The history of Detroit and Michigan; or, The metropolis illustrated; a chronological cyclopedia of the past and present, Vol I, Part 67

Author: Farmer, Silas, 1839-1902
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Detroit, S. Farmer & co
Number of Pages: 1096

USA > Michigan > Wayne County > Detroit > The history of Detroit and Michigan; or, The metropolis illustrated; a chronological cyclopedia of the past and present, Vol I > Part 67

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This time must be employed in putting their arms and accoutre- ments in best possible order, and in procuring the uniform accord- ing to law. The Commander-in-chief now informs the officers that, hereafter, no indulgence will be granted, but the Law, both as to arms and uniform, will be rigidly executed. At the next parade he will personally inspect the several companies.

The militia of the Territory have been particularly distinguished by the General Government. The Cavalry been furnished with pistols and cutlasses. The Artillery with field-pieces and com- plete apparatus. The Infantry with arms and accoutrements.

These favors have not been granted to any other citizens of the United States. Let us show by our spirit and conduct that we are worthy of these favors.

By order of the Commander-in-chief.

JAMES MAY, Adjutant-General.

The injustice of the regulations as to uniforms was so apparent that on August 20, 1806, the Grand

Jury protested against them. During this year war rumors were very numerous; their effect at Detroit is thus described by Mr. Gentle :

Towards the spring of 1806, all the Colonels, Majors, Captains, etc., both military and militia, convened at Smyth's Hotel to con- sider the warlike rumors. Mr. Walker of Gros Roche, and many others, were called forward to give evidence. The best part of a day was spent taking down the report of the evidence and collect- ing all the information that was possible on the subject. And when the whole was summed up, to their great surprise, it amounted to nothing at all. A general silence prevailed for a few minutes. Colonel B. then observed that he never suffered these reports to give him one moment's uneasiness, having considered them, all along, the effusions of disordered brains. A whisper went immediately round, that it was easily seen that he was con- nected on the British side. No confidence ought to be placed in men of his description. Colonel McD. rose in great agitation, and declared that although reports seemed favorable, still he looked upon them as partial. If we were not in immediate danger from the Indians, he was conscious, in his own mind, we were from the English. He, therefore, moved that all true patriots should wear eagles in their hats to distinguish them from British subjects.

The motion was seconded, put to the vote, and carried. And from that day true patriots, from the Colonel down to the kitchen boy, wore eagles on their hats. *

* * Soon after, Captain Dyson, commanding officer of Fort Detroit, received a letter by express, from Captain Whipple of Fort Wayne, advising that he had undoubted information that the Indians were making rapid preparations to attack Chicago, Michilimackinac, Detroit, and Fort Wayne, on one and the same day. Captain Connor, from the river Huron, also reported that the day of the eclipse was the day fixed by the Indians to make the attack on the above named settlements. A Council of the principal officers assembled, and after mature deliberation on the state of public affairs, it was resolved that the country was in danger ; also " Resolved, that three stockades be erected, one at river Huron, one at Detroit, and one at Erie." Also " Resolved, that they be completed the day previous to the day of the eclipse." General orders followed commanding general musters at nine o'clock on the morning of the eclipse. At twelve o'clock, on the morning of the eclipse, the twelve companies of the district assembled on the Common, armed and accoutred, and ready for action, agreeable to orders. They marched and countermarched, advanced and retreated, into the stockade, and there remained in a state of perfect safety, while their fathers, wives, and children staid at home to protect them- selves. With glasses they very distinctly discovered myriads of Indians in warlike array upon the surface of the two planets Venus and Mars, while they were in conjunction, which is the last they have ever seen or heard of them to this day.

In addition to other complaints against Governor Hull, a petition to President Madison stated :

In Upper Canada, African slavery has always existed, and the labor of their slaves is a principal reliance of many families on both sides, for subsistence. Mr. Hull has countenanced the run- aways from that Province by embodying them into a military company, and supplying them with arms from the public stores. He has signed a written instrument, appointing a black man to the command of the company. This transaction is extremely dishonorable to the government on this side the river ; violates the feelings of the opposite side ; essentially injures their interests ; and eventually injures our own people, by exciting the others to retaliate in the same way.

Few, if any, of the people had confidence in the military leadership of General Hull. Their opinion was thus expressed in the petition :

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MILITIA AND MILITARY COMPANIES.

From the circumstances of our being on a frontier in a double sense, it is peculiarly necessary to have an officer of judgment and of military science. This gentleman has a kind of reputation of that sort, from his having served as a Major in the army, and from having been a General in the militia; but we have enough to satisfy us here, that it is unmerited. We judge from what we see with our own eyes.

