USA > Illinois > DuPage County > A history of the County of Du Page, Illinois > Part 2
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DU PAGE COUNTY.
more he did not know, had crossed Fox river ; that the Pottawattomies could not stop them. They were determined to attack the settlements, and their "talk " could not prevent them. The settlers, upon this, aban- doned all idea of saving their property, but determined to make every effort to save the wife and children of Paine, who were still in the settlement. The horses were attached to a light covered wagon, in which the family was placed, and the whole company set out that night for Chicago. John Naper insisted upon going on foot, and divested himself of everything in the shape of attire, except his shirt and pantaloons. He was earnestly entreated to ride, but upon his assuring the party that "he could outrun any Sac Indian in the nation," further importunity was deemed useless. They reached the O'Plain, and encamped for the night without taking their horses from the wagon, that they might be ready to move on at a moment's warning. They had hastened on, through fear of being cut off on the northern trail, by the Indians, and being much worn with fatigue, all hands slept pretty soundly till next morning. The journey was then resumed, and the party arrived at Chicago before noon, on the 20th day of May. A company of twenty-five men was raised during the day, to return to the settlement. . It consisted chiefly of settlers, accompanied by Captain Brown and Colonel Hamilton. They started on Satur- day, May 21st, and passed the night at Lawton's. Next day they went on to the settlement, where they found everything undisturbed. Leaving the settle- ment under . the guardianship of several friendly Indians, the company proceeded to Plainfield, where
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they found the settlers safely quartered in a fort, which they had just completed. They then started for Hol- derman's grove, to ascertain the condition of the settlers there. Meeting Cunningham and Hollen- beck on the way, they were informed that it would be of no use to go further, as their property had been destroyed. Notwithstanding, they proceeded to Hol- derman's grove. From this place they sent an express to Ottawa, to notify the settlers of the safety of their property, and also sent a messenger to Chicago, to apprise their friends of their own safety. The party remained at Holderman's house during the night. Early next morning the express returned from Otta- wa, bringing the intelligence of the massacre at Indian creek. The party immediately went to Ottawa, and thence proceeded to the scene of the bloody tragedy. What they there witnessed was too appalling to be described. Not less than fifteen bodies, of men, wo- men, and children, were lying there, cut and mangled in the most shocking manner. It was ascertained that they were of the families of Messrs. Hall, Davis and Pettigrew, and that two daughters of the Hall family, Silvia and Rachel, the one about seventeen and the other about fifteen years old, were carried off as pris- oners. The party of Indians immediately retreated into the Winnebago country, up Rock river, carrying the scalps of the slain and their prisoners with them. "Indian wars are the wars of a past age. They have always been characterized by the same ferocity and cruelty. To describe this massacre is only to repeat what has been written a hundred times; but a brief account of it may not be deemed inappropriate in this
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place. The Indians were about seventy in number. They approached the house in which the three fami- lies were assembled in the day time. They entered it suddenly, with but little notice. Some of the inmates were immediately shot down with rifles, others were pierced through with spears or despatched with the tomahawk. The Indians afterward related, with an infernal glee, how the women had squeaked like geese when they were run through the body with spears, or felt the sharp tomahawk entering their heads. All the victims were carefully scalped, their bodies shock- ingly mutilated; the little children were chopped to. pieces with axes, and the bodies of the women were suspended by the feet from the walls of the houses. The young women prisoners were hurried, by forced marches, beyond the reach of pursuit. After a long and fatiguing journey with their Indian conductors, through a wilderness country, with but little to eat, and being subject to a variety of fortune, they were at last purchased by the chiefs of the Winnebagoes, employed by Mr. Gratiot for the purpose, with two thousand dollars, in horses, wampum, and trinkets, and were returned in safety to their friends."
