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diff --git a/41663-0.txt b/41663-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c7aa1f0 --- /dev/null +++ b/41663-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2811 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 41663 *** + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustrations. + See 41663-h.htm or 41663-h.zip: + (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/41663/41663-h/41663-h.htm) + or + (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/41663/41663-h.zip) + + + Images of the original pages are available through + Internet Archive. See + http://archive.org/details/dearbornmassacr00helmrich + + + + + +[Illustration: _Monument commemorating the Fort Dearborn Massacre_] + + +THE FORT DEARBORN MASSACRE + +Written in 1814 by + +LIEUTENANT LINAI T. HELM + +One of the survivors + +With Letters and Narratives of Contemporary Interest + +Edited by Nelly Kinzie Gordon + + + + + + + +Rand Mcnally & Company +Chicago New York + +Copyright, 1912, by +Nelly Kinzie Gordon + + + +[Illustration: _Old Fort Dearborn_] + + + + To my Native City Chicago + + WHOSE MARVELOUS GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT + I HAVE WATCHED WITH PRIDE AND UNFAILING + INTEREST SINCE THE YEAR 1835 + + I dedicate this book + + + + +THE CONTENTS + + + PAGE + + _Introduction_ 5 + + Judge Woodward's Letter to Colonel Proctor 9 + + Lieutenant Helm's Letter to Judge Woodward 13 + + Lieutenant Helm's Narrative 15 + + The Massacre at Chicago 27 + + John Kinzie 85 + + The Capture by the Indians of Little Eleanor + Lytle 109 + + + + +THE ILLUSTRATIONS + + + Monument commemorating the Fort + Dearborn Massacre _Frontispiece_ + + FACING PAGE + + Old Fort Dearborn 15 + + The old Kinzie house 85 + + Cornplanter, a Seneca chief 109 + + + + +INTRODUCTION + + +The narrative of Lieutenant Linai T. Helm, one of the two officers who +survived the Chicago Massacre, mysteriously disappeared nearly one +hundred years ago. This manuscript has lately been found and is now in +the possession of the Michigan Pioneer and Historical Society, by whose +kind permission it is here presented to the public, together with +letters explaining its loss and its recovery. It is the earliest extant +account given by a participator in the fearful tragedy of August 15, +1812. It was written by Lieutenant Helm in 1814, at the request of Judge +Augustus B. Woodward, of Detroit, and was accompanied by a letter asking +Judge Woodward's opinion as to whether the strictures made in the +narrative upon the conduct of Captain Heald would result in Helm's being +court-martialed for disrespect to his commanding officer. + +Judge Woodward evidently advised Lieutenant Helm not to take the risk, +for the manuscript was found many years later among the Judge's papers. +That Lieutenant Helm was a soldier rather than a scholar is evidenced by +the faulty construction of his narrative. Its literary imperfections, +however, in no way detract from its value as a truthful account of the +events he describes. + +In the records of the Michigan Pioneer and Historical Society, volume +12, page 659, is a letter concerning the survivors of the Chicago +Massacre, written October, 1812, to Colonel Proctor by Judge Woodward, +in which he says: + +"First, there is one officer, a lieutenant of the name of Linai T. Helm, +with whom I had the happiness of a personal acquaintance. His father is +a gentleman, originally of Virginia, and of the first society of the +city, who has since settled in the State of New York. He is an officer +of great rank, and unblemished character. The lady of this gentleman, a +young and amiable victim of misfortune, was separated from her husband. +She was delivered up to her father-in-law, who was present. Mr. Helm was +transported into the Indian country a hundred miles from the scene of +action, and has not since been heard of at this place." + +She was captured during the fight and delivered to her stepfather, Mr. +John Kinzie. Her own account is given in the extract from "Waubun." + +Lieutenant Helm's feeling against Captain Heald was due to the latter's +refusal to take any advice from those who thoroughly understood the +Indians with whom they had to deal, and his failure to consult any of +his junior officers as to what course might be pursued to save the +garrison. + +Kirkland, in his "Story of Chicago," chapter 8, page 66, says: "Captain +Heald's conduct seems like that of a brave fool." Captain Heald was by +no means a fool, but he was afraid to take any responsibility. He +considered a soldier's first duty obedience to orders. If in carrying +out the orders he had received from General Hull he sacrificed his +command, it would not be his fault, but Hull's; whereas, if he disobeyed +instructions and remained in the fort awaiting reinforcements, any +disastrous results would be visited upon him alone. He was willing, +however, to accept John Kinzie's offer to provide a forged order, +purporting to come from General Hull, authorizing the destruction of all +arms, ammunition, and liquor before evacuating the fort, instead of +giving them to the savages. + +Lieutenant Helm was promoted to a captaincy, but as his wound continued +very troublesome he resigned from the army soon afterward, and retired +to private life. + +The experiences of Mrs. Helm and of her mother, Mrs. John Kinzie, were +related by them personally to Mrs. Juliette A. Kinzie, the author of +"Waubun." + +The little captive stolen by the Senecas and adopted into the tribe by +their famous chief, "The Corn Planter," was Eleanor Lytle. She +afterwards was rescued and became the wife of John Kinzie. To her +daughter-in-law, Mrs. Juliette A. Kinzie, she told the story of her +captivity among the Senecas, and her experiences during the Chicago +Massacre. + +It seems proper in giving Lieutenant Helm's account of Fort Dearborn +Massacre to preface it with a letter written by Judge Augustus B. +Woodward of Detroit, of which two copies exist: one of the original +draft, and one of the letter sent. They differ only in some unimportant +details. + +Detroit was surrendered the day before the Chicago Massacre took place. +As soon as information of the tragedy reached Detroit, Judge Woodward +appealed to Colonel Proctor in behalf of the prisoners and possible +survivors of the Massacre at Fort Dearborn. + +The information given by Judge Woodward in this letter to Colonel +Proctor probably came from William Griffith, a survivor who had reached +Detroit. It could not have come from Lieutenant Helm, who had been sent +as a prisoner to Peoria, Illinois, and did not reach St. Louis until +October 14. + + NELLY KINZIE GORDON. + + + + +JUDGE WOODWARD'S LETTER TO COLONEL PROCTOR + + + "Territory of Michigan," + October 8th, 1812. + +Sir: + +It is already known to you that on Saturday the fifteenth day of August +last, an order having been given to evacuate Fort Dearborn an attack was +made by the savages of the vicinity on the troops and persons +appertaining to that garrison on their march, at the distance of about +three miles from the Fort, and the greater part of the number +barbarously and inhumanly massacred. + +Three of the survivors of that unhappy and terrible disaster having +since reached this country, I have employed some pains to collect the +number and names of those who were not immediately slain and to +ascertain whether any hopes might yet be entertained of saving the +remainder. + +It is on this subject that I wish to interest your feelings and to +solicit the benefit of your interposition; convinced that you estimate +humanity among the brightest virtues of the soldier. + +I find, sir, that the party consisted of ninety-three persons. Of these +the military, including officers, non-commissioned officers and +privates, amounted to fifty-four--the citizens, not acting in a military +capacity, consisted of twelve. The number of women was nine, and that of +the children eighteen. + +The whole of the citizens were slaughtered, two women and twelve +children. + +Of the military, twenty-six were killed at the time of the attack, and +accounts have arrived of at least five of the surviving prisoners having +been put to death in the course of the same night. + +There will remain then twenty-three of the military, seven women and six +children, whose fate, with the exception of the three who have come in, +and of two others who are known to be in safety at St. Joseph's, remains +to be yet ascertained. + +Of these, amounting in all to thirty-one persons, I will furnish you +with the names of all that I have been able to identify. + +First: there is one officer, a lieutenant, of the name of Linai T. Helm, +with whom I have had the honor of a personal acquaintance. He is an +officer of great merit, and of the most unblemished character. His +father is a gentleman originally of Virginia, and of the first +respectability, who has since settled in the State of New York. The lady +of this gentleman, a young and amiable victim of misfortune, was +separated from her husband during the fight. She is understood to be now +at St. Joseph's. Mr. Helm was conveyed a hundred miles into the Indian +country, and no accounts of his fate have yet reached this quarter. + +Second: of the six non-commissioned officers, four survived the action: +John Crozier, a sergeant; Daniel Dougherty, a corporal; one other +corporal by the name of Bowen, and William Griffin (Griffith), sergeant, +now here. + +Third: of the privates it is said that five, and it is not known how +many more, were put to death in the night after the action. Of those who +are said to have thus suffered, I have been able to collect only the +names of two; Richard Garner and James Latta. Mr. Burns, a citizen, +severely wounded, was killed by an Indian woman, in the daytime, about +an hour after the action. Micajah Dennison and John Fury were so badly +wounded in the action that little hope was indulged of their recovery. + +There will thus remain twenty to be accounted for, of whom I can only +give the following names: Dyson Dyer, William Nelson Hunt, Duncan +McCarty, Augustus Mott, John Smith, John Smith, his son, a fifer, James +Van Horn. + +Four: of the five women whose fate remains to be ascertained, I am +enabled to give the names of them all. They were Mrs. Burns, wife to the +citizen before mentioned as killed after the attack; Mrs. Holt, Mrs. +Lee, Mrs. Needs, and Mrs. Simmons. Among these women six children saved +out of the whole number, which was eighteen; part of them belonging to +the surviving mothers, and part to those who were slain. + +As to the means of preserving these unhappy survivors from the +distressing calamities which environ them, if they have preserved their +lives, and which the rigors of the approaching season cannot fail to +heighten, I would beg leave to suggest the following: + +First: to send a special messenger to that quarter, overland, and with +such safeguard of Indians or others, as can be procured, charged with +collecting the prisoners who may yet survive, and accounts of those who +may have ultimately suffered, and supplied with the means of conveying +them either to Detroit or Michillimackinac. + +Second: to communicate to Captain Roberts, who now commands at +Michillimackinac, the circumstances of the same in full, and to request +his co-operation in effecting the humane object of their ultimate +preservation. + +I am not authorized by my Government to make the assurance, but I shall +not doubt their cheerfully defraying such expense of ransom, or +conveyance, as circumstances will justify; and private funds are also +ready to be applied to the same purpose. I do not less doubt your +willing and zealous assistance, and with a confident hope of it, permit +me, sir, to assure you of the high respect with which I have the honor +to be + + Your obedient servant, + A. B. WOODWARD. + +To Col. Henry Proctor. + + + + +LIEUTENANT HELM'S LETTER TO JUDGE WOODWARD + + + Flemington, New Jersey, + 6th June, 1814. + +Dear Sir:-- + +I hope you will excuse the length of time I have taken to communicate +the history of the unfortunate massacre of Chicago. It is now nearly +finished, and in two weeks you may expect it. As the history cannot +possibly be written with truth without eternally disgracing Major Heald, +I wish you could find out whether I shall be cashiered or censured for +bringing to light the conduct of so great a man as many think him. You +know I am the only officer that has escaped to tell the news. Some of +the men have got off, but where they are I know not; they would be able +to testify to some of the principal facts. I have waited a long time +expecting a court of inquiry on his conduct but see plainly it is to be +overlooked. I am resolved now to do myself justice even if I have to +leave the service to publish the history. I shall be happy to hear from +you immediately on the receipt of this. + + I have the honor to be sir, + with great respect, + Your obedient servant, + L. T. HELM. + + Augustus B. Woodward, Esqr. + Washington City + + (Addressed:) Flemington, Jan. 6th. + Augustus B. Woodward, Esq. + Milton, Va. + + (Endorsed:) Helm, Mr. Linah T. + letter from + Dated Flemington, + New Jersey, June 6th, 1814. + Received at Washington. + June 14th, 1814. + + R. June 14th, 1814. + + + + +LIEUTENANT HELM'S NARRATIVE + + +Some time in April, about the 7th-10, a party of Winnebagoes came to +Chicago and murdered 2 men. This gave sufficient ground to suppose the +Indians hostile, as they have left every sign by scalping them and +leaving a weapon, say a war mallet, as a token of their returning in +June. Mr. Kinzie sent a letter from the Interior of the Indian Country +to inform Capt. Heald that the Indians were hostile inclined and only +waiting the Declaration of War to commence open hostilities. This they +told Kinzie in confidence on the 10th of July. Capt. Heald got the +information of War being declared, and on the 8th of August got Gen. +Hull's order to evacuate the Post of Fort Dearborn by the route of +Detroit, or Fort Wayne, if practicable. This letter was brought by a +Potowautemie Chief Winnemeg, and he informed Capt. Heald, through +Kenzie, to evacuate immediately the next day, if possible, as the +Indians were hostile and that the troops should change the usual routes +to go to Fort Wayne. On the 12th August, Capt. William Wells arrived +from Fort Wayne with 27 Miamis, and after a council being held by him +with the tribes there assembled to amount of 500 warriors 179 women and +children. He after council declared them hostile and that his opinion +was that they would interrupt us on our route. Capt. Wells enquired into +the State of the arms, ammunition and provisions. We had 200 stand of +arms, four pieces of artillery, 6,000 lbs. of powder and a sufficient +quantity of shot lead, etc. 3 months provisions taken in Indian corn and +all this on the 12th of August, having prior to this expended 3 months +provisions at least in the interval between the 7th and 12th of August, +exclusive of this we had at our command 200 head of horned cattle and 27 +barrels of salt. After this survey, Wells demanded of Capt. Heald if he +intended to evacuate. His answer was he would. Kenzie then, with Lt. +Helm, called on Wells and requested him to call on Capt. Heald and cause +the ammunition and arms to be destroyed, but Capt. Wells insisted on +Kenzie and Helm to join with him. This being done, Capt. Heald hesitated +and observed that it was not sound policy to tell a lie to an Indian; +that he had received a positive order from Gen. Hull to deliver up to +those Indians all the public property of whatsoever nature particularly +to those Indians that would take in the Troops and that he could not +alter it, and that it might irritate the Indians and be the means of the +destruction of his men. Kenzie volunteered to take the responsibility on +himself, provided Capt. Heald would consider the method he would point +out a safe one, he agreed. Kenzie wrote an order as if from Genl. Hull, +and gave it into Capt. Heald. It was supposed to answer and accordingly +was carried into effect. The ammunition and muskets were all destroyed +the night of the 13th. The 15th, we evacuated the Garrison, and about +one and half mile from the Garrison we were informed by Capt. Wells that +we were surrounded and the attack by the Indians began about 10 of the +clock morning. The men in a few minutes were, with the exception of 10, +all killed and wounded. The Ensign and Surgeons Mate were both killed. +The Capt. and myself both badly wounded during the battle. I fired my +piece at an Indian and felt confident I killed him or wounded him badly. +I immediately called to the men to follow me in the pirara, or we would +be shot down before we could load our guns. We had proceeded under a +heavy fire about an hundred and five paces when I made a wheel to the +left to observe the motion of the Indians and avoid being shot in the +back, which I had so far miraculously escaped. Just as I wheeled I +received a ball through my coat pocket, which struck the barrel of my +gun and fell in the lining of my coat. In a few seconds, I received a +ball in my right foot, which lamed me considerably. The Indians happened +immediately to stop firing and never more renewed it. I immediately +ordered the men that were able to load their guns and commenced loading +for them that were not able. I now discovered Capt. Heald for the first +time to my knowledge during the battle. He was coming from towards the +Indians and to my great surprise they never offered to fire on him. He +came up and ordered the men to form; that his intentions were to charge +the body of Indians that were on the bank of the Lake where we had just +retreated from. They appeared to be about 300 strong. We were 27, +including all the wounded. He advanced about 5 steps and not at all to +my surprise was the first that halted. Some of the men fell back instead +of advancing. We then gained the only high piece of ground there was +near. We now had a little time to reflect and saw death in every +direction. At this time an interpreter from the Indians advanced towards +us and called for the Captain, who immediately went to meet him (the +interpreter was a half Indian and had lived a long time within a few +yards of the fort and bound to Mr. Kinzie; he was always very friendly +with us all). A chief by the name of Blackbird advanced to the +interpreter and met the Captain, who after a few words conversation +delivered him his sword, and in a few minutes returned to us and +informed me he had offered 100 dollars for every man that was then +living. He said they were then deciding on what to do. They, however, in +a few minutes, called him again and talked with him some time, when he +returned and informed me they had agreed if I and the men would +surrender by laying down our arms they would lay down theirs, meet us +half way, shake us by the hand as friends and take us back to the fort. +I asked him if he knew what they intended doing with us then. He said +they did not inform him. He asked me if I would surrender. The men were +at this time crowding to my back and began to beg me not to surrender. I +told them not to be uneasy for I had already done my best for them and +was determined not to surrender unless I saw better prospects of us all +being saved and then not without they were willing. The Captain asked me +the second time what I would do, without an answer. I discovered the +interpreter at this time running from the Indians towards us, and when +he came in about 20 steps the Captain put the question the third time. +The Interpreter called out, "Lieut. don't surrender for if you do they +will kill you all, for there has been no general council held with them +yet. You must wait, and I will go back and hold a general council with +them and return and let you know what they will do." I told him to go, +for I had no idea of surrender. He went and collected all the Indians +and talked for some time, when he returned and told me the Indians said +if I would surrender as before described they would not kill any, and +said it was his opinion they would do as they said, for they had already +saved Mr. Kinzie and some of the women and children. This enlivened me +and the men, for we well knew Mr. Kinzie stood higher than any man in +that country among the Indians, and he might be the means of saving us +from utter destruction, which afterwards proved to be the case. We then +surrendered, and after the Indians had fired off our guns they put the +Captain and myself and some of the wounded men on horses and marched us +to the bank of the lake, where the battle first commenced. When we +arrived at the bank and looked down on the sand beach I was struck with +horror at the sight of men, women and children lying naked with +principally all their heads off, and in passing over the bodies I was +confident I saw my wife with her head off about two feet from her +shoulders. Tears for the first time rushed in my eyes, but I consoled +myself with a firm belief that I should soon follow her. I now began to +repent that I had ever surrendered, but it was too late to recall, and +we had only to look up to Him who had first caused our existence. When +we had arrived in half a mile of the Fort they halted us, made the men +sit down, form a ring around them, began to take off their hats and +strip the Captain. They attempted to strip me, but were prevented by a +Chief who stuck close to me. I made signs to him that I wanted to drink, +for the weather was very warm. He led me off towards the Fort and, to my +great astonishment, saw my wife sitting among some squaws crying. Our +feelings can be better judged than expressed. They brought some water +and directed her to wash and dress my wound, which she did, and bound +it up with her pocket handkerchief. They then brought up some of the men +and tommyhawked one of them before us. They now took Mrs. Helm across +the river (for we were nearly on its banks) to Mr. Kinzie's. We met +again at my fathers in the State of New York, she having arrived seven +days before me after being separated seven months and one week. She was +taken in the direction of Detroit and I was taken down to Illinois River +and was sold to Mr. Thomas Forsyth, half brother of Mr. Kinzie's, who, a +short time after, effected my escape. This gentleman was the means of +saving many lives on the warring (?) frontier. I was taken on the 15th +of August and arrived safe among the Americans at St. Louis on the 14th +of October. + +Capt. Heald, through Kenzie, sending his two negroes, got put on board +an Indian boat going to St. Joseph, and from that place got to Makenac +by Lake Michigan in a birch canoe. + +The night of the 14th, the Interpreter and a Chief (Black Partridge) +waited on Capt. Heald. The Indian gave up his medal and told Heald to +beware of the next day, that the Indians would destroy him and his men. +This Heald never communicated to one of his officers. There was but +Capt. Wells that was acquainted with it. You will observe, sir, that I +did, with Kenzie, protest against destroying the arms, ammunition and +provisions until that Heald told me positively that he would evacuate at +all hazards. + +15th of August, we evacuated the Fort. The number of soldiers was 52 +privates and musicians (2), 4 officers and physicians, 14 citizens, 18 +children and 9 women, the baggage being in front with the citizens, +women and children and on the margin of the lake, we having advanced to +gain the Prairie. I could not see the massacre, but Kinzie, with Doctor +Van Vorees, being ordered by Capt. Heald to take charge of the women and +children, remained on the beach, and Kinzie since told me he was an eye +witness to the horrid scene. The Indians came down on the baggage +waggons for plunder. They butchered every male citizen but Kinzie, two +women and 12 children in the most inhuman manner possible, opened them, +cutting off their heads and taken out their hearts; several of the women +were wounded but not dangerously. + +LIST OF GARRISON + + Nathan Heald 1 Released. + + Lina T. Helm 2 " + + Nathan Edson 3 ---- + + Elias Mills 4 ---- + + Thos. Point Dexter 5 ---- + + August Mort 6 Died natural. + + James Latta 7 Killed. + + Michael Lynch 8 Killed. + + John Sullinfield 9 Killed. + + John Smith, Senr. 10 Released. + + John Smith, Junr. 11 ---- + + Nathan Hunt 12 Deserted. + + Richard Garner 13 Killed. + + Paul Greene 14 ---- + + James V__tworth (?) 15 ---- + + John Griffiths 16 { Supposed to be a + { Frenchman and + Joseph Bowen 17 { released. + + John Ferry (or Fury) 18 ---- + + John Crozier 19 Deserted. + + John Needs 20 ---- + + Daniel Daugherty 21 ---- + + Dyson Dyer 22 Killed. + + John Andrews 23 Killed. + James Stone (or Starr + or Storr) 24 Killed. + + Joseph Nolis (or Notts) 25 ---- + + James Corbin 26 ---- + + Fielding Corbin 27 ---- + Citizens: + + Jos. Burns 28 Mortally wounded; + since killed. + +(Names of women on reverse page) + + Women taken prisoners: + + Mrs. Heald Released. + + Mrs. Helm " + + Mrs. Holt } + + Mrs. Burns } + + Mrs. Leigh } Prisoners + + Mrs. Simmons } + + Mrs. Needs } + + Killed in action: + + Mrs. Corbin. + + Mrs. Heald's Negro woman. + + Children yet in captivity: + + Mrs. Leigh's 2, one since dead N D. + + Mrs. Burns' 2. + + Mrs. Simmons' 1. + + 13 children killed during the action. + + 11 citizens including Captain Wells. + + John Kinzie taken, but not considered as a prisoner + of war. + + 54 Rank and file left the Garrison. + + + + +THE MASSACRE AT CHICAGO[1] + + +It was the evening of April 7, 1812. The children were dancing before +the fire to the music of their father's violin. The tea table was +spread, and they were awaiting the return of their mother, who had gone +to visit a sick neighbor about a quarter of a mile up the river. + +Suddenly their sports were interrupted. The door was thrown open, and +Mrs. Kinzie rushed in, pale with terror, and scarcely able to speak. +"The Indians! the Indians!" she gasped. + +"The Indians? What? Where?" they all demanded in alarm. + +"Up at Lee's Place, killing and scalping!" + +With difficulty Mrs. Kinzie composed herself sufficiently to say that, +while she was at Burns', a man and a boy had been seen running down with +all speed on the opposite side of the river. They had called across to +the Burns family to save themselves, for the Indians were at Lee's +Place, from which the two had just made their escape. Having given this +terrifying news, they had made all speed for the fort, which was on the +same side of the river. + +All was now consternation and dismay in the Kinzie household. The family +were hurried into two old pirogues that lay moored near the house, and +paddled with all possible haste across the river to take refuge in the +fort. + +All that the man and boy who had made their escape were able to tell was +soon known; but, in order to render their story more intelligible, it is +necessary to describe the situation. + +Lee's Place, since known as Hardscrabble, was a farm intersected by the +Chicago River, about four miles from its mouth. The farmhouse stood on +the west bank of the south branch of this river. On the north side of +the main stream, but near its junction with Lake Michigan, stood the +dwelling house and trading establishment of Mr. Kinzie. + +The fort was situated on the southern bank, directly opposite this +mansion, the river and a few rods of sloping green turf on either side +being all that intervened between them. + +The fort was differently constructed from the one erected on the same +site in 1816. It had two blockhouses on the southern side, and on the +northern a sally port, or subterranean passage from the parade ground to +the river. This was designed to facilitate escape in case of an +emergency or as a means of supplying the garrison with water during a +siege. + +In the fort at this period were three officers, Captain Heald, who was +in command, Lieutenant Helm, the son-in-law of Mr. Kinzie, and Ensign +Ronan--the last two very young men--and the surgeon, Dr. Van Voorhees. + +The garrison numbered about seventy-five men, very few of whom were +effective. + +A constant and friendly intercourse had been maintained between these +troops and the Indians. It is true that the principal men of the +Potowatomi nation, like those of most other tribes, went yearly to Fort +Malden, in Canada, to receive the large number of presents with which +the British Government, for many years, had been in the habit of +purchasing their alliance; and it was well known that many of the +Potowatomi, as well as Winnebago, had been engaged with the Ottawa and +Shawnee at the battle of Tippecanoe, the preceding autumn; yet, as the +principal chiefs of all the bands in the neighborhood appeared to be on +the most amicable terms with the Americans, no interruption of their +harmony was at any time anticipated. + +After August 15, however, many circumstances were recalled that might +have opened the eyes of the whites had they not been blinded by a false +security. One incident in particular may be mentioned. + +In the spring preceding the destruction of the fort, two Indians of the +Calumet band came to the fort on a visit to the commanding officer. As +they passed through the quarters, they saw Mrs. Heald and Mrs. Helm +playing at battledoor. + +Turning to the interpreter, one of them, Nau-non-gee, remarked, "The +white chiefs' wives are amusing themselves very much; it will not be +long before they are hoeing in our cornfields!" + +At the time this was considered an idle threat, or, at most, an +ebullition of jealous feeling at the contrast between the situation of +their own women and that of the "white chiefs' wives." Some months +after, how bitterly was it remembered! + +The farm at Lee's Place was occupied by a Mr. White and three persons +employed by him. + +In the afternoon of the day on which our narrative commences, a party of +ten or twelve Indians, dressed and painted, arrived at the house. +According to the custom among savages, they entered and seated +themselves without ceremony. + +Something in their appearance and manner excited the suspicion of one of +the household, a Frenchman, who remarked, "I do not like the looks of +these Indians--they are none of our folks. I know by their dress and +paint that they are not Potowatomi." + +Another of the men, a discharged soldier, then said to a boy who was +present, "If that is the case, we'd better get away from them if we can. +Say nothing; but do as you see me do." + +There were two canoes tied near the bank, and the soldier walked +leisurely towards them. Some of the Indians inquired where he was going. +He pointed to the cattle standing among the haystacks on the opposite +bank, making signs that they must go and fodder them, and that they +would then return and get their supper. + +As the afternoon was far advanced, this explanation was accepted without +question. + +The soldier got into one canoe, and the boy into the other. The stream +was narrow, and they were soon across. Having gained the opposite side, +they pulled some hay for the cattle, made a show of herding them, and +when they had gradually made a circuit, so that their movements were +concealed by the haystacks, took to the woods, close at hand, and then +started for the fort. + +They had run about a quarter of a mile when they heard two guns +discharged in succession. These guns they supposed to have been leveled +at the companions they had left. + +They ran without stopping until they arrived opposite Burns',[2] where, +as before related, they called across to warn the family of their +danger, and then hastened on to the fort. + +It now occurred to those who had secured their own safety that the Burns +family was still exposed to imminent peril. The question was, who would +hazard his life to bring them to a place of security? The gallant young +officer, Ensign Ronan, with a party of five or six soldiers, volunteered +to go to their rescue. + +They ascended the river in a scow, took the mother, with her infant, +scarcely a day old, upon her bed to the boat, and carefully conveyed her +with the other members of the family to the fort. + +The same afternoon a party of soldiers, consisting of a corporal and +six men, had obtained leave to go fishing up the river. They had not +returned when the fugitives from Lee's Place arrived at the fort. It was +now night and, fearing they might encounter the Indians, the commanding +officer ordered a cannon fired, warning them of their danger. + +It will be remembered that the unsettled state of the country after the +battle of Tippecanoe, the preceding November, had rendered every man +vigilant, and the slightest alarm was an admonition to "beware of the +Indians." + +At the time the cannon was fired the fishing party were about two miles +above Lee's Place. Hearing the signal, they put out their torches and +dropped down the river towards the garrison, as silently as possible. + +When they reached Lee's Place, it was proposed to stop and warn the +inmates to be on their guard, as the signal from the fort indicated some +kind of danger. All was still as death around the house. The soldiers +groped their way along, and as the corporal jumped over the small +inclosure he placed his hand upon the dead body of a man. He soon +ascertained that the head was without a scalp, and otherwise mutilated. +The faithful dog of the murdered man stood guarding the lifeless remains +of his master. + +The tale was told. The men retreated to their canoes, and reached the +fort unmolested about eleven o'clock at night. + +The next morning a party of citizens and soldiers volunteered to go to +Lee's Place to learn further the fate of its occupants. The body of Mr. +White was found pierced by two balls, with eleven stabs in the breast. +The Frenchman also lay dead, his dog still beside him. The bodies were +brought to the fort and buried in its immediate vicinity. + +Later it was learned from traders out in the Indian country that the +perpetrators of the deed were a party of Winnebago who had come into the +neighborhood to "take some white scalps." Their plan had been to proceed +down the river from Lee's Place and kill every white man outside the +walls of the fort. However, hearing the report of the cannon, and not +knowing what it portended, they thought it best to retreat to their +homes on Rock River. + +The settlers outside the fort, a few discharged soldiers and some +families of half-breeds, now intrenched themselves in the Agency House. +This building stood west of the fort, between the pickets and the river, +and distant about twenty rods from the former. + +It was an old-fashioned log house, with a hall running through the +center, and one