RIVER THROUGH TIME 2019 - THE SAUK TRAIL - HERITAGE PARK COLDWATER, MICHIGAN
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2019
RIVER THROUGH TIME
THE SAUK TRAIL
Indian Marker Tree
Indian Marker Tree
MAY 24TH – 26TH, 2019
HERITAGE PARK
COLDWATER, MICHIGAN
WWW.RIVERTHROUGHTIME.COM
Our Sponsors
City of Coldwater Walmart Meijer
Shoppers Guide Aunt Millies Walmart
Honor Credit Union Meijer Bell Tire
BCHS A Grand Occasion Branch Com. Foundation
Eagles PBG Conagra
Little River Railroad
Train Rides Battles
Native American Encampments Cannons
Honoring our Veterans Throughout Time World Wars
River Through Time Board and Committee
The River Through Time Board, Committee would like to welcome you to our new
timeline event! We have changed our name and added additional timelines to our Civil War
Days event.
We have gained timelines from the 16oo’s through the Vietnam war era! Our growth and
expansions offer our reenactors and patrons more opportunities for fun and educational
experiences.
Take some time to walk all the trails, speak with the reenactors, demonstrators and
presenters. Watch the skirmishes and battles. Above all, enjoy your day with us.
We sincerely thank all those who have supported our event, past, present and future.
Our event could not happen without your dedication and support.
Our Board of Directors
Chair-Gary Neff, Vice-Jacquie Astling, Secretary-Amy Miller,
Treasurer-Bonnie Marusek, Grants-Andy Benedict
Our Committee
Bruce Dickey, Dianne Hoskins, George Fincham, Michelle Marasingan,
Michaels Ziems, Ronald Browning, Shawn Long
River Through Time Index
Sponsors……………...Inside front cover War of the Rebellion …...…………14
Board & Committee …………………...3 Recipes ……………………………14
Schedule of Events …………………….4 Word Search.….…………………...15
This year in History ……………………5 Sauk trail ……….…………………16
Missionary Ridge ...……………………6 Sauk Trail …………………………17
Missionary Ridge ……………………...7 Steam Train ……………………….18
Missionary Ridge ……………………...8 Crossword ………………….……...19
Staghorn Sumac ……………………….9 Voyageurs ………………….……...20
Staghorn Sumac ………………….…..10 Birch ………………………….…...20
Through Gods Protection ……….........11 Grandmother Drum ……….………21
Christian Parker ……………………....12 Soldier Slang …………………..….22
War of the Rebellion ……………...….13 Back Cover …………………….….23
Schedule of Activities and Events FRIDAY, MAY 24, 2019 9:00AM -3:00PM Education Day - Free to all school age children and their families 9:00AM -7:00PM Re-enactor Registration Open at Command Post 4:00PM - 10:00PM Setup for Saturday and Sunday 5:00PM- 7:15PM Steam Train, 29 W. Park Ave. Coldwater, MI 49036 7:00PM-10:00PM Karaoke in the big pavilion tent – Free – open to the public SATURDAY, MAY 25, 2019 9:00AM-4:00PM Event Opens to the Public. Free Admission, Free parking 9:00AM-11:15AM Steam Train, 29 W. Park Ave. Coldwater, MI 49036 9:00AM-4:00PM Encampments, Artisans & Crafters 9:0AM-11:00 AM Children’s Games & Activities 10:00AM-11:00 AM Pres. Lincoln Presentation 11:00AM-12:00 PM Mrs. Lincoln Tea Party 12:00AM-1:00 PM 1:00PM-2:00PM Tea with Mrs. Lincoln 2:00PM-2:30PM Battle of Missionary Ridge 3:00PM-3:30PM 3:30PM-4:00 PM Raffle 4:00PM-7:00PM Event Closes, reopens at 7:00PM 5:00PM- 7:00PM Reenactors Meal 7:00PM-10:00PM U.S.O. Dance in big pavilion tent – Free – Open to the public SUNDAY, May 27, 2019 9:00AM-4:00PM Event Opens to the Public- Free Admission-Free Parking 9:00AM-4:00 PM Encampments, Artisans & Crafters 10:00-11:00 AM Non-Denominational Church Service 11:00-12:00 AM Battalion Drills 11:00-12:00 AM Pres. Lincoln 12:00PM-1:00PM 1:00PM-2:00PM Mrs. Lincoln Tea Party: 2:00PM-2:30PM Battle of Missionary Ridge 300 PM-4:00PM 4:00 PM Event Closed to The Public, Tear down begins MONDAY, MAY 28, 2019 8:30 AM Presentation at the four corners Park 9:15 AM Parade Please note, times and events may change
This Year in History
75 years Ago
75th anniversary of D-Day, also known as Operation Overlord the Allies landing on Normandy
beach, during World War II on June 6, 1944
75th anniversary of U.S. Troops liberating Cherbourg, France on June 27, 1944
75th anniversary of Operation Stalemate, U.S. Marines land on Peleliu during World War II on Sep 14,
1944
75th anniversary of Operation Market Garden during World War II on Sep 26, 1944
100 Years Ago
100th anniversary of Congress passing the 19th Amendment, guaranteeing women the right to
vote on June 4, 1919.
