They made no resistance. The men were literally murdered."”
Parts of the following are from the book, "The Ohio Frontier - Crucible of the old Northwest, 1720 - 1830 written by R. Douglas Hurt (1996)
During the ten year period 1780 - 1790 over a thousand settlers had been murdered in Indian raids north of the Ohio River. The brutality of those raids is evident in the following interviews with settlers at the time.
During the ten year period 1780 - 1790 over a thousand settlers had been murdered in Indian raids north of the Ohio River. The brutality of those raids is evident in the following interviews with settlers at the time.
Mrs. General Webb, a Kentuckian said the following:
“In early times, the people were honest to
each other. If a man did wrong, they sent him across the Ohio.”
"It
was the morning just after breakfast. The Indians were at
the door before we seen them. The dog baked and I went to the door with the child in my arms, and as soon as I came
out, one Indian took hold of me and another pulled the child from me and took it by the legs and knocked it's brains against
the wall and then went into the house killed my mother and two
other little children and after taking all out of the house they wanted to carry with them,
and they stripping all the clothes off my mother and the children they
killed, they then drew the dead bodies out of the house and set it on fire and it was burnt.“
A Sick Indian Game:
His captors had tied his
wrists together and drawn them over his knees after which a stick was passed
under his knees and over the wrists and a rope tied to it between them then
thrown over a limb of a tree. His tormentors then drew him up a distance and
let him fall by slacking the rope; continuing their hellish sport until the
concussion extinguished the vital spark.
In other words they threw a rope over the limb of a tree, pulled the man up upside down and then released the rope causing the man to fall down onto his head. They continued that until the man died.
Enough is Enough
On January 21, 1785, the treaty of Fort McIntosh treaty was negotiated with the Wyandots, Delawares, Chippewa and Ottawas that gave most of the lands in Ohio south of the line from Fort Laurens (Bolivar, Oh.) to the confluence of the St. Marys and St. Joseph Rivers (Fort Wayne, Ind.) to the United States. In doing so, those tribes were placed under the protection of the United States. The Shawnee and Miamis refused to take part in the negotiations and demanded that the government recognize their rights to land north of the Ohio and they made it very clear that they were willing to keep it by force if necessary. 
A year later (1786) a small number finally conceded to the agreements in the treaty mainly because they had no options; they were starving. The tribes who still had strong ties to the British continued their protests.
https://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=19807
George Rogers Clark
1752- 1818
Clark immediately organized a force of 2000 militia troops and on September 10th, started north into the upper Wabash River area in present-day Indiana. Before leaving Clark had ordered Colonel Benjamin Logan to collect another militia force and to lead his force into the upper Miami River valley against the Shawnee villages as a diversionary strike. These thrusts into Indian lands were to take place at the same time, Clarks leaving Louisville and Clark's Limestone, Ky, both heading directly north.
Some of the men in Logan's command were veterans of the Battle of Blue Lick in Kentucky, the last battle of the Revolutionary War fought in Kentucky (August 1782). In that battle, 50 British rangers and 300 Indians ambushed and routed 182 Kentucky militiamen killing 64, among them were young Robert Pogue's* step-father Joseph Lindsay and one particularly nasty Irishman named Hugh McGary.
*Robert Pogue later went on to build Fort Amanda in 1812.
One Particularly Nasty Irishman
Nine years earlier (1777), near Harrodsburg, Ky., 3 men including McGary's 14 year-old step-son William were making maple sugar when they were attacked by a group of Indians. The boy was killed. Hearing the news, 33 year old McGary and another man went in search of the Indians. They wound William's scalped and mutilated body and a short time later discovered the Indians nearby.
After a fierce fight, McGary were wounded but during the fight, he noticed that one of the Shawnee warriors was wearing his step-son's hunting shirt. McGary killed him, cut the Shawnee's body up, and then fed the bloody pieces to his dogs.
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_McGary)
McGray's intense temper and hatred for Indians was about to culminate in an incident that prolonged the distrust of the American government among the Indians that would last for another 30 years.
I haven't been able to find any drawings or sketches of Hugh McGary but below is a sketch of his son Hugh McGary jr. who later worked with his father in a tanning business in Evansville, Indiana. He is buried in that city. His father died and is buried in Prince
After a fierce fight, McGary were wounded but during the fight, he noticed that one of the Shawnee warriors was wearing his step-son's hunting shirt. McGary killed him, cut the Shawnee's body up, and then fed the bloody pieces to his dogs.
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_McGary)
McGray's intense temper and hatred for Indians was about to culminate in an incident that prolonged the distrust of the American government among the Indians that would last for another 30 years.
One Particularly Strong Woman
Mary (Buntin) McGary Hugh McGary's wife, was an equally strong-minded woman who "could manage McGary where a whole army couldn't." Despite the strength of her character, she was never able to cope with the death of her 14 year old son William. On hearing of his death, she retired to her bed until her death in 1780 at the age of 39.
