Military: French & Indian Wars-post Rev War: Part 4: FORT PITT AND LETTERS FROM THE FRONTIER, 1892: now Alleghey Co, PA
Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Donna Bluemink.
USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in
any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or
persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material,
must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal
representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb
archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission
to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm
An html version of this book with links to maps and graphics may be found at
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/1pa/1picts/darlington/fptoc.html
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
FORT PITT
AND
LETTERS FROM THE FRONTIER
Mary C. Darlington, Editor.
J. R. WELDON & CO., PITTSBURGH, 1892.
______
[Page numbers appear in brackets]
[Transcription is verbatim]
[200] SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF GENERAL O'HARA.
(Compiled from books and documents collected
by William M. Darlington, and letters now in
the possession of Mrs. McKnight and Miss
Matilda W. Denny. M. C. DARLINGTON.)
[Image] [Image]
Illustrations of Gen. & Mrs. O'Hara
THE O'Haras are an ancient Milesian family,
settled in County Mayo, in the West of
Ireland. The first mention of the family was
in 1348. Bishop Murcherd MacMael Moi. 1396, a
Bishop of the same diocese. 1409, Bishop Bryan
O'Hara. 1485, Archbishop O'Hara. General Sir
Charles O'Hara in 17o6 was created a baron and
took his title from the castle and demesne of
Tyrawley, in County Mayo. His son, General Sir
James O'Hara, whose first title was conferred
during the life of his father for military
services during Queen Anne's reign, was also
from the demesne of Kilmaine in that part of
Ireland. This district is still wild and
savage, the roads are few and almost
impassable for ordinary carriages. The O'Haras
spread from thence to other parts of Ireland,
viz., Tyrone, Donegal, Antrim, etc. James
O'Hara had always hanging in the hall of his
house the coat-of-arms of the barony of
Tyrawley, in recognition of his descent from
the ancestors of the barons of the O'Hara
family of County Mayo‹vert on a pale radiant
or, a lion rampant sable. James O'Hara,
afterward General O'Hara, emigrated to America
about 1772, landed in Philadelphia, and after
a short residence there wandered to Western
Virginia, where he was engaged as Indian
trader by a Philadelphia firm. From December,
1773, to March, 1774, he was in the service of
Devereux Smith and [201] Ephraim Douglas, of
Pittsburgh, as Indian trader at Kuskusky, an
Indian town, near the junction of the Mahoning
and Shenango rivers, in what is now Lawrence
County, Pennsylvania.
The accounts of the trades with the Indians
are kept in bucks' , does' and fawns' skins.
Here is a sample of some of the entries:
"Captain Pipe's account, Pea-meet-chease,
lives over the creek: Captain Pipe promises to
pay this account if the other would not. Deer
skins received of his wife, 10s; 1 buck skin,
paid Joseph 1s. Deer skins got of Mamalteas,
6s 1d. Remainder of raccoon and foxes got at
his camp. Account with the white woman who
lives in the smith's shop, Dr. Captain Pipe's
brother-in-law. Dr. The little Muncy man who
bo't the gun at the Muncy town, 1 pint powder."
After March, 1774, James O'Hara was government
agent among the Indians until the commencement
of the Revolution. Having been three years
ensign in the British army, in the Coldstream
Guards, he was thought capable of commanding a
company. He raised and equipped a company of
volunteers. The equipment of soldiers at that
time was their usual dress, hunting shirt,
buckskin breeches and the rifle which always
hung on the wall ready for use. The equipment
supplied them would be little more than
ammunition; but in this case boats were
supplied, which carried besides the company of
volunteers such articles as were of use in
trading with the Indians. The fort at Canhawa,
now Kanawha, to which they were sent, was
erected by the State of Virginia, and was
protected and provisioned by the efforts of
Captain O'Hara's company until 1779. It had
escaped the perspicacity of the Virginia
statesmen that the sources of the Indian
devastations were Detroit, Vincennes and
Kaskaskia, then in possession of the British.
Major George Rogers Clark represented that if
these posts [202] were reduced, a
counter-influence would be established over
the Indians.
