Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1880-05-27
Pontiac, the Indian Judas.


The officer in command at Detroit in
1853 was a man of singular qualities, yet
withal true Christian.
AS an officer, he was brave in battle.
stern and fertile in emergencies, rigid in
discipline, yet popular with his soldiers
but at the same time so affable as often
almost to merge the cOmmandant in the
gentleman, so kind as to seem weak,
such an admirer of women, and always
so richly dressed that it was written of
him, Had he been placed in the same
sphere of society he might have been a
second Chesterfield"
Toward even the squaws he was so
courteous that they soon came to regard
him in the most friendly spirit, thus en-
abling him to impress them with many
Christian sentiment. He made it a
point to supply them as much as possi-
bic with employment in their particular
ways, as Indian embroideries, bead
| work, and buckskin moccasins. Many
such things he sent across the sea to his
English friends, where they were regard
ed as great curiosities. In the spring of
1853 the Indians were pinched for food,
and many Of them came and set up their
wigwams. near the fort, where, until
summer, they might subsist upon the
patronage and charity of the garrison.
Among others there came with her fam
lily duSky Ottawa maiden named
Meemi, an adept in every kind of needle
work known to the squawS. Major
Gladwin soon heard of her and her unu-
sual skill, and sent for her to come into
the fort, as he had an elk skin for her to
make up into mOccaSins. When she
came he found her rightly named Nee
mi, which signifies wild pigion, as she
was peculiarly delicate and timid for a
squaw.
Making known to her, by the inter-
prefer, his want of moccaSins, he gave
her the elk skins, from which IN few
days, she produced quaint and beauti-
full pair. So delighted was he with her
work that he kept her fingers busy all
the spring in one device and another,
meantime showing her courtesies, ma
king her so many presents, and paying
such liberal prices as to quite win her
confidence. To gentle Mee-mi there was
no one like the good officer, So brave and
refined, and yet so smiling and generous.
He was so different from her father and
other warriors, who, with their courage
| and kingly stature, combined rude man
ners and often rough words. AS events
proved, the innocent girls gratitude and
regard toward him prompted her to do
n sble deed in his behalf.
In the summer, while the corn was
growing in the Indians fields, and the
game was increasing and fattening in
the woods, a motley crowd of mei, wo-
men and children from the neighboring
tribes, Ottawas chiefly, gathered in the
vicinity of the fort for the purpose of
bartering away to the soldiers the trink-
cts which they had manufactured in
their wigwams during the winter and
spring. They were attended by the eel
ebrated Pontiac, a great chieftain, some
times even styled an empdror, and all
their manners and associations seemed
friendly in the utmost degree. Some
| days OF pleasant trading passed, and at
length their relations were so agreeable
that Pontiac proposed to the command
| ant of the fort council for the purpose
of "brightening the chain of peace"
Major Gladwin readily assented, with
| out suspicion of harm, and it was ar
ranged that the calumet should be smO-
ked the next morRing inside the fort.
To show his peaceful intentions, Ponti-
ac stipulated to bring with him two
hundred unarmed warriors, thus making
most imposing display.
During the previous day, the fort was
put in order for the council next morn
ing. In the afternoon timid Mee-mi
made her appearance with fome uncom-
monty fine needle-work for the Major
but she was strangely reserved consid-
ering how familiar she had become of
late After brief attempt to learn the
cause of her changed manners, he dis
missed her with fine elk skin which he
wished her to manufacture into mecca
sins and purses for certain of his friends.
AS the gates were being shut that
night, the officer of the guard found
Mee-mi still inside the walls, and weep
ing as if in great sorrow. At being or
dered out, her distress was sharply in
creased. Hereupen, the officer led her
away to the commandant's quarters and
reported the facts to him. Now the girl
showed still greater emotion, but gave
as her reason for remaining within the
fort that she did not like to carry away
the skin because the Major set so high a
value upon it. But this answer was so
poor and unsatisfactory that it only
made him suspicious of something of Sc
rious import. He therefore urged her
to tell him what was on her mind. FL
nally she replied with sobs that if she
told what she knew, Pontiac would kill
her. At this the commandant redoub-
led his efforts to induce her to confide
her trouble to him, promising to stand
between her and all harm, even from
Pontiac. 1t is no wonder, however, that
timid girl should greatly hesitate to
do anything to incur the vengeance of
so mighty chief as Pontiac.
At length Major Gladwin prevailed,
and she stated that plot was formed
to murder him and other officers at the
council, IN the morning, and then
slaughter the garrison, and take posses
sion of the fort.
"Even now" said she, in her rolling
Indian language, "they are cutting off
their gun barrels so that they can hide
them under their blankets. And when
the chief draws the peace belt or wamp-
um during his speech, the warriors will
take the scalps of my good officer and
his men,"
And then the poor girls grief burst
forth anew, and sitting down on the
floor of the quarters, she began to
swing back and forth and utter that
doleful note always expressive of a
squaw's great, SORROW: "Wahono wlni
Wahono winP
When she beeama calm aOain and the