History of Davenport and Scott County Iowa, Volume I, Part 7

Author: Downer, Harry E
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke
Number of Pages: 1042

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I then collected the officers together and put the following questions to them : 'Are we able, 334 effective men-officers, non-commissioned officers and privates-to fight the enemy with any prospect of success and effect, which is to destroy their villages and corn? They were of opinion the enemy was at least three men to one, and that it was not practicable to effect either ob- ject. I then determined to drop down the river to the Lemoine without delay, as some of the ranging officers informed me their men were short of provisions, and execute the principal object of the expedition in erecting a fort to command the river. This shall be effected as soon as practicable with the means in my power, and should the enemy attempt to descend the river in force before the fort can be completed every foot of the way from the fort to the settlements shall be contested.

In the affair at Rock river I had eleven men badly wounded, three mortally, of whom one has since died. I am much indebted to the officers for their prompt obedience to orders, nor do I believe a braver set of men could have been col- lected than those who composed this detachment. But, sir, I conceive it would have been madness in me, as well as a direct violation of my orders, to have risked the detachment without a prospect of success. I believe I should have been fully able to have accomplished your views, if the enemy had not been supplied with artillery, and so advantageously posted as to render it impossible for us to have dislodged him without imminent danger of the loss of the whole detachment.

ZA. TAYLOR, Brevet Major, Commanding Detachment.

CREDIT ISLAND.

The larger of the two islands referred to in the above communication by Gen. Zachary Taylor, a short time after the battle referred to by him had at- tached to it the name of "Credit" island, which name has subsequently been often changed to suit the whims or fancies of its several owners.

Just below Davenport this beautiful island is situated and contains some 200 acres, once well wooded and now partially farmed. It is a very creditable sort of island, indeed well known all the country around. It's a queer sort of name for an island, yet nothing discreditable as to name or condition. It came honestly enough by it and this is how :

HISTORY OF SCOTT COUNTY

In the early days of this section, as far back as 1815 to 1830, the Great Amer- ican Fur Company did a thrifty business in this locality, selling goods to the In- dians and taking pay in peltries. It was the custom of the Indians to go on "tick." They were good pay masters, it is said, but giving cash down was no part of their commercial training. As a matter of fact, it is a good deal so with people of today who are not purely savage. It was the custom of the noble redman, as soon as his delicate wives had gotten the corn, beans, and papooses gathered in the fall, to put out on their annual winter hunt after furred animals, but they had no am- munition at that time of year, having used it all the previous season. Besides, their personal wardrobe was out of repair and their squaws and daughters de- sired something stunning for the winter gaieties. Under the circumstances what could an Indian or even a white savage do but to "run his face?" What would you do yourself? You would use your credit, if you had any ; so did the Indian.

It was the custom of the traders to appear along in September, and for the better protection of their goods and chattels and horses from unforeseen stamped- ing invasion, they almost invariably betook themselves to the island in question. There they were visited in canoes by the Indians, who swarmed hither from all the country round about to trade. The traders would erect temporary stores in which were exposed for sale or barter vast quantities of goods of every descrip- tion-dry, hard and liquid-that were considered useful or ornamental in the proud savage's home. The average Indian's word was considered gilt-edged, and on four and six months' promises, generally bought all the powder, lead, guns, traps and dry goods desired, conditioned upon paying a rousing good price in peltries. So the business was all done on credit and from the long duration of the custom here recited the beautiful island below Davenport gained the well known name of Credit island.

THE BRITISH ACCOUNT.

After this digression, by way of description of the battle ground mentioned in Gen. Taylor's letter, we will hark back to the aforesaid "battle of Credit Island," and give the other side of the story as related in a letter to his superior officer, Captain Thomas G. Anderson, in which Lieutenant Duncan Graham, at the head of the British contingent, had the following to say :

Rock River, September 7, 1814.

Capt. Thomas G. Anderson :

Sir :- I mentioned to you in my letter of the 4th inst., by the information I had from the Indians, that the enemy were within thirty leagues of this place on their way up. As soon as I found out their strength I concluded the place of their destination must be La Prairie du Chien. The rapids was the only place where we could attack such a force to any advantage. On the 5th inst., we moved to the west side of the island, and took our position at the narrowest part of the chan- nel, the only place where they could pass at that point. We were determined to dispute the road with them, inch by inch.

