Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1852-03-02
NE-GWE-GON-THE WING.

This splendid specimen of the aboriginal race,
many years resided at L'Arbre Croche, not ma
nv miles from Mackinac, where he died. He
was man of colossal stature and admirably
well proportioned. His muscular developments
indicated immense physical power. He was al
ways firm friend of the United States; faith
full among the faithless, was Ne-gwe-gon, the
old Chippewa Chief When nearly all the red
men of the west, had joined the lion standard of
England, and were fighting under the red cross
of st. George, Ne-gwe-gon was faithful still /;
one of his sons fell in battle.
After the Territory had fallen into the enc
mys hands, the old warrior, finding no use for
his war-club and Tomahawk, retired to his hunt
ing ground in the forest near LArbre Croche !;
there he hoisted his small American flag on a
staff near the door of his wigwam.
The British commanding officer, at Mackinac,
hearing that the American flag was flying there,
sent a subaltern officer and few soldiers to en-
quire into the affair and to bring the flag away !;
they landed, marched to the wigwam, and found
the old Chief alone, his people were out on
hunt. "Why is that flag here on British soil 2"
said the officer, it is mine," was the brief reply
Well, said the officer" none but the flag OF the
Saga-nosh (the BRITISH shall fly here, shall
take it away" "Ugh, will you," said the Chief,
he sprang to his feet, and strobe along, like
Roderc Dhu, to his flag staff, took down his
flag, wound it round his left arm, and drawing
his Tomahawk from his belt, lie gave three tre-
mendous ar-whoops, turned to the officer, and
with a voice of thunder, said, "Saga-nosh, Ne
gwe-gon is the friend of the Che-mo-ka-man,
(the big knives, as they call Americans), he has
but one heart and flag, if you take either, you
shall take doth"
The old Chief cast a glance to the forest to
see if his signal whoop was answered-the Off
Ger and his men looked disturbed-that signal
might soon rally a resistless band Of fierce war
riors, and George the Third might miss on his
muster rolls, the name of q valuable officer and
some brave soldiers in n fight in the Wilderness,
abouta piece of striped bunting" and thinking
"desertion the better part Of valor," he hastily
regained his boats and returned to Mackinac-
The brave old warrior re-hoisted his flag and
kept it flying till the end of the war.
Gen. Cass amply rewarded the old Chief for
his fidelity and courage, and annually, for many
years preceding the war, were two beautiful
bark canoes, filled with his people, and with the
Star Spangled Banner flying at the stern of each
canoe, seen breasting the pillows of Lakes Mich
igan, Huron and st. Clair, on their annual visit
to their Great Father at Detroit, which among
other valuable presents, never omitted two new
flags.
The Legislature of the State, in eighteen hun
dred and forty, named a county Ne-gwe-gon, in
honor of the old Chief, but the ever swelling.
tide of advancing pale faces, has rolled over the
home of the red warrior, the friend of our peo-
pie; and his name and his deeds are nearly blot
ted out forever
"No sound shall awake him to glory again"
Free Press.