Page 89 - La Société canadienne d'histoire de l'Église catholique - Rapport 1961

REPORT or THE PICTURE GALLERY. 85
Green Bay, in 1816-17, published, in the first volume of the
Society's Collections:
" Engrossed with the political wars ever present before them,
our people soon forget the events in a more sharp and serious
one, which, but a few years ago, occupied EIO mueh of their
attention. We refer to the war in the North West, known
the Black Hawk war.
"We have just received the second annual Report and Col-
lections of the Historical Society of Wisconsin, for which
are indebted to its learned and able secretary, L. C. DRAPER,
Esq. It is a work of over five hundred pages, and full of exci-
ting interest. Conspicuous among these is the little, short, but
sanguinary battle of Pekatonica. We have selectcd this because
it is in these single hand-to-hand fights-man-to-man-that tries
the ncrve of the combatant far more than it could in a field fight
of thousands on a side.
" In June, 1832, the occupants of the frontier of the North-
West had been collecting at different points with a view of a
system of general defence from the Sauk and Fox Indians.
About a month before, Major STILLMAN had sustained a disas-
trous defeat from a much inferior force under BLACK HAWK,
owing to a want of conduct and discipline, which greatly lowered
the reputation of our arms in the opinion of the great Sauk
chief, and he had derisively sent them word to take better care
of themselves, 'as they were a soft-shell tribe;" and possibly it
was in this spirit of confidence or contempt, that he despatched
a scouting party of tried warriors through our lines and into the
settlements, which committed various depredations-having, on
the 14th of June, killed five out of six men found on a farm
within a few miles of Fort Hamilton, and, the next day, a farmer
within a mile of that fort. -4 party was immediately formed
for pursuit, under Lieut. CHARLES BRACKEN, 2% gentleman
whom we take pleasure, as will many of our citizens, to recog-
nize as a native of our city.
"Just on the point of starting, they were joined by Gen,
HENRY DODGE with an additional party, and who now assumed