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diff --git a/old/bhawk10.txt b/old/bhawk10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d5097f7 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/bhawk10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6632 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Autobiography of Ma-ka-tai-me-she-kia-kiak, +or Black Hawk, by Black Hawk + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: Autobiography of Ma-ka-tai-me-she-kia-kiak, or Black Hawk + +Author: Black Hawk + +Release Date: December, 2004 [EBook #7097] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on March 10, 2003] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF BLACK HAWK *** + + + + +This etext was produced by Martin Schub from scanned pages courtesy +of the 1st-hand-history Foundation (http://www.1st-hand-history.org) + + + + + + AUTOBIOGRAPHY + OF + + MA-KA-TAI-ME-SHE-KIA-KIAK, + + OR + + BLACK HAWK, + +EMBRACING THE TRADITIONS OF HIS NATION, VARIOUS WARS + IN WHICH HE HAS BEEN ENGAGED, AND HIS ACCOUNT + OF THE CAUSE AND GENERAL HISTORY OF THE + BLACK HAWK WAR OF 1832, + +His Surrender, and Travels Through the United States. + + DICTATED BY HIMSELF. + + ANTOINE LECLAIR, U. S. INTERPRETER. + J.B. PATTERSON, EDITOR AND AMANUENSIS. + + ROCK ISLAND. ILLINOIS, 1833. + + ALSO +LIFE, DEATH AND BURIAL OF THE OLD CHIEF, TOGETHER WITH + A History of the Black Hawk War, + By J.B. PATTERSON, OQUAWKA, ILL, 1882. + + +Copyrighted by J.B. PATTERSON, 1882. + + + + AS A TOKEN OF HIGH REGARD, + I DEDICATE THIS VOLUME + TO MY FRIEND, + HON. BAILEY DAVENPORT, + OF ROCK ISLAND, ILL. + + + +AFFIDAVIT. + +DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS, SS. +Be it remembered, that on this sixteenth day of November, Anno Domini +eighteen hundred and thirty-three, J.B. Patterson, of said district, +hath deposited in this office the title of a Book, the title of which +is in the words following, to wit: + +"Life of Makataimeshekiakiak, or Black Hawk, embracing the Traditions +of his Nation--Indian Wars in which he has been engaged--Cause of +joining the British in their late War with America, and its History-- +Description of the Rock River Village--Manners and Customs-- +Encroachments by the Whites contrary to Treaty--Removal from his +village in 1831. With an account of the Cause and General History of +the Late War, his Surrender and Confinement at Jefferson Barracks, and +Travels through the United States. Dictated by himself." + +J.B. Patterson, of Rock Island, Illinois, Editor and Proprietor. + +The right whereof he claims as author, in conformity with an act of +Congress, entitled "An act to amend the several acts respecting +copyrights." + W.H. BROWN, + Clerk of the District of Illinois + + + +INDIAN AGENCY, + ROCK ISLAND, October 16, 1833. +I do hereby certify, that Makataimeshekiakiak, or Black Hawk, did call +upon me, on his return to his people in August last, and expressed a +great desire to have a History of his Life written and published, in +order (as he said) "that the people of the United States, (among whom +he had been traveling, and by whom he had been treated with great +respect, friendship and hospitality,) might know the _cause_ that had +impelled him to acts as he had done, and the _principles_ by which he +was governed." + +In accordance with his request, I acted as Interpreter; and was +particularly cautious to understand distinctly the narrative of Black +Hawk throughout--and have examined the work carefully since its +completion, and have no hesitation in pronouncing it strictly correct, +in all its particulars. + +Given under my hand, at the Sac and Fox agency, the day and date above +written. + ANTOINE LE CLAIR, + U.S. Interpreter for the Sacs and Foxes. + + + +ORIGINAL DEDICATION. + +NE-KA-NA-WEN. + +MA-NE-SO-NO OKE-MAUT WAP-PI MAK-QUAI. + +WA-TA-SAI WE-YEU, + +Ai nan-ni ta co-si-ya-quai, na-katch ai she-ke she-he-nack, hai-me-ka- +ti ya-quai ke-she-he-nack, ken-e-chawe-he-ke kai-pec-kien a-cob, ai- +we-ne-she we-he-yen; ne-wai-ta-sa-mak ke-kosh-pe kai-a-poi qui-wat. +No-ta-wach-pai pai-ke se-na-mon nan-ni-yoo, ai-ke-kai na-o-pen. Ni-me- +to sai-ne-ni-wen, ne-ta-to-ta ken ai mo-he-man ta-ta-que, ne-me-to- +sai-ne-ne-wen. + +Nin-a-kai-ka poi-pon-ni chi-cha-yen, kai-ka-ya ha-ma-we pa-she-to-he- +yen. Kai-na-ya kai-nen-ne-naip, he-nok ki-nok ke-cha-kai-ya pai-no- +yen ne-ket-te-sim-mak o-ke-te-wak ke-o-che, me-ka ti-ya-quois na-kach +mai-quoi, a-que-qui pa-che-qui ke-kan-ni ta-men-nin. Ke-to-ta we-yen, +a-que-ka-ni-co-te she-tai-hai-hai yen, nen, chai-cha-me-co kai-ke-me- +se ai we-ke ken-na-ta-mo-wat ken-ne-wa-ha-o ma-quo-qua-yeai-quoi. +Ken-wen-na ak-che-man wen-ni-ta-hai ke-men-ne to-ta-we-yeu, ke-kog-hai +ke-ta-shi ke-kai na-we-yen, he-na-cha wai-che-we to-mo-nan, ai pe-che- +qua-chi mo-pen ma-me-co, ma-che-we-ta na-mo-nan, ne-ya-we-nan qui-a- +ha-wa pe-ta-kek, a que-year tak-pa-she-qui a-to-ta-mo-wat, chi-ye-tuk +he-ne cha-wai-chi he-ni-nan ke-o-chi-ta mow-ta-swee-pai che-qua-que. + +He-ni-cha-hai poi-kai-nen na-no-so-si-yen, ai o-sa-ke-we-yen, ke-pe- +me-kai-mi-kat hai-nen hac-yai, na-na-co-si-peu, nen-a-kai-ne co-ten +ne-co-ten ne-ka chi-a-quoi ne-me-cok me-to-sai ne-ne wak-kai ne-we- +yen-nen, kai-shai ma-ni-to-ke ka-to-me-nak ke-wa-sai he-co-wai mi-a-me +ka-chi pai-ko-tai-hear-pe kai-cee wa-wa-kia he-pe ha-pe-nach-he-cha, +na-na-ke-na-way ni-taain ai we-pa-he-wea to-to-na ca, ke-to-ta-we- +yeak, he-nok, mia-ni ai she-ke-ta ma-ke-si-yen, nen-a-kai na-co-ten +ne-ka-he-nen e-ta-quois, wa toi-na-ka che-ma-ke-keu na-ta-che tai-hai- +ken ai mo-co-man ye-we-yeu ke-to-towe. E-nok ma-ni-hai she-ka-ta-ma +ka-si-yen, wen-e-cha-hai nai-ne-mak, mai-ko-ten ke ka-cha ma-men-na- +tuk we-yowe, keu-ke-nok ai she-me ma-na-ni ta-men-ke-yowe. +MA-KA-TAI-ME-SHE-KIA-KIAK +Ma-taus-we Ki-sis, 1833. + + + +DEDICATION. +[translation] + +To Brigadier General H. Atkinson: + +SIR--The changes of fortune and vicissitudes of war made you my +conqueror. When my last resources were exhausted, my warriors worn +down with long and toilsome marches, we yielded, and I became your +prisoner. + +The story of my life is told in the following pages: it is intimately +connected, and in some measure, identified, with a part of the history +of your own: I have, therefore, dedicated it to you. + +The changes of many summers have brought old age upon me, and I can +not expect to survive many moons. Before I set out on my journey to +the land of my fathers, I have determined to give my motives and +reasons for my former hostilities to the whites, and to vindicate my +character from misrepresentation. The kindness I received from you +whilst a prisoner of war assures me that you will vouch for the facts +contained in my narrative, so far as they came under your observation. + +I am now an obscure member of a nation that formerly honored and +respected my opinions. The pathway to glory is rough, and many gloomy +hours obscure it. May the Great Spirit shed light on yours, and that +you may never experience the humility that the power of the American +government has reduced me to, is the wish of him, who, in his native +forests, was once as proud and bold as yourself. +BLACK HAWK. +10th Moon, 1833. + + + +ADVERTISEMENT + +It is presumed that no apology will be required for presenting to the +public the life of a Hero who has lately taken such high rank among +the distinguished individuals of America. In the following pages he +will be seen in the character of a Warrior, a Patriot and a State +prisoner; in every situation he is still the chief of his Band, +asserting their rights with dignity, firmness and courage. Several +accounts of the late war having been published, in which he thinks +justice is not done to himself or nation, he determined to make known +to the world the injuries his people have received from the whites, +the causes which brought on the war on the part of his nation, and a +general history of it throughout the campaign. In his opinion this is +the only method now left him to rescue his little Band, the remnant of +those who fought bravely with him, from the effects of the statements +that have already gone forth. + +The facts which he states, respecting the Treaty of 1804, in virtue of +the provisions of which the government claimed the country in dispute +and enforced its arguments with the sword, are worthy of attention. +It purported to cede tot he United States all of the country, +including the village and corn-fields of Black Hawk and his band, on +the east side of the Mississippi. Four individuals of the tribe, who +were on a visit to St. Louis to obtain the liberation of on of their +people from prison, were prevailed upon, says Black Hawk, to make this +important treaty, without the knowledge or authority of the tribes, or +nation. + +In treating with the Indians for their country, it has always been +customary to assemble the whole nation; because, as has been truly +suggested by the Secretary of War, the nature of the authority of the +chiefs of the tribe is such, that it is not often that they dare make +a treaty of much consequence, and we might add, never, when involving +so much magnitude as the one under consideration, without the presence +of their young men. A rule so reasonable and just ought never to be +violated, and the Indians might well question the right of the +Government to dispossess them, when such violation was made the basis +of its right. + +The Editor has written this work according to the dictation of Black +Hawk, through the United States Interpreter, at the Sac and Fox Agency +of Rock Island. He does not, therefore, consider himself responsible +for any of the facts, or views, contained in it, and leaves the Old +Chief and his story with the public, whilst he neither asks, nor +expects, any fame for his services as an amanuensis. +THE EDITOR. + + + +AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF BLACK HAWK. + +I was born at the Sac village, on Rock river, in the year 1767, and am +now in my 67th year. My great grandfather, Nanamakee, or Thunder, +according to the tradition given me by my father, Pyesa, was born in +the vicinity of Montreal, Canada, where the Great Spirit first placed +the Sac nation, and inspired him with a belief that, at the end of +four years he should see a _white man_, who would be to him a father. +Consequently he blacked his face, and eat but once a day, just as the +sun was going down, for three years, and continued dreaming, +throughout all this time whenever he slept. When the Great Spirit +again appeared to him, and told him that, at the end of one year more, +he should meet his father, and directed him to start seven days before +its expiration, and take with him his two brothers, Namah, or +Sturgeon, and Paukahummawa, or Sunfish, and travel in a direction to +the left of sun-rising. After pursuing this course for five days, he +sent out his two brothers to listen if they could hear a noise, and if +so, to fasten some grass to the end of a pole, erect it, pointing in +the direction of the sound, and then return to him. + +Early next morning they returned, and reported that they had heard +sounds which appeared near at hand, and that they had fulfilled his +order. They all then started for the place where the pole had been +erected; when, on reaching it, Nanamakee left his party and went alone +to the place from whence the sounds proceeded, and found, that the +white man had arrived and pitched his tent. When he came in sight, +his father came out to meet him. He took him by the hand and welcomed +him into his tent. He told him that he was the son of the King of +France; that he had been dreaming for four years; that the Great +Spirit had directed him to come here, where he should meet a nation of +people who had never yet seen a white man; that they should be his +children and he should be their father; that he had communicated these +things to the King, his father, who laughed at him and called him +Mashena, but he insisted on coming here to meet his children where the +Great Spirit had directed him. The king had told him that he would +find neither land nor people; that this was an uninhabited region of +lakes and mountains, but, finding that he would have no peace without +it, he fitted out a napequa, manned it, and gave him charge of it, +when he immediately loaded it, set sail and had now landed on the very +day that the Great Spirit had told him in his dreams he should meet +his children. He had now met the man who should, in future, have +charge of all the nation. + +He then presented him with a medal which he hung round his neck. +Nanamakee informed him of his dreaming, and told him that his two +brothers remained a little way behind. His father gave him a shirt, a +blanket and a handkerchief besides a variety of other presents, and +told him to go and bring his brethren. Having laid aside his buffalo +robe and dressed himself in his new dress, he started to meet his +brothers. When they met he explained to them his meeting with the +white man and exhibited to their view the presents that he had made +him. He then took off his medal and placed it on his elder brother +Namah, and requested them both to go with him to his father. + +They proceeded thither, were where ushered into the tent, and after +some brief ceremony his father opened a chest and took presents +therefrom for the new comers. He discovered that Nanamakee had given +his medal to his elder brother Namah. He told him that he had done +wrong; that he should wear that medal himself, as he had others for +his brothers. That which he had given him was typical of the rank he +should hold in the nation; that his brothers could only rank as _civil +chiefs_, and that their duties should consist of taking care of the +village and attending to its civil concerns, whilst his rank, from his +superior knowledge, placed him over all. If the nation should get +into any difficulty with another, then his puccohawama, or sovereign +decree, must be obeyed. If he declared war he must lead them on to +battle; that the Great Spirit had made him a great and brave general, +and had sent him here to give him that medal and make presents to him +for his people. + +His father remained four days, during which time he gave him guns, +powder and lead, spears and lances, and taught him their use, so that +in war he might be able to chastise his enemies, and in peace they +could kill buffalo, deer and other game necessary for the comforts and +luxuries of life. He then presented the others with various kinds of +cooking utensils and taught them their uses. After having given them +large quantities of goods as presents, and everything necessary for +their comfort, he set sail for France, promising to meet them again, +at the same place, after the 12th moon. + +The three newly made chiefs returned to their village and explained to +Mukataquet, their father, who was the principal chief of the nation, +what had been said and done. + +The old chief had some dogs killed and made a feast preparatory to +resigning his scepter, to which all the nation were invited. Great +anxiety prevailed among them to know what the three brothers had seen +and heard. . When the old chief arose and related to them the sayings +and doings of his three sons, and concluded by saying that the Great +Spirit had directed that these, his three sons, should take the rank +and power that had once been his, and that he yielded these honors and +duties willingly to them, because it was the wish of the Great Spirit, +and he could never consent to make him angry. + +He now presented the great medicine bag to Nanamakee, and told him +that he "cheerfully resigned it to him, it is the soul of our nation, +it has never yet been disgraced and I will expect you to keep it +unsullied." + +Some dissensions arose among them, in consequence of so much power +being given to Nanamakee, he being so young a man. To quiet them, +Nanamakee, during a violent thunder storm, told them that he had +caused it, and that it was an exemplification of the name the Great +Spirit had given him. During the storm the lightning struck, and set +fire to a tree near by, a sight they had never witnessed before. He +went to it and brought away some of its burning branches, made a fire +in the lodge and seated his brothers around it opposite to one +another, while he stood up and addressed his people as follows: + +"I am yet young, but the Great Spirit has called me to the rank I hold +among you. I have never sought to be more than my birth entitled me +to. I have not been ambitious, nor was it ever my wish while my +father was yet among the living to take his place, nor have I now +usurped his powers. The Great Spirit caused me to dream for four +years. He told me where to go and meet the white man who would be a +kind father to us all. I obeyed. I went, and have seen and know our +new father. + +"You have all heard what was said and done. The Great Spirit directed +him to come and meet me, and it is his order that places me at the +head of my nation, the place which my father has willingly resigned. + +"You have all witnessed the power that has been given me by the Great +Spirit, in making that fire, and all that I now ask is that these, my +two chiefs, may never let it go out. That they may preserve peace +among you and administer to the wants of the needy. And should an +enemy invade our country, I will then, and not until then, assume +command, and go forth with my band of brave warriors and endeavor to +chastise them." + +At the conclusion of this speech every voice cried out for Nanamakee. +All were satisfied when they found that the Great Spirit had done what +they had suspected was the work of Nanamakee, he being a very shrewd +young man. + +The next spring according to promise their French father returned, +with his napequa richly laden with goods, which were distributed among +them. He continued for a long time to keep up a regular trade with +them, they giving him in exchange for his goods furs and peltries. + +After a long time the British overpowered the French, the two nations +being at War, and drove them away from Quebec, taking possession of it +themselves. The different tribes of Indians around our nation, +envying our people, united their forces against them and by their +combined strength succeeded in driving them to Montreal, and from +thence to Mackinac. Here our people first met our British father, who +furnished them with goods. Their enemies still wantonly pursued them +and drove them to different places along the lake. At last they made +a village near Green Bay, on what is now called Sac river, having +derived its name from this circumstance. Here they held a council +with the Foxes, and a national treaty of friendship and alliance was +agreed upon. The Foxes abandoned their village and joined the Sacs. +This arrangement, being mutually obligatory upon both parties, as +neither were sufficiently strong to meet their enemies with any hope +of success, they soon became as one band or nation of people. They +were driven, however, by the combined forces of their enemies to the +Wisconsin. They remained here for some time, until a party of their +young men, who descended Rock river to its mouth, had returned and +made a favorable report of the country. They all descended Rock +river, drove the Kaskaskias from the country and commenced the +erection of their village, determined never to leave it. + +At this village I was born, being a lineal descendant of the first +chief, Nanamakee, or Thunder. Few, if any events of note transpired +within my recollection until about my fifteenth year. I was not +allowed to paint or wear feathers, but distinguished myself at an +early age by wounding an enemy; consequently I was placed in the ranks +of the Braves. + +Soon after this a leading chief of the Muscow nation came to our +village for recruits to go to war against the Osages, our common +enemy. + +I volunteered my services to go, as my father had joined him, and was +proud to have an opportunity to prove to him that I was not an +unworthy son, and that I had courage and bravery. It was not long +before we met the enemy and a battle immediately ensued. Standing by +my father's side, I saw him kill his antagonist and tear the scalp +from off his head. Fired with valor and ambition, I rushed furiously +upon another and smote him to the earth with my tomahawk. I then ran +my lance through his body, took off his scalp and returned in triumph +to my father. He said nothing but looked well pleased. This was the +first man I killed. The enemy's loss in this engagement having been +very great, they immediately retreated, which put an end to the war +for the time being. Our party then returned to the village and danced +over the scalps we had taken. This was the first time I was permitted +to join in a scalp dance. + +After a few moons had passed, being acquired considerable reputation +as a brave, I led a party of seven and attacked one hundred Osages! I +killed one man and left him for my comrades to scalp while I was +taking observations of the strength and preparations of the enemy. +Finding that they were equally well armed with ourselves, I ordered a +retreat and came off without the loss of a man. This excursion gained +for me great applause, and enabled me, before a great while, to raise +a party of one hundred and eighty to march against the Osages. We +left our village in high spirits and marched over a rugged country, +until we reached the land of the Osages, on the borders of the +Missouri. + +We followed their trail until we arrived at the village, which we +approached with exceeding caution, thinking that they were all here, +but found, to our sorrow, that they had deserted it. The party became +dissatisfied in consequence of this disappointment, and all, with the +exception of five noble braves, dispensed and went home. I then +placed myself at the head of this brave little band, and thanked the +Great Spirit that so _many_ had remained. We took to the trail of our +enemies, with a full determination never to return without some trophy +of victory. We followed cautiously on for several days, killed one +man and a boy, and returned home with their scalps. + +In consequence of this mutiny in camp, I was not again able to raise a +sufficient force to go against the Osages until about my Nineteenth +year. During this interim they committed many outrages on our nation; +hence I succeeded in recruiting two hundred efficient warriors, and +early one morning took up the line of march. In a few days we were in +the enemy's country, and we had not gone far before we met a force +equal to our own with which to contend. A general battle immediately +commenced, although my warriors were considerably fatigued by forced +marches. Each party fought desperately. The enemy seemed unwilling +to yield the ground and we were determined to conquer or die. A great +number of Osages were killed and many wounded before they commenced a +retreat. A band of wariors more brave, skillful and efficient than +mine could not be found. In this engagement I killed five men and one +squaw, and had the good fortune to take the scalps of all I struck +with one exception--that of the squaw, who was accidentally killed. +The enemy's loss in this engagement was about one hundred braves. +Ours nineteen. We then returned to our village well pleased with our +success, and danced over the scalps which we had taken. + +The Osages, in consequence of their great loss in this battle, became +satisfied to remain on their own lands. This stopped for a while +their depredations on our nation. Our attention was now directed +towards an ancient enemy who had decoyed and murdered some of our +helpless women and children. I started with my father, who took +command of a small party, and proceeded against the enemy to chastise +them for the wrongs they had heaped upon us. We met near the Merimac +and an action ensued; the Cherokees having a great advantage in point +of numbers. Early in this engagement my father was wounded in the +thigh, but succeeded in killing his enemy before he fell. Seeing that +he had fallen, I assumed command, and fought desperately until the +enemy commenced retreating before the well directed blows of our +braves. I returned to my father to administer to his necessities, but +nothing could be done for him. The medicine man said the wound was +mortal, from which he soon after died. In this battle I killed three +men and wounded several. The enemy's loss was twenty-eight and ours +seven. + +I now fell heir to the great medicine bag of my forefathers, which had +belonged to my father. I took it, buried our dead, and returned with +my party, sad and sorrowful, to our village, in consequence of the +loss of my father. + +Owing to this misfortune I blacked my face, fasted and prayed to the +Great Spirit for five years, during which time I remained in a civil +capacity, hunting and fishing. + +The Osages having again commenced aggressions on our people, and the +Great Spirit having taken pity on me, I took a small party and went +against them. I could only find six of them, and their forces being +so weak, I thought it would be cowardly to kill them, but took them +prisoners and carried them to our Spanish father at St. Louis, gave +them up to him and then returned to our village. + +Determined on the final and complete extermination of the dastardly +Osages, in punishment for the injuries our people had received from +them, I commenced recruiting a strong force, immediately on my return, +and stated in the third moon, with five hundred Sacs and Foxes, and +one hundred Iowas, and marched against the enemy. We continued our +march for many days before we came upon their trail, which was +discovered late in the day. We encamped for the night, made an early +start next morning, and before sundown we fell upon forty lodges, +killed all the inhabitants except two squaws, whom I took as +prisoners. Doing this engagement I killed seven men and two boys with my +own hands. In this battle many of the bravest warriors among the +Osages were killed, which caused those who yet remained of their +nation to keep within the boundaries of their own land and cease their +aggressions upon our hunting grounds. + +The loss of my father, by the Cherokees, made me anxious to avenge his +death by the utter annihilation, if possible, of the last remnant of +their tribe. I accordingly commenced collecting another party to go +against them. Having succeeded in this, I started with my braves and +went into their country, but I found only five of their people, whom I +took prisoners. I afterwards released four of them, the other, a +young squaw, we brought home. Great as was my hatred of these people, +I could not kill so small a party. + +About the close of the ninth moon, I led a large party against the +Chippewas, Kaskaskias and Osages. This was the commencement of a long +and arduous campaign, which terminated in my thirty-fifth year, after +having had seven regular engagements and numerous small skirmishes. +During this