He was loyal to the Government during the rebellion in the United
States, for which cause he met much opposition by designing white
people, who had full sway among the Indians, and who tried to mislead
them and cause them to be disloyal; and he broke up one or two
rebellious councils amongst his people during the progress of the
rebellion.

When Hon. D. C. Leach, of Traverse City, Mich., was Indian Agent, Mr.
Blackbird was appointed United States Interpreter and continued in this
office with other subsequent Agents of the Department for many years.
Before he was fairly out of this office, he was appointed postmaster of
Little Traverse, now Harbor Springs, Mich., and faithfully discharged
his duties as such for over eleven years with but very little salary.

He has also for several years looked after the soldiers' claims for
widows and orphans, both for the whites as well as for his own people,
in many instances without the least compensation, not even his stamps
and paper paid. He is now decrepit with old age and failing health, and
unable to perform hard manual labor.

We therefore recommend this work of Mr. A. J. Blackbird as interesting
and reliable.

JAMES L. MORRICE,
Treasurer of Emmet County.

C. P. NEWKIRK,
Principal Harbor Springs Public Schools.