The petition and remonstrances of the people were alike disregarded, and the militia parades fol- lowed each other at regular intervals and were alike the joy and dread of the inhabitants. The children enjoyed them because of the drum and fife and gingerbread of training-day; and those who pre- pared the soup for the soldiers, which was served in iron kettles, enjoyed them because of the emolu- ments of the occasion ; others enjoyed the rough merriment always caused by certain reckless and unruly spirits. Mrs. William Y. Hamlin has pre- served this story of one of the most awkward cap- tains of an awkward squad of that period. His name was Jean Cecire. He was full of conceit and exaggerated self-importance, and when dressed in the uniform prescribed by General Hull was, in his own eyes, hardly second to the great Na- poleon. Jean went frequently to see the regular troops drill. Their wondrous discipline and mili- tary exactness sorely puzzled him, but he thought it must be owing to the fact that the words of command were given in English, and that there was some hidden magic .in the language. Calling the roll was also serious business to him, as his own and his sergeant's knowledge of English was almost as limited as their use of the pen, but his ingenuity conquered the latter difficulty. The names of the members of his company having been printed in order, a pin was used to punch a hole after the names of the absentees. His tongue, however, so easy to control in French, could not be drilled to speak other than the most broken English. Assem- bled on parade,

Captain Jean ordered the Sergeant to call the roll. He pro- ceeded to obey, the Captain standing by in full glory.

Sergeant .- "Attention, Companie Francais Canadians ! Answer your name when I call it, if you please. Tock, Tock, Livernois." No answer; at last a voice says, "Not here, gone catch his tamb- rener (fast-pacer) in the bush."

Captain to Sergeant .- " Put peen hole in dat man ! Go 'head." Sergeant .- "Laurant Bondy?" "Here, Sah." "Claude Campau ?" " Here, Monsieur." "Antoine Salliotte? " Some one answers, " Little baby came last night at his house, must stay at home."

Captain to Sergeant .- " Put one preek on dat man's name." Sergeant .- " L'enfant Riopelle ?" "Here, Sah." "Piton Laforest ?" " Here, Sah." "Simon Meloche?" "Not here, gone to spear muskrat for argent blanc (silver money).

Captain to Sergeant .- " Take pen and scratch dat man."

After the roll was called and the absentees pricked, the Captain proceeded to drill his company.

Captain .- " Marchee, mes comrades, deux et deux, like oxen, and when you come to dat stump, stop." They all made for the place, and got there in a heap, looking, with their various colored

dresses, like a rainbow on a spree. Disgusted at their awkward- ness, the Captain gave them a few minutes' relaxation. Instead of resting au militaire, they rushed off, one to smoke his beloved pipe, another to polish his carbine, whilst others amused them- selves by sitting on the grass, and telling about the races. The Captain called them to try again. This time he said, " Marchee as far as dat soulier de bœuf (old shoe) in the road, den turn ! Right gauche, left about ! Shoulder mus-keete ! Avance donc, back ! Drill fineesh !"

The disagreeable features of these drills and other military doings are thus described by Mr. Gentle :

The farmers were commanded to quit their harvest-fields and repair to the city, armed and accoutred with pick-axes and shovels, all day, to dig trenches and to plant pickets round Brush's farm, adjoining the city, without fee or reward, and to stand guard over their lords and masters during the silent night, with hungry bellies; whilst their families in the country are exposed (if the danger was real) to the scalping knife, and their grain to the rot.

Some of the militia grew restive and insubordinate under regulations that they deemed oppressive. In one case of abusive language and threatening action, a court martial, on December 27, 1807, ordered "ten stripes on the bare back." Others were literally dragged from their dwellings and compelled to do military duty. These disturbances gave rise to a conflict between Governor Hull and Stanley Griswold, the secretary of the Terri- tory. Governor Hull, on January 16, 1808, com- plained to the secretary of State that Mr. Griswold was the chief cause of the troubles between himself and the militia, and enclosed a copy of a proclama- tion which he had issued calling on the people to discourage all mutinous conduct and to aid in detecting and apprehending all persons who might disturb the public peace. No names were men- tioned in the proclamation, but Hull says in his letter that it was made necessary by the actions of Mr. Griswold. It, therefore, seems curious indeed to read at the bottom of the proclamation, " By the Governor. Stanley Griswold, Secy. of Mich. Terri- tory."

