went to Newport in the spring where we spent the summer following &
returned to Mr. Jacob Geiger's near Louisville & spent the winter of
1813-14. The spring and summer following I was engaged in putting
up buildings on a piece of Land I bought of Mr. Wand joining Jacob
Geiger's Plantation & moved into the buildings late in the fall of 1814.
At the Consolidation of the Army in 1814 I was disbanded, being then a
Major in the 19th Regt. of Inf'y.
Mary Sibyl Heald was born at her Grandfather's near Louisville on the
17th of Ap'l 1814.
Margaret Ann Heald born at my House near Louisville the 9th of Dec'r
1816 Kentucky.
Feb 15 th 1817 sold my House & Lot near Louisville Ky to Mr. Jacob
Geiger for $3000.
March 22nd 1817. Left Louisville with my family for St. Charles County
Missouri Territory and arrived there the 15 th of Apl. following.
Spent the summer of 1817 at Joseph Batys plantation.
Nov'r 1817 moved to a Plantation I bought of Jacob Zumwalt for $1000.
Rebecca Hackley Heald was born in St. Charles County the 7th January
1819.
21st September 1820. Mr. Geiger's family arrived from Kentucky.
Nov'r 2nd Mrs Geiger died of a consumption. (Nov) 6th Mr. Geiger with
his Children sat out for Kentucky.
17th October (1820) Bought a House and lot in St. Charles of Antoine
Ganis for the sum of $450. cash in hand.
Rebecca Hackley Heald Died 16th Jan'y 1821, between the hours of 8 & 9
P.M. Aged 2 Years & 10 days.
Darius Heald born on Sunday Jan'y 27th 1822, at 3 o'Clock in the
morning. The Moon 5 days old, in the sign of (Aries) State of Missouri
St. Charles County.
APPENDIX IV
CAPTAIN HEALD'S OFFICIAL REPORT OF THE EVACUATION OF FORT DEARBORN[962]
[Footnote 962: The report has been published in various places, usually
with the opening sentence omitted. As presented here the report is
taken from the Drennan Papers, copied from Brannan's _Official Military
and Naval Letters_ (Washington, 1823), 84.]
Pittsburg, October 23d, 1812.
Sir: I embrace this opportunity to render you an account of the
garrison of Chicago.
On the 9th of August last, I received orders from General Hull to
evacuate the post and proceed with my command to Detroit, by land,
leaving it at my discretion to dispose of the public property as
I thought proper. The neighboring Indians got the information as
early as I did, and came in from all quarters in order to receive
the goods in the factory store, which they understood were to be
given them. On the 13th, Captain Wells, of Fort Wayne, arrived
with about 30 Miamies, for the purpose of escorting us in, by the
request of General Hull. On the 14th, I delivered the Indians all
the goods in the factory store, and a considerable quantity of
provisions which we could not take away with us. The surplus arms
and ammunition I thought proper to destroy, fearing they would make
bad use of it if put in their possession. I also destroyed all the
liquor on hand after they began to collect. The collection was
unusually large for that place; but they conducted themselves with
the strictest propriety till after I left the fort. On the 15th,
at 9 o'clock in the morning, we commenced our march: a part of the
Miamies were detached in front, and the remainder in our rear, as
guards, under the direction of Captain Wells. The situation of the
country rendered it necessary for us to take the beach, with the
lake on our left, and a high sand bank on our right, at about 100
yards distance.
We had proceeded about a mile and a half, when it was discovered
that the Indians were prepared to attack us from behind the
bank. I immediately marched up with the company to the top of
the bank, when the action commenced; after firing one round, we
charged, and the Indians gave way in front and joined those on
our flanks. In about fifteen minutes they got possession of all
our horses, provisions, and baggage of every description, and
finding the Miamies did not assist us, I drew off the few men I
had left, and took possession of a small elevation in the open
prarie, out of shot of the bank or any other cover. The Indians
did not follow me, but assembled in a body on the top of the bank,
and after some consultations among themselves, made signs for me
to approach them. I advanced towards them alone, and was met by
one of the Potawatamie chiefs, called the Black Bird, with an
interpreter. After shaking hands, he requested me to surrender,
promising to spare the lives of all the prisoners. On a few moments
consideration, I concluded it would be most prudent to comply
with his request, although I did not put entire confidence in his
promise. After delivering up our arms, we were taken back to their
encampment near the fort, and distributed among the different
tribes. The next morning, they set fire to the fort and left the
place, taking the prisoners with them. Their number of warriors was
between four and five hundred, mostly of the Potawatamie nation,
and their loss, from the best information I could get, was about
fifteen. Our strength was fifty-four regulars and twelve militia,
out of which, twenty-six regulars and all the militia were killed
in the action, with two women and twelve children. Ensign George
Ronan and doctor Isaac V Van Voorhis of my company, with Captain
Wells, of Fort Wayne, are, to my great sorrow, numbered among the
dead. Lieutenant Lina T. Helm, with twenty-five non-commissioned
officers and privates, and eleven women and children, were
prisoners when we were separated. Mrs. Heald and myself were taken
to the mouth of the river St. Joseph, and being both badly wounded,
were permitted to reside with Mr. Burnet, an Indian trader. In a
few days after our arrival there, the Indians all went off to take
Fort Wayne, and in their absence, I engaged a Frenchman to take us
to Michilimackinac by water, where I gave myself up as a prisoner
of war, with one of my sergeants. The commanding officer, Captain
Roberts, offered me every assistance in his power to render our
situation comfortable while we remained there, and to enable us to
proceed on our journey. To him I gave my parole of Honour, and came
on to Detroit and reported myself to Colonel Proctor, who gave us a
passage to Buffaloe; from that place I came by way of Presque Isle,
and arrived here yesterday.
I have the honor to be yours, &c.,
N. Heald,
_Captain U.S. Infantry_.
Thomas H. Gushing, Esqr.,
Adjutant General.
APPENDIX V
DARIUS HEALD'S NARRATIVE OF THE CHICAGO MASSACRE, AS TOLD TO LYMAN C.
DRAPER IN 1868[963]
[Footnote 963: For an account of the two Darius Heald narratives
of the massacre see _supra_, p . 381. The earlier narrative of the
two, which is presented here, was related in an interview with Lyman
C. Draper in 1868. It is printed here for the first time, from the
original manuscript in the Draper Collection. It has never been used
by historical writers hitherto, nor, apparently, has the fact of its
existence been known.]
In a newspaper account preserved by D. Heald, somewhat
fragmentary--evidently an obituary notice of Maj. Heald--is the
following, supplying a few words toward the close in brackets:
"Maj. Heald was in command of Fort Dearborn, Chicago, in 1812, when
an order was presented to him by a British officer [an Indian, Mr.
D. Heald believes] from Gen. Hull to deliver up the post, with all
the public property therein. The officer was accompanied by several
hundred Indians who, after the troops had left the garrison, commenced
an indiscriminate massacre of the men, women & children. The Major
endeavored to rally the few who were armed, but was so severely wounded
in the very outset as to be deprived of every means of resistance. In
this situation he was about to be dispatched by some of the Indians
and was only saved by the interference of a young man, a half-breed
connected with the Indians by the name of _Jean Baptist Chandonnis_,
through whose persuasions & the hope of a considerable reward which
he held out to the savages, they were induced to desist from their
murderous design, & to take him a prisoner. Mrs. Heald was in the early
part of the action separated from her husband & fell in company with
her uncle, the late _Maj. Wm. Wells_, formerly Indian Agent at Fort
Wayne. In the running fight which this brave man kept up with a dozen
of the Indians, & while dying of the wounds he had received, he killed
three of their best warriors, two with his rifle & the third with his
dirk. Mrs. Heald was wounded in the breast, in both arms and in the
side. To her unshaken [firmness] is she indebted [for the preservation
of her own life and that of] her husband [by the aid of] their friend
Chandonis."
[_From Darius Heald_]
Maj. Heald resolved to retire for Detroit. Can't tell when nor where
the militia came from who were killed. Wells thought there would be
difficulty, yet thought they might effect their escape, & strongly
advised the attempt, saying the longer they remained the more Indians
there would be ready to intercept them when they should start, as they
would have to do when starved out. Thinks there was no opposition to
evacuation by any of the officers. Mrs. Heald used so to represent
it. Capt. Wm. Wells got there perhaps three or four days before the
evacuation, nothing was then destroyed; the secreting the ammunition in
the well was after he came, as also the destruction of the whiskey, so
the Indians should not have it to infuriate them.
The government Indian goods were distributed to the Indians, who were
receiving them as the garrison left. Capt. Wells & the militia were
half a mile in advance. The Indians had formed a half circle at the
east end of the Lake, & the west end of which was left open for the
Americans to enter. They did enter. This half moon trap was about
three-fourths of a mile long. Wells discovered them as he neared their
upper or western line, the advanced party were fired on, returned the
fire & fell back to the main body. Wells gave a signal with his hat
before reaching Maj. Heald & the main body. Wells & party yet some
distance off, mounted on ponies, waving his hat, indicating that their
march was intercepted. Indians' heads now began to pop up all along the
line. Then Maj. Heald formed his men in battle line on a sand hill, the
wagons were made part of the line of defence. The Indians would get up
as near as they could, behind trees, bushes & sand banks to protect
them, would fire upon Heald's band, who would repel these attacks.
Discovering a short distance ahead a better position for defence, Maj.
Heald got the wagons containing sick soldiers, women & children between
the troops & the Lake, made a charge, drove the Indians & secured this
more desirable position.
The Indians kept crowding up & a running fight took place, seemingly
from the fort to where the wagons were. Mrs. Heald found herself in
front & near her uncle, who rode up beside her, saying, "My child,
I'm mortally wounded." The blood was oozing from his mouth & nose.
Shot through the lungs. She inquired if he might not possibly recover.
"No, I can't live more than an hour," and added, "My horse is also
badly wounded & I fear cannot carry me to where the wagons are. I must
hasten." His horse soon fell & caught one of the dying captain's legs
under him; but Wells managed to disengage himself. Mrs. Heald now said
to him, "See, there are Indians close by." He replied, "I care not.
I cannot last but a few minutes; I will sell my life as dearly as
possible; as there is no apparent hope for your escape, my dear child,
I trust you will die as bravely as a soldier." He now fell to the
ground & shot as he lay, with his rifle & then with his pistol, thus
dispatching two Indians; while reloading several other Indians came up
& laying as if dead he made a last effort, raised his rifle & killed
another, then hastily bidding his niece farewell, adding that he had
done all he could in his weakness, the advancing Indian host had now
come up, readily recognized him, though painted black & dressed like an
Indian, & while some of them, disingenuously, treacherously, spoke of
saving him, one of their number pointed his gun at Wells' head, seeing
which the dying man pointed his finger at his heart, & made a circular
motion around the crown of his head, thus indicating where to shoot
him, & take his scalp, in another instant he lay in death, when his
heart was taken out, cut up into small bits, distributed & eaten, that
they might prove as brave as he. His scalp was then torn off, his body
well hacked & cut to pieces.
Mrs. Heald received her wo[u]nds while close by her brave uncle, three
wounds in one arm, one in the other, one cut across her breast, one in
her side, only one bone, & that in one of her arms, broken. She stuck
to her horse, was surrounded by the savages & taken prisoner. She had
no weapon of defense. Doesn't know what Indian took her, except that
he was a young chief. She & her horse were led off and taken to where
the squaws were. On the way the Indians charged her with being an
_Ep-i-con-yare--a_ Wells. This, from supposed policy, she denied. The
squaws came out to meet the approaching party, and one of these forest
ladies at once commenced pulling out the blanket from under Mrs. Heald,
which was spread over the saddle, & on which she sat, when she tried to
see if she could use her right hand, which was the least disabled of
the two, & plied her riding whip two or three times smartly over the
adventurous squaw's bare neck and shoulders, who quickly relinquished
her hold and retreated beyond the reach of this white squaw warrior.
The young chief who had her in charge let go the bridle & raised a
hearty yell of rejoicing at the daring intrepidity of his prisoner,
exclaiming, "brave squaw! Epiconyare!" He seemed resolved on protecting
& serving her, & appeared to admire her spirit. He would afterwards
take the unfortunate squaw, who was supposed to be his wife, & exhibit
to the Indians the marks on her shoulders & relate the circumstances of
her receiving them, when they would all raise a hearty laugh, which the
squaw herself seemed to enjoy as much as the others.
The chief gave directions to the squaws who lifted Mrs. Heald from her
horse, to dress the wounds with poultices, which they did, & rendered
her condition very comfortable.
In the fight she had observed one of the officers fall, perhaps her
husband. She inquired as to Maj. Heald's fate, saying she was the white
captain's squaw. They told her he was wounded & a prisoner to another
band, & had not yet marched away. She then told them she wanted to see
him & share his fate in company with him. They told her that she and
her husband belonged to different parties, and she could not go with
him. She insisted that she must see him or die. A squaw who had dressed
her wounds now addressed her as Epi-con-yare, and she now frankly
acknowledged the relationship, and said if she had been a man she would
have fought as long as a red skin could have been found.
