James E. Graham Arthur Niemeier Mrs. Glenn Henderson Mrs. Charles Reynolds
FOREWORD
The character of William Wells remains an enigma, for his life has long been obscured by conflicting accounts of his role in Indian affairs. At one time, William Henry Harrison, governor of the Indiana Territory, thought him untrustworthy and believed that he should be removed from his position as Indian agent. Wells often appeared to his contemporaries as a turncoat and a traitor to his own people because of his sympathy with the red men. Other accounts, chiefly by his military associates, are earnest tributes to his strength and valor. Captain Allan H. Dougall, author of the following article, considered Wells only a “celebrated Indian fighter.”
Captain Dougall relates the death of Wells at the Massacre of Fort Dearborn, on the site of the present city of Chicago. His account first appeared in the FORT WAYNE DAILY GAZETTE, December 18, 1887. The Boards and the Staff of the Public Library of Fort Wayne and Allen County reprint the item in the hope that it will interest and inform local readers. Grammar, spelling, and punctuation have been changed to conform to current usage.
In July, 1812, Captain Nathan Heald, then in command of Fort Dearborn, notified General William Hull that he was being surrounded by a furious band of Indians who were in communication with Tecumseh; Heald desired aid immediately. General Hull sent an express to Fort Wayne to speed the immediate relief of Captain Heald and his command. Hearing of the proposed expedition, Captain William Wells volunteered to go to the relief of Captain Heald and to act as escort for the soldiers. His offer was accepted; on August 3, 1812, he set out with thirty hand-picked Miami warriors, who were friendly, fully equipped, and full of hope and courage.
Wells had been stolen by the Miami when he was a boy of twelve; soon afterward he was adopted by Little Turtle, their great chief. He served with the Indians at the outbreak of hostilities in 1790 and was present at the defeat of St. Clair near Fort Recovery, Ohio. It is said, however, that he then began to realize that he was fighting against his own kindred, and he soon resolved to leave the Indians. Therefore, he asked Little Turtle to accompany him east of Fort Wayne to a point on the Maumee known as the “Big Elm.” When the two had reached this spot, Wells said: “Father, we have long been friends; I now leave you to go to my own people. We will be friends until the sun reaches the midday height. From that time we will be enemies. If you want to kill me then, you may. If I want to kill you, I may.” He then crossed the Maumee River and set out for General Wayne’s army. Sometime after reaching Wayne, he was made captain of a company of scouts. Later he settled north of the St. Mary’s River on a farm which is still known as Wells Reserve. At this time he served as Indian agent and as justice of the peace. Wells also rendered valuable services to General Harrison, governor of the territory.
“...we have long been friends...”
Nothing unusual occurred on the journey of Captain Wells to Fort Dearborn with his Miami warriors. He arrived safely on the evening of August 12, but he was too late to have any influence on the question of the evacuation of the fort. Captain Heald had already determined to follow out General Hull’s instructions by agreeing to deliver the fort and its contents to the Indians. The supplies of muskets, ammunition, and whisky were very large; and it appears that Captain Heald had thought of leaving them as they were. On learning this, Captain Wells told him that it was madness to hand over these supplies, which would only serve to excite the already infuriated Indians. In this opinion, Captain Wells was ably supported by John Kinzie and some of the junior officers, who prevailed on Captain Heald to destroy the supplies. Accordingly, on the night of the thirteenth, he caused all surplus ammunition and arms to be destroyed and all the whisky to be thrown into Lake Michigan. In the afternoon of the fourteenth, a council was held between the whites and the Indians, at which the Potawatomi professed to be highly indignant at the destruction of the whisky and ammunition; they made numerous threats which plainly showed their murderous intentions.
Black Partridge, who was one of the most influential of the Potawatomi chiefs, had been friendly to the whites since the Treaty of Greenville in 1795, when he had received a medal from General Wayne. In the evening Black Partridge came to the fort and entered Captain Heald’s headquarters. “Father,” he said, “I come to deliver up to you the medal I wear. It was given me by the Americans, and I have long worn it as a token of mutual friendship. But now our young men are resolved to imbrue their hands with the blood of the whites, and I cannot restrain them. I will not wear a token of peace when I am compelled to act as an enemy.”