History of Houston County, Including Explorers and Pioneers of Minnesota, Part 14

Author: Edward D. Neill
Publication date: 1882
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 547

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SEPT. 29th, Sunday .- I killed a remarkably large racoon. Got our large boat over the port- age, and put her in the river, at the upper land- ing; this night the men gave sufficient proof of their fatigue, by all throwing themselves down to sleep, preferring rest to supper. This day I had

but fifteen men out of twenty-two; the others were sick. This voyage could have been per- formed with great convenience, if we had taken our departure in June. But the proper time would be to leave the Illinois as soon as the ice would permit, when the river would be of a good height.

SEPT. 80th, Monday .- Loaded my boat, moved over and encamped on the Island. The large boats loading likewise, we went over and put on board. In the mean time, I took a survey of the Falls, Portage, etc. If it be possible to pass the Falls in high water, of which I am doubtful, it must be on the East side, about thirty yards from shore ; as there are three layers of rocks, one be- low the other. The pitch off of either, is not more than five feet; but of this I can say more on my return.

On the tenth of October, the expedition reached some 'arge island below Sauk Rapids, where in 1797, Porlier and Joseph Renville had wintered. Six days after this, he reached the Rapids in Morrison county, which still bears his name, and he writes: "When we arose in the morning, found that snow had fallen during the night, the ground was covered and it continued to snow. This, indeed, was but poor encourage- ment for attacking the Rapids, in which we were certain to wade to our necks. I was determined, however, if possible to make la riviere de Cor- beau, [Crow Wing River], the highest point was made by traders in their bark canoes. We em- barked, and after four hours work, became so benumbed with cold that our limbs were perfectly useless. We put to shore on the opposite side of the river, about two-thirds of the way up the rapids. Built a large fire; and then discovered that our boats were nearly half full of water; both having sprung large leaks so as to oblige me to keep three hands bailing. My sergeant (Ken- nerman) one of the stoutest men I ever knew, broke a blood-vessel and vomited nearly two quarts of blood. One of my corporais (Bradley) also evacuated nearly a pint of blood, when he attempted to void his urine. 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 health and constitution, I should have some for those poor fellows, who were kill-

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PIKE'S BLOCK HOUSE NEAR SWAN RIVER.

ing themselves to obey my orders. After we had breakfast and refreshed ourselves, we went down to our boats on the rocks, where I was obliged to leave them. I then informed my men that we would return to the camp and there leave some of the party and our large boats. This informa- tion was pleasing, and the attempt to reach the camp soon accomplished. My reasons for this step have partly been already stated. The nec- essity of unloading and refitting my boats, the beauty and convenience of the spot for building huts, the fine pine trees for peroques, and the quantity of game, were additional inducements. We immediately unloaded our boats and secured their cargoes. In the evening I went out upon a small, but beautiful creek, which emptied into the Falls, for the purpose of selecting pine trees to make canoes. Saw five deer, and killed one buck weighing one hundred and thirty-seven pounds. By my leaving men at this place, and from the great quantities of game in its vicinity, I was ensured plenty of provision for my return voyage. In the party left behind was one hunter, to be continually employed, who would keep our stock of salt provisions good. Distance two hundred and thirty-three and a half miles above the Falls of St. Anthony.

Having left his large boats and some soldiers at this point, he proceeded to the vicinity of Swan River where he erected a block house, and on the thirty-first of October he writes: "En- closed my little work completely with pickets. Hauled up my two boats and turned them over on each side of the gateways; by which means a defence was made to the river, and had it not been for various political reasons, I would have laughed at the attack of eight hundred or a thousand savages, if all my party were within. For. except accidents, it would only have afford- ed amusement, the Indians having no idea of taking a place by storm. Found myself power- fully attacked with the fantastics of the brain, called ennui, at the mention of which I had hitherto scoffed ; but my books being packed up, I was like a person entranced, and could easily conceive why so many persons who have been confined to remote places, acquire the habit of drinking to excess, and many other vicious prac- tices, which have been adopted merely to pass time.

During the next month he hunted the buffalo which were then in that vicinity. On the third of December he received a visit from -Robert Dickson, afterwards noted in the history of the country, who was then trading about sixty miles below, on the Mississippi.

On the tenth of December with some sleds he continued his journey northward, and on the last day of the year passed Pine River. On the third of January, 1806, he reached the trading post at Red Cedar, now Cass Lake, and was quite indig- nant at finding the British flag floating from the staff. The night after this his tent caught on fire, and he lost some valuable and necessary clothing. On the evening of the eighth he reach- ed Sandy Lake and was hospitably received by Grant, the trader in charge. He writes.