I haven't been able to find any drawings or sketches of Hugh McGary but below is a sketch of his son Hugh McGary jr. who later worked with his father in a tanning business in Evansville, Indiana. He is buried in that city. His father died and is buried in Prince
Hugh McGary Jr.
1788- 1833
Benjamin Logan
The man leading Clark's army into the Upper Miami valley was 44 year old Benjamin Logan of Shelby County, Ky.
Benjamin Logan
1742 - 1802
Colonel Logan had assembled approximately 800 militia troops at Limestone (Maysville). They crossed the Ohio River in the last days of September and moved north. They moved almost directly north from Limestone to the Shawnee village of Mackachack on the upper Mad River. Mackachack was located approx. 1.3 miles east of West Liberty, Ohio. GPS 40° 15.053′ N, 83° 43.786′ W
Logan's army arrived in the vicinity of Mackachack around noon on the 6th of October 1786. He organized his troops into three columns. The left column was ordered to attack a smaller Indian village on the west bank of the Mad River opposite Mackachack. The center and right wing would attack Mackachack proper. The order was given, and the army charged quickly toward their objectives.
Most of the Shawnee warriors had left the area and on their way to join the force assembling to the west in Indiana. There were very few men left to defend their village. Logan easily overran Mackachack and captured a number of prisoners. The men then proceeded to attack and destroy several other Shawnee villages that were nearby."
Burying the Hatchet (not in a good way)
There are different stories about how Logans men entered the village of Mackachack. Some say it was a peaceful entry and they were welcomed with open arms. Afterall, they had received assurances that if their chief, Maluntha signed the Treaty of Fort McIntosh, he and his village would be protected by the government.
According to a report made by one of Logan's officers, Lieutenant Ebenezeer Denny, Logan's entry into the village was anything but peaceful.
Denny wrote that the plan all along was to encircle Mackachack and a smaller village directly across the and attack both at the same time. That plan failed when they were discovered about 3/4 of a mile from the villages so they immediately went into full battle mode.
According to a report made by one of Logan's officers, Lieutenant Ebenezeer Denny, Logan's entry into the village was anything but peaceful.
Denny wrote that the plan all along was to encircle Mackachack and a smaller village directly across the and attack both at the same time. That plan failed when they were discovered about 3/4 of a mile from the villages so they immediately went into full battle mode.
Payback Time
Leading charges into the village were 52 year old Daniel Boone and 31 year old Simon Kenton.
For Kenton, this was a retaliatory raid. Eight years earlier, he had been captured by the Shawnee and forced to run the gauntlet at Mackachack several times before making his escape.
According to Denny, "Daniel Boone and Simon Kenton raced their horses into the village killing a number of women and children and ten men with both sword and shot." In his report he wrote; "they made no resistance; the men were literally murdered."
Their troops entered the village with a vengeance shooting and killing anyone who got in their way.
For Kenton, this was a retaliatory raid. Eight years earlier, he had been captured by the Shawnee and forced to run the gauntlet at Mackachack several times before making his escape.
According to Denny, "Daniel Boone and Simon Kenton raced their horses into the village killing a number of women and children and ten men with both sword and shot." In his report he wrote; "they made no resistance; the men were literally murdered."
Remember Hugh McGary, the feisty little Irishman with the bad temper? He was also part of Logan's command and he was about to do something that caused the Shawnee to distrust the United States government for the next 30 years. .
Murdering a 90 year old Shawnee Chief
Chief Maluntha was rounded up immediately and brought to Logan by a man named William Lytle. Maluntha must have been shocked at what had just happened in his village. After all he had been promised by the government that he would be protected. According to one story,* Maluntha started waving an American flag and was carrying a copy of the peace treaty he had signed. Whether that's true or not will probably never be known, however the fact remains, he must have been in total shock. At his side was his 64 year-old wife, Non-hel-e-ma.Another account said that while Maluntha and Logan were talking, Maluntha was grinding up some tobacco in the palm of his hand and getting ready to smoke his pipe. To me, that gives the impression that the chief was somewhat non-chalant about everything that had just taken place in his village and that doesn't seem likely.
Whatever the case, while the 2 men were talking the hot tempered McGary rushed in between the two and yelled at the chief asking if he had been at the at the battle of Blue Licks (traditions says that Maluntha misunderstood the question and said, "Yes.") McGary, leaped forward and sank his hatchet into the forehead of the old chief killing him instantly. Logan immediately took control of the situation, placing McGary under arrest and threatening to kill anyone who harmed an Indian captive. Unfortunately the damage had already been done and added to the growing list of reasons the Indians no longer trusted the United States government to keep its word.
McGary eventually lost his officers commission for one year and that was the only penalty for his actions.
Horror in Wapakoneta
After burning the village, Logan and his men started northwest to the Shawnee village at Wapakoneta taking with them a 14 year old boy (more on him in my next post).
Where was the Shawnee Village at Wapakoneta in 1786?
