BENTON COUNTY MINNESOTA BIOGRAPHIES
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    "Jeremiah A. Russell"
    
    MIDWEST PIONEERS: HISTORY OF THE OJIBWE NATION
    BATTLE OF POKEGUMA - Page 493
    
    It was not until Friday, the 21st of May, that the death of
    the Ojibway was known at Lake Pokeguma.  Mr. RUSSELL, on the
    next Sunday, accompanied by a half-breed, and Capt. William
    Holcomb, subsequently the first Lieutenant Governor of
    Minnesota, went to the mission house to attend a religious
    service, and in returning the half-breed said there was a
    rumor that Sioux were approaching.
    
    On Monday, three young men left in a canoe, to go to the
    west shore of the lake, and from thence to Mille Lacs, to
    give intelligence to the Ojibways there resident.  They took
    in the canoe two girls about twelve years of age, pupils of
    the mission school, for the purpose of bringing the canoe
    back to the island.  Just as they were landing, twenty or
    thirty Sioux with a war-whoop emerged from their hiding
    place and fired into the canoe.  The young men instantly
    jumped into the water, which was shallow, returned the fire,
    and ran into the woods.  The little girls waded into the
    lake and were pursued.
    
    Their parents upon the island heard the death cries of their
    children.  Their fathers, burning for revenge, left the
    island in a canoe, and drawing it upon the shore of the
    lake, hid behind it, opened fire upon and killed one of the
    Sioux.  The Sioux approaching, they again launched the
    canoe, one lay on his back at the bottom, the other plunged
    into the water, and holding the canoe with one hand, and
    swimming with the other, he pushed the canoe beyond the
    reach of the foe.  As the Sioux would aim at him he dodged
    their shot, by putting his head under water, and waiting
    until he heard the discharge of their guns.  After a
    skirmish of two hours, the Sioux, numbering over one hundred
    retreated, having lost two men.
    
    Data Entry Volunteer: Ron Zurek (rzurek@aol.com)