Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1864-08-17
From the s0th SE;steasin-Iuters>t;n.
Dae0lah Territory. Hoa
Correspondence oil the State Journal.
FoRT WADswoRTH, DAcorA TERprro-.


July 20, 1884
The 10th Wisconsin volunteers har;,
so long stationed at Camp Randall bod
ed many intimate associations. Our nov.
Lad become as familiar with you IS bo,,saL--,
words Those associations, we trus+
not yet lost their interest at home
the slightly overdrawn picture, I noticed :.
your paper, of the Suferinqs endurad =
portion OF our command on our trip bitber
am tempted to intrude myself on vour =.
tlenee' deemng that brief deserintion of
the LOCALITY OF the destined goal in the farce
land of the Dacotahs, to which tb, -,
of Major Clowney has Joined, will NOT -.
acceptable.
Fort Wadsworth is TO be located 90
point between As and 4O0 north Ia+itns.
and in longitude 970 west, amid clusta, os
beautiful lakes, laid down at random on the
maps, on the Coteau des Prliries. Ava~
from these lakes the country is bar. ar5
broken, tEasoil poor and rocky, the yerets-
ton consisting principally of stunted bQff,To
grass and the treacherous cactus plant Rnt
the cluster of little lakes away in amorr
these dry hills, surrounded by grassy, fertile
valleys, and small groves of stately trees
form enchanting pictures, fit scenes for the
inspiration of poet or painter. You, with
your beautiful lakes at Madison, NAV be able
to form some conception of the scere Fan
cy cluster of beautiful lakes. such as Lake
Mendoza, of clear, sparkling water, and a
beach of sand and gravel around the shores
the landscape dotted with every variety of
hill, valley, forest and prairie around nh.
margin, capes, p.omontorles ana peniusulas
covered with groves; islands rising IN r.,
oval forms from the centre, covered wish
trees and luxuriant shrubbery then. in tho
various windings and turnings in the Iah,-
rinth, one sees straits, harbors, bavs and
channels, all in miniature picture TIL.
effect of these isions of beauty is only
heightened by the uninviting wilderness sun.
rounding.
Ofmany of these Landscapes. ours is a chos
en- one. In beauty think it excels any
have seen, and as defensive position. when
fortified with proper care and guarded by
soldierly vigilance with suficiencv of store.
on hand, we think it NAV bid defiance to the
y hole Sioux nation, with their savage con
federates thrown in. We are on a table
land, nestled among cluster of these gems
of the desert, a little peninsula connected
with the main land by a strip of but few
rods wide. Our peninsula extends from
north TO south about the distance of a mile.
and from east TO west not quite half a mile.
for the fort A square, SIC feet deep by 6lo
feet wide, is to be occupied by the various
buildings of the fort, and outside of this
entertainments and rife-pits are being thrown
up.
The scenery on each side of Us is of char
acter previously described. Hills, valleys
groves and mild placid waters. Groves mar
rowing into thin strips, sometimes in straight
margins, at others crescent shaped, then
widening out into a broad belt.
From the point Of view occupied by our
company on the east, we behold a picture e1-
ceiling anything we have ever seen. At our
feet, separated by a steep grade, is a large
lake about quarter of mile distant, a strip
of timber extends out into the lake. In this
there is break about the centre revealing
another sheet of water beyond beyond this.
timber and water again thus continuing
succession of lakes, points, parks, and groves.
terminating in hills, in back ground, at
misty distance of Is miles
In the center of our parade ground, or
square to be enclosed by the fort, is a circu.
lar mound of proportions so uniform that one
would suppose them to be thr.wn up by the
hand of a gardner On this little mound o..
Cured the following little incident:
July 29tb, 1864
I-ha-o[ aw-jaw, chief of the Sissatoes Of
Lac Traverse Sioux, accompanied by a body
4uarU OF DFdNDN Geu men, dressed IN gautN
q, t re-some in buckskin hunting shirts, orua-
mented with fine bead work, some with red
blankets thrown around jheir bare shoulders:
some with red sashes wound around their
heads, others with antique head dresses. or
namented with feathers and other trinkets
pleasing to the eye of the savage. They rode
into camp in true military style alighted
from their ponies and were received in the
center of the camp ground by Major Clowny.
4 -laxr
Indians, Major, Adjutant and interpreter sat
down on grassy knoll, forming a little circle
on the ground. After sitting in grave silence
for few moments, the soldiers meanwhile
being kept at a respectful distance by the
guard, Chief I-ha-o-j jaw arose and ap.
preached the Major, shook him by the hand
likewise afterward the Adutant and interpre
ter. After the chief, each of the warriors
according to rank, arose successfully and
shook hands with the Major, Adjutant and in.
terpreter. The ceremony Of shaking hands
being ended, Iha-o. jaw jaw again arose, 8p.
preached the Major and made a speech as fol-
lows:
eve have never been as well satisfied as
now. Whatever happened below was not tie
work Of my band. We did not join in the
council to massacre the whites. We are not
responsible for it. Our fear of the conse-
quences of it drove Us away We hear thai
did not join in the former massacre, to hold
their former intercourse with the WHITES
This affords the great satisfaction | speak Of
We see you now, and it is like seeing our
Great Father. We are much pleased at the
meeting Our Great Father has very long
arm, and it has reached US here-we are III.
der its shadow to-day. We can only live
when under the influence of our Great Faith
ers hand. We look upon ourselves as the
people of our Great Father. The Indians Of
the Northwest have a difIculty-we are
| ready to espouse the cause of the whites. To
the Great Father, whose representative YOU
are to US we 60 for protection and care We
have been driven from our fields and hunting
grounds. We could not plant our corn-Te
| do not know how we to live through the
| coming winter. We wish this to be MADE I
known to our great father, that we suffer mol |
| and die not for want of food"
We were not present to hear the reply /
| the Major, but understood that I-ha-ojawJaF I
was promised protection and that his state
ment with regard to food should be sent
| the Great Father for consideration.
DACOTAH
] p S-Tha ridiculous picture drawn of or