Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1922-06-23
EIGHTY YEARS AGO
AT BROWNS VALLEY
Graphic Account of Visit of Chippewa
Scalping Party at Trad
ing Post.

(Republished in Browns Valley
Tribune from "Reminiscences, Mem
oirs by Monsingor A. Ravoux, Vicar
General, 1900
l visited several times Little Grow
village "a few miles below st. Paul)
before starting with the Freniers for
Lake Traverse, where I spent some
days in the fall of 1912, as have al
ready mentioned. (The spot where
the FRANCHISE trading post and Faith
er Ravoux's mission station stood in
| 1912, and where the affair herein
described took place, was in the town
of Folsom, few miles toward the
i head of Lake Traverse from the old
Dixon trading post and Dan Tenney's
place on the old Braddock homestead
near Browns Valley.) Whilst was
; there, some Chippewa warriors, who
were probably encouraged by the
fight which had taken place near
! Kaposia, "a few miles below St. PauD
, came to Lake Traverse in the ex-
pectation of killing some Sioux and
carrying away scalps. They caused
us much trouble during the three or
four days; some of the Sioux had to
watch day and night to prevent any
attack by surprise. Our situation
cannot be we'll understood except by
making a statement of the position
| we occupied, and of our small num-
Der to protect ourselves against, per-
haps, a strong force. Near the bank
of the lake the Frenieres had erected
a log house which they used as a
store and a dwelling house, two or
three hundred feet further four or
five Sioux families had their tepees,
and had planted my tent some six
hundred yards from the lake, near a
ravine we'll timbered.
My tent was surrounded with
small trees and brushes. Hippolyte
Martin, living now two miles from
Mendoza, then an employee of the
Frenieres, passed the night in my
tent. On certain day some of the
Frenieres spoke about having seen
or heard person in the ravine, and
after inquiries they had strong rea-
son to believe that the Chippewas
had come there. Before dark made
a good fire near my tent, took book
in my hand and read it for a good
while, when 1 heard some persons
advancing toward me in such a man
ner that it was easy for me to under
stand that they did not wish me to
be aware of it. Having come at a
distance of about fifty feet from me,
near a small creek, which they did
not cross, but where they stood
hidden in the bushes. 1 think they
leaned upon their guns because
heard dry leaves cracking, when they
laid then to the ground. 1 immedi-
ately stirred the fire, put my crucifix
on my breast, that they might see it.
Now, said I to myself, if they fire
upon me they will know that 1 am not
a Sioux, but a Blackgown. I took
again my book and continued to read
A short time after H. Martin came
across the bushes and, smiling, told
me that at the house they had said he
would find me the prisoner of some
Chippewas. WELL" replied, there
are some Chippewas very near us and
who, no doubt will attack the Sioux
during the night. Stay here for a
: short time to prevent all suspicion
and then when you shall have crossed
, the bushes run as fast as possible tC
= the Frenieres and let them know
what I have told YOU" He followed
my advise and few minutes after
. walked also across the bushes anC
when on the prairie I ran speedily tt
ENrnninroc oil
} men loading their guns and learned
I that the Sioux also had been informed
7 of the danger. They watched all the
= night and no Chippewa made his ap
pearance. Early in the morning &
Sioux came to me smiling and sale
3 to me: Blackgown you have played {
e trick on u.s." mot at ALL was
e my answer. I am certain tina
if you go little further thar
my tent you will see in thu
ground the footsteps of some Chippe
was" A few of them went thithe
and came back short time afte
convinced that I had told them tn
a truth. They began Immediately t.
dig hole in the prairie about TWEEN
e ty-five feet in circumference, an,
when the work was completed it wa
some five feet deep. They planted
:. branches all around to hide tn,
' warriors when firing on the enemy
i (This hole was found the other da,
by Guy Brown; it was filled will
stone.) Three days after, walkin
near the ravine, heard coming to
ward me some persons, whom I sup
= posed to be Chippewas, because I ha,
e seen no Sioux nor half-breed going il
t that direction. ran to the Premiere
t to whom I gave the alarm, an,
= through them to the Sioux. Prepare
O. lions were Immediately made to re
> pulse the enemy, who might hav
been as numerous as the Chippew