The Story of Old Fort DearbornCurrey, J. Seymour (Josiah Seymour)
History
The Story of Old Fort Dearborn
Currey, J. Seymour (Josiah Seymour)
Chicago (Ill.) -- History; Fort Dearborn Massacre, Chicago, Ill., 1812
Mrs. Lee was one of the women taken by the Indians when her husband and
son had been killed at the massacre, as already narrated. She had with
her a daughter twelve years old and an infant. These were claimed by
our old friend Black Partridge under the following circumstances: The
daughter had been placed on horseback for the march and tied fast for
fear she would slip off the saddle. When the action was at its height
she was severely wounded by a musket ball; and the horse, becoming
frightened, set off at a gallop. The girl was partly thrown off, but was
held fast by the bands, and hung dangling until she was met by Black
Partridge, who caught the horse and disengaged her from the saddle. The
chief had known the family and was greatly attached to this little girl,
whom he recognized at once.
On finding that she was so seriously wounded that she could not recover,
and that, besides, she was suffering great agony, he put the finishing
stroke to her at once with his tomahawk. He said afterwards that this
was one of the hardest things he ever attempted to do, but that he did it
because he could not bear to see her suffer.
Black Partridge then took the mother and her infant to his village on
the Au Sable, where he became warmly attached to the former; "so much
so," relates the author of _Wau-Bun_, "that he wished to marry her; but
as she very naturally objected, he treated her with the greatest respect
and consideration." He was not disposed to liberate her from captivity,
however, hoping that in time he could prevail upon her to become his wife.
During the following winter the child became ill, and was not restored
by ordinary cures. Black Partridge then offered to take the child to
Chicago, where the French trader named Du Pin, who had arrived after the
massacre, was then living in the Kinzie house, and obtain medical aid
from him. Accordingly the child was warmly wrapped, and the chief carried
his precious charge all the way in his arms.
Arriving at the residence of M. du Pin, he carefully placed the child
on the floor. "What have you there?" asked the trader. "A young raccoon,
which I have brought you as a present," replied the chief. Then opening
the pack, he displayed the little sick child. M. du Pin furnished some
remedies for its complaint and when Black Partridge was about to return
he told the trader of his proposal to Mrs. Lee to become his wife, and of
the way it had been received.
M. du Pin, being a man of discernment, "entertained some fears,"
continues the _Wau-Bun_ account, "that the chief's honorable resolution
might not hold out, to leave it to the lady herself whether to accept
his addresses or not, so he entered at once into a negotiation for her
ransom, and so effectually wrought upon the good feelings of Black
Partridge that he consented to bring his fair prisoner at once to
Chicago, that she might be restored to her friends."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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