Now Jean Baptist Chandonnis made quite a speech to the Indians of the
band who had her, appealing to them in their native language, saying
that she was an Ep-i-con-yare, that she was not only related to a brave
man, but was the wife of a brave officer, and had proved herself a
brave & spirited woman, and ought to be permitted to see her husband,
and closed with a noble appeal in her behalf. He obtained their promise
to remain until he could go and see the Indian who had Captain Heald as
his prisoner. He at once repaired to the other camp & informed [Captain
Heald] about his wife; & prevailed on his Indian captor to mount him on
a poney, though wounded, & conveyed him to where his wife was, when an
affecting meeting took place. The good-hearted Chandonnis then tried
to effect a trade, an arrangement by which the two prisoners should
be kept together. At length Chandonnis purchased Mrs. Heald from her
captor for an old mule captured there and a bottle of whiskey, and had
her placed with her husband.
In the fight the Indians got in the rear & were killing sick soldiers,
women and children when Heald & party commenced falling back, but they
were overpowered, killed and taken. Capt. Heald also captured, all at
last, in a hand-to-hand fight, all mixed up, whites & Indians.
The Indians used guns, spears, bows & arrows, in the fight.
Thinks the prisoners, Mr. & Mrs. Heald, were some thirty days reaching
Mackinaw where Capt. Heald, being a mason, was befriended by the
British officer in command there, one of the fraternity, & was treated
very kindly, who offered to loan him any amount of money, tendering
him his pocketbook even; adding that if he ever reached home he could
return it--if not it would all be right.
It was believed by Mrs. Heald that it was her spirited conduct that
induced the Indians to spare her & her husband, both badly wounded, &
in such condition would be troublesome & cumbersome.
Mrs. Heald saw & read Mrs. Kinzie's Waubun & said it was exaggerated &
incorrect in its relation of the Chicago massacre. Don't know the name
of the Indian who took Capt. Heald.
Mrs. Heald said the Indians were not drunk.
Mr. D. Heald thinks the friendly Miamis who came with Wells to escort
in the troops were what Maj. Heald speaks of as militia [which I doubt,
as it seems that the friendly Indians took no part in the fight,
whereas some of the "militia" were killed, as Heald's report shows.
L.C.D.]
Thinks Wells painted himself as much to disguise his person as for
anything else. Mrs. Heald said that she did not see the incident of
Mrs. Helm (if it was her) being sent by her captor into the edge of the
lake for safety.
In 1831, Chandonnis called & visited Maj. Heald & wife, accompanied
by a chief, and spent two or three days there, they being cordially
entertained, Maj. H. killing a beef & a sheep & gave them a feast
of fresh meat, & talked over the story of the eventful captivity.
Chandonnis & others were then on their way to Kansas as a deputation
to view the country & report the result of their observations to their
people.
Just before the evacuation of Chicago, Mrs. Heald had sewed into a
wamus, or roundabout, several hundred dollars in paper money, & gave
the since chief Alex. Robinson $100. for conveying Maj. Heald & wife
to Mackinaw, which he safely accomplished. This garment Maj. Heald
wore under his regular military suit, & when his outside clothing was
stripped from him, the old wamus & money were left untouched.
Page 615 of Peck's edition of _Annals of the West_, says Mrs. Heald was
attacked in a boat, this is a mistake.
The Indians were not troublesome as represented in that work, as
crowding into the fort before the evacuation.
Wells arrived the 13th, see Heald's official report in the "Annals."
Maj. Heald was so disabled that he was not engaged in any other active
military service subsequently. After a few years his wounds gradually
grew worse, so that he had to use a crutch & cane, & these wounds
finally hastened his death, the ball was never extracted.
Can't say about Capt. Heald first going to Chicago in 1810, don't know
whether there was then any garrison there or not.
Mrs. Heald was born in Jefferson Co., Ky., in 1790, was in her 21st
year when married in May, 1811.
Mr. Heald has got a small water-color likeness of his grandfather,
Gen'l Sam'l Wells, and a daguerreotype[964] of Mrs. Rebecca Heald.
There is no likeness extant of Maj. Heald.
[Footnote 964: Now owned by his daughter, Mrs. Lillian Heald Richmond,
of St. Louis; for a reproduction of it see p. 300.]
APPENDIX VI
LIEUTENANT HELM'S ACCOUNT OF THE MASSACRE. TOGETHER WITH THE
LETTER[965] OF HELM TO JUDGE WOODWARD ANNOUNCING THE NARRATIVE
[Footnote 965: The letter as printed here is copied from the
original manuscript in the Detroit Public Library. Notwithstanding
Helm's statement that the narrative would be ready in two weeks, an
endorsement on the back of it indicates that it was not received by
Woodward until November 10, 1815. In the meantime Heald had severed his
connection with the army, near the close of 1814. In view of Helm's
apprehensions of being court-martialed for his story, it seems not
unlikely that there is some relation between Heald's retirement and its
long-delayed appearance. Words and phrases which have been crossed out
in the original manuscript of the letter and of the massacre narrative
are printed in italics and put within brackets.]
Flemington New Jersey 6th June, 1814.
Dear Sir: I hope you will excuse the length of time I have taken
to communicate the history of the unfortunate massicree of Chicago
it is now nearly finished and in two weeks you may expect it--as
the history cannot possibly be written with truth without eternally
disgracing major Heald I wish you could find out whether I shall
be cashiered or censured for bringing to light the conduct of so
great a man as many thinks him--You know I am the only Officer that
has escaped to tell the news some of the men have got off but where
they are I know not they could be able to testify to some of the
principal facts--I have waited a long time expecting a court of
inquiry on his conduct but see plainly it is to be overlooked--I
am resolved now to do myself justice even if I have to leave the
service to publish the history, I shall be happy to hear from you
immediately on the receipt of this--
I have the honor to be
Sir--
with great respect
Your Obt Hb Servt
L. T. Helm.
Augustus B. Woodward Esqr.
Washington City.
[Addressed] Flemington [Paid] 17
Jun 6th.
Augustus B. Woodward, Esq.
Milton,
[_Washington City_]
Va.
[Endorsed]
Helm, Mr. Linah T.,
letter from
Dated Flemington
New Jersey
June 6th. 1814.
Received at Washington.
June
14th
1814.
[Illustration: LIEUTENANT HEALD'S NARRATIVE OF THE FORT DEARBORN
MASSACRE
(By courtesy of the Chicago Historical Society)]
THE MASSACRE NARRATIVE[966]
[Footnote 966: The narrative, like the letter (_supra_), is copied from
the original manuscript in the Detroit Public Library. The tabular list
of the survivors of the massacre which seems to have accompanied the
narrative is written in pencil and on paper of a different size than
that used for the narrative proper. The sheet is in such condition that
a number of the names would be undecipherable but for the light shed by
a comparison with the Fort Dearborn muster-roll of May 31, 1812.]
Some time in [_March_] April, about the 7th-10, a party of
Winnebagoes came to Chicago and murdered 2 Men this gave a Sufficient
ground for to suppose the Indians Hostile as they had left every sign
by scalping them & leaving a weapon say a war mallet as a token of
their returning in June, Mr. Kinzie sent in a letter from the Interior
of the Indian country to inform Capt. Heald that the Indians were
Hostile inclined & only waiting the Declaration of War to commence
Hostilities this they told Kenzie In confidence on the 10th of July
Capt. Heald got the information of War being declared & on the 8th. of
august got Genl. Hull's order to Evacuate the Post of Fort Dearborne
by the route of Detroit or Fort Wayne if Practicable. This Letter was
brot by a Potowautemie Chief Winnemeg & he informed Capt. Heald through
Kenzie to evacuate immediately the next day if possible as the Indians
were hostile & that the Troops should change the usual Route to go
to Fort Wayne. [_The Evacuation took place on the 15 August prior to
this_] Capt. William Wells arrived from Fort Wayne on the 12th August
with 27 Miamis and after a council being held by him with the tribes
there assembled to amount of 500 warriors 179 women & children he
after council declared them Hostile & that his opinion was that they
would interupt us on our route. Capt. Wells enquered into the State
of the arms, ammunition & Provisions [_of the fort_] we had 200 stand
of arms [_over them_] four pieces of artillery 6000 lb of Powder &
a sufficient quantity of shot Lead &c. 3 Months provisions taken in
Indian Corn & all this on the 12th. Of August having prior to this
expended 3 month Provisions at Least in the interval between the 7th &
the 12th of august, exclusive of this we had at our command 200 Head of
Homed Cattle & 27 barrels of Salt--after this Survey [_Kinzie_] Wells
demanded of Capt Heald if he intended to evacuate, his answer was he
would. Kenzie then with Lt. Helm cald on Wells and requested him to
call on Capt Heald and cause the ammunition & arms to be destroyed but
Capt Wells insisted on Kenzie & Helm to join with him This being done
Capt Heald Hestitated & observed that it was not sound Pollicy to tell
a lie to an Indian that he had received a positive order from Gen. Hull
to deliver up to those Indians all the public Property of whatsoever
nature particularly to those Indians that would take in the Troops &
that he could not alter it, & that it might irritate the Indians & be
the means of the Destruction of his Men Kenzie Volunteered to take the
responsibility on himself provided Capt Heald would consider the Method
he would point out a safe one. He agreed, Kenzie wrote an order as if
from Genl. Hull & gave it into Capt Heald it was supposed to answer &
accordingly was carried into effect. The ammunition & Muskets were all
destroyed the night of the 13th, the 15th. we evacuated the Garrison
& about one and [_a_] half mile from the Garrison we were informed by
Capt Wells that we were surrounded & the attack by the Indians began,
about 10 of the Clock Morning the men in a few minutes were with the
exception of 10 all killed and wounded the Ensign and Surgeons Mate
were both killed the Capt and myself both badly wounded during the
battle I fired my piece at an Indean and felt confident I killed him
or wounded him badly, I immediately called to the men to follow me in
the pirara or we would be shot down before we could load our guns we
had proceded under a heavy fire about an hundred & 5 paces when I made
a wheel to the left to observe the motion of the Indeans and avoid
being shot in the back which I had so far miraculously escaped Just as
I wheeled I received a ball through my coat pocket which struck the
barrel of my gun and fell in the lineing of my coat in a few seconds
I received a ball in my right foot which lamed me considerably the
Indeans happened immediately to stop firing and nevour more renewed
it I immediately ordered the men that were able, to load their guns
and commence loadin for them that were not able, I now discovered
captain Heald for the first time to my knowledge during the battle,
he was coming from towards the Indeans and to my great surprise they
nevour offered to fire on him he came up and ordered the men to form
that his intentions were to charge the boddy of indeans that were on
the bank of the Lake where we had just retreated from they appeared to
be about 300 strong we were 27 including all the wounded he advanced
about 5 steps and not atal to my surprise was the first that halted
some of the men fell back instead of advanceing we then gained the
only high piece of ground their was near, we now had a little time to
reflect and saw death in every direction, at this time an interpiter
from the In[_d_]eans advanced towards us and called for the Captain
who immediately went to meet him (the interpiter was a half indean and
had lived a long time within a few yards of the fort and bound to Mr.
Kinzie he was allways very friendly with us all) a chief by the name
of Blackbird advanced to the interpiter [_the capt_] and met the Capt
who after a few words conversation delivered him his sword and in a few
minutes returned to us and informed me he had offered 100 dollars for
every man that was then liveing, he sayed they were then decideing on
what to do, they however in a few minutes called him again and talked
with him some time when he returned and informed me they had agreed if
I and the men would surrender by laying down our arms they would lay
down theirs meet us half way shake us by the hand as friends and take
us back to the fort. I asked him if he knew what they intended doing
with us then, he sayed they did not informe him he asked me if I would
surrender, the men were at this time crouding to my back and began to
beg me not to surrender. I told them not to be uneasy for I had already
done my best for them and was determined not to surrender unless I saw
better prospects of us all being saved and then not without [_their
being_] they were willing the Capt asked me the [_third_] second time
what I would doo without an answer, I discovered the interpiter at this
time running from the Indeans towards us and when he came in about 20
steps the Capt put the Question the third time the Interpiter called
out Lieut dont surrender for if you doo they will kill you all for
their has been no general council held with them yet you must wait and
I will go back and hold a general council with them and return and
let you know what they will doo. I told him to go for I had no Ideah
of surrender he went and collected all the indeans and talked for
some time, when he returned and told me [_if_] the Indeans sayed if I
would surrender as before described they would not kill any [_of us_]
and sayed it was his opinion they would doo as they sayed for they
had already saved Mr. Kinzie and some of the women and children this
enlivened me and the men for we well knew Mr. Kinzie stood higher than
anny man in that country among the Indeans and he might be the means
of saveing us from utter destruction which afterwards proved to be the
case we then surrendered and after the Indeans had fired of our guns
they put the Capt myself and some of the wounded men on horses and
marched us to the bank of the lake where the battle first commenced
when we arrived at the bank and looked down on the sand beach I was
struck with horror at the sight of men women and children lying naked
with principally all their heads off, and in passing over the bodies
I was confident I saw my wife with her head off about two feet from
her sholders tears for the first time rushed in my eyes but I consoled
myself with a firm belief that I should soon follow her, I now began
to repent that I had ever surrendered but it was two late to recall
and we had only to look up to him who first caused our existence, when
we had arrived in half a mile of the Fort they halted us made the men
sit down form a ring round them began to take off their hats and strip
the Capt they attempted to strip me but were prevented by a chief who
stuck close to me, I made signes to him that I wanted to drink for
the weather was very warm he led me off towards the Fort and to my
great astonishment saw my wife siting among some squaws crying our
feelings can be better judged than expressed they brought some water
and directed her to wash and dress my wound which she did and bound
it up with her pocket handkerchief, they then brought up some of the
men and tommyhawked [_some_] one of them before us, they now took Mrs.
