Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1849-12-07

at the time The delay enabled them to get
ready for a desperate resistance, and the war.
riors, after capturing the horses of the slain
made off, without daring to assault the fort.
To follow up the events of this war: The
army had moved up as far as Fort Atkinson.
Getting short of provisions, Col. Dodge, with
several companies, was sent to Fort Winnie
bago for supplies. On his return, he struck
off towards the Rock River Rapins, IN order
if possible, to get scent of the Indians. He
struck on their trail east of the Crawfish. and
Immediately gave chase. He followed it di-
rectly west, crossing the Catfish near whore
the present bridge stands, over the hill and
across the ground now occupied by the CAPT
tol and public square. At the head of the
Fourth Lake he found an enc-lnpment thew
had left not many hours previous. Pushing
on some eight or ten miles, they overlook
and killed an Indian, and at the crossing a
little below Sank Prairie, they came up with
the main body. A battle Immediately took
place, in which fifteen Indians and one white
man were killed, and numbers on both sides
wounded. The battle of Bad Axe and sur
render of Black Hawk, soon after closed the
war.
In these details we have confined ourselves
as nearly as possible to occurrences within
the limits of Dane county. Our friend Brig
ham claims nothing on the score of military
service, although taking an active part in tho
trough and tumble" of the times. In 1896
the territory of Wisconsin was organized, elm
bracing the present state of Iowa, and the
northwest territory. He was elected mem
Der of the first Council-the sea. being first
held at Belmont, and the second one at Bur
lngton, Iowa. The district at that time COLI
sisted of the territory embraced in the present
counties of Grant, Iowa, Lafayette, Green,
and ,arf rs I II
same office in '38 and held four wears. The
district then consisted of the counties of Dane.
Green, Jefferson, Dodge, and Sank. Hi.
last election TO the Legislature, was at the
trSt session under the state constitation-tha
district being some dozen or sixteen towns
In the twenty odd years of Mr.. BIS resi-
dence IN this region, what wonderful chang
es have passed before him For several
years after his coming, the sayages Were sole
lords of the soil. a large Indian village
stood near the mouth of Token Greek; an
other stood on the ridge between the Second
and lhIrd Lake, IN plain view OF our present
location; and their wigwams were scattered
all along the streams, the remains Of their
gardens, &c, being still visible. Then there
was not a civilized village in the state, OF
any considerable size. When TIE capitol
was located here, he was tho nearest settler
to It-twenty-four miles distant He stood
on this ground before its selection as the seat
OF government was thought of, and from the
enchanting beauty of the spot predicted that
a village would be built here. Fort Winnie
bago was commenced in 1928 undo- the ST.
perintendence of Maj. Twiggs and Col. Har-
ney, and the protection it afforded greatly
promoted and extended Immigration. The
In-rollIng flood now exceeds 325, OOO-hund-
reds OF villages have sprung up--and every
thing has changed.-From being himself the
sole population Of Dane, he now counts hut
one IN $4,000. Nothing remains Of the In
dams but their graves. He has seen a saw
age people pass off the stage, and a civilized
one come upon it-and all with a rapidity
which must appear TO him like dream.
We have thus imperfectly sketched some
OF the incidents In the life Of the first settler
IN Dane, with brief statement of some of the
leading events which have passed in review
before him. Although gray hairs cover his
head, he still enjoys robust health, and his
straight form and elastic step shows that age
sits lightly upon him. We are inclined TO
attribute his exemption from the common ills
OF lite to the fact that he never sought an Of
nee, or sent a hungry man from his door
without food. He has large fund Of valua-
bic local history. with anecdotes of ''lang
syne worthy Of being preserved for future
d
the gentleman of the olden time, with a repu-
tation favorably as it is widely known
The people Of this county without distinction
OF party, we know will all unite with US in
wishing HIM many years yet Of health, pros
perisy, and happiness.
the narrative of these captives is one of the
most narrowing incidents of the war On the
2 lst OF May, 1882, the families of Messrs Hall
and Pettigrew were assembled at the house or
William Davis, in Indian Creek settlement The
first animation they had of danger, was the sud
den appearance at the gate of some seventy saw
ages, who rushed into the house and butchered all
It's inmates, men, women, and children 10 the
number of hfteen-sparing only these two sisters,
who were taken captiyes and delivered up as
above stated. They well treated, aside from
the hardshlps OF their rapid Journey. 1t seems
scarcely possible at this day that such tragedies
were enacted in this country only about seventeen
years ago.
William Force, one of the garrison who was
nassacred, had heavy gold watch, by which the
hours of standing guard were regulated At the
time ne was killed, II was in his pocket, and was
takcn-hls body and limbs being chopped in pie
res and scattered about on the prairie. A short
time after the fight at the ferry, Wallis Rowan,
who was trader residing at the head Of the
Fourth Lake, was out on the trail and picked I'D
I've OF elk IlulaH SADDLES, tne horses having given
out IN the retreat On coming up to the body of
hls savage. he found the prairie fire had passed
over 1t, consuming his pack and clothing The
watch of Force found in the aches and iden- |
ltied by Mr.. Brigham day or two after. Row
IN kept the watch over ten years before finally |
parting with il.
ATTACKING THE TELHsRAPE WIRKs-The |
Ieveland Herald gives the following amusing &C |
cunt of brush fellow had with the telegraph /
wires.
"One day last week denizen of Warrensville |
b.,h -l hna> 81 4