oceed to
Illinois and take command of the forces to bring the Indians into
subjugation. In July, acting under this order, he left Buffalo with
about one thousand troops, destined for Chicago. The general and his
staff, with about two hundred and twenty men, embarked on the
steamboat Sheldon Thompson, and on July 8th it was announced that
several of the soldiers were attacked with Asiatic cholera. The vessel
arrived at the village of Chicago on the 10th with eighty sick men on
board, one officer and fifty-one soldiers having died during the
passage.

The fate of the troops who were embarked in other vessels was even
worse than those on the Thompson. Of the one thousand men who left
Buffalo only about four hundred survived. General Scott gave every
attention to the sick, exposing himself without fear day and night in
seeing to the wants of his men. Leaving Colonel Abram Eustis in
command, he proceeded to join General Atkinson at Prairie du Chien,
which he reached on the 3d of August. The engagement called the Battle
of Bad Axe had been fought before his arrival. He was here again
confronted with the plague of cholera, which had broken out in
Atkinson's command at Rock Island, and he devoted himself to the care
of the sick and the consolation of the dying.

In this connection an extract from the Richmond Enquirer of August 7,
1832, will be of interest:

"LOUISVILLE, _July 27, 1832_.--The following is the latest
official intelligence from Chicago. We are indebted to a commercial
friend for it.--_Advertiser._

"'HEADQUARTERS NORTHWESTERN ARMY,

"'CHICAGO, _July 15, 1832_.

"'SIR: To prevent or to correct the exaggerations of rumor
in respect to the existence of cholera at this place, I address
myself to your Excellency. Four steamers were engaged at Buffalo to
transport United States troops and supplies to Chicago.

"'In the headmost of these boats, the Sheldon Thompson, I, with my
staff and four companies, a part of Colonel Eustis's command,
arrived here on the 8th. All on board were in high health and
spirits, but the next morning six cases of undoubted cholera
presented themselves. The disease rapidly spread itself for the
next three days. About one hundred and twenty persons have been
affected.

"'Under a late act of Congress six companies of rangers are to be
raised and marched to this place. General D