campaign several hundred of the enemy were slain. I +killed thirteen of their bravest warriors with my own hands. + +Our enemies having now been driven from our hunting grounds, with so +great a loss as they sustained, we returned in peace to our village. +After the seasons of mourning and burying our dead braves and of +feasting and dancing had passed, we commenced preparations for our +winter's hunt. When all was ready we started on the chase and +returned richly laden with the fruits of the hunter's toil. + +We usually paid a visit to St. Louis every summer, but in consequence +of the long protracted war in which we had been engaged, I had not +been there for some years. + +Our difficulties all having been settled, I concluded to take a small +party and go down to see our Spanish father during the summer. We +went, and on our arrival put up our lodges where the market house now +stands. After painting and dressing we called to see our Spanish +father and were kindly received. He gave us a great variety of +presents and an abundance of provisions. We danced through the town +as usual, and the inhabitants all seemed well pleased. They seemed to +us like brothers, and always gave us good advice. On my next and last +visit to our Spanish father, I discovered on landing, that all was not +right. Every countenance seemed sad and gloomy. I inquired the cause +and was informed that the Americans were coming to take possession of +the town and country, and that we were to lose our Spanish father. +This news made me and my band exceedingly sad, because we had always +heard bad accounts of the Americans from the Indians who had lived +near them. We were very sorry to lose our Spanish father, who had +always treated us 'with great friendship. + +A few days afterwards the Americans arrived. I, in company with my +band, went to take leave for the last time of our father. The +Americans came to see him also. Seeing their approach, we passed out +at one door as they came in at another. We immediately embarked in +our canoes for our village on Rock river, not liking the change any +more than our friends at St. Louis appeared to. + +On arriving at our village we gave out the news that a strange people +had taken possession of St. Louis and that we should never see our +generous Spanish father again. This information cast a deep gloom +over our people. + +Sometime afterwards a boat came up the river with a young American +chief, at that time Lieutenant, and afterwards General Pike, and a +small party of soldiers aboard. The boat at length arrived at Rock +river and the young chief came on shore with his interpreter. He made +us a speech and gave us some presents, in return for which we gave him +meat and such other provisions as we could spare. + +We were well pleased with the speech of the young chief. He gave us +good advice and said our American father would treat us well. He +presented us an American flag which we hoisted. He then requested us +to lower the _British colors_, which were waving in the air, and to +give him our British medals, promising to send others on his return to +St: Louis. This we declined to do as we wished to have two fathers. + +When the young chief started we sent runners to the village of the +Foxes, some miles distant, to direct them to treat him well as he +passed, which they did. He went to the head of the Mississippi and +then returned to St. Louis. We did not see any Americans again for +some time, being supplied with goods by British traders. + +We were fortunate in not giving up our medals, for we learned +afterwards, from our traders, that the chiefs high up the Mississippi, +who gave theirs, never received any in exchange for them. But the +fault was not with the young American chief. He was a good man, a +great brave, and I have since learned, died in his country's service. + +Some moons after this young chief had descended the Mississippi, one +of our people killed an American, was taken prisoner and was confined +in the prison at St. Louis for the offence. We held a council at our +village to see what could be done for him, and determined that +Quashquame, Pashepaho, Ouchequaka and Hashequarhiqua should go down to +St. Louis, see our American father and do all they could to have our +friend released by paying for the person killed, thus covering the +blood and satisfying the relations of the murdered man. This being +the only means with us for saving a person who had killed another, and +we then thought it was the same way with the whites. + +The party started with the good wishes of the whole nation, who had +high hopes that the emissaries would accomplish the object of their +mission. The relations of the prisoner blacked their faces and +fasted, hoping the Great Spirit would take pity on them and return +husband and father to his sorrowing wife and weeping children. + +Quashquame and party remained a long time absent. They at length +returned and encamped near the village, a short distance below it, and +did not come up that day, nor did any one approach their camp. They +appeared to be dressed in fine coats and had medals. From these +circumstances we were in hopes that they had brought good news. Early +the next morning the Council Lodge was crowded, Quashquame and party +came up and gave us the following account of their mission: + +On our arrival at St. Louis we met our American father and explained +to him our business, urging the release of our friend. The American +chief told us he wanted land. We agreed to give him some on the west +side of the Mississippi, likewise more on the Illinois side opposite +Jeffreon. When the business was all arranged we expected to have our +friend released to come home with us. About the time we were ready to +start our brother was let out of the prison. He started and ran a +short distance when he was SHOT DEAD! + +This was all they could remember of what had been said and done. It +subsequently appeared that they had been drunk the greater part of the +time while at St. Louis. + +This was all myself and nation knew of the treaty of 1804. It has +since been explained to me. I found by that treaty, that all of the +country east of the Mississippi, and south of Jeffreon was ceded to +the United States for one thousand dollars a year. I will leave it to +the people of the United States to say whether our nation was properly +represented in this treaty? Or whether we received a fair +compensation for the extent of country ceded by these four +individuals? + +I could say much more respecting this treaty, but I will not at this +time. It has been the origin of all our serious difficulties with the +whites. + +Sometime after this treaty was made, a war chief with a party of +soldiers came up in keel boats, encamped a short distance above the +head of the Des Moines rapids, and commenced cutting timber and +building houses. The news of their arrival was soon carried to all +our villages, to confer upon which many councils were held. We could +not understand the intention, or comprehend the reason why the +Americans wanted to build homes at that place. We were told that they +were a party of soldiers, who had brought great guns with them, and +looked like a war party of whites. + +A number of people immediately went down to see what was going on, +myself among them. On our arrival we found that they were building a +fort. The soldiers were busily engaged in cutting timber, and I +observed that they took their arms with them when they went to the +woods. The whole party acted as they would do in an enemy's country. +The chiefs held a council with the officers, or head men of the party, +which I did not attend, but understood from them that the war chief +had said that they were building homes for a trader who was coming +there to live, and would sell us goods very cheap, and that the +soldiers were to remain to keep him company. We were pleased at this +information ad hoped that it was all true, but we were not so +credulous as to believe that all these buildings were intended merely +for the accommodation of a trader. Being distrustful of their +intentions, we were anxious for them to leave off building and go back +down the river. + +By this time a considerable number of Indians had arrived to see what +was doing. I discovered that the whites were alarmed. Some of our +young men watched a party of soldiers, who went out to work, carrying +their arms, which were laid aside before they commenced. Having +stolen quietly to the spot they seized the guns and gave a wild yell! +The party threw down their axes and ran for their arms, but found them +gone, and themselves surrounded. Our young men laughed at them and +returned their weapons. + +When this party came to the fort they reported what had been done, and +the war chief made a serious affair of it. He called our chiefs to +council inside his fort. This created considerable excitement in our +camp, every one wanting to know what was going to be done. The +picketing which had been put up, being low, every Indian crowded +around the fort, got upon blocks of wood and old barrels that they +might see what was going on inside. Some were armed with guns and +others with bows and arrows. We used this precaution, seeing that the +soldiers had their guns loaded and having seen them load their big +guns in the morning. + +A party of our braves commenced dancing and proceeded up to the gate +with the intention of, going in, but were stopped. The council +immediately broke up, the soldiers with their guns in hands rushed out +from the rooms where they had been concealed. The cannon were hauled +to the gateway, and a soldier came running with fire in his hand, +ready to apply the match. Our braves gave way and retired to the +camp. There was no preconcerted plan to attack the whites at that +time, but I am of the opinion now that had our braves got into the +fort all of the whites would have been killed, as were the British +soldiers at Mackinac many years before. + +We broke up our camp and returned to Rock river. A short time +afterward the party at the fort received reinforcements, among whom we +observed some of our old friends from St. Louis. + +Soon after our return from Fort Madison runners came to our village +from the Shawnee Prophet. Others were despatched by him to the +village of the Winnebagoes, with invitations for us to meet him on the +Wabash. Accordingly a party went from each village. + +All of our party returned, among whom came a prophet, who explained to +us the bad treatment the different nations of Indians had received +from the Americans, by giving them a few presents and taking their +land from them. + +I remember well his saying: "If you do not join your friends on the +Wabash, the Americans will take this very village from you!" I little +thought then that his words would come true, supposing that he used +these arguments merely to encourage us to join him, which we concluded +not to do. He then returned to the Wabash, where a party Of +Winnebagoes had preceded him, and preparations were making for war. A +battle soon ensued in which several Winnebagoes were killed. As soon +as their nation heard of this battle, and that some of their people +had been killed, they sent several war parties in different +directions. One to the mining county, one to Prairie du Chien, and +another to Fort Madison. The latter returned by our village and +exhibited several scalps which they had taken. Their success induced +several parties to go against the fort. Myself and several of my band +joined the last party, and were determined to take the fort. We +arrived in the vicinity during the night. The spies that we had sent +out several days before to watch the movements of those at the +garrison, and ascertain their numbers, came to us and gave the +following information: "A keel arrived from below this evening with +seventeen men. There are about fifty men in the fort and they march +out every morning to exercise." It was immediately determined that we +should conceal ourselves in a position as near as practicable to where +the soldiers should come out, and when the signal was given each one +was to fire on them and rush into the fort. With my knife I dug a +hole in the ground deep enough that by placing a few weeds around it, +succeeded in concealing myself. I was so near the fort that I could +hear the sentinels walking on their beats. By day break I had +finished my work and was anxiously awaiting the rising of the sun. +The morning drum beat. I examined the priming of my gun, and eagerly +watched for the gate to open. It did open, but instead of the troops, +a young man came out alone and the gate closed after him. He passed +so close to me that I could have killed him with my knife, but I let +him pass unharmed. He kept the path toward the river, and had he gone +one step from it, he must have come upon us and would have been +killed. He returned immediately and entered the gate. I would now +have rushed for the gate and entered it with him, but I feared that +our party was not prepared to follow me. + +The gate opened again when four men emerged and went down to the river +for wood. While they were gone another man came out, walked toward +the river, was fired on and killed by a Winnebago. The others started +and ran rapidly towards the fort, but two of them were shot down dead. +We then took shelter under the river's bank out of reach of the firing +from the fort. + +The firing now commenced from both parties and was kept up without +cessation all day. I advised our party to set fire to the fort, and +commenced preparing arrows for that purpose. At night we made the +attempt, and succeeded in firing the buildings several times, but +without effect, as the fire was always instantly extinguished. + +The next day I took my rifle and shot in two the cord by which they +hoisted their flag, and prevented them from raising it again. We +continued firing until our ammunition was expended. Finding that we +could not take the fort, we returned home, having one Winnebago killed +and one wounded during the siege. + +I have since learned that the trader who lived in the fort, wounded +the Winnebago while he was scalping the first man that was killed. +The Winnebago recovered, and is now living, and is very friendly +disposed towards the trader, believing him to be a great brave. + +Soon after our return home, news reached us that a war was going to +take place between the British and the Americans. + +Runners continued to arrive from different tribes, all confirming the +reports of the expected war. The British agent, Colonel Dixon, was +holding talks with, and making presents to the different tribes. I +had not made up my mind whether to join the British or remain neutral. +I had not discovered yet one good trait in the character of the +Americans who had come to the country. They made fair promises but +never fulfilled them, while the British made but few, and we could +always rely implicitly on their word. + +One of our people having killed a Frenchman at Prairie du Chien, the +British took him prisoner and said they would shoot him next day. His +family were encamped a short distance below the mouth of the +Wisconsin. He begged for permission to go and see them that night, as +he was to die the next day. They permitted him to go after he had +promised them to return by sunrise the next morning. + +He visited his family, which consisted of his wife and six children. +I can not describe their meeting and parting so as to be understood by +the whites, as it appears that their feelings are acted upon by +certain rules laid down by their preachers, while ours are governed by +the monitor within us. He bade his loved ones the last sad farewell +and hurried across the prairie to the fort and arrived in time. The +soldiers were ready and immediately marched out and shot him down. I +visited the stricken family, and by hunting and fishing provided for +them until they reached their relations. + +Why did the Great Spirit ever send the whites to this island to drive +us from our homes and introduce among us poisonous liquors, disease +and death? They should have remained in the land the Great Spirit +allotted them. But I will proceed with my story. My memory, however, +is not very good since my late visit to the white people. I have +still a buzzing noise in my ear from the noise and bustle incident to +travel. I may give some parts of my story out of place, but will make +my best endeavors to be correct. + +Several of our chiefs were called upon to go to Washington to see our +Great Father. They started and during their absence I went to Peoria, +on the Illinois river, to see an old friend and get his advice. He +was a man who always told u the truth, sad knew everything that was +going on. When I arrived at Peoria he had gone to Chicago, and was +not at home. I visited the Pottawattomie villages and then returned +to Rock river. Soon after which our friends returned from their visit +to the Great Father and reported what had been said and done. Their +Great Father told them that in the event of a war taking place with +England, not to interfere on either side, but remain neutral. He did +not want our help, but wished us to hunt and supply our families, and +remain in peace. He said that British traders would not be allowed to +come on the Mississippi to furnish us with goods, but that we would be +well supplied by an American trader. Our chiefs then told him that +the British traders always gave us credit in the fall for guns, powder +and goods, to enable us to hunt and clothe our families. He replied +that the trader at Fort Madison would have plenty of goods, and if we +should go there in the autumn of the year, he would supply us on +credit, as the British traders had done. The party gave a good +account of what they had seen and the kind treatment they had +received. This information pleased us all very much. We all agreed +to follow our Great Father's advice and not interfere in the war. Our +women were much pleased at the good news. Everything went on +cheerfully in our village. We resumed our pastimes of playing ball, +horse-racing and dancing, which had been laid aside when this great +war was first talked about. We had fine crops of corn which were now +ripe, and our women were busily engaged in gathering it and making +caches to contain it. + +In a short time we were ready to start to Fort Madison to get our +supply of goods, that we might proceed to our hunting grounds. We +passed merrily down the river, all in high spirits. I had determined +to spend the winter at my old favorite hunting ground on Skunk river. +I left part of my corn and mats at its mouth to take up as we returned +and many others did the same. + +The next morning we arrived at the fort and made our encampment. +Myself and principal men paid a visit to the war chief at the fort. +He received us kindly and gave us some tobacco, pipes and provisions. + +The trader came in and we all shook hands with him, for on him all our +dependence was placed, to enable us to hunt and thereby support our +families. We waited a long time, expecting the trader would tell us +that he had orders from our Great Father to supply us with goods, but +he said nothing on the subject. I got up and told him in a short +speech what we had come for, and hoped he had plenty of goods to +supply us. I told him that he should be well paid in the spring, and +concluded by informing him that we had decided to follow our Great +Father's advice and not go to war. + +He said that he was happy to hear that we had concluded to remain in +peace. That he had a large quantity of goods, and that if we had made +a good hunt we should be well supplied, but he remarked that he had +received no instructions to furnish us anything on credit, nor could +he give us any without receiving the pay for them on the spot! + +We informed him what our Great Father had told our chiefs at +Washington, and contended that he could supply us if he would, +believing that our Great Father always spoke the truth. The war chief +said the trader could not furnish us on credit, and that he had +received no instructions from our Great Father at Washington. We left +the fort dissatisfied and went to camp. What was now to be done we +knew not. We questioned the party that brought us the news from our +Great Father, that we could get credit for our winter supplies at this +place. They still told the same story and insisted on its truth. Few +of us slept that night. All was gloom and discontent. + +In the morning a canoe was seen descending the river, bearing an +express, who brought intelligence that La Gutrie, a British trader, +had landed at Rock Island with two boat loads of goods. He requested +us to come up immediately as he had good news for us, and a variety of +presents. The express presented us with tobacco, pipes and wampum. +The news ran through our camp like fire through dry grass on the +prairie. Our lodges were soon taken down and we all started for Rock +Island. Here ended all hopes of our remaining at peace, having been +forced into war by being deceived. + +Our party were not long in getting to Rock Island. When we came in +sight and saw tents pitched, we yelled, fired our guns and beat our +drums. Guns were immediately fired at the island, returning our +salute, and a British flag hoisted. We loaded, were cordially +received by La Gutrie, and then smoked the pipe with him. After which +he made a speech to us, saying that he had been sent by Col. Dixon. +He gave us a number of handsome presents, among them a large silk flag +and a keg of rum. He then told us to retire, take some refreshments +and rest ourselves, as he would have more to say to us next day. + +We accordingly retired to our lodges, which in the meantime had been +put up, and spent the night. The next morning we called upon him and +told him we wanted his two boat loads of goods to divide among our +people, for which he should be well paid in the spring in furs and +peltries. He consented for us to take them and do as we pleased with +them. While our people were dividing the goods, he took me aside and +informed me that Colonel Dixon was at Green Bay with twelve boats +loaded with goods, guns and ammunition. He wished to raise a party +immediately and go to him. He said our friend, the trader at Peoria, +was collecting the Pottawattomies and would be there before us. I +communicated this information to my braves, and a party of two hundred +warriors were soon collected and ready to depart. I paid a visit to +the lodge of an old friend, who had been the comrade of my youth, and +had been in many war parties with me, but was now crippled and no +longer able to travel. He had a son that I had adopted as my own, and +who had hunted with me the two winters preceding. I wished my old +friend to let him go with me. He objected, saying he could not get +his support if he did attend me, and that I, who had always provided +for him since his misfortune, would be gone, therefore he could not +spare him as he had no other dependence. I offered to leave my son in +his stead but he refused to give his consent. He said that he did not +like the war, as he had been down the river and had been well treated +by the Americans and could not fight against them. He had promised to +winter near a white settler above Salt river, and must take his son +with him. We parted and I soon concluded my arrangements and started +with my party for Green Bay. On our arrival there we found a large +encampment; were well received by Colonel Dixon and the war chiefs who +were with him. He gave us plenty of provisions, tobacco and pipes, +saying that he would hold a council with us the next day. In the +encampment I found a great number of Kickapoos, Ottawas and +Winnebagoes. I visited all their camps and found them in high +spirits. They had all received new guns, ammunition and a variety of +clothing. + +In the evening a messenger came to visit Colonel Dixon. I went to his +tent, in which them were two other war chiefs and an interpreter. He +received me with a hearty shake of the hand; presented me to the other +chiefs, who treated me cordially, expressing themselves as being much. +Pleased to meet me. After I was seated Colonel Dixon said: "General +Black Hawk, I sent for you to explain to you what we are going to do +and give you the reasons for our coming here. Our friend, La Gutrie, +informs us in the letter you brought from him, of what has lately +taken place. You will now have to hold us fast by the hand. Your +English Father has found out that the Americans want to take your +country from you and has sent me and my braves to drive them back to +their own country. He has, likewise, sent a large quantity of arms +and ammunition, and we want all your warriors to join us." + +He then placed a medal around my neck and gave me a paper, which I +lost in the late war, and a silk flag, saying: "You are to command all +the braves that will leave here the day after to-morrow, to join our +braves at Detroit." + +I told him I was very much disappointed, as I wanted to descend the +Mississippi and make war upon the settlements. He said he had been +ordered to lay in waste the country around St. Louis. But having been +a trader on the Mississippi for many years himself, and always having +been treated kindly by the people there, he could not send brave men +to murder helpless women and innocent children. There were no +soldiers there for us to fight, and where he was going to send us +there were a great many of them. If we defeated them the Mississippi +country should be ours. I was much pleased with this speech, as it +was spoken by a brave. + +I inquired about my old friend, the trader at Peoria, and observed, +"that I had expected that he would have been here before me." He +shook his head and said, "I have sent express after express for him, +and have offered him great sums of money to come and bring the +Pottawatomies and Kickapoos with him." He refused, saying, "Your +British father has not enough money to induce me to join you. I have +now laid a trap for him. I have sent Gomo and a party of Indians to +take him prisoner and bring him here alive. I expect him in a few +days." + +The next day arms and ammunition, knives, tomahawks and clothing were +given to my band. We had a great feast in the evening, and the +morning following I started with about five hundred braves to join the +British army. We passed Chicago and observed that the fort had been +evacuated by the Americans, and their soldiers had gone to Fort Wayne. +They were attacked a short distance from the fort and defeated. They +had a considerable quantity of powder in the fort at Chicago, which +they had promised to the Indians, but the night before they marched +away they destroyed it by throwing it into a well. If they had +fulfilled their word to the Indians, they doubtless would have gone to +Fort Wayne without molestation. On our arrival, I found that the +Indians had several prisoners, and I advised them to treat them well. +We continued our