USA > Illinois > Cook County > Chicago > Stories and sketches of Chicago; an interesting, entertaining, and instructive sketch history of the wonderful city "by the sea" > Part 2
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"' You have deceived the Americans and us. You have
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FIRST THINGS.
done a bad action, and (brandishing his tomahawk) I will be the first to head a party of Americans to return and pun- ish your treachery.' So saying, he galloped after his com- panions, who were now scouring across the prairies.
"The troops behaved most gallantly. They were but a handful, but they seemed resolved to sell their lives as dearly as possibly. Our horses pranced and bounded, and could hardly be restrained as the balls whistled among them. I drew off a little, and gazed upon my husband and father, who were yet unharmed. I felt that my hour was come, and endeavored to forget those I loved, and prepare myself for my approaching fate.
" While I was thus engaged, the Surgeon, Dr. Van Voor- hees, came up. He was badly wounded. His horse had been shot under him, and he had received a ball in his leg. Every muscle of his face was quivering with the agony of terror. He said to me : 'Do you think they will take our lives ? I am badly wounded, but I think not mortally. Perhaps we might purchase our lives by promising them a large reward. Do you think there is any chance ?'
"' Dr. Van Voorhees,' said I, 'do not let us waste the few moments that yet remain to us in such vain hopes. Our fate is inevitable. In a few moments we must appear before the bar of God. Let us make what preparation is yet in our power.'
"' Oh ! I cannot die,' exclaimed he, ' I am not fit to die- if I had but a short time to prepare-death is awful !'
" I pointed to Ensign Ronan, who, though mortally wounded and nearly down, was still fighting with despera- tion on one knee.
""'Look at that man,' said I, 'at least he dies like a sol- dier.'
"' Yes,' replied the unfortunate man, with a convulsive
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STORIES AND SKETCHES OF CHICAGO.
gasp, ' but he has no terrors of the future-he is an unbe- liever !'
" At this moment a young Indian raised his tomahawk at
[The Massacre.]
me. By springing aside, I avoided the blow which was in- tended for my skull, but which alighted on my shoulder. I seized him around the neck, and while exerting my utmost
FIRST THINGS.
efforts to get possession of his scalping-knife, which hung in a scabbard over his breast, I was dragged from his grasp by another and older Indian.
"The latter bore me struggling and resisting toward the lake. Notwithstanding the rapidity with which I was hur- ried along, I recognized, as I passed them, the lifeless re- mains of the unfortunate surgeon. Some murderous toma- hawk had stretched him upon the very spot where I had last seen him.
"I was immediately plunged into the water and held there with a forcible hand, notwithstanding my resistance. I soon perceived, however, that the object of my captor was not to drown me, for he held me firmly in such a position as to place my head above water. This reassured me, and regarding him attentively, I soon recognized, in spite of the paint with which he was disguised, The Black Partridge.
" When the firing had nearly subsided, my preserver bore me from the water and conducted me up the sand- banks. It was a burning August morning, and walking through the sand in my drenched condition was inexpress- ibly painful and fatiguing. I stooped and took off my shoes to free them from the sand with which they were nearly filled, when a squaw seized and carried them off, and I was obliged to proceed without them.
"When we had gained the prairie, I was met by my father, who told me that my husband was safe and but slightly wounded. They led me gently back toward the Chicago River, along the southern bank of which was the Pottawatamie encampment. At one time I was placed upon a horse without a saddle, but, finding the motion in- supportable, I sprang off. Supported partly by my kind conductor, Black Partridge, and partly by another Indian, Pee-so-tum, who held dangling in his hand a scalp, which by the black ribbon around the queue I recognized as that
3
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STORIES AND SKETCHES OF CHICAGO.
of Capt. Wells, I dragged my fainting steps to one of the wigwams.
"The wife of Wau-bee-nee-mah, a chief from the Illinois River, was standing near, and seeing my exhausted condi- tion she seized a kettle, dipped up some water from a stream that flowed near, threw into it some maple sugar, and stirring it up with her hand gave it me to drink. This act of kindness, in the midst of so many horrors, touched me most sensibly, but my attention was soon diverted to other objects.
"The fort had become a scene of plunder to such as re- mained after the troops marched out. The cattle had been shot down as they ran at large, and lay dead or dying around. This work of butchery had commenced just as we were leaving the fort. I well remember a remark of En- sign Ronan, as the firing went on. ‘Such,' turning to me, ' is to be our fate-to be shot down like brutes!"
