Martha, I posted this to the Crawford list back in July. Marilyn Nickless ============================================================ >I know this isn't new information, but I found the following story about Col. >Wm. Crawford's demise in my Collins/Stoner family history: > > "In the spring of the year 1782 the Indians became very numerous and >marauding bands were giving the settlers no end of trouble. > An appeal to Fort Pitt was made for soldiers to help chase them out. >A company of volunteers was raised and placed under the command of Col. >William Crawford. The regular soldiers assisted by the volunteers rove the >Indian bands across the Ohio River and north through Ohio. The Indians kept >retreating until they reached northern Ohio, where they were met by a large >supporting band of French and Indians. > Scouts reported that they were greatly outnumbered and a retreat was >ordered, whereupon some of the volunteers became panicy and Col. Crawford >and nine of his men were cut off and captured. Among this group was Dr. >Knight, a short muscular man from Bullskin Twp. These men were divided >between various bands of Indians, who either killed them or tortured them to >death. Crawford and Knight were kept together for a time and Knight was a >witness to Crawford's fate. > The Indians first bound Crawford's hands, with leather thongs with the >other end tied to a state leaving a short length which would allow a few >turns of travel around. He was then shot at with guns at short range >loaded only with powder until his naked body was blistered from head to >foot. > He was then driven around one way then back by the Indiana squaws who >showered him with red hot wood cinders until he was wading in firey coals. >Occasionally an Indian would slash him with a knife. > During this ordeal, Simon Gerty, the renegade half breed Indian trader, >sat on his horse close by. Crawford seeing him implored him to shoot him >to end his misery but Gerty only laughed and refused to interfere. > When completely exhausted Crawford fell flat in the burning cinders >when an Indian rushed to him, ran his knife around his head, then holding >his knife between his teeth tore Crawford's scalp from his head. There, >completely exhausted, smothered in cinders, death relieved his sufferings. > It is recorded that his death took place on June 10, 1782 in the valley >of the Tamooche Creek, near Sandusky, Ohio. > > Dr. Knight was more lucky, as with hands tied he was being taken to >another camp for a similar fate by two Indians, one of them having been >wounded but still able to travel. The night being chilly, they decided to >build a fire to roast some meat. Knight was able to work his thongs loose >but waited for a chance to get his captors off guard. When the fire was >burning well and the Indian was tending the meat Dr. Knight went into action >by grabbing a burning stick and driving it into the Indiana's body, thereby >putting him temporarily out of normal action. He then made a break for >liberty. One Indian grabbed his gun to shoot but in the hurry he broke the >gun and Knight escaped, finally arriving at Fort Mcintosh, on the Beaver >River June 22, 1782. The last Indian massacre in Green Co. took place at >Whiteley on a Sunday morning May 12, 1782 when the McCarthy family were all >killed when on their way to church. Crawford was burned at the stake by >the Indians at a place in the Valley of the Tamooche Creek June 10, 1782. > Among the volunteers on this expedition under Co. Crawford, were men by >the familiar names of John Smilie, James and John Collins, John Sherrard and >John Crawford, a son of the Colonel." >