Compendium of history and biography of Minneapolis and Hennepin County, Minnesota, Part 7

Author: Holcombe, R. I. (Return Ira), 1845-1916; Bingham, William H
Publication date: 1914
Publisher: Chicago : H. Taylor & Co.
Number of Pages: 1190

USA > Minnesota > Hennepin County > Minneapolis > Compendium of history and biography of Minneapolis and Hennepin County, Minnesota > Part 7

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* A great deal of the space in Pike's Journal is taken up with notices of his hunting and fishing exploits. Whenever he shot a deer or a raccoon or a duck or caught a catfish, he made a note of it.

HISTORY OF MINNEAPOLIS AND HENNEPIN COUNTY, MINNESOTA

quent "drams" to encourage and stimulate them; no wonder that the big boat slid back down the high bluff, which Dr. Coues and others think was on the east side; no wonder that 7 men out of 22 were sick and unable to work; no wonder that on the evening of that memorable Sunday the 15 that had worked fell exhausted and prostrated, cheerfully foregoing their suppers for a few minutes more of sleep. Con- tinuing his journal, Lieut. Pike writes :

"Sept. 30-Loaded my boat, moved over, and en- camped on the Island. [Nicollet ?] The large boat loading likewise we went over and put on board. (sic) In the meantime I took a survey of the Falls. the port- age, etc. If it be possible to pass the falls at high water, of which I am doubtful, it must be on the east side, about 30 yards from shore, as there are three lay- ers of roeks, onc below the other. The pitch-off of either is not more than five feet, but of this I can say more on my return. [After his return Pike added to the foregoing as to the praeticability of passing the Falls at either end ; 'It is never possible, as ascertained on my return.']

"October 1-Embarked late. The river at first ap- peared mild and sufficiently deep ; but after about four miles the shoals commenced and we had very hard water the remainder of the day. This day the sun shone after I had left the Falls, but whilst there it was always cloudy. Killed one goose and two ducks."

THE COUNTRY THEN FROM ST. PAUL TO RUM RIVER.

Describing the country along the Mississippi from what is now St. Paul to the mouth of Rum River the Lieutenant writes well, although exaggerating dis- tances between geographical points :

"About 20 [!] miles below the entrance of the St. Peter's, on the E. shore, at a place called the Grande Marais [Big Marsh, now Pig's Eye Lake] is situated Petit Corbeau's [Little Crow's] village of 11 log houses.

"From the St. Peter's to the Falls of St. Anthony the river is contraeted between high hills, and is one continual rapid or fall, the bottom being covered with rocks which in low water are some fect above the surface, leaving narrow channels between them. The rapidity of the current is likewise much augmented by the numerous small, rocky islands which obstruct the navigation. The shores have many large and beautiful springs issuing forth which form small cascades as they tumble over the cliffs into the Mis- sissippi. The timber is generally maple."

He also says that the river between the St. Peter's and the Falls is "noted for the great quantity of wild fowl." Of the Falls themselves, having surveyed them, he is able to give us aetual dimensions and correct descriptions :

"As I ascended the Mississippi the Falls of St. Anthony did not strike me with that majestic appear- ance which I had been taught to expect from the descriptions of former travelers. On an actual survey I find the portage to be 260 poles (4,290 feet) ; but when the river is not very low boats ascending may be put in 31 poles below, at a large cedar tree, and

this would reduce it to 229 poles. The hill over which the portage is made is 69 feet in ascent, with an elevation at the point of debarkation of 45 degrees. The fall of the water between the place of debarkation and reloading is 58 feet ; the perpendicular fall of the shoot [chute] is 161/2 feet. The width of the river above the shoot [chute] is 627 yards; below 209. In high water the appearance is much more sublime, as the great quantity of water then forms a spray, which in clear weather refleets from some positions the colors of the rainbow, and when the sky is overeast covers the Falls in gloom and chaotie majesty."

