On thursday last an express arrived in town from Fort Madison.  It is believed in that quarter that the Winabagoes [Winnebago] are determined to have revenge for the loss of their men killed in the battle of the Wabash.  The Express came down the river on the ice, in a sleigh, in company with some traders; they were fired on some distance above the mouth of Salty River, and were repeatedly chased by war parties.  He also brings information that on Monday last, the family of a Mr. O'Neil was killed in the district of St. Charles, on the bank of the Mississippi, by a party of unknown Indians; it was believed that the mischief was done by a party of Illinois Indians who had been hunting in that part of the country for some time and had visited the house in a friendly manner before.  Willard, the express, saw the bodies, nine in number, principally females.  O'Neil was in town when the murder was committed.  There were two lads in the house who had rifles and would have defended themselves, but it is supposed that the savages exhibited a friendly deportment until they put the youths off guard.

Immediately after the arrival of the express, Governor Howard sent orders to Col. Kirby, who commands the Militia of St. Charles, to call out a portion of the men that have been held in requisition for some time to march at a moment's warning.  An express was also sent to the officer commanding the regular forces in this District; and the Governor set out himself the next morning for St. Charles, and has not yet returned.

 

Made possible by the Rivers Institute and the
History Department of Hanover College.

 

How to cite this article:  "Indian Hostilites," Louisiana Gazette (St. Louis, Louisiana Territory), 15 Feb. 1812, pg. 3, available at http://history.hanover.edu/texts/1811.