Rensselaer Union, Volume 11, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 October 1878 — A JUDAS PEACE-PIPE. [ARTICLE]

A JUDAS PEACE-PIPE.

The officer in command at Detroit in 1763 was a man of singular qualities, yet withal a true Christian. As an officer he was brave in battle, stern and fertile in emergencies, rigid in discipline, yet popular with his soldiers; but at the same time so affable as often almost to merge the commandant in the gentleman, so kind as to seem weak, such an admirer of women and always so richly dressed that it was written of him, “ Had he been placed in the same sphere of society he might have been a second Chesterfield.” Toward even squaws he was so courteous that they soon came to regard him in the most friendly spirit, thus enabling him to impress them with many a Christian sentiment. He made it a point to supply them as much as possible with employment in their particular forte, as Indian embroideries, bead work and buckskin moccasins. Many such things he sent across the sea to his English friends, where they were regarded as great curiosities. In the spring of 1763 the Indians were pinched for food, and many of them came and set up their wigwams near the fort, where, until summer, they might subsist upon the patronage and charity of the garrison.'" Among others there eame with her family a dusky Ottawa maiden named Mee-mi, an adept in every kind of needle-work known to the squaws. Maj. Gladwin soon heard of her and her unusual skill, and sent for her to come into the fort as he had an elk skin for her to make’ up into mocca'MPff-"—-——- ~ When sheqanrehefoundfrerrightiy named Mee-mi, which signifies wildpigeon, as she was peculiarly delicate and timid for a squaw, - ■ ■ Making known to her, by the interpreter, his want of moccasins, he gave her the elk skin from which, in a few days, she produced a quaint and beautiful pair. So delighted was he with -her work that he kept her fingers busy all the spring in one device and another, meantime showing her such courtesies, making her so many .presents, and paying her such liberal prices as to quite win her confidence. To gentle Mee-mi there was nobody like ie'good officer, so brave and renned, and yet so smiling and generous. He was so different from ber father and other warriors, who, with their courage and kingly stature,, combined rude rammers and often--nnigb-words. As ■ events proved, the innocent girl’s gratitude and regard toward him prompted her to a noble deed in his behalf. - ■ In the slimmer, while the corn was growing in the Indians’ fields and the was. increasing and fattening in

the woods, a motley orowd of men, women and children from the neighboring tribes, Ottawas chiefly, gathered in the vicinity of the fo¥t for the purpose of bartering away to the soldiers the trinkets which they had manufactured in their wigwams during the winter and spring. They were attended by the celebrated Pontiac, a great Chieftain, sometimes even styled an Emperor, and all their manners and associations seemed friendly in the utmost degree. Some days of pleasant trading passed, and at length their relations were so agreeable that Pontiac proposed to the Commandant of the fort a council for the purpose of “brightening the chain of peace.” Maj. Gladwin readily assented without a suspicion of harm, and it was arranged that tho calumet should be smoked the next morning inside the fort. To show his peaceful intentions and confidence in the whites, Pontiac stipulated to bring with him 200 unarmed warriors, thus making a most imposing display. During the day the fort was put in order for the council in the morning. In the afternoon timid Mee-mi mode her appearance with some uncommonly fine needle-work for the Major; but she was strangely reserved considering how familiar she had become of late. After a. brief attempt to learn the cause of her changed manners, he dismissed her with a fine elk-skin which he wished her to manufacture into moccasins and purses for certain of his Jriends. As the gates were being shut at night, the officer of the guard found Mee-mi still inside the walls and weeping as if in great sorrow. At being ordered out her distress was sharply increased, and sW Hereupon the officer led her away to the Commandant’s quarters and reported the facts to him. Now the girl showed still greater emotion, but gave as her reason for remaining within the fort that she did not like to carry away the skin because the Major set so high a value upon it. But this answer was so poor and unsatisfactory that it only made him suspicious of something of serious importance. He therefore urged her to tell what was in her mind. Finally she replied with sobs that if she told what she knew Pontiac would kill her. At this the Commandant redoubled his efforts to induce her to confide her trouble to him, promising to stand between her and all harm, even from Pontiac. It is no wonder, however, that a timid girl should hesitate to do anything to incur the vengeance of so mighty a Chief as Pontiac. At length Maj. Gladwin prevailed, and she stated that a plot was formed to murder him and the other officers at the council, in the morning, and then slaughter the garrison ami take possession of the fort. “Even now,” said she, in her rolling Indian language, “ they are cutting oft’ their gun barrels so that they can hide them beneath their blankets. And, when the great Chief draws the peace belt of wampum during his speech, the warriors will take the scalps of my good officer and all his And then the poor girl’s grief burst forth anew, and, sitting down on the floor of the quarters, she began to swing back and forth and utter th at doleful note always expressive of a squaw’s gyer.t sorrow—“Wahono win! Wahono win!” When she became calm again, and the interpreter was enabled to learn the whole plot, it appeared that the savages were actually intending to come to' the council rally ’ armed, every weapon concealed under their blankets; and, at a concerted signal from Pontiac, they would begin a massacre which would only stop when the last of the garrison was dead. A thousand warriors were to wait outside the gates ready to enter when those within should open to them at the beginning of the fray. What a Judas was Pontiac, and how worse than a demon’s kiss was to be that signal of the peace belt which would begin the carnage! But “forewarned is forearmed,” and Maj. Gladwin proved equal to the occasion.

