USA > Illinois > Marshall County > Records of the olden time; or, Fifty years on the prairies. Embracing sketches of the discovery, exploration and settlement of the country, the organization of the counties of Putnam and Marshall, biographies of citizens, portraits and illustrations > Part 10
USA > Illinois > Putnam County > Records of the olden time; or, Fifty years on the prairies. Embracing sketches of the discovery, exploration and settlement of the country, the organization of the counties of Putnam and Marshall, biographies of citizens, portraits and illustrations > Part 10
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PARTICIPANTS SINCE FAMOUS IN HISTORY.
and it was impossible to form a line. As fast as one was formed, the demoralized mob behind, covered with mud and mire, would break through and "streak it" as fast as their legs permitted. Captain Barnes came up and did his best to rally the men, but in vain. We arrived in camp at dark, the Indians in hot pursuit, yelling and firing upon us. A detach- ment of the savages got in our front, which filled our men with greater terror than ever. All order was now lost, each man being chiefly inter- ested in getting off with his scalp. Mr. Jones and a man named, Miner struck up the creek and, in crossing, Miner's horse fell, but both got over safely and joined Captain Eads, who had formed some of his men, and hav,- ing reloaded their muskets, felt better. The Indians were everywhere, and several times deluded the whites by crying "Help!" in good English, and shooting at any one who responded. The whites dare not shoot in the dark for fear of killing more friends than foes, and so the rout con- tinued until Dixon was reached, thirty-five miles away, the Indians dog- ging the retreating army at a distance, and watching for stragglers.
Jones reached Dixon the morning after the inglorious action, about day- light, and shared the same blanket with Stillman, who remarked: "Well, Sergeant, the war has begun, and the Lord knows how it will end!"
Jones credits Stillman with being a brave man and a thoroughly skilled tactician, but unable to manage recruits unused to military re- straint, and who would not submit to discipline. But the chief cause of . this shameful defeat and flight and the demoralization of the entire force, was that barrel of whisky.
Our soldiers captured three Indians, whom they shot on the retreat while prisoners, an act of barbarity wholly without excuse or apology.
While breakfasting at Dixon, Mr. Jones met at the same table a num- ber of men, some of whom in after years became famous, and others infa- mous in the history of the country. They were: Zach. Taylor, afterward President of the United States; Jeff. Davis, Chief of the Southern Confed- eracy; Gen. Sidney Johnson, one of his ablest Generals ; General Atkinson, then a man of deserved fame as a good soldier, and Major Stillman, the hero of the inglorious defeat mentioned in this chapter.
INCIDENTS OF STILLMAN'S DEFEAT.
The baggage train of Stillman's army consisted of six wagons, drawn
110
RECORDS OF THE OLDEN TIME.
by oxen and guarded by fifty mounted Rangers, commanded by Captain Hackleton. Among his recruits was a tall, raw-boned lad, said to be the homeliest man in the company, and answering to the cognomen of "Abe." He was the wag of the command, and the best story-teller in the service. When the march was over they gathered about him in crowds, and list- ened to his wonderful yarns with an interest that never slacked. In after years it was his fortune to command all the armies of the United States, and meet his death at the hands of an assassin. With such spirit of mischief embodied in one person as he possessed, fun was rife in the company, and Capt. Hackleton to test the courage of his command, man- ufactured an Indian scare. Having made his plans known to the guards, with.a few trusty fellows he repaired to the brush and raised a terrific war-whoop, while the pickets fired off their guns.
The whole command was aroused, and the men, fearing Indian warriors had attacked them, and would in a few moments be in their midst, cutting, slashing and scalping, rushed pell-mell, swearing, praying, and nearly frightened out of their wits, to the rear, where a guard with fixed bayonets stopped their retreat, explaining the joke. The surgeon of the company mounted his horse, but forgot to untie him from the tree. Under the spur the animal sprang forward the length of the rope, and then back again, striking the Doctor's head against the limb of a tree. Believing himself struck by an Indian, the frightened surgeon, at the top of his voice, in sup- plicating tones exclaimed : "Mr. Injun! I surrender. Spare my life!" This became the by-word of the camp, and was the standing joke among the heroes of the Black Hawk war for years.