The next act in this particular farce was the arrest of Mr. Griswold, and his appearance at court before Justices May, McDougall, and Smyth, the last week in January, 1808, "charged with having enticed one or two of the militia to quit the service and go home, telling them that they could not be hurt for so doing." The testimony was long and confused, but in no point of view did it tarnish the character of the accused. On the contrary, it was plainly evident to every spectator, and even to Jus- tice Smyth, that all the testimony went to show that the accused uniformly advised those members of the militia who asked his advice to serve their time with composure. Still, astonishing as it may appear, Judges May and McDougall declared it their opinion that Griswold was guilty of heinous crimes, and

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accordingly recognized him in the sum of one thou- sand dollars. At the moment this strange judg- ment was given, Justice Smyth rose, and protested " before God, before the Court, and all the bystand- ers, that Judges May and McDougall had given a partial judgment." Notwithstanding this protest, the order of the other two judges remained in force. Within two months after the trial, the term of Mr. Griswold ceased ; and he was relieved, and Reuben Attwater appointed in his stead.

For the next ten years no records concerning the militia have been found, except such as directly connect them with various wars. All such facts are given in connection with the wars.

In 1818 a company known as the Detroit Town Company was in existence, commanded by S. T. Davenport, and on September 15 of this year there was a militia parade, and another on October 4, 1819.

In 1821 a military court of inquiry was in session, to inquire why delinquents had not been on duty. The court was held September 29, and the record shows that Joseph Dupra was called, and explained that he was "taking care of his mother who was sick." Louis Groesbeck "did not know that the first Monday in September was training day." Jean Bte Garrat " was lame in one of his legs." Another had " hired on board of a scow, and was not present that day, as the scow was at Hog Island taking in a load of bark." And thus with one accord they all made excuse.

On December 27, 1821, on the occasion of the execution of two Indians for murder, the First Regi- ment of militia was called out and also the volunteer artillery company commanded by Captain Ben Woodworth.

On May 23, 1822, John Roberts, Jr., notified per- sons liable to militia duty to appear at Military Square on June 3, armed and equipped as the law directs.

On April 6, 1831, a company, called the City Guards, was organized, with Edward Brooks as captain. It was in existence only a year.

The Brady Guards, so named in honor of General Hugh Brady, were organized on April 13, 1836, with A. S. Williams as captain. In 1837 he was succeeded by I. S. Rowland, and in this year, on Washington's Birthday, the company was presented with an elegant standard by Governor Mason. The presentation took place in front of the old Ameri- can Hotel. In 1839 Mr. Rowland was succeeded by E. R. Kearsley, and in 1840, 1841, and 1842, Mr. Rowland was again serving. On February 2, 1843, the company disbanded, and on February 10 fol- lowing was reorganized, with A. S. Williams as captain. On February 22 of this year Anson Bur- lingame delivered an address before the Scott and Brady Guards on the life and character of Washing-

ton. In 1845 C. A. Trowbridge was captain. In 1846 and 1847 Mr. Williams was again serving. On April 10, 1851, General Brady died, and on April 18 the company disbanded.

Just before General Brady died, Rev. Dr. Duffield visited him to inquire into his spiritual condition and preparation for death. General Brady listened to him respectfully, and then, in words worthy of a true soldier, he said, "Sir, that is all right ; my knapsack has been packed, and I am ready to march at the tap of the drum." Twenty-five years after his death, on April 13, 1876, twenty-six of the surviving members of the company celebrated the fortieth anniversary of its organization, by a supper at the Russell House.

The Scott Guards were organized October 16, 1841, and reorganized September 2, 1842. J. V. Ruehle served as captain from 1841 to 1846, and was succeeded by N. Greusel, Jr. In 1852 Paul Gies was captain. From 1853 to 1861 F. Ruehle served in that capacity, followed in 1862 by F. Kremer. In 1862 and 1863 there were two com- panies,-the Artillery, commanded at first by P. Guenther and then by J. Katus; and the Infantry, commanded by F. Kremer. In 1864 the last-named was the only captain, and he served until the com- pany disbanded in December, 1869. In April, 1879, a company by the same name was organized through the effort of Max Hochgraef, who was made captain. In 1880 he was succeeded by Au- gust Goebel, who served until 1882, and was fol- lowed by F. Herzog.

The Lafayette Guards were organized July 4, 1842, with F. X. Cicotte as captain. In 1845 and 1846 L. D. Clairoux was captain, and soon after the company disbanded.

The Cass Guards were organized on February 27, 1843, with Eugene T. Smith as captain. A pre- liminary meeting had been held on February 20 at Republican Hall. The company disbanded in about a year. On October 4 of this year, for the first time, all the State uniformed militia went into camp for two months on the Cass Farm. On October 9 there was a grand review on the ground where Fort Street now crosses the farm.

The Montgomery Guards were organized this same year, with A. T. McReynolds as captain. He was succeded in 1846 by W. O'Callaghan, after which time there is no record of the company.

