The party threw down their axes and ran for their arms, but found them
gone, and themselves surrounded. Our young men laughed at them and
returned their weapons.

When this party came to the fort they reported what had been done, and
the war chief made a serious affair of it. He called our chiefs to
council inside his fort. This created considerable excitement in our
camp, every one wanting to know what was going to be done. The
picketing which had been put up, being low, every Indian crowded
around the fort, got upon blocks of wood and old barrels that they
might see what was going on inside. Some were armed with guns and
others with bows and arrows. We used this precaution, seeing that the
soldiers had their guns loaded and having seen them load their big
guns in the morning.

A party of our braves commenced dancing and proceeded up to the gate
with the intention of, going in, but were stopped. The council
immediately broke up, the soldiers with their guns in hands rushed out
from the rooms where they had been concealed. The cannon were hauled
to the gateway, and a soldier came running with fire in his hand,
ready to apply the match. Our braves gave way and retired to the
camp. There was no preconcerted plan to attack the whites at that
time, but I am of the opinion now that had our braves got into the
fort all of the whites would have been killed, as were the British
soldiers at Mackinac many years before.

We broke up our camp and returned to Rock river. A short time
afterward the party at the fort received reinforcements, among whom we
observed some of our old friends from St. Louis.