History of Hardin county, Iowa, together with sketches of its towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens, Part 4

Author:
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Springfield IL : Union Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1002

USA > Iowa > Hardin County > History of Hardin county, Iowa, together with sketches of its towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens > Part 4

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In 1805 Lieutenant Pike came up the river for the purpose of holding friendly councils with the Indians and selecting sites for forts within the territory recently acquired from France by the United

States. Lieut. Pike seems to have been the first American whom Black Hawk ever met or had a personal interview with, and he seemed very much prepossessed in his favor. He gives the following account of his visit to Rock Island: "A boat came up the river with a young American chief and a small party of soldiers. We heard of them soon after we passed Salt river. Some of our young braves watched them every day to see what sort of people he had on board. The boat at length arrived at Rock river, and the young chief came on shore with his interpreter, made a specch and gave us some presents. We in turn presented him with meat and such other provisions as we had to spare. We were well pleased with the young chief; he gave us good advice, and said our American father would treat us well."

Fort Edwards was erected soon after Pike's expedition, at what is now Warsaw, Illinois, also Fort Madison, on the site of the present town of that name, the latter being the first fort erected in Iowa. These movements occasioned great uneasiness among. the Indians. When work was commenced on Fort Edwards, a delegation from their nation, headed by some of their chiefs, went down to see what the Ameri- cans were doing, and had an interview with the commander, after which they returned home and were apparently satis- fied. In like manner, when Fort Madison was being erected, they sent down another delegation from a council of the nation held at Rock river. According to Black Hawk's account, the American chief told them that he was building a house for a trader, who was coming to sell them goods cheap, and that the soldiers were coming

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to keep him company-a statement which Black Hawk says they distrusted at the time, believing that the fort was an en- croachment upon their rights, and designed to aid it getting their lands away from them. It is claimed, by good authority, that the building of Fort Madison was a violation of the treaty of 1804. By the 11th article of that treaty, the United States had a right to build a fort near the mouth of the Wisconsin river, and by article 6 they had bound themselves "that if any citizen of the United States or any other white persons should form a settle- ment upon their lands, such intruders should forthwith be removed." Probably the authorities of the United States did not regard the establishment of military posts as coming properly within the meaning of the term "settlement" as used in the treaty. At all events, they erected Fort Madison within the territory reserved to the Indi- ans, who became very indignant.

Very soon after the fort was built, a party led by Black Hawk attempted its destruction. They sent spies to watch the movements of the garrison, who ascer- tained that the soldiers were in the habit of marching out of the fort every morning and evening for parade, and the plan of the party was to conceal themselves near the fort, and attack and surprise them when they were outside. On the morning of the proposed day of the att ck, five soldiers came out and were fired upon by the Indians, two of them being killed. The Indians were too hasty in their move- ment, for the parade had not commenced. However, they kept up the attack several days, attempting the old Fox strategy of setting fire to the fort with blazing arrows;

but finding their efforts unavailing, they soon gave up and returned to Rock river.

In 1812, when war was declared between this country and Great Britain, Black Hawk and his band allied themselves with the British, partly because he was dazzled by their specious promises, but more prob- ably because they were deceived by the Americans. Black Hawk himself declared that they were forced into war by being deceived. He narrates the circumstances as follows: "Several of the head men and chiefs of the Sacs and Foxes were called upon to go to Washington to see their Great Father. On their return they re- lated what had been said and done. They said the Great Father wished them, in the event of a war taking place with England, not to interfere on either side, but to re- main neutral. He did not want our help, but wished us to hunt and support our families, and live in peace. He said that British traders would not be permitted to come on the Mississippi to furnish us with goods, but that we should be supplied with an American trader. Our chiefs then told him that the British traders always gave them credit in the fall for guns, powder and goods, to enable us to hunt and clothe our families. He repeated that the traders at Fort Madison would have plenty of goods; that we should go there in the fall and he would supply us on credit, as the British traders had done." Black Hawk seems to have accepted the proposition, and he and his people were very much pleased .. Act- ing in good faith, they fitted out for their winter's hunt, and went to Fort Madison in high spirits to receive from the trader their outfit of supplies; but after waiting some time, they were told by the trader

