Learn the First Nation History as well as the legacy
compiled by Brian Matter
site by John Verdon
Red Lake Chippewa
Learn the First Nation History as well as the legacy
compiled by Brian Matter
site by John Verdon
Red Lake Chippewa
Welcome to the heritage of the Chippewa Ojibwa people. This site is dedicated to maintaining the legacy of oral tradition in the written format.
You are invited to learn the history and acknowledge the traditions, achievements, and legacy of the Chippewa Ojibwa Nation. We have made an effort to accurately cite every source and maintain a neutral point of view. Hopefully, we can honor the past and the elders together while inspiring the youth for tomorrow.
In recognition that some use the word Ojibwa while others prefer Chippewa this site uses both terms contrary to standardized English form.
Page links: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 , 6, 7 can be clicked at both the top and very bottom of each page.
1845 A-wun-ne-wa-be, Bird of Thunder, Chippewa warrior, by Catlin, Painted for the King of France.
Smithsonian. wikicommons
Be sheekee/Buffalo by Francis Vincenti in U.S. Senate wing. The U.S. House has a bronze copy. He was a Leech-Lake war Chief that offered Gov. Ramsey to fight the Sioux 15 Sept. 1862.[1] wikicommons
The turtle, or Grandmother Earth - Nookomis-aki , represents wisdom, healing, health and protection.
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Jonathan Carver's 1766 map indicating "Chipeway Territories" and "Roads to War" for the Lac-Courte-Orielle and Red-Lake bands. Wisconsin Historical Society wikicommons
The Anishinaabe Nation is made up of sub-groups: Chippewa Ojibwa, Mississaugas, Nipissings, Oji-Cree and Saulteaux. Together they are the largest indigenious group in North America.
Oral history has the tribe originating near the mouth of the St. Lawrence River. It also has that the ancient Chippewa capitol was to the west in Lake Superior on Chequamegon bay and was home to Mudjekeewis the Chief of all Spirit Keepers. [19] : ch. X It is believed that the Chippewa-Ojibwa are the descendants of the Old Copper Culture that inhabited the Great Lakes region ca. 4,000–1,500 BC as part of the Laurel complex [20] [[21][22][23][24][25] They utilized surface deposits of raw copper in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Ontario. The Chippewa-Ojibwa, Ottawa-Odawa, and Potawatomi are the Anishinaabe tribes that make up the Council of Three Fires. The Chippewa were the first to build a fire. They are the "keepers of tradition" in medicine and faith and are entrusted with the sacred scrolls as well as the teachings of the ancient Midewewin Lodge. The Ottawa are the "keepers of the trade", and the Potawatomi the "keepers of the fire".[27]
Recorded in the Library of Congress are Schoolcraft's two variations of what the tribe called itself: Achipoué or Ojibway. "Chippewa" is the anglicized version of Achipoué or a form of that word like Otchipwe.[28] Multiple sources state that "Ojibwa" is the francized version of the same Anishinaabe word. They also state that both variations are correct indicating that there are two accepted pronunciations of the same word. See the List of Ojibwa ethnonyms.. Hahatonouadeba was the French transliteration of the Dacotah word Hahatunwan meaning Chippewa. The Dacotah used it in reference to the Hahatunwan watpa or Chippewa River as Jonathan Carver recorded.[29]
Geographically the Anishinaabe language provides many names used today. The Mississippi river gets it name from the Chippewa word for "Great-River", Misiziibi. The origins of the name Wisconsin is not agreed upon, but may come from the Chippewa word Meskousing which refers to the red cliffs of the Wisconsin dells. Michigan's name comes from the Ojibwa as well, Michigamme or Mishigamaa meaning "Great-water". Both the Canadian province and Lake Manitoba get their name from the Ojibwa "manitou-wapow", or "strait of the Manitou". The Ojibwa word "ontonagon" was used to name a river, town, county, township and boulder in Michigan as well as a prehistoric lake. However, the tribe's name itself was used multiple times to name areas or waterways. Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, and Ontario all have rivers named for the Chippewa people. Ohio, Michigan and Montana all have two creeks named Chippewa while Iowa, New York, Wyoming, Oklahoma, and Ontario have one.[32] Ohio has a Chippewa creek falls, and Chippewa Creek gorge plus Wisconsin and Ontario have water falls named Chippewa too. Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota all have lakes named for the Chippewa people with Minnesota having three. All three states have Chippewa counties. Michigan has three counties with townships named Chippewa while Ohio and Pennsylvania each have one. Wisconsin has towns named Chippewa Falls and Chippewa. Ontario has a Chippewa Island as well as a town named Chippewa. In addition, geologists named the prehistoric Proglacial lake, that pre-dates the Great Lakes region, as Lake Chippewa. Further north they named another pre-historic lake Lake Ojibway. Additionally, both Ontario and Minnesota have an "Ojibway Lake". Iowa named Gitchie Manitou State Preserve on the Minnesota border for the Ojibwa creator. In 1802 New York named Chippewa Bay on the St. Lawerence River. Manitoba, Wisconsin, and Minnesota all have a Lake Windigo while Michigan has a Lake Windaga. Minnesota has the Chippewa National Forest named for the Chippewa people. "Keweenaw" is Ojibwa for "portage", has multiple uses including the Keweenaw National Historical Park. Hiawatha National Forest with Hiawatha falls in Michigan is also linked to the Ojibwa. Wisconsin has and entire region that uses the name Chippewa Valley.
In 1829, Henry Schoolcraft proposed to the Michigan territorial legislature that Michigan's place names come “from aboriginal names, so far as they are suitable, or can be anglicized.”
