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 17
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 17
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 17
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120
156
HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.
John Atkinson, Robert Truitt, Francis Howell, Joseph Hinds, Richard Baldridge, Lewis Crow, Benjamin Howell, Anthony C. Palmer, Daniel Hays, Boone Hays, Adams Zumwalt, Jr., John Howell and James Kerr. It was this company, or a part of it, together with other vol- unteer rangers, who was with Lieut. Riggs in the affair at the rapids above Rock river, the term of the enlistment of the men under Calla- way having expired a short time before.
After the return of the relief expedition, Capt. Callaway immedi- ately organized another company and marched against the British and Indians at Rock Island. This company was composed of the following volunteers : Captain, James Callaway ; first lieutenant, David Bailey ; second lieutenant, Jonathan Riggs. Privates - James McMullin, Hiram Scott, Frank McDermid, William Keithley, Thomas Bowman, Robert Baldridge, James Kennedy, Thomas Chambers, Jacob Groom, Parker Hutchings, Wolf, Thomas Gilmore, John Baldridge, Joshua Deason, James Murdock, William Kent, and. John E. Berry. On reaching Rock Island, they found a greatly superior force of the enemy intrenched there, but Capt. Callaway, nevertheless, ordered an attack, which was made with great gallantry and impetuosity. The British and Indians outnumbered the rangers ten to one, but a spir- ited fight was kept up for nearly an hour, when, at last, being at every disadvantage, and after the loss of a number of men, the gallant assail- ants were compelled to retire, seeing that it was a physical impossi- bility to carry the works of the enemy. They fell back to Cap-au-Gris, and shortly afterwards returned home.
Some time after the fight at Rock Island a party of Indians pushed down into the settlements of Missouri along the Loutre. Early on the morning of the 7th of March, 1815, Capt. Callaway, with Lieut. Riggs and 14 men - McMullen, Scott, McDermid, Robert and John Baldridge, Hutchings, Kennedy, Chambers, Wolf, Gilmore, Deason, Murdock, Kent and Berry -left Fort Clemson, on Loutre island, in pursuit of the Indians, who had been committing numerous depreda- tions in the vicinity. They swam the Loutre on their horses and fol- lowed the Indian trail, which led them up the west bank of the river. Reaching Prairie fork, a branch of the Loutre, they also swam it, some 75 yards above its mouth ; and from this on they advanced with great caution, as they felt certain that they were only a short distance in the rear of the Indians and might possibly be ambuscaded. At about 2 o'clock in the afternoon, when some 12 miles from where they had crossed Prairie fork, they came upon some stolen horses secreted in a bend of Loutre creek and guarded by only a few squaws. The
157
HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.
squaws fled on the approach of the rangers and the latter secured the horses. Proceeding further in their pursuit, no other Indians were overtaken, although the trail showed that there were between 75 and 100 in the party. At last, failing to overtake the Indians, or rather losing the trail altogether, for it disappeared as if the party had scattered, Capt. Callaway decided to return.
Lieut. Riggs, who was an old Indian fighter and a man of great caution and good judgment, as well as of dauntless courage, had his suspicions aroused by the disappearance of the trail of the Indians, and told Capt. Callaway that he believed they had scattered to throw their pursners off the track and to form an ambuscade for the rangers on the return of the latter home. His advice was not to return by the same route they came. But Capt. Callaway believed that the In- dians had left the settlements and that no more of them would be seen. He accordingly dismissed the well grounded suspicions of Lieut. Riggs and proceeded with his men back by the same route they had come. A short time before reaching Prairie fork they stopped to let their horses rest and to refresh themselves with a lunch. Riggs anticipated an attack, if the Indians were in the vicinity at all, at the crossing of Prairie fork, which was peculiarly favorable for an ambus- cade ; and he expostulated with Capt. Callaway not to think of cross- ing the creek at that point, for he was satisfied the Indians would be found in ambush there. His suspicions, however, were again dis- missed by Capt. Callaway, and soon all were on the march home. Hutchings and McDermid were in advance and were leading the horses recovered from the Indians, whilst Callaway, Riggs and the rest of the company were some 50 yards behind. On reaching the creek the three in advance plunged into the water with their horses, and were swimming across when a volley of deadly shots rang out and all three fell dead from their saddles on the opposite shore.