"'Well, sir,' said the Commanding Officer, who over- heard him, 'are you afraid?'
.""'No,' replied the high-spirited young man, 'I can march up to the enemy where you dare not show your face;' and his subsequent gallant behavior showed this to be no idle boast.
" As the noise of the firing grew gradually less, and the stragglers from the victorious party came dropping in, I received confirmation of what my father had hurriedly communicated in our rencontre on the lake shore-namely, that the whites had surrendered after the loss of about two- thirds of their number. They had stipulated, through the interpreter, Peresh Leclerc, for the preservation of their lives, and those of the remaining women and children, and for their delivery at some of the British posts, unless ran- somed by traders in the Indian country. It appears that the wounded prisoners were not considered as included in
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the stipulation, and a horrible scene ensued upon their being brought into camp.
" An old squaw, infuriated by the loss of friends, or ex- cited by the sanguinary scenes around her, seemed pos- sessed by a demoniac ferocity. She seized a stable-fork and assaulted one miserable victim, who lay groaning and writh- ing in the agony of his wounds, aggravated by the scorching beams of the sun. With a delicacy of feeling scarcely to have been expected under such circumstances, Wau-bee-nee- mah stretched a mat across two poles, between ine and this dreadful scene. I was thus spared in some degree a view of its horrors, although I could not entirely close my ears to the cries of the sufferer. The following night five more of the wounded prisoners were tomahawked.
" The Americans, after their first attack by the Indians, charged upon those who had concealed themselves in a sort of ravine intervening between the sand-banks and the prairie. The latter gathered themselves into a body, and after some hard fighting, in which the number of whites had become reduced to twenty-eight, this little band succeeded in breaking through the enemy, and gained a rising ground not far from the Oak Woods. The contest now seemed hopeless, and Lieut. Helm sent Peresh Leclerc, a half-breed boy in the service of Mr. Kinzie, who had accompanied the de- tachment and fought manfully on their side, to propose terms of capitulation. It was stipulated that the lives of all the survivors should be spared, and a ransom permitted as soon as practicable.
"But in the meantime a horrible scene had been en- acted. One young savage, climbing into the baggage-wagon containing the children of the white families, twelve in number, tomahawked the children of the entire group. This was during the engagement near the sand-hills. When
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STORIES AND SKETCHES OF CHICAGO.
Captain Wells, who was fighting near, beheld it, he ex- claimed :
"' Is that their game, butchering the women and children? Then I will kill too !'
" So saying he turned his horse's head and started for the Indian camp near the fort, where had been left their squaws and children.
"Several Indians pursued him as he galloped along. He laid himself flat on the neck of his horse, loading and firing in that position, as he would occasionally turn on his pur- suers. At length their balls took effect, killing his horse and severely wounding himself. At this moment he was met by Winnemeg and Wau-ban-see, who endeavored to save him from the savages who had now overtaken him. As they supported him along, after having disengaged him from his horse, he received his death-blow from another Indian, Pee-so-tum, who stabbed him in the back.
"The heroic resolution of one of the soldiers' wives de- serves to be recorded. She was a Mrs. Corbin, and had. from the first, expressed the determination never to fall fall into the hands of the savages, believing that their pris- oners were always subjected to tortures worse than death.
" When, therefore, a party came upon her, to make her a prisoner, she fought with desperation, refusing to surrender. although assured, by signs, of safety and kind treatment, and literally suffered herself to be cut to pieces, rather than become their captive.
" There was a Sergeant Holt, who, early in the engage- ment, received a ball in the neck. Finding himself badly wounded, he gave his sword to his wife, who was on horse- back near him, telling her to defend herself. He then made for the lake, to keep out of the way of the balls. Mrs. Holt rode a very fine horse, which the Indians were desir-
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FIRST THINGS.
ous of possessing, and they therefore attacked her in hopes of dismounting her.
"They fought only with the butt-ends of their guns, for their object was not to kill her. She hacked and hewed at their pieces as they were thrust against her, now on this side, now on that. Finally she broke loose fram them and dashed out into the prairie. The Indians pursued her, shouting and laughing, and now and then calling out:
[Fort Dearborn from the Northeast.]
". The brave woman! do not hurt her!'
" At length they overtook her again, and while she was engaged with two or three in front one succeeded in seizing her by the neck behind and dragging her, although a large and powerful woman, from her horse. Notwithstanding that their guns had been so hacked and injured, and even themselves cut severely, they seemed to regard her only with admiration. They took her to a trader on the Illinois
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STORIES AND SKETCHES OF CHICAGO.
