USA > Missouri > St Charles County > History of St. Charles, Montgomery, and Warren counties, Missouri, written and comp. from the most authentic official and private sources, including a history of their townships, towns and villages, together with a condensed history of Missouri > Part 16
USA > Missouri > Montgomery County > History of St. Charles, Montgomery, and Warren counties, Missouri, written and comp. from the most authentic official and private sources, including a history of their townships, towns and villages, together with a condensed history of Missouri > Part 16
USA > Missouri > Warren County > History of St. Charles, Montgomery, and Warren counties, Missouri, written and comp. from the most authentic official and private sources, including a history of their townships, towns and villages, together with a condensed history of Missouri > Part 16
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The principal game fish frequenting our waters are, of strictly game fish, the pike, salmon-trout, green bass of two varieties, white or striped bass, black bass, crappie, red-eyed perch, sun perch, small-
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HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.
mouthed lake perch, and some other unnamed varieties. The largest of these are the pike and salmon-trout, some of which weigh as much as twenty pounds. The pike is especially the king of fresh-water fish. The bass range in weight from 1 to 5 pounds, and the crap- pie from one to 1 and 11/2 pounds. The perch are all smaller than the crappie. All of the above-named are among the very best of fresh- water fish for the table or the purposes of sport.
The bass and perch spawn late in May, principally on the beds of the shallow, clear, rocky streams. Beside the game fish, we have numerous other fish in our waters, some of which are almost as good for the table. Among the best of these are the buffalo, red horse, red-finned sucker, silver carp and catfish. The four first named are of the sucker species, and excellent fish at their proper season. Every spring they seek the waters of this vicinity in vast numbers to deposit their spawn. They usually spawn early in May. The buffalo fish is especially abundant, and when the Mississippi overflows its low grassy bottoms, they pass out into the prairie grass in countless thousands and deposit their eggs upon the grass and weeds near the surface, when the spawn is hatched by the heat of the sun and carried back with the receding waters into the deep water. It is at this season that many thousand pounds of these fish are annually speared and trapped and caught in nets, to be salted down for use and sale. They are ex- cellent when salted and cured. These fish weigh from 10 to 20 pounds. The red horse is next in size, weighing from 2 to 15 pounds, and is the best and most beautiful of the sucker species. They spawn early in May, on the shoals and riffles of clear, rocky creeks. The catfish is the largest of all our fish, sometimes weighing 200 pounds, but usually from 5 to 30. It is a good fish, and meets with ready sale in the markets. Besides these mentioned, we have various in- ferior fish, such as the white sucker, large black sucker or flatback, several varieties of the chub, the lamprey and ordinary blue-eel, stur- geon, drum or stone perch, shovel fish, the great alligator gar, the common gar, dog fish, hickory shad, stone carrier, and an innumera- ble variety of small fish, suitable only for bait. Some of our deep, clear lakes along the Mississippi river are well adapted for breeding and raising the finer varieties of fish, and no doubt will be preserved and used for that purpose.
They are easily accessible by rail, and might be made charming re- treats for the eager sportsmen.
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CHAPTER V.
WAR RECORD.
EARLY INDIAN TROUBLES. - The Killing of Joseph Price, M. Lewis and Malachi Baldridge -Outrages During the War of 1812-Forts Built by the Settlers - The " Rangers " Organized - The Expedition to Prairie Du Chien - Its Surprise and De- feat by Black Hawk - His Account of the Affair - An Incident of the Expe- dition - Lieuts. Riggs and Rector -Capt. James Callaway - His Company of Rangers - His Expedition to Rock Island - A Spirited Fight with the British and Indians - His Subsequent Pursuit of a Band of Indian Raiders in the Vicinity of Loutre Island - His Ambuscade and Tragic Death - His Burial Place - His Char- acter as a Man and Officer - Companies of Rangers Organized by Capt. Callaway, Capt. Nathan Boone and others.
