Chicago and the Old Northwest, 1673-1835 / A study of the evolution of the northwestern frontier, together with a history of Fort Dearborn

by Milo Milton Quaife

APPENDIX VII

LETTER OF JUDGE AUGUSTUS B. WOODWARD TO COLONEL PROCTOR CONCERNING THE SURVIVORS OF THE CHICAGO MASSACRE[967]

[967] Copied from the original rough draft of the letter in the Detroit Public Library. The letter as actually sent differed slightly from the rough draft. The latter is presented here with all its erasures and changes. Words and phrases crossed out in the original manuscript are printed in italics and placed within brackets.

Michigan, oct. 7, 12.

Sir, It is already known to you that on Saturday the fifteenth day of August last, an order having been given to evacuate fort dearborn, an attack was made by the savages of the vicinity on the troops and persons appertaining to that garrison, on their march, and at the distance of about [after before they had marched] three miles from the fort [three of the survivors of that terrible massacre] and the greater part of the number barbarously and inhumanly massacred. Three of the survivors of that unhappy and terrible disaster having since reached this country I have employed some pains to collect the number and names of those who were not immediately slain and to ascertain whether any hopes might yet be entertained of saving the remainder. It is on this subject that I wish to interest your feelings and to solicit the benefit of your interposition convinced that you [will ever] estimate humanity among the brightest virtues of the soldier. [On the policy of associating uncivilized men in the hostile operations of civilized powers, or on the rules and limitations on which a savage force if employed at all should be regulated, I will say nothing because I am impressed with a strong conviction that if any British officer had been present on this melancholy occasion the consequences would have been extremely different, infinitely less to be regretted.]

I find, Sir, that the party consisted of ninety-three persons. Of these the [regular] military [forces] including officers, non-commissioned officers, and privates, amounted to fifty-four. The [militia] citizens not acting in a military capacity consisted of twelve. The number of women was nine and that of the children eighteen. The whole of the citizens were slaughtered, two women, and twelve children. Of the military twenty-six were killed at the time of the attack, and accounts have [reached] arrived of at least [four] five of the surviving prisoners having been put to death in the course of [that] the same night. There will remain then twenty-[four]three of the military, seven women and six children, whose fate with the exception of the three who have come in, and of two others who are known [understood] to be in safety at St. Joseph's, remains to be yet ascertained. Of these [I will fur]—amounting—[to] in all to thirty-one persons I will furnish you with the names of all that I have been able to identify. First. There is one officer a lieutenant, of the name of Linah T. Helm, with whom I have had the happiness of a personal acquaintance. His father is a [respectable] gentleman of Virginia & of the first respectability who has since settled in the state of New York. He is an officer of great merit and the most unblemished character. The lady of this gentleman a young and [beautiful] amiable victim of misfortune was separated from her husband. She was delivered up to her father-in-law, [a British subject,] who was present, [but] Mrs. Helm was transported into the Indian country a hundred miles from the scene of action and has not since been heard of at this place. Second. Of six non-commissioned officers four survived the action. [Their names are] John Crozier a sergeant, Daniel Dougherty a corporal, and one other corporal by the name of Bowen. The other is William Griffin a Serjeant who is now here. [In addition to] With these may be included John Fifer Smith a fifer.

Third. Of the privates it is said that five, and it is not known how many more were put to death in the night after the action. Of those who are said to have thus suffered I have only been able to collect the names of two Richard Gamer and James Latte. Mr. Burns a citizen severely wounded was killed by a squaw in the day time about an hour after the action. There will thus remain to be accounted for of whom I can only give the following names—Micajah Dennison and John Fury were so badly wounded in the action that [perh] little hope was indulged of their recovery. Dyson Dyer, William Nelson Hunt, Duncan McCarty, Augustus Mott, John Smith Senior, father of John Smith before named as a fifer, James Van Horn.

Fourth. Of the [six] five women whose fate remains to be ascertained I am enabled to give the names of all. They were Mrs. Bums wife to the citizen before mentioned as killed after the attack. Mrs. Holt, Mrs. Lee, Mrs. Needs, Mrs. Simmons. Among these women were six children saved out of the whole number which was eighteen, part of them, belonging to the surviving mothers & part to those who were slain. [The] As to the means of preserving them I can only suggest the sending a special messenger to that quarter charged with collecting the prisoners who may survive and transmitting them to Michillimackinac. A communication to Capt. Roberts at that place may co-operate.

[The permis]

[Endorsed] Chicago prisoners, Oct. 7. 1812.

APPENDIX VIII[968]

MUSTER-ROLL OF A COMPANY OF INFANTRY UNDER THE COMMAND OF CAPT. NATHAN HEALD IN THE FIRST REGIMENT OF INFANTRY COMMENDED BY COLONEL JACOB KINGSBURY FROM THE 20TH OF APRIL WHEN LAST MUSTERED TO THE 31ST OF MAY, 1812

[968] Printed for the first time from the original manuscript among the Heald Papers in the Draper Collection.

