Fort Mackenzie, which was first established in 1832, is 120 paces from
the north bank of the Missouri, fifteen or twenty miles from the falls
of that river, and about a hundred miles from the highest range of the
Rocky Mountains. It was built by the American Fur Company, for the
purpose of trading with the Black-Feet and other neighboring Indians.
From the force and ferocity of the large tribes of Indians in the
vicinity, frequent and serious difficulties occurred. One of these,
which took place in 1833, is thus described in Maximilian, Prince of
Wieds’ “Travels in the Interior of North America:”
“On the 28th of August, at break of day, we were awakened by
musket-shot; and Doucette entered our room crying, ‘levez-vous il faut
nous battre!’ On which we arose in haste, dressed ourselves, and loaded
our fowling-pieces with ball. When we entered the court-yard of the
fort, all our people were in motion, and some were firing from the
roofs. On ascending it, we saw the whole prairie covered with Indians,
on foot and on horseback, who were firing at the fort; and on the hills
were several detached bodies. About eighteen or twenty Black-Feet tents,
pitched near the fort, the inmates of which had been singing and
drinking the whole night, and fallen into a deep sleep toward morning,
had been surprised by 600 Assiniboins and Crows. When the first
information of the vicinity of the enemy was received from a Black-Foot,
who had escaped, the _engages_ immediately repaired to their posts on
the roofs of the buildings, and the fort was seen to be surrounded on
every side by the enemy, who had approached very near. They had cut up
the tents of the Black-Feet with knives, discharged their guns and
arrows at them, and killed and wounded many of the inmates, roused from
their sleep by this unexpected attack. The men, about thirty in number,
had partly fired their guns at the enemy, and then fled to the gates of
the fort, where they were admitted. They immediately hastened to the
roof, and began a well supported fire upon the Assiniboins.
“When the Assiniboins saw that their fire was returned, they retreated
about three hundred paces, and an irregular firing continued, during
which several people from the neighborhood joined the ranks of the
Black-Feet. While all this was passing, the court-yard of the fort
exhibited very singular scenes. A number of wounded men, women, and
children, were laid or placed against the walls; others, in their
deplorable condition, were pulled about by their relations, amid tears
and lamentations. The White Buffalo, who had received a wound at the
back of his head, was carried about in this manner, amid singing,
howling, and crying. They rattled the schischique in his ears, that the
evil spirit might not overcome him, and gave him brandy to drink. He
himself, though stupified and intoxicated, sung without intermission,
and would not give himself up to the evil spirit. Otsequa Stomik, an old
man of our acquaintance, was wounded in the knee by a ball, which a
woman cut out with a penknife, during which operation he did not betray
the least symptom of pain. Natah Otarm, a handsome young man, was
suffering dreadfully from severe wounds. Several Indians, especially
young women, were likewise wounded. A spectator alone of this
extraordinary scene can form any idea of the confusion and the noise,
which was increased by the loud report of the musketry, the moving
backward and forward of the people, carrying powder and ball, and the
tumult occasioned by about twenty horses shut up in the fort.”
Our illustration, a most spirited and vigorous representation of Indian
life and character, gives a view of the attack made upon the sleeping
Black-Feet early in the morning. It is eminently characteristic of
Indian warfare, and affords an admirable specimen of the fierce
encounters so frequent among the savage sons of that remote wilderness.
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