by Henry Rowe Schoolcraft, 1793-1864.

See previous entry: Logan, Part 4 -- Logan Emerges on the Scene.

The brave, open, resolute countenance Logan had possessed in 1773 -- as described by missionary M'Clure -- was replaced one year later by a state of intense ferocity. Mr. M'Clure afterwards met Logan in the forest, armed and painted for war. Logan took M'Clure aside for a private conversation. Logan had not, it seemed, forgotten the missionary teachings he had listened to at Shamokin; and recognizing the "sacred office" of the preacher, spoke to M'Clure with a degree of "pallor in his countenance, in a remorseful strain, as if lamenting the influences of a class of ever-present spirits or wood-demons." Logan exclaimed, striking his chest: "I feel their influence here. Wherever I go, they pursue me. If I go to my cabin, my cabin is full of them. If I go into the woods, the trees and air are filled with demons. They haunt me by day and by night. By their menaces, they want to clutch me, and throw me into a pit."

This acute sense of being accompanied by evil demons was thought remarkable by the missionary, and indicated to him that Logan's mind had once been enlightened by high doctrines of moral teaching. It was thought that Logan had held some of the leading principles of Christianity itself, as taught at his father's cabin by the brotherhood of missionaries who early followed Zinzendorf to the wilds of Pennsylvania.

But Logan clearly possessed a range of thought and feeling, reflecting both Indian values and those of the Christian missionaries. He possessed sentiments of kindness and humanity; and, above all, he had an appreciation for the knowledge and arts of both the Indians and the white man. He had a high moral sense of justice in the transactions between man and man, and tribe and tribe; a principle of honor, in standing by his word when once given; and a tenderness and sensibility for his family and clan.

Two years had passed from the time of Logan's first arrival in the Ohio Valley. That beautiful and attractive country had first been explored in 1773, and the next year the decision was made, in Virginia, to found a settlement at the mouth of the Little Kenawha River. The potential founders of this proposed settlement planned first to attack a Shawnee village near the mouth of the Scioto. This project was abandoned, however; and the party who had planned it, governed by better advice, ascended the Ohio River to the present site of Wheeling, West Virginia, near which a number of other white settlers were already established.

It was early in the spring. The settlements at Wheeling and Pittsburgh were in "excitement," expecting any moment the breakout of hostilities. Major Conolly had made an unsuccessful attempt to send a message to the Indians. [Major Conolly was a Virginia militia officer under Lord Dunmore, and was then in temporary command at Pittsburgh.] Conolly communicated the result, along with his apprehensions and belief of an immediate Indian war, to the armed party camped at Wheeling, with orders to prepare for it. His letter, dated April 21, was publicly read by Captain Michael Cresap to his forces at Wheeling, and, at its conclusion, a state of war was formally announced. That same evening two Indian scalps were brought in by men of this party.

The next day several canoes of Indians were discovered descending the Ohio River, which were chased fifteen miles down the stream and driven ashore, where a skirmish occurred, with several being wounded on each side, and one Indian prisoner taken. On returning to their camp at Wheeling, a resolution was adopted to march the next day to attack Logan's camp, at Mingo Bottom, which was situated on the Ohio River about thirty miles above Wheeling. But after proceeding on this expedition about five miles, the party stopped, and reconsidered the actions that they were about to commit. It was acknowledged that the Indians of Logan's village had no hostile intentions -- that they were hunters, camped there with their women and children, and all their belongings, and were in "no condition for war." These facts were affirmed by one of the party -- George Rogers Clark, who would later become famous for his role in American history. As a result, the party returned to Wheeling, "filled with detestation of the contemplated act."

Two days after this incident, some Indians, and among them a brother of Logan, were decoyed across the Ohio River from the mouth of Yellow Creek, "by some obscure and base-minded persons," and all but one killed. The particular spot of this murder was Baker's cabin, at Captina Creek. Baker had, early in the morning, furnished liquor to a party of eight Indians, consisting of four men, three women, and an infant, including Logan's brother, until all but the latter and the child were intoxicated. He then gave a signal to a party of concealed men, who rose and ruthlessly shot the entire party, except the child. Logan's brother had been shot down treacherously, as a prelude to this tragedy, as he was walking out of the door of Baker's cabin, by a man named Sappington.

While this tragedy was being enacted at Baker's cabin, or a few moments before it had commenced, two canoes were seen leaving the west or opposite shores of the Ohio River, filled with Indians, steering their course across to Baker's trading house. Before they had reached the east bank, Baker's men, one or two of whom bore the name of Greathouse, who appear to have been leading figures in these events, had secreted themselves, with arms, in the brambles or undergrowth on the margin of the stream. Every person in the first of these canoes was killed, as soon as it came within range; the other canoe turned and fled.

It has been generally stated that the mother and sister of Logan were in the first canoe. But, as noted shortly, this was not the case. However, Logan's brother had previously been shot in the house. Afterwards, other canoes, with armed warriors, came across the river to the fatal scene, alarmed by the report of rifles, but their attempts to land were repulsed by Baker's men.

Logan's family members were not in either of the canoes fired on at Baker's station. According to the subsequent statement of Colonel Richard Sparks, the murder of Logan's family was committed by some of Cresap's men who had their own private reasons for seeking revenge on the Indians. It was these men who stole away from Cresap's encampment without Cresap's knowledge and authority, and absolutely without his permission -- who committed the murders. In fact, when Cresap learned what was planned, he hastened to Logan's cabin to put a stop to it.

See next entry: Logan, Part 6 -- Sparks's Narrative of Logan's Tragedy.

See the first entry in this series: Logan, Part 1 -- Table of Contents and Introduction: The Effects of a Great Speech.

This entry is adapted from Henry R. Schoolcraft's massive six-volume work, INDIAN TRIBES OF THE UNITED STATES...., which was published during the 1850s and 1860s. This entry has been reedited extensively for inclusion in the Pierian Press Fulltext eBooks database, and is included on the Stratton House Inn Web site by special permission. This entry is licensed for use ONLY on this Web site. It may not be copied or downloaded, but may be used for educational purposes and personal pleasure under fair-use provisions via this Web site. Please note that this Stratton House Inn iteration of this entry does NOT include the subject headings assigned each chapter for use in the Fulltext eBooks database.

DATABASE: Fulltext eBooks: Copyright (c) 1998 The Pierian Press, Inc. All Rights Reserved
ENTRY NUMBER: EBK30000841

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