That Dark and Bloody River

by Allan Eckert

  The letter was dispatched by express to Gen. McIntosh and reached him while he was in the midst of writing a letter asking that he be recalled from his frontier post. On receiving Brodhead’s letter, he immediately set aside the request and sent out messengers to the county lieutenants asking them to supply men and horses to go to the relief of Fort Laurens. It took precious days, and even then he did not get what he felt was necessary. Among the 200 militia who had joined him were the companies of Capts. Nathan Ellis, Andrew Van Swearingen, John Crow, James Brenton and John White. Fearing to delay any longer, he marched these men and some of the regulars from Fort Pitt to Fort McIntosh, where he hastily scribbled a letter to Gen. Washington:

  Fort McIntosh, 19th March 1779

  Sir:

  I am just setting off to Fort Laurens with about two hundred men I have collected of the militia, and better than 300 Continental troops from this garrison and Fort Pitt, but unfortunately have not collected horses enough … the time will not admit of an hour’s delay to wait for any more. I consulted the principal men from each County, with all the field officers, who are unanimously of opinion that Fort Laurens is a post of such consequence that it should not be evacuated by any means, if it can possibly be kept, and that it may be defended by 100 men, if provision cannot be carried for more. And indeed, we are scarce enough of it here—not above one month’s provisions this side of the mountains. The difficulty of getting it over, and the distance of carriage, is the grand objection to every enterprise from this quarter.

  I have thought it necessary to leave Colonel Brodhead on that account here, and use every exertion in getting further supplies soon. Major Taylor also is ordered down the country for the same purpose, and to hurry the staff departments, lest they disappoint us, and nothing can be had on this side.

  I had some intelligence last night from Coshocking, which I have desired the Colonel to give you the particulars of, as I have not time. It appears the Savages are all combined against us.

  I have the honor, &c.,

  Lachn. McIntosh, B.G.

  But though McIntosh headed his 500 unmounted men toward Fort Laurens as quickly as he could under the circumstances, they arrived just a little too late. The new commander of Fort Laurens, Maj. Frederick Vernon of the Eighth Pennsylvania Regiment, was not having an easy time of it. Hunger among the 106 men at the fort was still a serious problem but had been alleviated somewhat, not only by the daring hunting activities of Sam Brady and Peter Parchment but because a shipment of corn had just arrived, brought to them by some friendly Indians who had been sent by the Reverend Heckewelder. Though he could ill spare it himself, he understood only too well the desperation of their need. Nevertheless, while food was not at this moment an absolute imperative, the garrison was desperately in need of firewood, and Maj. Vernon, unaware that help was on the way, early this morning had sent out a strong detachment for that purpose: 40 men commanded by Enss. Thomas Wyatt and Philip Clark, to be broken into several well-guarded wood-gathering parties to cut and bring in their loads as swiftly as possible. The first few parties were at work within moments of being placed and sentinels posted.

  Clark had already set three parties under his command to work and now moved with the final sentinel, Pvt. William Adkins, to the outermost point to show him the area of his watch. They had only arrived at that point when a group of ten Wyandots fired from ambush and killed both Clark and his sentinel instantly.

  Behind them, the first groups of men already had loads cut and were taking them to the fort while others continued cutting. At the shots, all of them raced for the fort and reached it safely, Ens. Wyatt bringing up the rear. Maj. Vernon immediately sent out three of the Moravian Indians to assess the size of the party that had struck, then began a letter to Gen. McIntosh. The party returned and reported before he was finished, and he incorporated their intelligence in the letter and swiftly finished what he was writing. Then he entrusted the letter to two of the Indians who had brought the corn, promising to pay them for their efforts, and sent them off to Fort McIntosh.

  Less than an hour away from Fort Laurens, they encountered McIntosh’s relief force and gave the general the letter they were carrying. McIntosh broke the seal and read it quickly.

