USA > Iowa > Muscatine County > The History of Muscatine county, Iowa, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c. > Part 42
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Black Hawk's phrenological developments indicated large self-esteem, destructiveness and combativeness. An incident is related of his vanity, which goes to prove that his strong points were counterbalanced by weak ones, or, rather, that his undisciplined nature betrayed its weakness, as would not have been the case had conventionality produced its usual result of indifference in manner. The citizens of Fort Madison gave a ball, in the winter of 1838, and Black Hawk was one of the lions of the occasion. He was accompanied by his squaw and son, and the two men were gaudily equipped in full-dress uni- forms, silver epaulets, etc., things presented to them while in Washington the preceding fall. This fine military outfit was made extremely ludicrous by being combined with cowhide brogans and old-fashioned chapeaus. But Black Hawk was wholly complacent and satisfied, and the three received much flattery dur- ing the evening.
Later during the festivities, Black Hawk was seen contemplating himself in a large mirror at one end of the hall, quite unconscious that he was being ob- served. He was soliloquizing to himself, "Nish-e-shing (great or good) Black Hawk one big Cap-a-tain. Howh, howh !"
Black Hawk evinced great fondness for military glory and display. There was an ardent love of fame that never ceased to burn in his spirit, even through the trial of Keokuk's promotion above him as chief of the two tribes. When Black Hawk was captured after the battle of Bad Axe (his last battle), an officer in the army at that time relates that the agonized feelings of the con- quered warrior were peculiarly touching in their manifestations. He says : " I shall never forget the appearance of Black Hawk when they brought him into the fort a captive. He was clad in a dress of white tanned deerskins, with- out paint or ornament, save one small feather attached to his scalp-lock. His
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fan was the tail of a calumet eagle. He sat down, pale and dejected, his face in his hand, his legs crossed, and occasionally casting his eyes upon the officers. He felt that he was a prisoner, and was speechless.'
Being permitted to speak in his own defense, he arose and said :
" You have taken me prisoner, with all my warriors. When I saw that I could not beat you by Indian fighting, I determined to rush upon you and fight you face to face. I fought hard ; but your guns were well aimed, and the bullets flew like birds in the air, and whizzed by our ears like the wind through the trees in winter. My warriors feil around me. It began to look dismal. I saw my evil day at hand. The sun rose dim on us in the morning, and at. night it sank in a dark cloud and looked like a ball of fire. That was the last sun that shone on Black Hawk. His heart is dead and no longer beats in his bosom. He is now a prisoner to the white men ; they will do with him as they wish ; but he can stand torture, and is not afraid of death. He is no coward- Black Hawk is an Indian. He has done nothing of which an Indian ought to be ashamed. He has fought for his countrymen, their squaws and papooses, against white men who came year after year to cheat them and take away their lands. He is satisfied; he will go to the world of the spirits contented; he has done his duty; his father will meet him there and commend him. Black Hawk is a true Indian, and disdains to cry like a woman. He feels for his wife, his children and his friends; but he does not care for himself. Farewell, my nation ! Black Hawk tried to save you and avenge your wrongs. He drank the blood of some of the whites ; he has been taken prisoner, and his plans are stopped. He can do no more; he is near his end; his sun is setting, and he will rise no more. Farewell to Black Hawk."
It seems that Keokuk had predicted downfall and disaster to Black Hawk for madly rushing into the war, which prediction was fulfilled. Yet Keokuk showed to his defeated rival the utmost consideration, and when the tribes were informed that the President considered Keokuk the principal chief, instead of showing a spirit of triumph over him, Keokuk rather aimed to soften the blow. Maj. Garland made the announcement, and said that he hoped Black Hawk would conform to the arrangement, and that dissensions would cease. From some mistake of the interpreter, Black Hawk understood that he was ordered to submit to the advice of Keokuk. He instantly lost all command of himself, and arose, trembling with anger, and exclaimed, "I am a man, an old man; I will not obey the counsel of any one! No one shall govern me! I am old. My hair is gray. I once gave council to young men-am I to be ruled by others ? 1 shall soon go to the Great Spirit, where I shall be at rest. I am done."
A momentary excitement ran through the assembly. The show of spirit was not expected from one who had been so recently punished. Keokuk, in a low tone of voice said to him, "Why do you speak thus before white men ? You trembled; you do not mean what you said. I will speak for you."