The company assisted in burying the dead, and returned with sad hearts to Ottawa. There they found Col. Stillman's command, consisting of about two hun- dred men, under Col. Johnson. The settlers, or Capt. Brown's company, as it was called, encamped on the . northi side of the river, near where the city of Ottawa now stands. Capt. Brown's company being so small, he requested Col. Johnson to send an escort with his party to Chicago, as it was expected that they would be at-
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HISTORY OF
tacked by Indians on their return. Col. Johnson refused to send men for that purpose, but paraded his company and called for volunteers. Maj. Bailey and twelve privates volunteered to go. But the company being still very small, Col. Johnson agreed to send a detach- ment up the river and meet Maj. Brown's company at Green's mill. Upon this assurance, the settlers left Ottawa and followed the river up as far as Green's, but no tidings came to them of Col. Johnson's detach- ment. Returning to Holderman's grove, they found . everything laid waste. The settlement there was a scene of complete devastation and ruin. They pro- ceeded to Plainfield, and found the garrison in a state of great alarm, occasioned by the news of the mas- sacre at Indian creek. The women, who appeared . the more courageous, provided the company with a good supper, and they remained there until next day. In the morning the settlement was abandoned, and all started for Chicago, except a preacher by the name of Paine. He refused to accompany them, as he had, from some cause, conceived the notion that the settlers at Chicago had all been murdered. He started in the direction of Holderman's grove, but was found mur- dered some days afterward, with one scalp torn from his head and another from his face. Paine was wont to wear a very heavy beard, which accounts for the scalp being taken from his face. There is a tradition of this brutal affair, which informs us that the Indians cut off Paine's head and carried it with them, suppos- ing, from the appearance given to the face by its long beard, that they had killed one of the gods of the whites.
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The settlers all reached Chicago the same day on which they left Plainfield.
The Scott families, which should have been noticed in another place, did not abandon their claims at the Forks, until some time after the inhabitants fled from the settlement. A son of Robinson, an Indian chief of the Pottawattomie tribe, was living with them, and they knew that, in case of actual danger from the Sacs, the boy would be taken away. When he was removed, they concluded there would be no safety in remaining longer, and thereupon followed in the trail of their affrighted neighbors, to Fort Dearborn.
Not long after, a scouting party of twenty-five horsemen started for the settlement; their object being to ascertain whether any of the enemy had been there, and to look after the property of the set- tlers. This expedition was placed under the command of Col. B. Beaubien. They left Chicago in the morn- ing, and at noon reached the O'Plain-river, where they found Robert Kinzie, with fifty Indians under his command.
An arrangement was made, by which it was agreed that the Indians,-under Captain Kinzie, should pro- ceed by the direct trail to the settlement, and the mounted company should proceed to the same place by way of Capt. Boardman's, to look after the property there.
It was expected that the latter party would arrive at the settlement some time before the former. Beau- bien's company urged their horses on as fast as possi- ble, and in a few hours arrived at Ellsworth's grove. The skirt of timber, which then extended over nearly
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the whole area of the present village of Naperville, concealed the settlement from their view, but to their surprise, and we might add, to the dismay of some, smoke was seen rising from the place where Naper's house was situated. A halt was called, and by some of the company, most willingly obeyed. A hasty con- sultation followed, and John Naper, who was ever ready to " don armor and break a lance" in the cause of his friends, volunteered to ride around the point of timber, and ascertain whether the settlement was in the possession of friend or foe. In case he should meet with friends, he was to discharge his rifle, to notify his waiting and anxious comrades of that fact. But if foes were encountered, he was to return imme- diately to the company. His progress was watched with no small degree of interest, until he passed be- hind the point of timber, out of sight. Soon the - reports of two guns were heard, and Naper did not make his appearance. In all probability he was shot, and the alarm among the company increased. There was no means of telling how numerous the enemy might be, nor how soon the sharp report of the rifle might be their own death-knell.
