100 NOTES ON THE NORTHWEST. 



go. This was feebly garrisoned for a short time in the sum- 

 mer of that year. On the 15th of August, 1812, Capt, 

 Heald, in command of this post, having received orders to 

 that effect, prepared to evacuate the fort and to proceed to 

 Detroit by land. Having destroyed that portion of the arms 

 and ammunition that would not be necessary to his march, 

 and could not be conveniently transported, he commenced 

 his march with fifty-four regulars and twelve militia, and 

 accompanied by an escort from Fort Wayne, and a few 

 friendly Miamis. The women and children accompanied the 

 expedition. The party had proceeded only a little over a 

 mile, when they were attacked by a body of hostile Indians. 

 The friendly Indians stood aloof, and Capt. Heald, after a 

 short skirmish, in which all the militia and twenty-six regu- 

 lars were killed, surrendered on a promise of protection by 

 one of the chiefs. The Indian force amounted to 500, their 

 loss in the battle was fifteen. 



At the outbreak of hostilities, the Sac and Fox Indians 

 resided at the country about the mouth of Rock River. 

 They were induced to join the English, and operate with 

 them and their other red allies against the United States. 

 They were present at one or two skirmishes in the neighbor- 

 hood of the lake, and it is believed that they composed the 

 force, or a part of it, of the attacking party at Chicago. I 

 think this is asserted in a narration of the wars of that tribe, 

 published some years since. But being disgusted, it is said, 

 with the barbarous atrocities of the allied English and red 

 men, they, in a very short time, abandoned the cause, and 

 returned to their country, where they remained quiet during 

 the war. 



In 1815, the several tribes of Indians inhabiting the north- 

 west, who had been drawn into hostilities with the United 

 States, by the wiles and gratuities of Great Britain, made 