Hearing the firing in advance, Callaway and his men dashed bravely forward to the assistance of their comrades, but they in turn also re- ceived a raking fire. Capt. Callaway's horse was instantly killed and he received a slight wound in the left arm, barely escaping death by the ball striking his watch in his left breast pocket which was com- pletely shattered. He sprang from his horse and gained the opposite. bank, but as a perfect storm of balls was falling around him he plunged into the water again as the best protection from their deadly effect. He was swimming rapidly down the creek when a ball struck him in the head from the rear, which passed through and lodged in his fore
158
HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.
head. He sank immediately, but his body was afterwards taken out and mutilated by the Indians, and his scalp taken. .
In the meantime Lieut. Riggs and the rest of the men were hotly engaged and were forced to retreat, fighting as they fell back. Scott and Wolf became separated from their comrades, and the former was killed. Wolf escaped to the fort and was the first to bring the news of the disaster. Riggs and the others fell back about a mile, and, turning to the right, crossed Prairie fork about the same distance above its mouth, making a wide circuit thence for the fort, which they succeeded in reaching without further molestation. The following day the company returned to the scene of the massacre for the pur- pose of burying the dead. The bodies of Hutchings, McDermid and McMullin had been cut to pieces and hung on surrounding bushes. The remains were gathered up and buried in one grave, near the spot where the unfortunate men were killed. Capt. Callaway's body was not found until several days afterwards. It was taken and wrapped in blankets and buried on the side of an abrupt hill overlooking Loutre creek. Several months afterwards the grave was walled in with rough stones and a flat slab was laid across the head on which was engraved : " Capt. James Callaway, March 7, 1815." Thus ended the so-called Indian war, as far as the people of St. Charles county were interested in it, and a most unfortunate ending it was.
Capt. Callaway was a man of great bravery and a leader whom the sturdy, resolute pioneers of that day delighted to follow. He knew no such feeling as fear, and his disregard of danger was so great that it amounted to a fault. Like many brave men, he was not as cautious and cool-headed as he ought to have been for a safe and successful officer. Whatever courage would do he would accomplish, and where fighting was to be done face to face and hand to hand, he was without a superior. The Indians knew him and feared him above all others; and if with his splendid courage he had united reasonable caution and a discriminating, calculating judgment, he would have been a leader worthy a place among the first Indian fighters of the country. Even as it was he performed services of inestimable value to the early set- tlers ; and such was the confidence reposed in him by them that they were ready to follow him in preference to all others, wherever he saw fit to lead, and such the fear his name inspired among the Indians that this alone prevented many raids upon the settlements which would have otherwise been made. They knew that when they came within reach of him they must fight to the death or fly the country without ceremony.
159
HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.
Lieut. Riggs was a man of cooler judgment than Capt. Callaway, and not less courageous. But the fact that he often advised caution when an attack was to be made or resisted, prevented him from receiv- ing the credit for the dauntless bravery he invariably showed. Never- theless, he had the confidence of all, and stood only second to Capt. Callaway in the admiration of their men. Whilst Capt. Callaway was, perhaps, better suited to command where desperate fighting was to be done and regardless of consequences, Lieut. Riggs was unques- tionably his superior as a general officer - to plan movements, calcu- late results and conduct successful operations. He afterwards became a prominent citizen of Lincoln county and served as judge of the county court and in the office of sheriff for a number of years. In the Black Hawk War he rose to the rank of brigadier-general of volun- teers, and afterwards held a similar command in the State militia.
Before passing from the events of these early Indian troubles, it should be noticed that the volunteers mentioned in the two companies of Capt. Callaway were by no means all in the county who did valu- able service in the defense of the settlements. Capt. Callaway, him- self, from time to time, had other companies, and Capt. Nathan Boone had a company which bore an honorable part in the Indian troubles of the times. Volunteers from this county also served in companies in other counties, including the companies of Capts. Craig and Musik. Several St. Charles volunteers were of the party that pursued and de- feated the Indians who murdered the Ramsey family, the day after the massacre occurred. That, however, and similar events in other counties, belong more properly to the histories of those counties.