To learn more go here https://www.thehistorylist.com/major-anniversaries-in-us-history-this-year
Women Warriors in History
Many gallant women battled and lost their lives in many wars throughout history. Most where never
counted, the numbers never really known.
The American Civil War, however, did have a record, how accurate no one will ever know. Many
brave women lost their lives fighting in this, Americas most bloody war.
Records are conflicting on the “Actual” number, it is stated from several hundred and said to be as
many as a thousand or more. Since most women “went undercover” when being a soldier, accurate
counting would be difficult. Many of the woman who fought in the Civil War took on a male persona
and unless injured or killed where never discovered to be woman.
The irony, women could fight and die in many of Americas wars, but not vote!
In honor of the 100th anniversary of woman gaining the right to vote, we make mention of the brave
woman throughout history who refused to be segregated and stereotyped by their gender, forging ahead
and paving the way for the daughters of the future.
More information on some of the woman who fought in the wars can be found at these links:
https://www.warpaths2peacepipes.com/native-american-women/warrior-women.htm
https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/female-soldiers-civil-war
http://www.pbs.org/mercy-street/blogs/mercy-street-revealed/i-wanted-to-do-my-part-women-as-
soldiers-in-civil-war-america/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_in_the_World_Wars
https://www.comfortwomentestimonies.com/2018/07/23/the-roles-of-women-during-the-korean-war/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_in_the_Vietnam_War
The Battle of Missionary Ridge
U. Grant B. Bragg
The battle was fought on November 25, 1863 as part of the Chattanooga Campaign of the Civil War
Commanders Strength
Union: Ulysses S. Grant 56,359
Confederate: Braxton Bragg 44,010
Casualties and Losses
Union 5153 Total Confederate 6667 Total
664 Killed 361 Killed
4251 Wounded 2160 Wounded
238 Captures/Missing 4146 Captured/Missing
40 Cannon Captured
After the disastrous defeat at the Battle of Chickamauga, the 40,000 men of the Union Army of the
Cumberland under Gen. William Rosecrans retreated to Chattanooga. Confederate Braxton Bragg's
Army of Tennessee besieged the city, threatening to starve the Union forces into surrendering. Bragg's
troops established themselves on Missionary Ridge and Lookout Mountain, both of which has excellent
views of the city, The Tennessee River flowing north of the city and the Union supply lines.
To reinforce Chattanooga, the Union Army sent reinforcements consisting of Maj. Gen. Joseph
Hooker with 15,000 men in two Corps from the Army of the Potomac in Virginia and Maj. Gen. William
Tecumseh Sherman with 20,000 men from Vicksburg, Mississippi. On October 17th, Maj. Gen. Ulysses
S. Grant received command replacing Rosecrans with Maj. Gen. George Thomas and designated the
three western Armies the Military Division of the Mississippi.
With the arrival of Sherman with his 20,000 men in Mid-November, Grant, Thomas, and Sherman
planned a flanking attack on Bragg's force with an assault by Sherman against the northern end of
Missionary Ridge, supplemented by two of Thomas's Divisions from the center.
On November 23rd, Grant ordered Thomas and Sherman to advance halfway to Missionary Ridge on
a reconnaissance in force to determine the strength of the Confederate line. Thomas sent 14,000 men
toward a minor hill named, “Orchard Knob” and overran the Confederate defenders. Grant changed his
orders and instructed Thomas's men to dig in and hold the position.
Surprised by Thomas's move and realizing that his center and right might be more vulnerable than he
thought. Bragg quickly readjusted his strategy by moving some of his units to strengthen his weaker
center and right.
November 24th was Dark with low clouds, fog and a drizzling rain as Sherman's forces crossed the
Tennessee River and took a set of hills at the north end of Missionary Ridge. Alerted by Grigsby's
Calvary that enemy had crossed the river in force, Bragg sent Cleburne's Division and Wright's brigade
to challenge Sherman. After skirmishing with the Confederates, Sherman ordered his men to dig in on
the hills he had seized with Cleburne likewise dig-gin in around Tunnel Hill.
