“6. He therefore peremptorily commands that every soldier or Ranger who shall be found drunk or sensibly intoxicated after the publication of this order, be compelled, as soon as his strength will permit, to dig a grave at a suitable burying place large enough for his own reception, as such grave cannot fail soon to be wanted for the drunken man himself or some drunken companion.
“7. This order is given as well to serve for the punishment of drunkenness as to spare good and temperate men the labor of digging graves for their worthless companions.
“8. The sanitary regulations now in force respecting communications between the camp near the mouth of Rock River and other camps and posts in the neighborhood are revoked. (They had provided for sending all the sick to the hospital on Rock Island.) Colonel Eustis, however, whose troops are perfectly free from cholera, will report to the Commanding General whether he believes it for the safety of his command that these regulations should be renewed.
“By order of Major-General Scott,
P.H. Galt, Ass’t Adjutant-General.”
Cold rains fell; many soldiers were afforded protection from them only by the most miserable of tents, and soon out of 300 cases there were fifty deaths. Finally, as a last resort, the men were removed across the river, where the last case disappeared. It has been said that in this last visitation the Rangers suffered most.[[268]]
At the time of the appearance of the cholera the three Sacs were confined in the military prison at Fort Armstrong on a charge of complicity in the murder of the Menominees near Prairie du Chien on the 31st of July, 1831. By reason of the cholera, General Scott set them at liberty, taking their promise to return upon the exhibition of a certain signal to be hung from the limb of a dead tree at an elevated point of the island when the epidemic should be over. The signal was subsequently hung up, and, true to their parole, the Indians reported themselves. They were again paroled and subsequently released.[[269]]
Having again checked the disease, Scott sent out the summons to the Winnebagoes, who assembled on the 15th[[270]] to sign a new treaty. Before proceeding with its details it was considered best to prepare them for the forfeitures they must necessarily sustain by reason of their assistance to Black Hawk at nearly all stages of the campaign, as ascertained by the examinations of witnesses:
“Such is justice between nation and nation, against which none can rightfully complain; but as God, in his dealings with human creatures, tempers justice with mercy–or else the whole race of man would soon have perished–so shall we, commissioners, in humble imitation of divine example, now treat you, my red brethren, who have offended both against God and your great human father at Washington.”[[271]]
Thereupon the following treaty was made and signed, on the 21st day of September, 1832, and promulgated by the President’s proclamation, February 13th, 1833, after having been ratified by the Senate: