USA > Wisconsin > An illustrated history of Wisconsin from prehistoric to present periods : the story of the state interspersed with realistic and romantic events > Part 13
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In due time, the Foxes discovered the approach of the fleet. Only two men were seen in each canoe. The Foxes then placed out their signal torch, and squatted themselves thickly along the banks of the river and waited patiently for their customary tribute. When the fleet arrived sufficiently near to be effective, the oil-cloths were thrown, and a deadly volley from a large swivel-gun, loaded with grape and canister, together with the musketry of the soldiers, scattered death among the unsuspecting savages. Almost simultaneously, the land party opened fire from the rear, nearly annihilating the Indians.
Tradition also gives us an account of the remnants of the Foxes, *Hebberd's "Wisconsin Under French Dominion."
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HISTORY OF WISCONSIN.
locating about three miles above the Great Butte des Morts. Here Morand, the same season, followed them, and a severe battle ensued, in which many Foxes were slain, and the remaining ones forced to fly. According to the statement of Perrish Grignon, that he had many years ago discovered a large number of Indian skulls and other remains in a crevice or cavity on the shore of Lake Winnebago, near the old Indian village of Black Wolf, and suggested that when the Foxes fled' from the Little Butte des Morts, they may have passed around the head of Lake Winnebago, and placed the dead within said cavity.
The surviving Foxes located on the northern banks of the Wiscon- sin, about twenty miles from its mouth, near the Kickapoo river. When the revengeful and enterprising Morand heard of their new location, he collected his trusted band of French and Indians, and made a distant winter expedition against the Foxes. They pursued their way on foot up the Fox river and down the Wisconsin, taking with them snow- shoes. In this manner they pursued their tedious march over the snow, for a distance of two hundred miles or more. Morand and his forces found the Foxes engaged in the amusement of jeudepaille, or game of straws. Their camp was completely destroyed, so that only twenty Fox warriors, .with a large number of women and children, were taken prisoners. Not one of the Foxes escaped. According to one tradition, the prisoners all escaped through the cunning of an Indian woman; according to another, they were liberated by Captain Morand,* and allowed to retire across the Mississippi.t
About two months after Morand's attack, another party started out to accomplish what had long been tried, the extermination of the Foxes. In this expedition were five hundred and fifty-five Indians and fifty Frenchmen. Of this resolve the wily Foxes became aware, and, before the other squad had even started out, the Indians had fled southward out of reach of the enemy. The wretched fugitives were next found gathered on the Illinois river, near Rock St. Louis. Here they fortified themselves, and prepared for a desperate resistance. De Villiers, in command of eleven hundred Indians, and one hundred and seventy Frenchmen, started from Fort St. Joseph, in Michigan, to once more try and overcome the Fox nation. On the 19th of August, 1730, the battle commenced, and continued unceasingly for twenty-two days. The Foxes were outnumbered four to one. This, however, did not hin- der them from fighting with their old-time valor. After fighting for some time, in both camps food became scarce. Many of the French Indian allies deserted-but the French were persevering. They built a fort so that the Foxes were cut off from the river, and thus had no place from whence to get their water. This made further resistance seem impossible. Fate in the meantime once more came to the Foxes' aid.
*Strong, in his "History of Wisconsin Territory," calls Morand Sieur Perriere Marin.
+Wis. Hist. Col., Vol. III., 206, 211.
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On the 8th of September, it rained and stormed terribly. The next night turned out to be cold, rainy and dark. Taking advantage of the gloomy appearance, the Foxes silently stole away from the fort. The crying of the children made their flight known, however, before they had succeeded in getting away from the reach of their French enemies. The next morning, as day broke, these inhuman Frenchmen started out in hot pursuit. It did not take them long to overtake the Fox war- riors, who were in the rear of the women and children, as a protection. The battle which followed soon turned into a massacre. Of the whole party, only fifty or sixty warriors escaped, while three hundred were either killed or burned. Not satisfied with this, they killed or burned six hundred defenseless women and children.
THE FOXES DWELLING IN PEACE UPON THE BORDERS OF THE WISCONSIN.
Now the French were joyful. Although a few had escaped their bloodthirsty attack, yet so many had been massacred that they sup- posed they would ever more be rid of the proud and unconquered Fox nation. Two years passed away before we again find the wandering remnants of the Fox people molested by the French. They had lived in comparative peace for these two years, but the skies were again dark- ening over their unhappy heads. The French government, as early as
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HISTORY OF WISCONSIN.
