The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-05-19
HISTORIC.sL RE.nI.rXsCRJvCE.
I'm EUfst Of Pioneer Life-Fiyhf c5sh
Indians Wear ths ctr of Detroit.

Indians Wear the Cyty of Detroit.
The recent organization of Pioneer
Society in this city, one of the objects
of which is to collect from the old resi-.
dents, who are rapidly passing away,
and to preserve "reminiscences of Detroit
and Wayne county, is likely to result
in valuable contributions to our local
history. The very fact of its organiza.
ton has already awakened an interest
among the old residents, and they are
calling to mind incidents which came
under their personal observation, and
which are worth preserving Many of
these incidents bave been hitherto no.
recorded. One of these has been rela-
ted to our reporter by Mr.. ID. Tomp.
kins, of Dearborn, who came to Detroit
more than half century ago. The af-
fair alluded to has never been published
but it is remembered by Mr.. f. V. Ci-
cott distinctly, and perhaps by others
of our citizens
Mr.. Tompkins says that in August,
1920, a Mr. Sargent was building q
mill at what is now known as the Dix
Settlement, but was then called Prairie
Ronde, some five or six miles from the
city, across the Rouge, from where
Woodmere Cemetery now is. a mum
ber Of men were employed in building
the mill, which was some distance from
the house, and Sargent's brother, lad,
who was a cripple, carried the dinners
to the men. One day the boy, while
on the way to the mill with the mems
dinners, was met by party of dozen
Indians, accompanied by their chief,
Toguish by name. Itseems that a Pot
awatamie trail led through the little
settlement, following up the bank of
the Rouge from near the present River
road, and branching off to the westward
above Prairie Ronde. The Indians be-
ing perennially hungry fell upon the
unprotected lad, took the victuals away
from him, and proceeded to eat them
up without SO much as a thank you
The boy reported the facts to the
men at the mill, who did not relish the
idea of going hungry for the gratifica-
ton of the savages, and they accord
ingly " went for" those noble red men
very much as Bill Nye went for" the
heather Chinee. The fsticuff encount-
er would not have resulted seriously,
but son Of Togvish, the chief, having
an old rusty musket in his possession,
loaded with buckshot, fired at young
Sargant, and wounded him 50 severely
that he died, after lingering in great
agony until the next morning. There
upon the Indians incontinently skedad-
died.
When the fatal results of young Sar-
gents wounds became known, his
brother rallied all the white men in the
settlement to pursue the Indians and
avenge the murder. The pursuing
party consisted of Gen Alexander Ma
comb, Aaron Thomas, Alanson Thom-
as, VIM. Berkley, and Amos Gordon.
They came upon the Indians encamped
upon branch of the Rouge, since that
day known as Toguish Run, just South
of what is now known as Schwartzburg.
When the Indians perceived the white
men approaching, they at once OWNED
their mission, and young Toguish, who
had shot Sargant started to run away.
The chef, his father, pointing to the
boy bounding off through the bushes,
and supposing him to be beyond reach
and able to make his escape, said that
the boy alone was the offender, and that
the rest Of them were innocent. Gen.
Macomb, who was an old deer-hunter
and a splendid marksman, used to tax
ing game on the run, Immediately lev
eled his rifle at the rapidly retreating
Indian, fired, and brought him down
some 60 rods away.
When old Toguish saw his son fall,
he rushed upon Gen. Macomb with his
uplifted knife to slay him. Gordon
rushed in, and, with the butt of his rife,
kept the Indian at bay. The latter,
perceiving Gen. Macomb loading his
rifle for second shot, started to run
away taking zigzag course to dodge
any shot that might be sent after him.
Gen. Macomb leveled his gun and fired
at the old cheif and brought him down
also, at distance of 20 rods, with
broken back. The rage of the wound
cd chef knew no bounds. He flourish
ed his knife in the air, thrust it into the
ground, and actually bit off his tongue
in his frenzy.
Gen. Macomb rushed upon him, and
with his own tomahawk dashed out To-
guish's brains, splitting his skull CON-
pletely open. He then served the
young Indian, who was only wounded
by the shot, in TIE same way. The
rest of the Indians threw down their
arms and surrendered. But, as the
death of the white boy had been aven.
ged by the slaughter of the guilty ones,
they were allowed to 60 on their way
All the participants 10
this affair have long since gone to their
account. and the reminiscence is now