had purportedly adopted Felix St. Vrain as a "blood brother," presumably relying upon an account published by former Illinois governor Thomas Ford, who had fought in that war (though not that battle). Noting Little Bear's presence, St. Vrain allegedly assured his companions that there was nothing to fear. The same claims were included in an 1887 book by Nehemiah Matson, Memories of Shaubena. Matson's narrative described St. Vrain's allegedly pleading for his life with Little Bear. Matson, Stevens and John H. Kinzie all identified St. Vrain's assailants as Sac. On the other hand, Perry A. Armstrong's 1887 history dismissed the idea that The Little Bear had adopted Felix St. Vrain. Armstrong denied that Little Bear had never existed as a Sauk or Fox chief, and thought it preposterous that a Sauk chief would have adopted St. Vrain as a brother. Aftermath According to the New Galenian the three men who evaded the band that attacked the St. Vrain party, Floyd, Higgenbotham and Kenney, arrived in Galena at 7 a.m. on May 26, 1832. They provided their own description of events which the newspaper account detailed. However, at least one source indicated that Floyd was a victim of the massacre and his remains are interred in the cemetery with the other victims of the massacre at a public park within Kellogg's Grove near present-day Kent, Illinois. Public and military records, however, confirm that Aquilla Floyd was discharged from the militia on August 20, 1832, and returned to his home in Warren County, Kentucky, where he died of old age in next-door Edmonson County, Kentucky November 1879. His remains are not buried at the monument with the others, and his name on the monument is a mistake made in 1886 when the monument was erected. It is probable that it was assumed he was killed during the battles because no record could be found of him in Iowa, since he had returned to Kentucky after discharge. Following the massacre a detachment led by Colonel Henry Dodge buried the bodies of St. Vrain and some of the other victims. Though Dodge and his men recovered the remains of St. Vrain, Hale and Fowler, the body of Aaron Hawley was never recovered. See also List of massacres in Illinois Notes 1832 in the United States Battles and skirmishes of the Black Hawk War in Illinois Massacres by Native Americans Stephenson County, Illinois May 1832