St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-02-14
AN INDIAN REMOVAL.
Gen. johnson Recalls Some Inter-
esting "Reminiscences of Early
HISTORY

originally occupied the country now
covered by the state of Iowa, but their
lands were too rich and fertile TO re-
| main forever uncultivated, and hence
| these once powerful tribes were re-
moved west or the Missouri. The
climate was was inhoSpitable and the
game scarce. There is something
pleasant in the memories of home.
| There our ancestors lived and died and
there their precious dust reposes within
| the quiet walls or some cemetery, or
under the shadow of some ancestral
tree. and it is there that we hope some
| day 10 return and again become
| familiar with the scenes of
our childhood A few years since l
| visited my old Kentucky home where j
was born and, although more than fifty
years had passed since left it, and L
was the only living representative of
those who made up that once happy
home, it was still among the pleasant
trips Of my life. 1t was pleasant to look
upon the old oaks under whose branches
| | had made mud pies when little boy,
| to drink from the same spring at which
l had so often quenched my thirst and
which burst forth from the foot of
hill, the overflow forming little creek
that like a serpent wound its way
! through the old meadow now covered
| with dense heavy growth of timber.
| Look where | would there was some
thing 10 recall the blended m emories of
| Joy and of hallowed sadness.
The Indian, being human, his heart
| is Influenced by the same sentiments,
| the same emotions which move our own.
| Is it strange. then, that he should have
| the same longing desires that we have?
Is 1t not reasonable that they should
at times wish to return to the home of
their childhood; to see the graves of
| their ancestors and of their own chill
| Gren; to drink from the same pure
fountains, and to visit old and familiar
| places where they enjoyed the happy
days of childhood?
Moved possibly by these considera-
| tons, parts of these tribes returned to
! Iowa and encamped near the village of
| Marengo. 1t IS possible that they COM
mitted some depredations while in
search OF food. Complaint. at all events.
was made against them, and the war
department was requested to cause
| their removal from the state. A COM
mand was organized at Fort Smelling,
and Breyet Major Samuel Woods was
designated as commander. 1t was COM
posed of one company Of dragons and
two of Infantry, one of which L com
manded.
Col. John II. Stevens, now of Mime
| apOlis. accompanied the command as
| euartermaster and commissary. This
| command was moved by boat to Mus
! catine, thence by easy marches to the
camp Of the Indians. The steamer
| Highland Mary, Capt. Atchison COM
/ mander, was chartered for the purpose
| of transporting the troops. The COM
mand left Fort Smelling about May IA,
| 1850. The river was very high, and |
remember that when the boat was
| pushed from the shore it passed over
Faribaut island, upon which there must
have been not less than ten feet of
water. On the way down the captain
take a whisky sour" 1t is unneces-
sary to say anything about my "sur-
rounding the sour" he did, and as he
set his glass down on the counter he re-
marked, Il must stop drinking sours.
| for the cholera is raging in st. Louis
| and / may fail a victim to it," Sure
enough it was his last trip, as he died
on board his boat soon after reaching
st. Louis.
At Muscatine our efficient quarter
master had already provided transporta
ton, and we took up our line of march
for Marengo, passing through Iowa
City, at that time the capitol of the
state. When our command was within
a days march of the Indians they broke
camp and scattered. Runners were
sent to them, and they were invited to
come in and have friendly talk" but
they declined. Finally two citizens of
that country agreed to gather them in,
and take then. beyond the Missouri at
The rate of $3.50 per head. As this was
cheaper than the government could do
it, Maj. Woods closed the contract,
which was fully carried out. One Of
these contractors was named Greeley,
the name of the other l do not now re-
member. If these men are alive it is
due to them at this late day to say that
their contract was honestly executed.
and that their hands were not stained
by corruptly receiving from the gov
eminent more than was fairly and hon
estly due them. Under orders from the
war department. Woods was directed to
establish permanent post at or near
the mouth of the Lizard Fork Of the
DeS Moines. He moved his command
to the point indicated, and began the
erection of the post which he DESIGNATED
as Fort Clarke, in honor of Gen. Clarke,
the department commander. The name
was subsequently changed to Fort
Dodge, as compliment to one of Iowa's
senators. The post has long since been
abandoned, and on its site has grown
up the beautiful and Furnishing city
which bears the name of the old post.
About Sept l, 1850, the company under
my command was ordered back to Fort
Smelling, and 1 accompanied it. and
have never been in that part of the
country since; l remember what a
beautiful country surrounded the post,
the richness Of the soil and the
splendid grass on the prairies
were everywhere noticeable. L re-
call the fact that a Mr.. Williams, of
Marengo, took the contract to furnish
the hay required by the government at
$3.50 per ton, and that he procured the
most OF it on the site of the post. The
Lizard Fork and the Des Moines river
were filled with fish which not only fur
nlShed the finest sport, but Supplied our
tables with the very best. The nearest
postoffice was at 4 ort Des MONIES, about
eighty miles distant, to which point we
sent for Our mails and drew our sup
plies. | remember that it rained almost
every night. but about daylight the
clouds would disappear and the sun
would shine brightly all day. These
nocturnal rains were usually accom-
panied by heavy winds. by which the
tent of our good-natured doctor was in
fussy Irishman, who when rushing
around in his robe de mutt made as
much noise as half dozen caliopes. He
could not understand why his tent
should be blown over every night while
mine, only few feet away from his.
should weather every storm, but 1 had
an idea that the men who pitched his
tent put up a job on him." as they
rather enjoyed his discomfort.
Of all those who were at the estab-
llshment of this post, only two are
known to be above the sod, Col. John
II. Stevens, the veteran editor of Min
neapolis. and the writer of this article.
this expedton nave was Dee erg as s HE
bsundless. uninhabited prairies which
surrounded US On all sides have re-
spoEded to the touch of industry and
enterprise, and produce not only enough
for home consumption, but surplus suffi-
Gent to feed the hungry of all Europe.
West of Fort Smelling there were no
| settlements. The fOuriShing city of