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that he would not trust them. In vain they pleaded the promise of their Great Father at Washington; the trader was inexorable. Disappointed and crest fallen, the Indians turned sadly to their own vil- lage. Says Black Hawk: "Few of us slept that night. All was gloom and discon- tent. In the morning a canoe was secn ascending the river; it soon arrived bear- ing an express, who brought intelligence that a British trader had landed at Rock Island with two boats filled with goods, and requested us to come up immediately, be- cause he had good news for ns, and a variety of presents. The express presented us with tobacco, pipes and wampum. The news ran through our camp like fire on a prairie. Our lodges were soon taken down and all started for Rock Island. Here ended all our hopes of remaining at peace, having been forced into the war by being deceived." He joined the British, who flattered him, and styled him "Gen. Black Hawk," decked him with medals, excited his jealousy against the Americans, and armed his band; but he met with defeat and disappointment, and soon abandoned the service and came home.

There was a portion of the Sacs and Foxes, whom Black Hawk, with all his skill and cunning, could not lead into hos- tilities to the United States. With Keokuk ("The Watchful Fox") at their head, they were disposed to abide by the treaty of 1804, and to cultivate friendly relations with the American people. So, when Black Hawk and his band joined the fortuncs of Great Britain, the rest of the nation remained neutral, and, for protec- tion, organized with Keokuk for their chief. Thus, the nation was divided into

the "War and Peace party." Black Hawk says he was informed, after he had gone to the war, that the nation, which had been reduced to so small a body of fighting men, were unable to defend themselves in case the Americans should attack them, and, having all the old men, women and children belonging to the warriors who had joined the British, on their hands to provide for, a council was held, and it was agreed that Quash-qua-me (The Lance) and other chiefs, together with the old men, women and children, and such others as chose to accompany them, should go to St. Louis and place themselves under the American Chief stationed there. Accord- ingly they went down, and were received as the "friendly band" of Sacs and Foxcs, and were provided for and sent up the Missouri river.

On Black Hawk's return from the British army, he says Keokuk was intro- duced to him as the war chief of the braves then in the village. He inquired how he had become chief; and was in. formed that their spies had seen a large armed force going toward Peoria, and fears were entertained of an attack upon the village; whereupon a council was held, which concluded to leave the village, and cross over to the other side of the Mis- sissippi. Keokuk had been standing at the door of the lodge when the council was held, not being allowed to enter on account of never having killed an enemy, where he remained until Wa-co-me came out. Keokuk asked permission to speak to the council, which Wa-co-me obtained for him. He then addressed the chiefs. He remonstrated against the desertion of their village, their own homes, and the

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graves of their fathers, and offered to defend the village.

The council consented that he should be their war chief. He marshaled his braves, sent out spies, and advanced on the lead- ing trail to Peoria, but returned without seeing the cnemy. The Americans did not disturb the village, and all were satis- fied with the appointment of Keokuk. Like Black Hawk, he was a descendant of the Sac branch of the nation, and was born on Rock river in 1780. He was of a pacific disposition, but possessed the elements of true courage, and could fight when occa- sion required with cool judgment and heroic energy. In his first battle he en- countered and killed a Sioux, which placed him in the rank of warriors, and he was honored with a public feast by his tribe in commemoration of the event.

In person, Keokuk was tall and of portly bearing. In his public speeches he dis- played a commanding attitude and grace- ful gestures. He has been described as an orator, entitled to rank with the most gifted of his race. He spoke rapidly, but his enunciation was clear, distinct and forcible; he culled his figures from the stores of nature, and based his arguments on skillful logic. Unfortunately for his reputation as an orator among white people, he was never able to obtain an interpreter who could claim even a slight acquaint- ance with philosophy. With one excep- tion only, his interpreters were unac- quainted with the elements of their mother tongue. Of this serious hindrance to his fame he was-well aware, and re- tained Frank Labershure, who had re- ceived a rudimental education in the French and English languages, until the latter

broke down by dissipation and died. Keokuk was thus compelled to submit his speeches for translation to uneducated men, whose range of thought fell far below the flights of a gifted mind, and the fine imagery drawn from nature was be- yond their power of reproduction.

