USA > Illinois > Ogle County > Sketches of the history of Ogle County, Ill., and the early settlement of the Northwest > Part 7
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Early next morning, the whites reached the Wisconsin River, and found that the Indians had crossed it and escaped to the mountains between the Wise msin ud the Mississippi. On account of the want of provisions, Gen. Henry determined to fall back to the Blue Mounds. They reached their destination in two days, where they met Gen. Atkinson with the regulars and Alexander': and Posey's brigades. After spending two days in preparation at the Mounds, the whole force, now under Gen. Atkinson's direction, again started in pur- suit of the Indians. They crossed the Wisconsin at Wisconsin Hights, the scene of the late battle, (now Helena.) and struck the trail of the Indians among the mountains on the other side. The troops toiled sturdily in climbing the mountains and pushing through the deep swamps. The route was strewn with the bodies of the Indians who had died from the effect of wounds received at the late battle.
The misery of the Indians at this time was very great .* Their provisions had
*After giving an account of the battle at the Hlights, Gov. Ford says: "That night, Henry's camp was disturbed by the voice of an Indian, loudly sounding from a distant hill, as if giv-
47
HISTORY OF OGLE COUNTY.
Misery and Destitution of the Indians-Indians shot by Capt. Throckmorton-A Successful Ruse-Battle of Bad-Axe.
given out, and they were on the verge of starvation. They were so closely pursued by the whites that they could hardly find time to eat such food as they were able to procure. In addition to this, neglect and want of care of the wounds they had re- ceived brought disease, suffering and death among them to an almost incalculable ex- tent, tlunning their ranks with a fearful rapidity. A gentlemen who saw the In- dians encamped at Rock Island, just after peace had been made with them, tells us that there was hardly a man, woman or child among them, whose bones did not almost protrude through the skin, so ema- cinted had they become !
On the morning of the fourth day after crossing the Wisconsin, the advance guard of Gen. Atkinson's army reached the east bank of the Mississippi, where the Indi- ans had arrived some time before them. This was at Bad-Axe, about forty miles above Prairie du Chien. The steamboat Warrior, under the command of Captain Throckmorton, had descended to this point the day before, and prevented the
ing orders or desiring a conference. It after- wards appeared that this was the voice of an Indian chief, speaking in the Winnebago lan- guage, stating that the Indians had their squaws and families with them, and they were starving for provisions, and were not able to fight the white people; and that if they were permitted to pass peaceably over the Missis- sippi, they would do no more mischief. He spoke this in the Winnebago tongue, in hopes that some of that people were with General Henry, and would act as his interpreter. No Winnebagoes were present, they having run at the commencement of the action ; and so his language was never explained until after the elose of the war."
Indians crossing the river. In spite of a white flag raised by the In lians, Capt. Throckmorton fired upon them, killing twenty-three and wounding a great many more. Immediately after this affair, the boat dropped down to Prairie du Chien; and before its return the next morning, Gen. Atkinson had arrived with his forces and commenced a general battle.
Aware that the whites were in close pursuit of them, the Indians sent back a small party to meet the advancing troops within three or four miles of their camp. with instructions to retreat to a point three miles abore their place of rendez- vous-with the intent to draw the whites off the right trail. The ruse was success- ful, and Gen. Atkinson pursued the re- treating party with the whole army, ex- cepting Henry's brigade, which had been left in the rear. When Gen. Henry came to the place where the ruse had been played, he at once saw how the command- ing general had been most egregiously deceived by the stratagem of the savage. By the advice of his officers, Gen. Henry was induced to march forward upon the main trail. He soon came up with the Indians, and a general battle commenced. The Indians were apparently taken by surprise, but they fought bravely and des- perately, though without any plan or con- cert of action. Before Gen. Atkinson could arrive at the scene of action, the main work had been done. Henry had driven the Indians into the river. a .: d his men were picking off the warriors who were trying to escape by swimming. A portion of the Indians had taken refuge on a small willow island near the shors,
48
HISTORY OF OGLE COUNTY.
Incident of the Battle-Squaws and Children Killed-Capture of Black Hawk and Ending of the War.
and were keeping up a severe fire upon the men on the shore. They were charged upon by some of th troops, and the most of them were cither killed, captured or driven into the water, where they met a more certain death.