We know that by 1808, there more than five hundred Shawnee, Seneca, and Ohio Seneca-Cayuga were living at Wapakoneta. The question is, where was the village located in 1786. I remember seeing an early 19th century map showing the village at the junction of Pusheta Creek west of Wapakoneta. I have also heard stories that there was a village located on the east side of the city on the north side of the Auglaize River directly north of Niswonger Chevrolet on Dixie Hwy. If memory serves me right, that was also the site of a French Trading post circa.1750.
The Raiders Go Home
On 8 October, Logan issued the order to withdraw back to Limestone, KY. They had destroyed more than 8 villages including Mackachack (1 mile east of West Liberty, Oh.) its sister village, Wapatomica, (4 miles to the northeast) and Wapakoneta (30 miles to the northwest)' Logan's losses were three men killed and three others wounded. They had killed 22 Indians including ten chiefs, had with them scalps of a dozen warriors, 26 women and children who had been prisoners along with several Indian women prisoners. They had destroyed a vast amount of foodstuffs and burned fields of crops literally destroying the Shawnees food supply for the upcoming Winter. Heading south they arrived at the Ohio River in less than a week, and the army disbanded
Where was the Shawnee Village at Wapakoneta in 1786?
By 1808, there were reports of more than five hundred Shawnee, Seneca, and Ohio Seneca-Cayuga living at Wapakoneta. The question is, where was the village located. I remember seeing an early 19th century map showing the village at the junction of Pusheta Creek west of Wapakoneta, I have also heard that one was located on the east side of the city and on the north side of the Auglaize River directly north of Niswonger Chevrolet on Dixie Hwy.
Who were the good guys and who were the bad guys?
Below is a list of scalps taken by Indians north of the Ohio River between 1780 and 1790. Scalping didn't kill a person but it gave them a pretty nasty haircut and as you can see from the pictures below, no one was spared, not even infants.
Logan's raids on the Shawnee villages had been particularly brutal. The Kentuckians had killed 22 Indians including women, killed 10 chiefs, destroyed 8 villages and their food supplies and took another 20 prisoners. In Wapakoneta, they enjoyed watching a captive burned at the stake with a pack of gunpowder tied around his waist. As shown in the chart above, and from the eye witness accounts mentioned earlier the Indians were just as savage.
Personal thought:
As I was writing this blog, it struck me that I had passed the village of Mackachack many times over the years and I had absolutely no idea of all the drama that took place 230 years ago, not only there, but in Wapakoneta as well. While I knew the Shawnee had a village in Wapakoneta, I didn't know that a savage battle, or should I say a massacre took place there. It also brought back memories of why I hated my Ohio history class in high school. It was boring. The only thing I remember from that class was that we made tires in Akron, Ohio. Don't ask me why.
Then I began to wonder what it would be like if I was an Ohio history teacher and the school gave me total freedom to create my own curriculum for the class. I thought about that for a while and came up with this.
I would focus the entire year only on historical events that took place within a 50 mile radius of the school. Why only 50 miles? Because you can't drive 50 miles anywhere in the western part of our state without passing a place where a significant historical events took place.
Because students often say they don't like history because they cant relate to it, I'd make their "tests" a written paper in which they'd not only describe the historic event, but how that event in some way had an impact on their lives, whether it be the issue of slavery, women's rights, or even possibly genealogically.
Whatever happened to that "nasty old Irishman."
Hugh McGary died in Princeton, Indiana. In May 1806, His will was executed in Probate Court. Hugh divided his land between his 3 sons. Pertaining to his slaves, McGary wrote: "...I also desire that my two Negro women, Tenar and Poll, bound to me by indenture, shall be the Slaves of my Wife Mary Ann during the term of seven years to assist in supporting my young Family and at the Expiration of said term of seven years I desire that they shall be free, and their indentures given up to them, But if my Wife Mary Ann should not continue to hold possession of the land above mentioned and Support my young Family on the same, it is my will that she shall be deprived of all the benefits arising from, or interest in, said land, also of the two Negro Women Tenar and Poll, but the same shall be left to the discretion of my Executor."
Whatever happened to Maluntha's wife and the young boy they took as a prisoner? (More on that in my next post)
Personal thought:
As I was writing this blog, it struck me that I had passed the village of Mackachack many times over the years and I had absolutely no idea of all the drama that took place 230 years ago, not only there, but in Wapakoneta as well. While I knew the Shawnee had a village in Wapakoneta, I didn't know that a savage battle, or should I say a massacre took place there. It also brought back memories of why I hated my Ohio history class in high school. It was boring. The only thing I remember from that class was that we made tires in Akron, Ohio. Don't ask me why.
Then I began to wonder what it would be like if I was an Ohio history teacher and the school gave me total freedom to create my own curriculum for the class. I thought about that for a while and came up with this.
I would focus the entire year only on historical events that took place within a 50 mile radius of the school. Why only 50 miles? Because you can't drive 50 miles anywhere in the western part of our state without passing a place where a significant historical events took place.
Because students often say they don't like history because they cant relate to it, I'd make their "tests" a written paper in which they'd not only describe the historic event, but how that event in some way had an impact on their lives, whether it be the issue of slavery, women's rights, or even possibly genealogically.