USA > Iowa > Warren County > The history of Warren County, Iowa, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c., a biographical directory of its citizens, war record of its volunteers in the late rebellion, general and local statistics &c > Part 5
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The first consul, who had followed the negotiation with a lively interest, acquiesced in the result, and said to Marbois : "It is true, the negotiation does not leave me anything to desire. Sixty millions [francs] for an occupa -. tion that will not, perhaps, last for a day ! I would that France should en- joy this unexpected capital, and that it may be employed in works beneficial to the marine. This accession of territory strengthens forever the power of the United States ; and I have just given to England a maratime rival that will sooner or later humble her pride."
On the 22d day of May, 1803, England commenced hostilities against France by the capture of some of her merchant vessels, and on the same day Bonaparte gave liis formal ratification of the Louisiana treaty of cession. In July, the treaty was received in the United States, and on the 20th of October, 1803, it was ratified by the Senate, by twenty-four against seven votes. The country ceded by this treaty, as estimated at that time, exceeded a million of square miles, all occupied by savages, except a few sparse settle- ments, aggregating from 80,000 to 90,000 inhabitants, about 40,000 of whom were slaves. The whites were chiefly French, or descendants of French"
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Congress, a few days after the ratification of the treaty by the Senate, passed an act making provision for the occupation and temporary government of the territory acquired. Eleven millions of dollars were appropriated as payment for the purchase-the remaining four millions being reserved, ac- cording to a stipulation in the treaty, to indemnify citizens of the United States who had sustained losses at the hands of the French. The resolution for carrying the treaty into effect was sustained by the House of Represen- tatives by a vote of ninety to twenty-five.
Even before the acquisition of Louisiana, it had been a favorite object of President Jefferson to have an exploring expedition sent across the continent to the Pacific Ocean, and in Jannary, 1803, he had recommended an appro- priation for that purpose, The appropriation was made, and the enterprise was placed under the direction of Captains Lewis and Clarke. The treaty with France, however, was ratified before the exploring expedition was ready to start. On the 14th of May, 1804, Captains Lewis and Clarke, with their companions, consisting in all of thirty persons, left the banks of the Missis- sippi on their long and perilous voyage of two years and three months, to seek out and give to their country and the world some more accurate knowl- edge respecting this vast region of country, of which civilization at that time knew so little. The expedition was in every way successful, and the report made by Captains Lewis and Clarke enabled the government and peo- ple of the United States to form a better judgment of the immense value of the country acquired.
It will be seen that the region acquired by the Louisiana purchase, com- preliended not only the present State of Louisiana, but all the vast region between the Mississippi river and the Pacific Ocean, and as far northi as the British possessions. The great States of Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Ne- braska, Kansas, the greater part of Minnesota, and several of our great Ter- ritories, are but parts of this purchase.
On the 20th of December, 1803, in pursuance of authority given by act of Congress, Gov. Claiborne and Gen. Wilkinson took possession of the Loni- siana purchase, and raised the American flag at New Orleans. The Span- ish authorities there objected to the transfer, but early in 1804 they acqui- esced and withdrew. The newly acquired territory, by authority of Con- gress, was, on the first of October, 1804, divided as follows : All south of the 33d parallel of north latitude, was called the Territory of Orleans, and all north of that parallel became the District of Louisiana, and was placed under the authority of the officers of the then Indiana Territory. It so re- mained until July 4, 1805, when the District of Louisiana was given a ter- ritorial government of its own. In 1812, the Territory of New Orleans be- came the State of Louisiana, and the Territory of Louisiana become the Territory of Missouri. On the 4th of July, 1814, Missouri Territory was divided-that part comprising the present State of Arkansas, and the coun- try west, being organized as the Territory of Arkansas. In March, 1821, a part of Missouri Territory was organized as the State of Missouri, and ad- mitted into the Union. On the 28th of June, 1834, the territory west of the Mississippi river and north of Missouri, was made a part of the Terri- tory of Michigan, so remaining until July 4th, 1836, when Wisconsin Ter- ritory was organized. This embraced within its limits the present States of Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. An act of Congress, approved June 12, 1838, created the Territory of Iowa, ambracing not only the present State of Iowa, but the greater part of the present State of Minnesota, and extending northward to the British Possessions.
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M
AN INDIAN OAMP.
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THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. INDIAN WARS IN THE NORTHWEST.
