The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1854-05-13
m For the Minnesotian.
The &c One-Eyed Sioux"

In one of O series OF interesting HISTORICAL ar
ticles. in the course of publication in the Daily
Democrat, there is mention made of an "aged
Indian, with whom most of the old settlers are
familiar, by the name of Tah-mah-haw, whose
characteristics are one eye, and his always wear
ing @ stove-pipe hat. He is remarkable among
all the Sioux, and it is his greatest pride and
boast, that he is the only american OF his tribe
This explained by the fact, that in the war
with Great Britain in 1912, when the rest of the
Sioux sided with the British, and when Little
Crow, with JOSEPH Renville, led on war par
ty, he refused to participate, and joined the
Americans at st. Louis, where be was employed
by Gen. Clarke. He has now in his possession,
and carefully keeps commission from Gen.
Clarke, dated in 1914, as chief of the Sioux,
the commission says of the Red Wing band,
which was originally part Of wabashaw's
band"
Hoping that the following additional partic-
ulars will repay the perusal, have prepared
them for publication -
In the year 1915, when Saint Louis was less
populous than is now the city ofSaint Paul, the
Missouri Gazette, then weekly newspaper,
announced the arrival of a "One-eyed" Sioux,
with important information.
The year previous, when the country north
of the Illinois river was in possession of British
troops and their Indian allies he had departed
from ST. Louis OH an embassy of peace to his
fellow Dakotas After long and circuitous
route, taken for the purpose Of avoiding the
British, and visiting different Dakota bands he
arrived at Prairie du Chen, by the way of the
Missouri and aJaques rivers.
At that time there was at Prairie du Chen a
British fort, with force of about 200 regulars
and 600 Indians. The prominent officer there
was Dixon, whose official title was "Agent and
Superintendent of the Western nations" When
"the one-eyed Sioux" appeared in town, Dixon
ordered his arrest, pulled his bundle from him,
and made careful search of its contents. He
then asked the Indian from whence he came.
The reply was Ssint Louis" Knowing, then,
that he was friendly to the Americans, he con-
fined him in the Suard-house, and threatened
him with death if he did not abandon the cause
ofthe United States. But neither threats nor
force could abate the friendship of the Zone
eyed Sioux" and in despair he was released.
After this he passed some time in visiting the
bands of Sioux on the Mississippi, and in plead
ing the cause of the Americans.
Col. Dixon. about this period, appears to
have left the Prairie and joined the British
army at some point to the eastward-Mackinaw
believe. After his absence, the town was left
in charge Of the "Mackinaw Fencibles," COM
manded by Captain Dennis. About the middle
of June, Governor IClark arrived with gun
boats from st. Louis, and the British Captain
finding that the minds fthe Sioux had changed,
probably through the influence of the some
eyed" man, he ran off at the approach Of the
Americans.
On landing, the Americans took possession
OF the old Mackinaw House. where was deposit
ed nine or ten trunks of Colonel Dixon, con-
tanning many papers; among others, his jour-
nal, from which is the following extract -
ARRIVED from below few Winnebagoes, with
scalp (American) gave them five pounds of
tobacco, six pounds Of powder, and six bullets"
The Americans Immediately went to work,
and erected Fort Shelby, which had two block
houses in the angles, and another on the bank
of the river, connected by "ravelin.' Their
possession, however, was disturbed in less than
thirty days notice, and being overpowcred by
large force, they surrendered on the goth of
july 1914. On May "a, lsl5,-less than twelve
months after the British had taken possession
and named their fort "McKay,"-th news of
The treaty Of peace at Client had arrived, and
Captain Bulger determined to evacuatc.
After the soldiers had marched out. they set
fire to the fort, and left therein the American
flag. The "one-eyed Sioux" happened to be
an eyewitness and rushing in, brought out,
unshrivelled by the flames the American flag
After this he appears to have fastened to St.
Louis, and was received with much consdcra-
ton by those in authority.
With the wish that V. p. H. will continue his
Notes, am, for the present, o. p. ii.