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CHAPTER XX.

 

CLOSING OF THE WAR BETWEEN THE OJIBWAYS AND ODUGAMIES.

 

The Odugamies, after partially regaining their former numbers, make their last tribal effort against the Ojibways—Battle of St. Croix Falls—Tradition of this event, as told by the Ojibways—Waub-o-jeeg collects a war party at La Pointe—He proceeds at the head of 800 men into the Dakota country—Failure of the Sandy Lake warriors to keep their appointment—Landing of the Ojibways at the head of the St. Croix Falls—They discover the allied Odugamies and Dakotas landing at the foot of the Falls—Preparations for battle—Ojibways and Odugamies engage—Odugamies are beaten, and Dakotas rally to their rescue—Ojibways are forced to retreat, but are reinforced by 60 warriors from Sandy Lake—Disastrous flight and loss of their enemies—Waub-o-jeeg loses his brother, and is himself wounded—Remnants of the Odugamies ask to be incorporated with the Osaugees—Their prayer is granted—Waub-o-jeeg—A sketch of his life.

 

The Odugamies (Foxes), who had been forced by the Ojibways during the French domination to retire from the Wisconsin and Fox Rivers to the Mississippi, had, under the guardianship of the Osaugees, partially regained their former strength and numbers; and, still smarting from the repeated and powerful blows which their fathers had received at the hands of the Ojibways about eighty years ago, they made their last grand tribal effort to revenge their wrongs and regain a portion of their former country.

They ascended in war canoes the current of the broad Mississippi, and prevailing on their former allies, the Dakotas, to join them, together they proceeded up the St. Croix. While crossing their canoes over the portage at the Falls of this river, they encountered a war party of Ojibways, and here, among the rocks and boulders of the St. Croix, the Odugamies fought their last tribal battle.

The account which the old men of the Ojibways give of this important event is briefly as follows: Waub-o-jeeg