USA > Illinois > DuPage County > History of Du Page County, Illinois (Historical, Biographical) > Part 5
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" The company advanced toward the Big Woods. As they drew near the timber, an In- clian was observed mounted on a horse, who, on seeing them, turned and fled. The three In- dians made instant pursuit ; overtaking him before he had gone far, they made themselves known as friends, and detained him until the company came up. Lawton understood the dialects of several Indian tribes, and in a con- versation with him ascertained that he belonged to the Pottawatomies, who were encamped only three miles distant. The Indian said the whole of his tribe were drunk, and it would be danger- ous for the company to visit them. However, after brief consultation, they decided to pro- ceed to the encampment, and the captured In- dian led the way. Although the appearance of the company in the camp caused some little cx- citement among that portion of the tribe who
were sufficiently sober to entertain an emotion of any kind, yet they were received with no ap- parent indications of hostility. On examination, the testimony of the Indian was fully substan- tiated. Indians were found in a state of beastly intoxication in every part of the camp; while others were enjoying the pastime in the most picturesque, amusing and fantastic series of per- formances that can be imagined. Daneing, singing, whooping and screeching, delightfully mingled, formed the grand offering which there went up at the shrine of bad whisky and worse tobacco. One fellow, who seemed to be of a decidedly pugnacious turn, was lying on the ground, face downward, with his hands secured behind him, Samson like, with green withes. Frantic with rage, he seemed to utter the most vehement and fearful denunciations against all who came near him. Upon inquiry, it was as- certained that the fellow had violated an im- portant law in their code respecting these orgies, which law forbids 'a brother knocking a brother down,' and he was suffering the penalty affixed.
"The company were summoned into the presence of the chiefs, who gave them a friendly and courteous reception. A council was called, and Lawton and Burrasaw were admitted to the ring. The consultation lasted for two or three hours, and the ' outsiders ' were becoming rather impatient. An old Indian woman, known to Capt. Naper, while passing near him, uttered in his ear the word ' Puc-a-che,' which, being both literally and liberally interpreted, signifies ' Be off.' And the Captain began to think it time to heed the advice.
" Inquiry was made in relation to the delib- erations of the council, and Lawton responded, that 'there were 300 Sac Indians in the Black - berry timber, some four miles distant, and,' said he, ' you will see them if you wait here an hour.' These Indians will not fight them, but will " stop them by talk," if they can, from burning your settlement.' The Captain signi-
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HISTORY OF DU PAGE COUNTY.
fied no inclination to hold an interview with 300 Sae Indians, but suggested the propriety of retreating to the settlement as soon as pos- sible, and sending the most valuable property there to Chicago. This plan received the ac- quiesence of all the company, and after making arrangements with Lawton to send an express to notify them of any immediate danger from the Saes, the settlers returned. The paeking of their goods was immediately commenced. All the articles which were inconvenient to convey were lowered into a well partly dug, and all was soon ready for loading the wagons. The horses had been harnessed, and were then feeding at a stable some ten or fifteen rods from the house. Capt. Naper was in the house tying the corners of a quilt, which contained the remnant of clothing left behind by his fam- ily, when a man rushed wildly into the room, shouting at the top of his voice, " the Indians are upon us!" The whole company took in- stant alarm and with the exception of Captain and John Naper, beat a precipitate retreat to a thicket of hazel bushes, which, in those days, flourished in prolific exuberance on the soil now known as Jefferson avenue. The two Napers were somewhat unlike the redoutable Mr. Sparrowgrass, who was prone to pull trig- ger and make inquiries afterward. They de- cided that inquiry should take the precedence, and if it came to that, why they could run some.
"As the horses were near, they removed the harness and put on the 'saddles, that they might be in readiness in case of emergency. They had scarcely accomplished this, when Alanson Sweet eame galloping up on his fierce charger, exhorting them to instant flight, if they valued their lives. 'There are at least 500 Indians upon us,' said he, 'and they are not more than fifteen rods off.' Alanson rode away, but the Napers resolved to investigate. They walked in the direction from which Sweet said the Indians were approaching, and soon
came upon a rise of ground which had con- cealed the Indians from view, when lo! the dusky visage of their friend Lawton appeared before them. He was at the head of about fifty brawny Pottawatomies, and had come to warn the settlers of immediate danger. Mes- sengers were sent out to gather in the fugitives, that all might listen to Lawton's story. He said that at least sixteen of the Sacs, and how many more he did not know, had crossed Fox- River; that the Pottawatomies could not stop them. They were determined to attack the settlements, and their 'talk' could not pre- vent them. The settlers, upon this, abandoned all idea of saving their property, but deter- mined 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 Chieago. John Naper insisted upon going on foot, and divested himself of every- thing 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 na- tion,' 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 eut off on the north- ern 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 twen- ty-five men was raised during the day, to re- turn to the settlement. It consisted chiefly of settlers, accompanied by Capt. Brown and Col. Hamilton. They started on Saturday, May 21, and passed the night at Lawton's. Next day they went on to the settlement, where they found everything undisturbed. Leaving the
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HISTORY OF DU PAGE COUNTY.