Date of To what time Remarks and
No. Names Rank appointment engaged or Names Present alterations since
or enlistment enlisted last muster
1 Nathan Heald Capt. 31 Jan'y 1807 ............. Nathan Heald
2 Lina T. Helm 2nd Lieut. 15 Dec'r 1808 ............. Lina T. Helm
3 George Ronan Ensign 1 March 1811 ............. George Ronan
4 Isaac N. Van Surg'n Mate 1 March 1811 ............. Isaac N. Van
Voorhis Voorhis
1 Isaac Holt Sergeant 22 Apl. 1811 22 Apl. 1816 Isaac Holt
2 Otho Hays " 23 Apl. 1811 23 Apl. 1816 Otho Hays
3 John Crozier " 2 July 1808 2 July 1813 John Crozier
4 Wm. Griffith " 1 May 1812 1 May 1817 Wm. Griffith Joined by enlisting
at this place 1 May 1812.
1 Thomas Forth Corporal 6 July 1807 6 July 1812 Thos. Forth
2 Joseph Bowen " 22 Apl 1811 22 Apl 1816 Joseph Bowen
1 George Burnett Fifer 1 July 1811 1 July 1816 George Burnett
2 John Smith " 22 Apl. 1811 22 Apl. 1816 John Smith
3 Hugh McPherson Drumr 20 Oct. 1807 20 Oct. 1852 Hugh McPherson
4 John Hamilton " 5 July 1808 5 July 1813 John Hamilton
1 John Allin Private 27 Nov. 1810 27 Nov. 1815 John Allin
2 George Adams " 21 Aug. 1811 21 Aug. 1816 George Adams
3 Prestly Andrews " 11 Apl. 1811 11 Apl. 1816 Prestly Andrews
4 James Corbin " 2 Oct. 1810 2 Oct. 1815 James Corbin
5 Fielding Corbin Private 25 Oct. 1811 25 Oct. 1816 Fielding Corbin
6 Asa Campbell " 26 Jan'y 1810 26 Jan'y 1815 Asa Campbell
7 Dyson Dyer " 1 Oct. 1810 1 Oct. 1815 Dyson Dyer
8 Stephen Draper " 19 Apl. 1811 19 Apl. 1816 Stephen Draper
9 Dan'l Daugherty " 13 Aug. 1807 13 Aug. 1812 Dan'l Daugherty Re-enlisted 1st June 1812.
10 Micajah Denison " 23 Jan'y 1811 23 Jan'y 1816 Micajah Denison
11 Nathan Edson " 6 Apl. 1810 6 Apl. 1815 Nathan Edson
12 John Fury " 19 March 1808 19 March 1813 John Fury Sick.
13 Paul Grummo " 1 Oct. 1810 1 Oct. 1815 Paul Grummo
14 Richard Garner " 2 Oct. 1810 2 Oct. 1815 Richard Garner
15 Wm. N. Hunt " 8 Oct. 1810 8 Oct. 1815 Wm. N. Hunt
16 Nathan A. Hurtt " 29 Dec. 1811 29 Dec. 1816 Nathan A. Hurtt
17 Rodias Jones " 9 Dec. 1807 9 Dec. 1812 Rodias Jones
18 David Kinison " 14 March 1808 14 March 1813 David Kinison
19 Sam'l Kilpatrick " 20 Dec. 1810 20 Dec. 1815 Sam'l Kilpatrick
20 John Kelso " 3 May 1812 3 May 1817 John Kelso Joined by re-enlisting
21 Jacob Landon " 28 Nov. 1807 28 Nov. 1812 Jacob Landon at this place 3d May 1812.
22 James Latta " 10 Apl. 1810 10 Apl. 1815 James Latta
23 Michael Lynch " 23 Dec. 1810 23 Dec. 1815 Michael Lynch
24 Hugh Logan " 5 Feby. 1811 5 Feby. 1816 Hugh Logan
25 Frederick Locker " 13 Apl. 1810 13 Apl. 1815 Frederick Locker
26 August Mortt " 9 Apl. 1811 9 Apl. 1816 August Mortt
27 Peter Miller " 24 July 1811 24 July 1816 Peter Miller
28 Duncan McCarty " 31 Aug. 1807 31 Aug. 1812 Duncan McCarty
29 Wm. Moffett " 23 Jany. 1811 23 Jany. 1816 Wm. Moffett
30 Elias Mills " 26 Oct. 1811 26 Oct. 1816 Elias Mills
31 John Needs " 5 July 1808 5 July 1813 John Needs
32 Joseph Noles " 8 Sept. 1810 8 Sept. 1815 Joseph Noles
33 Thos. Poindexter " 3 Sept. 1810 3 Sept. 1815 Thos. Poindexter Sick.
34 Wm. Prickett " 7 March 1811 7 March 1816 Wm. Prickett
35 Frederick Peterson " 7 June 1808 7 June 1813 Frederick Peterson
36 David Sherror " 1 Oct. 1810 1 Oct. 1815 David Sherror
37 John Suttenfield " 8 Sept. 1807 8 Sept. 1812 John Suttenfield
38 John Smith " 2 Apl. 1808 2 Apl. 1813 John Smith
39 James Starr " 18 Nov. 1809 18 Nov. 1814 James Starr
40 John Simmons " 14 March 1810 14 March 1815 John Simmonds
41 James Vanhorn " 2 May 1810 2 May 1815 James Vanhorn

[The roll concludes with a table of recapitulation, a certificate as to its correctness, signed by Heald and Van Voorhis, and a certificate by Heald, dated Louisville, December 3, 1812, that the foregoing is a true copy of the original muster-roll.]