History of Cook County, Illinois From the Earliest Period to the Present Time, Part 25

Author: Andreas, A. T. (Alfred Theodore), 1839-1900
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago : A.T. Andreas
Number of Pages: 875

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" The boat brought not only the troops but also the cholera. At twelve o'clock A. M., Lieutenant Summer ( afterwards General Summer of the War of the Rebellion) came to the fort and ordered all the families in the fort to leave before sunrise, stating that at that time the troops down with the cholera would be moved into the fortification.

" I had then a little babe who is now Brevet Brigadier-General William H. Penrose of the 3d Infantry U. S. A.

" I remember the names of the members of the following families : Colonel Whistler, Major Kingsbury, Captain Johnson, Lieutenant Day. Lieutenant Long, and my own. In my own family was, besides the before-mentioned babe, my husband's mother and two sisters. Four of these families, finding the house of Mark Beaubien vacant (its owner having left an hour before, without taking anything with him), with joy went into that buikl- ing. Mrs. Johnson and I, with my family were, however, not so fortunate, for even the four-roomed house of Mr. Beaubien could only hold four families. Going on about a mile we came to the house of a butcher, containing but one room. Exhausted, I threw myself on my mattress, which the soldiers had carried down from the fort, and there I laid during the night.

" The next morning in vain did we seek for a house. A rail fence was, however, in sight. Into one corner I moved. A few boards made the floor. A carpet kept off the wind from our heads and backs. Other boards formed a far from water-proof roof. Ilere we remained three days and three nights, cooking on the ground. My companions in misery were Mrs. Johnson and family.

" After three days Captain Johnson and my husband secured a lot of green lumber. In sight of our fence stood the frame of a house. To this the green boards were soon nailed and a temporary partition put in. Ifere our two families moved. Mr. Penrose's mother and sister nightly crawled up a ladder to their beds.

" General Scott, who from the steamer had gone to the hotel at the Point, after five days made his appearance. Every day he would ride up to our house and, looking up to the open end of the frame, would talk with the ladies, invariably dwelling upon the fact that they were in more comfortable quarters than Mrs. General Scott. who was then at West Point. Our cooking had to be done In the open air. Generally we got more sand than salt in our food.

" After remaining in these quarters, the house of the Indian Agent, Colonel Owen, having been vacated through fear of the before-mentioned disease, we obtained permission to move into it, on the condition of permitting the Colonel to remain with us. This house stood on the North Side, and contained four or five rooms on a floor. The family of the Colonel had left even their dishes, and had gone to Springfield.

" I should have stated that on the same night that General Scott arrived, the troops that were in the fort before the arrival of the steamer were marched along the lake shore and were encamped in tents about eight miles from the fort. There they had remained from that time. Several of their number, as well as many of the later arrived officers and soldiers, took the cholera and died. As soon as the disease abated the rest of the soldiers, excepting a small garrison, were ordered to Rock Island.

" I remained.in the house of the Indian Agent, until Colonel Owen's family returned. I then had to seek for other quarters. My sister and myself got into a log canoe and, paddling across the Chicago River, called on the officer in charge (Colonel Whistler) and requested from him permission to again take up our abode in

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the fort. After a little perseverance we succeeded in obtaining two rooms. About six weeks afterward the troops that had been in Rock Island returned to Chicago, and from thence were sent to the posts from which they had been collected. In all 1 remained in Chicago about eighteen months."

" I was born al New York, my maiden name Mary A. Hoff- man, my father was Colonel William Hoffman, 6th Regiment, U. S. A.

" I was married at Sackett's Ilarbor, to James W. Penrose. For nineteen years I lived in soldiers' garrisons.

" My husband died from disease contracted in the Mexican War. MRS. MARY A. PENROSE.

" Joliet, February 27, 1879."

Under the protection of the fort and the militia, and with the encouraging rumors that Black Hawk's bands were moving up the Rock River toward the Winnebago country, and away from Chicago and the outlying settlements, the panic abated somewhat, al- though a wholesome fear still kept all non-combatants within the crowded precincts of the fort, or within re- treating distance of its protecting inclosure. The men organized scouting parties, * composed in part of friendly Pottawatomies, and made frequent tours of observation to the deserted settlements. No hostile Indians were seen after the raitl was over that had caused the first alarm, although signs were not lacking of their presence in the vicinity.

