USA > Illinois > Bureau County > Reminiscences of Bureau county [Illinois] in two parts > Part 10
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On Mr. Boyd's return to his house, and learning these facts, he thought it best to leave the grove immediately, as their lives would be jeopardized by remaining longer. Accordingly they mounted their horses, and rode to Fort Thomas, sixteen miles distant, where they remained over night. Next morning, accompanied by a file of soldiers, they returned to the grove to search for the Indians. In the thick timber of the grove, some distance from the house, they found where the Indians had encamped the night before, and the coals of their camp fire were still alive. By the tracks of their ponies, and by the marks on the butt of a tree against which their guns were leaned, it was thought there were eight or ten Indians, but they could not be found. and it was now quite evident that they had left the grove for other fields of depredation.
CHAPTER XX.
SETTLERS RETURN TO LOOK AFTER THEIR CATTLE.
On the 17th of June, seven persons, named Elijah Phillips, J. Hodges, Sylvester Brigham, John L. Ament, Aaron Gunn, James G. Forrestall, and a boy of sixteen by the name of Ziba Dimmick, left Henne- pin for Bureau settlement, in order to look after their cattle, which had been left to run at large on the prairie .* On arriving at Ament's cabin they prepared
* A week or two previous, the same party came over to Bureau, after their cattle, with the intention of driving them east of the river. While at Ament's cabin, they had a controversy as to the propriety of remaining all night; some favored returning to Hennepin, and others remaining. Failing to agree, Mr. Phillips, who was somewhat of an eccentric character, placed a clapboard in an upright position, saying, "This must decide our cause; if it falls to the north, we are safe, and will remain ; but if to the south, we must be off." The board fell to the south, and by common consent, they prepared to leave forthwith. Their cattle, however, became unmanageable, running towards the timber, which the settlers wished to avoid for fear of Indians, and leaving their cattle near Mr. Musgrove's, they returned to Hennepin.
Many things relating to the killing of Phillips, and an attack on Ament's cabin, was communicated to John L. Ament, some years after it occurred, by a French Indian trader, who obtained bis information from those engaged in this affair. From this account many facts are taken, as well as from statements made to the writer by one of the Indians present at the time. On this authority, incidents are given which were unknown to the early settlers.
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and ate their dinner, after which they made prepara- tions to return to Hennepin. Ament's cabin was situated in the edge of the timber, about one and a half miles north of the present site of Dover, and on the farm now occupied by Matthew Taylor. After dinner was over, it commenced raining, so they con- cluded to stay all night. They believed it perfectly safe to do so, as no Indians, nor Indian signs had been seen in the vicinity for some time. Accordingly they barricaded the door and window of the cabin, with heavy puncheons, and with their loaded guns by their side, they laid down on the floor to sleep.
Immediately west of Ament's cabin, was a place known by the settlers as " Big Sugar Camp," a part of which was included within his claim. This sugar camp had been for many years a kind of headquarters for the Indians, and here lived during the winter and spring of each year, a petty chief by the name of Meommuse, who had in his band ten or twelve lodges, or families. They and their ancesters had made sugar here for forty-two years in succession, and they were very much displeased at the whites settling so close, regarding them as trespassers on their rights. A bad feeling existed between these Indians and some of the settlers. Between some of these Indians and John L. Ament, angry words had passed, and to make the matter worse, Ament had killed one of their dogs.
A few days before the incident occurred which we are about to relate, the Indians, who were eneamped in
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the bend of the creek, above the crossing of the Princeton and Dixon road, moved to this big sugar camp, in order that their ponies might have better range on the little bottom prairie close by. Spies, who were on the lookout for victims, discovered this party of settlers as they approached the timber, and they immediately gave notice to their comrades, who made a hasty preparation to attack and murder them. Ac- cordingly they approached with great caution, crawling on their hands and knees among the hazel brush, until they came within a few rods of the cabin, with the intention of firing on the settlers as they came out of the house, and kill them all at one stroke. After the settlers had ate their dinner, some in the cabin, others around it, talking and laughing, unconscious of danger, not dreaming that a deadly foe was concealed within a few rods of them. While thus engaged, it commenced raining, when the settlers went into the cabin, and seated themselves around a blazing fire. Notwith- standing the rain, the Indians remained in ambush until they were satisfied that their intended victims were going to remain over night, when they left for their camp.
