History of Dane County, Wisconsin, Part 54

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899; Western Historical Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Company
Number of Pages: 1304

USA > Wisconsin > Dane County > History of Dane County, Wisconsin > Part 54

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"Gen. Henry gave strict orders for every man to tie up his horse, so as to be ready to start as soon as it was daylight. The order was strictly obeyed, and after we took our frugal supper, all retired to rest except those who had to mount guard ; for we had marched a great way that day, and many were still wet by the rain that fell the preceding night; but, being very much fatigued, we were all soon lost in sleep, except those on guard.

"July 21, at the break of day, the bugle sounded, and all were soon up, and in a few min- utes had breakfast ready, and after taking a little food, we mounted our horses and again commenced the pursuit.

" We soon found that the pilot had told us no lie; for we found the country that the enemy was leading us into to be worse, if possible, than what he told us. We could turn neither to the right nor left, but was compelled to follow the trail the Indians had made, and that, too, for a great distance at the edge of the water of the lake.

" We had not marched more than five miles before Dr. Philleo came back meeting us, with the scalp of an Indian. He had been on ahead with the front scouts and came on this Indian, who had been left as a rear guard to watch our movements. There were several shots fired at him about the same time, and I suppose all hit him, from the number of bullet-holes that were in him ; but Dr. Philleo scalped him, so he was called Philleo's Indian, which reminds me of the hunters : 'He who draws the first blood is entitled to the skin, and the remainder to the carcass, if there are several in the chase,' which was the case at this time .*

*In the march in pursuit of the Indians, the detachment crossed the Crawfish River near Aztalan, and followed the trail until the high grounde between Lake Monona and Lake Mendota, tha capitol grounda, and the site of Madison were reachad. In tha timber akirting the Yahara, at a fordiog place, thay overtook the rear guard of the flying foe, where an Indiau was wounded, who crept away and hid himself in the thick willowa, where he died. A aconting party of fourtean mon, oua of whom was Abel Rasdall, was sent forward and preceded the main body about two miles. When they arrived at the point now the site of Madison, an Indian was seen coming up from the water's edge, who seated himself npon the bank, apparently indifferent to hia fate. In a moment after, his body was pierced with bullets, one of which passed in at the temple and out of the back part of his head. Oo examination, it was found that he was sitting upon a newly-mada grave, probably that of his wife, who had perhaps diad of fatigue, hunger and exhaustion, and her diaconsolata companion had resolved to await the advancing foe and die thera alao. The trail wae followed around the southern end of Lake Mendota, passing a little north of what is now tha Capitol Park and along the lake near the present University. A few miles brought them to what appeared an admirable position for a battla-field, with natural defenses and places of ambush. It had been chosen by the enemy, and here they had apparently lain the previous night. This placa was afterward laid out as the City of the Four Lakes, about three-quarters of a mile north of the presant village of Pheasant Branch .- Er.

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"But I am not done with Dr. Philleo yet. I will show you that he is a good soldier, and something of an Indian fighter. The sign now began to get very fresh, and we mended our pace very much. We had not proceeded more than ten or fifteen miles further before our fight- ing Doctor run foul of two more Indians ; he showed his bravery in assisting to kill them. I suppose he killed one, and Mr. Sample Journey the other ; so there was a scalp for each. But one of those miserable wretches sold his life as dear as possible. He, in the act of falling after he was shot, fired, and shot three balls into a gentleman who was himself in the act of shooting at bim. The balls were all small; one went through his thigh, one through his leg, and the other through his foot. I am sorry that I have forgotten the gentleman's name; he belonged . to Gen. Dodge's squadron.

"We now doubled our speed, all were anxious to press forward, and as our horses were nearly worn out, we carried nothing, only what was actually necessary for us to eat ; camp kettles, and many such articles, were thrown away.

