One of the few Revolutionary War engagements to take place on Indiana soil and the only one in Dearborn County, this battle at Lochry Creek pitted Patriots against marauding Indians.

In 1780 and 1781, Indian attacks along the American frontier in Western Pennsylvania were so numerous that fearful settlers found it necessary to carry loaded rifles whenever they left their cabins. Something had to be done to stop this danger.

Frontier defense was little help against the frequent Indian attacks. The base of operations for the Indians was at the garrison at Detroit, and as long as this British fort existed, Indian attacks would continue. Any attack against Detroit was a hazardous venture because the 400 miles of wilderness separating it from the American frontier in Pennsylvania was guarded by fortified settlements of the eight most war-minded Indian nations. In addition, the garrison could be readily reinforced and supplied by means of English control of the Great Lakes' navigational system. However, an attack on the British and Indian occupied Detroit garrison was the only means of achieving safety for American pioneers.

Wartime expenses had bankrupted the frontier, states and nation. Through the efforts of Virginia Governor Thomas Jefferson, George Washington arranged to furnish Brigadier General George Rogers Clark with material and all the men who could be spared from the Pittsburgh garrison. Jefferson's plan was to muster 2,000 men from Virginia's frontier counties.

Plans for the expedition were interrupted in December 1780 by a sudden invasion of Virginia from the sea. It was then determined that Clark could be better utilized on the Western Pennsylvania frontier, so he returned to Pittsburgh in January 1781. The Indian raids continued.

Determined to wipe out the Detroit stronghold, Clark appealed again to Washington and to Virginia for assistance, but because the British invasion of Virginia was of primary concern, his petitions were denied in June 1781. Eventually, Clark's persistence got him supplies and men. Recruits were hard to muster because Detroit was so far away that the men would have to leave home for six to twelve months.

CLARK HEADS TO DETROIT

In June, Pennsylvania's Westmoreland County voted to furnish part of its militia at the recommendation of Colonel Archibald Lochry. Clark then assembled his own 400 volunteers at Wheeling and waited for Lochry's forces to join him. Many of Clark's recruits, however, considered the expedition hopeless, so they deserted. To prevent further thinning of the ranks, Clark headed out toward Detroit along the Ohio River in August having left limited provisions and boats and instructions for Lochry to overtake him.

By now, the Detroit garrison was alerted to the possibility of an attack. In order to resist Clark's invasion, the famous Mohawk Indian Chief Joseph Brant left the New York frontier to confer with Lieutenant Governor Arent De Peyster at Detroit during July. When these men heard that instead of striking directly toward Detroit from Pittsburgh, Clark was moving down the Ohio River, there was a race to intercept him along the river.

As it turned out, Clark left Wheeling the day before Lochry's party arrived, so he did not know that Lochry's real needs were additional boats to transport men and horses as well as ammunition. Lochry sent Captain Shannon, along with seven men, to overtake Clark and inform him of their situation. Unfortunately, Shannon and most of his men were captured by the Indians who found the letter to Clark which disclosed Lochry's lack of supplies and the fact that Clark and Lochry's forces were not coming down the river together, as had been supposed by the Indians and their British leaders.

LOCHRY ATTACKED

On August 24, 1781, Lochry's boats approached a level spot at the mouth of what is now known as Loughrey Creek (later named for him, but misspelled), the dividing line between Ohio and Dearborn Counties, Indiana (near Aurora). This was about ten miles below the Great Miami River. They killed buffalo to feed the hungry men and while they were cooking it, about 100 Indians, led by Chief Brant, together with a renegade named George Girty, burst from the woods with rifles blazing. Many of Lochry's men were killed or wounded. A fleet of Indian canoes shot out from the Kentucky shore, completely cutting off escape for Lochry's men. After a few minutes of returning fire, Lochry realized he was trapped and surrendered.

Only one American account by a participant has been handed down, the diary of Captain Isaac Anderson. He states that when the attack began, the soldiers took to the boats and tried to cross the river, but the Indians in canoes prevented this and forced the surrender.

The men found themselves prisoners of Chief Brant, renegade Girty and bands of Iroquois, Shawnees and Wyandot Indians. The fierce Shawnees could not be controlled, and it was no time before they began killing their prisoners. While Col. Lochry sat on a log, a Shawnee warrior sunk a tomahawk into his skull, tearing off the scalp before he was dead. It was only with great difficulty that Chief Brant prevented the massacre of the men assigned to the Mohawks and Wyandots.

