Michigan historical collections. [Vol. 17]

224

ANNUAL MEETING, 1890.

To the day of his death he cherished a profound admiration and a
soldier's affection for the gallant Kentuckian, and that the friendship
was reciprocal is proven by the following letter, the. original of which
is among the papers owned by Johnson Knaggs.
CITY OF WASHINGTON,
6th Jan., 1841.
Mly Dear Old Frienzd:
I have r'd your Kind & esteemed favour wishing me a Safe arrival
home among my friends.
I truly & sincerely thank you for the friendship which you have
shown to me; and if ever it Should be in my power to serve you I
am ready and willing.
that you may live long to enjoy the blessings of that government
which you have defended is the prayer of your Devoted friend &
fellow citizen. R. M. JOHNSON.
MAJ. JAMES NAGGS.
The letter is superscribed: From
Maj'r James Knaggs R. M. Johnson.
Michigan
And was enclosed to the postmaster at Detroit and by him forwarded
to the postmaster at Monroe with the request that he "will cause it to
be sent to Mr. Knaggs."
But little more that is authentic can be gathered at this day,
concerning those exploits which during his lifetime he was fond of
detailing and over the recital of -..ich he warmed with excitement.
There is a second commission, executed August 28, 1818, signed by
Win. Woodbridge, Governor, creating him captain of the 3d company
of the 2d regiment of the militia of the territory.
In "Witherell's Reminiscences" in the Wisconsin Historical Collections, there is an account given of the shooting of Mr. McMillan and
the capture of his son Archibald, a boy eleven years of age, at
Detroit, by the Indians, in 1814. Gen. Cass with a body of volunteers
followed them and endeavored to recover the boy, but failed after a
sharp fight.
Some time after, James Knaggs succeeded in capturing three Indians
single-handed, as they came through the hazel-brush where he lay in
ambush, binding them hand and foot. They proved to belong to the
band which had captured the boy McMillan, and were held until
negotiations for an exchange were brought about. The boy thus
released was the father of A. McMillan at the present time editor of
the Bay City Times.