"The trail was now literally, in many places, strewed with Indian trinkets, such as mats, kettles, etc., which plainly told us that they knew we were in pursuit. We, too, saw from the face of the country that we were drawing close to the Wisconsin River, and our object was to overtake them before they reached it ; so now we went as fast as our horses were able to carry us. But this was too severe for our poor horses ; they began to give out. But even this did not stop a man. Whenever a horse gave out, the rider would dismount, throw off his saddle and bridle, and pursue on foot, in a run, without a murmur. I think the number of horses left this day was about forty. The rear guard of the enemy began by this time (about 3 o'clock P. M.) to make feint stands ; and as the timber stood thick, we did not know but that the whole army

of Black Hawk was forming for action ; in consequence of which, we got down and formed as often as twice, before we found out that their object was to keep us back until they could gain some strong position to fight from. Our front scouts now were determined not to be deceived any more; but the next they came to, they stopped not for their feigned maneuver, but pur- sued them to the main body of the enemy. They returned to us in great haste, and informed Gen. Henry that the Indians were forming for action.

" We all dismounted in an instant. The line of battle was then formed in the same order that it had been laid off the preceding day ; Gen. Dodge's corps and Maj. Ewing's spy battalion still in front. The horses were left and every fourth man detailed to hold them ; which gave seven horses to each man to hold.

" We had scarcely time to form on foot, before the Indians raised the war-whoop, screaming and yelling hideously, and rushed forward, meeting us with a heavy charge. Gen. Dodge and Maj. Ewing met them also with a charge which produced a halt on the part of the enemy. Our men then opened a tremendous volley of musketry upon them, and accompanied it with the most terrific yells that ever came from the head of mortals, except from the savages themselves. They could not stand this. They now tried their well-known practice of flanking; but here they were headed again by the brave Col. Jones and his regiment, who were on our left, where he met them in the most fearless manner, and opened a heavy fire upon them. Col. Fry was placed on the extreme right. They tried his line, but were soon repulsed. Their strong position was on the left, or near the center, where Cols. Jones, Dodge and Ewing, kept up a constant fire upon them for something like half an hour.

" The enemy here had a strong position. They had taken shelter in some very high grass, where they could lie down and load, and be entirely out of sight. After fighting them in this position for at least thirty minutes, during which time Col. Jones had his horse shot from under him, and one of his (men killed and several wounded. Cols. Dodge, Ewing and Jones all requested Gen. Henry to let them charge upon them at the point of the bayonet, which Gen. Henry readily assented to, and gave the order, "Charge !" which was obeyed by both men and officers in a most fearless manner. All were intent upon the charge. We had to charge up a rising piece of ground. When we got on the top, we then fired perfectly abreast. They could

MADISON.

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HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.

not stand this. They had to quit their hiding-place, and made good their retreat. When they commenced retreating, we killed a great number.

"Their commander, who, it was said, was Napope, was on a white pony, on the top of a mountain in the rear of his Indians"; he certainly had one of the best voices for command I ever heard. He kept up a constant yell, until his men began to retreat, when he was heard no more. Col. Collins was kept, during this engagement, in the rear, as a reserve, and to keep the enemy from flanking and coming in upon us in the rear, which was a very good arrange- ment of Gen. Henry.

"It was now nearly sundown, and still raining, as it had been all the evening, but so slow that we made shift to keep our guns dry. The enemy retreated toward the river with consider- able speed. The ground they were retreating to appeared to be low and swampy, and on the bank of the river there appeared to be a heavy body of timber, which the enemy could reach before we could bring them to another stand. So Gen. Henry concluded not to pursue them any further that night, but remain on the battle ground until next morning, and then he would not be in danger of losing so many of his men, knowing that, in the dark, he would have to lose a number, for the Indians would have the timber to fight from, while we would have to stand in the open prairie .*

"Next morning, July 22, the troops were paraded and put in battle order on foot, except Col. Fry's regiment, and took up the line of march to the river, leaving Col. Collins' regiment to guard the horses and baggage, and take care of the wounded. We marched down to the river, which was about one mile and a half off ; but before we reached the bank, we had a very bad swamp to go through, fifty or sixty yards on this side of the timber, which stood very high on the bank of the river. We now saw that Gen. Henry had acted very prudently. If he had attempted to follow them the evening before, he would have lost a great many of his men.

" When we got to the bank, we found they had made their retreat across the river during the night, leaving a great many articles of their trumpery behind. We also saw a good deal of blood, where their wounded had bled. We now returned to the camp, seeing there was no chance to follow them this day across the river.

