The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1849-12-12


tors can tell of
T Their last battle was fought nearly
century ago. few mites below the fails
of ST. Maries, at point Iroquois, which il
named from the battle. A large war party
of .NadoacGys were encamped at this point,
who had procured some liquor of a pie-
neer white trader. A war party of Ojib-
ways happened to camp in the vicinity.
and hearing yelling and noise during
the night, discovered their drunken enc
mics. Waiting till they had fallen asleep,
the dread war whoop was raised, and the
attack made; but few escaped, and tbs
Nudoway men again sent a war party
against the Ojibways.
They tell Of warning and extermina-
ting tribe they call Omaumecs, who re-
sided in earth houses, about the Missis-
sippi, Mile Sac, and the country to tho
west of Lapointe. The remnants Of this
tribe were also incorporated in the tribe,
and the Marten Totem family are des-
ccnded from them.
The earthcrn mounds scattered abou;
this region On the Mississippi, Mile Sac
and ST. Croix, are said to have formed
the huts or wigwams of this tribe. The
word Omaumee, is akin to, or ike
sNoumee, the name of a tribe, residents
of Ohio State; it is possibly the same
spoken of here, and might, two or three
hundred years ago, have occupied Tie
country which the OjibYays conquered
from them
With the Kodugaumee, the Ojibways
also waged an discriminating war, pris:
oners were often tortured and burnt. the
flesh of the slain in battle was often eaten
IN triumph or revenge. This tribe re-
sided about the Wisconsin, Chippewa,
and St. Croix rivers. A large war party
once foated down into lake Superior,
and secretly landing on the island at night
laid an anbuscade. They took four
women prisoners the spot is still pointed
out where they were seized. The alarm
was raised by one who escaped, and the
densely populated town was soon in mo-
ton, numbers Of warriors jumped ipto
their canoes in pursuit of their enemies.
The lake was perfectly calm, and a dense
fog covered the atmosphere The Ojib-
rays caught up with the Kodugaumees
twenty-four miles from the island, and q
mile above the mouth of Montreal river.
where the shores of the lake were alb
rupt and rocky The attack was imme-
diately made. and the Ojibways having
large lake canoes, which sat firmly in
the water, had the advantage over their
enemies, who were in small inland ca
noes. The prisoners were rescued, and
the Kodugaumees killed to a man
This is the only naval engagement the
old men of the tribe tell Of ="
The hostile tribe once attacked VII
lagc or camp, about forty miles hp Inc
lake from Lapointe, called KGhpukrc,th-
ekGh; many were killed and two men
taken prisoners, one Of them, the only
and iavorite sen Of principal Ojibwdy
chief of the Soon Totem family.
The Kodugaumccs returned to their
villages in triumph, and made prepara-
tons to burn their prisoners: one of
whom, they wrapped in birch bark, which
is very combustiblc, and setting fire to
it, made him run the gauntlet till he died
For the chiefs son, large pile of iagots
was heaped up, which being set on FIRE,
/
While making these awful prepare
tons, while the women and children
were screaming in delight at the antici-
pated tortures Of the prisoners, the father
of the young man appeared to his sur
prised enemies, Having no time TO raise
a war party for the rescue. of his son,
his love for him, had induced him TO fol-
low the trail of his captors to either per-
ish with, or die for him.
He offered to take the place of his son
on the pile of burning fagots. MY son."
said he, els young andhas long life be-
fore him, he has not done you any injury,
but over the graves of my relations,
hangs the scalps of the Kodugaumees,
whom have killed in battle Take my
life and spare my son if you have fhe
hearts Of men,"
The old chiefs offer was taken, and
he died on the burning Goals to save ;he
life Of his beloved son. For this act, the
Ojibways exacted terrible revenge.
A large war party was collected, and six
villages of the Koduganmees were burnt
and dcpopulated. The power of the ma
ton was broke, and their hunting grounds
on the Chippewa and Wisconsin,, occuz
pied by the Ojibways, who have held
them 10 this day. The mounds scatter
ed through this region, are said to have
formed the wigwams of this tribe.
The last battle between the Ojibways
and kodugaumees and Foxes, was fought
about eight winters ago, on the ST. Croix
river; among the steep rocks and ravincs,
a mile below the falls on this river. The
Foxes were in coalition with the Sioux,
and numbered three or four hundred.
A portage is made OF this place, and
while the Sioux and Foxes were land
ing at the foot Of the portage, large
OJibway war party were landing above.
They met i'm the middle of the portage,
and fierce battle cnsued. The Foxes
confident in their bravery and prowess.
requested the Sioux to lock on merely,
and see them beat the Ojibscass. The