Death of Hiokatoo.--Biography.--His Birth--Education.--Goes against the
Cherokees, &c.--Bloody Battle, &c.--His success and cruelties in
the French War.--Battle at Fort Freeland.--Capts. Dougherty and
Boon killed.--His Cruelties in the neighborhood of Cherry Valley,
&c.--Indians remove their general Encampment.--In 1782, Col. Crawford is
sent to destroy them, &c.--Is met by a Traitor,--Battle.--Crawford's
Men surprized.--Irregular Retreat.--Crawford and Doct. Night
taken.--Council.--Crawford Condemned and Burnt.--Aggravating
Circumstances.--Night is sentenced to be Burnt.--Is Painted by
Hiokatoo.--Is conducted off, &c.--His fortunate Escape.--Hiokatoo in the
French War takes Col. Canton.--His Sentence.--Is bound on a wild
Colt that runs loose three days.--Returns Alive.--Is made to run
the Gauntlet.--Gets knocked down, &c.--Is Redeemed and
sent Home.--Hiokatoo's Enmity to the Cherokees, &c.--His
Height--Strength--Speed, &c.
In the month of November 1811, my husband Hiokatoo, who had been sick
four years of the consumption, died at the advanced age of one hundred
and three years, as nearly as the time could be estimated. He was the
last that remained to me of our family connection, or rather of my old
friends with whom I was adopted, except a part of one family, which now
lives at Tonewanta.
Hiokatoo was buried decently, and had all the insignia of a veteran
warrior buried with him; consisting of a war club, tomahawk and scalping
knife, a powder-flask, flint, a piece of spunk, a small cake and a cup;
and in his best clothing.
Hiokatoo was an old man when I first saw him; but he was by no means
enervated. During the term of nearly fifty years that I lived with him,
I received, according to Indian customs, all the kindness and attention
that was my due as his wife.--Although war was his trade from his youth
till old age and decrepitude stopt his career, he uniformly treated me
with tenderness, and never offered an insult.
I have frequently heard him repeat the history of his life from his
childhood; and when he came to that part which related to his actions,
his bravery and his valor in war; when he spoke of the ambush, the
combat, the spoiling of his enemies and the sacrifice of the victims,
his nerves seemed strung with youthful ardor, the warmth of the able
warrior seemed to animate his frame, and to produce the heated gestures
which he had practised in middle age. He was a man of tender feelings
to his friends, ready and willing to assist them in distress, yet, as
a warrior, his cruelties to his enemies perhaps were unparalleled, and
will not admit a word of palliation.
Hiokatoo, was born in one of the tribes of the Six Nations that
inhabited the banks of the Susquehannah; or, rather he belonged to a
tribe of the Senecas that made, at the time of the great Indian treaty,
a part of those nations. He was own cousin to Farmer's Brother, a
Chief who has been justly celebrated for his worth. Their mothers were
sisters, and it was through the influence of Farmer's Brother, that I
became Hiokatoo's wife.
In early life, Hiokatoo showed signs of thirst for blood, by attending
only to the art of war, in the use of the tomahawk and scalping knife;
and in practising cruelties upon every thing that chanced to fall into
his hands, which was susceptible of pain. In that way he learned to
use his implements of war effectually, and at the same time blunted all
those fine feelings and tender sympathies that are naturally excited, by
hearing or seeing, a fellow being in distress. He could inflict the
most excruciating tortures upon his enemies, and prided himself upon
his fortitude, in having performed the most barbarous ceremonies and
tortures, without the least degree of pity or remorse. Thus qualified,
when very young he was initiated into scenes of carnage, by being
engaged in the wars that prevailed amongst the Indian tribes.
In the year 1731, he was appointed a runner, to assist in collecting an
army to go against the Cotawpes, Cherokees and other southern Indians. A
large army was collected, and after a long and fatiguing march, met its
enemies in what was then called the "low, dark and bloody lands," near
the mouth of Red River, in what is now called the state of Kentucky.