Keokuk had sufficient knowledge of the English language to make him sensible of this bad rendering of his thoughts, and often a feeling of mortification at the bungling efforts was depicted on his coun- tenance while speaking. The proper place to form a correct estimate of his ability as an orator was in the Indian council, where he addressed himself ex- clusively to those who understood his lan- guage, and witnessed the electrical effect of his eloquence upon his council. He seems to have possessed a more sober judgment, and to have had a more intelli- gent view of the great strength and re- sources of the United States, than his noted and restless cotemporary, Black Hawk. He knew from the first that the reckless war which Black Hawk and his band had determined to carry on could result in nothing but disaster and defeat, and he used every argument against it. The large number of warriors whom he had dissuaded from following Black Hawk became, however, greatly excited with the war spirit after Stillman's defeat, and but for the signal tact displayed by Keokuk on that occasion, would have forced him to submit to their wishes in joining the rest of the warriors in the field. A war dance was held, and Keokuk took part in it, seeming to be moved with the current of the rising storm. When the dance was over, he called the council together to pre-

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pare for war. He made a speech, in which he admitted the justice of their complaints against the Americans. To seek redress was a noble aspiration of their nature. The blood of their brethren had been shed by the white man, and the spirits of their braves, slain in battle, called loudly for vengeance.

" I am your chief," said he, " and it is my duty to lead you to battle, if after fully considering the matter you are determined to go; but before you decide to take this important step, it is wise to inquire into the chances of success "

He then portrayed to them the great power of the United States, against whom they would have to contend, and thought their chances of success was utterly hope- less. " But," said he, "if you do deter- mine to go upon the warpath, I will agree to lead you on one condition-that before we go we kill our old men and our wives and children, to save them from a linger- ing death of starvation, and that every onc of us determine to leave our homes on the other side of the Mississippi." This was a strong but truthful picture of the pros- pect before them, and was presented in such a forcible light as to cool their ardor and cause them to abandon their rash undertaking. From this time there was no serious trouble with the Indians until the Black Hawk war.

The treaty of 1804, between the United States and the chiefs of the Sac and Fox nations was never acknowledged by Black Hawk, and, in 1831, he established him- self with a chosen band of warriors upon the disputed territory, ordering the whites to leave the country at once. The settlers complaining, Governor Reynolds, of Illi-

nois, dispatched General Gaines with a company of regulars and 1,500 volunteers to the scene of action. Taking the Indians by surprise, the troops burnt their village, and forced them to conclude a treaty, by which they ceded all their lands east of the Mississippi, and agreed to remain on the west side of the river.

Necessity forced the proud spirit of Black Hawk into submission, which made him more than ever determined to be avenged upon his enemies. Having ral- lied around him the warlike braves of the Sac and Fox nations, he recrossed the Mis- sissippi in the spring of. 1832. Upon hearing of the invasion, Governor Rey- nolds hastily collected a body of 1,800 volunteers, placing them under command of Brig .- Gen. Samuel Whiteside.

The army marched to the Mississippi, and, having reduced to ashes the Indian village known as " Prophet's Town," pro- ceeded several miles up Rock river, to Dixon, to join the regular forces under Gen. Atkinson. They formed, at Dixon, two companies of volunteers, who, sighing for glory, were dispatched to reconnoiter the enemy. They advanced, under com- mand of Major Stillman, to a creek after- wards called "Stillman's run," and, while encamping there, saw a party of mounted Indians at a distance of a mile. Several of Stillman's party mounted their horses and charged the Indians, killing three of them; but, attacked by the main body, under Black Hawk, they were routed, and, by their precipitate flight, spread such a panic through the camp that the whole company ran off to Dixon as fast as their legs could carry them. On their arrival it was found that there had been eleven killed. The

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party came straggling into camp all night long, four or five at a time, each squad positive that all who were left behind were massacred .

