BRUNET TAVERN - PRAIRIE DU CHIEN - RED BIRD WAR

[Cliff Krainik]

Petition for a Tavern in Prairie du Chien, 1826

We the undersigned Citizens of Prairie du Chien in the County of Crawford and Territory of Michigan being personally acquainted with Jean Brunet for several years past do hereby certify that we know him to be of good moral character (,) that he has kept a tavern in this village of Prairie du Chien in said County for several years to the general satisfaction of our community and we do know him to be provided with all the requisites necessary for a Tavern and we further certify that a Tavern is necessary in the House of said Brunet for the accommodations of travelers.

Prairie du Chien
May 4, 1826

Jos. Brisbois [1799-1849 - son of Michel]

J.H. Lockwood [James H. - 1793-1857]

Jos. Rolette [1781-1842]

Edward Pizanne [1784-1836]

Oliviet Cheriet [Olivier Cherrier, clearly spelled by someone who was trying to reproduce the French pronunciation - ca. 1787-1849]

Piere Lessar [Pierre Lessard - 1787-1834]

Jos. Crelis [Joseph Crelie - 1773-1866]

Piere Larivere [Pierre Lariviere - ca. 1762-1841]

Julien Larivere [Lariviere - ca. 1804- ca. 1872 - son of Pierre]

George Fisher [ca. 1806-1846]

M. Brisbois [Michel Brisbois - 1760-1837]

N. Boilbin [Nicholas Boilvin - 1761-1827]



The list of signatories of this petition reads like a Who’s Who of the most important individuals in Prairie du Chien just prior to the Red Bird War including James Lockwood, Joseph Rolette, Michel and Joseph Brisbois and Nicholas Boilvin.

The petitioner, Jean Brunet was an active participant in both the Red Bird War of 1827 and the Black Hawk War in 1832. In fact, the tavern that Jean Brunet sought to license in his home in May of 1826 played an important role in the Red Bird War as James H. Lockwood related -

“... the next morning, the 27th (July of 1827) proceeded to the Prairie. I went to my house and found it vacant, and went to the old village where I found my family, and most of the inhabitants of the Prairie, assembled at the house of Jean Brunet, who kept a tavern. Mr. Brunet had a quantity of square timber about him, and the people proposed building breast-works with it.” “Early Times and Events in Wisconsin” First Annual Report and Collections of the State Historical of Wisconsin, 1855, 161.

According to WHITNEY, The Black Hawk War, 1831-1832 Vol. II, 207

“Jean Brunet, known primarily as a Prairie du Chien tavern-owner and trader, was an associate justice in Crawford County (in present Wisconsin) in the late 1820's and early 1830's, and a member of the second Wisconsin territorial legislature in 1837. For many years he also operated the Wisconsin River ferry about six miles above the mouth of the river near the site of Bridgeport. Wisconsin Historical Collections, II: 161, 164, 165, VII: 269; STRONG, History of the Territory of Wisconsin, 98, 252; Wisconsin Historical Society Proceedings, 1912, 165; SCANLAN, Prairie du Chien, 267 n.”

A special thanks and acknowledgment to Mr. James Hansen, Reference Librarian, Wisconsin Historical Society for providing life dates and biographical information for the signers of this petition and to Dean Connors for research assistance.

Single page document - 11 by 7.5 inches approximately.

Original document held in the KRAINIK - WISCONSIN TERRITORIAL COLLECTION



This information posted simultaneously on the

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Cliff Krainik [/b]

[pshrake]

Cliff, thanks again for providing great material from your collection.

The Brunet tavern played a important role for the inhabitants of Prairie du Chien during the Red Bird War. After the attack on the Gagnier family on June 28 it is fair to say that the village of Prairie du Chien devolved into a state of sheer panic. Villagers were certain that they would be next. Settlers abandoned their farms. Everyone assembled into the crumbling Fort Crawford and began to make very hasty repairs to the rotting fort.

Rumors circulated, however, that the Indians had determined to burn the fort should anyone take refuge there. So the frightened mass fell upon Brunet's tavern, taking with them the stores of muskets and swivel guns left behind by the U.S. army. At that point everyone was out for himself or herself. No one was in charge it was a state of sheer bedlam.

That evening the keel boats which had been attacked at the mouth of the Bad Axe River arrived at Prairie du Chien. To a community still reeling from the murders of the Gagnier family, the sight of the bullet ridden keelboat and the bodies of the dead and wounded crew members only added to the general panic. Matters were not helped when it was learned that the dead and wounded crewmembers were from the little village.

The night of July 28 was one of intense fear for the inhabitants of Prairie du Chien. Encamped in the fortified tavern, they saw every shadow lurking outside the makeshift breastworks as a HoChunk warrior on the attack. By the next morning the stress had completely broken down any cohesive organization the community once had. Disagreements arose as to how they should defend themselves. Some thought that the Lockwood house should be the main point of defense because of its location on a hill top. As the arguments grew heated James Lockwood was asked what should be done.

“As to your fortifying my house, you can do so, if it is thought best, but I do not wish you to go there to protect it; I have abandoned it, and if the Indians burn it, so be it, but there is one thing, if we intend to protect ourselves from the Indians we must keep together, and someone must command.”

Command fell to the only real federal official left in Prairie du Chien after the removal of the Army, the Indian Agent John Marsh. Marsh decided that the best place to take refuge was in the crumbling old fort. The makeshift breastworks surrounding the tavern was abandoned and once again the residents of Prairie du Chien crowded into Fort Crawford.

Again Cliff, thanks for the great postings,

Pete

[Cliff Krainik]

Pete,

Many thanks for your stirring account of the occurrences at Prairie du Chien at the start of the Red Bird War.

Cliff