Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1891-06-25


Ojibways extended their territory from
their ancient island home at La Poin tie,
and about the close of the eighteenth
century secured possession of the beau
tlful grounds about the head waters OF
the Wisconsin and ChippeWay Rivers.
Through the efforts of the famous
trader, Michael Cadotte and a hunter
named La Rogue, peaceful relations were
established between the Lac de tlam-
beau and the WaDOSa and Red Wing
Dakotas, who pitched their winter hunt
ing camps on the lower course of the
Chippeway River.
The relat O1s between the two camps
were very cordial during the winters
hunt, but when summer came, and the
warriors were no longer engrOSsed in
hunting for pelts, they inevitably put on
the war paint and hunted for each 9th
er's scalps, with even greater fervor than
they had exchanged cOurtesies while in
winter camp.
When the hunting season came again.
all the disagreeable events of the sum-
mef would be thrust aside, and the
Dakotas and Ojibways would hunt on the
same grounds.
In one of these famous summer bat
ties the Dakotas killed a faVorite rela-
tive Of "Bg Ojibway," war chief Of the
Lac de Flambeau OjibWays. He an
nounced his determination to have re-
vcnge and twenty three faithful warri-
Ors took the trail under his command.
AS they did not succeed in finding any
Dakotas in the Upper ChippcWay cOun-
try. they passed down that stream to
where it Cmpties into the Mississippi
There their quest was more than salts
fed, for the western bank Of that great
river was spotted with the lodges Of
their enemies, and they listened in am
bush, to the wild music of the Dakota
war dance.
Leaving scouts at the immediate june
tiOn of the rivers, the main body Of the
Oiibways returned a short distance up
the Chippcway, and secletcd themselves
in a thick wood that came close down to
the rivers edge,
The scouts soon brought word that
200 Dakota warriors were crossing the
Mississippi to go up the Chippeway.
For party of twenty three to attack
a band of 200 was a desperate under
taking, even in Indian warfare. Real
ling this, "Big OjibWay" gave any Of
his followers who did not wish to Join in
SO hazardous an enterprise opportunity
to withdraw, but none of the warriors
WOuIu leave MN, Wu6u tucy COuiO LOJ De
disSuaded from the attack.
The old chief planned that his braves
cOu.d pick off twcnty-three of the Dako-
tas' leading warriors at the first volley
and then make successful flight before
the Dakotas recovered from the surprise
Of the attack sufficiently TO reach shore
and ovcrtakc them. The first big Glib
ways" plan was successful and the re-
treat might have been as successfully
executed as the attack if the chief had
not been SO big. Unfortunately he was
quite rotund and was easily Out>tripped
by his fleeing warriors and pursuing
enemies.
But he was as magnanimOuS and brave
as he was portly. On seeing that escape
for himself was hopeless, he urged his
warriors, who had slackened their pace
preparatory to rallying around him, to
leave him and save themselves, telling
them that he had a prcsentment in a
dream OF his approaching death His
warriors left him most unwilllngly, and
would have scarcely made good their es-
cape had it not been for the quick fore
thought and strategy of their doomed
chief, an account Of which was after