872

MASSACRE NEAR CHICAGO.

1812.

ferocity. She seized a stable fork, and assaulted one miserable victim, who lay groaning and writhing in the agony of his wounds, aggravated by the scorching beams of the sun. With a delicacy of feeling scarcely to have been expected under such circumstances, Wau-bee-nee-mah stretched a mat across two poles, between me and this dreadful scene. I was thus spared, in some degree, a view of its horrors, although I could not entirely close my ears to the cries of the sufferer. The following night, five more of the wounded prisoners were tomahawked."

But why dwell upon this painful subject? Why describe the butchery of the children, twelve of whom, placed together in one baggage wagon, fell beneath the merciless tomahawk of one young savage ? This atrocious act was committed after the whites, twenty-seven in number, had surrendered. When Capt. Wells beheld it, he exclaimed, "Is that their game? Then I will kill too ! " So saying, he turned his horse's head, and started for the Indian camp near the fort, where had been left their squaws and children.

Several Indians pursued him, firing at him as he galloped along. He laid himself flat on the neck of his horse, loading and firing in that position. At length the balls of his pursuers took effect, killing his horse, and severely wounding himself. At this moment he was met by Winnemeg and Wau-ban-see, who endeavored to save him from the savages who had now overtaken him; but as they supported him along, after having disengaged him from his horse, he received his death-blow from one of the party, (Pee-so-ium,) who stabbed him in the back.

The heroic resolution of one of the soldier's wives deserves to be recorded. She had, from the first, expressed a determination never to fall into the hands of the savages, believing that their prisoners were always subjected to tortures worse than death. When, therefore, a party came up to her, to make her prisoner, she fought with desperation, refusing to surrender, although assured of safe treatment, and literally suffered herself to be cut to pieces, rather than become their captive.

The heart of Capt. Wells was taken out, and cut into pieces, and distributed among the tribes. His mutilated remains remained unburied until next day, when Billy Caldwell gathered up his head in one place, and mangled body in another, and buried them in the sand.

The family of Mr. Kinzie had been taken from the boat to their home, by friendly Indians, and there strictly guarded.   Very soon