CHAPTER XV.

CO-MEE AND TO-QUA-MEE.

Some of our readers may ask, Was anyone prosecuted for the massacre at Indian Creek? Oh, yes! Co-mee and To-qua-mee who had tried to buy Rachel and Sylvia Hall from their father, as related in Chapter III., were, in the spring of 1833, at Ottawa, Illinois, indicted by a grand jury, and a warrant issued and placed in the hands of Sheriff George E. Walker who had been an Indian trader and spoke the Pottawatomie language, to make the arrests. The Indians had gone to Iowa with Black Hawk and had become members of his tribe.

Alone, Sheriff Walker went to the Sac reservation and placed the Indians under arrest. The two Indians made no resistance, but unshackled accompanied the sheriff to Ottawa. They were allowed to go on a bond signed by themselves, Shabona, and several other Indians, upon their promises upon their honor to return for trial.

When the time for the trial arrived the Indians were on hand, although they had told their friends that they expected to be executed. Many of the friends of the people who had been massacred, armed and threatening to shoot the prisoners, if they should be liberated, attended the trial. There was no jail in Ottawa at the time, so the trial was held under a great tree on the bank of the Illinois. All through the trial the sheriff with a posse of armed men, guarded the Indians.

Mrs. Munson and Mrs. Horn, the principal witnesses, could not positively identify either of the Indians, and as the Indians had voluntarily stood their trial when they might have escaped, the jury acquitted them. When the trial was over the Indians’ friends gave them a banquet at Buffalo Rock (six miles down the Illinois), to which the sheriff and several other prominent men of the time were invited. A fat deer and choice game were parts of the menu, and a great red-white pow-wow was a part of the celebration.

It is said that subsequently when To-qua-mee and Co-mee were drinking with their friends, they admitted that they were present at the massacre, and that they took part in it only because they were angered at Davis for building the dam across Indian Creek. Also, they stated that it was through their influence that the lives of the Hall girls were spared, which was an express condition upon which they insisted before they would take part in the massacre. However, Black Hawk in his autobiography states that it was the Sac Indians who saved the lives of the girls; and White Crow in his speech at Morrison’s, said that the Sacs intended to kill the girls and that the Winnebagoes saved their lives.[47]

[47] XI. Transactions of Illinois Historical Society, 1906, p. 313; Memories of Shabona, 165-168; Black Hawk’s Autobiography, 111; Ante, p. 83.

INDEX

A.

Adoption of Captives by chiefs, 61

Agriculture and civilization, 25

Atkinson, Gen. at Ottawa, 51 letter to Col. Gratiot, 56 offers reward, 54

Auburn, where Elder Horn died, 100

B.

Battle of “Stillman’s Run”, 20 The Pecatonica, 92

Beloit, Turtle village, 55

Beouchard, Lieut. Edward, 55 meeting captives, 79

Big Fox, camp near, 63

Black Earth Creek, camp on, 76

Black Hawk War, 17

Black Hawk, born at Rock Island, 18 council of, 18 fought with English, 1812, 18 grief of, 19 love of country, 18 ordered to move to Iowa, 18 return to Illinois, 18 speech of, 18 second council of, 20

Black Hawk’s Grove, arrival at, 45

Black Hawk “Lookout”, camp near, 75

Black Hawk, picture of as a warrior, 17 picture of as civilian, 21

Black Hawk’s village, 26

Blacksmith, important settler, 25

Blockhouses, building of, 54

Brigham, Ebenezer, Indian feast, 82

Buckwheat as first crop, 25

Buffalo, herds of, 12

“Burnt City”, near Ft. Atkinson, Wis., 61

C.

