The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1875-09-10

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500, kept to the right along the prairies,
instead of continuing along the beach
with the garrison. They had proceeded
only about mile and half, or to the
present location of Twenty first street,
when Capt. Wells,-after whom Wells
street was named, rode furiously back
shouting: "They are about to attack us;
form instantly and charge upon them y
Scarcely were the words uttered when n
volley was poured upon them from the
sand-hills. The troops hastily formed
and bravely charged up the hills, driving
the savages from their first position.
Afterward they charged upon those who
had concealed themselves in a ravine be-
tween the sand-hills and the prairie.
The Indians here massed and desperate
and bloody fight ensued, in which the
number of the whites was reduced to 2S.
Rallying for a final charge they broke
through the hostile ranks and gained
rising ground not far from the oak
woods. AS farther contest was hopeless,
Lieut.. Helm sent out half-breed named
Peresh Leclerq to propose q capitula-
ton. To this the Indians consented,
and it was stipulated that the lives of the
survivors should be spared and ransom
permitted as soon as possible.
"But in the meantime" writes Mrs.
Kinzie, "a horrible scene had been en-
acted. One young savage, climbing into
the baggage-wagon containing the chill
dren of the white families, II in number,
tomahawked the entire group. This was
during the engagement near the sand
hills. When Capt Wells, who was fight
ing near, beheld this. he exclaimed: Is
shat their game, butcheriDg women and
children2 Then L will kill, too So
saying, he turned his horses head and
started for the Indian camp, near the
fort, where had been left their squaws
and children. Several Indians pursued
him as he galloped along. He laid him
self flat on the neck of his horse, loading
and firing in that position, as he could
occasionally turn on his pursuers. At
length their balls took effect, killing his
horse and severely wounding himself.
At this moment he was met by Winnie
meg and Wau- ban-see, who endeavored
to save him from the savages who had
now overtaken him. AS they supported
him along, after having disengaged him
from his horse, he received his death
blow from another Indian, Pee -so-tum,
who stabbed him i'll the back.
"The heroic resolution of one of the
soldiers wives deserves to be recorded.
She was Mrs. Corbin, and had, from
the first, expressed the determination
never to fall into the hands of the saw
ages, believing that their prisoners were
always subjected to torture worse than
death. When, therefore, a party came
upon her to make her a prisoner, she
fought with desperation, refusing to sur
render, although assured, by signs, of
safety and kind treatment, and literally
suffered herself to be cut to pieces,
rather than become their captive.
"There was Sergt. Holt, who, early
in the engagement, received ball in the
neck. Finding himself badly wounded,
he gave his sword to his wife, who was
on horseback near him, telling her to de-
fend herself; he then made for the lake
to keep out of the way of the balls.
Mrs Holt rode very fine horse, which
the Indians were desirous of possessing,
and they therefore attacked her, in hopes
of dismounting her. They fought only
with the butt-ends of their guns, for
their object was not to kill her. She
hacked and hewed at their pieces as they
were thrust against her, now on this side,
now on that. Finally she broke loose
from them, and dashed out into the prai-
rie. The Indians pursued her, shouting
and laughing, now and then calling out:
The brave woman Do not hurt her.
At length they overlook her again, and
while she was engaged with two or three
in front, one succeeded in seizing her by
the neck behind, and dragging her, al
though large and powerful woman,
from her horse. Notwithstanding that
their guns had been so hacked and in
jured, and even themselves cut severely,
they seemed to regard her only with adj
miration. They took her to trader on
the Illinois river, by whom she was re-
stored to her friends, after having re-
ceived every kindness during her captiv-
ity."
The experience of Mrs. Helm, wife of
Lieut.. Helm, and step-daughter of Mr..
Kinzie, is equally startling, and may be
given in her own words: "At this mo-
ment young Indian raised his tomahawk
at me. BY springing aside, l partially
my skull, but which alighted on my
shoulder. / seized him around the neck,
and while exerting my utmost efforts to
get possession of his scalping- knife,
which hung in a scabbard over his breast,
/ was dragged from his grasp by another
and older Indian. The latter bore me
struggling and resisting toward the lake.
Notwithstanding the rapidity with which
L was hurried along, L recognized, as /
passed them, the lifeless remains of the
unfortunat, Surgeon. Some murderous
tomahawk had stretched him upon the
very spot where had last seen him. l
was Immediately plunged into the water,
and held there with forcible hand, not
withstanding my resistance. soon per.
ceived, however, that the object of my
captor was not to drown me, for he held
me firmly in such a position as to place
my head above water. This reassured
me, and, regarding him attentively, /
soon recognized, in spite of the paint
with which he was disfigured, The Black
Partridge"
Dozens of other anecdotes might be re-
lated, but the foregoing will suffice to
show the terrors of that awful day.
On the morning following the massacre,