They appeared in sight at 4:00 o'clock, p. m., with a strong fair wind. There were eight large boats, four of which were equal in size to the one that made her

FORT ARMSTRONG

HISTORY OF SCOTT COUNTY

escape from the Prairie. The largest of them had a large white flag flying at her mast head. When they came to the head of Credit island, about two miles from us, a storm of rain, thunder and lightning came on, and the wind shifted to the opposite point of the compass, which compelled them to pass the remainder of the day and that night here. All the women and children were sent to the island. I took all the Sioux with us to cover the guns in case of being obliged to retreat, as they promised they would rather be killed to the last man than give up the guns.

I told the Sauks in case the enemy should attempt to land at their village to retreat to the island and then we would return and attack them. The 6th, at break of day, some of the Sauks came to us and requested that we should attack them immediately, as the wind was against them and some of their boats were aground. We crossed to the mainland at the Foxes' village. There we left our boats and went as quickly as possible through the prairie unperceived by the enemy until we were on the beach opposite to them. Here we had a close view of them. I had no idea of the enormous size of their boats before. They lay with their broad sides close to a low, sandy beach. The largest of them had six port-holes open on the side next to us. The channel was about 600 yards broad.

We were on an elevated spot but no covering. I requested the Indians not to waste their ammunition firing at the boats, and save it in case the enemy should attempt to land. They did so. Finding they could not make up matters with the Sauks, as they had killed one of their sentinels in the night, they took down the white flag and put up the bloody in its place, which I believe to be a signal of no quarters. It was then 7:00 o'clock in the morning. Everything being ready, we opened a brisk fire from the three-pounder and two swivels on our boats. In about three-quarters of an hour the largest of their boats, which was ahead of the others, after having about fifteen shots through her, began to push off and dropped astern of the rest, and made the best of her way down the current. The others soon followed her. We kept firing at them along the bank, as far as the ground would permit us to drag the guns, but they soon got out of our reach. They went on about a league and put to shore. I thought they might intend to throw up some breastworks and make a stand at that place. I sent immediately for the boats to go with all the Indians to endeavor to dislodge them from there. By the time we were ready to embark some of the Indians that followed returned and informed us that it appeared to them that the Americans had committed the bodies of some of their men to a watery grave, well knowing if they buried them on shore they would be torn to pieces. They then got up their sails, the wind be- ing fair, and made the best of their way off. As the enemy landed at that place the Indians say there were about a thousand men. I think their number to be between six and eight hundred.

If we had had a larger supply of ammunition and provisions we might have harassed them as far as the rapids of the river Des Moines, but having only a scanty supply of the one and entirely destitute of the other, we were obliged to give up pursuing them any further. Although we have not been able to capture any of their boats they have been completely repulsed and, I have every reason to believe, with a considerable loss, as out of fifty-four shots that we fired at them, there were only three or four that did not go through their boats. The action lasted

HISTORY OF SCOTT COUNTY

about an hour. One of the swivels was served by Lieut. Brisbois, and the other by Colin Campbell, which they executed with credit to themselves; and all at- tached to the expedition behaved themselves in a manner worthy of veteran troops, for they seemed to vie with each other who would be the foremost, notwithstand- ing they were entirely exposed to the enemy's shot, and I am happy to say that not a man was hurt. It is to the skill and courage of Sergeant Keating, on whom everything depended, that we owe our success, and no praise of mine can bestow on him what he deserves. As the Indians had no communication with the enemy I have not been able to find out who commanded the American expedition.

GOVERNOR REYNOLDS' NARRATION.

In his "Life and Times" Governor Reynolds gives a spirited account of this battle which was fought in the suburbs of Davenport ; a battle which it is hoped will be duly commemorated by the people of Iowa even as the site of the en- gagement on Campbell's island has been marked by the people of Illinois. Gov- ernor Reynolds had a brother in the Credit island fight and doubtless received from him details of the narration. It is interesting to note in what particulars the three accounts agree and in what points there are disagreements. The Cap- tain Rector, Governor Reynolds mentions, was a cousin of the hero of the Camp- bell's island fight. Verily. "The Rector family never knew what fear was." This is the account :

"Nothing uncommon occurred until they reached Rock island, where they met British soldiers cannon and swarms of Indians. The English had captured our garrison at Prairie du Chien and had the whole country in possession north of the settlements near the present city of Alton.

