History of Dane County, Wisconsin, Part 53

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899; Western Historical Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Company
Number of Pages: 1304

USA > Wisconsin > Dane County > History of Dane County, Wisconsin > Part 53

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

" The unfortunate saddle and little trunk were then rescued, but not until they had received a pretty thorough wetting. Our merriment was still further increased by the sight of the mal- adroit Pillon, who was attempting to ride my spirited Jerry across the marsh. He was clinging to the neck of the animal, with a countenance distorted with terror, as he shouted forth all man- ner of French objurgations. Jerry pranced and curveted, and finally shot forward his rider, or, rather, his burden, headforemost, a distance of several feet into the water.

" A general outcry of mirth saluted the unfortunate Frenchman, which was redoubled as he raised himself, puffing and snorting, from his watery bed, and waddled back to his starting-place. the horse meanwhile very sensibly making his way to join his companions, who had already reached the farther bank.

"' Well, wifie,' said Mr. Kinzie, 'I cannot trust you in the canoe again. There is no way but to carry you across the marsh like a papoose. Will you take a ride on my shoulders.'

"' With all my heart, if you will promise to take me safely.' And I was soon mounted.

" I must confess that the gentleman staggered now and then under his burden, which was no slight one, and I was sadly afraid, more than once, that I should meet a similar fate to old Pil- lon ; but, happily, we reached the other side in safety.

354

HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.

" There my husband insisted on my putting on dry shoes and stockings, and (must I confess it ?) drinking a little brandy to obviate the effects of my icy bath. He would fain have made a halt to kindle a fire and dry my apparel and wardrobe properly, but this I would not listen to. I endeavored to prove to him that the delay would expose me to more cold than riding in my wet habit and cloak, and so, indeed, it might have been ; but, along with my convictions upon the subject, there was mingled a spice of reluctance that our friends at the fort should have an opportunity, as they certainly would have done, of laughing at our inauspicious commence- ment.

" Soon our horses were put in order and our march recommenced. The day was fine for the season. I felt no inconvenience from my wet garments, the exercise of riding taking away all feeling of chilliness. It was to me a new mode of traveling, and I enjoyed it the more from having been secluded for more than five months within the walls of the fort [Winnebago], scarcely varying the tenor of our lives by an occasional walk of half a mile into the surround- ing woods.

" We had still another detention upon the road, from meeting Lapierre, the blacksmith, from Sugar Creek, who, with one of his associates, was going to the Portage for supplies, so that we had not traveled more than twenty-three miles when we came to our proposed encamping ground. It was upon a beautiful stream, a tributary of one of the Four Lakes, that chain whose banks are unrivaled for romantic loveliness.

"I could not but admire the sagacity of the horses, who seeined, with human intelligence, to divine our approach to the spot where their toils were to cease. While still remote from the point of woods which foretold a halt, they pricked up their ears, accelerated their pace, and finally arrived at the spot on a full gallop.

" We alighted at an open space, just within the verge of the wood, or, as it is called by Western travelers, 'the timber.' My husband recommended me to walk about until a fire should be made, which was soon accomplished by our active and experienced woodsmen, to whom the felling of a large tree was the work of a very few minutes. The dry grass around furnished an excellent tinder, which, ignited by the sparks from the flint (there were no loco-focos in those days), and aided by the broken branches and bits of light-wood, soon produced a cheer- ing flame. The bourgeois,' in the meantime, busied himself in setting up the tent, taking care to place it opposite the fire, but in such a direction that the wind would carry the smoke and flame away from the opening or door. Within, upon the ground, were spread first a bear- skin, then two or three blankets (of which each equestrian had carried two, one under the sad- dle and one above it), after which, the remainder of the luggage being brought in, I was able to divest myself of all my wet clothing and replace it with dry. Some idea of the state of the thermometer may be formed from the fact that my riding-habit, being placed over the end of the huge log against which our fire was made, was, in a very few minutes, frozen so stiff as to stand upright, giving the appearance of a dress out of which a lady had vanished in some unaccount- able manner. * *

* We carry with us in our journeys on horseback only a coffee- pot, a tea-kettle, and each rider his tea-cup and hunting-knife. The deportment at table is marked by an absence of ceremony. The knife is drawn from the scabbard-those who remem- ber to do so, vouchsafe it a wipe upon the napkin. Its first office is to stir the cup of coffee- next, to divide the piece of ham which is placed on the half of a traveling biscuit, held in the left hand, to fulfil the office of a plate. It is an art only to be acquired by long practice to cut the meat so skillfully as not, at the same time, to destroy the dish.