[Footnote: Those powerful armies met near the place that is now called
Clarksville, which is situated at the fork where Red River joins the
Cumberland, a few miles above the line between Kentucky and Tennessee.]
The Cotawpes [Footnote: The Author acknowledges himself unacquainted,
from Indian history, with a nation of this name; but as 90 years have
elapsed since the date of this occurrence, it is highly probable that
such a nation did exist, and that it was absolutely exterminated at
that eventful period.] and their associates, had, by some means, been
apprized of their approach, and lay in ambush to take them at once, when
they should come within their reach, and destroy the whole army. The
northern Indians, with their usual sagacity, discovered the situation of
their enemies, rushed upon the ambuscade and massacred 1200 on the
spot. The battle continued for two days and two nights, with the utmost
severity, in which the northern Indians were victorious, and so far
succeeded in destroying the Cotawpes that they at that time ceased to be
a nation. The victors suffered an immense loss in killed; but gained the
hunting ground, which was their grand object, though the Cherokees would
not give it up in a treaty, or consent to make peace. Bows and arrows,
at that time were in general use, though a few guns were employed.
From that time he was engaged in a number of battles in which Indians
only were engaged, and that made fighting his business, till the
commencement of the French war. In those battles he took a number
of Indians prisoners, whom he killed by tying them to trees and then
setting small Indian boys to shooting at them with arrows, till death
finished the misery of the sufferers; a process that frequently took two
days for its completion!
During the French war he was in every battle that was fought on the
Susquehannah and Ohio rivers; and was so fortunate as never to have been
taken prisoner.
At Braddock's defeat he took two white prisoners, and burnt them alive
in a fire of his own kindling.
In 1777, he was in the battle at Fort Freeland, in Northumberland
county, Penn. The fort contained a great number of women and children,
and was defended only by a small garrison. The force that went against
it consisted of 100 British regulars, commanded by a Col. McDonald, and
300 Indians under Hiokatoo. After a short but bloody engagement, the
fort was surrendered; the women and children were sent under an escort
to the next fort below, and the men and boys taken off by a party
of British to the general Indian encampment. As soon as the fort had
capitulated and the firing had ceased, Hiokatoo with the help of a few
Indians tomahawked every wounded American while earnestly begging with
uplifted hands for quarters.
The massacre was but just finished when Capts. Dougherty and Boon
arrived with a reinforcement to assist the garrison. On their arriving
in sight of the fort they saw that it had surrendered, and that an
Indian was holding the flag. This so much inflamed Capt. Dougherty that
he left his command, stept forward and shot the Indian at the first
fire. Another took the flag, and had no sooner got it erected than
Dougherty dropt him as he had the first. A third presumed to hold it,
who was also shot down by Dougherty. Hiokatoo, exasperated at the sight
of such bravery, sallied out with a party of his Indians, and killed
Capts. Dougherty, Boon, and fourteen men, at the first fire. The
remainder of the two companies escaped by taking to flight, and soon
arrived at the fort which they had left but a few hours before.
In an expedition that went out against Cherry Valley and the neighboring
settlements, Captain David, a Mohawk Indian, was first, and Hiokatoo the
second in command. The force consisted of several hundred Indians,
who were determined on mischief, and the destruction of the whites. A
continued series of wantonness and barbarity characterized their career,
for they plundered and burnt every thing that came in their way, and
killed a number of persons, among whom were several infants, whom
Hiokatoo butchered or dashed upon the stones with his own hands. Besides
the instances which have been mentioned, he was in a number of parties
during the revolutionary war, where he ever acted a conspicuous part.
The Indians having removed the seat of their depredations and war to
the frontiers of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky and the neighboring
territories, assembled a large force at Upper Sandusky, their place
of general rendezvous, from whence they went out to the various places
which they designed to sacrifice.
Tired of the desolating scenes that were so often witnessed, and feeling
a confidence that the savages might be subdued, and an end put to their
crimes, the American government raised a regiment, consisting of 300
volunteers, for the purpose of dislodging them from their cantonment and
preventing further barbarities. Col. William Crawford and Lieut. Col.
