Peoria County, Illinois - Archaeology of the Northwest, 1880 (part 2 of 2)

Capt. Wells, an uncle of Mrs. Heald, had been adopted by the famous Miami warrior. Little Turtle, and had become chief of a band of Miamis. On the 14th he was seen approaching with a band of his Miami warriors, coming to assist Capt. Heald in defending the fort, having at Fort Wayne heard of the danger which threatened the garrison and the settlers. But all means for defending the fort had been destroyed the night before. All, therefore, took up their line of march, with Capt. Wells and his Miamis in the lead, followed by Capt. Heald, with his wife riding b}' liis side. Mr. Kinzie had always been on the most friendly terms with the Indians, and still hoped that his personal efforts might influence them to allow the whites to leave unmolested. He determined to accompany the expedition, leaving his family in a boat in the care of a friendly Indian. In case any misfortune should happen to him, his family was to be sent to the place where Niles, Michigan, is now located, where he had another trading post. Along the shore of Lake Michigan slowly marched the little band of whites, with a friendly escort of Pottawataniies, and Capt. Wells and his Miamis, the latter in advance. When they had reached what were known as the "Sand Hills," the Miami advance guard came rushing back, Capt. AVells exclaiming, " They are about to attack ; form instantly." At that moment a shower of bullets came whistling over the sand hills, behind whicli the Indians had concealed themselves for the murderous attack. The cowardly Miamis were panic-stricken, ane took to flight, leaving their heroic leader to his fate. He was at the side of his niece, Mrs. Heald, when the attack was made, and, after expressing to her the utter hopelessness of their situation, dashed into the fight. There were 54 soldiers, 12 civilians and three women, all poorly armed, against 500 Indian warriors. The little band had no alternative but to sell their lives as dearly as possible. They charged upon their murderous assailants, and drove them from their position back to the prairie. There the conflict continued until two-thirds of the whites were killed and wounded. Mrs. Heald. Mrs. Helm and Mrs. Holt, all took part in the combat. In a wagon were twelve children, and a painted demon tomahawked them all, seeing which, Capt. Wells exclaimed, " If butchering women and children is your game, I will kill too." and then spurred his horse toward the Indian camp, where they had left their squaws and papooses. He was pursued bj' several young warriors, who sent bullets wiiistling about him, killing his horse and wounding Capt. Wells. They attempted to take him a prisoner, but he resolved not to be taken alive. Calling a young chief a squaw, an epithet which which excites the fiercest resentment in an Indian warrior, the young ciiief instantly tomahawked him.

The three women fought as bravely as the soldiers. Mrs. Heald was an expert in the use of the rifle, but received several severe wounds. During the conflict the hand of a savage was raised to tomahawk her, when she exclaimed in his own language, "Surely you will not kill a squaw." Her words had the effect to change his purpose, and her life was spared. Another warrior attempted to tomahawk Mrs. Helm. He struck her a glancing blow on the shoulder, when she seized him and attempted to wrest from him his scalping knife, which was in the sheath attached to his belt. At that moment the friendly Black Partridge dragged her from her antagonist, aud in spite of her struggles carried her to the lake and plunged her in. at the same time holding her so she would not drown. Hy this means he saved her life, as he intended. The third woman, Mrs. Holt, the wife of Sergeant Holt, was a huge woman, and as strong and brave as an amazon. She rode a fine, spirited horse, which more than once the Indians tried to take from her. Her husband had been disabled in tlie fight, and with his sword, which she had taken, she kept the savages at bay for some time. She was finally, however, taken prisoner, and remained along time a captive among the Indians, but was subsequently lansonied.

After two-thirds of the whites had been slain or disabled, twenty-eiglit men succeeded in gaining an eminence on the prairie, and the Indians desisted from further pursuit. The chiefs held a consultation, and gave the sign that they were ready to parley. Capt. Heald went forward and met the chief. Blackbird, on the jirairie, when terms of surrender were agreed upon. The whites were to deliver up their arms and become prisoners, to be exchanged or ransomed in the future. All were taken to the Indian camp near the abandoned fort, where the wounded Mrs. Helm had previously been taken by Black Partridge. By the terms of surrender no provision had been made as to the disposition of the wounded. It was the understanding of the Indians that the British general, Proctor, had offered a bounty for American scalps delivered at Maiden. Here there was another scene of horror. ^lost of the wounded men were killed and scalped.

Michigan. Such were the experiences and the struggles of the heroic men and women who ventured forth into the wilderness to plant the germs of civilization, and to lay the foundations of future cities and States. The site on which now stands a city which ranks among the greatest on the continent, is consecrated by the blood shed by heroes on that bright 15th day of August, 1812.

Fort Dearborn was rebuilt in 1816, under the direction of Capt. Bradley, and was occupied until 1837, when, the Indians having removed from the country, it was abandoned.

Congress, on the 2d of March, 1827, granted to the State of Illinois every alternate section of land for six miles on either side of the line of the then proposed Illinois and Michigan canal, to aid in its construction, from Chicago to the head of navigation of the Illinois river. The State accepted the grant, and on the 22d of January, 1829, organized a board of canal commissioners, with power to lay out towns along the line. Under this authority the commissioners employed Mr. James Thompson to survej- the town of Chicago. His first map of the town bears date August 4, 1830. In 1831 the place contained about a dozen families, not including the officers and soldiers in Fort Dearborn. On the 10th of August, 1833, it was organized by the election of five trustees - there being twenty-eight voters. On the 26th of September of the same year, a treaty was signed with the chiefs of the Pottawattamies, seven thousand of the tribe being present, and on the 1st of October they were removed west of the Mississippi. The first charter of the city was passed by the Legislature of Illinois, and approved March 4, 1837. Under this charter an election was held May 1st, of the same year. A census was taken on the 1st of July, when the entire population was shown to be 4,170. The cit}' then contained four warehouses, three hundred and twenty-eight dwellings, twenty-nine dry goods stores, five hardware stores, three drug stores, nineteen provision stores, ten taverns, twenty-six groceries, seventeen lawyers' offices, and five churches. It theu embraced an area of 560 acres. At this date grain and flour had to be imported from the East to feed the people, for the iron arteries of trade did not then stretch out over the prairies of Illinois, Iowa, and other States. There were no exportations of produce until 1839, and not until 1842 did the exports exceed the imports. Grain was sold in the streets by the wagon load, the trade being restricted to a few neighboring farmers of Illinois.

Of religious organizations the Methodists were the pioneers, being represented in 1831, 1832, and 1833, by Rev. Jesse Walker. Their first quarterly meeting was held in the Fall of 1833, and in the Spring of the next year the first regular class was formed. The first Presbyterian church was organized June 26, 1833, the first pastor being Rev. James Porter. It consisted at the time of twenty-five members from the garrison and nine from the citizens of the town. The first Baptist church was organized October 19, 1833 ; and the first Episcopal church, St. James, in 1834. The first Catholic church was built by Rev. Schofler, in 1833-4.