USA > Iowa > Muscatine County > History of Muscatine County, Iowa, from the earliest settlements to the present time, Volume I > Part 2
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HISTORY OF MUSCATINE COUNTY
expecting the men would soon overtake him. They lost their way, however, and for six days were without food, except a few morsels gathered from the stream. They might have perished had they not accidentally met a trader from St. Louis, who induced two Indians to take them up the river, overtaking the boat at Dubuque. At the latter place Pike was cordially received by Julien Dubuque, a Frenchman, who held a mining claim under a grant from Spain. He had an old field piece and fired a salute in honor of the advent of the first American who had visited that part of the territory. He was not, however, dis- posed to publish the wealth of his mines and the young, and evidently inquisi- tive, officer obtained but little information in that regard.
Upon leaving this place Pike pursued his way up the river but as he passed beyond the limits of the present state of Iowa, a detailed history of his explora- tions does not properly belong to this volume. It is sufficient to say that on the site of Fort Snelling, Minnesota, he held a council with the Sioux, Septem- ber 23d, and obtained from them a grant of one hundred thousand acres of land.
Before the territory of Iowa could be opened to settlement by the whites it was first necessary that the Indian title should be extinguished and the abori- gines removed. The territory had been purchased by the United States but was still occupied by the Indians, who claimed title to the soil by right of pos- session. In order to accomplish this purpose, large sums of money were ex- pended, warring tribes had to be appeased by treaty stipulations and oppression by the whites discouraged.
BLACK HAWK WAR.
When the United States assumed control of the country, by reason of its purchase from France, nearly the whole state was in possession of the Sacs and Foxes, a powerful and warlike nation, who were not disposed to submit without a struggle to what they regarded, the encroachment on their rights of the pale faces. Among the most noted chiefs and one whose restlessness and hatred of the whites occasioned more trouble to the government than any other of his tribe, was Black Hawk, who was born at the Sac village, on Rock river, in 1767. He was simply the chief of his own band of Sac warriors; but by his energy and ambition he became the leading spirit of the united nation of the Sacs and Foxes, and one of the prominent figures in the history of the country from 1804 until his death. In early manhood he attained distinction as a fight- ing chief, having led campaigns against the Osages and other neighboring tribes. About the beginning of the nineteenth century he began to appear promi- nent in affairs on the Mississippi. His life was a marvel. He is said by some to have been the victim of a narrow prejudice and bitter ill feeling against the Americans.
November 3, 1804, a treaty was concluded between William Henry Harri- son, then governor of the Indian Territory, on behalf of the United States, and five chiefs of the Sac and Fox nation, by which the latter, in consideration of $2,234 in goods then delivered, and a yearly annuity of $1,000 to be paid in goods at just cost, ceded to the United States all that land on the west side of the Mississippi extending from a point opposite the Jefferson, in Missouri, to
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HISTORY OF MUSCATINE COUNTY
the Wisconsin river, embracing an area of 51,000,000 acres. To this treaty Black Hawk always objected and always refused to consider it binding upon his people. He asserted that the chiefs and braves who made it had no au- thority to relinquish the title of the nation to any of the lands they held or occupied and, moreover, that they had been sent to St. Louis on quite a differ- ent errand, namely, to get one of their people released, who had been imprisoned at St. Louis for killing a white man.
In 1805 Lieutenant Pike came up the river for the purpose of holding friendly council with the Indians and selecting sites for forts within the terri- tory recently acquired from France by the United States. Lieutenant Pike seems to have been the first American whom Black Hawk had met or had a personal interview with and was very much impressed in his favor. Pike gave a very interesting account of his visit to the noted chief.