THE BLACK HAWK WAR. - Black Hawk's Jealousy of Keokuk, the Primary Cause of the Trouble - Black Hawk's Friendship for the British and Hatred of the Ameri- cans - Keokuk Made Chief of the Sacs and Foxes During Black Hawk's Ab- sence - Black Hawk's Return and Chagrin - Two Parties Among the Sacs and Foxes - The Treaty of Keokuk and His Party with the Americans at Portage Des Sioux - The Refusal of Black Hawk and His Party to Recognize It - Keokuk Rec- ognized as Sole Chief by the Americans - Black Hawk and His Party Ordered to Remove West of the Mississippi - His Refusal and His Efforts to Incite the Indians of the Neighboring Tribes to go on the War Path against the Whites - His Removal Across the Mississippi - His Dissatisfaction and Return, and the Outbreak of the Black Hawk War- His Defeat of Maj. Stillman - His Attack on the Fort at Buffalo Grove and His Defeat of Col. Posey - His Reverse on the Wisconsin and his Overthrow at the Battle of Bad Ax - Gen. Richard Gentry Commands the Missouri Militia During the Early Part of the War - His Expedition to Ft. Pike and Return - Capt. Nathan Boone's Company of Rangers and Whom They Were - Present Survivors - His Expedition to Rock Island - Threatened Outbreak of the Indians on the Southwestern Frontier - Capt. Boone's Company and Others Sent to Prevent It- Their March to Ft. Gibson and on Beyond the Cross-Woods, Near New Mexico - The Capture and Death of Sergt. Abbey - Hardships and Privations - Private Cottle Narrowly Escapes Starvation on the Plains - Return of the Rangers to Ft. Gibson and Their Discharge.
THE FLORIDA WAR. - Capt. Knott Organizes Part of a Company in this County - Whom the Volunteers now Remembered Were - The Cause of the War - Gov. Boggs' Call for Volunteers - A Regiment formed, Commanded by Col. Richard Gentry - Presented with a Silk Flag at Columbia - Capt. Knott's Men Join Them at St. Louis- Knott's Volunteers Consolidated with Capt. Jackson's Company - Jackson Retains Command of the Company and Knott Returns Home -Gentry's Regiment Ordered to New Orleans, thence to Tampa Bay, Florida - A Storm on the Gulf - The March to Lake Okeechobee - The Battle of Okeechobee and Van- quishment- The Gallantry of the Missourians -They Surpassed the Regulars and Carried off the Honor of the Victory - The Heroism of Col. Gentry - He Dies on the Field, Bravely Leading His Men, Just as the Battle is Won -The Return of the Missourians and the Interment of the Remains of Col. Gentry at St. Louis
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with Military Honors -The Government Erects a monument in Honor of His Memory - Col. Taylor's Jealousy and Criticism of the Brave Missourians -The Missourians Vindicated by an Investigation.
THE SLICKER TROUBLES. - Slickers and Anti-Slickers-Origin of the Slickers - Their First Intentions Good - Subsequent Abuse of their Power -Rise of the Anti- Slickers - Divers Whippings, Murders, Depredations and Criminal Trials - Good Men on Both Sides- Both Organizations at Last Fall to Pieces and the Law Re- sumes its Sway.