"Our white enemy was at Rock island with many regulars, six pieces of can- non and hordes of Indian warriors. Major Taylor, with his usual sound judg- ment anchored his fleet out in the Mississippi about one half mile above the mouth of Rock river and not far from Three Willow islands. It was supposed that the English had ordered the Indians to occupy these islands in great numbers in the night, as they swarmed with the red warriors at daylight. The English had in the night planted cannon in battery at the edge of the water so as to destroy our boats in the morning. It was the English calculation that the cannon would de- stroy our boats and the men would have to swim to the islands where the Indians would kill them. It is almost impossible to circumvent the Americans. Taylor ordered all his forces except twenty men on each boat to proceed to the islands and destroy the Indian warriors on them. This order was executed with great vigor and efficiency and the Indians were either killed or drove to the lower island; but in the meantime the British cannon opened a tremendous fire on our boats that caused the soldiers to rush back to the boats to save them from the cannon balls which were piecing them in every direction. British officers were mounted on horseback giving commands to the cannonades and many regu- lars and hundreds of Indians obeying. The boats were unable to resist the cannon and almost every shot told on them. In the battle some Indian canoes were seen on the lower island and Captain Rector was ordered with some men to scour the island. He did so and drove the Indians back into the willows ;

HISTORY OF SCOTT COUNTY

but the enemy reinforced and in turn drove Rector back to the sand beach again. In this sortie from his boat Rector was elegantly dressed in military costume with a towering feather in his cap and a sword drawn, leading his men to the charge. In this exposed situation with hundreds of guns fired at him he moved on un- daunted as if he were in his mess-room with his comrades. The Rector family never knew what fear was. The boats under Taylor were ordered to retreat down the river; but just as Rector's boat got under way it grounded and stuck fast. The Indians surrounded it and it was with the utmost hard fighting they were kept out. All the boats had left except Captain Samuel Whitesides, who saw the imminent danger of Rector and with true courage and kindness of heart re- turned to save his brother soldiers. If Whitesides had not returned, Rector and all his men were doomed to destruction. Rector's boat being saved all descended the river until they were out of reach of the cannon, when Major Taylor called a council of his officers.

"It was ascertained that there were more than 1,000 Indians at and near Rock island and a detachment of British regulars with six field pieces ; and the effective American soldiers were only 334 in number. This showed the force of the enemy to be more than three to one over the Americans.

"Under all circumstances it was considered imprudent and improper to at- tach such superior forces and the whole fleet descended the river to the site where Warsaw now stands. At this point Fort Edwards was built and Fort Johnson a few miles above was burned. After the erection of Fort Edwards the troops remained three or four weeks, but the major part of them descended the river to St. Louis and were discharged the 18th of October, 1814.

"Thus ended this expedition which pretty much closed the war in the West. Scarcely any further Indian depredations were committed and the troops were generally disbanded. On the 24th of December, 1814, peace was concluded at Ghent in Europe; but the act was not known for some months thereafter.

"I saw in the harbor of St. Louis the boats that were in Taylor's battle at Rock island and they were riddled with the cannon balls. I think the balls were made of lead ; at any rate they pierced the boats considerably."

ST. LOUIS TREATY REAFFIRMED.

At the close of the war of 1812, Sept. 13, 1815, at Portage des Sioux, a treaty was made between the United States and the Sacs, which reaffirmed the St. Louis treaty of 1804 and those of the Sac tribe at this treaty represented agreed to keep entirely separate from the Sacs of Rock river, the British band who, under Black Hawk, had joined the British in the war just ended. The following day, the Foxes entered into a similar agreement. May 13th the Rock river Sacs also entered into treaty with the government at St. Louis, affirming the treaty of 1804 and this time Black Hawk "touched the goose-quill."

In a treaty held at Washington, August 4, 1824. the Sacs and Foxes relin- quished all title to lands in Missouri, and the southeast corner of Iowa, known as the "half-breed tract," was reserved for the use of the half-breeds of the Sacs and Foxes, they holding title in the same manner as Indians.

HISTORY OF SCOTT COUNTY

August 19, 1825, a treaty was held at Prairie du Chien in which the boundary line between the Sioux and Sacs and Foxes was determined. In 1830 these tribes conveyed a strip of twenty miles on each side of the boundary line to the United States as a neutral strip in the interest of peace between these ancient enemies, the Sioux, Sacs and Foxes.