large room on each side. Piazzas extended the whole +length of the building, in front and rear. These were now planked up, +for greater security; portholes were cut, and sentinels posted at night. + +As the enemy were believed to be still lurking in the neighborhood, or, +emboldened by former success, were likely to return at any moment, an +order was issued prohibiting any soldier or citizen from leaving the +vicinity of the garrison without a guard. + +One night a sergeant and a private, who were out on patrol, came +suddenly upon a party of Indians in the pasture adjoining the esplanade. +The sergeant fired his piece, and both retreated towards the fort. +Before they could reach it, an Indian threw his tomahawk, which missed +the sergeant and struck a wagon standing near. The sentinel from the +blockhouse immediately fired while the men got safely in. The next +morning traces of blood were found for a considerable distance into the +prairie, and from this and the appearance of the long grass, where it +was evident a body had lain, it was certain some execution had been +done. + +On another occasion Indians entered the esplanade to steal horses. Not +finding any in the stable, as they had expected to, they relieved their +disappointment by stabbing all the sheep in the stable and then letting +them loose. The poor animals flocked towards the fort. This gave the +alarm. The garrison was aroused, and parties were sent out; but the +marauders escaped unmolested. The inmates of the fort experienced no +further alarm for many weeks. + +On the afternoon of August 7, Winnemeg, or Catfish, a Potowatomi chief, +arrived at the post, bringing dispatches from General Hull. These +announced that war had been declared between the United States and +Great Britain, and that General Hull, at the head of the Northwestern +army, had arrived at Detroit; also, that the Island of Mackinac had +fallen into the hands of the British. + +The orders to Captain Heald were to "evacuate the fort, if practicable, +and, in that event, to distribute all the United States property +contained in the fort, and in the United States factory or agency, among +the Indians in the neighborhood." + +After having delivered his dispatches, Winnemeg requested a private +interview with Mr. Kinzie, who had taken up his residence in the fort. +He told Mr. Kinzie he was acquainted with the purport of the +communications he had brought, and begged him to ascertain if it were +the intention of Captain Heald to evacuate the post. He advised strongly +against such a step, inasmuch as the garrison was well supplied with +ammunition, and with provisions for six months. It would, therefore, be +far better, he thought, to remain until reinforcements could be sent. +If, however, Captain Heald should decide to leave the post, it should +by all means be done immediately. The Potowatomi, through whose country +they must pass, being ignorant of the object of Winnemeg's mission, a +forced march might be made before the hostile Indians were prepared to +interrupt them. + +Of this advice, so earnestly given, Captain Heald was immediately +informed. He replied that it was his intention to evacuate the post, but +that, inasmuch as he had received orders to distribute the United States +property, he should not feel justified in leaving until he had collected +the Indians of the neighborhood and made an equitable division among +them. + +Winnemeg then suggested the expediency of marching out, and leaving all +things standing; possibly while the Indians were engaged in the +partition of the spoils the troops might effect their retreat +unmolested. This advice, strongly seconded by Mr. Kinzie, did not meet +the approbation of the commanding officer. + +The order to evacuate the post was read next morning upon parade. It is +difficult to understand why, in such an emergency, Captain Heald +omitted the usual form of holding a council of war with his officers. +It can be accounted for only by the fact of a want of harmonious +feeling between him and one of his junior officers, Ensign Ronan, a +high-spirited and somewhat overbearing, but brave and generous, young +man. + +In the course of the day, no council having been called, the officers +waited on Captain Heald, seeking information regarding the course he +intended to pursue. When they learned his intentions, they remonstrated +with him, on the following grounds: + +First, it was highly improbable that the command would be permitted to +pass through the country in safety to Fort Wayne. For although it had +been said that some of the chiefs had opposed an attack upon the fort, +planned the preceding autumn, yet it was well known that they had been +actuated in that matter by motives of personal regard for one family, +that of Mr. Kinzie, and not by any general friendly feeling towards the +Americans; and that, in any event, it was hardly to be expected that +these few individuals would be able to control the whole tribe, who were +thirsting for blood. + +In the next place, their march must necessarily be slow, as their +movements must be accommodated to the helplessness of the women and +children, of whom there were a number with the detachment. Of their +small force some of the soldiers were superannuated, others invalid. + +Therefore, since the course to be pursued was left discretional, their +unanimous advice was to remain where they were, and fortify themselves +as strongly as possible. Succor from the other side of the peninsula +might arrive before they could be attacked by the British from Mackinac; +and even should help not come, it were far better to fall into the hands +of the British than to become the victims of the savages. + +Captain Heald argued in reply that "a special order had been issued by +the War Department that no post should be surrendered without battle +having been given, and his force was totally inadequate to an +engagement with the Indians; that he should unquestionably be censured +for remaining when there appeared a prospect of a safe march through; +and that, upon the whole, he deemed it expedient to assemble the +Indians, distribute the property among them, and then ask them for an +escort to Fort Wayne, with the promise of a considerable reward upon +their safe arrival, adding that he had full confidence in the friendly +professions of the Indians, from whom, as well as from the soldiers, the +capture of Mackinac had been kept a profound secret." + +From this time the officers held themselves aloof, and spoke but little +upon the subject, though they considered Captain Heald's project little +short of madness. The dissatisfaction among the soldiers increased +hourly, until it reached a high pitch of insubordination. + +On one occasion, when conversing with Mr. Kinzie upon the parade, +Captain Heald remarked, "I could not remain, even if I thought it best, +for I have but a small store of provisions." + +"Why, captain," said a soldier who stood near, forgetting all etiquette +in the excitement of the moment, "you have cattle enough to last the +troops six months." + +"But," replied Captain Heald, "I have no salt to preserve it with." + +"Then jerk it," said the man, "as the Indians do their venison." + +The Indians now became daily more unruly. Entering the fort in defiance +of the sentinels, they made their way without ceremony into the +officers' quarters. One day an Indian took up a rifle and fired it in +the parlor of the commanding officer, as an expression of defiance. Some +believed that this was intended among the young men as a signal for an +attack. The old chiefs passed backwards and forwards among the assembled +groups with the appearance of the most lively agitation, while the +squaws rushed to and fro in great excitement, evidently prepared for +some fearful scene. + +Any further manifestation of ill feeling was, however, suppressed for +the time and, strange as it may seem, Captain Heald continued to +entertain a conviction of having created so amicable a disposition among +the Indians as to insure the safety of the command on their march to +Fort Wayne. + +Thus passed the time until August 12. The feelings of the inmates of the +fort during this time may be better imagined than described. Each +morning that dawned seemed to bring them nearer to that most appalling +fate--butchery by a savage foe; and at night they scarcely dared yield +to slumber, lest they should be aroused by the war whoop and tomahawk. +Gloom and mistrust prevailed, and the want of unanimity among the +officers prevented the consolation they might have found in mutual +sympathy and encouragement. + +The Indians being assembled from the neighboring villages, a council was +held with them on the afternoon of August 12. Captain Heald alone +attended on the part of the military. He had requested his officers to +accompany him, but they had declined. They had been secretly informed +that the young chiefs intended to fall upon the officers and massacre +them while in council, but they could not persuade Captain Heald of the +truth of their information. They waited therefore only until, +accompanied by Mr. Kinzie, he had left the garrison, when they took +command of the blockhouses overlooking the esplanade on which the +council was held, opened the portholes, and pointed the cannon so as to +command the whole assembly. By this means, probably, the lives of the +whites who were present in council were preserved. + +In council, the commanding officer informed the Indians that it was his +intention to distribute among them, the next day, not only the goods +lodged in the United States factory, but also the ammunition and +provisions, with which the garrison was well supplied. He then requested +the Potowatomi to furnish him an escort to Fort Wayne, promising them, +in addition to the presents they were now about to receive, a liberal +reward on arriving there. With many professions of friendship and good +will, the savages assented to all he proposed, and promised all he +required. + +After the council, Mr. Kinzie, who well understood not only the Indian +character but the present tone of feeling among them, had a long +interview with Captain Heald, in hopes of opening his eyes to the real +state of affairs. + +He reminded him that since the trouble with the Indians along the Wabash +and in the vicinity, there had appeared to be a settled plan of +hostilities towards the whites, in consequence of which it had been the +policy of the Americans to withhold from the Indians whatever would +enable them to carry on their warfare upon the defenseless inhabitants +of the frontier. + +Mr. Kinzie also recalled to Captain Heald how, having left home for +Detroit, the preceding autumn, on receiving news at De Charme's[3] of +the battle of Tippecanoe, he had immediately returned to Chicago, that +he might dispatch orders to his traders to furnish no ammunition to the +Indians. As a result, all the ammunition the traders had on hand was +secreted, and those traders who had not already started for their +wintering grounds took neither powder nor shot with them. + +Captain Heald was struck with the inadvisability of furnishing the enemy +(for such they must now consider their old neighbors) with arms against +himself, and determined to destroy all the ammunition except what should +be necessary for the use of his own troops. + +On August 13 the goods, consisting of blankets, broadcloths, calicoes, +paints, and miscellaneous supplies were distributed, as stipulated. The +same evening part of the ammunition and liquor was carried into the +sally port, and there thrown into a well which had been dug to supply +the garrison with water in case of emergency. The remainder was +transported, as secretly as possible, through the northern gate; the +heads of the barrels were knocked in, and the contents poured into the +river. + +The same fate was shared by a large quantity of alcohol belonging to Mr. +Kinzie, which had been deposited in a warehouse near his residence +opposite the fort. + +The Indians suspected what was going on, and crept, serpent-like, as +near the scene of action as possible; but a vigilant watch was kept up, +and no one was suffered to approach but those engaged in the affair. All +the muskets not necessary for the command on the march were broken up +and thrown into the well, together with bags of shot, flints, gunscrews; +in short, everything relating to weapons of defense. + +Some relief to the general feeling of despondency was afforded by the +arrival, on August 14, of Captain Wells[4] with fifteen friendly Miami. + +Of this brave man, who forms so conspicuous a figure in our frontier +annals, it is unnecessary here to say more than that he had resided from +boyhood among the Indians, and hence possessed a perfect knowledge of +their character and habits. + +At Fort Wayne he had heard of the order to evacuate the fort at Chicago, +and, knowing the hostile determination of the Potowatomi, had made a +rapid march across the country to prevent the exposure of his relative, +Captain Heald, and his troops to certain destruction. + +But he came "all too late." When he reached the post he found that the +ammunition had been destroyed, and the provisions given to the Indians. +There was, therefore, no alternative, and every preparation was made for +the march of the troops on the following morning. + +On the afternoon of the same day a second council was held with the +Indians. They expressed great indignation at the destruction of the +ammunition and liquor. Notwithstanding the precautions that had been +taken to preserve secrecy, the noise of knocking in the heads of the +barrels had betrayed the operations of the preceding night; indeed, so +great was the quantity of liquor thrown into the river that next morning +the water was, as one expressed it, "strong grog." + +Murmurs and threats were everywhere heard among the savages. It was +evident that the first moment of exposure would subject the troops to +some manifestation of their disappointment and resentment. + +Among the chiefs were several who, although they shared the general +hostile feeling of their tribe towards the Americans, yet retained a +personal regard for the troops at this post and for the few white +citizens of the place. These chiefs exerted their utmost influence to +allay the revengeful feelings of the young men, and to avert their +sanguinary designs, but without effect. + +On the evening succeeding the council Black Partridge, a conspicuous +chief, entered the quarters of the commanding officer. + +"Father," said he, "I come to deliver up to you the medal I wear. It was +given me by the Americans, and I have long worn it in token of our +mutual friendship. But our young men are resolved to imbrue their hands +in the blood of the whites. I cannot restrain them, and I will not wear +a token of peace while I am compelled to act as an enemy." + +Had further evidence been wanting, this circumstance would have +sufficiently justified the devoted band in their melancholy +anticipations. Nevertheless, they went steadily on with the necessary +preparations; and, amid the horrors of the situation there were not +wanting gallant hearts who strove to encourage in their desponding +companions the hopes of escape they themselves were far from indulging. + +Of the ammunition there had been reserved but twenty-five rounds, +besides one box of cartridges, contained in the baggage wagons. This +must, under any circumstances of danger, have proved an inadequate +supply; but the prospect of a fatiguing march, in their present +ineffective state, forbade the troops embarrassing themselves with a +larger quantity. + +The morning of August 15 arrived. Nine o'clock was the hour named for +starting and all things were in readiness. + +Mr. Kinzie, having volunteered to accompany the troops in their march, +had intrusted his family to the care of some friendly Indians, who +promised to convey them in a boat around the head of Lake Michigan to a +point[5] on the St. Joseph River, there to be joined by the troops, +should their march be permitted. + +Early in the morning Mr. Kinzie received a message from To-pee-nee-bee, +a chief of the St. Joseph band, informing him that mischief was intended +by the Potowatomi who had engaged to escort the detachment, and urging +him to relinquish his plan of accompanying the troops by land, promising +him that the boat containing his family should be permitted to pass in +safety to St. Joseph. + +Mr. Kinzie declined this proposal, as he believed his presence might +restrain the fury of the savages, so warmly were the greater number of +them attached to him and his family. + +Seldom does one find a man who, like John Kinzie, refuses safety for +himself in order to stand or fall with his countrymen, and who, as stern +as any Spartan, bids farewell to his dear ones to go forward to almost +certain destruction. + +The party in the boat consisted of Mrs. Kinzie and her four younger +children, their nurse Josette, a clerk of Mr. Kinzie's, two servants, +and the boatmen, besides the two Indians who were to act as their +protectors. The boat started, but had scarcely reached the mouth of the +river, which, it will be recalled, was here half a mile below the fort, +when another messenger from To-pee-nee-bee arrived to detain it. There +was no mistaking the meaning of this detention. + +In breathless anxiety sat the wife and mother. She