March 1826 - The Method family is murdered while gathering maple sugar on the Iowa side of the Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien. Six Winnebago Indians are given up and put in prison at Fort Crawford (at Prairie du Chien).

July 4, 1826 - Winnebago trial at Prairie du Chien for the murder of the Method family, 6 are arrested with 4 later released.

October 1826 - General Snelling at Fort Crawford has personal difficulties with some of the Indian traders and decides to leave them to shift for themselves. He moves his troops to Fort Snelling (now Minnesota). The two Winnebago warriors are also moved.

November 1826 - Important lead ore discoveries are made on Winnebago lands. Some difficulty between the Winnebago and the white miners occurs. Indians are actively engaged in working their own mines and are jealous of intruders.

May 1827 - The Winnebago sends for Sub-Indian Agent John Connelly stationed at Galena to come 20 miles to their lands, refusing to cross boundary line into Galena. Complains about the miners and threatens to take revenge. Told Connelly he “see no more of them for a long time”. At Fort Snelling the Sioux were running gauntlet of Chippewa.

June 26, 1827 - It is believed by the Sioux and Winnebago that the two Winnebago prisoners at Fort Snelling have been given up to the Chippewas and killed by them.

Red Bird and three other Winnebago kill two men, also a 12-month old child is wounded and scalped at the Gagnier house at Prairie du Chien.

June 27, 1827 - Red Bird et al arrive at Prairie La Crosse and dance the Scalps. Red Bird said “there are my trophies, now you do the rest”. They became maddened with anxiety, to follow an example so triumphant. Almost at the same time two keel boats pass by and are attacked by 35 to 40 warriors. 7 Indians are killed and 2 on a boat killed.

Early July 1827 - Rock River band of Indians rob and insult travelers from Illinois to Fever River. At St. Louis a party is robbed and fired upon a crossing. There is vandalism to miners huts. The Rock River Indians leave their villages and hide their women and children going to Lake Koshkoning.

July 1, 1827 - Lt. Martin Thomas, superintendent of the Lead Mines, hears a report while at Galena about the Prairie du Chien murders.

July 4, 1827 - Lt. Thomas reports that while on the way to St. Louis he met the keel boats General Ashby and O. H. Perry at the mouth of the Fever River. Indians had attacked the boats some 50 miles above Prairie du Chien. Two men were killed and 5 wounded on the Perry; the crew of the Ashby escaped unhurt. The Master of the Ashby thought it was a band of Winnebago living on the waters of Black River.

Lt. Thomas has trouble getting a sufficient number of volunteers from Galena to occupy the vacant Fort Crawford at Prairie du Chien “from causes not necessary to enumerate”. Thomas was making arrangements to transport them when Lewis Cass, Governor of Michigan Territory, arrived and approved the plans. Cass was on his way to a council with the Winnebago.

July 5, 1827 - Governor Cass orders Abner Field of Galena to assume command of the volunteers at Prairie du Chien, and confines his efforts to defensive measures until Colonel Snelling or other U.S.Army officers arrive. Field is to return when the danger is removed or when more efficient forces arrive there. Cass orders Lt. Thomas to accompany Field’s company to Prairie du Chien.

July 10, 1827 - Intelligence received from the Sioux that the Winnebago will attack Prairie du Chien and murder all Americans.

Colonel Snelling arrives at Prairie du Chien, and dismisses Field’s company.

Governor Cass writes to the Secretary of War:

Messages are sent by the Winnebago to miners warning them to leave. A series of insults and aggressions such as those that mark the approach of Indian hostilities have been some time in progress. Travelers have been stopped, insulted, and plundered, houses have been entered, and inhabitants frightened.

Lt. Thomas arrives at Prairie du Chien with the volunteers

July 14, 1827 - General Henry Dodge, commanding a mounted party of 60 men, leaves to range through the country on Rock River with the intention of visiting the small band at the Ford, the appearance of such a force will induce those Indians at the Ford to remain quiet.

July 15, 1827 - General Henry Atkinson leaves Jefferson Barracks at St. Louis with 500 men.

July 18, 1827 - General Atkinson arrives at Des Moines Rapids where he meets Lt. Martin Thomas. Atkinson will discharge Field’s Company when he reaches Fort Crawford.

July 22, 1827 - The Galena "Committee of Safety" (William Henry, Chairman and James Craig, Secretary) writes to General Atkinson:

...Sent expresses on lower roads to warn travelers, organized several companies to defend Galena and the most important points in the diggings, company of mounted party to act as patrols or scouts under the command of General Dodge, organized expedition to Prairie du Chien under Col. A. Field for relief of that place, building 4 blockhouses occupying the most prominent points around Galena.

There are also blockhouses to cover the principal points in the diggings.[Webmaster's Note: These defensive structures include a large fort located north of New Diggings and a stockade at Gratiot's Grove.}

July 23, 1827 - General Atkinson reached Fort Armstrong (Rock Island) with 310 men. Major Ketchum following him with another 225 men. Col. Snelling at Prairie du Chien with 200 men.

