USA > Wisconsin > Winnebago County > History, Winnebago County, Wisconsin: Its Cities, Towns, Resources, People > Part 10
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On hearing the message from De Lignery of the escape of the Foxes and Winnebago, and discovering that the Sioux "had Fox hearts," De Boucherville, Father Guignos, the brothers Monbrun and other Frenchmen to the number of twelve, left the traders at Lake Pepin, and started for Canada by way of the Mississippi. After passing the Foxes' canoes. they ran into a party of Kickapoo below the Rock river. who detained them, and after a council finally compelled them to build log cabins and remain the winter as hostages for the protection of the tribe. One day Kansekoe, a Fox chief. and ten tribesmen came to the camp and tried various means to induce the Kickapoo to deliver up the Frenchmen; but the treachery was prevented by numerous presents, given to both Kickapoo and the Foxes. They finally took their departure, and soon met a party of 100 Foxes, led by one who had lost a son in an encounter with the French. Chief Kansekoe warned him to return and accept
1 For the events above narrated, see letter Father Crospel, 5 Ib., 87; Beau- harnos' reports, do., p. 72; letters and reports, 17 1b., 28 to 31; report of De Lignery, Ib., p. 31.
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presents for the death of the son. Seventy of the band were won over and returned; but thirty of them refused to be peace- ful and kept on their way to the village of the Kickapoo, which had been removed to an island in the river for greater security. The Kickapoo saw no danger in permitting this small number to gain the island. The Foxes tried every means to arouse the Kickapoo to revenge them on the French, "weeping for their dead, spreading out a bloody robe, a shell all reddened with blood, and a red calumet with feathers all dripping blood." The Kickapoo told them they did not detain the French with evil design, and would defend them with their lives. The Foxes angered with the refusal, "arose with fire in their eyes. They threatened vengeance, made up their bundles and crossed the river; and having met at a distance of three day's journey from the Fox village, a Kickapoo and Mascoutin who were hunting, they massacred them without pity, and carried their scalps home . with them." This murder alarmed the older members of the tribe, as it made enemies of the old-time good friends. A party was made up at once to visit the Kickapoo and offer themselves as victims; but the tribe were too much offended and refused all offer of reconciliation.
The Kickapoo now thought of their gloomy condition : "The Foxes have killed us; the Illinois has killed us; the Frenchmen is angry with us; what are we to do?" The French advised them to make their peace with the Illinois, which would recommend them to the French. This they did at once. In the meantime a party of thirty Kickapoo visited the Foxes, secretly seeking an opportunity for revenge. The Foxes, seeking means to recover the friendship of their old allies, offered to send two chiefs to their village to make the customary presents for the dead. Pemoussa the younger, and Chichippa, "the great war chief," offered to go, and they were entrusted with a calumet and some other presents. During the second day's march the two Kicka- poo chiefs said to one another: "We came to avenge our dead, and these Foxes who follow us are coming to speak of peace. We will give them food at our first stopping place, and fire two shots at them. This plan was carried out in all its details, and their scalps taken to the village." The Kickapoo were offended at this bloody act, as Pemoussa, who had married a Kickapoo wife, had many relatives and kindred among them. The mur- derers sneaked into the village and remained concealed. The
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French reached their destination in the spring, and the Kickapoo remained the enemies of the Foxes.
The Governor in his report to the French Minister on the Foxes says: "The Sioux and Iowa, having refused them shelter in their lands, they have been obliged to return to their former village (in West Menasha), where they are surrounded by all these nations who are at war with them." This was in the spring of 1729. During the winter following the flight of the Foxes from before the army of De Lignery, a large number of Foxes and Winnebago estimated as sixty cabins, a method of es- timating savage numbers little understood, but possibly equal to about five members to a cabin, appeared before the French traders who lived at the Lake Pepin Fort. They sought terms of peace; but the French warned them away. They begged to have a Frenchman go with them to their village, where they would get several chiefs and go to St. Joseph to arrange a peace. Le Sieur de la Jemeraye proposed to go with them. They remained twenty-one days at the Fox village. By this time Jemeraye became anxious for his fate; but at the end of this long delay they escorted him, accompanied by fourteen Foxes, to St. Joseph in Michigan. They made proposals of peace, and the officer asked them to go on to Montreal, but they feared to entrust themselves so far among enemies, and returned home.
