Sept. 22, 1812. In consequence of orders from Governor Hull to Capt. Heel​6 commanding officer at Chicago everything was given to the Indians that was in the Garrison even provissions — and all the Garrison with the Women and children left that place to march through the Woods to Detroit   in the morng of their departure he had information​7 that the Indians meant to attack but having no provission left they were obliged to persevere in their determination of going to Detroit,   after leaving the Garrison and going •about one mile Capt. Wells​8 rode forward a little  p564 and found the Indians about 500 in number hid behind some sand banks and other places,   he immediately returned to Capt. Heel and advised him to charge the Indians with his company, which was Done in a Gallant manner   as they had to ascend a small sand bank the Indians took advantage of it and fired on them   they killed half​9 of his men,   his men then fired and killed 6 Indians   he then advanced and drove the Indians after which he gaind a small height and formed his men on it, here he had a commang situation,   he had then but 29 men left, 19 of these wounded   a half Indian​10 was sent to him to say that if they would give up they would be taken treated as prisoners,   situated as he was obliged to capitulate — his Wife was with the baggage where all the Women and children were killed,​11   12 Children in one Waggon were butchered,   Mrs. Heel after receiving 5 Wounds was saved by Mr Jno Burnet​12   it was not till night that she knew what was the fate of her husband and he knew not till then what was hers,   fortunately Mr. Burnet bought them both from the Indians & sent them to St. Joseph's from whence they were taken by some Indian Traders to Mackina — they arrived at Sandwich this Eveng Tuesday 22d Sept. '12 — Captn Heel had two or three wounds also in the action   Capt Wells was murdered, his body cut open and his heart taken out & eat with apparent avidity by the Indians in presence of their prisoners and his friends — Mrs. Helmes the step daughter of Mr. Kenzie an Indian Trader & the Wife of an American Officer was saved by an Indian who kept her up to her head in Water during the action and stood between her & the balls which were flying very thick.​13 Mr Helmes was taken, but what has been his fate or that of the others taken is not known — Chicago taken 18th Augt a Mr. Ronan​14 an officer & Doctr Van Norris​15 were killed — 7 men were killed after they had surrendered — 37 of the men were killed the first shot — one Indian arrived Thursday 24th Septr in 4 days from Fort Wayne says the Indians had taken that place alone,​16   there were 1000 of them,   400  p565 Americans had come to reinforce the Garrison,   finding they were prevented from coming to it the Garrison marched out to join them, the 400 were attacked   They retreated and were pursued & an other party of Indians got between the Fort and those who marched out of it beat them off   Capt Ray​17 was Commandant

Detroit Augt 6th 1812.18

Sir,

I have on former occasions informed you I should leave Chicago for this place I therefore left it on the 5th July and arrived at Mackinac on the 16th being the day previous to its capitulation to the British,​19 and reached this the 2d inst.

The packs from the Chicago Trading House (99 in number) have fallen, with several public letters, directed to me, into the hands of the British.

The quarterly statement ending 30th June, the Invoice of the packs and other papers, shall be forwarded the first safe opportunity. The last mail from this, fell into the hands of the Indians. There will be no safety in leaving this place till they suffer a severe defeat. Genl Hull informs me he has left it discretionary with the Comg Officer at Chicago, as to the propriety of evacuating that post.

The Indian Traders and a large body of Indians volunteered, whilst I was at Mackinac, to take Chicago, but they were assured it could not be done, without orders from head quarters.​20 This day I have written to the Secy of War.

I have the honor to be, with great respect, Sir, Yr Most Obt Servt

M. Irwin

U. S. Factor.

Genl John Mason,
Supt In. Trade, Georgetown, Dist Cola

 p566  [Endorsed:] 1812 Mathw Irwin Detroit 6th aug Recvd Ans advice of the British having taken 99 packs of fur belonging to Chicago factory

[Addressed:] Buffaloe 3 Aug Genl John Mason, Supt Indian Trade, Georgetown, Dist Columbia Free

Buffaloe, State of N. York
30 Augt 1812.

