THE TREATY OF GREENVILLE
--_The surrender of the Ohio lands of the Miamis and their final
submission to the Government._
Lieutenant-Governor Simcoe, Joseph Brant and Alexander McKee did all
that lay within their power to stem the tide of savage defection. Simcoe
advised the tribes not to listen to any American overtures of peace, but
to simply propose a truce and make ready for further hostilities. He
tried to secure a deed of trust for the Indian lands from each nation,
promising them that England would guarantee the land thus ceded. A
general attack was to be made on all the frontiers in the spring. Brant
told them "to keep a good heart and be strong; to do as their father
advised." In the spring he would return with a large party of warriors
to fight, kill and pursue the Americans. He had always been successful
and victory was assured. McKee was active distributing clothing and
provisions. He made an especial appeal to the Shawnees who were known to
be the most hostile of all the tribes. In a private conference
afterwards held with Wayne, the Shawnee chief, Blue Jacket, told the
general that McKee had invited him to his house and had strongly urged
him to keep away from the council with the Americans. Seeing that his
entreaties were of no avail, he said: "The commission you received from
Johnson was not given you to carry to the Americans. I am grieved to
find that you have taken it to them. It was with much regret I learned
that you have deserted your friends, who have always caressed you, and
treated you as a great man. You have deranged, by your imprudent
conduct, all our plans for protecting the Indians, and keeping them with
us. They have always looked up to you for advice and direction in the
war, and you have now broke the strong ties which held them all
together, under your and our direction. You must now be viewed as the
enemy of your people, and the other Indians whom you are seducing into
the snares of the Americans have formed for their ruin, and the massacre
and destruction of their people by the Americans must be laid to your
charge." Massas, a Chippewa chieftain, told Wayne that when he returned
from the treaty of Muskingum (Fort Harmar), that McKee threatened to
kill him. "I have not now less cause to fear him, as he endeavored to
prevent my coming hither."
The importunities of the British agents, however, failed of their
object. The Indians had lost all confidence in British promises and
Wayne had filled them with a wholesome respect for the American arms.
Numbers of their leading chieftains, including Tarhe, of the Wyandots,
and Little Turtle of the Miamis, thought all further resistance useless.
No doubt many of them entertained the views that Brant long afterwards
openly expressed to Sir John Johnson. "In the first place," said the
great Mohawk, "the Indians were engaged in a war to assist the
English--then left in the lurch at the peace, to fight alone until they
could make peace for themselves. After repeatedly defeating the armies
of the United States, so that they sent Commissioners to endeavor to get
peace, the Indians were so advised as prevented them from listening to
any terms, and hopes were given them of assistance. A fort was even
built in their country, under pretense of giving refuge in case of
necessity; but when that time came, the gates were shut against them as
enemies. They were doubly injured by this, because they relied on it for
support, and were deceived. Was it not for this reliance of mutual
support, their conduct would have been different."
The first to come to Greenville to consult with Wayne, were the Wyandots
of Sandusky. "He told them he pitied them for their folly in listening
to the British, who were very glad to urge them to fight and to give
them ammunition, but who had neither the power nor the inclination to
help them when the time of trial came; that hitherto the Indians had
felt only the weight of his little finger, but that he would surely
destroy all the tribes in the near future if they did not make peace."
During the winter of 1794-1795 parties of Wyandots, Ottawas, Chippewas,
Potawatomi, Sacs, Miamis, Delawares and Shawnees came in, and on
February 11th, 1795, the preliminaries of a treaty were agreed upon
between the Shawnees, Delawares and Miamis, and the Americans.
Arrangements were also made for a grand council with all the Indian
nations at Fort Greenville, on or about the fifteenth of the ensuing
June.
[Illustration: General Anthony Wayne and Little Turtle at Greenville.
From an old painting by one of Wayne's staff. By Courtesy The Chicago
Historical Society]
The assemblage of Indian warriors and headmen that met with Anthony
Wayne on the sixteenth of June, and continued in session until the
tenth day of August, 1795, was the most noted ever held in America.
Present, were one hundred and eighty Wyandots, three hundred and
eighty-one Delawares, one hundred and forty-three Shawnees, forty-five
Ottawas, forty-six Chippewas, two hundred and forty Potawatomi,
seventy-three Miamis and Eel Rivers, twelve Weas and Piankeshaws, and
ten Kickapoos and Kaskaskias, in all eleven hundred and thirty savages.