David Williamson, men who had been thoroughly tried and approved, were
commissioned by Gen. Washington to take the command of a service that
seemed all-important to the welfare of the country. In the month of
July, 1782, well-armed and provided with a sufficient quantity
of provision, this regiment made an expeditious march through the
wilderness to Upper Sandusky, where, as had been anticipated, they found
the Indians assembled in full force at their encampment, prepared to
receive an attack.
As Col. Crawford and his brave band advanced, and when they had got
within a short distance from the town, they were met by a white man,
with a flag of truce from the Indians, who proposed to Col. Crawford
that if he would surrender himself and his men to the Indians,
their lives should be spared; but, that if they persisted in their
undertaking, and attacked the town, they should all be massacred to a
man.
Crawford, while hearing the proposition, attentively surveyed its
bearer, and recognized in his features one of his former schoolmates and
companions, with whom he was perfectly acquainted, by the name of Simon
Gurty. Gurty, but a short time before this, had been a soldier in the
American army, in the same regiment with Crawford; but on the account
of his not having received the promotion that he expected, he became
disaffected--swore an eternal war with his countrymen, fled to the
Indians, and joined them, as a leader well qualified to conduct them
to where they could satiate their thirst for blood, upon the innocent,
unoffending and defenceless settlers.
Crawford sternly inquired of the traitor if his name was not Simon
Gurty; and being answered in the affirmative, he informed him that he
despised the offer which he had made; and that he would not surrender
his army unless he should be compelled to do so, by a superior force.
Gurty returned, and Crawford immediately commenced an engagement that
lasted till night, without the appearance of victory on either side,
when the firing ceased, and the combatants on both sides retired to take
refreshment, and to rest through the night. Crawford encamped in the
woods near half a mile from the town, where, after the centinels were
placed, and each had taken his ration, they slept on their arms, that
they might be instantly ready in case they should be attacked. The
stillness of death hovered over the little army, and sleep relieved the
whole, except the wakeful centinels who vigilantly attended to their
duty.--But what was their surprise, when they found late in the night,
that they were surrounded by the Indians on every side, except a narrow
space between them and the town? Every man was under arms, and the
officers instantly consulted each other on the best method of escaping;
for they saw that to fight, would be useless, and that to surrender,
would be death.
Crawford proposed a retreat through the ranks of the enemy in an
opposite direction from the town, as being the most sure course to take.
Lt. Col. Williamson advised to march directly through the town, where
there appeared to be no Indians, and the fires were yet burning.
There was no time or place for debates: Col. Crawford, with sixty
followers retreated on the route that he had proposed by attempting to
rush through the enemy; but they had no sooner got amongst the Indians,
than every man was killed or taken prisoner! Amongst the prisoners, were
Col. Crawford, and Doct. Night, surgeon of the regiment.
Lt. Col. Williamson, with the remainder of the regiment, together with
the wounded, set out at the same time that Crawford did, went through
the town without losing a man, and by the help of good guides arrived at
their homes in safety.
The next day after the engagement the Indians disposed of all their
prisoners to the different tribes, except Col. Crawford and Doct. Night;
but those unfortunate men were reserved for a more cruel destiny. A
council was immediately held on Sandusky plains, consisting of all the
Chiefs and warriors, ranged in their customary order, in a circular
form; and Crawford and Night were brought forward and seated in the
centre of the circle.
The council being opened, the Chiefs began to examine Crawford on
various subjects relative to the war. At length they enquired who
conducted the military operations of the American army on the Ohio and
Susquehannah rivers, during the year before; and who had led that army
against them with so much skill and so uniform success? Crawford
very honestly and without suspecting any harm from his reply promptly
answered that he was the man who had led his countrymen to victory,
who had driven the enemy from the settlements, and by that means had
procured a great degree of happiness to many of his fellow-citizens.
Upon hearing this, a Chief, who had lost a son in the year before, in
a battle where Colonel Crawford commanded, left his station in the
council, stepped to Crawford, blacked his face, and at the same time
told him that the next day he should be burnt.