"In the night, after their arrival at Dixon, the trumpet sounded a sig- nal for the officers to assemble at the tent of General Whiteside. A council of war was held, in which it was agreed to march early the next morning to the fatal field of that evening's disaster. In consequence of the ill-advised and misjudged march from the Prophet's town, the waste- fulness of the volunteers, and leaving the baggage wagons behind to make a forced march without motive or necessity, there were no provisions in the camp, except in the messes of the most careful and experienced men. The majority had been living upon parched corn and coffee for two or three days. But Quartermaster Thomas, anticipating the' result of the council, went out in search of cattle and hogs, which were obtained of Mr. John Dixon, then the only white inhabitant on Rock River, above its mouth. By this means, before daylight the next morning the army was
11]
SHAUBENA'S TIMELY WARNING UNHEEDED.
supplied with fresh beef, which they ate without bread; and now they began their march for the scene of the disaster of the night before. When the volunteers arrived there the Indians were gone. They had scattered out all over the country, some of them further up Rock River, and other toward the nearest settlements of white people.
Soon as Black Hawk was relieved of the presence in his front of the volunteers, he determined on a general slaughter of all the whites north and west of the Illinois River, in what now constitutes parts of Marshall, Putnam, Bureau and La Salle Counties. Shaubena, learning that such fate was in store for all the settlers, hastened to give them warning, riding night and day, and calling at every man's cabin. He performed his often thankless work of mercy so promptly and thoroughly that all might have escaped had they heeded his advice and urgent appeals. He appeared at Indian Creek on the 15th of May, and told them of Black Hawk's pur- pose. Mr. J. W. Hall started for Ottawa with his family, but at the cabin of a Mr. Davis, a Kentuckian, a large, powerful and resolute man, he was persuaded to remain. Here were also gathered the families of Davis and Pettigrew. Davis had fled to the block-house fort at Ottawa · the year before, when the Indian scare occurred, and been taunted with a ' want of courage when it was found to have been only a false alarm. Rather than be again subject to a suspicion of cowardice, he resolved to stay and fight the Indians, should they come.
In the afternoon of May 20, seventy or eighty redskins appeared and began an attack upon these almost defenseless people, killing fifteen per- sons and taking prisoners two girls,-Rachel Hall, aged fifteen, and Sylvia Hall, aged seventeen, the details of whose captivity given in the next chapter are mainly taken from Matson's "Reminiscences of Bureau County."
"The 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 al- ways been characterized by the same ferocity and cruelty on the part of the Indians. To describe this massacre is only to repeat what has been written a hundred times; but the history of this war would be imperfect without some account of it. The Indians approached the house in which the three families were assembled, in the day-time. They entered it sud- denly, with but little notice. Some of the inmates were immediately shot down with rifles, others were pierced with spears or despatched with the tomahawk. The Indians afterward related with infernal glee how the
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RECORDS OF THE OLDEN TIME.
women 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 were mutilated and mangled; the little children were chopped to pieces with axes; and the women were tied up by the heels to the walls of the house; their clothes falling over their heads, left their naked persons exposed to the public gaze.
STARVATION CAMP IN 1876. STUMPS CUT BY THE FORLORN HOPE SHOWING DEPTH OF SNOW ..
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115
THE STORY OF THE CAPTIVE GIRLS.
CHAPTER XVII.
CAPTIVITY OF SYLVIA AND RACHEL HALL.
HE story of the captured girls, which fitly follows, is ,taken from Matson's "Reminiscences of Bureau County," and is mainly the personal narrative of Rachel, the elder of the two sisters:
"After being placed on horseback and guarded by two Indians, who rode by our side, holding on to the reins of the bridles, we commenced our long, tedious journey. We rode most of the time on a canter, and the Indians fre- quently looked back, as though they were afraid of being followed by the rangers, who were at that time roaming through the country. We continued to travel at a rapid rate until near midnight, when we halted to rest our horses. After waiting about two hours, we continued our jour- ney, traveling all night and next day until noon, when we again halted. Here our captors turned out their horses to graze, built a fire, scalded some beans, and roasted some acorns, of which they offered us some to eat, but we declined tasting. We remained in camp a few hours; during that time the Indians were engaged in dressing the scalps, by stretching them on small willow hoops. Among these scalps I recognized my mother's, by the bright color of her hair. The sight of this produced in me. a faintness, and I fell to the ground in a swoon, from which I was soon after aroused, in order to continue our journey. After leaving the camp we traveled more leisurely than before, until about nine o'clock at night we reached the camp of Black Hawk, after having rode near ninety miles in twenty-eight hours.