Just what is meant by "chaotie majesty" is not certain, but the matter is not important. The gal- lant explorer continued his voyage under the adversi- ties of low water and cold weather. On the 3d of October he left the mouth of the Rum River with the mercury at zero and ice forming. That day, however, he killed three geese, a raccoon, and a badger, and was happy, and the next day it rained and he killed two geese, a grouse, and a wolf.

Proceeding with some difficulty up the Mississippi, the explorer and his party were overtaken by early snow and cold October 16, and forced to go into winter quarters at Pike Rapids, in what is now Morrison County; the site of their stockaded encampment or fort has been identified. Though they had made fine game-bags every day, killing dozens of geesc, ducks, · prairie hens, pheasants, etc., there was more hardship than sport among the party. Of the distresses among the men the last day, Pike tells us :

"After four hours' work we became so benumbed with eold that our limbs were perfectly useless. We put to shore, built a large fire, and then discovered that our boats were nearly half full of water. My sergeant [Henry] Kennerman, one of the stoutest men I ever knew, broke a blood-vessel and vomited nearly two quarts of blood. One of my corporals, [Samuel] Bradley, also evacuated nearly a pint of blood. These unhappy circumstances, in addition to the inability of four other men, whom we were obliged to leave on shore, convinced me that if I had no regard for my own constitution, I should have some for those poor fellows who were killing themselves to obey my orders. *** We immediately un- loaded our boats and secured their cargoes."

EXPLORES THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI ON FOOT.

Setting out December 10, Pike advanced up the Mississippi with Corporal Bradley and a few men, who dragged a sled in which were provisions and on which rested one end of a small canoe or pirogue. His object was not only to examine the country but to reprimand the English traders at Sandy, Leech, and Cass Lakes. These men were flying the British flag over their posts and occasionally giving out British medals to the Indians. Pike visited them, made them haul down their Union Jacks and substitute the Stars and Stripes and also made them promise to thercafter comport themselves as law-abiding residents of the United States.

HISTORY OF MINNEAPOLIS AND HENNEPIN COUNTY, MINNESOTA

The brave and gallant officer returned to his fort at Pike Rapids on March 6, 1806. On the 6th of April he set out on his return voyage and on the 10th arrived at St. Anthony's Falls, and that day trans- ported the boats and baggage around the Falls and put them into the water below. The job of making the portage on this occasion was far less arduous than on the up trip.

ST. ANTHONY'S FALLS IN THE SPRING OF 1806.

Of the appearance of the Falls on the 10th of April Lieut. Pike says :

"The appearance of the Falls was much more tre- mendous than when we ascended; the increase of water oceasioned the spray to rise much higher, and the mist appeared like elouds. How different my sen- sations now from what they were when at this place before. *

** Ours was the first [?] canoe

that had ever crossed this portage. * * Now we have accomplished every wish, peace reigns throughout the vast extent, we have returned this far on our voyage without the loss of a single man, and hope soon to be blessed with the society of our relatives and friends. The river this morning was eovered wth iee which continued floating all day; the shores were still barrieaded with it."

THE GRAND COUNCIJ. WITH THE SIOUX.

April 11 it "snowed very hard." Lieut. Pike en- eamped on the island which still bears his name. The same evening he held a eouneil (perhaps on the mainland) with 600 Sioux. These were of two west- ern bands and one eastern. The western were the Sissetons (Pike ealls them "Sussitongs") and Wah- pay-tons (Pike calls them "Gens des Feuilles," or People of the Leaves) and the Medawakantons, or People of the Spirit Lake, (Pike calls them "Gens du Lae") were the eastern band. The eouneil had been arranged a month or so before, while Pike was still on the upper river. The Yanktons, (or "Yank- tongs," as Pike ealls them) whose homes were out in what is now South Dakota, were expected to be pres- ent, but Pike says, "they had not yet come down."