What is known as the Black Hawk War grew out, primarily, of a factional fight for the chiefship among the united Sacs and Fox Indians, between Black Hawk and Keokuk. During the War of 1812, or rather during the Indian troubles on the Upper Mississippi and Lower Missouri between 1811 and 1815, Black Hawk had unquestion- ably been recognized as the war chief of the combined tribes ; and he also had under his command a large following of Winnebagoes and volunteers from other tribes. Early identifying himself with the British, in 1812, he went to join their forces at Green Bay with a large number of warriors. While absent on this expedition, his people, fearing an attack from the Americans, held a council and chose Keo- kuk to act as chief in their defense. On Black Hawk's return he found Keokuk installed as chief of his people, and that the latter had so ingratiated himself with them, that he had a strong following. Black
160
HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.
Hawk, however, continued to act as principal war chief, and matters moved along thus until the close of the War of 1812.
In July, 1815, the war having closed, the Indians of the different tribes which had been in hostility to the Americans, were invited to assemble in council at Portage des Sioux, in St. Charles county, to treat for peace. The commissioners on the part of the United States were Gov. Clark, of Missouri, Gov. Edwards, of Illinois, and Auguste Chouteau, of St. Louis, Robert Walsh, of Baltimore, being secretary of the commission. Treaties were made between the Pottawatamies, Piankeshaws, Sioux, Omahas, Kickapoos, Osages, Iowas, Kansas, and the party of the Sacs and Foxes which recognized Keokuk as chief. But the Black Hawk party refused to attend the council or to be governed by the treaty which Keokuk had signed. They claimed that he had always been the secret friend of the Americans. By this treaty Keokuk ceded, or confirmed a former cession of an immense territory on both sides of the Mississippi north of the Missouri and Illinois rivers. This grant Black Hawk claimed was a fraud and had never been made by any proper authority on the part of the Indians. The territory so ceded included the home of the Sacs and Foxes, east of the Mississippi, above Rock river. The Indians, however, continued to reside there unmolested until 1823, when, as white settlers began to pour in and trouble became imminent, Keokuk with his party, on the advice of the Indian agent at Fort Armstrong, withdrew to the western side of the Mississippi, where he received a present of forty square miles of land. Black Hawk and his followers refused to aban- don their hunting grounds, but declared they would remain and defend their homes against all comers. As they refused to recognize the treaty, or the authority of the Americans, they were regarded as ene- mies of the white settlers and became known as the " British band " throughout all the settlements. Of course collisions between the In- dians and whites became almost every day occurrences, and much bad feeling was engendered. Stock were driven off, fields destroyed, houses burned, women and children terrified and abused, and practically a state of war inaugurated. At last the government sold the land on which Black Hawk's village was situated and he was ordered to leave.
Black Hawk put forth every exertion in his power to secure allies for the defense of his home among the other neighboring Indian tribes, and especially to win over the Keokuk party to his cause, but all was with- out avail. The majority of Keokuk's men sympathized with Black Hawk, and were anxious to be led on the war path by him, but through
161
HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.
the influence of Keokuk were restrained from doing so by the assur- ance that if they went to war again with the Americans, they would lose even the homes they had on the western side of the river. Thus left to rely only on the few hundred braves he had in his own party, Black Hawk, on the approach of the Illinois militia and some regulars, retired across the river and consented to recognize Keokuk as sole chief. But he and his band were greatly dissatisfied and frequently his warriors crossed the river " to steal roasting-ears out of their own corn fields," as he put it. Finally, in April, 1832, Black Hawk and his whole band formally crossed the river " to settle down," as they said, " and plant corn and live in peace." He was a second time ordered out, but refused to go, and the " Black Hawk War" was inaugurated.
Gov. Reynolds, of Illinois, ordered out the militia of that State and a fight occurred at Stillman's Run, so-called from the fact that at the first fire the militia, under Maj. Stillman, numbering nearly 300, or two to one more than the Indians, fled precipitately. This and subse -. quent successes brought Black Hawk a large number of volunteers from Keokuk's hand and the Winnebagoes, and a sharp and spirited struggle followed. Black Hawk attacked the fort at Buffalo Grove, but retired without reducing it. On his retreat, however, he met a detachment of volunteers under Col. Posey, whom he defeated. On the Wisconsin 40 Indians were killed and about 300 more at Bad Axe.
