History of Crawford and Richland counties, Wisconsin, Part 30

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 30
USA > Wisconsin > Crawford County > History of Crawford and Richland counties, Wisconsin > Part 30

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The Dakota villages* higher up showed much ill-will, but no disposition, or rather no courage, to attack. Altogether appearances were so threatening, that on his arrival at Fort Snelling, Mr. Lindsay communicated what he had seen to the commanding offleer, and asked that his crew should be furnished with arms and ammunition. The request was granted; his thirty-two men were provided with thirty-two muskets, and a barrel of ball-cartridges. Thus secured against attack, the boats commenced the descent of the river.

In the meanwhile, the Red Bird had cogi- tated upon what he had heard, every tittle of which he believed, and had come to the conchi- sion that the honor of his race required the blood of two Americans at least. He, there- fore, got into his canoe with Wekaw, or the Sun, and two others, and paddled to Prairie du Chien. When he got there he waited upon Mr. Boilvin, in the most friendly manner, and begged to be regarded as one of the staunchest friends of the Americans. The venerable agent admitted his claims, but absolutely refused to

give him any whisky. The Winnebago chief then applied to a trader in the town, who, relying on his general good character, did not hesitate to furnish him with an eight gallon keg of spirits, the value of which was to be paid in furs in the succeeding autumn.

There was an old colored woman in the vil. lage, whose five sons had never heard that they were inferior beings, either from the Indians or the Canadian French. Therefore, having never considered themselves degraded, they were not degraded; on the contrary, they ranked with the most respectable inhabitants of the place. We knew them well. One of them was the vil- lage blacksmith; the others were substantial farmers. Their father was a Frenchman, and their name was Gagnier.

One of these men owned a farm three miles from Prairie du Chien, where he lived with his wife, who was a white woman, two children and a hired man named Lipcap. Thither the Red Bird repaired with his three companions, sure of a fair reception, for Registre Gagnier had always been noted for his humanity to the poor, especially the Indians.

Registre Gagnier invited his savage visitors to enter, hung the kettle over the fire, gave them to eat and smoked the pipe of peace with them. The Red Bird was the last man on earth whom he would have feared; for they were well acquainted with each other and had reciprocated good offices. The Indians remained several hours under Gagnier's hospitable roof. At last, when the farmer least expected it, the Winnebago chief leveled his gun and shot him down dead on his hearth-stone. Lipeap was slain at the same instant by Wekaw. Madame Gagnier turned to fly with her infant of eighteen months. As she was about to leap through the window, the child was torn from her arms by Wekaw, stabbed, sealped and thrown violently 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 pre. sented it to his breast. She then effected her

*Red Wing and Kaposia, says Neill.

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oscape. Her eldest son, a lad of ten years, also shunned the murderers, and they both arrived in the village at about the same time. The alarm was soon given; but when the avengers of blood arrived at poor Registre Gagnier's house, they found in it nothing living but his mangled infant. It was carried to the village, and, strange as it may seem, recovered .*

The Red Bird and his companions immedi- ately proceeded from the scene of their crime to the rendezvous of their band. During their ab- sence, thirty-seven of the warriors, who acknowl- edged the authority of Red Bird, had assem- bled, with their wives and children, near the mouth of Bad Ax river. They received the murderers with exceeding great joy, and loud approbation of their exploit. The keg of liquor was immediately set abroach, the red men began to drink, and, as their spirits rose, to boast of what they had already done, and intended to do. Two days did they continue to revel; and on the third, the source of their excitement gave out. They were, at about 4 in the afternoon, dissipating the last fumes of their excitement in the scalp dance, when they descried one of the keel-boats before mentioned, approaching. Forthwith a proposal to take her, and massacre the crew, was made and carried by acclamation. They counted upon doing this without risk; for they had examined her on the way up, and sup- posed that there were no arms on board.

Mr. Lindsay's boats had descended the river together as far as the village of Wa-ba-shaw, where they expected an attack. The Dakotas on shore were dancing the war-dance, and hailed their approach with insults and menaces; but did not, nevertheless, offer to obstruct their passage. The whites now supposed the danger over, and a strong wind at that moment begin- ning to blow up stream, the boats parted com- pany. That which sat deepest in the water had

the advantage of the under current, and, of course, gained several miles in advance of the other.