" JAN. 9th, Thursday .- Marched the corporal early, in order that our men should receive assurance of our safety and success. He carried with him a small keg of spirits, a present from Mr. Grant. The establishment of this place was formed twelve years since, by the North-west Company, and was formerly under the charge of a Mr. Charles Brusky. It has attained at present such regularity, as to permit the superintendent to live tolerably comfortable. They have horses they procured from Red River, of the Indians; raise plenty of Irish potatoes, catch pike, suckers, pickerel, and white fish in abundance. They have also beaver, deer, and moose; but the pro- vision they chiefly depend upon is wild oats, of which they purchase great quantities from the savages, giving at the rate of about one dollar and a half per bushel. But flour, pork, and salt, are almost interdicted to persons not principals in the trade. Flour sells at half a dollar ; salt a dollar; pork eighty cents; sugar half a dollar; and tea four dollars and fifty cents per pound. The sugar is obtained from the Indians, and is made from the maple tree."

He remained at Sandy Lake ten days, and on the last day two men of the Northwest Company arrived with letters from Fon du Lac Superior, one of which was from Athapuscow, and had been since May on the route.

On the twentieth of January began his journey to Leech Lake, which he reached on the first of February, and was hospitably received by Hugh

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EXPLORERS AND PIONEERS OF MINNESOTA.

McGillis, the head of the Northwest Company at this post.

A Mr. Anderson, in the employ of Robert Dickson, was residing at the west end of the lake. While here he hoisted the American flag in the fort. The English yacht still flying at the top of the flagstaff, he directed the Indians and his sol- diers to shoot at it. They soon broke the iron pin to which it was fastened, and it fell to the ground. He was informed by a venerable old Ojibway chief, called Sweet, that the Sioux dwelt there when he was a youth. On the tenth of February, at ten o'clock, he left Leech Lake with Corporal Bradley, the trader McGillis and two of his men, and at sunset arrived at Red Cedar, now Cass Lake. At this place, in 1798, Thompson, employed by the Northwest Company for three years, in topographical surveys, made some ob- servations. He believed that a line from the Lake of the Woods would touch the sources of the Mississippi. Pike, at this point, was very kindly treated by a Canadian named Roy, and his Ojibway squaw. On his return home, he reached Clear River on the seventh of April, where he found his canoe and men, and at night was at Grand Rapids, Dickson's trading post. He talked until four o'clock the next morning with this person and another trader named Porlier. He forbade while there, the traders Greignor [Grig- non] and La Jennesse, to sell any more liquor to Indians, who had become very drunken and un- ruly. On the tenth he again reached the Falls of Saint Anthony. He writes in his journal as follows :

APRIL 11th, Friday .- Although it snowed very hard we brought over both boats, and descended the river to the island at the entrance of the St. Peter's. I sent to the chiefs and informed them I had something to communicate to them. The Fils de Pincho immediately waited on me, and informed me that he would provide a place for the purpose. About sundown I was sent for and introduced into the council-house, where I found a great many chiefs of the Sussitongs, Gens de Feuilles, and the Gens du Lac. The Yanctongs had not yet come down. They were all awaiting for my arrival. There were about one hundred lodges, or six hundred people; we were saluted on our crossing the river with ball as usual. The council-house was two large lodges, capable of

containing three hundred men. In the upper were forty chiefs, and as many pipes set against the poles, alongside of which I had the Santeur's pipes arranged. I then informed them in short detail, of my transactions with the Santeurs; but my interpreters were not capable of making them- selves understood. I was therefore obliged to omit mentioning every particular relative to the rascal who fired on my sentinel, and of the scoun- drel who broke the Fols Avoins' canoes, and threatened my life; the interpreters, however, in- formed them that I wanted some of their princi- pal chiefs to go to St. Louis; and that those who thought proper might descend to the prairie, where we would give them more explicit infor- mation. They all smoked out of the Santeur's pipe, excepting three, who were painted black, and were some of those who lost their relations last winter. I invited the Fils de Pinchow, and the son of the Killeur Rouge, to come over and sup with me; when Mr. Dickson and myself en- deavored to explain what I intended to have said to them, could I have made myself understood; that at the prairie we would have all things ex- plained; that I was desirous of making a better report of them than Captain Lewis could do from their treatment of him. The former of those savages was the person who remained around my post all last winter, and treated my men so well; they endeavored to excuse their people.

