Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1861-01-24
Western Correspondence,


EDITOR FREEMAN Here, in the Old Prarle
du Sac Of the former maps, with the majestic
Wisconsin within fifty yards of my window
harrying on to pay its important tribute to the
Father Of Waters, eleven hundred and four
miles from Montpelier, and but one degree and
twelve minutes south Of it, | take up my pen
to commune half hour with the readers of my
old friend, the Green Mountain freeman.
The name Of this village and township was
derived from that Of the Indian tribe who were
found occupying it on the advent OF the whites
the SAes as the French and SArKs, as the
English wrote it. Thswas Black Hawk tribe,
who emigrated from the vicinity Of Quebec
soon after that city fell TO the English, at the
memorable battle which immortazed the name
Of Wolfe And his last stand for the defence
Of the beautiful valley which he had held in
sndisputed possession more than threoq quarters
OF a century, was made IN 1892, in battle
with the whites, fought on Il field almost in
sight Of the cosy cottage ia which an ojourn-
ing. The old Chief made resoute defence,
and there il still seen the high rock on which
he stood during the battle, regardless Of the
bullets that were thickly flying around him,
giving his orders to his dusky warriors and ex-
hortiug them to stand firm for the beloved
homes of their fathers But the bush trained
rillemen Of the border West were too much for
the red men, Leaving sixty eight of his war
riors dead on the field, while only two Of his
white foes were killed outright, Black Hawk
and bis followers fled for the Mississippi, where
he was taken prisoner and his tribe SO utterly
routed and broken upas to be known, as dis
tiuct people, no more forever.
After the triumphant close Of the Black
Hawk war, Wisconsin was rapidly settled, and
Sank valley, the central seat Of the power and
population Of that tribe soon became an at
trlctiye point for Eastern farmer emigrants,
and the cIanlsh Germans. u the Rhine, seeking
a home in the Great Wc, Of the New World.
And well might they all sok this productive,
warm and pleasant vail which, being eight
miles long BY five broad contains about forty
square miles Of aus lcrti prairie soil as the
whole West can boast while all around runs
line Of buls or hills, ir1u three To four
hundred feet high, extending around a bend Of
the Wisconsin river, on one side, and along
corresponding curve 81 a large tributary
stream on the other, s. as almost wholly to
break off the cold and cutting prairie winds,
which are the chief drawback to the cline Of
the Western country over this wide spread
and only slightly rolling prairie, before the
SHOWS came, a few days ago, have been de-
lighted to wander, here pausing to inspect the
curous-shaped, ancient Indian mounds, with
whie!i this valley especially ubound,, and here
turning into farm-hous to chat with one Of
the many Vermont farmers who have found
their way here, and from little or no property,
now own farms producing from one to three
thousand bushels of wheat per year, and now
steering off to some distant cops-wood to secure
for the morrow's breakfast, a chicken, from one
Of the hocks Of the wild poultry Of the prairie.
On one of these rambes, fell in with an in.
tcllgent young German, who took Inc to the
house to s-e his grandfather, who was long
member Of thc Imperial Guard of Napoleon.
fought in most Of Iii. great battles, and follow
ed him through bs disastrous campaign t.
/ Moscow at tlo ta4t.... ,r "A bi.l ln ,..ts ,.r..