Vincennes gets a fort

            “On the 5th (September) the Piankishaw and Weea Indians arrived at the Post (Vincennes) from up the Wabash, to the number of about 120.  Every precaution was taken.  We had a fortified camp, two redoubts were thrown up on our right & left, & the guard in front entrenched.  The troops were all new clothed, and made a truly military appearance.  The Indians saluted us by firing several vollies on the Wabash, opposite our camp.  Their salute was returned by a party of ours firing several platoons.
            “I was determined to impress upon them as much as possible the majesty of the United States, and at the same time that they were informed that it was the wish of Congress to live in peace & friendship with them, likewise to let them know that if they persisted in being hostile that a body of troops would march to their towns and sweep them off the face of the earth.
            “After finishing the conference with the Indians . . . I judged it expedient to leave a garrison at the post, as it would have been impolitic after the parade we had made, to entirely abandon the country.  Accordingly, Major Hamtramck commands there.  His command consists of Captain Smith’s company, 55, & part of Captain Ferguson’s company, 40; total 95.  I have ordered him to fortify himself, and to regulate the militia, who are to join him in case of hostilities.”  Letter written on November 24, 1787, by Lieutenant-Colonel Josiah Harmar to Secretary of War Henry Knox, describing his experiences at Vincennes earlier in the year.
            Following George Rogers Clark’s abortive expedition against the Indians on the upper Wabash north of Vincennes in September 1786, his political enemies in Kentucky had been able to discredit him by spreading false stories about his conduct of the campaign.  Despite the fact that Clark had made the most out of an untenable situation, the Continental Congress had ordered Lieutenant-Colonel Josiah Harmar, commander of the United States Regular Army, to proceed to Vincennes and take control.
            In July 1787, the troops had arrived in Vincennes after a difficult journey.  On the 27th of that month, Ensign Ebenezer Denny reported that, “Several persons came in who had been with a party that were defeated coming up the Wabash.  They informed us that the day before, just at the Grand Rapids, a party of Indians, about fifteen in number, attacked three perogues, killed three men and took four prisoners…”
            Later, on September 11, he reported, “Two men out of fifteen who had set out on the 9th for the Rapids, returned, having been fired on near the forks of White River, by a party of Indians.  From their report it is likely the greater number of their company fell a sacrifice.”
            Due to the deteriorated condition of Fort Sackville, which had been renamed Fort Patrick Henry after its capture by Clark, the troops moved about a quarter mile up the Wabash and started work on Fort Knox, the first of three forts known by that name in or near Vincennes.  Troops assigned to the post found it difficult duty.  In addition to low pay, dangerous patrols, hard manual work, and varying periods of boredom, there was a major problem obtaining food, clothing and other supplies that had to be brought down the Ohio River and up the Wabash.
            On August 12, 1788, Major John Hamtramck wrote as follows to Harmar, “The 27 of July a party of soldiers consisting of thirty six under the command of Lieut. Peters which I had ordered to the mouth of the Wabash to bring up and escort a quantity of provisions, was attacked about two miles from the Ohio by a party of 50 Indians.  The loss was considerable, ten men killed and eight wounded, two pirogues that contained the greatest part of the cargo fell into the hands of the enemy…”
            May 27, 1789, Hamtramck wrote to Major John Wyllys, “On the 24 four French pirogues were defeated 7 leages from here, 4 men were killed, 3 mortally wounded, one is prisoner, and the remaining made their escape to the village.”
            In the meantime, Indian raiding parties from the Wabash also had been attacking settlements in Kentucky, where it was estimated over 1,000 people had been killed since the end of the Revolution in 1783.  In retaliation, a party of 60 horsemen from Kentucky had killed nine Indians near Vincennes in August 1788.
            War parties from the Wea tribe located at Ouiatenon became particularly active in 1789.  As a result, in mid-summer a force of Kentuckians marched toward the Wea villages.  While enroute, they attacked a small camp of Shawnees and then retreated down the Wabash to Vincennes.  On August 14, 1789, Hamtramck wrote to Harmar, “In my last I had the honor to inform you of an expedition made by the people of Kentuck against the Wabash Indians.
            “A party of them are now in this place on their return to Kentuck.  This expedition consisted of 220 men who have gone near the Weeya, killed 12 Indians . . . It may be call’d a provocation for I am well persuaded that they will pay for it and perhaps this village.  Some Americans of this village were with them.  Mr. Daniel Sullivan and one Mr. Duff and others.  Mr. Duff was walking this day in the streets with two scalps fastened on a stick.”
            Hamtramck’s prediction of continuing violence was correct.  On September 19, 1790, Arthur St. Clair, Governor of the Northwest Territory, wrote to Henry Knox, the Secretary of War, “The depredations on the Ohio and the Wabash still continue--every day almost brings an account of some murder or robbery . . . not long ago a boat belonging to Mr. Vigo a gentleman of Post Vincennes was fired upon near the mouth of blue river--This person the United States has been very much obliged to on many occasions, and is in the truth the most disinterested person I have almost ever seen--he had three men killed and was obliged in consequence to fall down the river . . . in descending the river Mr. Vigo’s boat fell in with Mr. Melchor returning from the Tennessee, an attempted in company with him to ascend the Wabash--here they were attacked again--Melchor escaped and fell down it seems to Ance de la Graise, but the savages possessed themselves of Vigo’s boat which they plundered of all his and the crews personal baggage and arms, but as she was navigated by frenchmen they suffered them to depart with the peltries, telling them that if they had not been in company with Americans they would not have injured them, and that, if they found them in such again they would put them to death--. . .”