Helm across the river (for we were nearly on its bank) to Mr. Kinzies,
we met again at my Fathers in the state of New York she having arrived
seven days before me after being seperated seven months and one week
she was taken in the direction of Detroit and I was taken down the
Illinois river and was sold to Mr. Thomas Forsyth half brother of Mr.
Kinzies who a short time after effected my escape, this Gentleman was
the means of saveing many lives on the Warring frontier I was taken on
the 15th of August and arrived safe among the americans at St. Louis on
the 14th. of October.
Captain Heald through Kenzie sending his two Negroes got put on board
a Indean boat going to St. Joseph & from that place got to Makinac by
Lake Michigan in a Birch Canoe--The night of the 14th the Interpreter
and a Chief black patredge waited on Capt Heald the Indian gave up his
medal & told Heald to beware of the next day that the Indians Would
destroy him & his men this Heald never communicated to one of his
officers there was but Capt Wells that was acquainted with it you will
observe Sir that I did with Kenzie protest against Dest[_r_]oying the
arms ammunition and Provisions untill that Heald told me positively
that he would evacuate at all Hasards--
15 of August we evacuated the Fort the number of soldiers was 52
privates & musichn 4 officers & Physician 14 Citizens 15 children
and 9 women, the baggage being in front with the Citizens Women and
Children I [_could not_] & on the [_Beach_] Margin of the Lake we
having advanced to gain the Prarie I could not see the massacre but
Kinzie with Doctor Van Vorees being ordered by Capt Heald to take
charge of the Women & children remained on the Beach & Kinzie since
told me he was an Eye witness to the Horred scene the Indians came down
on the baggage waggons for Plunder they Butchered every male citizen
but Kenzie two women & 12 Children in the most inhuman manner Possible
opened them cutting off their Heads & taken out their Hearts, several
of the women were wounded but not dangerously.
[Endorsed on back] Mr. Helm. Nov. 10, 1815.
Nathan Heald 1. Released.
Lina T. Helm 2 Do
Nathan Edson 3 ...................
Elias Mills 4 ...................
Thos. Point Dexter 5 ...................
August Mort 6 Died Natural
James Latta 7 Killed
Michael Lynch 8 Killed
John Suttinfield 9 Killed
John Smith Senr. 10 Released
John Smith Junr. 11 ...................
Nathan Hurt 12 Deserted
Richard Garner 13 Killed
Paul Grumo 14 ...................
James Vanhorn 15 ...................
Wm Griffiths { 16 Supposed to be a
Joseph Bowen { 17 frenchman and Released
John Fury 18 ...................
John Crozier 19 Deserted
John Needs 20
Daniel Daugherty 21
Dyson Dyer 22 Killed
John [Prestly] Andrews 23 Killed
James Starr 24 Killed
Joseph Noles 25
James Corbin 26
Fielding Corbin 27
Citizens
{ Mortally wounded
Jos. Burns 28 { since killed
[Names of women on reverse page]
Women taken prisoners. }
Mrs. Heald Released. }
Mrs. Helm Do }
Mrs. Holt }
Mrs. Burns }
Mrs. Leigh } Prisoners.
Mrs. Simmons }
Mrs. Needs }
.......... }
Killed in the action }
Mrs. Corbin }
Mrs. Heald's Negro woman }
Children yet in Captivity
Mrs. Leigh's 2 one Since Dead N D
Mrs. Burns 2
Mrs. Simmon[s] 1
13 Children Killed during the action
11 Citizens including Capt. Wells.
--------------------------------------------------------
John Kinzie taken but not considered as a Prisoner of War
--------------------------------------------------------
54 Rank & file left the Garrison
APPENDIX VII
LETTER OF JUDGE AUGUSTUS B. WOODWARD TO COLONEL PROCTOR CONCERNING THE
SURVIVORS OF THE CHICAGO MASSACRE[967]
[Footnote 967: Copied from the original rough draft of the letter
in the Detroit Public Library. The letter as actually sent differed
slightly from the rough draft. The latter is presented here with all
its erasures and changes. Words and phrases crossed out in the original
manuscript are printed in italics and placed within brackets.]
Michigan, Oct. 7, 12.
Sir, It is already known to you that on Saturday the fifteenth day of
August last, an order having been given to evacuate fort dearborn,
an attack was made by the savages of the vicinity on the troops and
persons appertaining to that garrison, on their march, and at the
distance of about [_after before they had marched_] three miles from
the fort [_three of the survivors of that terrible massacre_] and the
greater part of the number barbarously and inhumanly massacred. Three
of the survivors of that unhappy and terrible disaster having since
reached this country I have employed some pains to collect the number
and names of those who were not immediately slain and to ascertain
whether any hopes might yet be entertained of saving the remainder. It
is on this subject that I wish to interest your feelings and to solicit
the benefit of your interposition convinced that you [_will ever_]
estimate humanity among the brightest virtues of the soldier. [_On the
policy of associating uncivilized men in the hostile operations of
civilized powers, or on the rules and limitations on which a savage
force if employed at all should be regulated, I will say nothing
because I am impressed with a strong conviction that if any British
officer had been present on this melancholy occasion the consequences
would have been extremely different, infinitely less to be regretted.]
I find, Sir, that the party consisted of ninety-three persons.
Of these the [_regular_] military [_forces_] including officers,
non-commissioned officers, and privates, amounted to fifty-four. The
[_militia_] citizens not acting in a military capacity consisted of
twelve. The number of women was nine and that of the children eighteen.
The whole of the citizens were slaughtered, two women, and twelve
children. Of the military twenty-six were killed at the time of the
attack, and accounts have [_reached_] arrived of at least [_four_] five
of the surviving prisoners having been put to death in the course of
[_that_] the same night. There will remain then twenty-[_four_]three
of the military, seven women and six children, whose fate with the
exception of the three who have come in, and of two others who are
known [_understood_] to be in safety at St. Joseph's, remains to be
yet ascertained. Of these [_I will fur_]--amounting--[_to_] in all to
thirty-one persons I will furnish you with the names of all that I have
been able to identify. First. There is one officer a lieutenant, of the
name of Linah T. Helm, with whom I have had the happiness of a personal
acquaintance. His father is a [_respectable_] gentleman of Virginia
& of the first respectability who has since settled in the state of
New York. He is an officer of great merit and the most unblemished
character. The lady of this gentleman a young and [_beautiful_] amiable
victim of misfortune was separated from her husband. She was delivered
up to her father-in-law, [_a British subject,] who was present,
[_but_] Mrs. Helm was transported into the Indian country a hundred
miles from the scene of action and has not since been heard of at this
place. Second. Of six non-commissioned officers four survived the
action. [_Their names are_] John Crozier a sergeant, Daniel Dougherty
a corporal, and one other corporal by the name of Bowen. The other is
William Griffin a Serjeant who is now here. [_In addition to_] With
these may be included John Fifer Smith a fifer.
Third. Of the privates it is said that five, and it is not known how
many more were put to death in the night after the action. Of those
who are said to have thus suffered I have only been able to collect
the names of two Richard Gamer and James Latte. Mr. Burns a citizen
severely wounded was killed by a squaw in the day time about an hour
after the action. There will thus remain to be accounted for of whom I
can only give the following names--Micajah Dennison and John Fury were
so badly wounded in the action that [_perh_] little hope was indulged
of their recovery. Dyson Dyer, William Nelson Hunt, Duncan McCarty,
Augustus Mott, John Smith Senior, father of John Smith before named as
a fifer, James Van Horn.
Fourth. Of the [_six_] five women whose fate remains to be ascertained
I am enabled to give the names of all. They were Mrs. Bums wife to the
citizen before mentioned as killed after the attack. Mrs. Holt, Mrs.
Lee, Mrs. Needs, Mrs. Simmons. Among these women were six children
saved out of the whole number which was eighteen, part of them,
belonging to the surviving mothers & part to those who were slain.
[_The_] As to the means of preserving them I can only suggest the
sending a special messenger to that quarter charged with collecting the
prisoners who may survive and transmitting them to Michillimackinac. A
communication to Capt. Roberts at that place may co-operate.
[_The permis_]
[Endorsed] Chicago prisoners, Oct. 7. 1812.
APPENDIX VIII[968]
MUSTER-ROLL OF A COMPANY OF INFANTRY UNDER THE COMMAND OF CAPT. NATHAN
HEALD IN THE FIRST REGIMENT OF INFANTRY COMMENDED BY COLONEL JACOB
KINGSBURY FROM THE 20TH OF APRIL WHEN LAST MUSTERED TO THE 31ST OF MAY,
1812
[Footnote 968: Printed for the first time from the original manuscript
among the Heald Papers in the Draper Collection.]
Date of To what time Remarks and
No. Names Rank appointment engaged or Names Present alterations since
or enlistment enlisted last muster
1 Nathan Heald Capt. 31 Jan'y 1807 ............. Nathan Heald
2 Lina T. Helm 2nd Lieut. 15 Dec'r 1808 ............. Lina T. Helm
3 George Ronan Ensign 1 March 1811 ............. George Ronan
4 Isaac N. Van Surg'n Mate 1 March 1811 ............. Isaac N. Van
Voorhis Voorhis
1 Isaac Holt Sergeant 22 Apl. 1811 22 Apl. 1816 Isaac Holt
2 Otho Hays " 23 Apl. 1811 23 Apl. 1816 Otho Hays
3 John Crozier " 2 July 1808 2 July 1813 John Crozier
4 Wm. Griffith " 1 May 1812 1 May 1817 Wm. Griffith Joined by enlisting
at this place 1 May 1812.
1 Thomas Forth Corporal 6 July 1807 6 July 1812 Thos. Forth
2 Joseph Bowen " 22 Apl 1811 22 Apl 1816 Joseph Bowen
1 George Burnett Fifer 1 July 1811 1 July 1816 George Burnett
2 John Smith " 22 Apl. 1811 22 Apl. 1816 John Smith
3 Hugh McPherson Drumr 20 Oct. 1807 20 Oct. 1852 Hugh McPherson
4 John Hamilton " 5 July 1808 5 July 1813 John Hamilton
1 John Allin Private 27 Nov. 1810 27 Nov. 1815 John Allin
2 George Adams " 21 Aug. 1811 21 Aug. 1816 George Adams
3 Prestly Andrews " 11 Apl. 1811 11 Apl. 1816 Prestly Andrews
4 James Corbin " 2 Oct. 1810 2 Oct. 1815 James Corbin
5 Fielding Corbin Private 25 Oct. 1811 25 Oct. 1816 Fielding Corbin
6 Asa Campbell " 26 Jan'y 1810 26 Jan'y 1815 Asa Campbell
7 Dyson Dyer " 1 Oct. 1810 1 Oct. 1815 Dyson Dyer
8 Stephen Draper " 19 Apl. 1811 19 Apl. 1816 Stephen Draper
9 Dan'l Daugherty " 13 Aug. 1807 13 Aug. 1812 Dan'l Daugherty Re-enlisted 1st June 1812.
10 Micajah Denison " 23 Jan'y 1811 23 Jan'y 1816 Micajah Denison
11 Nathan Edson " 6 Apl. 1810 6 Apl. 1815 Nathan Edson
12 John Fury " 19 March 1808 19 March 1813 John Fury Sick.
13 Paul Grummo " 1 Oct. 1810 1 Oct. 1815 Paul Grummo
14 Richard Garner " 2 Oct. 1810 2 Oct. 1815 Richard Garner
15 Wm. N. Hunt " 8 Oct. 1810 8 Oct. 1815 Wm. N. Hunt
16 Nathan A. Hurtt " 29 Dec. 1811 29 Dec. 1816 Nathan A. Hurtt
17 Rodias Jones " 9 Dec. 1807 9 Dec. 1812 Rodias Jones
18 David Kinison " 14 March 1808 14 March 1813 David Kinison
19 Sam'l Kilpatrick " 20 Dec. 1810 20 Dec. 1815 Sam'l Kilpatrick
20 John Kelso " 3 May 1812 3 May 1817 John Kelso Joined by re-enlisting
21 Jacob Landon " 28 Nov. 1807 28 Nov. 1812 Jacob Landon at this place 3d May 1812.
22 James Latta " 10 Apl. 1810 10 Apl. 1815 James Latta
23 Michael Lynch " 23 Dec. 1810 23 Dec. 1815 Michael Lynch
24 Hugh Logan " 5 Feby. 1811 5 Feby. 1816 Hugh Logan
25 Frederick Locker " 13 Apl. 1810 13 Apl. 1815 Frederick Locker
26 August Mortt " 9 Apl. 1811 9 Apl. 1816 August Mortt
27 Peter Miller " 24 July 1811 24 July 1816 Peter Miller
28 Duncan McCarty " 31 Aug. 1807 31 Aug. 1812 Duncan McCarty
29 Wm. Moffett " 23 Jany. 1811 23 Jany. 1816 Wm. Moffett
30 Elias Mills " 26 Oct. 1811 26 Oct. 1816 Elias Mills
31 John Needs " 5 July 1808 5 July 1813 John Needs
32 Joseph Noles " 8 Sept. 1810 8 Sept. 1815 Joseph Noles
33 Thos. Poindexter " 3 Sept. 1810 3 Sept. 1815 Thos. Poindexter Sick.
34 Wm. Prickett " 7 March 1811 7 March 1816 Wm. Prickett
35 Frederick Peterson " 7 June 1808 7 June 1813 Frederick Peterson
36 David Sherror " 1 Oct. 1810 1 Oct. 1815 David Sherror
37 John Suttenfield " 8 Sept. 1807 8 Sept. 1812 John Suttenfield
38 John Smith " 2 Apl. 1808 2 Apl. 1813 John Smith
39 James Starr " 18 Nov. 1809 18 Nov. 1814 James Starr
40 John Simmons " 14 March 1810 14 March 1815 John Simmonds
41 James Vanhorn " 2 May 1810 2 May 1815 James Vanhorn
[The roll concludes with a table of recapitulation, a certificate as
to its correctness, signed by Heald and Van Voorhis, and a certificate
by Heald, dated Louisville, December 3, 1812, that the foregoing is a
true copy of the original muster-roll.]
