Kendall County, Illinois - Chapter 11: The Flight !, 1877

Chapter 11: The Flight !

UST AS young Peppers rode up to Geo. B. Hollenback's, his wife was setting supper, and he had washed and was wiping on the towel, when the Indian said, without dismounting: "The Sacs are coming !" Mr. H. made some light reply ; but the other added : " My friend, I am in earnest ; go at once if you will save your lives." His wife and step-daughter took the alarm at once, and dropping their work, hurried over to Clark Hollenback's with the warning. Clark himself had gone to Ottawa to get a plow sharpened and do some other business ; and here, too, the women were frightened, and to keep close to the truth, the boys were slightly nervous, as well. Thomas, mounting an unbroken colt, started to alarm his uncle George, and one of the others ran over to Cunningham's. The women, with what articles they could carry, were mounted on tlie horses, the men on foot, and so they left for the fort at Ottawa. The prairie grass was green, and wild flowers were growing where Newark now stands, but the fugitives had no heart or time to admire beauty, save the beauty of seeing, as they now and then looked behind, that the}' were getting farther away and no Indians in sight.

Reaching the point of the Mission timber by dark, they turned the horses out to graze, and hid themselves in the thicket. But it soon commenced to rain, and they decided to move on, most of them this time on foot, as they were unable to catch but one of the horses. The journey was a slow and tedious one, and they reached Ottawa the next evening.

Frightened Colt

made double-quick time over the Pavilion road between Newark and William Hollenback's. His uncle, when he arrived, was tying the horses out to grass, after their day's work ; but on hearing the alarm immediately brought them up again, and left the boys to harness them while he hurried over to arouse the other families. Mr. Harris' team had strayed away, and himself and the two older boys were absent searching for them. To add to their dismay, Mrs. Harris' father - old Mr. Coombs - was so sick with inflammatory rheumatism as to be unable to be moved. There appeared no alternative but to leave him if they would save their lives, and to this he urged them. " Leave me to m}^ fate," he said, " and save yourselves ; I am an old man and can live but a little while at best." Taking what articles they could, with tearful farewells, they left him and hurried away on foot. Mr. Ackley had no wagon, and he mounted his wife and one child on one horse, while he and the remaining child rode the other. By the time they reached Mr. Hollenback's the sun had set and it was growing dark ; but the boys had the team and wagon all ready, so that they started at once, taking an easterly direction over the prairie towards Plainfield. Before sunset the Indians were on the move, eager for

Scalps And Spoil

They struck Harris' cabin first, and Mr. Coombs gave himself up for dead; but having satisfied themselves that he was sick, they did not molest him. Passing on to the two other cabins, they found no one at home ; but the supper tables were spread, and they helped themselves to what they pleased. " Shabbona did this," they said one to another in their Indian guttural, and they laid up a score against him.

They had been but a few minutes at Hollenback's when - the wagon having mired in a slough about a mile out - Mr. Hoilenback returned to get a chain that lay on a shaving horse in his yard. As he approached the fence, through the brush, he saw a light through the cracks, between the basswood puncheons of which the door was made. Indians do not usually make lights while on their raids, but these were undoubtedly on a savage spree, and believing their victims had received warning and fled, were ofi" their guard. In a moment the door opened, and one came out bearing a torch ; at that instant the dry twigs snapped under Mr. Hollenback's feet as he ran away, pursued by two Indians.

His line of flight was parallel with the present Pavilion road for about a mile, when his strength gave out, and he fell - rolling into a ditch at the foot of the hill south of Dr. Cook's. Fortunately, his pursuers ran past him, and soon gave up the chase. The moon was nearly at the full, but everv few minutes it would cloud over and be dark, and Mr. HoUenback being thus unable to keep the wagon track even after he found it, became lost, and rambled about all night. Mr. Harris and his two sons, while after the horses, became lost, but in the morning, strangely enough, came on their family encamped on the prairie. They had passed the slough by unloading the wagon. Although not at that time professing Christians, they always regarded that meeting as a special

In the morning the company separated, Mr. and Mrs. Ackley turning off to arouse the Aments. Coming to the door Mrs. Ackley said to them who were up : "" Call Edward ; the Sacs and Foxes are upon us, and he must leave just as quick as he can," and while she continued talking Edward was called, and preparation for flight was begun. In a few minutes they were on the road, Mr. Morton, a man who lived with Anient, being with them. With the other party was Peter Bolinger, a single man who worked for HoUenback. Crossing the wide prairie they came soon after sunrise to the claims of Selvey and Dougherty, where two new-comers, Kceler

Checked By A Carouse

Clark and his brother William, were breaking sod. The latter was afterwards well known as a Mormon preacher. They put part of their breaking team on the wagon in place of Mr. Hollenback's jaded horses ; thus strengthened, the party continued their journey with less fear of attack. At this point, too, they were joined by Mr. Hollenback, who was received as one from the dead.

At Clark Hollenback's the Indians found more to hold them, for there were groceries and tobacco and whisky in the store, and they spent the remainder of the night there in wild carousal. It was a fortunate spree for the

Holderman Grove Settlers

They had been warned the night before, but the war had been so long talked of they did not believe there was any immediate danger. The possessions that must be left behind doubtless caused some of the hesitation, for Mr. Holderman had but just returned from Ohio with a load of provisions. Two other families had moved in, Mr. Cummins and Wyatt Cook, making again the original number at the grove.

Mr. Kellogg was away and was not expected home for a day or two, but he would not have hastened matters if he had been present. Mr. Vermet, however, sent his hired man over to warn Mr. Booth and Mr. Litsey, but, perhaps through fear, he did not do his errand.

Before breakfast, in the morning of the memorable and beautiful sixteenth of May, Mr. Holderman took a piece of bread and butter in his hand, mounted his horse, and, in company with Ezra Kellogg and Mr. Cummins, rode over to Newark to see if Clark Hollenback credited the report. Mr. Cummins wore an overcoat and carried a rifle ; the others were unarmed. Going first to Pat Cunningham's, they found no one at home ; then passing up towards Hollenback's, their suspicions were aroused. They did not like the appearance of things and stopped. Between them and the house a new sod fence had been made, and an Indian now appeared on the fence and beckoned with his hand to them to come on. It was enough. Instead of coming on, they turned their horses and fled, and were instantly shot at and pursued by a large party of Indians, who were secreted in the fence ditch. Thev had been drinkinoi; and were all excited, otherwise it would seem impossible that the men could have escaped with their lives. As it was, the only bullet that took eff"ect cut the neck of Mr. Cummins' horse, below the mane. The little valley south of Earl Adams' homestead used to be a sunny spot. The hill each side was a great den for wolves and badgers. There the Indian ponies had strayed, seeking the green grass, and the Indians were consequently obliged to follow the white men on foot, which they did with all their speed, and with furious yells. But on the Adams hill, Holderman swung his hat and shouted to imaginary reinforcements, and the device was successful. The Indians stopped, and after a short parley retreated. When they reached Kellogg's, Mr. Holderman shouted over the slough to his family, " Gear up, gear up !" and leaving their breakfast untasted, they hastened to obey the warning call.

They did not know but the Indians, catching their ponies, would be upon them within a few minutes, so they made ready with the utmost speed, and were soon far on the road to Ottawa. The Indians, however, did not leave Hollenback's until the following night, detained either by love of their good fare or by the hope that other settlers might visit them. The last, undoubtedly, was the stronger motive, as the store was tolerably well known through the surrounding settlements, and was frequently visited. It is illustrative of Indian nature that from first to last these robbers skulked in thickets and groves in the daytime, and did their traveling mostly in the night.