against the Territorial Laws but as the United States have by Treaty Guaranteed the safety of the Indians and the Territory is unable to bring him to justice they could not in my opinion employ $600 or $1000 to a better object. I have the honor to be with great respect Sir your humble servt. WILLM. HENRY HARRISON Honble. HENRY DEARBORN Esq. Secy. of War P. S. There is a Mr. Lorimier who resides on the Mississippi who has great influence over the Delawares and ShawI have thought of sending a confidential person to him to endeavour to ascertain from him the object of the frequent councils held by these tribes and if he does not know to engage him to visit their settlements on the Heads of White River and at Greenville for that purpose. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your favor of the 16th of May. The $1000 mentioned shall be employed agreeably to your directions. W. H. H. HARRISON TO HARGROVE HEADQUARTERS POST VINCENNES July 12th, Sunday, 1807 Cockrum, Pioneer History, 210, 211 Captain WM. HARGROVE, Indiana Territory Ranger Service: This will be handed you by a Piankashaw Indian who is thoroughly reliable. He will remain with you until you send your next report. The half-breed, Swimming Otter, came in this noon and reported there were twelve in the band of Indians hunters and they will start Tuesday night, aiming to cross White river above White Oak Springs [Petersburg] and go in a direction that will place them on the Ohio at the mouth of Green river. It is hard to determine where they will cross the old Indian road that you are on, but some place between the mudhole and the White Oak Springs fort. The people at that Fort must be advised. You have the authority to secure as many men for temporary service from the White Oak Spring fort as they can spare. You must have the sec 2. Louis Lorimier, a Canadian, settled at Cape Girardeau, Mo., 1793. He had traded among the Shawnees and Delawares. Burton, Historical Col. 136; Houck, Spanish Regime in Missouri, vol. 2, 59-100. 15-21182 tion all along for fifteen miles to the east thoroughly patrolled. There will be thirty mounted men from this Post sent to the south of you who will patrol along and near to the Patoka river with scouts at the different fords on that river. With all this vigilance I feel sure that the Indian band will be destroyed or turned back. By the direct order of WM. H. HARRISON Governor of Indiana Territory JOHN GIBSON, Sec'y. of Indiana Territory Post Script: Have the scouts with the Indians on duty near White river, send the Piankashaw Indian to a point near the forks of White river to report to you every morning. He is thoroughly acquainted with that section. By the Governor HARRISON TO HARGROVE HEADQUARTERS POST VINCENNES, July 17, 1807 Captain WM. H. HARGROVE, Commanding a Detachment of Rangers: Your report by the Piankashaw Indian is to hand. The service rendered by your scouts is of such value to the country that the nation should substantially reward you and your commands. The Piankashaw Indian is well acquainted with the White river for many miles east of the fork. The chastisement given this band of robbers and cutthroats will have a good effect on them and others who would have followed them if they had been successful. The Indian only learns as it is shot into him. There will be no more raids from that direction this season but it is only safe when we are prepared to meet them, if they should attempt to come again. Say to young Hogue that the Governor will write him a personal letter complimenting him for the good shot he proved to be. By order of WM. H. HARRISON, Governor of Indiana Territory. JOHN GIBSON, Sec'y. of Indiana Territory HARRISON TO HARGROVE VINCENNES, INDIANA TERRIRORY, July 23, 1807 Captain WM. HARGROVE, in the Ranger Service: Your report is to hand. The salt, meal and other supplies were sent by cart two days ago. The receipt paper I enclose to you. Also fifty pounds of lead, fifty pounds of powder, two hundred gun-flints, one bail of tow sent to White Oak Springs Fort in care of Woolsey Pride. The ten men you enlisted for extra service should have a certificate something like the following: 'James Blank served ten days on extra military duty with the Rangers under Captain William Hargrove, commanding, dated and signed.' The rangers on the traveled way to the south need not make more than one trip each way every ten days. The danger does not exist on that route that did some months ago but they will patrol to the east, south of the Patoka river a distance of forty miles as the river runs, to a trace that crosses that river coming north from the Yellow Banks. There is no regular traveled way. John Severn' will guide them over a blind trace which runs on a line on which formerly there was a chain of small Indian towns running many miles to the east. They can go over this route as often as once each