USA > Wisconsin > Vernon County > History of Vernon County, Wisconsin, together with sketches of its towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens > Part 14
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battalions still moved along together until Stillman's run was reached; the ereek then be- ing known as Kishwaukee, about thirty miles above the ferry.
BATTLE OF STILLMAN'S RUN.
Black Hawk now made advances for peace, but two of his messengers being killed, the ne- gotiations were broken off. That chief at this time had but forty men under his immediate command, most of his party being some ten miles away; nevertheless, with his handful of warriors, he started back to meet his pursners. Raising the war whoop, he rushed in upon the volunteers, and scattered them in every direc- tion. The fugitives, in their flight, did not stop until the ferry was reached. This was afterward known as "the battle of Stillman's Run," of May 14, 1832. The governor of Illi- nois issued a proclamation immediately after, ealling for an additional force of 2,000 mounted volunteers. These ineidents caused throughout the west the greatest alarm. The loss of the Indians in this, the first "battle" of the "war," was none. Of the volunteers, one major, one captain and nine of the rank and file, were killed, and five men wounded.
On the 17th of May, Gen Atkinson reached Dixon's ferry with his regulars and a supply of
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provisions; and on the 19th, with 2,400 men, advanced up Rock river. On the 27th and 28th of the month, the volunteers were disbanded by the governor, leaving the defense of the frontiers in the hands of the regular troops and a few citizens who had volunteered temporarily. Meanwhile, the savages were waging war in earnest against the exposed settlements. Their war parties were scattered from Chicago to Galena; from the Rock river to the lead mines. It was a warfare in regular Indian style; there was success first on one side, then on the other; until on the 24th of June, Black Hawk made an unsuccessful attack on Apple River Fort, near the present village of Elizabeth, III. Mean- while the volunteers called out by the governor of Illinois were assembling and ordered to ren- dezvous at Dixon's ferry, where they were mus- tered into the service of the United States and formed into three brigades. The contest now began to assume somewhat the appearance of regular war. But, before we proceed to nar- rate the aggressive movements of the Ameri- cans up the Rock river valley in pursuit of Black Hawk and his band, it is proper to more particularly describe the incidents which oc- curred in various localities where the savages carried on their depredations previously.
In the night of the 17th of June a volunteer company encamped near Burr Oak Grove, thirty-five miles east of Galena, was fired on by the enemy. The next morning he started in pursuit of the savages, and succeeded in killing all of them-four in number-with the loss on his part of only one man. However, later in the day he was attacked by the Indians in con- siderable force, losing two killed and one wounded; but he beat off the assailants and killed their leader.
BATTLE OF PECATONICA.
On the 14th of June a party of men were at- tacked in a cornfield near the mouth of Spof- ford's creek, and five killed. Two days after Col. Henry Dodge, with twenty-eight men, struck the trail of the savages, overtaking them
on the bank of the Pecatonica in what is now Lafayette Co., Wis. The savages numbered seventeen, and all were killed. Dodge's loss was three killed. This was, all things consid- ered, the most spirited and effective fighting done during "the war." Capt. James W. Stephenson, at the head of the Galena volun- teers, being on the lookout for Indians near the head of Yellow creek, lost three of his men, and was obliged to retreat. This ended what may be called the irregular fighting of the campaign. We now return to Rock river, up the valley of which Black llawk and his force had moved and the Americans just commencing pursuit.
THE PURSUIT OF BLACK HAWK.
A battalion of spies was the first body or- dered forward. They reached Kellogg's grove, and were informed on the morning of the 25th of June that a heavy trail was to be seen of the enemy not far away. Twenty-five men went out to reconnoiter, and were de- feated, leaving five killed and three wounded, though the enemy's loss is said to have been nine killed. The enemy now retired up the river in the direction of Lake Koshkonong, in Wisconsin; and the fighting in Illinois was ended. The first halt made by Black Hawk was at what was afterward known as "Black Hawk Grove," just outside of the present city of Janesville, Rock Co., Wis., where his forces remained some time in camp. It must not be understood that they were now at their former homes. This was not the case. It was not then the country claimed by the Sacs, but by the Rock River Winnebagoes.
