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Establishment of U. S. Factories with the Indians under the administration of James Madison.-Factors forbid to traffick with white people. - Establishment of a trading post in 1808 at Fort Madison on the Mississippi.-J. W. Johnson, factor.-An attempt to surprise and destroy the company of troops sent for the protection of factory goods. Information of the intent of the Sacs and Foxes communicated to the sutler of the post by an Iowa Indian who once resided in Mr. Askin's family at Detroit, who could speak English, though imperfectly, yet could make himself understood. His first visit.-His second visit to the sutler.—He attends the Council of Black Hawk in the winter of 1808. - Reports confidentially to his friend, the sutler. -Promised to keep him advised of the intentions of Black Hawk and his followers.

I was appointed sutler to a company of troops commanded by Alpha Kinsley, 1st regiment, U. S. Infantry, sent to establish a trading post, and for the protection of public goods, a site for a fort and trading post was selected by Lieut. Kinsley & Mr. J. W. Johnson, U. S. F. Nine miles above Rapid des Moine a stockade was thrown up of small pickets, 5 feet high; the winter quarters for the company, which consisted of about 50 men besides the officers, formed the rear of the stockade; the barracks were low (but one story); there were two gates, one in front, next the river and a small gate opened in the rear towards the woods. The factory store, built by the troops, was erected near the gate on the right & a sutler store on the left of the back gate. A sentry was posted night and day at this gate, outside, where he could observe all that passed at the factory as well as at the sutler's store. By the first of September of that year Mr. Johnson was ready to commence trading with the Indians. His trade was principally confined to the post, with the Sacs and Foxes & Iowas. Positive instructions was given to Mr. Johnson as well as to all factors, for the Government had established trading houses as early as 1805 at Detroit, Chicago, Fort Wayne, Green Bay, Osage, Belle Fontaine on the Missouri and many other points; the object of which was to afford the Indian's goods a small profit, merely to cover all expenses. At that time the Mississippi country was filled with British traders who sold goods at high prices. Their goods were of the very best quality, manufactured expressly for the Indian trade. Their rifles were just what the Indian required & the powder of the very best quality; whereas the goods sent to the American factors were of a very inferior quality, in fact, it would seem that all the old goods of all our cities were bought up as good enough for wild Indians. At first the goods were laughed at, ridiculed, by the Indians. The leading articles of trade, such as blankets, cloths, powder, rifles, &c., were miserable. The blankets were small and thin, weighing but half the weight of an English trader's blanket; the cloths also were this and worse, so narrow that two yards would not make a match-i-co-ta for a squaw and the calico would not, from age, hold together. The traps were good for nothing; the springs would break but the government furnished a blacksmith under charge of Mr. Johnson, the factor, who mended their traps, axes, kettles, guns, &c., &c. The article of traps from their bad quality greatly disappointed those who bought them for they always had new springs to make; in fact the goods were badly laid in for the Indian trade. The factors were constantly complaining of the quality of goods sent them.

The British traders made a handle of it and the Indians became dissatisfied with their father, the President, for sending goods so inferior to those brought by their old traders. Some years elapsed before better goods were furnished. In the meantime British traders exerted themselves to poison the minds of the Sacks and Foxes against the new traders and the Big Knives.

Black Hawk was then a young chief of great influence with the braves of the Sacks and Foxes. He possessed a daring and restless spirit. The old British traders worked so effectually on the feelings of the Indians that they

were determined to attack the troops sent for the protection of the publick goods and rob the factory store.

All traders were in the habit of making credits to the Indians; each chief accountable for each individual in his band; the chief was in all cases present when the trader made his credits and as he knew who was a good hunter and who was not, he dictated the amount to be credited to each individual of his band. The credits were always made in the fall and paid after the Indians had made their winter hunts.

Some bands of the Sacks took credit at the U. S. Factory in the fall of 1808. No matter how inferior an article, if the Indian can obtain it on a credit he will take it.

Owing to bad counsels the Indians made that year poor hunts. They kept in a body and counseled among themselves the best manner of surprising Fort Madison or rather the temporary stockade before the new fort could be occupied. They knew the new fort could not be occupied before the following summer, the soldiers hauled all the pickets and timber in the winter, hitched to sleds, 10 or 15 men to a sled, for want of horses or oxen.

Whilst they were thus occupied the Indians were debating on the best mode of attack, several head men and warriors spoke in counsel, each submitting his favorite mode of attack. They kept themselves posted up in regard to the progress of the new fort which was to be of picket work and block houses. The pickets were to be about fifteen feet high and sharpened at the top. The month of May was decided upon as the time for attacking the troops and kill every man if they could. The whole nation left their summer village in the fall, and in canoes with their families, descended the Mississippi river some 250 miles to their usual wintering grounds, at or near Wa-con-daw Prairie, and about fifty miles below Fort Madison, where game was much more plenty. Whilst the young men were employed in hunting, the wise men of the nation were submitting their plans for an attack, as they should pass up the river in the spring to their summer village, where they usually make their corn. Sometime in February, a young Iowa made his Detroit friend, the Sutler, a visit, the object of which was to inform him that the old Sack chiefs had no control of the young men; that they were occupied all winter in holding councils among themselves and were determined on mischief; that they had sent wampum to the Iowas, who would not join them in a body, but that a few individuals who had intermarried with the Sack women would and that a general massacre of the Whites was determined upon to be carried in effect in the spring.

Black Hawk, or Muck-et-e-me-shuck, was selected as the leader of the