Gen. Harmar's Defeat-Gen. St. Clair-His Defeat-Gen. Wayne-His Victory-His Treaties With the Indians-British Posts Surrendered-Death of Wayne-Gen. Harrison-Tecum- seh-The Prophet-Battle of Tippecanoe-Tecumseh's Alliance With the British-Harri- son Appointed Brigadier-General-Perry's Victory-Gen. McArthur-Battle of the Thames -Tecumseh Killed-Peace With the Indians-Indian Titles Extinguished-Military Posts Established at Belle Point, Council Bluffs, and St. Peters-The Ricarees-Gen. Cass- Treaty at Fort Dearborn-Fort Atkinson-Grand Council at Prairie du Chien-Indian Outrages-The Militia Called Out-Gen. Atkinson-Policy of Removing the Indians West -Treaty With the Sacs and Foxes -- Black Hawk-He Refuses to Comply With Treaties -Black Hawk War-Battle of Bad Axe-Gen. Henry Dodge-Black Hawk Captured- Taken to Washington-Keokuk-Black Hawk Purchase Gen. Winfield Scott-Treaties at Davenport-Antoine Le Claire-Removal of Sacs and Foxes to Iowa-Gen. Street- Wapello-Maj. Beach-Sac and Fox Villages on the Des Moines-Gov. Lucas-Gov. Chambers-Visit of Hard-Fish to Burlington-An Incident-Speech of Keokuk.
ALMOST every advance of civilization on the American continent has been made at the expense of more or less conflict and bloodshed at the hands of the savage tribes who were the occupants and owners of the soil prior to the advent of the white man. Passing over the conflicts of the colonists in the early settlements of the East, the later struggles of the pioneers of the "Dark and Bloody Ground," and the Indian wars of the South, we shall briefly refer to some of the troubles with the aborigines in the Northwest. With
the opening of the new conntry to white settlers it was necessary to establish military posts for the protection of the pioneers against the attacks of the Indians. " In 1790, all pacific means having failed with the tribes nortli of the Ohio, President Washington sent Gen. Harmar with a military force against them. After destroying several of their villages, he was defeated in two battles near the confluence of the St. Joseph's and St. Mary's rivers, and not far from the present city of Fort Wayne, Indiana. In 1781 Gen. Arthur St. Clair was promoted to the rank of major general, and was entrusted with a command against the hostile Miamis. On assuming his command, the last admonition of Washington was, " Beware of surprise." Gen. St. Clair marched with his troops to the vicinity of the Miami villages on the Mau- mee. On the 4th of November, 1791, he was surprised in camp on the St. Mary's river, and his force of 1400 ill disciplined men was cut to pieces. He soon after resigned his commission. In this defeat St. Clair's loss was about 600 men. The savages were greatly emboldened by their successes, and it was soon found that more vigorous measures were necessary. The Indians continued to commit outrages against the infant settlements. In some cases, doubtless, the whites were the aggressors, for Washington in his annual mes- sage of November 6, 1792, recommended more adequate measures "for re- straining the commission of outrages upon the Indians, without which all pacific plans must prove nugatory." Attempts were made to treat with the Indians, but the attempted negotiations proved unsuccessful.
After the unsuccessful and disastrous campaigns of Generals Harmar and St. Clair, General Anthony Wayne, who had won distinguished laurels in the war of the Revolution, was, in April, 1792, promoted to the rank of major general, and made commander-in-chief in the war against the western Indians. In August, 1794, he gained a signal victory over the Miamis, near the rapids of the Maumee, and compelled them to sue for peace. In the same year a fort was erected by his order on the site of the old "Twightwee Village" of the Miami tribe, where the city of Fort Wayne is now located. It continued to be a military post until 1819.
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After his successful campaign of 1794, Gen. Wayne was appointed sole commissioner to treat with the Indians, and also to take possession of the forts still held by the British in the Northwest. He negotiated the treaty of Greenville which was signed by all the principal chiefs of the Northwest. By this treaty the Indians relinquished their title to a large tract of country. That characteristic determination which, during the war of the Revolution, had gained him the sobriquet of "Mad Anthony," impressed the hostile tribes with a dread of him which operated as a wholesome restraint. Gen. Wayne also took possession of the British posts in the Northwest, which were peaceably surrendered, in accordance with Jay's treaty, and from this time there was assurance of peace on the frontier. He died in the garrison at Presque Isle (Erie), Pa., December 14, 1796.
From the date of Wayne's victory up to 1809 the whites maintained com- paratively peaceable relations with the Indians. During this year, Gen. Harrison, then Governor of Indiana Territory, entered into a treaty with the Delawares, Kickapoos, Pottawattamies, Miamis, Eel River Indians and Weas, in which these tribes relinquished their title to certain lands on the Wabash river. About this time the noted chief Tecumseh comes into prom- inence as the bitter opponent of any more grants of land being made to the whites.
