History of Crawford and Richland counties, Wisconsin, Part 29

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899. [from old catalog]; Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill., pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company
Number of Pages: 1298

USA > Wisconsin > Richland County > History of Crawford and Richland counties, Wisconsin > Part 29
USA > Wisconsin > Crawford County > History of Crawford and Richland counties, Wisconsin > Part 29

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When taken from the court to the guard- house, the prisoner requested to see two Indians, his relations, which was granted. On their coming into the guard-house, the prisoner thus reproached them: "You have betrayed me in

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bringing me here. I thought at least one of you would have consented to die with me; and far from that being the case, you have not even come to see me." They thus replied to the prisoner: "Do you think we have come so far in the cold for the love we bear you? Yon killed the people who came to save our lives, without any quarrel. If it depended on us to save your life, you would not live a single moment."

FORT MCKAY, 15th January, 1815.

SIR :- We beg of you to exense us for the fault we committed towards your person, and the dignity of your commission; after which we dare flatter ourselves that you would conde- scend to receive this new address.

F. B., J. R.

In the name of the inhabitants of the Dogs' Plains.

To Capt. A. H. BULGER, Com'dg Fort McKay. FORT MCKAY, 15th Jannary, 1815.

SIR :- We, the citizens of the Dog Plains, not knowing in what manner to explain the sentiments with which we are penetrated, we pray that you will receive our thanks and ac- knowledgments for the protection that you as- sure to Ifis Britannic Majesty's subjects. Your conduet and activity in rendering justice in an Indian country, which has been exposed to so inany misfortunes hitherto, gives us hopes to live in quiet under your command; and permit us at the same time, more and more to testify our zeal and loyalty towards our sovereign, We beg of you to believe us, with profound respect, sir,

Your very humble servants, [Names not preserved.]

To Capt. A. II. BULGER, Comd'g Fort McKay. MICHILLIMACKINAC, 24th Feb., 1815. To Capt. ANDERSON-

SIR :- I, this day, had the honor of your let- ter of the 17th ult., stating your having resigned the command of Fort McKay to Capt. Bulger. That gentleman speaks of you in such a manner

that I have only to reiterate to you my thanks for the zeal and ability you displayed in your command ata very critical period;and I have to beg of you to give to Capt. Bulger the most friendly and cordial support, and, by every assis- tanec in your power, endeavor to aid in procuring those supplies which will still enable us to retain that most important country, upon which onr Indian connection, and even the safety of this island so much depend.

I am fully aware of the sacrifices you have made for the public service, and shall be ever ready, as far as it is in my power, to prove to you how desirous I am of your being recom- pensed, as you merit. I had before taken this into consideration, and in my last dispatch recommended you to His Excellency to be a captain in the Indian department from the 4th of September. This appointment, I have reason to believe, will afford you those permanent ad- vantages, which, as captain of the Michigan fencibles, you would probably enjoy but a short time. I well know your zeal for the service, and will always be ready to serve you as far as in my power, and in the way most pleasing for yourself.

Every human effort must be made by one and all of you, to preserve your important post, upon which so much depends. Do your utmost to conciliate and animate the Indians, for with their hearty co-operation, I trust that the enemy is again destined to defeat and disgrace. As it is my wish that the utmost harmony should prevail at your garrison during this important crisis, I strongly recommend to you to forget what has passed, with regard to Mr. Rolette, and to be in future, on that friendly footing with him, which may, perhaps assist him in furnish- ing the supplies, which are of so much conse- quence in enabling Capt. Bulger to retain his important post. I have the honor, etc., (Signed): ROBERT MCDOUALL, Lient. Col. Com'd'g, and Commanding the In- dian Department thereof, and its dependen- cies.

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Answer of La Feuille, or The Leaf, principal Sioux chief, to Thomas,* delivered to Capt. Anderson. [No date, in 1814 or 1815.]

MY BROTHER !- I have heard your words and received your talk, and will use my endeavors to follow your advice. You are near our Great Father at Michillimackmac, who gives us good counsels, and puts us in the road of our ances- tors. Who would be foolish enough not to follow his advice?

MY BROTHER THOMAS! - I regard you as a brother. Take this pipe, (holding a pipe in his hand), and with it, talk to the Chippewas near me (the hereditary enemies of the Sioux); they are wild and stubborn. I wish to be as brethren with them. Tell them a parcel of foolish Renards (Foxes) went to war against them, though I used my endeavors to prevent them. It is my wish to be at peace with all Nations. I regard you as a brother, and hold you fast by the hand.