So strong was the wind, that all the force of sweeps could scarcely stem it, and, by the time the foremost boat was near the encampment, at mouth of the Bad Ax, the crew were very will- ing 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; but their counsel was disregarded. Most of the crew were Americans, who, as usual with our countrymen, combined a profound ignorance of Indian char- acter with a thorough contempt for Indian prowess. They urged the boat directly toward the camp, with all the force of the sweeps. There were sixteen men on deck. It may be well to observe here, that this, like all keel-boats used in the Mississippi valley, was built almost exactly on the model of the Erie and Middlesex canal boats.

The men were rallying their French compan- ions on their apprehensions, and the boat* was within thirty yards of the shore, when suddenly the trees and rocks rang with the blood-chilling, ear-piercing tones of the warwhoop, and a volley of rifle balls rained upon the deek. Happily, the Winnebagoes had not yet recovered from the effects of their debauch, and their arms were not steady. One man only fell by their fire. He was a little negro named Peter. His leg was dreadfully shattered, and he afterwards died of the wound. Then Peter began to curse and swear, d -- g his fellows for leaving him to be shot at like a Christmas turkey; but finding that his reproaches had no effect, he also man- aged to drag himself below. All this passed in as little time as it will take to read this par- agraph.

Presently a voiee hailed the boat in the Sac tongue demanding to know if the crew were English? A half-breed Sac, named Beauchamp,

* Gen. Smith, on the authority of Judge Doty, states that this tragedy occurred on the 28th of June, 1827; Judge Lock- wood says the 26th and Niles Register says the 24th. Neill follows Lockwood's chronology.

* This advance boat was the Oliver H. Perry, according to Geo. Smith's History of Wisconsin.

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answered in the affirmative. "Then," said the querist, "come on shore, and we will do you no harm, for we are your brethren, the Sacs." "Dog," retorted Beauchamp, "no Sac would attack us thus cowardly. If you want us on shore, you must come and fetch us."

With that, a second volley came from the shore; but as the men were now lying prone in the bottom of the boat, below the water line, they all escaped but one. One man, an American named Stewart, fell. He had risen to return the first fire, and the muzzle of his musket pro- truding through a loop-hole, showed some Win- nebago where to aim. The bullet struck him under the left arm, and passed directly through his heart. Ile feil dead, with his finger on the trigger of his undischarged gun. It was a hot day, and before the fight was over, the scent of the gunpowder could not overpower the stench of the red puddle around him.

The Winnebagoes encouraged by the non- residence, now rushed to their canoes, with in- tent to board. One venerable old man endeavored to dissuade them. He laid hold on one of the canoes, and would, perhaps, have succeeded in retaining it ; but in the heat of his argument, a ball from the boat hit him in the middle finger of the peace-making hand. Very naturally en- raged at such unkind treatment from his friends, he loosed the canoe, hurried to his wigwam for his gun, and took an active part in the remain- der of the action. In the meanwhile, the white men had recovered from their first panic, and seized their arms. The boarders were received with a very severe discharge. In one canoe, two savages were killed with the same bullet. Their dying struggles upset the canoe, and the rest were obliged to swim on shore, where it was sometime before they could restore their arms to fighting order. Several more were wounded, and those who remained unhurt, put back, satisfied that a storm was not the best mode of attack.

Two, however, persevered. They were together in one canoe, and approached the boat astern,

where there were no holes through which the whites could fire upon them. They soon leaped on board. One seized the long steering oar, or rudder. The other jumped upon deck, where he halted, and discharged five muskets, which had been left there by the crew, fled below through the deck into the bottom of the boat. In this manner Le wounded one man very se- verely. After this exploit, he hurried to the bow, where he seized a long pole, and with the assistance of the steersman, succeeded in grounding the boat on a sand-bar, and fixing her fast under the fire of his people. The two Winnebago boatmen then began to load and fire, to the no small annoyance of the crew. Ile at the stern was soon dispatched. One of the whites observed his position through a crack, and gave him a mortal wound through the boards. Still, he struggled to get overboard, probably to save his scalp. But his struggles were feeble, and a second bullet terminated them before he could effect his object. After the fight was over, the man who slew him took his scalp.