" We take our places around the mat to enjoy what, after our fatiguing ride, we find delicious food. The Frenchmen are seated at a little distance, receiving their supplies of coffee, meat and bread, and occasionally passing jokes with the bourgeois, who is their demigod, and for whom their respect and devotion are never lessened by his affability or condescension.

" The meal being finished, the table furniture is rinsed in hot water and set aside until morn- ing. A wisp of dry prairie-grass is supposed in most cases to render the knife fit to be restored to the scabbard, and, there being at this season of the year no amusement but that of watching

355

HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.

the awkward movements of the spanceled horses in their progress from spot to spot in scarch of pasturage, we are usually soon disposed to arrange our blankets and retire to rest.

" At break of day, we are aroused by the shout of the bourgeois-

""'How ! how ! how !'

" All start from their slumbers. The fire, which has been occasionally replenished through the night, is soon kindled into a flame. The horses are caught and saddled, while a breakfast, similar in kind to the meal of the preceding evening, is preparing ; the tent is struck, the pack- horse loaded-tout demache, as the Canadian says. The breakfast finished, we rinse our kettles and cups, tie them to our saddle-bows, and then mount and away, leaving our fire, or rather our smoke, to tell of our visit.

"March 9 .- Our journey this day led us past the first of the Four Lakes [now known as Mendota]. Scattered along its banks was an encampment of Winnebagoes. They greeted their father [John H. Kinzie, Agent], with vociferous joy-'Bon-jour, bon-jour, Shaw-nee-aw- kee ; Hee-nee-karry-kay-noo ?' (How do you do ? ) To this succeeded the usual announcement, ' Wys-kap-rah tshoonsh-koo-nee-no !' (I have no bread).

"This is their form. of begging; but we could not afford to be generous, for the uncertainty of obtaining a supply, should our own be exhausted, obliged us to observe the strictest economy.

"How beautiful the encampment looked in the morning sun ! The matted lodges, with the blue smoke curling from their tops, the trees and bushes powdered with a light snow which had fallen through the night, the lake, shining and sparkling almost at our feet-even the Indians, in their peculiar costume, adding to the picturesque.

"I was sorry to leave it, as we were compelled to do in all haste, Souris, the pack-horse, hav- ing taken it into his head to decamp while we were in conversation with our red friends. As he had very sensibly concluded to pursue his journey in the right direction, we had the good fortune to overtake him after a short race, and, having received much scolding and some blows from young Roy, whose charge he specially was, he was placed in the middle of the cavalcade, as a mark of disgrace for his breach of duty.

" Our road, after leaving the lake, lay over a 'rolling prairie,' now bare and desolate enough. The hollows were filled with snow, which, being partly thawed, furnished an uncertain footing for the horses, and I could not but join in the ringing laughter of our Frenchman as occasionally Brunet and Souris, the two ponies, would flounder, almost imbedded, through the yielding mass. Even the vainglorious Plante, who piqued himself on his equestrian skill, was once or twice nearly unhorsed, from having chosen his road badly. Sometimes the elevations were covered with a thicket or copse, in which our dogs would generally rouse up one or more

deer. Their first bound or ' lope ' was the signal for a chase. The horses seemed to enter into the spirit of it, as ' halloo " answered 'halloo ;' but we were never so fortunate as to get a shot at one, for, although the dogs once or twice caught, they were not strong enough to hold, them. It was about the middle of the afternoon when we reached the Blue Mound. I rejoiced much to have got so far, for I was sadly fatigued, and every mile now seemed like two to me. In fact, the miles are unconscionably long in this country. When I was told that we had still seven iniles to go, to 'Morrison's,' where we proposed stopping for the night, I was almost in despair. It was my first journey on horseback, and I had not yet become inured to the exercise.

"When we reached Morrison's, I was so much exhausted that, as my husband attempted to lift me from the saddle, I fell into his arms.

"' This will never do,' said he. 'To-morrow we must turn our faces toward Fort Winne. bago again.'

"The door opened hospitably to receive us. We were welcomed by a lady with a most sweet, benignant countenance, and by her companion, some years younger. The first was Mrs. Morrison, the other Miss Elizabeth Dodge, daughter of Gen. Dodge.

" My husband laid me upon a small bed in the room where the ladies had been sitting at work. They took off my bonnet and riding-dress, chafed my hands and prepared me some warm wine and water, by which I was soon revived. A half-hour's repose so refreshed me that

356

HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.

I was able to converse with the ladies and to relieve my husband's mind of all anxiety on my account. Tea was announced soon after, and we repaired to an adjoining building, for Morri- son's, like the establishments of all settlers of that period, consisted of a group of detached log houses or cabins, each containing one or, at most, two apartments.