The meaning of the word "Ojibwa" is given as "to pucker up". The common explination attributes that description to the seams appearance of the lacing, stitching of Ojibwa moccisans. In the 1929 History, Tradition and Adventure in The Chippewa Valley, Wm. W. Barde, p.4, there is a different explanation related to the torture of prisoners. https://content.wisconsinhistory.org/digital/collection/tp/id/6008
Using the compass, the Anishinaabe primary direction is "east" with the rising sun.[33] Additionally, the Ojibwa believe knowledge comes from the east.[34] Frances Densmore wrote in her 1929 book that the Chippewa bury their dead with the feet pointing to the east as that was the direction they would travel in the afterlife.[35]
Minnesota has 27 State Monuments with two dedicated to the Chippewa. Minnesota Statues: Section 138.585 State Monuments, Subdivision 17 Chief Mou-zoo-mau-nee State Monument. Minnesota also erected a monument to Chief Wabanquot (White-Cloud) who supported the "whites" in 1862. Minnesota's flags flew at half staff when he died.[36]
Canada has over 130 Ojibwa Chippewa First Nation Reserves. The United States has 22 Chippewa Ojibwa Reservations. The United States had more, but constant pressure to remove and reduce "Indian" land holdings has brought it to the number 22. Obscure history is a reservation that was in Kansas, the Chippewa And Munsee Reservation, created 16 July 1859 . It is gone and the Swan Creek and Black River Saginaw Chippewa's with some Munsee lost their tribal identity due to assimulation when they were forced to join the Cherokee in Oklahoma Indian Territory in 1869. "The Kansas Munsee", The Munsee Tribe in Kansas , 2025, https://www.kansasmunsee.org/summary
"Misko-biiwaabik" a gift from Gitchee Manitou.[30] It was noted that the Chippewa carried carefully wrapped copper nuggets in their medicine bags.[31] They could be made to shine if rubbed with sand.
Jane Johnston Schoolcraft, Obahbahmwawagezhegoqua, Grand daughter of Chief Waubojeeg wikicommons
Wisconsin Historical Society wikicommons
Smithsonian wikicommons
Milwaukee Public Museum wikicommons
1600 origins of the Ottawas, Chippewas, Pottawatamies.[28]
1615 is the year that the Chippewa had first contact with Europeans when Samuel de Champlain arrived at a village on Lake Heron.
1629 The inter-tribal Beaver Wars start lasting 75 years. The Chippewa would leave their mark on Iroquois expansionism in 1662.
ca.1634-39 The Battle of Skull Island and the Battles of Flint River, removed the Sauk from Michigan.[29]
1640 The word Ojibwe first appeared in print in the French annual The Jesuit Relations.
1662 Battle of Point Iroquois. The Chippewa annihilated a large Iroquois war party at Point Iroquois killing all but two to return with a warning, do not come again. The survivors ears and noses were cut off and the heads of the dead were were put on planted pikes as warnings.[31]
1678 Chippeway now Chippewa, Canada, is first seen in the Historical record.[32]
1679 Daniel Greysolon, Sieur du Lhut, representing the French Crown brokered a peace agreement between the Sioux and Chippewa at Mille Lacs, Minnesota.[33]
1681 French minister Jean-Baptiste Colbert created the congé system, which granted licenses to fur traders to travel inland and establish fur trading posts. Serviceing these posts created the voyageurs in the heartland of the Ojibwa. They adopted Ojibwa built canoes in multiple sizes as their primary mode of transport into the 1750s. Then a shop was set up to meet an increasing demand for canoes. The Maître/Montreal was 32-36' long, 6'wide, 600 lbs in weight, capacity: 3,500 lbs. Next came the "Bastard", 24' or 30' in length and the Canot du Nord 24'-27' that weighed 300 lbs. The smallest canoes were the 15-16' "Ojibwa"/"Express".[43] It could travel over a 100 miles a day with an experienced crew. The canoes were a credit to Ojibwa innovation, engineering and utilization of natural resources.[44] Many of the Frenchmen had Ojibwa wifes creating strong bonds to the Ojibwa community. Many of the furs the voyageurs transported had been collected by Ojibwa or Cree hunters.
1693 Pierre-Charles Le Sueur, negotiated another Chippewa/Sioux peace treaty that lasted until 1736.[42][45] This period is much cited in Dacotah oral history.
1701 Dish With One Spoon Treaty between the Chippewa and Iroquois or the Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee.
1701 Great Peace of Montreal was signed by 39 First Nations ending the Beaver Wars.
ca.1725 Battle of Point Prescott Wisconsin was a Chippewa victory with hundreds of Sioux dead.[46]
1736 the Chippewa formed an alliance with the Cree and Assiniboine swearing vengence for the Fort St. Charles beheadings by the Sioux.[42]
1742 Battle of the Brule was a decisive Chippewa victory over the Sioux.
1745 Battle of Strawberry Island. The Chippewa evicted the Sioux from Lac du Flambeau. It became hallowed ground in remembrance of the warriors lost.
1750s the Huron people became allies of the Three Fires Council.[47]
1750 Battle of Kathio the Milles-Lacs band evicted the Dacotah from their homeland.
1752 Battle of Pickawillany the French with Ottawa and Chippewa captured the fort. A source states they celebrated with ritualic cannabilism.[48]
1755 Battle of the Monongahela
1756 Seven Years' War (1756–1763) was a global conflict that saw the Council of Three Fires side with the French. In the end the French lost removing them from North America. The Ojibwa/Chippewa lamented the French loss as they saw the French as more respectfully than the British. Before that happened they supported the French against the British.
