History of Vernon 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.

              94
HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY.
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 a hundred 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 coun¬ try then contained, as is supposed, about 5,000 inhabitants—that is south of the Wisconsin 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 1st of September, 1827, Maj. William Whistler, with government troops arrived at the portage (now Portage, Columbia Co., Wis.), and while there an express arrivejd from Gen. H. Atkinson, announcing his approach, and directing him to halt and fortify himself and wait his arrival. The object of the joint expedition of Gen. Atkinson from Jeff'erson Barracks below St. Louis, and of Maj. Whistler from Fort Howard, at Green Bay, was to cap¬ ture 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 country from opposite directions was well calculated to over-awe the disaffected among the Winnebagoes. These Indians w ere soon advised that the security of their people lay in the surrender of the murderers of the Gagnier family. Accordingly, Red Bird and We-Kaw were surrendered up to Maj. Whistler, at the portage and the Winnebago war was ended. The two Indians 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. Thoy 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 thepossession of the miners, in the lead region, to the general government. The Winnebagoes agreed to this. Madame Gagnier was compen¬ sated for the loss of her husband and the muti¬ lation 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 annum for fifteen years to be deducted from the annuity of the Winnebagoes.
DKKAURAY'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 afier the affair of the boats at the mouth of the Bad Ax river, seized an old Winnebago chief named Dekauray and four other Indians. The chief %as informed that if Red Bird was not giveri up within a certain time he and the others were to die in his place. This Dekauray 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 informa¬ tion was received of the murderers. The dread¬ ful day was near at hand, and Dekauray being in bad health, asked permission of the officer to go to the river and indulge in his long-accus¬ tomed habit of bathing in order to improve his physical condition, upon which Col. Snelling told him 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 priviliges un¬ til 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-