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
The missionaries seeing from their windows quantities of bloody flesh
upon stumps in the battle field, thought surely that several of their
friends had fallen. It proved to be a cow and calf of an Ojibway. The
mission children were much frightened and asked many questions, and
for apparent safety went up stairs and were put behind some well
filled barrels. In the heat of battle two Ojibways came from the
island and landed in front of Mr. Ayer's house. They drew their canoe
ashore and secreted themselves as well as the surroundings would
permit. Not long after three Sioux ran down the hill and toward the
canoe. They were fired upon and one fell dead. The other two ran for
help but before they could return the Ojibways were on the way back to
the island. Not having time to take the scalp of their enemy, they
hastily cut the powder horn strap from his breast, dripping with
blood, as a trophy of victory. The Sioux drew the dead body up the
hill and back to the place of fighting. The noise ceased. The battle
was over. The missionaries soon heard the joyful words, quietly
spoken: "We still live." Not a warrior had fallen. The two school
girls who were in the canoe at the first firing in the morning were
the only ones killed, though half the men and boys in the fight were
wounded. The Sioux women and boys who had come with their warriors to
carry away the spoils had the chagrin of returning as empty as they
came.
The Ojibways were careful that no canoe should be left within reach of
the Sioux. From necessity they took a canoe, made by Mr. Ely, and
removed their dead two miles up the river, dressed them (seemingly) in
the best the party could furnish, with each a double barreled gun, a
tomahawk and scalping knife, set them up against some large trees and
went on their way. Some of these articles, including their
head-dresses, were sent to the museum of the American board, in
Boston.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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