Many incidents are related as having occurred at the battle of Bad-Axe, which are of interest to the general reader. We have room for but one, which we find in a work upon the Black Hawk War, by Benj. Drake:
"A young squaw was standing in the grass. a short distance from the American line, hold ing her child, a little girl of four years old in her arms. In this position, a ball struck the right arm of the chill, just above the el bow, and shattering the bone, passed into the breast of its young mother, and instantly killed her. She tell upon the child and con fined it to the ground. When the battle wa nearly over, and the Judians had been driven to this point, Lieutenant Anderson of the United States Army, hearing the cries of the child, went to the spot, and taking it from un- der the dead mother, carried it to the place for surgical aid. The arm was amputated, and during the operation, the half starved child did not cry, but sat quietly eating a piece of hard biscuit. It was sent to Prairie des Chiens, and entirely recovered from its wound."
When the troops charged upon the In- dians, the squaws and children were so closely commingled with the rest of the Indians that great slaughter took place among them, the sqnaws in many cases being dressed so nearly like the males that it was impossible to distinguish them.
The Indian loss in the battle of Bad- Axe was about one hundred and fifty killed, as many more drowned, and fifty
prisoners taken. The Americans had seventeen men killed and twelve wounded.
With this battle ended the war. Black HIawk, who commanded in person the party whose movements had so deceived Gen. Atkinson, retreated to the Dalles on the Wisconsin river. A party of Sioux and Winnebagoes, headel by one-eyed Deeori, a Winnebago chief, started in pursuit of them and captured them high up on the river. Among the prisoners were a son of Black Hawk and the Pro- phet, the latter being a noted chief who formerly lived at Prophetstown, White- side county, and who was one of the prin- cipal instigators of the war. The party were delivered to Gen. Street, the Indian Szent, at Prairie du Chien.
The troops went down to Prairie du Chien, where they met Gen. Scott, who had been sent to take the chief command. On their route up the lakes, the troops under his command were afflicted with Asiatic cholera, which was then making its first appearance on the continent. In the course of a few weeks, nearly three hundred men had died from this disease. Gen. Scott reached Rock Island in Au- gust, but not until the war had been ter- minated by the battle of Bad-Axe.
On their arrival. at Prairie du Chien, the volunteers were ordered to proceed to Dixon, where they were discharged. The men then proceeded to their homes.
Black Hawk and his son. the Prophet and other head men, accompanied by many of the Winnebago chiefs, were sent to Rock Island, where a treaty meeting had been appointed; but on their arrival there, the cholera was so prevalent among
49
HISTORY OF OGLE COUNTY.
Treaty with Black Hawk and his Party-Black Hawk taken East-Gen. Atkinson-Tazewell and Jo Daviess Counties.
the troops that Gen. Scott and Governor Reynolds thought it advisable to drop down to Jefferson Barracks, where a treaty was formed by which the Sacs and Foxes " ceded to the United States a large trast of land bordering on the Mississippi, from the DesMoines to Turkey River, in the Territory of Iowa." For the faithful performance of the treaty, Black Hawk and his two sons, Wabokieshiek, Naopope and five other hostile Indians were held as hostages.
In the spring, the prisoners were taken East by order of the President, and after an interview at Washington, the prison- ers were conducted through the Eastern cities, with the intention, on the part of the whites, of convincing them of the utter inutility of their efforts to drive the Americans out of the country. This had the desired effect. Black Hawk and Wabokieshiek professed a desire to live in peace with the whites. The party were at length taken to Fort Armstrong, where they were formally liberated, after giving many assurances of lasting friend- ship for the whites. Black Hawk re- mained steadfast to these promises during the rest of his life, and his lodge was at all times open to entertain his white visi- tors. He visited Washington again in 1837; but he was indifferent to all the attention shown him. He died on the 3d of October, 1840, at the age of cigl ty years, and was buried on the banks of the Mis- sissippi.
The conduct of Gen. Atkinson in the Black Hawk War has been severely cen- sured. We find an opinion prevalent among the early settlers, that he was dila- 6
tory in his movements at the beginning of the war, when prompt action would have suppressed the outbreak and ended the disturbances at once. His jealousy of the volunteers, as shown in his con- duct after the battle of Wisconsin Hights. was in the highest degree discreditable to him as a man and a soldier. That he was in other respects a worthy man and a brave soldier, none will deny; and it is with re- gret that we mention the above facts.
