280 ST. LOUIS ATTACKED; THE SPANIARDS IN ILLINOIS. abandon the post.* Bird had been present at some of these attacks, and in May, 1779, led 150 whites and 1,000 Indians to Kentucky, where he captured two small stockades on the South Fork of the Licking and then retreated to Detroit. The Kentuckians, enraged at this onset, organized a party of 970 men under Clark, hurried up the Ohio, and attacked Pickaway, driving the Indians into the forests. After this there was a season of quiet. In October, 1779, Patrick Sinclair was ordered to command the post at Michillimackinac succeeding Arent Schuyler de Peyster, who was ordered to Detroit. After erecting a fort at his new post, Sinclair determined to send out an expedition for the purpose of capturing St. Louis and other towns in that vicinity. In May, 1780, a force of 750 traders, servants, and Indians started down the Mississippi and soon arrived before St. Louis. A small force attacked the village, and before the Spaniards could organize to successfully resist the attack, had killed about 7 of the inhabitants and captured 18. The Spanish, however, soon drove the attacking party from the town.‡ Doddridge, Settlement and Indian Wars of Virginia and Pennsylvania, p. 244 et seq. See Roosevelt, Winning of the West, vol. ii., pp. 102-111; Michigan Pioneer Collections, vol. ix., pp. 558-559; Winsor, Westward Movement, p. 175; Dunn, Indiana, p. 159. Estimates of the number killed in this action vary greatly, being placed at 7, 40, and 68 by different historians. See F. L. Billon, Annals of St. Louis under the French and Spanish Domi By securing the mouth of the Mississippi, the Spanish had now practically gained control of the Mississippi Valley. It was determined to push the conquest still further to the Northwest in the hope that England might be persuaded to trade the Lake region for the British possession at Gibraltar, which was a constant menace to Spain. Therefore, in January, 1781, Don Francisco Cruzat, the commander in the Illinois district, sent out an expedition, under Don Eugénio Pourré (or Pierro) and Don Carlos Tayton, to capture British posts in Northern Indiana and Southern Michigan. Making the winter journey of 400 miles under the greatest hardships they finally arrived at Fort St. Joseph on the St. Joseph River. They found the fort deserted, and taking possession formally proclaimed that place and its dependencies and the Illinois River to be under the sovereignty of the Spanish king. Nothing further seems to have been accomplished, however, and no effort was made to prevent the recapture of the fort by the English from Detroit.* lish from Detroit.* On the temporary possession of this single fort, Spain was suspected of trying to es nations; E. H. Shepard, Early History of St. Louis; Moore, The Northwest under Three Flags, pp. 253-257. * Edward G. Mason, The March of the Spaniards across Illinois, in Magazine of American History, vol. xv., pp. 457-470 (May, 1886); Moore, The Northwest under Three Flags, p. 257 et seq.; Dunn, Indiana, p. 160; Roosevelt, Winning of the West, vol. ii., p. 179. CRAWFORD'S DISASTROUS CAMPAIGN. tablish a claim to the western territory north as well as south of the Ohio.* Meanwhile the forces at Fort Pitt had been planning an invasion of the Northwest. McIntosh had been succeeded in command at Fort Pitt by Colonel Daniel Brodhead, under whom in April, 1781, the Delaware villages on the Muskingum were laid waste.† Brodhead was ordered to aid Clark's western enterprises, and in August, 1781, a force of 107 Pennsylvania mounted soldiers under Colonel Archibald Lochry was sent to join Clark, but at the mouth of the Great Miami this force was ambushed and annihilated.‡ In October, 1781. William Irvine, sent to take com. mand at Fort Pitt, determined to send an expedition to capture Detroit. In May, 1782, therefore, a force of 480 men under William Crawford started on the journey,|| and early in June had reached Upper Sandusky. Receiving news of this intended invasion, De Peyster at Detroit immediately took steps to repel it. He secured the services of the Indians, chiefly Wyandots and Delawares, sending them ahead to intercept the Americans, and also organized a body of rangers under Cap * Wharton, Diplomatic Correspondence, vol. v. pp. 363-364; Sparks' ed. of Franklin's Writings, vol. ix., pp. 206, 386. † Roosevelt, Winning of the West, vol. ii., 151. Ibid, p. 117. P. See Irvine's letter to Washington, in Sparks, Correspondence of the Revolution, vol. iii., pp. 509-511. 