The night was spent in stern preparation for the morning’s event. The soldiers were informed of the plot, and every man enjoined to put his musket in perfect order, load it carefully and pick the flint, and fill his cartridge-box with ammunition. Several cannon were posted so as to command the Council House, and when supplied with ammunition were covered with sailcloth to hide them from view. Certain weak places in the stockade were quietly repaired. And, in short, everything possible was done in order to give a fitting reception to Pontiac ana his bloodthirsty band. ; Promptly at ten o’clock the Indians appeared at the gate ready for their treacherous work. The stipulated 200 warriors were counted off’ and marched iu, apparently unarmed, although it must be confessed that for a warm July morning their extreme care in holding their heavy blankets snugly about them seemed rather ridiculous. When they had all entered, the gates were not only snugly closed, but certain ingenious fastenings applied which no Indian could readily loosen or break. Thus it appeared as if whatever slaughter of the troops they might undertake the 200 must have it out, unaided by the savages the other side of the walls. -Within, Pontiac noticed the garrison under arms and posted in battle order around the Council House, and upon asking the reason was told that it was designed as a mark of honor to him and the distinguished Chiefs attending him. Whether the wily old sachem mistrusted the real cause hig stoical face gave no token. The Council House was simply a wide roof supported on posts, without side-walls, so that, when the Indians had stationed themselves according to their Ideas qf rank they were in plain view of the preparations and precautions that Maj. Gladwin had effected. After a few of the highest Chiefs and some of the officers had puffed the pipe of peace, Pontiac began his speech in the course of which the phe was to occur. To say that every white man in the fort whs suppressing a furnace of excitement would not convey the fntensity of the hour. Around the speaker's waist was the wampum beltdeslgned to iUtroduoc the carnage, while under many a warrior’s blanket the ill-concealed shapes and corners of weapons Were discernible. But Pontiac and Ips band could not The cannon had-been uncovered ami the gunners stood by with burning fuses; every soldier was inpositionto discharge ,h is muske". at a second’s warning; while the savages, enoumbej’ftlJ with blankets and orow4ed to-

gether, were placed at a serious disadvantage. The speech proceeded, and at the point where the wampum was to bo passed to Maj. Gladwin as the signal for the fight, each officer drew his sword, each soldier raised his gun to his shoulder to fire, and each gunner at the cannon stepped forward for his fearful duty. But these movements showed the Indians that they were detected. Pontiac stammered and trembled, every Chief flinched and many exclaimed, and for once these stoics of the forest were unnerved. But here Pontiac’s consummate subtlety came to his help. •He neatly avoided the concerted sign, and, closing his speech words of the warmest regard for the whites, gave way for Maj. Gladwin’s reply. A»id now the polite and kind-souled Commandand showed himself master of the situation. He directly and loudly charged Pontiac with his treachery and taunted him with the crime and failure of the diabolical plot. And when the old Chief denied, and pretended there was no plot, and that his warriors were actually unarmed, as he had promised, Gladwin drew his sword, and, gallantly marching down the line of savages, pulled aside many of their blankets and revealed the shortened guns, tomahawks and scalpingknives. At this the red-skins’ confusion knew no bounds. But words are inadequate to describe the scene; the reader must picture it for himself. Just here appears the superiority in noble and humane qualities of civilized man ovef the barbarian, for instead of taking away their arms and imprisoning the whole band, or opening the great guns upon them, Maj. Gladwin mercifully ordered them from the fort, though it must be acknowledged that he did it.with vehemence of words and vigor of action that could not have been very flattering to the pride of a pompous Indian Emperor like Pontiac. —lrving L. lieman, in Christian Union.