march, joining the British below Detroit, soon after +which we had a battle. The Americans fought well, and drove us back +with considerable loss. I was greatly surprised at this, as I had +been told that the Americans would not fight. + +Our next movement was against a fortified place. I was stationed with +my braves to prevent any person going to, or coming from the fort. I +found two men taking care of cattle and took them prisoners. I would +not kill them, but delivered them to the British war chief. Soon +after, several boats came down the river fail of American soldiers. +They landed on the opposite side, took the British batteries, and +pursued the soldiers that had left them. They went too far without +knowing the strength of the British and were defeated. I hurried +across the river, anxious for an opportunity to show the courage of my +braves, but before we reached the scene of battle all was over. + +The British had taken many prisoners and the Indians were killing +them. I immediately put a stop to it, as I never thought it brave, +but base and cowardly to kill in unarmed and helpless foe. We +remained here for some time. I can not detail what took place, as I +was stationed with my braves in the woods. It appeared, however, that +the British could not take this fort, for we marched to another, some +distance off. When we approached it, I found a small stockade, and +concluded that there were not many men in it. The British war chief +sent a flag of truce. Colonel Dixon carried it, but soon returned, +reporting that the young war chief in command would not give up the +fort without fighting. Colonel Dixon came to me and said, "you will +see to-morrow, how easily we will take that fort." I was of the same +opinion, but when the morning came I was disappointed. The British +advanced and commenced the attack, fighting like true braves, but were +defeated by the braves in the fort, and a great number of our men were +killed. The British army was making preparations to retreat. I was +now tired of being with them, our success being bad, and having got no +plunder. I determined on leaving them and returning to Rock river, to +see what had become of my wife and children, as I had not heard from +them since I left home. That night I took about twenty of my braves, +and left the British camp for home. On our journey we met no one +until we came to the Illinois river. Here we found two lodges of +Pottawattomies. They received us in a very friendly manner, and gave +us something to eat. I inquired about their friends who were with the +British. They said there had been some fighting on the Illinois +river, and that my friend, the Peoria trader, had been taken prisoner. +"By Gomo and his party?" I immediately inquired. They replied, "no, +but by the Americans, who came up with boats. They took him and the +French settlers prisoners, and they burned the village of Peoria." +They could give us no information regarding our friends on Rock river. +In three days more we were in the vicinity of our village, and were +soon after surprised to find that a party of Americans had followed us +from the British camp. One of them, more daring than his comrades, +had made his way through the thicket on foot, and was just in the act +of shooting me when I discovered him. I then ordered him to +surrender, marched him into camp, and turned him over to a number of +our young men with this injunction: "Treat him as a brother, as I have +concluded to adopt him in our tribe." + +A little while before this occurrence I had directed my party to +proceed to the village, as I had discovered a smoke ascending from a +hollow in the bluff, and wished to go alone to the place from whence +the smoke proceeded, to see who was there. I approached the spot, and +when I came in view of the fire, I saw an old man sitting in sorrow +beneath a mat which he had stretched over him. At any other time I +would have turned away without disturbing him, knowing that he came +here to be alone, to humble himself before the Great Spirit, that he +might take pity on him. I approached and seated myself beside him. +He gave one look at me and then fixed his eyes on the ground. It was +my old friend. I anxiously inquired for his son, my adopted child, +and what had befallen our people. My old comrade seemed scarcely +alive. He must have fasted a long time. I lighted my pipe and put it +into his mouth. He eagerly drew a few puffs, cast up his eyes which +met mine, and recognized me. His eyes were glassy and he would again +have fallen into forgetfulness, had I not given him some water, which +revived him. I again inquired, "what has befallen our people, and +what has become of our son?" + +In a feeble voice he said, "Soon after your departure to join the +British, I descended the river with a small party, to winter at the +place I told you the white man had asked me to come to. When we +arrived I found that a fort had been built, and the white family that +had invited me to come and hunt near them had removed to it. I then +paid a visit to the fort to tell the white people that my little band +were friendly, and that we wished to hunt in the vicinity of the fort. +The war chief who commanded there, told me that we might hunt on the +Illinois side of the Mississippi, and no person would trouble us. +That the horsemen only ranged on the Missouri side, and he had +directed them not to cross the river. I was pleased with this +assurance of safety, and immediately crossed over and made my winter's +camp. Game was plenty. We lived happy, and often talked of you. My +boy regretted your absence and the hardships you would have to +undergo. We had been here about two moons, when my boy went out as +usual to hunt. Night came on and he did not return. I was alarmed +for his safety and passed a sleepless night. In the morning my old +woman went to the other lodges and gave the alarm and all turned out +to hunt for the missing one. There being snow upon the ground they +soon came upon his track, and after pursuing it for some distance, +found he was on the trail of a deer, which led toward the river. They +soon came to the place where he had stood and fired, and near by, +hanging on the branch of a tree, found the deer, which he had killed +and skinned. But here were also found the tracks of white men. They +had taken my boy prisoner. Their tracks led across the river and then +down towards the fort. My friends followed on the trail, and soon +found my boy lying dead. He had been most cruelly murdered. His face +was shot to pieces, his body stabbed in several places and his head +scalped. His arms were pinioned behind him." + +The old man paused for some time, and then told me that his wife had +died on their way up the Mississippi. I took the hand of my old +friend in mine and pledged myself to avenge the death of his son. It +was now dark, and a terrible storm was raging. The rain was descending +in heavy torrents, the thunder was rolling in the heavens, and the +lightning flashed athwart the sky. I had taken my blanket off and +wrapped it around the feeble old man. When the storm abated I kindled +a fire and took hold of my old friend to remove him nearer to it. He +was dead! I remained with him during the night. Some of my party +came early in the morning to look for me, and assisted me in burying +him on the peak of the bluff. I then returned to the village with my +friends. I visited the grave of my old friend as I ascended Rock +river the last time. + +On my arrival at the village I was met by the chiefs and braves and +conducted to the lodge which was prepared for me. After eating, I gave +a fall account of all that I had seen and done. I explained to my +people the manner in which the British and Americans fought. Instead +of stealing upon each other and taking every advantage to kill the +enemy and save their own people as we do, which, with us is considered +good policy in a war chief, they march out in open daylight and fight +regardless of the number of warriors they may lose. After the battle +is over they retire to feast and drink wine as if nothing had +happened. After which they make a statement in writing of what they +have done, each party claiming the victory, and neither giving an +account of half the number that have been killed on their own side +They all fought like braves, but would not do to lead a party with us. +Our maxim is: "Kill the enemy and save our own men." Those chiefs will +do to paddle a canoe but not to steer it. The Americans shot better +than the British, but their soldiers were not so well clothed, nor so +well provided for. + +The village chief informed me that after I started with my braves and +the parties who followed, the nation was reduced to a small party of +fighting men; that they would have been unable to defend themselves if +the Americans had attacked them. That all the children and old men and +women belonging to the warriors who had joined the British were left +with them to provide for. A council had been called which agreed that +Quashquame, the Lance, and other chiefs, with the old men, women and +children, and such others as chose to accompany them, should descend +the Mississippi to St. Louis, and place themselves under the American +chief stationed there. They accordingly went down to St. Louis, were +received as the friendly band of our nation, were sent up the Missouri +and provided for, while their friends were assisting the British! + +Keokuk was then introduced to me as the war chief of the braves then +in the village. I inquired how he had become chief? They said that a +large armed force was seen by their spies going toward Peoria. Fears +were entertained that they would come up and attack the village and a +council had been called to decide as to the best course to be adopted, +which concluded upon leaving the village and going to the west side of +the Mississippi to get out of the way. Keokuk, during the sitting of +the council, had been standing at the door of the lodge, not being +allowed to enter, as he had never killed an enemy, where he remained +until old Wacome came out. He then told him that he heard what they +had decided upon, and was anxious to be permitted to speak before the +council adjourned. Wacome returned and asked leave for Keokuk to come +in and make a speech. His request was granted. Keokuk entered and +addressed the chiefs. He said: "I have heard with sorrow that you +have determined to leave our village and cross the Mississippi, merely +because you have been told that the Americans were coming in this +direction. Would you leave our village, desert our homes and fly +before an enemy approaches? Would you leave all, even the graves of +our fathers, to the mercy of an enemy without trying to defend them? +Give me charge of your warriors and I'll defend the village while you +sleep in safety." + +The council consented that Keokuk should be war chief. He marshalled +his braves, sent out his spies and advanced with a party himself on +the trail leading to Peoria. They returned without seeing an enemy. +The Ameicans did not come by our village. All were satisfied with the +appointment of Keokuk. He used every precaution that our people +should not be surprised. This is the manner in which and the cause of +his receiving the appointment. + +I was satisfied, and then started to visit my wife and children. I +found them well, and my boys were growing finely. It is not customary +for us to say much about our women, as they generally perform their +part cheerfully and never interfere with business belonging to the +men. This is the only wife I ever had or ever will have. She is a +good woman, and teaches my boys to be brave. Here I would have rested +myself and enjoyed the comforts of my lodge, but I could not. I had +promised to avenge the death of my adopted son. + +I immediately collected a party of thirty braves, and explained to +them the object of my making this war party, it being to avenge the +death of my adopted son, who had been cruelly and wantonly murdered by +the whites. I explained to them the pledge I had made to his father, +and told them that they were the last words that he had heard spoken. +All were willing to go with me to fulfill my word. We started in +canoes, and descended the Mississippi, until we arrived ear the place +where Fort Madison had stood. It had been abandoned and burned by the +whites, and nothing remained but the chimneys. We were pleased to see +that the white people had retired from the country. We proceeded down +the river again. I landed with one brave near Cape Gray, the +remainder of the party went to the mouth of the Quiver. I hurried +across to the tail that led from the mouth of the Quiver to a fort, +and soon after heard firing at the mouth of the creek. Myself and +brave concealed ourselves on the side of the road. We had not +remained here long before two men, riding one horse, came at full +speed from the direction of the sound of the firing. When they came +sufficiently near we fired; the horse jumped and both men fell. We +rushed toward them and one rose and ran. I followed him and was +gaining on him, when he ran over a pile of rails that had lately been +made, seized a stick and struck at me. I now had an opportunity to +see his face, and I knew him. He had been at Qaashquame's village to +teach his people how to plow. We looked upon him as a good man. I +did not wish to kill him, and pursued him no further. I returned and +met my brave. He said he had killed the other man and had his scalp +in his hand. We had not proceeded far before we met the man supposed +to be killed, coming up the road, staggering like a drunken man, and +covered all over with blood. This was the most terrible sight I had +ever seen. I told my comrade to kill him to put him out of his +misery. I could not look at him. I passed on and heard a rustling in +the bushes. I distinctly saw two little boys concealing themselves in +the undergrowth, thought of my own children, and passed on without +noticing them. My comrade here joined me, and in a little while we +met the other detachment of our party. I told them that we would be +pursued, and directed them to follow me. We crossed the creek and +formed ourselves in the timber. We had not been here long, when a +party of mounted men rushed at full speed upon us. I took deliberate +aim and shot the leader of the party. He fell lifeless from his +horse. All my people fired, but without effect. The nemy rushed upon +us without giving us time to reload. They surrounded us and forced us +into a deep sink-hole, at the bottom of which there were some bushes. +We loaded our gum and awaited the approach of the enemy. They rushed +to the edge of the hole, fired on us and killed one of our men. We +instantly returned their fire, killing one of their party. We +reloaded and commenced digging holes in the side of the bank to +protect ourselves, while a party watched the enemy, expecting their +whole force would be upon us immediately. Some of my warriors +commenced singing their death songs. I heard the whites talking, and +called to them to come out and fight. I did not like my situation and +wished the matter settled. I soon heard chopping and knocking. I +could not imagine what they were doing. Soon after they ran up a +battery on wheels and fired without hurting any of us. I called to +them again, and told them if they were brave men to come out and fight +us. They gave up the siege and returned to their fort about dusk. +There were eighteen in this trap with me. We came out unharmed, with +the exception of the brave who was killed by the enemy's fist fire, +after we were entrapped. We found one white man dead at the edge of +the sink-hole, whom they did not remove for fear of our fire, and +scalped him, placing our dead brave upon him, thinking we could not +leave him in a better situation than on the prostrate form of a fallen +foe. + +We had now effected our purpose and concluded to go back by land, +thinking it unsafe to use our canoes. I found my wife and children, +and the greater part of our people, at the mouth of the Iowa river. I +now determined to remain with my family and hunt for them, and to +humble myself before the Great Spirit, returning thanks to him for +preserving me through the war. I made my hunting camp on English +river, which is a branch of the Iowa. During the winter a party of +Pottawattomies came from the Illinois to pay me a visit, among them +was Washeown, an old man who had formerly lived in our village. He +informed as that in the fall the Americans had built a fort at Peoria +and had prevented them from going down the Sangamon to hunt. He said +they were very much distressed. Gomo had returned from the British +army, and brought news of their defeat near Malden. He told us that +he went to the American chief with a flag, gave up fighting, and told +him he desired to make peace for his nation. The American chief gave +him a paper to the war chief at Peoria, and I visited that fort with +Gomo. It was then agreed that there should be no more hostilities +between the Americans and the Pottawattomies. Two of the white +chiefs, with eight Pottawattomie braves, and five others, Americans, +had gone down to St. Louis to have the treaty of peace confirmed. +This, said Washeown, is good news; for we can now go to our hunting +grounds, and, for my part, I never had anything to do with this war. +The Americans never killed any of our people before the war, nor +interfered with our hunting grounds, and I resolved to do nothing +against them. I made no reply to these remarks as the speaker was old +and talked like a child. + +We gave the Pottawattomies a great feast. I presented Washeown with a +good horse. My braves gave one to each of his party, and, at parting, +said they wished us to make peace, which we did not promise, but told +them that we would not send out war parties against the settlements. + +A short time after the Pottawattomies had gone, a party of thirty +braves belonging to our nation, from the peace camp on the Missouri, +paid us a visit. They exhibited five scalps which they had taken on +the Missouri, and wished us to join in a dance over them, which we +willingly did. They related the manner in which they had taken these +scalps. Myself and braves showed them the two we had taken near the +Quiver, and told them the cause that induced us to go out with the war +party, as well as the manner in which we took these scalps, and the +difficulty we had in obtaining them. + +They recounted to us all that had taken place, the number that had +been slain by the peace party, as they were called and recognized to +be, which far surpassed what our warriors, who had joined the British, +had done. This party came for the purpose of joining the British, but +I advised them to return to the peace party, and told them the news +which the Pottawattomies had brought. They returned to the Missouri, +accompanied by some of my braves whose families were there. + +After "sugar-making" was over in the spring, I visited the Fox village +at the lead mines. They had nothing to do with the war, and +consequently were not in mourning. I remained there some days, +spending my time very pleasantly with them in dancing and feasting. I +then paid a visit to the Pottawattomie village on the Illinois river, +and learned that Sanatuwa and Tatapuckey had been to St. Louis. Gomo +told me that "peace had been made between his people and the +Americans, and that seven of his band remained with the war chief to +make the peace stronger." He then told me: "Washeown is dead! He had +gone to the fort to carry some wild fowl to exchange for tobacco, +pipes and other articles. He had secured some tobacco and a little +flour, and left the fort before sunset, but had not proceeded far when +he was _shot dead_ by a white war chief, who had concealed himself +near the path for that purpose. He then dragged him to the lake and +threw him in, where I afterwards found him. I have since given two +homes and a rifle to his relatives, not to break the peace, to which +they have agreed." + +I remained for some time at the village of Gomo, and went with him to +the fort to pay a visit to the war chief. I spoke the Pottawattomie +tongue well, and was taken for one of their people by him. He treated +us friendly, and said he was very much displeased about the murder of' +Washeown. He promised us he would find out and punish the person who +killed him. He made some inquiries about the Sacs, which I answered. +On my return to Rock river, I was informed that a party of soldiers +had gone up the Mississippi to build a fort at Prairie du Chien. They +stopped near our village, appearing very friendly, and were treated +kindly by our people. + +We commenced repairing our lodges, putting our village in order, and +clearing our cornfields. We divided the fields belonging to the party +on the Missouri among those who wanted them, on condition that they +should be relinquished to their owners on their return from the peace +establishment. We were again happy in our village. Our women went +cheerfully to work and all moved on harmoniously. + +Some time afterward, five or six boats arrived loaded with soldiers on +their way to Prairie du Chien to reinforce the garrison at that place. +They appeared friendly and were well received, and we held a council +with the war chief. We had no intention of hurting him or any of his +party, for we could easily have defeated them. They remained with us +all day and gave oar people plenty of whisky. Doing the night a party +arrived, by way of Rock river, who brought us six kegs of powder. +They told us that the British had gone to Prairie du Chien and taken +the fort. They wished us to again join them in the war, which we +agreed to do. I collected my warriors and determined to pursue the +boats, which had sailed with a fair wind. If we had known the day +before, we could easily have taken them all, as the war chief used no +precaution to prevent it. + +I started immediately with my party, by land, in pursuit, thinking +that some of their boats might get aground, or that the Great Spirit +would put them in our power, if he wished them taken and their people +killed. About half way up the rapids I had a full view of the boats +all sailing with a strong wind. I discovered that one boat was badly +managed, and was suffered to be drawn ashore by the wind. They landed +by running hard aground and lowered their sail. The others passed on. +This boat the Great Spirit gave to us. All that could, hurried +aboard, but they were unable to push off, being fast aground. We +advanced to the river's bank undercover, and commenced firing on the +boat. I encouraged my braves to continue firing. Several guns were +fired from the boat, but without effect. I prepared my bow and arrows +to throw fire to the sail, which was lying on the boat. After two or +three attempts, I succeeded in setting it on fire. The boat was soon +in flames. About this time, one of the boats that had passed +returned, dropped anchor and swung in close to one which was on fire, +taking off all the people except those who were killed or badly +wounded. We could distinctly see them passing from one boat to the +other, and fired on them with good effect. We wounded the war chief +in this way. Another boat now came down, dropped her anchor, which +did not take hold, and drifted whore. The other boat cut her cable +and drifted down the river, leaving their comrades without attempting +to assist them. We then commenced an attack upon this boat, firing +several rounds, which was not returned. We thought they were afraid +or only had a few aboard. I therefore ordered a rush toward the boat, +but when we got near enough they fired, killing two of our braves-- +these being all we lost in the engagement. Some of their men jumped +out and shoved the boat off, and thus got away without losing a man. +I had a good opinion of this war chief, as he managed so much better +than the others. It would give me pleasure to shake him by the hand. + +We now put out the fire on the captured boat to save the cargo, when a +skiff was seen coming down the river. Some of our people cried out, +"Here comes an express from Prairie du Chien." We hoisted the British +flag, but they would not land. They turned their little boat around, +and rowed up the river. We directed a few shots at them, but they +were so far off that we could not hurt them. I found several barrels +of whisky on the captured boat, knocked in the heads and emptied the +bad medicine late the river. I next found a box full of small bottles +and packages, which appeared to be bad medicine also, such as the +medicine men kill the white people with when they are sick. This I +threw into the river. Continuing my search for plunder, I found +several guns, some large barrels filled with clothing, and a number of +cloth lodges, all of which I distributed among my warriors. We now +disposed of the dead, and returned to the Fox village opposite the +lower end of Rock Island, where we put up our new lodges, and hoisted +the British flag. A great many of our braves were dressed in the +uniform clothing which we had taken from the Americans, which gave our +encampment the appearance of a regular camp of soldiers. We placed +out sentinels and commenced dancing over the scalps we had taken. +Soon after several boats passed down, among them a very large one +carrying big guns. Our young men followed them some distance, but +could do them no damage more than scare them. We were now certain +that the fort at Prairie du Chien had been taken, as this large boat +went up with the first party who built the fort. + +In the course of the day some of the British came down in a small +boat. They had followed the large one, thinking it would get fast in +the rapids, in which case they were sure of taking her. They had +summoned her on her way down to surrender, but she refused to do so, +and now, that she had passed the rapids in safety, all hope of taking +her had vanished. The British landed a big gun and gave us three +soldiers to manage it. They complimented us for our bravery in taking +the boat, and told us what they had done at Prairie do Chien. They +gave us, a keg of rum, and joined with us in our dancing and feasting. +We gave them some things which we had taken from the boat, +particularly books and papers. They started the next morning, +promising to return in a few days with a large body of soldiers. + +We went to work under the direction of the men left with us, and dug +up the ground in two places to put the big gun in, that the men might +remain in with it and be safe. We then sent spies down the river to +reconnoitre, who sent word by a runner that several boats were coming +up filled with men. I marshalled my forces and was soon ready for +their arrival. I resolved to fight, as we had not yet had a fair +fight with the Americans during the war. The boats arrived in the +evening, stopping at a small willow island, nearly opposite to us. +During the night we removed our big gun further down, and