Source:Fleming-defeat/content
THERE is much of interest in the life story of Maj. Gen. Richard Butler of Pittsburgh, whose name is one of the best commemorated names in Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania.
Contemporary with Gen. Butler, another historic character in early Pittsburgh is indissolubly linked—Col. George Gibson, a Revolutionary hero, who fell in St. Clair's battle at the headwaters of the Wabash, November 4, 1791, at the same time his friend and commander, Richard Butler, fell.
The best story of the Gen. St. Clair Indian battle is furnished by Maj. Ebenezer Denny in his "Military Journal." Maj. Denny served under St. Clair at the time as an aid [sic].
James R. Albach and Isaac D. Rupp have given full particulars of the disasters. In the "Memoirs of John Bannister Gibson, Chief Justice of Pennsylvania," published in Pittsburgh in 1890 by Col. T. P. Roberts, his grandson, there can be found some data also and the connection is not remote.
Col. George Gibson of Revolutionary fame was the father of Judge Gibson and the brother of Col. John Gibson, famous as the bearer of Chief Logan's speech. Col. Roberts has brought to light some interesting facts.
Early in 1791 Congress authorized a levy of 2,000 soldiers from Virginia and Pennsylvania, these to be formed into two regiments and sent to St. Clair. George Gibson was appointed lieutenant colonel and commander in the field of the "Second Regiment of Levies."
The men were enlisted for six months only and by the time they started from Fort Washington, now Cincinnati, they were clamorous for their discharge and many deserted.
Col. Roberts calls attention to the fact that St. Clair's expedition was the first considerable military expedition that engaged the attention of the young United States and was made before the departments of ordnance and supplies were organized properly.
Men were sent from the prisons to fill the ranks and it is considered wonderful that St. Clair was able to proceed at all. He no doubt was entitled to the acquittal received at the hands of a congressional investigating committee.
It is the verdict of history that with the exception of Braddock's defeat on the Monongahela in July, 1755, American troops never were routed so completely by the Indians as at St. Clair's defeat. We must except Custer's battle on the Little Big Horn in June, 1876. That was a massacre where no trooper escaped.
In St. Clair's battle Col. George Gibson was wounded mortally. Eleven of his officers were killed on the field and three, including Maj. Thomas Butler, wounded. Col. Gibson was wounded in the head early in the engagement. He tied a bandage around his head, thus making himself a conspicuous mark. A second shot through the wrist disabled him.
Maj. Butler, termed the "gallant young soldier from Pittsburgh," was second in command to Gibson. Both officers did their utmost to rally the men, but without avail.
While we have Butler town, county and street to commemorate the heroic Richard Butler, the commemoration of the Gibson brothers and the renowned Chief Justice has passed from Pittsburgh.
In the directories of the city issued by George H. Thurston and in the maps that accompanied them, published between 1856 and 1862, the street extending from Chestnut to Stevenson street between Forbes and Locust streets was called Gibson street. This is now Gibbon street.
Both names appear in the directory of 1864, evidently a mistake in the making up of the page by the printer.
This street undoubtedly was originally Gibson, named for Col. George Gibson. We have in the same locality Forbes street for Gen. John Forbes, the founder of Pittsburgh; Vickroy street for Thomas Vickroy, who, with George Woods, surveyed the town of Pittsburgh for the Penns in 1784—undisputably [sic] commemorations—and so intended. We have also Magee and Watson streets nearby, named for pioneer landholders in the vicinity. We can take it that Gibson was a commemoration in the street name as Thurston records it; and R. E. McGowan, his mapmaker, follows. The name, if an error for Gibbon, would hardly have been repeated for a period of seven years. Whence the name Gibbon and why, and why the dropping of the name Gibson are questions for some of our oldest inhabitants. A long research through municipal records probably would settle the question.
George Gibson served through the Revolutionary War. He entered the service at the opening of the war, recruiting 100 men in Pittsburgh. Western Pennsylvania was then under Virginia jurisdiction; hence Gibson marched his company to Williamsburg, the capital of Virginia, and was commissioned a captain in the Virginia line.
Powder and lead were then scarce and indispensable. The Virginia government selected George Gibson as a suitable person to enter into secret negotiations with the Spanish government for a supply. Gibson was successful, not only securing a supply for Virginia but securing a merchant to ship large quantities to the other colonies. On his return Gibson was offered a pecuniary reward or promotion. He accepted the latter, and was made colonel of the First Virginia Regiment.
With this regiment Col. Gibson served through the war. He participated in seven battles in the North, his regiment losing heavily.