281 tain Caldwell to support the savages. Meanwhile, Meanwhile, after reaching Upper Sandusky on June 4, Crawford had determined to push forward, and soon met the advancing Indians. Crawford attacked the Delawares who appeared first and defeated them, but the Wyandots now appeared and the Delawares slipped around to attack the Americans in the rear. But night fell, and fighting was discontinued until the next day. At daybreak the battle was renewed, the Americans being surrounded by the Delawares on the south and the Wyandots on the north. The Rangers from Detroit now arrived on the field, and 200 Shawanese also swept up from the south. To save his force, Crawford determined to retreat, and finally, with only 300 men left, succeeded in reaching Upper Sandusky. Colonel Crawford, however, was found to be missing, and it was then decided to continue the retreat to the point from which the expedition had started, which was reached on June 17. Crawford had remained behind to wait for some stragglers to come up, and had been captured by the Delaware Indians. Handed over to the chiefs, he was tortured and burned at the stake, and thus ended his illfated expedition.* *See C. W. Butterfield, Crawford's Campaign; Roosevelt, Winning of the West, vol. ii., pp. 158166; Moore, The Northwest under Three Flags, pp. 267-275; Dunn, Indiana, pp. 160-161; King, Ohio, pp. 158-159; Irvine's letter of July 11, in Sparks, Correspondence of the Revolution, vol. iii., pp. 522-524. 282 BATTLE OF THE BLUE LICKS. In June news of the peace negotiations and the cessation of hostilities reached Detroit, and on August 15 De Peyster sent an express to Caldwell to cease operations, but before the message arrived he had inflicted a disastrous defeat on the Americans in Kentucky. Caldwell had taken a force of 30 Rangers and 200 Lake Indians, beside some Delawares and Shawanese, and made an unsuccessful attack on Bryan's Station in Kentucky. Clark's lieutenant, Colonel John Todd, aided in resisting the attack, and then pursued the Indians until the two forces met, resulting in the battle of Blue Licks, in which Todd and 70 of his command were killed, and seven captured, with the loss to the enemy of only one Ranger and six Indians.* Clark determined to retaliate, and in November he and Simon Kenton at the head of 1,050 men attacked the Miami towns, burned crops, captured prisoners, recaptured whites, and destroyed the establishments of the British traders. This attack ended the Revolutionary war in the Northwest.† In the latter part of August, Major Ross made an incursion into the Mohawk Valley, at the head of 600 regulars, rangers and Indians. At Johnstown, Colonel Marinus Willett with Roosevelt, Winning of the West, vol. ii., pp. 187-207; Shaler, Kentucky, pp. 83–97. † Moore, The Northwest under Three Flags, pp. 275-276; Shaler, Kentucky, p. 91; Dunn, Indiana, p. 161; Lossing, Field-Book of the Revolution, vol. ii., pp. 294-295; Roosevelt, vol. ii., pp. 208 210. about 350 troops came up with him, but in the ensuing engagement part of the Americans took to flight. Willett was soon afterward reinforced by 200 militia and when the battle was renewed the British were in turn put to flight. Though Willett pursued them, he was unsuccessful in his attempt to capture or destroy the force. The loss of the enemy in killed is not known, but 52 prisoners were taken. Of the American force 13 were killed, 23 were wounded, and 5 missing. Among the killed was Walter Butler, who had become infamous through the massacre at Cherry Valley.* Though he pleaded for mercy, he was treated exactly as he had treated his prisoners at Cherry Valley. Fearing that because of the successes of the American troops in Virginia the efforts of Congress and the people in general would be relaxed, Washington recommended vigorous preparations for another campaign, saying, "Whatever may be the policy of European courts during this winter, their negotiations will prove too precarious a dependence for us to trust to. Our wisdom should dictate a serious preparation of war, and, in that state, we shall find ourselves in a situation secure against every event." While in Philadelphia, Washington secured the passage of a reso *See Campbell, Border Warfare of New York, pp. 208-213; Thacher, Military Journal, p. 294; Heath's Memoirs, pp. 294-296; Lossing, FieldBook of the Revolution, vol. i., pp. 290–292. WASHINGTON'S LETTERS TO THE STATES; THE RESULT. lution appropriating money and supplies sufficient to maintain the military establishment for about a year. The States were requested to furnish their quotas of troops as soon as possible, and Washington himself wrote two circular letters to the governors of the various States.* These letters were sent out toward the close of January, 1782, and in them Washington reminded the governors how the army had been thrown into a ferment twelve months before because of inability to pay the troops, and by lack of clothing and provisions. He gave warning that the recent successes in Virginia might tend to cool the ardor of the country in prosecuting the war; assured them that a vigorous prosecution of the war was the only thing that would guarantee the independence of the United States; and exhorted them to adopt such measures as would insure the prompt payment of the money requested by Congress. A few days later, he addressed another note to the States, requesting them to complete. their quotas of troops, saying that the continuance of the war rested on their vigor and decision, and that the terms of peace, if the enemy were disposed to treat, might largely depend upon whether the American army was or was not superior in troops and equip *See Sparks, Life of Washington, pp. 347-350. See also Lodge, George Washington, vol. i., p. 315 et seq. Sparks' ed. of Washington's Writings, vol. viii., p. 226. 