The inconvenience and suffering borne uncomplain- ingly by the fugitives in camp were great. Food, not at all times in good supply, cooking conveniences of the crudest kind, crowded room, added to the entire lack of anything like retirement, privacy, or quiet, rendered what to the well was inconvenient to the sick almost unbearable hardship. Under these unfavorable condi tions the population was increased by the arrival of fifteen who had not fled to Chicago through fear of the Indians. Rev. Stephen R. Beggs, in his book, vouches for the truth of the above. He says:

"The next morning (after a severe lempest, during which the room in which he and his family were quartered was struck by lightning) our first babe was born, and during our stay fifteen len- der infants were added to the number. One may imagine the con- fusion of the scene- children crying and women were complaining within doors, while without, the tramp of soldiers, the rolling of drums, and the roar of cannon added to the din."

The Wolverine sokliers certainly conducted them- selves in an unhandsome manner if, as the reverend gentleman intimates, they made any unnecessary noise during this protracted series of interesting events.

On June 17 Major Whistler arrived at Fort Dearborn with his command, and, in accordance with his orders proceeded to garrison the fort. He humanely allowed the families to remain in the garrison until quarters could be provided for them outside. The Michigan volunteers were, however, obliged to evacuate, in order to make room for the newcomers; which they did, not without considerable murmuring, and went into camp at Grosse Point, near where Evanston now stands. Major Whistler immediately set about preparing new quarters for the soon-expected arrival of General Scott's forces, and the anxiety of the sojourners as to their future was increased, as it was well known that when they came their quarters would have to be given up. On the even- ing of July 10,t the steamer " Sheldon Thompson," Captain A. Walker, arrived from Buffalo, having on board General Scott, his staff, and four companies of troops. The news of their arrival was accompanied with the intelligence that the dreaded scourge of Asiatic cholera was on board, in such violent type as to have already decimated the troops on the voyage. It required . See Military History.

+ Blanchard's History, p. 376, puts the date of Scott's arrival on the even- ing of the 8th of July. Captain Walker states positively that it was on the Both.

no direct orders from either General Scott or Major Whistler to make room in the garrison for the newly arrived troops. The sojourners who, a few weeks be- fore, had fled from the Indians, now fled with more precipitate haste and terror from the deadly pestilence that had entered their place of refuge. The residenis also, with few exceptions, left with their families. Some went to Laughton's, some to Grosse Point, some lo Wentworth's place; anywhere to get away from the plague-stricken garrison. By the 12th the village was virtually depopulated and given over to the sick, the dying, the dead, and those whom duty compelled or humanity urged to remain to minister to them. The garrison became a hospital. There was no thought on the part of General Scott to make any aggressive move or to take any part in the campaign against Black Hawk until the disease should cease its ravages. Eight days later July 18 the steamer " William Penn" arrived with Government stores, and a further detachment of cholera-stricken soldiers. The flight of the inhabitants and sojourners confined the ravages of the pest to the soldiers and the officers with their families. It is im- possible in words to depict the horror of the time. A few old letters and reminiscences have preserved all that will ever be known of it.

A. Walker, captain of the "Sheldon Thompson," on which General Scott was embarked at Buffalo and ar- rived at Chicago, July 10, 1832, wrote a long account of the voyage and the ravages of the cholera during the passage. The letter appears in Fergus's Historical Series, No. 16, Appendix ( L), pp. 72-76. The letter is addressed to Captain R. C. Bristol, and is dated Buffalo, October 30, 1860. Extracts relevant to the Chicago history are given below:

