History of Green County, Wisconsin. Together with sketches of its towns and villages, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens, Part 25

Author: Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill., pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company
Number of Pages: 1168

USA > Wisconsin > Green County > History of Green County, Wisconsin. Together with sketches of its towns and villages, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens > Part 25

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

"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, strewn with Indian trinkets, such as mats, ket- tles, 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 what 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 determined not to be de- ceived any more; but the next they came to,

they stopped not for their feigned maneuver, but pursued them to the main body of the enemy. They returned to ns in great haste and informed Gen. Henry that the Indians were forming for action.

"BATTLE OF WISCONSIN HEIGHTS.

"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 Major 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 furiously, and rushed forward meeting us with a heavy charge. Gen. Dodge and Major Henry met them also with a heavy charge, which pro- duced a halt on the part of the enemy. Our men then opened a tremendous volley of mus- ketry 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 man- ner, 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 Colonels 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 en- tirely 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, Colonels Dodge, Ewing and Jones all requested Gen. Ilenry to let them charge upon them at the point of the bayonet, which Gen.

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Henry readily assented to, and gave the order 'Charge" which was obeyed by both men and officers in a most fearless manner. All were in- tent 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 not stand this. They had to quit their hiding place and make good their retreat. When they commenced retreating we killed a great number.

"Their commander, who, it is 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 the en- gagement, 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 sun- down, 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 considerable 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 dan- ger of losing so many of his men, knowing that in the dark he would have to lose a num- ber; for the Indians would have the timber to fight from while we would have to stand in the open prairie. [The battle ground was on the east side of the northeast quarter of section 24, in what is now the town of Mazomanie, Dane Co., Wis.]

"Next morning, July 22, the troops were pa- raded 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' regi-

ment 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 banks, we had a very bad swamp to go through, fifty or sixty yards on this side 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 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 the battle (known in history as the Battle of Wisconsin Heights), were very fortu- nate 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 (but Black Hawk declared afterwards that he lost only six), and wounded a considerable num- ber, twenty-five of whom they report died soon after the battle. We were now 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' com- pany from Randolph Co., Ill. He had a brother and a brother-in-law in the same company, who witnessed his consignment to the mother earth. The wounded were all well examined and none pronounced mortal. We continued 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 than we had done any other day since we had been on the cam- paign. We felt a little satisfaction for our toils,

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and thought 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 un- offending 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 remaining near us, returned and stated that they saw smoke across the river."

From this time until the Wisconsin river was crossed there were not many incidents of im- portance worthy of record; so we leave the journal, from which we have been copying, to relate only such events as will preserve the chain of our narrative until that time. But, before doing so, it will, in this connection, be proper to introduce the following letter, proba- bly addressed to the commandant of Fort Craw- ford, at Prairie du Chien:

"CAMP WISCONSIN, July 22, 1832.

"We met the enemy yesterday, near the Wis- consin river, and opposite the old Sae village, after a close pursuit for nearly 100 miles. Our loss was one man killed and eight wounded; from the scalps taken by the Winnebagoes as well as those taken by the whites, and the Indians carried from the field of battle, we must have killed forty of them. The number of wounded is not known; we can only judge from the number killed, that many were wounded. From their crippled situation, I think we must overtake them, unless they descend the Wis- consin by water. If you could place a field piece immediately on the Wisconsin that would command the river, you might prevent their escape by water. Gen. Atkinson will arrive at the Blue Mounds on the 24th with the regulars and a brigade of mounted men. I will cross the Wisconsin to-morrow, and should the enemy retreat by land, he will probably attempt cross- !

ing some twenty miles above Prairie du Chien; in that event the mounted men would want some boats for the transportation of their arms, ammunition and provisions. If you could pro- cure for us some Mackinaw boats, in that event as well as some provision supplies, it would greatly facilitate our views. Excuse great haste.

"I am, with great respect, your obedient servant,

"H. DODGE,

"Col. Com. Michigan Mounted Volunteers."