On the night of November 24th, Bragg asked his two corps commanders whether to retreat or stand
and fight. Cleburne, concerned about what Sherman had accomplished, expected Bragg to retreat.
Hardee also counseled retreat, but Breck in Ridge convinced Bragg to fight it out on the strong position
of Missionary Ridge. After driving the Confederates from Lookout Mountain, Hooker was ordered to
move east toward Bragg's left flank on Missionary Ridge.
On November 25th, Grant's plan centered on Sherman's attack against Bragg's right flank at Tunnel
Hill. Sherman, with 16,600 men, began his attack along the narrow length of Tunnel Hill. After crossing
an open field under heavy, artillery and rifle fire Gen. John M. Corse's brigade drove off, the Confederate
skirmish line and seized some half-built defensive works at the north end of Tunnel Hill. At 4pm,
Cleburne now reinforced by Hardee brigade routed Sherman's men and captured numerous Federal
prisoners. Sherman's attack came to a halt, a tactical failure in which he lost almost 2000 casualties.
Military Historian, David Eicher, called this Sherman's “worst experience as a commander.
At 2:30 PM Grant Spoke with Brig. Gen. Thomas J. Wood “General Sherman seems to be having a
hard time, “Grant observed.” it seems as if we ought to go help him.” He ordered Thomas to advance
and take the enemy's first line of rifle pits. At 3 PM Thomas deployed 23,000 men with brigades in line.
There were about 20,000 Confederates defending the ridge against Thomas's men, over lapping the
Union approach on both ends
At 3:40 PM the signal guns fired before Thomas's brigade commanders received their instructions.
Some regimental officers claimed to get conflicting orders. Some throughout the objective was the base
of the ridge while others the top of the ridge. Most officers were guided only by what the units on either
side of them did.
The 9000 confederates holding the rifle pits at the base of the ridge were also plagued by conflicting
orders. Some were ordered to fire volley then retreat, others to hold their ground. Those who stayed to
fight were swamped by Union numbers, the union tide being irresistible. May of the confederates were
captured while others started the 300-400-foot climb to the ridge top. The 100 Confederate cannons
lining the top of the ridge began zeroing in on the union soldiers in the captured pits while the rifleman
also poured in their fire causing many casualties. After several minutes, some union unit commanders
moved their men forward to get out of the worst fire, advancing up the ridge without orders. Deciding
that following them was preferable to being massacred in the rifle pits other begin moving forward.
Grant was shocked when he saw the Union troops climbing the Ridge. He asked Thomas then Granger
who had given the order. Neither general claimed responsibility.
As the Union brigades climbed, many suffered heavy losses, some brigades suffering 22% or more in
casualties from the entrenched Confederates. Undaunted, the Union forces continued slowly working
their way forward under devastating fire from the Confederate pits. At about 5pm, one Union Regiment
worked its way within so yards of the Confederate breast work. Protected by a roll of ground, they crept
closer, then with a rush they leaped over the works and surprised the nearest defenders who surrendered
or fled for their lives. Alertly, the Union field officers, swung their regiments to the right and left and
begin rolling up the Confederate line.
Since Bragg had not provided for a tactical reserve and the narrow ridge top left no place for one, his
defenses were only a thin crust. By 6pm, the center of Bragg's line had broken completely and fled in
panic, requiring the abandonment of Missionary Ridge. The soul exception to the panicked flight was
Cleburne's command, his division augmented by two brigades from another division. As the only
command not in complete disarray. It was the last unit to withdraw and formed the rearguard of Bragg's
Army as it retreated eastward.
Aftermath
1. The Confederate enthusiasm that had risen so high after Chickamauga had been dashed
2. One of the Confederates, to major armies was routed
3. The Union now held undisputed control of the state of Tennessee including: Chattanooga, The
“Gateway to the lower south.”
4. The city became the supply and logistics base for Sherman's 1864 Atlanta campaign as well as for the
army of the Cumberland.
5. Grant won his final battle in the west prior to receiving command of all Union armies in March of
1864
6. The Loomis Battery recaptured three of their guns, lost at the Battle of Chickamauga
Loomis Battery
Staghorn Sumac
By Jacquie Trump
Folklore: Believed by some Native American tribes to foretell the weather and the changing of the
seasons, for this reason it was held as a sacred plant.
Food: The Berries are used for tea and “lemonade” (the tree is also called the lemonade tree) Dried
berries are used for spice and rubs, young shoots, new growth and roots are all edible.
Medicinally: The sumacs, particularly staghorn and smooth sumac, have a long history of use as
medicinal plants by numerous Native Americans. The leaves, bark, roots and milky latex have all been
used, but it is the fruits that are used the most. They are harvested when they first turn red. Sumac
reduces inflammation and promotes healing. It can also help eliminate infection.
