Captain William Wells
THE DEATH OF CAPTAIN WELLS
Prepared by the Staff of the
Public Library of Fort Wayne and Allen County
1954
One of a historical series, this pamphlet is publishedunder the direction of the governing Boards of the PublicLibrary of Fort Wayne and Allen County.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE SCHOOL CITY OF FORT WAYNE
- B.F. Geyer, President
- Joseph E. Kramer, Secretary
- W. Page Yarnelle, Treasurer
- Mrs. Sadie Fulk Roehrs
- Willard Shambaugh
PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD FOR ALLEN COUNTY
The members of this Board include the members of the Board of Trustees of theSchool City of Fort Wayne (with the same officers) together with the followingcitizens chosen from Allen County outside the corporate City of Fort Wayne.
- James E. Graham
- Arthur Niemeier
- Mrs. Glenn Henderson
- Mrs. Charles Reynolds
FOREWORD
The character of William Wells remains an enigma,for his life has long been obscured by conflicting accountsof his role in Indian affairs. At one time, William HenryHarrison, governor of the Indiana Territory, thought himuntrustworthy and believed that he should be removed fromhis position as Indian agent. Wells often appeared to hiscontemporaries as a turncoat and a traitor to his own peoplebecause of his sympathy with the red men. Other accounts,chiefly by his military associates, are earnest tributes tohis strength and valor. Captain Allan H. Dougall, author ofthe following article, considered Wells only a “celebratedIndian fighter.”
Captain Dougall relates the death of Wells at the Massacreof Fort Dearborn, on the site of the present city ofChicago. His account first appeared in the FORT WAYNEDAILY GAZETTE, December 18, 1887. The Boards and theStaff of the Public Library of Fort Wayne and Allen Countyreprint the item in the hope that it will interest and informlocal readers. Grammar, spelling, and punctuation havebeen changed to conform to current usage.
In July, 1812, Captain Nathan Heald, then in commandof Fort Dearborn, notified General William Hull that he wasbeing surrounded by a furious band of Indians who were incommunication with Tecumseh; Heald desired aid immediately.General Hull sent an express to Fort Wayne to speedthe immediate relief of Captain Heald and his command.Hearing of the proposed expedition, Captain William Wellsvolunteered to go to the relief of Captain Heald and to act asescort for the soldiers. His offer was accepted; on August3, 1812, he set out with thirty hand-picked Miami warriors,who were friendly, fully equipped, and full of hope and courag