  Fort Laurens 28th March, 1779

  Dear General,

  This morning I sent out a party of about forty men commanded by Ensigns Wiatt and Clark to bring in wood for the garrison. As Ensign Clark was placing the last centinel, he was fired on by a party of Indians (that lay concealed some small distance beyond where the centinel was placed); they killed him and the centinel, and scalped them before the party could come to their assistance, as the greatest part of the men had got their loads and were on their way to the fort. What few men had not got their loads up ran towards the fort, expecting there was a large party of Indians. When this happened, Mr. Wiatt had not got up with his party as far as Mr. Clark was. I immediately sent out three Indians to make a discovery how large the party was. They returned in a short time, and told me the party was not large, but they had discovered a number of tracks on the point of a ridge some small distance from where the Indians were that did the mischief. From their accounts, I think there were more parties than one. I got two Indians to go express to Beaver Creek with the intelligence to you as soon as possible.

  I then sent out a party with Captain Brady and Ensign Wyatt to bring in the dead bodies. They went to the place where the Indians sat and found four blankets, two green covers and a long knife lying on top of a lying tree. There appeared to be about 10 Indians in that party.

  Mr. Heckewelder, one of the Moravian Missionaries, was here two days ago, and told me we may depend there will be a large party of Indians and some English, with several pieces of artillery, will pay us a visit in a short time. I would be glad to have two pieces of cannon to exchange a shot with them. Please send me your opinion of it, as I am determined to defend this post while I have one man alive and able to fight.

  I have received a gratuity of corn from Cooshocking [Goschachgunk], but I have not goods that will suit the Indians to satisfy them for bringing it up. I have given a certificate to them for twenty bucks, which they expect to be paid to them at Beaver Creek. The bearers of this letter are not paid for their trouble, nor have I set any price with them; they expect pay there also. I am informed that there are several Indian parties out—some are gone over the Big River [Ohio River] to murder the inhabitants; some of the parties are returned back with prisoners and scalps.

  I am, &c.,

  Fredk. Vernon

  Majr, 8th Regt.

  Brigdr. Gen. Lachn. McIntosh

  P.S. The name of the soldier that was killed is Adkins, one of the new levies.

  So now Gen. McIntosh and his force had arrived, and the greatest expectation was that he would order, because of its vulnerability and the difficulty of keeping it supplied, the abandonment of Fort Laurens. In this they were disappointed.

  Without Fort Laurens, McIntosh informed them, the Indians—and the British — would have open access to strike the upper Ohio with irresistible force. The slaughter and destruction in that area previously would be as nothing to what would occur then. No, Fort Laurens would not be evacuated but would continue to be garrisoned and serve as a bulwark of defense.

  There were a good many of the Fort Laurens garrison who, among themselves, disgustedly changed the words “bulwark of defense” to “sitting duck.”

  [April 1, 1779—Thursday]

  In one of the few respites he had enjoyed since the war began, Gen. George Washington was entertaining a number of gentlemen guests at a dinner party. They had finished eating about an hour before and had been conversing since then over cigars and brandy and were now on the verge of taking their leave when the express horn sounded outside, and in a few moments the butler entered bearing a dispatch upon a silver salver.

  The guests were just rising from their chairs, but they stopped as Washington looked at the seal and said, “Keep your s
eats, gentlemen, keep your seats. Perhaps there may be some news for us.”

  As they sat down again and watched with mild interest, the commander of the Continental Army put on his spectacles, broke the seal and began to read the contents. Suddenly a broad grin spread his lips, and he became obviously more excited the further he read. At last he refolded the letter and took off his spectacles, still smiling.

  “Gentlemen,” he said, holding up the folded paper, “this is a letter from Governor Jefferson. He writes that he has just received intelligence that a Virginia colonel has conquered the Illinois country and that the Virginia flag now waves in triumph over Kaskaskia, Cahokia and Vincennes!”

  A tumultuous response erupted from the guests, and Washington ordered their glasses refilled, then stood holding his glass high before them. “Gentlemen,” he said, “a toast.”

  The others rose and held their glasses up similarly. Continuing to smile, Washington said, “To Colonel George Rogers Clark, the conqueror of the Illinois!”

