History of Lee County, together with biographical matter, statistics, etc., Part 4

Author: Hill, H.H. (Chicago) pbl
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, H.H. Hill
Number of Pages: 910

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Directly after taking up his permanent home at Dixon's Ferry, and while coming down the river from the place of ferrying, Father Dixon heard his Indian name excitedly called out. Turning around he saw a naked savage within 100 feet of him running toward him and gesticulating angrily with a muskrat spear which was made of a sharpened 5-8 inch round iron rod, from two to three feet in length, fastened to a wooden handle from four to six feet in length, making a formidable weapon. To defend himself unarmed was impossible ; to flee cowardly. He took in the danger, but his man- hood refused to carry him out of danger, as his fleetness would have enabled him to do. He boldly faced his adversary, but before the Indian had an opportunity to throw his spear his arms were secure- ly grasped by some of the Indian spectators, who interfered for Dixon's safety. After the drunken debauch was over the Indian asked an interview with Father Dixon, which he refused him until the band to which the Indian belonged interceded for him. Much ceremony suits the Indian ; the talk commenced, when the Indian, whose name was Dah-shun-egra, acknowledged his murderous inten- tion ; " that bad whisky made bad Indian," and asked forgiveness. He asked Father Dixon what he would have done if he had thrown the spear and missed his aim. In reply Father Dixon said : " Had you thrown the spear and missed me, the spear would have passed by me and I should have reached it first, and should have killed you on the spot with your own spear." His coolness in the hour of danger, and this open avowal of a determined man to defend him- self and repel force by force, were qualities that the savages could

HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.

fully understand and appreciate. It established Father Dixon's character among the Indians as a White Brave."

While Mr. Dixon carried the United States mail the streams were unbridged, not even "corduroyed ;" swamps undrained ; roads al- most impassable ; houses few and far between. Snowstorms were more severe and the cold more intense than in later years. In the winter of 1830-1 (the winter of the deep snow) the snow averaged three feet deep from New Year's Day to the 15th of March. No track was kept open from one settlement to another, and it was with great difficulty that roads were kept open even in densely settled dis- tricts. Fifteen to twenty-seven miles was the usual distance between the homes along the route. On one of the longest routes during this memorable winter Mr. Dixon and some of the stage passengers were so benumbed with the cold as to be unable to get out of the stage without assistance.

In the year 1829 a post-office was established at Ogee's Ferry to accommodate the traveling public, and a Mr. Gay was appointed post- master. In September, 1830, Mr. Dixon superseded Mr. Gay, by government appointment, and in the following year the name of the post-office was changed, as the ferry had been, to Dixon's Ferry. The few settlers who had located in the vicinity of Rockford came to Dix- on's Ferry for their mail matter, and being the only ferry crossing for many miles up and down the river, Dixon at this early day was a central point of interest for thirty or forty miles north and south, and from Chicago, a small frontier post, to the Mississippi ; and in the time of the Black Hawk war it became the rendezvous of the United States troops. It was the central depot for supplies, and afforded the most advantageous point for military manœuvering.

" At this time," says the " History of Dixon," published in 1880, " the banks of Rock river at the present site of Dixon were gently sloping to the water's edge, covered with grass, not abrupt as at pres- ent. Teams were loaded wherever the ferry-boat struck a suitable place on the shores. The ferry-boat was propelled by the old-fashioned ' setting pole,' attended with any amount of fatigue. It was one of the schools of patience in its day. A rope ferry, similar to the one now at Grand Detour, succeeded the primitive institution in 1835. A rope was stretched across the river from the tops of strong posts placed on either bank of the river at Galena street, and with the lee board as motive power more rapid and far easier transportation was secured."

We may note at this point that Mrs. John Dixon was the first white woman who settled in the Rock River valley, in the bounds of Lee county.

THE BLACK HAWK WAR.