APPENDIX IX
THE FATED COMPANY: A DISCUSSION OF THE NAMES AND FATE OF THE WHITES
INVOLVED IN THE FORT DEARBORN MASSACRE
No comprehensive record of the names and fate of those who composed
the company which marched out of Fort Dearborn under Captain Heald on
the morning of August 15, 1812, has ever been made. Here for the first
time, a hundred years after the massacre, an effort is made to supply
such a record. Such success as has been achieved is due to a study,
in addition to the sources of information which have been used by
previous workers in the local historical field, of several new sources
unknown to or unused by students hitherto. The most important of these
is the Fort Dearborn muster-roll for May 31, 1812. This, together
with the list of survivors given by Lieutenant Helm, the data left by
Captain Heald,[969] and the letter of Judge Woodward to Colonel Proctor
constitutes the basis of the present study.
[Footnote 969: Aside from the Fort Dearborn muster-roll for May 31,
1812, the papers left by Heald which are of chief importance for our
subject are the following: the official report of the evacuation
(Appendix IV); Heald's Journal (Appendix III); the Fort Dearborn
quarterly returns for the quarter ending June 30, 1812; the monthly
return for June, 1812; a tabular statement concerning the troops
engaged in the massacre and their fate; a summary statement concerning
the women, and concerning the men who perished in captivity. With the
exception of the official report all of these papers are in the Draper
Collection.]
At the outset of the effort to name and account for the members of
the fatal company, a difficulty is encountered concerning the precise
number of regular soldiers in Heald's company. In his official Report,
Heald stated that his force of regulars numbered fifty-four. Whether
he intended to include himself in this number is not clear. The
tabular statement, preserved among his papers, of the composition of
his force and its fate, which gives the total strength of his company
as fifty-four, exactly one-half of whom were slain, would seem to
indicate that he did. Yet the latter document disagrees with the Report
in the number of slain, which the Report gives as twenty-six. Turning
to Heald's Journal we find the number of soldiers slain in the battle
placed at twenty-six, and the number of survivors at twenty-seven,
which would give a total strength of fifty-three. There is reason for
believing that the number of regulars slain in the battle was in fact
twenty-six, but it is manifestly impracticable to determine certainly,
from the accounts left by Heald, the exact strength of his company
on the morning of the massacre. Heald had, to the end of his life,
the garrison muster-roll for May 31, 1812, and other contemporary
records, and these are still preserved. An examination of them
suggests an explanation of the reason for his conflicting statements.
The garrison muster-roll for May 31 and the monthly return for June
each show a strength of fifty-five men, while the quarterly return of
June 30 and the inspection return of the same date show a strength of
fifty-four. The first two agree in showing four officers and fifty-one
non-commissioned officers, musicians, and privates present; the third
shows three officers and fifty-one of lesser rank present, and the
fourth four officers and fifty of lesser rank. There is disagreement,
then, between the contemporary returns over the number of the garrison
at the end of June; yet it is evident that its nominal strength at that
time was four officers and fifty-one men of lesser rank, although one
of the fifty-five may possibly have been absent. There is no reason
to suppose that there was any alteration in this number between the
end of June and the fifteenth of August. Without venturing to say
that there is any unquestionable preponderance of evidence that the
strength of Heald's company, including himself, on the latter date was
fifty-five rather than fifty-four, from a consideration of all the
factors involved I incline to believe that it was. In the calculations
and statements that follow, therefore, it is to be understood that the
total number of regular soldiers involved in the massacre is reckoned
as fifty-five.
Including the commander, then, ninety-six persons comprised the doomed
company which evacuated the fort on the morning of the fifteenth of
August. These fall logically into several groups, varying greatly as
to size: John Kinzie, a neutral and non-combatant; Wells, the leader
of the Miamis; the nine women and eighteen children of the company;
the twelve Chicago residents composing Heald's "militia" company; and
finally the fifty-five regulars. The first two of these require but
little consideration here, as the fortune of each has been discussed
elsewhere. Wells was slain, while Kinzie passed unscathed even through
the carnage around the wagons where not another white man escaped with
his life.
There is no uncertainty respecting the fate of the women of the
company. The subject has already been discussed at length and only a
brief recapitulation need be given here.
No. Name Fate
1 Cicely, Mrs. Heald's negro slave Killed in battle
2 Mrs. Fielding Corbin Killed in battle
3 Mrs. Heald Returned to civilization
4 Mrs. Helm Returned to civilization
5 Mrs. Lee Returned to civilization
(Ransomed by Depain and
Buisson at Chicago)
6 Mrs. Holt Returned to civilization
(Possibly the woman ransomed
along with Mrs. Lee)
7 Mrs. Burns Returned to civilization
8 Mrs. Simmons Returned to civilization
9 Mrs. Needs Died in captivity of exposure
and hardship
Of the eighteen children in the massacre only a very incomplete record
can be made from the sources that have come to light thus far. Neither
Mrs. Heald nor Mrs. Helm had children; each of the remaining seven
women, with the possible exception of Mrs. Corbin, had one or more.
Mrs. Burns had several, some of whom bore her former name of Cooper;
probably several belonged to Mrs. Lee. Black Cicely had one child, and
Mrs. Simmons two. One child each at least, and perhaps more, belonged
to Mrs. Needs and Mrs. Holt. Twelve of the children perished in the
massacre, most of them in one wagon at the hands of a single fiend,
and six survived it. One of these, the Needs child, met perhaps the
saddest fate of all the company, being tied to a tree by the savages
and left behind to die. The other five returned with their mothers to
civilization. Two of them belonged to Mrs. Burns, and one each to Mrs.
Simmons, Mrs. Holt, and Mrs. Lee.
Unless additional sources of information shall come to light, the
names of most of the members of the Chicago "militia" will forever
remain unknown. All of the twelve men were killed in the combat except
the leader, Thomas Burns, who, badly wounded, was killed a short time
later by a squaw. One of his followers was his stepson. Joseph, or
James, Cooper; Lee, the farmer, must have been another although there
is no positive record to this effect. Of the others the names of
but one or two can be conjectured even. If the boy who escaped from
the April massacre was the son of Lee, he doubtless was one of the
militiamen. Probably Louis Fettle, who lived at Chicago from 1803 to
1812 and then disappeared from recorded history, was still another. In
this connection the conjecture may be hazarded that Pierre LeClaire,
the half-breed interpreter, was one of the twelve. Griffith represents
that he deserted at the beginning of the fight, for which Griffith at
first intended to kill him, but relented when LeClaire pleaded that it
was the only way to save his life. If the suggestion that LeClaire was
one of the militiamen be accepted, the statements of Heald and others
that all of them perished must be regarded as erroneous. This view,
however, would explain Heald's statement in his Journal, otherwise
erroneous, that twelve militia, including Wells perished.
I have reserved for consideration last the most perplexing problem,
that concerning the regulars of the Fort Dearborn garrison. The names
of the fifty-five men are preserved in the muster-roll of May 31, 1812.
The only man who attempted to record the names of those who survived
the battle was Helm, and his list, while incomplete, and inaccurate
in various respects, furnishes the most convenient starting-point for
determining the names of those slain in the battle, and the subsequent
fate of the survivors. Excluding Burns, the militiaman. Helm lists the
following twenty-seven survivors:
1. Captain Nathan Heald
2. Lieutenant Lina T. Helm
3. Sergeant John Crozier
4. Sergeant Wm. Griffith
5. Corporal Joseph Bowen
6. John Smith, fifer
7. Private Prestly Andrews
8. Private Fielding Corbin
9. Private James Corbin
10. Private Daniel Daugherty
11. Private Dyson Dyer
12. Private Nathan Edson
13. Private John Fury
14. Private Richard Garner
15. Private Paul Grummo
16. Private Wm. N. Hunt
17. Private James Latta
18. Private Michael Lynch
19. Private Elias Mills
20. Private August Mortt
21. Private John Needs
22. Private Joseph Noles
23. Private Thomas Poindexter
24. Private John Smith
25. Private James Starr
26. Private John Suttenfield
27. Private James Van Horn
As far as it goes the accuracy of this list is confirmed by other
sources of information, except for Andrews and Starr, concerning whose
fate there is no mention elsewhere. On the other hand Woodward, whose
information was obtained from Heald and Griffith, names Denison and
McCarty, the former badly wounded, among the survivors; the report
of the nine survivors who arrived at Plattsburg, New York, in 1814,
adds the name of Hugh Logan; while David Kennison, who was buried at
Chicago with great civic pomp forty years later, evidently survived the
massacre despite the fact that his name does not appear in any of the
sources. We have, therefore, the names of thirty-one survivors, three
more than there actually were. Probably two of the names in error are
those of Andrews and Starr, mentioned above; possibly the third is that
of Logan, although obviously there can be certainty respecting none of
the three. A comparison of this list with the complete garrison roll
discloses the names of those certainly slain in the battle, twenty-four
in number, as follows:
1. Surgeon Isaac Van Voorhis
2. Ensign George Ronan
3. Sergeant Isaac Holt
4. Sergeant Otho Hays
5. Corporal Thomas Forth
6. George Burnett, fifer
7. John Hamilton, drummer
8. Hugh McPherson, drummer
9. Private John Allin
10. Private George Adams
11. Private Asa Campbell
12. Private Stephen Draper
13. Private Nathan A. Hurtt
14. Private Rhodias Jones
15. Private Samuel Kilpatrick
16. Private John Kelso
17. Private Jacob Landon
18. Private Frederick Locker
19. Private Peter Miller
20. Private Wm. Moffett
21. Private Wm. Prickett
22. Private Frederick Peterson
23. Private David Sherror
24. Private John Simmons
There were twenty-six slain, however, according to Heald's Report and
Journal. The two names needed to complete the list are probably those
of Prestly Andrews and James Starr.
We have thus reached, although not with absolute certainty in every
case, the names of twenty-nine survivors and the twenty-six who lost
their lives in the battle. It remains to follow the fortunes of
the former and trace out those who perished in captivity and those
who finally returned to their countrymen. Helm's list is of little
assistance here, for his account of the fate of the survivors is both
incomplete and inaccurate. The fate of twelve of the twenty-seven on
his list is left a blank; opposite the names of five stands the word
"released," and opposite two "deserted." In fact, eleven perished in
captivity and eighteen returned to civilization. It is evident that
Helm was ignorant of the arrival of the nine Fort Dearborn soldiers at
Plattsburg in the spring of 1814, and of the news they brought of their
comrades who had perished in the wilderness. One of the nine he records
as killed, one as released, and leaves the fate of the others blank.
Why Hunt and Crozier should have been set down as deserters is not
apparent. In fact, the former froze to death in captivity, while the
latter effected his release through the agency of a friendly Indian.
The most practicable starting-point for determining the names of those
who perished in captivity and those who escaped from it is afforded by
Heald's tabular statement. This indicates that twenty-seven survived
the battle, nine of whom died in captivity, and eighteen returned to
civilization. Our study, however, has already established the names
of twenty-nine survivors of the battle. On the assumption, which
there are strong reasons for making, that the two not included in
Heald's statement perished in captivity, the names of all belonging
to the latter class, and of all who were restored to freedom, can
be determined. Elsewhere Heald gives the names of nine who died in
captivity. They were:
1. Richard Garner
2. Wm. N. Hunt
3. James Latta
4. Michael Lynch
5. August Mortt
6. Hugh Logan
7. John Needs
8. Thomas Poindexter
9. John Suttenfield
The accuracy of this list is confirmed by other sources with respect
to all except Poindexter, concerning whose fate there is no mention
elsewhere. The two names wanting to complete the list of those who
perished in captivity are Micajah Denison and John Fury, who according
to Woodward were so badly wounded in the battle that but little hope
was entertained of their recovery.
