Battle of the Brule
Encyclopedia
The Battle of the Brule was an October 1842 battle between the La Pointe Band of Ojibwe Indians and a war party of Dakota
Indians. Occurring at the Brule River
(Bois Brule) in what is today northern Wisconsin
, the battle resulted in a decisive victory for the Ojibwe.
was hotly contested by the Santee Sioux (Dakota) and the Lake Superior Chippewa
(Ojibwe). By the close of the 18th century, the Dakota were largely pushed out of Wisconsin and much of northern Minnesota to areas west of the Mississippi River
. In fact, the 1825 Treaty of Prairie du Chien
only recognized a small portion of present-day Wisconsin as Dakota land. However, throughout the 18th and well into the 19th centuries, the Dakota and Ojibwe continued to launch military expeditions into each other's territories.
Much of what we know about the Battle of the Brule comes from the reminiscences of Benjamin Armstrong, an eyewitness to the event. Armstrong, the adopted son of Chief Buffalo of the La Pointe Band, was an American who had decided to live with the Ojibwas on Madeline Island
.
Although the Ojibwas living along Lake Superior
's south shore were collectively referred to as the La Pointe Band by 19th century sources, in actuality, they maintained seasonal camps all along the shoreline. One such camp was located at the Bois Brule River
. The Dakota, under the leadership of Old Crow, hoped to take advantage of the scattered Ojibwa by leading his party against small groups by surprise while avoiding the large body of Ojibwa at La Pointe
or farther to the south on the St. Croix River
under Hole in the Day. Chief Buffalo of La Pointe, however, received advanced warning but not with enough time to gather his full military strength. When the groups met at the Brule, the Dakota had the advantage of numbers, but Buffalo positioned the main body of his force behind a high river bank. The Dakota, still thinking they were dealing with a very small unsuspecting group of Ojibwe fell for Buffalo's maneuver of sending out a few warriors to engage in a decoy retreat. The warriors, retreating across the Brule drew the Dakota from their bank into the river toward Buffalo on the other side. As they drew close and started climbing the bank the Ojibwa were perched behind, Buffalo had his left and right flanks pour into the river on either side to surround the Dakota. The battle soon turned into a rout as the Dakota climbing the bank were cut down as they reached the top, while those who tried to climb back down to the river met the Ojibwa below. The few surviving Dakota fled toward the direction of the Mississippi River
, while Ojibwa in pursuit caught up with many and killed them. In total the Dakota lost 101 men while the Ojibwa lost 13. Armstrong, meanwhile, recorded this all from his secure vantage point.
This continued warfare between the Dakota and Ojibwe figured heavily in U.S. government
policy in the Wisconsin Territory
. The Treaty of Prairie du Chien (1825) had been arranged with the pretext of creating peace between the two nations, and in later treaties and negotiations the government repeatedly demanded the two groups end hostilities so white settlers would see Wisconsin as a peaceful region.
Already a respected leader, the Battle of the Brule increased Chief Buffalo's prestige among all bands of Ojibwe. He was an important leader in treaty negotiations during the Treaties of La Pointe
, and was the primary voice of complaint against the removal of the Lake Superior Chippewa in 1850, which resulted in the Sandy Lake Tragedy
.
Sioux
The Sioux are Native American and First Nations people in North America. The term can refer to any ethnic group within the Great Sioux Nation or any of the nation's many language dialects...
Indians. Occurring at the Brule River
Bois Brule River
The Bois Brule River is a river situated in Douglas County, Wisconsin, near its eastern border with Bayfield County. The river, which is 44 miles long, rises in central Douglas County near Upper St...
(Bois Brule) in what is today northern Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, the battle resulted in a decisive victory for the Ojibwe.
Background
During the 17th and 18th centuries, control of northern Wisconsin and northeastern MinnesotaMinnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
was hotly contested by the Santee Sioux (Dakota) and the Lake Superior Chippewa
Lake Superior Chippewa
The Lake Superior Chippewa were a historical band of Ojibwe Indians living around Lake Superior in what is now the northern parts of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.-Origins:...
(Ojibwe). By the close of the 18th century, the Dakota were largely pushed out of Wisconsin and much of northern Minnesota to areas west of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
. In fact, the 1825 Treaty of Prairie du Chien
Treaty of Prairie du Chien
The Treaty of Prairie du Chien may refer to any of several treaties made and signed in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin between the United States, representatives from the Sioux, Sac and Fox, Menominee, Ioway, Winnebago and the Anishinaabeg Native American peoples.-1825:The first treaty of Prairie du...
only recognized a small portion of present-day Wisconsin as Dakota land. However, throughout the 18th and well into the 19th centuries, the Dakota and Ojibwe continued to launch military expeditions into each other's territories.