Black Hawk consented, and Keokuk rose. "Our brother, who has lately come back to us," he said, "has spoken, but he spoke in anger. His tongue was forked. He did not speak like a Sac. He felt that his words were bad, and trembled like a tree whose roots have been washed by many rains. He is old. Let us forget what he has said. He wishes it forgotten. What I have said are his words not mine.
Then Black Hawk requested to have a black line drawn over the words he he had spoken in anger.
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Mr. Biggs did not entertain as high an estimate of Black Hawk's character as some did. He wrote, concerning him :
"My first and only interview with Black Hawk was at Rock Island, at the time of the treaty for the Iowa Reserve, in 1836, about one year before his death. I was introduced to him by his intimate acquaintance and apologist, the late Jeremiah Smith, of Burlington. He asked where I resided, and being told on the Wabash River, in Indiana, he traced on the sand the principal Western rivers, showing their courses and connections, and exhibiting a gen- eral knowledge of the prominent features of the topography of the Western States.
"The interview occurred after his first visit to Washington, where he was taken by way of the Ohio River to Pittsburgh, and returned by Philadelphia, Baltimore, Albany, Buffalo and Detroit, affording him a good opportunity to form a salutary impression of the military resources of the United States, and also to acquire a general knowledge of its geography. Its great military strength seemed to arouse his keenest observation, and furnished the main topic of his remarks upon the country as he passed through, as well as on his return to his tribe. The colloquy at this interview afforded an occasion to express his bitter reflections upon this painful theme. Mr. Smith, unfortunately for the repose of Black Hawk's feelings, and unconscious of its effect, mentioned the writer of this sketch as a surveyor of public lands, a character always unwelcome among the Indians. This remark I much regretted, as Black Hawk's countenance was instantly covered with gloom, and he rather petulantly said : 'The Chemokemon was strong, and would force the Indians to give up all their lands.'
"The colloquy here ended, as this barbed arrow, inadvertently thrown by Mr. Smith, had occasioned a tumult in Black Hawk's mind that rendered fur- ther conversation on his part disagreeable. The impressions of the writer in regard to Black Hawk's personal appearance were those of disappointment. He was attired in a coarse cloth coat, without any semblance of fit or proportion, with his feet thrust into a pair of new stoga shoes that were without strings, and a coarse wool hat awkwardly placed upon his nearly bald pate, and pre- senting a very uncouth and rather ludicrous personal bearing.
"This toggery, perhaps, had its share in lowering my previously-estimated claims of Black Hawk to distinction among the celebrated men of his race. ' The fine head, Roman style of face and prepossessing countenance,' that so favorably impressed the distinguished author of the 'Sketch-Book,' on visiting him while a prisoner in Jefferson Barracks, were no longer apparent to my dull comprehension.
"It would, indeed. be difficult to find a name in history that attained so great a notoriety, associated with such limited mental endowment and true mili- tary skill. Every prominent act of his life gave evidence of the lack of sound discretion and prudent forethought. We find him as early as 1804 visiting the Spanish Governor at St. Louis, at the time the United States Agents called to accept the transfer of the authority of the country. Black Hawk being informed of the purpose of their visit, refused to meet these agents of the new government, he passing out at one door as they entered at the other, and embarking with his suite in their canoes, and hastening away to Rock Island, saying he liked his Spanish father best. This was a mere whim, as he had, as yet, no acquaintance with the Government and people of the United States. He, however, at once determined on hostility to both; and this ill-advised and hasty determination was his ruling passion while he lived.
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" Lieut. Pike, on behalf of the Government. made him a friendly visit to Rock Island, the following year, and, as a token of friendship, presented Black Hawk with an American flag, which he refused to accept. He embraced the first opportunity that offered to form an alliance with the British authorities in Canada, and eagerly attached himself and 500 warriors of his tribe to the British standard, at the commencement of the war of 1812. Here, his lack of capacity to command an army where true courage and enduring fortitude were requisite to success, was fully demonstrated. His warlike talents had hitherto been only tested in stealthy and sudden onslaughts on unprepared and defense- less foes; and, if successful, a few scalps were the laurels he coveted, and he retired, exulting in the plunder of a village and these savage trophies. His campaign against the Osages and their neighboring tribes, lasted only long enough to make one effort, and afforded no evidence of the fortitude and patient skill of the able military leader. His conduct under the British flag as . Gen. Black Hawk' showed him entirely wanting in the capacity to deserve that title. He followed the English army to Fort Stephenson, in expectation of an easy slaughter and pillage ; but the signal repulse the combined forces still met by the gallant Col. Croghan, completely disheartened him, and he slipped away with about twenty of his followers to his village on Rock River, leaving his army to take care of themselves.
