History of Vernon County, Wisconsin, together with sketches of its towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens, Part 45

Author:
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Springfield, Union
Number of Pages: 814

USA > Wisconsin > Vernon County > History of Vernon County, Wisconsin, together with sketches of its towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens > Part 45

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5. A treaty of peace and friendship was made at St. Louis, June 3, 1816, between the chiefs and warriors of that part of the Winno- bagoes residing on the Wiscousin river. In this treaty the tribe state that they have separ- ated themselves from the rest of their Nation; that they, for themselves and those they repre- sent, confirm to the United States all and every cession of land heretofore made by their Nation, and every contract and agreement, as far as their interest extended.

6. On the 19th of August, 1825, at Prairie du Chien, a treaty was made with the Sionx, Chippewas, Saes and Foxes, Winnebagoes, Ottawas and Pottawattamies, by which the bonndary between the two first Nations was agreed upon; also between the Chippewas, Winnebagoes and other tribes.

7. Another treaty was held August 5, 1826, at Fond du Lac of Lake Superior, a small settle- ment on the St. Louis river, in Itaska Co., Minn., with the same tribes, by which the previous treaty was confirmed in respect to boundaries, and those of the Chippewas was defined, as a

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HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY.

portion of the same was not completed at the former treaty.

8. A treaty was made and concluded Aug 1, 1827, at Butte des Morts, between the United States and the Chippewa, Menomonee and Win- nebago tribes, in which the boundaries of their tribes were defined; no cession of lands was made.

9. A treaty was made at Green Bay, Aug. 25, 1828, with the Winnebagoes, Pottawattamies and other tribes. This treaty was made to remove the difficulties which had arisen in con- sequence of the occupation by white men of that portion of the mining country in the south- western part of Wisconsin which had not been ceded to the United States. A provisional boundary was provided, and privileges accorded the government to freely occupy their territory until a treaty should be made for the cession of the same. This treaty was simply to define the rights of the Indians, and to give the United States the right of occupation.

10. Two treaties were made at Prairie du Chien on the 29th of July, 1829, and Ang. 1, 1829. At the first date, with the Chippewas, Ottawas and Pottawattamies, by which these Nations ceded all their lands which they claimed in the northwestern part of Illinois; and at the latter date with the Winnebagoes, by which that Nation ceded and relinquished all their right, title and claim to all their lands south of the Wisconsin river, thus confirming the pur- chase of the lead-mine region. Certain grants were made to individuals, which grants were not to be leased or sold by the grantees.

By this important treaty, about 8,000,000 of acres of land were added to the public domain. The three tracts ceded, and forming one whole, extended from the upper end of Rock river to the month of the Wisconsin, from latitude 41 degrees 30 minutes to latitude 43 degrees 15 min- utes on the Mississippi. Following the meander- ings of the river, it was about 240 miles from west to east, extending along the Wisconsin and Fox rivers, affording a passage across the country

from the Mississippi to Lake Michigan. The south part of the purchase extended from Rock Island to Lake Michigan.

11. At the conclusion of the Black Hawk War, in 1832, for the purpose' of clearing up the Indian title of the Winnebago Nation in the country, a treaty was made and concluded at Fort Armstrong, Sept. 15, 1832. All the terri- tory claimed by this Nation lying south and cast of the Wisconsin and Fox river of Green bay, was ceded to the United States, and no band or party of Winnebagoes was allowed to reside, plant, fish or hunt on these grounds, after June 1, 1833, or on any part of the country therein ceded.

12. The Winnebago Nation, by the chiefs and delegates, held a treaty with the government at Washington, Nov. 1, 1837. That Nation ceded all their lands east of the Mississippi, and obligated themselves to remove, within eight months after the ratification of the treaty, to certain lands west of the river Mississippi which vere conveyed to them by the treaty of Sept. 21, 1832.

A SEQUEL TO THE GREAT INDIAN TREATY OF 1829. (By Caleb Atwater.)

