CRAWFORD’S DEFEAT
A TALE OF THE FRONTIER IN 1812
Prepared by the Staff of the
Public Library of Fort Wayne and Allen County
1954
One of a historical series, this pamphlet is publishedunder the direction of the governing Boards of the PublicLibrary of Fort Wayne and Allen County.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE SCHOOL CITY OF FORT WAYNE
- B.F. Geyer, President
- Joseph E. Kramer, Secretary
- W. Page Yarnelle, Treasurer
- Mrs. Sadie Fulk Roehrs
- Willard Shambaugh
PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD FOR ALLEN COUNTY
The members of this Board include the members of the Board of Trustees of theSchool City of Fort Wayne (with the same officers) together with the followingcitizens chosen from Allen County outside the corporate City of Fort Wayne:
- James E. Graham
- Arthur Nieneier
- Mrs. Glenn Henderson
- Mrs. Charles Reynolds
FOREWORD
During the early days on the Midwestern frontier, especiallyduring the War of 1812 and the concurrent Indianwarfare, terror was easily spread through settlements andvillages by rumors of nearby redskins. Raids were frequent,and the horrors of Indian warfare made even the boldestmen fear for their lives and for the lives of their lovedones. But even in the midst of danger, a practical joke wasnot unappreciated. Such was the setting for the followingincident, retold in the INDIANA STATE GAZETTE of November19, 1829.
The Boards and the Staff of the Public Library of FortWayne and Allen County present this account as an exampleof a type of humor found in Midwestern pioneer life. Personaland place names are spelled as in the original narrative.Grammar, spelling, and punctuation have been changedto conform to current usage.
There will be few old residents of Ohio, especiallythose who early settled in Knox, Richland, and Franklincounties and the counties north and west of them, who willnot readily recall to mind the consternation that was frequentlyfelt in neighborhoods and villages along the frontierduring the eventful year of 1812. The situation of the townsand settlements in the counties above named was dangerousowing to their easy access from the Indian villages ofthe wild northwestern parts of the state. The inhabitantswere subjected to a kind of border warfare and were exposedto much depredation and bloodshed.
Both before and after the surrender of our army atDetroit by General Hull, the Indians received encouragementand protection from the British forts in Canada. Irritatedby the rapid and progressive encroachment upon their territoriesby the enterprising citizens of the states, they madefrequent raids, sometimes firing barns and driving off cattle.In many instances they massacred or captured wholefamilies. Bloody scenes of this kind were described da