With this list of eleven as our basis it is possible to determine with
reasonable assurance the names of the men who were tortured to death
the night following the massacre. Forsyth's letter shows that Lynch and
Suttenfield, badly wounded, were killed by the Indians, while en route
to the Illinois River. The report of the Plattsburg group of survivors
accounts for the death of four others. Hunt froze to death; Needs died
about the middle of January, 1813, probably from the hardships of his
captivity; Logan and Mortt were tomahawked because of their inability
to keep up with their captors. The five remaining, Garner, Latta,
Denison, Fury, and Poindexter, are evidently the men who were tortured
to death at Chicago. Concerning the first two we have the positive
statement of Woodward in his letter to Proctor. The belief that this
was the fate of the others rests, obviously, on inference and deduction.
To determine the names of the eighteen who returned to civilization it
is now necessary only to eliminate these eleven names from the list
of the twenty-nine survivors already given. Concerning the return
of twelve of the eighteen there are positive records, while that of
Kennison may safely be inferred from our knowledge of his later life
and death at Chicago. Of the other five no mention or record has been
found, and their names are obtained only by the process of analysis
which has already been gone through. In the list that follows these
five are given last:
1. Captain Nathan Heald
2. Lieutenant Lina T. Helm
3. Sergeant Wm. Griffith
4. Corporal Joseph Bowen
5. Private James Corbin
6. Private Fielding Corbin
7. Private Dyson Dyer
8. Private Nathan Edson
9. Private Paul Grummo
10. Private Elias Mills
11. Private Joseph Noles
12. Private James Van Horn
13. Private David Kennison
14. Sergeant John Crozier
15. Private Daniel Daugherty
16. Private Duncan McCarty
17. John Smith, fifer
18. Private John Smith (father of the preceding)
Although some doubt necessarily attends the conclusions which have been
reached concerning the fate of some of the members of the Fort Dearborn
garrison, practical certainty attaches to the conclusion reached
concerning the great majority, and it is believed that the present
study is as accurate and complete as can be made with the sources of
information at present available. The study may properly conclude with
a tabular recapitulation, embodying the conclusions reached as to the
names and fate of the regular soldiers of the Fort Dearborn garrison on
the morning of August 15, 1812.
1. Nathan Heald Capt. Returned to civilization
2. Lina T. Helm 2nd Lieut. Returned to civilization
3. George Ronan Ensign Killed in battle near the baggage wagons
4. Isaac Van Voorhis Surgeon's mate Killed in battle near the baggage wagons
1. Isaac Holt Sergeant Killed in battle
2. Otho Hays Sergeant Killed in battle in individual duel with an Indian
3. John Crozier Sergeant Returned to civilization
4. Wm. Griffith Sergeant Returned to civilization
1. Thomas Forth Corporal Killed in battle
2. Joseph Bowen Corporal Returned to civilization
1. George Burnett Fifer Killed in battle
2. John Smith Fifer Returned to civilization
3. Hugh McPherson Drummer Killed in battle
4. John Hamilton Drummer Killed in battle
1. John Allin Private Killed in battle
2. George Adams Private Killed in battle
3. Prestly Andrews Private Killed in battle
4. James Corbin Private Returned to civilization
5. Fielding Corbin Private Returned to civilization
6. Asa Campbell Private Killed in battle
7. Dyson Dyer Private Returned to civilization
8. Stephen Draper Private Killed in battle
9. Daniel Daugherty Private Returned to civilization
10. Micajah Denison Private Badly wounded in battle; tortured to
death the ensuing night
11. Nathan Edson Private Returned to civilization
12. John Fury Private Badly wounded in battle; tortured to
death the ensuing night
13. Paul Grummo Private Returned to civilization
14. Richard Garner Private Tortured to death the night after the
massacre
15. Wm. N. Hunt Private Frozen to death in captivity
16. Nathan A. Hurtt Private Killed in battle
17. Rhodias Jones Private Killed in battle
18. David Kennison Private Returned to civilization; died at
Chicago in 1852
19. Samuel Kilpatrick Private Killed in battle
20. John Kelso Private Killed in battle
21. Jacob Landon Private Killed in battle
22. James Latta Private Tortured to death the night after the
massacre
23. Michael Lynch Private Badly wounded; killed by the Indians
en route to the Illinois River
24. Hugh Logan Private Tomahawked in captivity because unable to
walk from fatigue
25. Frederick Locker Private Killed in battle
26. August Mortt Private Tomahawked in captivity
27. Peter Miller Private Killed in battle
28. Duncan McCarty Private Returned to civilization
29. Wm. Moffett Private Killed in battle
30. Elias Mills Private Returned to civilization
31. John Needs Private Died in captivity
32. Joseph Noles Private Returned to civilization
33. Thos. Poindexter Private Tortured to death the night after the
massacre
34. Wm. Prickett Private Killed in battle
35. Frederick Peterson Private Killed in battle
36. David Sherror Private Killed in battle
37. John Suttenfield Private Badly wounded; killed by the Indians
while en route to the Illinois River
38. John Smith Private Returned to civilization
39. James Starr Private Killed in battle
40. John Simmons Private Killed in battle
41. James Van Horn Private Returned to civilization
BIBLIOGRAPHY
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Adams, Henry. _History of the United States of America. 1801-1817_
(New York, 1903-4). 9 vols.
The standard general authority for the period it covers. Vol.
VI, 1811-13, contains an account of the contest with Tecumseh, the
opening of the War of 1812, and of Hull's campaign and surrender.
Alvord, Clarence W. "The Conquest of St. Joseph, Michigan, by the
Spaniards in 1781," _Missouri Historical Review_, 11, 195-210.
A critical study, presenting a new interpretation of the
expedition. Condemns sharply the prior study of the same expedition
by Mr. E. G. Mason, in his _Chapters from Illinois History_.
American Fur Company invoices (MS).
These papers, in the possession of the Detroit Public Library,
are useful for the light they shed upon the operations of the
American Fur Company.
_American State Papers._ Documents, legislative and executive,
of the Congress of the United States, from the first session
of the first to the third session of the thirteenth Congress
inclusive.
The two volumes devoted to Indian affairs are the ones of
principal importance to this work. They contain a large mass of
material pertaining to the relations between the Indians and the
United States during the early period of our national existence.
Andreas, A. T. _History of Chicago._ From the earliest period to
the present time (Chicago, 1884). 3 vols.
One of the best of the type of commercial histories compiled for
popular consumption. Volume I treats of the period covered by this
work.
[Andrews, George H.] _Biographical Sketch of James Watson Webb_
(New York, n.d.). Pamphlet.
Reprinted from the _Morning Courier and Enquirer_, September 16.
1858. A frankly laudatory sketch by an intimate friend and business
associate of the subject.
Babcock, Kendric Charles. "The Rise of American Nationality,
1811-1819" (New York, 1906).
Constitutes Vol. XIII of _The American Nation: a History_ (Albert
Bushnell Hart, editor).
Banta, D. D. _History of Johnson County, Indiana._ From the
earliest time to the present, with biographical sketches,
notes, etc., together with a short history of the Northwest,
the Indiana Territory, and the state of Indiana (Chicago, 1888).
Barry, Rev. Wm. Transcript of names in John Kinzie's account books
kept at Chicago from 1804 to 1822 (MS).
The original account books, four in number, were burned in the
destruction of the library of the Chicago Historical Society in
the Chicago Fire of 1871. Before the outbreak of the Civil War
James Grant Wilson conceived the project of writing a history of
early Chicago and commissioned Rev. William Barry, founder and
first secretary of the Chicago Historical Society, to make for his
use a complete transcript of the names in Kinzie's account books.
Wilson's project never materialized, owing to the disarrangement
of his plans and occupation caused by the outbreak of the war.
The transcript came into the possession of the Chicago Historical
Society in 1902. It consists of about fifty closely written pages
containing about two thousand names, with brief entries frequently
concerning the commercial transaction in question. It was jealously
guarded by Wilson, and since by the Historical Society, and has
never been accessible to students hitherto. It is a unique and
valuable source of information for the period with which it deals.
Beaubien family genealogy (MS).
Compiled by Clarence M. Burton of Detroit. I have used the
typewritten copy presented by him to the Chicago Historical Society.
Beggs, Rev. S. R. _Pages from the Early History of the West and
Northwest._
Embracing reminiscences and incidents of settlement and growth,
and sketches of the material and religious progress, of the
states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri, with especial
reference to the history of Methodism (Cincinnati, 1868).
Beggs was a pioneer Methodist preacher of northern Illinois
in the early thirties. The book contains a vivid account by a
participant of the scenes of excitement at Chicago and in northern
Illinois in 1832 in connection with the Black Hawk War.
[Benton Thomas H.] _Thirty Years' View; or, a History of the
Working of the American Government for Thirty Years, from 1820
to 1850...._ By a senator of thirty years (New York, 1854). 2
vols.
Benton led the fight in the Senate on the government factory
system. The book contains a brief partisan account of his
activities in this connection.
_Black Hawk._ Life of Ma-ka-tai-me-she-hia-kiak or Black Hawk ...
with an account of the course and general history of the late
war ... (Boston, 1834).
The work, edited by J. B. Patterson, purports to have been
dictated by Black Hawk to Antoine Le Clare, a half-breed
interpreter. Its trustworthiness has been called in question, but
for the purposes for which it has been cited in this work, at
least, it seems worthy of credence.
Blanchard, Rufus. _Discovery and Conquests of the Northwest with
the History of Chicago_ (Wheaton, Ill., 1881).
A later edition of this work was brought out at Chicago in 1898
in two volumes. It is carelessly and uncritically written, but
contains some information obtained by the author in interviews with
pioneers which is not to be had elsewhere.
Brice, Wallace A. _History of Fort Wayne from the Earliest Known
Accounts of this Point to the Present Period ...._ (Fort Wayne,
Indiana, 1868).
Carter, Clarence Edwin. _Great Britain and the Illinois Country,
1762-1774_ (Washington, 1910).
One of the prize essays of the American Historical Association.
Caton, John Dean. _Miscellanies_ (Boston, 1880).
Contains a description by a sympathetic and highly intelligent
observer of the Pottawatomies' farewell to Chicago in 1835.
Charlevoix, P. de. _Histoire et description générale de la Nouvelle
France, avec le journal historique d'un voyage fait par ordre
du roi dans l'Amérique Septentrionale_ (Paris, 1744). 6 vols.
One of the best of the seventeenth-century accounts of New
France. The first four volumes comprise the Histoire ... de la
Nouvelle France: the last two constitute the journal and bear
the separate title Journal d'un voyage fait par ordre du Roi
dans l'Amérique Septentrionale; addresse à Madame la Duchesse de
Lesdiguières. The Histoire has been translated into English by John
G. Shea (q.v.) and there are two English editions of the Journal.
Charlevoix, Father. _Letters to the Duchess of Lesdiguières; Giving
an Account of a Voyage to Canada and Travels through That Vast
Country, and Louisiana, to the Gulf of Mexico._ Undertaken by
order of the present king of France (London, 1763).
Chicago Historical Society. Collections (Chicago, 1882-1910), Vols.
I-IX.
Unlike the usual series of collections of historical societies,
the contents of each of these volumes pertain in most cases to a
single subject. Those which have been of use in the preparation of
this work will be cited under their separate titles.
Chittenden, Hiram Martin. _The American Fur Trade of the Far West._
A history of the pioneer trading posts and early fur companies
of the Missouri Valley and the Rocky Mountains and of the
overland commerce with Santa Fe (New York, 1902). 3 vols.
The standard authority for the subject treated; contains a
chapter on the abolition of the government factory system.
Cooley, Thomas McIntyre. _Michigan, a History of Governments_
(Boston, 1895).
Craig, Oscar J. "Ouiatanon," in _Indiana Historical Society
Publications_, Vol. II, No. 8.
Davidson, Alexander, and Bernard Stuvé. A Complete History of
Illinois, from 1673 to 1884 (Springfield, Ill., 1884).
Dawson, Moses. _A Historical Narrative of the Civil and Military
Services of Major-general William H. Harrison, and a
Vindication of His Character and Conduct as a Statesman, a
Citizen, and a Soldier._ With a detail of his negotiations
and wars with the Indians until the final overthrow of the
celebrated chief Tecumseh, and his brother the Prophet
(Cincinnati, 1824).
Although frankly partisan this is a source of prime importance
for the relations between the Indians and the whites in the
Northwest during Harrison's long régime as governor of Indiana
Territory.
Dilg, Carl. Papers (MS).
Dilg was a Chicago archaeologist and antiquarian, full of
industry and zeal, but with rather erratic methods of work and
violently partisan in his advocacy of his theories. After his
death his papers were purchased by the Chicago Historical Society.
From the point of view of this work they contain a small amount of
useful information, difficult to extract from the mass of chaff in
which it is embedded.
Dillon, John B. _A History of Indiana from Its Earliest Exploration
by Europeans to the Close of the Territorial Government in 1816
... and a General View of the Progress of Public A fairs in
Indiana from 1816 to 1856_ (Indianapolis, 1859).
An excellent state history by a careful and scholarly worker,
whose efforts to preserve the early history of his state were but
little appreciated by the generation to which he belonged.
Drake, Benjamin. _Life of Tecumseh, and His Brother the Prophet;
with a Historical Sketch of the Shawanoe Indians_ (Cincinnati,
1856).
An unpretentious but creditable narrative, based to a
considerable extent on source material. There were at least two
earlier editions of the work than the one which I have used.
Draper, Lyman C. Collection (MS).