Tecumseh was a chief of the Shawnees, born on the Scioto river near Chillicothe, about the year 1770. It was said that he was one of three brothers who were triplets. The other two brothers were named Kum- shaka and Elskwatawa. Kumshaka is believed to have died while young, but Elskwatawa became the Prophet who co-operated with the chief in all his plans. His father, Puckeshinwa, had risen to the rank of chief, but was killed at the battle of Point Pleasant, in 1774. In 1795 Tecumseh was de- clared chief at or near where Urbana, Ohio, is now located. In 1798 he went to White river, Indiana, and his brother, the Prophet, to a tract of land on the Wabash. Tecumseh, by reason of his oratory, had great influ- ence over the savage tribes, and his plan was to unite all of them against the whites in a conspiracy, similar to that of Pontiac nearly half a century before. For this purpose he visited all the tribes west to the Mississippi, and upon Lakes Superior, Huron, and Michigan. At the same time his brother, the Prophet, pretended to be directed by the Great Spirit to preach against the influence and encroachments of the white men. "Their efforts to incite the Indians to hostilities were successful, and they gathered a large force of war- riors, making their headquarters at a stream they called Tippecanoe, near the Wabash river.
Meantime Gov. Harrison was watching the movements of the Indians, and being convinced of the existence of Tecumseh's grand conspiracy, had prepared to defend the settlements. In August, 1810, Tecumseh went to Vincennes to confer with the Governor in relation to the grievances of the Indians, but demeaned himself in such an angry manner that he was dis- missed from the village. He returned to complete his plans for the conflict. Tecumseh delayed his intended attack, but in the meantime he was gather- ing strength to his cause, and by the autumn of 1811 had a force of several hundred warriors at his encampment on the little river called by the Indians Keth-tip-pe-ce-nunk, or Tippecanoe. Harrison, with a force of eight hun- dred men, partly regulars and partly volunteers, determined to move npon the Prophet's town, as it was called. He encamped near the village early in October, and on the night of the 5th of November his camp was furiously
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but unsuccessfully attacked. On the morning of the 7th he was again attacked by a large body of the Indians, but Tecumseh's warriors were completely routed, but not without a severe and hotly contested battle, and the loss of about 200 of Harrison's men.
President Madison, in a special message to Congress of December 12, 1811, speaking of this engagement, says:
"While it is deeply lamented that so many valuable lives have been lost in the action which took place on the seventh ultimo, Congress will see with satisfaction the dauntless spirit and fortitude victoriously displayed by every description of the troops engaged, as well as the collected firmness which distinguished their commander on an occasion requiring the utmost exer- tions of valor and discipline. It may reasonably be expected that the good effects of this critical defeat and dispersion of a combination of savages, which appears to have been spreading to a greater extent, will be experi- enced, not only in the cessation of murders and depredations committed on our frontier, but in the prevention of any hostile excursions otherwise to have been apprehended."
The result of the battle of Tippecanoe utterly ruined the plans of Tecum- seh, for his arrangements with the different tribes were not yet matured. He was greatly exasperated toward the Prophet for precipitating the war. Had Tecumseh himself been present it is likely the attack would not have been made. The defeated Indians were at first inclined to sue for peace, but Tecumseh was not yet conquered. The breaking out of the war with Great Britain at this time inspired him with new hope, and his next endeavor was to form an alliance with the English. In this he succeeded, and was ap- pointed a brigadier general. He was entrusted with the command of all the Indians who co-operated with the English in the campaigns of 1812-13, and was in several important engagements.
After the surrender of Detroit by Gen. Hull, August 18, 1812, Har- rison was appointed to the command of the Northwestern frontier, with a commission as brigadier general. As this was in September, too late in the season for a campaign, he did not assume active operations until the next year, by which time he was promoted to the rank of major general. After Commodore Perry won his signal victory on Lake Erie in September, 1813, Harrison hastened with his command to capture Malden. On arriving there . late in September he found that Proctor, the British general, had retreated. About the same time Gen. McArthur. took possession of Detroit and the Territory of Michigan. Pursuing the British army into the interior of Can- ada West, Harrison overtook Proctor at the Moravian settlements, on the river Thames, on the 5th of October. The British general had an auxiliary force of two thousand Indians under the command of Tecumseh. The battle was opened by the American cavalry under the command of Col. Richard M. Johnson, afterward vice-president of the United States. Early in the engagement Tecumseh was killed at the head of his column of Indians, who, no longer hearing the voice of their chicf, fled in confusion. It has been claimed by some authorities that this celebrated chief was killed by Col. Johnson, who fired at him with a pistol. This, however, will remain one of the unsolved problems of history. The result of the battle was a com- plete victory for the Americans, with the capture of 600 prisoners, six pieces of cannon, and a large quantity of army stores.