Among this band of warriors, were a number of Pottawatamies, who had been raised on Bureau, one of whom was a son of Meommuse, the chief above alluded to. This young chief was well acquainted with this party of settlers, who were now selected as their victims. Two of these, Sylvester Brigham, and James
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KILLING OF ELIJAH PHILLIPS.
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G. Forristall, he had received presents from, and there- fore wished to spare their lives. Towards John L. Ament and Elijah Phillips, bad feelings were entertained on account of former difficulty, and these two only, the young chief wished to kill, and let the others escape. Girty, whose savage nature knew no difference between former friends and former foes, was in favor of killing the whole party, and to this proposition all the warriors finally agreed.
PHILLIPS KILLED, AND AMENT'S CABIN ATTACKED.
The Indians had decided to make an attack in the dead hour of night, while the inmates were asleep ; set the cabin on fire, and kill all within, but it continued to rain all night, which defeated their plans. For two hours the Indians remained around the cabin, devising plans to murder the inmates without endangering their own lives. The doors and windows were examined. and found so well barricaded that they could not enter without awakening their intended victims. Next morning, their moccasin tracks were seen around the cabin, and mud was noticed on the walls of the house. where they had climbed up to look through a crack between the logs. After holding a consultation among themselves, the Indians decided to abandon further operations that night, and returned to their camp, with the intention of attacking the settlers next morning, as they would leave for Hennepin. To carry out this
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plan, the Indians concealed themselves in the thick hazel brush, the same as they had done the day before. Phillips being the first one to leave the cabin, came upon the Indians as they lay in ambush, and was in the act of turning around to run back, when the report of many rifles was heard, followed by a shrill war whoop. and poor Phillips lay a corpse, pierced by two balls: The Indians, with deafening yells, rushed forward from their hiding places, tomahawked their victim, and surrounded the cabin. The settlers, in great haste. closed the door, and pointed their guns at the Indians through cracks in the wall. A gun in the hands of J. Hodges, coming in contact with Girty's breast, caused him to break for the timber, and he was followed by all of his comrades. Young Dimmick called a horse to the window, caught, mounted, and put him at the top of his speed for Hennepin, sixteen miles distant, at which place he arrived safely.
When Dimmick arrived at Hennepin with the sad tidings, it created a great panic among the people, and rumors were circulated that Black Hawk's whole force was about to attack the frontier settlements. On the west side of the river, and feeding along Bureau creek, were seen about three hundred ponies, and it was thought as many Indians were secreted in the thick bottom timber, with the intention of attacking the town .* On that day a part of two companies of
* It was afterwards ascertained that these ponies belonged to Atkin- son's army then on Rock river, having ran off, and were making their way south to their former grazing grounds.
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rangers were in Hennepin, for the purpose of being mustered out of service, and among them a call was made for volunteers to go to the rescue. Timid men were in favor of leaving the settlers at Ament's cabin to their fate, as an attempt at their rescue would only result in further sacrifice of life. Some of the women com- menced ringing their hands and crying, beseeching the men not to leave them unprotected, to be tomahawked by the Indians; while others, of more courage, urged their husbands and sons on to the rescue, while they set about running their pewter spoons into bullets, to supply them with cartridges.
About thirty persons volunteered to go the rescue. among whom were Capt. Haws, Capt. Willis, Lieut. Garvin, and other resolute men, who were willing to risk their lives to save their friends. Among these volunteers, was Dave Jones, who was always full of fight when under the influence of liquor; with hat and coat off, he would jump up and down, cracking his heels together, swearing that he would go alone to the rescue, if he was certain of encountering all of Black Hawk's army.
The small ferry boat would only carry six persons. with their horses, at a time, and as soon as all the volunteers were landed on the west side of the river. they put their horses on a gallop for Ament's cabin. Before reaching their destination, the horse on which Dave Jones was mounted, gave out, but Jones continued the race on foot, keeping up with those on horseback.