In December, 1777, Major Clark submitted to
the executive of Virginia a plan for the
reduction of these posts. January 2, 1778, he
received orders from Patrick Henry, to raise
seven companies of soldiers, to consist of
fifty men, officered in the usual manner and
armed properly, and with this force to attack
the British posts at Kaskaskia. He set out as
soon as possible on the enterprise. On
arriving at the Kanawha River, he was joined
by Captain O'Hara's company, then on its way
to the Ozark. General Clark was successful and
took possession of the town of Kaskaskia,
which was situated on the river of that name,
seven miles from its junction with the
Mississippi. Also Vincennes on the Wabash
River. This fort was called by the English
Fort Sackville. The name Vincennes was derived
from Francois Morgan de Vincennes, who was
commandant at the post in 1735. The march to
Vincennes was long, the season inclement, the
road passed through an untrodden wilderness.
He could only muster one hundred and thirty
men; but inspiring this handful with his own
heroic spirits he resolved to strike the enemy
in the citadel of his strength. For days his
route lay through the drowned lands of
Illinois. One plain, called Horse-shoe Plain,
about four miles long, was covered with water
breast-high. The men, holding their rifles
above their heads, plunged in among the
floating ice and reached the high land beyond
safely. In a few days after the surrender an
amazing number of savages flocked into the
towns to treat for peace, and soon the
enlisted companies returned to their former
stations. The inhabitants were mostly French.
Speaking French with fluency and understanding
some of the Indian dialects, Captain O'Hara
must have been of great service to General
Clark. Letters from General Clark show the
strong friendship be- [203] tween them for
many years after. In 1779, Captain O'Hara's
company, having had the greater part of the
soldiers killed by the Indians while hunting
about Canhawa and other parts of the country,
was reduced to twenty-nine, which was too
small a garrison to answer any purpose, or
protect the inhabitants living in the vicinity
of that post. The fort was evacuated and the
garrison, cattle and horses removed to
Pittsburgh. The few men surviving were annexed
to the Ninth Virginia Regiment, by General
Brodhead, December 13, 1779. Captain O'Hara
was sent to headquarters with letters from
General Brodhead to General Washington, and to
James Wilkinson, asking for a supply of
clothing for the soldiers. Captain O'Hara was
then made commissary for the General Hospital
and stationed at Carlisle. The following
letter was written by Captain O'Hara to
Devereux Smith, Esq.:
PITTSBURGH, April 8, 1777.
Dear Sir:‹I arrived here yesterday from the
Indian country, and must say that I have great
reason to suspect that numbers of the savages
are determined to annoy our frontier as much
as they dare. On the 2d day of this month, as
I was preparing to start with my horses from
the Moravian town, there were three runners
arrived from Tuscarawas, about thirteen short
Miles off, with intelligence that there were a
party of eighteen, consisting of fifteen
Mingoes, two Shawnees and one Wiandot at that
place, on their way to war, and that they
intended to come for the ministers and other
white people who live with the Moravians, upon
which all the white people of the upper town
fled that night to the principal Delaware
town; however I stayed till next morning and
got two of the Moravian Indians to go meet the
warriors and find out, if possible, what they
intended to do. We got for answer that they
looked on themselves as free men, that they
had no king nor [204] chief, therefore would
do as they pleased, and that in the first
place they would visit the neighborhood of
Fort Pitt; they then set off from Tuscarawas,
and as I knew that I certainly must have
fallen in with them, if following my course. I
thought best to send my horses by the
Delawares and came home, myself and man, by
way of the Mingoes town on the Ohio. I was
informed by good authority, that a party of
sixty-four, who had gone some time ago to the
Kentucky, have returned to Pluggin's town,
they have brought only one prisoner, and have
lost a Shawnee man; they have again held a
council of war, and seventy have turned out to
visit the Big River. The Muncies have in
general turned off from the Delawares, and are
much inclined to listen to the Mingoes. The
Shawnees are divided, about one half of them
have joined the Mingoes, the Wiandots seem
more inclined for peace.
I have nothing further material to communicate
at present but that I have lost one of your
buckles. Please make my best compliments to
Mrs. Smith, and Miss Polly, and the rest of
your family.