at daylight +next morning commenced firing. We were pleased to see that almost +every shot took effect. The British being good gunners, rarely +missed. They pushed off as quickly as possible, although I had +expected they would land and give us battle. I was fully prepared to +meet them but was sadly disappointed by the boats all sailing down the +river. A party of braves followed to watch where they landed, but +they did not stop until they got below the Des Moines rapids, where +they came ashore and commenced building a fort. I did not want a fort +in our country, as we wished to go down to the Two River country in +the fall and hunt, it being our choice hunting ground, and we +concluded that if this fort was built, it would prevent us from going +there. We arrived in the vicinity in the evening, and encamped on a +high bluff for the night. We made no fire, for fear of being +observed, and our young men kept watch by turns while others slept. I +was very tired, and was soon asleep. The Great Spirit, during my +slumber, told me to go down the bluff to a creek, that I would there +find a hollow tree cut down, and by looking in at the top of it, I +would see a large snake with head erect--to observe the direction he +was looking, and I would see the enemy close by and unarmed. In the +morning I communicated to my braves what the Great Spirit had said to +me, took one of them and went down a ravine that led to the creek. I +soon came in sight of the place where they were building the fort, +which was on a hill at the opposite side of the creek. I saw a great +many men. We crawled cautiously on our hands and knees until we got +to the bottom land, then through the grass and weeds until we reached +the bank of the creek. Here I found a tree that had been cut down; I +looked in at the top of it and saw a large snake, with his head +raised, looking across the creek. I raised myself cautiously, and +discovered nearly opposite to me, two war chiefs walking arm in arm, +without guns. They turned and walked back toward the place where the +men were working at the fort. In a little while they returned, +walking directly towards the spot where we lay concealed, but did not +come so near as before. If they had they would have been killed, for +each of us had a good rifle. We crossed the creek and crawled to a +cluster of bushes. I again raised myself a little to see if they were +coming; but they went into the fort, and by this they saved their +lives. + +We recrossed the creek and I returned alone, going up the same ravine +I came down. My brave went down the creek, and I, on raising the brow +of a hill to the left of the one we came down, could plainly see the +men at work. I saw a sentinel walking in the bottom near the mouth of +the creek. I watched him attentively, to see if he perceived my +companion, who had gone toward him. The sentinel stopped for some +time and looked toward where my brave was concealed. He walked first +one way and then the other. + +I observed my brave creeping towards him, at last he lay still for a +while, not even moving the grass, and as the sentinel turned to walk +away, my brave fired and he fell. I looked towards the fort, and saw +the whites were in great confusion, running wildly in every direction, +some down the steep bank toward a boat. My comrade joined me, we +returned to the rest of the party and all hurried back to Rock river, +where we arrived in safety at our village. I hung up my medicine bag, +put away my rifle and spear, feeling as if I should want them no more, +as I had no desire to raise other war parties against the whites +unless they gave me provocation. Nothing happened worthy of note +until spring, except that the fort below the rapids had been abandoned +and burned by the Americans. + +Soon after I returned from my wintering ground we received information +that peace had been made between the British and Americans, and that +we were required to make peace also, and were invited to go down to +Portage des Sioux, for that purpose. Some advised that we should go +down, others that we should not. Nomite, our principal civil chief, +said he would go, as soon as the Foxes came down from the mines. + +They came and we all started from Rock river, but we had not gone far +before our chief was taken sick and we stopped with him at the village +on Henderson river. The Foxes went on and we were to follow as soon +as our chief got better, but he rapidly became worse and soon died. +His brother now became the principal chief. He refused to go down, +saying, that if he started, he would be taken sick and die as his +brother had done. This seemed to be reasonable, so we concluded that +none of us would go at this time. The Foxes returned. They said, "we +have smoked the pipe of peace with our enemies, and expect that the +Americans will send a war party against you if you do not go down." +This I did not believe, as the Americans had always lost by their +armies that were sent against us. La Gutrie and other British traders +arrived at our village in the fall. La Gutrie told us that we must go +down and make peace, as this was the wish of our English father. He +said he wished us to go down to the Two River country to winter, where +game was plenty, as there had been no hunting there for several years. + +Having heard the principal war chief had come up with a number of +troops, and commenced the erection of a fort near the Rapids des +Moines, we consented to go down with the traders to visit the American +chief, and tell him the reason why we had not been down sooner. When +we arrived at the head of the rapids, the traders left their goods, +and all of their boats with one exception, in which they accompanied +us to see the Americans. We visited the war chief on board his boat, +telling him what we had to say, and explaining why we had not been +down sooner. He appeared angry and talked to La Gutrie for some time. +I inquired of him what the war chief said. He told me that he was +threatening to hang him up to the yard arm of his boat. "But" said +he, "I am not afraid of what he says. He dare not put his threats +into execution. I have done no more than I had a right to do a. a +British subject." + +I then addressed the chief, asking permission for ourselves and some +Menomonees, to go down to the Two River country for the purpose of +hunting. He said we might go down but must return before the ice +came, as he did not intend that we should winter below the fort. +"But," he inquired, "what do you want the Menomonee. to go with you +for?" + +I did not know at first what reply to make, but told him that they had +a great many pretty squaws with them, and we wished them to go with us +on that account. He consented. We all went down the river and +remained all winter, as we had no intention of returning before spring +when we asked leave to go. We made a good hunt. Having loaded our +trader's boats with furs and peltries, they started to Mackinac, and +we returned to our village. + +There is one circumstance that I did not relate at the proper place. +It has no reference to myself or people, but to my friend Gomo, the +Pottawattomie chief. He came to Rock river to pay me a visit, and +during his stay he related to me the following story: + +"The war chief at Peoria is a very good man. He always speaks the +truth and treats our people well. He sent for me one day, told me he +was nearly out of provisions, and wished me to send my young men +hunting to supply his fort. I promised to do so, immediately returned +to my camp and told my young men the wishes and wants of the war +chief. They readily agreed to go and hurt for our friend and returned +with plenty of deer. They carried them to the fort, laid them down at +the gate and returned to our camp. A few days afterward I went again +to the fort to see if they wanted any more meat. The chief gave me +powder and lead and said he wanted, me to send my hunters out again. +When I returned to camp, I told my young men that the chief wanted +more meat. Matatah, one of my principal braves, said he would take a +party and go across the Illinois, about one day's travel, where game +was plenty, and make a good hunt for our friend the war chief. He +took eight hunters with him, and his wife and several other squaws +went with them. They had travelled about half the day in the prairie +when they discovered a party of white men coming towards them with a +drove of cattle. Our hunters apprehended no danger or they would have +kept out of the way of the whites, who had not yet perceived them. +Matatah changed his course, as he wished to meet and speak to the +whites. As soon n the whites saw our party, some of them put off at +full speed, and came up to our hunters. Matatah gave up his gun to +them, and endeavored to explain to them that he was friendly and was +hunting for the war chief. They were not satisfied with this but +fired at and wounded him. He got into the branches of a tree that had +blown down, to keep the horses from running over him. He was again +fired on several times and badly wounded. He, finding that he would +be murdered, and, mortally wounded already, sprang at the man nearest +him, seized his gun and shot him from his horse. He then fell, +covered with blood from his wounds, and immediately expired. The +other hunters being in the rear of Matatah attempted to escape, after +seeing their leader so basely murdered by the whites. They were +pursued and nearly all of the party killed. My youngest brother +brought me the news in the night, he having been with the party and +was slightly wounded. He said the whites had abandoned their cattle +and gone back towards the settlement. The rest of the night we spent +in mourning for our friends. At daylight I blacked my face and +started for the fort to see the chief. I met him at the gate and told +him what had happened. His countenance changed and I could see sorrow +depicted in it for the death of my people. He tied to persuade me +that I was mistaken, as he could not believe that the whites would act +so cruelly. But when I convinced him, he said to me, 'those cowards +who murdered your people shall be punished.' I told him that my +people would have revenge, that they would not trouble any of his +people at the fort, as we did not blame him or any of his soldiers, +but that a party of my braves would go towards the Wabash to avenge +the death of their friends and relations. The next day I took a party +of hunters, killed several deer, and left them at the fort gate as I +passed." + +Here Gomo ended his story. I could relate many similar ones that have +come within my own knowledge and observation, but I dislike to look +back and bring on sorrow afresh. I will resume my narrative. + +The great chief at St. Louis having sent word for us to come down and +confirm the treaty, we did not hesitate, but started immediately that +we might smoke the peace pipe with him. On our arrival we met the +great chiefs in council. They explained to us the words of our Great +Father at Washington, accusing us of heinous crimes and many +misdemeanors, particularly in not coming down when first invited. We +knew very well that our Great Father had deceived us and thereby +forced us to join the British, and could not believe that he had put +this speech into the mouths of those chiefs to deliver to us. I was +not a civil chief and consequently made no reply, but our civil chiefs +told the commissioner that, "What you say is a lie. Our Great Father +sent us no such speech, he knew that the situation in which we had +been placed was caused by him." The white chiefs appeared very angry +at this reply and said, "We will break off the treaty and make war +against you, as you have grossly insulted us." + +Our chiefs had no intention of insulting them and told them so, +saying, "we merely wish to explain that you have told us a lie, +without any desire to make you angry, in the same manner that you +whites do when you do not believe what is told you." The council then +proceeded and the pipe of peace was smoked. + +Here for the first time, I touched the goose quill to the treaty not +knowing, however, that, by the act I consented to give away my +village. Had that been explained to me I should have opposed it and +never would have signed their treaty, as my recent conduct will +clearly prove. + +What do we know of the manners, the laws, and the customs of the white +people? They might buy our bodies for dissection, and we would touch +the goose quill to confirm it and not know what we were doing. This +was the case with me and my people in touching the goose quill for the +first time. + +We can only judge of what is proper and right by our standard of what +is right and wrong, which differs widely from the whites, if I have +been correctly informed. The whites may do wrong all their lives, and +then if they are sorry for it when about to die, all is well, but with +us it is different. We must continue to do good throughout our lives. +If we have corn and meat, and know of a family that have none, we +divide with them. If we have more blankets than we absolutely need, +and others have not enough, we must give to those who are in want. +But I will presently explain our customs and the manner in which we +live. + +We were treated friendly by the whites and started on our return to +our village on Rock river. When we arrived we found that the troops +had come to build a fort on Rock Island. This, in our opinion, was a +contradiction to what we had done--"to prepare for war in time of +peace." We did not object, however, to their building their fort on +the island, but were very sorry, as this was the best one on the +Mississippi, and had long been the resort of our young people during +the summer. It was our garden, like the white people have near their +big villages, which supplied us with strawberries, blackberries, +gooseberries, plums, apples and nuts of different kinds. Being +situated at the foot of the rapids its waters supplied us with the +finest fish. In my early life I spent many happy days on this island. +A good spirit had charge of it, which lived in a cave in the rocks +immediately under the place where the fort now stands. This guardian +spirit has often been seen by our people. It was white, with large +wings like a swan's, but ten times larger. We were particular not to +make much noise in that part of the island which it inhabited, for +fear of disturbing it. But the noise at the fort has since driven it +away, and no doubt a bad spirit has taken its place. + +Our village was situated on the north side of Rock river, at the foot +of the rapids, on the point of land between Rock river and the +Mississippi. + +In front a prairie extended to the Mississippi, and in the rear a +continued bluff gently ascended from the prairie. + + + +BLACK HAWK'S TOWER. + +On its highest peak our Watch Tower was situated, from which we had a +fine view for many miles up and down Rock river, and in every +direction. On the side of this bluff we had our corn fields, +extending about two miles up parallel with the larger river, where +they adjoined those of the Foxes, whose village was on the same +stream, opposite the lower end of Rock Island, and three miles distant +from ours. We had eight hundred acres in cultivation including what +we had on the islands in Rock river. The land around our village +which remained unbroken, was covered with blue-grass which furnished +excellent pasture for our horses. Several fine springs poured out of +the bluff near by, from which we were well supplied with good water. +The rapids of Rock river furnished us with an abundance of excellent +fish, and the land being very fertile, never failed to produce good +crops of corn, beans, pumpkins and squashes. We always had plenty; +our children never cried from hunger, neither were our people in want. +Here our village had stood for more than a hundred years, during all +of which time we were the undisputed possessors of the Mississippi +valley, from the Wisconsin to the Portage des Sioux, near the mouth of +the Missouri, being about seven hundred miles in length. + +At this time we had very little intercourse with the whites except +those who were traders. Our village was healthy, and there was no +place in the country possessing such advantages, nor hunting grounds +better than those we had in possession. If a prophet had come to our +village in those days and told us that the things were to take place +which have since come to pass, none of our people would have believed +him. What! to be driven from our village, and our hunting grounds, +and not even to be permitted to visit the graves of our forefathers +and relatives and our friends? + +This hardship is not known to the whites. With us it is a custom to +visit the graves of our friends and keep them in repair for many +years. The mother will go alone to weep over the grave of her child. +The brave, with pleasure, visits the grave of his father, after he has +been successful in war, and repaints the post that marks where he +lies. There is no place like that where the bones of our forefathers +lie to go to when in grief. Here prostrate by the tombs of our +fathers will the Great Spirit take pity on us. + +But how different is our situation now from what it was in those happy +days. Then were we as happy as the buffalo on the plains, but now, we +are as miserable as the hungry wolf on the prairie. But I am +digressing from my story. Bitter reflections crowd upon my mind and +must find utterance. + +When we returned to our village in the spring, from our wintering +grounds, we would finish bartering with our traders, who always +followed us to our village. We purposely kept some of our fine furs +for this trade, and, as there was great opposition among them, who +should get these furs, we always got our goods cheap. After this +trade was met, the traders would give us a few kegs of rum, which were +generally promised in the fall, to encourage us to make a good hunt +and not go to war. They would then start with their furs and +peltries, for their homes, and our old men would take a frolic. At +this time our young men never drank. When this was ended, the next +thing to be done was to bury our dead; such as had died during the +year. This is a great medicine feast. The relations of those who +have died, give all the goods they have purchased, as presents to +their friends, thereby reducing themselves to poverty, to show the +Great Spirit that they are humble, so that he will take pity on them. +We would next open the caches, take out the corn and other provisions +which had been put up in the fall. We would then commence repairing +our lodges. As soon as this was accomplished, we repair the fences +around our corn fields and clean them off ready for planting. This +work was done by the women. The men during this time are feasting on +dried venison, bear's meat, wild fowl and corn prepared in different +ways, while recounting to one another what took place during the +winter. + +Our women plant the corn, and as soon as they are done we make a +feast, at which we dance the crane dance in which they join us, +dressed in their most gaudy attire, and decorated with feathers. At +this feast the young men select the women they wish to have for wives. +He then informs his mother, who calls on the mother of the girl, when +the necessary arrangements are made and the time appointed for him to +come. He goes to the lodge when all are asleep, or pretend to be, and +with his flint and steel strikes a light and soon finds where his +intended sleeps. He then awakens her, holds the light close to his +face that she may know him, after which he places the light close to +her. If she blows it out the ceremony is ended and he appears in the +lodge next morning as one of the family. If she does not blow out the +light, but leaves it burning he retires from the lodge. The next day +he places himself in full view of it and plays his flute. The young +women go out one by one to see who he is playing for. The tune +changes to let them know he is not playing for them. When his intended +makes her appearance at the door, he continues his courting tune until +she returns to the lodge. He then quits playing and makes another +trial at night which mostly turns out favorable. During the first +year they ascertain whether they can agree with each other and be +happy, if not they separate and each looks for another companion. If +we were to live together and disagree, we would be as foolish as the +whites. No indiscretion can banish a woman from her parental lodge; +no difference how many children she may bring home she is always +welcome--the kettle is over the fire to feed them. + +The crane dance often lasts two or three days. When this is over, we +feast again and have our national dance. The large square in the +village is swept and prepared for the purpose. The chiefs and old +warriors take seats on mats, which have been spread on the upper end +of the square, next come the drummers and singers, the braves and +women form the sides, leaving a large space in the middle. The drums +beat and the singing commences. A warrior enters the square keeping +time with the music. He shows the manner he started on a war party, +how he approached the enemy, he strikes and shows how he killed him. +All join in the applause, and he then leaves the square and another +takes his place. Such of our young men have not been out in war +parties and killed in enemy stand back ashamed, not being allowed to +enter the square. I remember that I was ashamed to look where our +young men stood, before I could take my stand in the ring as a +warrior. + +What pleasure it is to an old warrior, to see his son come forward and +relate his exploits. It makes him feel young, induces him to enter +the square and "fight his battles o'er again." + +This national dance makes our warriors. When I was travelling last +summer on a steamboat on the river, going from New York to Albany, I +was shown the place where the Americans dance the war-dance, (West +Point), where the old warriors recount to their young men what they +have done to stimulate them to go and do likewise. This surprised me, +as I did not think the whites understood our way of making braves. + +When our national dance is over, our cornfields hoed, every weed dug +up and our corn about knee high, all our young men start in a +direction toward sundown, to hunt deer and buffalo and to kill Sioux +if any are found on our hunting grounds. A part of our old men and +women go to the lead mines to make lead, and the remainder of our +people start to fish and get meat stuff. Every one leaves the village +and remains away about forty days. They then return, the hunting +party bringing in dried buffalo and deer meat, and sometimes Sioux +scalps, when they are found trespassing on our hunting grounds. At +other times they are met by a party of Sioux too strong for them and +are driven in. If the Sioux have killed the Sacs last, they expect to +be retaliated upon and will fly before them, and so with us. Each +party knows that the other has a right to retaliate, which induces +those who have killed last to give way before their enemy, as neither +wishes to strike, except to avenge the death of relatives. All our +wars are instigated by the relations of those killed, or by +aggressions on our hunting grounds. The party from the lead mines +brings lead, and the others dried fish, and mats for our lodges. +Presents are now made by each party, the first giving to the others +dried buffalo and deer, and they in return presenting them lead, dried +fish and mats. This is a happy season of the year, having plenty of +provisions, such as beans, squashes and other produce; with our dried +meat and fish, we continue to make feasts and visit each other until +our corn is ripe. Some lodge in the village a feast daily to the +Great Spirit. I cannot explain this so that the white people will +understand me, as we have no regular standard among us. + +Every one makes his feast as he thinks best, to please the Great +Spirit, who has the care of all beings created. Others believe in two +Spirits, one good and one bad, and make feasts for the Bad Spirit, to +keep him quiet. They think that if they can make peace with him, the +Good Spirit will not hurt them. For my part I am of the opinion, that +so far as we have reason, we have a right to use it in determining +what is right or wrong, and we should always pursue that path which we +believe to be right, believing that "whatsoever is, is right." If the +Great and Good Spirit wished us to believe and do as the whites, he +could easily change our opinions, so that we could see, and think, and +act as they do. We are nothing compared to his power, and we feel and +know it. We have men among us, like the whites, who pretend to know +the right path, but will not consent to show it without pay. I have +no faith in their paths, but believe that every man must make his own +path. + +When our corn is getting ripe, our young people watch with anxiety for +the signal to pull roasting ears, as none dare touch them until the +proper time. When the corn is fit for use another great ceremony +takes place, with feasting and returning thanks to the Great Spirit +for giving us Corn. + +I will has relate the manner in which corn first came. According to +tradition handed down to our people, a beautiful woman was seen to +descend from the clouds, and alight upon the earth, by two of our +ancestors who had killed a deer, and were sitting by a fire roasting a +part of it to eat. They were astonished at seeing her, and concluded +that she was hungry and had smelt the meat. They immediately went to +her, taking with them a piece of the roasted venison. They presented +it to her, she ate it, telling them to return to the spot where she +was sitting at the end of one year, and they would find a reward for +their kindness and generosity. She then ascended to the clouds and +disappeared. The men returned to their village, and explained to the +tribe what they had seen, done ad heard, but were laughed at by their +people. When the period had arrived for them to visit this +consecrated ground, where they were to find a reward for their +attention to the beautiful woman of the clouds, they went with a large +party, and found where her right hand had rested on the ground corn +growing, where the left hand had rested beans, and immediately where +she had been seated, tobacco. + +The two first have ever since been cultivated by our people as our +principal provisions, and the last is used for smoking. The white +people have since found out the latter, and seem to it relish it as +much as we do, as they use it in different ways: Smoking, snuffing +and chewing. + +We thank the Great Spirit for all the good he has conferred upon us. +For myself, I never take a drink of water from a spring without being +mindful of his goodness. + +We next have our great ball play, from three to five hundred on a side +play this game. We play for guns, lead, homes and