The eouneil was held in an improvised room which had been prepared by Wayago Enagee, the Son of Penishon, and the Chief of the Wahpaykootas or Leaf Shooters. Its proceedings related to an arrangement for a treaty of permanent peace between the Sioux and the Chippewas, and amounted to nothing because the Indians eould not understand Pike's interpreters, who were then two Chippewa half breeds named Rous- seau and Roy. The Chippewas had sent by Pike some pipes to the Sioux with a request to smoke them if they wanted peace. The Sioux smoked them.

Lieut. Pike invited Chief Stands Suddenly, alias Wayago Enagee, alias Son of Penishon, and the son of a Sisseton Chief, named Red Eagle, to supper with him. Red Eagle's son had visited Pike on the upper River the previous winter. Pike translates the chief's name into French as "Killeur Rouge," the term Killeur being a corruption of "Killiou," the Freneh- Canadian patois for eagle.

LIEUT, PIKE AND OLD LITTLE CROW.

April 12 the return voyage was resumed, and soon the present site of St. Paul was reached. Pierre Rous- seau had been up the river frequently, but Pike says : "He could not tell me where the cave spoken of by Carver eould be found; we earefully searched for it but in vain." Of Little Crow's village at Dayton's Bluff and of Little Crow himself, Lieut. Pike says :

"We were about to pass a few lodges, but on receiv- ing a very partieular invitation to come ashore, we landed and were received in a lodge kindly; they pre- sented us sugar, etc. I gave the proprietor a dram and was about to depart, when he demanded a kettle of liquor; on being refused and after I had left the shore he told me that he did not like the arrangements and that he would go to war this summer. I directed the interpreter to tell him that if I returned to the St. Peter's with troops I would settle that affair with him !"

Old Little Crow and the most of his people were not in the village at the time of Pike's visit, being out on a hunting expedition on the lower St. Croix. Pike tells us :

"On our arrival at the St. Croix I found Petit Corbeau [Little Crow] with his people and Messrs. Frazer and Wood. [The latter were two white men, formerly with the old Hudson's Bay Company.] We had a conference, when Petit Corbeau made many apologies for the misconduct of his people. He rep- resented to us the different manners in which his young warriors had been inducing [?] him to go to war [against the Chippewas] ; that he had been much blamed for dismissing his war party last fall, but that he was determined to adhere to our instructions at that time; that he thought it most prudent to remain here and restrain the warriors [from fighting the Chippewas. ] He then presented me with a beaver robe and a pipe and gave me a message to the general [Wilkinson] that he was determined to preserve peace in his band and 'make the road elear.' He also wanted it remembered that he had been promised an American medal."

On this 12th of April, Pike says he observed the trees beginning to bud for the first time. Going on to Red Wing's village, he found Lake Pepin elosed and had to wait until the 15th for the ice to go out. IIe reached St. Louis on the last of April.

LIEUT. PIKE'S SOUTHWEST EXPEDITION.

A few weeks after reaching St. Louis, Lieut. Pike was again dispatehed by Gen. Wilkinson upon an important expedition. His orders were to take an escort of a party of soldiers, ascend the Missouri and Osage Rivers, penetrate to the head waters of the Arkansas and the Red Rivers and, en route, to treat with the Indian tribes and explore the country west and southwest of St. Louis. In this second expedition, Deeember 3, 1806, he measured the height of the mountain in eentral Colorado which has ever since been ealled Pike's Peak. Proceeding southward he (perhaps intentionally ) stumbled across the then line

HISTORY OF MINNEAPOLIS AND HENNEPIN COUNTY, MINNESOTA

between Spanish America and the United States and he and his men were made prisoners by the Spanish military authorities. Pike was taken before the Span- ish Government at Santa Fe, and finally after much delay, was escorted out of Spanish territory and allowed to return to the United States. In 1813, dur- ing the Second War with Great Britain, Pike was made a brigadier general and given a command. At the attack on York (now Toronto) in Canada, April 27, 1813, he, with many others of the troops of the American and British armies, was mortally wounded by the explosion of a British magazine. His body

was buried at Fort Tompkins, a little distance from Sackett's Harbor, N. Y.

IMPORTANCE OF LIEUT. PIKE'S MINNESOTA EXPEDITION.