Sir,

After the Capitulation of Detroit circumstances of a Warrantable nature induced me to leave it for this place. Here I contemplate remaining a few days in expectation of learning the fate of Chicago.

I have the honor to be With great respect, Sir, Yr Most Obt Servt

M. Irwin

U. S. Factor

Genl John Mason,
Supt In. Trade, Georgetown, Dist Cola

[Endorsed:] 1812 M. Irwin Buffalo 30 aug Recvd answd

[Add:] Genl John Mason, Supt In. Trade, Georgetown, Dis. Cola Free

George Town, Dist Cola
Octo. 12th 1812

Sir,

It being very certain that Fort Dearborn, at which I was stationed, has fallen into the hands of the Indians, I felt it my duty, in consequence, to leave Buffaloe, where I remained a few days to learn, if possible, the particulars attending that disastrous and u[n]fortunate affair, without accomplishing it in a satisfactory manner. It would appear, however, that after the fall of Michilimackinac, Genl Hull conceived Fort Dearborn would be critically circumstanced, and in consequence, forwarded two expresses​21 to the Commanding Officer, authorising him to evacuate the post; one of which took a direct course from Detroit — the other went by the way of Fort Wayne, and carried a letter from the General to Capt Rhea, comg officer at the latter post, authorising him to employ a number  p567 of friendly Miamies and a person of influence to head them, for the purpose of escorting the soldiery and others from Fort Dearborn to Fort Wayne; William Wells was selected, and, it is said, took with him about 40 Indians,​22 who, with himself, reached their destination and found, on their arrival, that a number of unfriendly Indians had invested or were near the place. As the Comg Officer had been instructed to evacuate the post, it is said he sent William Wells to the investing Indians, informing them that if they would not molest those under his Command while on their way to Fort Wayne, he would agree to surrender the public property under his charge, to them: this was acceded to, and the day fixed for surrender of the property and departure of the Soldiery and others. It is said by different persons that the Indians imagined some of the arms and ammunition had been secreted or destroyed, and in consequence looked upon the agreement or capitulation as void, and without hesitation fell upon the soldiery and others and destroyed all or the greater part of them,​23 who, perhaps, from the terms of the agreement, were unarmed. This I think highly presumptive, because, judging from the way and cautious line of conduct the Indians pursue in their warfare, I cannot conceive they would have fallen upon (including Soldiery, settlers and miamies) a body of upwards of One hundred well armed men, in an open country.​24 This fort was remarkably well calculated to hold out against Indians — lying in the bend of a deep river and nearly surrounded by it; built of very substantial materials, with two rows of high pickets and two Block houses which guarded every point including the communication between the Lake and Chicago River, the latter of which communicates​* with the Illinois and is the route the Traders and Indians take on their way to Mackinac. It contained a sufficiency of men to protect it and was situated on an eminence, over­looking in every direction, a level Country.25