On the 23d of July the army was put in mo- tion, not in pursuit of Black Hawk, but to go to the Blue Mounds for supplies of provisions. And just here we must go back in our relation to the time when the army left the Rock river, July 19. On this day, the same express that had discovered the trail of Black Hawk the day previous, again started for Gen. Atkinson's camp, or Fort Koshkonong, where the general was with his infantry. That officer, as soon as he was informed that Black Hawk's trail was discovered, directed the same express to return at once to Gen. Henry with orders to the latter to pursue on the trail of the Sac chief until he could overtake him, and to defeat or capture him. However, before these orders had reach- ed Gen. Henry, they had been anticipated. Black Hawk had been pursued, overtaken and defeated, but not captured. Gen. Atkinson also notified Gen. Henry that he would start himself with the infantry and Gen. Alexander's brigade; that the rest of the volunteers who were with him would be left to guard the fort; and that he would go by way of Blue Mounds. He also directed Gen. Henry, if he got out of provis- ions, to go to that place for a supply. This ex- plains why the army, after the battle of Wis- consin Heights, marched for the Blue Mounds. Not only Gen. Henry's command, but also those of Gen. Atkinson, reached the Blue Mounds without any mishap ; so, also, a part of Gen. Posey's brigade from Fort Hamilton, who passed on to Helena, in what is now Iowa Co., Wis., where the Wisconsin river was to be

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HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.

crossed by the whole army. By the 26th of June all the commands had reached that place and preparations were made to cross the stream on rafts made for that purpose.

BLACK HAWK PURSUED TO THE MISSISSIPPI.

On the 27th and 28th of July, Gen. Atkinson with his select body of troops, consisting of the regulars under Col. Taylor, 400 in number, part of Henry's, Posey's and Alexander's brigades, and Dodge's battalion of mounted volunteers, amounting in all to 1,300 men, crossed the Wis- consin river and immediately fell upon the trail of the enemy. They were in what is now Sauk Co., Wis. Pursuing this trail first down the river, then to the northward, they finally struck off in a west-northwest direction through what is now Richland county, until the Kicka- poo river was reached near the present Soldier's Grove, in what is now Crawford county.

Before entering upon the particulars of the march through what is now Vernon county, as given in the journal from which extracts have already been so liberally made, it will be well to glance at the route taken from the Kickapoo to the Mississippi. After the Kicka- poo was crossed, Black Hawk, followed closely by Gen. Atkinson, was soon in what is now Vernon county, passing, in a direction north of west, near the farm at present owned by Anson G. Tainter, in the town of Franklin ; thence across West Prairie to the brakes or ravines leading into the head of battle creek; thence down that creek through sections 2 and 3, in township 11, range 7, in the town of Wheatland, to the point where he was overtaken and compelled to fight the Battle known in history as the battle of Bad Ax. Keep- ing this general description of the fight of the savages through what is now Vernon county and the pursuit of them by the Americans in view, the following narrative will prove of interest to the reader:

"About 12 o'clock this day (Ang. 1, 1832), we came to a small river called the Kickapoo. We here found that the country was about to

change. A short distance before we got to this stream, we came to a beautiful body of Pine timber, which was tall and large. As. soon as we crossed this stream, we found the mountains were covered with prairie grass. We here found the Indian trail was getting fresher. They had encamped at this creek. We had now been three days in these moun- tains and our horses had lived on weeds, except those that became debilitated and were left be- hind; for a great number had become so, and were left to starve in this dreary waste. We here for the first time in three days had an op- portunity of turning our horses out to graze. Accordingly we left them to graze for about an hour, which they made good use of and during which we took a cold lunch. About 1 o'clock we started, at a faster gait than usual. We found from the face of the country that we were not a great way from the Mississippi. The country was still hilly, but hills of a small size, and almost barren; so we could get along with more speed. It gave the men new spirits. We now saw that our horses would not have to starve, as we had begun to think it probable that they would.

"On this evening, we came across the grave of an Indian chief, who was buried in the grandest style of Indian burials; painted and otherwise decorated as well as those wretched beings were able to do. He was placed on the ground, with his head resting against the root of a tree; logs were placed around him and covered over with bark; and on the top of which, green bushes were laid; so intended that we might pass by without discovering the grave. He was examined and found to have been shot. It was now late in the evening, and we had proceeded but a short distance from here, before some of our front spies came across an Indian that had been left behind from some cause or other. The spies interrogated him about Black Hawk and his band. He stated that they would get to the river that day and would cross over on the next morning. The

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HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.

old sinner then plead for quarters; but that be- ing no time to be plagued with the charge of prisoners, they had to leave the unhappy wretch behind; which appeared to be a hard case. But, no doubt, he had been at the massacre of a num- ber of our citizens, and deserved to die for the crimes which he had perpetrated in taking the lives of harmless and unoffending women and children.