Among the renowned fighting men and chiefs present, was Tarhe, of the
Wyandots, known as "The Crane," who had fought under the Cornstalk at
Point Pleasant, and who had been badly wounded at the battle of Fallen
Timbers. He now exercised a mighty influence for peace and remained the
firm friend of the United States. Of the Miamis, the foremost was the
Little Turtle, who was probably the greatest warrior and Indian diplomat
of his day or time. He had defeated Harmar and destroyed St. Clair, but
he now stood for an amicable adjustment. Next to Little Turtle was
LeGris. Of the Shawnees, there were Blue Jacket and Catahecassa, or the
Black Hoof. The latter chieftain had been present at Braddock's defeat
in 1775, had fought against General Andrew Lewis at Point Pleasant in
1774, and was an active leader of the Shawnees at the battles with
Harmar and St. Clair. Blue Jacket had been the principal commander of
the Indian forces at Fallen Timbers. Buckongahelas, of the Delawares,
Au-goosh-away, of the Ottawas, Mash-i-pinash-i-wish, of the Chippewas,
Keesass and Topenebee, of the Potawatomi, Little Beaver, of the Weas,
and many other distinguished Indian leaders were among the hosts. The
chief interpreters were William Wells, Jacques Laselle, M. Morins, Sans
Crainte, Christopher Miller, Abraham Williams and Isaac Zane.
The basis of the negotiations, steadfastly maintained by Wayne, was the
treaty of Fort Harmar of 1789. The general boundary established was to
begin at the mouth of the Cuyahoga river, run thence up the same to the
portage between the Cuyahoga and the Tuscarawas branch of the Muskingum,
thence down that branch to the crossing place above old Fort Laurens,
thence westwardly to a fork of that branch of the great Miami river
running into the Ohio, where commenced the portage between the St. Marys
of the Maumee and the Miami of the Ohio, thence westwardly to Fort
Recovery, thence southwesterly, in a direct line to the Ohio, so as to
intersect that river opposite the mouth of the Kentucky. The land west
of the Miami, and within the present limits of western Ohio and eastern
Indiana, was cut off of the domain of the Miamis, and included the line
of posts extending from Fort Washington to Fort Wayne. It was highly
prized by the Indians as a hunting ground, and its cession caused a loud
remonstrance from the Little Turtle. "You pointed out to us the boundary
line," said the great Miami leader, "which crossed a little below
Loramie's store, and struck Fort Recovery, and run from thence to the
Ohio, opposite the mouth of the Kentucky river. Elder Brother; You have
told us to speak our minds freely, and we now do it. This line takes in
the greater and best part of your brothers' hunting ground; therefore,
your younger brothers are of opinion, you take too much of their lands
away, and confine the hunting of our young men within limits too
contracted. Your brothers, the Miamis, the proprietors of these lands,
and all your younger brothers present, wish you to run the line as you
mentioned, to Fort Recovery, and to continue it along the road from
thence to Fort Hamilton, on the Great Miami river." This, however, Wayne
refused to do. The ground had been hardly won, and the United States,
although willing to pay a fair remuneration, was determined to protect
the outposts and inhabitants of the Ohio country.
Another controversy arose with the Little Turtle concerning the portage
at Fort Wayne. The government insisted on reservations of from two to
six miles square at Fort Wayne, Fort Defiance, Ouiatenon, Chicago, and
other important trading places. A large tract was reserved near Detroit,
and another near the Post of Michillimacinac. Clark's Grant was also
specially reserved by the United States. But when Wayne insisted on a
tract two miles square on the Wabash river, "at the end of the portage
from the Miami of the Lake (Maumee), and about eight miles westward from
Fort Wayne," the Little Turtle claimed that this was a request that
neither the English nor the French had ever made of them; that this
portage had in the past yielded them an important revenue, and had
proved, "in a great degree, the subsistence of your younger brothers."
The valiant old warrior made a stout defense of his claims, and fought
to the last for all that was dear to him about Fort Wayne, but was
forced to bow to the superior genius and commanding influence of the
American general.
Wayne had on his side two powerful factors. The first, was the
treachery of the English, which he dilated upon with telling effect. The
second, was the commanding influence of Tarhe and the Wyandots of
Sandusky, who were addressed with deference by the other tribes, and who
threw all their influence on the side of the treaty. At last the several
articles were agreed upon, and General Wayne, calling upon the separate
tribes in open council for a confirmation of the pact, met with a full
and unanimous response of approval. One of the originals of the treaty
was deposited with the Wyandots as the custodians of all the nations. At
the last arose Tarhe to make this touching and final appeal: "Father:
Listen to your children, here assembled; be strong, now, and take care
of all your little ones. See what a number you have suddenly acquired.
Be careful of them, and do not suffer them to be imposed upon. Don't
show favor to one, to the injury of any. An impartial father equally
regards all his children, as well those who are ordinary, as those who
may be more handsome; therefore, should any of your children come to you
crying, and in distress, have pity on them, and relieve their wants."
The tribes were satisfied. A fair price had been paid to them for their
lands, and satisfactory annuities had been granted. Practically all of
the leading chiefs remained loyal to the government, and true to the
peace. Wayne had proved himself not only successful at war, but
proficient in diplomacy.