" We found the Indian camp on the bank of a creek, surrounded by marshy ground, over which were scattered burr oak trees, being, as we afterward learned, near the Four Lakes, (now Madison City, Wisconsin).
"On our arrival in camp, a number of squaws came to our assistance, taking us from our horses, and conducting us into a wigwam. These squaws were very kind to us, and gave us some parched corn and maple sugar to eat, it being the first food that we had tasted since our captivity.
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RECORDS OF THE OLDEN TIME.
"Our arrival in camp caused great rejoicing among the Indians. A large body of warriors collected around us, beating on drums, dancing, and yelling at the top of their voices. Next morning our fear of massacre or torture had somewhat subsided, and we were presented with beans and maple sugar for breakfast. They also offered us coffee to eat, which had been taken from Davis's house, not knowing that it required to be ground and boiled before being used. About ten o'clock, the camp was broken up, and we moved five or six miles, crossing a creek, and encamped on high ground, which was covered with timber. We were provided with horses to ride, and behind us was packed camp equipage, which consisted of tents, kettles, provisions, etc. On arriving at our new camp, a white birch pole was stuck into the ground, on which were hung the scalps of our murdered friends, being exhibited here as trophies of war. About fifty warriors, who were divested of clothing and their faces painted red, danced around this pole to the music of drums and rattling gourds. Every day during our stay with the Indians, this pole containing the scalps was erected, and the dance repeated.
"One morning a party of warriors came to our lodge and took us out, placing in our hands small red flags, and made us march around the en- campment with them, stopping and waving the flags at the door of each wigwam. After this we were taken to the dance-ground, by the side of the white pole containing the scalps, and by the side of which a blanket was spread. After painting our faces, one half red and the other black, we were made to lie down on the blanket, with our faces to the ground. The warriors then commenced dancing around us, flourishing their toma- hawks and war clubs over our heads, and yelling like demons. We now thought our time had come, and quietly awaited our fate, expecting every moment to be our last. When the dance was over, we were taken away by two squaws, who we understood to be the wives of Black Hawk. By these squaws we were adopted as their children; although separated, we were allowed to visit each other frequently. Each day our camp was moved a few miles, always traveling in a circular route. Along the trail, at short intervals, the Indians would erect poles, with tufts of grass tied on one side, showing to the hunters in what direction the camp could be found. Our fears of massacre had entirely disappeared, being adopted into the families of these squaws, not being required to do any work, but watched closely to prevent our escape.
"Some days after our arrival in Black Hawk's camp, we were told that
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THEIR TREATMENT BY THE INDIANS.
we must go with two Winnebago chiefs, who had come for us. The squaws with whom we lived were greatly distressed at the thought of parting with us. The Winnebago chiefs tried to make us understand that they were about to take us to white people, but we did not believe them. - Thinking they intended to take us farther from home and friends, we clung to the squaws, and refused to go.
"Contrary to our wish, we were placed on horses, behind each of the chiefs, and with us they galloped away, traveling twenty miles that same . night. The chiefs said that they were afraid of being followed by some of the Sacs and Foxes, who were displeased at our departure. Every few moments the chiefs would look back to see if they were pursued, and then whip their ponies again into a gallop.
"Some time after dark we arrived at the Winnebago camp, where we re- mained over night. Early next morning we continued our journey, trav- eling all day, when we arrived at an encampment on the Wisconsin River, where there were about one hundred warriors. During next day a party of Sac Indians, dressed in the clothes of murdered white men, came into camp. These Indians commenced talking to us, but the Winnebago chiefs told us to turn away from them, and not listen to what they said, which we did."
It was afterward ascertained that a petty chief who had captured the girls, was off on a hunt at the time they were given up to the Winnebago chiefs, and not receiving his portion of the ransom, immediately started with a party of warriors to retake them, or kill them in the attempt. These warriors did not overtake the girls until they arrived safe at the Winnebago camp.
"White Crow asked if we thought the whites would hang them if they took us to the fort. We gave them to understand that they would not. White Crow then collected his horses, and with Whirling Thunder and about twenty of the Winnebagoes, we crossed the river and pursued our journey, my sister and myself each on a separate horse. We encamped about dark, rose early next morning, and after a hasty meal of pork and potatoes (the first we had seen since our captivity), of which we ate heartily, we traveled on until we reached the fort, near Blue Mounds, Wis- consin Territory.