THE MEXICAN WAR. - The Cause Attributed to the Annexation of Texas - Plan of Operations of the Americans - The Missourians under Col. Doniphan- Capt. McCausland's Company of Volunteers from this County and Whom they Were - Presented with a Silk Flag at St. Charles - Mustered into the Service at St. Louis- Failed to reach Ft. Leavenworth in Time to Accompany Gen. Kearney (or Col. Doniphan) to Santa Fe -Meet Four other Missouri Companies at Ft. Leaven- worth -The Oregon Battalion Organized -Dr. Ludwell E. Powell of this County Elected Colonel -Threatened Outbreak of the Indians on the Upper Missouri, on Account of the Withdrawal of the Regular Troops from there for the Mexican War- The March to Old Ft. Kearney -Expedition against the Sioux to Ft. Ver- million-New Ft. Kearney Built and Garrisoned -Close of the Mexican War - Mustering out of the Volunteers - Whom Capt. McCausland Was-Col. Powell. THE CIVIL WAR. - Attributed to the Slavery Agitation - Cost of the War and the Great Sacrifice of LifeMade - Conflicting Views held Prior to Its Outbreak - Election of Mr. Lincoln -The Secession of the Southern States - Government Re-enforcement of Federal Forts in the South - This Resisted and Ft. Sumpter Fired Upon - Atti- tude of Missouri Shortly Preceding and Following the Outbreak of the War - Gov. Jackson Calls for State Militia and Companies of the State Guard Organized- Gen. Lyon Given Command of the Government Troops at St. Louis - Under President Lincoln's Call Union Volunteers are Enlisted - The Capture of Camp Jackson - Condition of Affairs in St. Charles County - Capt. Richard Overall Organizes an Artillery Company Under Gov. Jackson's Call -They Fail to Get the Necessary Ordinance and Therefore Dissolve -Prompt Organization of German Companies of Union Home Guards-Anti-Slavery Views of the Germans and Their Unanimity for the Union Cause -Judge Krekel the Leader of the Union Element in this County - Twelve Companies of Home Guards Organized - Judge Krekel Elected Colonel of the Regiment - Principal Officers of the Companies - Their Encamp- ment at Camp Krekel - Value of their Services to the Union Cause - The United States Reserve Corps for Home Service Formed of Home Guard Volunteers -This and the Home Guards, with other Volunteers, Afterwards Merged into a Reg- Ciment of Missouri State Militia and a Regiment of Enrolled Militia - Services Performed by the Two Regiments - Other Companies of Union Volunteers En- rolled in the County -Total Number of Union Volunteers from the County - Dif- ficulties in the Way of the Enlistment of Southern Volunteers -Dr. Johnson's Company - A Fight at Mt. Zion, in Boone County - His Capture - Other Southern Volunteers from the County - The Restoration of Peace -Fraternity and Good Feeling.
Although there was never a great Indian war in Missouri, there were frequent Indian outbreaks in the early settlement of the State, and many revolting outrages were committed. As the first white set- tlements north of the river were made in St. Charles county, this county was the scene of some of the first Indian outrages in North Missouri.
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HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.
Prior to the transfer of the country to the United States, we have little or no information of the condition of affairs between the Indians and the French and Spanish settlers. Their relations, however, were nominally friendly, as the relations afterwards were between the Americans and Indians, and until about the time of the outbreak of the War of 1812. There was a large number of Indians in the coun- try, representatives of different tribes, and although they were on terms of nominal peace with the whites, with characteristic Indian perfidy they were guilty of a number of outrages - murders, and robberies and other depredations.
Between the years 1805 and 1808 no less than ten white settlers of the county were murdered. They were: Joseph Price, M. Lewis, Malachi Baldridge, Abraham Keithley, James Callaway, Hutchins Mc- Dearmon, - McMillan, - Gilmore, - Duff, and a colonist at Portage Des Sioux, whose name is not recalled. Price, Lewis and Baldridge were killed while on a bear hunt. They, with George and Michael Price, had gone up the river as far as Callaway county, and in the vicinity of Nine Mile Prairie had killed a bear which they were skinning when they were fired upon. Joseph Price was killed instantly and Lewis was mortally wounded. George and Michael Price and Baldridge, the latter of whom was slightly wounded, fled. After running some miles, believing that they were out of the reach of the Indians, they stopped at a small stream to get a drink of water. But to provide against danger, Baldridge stood guard while the other two went down the stream a short distance to drink, and after their return they stood guard for Baldridge. He was fired upon and killed while drinking, and his body was never recovered. His companions fled for their lives and reached home in safety.