" It will also be remembered, as stated in my former communica- tion, that four steamers, the ' Henry Clay.' 'Superior,' 'Sheldon Thompson,' and ' William Penn,' were chartered by the United States Government for the purpose of transporting troops, equip- ments, and provisions to Chicago, during the Black Hawk War, but, owing to the fearful ravages, made by the breaking out of the Asiatic cholera among the troups and crews on board. Iwo of the boats were compelled to abandon their voyage, proceeding no fur- ther than Fort Gratiot. The disease became so violent and alarm- ing on board the ' llenry C'lay,' that nothing like discipline could be observed, everything 'in the way of subordination ceased. As sion as the steanier came to the dock, each man sprang on shore. hoping to escape from a scene so terrifying and appalling. Some fled to the fields, some to the woods, while others lay down in the streets, and under the cover of the river bank, where most of them died, unwept and alone. There were no cases of cholera causing death on board my buat until we passed the Manitou Islands (Lake Michigan]. The first person attacked died about four o'clock in the afternoon, some thirty hours before reaching Chicago, As soon as it was ascertained by the surgeon that life was extinct. the deceased was wrapped closely in his blanket, placing withia some weights secured by lashing of small cordage around the ankles, knees, waist, and neck, and then committed with but little ceremony, to the deep. This unpleasant though imperative duty was performed by the Orderly Sergeant, with a few privates de. tailed for that purpose. In like manner twelve others, including this same noble Sergeant, who sickened and died in a few hours, were also thrown overboard before the balance of the troops were landed at Chicago. The sudden and untimely death of this veteran Sergeant and his committal to a watery grave, caused a deep sensation on board among the soldiers and crews, which I will not here attempt to describe. The effect produced upon General Scoll and the other officers, in witnessing the scene, was too visible to be misunderstood, for the dead soldier had been a very valuable man, and evidently a favorite among the officers and soldiers of the regi- ment.

" There was one singular fact-not one of the officers of the army was attacked by the disease, while on board my boal, with such violence as to result in death, or any of the officers belonging to the boal, though nearly one-fourth of the crew fell a prey lo the disease on a subsequent trip, while on the passage from Detroit 10 Buffalo,

" We arrived al Chicago (as stated in the former communica-

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tion) on the evening of the 10th of July, 1832. I sent the yawl- boat on shore soon after with General Scott and a number of the volunteer officers, who accompanied him on his expedition against the hostile tribes, who, with Black Hawk, had commined many depredations (though, perhaps, not without some provocation). compelling the whites to abandon their homes in the country and flee to Chicago, taking refuge In the font for the time being. Be- fore landing the troops next morning. we were under the painful necessity of committing three more to the deep, who died during the night, making, in all, sixteen who were thus consigned to a watery grave. These three were anchored to the bottom in two- and-a-half fathoms, the water being so clear that their forms could be plainly seen from our decks. This unwelcome sight created such excitement, working upon the superstitious fears of some of the crew, that prudence dictated that we weigh anchor and move a distance sufficient to shut from sight a scene which seemed to haunt the imagination, and influence the mind with thoughts of some por- tentious evil.

" In the course of the day and night following, eighteen others died and were interred not far from the spot where the American Temperance House* has since been erected. The earth that was removed to cover one made a grave to receive the next that died. All were buried without coffins or shrouds, except their blankets, which served for a winding sheet ; there left, as it were, without remembrance or a stone to mark their resting-place. During the four days we remained in Chicago, fifty-four more died, making an aggregate of eighty-eight who paid the debt of nature.

" On approaching Chicago, I found quite a fleet of sail ves. sels at anchor in the offing. where we also came to, near them. As soon as it was ascertained that cholera was on hoard, no time was lost in communicating from one vessel to the other the intelli- gence, which induced them to weigh anchor at once, and stand out to sea, hoping to escape the pestilence, which, at that time, was considered contagious, In the morning some of thein were nearly lost in the distance, though in the course of the day they mostly returned and re-anchorel near by, in hailing distance. Among the fleet were some vessels belonging to Oliver Newberry, Es., of Detroit, that were employed in transporting provisions and stores rfom the Government lo that port.

" It is proper in this connection to state that all the mattresses and bedding belonging to my boat, except sufficient for the crew, were taken by order of Gen, Scott for the use of the sick, giving his draft for the purchase of new bedding, which was not only a deed of mercy to those suffering ones, but a matter of favor to me, in procuring a fresh outfit, so necessary after that disastrous voy- age. There was no harbor accessible to any craft drawing more than two feet of water, hardly sufficient to admit the balteau in which the troops were landed. But little else was seen besides the broad expanse of prairie, with its gentle undulated surface. covered with grass and variegated flowers, stretching out far in the distance, resembling a great carpet interwoven with green, purple. and gohl; in one direction bounded only by the blue horizon, with no intervening woodland to obstruct the vision. The view, in looking through the spy-glass from the upper deck of our steamer. while lying in the offing, was'a most picturesque one, presenting a landscape interspersed with small groves of underwood, making a picture complete; combining the grand and beautiful in nature, far beyond anything I had before seen. The Chicago River, at that time, was a mere creck, easily forded at Its mouth, while it wended its way along the beach, flowing into the lake a small distance south of the present locality of Lake Street, The provisions and stores brought by the sail-vessels were landed on the beach of the lake, near the mouth of the river, where now are seen the extensive railroad improvements.