"Before our arrival there, we had become satisfied that our protectors were taking us to our friends, and that we had formerly done them injus- tice. About three miles from the fort we stopped, and the Indians
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RECORDS OF THE OLDEN TIME.
cooked some venison, after which they took a white handkerchief which I had, and tying it to a long pole, three Indians proceeded with it to the fort. About a quarter of a mile from there, we were met by a French- man. The Indians formed a ring, and the Frenchman rode into it, and had a talk with our protectors. The latter expressed an unwillingness to give us up until they could see Mr. Gratiot, the agent. Being informed by the Frenchman that we should be well treated, and that they should see us daily until Mr. Gratiot's arrival, they delivered us into the French- man's care.
"We repaired immediately to the fort, where the ladies of the garrison (who in the mean time had assembled) received us with the utmost ten- derness. We were thereupon attired once more in the costume of our own country, and next day started for Galena.
"On reaching a little fort at White Oak Springs, we were met by our eldest brother, who, together with a younger one, was at work in a field near the house when we were captured, and when the massacre began, fled, and arrived in safety at Dixon's Ferry. On leaving Galena, we went on board the steamboat ."Winnebago," for St. Louis, which place we reached in five days, and were kindly received by its citizens and hospita- bly entertained by Governor Clark. Previous to our leaving Galena, we had received an affectionate letter from the Rev. Mr. Horn, of Morgan County, Illinois, inviting us to make his house our future home. We ac- cepted the invitation, and left St. Louis in the steamboat "Caroline," for Beardstown, on the Illinois River, where we arrived on the third day thereafter. On landing, we were kindly received by the citizens, and in a few hours reached the residence of Mr. Horn, five miles distant, in the latter part of July, 1832, when our troubles ended."
The Misses Hall's brother having married and settled in Putnam County, Illinois, about this time, he invited his sisters to come and reside with him. They did so in the fore part of August, 1832. The elder Miss Hall afterward, in March, 1833, married Mr. William Munson; and settled in La Salle County, about twelve miles north of Ottawa. The younger sister, in May, 1833, married Mr. William Horn, a son of the clergyman who had so kindly offered them a home in his family, removed to Morgan County, Illinois, and afterward to Nebraska.
The Misses Hall were captured May 21, 1832. According to the foregoing account, they were three days in traveling with their captors, and continued five days with the Sacs at their camp. This would bring
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FURTHER OUTRAGES BY THE SAVAGES.
the time up to May 29. They were five days more in traveling with the Winnebagoes to the Blue Mounds, which comports with all the reliable statements of the time of their being delivered up to the whites, which was June 3, 1832.
William Munson, who became the husband of Rachel Hall, a few years ago erected a beautiful marble monument at the grave where the fifteen victims were buried. It is in view of the public road leading from north to south in Freedom Township, near the banks of Indian Creek and the scene of the massacre. The inscriptions are: First -"Wm. Hall, aged 45; Mary J. Hall, aged 45; Elizabeth Hall, aged 8." Second - "Wm. Pettigrew, wife and two children, - Davis, wife and five children, and Emery George." At the bottom, "Killed May 20, 1832."
Mrs. Munson (Rachel Hall) died May 1, 1870.
OTHER FIENDISII MURDERS.
For some days after the massacre' at Indian Creek the terrified settlers remained close around the Forts at Ottawa and Peru. As no Indians were seen, the whites took courage and sent out scouts here and there. Those who had hurriedly left their homes were becoming anxious to look after their stock and other property the savages had spared. For this purpose an expedition, accompanied by a few soldiers, left Ottawa for Holderman's Grove and Fox River. A Mr. Schemerhorn and his son-in- law, Hazleton, went up to Dayton, on Fox River, four miles north of Ottawa, and crossing there to join the expedition referred to, discovered on the Dunnovan farm a party of Indians, and turned and fled. A sol- dier who had lagged behind his comrades saw them, and also retreated, pursued by a dozen savages. The Indians, for fear of alarming the sol- diers, did not fire their guns, but threw their spears at him. He escaped to Ottawa, and getting help, returned to find Schemerhorn and Hazleton both killed and scalped. A small scalp was taken from Hazleton's head, but Schemerhorn being nearly bald, was flayed to the neck. On the same day, Capt. James McFadden, commander of a company of home guards in Ottawa, James Baresford, and Ezekiel and Daniel Warren were picking strawberries south of Indian Creek. They had been thus engaged for some time, when one of the Warren's remarked that they were too near the bushes, for Indians might be concealed there, and mounting his horse,
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RECORDS OF THE OLDEN TIME.
