Page 183 - La Société canadienne d'histoire de l'Église catholique - Rapport 1961

TWIQGS left, and wcnt to the Port. I crossed the river, and
drove up to the sutler's store. I had not been there long,
when a soldier came in and informed me, that Capt. GWIN, the
commissary, wanted to see me at the Fort. I told the soldier
that I would endeavor to be more polite than the Captain had
been-that he might give my compliments to him, and tell him
if he wished to see me more than I did him, that he would find
me at or near the store. The clerk mas very uneasy, and
requested me to leave the store, as he was fearful of trouble.
I went out of doors. Soon after a number of officers came
near where I stood-Capt. GWIN among them. The Captain
asked me if I had really refused to let the officer and soldiers
have provisions when they were up the Wisconsin? I frankly
told him that I did; and if it had not been for the Agent,
I certainly should not have let them had any, and that I was
sorry that I had yielded to the Agent's urgent solicitations.
Capt. GWIN was very indignant, and said that the officers had
hitherto thought a great deal of me, but now I had forfeited all
of their respect and confidence. I expressed my regret at
losing their confidence; that I had my own views of duty, in
doing which I could not consult their wishes. I got on my
train and started; and in passing the Fort, I gave three cheers,
and went on my way rejoicing. I did not see TWIGGS again.
Not long after, Maj. TWIGGS sent up the Wisconsin, and got
a part of WHITNEY'S shingles, and burnt the balance, so that
WHITNEY lost not less than one thousand dollars by his shinglc
operation, and all through TWIGG'S malice. WHITNEY corn-
mcnced a suit against TWIGGS, but the il9njor was transferred
and left the country. He, however, before his departure,
caused a military order to be published forbidding either
WHITNPY or myself entering the Fort, and also forbidding the
soldiers to convey either of us across the river at the ferry.
Soon after the publication of the order, I had occasion to cross
the ferry, when the soldiers told me that they were prohibited
from ferrying me over. I went a little below the ferry, urged
my horse into the stream and swam over, the officers all