The battle
Madeline Island
Madeline Island is an island of the U.S. state of Wisconsin located in Lake Superior approximately two miles northeast of Bayfield, Wisconsin, and connected to that town seasonally by a 20 minute ferry ride or an ice road. It is the largest of the Apostle Islands, although it is not included...
.
Although the Ojibwas living along Lake Superior
Lake Superior
Lake Superior is the largest of the five traditionally-demarcated Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded to the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Minnesota, and to the south by the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Michigan. It is the largest freshwater lake in the...
's south shore were collectively referred to as the La Pointe Band by 19th century sources, in actuality, they maintained seasonal camps all along the shoreline. One such camp was located at the Bois Brule River
Bois Brule River
The Bois Brule River is a river situated in Douglas County, Wisconsin, near its eastern border with Bayfield County. The river, which is 44 miles long, rises in central Douglas County near Upper St...
. The Dakota, under the leadership of Old Crow, hoped to take advantage of the scattered Ojibwa by leading his party against small groups by surprise while avoiding the large body of Ojibwa at La Pointe
La Pointe, Wisconsin
La Pointe is a town in Ashland County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The town includes all of the Apostle Islands. There is also an unincorporated community named La Pointe on Madeline Island, the largest of the Apostle Islands . The population was 246 at the 2000 census...
or farther to the south on the St. Croix River
St. Croix River (Wisconsin-Minnesota)
The St. Croix River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately long, in the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Minnesota. The lower of the river form the border between Wisconsin and Minnesota. The river is a National Scenic Riverway under the protection of the National Park Service. A...
under Hole in the Day. Chief Buffalo of La Pointe, however, received advanced warning but not with enough time to gather his full military strength. When the groups met at the Brule, the Dakota had the advantage of numbers, but Buffalo positioned the main body of his force behind a high river bank. The Dakota, still thinking they were dealing with a very small unsuspecting group of Ojibwe fell for Buffalo's maneuver of sending out a few warriors to engage in a decoy retreat. The warriors, retreating across the Brule drew the Dakota from their bank into the river toward Buffalo on the other side. As they drew close and started climbing the bank the Ojibwa were perched behind, Buffalo had his left and right flanks pour into the river on either side to surround the Dakota. The battle soon turned into a rout as the Dakota climbing the bank were cut down as they reached the top, while those who tried to climb back down to the river met the Ojibwa below. The few surviving Dakota fled toward the direction of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
, while Ojibwa in pursuit caught up with many and killed them. In total the Dakota lost 101 men while the Ojibwa lost 13. Armstrong, meanwhile, recorded this all from his secure vantage point.
Aftermath
Although it had more casualties than typical Dakota-Ojibwe warfare, the Battle of the Brule was an example of the type of ongoing conflict the two nations were engaged in during the 18th and early 19th centuries.This continued warfare between the Dakota and Ojibwe figured heavily in U.S. government
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
policy in the Wisconsin Territory
Wisconsin Territory
The Territory of Wisconsin was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 3, 1836, until May 29, 1848, when an eastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Wisconsin...
. The Treaty of Prairie du Chien (1825) had been arranged with the pretext of creating peace between the two nations, and in later treaties and negotiations the government repeatedly demanded the two groups end hostilities so white settlers would see Wisconsin as a peaceful region.
Already a respected leader, the Battle of the Brule increased Chief Buffalo's prestige among all bands of Ojibwe. He was an important leader in treaty negotiations during the Treaties of La Pointe
Treaty of La Pointe
The Treaty of La Pointe may refer to either of two treaties made and signed in La Pointe, Wisconsin between the United States and the Ojibwe Native American peoples...
, and was the primary voice of complaint against the removal of the Lake Superior Chippewa in 1850, which resulted in the Sandy Lake Tragedy
Sandy Lake Tragedy
The Sandy Lake Tragedy was the culmination of a series of events centered in Sandy Lake, Minnesota, that resulted in the deaths in 1850 of several hundred Lake Superior Chippewa. Officials of the Zachary Taylor Administration and Minnesota Territory sought to relocate several bands of the tribe to...
.
Additional reading
- Armstrong, Benjamin. Early Life Among the Indians: Reminiscences from the life of Benjamin G. Armstrong. T.P. Wentworth (Ashland, WI: 1891).