First Lieutenant Samuel Craig, Jr., fourth great granduncle of this writer, was in Captain Robert Orr's Company. He was of cheerful disposition and fond of singing. As prisoners were ordered to sit on a log, the Indians painted their faces black to signify impending doom. Lt. Craig raised his voice and sang out loud and clear while the Indians killed each prisoner - except him. After that he was called "Singing Sam."

Later the Indians threw Craig out of their canoe, intending to drown him. An expert swimmer, he persistently tried to climb back into the canoe in spite of the Indians' efforts to submerge him with their paddles. When Craig's strength was nearly exhausted, one Indian claimed him prisoner and pulled him back into the canoe.

Sometimes, both Indians and captives were almost starved; once they found a small lot of potatoes, which they dug and put into a sack, and that night when the Indians were sleeping, Craig arose - at the risk of his life - and ate all of the raw potatoes, which he thought the most delicious feast he had ever enjoyed. At another time, the Indians found the head of a dead wolf, which was not in good condition for culinary purposes, but they made soup of it, and all partook. The Indians regarded Lt. Craig as a great curiosity because of his silvery gray hair, as he was prematurely gray.

INTERNMENT CAMP

Forty-two of Col. Lochry's force were killed, most of them after their surrender. The prisoners, numbered 64 by British report, were marched up the Ohio River about eight miles, where they encamped for the night. The next day, the march continued up the Great Miami River about eight miles, where a camp site was chosen. Today this is a quiet, beautiful spot about one hundred fifty yards west of the junction of the East Miami River and Jordan Roads, about three miles east of Cleves, Ohio. This spot became the internment camp between August 26 and September 15, 1781, while one hundred British soldiers (Butler's Rangers) and more than three hundred additional Indians, under the command of Captain Thompson and Alexander McKee, joined Chief Brant's force. The plan now was to move against Gen. Clark and despoil the Kentucky settlements before returning to Canada. The prisoners were carefully guarded in the internment camp awaiting the return of the Indian army from Kentucky.

PRISONERS TAKEN TO CANADA

The prisoners were taken to Detroit, where they were sold to the British for ten gallons of rum each. Then they were taken to Niagara and from there to Montreal, where several prisoners escaped. The remaining prisoners were released by the British in 1783.

Lt. Craig was exchanged by the British and returned to his home in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania July 17, 1783. Though he survived the terrors of Indian captivity, he died from a hemorrhage caused from a tooth extraction on August 28, 1808. It is wroth noting that his father had been captured by Indians in 1777 and held for several years.

EPILOG

Gen. Clark had already passed down the Ohio River safely, without knowledge of Lochry's disaster. The attack on Lochry's detachment while attempting to overtake Clark was the heaviest loss suffered by Westmoreland County during the Revolution. Lochry's defeat and Clark's low supplies caused the expedition against Detroit to be aborted. Yet, the British Commander at Montreal, Frederick Haldemand acknowledged that Clark still kept the British on the defensive between the Ohio River and the Great Lakes. The terror of Gen. Clark did much to create changes in the conduct of the Indians.

A monument stands on State Route No. 56 between Aurora and Rising Sun near the spot where Col. Lochry and his men were massacred by Indians August 24, 1781. It bears a name plate with the names of Col. Archibald Lochry and his entire company.

On August 25, 2001, a ceremony was held to dedicate a marker which was installed at the Internment Camp site on East Miami River Road near Cleves, Hamilton County, Ohio. The marker was erected by the Cincinnati Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution spearheaded by Compatriot Charles G. Edwards.

A record of the return of Rebel prisoners in the province of Quebec of 22 July 1782 lists Lt. Samuel Craig, age 22 years. It is on record that Elizabeth, wife of Craig applied for a pension on May 20, 1839. She was then 73 years old. Pension allowed for a period of one year and five months' service as Lieutenant, part time under Captain Orr and Col. Lochry.

The one deposition in Craig's pension file states that he was with Robert Orr from the Lochry expedition and captivity until they were released and came home together; therefore, both followed the same route to the place of exchange (Dobb's Ferry, New York) - from Quebec to Beak Island below Quebec, then by the "Cork Fleet" to New York and up North River to Dobb's Ferry.

Charles G. Edwards was born and raised in Kittanning, Armstrong County, PA and a 25-year member of SAR and Past President of the Cincinnati Chapter and current Historian of the Ohio Society. He served in the United States Air Force from 1948-1952 and retired from the National Underwriter Company, an insurance trade publisher. Edwards is a member of several genealogical and historical societies. He is currently married to Mary and has two sons by his first wife, Richard and Dale.