Two of the company, one of whom was mounted on a pack mule, and the other on a diminutive pack pony, belonging to the American Fur Company, manifested considerable uneasiness, as they had found by actual experience that neither of their animals was very remarkable for speed, and knew that in case of flight they must inevitably fall in the rear, and become an easy prey to their pursuers. They considered dis- cretion as the better part of valor, and "self-preserva-
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tion the first law of nature,"" and, suiting their action to the consideration, hobbled off toward the East Branch timber. They had not gone far when they were discovered by Col. Beaubien, who rode on after them, loudly vociferating, "Halt ! halt!" They did not heed the command, but concentrated all their efforts to get out of his way. Beaubien put spurs to his horse and soon ran them down. Coming up to them he drew a pistol, and, presenting it, uttered the effective condition and conclusion, " You run ? - By .gar ! you run, me shoot you !" The argument was irresistable, and the fugitives were captured and brought back. R. N. Murray, who was. with the company, being well mounted, started to go and ascer- tain what had become of Naper; but he had gone only a short distance when John made his appearance and gave the signal that friends were in the camp ; which signal was greeted with a shout as joyous as any that ever broke the silence of that grove. On entering the settlement it was ascertained that the Indians under Capt. Kinzie had accomplished the journey before them, and had fired the two guns as a salute to the gallant Naper, as he rode fearlessly into. the camp. The company had been out all day, and were very hungry, but nothing could be found at the settle- nent in the way of provisions. Among the cattle feeding on the prairie was a fine, fat steer, belonging to R. M. Sweet, and it was decided that it should be slaughtered for their evening's repast. The cattle were all very wild, and ran off in fright whenever they were approached, so that the only method of securing the young steer was by shooting it. The 2
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Indians being anxious to undertake this part of the project, about fifty of them were provided with rifles, and they sallied forth toward the place where the herd was feeding, capering and cutting all kinds of antics as they went along. As they approached the herd their victim was singled out, and two or three shots were fired without taking effect. The affrighted animal ran bellowing over the field, closely pressed by his assailants, who kept up a continual fire upon him, until the whole round had been discharged.
Of the fifty shots directed toward the animal, none . proved mortal. A rifle ball, however, more fatally lodged, sent a tremor through his frame, and caused him to slacken his pace. The chase continued for some time, when the animal, in attempting to cross a slough, became mired and was easily taken. "War seemed a civil game," compared to the uproar that followed the fall of this hero. And as they bore him upon their shoulders triumphantly into the camp, one 1 would have supposed, from the infernal yelling and screeching of those Indians, which
" Embowel'd with outrageous noise the air,"
that Milton's deep-throated engines were again let loose with a certainty. They all shared the triumph, and each celebrated the capture of the steer as his own special achievement. Nothing could exceed the vainglorious vaporing of these rude sons of the forest, as they strutted about and exulted in the heroism of the adventure. The animal was properly dressed, and portions of the meat were prepared for supper, of which all partook with a good degree of relish.
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After supper the log store was broken open and found to contain, among other things, a good supply of the two staple articles of pioneer merchandise, viz .: rum and tobacco. These were dealt out profusely to the Indians as a reward for' their valorous conduct in the evening chase. The company remained at the settlement during the night. In the evening, to vary the monotony a little, they prevailed upon the Indian's to get up a war dance. This performance, when dra- matically considered, is strictly tragic, but it must be admitted that the "bill" for that evening had a fair sprinkling of the comic. Scalping scenes and toma- hawk scenes were presented in the most approved Indian fashion, to the infinite amusement of a small but " highly respectable audience." At a late hour the whole company retired, each individual selecting his ".site" without-respect to the complexion of his neighbor.
In the morning the company under Beaubien arose with an impatient desire to meet the enemy. They had slept off the fatigue of the previous day, and their desire for conflict returned with redoubled force with the restoration of their bodily energies. They resolved upon committing havoc among the Sacs, and fearing that they might,' in some unguarded moment, slay some of their friends, the Pottawattomies, by mistake, they went again to the old log store and procured a piece of cotton sheeting, which they tore into small strips and tied around the head and waist of each friendly Indian. Thus decorated, they left the party of Capt. Kinzie, and started for the Big Woods. The prairies were scoured, but not an Indian, nor trace of an Indian, was to be found.