The council was immediately dissolved on its hearing the sentence from
the Chief, and the prisoners were taken off the ground, and kept in
custody through the night. Crawford now viewed his fate as sealed; and
despairing of ever returning to his home or his country, only dreaded
the tediousness of death, as commonly inflicted by the savages, and
earnestly hoped that he might be despatched at a single blow.
Early the next morning, the Indians assembled at the place of execution,
and Crawford was led to the post--the goal of savage torture, to which
he was fastened. The post was a stick of timber placed firmly in the
ground, having an arm framed in at the top, and extending some six
or eight feet from it, like the arm of a sign post. A pile of wood
containing about two cords, lay a few feet from the place where he
stood, which he was informed was to be kindled into a fire that would
burn him alive, as many had been burnt on the same spot, who had been
much less deserving than himself.
Gurty stood and supposedly looked on the preparations that were making
for the funeral of one his former playmates; a hero by whose side he
had fought; of a man whose valor had won laurels which, if he could
have returned, would have been strewed upon his grave, by his grateful
countrymen. Dreading the agony that he saw he was about to feel,
Crawford used every argument which his perilous situation could suggest
to prevail upon Gurty to ransom him at any price, and deliver him (as it
was in his power,) from the savages, and their torments. Gurty heard his
prayers, and expostulations, and saw his tears with indifference,
and finally told the forsaken victim that he would not procure him a
moment's respite, nor afford him the most trifling assistance.
The Col. was then bound, stripped naked and tied by his wrists to the
arm, which extended horizontally from the post, in such a manner that
his arms were extended over his head, with his feet just standing upon
the ground. This being done, the savages placed the wood in a circle
around him at the distance of a few feet, in order that his misery might
be protracted to the greatest length, and then kindled it in a number of
places at the same time. The flames arose and the scorching heat became
almost insupportable. Again he prayed to Gurty in all the anguish of his
torment, to rescue him from the fire, or shoot him dead upon the spot.
A demoniac smile suffused the countenance of Gurty, while he calmly
replied to the dying suppliant, that he had no pity for his sufferings;
but that he was then satisfying that spirit of revenge, which for a long
time he had hoped to have an opportunity to wreak upon him. Nature
now almost exhausted from the intensity of the heat, he settled down a
little, when a squaw threw coals of fire and embers upon him, which made
him groan most piteously, while the whole camp rung with exultation.
During the execution they manifested all the exstacy of a complete
triumph. Poor Crawford soon died and was entirely consumed.
Thus ended the life of a patriot and hero, who had been an intimate with
Gen. Washington, and who shared in an eminent degree the confidence of
that great, good man, to whom, in the time of revolutionary perils, the
sons of legitimate freedom looked with a degree of faith in his mental
resources, unequalled in the history of the world.
That tragedy being ended, Doct. Night was informed that on the next
day he should be burnt in the same manner that his comrade Crawford had
been, at Lower Sandusky. Hiokatoo, who out had been a leading chief in
the battle with, and in the execution of Crawford, painted Doct. Night's
face black, and then bound and gave him up to two able bodied Indians to
conduct to the place of execution.
They set off with him immediately, and travelled till towards evening,
when they halted to encamp till morning. The afternoon had been very
rainy, and the storm still continued, which rendered it very difficult
for the Indians to kindle a fire. Night observing the difficulty under
which they labored, made them to understand by signs, that if they would
unbind him, he would assist them.--They, accordingly unbound him, and
he soon succeeded in making a fire by the application of small dry stuff
which he was at considerable trouble to procure. While the Indians were
warming themselves, the Doct. continued to gather wood to last through
the night, and in doing this, he found a club which he placed in
a situation from whence he could take it conveniently whenever an
opportunity should present itself in which he could use it effectually.
The Indians continued warming, till at length the Doct. saw that they
had placed themselves in a favorable position for the execution of his
design, when, stimulated by the love of life, he cautiously took his
club and at two blows knocked them both down. Determined to finish the
work of death which he had so well begun, he drew one of their scalping
knives, with which he beheaded and scalped them both! He then took a
rifle, tomahawk, and some ammunition, and directed his course for
home, where he arrived without having experienced any difficulty on his
journey.
