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The Chicago Massacre of 1812: With Illustrations and Historical Documents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
This man had been for a long time on the sick report, and for
this reason was given the charge of the baggage instead of being
placed with the troops. His efforts to recover the horses being
unsuccessful, he was hastening to rejoin his party, alarmed at some
appearances of disorder and hostile indications among the Indians,
when he was met and made prisoner by To-pee-nee-be.
Having taken from him his arms and accoutrements, the chief put him
in a canoe and paddled him across the river, bidding him make for the
woods and secrete himself. This he did, and the following day in the
afternoon, seeing from his lurking-place that all appeared quiet, he
ventured to steal cautiously into the garden of Ouilmette, where he
concealed himself for a time behind some currant-bushes.
At length he determined to enter the house, and accordingly climbed
up through a small back window into the room where the family were.
This was just as the Wabash Indians left the house of Ouilmette for
that of Mr. Kinzie. The danger of the sergeant was now imminent.
The family stripped him of his uniform and arrayed him in a suit
of deerskin, with belt, moccasins and pipe, like a French engage.
His dark complexion and large black whiskers favored the disguise.
The family were all ordered to address him in French, and although
utterly ignorant of the language, he continued to pass for a
Weem-tee-gosh,[AD] and as such to accompany Mr. Kinzie and his
family, undetected by his enemies, until they reached a place of
safety.
[AD] Frenchman.
On the third day after the battle, the family of Mr. Kinzie, with
the clerks of the establishment, were put into a boat under the
care of François, a half-breed interpreter, and conveyed to St.
Joseph's, where they remained until the following November, under
the protection of To-pe-nee-bee's band. They were then conducted
to Detroit under the escort of Chandonnais and their trusty Indian
friend, Kee-po-tah, and delivered up as prisoners of war to Colonel
McKee, the British Indian Agent.
Mr. Kinzie was not allowed to leave St. Joseph's with his family, his
Indian friends insisting on his remaining and endeavoring to secure
some remnant of his scattered property. During his excursions with
them for that purpose he wore the costume and paint of the tribe, in
order to escape capture and perhaps death at the hands of those who
were still thirsting for blood. In time, however, his anxiety for his
family induced him to follow them to Detroit, where in the month of
January he was received and paroled by General Proctor.
Captain and Mrs. Heald had been sent across the lake to St. Joseph's,
the day after the battle. The former had received two wounds and the
latter seven in the engagement.
[Illustration: ALEXANDER ROBINSON (in old age).
Chief of the Pottowatomies, Chippewas, and others.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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