1726, decreed that the Fox nation should be extirpated. * Upon October 17, 1732, the remnants of the Foxes were dwelling in peace upon the borders of the Wisconsin. The wrath of the French having recently been rekindled, a large body of Christian Iroquois from the St. Lawrence, and the Hurons from Detroit, ascending the summit of a hill, one day, looked down into the vale below, and discovered the Foxes in their tran- quil homes. Discharging their guns, and with tomahawk in hand, they came down upon the unsuspecting Foxes like an avalanche, and, within a short space of time, three hundred men, women and children were massacred. Several parties escaped to other nations. One party of
BLIVER ENG to MINEH.
MASSACRE OF THE FOXES ON THE WISCONSIN. .
sixty or seventy men, women and children, in their despair went to Green Bay, and threw themselves upon the mercy of the brutal De Villiers, the French commandant. ¡ In this party was the great Fox chief, Kiola, who was sent to Quebec, and from there into slavery under the burning skies of Martinique. Kiola was followed to Quebec by his faithful wife, whose love for her husband was so great that she voluntarily joined him in the chain-gang at Martinique.
About this time, an order was issued by the French governor-gen- eral, to discontinue the burning the Foxes, whom they took as prisoners. " It has only served to irritate the Fox people, and arouse the strongest hatred towards us," says the worthy governor-general.
*Wis. Hist. Col., Vol. III., 148.
+Hebberd's "Wisconsin Under French Dominion," 137.
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WISCONSIN UNDER FRENCH DOMINION.
Another band of Fox fugitives, who had fled to Green Bay, found an asylum in the Sac village, across the river from the fort .* They had remained nearly a year with the Sacs, when the French government decided to demand their surrender. M. De Repentigny, the commandant at Mackinaw, was secretly sent with sixty Frenchmen and two hundred Indians to the aid of De Villiers. The French and Indian forces were concealed about a mile from the fort, and were to advance upon the dis- charge of three gun-shots. De Villiers then returned to the fort, and sent for the Sac chiefs, and demanded that the Foxes be delivered by a certain hour. The chiefs gravely listened, then withdrew to consult with their people.
SHOOTING OF DE VILLIERS BY YOUNG BLACKBIRD.
The Foxes, remembering the fate of their chief, Kiola, and the hor- rors of Martinique slavery, were unwilling to be delivered up to De Vil- liers. The Sacs, like all Indian nations, never violated the rules of hospitality. The appointed time passed, and the Foxes did not appear. De Villiers, now thoroughly enraged at the contempt shown to his demand, and half maddened by drink, took with him De Repentigny and eight other Frenchmen, hastened to the palisaded Sac village, and
*Hebberd's "Wisconsin Under French Dominion," 138.
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HISTORY OF WISCONSIN.
attempted to force an entrance. The principal chief entreated him to desist, and told him that, if he did not, he would be killed, as the young men could not be controlled. The enraged De Villiers drew up his gun, and shot the chief dead, then with his pistols shot two other chiefs. A young Indian lad, about twelve years oid, leveled his gun and shot the brutal commandant dead. Then a general fight ensued, in which De Repentigny and all of the Frenchmen, except one, were killed .*
Three nights later, amidst a terrible storm, the Sacs abandoned their camp and stole away. The French and their Indian allies overtook them about twenty miles away, and a fierce battle was fought, in which both sides lost heavily.
The Sacs continued their way westward, and finally located their village two or three days' journey southward from the mouth of the Wisconsin. French hatred still pursued them. In August, 1734, DeNoyelles, with eighty Frenchmen and several hundred of their savage allies, left Montreal for the purpose of exterminating this little band of Fox and Sac exiles. Before DeNoyelles reached their village on the Wapinacon river, the Sacs and Foxes fled southward and entrenched themselves on the banks of the Des Moines. The French finally arrived, and, after many weeks of unsuccessful sorties, inglori- ously returned to Montreal.
History and tradition are silent as to whether these Sacs and Foxes joined the confederation at the mouth of the Rock river or not. The presumption is that they did.