"The table groaned with good cheer, and brought to mind some that I had seen among the old-fashioned Dutch residents on the banks of the Hudson.

" I had recovered my spirits, and we were quite a cheerful party. Mrs. Morrison told us that during the first eighteen months she passed in this country, she did not speak with a white woman, the only society she had being that of her husband and two black servant women.

" A Tennessee woman had called in with her little son just before tea, and we amused Mr. Kinzie with a description of the pair. The mother's visit was simply one of courtesy. She was a little, dumpy woman, with a complexion burned perfectly red by the sun, and hair of an exact tow color, braided up from her forehead in front and from her neck behind. These tails, meeting on the top of her head, were fastened with a small tin comb. Her dress was of check- ered homespun, a ' very tight fit,' and, as she wore no ruff or handkerchief around her neck, she looked as if just prepared for execution. She was evidently awe-struck at the sight of visit- ors, and seemed inclined to take her departure at once; but the boy, not so easily intimidated, would not understand her signs and pinches until he had sidled up to Mrs. Morrison, and, draw- ing his old hat still farther over his eyes, begged for a whang, meaning a narrow strip of deer- skin. The lady very obligingly cut one from a large smoked skin, which she produced from its receptacle, and mother and son took their leave with a smiling but rather a scared look.

" After tea we returned to Mrs. Morrison's parlor, where she kindly insisted on my again reposing myself on the little bed to recruit me, as she said, for the ensuing day's journey. My husband, in the meantime, went to look after the accommodation of his men and horses.

" During the conversation that ensued, I learned that Mrs. Morrison had passed much time in the neighborhood of my recent home in Oneida County, that many of the friends I had loved and valued were likewise her friends, and that she had even proposed to visit me at Fort Winne- bago on hearing of my arrival there, in order to commence an acquaintance which had thus been brought about by other and unexpected means.

" Long and pleasant was the discourse we held together until a late hour, and mutual was the satisfaction with which we passed old friends and by-gone events in review, much to the edifica- tion of Miss Dodge and of the gentlemen, when they once more joined us."

THE BLACK HAWK WAR.

In previous pages, the Black Hawk war has been dwelt upon in a brief manner ; but, as the Blue Mounds, the country to the north of them, and the immediate vicinity of the Four Lakes, are all localities where stirring events occurred during that brief conflict of arms, the subject is again properly referred to ; and, so far as the immediate territory of Dane County is con- cerned, it is to be, necessarily, treated at some length. The principal points of interest, where there were Americans living, when reports of trouble first began to circulate, were the Blue Mounds and Fort Winnebago. At the latter place, at that date, John H. Kinzie was Indian Agent. He had the assurance of the Rock River Winnebagoes of their firm friendship. The return of Black Hawk to the west side of the Mississippi dissipated all fears at the portage ; and the same was the result at the Blue Mounds. But, in the latter part of April, 1832, when the news reached these points that the Sac chief had recrossed the Mississippi, with the flower of his nation, once more to take possession of their old homes, the alarm was greater than before. To guard against surprise, Brigham and the settlers in the vicinity of the Blue Mounds, built a block-honse in a commanding position on the prairie, near the mounds, about a mile and a half from the former's residence. The buildings were commenced May 10, and completed about the 24th. They consisted of two block-houses, each twenty feet square, and a log building in the center, thirty feet by twenty feet, for a storehouse and barrack. The whole was inclosed by &

357

HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.

picket fence of about 150 feet on each of the four sides ; the pickets were of stout oak, sixteen feet high, planted three feet in the ground. To defend the fort, fifty men were enrolled as a company, on the 20th of May, as follows : Ebenezer Brigham, John C. Kellogg, John Daniels, George Force, Thomas MoRaney, John Messersmith, William Collins, Jacob Keith, John Sher- man, Robert Collins, Jonathan Ferril, Moses Collins, Moses Foreman, W. G. Aubrey, Esau Johnson, A. G. Houton, Jeremiah, Lycan, Jason Putnam, Alpha Stevens, Hugh Bowen, John Steward, John Dalbey, Daniel Evans, James Hanlon, William H. Houghton. Ed Beouchard, James Hayes, Thomas Hillson, James Smith, Jefferson Smith, R. S. Lewis, Solomon Watson, Har- vey Brock, Samuel Davis, Fernando McRaney, Milton McRaney, Allen Rand, Henry Starr, Anson Frazier, J. B. Deshon, Samuel Woodworth, Emerson Green, John Messersmith, Jr., Henry Messer- smith, George Messersmith, Robert Crayton, Albert Hunt, French Lake, Henry Powell. James Aubrey had the first command of the men assembled at the fort; E. Beouchard was First Lieu- tenant, and, after Aubrey's death, succeeded to the command until June 14, when he resigned, and was succeeded by Capt. John Sherman. The families in the neighborhood all assembled in the fort, as no one knew how long they would be free from the attacks of the Sac warriors.