Meanwhile the proximity of these hostilities to the Missouri frontier caused Gov. Miller to adopt precautionary measures to avert the ca- lamities of an invasion which seemed imminent. In May, 1832, he ordered Maj .- Gen. Richard Gentry to enlist a thousand volunteers without delay. Gen. Gentry issued orders to Brig .- Gens. James Miens, commanding the Seventh brigade, Jonathan Riggs, commanding the Eighth, Jesse T. Wood, commanding the Ninth, all of the Third Missouri division, to furnish the required quota. Accordingly, com- panies were formed in Boone, Callaway, Montgomery, St. Charles, Lincoln, Pike, Marion, Ralls, Clay and Monroe counties. The com- pany organized in this county was not formed, however, as early as those organized in some of the other counties, nor in time to take part in the expedition to Ft. Pike. That expedition was made by a de- tachment composed of the companies of Capt. John Jamison, of Cal- laway county, and Capt. David N. Hickman, of Boone county, under Maj. Thomas W. Conyers, accompained by Gen. Gentry in person.
They proceeded at once to the northern frontier of the State, ar- riving at Palmyra July 10, and at Ft. Pike, ten miles from the mouth
162
HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.
of the Des Moines river, five days later. Finding no Indians on the war path there, Gen. Gentry shortly returned to Columbia, but left Maj. Conyers in command of the two companies garrisoned at Ft. Pike. About a month after this the companies of Capt's. Jamison and Hickman were relieved by those of Capts. Kirtly, of Boone county, and Ewing, of Callaway county, Maj. Conyers still continuing in command of the fort.
In September, following, no Indian troubles occurring in the vicin- ity of Ft. Pike and there being little danger of an Indian raid in that locality, the detachment was ordered back and honorably mustered out of the service. This, however, was before the actual close of the war, which was not concluded until after the decisive battle at Bad Axe, where Black Hawk was defeated, mainly by Illinois troops, under Gen. Atkinson. Shortly afterwards Black Hawk was captured by a couple of Winnebagoes, who betrayed him and brought him into Gen. Atkinson's camp at Prairie du Chien. The remainder of the old chief's days were spent principally in one of the villages of his tribe and under the chiefship of Keokuk, whom the whites uniformly recognized and treated with as chief.
Meanwhile, a short time prior to the battle of Bad Axe, Capt. Nathan Boone had completed the organization of his company in this county, which was enlisted for twelve months, and known as the St. Charles Mounted Rangers. The company numbered a hundred vol- unteers besides the officers, but only the names of the following are now remembered by Mr. Lorenzo Cottle, one of the few survivors of the company and who has kindly furnished us these facts : Nathan Boone, captain ; James Hamilton, first lieutenant (a West Point graduate ) ; - Butler, second lieutenant ; George Abby, orderly sergeant ; Taylor Mccutchen, E. Overall, John B. Allen, Evan Johnson, Randle Smith, Abraham Roundtree and brother, Noah and Gabriel Zumwalt, Pizaro Howell, David Finch, David Rue, Lorenzo Cottle and Irvin Johnson. The only survivors are Ezra Overall, Irvin John- son, John B. Allen, Taylor Mccutchen and Lorenzo Cottle.
Capt. Boone received orders to proceed at once to Rock Island, where the main body of the forces of the whites ( militia and regulars ) were stationed. On the way there he fell in with the company of Capt. Ford, of Indiana, consisting of a hundred mounted rangers. When they reached Rock Island Black Hawk had just been de- feated at Bad Axe. They remained there, however, for about a month and were reviewed by Gen. Scott. While there the cholera became epidemic among the soldiers and was very fatal.
163
HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.
The outbreak of the Black Hawk War had caused a general rise among the Indians further West and South, particularly of the Co- manches, who threatened a raid into the southern frontier settle- ments. To provide against this a force was sent west, consisting principally of mounted rangers, including Capt. Boone and his com- pany. There were also companies from Indiana and Arkansas. Their first stop was at Ft. Gibson, in the Indian Territory, where they .win- tered, remaining there five months. In the spring of the following year, 1833, they were ordered still further west, their course being a little south of west, and were given rations for thirty days, it being expected that they would reach a fort on the Upper Red river, about a hundred miles above what was known as the wreck on the river, where troops were stationed and further supplies could be had. After they- reached Red river they camped for a time to refresh themselves and rest their horses. There, for the first time, they came upon the Indians, a band of Comanches, who had evidently been following them for some distance for the purpose of getting an opportunity to take them by surprise and exterminate them, as had been done with numerous former expeditions.