Lyman C. Draper was an indefatigable collector during a long
lifetime of materials pertaining to western history. Upon his death
his papers became the property of the Wisconsin State Historical
Society, of which he had long been the secretary. The documents of
chief importance in the preparation of the present work are the
Heald Papers. For a fuller account of the Collection see Thwaites,
_How George Rogers Clark Won the Northwest, and Other Essays in
Western History_ (Chicago, 1903), 335 ff.
Drennan, Daniel O. Papers (MS).
Drennan was employed by the Chicago Historical Society to search
in the archives of the War Department at Washington for documents
pertaining to Chicago and Fort Dearborn. The papers consist of
attested copies of several hundred documents, chiefly military
orders and communications, covering the years from 1803 to 1836.
Dunn, J. P., Jr. _Indiana, a Redemption from Slavery_ (Boston,
1893).
Edwards, Ninian W. Papers (MS).
Edwards was the first and only territorial governor of Illinois,
and later served as governor of the state. His papers, which
comprise' four bound volumes of letters and other manuscripts, were
presented to the Chicago Historical Society by his son, Ninian Wirt
Edwards. They constitute an indispensable source of information
for the history of Illinois in the period covered by them. They
have been of only minor assistance in the preparation of this work,
however, owing to the fact that until practically the close of the
period of which it treats Chicago was separated from the settled
portion of southern Illinois by a broad expanse of wilderness, and
both politically and commercially was much more closely affiliated
with Michigan Territory and Detroit. Many of the manuscripts in the
collection have been published in Edwards, _History of Illinois ...
and Life and Times of Ninian Edwards_, and Washburne (editor), _The
Edwards Papers_.
Edwards, Ninian W. _History of Illinois from 1778 to 1833; and Life
and Times of Ninian Edwards_ (Springfield, Ill., 1870).
Farrand, Livingston. _Basis of American History 1500-1900_ (New
York, 1904).
This constitutes volume II of _The American Nation: a History_
(Albert Bushnell Hart, editor).
Fergus Historical Series.
This consists of thirty-five pamphlets, numbered consecutively,
pertaining to the early history of Chicago and Illinois. They were
issued by the Fergus Printing Company of Chicago. Those numbers to
which reference has been made in the present work are cited under
their separate titles.
Flagler, Major D. W. _A History of the Rock Island Arsenal from
Its Establishment in 1863 to December, 1876; and of the Island
of Rock Island, the Site of the Arsenal, from 1804 to 1863_
(Washington, 1877).
The early pages of this work give a brief account of the island
of Rock Island in the period beginning with 1804.
Franklin, Benjamin. _The Complete Works of. Including His Private
as Well as His Official Correspondence ..._ John Bigelow,
editor (New York, 1887-89). 10 vols.
French, B. F. _Historical Collections of Louisiana, Embracing Many
Rare and Valuable Documents Relating to the Natural, Civil, and
Political History of That State_ (New York, 1846-53). 5 vols.
Contains translations of many of the records of the early French
explorers in the Mississippi Valley.
Gale, Edwin O. _Reminiscences of Early Chicago and Vicinity_
(Chicago, 1902).
The recollections in old age of one who spent practically his
entire life at Chicago. The book is written in familiar and
entertaining style, but is quite uncritical and abounds in the
faults common to this species of historical work.
Gordon, Eleanor Lytle Kinzie. _John Kinzie, the "Father of
Chicago"; a Sketch_ (1912). Pamphlet.
A fanciful and highly laudatory sketch by the granddaughter of
Kinzie, drawn chiefly from her mother's book, _Wau Bun_. Contains
the latest restatement by a member of the family of the Kinzie
tradition.
Gordon, Nelly Kinzie (editor). _The Fort Dearborn Massacre, Written
in 1814 by Lieutenant Linai T. Helm, One of the Survivors._
With letters and narratives of contemporary interest (Chicago,
[1912]).
This volume contains the documents printed in Appendices VI and
VII of the present work, chaps, xviii, xix, and xxii of Kinzie's
_Wau Bun_, and a reprint of the author's sketch of her grandfather,
John Kinzie, noted in the reference immediately above. The text of
Helm's massacre narrative, the document of chief importance in the
collection, has been freely emended without giving any notice to
the reader of the fact. In similar fashion the composition of the
chapters from _Wau Bun_ has been liberally emended, and in at least
one instance an important interpolation has been made, without
warning to the reader.
Grover, Frank R. "Some Indian Landmarks of the North Shore"
(Chicago, n.d.). Pamphlet.
An address read before the Chicago Historical Society, February 21,
1905.
----. "Father Francois Pinet S.J., and his Mission of the Guardian
Angel of Chicago (L'Ange Gardien) A.D. 1696-1699" (Chicago,
1907).
A paper read before a joint meeting of the Chicago and Evanston
Historical Societies, November 27, 1906. The author is uncritical and
his works should be used with caution. In the present work he contends
that "there is not the slightest doubt" that Pinet's Mission stood on
the site of the present Skokie March within the limits of the village
of Gross Point.
[Hay, Henry]. Journal from Detroit to the Miami River (MS).
This manuscript in the Detroit Public Library is the journal of a
Detroit trader who spent the winter of 1789-90 at the French settlement
near the Rapids of the Maumee. It gives an interesting and graphic
picture of the life of this pro-British settlement during the winter.
The chief importance of the journal to the present work consists in
the information it gives about John Kinzie, whose convivial companion
throughout the winter the journalist became. The journal does not
contain the author's name; I have accepted tentatively the ascription
of it by Mr. Clarence M. Burton to Henry Hay.
Head, Wm. R. Papers (MS).
Head was a Chicago antiquarian who for many years industriously
collected data pertaining to the early history of Chicago and
Illinois. Most of his papers were destroyed, following his death in
1910. A few of them are in the possession of the Chicago Historical
Society, however, and a somewhat larger number were until recently
retained by his widow. For an estimate of their character, and
their value to the present work see Appendix II.
Heald, Nathan. Papers (MS).
These papers, of prime importance for the reconstruction of
the story of the Fort Dearborn massacre, and the fortunes of the
Healds, are now widely scattered. Much the more important of
those still in existence are in the Draper Collection, for which
they were procured, apparently, at the time of Lyman C. Draper's
interview with Darius Heald in 1868. Those which remained in the
possession of the family were exposed to the vicissitudes of
chance and the weather until a few years since, when an awakening
realization of their historical importance led to a division of
such as still remained among the various representatives of the
family, the grandchildren of Nathan Heald, by whom they are now
carefully preserved. Such as could be assembled were collected for
the use of the writer in preparing the present work by Mr. Wright
Johnson of Rutherford. New Jersey, a son-in-law of Darius Heald.
There are a few Heald papers, also, among the Kingsbury Papers in
the Chicago Historical Society library.
Hebberd, S. S. _History of Wisconsin under the Dominion of France_
(Madison, 1890).
Important chiefly for its treatment of the long wars of the
Fox Indians with the French. The author takes issue with the
conclusions of Park man in certain important respects.
Heitman, Francis B. _Historical Register and Dictionary of the
United States Army, from Its Organization, September 29, 1789,
to March 2, 1903_ (Washington, 1903). 2 vols.
Hennepin, Father Louis. _Nouvelle découverte d'un tres grand
pays situé dans l'Amérique entre le Noveau Mexique et le Mer
Glaciate ..._ (Utrecht, 1697-98). 2 vols.
Vol. II bears the title "Noveau voyage d'un pais plus grand que
L'Europe ..."
----. _A New Discovery of a Vast Country in America._ Reprinted
from the second London Edition of 1698 ... by Reuben Gold
Thwaites (Chicago, 1903). 2 vols.
Heward, Hugh. Journal (MS).
This is the journal of a trader who made a trip from Michigan by
way of the Chicago Portage to lower Illinois in 1790. The original
manuscript is owned by Mr. Clarence M. Burton of Detroit. There is
a verbatim copy of it in the Chicago Historical Society library.
[Hoffman, Charles Fenno]. _A Winter in the West._ By a New Yorker
(New York, 1835). 2d ed., 2 vols.
Contains a graphic description of the village of Chicago at the
time of the author's visit in the winter of 1834.
Hubbard, Gurdon Saltonstall. Autobiographical Sketch (MS).
Hubbard first visited Chicago as an employee of the American Fur
Company in 1818. With the development of the modern city in the
early thirties he became, and remained for half a century, one of
its prominent citizens. This manuscript deals with his early career
in the fur trade. It forms the basis of the published Life of
Hubbard.
----. _Incidents and Events in the Life of; Collected from Personal
Narratives and Other Sources and Arranged by His Nephew, Henry
E. Hamilton_ ([Chicago,] 1888).
This work, while written in the first person and largely drawn
from the Hubbard manuscript cited above, is not strictly an
autobiography, a fact sufficiently indicated by the title. Taken
as a whole it constitutes a valuable and graphic picture of the
methods of conducting the fur trade in the halcyon days of the
American Fur Company, and of the manner of life incident thereto.
It is of chief value to the present work for its account of the
passing of the Chicago Portage. A new edition of the work was
issued in Chicago in 1911 with the title _The Autobiography of
Gurdon Saltonstall Hubbard: Pa-pa-ma-ta-be, "The Swift Walker."_
Hulbert, Archer Butler. _Portage Paths: the Keys of the Continent_
(Cleveland, 1903).
This work constitutes Vol. VII of the series "Historic Highways
of America."
Hull, William. _Memoirs of the Campaign of the Northwestern Army of
the United States, A.D. 1812._ In a series of letters addressed
to the citizens of the United States. With an appendix
containing a brief sketch of the Revolutionary services of the
author (Boston, 1824).
This work contains Hull's own exculpation to his countrymen for
his course in the campaign of 1812.
Hurlbut, Henry H. _Chicago Antiquities._ Comprising original items
and relations, letters, extracts, and notes pertaining to early
Chicago (Chicago, 1881).
A useful collection of source material, arranged in discursive
fashion, and of very uneven value.
----. _Father Marquette at Mackinaw and Chicago_.
Hutchins, Thomas. _A Topographical Description of Virginia,
Pennsylvania, Maryland, and North Carolina._ Reprinted from the
original edition of 1778; edited by Frederick Charles Hicks
(Cleveland, 1904).
Hyde, James Nevins. _Early Medical Chicago._ An historical sketch
of the first practitioners of medicine, with the present
faculties, and graduates since their organization, of the
medical colleges of Chicago (Chicago, 1879). Pamphlet.
This is No. 11 in the Fergus historical series. Of value for
its account of the cholera outbreak and the methods of treatment
employed at Chicago in 1832. Contains the only defense I have seen
of Surgeon Van Voorhis against the charge of cowardice made in
Kinzie's _Wau Bun_.
Illinois State Historical Library Collections (Springfield,
1903-11).
Illinois State Historical Society. _Transactions_ (Springfield,
1901-1911). Nos. 1-15.
Indian Office. Letter books and other documents (MS).
These comprise a great mass of manuscripts and records pertaining to
the relations between the United States and the various Indian tribes
preserved in the Pension Building at Washington. For the most part they
have been used but little, if at all, by historical workers. Those
which have proved of chief assistance in the preparation of the present
work are the letter books and other records of the Department of Indian
Trade. Among these are the daybook kept by Matthew Irwin as factor at
Chicago, his petty ledger, the Chicago order book, and other volumes
relating to the operations of the Chicago factory and of the government
trading-house system in general.
Indiana Historical Society. _Publications_ (Indianapolis,
1895-1905), Vols. I-III.
James, James Alton. "Indian Diplomacy and Opening of the Revolution
in the West," in _Wisconsin State Historical Society,
Proceedings_, 1909, 125 ff.
----. "Some Problems of the Northwest in 1779," in Essays in
_American History, Dedicated to Frederick Jackson Turner_, Guy
Stanton Ford, editor (New York, 1910).
----. "The Significance of the Attack on St. Louis, 1780," in
_Mississippi Valley Historical Association Proceedings_ for
1908-9, 199 ff.
----. "George Rogers Clark and Detroit 1780-1781," in Mississippi
Valley Historical Association Proceedings for 1910-11, 291 ff.
_Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents_; Travels and Explorations
of the Jesuit missionaries in New France 1610-1791, Reuben Gold
Thwaites, editor (Cleveland, 1896-1901). 73 vols.
Valuable for the movements of the early missionary explorers and
their work among the Indians of the Northwest in the early French
period.
Johnston, William. "Notes of a Tour from Fort Wayne to Chicago,
1809." MS in Chicago Historical Society library.
A detailed description of the route between Fort Wayne and
Chicago, together with brief observations on Fort Dearborn and the
Chicago Portage. The MS is a copy, approximately contemporary, of
the original.
_Journals of the Continental Congress 1774-1789._ Edited from the
original records in the Library of Congress by Worthington
Chauncey Ford, Chief, Division of Manuscripts (Washington,
1904-10). 18 vols.
Keating, William H. _Narrative of an Expedition to the Source of
St. Peter's River, Lake Winnipeek, Lake of the Woods, etc,
etc._ Performed in the year 1823, by order of the Hon. John
C. Calhoun, Secretary of War, under the command of Stephen H.
Long, Major, U.S. T.E. (Philadelphia, 1824). 2 vols.
The explorers passed through Chicago and the historian of the
expedition has left an unusually doleful description of the place
and of its prospects.
Kingsbury, Jacob. Papers (MS).
