The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1871-08-24
SHAUBANEE, THE INDIAN CHIEF
TAIN.
BY HON. ANsoN S. MILLER.

From the July number of the ''Lakeside Monthly.
Memorials for the worthy dead ar
among the most grateful offerings Of thu
living. We have Just Witnessed beautiful
and impressive illustration Of this, in thu
sublime spectacle of national devotion OF
Decoration Day, when patriotic millions
through the breadth Of continent, gar
landed the graves of their fallen heroes
emblemized their love and admiration o
the gallant dead, and the cause for which
they yielded up their lives, by gifts 0
the seasons choicest flowers Such mani
festations of gratitude and affection en-
shrine the spirit OF patriotism in the
public heart, perpetuate the memory O
illustrous deeds, and excite tn life auC
power the ennObling emulation of excel
lence.
The renowned chieftair, the subject
of this article, was gener ,us and de
voted benefactOr to the frontier 1nhabi
tants of Illinois in times of danger and
distr, IS; and though born and bred in a
region hostile TO our country, and trained
up In early life to war against it, he be
came IL most reliable and efficient friend
OF the carly settlers In the West.
| Shaubanee* was a native of Canada, a
Pottawatomie Indian, born at an early
period in the American Revolution, pro
badly before 1880. The Pottawatomies at
that time had numerous bands and divis
ions, located in Canada, Michigan, Ohio
| Indiana, Illinois, and other states South
and west. They were powerful men, above
the ordinary size Of Europeans, exceed.
ingly athlethic and muscular, courageous
/ and formidable in war, and intelligent
above the average of their savage neigh
| bOrS
The Wat0mies, Menomonies, Sacs,
Foxes, Chippewas, Ottawas, Kickapoos,
Shawnees, and other tribes Of the West,
spoke dialects bearing strong resem
bIance, and having a common origin in
the old Algonquin tongue.
The PottaWatomies in Illinois, occupied
the region around Lake Michigan, and
on the Illinois and Fox Rivers, and south
OF this as far as Peoria, and west as far
as Rock river-that being the line be-
them and the Winnebagoes, who spoke a
dialect of the Sioux language. These
tribes, though near neighbors by posi-
ton, were in speech foreigners to each
other The Pottawatomies emigrated
from Canada at an early day in the his
tory of the Northwestern Territory, and
their tribes wer3 controlled by local
leaders. Big Thunder, a gigantic chief,
| lived on the Kishwaukee, and had his
seat at what is now the beautiful town of
BeIvidere. Caldwell and Robinson, in
telligent and judicious lalf-breeds, man
aged the affairs Of the tribe at and
around, the old French post of Chicago
and on the Des Planes river; and Shau-
banee as Peace Chief, and Wabaunsee as
War Chief, exerted their influence and
Authority generally over the different To-
calities
The Black Hawk disturbance became
serious in 1881, but was so IN temporarily
quelled. The war broke out in earnest
however, in 1882. Black Hawk-whose
Indian name was Mucata Muhicatah-
had been an associate of Shaubanee under
the great Tecumseh in the Indian wars of
the>South and in that between the Uni
ted States and Great Britain in 1912
He was an old warrior, nearly or quite
seventy years of age at tie time of which
we write, the indomitable chief of the
Sacs and Foxes "a man of lofty bearing
and great force of character, who had
| been engaged in war from his youth His
chief town, large one, had been located
on or near the east bank of the Mississip
pi, on or near the present site of the city
lof Rock Island; his town had been burn
ed, he and his tribe driven west of the
river,-his former home being claimed by
the United States, under treaty stlpula-
tions, which Black Hawk declared were
obtained from him by fraud and force.
In his contemplated raids against the
whites east of the Mississippi he had
hoped for aid from the Pottawatomies
and Winnebagoes, and had sent emissa-
ries to these tri bes to enlist them in his
enterprise. Urgent appeals were made
to Shaubanee by his old companion in.
arms, but in vain. A grand council OF
Pottawatomies was held on the Des
PLANES, few miles west of Chicago
and by the invitation of the chiefs, their
firm and judicious friend, Capt. George
E. Walker, of Ottawa, was present. Here
Shaubanee, Wabaunsee, Robinson, Cald.
well and Walker and Others denounced
the murderouS schemes of Black Hawk,
and the tribe resolved to keep peace with
the whites, and to aid them should hos.
tilities be commenced and at the close
of the council, one hundred braves, with
ShAubanee at their head, volunteered to
act under Captain Walker, shonld it be
come necessary for the protection of the
border settlements of Northern Illinois
These went to Dixon with Captain Walk
er, and rendered important service during
| the war. aHt ID 4gEH s3ue1 oWtv1xIs ~
Previous to the breaking out of the
war Shaubanee crossed the Mississippi
into Iowa, near the Des Moines river
where he had . long and serious inter.
view with Black Hawk. He besought
the chief to desist from his threatened