This decisive victory over the combined forces of the British and Indians practically closed the war in the Northwest, and as a consequence peace
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with the Indian tribes soon followed. Other treaties were negotiated with the Indians by which they gave up their title to additional large tracts of territory. The settlement of the country progressed rapidly, and again an era of apparent good will prevailed between the whites and Indians. By the end of the year 1817, the Indian title, with some moderate reservations, had been extinguished to the whole of the land within the State of Ohio, to a great part of that in Michigan Territory, and in the State of Indiana. In 1817 Gov. Cass, of Michigan, in conjunction with Gov. McArthur, of Ohio, obtained a cession of most of the remaining lands in Ohio with some adjoin- ing tracts in Indiana and Michigan, amounting in all to about 4,000,000 of acres, and in 1819 Gov. Cass met the Chippewas at Saginaw and obtained a cession of lands in the peninsula of Michigan to the extent of about 6,000,000 of acres. The next year a treaty was made at Chicago, then nothing but a military post, called Fort Dearborn, with the Chippewas, Ottawas and Potta- wattamies, by which a large additional tract was obtained, which completed the extinguishment of the Indian title to the peninsula of Michigan south of the Grand river. By 1820 a number of military posts were established far in the interior, and among them was one at Belle Point on the Arkansas, at Council Bluffs on the Missouri, at St. Peters on the Mississippi, and at Green Bay on the upper lakes.
During the month of June, 1823, Gen. Ashley and his party, who were trading under a license from the government, were attacked by the Ricarees while trading with the Indians at their request. Several of the party were killed and wounded, and their property taken or destroyed. Col. Leaven- worth, who commanded Fort Atkinson at Council Bluffs, then the most western post, took immediate measures to check this hostile spirit of the Ricarees, fearing that it might extend to other tribes in that quarter and endanger the lives of traders on the Missouri. With a detachment of the regiment stationed at Council Bluffs, he successfully attacked the Rica- ree village. The hostile spirit, however, still continued and extended to the tribes on the upper Mississippi and the upper lakes. Several parties of citizens were plundered and murdered by those tribes during the year 1824. An act of Congress of May 25th of this year, made an appropriation to de- fray the expenses of making treaties of trade and friendship with the tribes west of the Mississippi, and another act of March 3, 1825, provided for the expense of treaties with the Sioux, Chippewas, Menomonees, Sacs and Foxes, and other tribes, and also for establishing boundaries and promoting peace between them. These objects were in the main accomplished, and by the treaties made the government secured large acquisitions of territory. Gov. Cass, in conjunction with Gov. Clark, of Missouri, attended a grand council of the tribes this year at Prairie du Chien to carry out the purposes of the act of Congress last mentioned. During his continuance in office as Gov- ernor of Michigan Territory, Gov. Cass made, or participated in the making of nineteen treaties with the Indians, and by them acquired lands in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin, to an amount equal to one-fourth of the entire area of those States.
During the summer of 1827, when the commissioners appointed to carry into execution certain provisions of a treaty, made August 19th, 1825, with various northwestern tribes, were about to arrive at the appointed place of meeting, several citizens were murdered, and other acts of hostility were com- mitted, especially against the miners at Fever river, near Galena, by a party
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of the Winnebago tribe, which tribe was one of those associated in the treaty. To quell these outrages the governors of the State of Illinois and the Territory of Michigan, made levies of militia. These forces, with a corps of seven hundred United States troops, under the command of General Atkinson, repaired to the scene of danger. The Indians, overawed by the ap- pearance of the military, surrendered the perpetrators of the murders, and gave assurances of future good behavior.