About eighteen or twenty miles south, and not far from the pres- ent Lee county line, in the sonth part of the county, another pioneer by the well known name of "Dad Joe " Smith had located at a very early day, the date of which we cannot give definitely, but it was, however, prior to the Black Hawk war, and of sufficient length of time for him to become familiar with the Indians of the country to secure his safety during the Black Hawk campaign. Having secured the safety of his wife and children he remained at his home at "Dad Joe's Grove " and attended and gathered his crops during the entire war unmolested. He had fought in the battle of the Thames ; came to this county with the first emigrants and " settled in the shadow of this grove," and commenced opening a farm. At the time of the advance of Atkinson's army he served as a guide. He also served as a spy under command of Zachary Taylor. He was an early settler, and of such long standing that he was rather looked upon as a kind of patri- arch in the country, and to distinguish him from other Joe Smiths- perhaps a son bearing his father's name-he received the venerable appellation of "Dad Joe." Mr. J. K. Robinson said of him: "He was one of the good, jolly men, who had made their homes along the route of the early thoroughfare between Peoria and Galena. 'Dad Joe ' had an uncommonly loud voice. It was often remarked in that day ' Weknew they were all well at Dad Joe's, this morning, for we heard him calling his hogs just twenty miles away.' "'

In the spring of 1832, at the settlement at Buffalo Grove, ten miles up the Galena road, were located Isaac Chambers, O. W. Kel- logg, Mr. Reed, and a Mr. Bush, and their families. Mr. John K. Robinson had joined John Dixon at the ferry where he settled, and "Dad Joe " twenty miles south on the road. These were the way stations on the great thoroughfare of travel from the southern settle- ments to the Galena mines on the north, and were as oases in the desert to the pioneer traveler.

THE BLACK HAWK WAR.

The Black Hawk war broke out in 1832, when Dixon's Ferry, where the city of Dixon is now located, became the rendezvous of the United States troops and the raw levies that were raised for the defense of the frontier, as it proved to be a central position for the speedy and successful manœuvreing of troops and their supplies.

" A treaty had been made in 1804 with the Sacs and Fox Indians, in which those powerful tribes ceded to the United States all their lands lying east of the Mississippi, and agreed to remove to lands west of that river. Black Hawk and other chiefs not being present when the treaty was made, refused to be bound by it." It is but just

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HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.

that the noble warrior, Black Hawk, be heard respecting this treaty, and the relation of his people to the origin of the war which fol- lowed. In his account given to Antoine Leclair, United States interpreter for the Sacs and Foxes, and published in the "Life of Black Hawk," by J. B. Patterson, of Rock Island, in 1834, he said :

" One of our people killed an American and was confined in the prison at St. Louis for the offense. We held a council at our village to see what could be done for him, which determined that Quash- quà-me, Pa-she-pa-ho, Ou-che-qua-ka, and Hà-she-quar-hí-qua should go down to St. Louis, see our American father, and do all they could to have our friend released by paying for the person killed, thus covering the blood and satisfying the relations of the man murdered. This was the only means with us of saving a person who had killed another, and we then thought it was the same way with the whites. The party started with the good wishes of our whole nation, hoping they would accomplish the object of their mission. The relatives of the prisoner blacked their faces and fasted, hoping the Great Spirit would take pity on them and return the husband and father to his wife and children. Quash-quà-me and party remained a long time absent. They at length returned, * * * and gave to us the following account of their mission :

"On their arrival at St. Louis they met their American father and explained to him their business, and urged the release of their friend. The American chief told them he wanted land, and they had agreed to give him some on the west side of the Mississippi and some on the Illinois' side opposite the Jeffreon. When the business . was all arranged they expected to have their friend released to come home with them, but about the time they were ready to start their friend was let out of prison, and he ran a short distance and was shot dead. This is all they could recollect of what was said or done. They had been drunk the greater part of the time they were in St. Louis.

"This is all myself or nation knew of the treaty of 1804. It has been explained to me since. I find, by that treaty, all our country east of the Mississippi and south of Jeffreon was ceded to the United States for one thousand dollars a year. I will leave it to the people of the United States to say whether our nation was properly represented in this treaty, or whether we received a fair compensa- tion for the extent of country ceded by those four individuals. I could say much about this treaty but will not at this time. It has been the origin of all our difficulties."

