The Dark and Bloody Ground: A Shawnee AAR

[Judas Maccabeus]

"Remember this: now there is no turning back; now the seed of war has been planted and watered and already it sprouts. Whether it thrives and grows or is cut down remains yet to be seen."
--Shawnee Chief Hokolesqua (Cornstalk), 1774

Scenario: Slightly edited Age of Revolutions (1773)
Changes: Mostly city names. Kentucky to U.S. as a level 1 colony w/fort. New "country" of Miami in Miamis province (ally of England and Shawnee, in the war). Added leaders Weh-yah-pih-ehr-sehn-wah (used shorter English name of Blue Jacket)(1772-1805) and Pucksinwah (1768-1 October 1774) to Shawnee. Monarch names fixed for Shawnee. Should have fixed tech (but didn't).
Goals: Regain Kentucky and perhaps Alleghany. Maybe grab some Iroquois territory. Diploannex Miami. Keep with us all the sacred grounds of the Shawnee. After all of that's done, perhaps go after the Cherokee.

[Gaijin de Moscu]

Sounds great

I will be here, reading. Never played AoR, myself.

[Stroph1]

Any game with Kentucky as a goal is a must read. (That is my home state).

Settles in for the ride.

[Lord Durham]

Looking forward to it.

[Judas Maccabeus]

Early December, 1772
Chillicothe

"Chief Hokelesqua!"

A Shawnee scout (Weh-yah-pih-ehr-sehn-wah, or Blue Jacket, son of War Chief Pucksinwah) jumped off his horse and went running to Hokelesqua.

"What is it?"

"Shemanese! In the hunting grounds of Kan-tuc-kee!"

The Shemanese (Long Knives) referred to the European settlers. The fact that they were in the Shawnee's sacred hunting grounds was a serious transgression.

"How many? Where?"

"Let me tell the whole story. I crossed the Spay-lay-wi-theepi twelve days ago. About three day's ride directly south I came across a fort. Inside were about two hundred Shemanese."

"Did they see you?"

"No. The journey north was uneventful."

"I will call a grand council immediately!"

Fifteen days later

About five thousand of the Shawnee tribe from all five septs (divisions of the tribe) met in a grand council. Hardly an unprecedented event, but rare enough for everyone to know that something serious had occured.

The first to speak was Hokelesqua himself. He told the people all that Blue Jacket had found.

Next was Ki-kusgow-lowa, chief of the Thawegila sept. Along with Hokelesqua's Chalahgawtha sept, they shared the political and overall administrative matters. "It is obvious that there is nothing we can do about it. We cannot fight them, we would lose."

Pucksinwah, as leader of the Kispokotha sept (the warriors of the tribe), was next to speak. "No we would not! My warriors are the best in the entire world! We have far more than they do. It would be an easy victory."

Black Stump of the Peckuwe sept (in charge of order and religious ceremonies) agreed with Pucksinwah, saying, "We cannot allow Shemanese on our sacred grounds."

Moluntha, leader of the Maykujay sept (in charge of health, medicine, & food) also agreed. "Kan-tuc-kee is our main hunting ground. Shemanese would ruin it."

Hokelesqua and the Chalahgawtha sept also agreed.

So it was decided. The tribe would prepare for war.

[Judas Maccabeus]

A map of the area:

[Judas Maccabeus]

1773

January

27-29: Battle of Blue Licks. 5000 Shawnee warriors come south from Chillicothe (now Old Town, Ohio, on the Little Miami River). 500 settlers under Daniel Boone, attempting to get salt from the Blue Licks on the Licking River to preserve meat, are ambushed. They hold off for two days, but are all finally killed or captured with few losses to the Shawnee.

30 January
Blue Licks

Daniel Boone was brought before the five chiefs of the Shawnee.

Ki-kusgow-lowa immediately yelled, "Kill him!" But Hokelesqua was against this.

"Let him go through the ceremony to be adopted into the tribe."