His regiment was relieved from active service in the field while recruiting up, but returned to the army in time to be ordered to march with the prisoners of Cornwallis to York, Pa., where he remained in charge of them until they were sent to England. In all, Gimbson's [sic] regiment served from 1777 to 1781 with Washington in the North, joining Washington's army two days after the battle of Germantown.
By special enactment of the Continental Congress Gibson's regiment originally a state regiment, or "on the commonwealth establishment," was placed in the continental service in place of the Ninth Virginia regiment, captured at Germantown and never returning to its place in the "line." Washington himself appointed George Gibson to the command of the Second Regiment of Levies in St. Clair's army in 1790.
Col. Gibson was a broad and meritorious officer. His name and that of his brother, Col. John Gibson, and the names of the five fighting Butlers are on the bronze tablet on the wall of Trinity church yard in Oliver avenue, where thousands pass them daily, many, perhaps, unheedingly and ignorant of the wonderful history that these old continentals made and helped make.
Col. Gibson's men carried him off the field. Fort Jefferson, where he died, was a frontier fortification erected by Gen. St. Clair on the march out. It was 30 miles from the battleground and was begun October 14. Slow progress was made, although 200 men were employed in its construction.
Maj. Denny has given us a full account of the daily happenings in St. Clair's army. He left Pittsburgh, or Fort Pitt, he says, August 7, with two companies recruited in New Jersey, under Capts. Beatty and Doyle. Denny found two battalions of the "Levies" here and was apprised that two battalions from Virginia had "sailed," that is to say, proceeded down the river in flatboats the usual way. Several companies of the "Second Regiment of Levies" also had gone down the river. It may be taken for granted that frontier Pittsburgh was a lively town about that time.
Maj. Denny reached Fort Washington the last of August and left September 26, joining the Army the next day. September 30 he was appointed aide-de-camp to Gen. St. Clair.
Desertions were numerous, especially from the regiments of "Levies." By the middle of October the time of these troops began to expire and St. Clair was obliged to discharge a number. The Virginia troops especially were clamorous for their discharge and all of one company, from Alexandria, were discharged. With delays, desertions and the daily loss of horses poor St. Clair was distraught.
However, a company of the Second Regiment arrived, making up the loss of the Alexandria company. The weather turned cold with ice October 21. Green fodder for the horses and cattle was injured by the frosts and the troops were obliged to guard them in pasture, and detachments had to be sent out to cut and bring in grass from the prairie. To make matters worse there was an insufficiency of rations, giving rise to more discontent and a fruitful cause of desertions.
These became so numerous and exasperating that stern measures were necessary. Two artillerymen, having been caught attempting to desert, were tried by court-martial and convicted. With a man condemned for killing a comrade, the three were hanged October 23, 1791.
The story of the St. Clair expedition of this year is one of the saddest of the history of Indian affairs in the United States, and one of the most melancholy in the career of Arthur St. Clair, a devoted patriot, and a gallant soldier and a good commander previous to the expedition.
Maj. Denny takes four pages in his "Journal" to record the events of November 3 and 4, 1791. Several times within the previous week scouting parties had been fired upon by the Indians. October 31 there was a severe thunderstorm in the night with a violent wind until daybreak, and with trees and limbs falling in the midst of the men in the intense darkness and in an enemy country.
Maj. Denny at St. Clair's request visited all the guards on this night.
November 4 the little Army of about 1,400 men was camped on a creek 20 yards wide "supposed," writes Denny, "to be the Pickaway fork of the Omee, 98 miles from Fort Washington." The sentinels were fired on frequently in the night, who reported that the Indians lay skulking about in considerable numbers. Gen. Butler sent out an officer with two subalterns and 30 men "to make discoveries." They could find out no more than already known that the Indians were all about the camp.
The troops were paraded at the usual time on the morning of November 4, and had been dismissed from the lines; the sun was not yet up when the woods in front rang with the yells and fire of the savages. The militia were in the extreme front—300 yards—and had scarcely time to fire a shot; they fled pell mell into the main camp.
The regular troopers stood firm and soon were engaged in every quarter. The savage enemy having surrounded the camp killed and cut off nearly all the guards. They fought in Indian ambush fashion and the advantage was all theirs. The artillery and musketry made a tremendous noise, but did little execution.
The Indians braved everything. They made no noise except by their fire and they kept up a constant and telling fire.