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Jemeraye says that while he was detained at the Fox village, probably in the spring of 1729, "the Menominee came to strike a blow at them, and killed one man and one woman. The Foxes made up a band of thirty warriors to fall on the Menominee, who were only twelve in number; but they came back with three men wounded without having killed or wounded any of the Menominee.1 The dispatch of the Governor to the French Min- ister in the fall of this year announces that a band of fifty Ottawa had started from Mackinac" to strike the Foxes; but thirteen had returned. It was their purpose to start again in the spring (1730) with the Menominee to go to the country of the Foxes. There is reason to believe that nation will decrease every day, for all its neighbors are its enemies.""
In the summer of 1729, probably in July, there was a deter- mined and savage attack made on the Foxes at "the farthest of the three villages, thinking that they would be less on their guard than the two nearer ones." The party of the enemy was
'17 Ib., 67 and 69.
2 Ib., 68.
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composed originally of fifty Ottawa from Mackinac, but thirteen of these had returned to that post, leaving the thirty-seven to proceed. There were also a band of Chippewa known as Sau- teurs, as they had their village at Sault Ste. Marie. With them also went a band of Menominee; and the Winnebago of Doty Island joined them, making up "a large party." In the attack they killed thirty Fox warriors, and murdered seventy women or children. The loss of the enemy was three Ottawa, three Menominee, and four Winnebago. The assaulting party car- ried away "many prisoners, and the scalps have been divided among the tribes."1
Another account of this same battle reads: "A party of over 200 Indians, Ottawa, Chippewa, Menominee and Winnebago, fell on the Foxes, surprised and destroyed twenty cabins, containing eighty men, who were all killed or burned, except three. The allied Indians having burned the cabins, 300 women and children shared the same fate.''2
The Governor wrote to Paris of this battle, that "Our Indians in this last affair only acted according to the solicitation I made of them, to destroy the Foxes, and not to suffer on this earth a demon, capable of opposing our friendly alliance."
This battle was probably fought in the month of July, 1729, and it was the first time the Winnebago had manifested by overt acts their desertion of the Fox alliance. They had been to Mackinac to solicit the favor of the French; and a few weeks after were made to suffer by the Foxes for their treachery to their old-time friends. The Foxes had now lost the friend- ship of all their old allies and neighbors; even the Sauk joined the popular movement of claiming friendship for the French, though with them it was not sincere, as they were still at heart friends of the Foxes.
Battle of the Four Tribes, on Dendo Island, Menasha.
The Foxes now. deserted by their old-time friends, had moved up the Fox river after the last battle; and cast about for an opportunity to revenge themselves on those who had opposed them. Their first care was to attack the Winnebago for the unkind slaughter of their tribesmen during the summer. The Winnebago expected their vengeance and fled to the protection
1 17 Ib., 80, 81, from reports of the Governor to the French Minister. :5 Ib., 104.
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of Sieur Marin at La Baye, leaving their fields unprotected. In the fall (1729) they sent scouts to discover if the Foxes were absent, and the state of the crops. Finding everything in good condition, as they had left it, on Doty Island, and that the Foxes had withdrawn to other parts, they returned with their families to settle in their own country.
For some unknown reason, they fortunately camped on Dendo Island. This was a small island of about ten acres in extent, lying in the Fox river, separated from the larger Doty Island by a shallow narrow channel of 100 to 200 feet wide, now closed and filled and known as Garfield avenue on Doty Island in Menasha. Washington street crosses the eastern end of the ancient island, onto which the southern abutment of the lower wagon bridge rests. The island, now a part of the mainland of Doty Island, is occupied by a lumber yard; but formerly for many years was the homestead of Jesse Armstrong.