The wood of staghorn sumac can be used in specialty wood-working. It is light and brittle, but its
orangish color with greenish rays makes it attractive for carving and inlays. By punching out the
central pith, the branches can be used as natural taps for collecting maple sap, pea-shooters for
children, pipe stems, blowing tubes to brighten campfires, and perhaps even as whistles for playing
music.
The leaves can be boiled down to make a dark brown ink. Adding some iron to the mash increases
its quality and if iron salt is used, the ink is less likely to go moldy.
Sumac is used as a dye for browns (leaves), yellows (roots), grays (berries), and blacks (seeds). The
red autumn leaves of shiny sumac are used for dye and for tanning, as the plant contains tannin. The
split bark was used by some Native American Tribes in basket making
Many Native American Tribes create smoking pipes using natural resources. For pipe stems, the
wood of the sumac tree is used because their branches have a narrow central pith. The soft pith,
consisting of a substance softer than the surrounding woody layers, is easily removed. Sumac must be
completely dried before carving. This can take from one to several years.
Staghorn Sumac
Its branches are used to make beautiful pipe stems.
Beautiful wooden creations from Sumac Trees
Toys
Bowls Spoons Cups Pipes Furniture
Sumac Lemonade Sumac Jelly: Take prepared juice and use the
Sure-Jell recipe for elderberry jelly, 3 cups juice to
15-20 heads of Sumac OR 8 cups berries 4.5 cups of sugar. Leave out the lemon juice.
1-gallon cold water
2 cups sugar Sumac Jello: Mix the prepared juice with
Place Sumac heads or berries in a large unflavored gelatin per instruction on package.
bowl or pot.
Pour cold water over to cover, then set a Sumac Rubber Candy: Take on cup of
weighted sweetened juice, add two envelopes of gelatin,
plate to hold them under the water. mix. Pour into an 8×8 or 8×10-inch baking pan
Let soak like this for several hours or and refrigerate for an hour or more.
overnight. Cut and serve.
Strain using cheesecloth or a fine sieve.
Add 2 cups sugar and stir until sugar is Ground, dried sumac berries taste great as a spice rub for
dissolved. Chill and Serve. lamb, fish and chicken. These berries are also used as a salad
topping, and you can include them in your favorite dressings.
Middle Eastern chefs use sumac as a topping for fattoush salad
and are often sprinkled on hummus to add both color and a zesty
STAGHORN SUMAC WINE
5 lbs ripe staghorn sumac berries
3 lbs finely granulated sugar
1-gallon water
1 crushed Campden tablet
1 tsp yeast nutrient
1 packet Lalvin 71B-1122 (Narbonne) or RC212 (Bourgovin) wine yeast
Wash to remove dust and insects. Put clusters in container, cover with water and mash or crush the
berries with 4" x 4" piece of hardwood. Strain juice into primary through clean muslin to remove plant
hairs and pulp. Add sugar, crushed Campden and yeast nutrient and stir well until all sugar is dissolved.
(NOTE: Sugar could be dissolved in boiling water beforehand but must cool to room temperature before
pouring over sumac fruit.) Cover primary and set aside 12 hours. Add activated yeast, recover and stir
daily. After 14 days of fermentation, transfer to secondary, and fit airlock. You should have more than
one gallon of wine, so use a one-gallon secondary and a 1.5-liter wine bottle fitted with a #2 bung and
airlock. The wine in the smaller secondary is what you will use to top up the one-gallon secondary.
Rack, top up, and refit airlock every 30 days wine is clear and drops no sediments during 30-day period.
Stabilize, sweeten to taste if desired, refit airlock, and set aside for 10 days. Rack into bottles and age
at least one year before sampling.Through God’s Protection, I am Here.
By David Kollar
My Great-Great-Grandfather Corp. Rudolph Oakley was born February 17, 1844in Wabash County Indiana to J
enlisted from Wabash County, Indiana on January 25, 1862 and was mustered into the United States service in
Indianapolis, Indiana March 11, 1862, a private of 14th Battery Indiana Volunteer Artillery under Capt. M. H Kidd
to serve 3 years during the war.
The Battery was assigned to the Army of the Cumberland and he participated in
the following engagements:
Siege of Corinth, April 9-June 2, 1862
Lexington, Tennessee Dec 18, 1862
Queens Hill, Miss Feb 5, 1864
Battle of Brice’s Cross Roads, Gun Town, Miss. June 10, 1864
Nashville, Tennessee Dec 15-16, 1865
Spanish Fort, Ala April 8, 1865
Fort Blakely, Ala Mar 31-April 9.