CHAPTER XI.
We are now compelled to go back to supply some faets which were omitted in their proper order.
Previous to 1825, Tazewell county in- cluded the whole northern part of the State, extending for a considerable dis- tance south of Peoria, which was then known as Fort Clark. On the 13th day of January, 1825, an act was passed, set- ting off Peoria county, which extended south of Peoria and north to the northern boundary of the State.
Jo Daviess county was formed by an act passed on the 17th of February, 1827, and included all the territory lying be- tween the following boundaries: Begin- ning at the northwest corner of the State; thence, down the Mississippi River, to the northern boundary of the Military Tract; thence east, with said line, to the Illinois River; thence north, to the northern boundary of the State; thence west, with said boundary, to the place of beginning. By reference to the map, it will be seen that this includes at present a large num-
50
HISTORY OF OGLE COUNTY. Crossing Rock River in 1527-Bargaining with the Indians-The Darkey and the Red-Skins.
ber of the richest counties in the north- western part of the State.
Hon. J. Gillespie, of Edwardsville, has furnished us with the following interest- ing sketch of his experience in crossing Rock River as an carly day :
"It was about the 5th day of March, 1827, that thisteen of us who had met together at different places and formed & traveling com- pany for the lead minus, reached the banks of Rock River at the point, where, according to my recollection, Dix m now stella. it was naked prairie on the yat h side, But there was excellent hickory timber on the opposite side i of the river. A band of Winnebagoes were encamped on the south side. It became no- cessary for a portion of our party to cross the river and prepare our enerupment, and make fires in a lvance of the rest, and a Mr. Reed, my brother and myself were selected for that pur- pose. We had previously bargained with the Indians for the use of their canoes to ferry uta and our wagon over, vid hal given a large amount of bacon and comer cial in paying ... The indians, without why relieeiner, took Reed, my brother and myself across the river with our oxen, and as soon as we were separa- tel from our companions, they started down the river with their ciones This operation was likely to be a.d . I with much inconve- niface, and med. fring and exposure to us who had crossel a . river and were willow. provisions of ba -obras. our friends fol- lowel down after the Indians, who pretende
were endeavoring to A man was found inmesine to bring them cayce to ou" un- uustanding of the largea, and asking was it far far side but to make the heat terms wo could. They would not agree on any condi- tions we couldI propose, to ferry our wagon over, pretending to believe that it would sink their canoes. There was in our company a negro, named Frank, from Kaskaskia, who had
joined us when the company consisted of but four persons-old Mr. Reed, his son, mny bro- ther and myself; the rest of the company we picked up afterwards. "We rather took care of Frank, and protected him when attempts were made to impose upon him. for which he was very grateful. Frank was in great distress when he found that three of his friends were separated from the company, and were with- out food or bed-cloth.s. He had a black over- coat, the body of which was about of the tex- ture of an old sleazy blanket, but the capes were really of first rate material, and were fastened to the body with books and eyes. One of the Indians took a great liking to Frank's coat, and a bargain was struck on about these terms : Frank was to give the In- dian his coat and they were to allow him to bring us over bed-clothing and food, and also to ferry the wagon over the next morning, up- en terms to be agreed on. Frank rolled up an anger in the blanket to enable us to build a raft in case it should become necessary, bu. the ludians were too sharp for that. The, unrolled the blanket and contended that takin, theend auger was not in the bargain, and so Prank emine over without it. When they arrived, a great controversy arose between him and the Indiaas. Frank contended that he was to give only jis coat, and they contended test he was to give the cape also. We hal by this time lecorie so incensol at the In lians that we felt very little like obeying the scriptural require- ment-If any man will sue thee at the law and toks anny thy casi, let kha have thy cloak al- Fatto we doell. I in Frank's favor, and be op. lire .pes. The Indians were very indig- wPor at Frank's strict construction, and we might have bal trouble with them; but that night it tarned intensely cold, and by the next moraing the Judians were as torpid as shakes in winter. They could not get out of their wigwams, and our men helped themselves to the canoes, and everything was pushed across early in the day. I believe the Indians would scarcely have aroused themselves if they had
51
HISTORY OF OGLE COUNTY.
