Early in the morning Mr. Kinzie received a message from To-pee-nee-bee, a chief of the St. Joseph’s band, informing him that mischief was intended by the Pottowattamies who had engaged to escort the detachment, and urging him to relinquish his design of accompanying the troops by land, promising him that the boat containing himself and family should be permitted to pass in safety to St. Joseph’s.

Mr. Kinzie declined acceding to this proposal, as he believed that his presence might operate as a restraint upon the fury of the savages, so warmly were the greater part of them attached to himself and his family.

The party in the boat consisted of Mrs. Kinzie and her four younger children, their nurse Josette, a clerk of Mr. Kinzie’s, two servants and the boatmen, besides the two Indians who acted as their protectors.  The boat started, but had scarcely reached the mouth of the river, which, it will be recollected, was here half a mile below the fort, when another messenger from To-pee-nee-bee arrived to detain them where they were.  There was no mistaking the reason of this detention.

In breathless anxiety sat the wife and mother.  She was a woman of uncommon energy and strength of character, yet her heart died within her as she folded her arms around her helpless infants, and gazed upon the march of her husband and eldest child to certain destruction.

As the troops left the fort, the band struck up the Dead March.  On they came, in military array, but with solemn mien.  Captain Wells took the lead at the head of his little band of Miamis.  He had blackened his face before leaving the garrison, in token of his impending fate.  They took their route along the lake shore.  When they reached the point where commenced a range of sand-hills intervening between the prairie and the beach, the escort of Pottowattamies, in number about five hundred, kept the level of the prairie, instead of continuing along the beach with the Americans and Miamis.

They had marched perhaps a mile and a half, when Captain Wells, who had kept somewhat in advance with his Miamis, came riding furiously back.

“They are about to attack us,” shouted he; “form instantly, and charge upon them.”

Scarcely were the words uttered, when a volley was showered from among the sand-hills.  The troops were hastily brought into line, and charged up the bank.  One man, a veteran of seventy winters, fell as they ascended.  The remainder of the scene is best described in the words of an eye-witness and participator in the tragedy, Mrs. Helm, the wife of Captain (then Lieutenant) Helm, and step-daughter of Mr. Kinzie.

* * * * *

“After we had left the bank the firing became general.  The Miamis fled at the outset.  Their chief rode up to the Pottowattamies, and said: 

“’You have deceived the Americans and us.  You have done a bad action, and (brandishing his tomahawk) I will be the first to head a party of Americans to return and punish your treachery.’  So saying, he galloped after his companions, who were now scouring across the prairies.