Fifty Years In The Northwest: With An Introduction And Appendix Containing Reminiscences, Incidents And NotesFolsom, William H. C. (William Henry Carman)
History
Fifty Years In The Northwest: With An Introduction And Appendix Containing Reminiscences, Incidents And Notes
Folsom, William H. C. (William Henry Carman)
Minnesota -- History; Wisconsin -- History
In 1840 Jeremiah Russell, the Indian farmer at Pokegama, Pine county,
Minnesota, sent two Chippewa Indians to St. Croix Falls for supplies,
who arrived in safety. A band of fifty Sioux Indians were concealed at
this (St. Croix Falls) settlement for some days. Within an hour after
the arrival of the two Chippewas, the settlement was surrounded by
these Sioux. The whites, seeing that trouble was brewing, secreted the
Chippewas for two days, the Sioux closely watching. The white men were
restless, and afraid to go to work. Capt. Frazer, Rev. Ayers and
myself held a council and explained the situation to the Chippewas,
who replied that they would not expose the whites to trouble. They
resolved on leaving and started in open day north over the trap rock
ridge, thence through the bushes, where they discovered two Sioux. The
Chippewas were armed and fired on the Sioux, killing them instantly.
The Chippewas then started to run. The report of the guns brought
squads of Sioux immediately in pursuit, who, firing on the Chippewas,
killed one. The two dead Sioux were sons of Little Crow. They were
placed by the Sioux in a sitting posture, with backs to a tree, facing
the enemy's country, on the second bench near where the mill dam was
subsequently built, a double barreled gun standing on the ground
between them. They decorated the corpses with war paint, ribbons and
mosses. The two Chippewas who killed Little Crow's sons bore the
titles Julius and Wezhaymah. The Sioux in pursuit killed Julius, and
his head was hung up in a kettle before those he had slain. His body
was chopped in pieces and scattered to the four winds.
From an historical letter, written by Mrs. E. T. Ayer, who lives at
Belle Prairie, Minnesota, and whom we have elsewhere mentioned, we
have the following description of the death of the sons of Little
Crow:
"Julius was of medium height, stout build, very neat, and when in full
dress very few Indians would favorably compare with him. Being a good
hunter he had the means of gratifying his taste. His hair was long and
abundant, and was kept clean and shining by the frequent use of comb
and brush, with the help of a little marrow or bear's oil. Three or
four of his numerous long braids, studded with silver brooches, hung
gracefully on both sides of his face and over his arms--the rest of
his dress in a manner corresponding. His hair, like Absalom's, did not
save him from his enemies. The Dakotas may dance around it for
generations and never see its equal.
"Wezhaymah made his appearance at Pokegama. As he drew near the houses
he gave a salute from his double barreled gun. The Ojibways were much
frightened. They believed the Sioux had returned to make another trial
for scalps and plunder. The first impulse of the women was to hide.
The chief's wife and oldest daughter being at the mission house, went
through a trap door into a dark cellar. But when the supposed dead
stood before them, alive and well, there was great rejoicing.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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