Speech of L'Epervier, or Sparrow Hawk, bet- ter known as Black Hawk, principal war chief of the Sauks, delivered before peace was known, at Prairie du Chien, April 18, 1815, and taken down by Capt. T. G. Anderson:

"MY FATHER !- I am pleased to hear you speak as you have done. I have been sent by our chiefs to ask for a large gun (cannon), to place in our village. The Big Knives are so treacherous, we are afraid that they may come up to deceive us. By having one of your large guns in our village, we will live in safety; our women will then be able to plant corn, and hoe the ground unmolested, and our young men will be able to hunt for their families without dread of the Big Knives."

Taking the war-belt in his hand, and advanc- ing a little, he continued:

"MY FATHER !- You see this belt. When my Great Father at Quebec gave it to me to be on terms of friendship with all his Red Children, to form but one body, to preserve our lands,

and to make war against the Big Knives, who want to destroy us all, my Great Father said: 'Take courage, my children, hold tight your war club, and destroy the Big Knives as much as you can. If the Master of Life favors us, you shall again find your lands as they formerly were. Your lands shall again become green- the trees green-the water green, and the sky blue. When your lands change color, you shall also change.' This, my Father, is the reason why we Sauks hold the war club tight in our hands, and will not let it go.

" MY FATHER !- I now see the time is draw- ing near when we shall all change color ; but, my Father, our lands have not yet changed color-they are red-the water is red with our blood, and the sky is cloudy. I have fought the Big Knives, and will continue to fight them until they retire from our lands. Till then, my Father, your Red Children, cannot be happy."

Then laying his tomahawk down before him, he continued:

" MY FATHER !- I show you this war club to convince you that we Sanks have not forgotten the words of our Great Father at Quebec. You see, my Father, that the elub which you gave me is still red and that we continue to hold it fast. For what did you put it in my hands?

" MY FATHER !- When I lately came from war, and killed six of the enemy, I promised my warriors that I would get something for them from my Father, the Red Head ; but as he is not here, and you fill his place, I beg of you, my Father, to let me have something to take back to them.

" MY FATHER !- I hope you will agree to what I ask, and not allow me to return to my warriors empty-handed,ashamed, and with a heavy heart."

Speech of the Kickapoo chief, the Barbou- iller, addressed to Capt. Anderson, at Prairie du Chien, Ang. 3, 1815.

"MY FATHER !- You suppose within yourself: What has this old fellow got to say? I have not much to say. My chief and warriors sent me to listen to your words, as the voice of our

*As La Feuille refers to Thomas whom he addresses as re- siding "near" to Mackinaw. it must have reference to the Menomonee Chief Thomas or Tomah, who lived near Green bay, rather than the Sauk Chief Thomas, whose home was doubtless with his people near the mouth of Rock river.

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Great Father at Mchillimackinac. I hear the news from below ( meaning St. Louis), and from you. From below I hear, but do not re- tain it; from you I hear with satisfaction, and my ears and heart are open, and retain what you say. The Sauks and my Nation make one;

and whatever they say, I hearken to it. The Great Spirit hears us talk to-day under a clear sky, and we must tell truth. I squeeze my Father's hand, am obedient to his word, and will not forget the charity he now bestows upon us."

HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

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CHAPTER VI.

THE WINNEBAGO WAR.

During the winter of 1825-6, there were con- fined in the gnard house of Fort Crawford, at Prairie du Chien, because of some alleged dis- honest act, two Winnebago Indians. In Octo- ber, 1826, the fort was abandoned and the gar- rison removed to Fort Snelling. The com- mandant took with him the two Winnebagoes. During the spring of 1827, the reports, about the two Indians, around Prairie du Chien, was to the effect that they had been killed. It was soon apparent that a spirit of enmity between the tribe and the settlers in southwestern Wis- consin was effectually stirred up. In addition to this, were the daily encroachments of miners in the lead region; for these miners had, by this time, overrun the mining country from Galena to the Wisconsin river. Finally the difficulties led to an open rupture.

MURDER OF GAGNIER AND LIPCAP.

