A number of chiefs and warriors having arrived, in obedience to Gomo's summons, they indulged their contempt in a little act of offensiveness by displaying the American flag union down. Captain Levering, inclining to attribute this to their ignorance, attempted to explain its meaning, to which they replied that they knew it. But on the morning following, the flag was displayed union up. The Indians in council differed as to the policy to be adopted, regarding the demand of the Americans for the surrender of the murderers and the stolen property. The offenders were greatly scattered, receiving the protection of chiefs hundreds of miles away. Gomo favored the sending of an Indian commission for them, but foresaw that it would be said to him that he belonged on the Illinois, and that he better attend to his own tribe; and he disliked the cowardly appearance of hav ing made the attempt and failed. Others opposed the surrender of anything but the stolen property. Meanwhile, the British inspired the policy of sending Little Chief, who was a "talkative fellow," to give the Americans any amount of assurance to answer present purposes, with which these, like many previous outrages, soon to be covered by passing events, would likewise directly blow over. Little Chief, in a preliminary conversation with Captain Levering, indicated his displeasure by saying that he hoped the letter of the governor would be fully told them as it was written, at which insinuation Mr. Forsythe, the interpreter, became not a little incensed.

On the morning of the 16th of August, 1811, Captain Levering being informed that the Indians were ready to proceed to the council chamber, promptly repaired thither, accompanied by his leading men and the inhabitants of Peoria whom he had invited. After a preliminary "talk" on the part of Captain Levering, and smoking the pipe, the address of Governor Edwards, dated Kaskaskia, July 21st, was slowly delivered to them and carefully interpreted. It was addressed "to the chiefs and warriors of the tribes of Potawattomies, residing on the Illinois river and its waters, in the territory of Illinois." The governor explained to them how faithfully the president had carried out all treaty obligations with the Indians, and that it was his great desire to have his red and white children live in peace and friendship; that the tomahawk and scalping-knife had been for a long time buried, but that a storm seemed now to be gathering; that the whites were being plundered and murdered; citing a number of acts of hostility and giving the names of Indians who had committed them; that the relatives and friends of these victims cried aloud to the Great Spirit, their hearts aflame with revenge, and who could only be repressed from instant war by showing them that these acts of barbarity were not approved by the nations of the authors of them, whom he demanded to be surrendered for trial. Allusion was also made to the British emissaries among them, who flattered, deceived and instigated them to the commission of these horrible acts; concluding with a full explanation of the power and resources of the American nation.

After the reading of the address the council dispersed, and on the following day Gomo made the subjoined reply, which was interpreted and written down on the spot, and is not only very interesting to peruse but shows this chief to have been the pos

sessor of a high order of intellect. After inviting attention to his words, and expressing gladness for the opportunity, Gomo spoke as follows:

"You see the color of our skin. The Great Spirit, when he made and disposed of man, placed the red-skins in this land, and those who wore hats, on the other side of the big waters. When the Great Spirit placed us on this ground, we knew nothing but what was furnished to us by nature. We made use of our stone axes, stone knives and earthen vessels, and clothed ourselves from the skins of the beasts of the forest. Yet, we were contented! When the French first made large canoes, they crossed the wide waters to this country, and on first seeing the red people, they were rejoiced. They told us that we must consider ourselves as the children of the French, and they would be our father; the country was a good one, and they would change goods for skins.

"Formerly, we all lived in one large village. In that village there was only one chief, and all things went on well; but since our intercourse with the whites, there are almost as many chiefs as we have young

men.

'At the the time of the taking of Canada, when the British and the French were fighting for the same country, the Indians were solicited to take part in that war-since which time there have been among us a number of foolish young men. The whites ought to have staid on the other side of the waters, and not have troubled us on this side. If we are fools, the whites are the cause of it. From the commencement of their wars, they used many persuasions with the Indians; they made them presents of merchandise in order to get them to join and assist in their battles-since which time there have always been fools among us, and the whites are blameable for it.

"The British asked the Indians to assist them in their wars with the Americans, telling them that if we allowed the Americans to remain upon our lands, they would in time take the whole country, and we would then have no place to go to. Some of the Indians did join the British, but all did not; some of this nation, in particular, did not join them. The British persisted in urging upon us that if we did not assist them in driving the Americans from our lands, our wives and children would be miserable for the remainder of our days. In the course of that war, the American general, Clark, came to Kaskaskia, and sent for the chiefs on this river to meet him there. We attended, and he desired us to remain still and quiet in our own villages, saying that the Americans were able of themselves to fight the British. You Americans generally speak sensibly and plainly. At the treaty of Greenville, General Wayne spoke to us in the same sensible and clear manner. I have listened with attention to you both. At the treaty of Greenville, General Wayne told us that the tomahawk must be buried, and even thrown into the great lake; and should any white man murder an Indian, he should be delivered up to the Indians; and we on our part, should deliver up the red men who murdered a white person to the Americans. [Mistake].

