OHIO STATEWIDE FILES - Know your Ohio: Ohio's Huron and Wyandot Indians [6]
***********************************************************************
OHGENWEB NOTICE:  All distribution rights to this electronic data are
reserved by the submitter.  Reproduction or re-presentation of copyrighted
material will require the permission of the copyright owner.  The submitter 
has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently 
for free access.
***********************************************************************
File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by
Darlene E. Kelley
http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00026.html#0006374
May 1, 2000
***********************************************************************
Historical Collections of Ohio
Diaries of S. J. Kelly
Plains Dealer
Know Your Ohio
by Darlene E. Kelley
***********************************************************************

Ohio's Huron and Wyandot Indians --- Part 6.

While Washington formed his administration and decided how to take their
lands in Ohio, the Wyandot in Canada were under British pressure to
surrender land in southwest Ontario for the resettlement of American
Tories displaced by the Revolutionary War. In May, 1790 they signed a
treaty with Alexander McKee ceding their lands east of Detroit in
exchange for two reserves; a small tract opposite; and a larger one at
Anderton on the Canard River near Amherstburg. Washington fnally decided
to take Ohio by force and ordered General Harmar to move against the
alliance. In October Harmar's army was mauled while trying to cross the
upper Wabash River in Northwest Indiana. Washington, who had a bad
temper, replaced Harmar with Arthur St.Clair, but in November, 1791 St
Clair's army was nearly annihilated in western Ohio. With 600 killed and
400 wounded, it was the worst defeat ever inflicted on an American army
by Native Americans.

Above all else, Washington should be remembered as someone who did not
surrender in the face of adversity. In 1792 he sent Anthony Wayne to
take command in Ohio.Amercans knew him as "Mad Anthony,"
but the Indians would call him " Blacksnake,"   because, like the
blacksnake, Wayne sat quietly, patiently waiting for the right moment to
strike. Wayne trained an army of regulars while building a line of forts
aimed straight into the heartland of the allience in northwest Ohio. As
the alliance chiefs nervously watched Wayne's slow, methodical approach.
American commissioners made overtures of peace. The British again urged
resistance, and the Shawnee killed two American representatives enroute
to a conference with the alliance. The alliance, however, was beginning
to unravel. It could field 2,000 warriors but it had trouble feeding
them over an extended period, and Wayne was definately extending the
conflict. In 1792 the Wabash tribes ( Peoria, Piankashaw, Kickapoo, and
Wea) signed a treaty with the Americans which caused them to leave the
alliance and remain neutral. The Fox and Sauk also wihdrew at the same
time.

In July. 1793 American commissioners met for the last time with the
alliance. At first, only the Wyandot, Shawnee, and Miami favored
continuing the war, while others were undecided. Finally, the majority
decided to fight, and the meeting ended. In October Wayne received
orders to begin an advance north from Fort Washington ( Cincinnati), One
of Wayne'ssupply trains was destroyed at Ludlow Spring, but he
established himself at Fort Greenville ( 80 miles north of Cincinnati ).
As the time of confrontation approached, doubts emerged within the
alliance, and the Shawnee chief, Blue Jacket opened separate
negotiations. The start of Wayne's advance may also have played a part
in the British decision to finally close its forts on American territory
and reach an accommodation with the United States. After a desperate
attack on the Americans at Fort Recovery failed, the alliance had only
700 warriors in August, 1794 to face Wayne's Legion at Fallen Timbers.
Aftr the battle, the retreating warriors sought refuge with the British
at Fort Miami, only to have them close the gates on their former allies.

Wayne's army marched right up to the British fort but did not attack.
Afterwards, the Americans burned several of nearby Indian villages and
destroyed their food supplies. Then Wayne returned to Fort Greenville
and waited. After a hungry winter, the alliance made peace. No longer
able to rely on British help against the Americans, the Wyandot and
other tribes signed the Treaty of Fort Grenville in 1795 ceding all of
Ohio except the northwest. This allowed the Wyandot to remain at
Sandusky and Detroit, and Cranetown was the only one of their villages
which needed to be relocated to conform to the Greenville treaty line.
With defeat after a long, bitter war, there was a terrible period of
social disintegration within the tribes of the alliance after 1795.
Wiskey became a major problem, and civil authority broke down. The peace
chiefs  (Walking-in-the-water was the Wyandot peace chief) controlled
the tribal councils and were determined to cooperate with the Americans.
Although sometimes this was helped by bribery, most were doing the best
they could, and it was, in general, a thankless job which all too often,
put them into danger from their own people.
*****************************************************

The Treaty of Greenville--
Wyandots, Delawares, Etc
August 3, 1795--

A treaty of peace between the United Sttes of America, and the tribes of
Indians called the Wyandots, Delawares, Shawnees, Ottawas, Chippewas,
Pattawatimas, Miamis,Eel Rivers, Weas, Kickapoos, Piankeshaws, and
Kaskaskias.

To put an end to a destructive war, to settle all controversities, and
to restore harmony and friendly intercourse between the said United
States, and Indian Tribes, Anthony Wayne, major general commanding the
army of the United States, and sole commissioners for the good purposes
above mentioned, and the said tribes of Indians, by their sachems,
chiefs, and warriors, met together at Greenville, the headquarters of
the said army, have agreed on the following articles, which, when
ratified by the President, with the advice and consent of the Senate of
the United States, shall be binding on them and the said Indian Tribes.
******************************************************

To be continued in part 7 -- The Treaty of Greenville --1795