The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1872-06-13


disadvantage to them, and added to their
being 20 greatly encountered, and their
complete surprise, threw tho odds in favor
Of the Ojibwas. Disposing Of their ,wom-
en- and children as we'll as they could, the
Sioux made the best defense which they
could under the circumstan oes, aud .
bloody fight ensued. All attempts Of the
Sioux to dislodge their antagonists were
unsuccessful, and the battle ragged from
in tho afternoon until the shades of night
fell, concealing the combatants from
each other, when the Oj;bwas, satisfied
with what they had accomplished, drew
off, taking with them the heads Of their
comrades = no had been killed to prevent
their 81 c.",es iioa sec >tiUg the scalps
In Dis fght y anndieu of the Sioux, in
es': ;''3 men and women and children,
~srs killed, and twenty-five out of the
forty attacking Ojibwas shared the same
fate. From this battle East and West
Battle Lakes, the scene of the occurrence,
took their names, and the mounds Of earth
now covered with grassy sod, thrown up
by the Ojibwas in entrenching them
selves, still mark the spot.
Concerning the origin of this long stand
ing fued between these tribes, the Indians,
hereabouts, have the following traditions ::
Many, many years ago, when the Sioux
and the Ojibwas were at peace with each
other and the adjacent tribes, and before
the white man had obtained any foothold
In this part Of the North West, the head
quarters Of . large band Of tho Sioux was
at Lesoh Lake, now the head quarters of
Chippewa reservation. and another large
band of the 0jibwas haa their head quarters
at Big Sandy Lake, not very far from the
Sioux. Hunting grounds were common,
the pipe Of peace was smoked regularly,
and friendly intercourse and mutual hos
pitality reigned. 1t so happened that Wa
neh.tab, renowned young Sioux Warrior
and the son ola powerful Sioux chief, in
one Of his friendly visits to the .Ojibwas,
became euamored Of = fair maid Of the
forest, = daughter Of ono Of the Ojibwa
chiefs, and made overtures to her father
to secure her hand in savage wedlock.
The admiration was mutual, and the beau
tiful Oj'bws maiden became the bride of tho
Sioux warrior, her father willingly giving
bis consent, seeking thus TO more firmly
cement the friendly relations then exist
ing between the two tribes, and little
thinking that out Of this very affair was to
grow bitterness Of feeling which was to
cost 50 many lives, Wah-neh:tah and his
bride returned to tho lodges Of the Sioux,
and the friendliness Of feeli ng between the
tribes seemed for time to constantly in
crease in strength. But before many
moons had waxed and waned tho demon
Of jealousy entered the breast Of wah-neh-
tab, and persuaded him that his new
made brides affections were not, wholly
his own. Whether this grievance was
real or fancied the result was the same.
and Wah-neh:tah became harsh and un-
kind. and finally cruel, to her who had
forsaken kindred and people for his sake.
This treatment Of the Ojibwa maiien came
to tho ears Of her friends, who 81 mpathized
with her, and when she complained that
her treatment was such that she could
bear it no longer, . party Of Ojibwss, un-
der the leadership Of Yellow Snake, q then
noted ojibwa chief went to her rescue.
Wsk-neh-tah, when ont on hunt, away
from the main body of his tribe, was sur
prised, and though no blood was shed, the
woman was taken from him and returned
to her tribe. The hot blood of Wah.neh-
tab could not brook this insult, and he de-
termined that he would be revenged. Ac-
companied by some picked braves, he
surprised a small party Of unsuspacting
Ojibwas. and murdered and scalped them.
Retaliation followed, and thus began en-
nifty which resulted in many bloody fights
and in the driving of the Sioux far to tho
south and westward, none Of them now re-
naming within the boundaries of this
State, except few friendly Sioux in the
southwest portion of the State, and to
whom this traditional hatred does not ex.
tend.