According to Grignon's recollections, as published in Vol. III., 205 and 206, Wis. Hist. Coll., Captain De Velie was the commandant of a small garrison at Green Bay, but was relieved by the arrival of the new commandant, who brought with him demands for the the Sacs, at a village opposite the fort, to deliver up the few Foxes who were living with them. All were readily given up, except a Fox boy, who had been adopted by a Sac woman. De Velie and his successor, having wined and dined together, entered into a sharp controversy relating to the tardiness of the Sacs in surrendering the Fox boy, upon which De Velie arose, and taking his gun and a negro servant, crossed the river to the palisaded town of the Sacs opposite. From them he demanded the immediate surrender of the Indian youth. The chief informed him that his principal chiefs and men had just been in council about the matter, and, while the adopted mother did not like to part with her son, they were in hopes to persuade her to peacefully deliver the lad. The chief visited the old lady, who appeared obstinate, while De Velie the more vehemently renewed his demands. Three times the deputation waited upon the obstinate old Indian woman, without success. The excited and well-wined Frenchman, now losing all patience, drew up his gun and shot the leading chief dead. His gun was reloaded by his servant,.
*Ibid.
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WISCONSIN UNDER FRENCH DOMINION.
then De Velie took it and shot down another chief, and finally a third one. Ma-Kan-Ta-Pe-Na-Se, a young Sac, only twelve years of age, afterwards known as the celebrated Blackbird,* shot and killed the enraged Frenchman. The recollections of Grignon do not in every respect bear the imprint of sound reason, as it is not reasonable to suppose that the Indians would allow De Velie, after shooting their leading chief, to hand his gun to the negro servant to reload, then shoot another chief, then reload and shoot a third.
In four states, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin, they were followed, besieged and massacred. Two thousand died from starvation in one winter. Twenty-five hundred were burned at the stake. It seems incredible, but the truth of the story is founded on the boasts of the French. The other side of the story has never been told. In 1736, only one hundred warriors were left, making in all about eight
BINNEN ENG LO PIL-PM
FORT BEAUHARNOIS ABANDONED BY THE FRENCH.
hundred persons. The French dominion in the west had received a blow from which it never rallied. By all manner of promises and cajolery, the French had tried to gain control of the various tribes of Indians. In this, up to 1712, they were successful. The Fox nation's treatment had disenchanted the Indians, and they quickly saw through the faults and weaknesses of the whites. The whites had sealed their own doom, when they had tried to drive the Foxes from Wisconsin. The Sioux, who dwelt beyond the Mississippi, were the first nation that became restless and discontented. In 1736, they put an end to all
*According to Laurent Fily, an old fur trader, Blackbird became a distinguished chief among his people, and lived at the Sac village, at the mouth of the Rock river, and there in his old age, died.
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explorations in the far west, by killing a part of the French party. They next began to molest the Chippewa allies of the French, and, before the next year had passed away, they became so quarrelsome at and around Fort Beauharnois on Lake Pepin, that the post had to be abandoned by the French.
At this time in the south, the Indians were also becoming discon- tented. Next the flames of revolt turned eastward. The Hurons and Ottawas, the firm allies of the French, now arose against their former associates, and for three years made ceaseless trouble. The governor of Canada became much discouraged, and complained loudly to the French authorities of the Indians' insolence.
Although peace had been made with the Foxes in 1737, it could not have lasted long, as we again find the French making peace, in 1739, with this warlike tribe. This also was but a pretense. The Foxes joined themselves with the Sioux, their stanch adher- ents of olden times, and, in 1741, both nations were at war with the French allies, the Chippe- was in the north and the Illinois in the south. The Chippewas began to form settlements in northern Wis- consin. Many of them settled around the Chippewa and other rivers. Tra- dition hands down a pathetic story in relation to the settlement of one of these new vil- ages. A party of Indians, on the CHIPPEWAS MOURNING FOR THE DEATH OF THEIR CHILD. hunt, at one time stopped to rest on the shore of a lake
in the forest. While here one of the little children died, and was buried at the edge of the waterside. Then they went on. The father and mother of the dead child were, however, overcome, and
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bitterly mourned for their much-beloved child, who had gone before them to the Happy Hunting Ground, where all was well. The next summer their grief was such that they returned to the spot where their little one lay buried, and, upon arriving at the place, were unable to tear themselves away, so built their hut there, alone in the forest, in the path of their enemies, but close to their beloved child's grave. Here they dwelt in peace for some time. Other Chippewas came and settled from time to time, and thus began a village which still exists. We know not whether this story is true or only fiction, but it shows us that the nature of an Indian is not so much different from a white man's as we might suppose.