1757 Siege of Fort William Henry The French were joined by 166 Saulteaux warriors plus 157 Mississauga Ojibwa against the fort.[49]
1759 Chief Mamongazeda with his Grand Portage warriors joined the French at the Battle of the Plains of Abraham defending Quebec.[49]
1761 Chief Minavavana (the One with the Silver Tongue) at Fort Michilimackinac made his notable declaration of loyality to the French King to Alexander Henry the elder.[50] The French called him Le Grand Sauteux. Images show Minavavana as being heavily tattooed. Chief Wawatam, adopted the fur trader Alexander Henry as a brother. The importance the great serpent to the Ojibwa was recorded when Henry attempted to kill a rattlesnake and the Chippewa stopped him and gave reverence to the snake calling it "grandfather". A thundersorm soon followed indicating the offence taken by the snake. The Chippewa nearly killed Henry to placate the the serpents displeasure.[51]
1764 Battle of Fort Michilimackinac. Chief Minweweh, war chief of the Mackinac Island Ojibwa, captured the British fort killing the garrison. Victory ritualistic cannablism was reported afterwards.[52][37]: p.158, 176
ca.1768 Chief Biauswah (II) lead a war party from Fond-du-Lac that removed the Sioux from Sandy Lake, Cass Lake, Winnepeg Lake, and Leeche Lake.[53] The Battle of Crow Wing was another Chippewa victory too.
1775 The British schooner Chippewa was lost at Long Point, Ontario. The Council of Three Fires came to see the British as more respectful then the land hungry Americans and would side with them in the conflicts to come.
1780 Battle of St. Louis in Upper Spanish Louisiana. Chief Matchekewis of the Gun-Lake band lead the entire indigenous force.[54]
1783 Battle of St. Croix Falls, was a Chief Waubojeeg victory over the Sauk-Fox and Sioux. That year Mohawk Chief Thayendanegea formed the Northwestern Confederacy which included the Three Fires Nations.
Treaty of Paris (1783) officially ended the War of Independence in the British colonies.
1785-95 Northwest Indian War Thayendanegea said that Native lands were held in common by all tribes, and so no land could be ceded without the consent of the Confederacy.[55]
1787 Delaware became the first state.
1788 The lower Chippewa Valley was a no-man's land for the Lac-Courte-Oreilles.[56]
1789 The Chippewa signed the Treaty of Fort Harmar but it failed to address the main grievance of the unauthorized settlement of Indian lands.[57]
1790s The Pembina band developed the Red River cart.[58]
1791 Fort Chippewa was built on Chippewa Creek near the south Niagara portage.
1791 The Battle of the Wabash. The U.S. Army faced the Northwestern Confederacy that included the Ojibwa during the Northwest Indian War. It was "the most decisive defeat and largest victory by Native Americans.[59]
1794 Battle of Fallen Timbers ended the Northwest Indian War
1795 Greenville Treaty concluded the Northwest Indian War, but American encroachment quickly voided the agreement.[57]
1794 The Battle of Fort Recovery.
©Historical Society of Michigan
From an 1890 German text book. public domain
Chippewa Chief Shin-ga-ba W'Ossin, Sault Ste. Marie band, by Henry Inman, ca. 1831-4. He was at the 1770 Battle of St. Croix Falls under the leadership of La Pointe Chief Waubojeeg. He became a friend of Tecumseh's [3] who he joined at York, now Toronto, and fought along side him. He signed the 1825 Prairie-du-Chien and 1826 Fond-du-Lac Treaties. High Museum Atlanta wikicommmons
Chippewa Chief Oshawana 1858, was Tecumseh's chief warrior of the Walpole Island band. At the battle of the River Thames he led 500 warriors from the Chippewa, Ottawa, Potawatomi, Shawnee, Delaware, Wyandot, Sac, Fox, Kickapoo, Winnebago, and Creek Tribes. Library & Archives Canada wikicommons
Chief Ogimaan (Okemos) of the Saginaw band. In 1811, he fought in the battle of Tippencanoe, Indiana. He joined the British, who gave him a colonel’s commission, to fight in the War of 1812. In 1813, he was a leader at the Battle of Sandusky. Later in 1813 he participated in the Siege of Meigs in Northeastern Ohio. October 5, 1813, the Battle of the Thames was his last battle. Taken POW and released by Gov. Cass. Historical Society of
Michigan wikicommons
1806 Battle of Mole Lake Sokaogon Chippewa victory that removed the Sioux from the contested rice beds in North central Wisconsin with hundreds of casualties.
1808 Battle at Pembina. Chief Ase-anse (Little-Shell 1) defeated a superior force of Sioux. That same day the Sioux attacked the Chippewa at Long Prairie and ownership of the Red River valley to them.
1811 Lake Windigoostigon was given it's name.[60]
1812 The Battle of Chippewa. Despite the name, no Chippewa fought at the battle during the War of 1812. They were sympathetic with the British due the American encroachment on their lands.
Chief Niibaakhom (Clap of thunder at night) of the Manitoulin Island band exploits are maintained in oral history.[62]
1812 The Battle of Fort Detroit was won by Chief Shingwaukonse leading seven hundred warriors. For that, he and Chief Okemos received the King George Peace Medal as well as the Military General Service Medal. Shingwaukonse later received the Queen Victoria Peace Medal. The Saginaw Chippewa led by Chief Wasson were also there as was Chief Sekahos with the Thames River Chippewa. There were two incidents of cannibalism reported.[63]
1813 The first USS Chippewa was the captured British HMS
1813 Chief Wabechechake was killed at the Battle of Fort George.
1814 the U.S. Navy ordered the second USS Chippewa, but it was not completed. The third USS Chippewa ran aground and sank in the Bahamas.[64]
1813 At the Battle of the River Thames Chippewa Chief Oshawana was Tecumseh’s head warrior.[65] With Tecumseh's death he became the head indigenous warrior of southwestern Upper Canada stoutly supporting the British. One oral story has that he moved Tecumseh's remains to the Walpole Island Reserve.(disputed) A variation of that story has that he ordered his warriors to move Tecumseh's remains. Chief Oshawana was at the Battle of Frenchtown, Battle of Fort Detroit, and Siege of Fort Meigs.
