Re: The March on the Delaware Indian Village of Kittanning ... Part VIII

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: : : The Journal of Lt. Col. John Armstrong

: : : ~~~~~~~~~~

: : : The March on the Delaware Indian Village of Kittanning

: : : ~~~~~~~~~~

: : 
: : : August ye 31st to September ye 10th, 2000

: : 
: : : The Kittanning Expedition 2000--Part 8

: : : ~~~~~~~~~~

: : 
: : : Written by Mike Slease, aka, Lt. Col. John Armstrong

: : : Friday, September ye 8th

: : : We awoke to a very red sunrise today. It had clouded up overnight, and the red dawn held ominous signs. 

: : : After breaking camp we went six miles to a Kittanning Trail Monument placed by the Indiana County Boy Scouts in 1976 as part of their United States Bicentennial celebration. After stopping to take photos of it, we moved on. We passed by an area known as Shawnee Bottoms. There were four log cabins here many years ago, according to local legend, which were occupied by some Shawnee. The Bottoms is a large flat place along a stream known as Two Lick Creek. This day it is planted in corn, and judging from its height, the Bottoms is quite fertile. It is easy to see why the Indians would choose it for a home site.

: : : Pvt. Kirwin, Pvt. Dobbs and I had gone ahead, and while we waited here for the others we had a visit from a local man, born and raised within a mile of where we stood, who had no idea of the existence of the Bottoms, nor of its history. He only knew that it was a cornfield. It is, indeed, sad when such history becomes lost. Fortunately, we knew and were able to tell him of it, and hopefully he will pass it on to others. Maybe it will ignite a desire in him to learn more.

: : : We had not yet encountered any rain, but the sky remained overcast. Perhaps the red sky this morning was not as ominous as we first thought it might be. However, the air was hanging heavy with humidity, and was beginning to remind some of our start over a week ago. Since that time, the men had developed the easy gait and swing of veterans who are used to going everywhere on foot. We are constantly thinking as we stroll on, about Armstrong's men, and 18th century armies, in general, and how tough they were. We have toughened up quite a bit since we left Ft. Shirley, and we have had comparatively easy going. We do not have the woods and streams and hardships to contend with that they had. We have our own set of hardships: blisters, rubs and galls, tired and aching 21st century muscles, and other maladies that come from modern living. We have come to a deep appreciation of and admiration for Armstrong's men. They were tough buggers!

: : : We arrived at Shaver's Spring (Indiana, PA) and set camp in the park. Mack Park is a large public park with a fairgrounds...grandstand, animal barns and pens, a public swimming pool, and soccer and baseball fields, as well as a conference center building...quite different than when the Colonel and his army camped here in 1756!

: : : Before we set camp, we wanted to visit the actual Shaver's Spring, so we did just that. 

: : : Shaver's Spring is still in existence. It is inside the cafeteria of the Student Union Building on the campus of Indiana University of Pennsylvania. It has had a planter built around it to protect it and prevent it from being filled in with trash and whatever by students. We entered the building and found the spring, much to the surprise of students and faculty who happened to be there at the time. To say we raised a few eyebrows and elicited a few comments is an understatement! After all, we were not very clean, rather weather-worn, and could have smelled a lot better, I suppose...I mean, wood smoke and sweat are not on Estee Lauder's top fragrances list, but we didn't care. We were on a mission.

: : : After we gathered around the Spring/planter and took photos, we started out of the building. As we passed a table where 5 students sat, four men and one woman, one of the fellows reached up and touched my arm. I stopped and said, "Hello," to him. He asked what this was all about. I explained who we were and what we were doing, and he said, "You mean you all are doing 126 miles?" I told him that was correct, and he looked me up and down, and said, "Well, brother, you are a tougher dude than I am!" I guess this old "Dude" impressed him. We all laughed and then invited him and his friends to visit us in the park, and we went on our way. We returned to the park and set camp. 

: : : There are a number of sizable oak trees here in the park. One was recently cut down, and its stump remained. This tree was hollow in the center, a fate that befalls most oaks of this size. The outer shell contained 87 rings, and was about 7 inches thick. The center was hollow across for over two feet, making this tree quite old. In fact, we determined that it, as well as several others here were mature trees when Lt. Col. Armstrong's army camped here two nights before they hit Kittanning, 244 years ago. I kept looking at the trees as I sat at my tent, and wondered...

: : : This evening we had some interested folks stop by, but not what we expected, as posters had been put up all over the town. And our impressionable friends from earlier did not come by. I guess Friday nights at a University are spent in more interesting pursuits than sitting in a smoky camp listening to some bad smelling old guys drone on about the past!!

: : : (At least they were when I was a student...so who can blame them. Their loss...)

: : : It has begun to settle upon us that this adventure will end in two more days. Tomorrow we go to Kittanning, and will be stopping by Armstrong's army's last campsite before the attack on the town...

: : : As we went to sleep this night, we had an awful lot to reflect upon, and that soon...too soon...it would be over. Tomorrow will be a very special day...one not to be forgotten.

: : ~~~~~~

: : Hi Mike,

: : What exactly was the significance of Shaver's Spring?

: : ..Jeri

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: Hi Jeri,

: Shaver's Spring was where the army filled canteens before moving on towards Kittanning, and moved on a few miles to Shaver's Crossing to camp 2 nights before hitting the town. Mr. Shaver was a local settler. The Spring has been preserved for years. First in an arched stone edifice, and later in side the Student Union Building on the campus. It was a favorite watering place for generations until it was enclosed by the building.

: 
: We camped there because of convenience. Shaver's Crossing no longer exists as such.
: Mike


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