I am, sir, your humble servant,
JAMES O'HARA.
The following account was written by John
Heckwelder, the Moravian: On seeing the death
of General O'Hara announced in the public
papers, the following occurrence, respecting
him, was brought to my recollection:
Some time after the commencement of the
revolutionary war, when the northern Indians
were beginning to make inroads on the people
living on the east side of the Ohio River,
this gentleman, having come out the upper
Moravian town on the Muskingum, on business,
and there taken lodgings with a respectable
and decent family of Indians in the village, I
had one evening scarcely laid down to sleep,
when I was [205] suddenly roused from my bed
by an Indian runner (or messenger), who in the
night had been sent to me nine miles, with the
following verbal message:
"My friend: See that our friend O'Hara, now at
your town, be immediately taken off to the
settlement of the white people, avoiding all
paths leading to that river. Fail not in
taking my advice, for there is no time to
lose, and hear my son further on the subject."
The fact was, that eleven warriors from
Sandusky were far advanced on their way to
take or murder O'Hara, who at break of day
would be at this place for the purpose. I
immediately sent for this gentleman and told
him that I would furnish him with a conductor,
on whom he might depend, and having sent for
Anthony (otherwise called Luke Holland),
informed him of the circumstances, and
requested his services. He (the Indian) first
wished to know, whether my friend placed
confidence in him and trusted to his fidelity,
which question being answered by O'Hara
himself, and to his full satisfaction, he
replied: "Well, our lives cannot be separated!
We must stand or fall together! But take
courage, for no enemy shall discover us!" The
Indian then took Mr. O'Hara through the woods,
and arriving within a short distance of the
Ohio River, pointed out to him a hiding place,
until he, by strolling up and down the river,
should discover white people on the opposite
shore; when finally observing a house, where
two white men were cleaning out a canoe for
use, he hurried back to bring on his friend,
who, when near the spot, advised his Indian
conductor to hide himself, knowing those
people to be bad men, he feared they might
kill him for his services. The Indian finally
seeing his friend safe across the river,
returned and made report thereof. The young
Indian, who had been the bearer of the message
from his father to me, had immediately
returned on seeing [206] O'Hara off, in order
to play a further deception on the war party,
for the purpose of preventing them even from
going to our town, fearing, that if there, and
not finding their object, they might probably
hunt up his track, and finding this, pursue
him. He indeed effected his purpose so
completely, that while they were looking for
him in one direction, his conductor was taking
him off in another. The father of the young
lad, who was the principal cause that O'Hara's
life had been saved, had long been admired by
all who knew him for his philanthropy, on
account of which the traders had given him the
name of "The Gentleman." Otherwise this Indian
was not in connection with the Christian
Indian Society, though a friend to them. He
lived with his family retired and in a decent
manner. While I feel a delight in offering to
the relatives and friends of the deceased this
true and faithful picture of Indian fidelity,
I regret that on necessarily having had to
recur to the names "Anthony" and "Luke
Holland," I am drawn from scenes of pleasure
to crimes of the blackest hue. The very Indian
just named, who at that time joyfully reported
to me his having conducted his friend out of
danger to a place of safety, some years after
approached me with the doleful news that every
one of his children (all minors) together with
his hoary-headed parents, had been murdered by
the white people at Gnadenhutten on the Muskingum.
JOHN HECKWELDER.
1780, Captain O'Hara was appointed Commissary
of the General Hospital and was stationed at
Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
1781, he received the appointment of Assistant Quartermaster.
The winter of 1779 and Œ8o set in with unusual
severity. Supplies for the troops could not be
supplied in sufficient quantities, all the
channels of transportation were closed. But
the most serious cause of distress was the
derangement [207] of the currency, which left
Congress almost without power to assist the
commissary department. The distress consequent
thereto caused the revolt of the Pennsylvania
line in 1781. After that trouble was ended,
General Greene was put in command in the
Southern army and Wayne was ordered to join it.
Captain O'Hara, Assistant Quartermaster, used
every means to provide for the campaign.