283 ment to the British. He said: "I am persuaded that only some great occasion was wanting, such as the present movement exhibits, to rekindle the latent sparks of that patriotic fire into a generous flame, to rouse again the unconquerable spirit of liberty, which has sometimes seemed to slumber for a while, into the full vigor of action.”* Nevertheless, the result was extremely disappointing to Washington. The State legislatures declared that their constituents were unable to pay taxes; and, instead of making preparations to replenish the Continental treasury, several of the States were devising means to draw money from it. Moreover, some of the States which had imposed taxes directed that the necessities of the State should be supplied first, and that only the residue should be paid to the Continental treasury. Morris had succeeded in greatly diminishing the running expenses of the government, but as yet they were great and must continue so, even though the means of meeting these expenses failed. At the beginning of 1782 there was not a dollar in the treasury, and yet, as Marshall says, " to the financier every "to eye was turned; to him the empty hand of every public creditor was stretched forth; and against him, instead of the state governments, the complaints and imprecations of every unsatisfied claimant were directed." * Ibid, vol. viii., pp. 232, 235. 284 THE CASE OF CAPTAIN ASGILL. Morris deeply felt the ingratitude of the country, but resolved not to abandon the cause. In writing to Washington to inform him that the taxes due in July would not be paid until December, he said: "With such gloomy prospects as this letter affords, I am tied here to be baited by continual clamorous demands; and for the forfeiture of all that is valuable in life, and which I hoped at this moment to enjoy, I am to be paid by invective. Scarce a day passes, in which I am not tempted to give back into the hands of Congress the power they have delegated, and to lay down a burden which presses me to the earth. Nothing prevents me but a knowledge of the difficulties which I am obliged to struggle under. What may be the success of my efforts, God only knows; but to leave my post at present, would, I know, be ruinous. This candid state of my situation and feelings I give to your bosom, because you, who have already felt and suffered so much, will be able to sympathize with me.” Toward the middle of April, 1782, Washington left Philadelphia and rejoined the army at headquarters at Newburg. Upon his arrival there, he was informed of a shameful proceeding which has occurred some time previously. Captain Joshua Huddy, commanding a body of troops in Monmouth County, had been attacked by a party of refugees from New York, made prisoner, and closely confined in New York. A few days later he was led out and hung with a label on his breast stating that this was done in return for similar treatment to some of their number. Washington immediately took the matter into consideration and laid it before Congress. He then wrote to Clinton demanding that Captain Lippincott, the perpetrator of the deed, be given up, but as Clinton refused to comply with this demand Washington determined upon retaliation. He chose Captain Charles Asgill, a British officer of equal rank with Captain Huddy, who was then a prisoner in American hands, as the one upon whom a fate similar to that of Huddy should be visited. Both Clinton and Tarleton reprobated Lippincott's act, but they refused to surrender him, as it was asserted that he had only followed the orders of the Board of Associated Loyalists in New York. The matter was in suspense for a number of months, during which time Asgill's mother made every effort to save his life, even soliciting the interference of Vergennes, who wrote to Washington in her behalf. Finally, Washington set Asgill at liberty.* The various States did not send in their quotas of troops as promptly as Washington had expected, and he endeavored to arouse the States from their apathy by a circular letter, but with no greater success. Because Congress had been in arrears with their pay, the soldiers had become still more discontented and began to brood over their hardships. In reflecting on the inefficiency of Congress, and almost in despair of the success of the republican form of *Thacher, Military Journal, pp. 302-310; Heath's Memoirs, pp. 309-316 (Abbatt's ed.); Sparks, Life of Washington, pp. 350–352; Lodge, George Washington, vol. i., pp. 318-322; Irving, Life of Washington, vol. iv., pp. 420-423. See also the various letters regarding this quoted in Hale, Franklin in France, vol. ii., p. 207 et seq. |