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On the arrival of the rangers, they found the remaining five safe in the cabin, not having ventured out since the murder. When the rangers came within a short distance of the cabin, they called a halt, not knowing but it was full of Indians. On seeing this, John L. Ament made an opening through the roof of the cabin, and displayed a white cloth, a signal that all was right.
The body of Phillips, undisturbed since his death, was lying in the door-yard, with his face turned upward. One bullet had entered his breast in the region of the heart, and another had pierced his stomach. There were marks of tomahawk strokes across his temples and also on the neck. In their haste to leave, the savages had failed to scalp him .*
FLIGHT OF THE INDIANS-PURSUIT BY THE RANGERS.
The Indians did not notice young Dimmick leave the cabin for Hennepin, to give the alarm, and there- fore regarded themselves as perfectly safe. They remained in ambush, watching the cabin, until the rangers came in sight, then they left in such haste as
* There are several remarkable incidents connected with this affair, one or two of which could not be credited, if they were not well authen- ticated. Brigham and Phillips, being the first up in the morning, stood for a moment on the porch, engaged in conversation, when Phillips said he would go over to his own cabin, which was about a half mile distant, and write a letter. Mr. Bringham said he would go along, but from some cause unknown to himself, he turned and entered the house, while Phillips stepped off the porch, and was shot dead. Mr. Brigham has often said that it appeared to him a striking providential circumstance, that he entered the cabin as he did, instead of going immediately with Phillips, having no errand whatever
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to leave many of their blankets at their hiding place. They fled to their camp which was distant about three quarters of a mile, and on arriving there they picked up their camp equipage, and left for a place of safety. Part of the Indians having charge of their ponies scat- tered themselves through the timber in various direc- tions, so their trail could not be followed by their pursners, while the larger portion of the warriors, left on foot, and in a northwest direction. After crossing the creek, they came to a thick cluster of undergrowth. which they considered a proper place to make a defense. Here they lay in ambush, concealed by the thick brush, awaiting the arrival of the rangers.
The rangers remained at the cabin sometime, un- decided what to do; some were in favor of pursuing the Indians, while others opposed it. At last Capt. Willis, called for volunteers, and about twenty-five came forward, who were willing to undertake the haz- ardous task of following the Indians. At the big sugar
within. Had he not entered the cabin then, he would in all proba- bility have shared the same fate as his companion.
The horse that Dimmick rode to Hennepin, belonged to Sylvester Brigham, and could not be caught on the prairie, at other times, but on this occasion, it was called to the cabin window, and allowed itself to be bridled and mounted.
About one hour after Phillips was killed, a very remarkable incident occurred, which is vouched for by Forristall and others. The cattle belonging to the settlers came to the dead body of Phillips, and cons- meneed smelling it. Among the cattle was a yoke of steers, which belonged to the deceased, and was afterwards owned by James G. Forristall. These steers appeared to stund guard over the body of their master, and as other cattle came nigh, they would drive them away. After which these steers Iny down, one on each side of the corpse, and so close to it that the slobbers from their mouth was found on the clothes. After lying here about two hours, the steers got up and went with the other cattle on the prairie to feed.
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camp, they took their trail, and followed it across the creek, and within one hundred yards of the place where the Indians were concealed. Here they held a parley, being undecided which way to go, and by mere chance turned their course, and thereby avoided the ambush. Had they continued on their course, the probabilities are most of the rangers would have lost their lives, as the Indians were so well secreted in the thick undergrowth, at short range, but few, if any could have made their escape.
The rangers continued on a short distance, in a northwest direction, but having lost the trail of the Indians, they gave up the pursuit, and turned back. On returning to Ament's cabin, they immediately left for Hennepin, taking with them the remains of Phillips, which was prepared for interment at the house of Hooper Warren. A large number of citizens and soldiers, attended the funeral, which took place next day. Elijah Phillips, was a young man of industry, and en- terprise, and his loss was much regretted by the settlers on Bureau. The year before, he had left his parents, and friends in Massachusetts, to seek his fortune on the prairies of the west, where he met his death at the hands of savages, as above stated.
