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COCHOCTON CAMPAIGN.

CHAPTER XI.

COSHOCTON CAMPAIGN.

This campaign took place in the summer of 1780, and was directed against the Indian villages on the Forks of the Muskingum.

The place of rendezvous was Wheeling; the number of regulars and militia was about eight hundred. From Wheeling they made a rapid march, by the nearest route, to their place of destination. When the army reached the River a little below Salem, the lower Moravian town, Col. Broadhead sent an express to the missionary of that place, the Rev. John Heckewelder, informing him of his arrival in his neighborhood, with his army, requesting a small supply of provisions, and a visit from him in his camp. When the missionary arrived at the camp, the general informed him of the object of the expedition he was engaged in, and inquired of him whether any of the Christian Indians were hunting, or engaged in business in the direction of his march. On being answered in the negative, he stated that nothing would give him greater pain than to hear that any of the Moravian Indians had been molested by the troops, as these Indians had always, from the commencement of the war, conducted themselves in a manner that did them honor.

A part of the miltia had resolved on going up the River to destroy the Moravian villages, but were prevented frome executing their project by Gen. Broadhead and Col. Shepherd, of Wheeling.

At White-eye Plains, a few miles from Coshocton, an Indian prisoner was taken. Soon afterwards two more Indians were discovered, one of whom was wounded, both made their escape.

The commander, knowing that these two Indians {typo corrected} would make the utmost despatch in going to the town, to give notice of the approach of the army, ordered a rapid march, in the midst of a heavy fall of rain to reach the town before them, and take it by surprise. The plan succeeded. The army reached the place in three divisions. The right and left wings approached the River a little above and below the town, while the centre marched directly upon it. The whole number of Indians in the village, on the east side of the River, together with ten or twelve from a little village some distance above, were made prisoners without firing a single shot. The River having risen to a great height, owing to the recent fall of rain, the army could not cross it. Owing to this, the villages with their inhabitants on the west side of the River escaped destruction.

30 Printer's mark.