Ewing’s statement on reaching Dixon’s, that many fresh trails indicated the presence of large numbers of Indians in the party making westerly to escape beyond the Mississippi, caused Atkinson to at once detach Alexander’s Brigade with orders to march to the mouth of Plum River to intercept such escape if possible, and, unless otherwise ordered, to return to Dixon’s. Accordingly, the brigade moved at 6:30 the following morning. Very soon after its departure an express brought news of the murder, on Fox River, of two citizens employed in conducting a wagon; also of the death of one of Captain McFadden’s men in an expedition, June 24, on Indian Creek, the details of which Hon. George M. Hollenback has kindly furnished me: “The last depredations committed by the Indians in this vicinity were done on a Sunday, about the last of June. Upon that day, a mounted detachment, numbering about 150 men, under Captain Arnett, left Ottawa for the purpose of proceeding to the Hollenback settlement and collecting and driving to a place of safety the settlers’ stock. “About the time the detachment left, something happened to one of the men which delayed him a few minutes, when he proceeded to rejoin the rest of the men. Upon his way, he fell in with two men named Schermerhorn and Hazelton, in a wagon, following up the detachment, in order to visit their homes not far distant from the old Mission, and were, as they supposed, perfectly secure. “The party had reached a place not far from William L. Dunnivan’s, when they were fired upon, and both men in the wagon were killed; the soldier on horseback escaping. An Indian threw a spear at him as he turned to flee, cutting in its flight some of the mane from the horse, just in front of the rider. He immediately returned to Ottawa, and procuring sufficient reinforcements, returned to the scene, and found the dead bodies of the men, which were taken to Ottawa for burial. The detachment had heard the firing a mile or so in the rear, but thought nothing of it until the killing was subsequently learned. During the afternoon of the same day the other tragedy was enacted on the west side of Fox River, near Indian Creek. “On that day, four of McFadden’s company, Captain George McFadden himself and two brothers, Third Corporal Ezekiel, and Daniel Warren, and Private James Beresford left Ottawa and proceeded up the west side of Fox River, near Beresford’s home, in search of strawberries. They were in fine spirits and it was Beresford’s twenty-first birthday.