settlement under the guardianship of several friendly Indians, the company proceeded to Plainfield, where they found the settlers safely quartered in a fort, which they had just com- pleted. They then started for Holderman's Grove, to ascertain the condition of the settlers there. Meeting Cunningham and Hollenback on the way, they were informed that it would be of no use to go farther, as their property had been destroyed. Notwithstanding, they proceeded to Holderman'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 Hoklerman's house during the night. Early next morning the express re- turned from Ottawa, bringing the intelligence of the massacre at Indian Creek. The party immediately went to Ottawa, and thence pro- ceeded to the scene of the bloody tragedy. What they there witnessed was too appalling to be described. Not less than fifteen bodies, of men, women and children were lying there, cut and mangled in the most shocking manner. It was ascertained that they were 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 re- treated into the Winnebago country, up Rock River, carrying the scalps of the slain and their prisoners with them. 'Indian wars are wars of a past age. They have always been characterized by the same ferocity and cruelty. To desbribe this massacre is only to repeat what has been written a hundred times ; but a brief account of it may not be deemed inap- propriate in this place. The Indians were abont seventy in number. They approached the house, in which the three families were as- sembled, in the daytime. They entered it suddenly, but with little notice. Some of the
inmates were immediately shot down with rifles, others were pierced through with spears or dispatched with the tomahawk. The In- dians 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 sealped, their bodies shockingly 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, be- yond 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 that purpose, with $2,000, 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 hundred men, under Col. John- son. The settlers, or Capt. Brown's company, as it was called, encamped on the north 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 attacked 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 detachment 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 detachment. Returning to Hohlerman's Grove, they found
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HISTORY OF DU PAGE COUNTY.
everything laid waste. The settlement there was a scene of complete devastation and ruin. They proceeded to Plainfield, and found the garrison in the state of great alarm, occasioned by the news of the massacre 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 eause, coneeived the no- tion that the settlers at Chicago had all been murdered. He started in the direction of Hol- derman's Grove, but was found murdered 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 ac- counts 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, supposing, from the appearance given to the face by its long beard, that they had killed one of the gods of the whites.
" The settlers all reached Chieago the same day on which they left Plainfield.
" The Scott families, which should have been notieed 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 Pottawatomie tribe, was living with them, and they knew that, in ease of actual danger from the Sacs, the boy would be taken away. When he was removed, they concluded there would be no safety in re- maining longer, and thereupon followed in the trail of their affrighted neighbors, to Fort Dear- born."
The writer will here state that from Judge Blodgett himself he has learned that Half Day, a Pottawatomie chief, attended a council held at this time at Wanbonsies village (now Au- rora), in which Black Hawk's emissaries were i where Naper's house was situated. A halt was
trying to persuade the Pottawatomies to come to his assistance. This they declined to do, advising the Sauks at the same time to aban- don their warlike designs, but in vain.
Half Day then left the eouneil and hastened to the house of Mr. Blodgett. warning him of the impending danger, when he promptly set about starting for Fort Dearborn with his fam- ily, at the same time dispatching young Henry, then ten years old, to the various families in the Scott settlement, to warn them.of the dan- ger, and they all retreated together to the fort.
This in no wise conflicts with the statement of Richmond and Vallette, but would go to show that warning to them came from a different messenger than the one who brought the un- welcome news to the Naper settlement.
" 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 settlers. This expedition was placed under the command of Col. Beanbien. They left Chicago in the morning, and at noon reached the O'Plain River, where they found Robert Kinzie, with fifty Indians under his eom- mand.
" An arrangement was made, by which it was agreed that the Indians, under Capt. Kinzie, should proceed by the direct trail to the settle- ment, and the mounted company should pro- ceed to the same place by way of Capt. Board- man's, to look after the property there.
" It was expected that the latter party would arrive at the settlement some time before the former. Beaubien's company urged their horses on as fast as possible, and in a few hours ar. rived at Ellsworth's Grove. The skirt of tim- ber, which then extended over nearly the whole area of the present village of Naperville, con- eealed 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
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HISTORY OF DU PAGE COUNTY.
called, and by some of the company, most will- ingly obeyed. A hasty consultation 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 could meet with friends, he was to discharge his rifle, to notify his waiting and anxious com- rades of that fact. But if foes were encoun- tered, he was to return immediately to the com- pany. His progress was watched with no small degree of interest, until he passed behind the point of timber, ont 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 paek pony, belonging to the Ameri- can Fur Company, manifested considerable un- easiness, as they had found by actual experi- ence 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 discretion as the better part of valor, and 'self-preservation 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 dis- covered 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, pre- senting it, uttered the effective condition and conclusion, 'You run ? By gar ! you run, me shoot you !' The argument was irresistible,
and the fugitives were captured and brought back. R. N. Murray, who was with the com- pany, being well mounted, started to go and ascertain 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 joyons as any that ever broke the silence of that grove. On entering the settlement, it was ascertained that the In- dians 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 settlement 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 re- past. 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 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 bellow- ing over the field, closely pressed by his assail- ants, who kept up a continual fire upon him, until the whole round had been discharged.