On the day we delivered the goods to the Winnebagoes, after the Indians were all seated on the ground in rows, the chiefs on the highest spot in the center, on benches, clothed in the most sumptuous manner; where they could see and be seen to the best advantage; every tribe by itself; the half-breeds in one place; the full whites in another. As I passed through the open spaces between the ranks, my attention was forcibly drawn to a particular spot by a constant snarling, hissing noise of some miser- able human being, whom, on approaching her, I ascertained to be an Indian woman, shriveled, haggard and old, though remarkably neat in her person and dress. She appeared to be about sixty years of age, and scolded incessantly. Some of the goods placed before her, as her share of them, she complained of as being too fine:

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HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY.

others as being too coarse; some cost too much, while others were quite too cheap, and none of them seemed to please her. Wishing, if possi- ble, to please all of them, and especially the ladies; actuated by the best of motives, I en- deavored by every argument in my power to satisfy her, that so far as I could do anything towards it, great care had been taken in the distribution to do justice to every individual. I told her that her great father, the President, had specially ordered me, so far as in me lay, to please all, and to see that no one went home dissatisfied. At that moment she returned upon me a volley of epithets too degrading to be repeated, even though applied to myself, as I felt conscious of not deserving them. Turn- ing around to some females who were politely sitting on the ground behind me, I learned the fault finder was an old maid, (unmarried men at sixty years of age I will call bachelors, but ladies never), and that the only distinguishing mark of attention she had ever received from any man was a smart blow with a flat hand on her right ear.

As there is no law regulating taste, and some- times no rational way of accounting for some of its freaks; and as some sights are the aver- sion of some persons, while the appearance of other objects is equally disagreeable to others; and as I never could endure the ideas conveyed to my mind by a rattlesnake, a heartless poli- tician, an iceberg and a cold hearted woman, I turned away from her in disgust, and never saw her more nor inquired her name, for fear I should remember it. She was the only person who left the treaty ground dissatisfied with the commissioners. To please her it was utterly impossible.

Seated, as I said, upon rising ground on benches, clad in blankets, either green or red; covered with handsome fur hats, with three beautiful ostrich plumes in each hat; dressed in ruffled calico shirts, leggins and mocasins, all new, and faces painted to suit the faney of each individual, who held in his hand a new

rifle, adorned too, with silver broaches, silver clasps on every arm, and a large medal sus- pended on each breast; the chiefs, principal warriors and head men, to the number of forty- two, sat during the two hours after all the goods had been delivered to the Nation.

Every individual of both sexes in the Nation had lying directly before the person on the ground the share of the goods belonging to the individ- ual. Great pains had been taken to give each, such, and just so many clothes as would be suit- able for the owner to wear during the year to come. The clothes were cut so as to correspond exactly with the size of the owner. The pile of clothes for each person was nearly two feet in thickness, the sight of which entirely over- came with joy, our red friends, and they sat, during two hours, in the most profound silence, not taking off their eyes one moment from the goods, now their own. For the first time dur- ing my constant intercourse of several weeks with these interesting sons and daughters of the forest, as I passed repeatedly through their ranks, not an eye appeared to see me, not an car to hear my heavy tread, not a tongne, as always heretofore, repeated the endearing name of "Oconee Kairake," (the good chief), which their kind partiality had given me on my first landing at Prairie du Chien. Their minds were entirely overcome with joy.

The day being far spent, and, as the loading of the canoes, in which they were about to de- part, would necessarily occupy some little time, I informed the chiefs and principal men that the time had arrived when we should part to meet no more; that the great gun at the fort would soon be fired to do them honor. With one accord they all arose, and shaking me heartily by the hand, many of them shedding tears on the occasion, they one and all invited me to visit them at their respective, places of abode. In a shrill tone of voice Nankaw issued his orders for every individual to arise, take up his or her goods, and repair to the

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beach of the river near at hand, and there await the signal from the fort for their embarkation.

In fifteen minutes they were all seated on the sands by the river's edge, where they all sat in breathless silence awaiting the signal, which was soon given. As soon as that was given each chief came forward, shook me again cor- dially by the hand, accompanied by the warm- est protestations of friendship. In a few mo- ments more they were off, covering a consider- able surface with their canoes, each one of which carried its flag of some sort floating in the gentle breeze, which ruffled the surface of the Mississippi.

