 

With her organization as a state Indiana began to undergo great physical 
changes. Before the advances of a newer and higher civilization the forests 
rapidly faded, miniature rivers converging at certain seasons and forming 
mighty lakes, disappeared. But the original beauty and grandeur portrayed 
in the giant bodies, limbs and foliage of the trees are yet visible in the forms 
of the mighty monarchs left proudly standing today along the banks of the 
Wabash, White and Embarrass rivers, or in the innumerable patches of 
woods which enhance the beauty of the landscape in all parts of Knox 
County. The inroads carved bv the axe of the pioneer in forest fastnesses 



HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY 825 

dro'C many beasts and birds from their accustomed biding-places to return 
no more. The introduction of ditches and tiHng, and the destruction of 
trees, for the reclamation of lands inundated by large and small bodies of 
water obliterated these streams and put to flight many aquatic fowls, and 
caused large numbers of fur-bearing animals to migrate, and tishcs to die 
and fossilize, and become component parts of the rich and fertile soil. The 
buffalo, elk, deer, antelope, bear, and even the wild turkey and pigeon, have 
long since departed ; but geese and ducks annually trouble the waters of 
streams in unlimited numbers, while quite a few minks, otters, musk rats 
and beavers remain as survivors of the ])ioncer families of quadru[)eds 
which made it possible early in the eighteenth century for fur mercJiants in 
Vincennes to do business in the markets of Euorpean countries. The "sur- 
vival of the fittest" among fish is seen in the large schools of black, stripped, 
rock, little and big-mouth bass, tin-mouths, blue gills, crappies, pike, sun 
and ring perch, which keep company with myriads of white perch, cat fish, 
jack salmon, sturgeon, buffalo and carp, and other members of the finny 
tribe, that are to be found in all the rivers and l