Torpidity of the Indians in Cold Weather-Visiting the Sick-Settlements at Buffalo Grove-The Winnebagoes.
known that we were about massacreing them. I am satisfied that Indians suffer more from cold weather (clothed as they are) than white men. Wo experienced very little inconvenience from the cold.
"Lest what I have stated might lead persons to believe that all the Indians were thus kna- vishly inclined, I would remark that in cross- ing the Winnebago swamps some ten or fifteen miles south of Rock River, we had great diffi- eulty, and would have had more but for some Winnebago Indians who were encamped by the swamps, and who were exceedingly kind and generous to us, and rendered us every as- sistance in their power.
"According to my recollection, there was a house about twelve miles northwest of Fort Clark, (now Peoria, ) at which a man named Thomas Cox was lying very sick. We all called to see him, although not one of us was acquainted with him; but such was the cus- tom (to some extent) in those days. This house was the last we saw until we reached Vinegir Ifill, in the mines. The intervening oun;ry was one untrodden solitude. In most places the country was, even in that scason of the year, of surpassing Iveliness. Some of the groves reminded me of the description I have read of the fable ! Elysium or of Mo- Lammned's Paradise (save the Houris. ) The on- ly indications we found that human beings had been there before us, were where the Indians had cut off the branches of trees in which the honey bees had made their Lives. The groves -come to have been almost alive with them, Judging from the entiber of trees from which they hol been dislodged. Thefugians would not eut down the trees, bat would climb up and ent off the liab which contained the honey, or cut into the side of th . tree where the Live was in the trunk. I have observed that for a few years after the honey-bve makes its first appearance. it increases with wonderful rapidi- ty, and after some ten or fifteen years begins to decline. I am speaking now of the wildl bees. They had been but for a few years in
the country between the Illinois and Rock riv- ers when I passed through. They had not ar- rived in the mining country until about 1826, or perhaps the spring of 1827. It is a fact perhaps not generally known that the honey- bee is just in advance of the white population in the settlement of a new country, and its first appearance is a cause of great anxiety to the Indians."*
We find that we were in error in stating that O. W. Kellogg and Samuel Reed ar- rived at Buffalo Grove in 1830. They settled here in 1831, one year later. In the spring of that year, the settlers broke the prairie and planted corn. The " first moon in June" was the time at which the Indians hold their annual council ; and when they met at Rock Island, it was rumored that they were going to make war upon the whites. Deeming it im- prudent to remain here, the settlers start- ed for Galona. On arriving at Apple River, their numbers were considerably increased by the addition of several per- sons from other points, and they concluded to stop and build a stockade. They had been here just a week, and com neuced
*In a note acc napanying the slove sketch, Mr. Gillespie says: "In regard to the Winnebago Indians I would remark that from all I coni! learn they were regarded by the other tril " in the \' dairy att into oders; that their language was entirely dOFrent from the surrounding Indians, and could not be acquired by than; that about the time I have spoken of, they were making troir way rather eastwardly, until they weis met by the white popeladon coming West. Carver, an Sie listo is, who pareied through this country just betre the era of our . dependence, Sur tain about Pratio du Chien, where they were governo by a Queen. They had a tradition at that time that they la i come from West of the Rocky Mountains; that they lavl attacked a Spanish casaleade, or train, loaded with white metal or sil- ver, and killed the attendants, and were consequently driveu off by the Spaniards. I mention these circumstances merely from memory, not having seen Carver's Travel since I was a boy, auml se I may be somewhat wi-taken as to what he 3wys."
52
HISTORY OF OGLE COUNTY.
Early Grist Mills-Alarms among the Settlers-They leave their Homes-Friendly Indians give them Warning.
cutting the timbers for the fort, when a dispatch was received from Rock Island, informing them that a treaty had been made, and that they might safely return to their farms. On their return, the farms were fenced, in order to secure the growing erops. Before the erops could be harvested, provisions grew short, and the settlers were obliged to go to l'eoria county for supplies.
When autumn came, the corn crop was light and late. After being harvested, the grain was grated on a grater, to get meal for bread, until it was too dry, when it was pounded in a mortar. The mortar was made by boring and burning the end of a log prepared for the purpose. The pestle was made by fastening an iron wedge to a " spring-stick " attached to an upright post, (much in the fashion of a well-sweep;) handles were then put on, when the operator commeneed pound- ing, the elasticity of the stick lightening the labor by raising the wedge after it had struck the corn. This rade mill was generally used once a day. The Indians who were their nearest neighbors supplied them with venison during the winter, re- ceiving corn and pumpkins for their com- pensation. The winter was long and te- dious, with deep snows and high winds.