On the 28th of June, 1827, two Winnebago Indians, Red Bird and We-Kaw and three of their companions, entered the house of Rigeste Gagnier, about two miles from Prairie du Chien, where they remained several hours. At. last, when Mr. Gagnier least expected it, Red Bird leveled his gun and shot him dead on his hearthstone. A person in the building by the name of Lipcap, who was a hired man, was slain at the same time by We-Kaw. Madame Gagnier turned to fly with her infant of eigh- teen months. As she was about to leap through the window, the child was torn from her arms by We-Kaw, stabbed, scalped and thrown vio- lently on the floor as dead. The murderer then attacked the woman, but gave way when she

snatched up a gun that was leaning against the wall, and presented it to his breast. She then effected her escape. Her eldest son, a lad of ten years, also shunned the murderers, and they both arrived in the village at the same time. The alarm was soon given; but, when the avengers of blood arrived at Gagnier's house, they found in it nothing living but his mangled infant. It was carried to the village, and, in- credible as it may seem, it recovered.

A WINNEBAGO DEBAUCH.

Red Bird and his companions immediately proceeded from the scene of their crime to the rendezvous of their band. During their ab- sence, thirty-seven of the warriors who ac- knowledged the authority of Red Bird, had as- sembled with their wives and children, near the month of the Bad Ax river, in what is now Vernon county. They received the murderers with joy and loud approbations of their exploit. A keg of liquor which they had secured was set abroaeh, and the Indians began to drink and as their spirits rose, to boast of what they had al- ready done and intended to do. They continued their revel for two days, but on the third the source of their excitement gave out-their liquor was gone. They were, at about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, dissipating the last fumes of their excitement in the scalp-dance, when they deseried one of the keel-boats, which had a few days before passed up the river with provisions for the troops at Fort Snelling, on ber return, in charge of Mr. Lindsay. Forthwith a pro- posal to take her and massacre the crew was made and carried by acclamation. They count-

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ed on doing this without risk, for they had ex- amined her on her way up and supposed there were no arms on board. But in this they were mistaken as the sequal shows.

FIRST BATTLE OF BAD AX.

There were indications of hostilities on the part of the Sioux on the upper Mississippi, and the boats when they left Fort Snelling had been supplied with arms. In descending the river they expected an attack at Wabashaw, where the Sioux were dancing the war dance, and hailed their approach with insults and menaces, but did not offer to attack the boats, or obstruct their passage. The whites now supposed the danger over, and, a strong wind at that moment beginning to blow up stream, the boats parted company So strong was the wind that all the force of the sweeps could scarcely stem it; and by the time the foremost boat was near the en- campment, at the mouth of the Bad Ax, the crew were very willing to stop and rest. One or two Frenchmen, or half-breeds, who were on board observed hostile appearances on shore, and advised the rest to keep the middle of the stream with the boat, but their counsel was dis- regarded. They urged the boat directly toward the camp with all the force of the sweeps. There were sixteen men on deck.

The men were rallying their French com- panions on their apprehensions, as the boat approached the shore; but when within thirty yards of the bank, suddenly the trees and rocks rang with the blood-chilling, ear-piercing tones of the war whoop, and a volley of rifle balls rained upon the deck. Happily, the Winneba- goes had not yet recovered from the effects of their debanch, and their arms were not steady. One man only fell. Hle was a little negro named Peter. His leg was dreadfully shattered and he afterward died of the wound. A second volley soon came from the shore; but, as the men we e lying at the bottom of the boat, they all escaped but one, who was shot through the heart. Encouraged by the non-resistance, the Winnebagoes rushed to their canoes with in-

tent to board. The boatmen having recovered from their first panic, seized their guns and the savages were received with a severe discharge. In one canoe two savages were killed with the same bullet and several wounded. The attack was continued until night, when one of the par- ty named Mandeville, who had assumed com- mand, sprang into the water, followed by four others, who succeeded in setting the boat afloat, and then went down the stream.

Thirty-seven Indians were engaged in this attack, which may be called the first "Battle of Bad Ax;" the second being fought just below this point, five years after, between the Ameri- cans and Indians of another tribe, of which an account will be given in another chapter. Of the Winnebagoes seven were killed and four- teen wounded. They managed to put 693 shots into and through the boat. Two of the crew were killed outright, and four wounded-two mortally. The presence of mind of Mande- ville undoubtedly saved the rest, as well as the boat. Mr. Lindsay's boat, the rear one, did not reach the mouth of the Bad Ax until midnight. The Indians opened fire upon her, which was promptly returned. Owing to the darkness no injury was done to the boat, and she passed safely on. Considering the few that were en- gaged in the attack on the first boat and in its defense, the contest was indeed a spirited and sanguinary one.