" Of the fifty shots directed toward the ani- mal, none proved mortal. A rifle ball, how- ever, 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 fol- lowed the fall of this hero. And as they bore
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HISTORY OF DU PAGE COUNTY.
him upon their shoulders triumphantly into the camp, one would have supposed, from the infer- nal 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.
" 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 mer- chandise, 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 mouotony a little, they prevailed upon the Indians to get up a war dance. This performance, when dra- matically considered, is strictly tragie, but it must be admitted that the ' bill' for that even- ing had a fair sprinkling of the comic. Scalping scenes aud tomahawk scenes were presented in the most approved Indiau 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 ' with- out respect to the complexion of his neighbor. " In the morning the company under Beaubien arose with an impatient desire to meet the ene- my. They had slept off the fatigue of the pre- vious day, and their desire for conflict returned with redoubled force with the restoration of their
bodily energies. They resolved upon committing havoe among the Sacs, and fearing that they might, in some unguarded moment, slay some of their friends, the Pottawatomies, 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.
" The company returned to the settlement sadly dejected at the ill success of their Quix- otie adventure, and started for Chicago on the following morning. 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 ran- dom shots would take effect, if he was allowed the range of the whole company much longer. Arriving at Brush Hill and attempting to dis- mount, 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 re- fused 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."
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HISTORY OF DU PAGE COUNTY.
CHAPTER III.
CAPT. PAINE ARRIVES AT THE NAPER SETTLEMENT-FORT PAINE BUILT-JAMES BROWN SHOT BY THIE INDIANS-EXPEDITION TO HALF DAY'S VILLAGE-MAJ. WILLIAM WHISTLER ARRIVES AT FORT DEARBORN -- CAPT. PAINE'S COMPANY RETURN TO DANVILLE-GEN. SCOTT AR- RIVES AT CHICAGO-THE CHOLERA-GEN. SCOTT ENCAMPS ON THE DESPLAINES -GEN. SCOTT AT FORT PAINE-GEN. SCOTT'S ARMY AT ROCK ISLAND-JOHN K. CLARK-BLACK HAWK SENT TO FORTRESS MONROE-HIS DEATH -POLL LISTS-THE PRE-EMPTION HOUSE-CLAIMANTS-THE
PRAIRIE SCHOONER-THE FIRST GRIST-MILL-FOWLER'S GRAPPLE WITH THE WOLF -THE PIONEER OF
PIONEERS - EARLY PREACHERS.
P DENDING these excitements, Black Hawk, with his army, were encamped on the Rock River, north of Dixon, and Gen. At- kinson, who held chief command of the volun- teers, was stationed at Ottawa ; and inasmuch as the new settlers on the Du Page had no means of knowing the real situation, they thought it no more than a prudential measure, warranted by the circumstances, to build a fort, into which the settlers might take refuge in case of a sudden invasion. Accordingly, Capt. Joseph Naper, Capt. II. Boardman and ten or twelve others, about the middle of June, started for Ottawa to get assistance from Gen. Atkinson to do this. He granted their request, and detailed Capt. Paine, of Joliet, with a com- pany of fifty volunteers from Danville, to assist in the work. These, with the company of men comprising the settlers on the Du Page, under command of Capt. Joseph Naper, soon com- pleted the work.
The following is the muster-roll of the Du Page Company :
Joseph Naper, Captain ; Alanson Sweet, First Lientenant, now living at Evanston, Ill. ; Sherman King, Second Lieutenant, afterward a resident of Brush Hill, III .; S. M. Salsbury, First Sergeant, dead ; John Manning, Second Sergeant ; Walter Stowell, Third Sergeant, afterward removed to Newark, Ill .; John Na- per, Fourth Sergeant, died in Naperville ; T. E. Parsons, First Corporal ; Lyman Butterfield, Second Corporal ; Israel P. Blodgett, Third Corporal, dead ; Robert N. Murry, now County Judge of Du Page County.
Privates-P. F. W. Peck, William Barber, Richard M. Sweet, John Stevens, Jr., Calvin M. Stowell, John Fox, Denis Clark, Caleb Foster, Augustine Stowell, George Fox, T. Parsons, Daniel Langdon, William Gault, Uriah Paine, John Stevens (dead), Seth Wescott (dead), Henry T. Wilson (now ninety-four years old, living at Wheaton), Christopher Paine, Bailey Hobson, Josiah H. Giddings (living in Wisconsin), Anson Ament, Calvin Ament, Edmund Harrison, Wil- lard Scott (now living in Naperville), Prez Haw- ley, Peter Wicoffe.
Muster-roll of a company of mounted volun- teers in the service of the United States in de- The fort was situated on the spot now occu- pied by the house of Lewis Elsworth. It was a stockade of about 100 feet square, surrounded by pickets set in the ground, on two diagonal fense of the northern frontier of the State of Illinois against the Sac and Fox Indians, from the County of Cook, in said State, in the year 1832, under command of Capt. Joseph Naper. | corners of which were two block-houses, pierced
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