"We this day made a tolerable push, having marched until 8 o'clock at night before we stopped. We then halted and formed our en- campment. But it was for a short time only. Gen. Atkinson gave orders for all to confine their horses and be ready to march by 2 o'clock in pursuit of the enemy. We were now all tired and hungry and something to eat was in- dispensibly necessary. We had a long way to go after. water, and the worst kind of a preci- pice to go down and up to procure it. All was now a bustle for awhile, to prepare something to sustain nature, and to do it in time to get a little rest before we would have to march. Abon! 9 o'clock the noise began to die away, so that by 10 o'clock all were lost in sleep Unt the sentinel, who was at his post.

"At the appointed hour [2 o'clock in the morning of August 2] the bugle sounded; all were soon up and made preparations for a march at quickstep, moving on to complete the work of death upon those unfortunate children of the forest. Gen. Atkinson this morning had the army laid off and arranged in the following manner: Gen. Dodge, with his squadron, was placed in front, the infantry next, the second brigade next, under the command of Gen. Alex- ander; the first brigade next, under the com- mand of Gen. Posey; the third brigade next, under command of Gen. Henry.

"In this order the march had commenced. We had not proceeded more than four or five miles before there was a herald sent back, in- forming us that the front spies had come in sight of the enemy's rear guard [in reality their outpost]. The intelligence was soon conveyed

to Gen. Atkinson, and then to all the command- ers of the different brigades. The celerity of the march was then doubled and it was but a short time before the firing of the front spies commenced, about half a mile in front of the main army. The Indians retreated towards the Mississippi, but kept up a retreating fire upon our front spies for some time, until Gen. Dodge, who commanded, began to kill them very fast. The Indians then retreated more rapidly and sought refuge in their main army, which was lying on the bank of the Mississippi [which river they had, in fact, reached the day before]."

BATTLE OF BAD AX.

While Black Hawk and his band and their pursuers were traversing the rugged country across what is now Richland county into Ver- non, intelligence was conveyed to Prairie du Chien, by express, of the battle of Wisconsin Heights and of the retreat of the enemy across the Wisconsin river. The commander of the American forces at Prairie du Chien at once came to the conclusion that the savages would soon reach the Mississippi, and by crossing that stream escape the army in pursuit of them; so he engaged a steamboat, placed some regulars upon it and a six-pounder, with orders to cruise up and down the Mississippi to cut off the retreat of the Sac chief and his people. The steamer proving to be a slow one was with- drawn and a faster one armed in its place-the Warrior.

On the 1st of August, the Warrior discovered the Indians on the bank of the Mississippi where they had just arrived, not far below the mouth of the Bad Ax, making preparations to cross to the west side. A flag raised by Black Hawk was not respected by the Warrior, but a fire was opened from the boat upon the Indians with not only the small arms of the regulars but the six-pounder. The fire was returned by Black Hawk's party. The contest was kept np until the steamboat was compelled to drop down the river to Prairie du Chien for fuel. The loss of the enemy was twenty-three killed,

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HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.

On board the Warrior none were killed and but one wounded. But the presence of the · steamboat and the firing of course wholly in- terrupted the preparations of the savages to cross the river, while Atkinson and his army were marching rapidly upon their rear.

It was the next morning, as we have already seen, that the Americans under Gen. Atkinson came in sight of what was supposed by them to be the rear guard of the Indians, but which was, in reality, one of their outposts. It ap- pears that the savages raised a white flag for the purpose of surrendering, which was either not seen or was not regarded, and the firing on both sides soon became spirited, the Indians re- tiring slowly to their main force on the bottom of the river, where the latter were busily em- ployed transporting their women and children and the aged and infirm across the Mississippi [the Warrior not having returned to again cut off their retreat].

