1790 Massacre of General Harmar's Army by the Miami Indians

1790  Massacre of General Harmar's Army by the Miami Indians

Gen. Harmar issued his orders on the 20th of October, 1790, before taking up the line of march on his return to Fort Washington. It is probable that the Delaware 
towns referred to in the account as being located on the St. Mary's River, are 
the '• Pickaway " towns of history, because the upper St. Mary's was long known 
as the Pickaway fork of the Maumee.* 

Some other interesting details of the proceedings on the 19th of October 
are given in an account somewhat amplified from that given by Col. Armstrong, 
which has been cited above. 

Col. Hardin, on the morning of that day, having pursued the same route as 
that taken by Col. Trotter on the day preceding, in pursuit of the savages, 
"finding himself in their neighborhood, he detached Capt. Faulkner, of the 
Pennsylvania militia, to form on his left, which he did at such a distance as to 
render his company of no service in the approaching engagement. Hardin's 
command moved forward to what they discovered to be the encampment of the 
enemy, which was flanked by a morass on each side, as well as by one in front, 
which was crossed with great promptness by the troops, now reduced to less than 
two hundred, who, before they had time lo form, received a galling and unex- 
pected fire from a large body of savages. The militia immediately broke and 
fled, nor could all the exertions of the officers rally them ; fifty-two of those dispersing being killed in a few minutes. 

" The enemy pursued until Maj. Fontaine, who had been sent to hunt up 
Faulkner and his company, returned with them, compelled them to retire, and 
the survivors of the detachment arrived safe in camp. 

11 The regulars, under Armstrong, bore the brunt of this affair, one Sergeant 
and twenty-one privates being killed on the battle-ground, and, while endeavoringto maintain their position, wen- thrown in disorder by the militia running       through their lines, flinging away their arms without even firing a shot. The    Indians killed in this affair nearly one hundred men."* 

The site of this sanguinary affair was, from the best information now attain- 
able, by observation, and deductions from the observation of others, in the south- 
western part of Eel River Township, not far distant from where Eel River crosses 
the county line. Indeed, there are numerous points within an area of less than 
three miles along Eel River, which bear unmistakable evidences of a terrible con-flict at arms. 

In the engagement that took place on the morning of the 22d, there are 
some details in the account before us not found in the more general yet mainly 
official narrative, from which we have before liberally quoted, but which, it is 
thought, contains some facts of interest not contained in the other. 

The detachment sent out under Col. Hardin, being formed in three divisions, 
with militia on the right, and left and regulars in the center, the left, under 
Maj. Hall, was ordered to pass round the bend and cross the St. Mary's in rear 
of the Indian towns on the St. Joseph's, and remain there until the battalion of 
Mai. McMullen, occupying the right, should cross the Maumee lower down, and 
eonnnenee the action by attacking the Indians on the east side of the            St. Joseph's. 
This latter movement was to be the signal for the regulars, under Hardin and 
Wyllys, who occupied the center, with Major Fontaine's cavalry, to cross the 
Maumee at the old ford and attack the enemy in front, and thus surround the 
Indian camp. Contrary to orders, however, Maj. Hall, instead of waiting for 
the signal, permitted some of his men to fire upon a straggling Indian, which, 
alarming" the Indians in the town, they attacked the troops on the left, The con- sequence of this was the discovery by the Indians" of Hardin's men, on the      opposite side of the Maumee, who immediately began to cross over, Major Fontaine 
being in advance. Before this division had crossed, it was attacked in front, on 
the north bank and in the river, the cavalry having, in the mean time, gained a 
footing in the borders of the town. The fight, soon became general, the Indians 
having the whites at a disadvantage. The contest was terrific, the savages being 
wrought up to a pitch of desperation seldom equaled, perhaps never excelled. 
Owing to the premature engagement on the left, the whole plan was so much dis- 
arranged that no two divisions could execute orders in concert ; thus divided, 
defeat was inevitable. Though the regulars and cavalry bore the brunt of battle 
with the most heroic fortitude, they were finally overcome by superior force.