In July, 1849, a Boy Company, known as the Detroit Lancers, was in existence. The Grayson Light Guards were organized July 29, 1850, and disbanded in 1855. Colonel John B. Grayson was captain until 1853, and was succeeded by A. K. Howard. On October 10, 1854, a State Military Convention was held in the city, at the armory of these Guards.

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The Detroit City Guards were organized Septem- ber 21, 1849. N. Greusel, Jr., was the first captain, and was succeeded in March, 1850, by John Win- terhalter, who served until 1854.

The Yager Guards were organized in June, 1853, with A. Lingeman as captain. He served until 1865, when the company practically disbanded.

The National Dragoons, Captain J. P. Whiting, were in existence from 1853 to 1860. The Shields Guards organized in 1853. J. C. White, the first captain, was succeeded in 1855 by P. Dowling. In 1857 Ed Molloy was captain, in 1859, John McDer- mott, and in 1861 E. Molloy again. In 1862 the company disbanded.

The Detroit Light Guards were fully organized November 19, 1855, the members enlisting for five years. On October 31, 1859, the members were divided into two companies, A and B, and on ·Jan- uary 9 they reorganized as one company. On July 5, 1860, they entertained the famous Ellsworth Zouaves, who came to Detroit from Chicago. The Zouaves gave an exhibition drill on Grand River Street near Third, which was witnessed by an immense throng of spectators.

On April 17, 1861, the Light Guards organized for war, and on May I the company volunteered as three months troops, with C. M. Lum as captain. They were mustered into the United States service as Company A of the First Regiment of Michigan In- fantry.

Those of the company who did not volunteer for the war, reorganized as the Detroit Light Guard Reserve Corps. On August 7, 1861, the three months men returned, and were mustered out at Fort Wayne. The entire company was soon after organized by the original name. The captains in various years have been as follows : 1855-1860, A. S. Williams ; 1860-1861, H. L. Chipman ; 1861, J. E. Pittman ; 1862, Jerome Croul; 1863-1866, E. R. Matthews ; 1866-1868, C. M. Lum ; 1868, F. W. Swift ; 1869-1872, G. L. Maltz; 1872-1875, D. F. Fox; 1875, R. A. Liggitt; 1876-1878, L. C. Twombly : 1878, Max Hochgraef ; 1879-1884, A. P. T. Beniteau ; 1884, S. A. Murphy; 1885-1887, W. G. Latimer ; 1887- , S. R. Dixon.

The Detroit Light Infantry were organized No- vember 16, 1855, and reorganized in 1858, 1860, and 1877. William Hull was captain in 1859, and W. J. Nesbit in 1861. Since the reorganization of 1877, the following have served as captains : 1877- 1880, L. C. Twombly; 1880-1882, Charles Du-

pont ; 1882, E. F. Conely and Harry Milward ; 1883, C. Dupont.

The Detroit Grays, a juvenile company, existed in 1857, with F. Speed as captain. The Michigan Hussars were organized July 15, 1859, with A. Paldi as captain. He served until 1861, when the com- pany disbanded.

In 1860 companies of boys, known as Detroit Zouaves and United States Zouave Cadets, were in existence. In 1861 and 1862 a company of Brother Jonathan Zouaves were commanded by F. A. Ash- ley. The Holt and the Lyon Guards were organ- ized in the fall of 1861, commanded respectively by W. S. Biddle and G. S. Wormer. Both companies disbanded in 1862. The Jackson Guards, M. Mc- Graw captain, organized and disbanded in 1861. The Emmet Rifles, organized the same year, had an existence equally brief. The Sherman Zouaves made their first appearance on February 22, 1869, with Charles H. Brown as captain. No record has been found of them after 1870.

The Detroit National Guards were organized November 7, 1869. The captains have been as follows : 1870-1872, P. W. Nolan; 1872, John Atkinson; 1873-1879, J. O'Keefe; 1879- , P. J. Sheahan. The Wolverine Rifles were organized October 12, 1870, with J. V. Ruehle as captain; the company existed about a year and a half. The Sarsfield Guards were organized April 7, 1874, with J. E. Lally as captain. He was serving in 1875, and the company disbanded in that year.

The Pelouze Cadets, a company of boys drilled by Major L. H. Pelouze, U. S. A., were in existence from 1870 to 1875, or later,

The Detroit Scottish Guards organized in Sep- tember, 1875, with Alexander Witherspoon as captain. He served until 1878, when the company disbanded.

The Detroit Excelsior Guards, P. N. Burkhard, captain, organized and disbanded in 1877.

