Two months prior to the start of the Revolutionary War, Girty took an oath of allegiance to
George III and was appointed a lieutenant in the Virginia militia. He lost his commission when the militia was disbanded a few months later. The following year, Girty was hired as an interpreter by Morgan, who had been appointed Commissioner for Indian Affairs. Girty was discharged after three months. In 1777, he worked as a recruiter for the
13th Virginia Regiment. He was promised a captaincy but was made a lieutenant instead. When the regiment was sent to Charleston, Girty remained behind on detached duty. He resigned his commission in August 1777. A month later, rumors of a Loyalist conspiracy led to the arrest of Girty, McKee, and a few others. Girty was acquitted but remained under suspicion. Girty was then hired by the commander of the Western Department of the
Continental Army, Brigadier General
Edward Hand, to meet with the western Seneca and confirm if they were maintaining their neutrality. He met with Guyasuta, who reluctantly decided to turn Girty over to the British. Girty escaped from the Seneca and returned safely to Pittsburgh. 1778 map showing Fort Pitt at the far right and Fort Detroit at the upper left (Source:
Library of Congress)In February 1778, Girty served as an interpreter during the expedition known as the Squaw Campaign. Hand intended to capture a British supply depot at the mouth of the
Cuyahoga River but failed to control his men when they encountered a cluster of cabins that housed a small number of neutral Delaware. An old man and woman were killed, and another woman was wounded. Girty, who had not been present, later guided a few of Hand's men to a place on the
Mahoning River known as the Salt Licks. They discovered a group of women and children and took one of the women prisoner. The following morning, two of the men were scouting the area when they encountered a youth shooting birds and killed him. Girty rejoined Hand and was asked to guide the expedition back to Fort Pitt. Due to an early thaw, swollen streams, and constant rain, Hand had decided to abandon the campaign. On 28 March 1778, Girty, McKee and a few others left Pittsburgh with the intention of joining the British at Detroit. Girty's motivation for his defection is uncertain, but was likely the combination of his embitterment towards Patriot officials, the attitude of many Americans towards Indigenous people, and the influence of his friend and staunch Loyalist Alexander McKee. Girty and McKee first went to
Coshocton and spoke to an assembly of the Delaware to convince them to abandon their neutrality and support the British. Hopocan, known as
Captain Pipe, advocated war; however, Koquethaqechton counselled peace. The Delaware elected to remain neutral; however, Hopocan's war faction later split from the peace faction. Girty arrived at Detroit on 20 April 1778 and was hired by Lieutenant Governor
Henry Hamilton as an interpreter in the British Indian Department. Meanwhile, in Pennsylvania, Girty was indicted for treason and convicted in absentia. A bounty of $800 was placed on his head. Girty was sent to work first with the Mingo but was later assigned to the
Wyandot who lived on the
Sandusky River. In September, he accompanied a large war party that staged raids in western Pennsylvania. Simon's instructions were to "protect defenceless persons and prevent any insult or barbarity being exercised on the Prisoners." Girty travelled to the town of
Wakatomika on the
Mad River in October 1778 and learned that the Shawnee were intending to burn one of their captives. Girty recognized the prisoner as
Simon Kenton, whom he had befriended during Dunmore's War. Girty convinced the Shawnee to spare Kenton's life. When the Shawnee later recanted their decision, Girty convinced them that Kenton should be brought to the Wyandot village of Upper Sandusky for the execution. With Logan's help, he arranged for trader Pierre Drouillard to impersonate a British officer who told the Shawnee that Lieutenant Governor Hamilton wanted to question Kenton and would pay for him in rum and tobacco. Not wanting to offend Hamilton, the Shawnee agreed. Kenton was taken to Detroit, questioned, and held as a prisoner of war until his escape a few months later.
Fort Laurens In November 1778, Brigadier General
Lachlan McIntosh, who had succeeded Hand, began construction of
Fort Laurens on the
Tuscarawas River in preparation for a spring campaign against Detroit. Due to a shortage of provisions, McIntosh decided to return to Fort Pitt, leaving 150 men of the
13th Virginia Regiment to garrison the fort. Girty went to Fort Laurens in January with a small force of Mingo. They were too late to intercept a pack train bringing supplies, but successfully ambushed the escort as it returned to Fort Pitt. Two Americans were killed and one taken prisoner. Girty brought the prisoner to Detroit and requested that British regulars be assigned to help take the fort. Captain Henry Bird of the
8th Regiment and a small number of regulars accompanied Girty to Upper Sandusky, where they were joined by a few hundred Mingo and Wyandot. The siege began on 22 February 1779, when a work party was surprised outside the fort. All 19 were killed and scalped. Due to the harsh winter conditions, Bird lifted the siege four weeks later, shortly before American reinforcements arrived. Colonel
Daniel Brodhead, who had replaced McIntosh as commander of the Western Department, decided that Fort Lauren's location was untenable and ordered the fort abandoned.