THE BLACK HAWK PURCHASE.

In 1832, September 21st, General Winfield Scott and Governor Reynolds nego- tiated with the Sacs and Foxes and Winnebagoes for the purchase of 6,000,000 acres of land on the west bank of the Mississippi known as the "Black Hawk Purchase." This treaty was held near Farnam and Fifth streets. This incom- parable domain was purchased at an expense computed to be 9 cents an acre. At this treaty, 400 acres on the Iowa river, including Keokuk's village, was not transferred and was afterward known as "Keokuk's Reserve."

In 1836 Governor Henry Dodge, of Wisconsin territory, negotiated a treaty by which this reserve passed into the hands of the United States and the Sacs and Foxes moved to a reservation on the Des Moines river, where an agency was established for them. This site is now occupied by the town of Agency City, in Wapello county. Here Keokuk, Appanoose and Wapello, chiefs of the united tribes, had large farms under cultivation.

In 1837 a treaty was held at Washington in which the Sacs and Foxes con- veyed to the government a tract of 1,250,000 acres, lying west of the Black Hawk purchase and adjoining it. This piece of land had a breadth of twenty-five miles in the center and ran off to a point at both ends. At this treaty the Sacs and Foxes relinquished all title to any lands in Iowa, and in 1842, at a final treaty held at Agency City, John Chambers, acting for the United States, the Sacs and Foxes closed accounts with the government by relinquishing title to all lands west of the Mississippi. All the lands east of the great river they had parted with in earlier treaties.

IOWA RESERVE PURCHASED.

The treaty of 1836 was held at Davenport. The site is in doubt. Some of the older citizens place it on East River street, on the height between Bridge and Mississippi avenues : others say where Prospect park is located. Dr. E. S. Bar- rows, who was present at the treaty, gave the former location. He used to say that Black Hawk's camp was on the hills later known as Camp McClellan and now Mcclellan Heights. At that time the water in the river was so low that the Indians in passing to the trading point on the island waded the river except for a rod or two in the channel where their ponies swam.

Col. J. H. Sullivan, well known as the mayor of Rockingham, was also present at the signing of this treaty, and wrote to Ohio relatives of the occurrence. A copy of a Zanesville paper preserves his graphic description. The extract :

"We have been permitted to make the following extract from a letter for publication from our talented and enterprising friend Col. John H. Sullivan, of Rockingham, Wisconsin territory, to his father of this place, dated Oct. 2, 1836,

HISTORY OF SCOTT COUNTY

after visiting the treaty ground where the Sac and Fox chiefs with a few hundred of their braves and principal men were assembled on the west side of the Mississippi opposite Ft. Armstrong on Rock island for the purpose of selling to the U. S. government the whole of the reserve on the Iowa, containing 250- 000 acres, and which were disposed of at the rate of 75 cents an acre. The two bands of Foxes under Poweshiek and Wapello were encamped on the Wisconsin side of the Mississippi, opposite and about half way up Rock island. The en- campment was on a slope of the bluff and at a little distance looked quite pic- turesque, as the Indians flitted about the bulrush and bark tents, arrayed in their showy green or red blankets, looking for all the world when you gave a glance at their horses browsing on the bluff tops, like a picture of an Arab encampment, glowing with the bright and gorgeous colors of orientalism; but when you came nearer, all the glory vanished. Your eye would go to scrutinizing the tents with all the dirty paraphernalia of skinning, jerking meat and general cooking opera- tions.

"About a half a mile above this encampment lay the far more neatly arranged tents of the Sacs-which was Black Hawk's band but is no more. It is called his, but alas, poor old man, the scepter has departed from Judah, has no voice in council-no authority in the tribe. This encampment was made immediately on the bank of the river, on a kind of promontory, and the tents were arranged around in the form of a crescent. Above them and fronting the hollow of the crescent was erected the council lodge. At one end was placed Gov. Dodge, Capt. Boone and Lieut. Lea-the commissioners-together with General Street, the Indian agent ; and the Indian traders fronting them-and on each side of the council house were arranged the tawny warriors, decked out in the most impos- ing finery. The mass of the warriors and braves were standing; the chiefs and headmen sitting in front of the standing phalanxes, all listening with dignified attention to the propositions of the governor and as each sentence was inter- preted to them, signifying their approbation by the interjectional 'Heigh.'

DISTINGUISHED RED MEN.