Warehouses were rented in Carlisle and
Philadelphia for the storing of provisions and
means of transportation procured. Of the
history of his efforts for this purpose there
remains now in the possession of his
descendants but one small memorandum book; in
that can be traced his journey with the army,
and a record of provisions procured by himself
and his assistant, Mr. Elliot. Names of places
are given which correspond with the most noted
places of the Southern campaign. Charleston
and almost all of South Carolina had been
conquered by Lord Cornwallis. The British army
was preparing for an invasion of North
Carolina. An engagement between Tarleton and
Morgan took place at the Cowpens, January 17,
1781. The British were defeated. Tarleton
marched through North Carolina to the banks of
the Dan, where there was another engagement.
From there the British army pursued Morgan and
crossed the Yadkin. General Greene made his
escape from North Carolina. Cornwallis
returned to Hillsborough; General Greene
receiving intelligence of this again crossed
the Dan and returned to North Carolina. From
want of provisions the British retired. Greene
advanced, crossed the Haw, and posted himself
between Troublesome creek and Reedy Fork.
On the 15th of March began the battle of
Guilford Court House. It was one of the
severest of the war. Although the Americans
were repulsed and the British remained masters
of the field, they were too much shattered to
follow up [208] the victory. General Greene
retreated to Reedy Fork Creek. After this
General Greene re-entered South Carolina and
attacked Lord Rawdon at Camden; he was
defeated, and retreating crossed the Wateree
and took a strong position for offensive and
defensive operations. At Eutaw Springs was the
next battle. Both sides claimed the victory.
It was the last battle of any note which took
place in South Carolina.
These and other places are mentioned in this
memorandum book, showing that active personal
attention was given to his duties in his
department. He continued with the army until
July, 1783, when having seen the last of the
Pennsylvania troops embarked on board the
transport, he travelled himself to
Philadelphia with General Wayne. After
settling the affairs of his office he returned
to Pittsburgh, accompanied by his newly-wedded
wife in a wagon, the only means of transport.
She was Mary, the daughter of a Scottish
gentleman, William Carson; although the house
that received her was only built of logs, she
took with her all the luxuries that could be
transported. The carpets astonished the
western country people. They expressed their
astonishment that Mrs. O'Hara should spread
coverlets on the floor, and hesitated to walk
on them. The house stood near the Allegheny
River, above Fort Pitt, in what was called the
officers' orchard.
By the Act of Congress, passed April 13, 1782,
"All officers in the late General Hospitals,
who were inhabitants of or belonged to this
State at the time of entering into service,
and who became supernumerary by the
arrangement of October, 1780, or resigned
before 10th April, 1780, and were not
otherwise provided for by law, are entitled to
the depreciation of their pay. I am,
therefore, of opinion, that Mr. O'Hara is
within the meaning of the Act, and that the
account is properly passed."
WM. BRADFORD, JUN.
When peace was concluded with Great Britain, a
portion of their Indian auxiliaries refused to
bury the hatchet, but continued their
depredations upon the settlements bordering on
the Ohio. From 1783 to 1790, it was estimated
that fifteen hundred men, women and children
had been slain or taken captive by the Indians.
Captain O'Hara took the contract for
furnishing provisions for the Western army,
then under the command of General Harmar.
PHILADELPHIA, August 28, 1784.
CAPTAIN JAMES O'HARA.
Sir:‹Your having assisted the Continental
Commissioners in procuring the Indian goods so
much to their satisfaction, has induced the
Indian Commissioners on the part of this State
to request your assistance in obtaining and
safe-packing the goods to be provided by them.