Ambush on the Ohio River In August 1779, Girty was at Detroit when his brother, George, arrived from
Kaskaskia leading a small group of escaped prisoners. George had previously served aboard an American gunboat on the
Mississippi River but had been accused of treason after conspiring to help prisoners escape. George was immediately hired by the British Indian Department as an interpreter. Two months later, Simon and George were with a party of about 120 Shawnee and Wyandot warriors who laid an ambush on the Ohio River that killed 40 American soldiers and reaped a tremendous score of munitions and supplies. Colonel David Rogers commanded a pair of
keelboats carrying gunpowder, lead, rifles, several kegs of rum, and other supplies to Fort Pitt, which he had purchased from the Spanish at
New Orleans. Rogers was joined by a third keelboat at the Falls of the Ohio. As they approached the confluence with the
Licking River, lookouts spotted a canoe on the river ahead and opened fire. The warriors headed to shore and fled into the woods. Rogers beached the keelboats and set off in pursuit, but quickly ran into a hail of bullets. A second group of warriors attacked the boats, but the men posted there managed to get one of the vessels out into the river and escape. One of the few prisoners taken was retired Colonel John Campbell, whom Simon placed under his protection and took to Fort Detroit.
Invasion of Kentucky In May 1780, the British mounted an expedition against American forces at the Falls of the Ohio. Major
Arent DePeyster, who had succeeded Hamilton as Fort Detroit's commandant after the latter was taken prisoner at
Vincennes, selected Bird to lead a force of 150 soldiers from the 8th Regiment, 47th Regiment, Royal Artillery, and Detroit militia, accompanied by 100
Odawa and
Ojibwe warriors as well as several Indian Department personnel including Girty and his brothers. At the confluence of the Ohio and
Great Miami rivers, they rendezvoused with McKee and several hundred Shawnee, Delaware, and Wyandot warriors from the
Ohio Country. Although Bird's orders were to attack
Fort Nelson at the Falls of the Ohio, he was overruled by his Indigenous allies, who preferred to target the isolated settlements on the
Licking River. In late June, Bird's expedition besieged the fortified settlements of Ruddle's Fort and Martin's Station. At Ruddle's Fort, Girty was sent to negotiate terms for the fort's surrender. Despite the efforts of Girty, Bird, and McKee, a number of non-combatants were killed or wounded when the Indigenous warriors ignored the terms, burst into the fort, and took most of the inhabitants captive. Bird later reported that the warriors "rush'd in, tore the poor children from their mothers Breasts, killed a wounded man and every one of the cattle." Bird prevented a repeat when Martin's Station surrendered; however, both forts were plundered and burned. Afterwards, Bird's regulars and militia escorted about 150 men, women, and children to Detroit, arriving there in early August. Of the roughly 250 prisoners taken by the Indigenous auxiliaries, most were brought to Detroit, but a number were killed en route in what historian Russell Mahan has called a death march. A few others, mostly young women and children, were held captive until the end of the war and in some cases for years afterwards. Several slaves who were captured by Indians during the expedition were gifted to Bird and members of the Indian Department. Girty was given a young slave named Scipio, whom he soon freed.
Lochry's Defeat In the winter of 1781, Girty led a few Wyandot warriors from Upper Sandusky to the Falls of the Ohio in order to spy on the Americans. They captured three soldiers from Fort Nelson and discovered that Brigadier General
George Rogers Clark was recruiting men and stockpiling supplies at
Wheeling and Fort Pitt in anticipation of an expedition against Detroit later that year. Clark planned to proceed down the Ohio River from Fort Pitt to Wheeling and then continue on to Fort Nelson before heading north. Girty hurried to inform McKee at Roche de Bout on the
Maumee River, who in turn notified DePeyster at Detroit. Girty then proceeded to Upper Sandusky. As he entered the Wyandot village, he encountered a young captive who had broken away from his guards. The captive was 18-year-old Henry Bake, whom the Wyandot had planned to burn. After hearing Baker's story, Girty convinced the Wyandot to spare Baker's life and take him to Detroit for ransom. DePeyster met with Indigenous leaders in April, after which Girty and McKee began the slow process of gathering warriors to counter Clark. In early August,
Joseph Brant, who had been sent to Detroit from Fort Niagara, led about 90 Shawnee and Wyandot warriors to the confluence of the
Great Miami and Ohio rivers. With Brant was Girty's brother George. Because he was severely outnumbered, Brant had to allow the main body of Clark's troops to pass on the Ohio unscathed, but a few days later successfully ambushed a contingent of Pennsylvania militia led by Colonel
Archibald Lochry , killing 37 and capturing 64. Brant later rendezvoused with Girty and McKee, who had brought with them 300 additional warriors and Captain Andrew Thompson's company of
Butler's Rangers. They set off in pursuit of Clark but soon abandoned the chase when they realized that the Americans had too great a lead. While encamped on the banks of the Ohio, Brant got drunk and began to brag. He claimed sole responsibility for Lochry's defeat and boasted that he had taken the most prisoners. Girty, who had also been drinking heavily, believed George deserved some of the credit and accused Brant of lying. Later that evening, Brant, sword in hand, came up behind Simon and dealt him a severe head wound. It took Girty several months to recover, and left him with a scar that he hid beneath a red bandana. For the rest of his life, he suffered from episodes of dizziness, blurred vision, and severe headaches.