On Dec 18, 1862, while gallantly defending at Lexington, Tennessee he was
severely wounded through left elbow by gunshot and through left ear by a shot
from a revolver. If the shot from the revolver was one inch to the right, I would not
be here today. The battery was surrounded and then captured on that day by rebel
Gen. Forrest’s forces. To my luck they paroled the next day.
The battles continued and on June 10, 1864 during the Battle of Brice’s Cross Roads, also known as Gun Town
near Balwyn, Mississippi, 2 cannons were captured.
These two cannons were later used by the Confederates to fight against the Union Army in the battle of
Chickamauga.
Rudolph Oakley was discharged Feb 27, 1864 at Canton.
Miss Rodolph reenlistment as a Veteran Volunteer
with the rank on private Feb 28, 64 in same Battery
for 3 years under Capt. J. H. McGuire.
He received his final discharge Sept 1, 1865 at
Indianapolis, Indiana on account of the end of the war.
Rudolph Oakley with his wife Rosina (McGuire) Oakley in 1878.
Rudolph and Rosina went on to have 3 children, Lorena, John and Myrtle.River Through Time Presents
Friday Night Karaoke By
Christian Parker
https://www.facebook.com/RainbowKeyKaraoke/Native Americans in the War of the Rebellion
By Thomas Marusek
Brig Gen. Stands Waite -Cherokee, Confederate Brig Gen. Ely S. Parker - Seneca, Union
Estimates of the number of American Indians who fought for either the Union or Confederacy very widely and
range from 6,000 to over 20,000 men. For many American Indians, the impending conflict created no less of a
crisis than it did for the dominant society. But their experience would be primary defined by their location within
the country.
The Indian Nations of Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw, Chickasaw and Seminole having been forced on the arduous
journey west and known to history as the Indian removal two decades earlier by the Federal Government and the
Indians called it the “Trail of Tears.” These Indians chose to fight for the Confederacy and formed the 1st Cherokee
Mounted Rifles. Their flag had five red stars upon a red and white striped background. Each star representing the five
civilized tribes and carried by Brig. Gen. Stands Waite.
Native soldiers were mustered into Confederate units comprised of their own members – including officers, a
privilege the Union never afforded to either Indian or African – Americans in its service. At least one of the Indian
officers, Cherokee Brig. Gen. Stands Waite rose to prominence and is remembered as the highest – ranking Indian in
the Confederate Army.
The Indian Nation’s all over the north took up arms for the Union. One such group from Michigan was Company
K of the First Michigan Sharpshooters who fought valiantly in every major battle in the Petersburg, Virginia
Campaign. This Company of 150 was made up of Ottawa, Chippewa, Delaware, Huron, Oneida and Potawatomi
Indians all from Michigan.
Sharpshooters received extra training, enjoyed high morale and used their sharp breech loaders to devastating
effect, but they also experienced discrimination. Fellow soldiers often made uncomplimentary remarks, generally
sticking to well-worn stereotypes of “Desperate” or “Drunk men!” Yet these Indian sharpshooters proved themselves
time and time again in the grueling Virginia battles of the Wilderness, Spotsylvania and Petersburg.
They were a memorable presence at the Battle of the Crater where they were noticed for their composure under
adversity Survivors recounted how a group of mortally wounded Indian soldiers chanted a traditional death song
before finally succumbing, inspiring others with their valor. Here are just some of these brave men who served our
great Nation and gave their all for it:
Pvt. Oliver Aptargeshick Enlisted: on June 17, 1863 at Dearborn, Michigan. Wounded on June 17, 1864 at
Petersburg, VA. Died of his wounds July 9, 1864. Burial: Arlington National Cemetery. Plot: Section 13, Site 5732
Pvt. David George Enlisted on May 18, 1863 at Isabella, Michigan at age 22. Wounded May 12, 1864 at
Spotsylvania Court House, Virginia. Died of his wounds Burial: Arlington National Cemetery. Plot: Section 27, Site
325
James H. Hamlin Captured in battle and sent to the Infamous Andersonville Prison in Georgia. Died: while a
Prisoner of war of starvation and Disease. Burial: Andersonville National Cemetery Andersonville Sumter County
Georgia. Plot: Section H, Site Grave #11260Native American Sharp Shooters. Company K, Of the 1st Michigan. July 30, 1864.
Many Native American tribes fought for either side in the war including: the Delaware, Catawba,
Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, Huron, Iroquois Confederacy, Kickapoo, Lumbee, Odawa,
Ojibwe, Chippewa, Osage, Pamunkey, Pequot, Powhatan, Potawatomi, Shawnee and Seminole.