The bow of the boat was open, and the war- rior there still kept his station, out of sight, excepting when he stooped to fire, which he did five times. Ilis third shot broke the arm, and passed through the lungs, of the brave Beauchamp. At this sight, one or two began to speak of surrender. "No, friends," cried the dying man ; "you will not save your lives so. Fight to the last ; for they will show no mercy. If they get the better of you, for God's sake throw me overboard. Do not let them get my hair." He continued to exhort them to resist- ance long as his breath lasted, and died with the words "fight on," on his lips. Before this time, however, his slayer had also taken his leave of life. A sailor, named Jack Mande- ville, shot him through the head, and he fell overboard, carrying his gun with him.

Frem that moment Mandeville assumed the command of the boat. A few had resolved to take the skiff, and leave the rest to their fate.

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

They had already cast off the rope. Jaek in- terposed, declaring that he would shoot the first man, and bayonet the second, who would persevere. They submitted. Two more had hidden themselves in the bow of the boat, out of sight, but not out of danger. After a while the old tar missed them, sought them, and compelled them by threats of instant death, enforced by prieks of his bayonet, to leave their hiding place, and take share in the business in hand. Afterwards they fought like bull dogs. It was well for them that Mandeville acted as he did; for they had scarcely risen when a score of bullets, at least, passed through the place where they had been lying.

After the two or three first volleys the fire had slackened, but it was not, therefore, the less dangerous. The Indians had the ad- vantage of superior numbers, and could shift their positions at pleasure. The whites were compelled to lie in the bottom of the boat, below the water mark, for its sides were without bulwarks. Every bullet passed through and through. It was only at intervals, and very warily, that they could rise to fire ; for the flash of every gun showed the position of the marksman, and was instantly followed by the reports of two or three Indian rifles. On the other hand they were not seen, and being thinly scattered over a large boat, the Winne- bagoes could but guess their positions. The fire, was therefore, slow ; for none on either side cared to waste ammunition. Thus, for up- wards of three hours, the boatmen lay in blood and bilge-water, deprived of the free use of their limbs, and wholly unable to extricate themselves.

At last, as the night fell, Mandeville came to the conclusion that darkness would render the guns of his own party wholly useless, while it would not render the aim of the Winnebagoes a jot less certain. He, therefore, as soon as it was dark, stoutly called for assistance, and sprang into the water. Four more followed him. The balls rained around them, passing

through their clothes; but they persisted, and the boat was soon afloat. Seeing their prey escaping, the Winnebagoes raised a yell of mingled rage and despair, and gave the whites a farewell volley. It was returned, with three hearty cheers, and ere a gun could be re-loaded, the boat had floated out of shooting distance.

For half the night, a wailing voice, apparent- ly that of an old man, was heard, following the boat, at a safe distance, however. It was con- jectured that it was the father of him whose body the boat was bearing away. Subsequently inquiry proved this supposition to be correct.

Thirty-seven Indians were engaged in this battle, seven of whom were killed, and fourteen were wounded. They managed to put 693 balls into and through the boat. Two of the crew were killed outright, two mortally, and two slightly wounded. Jack Mandeville's courage and presence of mind undoubtedly saved the rest, as well as the boat ; but we have never heard that he was rewarded in any way or shape.

Mr. Lindsay's boat, the rear one, reached the mouth of the Bad Ax about midnight. The Indians opened a fire upon her, which was promptly r. turned. There was a light on board, at which the first gun was probably aimed, for that ball only hit the boat. All the rest passed over harmless in the darkness .*

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. Nevertheless, they showed much spirit, and speedily established a very effective discipline. An express was immedi- ately sent to Galega, and another to Fort Snel- ling, for assistance. A company of upwards of

*It is stated in Neill's Minnesota, that among the passen- gers on Lindsay's boat was Joseph Snelling, a talented son of the Colonel, who wrote a story of deep interest, based on the facts narrated, This we presume was William J. Snel- ling, the writer of this narrative As for the date of the attaek on these keel boats. Judge Lockwood gives it as June 26th, which Neill follows; Gen. Smith, on Judge Doty's an- thority, we presume, says the 30th. Whatever was the real date, one thing is quite certain, that the murder of Gagniers family and the boat attaek, transpired the same day, and the 1 ext day the first of the keel boats arrived at Prairie du Chien, inereasing the war panie among the people.

