taverns, two tailor's-shops, three shoe-shops, three blacksmith'sshops, one cabinet shop, one saddler and one carriage-shop.It contains also, one Presbyterian, and one Methodist Episcopal church. At the raising of the latter, on the 16th of July, 1836, Amroy Butterfield, father of the writer, was instantly killed by the falling of a bent.

There are three physicians located in this town; Henry Ladd, Robert McD. Gibson, and Timothy M. Smith.

CHAPTER VII.

Camp Seneca-Indiau council-Fort Meigs-Fort Stephenson-General Harrison at Camp Seneca-Grand Camp-Perry's Victory.

ABOUT the 1st of July, 1813, a detachment of men, under the command of Gen. William Henry Harrison, erected a stockade upon the west bank of the Sandusky river, within the present limits of Pleasant township, in this county, to which was given the name of "Camp Seneca."

It was situated upon a bank, about forty feet above the bed of the river, close to the old army road; and containing within the enclosure an acre and a half of ground. It was built nearly in the form of a square, surrounded by pickets consisting of oak timbers, a foot in thickness, and twelve feet high.— Between the ground and the river, are several springs of water; to, and around one of which, the pickets extended.

On the east side of the camp, were two rows of pickets, about six feet apart, the space being filled with dirt. On the south was a single row of pickets; and a little beyond, is a deep ravine, between which and the camp an embankment was thrown up, which is still partially visible. On the west, was a single row of pickets, with a ditch about six feet deep, and twelve feet wide. On the north, there was likewise a deep ditch with an embankment, upon the top of which were placed the pickets.

A block-house was erected at the south-west corner, sixteen feet high, and about twenty-five feet square, no vestiges of

which remain. It consisted of large logs, with port-holes for cannon and small arms, and was located in such a manner as to completely command the ditch. There was a projection at the north-east corner, strongly picketed, probably used as a magazine; and two small block-houses, at each of the other corners, with port-holes.

Previous to the building of this camp, and while at Franklinton, in June, 1813, General Harrison held a council with the chiefs of the friendly Indians, of the Delaware, Shawanese Wyandot and Seneca tribes, in which he stated to them that the time had arrived for all those who were willing to engage in the war, "to take a decided stand for or against the United States"-that the president wished no false friends-that the proposal of Proctor to exchange the Kentucky militia for the tribes in our friendship, indicated that he had received some hint of their willingness, to take up the tomahawk against us; and that to give the United States a proof of their good dispo sition, they must remove with their families into the interior, or the warriors must accompany him in the ensuing campaign, and fight for the United States. To the latter condition, the chiefs and warriors unanimously agreed; and said they had long been anxious for an invitation to fight for the Americans. Tarhe, the oldest Indian in the western country, who represen ted all the tribes, professed in their name the most indissoluble friendship for the United States. General Harrison then told them he would let them know when they would be wanted in the service; "but you must conform to our mode of warfare. You are not to kill defenseless prisoners, old men, women, or children." He added, that by their conduct he would be able to tell, whether the British could restrain the Indians from such

*The land upon which Camp Seneca was built, is now owned by Joel Risdon, and R. M. Titus. It is about nine miles from Lower Sandusky, and one mile south of the nor thern boundary of the county.

horrible cruelty. For if the Indians fighting with him, would forbear such conduct, it would prove, that the British could also restrain theirs if they wished to do it. He humorously told them he had been informed that General Proctor had promised to deliver him into the hands of Tecumthe, if he succeeded against Fort Meigs, to be treated as that warrior might think. proper. "Now, if I can succeed in taking Proctor, you shall shall have him for your prisoner, provided you will agree to treat him as a squaw, and only put petticoats upon him; for he must be a coward who would kill a defenseless prisoner."†

*

In the month of June, while at Franklinton, General Harrison was informed that Fort Meigs was again invested. Although he doubted the intention of the enemy to attack that place, at this time, he promptly started a reinforcement to its relief, and on the 28th, reached there in person. It proved to be a false alarm, and the general returned to Lower Sandusky, on the first of July, and on the following day set off for Cleveland, on business connected with the public stores, and the building of boats for transporting the army across the lake.— On the 23d, a body of eight hundred Indians were seen to pass Fort Meigs, for the purpose, it was supposed, of attacking Fort Winchester. Two days afterwards, the British and Indians appeared in great numbers before Fort Meigs, then commanded by General Clay. In the meantime, Captain Oliver, accompa

* We find the following note in Dawson, on this subject: "There is no doubt that when Proctor made the arrangement for the attack on Fort Meigs with Tecumthe, the latter insisted, and the former agreed, that General Harrison, and all who fought at Tippecanoe, should be given up to the Indians to be burned. Major Ball, of the dragoons, ascertained this fact from the prisoners, deserters and Indians, all of whom agreed to its truth."

On the supposition that this statement be true, it proves that Tecumthe meditated the violation of the agreement he made with General Harrison, at Vincennes, in 1810, that in the event of a war, prisoners, and women and children should be protected. On no other occasion is he known to have departed from the spirit of his engagement.

+ M'Afee.

nied by Captain McCune, was sent to apprise the commanderin-chief of the fact; and reached him at Lower Sandusky, with certain information that the united force of the enemy, principally Indians, was not less than five thousand-a greater number than had ever before assembled on any occasion during the war. General Harrison, with remarkable accuracy of judgment, as the result proved, came to the conclusion, that this investment of Fort Meigs was a feint, made by the enemy, to call his attention to that place, while Lower Sandusky or Cleveland, was really the point on which the next attack would be made. He immediately removed his head-quarters to Camp Seneca, nine miles above Lower Sandusky. From this place he could fall back and protect Upper Sandusky, or pass by a secret rout, to the relief of Fort Meigs-two points to be defended-Lower Sandusky being of comparatively little importance. Major Croghan was left at Lower Sandusky, with one hundred and sixty regulars, for the defense of Fort Stephenson. There were about six hundred troops at Camp Senecaa force too small to advance upon Fort Meigs. Captain McCune was sent back to General Clay, with the information, that as early as the commander-in-chief could collect a sufficient number of troops, he would relieve the fort. The day after the return of the express, the enemy raised the siege.As had been anticipated by General Harrison, the British sailed round into Sandusky Bay, while the Indians marched across the swamps of Portage river, to aid in the projected attack on Lower Sandusky.

As early as the 21st of April, of this year, General Harrison, in a letter to the secretary of war, in speaking of the ulterior operations of the campaign, remarked: "I shall cause the movements of the enemy to be narrowly watched; but in the event of their landing at Lower Sandusky, that post cannot be saved. I will direct it in such an event to be evacuated.