"APRIL 12th, Saturday .- Embarked early. Al- though my interpreter had been frequently up the river, he could not tell me where the cave (spoken of by Carver) could be found; we carefully sought for it, but in vain. At the Indian village, a few miles below St. Peter's, we were about to pass a few lodges, but on receiving a very partic- ular invitation to come on shore, we landed, and were received in a lodge kindly; they presented us sugar. 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 he did not like the arrange- ments, and that he would go to war this summer. I directed the interpreter to tell him that if I returned to St. Peter's with the troops, I would settle that affair with him. On our arrival at the St. Croix, I found the Pettit Corbeau with his people, and Messrs. Frazer and Wood. We had a conference, when the Pettit Corbeau made

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CAMERON SELLS LIQUOR TO INDIANS.

many apologies for the misconduct of his people; he represented to us the different manners in which the young warriors had been inducing him to go to war; that he had been much blamed for dismissing his party last fall; but that he was de- termined to adhere as far as lay in his power to our instructions; that he thought it most prudent to remain here and restrain the warriors. He then presented me with a beaver robe and pipe, and his message to the general. That he was determined to preserve peace, and make the road clear; also a remembrance of his promised medal. I made a reply, calculated to confirm him in his good intentions, and assured him that he should not be the less remembered by his father, although not present. I was informed that, notwithstand- ing the instruction of his license, and my par- ticular request, Murdoch Cameron had taken liquor and sold it to the Indians on the river St. Peter's, and that his partner below had been

equally imprudent. I pledged myself to prose- cute them according to law; for they have been the occasion of great confusion, and of much injury to the other traders. This day met a canoe of Mr. Dickson's loaded with provisions, under the charge of Mr. Anderson, brother of the Mr. Anderson at Leech Lake. He politely offered me any provision he had on board (for ' which Mr. Dickson had given me an order), but not now being in want, I did not accept of any. This day, for the first time, I observed the trees beginning to bud, and indeed the climate seemed to have changed very materially since we passed the Falls of St. Anthony."

The strife of political parties growing out of the French Revolution, and the declaration of war against Great Britain in the year 1812, post- poned the military occupation of the Upper Mississippi by the United States of America, for several years.

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EXPLORERS AND PIONEERS OF MINNESOTA.

CHAPTER XIII.

THE VALLEY OF THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI DURING SECOND WAR WITH GREAT BRITAIN.

Dickson and other traders hostile --- American stockade at Prairie du Chien-Fort Shelby surrenders to I4. Col. William MeKay-Loyal traders Provencalle and Faribault-Rising Moose or One-eyed Bloux-Capt. Bulgor evequates Fort Mckay-Intelligence of Peace.

Notwithstanding the professions of friendship made to Pike, in the second war with Great Brit- ain, Dickson and others were found bearing arms against the Republic.

A year after Pike left Prairie du Chien, it was evident, that under some secret influence, the Indian tribes were combining against the United States. In the year 1809, Nicholas Jarrot declared that the British traders were furnishing the sav- ages with guns for hostile purposes. On the first of May, 1812, two Indians were apprehended at Chicago, who were on their way to meet Dickson at Green Bay. They had taken the precaution to hide letters in their moccasins, and bury them in the ground, and were allowed to proceed after a brief detention. Frazer, of Prairie du Chien, who had been with Pike at the Council at the mouth of the Minnesota River, was at the port- age of the Wisconsin when the Indians delivered these letters, which stated that the British flag would soon be flying again at Mackinaw. At Green Bay, the celebrated warrior, Black Hawk, was placed in charge of the Indians who were to aid the British. The American troops at Macki- naw were obliged, on the seventeenth of July, 1812, to capitulate without firing a single gun. One who was made prisoner, writes from Detroit to the Secretary of War :

" The persons who commanded the Indians are Robert Dickson, Indian trader, and John Askin, Jr., Indian agent, and his son. The latter two were painted and dressed after the manner of the Indians. Those who commanded the Canadians are John Johnson, Crawford, Pothier, Armitinger, La Croix, Rolette, Franks, Living- ston, and other traders, some of whom were lately concerned in smuggling British goods into the

Indian country, and, in conjunction with others, have been using their utmost efforts, several months before the declaration of war, to excite the Indians to take up arms. The least resist- ance from the fort would have been attended with the destruction of all the persons who fell into the hands of the British, as I have been as- sured by some of the British traders."