Fort Edward 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 occa- sioned great uneasiness among the Indians. When work was commenced on Fort Edwards, a delegation from the nation, headed by their chiefs, went down to see what the Americans were doing and had an interview with the com- mander, after which they returned home and were apparently satisfied. In like manner, when Fort Madison was being erected, they sent down another dele- gation from a council of the nation held at Rock river. According to Black Hawk's account, the American chief told them he was building a house for a trader, who was coming to sell them goods cheap, and that the soldiers were coming to keep him company-a statement which Black Hawk says they dis- trusted at the time, believing that the fort was an encroachment upon their rights, and designed to aid in 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 eleventh article of that treaty, the United States had the right to build a fort near the mouth of the Wisconsin river, and by article six they bound themselves "that if any citizen of the United States or any other white person should form a settlement upon their lands such intruder 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 Indians, 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 gar- rison, who ascertained 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 attack five soldiers came out and were fired upon by the Indians, two of them being killed. The Indians were too hasty in their movements, for the parade had not commenced. However, they kept up the siege several days, attempting the old Fox strategy of setting fire to the fort with blazing arrows, but finding their efforts unavail- ing, they desisted and returned to their wigwams on Rock river. In 1812, when
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HISTORY OF MUSCATINE COUNTY
the 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 probably because they were deceived by the Americans. Black Hawk himself declared they were forced into the war by having been 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 related what had been said and done. They said the great father wished them, in the event of war taking place with England, not to interfere on either side but to remain 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 sup- plied by 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. Acting 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 that he would not trust them. In vain they pleaded the promise of their great father at Washington ; the trader was inexorable. Disappointed and crestfallen, the Indians turned sadly to their own village. Says Black Hawk: "Few of us slept that night. All was gloom and discontent. In the morning a canoe was seen ascending the river ; it soon arrived bearing 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, because he had good news for us and a variety of presents. The express presented us with pipes, tobacco and wampum. The news ran through our camp like fire on the prairie. Our lodges were soon taken down and all started for Rock Island. Here ended all our hopes of re- maining at peace, having been forced into the war by being deceived." He joined the British, who flattered him and styled him "General 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 returned home.
There was a portion of the Sacs and Foxes whom Black Hawk, with all his skill and cunning, could not lead into hostilities against 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 fortunes of Great Britain, the rest of the nation remained neutral and for protection organized with Keokuk for their chief. Thus the nation was divided into the "war party" and "peace party." Keokuk became one of the nation's great chiefs. In person he was tall and of portly bearing. He has been described as an orator, entitled to rank with the most gifted of his race, and through the eloquence of his tongue he prevailed upon a large body of his people to remain friendly to the Americans.
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HISTORY OF MUSCATINE COUNTY
As has been said, the treaty of 1804, between the United States and the Sac and Fox nations was never acknowledged by Black Hawk and in 1831 he es- tablished himself 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 Illinois, dispatched General Gaines with a company of regulars and one thousand five hundred volunteers to the scene of action. Tak- ing 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 rallied around him the warlike braves of the Sac and Fox nations, he recrossed the Mississippi in the spring of 1832. Upon hearing of the invasion, Governor Reynolds hastily gathered a body of one thousand eight hundred volunteers, placing them under Brigadier-General Samuel Whiteside. The army marched to the Mississippi and, having reduced to ashes the village known as "Prophet's Town," proceeded several miles up Rock river to Dixon to join the regular forces under General Atkinson. They formed at Dixon two companies of vol- unteers, who, sighing for glory, were dispatched to reconnoitre the enemy. They advanced under command of General Stillman to a creek, afterward called "Stillman's Run," and while encamping there saw a party of mounted Indians at a distance of a mile. Several of Stillman's men 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 eleven had been killed. For a long time afterward Major Stillman and his men were subjects of ridicule and merriment, which was as undeserving as their expedition was disastrous. Stillman's defeat spread consternation throughout the state and nation. The number of Indians was greatly exaggerated and the name of Black Hawk carried with it associations of great military talent, cunning and cruelty. He was very active and restless and was continually causing trouble.