GREAT ALARM UPON THE BORDER.

Great was the alarm at Prairie du Chien when the boats arrived there. The people left their houses and farms and crowded into the dilapidated fort. An express was immediately sent to Galena, and another to Fort Snelling, for assistance. A company of upwards of a hundred volunteers soon arrived from Galena, and the minds of the inhabitants were quieted. In a few days four imperfect companies arrived from Fort Snelling. The consternation of the people of the lead mines was great, and in all the frontier settlements. This portion of the country then contained, as is supposed, about

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5,000 inhabitants-that is sonth of the Wiscon- sin river and at Prairie du Chien, and extending into Illinois. A great many of these fled from their homes.

ARRIVAL OF GOVERNMENT TROOPS.

On the Ist of September, 1827, Maj. William Whistler, with government troops arrived at the portage (now Portage, Columbia Co., Wis.), and while there an express arrived from Gen. H. Atkinson, announcing his approach, and di- recting him to halt and fortify himself and wait his arrival. The object of the joint expedition of Gen. Atkinson from Jefferson barracks below St. Louis, and of Maj. Whistler from Fort How- ard, at Green Bay, was to capture those who had committed the murders at Prairie du Chien, and put a stop to any further aggression. And this march of the two into the Winnebago coun- try from opposite directions was well calculated to over-awe the disaffected among the Winneba- goes. These Indians wore soon advised that the security of their people lay in the surrender of the murderers of the Gagnier family. Ac- cordingly, Red Bird and We-Kaw were surren- dered up to Maj. Whistler, at the portage and the Winnebago war was ended. The two In- dians were taken to Prairie du Chien for safe- keeping, to await their trial in the regular courts of justice for murder.

TRIAL, AND CONVICTION OF THIE MURDERERS.

The next spring (1828), Red Bird, We-Kaw and another Winnebago prisoner were tried at Prairie du Chien, before Judge James Duano Doty, who went from Green Bay there for that purpose. They were found guilty and sen- tenced to death. Red Bird died in prison. A deputation of the tribe went to Washington to solicit from the President of the United States, John Quincy Adams, a pardon for the others. l'resident Adams granted it on the implied con- dition that the tribe would code the lands then the possession of the miners, in the lead re- gion, to the General Government. The Winne- bagoes agreed to this. Madame Gagnier was compensated for the loss of her husband and

the mutilation of her infant. At the treaty with the Winnebagoes held at Prairie du Chien in 1829, provision was made for two sections of land to her and her two children. The United States agreed to pay her the sum of $50 per an- uum for fifteen years to be deducted from the annuity of the Winnebagoes.

DE-KAU-RAY'S IMPRISONMENT.

In closing this account of the "Winnebago War" we give an ancedote, which places the Winnebago character in an amiable light. The militia of Prairie du Chien, immediately after the affair of the boats at the month of the Bad Ax river, seized an old Winnebago chief named De-kau-ray and four other Indians. The chief was informed that if Red Bird was not given up within a certain time he and the others were to die in his place. This De-kau-ray steadfastly believed. A messenger, a young Indian, was sent to inform the tribe of the state of affairs, and several days had elapsed and no information was received of the murderers. The dreadful day was near at hand, and De-kau-ray, being in bad health, asked permission of the officer to go to the river and indulge in his long-acenstomed habit of bathing in order to improve his physi- cal condition, upon which Col. Snelling told him that if he would promise on the honor of a chief that he would not leave town, he might have his liberty and enjoy all his privileges un- til the day appointed for his execution. Ac- cordingly, he first gave his hand to the colonel, thanking him for his friendly offer, then raised both hands aloft, and. in the most solemn adju- ration, promised that he would not leave the bounds prescribed, and said if he had a hundred lives he would sooner lose them all than for- feit his word. He was then set at liberty. He was advised to flee to the wilderness and make his escape. "Do you think," said he, "] prize life above honor?" Ile then complacently re- mained until nine days of the ten which he had to live had passed, and still nothing was heard of the murderers or of their being apprehended. i No alteration could be seen in the countenance

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of the chief. It so happened that on that day Gen. Atkinson arrived with his troops from Jefferson barracks, and the order for the execu- tion was countermanded and the Indians per- mitted to return to their homes.

WM. J. SNELLING ON THE WINNEBAGO WAR.