On the first of May, 1814, Governor Clark, with two hundred men, left St. Louis, to build a fort at the junction of the Wisconsin and Missis- sippi. Twenty days before he arrived at Prairie du Chien, Dickson had started for Mackinaw with a band of Dahkotahs and Winnebagoes. The place was left in command of Captain Deace and the Mackinaw Fencibles. The Dahkotahs refusing to co-operate, when the Americans made their appearance they fled. The Americans took possession of the old Mackinaw house, in which they found nine or ten trunks of papers belong- ing to Dickson. From one they took the follow- ing extract :

"' Arrived, from below, a few Winnebagoes with scalps. Gave them tobacco, six pounds powder and six pounds ball.'"

A fort was immediately commenced on the site of the old residence of the late H. L. Dous- man, which was composed of two block-houses in the angles, and another on the bank of the river, with a subterranean communication. In honor of the governor of Kentucky it was named "Shelby."

The fort was in charge of Lieutenant Perkins, and sixty rank and file, and two gunboats, each of which carried a six-pounder; and several howitzers were commanded by Captains Yeiser, Sullivan, and Aid-de-camp Kennerly.

The traders at Mackinaw, learning that the Americans had built a fort at the Prairie, and knowing that as long as they held possession they would be cut off from the. trade with the

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LOYALTY OF FARIBAULT AND THE ONE-EYED SIOUX.

Dahkotahs, immediately raised an expedition to capture the garrison.

The captain was an old trader by the name of Mckay, and under him was a sergeant of ar- tillery, with a brass six-pounder, and three or four volunteer companies of Canadian voyageurs, officered by Captains Griguon, Rolette and An- derson, with Lieutenants Brisbois and Duncan Graham, all dressed in red coats, with a number of Indians.

The Americans had scarcely completed their rude fortification, before the British force, guid- ed by Joseph Rolette, Sr., descended in canoes to a point on the Wisconsin, several miles from the Prairie, to which they marched in battle array. Mckay sent a flag to the Fort demanding a surrender. Lieutenant Perkins replied that he would defend it to the last.

A fierce encounter took place, in which the Americans were worsted. The officer was wounded, several men were killed and one of their boats captured, so that it became necessary to retreat to St. Louis. Fort Shelby after its capture, was called Fort McKay.

Among the traders a few remained loyal, es- pecially Provencalle and J. B. Faribault, traders among the Sioux. Faribault was a prisoner among the British at the time Lieut. Col. Wm. Mckay was preparing to attack Fort Shelby, and he refused to perform any service, Faribault's wife, who was at Prairie du Chien, not knowing that her husband was a prisoner in the hands of the advancing foe, fled with others to the Sioux village, where is now the city of Winona. Fari- bault was at length released on parole and re- turned to his trading post.

Pike writes of his flag, that "being in doubt whether it had been stolen by the Indians, or had fallen overboard and floated away, I sent for my friend the Orignal Leve." He also calls the Chief, Rising Moose, and gives his Sioux name Tahamie. He was one of those, who in 1805, signed the agreement, to surrender land at the junction of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers to the United States. He had but one eye, having lost the other when a boy, belonged to the Wapasha band of the Sioux, and proved true to the flag which had waved on the day he sat in council with Pike.

In the fall of 1814, with another of the same 6

nation, he ascended the Missouri under the pro- tection of the distinguished trader, Manual Lisa, as far as the Au Jacques or James River, and from thence struck across the country, enlisting the Sioux in favour of the United States, and at length arrived at Prairie du Chien. On his arri- val, Dickson accosted him, and inquired from whence he came, and what was his business ; at the same time rudely snatching his bundle from his shoulder, and searching for letters, The "one eyed warrior " told him that he was from St. Louis, and that he had promised the white chiefs there that he would go to Prairie du Chien, and that he had kept his promise

Dickson then placed him in confinement in Fort McKay, as the garrison was called by the British, and ordered him to divulge what infor- mation he possessed, or he would put him to death. But the faithful fellow said he would impart nothing, and that he was ready for death if he wished to kill him. Finding that confine- ment had no effect, Dickson at last liberated him. He then left, and visited the bands of Sioux on the Upper Mississippi, with which he passed the winter. When he returned in the spring, Dick- son had gone to Mackinaw, and Capt. A. Bulger, of the Royal New Foundland Regiment, was in command of the fort.

