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Chief Winneshiek on
British Side
He was on the British side in 1812-15, and in 1832 refused to assist
the Americans against the Sauks. When invited by the whites to join them, the
matter was discussed with the chiefs and braves. "Win-o-she-kaw was opposed to
the measure, and declined having anything to do with it. He said the Sauks had
twice that season presented the red wampum to the Winnebagoes at Portage, and
that they had as often washed it white and handed it back to them; further, that
he did not like that red thing; that he was afraid of it. Waudgh-ha-ta-kau
[evidently the One-eyed Decorah] took the wampum, and said that he with all the
young men of the village would go; that they were anxious to engage in the
expedition and would be ready to accompany us on our return."41
A short while after this it was found that Winneshiek and Wau-mar-nar-sar had
gone up the river with part of the band to hunt and dry meat.
His mother was a sister of Wabokieshiek (White Cloud), the half-Sauk,
half-Winnebago Prophet, who assisted Black Hawk. Little Winneshiek says, "For
this relationship he fought in a number of battles under Black Hawk in the war
of 1832." Thomas Clay, an aged Winnebago, heard Winneshiek tell this from time
to time at death-wakes, where the brave men, or warriors, were supposed to tell
the truth. Clay's statement42
is as follows:
"Winneshiek was a nephew of a Sauk and Fox Indian called White Cloud [Wabokieshiek],
that is why Winneshiek was an aid to the Sauk and Fox Indians during Black
Hawk's war. Winneshiek was taking, or guiding, the Fox Indians into the
Winnebago country, or to the village, and as they were crossing the Mississippi
river somewhere near where Prairie du Chien now stands, a steamboat came up the
river and anchored in the middle of the stream. Then some one called out from
the boat arid asked if Black Hawk was there among them. 'Yes,' was the answer
from the Indians. `Will he surrender or not?' was the next question from the
boat. Then Winneshiek spoke up, and said: 'Uncles (meaning the Fox Indians, as
that was what he always called them), tie a white cloth to a pole and I will go
and surrender.' So they made a white flag for him, but as he was about to get
into the stream to swim to the boat, the Fox people said: 'Perhaps after all you
had better not go,' and saying thus, they held him; and the soldiers in the boat
could see that he was being held. Then Winneshiek said: 'Uncles, I meant to do
this that you might live, but the result shall be your fault.' Just then the
question came again from the boat, 'Will you surrender?' The answer from the
Indians was 'No! we will not surrender,' and no sooner was it said than the
soldiers fired upon them, and even at the first volley many of the Indians were
killed. Then Winneshiek said: 'Uncles, thus far only, am I able to be with you,
as I shall leave you here;' and saving thus, he and his real uncles went up the
bank of the river and there watched the fight. When night came upon them, he
took his Fox uncles back to the Winnebago village with him. When they arrived at
the village, Winneshiek's mother met him, crying: "Oh! my son, because you have
aided Black Hawk in the war, they have taken your father to the fort as a
prisoner.' When the soldiers learned that Winneshiek was back at his own village
they came after him and released his father. Winneshiek was questioned very
severely, but he was angered instead of frightened, and he would not even speak,
and for four days he would not eat the food that was given him. Then one of the
officers said to his fellow officers: `You must be very severe in questioning
Winneshiek. I will question him myself, to-day.' So the officer went to him and
as he entered he called Winneshiek by name, greeting him and shaking hands with
him, he said: 'Winneshiek, I understand that some officers have questioned you;
but that you were angered and would not even speak to them, and I told them that
they must have acted very ungentlemanly towards you to cause you to act as you
did.' Winneshiek said: 'Yes, that is the way they have acted.' `That is what I
thought,' said the officer, and continued. 'Winneshiek, I am going to talk with
you with good words,' and Winneshiek assented; so the officer said: 'Winneshiek,
as you have been spoken to roughly, which caused you to not eat for four days,
and as I am going to speak to you with good words, therefore I desire that you
should eat before we talk and I will have cooked for you a very nice dog that I
own myself, and at noon, after you have had your noon meal, then we shall talk.'
Then the officer got some Indians that were about the fort to cook the dog for
him in the way they usually cook them for themselves. So when it was thus served
to Winneshiek and he had partaken of it; then he and the officer talked. The
officer was very much pleased that Winneshiek talked with him in a good spirit.
Then he said: 'Winneshiek, I am going to ask you a question and I would like to
have you tell me the truth ;' Winneshiek assented. The officer asked: `Were you
with the Foxes in the war?' Winneshiek said: `Yes,' and the officer asked again:
`Did you take part?' Winneshiek said: 'As you have asked me for the truth, I
will tell it to you,-yes, I took part.' Then the officer said 'Winneshiek, I
thank you because I asked you for the truth and you gave it to me.' Then the
officer did not question him any more, but left. Winneshiek was kept in prison
one year for being an aid to Black Hawk."
Footnotes:
41 Wisconsin Historical Collections, 2,-257, 266.
42 As given by Mr. Oliver Lamere.
Notes About the Book:
Source: History of Winneshiek and Allamakee Counties Iowa, by W. E. Alexander,
Sioux City, Iowa, Western Publishing company, 1882
Online Publication: The manuscript was scanned and then ocr'd. Minimal editing
has been done, and readers can and should expect some errors in the textual
output.
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