Warren County
Local History by Dallas Bogan |
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Dallas Bogan on 17 August 2004 |
Source: |
original article by Dallas Bogan |
Return to Index to see a list of other articles by Dallas Bogan |
Judge John Cleves Symmes has been mentioned at times in recent
articles. He was the leader in the association of twenty- four men who contracted
with the Continental Congress for the purchase of the lands between the Miamis.
A letter was written, dated January 12, 1792, by Symmes in reference to the
immorality of the remainder of General Arthur St. Clair's army
after the devastating defeat by the Indians.
St. Clair's defeat was the most severe disaster an army of white men ever suffered
against the Indians. The army was completely surrounded at night and at daybreak
a fight of four hours resulted in a total triumph for the Indians. The loss
for the white men was given at 894, all within the area of ten acres. The remainder
scattered in total confusion.
Symmes expresses in his letter of "the dreadful misfortunes
attending the last summer's operations." Symmes's management
or his mismanagement of the land procurement, or perhaps St. Clair's
defeat, can possibly be blamed for the delay of development of the Miami lands.
He says:
"I found the Miami settlements in the greatest disorder arising from dismay
at the late defeat. Many families had fled into Kentucky before I arrived. I
had the address to dissuade many others from following them. We have lost from
the purchase on this occasion about twenty families in all, tho but one from
North Bend is gone; many more were on tiptoe to be going, and it is with difficulty
that I have retained them. I hope their fears are pretty well over for the present
and are in some measure reconciled to stay, but should the Indians this winter
or spring make a breach upon any one of the villages in the purchase, I fear
that all the inhabitants of the other villages will fly for safety into Kentucky
and leave the purchase once more a desert."
The letter tells of the intemperance and profanity of St. Clair's army. The
nature of his army consisted of mere boys and the rest were of an incapable
character.
Judge Symmes was disturbed by the wickedness, intemperance
and profanity of both "officers and men." He says:
"It is also to be feared that the impiety of our troops may not be considered
as the most remote cause of our misfortunes. If it be true, as our religion
teaches, that the great Governor of the universe is in fact the God of armies,
and really inspects into the conduct of men and is himself of immaculate holiness,
and I own myself so much of a fanatic as to believe that he is, how can we expect
his smiles on our arms, when the most horrid blasphemies, drunkenness and lewdness
marks the character of too many of our troops; there are indeed very few exceptions.
I wish these vices were only to be found among the private men, but there are
too many officers, whom one would suppose from their stations, possessed of
some ideas of decency in their language, good manners and morality, but who
in fact are the profanest wretches I ever heard with a tongue."
William Henry Harrison was one of the few officers in the wars
against the Indians who did not become intemperate. Harrison
left college in Virginia and was appointed an ensign in the army before he was
nineteen. He was ordered to join his regiment at Ft. Washington.
He arrived at Cincinnati just after the remainder of St. Clair's
bedraggled army had returned. He says their clothing was reduced to rags and
their appearance was one of many sufferings.
Cincinnati at this time was considered a small village with only about 25 or
30 log cabins and the provisions were considered inadequate as compared to today's
standards. Meat was the only commodity in which the Kentuckians could supply.
Harrison says:
"There appeared one means of gratification of which the discharged soldiers
eagerly availed themselves. The inhabitants, as well as the settlers, appeared
to have an abundant supply of whiskey, for which the wretched victims exchanged
the remnants of their scanty pay, at that $3 per month. I certainly saw more
drunken men in the forty-eight hours succeeding my arrival at Cincinnati than
I had in all my previous life."
Harrison was advised by a friend of his fathers to deliberate
over the decision to enter army life. The friend cautioned against the exposure
of the life of a youngster in relation to the surroundings. He stated that the
opportunities to distinguish himself were very slim.
Young Harrison ignored the environment and a devotion to reading
and studying allowed him to withstand the temptations to intemperance in spite
of the constant examples set before him.
Judge Jacob Burnet arrived in Cincinnati in 1796. He stated
that army life consisted of idleness, drinking and gambling to a greater extent
than at any subsequent period. He stressed that in the leisure hours, the bottle,
the dice-box and the card table were resorted to. He also says that most of
General Wayne's army was adept to hard drinking.
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This page created 17 August 2004 and last updated
28 September, 2008
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