rode off. The others remained a short time, when a shot was fired from the timber, and a dozen Indians were seen. Baresford was killed and Mc- Fadden shot through the ankle, the bullet passing through the body of his horse, but the faithful animal carried his wounded master beyond the reach of Indians before it fell. The Warrens came to the assistance of the wounded man, and one of them dismounted and gave Mc Fadden his horse, with the singular agreement that if the Indians pursued and were likely to overtake the man on foot, McFadden was to dismount and yield his scalp. to the foe! But the Indians did not pursue, and the three escaped.
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THE MILITIA CALLED OUT.
CHAPTER XVIII.
CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS.
Y order of Governor Reynolds, a call was made for two thou- sand additional volunteers, a part of whom were directed to rendezvous at Hennepin, and a part at Beardstown. The year previous the Adjutant General of the State had com- missioned John Strawn, of Putnam, a Colonel of Militia, and he was now ordered to assemble his command, desig- nated as the Fortieth Regiment of Mounted Volunteers, and rendezvouz at Hennepin for further orders. Word was swiftly sent among the settlers asking their immediate at- tendance, and in obedience to the request, nearly every able-bodied man presented himself for enrollment. Four companies were quickly organ- ized, commanded by Captain Barnes, Captain Willis, Captain Hawes, and Captain Stewart-the last three named at Hennepin, and the first at Columbia. Captain Thompson, of Putnam, also commanded a company.
Sunday morning, May 20, 1832, the day appointed for the rendezvous, the settlers of the infant colony gathered on the site of the future city of Lacon, then without a single inhabitant. From the south came Babb and Cassell and Easter, and from the north the Sawyers, the Forbes, etc., while from the immediate vicinity came John Wier, the Bullmans, Wau- hobs, Reeders, Buckinghams, Iliff, Swan, and others; but Round Prairie sent the greater number, with Robert Barnes, then in the prime of life, as a leader. They met on the ground where the Eagle Mill stands, and Colonel Strawn, dressed in full regimentals, with military chapeau, nod- ding plume and golden epaulets, formed them in line, and assuming a warlike attitude, addressed them as follows:
" Ye sons of thunder ! Our country is in danger, and the call is 'to arms!' The great chief Black Hawk, with ten thousand warriors at his back, has invaded our State, defeated our armies, and slain our citizens! Not a soldier can be spared for the defence of our frontier, and the safety of our homes and our firesides, our wives and little ones, depends upon ourselves. Our country calls for volunteers. As many of you as are
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RECORDS- OF THE OLDEN TIME.
willing to enroll yourselves among her defenders will step three paces forward. Halt! The next thing is to choose your officers, and all who wish to present themselves as candidates for Captain will step forward. All those who wish Robert Barnes to be their Captain will step to his side, and those who wish - to lead them will join him."
In this way the officers were elected, and in the afternoon of the same day the men were mustered in at Hennepin. The force thus organized was divided into detachments, and detailed for scout duty. A close watch was kept at the various fords, all canoes were removed from the river, and a vigilant, active search for Indians kept up for weeks. They at one time went as far north as the Winnebago Swamp, but as a general thing service was confined to guarding the river from the mouth of Crow Creek to the mouth of the Vermilion. After the defeat of Stillman the Indians went northward, and the war was transferred to other fields. There being no longer any enemies to contend with, there was no necessity for keeping the men in the field, and they were paid off and mustered out of service on the 18th day of June. For their one month of soldiering, each volunteer, and all who could "ring in," received at the hands of the Government a title to 160 acres of land. The Putnam County volun- teers were also discharged.
The muster rolls of a portion of Captain Barnes' and Captain Hawes' companies are hereby given, copied from the returns in the War Depart- ment, and are correct :
Muster Roll of the Field and Staff Officers of the Fortieth Regiment of
Mounted Volunteers, employed in the service of the United States, by order of the Governor and Commander-in-chief of the Militia of the State of Illinois, from the 20th day of May, 1832, to the 18th day of June, 1832, the day of disbandment:
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