CHAPTER XXI.
SCOTT'S ARMY PASSES THROUGH BUREAU COUNTY.
On the 8th of July, 1832. Gen. Scott, with about one thousand soldiers of the regular army, arrived at Fort Dearborn, (now Chicago.) The two steamboats that brought this army, were the first that ever plowed the waves of Lake Michigan, and their arrival at Fort Dearborn, was heraled by newspapers throughout the United States. With Scott's army were six companies from Fortress Monroe, who suffered severely from cholera, which broke out among them while on the lakes. Out of four hundred young men, who left the fort in health and vigor, only eighty lived to return again to their old quarters. Among these soldiers who survived the ravages of the cholera, was Lewis Cobb, (now a resident of Wyanet,) to whom the writer is indebted for these facts.
Scott's army remained at Fort Dearborn about three weeks, waiting for transportation, and during that time a large portion of the soldiers died with the cholera.
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With the army was Gen. Twiggs, then a colonel and the rebel Gen. Joe Johnston, at that time a lieutenant, with many other officers who have acquired notoriety in the late rebellion. Among the troops was the noted surgeon, Beaumont, accompanied by his more noted servant, who had a wound in his stomach. This re- markable man, received sometime previous, a gunshot wound, which opened a cavity in his stomach that never healed. Into this cavity the doctor had placed a glass tube, so he could watch the progress of digestion. By experimenting with this man's stomach, it had been ascertained the length of time required to digest different articles of diet, an account of which has been published in different medical works of the day.
The soldiers, by way of derision, would frequently inquire of this man how much he would ask for a peep into his stomach.
About the first of August, the army left Fort Dear- born for Rock Island, one hundred and seventy miles distant, and each day, while on the road, some of the soldiers died with the cholera. Accompanying the troops, were many baggage wagons, and a large drove of cattle, for army supplies. There was no road across the country at that time, and the course of the army was shaped by the compass. Not a dwelling of a white man, nor one mark of civilization, was seen on the entire route. Many of the streams and groves had not yet been named, so that the exact route taken by the army is not known. Greenberry Hall, who lived for
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a number of years in the town of Dover, said the next spring after the passage of Scott's army, their trail was plainly to be seen between Perkins' and Paw Paw Grove. This being the case, makes it quite probable that the army passed through the northern part of Bureau county, and on this probability we give it a place in our story.
THE CAPTIVES RETURN. -- RETRIBUTION.
Soon after the killing of Phillips, the Indians left Bureau, to join Black Hawk's band, which, at that time, was fleeing before Gen. Atkinson's army. While on their way thither, and in the vicinity of Galena. they killed a number of persons, and attacked a block house on Apple river, which contained a few families of miners. After joining Black Hawk's forees, they participated in the battle of Bad Axe, where many of them were killed, and others drowned while attempting to swim the Mississippi river.
When the war was over, many of the Indians returned to Bureau, and among them were the squaw and papooses of Girty. But Girty himself did not return, and his fate, at that time, was unknown, but it was generally believed that he was killed in battle.
A few years after the Black Hawk war, the writer in company with Dad Joe, found a lone Indian in the woods, near where the Dixon road crosses Bureau creek. This Indian was sitting by a small camp fire.
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where he had spent the night, his head bowed down. and his blankets wrapped closely around his shoulders. He had a violent cough, was pale and emaciated, evidently in the last stages of consumption. Dad Joe addressed him in the Pottawatamie tongue, but he replied in good English, and made to us the following statement. His home, he said, was at Indiantown, where he was then going, and had fought at the battle of Bad Axe, and was there taken prisoner. Having on his person at the time the badge of a chief, caused him to be placed on board of the steamer Warrior, and carried down to Prairie du Chien, where he was con- fined in the barracks. A few days after his arrival in the fort, while in a drunken spree, he killed one of the guards, and for this offense was sentenced to imprison- ment for life. With a ball and chain around his leg, he was for four long years compelled to do the drudgery work of the garrison, but when his health failed, and could be of no further service, he was set at liberty. Here he showed us a silver medal, which he wore on his breast, suspended from his neck by a large buckskin cord. On this medal were engraved the following words : "A Token of Friendship, Lewis Cass, U. S. I. A." For nine years this talisman had been sus- pended from his neck, and after his death, when his body was partly devoured by wolves, it was found attached to the remains.
