But if dignitaries visited, everyone cleaned up their act.

Or almost everyone.

When Maj. John Garland, a hero of the U.S.-Mexican War of 1846-48, conducted an inspection of Fort Crawford in 1948, he spent the day observing drills and touring Prairie du Chien. Returning to barracks that evening, something caught his eye. "Is that a cat going towards the fort?" the major asked Sgt. John Fonda. "I looked in the direction," Fonda recalled, "and supposing it was only a cat creeping across the green, I paid no more attention to it.

"When we were about to enter the little private wicket in the northeast gate, Major Garland spoke and said 'See, that cat is making in this direction; it moves strangely. Let us see what's the matter with it.' So passing along under the wall, we . . . discovered a string stretching out towards the cat, that still continued to approach us.

"Stepping on this string, the major cut it and all at once the cat stopped. . . . It was evident the string governed the motions of the cat, and taking hold of one end, we drew the apparent cat up to us; on close examination it proved to be a cat's skin, stuffed with a bladder full of whisky."

Fonda also claimed the sentries' shotgun barrels were filled with whiskey that night, as the soldiers tried to sneak their usual recreational alcohol into the fort.

- Wisconsin Historical Society
http://www.wisconsinhistory.org

Odd Wisconsin Look for Odd Wisconsin on Wednesdays in the Local section. Let us know what you think: justaskus@madison.com; 608-252- 6192; Just Ask Us, P.O. Box 8058, Madison, WI 53708.