Gen. Atkinson having arrived at the mouth of the Pecatonica, in pursuit of the savages, and hearing that the Sac chief was further up Rock river, determined to follow him, with the intention of deciding the campaign by a general battle if possible. Black Hawk, judging of his intentions from the report of his spies, broke up his camp and retreated still further up the river, to the foot of Lake Koshkonong, where
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on the west side of the river, in what is now the town of Milton, he again formed a camp. Ifere he remained some time, when he again moved, this time to an island in the lake, still known as Black Hawk's Island. It is in the southeast corner of the town of Sumner, in Jef- ferson Co., Wis. Black Hawk afterward made his way still further up the valley of Rock river.
But now let us return to the army under Gen. Atkinson, in its march from the mouth of the Pecatonica to Lake Koshkonong, where he found the Sac chief had cluded him. The recital is best given in the words of one who was in the army at the time and marched under Atkinson :
"The 30th of June, 1832, we passed through the Turtle village [now the city of Beloit, Rock Co., Wis.,] which is a considerable Winnebago town, but it was deserted. We marched on about a mile and encamped on the open prairie near enough to Rock river to get water from it. We here saw very fresh signs of the Sac In- dians, where they had apparently been fishing on that day. Gen. Atkinson believed we were close to them and apprehended an attack that night. The sentinels fired several times, and we were as often paraded and prepared to receive the enemy, but they never came, though from the accounts given by the sentinels to the offi- cers of the day, there was no doubt that Indians had been prowling about the camp."
"July 1 .- We had not marched but two or three miles before an Indian was seen across Rock river at some distance off, on a very high prairie, which, no doubt was a spy, and likely was one that had been prowling about our en- campment the night before. We proceeded a few miles further, and came to the place where the Indians, who had taken the two Misses Hall prisoners, had staid for several days ( near the site of the present city of Janesville ). It was a strong position where they could have with stood a very powerful force. We afterward discovered they always encamped in such
places. We had not marched but a few miles from this place before one of our front scouts came back meeting the army in great haste, and stated that they had discovered a fresh trail of Indians, where they had just gone along in front of ns. Maj. Ewing, who was in front of the main army some distance, immediately formed his men in line of battle, and marched in that order in advance of the main army, about three-quarters of a mile. We had a very thick wood to march through, where the under- growth stood very high and thick ; the signs looked very fresh, and we expected every step to be fired upon from the thickets. We marched in this order about two miles, not stopping for the unevenness of the ground or anything else, but keeping in line of battle all the time, until we found the Indians had scattered ; then we resumed our common line of march, whic was in three divisions. Soon after we had formed into three divisions, the friendly Indians that were with us raised an alarm, by seven or eight of them shooting at a deer, some little in ad- vance of the army. The whole army here formed for action ; but it was soon ascertained that these children of the forest had been at what their whole race seems to have been born for, shooting at the beasts of the woods.
" We here encamped by a small lake (Storr's) this night, and had to drink the water, which was very bad, but it was all that could be found. Here a very bad accident happened. One of the sentinels, mistaking another that was on post, with a blanket wrapped around him, for an Indian, shot him just below the groin, in the thick of the thigh. At first the wound was thought mortal. I understood before I left the army, that the man was nearly well. Here Gen. Atkinson had, on this night, breastworks thrown up, which was easily done, as we were encamped in thick, heavy timber. This was a precaution which went to show that he set a great deal by the lives of his men, and by no means was any mark of cowardice ; for
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generalship consists more in good management than anything else.
"July 2 .- We started this morning at the usual time, but went only a few miles before Maj. Ewing, who was still in front with his battalion ( of scouts ), espied a very fresh trail, making off at about a left angle. He dis- patched ten men from the battalion, in com- pany with Capt. George Walker and a few Indians, to pursue it and see, if possible, where it went to. He moved on in front of his hat -. talion a short distance further, when he came to the main Sac trail of Black Hawk's whole army, which appeared to be about two days old.