The Winnebago were "quite confident that the Foxes had gone away permanently. But they were not left long in peace, for the Foxes came to infest not only them and all their families, but also a number of Sauk who were with them, and camped in two different forts below the island on which their former fort stood, so as to attack them on all sides. Being at a dis- tance of an arpent and a half at the most, and the river being easy to cross, as the water was only knee deep. They began first by attacking two Winnebago, who were fishing with spears. These they killed; and one of their own people was killed also. They fought thus for nearly forty-eight hours without speaking to one another. At the end of that time the Winnebago, being the first to begin the address, called out to the Foxes: "What does this mean, my brothers? We are surprised that you should attack us today without saying anything. Know you not that we are always your true brothers, since we have always been from the olden times of our forefathers. It is true (they added) that you have to reproach us with having dipped our hands in your blood, by delivering two of your people to the Ottawa and Menominee. But if we did. it was because we were forced to do so, and could not help it. Nevertheless, we are now filled with regret at having done so, and we will show you that we are still prepared to give you proofs of the sincere affection we have always had for you. We have here four Menominee whom we will deliver into your hands to do with as you will in payment and compensation for the loss of the two Foxes just mentioned."
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They at once led out two of them bound; and, after cutting off the heads of the two others, they immediately carried these to the Foxes, begging the Foxes to cease to be angry with them and to have pity on them. But the Foxes replied that they had not yet had time to taste the broth they had given them to drink; that there was not enough to satisfy so many as they were; that they must also deliver into their hands the four of their number who had been cowardly enough to give up their people to the Ottawa and Menominee, their enemies; and that when they had drunk the broth, they would see whether they were sufficiently satiated to be able to grant their request. This proposal seemed too great an insult to the Winnebago to allow of their consenting to it; they therefore prepared to sus- tain the siege and defend themselves as well as they could, having food for a couple of months."
During the fight which had gone on for about six weeks, the Menominee at La Baye became uneasy for their absent tribes- men. Six of their number went up river to within sight of the Fox forts. But unable to enter the Winnebago forts they hast- ened home to give the alarm, pursued by the Foxes, who were unable to overtake them. The Menominee requested Sieur Marin, commandant at La Baye, to lead them, to protect their tribesmen and help the Winnebago. They set out with thirty- four Menominee and six Frenchmen, and reached Doty Island on . March 20, 1730. They proceeded toward the fort of the Winnebago, "somewhat slowly, to avoid being discovered by anyone as I feared," says Marin, "that if the Winnebagos were the first to perceive us, they might make some demonstration that would bring on an attack by the Foxes before we had time to place ourselves in slight entrenchments; neither did I wish to throw myself rashly into their fort, without informing them of the reason that had induced me to come to them, because they would be sure to distrust us, owing to their having deliv- ered to the Foxes the brothers of those for whom I was pre- pared to fight, although they were not aware of this, nor was I myself aware of the other fact. Moreover, I was unable to reach them without running a risk, because I could not do other- wise than land at one of the places on the island where the water was deepest. the Foxes being camped where it was shallowest. and watching the fort of the Winnebago in such a manner as to allow nobody to approach it without opposition. I therefore decided to have a slight entrenchment thrown up at
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once, forbidding our people to use their axes to cut wood lest they should be heard by the Foxes, who were not very far from us, while I went a little to one side to observe their movements. As we had arrived about 10 o'clock in the morning, I resolved to wait until night to inform the Winnebago that we had come to their assistance and to ask them to send some canoes in case we should need them. But our people, not heeding my orders, struck some blows with their axes which were heard by the Foxes, who issued from the two forts in which they were posted, and attacked us with some violence before we had time to finish our small redoubt. When I saw them approaching I called out to our people to take courage and show the Foxes what we were, and we attacked them without mercy, forcing them back to the gates of their fort. When they reached there they stopped fight- ing for a while, and called out to me that they were surprised that I should, with such ardor, take the part of a nation who not long before had delivered four of my children to them to be put into the kettle to replace those of their own people whom they had delivered to the Ottawa and Menominee the previous sum- mer. When the latter heard this they tried at once to induce me to avenge the treachery of which the Winnebago had been guilty towards them by committing so foul a deed, without having been forced to do so, after they themselves had united with the Ottawa and Menominee to eat the Foxes. But, foreseeing the regrettable consequences that might result from such a step, I said to them : "My children, I admit that the treachery of the Winnebago towards you fully deserves