Camp on Wisconsin river, 74 Black Hawk’s Grove, 45, 59 Black Hawk’s “Lookout”, camp near, 75 Cold Spring, 61 Horicon Lake, 63 Portage, camp near, 70

Canada, Indian voyages to, 26

Canoes, where girls entered, 68

Captives, Indians kill when attacked, 71

Captivity of Hall girls, 38

“Carolina”, St. Louis to Beardstown, 94

Chickens, prairie, 12

Chippewas, Indians, 16

Cholera at St. Louis, 93

Civilization, marriage and agriculture, 25

Clark, Gov., of Missouri, 93

Clothes, Indians furnish Hall girls, 62

Cold Spring, camping at, 61

Comb, Rachel’s thrown away, 62

Co-mee, tried to buy wife, 23 arrest of for murder, 111 acquittal, 112 alleged confession of murder, 113

Country, description of, 9

D.

Dam across Indian Creek, 29 Indians object to, 29 Indian tears outlet through, 29

Dancing of Indians, 41, 59, 64

Davis City, dream of, 28

Davis, Jefferson, 9

Davis Settlement, 23

Davis, Alex., escape of, 32

Davis, William, sketch of, 25 children of murdered, 35 murdered by Indians, 35 powerful and brave, 28 whipped Indian with stick, 29

Davis, Wm., Jr., escape of, 35

Dedication of State Monument, 105

Deer, herds of, 12

Description of country, 9

Dixon, center of trails, 13

Dodge, Col., raises troops, 54 address to Indians, 85 command at Blue Mounds, 81 takes hostages, 87

Drunkenness in Militia, 52

“Dry Year”, the, 31

Dunavan, Mrs. A. Miranda, 6, 97, 103 information given by, 6

Dunavan, Samuel, married Miss Munson, 97 picture of, 103

E.

Eckles, Hon. James II., U. S. Treasurer, 98

Eckles, Winnie, married to Judge Landis, 98

English government pensioned Sacs, 26

Evidence, best, 6

F.

Family history, Munson, 6, 95

Family history, Horn, 6, 100

Fire, a prairie, 11

Flag of Truce, 20, 79

Flowers, many beautiful, 12, 27 great growth of, 31

Forests, trees of, 10

Fort Defiance, rest at, 78

Fort Winnebago, Portage, 78

Fox Indians, 13

Fox river, description of, 9

G.

Galena, meeting of people, 54

Game, abundance of, 12

Geology of country, 10

George, Henry, at work on dam, 32 shot by Indians, 36

Gratiot, Capt. Bion, and Indians, 81 wife of, cultured, 89, 90

Gratiot, Col. Henry, Indians’ friend, 55 address to Indians, 84

Gratiot’s Grove, description of, 89

H.

Hair, ceremony of clipping, 68, 70 cutting locks from captives, 68 scalp, double meaning of, 70

Hall girls, as captives, 41-47, 59-65 adopted by chiefs, 61 and neighbors’ horses, 39 at Black Earth Creek, 76, 77 at Black Hawk’s Grove, 45 at Blue Mounds, 79-83 at Cold Spring, 61 at Fort Defiance, 88 at Galena, 93 at Gratiot’s Grove, 88-90 at Horicon, Lake, 66-67 at Kishwaukee river, 42-44 at Morrison’s, 84-88 at Portage, 70 at St. Louis, 93 at White Oak Springs, 90-92 description of, 7, 8 dresses given by squaws, 62 food of captives, 43, 46, 62, 72, 76, 78 guests of Gov. Clark, 93 Indians wanted as wives, 23 kept apart in traveling, 61 letter from Rev. Horn, 91 painted by squaws, 60 popular appellation of, 6 prayers of, 39 presents to, 92, 102, 104 purse collected for, 94 Rachel exhausted, 42, 98 religious offerings, 46 sleeping between squaws, 46 tiresome traveling, 42, 70, 78 weeping of, 39, 90 wept parting squaws, 79

Hall, Edward, in militia, 79

Hall, Elizabeth, killed by Indians, 23, 35

Hall, Greenbury, escape of, 32, 36

Hall, John W., escape of, 35, 36 buries massacred whites, 49 meets sisters, 91 recruits squadron, 48 searches for sisters, 49, 50 statement of, 102 visits sisters in Nebraska, 102