1819 Lewis Cass, Governor of Michigan Territory inspected the legendary "Misko-biiwaabik".[66]
1820 The Lewis Cass expedition had Chippewa guides.[67] With the expedition was the artist James Otto Lewis. He published his indigenous portraits in 1835-6 in The Aboriginal Port Folio. None of his original work survives.
1820 Henry Schoolcraft was guided to the legendary "Misko-biiwaabik" by four Chippewa while doing a survey of Michigan.
1822 On 27 July Schoolcraft learned that the Chippewa embraced the ancient concept of a person being a seer or prophetess when he met a grand daughter of Chief Wabojeeg called a "Jossakeed".[20]: ch. XI
1822 On 31 July Schoolcraft wrote that Chippewa Mythology displayed advanced thinking in it's use of "mythological or allegorical tales to teach truths or illustrate some maxim".[20]: ch. XI
1822 On 25 September Schoolcraft noted that the Chippewa counted decimally to 1000 but probably did not do math computation.[20]: ch. XII
1822 On December 5 Schoolcraft recorded that it had been witnessed that Jossakeed could endure fire clothless unharmed.[20]: ch. XIV
1826 Medals were given at the Fond-du-Lac Treaty according to Henry Rowe Schoolcraft.[68]
1830 The hostillities between the Sioux and Chippewa reached such a level that a military expedition was ordered to intervene according to Schoolcraft.[20]: ch. XXXV
1830 President Andrew Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act, which authorized the government to remove any Indian nations east of the Mississippi River to the western side and offer land in exchange.
ca. 1831 Chief Neenába's Map of the Chippewa/Sioux demarcation line on the St. Croix River.[69]
1831 At Rice lake Henry Schoolcraft recorded sighting two medals of Chief Peesh-a-Peevely's of the Ottawa Lake band. Ogeima Geezhick (Chief-Day) had one, a Jefferson Peace medal while a warrior had a British King George II one.[20] It is known that Chippewa Chiefs acquired Jefferson Peace medals, but it is doubted they had direct contact with Lewis and Clark who distributed them. It is speculated they were acquired through trade and barter.
1831-2 Frederick Ayer (missionary) opened a school for Chippewa and "half breed" children at the American Fur Company's trading post at La Point, WS moving the next year the Company's main trading post at Sandy Lake, MN[70]
In 1843 he moved again to Fort Ripley.
1832 Henry Schoolcraft employed a Chippewa head-man, Ozawindib, as his guide into the Northwest Territory. Schoolcraft's wife, O-bah-bahm-wawa-ge-zhe-go-qua, was the grand daughter of Civil and War Chief Waubojeeg or White-Fisher.. O-bah-bahm-wawa-ge-zhe-go-qua is noted for translating Ojibwa oral tales, oral history, and song lyrics to English, and for being the first Native American literary writer and poet.[71][72] In July Schoolcraft recorded Chief Flat mouth:
1833 Treaty of Chicago ceded the lands of the Chippewa, Ottawa, and Potawatamie tribes and awarded the Chiefs the Andrew Jackson Peace Medal.[73] . In the treaty $5,000 was allocated for those tribe's children to attend the Choctaw Academy, the first boarding school in the U.S.[74] $5,000.00 equates to $187,895.24 in 2024.
1834 Sketch of Grammar of the Chippeway Language by John Summerfield published
1836 Joseph Nicollet engaged Snake-River Chippewa Chief Chagobay to guide his mapping of the upper Mississippi basin.[75][76] Henry Schoolcraft used Nicollet's notes on the Chippewa in the his six-volume set on the Indian Tribes of the United States . (1851-1857) commissioned by Congress. They are now in the Schoolcraft papers at the Library of Congress.[77]
1839 Round Lake Massacre where the Dacotah killed 91 Chippewa[78]
1840-45 A group of Ojibwas went to London with George Catlin where they were invited to Windsor Castle to preform for Queen Victoria. Catlin then received a summons to Paris from the King Louis Philippe I where a group of Ojibwa from British Canada joined him.[6] The Ojibwa's also met the King and Queen of Belgium.[79] The group suffered an outbreak of smallpox that killed seven of them.
1842 The Battle of Battle Creek in St. Paul Minnesota. The Chippewa attacked the Sioux at the original Koposia site east of the Mississippi. The Sioux forced the Chippewa to retreat despite suffering heavier losses. The Chippewa lost 10 men. The battle ground is now a public park that has been extensively disturbed by Ramsey County.[80][81]
1844 Maungwudaus created a troupe of Ojibwa performer's that became renown touring the United Kingdom, Canada, and U.S. until 1852. In 2002 a painting of Maungwudaus by Paul Kane sold for $2.2 million.[82]
USS Chippewa sail plan. Was a 108' brig which was a variant of the brigantine due to the rigging. NARA
14 × 32 pounders
2 × 12 pounders
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Smithsonian, wikicommons
ca.1730 naval Combat between the Ojbbeway and Sauk-Fox on Lake Superior. Engraving by Seth Eastman. During the Fox Wars the Fox abducted Ojibbeway females who were rescued during this battle near the mouth of the Montreal River in Wisconsin. wikicommons
The medals came in varying sizes. This one is 75.5mm or 3 inches.