" He entertained no just conception of the obligation of treaties made between our Government and his tribe, and even the separate treaty by himself and his . British Band,' in 1816. was no check on his caprice and stolid self- will, and its open violation brought on the war of 1832, which resulted in his complete overthrow, and ended forever his career as a warrior.
" The history of his tour through the United States as a prisoner is a severe reflection upon the intelligence of the people of our Eastern cities, in regard to the respect due to a savage leader who had spent a long life in butchering his own race, and the frontier inhabitants of their own race and country. His journey was, everywhere throughout the East, an ovation, falling but little short of the respect and high consideration shown to the nation's great bene- factor, La Fayette, whose triumphal tour through the United States happened near the same period. But as an offset to this ridiculous adulation in the East, when the escort reached Detroit, where his proper estimate was understood, Black Hawk and his suite were contemptuously burned in effigy. But due allowance should be made for the ignorance concerning true Indian character, among the Eastern people, as their conceptions are formed from fanciful crea- tions of the Coopers and Longfellows, immensely above the sphere of blood- thirsty War Eagles and the filthy, paint-bedaubed Hiawathas of real savage life."
Maj. Beach relates the following incident derived from personal obser- vation :
" Black Hawk's lodge was always the perfection of cleanliness-a quite unusual thing for an Indian. The writer has seen the old woman busily at work with her broom by the time of sunrise, sweeping down the little ant-hills in the yard that had been thrown up during the night. As the chiefs of the nation seemed to pay him but little attention in the waning years of his life. Gen. Street, the Agent, looked out for his comfort more cheerfully than other- wise he would have thought it needful to do, and, among other things, gave him a cow-an appendage to an Indian's domestic establishment hitherto unheard of. The old squaw and daughter were instructed in the art of milking her, and she was held among them in almost as great reverence as the sacred ox Apis was held among the ancient Egyptians.
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" This was in the summer of 1838, when the Agency was in the process of erection, and Black Hawk had established his lodge on the banks of the Des Moines, about three miles below Eldon. Close by was the trading-house of Wharton McPherson, with whom the writer stayed one night in August of said year (1838), and, as he rode past the lodge, Mme. Black Hawk was compla- cently sitting upon a log by the side of her cow, under a heavily-branched tree, industriously brushing the flies and mosquitoes from the bovine, with a rag tied to the end of a stick. Mr. McPherson said this was her daily occupation, in fly-time, often following the animal around as it grazed at a dis- tance. This was the last occasion that ever the writer had an interview with Black Hawk, as he died within two months of that time (September 15, 1838), and was even then so infirm that he could barely move about his wig- wam.'
THE DEATH OF BLACK HAWK.
The brave old Indian passed the last of his declining years in the immedi- ate companionship of James Jordan, near Iowaville. He made occasional visits to Fort Madison and other towns, and even as late as the summer of 1838, but a short time prior to his death, he was in Fort Madison. He called upon Mr. Edwards, editor of the Patriot, who was an admirer of the Indian, and while there, the question of the Brave's age came up. Mr. J. M. Broadwell, then an employe in the office, remembers that Black Hawk counted on his fingers the number sixty-three, thus corroborating the statement made by Mr. Jordan con- cerning the Indian's birth.
The birth of Black Hawk is not the only disputed date in his eventful career, for the ending as well as the beginning has been variously stated. We are glad to be able to give a correct account of the death, burial and final dis- position of the old warrior. The best authority on this subject is Mr. Jordan. From him the following statement was obtained :
On the 1st day of September, 1838, Mu-ca-tah-mish-a-ka-kah sickened with fever. The old brave requested Mr. Jordan to send to Fort Edward (now War- saw) for Dr. Peel. A letter was duly dispatched, in which the Doctor was promised the sum of $300 if he would attend the summons. The message was slow in going, and before a response could be made the soul of the brave old Indian had passed to the happy hunting-ground.