blankets, or any +other kind of property we may have. The successful party takes the +stakes, and all return to our lodges with peace and friendship. We +next commence horse racing, and continue on, sport and feasting until +the corn is secured. We then prepare to leave our village for our +hunting grounds. + +The traders arrive and give us credit for guns, flints, powder, shot +and lead, and such articles as we want to clothe our, families with +and enable us to hunt. We first, however, hold a council with them, +to ascertain the price they will give for our skins, and then they +will charge us for the goods. We inform them where we intend hunting, +and tell them where to build their houses. At this place we deposit a +part of our corn, and leave our old people. The traders have always +been kind to them and relieved them when in want, and consequently +were always much respected by our people, and never since we were it +nation, has one of them been killed by our people. + +We then disperse in small parties to make our hunt, and as soon as it +is over, we return to our trader's establishment, with our skins, and +remain feasting, playing cards and at other pastimes until the close f +the winter. Our young men then start on the beaver hunt, others to +hunt raccoons and muskrats; the remainder of our people go to the +sugar camps to make sugar. All leave our encampment and appoint a +place to meet on the Mississippi, so that we may return together to +our village in the spring. We always spend our time pleasantly at the +sugar camp. It being the season for wild fowl, we lived well and +always had plenty, when the hunters came in that we might make a feast +for them. After this is over we return to our village, accompanied +sometimes by our traders. In this way the time rolled round happily. +But these are times that were. + +While on the subject of our manners and customs, it might be well to +relate an instance that occurred near our village just five years +before we left it for the last time. + +In 1827, a young Sioux Indian got lost on the prairie, in a snow +storm, and found his way into a camp of the Sacs. According to Indian +customs, although he was an enemy, he was safe while accepting their +hospitality. He remained there for some time on account of the +severity of the storm. Becoming well acquainted he fell in love with +the daughter of the Sac at whose village he had been entertained, and +before leaving for his own country, promised to come to the Sac +village for her at a certain time during the approaching summer. In +July he made his way to the Rock river village, secreting himself in +the woods until he met the object of his love, who came out to the +field with her mother to assist her in hoeing corn. Late in the +afternoon her mother left her and went to the village. No sooner had +she got out of hearing, than he gave a loud whistle which assured the +maiden that he had returned. She continued hoeing leisurely to the +end of the row, when her lover came to meet her, and she promised to +come to him as soon as she could go to the lodge and get her blanket, +and together they would flee to his country. But unfortunately for +the lovers the girl's two brothers had seen the meeting, and after +procuring their guns started in pursuit of them. A heavy thunderstorm +was coming on at the time. The lovers hastened to, and took shelter +under a cliff of rocks, at Black Hawk's watchtower. Soon after a loud +peal of thunder was heard, the cliff of rocks was shattered in a +thousand pieces, and the lovers buried beneath, while in full view of +her pursuing brothers. This, their unexpected tomb, still remains +undisturbed. + +This tower to which my name had been applied, was a favorite resort +and was frequently visited by me alone, when I could sit and smoke my +pipe, and look with wonder and pleasure, at the grand scenes that were +presented by the sun's rays, even across the mighty water. On one +occasion a Frenchman, who had been making his home in our village, +brought his violin with him to the tower, to play and dance for the +amusement of a number of our people, who had assembled there, and +while dancing with his back to the cliff accidentally fell over it and +was killed by the fall. The Indians say that always at the same time +of the year, soft strains of the violin can be heard near that spot. + +On returning in the spring from oar hunting grounds, I had the +pleasure of meeting our old friend, the trader of Peoria, at Rock +Island. He came up in a boat from St. Louis, not as a trader, but as +our Agent. We were well pleased to see him. He told us that he +narrowly escaped falling into the hands of Dixon. He remained with us +a short time, gave us good advice, and then returned to St. Louis. + +The Sioux having committed depredations on our people, we sent out war +parties that summer, who succeeded in killing fourteen. + +I paid several visits to Fort Armstrong, at Rock Island, during the +summer, and was always well received by the gentlemanly officers +stationed there, who were distinguished for their bravery, and they +never trampled upon an enemy's rights. Colonel George Davenport +resided near the garrison, and being in connection with the American +Fur Company, furnished us the greater portion of our goods. We were +not as happy then, in our village, as formerly. Our people got more +liquor from the small traders than customary. I used all my influence +to prevent drunkenness, but without effect. As the settlements +progressed towards us, we became worse off and more unhappy. + +Many of our people, instead of going to the old hunting grounds, when +game was plenty, would go near the settlements to hunt, and, instead +of saving their skins, to pay the trader for goods furnished them in +the fall, would sell them to the settlement for whisky, and return in +the spring with their families almost naked, and without the means of +getting anything for them. + +About this time my eldest son was taken sick and died. He had always +been a dutiful child and had just grown to manhood. Soon after, my +youngest daughter, an interesting and affectionate child, died also. +This was a hard stroke, because I loved my children. In my distress I +left the noise of the village and built my lodge on a mound in the +corn-field, and enclosed it with a fence, around which I planted corn +and beans. Here I was with my family alone. I gave everything I had +away, and reduced myself to poverty. The only covering I retained was +a piece of buffalo robe. I blacked my face and resolved on fasting +for twenty-four moons, for the loss of my two children--drinking only +of water during the day, and eating sparingly of boiled corn at +sunset. I fulfilled my promise, hoping that the Great Spirit would +take pity on me. + +My nation had now some difficulty with the Iowas. Our young men had +repeatedly killed some of them, and the breaches had always been made +up by giving presents to the relations of those killed. But the last +council we had with them, we promised that in case any more of their +people were killed ours, instead of presents, we would give up the +person or persons, who had done the injury. We made this +determination known to our people, but notwithstanding this, one of +our young men killed an Iowa the following winter. + +A party of our people were about starting for the Iowa village to give +the young man up, and I agreed to accompany them. When we were ready +to start, I called at the lodge for the young man to go with us. He +was sick, but willing to go, but his brother, however, prevented him +and insisted on going to die in his place, as he was unable to travel. +We started, and on the seventh day arrived in sight of the Iowa +village, and within a short distance of it we halted ad dismounted. +We all bid farewell to our young brave, who entered the village +singing his death song, and sat down on the square in the middle of +the village. One of the Iowa chiefs came out to us. We told him that +we had fulfilled our promise, that we had brought the brother of the +young man who had killed one of his people--that he had volunteered to +come in his place, in consequence of his brother being unable to +travel from sickness. We had no further conversation but mounted our +horses and rode off. As we started I cast my eye toward the village, +and observed the Iowas coming out of their lodges with spears and war +clubs. We took the backward trail and travelled until dark--then +encamped and made a fire. We had not been there long before we heard +the sound of homes coming toward us. We seized our arms, but instead +of an enemy it was our young brave with two horses. He told me that +after we had left him, they menaced him with death for some time--then +gave him something to eat--smoked the pipe with him and made him a +present of the two horses and some goods, and started him after us. +When we arrived at on, village our people were much pleased, and for +their noble and generous conduct on this occasion, not one of the Iowa +people has been killed since by our nation. + +That fall I visited Malden with several of my band, and was well +treated by the agent of our British Father, who gave us a variety of +presents. He also gave me a medal, and told me there never would be +war between England and America again; but for my fidelity to the +British, during the war that had terminated some time before, +requested me to come with my band and get presents every year, as +Colonel Dixon had promised me. + +I returned and hunted that winter on the Two Rivers. The whites were +now settling the country fast. I was out one day hunting in a bottom, +and met three white men. They accused me of killing their hogs. I +denied it, but they would not listen to me. One of them took my gun +out of my hand and fired it off--then took out the flint, gave it back +to me and commenced beating me with sticks, ordering me at the same +time to be off. I was so much bruised that I could not sleep for +several nights. + +Some time after this occurrence, one of my camp cut a bee tree and +carried the honey to his lodge. A party of white men soon followed +him, and told him the bee tree was theirs, and that he had no right to +cut it. He pointed to the honey and told them to take it. They were +not satisfied with this, but took all the packs of skins that he had +collected during the winter, to pay his trader and clothe his family +with in the spring, and carried them off. + +How could we like a people who treated us so unjustly? We determined +to break up our camp for fear they would do worse, and when we joined +our people in the spring a great many of them complained of similar +treatment. + +This summer our agent came to live at Rock Island. He treated us well +and gave us good advice. I visited him and the trader very often +during the summer, and for the first time heard talk of our having to +leave our village. The trader, Colonel George Davenport, who spoke +our language, explained to me the terms of the treaty that had been +made, and said we would be obliged to leave the Illinois side of the +Mississippi, and advised us to select a good place for our village and +remove to it in the spring. He pointed out the difficulties we would +have to encounter if we remained at our village on Rock river. He had +great influence with the principal Fox chief, his adopted brother, +Keokuk. He persuaded him to leave his village, go to the west side of +the Mississippi and build another, which he did the spring following. +Nothing was talked of but leaving our village. Keokuk had been +persuaded to consent to go, and was using all his influence, backed by +the war chief at Fort Armstrong and our agent and trader at Rock +Island, to induce others to go with him. He sent the crier through +our village, to inform our people that it was the wish of our Great +Father that we should remove to the west side of the Mississippi, and +recommended the Iowa river as a good place for the new village. He +wished his party to make such arrangements, before they started on +their winter's hunt, an to preclude the necessity of their returning +to the village in the spring. + +The party opposed to removing called on me for my opinion. I gave it +freely, and after questioning Quashquame about the sale of our lands, +he assured me that he "never had consented to the sale of our +village." I now promised this party to be the leader, and raised the +standard of opposition to Keokuk, with a full determination not to +leave our village. I had an interview with Keokuk, to see if this +difficulty could not be settled with our Great Father, and told him to +propose to give any other land that our Great Father might choose, +even our lead mines, to be peaceably permitted to keep the small point +of land on which our village was situated. I was of the opinion that +the white people had plenty of land and would never take our village +from us. Keokuk promised to make an exchange if possible, and applied +to our agent, and the great chief at St. Louis, who had charge of all +the agents, for permission to go to Washington for that purpose. + +This satisfied us for a time. We started to our hunting grounds with +good hopes that something would be done for us. Doing the winter I +received information that three families of whites had come to our +village and destroyed some of our lodges, were making fences and +dividing our cornfields for their own use. They were quarreling among +themselves about their lines of division. I started immediately for +Rock river, a distance of ten days' travel, and on my arrival found +the report true. I went to my lodge and saw a family occupying it. I +wished to talk to them but they could not understand me. I then went +to Rock Island; the agent being absent, I told the interpreter what I +wanted to say to these people, viz: "Not to settle on our lands, nor +trouble our fences, that there was plenty of land in the country for +them to settle upon, and that they must leave our village, as we were +coming back to it in the spring." The interpreter wrote me a paper, I +went back to the village and showed it to the intruders, but could not +understand their reply. I presumed, however, that they would remove +as I expected them to. I returned to Rock Island, passed the night +there and had a long conversation with the trader. He advised me to +give up and make my village with Keokuk on the Iowa river. I told him +that I would not. The next morning I crossed the Mississippi on very +bad ice, but the Great Spirit had made it strong, that I might pass +over safe. I traveled three days farther to see the Winnebago sub- +agent and converse with him about our difficulties. He gave no better +news than the trader had done. I then started by way of Rock river, +to see the Prophet, believing that he as a man of great knowledge. +When we met, I explained to him everything as it was. He at once +agreed that I was right, and advised me never to give up our village, +for the whites to plow up the bones of our people. He said, that if +we remained at our village, the whites would not trouble us, and +advised me to get Keokuk, and the party that consented to go with him +to the Iowa in the spring, to return and remain at our village. + +I returned to my hunting ground, after an absence of one moon, and +related what I had done. In a short time we came up to our village, +and found that the whites had not left it, but that others had come, +and that the greater part of our cornfields had been enclosed. When +we landed the whites appeared displeased because we came back. We +repaired the lodges that hid been left standing and built others. +Keokuk came to the village, but his object was to persuade others to +follow him to the Iowa. He had accomplished nothing towards making +arrangements for us to remain, or to exchange other lands for our +village. There was no more friendship existing between us. I looked +upon him as a coward and no brave, to abandon his village to be +occupied by strangers. What right had these people to our village, +and our fields, which the Great Spirit had given us to live upon? + +My reason teaches me that land cannot be sold. The Great Spirit gave +it to his children to live upon and cultivate as far as necessary for +their subsistence, and so long as they occupy and cultivate it they +have the right to the soil, but if they voluntarily leave it, then any +other people have a right to settle on it. Nothing can be sold but +such things as can be carried away. + +In consequence of the improvements of the intruders on our fields, we +found considerable difficulty to get ground to plant a little corn. +Some of the whites permitted us to plant small patches in the fields +they had fenced, keeping all the best ground for themselves. Our +women had great difficulty in climbing their fences, being +unaccustomed to the kind, and were ill treated if they left a rail +down. + +One of my old friends thought he was safe. His cornfield was on a +small island in Rock river. He planted his corn, it came up well, but +the white man saw it; he wanted it, and took his teams over, ploughed +up the crop and replanted it for himself. The old man shed tears, not +for himself but on account of the distress his family would be in if +they raised no corn. The white people brought whisky to our village, +made our people drink, and cheated them out of their homes, guns and +traps. This fraudulent system was carried to such an extent that I +apprehended serious difficulties might occur, unless a stop was put to +it. Consequently I visited all the whites and begged them not to sell +my people whisky. One of them continued the practice openly; I took a +party of my young men, went to his house, took out his barrel, broke +in the head and poured out the whisky. I did this for fear some of +'the whites might get killed by my people when they were drunk. + +Our people were treated very badly by the whites on many occasions. +At one time a white man beat one of our women cruelly, for pulling a +few suckers of corn out of his field to suck when she was hungry. At +another time one of our young men was beat with clubs by two white +men, for opening a fence which crossed our road to take his horse +through. His shoulder blade was broken and his body badly braised, +from the effects of which be soon after died. + +Bad and cruel as our people were treated by the whites, not one of +them was hurt or molested by our band. I hope this will prove that we +are a peaceable people--having permitted ten men to take possession of +our corn fields, prevent us from planting corn, burn our lodges, ill- +treat our women, and beat to death our men without offering resistance +to their barbarous cruelties. This is a lesson worthy for the white +man to learn: to use forebearance when injured. + +We acquainted our agent daily with our situation, and through him the +great chief at St. Louis, and hoped that something would be done for +us. The whites were complaining at the same time that we were +intruding upon their rights. They made it appear that they were the +injured party, and we the intruders. They called loudly to the great +war chief to protect their property. + +How smooth must be the language of the whites, when they can make +right look like wrong, and wrong like right. + +During this summer I happened at Rock Island, when a great chief +arrived, whom I had known as the great chief of Illinois, (Governor +Cole) in company with another chief who I have been told is a great +writer (judge James Hall.) I called upon them and begged to explain +the grievances to them, under which my people and I were laboring, +hoping that they could do something for us. The great chief however, +did not seem disposed to council with, me. He said he was no longer +the chief of Illinois; that his children had selected another father +in his stead, and that he now only ranked as they did. I was +surprised at this talk, as I had always heard that he was a good brave +and great chief. But the white people appear to never be satisfied. +When they get a good father, they hold councils at the suggestion of +some bad, ambitious man, who wants the place himself, and conclude +among themselves that this man, a, some other equally ambitious, would +make a better father than they have, and nine times out of ten they +don't get as good a one again. + +I insisted on explaining to these chiefs the true situation of my +people. They gave their assent. I rose and made a speech, in which I +explained to them the treaty made by Quashquame, and three of our +braves, according to the manner the trader and others had explained it +to me. I then told them that Quashquame and his party positively +denied having ever sold my village, and that as I had never known them +to lie, I was determined to keep it in possession. + +I told them that the white people had already entered our village, +burned our lodges, destroyed on, fences, ploughed up our corn and beat +our people. They had brought whisky into our country, made our people +drunk, and taken from them their homes, guns and traps, and that I had +borne all this injury, without suffering any of my braves to raise a +hand against the whites. + +My object in holding this council was to get the opinion of these two +chiefs as to the best course for me to pursue. I had appealed in +vain, time after time to our agent, who regularly represented our +situation to the chief at St. Louis, whose duty it was to call upon +the Great Father to have justice done to us, but instead of this we +are told that the white people wanted our county and we must leave it +for them! + +I did not think it possible that our Great Father wished us to leave +our village where we had lived so long, and where the bones of so many +of our people had been laid. The great chief said that as he no +longer had any authority he could do nothing for us, and felt sorry +that it was not in his power to aid us, nor did he know how to advise +us. Neither of them could do anything for us, but both evidently were +very sorry. It would give e great pleasure at ail times to take these +two chiefs by the hand. + +That fall I paid a visit to the agent before we started to our hunting +grounds, to hear if he had any good news for me. He had news. He +said that the land on which our village now stood was ordered to be +sold to individuals, and that when sold our right to remain by treaty +would be at an end, and that if we returned next spring we would be +forced to remove. + +We learned during the winter, that part of the land where our village +stood had been sold to individuals, and that the trader at Rock +Island, Colonel Davenport, had bought the greater part that had been +sold. The reason was now plain to me why he urged us to remove. His +object, we thought, was to get our lands. We held several councils +that winter to determine what we should do. We resolved in one of +them, to return to our village as usual in the spring. We concluded +that if we were removed by force, that the trader, agent and others +must be the cause, and that if they were found guilty of having driven +us from our village they should be killed. The trader stood foremost +on this list. He had purchased the land on which my lodge stood, and +that of our graveyard also. We therefore proposed to kill him and the +agent, the interpreter, the great chief at St. Louis, the war chiefs +at Forts Amstrong, Rock Island and Keokuk, these being the principal +persons to blame for endeavoring to remove us. Our women received bad +accounts from the women who had been raising corn at the new village, +of the difficulty of breaking the new prairie with hoes, and the small +quantity of corn raised. We were nearly in the same condition with +regard to the latter, it being the first time I ever knew our people +to be in want of provisions. + +I prevailed upon some of Keokuk's band to return this spring to the +Rock river village, but Keokuk himself would not come. I hoped that +he would get permission to go to Washington to settle our affairs with +our Great Father. I visited the agent at Rock Island. He was +displeased because we had returned to our village, and told me that we +must remove to the west of the Mississippi. I told him plainly that +we would not. I visited the interpreter at his house, who advised me +to do as the agent had directed me. I then went to see the trader and +upbraided him for buying our lands. He said that if he had not +purchased them some person else would, and that if our Great Father +would make an exchange with us, he would willingly give up the land he +had purchased to the government. This I thought was fair, and began +to think that he had not acted so badly as I had suspected. We again +repaired our lodges and built others, as most of our village had been +burnt and destroyed. Our women selected small patches to plant corn, +where the whites had not taken them in their fences, and worked hard +to raise something for our children to subsist upon. + +I was told that according to the treaty, we had no right to remain on +the lands sold, and that the government would force us to leave them. +There was but a small portion however that had been sold, the balance +remaining in the hands of the government. We claimed the right, if we +had no other, to "live and hunt upon it as long as it remained the +property of the government," by a stipulation in the treaty that +required us to evacuate it after it had been sold. This was the land +that we wished to inhabit and thought we had a right to occupy. + +I heard that there was a great chief on the Wabash, and sent a party +to get his advice. They informed him that we had not sold our +village. He assured them then, that if we had not sold the land on +which our village stood, our Great Father would not take it from us. + +I started early to Malden to see the chief of my British Father, and +told him my story. He gave the same reply that the chief on the +Wabash had given, and in justice to him I must say he never gave me +any bad advice, but advised me to apply to our American Father, who, +he said, would do us justice. I next called on the great chief at +Detroit and made the same statement to him that I had made to the +chief of our British Father. He gave me the same reply. He said if +we had not sold our lands, and would remain peaceably on them, that we +would not be disturbed. This assured me that I was right, and +determined me to hold out as I had promised my people. I returned +from Malden late in the fall. My people were gone to their hunting +ground, whither I followed. Here I learned that they had been badly +treated all summer by the whites, and that a treaty had been held at +Prairie du Chien. Keokuk and some of our people attended it, and +found that our Great Father had exchanged a small strip of the land +that had been ceded by Quashquame and his party, with the +Pottowattomies for a portion of their lead near Chicago. That the +object of this treaty was to get it back again, and that the United +States had agreed