, 1861-02-08
CH1CAG o, 4N-.1 s32..
re Elr1t Steamer to this Clty.-Tho
ChOlcra---Itk Fatality among The Sol.
41ors and SCOTT and his


+ rival home from New York, few days Elm,
from our annual meeting, found your fay
OF the I'd inst, in which you speak Of my Il
-mer communication, published in the PRE-
AND TRIBUNE Of your city Of the 25th ult-, &
Ing IN outline Of the first voyage nude to 20
city By steamboat in 1882 I am gratifed
learn Though not intended at the time f
pnbIication) that 1t IVES received with SO mu.
fayor by the older class Of Inhabitants, a1
that many OF the facts set forth proved into
estlng, as the main features we're entirely ne
to the minority Of the present population. .
And now, in compliance with your reques
1Will enter more fully into detail, as you il
form me, many Of the leading points and Ii
cfdents connected with that pioneer :yoyag
will form part Of the recorded history {
Chicago, as kept BY the Historical Society.
will afford INC much satisfaction If, in any va,
1may be able in the least to add anything t
the early history Of your great city that will b
considered worthy Of record.
| Il is interesting at this late date, after th
lapse Of more thzn quarter Of q century, t
review the past and CLEAN therefrom statistic
A and data, which, though small in themselves
arc nevertheless important, as they serve a
connecting links in the chain of events whicI
h"se olfect bearing upon the extensive com
mstcs o1 our lakes' as "eA as the increasing
s!eNtu ano l1e laplo. oe'elopment oi the re
sources ofwealth in your city and State, wlicl
have hardly parallel in history.
~ WILL DC pofne N mmd that at that time but
ie" .laees OF clVlhzat1on could be seen, atte1
passlrs @ue o'lal.s o1 Maek1na"; nothing like
nent houses' OF beacon Lights, artificial har
ools' OF out 1e" natural ones, were in exist
once; no piers, wood or coal yards were es,
A"onsneui ano MOI Single village, town, OF
s.s ~ 'ne "noie oistance-wheFe now all are
.cnsp4eu'us along Tue western shores OF Lake
4n4sAieau' eno"1ns strange contrast indeed.
~ WILL also be remembered-as stated in
my io.mer eommun1cation-that four stean-
etsle ns''!g efog' Superior, ahetdo'' 4Ao'nf,
s. "nu 'm. tsH'-"efe chartered by tile Uni
w ola1es government 1or the purpose Of
s11opol lug troops, equipments and provls-
LUIS !" lineage anflng the Black Hawk var,
out owing 10 inc fearful raTages made by the
pre'k'ng Out ol the asiatic cholcra among the
.soops ana crews on board, that two Of those
noa1s "ere o1npe1ed to abandon their voyage,
p.oeeeo.ns no 'afther than Fort Gratiot. The
7ee oes.tnc 60 violent and alarming on
out4o LUG HeaTy Ctdy that nothing like disci-
pune eoula oe oosezFcc-every thing in the
way Of subordination ceased. As soon as tie
ess~aet ~ e'lue 10 lne oocs, each man sprnng On
- Aoe4os W escape lrom scene SO terri
stns anu appa1a1ns. some hed to the fields,
sone 10 lug WOODS, while others lay down in
tle e1feels and under the cover Of the River
panA' "acfe most OF them dicd-unwept and
*S-ous' ~.
Inefe were no cases Of eho1era causing death
= =. oo"4a nl9 ooat uhtll we passed the 31anitou
M 1sa.nus LAKE S1ichigan). The first person at
&~esAeu ateu ABOUT loar O'Clock in the afternoon,
eonie 1n'fty nours before reaching Chicago.
- =, sooa a7 IL "as ascertalned by the surgeon
en-.' luz WIS e1tlnct, the deceased was wrap
peo CLOSELY IN MS blanket, placing within
eoi'lc "e'gh1s, secured BY lashing Of small
a1o"no luz ankles' Knees, waist and
necH, tAea comn1tted, with but little ceremo-
ny 10 the great deep.
This unpleasant thouph imnero+i,.n d,+,
~, ,,arf,as,, -, 80 r~4"''e ou.y
".' Fe'1oa Mea ny tAe oFdcrly sergeant, with
= ~" pf17ates, detailed for that purpose. In
LAC manner twelve Others, including this
same noble Sergeant, who sickcned and died
u 1e" hours, were also thrown overheard
oefore the balance Of the troops we're landed |
II cn1caso'
Ihe sudden and untimcly death Of this vet
eran Sergeant, and his committal to watery
ssraVe, caused a deep sensation on board
among the soldiers and crew, but which I will |
not here attempt to describe. The effect pro-
1hcea upon den. Scott ard the other officers,
witnessing the scene, was too visible to bc
for the dead soldier had been
J very valuable man, and evidently f:,yorite
mong the officers and soldiers Of the rcci-
nent. His whole demeanor was morLcd 1,x
he true characteristics Of so1dier-braye.
generous and contidcrate in the discharge Of
uty, in degree that did not fail to attract
pc attention and gain the adm ration Of oil |
Tho witnessed his generous and manly bearing,
articular1y in the trying hour Of dissolying
ature.
IT. when .f disease ohstr1cts the labo1ng BREATH
Even then reron I suetain she4 fc aine inst y
Grace their last moments, nor forget their dust.
some very Interesting and appropriate mem
randa were made by the steward Of the boat
the time Oh one Of the leaves Of his account |
ook, (which is still in my possess:on,) By
notatlons from one Of the poets-auch as
Sleep, soldier, sleep; thy warfare Is oer,"
C., and others Of eimilar nature, eyiucing 1
aesFec OF feeling and sympathy in common,
A1ns 1orm IN words and expressions Of sen
nent quite be1ittlng the occasion. II
on anotner 1eat IS a graphic representation {
= eoain' lnaae os pen and INK, placed oppo- 7
% Inc account Oh tie credit side of one Of y
'o4uo.eer olneefs' VINO died after reaching il
''estso, "1th 1hls elnou aud concise de- L
e Ut inscription written upon the lid Of the
lan:
Account settled by Death.
sned) II. BRADLEY, Clerk aud Steward, | Il
Steamer Sheldon Thompson,
Chicago, Ill, July 18th, 1882" i
There was one singular fact-not one Of the \
lcers Of the army was attacked by the dis =
&c, while Oh board my boat, with such rio- 4
zee as to result in death, or any Of tho -,
tccrs belonging to the boat, though nearly =
fourth Of tie crew fell prey TO the dis "
'e OH n subsequent trip, while On the 1,as- y
e from Detroit to Buffalo. n n
We arrived at Chicago (as stated in tho for 81
r communication on the evening Of the Sth q
July, 1852. sent the yawl boat on shore :, ~
n after with Gen Scott and number Of at
volunteer officers who accompanied him IN
his eyne6ition aoro;net Tim 6or4:1 .., | ct