No tribe considers revenge a more sacred duty than the Winnebagoes. It was their an- cient custom to take five lives for one, and it is notorious on the frontiers, that no blood of theirs has been shed, even in modern days, that has not been fully avenged. They used, too, to wear some part of the body of a slain enemy about them as a testimonial of prowess. We well remember a grim Winnebago, who was wont to present himself before the whites, who passed the portage of the Fox and Wisconsin rivers, with a human hand hanging on his breast. He had taken it from a Yankee soldier at Tip- pecanoe.

It was not difficult to stir up such a people to hostility, and, moreover, circumstances favored the design of the Dakotas. There is, or was, a village of Winnebagoes on the Black river, not far from the Dakota town of which Wa-ba-shaw is chief. The two tribes are descended from the same stock, as their languages abundantly prove, and the claims of common origin have been strengthened by frequent intermarriages. Now, it happened, that at the time when Too- pun-kah Zeze was put to death at Fort Snelling, the Red Bird was absent from his Winnebago village, on an expedition against the Chippe- was. He returned unsuccessful, and, conse- quently, sullen and malcontent. Till this time, he had been noted among his tribe for his friendly disposition towards the "men with hats, " as the Indians call the whites, and among the traders, for his serupulons honesty. However, this man, from whom no white per- son beyond the frontier would have anticipated injury, was easily induced to commit a bloody and unprovoked outrage.

Certain Dakota ambassadors arrived at the Red Bird's village, with a lie in their months.

"You have become a by-word of reproach among us," said they; "you have just given the Chippewas reason to laugh at you, and the Big Knives also laugh at you. Lo! while they were among you they dared not offend you, but now they have caused Wa-man-goos-ga-ra-ha, and his companion to be put to death, and they have cut their bodies into pieces not bigger than the spots in a bead garter." The tale was believed, and a cry for vengeance arose throughout the village. It was decided that something must be done, and the Dakota envoys promised to lend a helping hand.

A few days before, two keel-boats had as- eended the river, laden with provisions for the troops at Fort Snelling. They passed the mouth of Black river with a full sheet, so that a few Winnebagoes, who were there encamped, had some diffienlty in reaching them with their canoes. They might have taken both boats, for there were but three fire-locks on board; never- theless they offered no injury. They sold fish and venison to the boatmen, on amicable ternis, and suffered them to pursue their journey un- molested. We mention this trifling circum- stance, merely because it was afterwards re- ported in the St Louis papers, that the crews of these boats had abused these Winnebagoes shamefully, which assuredly was not the case .* The wind died away before the boats reached the village of Wa-ba-shaw, t which is situated on the west bank of the Mississippi, twelve or fifteen miles above the mouth of the Black river. Here the Dakotas peremptorily com- manded them to put ashore, which they did. No reason was assigned for the order. Upwards

* To page 162, vol. ii, of our Collections, we appended a note from Gov. Reynold's Life and Times, which probably embodied the newspaper accounts of the pretended "shame- ful abuse of the Winnebagoes"-that the crews of these boats. on their upward trip, had stopped at a Winnebago camp. got them all drunk, and then forced six or seven stupefied squaws on board for corrupt and brutal purposes, and kept them during the voyage to Fort Snelling, and on their re- turn. Hence the attack on the boats by the Winnebagoes when they became sober and conscions of the iniquity done them. But this emphatic denial by Mr. Snelling, of this infamous charge, and the fact that Judge Lockwood, in his narrative, and Gen. Smith and Mr, Neill in their histories, are silent on the subject, should brand it as utterly without foundation.

+ The site of the present town of Winona.

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of 500 warriors immediately crowded on board. A passenger, who was well acquainted with the Dakotas, observed that they brought no women with them as usual; that they were painted black, which signifies either grief or hostility; that they refused to shake hands with the boat- men, and that their speech was brief and sul- len. Ile instantly communicated his observa- tion to Mr. Lindsay, who commanded the boats, and advised him to push on, before the savages should have discovered that the party were wholly unarmed. Lindsay, a bold-hearted Ken- tnekian, assumed the tone of command, and peremptorily ordered the Dakotas ashore. They, probably, thought that big words would be seconded with hard blows, and complied. The boats pushed on, several Indians pursued them along the shore for several miles, with sprech of taunt and defiance, but they offered no fur- ther molestation.

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History of Crawford and Richland counties, Wisconsin, Part 29

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899. [from old catalog]; Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill., pub. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company Number of Pages: 1298

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899. [from old catalog]; Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill., pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company
Number of Pages: 1298