Forwarded from Charles Steinman, Sincerely, J.L. ----- Original Message ----- From: Charles and Martha Steinman Sent: Sunday, September 05, 1999 8:03 AM Subject: 3rd Message-Attack on Ft. Henry Here is an account of the events just prior to the attack. Charles Border wars were uncommonly vicious, brutal BY JEFF SCHANKS, Wheeling News-Register and Intelligencer, Sept 1, 1999 The border war that was fought between the Indians and European settlers for the upper Ohio Valley, lasted from the early 1770's to the mid 1790's. The fighting was carried out by both sides with a viciousness and brutality uncommon in war. Atrocities were common on both sides. Even during times of relative peace they would shoot and kill each other on sight. Most times for no better reason that the victim was of the opposite race. But it was during tunes of open warfare that the most gruesome acts were committed. In their efforts to end the onslaught of white settlers, the most common tactic used by the Indians was to raid their (settlers) cabins. These isolated farm steads were vulnerable to attack due to there remoteness. Swiftness was a hallmark of these attacks, those not killed outright could expect little mercy. White captives could easily receive a tomahawk buried in their skull for showing the least resistance or not being able to keep up on the return march. Grabbing infants and toddlers by their ankles and bashing their brains out against a cabin wall or tree was a common remedy for these unwanted nuisances. Before the cabin was burned, it was plundered of any useful items and the livestock slaughtered. In return white frontiersmen would hunt down these raiders whenever possible. On occasion small armies of bordermen would launch punitive expeditions against the indian towns in central Ohio. Although these did not always have the desired results, many indian villages and towns were destroyed. The year 1777 had not been a good one for the American colonies, the first two years of the Revolution had seen defeat after defeat for Washington's army in the East. On the western frontiers, British Indian agents had been moving among the Indian tribes inciting them to strike the white settlements. White encroachment on to indian lands made the agents job fairly easy. To support the natives in the coming war, Great Britain supplied the tribes with very large amounts of muskets, powder, lead, scalping knives, tomahawks, and provisions. In 1777, urged on by the British Governor Hamilton in Detroit, the tribes struck back, from northwestern Pennsylvania to southwestern Virginia (now West Virginia) war parties continuously raided the frontier. Isolated farms and settlements were struck one after the other, with hundreds of the inhabitants either killed or marched off into captivity, the devastation was immense. It was so bad that the year 1777 was known as "the year of the bloody sevens." The Ohio Indians were at the height of their strength and power. In early August, General Hand, the commandant of the western department at Fort Pitt, received intelligence that the indians were planning a major attack. Friendly Moravian Indians in the Ohio country had long been sending such helpful information. This time they reported a force of hundreds of warriors was preparing to leave the Ohio country. Immediately the alarm was sounded up and down the frontier. With the fort at Wheeling, the probable objective of such a large force, five companies of militia were dispatched to aid in it's defense. Eventually, after nothing happened it was thought the reports were false. Three of the five companies were sent home. It was also said the militiamen ate too much beef. The remaining companies were commanded by Captain Samuel Mason and Captain Joseph Ogle. After several days of scouting Captain Ogle with 10-15 men returned to Wheeling on the evening of August 31. They had found no sign of indian activity on the approaches to Wheeling. Later that night a force of about 200-300 indians assembled south of Wheeling, knowing that groups of woodsmen would be out scouting for their arrival, the indians avoided the use of all known trails. By traveling in small groups and being extra cautious the native force arrived undetected. Moving up to the mouth of Wheeling creek an ambush was set up in the large cornfields in the bottom land next to the river, they concealed themselves on both sides of the trail that ran though the fields. In the early morning hours of September 1, an Irishman named Boyd and a Negro servant went out to retrieve the horses of Dr. McMechen, who wanted to return back east. While out looking for the horses they ran into six Indians. Both men turned and ran, Boyd was immediately shot and scalped, the Negro was permitted to escape to give the alarm. Thinking that there were only a small band of indians, Captain Mason and 14 men went out to scout. After finding the Indian trail they followed it down the cornfields, as the men were almost to the creek a withering fire was opened on them, from both sides. Immediately several men fell, the attackers fell upon the rest with knives and tomahawks. Faced with such overwhelming numbers, these men had little chance of survival. Mason and his sergeant, a man named Steel, were slightly separated from the rest, they encountered two indians and all four men fired at once, both indians fell, but so did both white men. Steel was mortally wounded. Although wounded Captain Mason managed to hide among some fallen trees and later made his way back to the fort. Though the ambush took place within three quarter-mile of the fort it was impossible for the people inside to see what was happening, a dense fog had blanketed the river bottoms and had reduced visibility substantially. Upon hearing noise of the ambush and the shrieks of the indians, Captain Ogle led out 12 men to come to the aid of Mason's men. When they reached the remains of Mason's men they were immediately engulfed in the same ambush, they were encircled and fallen upon by the attackers. Three men tried to run and make their escape. William Shepherd tried to run back to the fort, when he was almost there, he tripped on a grapevine and fell. He was tomahawked and scalped, Tom Glenn ran a short distance up the river before he was caught and killed. Hugh McConnell was lucky enough to make the safety of the fort. Few escaped the grizzly carnage of this second ambush. The losses from these two companies was nearly catastrophic for the defenders. Of the 26 men led out by the two captains at least 15 were killed and most of the rest severely wounded, this left few men with which to defend the little fort.