Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-09-21

rison's needs. A blacksmith shop and
two or three buildings in addition were
constructed within .gunshot of the fort.
Besides the troops and attaches of the
factories, there were a few guides,
trappers, frontiersmen and half-breeds,
not all in the service of the govern
ment, some being merely ''hangers-on''
or camp followers"
Lived There Five Years.
Here the garrison and little settle
menI lived for five years, lar removed
from civilization, filling the soil, hunt
ing, fishing, fighting mosquitoes AMI
Indians. Several unsuccessful attacks
were made on the garrison by the
savages, but not without losses of
troops and post habitues. The last
attack. or siege, was begun during
the last of August, 1913, and contin-
ued for several days, when the gar
rison, running short of provisions and
ammunition, resolved to abandon the
fort which they did by digging a
trench to the river during the night
and, without being detected in their
operations, all left the fort under
cover of the trench and darkness and
boarded boats which had been kept
moored at the landing, protected by
the guns in the block houses. When
the last soldier left the stocllade, he
applied the torch to the barracks and
the entire structure was soon ablaze
and the surrounding wooded hills
flooded with a weird light. The fleet
of boats was in midstream and out of
gunshot reach before the besiegers
were aware of the well-planned
maneuver
The fort was never rebuilt. Again
the country became a wilderness for
a full decade, with its burned ruins
of the post and the stone chimneys
of the quarters that remained stand
ing for that period and longer, over
looking the great river, occasionally
sighted and hailed by passing keel
boat. One of these chimneys, taller
than the others. remained for over
25 years after the fire, lone sentinel,
standing guard over an historic site,
a convenient landmark for the Indians,
trappers, traders and early settlers.
The government forbade the settling
of this part of the Louisiana Purchase
by the whites. but few of the more
daring squatted in the vicinity of "Po-
towonok," the Indian name for the
site of the fort. They we're attacked
by the resentful savages and some
of Ii Oh 4, 4
driven out of the country Return
ing, they were again molested and
driven to the Illinois side this time
by government troops. and it was not
until the year 1884 thar the land on
the west side of the river was thrown
on the country was rapidly settled by
a more substantial citizenship. And
now, where the frontier fort stood and
around the site, is a thriving manu-
featuring city, with population of
| over 10000 inhabitants. who are max.
| ing elaborate preparations for the cele.
| bration of the Tooth anniversary of
the building of the old fort. In con.
nection with the celebration, the city
has arranged a homecoming. a
marker or monument for the site OF
| the fort is being constructed of en-
| during stone, which is to be a repro
duct1on of the Lone Chimney" thai
seems to have played as important a
part in the history of the locality to
include Oct 1. Many attractive fea
lures are in contemplation and being
| arranged for, and the event will nc
doubt attract the largest gathering Of
people Fort Madison ever had.