Enclosed you have a list of such as are
wanted, and must beg you will lose no time in
furnishing the several articles therein
specified, in order that they may be sent, if
possible, with the goods of the continent. The
list should have been furnished sooner had we
been sooner authorized. The Treaty at Fort
Stanwix will be held the 20th of September
next, so that it will require your utmost
exertions, as many of the articles must be
made here. A second treaty will be held at
Cuyahoga, on the bank of Lake Erie on the 20th
of November next, so that the articles in the
list No. 1 will be equally divided, the
one-half only immediately for the first
treaty, by which means you will have
sufficient time to make up such articles as
shall be required for the second. As the State
means to convince the natives that she can and
will furnish the best assortment of goods, we
must beg you will be careful to answer her
good intentions in these particulars. Sundry
little articles, agreeable to list No. 2,
[210] will be wanted for the accommodation of
the Commissioners, who beg you will give
yourself the additional trouble of furnishing
the same, and having them carefully put up,
marked, and sent on with the goods. When they
are ready to be shipped you will be pleased to
call upon Captain Joseph Stiles, the keeper of
the magazine, who will deliver you ten quarter
casks of powder for the first treaty, ten
other quarter casks will be ready for the
second, and likewise delivered you.
We are, sir, your humble servants,
SAMUEL ATLEE,
FRANCIS JOHNSTON.
P. S.‹Captain Stiles will also furnish you
with three horseman's and one soldier's tent.
Another letter of the same purport was written
to Captain James O'Hara, by Francis Johnston,
Commissioner, and Colonel Josiah Harmar.
FORT McINTOSH, (Beaver.) February 15, 1785.
Sir:‹On the 21st of December I proceeded from
Fort Pitt with five men for this post in a
large boat, heavy laden with flour, rum, soap,
candles, plank, etc., for the use of the
troops under your command, and that night was
driven on a fish dam by the ice, where we
stuck fast until the night of the 22d, when,
after our broadside was beat in, and no
prospect of relief, two of the men nearly
frozen to death, we were obliged to cast
over-board twelve thousand weight of flour,
five hundred weight of bread and biscuit, with
a considerable quantity of other vegetables
were lost, yet we did not get to shore till
the 23d, and then in that distressed condition
which the melancholy situation of Corporal
Shaw (now present) evinces.
[211] As these losses of provision may
probably be considered under the fifth article
of my contract with the Secretary in the War
Office, and you being acquainted with the
circumstances, I shall esteem it a particular
favor if you will please to furnish me with
the necessary certificate thereof, and oblige,
Sir, your most humble servant,
JAMES O'HARA.
I do hereby certify that the above statement
of facts relative to the loss of the
contractor's boat and cargo is just and true,
agreeable to the best information that can be
collected.
Given under my hand at Fort McIntosh, Feb. 16, 1785.
JOSIAH HARMAR,
Lt.-Col. Com. 1st Am. Reg.
The contract made by Captain O'Hara included
provisioning and clothing the armies then in
the field, and supplying the forts, Oswego,
Niagara, Presqu' isle, Fort le Boeuf,
Greenville, Washington, Fort Wayne, Fort
McIntosh, Defiance, Detroit, Michillimacknac,
Franklin, Miamis, Massac, Chickasaw Bluffs,
Knox, Rapids of Ohio, Hamilton, Kaskaskias,
Natchez, etc. To understand the difficulty of
this undertaking, it must be remembered that
this war was against the Indians, the most
ruthless of enemies, assisted by the lately
conquered British army and American Tories,
and that during this time occurred the
disastrous defeats of Generals Harmar and St.
Clair. General O'Hara was not only contractor
for furnishing all necessaries for these
armies, but he was also appointed to act as
Quartermaster and Treasurer for payments to
the soldiers pro tem. His accounts were kept
with the utmost exactness, as will be proven
by the following certificate:
[212] TREASURY DEPARTMENT,
REGISTER'S OFFICE, March 6, 1792.
These are to certify that James O'Hara, Esq.,
late Contractor for supplying the army with
Provisions, and who occasionally acted as
Quartermaster of the troops and agent for the
supply of Indian goods, is not charged with
any moneys on the treasury books. That he has
from time to time settled his accounts in a
regular manner at the Treasury, and has given
general satisfaction to the Treasury officers
with whom he settled said account.
(Signed) JOSEPH NOURSE,
Register.
WAR DEPARTMENT, May 21, 1792.
Sir:‹I have the honor to transmit you,
enclosed, your commission as
Quartermaster-General of the Army of the
United States.
The Secretary of War requests that you will
please to purchase a bat-horse (Pack-horse.)
for Brigadier-General Putnam, who is about
setting out for Fort Washington (Cincinnati.)
on special business. The horse will be left at
Pittsburgh, under care of Major Craig, subject
to your order; a saddle and bridle will also
be wanted.