"Maj. Ewing then marched his battalion about a mile, where the pass on the side of the lake appeared so narrow that he dismounted his men and had the horses all tied, and a few men left to guard them. The rest of us marched on foot about one mile through a narrow defile on the (east) bank of the Koshkonong Lake. This Capt. Early, who commanded a volunteer in- dependent company, and had got in advance this morning, called a halt ; so did Maj. Ewing with his battalion. Then Maj. Ewing sent back one of his staff officers for the main army to call a halt for a few minutes. He, with Maj. Anderson, of the Infantry, Capt. Early and Jonathan HI. Pugh, went a little in advance, when Maj Anderson, with a telescope, took a view across the lake; as we had now got to Lake Koshkonong. [The army entered what is now Jefferson county, very nearly where, in | deserted encampment. We now saw clearly going north, its south line is crossed by the was considered a dangerous procedure, but Maj. Ewing, who was in front with Maj. Anderson, would have been first in danger. He now found that we were getting too far in advance of our horses; so Maj. Ewing sent a part of the men back for them. When we mounted our horses, we were joined by Capt. Early and his independent corps. We then marched some distance around the (Kosh- konong) lake and went in between two of them, in a narrow defile until we found another that the Indians were gone from the Koshko- Chicago & Northwestern Railway. The trail, nong lake ; so, the next thing to be done was after leaving the southeast quarter of section to find in which direction they had steered their course. 35, in township 5 north, of range 13 east, ran nearly due north to the southeast corner of Gen. Atkinson having been re-enforced by section 26, in the same township and range, ; Gen. Alexander, took up his line of march, ar- where the army reached the lake in what is ' riving at the burnt village on the 6th of July. now the town of Koshkonong]. They then discovered three Indians apparently in their pany with C'ol. Dodge's squadron, joined Atkin- canoes.
"Maj. Ewing went himself and informed Gen. Atkinson what discovery was made, and ' encamped. On the 10th, Gen. Atkinson sent requested Gen. Atkinson to let him take his battalion round through a narrow defile that was between two of those lakes, where we sup- posed the Indians were. By this time our scouts, who had taken the trail that led off on our left, returned, bringing with them five white men's
scalps. They followed the Indian trail until it took them to a large Indian encampment that they had left a few days before. They reached it ; the scalps were sticking against some of the wigwams ; some of them were identified ; but I do not recollect the names of any, except one, which was said to be an old gentlemen by the name of llall.
That evening, Gen. Posey's brigade, in com- son. Col. John Ewing and his regiment came within a mile and a half of the main army and Col. Ewing with his regiment down Rock river to Dixon's; Gen. Posey, with the rest of his brigade, was dispatched to Fort Hamilton; while Col. Henry and his brigade, Gen. Alex- ander's brigade and Col. Dodge's squadron were sent to Fort Winnebago, now Portage,
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Columbia Co., Wis., for provisions. Atkinson dropped down a short distance from the burnt village and built a stockade fort, which he called Fort Koshkonong. It was located on the south side of Rock river in the eastern outskirts of the present village of Fort Atkinson, Jeffer- son Co., Wis. Alexander returned from Fort Winnebago by the direct route, while Dodge and llenry took a more easterly one, striking Rock river at a point where there was a small Winnebago village, now llustisford, Dodge Co., which point was reached July 18th. Infor- mation was here obtained that Black Hawk was at Cranberry Lake, farther up the river. This was believed to be reliable, and an express was started down the stream at once, to inform Gen. Atkinson of the Sac chief's whereabouts. The express came very unexpectedly, at a distance not more than eight miles from the starting point, upon the trail of Black Hawk, making bis way down the river. The express returned to the army with the news, and the next morning, July 19th, the pursuit began.
BLACK HAWK PURSUED TO THE WISCONSIN.
In the march in pursuit of the enemy, the Americans crossed the Crawfish near what is now Aztalan, in Jefferson Co., Wis., and were of course soon in what is now Dane county. But the account of the march is best told by one who participated in the pursuit:
"July 19, 1832 .- This day we had for about twelve miles, the worst kind of a road. To look at it appeared impossible to march an army through it. Thickets and swamps of the worst kind we had to go through, but the men had something now to stimulate them. They saw the Sae trail fresh before them, and the prospect of bringing our campaign to . n end. There was no murmuring, no exenses made, none getting on the sick report. If we came to a swamp that our horses were not able to carry us through, we dismounted, turned our horses before us and stepped in ourselves, sometimes up to our arm-pits in mnd and water. In this way we marched with great celerity. In the
evening of this day, it commenced thundering, lightening and raining tremendously. We stopped not, but pushed on. The trail appeared to be still getting fresher and the ground better, which still encouraged us to overcome every difficulty found in the way. It continued rain- ing until dark, and, indeed, until after dark. We now saw the want of our tents, a great number of us having left this necessary article behind in the morning, in order to favor our horses.
"The rain ceased before day, and it turned cold and chilly. In the morning we rose early, at the well-known sound of the bugle, and pre- pared in a very short time our rnde breakfast, dried our clothes a little, and by 7 o'clock (July 20th), were on the march at a quick pace. On this day, some of our scouts took an Indian as a prisoner. On examination, he was found to be a Winnebago. IJe stated that Black Hawk wax but a little distance ahead of us, and that he had seen some of his party not more than two miles ahead. But it was a bad piece of conduct on our part that this Indian was not kept as a prisoner of war, but was set at liberty and let go, no doubt, that he might inform the Sacs of our pursuit.
