In April 1792, President Washington decided that before sending another army against the Indian Confederacy, he should try to have a council with the Native Americans. The Indians had already clarified that there would be no peace talks until Forts Jefferson and St. Clair were abandoned.
Washington had asked Capt. Alexander Trueman to lead a four-man emissary to discuss the possibility of having Indian representatives come to either Fort Jefferson or Fort Washington and work towards setting up a truce and making plans for a formal treaty agreement. The four men who left Fort Jefferson were Captain Trueman, Captain Hardin, Hardin’s servant Freeman, and a guide named John Flinn. At a site of what would become Ottawa, Putnam County, the emissary approached two Shawnee Indians under the flag of truce, and the Indians agreed to accompany them to the council. That evening, the Indians appeared very uneasy because they were outnumbered.
Captain Trueman told them they might tie Captain Hardin to equal the numbers. The Indians then shot Trueman and tomahawked Hardin, who was tied. Freeman was also killed, but the interpreter John Flinn, who had lived with the Indians since he was captured as a small boy, made his escape into a wooded swamp. The Indians called to Flinn and promised not to hurt him, and he came out. Flinn was then taken as a prisoner to the council, and the Indians remarked about the foolish conduct of Trueman for allowing Hardin to be tied.
The American papers were given to Pennsylvania Loyalist Alexander McKee, a friend of the Shawnee. They said this was the fifth flag they had killed, and they had no intention of making peace with the Americans who had already deceived them the last two summers. Ed. Note: John Flinn survived and later settled in Miami County.
Meanwhile, Anthony Wayne was hard at work preparing his army for the upcoming campaign. He made sure the cannons and muskets were in good order. He requested that plenty of rations and supplies be sent ahead of the army to Fort St. Clair and Fort Jefferson. He demanded that corn and hay be available for the horses at those sites. Most of all, he trained and disciplined his Legion. His strategy was to attack the Indians from the south and not from the north, where the British could support the Indians. He planned to attack on his terms. He told Washington he would pick the time and place he determined would be the best.
Washington was still hopeful that a peaceful solution could be achieved without bloodshed.
Part 6 follows with more attacks on Fort Jefferson.