In the latter part of May, Col. Henry Dodge assembled a company of fifty mounted vol- unteers commanded by James H. Gentry and John H. Rountree and proceeded with them to the head of the Four Lakes, where, on the 25th of the month, he held a talk with the Winnebagoes, desiring to know their intentions as to the Sacs, whether or not they would aid, counsel or har- bor them in the Four Lakes region ; if they would, it would be considered as a declaration of war on their part ; informing them that the Sacs had lied to them and given them bad counsel, and that, if they were unfaithful to the treaties, they must expect to share the fate of the Sacs. To all which the Winnebagoes made fair promises, and agreed to remain at peace.

But a much more effective "talk " with the Winnebagoes was held afterward by John H. Kinzie, Indian Agent at Fort Winnebago, at the same place. These Indians promised to use their utmost endeavors to preserve peace and good order among their own young men. They informed the agent that the Winnebago bands on the Rock River, with the exception of Win-no-sheek's, were all determined to remain friendly, and keep aloof from the Sacs; to that end, they were abandoning their villages and corn-fields and moving north, that their Great Father (the Presi- dent) might not feel dissatisfied with them. With regard to Win-no-sheek and his people, they said they were unable to give information.

About the 1st of June, Capt. Sherman who then commanded at Mound Fort, fearing an attack from the Indians, sent word of his apprehensions to Col. Dodge, who immediately col- lected from the several posts, of which there were twelve or more in the mining districts, some two hundred mounted men. They proceeded to Mound Fort on the 3d of June, on which day the two Misses Hall, who had been captured by the Sacs at the massacre on Fox River, were delivered up by the Winnebagoes.

On the 6th of June, W. G. Aubrey, an inmate of Brigham's family, was killed by the Sacs while getting water at the spring near the dwelling-house ; this was about a mile and a half north of the fort, but in sight of it. It has since been ascertained that the Sacs had been piloted to this place by certain Winnebagoes. Suspicion ever attached to this treacherous people.

On the 21st of June, some Indians were discovered in the vicinity of Mound Fort, and Lieut. George Force and Emerson Green, whose family was in the fort, mounted their horses and rode out to reconnoiter. In a short time, they fell into an ambush of the Sacs, about two miles in front, and immediately in view of the fort. The unfortunate men were plainly seen endeavoring to escape to the fort, but they were soon surrounded and killed by the savages, who mutilated the bodies in a most horrible manner. Lieut. Force had a heavy gold watch, by which the hours of standing guard were regulated ; at the time he was killed, it was in his pocket, and was taken-his body being chopped in pieces and scattered about the prairie. Shortly after, Wallace Rowan coming up to the body of a savage on the prairie, over which the prairie fire had passed, consuming the Indian's pack and clothing, the watch of Force was found in the ashes. Rowan kept the watch over ten years before finally parting with it.

358

HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.

Mr. Brigham kept a diary during the most eventful period of the war. Under the head of a " Memorandum of Passing Events," he says :

" Blue Mound Fort, June 2, 1832 .- Extract of a letter sent Gen. Dodge : Wakouka says there are two young prisoners with the Sauks. By the authority vested in E. Beouchard (by H. Gratiot), two Indians, White Ox and brother, were sent on express to the Four Lakes Indians " [Same date] .- A letter was brought by two Frenchmen, St. Paul and [another] to H. Gratiot on public service, supposed to be from Gen. Atkinson. He [Gratiot] having left, I opened it and found there were two women prisoners with the Sauks.

" June 5, 1832 .- White Ox and brother and Wakonka returned; the two first named had been to the lake [Koshkonong], and informed me that the Winnebagoes had bought the girls at Kosh- konong and then left their captors. The Sauks then followed them and surrounded them. Our army was at Koshkonong Lake, not far behind, and they were afraid they would be killed by the Sauks. The Sauks were in two columns, marching in direction for this country, 400 in number.

" June 5, 1832 .- Gen. Dodge promised at this time (May 27) to communicate to us every four days by express any and every particular relating to the state of the country in general ; to assist us with a mounted force ; promised us arms, ammunition and provisions, without delay.