Kingsbury was an officer in the army in command of Detroit and
other northwestern posts at various times from 1804 to 1812,
and the officer first selected by the government to lead the
northwestern army in the campaign of 1812. His papers, in the
possession of the Chicago Historical Society, consist of letter
books, original letters, and other documents, and shed much light
upon conditions in the Northwest, particularly in the army, in this
period. The Library of Congress possesses three bound volumes of
Kingsbury's correspondence, but their contents are of comparatively
slight importance for the present work.
Kinzie, John. Genealogy of the Descendants of (MS).
This is a typewritten manuscript in the Chicago Historical
Society library, compiled by Mrs. Gordon, the granddaughter of
Kinzie. It deals only with the descendants of the trader's second,
or legitimate, family.
----. Family Genealogy (MS).
This is a portion of a lengthy typewritten genealogical record
of the Kinzie, Lytle, and other families of early Detroit owned by
Clarence M. Burton of Detroit. It was compiled by an advocate of
the claims to legitimacy of the offspring of Kinzie's first family,
and later submitted to the criticism of Mrs. Gordon, who believes
that her grandfather's first family was an illegitimate one.
[Kinzie, Mrs. John H.] _Narrative of the Massacre at Chicago,
August 15, 1812, and of Some Preceding Events_ (Chicago, 1844).
Pamphlet.
Aside from some scattered source material, this is the first
printed account of the massacre, and it constitutes the basis
of almost all the later accounts that have been written to the
present time. The author was a daughter-in-law of John Kinzie,
and her information was obtained chiefly from his wife and his
stepdaughter, the wife of Lieutenant Helm. The narrative is
fanciful and unreliable, yet because of the use made of it by later
writers a knowledge of it is now necessary to any understanding of
the literature pertaining to the Fort Dearborn massacre.
----. _Wau Bun, the "Early Day" of the Northwest._ New edition,
with an introduction by Reuben Gold Thwaites (Chicago, the
Caxton Club, 1901).
The first edition of this work appeared in 1856. The author
incorporated in it her earlier narrative of the Fort Dearborn
massacre. For the rest the work deals with her experience in
the West from 1830 to 1834, and with the early history of her
husband's family. Although from some points of view the work
possesses historical value, from the viewpoint of the present work
the judgment of a recent correspondent of the writer that it "is
interesting as fiction very slightly founded on fact, but worthless
as a work of history" is scarcely too severe.
Kirkland, Joseph. "The Chicago Massacre in 1812," in _Magazine of
American History_, XXVIII, 111 ff.
Kirkland interviewed Darius Heald in 1892, and this is his report
of the latter's narrative of the Chicago massacre as told by his
mother, Mrs. Rebekah Heald.
----. _The Chicago Massacre of 1812._ A historical and biographical
narrative of Fort Dearborn (now Chicago). How the fort and city
were begun, and who were the beginners (Chicago, 1893).
This little work was inspired by the author's rediscovery of the
Darius Heald-Rebekah Heald narrative of the massacre. In it he
strives to reconcile this narrative with that of Mrs. Kinzie in
_Wau Bun_.
Lahontan, Baron de. _New Voyages to North America_, Reuben Gold
Thwaites, editor (Chicago, 1905). 2 vols.
Latrobe, Charles Joseph. _The Rambler in North America, 1832-1833_
(London, 1835). 2 vols.
One of the best of the series of descriptions by foreigners of
their travels in the United States of which the first half of the
nineteenth century was so prolific. Contains a graphic description
of the scenes attending the negotiation of the Chicago Treaty of
1833, of which the author was an eye-witness.
Legler, Henry E. "Chevalier Henry de Tonty," in Parkman Club
Publications, No. 3. (Milwaukee, 1896).
A sympathetic and scholarly summary of Tonty's career in America.
McAfee, Robert B. _History of the Late War in the Western Country._
Comprising a full account of all the transactions in that
quarter, from the commencement of hostilities at Tippecanoe, to
the termination of the contest at New Orleans on the return of
peace (Lexington, Ky., 1816).
One of the best of the contemporary narratives of the War of
1812. Contains an account of the Fort Dearborn massacre drawn from
Sergeant Griffith, a participant.
McCoy, Isaac. _History of Baptist Indian Missions._ Embracing
remarks on the former and present condition of the aboriginal
Indian tribes; their settlement within the Indian Territory,
and their future prospects (Washington, 1840).
An account of the courageous and self-sacrificing labors of the
founder of Carey's Mission among the St. Joseph Pottawatomies.
Sheds some light on the Chicago Treaty of 1821.
McCulloch, David. _Early Days of Peoria and Chicago._ An address
read before the Chicago Historical Society at a quarterly
meeting held January 19, 1904 ([Chicago], n.d.). Pamphlet.
----. "Old Peoria," in _Illinois State Historical Society
Transactions_, 1901.
McLaughlin, Andrew C. "The Western Posts and the British Debts,"
in _American Historical Association, Annual Report for 1894_,
413-44 (Washington, 1895).
The standard study of this subject.
McMaster, John Bach. _A History of the People of the United States
from the Revolution to the Civil War_ (New York, 1891-1906).
Vols. I-VI.
Map: Bellin, M. _Carte de l'Amérique Septentrionale depuis le 28
degré de latitude jusqu'au 72._ Par M. Bellin, Ingénieur de la
marine et du depost des plans, ... (1755).
Shows an abandoned French post at Chicago.
Map: Homann, Johannes Baptista. _Totius Americae Septentrionalis
et Meridionalis, novissima representatio quam ex singulis
recentium geographorum tabulis collecta luci publicae
accommodavit_ (Nuremberg, [1700?]).
Shows La Salle's Fort Miami at Chicago.
Map: Moll, Herman. _Atlas Minor: or a New and Curious Set of
Sixty-two Maps, in Which Are Shown All the Empires, Kingdoms,
Countries, States in All the Known Parts of the Earth ..._
(London, n.d.).
Map: Popple, Henry. _A Map of the British Empire in America with
the French and Spanish Settlements Adjacent Thereto_ (London,
1733).
Map: Rocque, John. _A General Map of North America: in Which Is
Expressed the Several New Roads, Forts, Engagements, &c. Taken
from Actual Surveys and Observations Made in the Army Employed
There, from the Year 1754 to 1761;_ drawn by the late John
Rocque, topographer to his Majesty.
Margry, Pierre. _Découvertes et établissements des Français
dans l'ouest et dans le sud de l'Amérique Septentrionale
(1614-1754);_ mémoires et documents orignaux (Paris,
1876-1886). 6 vols.
The early volumes contain a mass of source material pertaining to
the work of La Salle in North America.
Martin. _Report of Cases Argued and Determined in the Supreme Court
of the State of Louisiana_, comprising Louisiana Term Reports
IV and V (New Orleans, 1852).
Contains the decision of the court in the case of _Kinzie and
Forsyth_ vs. _Jeffrey Nash_.
Mason, Edward G. _Chapters from Illinois History_ (Chicago, 1901).
Contains several charmingly written chapters on Illinois in the
early French period, based to a large extent on a study of the
original sources; a study of the Spanish expedition against St.
Joseph in 1781, which has until recently been regarded as the
standard treatment of the subject; and the address of Mason on the
occasion of the unveiling of the Fort Dearborn massacre monument.
The historical value of the latter study is much inferior to that
of the preceding ones.
----. "Early Visitors to Chicago," in _New England Magazine_
(Boston), new ser., VI, 188 ff.
Matson, N. _French and Indians of Illinois River_. 2d ed.
(Princeton, Ill., 1874).
----. _Memories of Shaubena with Incidents Relating to Indian Wars
and the Early Settlement of the West_ (Chicago, 1890).
----. _Pioneers of Illinois_. Containing a series of sketches
relating to events that occurred previous to 1813, ... drawn
from history, tradition, and personal reminiscences (Chicago,
1882).
The author of these three works was an Illinois pioneer possessed
of more zeal for preserving the history of early Illinois than
he was of critical insight. Despite the advantage he enjoyed of
personal acquaintance and contact with many of the characters
treated in his works, but little confidence can be had in the
accuracy of his statements, while it is often obvious that they
have no tangible basis in fact.
Michigan Pioneer and Historical Society. _Collections and
Researches_ (Lansing, 1887-1910). Vols. I-XXXVIII.
This series contains a vast number of documents, indifferently
edited for the most part, bearing on the history of the Northwest.
_Mississippi Valley Historical Association Proceeding_s (Cedar
Rapids, 1909-12). Vols. I-IV.
The volumes in this new series are ably edited and their
contents, relating to the history of the Mississippi Valley region,
are in general of a high order of excellence.
_Missouri Historical Review_ (Columbia, 1907-12). Vols. I-VI.
Moses, John. _Illinois, Historical and Statistical._ Comprising
the essential facts of its planting and growth as a province,
county, territory, and state ... (Chicago, 1889). 2 vols.
Neville, Ella Hoes, Sarah Greene Martin, and Deborah Beaumont
Martin. _Historic Green Bay, 1634-1840_ (Green Bay, Wis., 1893).
_Niles' Register ..._ (Baltimore), 1811-49. 76 vols.
O'Callaghan, E. B. (editor). _Documents Relative to the Colonial
History of the State of New York_ (Albany. 1853-58). 10 vols.
Parkman, Francis. _A Half-Century of Conflict_ (Boston, 1897). 2
vols.
This covers the first half of the eighteenth century, and
includes an extensive account of the Fox wars. The series to
which the work belongs has long ranked as a classic in American
historical literature, yet the account of the Fox wars is now
obsolete in many respects, and requires rewriting in the light of
the mass of documents brought to light since Parkman's work was
done.
----. _La Salle and the Discovery of the Great West_ (Boston,
1897). 2 vols.
This work still remains the standard authority on the subject
treated.
----. _The Conspiracy of Pontiac_ (Boston, 1897).
Some of the conclusions expressed in this work have been
challenged by Hebberd (Wisconsin under the Dominion of France), and
other writers.
Peyster, Arent Schuyler de. _Miscellanies by an Officer_ (Dumfries,
1813).
A reprint of the original edition of this work has been issued
under the editorship of J. Watts de Peyster (New York, 1888).
Polk, James K. _The Diary of James K. Polk during His Presidency,
1845 to 1849_ ... Edited and Annotated by Milo Milton Quaife
... (Chicago, 1910). 4 vols.
This constitutes Vols. VI to IX inclusive of the Chicago
Historical Society Collections.
Porter, Rev. Jeremiah. _The Earliest Religious History of Chicago_.
An address before the Chicago Historical Society in 1859
(Chicago, 1881). Pamphlet.
This work is No. 14 in the Fergus Historical Series.
Porter, Mary H. _Eliza Chappell Porter_. A Memoir (Chicago, 1892).
Quaife, Milo Milton. "Some Notes on the Fort Dearborn Massacre,"
in _Mississippi Valley Historical Association Proceedings_ for
1910-11, 112 ff.
A critical estimate of the printed accounts of the Fort Dearborn
massacre, more particularly of Mrs. Kinzie's _Wau Bun_.
Reynolds, John. _The Pioneer History of Illinois_. Containing the
discovery in 1673, and the history of the country to the year
1818, when the state government was organized. 2d ed., with
portraits, notes, and a complete index (Chicago, 1887).
Roosevelt, Theodore. _The Winning of the West_ (New York, 1889-96).
4 vols.
Vols. Ill and IV of this work contain a good account of the Indian
troubles in the Northwest and the campaigns of Harmar, St.
Clair, and Wayne in the opening years of the new national
government.
Schoolcraft, Henry R. _Narrative Journal of Travels from Detroit
Northwest through the Great Chain of American Lakes to the
Sources of the Mississippi River in the Year 1820_ (Albany,
1821).
This volume has a second title-page with a somewhat longer title.
The author was an observer of more than usual intelligence and zeal
who spent a great many years in the Northwest as Indian agent at
Sault Ste. Marie and Mackinac. The expedition described in this
volume was sent out by the government under the leadership of Lewis
Cass. The Journal contains a description of Chicago in 1820 and an
account of the massacre based in part on information obtained from
John Kinzie.
----. _Summary Narrative of an Exploratory Expedition to the
Sources of the Mississippi River in 1820: Resumed and Completed
by the Discovery of Its Origin in Itasca Lake, in 1832 ..._
(Philadelphia, 1855).
----. _Travels in the Central Portions of the Mississippi Valley:
Comprising Observations on Its Mineral Geography, Internal
Resources, and Aboriginal Population_ (New York, 1825).
The "travels" which furnished the material for this work comprised
a circuit by Schoolcraft from Detroit by way of the Maumee and
Wabash rivers to the Ohio, across southern Illinois, up the
valley of the Illinois River to Chicago, and thence around
the lakes to Detroit. Most of the journey was made in a large
canoe, the remainder on horseback. The occasion for making it
was the Chicago Treaty of 1821 to which Schoolcraft came with
Lewis Cass in the capacity of secretary. The work contains,
therefore, the most valuable account in existence of the
negotiations attending that treaty.
----. _Personal Memoirs of a Residence of Thirty Years with the
Indian Tribes on the American Frontier, with Brief Notices of
Passing Events, Facts, and Opinions, A.D. 1812 to A.D. 1842_
(Philadelphia, 1851).
Shirreff, Patrick. _A Tour through North America; Together with
a Comprehensive View of the Canadas and United States._ As
adapted for agricultural emigration (Edinburgh, 1835).
The author of this work was a shrewd farmer, and his observations
upon the people among whom he came are characterized by a degree
of sanity and fairness all too rare, unhappily, in the works of
English travelers in the United States in this period. Shirreff
came to Chicago in 1833 in the same stage that brought Latrobe. His
observations on the place, and on the proceedings attending the
Indian treaty which was in process of negotiation may profitably be
compared with those of Latrobe.
[Scott, Winfield]. _Memoirs of Lieutenant-General Scott, LL.D._
Written by himself (New York, 1864). 2 vols.
Valuable for the cholera epidemic of 1832, and for Scott's share
in the Black Hawk War.
Shea, John Gilmary. "Chicago from 1673 to 1725," in _Historical
Magazine_ (New York, April, 1861).
A brief summary, now of little importance.
----. (editor). _History and General Description of New France._ By
the Rev. P. F. X. de Charlevoix, S. J. Translated, with notes
by John Gilmary Shea (New York, 1866-1872).
A reprint of this work has been issued (New York, 1900), edited
by Noah F. Morrison.
----. _The Catholic Church in Colonial Days ... 1521-1763_ (New
York, 1866).
----. _History of the Catholic Missions among the Indian Tribes of
the United States, 1529-1854_ (New York, 1857).
----. _Early Voyages Up and Down the Mississippi, by Cavalier, St.
Cosme, Le Seur, Gravier, and Guignas_ (Albany, 1861).
Contains an English translation, abounding in numerous errors,
of St. Cosme's letter describing the expedition of the party of
Seminary priests to which he belonged to the lower Mississippi
country in 1698-1699. Valuable for its account of Chicago and the
Chicago Portage. The original manuscript is in the archives of
Laval University at Montreal. There is an attested copy of the
manuscript in the Chicago Historical Society library.
Simmons, N. _Heroes and Heroines of the Fort Dearborn Massacre._ A
Romantic and Tragic History of Corporal John Simmons and His
Heroic Wife (Lawrence, Kansas, 1896).
A slight work with many faults. It is, however, practically the
only source of information concerning the captivity of Mrs. Simmons
and her infant daughter.
Smith, William Henry (editor). _The St. Clair Papers._ The life and
public services of Arthur St. Clair ... with his correspondence
and other papers (Cincinnati, 1881).
Smith, W. L. G. _The Life and Times of Lewis Cass_ (New York, 1856).
Smith, William R. _The History of Wisconsin._ In three parts,
historical, documentary, descriptive (Madison, 1854).
Smith, Dr. William. Letter of, to James May, dated Fort Dearborn,
December 9, 1803.
Smith was the first surgeon at Fort Dearborn. This letter is
the earliest contemporary document from Fort Dearborn that I have
knowledge of. Contains some information about the founding of the
fort not to be found elsewhere. The letter is in the Detroit Public
Library.
Stevens, Frank E. _The Black Hawk War, Including a Review of Black
Hawk's Life_ (Chicago, 1903).
By far the most extensive and valuable account of the war. The
author's sympathies are too strongly enlisted on the side of
the whites, however, to entitle it to be ranked as an impartial
history. The work is profusely illustrated.
Steward, John F. _Lost Maramech and Earliest Chicago_ (Chicago,
1903).
Stiles, Henry Reed (editor). _Joutel's Journal of La Salle's
Last Voyage 1684-1687 ..._ New edition with historical and
biographical introduction, annotations, and index (Albany,
1906).
This is a reprint of the English edition of Joutel's Journal
published in 1714. It is an incomplete and garbled translation of
the original, which is printed in Margry, Vol. III.
Stoddard, Major Amos. _Sketches, Historical and Descriptive, of
Louisiana_ (Philadelphia, 1812).
The author was sent by the government of the United States to
take possession of Louisiana in 1803, and he became the first
territorial governor.
Swearingen, James Strode. Papers in the Chicago Historical Society
library (MS).
These consist of three documents, copies, apparently, of the
originals, which were loaned for this purpose by Lyman C. Draper.
They comprise an interview with Swearingen by an agent of Draper
in 1865; a letter of Swearingen's written at that time, concerning
his share in bringing the troops from Detroit to Fort Dearborn in
1803; and a detailed account of his subsequent career. For a fuller
account of these papers see Quaife, "That First Wilderness March
to Chicago," in _Chicago Record-Herald_, August II, 1912. Their
existence has been unknown until recently, and no use has hitherto
been made of them by students.
Tanner, John. _A Narrative of the Captivity and Adventures of John
Tanner ... during Thirty Years Residence among the Indians of
the Interior of North America._ Prepared for the press by Edwin
James, M.D. (New York, 1830).
Tanner journeyed from Mackinac to St. Louis in 1820 by way of the
Chicago Portage and Illinois River. The book contains a valuable
account of the crossing of the portage in the dry season of the
year.
Teggart, Frederick J. "The Capture of Saint Joseph, Michigan,
by the Spaniards in 1781," in _Missouri Historical Review_
(Columbia, 1911), V, 214-28.
This is the third and most recent critical study, that has
been made of this subject. It is based in part on hitherto
unused documents. The author dissents rather violently from the
conclusions of Professor Alvord, and tends in the main to approve
the earlier study of Edward G. Mason.
Thwaites, Reuben Gold. _How George Rogers Clark Won the Northwest,
and Other Essays in Western History_ (Chicago, 1903).
Among the "other essays" is an account of the Draper Collection
in the possession of the Wisconsin State Historical Society.
_Treaties between the United States of America and the Several
Indian Tribes from 1778 to 1837_ (Washington, 1837).
The use of the various collections of Indian treaties is attended
with some perplexity. Some of the treaties made can be found only
in this one; some others, printed elsewhere, are without one or
more of the schedules and special provisions which were ordinarily
an accompaniment of Indian treaties.
Turner, Frederick J. "The Character and Influence of the Fur
Trade in Wisconsin," in _Wisconsin State Historical Society
Proceedings for 1889_ (Madison, 1880), 52 ff.
This was an address delivered on the occasion of the annual
meeting of the Society. It was afterward expanded by the author
into the work cited immediately below.
----. "The Character and Influence of the Indian Trade in
Wisconsin," in _Johns Hopkins University Studies in Historical
and Political Science_, IX, 543-615 (Baltimore, 1891).
_U.S. Congress, Debates and Proceedings in. Annals of the Congress
of the United States ..._ (Washington, 1834-56). 42 vols.
This collection covers the period from 1789 to 1824; it was
continued in the Register of Debates in Congress (1825-37). 14 vols.
_United States of America vs. the Economy Light and Power Company_
(Chicago, 1912). 3 vols.
The evidence in this case, which involves the question of the
physical character and the historical use of the Des Plaines
River, constitutes one of the most exhaustive investigations ever
made, probably, of a comparatively obscure historical question.
The original testimony, of which the printed record is only an
abstract, constitutes a vast storehouse of information and expert
critical opinion concerning the Chicago area, given under oath and
subject to cross-examination.
U.S. Public Statutes at Large. Vol. VII (Boston, 1853) bears the
title. _Treaties between the United States of America and the
Indian Tribes_ (Richard Peters, Esq., ed.).
Van Cleve, Charlotte Ouisconsin. _Three Score Years and Ten. Life
Long Memoirs of Fort Snelling, Minnesota, and Other Parts of
the West_ (Minneapolis, 1888).
This volume contains the reminiscences, charmingly written, of
the author's life, first as daughter and later as wife of an army
officer, at Fort Snelling, Fort Winnebago, and other posts. Some of
the persons whose characters are sketched were stationed at Fort
Dearborn, either before or after the author's acquaintance with
them.
Van Voorhis, Elias W. _Notes on the Ancestry of Major Wm. Roe Van
Voorhis, of Fishkill, Duchess County, New York_ (privately
printed, 1881).
Varnum, Jacob. Journal (MS).
Varnum was factor at Chicago from 1816 to 1822. This document
is an account of his life to 1822, cast in the form of a journal.
It was made-up in 1865 from papers and other data in the writer's
possession. The copy in the Chicago Historical Society library,
a typewritten manuscript, was furnished by John Marshall Varnum,
author of The Varnums of Dracutt.
Varnum, John Marshall. _The Varnums of Dracutt (in Massachusetts)_,
(Boston, 1907).
_Virginia State Papers._ Calendar of Virginia state papers and
other manuscripts ... preserved in the capitol at Richmond
(Richmond, 1875-85). Vols. I-V.
Volney, C. F. _A View of the Soil and Climate of the United States
of America._ With supplementary remarks upon Florida; on the
French colonies on the Mississippi and Ohio, and in Canada;
and on the aboriginal tribes of America. Translated, with
occasional remarks, by C. B. Brown (Philadelphia, 1804).
Contains an account of an extended interview, at Philadelphia in
1798, with Little Turtle and Captain William Wells.
Vose, George L. _A Sketch of the Life and Works of George W.
Whistler, Civil Engineer_ (Boston, 1887).
Walker, Charles I. _The Northwest during the Revolution_ (Madison,
1871). Pamphlet.
This was delivered as the annual address before the Wisconsin
State Historical Society, January 31, 1871.
Washburne, E. B. (editor). _The Edwards Papers._ Being a portion
of the collection of the letters, papers, and manuscripts
of Ninian Edwards, ... presented to the Chicago Historical
Society, October 16th, 1883, by his son, Ninian Wirt Edwards
(Chicago, 1884).
This work constitutes Vol. III of the Chicago Historical Society
Collections.
Webb, James Watson, letter to John Wentworth, October 31, 1882 (MS).
This letter, in the Chicago Historical Society library, contains
the narration in old age of the writer's recollections of life at
Fort Dearborn, sixty years before.
Weld, Isaac Jr. _Travels through the States of North America, and
the Provinces of Upper and Lower Canada, during the Years 1795,
1796, and 1797._ 4th ed. (London, 1800), 2 vols.
Contains an account of the distribution of goods at Maiden to the
Indians.
Wentworth John. _Early Chicago. Fort Dearborn._ An address
delivered at the unveiling of the memorial tablet to mark the
site of the blockhouse on Saturday afternoon, May 21, 1881 ...
(Chicago, 1881).
This constitutes No. 16 of the Fergus Historical Series. As
published it embraces a number of documents and other material not
contained in the original address.
Whistler, John. Genealogy of the family of (MS).
This document, compiled by James Whistler Wood, a grandson of
John Whistler, is in the Chicago Historical Society library.
Wilson, James Grant. "Sketch of the Life of Lieutenant James Strode
Swearingen, Together with the Journal Kept by Him on the March
from Detroit to Chicago in 1803," in _New York Herald_, October
4, 1903.
----. Chicago from 1803 to 1812 (MS).
A sketch based largely on information gained from Surgeon John
Cooper, who was stationed at Fort Dearborn from 1803 to 1811.
Winans, Susan Simmons. Papers Pertaining to the Securing of a
Pension for (MS).
These papers, in the Chicago Historical Society library,
constitute the only available source of information concerning the
life of the last known survivor of the Fort Dearborn massacre.
Winsor, Justin. _Cartier to Frontenac: Geographical Discovery in
the Interior of North America in Its Historical Relations,
1534-1700_ (Boston, 1894).
This and the two volumes which follow are standard authorities
for their respective periods and subjects. They are particularly
notable for the use made by the author of historical maps as a
basis for his narrative.
----. _The Mississippi Basin: the Struggle in America between
England and France 1697-1763_ (Boston, 1895).
----. _The Westward Movement: the Colonies and the Republic West of
the Alleghenies 1763-1798_ (Boston, 1897).
----. _Narrative and Critical History of America_ (Boston, 1889). 8
vols.
Wisconsin State Historical Society. _Collections of the State
Historical Society of Wisconsin._ Vols. I-XIX (Madison, Wis.,
1855-1910).
This constitutes one of the most valuable collections of material
in print for the history of the Northwest.
Young, William T. "Sketch of the Life and Public Services of
General Lewis Cass...." 2d ed. (Detroit, 1852).
INDEX
Abbott, James, trading-post at Chicago, 130;
marriage, 130-31, 158, 170.
Abbott, Robert, trading-post at Chicago, 130.
"Adams," sailing-vessel, visits Chicago, 154;
Hull plans to equip, 214-15, 243;
carries Heald to Buffalo, 243;
carries furs to Mackinac, 289.
Adams, John Quincy, pardons Winnebago murderers, 320.
Aird, James, crosses Chicago Portage, 289.
Algonquin Indians, expedition against Iroquois, 51-52.
Allouez, Father, successor to Marquette, 29;
at Chicago, 29.
Alvord, Clarence W., study of Spanish attack on St. Joseph, 100, 439.
American Bottom, settlements of, 82.
American Fur Company, Illinois brigade, 10, 14-15, 278-79;
John Crafts employee of, 269;
claim against J. B. Chandonnai, 277, 360-61;
seeks monopoly of Indian trade, 301;
hostility to factory system, 306;
grants to, 360-61; invoices, 439.
American State Papers, 439.
Anderson, Robert, in Black Hawk War, 323.
Anderson, Thomas G., narrative of, 135.
Andreas, A. T., history, 439.
Apple River, camp on, 313.
Arkansas, factory at, 295.