"We remained four days after landing the troops, procuring fuel for the homeward voyage, etc. The only means of obtaining anything for fuel was to purchase the roofless log-building used as a stable. That, together with the rail fence inclosing a lield of some three arres near by, was sufficient to enable us to reach Mackinaw. Being drawn to the beach and prepared for use, it was boated on board by the crew, which operation occupied the most of four days to accomplish. After getting the fuel on board, I was detained some six hours, waiting the arrival of a gentleman whose name I think was Chamberlain."I had dispatched a messenger for him, he residing some fifteen miles in the country. At length he arrived, and engaged to accompany me as far as Detroit and act in the capacity of physician, having some knowledge in preparing medicine, being a druggist by profession. During this protracted stay, in waiting for the doctor, the crew became quite uneasy to get under way, and leave behind them a scene fraught with associations of the dead and dying, which they had witnessed so frequently. until they became almost mutinous. But as soon as orders were given to get under way, the celerity with which the yawl was hoisted to the stern was a scene of exciting interest, as the duty

. Northwest corner of Lake Street and Wabash Avenue.

was performed with a will and a spirit of cheerfulness, accompanied with a hearty song of 'Yo-heave-ho". As they hove at the wind- lass, they seemed almost frantic with joy when the anchor came in sight and her prow turned homeward. We had no cases of cholera on our passage to Detroit. The physician returned across the country, after receiving the stipulated sum for his services, which ! think was some two hundred dollars, besides the stage-fare, which was one of the items in the stipulation."

During the ten days succeeding General Scott's arrival a hundred dead soldiers were silently carried without the gates of the garrison and hastily laid to their final rest, in a common grave, without coffin, or other shroud than the soldiers' blanket in which each had gone to his last sleep.

About the zoth of July, General Scott moved his soldiers, such as were able, out to the Desplaines River, and encamped at the present site of Riverside, where they remained ten days, their health rapidly improving meantime. Thence by easy stages they commenced their march toward the enemy's country. General Scott, with twelve men and two baggage wagons, were a few days in advance. The main body advanced under the command of Colonel Cummings. The train consisted of fifty baggage wagons, in which were carried the supplies and such sick or convalescent soldiers as were unable to march. Judge Robert N. Murray, then a lad of seventeen, living with his parents, who had recently settled at Naperville, served as one of the teamsters. The route taken was through Gilbert's Grove on the DuPage River ; thence crossing the Fox River three miles below Elgin, and through the Pigeon woods to the present site of Belvidere ; thence to an old Indian village near the present site of Beloit, Wis., where, perhaps owing to the fatigue of the march, the cholera again broke out with such virulence as to ren- dler it necessary to go into camp for rest. Here they remained for a week, during which time several more deaths occurred. While still in camp at this place news was brought that the war was at an end. August 2, the final battle had been fought between Black Hawk's forces and the militia under General Dodge, assisted by a detachment of United States troops under Colonel Zachary Taylor, near the mouth of Bad Axe River in what is now Vernon County, Wis. The commanding officer was ordered to proceed with his force to Fort Armstrong (Rock Island), and, on renewing the march, the train turned south over the prairies to the present site of Rockford, and thence down the Rock River to Fort Armstrong, where the march ended. The route took the troops through the most beautiful and fertile region of the then unknown Northwest, embracing the northern counties of the present State of Illinois, a part of southern Wisconsin, and the beautiful Rock River Valley from Rockford to its mouth. The cam- paign, although fruitless from a military point of view, was fraught with events of great importance, not only to Chicago, but to the whole region over which the soldiers marched.