For many years it had been the policy of the government to obtain a re- linquishment of the title of the Indians to all lands within the limits of the States, and as rapidly as possible cause the removal of the tribes to territory beyond the Mississippi. In 1830 the Chickasaws and Choctaws, occupying portions of the States of Alabama and Mississippi, agreed to remove, and in due time carried out their agreement in good faith. The same year a treaty was made with the Sacs and Foxes, by which they agreed to cede their lands to the United States, and remove beyond the Mississippi. The prin- cipal village of these united tribes was located at the mouth of Rock river, on the east side of the Mississippi, near where the city of Rock Island now stands. Here had been an Indian village, according to tradition, for one hundred and fifty years. These tribes had owned and occupied the country bordering on the Mississippi, to an extent of seven hundred miles, from the mouth of the Wisconsin almost to the mouth of the Missouri. The Indians did not seem disposed to comply promptly with the terms of the treaty, and one band, under the noted chief Black Hawk (Ma-ka-tai-me-she-kia-kiak), evinced a determination to keep possession of their old village. John Rey- nolds, Governor of Illinois, construed their continued residence in the ceded territory as an invasion of the State, and under his authority to protect the State from invasion, ordered out seven hundred militia to force their re- moval, according to the treaty. This interference of the governor of Illi- nois with the duties belonging to the Federal Government, obliged the com- mander of United States troops in that quarter to co-operate with him, in order to prevent a collision between the State militia and the Indians. Fort Armstrong, on Rock Island, had been established as early as 1816, and when the Black Hawk trouble commenced, was in command of Gen. Atkinson. The Indians were overawed by this imposing military force, and yielding to necessity, crossed the Mississippi. Black Hawk, feeling exasperated at the harsh treatment his people had received, resolved to prosecute a predatory war against the white settlements. He united his band of Sacs and Foxes with the Winnebagoes, under the command of the Prophet Wabo-ki-e-shiek (White Cloud), and in March, 1832, recrossed to the east side of the Missis- sippi. They murdered a number of defenseless families, and committed many outrages upon the settlers. The whole frontier became alarmed, and many of the settlers fled for safety. The governor of Illinois ordered out the State militia, which being joined by four hundred regular troops, con- stituted a force of about one thousand, under the command of Gen. Atkin- son. They pursued the Indians, and after a campaign of about two inonths, during which two engagements were fought, the war was brought to an end. The last, and the decisive battle of the war, is known in history as the bat- tle of Bad Axe, being fought on a small tributary of the Wisconsin of that name. This battle took place August 2d, 1832, and the force against Black Hawk was commanded by Gen. Henry Dodge, of Wisconsin. The Indians lost forty of their braves, and Gen. Dodge one. The Indians made but little
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further resistance, and Black Hawk's "British Band," as it was styled, be- came demoralized and fled. They reached the Mississippi and were making preparations for crossing when they were checked by the captain of the. steamboat "Warrior," who discharged a six-pounder at them, although they had displayed a flag of truce. The next morning Gen. Atkinson arrived with his army, and made an attack, which the Indians were now powerless to resist. Black Hawk escaped, but was taken by some treacherous Winne- bagoes, and delivered along with the Prophet, on the 27th of August, to Gen. Street, at Prairie du Chien. Two of Black Hawk's sons, the Prophet and other leaders, were also taken, and by order of the government were con- veyed through the principal cities and towns on the seaboard, in order that they might be impressed with the greatness and power of the United States. For some time Black Hawk was held as a captive, and then through the in- tercession of Keokuk, who had been opposed to the war, and had not par- ticipated in the hostilities, he was allowed to return to Rock Island, and per- mitted to join his people. Treaties were made with the offending tribes by which they agreed to compensate for the expense of the war, by ceding a valuable part of their territory on the west side of the Mississippi, and to immediately remove from the east side. The United States stipulated to pay to the three tribes annually, thirty thousand dollars for twenty-seven years, and also to make other provisions for their improvement. By this treaty the United States acquired the first territory in Iowa which was opened to settlement. It is what is known as the " Black Hawk Purchase," and embraced a strip of territory extending from the northern bonndary of Missouri to the month of the Upper Iowa river, about fifty miles in width, and embracing an area of about six millions of acres. This treaty was made on the 21st day of September, 1832, at a council held on the west bank of the Mississippi river, where the city of Davenport now stands. Gen. Win- field Scott and Gov. John Reynolds, of Illinois, represented the United States, and on the part of the Indians there were present Keokuk, Pashe- paho, and abont thirty other chiefs and warriors of the Sac and Fox nation. Within the limits of this purchase was reserved a tract of 400 square miles, situated on Iowa river, and including Keokuk's village. This tract was known as "Keokuk's Reserve," and was occupied by the Indians until 1836. when it was ceded to the United States. This treaty was negotiated by Gov. Henry Dodge, of Wisconsin Territory, and on the part of the Indians Keo- kuk was the leading spirit. This council was also held on the banks of the Mississippi, near the site of the present city of Davenport. The treaty stip- ulated for the removal of the Indians to another reservation on the Des Moines river. On this an agency was established, where the present town of Agency City, in Wapello county, is located. Out of the "Black Hawk Purchase " was conveyed to Antoine Le Claire, who was interpreter, and whose wife was an Indian, one section of land opposite Rock Island, and another at the head of the first rapids above the Island.
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