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The company returned to the settlement sadly dejected at the ill success of their Quixotic adven- ture, and started for Chicago on the following morn- ing. Nothing transpired on the way worthy of notice, except that the company rode as far as Brush Hill constantly expecting to suffer the inconvenience of being shot, through the carelessness of one of its members, a young man then fresh from New York City, but now an individual of some distinction in Chicago City. He accidentally discharged his piece three times before reaching Brush Hill. The guns were strapped to the saddles in a horizontal position, and the chances were that the young man's random shots would take effect, if he was allowed the range of the whole company much longer. Arriving at Brush Hill and attempting to dismount, bang ! went his gun again. This aroused the ire of Col. Beaubien. He could endure it no longer, and commanded the youth to surrender up his arms. This the young man stoutly refused to do, whereupon Col. Beaubien made a violent descent upon him, threw him down, and after a short struggle succeeded in wresting the gun from his grasp, after which there was no more "firing on parade" that day.
A short time after, Capt. Naper, Capt. H. Boardman, and some ten or twelve others, went out from Chicago to the settlement to examine the crops. Nothing had been disturbed, and the crops were found in good condition. From the settlement they went to Ottawa, to obtain from Gen. Atkinson, who was stationed there with about fifty men, assistance to build a fort at the Naper settlement. Gen. Atkinson dispatched the company under Capt. Paine at Joliet, to aid them in
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the enterprise. They proceeded to the Naper settle- ment and erected a fort near the house of Lewis Ellsworth, and in honor of the captain of the company dispatched to aid them, called it Fort Paine. The fort was built of pickets, with two block houses, and so constructed that it could be defended from an attack on either side. An incident occurred just before the completion of this fort, which threw a gloom over the minds of the settlers, and excited fears which had been entirely allayed by the prospect of a speedy protection. Two men, named Brown and Buckley, were sent to Sweet's grove to procure a load of shingles. They had gone as far -as the grove, north of the Beaubien place, when Buckley got out of the wagon to open a passage in the fence. Brown drove through into the field, and the team continued to move on, while Buckley walked leisurely along behind. Suddenly the sharp report of a rifle was heard from an adjoining thicket, and Buckley saw his comrade fall dead from the wagonl. Terrified and bewildered he fled toward the settlement. He reached the fort with scarcely strength to communicate the melancholy tidings to his sorrowing companions. About twenty men left the fort and proceeded to the scene of the disaster. The horses had been stripped of their harness and taken away, and the body of Brown was found near the wagon, pierced with three balls. It was brought to the fort and buried. The trail of the Indians was followed, but they had fled beyond the reach of pursuit.
As much alarm now prevailed throughout the . company, it was decided that Capt. Naper and
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HISTORY OF
Alanson Sweet, should start that night for Chicago to procure more men. They started on horseback, but Sweet's horse giving out, he was obliged to journey on foot. An incident occurred during this trip, which strikingly exhibits the force of a capri- cious imagination, and the liability to deception when that faculty is unduly excited. They were approach- ing Flag creek, when Sweet affirmed that he saw two Indians, one on foot and the other on horseback, and proposed to let Capt. Naper go on with his horse while he concealed himself in the grass. The Cap- tain's attention was directed to the objects, and they bore the same appearance to him, He requested Sweet to mount behind him, that they might both move toward them. He did so, and they rode on. As they passed along, the path deviated to the right, and the objects began to separate. . This confirmned them in their impression, and Sweet declared that they were Indians, for he could see them move. After going several rods they turned and rode back the same path, and then the objects began to approach each other, and when they had arrived at the place where Sweet mounted, the Indians had resumed their first position. This little experiment convinced them of their delusion, and they rode .bravely on. The objects were found to be two trees of different heights, a mile distant, and half a mile apart. They reached Chicago early next morning, and asked assist- ance from Gen. Williams, who was there with three hundred troops from Michigan, but he refused to fur- nish it, as he did not deem it safe to send men into the country at that time. At length Maj. Wilson
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DU PAGE COUNTY.
informed Capt. Naper, that if Gen. Williams would . consent, he would take some of his men and return with him to the settlement. Whereupon, a council of officers was held, but it was deemed unsafe for any to go, even as volunteers. Capt. Naper then left Chicago and returned much disheartened to the settlement.