River, by whom she was restored to her friends, after hav- ing received every kindness during her captivity.
"Those of the family of Mr. Kinzie who had remained in the boat, near the mouth of the river, were carefully guarded by Kee-po-tah and another Indian. They had seen the smoke-then the blaze-and immediately after the re- port of the first tremendous discharge sounded in their ears. Then all was confusion. They realized nothing until they saw an Indian come towards them from the battle-ground leading a horse on which sat a lady apparently wounded.
"'That is Mrs. Heald,' cried Mrs. Kinzie. 'That Indian will kill her. Run, Chandonnai' (to one of Mr. Kinzie's clerks), 'take the mule that is tied there and offer it to him to release her.'
." Her captor by this time was in the act of disengaging her bonnet from her head in order to scalp her. Chandonnai ran up, offered the mule as a ransom, with a promise of ten bottles of whisky as soon as they should reach his village. The latter was a strong temptation.
"'But,' said the Indian, 'she is badly wounded-she will die. Will you give me the whisky, at all events?'
"Chandonnai promised that he would, and the bargain was concluded. The savage placed the lady's bonnet on his own head, and, after an ineffectual effort on the part of some squaws to rob her of her shoes and stockings, she was brought on board the boat, where she lay moaning with pain from the many bullet wounds she had received in both arms.
"The horse she had ridden was a fine-spirited animal, and, being desirous of possessing themselves of it uninjured, the Indians had aimed their shots so as to disable the rider without injuring her steed.
" She had not lain long in the boat when a young Indian of savage aspect was seen approaching. A buffalo robe was hastily drawn over Mrs. Heald, and she was admonished
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FIRST THINGS.
to suppress all sound of complaint as she valued her life.
" The heroic woman remained perfectly silent while the savage drew near. He had a pistol in his hand which he rested on the side of the boat, while with a fearful scowl he looked pryingly around. Black Jim, one of the servants who stood in the bow of the boat, seized an ax that lay near and signed to him that if he shot he would cleave his skull; telling him that the boat contained only the family of Shaw- nee-aw-kee Upon this the Indian retired. It afterward appeared that the object of his search was Mr. Burnett, a trader from St. Joseph's with whom he had some account to settle.
" When the boat was at length permitted to return to the mansion of Mr. Kinzie, and Mrs. Heald was removed to the house, it became necessary to dress her wounds.
" Mr. K. applied to an old chief who stood by, and who like most of his tribe possessed some skill in surgery, to extract a ball from the arm of the sufferer.
"' No, father,' replied he, ' I cannot do it-it makes me sick here '-(placing his hand on his heart).
" Mr. Kinzie then performed the operation himself with his penknife.
" At their own mansion the family of Mr. Kinzie were closely guarded by their Indian friends, whose intention it was to carry them to Detroit for security. The rest of the prisoners remained at the wigwams of their captors.
" The following morning, the work of plunder being com- pleted, the Indians set fire to the fort. A very equitable distribution of the finery appeared to have been made, and shawls, ribbons, and feathers fluttered about in all directions. The ludicrous appearance of one young fellow who had arrayed himself in a muslin gown, and the bonnet of one of the ladies, would under other circumstances have afforded matter of amusement.
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STORIES AND SKETCHES OF CHICAGO.
A Thrilling Adventure of One of the Fort Dearborn Massacre Prisoners, as told by Himself.
Walter Jordan, a non-commissioned officer among the regulars in Fort Dearborn, thus describes the terrible con- flict: On August 15, 1812, at 8 o'clock, we commenced our march with our small force, which consisted of Capt. Wells, myself, and one hundred Confute Indians; Capt. Heald's one hundred men, ten women and twenty children- in all two hundred and thirty-two.
We had marched half a mile when we were attacked by six hundred Kickapoo and Winnebago Indians. In the moment of trial our Confute escort joined the savage enemy. Our contest lasted ten minutes, when every man, woman . and child was killed, except fifteen. Thanks be to God, I was one of those who escaped.
First they shot the feather off my cap, next the epaulet from my shoulder, and then the handle from my sword. I then surrendered to four savage rascals. The Confute chief, taking me by the hand and speaking English, said:
"Jordan, I know you. You gave me tobacco at Fort Wayne. We won't kill you; but come and see what we will do with your Captain."