After the treaty of peace between the United States and Great Britain, Black Hawk and his chiefs went down to St. Louis to con-

THE BLACK HAWK WAR.

firm the treaty of peace, and "Here," says Black Hawk, "for the first time I touched the goose quill to the treaty, - not knowing, however, that by that act I consented to give away my village. Had that been explained to me I should have opposed it and never would have signed their treaty. What do we know about the laws and customs of the white people? They might buy our bodies for dis- section and we would touch the goose quill to confirm it without knowing what we were doing. This was the case with myself and people in touching the goose quill the first time." Black Hawk also claimed that they did not cede their village to the government. This village was situated on the north side of Rock river, at its mouth, on the point of land between this river and the Mississippi. Their corn-fields extended up the Mississippi for two miles, where they Joined the Foxes on the north. Rock Island was the summer resort for their young people, their garden which supplied them with berries and fruits, and the rapids of Rock river furnished them with the finest fish. "A good spirit had care of it, who lived in a cave in the rocks immediately under the place where the fort now stands (1834) and has often been seen by our people. He was white, with large wings like a swan's, but ten times larger. We were par- ticular not to make much noise in that part of the island which he inhabited for fear of disturbing him; but the noise of the fort has driven him away and no doubt a bad spirit has taken his place."

It is not to be thought strange that those native tribes would be unwilling to leave this beautiful and rich country, the home of their fathers for more than a hundred years. And besides Black Hawk claimed, as did also Quàsh-quà-me, who conducted the treaty, that their Rock Island village had not been sold, as claimed by the gov- ernment. On this they predicated their claims and all their troubles.

The whites, however, occupied their village, and Black Hawk says " they brought whisky into our village, and made our people drunk, and cheated them out of their horses, guns and traps!" It may be noted here that the first temperance crusade in this country was headed by Black Hawk, chief of the Sacs. He says : "I visited all the whites (in the village) and begged them not to sell whisky to my people. One of them continued the practice openly. I took a party of my young men, went to his house, and took out his barrel and broke in the head and turned out the whisky." He then adds : " Bad and cruel as our people were treated by the whites, not one of them was hurt or molested by any of my band. I hope this will prove that we are a peaceable people, having permitted ten men to take possession of our corn-fields, prevent us from planting corn, burn and destroy our lodges, ill-treat our women, and beat to death

HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.

our men without offering resistance to their barbarous cruelties. The whites were complaining at the same time that we were intrud- ing upon their rights! They made themselves out the injured party, and we the intruders ! and called loudly to the great war-chief to protect their property ! How smooth must be the language of the whites when they can make right look like wrong and wrong look like right !"

This brave and proud warrior would not surrender his village until the last hour, when the United States soldiers were on the ground for the purpose of forcing him to terms. The night before the day appointed by Gen. Gaines to remove them, the chief and his people crossed the Mississippi and encamped below the mouth of Rock river. Black Hawk went to their agent and requested that a house be built for him, and a field plowed in the fall, as he desired to live retired. This being promised, he went to the trader and ob- tained permission to be buried in the graveyard in their old village. "I then returned," said Black Hawk, " to my people satisfied." He had not remained long in quiet retirement when in 1831 the restless chief and his band (known as the British Band of Sac Indians) crossed the river to their old homes at the mouth of Rock river, but after preparations of war were made for his extermination he nego- tiated a treaty and returned to the west side of the Mississippi, re- ceiving liberal presents of goods and provisions from the govern- ment, and promised never to return without the consent of the pres- ident of the United States or the governor of Illinois.

Here he remained quietly until the following year, when discon- tent was created by the bad counsel of British officers on the upper Mississippi ; and on April 6. 1832, he again recrossed the Missis- sippi with his entire band and their women and children, and soon commenced his march up the river, intending to take possession of the Kishwaukee country on the upper Rock river, claimed to have been given him by the Pottawatomies.

Black Hawk's policy was to ascend the Rock river in peace, until he had the expected reinforcements from the Ottawas, Chippewas, Pottawatomies, and Winnebagoes, from the upper Rock river and lake region, as he had been told. Ascending the river to Prophets- town, he received an order from Gen. Atkinson (White Beaver) to return or he would pursue him and drive him back. The chief re- fused, sending word to the general if he wanted to fight to come on, and moved on up river.