was a woman of +unusual energy and strength of character, yet her heart died within her +as she folded her arms about her helpless infants and gazed upon the +march of her husband and eldest child to what seemed certain death. + +As the troops left the fort, the band struck up the Dead March. On they +came, in military array, but with solemn mien, Captain Wells in the lead +at the head of his little band of Miami. He had blackened his face +before leaving the garrison, in token of his impending fate. The troops +took their route along the lake shore; but when they reached the point +where the range of sand hills intervening between the prairie and the +beach commenced, the escort of Potowatomi, in number about five hundred, +took the level of the prairie, instead of continuing along the shore +with the Americans and Miami. + +They had marched perhaps a mile and a half when Captain Wells, who had +kept somewhat in advance with his Miami, came riding furiously back. + +"They are about to attack us," shouted he; "form instantly, and charge +upon them." + +Scarcely were the words uttered, when a volley was showered from among +the sand hills. The troops, brought hastily into line, charged up the +bank. One man, a veteran of seventy winters, fell as they ascended. The +remainder of the scene is best described in the words of an eyewitness +and participator in the tragedy, Mrs. Helm,[6] the wife of Captain (then +Lieutenant) Helm, and stepdaughter of Mr. Kinzie. + +"After we had left the bank the firing became general. The Miami fled at +the outset. Their chief rode up to the Potowatomi, and said: 'You have +deceived us and the Americans. You have done a bad action, and +(brandishing his tomahawk) I will be the first to head a party of +Americans to return and punish your treachery.' So saying, he galloped +after his companions, who were now scurrying across the prairies. + +"The troops behaved most gallantly. They were but a handful, but they +seemed resolved to sell their lives as dearly as possible. Our horses +pranced and bounded, and could hardly be restrained as the balls +whistled among them. I drew off a little, and gazed upon my husband and +father, who were yet unharmed. I felt that my hour was come, and +endeavored to forget those I loved, and prepare myself for my +approaching fate. + +"While I was thus engaged, the surgeon, Dr. Van Voorhees, came up. He +was badly wounded. His horse had been shot under him, and he had +received a ball in his leg. Every muscle of his face was quivering with +the agony of terror. He said to me, 'Do you think they will take our +lives? I am badly wounded, but I think not mortally. Perhaps we might +purchase our lives by promising them a large reward. Do you think there +is any chance?' + +"'Dr. Van Voorhees,' said I, 'do not let us waste the moments that yet +remain to us in such vain hopes. Our fate is inevitable. In a few +moments we must appear before the bar of God. Let us make what +preparation is yet in our power.' + +"'Oh, I cannot die!' exclaimed he, 'I am not fit to die--if I had but a +short time to prepare--death is awful!' + +"I pointed to Ensign Ronan, who, though mortally wounded and nearly +down, was still fighting with desperation on one knee.[7] + +"'Look at that man!' said I. 'At least he dies like a soldier.' + +"'Yes,' replied the unfortunate surgeon, with a convulsive gasp, 'but he +has no terrors of the future--he is an atheist.' + +"At this moment a young Indian raised his tomahawk over me. Springing +aside, I partially avoided the blow, which, intended for my skull, fell +on my shoulder. I seized the Indian around the neck, and while exerting +my utmost strength to get possession of his scalping-knife, hanging in a +scabbard over his breast, I was dragged from his grasp by another and +older Indian. + +"The latter bore me struggling and resisting towards the lake. Despite +the rapidity with which I was hurried along, I recognized, as I passed, +the lifeless remains of the unfortunate surgeon. Some murderous tomahawk +had stretched him upon the very spot where I had last seen him. + +"I was immediately plunged into the water and held there with a forcible +hand, notwithstanding my resistance. I soon perceived, however, that the +object of my captor was not to drown me, for he held me firmly in such a +position as to keep my head above water. This reassured me, and, +regarding him attentively, I soon recognized, in spite of the paint with +which he was disguised, the Black Partridge. + +"When the firing had nearly subsided, my preserver bore me from the +water and conducted me up the sand banks. It was a burning August +morning, and walking through the sand in my drenched condition was +inexpressibly painful and fatiguing. I stooped and took off my shoes to +free them from the sand with which they were nearly filled, when a squaw +seized and carried them off, and I was obliged to proceed without them. + +"When we had gained the prairie, I was met by my father, who told me +that my husband was safe and but slightly wounded. I was led gently back +towards the Chicago River, along the southern bank of which was the +Potowatomi encampment. Once I was placed upon a horse without a saddle, +but, finding the motion insupportable, I sprang off. Assisted partly by +my kind conductor, Black Partridge, and partly by another Indian, +Pee-so-tum, who held dangling in his hand a scalp which by the black +ribbon around the queue I recognized as that of Captain Wells, I dragged +my fainting steps to one of the wigwams. + +"The wife of Wau-bee-nee-mah, a chief from the Illinois River, was +standing near. Seeing my exhausted condition, she seized a kettle, +dipped up some water from a stream that flowed near,[8] threw into it +some maple sugar, and, stirring it with her hand, gave it to me to +drink. This act of kindness, in the midst of so many horrors, touched me +deeply. But my attention was soon diverted to other things. + +"The fort, since the troops marched out, had become a scene of plunder. +The cattle had been shot as they ran at large, and lay about, dead or +dying. This work of butchery had commenced just as we were leaving the +fort. I vividly recalled a remark of Ensign Ronan, as the firing went +on. 'Such,' turning to me, 'is to be our fate--to be shot down like +brutes!' + +"'Well, sir,' said the commanding officer, who overheard him, 'are you +afraid?' + +"'No,' replied the high-spirited young man, 'I can march up to the enemy +where you dare not show your face.' And his subsequent gallant behavior +showed this was no idle boast. + +"As the noise of the firing grew gradually fainter and the stragglers +from the victorious party came dropping in, I received confirmation of +what my father had hurriedly communicated in our meeting on the lake +shore: the whites had surrendered, after the loss of about two thirds of +their number. They had stipulated, through the interpreter, Peresh +Leclerc, that their lives and those of the remaining women and children +be spared, and that they be delivered in safety at certain of the +British posts, unless ransomed by traders in the Indian country. It +appears that the wounded prisoners were not considered as included in +the stipulation, and upon their being brought into camp an awful scene +ensued. + +"An old squaw, infuriated by the loss of friends, or perhaps excited by +the sanguinary scenes around her, seemed possessed by a demoniac +ferocity. Seizing a stable fork she assaulted one miserable victim, +already groaning and writhing in the agony of wounds aggravated by the +scorching beams of the sun. With a delicacy of feeling scarcely to have +been expected under such circumstances, Wau-bee-nee-mah stretched a mat +across two poles, between me and this dreadful scene. I was thus in +some degree shielded from its horrors, though I could not close my ears +to the cries of the sufferer. The following night five more of the +wounded prisoners were tomahawked." + +After the first attack, it appears the Americans charged upon a band of +Indians concealed in a sort of ravine between the sand banks and the +prairie. The Indians gathered together, and after hard fighting, in +which the number of whites was reduced to twenty-eight, their band +succeeded in breaking through the enemy and gaining a rise of ground not +far from Oak Woods. Further contest now seeming hopeless, Lieutenant +Helm sent Peresh Leclerc, the half-breed boy in the service of Mr. +Kinzie, who had accompanied the troops and fought manfully on their +side, to propose terms of capitulation. It was stipulated, as told in +Mrs. Helm's narrative, that the lives of all the survivors should be +spared, and a ransom permitted as soon as practicable. + +But in the meantime horrible scenes had indeed been enacted. During the +engagement near the sand hills one young savage climbed into the baggage +wagon which sheltered the twelve children of the white families, and +tomahawked the entire group. Captain Wells, who was fighting near, +beheld the deed, and exclaimed: + +"Is that their game, butchering the women and children? Then I will +kill, too!" + +So saying, he turned his horse's head and started for the Indian camp, +near the fort, where the braves had left their squaws and children. + +Several Indians followed him as he galloped along. Lying flat on the +neck of his horse, and loading and firing in that position, he turned +occasionally on his pursuers. But at length their balls took effect, +killing his horse, and severely wounding the Captain. At this moment he +was met by Winnemeg and Wau-ban-see, who endeavored to save him from the +savages who had now overtaken him. As they helped him along, after +having disengaged him from his horse, he received his deathblow from +Pee-so-tum, who stabbed him in the back. + +The heroic resolution shown during the fight by the wife of one of the +soldiers, a Mrs. Corbin, deserves to be recorded. She had from the first +expressed the determination never to fall into the hands of the savages, +believing that their prisoners were invariably subjected to tortures +worse than death. + +When, therefore, a party came upon her to make her prisoner, she fought +with desperation, refusing to surrender, although assured, by signs, of +safety and kind treatment. Literally, she suffered herself to be cut to +pieces, rather than become their captive. + +There was a Sergeant Holt, who early in the engagement received a ball +in the neck. Finding himself badly wounded, he gave his sword to his +wife, who was on horseback near him, telling her to defend herself. He +then made for the lake, to keep out of the way of the balls. + +Mrs. Holt rode a very fine horse, which the Indians were desirous of +possessing, and they therefore attacked her in the hope of dismounting +her. They fought only with the butt ends of their guns, for their +object was not to kill her. She hacked and hewed at their pieces as they +were thrust against her, now on this side, now that. Finally, she broke +loose and dashed out into the prairie, where the Indians pursued her, +shouting and laughing, and now and then calling out, "The brave woman! +do not hurt her!" + +At length they overtook her, and while she was engaged with two or three +in front, one succeeded in seizing her by the neck from behind, and in +dragging her from her horse, large and powerful woman though she was. +Notwithstanding their guns had been so hacked and injured, and they +themselves severely cut, her captors seemed to regard her only with +admiration. They took her to a trader on the Illinois River, who showed +her every kindness during her captivity, and later restored her to her +friends. + +Meanwhile those of Mr. Kinzie's family who had remained in the boat, +near the mouth of the river, were carefully guarded by Kee-po-tah and +another Indian. They had seen the smoke, then the blaze, and immediately +after, the report of the first tremendous discharge had sounded in +their ears. Then all was confusion. They knew nothing of the events of +the battle until they saw an Indian coming towards them from the battle +ground, leading a horse on which sat a lady, apparently wounded. + +"That is Mrs. Heald," cried Mrs. Kinzie. "That Indian will kill her. +Run, Chandonnai," to one of Mr. Kinzie's clerks, "take the mule that is +tied there, and offer it to him to release her." + +Mrs. Heald's captor, by this time, was in the act of disengaging her +bonnet from her head, in order to scalp her. Chandonnai ran up and +offered the mule as a ransom, with the promise of ten bottles of whisky +as soon as they should reach his village. The whisky was a strong +temptation. + +"But," said the Indian, "she is badly wounded--she will die. Will you +give me the whisky at all events?" + +Chandonnai promised that he would, and the bargain was concluded. The +savage placed the lady's bonnet on his own head, and, after an +ineffectual effort on the part of some squaws to rob her of her shoes +and stockings, she was brought on board the boat, where she lay moaning +with pain from the many bullet wounds in her arms. + +Having wished to possess themselves of her horse uninjured, the Indians +had aimed their shots so as to disable the rider, without in any way +harming her steed. + +Mrs. Heald had not lain long in the boat when a young Indian of savage +aspect was seen approaching. A buffalo robe was hastily drawn over her, +and she was admonished to suppress all sound of complaint, as she valued +her life. + +The heroic woman remained perfectly silent while the savage drew near. +He had a pistol in his hand, which he rested on the side of the boat, +while, with a fearful scowl, he looked pryingly around. Black Jim, one +of the servants, who stood in the bow of the boat, seized an ax that lay +near and signed to him that if he shot he would cleave his skull, +telling him that the boat contained only the family of Shaw-nee-aw-kee. +Upon this, the Indian retired. It afterwards appeared that the object +of his search was Mr. Burnett, a trader from St. Joseph with whom he had +some account to settle. + +When the boat was at length permitted to return to the house of Mr. +Kinzie, and Mrs. Heald was removed there, it became necessary to dress +her wounds. + +Mr. Kinzie applied to an old chief who stood by, and who, like most of +his tribe, possessed some skill in surgery, to extract a ball from the +arm of the sufferer. + +"No, father," replied the Indian. "I cannot do it--it makes me sick +here," placing his hand on his heart. + +Mr. Kinzie himself then performed the operation with his penknife. + +At their own house, the family of Mr. Kinzie were closely guarded by +their Indian friends, whose intention it was to carry them to Detroit +for security. The rest of the prisoners remained at the wigwams of their +captors. + +On the following morning, the work of plunder being completed, the +Indians set fire to the fort. A very equitable distribution of the +finery appeared to have been made, and shawls, ribbons, and feathers +fluttered about in all directions. The ludicrous appearance of one young +fellow arrayed in a muslin gown and a lady's bonnet would, under other +circumstances, have been a matter of great amusement. + +Black Partridge, Wau-ban-see, and Kee-po-tah, with two other Indians, +established themselves in the porch of the Kinzie house as sentinels, to +protect the family from any evil that the young men might be incited to +commit, and all remained tranquil for a short space after the +conflagration. + +Very soon, however, a party of Indians from the Wabash made their +appearance. These were, decidedly, the most hostile and implacable of +all the tribes of the Potowatomi. + +Being more remote, they had shared less than some of their brethren in +the kindness of Mr. Kinzie and his family, and consequently their +friendly regard was not so strong. + +Runners had been sent to the villages to apprise these Indians of the +intended evacuation of the post, as well as of the plan to attack the +troops. + +Thirsting to participate in such an event, they had hurried to the +scene, and great was their mortification, on arriving at the river Aux +Plaines, to meet a party of their friends with their chief, +Nee-scot-nee-meg, badly wounded, and learn that the battle was over, the +spoils divided, and the scalps all taken. Arriving at Chicago they +blackened their faces, and proceeded toward the dwelling of Mr. Kinzie. + +From his station on the piazza Black Partridge had watched their +approach, and his fears were particularly awakened for the safety of +Mrs. Helm, Mr. Kinzie's stepdaughter, who had recently come to the post, +and was personally unknown to the more remote Indians. By his advice she +was made to assume the ordinary dress of a Frenchwoman of the country--a +short gown and petticoat with a blue cotton handkerchief wrapped around +her head. In this disguise she was conducted by Black Partridge himself +to the house of Ouilmette, a Frenchman with a half-breed wife, who +formed a part of the establishment of Mr. Kinzie and whose dwelling was +close at hand. + +It so happened that the Indians came first to this house in their search +for prisoners. As they approached, the inmates, fearful that the fair +complexion and general appearance of Mrs. Helm might betray her as an +American, raised a large feather bed and placed her under the edge of it +upon the bedstead, with her face to the wall. Mrs. Bisson, a