The Hawk-eye and Iowa patriot. (Burlington, Iowa) 1839-1843, 1839-10-31

Rpunge the SANDER through the columns OF
the. Hawk-Eye. The variation in the
numbers killed was an exaggeration thai
we fell into through the statements Of 9th.
.ers, and we are very glad to learn, off.
cially, the exact number and that there
was no more bloodshed.
N. w. AGENCY, ST.. Peters }
Iowa Territory, Sept. %, 1889. 5
70 the Editor Of the Burlington Patriot,
SIR-In the Globe Of the 10th Of Au-
gust past have seen with surprise, and
equal regret, an article headed "Horrid
Massacre-Two hundred, and fifty In
dams killed. and this paragraph copied
from the patriot Of the 25th of July
from reports by others. 1t is not unim.
portant to correct error where it is likely
to prove prejudicial to a people, who have
unfortunately been too long unjustly, and
4 +.
contemporary spoken Of and their acts,
active, OR passive misrepresented wheth-
er from motives mlschieyous, or other
erwlse shall not here pretend to say, but
only desire to be permitted to remark
that IN the two separate conflicts of the Sd
of July last, near Rum Rirer and on Lake
St. Croix the number Of Chippewas kill
ed were rated in my official report to the
Department at l2i--and more recent in
formation reduces this number to lO4, and
not $50 as your informant was induced
to believe. Every exertion was made to
prevent by repeated expresses the Chip
pewas from visiting this Post, but they
did come and during their stay Of several
days entered into social, and unrestrained
intercourse with the Sioux, and formed a
truce for one year at this office. This
truce was unhappily broken on the I'd of
July By the thippevas, who killed high.
ly esteemed Sioux near the Mission Sta
ton at Lake Harriet and it was for
tits cause alone that the unfortunate rup-
ture occurred between these tribes, and
but for the murder of the Sioux indian
before stated, the catastrophe would not
have been Photographed for public COM
ment-on this you, and the people may
safely rely.
For upwards of tpenty gears now past
of my official connection with the .'Daco-
ta' Nationit has been happily spared our
frontier people to feel their force, and yet
the poor Siou1 are thought so cruel '.we
do. not much wonder at the hGstiluy of
the Sauks and Fores, if this latter tribe
has always been as treacherous as they
were on the above occasion. '--Sir--the
occasion, and the circumstances, and facts
of the transaction with the exception of
MIR Gears letter published in the Galena
Gazette) all other statements are, fabulous
as far as | have seen.-As Agent for In.
dian Affairs at this Post it was my fate at
the start to be thrown into the breach be-
tween two old contending tribes whose
inherent hostility and spirit of war is be-
yond the recollection of their Oldest men
land for fifteen years whilst there were
no restr. ctions opposed to the free inter-
course of these people. My exertions in
maintaining the peace were not at all times
with success. No men ever
went greater lengths, in fact extremes in
order to put down blood shed on this from
tier, than the late gallant Smelling, and my
humble self:
l appeal to the Gentlemen of the 9Th
Infantry who were with their Regiment
near this Agency in May 1927, to say if
my course in turning over two Sioux to
be shot in connection with two others pre-
yiously given over and executed by order.
of the Commanding Officer for an unpro-
voked attack upon an Encamplnent of.
Sandy Lake Chippewas near my resi-
dence-was promptly carried into execu-
ton, and for the truth of the statement
now at this date recorded for the informa-
.ion of the skeptical, or for those who
may doubt, or have doubted the part which
it was my painful duty to act in the un-
fortunate occurrences Of the period refer.
red to, and at time Of much difficulty.
and danger.
| never laid claim to the idea that per
lection could be brought out of cltaos-for
as long as there remains distinct tribes
there must exist distinct interests, Ian
guage, and feelings and uars the result as
with more civilized nations. Minds, and
opinions conflicting as they are at every
point, on which humanity is suspended,
must necessarily lead to results as oppo-
site in effect as lieht is from darkness