A large mural made by local artists commemorates the incident at the site of Brown's Hotel where it occurred.
The original settlers banded with wealthy hotelier W. W. Brown, who provided them with credit and an opportunity to work.
[1] Brown previously attempted to usurp territory representative Thomas Cox as the Democrats' candidate in the 1840 election.
[2] The first settlers in Bellevue, Iowa Territory, were miners from Galena, Illinois and southerners who distrusted eastern Yankees.
In the spring of 1837, a large group of Yankees from Coldwater, Michigan, settled in Bellevue, creating tensions between them and the original settlers.
Brown would also pay high wages every winter to have the original settlers haul wood over the iced Mississippi River.
Ebenezer Brigham, a colleague of Cox's from Illinois who was currently serving on the Wisconsin territorial council, came to Bellevue to search for a friend's stolen horses.
Sheriff Warren recognized the description as a pair that had recently been apprehended from a boarder in Brown's hotel.
[4] In late 1839 or early 1840, the Democratic Party held a caucus to determine a candidate from Jackson County for the territorial house.
Cox won the election, causing further tensions in Bellevue as opponents of Brown rallied to his side.
Mitchell barricaded his house and put oak shutters on his windows to prevent Thompson from attacking.
On January 8, the Democrats celebrated Jackson Day, which commemorated the Battle of New Orleans, and Mitchell was named the head of a celebratory ball.
[3] During the ball, Mitchell's brother left to go to James' house, ostensibly to retrieve clothing from a trunk.
Mitchell was put in chains and left in a room in the justice office, as the county had no jail at the time.
In the meantime, Cox helped to draft a warrant for the arrest of W. W. Brown and twenty-two associates for thieving, passing counterfeit money, robbing, and other charges.
[3] Cox consulted with Warren, who warned him that Brown had many friends in Bellevue, making an arrest difficult.
Warren canvassed the county, urging prominent citizens to write to Brown to convince him to surrender his men.
His brother-in-law James Collins was a colonel in the Black Hawk War and many of his former soldiers worked in the Galena mines.
Although a large group of citizens were standing at Brown's defense, they quickly scattered when they saw Cox's posse marching with military discipline.
Two of Cox's associates, purportedly John T. Sublett and V. G. Smith, fired back, killing Brown.
Cox and Warren initially intended to hang the captives immediately, but decided to instead bury the dead, extinguish the fire, and wait for the next morning.