roops were reorganized, and
Capt. Feaman was promoted to colonel, and James Conner became
captain of the company. I served until the end of the war, and
was engaged in many skirmishes, and lastly was at the battle of
Bad Axe, which I think took place on the 4th day of August, A. D.
1831, but am not certain as to the date.

The soldiers were allowed to go home about the 1st of September,
1831. Our company got to Kaskaskia, and were discharged, I think,
on the 1st of September, 1831. I got back with a broken-down
horse and worn-out clothing, and without money. I concluded to
seek a more genial clime, one where I could more rapidly better
my financial condition. I went to see and talk with Emily, the
friend of my childhood, and the girl that taught me first to
love. I informed her of my intentions. We pledged mutual and
lasting fidelity to each other, and I bid her farewell and went
to St. Louis to seek employment.

When I landed on the wharf at St. Louis I met a negro by the name
of Barton, who had formerly been a slave to my mother. He
informed me that he was a fireman on the steamboat Warrior,
running the upper Mississippi, between St. Louis, Missouri, and
Galena, Illinois. I told him I wanted work. He said he could get
me a berth on the Warrior as fireman, at twenty-five dollars a
month; but he considered the work more than I could endure, as it
was a hard, hot boat to fire on. I insisted on making the effort,
and was employed as fireman on the Warrior at twenty-five dollars
per month. I found the work very hard. The first two or three
times that I was on watch I feared I would be forced to give it
up; but my spirit bore me up, and I managed to do my work until
we reached the lower rapids near Keokuk. At this place the
Warrior transferred its freight, in light boats, over the rapids
to the Henry Clay, a steamer belonging to the same line.

The Henry Clay then lay at Commerce, now known as Nauvoo. I was
detailed with two others to take a skiff with four passengers
over the rapids. The passengers were Mrs. Bogges and her mother,
and a lady whose name I have forgotten, and Mr. Bogges. The
distance to the Henry Clay from where the Warrior lay was twelve
miles. A large portion of the cargo of the Warrior belonged to
the firm of Bogges & Co. When we had gone nearly halfway over the
rapids my two assistants got drunk and could no longer assist me;
they lay down in the skiff and went to sleep. Night was fast
approaching,