" We, in this battle, were very fortunate indeed. We had only one man killed and eight wounded; and we have learned since the battle that we killed sixty-eight of the enemy, and wounded a considerable number, twenty-five of whom, they report, died soon after the battle.t

"We now were nearly out of provisions, and to take up the line of march against them, in the condition our horses were in, told us plainly that we would suffer for something to eat before we could get it.

We buried the brave young man who was killed with the honors of war. It was stated that he had just shot down an Indian, when he received the mortal wound himself. His name was John Short, and he belonged to Capt. Briggs' company, from Randolph County. He had a brother and a brother-in-law in the same company, who witnessed his consignment to his mother earth. The wounded were all well examined and none pronounced mortal. We con- tinued this day on the battle ground, and prepared litters for the wounded to be carried on. We spent this day in a more cheerful manner then we had done any other day since we had been on the campaign. We felt a little satisfaction for our toils, and thought that we had, no doubt, destroyed a number of the very same monsters that had so lately been imbruing their hands with the blood of our fair sex -. the helpless mother and unoffending infant.

" We dried our clothes which then had been wet for several days. This day was spent in social chat between men and officers. There were no complaints made ; all had fought bravely ; each man praised his officers, and all praised our General.

" Late in the evening, some of our men, who had been out to see if there were any signs of the enemy still remaining near us, returned, and stated that they saw smoke across the river.

* The battle ground was on the east side of the northeast quarter of Section 24, in what is now the town of Mazomanie Dane County .- ED + Black Hawk afterward declared that his loss was only six men. There is no reason why this should be disbelieved .- En.

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" Gen. Henry had been of the opinion through the day that .if the Indians did ever intend fighting any more, they would attack us that night, and this report went to confirm him in his belief more fully. That night he had a larger guard than usual. He made use of another excellent precaution. He had fires made in advance of our lines, at least forty yards, and had them kept burning all night. Orders were given for every man to sleep upon his arms; so that he could be ready for action at the shortest notice, should an alarm be given. We had scarcely got to sleep when we were alarmed by the running of our horses ; we had to parade, as usual, to keep them from killing us. Men and officers now fully expected that it was the enemy who frightened them. Orders were now given, for no man to sleep that night, but for every man to stand to his arms, and be ready to receive the enemy. We all now expected to have hard fight- ing, and were prepared for the worst. There was not a man who shrunk from his duty. All punctually obeyed the orders of his officers, and made every preparation to receive the enemy, should he come.

"About one hour and a half before day, on the same mountain from which the Indian chief had given his orders on the evening of the battle, we heard an Indian voice, in loud, shrill tones, as though he was talking to his men, and giving them orders.

" Gen. Henry had his men all paraded in order of battle, in front of the tents, and the fires roused up. After all were paraded, Gen. Henry addressed his men 'in the most beautiful manner I ever heard man speak on such an occasion. I am sorry I cannot give the precise words, but I will attempt an outline of them. The Indian was still yell- ing in the most loud and terrific manner. Gen. Henry commenced : 'My brave soldiers, now is the critical and trying moment; hear your enemy on the same mountain from which you drove them only on the evening before last, giving orders for a charge upon you. There is no doubt but that they have mustered all their strength at this time. Now, let every mother's son be at his post. Yes, my brave soldiers, you have stemmed the torrent of every opposition-you have stopped not for rivers, swamps, and, one might say, almost impenetrable forests ; suffered through the beating storm of night, amidst the sharpest peals of thunder, and when the heavens appeared a plane of lightning. My brave boys, hear their yells ; let them not daunt you ; remember the glory you won the evening before last; be not now the tarnishers of this reputation that you are so justly entitled to; remember that you are fighting a set of demons who have lately been taking the lives of your helpless and unoffending neighbors. Stand firm, my brave Suckers, until you can see the whites of their eyes before you discharge your muskets, and then meet them with a charge as you have before done, and that, too, with great success.'