St. Clair's left flank, under Col. Darks, gave way first; the ground here, however was much exposed and the redskins could not hold it. The ground was regained by a charge led by Gen. St. Clair. The battalions from the rear would charge the enemy, but, unable to stand the withering fire from shelter, St. Clair's men would be obliged to retire and the enemy would return with the battalions.
Denny relates:
The enemy seemed not to fear anything. They could skip out of reach of the bayonet and return as they pleased. They were visible only when raised by a charge. The ground was literally covered with the dead. The wounded were taken to the center, where thought most safe, and where a great many who had quit their posts unhurt had crowded together.
The General, with other officers, endeavored to rally these men and twice they were taken out to the lines. It appeared that the officers had been singled out. A large proportion fell, or were wounded and obliged to retire from the lines early in the action. Gen. Butler was among the latter, as well as several others of most experienced officers.
The men thus left with few officers became fearful, despaired of success, gave up the fight and to save themselves for the moment abandoned entirely their duty and ground and crowded in toward the center of the field, and no exertions could put them in any order even for defense; perfectly ungovernable.
The enemy at length got possession of the artillery, though not until all the officers had been killed but one, and he badly wounded, and the men almost all cut off, and not until the pieces were spiked. As our lines were deserted the Indians contracted theirs until their shot centered from all points, and now meeting with little opposition took more deliberate aim and did great execution.
Exposed to a cross fire men and officers were seen falling in every direction; the distress, too, of the wounded made the scene such as can scarcely be conceived. A few minutes longer and a retreat would have been impracticable. The only hope left was that perhaps the savages would be so taken up with the camp as not to follow. Delay was death; no preparation could be made; numbers of brave men must be left a sacrifice, there was no alternative.
A graphic story of dismay, despair and disorder; also of the admirable generalship of Little Turtle and his braves.
Denny tells more. He says:
It was past 9 o'clock when repeated orders were given to charge towards the road. The action had continued between two and three hours. Both officers and men seemed confounded, incapable of doing anything; they could not move until it was told that a retreat was intended. A few officers put themselves in front, the men followed, the enemy gave way, and perhaps not being aware of the design we were for a few minutes left undisturbed. The stoutest and most active now took the lead, and those who were foremost in breaking the enemy's line were soon left behind.
At the moment of the retreat one of the few horses saved had been procured for the general; he was on foot until then; I kept by him, and he delayed to see the rear. The enemy soon discovered the movement and pursued, though not more than four or five miles, and but few so far; they turned to share the spoil.
Soon after the firing ceased, I was directed to endeavor to gain the front, and if possible to cause a short halt that the rear might get up. I had been on horseback from the first alarm, and well mounted, pushed forward, but met with so many difficulties and interruptions from the people, that I was two hours at least laboring to reach the front.
With the assistance of two or three officers, I caused a short halt but the men grew impatient and would move on. I got Lieuts. Sedam and Morgan with half a dozen stout men to fill up the road and to move slowly, I halted myself until the general came up. By this time the remains of the army had got somewhat compact but in the most miserable and defenseless state. The wounded who came off left their arms in the field, and one-half the others threw their's [sic] away in the retreat. The road for miles was covered with fire-locks, cartridge boxes and regimentals. How fortunate that the pursuit was discontinued; a single Indian might have followed with safety on either flank. Such a panic had seized the men that I believe it would have been impossible to have brought any of them to engage again.
Such is the thrilling story of an eyewitness and a participant, Ebenezer Denny, recalled often and especially in the centennial of Pittsburgh as our first executive.
In the afternoon Lieut. Kersey with a detachment of the First Regiment, met the fugitives and order was restored. This regiment had been left behind October 31, and although 30 miles away, hastened toward the sounds of battle. It was a sorry army that met them.
Atwater, in his history of Ohio, published in 1838, got his particulars of St. Clair's defeat from a Winnebago chief at Prairie du Chien in 1829, the chief having been a participant in the battle.
He relates a curious and unprecedented incident of the retreat showing the fate of the women camp-followers of the army:
There were in the Army at the commencement of the action about 250 women of whom 56 were killed in the battle and the remainder were made prisoners by the enemy except a small number who reached Fort Washington.
One of the survivors lived until recently in Cincinnati, Mrs. Catharine Miller. This woman ran ahead of the whole army in their flight from the field. Her large quantity of red hair floated in the breeze, which the soldiers followed through the woods as their "fore-runner," that moved rapidly onward to the place of ultimate destination.
The picture of Fort Washington was drawn in 1790 by Capt. Jonathan Hart, U. S. A. The signature of Gen. Butler was made to the original subscription of the members of the Society of Cincinnati, Pennsylvania line, in 1783.