Mr. John Dixon, then proprietor of Dixon's Ferry, was advised of the approach of the Black Hawk band of Indians, and would have abandoned his home, and sought safety elsewhere, but his faith in

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THE BLACK HAWK WAR.

humanity was of that kind that "Hopeth all things, of all men "- even the Indians. A leading Winnebago chief, Pachinka (Crane in English), had told him that the Winnebagoes held possession of the lands through which the Sacs would have to move, and that they would not dare injure the white friends of his nation. So Father Dixon was here when the savage army passed early in May. He so arranged his family and hired help as to ascertain the force of the hostiles. This he accomplished without exciting their suspicions. His estimate gave them 600 men. The band encamped at a spring a few hundred yards above the ferry, now submerged by reason of the dam.

The war chief had not forgotten the kindness of Mrs. Dixon during the preceding winter, when he, a chief from Rock Island, and the prophet from Prophetstown, met in council with the Pottawato- mies at Dixon's Ferry, when Black Hawk negotiated for the occu- pancy of Spotted Arms' Town near the present site of Rockford. During their stay the chiefs at the council fire were regularly invited as guests to Mrs. Dixon's table. She served them as waiter, and even sat down and ate and drank with them. Black Hawk not only reminded her of his appreciation of her kindness, but called the at- tention of the other chiefs to her care for them.

"On May 12 Governor Reynolds was at Dixon's Ferry, with about 900 mounted riflemen, under command of Gen. Whitesides, awaiting the arrival of Gen. Atkinson's forces of the regular army, coming up the river with army stores, provisions, and the general impediments of a moving army.

"Immediately after the arrival of the forces at Dixon's Ferry Gen. Whitesides sent a party of four men, a guide and interpreter, under command of Capt. John Dement (then state treasurer), to Shabbona's Grove, just within the borders of the present county of De Kalb, to warn the friendly Pottawatomie chief, Shabbona, who lived there upon a small reservation with his family and a few followers, not to allow Black Hawk to come upon his lands to live."

Having lost their way they were, toward the close of the second day out, approaching a grove to the northwest of Shabbona's Grove, which they were seeking, when Peter Manard, the interpreter of the party, who was familiar with Shabbona and his people, approached the grove in advance of the party expecting to meet the friendly Pot- tawatomies. Crossing a small stream he entered the grove, where he found an unoccupied lodge. Alighting from his pony, he was trying to strike a fire preparatory to an encampment for the night, when Capt. Dement, who was approaching the grove at another point, descried some Indians in the timber trying to conceal themselves in the 4

HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.

thicket ; leaving his party to watch the movements of the savages, he rode down the grove to see what had become of Manard, whom he found in possession of his lodge, happily anticipating a good smoke in his efforts to strike a fire ; but at the word from the captain he mounted and joined the party. The Indians soon rushed from the grove with yells and menaces of war. The scouting party fear- ing the presence of superior numbers galloped away over the prairie ; but discovering that only two or three Indians were follow- ing them they reined up their horses when the Indians came up, laughing and pretending friendship.

From these Indians they learned that Black Hawk and his band were encamped on a stream but two miles away, and that they were going over to Mud lake to hunt. They invited the captain and his party to lodge with them for the night, promising to feast them on fresh venison. The captain declined their hospitality, preferring a long horseback ride in the night, though weary from the long travel of the day. He turned toward Shabbona's grove to mislead the red-men should they attempt to follow or intercept them, and when beyond their view the party headed toward Dixon's Ferry and rode all night, reaching Inlet grove in early morning. After halting a short time at this point they continued their march to Dixon's Ferry, and reported the result of their expedition to the commanding general.

"Just before Capt. Dement and his party returned to Dixon's Ferry from Shabbona's grove Maj. Stillman was permitted to advance up the river and spy out the hostile camp. Maj. Stillman was at the ferry when Gen. Whitesides arrived ; he had command of a small battalion of green volunteers, who, in their inexperience, were eager to get a shot at an Indian. On the evening of May 15 or 16 Stillman encamped on a small stream near Kishwaukee creek, in what is now Ogle county, about thirty miles from Dixon. He was about five miles distant from Black Hawk's camp on Kishwaukee creek, but did not know it."