Pike's expedition to near the headwaters of the Mis- sissippi was of the greatest importance to the Min- nesota country. He reported upon it fully and made it much better and far more favorably known than it ever had been before. Several printed editions of his journal were issued, containing an engraving and description of St. Anthony's Falls, etc., and these were largely circulated.

CHAPTER IV.

THE ADVENT OF CIVILIZATION.

TRESPASSES OF BRITISH TRADERS HASTEN THE COMING OF THE AMERICANS-THE BUILDING OF FORT ST. ANTHONY OR FORT SNELLING-THE OLD MILLS AT ST. ANTHONY'S FALLS-THEIR ERECTION THE FIRST DEVELOPMENT OF THE SITE OF MINNEAPOLIS-MAJOR LONG'S EXPEDITIONS AND INVESTIGATIONS-DISCOVERY OF LAKE MINNETONKA BY "JOEY" BROWN, THE DRUMMER BOY-NAMING OF LAKES HARRIET, AMELIA, AND OTHERS-FIRST ATTEMPTS AT GRAIN GROWING IN MINNESOTA, ETC.

DURING TIIE WAR OF 1812.

Soon after Lieut. Pike went down the Mississippi, in 1806, the British traders in the Minnesota country began a persistent violation of the promises they had given him. They took down their Ameriean flags, sold whisky freely to the Indians, and poaehed and trespassed on the Ameriean territory as far south as the lower Des Moines and as far eastward as the Chippewa River of Wisconsin.

During the War of 1812 (or "last war with Great Britain") every trading post in Minnesota was a re- eruiting station for the British army. British offieers enlisted Sioux from the villages on and near the Min- nesota and took them to their main armies in Michi- gan and northern Ohio. The warriors of the bands of Little Crow and Wabasha, led by their respective chiefs. furnished the most men for the Ohio expedi- tion ; but the other bands sent representatives.

At the siege of Fort Meigs. in Northern Ohio, in May, 1813, the Northwest Indians took a prominent part. The Winnebagoes captured some Ameriean sol- diers, killed them, roasted and served them up for dinner, and sent word to the Sioux to eome and partake of the feast. Little Crow and Wabasha went over and found the eannibals at their horrible repast, with gorgeously uniformed British offieers looking on and laughing. The Sioux chiefs roundly denonneed the offieers for permitting such a horrible and heath- enish thing. They said they eame out to fight Ameri- eans, not to eat them, and were going home if such a thing were permitted .* Little Crow had a nephew named Big Hunter who had been persuaded to sit at the loathsome table. His unele took him by the nape of the neek, jerked him from his seat, struek him with the flat of his tomahawk, and drove him away. Not long after, the Sioux left the army and returned to Minnesota. (See Neill's Hist. of Minn., pp. 281-2; MeAfee's "Late War in the Western Country," and other publications on the siege of Fort Meigs during the War of 1812.)

INDIANS FIGHT FOR THE BRITISH.

About 260 Canadians and several hundred Sioux, Chippewas, Winnebagoes, and Menominees eaptured

the Ameriean post at Maekinaw in July, 1812; and among their leaders were Joseph Rolette, Sr., and Michael Cadotte, both afterward well known in Min- nesota.

In July, 1814, a foree of British and Indians captured Fort Shelby, an American post at Prairie du Chien. Among the eaptors were Capt. Joseph Rolette, Sr., Lieut. Joseph Renville, Sr., Louis Provencalle, and even old Jean Baptiste Faribault, all of whom became prominent in Minnesota affairs. In 1812 they were loyal to their country, which then was Canada ; and, when they beeame American eitizens, they were truly loyal to the United States. Among the Indians who helped the British capture Fort Shelby were some Sissetons. For their serviees on this oeeasion the British promised to give them two boat-loads of goods and a eannon, which debt the Indians afterward tried to eolleet, to the great annoyanee of Her Majesty's officials. In 1859 old Chief Sleepy Eve was returning from Winnipeg, where he had been to try to get the long past-due eannon and goods, when he died. Late in 1814, Little Crow and many of his warriors went down to Prairie du Chien to help defend the plaee from a threatened attaek by the Americans, but the latter, under Zachary Taylor, eame no farther than Roek Island.

