Thibodaux minerva. [volume] (Thibodaux, La.) 18??-1858, 1855-10-06
accidents of Frontier-35 Years Ago.

In the Michigan Journal" OF the 18TH ult.,
we find the following narrative, which we have
never met with before embracing stirring incidents
If border history in which it will be the pre-
sert venerable Senator from Michigan bore re-
sponsible and hazardous part:
From the Cleveland Herald.
Upon the "Planet" Lake Superior Excursion
We met Mr.. G. C. Trowbridge. of Detroit, who
among many facts connected with the Indians OF
the upper country, related one which does such
honor to the courage of Gen. Cas- that We take the
liberty of relating it.
In 1920 an expedition under Gen. CasS, then
Territorial Governor of Michigan, was made along
The shores of Lake Superior and the head-waters
If the Mississippi for the purpose of curbing the
hostility existing between the different Indian tribes
and the cultivation of amity between the Indians
and the whites 1t was an expedition Of over four
thousand miles in extent and performed in bark
canoes. setting out from Detroit Gen, Casss suits
consisted of Capt David B. Douglass, of the En-.
oneprs: Henry c. Schoolcraft, Mneralogist; Alex.
Wocott, Physician; Lieut.. Mackay, Of the Artil-
,ary: X. A. Forsyth Secretary; James Duane
Doty Journalist; A. R. Chase and c. C. Trow-
bridge, Assistants to Capt. D.
At the Saut Ste Marie the party entered into
negotiations with the Indians for the purchase of
piece Of land upon which the garrison now stands.
The lavish expenditure Of British money in the
annual presentation Of gifts to the natives, and the
negardIy policy Of our Government 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 and the presence Of British garrison on the
Canadian 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 In
dams was not friendly towards this expedition, and
the enterprise was one of great danger.
Gen. Cass invited the chiefs 10 his tent in the
centre Of which was a 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- costume, sans
culottes every thing save the breech cloth.
The leader, tall, muscular fellow of thirty
years, with the devil in his ugly face, was ex-
ception. He wore, beside the "breech CLOTH" a
single eagles feather gracefully attached to the top
of his head, red coat with maroon skirts, and
two gold epaulettes of British Major General
t'Unce Sam dispensed no such favors to his red
children Gov. Cass explained the object OF his
mission to be the cultivation of friendship between
them and their deadly Sieax enemies and also be-
tween all the red children and their father, the
President To this end our Government had plant
ed military pests among the Sioux on the Missis-
sippi, and wished to do the same at this point
The Governos also explained that although by the
treaty OF Greenvile the territory at the Saul be-
longed to us--it having previously been purchased
of their fathers, once by the great King of the
Wamiiegoshe, or Frenchmen, and subsequently by
the Sageaesh, Or EnglshneA-yet he was willing
to paw them also fer what he wished, namely, a
parcel four miles square.
The chiefs were surE and taciturn, and argument
and coaxing were of no avail, and Gov. Cass was
compelled to tell them that as sure as the sun
should rise on the morrow so surely should their
great father the President establish the proposed
military post The Governor advised them to
listen to friendly counsel and avail themselves Of
the last opportunity for obtaining compensation
Here the Governor paused for reply, and ordered
his interpreter, William Riley, to light the pipe
Having smoked thereof it was offered to the chief,
who refused 1t and committed the grosset political
insult known to the savage code by kicking over
the pile of tobacco and rushing out with his train
of cheffains.
The Indians walked rapidly up the river about
half a mile to rising ground where their lodges
were erected, and Immediately hoisted in front OF
their camp large British flag. This act was
ported to Gov Cass, who upon the instant, COM
mandirg none to accompany him save the inter-
prefer, walked rapidly into the camp of these ex-
cited and now deadly savage red men, seized the
British flag, threw it upon the grepnd, broke the
staff and, ordering the interpreter to roll up the
tag and carry it to the Governors camp, told the
Indians that if they dared repeat the insult he
would FIRE upon them. The Indians stood amazed
ct the daring OF the Governor thus alone to enter
their camp and thus to threaten them, as the ELI
tire force Of his expedition consisted of but eleven
soldiers, twelve Canadian voyageurs, nine friendly
indians, two interpreters, suite Of eight and 4
small escort to that point of twenty-five soldiers
under Lieut.. John Pierce, lbrether Of the Pres
ident.)
In ten minutes from the time Gov. Cass with
such fearlessness carried from the camp of these
warriors the flag, every woman and child and their
tent eqeipase, were on their way in bark canoes
from the Indian camp towards the British fort
across the river, and Geo. johnson informed the
Governor that an attack on the coming night was
planned by the furious wsrriors. Of the nine
friendly Indians all (save one noble fellow sur
rendered their arms and resolved to remain neutral
The suite buckled on their belts, and, armed to the
teeth, were out with their small band of soldiers
as dark night as ever dragged its weary hours,
in momentary expectation Of the scalping knife
and tomahawk of numerically superior force of
deadly savages fred by hatred and by the certainty
Of crushing their mortal foe at blow Day dawn
ed after sleepless night and this band of brave
men were spared scene which would inevitably
have cost many lives a9 A
Il was subsequently ascertained that deliberate
p1aA had been formed for the massacre of every
enc Of Gov. Casss party upon its entrance into the
country, and that several hundred warriors were
within call near the Saul at the time of the council
for that purpose. This plan was thwarted in part
by the daring bravery Of Gov Cass on the occasion
Of his perlous visit to their camp, and particularly
through the efforts ef Mrs. johnson, (mother Of
George johnson and daughter of the great chief
Of Lake SUPERIOR who passed the whole Of that
fearfu! night with the hostile chiefs in unremitted
efforts to dissuade them from their blood thirsty re-
solution From. an exceedingly interesting daily
journal # that remarkable canoe expedition along
the hunting grounds Of untameable eavages, kept
oy Mr. Trowbridge, We copy an entry made on the
morning OTTER the expected attack. In speaking
q the friendly interference of Mrs. johnson the
diary says: " "a ssa p - ~
" This influence and the courage that never knew
fear on the part Of our chief has saved probably
hundreds Of lives, and given US peaceable entrance
to country whose territory skirts an inland sea co-
extensive with the Baltic, and which must before
long be added BY cession to the millions upon mil
hons Of acres already composing Uncle Sans farm
We shosld have before mentioned that on the
allowing afternoon council was held, the amende
honorable made, and the treaty signed.