" The Indian all this time was talking as though he was addressing his men, and appeared to approach nearer. Every officer then on the ground was at his post, and had his particular station assigned to him and the ground he was to occupy during the action. In this order we stood until daylight. Just before day, the Indian quit talking. When it was just light enough to discover a man a short distance, the brave' and fearless Ewing took his battalion of spies, and, mounted on horseback, we were soon at the top of the mountain to see who it was that had serenaded us so long at that late hour of the night. We found only the sign of a few horse . tracks that appeared as though they had been made that night. We marched in quick time around every part of the mountain, and found no one. We took a circuitous route back to camp, but found no one on the way. What it was that made this Indian act so was now a mystery that no one could solve. But before the reader gets through the history of this war, he will find out the cause. I cannot inform him now, as it does not come in its proper place.

" It will be recollected that Dr. Merryman and Adjt. Woodbridge were both started as express bearers by Gens. Henry and Dodge, as soon as the Winnebagoes informed them that the Indians were at the Cranberry Lake, and had to return on account of Little Thunder (who was their pilot) getting frightened. The day after that, late in the evening, they started again, still in company with the same pilot. They now left the Sac trail, and this child of the forest was less afraid ; so, knowing the country well, he took them on that night, amidst the storm, to

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Gen. Atkinson's camp, or Fort Kushkanong [Koshkonong], where Gen. Atkinson was, with his infantry and those of our volunteers who had lost their horses at Fort Winnebago. The next day, Adjts. Woodbridge and Merryman [the Doctor himself was an Adjutant], still with the same pilot, started back to Gen. Henry, with an express from Gen. Atkinson. They got to Gen. Henry during the action (July 21), but there was no time then for reading expresses, nor did those two men think of delivering expresses at that time, but immediately went to fighting. So those gentlemen performed a double duty, and deserve well of their country for the important services they rendered.

" Now for the expresses. Gen. Atkinson directed Gen. Henry to pursne on the trail of Black Hawk until he could overtake him and to defeat or capture him, also stating that he would start himself, with the infantry and Gen. Alexander's brigade; and that the rest of the volunteers who were with him under Lieut. Col. Sharp, would be left to guard the Fort; and that they would go by way of the Blue Mounds, and directed us, if we got out of provisions, to go to that place for a supply.

" We were now out of provisions, and were obliged to abandon further pursuit, and go to the Blue Mounds to procure a supply. Accordingly, on the 23d, we got in motion again ; not in pursuit of the enemy, but for bread and meat, to satisfy our appetites, as we were now out of everything to eat.

" Our wounded this day suffered very much on account of having rough ground to pass over, and some very muddy creeks. When they got to the Blue Mounds, they were very hos- pitably treated. There was a small fort, and citizens plenty, who did not think it the least hard- ship to wait on those who had been shedding their blood to avenge the wrongs those people had suffered. For the Indians had killed three valuable men within one mile of this place, and one within view of the citizens who were in it-a gentleman by the name of Green, of high standing in society, and who had recently emigrated from the East. I have forgotten the names of the other gentlemen, but can say that the citizens spoke in high terms of their worth and seemed to lament their loss.

" We here found a part of Gen. Posey's brigade, who had been sent from Fort Hamilton to assist in guarding this frontier place. An express had been sent by Gen. Atkinson to Gen. Posey to march as soon as possible to a small town on the Wisconsin River, to intercept the Indians, should any of them go down the river. So, in the afternoon, Gen. Posey, from Fort Hamilton, passed on his way to Helena, and late in the evening Gen. Atkinson and Gen. Alex- ander arrived with their brigades, leaving Col. Sharp, with those who had lost their horses, still at Fort Kushkanong, also Capt. Low, with one company of regulars.

" We here drew three days' provision, and, on the 25th, we took up the line of march for Helena, on the Wisconsin River, where we intended to cross, again to take up the pursuit of the enemy."

What followeafter the pursuit was again commenced until the close of the war has already been briefly related in the outline history of the State.