. One of Capt. Boone's company, Orderly Sergeant Abby, going out of camp for the purpose of hunting, unconscious of the presence of the Indians, was surrounded by them and doubtless murdered, for he was never heard of afterwards. The detachment that went in search of him found where he had been surrounded, as was shown by the grass being beaten down. They had evidently carried him off with them on their retreat. The whole force of the expedition then went in pur- suit of the Indians, who fled after they had taken Abby, finding their presence was known to the troops. Their trail was followed a number of days, until finally it was impossible to follow it further, from the fact that they separated into small parties, all going in different direc- tions. Finding it impossible to recover Abby and fearing an ambus- cade, for the Indian settlements had been reached, the command now started on their return to Ft. Gibson.
Meanwhile, their rations had given out long prior to this. But, fortunately, they were in a country where buffalo were in abundance, and there was also considerable game, principally turkeys, which were found in the timber of creek bottoms. The prairies were literally cov- ered with herds of buffalo and wild horses. The former were killed in abundance, and buffalo meat was the main reliance of the troops for subsistence. The buffalo, however, were extremely poor, and the meat was such as even the average butcher of these days would not
164
HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.
think of offering for sale, tough as his conscience might be. They en- dured great hardships and privations on the expedition, and were out in the wilds of the far West for more than three months, finally reach- ing Ft. Gibson, almost completely exhausted.
While on this expedition Mr. Cottle narrowly escaped being hope- lessly separated from the command and losing his life, either by starv- ation or by falling into the hands of the Indians. He went out from the command a short distance to hunt, and becoming separated from them further than he expected, lost his " bearing," or the direction to take to reach them. He was not aware of his perilous situation until after he had killed a turkey and had started back to the com- mand. After traveling quite as far as he thought was necessary, he still found no trace of his comrades, and it was impossible to rely on following their trail, for the whole country was checked with the trails of wild horses, Indian bands, and buffalo. Finally, giving up all hope of reaching them, he directed his course toward Ft. Gibson and expected to make the journey alone, if not prevented by starva- tion or overtaken by Indians. Coming down to a creek bottom on the way, he saw a cluster of saddled horses in the brush which he felt al- most certain belonged to the Indians. At this sight his heart beat so fast and loud that he was almost afraid it would betray his presence to them. Slipping up stealthily to see, gun in hand, prepared to fight to the death rather than be taken alive, as soon as he got in full view, lo ! he found they were his own comrades, and he jumped so with joy that he almost split his boots. It is needless to say that he went on no more hunting excursions while on that expedition, and never after- wards has he had the fondness for hunting he had prior to his experi- ence on the plains.
Soon after the return of the expedition to Ft. Gibson all the Ranger companies were honorably discharged and came home, after an ab- sence of nearly a year.
The Florida War followed a few years after the close after the Indian or Black Hawk War, and some of the same volunteers from St. Charles county, who served in the latter served also in the former. The names of the volunteers from this county, as far as remembered by Mr. Cottle, are the following: William Knott, cap- tain ; William Fitch, Joseph Bozart, Joseph Welot, William Cordell, and Lorenzo Cottle.
In 1819 Florida was ceded to the United States by Spain, but pos- session was not taken by this country until the summer of 1821, when a territorial government was established. The peninsula was
165
HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.
mainly inhabited by Seminole Indians, though there were a num- ber of colonists from Spain and France and not a few fugitive slaves from the neighboring States of Alabama and Georgia. Treaties were made with the Seminoles, by which they relinquished their title to the country and grants of land were made to them west of the Mississippi. But when the time came for them to quit Florida a large body of them, most of them in fact, refused to go. In 1835 an attempt was made to remove them to the West, but they resisted and took up arms, rallying under the leadership of their great chief, Osceola, and open war followed. In May, 1836, the Creeks joined the Seminoles and the war spread into Georgia. The Creeks, however, were soon over- powered and removed to the West. The Seminoles were not so easily subdued. When defeated in open battle they invariably took refuge in the swamps and everglades, where it seemed impossible for white troops to follow them. In October, 1837, Osceola was captured by Gen. Jessup, and sent a prisoner to Ft. Moultrie, South Carolina, where he died shortly afterwards. Nevertheless, the war continued for several years, and Missouri was called upon to furnish a quota of men for the service.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.