Governor Ninan Edwards of Illinois calls out Illinois Militia.

July 27, 1827 - General Atkinson arrives at Fever River (Galena). He furnishes the "Committee of Safety" with 200 stand of arms, 7000 cartridges, and 200 lbs cannon powder.

July 29, 1827 - General Atkinson arrives at Prairie du Chien. Colonel Snelling already there with four companies. Both Officers await the results of Gov. Cass' council with the Winnebago at Green Bay. Sends express to Gov. Cass. regarding measures to provision Fort Snelling and Fort Crawford. Snelling takes supplies back to Fort Snelling and will send back Major Fowle with light craft to transport General Atkinson up the Wisconsin River.

August 16, 1827 - Col. Snelling returns to Prairie du Chien.

August 19, 1827 - After a two-week council with Winnebago, Governor Cass has no settlement. Cass asks the chiefs to meet at Prairie du Chien but they said would not until the Green Bay council concluded. General Atkinson hears from Governor Cass that he has made no progress with Winnebago, and fears they may attack Fever River (Galena).

August 21, 1827 - Major Fowle arrives at Fort Crawford with four companies in two keel boats and nine mackinaw boats.

August 26, 1827 - Carawane, an old chief and three other Winnebago arrive at Prairie du Chien from a village eighteen leagues (some 51 miles) up the Wisconsin River. They want to learn news of council. General Atkinson sends him back with instructions to send runners to the different bands for their chiefs to come without delay. [Webmaster's Note: Read a letter from Gen. Henry Dodge to Gen. Atkinson by clicking here.]

Lead mine companies are enrolled.

August 27, 1827 - General Atkinson plans to go to Portage (on Wisconsin River) and wait for a light-draught steamboat, which is expected at any time. If the vessel doesn’t arrive, Atkinson may be forced to move in keel boats and other light craft. He writes: “It will be difficult to penetrate the Indian country for want of transportation.”

August 29, 1827 - General Atkinson starts up Wisconsin River with thirteen companies and two six-pounder artillery pieces in five keel boats and ten mackinaw boats. He contacts General Henry Dodge and requests mounted volunteers.

September 1, 1827 - General Atkinson and General Dodge meet on Wisconsin River. Dodge has at his command 130 mounted Galena volunteers.

Major Whistler arrived at Portage from Green Bay with two companies, a company of militia, and body of New York and Menominee Indians.

September 2, 1827 - General Atkinson arrives at English Prairie [present-day Muscoda, Wisconsin] 80 miles from Prairie du Chien.

September 4, 1827 - Red Bird surrenders. He gives a confession that indicates the Sioux instigated him to strike. He believed that the troops left Prairie du Chien from fear and Pottawatomies became insolent after the fort at Chicago closed.

September 6, 1827 - Atkinson and Dodge reach Portage.

September 8, 1827 - Atkinson meets with the Winnebago in council, where they deliver up two more men. Now in custody are Red Bird, the Sun (Red Bird’s son), and Red Bird’s brother-in-law. The Winnebago promise to deliver two more men from the Prairie la Crosse band.

September 9, 1827 - Agreement between Atkinson and the Winnebago: a Commission shall be appointed to adjust claims and run a line of demarcation between the United States land and the Winnebago lands next spring or summer. Until that time, licensed miners shall procure mineral in district heretofore used for that purpose, free from encroachment and interruption.

September 13, 1827 - General Arkinson returns to Prairie du Chien.

September 21, 1827 - Last two Winnebago surrender, a young chief and a noted brave.

September 22, 1827 - General Atkinson issues proclamation granting peace to the Winnebago. Leaves Major Fowle at Fort Crawford in command of four companies provisioned for 12 months.

Date unknown - Red Bird dies while in custody at Fort Crawford and awaiting trial.

March 21, 1828 - Act of Congress, Stat at Large, U.S., vol. 4 p. 258, Sec. 3 authorized $40,000 to pay militia called out on the Indian disturbances of 1827.

September 13, 1828 - Report in Galena's Miners’ Journal newspaper of the trial held at Prairie du Chien:

The Sun and Little Boeuff guilty of the murder of Registre Gagnier;
The Little Boeuff guilty for murder of Solomon Lipcap;
The Sun guilty for scalping Louisa Gagnier, an infant, with intent to kill.

November 28, 1893 - The Acting Judge Advocate General of the Army gives his opinion to the Record and Pension Office of the War Department that the following companies were in the military service of the United States. Thus, they were eligible for pensions.

The Sword of the Republic, the United States Army on the Frontier, 1783-1846, by Francis Paul Prucha, The Macmillan Company, 1969, pp. 163-167;

General Henry Atkinson by Roger Nichols, pp. 119-136.

Muster Roll of Captain Field's Company.

Muster Roll of Captain Hamilton's Company.

Muster Roll of Captain G. McNair's Company.

Muster Roll of Captain Strode's Company.

Muster Roll of Captain T. McNair's Company.

A History of the Winnebago People.