From this time the condition of affairs continued to grow worse, and resulted finally in open hostilities, about the time of the outbreak of the War of 1812. In anticipation of trouble between Great Britain and the United States, the authorities of the latter and of Missouri and Illinois made frequent efforts to conciliate the Indians and to in- duce them to at least take a position of neutrality in the approaching war. With that object in view, early in May, 1812, a grand convo- cation of Indian chiefs was called to meet at St. Louis, and thence to send representatives to Washington for the purpose of concluding a definite and permanent peace. At this meeting the Little Osages, the Sacs, the Foxes, the Shawnees and the Delawares were represented. But there had been troubles between the Indian tribes themselves, and they were not disposed to act in harmony with each other. However,
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HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.
the chiefs of several of the above nations accompanied Gen. Clark to Washington City, where a sort of peace was patched up, but it amounted to but very little. The Sacs and Foxes refused to come to any terms at all.
Meanwhile Tecumseh, one of the ablest chiefs between the. Ohio and the Mississippi, had for several years been carrying on a desper- ate war against the American settlers in the Wabash region. He was easily influenced to identify himself with the British. Enlisting him- self in their service, together with a large following of warriors from different tribes, he not only became a formidable enemy as a fighter, but exerted himself with great address and success to the work of uniting the tribes further west, including those of the Mississippi and Missouri river regions, against the Americans. They it was, he argued, who had driven the Indians from their homes and hunting grounds on this side of the lakes, and not the British ; that the Brit- ish had promised him not to molest his race south of the lakes; and that if the Americans succeeded, the Indians would be driven out, and on across the plains to the shores of the Pacific sea. The Sacs and Foxes, who combined, constituted one of the strongest forces of warriors in the Mississippi and Missouri river country, at once made common cause with him and the British against the Americans. Large numbers of warriors from other tribes, and, indeed, several whole tribes combined with the Sacs and Foxes under the leadership of Black Hawk. His base of operations was on the Upper Missis- sippi near the mouth of Rock river, in Illinois. From there bands of warriors were sent out against the Americans, both south and east.
The settlers of Missouri, principally in St. Louis and St. Charles counties, appreciating the danger of their situation, lost no time in preparing themselves for the protection of their homes. Gov. How- ard resigned his office and took the field against the Indians and co-operated with Gov. Edwards of Illinois in guarding the Missis- sippi and protecting the left flank of Gen. Harrison on the lakes. St. Louis organized a force of 500 mounted rangers, and established a cordon of block houses on the Mississippi from the Kaskaskia to the mouth of the Illinois. In St. Charles county a number of forts were built, and from time to time several companies of rangers were formed for defensive and offensive operations. The principal forts erected here were Daniel M. Boone's fort, in Darst's Bottom, which was the largest and strongest one in the county; Howell's fort, on Howell's Prairie ; Pond's fort, on the Dardenne Prairie, a short dis-
5
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HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.
tance south-east of the present town of Wentzville; White's fort, on Dog Prairie ; Kountz' fort, on the Boone's Lick road, eight miles west of St. Charles; Zumwalt's fort, near the present town of O'Fallon ; and Castlio's fort, near Howell's Prairie. Kennedy's fort was located in the same vicinity, but across in Warren county, near Wright City ; and Callaway's fort was near Marthasville, at the French village of Charette.
The first year or two of the war, so far as this county was con- cerned, produced nothing of general importance. True, there were a number of murders and depredations committed by straggling Indians, but aside from these the people were unmolested. Offensive opera- tions, however, were begun early in 1814. A garrison was estab- lished at Prairie du Chien, up the Mississippi, in Crawford county, Wis., in order to prevent Indian raids down in the settlements along the river below. But most of the men composing the garrison there were enlisted for only sixty days, and when their time expired they returned home, leaving only a small force of about 100 men to guard the fort.