  At almost the same time, hundreds of miles to the west and north, the new British commandant of Detroit, Maj. Arent de Peyster, commented worriedly, “Mr. Hamilton’s defeat has cooled the Indians in general.”349

  Clark’s stunning accomplishment was having its effect at Redstone and Pittsburgh, too. Despite the jeopardy still prevailing for travelers on the Ohio River, scores upon scores of would-be settlers were gathering at these staging points preparatory to floating down the Ohio later this spring or during the summer to get their share of the wonderful, beautiful lands that were theirs for the taking along its shores and in the Kentucky country.

  [May 3, 1779—Monday]

  Col. Daniel Brodhead, sitting at his desk in his headquarters office at Fort McIntosh, rubbed his eyes and yawned, wishing he were asleep in his bed. The days seemed always too short to accomplish what needed to be done, and crises seemed to have a way of intervening every time it looked like there might be a little break.

  He glanced with distaste at the unfinished report before him that would have to go out to Gen. McIntosh in the morning. The Delawares somehow continued to maintain a stance difficult to understand: A small portion of the tribe was decidedly hostile and had been making frontier attacks in concert with the Wyandots, Mingoes and Shawnees for many months; another portion, the Moravian converts, were decidedly pro-American, doing much valuable spying for the Americans, their intelligence more than once preventing disastrous consequences. Yet the majority of the tribe did not condone either hostility or alliance and continued to hold themselves in a neutral position that, considering the provocations they had suffered from the Americans, was rather remarkable.

  The most recent affront to them had come when Pvt. William Simms of Col. William Crawford’s Thirteenth Regiment shot and mortally wounded the Delaware messenger, Anacota, for no other reason than, as he put it, that he simply “saw an Injen, and they ain’t no Injen better’n a dead one.” Crawford’s friend, Dr. John Knight, now serving at Fort Pitt as surgeon’s mate, tried to save the mortally wounded Anacota but was unable to do so. Brodhead had no idea what the ramifications would be from that, and lavish presents, accompanied by a sincere apology, had already been sent to the tribe in an effort to “cover the dead,” as the Indians put it.350

  The only bright spot lately was the fact that, following intelligence received from Heckewelder of the Indians and British preparing a strong artillery-supported attack against it sometime this coming summer, orders had finally been received for the abandonment of Fort Laurens. That was scheduled to occur before the end of the month. The whole existence of the fort so deep in enemy territory, where support was almost impossible, had been a grave error in judgment, and it was now deemed untenable.

  Brodhead hunched his shoulders for a moment to relieve the strain in his back and then quickly reread the portion of the report he had just finished writing:

  One of the Privates of the 13th Virginia Regiment has maliciously killed one of the best young men of the Delaware Nation, and I fear the consequences will be bad to the innocent inhabitants. I have the fellow confined, but cannot try him for want of a field officer, &c. Several parties have been assembled to murder the Delaware chiefs now on their way to Philadelphia: Should they effect their malicious purpose, there will be an end to negotiations, and a general war with the savages will be the inevitable consequence of their barbarity.

  Great numbers of the inhabitants are daily moving down the Ohio to Kentucky and the Falls, which greatly weakens the frontier.

  Two spies are gone into the Seneca country several days ago—one of them is a white man who speaks their language very well, and the other is a Delaware Indian.

  Col. Brodhead, satisfied with what he had written so far, now dipped his quill into the inkpot and continued to write:

  Fort Laurens will be evacuated the 25th inst., and I expect all the stores will be brought off.

  I shall be happy if we can move by the first of June. My men have worn out their shoes, and their feet, in scouting after the Indians, but with little success hitherto. I have heard where the Mingoes and Muncys have their grand rendezvous about fifteen miles above Kittanning, and hope to give a good account of them a few days hence.

  [May 28, 1779—Friday]

  Throughout the spring, raiding parties of Indians on the frontier increased considerably. No one could be certain where they would strike next or in what numbers, and for the settlers, just being constantly on the alert was greatly wearing on the nerves. More often than not, families would gather at the most defensible cabin in the area and stay together there for mutual protection.