The Montgomery Rifles were organized in May, 1877, with J. C. Donnelly as captain. In 1880 he was succeeded by Charles Lynch, who served until 1882, and was followed by M. Whelan, who served till 1885. In 1885 Charles Lynch was Captain, and in 1886 and 1887 James W. Fisher.

The Detroit City Grays, organized March 15, 1881, have had the following captains : 1881, John G. Cooper ; 1882, F. P. Bagley, J. W. Strong ; 1883- 1885, F. P. Bagley ; 1885- , M. G. Borgman.

PART VI. SOCIAL.

CHAPTER XLVI.

ORIGINAL INHABITANTS OF DETROIT .- INDIAN AGENTS .- EARLY VISITORS.

ORIGINAL INHABITANTS.

THE origin of the first occupants of this region is shrouded in mystery. Several writers have adopted the theory that they were descendants of the lost tribes of Israel, and they fortify their position with a variety of interesting facts. The founder of our fair domain was a believer in this theory, and the archives of France contain a lengthy memorial written by Cadillac in which he distinctly asserts his belief that the Indians are descendants of the He- brew race, strengthening his argument with state- ments of many remarkable coincidences and customs confirmatory of the idea. The researches of School- craft, Prescott, Pickering, and others, indicate that the first comers were from Asia, that they were driven by winds and waves over to the Pacific coast, or made their way by the Aleutian Islands or Beh- ring's Strait to Alaska, and from thence southward to Mexico and South America, afterwards spread- ing northward and eastward over the American continent.

Elaborate and plausible arguments have been made to prove the converse theory,-that the Chin- ese are descended from the Aztec race. In support of this supposition it is urged that the trade winds from the Peruvian coast pass directly to China, and that even frail vessels could easily be wafted thither. Unique and ancient bronze implements are found alike in both countries; the picture-writings of the two countries are in many cases similar, and in others are exactly the same; and the Feast of Souls, as celebrated in Central America, is remark- ably like certain of the Chinese ceremonies.

The order of the ancient occupancy of the country seems to have been, first the Olmecs, then the Tol- tecs, then the Aztecs, or Aztecas. Various reasons give rise to the theory that the Aztec race were the first occupants of this particular region. Humboldt was of the opinion that the country of the Aztecas was in this latitude. The meaning of their tribal name is "People of the Lakes;" and there is no place in the United States in which small lakes are so numerous as in Michigan, while the State is nearly surrounded by lakes, which are almost seas in extent. The name Michigan is derived from two Chippewa words,-Mitchaw, great, and Sagiegan,

lake .- Great Lake. The so-called Indian mounds in various Western States, in their size, form, and contents, add force to the Aztecan theory. In the township of Springwells, just below Detroit, were four of these mounds; one of them still remains inside the grounds of Fort Wayne; the second was on property now occupied by the Copper Smelting Works, and the third lay between the other two. They were circular in form, from thirty to seventy feet in diameter, and varying from three to ten feet in height. Two parallel embankments, about four feet high, led to them from the east. One of these mounds was opened in 1837, and the one inside the fort, by permission of the War Department, on May 22, 1876. Both were found to contain numerous skeletons, arrow-heads, and vases or pots of earth- enware. The one last opened contained also an iron vessel capable of holding two or three gallons, and several pounds of what appeared to be a sort of paint.

The Great Mound of the River Rouge, about half a mile below Fort Wayne, was at first, prob- ably, fully three hundred feet long and two hundred feet wide. In 1876 it was twenty feet high. It has never been fully explored, but a partial investigation by Henry Gillman resulted in the discovery of stone axes, arrow-heads, fragments of pottery, and human bones much decayed.

An old Indian told a member of the Cicotte family that these mounds were erected as forts, at the time the tribes were fighting each other. Indian tradition also ascribes these mounds to the Tuetle Indians, who preceded the Wyandotts. The name Tuetle is believed to be a corruption of Tuteloes, a tribe once supposed to have emigrated from Vir- ginia only as far north as the Susquehanna; but it now seems probable that some came as far as the Detroit.1

Of the more modern Indian tribes who roamed over this region, the Algonquin race was the earliest. They counted among their numbers in the north- west the tribes of the Ottawas, Menominees, Sacs, Foxes, and Chippewas. There were also in this

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The history of Detroit and Michigan; or, The metropolis illustrated; a chronological cyclopedia of the past and present, Vol I, Part 67

Author: Farmer, Silas, 1839-1902 Publication date: 1889 Publisher: Detroit, S. Farmer & co Number of Pages: 1096

Author: Farmer, Silas, 1839-1902
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Detroit, S. Farmer & co
Number of Pages: 1096