History of Saginaw county, Michigan; together with ... portraits ... and biographies ... History of Michigan ...

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HISTORY OF SAGINAW COUNTY.

KISH-KAW-KO AND THE SOLDIERS.
The troops while stationed at Saginaw City, or where it now
stands, suffered many privations and inconveniences, besides the
petty annoyances and insults to which they were continually
subjected by the Indians, who looked upon them as trespassers,
not daring, however, to make any advances toward hostility; for
they knew full well that the troops were prepared to meet anything
of that nature with "promptness and dispatch." Still, the "redskins" lost no opportunity in reminding them that they (the troops)
were not at home, but upon grounds claimed by others than themselves. There was one chief in particular, whose wigwam was
nearly under cover of the fort, who was exceedingly annoying at
least to the soldiers, but more particularly to the sentry; for every
night, as he, on his accustomed round, would give the hour with
the usual "all's well," this rascally chief would mockingly reiterate the watchword together with a taunting shout and whoop, making the very welkin ring and startling the inmates of the fort, who
not infrequently imagined, upon being so unceremoniously awakened, that an attack was at hand. The scamp had repeated this
a number of times, and our men determined to punish him a little,
and at the same time enjoy some sport at his expense. Accordingly, they loaded an old swivel to the muzzle, with grape and canister, and mounted it upon the pickets, pointing it in the direction
of the old copper-colored gentleman's wigwam,-in such a position,
however, that the shot would merely rattle over his head, with no
other effect than that of frightening him into silence, if nothing
else. Night came at last and "all around was still; not even a
leaf stirred," and the heavy tramp of the sentinel as he paced with
measured tread his accustomed round, and the distant howl of the
hungry wolf alone were heard. The men were lying quietly behind the gun, though by no means asleep, while a match was ready
to apply at the signal, which, by the way, the old chief himself
was unwittingly to give. Hour after hour glided silently by, and
12 o'clock came, the hour usually selected by Copper Face for his
echo. "Twelve o'clock, all 's well," sang out the sentry. "All
well," echoed the Indian, "Ke-whoop-ke-kee-who-whoop," making
the same time a grand flourish after the war style of his forefathers-"ye-ye-ye-yeep-ke-who —.." At this instant a bright
gleam of fire shot from the walls of the fort, accompanied by a report so loud, so deafening, that the very stars shut their eyes, the
moon hid behind a cloud, and the ground and buildings shook
with the concussion, while the grape and canister rattled fearfully
over the wigwam and helter-skelter through the branches of
the trees overhanging it. The old chief thought his time had indeed come, and called lustily for all the gods in his unlettered vocabulary and medicine men of the nation to save him. After this
salutary rebuke, no niche in the tribe was more courteous or deferential to the troops than this same Indian. Perhaps he thought it