As this point was too important to be abandoned, and it being threatened by the British and Indians, it was decided to send re-en- forcements to the garrison in which, by the way, there were a num- ber of volunteers from St. Charles county. Accordingly, Lieut. Campbell was dispatched with 42 regulars and. 65 rangers in three keel-boats, accompanied by a fourth boat belonging to the sutler and contractor which was loaded with provisions and clothing for the garrison. The rangers were commanded by Lieuts. Rector and Riggs. The fleet proceeded without accident or incident worthy of mention until it entered the rapids, near the mouth of Rock river, about 200 miles from its destination, when it was visited by a large number of Sacs and Foxes, who pretended to be peaceably inclined. The officers, deceived by the friendly overtures of the Indians were thus led, unsuspectingly, into the catastrophe which followed.
The boat belonging to the sutler and contractor had arrived near the head of the rapids, and was proceeding on its course, having on board, besides provisions and clothing, a large store of ammunition for the garrison and the usual sergeant's guard. The boats of the rangers followed next and then came the boat of Lieut. Campbell with the regulars.
On account of a high wind, Lieut. Campbell's boat became unman- ageable and finally grounded within a few yards of a high bank, which was covered with a thick growth of grass and willows. Seeing
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HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.
that it was useless to attempt to make headway while the wind con- tinued high, he decided to remain were he was until it abated. Sen- tinels were sent on shore and stationed at proper intervals, whilst several of the men began to prepare breakfast. In a few moments they were startled by the report of guns, and at the first fire all the sentinels were killed. The rest of the men on shore started for the boat where their guns were, but before they could reach it 15 of the 30 were killed or wounded. In a few minutes, from 500 to 700 war- riors were among the willows on the bank and within a few yards of the boat. With load yells and whoops they commenced a tremendous fire. The men on the boat, undaunted by the loss of their compan- ions, the overpowering number of their foe, and the suddenness of the attack, cheered lustily and returned fire from their rifles and a small swivel, which they had on board. At this juncture Lieuts. Rector and Riggs, seeing the smoke and judging that an attack had. been made, pulled down the stream as rapidly as possible to the relief of their comrades. Riggs' boat ran aground about a hundred yards be- low Campbell's, and Rector, to avoid a similar misfortune and save himself from a raking fire, anchored above. A brisk fire from both boats was immediately opened upon the Indians, but as the latter were under cover, but little execution was done.
The unequal contest lasted for more than an hour, when Campbell's boat was discovered to be on fire, and in order to save the men, Rec- tor, cutting his cable, pulled down along the side of the burning boat and took the men on board. A retreat was then ordered and the boats fell away from the shore to a safe distance. The Americans lost 12 killed, and between 20 and 30 wounded. The expedition was abandoned, and about the same time the garrison at Prairie du Chien surrendered to the British.
The Indians were under the command of Black Hawk, and the fol- lowing is his account of the affair :-
" Sometime afterwards [after his return from the expedition North ] five or six boats arrived, loaded with soldiers going to Prairie du Chien to re-enforce the garrison. They appeared friendly, and were well re- ceived. We held a council with the war chief. We had no intention of hurting him, or any of his party, or we could easily have defeated them. They remained with us all day, and gave us plenty of whisky. During the night a party arrived and brought us six kegs of powder. They told us that the British had gone to Prairie du Chien and taken the fort, and wished us to join them again in the war, which we agreed to. I collected my warriors, and determined to pursue the
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HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.
boats, which had sailed with a fair wind. If we had known the day before, we could easily have taken them all, as the war chief used no precautions to prevent it. I immediately started in pursuit by land with my party, thinking that some of their boats might get aground, or that the Great Spirit might put them in our power, if He wished them taken and their people killed.