half-breed +sister of Ouilmette's wife, then seated herself with her sewing upon the +front of the bed. + +It was a hot day in August, and the feverish excitement of fear and +agitation, together with her position, which was nearly suffocating, +became so intolerable that Mrs. Helm at length entreated to be released +and given up to the Indians. + +"I can but die," said she; "let them put an end to my misery at once." + +Mrs. Bisson replied, "Your death would be the destruction of us all, for +Black Partridge has resolved that if one drop of the blood of your +family is spilled, he will take the lives of all concerned in it, even +his nearest friends; and if once the work of murder commences, there +will be no end of it, so long as there remains one white person or +half-breed in the country." + +This expostulation nerved Mrs. Helm with fresh courage. + +The Indians entered, and from her hiding place she could occasionally +see them gliding about and stealthily inspecting every part of the room, +though without making any ostensible search, until, apparently satisfied +that there was no one concealed, they left the house. + +All this time Mrs. Bisson had kept her seat upon the side of the bed, +calmly sorting and arranging the patchwork of the quilt on which she was +engaged, and preserving an appearance of the utmost tranquillity, +although she knew not but that the next moment she might receive a +tomahawk in her brain. Her self-command unquestionably saved the lives +of all who were present. + +From Ouilmette's house the party of Indians proceeded to the dwelling of +Mr. Kinzie. They entered the parlor in which the family were assembled +with their faithful protectors, and seated themselves upon the floor, in +silence. + +Black Partridge perceived from their moody and revengeful looks what was +passing in their minds, but he dared not remonstrate with them. He only +observed in a low tone to Wau-ban-see, "We have endeavored to save our +friends, but it is in vain--nothing will save them now." + +At this moment a friendly whoop was heard from a party of newcomers on +the opposite bank of the river. As the canoes in which they had hastily +embarked touched the bank near the house, Black Partridge sprang to meet +their leader. + +"Who are you?" demanded he. + +"A man. Who are you?" + +"A man like yourself. But tell me who you are,"--meaning, Tell me your +disposition, and which side you are for. + +"I am a Sau-ga-nash!" + +"Then make all speed to the house--your friend is in danger, and you +alone can save him." + +Billy Caldwell,[9] for it was he, entered the parlor with a calm step, +and without a trace of agitation in his manner. He deliberately took off +his accouterments and placed them with his rifle behind the door, then +saluted the hostile savages. + +"How now, my friends! A good day to you. I was told there were enemies +here, but I am glad to find only friends. Why have you blackened your +faces? Is it that you are mourning for the friends you have lost in +battle?" purposely misunderstanding this token of evil designs. "Or is +it that you are fasting? If so, ask our friend, here, and he will give +you to eat. He is the Indian's friend, and never yet refused them what +they had need of." + +Thus taken by surprise, the savages were ashamed to acknowledge their +bloody purpose. They, therefore, said modestly that they had come to beg +of their friends some white cotton in which to wrap their dead before +interring them. This was given to them, with some other presents, and +they peaceably took their departure from the premises. + +With Mr. Kinzie's party was a non-commissioned officer who had made his +escape in a singular manner. As the troops had been about to leave the +fort, it was found that the baggage horses of the surgeon had strayed +off. The quartermaster sergeant, Griffith, was sent to find and bring +them on, it being absolutely necessary to recover them, since their +packs contained part of the surgeon's apparatus and the medicines for +the march. + +For a long time Griffith had been on the sick report and for this reason +was given charge of the baggage, instead of being placed with the +troops. His efforts to recover the horses proved unsuccessful, and, +alarmed at certain appearances of disorder and hostile intention among +the Indians, he was hastening to rejoin his party when he was met and +made prisoner by To-pee-nee-bee. + +Having taken his arms and accouterments from him, the chief put him +into a canoe and paddled him across the river, bidding him make for the +woods and secrete himself. This Griffith did; and in the afternoon of +the following day, seeing from his lurking place that all appeared +quiet, he ventured to steal cautiously into Ouilmette's garden, where he +concealed himself for a time behind some currant bushes. + +At length he determined to enter the house, and accordingly climbed up +through a small back window into the room where the family were, +entering just as the Wabash Indians had left the house of Ouilmette for +that of Mr. Kinzie. The danger of the sergeant was now imminent. The +family stripped him of his uniform and arrayed him in a suit of +deerskin, with belt, moccasins, and pipe, like a French _engagé_. His +dark complexion and heavy black whiskers favored the disguise. The +family were all ordered to address him in French, and, although +utterly ignorant of this language, he continued to pass for a +_Weem-tee-gosh_,[10] and as such remained with Mr. Kinzie and his +family, undetected by his enemies, until they reached a place of +safety. + +On the third day after the battle, Mr. Kinzie and his family, with the +clerks of the establishment, were put into a boat, under the care of +François, a half-breed interpreter, and conveyed to St. Joseph, where +they remained until the following November, under the protection of +To-pee-nee-bee's band. With the exception of Mr. Kinzie they were then +conducted to Detroit, under the escort of Chandonnai and their trusty +Indian friend, Kee-po-tah, and delivered as prisoners of war to Colonel +McKee, the British Indian Agent. + +Mr. Kinzie himself was held at St. Joseph and did not succeed in +rejoining his family until some months later. On his arrival at Detroit +he was paroled by General Proctor. + +Lieutenant Helm, who was likewise wounded, was carried by some friendly +Indians to their village on the Au Sable and thence to Peoria, where he +was liberated through the intervention of Mr. Thomas Forsyth, the half +brother of Mr. Kinzie. Mrs. Helm accompanied her parents to St. Joseph, +where they resided for several months in the family of Alexander +Robinson,[11] receiving from them all possible kindness and hospitality. + +Later Mrs. Helm was joined by her husband in Detroit, where they both +were arrested by order of the British commander, and sent on horseback, +in the dead of winter, through Canada to Fort George on the Niagara +frontier. When they arrived at that post, there had been no official +appointed to receive them, and, notwithstanding their long and fatiguing +journey in the coldest, most inclement weather, Mrs. Helm, a delicate +woman of seventeen years, was permitted to sit waiting in her saddle, +outside the gate, for more than an hour, before the refreshment of fire +or food, or even the shelter of a roof, was offered her. When Colonel +Sheaffe, who was absent at the time, was informed of this brutal +inhospitality, he expressed the greatest indignation. He waited on Mrs. +Helm immediately, apologized in the most courteous manner, and treated +both her and Lieutenant Helm with the greatest consideration and +kindness, until, by an exchange of prisoners, they were liberated and +found means of reaching their friends in Steuben County, N. Y. + +Captain and Mrs. Heald were sent across the lake to St. Joseph the day +after the battle. The Captain had received two wounds in the engagement, +his wife seven. + +Captain Heald had been taken prisoner by an Indian from the Kankakee, +who had a strong personal regard for him, and who, when he saw Mrs. +Heald's wounded and enfeebled state, released her husband that he might +accompany her to St. Joseph. To the latter place they were accordingly +carried by Chandonnai and his party. In the meantime, the Indian who had +so nobly released his prisoner returned to his village on the Kankakee, +where he had the mortification of finding that his conduct had excited +great dissatisfaction among his band. So great was the displeasure +manifested that he resolved to make a journey to St. Joseph and reclaim +his prisoner. + +News of his intention being brought to To-pee-nee-bee and Kee-po-tah, +under whose care the prisoners were, they held a private council with +Chandonnai, Mr. Kinzie, and the principal men of the village, the result +of which was a determination to send Captain and Mrs. Heald to the +Island of Mackinac and deliver them up to the British. + +They were accordingly put in a bark canoe, and paddled by Robinson and +his wife a distance of three hundred miles along the coast of Michigan, +and surrendered as prisoners of war to the commanding officer at +Mackinac. + +As an instance of Captain Heald's procrastinating spirit it may be +mentioned that, even after he had received positive word that his Indian +captor was on the way from the Kankakee to St. Joseph to retake him, he +would still have delayed at that place another day, to make preparation +for a more comfortable journey to Mackinac. + +The soldiers from Fort Dearborn, with their wives and surviving +children, were dispersed among the different villages of the Potowatomi +upon the Illinois, Wabash, and Rock rivers, and at Milwaukee, until the +following spring, when the greater number of them were carried to +Detroit and ransomed. + +Mrs. Burns, with her infant, became the prisoner of a chief, who carried +her to his village and treated her with great kindness. His wife, from +jealousy of the favor shown to "the white woman" and her child, always +treated them with great hostility. On one occasion she struck the infant +with a tomahawk, and barely failed in her attempt to put it to +death.[12] Mrs. Burns and her child were not left long in the power of +the old squaw after this demonstration, but on the first opportunity +were carried to a place of safety. + +The family of Mr. Lee had resided in a house on the lake shore, not far +from the fort. Mr. Lee was the owner of Lee's Place, which he cultivated +as a farm. It was his son who had run down with the discharged soldier +to give the alarm of "Indians," at the fort, on the afternoon of April +7. The father, the son, and all the other members of the family except +Mrs. Lee and her young infant had fallen victims to the Indians on +August 15. The two survivors were claimed by Black Partridge, and +carried by him to his village on the Au Sable. He had been particularly +attached to a little twelve-year-old girl of Mrs. Lee's. This child had +been placed on horseback for the march; and, as she was unaccustomed to +riding, she was tied fast to the saddle, lest she should slip or be +thrown off. + +She was within reach of the balls at the commencement of the engagement, +and was severely wounded. The horse, setting off at a full gallop, +partly threw her; but held fast by the bands which confined her, she +hung dangling as the animal ran wildly about. In this state she was met +by Black Partridge, who caught the horse and disengaged the child from +the saddle. Finding her so badly wounded that she could not recover, and +seeing that she was in great agony, he at once put an end to her pain +with his tomahawk. This, he afterwards said, was the hardest thing he +had ever done, but he did it because he could not bear to see the child +suffer. + +Black Partridge soon became warmly attached to the mother--so much so, +that he wished to marry her; and, though she very naturally objected, he +continued to treat her with the greatest respect and consideration. He +was in no hurry to release her, for he was still in hopes of prevailing +upon her to become his wife. In the course of the winter her child fell +ill. Finding that none of the remedies within their reach was effectual, +Black Partridge proposed to take the little one to Chicago, to a French +trader then living in the house of Mr. Kinzie, and procure medical aid +from him. Wrapping up his charge with the greatest care, he set out on +his journey. + +Arriving at the residence of M. Du Pin, he entered the room where the +Frenchman was, and carefully placed his burden on the floor. + +"What have you there?" asked M. Du Pin. + +"A young raccoon, which I have brought you as a present," was the reply; +and, opening the pack, he showed the little sick infant. + +When the trader had prescribed for the child, and Black Partridge was +about to return to his home, he told his friend of the proposal he had +made to Mrs. Lee to become his wife, and the manner in which it had been +received. + +M. Du Pin entertained some fear that the chief's honorable resolution to +allow the lady herself to decide whether or not to accept his addresses +might not hold out, and at once entered into a negotiation for her +ransom. So effectually were the good feelings of Black Partridge wrought +upon that he consented to bring his fair prisoner to Chicago +immediately, that she might be restored to her friends. + +Whether the kind trader had at the outset any other feeling in the +matter than sympathy and brotherly kindness, we cannot say; we only know +that in course of time Mrs. Lee became Madame Du Pin, and that the +worthy couple lived together in great happiness for many years after. + +The fate of Nau-non-gee, a chief of the Calumet village, deserves to be +recorded. + +During the battle of August 15, the principal object of his attack was +one Sergeant Hays, a man from whom he had accepted many kindnesses. + +After Hays had received a ball through the body, this Indian ran up to +tomahawk him, when the sergeant, summoning his remaining strength, +pierced him through the body with his bayonet. The two fell together. +Other Indians running up soon dispatched Hays, and not until then was +his bayonet extracted from the body of his adversary. + +After the battle the wounded chief was carried to his village on the +Calumet, where he survived for several days. Finding his end +approaching, he called together his young men, and enjoined them, in the +most solemn manner, to regard the safety of their prisoners after his +death, and out of respect to his memory to take the lives of none of +them; for he himself fully deserved his fate at the hands of the man +whose kindness he had so ill requited. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[1] This narrative related by two of the survivors, Mrs. John Kinzie and +Mrs. Helm, to Mrs. Juliette A. Kinzie, is taken from "Waubun." It was +first published in pamphlet form in 1836; was transferred, with little +variation, to Brown's "History of Illinois," and to a work called +"Western Annals." Major Richardson likewise made it the basis of his two +tales, "Hardscrabble," and "Wau-nan-gee." + +[2] Burns' house stood near the spot where the Agency Building, or +"Cobweb Castle," was afterwards erected, at the foot of North State +Street. + +[3] A trading-establishment--now Ypsilanti. + +[4] Captain Wells, when a boy, was stolen by the Miami Indians from the +family of Hon. Nathaniel Pope in Kentucky. Although recovered by them, +he preferred to return and live among his new friends. He married a +Miami woman, and became a chief of the nation. He was the father of Mrs. +Judge Wolcott of Maumee, Ohio. + +[5] The spot now called Bertrand, then known as _Parc aux Vaches_, from +its having been a favorite "stamping-ground" of the buffalo which +abounded in the country. + +[6] Mrs. Helm is represented by the female figure in the bronze group +erected by George M. Pullman, at the foot of 18th Street, to commemorate +the massacre which took place at that spot. + +[7] The exact spot of this encounter was about where 21st Street crosses +Indiana Avenue. + +[8] Along the present State Street. + +[9] Billy Caldwell was a half-breed, and a chief of the nation. In his +reply, "I am a Sau-ga-nash," or Englishman, he designed to convey, "I am +a white man." Had he said, "I am a Potowatomi," it would have been +interpreted to mean, "I belong to my nation, and am prepared to go all +lengths with them." + +[10] Frenchman. + +[11] The Potowatomi chief, so well known to many of the early citizens +of Chicago. + +[12] Twenty-two years after this, as I [Mrs. Juliette A. Kinzie] was on +a journey to Chicago in the steamer "Uncle Sam," a young woman, hearing +my name, introduced herself to me, and, raising the hair from her +forehead, showed me the mark of the tomahawk which had so nearly been +fatal to her. + + +[Illustration: _The old Kinzie house_] + + + + +JOHN KINZIE + +A SKETCH + + +John McKenzie, or, as he was afterwards called, John Kinzie, was the son +of Surgeon John McKenzie of the 60th Royal American Regiment of Foot, +and of Anne Haleyburton, the widow of Chaplain William Haleyburton of +the First or Royal American Regiment of Foot. + +Major Haleyburton died soon after their arrival in America, and two +years later his widow married Surgeon John McKenzie. Their son John was +born in Quebec, December 3, 1763. + +In the old family Bible the "Mc" is dropped in recording