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.

              468
HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY.
returned to their old flag, with the exception of one Sioux Chief, Hoo-pah En-du-tah, or Red Wing, who was the head of a large band, and a numerous family connection. He was famed, too, as a great prognosticator. After my repeatedly pressing the subject, he came to me one morning; and after the usual smoke, he took my hand. Then standing up, he addressed me by my Sioux name, saying :
"We-yo-te-hun, or Meridian Sun, I have had another dream. You know all the blood in my heart is English ; but I will not now fight the Big Knives (Americans). I have given to you my band, and my children. They, with all the other Indians, are your soldiers, and will fight for you ; but Red Wing will not raise his war- club. I saw the future in my dreams three times." He then took his seat, having evi¬ dently spoken in opposition to his outward man.
After another smoke, I said: " Will you tell me your reasons for your fixed and strange determination ? "
" Its no use," he said; " I have told you I will not now fight the Big Knives."
" Very well," I replied, " but I would like to know the reason for such action."
"I cannot and will not change my thoughts," answered Red Wing.
" Well, tell me why, and I'll say no more."
" You tell me," said the chief, " that the lion on this medal is the most powerful of all animals I have never seen one, but I believe what you say. This lion, like our tiger, sleeps all day; but the eagle, who is the most power¬ ful of birds, only sleeps at night; in the day time he flies about everywhere, and sees all on the ground. He will light on a tree over the lion, and they will scold at each other for a while ; but they will finally make up and be friends, and smoke the pipe of peace. The lion will then go home and leave us Indians with our foes. That is the reason for not tak¬ ing up my war club. Your enemies will believe me when I speak good  words to them."   And
so things turned out; we left them to care for themselves.
I had now about 5,000 Indians at my com¬ mand, and the least expensive troops known, for they fed and clothed themselves. I had now to look around, determine upon the means for defense, and drill the volunteers to the exercise of small arms. I had not the means, nor under existing circumstances would it be of any use, beyond guard-mounting, etc. If a force should be sent against us, it must be by water, and our dependence would rest on our artillery. I, therefore, selected the best men for the purpose. I, myself, at the head, and directing my bombardier to select two iron three-pound field pieces, and placing myself under his command, the drilling began. Our hearts were in the work. The words of com¬ mand were few, the manoeuvering for our pur¬ pose was simple. Twice a day, and four hours each time, under a broiling sun, was no boy's play. At the end of a week, half of the garri¬ son were well able to manage the guns,* but needed full practice, which I could not allow, as our stores were small. To keep up the ex¬ citement, we had sham fights twice a week, scampering over the prairie like so many real combatants.
In September, a Sauk Indian courier arrived, * by a short cut across the country from Rock River, informing me that eleven gun-boats had been seen some distance below that stream, making slow progress up the Mississippi, sup¬ posed to be designed for the re-capture of Prairie du Chien. I immediately got ready Capt. Graham and six sturdy volunteers, in two large wooden canoes, with a one-pound swivel, and some ammunition for the famous Black Hawk, who, with his warriors, was at the place of rendezvous, at the confluence of the Rock and Mississippi rivers. There for about four miles, is a very strong current, the navigable channel is narrow and very serpentine.
I he   obstruction  at this  point   causes   the water to flow about two feet deep, over a gravel