To learn more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Native_Americans_in_the_American_Civil_War
Popular Recipes from Early America
Campfire Deer Chili 2 Cloves Garlic, Crushed
2 Pounds Ground Deer Meat 3 Tbsp. Chili Power
2 (15 ½ oz.) Mild Chili Beans 1 ½ tsp. Salt
2 (15 ½ oz.) Tomatoes 1 tsp. Pepper
2 Medium Onions, Coarsely Chopped 1 tsp. Cumin
Directions; in heavy pot cook deer meat, onions and garlic until meat is cooked through and onions
are translucent. Add tomatoes and beans. Simmer stirring occasionally for several hours. Serve
with cheese and cornbread.
Smothered Rabbit with Apples & Onions Pepper & Salt to Taste
1 Rabbit 1Tbsp. Of Vinegar
3 Large Onions Sliced ¼ tsp. of Cloves
3 Large Red Apples, Peeled and Sliced 1 Bay Leaf
Directions; Cut rabbit into serving pieces and brown in butter or bacon drippings. When well
browned cover with apples and onion, add vinegar, cloves, salt, pepper and Bay leaf. Add about 1/4
cup of water and let simmer, about 1 1/2 hours. Stir occasionally adding more water if needed.
Do not let it burn. Use heavy pot. Apples and onions will make a thick sauce. Remove Bay leaf and
serve with boiled potatoes and red cabbage.Tribes of the Woodlands
N U Y S X I E W T T G Y F P N E I E O B
H E C H I P P E W A J I O W A E L R N K
O L T E O O N I K G S T X E R N L A E I
S J S U T C R O N O A A E P R I I W I M
O M I T O O H I R W R N U N A M N E D A
X Z A B Q C S U A U W E U K G O O L A I
V W J U W S S T N A H T H J A N I E P M
A J O B I A O A H K E P F C N E S D Q Z
V I Q P M M L S M P W P S R S M L F B N
S Q I N I U Q N O G L A A B E N A K I Q
Z N E O O P A K C I K M Z I T C B L R K
K W A H O M P P D J Y F Q B T H Z D O E
ABENAKI ALGONQUI CHEROKE CHIPPEWA DELEWARE FOX
HOCHUNK HURON ILLINOIS IOWA IROQUOIS KICKAPOO
MASCOUTE MENOMINEE MIAMI MOHAWK NIPISSING OJIBWA
ONEIDA OTTAWA PETUN POTAWATOMI SAUK SHAWNEE
Find the 12 letter Tribe that’s not on this list! It starts with an N and ends with a T . Answer hidden in our book!
Why we have an education day
In today’s fast paced and scientific Filled word, our young people do not get the chance to
experience a much slower time. A time without radio, TV, or a push button existence. In schools
today, if it is taught, they learn about our history in the third grade and again maybe in the eighth
grade. This history is learned through a book; cold and sterile straight forward without the feel,
smell or a human touch.
When they come to our event on Education Day, they get to see history as it was and experience it as
it was meant to be. Now, for the first time, what they were taught in class from a book, they can see
it come aliveINDIAN TRAIL MARKER TREE
By: Dave McDonald, BCHS – President
Tale about the Sauk Trail
Last time we looked at the history of a home built by Audrain Abbott in the mid-1850s. He picked
the location for the house on his tract of land so they could view the Sauk Trail out their parlor
window. Call it intuition on Audrain’s part, but the Sauk Trail would evolve into the 2nd most traveled
roadway in the United States in the years that followed. That trail is now referred to as Chicago Street or
Road and stretches across the entire Branch County.
To understand the true evolution of this county route, let’s step back to its beginnings, like 10 or
12 thousand years back. The Sauk Trail, or Chicago Road, began to take shape over 12,000 years ago as
the Wisconsin Ice Sheet was receding northward from what would become southern Michigan. The
glaciers and melt-water cut passages through the terrain, and the major ones were immediately adopted by
migratory mastodons and caribou. The Sauk Trail remains the longest found mastodon trail per U of M
paleontologists.
Much later early Native Americans adopted the well-worn trails of the large grazing animals and
used them for their nomadic traveling. So, the name Sauk Trail came from the Sauk Tribe who traveled
this region from Minnesota and Wisconsin to the Great Lakes chain in Detroit. Sometime later the
Pottawatomi Indians took up use of the trail. They remained prevalent in southern Michigan up to the
arrival of early settlers in the first half of the nineteenth century. Pottawattamie’s, a division of the
Algonquin Nation, followed the Sauk Trail from the west into the Saint Joseph Valley, which included the
future Branch County, between 1678 and 1721.
The Indian marker tree next to the Oak Grove Cemetery in Coldwater would be approximately
250-300 years old. Potawatomi Indian used this tree as a road sign for following the old Sauk Trail across
the pre-Branch County terrain.