The only Sioux that were truly faithful to their promises to Lieut. Pike and loyal to the United States during the War of 1812 were Tah-mah-hah (aecent on the first syllable) Pike's "Rising Moose," a Medawa- kanton, and IIay-pee-dan, (meaning the seeond ehild if a son) a Wahpaykoota. Tah-mah-hah had but one eye.

BRITISH TRADERS TRESPASS ON AMERICAN TERRITORY.

In 1811 the British established an Indian trading post on Pike's Island, at the mouth of the Minnesota, and maintained it for some years. It was a big post, sold whisky freely, and did a large business. For some time it was in charge of Capt. Thos. G. Ander- son, who had an Indian wife. He educated his two mixed-blood daughters, and some of their deseendants beeame prominent in Minnesota affairs. At that time there was no other trading post near St. Anthony's Falls. (See Neill's Hist. of Minn. and also of St.

* Col. Robert Dickson, a prominent early trader in Min- nesota, and who had recruited the Sioux and conducted them to Ohio, interfered and broke up the feast.

HISTORY OF MINNEAPOLIS AND HENNEPIN COUNTY, MINNESOTA

Paul; Capt. Anderson's "Personal Recollections," in Wisconsin Hist, Socy., Collections, vols. 2 and 3; Minn. Socy. Coll., etc.)

For some years after the War of 1812, which en- tirely closed in the early part of the year 1815, the British traders swarmed in the Minnesota country. Robert Dickson,-"the red-head," as he was called- established Joseph Renville on the Minnesota, up about Lac qui Parle, and John B. Faribault was back down about Mendota. Other traders were near Mendota, for all the old Indian villages in the Minnesota River section had been re-peopled after having been par- tially abandoned during the War. Up in the Chip- pewa country, at Leech Lake, Cass Lake, Red Lake, and other northern lakes, were numerous posts flying the British flag; American traders were practically crowded out.

The Americans had complained that the English- men had seized all of the best trading sites in the northern country, and Congress had enacted that no man should receive a trader's license unless he first became an American citizen. The British merchants in the Minnesota country simply derided the law, thinking that the United States would not go to the trouble and expense of trying to enforce it. In this they were mistaken. The Secretary of War in 1819 was John C. Calhoun, of South Carolina, the fiery old nullifier and radical States' rights man. He was de- termined, however, that the laws of the United States should be obeyed and respected, at least over territory they owned, and which had not been formed into States.

ESTABLISHMENT OF FORT SNELLING.

The location and establishment of the military post now and long since called Fort Snelling con- stituted an important and influential event in the history of Minneapolis. It brought civilization near to the great Falls of St. Anthony and hastened the time of their improvement, which meant a city at their site.

It was the bad conduct of the English traders in Minnesota which caused the establishment of Fort Snelling, in the early autumn of 1819. But for their disreputable course, the fort would probably not have been built until twenty years later.

By what is known as the Treaty of London, between the United States and Great Britain, in 1794, the English obtained the right of trade and intercourse with the Indians of the northwestern portion of the United States. The western boundary of the Repub- lic . was then the Mississippi River. This valuable privilege gave the British traders practically a monopoly of the trade with the various savage tribes in northern Michigan, Wisconsin and northern Min- nesota east of the Mississippi, all American territory, and without saying "by your leave," they occupied the country owned by France, which lay about the headwaters of the Mississippi and the Missouri. In return for their license to occupy American soil, the traders were bound, morally at least, to obey the authority of the United States and commit no offense

against their sovereignty and interests ; but they failed in these duties most disgracefully and to the practical injury of our country and its people.

