barley was made to answer as a substitute for coffee, while "prairie tea" was a very common beverage. This "prairie tea" was nothing more nor less than the leaves of the "redroot," that grew so plentifully on the wild prairie, treated or drawn in the same manner as ordinary tea. It was an astringent, and was said to have much the same effect on the human system as the tea in ordinary use. In the matter of clothing the same rigid economy had to be observed. Many were the men who wore moccasins made of rawhide, and pants made of grain bags, because they could get nothing better,-not worthless tramps, either, but men of education, energy and intelligence. It was no uncommon experience for families to live for weeks with no breadstuffs, except such as they could grind in a coffee mill, which, together with a little meat, milk, and game or fish, furnished their entire supply of provisions. CHAPTER XVI. DISAGREEMENTS AND JEALOUSIES-THE TROOPS ORDERED BACK TO THE LAKES-JOHN CAMPBELL MURDER AT MANKATO "BAD HAIL" AND HIS BAND INDIAN MEDICAL PRAC TICE QUARREL OVER THE STEAM MILL-AT TEMPT TO REPLEVIN THE LOGS-A FIGHT PRE- W HEN we now look back and consider the obstacles that met the early settler at every stage of his progress at this time, the only wonder is that any exhibited the energy, hardihood and pluck necessary to overcome them and gain a foothold under such adverse conditions. As might be expected, jealousies and differences of opinion began to manifest themselves as different and apparently conflicting interests began to develop. One question on which the sentiment was divided was the policy of applying for troops as a protection against the Indians. One portion insisted that, from the exposed position of the settlement on the frontier, we were liable at any moment to be attacked by the Indians and swept out of existence before any aid could be obtained or resistance made. On the other hand, it was argued by those who were opposed to JOHN CAMPBELL AND HIS BAND 197 applying for troops, that inasmuch as the large bodies of savages had left the country, there was really no danger, and that the act of asking for troops for the purpose of protection had the appearance and effect of advertising to the world that there was danger and that this was dangerous ground to occupy, thus preventing emigration. The consequence was petitions and remonstrances went in from both sides, each side representing the condition of affairs as viewed from its own standpoint. It will be remembered that the troops stationed here the previous winter had been called in in the spring, but not discharged, the organization having been kept intact, and the proposition was to have this body of troops ordered into service again. This plan finally prevailed. The troops were ordered back here in the fall of 1858, and kept here until their discharge in the spring of 1859. In the fall of 1858 the first election was held under the new constitution. In the Fourth Judicial District, Hon. A. W. Hubbard, of Sioux City, was elected District Judge and Hon. O. C. Howe, of Spirit Lake, District Attorney. The winter of 1858 and 1859 was not marked by any event out of the ordinary other than has been related. The more timid suffered from continued apprehensions of Indian troubles. There apprehensions were somewhat intensified by the arrival at the lakes, some time in January, of a party of Indians in charge of a half-breed by the name of John Campbell, who acted as chief and interpreter. These Indians claimed to be friendly, but a couple of trappers from the Des Moines River, by the names of John Dodson and Henry Chiffen, who were trapping at the lakes at the time, claimed to recognize two of them as having belonged to Inkpadutah's band. They had been trapping along the Des Moines River for a year or two and had frequently come in contact with the In dians. It will be remembered that Mr. Chiffen was one of the messengers who went from Springfield to Fort Ridgley for help after learning of the massacre at the lakes and before the attack on Springfield. Dodson and Chiffen both claimed to identify two of Campbell's men as belonging to Inkpadutah's band, and presumably as participating in the massacre at the lakes. Acting upon this information, Captain Martin determined to arrest them and send them to Des Moines, that their case might be investigated. A detail of soldiers was made for that purpose, and the party started, arriving at Mahan's place on the Des Moines River the first day. During the evening the Indians were very uneasy and kept going in and out of doors, and kept their guards busy looking after them. Finally about nine o'clock in the evening they both went out at the same time, the guards accompanying them. When a short distance from the house they commenced talking to each other by the usual Indian grunts, when all at once they both dropped their blankets to the ground and springing away from their guards, started on the run and were soon lost in the darkness. The surprised guards returned next day to headquarters, where they were most unmercifully nagged by their comrades for allowing their prisoners to escape them so easily. The balance of the band were kept prisoners at Spirit Lake for nearly three weeks, when Captain Martin decided that he had cared for them long enough and the best thing to do would be to send them back to the agency at once. Accordingly he dispatched a squad of eight or ten men in charge of A. Kingman to escort them out of the state. Kingman and his men accompanied them as far as they could and be sure of getting back to the fort the same day. Then they left them with orders to get back to the agency as soon as possible and not try to visit the lakes again. Upon arriving at Marble Grove on his ROVING BANDS OF INDIANS 199 return, Kingman fell in with a squad of four or five soldiers and as many Indians who had been sent out by the commandant at Fort Ridgley to look after Campbell and his party. Kingman and his men followed a different route on their return than they did on going out. This accounts for their not falling in with the other party earlier in the day. The sergeant in charge at once enquired for news of Campbell's party, when Kingman proceeded to tell them the whole story. This the sergeant and his men accepted as true, but the Indians were suspicious, and one of them, a strapping big fellow who could talk English stepped before him and looking him square in the face, exclaimed: "You lie! God damn you. You have killed those Indians." Except for the presence of the soldiers there might have been serious trouble then and there, but they soon had the Indians cooled down and started at once for Fort Ridgley, and as was afterwards learned, overtook Campbell's party when about half way there. As before stated, Campbell was a half-breed, and at the breaking out of the War of the Rebellion, in company with several half-breeds and Indians, enlisted and went south, but were soon after discharged for disability. It was a curious fact that came to the surface during the war that the Indians and half-breeds enlisted from Minnesota could not withstand the hardships and vicissitudes of camp life at all in comparison with the volunteers. After his discharge, Campbell returned to Minnesota, where he lived a kind of roving life along the Minnesota River in the vicinity of Mankato and New Ulm. Later on he was accused of the murder of the Jewett family, on Elm Creek in Minnesota. He was taken to Mankato, tried, found guilty and hanged. Another party of Indians visited the lakes that winter that may as well be noticed here as anywhere, inasmuch as the |