The Jennings daily record. [volume] (Jennings, La.) 1900-1903, 1902-01-18

FOX Indians Was Extermina ted Proved
20 Have Been Near ChicaEo-Impor-
tasace of the Event
Indian relics that have been dug up
at the Glenview Golf grounds, six miles
west of Evanston, Chicago's aristocrat-
ic suburb. furnish evidence that here
was, once fought one of the bloodiest
and most eventful battles of Indian
days. This battle is supposed to have
been fought more than ITO years ago.
and resulted in the complete eXtermi-
nation OF the army Of the Sac and Fox
Indians that swept down from Wiscon-
sin and invaded the Illinois river coun-
try. Opposing the Sac and Fox Indians
were the united armies of the French
and Indians. consisting Of the Cbippe-
was, the Mascoutens, Menominees and
Kickapoos.
At that time the French had es-
tablished a trading post here, which
was known as Fort Miami. This and
not Fort Dearborn. as many contend,
was the beginning of Chicago as a
trading center. Had the invading In
dams been victorious, the trading post
would have been abandoned and the
central point of commerce established
somewhere else on the lakes.
Hundreds of arrow-heads were
found, and there were spears Cthe fav-
ored weapon of the Kickapoo), axes,
war clubs, tomahawks, and, in fact,
almost every instrument of war known
to the aboriginal tribes. Adjoining the
fence of the golf grounds and directly
south was found an Indian mound,
from which were du5 ont ma rtialIy GRE
mated skeletons, French breastplate
made of German silver, numerous other
metallic devices, and f1int-locks and old
medals. From the nature of the relics
there is no doubt that many Of them
belonged to the Sac and Fox Indians.
Others were those used only by the
Kickapoos and Mascoutens of the Hill
nois confederation. And then there is
also the style of battle ak or war club
employed in battle exclusively by the
Chippewas and Menominees.
The discovery makes clear the disap-
pearance Of the detachment of the Sac
and Fox Indians that were not killed
at the battle of Plano. This latter was
the engagement that many enormously
believe to have taken place at Starved
Rock. The great army of Sac and Fox
Green Bay trail. They attacked the
French fort at Detroit and were re-
pulsed by Du Poisson. who called to
his aid the Pottawatomies and NIiamis
and other friendly tribes. Proceeding
on southwestward the Sac and Fox en-
countered the Ottawa Indians, and by
them We're driven to the Mississippi
river. Here they opposed the fierce
i
ward again. The tribe settled in the
Fox river valley, about fifty miles west
Of Chicago. In time they recuperated
from their repeated defeats and start
ed out once more to get vengeance on
the French and Indians who were in
peaceful possession of the fertile val
ley Of the Illinois. They advanced in
two divisions. intending to surprise the
enemy. They came upon the French
and Indians unexpectedly, however,
and were separated. One detachment
was driven from the Illinois river up
the Fox river to where Plano now is.
There ali Of this division were killed.
The other detachment was the main
part of the army. Desperate over their
recent Universities. they rallied every
young Indian that could bend bow
and made an advance on the combined
forces of the French and the four tribes
of Indians. They were under the lea
dership Of PemousSa, chief of the Fox.
Shortly before starting out they were
Joined by another band Of Sac and Fox.
fresh from Wisconsin, and Pemoussa
was made the leader of the entire
army.
At the advance of the great army OF
the Sac and Fox the French and In
dian forces relreated from Fort Miami
and made stand on the site where
the Glenview golf grounds are now To-
Gated. They had little time to fortify
themselves when the entire army,
united. bore down upon them. They
moussa himself was killed.
Every indication seems to point to
this battle as one of the most impor-
tant OF Indian days. The Kickapoo
and Mascouten Indians are known to
have been in this vicinity in those
days. These two tribes were always
allied. They belonged to what is known
as our Illinii confederation. 1t is prob
able that the present golf grounds
were the site OF an Indian village and
that the battle took place at the viii
lage. There is but slight mention of
the early French Fort Miami. and it's
origin is unknown. 1t was probably
one Of the La Sale forts.