I am with great respect, your humble servant,
Jo. STAGG, JR.,
Chief Clerk of the War Department
To JAMES O'HARA, ESQ., QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL.
The defeat of General Harmar, in 1790, carried
dismay throughout all our western settlements,
and inspired the Indians with courage. A new
army was raised and placed [213] under the
command of Major-General St. Clair. On the 4th
of November, 1791, he suffered a total defeat
near the Miami villages by the Indians and
their confederates, the English. The whole
country was thrown into consternation.
Petitions were sent from posts on the frontier
to the officers of the government for
protection. One was sent from Pittsburgh,
December, 1791, representing the defenceless
situation of the town, should it be attacked
by the Indians. This petition was signed and
addressed to Governor Mifflin by James O'Hara,
John Irwin, John Wilkins, Jr., A. Tannehill,
John McMasters, William Turnbull.
December 26, 1791, orders were sent through
Governor Mifflin by H. Knox, Secretary of War,
to Major Craig, to construct immediately a
block-house at Fort Pitt, and to surround it
with palisades, so as to contain about 100
men. Two companies, with the necessary
officers, were ordered to the fort, and the
lieutenants of Westmoreland, Allegheny and
Washington were authorized to employ scouts or
patrols at the expense of the general
government. The scouts were to be the best of
hunters and woodsmen. In 1792 General Wayne
received the appointment of
Commander-in-Chief, and the western army was
reorganized. It was called the Legion of the
United States. Anxious to conciliate the
Indians, he called a council twenty-two miles
below Pittsburgh, which he called Legionville.
The Indians insisted that they should be the
undisturbed possessors of all the land north
and west of the Ohio River. In 1793, when the
United States Commissioners proposed another
council, General Wayne playfully expressed a
wish to be present with 2,500 of his
commissioners in company, with not a single
Quaker among them.
On the 10th of October, 1794, General Wayne
wrote from the Miami villages, that owing to
the unfortunate death of [214] Mr. Robert
Elliot, the acting contractor, who was killed
by the savages, the affairs of that department
were deranged and famine threatened, and
General O'Hara must at once proceed to Fort
Washington, visiting all the forts on the way,
taking an invoice of the stores belonging to
the contractors at each place, and of the
means of transport, forwarding to the Miami
village as great a supply of flour, salt and
cattle as every means of transport in his own
department as well as that of the contractors
will permit. For which purpose the
General-in-chief ordered a detachment of
dragoons and riflemen, under the command of
Captain Gibson, as far as Greenville to escort
the convoy. General O'Hara also received
orders that if there should be any deficiency
in the contractors stores, he should supply
the deficiency.
July 26, 1794, headquarters (Southwest branch
of the Miami.) Greenville, General O'Hara
wrote to Major Craig that a Potawatomie, who
was in the action of the 30th of June, at
Grand Glaize, was captured and being examined
says, that by every account of the Delawares
from Roche de Bout, the British have from
fifteen to twenty pieces of cannon at that
place; that the British called upon all the
Indian Nations to bring on all their warriors,
and that they would bring more British
soldiers than they could bring warriors. This
was one moon before the action at Fort
Recovery. The Indians having prepared for war,
told the British to raise their strong arm and
come on; their answer was to proceed and go on
before and they would wait with their strong
arms to strike the Americans; that the Great
Man of Canada ordered them to go and take the
fort, overset General Wayne's army, and roll
them into the Ohio. He could not tell the
number of Indians killed before Fort Recovery;
the Indians carried off all their dead, except
a few that lay too [215] near the fort. Some
of the wounded were carried off on horseback,
and some by water. General O'Hara adds, "that
the present prospects of supporting the
Quartermaster's Department with general
approbation are very flattering. The Legion
and auxiliaries are in good spirits and well
supplied, and you may be perfectly assured
that we shall be in possession of Grand Glaize
and Roche de Bout before the 15th of next
month."