Wisconsin Historical Society. wikicommons
Size was 76mm or 3 inches
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This Medal has the bar for Fort Detroit
Size was 36mm or 1.5 inches
wikicommons
Calotype of Mississauga band Chief Kahkewaquonabywas, Peter Jones, taken August 4, 1845, Edinburgh, Scotland, by Hill & Adamson. Images taken that day are the oldest known of a Native American. He has a Chiefs medal and his bag has an Ojibwa thunderbird.[4] In 1838 he met Queen Victoria to request the Mississauga Ojibwa be given title deeds to their land. He was a Methodist minister and published a book on the Chippewa in 1861. Getty Museum wikicommons
1832 Chief No-Tin or "Wind" of the St. Croix band, Henry Inman. Los Angeles County Museum
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1832 Chief Sha-có-pay or "Six", George Catlin. Saulteaux Chief, at fort Union, the American Fur Company trading post at the confluence of the Yellowstone and Missiouri River. On Wikipedia this image has been identified as one of the best on Wikipedia. Smithsonian wikicommons
1850 Sandy Lake Tragedy Also the Minnesota Pioneer reported that Little-Crow had challenged Hole-in-the-day to a knife duel.[83]
1852 William Whipple Warren recorded Ojibwa oral History which was not published until 1880 titled: "History of the Ojibway People, Based upon Traditions and Oral Statements" that is considered a landmark book in Ojibwa studies. He was the great grandson of Chief Waub-ij-e-jauk and a decendent of Richard Warren one of the Mayflower Pilgrims.[84]
1853 Dictionary of the Otchipwe Language by Catholic missionary Frederic Baraga.[85]
1854 Treaty of La Pointe. Four reservations were established in Wisconsin without specifically naming the St. Croix or Sokaogon bands. The treaty states in general terms that the Lac du Flambeau and Lac Courte Orielles reservations were for "Wisconsin Chippewa". The end result was: two bands were without a specific reservation of their own until 1937.
1855 Chief Buffalo got it in writing that the Wisconsin reservations were permanent unless they "misbehaved".
1855 The Chippewa joined the Yankton Sioux and Missouri Metis in a large battle versus the Mdewakanton near the Lower Sioux Agency.[86] The "half breeds" were Ojibwa Metis.[87]
1855 Hole-in-the-Day was made a citizen of the State of Minnesota by special act.[88] In Anishinaabe culture leadership is divided between civil administration and military operations with leaders specific to one or the other.
In 1855 Chiefs Be-sheekee and Aysh-ke-bah-ke-ko-zhay visited Washington. The sculptor Vincenti was working at the Capitol and recognized an opportunity. He offered the Chiefs $5.00 each to pose so he could model them in clay. He later carved his studies in marble. It wasn't known until 2019 he had made two versions of Aysh-ke-bah-ke-ko-zhay until one went to Sotheby's where it sold for 150,000 £.[86][87]
In 1858 the Leaman Rifle Works delivered rifles to the Chippewas of the Mississippi, Pillagers, and Lake Winnibigoshish as part of their annuity payments.[88] [89]
1858 The Battle of Shakopee at Murphy's Landing on the St. Peters River, now the called the Minnesota. The Chippewa lost 4 while the Dacotah lost 3.
1858 The Leaman Rifle Works delivered rifles to the Chippewas of the Mississippi, Pillagers, and Lake Winnibigoshish as part of their annuity payments. As well as the Sioux.[90}
1860 The Prince of Wales attended an indigenious conference at Sarnia, Ontario, led by the Chief of the Ojibways of Garden River. He gave 75 indigenious leaders the 1860 Queen Victoria Peace medal with the Prince of Wales logo engraved on the front.[91] The medals were silver and 75mm in diameter.[92]
1860 Nahnebahwequay (Catherine Sutton) of the Mississauga band gained an audience with Queen Victoria for Ojibwa land rights.
Less than a month after the attack on Fort Sumpter a Chippewa and Sioux delegation traveled to Washington to tender 300 warriors to the Government. California Farmer and Journal of Useful Sciences, Vol 15, No. 11, 10 May 1861, California Digital Newspaper Collection, UC Riverside, CA, 2024 [1]
10 August, 1861 a significant engagement was reported between the Chippewa and Sioux on the Pembina River. Nevada Democrat, Vol 8, No. 510, 12 Sept. 1861, California Digital Newspaper Collection, UC Riverside, CA, 2024 [2]
Hole-in-the-day threatened to go to war in August 1862 because Indian Agent Walker was cheating his people egregiously. The timing was coincidental to the Sioux events. Many attempted to link the events when there was little to do so beyond speculation. The "whites" did not understand why the Chippewa were unhappy, because they were unaware of the transgressions [93] the same as they were unaware of the Dacotah Agents actions. When Agent Walker was called out for his swindles he committed suicide. That made national news. To make the situation more concerning the Pillagers had taken six families captive at Leech lake.[94] They injured no one, however it made Chief Big-Dog so unhappy that he went to Fort Ripley.[95] He reportedly was given a U.S. Army tunic to wear, which he did. Gull Lake Chief Bad-Boy also did not like what he was hearing and went to Fort Ripley taking three of his men. The fort used their skills as advanced sentries. It happened that Lt. Beaulieu, a biracial Chippewa from G Company 9th Minnesota, was at the fort.[94] Ripley's Commander tasked him as a messenger to Hole-in-the-Day. The Chief had the prisoners released in exchange for an investigation of Agent Walker.[94] The next day Lt. Beaulieu was sent with a message to Gov. Ramsey requesting the other G Company Chippewa be sent.[94] The St. Cloud newspaper absolutely could not believe that any hostilities would happen between the Chippewa and the settlers. However, Hole-in-the Day's posturing fueled the anti-Indian hysteria in other papers and would not be forgotten by his own people. The Red-Lakers in particular called him out at council. His posturing would overshadow his actual actions in the historic narrative. The principle complaint of the Chippewa was their Agent, they wanted him removed. Walker attempted to have Hole-in-the-Day arrested and even shot at the Chief. He committed suicide out of fear the Chippewa were coming for him.