Boone had no idea what he said, but he soon realized some of what it meant for him--and it wouldn't be pleasant.

Two lines of Shawnee formed, over a hundred meters long, all holding switches. A Shawnee warrior who knew English told Daniel Boone to remove his clothing. Boone glared at him, but realizing that this was his only chance of survival, obeyed.

"When the War Chief touches you with the staff--" the warrior motioned to Pucksinwah, who took a staff that Weh-yah-pih-ehr-sehn-wah had been holding--"you will begin running. You will not be struck from the front--unless you turn around or stop. That is considered a sign of cowardice. You will then be put to death."

Boone gulped, but signaled his agreement. He stood in position at the front of the lines. Pucksinwah gave him a terribly painful strike on the back. Boone began running for his life.

The Shawnee struck him, as the warrior had said, all over the back. The cuts began bleeding. Rocks cut his feet. The farther Boone went, the worse the weapons became. Finally, about three-fourths of the way through, he stumbled and fell unconcious.

Pucksinwah looked on in amazement. "He has taken the adoption ceremony well, though he does not understand the full importance yet. The way he seemed so unaffected by those blows for so long--it is as if he had a shell on his back."

Hokelesqua suddenly looked up. "That gives me an idea for his new name. Sheltowee--Big Turtle."

[Judas Maccabeus]

February
14: Siege of Fort Boonesboro begins.

April-May

April 5-7: Battle of Cumberland Gap. 8000 Shawnee Warriors (another 5000 remain outside Boonesboro) move through the gap and meet 5000 militia. Before they can break through, however, 15,000 more Colonials arrive and force Pucksinwah to retreat back to Kentucky.

April 29-May 18: Fighting in Kentucky. Several outlying villages and homes burnt by both sides. Eventually, Shawnee are forced to retreat.

25 May
Just north of the Spay-lay-wi-theepi

What was left of the Shawnee warriors moved solemnly north. 10,000 had left Chillicothe in January. Barely half that number returned.

Weh-yah-pih-ehr-sehn-wah was the first to speak that day. "This is the end. Why? Why has the Great Spirit forsaken us? What have we done?"

Pucksinwah turned over to him. "Nothing. This is not the end. This is only the beginning of the fight. We still have warriors ready to do battle. We must defend our sacred lands against all intruders."

A little up the column, Hokelesqua and Sheltowee also were walking in silence when Sheltowee spoke up.

"I imagine the Shawnee still don't think too highly of me."

"They admire you for not running away, despite the fact that you had many chances in Kan-tuc-kee."

"I did?"

[Singleton Mosby]

A very good beginning of this AAR.

I personally considerd an Shawnee AAR but could never do it as good as you just did.

I like to know what happens next.

[Judas Maccabeus]

[Mosby: What, did you think I wasn't going to tell you? ]

September-October

Sep. 18-Oct. 25: More fighting in Kentucky. Both armies are reinforced constantly. After more than a month, the Shawnee finally return north of the River. During this time, Boone escapes and returns to the fort named after him.

November

26: Advance units of the Continental army arrive to destroy the annoying Shawnee and Miami tribes once and for all...

1 December
Where the Licking meets the Ohio

"Hold the line! Hold the line! We can't let them get any farther north!"

A volley from the Continental lines drowned out the last part of Hokelesqua's yell. Despite their ill-suited tactics, the Long Knives had numbers on their side. No matter how many ambushes, feints, and supply raids the Shawnee made, they moved on.

This group, however, was fated to die. Shouts from behind showed that Weh-yah-pih-ehr-sehn-wah's group had gotten into place. All the Shawnee (5,000 strong) dove upon the terribly outnumbered enemy. Varied insturments of war drew Shemanese blood. Many of the Shawnee had guns; however, these were used more as clubs in the close-range fighting.

After the battle was a gruesome sight. Unlike in the war of 1754, the natives did not take scalps--nobody had asked for them. But the bodies were still mangled from all the wounds the Shawnee had given them.

