By Friends of Ft. Jefferson

The great chief of the Ottawa, Au- goosh-away made it known to the United States that the British had no right to give Native American land to the United States. The United States ignored that statement and invaded Indian territory and built forts on Indian ground.

Settlers were building cabins and farming Indian ground along the Ohio River.

The Preamble to the Declaration of Independence stated “We hold these truths to be self- evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among them are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Then followed it in 1791 with the Fifth Amendment that states – No person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law. Nor shall private property be taken for public use without just compensation.

Why did the Uniteo States not follow its own constitution and Fifth Amendment?

Together the many tribal nations were outnumbered 100 to 1. The white men brought diseases with them that Indians had no natural immunity to. More lndians died from disease than from battle, but they would put up a gallant fight until it was no use to go on. Some call that “Manifest Destiny”. Today there are no Indian lands in the state of Ohio.

In 1791, Fort Jefferson was under siege. Whenever someone left the fort, they were in danger of being killed. We have found seven incidents where soldiers were attacked at or near Fort Jefferson.

On Feb. 11, 1792, Commandant Shaylor, his son, and five other soldiers formed a party to look for timber and to hunt squirrels. While the soldiers were felling a tree, Indians fired on them and forced them to scatter. Captain Shaylor was wounded with an arrow in his back but was able to make it through the sally port into the fort. His son and Mr. Mason were killed. Two others made it to the fort, and two were missing. The two missing were later found safe at Ft. Hamilton.

In April 1792. the new Commandant at Fort Jefferson, Captain Mumford (Montfort), was out scouting the north hill of the fort with an attendant. They were about 300 yards from the fort when they were fired upon by some concealed Indians. Both were killed and scalped. From their elevated position the Indians also fired into the fort wounding a man. This incident probably prompted the men to erect a blockhouse on the backside of the bullock pen to protect against other Indians firing into the fort from high ground. A blockhouse at that point would also guard the bullock pen from Indian mischief. Two days later, Lt. Bradley who was stationed at Ft. St. Clair, arrived at Fort Jefferson to become the next Commandant. He was accompanied with 40 men and 60 packhorses of supplies.

Attacks on Ft. Jefferson continue in Part4