President Washington and Henry Knox, Secretary of War, had been encouraging Gen. Anthony Wayne to hurry and start his campaign against the Native Americans. As Wayne was moving and organizing his troops at Ft. Washington (later Cincinnati), he received orders not to begin his campaign as there was still a possibility the Indians might concede to a truce. Wayne was eager to get started, but was now told to wait. He circumvented his orders by sending a road crew north to Fort Jefferson to improve and widen the road. The Indians were furious. They reiterated that there would be no peace talks until Fort Jefferson and Fort St. Clair (later Eaton) were abandoned. President Washington now reluctantly gave Wayne the nod to start his campaign.
Wayne quickly advanced past Fort Jefferson and camped, where he would later build Greene Ville and Winter. Here he halted, waiting for supplies to be brought up. Initially, Wayne wanted to develop his headquarters and fort at the Stillwater River, but he did not want to overextend the army without a reliable supply route.
Then word arrived that a supply train had been attacked between Ft. St. Clair and Ft. Jefferson. The following account is relayed in Wayne’s own words.
“It would appear the savages mean to bend their attention to our convoys. They recently struck one of them, by which we lost two gallant officers with 13 non-commissioned officers and privates that bravely fell in resistance against superior numbers. “The Indians killed and carried off about 70 horses; The wagons and stores were brought into camp without loss or damage except for trifling articles.” * Note- Wayne intentionally downplayed the action, fearing it might become exaggerated and cause concern to President Washington.
Now read another account of the attack by one of Wayne’s officers stationed at the Southwest branch of Miami (where Greene Ville was about to be built).
“Lieutenant John Lowery and Ensign Boyd, along with 80 men, were ordered to escort 22 public wagons between Fort St. Clair and Wayne’s army. They were attacked between Fort St. Clair and Fort Jefferson on the morning of the 17th of October. Lowery and Boyd fell in the conflict with 13 of their men. Five are missing, and the rest have gained different garrisons. Coolness and intrepidity distinguished both those officers, who lived respected and died regretted. After those brave unfortunates had sacrificed their lives for their duty and for glory, savage barbarity was soon exemplified beyond description. The enemy took 70 of the best horses and four teams of oxen. The wagons were principally loaded with corn—they were pillaged of all portable articles. Casks of whiskey were started with tomahawks and emptied of their contents. The enemy was immediately pursued as far as St. Clair’s battleground but without success. They rode so hard as to leave several horses dead on their trail.”
After Greene Ville was built, Ft. Jefferson’s purpose changed. It now became a support fort for Greene Ville. Supplies and rations could be stored there. It became a resting place between forts. Sick soldiers could be isolated in one of the blockhouses so as not to infect the main army. One blockhouse was used as a jail for spies.
Ends this series of articles