"About half-way up the rapids I had a full view of the boats, all sailing with a strong wind. I soon discovered that one boat was badly managed, and was suffered to be driven ashore by the wind. They landed by running hard aground, and lowered their sail. The others passed on. This boat the Great Spirit gave us. We ap- proached it cautiously, and fired upon the men on shore. All that could, hurried aboard, but they were unable to push off, being fast aground. We advanced to the river's bank, under cover, and com- menced firing at the boat. Our balls passed through the plank and did execution, as I could hear them screaming in the boat. I en- couraged my braves to continue firing. Several guns were fired from the boat without effect. I prepared my bow and arrows to throw fire into the sail, which was lying on the boat, and after two or three at- tempts, succeeded in setting the sail on fire. The boat was soon in flames.
"About this time one of the boats that had passed returned, and dropping anchor, swung in close to the boat on fire and took off all . the people, except those killed and badly wounded. We could dis- tinctly see them passing from one boat to the other, and fired on them with good aim. We wounded the war chief in this way. Another boat now came down, dropped her anchor, which did not take hold, and was drifted ashore. The other boat cut her cable and drifted down the river, leaving their comrades without attempting to assist them. We then commenced an attack upon the boat, and fired several rounds. They did not return the fire. We thought they were afraid, or had but a small number on board. I therefore ordered a rush to the boat. When we got near they fired and killed two of our men, these being all we lost in the engagement. Some of their men jumped out and pushed off the boat, thus getting away without losing a man. I had a good opinion of their war chief who managed so much better than the others. It would give me pleasure to shake him by the hand. We now put out the fire on the captured boat to save the cargo, when a skiff was discovered coming down the river. Some of our people cried out, ' Here come an express from Prairie du Chien !' We hoisted the British flag, but they would not land. They turned their
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HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.
boat around and rode up the river. We directed a few shots at them in order to bring them to, but they were so far off that we could not hurt them."
An interesting incident of the relief expedition to Prairie du Chien is related in the account of it, handed down by William Keithley, one of the pioneers of the county, and a member of the expedition. They reached Rock river on the 12th of June, 1814, as stated in his account, and the next day met a party of Indians, under Black Hawk, who pretended to be friendly and proposed a treaty. While the terms of the treaty were being discussed, and all, apparently, was progressing smoothly, the Indians challenged the whites for a foot race. The lat- ter, desiring to manifest the utmost spirit of good humor and sociability, accepted the challenge, and on both sides wagers were put up, consist- ing principally of articles of wearing apparel and blankets. The whites selected for their champion a little man named Peter Harpool, who was so small that the Indians laughed at him and thought they would have an easy victory. But he was remarkably fleet of foot, and when the race came off he beat the Indian matched against him by all odds: They were greatly surprised at this, and not a little chagrined. Gath- ering around Harpool, they pointed at him in astonishment, and talked excitedly in their native tongue, accompanying their remarks with gestures and signs which indicated anything but kindness and friend- ship. Early the next morning the attack was made on the whites, and Harpool was one of the first killed. It is believed their defeat in the . race of the day before contributed much to influence them for the murderous work resolved upon by Black Hawk.
Lieut. Riggs, who, with Lieut. Rector, had command of the rangers of the expedition, had previously served under Capt. James Calla- way, of this county, who organized the first company of rangers in the county after the outbreak of the War of 1812, or the Indian war, as it was known here. Lieut. Riggs was also with Capt. Callaway at the time of the latter's death in the unfortunate Indian ambuscade on Loutre creek, an account of which is given below. Capt. Calla- way's first company was organized in 1813, and though made up prin- cipally of volunteers from St. Charles county, it contained several from neighboring settlements in Lincoln and Warren. The following names are found on its muster rolls, which are still preserved : Captain, James Callaway ; first lieutenant, Prospect K. Robbins ; second lieuten- ant, John B. Stone ; first sergeant, Larkin S. Callaway ; second sergeant, John Baldridge ; third sergeant, Wm. Smith ; cornet, Jonathan Riggs ; trumpeter, Thos. Powell. Privates - Frank McDermid, John Stewart,
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