After Black Hawk and his warriors had committed several depredations and added more scalp locks to their belts, that restless chief and his savage partisans were located on Rock river, where he was in camp. On July 19th, General Henry being in command, ordered his troops to march. After having gone fifty miles, they were overtaken by a terrible thunderstorm which lasted all night. Nothing cooled in their ardor and zeal, they marched fifty miles the next day, encamping near the place where the Indians encamped the night be- fore. Hurrying along as fast as they could, the infantry keeping up an equal pace with the mounted men, the troops on the morning of the 21st crossed the river connecting two of the four lakes, by which the Indians had been endeav- oring to escape. They found on their way the ground strewn with kettles and articles of baggage, which in the haste of retreat the Indians were obliged to abandon. The troops, imbued with new ardor, advanced so rapidly that at noon they fell in with the rear guards of the enemy. Those who closely pur- sued them were saluted by a sudden fire of musketry from a body of Indians
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HISTORY OF MUSCATINE COUNTY
who had concealed themselves in the high grass of the prairie. A most des- perate charge was made on the four who, unable to resist, retreated obliquely in order to outflank the volunteers on the right but the latter charged the Indians in their ambush and expelled them from the 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 Illinoisans was but one killed and eight wounded. Soon after this battle Generals Atkinson and Henry joined forces and pursued the Indians. General Henry struck the main trail, left his horses behind, formed an advance guard of eight men and marched forward upon the trail. When these eight men came in sight of the river they were suddenly fired upon and five of them killed, the remaining three maintain- ing their ground until General Henry came up. Then the Indians, charged upon with the bayonet, fell back upon their main force. The battle now became gen- eral. The Indians 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 of them into the river. Those who escaped from being drowned found refuge on an island. On hearing the frequent discharge of musketry, General 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 themselves. The soldiers rushed upon the Indians, killed several of them, took other 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 Winnebagoes, desirous of securing the friendship of the whites, went in pur- suit and captured and delivered them to General Street, the United States In- dian agent. Among the prisoners were the son of Black Hawk and the prophet of the tribe. These, with Black Hawk, were taken to Washington, D. C., and soon consigned as prisoners to Fortress Monroe. At the interview Black Hawk had with the president he closed his speech delivered 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 would no longer endure. Had I borne them longer without striking, my people would have said: 'Black Hawk is a 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 Keokuk, he shall be permitted to return, too."
By order of the president, Black Hawk and his companions who were in confinement at Fortress Monroe, were set free on the 4th day of June, 1833. After their release from prison they were conducted in charge of Major Gar- land through some of the principal cities that they might witness the power of the United States and learn their own inability to cope with them in war. Great multitudes flocked to see them wherever they were taken and the attention paid
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HISTORY OF MUSCATINE COUNTY
them rendered their progress through the country a triumphal procession in- stead of prisoners transported by an officer. At Rock Island the prisoners were given their liberty amid great and impressive ceremony. In 1838 Black Hawk built him a dwelling near Des Moines, this state, and furnished it after the manner of the whites and engaged in agricultural pursuits, together with hunting and fishing. Here, with his wife, to whom he was greatly attached, he passed the few remaining days of his life. To his credit it may be said that Black Hawk remained true to his wife and served her with devotion uncommon among Indians, living with her upwards of forty years.
At all times when Black Hawk visited the whites he was received with marked attention. He was an honored guest of the Old Settlers' reunion in Lee county, Illinois, and received marked tokens of esteem. In September, 1838, while on his way to Rock Island to receive his annuity from the govern- ment, he contracted a severe cold, which resulted in an intense attack of bilious fever, and terminated his life October 3d. After his death he was dressed in the uniform presented him by the president while in Washington. He was buried in a grave six feet in depth, situated upon a beautiful eminence. The body was placed in the middle of the grave, in a sitting position upon a seat constructed for the occasion. On his left side the cane given him by Henry Clay was placed upright, with his right hand resting upon it. His remains were afterward stolen and carried away but they were recovered by the governor of Iowa and placed in the museum at Burlington, of the Historical Society, where they were finally destroyed by fire.
INDIAN TREATIES.