to give them sixteen thousand dollars a year, +forever for this small strip of land, it being less than a twentieth +part of that taken from our nation for one thousand dollars a year. +This bears evidence of something I cannot explain. This land they say +belonged to the United States. What reason then, could have induced +them to exchange it with the Pottowattomies if it was so valuable? +Why not keep it? Or if they found they had made a bad bargain with +the Pottowattomies, why not take back their land at a fair proportion +of what they gave our nation for it! If this small portion of the +land that they took from us for one thousand dollars a year, be worth +sixteen thousand dollars a year forever to the Pottowattomies, then +the whole tract of country taken from us ought to be worth, to our +nation, twenty times as much a this small fraction. + +Here I was again puzzled to find out how the white people reasoned, +and began to doubt whether they had any standard of right and wrong. + +Communication was kept up between myself and the Prophet. Runners +were sent to the Arkansas, Red river and Texas, not on the subject of +our lands, but on a secret mission, which I am not at present +permitted to explain. + +It was related to me that the chiefs and head men of the Foxes had +been invited to Prairie du Chien, to hold a Council for the purpose of +settling the difficulties existing between them and the Sioux. + +The chiefs and head men, amounting to nine, started for the place +designated, taking with them one woman, and were met by the Menonomees +and Sioux, near the Wisconsin and killed, all except one man. Having +understood that the whole matter was published shortly after it +occurred, and is known to the white people, I will say no more about +it. + + I would here remark, that our pastimes and sports had been laid aside +for two years. We were a divided people, forming two parties. Keokuk +being at the head of one, willing to barter our rights merely for the +good opinion of the whites, and cowardly enough to desert our village +to them. I was at the head of the other division, and was determined +to hold on to my village, although I had been ordered to leave it. +But, I considered, as myself and band had no agency in selling our +county, and that, as provision had been made in the treaty, for us all +to remain on it as long as it belonged to the United States, that we +could not be forced away. I refused therefore to quit my village. It +was here that I was born, and here lie the bones of many friends and +relations. For this spot I felt a sacred reverence, and never could +consent to leave it without being forced therefrom. + +When I called to mind the scenes of my youth and those of later days, +when I reflected that the theatre on which these were acted, had been +so long the home of my fathers, who now slept on the hills around it, +I could not bring my mind to consent to leave this country to the +whites for any earthly consideration. + +The winter passed off in gloom. We made a bad hunt for want of guns, +traps and other necessaries which the whites had taken from our people +for whisky. The prospect before me was a bad one. I fasted and +called upon the Great Spirit to direct my steps to the right path. I +was in great sorrow because all the whites with whom I was acquainted +and had been on terms of intimacy, advised me contrary to my wishes, +that I began to doubt whether I had a friend among them. + +Keokuk, who has a smooth tongue, and is a great speaker, was busy in +persuading my band that I was wrong, and thereby making many of them +dissatisfied with me. I had one consolation, for all the women were +on my side on account of their cornfields. + +On my arrival again at my village, with my band increased, I found it +worse than before. I visited Rock Island and the agent again ordered +me to quit my village. He said that if we did not, troops would be +sent to drive us off. He reasoned with me and told me it would be +better for us to be with the rest of our people, so that we might +avoid difficulty and live in peace. The interpreter joined him and +gave me so many good reasons that I almost wished I had not undertaken +the difficult task I had pledged myself to my brave band to perform. +In this mood I called upon the trader, who is fond of talking, and had +long been my friend, but now amongst those who advised me to give up +my village. He received me very friendly and went on to defend Keokuk +in what he had done, endeavoring to show me that I was bringing +distress on our women and children. He inquired if some terms could +not be made that would be honorable to me and satisfactory to my +braves, for us to remove to the west side of the Mississippi. I +replied that if our Great Father could do us justice and make the +proposition, I could then give up honorably. He asked me "if the +great chief at St. Louis would give us six thousand dollars to +purchase provisions and other articles, if I would give up peaceably +and remove to the west side of the Mississippi?" After thinking some +time I agreed that I could honorably give up, being paid for it, +according to our customs, but told hij that I could not make the +proposal myself, even if I wished, because it would be dishonorable in +me to do so. He said that he would do it by sending word to the great +chief at St. Louis that he could remove us peaceably for the amount +stated, to the west side of the Mississippi. A steamboat arrived at +the island during my stay. After its departure the trader told me +that he had requested a war chief, who was stationed at Galena, and +was on board the steamboat, to make the offer to the great chief at +St. Louis, and that he would soon be back and bring his answer. I did +not let my people know what had taken place for fear they would be +displeased. I did not much like what had been done myself, and tried +to banish it from my mind. + +After a few days had passed the war chief returned and brought an +answer that "the great chief at St. Louis would give us nothing, and +that if we did not remove immediately we would be driven off." + +I was not much displeased with the answer they brought me, because I +would rather have laid my bones with those of my forefathers than +remove for any consideration. Yet if a friendly offer had been made +as I expected, I would, for the sake of our women and children have +removed peaceably. + +I now resolved to remain in my village, and make no resistance if the +military came, but submit to my fate. I impressed the importance of +this course on all my band, and directed them in case the military +came not to raise an arm against them. + +About this time our agent was put out of office, for what reason I +could never ascertain. I then thought it was for wanting to make us +leave our village and if so it was right, because I was tired of +hearing him talk about it. The interpreter, who had been equally as +bad in trying to persuade us to leave our village was retained in +office, and the young man who took the place of our agent, told the +same old story over about removing us. I was then satisfied that this +could not have been the cause. + +Our women had planted a few patches of corn which was growing finely, +and promised a subsistence for our children, but the white people +again commenced ploughing it up. I now determined to put a stop to it +by clearing our county of the intruders. I went to their principal +men and told them that they should and must leave our country, giving +them until the middle of the next day to remove. The worst left within +the time appointed, but the one who remained, represented that his +family, which was large, would be in a starving condition, if he went +and left his crop. He promised to behave well, if I would consent to +let him remain until fall, in order to secure his crop. He spoke +reasonably and I consented. + +We now resumed some of our games and pastimes, having been assured by +the prophet that we would not be removed. But in a little while it +was ascertained that a great war chief, General Gaines, was on his way +to Rock river with a great number of soldiers. I again called upon +the prophet, who requested a little time to see into the matter. +Early next morning he came to me and said he had been dreaming; that +he saw nothing bad in this great war chief, General Gaines, who was +now near Rock river. That his object was merely to frighten us from +our village, that the white people might get our land for nothing. He +assured us that this great war chief dare not, and would not, hurt any +of us. That the Americans were at peace with the British, and when +they made peace, the British required, and the Americans agreed to it, +that they should never interrupt any nation of Indians that was at +peace, and that all we had to do to retain our village was to refuse +any and every offer that might be made by this war chief. + +The war chief arrived and convened a council at the agency. Keokuk +and Wapello were sent for, and with a number of their band were +present. + +The council house was opened and all were admitted, and myself and +band were sent for to attend. When we arrived at the door singing a +war song, and armed with lances, spears, war clubs, bows and arrows, +as if going to battle, I halted and refused to enter, as I could see +no necessity or propriety in having the room crowded with those who +were already there. If the council was convened for us, why then have +others in our room. The war chief having sent all out except Keokuk, +Wapello and a few of their chiefs and braves, we entered the council +in this warlike appearance, being desirous of showing the war chief +that we were not afraid. He then rose and made a speech. He said: + +"The president is very sorry to be put to the trouble and expense of +sending so large a body of soldiers here to remove you from the lands +you have long since ceded to the United States. Your Great Father has +already warned you repeatedly, through your agent, to leave the +country, and he is very sorry to find that you have disobeyed his +orders. Your Great Father wishes you well, and asks nothing from you +but what is reasonable and right. I hope you will consult your own +interests, and leave the country you are occupying, and go to the +other side of the Mississippi." + + I replied: + + "We have never sold our country. We never received any annuities +from our American father, and we are determined to hold on to our +village." + +The war chief, apparently angry, rose and said + + "Who is _Black Hawk_? Who is _Black Hawk_?" + +I replied: + + "I am a _Sac_! My forefather was a SAC! I and all the nations call +me a SAC!!" + +The war chief said: + + "I came here neither to beg nor hire you to leave your village. My +business is to remove you, peaceably if I can, forcibly if I must! I +will now give you two days in which to remove, and if you do not cross +the Mississippi by that time, I will adopt measures to force you +away." + +I told him that I never would consent to leave my village and was +determined not to leave it. + +The council broke up and the war chief retired to his fort. I +consulted the prophet again. He said he had been dreaming, and that +the Great Spirit had directed that a woman, the daughter of Mattatas, +the old chief of the village, should take a stick in her hand and go +before the war chief, and tell him that she is the daughter of +Mattatas, and that he had always been the white man's friend. That he +had fought their battles, been wounded in their service and had always +spoken well of them, and she had never heard him say that he had sold +their village. The whites are numerous, and can take it from us if +they choose, but she hoped they would not be so unfriendly. If they +were, he had one favor to ask; she wished her people to be allowed to +remain long enough to gather their provisions now growing in their +fields; that she was a woman and had worked hard to raise something to +support her children. And now, if we are driven from our village +without being allowed to save our corn, many of our little children +must perish with hunger. + +Accordingly Mattatas' daughter was sent to the fort, accompanied by +several of our young men and was admitted. She went before the war +chief and told the story of the prophet. The war chief said that the +president did not send him here to make treaties with the women, nor +to hold council with them. That our young men most leave the fort, but +she might remain if she wished. + +All our plans were defeated. We must cross the river, or return to +our village and await the coming of the war chief with his soldiers. +We determined on the latter, but finding that our agent, interpreter, +trader and Keokuk, were determined on breaking my ranks, and had +induced several of my warriors to cross the Mississippi, I sent a +deputation to the agent, at the request of my band, pledging myself to +leave the county in the fall, provided permission was given us to +remain, and secure our crop of corn then growing, as we would be in a +starving situation if we were driven off without the means of +subsistence. + +The deputation returned with an answer from the war chief, "That no +further time would be given than that specified, and if we were not +then gone he would remove us." + +I directed my village crier to proclaim that my orders were, in the +event of the war chief coming to our village to remove us, that not a +gun should be fired or any resistance offered. . That if he determined +to fight, for them to remain quietly in their lodges, and let him kill +them if he chose. + +I felt conscious that this great war chief would not hurt our people, +and my object was not war. Had it been, we would have attacked and +killed the war chief and his braves, when in council with us, as they +were then completely in our power. But his manly conduct and +soldierly deportment, his mild yet energetic manner, which proved his +bravery, forbade it. + +Some of our young men who had been out as spies came in and reported +that they had discovered a large body of mounted men coming toward our +village, who looked like a war party. They arrived and took a +position below Rock river, for their place of encampment. The great +war chief, General Gaines, entered Rock river in a steamboat, with his +soldiers and one big gun. They passed and returned close by our +village, but excited no alarm among my braves. No attention was paid +to the boat; even our little children who were playing on the bank of +the river, as usual, continued their amusement. The water being +shallow, the boat got aground, which gave the whites some trouble. If +they had asked for assistance, there was not a brave in my band who +would not willingly have aided them. Their people were permitted to +pass and repass through our village, and were treated with friendship +by our people. + +The war chief appointed the next day to remove us. I would have +remained and been taken prisoner by the regulars, but was afraid of +the multitude of pale faced militia, who were on horse back, as they +were under no restraint of their chiefs. + +We crossed the river during the night, and encamped some distance +below Rock Island. The great war chief convened another council, for +the purpose of making a treaty with as. In this treaty he agreed to +give us corn in place of that we had left growing in our fields. I +touched the goose quill to this treaty, and was determined to live in +peace. + +The corn that had been given us was soon found to be inadequate to our +wants, when loud lamentations were heard in the camp by the women and +children, for their roasting ears, beans and squashes. To satisfy +them, a small party of braves went over in the night to take corn from +their own fields. They were discovered by the whites and fired upon. +Complaints were again made of the depredations committed by some of my +people, on their own corn fields. + +I understood from our agent, that there had been a provision made in +one of our treaties for assistance in agriculture, and that we could +have our fields plowed if we required it. I therefore called upon +him, and requested him to have a small log home built for me, and a +field plowed that fall, as I wished to live retired. He promised to +have it done. I then went to the trader, Colonel Davenport, and asked +for permission to be buried in the graveyard at our village, among my +old friends and warriors, which he gave cheerfully. I then returned +to my people satisfied. + +A short time after this, a party of Foxes went up to Prairie du Chien +to avenge the murder of their chiefs and relations, which had been +committed the summer previous, by the Menomonees and Sioux. When they +arrived in the vicinity of the encampment of the Menomonees, they met +with a Winnebago, and inquired for the Menomonee camp. They requested +him to go on before them and see if there were any Winnebagoes in it, +and if so, to tell them that they had better return to their own camp. +He went and gave the information, not only to the Winnebagoes, but to +the Menomonees, that they might be prepared. The party soon followed, +killed twenty-eight Menomonees, and made their escape. + +This retaliation which with us is considered lawful and right, created +considerable excitement among the whites. A demand was made for the +Foxes to be surrendered to, and tried by, the white people. The +principal men came to me during the fall and asked my advice. I +conceived that they had done right, and that our Great Father acted +very unjustly in demanding them, when he had suffered all their chiefs +to be decoyed away, and murdered by the Menomonees, without ever +having made a similar demand of them. If he had no right in the first +instance he had none now, and for my part, I conceived the right very +questionable, if not an act of usurpation in any case, where a +difference exists between two nations, for him to interfere. The +Foxes joined my band with the intention to go out with them on the +fall hunt. + +About this time, Neapope, who started to Malden when it was +ascertained that the great war chief, General Gaines, was coming to +remove us, returned. He said he had seen the chief of our British +Father, and asked him if the Americans could force us to leave our +village. He said: "If you had not sold your land the Americans could +not take your village from you. That the right being vested in you +only, could be transferred by the voice and will of the whole nation, +and that as you have never given your consent to the sale of your +country, it yet remains your exclusive property, from which the +American government never could force you away, and that in the event +of war, you should have nothing to fear, as we would stand by and +assist you." + +He said that he had called at the prophet's lodge on his way down, and +there had learned for the first time, that we had left our village. +He informed me privately, that the prophet was anxious to see me, as +he had much good news to tell me, and that I would hear good news in +the spring from our British Father. "The prophet requested me to give +you all the particulars, but I would much rather you would see him +yourself and learn all from him. But I will tell you that he has +received expresses from our British Father, who says that he is going +to send us guns, ammunition, provisions and clothing early in the +spring. The vessels that bring them will come by way of Milwaukee. +The prophet has likewise received wampum and tobacco from the +different nations on the lakes, Ottawas, Chippewas, and +Pottowattomies, and as to the Winnebagoes he has them all at his +command. We are going to be happy once more." + +I told him I was pleased that our British Father intended to see us +righted. That we had been driven from our lands without receiving +anything for them, and I now began to hope from his talk, that my +people would once more be happy. If I could accomplish this I would +be satisfied. I am now growing old and could spend the remnant of my +time anywhere. But I wish first to see my people happy. I can then +leave them cheerfully. This has always been my constant aim, and I +now begin to hope that our sky will soon be clear. + +Neapope said: + +"The prophet told me that all the tribes mentioned would fight for us +if necessary, and the British father will support us. If we should be +whipped, which is hardly possible, we will still be safe, the prophet +having received a friendly talk from the chief of Wassicummico, at +Selkirk's settlement, telling him, that if we were not happy in our +own country, to let him know and he would make us happy. He had +received information from our British father that we had been badly +treated by the Americans. We must go and see the prophet. I will go +first; you had better remain and get as many of your people to join +you as you can. You know everything that we have done. We leave the +matter with you to arrange among your people as you please. I will +return to the prophet's village to-morrow. You can in the meantime +make up your mind an to the course you will take and send word to the +prophet by me, as he is anxious to assist us, and wishes to know +whether you will join us, and assist to make your people happy." + +During the night I thought over everything that Neapope had told me, +and was pleased to think that by a little exertion on my part, I could +accomplish the object of all my wishes. I determined to follow the +advice of the prophet, and sent word by Neapope, that I would get all +my braves together, explain everything that I had heard to them, and +recruit as many as I could from the different villages. + +Accordingly I sent word to Keokuk's band and the Fox tribe, explaining +to them all the good news I had heard. They would not hear. Keokuk +said that I had been imposed upon by liars, and had much better remain +where I was and keep quiet. When he found that I was determined to +make an attempt to recover my village, fearing that some difficulty +would arise, he made application to the agent and great chief at St. +Louis, asking permission for the chiefs of our nation to go to +Washington to see our Great Father, that we might have our +difficulties settled amicably. Keokuk also requested the trader, +Colonel Davenport, who was going to Washington, to call on our Great +Father and explain everything to him, and ask permission for us to +come on and see him. + +Having heard nothing favorable from the great chief at St. Louis, I +concluded that I had better keep my band together, and recruit as many +as possible, so that I would be prepared to make the attempt to rescue +my village in the spring, provided our Great Father did not send word +for us to go to Washington. The trader returned. He said he had +called on our Great Father and made a full statement to him in +relation to our difficulties, and had asked leave for us to go to +Washington, but had received no answer. + +I had determined to listen to the advice of my friends, and if +permitted to go to see our Great Father, to abide by his counsel, +whatever it might be. Every overture was made by Keokuk to prevent +difficulty, and I anxiously hoped that something would be done for my +people that it might be avoided. But there was bad management +somewhere, or the difficulty that has taken place would have been +avoided. + +When it was ascertained that we would not be permitted to go to +Washington, I resolved upon my course, and again tied to recruit some +braves from Keookuk's band, to accompany me, but could not. + +Conceiving that the peaceable disposition of Keokuk and his people had +been in a great measure the cause of our having been driven from our +village, I ascribed their present feelings to the same cause, and +immediately went to work to recruit all my own band, and making +preparations to ascend Rock river, I made my encampment on the +Mississippi, where Fort Madison had stood. I requested my people to +rendezvous at that place, sending out soldiers to bring in the +warriors, and stationed my sentinels in a position to prevent any from +moving off until all were ready. + +My party having all come in and got ready, we commenced our march up +the Mississippi; our women and children in canoes, carrying such +provisions as we had, camp equipage, &c. My braves and warriors were +on horseback, armed and equipped for defence. The prophet came down +and joining us below Rock river, having called at Rock Island on his +way down, to consult the war chief, agent and trader; who, he said, +used many arguments to dissuade him from going with us, requesting him +to come and meet us and turn us back. They told him also there was a +war chief on his way to Rock Island with a large body of soldiers. + +The prophet said he would not listen to this talk, because no war +chief would dare molest us so long as we were at peace. That we had a +right to go where we pleased peaceably, and advised me to say nothing +to my braves and warriors until we encamped that night. We moved +onward until we arrived at the place where General Gaines had made his +encampment the year before, and encamped for the night. The prophet +then addressed my braves and warriors. He told them to "follow us and +act like braves, and we have nothing to fear and much to gain. The +American war chief may come, but will not, nor dare not interfere with +us so long as we act peaceably. We are not yet ready to act +otherwise. We must wait until we ascend Rock river and receive our +reinforcements, and we will then be able to withstand any army." + +That night the White Beaver, General Atkinson, with a party of +soldiers passed up in a steamboat. Our party became alarmed, +expecting to meet the soldiers at Rock river, to prevent us going up. +On our arrival at its mouth, we discovered that the steamboat had +passed on. + +I was fearful that the war chief had stationed his men on some high +bluff, or in some ravine, that we might be taken by surprise. +Consequently, on entering Rock river we commenced beating our drums +and singing, to show the Americans that we were not afraid. + +Having met with no opposition, we moved up Rock river leisurely for +some distance, when we were overtaken by an express from White Beaver, +with an order for me to return with my band and recross the +Mississippi again. I sent him word that I would not, not recognizing +his right to make such a demand, is I was acting peaceably, and +intended to go to the prophet's village at his request, to make corn. + +The express returned. We moved on and encamped some distance below +the prophet's village. Here another express came from the White +Beaver, threatening to pursue us and drive us back, if we did not +return peaceably. This message roused the spirit of my band, and all +were determined to remain with me and contest the ground with the war +chief, should he come and attempt to drive us. We therefore directed +the express to say to the war chief "if he wished to fight us he might +come on." We were determined never to be driven, and