In conversation with this Indian, he said that he had a squaw and five papooses living at Indiantown, and
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was in hopes that his strength would hold out until he reached them ; then said he, "I will die contented." Dad Joe told him that no Indians were then living at Indiantown, as they had a short time before gone west of the Mississippi. At this announcement, tears fell from his eyes, and bowing his head between his knees, he repeated a short prayer in his native tongue. After remaining in prayer a few moments, he raised to his feet with a loud groan, while despair was pictured in his emaciated face, he made preparations to continue his journey. His camp kit consisted of two blankets, a small copper kettle, a pot, a gun, a tomahawk, a large knife, and a piece of venison. With our assistance. these things were gathered up and placed on his back. while reeling to and fro from weakness, and without saying another word, he continued his journey.
This Indian, as the reader may have already con- jectured, was no other than Mike Girty, the outlaw, and the retribution which followed his erimes is one of the most remarkable incidents connected with the early settlement of this county.
CHAPTER XXII.
GIRTY'S ARRIVAL AT PRINCETON.
Girty, in his journey homeward from Prairie du Chien, traveled on the Winnebago trail, which ran east of the lead mines and Dixon's ferry, a distance of one hundred and eighty miles. The country through which he passed, was, at that time, an unbroken wilderness, and not a white's man's habitation could be seen on the entire route. But here on Bureau it was quite different -- people had built cabins along the margin of the timber, and in some places their fences had already crossed the Indian trails. Instead of the Indiantown trail passing through the timber-down Epperson's run and along Burean creek, as in former days, it was now changed to a great wide road, over which passed a daily mail coach and emigrant wagons, as well as droves of cattle, hogs, &c. Along this road Girty traveled. meditating, no doubt, on the great changes a few years had produced. It was a clear, bright day, in the early part of June, 1836-the prairies were covered with
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GIRTY'S ARRIVAL IN PRINCETON.
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GIRTY'S ARRIVAL AT PRINCETON.
wild flowers, and people everywhere busy with their crops, as Girty, on his homeward journey, passed along this road. But great must have been his surprise when he came in sight of Princeton, to see a group of buildings here on the prairie, where a few years before not a house could be seen. On the east side of Main street, stood a frame building, and in front of it hung a large painted sign, which read, "Princeton Hotel, by S. Triplett." Opposite the hotel, on the west side of the street, was a small one story building, and over the door of which were the words "Post Office." Above the sign of Post Office, was a larger one, reading thus, " Dry Goods and Groceries ; John M. Gay." Outside of the building, and fronting the door, stood a tall, spare, dark-complexioned man, known by every one as the proprietor of the establishment, and post master, and by his side stood a medium sized, good looking man, wearing a white beaver hat, and a blue dress coat, who was earnestly engaged in explaining to the post- master the great importance of baptism. This man, the reader will recognize as Thomas S. Elston, who was for many years a citizen of Princeton. On the open commons, near where Elijah Dee's dwelling now stands. was a small log cabin, over the door of which, and close under its clapboard roof, was a large sign, painted in Roman letters, and reading thus, "Templeton's New Store." On a slab bench, fronting the cabin, were seated three young men, engaged in conversation, and whose names were Noah Wiswall, R. T. Templeton,
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and Dr. Willian O. Chamberlain. While these young men were discussing the all important topics of the day. which were dividing the county, and constructing the canal, Girty, the outlaw, came along the road. He was carrying on his back all of his camp equipage, including gun, blankets, kettles, provision, &c. His once straight. manly form, was now bent, not from age, but by disease and great fatigue. His head was without covering, and on his shoulders and down his back were hanging, in confused masses, locks of coarse, black hair. The appearance of Girty was comical, in the extreme, and the young men were having considerable merriment at his expense, saying that "He was un- doubtedly the last of the Mohegans:" The traveler was asked many questions, but he appeared sullen and morose, and not inclined to impart much of his history.
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