ten days until further orders. Mr. Severns has been seen and will go as soon as you can make the necessary arrangements. You will want good axemen to mark the traces plain by making blazes on the sides of the trees near the road so that it can be easily followed without a guide. By order of the Governor JOHN GIBSON, Sec'y. of Indiana Territory He 1. John Severn was the first permanent settler of Gibson Co. it is thought. was a Welshman who had come with his parents to Va. He served as a soldier in the Rev. War. While home on furlough in the Mts. of western Va. the family was surprised by Indians: parents and two young children killed. He was a prisoner among the Indians and hunted over the place where he later settled; in 1790 he squatted at Severn's bridge 21⁄2 miles north of Princeton. Cockrum, Pioneer History, 165. For a more detailed account of the experience of John Severn see Stormont, Gibson County, 87 HARRISON TO HARGROVE HEADQUARTERS INDIANA TERRITORY, August 13, 1807 Captain WM. HARGROVE, Commanding Rangers: Scout FuQuay with your report is here. This office is well pleased to learn that everything is so quiet in your district. It often happens that the lull in Indian warfare is only temporary and that they are preparing to make a much larger raid at a point where you don't expect them. Indian warfare as I have learned, after thirty years of experience is like no other campaigning. Their approach is so sly and stealthy that you can never tell where or when they will come. They are the slyest and most treacherous enemy that any civilized troops ever had to contend with and the only security on the border is continual vigilance. The camp of white people that Scout FuQuay found east of the trace to the Yellow Bank are no doubt a part of the misguided people who have scattered over the country as fugitives from justice that had assembled at an island up the Ohio river as followers of that arch traitor and murderer, Aaron Burr.1 The Governor has closely interogated FuQuay and this is his opinion. The people are guilty of no more wrong than that of being duped by one of the smartest villian in the country. They only acted as was dictated to them by those who held and had held high positions in the Government. It is broadly hinted that a man [Wilkinson] high in military command in the American army was strongly tinctured with Burr's chimerical conspiracy that saved himself from disgrace by turning a traitor to Burr. The thing to do is for you to have these four misguided men with their wives and helpless children, prepare a fort some place where you think best in your military territory so you can give them your protection. Your good judgment is depended upon to keep this matter close and so instruct the refugees. FuQuay has been obligated to secrecy. These people are no doubt worthy and will grow up among the other pioneers and be useful to our country. You will find out from them if they know of any other bands in hiding. This territory needs more people and these misguided, duped men and women will make as good citizens as 1. For an account of one of these small bands see Cockrum, Pioneer History, 472. See also Harrison to Hargrove Aug. 20, infra. any. Your requisition for provision and ammunition has been sent to you at White Oak Springs in care of Woolsey Pride who was at this Post yesterday. By the authority of the Governor JOHN GIBSON, Sec'y of Indiana Territory HARRISON TO SECRETARY OF WAR VINCENNES 13th August 1807 SIR: It is with great pleasure I inform you that the Result of several councils held by the Indians in this quarter has been an unequivocal and unanimous determination to preserve the relations of peace and amity with the U. S. from which they derive so much advantage. I pledge myself for the peaceable disposition of the Delawares, Miamis, Weas, Eel River Tribe, Piankeshaws, Kickapoos and the greater part of the Shawanos. Overtures have been made to them both by the British and Spaniards which they have rejected with indignation. The speech from one of the agents of the latter said to be in writing I expect to get possession of. The determination of the council held at the Kickapoo town at which the above mentioned tribes were represented have been forwarded by them to the Indians of the Lakes. I have the Honor to be with great respect and consideration Sir your humble servant, WILLM. HENRY HARRISON The Hon. The Secretary of War MESSAGE TO THE LEGISLATURE1 August 17, 1807 Western Sun, August 22, 1807 Dawson, Life of Harrison, 94-99 Fellow citizens of the Legislative Council and House of Representatives2 The existence of difficulties in the execution of our revenue law, which could not be overcome but by the interposition of 1. There is a discrepancy concerning the date of this message. Harrison himself, in Dawson, Life of Harrison, gives the date as August 18, while the Western Sun gives |