Black Hawk died September 15, 1838 (not October 1, as has been fre- quently stated), and was between sixty-three and sixty-four years of age at the time of his decease. The exact date of his birth is unknown, but he used to say just before his death, that he was sixty-three fingers and a part of a finger (meaning a year for each finger held up). Before he died, he requested Mr. Jordan to observe certain ceremonies in his burial. His body was to be clothed in full uniform, a suit of military clothes presented him by Gen. Jackson. or by some high official in the administration, upon which were a pair of epaulets valued at $500. Three medals, which had been given him by the British. the French and the American Governments, respectively, and valued in the aggre- gate at $1,200, were to be placed upon his breast. He was to be buried in a sitting posture, with his feet placed in a hole a few inches deep, and his body held in position by a board at his back. About his corpse was erected a frail tomb made of wooden slabs set upon the ground in the form of an inverted V. His war-club-a shaved post four or five feet high-was placed in the front of his rude tomb, upon which a great number of black stripes were painted, corresponding with the number of scalps he had taken during life. Openings were left in his tomb so that his friends and curious visitors
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could witness the process of decay. The locality was designated by Black Hawk himself, as the site of his last friendly council with the Iowa Indians. This point was upon Mr. Jordan's farm, on Section 2, Township 70 north, Range 12 west.
The injunction was carefully carried out. The body was dressed as the Brave had directed, and blankets and gloves were added. Some time later, Mrs. Black Hawk came to Mr. Jordan with the alarming story that her hus- band's head had been stolen. Upon investigating the sepulcher, it was found that the head had dropped over from its own weight. Mr. Jordan replaced the member and repaired the tomb.
The alarm thus given was not entirely groundless, however, for on the 3d of July, 1839, Dr. Turner, of Van Buren County, stole the body and made off with it. It was taken to Quincy, Ill., and there the bones were cleaned by a professional anatomist. The accounts differ as to the place where the bones were cleaned ; one being given as above, and another that it was St. Louis first and then Quincy ; but Quincy was probably the scene of that deed. The bones were not " wired," but merely polished and varnished.
When the family of Black Hawk learned of the robbery, they were uncon- trollable in their grief and anger. Nasheaskuk, the son, and Hardfish, the sub- chief who had succeeded to the leadership of Black Hawk's band, came to Burlington with about fifty braves, and made formal complaint to Gov. Lucas about the desecration of the grave. The Governor assured Nasheaskuk that the laws of the land made the stealing of a body a penal offense, and that every- thing should be done that was possible to secure the return of the remains. The council was satisfactory to the Indians, and lasted two days, being the 23d and 24th of January, 1840. The ceremonies finally ended with a grand dance and powwow in old Zion Church, with the Governor as master of festivities. Such a record is ludicrous now : but there was no alternative but to take possession of the numerously-employed edifice on such occasions.
The following summer and fall were consumed in a search after the missing bones, and not until the winter succeeding were they discovered.
The Hawk- Eye of December 10, 1840, contains the following item : " The bones of Black Hawk which were stolen from the grave about a year since have been recovered, and are now in the Governor's office. The wampum, hat, etc., which were buried with the old chief" [the editor evidently regarded Black Hawk as a chief through misunderstanding of his position .- ED. ] " have been returned with the bones. It appears that they were taken to St. Louis and there cleaned ; that they were then sent to Quincy, Ill., to a dentist to be put up and wired previous to being sent to the East. The dentist was cautioned not to deliver them to any one until a requisition should be made by Gov. Lucas. The Governor made the necessary order, and the bones were sent up a few days since by the Mayor of Quincy, and are now in the possession of the Governor. He has sent word to Nasheaskuk, Black Hawk's son, or to the family, and some of them will probably call for them in a few days. Mr. Edgerton. the phrenolo- gist. has taken an exact drawing of the skull, which looks very natural, and has also engraved it on a reduced scale, which picture will shortly appear on his chart. Destructiveness, combativeness, firmness and philoprogenitiveness are, phrenologically speaking, very strongly developed."