Pucksinwah's shoulders slumped. "This is only a temporary victory."

"Do not worry," Hokelesqua replied. "This will give our warriors heart and discourage the Long Knives."

"Not enough, I fear, not enough."

EDIT: Replaced "whoops" with "shouts". Made it sound at first like one of the Shawnee had dropped his gun or something.

[Singleton Mosby]

What, did you think I wasn't going to tell you?

Of course you where going to tell me/us. But I just wated to read on...and on and on and on.....

[Judas Maccabeus]

[Can't refuse a fan ]

December

2: Continental forces take Kispoko Town [Eire province] and force Shawnee into final defensive position around Chillicothe [Hindua province]

5 December
Near Chillicothe

Weh-yah-pih-ehr-sehn-wah rushed over to his father. "Chief Pucksinwah! Long Knives! Five thousand of them, just over that ridge!"

"Warriors! To that ridge, we must have the high ground!"

What was left of the Shawnee warriors--some 2500--rushed onto the rise in the ground just five miles from Chillicothe. They held rifles and had tomahawks in their belt--one shot, then pull out the hand-to-hand weapons.

But the enemy army stopped outside of range. The enemy general came out with a white flag. Pucksinwah recognized the symbol and shouted, "Don't fire!"

The two commanders approached each other in the middle of the field.

The enemy general said something in his language. He had forgotten to bring an interpreter. Pucksinwah did not know whether this was intentional or not.

Fortunately, Weh-yah-pih-ehr-sehn-wah knew English. "He says his name is General Lewis, who represents Lord Dunmore, governor of Virginia. He says that Lord Dunmore is willing to accept peace."

"Tell him my name, and that I ask what the terms are."

"We are to return--return to our previous borders. We must give up our claim to Kentucky, however."

"I don't think we have much choice. Tell him that I have no authority to settle a peace, but that he can meet with Chief Hokelesqua immediately."

[Singleton Mosby]

[Can't refuse a fan ]

I am still a fan.

When do you continue?

[Machiavellian]

These Bloody AAR are too addictive. I find myself spending more and more time each day reading AARs. Subscribe.

[Judas Maccabeus]

December

3-31: Negotiations between Shawnee and Miami, and the Colonial government of Virginia.

31 December
Kispoko Town

"Then we're agreed?"

"Reluctantly."

The peace treaty was set. White settlers would be allowed to remain in Kentucky and the Shawnee and Miami would be forced to pay reparations for burning settlements in Kentucky. It was a bitter peace, but preferable to the revenge of the Long Knives.

As the people filed out of the msi-kah-mi-qui within which the negotiations had taken place (and which was now in Shawnee territory once again), one of the whites took Weh-yah-pih-ehr-sehn-wah aside.

"You look familiar."

A look of recognition came across the Shawnee's face. "Charlie!"

"Duke! I thought I'd see you here!"

The two people, to give their white names, were Charles Van Swearingen and Marmaduke Van Swearingen. Another of the whites walked over upon hearing the commotion.

"Bill, this is my older brother, Marmaduke Van Swearingen, or Blue Jacket as the Shawnee call him."

"No wonder he changed his name. Marmee--"

Duke shot him a warning glance.

"Sorry. What do you call him for short?"

"Duke."

"Thank you. Duke, what possessed you to join the Shawnee?"

"I was captured by a Shawnee hunting party two years ago. Charlie was with me, but I gave myself up to the Shawnee to let him go free."

"Well, you can come home now."

"I don't want to. I'm happy as a Shawnee. I had to suffer through being with the whites for seventeen years."

Bill frowned. "You'll see what I care for that. You're damned lucky we have a peace, 'Blue Jacket'," (he spoke the name with a sneer), "or I'd shoot you right here." Charlie and Bill left the hut, Weh-yah-pih-ehr-sehn-wah waited until they were well gone.

[Singleton Mosby]

You're damned lucky we have a peace, 'Blue Jacket',