Thursday, August 13, 2015

Cokundiawthah Mohawk War Chief



    After Harmar;s defeat (Fort Wayne Indiana)  and loss of Mohawk War Chief, and husband of Cooh-coo-cheeh with his family, consisting of his wife, three sons, and a daughter, had removed from the St. Lawrence and settled at the Shawnee village a mile below the mouth of the Auglaize River. In the victory of the Indians over a part of the army of Harmar under Hardin and Wyllys, in October, 1790, in a furious charge made against the regulars, while in the act of tomahawking a soldier he received a mortal wound from a bayonet, and dying on his way home was buried on the bank of the Maumee river about twenty miles from the battle ground.
Image result for historical pictures defiance county ohio    Cooh-coo-cheeh at the feast of the dead, with pious affection removed the remains of her late husband from their first resting place, interred them only a few rods above her dwelling, near to the war path, so that not only she might enjoy the happiness of conversing with him, but that his own spirit might be refreshed from viewing the warriors as they crossed the Maumee river on their war expeditions, until having ended his probation and being prepared for his journey, he should travel to the final abode of good spirit in the land far west, abounding with game, and enjoy all those several delights which in the mind of an Indian constitute heaven. Buried in a sitting posture facingthe waest, by his side had been placed his rifle, tomahawk, knife, banket, moccasins, and everything necessary for a hunter and a warrior; and his friends had, besides, thrown many little articles as presents into his grave, at the head of which they placed a post about four feet high, painted red and having near its top, rudely carved, the image of a face; while below was marked the number of scalps he had taken in battle, scalps of all colors, of hair of all lengths, which on some great occasions might be seen streaming in the wind, suspended from a high pole bending over his grave, i (O.M. Spencer) once counted nineteen, torn from the heads of my unfortunate countrymen.

The Indian Captivity Of O.M. Spencer  Page 82-83-84
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