the birth of +"John Kinsey" (so spelled), thus indicating that he was known as John +Kinsey, or, as he himself spelled it, "Kinzie," from early childhood. + +Major McKenzie survived the birth of his son but a few months, and his +widow took for her third husband Mr. William Forsyth, of New York City. + +Young John grew up under the care and supervision of his stepfather, Mr. +Forsyth, until at the age of ten he began his adventurous career by +running away. + +He and his two half brothers attended a school at Williamsburg, L. I., +escorted there every Monday by a servant, who came to take them home +every Friday. One fine afternoon when the servant came for the boys +Master Johnny was missing. An immediate search was made, but not a trace +of him could be found. His mother was almost frantic. The mysterious +disappearance of her bright, handsome boy was a fearful blow. + +Days passed without tidings of the lost one, and hope fled. The only +solution suggested was, that he might have been accidentally drowned and +his body swept out to sea. + +Meantime Master John was very much alive. + +He had determined to go to Quebec to try, as he afterwards explained, to +discover some of his father's relatives. + +He had managed to find a sloop which was just going up the Hudson, and +with the confidence and audacity of a child, stepped gaily on board and +set forth on his travels. + +Most fortunately for him, he attracted the notice of a passenger who was +going to Quebec, and who began to question the lonely little lad. He +became so interested in the boy that he took him in charge, paid his +fare, and landed him safely in his native city. + +But here, alas, Master Johnny soon found himself stranded. Very cold, +very hungry, and very miserable, he was wandering down one of the +streets of Quebec when his attention was attracted by a glittering array +of watches and silver in a shop window, where a man was sitting +repairing a clock. + +Johnny stood gazing wistfully in. His yellow curls, blue eyes, and +pathetic little face appealed to the kind silversmith, who beckoned him +into the shop and soon learned his story. + +"And what are you going to do now?" asked the man. + +"I am going to work," replied ten-year-old valiantly. + +"Why, what could you do?" laughed the man. + +"I could do anything you told me to do, if you just showed me how to do +it," said John. + +The result was that John got a job. + +The silversmith had no children, and as the months rolled on he grew +more and more fond of John. He taught him as much of his trade as the +lad could acquire in the three years of his stay in Quebec. Later in his +life this knowledge was of great value to him, for it enabled him to +secure the friendship and assistance of the Indians by fashioning for +them various ornaments and "tokens" from the silver money paid them as +annuities by the United States Government. The Indians called him +"Shaw-nee-aw-kee" or the Silver Man, and by that name he was known among +all the tribes of the Northwest. + +These happy and useful years drew to a close. As John was one day +walking down the street, a gentleman from New York stopped him and +said: "Are you not Johnny Kinzie?" John admitted that he was, and the +gentleman, armed with the astonishing news and the boy's address, +promptly communicated with Mr. Forsyth, who at once came to Quebec and +took the runaway home. + +His rejoicing mother doubtless saved him from the sound thrashing he +richly deserved at the hands of his stepfather. + +John had now had enough of running away, and was content to stay at home +and buckle down to his books. The few letters of his which remain and +are preserved in the Chicago Historical Society give evidence of an +excellent education. + +The roving spirit was still alive in him, however. Mr. Forsyth had moved +West and settled in Detroit, and when John was about eighteen years old +he persuaded his stepfather to fit him out as an Indian trader. + +This venture proved a great success. Before he was one and twenty, young +Kinzie had established two trading posts, one at Sandusky and one at +Maumee, and was pushing towards the west, where he later started a +depot at St. Joseph, Michigan. + +John Kinzie's success as an Indian trader was almost phenomenal. He +acquired the language of the Indians with great facility; he respected +their customs, and they soon found that his "word was as good as his +bond." He was a keen trader, not allowing himself to be cheated, nor +attempting to cheat the Indians. He quickly gained the confidence and +esteem of the various tribes with which he dealt, and the personal +friendship of many of their most powerful chiefs, who showed themselves +ready to shield him in danger, and to rescue him from harm at the risk +of their lives. + +When in the neighborhood of Detroit, he stayed with his half brother, +William Forsyth, who had married a Miss Margaret Lytle, daughter of +Colonel William Lytle of Virginia. In their home he was always a welcome +guest; and here he met Mrs. Forsyth's younger sister, Eleanor. She was +the widow of a British officer, Captain Daniel McKillip, who had been +killed in a sortie from Ft. Defiance. Since her husband's death, she +and her little daughter Margaret had made their home with the Forsyths. + +John Kinzie fell desperately in love with the handsome young widow, and +on January 23, 1798, they were married. + +In all of his new and arduous career he had been greatly aided and +protected by John Harris, the famous Indian scout and trader mentioned +by Irving in his Life of Washington (Volume 1, Chapter XII). It was in +grateful appreciation of these kindnesses that he named his son "John +Harris," after this valued friend. + +Mr. Kinzie continued to extend his business still farther west, until in +October, 1803, when his son John Harris was but three months old, he +moved with his family to Chicago, where he purchased the trading +establishment of a Frenchman named Le Mai. + +Here, cut off from the world at large, with no society but the garrison +at Fort Dearborn, the Kinzies lived in contentment, and in the quiet +enjoyment of all the comforts, together with many of the luxuries of +life. The first white child born outside of Fort Dearborn was their +little daughter Ellen Marion, on December 20, 1805. Next came Maria, +born September 28, 1807. Then, last, Robert Allan, born February 8, +1810. + +By degrees, Mr. Kinzie established still more remote posts, all +contributing to the parent post at Chicago; at Milwaukee, with the +Menominee; at Rock River with the Winnebago and the Potowatomi; on the +Illinois River and the Kankakee with the Prairie Potowatomi; and with +the Kickapoo in what was called "Le Large," the widely extended district +afterwards converted into Sangamon County. He was appointed Sub-Indian +Agent and Government Interpreter, and in these capacities rendered +valuable service. + +About the year 1810, a Frenchman named Lalime was killed by John Kinzie +under the following circumstances: Lalime had become insanely jealous of +Mr. Kinzie's success as a rival trader, and was unwise enough to +threaten to take Kinzie's life. The latter only laughed at the reports, +saying "Threatened men live long, and I am not worrying over Lalime's +wild talk." Several of his stanchest Indian friends, however, continued +to warn him, and he at last consented to carry some sort of weapon in +case Lalime really had the folly to attack him. He accordingly took a +carving knife from the house and began sharpening it on a grindstone in +the woodshed. + +Young John stood beside him, much interested in this novel proceeding. + +"What are you doing, father?" he asked. + +"Sharpening this knife, my son," was the reply. + +"What for?" said John. + +"Go into the house," replied his father, "and don't ask questions about +things that don't concern you." + +A few days passed. Nothing happened; but Mr. Kinzie carried the knife. + +Mrs. Kinzie's daughter by her first marriage was now seventeen years +old, and was the wife of Lieutenant Linai Thomas Helm, one of the +officers stationed at Fort Dearborn, and Mr. Kinzie frequently went +over there to spend the evening. One very dark night he sauntered over +to the fort, and was just entering the inclosure, when a man sprang out +from behind the gate post and plunged a knife into his neck. It was +Lalime. Quick as a flash, Mr. Kinzie drew his own knife and dealt Lalime +a furious blow, and a fatal one. The man fell like a log into the river +below. Mr. Kinzie staggered home, covered with blood from the deep +wound. + +The late Gurdon S. Hubbard, in a letter to a grandson of John Kinzie's, +gives the following account of the affair: + + 143 Locust St., Chicago, Ill., + Feb. 6th, 1884. + + Arthur M. Kinzie, Esq., + My Dear Sir, + + I have yours of 5th. You corroborate what I have said about your + grandfather killing Lalime as far as you state. I am glad you do. I + cannot forget what I heard from your grandmother and Mrs. Helm. + They said your grandfather, coming in bloody, said "I have killed + Lalime. A guard will be sent from the Fort to take me. Dress my + neck quickly!" Your grandmother did so, remarking "They shall not + take you to the fort--come with me to the woods." She hid him, came + home, and soon a Sergeant with guard appeared. Could not find your + grandfather. + + After the excitement was over, the officers began to reason on the + subject calmly, for Lalime was highly respected, good social + company, educated. They came to the conclusion that the act was in + self defence. The history of Chicago, by Mr. Andreas will soon be + out. He sent me the account relating to your grandfather to revise. + Much in it incorrect, which I have explained. + + Can't you come and see me? + + Your friend, + G. S. Hubbard. + +As far as it goes this account agrees with the facts as held by the +family. The Kinzies, however, always stated that after the excitement +subsided, as it did in a few weeks, Mr. Kinzie sent word to the +commanding officer at the fort that he wished to come in, give himself +up, and have a fair trial. This was granted. The fresh wounds in his +neck--the thrust had barely missed the jugular vein--and the testimony +given as to the threats Lalime had uttered, resulted in an immediate +verdict of justifiable homicide. + +In the meantime some of Lalime's friends conceived the idea that it +would be a suitable punishment for Mr. Kinzie to bury his victim +directly in front of the Kinzie home, where he must necessarily behold +the grave every time he passed out of his own gate. Great was their +chagrin and disappointment, however, when Mr. Kinzie, far from being +annoyed at their action, proceeded to make Lalime's grave his special +care. + +Flowers were planted on it and it was kept in most beautiful order. Many +a half hour the Kinzie children longed to spend in play, was occupied by +their father's order in raking the dead leaves away from Lalime's grave +and watering the flowers there. + +About two years subsequent to this event the Fort Dearborn Massacre +occurred. John Kinzie's part in that tragedy has already been given in +Helm's narrative. + +After the massacre Mr. Kinzie was not allowed to leave St. Joseph with +his family, his Indian friends insisting that he remain and endeavor to +secure some remnant of his scattered property. During his excursions +with them for that purpose he wore the costume and paint of the tribe in +order to escape capture and perhaps death at the hands of those who were +still thirsting for blood. + +His anxiety for his family at length became so great that he followed +them to Detroit, where he was paroled by General Proctor in January. + +At the surrender of Detroit, which took place the day before the +massacre at Chicago, General Hull had stipulated that the inhabitants +should be permitted to remain undisturbed in their homes. Accordingly, +the family of Mr. Kinzie took up their residence among their friends in +the old mansion which many will recollect as standing on the northwest +corner of Jefferson Avenue and Wayne Street, Detroit. + +Feelings of indignation and sympathy were constantly aroused in the +hearts of the citizens during the winter that ensued. They were almost +daily called upon to witness the cruelties practiced upon American +prisoners brought in by their Indian captors. Those who could scarcely +drag their wounded, bleeding feet over the frozen ground were compelled +to dance for the amusement of the savages; and these exhibitions +sometimes took place before the Government House, the residence of +Colonel McKee. Sometimes British officers looked on from their windows +at these heart-rending performances. For the honor of humanity, we will +hope such instances were rare. + +Everything available among the effects of the citizens was offered to +ransom their countrymen from the hands of these inhuman beings. The +prisoners brought in from the River Raisin--those unfortunate men who +were permitted, after their surrender to General Proctor, to be tortured +and murdered by inches by his savage allies--excited the sympathy and +called for the action of the whole community. Private houses were +turned into hospitals, and every one was forward to get possession of as +many as possible of the survivors. To accomplish this, even articles of +apparel were bartered by the ladies of Detroit, as from doors or windows +they watched the miserable victims carried about for sale. + +In the dwelling of Mr. Kinzie one large room was devoted to the +reception of the sufferers. Few of them survived. Among those spoken of +as arousing the deepest interest were two young gentlemen of Kentucky, +brothers, both severely wounded, and their wounds aggravated to a mortal +degree by subsequent ill usage and hardships. Their solicitude for each +other, and their exhibition in various ways of the most tender fraternal +affection, created an impression never to be forgotten. + +The last bargain made by the Kinzies was effected by black Jim and one +of the children, who had permission to redeem a negro servant of the +gallant Colonel Allen with an old white horse, the only available +article that remained among their possessions. A brother of Colonel +Allen's afterwards came to Detroit, and the negro preferred returning +to servitude rather than remaining a stranger in a strange land. + +Mr. Kinzie, as has been related, joined his family at Detroit in the +month of January. A short time after his arrival suspicion arose in the +mind of General Proctor that he was in correspondence with General +Harrison, who was now at Fort Meigs, and who was believed to be +meditating an advance upon Detroit. Lieutenant Watson, of the British +army, waited upon Mr. Kinzie one day with an invitation to the quarters +of General Proctor on the opposite side of the river, saying the General +wished to speak with him on business. + +Quite unsuspecting, Mr. Kinzie complied with the request, when to his +surprise he was ordered into confinement, and strictly guarded in the +house of his former partner, Mr. Patterson, of Sandwich. + +Finding he did not return home, Mrs. Kinzie informed some Indian chiefs, +Mr. Kinzie's particular friends, who immediately repaired to the +headquarters of the commanding officer, demanded "their friend's" +release, and brought him back to his home. After waiting until a +favorable opportunity presented itself, the General sent a detachment of +dragoons to arrest Mr. Kinzie. They succeeded in carrying him away, and +crossing the river with him. Just at this moment a party of friendly +Indians made their appearance. + +"Where is Shaw-nee-aw-kee?" was the first question. + +"There," replied his wife, pointing across the river, "in the hands of +the redcoats, who are taking him away again." + +The Indians ran down to the river, seized some canoes they found there, +and, crossing over to Sandwich, a second time compelled General Proctor +to forego his intentions. + +A third time this officer attempted to imprison Mr. Kinzie, and this +time succeeded in conveying him heavily ironed to Fort Malden, in +Canada, at the mouth of the Detroit River. Here he was at first treated +with great severity, but after a time the rigor of his confinement was +somewhat relaxed, and he was permitted to walk on the bank of the river +for air and exercise. + +On September 10, as he was taking his promenade under the close +supervision of a guard of soldiers, the whole party were startled by the +sound of guns upon Lake Erie, at no great distance below. What could it +mean? It must be Commodore Barclay firing into some of the Yankees. The +firing continued. + +The hour allotted to the prisoner for his daily walk expired, but +neither he nor his guard observed the lapse of time, so anxiously were +they listening to what they now felt sure must be an engagement between +ships of war. At length Mr. Kinzie was reminded that he must return to +confinement. He petitioned for another half hour. + +"Let me stay," said he, "till we can learn how the battle has gone." + +Very soon a sloop appeared under press of sail, rounding the point, and +presently two gunboats in pursuit of her. + +"She is running--she bears the British colors!" cried Kinzie. "Yes, +yes, they are lowering--she is striking her flag! Now," turning to the +soldiers, "I will go back to prison contented--I know how the battle has +gone." + +The sloop was the "Little