So leading me where Wells lay, they cut off his head and put it on a long pole, while another took out his heart and. divided it among the chiefs, and ate it up raw.
Then they scalped the slain and stripped the prisoners, and gathered in a ring with us fifteen poor wretches in the middle. They had nearly fallen out about the divide, but my old chief, the White Raccoon, holding me fast, they made the divide and departed to their towns.
They tied me hard and fast the first night, and placed a guard over me. I laid down and slept soundly until morn- ing, for I was tired. In the morning they untied me and set me parching corn, at which I worked attentively until
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FIRST THINGS.
night. They said if I would stay and not run away they would make a chief of me, but if I would attempt to run away they would catch me and burn me alive.
I amused them with a fine story, in order to gain their confidence, and fortunately made my escape from them on the 19th of August, and took one of their best horses to carry me, being seven days in the wilderness. I was joyfully received on the 26th at Wayne. On the 28th they attacked Fort Wayne and blockaded it until the 16th of September, when we were relieved by Gen. Harrison.
Buying Up Chicago Lands from the Indians --- A Heavy Real Estate Transaction.
Black Partridge, who was the leading chief of the Potta- watomies, and, in behalf of his tribe, on the 24th of August, 1816, sold to the United States Commissioners-in session in St. Louis-the following lands: ·
" Beginning on the left branch of the Fox River; thence running so as to cross Sandy (Au Sable) Creek, ten miles above its mouth; thence in a direct line to a point ten miles north of the west end of the Portage, between Chicago Creek, which empties into Lake Michigan, and the river Des Plaines, a fork of the Illinois; thence in a direct line to a point on Lake Michigan ten miles northward of the mouth of Chicago Creek; thence along the lake to a point ten miles southward of the said Chicago Creek; thence in a direct line to a point on the Kankakee, ten miles above its mouth; thence with the said Kankakee and the Illinois River to the mouth of the Fox, and thence to the begin- ning." Consideration, a " considerable quantity of mer- chandise " and one thousand dollars worth of goods at cost price, for each year, for twelve succeeding years, to be de-
CHICAGO SIX YEARS AFTER THE MASSACRE.
.
/
-
[42]
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FIRST THINGS.
livered on some point of the Illinois River, not lower down than Peoria."
The object of this important and early treaty with the Indians, it is said, was in the interest of the " Illinois and Michigan Canal," which as early as 1814 was mentioned in the "Niles Register " as a " stupendous idea," by which Buffalo and New Orleans were ultimately to enjoy uninter- rupted water communication.
A later treaty, made Oct. 20, 1832, secured from the Pottawatomies the balance of their territory south of the above tract, for which they were to receive an annuity of fifteen thousand dollars for twenty years, forty-five thousand dollars delivered at the signing of the treaty, and twenty thousand the year following. Billy Caldwell was to re- coive six hundred dollars a year, and Alexander Robinson two hundred.
It will be seen that this tract of land averaged twenty miles in width, and extended from Chicago to Ottawa.
In conjunction with other tribes, the Pottawatomies soon after ceded what interest they had in the country at large for other considerations and annuities, and were removed beyond the Mississippi in the year 1836. Thus ended all Indian claims to Chicago soil.
THE PEACEFUL HOME OF EARLIER DAYS.
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FIRST THINGS.
The Winnebago Scare-A Telescopic View of the Chicago Horizon Fifty Years Ago-Sketched by a Living Resident of Chicago, Col. G. S. Hubbard.
At the breaking out of the Winnebago war, early in July, 1827, Fort Dearborn was without military occupation.
Doctor Alexander Wolcott, Indian Agent, had charge of Fort Dearborn, living in the brick building, just within the north stockade previously occupied by the commanding officers.
The old officers' quarters, built of logs, on the west, and with- in the pickets, were occupied by Russell E Heacock, and one other American family, while a number of voyageurs, with their families, were living in the soldiers' quarters, on the east side of the inclosure. The store-house and guard-house were on either side of the southern gate ; the suttler's store was east of the north gate, and north of the soldiers' bar- racks ; the block-house was located at the southwest and the bastion at the northwest corners of the fort, and the maga- zine, of brick, was situated about half-way between the west end of the guard and block houses.
The annual payment of the Pottawatamie Indians occurred in September of the year 1828. A large body of them had assembled, according to custom, to receive their annuity. These left after the payment for their respective villages, except a portion of Big Foot's band.