It is said that a big, tall Kentuckian, with a loud voice, who was a Colonel of the militia, upon his arrival in camp gave to Gen. Whiteside and the wondering multi- tude the following glowing and bombastic account of the battle:

"Sirs," said he, "our detachment was encamped among some scattering timber on the north side of Old Man's creek, with the prairie from the north gently sloping down to our encampment. It was just after twilight, in the gloaming of the even- ing, when we discovered Black Hawk's army coming down upon us in solid column; they displayed in the form of a crescent upon the brow of the prairie, and such accuracy and precision of military move- ments were never witnessed by man; they were equal to the best troops of Wellington in Spain. I have said that the Indians came down in solid columns, and displayed in the form of a crescent; and, what was most wonderful, there were large squares of cavalry resting upon the points of the curve, which squares were supported again by other columns fifteen deep, extending back through the woods and over a swamp three-quarters of a mile, which again rested on the main body of Black Hawk's army, bivouacked upon the banks of the Kish- wakee. It was a terrible and a glorious sight to see the tawny warriors as they rode along our flanks attempting to out- flank us, with the glittering moonbeams glistening from their polished blades and burning spears. It was a sight well calcu- lated to strike consternation in the stoutest

and boldest heart; and, accordingly, our men soon began to break, in small squads, for tall timber.

"In a very little time the rout became general, the Indians were soon upon our flanks, and threatened the destruction of our entire detachment. About this time Maj. Stillman, Col. Stephenson, Maj. Per- kins, Capt. Adams, Mr. Hackelton and my- self, with some others, threw ourselves into the rear to rally the fugitives and protect the retreat. But in a short time all my companions fell bravely fighting hand-to- hand with the savage enemy, and I alone was left upon the field of battle. About this time I discovered not far to the left a corps of horsemen, wliich seemed to be in tolerable order. I immediately deployed to the left, when, leaning down and placing my body in a recumbent posture upon the mane of my horse, so as to bring the heads of the horsemen between my eye and the horizon, I discovered, by the light of the moon, that they were gentlemen who did not wear hats, by which token I knew they were no friends of mine. I therefore made a retrograde movement, and recovered my position, where I remained some time, in thinking what further I could do for my country, when a random ball came whist- ling by my ear, and plainly whispered to me, 'Stranger, you have no further busi- ness here.' Upon hearing this, I followed the example of my companions-in-arms, and broke for tall timber, and the way I ran was not a ,little."

For a long time afterward Maj. Stillman and his men were subjects of ridicule and merriment, which was as undeserving as their expedition was disastrous. Still- man's defeat spread consternation through-

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out the State and nation. The number of Indians was greatly exaggerated, and the name of Black Hawk carried with it asso- ciations of great military talent, savage cunning and cruelty.

A regiment sent to spy out the country between Galena and Rock Island, was sur- prised by a party of seventy Indians, and was on the point of being thrown into dis- order, when Gen. Whiteside, then serving as a private, shouted out that he would shoot the first man who turned his back on the enemy. Order being restored, the bat- tle began. At its very outset Gen. White- side shot the leader of the Indians, who thereupon commenced a hasty retreat.

In June, 1832, Black Hawk, with a band of one hundred and fifty warriors, attacked the Apple River Fort, near Galena, de- fended by twenty-five men. This fort, a mere palisade of logs, was erected to afford protection to the miners. For fifteen con- secutive hours the garrison had to sustain the assault of the savage enemy; but, knowing very well that no quarter would be given them, they fought with such fury and desperation that the Indians, after losing many of their warriors, were com- pelled to retreat.

Another party of eleven Indians mur- dered two men near Fort Hamilton. They were afterward overtaken by a company of twenty men, and every one of them killed.

A new regimert, under the command of Geu. Atkinson, assembled on the banks of the Illinois, in the latter part of June. Major Dement, with a small party, was sent out to reconnoiter the movements of a large body of Indians, whose endeavors to surround him made it advisable for him

to retire. Upon hearing of this engage- ment, Gen. Atkinson sent a detachment to intercept the Indians, while he with the main body of his army, moved north to meet the Indians under Black Hawk. They moved slowly and cautiously through the country, passed through Turtle Vil- lage, and marched up along Rock river. On their arrival news was brought of the discovery of the main trail of the Indians. Considerable search was made, but they were unable to discover any vestige of In- dians, save two, who had shot two soldiers the day previous.

