[Ads-l] Square-Bracket Antedatings of "Lacrosse"

[Andy Bach]

Found an interesting story of Ft. Michilimackinac, in MI, being taken by
ruse of lacrosse:
Many visitors to the Straits of Mackinac are aware of the events of June 2,
1763, when a group of 400 Ojibwa men captured the British fort of
Michilimackinac through a skillful surprise attack. The Ojibwa attack,
which initially took the form of a seemingly-innocent game of baggatiway in
honor of King George III’s birthday, ended in just minutes, with 15
soldiers dead and commanding officer Captain George Etherington held
prisoner. The loss of Michilimackinac was undoubtedly the low point of
Etherington’s life, but this resourceful officer ultimately enjoyed a long
career in the British military.

https://www.mackinacparks.com/captain-george-etherington-michilimackinacs-unfortunate-commander/#more-4044

Wondered if there were any stories about the event from those times,
perhaps describing the game.  Found Etherington's letters while imprisioned
back to the camp but they are written in a florid cursive and in French
https://collections.carli.illinois.edu/digital/collection/nby_eeayer/id/23055



On Tue, Sep 19, 2023 at 10:25 AM Shapiro, Fred <fred.shapiro at yale.edu>
wrote:

> lacrosse (OED 1867)
>
> [1806 Priscilla Wakefield _Excursions in North America_ 351 (Google
> Books)  There is a fort on a low isthmus, in Isle a la Crosse, which has
> taken its name from the game of the cross, which is a favourite amusement
> among the natives.]
>
> [1809 Alexander Henry _Travels and Adventures in Canada_ 78 (Google
> Books)  Baggatiway, called, by the Canadians, _le jeu de la crosse_, is
> played with a bat and ball.]
>
> [1830 _The Amateur_ 4 Sept. 87/1 (Google Books)  The Indians, in times not
> long past, were in the habit of playing a game of ball somewhat similar to
> cricket, and called La Crosse]
>
> Fred Shapiro
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>


-- 

a

Andy Bach,
afbach at gmail.com
608 658-1890 cell
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