Thus it is shown that Black Hawk died in September, 1838; his body was stolen in July, 1839; his tribe made complaint to Gov. Lucas in January, 1840, and in December of that year the bones were recovered and carried to Burlington.
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The remains were packed in a small box and placed in the Governor's office. A message was sent to the bereaved family. then staying on the Des Moines, some ninety miles distant. A cavalcade was soon in motion, bearing the disconsolate widow and a retinue of her friends to Burlington. On the evening of their arrival the Governor was notified of their readiness to wait upon him, and fixed the audience for 10 A. M. the next day. Several visitors were in attendance. The box containing the august remains opened with a lid, and when the parties were all assembled and ready for the awful development the lid was lifted by the Governor. fully exposing the sacred relics of the renowned chief to the gaze of his sorrowing friends and the very respectable auditors who had ascended to witness the impressive scene.
The Governor then addressed the widow through John Goodell, the inter- preter of the Hardfish band, giving all the details of the transfer of the bones from the grave to Quiney and back to Burlington, and assured her that they were the veritable bones of her deceased husband; that he had sympathized deeply with her in her great affliction, and that he now hoped she would be con- soled and comforted by the return of the precious relics to her care, in full con- fidence that they would not again be disturbed where she might choose to entomb them. The widow then advanced to the lid of the box, and, without the least apparent emotion, picked up in her fingers bone after bone, and exam- ined each with the seeming curiosity of a child, and replacing each bone in its proper place, turned to the interpreter and replied that she fully believed they were Black Hawk's bones, and that she knew the Governor was a good old man or he would not have taken the great pains he had manifested to oblige her, and, in consideration of his great benevolence and disinterested friendship, she would leave the bones under his care and protection. She saw that the skeleton " was in a good dry place," and concluded to let it remain there. Maj. Beach said that he notified the widow of the willingness of the authorities to surrender the bones, but that she seemed indifferent to the matter. At all events, nothing was done by the family to secure a re-interment of the remains.
Shortly after the scene just related transpired, Gov. Lucas was succeeded by Gov. Chambers, and the bones of Black Hawk were taken from his former office to the office of Dr. Lowe, on Main street. Drs. Lowe, Hickcock and Rock were then occupying rooms adjoining the three-story building used by A. Moore as a hardware store. A. D. Green in the second story, and the Historical and Geological Institute in the third story. The bones had been given to the latter institution, but had not been removed to a place in the third story. On the night of January 16, 1853, a fire consumed the whole building and the adjoining structure, in which Dr. Lowe's office was. The bones of the celebrated Indian were then and there cremated. Thus, amid fire and tumult Black Hawk found a final earthly resting-place in the ashes of the ruined structure, and the last act of his eventful career was not less dramatic than the first public appearance of the brave. Literally and truthfully may we say, dust to dust, ashes to ashes ; and may they rest in peace.
It has been asserted that the bones were saved from destruction by Dr. Rock, but the Doctor positively declared to Judge Rorer that the rumor was an idle one.
POWESHIEK AND OTHER NOTABLES.
Poweshiek, the chief of the Musquakies, or the band of the confederated Sacs and Foxes who inhabited this particular locality, was a fine specimen of the physical man. He stood about six feet in height, weighed nearly two hun- dred and fifty pounds, and had, withal, a frank and rather pleasing countenance,
D
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when sober. His besetting fault was excessive indolence, which led to frequent lapses from sobriety. Ile and his family were more cleanly than his tribe were wont to be, and in intelligence he was equal to the great rulers of the red men, Keokuk and Black Hawk. The lazy habits of the chieftain, however, placed him at a decided disadvantage beside the more noted leaders. Ile would not join in the deliberations of the council if the acceptance of the notice involved personal exertion. Hence it is that one who really was worthy of the honors of leadership forfeited his right through personal weaknesses. Poweshiek was a man of honor, so far as his word was concerned, and he was absolute in his command over his tribe. It is related, as illustrative of his power over men, that once, when a theft had been committed on a small party of travelers through his domain, Poweshick ordered that none of his followers leave the village until search had been made for the missing property. So completely were the Indians under subjection to his will that even the culprit remained and was detected. Severe punishment followed the discovery of the crime, but the guilty Indian received it without a murmur, nor did he think of violating Poweshiek's command to remain, when, by stealthy evasion, he might have escaped the penalty of his crime.
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