equally so, not +to make the first attack, our object being to act only on the +defensive. This we conceived to be our right. + +Soon after the express returned, Mr. Gratiot, sub-agent for the +Winnebagoes, came to our encampment. He had no interpreter, and was +compelled to talk through his chiefs. They said the object of his +mission was to persuade us to return. But they advised us to go on-- +assuring us that the further we went up Rock river the more friends we +would meet, and our situation would be bettered. They were on our +side and all of their people were our friends. We must not give up, +but continue to ascend Rock river, on which, in a short time, we would +receive reinforcements sufficiently strong to repulse any enemy. They +said they would go down with their agent, to ascertain the strength of +the enemy, and then return and give us the news. They had to use some +stratagem to deceive their agent in order to help us. + +During this council several of my braves hoisted the British flag, +mounted their horses and surrounded the council lodge. I discovered +that the agent was very much frightened. I told one of his chiefs to +tell him that he need not be alarmed, and then went out and directed +my braves to desist. Every warrior immediately dismounted and +returned to his lodge. After the council adjourned I placed a +sentinel at the agent's lodge to guard him, fearing that some of my +warriors might again frighten him. I had always thought he was a good +man and was determined that he should not be hurt. He started with +his chiefs to Rock Island. + +Having ascertained that White Beaver would not permit us to remain +where we were, I began to consider what was best to be done, and +concluded to keep on up the river, see the Pottowattomies and have a +talk with them. Several Winnebago chiefs were present, whom I advised +of my intentions, as they did not seem disposed to render us any +assistance. I asked them if they had not sent us wampum during the +winter, and requested us to come and join their people and enjoy all +the rights and privileges of their country. They did not deny this; +and said if the white people did not interfere, they had no objection +to our making corn this year, with our friend the prophet, but did not +wish us to go any further up. + +The next day I started with my party to Kishwacokee. That night I +encamped a short distance above the prophet's village. After all was +quiet in our camp I sent for my chiefs, and told them that we had been +deceived. That all the fair promises that had been held out to us +through Neapope were false. But it would not do to let our party know +it. We must keep it secret among ourselves, move on to Kishwacokee, +as if all was right, and say something on the way to encourage our +people. I will then call on the Pottowattomies, hear what they say, +and see what they will do. + +We started the next morning, after telling our people that news had +just come from Milwaukee that a chief of our British Father would be +there in a few days. Finding that all our plans were defeated, I told +the prophet that he must go with me, and we would see what could be +done with the Pottowattomies. On our arrival at Kishwacokee an +express was sent to the Pottowattomie villages. The next day a +deputation arrived. I inquired if they had corn in their villages. +They said they had a very little and could not spare any. I asked +them different questions and received very unsatisfactory answers. +This talk was in the presence of all my people. I afterwards spoke to +them privately, and requested them to come to my lodge after my people +had gone to sleep. They came and took seats. I asked them if they +had received any news from the British on the lake. They said no. I +inquired if they had heard that a chief of our British Father was +coming to Milwaukee to bring us guns, ammunition, goods and +provisions. They said no. I told them what news had been brought to +me, and requested them to return to their village and tell the chiefs +that I wished to see them and have a talk with them. + +After this deputation started, I concluded to tell my people that if +White Beaver came after us, we would go back, as it was useless to +think of stopping or going on without more provisions and ammunition. +I discovered that the Winnebagoes and Pottowattomies were not disposed +to render us any assistance. The next day the Pottowattomie chiefs +arrived in my camp. I had a dog killed, and made a feast. When it +was ready, I spread my medicine bags, and the chiefs began to eat. +When the ceremony was about ending, I received news that three or four +hundred white men on horse-back had been seen about eight miles off. +I immediately started three young men with a white flag to meet them +and conduct them to our camp, that we might hold a council with them +and descend Rock river again. I also directed them, in case the +whites had encamped, to return, and I would go and see them. After +this party had started I sent five young men to see what might take +place. The first party went to the camp of the whites, and were taken +prisoners. The last party had not proceeded far before they saw about +twenty men coming toward them at full gallop. They stopped, and, +finding that the whites were coming toward them in such a warlike +attitude, they turned and retreated, but were pursued, and two of them +overtaken and killed. The others then made their escape. When they +came in with the news, I was preparing my flags to meet the war chief. +The alarm was given. Nearly all my young men were absent ten miles +away. I started with what I had left, about forty, and had proceeded +but a short distance, before we saw a part of the army approaching. I +raised a yell, saying to y braves, "Some of our people have been +killed. Wantonly and cruelly murdered! We must avenge their death!" + +In a little while we discovered the whole army coming towards us at a +full gallop. We were now confident that our first party had been +killed. I immediately placed my men behind a cluster of bushes, that +we might have the first fire when they had approached close enough. +They made a halt some distance from us. I gave another yell, and +ordered my brave warriors to charge upon them, expecting that they +would all be killed. They did charge. Every man rushed towards the +enemy and fired, and they retreated in the utmost confusion and +consternation before my little but brave band of warriors. + +After following the enemy for some distance, I found it useless to +pursue them further, as they rode so fast, and returned to the +encampment with a few braves, as about twenty-five of them continued +in pursuit of the flying enemy. I lighted my pipe and sat down to +thank the Great Spirit for what he had done. I had not been +meditating long, when two of the three young men I had seat with the +flag to meet the American war chief, entered. My astonishment was not +greater than my joy to see them living and well. I eagerly listened +to their story, which was as follows: + +"When we arrived near the encampment of the whites, a number of them +rushed out to meet us, bringing their guns with them. They took us +into their camp, where an American who spoke the Sac language a little +told us that his chief wanted to know how we were, where we were +going, where our camp was, and where was Black Hawk? We told him that +we had come to see his chief, that our chief had directed us to +conduct him to our camp, in case he had not encamped, and in that +event to tell him that he, Black Hawk, would come to see him; he +wished to hold a council with him, as he had given up all intention of +going to war." + +This man had once been a member of our tribe, having been adopted by +me many years before and treated with the same kindness as was shown +to our young men, but like the caged bird of the woods, he yearned for +freedom, and after a few years residence with us an opportunity for +escape came and he left us. On this occasion he would have respected +our flag and carried back the message I had sent to his chief, had he +not been taken prisoner, with a comrade, by some of my braves who did +not recognize him, and brought him into camp. They were securely tied +with cords to trees and left to meditate, but were occasionally +buffeted by my young men when passing near them. When I passed by him +there was a recognition on the part of us both, but on account of +former friendship I concluded to let him go, and some little time +before the sun went down I released him from his captivity by untying +the cords that bound him and accompanied him outside of our lines so +that he could escape safely. His companion had previously made a +desperate effort to escape from his guards and was killed by them. + +They continued their story: + +"At the conclusion of this talk a party of white men came in on +horseback. We saw by their countenances that something had happened. +A general tumult arose. They looked at us with indignation, talked +among themselves for a moment, when several of them cocked their guns +and fired at us in the crowd. Our companion fell dead. We rushed +through the crowd and made our escape. We remained in ambush but a +short time, before we heard yelling like Indians running an enemy. In +a little while we saw some of the whites in full speed. One of them +came near us. I threw my tomahawk and struck him on the head which +brought him to the ground; I ran to him and with his own knife took +off his scalp. I took his gun, mounted his horse, and brought my +friend here behind me. We turned to follow our braves, who were +chasing the enemy, and had not gone far before we overtook a white +man, whose horse had mired in a swamp. My friend alighted and +tomahawked the man, who was apparently fast under his horse. He took +his scalp, horse and gun. By this time our party was some distance +ahead. We followed on and saw several white men lying dead on the +way. After riding about six miles we met our party returning. We +asked them how many of our men had been killed. . They said none after +the Americans had retreated. We inquired how many whites had been +killed. They replied that they did not know, but said we will soon +ascertain, as we must scalp them as we go back. On our return we +found ten men, besides the two we had killed before we joined our +friends. Seeing that they did not yet recognize us, it being dark, we +again asked how many of our braves had been killed? They said five. +We asked who they were? They replied that the first party of three +who went out to meet the American war chief, had all been taken +prisoners and killed in the encampment, and that out of a party of +five, who followed to see the meeting of the first party with the +whites, two had been killed. We were now certain that they did not +recognize us, nor did we tell who we were until we arrived at our +camp. The news of our death had reached it some time before, and all +were surprised to see us again." + +The next morning I told the crier of my village to give notice that we +must go and bury our dead. In a little while all were ready. A small +deputation was sent for our absent warriors, and the remainder started +to bury the dead. We first disposed of them and then commenced an +examination in the enemy's deserted encampment for plunder. We found +arms and ammunition and provisions, all of which we were sadly in want +of, particularly the latter, as we were entirely without. We found +also a variety of saddle bags, which I distributed among my braves, a +small quantity of whisky and some little barrels that had contained +this bad medicine, but they were empty. I was surprised to find that +the whites carried whisky with them, as I had understood that all the +pale faces, when acting is soldiers in the field, were strictly +temperate. + +The enemy's encampment was in a skirt of woods near a run, about half +a day's travel from Dixon's ferry. We attacked them in the prairie, +with a few bushes between us, about sundown, and I expected that my +whole party would be killed. I never was so much surprised in all the +fighting I have seen, knowing, too, that the Americans generally shoot +well, as I was to see this army of several hundreds retreating, +without showing fight, and passing immediately through their +encampment, I did think they intended to halt there, as the situation +would have forbidden attack by my party if their number had not +exceeded half of mine, as we would have been compelled to take the +open prairie whilst they could have picked trees to shield themselves +from our fire. + +I was never so much surprised in my life as I was in this attack. An +army of three or four hundred men, after having learned that we were +sueing for peace, to attempt to kill the flag bearers that had gone +unarmed to ask for a meeting of the war chiefs of the two contending +parties to hold a council, that I might return to the west side of the +Mississippi, to come forward with a full determination to demolish the +few braves I had with me, to retreat when they had ten to one, was +unaccountable to me. It proved a different spirit from any I had ever +before seen among the pale faces. I expected to see them fight as the +Americans did with the British during the last war, but they had no +such braves among them. At our feast with the Pottowattomies I was +convinced that we had been imposed upon by those who had brought in +reports of large re-enforcements to my band and resolved not to strike +a blow; and in order to get permission from White Beaver to return and +re-cross the Mississippi, I sent a flag of peace to the American war +chief, who was reported to be close by with his army, expecting that +he would convene a council and listen to what we had to say. But this +chief, instead of pursuing that honorable and chivalric course, such +as I have always practiced, shot down our flag-bearer and thus forced +us into war with less than five hundred warriors to contend against +three or four thousand soldiers. + +The supplies that Neapope and the prophet told us about, and the +reinforcements we were to have, were never more heard of, and it is +but justice to our British Father to say were never promised, his +chief being sent word in lieu of the lies that were brought to me, +"for us to remain at peace as we could accomplish nothing but our own +ruin by going to war." + +What was now to be done? It was worse than folly to turn back and +meet an enemy where the odds were so much against us and thereby +sacrifice ourselves, our wives and children to the fury of an enemy +who had murdered some of our brave and unarmed warriors when they were +on a mission to sue for peace. + +Having returned to our encampment, and found that all our young men +had come in, I sent out spies to watch the movements of the army, and +commenced moving up Kishwacokee with the balance of my people. I did +not know where to go to find a place of safety for my women and +children, but expected to find a good harbor about the head of Rock +river. I concluded to go there, and thought my best route would be to +go round the head of Kishwacokee, so that the Americans would have +some difficulty if they attempted to follow us. + +On arriving at the head of Kishwacokee, I was met by a party of +Winnebagoes, who seemed to rejoice at our success. They said they had +come to offer their services, and were anxious to join an. I asked +them if they knew where there was a safe place for our women and +children. They told us that they would send two old men with us to +guide us to a good safe place. + +I arranged war parties to send out in different directions, before I +proceeded further. The Winnebagoes went alone. The war parties having +all been fitted out and started, we commenced moving to the Four +Lakes, the place where our guides were to conduct us. We had not gone +far before six Winnebagoes came in with one scalp. They said they had +killed a man at a grove, on the road from Dixon's to the lead mines. +Four days after, the party of Winnebagoes who had gone out from the +head of Kishwacokee, overtook us, and told me that they had killed +four men and taken their scalps: and that one of them was Keokuk's +father, (the agent). They proposed to have a dance over their scalps. +I told them that I could have no dancing in my camp, in consequence of +my having lost three young braves; but they might dance in their own +camp, which they did. Two days after, we arrived in safety at the +place where the Winnebagoes had directed us. In a few days a great +number of our warriors came in. I called them all around me, and +addressed them. I told them: "Now is the time, if any of you wish to +come into distinction, and be honored with the medicine bag! Now is +the time to show you, courage and bravery, and avenge the murder of +our three braves !" + +Several small parties went out, and returned again in a few days, with +success--bringing in provisions for our people. In the mean time, +some spies came in, and reported that the army had fallen back to +Dixon's ferry; and others brought news that the horsemen had broken up +their camp, disbanded, and returned home. + +Finding that all was safe, I made a dog feast, preparatory to leaving +my camp with a large party, (as the enemy were stationed so far off). +Before my braves commenced feasting, I took my medicine bags, and +addressed them in the following language: + +"BRAVES AND WARRIORS: These are the medicine bags of our forefather, +Mukataquet, who was the father of the Sac nation. They were handed +down to the great war chief of our nation, Nanamakee, who has been at +war with all the nations of the plains, and have never yet been +disgraced! I expect you all to protect them!" + +After the ceremony was over and our feasting done I started, with +about two hundred warriors following my great medicine bags. I +directed my, course toward sunset and dreamed, the second night after +we started, that there would be a great feast prepared for us after +one day's travel. I told my warriors my dream in the morning and we +started for Moscohocoynak, (Apple river). When we arrived in the +vicinity of a fort the white people had built there we saw four men on +horseback. One of my braves fired and wounded a man when the others +set up a yell as if a large force were near and ready to come against +us. We concealed ourselves and remained in this position for some +time watching to see the enemy approach, but none came. The four men, +in the mean time, ran to the fort and gave the alarm. We followed +them and attacked their fort. One of their braves, who seemed more +valiant than the rest, raised his head above the picketing to fire at +us when one of my braves, with a well-directed shot, put an end to his +bravery. Finding that these people could not be killed without +setting fire to their houses and fort I thought it more prudent to be +content with what flour, provisions, cattle and horses we could find +than to set fire to their buildings, as the light would be seen at a +distance and the army might suppose we were in the neighborhood and +come upon us with a strong force. Accordingly we opened a house and +filled our bags with flour and provisions, took several horses and +drove off some of their cattle. + +We started in a direction toward sunrise. After marching a +considerable time I discovered some white men coming towards us. I +told my braves that we would go into the woods and kill them when they +approached. We concealed ourselves until they came near enough and +then commenced yelling and firing and made a rush upon them. About +this time their chief, with a party of men, rushed up to rescue the +men we had fired upon. In a little while they commenced retreating +and left their chief and a few braves who seemed willing and anxious +to fight. They acted like men, but were forced to give way when I +rushed upon them with my braves. In a short time the chief returned +with a lager party. He seemed determined to fight, and anxious for a +battle. When he came near enough I raised the yell and firing +commenced from both sides. The chief, who seemed to be a small man, +addressed his warriors in a loud voice, but they soon retreated, +leaving him and a few braves on the battle field. A great number of +my warriors pursued the retreating party and killed a number of their +horses as they ran. + +The chief and his few braves were unwilling to leave the field. I +ordered my braves to rush upon them, and had the mortification of +seeing two of my chiefs killed before the enemy retreated. + +This young chief deserves great praise for his courage and bravery, +but fortunately for us, his army was not all composed of such brave +men. + +During this attack we killed several men and about forty horses and +lost two young chiefs and seven warriors. My braves were anxious to +pursue them to the fort, attack and burn it, but I told them it was +useless to waste our powder as there was no possible chance of success +if we did attack them, and that as we had ran the bear into his hole +we would there leave him and return to our camp. + +On arriving at our encampment we found that several of our spies had +returned, bringing intelligence that the army had commenced moving. +Another party of five came in and said they had been pursued for +several hours, and were attacked by twenty-five or thirty whites in +the woods; that the whites rushed in upon them as they lay concealed +and received their fire without seeing them. They immediately +retreated whilst we reloaded. They entered the thicket again and as +soon as they came near enough we fired. Again they retreated and +again they rushed into the thicket and fired. We returned their fire +and a skirmish ensued between two of their men and one of ours, who +was killed by having his throat cut. This was the only man we lost, +the enemy having had three killed; they again retreated. + +Another party of three Sacs had come in and brought two young white +squaws, whom they had given to the Winnebagoes to take to the whites. +They said they had joined a party of Pottowattomies and went with them +as a war party against the settlers of Illinois. + +The leader of this party, a Pottowattomie, had been severely whipped +by this settler, some time before, and was anxious to avenge the +insult and injury. While the party was preparing to start, a young +Pottowattomie went to the settler's house and told him to leave it, +that a war party was coming to murder them. They started, but soon +returned again, as it appeared that they were all there when the war +party arrived. The Pottowattomies killed the whole family, except two +young squaws, whom the Sacs took up on their horses and carried off, +to save their lives. They were brought to our encampment, and a +messenger sent to the Winnebagoes, as they were friendly on both +sides, to come and get them, and carry them to the whites. If these +young men, belonging to my band, had not gone with the Pottowittomies, +the two young squaws would have shared the same fate as their friends. + +During our encampment at the Four Lakes we were hard pressed to obtain +enough to eat to support nature. Situated in a swampy, marshy +country, (which had been selected in consequence of the great +difficulty required to gain access thereto,) there was but little game +of any sort to be found, and fish were equally scarce. The great +distance to any settlement, and the impossibility of bringing supplies +therefrom, if any could have been obtained, deterred our young men +from making further attempts. We were forced to dig roots and bark +trees, to obtain something to satisfy hunger and keep us alive. +Several of our old people became so reduced, as to actually die with +hunger! Learning that the army had commenced moving, and fearing that +they might come upon and surround our encampment, I concluded to +remove our women and children across the Mississippi, that they might +return to the Sac nation again. Accordingly, on the next day we +commenced moving, with five Winnebagoes acting as our guides, +intending to descend the Wisconsin. + +Neapope, with a party of twenty, remained in our rear, to watch for +the enemy, whilst we were proceeding to the Wisconsin, with our women +and children. We arrived, and had commenced crossing over to an +island, when we discovered a large body of the enemy coming towards +us. We were now compelled to fight, or sacrifice our wives and +children to the fury of the whites. I met them with fifty warriors, +(having left the balance to assist our women and children in crossing) +about a mile from the river, When an attack immediately commenced, I +was mounted on a fine horse, and was pleased to see my warriors so +brave. I addressed them in a load voice, telling them to stand their +ground and never yield it to the enemy. At this time I was on the +rise of a hill, where I wished to form my warriors, that we might have +some advantage over the whites. But the enemy succeeded in gaining +this point, which compelled us to fall into a deep ravine, from which +we continued firing at them and they at us, until it began to grow +dark. My horse having been wounded twice during this engagement, and +fearing from his loss of blood that he would soon give out, and +finding that the enemy would not come near enough to receive our fire, +in the dusk of the evening, and knowing that our women and children +had had sufficient time to reach the island in the Wisconsin, I +ordered my warriors to return, by different routes, and meet me at the +Wisconsin, and was astonished to find that the enemy were not disposed +to pursue us. + +In this skirmish with fifty braves, I defended and accomplished my +passage over the Wisconsin, with a loss of only six men, though +opposed by a host of mounted militia. I would not have fought there, +but to gain time for our women and children to cross to an island. A +warrior will duly appreciate the embarrassments I labored under--and +whatever may be the sentiments of the white people in relation to this +battle, my nation, though fallen, will award to me the reputation of a +great brave in conducting it. + +The loss of the enemy could not be ascertained by our party; but I am +of the opinion that it was much greater, in proportion, than mine. We +returned to the Wisconsin and crossed over to our people. + +Here some of my people left me, and descended the Wisconsin, hoping to +escape to the west side of the Mississippi, that they might return +home. I had no objection to their leaving me, as my people were all +in a desperate condition, being worn out with traveling and starving +with hunger. Our only hope to save ourselves was to get across the +Mississippi. But few of this party escaped. Unfortunately for them, a +party of soldiers from Prairie du Chien were stationed on the +Wisconsin, a short distance from its mouth, who fired upon our +distressed people. Some were killed, others drowned, several taken +prisoners, and the balance escaped to the woods and perished with +hunger. Among this