, 1881-05-22

'a.,
And may her children be in coming years
True to their trust, and faithful to their duty .
As her brave pioneers.
JOHN WENTWORTH.
: a HISTORY OF THE FORT. ~
3Ir.Arnold then asked the Hon. John Went
worth to step forward, saying that Chicago WAS
more indebted to him than any other mun for
the appropriations obtained from Congress for
the magnificent harbor they saw before them.
1.-THE Chicago Historical Society,"" began hr.
Wentworth, whose appearance was greeted with
cheers, requested me to prepare Il history OF
Fort Dearborn When found that must con-
fine myself TO history, Immediately removed
from my table all my poetical works tiaughter]7
I took therefrOn my sometimes important die
uonary Of quotations; and also laid aside my
compendium OF interesting anecdotes.
The first official recognition of an intention to
construct a fort ut Chicago may be found III a
letter upon the records Of the War Department,
Gatsd June @ directed TO Gen
AS the letter was dnted at the War Department,
and US tho Secretary Of War alone could give
it emanuted from Gen. Henry Dearborn. Secre-
tary Of War during President Jcircrsou's Ad-
1ninistrauon. from lS0l to 1S09-.
., THIS LETTER SAYS: =:
'tBen1 Of opinion that for tho general de-
fense OF our country, we ought not to rely on
fertilization hut on men and steel. and tnat
works calculated for resisting batteries Of
cannon are necessary only for our principal sen-
ports canuot conceive it to be useful. or ex-
pcdIent to CONSTRUCT expensive works for our in-
terror military posts, especially such US arg ~
tended merely TO noid the lud1An5- In Check.:."l
hlive, therefore, directed stuckade- works, nided
by block houses, To be erected ut vinccnues, ut
Chkago, ut near the mouth VI the Miami OF me
Lakes, and at knskaskius, In conformity to the
sketch herewith, inclosed. each calculated for
full company; the block-huuses to be construct
ed OF timber, slightly hewed, and Of the most
Gty yr,af1 la ind
of comic rom figure ftv each sa
lO5 bnrrels Of powder. Establishments Of the
Kind here proposed will. presume, be necessary
for each Of Tue military posts IN y Upper !di aiio
ate dependencies excepted. l will thank you to
examine the inclosed sketch, and TO give ME
opinion On The ana Se 3ef1
houses are intended to be so placed lis TO scour
from the upper and lower stories the whole OF
the lines. The back part Of the barracks are to
have portfolios which can be opened when nee
essary for tho use of musketry for annoying IN
edeMy. It will presume be proper, nlttmate-
", to extend the palisades round the DOCK
This letter spells Chicago. with q K. This
sketch referred TO ean.s be TO- found 5lan IL the ne
Gen Wilkinson was! solicited rs to the dlmen-
sions and other proposed nrranEeinents, And US
retary Of War, it is NOT Improbable that new
plan altogether was adopted
. GEN. HESIY DEARBORN
was native Of New Hampshire, and was dis
tinguisned soldier in the War OF me Revoluuon
and IN that Of 1sis In TINES ap or peGe m NJ ws
Mass, June i, Isl, where pordon Of his mail
lis grandson, Henry G. II. Dearborn, resi-
dent or Chicago In the summer of lSH and after,
,yurds OF Wlunebago County, and who IN urried
Inero, Jy q T. T. ~; a,'a -, ,hat ,n1ntv one nr
our mOst respected carly settlers, ycr lives at
no5ouIy ne, NJ n,-ag @ o3, nu ;ad 1herc and was ~
DearDora VINO lise1 " 1v9, .nd ,sb b ~ fanna
grcss and worthily filled the shoes Of hs father;
Gen Wilk1nson WIS PIE nsti,'1;n,1, 1 at, rnara.
General In nc Mr9i 70 tne , 1t,a a9r fp,1tor
being assocnted WIN Gen Ansnony ~ "ayHa ;ydans n
most OF ms cunpPaiEus ~, rs1an was " ia
But, Mhateser e p1ar fron, "aIl r. letter.
OF tho Seeretnfy tnnt ene psan Mas mss
the same lof w lne po.tts ,, rt ,yara ~
occurred 10 NY ., tasn n,ps ,,ni r., nil n,o,
bility, much iongcr. we may yea mnu a!,one .t,oa
some Or the oau s1itns sTte som.E,nfi Of picture
that will give US an nppFoa,"1 ~, mo1in@ effnrts IN
our eais oTis,nnia 9nls,n,ia,, wv ": "'4'
ohn T. = s.a1 ,,non or The same gronnd Us that Of
the last fort was differently constru egd e!sa
md ~ ri,a northern side, q suly-port. or sub
u,t a nnssae, frun 1he parade ground to
thn 1niS s ot,ctnly know that ou juno ~ 1901
.,al anae s ~ ft,rt hare t1r mat ono WIS being
there was no 1oFt uets'' ooo e'.A' ....>
~ t r,o+ oY ,recnve in 17a5, the Potta-
ny 1ne Hinmis aud rhsir allies relinqulshed
their right 70 Que PtcTe ~ ,ha fsncs9o River,
lnso the % Like Wien
where fort formerly stoea. e'. ~ Itn1
SONS besides myself nase erue 1o this Fort thus
S b. Gen Gen. Wayne las
only Que conclusion reacaeF nnch m tra.iinr-posr