  The major forts on the frontier, garrisoned by regular troops, were constantly on full alert, though few were up to total strength. Fort Laurens was now, at last, in the process of being evacuated, as per Gen. McIntosh’s order, and its garrison would soon be returning to Fort McIntosh and Fort Pitt. That garrison included 106 rank and file on hand under the command of Maj. Frederick Vernon, including the partial companies of Capt. John Finley, Capt. Lt. Samuel Brady, and Enss. Thomas Wyatt, John Guthrie and James Morrison. Their strength would be a welcome addition, though the entire frontier would still be greatly undermanned. Fort Randolph at the mouth of the Kanawha, now the most isolated government post, had only 28 men under Capt. Samuel Dawson; at Fort McIntosh, where Col. Daniel Brodhead was still commanding, there were 123 men in the partial companies of Capt. John Clark—a different officer from the ensign of the same name who had been killed at Fort Laurens—and Ens. John Ward, though that number would increase with a portion of the men coming back from Fort Laurens. Fort Henry at Wheeling had 28 men under Lt. Gabriel Peterson, and the Holliday’s Cove Fort also had 28 men under Lt. John Hardin. The largest command was, of course, Fort Pitt, with 707 men; 392 of the Eighth Pennsylvania and 258 of the Thirteenth Virginia regiments, and Capt. Thomas Heth’s company of 57 men, plus whatever would be added from the Fort Laurens contingent; but in all these forts, with 234 men ill, injured, on furlough or otherwise not on active duty, the entire present and fit for duty came to a total of 473 men. What this boiled down to was a total of only 786 men on active duty to guard a frontier of thousands of square miles against several thousand warriors in separate raiding parties of four to 100 or more men each, roaming at will and striking with horrible ferocity. By this time, Dr. John Knight had been named chief surgeon at Fort Pitt through Col. William Crawford’s intercession on his behalf with Col. Brodhead.

  Fort Hand, on the Kiskeminetas about eight miles upstream from its mouth on the Allegheny, was under command of Capt. Samuel Moorehead, with Lt. William Jack his second. These were militia, not regular troops, and though poorly equipped and trained, when attacked on April 26, they managed to hold out against a much superior force of more than 100 Senecas and Mingoes, aided by a company of British. During the fight, Sgt. Philip McGraw took a ball in the neck and was killed, and Sgt. Leonard McCauley was severely wounded by a ball high in his chest.351

  At p
ractically the same time the attack on Fort Hand was occurring, a party of hostile Delawares struck at the cabin of George Sykes on the Monongahela in the vicinity of Redstone. Sykes had made a quick trip into Brownsville for supplies that morning, and when he returned some four hours later, his cabin was in ashes and his wife, Christiana, and their six children, age nine down to a newborn infant, were all missing.352

  Some of the attacks were occurring much farther to the east than had occurred for many years, such as the one that happened at the Sanford cabin. Abraham Sanford had built his place on Bald Eagle Creek not far southwest of Potter’s Fort and fully 130 miles east of Pittsburgh.353 He thought his family would be safe there. They were not. A band of Wyandots struck, killing seven members of his family and taking all their cattle and horses. Only Sanford himself and a young daughter managed to escape through a rear window of the cabin and into the adjacent woods. Scores of similar attacks were occurring throughout the entire frontier, and armed forces summoned to help almost always arrived too late to do anything except bury the dead.

  With such incidents steadily increasing, Col. Brodhead at Fort McIntosh now took a step he had been contemplating for some time. Though he had often sent out small parties of men to scout the country and watch for Indian sign, up until now it was not an organized activity. He was aware, of course, of the remarkable bravery, ingenuity and Indian-fighting skills of such men from Fort Laurens as Samuel Brady, Peter Parchment and several others. He also remembered with satisfaction the success of Brady’s scout with his Delaware guide, John Thompson, up the Allegheny last September. Thus, as soon as those men returned from Fort Laurens, he called Brady to headquarters.