History of Green County, Wisconsin. Together with sketches of its towns and villages, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens, Part 15

Author: Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill., pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company
Number of Pages: 1168

USA > Wisconsin > Green County > History of Green County, Wisconsin. Together with sketches of its towns and villages, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens > Part 15

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On the 3d of Inne, 1816, at St. Louis, the tribe made a treaty of peace and friendship with the general government; but they con-

tinued to levy tribute on all white people who passed up Fox river. English annuities also kept up a bad feeling. At this time a portion of the tribe was living upon the Wisconsin river, away from the rest of the Nation, which was still seated upon the waters flowing into Green bay. In 1820 they had five villages on Winnebago lake and fourteen on Rock river. In 1825 the claim of the Winnebagoes was an extensive one, so far as territory was concerned. Its southeast boundary stretched away from the source of Rock river, to within forty miles of its mouth, in Illinois, where they had a village. On the west it extended to the heads of the small streams flowing into the Mississippi. To the northward, it reached Black river and the Upper Wisconsin, in other words, to the Chip- pewa territory, but did not extend across Fox river, although they contended for the whole of Winnebago lake.

This brings the narrative of this Nation down to

" The Winnebago War"

During the winter of 1825-6, there were con- fined in the guard 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 fram Galena to the Wisconsin river. Finally the difficulties led to an open rupture.

Murder of Gugnier und 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

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HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.

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. Madam 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 We-Kaw, stabbed, scalped 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 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, incredible as it may seem, it recovered.

A Winnebago Debauch.

Red Bird and his companions immediately pro- ceeded from the scene of their crime to the ren- dezvous of their band. During their absence, thirty-seven of the warriors who acknowledged the authority of Red Bird, had assembled with their wives and children, near the mouth 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 abroach, and the Indians began to drink and as their spirits rose, to boast of what they had already 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 af- ternoon, dissipating the last fumes of their ex- citement in the scalp-dance, when they descried one of the keel-boats, which had a few days be- fore passed up the river with provisions for the troops at Fort Snelling, on her return, in charge

of Mr. Lindsay. Forthwith a proposal to take her and massacre the crew was made and car- ried by acclamation. They counted on doing this without risk, for they had examined her on her way up and supposed there were no arms on board. But in this they were mistaken as the sequel 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 con- panions on their apprehensions, as the boat ap- proached 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 debauch, and their arms were not steady. One man only fell. He 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 were lying at the bottom of the boat, they

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all escaped but one, who was shot through the heart. Encouraged by the non-resistance, the Winnebagoes rushed to their canoes with intent to board. The boatmen having recovered from their first panic, seized their guns and the sav- ages 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 party named Mandeville, who had assumed command, 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 month 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 100 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 5,000 inhabitants-that is south 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, Major 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 Major 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 Winne- bagoes. These Indians were 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 Major 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 the Murderers.

The next spring (1828), Red Bird, We-Kaw and another Winnebago prisoner were tried at Prairie du Chien, before Judge James Duane 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. President Adams granted it on the implied con- dition that the tribe would cede the lands then

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HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.

the possession of the miners, in the Lead Region, to the General Government .* The Winneba- goes 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- num for fifteen years, to be deducted from the annuity of the Winnebagoes.

De-Kuu-Ray's Imprisonment.

In closing this account of the "Winnebago War" we give an anecdote, which places the Winnebago character in an amiable light. The militia of Prairie du Chien, immediately after the affair of the boats at the mouth of the Bad Ax river, seized an old Winnebago chief named De-kan-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-accustomed 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 until 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 forfeit his word. He was then set at liberty. He was advised to flee to the wilderness and make his

*This pardon, copied from the original, will be found farther on in this chapter.

escape. "Do you think," said he, "I prize life above honor?" He then complacently remained 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. 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 Jef- ferson barracks, and the order for the exeen- 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 testimony 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 designs 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 scrupulous honesty.

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HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.

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 yon. 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- cended 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 difficulty 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 terms, 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, 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 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 sullen. He instantly communicated his observation 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 - tuckian, assumed the tone of command, and peremptorily ordered the Dakotas ashore. They, probably, thought that big words would be sec- onded with hard blows, and complied. The boats pushed on, several Indians pursued them along the shore for several miles, with speech of taunt and defiance, but they offered no fur- ther molestation.

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 officer, and asked that his crew should be furnished with arms and ammu- nition. The request was granted; his thirty- two men were provided with thirty-two mus- kets, and a barrel of ball cartridges. Thus secured against attack, the boats commenced the descent of the river.

In the mean while the Red Bird had cogitated upon what he had heard, every tittle of which he believed, and had come to the conclusion that the honor of his race required the blood of two Americans at least. He, therefore, 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 gen- eral good character, did not hesitate to furnish him with an eight gallon keg of spirits, the

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value of which was to be paid in furs in the suc- ceeding 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 village blacksmith; the others were substantial farmers. Their father was a French- man, 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 Winne- bago chief leveled his gin 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, scalped and thrown violently on the floor as dead. The murderer then at- tacked 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 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 absence, thirty-seven of the warriors, who ac- knowledged the authority of Red Bird, had assembled, 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 supposed 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

*Gen. Smith, on the authority of Judge Doty, states that this tragedy occurred on the 28th of June, 1827; Judge Loek- wood says the 26th and Niles Register says the 24th.

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HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.

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 hos- tile 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 country- men, combined a profound ignorance of Indian character 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 ahnost 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 vo !- ley of rifle balls rained upon the deck. 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. Ilis 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 find- ing that his reproaches had no effect, he also managed to drag himself below. All this passed in as little time as it will take to read this paragraph.

Presently a voice hailed the boat in the Sac tongue, demanding to know if the crew were English? A half-breed Sac, named Beauchamp, 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 Beancamp, "no Sac would at-

tack ns thus cowardly. If you want us ou 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 Will- nebago where to aim. The bullet struck him under the left arm, and passed directly through his heart. He fell 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 endeav- ored 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.

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History of Green County, Wisconsin. Together with sketches of its towns and villages, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens, Part 15

Author: Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill., pub. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company Number of Pages: 1168

Author: Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill., pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company
Number of Pages: 1168