"A Potawattomie Indian, by the name of Turkey Foot, killed an American, for which he was demanded of us; and although he was a great warrior, we killed him ourselves in satisfaction for his murders. Some of the Kickapoos killed an American. They were demanded, were given up, and were tied up with ropes around their necks for the murders. This was not what the chief, who made the demand, promised, as they were put to death in another manner. Our custom is to tie up a dog that way when we make a sacrifice. Now, listen to me well in what I have to say to you.

"Some time ago, one of our young men was drunk at St. Louis, and was killed by an American. At another time, some person stole a horse near Cahokia. The citizens of the village followed the trail, met an innocent Kickapoo, on his way to Kaskaskia, and killed him. Last fall, on the other side, and not far from Fort Wayne, a Wyandot Indian set fire to the prairie; a settler came out and asked him how he came to set fire. The Indian answered hat he was out hunting. The set

tler struck the Indian and continued to beat him till they were parted, when another settler shot the Indian. This summer, a Chippewa Indian, at Detroit, was looking at a gun, when it went off accidentally and shot an American. The Chippewa was demanded, delivered up and executed. Is this the way General Wayne exhibits his charity to the red-skins? Whenever an instance of this kind happens, it is usual for the red-skins to regard it as an accident. You Americans think that all the mischiefs that are committed are known to the chiefs, and immediately call on them for the surrender of the offenders. We know nothing of them; our business is to hunt, in order to feed our women and children. It is generally supposed that we red-skins are always in the wrong. If we kill a hog, we are called fools or bad men; the same, or worse, is said of us if we kill an horned animal; yet you do not take into consideration that, while the whites are hunting along our rivers, killing our deer and bears, we do not speak ill of them. When the French came to Niagara, Detroit, Mackinaw and Chicago, they built no forts or garrisons, nor did the English, who came after them; but when the Americans came, all was changed. They build forts, and garrisons and blockades wherever they go. From these facts, we infer that they intend to make war upon us. Whenever the United States make the Indians presents, they afterwards say that we must give them such a tract of land; and after a good many presents, they ask for a larger piece. This is the way we have been served. This is the way of extending to us charity. Formerly, when the French were here, they made us large presents; so have the English; but the Americans, in giving their presents, have asked a piece of land in return. Such has been the treatment of the Americans.

"If the whites had kept on the other side of the waters, these accidents would not have happened; we could not have crossed the wide waters to have killed them there; but they came here and turned the Indians into confusion. If an Indian goes into their village, like a dog he is hunted and threatened with death. The ideas of the Potawattomies, Ottawas and Chippewas are, that we wish to live peaceable with all mankind, and attend to our hunting and other pursuits, that we may be able to provide for the wants of our women and children. But there remains a lurking dissatisfaction in the breasts and minds of some of our young men. This has occasioned the late mischiefs which, at the time, were unknown to the chiefs and warriors of the nation. I am surprised at such threatenings to the chiefs and warriors (old people), who are inclined entirely for peace. The desires of the chiefs and warriors are to plant corn and pursue the deer. Do you think it possible for us to deliver the murderers here to-day? Think you, my friends, what would be the consequence of a war between the Americans and Indians. In times passed, when some of us were engaged in it, many women were left in a distressful condition. Should war now take place, the distress would be, in comparison, much more general. This is all I have to say on the part of myself and warriors of my village. I thank you for your patient attention to my words."*

Captain Levering replied to them, giving a resume of the history of the white settlers on this continent, and their contact with the red men. He denied that the forts at Chicago, Fort Wayne, or the one opposite the mouth of the Missouri, were established to threaten or make war on the Indians, but that they were built to afford protection to their friends; that the Americans, unlike the British, had never taught nor employed the red men to join in wars and outrages upon the whites; that even in the revolutionary struggle they had advised the Indians to lie on their skins at home, raise corn and kill deer, but not to engage on eitheir side; he showed them their mistake regarding the treaty of Greenville, that all murderers, on either side, should be delivered up to the opposite party; that the government at Washington would not have

*See Edwards' Life of Edwards.

permitted Wayne to do this, but that all offenders against our laws must be tried under the laws by a jury of 12 men, and that justice would be meted out to Indians the same as the whites.

At the conclusion, Little Chief said: "I request you now to take the names of the chiefs and warriors, that you may show to your father in Kaskaskia, how ready we have been to attend his words.” Gomo, the day following, upon the final adjournment of the council, said: "We have listened with patient attention, and I hope that the great Master of Light was noticing it. When the Master of Light made man, he endowed those who wear hats with every gift, art and knowledge. The red-skins, as you see, live in lodges and on the wilds of nature." This sentiment evinced a high appreciation of the relative status of the two races.