 p568  The destruction of John Lalime,​26 Indian Interpreter for the U. S. Trading house at Chicago, by John Kinzie, made it necessary for me to leave that place for Mackinac or Detroit, for the purpose of procuring a person to occupy the place of the deceased. My departure was on the 5th July last and my arrival at Mackinac on the 16th and on the following day that place was taken by the British and Indians. This circumstance not only prevented the object of my journey as it related to Mackinac, but prevented me from returning to Chicago from Mackinac; consequently, I in conjunction with the prisoners taken at that place, was compelled to leave it for Detroit, where I arrived in the schooner Mary,​27 on the 2d Augt and on the following day learnt from Genl Hull that he had given orders to have Fort Dearborn evacuated. This consequently prevented my return to that place. Previous to my departure from Chicago, I closed the U. S. Trading house and delivered the keys to Isaac N. Van Voorhis, Surgeons Mate; the Books and papers belonging thereto accompanied me to Philada from whence they shall be forwarded after they are properly closed.​28 After my departure from Chicago, Doctor Van Voorhis, shipped in the Sloop Friends Good Will, ninety nine packs furs, which were taken in at the Trading house on the public account, and which shortly after the fall of Mackinac, fell into the hands of the British at that place. An Invoice of those packs shall be forwarded from Philada. I cannot close this, without taking the liberty to state, that, before my departure from Chicago, the Indians who had been accustomed to do business at the U. S. Trading House, appeared to be friendly disposed; these, on the approach of unfriendly parties from the Wabash and places near  p569 the Mississippi,​29 sought protection from Cap. Heald who commanded that post, offering to encamp near the Fort for its greater protection, or to give information of the approach of unfriendly bands. This he actually refused and advised them not to come near the Fort.​30 In consequence we were without information of the state of that part of the country for some Weeks; till, by travellers, we learnt the Indians were assembling at different places — particularly at Peoria, on the Illinois, and St Joseph, on Lake Michigan. It was stated that these assemblages were of a pacific nature — to distinguish the friendly from the unfriendly Indians. How true this might have been, I am unable to say. This much I am certain, that, in the months of May and June, several Canadians from Malden were traversing the Indian Country, in various directions, particularly to the Prophets Village, on the Wabash, and to the Green Bay, on Lake Michigan; one of whom, in company with two Indian guides, was taken up at Fort Dearborn. In the examination, he underwent, he confessed he had been employed by the brother in law to the Indian agent at Malden for the purpose of seeing Robert Dickson at Green Bay, and believed the Guides (who, through the credulousness of the comg officer, fled in the night) had letters from the said agent to the said Dickson: and likewise believed that his and the guides mission of great importance, since they received very particular instructions and actually forced to undertake the expedition, though liberally compensated, and receiving from the Kings Store at Malden, broaches, ear‑bobs, etc. to defray the expenses of their journey. This much is the result of this transaction, that the guides reached Green Bay, delivered letters from the said Indian Agent, to Dickson and the latter Assembled a body of Indians and conveyed them to the British Island St Joseph and shortly after headed them, and in conjunction with the British, made a descent on Mackinac and was considered a principal instrument toward the taking that place.31

 p570  Before I left Chicago, a letter, in answer to one of mine, was received from the Secry of War, requiring Cap. Heald to guard and fortify the public buildings. This was very satisfactory to me, because it enabled me to leave that place with somewhat less anxiety than I had been accustomed to feel: Thinking, as I did, that it would lead to a spirit of energy and additional security to the lives of individuals and to the public property under my charge. I cautioned the Capn by letter, on more than one occasion, to beware of an individual (John Kinzie) that I had every reason to believe a British emissary, and who, I had been informed, had supplied the Prophet and his party with ammunition at different periods, and was known to have done the same thing during former Indian Wars. But, to my regret, I found this man had obtained so great an ascendancy over the Captain as to render my efforts unavailing, and I also found they were connected in many improper concerns. The plots entered into by this man to destroy friendly Indians — the methods he had taken to inveigle the Officers (with the exception of the Surgeon's mate) into improper concerns — his bold and menacing conduct to the Citizens, if they dared to doubt his intentions — all tended to convince me that he felt an interest in bringing about an Indian War. Should he not have been instrumental in the fate of Chicago, I shall be much deceived, because if he fulfilled his part as emissary, he had it much in his power to preserve his own life by destroying the Witnesses to the murder of Lalime. This mans half brother (Wm Forsyth) at Detroit, after the surrender of that place, was discovered to be a British emissary​32 and his brothers, (one of whom at Peoria on the Illinois),​33 were strongly suspected.

I have the honor to be, etc.

M. Irwin

U. S. Factor

Genl John Mason
Supt In. Trade Georgetown, Dist Cola

George Town Dist Cola

27 Oct 1812

Sir

Perceiving by the newspapers that Caledonia (lately in the service of the N. W. compy) has been taken at Fort Erie​34 by a party of American mariners and carried to Black Rock and it being mention'd in the said papers that when taken she contained a quantity of furs belonging to the N. W compy I am in consequence induced to beleiveº that part of the said furs are from the chicago Trading House.

1st Because it was the caledonia that captured them on or about the 21st July last and landed them at Mackinac

2d Because the N. W compy never forward their furs from Mackinac to fort Erie.