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100 volunteers soon arrived from Galena, and the minds of the inhabitants were quieted.

In a few days, four imperfeet companies of the 5th Infantry arrived from Fort Snelling. The commanding officer ordered a march on the Red Bird's village; but as the volunteers re- fused to obey, and determined to return home, he was obliged to countermand it.

The consternation of the people of the lead mines was great Full half of them fled from the country. Shortly after, however, when Gen. Atkinson arrived with a full regiment, a considerable body of volunteers joined him from Galena, and accompanied him to the port- age of Wisconsin, to fight with or receive the submission of the Winnebagoes.

The Red Bird there appeared, in all the para- phernalia of an Indian chief and warrior, and surrendered himself to justice, together with his companions in the murder of Gagnier, and one of his band, who had taken an active part in the attack on the boats. They were incarcer- ated at Prairie du Chien. A dreadful epidemie broke out there about this time, and he died in prison. He knew that his death was certain, and did not shrink from it.

In the course of a year, the people of the lead mines increased in number and in strength and eneroached upon the Winnebago lands. The Winnebagoes complained in vain. The next spring, the murderers of Methode, and the other Indian prisoners, were tried, convicted, and sentenced to death. A deputation of the tribe went to Washington to solieit their par- don. President Adams granted it, on the im- plied condition that the tribe would cede the lands then in possession of the miners. The Winnebagoes have kept their word-the land has been ceded, and Madame Gagnier has been compensated for the loss of her husband, and the mutilation of her infant. We believe that she received, after waiting two years, the mag- nificent sum of $2,000 .*

*At the treaty held at Prairie du Chien with the Winneba- goes, in 1829, provision was made for two sections of land to THERESE GAGNIER and her two children, FRANCOIS and

We will close this true account of life be- yond the frontier, with an anecdote which places the Winnebago character in a more ami- ble light than anything already related. The militia of Prairie du Chien, immediately after the affair of the boats, seized the old chief De Kau-ray-the same who has already been men- tioned. He was told that if the Red-Bird should not be given up within a certain time,he was to die in his stead. This he steadfastly believed. Finding that confinement injured his health, he requested to be permitted to range the country on his parole. The demand was granted. He was bidden to go whither he pleased during the day, but at sunset he was required to return to the fort on pain of being considered an old woman. He observed the condition religiously. At the first tap of the re- treat, De Kau-ray was sure to present himself at the gate; and this he continued to do till Gen. Atkinson set him at liberty.

AN INCIDENT OF THE WINNEBAGO WAR.

The following ineident, found in the Western Courier, published at Ravenna, Ohio, Feb. 26, 1830, was read by the secretary at a meeting of the Wisconsin Historical Society, in Decem- ber, 1862:

"There is no class of human beings on earth who hold a pledge more sacred and binding, than do the North American Indians. An in- stance of this was witnessed during the Winne- bago war of 1827, in the person of De Kau-ray, a celebrated chief of that Nation, who, with four other Indians of his tribe, was taken prisoner at Prairie du Chien. Col. Snelling, of the 5th regiment of Infantry, who then com- manded that garrison, dispatched a young In- dian into the Nation, with orders to inform the other chiefs of De Kan-ray's band, that unless those Indians who were the perpetrators of the horrid murders of some of our citizens, were brought to the fort and given np within ten days, De Kau-ray and the other four Indians,

LOUISE: and for the United States to pay THERESE GAGNIER 1 he sum of $50 per annum for fifteen years, to be deducted from the annnity to said Indians.

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who were retained as hostages, would be shot at the end of that time. The awful sentence was pronounced in the presence of De Kan-ray, who, though proclaiming his own innocence of the outrages which had been committed by others of his Nation, declared that he feared not death, though it would be attended with serious consequences, inasmuch as he had two affectionate wives, and a large family of small children, who were entirely dependent on him for their support; but, if necessary, he was willing to die for the honor of his Nation.

