Survivors of the Battle of Bad Axe

[Gil Fry]

My family has a history that we are decedents of two children (a boy and girl) that survived The Battle of Bad Axe.

I have an old photocopy of a newsletter that allegedly tells the story.

The Evangel
Dated: November 3, 1974
Vol. 87, No. 44
Published by: Light and Life Press
999 College Avenue
Winona Lake, IN 46590
G. Roger Schoemhals, editorial director
Vera Bethel, editor

Article: Frances
By: F. Burleigh Willard

Massacre on the Mississippi

A Captain Brian was in charge of a group of militia who attacked the Sac Indians on the banks of the Mississippi River. Unfortunately many details are not supplied in the article.
It seems that after the battle, a man by the name of Merrill found two Indian children, a boy and girl, under an overturned scalding vat. The boy was the oldest, being about 3 or 4 years old. Merrill stopped the Captain from killing the children outright with his rifle butt as was the order of the day, and persuaded Captain Brian to let him have the children to help on his farm.

home.centurytel.net/rfreeman/willard/DWillard-Benton.html

Is there any information verifying or validating this story?

[Robert Braun]

Gil... I've had an opportunity to read your story and view the link you provided.

I would like to offer some thoughts at this point, with the understanding that this is only my opinion.

The incident you described sounds similar to the "Last Battle of the Black Hawk War" covered in a thread of that name in the "Other Battles and Skirmishes" section of this board. I invite you to read these accounts and see if you agree that there are a few similarities to the accounts offered by Larry and Pete.

I must confess some confusion. First, the mention of tipis. Second, the mention of a scalding vat ( for processing hogs? this is normally a cold-weather activity) large enough to conceal two children. Such a vessel would be too large and too heavy to be pony or horse-transportable. Of all the things native people might bring with them... it strikes me that a vessel of this size would not be among them.

I have yet to find any account of any burning of wigwams or any other structure associated with the Battle of the Mississippi (Bad Ax) on August 2, 1832.

Bob.