"July 27th.‹The General beats to-morrow
instead of the Reveille. The whole army is
ready to move in the most complete order at
sunrise, and you may expect to be informed of
an end being put to the business of war in
this quarter and of Simcoes (Governor of
Canada.) retrograde or defeat by my next
letter.
"JAMES O'HARA, Q. M. G."
After the successful termination of General
Wayne's campaign General O'Hara wished to
resign his office as Quartermaster-General,
but the resignation was not accepted until
May, 1796, when he was succeeded by
Lieutenant-Colonel John Wilkins. He continued
in the service of the government as contractor
for supplying the Western army until 1802. It
was during the time of Wayne's campaign that
there occurred the revolt against government
officials, called the "Whiskey Insurrection."
The rioters had burned the country house of
General Neville, and had assembled before
General Abraham Kirkpatrick's house for the
same purpose. H. H. Brackenridge addressed the
mob and appealed to them in a manner which
they could not resist. He showed them that it
would be impossible to burn the house of
Kirkpatrick without at the same time burning
that of General O'Hara, which was close by,
both built of wood; that they knew General
[216] O'Hara was from home with General Wayne,
fighting the Indians; to destroy his property
under such circumstances would be an act for
which they would never forgive themselves. If
the house must be destroyed, let it be pulled
down, not burned. The crowd dispersed.
In the spring of 1796 General O'Hara built a
saw-mill in Allegheny and made arrangements
with Major Isaac Craig for the erection of
glassworks. Mr. Eichbaum was engaged to erect
the works. It was a very difficult and
expensive undertaking. They made their own
pots. Some of the clay was brought from
Germany; all had to be brought from
Philadelphia in wagons. Thirty thousand
dollars were expended before the first bottle
was made. After that the furnaces were
reconstructed and the manufactory became very
profitable. After the partnership with Major
Craig was dissolved he carried on the business
alone. In 1805 he built the ship "General
Butler." On March 4th it lay in the stream at
Pittsburgh, ready to weigh anchor the moment
the water answered. She was to go down the
river with a cargo of glass for intermediate
ports, take a cargo of cotton at Natchez for
Liverpool, and to return to Philadelphia or
New Orleans with goods for either of these
markets. She was commanded by Captain Samuel
Lake. The General's eldest son, William Carson
O'Hara, was supercargo. General John Wilkins
was owner of one-fourth of the ship and cargo.
Strict orders were given by General O'Hara and
General Wilkins to Captain Lake that he would
not suffer on board any stores, wares or
articles of any kind that could possibly be
conceived to be contraband of war, nor attempt
to touch at any prohibition port. The ship was
insured in Philadelphia for $10,000 by Joseph
Carson; it was valued at $14,000. The cargo
was to be insured in Liverpool. On account of
the war Captain Lake was authorized to sell it
in Liverpool. "We [217] do not wish to sell at
any considerable loss, but being engaged in
building another and desirous to encourage
shipbuilding at place, we are willing to sell
this without profit." It was not sold. May 3,
1807, the "General Butler" again sailed from
New Orleans for Greenock with a cargo of
cotton. October 3, 1807, the ship was captured
by a Spanish schooner within sixty miles of
Havanna and taken into Vera Cruz.
Several other vessels were built by O'Hara and
Wilkins for the river trade. One other, the
"Betsey," traded between Baltimore and the
West Indies. It was consigned to John Holmes,
a merchant in Baltimore. He never rendered any
account or answered letters addressed to him
by General O'Hara. It was not known what
became of the vessels during the owner's life.
1789, General O'Hara was elected Presidential
elector and cast his vote for General
Washington. He assisted General Wilkins and
others in building the First Presbyterian
Church, Pittsburgh, and gave the handsome
chandelier which ornamented and illuminated
the building, until it was torn down and
replaced by the present edifice. 1802-4, he
was a candidate for election to Congress and
was defeated by Lucas, a Democrat. During the
time of his contract for supplying the
northwest army with provisions he ascertained
that salt from the Onondaga works in New York
could be furnished in Pittsburgh cheaper than
from Baltimore. He packed his flour and
provisions in barrels suitable for salt. These
barrels were reserved in his contract. Vessels
were built on the lakes and river for its
transportation and the salt sold for $4 a bushel.
