Ironton Register, Thursday, August 13, 1896
OLD TIMES
HOW WAYNE'S SENTINELS WERE KILLED
(by John G. Wilson)
No. 57

Submitted by Sharon M. Kouns

For the Register.
It was during the Indian war, on the waters of the Miami river, where the occurrence took place, as it was related to me by one of my ancestors. The Indians had declared war against the whites. General Wayne had been ordered with 500 soldiers to the relief and defense of that portion of Ohio. He had made his camp in a bend on the Miami river. The bend was of horse shoe shape and the river ran almost around his camp. He chose this position for two reasons, one was that he would have an abudance of water which was of vital necessity to his men. The other was that having water on three sides, he would not have to build a stockade only on one side, guarding the river front with sentinels. He had sent out scouts in different directions and was impatiently awaiting their return. He was pacing to and fro in front of his headquarters, a large log hut erected in the center of the enclosed space. The stars and stripes waved gallantly from a pole fastened to one end of the hut. A sentry passed to and fro keeping his eyes fixed on his hasty-tempered commander. All at once he stopped, and calling to a corporal who was just passing, ordered him to go to the gate and see if none of his scouts had returned. The general passed into his hut and continued his walk inside. After a few minutes he sat down to a table, on which was writing material; also a tolerably fair map of the surrounding country. Wayne at that time was in the prime of manhood: determination was written on every feature of his countenance; his eye bespoke a quick and a hasty temper; he well deserved the appellation of Mad Anthony, which his soldiers gave him; while the red men called him "the man who never sleeps" and they dreaded him worse than any of their foes. It was in the fall of the year, about the middle of October, and the General was anxious to bring the war to a close, by a decisive victory over the Indians, before the winter began. The officer sent to the gate had reported that none of the scouts had returned.
The general sat up late in hopes that one of his scouts would come but finally becoming sleepy he wrapped himself in his blanket and was soon fast asleep. About the breaking of day he was aroused by the sentry rapping on the door and upon opening the same, he was confronted by the officer whose duty it was to go and relieve the sentries. He was evidently deeply disturbed for his countenance showed terror, anxiety and consternation. "What is the matter," the General said with impatience manifested in his voice. Another sentry found dead on his post was the reply. "Good heavens" said the General "are all my men to be killed in that manner? How did it occur?" He was found dead with an arrow sticking in his heart and his musket and cartridge box gone. He was also scalped. The man was dismissed and the general sat down to think over the tragedy. This makes five sentinels killed in that manner, in the last month, he said, talking to himself and something must be done. The man was found killed near the bank of the river and no traces of footsteps could be found, only the deadly arrow was left to tell how the deed was done.
Wayne was in a dilemma. The men were getting afraid of that particular post and what to do was the question. When the time to change sentries at night, the one selected, burst into tears and said he was a married man, had a wife and children, and that it was rushing into certain death to go on that fatal post. It was reported to the General and his orders were peremptory; no one would be excused and the poor soldier was almost frantic, when one of his comrades volunteered to take his place. He said when spoken to about his generosity, that he was a single man and that he was not afraid and was willing to take the risk. At nightfall he took his post and soon was walking to and fro with every faculty on the alert. His watch ended at midnight. About eleven o'clock, he saw the head of an Indian rise slowly above the bank of the river not 30 yards from him. It was a cloudy night, but the moon was about half full; and occasionally he could see. He raised his rifle, for he had exchanged his musket with the consent of his officer for a rifle. The Indian perceiving him quickly withdrew his head. He was the more watchful, but nothing occurred for some time, but a hog as he supposed it to be was discovered under the beech trees, which bordered the bank, rooting among the leaves evidently in search of nuts. He watched the hog which went back and forth, when he made the startling discovery that it was gradually getting nearer. His hair almost raised on his head and he wondered if there was not something more than a hog in the strange animal which was turning up the leaves, but always keeping in the densest shadow. He finally made up his mind that hog or Indian, he would shoot, so taking deliberate aim he fired. The camp was aroused; the drums beat the long roll; and the soldiers with Wayne at their head, came rushing pelmell to see what was the matter. The sentinel could only tell what he had done and pointed to a dark mass under one of the beech trees. A soldier ran to it, turning it over, discovered an Indian sewed up in a bear skin, with a bow and arrow in his hands. He was dead. The fatal bullet had penetrated the brain, killing him instantly. In his belt were the tomahawk and scalping knife. The mysterious murders of the sentinels were made plain. The Indian disguised in a bear skin and personating a hog had crept up by degrees to the careless sentinel and sent an arrow into his heart. Then the scalp was removed, the musket taken and the wily savage withdrew to tell his comrades how he had taken another scalp of the hated whites. Great was the rejoicing in the camp of Wayne at the killing of their mysterious foe. The soldier was promoted to be a corporal. One of the scouts arrived in the morning and brought news which enabled Wayne to make an attack and win a complete victory over his red foes. G.