In northern-or rather north central-Minnesota Lieut. Pike made these dealers pull down their British flags, but as soon as he had left the country they pulled them up again. Then, as has been stated, dur- ing the War of 1812 they were in open and armed hos- tility to the United States and the Americans. After the close of the war their conduct continued bad and menacing. Among other things British emissaries arranged frequent "talks" between themselves and the Indians of the country. and these talks were held at the trading posts. These affairs were always accom- panied by a profuse distribution of presents and Brit- ish flags and medals among the savages, and many other means were resorted to in order to win their regard for His Britannic Majesty and his subjects and to promote a dislike for Americans.

In 1816 Congress authorized the President to pro- hibit all foreigners from trading with the Indians within the limits of the United States; if they wanted licenses to trade, they must take out naturalization papers and become American citizens. The British traders sought to evade and avoid this law by having licenses issued to their American employes. the trad- ers really owning and conducting the business and sharing the profits; but many a trader snapped his fingers at the United States and continued to flaunt the Union Jack before the faces of the Americans and the American authority.

The United States adopted stringent measures to remove this evil. In the early part of 1819 Secretary Calhoun arranged to establish military posts at Coun- cil Bluffs and the mouth of the Yellow Stone, on the Missouri River, and at the mouth of the St. Peter's, (or Minnesota) on the Mississippi, and at the Sanlt Ste. Marie. "The occupation of the contemplated posts," he wrote to the House Committee on Military Affairs. December 29, 1819, "will put into our hands the power to correct the evils." Of the St. Peter's post he wrote :

"The post at the mouth of the St. Peter's is at the head of navigation of the Mississippi. and, in addition to its commanding position in relation to the Indians. it possesses great advantages, either to protect our trade or to prevent that of foreigners." He further said that, when the boundary line between the United States and Canada was definitely drawn and the mil- itary posts established and garrisoned. "We will have the power to exclude foreigners from trade and inter- course with the Indians residing within our limits."

It is plain that the principal object of the establish- ment of what is now Fort Snelling was to bring the British traders to subjection, or drive them from the country. Dr. Neill (Hist. of Minn., Chap. 16) and others following him say that the founding of Lord Selkirk's colony, in the lower Red River region, was the chief reason for the building of the fort. But Lord Selkirk's colony is not mentioned or hinted at in Secretary Calhoun's letters or in any of the records in the case.

HISTORY OF MINNEAPOLIS AND HENNEPIN COUNTY, MINNESOTA

TROOPS ORDERED FROM DETROIT TO BUILD THE FORT.

In February, 1819, Secretary Calhoun ordered the Fifth U. S. Infantry to concentrate at Detroit with a view to go, by way of the Lakes and Fox River. to Prairie du Chien. After leaving a garrison for Fort Crawford, at the latter place, and another for Fort Armstrong, at Rock Island, the commander and the remainder of his men were to go on and build the new post at the mouth of the St. Peter's. From Fort Dearborn, at Chicago, the baggage was to be hauled in wagons drawn by horses and oxen to Prairie du Chien. The commander of the Fifth was Lieut. Col. Henry Leavenworth.

Having re-enforced the garrisons at Prairie du Chien and Rock Island, Lieut. Col. Leavenworth set out with the balance of his command, via the Missis- sippi, for the St. Peter's. His troops numbered "98 rank and file." They were in fourteen batteaux or keclboats, and were accompanied by 20 voyageurs or boatmen ; thus the entire force numbered 118. Besides the batteaux, which served as troop-ships, there were two large boats loaded with provisions, ordnance, etc., the barges of Col. Leavenworth, and the boat of Maj. Forsyth, or in all 18 boats, which were propelled by oars, poles, and sails.

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Compendium of history and biography of Minneapolis and Hennepin County, Minnesota, Part 7

Author: Holcombe, R. I. (Return Ira), 1845-1916; Bingham, William H Publication date: 1914 Publisher: Chicago : H. Taylor & Co. Number of Pages: 1190

Author: Holcombe, R. I. (Return Ira), 1845-1916; Bingham, William H
Publication date: 1914
Publisher: Chicago : H. Taylor & Co.
Number of Pages: 1190