Two horses only were delivered up, Little Chief promising to return two more to Captain Heald, at Chicago, and Gomo promised to try and return all, as soon as they could be found. The murderers of the Coles party in Missouri, were revealed to be in a village about 20 miles west of the Prophet's town-Tippecanoe; that by inviting them to Fort Wayne with others they might there be seized in the fall. But it is said that some of them were, in point of fact, with them then. So ended Levering's mission. By the exposure incurred on the Illinois, this clear headed soldier contracted disease and died soon after his return to Kaskaskia.

A mission, in charge of Joseph Trotier, a sagacious French creole of Cahokia, was also sent to the Kickapoos, who inhabited the country along Sugar Creek in the northern part of the present county of Logan. The usual "talks," or speeches, with many fair promises from this rather shrewd but treacherous and implacable nation, were had, which were also written down as interpreted.

But throughout the west English emissaries kept up the dastardly work of "setting the red men like dogs upon the whites," in the energetic language of Tecumseh to Harrison. That great warrior, the fit successor of Pontiac, having conceived the plan of bringing the southern tribes, the Creeks, Choctaws, and Chicasaws, into a league with the tribes of the north, to make war against the United States till their lands were restored to them, started thither on his errand in the spring of 1811. The purposes of this chieftain and his brother, the one-eyed Prophet, being well understood by Gov. Harrison, he determined, during the former's absence, to strike and disperse the hostile forces collected under the latter at Tippecanoe. He started from Vincennes in the fall of 1811 and arrived in the vicinity of the Prophet's town on the 6th of Nov., with an effective force of something over 700 men. Here he was met by ambassadors from the Prophet, and a suspension of hostilities was arranged until an interview on the following day could be had. The governor, desiring a good piece of ground to camp upon, allowed the treacherous foe to point it out; but the site was not selected without examination and approval by his officers. Upon this spot, before the dawn of the following morning, the stealthy foe, with a superior force, attempted to re-enact the defeat of St. Clair 21 years before. Under cover of darkness he crept upon the American camp, and began a murderous attack with savage fury uncommon even to him, and maintained it with great obstinacy; but the surprise was not complete, and he was ultimately repulsed and put to flight, with a loss equaling that of the

Americans. The loss of the latter was, in killed, 37; mortally wounded, 25; wounded, 126. The loss in officers was particularly heavy. Of the Illinoisans who fell here we may mention Isaac White, for some years the government agent of the Ohio salines, who, having received the appointment of captain of a militia company from Gov. Edwards, in 1810, joined the expedition of Gov. Harrison. His death was much regretted, and the Territorial Legislature, in 1815, to perpetuate his memory, named the county of White in honor of him. Here, too, fell the gifted and brilliant young Major Joe Daviess, whose deeds of valor have also been commemorated in Illinois by naming a county after him. The intelligence of the battle of Tippecanoe was peculiarly alarming to the settlements of Illinois, so contiguous to these hordes of savages, and additional measures were concocted as speedily as circumstances permitted, to meet the exigency of the times.

During the winter of 1811-12, the Indians on the Upper Mississippi were very hostile and committed many murders. In anticipation of an early war with the United States, the British agent at Prairie du Chien, Col. Dixon, it was reported by Indian traders, had engaged all the warriors of that region to descend the Mississippi and exterminate the settlements on both sides of the river;* but upon the breaking out of actual hostilities in June of that year there was more pressing need for savage recruits in Canada, which doubtless saved the effusion of much blood in the denser settlements of Illinois; still many murders were committed. The Louisiana Gazette, March 21st, 1812, reports 9 murders in the district of St. Charles; 1 at Fort Madison; 2 at the lead mines in Illinois, and a party of men who left the Fort in February for the mines, not having been heard from, were supposed to have fallen into the hands of the savages. Two hundred Winnebagoes from Illinois made a plundering raid upon a "factory store" of the United States, situated on the west bank of the Mississippi, the present site of Bellevue. Lieutenants Hamilton and Vasques, with a small force of regulars, made a gallant defence and repulsed the savages.

A few marauding parties penetrated far down into Illinois. Andrew Moore and his son, on their way home from the Jourdan blockhouse, made camp near the middle fork of the Big Muddy, not far from the crossing of the old Massac road. Here they were attacked by the savages, and after a bloody encounter both father and son were killed and their horses stolen. Moore's Prairie in the present county of Jefferson, perpetuates their names. At Tom Jourdan's fort, on the road to Equality, three men ventured out after dark to gather firewood, when they were fired on by Indians concealed in the brush, killing Barbara, wounding James Jourdan, but missing Walker. A marauding band of Winnebagos attacked Lee's settlement at Hardscrabble, about 4 miles from Fort Dearbon, near the present junction of the canal with the Chicago river, and killed a Mr. White and a Canadian in his employ. Two other men escaped.

At Hill's Fort, later in the same year, a band of warriors appeared. They removed the mud from between the logs of a chimney of one of the blockhouses, inserted a gun, and shot a man sitting inside by the fire. A soldier by the name of Lindley, in *Reynolds' Own Times.