There being no better alternative, the settlers re- solved to remain where they were, and acting wisely upon this resolution, placed themselves in the best possible position for defense. Scouting parties were frequently sent out to range the surrounding country, but no skirmishes were had with the Indians. The nearest approach to an encounter with the enemy took place on the Fourth of July. Fired with the patriotic spirit which animated the sires of Seventy- Six, a small party shouldered their muskets, and set forth to scour the surrounding country in pursuit of adventure. After a fatiguing day's march the party arrived at the Au Sable grove, without having an opportunity for the slightest display of their pent-up valor. Here they encamped for the night. After supper they drew around the camp fire, and John Naper became the oracle of the evening. His anecdotes and tales of adventurous deeds and noble daring, kept the whole party wide awake and in good cheer far into the night, when the "meeting" broke up, and deep sleep soon assumed the sovereignty of the camp. In the morning breakfast was prepared, and after enjoying the repast preparations were being made to depart. Willard Scott, who from early associations had become skilled in backwoods craft,
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and regarded every track with the knowing. eye of an Indian, was a member of the company. As they were about to leave the place, he discovered wliat appeared to him to be a fresh Indian trail, and upon further examination decided, that two Indians accom- panied by a boy had recently passed near the encamp- ment. This intelligence aroused the depressed spirits of the whole party, and all were eager for pursuit. The trail was followed with some difficulty to the river bank, opposite the village encampment of the Pottawattomies. Here from certain indications on the stones and sand, Mr. Scott knew the Indians had crossed the stream. A council of war was now held, and the plan adopted of crossing and riding rapidly up the opposite bank, and if the Indians were then in view they could be easily surprised and taken. The word for starting was given, and a general stampede ensued. John Naper was the first to reach the opposite bank and announce that the Indians were in sight. They were standing upon the roof of a wigwam, evidently watching for the direction of their pursuers. As soon as John made his appearance they leaped quickly to the ground, made off toward the river and were soon out of sight. The party hastened to the spot and followed their trail to the river. They had evidently crossed to the opposite bank, and the party recrossed in pursuit, but no further trace of their progress could be found. After making diligent search, and having abandoned all hope of again find- ·ing the trail, the company sat down and partook of some refreshments from their knapsacks, and soon after made their way back to the settlement, some-
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what chagrined at being compelled to surrender to the artifice of their wily fugitives. The Indians eluded them by crossing to a small island in the stream, upon which was a cluster of trees. Having climbed one of the tallest trees and concealed them- selves among its branches, they sat and viewed the maneuvers of their vanquished pursuers with the greatest glee. They afterward related the whole affair to Robinson, a chief of the Pottawattomies, and arrogated to themselves a vast amount of credit for having so successfully eluded the sharp eye of " White Eagle," an appellation which they applied to Mr. Scott. This title originated from the following cir- cumstance : Mr. David Mckee, an acquaintance of Mr. Scott, had, in his deal with the Indians, received a buck-skin coat from one of them as a pledge for certain goods sold to him. A time at which the coat was to be redeemed was fixed by the parties, but when it arrived the Indian did not make his appear- ance, and the coat therefore became the property of Mr. McKee. It was subsequently sold to Mr. Scott.
Several months after, Mr. McKee, having occassion to visit an Indian settlement near Racine, for the purpose of trading with them, Mr. Scott accompanied him. Among the Indians in the settlement, they found the one from whom McKee had received the coat. Seeing the article in Mr. Scott's possession, he instantly demanded that it should be given up. He was told that he could have it by paying the sum for which it was left in pledge, but this he refused to do, at the same time persisting in his demand for an unconditional surrender of the garment. Upon re-
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ceiving a peremptory refusal, he threatened to take it by force. This considerably aroused the ire of Mr. Scott, and he told him, that if he wanted the coat, he night try the expediency of taking it from him. Upon . this, the Indian left them, threatening him with great vengeance, and promising to return immediately with a sufficient force to take the coat from his back.
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