3d Because the Caledonia was put in re­quisition by the British Govt and would necessarily convey the property captured at or near Mackinac to Fort Erie.

The furs in question from chicago consisting chiefly of Muskrats and Racoons and comprising 99 packs were shipped [MS. torn] 11 July in the sloop Friends goo [MS. torn] Leigh master and amounted to 6.500 or 6.600 dollars the Invoice of which shall be forwarded from Philada after my arrival there.35

I have the honor to be Yr most obt Servt

Signd   M. Irwin

U. S. factor

P. S. the marks and numbers of the above said pack were U S No 1a 99‑C. F

Genl John Mason
Supt In: Trade
Original of the above sent to the navy secy 27 Oct 1812

[Endorsed:] [MS. torn] Irwin

I certify that when the firing commenced, the American troops were marching along the beach; that, when I first saw them, Capt. Heald, the commanding Officer, was in the midst of the men; that Capt. Helmes​37 was marching just in their rear; that, after they had ascended from the beach into the prairie, I was directed by the Chiefs to advance and speak to them; which I did; and was met by Capt Heald, who delivered his sword to me; that Capt Helmes spoke to Capt Heald and demanded whether they were to be massacred or convey'd to a place of safety; and when Capt. Heald answered that he did not know, Capt. Helmes replied that, if they surrendered, it must be by general consent. and, that if they were to be massacred, they would die like men, with arms in their hands; and I have no doubt that it was owing to the courage and firmness of Capt. Helmes that the savages were induced to agree to the terms of the capitulation, and save the lives of those who had survived the engagement.

Commonwealth of Kentucky Logan County. Personally appeared before us Wm. Angell Marmaduke B. Morton two of the acting Justices of the peace for the County and State aforesaid Lina T. Helm who being duly sworn Deposeth and saith towit,º That he was a Lieutenant in the United States Army in the year 1812 & belonged to the first Regiment of Inf. that he was in the battle at Chicago on the 15th of August 1812 under  p573 the command of Capt. Nathan Heald and that he was well acquainted with Joseph Bowen a soldier of sd. company; that sd Bowen was in the battle of Chicago on the day above mentioned, & that he well recollects that sd. Bowen was wounded in the battle in the left arm above the elbow. the wound bled profusely & sd. Bowen requested him, the Deponent, to tie it up for him. He took his handkerchief out of his pocket and tied up his arm for him very tight and the bleeding ceased. This deponent has no recollection of any other wounds received by sd. Bowen, though he might have been as the firing continued some time after he tied up his arm. At the time of the surrender Doctor Vanvores and Ensign Ronan were both killed, the Capt. & myself wounded & all the men killed and wounded except about ten as well as my recollection serves me. Immediately after the fireing ceased Capt. Heald went to the Indians, gave up his sword & surrendered himself a prisoner. After which he came to me & advised me to surrender, that the Indians had promised to spare the lives of those that had survived the battle. to this I objected haveing no confidence in the Indians & told him we would prefer to die with arms in our hands, the more especially as I had been advised by an Indian​39 that was personally friendly to me not to surrender as we would all be massacred. This same Indian afterwards held a council with the Chiefs, & came & told me I might then surrender with safety, to my men & myself. Seeing no possible chance of escape, being entirely surrounded by the Indians, I referred the matter to the few remaining soldiers & it was agreed that we would surrender. This was at least two hours after Capt. Heald had surrendered. Capt. Heald was taken one side by the Indians & had not a chance to be amongst the men after the surrender. Nor did he make any enquiry about the wounded before he surrendered. this is the only way in which I can account of his haveing taken no notice of any of the wounded in his report of the action except himself and his wife. I was taken off by the Indians, & the men divided among the different bands. some ware massacred, some taken to Mackinaw. I have never seen Bowen since & haveing no descriptive list of the men I could not at this late date give a description of him. But that a Joseph Bowen was there & wounded I have the clearest recollection.

Lina T. Helm,

Late Capt. U S army

Subscribed & Sworn to before we two Justices of the peace for said State & County this 6 day of March 1826.

Wm. Angell J P L C
M. B Morton J P L C