1804, General O'Hara was appointed a director
of the branch of the Bank of Pennsylvania,
established that year in Pittsburgh. 1811, he
entered into partnership with John Henry
Hopkins‹afterwards Bishop of Vermont‹in an
iron [218] works at Ligonier. It was a
failure. Among other noble qualities, Mr.
Hopkins possessed the rare one of
acknowledging and being grateful for a
pecuniary obligation.
General O'Hara at various times made extensive
purchases of property in Allegheny County and
elsewhere. The first tract of land he
purchased was in 1773, nineteenth day of
November, being a plantation and tract of land
containing four hundred acres, situated on
Coalpit Run. His mercantile knowledge was
acquired in 1770 and 1771 in a counting-house
in Liverpool. The exactness of his accounts
with government is proved by the following
certificate:
BOARD OF TREASURY, July 19, 1786.
I certify that there is due to Mr. James
O'Hara, from the Commissioners of the Board of
Treasury, for sundry warrants by him endorsed
and delivered this day to the Treasurer of the
United States, the sum of Three Thousand
Dollars: for the amount of which I am
accountable agreeably to a receipt given to me
by Mr. James O'Hara of this date.
WILLIAM DUER,
Secretary of the Board of Treasury.
Other certificates of the same kind have been
preserved by his family. His compeers were men
whose talents have never been excelled in this
community, viz.: James Ross, Hugh Henry
Brackenridge, W. Forward, Judge Baldwin, etc.
Letters from many officers of the army prove
their esteem and confidence in him. To some he
was allied by marriage. General Febiger was
his brother-in-law. His son James married the
daughter of Pressley Neville, who was also the
granddaughter of General Daniel Morgan, of
whom it was said, "Served everywhere,
surrendered nowhere, served to the end of the
war." His daughter, Elizabeth Febiger [219]
O'Hara, married the son of Major Denny, and
soon after his death his daughter Mary married
the son of Major Croghan. General George
Rogers Clark was a brother-in-law of Major
Croghan. During his residence in Pittsburgh he
was noted for his hospitality. To his house
all were welcome, from the countryman who came
in for rest or refreshment, to his guests of
honor, Louis Philippe, General Moreau, and his
friends, the French officers. At that time the
higher classes in Ireland sent their sons to
France for their education. It is probable
that it was thus he acquired his perfect
knowledge of French.
James O'Hara died December 21, 1819, in the
67th year of his age. Mary O'Hara died April
8, 1834, aged 73. William Carson, James and
Charles died s. p. d., before their father.
The only descendants of his name are James
O'Hara and his son Richard W. O'Hara,
descendants of Richard Butler O'Hara.
* * * * * *
NOTES BY GENERAL O'HARA.
From the mouth of Tennessee to Fort Masac 12 Miles
From Fort Masac to the mouth of Ohio 36 Miles
From the mouth of the Ohio to Fort Jefferson 6 Miles
From the mouth of the Ohio to Iron Bank 14 Miles
From the mouth of the Ohio to Chalk Bank 7 Miles
From the mouth of the Ohio to Chickasaw River 25 Miles
From the mouth of the Ohio to New Mexico 50 Miles
From Fort Jefferson to Masac, by land 18 Miles
From Fort Jefferson to the mouth of Tennessee 24 Miles
Raystown, Bedford.
Fort Burd, Redstone Old Fort.
Fort Franklin, Venango County, near mouth of French Creek.
Fort Harmar, right bank of Muskingum, opposite Marietta, built
1785 by Major Doughty.
Le Boeuf, on the south or west fork of French Creek.
Fort Ligonier, east side of Loyalhanna Creek, Westmoreland County,
erected 1757 or 1758.
Fort McIntosh, built by General Lachlan
McIntosh 1778. Beaver.
DuQuesne. Pittsburgh. Fort Pitt.
Presqu' Isle, erected 1756, on Lake Erie,
about 30 miles above Buffalo Fort.
Fort Reed, erected 1773, near Hannas Town.
Fort Washington, Cincinnati.
* * * * * *