Hall, Reason, in Militia, 79

Hall, Rachel, one of the “Hall girls”, ages of, 23, 98 death of, 98 exhausted, 42, 98 family of, 96, 98 marriage of, 95 picture of, 97 state land gift, 102 tomb of, 99 wading Kishwaukee, 42

Hall, Sylvia, one of the “Hall girls”, ages of, 23, 100 death of, 100 fainted at sight of scalp, 43 family of, 100 marriage of, 100 pictures of, 24, 101 state land gift to, 102

Hall, William, sketch of, 23 family of, 23 hospitality, noted, 24 shot by Indians, 35

Hall, Mrs. Wm., massacred, 34-35

Harney, Gen., U. S. officer, 51

Harrison, president, 9

Hearts, human on spears, 60

Henderson, Hon. John W., escape of, 32, 35 memorial oration of, 105

Henderson, John H., settler, 25

Henderson, Gen. T. J., oration, 105

Home, longing for, 99, 101

Horicon Lake, 63

Horn, Mr. C. L., grandson of Elder, 6

Horn, Miss Sylvia E., grandchild of Elder, 6

Horn, Thomas S., son of Elder, 100

Horn, Elder W. S., sketch of, 99, 101 marries Sylvia Hall, 100 picture of, 101

Horses stolen from settlers, 39

Howard, Allen, escape of, 32, 35

I.

Illinois river, 4, 13

Indian troubles, 13 bands attack settlers, 21 land claims, 13 marriage custom, 23 scare, 31 whipped by Davis, 29

Indians: Foxes, Sacs, etc., 13 attack Davis cottage, 33 attempt to get girls, 69 carry away Hall girls, 39 conspiracy suspected, 81 parting from Hall girls, 88 refusal to ratify treaty, 16 taken to Morrison’s, 84 trial of for murder, 112 wrongs of, 16

J.

Jackson, President Andrew, 9

Jerome, Judge Edwin, guest of Halls, 24

Johnson, Gen. Albert Sydney, 9

Johnson, Col. R. M., and Shabona, 108

K.

Kaskaskia, mission and capital, 9

Kishwaukee river, 10

Kishwaukee Trail, 13

L.

La Fayette, Gen., at Kaskaskia, 9

Land, Indian claims to, 13 donated to Hall girls, 104

Landis, Judge K. M., married Winnie Eckles, 98

Lands, treaty as to, 13

Lincoln, Capt. Abraham, 44 anecdote of, 53 President, at Kaskaskia, 9

Little Priest, Indian chief, 61 as hostage, 87

M.

Maple sugar, abundance, 62, 64

Marquette, Father, 9

Marriage and civilization, 25 Indian wife purchase, 23

Massacre, the Indian Creek, 31

Medary, George, Hotel of, 84

Michigan, excitement in, 54

Mill, necessity in settlement, 25

Miller, important settler, 25

Military movements, 51

Military Road, course of, 67, 78

Militia, drunk, 52

Monument erected by Munson, 4, 103, 104

Monument erected by state, 104

Monuments on site of massacre, 4, 103

Munson, Rachel, three generations of, 103 burial place of, 98 given land, 103

Munson, William, sketch of, 95 family of, 96, 97, 98 picture of, 96

N.

Neighbors, helping each other, 25

Norris, Robert, at work on dam, 33 shot by Indians, 36

O.

Oconomowoc river, 10 lakes around, 63

Ox-teams for breaking prairie, 25

P.

Paw Paw, Shabona’s village, 108

Pecatonica, battle of, 92

Pensions from England, 26

Peru, home of Elder Horn, 100

Pettigrew, Wm., sketch of, 24 baby killed by Indian, 34 killed by Indians, 34 Mrs., shot in cottage, 34

Picture of a prairie fire, 11 Black Hawk as civilian, 21 Black Hawk as warrior, 17 Chief Shabona, 30 Monuments, 4, 27, 99, 103 Mrs. Dunavan, Mrs. Hum, Mrs. Watts, Howard Hum, Gladys Hum, Samuel Dunavan, 103 Mrs. Rachel Hall Munson and son Elliott, 97 Mrs. W. S. Horn and the Elder, 101 none of Misses Hall, 7 Shabona Park, 37 where girls entered canoes, 69 William Munson, after middle life, 96 Wisconsin river, 75 tombs of Rachel and her husband, 99

Portage, where girls took canoes, 69

Pottawatomie Indians, 13, 16, 53

Prairie breaking, 25

Purse for Hall girls, 94

Pursuit of Indians, 44

Pypagee, Shabona’s son, friend of settlers, 22, 108

Pyps, Shabona’s nephew, friend of settlers, 22, 108

Q.