So, when did the first European travel the trail through this area? It was Robert Cavalier Sieur de
LaSalle, a French explorer. He found himself stranded at the base of Lake Michigan in 1680. His ship,
Griffin, sunk in the Great Lakes while returning to retrieve him and his explorers. Stranded, they were
forced to walk the Sauk Trail through Branch County on their way back eastward to the Detroit trading
post. From there they found ship passage back to Quebec. The Griffin was never found. Leur Malheur!
Following the Pottawattamie sale of the Saint Joseph Valley area to the U.S. Government in 1821,
a reservation was created In Coldwater and Quincy Townships that included a six-mile square with the
Sauk Trail running through the middle. Even with the growing flow of settlers coming through Branch
County, settlement remained light in this area due to the large Mich-ke- saw-be reservation. Increased
Branch County settlement did not occur until after the Treaty of Niles, which relocated the reservation off
the Sauk Trail to the Nottawa, MI area.Shortly after, Joseph Godfrey and Patrick Marantette built their Indian trading posts on the trail
edge at the Coldwater River and what is now the Oak Grove Cemetery. President Andrew Jackson
commissioned a party to survey the Sauk Trail on March 3 1825. The survey team laid out a military road
between Detroit and Chicago. The trail through Branch County was actually referred to as a land extension
of the Erie Cannel.
In 1827 Congress approved $20,000 for a forty-foot-wide improvement of the road which would
support stage coach travel and movement of U.S. Mail. Many parts of the trail had to be converted to
corduroy or planked roads. A corduroy road used in low wet spots was small diameter logs cut and laid
side by side for the wagon wheels to pass over. Imagine riding in a wooden wheeled wagon over
logs! Planked roads were much better because of the flatter surface, but they rotted faster and needed
continuous maintenance. The Branch County section was completed in 1833 and renamed Chicago Road.
Michigan was formed in 1805, though reclaimed by Great Britain in the War of 1812. It was
returned to the U.S. Government at the end of the war and in 1829 the Territorial Legislature formed the
southern counties, among them Branch. Between 1828 and 1831 many of our prominent early settlers
such as Hanchett, Tibbits, Campbell, Bronson and Wilson were laying claim to tracts of land along the
Sauk Trail, or Chicago Road, which would become key formation blocks of Coldwater, Bronson and
Quincy.
By 1837 Western Star Stage Line was advertising five lines of stages that only took 4 to 7 days to
go from Detroit to Chicago, depending on the weather and trail conditions.
Paving of Chicago Road began in 1924 in Detroit and Chicago and met in Jonesville, MI. First named M-
23, it was renamed US-112 in 1927. Recommissioned as US-12 in 1961, it is amongst the oldest road
corridors east of the Mississippi River. In 2004 Michigan designated it as a Heritage Trail, covering a
distance of 209 miles through our state and Branch County.
So, when you turn onto Chicago Road and find yourself driving behind one of those slow left lane
drivers. Remember, they are still probably faster than the lumbering mastodon that once walked this trail,
maybe!
Steam Train
215 years ago (1802) the first working steam engine was invented in England.
In 1804 the first steam locomotive or “locomotive” made its first recorded transport in South Wales,
three years after the road locomotive was made in 1801.
1825, In the United States, John Stevens (inventor), British expatriate builds a test track and runs a
locomotive around his summer home estate in Hoboken, New Jersey.
1826, a three mile Granite Railroad opens in Quincy, Massachusetts.
1827, The resultant Summit Hill & Mauch Chunk Railroad, where mules rode special cars down as well
after the coal hoppers, then returned empties up the nine mile return trip became the first U.S. railway to
carry passengers. Learn more here. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam_locomotiveRemembering History
http://puzzlemaker.discoveryeducation.com
Narragansett
Down Across
1. War and Siege in South Dakota- 2 words 3. Indian Marker Tree Location -2 words
2. Pulled by dogs and horses 5. First to walk the Sauk Trail
4. Cowboy field kitchen 8. Weapon of the European armies between 1660 and 1840
6. 1812 hero also the 7th President-2 wrods 12. French Canadians who transported furs by canoe
7. A type of jerky 13. Cone shaped houses of the plains Tribes
9. 1800's war lasting four years -2 words 17. Dome-shaped home of the Woodlands People
10. Given, also a General in the Civil War 18. Another name for the Bozmans war - 3 words
11. 1900's war lasting seventeen years - 2 words 19. President who hung 38 Native Americans -2 words
13. “Gobbles” up acorns 20. Black powder weapon
14. Solo woman lost in flight - 2 words 21. Bark was used to cover canoes and Woodland homes-2words
15. Many tribes say there are 13 of these in a year 24. Native American Civil War General - 2 words
16. Used for food, water and bird houses 25. Bunny in a blanket, can’t breathe - 2 words
22. Powhatan call this a tamahaac 27. I’m a staple to most Tribes
23. Another name for the Sumac Tree -2 words 28. Native American Sharp Shooters -2 words
26. Part of an animal used on drums 29. Blind and deaf, she graduated collage -2 words
30. Another name for steam trainVoyageurs
(French word for traveler)
The voyageurs where roving French-Canadian and later French-Canadian and Metis frontiersmen who
traveled the watercourses of the Canadian and northern United States wilderness by birch bark canoes.