"The young Indian had been gone several days, and no intelligence was yet received from the murderers. The dreadful day being near at hand, and De Kan-ray being in a bad state of health, asked permission of the col- onel to go to the river to indulge in his long-accustomed habit of bathing in order to improve his health. Upon which, Col. Snelling told him if he would promise, on the honor of a chief, that he would not leave the town, he might have his liberty and enjoy all his privileges, until the day of the appointed ex- ecution. Accordingly, he first gave his hand to the colonel, thanking him for his friendly offer, then raised both his hands aloft, and in the most solemn adjuration, promised that he would not leave the bounds prescribed, and said if he had a hundred lives he would sooner lose them all than forfeit his word, or deduct from his proud Nation one particle of it- boasted honor. He was then set at liberty. Ile was advised to flee to the wilderness and make his escape. "But no," said he, "do you think I prize life above honor ? or, that I would be- tray a confidence reposed in me, for the sake of saving my life ?" He then complacently re- mained until nine days of the ten which he had to live had elapsed, and nothing heard from the Nation with regard to the apprehension of the murderers, his immediate death became appar- ent; but no alteration could be seen in the countenance of the chief. It so happened that on that day Gen. Atkinson arrived with his

troops from Jefferson barracks, and the order for the execution was countermanded, and the Indians permitted to repair to their homes."

GEN. CASS ON THE WINNEBAGO OUTBREAK, 1327.

In a speech, Gen. Lewis Cass, at Burlington, Iowa, in June, 1855, made the following refer- ence to the Winnebago outbreak in 1827 :

"Twenty-eight years have elapsed," said the venerable statesman, "since I passed along the borders of this beautiful State. "Time and chance happen to all men,' says the writer of old ; and time and chance have happened to me, since I first became identified with the west. In 1827 I heard that the Winnebagoes had assumed an attitude of hostility toward the whites, and that great fear and anxiety pre- vailed among the border settlers of the north- western frontier. I went to Green Bay, where I took a canoe with twelve voyagers and went up the Fox river and passed over the portage into the Wisconsin. We went down the Wiscon- sin until we met an ascending boat in the charge of Ramsay Crooks, who was long a resi- dent of the northwest. Here we ascertained that the Winnebagoes had assumed a hostile attitude, and that the settlers of Prairie du Chien were apprehensive of being suddenly attacked and massacred. After descending about seventy miles further, we came in sight of the Winnebago camp. It was situated upon a high prairie, not far from the river, and as he approached the shore he saw the women and children running across the prairie, in an oppo- site direction, which he knew to be a bad sign. After reaching the shore he went up to the camp. At first the Indians were sul- len, particularly the young men. Ile talked with them awhile, and they finally consented to smoke the calumet. He afterwards learned that one of the young Indians cocked bis gun, and was about to shoot him, when he was forei- bly prevented by an old man, who struck down his arm. He passed down to Prairie du Chien, where he found the inhabitants in the greatest

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state of alarm. After organizing the militia, he had to continue his voyage to St. Louis. He stopped at Galena. There were then no white inhabitants on either bank of the Mississippi, north of the Missouri line. Arrived at St. Louis, after organizing a force under Gen. Clark and Gen. Atkinson, he ascended the linois in his canoe, and passed into Lake Michigan with- ont getting out of it. The water had filled the swamps at the head of Chicago river, which enabled the voyageurs to navigate his canoe through without serious difficulty. Where Chi- cago now is he found two families, one of which was that of his old friend Kinzie. This was the first and last time he had been at Burling- ton. New countries have their disadvantages of which those who come at a later day know little. Forty years ago flour sold at $2 a barrel, and there were hundreds of acres of corn in the west that were not harvested. The means of transportation were too expensive to allow of their being carried to market."

GEN. DODGE TO GEN. ATKINSON. GALENA, Aug. 26, 1827.

DEAR GENERAL :- Capt. Henry, the chairman of the committee of safety, will wait on you at Prairie du Chien, before your departure from that place. Capt. Henry is an intelligent gen- tleman, who understands well the situation of the country The letter accompanying Gov. Cass' communication to you has excited in some measure the people in this part of the country. As the principal part of the efficient force is preparing to accompany you on your expedition up the Quisconsin, it might have a good effect to send a small regular force to this part of the country, and in our absence they might render protection to this region.

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History of Crawford and Richland counties, Wisconsin, Part 30

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