your resentment, and that you cannot too deeply regret your brothers. You must, however, remember that I consented to place myself at your head to come and kill Foxes and not Winnebago. Although I do not tell you what is in my mind for the present, let us continue what we have begun and be very careful not to let the Winnebago find out your hatred of them if you do not wish to excite distrust in them, which may take away the courage they need to defend themselves properly. On the contrary, I exhort you to put on a good face before them and to encourage them to sustain what they have already so vigorously kept until our arrival; for if, at first, we behave otherwise towards them the Foxes will not fail to take advantage of such a division to win from us all the advantages we might give them on this occasion." It was not long before we were attacked a second time by the Foxes, who endeavored to surround and capture us; and when night came they deputied
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two of their number to speak to me in order to ascertain our posi- tion in our slight entrenchment. They stated, as a pretext, that they wanted the night for rest that both sides might sleep; that, in order to do so without distrust, one of them would sleep with us, while one of our people should go and sleep with the other at their fort. They thought thereby to banish all suspicion from our minds. I was, however, informed by a Menominee who had overheard what one of the Foxes had said to his comrade respect- ing the steps they were to take during our sleep, telling him that as soon as he found us asleep he would slip away and warn the Foxes, who would at once attack us, Being aware of their de- sign, I took no steps, and told them at once to withdraw and that before the night was half over they would find me nearer their fort than they expected; that I was in no humor to receive their compliments after they had insulted me as they had done on my arrival. It is true that those two Foxes had chosen that time solely for the purpose of watching what we might be doing dur- ing the night, to prevent us from working at our entrenchment. We had received a reinforcement of ten Winnebago warriors, who had crossed over to our assistance when they saw we had come to defend them. Meanwhile the Foxes had already asked beforehand to speak to me and begged me to hear them before going further, and the Menominee, being anxious to know their thoughts, urged me to hear them for a moment. But I replied : "What do you wish to hear from these evil men? They are capa- ble only of betraying you and me also. Therefore I refuse posi- tively to listen to their evil speeches." The Menominee per- sisted in asking me to listen to them, since they addressed them- selves to me only, and finally. I consented, making them under- stand that if I did so it was solely through regard for them, and because they urged me to do it. Then the Foxes spoke to me as follows: "We know that thou has come here solely to protect those dogs, whom, without thee, we should have eaten. They are cowards, who have already sacrificed us not long ago to our own enemies, and who have outraged thee thyself in the tender- est spot thou couldst expect. by delivering into our hands thine own children that we might drink their blood. And we are sur- prised that thou shouldst display such ardor on behalf of people who are so little worthy of thy protection." I replied at once that I had resolved to help the Winnebago, solely because I still believed them to be true children of the French, their father, to whom they had promised fealty last year and that, having been
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warned of the Foxes' wickedness and treachery on all occasions, I could not rely on their word, adding that I could not trust them after all the treacherous acts of which they had been guilty towards the French, whom they had betrayed on several occa- sions; that if it were true that the Winnebago had acted as they (the Foxes) said they had, I would avenge myself on them with- out requiring the assistance of anybody, but that, before doing so, I wished to ascertain the whole truth. While I was holding this conversation with them they were posting two parties in ambush about an arpent from my position. I noticed this at the time, and, as I already had some wounded, I was somewhat at a loss as to how I should save them, because it was impossible for them to walk. I nevertheless ventured to attempt to reach the fort of the Winnebago, who, in the darkness, had sent me three canoes to facilitate the removal of my wounded. This was ef- fected with the greatest precaution; I myself went to beguile the Foxes with many threats, while my wounded were embarked in the canoes. That night being the second from the day on which I arrived, I also gained the fort of the Winnebago shortly after- wards in spite of all the shots fired at us by the Foxes while crossing, against which we protected ourselves quite easily in the darkness of night, that seemed given us to favor our retreat.
On entering the fort I found only people moaning and ashamed at the sight of their deliverers. I therefore hastened to call out in a loud voice, "What are you thinking of, you Winnebago, who are our brothers, and why are you in such deep sorrow at a time when you should rejoice at seeing one of the elders of Onontio, your father, coming to your assistance, for it is true that I am here solely for the purpose of saving your lives and of delivering you from the hands of those evil men who seem anxious to de- stroy you without sparing a single one of you? Arm yourselves therefore with joy and courage and act like those whom I have brought with me and who are your brothers, thinking of noth- ing but defending your lives and those of your wives and chil- dren and of all your allies."