They typically spoke French as well as some indigenous languages.
The Voyageurs often married Aboriginal women to make strong ties with Native American Nations.
Their offspring became another Nation called the Metis. The Metis reside in Canada and are a blending
of French and Cree Nations or French and Ojibwa Nations. The word Metis in French means mixed.
From about 1650 to 1850, the economy of the Great Lakes and upper Mississippi region was
dominated by the trading of furs. Birch bark canoes up to 40 feet long, carrying 10 to 14 crew members
and up to four tons of cargo, would depart from Montreal and traverse the Great Lakes. Upon their
arrival at the fort at Michilimackinac (Mackinac), the brigades would split up: those canoes with cargo
destined for lower Wisconsin and Illinois went into Lake Michigan; those headed for Canada went over
the portage at Sault Ste. Marie into Lake Superior.
When they came to the rendezvous posts at places like Green Bay, Chicago, Grand Portage or La
Pointe, the voyageurs would unload their trade goods and load up furs from the interior for the return
trip. Other voyageurs would transfer goods to smaller “North” canoes, about 25 feet long, with crews up
to eight, then travel inland waterways, portage between rivers, and bring their goods to trading posts in
the interior. Voyageurs could paddle 14 to 18 hours a day, at 40 to 50 strokes per minute, averaging 4 to
6 miles per hour in still water. The men who stayed in the back country over the winter were called
hivernants (winterers). Learn More about the Voyageurs go https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voyageurs
there are a multitude of articles on the internet as well as your local library.
Birch Bark
Birch bark was used in many applications besides canoes. Aboriginal Peoples
used it to cover their homes, make baskets, cover cradleboards, used as paper
and more.
The inner bark of white birch is also edible, and many consider it to
have medicinal properties. The inner bark can be cooked and eaten or dried and
ground into a powder to make breads or to use as a thickening agent in other
foods. The oil from the inner bark is an astringent and can be used to
treat wounds. To learn more about Birch Bark: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birch_barkWhy we call her Grandmother Drum
By Good Spirit Woman
In some tribal culture’s woman are not allowed to join on a pow wow drum, in others not only are they
joining, they often have their own! In many of the indigenous cultures, the ceremonies and drums
belonged to the woman, they where the ones who preserved the traditions, as life givers, history and
culture keepers. Once a woman became an elder or Grandmother she was held in an even more sacred
manner.
The men where the ones who went on the hunt and provided much of the food as well as protection.
Regardless of which Nation and which part the men and women played within them, Grandmother drum
was a large part of ceremonial life.
Grandmother was often constructed from cedar wood, Cedar is a sacred tree to many Nations. The head
of the drum was made from animal skins, often buffalo and in more modern times cow. It is cleaned of
the fur, fat and fleshy parts, then stretched out in a frame to dry. Once dried this hide is called a
“rawhide” since it has not been tanned it is considered raw even though it was dry.
Once the drum frame has is completed, the rawhide is cut into circles, holes are punched in the heads and
the rawhide heads are soaked in water to soften them. Once they are soft enough, they are placed on top
and bottom of the frame or hollow log.
Long rawhide lacings of one or more inches wide is cut. The drum is then laced up and the extra lacing
tied off and cut. In a few hours Grandmother will be ready to play!
Making a large Grandmother drum can take one to several days depending on how many are assisting in
her construction. Once she is complete someone will become her keeper and protector, they are known
as “The Drum Keeper” Grandmother will have a cover placed on her and she will be kept in someone’s
home and taken care of with the respect one would of an honored relative.
In many Native American cultures, our elders are held sacred. They gave our parents life, they are our
wisdom keepers. In an age before computers and the internet, or elders where are living libraries.
Knowledge was passed on from one generation to the next by our elders. If they where lost, so was our
history and knowledge. Grandmother drum connects us to Mother Earth. When we drum, we use a four
beat, which is the heartbeat of Mother Earth. Grandmother drum, heals Mother Earth and her people, just
as a Grandmother would do for her children and Grandchildren.You can also read