The Chippewas, Ottawas and Pottawatta- mies had received their goods in the same man- ner as the Winnebagoes; had been treated pre- cisely in the same way, and three guns, one for each Nation, had given them signal to depart, and they had parted with me in the same kind and affectionate manner.

After the departure of the above named In- dians, we had the Sauks and Foxes still with us, with whom we had orders to hold a council to ascertain from them "if they would sell their mineral lands, situated west of the Mississippi ?" -and if they would sell them, upon what terms?"

Gen. M'Neil, who was in command as a mili- tary officer in this section of country, addressed these tribes and was answered by Keokuk on the part of the Sauks, and by Morgan for the Foxes. I regret that the injunction of secrecy rests on these speeches in the United States Senate; otherwise I should take great pleasure in laying them before the reader. Keokuk, in particular, made one of the best speeches I ever heard, and it was admired as such by several members of the Senate. Keokuk, on the part of these Indians, complained to us of certain white men who had settled on the Indian lands along the Mississippi in order to supply per- sons navigating the river with necessaries, such as poultry, milk, butter, eggs, and above all, cordwood for the steamboats. He complained

that the United States had cultivated lands as a garden for the garrison at Prairie du Chien-had erected a mill without leave, on Indian land- and had not fulfilled former treaties with them.

Making them liberal presents, we naturally deferred the whole subject in discussion for the consideration of the government of the Uni- ted States to act on it; and I take pleasure in saying the government has, since that time done its duty to these sons of the forest.

After arranging all matters with them as well as we could, which occupied several days, they were dismissed in a very friendly manner, as all other Indians had been already, and they im- mediately descended the river for their homes.

Before leaving this place I wish to make a few remarks of a general nature.

Though I neither am, nor ever pretended to be, a military man, yet I venture a few remarks on some of the military establishments in the northwest.

The fort on Rock Island is commanded by hills on both sides of it, and could not stand an honr against an enemy with cannon posted on the heights.

Why this fort was placed here where it is, no man of sense can tell, if the British were to be the attacking enemy. If this work was intended to protect this frontier against Indians it is in so dilapidated a state that by crossing on the island above the fort, or gliding along in their canoes under the western side of the island, which forms the outside of the fort, the Indians could in any dark night make themselves mas- ters of the garrison in fifteen minutes. When- ever they please they can collect at this point in ten days 4,000 warriors, to contend with 400 soldiers. There is no regn- lar mail connecting this post with the United States and war might be declared for three months, in some seasons of the year, without the garrison's knowing it.

There is a postoffice established here, and in summer the officers sometimes go to Galena for their papers and letters, 100 miles above them

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HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY.

-and sometimes they go to Springfield, in the Sangamo country, a distance of seventy miles perhaps, for their letters. The officers must go themselves, as the soldiers, if permitted to go, would desert the service. Cut off from all the world, that is, the civilized world, during six months of the year, the officers and soldiers lead a life as dull as need be. The officers who have families have established a school for their children, which is doing very well.

Ascending the Mississippi, 200 miles or more above Rock Island, we arrive at Fort Crawford, at Prairie Du Chien. This post, like that at Rock Island, stands near the Mississippi on its eastern shore, and is entirely and completely commanded by the hills on each side of the river. It enjoys, too, a situation so low that nearly every summer, during the dog days, its site is under water from six to ten feet in depth, from the overflowing of the river.

This work is in so dilapidated a state that I presume it is now abandoned for another site somewhat more elevated but nearer the high hill that will forever command it, just east of it. Maj. Garland pointed ont to me the spot where he supposed a new fort would be erected.

There is a propriety in placing a military post somewhere, at or near the mouth of the Wis- consin, in order to form a line of posts situated on Green bay, where there is a fort-and in the interior, at the spot where Fort Winnebago is; but what consideration could have induced the government to place a garrison at St. Peters, 300 miles and more beyond a single white set- tlement-unconnected, too, with any other post in the very heart of the Indian country, I am unable to determine. If this post was intended to strengthen this frontier, it certainly weakens it to the amount of the force stationed there added to an amount of force enough to suceor and defend it. If the object was to station a garrison where an intercourse with the Indians, for the purposes of trade, was songht, Lake Pepin, far below it, is the place where it should have been located. As it is, it so happens often

that the officers and others who pass and repass between Prairie Du Chien and St. Peters are taken prisoners on the route by the Indians. Unless some one wished to get a good govern- mental job by getting this post established, then I cannot account for this strange location, and I am equally at a loss to account for the continuance of this worse than useless establish- ment where it is.