"We halted and the order of battle was formed, as we expected we would overtake them this evening. The order was as follows : Gen. Dodge and Maj. Ewing were to bring on the battle. Maj. Ewing was placed in the center with his spy battallion, Capt. Gentry and Capt. Clark's companies on our right, and Capt Camp and Capt. Parkinson on our left. Our own battalion (Maj. Ewing's) was reduced to two companies (as Capt. Wells and his company had been left at Fort Dixon); Capt. Lindsey, of our own battallion, was placed on the right and Capt. Huston's company on the left; Col. Fry and his regiment on the right, and Col. Jones, with bis regiment, on the left, and Col. Collins in the center. In this order we marched in quick time, with all possible speed, in hope , that we would overtake the enemy ou that
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evening. We were close to the Four Lakes [in what is now Dane Co., Wis.,] and we wished to come up with them before they could reach that place, as it was known to be a stronghold for the Indians; but the day was not long enough to accomplish this desirable object.
"We reached the first of the Four Lakes [now known as Lake Monona, or Third Lake,] about sundown. Gen. Henry here called a halt and consulted with Pouquet [Peter Panquette], our pilot, as to the country we were approaching. Pouquet, who was well acquainted with this country, told him he could not get through af- ter night; that we had to march close to the margin of the lake for some distance, as the un- derwood stood so thick one man could not see another ten steps. Gen. Henry concluded to encamp here until the break of day. Gen. Dodge sent Capt. Dixon on ahead with a few men to see if they could make any discovery of the enemy, who returned in a very short time and stated that they had seen the enemy's rear guard about one mile and a half distant. 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 re- tired 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 minutes 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 were 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. Phil- leo 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 had scalped him, so he was called Philleo's Indian, which reminds me of the hunters: 'He who draws the first blood is en- titled to the skin, and the remainder to the car- cass, if there are several in the chase,' which was the case at this time."
Leaving our journalist for a moment, we will describe the particulars of the march from the time the Catfish creek, or rather the Yahara as it is legally called, was reached until the army left the Fourth lake, the most northerly of the Four lakes, properly called Lake Mendota. In the timber skirting the Yahara, the Americans overtook the rear guard of the flying foe, where an Indian was wounded, who crept away and hid himself in the thick willows where he died. A scouting party of fourteen men was sent for- ward and preceded the main body about two miles. When they arrived at the point now the site of Madison, the capital of Wisconsin. an Indian was seen coming up from the water's edge, who seated himself upon the bank, appar- ently indifferent to his 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. On examination, it was found that he was sitting upon a newly made grave, probably that of his wife, who had perhaps died of fatigue, hunger and exhaustion, and her dis- consolate companion had resolved to await the advancing foe and die there also. The trail was followed around the southern end of Lake Mendota (or Fourth lake), passing a little north of what is now the Capital Park, and along the lake across the University grounds. A few miles brought them to what appeared an ad- mirable position for a battle field with natural
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defenses and places of ambush. It had been chosen by the enemy and here they had lain apparently the previous night. This spot was afterward laid out as the City of Four Lakes. It is about three-fourths of a mile north of the present village of Pheasant Branch, in Dane county. We now return to the journal, from which we broke off to relate these particulars.
"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 signs 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 fighting doctor ran afoul of two more Indians; he showed his bravery by assisting to kill them. I suppose he killed one, and Mr. Sample Jour- ney the other, so there was a scalp for each. But one of those miserable wretches sold his life as doar as possible. He, in the act of fall- ing, after he was shot, tired and shot three balls into a gentleman who himself was in the act of shooting at him. The ba Is were all small; one went through his thigh, one through his leg, and the other through his foot. I am sorry I have forgotten the gentleman's name; he be- longed to Gen. Dodge's squadron.
"We now doubled our speed, all were anx- ious to press forward, and as our horses were nearly worn out, we carried nothing, only what was actually necessary for us to eat; camp ket- tles and many such articles were thrown away. The trail was now literally, in many places, strewed 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 fastas 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 ont 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 deceived any more; but the next they came to, they stopped not for their feigned maneu- ver, but pursued 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.
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 Maj. Ewing's spy bat- talion 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 fu- riously, and rushed forward meeting us with a heavy charge. Gen. Dodge and Maj. Henry met them also with a heavy 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 npon 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
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