"Who is that sitting in front upon the ground with an air of a good deal of nonchalance, but who is not forgetful of propriety and of the proper mode of commanding respect, amid all this apparent indifference? That is Wapello Powe- shiek, the chief of the most numerous but of the poorest band of all. He has not management enough to keep his band in as thrifty a state as the rest. Who is that blear eyed young looking fellow, to whom Keokuk is looking as if he were watching his emotions? That is Appanoose, a very talented but dissipated chief. What fellow is that with uncombed and unshorn hair-his naturally fierce coun- tenance rendered hideous by his smearing it fantastically with black and black only? That is Pashi-pa-ho, or the stabbing chief, so named from the many assas- sinations he has committed. He is of the purest princely blood of any living chief in the two nations. I need not ask who that next one is. That nobility of countenance, fine contour and talented expression only belong to Keokuk. See, he rises. He is going to speak. As he steps out from the other Indians, you see still more strikingly the difference between him and the ordinary Indians. His

HISTORY OF SCOTT COUNTY

form is of the largest class-tall without seeming to be so-full and portly with- out the slightest tendency to corpulency. His chest and shoulders and right arm were bare save the necklace of bear's claws, and the large snake that was en- circling and pendent from his right arm. His left arm, passing through the folds of his blanket, brought that article of dress close to his form, without checking the freedom of sinister limb. In the left hand he sported a fine pongee silk hand- kerchief. The large snake skin, which was lined with some rich material and had attached to it a number of little bells that gave forth a tinkling sound at every gesture, added no little grace and impressiveness to elocution. He advanced with stately step-the massy trappings of his white buckskin leggins half concealing, half disclosing, set off his finely formed and comparatively small foot to consid- erable advantage. He advanced to the governor's stand and shook hands with him preparatory to opening his address. He then retreated half a dozen steps and fixing his keen eyes on the governor commenced. As he advanced with the subject, his broad and massive chest swelled with the force of thought and feel- ing, and his voice rang clear as a trumpet. He was fluent in words, energetic and graceful in action.

"The result was the sale, as I have stated, of the entire Iowa reservation."

WHITE PEOPLE IN UNDISTURBED POSSESSION.

An account of the Black Hawk war which marked the end of the red man's claim to local territory would naturally close this chapter, but anything which could here be written is told in succeeding chapters. When the treaties which fol- lowed the Black Hawk war had been signed the white people were left in undis- turbed possession. As to the merits of bargain and sale, conquest and dispos- session the perspective of time will make all things clear.

ENTRANCE TO OAKDALE CEMETERY

GENERAL VIEW OF DAVENPORT FROM THE ROCK ISLAND SHORE

PEROGARE EMENT FIRST RAILROAD BRIDGE

CHAPTER VI.

THE BARROWS HISTORY.

A HISTORY WRITTEN BY A PIONEER AT THE REQUEST OF OTHER PIONEERS-RECEIVED ON ITS APPEARANCE WITH GREAT COMMENDATION-HIS OWN ESTIMATE OF THE GRAVITY OF HIS COMMISSION-SOME INCIDENTS WHICH HAVE BEEN NOTED SINCE THE BARROWS HISTORY WAS WRITTEN-BIOGRAPHY OF THE HISTORIAN -THE HISTORY ITSELF WITHOUT OMISSION, ERASURE OR COMMENT-A MONU- MENTAL WORK.

Of all the counties of Iowa, Scott county is peculiarly fortunate in that its early history was written down while yet the incidents were fresh in the memories of those who had made that history by one who brought to that task every quali- fication necessary to the work,-Willard Barrows. This gifted gentleman came to this region as a government surveyor, camped among the Indians and learned their language and traditions, entered into comradeship with the hardy pioneers in this outpost of civilization, here made his home and became one of Davenport's most beloved and honored citizens. After the town had existed long enough to have "old settlers" an organization was formed among them and Willard Barrows, the scholarly pioneer, student, linguist and finished gentleman was re- quested to prepare a history of the county. The work was to his taste and he entered thereon with enthusiasm. The authentic, delightful and circumstantial record of pioneer days which is reproduced entire in this work was the result.

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History of Davenport and Scott County Iowa, Volume I, Part 7

Author: Downer, Harry E Publication date: 1910 Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke Number of Pages: 1042

Author: Downer, Harry E
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke
Number of Pages: 1042