The Chicago Massacre of 1812: With Illustrations and Historical DocumentsKirkland, Joseph
History
The Chicago Massacre of 1812: With Illustrations and Historical Documents
Kirkland, Joseph
Chicago (Ill.) -- History; Fort Dearborn Massacre, Chicago, Ill., 1812
Among the articles captured by the Indians and, after their
transportation from Chicago to Peoria and from Peoria to Saint
Louis, bought by Colonel O'Fallon and sent to the Falls of the Ohio
(Louisville) to Samuel Wells, are the following, all of which were
brought to Chicago by the Hon. Darius Heald, exhibited to his relatives
(the family of Gen. A. L. Chetlain), and their friends, and here
reproduced.
Captain Heald's sword.
A shawl-pin he wore which, when recovered, had been bent to serve as
a nose-ring.
Part of his uniform coat, which seems to have been divided among his
captors.
Six silver table-spoons and one soup-ladle, each marked "N. R. H.,"
doubtless the wedding-present made by Colonel Samuel Wells to Nathan
and Rebekah Heald.
A hair brooch marked "S. W.," supposed to contain the hair of Samuel
Wells.
A finger-ring marked "R. W." (Probably one of the girlish treasures
of Rebekah Wells.)
A fine tortoise-shell comb, cut somewhat in the shape of an eagle's
beak and having silver ornaments representing the bird's eye,
nostril, etc.
[Illustration: DARIUS HEALD, WITH SWORD AND OTHER MASSACRE RELICS.]
Mr. Wentworth further says:
In the biographical sketches of the members of the Corinthian Lodge
of Masons, at Concord, Mass., I find the following:
Nathan Heald, initiated in 1797, died at Stockland (now O'Fallon) in
St. Charles County, Missouri, where he had resided some years, in
1832, aged 57 years. He was born in Ipswich, N. H., September 29,
1775, was the third sou of Colonel Thomas and Sybel (Adams) Heald
and in early life joined the U. S. Army. Mrs. Maria (Heald) Edwards,
of this city, born at Ipswich, N. H, in 1803, mother of Mrs. General
Chetlain, was the eldest child of his brother, Hon. Thomas Heald, one
of the Associate Judges of the Supreme Court of Alabama. (Fergus'
Hist. Series No. 16.)
A considerable part of Captain Heald's first report of the massacre
appears in our old friend Niles' Weekly Register, Nov. 7, 1812. (I
have quoted it, to a great extent, in connection with the story of the
event.)
Extract of a letter from Captain Heald, late commandant at Fort
Chicago, dated at Pittsburg, October 23, 1812:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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