25 August 1862 was the date set for the Red-Lake and Pembina bands Treaty that was cancelled by the Mdewakanton uprising A.S.H. White of the Indian Bureau arrived in Minnesota for the treaty on 6 August. He had been the Secretary for the 1851 Traverse des Sioux treaty and had been sent again.
1853 "A Dictionary of the Otchipwe Language", Rev. Frederick Baraga[9]
wikicommons
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Minnesota Historical Society, wikicommons
Minnesota Historical Society wikicommons
Mid-August 1862, U.S. Indian Commissioner William P. Dole seated, John G. Nicolay (Lincoln's private Secretary) standing, enroute to sign a treaty with the Chippewa that was cancelled due to the Mdewakanton Uprising. Nicolay was sent as Lincoln's personal representative to the Chippewa. Minnesota Historical Society, wikicommons
On August 13, 1862 a train of 30 wagons with treaty goods intended for the Red Lake and Pembina bands of Chippewa, departed St. Cloud, Minnesota for the Red River Valley.[112] The two bands were to sign a treaty on the 25th of August 1862 with the U.S. Government.[112]
On 17 August Lt. Sheehan, with his men of C Co. 5th Minn., departed the upper Sioux Agency for Fort Ripley to escort the Chippewa treaty commission to the Red River valley.[113] Instead, they were called to the defense of Fort Ridgely leaving Ripley incapable of providing an escort. The treaty commission arrived at St. Cloud on 18 August and organized a militia escort.
When the Mdewkanton uprising broke Gov. Ramsey sent ex-Territorial Supreme Court Judge David Cooper, Hole-in-the-Day's legal adviser, to ascertain what the Chippewa were thinking. The Judge reported to Ramsey the Chippewa were dancing around Sioux scalps when he arrived. Newspapers reported the Sioux had forced the Chippewa to leave their village at Otter Tail with no details on how the Ojibwa acquired the scalps. The newspapers also reported that the Chief had sent requests to Ojibwa bands in Wisconsin to send all their warriors because the Sioux had killed a woman.
Just prior to the uprising Little Crow sent Hole-in-the-Day a letter informing that he had tried to stop a war party from departing the lower agency looking for Chippewa to fight.
The Sisseton warrior Other-Day said a large war-party had just departed the upper agency, looking for Chippewa, when lower reservation uprising started. Highly Interesting Narrative, Other-Day, St. Cloud Democrat, Sept. 4, 1862, Library of Congress, 2023 [8]
The Pillagers Otter tail Village
On 28 August 30-40 Sioux departed Otter Tail City for the Chippewa Otter Tail village 20 miles away at Pine Lake. The Difficulty With the Chippewas News from Chippewa Country, Sioux attack at Otter Tail, Settlements at Ottertail cleaned out, Dancing around Sioux Scalps,, The Weekly Pioneer and Democrat, Sept. 05, 1862, p.2, Newspapers.com, 2023 [9]
On 28 August a paper reported the war party numbered 100 and intended to fight the Red-Lakers. The Origin and Extent of Our Indian Difficulties, St Paul Daily Press, 28 Aug. 1862, Minnesota Digital Newspaper Hub, 2023, MNHS [10]
100 Sioux to attack Red-Lake, Hokah Chief, 9 Sept. 1862, p.2, Minnesota Digital Newspaper Hub, 2023, MNHS [11]
100 Sioux to attack Red-Lake, The origin and extent of our Indian difficulties, Chicago Daily Tribune, Sept. 1, 1862, p.2, Library of Congress, 2023 [12]
News from Chippewa Country, 100 Sioux attack at Otter Tail, Settlements at Ottertail cleaned out, Dancing around Sioux Scalps, Winona Weekly Republican, Sept. 10, 1862, Minnesota Digital Newspaper Hub, 2023, MNHS [13]
News from Chippewa Country, 100 Sioux attack Chippewa Otter Tail, Dancing around Sioux Scalps, Detroit Free Press, 6 Sept 1862, p.1, Newspapers.com, 2023 [14]
100 Sioux attacked the Chippewa at Otter Tail Lakes forcing them to evacuate, but the Chippewa were dancing around Sioux scalps when Judge Cooper arrived. Indian Difficulties, Detroit Free Press, Sep 06, 1862 p.1, Newspapers.com 2025 [15]
The Receiver at the Otter Tail Land Office reported Sioux camped on Chippewa land when he arrived at St. Cloud, Indian War, St. Cloud Democrat, Aug. 28, 1862, p.2, Library of Congress, 2023[16],
![Chippewa Chief Big-Dog of the Round-Prairie band offered to fight the Sioux Whitney's Gallery.[108]](http://img1.wsimg.com/isteam/ip/51af781d-55d8-4651-bcd9-7668931ec27c/blob-2df09f0.png/:/cr=t:17.58%25,l:0%25,w:100%25,h:82.42%25/rs=w:600,h:800,cg:true)
Minnesota Historical Society, wikicommons
1855 daguerreotype of Chief at Gull Lake who offered to fight the Sioux 15 September 1862 at the Crow Wing "Embassy" with Gov. Ramsey. He was considered politically shrewd. Something the Red Lake band dissapproved of. He was assassinated for it in 1868 by another band. He's wearing 3 Indian Peace medals. Multiple papers published, that early St. Paul, Minnesota without Chief Hole in the Day, would have been like the play "Hamlet" with no Hamlet.[104]
Minnesota Historical Society wikicommons
Chief at Gull Lake that offered to fight the Sioux 15 September 1862 at the Crow Wing "Embassy" with Cov. Ramsey. He was highly respected by the State of Minnesota. When he died the State provided his headstone as a State Monument and flags were flown at half staff. Also, the United States Navy named a ship for him.
