Schoolcraft mentions a ravine, which still exists near the foot of Bingham Avenue, and which in former times extended southward across the present line of Portage Avenue. But he does not say how far west of the ravine Sassaba’s lodge and the Indian village were placed, or at what distance east of it, the governor’s tent was pitched. He tells us the Indians occupied a high plateau, in plain view, several hundred yards west of the expedition’s tents, with an intervening gully, and a plain, well-beat footpath.
This is rather indefinite. If the visitors’ tents were pitched in the immediate vicinity of the Johnston home, on the river bank marked as Indian camping ground on the Wheeler-Westcott map, or in the pasture, the Indian village might be located easily enough three hundred yards or so west on or about the present line of Water Street or Park Place, just across the ravine. The ground is a little higher there, and it has been mentioned that prints of the period do not show any particular elevation further west, except in the location of the Indian burying ground. It is not likely that the Chippewas would camp on a spot sacred to the bones of their ancestors. Furthermore, the burying ground was directly opposite the rapids, and the location of an encampment there would necessitate a considerable detour around the rapids in crossing the river. The logical place of living for the Indians was at the foot of the rapids, and this hardly could have been far above the little hill at the foot of Bingham Avenue.
A sketch of Water Street made in 1850 and now hanging in Le Saut de Sainte Marie club rooms, shows the ground south of the location of the Weitzel lock to be rough and not at all suited to camping purposes.
Another statement of Schoolcraft deserves consideration. He says, “It has been stated that the encampment of the Indians was situated on an eminence a few hundred yards west from our position on the shore, and separated from us by a small ravine. In a few moments after the Governor’s return from the Indian camp, that camp was cleared by the Indians of their women and children, who fled with precipitation in their canoes across the river.”
Reversing this statement, and allowing that the Indians were on an eminence close to the present Weitzel lock, with the whites a few hundred yards east of them, say just to the eastward of the little historic ravine, it is difficult to see how the women and children could take to their canoes without passing directly by and very close to Governor Cass and his men. It is hardly conceivable that they would do this. As an alternative, we have only the supposition that the Indians had two fleets of canoes, one below and one above the rapids, and that the women and children took refuge in the latter. This is equally unlikely.
A more reasonable explanation seems to be that the Americans were encamped some distance below the ravine and that the Indians had placed themselves just west of it on the high ground there, and from which point they could transfer their women and children to the canoes without contact with the whites.
William Warren, the native historian of the Chippewas, has left us the account of another Chippewa Chief, Hole in the Day, who told Warren that he was present on this occasion. The Chief claimed that he had rushed to the defense of the Governor when the flag came down and had called for his friends to join in backing the Governor. Also, the local Chippewas were very hostile, and this daring exploit prevented the massacre of Cass and all his men.
This story came to Dr. Alfred Brunson, Indian Agent at La Pointe years later, and through him to Mr. C. C. Towbridge, assistant topographer of the expedition. Mr. Trowbridge made the following comments afterward printed in the records of the Wisconsin Historical Society.
“Dr. Brunson’s sketch is, in respect to Hole in the Day, one more proof that it is dangerous to trust tradition. Hole in the Day no doubt told the Doctor or his informant, that in the little affair at Sault Ste. Marie in 1820 between Governor Cass and the Chippewas, he came to the Governor’s aid. But there is an alibi, Hole in the Day was not there.”
“I recollect the circumstances as well as if they occurred yesterday, and my journal of the events is now before me. I will mention that the Governor took from Detroit one canoe load of Indians under command of Kewakwishkum, an Ottawa Chief from Grand Rapids. At Mackinac, where we stopped several days, a very handsome, athletic young Indian whom we called Buck, probably as a translation of his Indian name, was strongly recommended by Biddle and Drew, Indian traders, as likely to be serviceable, and the fellow pleaded so hard that the Governor took him.
“At Sault Ste. Marie, the conference with the Chippewas took place in the Governor’s wall tent, the sides of which were rolled up, so that it was a tent a l’abri. The Chippewas had their lodges on the American side, some distance, say a third of a mile, above the Governor’s camp. My impression is that when they came to the conference they had just come from the British side.
“You are aware that the British had during the war of 1812-1815, been profuse in the distribution of presents and our Government had not. The consequence was a settled hostility on the part of the Indians. The object of the Cass expedition was to carry our flag through the country, assert our rights, and arrange for a military post at Sault Ste. Marie, and look for the Ontonagon copper rock. Governor Cass informed this little squad of this design. He told them of the double purchase of their territory by the French and the English, read and explained to them the treaty of Greenville in 1795, of Spring Wells in 1815, and of Fort Harrison in 1816, and informed them that their Great American Father intended to place some troops at Sault Ste. Marie, and wanted a small place to land, for which he was ready to pay a third time.
“I must describe the appearance of the Chippewa Chief. Beginning at the top, an eagle’s feather, signifying that he was a killer, bear’s grease, vermilion and indigo, a red British military coat with two enormous epaulets, a large British silver medal, breech-clout, leggings, and moccasins. Thus decked off, he rose and said gruffly that they did not wish to sell their land. The Governor informed them that their fathers had twice sold it and been paid for it, but to make things pleasant, he would buy it again.
“He had a quantity of tobacco in the center of the tent for distribution. He offered through the interpreter the usual pipe after smoking – in his way, which was to wait until the interpreter had fixed the pipe, and then blow the smoke out instead of inhaling it himself. The chief rejected the pipe and rushed out of the tent, not through the door, but under the side. His men followed him. They went up to their camp. This was late in the afternoon. Soon after, the women of the camp were seen going toward the river with burdens on their backs, and then it was discovered that the British flag was hoisted in front of their lodges. As soon as the Governor saw this he called William Riley, the interpreter, and walked hastily toward the Indian camp. He refused to allow anyone else to accompany him. He went unarmed.
“We watched with deep solicitude. We saw him pull down the flag, throw it to the ground, and point to it while he looked toward their lodges. Riley told us when they returned to camp that the Governor rebuked the Indians, and told them if they raised the flag there again, he would fire on them. Riley by command of the Governor brought the staff of the flag to our camp..
“Early in the evening, George Johnston came to the Governor at the request of his mother, to tell him that the Chippewas intended to attack the camp during the night. Immediately the camp was put in a state of defense. Sentinels were posted, muskets were rubbed up, and common guns and horsemen’s pistols, with which the young gentlemen of the Governor’s suite were armed, were loaded, and orders and countersigns given. We had a guard of soldiers who accompanied us thus far, under Lieut. John Pierce, brother of the late President of that name, besides eight who continued with us throughout the expedition, under Lieut. Mackay.
“It was now discovered that our Indians faltered. They came with their Chief to the Governor and said they would give up their arms and lie down, and take their chance of death, but they would not fire upon their brothers. Young Buck stood aloof. When the Chief had finished, Buck walked forward with a defiant air, and, addressing the Governor, alluded to his having been reluctantly received at Mackinaw, and now he was going to make good the pledge of Biddle and Drew. ‘He wanted,’ he said, ‘a good rifle, and wanted no one to relieve him, and if those fellows dared to approach our camp they would pay dearly for their temerity,’
“We put out the fires and the lights and watched all night. It was very dark, but we were all in fine spirits and spoiling for a fight. Day broke, and we found ourselves wearing our scalps.
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