Quails, plentiful, 12

R.

Rabbits, abundant, 12

Rachel’s comb, taken by Indian, 62

Rachel ransomed, 67

Ransom from Sacs, 66

Ratification, refusal of Indians, 16

Red Bird war, 17

Red Flag promenade, 65

Reed, John, marries Phoebe Munson, 98

Reed, Fannie, married to Mr. Eckles, 98

Religion, Indian offering, 46

Religious ceremony, 65, 73

Reward offered, 54 payment in goods, 89

Rivers, formation of, 10

Road, safest to Blue Mounds, 68

Rock river, 9 rapids passed by captives, 63

Romance and history, 95

Royally welcomed, 79

S.

Sacs claim land, 16 follow girls to Portage, 71 danger expected, 77

Sauk Trail, 26

Scalp, double meaning of, 70

Scalping victims, 34

Scanlan, Miss Marian, contributor, 7

Scanlan, Miss Gertrude, contributor, 7

Scott, uncle of Hall girls, 91

Settlement, Davis, 23

Settlers attacked by Indians, 21 rush to Ottawa, 31 return to Davis settlement, 32

Shabona, sketch of, 106 abuse of by squatters, 109 cheated out of his lands, 109 Col. Johnson’s gift ring to, 108 grave of, 40 home on Mazon creek, 110 notifies whites, 22, 31 Park, 27, 110 Paw Paw Village of, 108 picture of, 30 removal to Kansas, 108 second notice to settlers, 32 tomb of, 110

Shaver, Delia, married to William Munson, Jr., 98

Shaver, George, married Fidelia Munson, 97

Sod corn, first crop, 25

Somonauk, passing headwaters, 40

Spotted Arm, chief, 57 as hostage, 87

Springfield, state capital, 1837, 9

Starved Rock State Park, 9

Stillman, Major, defeat of, “Stillman’s Run”, 20

“Stillman’s Run”, rout at, 20, 48, 51, 52 militia undisciplined, 20, 51 pursuing Indians, 20, 51 truce flag abused, 20

Stockades, building of, 54

Storms, rains, 31

St. Louis, girls ship for, 93

Sycamore river, 10

Sycamore at rising of moon, 41

Sylvia Hall, one of the “Hall girls”, 6 first ransomed, 66

T.

Taylor Gen., report to Atkinson, 51

Tecumseh, Chief, 22

To-qua-mee, arrest for murder, 111 acquitted of murder, 112 alleged confession of murder, 113 Indian marriage, 23

Torture, not women captives, 64

Traditions proved, 7

Treaty of 1804, 13 Articles, 13-16

Turkeys on prairies, 12

Turnips, first crop, 25

Turtle Creek, 10

Turtle Village, 55

V.

Vance, Ed., lawyer in Dakota, 98

Vance, Dr. G., marries Irma Munson, 97

W.

Walker, Sheriff, fearless, 111

Waterway, Green Bay to Prairie du Chien, 13

Watts, Mrs., picture of, 103

Waubansee, friend of the whites, 30

Whirling Thunder, promises assistance, 57

White Crow, promises assistance, 57 character and appearance, 66 makes speech to girls, 87 speech at Morrison’s, 57 speaks English to captives, 74

White Oak Springs, description of, 91, 92

Whiteside with Harney, 51 finds white scalps, 50

Winnebago Indians, 16

“Winnebago”, steamboat for St. Louis, 93

Wisconsin river scenery, 73

Woods, description, 26

[Transcriber’s Note:

Inconsistent spelling and hyphenation are as in the original.]