ies were sent out, in one of which the Winnebagoes joined, whilst
the Pottowattomies, some twenty-five or thirty, went alone on the war
path into a settlement that had been made on Indian creek, not far from
its entrance into Fox river, and killed fifteen men, women and children,
and took two young ladies prisoners, the Misses Hall, whom two young
Sacs, who had just rode up, took upon their horses and carried them to
a Winnebago camp, with a request that they be delivered to the whites.
They were returned soon after, and to the writer said they had been well
treated by the Winnebagoes.

On the 19th of Jane a message came into Galena from Kellogg's Grove,
with a report that a party of Indians had been seen in that neighborhood
and that they had stolens some horses. Captain James Stephenson, with
twelve picked men from his company, started immediately in pursuit of
the Indians. On seeing him approach they took to the brush, when the
Captain and his men dismounted. Leaving one to hold the horses, the
balance entered the thicket, and two of them were killed at the first
fire of the Indians, while three of the enemy were laid prostrate. For
the purpose of re-loading, Capt. Stephenson ordered a retreat, which was
a bad move, as it gave the Indians time to re-load and seek trees for
safety. Capt. Stephenson* and party again advanced, both parties firing
simultaneously, each losing a man, when an Indian who had been secreted
behind a tree rushed forward with his knife, but was suddenly checked
by one of the soldiers running his bayonet through him. While in this
position he seized the bayonet with both hands and had almost succeeded
in pushing it out, when another soldier rushed forward, and with one
stroke of his knife almost severed the head from his body. In this
engagement Capt. S. lost three of the best men of his company and the
Indians five, just one-half of their number.

* Capt. Stephenson was held in high estimation as a brave
and accomplished gentleman, and at the organization of Rock
Island county the county commissioners honored his name by
calling the county seat Stephenson, which name it retained
until after his death, when that of Rock Island was adopted.

On the return of Capt. Stephenson and party the news of his loss of
three men, who were well known and highly respected, soon spread over
town and caused much sorrow among their many friends. After learning the
mode of attack, mi