The territory known as the "Black Hawk Purchase," although not the first portion of Iowa ceded to the United States by the Sacs and Foxes, was the first opened to actual settlement by the tide of emigration which flowed across the Mississippi as soon as the Indian tide was extinguished. The treaty which provided for this cession was made at a council held on the west bank of the Mississippi where now stands the city of Davenport, on ground now occupied by the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad Company, September 21, 1832. This was just after the Black Hawk war and the defeated savages had retired from east of the Mississippi. At the council the government was represented by General Winfield Scott and Governor Reynolds, of Illinois. Keokuk, Pash- a-popo, and some thirty other chiefs and warriors were there. By this treaty the Sacs and Foxes ceded to the United States a strip of land on the eastern border of Iowa, fifty miles wide, from the northern boundary of Missouri to the mouth of the Upper Iowa river, containing about 6,000,000 acres. The western line of the purchase was parallel with the Mississippi. In considera- tion for this cession the United States agreed to pay annually to the confederated tribes, for thirty consecutive years, $20,000 in specie, and to pay the debts of the Indians at Rock Island, which had been accumulating for seventeen years and amounted to $50,000, due to Davenport & Farnham, Indian traders. The government also donated to the Sac and Fox women and children, whose hus- bands and fathers had fallen in the Black Hawk war, thirty-five beef cattle,
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HISTORY OF MUSCATINE COUNTY
twelve bushels of salt, thirty barrels of pork, fifty barrels of flour and six thou- sand bushels of corn.
The treaty was ratified February 13, 1833, and took effect on the Ist of June following, when the Indians quietly removed from the ceded territory and this fertile and beautiful region was opened by white settlers.
By the terms of the treaty, out of the "Black Hawk Purchase" was reserved for the Sacs and Foxes four hundred square miles of land, situated on the Iowa river, and including within its limits Keokuk village, on the right bank of that river. This tract was known as Keokuk's reserve and was occupied by the Indians until 1836, when by a treaty made in September between them and Governor Dodge, of Wisconsin territory, it was ceded to the United States. The council was held on the banks of the Mississippi above Davenport, and was the largest assemblage of the kind ever held by the Sacs and Foxes to treat for the sale of land. About one thousand of their chiefs and braves were pres- ent, Keokuk being the leading spirit of the occasion and their principal speaker.
FIRST LAND TITLE IN IOWA
By the terms of this treaty the Sacs and Foxes were removed to another reservation on the Des Moines river, where an agency was established at what is now the town of Agency, in Wapello county. The government also gave out of the "Black Hawk Purchase," to Antoine LeClaire, interpreter, in fee simple, one section of land opposite Rock Island and another at the head of the first rapids above the island, on the Iowa side. This was the first land title granted by the United States to an individual in Iowa.
General Joseph M. Street established an agency among the Sacs and Foxes very soon after the removal of the latter to their new reservation. He was transferred from the agency of the Winnebagoes for this purpose. 'A' farm was selected, upon which the necessary buildings were erected, including a comfort- able farm house for the agent and his family, at the expense of the Indian fund. A salaried agent was employed to superintend the farm and dispose of the crops. Two mills were erected-one on Soap creek and the other on Sugar creek. The latter was soon swept away by a flood but the former did good service for many years.
Connected with the agency were Joseph Smart and John Goodell, interpre- ters. The latter was interpreter for Hard Fishes' band. Three of the Indian chiefs-Keokuk, Wapello and Appanoose-had each a large field improved, the two former on the right bank of the Des Moines and back from the river in what was "Keokuk's Prairie," and the latter on the present site of Ottumwa. Among the traders connected with their agency was J. P. Eddy, who estab- lished his post at what is now the site of Eddyville. The Indians at this agency became idle and listless in the absence of their natural excitements and many of them plunged into dissipation. Keokuk himself became dissipated in the latter years of his life and it has been reported that he died of delirium tremens after his removal with his tribe to Kansas. In May, 1843, most of the Indians were removed up the Des Moines river, above the temporary line of Red Rock, hav- ing ceded the remnants of their land in Iowa to the United States, September
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VIEW FROM TOW HEAD IN 1901
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HISTORY OF MUSCATINE COUNTY
21, 1837, and October II, 1842. By the terms of the latter treaty, they held possession of the "New Purchase" until the autumn of 1845, when most of them were removed to their reservation in Kansas, the balance being removed in 1846.
Before any permanent settlement was made in the territory of Iowa, white adventurers, trappers and traders, many of whom were scattered along the Mississippi and its tributaries, as agents and employes of the American Fur Company, intermarried with the females of the Sac and Fox Indians, producing a race of half-breeds, whose number was never definitely ascertained. There were some respectable and excellent people among them, children of some re- finement and education.
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