On their return to the East their glowing accounts of the beauty and fertility of the hitherto unoccupied country, so soon as it was believed that it was open to pre-emption, created a perfect furor of emigration from the East to the lands described, Their first point of destination, prior to pushing beyond to the promised land, was Chicago. So it happened, that the tide of emigration which set in in the fall of 1832, and con- tinued in increasing volume for the succeeding four years, brought to Chicago a floating population from which she constantly added to her permanent resident population, such as saw in her future brighter prospects than in the allurements of the country beyond.

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HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

The fall of 1832 saw peace restored and Chicago a busy mart of trade for immigrants that had begun to arrive in vast numbers. They came in every form and in all sorts of conveyance-in families and singly-on foot, on horseback, in carriages-with money or sup- plies-with neither. Many only stopped at Chicago temporarily, and pushed out further west for a settle- ment, while a few remained to swell the population of the embryo city.

The picture of Chicago at the close of 1832 would have shown little.outward improvement. A score of permanent residents had been added to the population, and a dozen new buildings, mostly of a very primitive kind, had been erected during the year. There was, how- ever, a strong faith awakened that Chicago was, from its geographical position and its natural advantages as a harbor, destined to become the emporium of a yet undeveloped and uncivilized country ; and, inspired by this, many of the new-comers remained to the close of life.

The fall witnessed quite an accession to the per- manent settlers, among whom were John Bates, Dr. Phillip Maxwell, G. W. Snow, Philo Carpenter, J. S. Wright, Dr. E. S. Kimberly.

During the summer George W. Dole built what was probably the first frame building used for business pur- poses in Chicago. It stood at the southeast corner of Water and Dearborn streets where it remained until 1855. Mr. Peck, during the fall commented the erection of a frame building at the southeast corner of Water and LaSalle streets, which was completed and occupied the following May. The two above named . were certainly the first frame business structures built in Chicago. Of the first named, the Democratic Press of April 23, 1855, said :

"The first frame building erected by George W. Dole for a warehouse, in the summer of 1832, and occupied early in the fall of that year, which had stood for nearly 1wenty-three years on the southeast corner of Water and Dearborn streets, is being moved southward,"

It is stated on reliable authority + that George W. Dole commenced the slaughtering of beeves and hogs and the packing for market of beef and pork, and that he slaughtered and packed during the fall of 1832, in the rear of the building he had erected," close to the present site of the Tremont House," two hundred cattle and three hundred and fifty hogs," Clybourne, the Noble brothers, and Gurdon S. Hubbard had driven in and slaughtered large droves of hogs and cattle before that time, but it is not believed that any provisions had been packed for the mercantile trade of the lakes prior to the fall of 1832, and the first so packed was by George W. Dole .; He was the father of the provision, the shipping, the ware- house, and the clevator business of Chicago.

The early spring brought a most tremendous tide of emigration. The town doubled its population during the spring and early summer months. The test of resi- dence was not, however, severe. Any man who remained in Chicago long enough to pay his board by the week was considered a resident, and if, in addition, he had

* Of those living (August, 1881) in Chicago who came here prior to Jati- mary, 1833, are : John Bates, Philo Carpenter, Gordon S. Hubbard, A. D. Taylor. + Culbert's History. P. 7.

Colbert, p. 45, alluding to Mr. Dole's inauguration of beef and pork pack- Ing in Chicago says : " In October of that year (18ja) he slaughtered and packed one hundred and fifty head of cattle for Oliver Newberry, of Detroit, The cattle were purchased by Mr. Dule from Charles Reed, of Hickory Creek, at $=,75 per one hundred pounds-the hides and tallow being thrown in for the slaughtering." They were slaughtered by John and Mark Noble on the prairie near the lake, the beef packed m Mr. Dole's warehouse, and shipped to Detroit. In December Mr. Dole killed, " in the back yard of his warehouse " three hundred and thirty -eight hogs, bought of John 10ackstone, who had driven them In from the Wabash Valley. This pork was shipped to Detroit and New York the following spring.

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History of Cook County, Illinois From the Earliest Period to the Present Time, Part 25

Author: Andreas, A. T. (Alfred Theodore), 1839-1900 Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Chicago : A.T. Andreas Number of Pages: 875

Author: Andreas, A. T. (Alfred Theodore), 1839-1900
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago : A.T. Andreas
Number of Pages: 875