Year: 1879




The officer in command at Detroit in
1853 was man of singular qualities,
yet withal a 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 commandaRt 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 squaWs he was 50 court
eous that they soon came to regard him
in the most friendly spirit, thus enabling
him to impress them with many Christ
ian sentiment. He made it point to
supply them as much as possible with
employment in their particular ways, as
Indian embroiderfes, bead work, and
backskin moccasins. Many such things
he sent across the sea to his English
friends, where they were regarded 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
ily dusky Ottawa maiden named Nee
mi, an adept in every kind Of needle
work known to the squaWs. Major Glad
win soon heard of her and her unusual
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 pigeon, as she
was peculiarly delicate and timid for a
squaW.


Making known to her, Dy the inter-
prefer, his want of moccasins, he gave
her the elk skin, from which in a few
lays, she produced a 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 such eourtesies,
making her so many presents, and pay
ing 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, COM
bined rude manners and often rough
words. As events proved, the innocent
girls gratitude and regard toward him
prompted her to do a noble 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, motley crowd of men, wo-
men and children from the neighboring
tribes Ottawas chiefly, gathered in the
vicinity of the fort for the purpose of
barterfng away to the soldiers the
trinkets which they had manufactured
in their wigWams during the winter and
spring. They were attended by the cele-
brated Pontiac a great chieftain, some
times even styled an emperor, and all
their manners and associations seemed
friendly in the utmost degree. Some
davs of pleasant trading passed, and at
length their relations were so agreeable
that Pontiac proposed to the comman-
dant of the fort q council for the purpose
of "brightening the chain Of peace"


Major GladWin readily assented with
out a suspicion of harm, and it was ar
ranged that the calumet should be
smoked the next morning inside the fort,
To show his peaceful intentions, Pontiac
stipulated to bring with him 200 unarmed
warriors, thus making q most imposing
display,


During the previous day, the fort was
put in order for the council the next
morning. In the afternoon timid Mee-mi
made her appearance with some un-
commonly fine needle work for the
Major; but she was strangely reserved
how familiar she had become
of late. After brief attempt to learn
the cause of her changed manners, he
dismissed her with fine elk skin which
he wished her to manufacture into moe
casins and purses for certain Of his
friends.


Asthe gates were being shut that night,
the officer of the guard found Mee-mi
still inside the walls, and weeping as if
In great sorrow. At being ordered out,
her distress was sharply increased, and
she refused to 60. Hereupon, the officer
led her away to the commandments quar-
ters, 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 ike TO
carry away the skin because the MAYOR |
set SO high a value upon it. But this |
answer was soapoor and unsatisfactory !
that it only made him suspicious Of |
something of serious importance. He |
therefore urged her to tell what was in |
her mind. Finally she replied with sobs |
that If she told whst she knew, Pontiac |
would kill her. At this the commandant |
redoubled his efforts to induce her to
conhda her trouble to him, promising to ]
stand between her and all harm, even |
from Pontiac. 1t is no wonder, however,
that a timid girl should greatly hesitate
10 do anything to incur the vengeance
Of 30 mighty a chief as Pontiac.


At length Major Gladwin prevailed,
and she stated that plot was formed to
murder him and the other officers at the
council, in the morning, and then slsugh-
ter the garrison, and take possession OF
The fort ~ -