On the twenty-third of May, 1815, Capt. Bul- ger, wrote from Fort McKay to Gov. Clark at St. Louis : "Official intelligence of peace reached me yesterday. I propose evacuating the fort, taking with me the guns captured in the fort. * * * * I have not the smallest hesitation in declaring my decided opinion, that the presence of a detachment of British and United States troops at the same time, would be the means of embroiling one party or the other in a fresh rup- ture with the Indians, which I presume it is the wish of both governments to avoid."

The next month the "One-Eyed Sioux," with three other Indians and a squaw, visited St. Louis, and he informed Gov. Clark, that the British commander left the cannons in the fort when he evacuated, but in a day or two came back, took the cannons, and fired the fort with the American flag flying, but that he rushed in and saved it from being burned. From this time, the British flag ceased to float in the Valley of the Missis sippi.

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EXPLORERS AND PIONEERS OF MINNESOTA.

CHAPTER XIV. .

LONG'S EXPEDITION, A. D. 1817, IN A SIX-OARED SKIFF, TO THE FALLS OF SAINT ANTHONY.

Carver » Grandsons .- Roque, Biouz Interpreter .- Wapashaw's Village and its Vicinity .- A Sacred Dance .- Indian Village Below Dayton's Bluff .- Carver's Care .- Fountain Cave .- Falls of St. Anthony Described .- Site or a Fort.

Major Stephen H. Long, of the Engineer Corps of the United States Army, learning that there was little or no danger to be apprehended from the Indians, determined to ascend to the Falls of Saint Anthony, in a six-oared skiff presented to him by Governor Clark, of Saint Louis. His party consisted of a Mr. Hempstead, a native of New London, Connecticut, who had been living at Prairie du Chien, seven soldiers, and a half- breed interpreter, named Roque. A bark canoe accompanied them, containing Messrs. Gun and King, grandsons of the celebrated traveler, Jona- than Carver.

On the ninth of July, 1817, the expedition left Prairie du Chien, and on the twelfth arrived at " Trempe a l'eau." He writes :

" When we stopped for breakfast, Mr. Hemp- stead and myself ascended a high peak to take a view of the country. It is known by the name of the Kettle Hill, having obtained this appella- tion from the circumstance of its having numer- ous piles of stone on its top, most of them fragments of the rocky stratifications which constitute the principal part of the hill, but some of them small piles made by the Indians. These at a distance have some similitude of kettles arranged along upon the ridge and sides of the hill. From this, or almost any other eminence in its neighborhood, the beauty and grandeur of the prospect would baffle the skill of the most inge- nious pencil to depict, and that of the most ac- complished pen to describe. Hills marshaled into a variety of agreeable shapes, some of them towering into lofty peaks, while others present broad summits embellished with contours and slopes in the most pleasing manner ; champaigns and waving valleys; forests, lawns, and parks alternating with each other; the humble Missis-

sippi meandering far below, and occasionally losing itself in numberless islands, give variety and beauty to the picture, while rugged cliffs and stupendous precipices here and there present themselves as if to add boldness and majesty to the scene. In the midst of this beautiful scenery is situated a village of the Sioux Indians, on an extensive lawn called the Aux Aisle Prairie ; at which we lay by for a short time. On our arrival the Indians hoisted two American flags, and we returned the compliment by discharging our blunderbuss and pistols. They then fired several guns ahead of us by way of a salute, after which we landed and were received with much friend- ship. The name of their chief is Wauppaushaw, or the Leaf, commonly called by a name of the same import in French, La Feuille, or La Fye, as it is pronounced in English. He is considered one of the most honest and honorable of any of the Indians, and endeavors to inculcate into the minds of his people the sentiments and principles adopted by himself. He was not at home at the time I called, and I had no opportunity of seeing him. The Indians, as I suppose, with the ex- pectation that I had something to communicate to them, assembled themselves at the place where I landed and seated themselves upon the grass. I inquired if their chief was at home, and was answered in the negative. I then told them I should be very glad to see him, but as he was absent I would call on him again in a few days when I should return. I further told them that cur father, the new President, wished to ob- tain some more information relative to his red children, and that I was on a tour to acquire any intelligence he might stand in need of. With this they appeared well satisfied, and permitted Mr. Hempstead and myself to go through their village. While I was in the wigwam, one of the subordinate chiefs, whose name was Wazzecoota, or Shooter from the Pine Tree, volunteered to

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History of Houston County, Including Explorers and Pioneers of Minnesota, Part 14

Author: Edward D. Neill Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Number of Pages: 547

Author: Edward D. Neill
Publication date: 1882
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 547