The night following the payment there was a dance in the soldiers' barracks, during the progress of which a vio- lent storm of wind and rain arose ; and about midnight these quarters were struck by lightning and totally con- sumed, together with the store-house and a portion of the guard-house.
The sleeping inmates of Mr. Kinzie's house, on the oppo- site bank of the river, were aroused by the cry of "fire!" from Mrs. Helm, one of their number, who, from her win-
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STORIES AND SKETCHES OF CHICAGO.
dow, had seen the flames. On hearing the alarm I, says Col. H., with Robert Kinzie, late Paymaster U. S. Army, hastily arose, and, only partially dressed, ran to the river. To our dismay, we found the canoe which we used for cross- ing the river filled with water ; it had been partially drawn up on the beach, and became filled by the dashing of the waves. Not being able to turn it over, and having nothing with which to bail it out, we lost no time, but swam the stream. Entering by the north gate we saw at a glance the situation.
The barracks and store-house being wrapped in flames, we directed our energies to the saving of the guard-house, the east end of which was on fire. Mr. Kinzie, rolling himself. in a wet blanket, got upon the roof. The men and women, about forty in number, formed in line to the river, and with buckets, tubs, and every available utensil, passed the water to him. This was kept up till daylight before the flames were subdued, Mr. Kinzie maintaining his position with great fortitude, though his hands, face, and portions of his body were severely burned. His father, mother, and sister, Mrs. Helm, had meanwhile freed the canoe from water. and, crossing in it, fell into line with those carrying water.
Some of the Big Foot band of Indians were present at the fire, but merely as spectators, and could not be prevailed upon to assist. They all left the next day for their homes. The strangeness of their behavior was the subject of discus- sion among us.
Six or eight days after this event, while at breakfast in Mr. Kinzie's house, we heard singing, faintly at first, but gradually growing louder as the singers approached. Mr. Kinzie recognized the leading voice as that of Bob Forsyth, and left the table for the piazza of the house, where we all followed.
About where Wells street now crosses the river, in plain
E
-
CHICAGO IN 1820.
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STORIES AND SKETCHES OF CHICAGO.
sight from where we stood, was a light birch-bark canoe, manned with thirteen men, rapidly approaching, the men keeping time with their paddles to one of the Canadian boat songs. It proved to be Governor Cass and his Secre- tary, Robert Forsyth, and they landed and soon joined us. . From them we first learned of the breaking out of the Win- nebago war, and the massacre on the Upper Mississippi.
Governor Cass was at Green Bay by appointment, to hold a treaty with the Winnebagoes and Menominee tribes, who, however, did not appear to meet him in council. News of hostilities reaching the Governor there, he immediately pro- cured a light birch-bark canoe, purposely made for speed, manned it with twelve men at the paddles and a steersman, and started up the river, making a portage into the Wis- consin, then down it and the Mississippi to Jefferson Bar- racks below St. Louis.
Here he persuaded the commanding officer to charter a steamer, and embarking troops on it, ascended the Missis- sippi in search of the hostile Indians, and to give aid to the troops at Fort Snelling. On reaching the mouth of the Illinois River, the Governor (with his men and canoe, hav- ing been brought so far on the steamer) here left it, and ascending that stream and the Desplaines and passing through Mud Lake into the south branch of the Chicago River, reached Chicago.
This trip from Green Bay round, was performed in about thirteen days, the Governor's party sleeping only five to seven hours, and, averaging sixty to seventy miles travel each day. On the Wisconsin River they passed Winnebago encampments without molestation. They did not stop to parley, passing rapidly by, singing their boat songs ; the In- dians were so taken by surprise that, before they recovered from their astonishment, the canoe was out of danger. Gov-
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FIRST THINGS.
ernor Cass remained at Chicago but a few hours, coasting Lake Michigan back to Green Bay.
As soon as he left the citizens of Chicago assembled for consultation. Big Foot was suspected of acting in concert with the Winnebagoes, as he was known to be friendly to them, and many of his band had intermarried with that tribe.
Shab-o-nee was not here at the payment, his money hav- ing been drawn for him by his friend, Billy Caldwell. The evening before Governor Cass' visit, however, he was in Chi- cago, and then the guest of Caldwell. At my suggestion he and Caldwell were engaged to visit Big Foot's village (Geneva Lake), and get what information they could of the plans of the Winnebagoes; and also learn what action Big Foot's band intended taking. They left immediately, and on nearing Geneva Lake arranged that Shab-o-nee should enter the village alone, Caldwell remaining hidden.
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