The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-09-28
KEOKUK
The Most Magnificent Indian Chief in
America.

lilies, their country, and their homes,
Make me your war Chief" he ex
claimed. Let your young men follow
me, and the pale-faoes shall be driven
back to their towns. Let your old
men and women. and all that are
afraid of the white man, stay here;
but let your braves go to battle. Let
us never give up our country to those
who would steal our country and
homes, and the graves OF our fatheIc,
to whom the Great Spirit gave this
country, and who fought to defend
this country with their lives. My
tomahawk now leaps in its scabbard
to defend the graves of my ancestors
Live or die, we will not run"
Such speech from this high-spirited
young Sac could not fail to produce
their nature, and most patriotic ini
their feelings. The young warriors,
with one voice, declared that they
would to a man follow Keokuk; and
he was at that time chosen as their
war-chief. to lead them against the
enemy. 1t, however, turned out that
it was false alarm; but the eloquence
OF Keokuk in the council, and his en-
ergy in preparing for the expedition,
placed him at once In the first rank
of the braves.
On another occasion, his military
reputation was much increased by the
skill and promptness with which he
met sudden emergency on the battle
field with party of young warriors.
He was hunting in the country which
lies between the Sacs and the Sioux;
between which two nations, for many
years, deadly hatred existed. Unex-
pectedly a party of the latter came
upon them well mounted, and prepared
for battle. The Sacs were mounted
! also; but not being so expert horse
men, and the others having the advan-
tage of ground, there was no cover
the flight would have been death.
Keokuk's mode of defense was as
novel as ingenious. He instantly
formed his men into a compact circle,
ordered to dismount, and take shelter
behind their horses. by which they
were protected from the missiles of
the Sioux, and at the same time avail
themselves of their superiority as
marksmen. The Sioux. raising the
warwhoop, charged upon their in
trenched foe with great fury, but were
received with fire so destructive,
| that they were compelled to fall back.
The attack was repeated with the
same success Their horses could not
be forced upon those whose guns
were pouring forth volleys of smoke
and fire. and after several unsuccess-
full attempts to break the line, the
Sioux retreated with considerable loss.
At a subsequent period, during a
cessation of hostilities between these
! nations. the Sacs had gone to the
praries to hunt BUFFALO, leaving their
villages but slightly protected by war
rfors During their hunt, Keokuk and
his band unexpectedly fell on an en-.
campment of a large number of Sioux,
painted for war, and evidently on
T their way to attack his nation. His
warriors we're widely scattered over
the extended plains, and could not pos
z sibly be speedily collected together
Possessing a fearless and undaunted
spirit, he instantly resolved on the
bold expendient Of throwing himself
between the impending danger and
his people. Unattended and alone, he
deliberately rode into the camp of the
enemy In the midst of their camps
arose their war-pole, and around 1t
they we're dancing and partaking of
those fierce eZcitements by which the
Indians usually prepare themselves for
the battlefield It happened that re-
venge on the sacs was the burden OF
their song at the moment of Keokuk's
approach. He dashed into the middle
of them, boldly demanded to see their
chief Il have come" said he, 80 lei
you know that there are traitors in
your camp-they have told me that
ron are preparing TO attack my village
know that they told me lies: FOL
you could rot. after smoking the pipt
Of peace, be 70 base as TO murder my
women and children IN my absence