The weekly Butte record., 1862-02-22
Tale of the Frontier.
now BRAVE NAN SAVED 4 CITY.

happily illustrates the power possessed By q
single individual, Of determined viii in whom
are combined coolness, judgment, and fearless
ness Of danger over an unorganizei mob Of
savages, thirsting for blood, and il their blind
( fury, reckless Of consequences.
The sixteenth of August, 1872, was a day
that viii be long remembered by the people Of
Detroit, for it was on that day that the old
and imbecie Hull, in his capacity Of Governor
of the Michigan Territory, shamefally surren-
dered this important post then garrisoned by
two thousand brave and efficient troops, 10 the
British and Indians.
No sooner had the articles Of capitulation
been signed, than the enemy crossed the river
from Maiden and took possession Of the place.
followed By rabbe of vile camp followers and
all the savages that for some weeks had been
attached to the Engli,h camp. OF course the
citizens were thrown into the utmost dismay al
the sight of the painted Indians, swarming
their streets, and the knowledge that they
might at any hour, when maddened with whis-
key and encouraged by their no less savage al
lies among the whites, make an indiscriminate
plunder of the town But the influence Of the
British general for some days was sufficient to
keep them from acts of open violence, and, by
degrees, the towns people became accustomed
to their presence aRd strove by all the means
in their power, to ingratiate themselves into
the good graces of their captors.
When the news of the surrender reached the
tribes of the Southwest, they gathered from far
and near, and poured down upon the frontier.
to share in the plunder of which in considera>
ton OF their being allies of the British, deemed
themselves justly entitled 10 il. Detroit was
filed and surrounded with savages, and the
town became a scene Of drunken orgies and
terror, which the English we're altogether una
bic to control Scarcely an hour passed
without an act of violence upon the unprotect-
ed citizens and night was rendered sleepless by
the fierce yells and whoops Of these drunken
fends
One day, during this fearful period, small
party of Indians, restless for want Of plunder
and scalps, went to a store kept by French
man named De Qundre, and two of them
entered, with the pretence that they wished 10
purchase something, while their comrades re-
nained without. There were laying on the
counter several pieces of cloth. The Indians
seeing them, each snatched roll and turned to
leave the place. De Quindre called upon them
to stop, as they had not paid for the goods.
But the savages were passing out of the door
to reioin their laughing companions with the
cloth under their arms. when the Frenchman,
leaping over the counter. jerked the goods from
them, and being a powerful man, pitched the
two Indians upon their noses in the street.
Instantly the war whoop was raised By the
party, which was replied to from all parts of
the town, and the savaces, drawing their knives
made a rush upon the imprudent shopkeeper.
But the latter, Immediately perceving the
storm he had incautiously provoked, sprang
back again into hisstore, and locking the door,
ran into an upper room, from which by win
dow, made his escape, and ran to back-alley
out upon the common, and on to the fort,
where he begged the British commanding
officers to protect himself aud property from
destruction. But the commandant could and
would do nothing, although he saw that the
Indians would probably massacre the entire
population if they once got a going under such
an excitement.
1t is not my property alone that is in dan
ger from their violence" persisted the French
man, but the lives of the entire population
are in the hands Of the savages, and unless you
exert your authority to quiet them. our streets
will flow with blood"
I'm sorry for you, sir coolly replied the
Briton, " but the truth is my troops are too
few in number to control the warriors, and l
can do nothing for you"
De Quindre, therefore, abruptly left the fort,
aud ran to the quarters Of Col. Mckee then
the British agent, who be knew, was not
only popular among the savages, but had
always exerted over them unbounded influence.
On his way, he could see that the Indians
were gathering in hundreds from every direc-
ton armed with war clubs and tomahawks
prepared for a general massacre of the inhab
itants while their fierce war-cries were ringing
with piercing tones on the air. \ mob of at
least a thousand of the demons had assembled
in front of his house, and we're demolisbiug the
doors and windows, while his goods were being
thrown out to the crowd, waiting impatiently
for the owner to be dragged forth, and deliver
ed to their murderous knives.
This sight gave aeetness to his feet, ard
rushing into the Colonel's quarters, he found
that officer, to whom be briefly, and as distinct
ly as his excitement would permit, related what
occurred, and begged him to interfere. if posi-
bic, and prevent the threatened massacre.
Mckee, well versed in the Indian character,
instantly perceived the imminent danger that
menaced the place, and requesting De Qaeindre
to remain where be was. lest the Indians. so