In 1747, Marin, who was commander of St. Joseph, in Michigan, reported that the friendly Indians were being debauched by the English. The same year, there was a revolt in the region of the Detroit. In 1748, the Miamis, who were the most powerful nation east of the Mississippi, plundered a French fort and committed many other acts of violence. Rumors were heard to the effect that all the western Indians were con- spiring among themselves to drive the white men from the country. Even the Chippewas, who had been such stanch adherents of the French, now joined their lot with that of the enemy.
In 1750, the fury of the Miamis again broke forth. They even went so far as to urge the Illinois to join them. This slavish tribe betrayed the plot, and warned the French. After 1737, the French had only one tribe left -the Illinois,-that was friendly. All their other associates had turned against them. Virtually, the ruin and downfall of the French dominion was close at hand. Other causes were interwoven with the foregoing. The colonial government had reached the lowest state of corruption. Millions of dollars were being stolen from the king, sol- diers, and the Indians. Under these disastrous circumstances the fur trade sank lower and lower. The goods of the French were inferior and their prices wonderfully high. Liquor was freely given the Indians, in order to the more readily swindle them. The savages tried all in their power to break loose from these daring robberies. Many of the tribes opened trade with the English. Green Bay had become the center of the corrupt officials, who were robbing both the government and the Indians. In 1750, Marin went to Green Bay with the intention of acting as governor of the northwest, and to search for a passage to the Sea of the West. This, however, was merely an excuse. His real object was to manage a partnership which was to try and control the fur trade of the northwest. Besides this source of revenue they had various other schemes for making money. Their unlawful gains must have realized millions. Marin struck many blows at his enemies, but injustice must not be done him-he was a wise, courageous and faithful servant of France. DuQuesne admired him greatly, and, when he died, wrote to the king that "the death of Marin is an irreparable loss to the colony."* *Hebberd's "Wisconsin Under French Dominion, " 158.
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HISTORY OF WISCONSIN.
The Sacs, upon being driven from the vicinity of Green Bay, settled on the banks of the Wisconsin river, near where the present city of Prairie du Sac is situated. The Foxes, after their almost endless wan- derings, built a town near the mouth of the Wisconsin, where now stands Prairie du Chien. With their accustomed keenness they selected their location, which, after a little, became the great center of the north- west. The Foxes also swelled their prosperity by mining as well as trading. Their work in smelting ores was carried on with such secrecy that no stranger was allowed to come near their mines, much less to enter them.
The Sioux, their firm bystanders, had given them horses, so that, after a few years, their warriors were all superbly mounted. The pros- perity of these barbarous people has been the wonder and admiration of ages. The other Indian tribes, the Chippewas and Illinois, who had always been friendly to the French, were degraded and cowardly, while those who had openly opposed and defied any overtures of the whites were progressive and prosperous. Through this we can readily see. The Indian allies of the French were subservient to such a degree that all their old-time spirit was lost, and, in consequence, they became debased and cowardly. Everywhere their vile habits were commented on. The hostile Indians, on the other hand, always had devoted them- selves to their own interests, therefore were far superior to the French Indian allies.
Notwithstanding the French conception and the boldness of the projects they entertained of connecting their settlements in New France, by a chain of fortifications from the St. Lawrence to that of the Missis- sippi, the western parts of New York and Pennsylvania, the state of Ohio, and what was known as the territory of Michigan, still exhibit the monuments of their labor. Agriculture was the only sure basis upon which to support and encourage distant settlements. The French relied upon the military ardor of their nation, and neglected the princi- pal causes and sources for permanent preëminence in New France.
The French system of policy was so narrow and illiberal it was impossible for her to raise in her settlements strong agricultural inter- ests, which were alike necessary in peace, as well as their defense in times of war.
Among the early French land-grants is the grant of De le Mothe Cadillac, to an inhabitant of Detroit, Francois Faford de Lorme, in the year 1707, the conditions of which are similar to those of the grant given by the Marquis de Beauharnois, governor and lieutenant-general of New France and Louisiana, and are also similar in substance to all grants issued under the French regime, which are as follows:
I. To pay a reserved rent of fifteen livres a year to the crown, for- ever.
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WISCONSIN UNDER FRENCH DOMINION.
