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Abigail Hunt Snelling
Was the daughter of Thomas Hunt, a
Revolutionary officer and a native of Watertown, Massachusetts.
Her father had entered the American army as a volunteer, but
soon received his commission as a regular officer and was in the
expedition against Ticonderoga, commanded by Ethan Allen, one of
the small band who made themselves masters of Crown Point. He
was with General Wayne at Stony Point, and in 1794 went with him
in the campaign against the Indians. In 1798, he received the
promotion to Lieutenant-Colonel, First Regiment Infantry, and
was placed in command of Fort Wayne, remaining until the death
of Hantramack at Detroit, when Lieutenant-Colonel Hunt succeeded
to the command and became the colonel of the regiment and in
command of the post at Detroit, afterwards succeeding to that at
Mackinaw.
Abigail Hunt was but six weeks old when
the family arrived at Mackinaw. When she was but seven years of
age, her parents left Mackinaw on their way to St. Louis by way
of Detroit. On their journey they stopped for a short time at
Fort Wayne, where Colonel Hunt's eldest daughter was married to
the surgeon of the post. Dr. Edwards. Colonel Hunt took command
of the garrison at the mouth of the Missouri, eighteen miles
above St. Louis. This was about the time of the Burr conspiracy,
and a court-martial was held there to try Major Brurr, who was
supposed to be a party to the conspiracy, but who was acquitted.
Lewis and Clark arrived at this post
from their exploring expedition, causing the greatest excitement
and curiosity owing to their costumes made entirely of skins and
furs. The captain in one of the companies of Colonel Hunt's
regiment at that time was a man by the name of Pike, who
afterwards became famous as General Pike, and was selected by
the government to explore the upper Mississippi, being absent on
this expedition almost two years.
In 1809 Colonel Hunt died, and six
months later followed the death of Mrs. Hunt. The eldest son
resided in Detroit, and after the death of his mother, he
removed the family to Waltham, Massachusetts, to reside with
their maternal grandfather, Samuel Wellington. This brother
later became Colonel Henry J. Hunt. When the War of 1812 was
declared, no one among the officers then in the service was more
distinguished than one Captain Snelling. When General Hull
arrived with his army at Detroit early in July, Dr. Edwards, who
had married Colonel Hunt's eldest daughter, joined General
Hunt's army at Dayton, and with him was John E. Hunt, so that
the sisters were again brought together.
Here Captain Snelling was introduced to
Miss Hunt by Major Edwards, and in a very short time they were
engaged. On the 13th of August, Miss Hunt was married to Captain
Snelling by a chaplain in General Hull's army. Captain Snelling
had quite distinguished himself in the fight at Brownstown under
General Hull. Three days after their marriage, the British
landed at Springwells and Captain Snelling with others was
humiliated by having General Hull retire before the enemy, and
it is reported that when an aid asked Captain Snelling to help
him plant the white flag, he replied with indignation: "No, sir,
I will not soil my hands with that flag." General Hull was so
panic-stricken that he surrendered the fortress without even
demanding terms, and words cannot express the disgust and
indignation of these brave soldiers as they stacked their arms
to be taken over by the British. Colonel Hunt was permitted to
remain in Detroit as a prisoner, accompanied by John Hunt, but
Captain Snelling and his family were placed on board a boat
which was to convey General Hull and his command as prisoners of
war to Erie, where they were turned over to the British guards.
Mrs. Snelling and the women were taken
care of by the captain of the boat with promises that they
should rejoin their husbands at Fort George, but it was some
time before they were reunited. One of the strange incidents of
war was that a British officer who had been most cruel and
unkind to Captain Snelling, whose courteous treatment in
contrast to that which he had received, so embarrassed and
humiliated him that he apologized, and they became fast friends.
Captain Snelling was one of the most unbending patriots, and at
one time when the troops were in Montreal, the order was given
for hats off in front of Nelson's monument, the guard knocking
off the hats of the prisoners, but on an officer attempting such
with Captain Snelling he received the quick warning, "At your
peril, sir touch me." Later he received the apology of the
officer in question. The married officers were soon paroled and
sent to Boston, where Captain Snelling and his wife remained
until he was ordered to Plattsburg to join General Hampton's
army.
Their eldest child, Mary, was born when
Mrs. Snelling was but sixteen years of age. Captain Snelling
rapidly rose in distinction, and was on the staff of General
Izard as Inspector-General, stationed at Buffalo. On peace being
declared Snelling was made Lieutenant-Colonel of the Sixth
Infantry and ordered to Governor's Island, and later to
Plattsburgh, where he remained four years, when the order came
to start for the upper Mississippi by way of St. Louis. Their
family then consisted of Mrs. Snelling and three children, her
youngest sister, and one brother, a graduate from West Point,
Lieutenant Wellington Hunt, also a married man. Mrs. Snelling's
sister, Eliza N. Hunt, married a man by the name of Soulard, a
French gentleman. The following summer, Snelling received his
colonelcy and was placed in command of the Fifth Regiment and
ordered to relieve Lieutenant-Colonel Leavenworth, who had been
promoted to another regiment, and Captain Snelling conducted his
regiment to within eight miles of the Falls of St Anthony, where
Fort Snelling, Minnesota, now stands.
Enroute he held councils with the
Indians of Prairie Little Du Chien, where he found Governor
Cass. Their first occupation in their new home was the building
of the log barracks and fort which were to form the homes and
protection of the regiment and its officers. These rude quarters
were papered and carpeted with buffalo robes and here Mrs.
Snelling's fifth child was born. It was a two years' struggle
before the post was completed.
In June, 1823, the first steamboat made
its appearance on the upper Mississippi, and caused great
excitement among the troops. A French gentleman brought letters
of introduction to Mrs. Snelling from friends in St. Louis,
being invited by the Colonel to remain as long as it was his
pleasure. He found it most agreeable, as Mrs. Snelling spoke
French fluently. At one time this post was visited by General
Scott, and he ordered the name of Fort St. Anthony, which it
then bore, changed to Fort Snelling in approval of Colonel
Snelling's labors. In 1825 the family left Fort Snelling and
visited Mrs. Snelling's brother. Lieutenant Wellington Hunt, in
command at Detroit. In 1826 Captain Thomas Hunt, then residing
at Washington, wrote his sister to send her two eldest children
to him to be educated, and her eldest daughter, Mary, was sent
with Captain and Mrs. Plympton who were going to that city. In
1827, the regiment was ordered to Jefferson Barracks, St. Louis,
and during the winter Colonel Snelling went on to Washington on
business, and was there when his daughter Mary died, the effects
of a cold taken at a ball.
As Colonel Snelling was obliged to
remain in Washington for some time, Mrs. Snelling with her three
children joined him there, and a few months after her arrival
Colonel Snelling died. After his death she lived on her farm
near Detroit, later removing into the city. In 1841, Mrs.
Snelling married Rev. J. E. Chaplain, the grandson of President
Edwards, who was appointed principal of one of the branches in
the Michigan State Institution. Mrs. Chaplain's son, James
Snelling, was with General Worth and took part in the battle of
Palo Alto, and other battles under General Taylor. The later
years of Mrs. Chaplain's life were spent with her daughter, Mrs.
Hazard, in Cincinnati.
Women of
America
Source: The Part Taken by Women in
American History, By Mrs. John A. Logan, Published by The Perry-Nalle
Publishing Company, Wilmington, Delaware, 1912.
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