· Hearing that Black Hawk was encamped on Rock River, at the Manitou village, they resolved at once to advance upon the enemy, but in the execution of their de- sign they met with opposition from their officers and men. The officers of Gen. Henry handed to him a written protest; but he, a man equal to any emergency, ordered the officers to be arrested and escorted to Gen Atkinson. Within a few minutes after the stern order was given, the officers all collected around the Gen- eral's quarters, many of them with tears in their eyes, pledging themselves that if for- given they would return to duty and never do the like again. The General rescinded the order, and they at once resumed duty.

THE BATTLE OF BAD-AXE.

Gen. Henry marched, on the 15th of July, in pursuit of the Indians, reaching Rock river after three days' journey, where he learned Black Hawk was encamped further up the river. On July 19 the troops were ordered to commence their march. After having made 50 miles, they

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were overtaken by a terrible thunder storm, which lasted all night. Nothing cooled, however, in their courage and zeal, they marched again 50 miles the next day, encamping near the place where the In- dians encamped the night before. Hurrying along as fast as they could, the infantry keeping up an equal pace with the mounted force, the troops, on the morning of the 21st, crossed the river connecting two of the four lakes, by which the Indians had been endeavoring to escape. They found, on their way, the ground strewn with ket- tles and articles of baggage, which, in the haste of retreat, the Indians were obliged to throw away. The troops, inspired with new ardor, advanced so rapidly that at noon they fell in with the rear guard of the Indians. Those who closely pursued them were saluted by a sudden fire of musketry from a body of Indians who had concealed themselves in the high grass of the prairie. A most desperate charge was made upon the Indians, who, unable to resist, retreated obliquely in order to out- flank the volunteers on the right; but the latter charged the Indians in their ambush and expelled them from their thickets at the point of the bayonet, and dispersed them. Night set in and the battle ended, having cost the Indians sixty-eight of their bravest men, while the loss of the Illinois- ans amounted to but one killed and eight wounded.

Soon after this battle, Gens. Atkinson and Henry joined their forces and pursued the Indians. Gen. Henry struck the main trail, left his horses behind, formed an advance guard of eight men, and marched forward upon their trail. When these eight men came within sight of the river,

they were suddenly fired upon, and five of them killed, the remaining three maintain- ing their ground till Gen. Henry came up. Then the Indians, charged upon with the bayonet, fell back upon their main force; the battle now became general; the In- dians fought with desperate valor, but were furiously assailed by the volunteers with their bayonets, cutting many of the Indians to pieces and driving the rest into the river. Those who escaped from being drowned found refuge on an island. On hearing the frequent discharge of mus- ketry, indicating a general engagement, Gen. Atkinson abandoned the pursuit of the twenty Indians under Black Hawk himself, and hurried to the scene of action, where he arrived too late to take part in the battle. He immediately forded the river with his troops, the water reaching up to their necks, and landed on the island where the Indians had secreted them- selves. The soldiers rushed upon the Indians, killed several of them, took the others prisoners, and chased the rest into the river, where they were either drowned or shot before reaching the opposite shore. Thus ended the battle, the Indians losing three hundred, besides fifty prisoners; the whites, but seventeen killed and twelve wounded.

Black Hawk, with his twenty braves, retreated up the Wisconsin river. The Winnebagos, desirous of securing the friendship of the whites, went in pursuit and captured and delivered them to Gen. Street, the United States Indian Agent. Among the prisoners were the son of Black Hawk and the prophet of the tribe. These, with Black Hawk, were taken to

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Washington, D. C., and soon consigned as prisoners at Fortress Monroe.

At the interview Black Hawk had with the President, he closed his speech deliv- ered on the occasion in the following words: "We did not expect to conquer the whites. They have too many houses, too many men. I took up the hatchet, for my part, to revenge injuries which my people could no longer endure. Had I borne them longer without striking, my people would have said: 'Black Hawk isa woman; he is too old to be a chief; he is no Sac.' These reflections caused me to raise the war-whoop. I say- no more. It is known to you. Keokuk once was here; you took him by the hand, and when he wished to return to his home, you were willing. Black Hawk expects, like Keo. kuk, he shall be permitted to return, too."

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History of Hardin county, Iowa, together with sketches of its towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens, Part 4

Author: Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Springfield IL : Union Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 1002

Author:
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Springfield IL : Union Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1002