A Menominee old man, and a woman who were then the only members of that tribe among the Winnebago, were the first to present themselves to me, and they told me and their people that they begged me to take revenge while it was in my power on the ยท Winnebago, whom they considered their chief enemies, after the cowardly deed they had committed by handing over their brothers to the fury of the Foxes, and they added that. without
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my assistance, they could not have hoped for four hours of life from the thorough knowledge they had of the evil hearts of the Winnebago. When our people, the Menominee, heard these words they were on the point of forgetting what they had prom- ised me, to keep silent on the subject as I had requested them, and of asking me almost positively to promise to allow them to take their revenge in the fort itself. I diverted their attention for the moment in order to induce them to think that the only thing to be done then was to try and win a victory over the Foxes, their cruelest enemies, and I told them that I would after- wards think of the steps I would take with regard to the Winne- bago. When day came the Winnebago, who were somewhat re- assured by what I had said to them, thought of nothing else but of fighting together with us without any apprehension, for the Foxes never ceased firing at us continually without interruption. On the third day the Foxes asked for speech with me and for a cessation of hostilities for a time that they might represent to me what they had already said to me concerning my taking the part of the Winnebago, adding that if I would visit their fort it would afford them a real pleasure; that their young men would receive me with open arms in the hope that I would in- spire all with good sense. But, although they seemed sincere, judging by the manner in which they gave me to understand this, I nevertheless placed no reliance on what they said and considered that they wanted to set a trap for me in order to take me easily. But, as I did not wish them to see at once that I fathomed their designs, I contented myself with telling them that I could not consent to their proposal without alarming my chil- dren, who would perhaps be afraid of losing their father through such an act of folly ; that, so far as I was concerned, were I alone, I would willingly visit them without fear of death-all the more so that I had never feared it-and before they could kill me I should probably kill several of their number; but that as I was at the head of a small band of the faithful children of Onontio, the father of all the nations, I must be careful not to abandon them, and that, far from doing so, I could assure them that they would always find me at their head to encourage them; that I merely asked them to resist this paltry attack, as I myself would, without fear. It is true that in order to give the Foxes reason to dread that we might in the future inflict a disastrous blow on them (not knowing when we might be able to get away from there), I added that, as my flag was planted in their sight, it
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would never be taken down until my death, and that they might expect to see a similar one before long. I considered that the famine from which we already suffered would continue; the Winnebago had suffered from it for four or five days before I entered their fort, being reduced to eating bearskins and simi- lar things, while I myself and all my people were obliged to fol- low their example for five days. About seven o'clock in the morning of the fourth day of our fight the Foxes. seeing that we were determined to resist them for a long while, asked me whether I had lost many of my children. They said they knew very well that they had seen several fall on the spot, and that if I would tell them the truth they would do the same in this re- spect. I replied that, although I had no account to render them in the matter, I was willing, in order to satisfy them, to let them know that I was no weaker on that day than on the first day of the fight; that the fact of their having killed five or six of my people, and having wounded as many more, would not pre- vent my vanquishing them. In fact, I had lost one Frenchman, who was killed on the spot, while two others were wounded, one dangerously; three Menominee also had been killed and seven wounded. They admitted that fifteen had been killed and wounded on their side. We were sure of seven whose heads we had cut off. I know not whether at that moment terror did not take possession of the hearts of that wicked nation, for from that time they secretly sent out of their forts the old men, the women and the children that they might fly in advance of them, the warriors only remaining to face us until night, of whose pro- tection it was natural for us to presume that they also took ad- vantage to withdraw. On the following day, which was the fifth of our combat, we observed the ravens alighting in their forts; this left us no doubt that they were no longer there, and induced us at the same time to go there without distrust. We found that they had fled somewhat precipitately, inasmuch as they had 'left behind them a portion of their effects and all their apakois (of which they generally make their cabins.)1
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