Death of William Crawford In May 1782, a mounted expedition of 480 volunteers led by Colonel
William Crawford set out from Fort Pitt to attack Indigenous settlements on the Sandusky River. They were met by a detachment of Butler's Rangers led by Captain
William Caldwell, and a combined force of Delaware led by Hopocan and Wyandot led by
Dunquat, also known as the Half-King. A number of British Indian Department personnel were also present, including Girty and Elliott. During the two-day battle, the Americans took up a defensive position on a wooded knoll, which they called Battle Island. On the morning of the second day, Girty approached the American lines requesting a parley. He called on Crawford to surrender, but was rebuked. Following the arrival of a body of Shawnee that afternoon, Crawford resolved to withdraw as his men were in danger of being encircled. An orderly retreat was planned; however, the withdrawal dissolved into chaos when Indigenous scouts detected the Americans leaving. Many were killed or taken prisoner as they fled singly or in small groups. Crawford was captured by the Delaware, who decided to execute him in retaliation for the
Gnadenhutten Massacre. Crawford's surgeon, Dr. John Knight, witnessed Crawford's execution and held Girty responsible for not intervening. An account of his ordeal, significantly embellished by
Hugh Henry Brackenridge, was widely published the following year, and is the main source of Girty's reputation as a "white savage." Crawford was taken to Upper Sandusky, where he asked to meet with Girty. Girty told Crawford that the Delaware blamed the American colonel for the massacre of non-combatants at the Moravian village of Gnadenhutten three months earlier. Crawford denied any involvement and begged Girty to arrange a ransom in exchange for military intelligence. Girty promised to do all that he could, but encouraged Crawford to attempt to escape. He told him to throw off his one guard the next morning and that he (Girty) would arrange to have a fresh horse for a getaway. Unfortunately for Crawford, he was already too weak to act on that plan. That next morning, he was taken to an abandoned village where Knight and other captives were being held. Crawford and Knight were forced to run a gauntlet while the others were tomahawked, scalped, and mutilated. Crawford's "trial" was held at Hopocan's town with Girty translating. Hopocan sentenced Crawford to death by fire. Girty attempted to bargain for Crawford's life but was berated by Hopocan and threatened with death. Crawford and Knight were taken to a grove of oaks west of Hopocan's town. Crawford was stripped naked, beaten, and then tied to a post. The Delaware fired numerous powder charges into his body, then cut off his ears. They applied burning sticks to his bare skin and threw hot coals at his feet. Eventually, Crawford collapsed and was scalped. He died soon afterwards, and his corpse was burned. There are conflicting reports of Girty's behavior at Crawford's death. At some point, Crawford called out to Girty to end his suffering and shoot him. According to Knight: Girty's daughter, Sarah, in a 1864 interview, told historian
Lyman Draper that when Crawford called out to Girty, he explained that no one was permitted to interfere once the torture began. According to Sarah, Girty had tried everything he could possibly do to save Crawford. Elizabeth Turner, who had been captured and adopted by the Wyandot in 1780, told her son that she witnessed Crawford's execution. She said that Girty offered his horse, rifle, and enslaved servant Scipio as ransom, but was told that Crawford would be spared only if Girty took his place. She further said that Girty wept while witnessing Crawford's ordeal. Girty reported Crawford's death to Caldwell, who in turn reported to DePeyster that "Crawford died like a hero; never changed his countenance tho's they scalped him alive, and then laid hot ashes upon his head; after which, they roasted him by a slow fire." DePeyster would later write: "Colonel Crawford, who commanded, was taken in the pursuit and put to death by the Delawares, notwithstanding every means had been tried by an Indian officer present, to save his life." Knight later overpowered his single guard as he was being taken to a Shawnee village for his own execution. He arrived at Fort McIntosh three weeks later, starved and barely coherent. Knight was conveyed to Fort Pitt, where he was debriefed by Brigadier General William Irvine. Irvine reported Crawford's death to George Washington. He wrote that "the unfortunate colonel ... was burned and tortured in every manner they could invent" and that "the colonel begged Girty to shoot him, but he paid no regard to the request."
Battle of Blue Licks In August 1782, Girty, McKee, and Elliott accompanied William Caldwell and his company of Butler's Rangers, along with 300 Shawnee warriors led by
Blue Jacket, in an attack on
Bryan Station located east of present-day
Lexington, Kentucky. Unable to breach the stockade, Caldwell ended the siege after two days. The following morning, just under 200 militia led by Colonel
John Todd arrived at the station and set off in pursuit of Caldwell. On the morning of August 19, Todd's men reached the Licking River near a salt spring called the Blue Licks. When they spotted movement on the ridge opposite them, Lieutenant Colonel
Daniel Boone urged caution; however, Major
Hugh McGary insisted on attacking immediately. The Americans forded the river, dismounted, formed lines, and began advancing up the slope. As Boone had suspected, Caldwell's force was waiting for them, concealed in ravines. In the ensuing battle, 77 Americans were killed, including Todd, and 12 were captured. ==Northwest Indian War==