" June 6 .- W. G. Aubrey was killed.

" June 16 .-- Notwithstanding all promises, our teams returned from Mineral Point without arms or ammunition, for want of Gen. Dodge's order.

" June 21 .- Emerson Green and George Force both killed and scalped. Force horribly mangled ; his head cut off; a gold watch taken-a sum of money and two horses.

" June 23 .- Force is lying in the prairie, not buried. It is dangerous to go out of sight of the fort.

" The General [Dodge] has not performed agreeable to promise ; seems to neglect us ; appears to bear malice against us for no cause ; our situation is a delicate one. I expect an attack from the Indians ; we cannot stand a siege. (My near relatives live in Angelica, Allegany Co., N. Y. To be given to Bradley Sherman or J. W. Sherman)."

For a month after the killing of Force and Green, nothing worthy of especial mention occurred at the Blue Mound Fort. The arrival there in July of a part of Gen. Posey's Brigade put an end to all fears from attacks by the Indians.

It will be remembered that the retreat of Black Hawk up the Rock River and the pursuit of him by the Americans, led finally to the discovery of his trail just as he had left that stream for the Wisconsin. The retreat and pursuit, after leaving what is now Jefferson County, being con- tinued toward the Four Lakes, brought both parties, of course, at once into the present Dane County. What occurred until the Indians and Americans finally left the county is best told by one who participated in the march and battle which ensued :

"July 19, 1832 .- This day we had, for about twelve miles, the worst kind of road. To look at it it appeared impossible to march an army through it. Thickets and swamps of the worst kind we had to go through, but the men had something now to stimulate them. They saw the Sac trail fresh before them, and a prospect of bringing our campaign to an end. There was no murmuring, no excuses made, none getting on the sick report. If we came to a swamp that our horses were not able to carry us through, we dismounted, turned our horses before us and stepped in ourselves, sometimes up to our arm-pits in mud and water. In this way we marched with great celerity. In the evening of this day, it commenced thundering, lightning and rain- ing tremendously. We stopped not but pushed on. The trail appeared to be still getting fresher and the ground better, which still encouraged us to overcome every difficulty found in the way. It continued raining until dark, and, indeed, until after dark. We now saw the want of our tents in the morning, a great number of us having left this necessary article behind, in order to favor our horses. The rain ceased before day, and it turned cold and chilly. In the morning, we arose early, at the well-known sound of the bugle, and prepared, in a very short time, our rude breakfast, dried our clothes a little, and by 7 o'clock, were on the march at a quick pace.

359

HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.

"On this day, some of our scouts took an Indian as a prisoner. On examination, he was found to be a Winnebago. He stated that Black Hawk was but a little distance ahead of us, and that he had seen some of his party not more than two miles ahead. Butit was a bad piece of con- duct, on our part, that this Indian was not kept as a prisoner of war, but was set at liberty and let go, no doubt, that he might inform the Sacs of our pursuit.

" We halted, and the order of battle was formed, as we expected we would overtake them this evening. The order was as follows: Gen. Dodge and Maj. Ewing were to bring on the battle. Maj. Ewing was placed in the center, with his spy battalion, Capt. Gentry and Capt. Clark's companies on our right ; and Capt. Camp and Capt. Parkinson on our left. Our own battalion (Maj. Ewing's), was reduced to two companies (as Capt. Wells and his company had been left at Fort Dixon); Capt. Lindsey, of our own battalion, was placed on the right, and Capt. Huston's company on the left ; Col. Fry and his regiment on the right ; and Col. Jones with his regiment on the left; and Col. Collins in the center. In this order, we marched in quick time, with all possible speed, in hope that we would overtake the enemy on that evening. We were close to the Four Lakes, and we wished to come up with them before they could reach that place, as it was known to be a stronghold for the Indians ; but the day was not long enough to accomplish this desirable object. We reached the first of the Four Lakes [Monona] about sundown. Gen. Henry here called a halt, and consulted with Poquet [Peter Pauquette], our pilot, as to the country we were approaching. Poquet, who was well acquainted with this country, told him he could not get through it after night ; that we had to march close to the margin of the lake for some distance, as the underwood stood so thick, one man could not see another ten steps. Gen Henry concluded to encamp here until the break of day. Gen. Dodge sent Capt. Dixon on ahead with a few men, to see if they could make any discovery of the enemy, who returned in a very short time, and stated they had seen the enemy's rear guard about one mile and a half distant.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Dane County, Wisconsin, Part 53

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899; Western Historical Co., Chicago, pub Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Company Number of Pages: 1304

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899; Western Historical Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Company
Number of Pages: 1304