Let us now return to the American army in keen pursuit of the fugitives. It will be remem- bered that Gen. Henry had early in the morning been put in the rear, but he did not remain there long. Major Ewing, who commanded the spy battalion, sent his adjutant back to the gen- eral informing him that he was on the main trail; he at the same time formed his men in order of battle and awaited the arrival of the brigade which marched up in quick time. When they came up, Gen. Henry had his men formed as soon as possible for action; he placed Col. Jones and Major Ewing in front. Gen. At- kinson called for a regiment from Gen. Henry's brigade to cover his rear. Col. Collins formed on the right of Col. Jones and Major Ewing, when all were dismounted and marched on foot in the main trail, down the bluff into the bot- tom. Soon the fire was opened on the main force of the enemy, at which time Gen. Henry sent back an officer to bring up Col. Fry with his regiment. Col, Collins was by this time in the heat of the action with his regiment. Capt. Gentry, from Gen, Dodge's corps, was by this

time also up, and opened a heavy fire. He fell into the lines of Col. Jones and Major Ewing. Captains Gruer and Richardson, from Gen. Alexander's brigade, with their companies and a few scattering gentlemen from Gen. Dodge's corps, were also up; who all joined Gen. IIenry and fought bravely. Col. Fry obeyed the call of his general and was soon where the conflict raged with his regiment. By this time the savages were falling rapidly.

It was about half an hour after the battle commenced before Col. Zachary Taylor with his infantry and Gen. Dodge with his squadron got on the ground and joined in the battle. They had been thrown on the extreme right, by following the enemy's rear guard as was sup- posed, but which was, as already explained, their retreating outpost. Generals Posey and Alexander had been stationed up the river on the extreme right, in order to prevent the In- dians from making their escape in that direc- tion, so they did not participate in the slaughter of the savages. The victory, of course, with such overpowering numbers, was complete; but those of the Indians who escaped death from the Americans had most of them made good their retreat to one of the islands in the river, when, at an opportune moment for the attacking parties the Warrior appeared in the river and opened fire npon the fugitives with her cannon, at the same time sending her two boats to the shore to transport troops to the island, also, to attack the now distressed savages. Col. Taylor sent a detachment in the boats and the Indians were soon all killed on the island but one. There were of Black Hawk's entire force, be- sides a few who had succeeded in reaching the west side of the Mississippi, only himself and ten warriors with thirty-five women and chil- dren who made their escape. About 150 were killed. The loss of the Americans was twenty- seven killed and wounded. Such was the battle of Bad Ax. Black Hawk was soon brought in a prisoner by the Winnebagoes, and the war was ended.

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HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.

The day after the battle the following order was issued :

HEADQUARTERS, IST ARMY CORPS OF THE NORTHWESTERN ARMY, BANKS OF THE MISSIS- SIPPI RIVER, NEAR BAD AX RIVER. Aug. 3, 1832.

Order No. 65:

The victory achieved by the volunteers and regular troops over the enemy yesterday on this ground affords the commanding general an op- portunity of expressing his approbation of their brave conduct. The whole of the troops par- ticipated in the honor of the combat; some of the corps were, however, more fortunate than others in being thrown, from their position in order of battle, more immediately in conflict with the enemy. These were Henry's brigade, Dodge's battalion, the regular troops, Leach's regiment, of Posey's brigade, and the spy bat- talion, of Alexander's brigade.

In order that individual merit and the conduct of the corps may be properly represented to the department of war, and the general command- ing the Northwestern Army, the commanding general of this division directs that command- ing officers of brigades and independent corps make to him written reports of the conduct and operation of their respective commands in the action.

By order of

BRIG .- GEN. ATKINSON. ALB. S. JOHNSTON, A. D. C. and A. Adjutant-General. OFFICIAL REPORT OF THE BATTLE. HEADQUARTERS, IST ARMY CORPS, NORTHWESTERN ARMY, PRAIRIE DU CHIEN, Aug. 5, 1832.

"SIR :- I have the honor to report to you that I crossed the Wisconsin on the 27th and 28th ult., with a select body of troops, consisting of regulars under Col. Zachary Taylor, 400 in number; part of Henry Posey's and Alexander's brigades, and Dodge's battalion of mounted volunteers, amounting in all to 1,300 men. and immediately fell upon the trail of the enemy and pursued it by forced marches through a

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History of Green County, Wisconsin. Together with sketches of its towns and villages, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens, Part 25

Author: Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill., pub. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company Number of Pages: 1168

Author: Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill., pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company
Number of Pages: 1168