THE FOUR-LAKES COUNTRY AFTER THE BLACK HAWK WAR .*

From the fort [Winnebago], there were traveled roads leading to the Mississippi at Prairie du Chien (or Fort Crawford), at the month of Fever River, near Galena, and at other points. After two days' rest, we took the route [from the portage] for Galena by way of the " Blue Mounds." At the distance of about fifteen miles in a southwesterly direction, the traveler dis- covers that he has imperceptibly attained an elevation commanding the timbered valley of the Wisconsin, and from which the stockade and white houses of the garrison are distinctly visible. On the east and northeast the Baribou [Baraboo] hills rise out of the flat woodland and stretch away northwardly toward Lake Superior. He stands upon an eminence of 500 feet, sloping gently down on all sides, covered with waving grass. On the east and . south, as far as the eye

Charles Whittlesey.

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HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.

can distinguish, he perceives a succession of similar hills, their rounded summits ranging irregu- larly around, not a tree, nor a stone, nor any fixed object to be seen in the whole prospect. In the spacious valleys that intervene, millions of small flowers mingle their bright colors with the green of the meadows, chastening and ruralizing the scene. An excitable person would exclaim at the sublimity of such a prospect, having the grandeur of a mountain without its loftiness, and the command of the sea without its monotony. A painter would pass from the grand outlines and dwell with delight upon the beauty of its details.

It was through such a country, varied by a few small lakes, that we spent this day. We started up plenty of grouse, and frequently saw the deer quietly feeding on the hillsides, secure from our rifles in the distance. The sight of a prairie wolf was not an uncommon thing. This animal differs materially from the common wolf, being less in size, of a gray color, and wanting in speed. . It feeds upon the mice and small animals of the low prairie, seldom assaulting the farmyard. He is less ferocious than the fox-tailed wolf, and may be soon overtaken with a fleet horse. Their uniform practice, in regard to us, after running away at a moderate step a couple of hundred yards, was to face about and examine the company. There were no Indians along the route. The Winnebagoes, following their established customs, had abandoned their allies after their defeat at the " Bad Axe " about four weeks previous, and were in pursuit of the fugi- tives [Sacs], who had made off northwardly during the engagement, toward the Sioux country.

At night, we slept upon the ground occupied by a war-party of the Menomonees a fortnight previous, on the banks of a clear, little brook. The transparency of running water in the prairie districts is a matter of general surprise: The war-party had left a good supply of odd fire-brands and chunks, for the purposes of our cookery and evening comfort. They had beaten down the grass, making a smooth place for our blankets, upon which were deposited our bodies, after the Indian fashion.

This tribe, though not in a war-like mood, had become impatient of the delay attending the subjugation and punishment of their late murderous and ancient foes, the Sauks. They had collected their warriors at the agency, three miles up the Fox River from Fort Howard, anxious to avenge themselves. Col. Stambaugh, the agent, had at length promised them if the war was not ended by a certain date, that they might march under his direction to the Wisconsin and take part in the work of our troops. Their progress en route was about twenty miles a day, marching in single file, which, of course, left a distinct trail upon the ground. Our own men made twenty-seven miles a day on foot over the same country. About sundown, the Indian soldiers would collect themselves at a convenient spot, generally near a thicket, and always near water. They build fires, and set up a row of posts or crotches in front, and lay poles from one to the other as a protection against the enemy. After the evening meal, they frequently hold a dance about the leading chief, accompanied by a due proportion of songs and threats against the foe. Then all compose themselves in perfect security about the fires, intrusting the guard- janship of the camp to the watchfulness of their little dogs. Sentinels were sometimes persuaded to take post a few yards in advance, but they also betook themselves to their blankets, and slept till daylight.

It was now early in September, 1832, and everything conspired to nerve the system and animate the senses. The sky had not shown a cloud for many days ; the air was cooled. by an ever moving breeze; countless flowers shone in purple and gold about us, and wherever we chose to move, the ground was firm and smooth as a turnpike. A new and unmingled pleasure diffused itself through the company, of which even the animals seemed to partake.

The path wound around the northern shores of the Four Lakes, from which Gen. Dodge, * with a band of mounted militia of the mining district, had lately driven the remnant of Black Hawk's force.

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History of Dane County, Wisconsin, Part 54

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899; Western Historical Co., Chicago, pub Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Company Number of Pages: 1304

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899; Western Historical Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Company
Number of Pages: 1304