The next morning, the Indians took the track of their victim and his
attendants, to go to Lower Sandusky, and there execute the sentence
which they had pronounced upon him. But what was their surprise and
disappointment, when they arrived at the place of encampment, where
they found their trusty friends scalped and decapitated, and that
their prisoner had made his escape?--Chagrined beyond measure, they
immediately separated, and went in every direction in pursuit of their
prey; but after having spent a number of days unsuccessfully, they
gave up the chase, and returned to their encampment. [Footnote: I have
understood, (from unauthenticated sources however,) that soon after
the revolutionary war, Doct. Night published a pamphlet, containing
an account of the battle at Sandusky, and of his own sufferings. My
information on this subject, was derived from a different quarter.
The subject of this narrative in giving the account of her last husband,
Hiokatoo, referred us to Mr. George Jemison, who, (as it will be
noticed) lived on her land a number of years, and who had frequently
heard the old Chief relate the story of his life; particularly that part
which related to his military career. Mr. Jemison; on being enquired of,
gave the foregoing account, partly from his own personal knowledge, and
the remainder, from the account given by Hiokatoo.
Mr. Jemison was in the battle, was personally acquainted with Col.
Crawford, and one that escaped with Lt. Col. Williamson. We have no
doubt of the truth of the statement, and have therefore inserted the
whole account, as an addition to the historical facts which are daily
coming into a state of preservation, in relation to the American
Revolution.
AUTHOR.]
In the time of the French war, in an engagement that took place on the
Ohio river, Hiokatoo took a British Col. by the name of Simon Canton,
whom he carried to the Indian encampment. A council was held, and the
Col. was sentenced to suffer death, by being tied on a wild colt, with
his face towards its tail, and then having the colt turned loose to run
where it pleased. He was accordingly tied on, and the colt let loose,
agreeable to the sentence. The colt run two days, and then returned with
its rider yet alive. The Indians, thinking that he would never die in
that way, took him off, and made him run the gauntlet three times; but
in the last race a squaw knocked him down, and he was supposed to have
been dead. He, however, recovered, and was sold for fifty dollars to a
Frenchman, who sent him as a prisoner to Detroit. On the return of the
Frenchman to Detroit, the Col. besought him to ransom him, and give,
or set him at liberty, with so much warmth, and promised with so much
solemnity, to reward him as one of the best of benefactors, if he would
let him go, that the Frenchman took his word, and sent him home to his
family. The Col. remembered his promise, and in a short time sent his
deliverer one hundred and fifty dollars, as a reward for his generosity.
Since the commencement of the revolutionary war, Hiokatoo has been in
seventeen campaigns, four of which were in the Cherokee war. He was
so great an enemy to the Cherokees, and so fully determined upon their
subjugation, that on his march to their country, he raised his own army
for those four campaigns, and commanded it; and also superintended its
subsistence. In one of those campaigns, which continued two whole years
without intermission, he attacked his enemies on the Mobile, drove them
to the country of the Creek Nation, where he continued to harrass them,
till being tired of war, he returned to his family. He brought home
a great number of scalps, which he had taken from the enemy, and ever
seemed to possess an unconquerable will that the Cherokees might be
utterly destroyed. Towards the close of his last fighting in that
country, he took two squaws, whom he sold on his way home for money to
defray the expense of his journey.
Hiokatoo was about six feet four or five inches high, large boned, and
rather inclined to leanness. He was very stout and active, for a man of
his size, for it was said by himself and others, that he had never
found an Indian who could keep up with him on a race, or throw him at
wrestling. His eye was quick and penetrating; and his voice was of
that harsh and powerful kind, which, amongst, Indians, always commands
attention. His health had been uniformly good. He never was confined by
sickness, till he was attacked with the consumption, four years before
his death. And, although he had, from his earliest days, been inured
to almost constant fatigue, and exposure to every inclemency of the
weather, in the open air he seemed to lose the vigor of the prime of
life only by the natural decay occasioned by old age.
* * * * *