ain (Throckmorton) and was determined to give myself up to him.
I then sent for my white flag. While the messenger was gone, I took
a small piece of white cotton and put it on a pole, and called to the
captain of the boat, and told him to send his little canoe ashore and
let me come aboard. The people on board asked whether we were Sacs or
Winnebagoes. I told a Winnebago to tell them that we were Sacs, and
wanted to give ourselves up! A Winnebago on the boat called out to us
"to run and hide, that the whites were going to shoot!" About this time
one of my braves had jumped into the river, bearing a white flag to the
boat, when another sprang in after him and brought him to the shore. The
firing then commenced from the boat, which was returned by my braves and
continued for some time. Very few of my people were hurt after the
first fire, having succeeded in getting behind old logs and trees, which
shielded them from the enemy's fire.

The Winnebago on the steamboat must either have misunderstood what
was told, or did not tell it to the captain correctly; because I am
confident he would not have allowed the soldiers to fire upon us if he
had known my wishes. I have always considered him a good man, and too
great a brave to fire upon an enemy when sueing for quarters.

After the boat left us, I told my people to cross if they could, and
wished; that I intended going into the Chippewa country. Some commenced
crossing, and such as had determined to follow them, remained; only
three lodges going with me. Next morning, at daybreak, a young man
overtook me, and said that all my party had determined to cross the
Mississippi--that a number had already got over safely and that he had
heard the white army last night within a few miles of them. I now began
to fear that the whites would come up with my people and kill them
before they could get across. I had determined to go and join the
Chippewas; but reflecting that by this I could only save myself, I
concluded to return, and die with my people, if the Great Spirit would
not give us another victory. During our stay in the thicket, a party of
whites came close by us, but passed on without discovering us.

Early in the morning a party of whites being in advance of the army,
came upon our people, who were attempting to cross the Mississippi.
They tried to give themselves up; the whites paid no attention to their
entreaties, but commenced slaughtering them. In a little while the whole