Belt," the last of the squadron captured by +the gallant Perry on that memorable occasion which he announced in the +immortal words: + +"We have met the enemy, and they are ours." + +Matters were growing critical, and it was necessary to transfer all +prisoners to a place of greater security than the frontier was now +likely to be. It was resolved, therefore, to send Mr. Kinzie to the +mother country. + +Nothing has ever appeared which would in any way explain the course of +General Proctor in regard to this gentleman. He had been taken from the +bosom of his family, where he was living quietly under the parole he had +received, protected by the stipulations of the surrender. For months he +had been kept in confinement. Now he was placed on horseback under a +strong guard, who announced that they had orders to shoot him through +the head if he offered to speak to a person upon the road. He was tied +upon the saddle to prevent his escape, and thus set out for Quebec. A +little incident occurred which will illustrate the course invariably +pursued towards our citizens at this period by the British army on the +Northwestern frontier. + +The saddle on which Mr. Kinzie rode had not been properly fastened, and, +owing to the rough motion of the animal it turned, bringing the rider +into a most awkward and painful position. His limbs being fastened, he +could not disengage himself, and in this manner he was compelled to ride +until nearly exhausted, before those in charge had the humanity to +release him. + +Arrived at Quebec, he was put on board a small vessel to be sent to +England. When a few days out at sea the vessel was chased by an American +frigate and driven into Halifax. A second time she set sail, when she +sprung a leak and was compelled to put back. + +The attempt to send Mr. Kinzie across the ocean was now abandoned, and +he was returned to Quebec. Another step, equally inexplicable with his +arrest, was soon after taken. + +Although the War of 1812 was not yet ended, Mr. Kinzie, together with a +Mr. Macomb, of Detroit, who was also in confinement in Quebec, was +released and given permission to return to his friends and family. It +may possibly be imagined that in the treatment these gentlemen received, +the British commander-in-chief sheltered himself under the plea of their +being "native born British subjects," and that perhaps when it was +ascertained that Mr. Kinzie was indeed a citizen of the United States it +was thought safest to release him. + +In the meantime, General Harrison at the head of his troops had reached +Detroit. He landed September 29. All the citizens went forth to meet +him. Mrs. Kinzie, leading her children, was of the number. The General +accompanied her to her home, and took up his abode there. On his +arrival he was introduced to Kee-po-tah, who happened to be on a visit +to the family at that time. The General had seen the chief the preceding +year, at the Council at Vincennes, and the meeting was one of great +cordiality and interest. + +Fort Dearborn was rebuilt in 1816, on a larger scale than before, and, +on the return of the troops, the bones of the unfortunate Americans who +had been massacred four years previously were collected and buried. + +In this same year Mr. Kinzie and his family again returned to Chicago, +where he at once undertook to collect the scattered remnants of his +property--a most disheartening task. He found his various trading-posts +abandoned, his clerks scattered, and his valuable furs and goods lost or +destroyed. + +In real estate, however, he was rich--for he owned nearly all the land +on the north side of the Chicago River, and many acres on the south and +west sides, as well as all of what was known as "Kinzie's Addition." + +At the present day the "Kinzie School," and the street which bears his +name, are all that remain to remind this generation of the pioneer on +whose land now stands the wonderful City of Chicago. + +Mr. Kinzie, recognizing the importance of the geographical position of +Chicago, and the vast fertility of the surrounding country, had always +foretold its eventual prosperity. Unfortunately, he was not permitted to +witness the fulfillment of his predictions. + +On January 6, 1828, he was stricken with apoplexy, and in a few hours +death closed his useful and energetic career. + +He lies buried in Graceland Cemetery, Chicago. Loyal in life, death has +mingled his ashes with the soil of the city whose future greatness he +was perhaps the first to foresee. + +John Kinzie was not only the sturdy, helpful pioneer, but also the +genial, courteous gentleman. + +To keen business ability he united the strictest honesty, and to the +most dauntless courage, a tender and generous heart. + +As the devoted friend of the red man, tradition has handed down the name +of Shaw-nee-aw-kee throughout all the tribes of the Northwest. + + +[Illustration: _Cornplanter, a Seneca chief_] + + + + +THE CAPTURE BY THE INDIANS OF LITTLE ELEANOR LYTLE[13] + + +It is well known that previous to the War of the Revolution the whole of +western Pennsylvania was inhabited by various Indian tribes. Of these +the Delawares were the friends of the whites, and after the commencement +of the great struggle took part with the United States. The Iroquois, on +the contrary, were the friends and allies of the mother country. + +Very few white settlers had ventured beyond the Susquehanna. The +numerous roving bands of Shawano, Nanticoke, and other Indians, although +at times professing friendship for the Americans and acting in concert +with the Delawares or Lenape as allies, at other times suffered +themselves to be seduced by their neighbors, the Iroquois, into showing +a most sanguinary spirit of hostility. + +For this reason the life of the settlers on the frontier was one of +constant peril and alarm. Many a dismal scene of barbarity was enacted, +as the history of the times testifies, and even those who felt +themselves in some measure protected by their immediate neighbors, the +Delawares, never lost sight of the caution required by their exposed +situation. + +The vicinity of the military garrison at Pittsburgh, or Fort Pitt, as it +was then called, gave additional security to those who had pushed +farther west among the fertile valleys of the Allegheny and Monongahela. +Among these was the family of Mr. Lytle, who, some years previous to the +opening of our story, had removed from Baltimore to Path Valley, near +Carlisle, and subsequently had settled on the banks of Plum River, a +tributary of the Allegheny. Here, with his wife and five children, he +had lived in comfort and security, undisturbed by any hostile visit, and +annoyed only by occasional false alarms from his more timorous +neighbors, who, having had sad experience in frontier life, were prone +to anticipate evil, and magnify every appearance of danger. + +On a bright afternoon in the autumn of 1779, two of Mr. Lytle's +children, a girl of eight and her brother, two years younger, were +playing in a little hollow in the rear of their father's house. Some +large trees which had recently been felled were lying here and there, +still untrimmed, and many logs, prepared for fuel, were scattered +around. Upon one of these logs the children, wearied with their sport, +seated themselves, and fell into conversation upon a subject that +greatly perplexed them. + +While playing in the same place a few hours previous, they had imagined +they saw an Indian lurking behind one of the fallen trees. The Indians +of the neighborhood were in the habit of making occasional visits to the +family, and the children had become familiar and even affectionate with +many of them, but this Indian had seemed to be a stranger, and after the +first hasty glance they had fled in alarm to the house. + +Their mother had chid them for bringing such a report, which she had +endeavored to convince them was without foundation. "You know," said +she, "you are always alarming us unnecessarily: the neighbors' children +have frightened you nearly to death. Go back to your play, and learn to +be more courageous." + +So, hardly persuaded by their mother's arguments, the children had +returned to their sports. Now as they sat upon the trunk of the tree, +their discourse was interrupted by what seemed to be the note of a quail +not far off. + +"Listen," said the boy, as a second note answered the first; "do you +hear that?" + +"Yes," replied his sister, and after a few moments' silence, "do you not +hear a rustling among the branches of the tree yonder?" + +"Perhaps it is a squirrel--but look! what is that? Surely I saw +something red among the branches. It looked like a fawn popping up its +head." + +At this moment, the children, who had been gazing so intently in the +direction of the fallen tree that all other objects were forgotten, felt +themselves seized from behind and pinioned in an iron grasp. What was +their horror and dismay to find themselves in the arms of savages, +whose terrific countenances and gestures plainly showed them to be +enemies! + +They made signs to the children to be silent, on pain of death, and +hurried them off, half dead with terror, in a direction leading from +their home. After traveling some distance in profound silence, their +captors somewhat relaxed their severity, and as night approached the +party halted, adopting the usual precautions to secure themselves +against a surprise. + +Torn from their beloved home and parents, in an agony of uncertainty and +terror, and anticipating all the horrors with which the rumors of the +times had invested captivity among the Indians--perhaps even torture and +death--the poor children could no longer restrain their grief, but gave +vent to sobs and lamentations. + +Their distress appeared to excite the compassion of one of the party, a +man of mild aspect, who approached and endeavored to soothe them. He +spread them a couch of the long grass which grew near the camping place, +offered them a portion of his own stock of dried meat and parched corn, +and made them understand by signs that no further evil was intended. + +These kindly demonstrations were interrupted by the arrival of another +party of Indians, bringing with them the mother of the little prisoners, +with her youngest child, an infant three months old. + +It had so happened that early in the day the father of the family, with +his serving men, had gone to a "raising" a few miles distant, and the +house had thus been left without a defender. The long period of +tranquillity they had enjoyed, free from all molestation or even alarm +from the savages, had thrown the settlers quite off their guard, and +they had recently laid aside some of the caution they had formerly +deemed necessary. + +By lying in wait, the Indians had found a favorable moment for seizing +the defenseless family and making them prisoners. Judging from their +paint and other marks by which the early settlers learned to distinguish +the various tribes, Mrs. Lytle conjectured that the savages into whose +hands she and her children had fallen were Senecas. Nor was she +mistaken. They were a party of that tribe who had descended from their +village with the intention of falling upon some isolated band of their +enemies, the Delawares, but failing in this, they had made themselves +amends by capturing a few white settlers. + +It is to be attributed to the generally mild disposition of this tribe, +together with the magnanimous character of the chief who accompanied the +party, that the prisoners in the present instance escaped the fate of +most of the Americans who were so unhappy as to fall into the hands of +the Iroquois. + +The children could learn nothing from their mother as to the fate of +their other brother and sister, a boy of six and a little girl of four +years of age, though she was in hopes they had escaped with the servant +girl, who had likewise disappeared. + +After delaying a few hours in order to revive the exhausted prisoners, +the savages again started on their march, one of the older Indians +offering to relieve the mother of the burden of her infant, which she +had hitherto carried in her arms. Pleased with the unexpected kindness, +she resigned the child to him. + +Thus they pursued their way, the savage who carried the infant lingering +somewhat behind the rest of the party. At last, finding a spot +convenient for his evil purpose, he grasped his innocent victim by the +feet and, with one whirl to add strength to the blow, dashed out its +brains against a tree. Leaving the body upon the spot, he then rejoined +the party. + +The mother, unaware of what had happened, regarded him suspiciously as +he reappeared without the child--then gazed wildly around the group. Her +beloved little one was not there. Its absence spoke its fate; but, +knowing the lives of her remaining children depended upon her firmness +in that trying hour, she suppressed a shriek of agony and, drawing them +yet closer to her, pursued her melancholy way without word or question. + +From the depths of her heart she cried unto Him who is able to save, and +He comforted her with hopes of deliverance for the survivors; for she +saw that if blood had been the sole object of their enemies her scalp +and the scalps of her children would have been taken upon the spot where +they were made prisoners. + +She read, too, in the eyes of one who was evidently the commander of the +party an expression more merciful than she had dared to hope for. +Particularly had she observed his soothing manner and manifest +partiality towards her eldest child, her little Eleanor, and upon these +slender foundations she built many bright hopes of either escape or +ransom. + +After a toilsome and painful march of many days, the party reached the +Seneca village, upon the headwaters of the Allegheny, near what is now +Olean Point. On their arrival their conductor, a chief distinguished by +the name of the Big White Man,[14] led his prisoners to the principal +lodge. This was occupied by his mother, the widow of the head chief of +the band, who was called the Old Queen. + +On entering her presence, her son presented the little girl, saying, "My +mother, I bring you a child to take the place of my brother who was +killed by the Lenape six moons ago. She shall dwell in my lodge, and be +to me a sister. Take the white woman and her children and treat them +kindly--our Father will give us many horses and guns to buy them back +again." + +He referred to the British Indian Agent of his tribe, Colonel Johnson, +an excellent and benevolent gentleman, who resided at Fort Niagara, on +the British side of the Niagara River. + +The Old Queen carried out the injunctions of her son. She received the +prisoners, and every comfort that her simple and primitive mode of life +made possible was provided them. + +We must now return to the time and place at which our story commences. + +Late in the evening of that day the father returned to his dwelling. All +around and within was silent and desolate. No trace of a living +creature was to be found in the house or throughout the grounds. His +nearest neighbors lived at a considerable distance, but to them he +hastened, frantically demanding tidings of his family. + +As he aroused them from their slumbers, one after another joined him in +the search. At length, at one of the houses, the maid servant who had +effected her escape was found. Her first place of refuge, she said, had +been a large brewing tub in an outer kitchen, under which she had +secreted herself until the Indians, who were evidently in haste, +departed and gave her the opportunity of fleeing to a place of greater +safety. She could give no tidings of her mistress and the children, +except that they had not been murdered in her sight or hearing. + +At last, having scoured the neighborhood without success, Mr. Lytle +thought of an old settler who lived alone, far up the valley. Thither he +and his friends immediately repaired, and from him they learned that, +while at work in his field just before sunset, he had seen a party of +strange Indians passing at a short distance from his cabin. As they +wound along the brow of the hill he perceived that they had prisoners +with them--a woman and a child. The woman he knew to be white, as she +carried her infant in her arms, instead of upon her back, after the +manner of the savages. + +Day had now begun to break. The night had been passed in fruitless +search, and, after consultation with kind friends and neighbors, the +agonized father accepted their offer to accompany him to Fort Pitt that +they might ask advice and assistance of the commandant and Indian Agent +there. + +Proceeding down the valley, they approached a hut which the night before +they had found apparently deserted, and were startled by seeing two +children standing in front of it. In them the delighted father +recognized two of his missing flock, but no tidings could they give him +of their mother or of the other members of his family. + +Their story was simple and touching. They had been playing in the garden +when they were alarmed by seeing Indians enter the yard near the house. +Unperceived, the brother, who was but six years of age, helped his +little sister over the fence into a field overrun with wild blackberry +and raspberry bushes. Among these they concealed themselves for awhile, +and then, finding all quiet, attempted to force their way to the side of +the field farthest from the house. Unfortunately, in her play in the +garden the little girl had pulled off her shoes and stockings, and now +with the briers pricking and tearing her tender feet, she could with +difficulty refrain from crying out. Her brother took off his stockings +and put them on her feet, and attempted to protect her with his shoes, +also; but they were too large, and kept slipping off, so that she could +not wear them. For a time the children persevered in making their escape +from what they considered certain death, for, as was said, they had been +taught, by the tales they had heard, to regard all strange Indians as +ministers of torture and of horrors worse than death. Exhausted with +pain and fatigue, the poor little girl at length declared that she +could not go any farther. + +"Then, Maggie," said her brother, "I must kill you, for I cannot let you +be killed by the Indians." + +"Oh, no, Thomas!" pleaded she, "do not, do not kill me! I do not think +the Indians will find us." + +"Oh, yes, they will, Maggie, and I could kill you so much easier than +they would!" + +For a long time he endeavored to persuade her, and even looked about for +a stick sufficiently large for his purpose; but despair gave the child +strength, and she promised her brother she would neither complain nor +falter if he would help her make her way out of the field. + +The little boy's idea that he could save his sister from savage +barbarity only by taking her life shows with what tales of horror the +children of the early settlers were familiar. + +After a few more efforts, they made their way out of the field into an +open pasture ground where, to their great delight, they saw some cows +feeding. They recognized the animals as belonging to Granny Myers, an +old woman who lived at some little distance from the place where they +then were, but in what direction they were utterly ignorant. + +With a sagacity beyond his years the boy said, "Let us hide ourselves +till sunset. Then the cows will go home, and we will follow them." + +This they did; but, to their dismay, when they reached Granny Myers's +they found the house deserted. The old woman had been called down the +valley by some business, and did not return that night. + +Tired and hungry, the children could go no farther, and after an almost +fruitless endeavor to get some milk from the cows, lay down to sleep +under an old bedstead that stood behind the house. During the night +their father and his party caused them additional terror. The shouts and +calls which had been designed to arouse the inmates of the house the +children mistook for the whoop of the Indians, and, unable to +distinguish friends from foes, crept close to each other, as far out of +sight as possible. When found the following morning, they were debating +what course for safety to take next. + +The commandant at Fort Pitt entered warmly into the affairs of Mr. +Lytle, and readily furnished a detachment of soldiers to aid him and his +friends in the pursuit of the marauders. Circumstances having thrown +suspicion upon the Senecas, the party soon directed their search among +the villages of that tribe. + +Their inquiries were prosecuted in various directions, and always with +great caution, for all the tribes of the Iroquois, or, as they pompously +called themselves, the Five Nations, being allies of Great Britain, were +inveterate in their hostility toward the Americans. Thus some time +elapsed before the father with his assistants reached the village of the +Big White Man. + +Negotiations for the ransom of the captives were immediately begun and +in the case of Mrs. Lytle and the younger child easily carried into +effect. But no offers, no entreaties, no promises could procure the +release of little Eleanor, the adopted child of the tribe. No, the +chief said, she was his sister; he had taken her to supply the place of +his brother who was killed by the enemy; she was dear to him, and he +would not part with her. + +Finding every effort to shake this resolution unavailing, the father was +compelled to take his sorrowful departure with the loved ones he had had +the good fortune to recover. + +We will not attempt to depict the grief of parents thus compelled to +give up a darling child, leaving her in the hands of savages whom until +now they had had too much reason to regard as merciless. But there was +no alternative; so commending her to the care of their heavenly Father, +and cheered by the manifest tenderness with which she had thus far been +treated, they set out on their melancholy journey homeward, trusting +that some future effort for her recovery would be more effectual. + +Having placed his family in safety in Pittsburgh, Mr. Lytle, still +assisted by the commandant and the Indian Agent, undertook an expedition +to the frontier to the residence of the British Agent, Colonel Johnson. +His account of the case warmly interested that benevolent officer, who +promised to spare no exertion in his behalf. This promise was +religiously fulfilled. As soon as the opening of spring permitted, +Colonel Johnson went in person to the village of the Big White Man, and +offered the chief many splendid presents of guns and horses; but he was +inexorable. + +Time rolled on, and every year the hope of recovering the little captive +became more faint. She, in the meantime, continued to wind herself more +and more closely around the heart of her Indian brother. Nothing could +exceed the consideration and affection with which she was treated, not +only by him, but by his mother, the Old Queen. All their brooches and +wampum were employed in the decoration of her person. The chief seat and +the most delicate viands were invariably reserved for her, and no +efforts were spared to promote her happiness and banish from her mind +memories of her former home and kindred. + +Thus, though she had beheld the departure of her parents and her dear +little brother with a feeling amounting almost to despair, and had for a +long while resisted every attempt at consolation, time at length, as it +ever does, brought its soothing balm, and she grew contented and happy. + +From her activity and forcefulness, characteristics for which she was +remarkable to the end of her life, she was given the name, "The Ship +under Full Sail." + +The only drawback to the happiness of the little prisoner, aside from +her longing for her own dear home, was the enmity of the wife of the Big +White Man. This woman, from the day of Eleanor's arrival at the village +and her adoption as a sister into the family, had conceived for the +child the greatest animosity, which she at first had the prudence to +conceal from her husband. + +It was perhaps natural that a wife should give way to some feeling of +jealousy at seeing her place in the heart of her husband usurped by the +child of their enemy, the American. But these feelings were aggravated +by a bad and vindictive temper, as well as by the indifference with +which her husband listened to her complaints and murmurings. + +As the woman had no children of her own to engage her attention, her +mind was the more easily engrossed and inflamed by her fancied wrongs, +and the devising of means for their redress. An apparent opportunity for +revenge was not long wanting. + +During the absence of the Big White Man upon some war party or hunting +excursion, little Eleanor was taken ill with fever and ague. She was +nursed with the utmost tenderness by the Old Queen; and the wife of the +chief, to lull suspicion, was likewise unwearied in her attentions to +the little favorite. + +One afternoon while the Old Queen was absent for a short time, her +daughter-in-law entered the lodge with a bowl of something she had +prepared, and, stooping down to the mat on which the child lay, said, in +an affectionate tone, "Drink, my sister. I have brought you that which +will drive this fever far from you." + +On raising her head to reply, the little girl saw a pair of eyes +peeping through a crevice in the lodge, fixed upon her with a peculiar +and significant expression. With the quick perception due partly to +instinct and partly to her intercourse with the red people, she replied +faintly, "Set it down, my sister. When this fit of the fever has passed, +I will drink your medicine." + +The squaw, too cautious to importune, busied herself about the lodge for +a short time; then withdrew to another near at hand. Meantime the bright +eyes continued to peer through the opening until they had watched the +object of their gaze fairly out of sight. Then a low voice, the voice of +a young friend and playfellow, spoke: "Do not drink that which your +brother's wife has brought you. She hates you, and is only waiting an +opportunity to rid herself of you. I have watched her all the morning, +and have seen her gathering the most deadly roots and herbs. I knew for +whom they were intended, and came hither to warn you." + +"Take the bowl," said the little invalid, "and carry it to my mother's +lodge." + +This was accordingly done. The contents of the bowl were found to +consist principally of a decoction of the root of the May-apple, the +most deadly poison known among the Indians. + +It is not in the power of language to describe the indignation that +pervaded the little community when this discovery was made known. The +squaws ran to and fro, as is their custom when excited, each vying with +the other in heaping invectives upon the culprit. For the present, +however, no further punishment was inflicted upon her, and, the first +burst of rage over, she was treated with silent abhorrence. + +The little patient was removed to the lodge of the Old Queen and +strictly guarded, while her enemy was left to wander in silence and +solitude about the fields and woods, until the return of her husband +should determine her punishment. + +In a few days, the excursion being over, the Big White Man and his party +returned to the village. Contrary to the custom of savages, he did not, +in his first passion at learning the attempt on the life of his little +sister, take summary vengeance on the offender. Instead, he contented +himself with banishing the squaw from his lodge, never to return, and in +condemning her to hoe corn in a distant part of the large field or +inclosure which served the whole community for a garden. + +Although thereafter she would still show her vindictiveness toward the +little girl by striking at her with her hoe, or by some other spiteful +action whenever, by chance, Eleanor and her companions wandered into +that vicinity, yet she was either too well watched or stood too much in +awe of her former husband to repeat the attempt upon his sister's life. + +Four years had now elapsed since the capture of little Nelly. Her heart +was by nature warm and affectionate, and the unbounded tenderness of +those among whom she dwelt called forth in her a corresponding feeling. +She regarded the chief and his mother with love and reverence, and had +so completely acquired their language and customs as almost to have +forgotten her own. + +So identified had she become with the tribe that the remembrance of her +home and family had nearly faded from her mind--all but the memory of +her mother, her mother, whom she had loved with a strength of affection +natural to her warm and ardent disposition, and to whom her heart still +clung with a fondness that no time or change could destroy. + +The peace of 1783 between Great Britain and the United States was now +effected, in consequence of which there was a general pacification of +the Indian tribes, and fresh hopes were aroused in the bosoms of Mr. and +Mrs. Lytle. + +They removed with their family to Fort Niagara, near which, on the +American side, was the Great Council Fire of the Senecas. Colonel +Johnson again readily undertook negotiations with the chief in their +behalf, and, in order to lose no chance of success, he again proceeded +in person to the village of the Big White Man. + +His visit was most opportune. He arrived among the Senecas during the +Feast of the Green Corn. This observance, which corresponds so +strikingly with the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles that, together with +other customs, it has led many to believe the Indian nations the +descendants of the lost ten tribes of Israel, made it a season of +general joy and festivity. All occupations were suspended to give place +to social enjoyment in the open air or in arbors formed of the green +branches of the trees. Every one appeared in gala dress. That of the +little adopted child consisted of a petticoat of blue broadcloth, +bordered with gay-colored ribbons, and a sack or upper garment of black +silk, ornamented with three rows of silver brooches, the center ones +from the throat to the hem being large, while those from the shoulders +down were as small as a shilling piece and as closely set as possible. +Around her neck were innumerable strings of white and purple wampum--an +Indian ornament manufactured from the inner surface of the mussel shell. +Her hair was clubbed behind and loaded with beads of various colors, +while leggings of scarlet cloth and moccasins of deerskin embroidered +with porcupine quills completed her costume. + +Colonel Johnson was received with all the consideration due his position +and the long friendship that existed between him and the tribe. + +Observing that the hilarity of the festival had warmed and opened all +hearts, the Colonel took occasion in an interview with the chief to +expatiate upon the parental affection which had led the father and +mother of little Eleanor to give up friends and home and come hundreds +of miles, in the single hope of looking upon their child and embracing +her. The heart of the chief softened as he listened to this recital, and +he was induced to promise that he would attend the Grand Council soon to +be held at Fort Niagara, on the British side of the river, and bring his +little sister with him. + +He exacted a promise from Colonel Johnson, however, that not only should +no effort be made to reclaim the child, but that even no proposition to +part with her should be made to him. + +The time at length arrived when, her heart bounding with joy, little +Nelly was placed on horseback to accompany her Indian brother to the +Great Council of the Senecas. She had promised him that she would never +leave him without his permission, and he relied confidently on her word. + +How anxiously the hearts of the parents beat with alternate hope and +fear as the chiefs and warriors arrived in successive bands to meet +their Father, the agent, at the Council Fire! The officers of the fort +had kindly given them quarters for the time being, and the ladies, whose +sympathies were strongly excited, had accompanied the mother to the +place of council and joined in her longing watch for the first +appearance of the band from the Allegheny River. + +At length the Indians were discerned emerging from the forest on the +opposite or American side. Boats were sent by the commanding officer to +bring the chief and his party across. The father and mother, attended by +all the officers and ladies, stood upon the grassy bank awaiting their +approach. They had seen at a glance that the Indians had the little +captive with them. + +As he was about to enter the boat, the chief said to some of his young +men, "Stand here with the horses and wait until I return." + +He was told that the horses would be ferried across and taken care of. + +"No," said he; "let them wait." + +He held little Eleanor by the hand until the river was crossed, until +the boat touched the bank, until the child sprang forward into the arms +of the mother from whom she had so long been separated. + +Witnessing that outburst of affection, the chief could resist no longer. + +"She shall go," said he. "The mother must have her child again. I will +go back alone." + +With one silent gesture of farewell he turned and stepped on board the +boat. No arguments or entreaties could induce him to remain at the +council. Reaching the other side of the Niagara, he mounted his horse, +and with his young men was soon lost in the depths of the forest. + +After a few weeks' sojourn at Niagara, Mr. Lytle, dreading lest the +resolution of the Big White Man should be shaken, and he should once +more be deprived of his child, determined again to change his place of +abode. Accordingly, he took the first opportunity of crossing Lake Erie +with his family, and settled in the neighborhood of Detroit, where he +afterwards continued to reside. + +Little Nelly saw her friend the chief no more. But she never forgot him. +To the day of her death she remembered with tenderness and gratitude her +brother the Big White Man, and her friends and playfellows among the +Senecas. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[13] Afterward the wife of John Kinzie. + +[14] Although this is the name of her benefactor, preserved by our +mother, it seems evident that this chief was in fact Corn Planter, a +personage well known in the history of the times. There could hardly +have been two such prominent chiefs of the same name in one village. + + + + + * * * * * + + + + +Transcriber's note: + +Every effort has been made to replicate this text as faithfully +as possible, including obsolete and variant spellings and other +inconsistencies. + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 41663 *** |