All the officers in the Indian country, who have been there ten years, ought instantly to be relieved by others. Lieut. Col. Z. Taylor, has been in the Indian country constantly with his family, about twenty years. Here he and his lady, who were bred in the most polished and refined society, have been compelled to rear as well as they could, a worthy and most interesting family of children. Col. Taylor commands Fort Crawford, at Prairie Du Chien. Dr. Beaumont and his amiable and accomplished lady; Maj. Garland and his, belonging to this garrison, are doing the same. It is an interest- ing sight, to see such persons, located as they are, in a fort, on the very verge of civilized life, educating a family of young children. The sit- nation of delicate females, belonging to some of the best families in the Nation, reared in tenderness, amidst all the luxuries and refine- ments of polished society, now living in a fort, calls for our sympathy and admiration of their fortitude, which enables them to bear with all the ills, and overcome all the difficulties attend- ant on their mode of living. When I was very unwell, from exposure, miserable water, and the worst of cookery, and worn down too by fatigue of body and mental suffering, I always found sympathy, food that I could eat, and smiles and kindness which touched my heart, in the families I have named, nor can I ever forget the females belonging to the families of Mr. Rolette and of Judge Lockwood, at Prairie Du Chien. Without their kindness towards me, I must have per ished. I do not deny my fondness for woman, be- cause I know that in cases of distress and

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HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY.

suffering, her sympathy and cheering voice, in- fuse into man new life, new vigor, and new fortitude, and he marches onward with redoub- led energy, to climb over every alps that is placed in his way. Living, as these ladies do, amidst dangers, in an Indian country, they are familiarized with them and their animating voice is worth an army of men. I never can forget them, nor their families while I live. Would the government hear my feeble voice, such officers would not be compelled, with their families, to spend all their days, in an Indian country, while others who have known no suf- fering in the service, are attending levees and gallanting about the ladies at Washington City.

There is something wrong in all this, that I hope will be rectified yet.

At each of the military posts, the officers have established a library and a reading room, at their own expense. Their books consist of use- ful works, connected with their pursuits. His- tory, geography, mathematics, chemistry and scientific books, are in the library, and the offi- cers and their families are well read in them all. Though they may be uninformed as to the pass- ing events, at the very moment they occur, yet, at unequal periods, their regular files of all the best newspapers published in the United States, are received and read with care. The The National Intelligencer, National Gazette, all the literary periodicals, worth reading, are care- fully perused.

The younger officers were all educated at West Point Academy, and wherever I met one of them, I always found a gentleman, and man of science, brave, active, vigorous, energetic, high minded, honorable, strictly honest and correct in all his deportment. He claimed all that belonged to him, and not one tittle more, of any one. These officers, belonging to the first families in the Nation, educated in the very best manner, are induced by their self respect, to conduct themselves in the very best manner on all occasions. They fear nothing but dis- grace, originating in their own bad conduct,

and they serupulously avoid it every where, and at all times. As officers, as gentlemen and as men, I feel proud of them as my countrymen.

I pray them to accept this testimony in their favor, as a small payment towards a large sum, justly due to them, for their good conduct, in every part of the Union, where I have had the pleasure of meeting with them. My only re- gret is, that this honest, heartfelt approbation of them, is all I have it in my power to bestow, upon persons so worthy. Those who are in ac- tual service on the Indian frontier, deserve more pay than they receive, in a country where every thing is so extravagantly dear. Congress ought to remember these worthy men, and make fu- ture provision for them, and to Congress, I submit their case. While those, who shine in every fashionable circle at Washington, under the eye of Congress, are well paid for their ser- vices, it is to be hoped that others, who undergo nothing but hardships, will not be forgotten, as I know they will not be by the Senate.