Black Hawk says that at about this time " the Pottawatomie chiefs arrived at my camp. I had a dog killed, and made a feast. When it was ready I spread my medicine bags, and the chiefs began to eat. When the ceremony was about ending I received news that three or four hundred white men on horseback had been seen about eight miles off. I immediately started three young men with a white flag to meet them, and conduct them to our camp, that we might hold a council with them, and descend Rock river again." These three men, according to Black Hawk, were captured by the whites and taken to their camp. One of them was shot, and the other two escaped to their own camp.

THE BLACK HAWK WAR.

After Black Hawk had started the three, as above, he sent five more young men to follow after and see what the result would be.

These proceeded to a mound about a mile and a half from Still- man's eamp where they displayed a flag of truce. "They were dis- covered by some of the men, who, without reporting to their com- mander, and without orders, hastily mounted and rode toward the Indians. These, not understanding this sudden movement, and ap- parently suspicious, commeneed to retreat toward the camp of their chief. The whites dashed after them, fired and killed two of their number and captured two more, the others escaped, still pursued by the reckless volunteers. When Black Hawk and his war chief, Ne-o- pope, saw them dashing down upon their camp, their flag of truce disre- garded, they raised the terrible war-whoop and prepared for the fray."

Black Hawk says, " When they came in with the news I was pre- paring my flags to meet the war chief. The alarm was given. Nearly all my young men were absent, about ten miles off. I started with what I had left (about forty), and had proceeded but a short distance before we saw a part of the army approaching. I immediately placed my men in front of some bushes, that we might have the first fire. They halted some distance from us, when I gave another yell, and ordered my braves to charge upon them, expecting that we would all be killed. They did charge. Every man rushed and fired, and the enemy retreated in the utmost confusion and consternation before my little but brave band of warriors. I found it useless to follow them, as they rode so fast, and I returned to my encampment with a few of my braves, about twenty-five having gone in pursuit of the enemy. I lighted my pipe, and sat down to thank the Great Spirit for what he had done for my people."

Our own historian says of the defeat, when Black Hawk met the. charging volunteers, "It was now the turn of the volunteers to re- treat, which they did with wonderful celerity. Supposing they were pursued by a thousand savage warriors, the flying soldiers rushed through the camp, spreading terror and consternation among their comrades. The wildest confusion ensued, there was 'mounting in hot haste'; and the efforts of the officers to rally the troops were without avail. The panic was complete; every man seemed bent upon saving his scalp, and fled, never stopping until they reached Dixon's Ferry, or some other place of safety. It is said that the first man to reach Dixon was a Kentucky lawyer, not unknown to fame in Jo Daviess county, who reported that every man in Still- man's command had been killed except himself. Nearly every man, as he came straggling back to the Ferry during the night, had a like. report to make."

HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.

The narrative continues: " It is a well known fact that Stillman's men were well supplied with whiskey, and that many of them were drunk, which may account for their rash act in firing upon the white flag in utter disregard of all rules of warfare recognized, even among the Indians. On the approach of day the order was given for a forced march to the fatal field, and about eight hundred of the volunteers moved out, leaving two hundred men to guard the ferry; but the enemy had gone, the main body moving northward, and the rest scattering in small bands to avenge the death of their people upon unoffending settlers. Eleven of Stillman's men were killed. Their mutilated remains were gathered and buried, and the place is known as "Stillman's Run " to this day It is supposed that nearly all of those who were killed were not in the first mêlée, as all but two or three of the bodies were found on the side of the creek upon which Stillman camped; they were probably unable to get to their horses before the savages dashed through their camp. Being out of provisions the pursuing army were obliged to return to Dixon's Ferry, to await the arrival of the boats. This defeat was the open- ing of hostilities, and justice compels the impartial historian to re- cord that the whites were the aggressors."

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History of Lee County, together with biographical matter, statistics, etc., Part 4

Author: Hill, H.H. (Chicago) pbl Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago, H.H. Hill Number of Pages: 910

Author: Hill, H.H. (Chicago) pbl
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, H.H. Hill
Number of Pages: 910