wikicommons
On September 2, 1862 two Chiefs of the Fond-du-Lac band sent a letter for Gov. Ramsey to forward to President Lincoln. They offered to fight the Sioux so Minnesota's troops could be sent to fight the south. That letter made national news. It is not known if Lincoln got the letter as it is not in his Presidential Archives. If he didn't the entire country did. The FDL letter was published or referenced in dozens of newspapers across the nation. What is known is he did not act upon it. In less than a week Mille-Lacs band Chiefs leading 750 warriors showed up at Fort Ripley with the same offer. In addition, they voluntarily provided security to the fort and the nearby town of Little Falls without compensation, in the event it was attacked by anyone. At that time it was rumored that Hole-in-the-day was considering to do that. Another Mille-Lacs Chief took his warriors to St. Cloud with another offer to fight the Sioux. Fort Ripley's commander, Captain Hall, sent a biracial Chippewa officer to Chief Hole-in-the-Day with an offer the Chief accepted.
Within a week Gov. Ramsey and a legislature commission went north to have council with the Chief. It was comprised of U.S. Senator H. Rice and Judge Cooper both respected by the Chippewa. E.A.C. Hatch with whom the Chippewa had long traded as well as Rev. F. Ayer a missionary teacher amongst them for 20 years. The group arrived at Crow Wing to find 10 Chiefs and 10 headmen waiting. They all offered to fight the Sioux. The Governor and commission were taken with the proposal. A treaty was made addressing the Chippewa concerns and the Govenor and commission returned to St. Paul. Minnesota's other U.S. Senator was informed of all the offers and favored accepting. them too. Ramsey was so taken with all the offers that he invited the Chiefs of 22 bands to St. Paul. They all came thinking that their offers to fight the Sioux had been accepted. However, President Lincoln, Major General Pope, and Col. Sibley were opposed.
Why Lincoln did not act upon the offers is unknown. However, Pope's statement for turning down Chippewa service "as not being good for the public interest" sounds like a politician not a general. He may have been repeating what Lincoln wrote him, but that is unknown. What is known, is that had Lincoln accepted the Fond-du-Lac offer he would have had no control over how the other Chippewa bands responded. How fast word would have spread that the FDL band had an OK can only be guessed at, but word would have spread. The two northern Santee tribes had headed for the plains. That would have left the Mdewakanton force against nearly the entire Minnesota-Wisconsin Chippewa based upon the 21 bands that came for Gov. Ramsey. Against those odds it is unknown if the Dacotah would have surrendered to the Chippewa or if the Chippewa would have accepted. Without a surrender the trials would not have happened and there would have been no sentences for execution. The outcome for the over 3-1 outnumbered Mdewakaton force is unknown. It is possible it would have been different from the 38 executed in the historic narrative. The Fond-du-Lac specifically requested the use of native rules on war, making woman, children, and elderly acceptable targets. They also suggested that they receive the Santee Sioux annuities as compensation for their assistance. The Chippewa would have had the advantage of surprise that the Sioux had had with the settlers. The Sioux would have had their families to get out of harms way and the Chippewa would have been on a mission to remove the "evil spirit" from Minnesota for Lincoln as they had corresponded.
Newspapers that published Fond-du-Lac letter to Lincoln(complete text) offering to fight the Sioux:
Newspapers that published the Fond-du-Lac Lincoln letter as stub articles:
"The best thing that could be done, in my judgement, would be to say to Hole-in-the-Day: Get your young men and warriors together, and go on the war path against the Sioux: drive them back and rid the country of them, and your forces shall receive the pay of U.S. soldiers during the time you are engaged in the expedition." From Northern Minnesota, The Weekly Pioneer and Democrat Vol XIV, No.12, Sept 05, 1862, p.6, Library of Congress, 2023 [17]
Instructs: Joseph Gurrol/Gurnoe Red Cliff band Bayfield WS,
Mille-Lacs Band Archives wikicommons
Mille-Lacs Indians St Cloud Democrat, 4 Sept 1862, p.2, Minnesota Digital Newspaper Hub, 2023, MNHS [18]
The St Paul Daily ran the opinion that the entire Chippewa nation was waiting to to go to war against their hereditary enemy. The Philadelphia Inquirer reprinted; Sept. 8, 1862, Newspapers.com, 2023, [19]
The Stillwater Messenger ran the same opinion on September 9 Will We Have Troubles With the Chippewa? Stillwater Messenger, 9 Sept, 1862, p.2 Minnesota Newspaper Digital Hub, 2023, MNHS [20]
In his obituary for Mille-Lacs Chief Shaw-bosh-kung, Bishop Henry Whipple wrote the Chief brought all the warriors he could to Fort Ripley on 6 September 1862. He did, men from the Sandy-Lake, Snake-River, Chippewa-River bands all accompanied the Chief. At Ripley the Chief offered the Fort Commander to fight the Sioux and protect the Fort from an attack by Hole-in-the-Day. The fort was taken by their arrival waving the American and Mille Lacs flags, beating drums and recorded it was a sight to be seen. Indian Commissioner Dole happened to be present and "told Shaw-bosh-kung the Mille-Lacs could remain on their Reservation for 1,000 years, but that they should return home and they would be contacted if needed". However, War Chief Mou-zoo-mau-nee chose to remain as did 300 warriors. When he did that the townspeople of Little Falls asked for protection and he sent them 150 warriors. It is not recorded if that number came out of the 300 or that they were in addition to. In a nutshell, the Chippewa voluntarily provided security to U.S. military installation and the town of Little Falls. There is nothing comparable in U.S. history. The U.S. response has no comparable either. The Ojibwa Chiefs were invited to Washington DC right after the Mankato executions. Lincoln took Shaw-bosh-kung's hand and repeated what the Indian Commissioner had said: "The Mille-Lacs could remain 1,000 years on their Reservation". Then it was included in the 1863 Chippewa treaty they signed. Additionally, the treaty states that the Sandy Lake band cannot be removed without Presidential review. That stipulation indicates that they did something extraordinary in the eyes of the Government. Those same provisions were included in the 1864 Chippewa treaty too. The contrast with what was happening with the Dacotah treaties at the time could not be greater. That continued with the two tribes Historic narratives.
