Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-12-01

We take the following notice from the lil-
nois. Isselllgeneer. The ,kerch is curious aud
valusSle as the portrait of species. We
can hardly acquiesce in the assertion that a
man who loved to kill Indians, and IN whose
hear, the spiri, Of revenge could so long and
powerfully predominant, was not "cruel by ma
,urr," but kind, generous and benevolent"
Not GazeHe.
COLONEL JOHN MOREDOt
Tn o,r las, naner W. had The melano holy du
~ 10 perform Of announcing the death OF COL
Jous MoREpocE-a man who was particular
" distinguished in the early history OF this
country, and whose name deserves more spt-
cial mention than the brief obituary we then
published. This gentleman came ~ Illinois
more than forty years ago, When the only
white inhabitants in this Territory were com
Drised in the French settlements on the Missis-
sipp. The French having lived peaceahly
with The Indians, a few American families
came out about the lime we have mentioned,
and being more en,erprising than The ola IN
hab,ants, hegsn 10 spread out into the in'rfior.
The Indians resisted these encroachmrnts, anu
the barbaritiss which had been acted IN hen>
lucky and Ohio, began 10 be perPetra'ed IN IL
linois.
Among the cmigrants was the mr'her OF Col.
Morcdock. She had been married Jour umes'
and all her husbands had oeen murdered oy the
Indians, in Kentucky, and in Indiana; YET
strange to tell, this undannted woman VINO
seemed destined 10 suffer all the eruei'ies OF
border warfare. left Vincennes in her tourlh
widowhood, with the purpose OF proceeding to
Illinois with h.r children. Pursuing The Cir
cui,ous quite then usually ;rsvelled,and The on
" one that was practicable, she descended he
w sbash and Ohio rivers, and was ascending
the Mississippi, when The whole party was
surprised and murdered by the Indians. Mrs
| M'Fall, for that was her name, perished WIN
all her children, except John Moredock, 'hen
abou, Is years old. who was not with his mo-
,her, having gone with another company
Moredock thus found himself in the situation
so patherically described BY the celebrated l.o'
gan-" no, drop Of his blood ran in the VEINS
OF any human creature;" and being by na'ore
generous and ardent, all his tenderness ior
| those who were dear to him was awakened {;
and turned into revenge against their brutal
d.s,royrrs. Hr became emphatically All Indi'
an haie,. and continued through life 20 consider
| it virrue to make war upon the savage. The
| Indians who massacIeed his mo,hrr were
known to be part Of tribe who resided near
New Mad,id and 10 that place they were ira
| ced by a parry sent gu, 20 revenge the murder,
but being secreted by The Spanish commander
stationed ,herc, they at hat time eseap q the
! vengr ance of the whites. tthey could not
escape The vigilance Of Mo'edock, who having
| learned tina, they came up every season 10 NUM-
in the ncighborhood Of Kaskaskia, watched
for them from year TO year.
Two or .hree wears alter the murder, hav-
| ing heard tina, this party was in the neighhor-
hood he raised small company and gave
chaee 10 them, but the Indians escaped. On
he following year they came to their old hunt
ing ground again, and Moredock surprised
hem as they lay hid IN an island in the Missis-
sippi, and the parties being nearly equal a
bloody ba tile ensued in which The whole Of the
Indians who were II or 10 in number, were
slain, excep, three, who escaped by plunging
into the river A year or Two after he surprised
seven Of the same tribe and slew them, and
fel, gratifi.d in the belief that he had now sac
rife ed all The murderers Of his mother and her
! infants
| lie continued to make war upon the Indians,
and is supposed 10 have never lost an oppor-
tun,v "f gratifying this master passion OF his
soul. Yet he was not cruel 10y nature, on the
contrary, re was kind, generous and benevolent,
sincere aud warm in his fiirndships, punctua
in his engagements, and possessed OF more
than ordinary degree OF calm Deliberate courage.
Tie excelled in all the msnlv exercises incident
10 frontier life. and had few equals in Strength,
acti,i y, or hardihood He VS. mighty hunt
err; skilled in all The articles Of the chase, fond
| Of roaming through The woods and sleeping
bv his camp fire, and deiigh'ine in all the vi
issi'udss Of tn, Sc adventurous scenes. In the
woods his prudence was as great as his skill,
and The best wood >men loved to hunt in compa-
ny with who was wa'chlui, so expert
in he worb, emr' gene les, so true to his tTi'nd
but wos 10 tn, Indian who crossed his path
During the last war with Goa Britain. a
law was passed by Congress IN i9l2-l3, Tor
raising e" comps MES Of Rangers for he pro-
tee ion OF ,h+ frontiers # Indiana and Illinois,
aud More dock was imme s.,s'ely pointed on by
COMMON consent as The person best qualified to
Command hat portion Of ,ht force destined Tor
Illinois. The Territorial Legislature accord
inglv recommended him for 'he appointme"'
Of Major and Samuel White sides, james Is