II. To begin to clear and improve the concession within three months from the date of the grant.
III. All the timber is reserved to the crown, whenever it may be wanted for the fortifications, or for the constructions of boats, or other vessels (that is to say when reduced to plain language, it may be taken at the pleasure of any military officer who may happen to have com- mand of the country).
IV. The properties of all mines and minerals, if any be found, does not pass by the grant.
V. The privilege of hunting hares, rabbits, partridges and pheas- ants does not pass.
VI. The grantee is to come and carry, plant or help to plant, a long may-pole before the door of the principal manor-house, on the first day of May in every year.
VII. All the grains of the grantee are to be carried to the moulin bannal, or mill of the manor, to be ground, paying the tolls sanctioned by the coutume de Paris.
VIII. On every sale of the land a species of duty is to be paid, termed the lods et vente; which in the English law might bear the name of a fine of alienation, but it is more intelligible to an American ear under the appellation of a tax on the sale of the land. This tax, by the coutume de Paris, forms no inconsiderable proportion of the value of the whole.
IX. Previous to a sale, the grantee is to give information to the government, and if the government is willing to take it at the price offered to him, it is to have it.
X. The grantees cannot mortgage it without the consent of the government previously obtained.
XI. For ten years the grantee is not permitted to work, or cause any person to work, directly or indirectly, at the profession and trade of a blacksmith, locksmith, armorer or brewer.
XII. All effects and articles of merchandise sent to or brought from Montreal, must be sold by the grantee himself, or other person, who, with his family, is a French resident, and not by engagees, or clerks, or foreigners, or strangers.
XIII. The grantee is not to sell to a foreigner, without special permission.
XIV. If he sells to a foreigner with permission, the rent reserved is greatly increased; and the duties of the coutume, in such cases, are to be paid.
XV. He is not to sell or trade brandy to the Indians, on pain of confiscation.
XVI. The public charges and servitudes, and royal and seigneurial rights of the coutume de Paris, are reserved generally.
XVII. The grantee is to suffer on his lands that which may be thought necessary for the public utility.
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HISTORY OF WISCONSIN.
XVIII. The grantee is to make his fences as it shall be regulated.
XIX. He is to assist in making his neighbor's fences, when called
upon.
XX. He is to cause his land to be alienated, that is, surveyed, set apart, at his expense.
XXI. He is to obtain a brevet of confirmation, from Europe, within two years. *
In 1752, the revolt broke loose which scattered death through many an Indian village. The Miamis and other tribes threw of the French yoke entirely. To overcome these desperate savages, Charles Langlade was sent out with a party of faithful Ottawas. Langlade was a young man, but twenty-three years of age. His father was French, but his mother was of Indian parentage. Because of his low birth, Langlade was looked down upon by the French authorities, and while his success as a soldier was admired, personally he was disdained. He started out with thirty Frenchmen and two hundred and fifty Indians, and soon reached western Ohio, where the Miamis dwelt. The grand chief of the Miami confederacy resided at Piqua, a town containing four hundred families. This place he and his band reached on the morning of the 2Ist of June, 1752. The inhabitants, unprepared for an attack, after a fierce but short resistance, gave up. The conquering party burned the town, killed one English trader, and took five prisoners. This was indeed the last straw. The inevitable had come. We next see Lang- lade pitted against Braddock, where his military skill soon won for him many laurels. He first acted in the capacity of lieutenant, after- wards of captain. He possessed great energy, was active and persever- ing in all enterprises which he undertook, and the utter obscurity of his last years seems almost improbable. No man took a more active inter- est in his country than did Langlade, and, when the downfall of the French dominion was carried into execution at the fall of Quebec, none could have felt more keenly the transfer of the reigning power, than Charles Langlade. t
The Fox wars, twenty years before, had proven the utter impossi- bility of the French despotism governing America. After the defeat of the French by the English, and the departure of the French authorities, Langlade sinks into oblivion. In April, 1763, Major Etherington gave Langlade authority to reside at Green Bay permanently. Here he established a little village of French traders-the first permanent white settlement in Wisconsin-the relic of a fallen empire. #
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