In April, 1832, the settlers commenced plowing. They had heard and scen that the Indians were going up Rock River, to plant corn, as they said. One day, some of their old Indian friends called upon Mr. Reed's family with some fresh fish, and one of them told the family that Gen. Whiteside was coming up the river with " heap Chemokee man," to fight the In-
dians. Said he, " You must go away- bad Indian kill you-me no kill you-bad Indian kill you and your papooses." Mr. Reed had planted his potatoes and about two acres of corn; this had been done on Saturday. On Sunday, there was a heavy fall of rain, which made it too wet for planting. On Monday evening, the re- port of firearms was heard in the direction of Kellogg's house, which, on account of the number of shots, greatly alarmed Mr. Reed's family. Gen. Dodge, with a scout- ing party, had encamped here, and had fired off their guns on arriving at Kel- logg's house. The next morning, before sunrise, a messenger from Gen. White- side's camp arrived, with the news of the battle of Stillman's Run, and telling them that they must immediately go to Dixon, where the army was encamped. As soon as possible, their "traps" were loaded, and they started. After staying a few days in Dixon, Mr. Reed's family went to Peoria county with a company of vol- unteers who were going south to get their discharge. In September, the men re- turned to their farms, leaving the women and children in Peoria county. After plowing, sowing wheat and making hay, they returned and again brought their families to Buffalo Grove.
In 1833, it was rumored that the Indi- ans were dissatisfied with the treaty they had made, and were bent on war. For the third time the citizens of Buffalo Grove left their homes, taking their fami- lies with them to Peoria county. The men immediately returned to cultivate the crops ; and before harvest time came, the families were sent for. This was
53
HISTORY OF OGLE COUNTY.
:First Wedding in Ogle County-Earliest Newspaper in Chicago-First White Child-First School Taught.
called "Mammy Dixon's War," from the fact that the alarm was caused by Mrs. Dixon's overhearing a conversation be- tween some of the Indians, in which they expressed their dissatisfaction with the treaty. No outbreak occurred, how- ever, and this was the last time the settlers at Buffalo Grove were driven from their homes by "wars and rumors of wars."
The first wedding ever celebrated in this vicinity was at the house of John Ankeney, early in 1832, when' S. M. Journey was married to Ankeney's only daughter. All the neighbors (except Kellogg's family) for miles about were invited and were present on the joyous occasion ; wany persons from Galena, Rush Creek and the southern part of the State, were also there. The dancing and festivities were kept up till near morning, when the happy couple were put to bed in real old-fashioned style. Journey af- terwards went to California, where he still remains, while his wife is living at Lyons, Iowa.
We may here remark that the first news- paper issued in Chicago was published on the 26th of November, 1833, under the title of Chicago Democrat, by John Cal- houn. In 1836, John Wentworth pur- chased Mr, Calhoun's interest, and has continued to publish the Democrat from that time to this-an example of stead- fastness rarely to be found in the history of Western newspaper enterprises. Mr. Calhoun died February 20th, 1859, in the 5lst year of his age. For many years the settlers in this section depended al- most entirely upon the Democrat for news
from the East; in fact, the Democrat and the Galena Advertiser were for years the only newspapers circulated in this region.
In 1834, Elisha Doty came from Peoria with his family, and settled at Buffalo Grove. In the same year, Ankeny re- moved to the farm now owned and occu- pied by Harry Smith. In May of that year, Albion Sanford and his family set- tled here, and in the fall they were followed by Cyrenus, Ahira and Harrison Sanford, with their families. Mr. Cyrenus San- ford was the father of Ahira, Albion and Harrison Sanford; he continued to reside at Buffalo Grove, on the same quarter section which he first " claimed " on his arrival here, until his death, which oc- curred on the 28th of May, 1858. In 1834, a Mr. Sackett became a resident of Buffalo Grove. Pearson Shoemaker, now a resident of Elkhorn Grove, near the Ogle and Carroll county, line settled here in the same year. On the 4th of September, 1834, Cyrus Doty, the first white native of Ogle or any of the adjoining counties, was born at Buffalo Grove, where he still resides, having now a family of his own.
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