Having completed all our business, of a pub- lic nature, so far as we could at this place, about the middle of August, as near as I now remem- ber, we concluded to give our friends here a ball on the evening preceding our leaving them. It was attended by all of the respectable part of . the people, in the garrison and in the village. It was a most interesting scene. Within the counsel house, where the civilized people were assembled, might be seen, persons of both sexes, as polished and as refined in their manners, as well bred, and educated as well too, as any per- sons in the United States; and at the same mo- ment, might be seen on the outside of the house, at the doors and windows, looking on and occa- sionally dancing by themselves, by way of ex- periment, or to show what they could do as dancers in the open air, as motley a group of creatures (I can scarcely call them human be- ings) as the world ever beheld. They are a race peculiar to those parts of the upper Missis- sippi, where settlements were originally made by the French, soon after the conquest of

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Canada by the English, under Gen. Wolf. They are of a mixed breed, and probably more mixed than any other human beings in the world; each one consisting of negro, Indian, French, English, American, Scotch, Irish and Spanish blood; and I should rather suspect some of them, to be a little tonched with the prairie wolf. They may fairly claim the vices and faults of each, and all the above named Nations and animals, with- out even one redeeming virtne.

The reader will see that we were on the very confines of civilized and savage life.

The officers and their families from Fort Crawford, and the best families in the Prairie, were all very happy, and we parted with them all in friendship, and retired to rest at about midnight.

THIE WINNEBAGOES IN 1816.

In 1816 the Menomonees inhabited the country about Green bay, and their women occasionally married Winnebagoes, but not often. The Menomonees were a quiet and peaceful race, well disposed and friendly to the whites. To- mah, the acting chief of the Nation, was well spoken of by all the traders who knew him.

The principal villages of the Winnebagoes were at the lower and upper end of the lake of that name, with an occasional lodge along the Fox river. At the season that traders generally passed the Portage of Wisconsin, they would find old grey headed Day-Kau-Ray at the Portage with his ban d. Their village was a short distance from there up the Wisconsin, and the Winnebagoes had villages up the Bara- boo river, and several small ones along down the Wisconsin to near its mouth and up the Mississippi. They were estimated at that time by the traders best acquainted with them, to be about 900 warriors strong. Of the Day-Kau- Rays, there were four or five brothers, who were all influential men in the Nation. One sister had a family of children by a trader named Lecuyer, who had married her after the Indian manner. Tradition says that their father was a French trader, who, during the

time the French had possession of the country, married a Winnebago woman, the daughter of the principal chief of the Nation, by whom he had these sons and daughter; that at the time the country was taken possession of by the English, he abandoned them, and they were raised among the Indians, and being the de- scendants of a chief on the mother's side, when arrived at manhood they assumed the dignity of their rank by inheritance. They were gen- erally good Indians, and frequently urged their claims to the friendship of the whites by saying they were themselves half white.

THIE WINNEBAGOES IN 1818.

The locations of the different tribes of Indi- ans in the vicinity of Vernon county, in 1818, including also the homes of the Winnebagoes, is clearly pointed out in the narrative of Ed- ward Tanner, published in the Detroit Gazette of Jan. 8, and 15, 1819:

"The first tribe of Indians after leaving St. Louis is the Oyiwayes (Iowas). This tribe live about 100 miles from the west side of the Mis- sissippi, on the Menomonee, and have about 400 warriors. The next tribe are the Sauks, who live on the Mississippi, and about 400 miles above. St. Louis. They emigrated from the Ouisconsin (Wisconsin) about thirty-five years ago. Their military strength is about 800 warriors, exclusive of old men and boys, and are divided into two divisions of 400 men. Each division is commanded by a war chief. The first are those who have been most distin- guished for deeds of valor, and the second the ordinary warriors. They have also two village chiefs who appear to preside over the civil concerns of the Nation. The next tribe is the Fox Indians. This tribe have a few lodges on the east side of the Mississippi near Fort Arm- strong and about four miles from the Sauk vil- lage. Thirty miles above this, at the mine De Buke (Dubuque,) on the west side, they have another village, and another on Turkey river, thirty miles below Prairie Du Chien. Their whole military strength is about 400 warriors.

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History of Vernon County, Wisconsin, together with sketches of its towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens, Part 45

Author: Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Springfield, Union Number of Pages: 814

Author:
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Springfield, Union
Number of Pages: 814