True, but to whip the enemy you must first meet him; and in order to pursue effectually and catch the Indians, a peculiar training is necessary—­a training which, at that day, few, even of the frontier militia, could boast.

In some portions of this campaign there was another difficulty,—­the want of concert between the two branches of the service.  The regular troops looked with contempt upon the unprofessional movements of the militia; the militia railed at the dilatory and useless formalities of the regulars.  Each avowed the conviction that matters could be much better conducted without the other, and the militia, being prompt to act, sometimes took matters into their own hands, and brought on defeat and disgrace, as in the affair of “Stillman’s Run.”

The feeling of contempt which the army officers entertained for the militia, extended itself to their subordinates and dependants.  After the visit of the Ranger officers to Fort Winnebago, before the battle of the Wisconsin, the officer of the mess where they had been entertained called up his servant one day to inquire into the sutler’s accounts, He was the same little “Yellow David” who had formerly appertained to Captain Harney.

“David,” said the young gentleman, “I see three bottles of cologne-water charged in the month’s account of the mess at the sutler’s.  What does that mean?”

“If you please, lieutenant,” said David, respectfully, “it was to sweeten up the dining-room and quarters after them milish’ officers were here visiting.”

Black Hawk and a few of his warriors had escaped to the north, where they were shortly after captured by the One-eyed Day-kau-ray and his party, and brought prisoners to General Street at Prairie du Chien.  The women and children of the band had been put in canoes and sent down the Mississippi, in hopes of being permitted to cross and reach the rest of that tribe.

The canoes had been tied together, and many of them were upset, and the children drowned, their mothers being too weak and exhausted to rescue them.  The survivors were taken prisoners, and, starving and miserable, were brought to Prairie du Chien.  Our mother was at the Port at the time of their arrival.  She described their condition as wretched and reduced beyond anything she had ever witnessed.  One woman who spoke a little Chippewa gave her an account of the sufferings and hardships they had endured—­it was truly appalling.

After having eaten such of the horses as could be spared, they had subsisted on acorns, elm-bark, or even grass.  Many had died of starvation, and their bodies were found lying in their trail by the pursuing whites.  This poor woman had lost her husband in battle, and all her children by the upsetting of the canoe in which they were, and her only wish now was, to go and join them.  Poor Indians! who can wonder that they do not love the whites?

But a very short time had we been quietly at home when a summons came to my husband to collect the principal chiefs of the Winnebagoes and meet General Scott and Governor Reynolds at Rock Island, where it was proposed to bold a treaty for the purchase of all the lands east and south of the Wisconsin.  Messengers were accordingly sent to collect the principal men, and, accompanied by as many as chose to report themselves, he set off on his journey.