The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1855-12-12
LOUISIANA WEDNESDAY,, DECEMBER II, 1866

FRONTIER LIFE THIRTr-FIvE YEARS AGO.
Upon the "Planet" lake Superior excursion we
met Mr. G. G. Trownbridge, Of Detroit, who,
among many facts connected with the Indians
of the upper country, related one which Goes
such honor to the courage Of general Cass that
we take the liberty of relatingit
In s2o an expedition under gen. Cassthen
territorial governor of Michigan, was made
along the shores Of lake Superior and the head
waters Of the Mississippi for the purpose OF
curbing the hostility then existing between the
different Indian tribes, and the cultivation OF
| amity between the Indiaes and the whites. Ii
was an expedition of over four thousand miles
in extent, and performed in bark canoes setting
out from Detroit General Cass's suite consls-
ted Of captain David B. Douglass, of the engi-
neers, Henry c. Schoolcraft, mineralogist,
Alexander Wolcott, physician, lieutenant Mac
kay, of the artillery, R. A. Forsyth, secretary,
James Duane Dotty, journalist, A. 4. Chase
and G. G. Trowbridge, assistants to captain D
At the Sault Ste. Marie the party entered into
negotiations with the Indians for the purchase
of a piece of land upon which the garrison now
stands. The lavish expenditure OF British mon
sy in the annual presentation of gifts to the ma
tives, and the niggardly policy of our govern
ment towards them had inspired the Indians
with respect for the one nation, and contempt
for the other. The war then lately closed, had
increased British influence to our injury, ana
the presence of British garrison on the Cana
dian side of the river was fountain OF bad
counsel of the red men, and a place of safety
in case of need. The feeling, therefore, OF the
Indians was not friendly towards this expedition
and the enterprise one of great danger
!. General Cass invited the chiefs to his tent,ln
the centre of which was pile of tobacco part
of which was to be smoked on the occasion, and
the residue presented to the Indians at the close
of the council The chiefs appeared en- cos
tune sans culottes, sans everything save the
s'breech.'
; The leader tall, muscular fellow of thirty
years, with the devil in his ugly face, was an
: exception He wore, beside the "breech cloth, =
a single eagles feather, gracefully attached to
the top of his head, red coat with narrow skirts,
and two gold epauettes of British ma jor gene
J ral "Unce Sam" dispensed no such tavors to
;, his red children. Governor Cass explained the
y object of his mission to be the cultivation o.
: friendship between them and their deadly Sioux
e enemies, and also between all the red children
II and their father, the president. To this end
g our government had planted military posts
|. among the Sioux on the Mississippi, and wished
i to do the same at that point The governor also
y explained that although by the treaty of Green
d vile the territory at the sault belonged to us
d it having previously been purchased Of thel
h fathers, once by the great king of the Wamile
e goshe, or Frenchmen, and subsequently by th'
A Sagenosh, or Englishmen-yet he was willing
!, to pay them, also for what he wished, name],
e parcel four miles square. ..
!, The chiefs were surly and taeiturn, and argu
le ment and coaxing were of no avail, and gov
re ernor Cass was compelled to tell them that a
S sure as the sun should rise on the morrow, S
'e surely should their great father, the presiden
g establish the proposed military post. The gov
y, ernor advised them to listen to friendly counst
OF and avail themselves of the last opportunity te
n obtaining compensation. Here the governe
We paused for reply, and ordered bis interprete
ne William Riley, to light the pipe. Havin
NO smoked thereof, it was offered to the chief w1
a refused it, and committed the grossest politics
n insult known to the savage code, by kickin
SIS over the pile of tobacco and rushing out wit
ng his train of chefains. .. ......-
or The Indians walked rapidly up the rive
Isl about half mile to rising ground where the
o. lodges were erected, and Immediately hoiste
r. in front of their camp large British flag. Th
us act was reported to governor Cass, who upo
he the instant, commanding none to accompan
him save the interpreter, walked rapidly int
sc the camp of these excited and now deadly sas
nd age red men, seized the British flag, threw
~ upon the ground, broke the staff, and ordere
as the interpreter to roll up the hag'an carry
'ss to the governors camp and told the 1ndiar
ne that if they dared repeat the insult he wou]
'ft fire upon him. The Indians stood amazed
"a the daring of the governor thus alone to ent
rs their camp and thus to threaten them, as tt
g. entire force cf his expedition consisted of e]eve
nd soldiers, twelve Canadian voyaguers, nil
us friendly Indians, two interpreters, suite
10 eight, and small escort, to that point of TWEEN
IL FIVE soldiers under lieutenant John Plerc
IN lbrother of the president
In ten minutes from the time governor Ca
- with such fearlessness carried from the camp
lie these warriors the flag, every woman and chi
od and their tent equlpage, were on their way
~ bark canoes from the Indian camp towards tt
70 British fort across the river, and gov. Johnst
~ =, informed the governor that an attack on tt
-. coming ight was planned by the furious wa
- riors. OF the nine friendly Indians, all (sa'
70 one noble fellow surrendered their arms al
W, resolved to remain neutral. The suite buckle
-, on their BELTS and armed to the teeth, were O
l., with their small band of soldiers, as dark
ho night as ever dragged its weary hours, in N
nd mentary expectation of the scalping knife al
f tomahawk of numerically superior force
he deadly sayages, fred by hatred and by the &c
af tainty of crushing their mortal fac at bio
os Day dawned fater sleepless night and th
r., ~ band of brave men were spared a scene Whit
,er would inevitably have cost many lives.
as Itwas subsequently ascertained thata delib
I'M rate plan had been formed for the massacre
be every one of governor Cass's party upon
ch entrance into the country, and that several hui
dred warriors were within call near the Sau
at the time of the council for that purpos
te, This plan was thwarted in part by the darir
I'M bravely of governor Cass on the occasion Of b
a perlous visit to their camp, and particular
as through the efforts of Mrs. johnson moth
ey of George Johnson, and daughter of the gre
he chief of lake Superior who passed the who
re of that fearful night with the hostile chiefs