The Mille-Lacs Chiefs; "we will The hold your hand in friendship until this trouble is over".
Mille-Lacs letter 3 Sept requesting council at Fort Ripley and requesting that it not be thought strange that many of their men were absent. They would be helping in the rice harvest. The Saint Paul Daily Press, Oct 2, 1862, p.2, Minnesota Digital Newspaper Hub, 2023, MNHS [21]
Detailed Indian agent account of Chippewa activity in early September made no mention of Chippewa offers to fight. Letter from Shaw-Bosh-King states he will relay his message in person. The agent does not include he said that. The Saint Paul Daily Press, Oct 2, 1862, Minnesota Digital Newspaper hub, MNHS [50]
Newspapers that published the Mille-Lacs offer to fight the Sioux
Mille-Lacs offer Fort Ripley. The Dakota conflict and its reverberations in Mille Lacs, The Moccasin Telegraph Feb 7, 2007 [22]
Mille-Lacs role in the Uprising, Tell the Mille-Lacs what Danger they are in, Chapter 5, "Reminiscences of Life among the Chippewa (Part III)", Anthony Godfrey, U.S. West Research, POB 2172, La Cross, WS, Minnesota Historical Society Contract #92-C-2763, 1973, p. 100-118 [23] [24]
Mille-Lacs sent Indian Commissioner letter requesting to fight the Sioux The Chippewas for Peace, The Saint Paul Daily Press Sept 9, 1862, Minnesota Digital Newspaper Hub, 2023, MNHS [25]
War Chief Mou-Zoo-Mau-Nee words at Fort Ripley: "When you make war upon the white settlers, you make war upon us: and if you fight them you will have to fight us", Mille-Lac Indians, Little Falls Transcript, 1 Feb 1884, p.5, Newspapers.com, 2023 [26]
War Chief Mou-Zoo-Mau-Nee actions at Fort Ripley, Loyalty of the Mille-Lacs, D.H. Robbins, The Princeton Union, 16 May 1907, p.6, Newspapers.com, 2023 [27]
The Mille-Lacs were loyal The Government owes them a DEBT, The Minneapolis Journal,26 Aug 1902, p.11, Newspapers.com, 2023 [28]
White-Earth Chief Wain-ge-ma-dub wrote that he remained 8 days at Fort Ripley with Mou-zoo-mau-nee. About Mou-Zoo-mau-Nee, Little Falls Herald, 4 Sep 1914, p.2, Newspapers.com, 2023 [29]
The Mou-zoo-mau-nee sent 150 warriors to safeguard the Little Falls when the townspeople requested protection. About Mou-zoo-mau-nee, Little Falls Herald, 4 Sept 1914, p.2, Newspapers.com, [30]
People of Little Falls send a letter to President R. B. Hayes in support of Mille-Lacs for sending 100 warriors in 1862, History of Morrison County, Little Falls Transcript, 16 Apr, 1880, p.1, Newapapers.com, 2023
This event is maintained in the Mille-Lacs band oral history.
The State of Minnesota erected a 10' granite monument at Fort Ridgely in recognition of these Chippewa actions.
Newspapers that published Hole-in-the-Day's request for Wisconsin Warriors:
"Nothing would please the Chippewa Nation more than to be asked... they are ready on both sides of the river and from Chengwatana to Superior, Wisconsin. Will We Have Troubles With the Chippewas?" The Stillwater Messenger September 9, 1862, Minnesota Digital Newspaper Hub, 2023, MNHS [31]
A trader at Taylors Falls claimed he could get 500 Chippewa to fight.
The Chippewas, The Goodhue Volunteer, Sept 10, 1862, p.2, Library of Congress, 2023 [32] (The Snake-River band is mentioned as being at Fort Ripley with Shaw-Bosh-Kung)
The Chippewas, Prescott Journal, Sept 10, 1862, p.1, Library of Congress, 2023 [33] (The Chippewa-River band mentioned as being with Shaw-Bosh-Kung)
Inter-tribal warfare between the St. Croix and Long lake bands made news in October 1862.[103]
75 Mille-Lacs St Cloud, Chippewas on the Warpath, Goodhue County Republican Sept 12, 1862, Minnesota Media Hub, 2023, MNHS [34]
Mille-Lacs Indians, The Weekly Pioneer and Democrat 12 Sept 1862, p. 1, Newspapers.com, 2023 [35]
Mille-Lacs Indians Hokah Chief Sept 16, 1862, p.2 Minnesota Digital Newspaper Hub, 2023, MNHS [36]
Chief Buffalo Offered Gov. Ramsey to fight the Sioux 15 Sept 1862 at the Crow Wing Agency.