“Sir:–I have the honor to report to you that, agreeably to my intimation to you, I visited the village of Sac Indians near this place yesterday for the purpose of persuading off the Winnebago Prophet and some young men of his band whom I knew had previously been there, and, I believe, with an intention to support the Sac Indians. I found that the Prophet had just left there for his village, which is within my agency upon Rock River, and although he had previously promised that he would return home and remain there, I have reason to believe that his object is to get as many of his band and of the other bands of the Winnebagoes (who reside at Rock River, within my agency) as he can, for the purpose of joining the Sacs and of supporting them in their present pretensions. “I have recently been at some of the principal villages of Winnebagoes within my agency, and have ascertained from unquestionable authority that, although they had been invited to join the Sacs, they had refused to do so. I think it will be prudent for me to follow the Prophet, to prevent him from influencing any of the Indians up the river to join him. Should I, however, find that any of the warriors have left before my arrival amongst them, I will (if you think it best) return immediately to this place, bringing with me three or four influential chiefs who can be relied on and who will, with my assistance, I think, be able to control them. “In my opinion there are at least 400 warriors at the Sac village which I visited yesterday, apparently determined to defend themselves in their present position. On the receipt of your letter of the 4th instant, I immediately hastened to this place with a view to give you the most satisfactory information upon the subject of it and tender my services in any way you may think useful. “I am, respectfully yours, “HENRY GRATIOT, Sub-Agent, etc. “MAJ.-GEN. GAINES.” ----- Footnote 54: Annals of the West, Perkins & Peck Edition, pp. 713, 795. Footnote 55: U.S. Stat., p. 223, and comment in above Annals, p. 796. Footnote 56: U.S. Stat., p. 229. Footnote 57: U.S. Stat., p. 272. Footnote 58: Vol. 5, Wis. Hist. Colls., p. 130, _et seq._ Footnote 59: P. 143, above. Footnote 60: Vol. 5, Wis. Hist. Colls., p. 144. Footnote 61: Vol. 5, Wis. Hist. Colls., p. 147. Footnote 62: Annals of the West, pp. 796-7; Brown’s Hist. of Illinois, p. 357. Footnote 63: December 24, 1811; January 11, 1812, and December 10, 1814. Footnote 64: Peck’s Gazeteer for 1825. The land was surveyed in 1815 and 1816.