party were a great many women and children. + +I was astonished to find that Neapope and his party of spies had not +yet come in, they having been left in my rear to bring the news, if +the enemy were discovered. It appeared, however, that the whites had +come in a different direction and intercepted our trail but a short +distance from the place where we first saw them, leaving our spies +considerably in the rear. Neapope and one other retired to the +Winnebago village, and there remained during the war. The balance of +his party, being brave men, and considering our interests as their +own, returned, and joined our ranks. + +Myself and band having no means to descend the Wisconsin, I started +over a rugged country, to go to the Mississippi, intending to cross it +and return to my nation. Many of our people were compelled to go on +foot, for want of horses, which, in consequence of their having had +nothing to eat for a long time, caused our march to be very slow. At +length we arrived at the Mississippi, having lost some of our old men +and little children, who perished on the way with hunger. + +We had been here but a little while before we saw a steamboat (the +"Warrior,") coming. I told my braves not to shoot, as I intended +going on board, so that we might save our women and children. I knew +the captain (Throckmorton) and was determined to give myself up to +him. I then sent for my white flag. While the messenger was gone, I +took a small piece of white cotton and put it on a pole, and called to +the captain of the boat, and told him to send his little canoe ashore +and let me come aboard. The people on board asked whether we were +Sacs or Winnebagoes. I told a Winnebago to tell them that we were +Sacs, and wanted to give ourselves up! A Winnebago on the boat called +out to us "to run and hide, that the whites were going to shoot!" +About this time one of my braves had jumped into the river, bearing a +white flag to the boat, when another sprang in after him and brought +him to the shore. The firing then commenced from the boat, which was +returned by my braves and continued for some time. Very few of my +people were hurt after the first fire, having succeeded in getting +behind old logs and trees, which shielded them from the enemy's fire. + +The Winnebago on the steamboat must either have misunderstood what was +told, or did not tell it to the captain correctly; because I am +confident he would not have allowed the soldiers to fire upon us if he +had known my wishes. I have always considered him a good man, and too +great a brave to fire upon an enemy when sueing for quarters. + +After the boat left us, I told my people to cross if they could, and +wished; that I intended going into the Chippewa country. Some +commenced crossing, and such as had determined to follow them, +remained; only three lodges going with me. Next morning, at daybreak, +a young man overtook me, and said that all my party had determined to +cross the Mississippi--that a number had already got over safely and +that he had heard the white army last night within a few miles of +them. I now began to fear that the whites would come up with my +people and kill them before they could get across. I had determined +to go and join the Chippewas; but reflecting that by this I could only +save myself, I concluded to return, and die with my people, if the +Great Spirit would not give us another victory. During our stay in +the thicket, a party of whites came close by us, but passed on without +discovering us. + +Early in the morning a party of whites being in advance of the army, +came upon our people, who were attempting to cross the Mississippi. +They tried to give themselves up; the whites paid no attention to +their entreaties, but commenced slaughtering them. In a little while +the whole army arrived. Our braves, but few in umber, finding that +the enemy paid no regard to age or sex, and seeing that they were +murdering helpless women and little children, determined to fight +until they were killed. As many women as could, commenced swimming +the Mississippi, with their children on their backs. A number of them +were drowned, and some shot before they could reach the opposite +shore. + +One of my braves, who gave me this information, piled up some saddles +before him, (when the fight commenced), to shield himself from the +enemy's fire, and killed three white men. But seeing that the whites +were coming too close to him, he crawled to the bank of the without +being perceived, and hid himself under the bank until the enemy +retired. He then came to me and told me what had been done. After +hearing this sorrowful news, I started with my little party to the +Winnebago village at Prairie La Cross. On my arrival there I entered +the lodge of one of the chiefs, and told him that I wished him to go +with me to his father, that I intended giving myself up to the +American war chief and die, if the Great Spirit saw proper. He said +he would go with me. I then took my medicine bag and addressed the +chief. I told him that it was "the soul of the Sac nation--that it +never had been dishonored in any battle, take it, it is my life-- +dearer than life--and give it to the American chief!" He said he +would keep it, and take care of it, and if I was suffered to live, he +would send it to me. + +During my stay at the village, the squaws made me a white dress of +deer skin. I then started with several Winnebagoes, and went to their +agent, at Prairie du Chien, and gave myself up. + +On my arrival there, I found to my sorrow, that a large body of Sioux +had pursued and killed a number of our women and children, who had got +safely across the Mississippi. The whites ought not to have permitted +such conduct, and none but cowards would ever have been guilty of such +cruelty, a habit which had always been practiced on our nation by the +Sioux. + +The massacre, which terminated the war, lasted about two hours. Our +loss in killed was about sixty, besides a number that was drowned. +The loss of the enemy could not be ascertained by my braves, exactly; +but they think that they killed about sixteen during the action. + +I was now given up by the agent to the commanding officer at Fort +Crawford, the White Beaver having gone down the river. We remained +here a short time, and then started for Jefferson Barracks, in a steam +boat, under the charge of a young war chief, (Lieut. Jefferson Davis) +who treated us all with much kindness. He is a good and brave young +chief, with whose conduct I was much pleased. On our way down we +called at Galena and remained a short time. The people crowded to the +boat to see us: but the war chief would not permit them to enter the +apartment where we were--knowing, from what his feelings would have +been if he had been placed in a similar situation, that we did not +wish to have a gaping crowd around us. + +We passed Rock Island without stopping. The great war chief, Gen. +Scott, who was then at Fort Armstrong, came out in a small boat to see +us, but the captain of the steamboat would not allow anybody from the +fort to come on board his boat, in consequence of the cholera raging +among the soldiers. I did think that the captain ought to have +permitted the war chief to come on board to see me, because I could +see no danger to be apprehended by it. The war chief looked well, and +I have since heard was constantly among his soldiers, who were sick +and dying, administering to their wants, and had not caught the +disease from them and I thought it absurd to think that any of the +people on the steamboat could be afraid of catching the disease from a +well man. But these people are not brave like war chiefs, who never +fear anything. + +On our way down, I surveyed the country that had cost us so much +trouble, anxiety and blood, and that now caused me to be a prisoner of +war. I reflected upon the ingratitude of the whites when I saw their +fine houses, rich harvests and everything desirable around them; and +recollected that all this land had been ours, for which I and my +people had never received a dollar, and that the whites were not +satisfied until they took our village and our graveyards from us and +removed us across the Mississippi. + +On our arrival at Jefferson Barracks we met the great war chief, White +Beaver, who had commanded the American army against my little band. I +felt the humiliation of my situation; a little while before I had been +leader of my braves, now I was a prisoner of war, but had surrendered +myself. He received us kindly and treated us well. + +We were now confined to the barracks and forced to wear the ball and +chain. This was extremely mortifying and altogether useless. Was the +White Beaver afraid I would break out of his barracks and run away? +Or was he ordered to inflict this punishment upon me? If I had taken +him prisoner on the field of battle I would not have wounded his +feelings so much by such treatment, knowing that a brave war chief +would prefer death to dishonor. But I do not blame the White Beaver +for the course he pursued, as it is the custom among the white +soldiers, and I suppose was a part of his duty. + +The time dragged heavily and gloomily along throughout the winter, +although the White Beaver did everything is his power to render us +comfortable. Having been accustomed, throughout a long life, to roam +the forests o'er, to go and come at liberty, confinement, and under +such circumstances, could not be less than torture. + +We passed away the time making pipes until spring, when we were +visited by the agent, trader and interpreter, from Rock Island, Keokuk +and several chiefs and braves of our nation, and my wife and daughter. +I was rejoiced to see the two latter and spent my time very agreeably +with them and my people as long as they remained. + +The trader, Sagenash, (Col. Davenport) presented me with some dried +venison, which had been killed and cured by some of my friends. This +was a valuable present, and although he had given me many before, none +ever pleased me so much. This was the first meat I had eaten for a +long time that reminded me of the former pleasures of my own wigwam, +which had always been stored with plenty. + +Keokuk and his chiefs, during their stay at the barracks, petitioned +our Great Father, the president, to release us, and pledged themselves +for our good conduct. I now began to hope I would soon be restored to +liberty and the enjoyment of my family and friends, having heard that +Keokuk stood high in the estimation of our Great Father, because he +did not join me in the war, but I was soon disappointed in my hopes. +An order came from our Great Father to the White Beaver to send us on +to Washington. + +In a little while all were ready and left Jefferson Barracks on board +of a steamboat, under charge of a young war chief and one soldier, +whom the White Beaver sent along as a guide to Washington. We were +accompanied by Keokuk, wife and son, Appanooce, Wapello, Poweshiek, +Pashippaho, Nashashuk, Saukee, Musquaukee, and our interpreter. Our +principal traders, Col. Geo. Davenport, of Rock Island, and S. S. +Phelps and clerk, William Cousland, of the Yellow Banks, also +accompanied us. On our way up the Ohio we passed several large +villages, the names of which were explained to me. The first is +called Louisville, and is a very petty village, situated on the bank +of the Ohio River. The next is Cincinnati, which stands on the bank +of the same river. This is a large and beautiful village and seemed +to be in a thriving condition. The people gathered on the bank as we +passed, in great crowds, apparently anxious to see us. + +On our arrival at Wheeling the streets and river banks were crowded +with people, who flocked from every direction to see us. While we +remained here many called upon us and treated us with kindness, no one +offering to molest or misuse us. This village is not so large as +either of those before mentioned, but is quite a pretty one. + +We left the steamboat then, having traveled a long distance on the +prettiest river I ever saw (except our Mississippi) and took the +stage. Being unaccustomed to this mode of traveling, we soon got +tired and wished ourselves seated in a canoe on one of our own rivers, +that we might return to our friends. We had traveled but a short +distance before our carriage turned over, from which I received a +slight injury, and the soldier had one arm broken. I was sorry for +this accident, as the young man had behaved well. + +We had a rough and mountainous country for several days, but had a +good trail for our carriage. It is astonishing what labor and pains +the white people have had to make this road, as it passes over several +mountains, which are generally covered with rocks and timber, yet it +has been made smooth and easy to travel upon. + +Rough and mountainous as this country is there are many wigwams and +small villages standing on the roadside. I could see nothing in the +country to induce the people to live in it, and was astonished to find +so many whites living on the hills. + +I have often thought of them since my return to my own people, and am +happy to think that they prefer living in their own country to coming +out to ours and driving us from it, as many of the whites have already +done. I think with them, that wherever the Great Spirit places his +people they ought to be satisfied to remain, and be thankful for what +He has given them, and not drive others from the country He has given +them because it happens to be better then theirs. This is contrary to +our way of thinking, and from my intercourse with the whites, I have +learned that one great principle of their religion is "to do unto +others as you wish them to do unto you." Those people in the +mountains seem to act upon this principle, but the settlers on our +frontiers and on our lands seem never to think of it, if we are to +judge by their actions. + +The first village of importance that we came to, after leaving the +mountains, is called Hagerstown. It is a large village to be so far +from a river and is very pretty. The people appear to live well and +enjoy themselves much. + +We passed through several small villages on the way to Fredericktown, +but I have forgotten their names. This last is a large and beautiful +village. The people treated us well, as they did at all other +villages where we stopped, + +Here we came to another road much more wonderful than that through the +mountains. They call it a railroad, (the Baltimore and Ohio). I +examined it carefully, but need not describe it, as the whites know +all about it. It is the most astonishing sight I ever saw. The great +road over the mountains will bear no comparison to it, although it has +given the white people much trouble to make. I was surprised to see so +much money and labor expended to make a good road for easy traveling. +I prefer riding horse back, however, to any other way, but suppose +these people would not have gone to so much trouble and expense to +make a road if they did not prefer riding in their new fashioned +carriages, which seem to run without any trouble, being propelled by +steam on the same principle that boats are on the river. They +certainly deserve great praise for their industry. + +On our arrival at Washington, we called to see our Great Father, the +President. He looks as if he had seen as many winters as I have, and +seems to be a great brave. I had very little talk with him, as he +appeared to be busy and did not seem to be much disposed to talk. I +think he is a good man; and although he talked but little, he treated +us very well. His wigwam is well furnished with every thing good and +pretty, and is very strongly built. + +He said he wished to know the cause of my going to war against his +white children. I thought he ought to have known this before; and +consequently said but little to him about it, as I expected he knew as +well as I cold tell him. + +He said he wanted us to go to Fortress Monroe and stay awhile with the +war chief who commanded it. But having been so long from my people, I +told him that I would rather return to my nation; that Keokuk had come +here once on a visit to him, as we had done, and he had let him return +again, as soon as he wished, and that I expected to be treated in the +same manner. He insisted, however, on our going to Fortress Monroe; +and as the interpreter then present could not understand enough of our +language to interpret a speech, I concluded it was best to obey our +Great Father, and say nothing contrary to his wishes. + +During our stay at the city, we were called upon by many of the +people, who treated us well, particularly the squaws; we visited the +great council home of the Americans; the place where they keep their +big guns; and all the public buildings, and then started for Fortress +Monroe. The war chief met us on our arrival, and shook hands, and +appeared glad to see me. He treated us with great friendship, and +talked to me frequently. Previous to our leaving this fort, he made +us a feast, and gave us some presents, which I intend to keep for his +sake. He is a very good man and a great brave. I was sorry to leave +him, although I was going to return to my people, because he had +treated me like a brother, during all the time I remained with him. + +Having got a new guide, a war chief (Maj. Garland), we started for our +own country, taking a circuitous route. Our Great Father being about +to pay a visit to his children in the big towns towards sunrise, and +being desirous that we should have an opportunity of seeing them, had +directed our guide to take us through. + +On our arrival at Baltimore, we were much astonished to see so large a +village; but the war chief told us we would soon see a larger one. +This surprised us more. During our stay here, we visited all the +public buildings and places of amusement, saw much to admire, and were +well entertained by the people who crowded to see us. Our Great +Father was there at the same time, and seemed to be much liked by his +white children, who flocked around him, (as they had around us) to +shake him by the hand. He did not remain long, having left the city +before us. In an interview, while here, the President said: + +"When I saw you in Washington, I told you that you had behaved very +badly in going to war against the whites. Your conduct then compelled +me to send my warriors against you, and your people were defeated with +great loss, and several of you surrendered, to be kept until I should +be satisfied that you would not try to do any more injury. I told +you, too, that I would inquire whether your people wished you to +return, and whether, if you did return, there would be any danger to +the frontier. Gen. Clark and Gen. Atkinson, whom you know, have +informed me that your principal chief and the rest of your people are +anxious you should return, and Keokuk has asked me to send you back. +Your chiefs have pledged themselves for your good conduct, and I have +given directions that you should be taken to your own country. + +"Major Garland, who is with you, will conduct you through some of our +towns. You will see the strength of the white people. You will see +that our young men are as numerous as the leaves in the woods. What +can you do against us? You may kill a few women and children, but +such a force would seen be sent against you as would destroy your +whole tribe. Let the red men hunt and take care of their families. I +hope they will not again raise the tomahawk against their white +brethren. We do not wish to injure you. We desire your prosperity +and improvement. But if you again make war against our people, I +shall send a force which will severely punish you. When you go back, +listen to the councils of Keokuk and the other friendly chiefs; bury +the tomahawk and live in peace with the people on the frontier. And I +pray the Great Spirit to give you a smooth path and a fair sky to +return." + +I was pleased with our Great Father's talk and thanked him. Told him +that the tomahawk had been buried so deep that it would never be +resurrected, and that my remaining days would be spent in peace with +all my white brethren. + +We left Baltimore in a steamboat, and traveled in this way to the big +village, where they make medals and money, (Philadelphia.) We again +expressed surprise at finding this village so much larger than the one +we had left; but the war chief again told us we would see another much +larger than this. I had no idea that the white people had such large +villages, and so many people. They were very kind to us, showed us +all their great public works, their ships and steamboats. We visited +the place where they make money, (the mint) and saw the men engaged at +it. They presented each of us with a number of pieces of the coin as +they fell from the mint, which are very handsome. + +I witnessed a militia training in this city, in which were performed a +number of singular military feats. The chiefs and men were all well +dressed, and exhibited quite a warlike appearance. I think our system +of military parade far better than that of the whites, but as I am now +done going to war I will not describe it, or say anything more about +war, or the preparations necessary for it. + +We next started for New York, and on our arrival near the wharf, saw a +large collection of people gathered at Castle Garden. We had seen +many wonderful sights in our way--large villages, the great national +road over the mountains, the railroad, steam carriages, ships, +steamboat, and many other things; but we were now about to witness a +sight more surprising than any of these. We were told that a man was +going up in the air in a balloon. We watched with anxiety to see if +this could be true; and to our utter astonishment, saw him ascend in +the air until the eye could no longer perceive him. Our people were +all surprised and one of our young men asked the Prophet if he was +going up to see the Great Spirit? + +After the ascension of the balloon, we landed and got into a carriage +to go to the house that had been provided for our reception. We had +proceeded but a short distance before the street was so crowded that +it was impossible for the carriage to pass. The war chief then +directed the coachman to take another street, and stop at a different +house from the one we had intended. On our arrival here we were +waited upon by a number of gentlemen, who seemed much pleased to see +us. We were furnished with good rooms, good provisions, and +everything necessary for our comfort. + +The chiefs of this big village, being desirous that all their people +should have an opportunity to see us, fitted up their great council +home for this purpose, where we saw an immense number of people; all +of whom treated us with great friendship, and many with great +generosity. One of their great chiefs, John A. Graham, waited upon us +and made a very pretty talk, which appeared in the village papers, one +of which I now hand you. + + + +MR. GRAHAM'S SPEECH. + +"BROTHERS: Open your ears. You are brave men. You have fought like +tigers, but in a bad cause. We have conquered you. We were sorry +last year that you raised the tomahawk against us; but we believe you +did not know us then as you do now. We think, in time to come, you +will be wise, and that we shall be friends forever. You see that we +are a great people, numerous as the flowers of the field, as the +shells on the sea shore, or the fishes in the sea, We put one hand on +the eastern, and at the same time the other on the western ocean. We +all act together. If some time our great men talk long and loud at +our council fires, but shed one drop of white men's blood, our young +warriors, as thick as the stars of the night, will leap aboard of our +great boats, which fly on the waves and over the lakes--swift as the +eagle in the air--then penetrate the woods, make the big guns thunder, +and the whole heavens red with the flames of the dwellings of their +enemies. Brothers, the President has made you a great talk. He has +but one mouth. That one has sounded the sentiments of all the people. +Listen to what he has said to you. Write it on your memories, it is +good, very good. + +"Black Hawk, take these jewels, a pair of topaz earrings, beautifully +set in gold, for your wife or daughter, as a token of friendship, +keeping always in mind, that women and children are the favorites of +the Great Spirit. These jewels are from an old man, whose head is +whitened with the snows of seventy winters, an old man who has thrown +down his bow, put off his sword, and now stands leaning on his staff, +waiting the commands of the Great Spirit. Look around you, see all +this mighty people, then go to your homes, open your arms to receive +your families. Tell them to buy the hatchet, to make bright the chain +of friendship, to love the white men, and to live in peace with them, +as long as the rivers run into the sea, and the sun rises and sets. +If you do so, you will be happy. You will then insure the prosperity +of unborn generations of your tribes, who will go hand in hand with +the sons of the white men, and all shall be blessed by the Great +Spirit. Peace and happiness by the blessing of the Great Spirit +attend you. Farewell." + +In reply to this fine talk, I said, "Brother: We like your talk. We +like the white people. They are very kind to us. We shall not forget +it. Your council is good. We shall attend to it. Your valuable +present shall go to my squaw. We shall always be friends." + +The chiefs were particular in showing us everything that they thought +would be pleasing or gratifying to us. We went with them to Castle +Garden to see the fire-works, which was quite an agreeable +entertainment, but to the whites who witnessed it, less magnificent +than would have been the sight of one of our large prairies when on +fire. + +We visited all the public buildings and places of amusement, which, to +us, were truly astonishing yet very gratifying. + +Everybody treated us with friendship, and many with great liberality. +The squaws presented us many handsome little presents that are said to +be valuable. They were very kind, very good, and very pretty--for +pale-faces. + +Among the men, who treated us with marked friendship, by the +presentation of many valuable presents, I cannot omit to mention the +name of my old friend Crooks, of the American Fur Company. I have +known him long, and have always found him to be a good chief, one who +gives good advice, and treats our people right. I shall always be +proud to recognize him as a friend, and glad to shake him by the hand. + +Being anxious to return to our people, our guide started with us for +our own country. On arriving at Albany, the people were so anxious to +see us, that they crowded the streets and wharfs, where the steamboats +landed, so much, that it was almost impossible for us to pass to the +hotel which had been provided for our reception. We remained here but +a short time, it being a comparatively small village, with only a few +large public buildings. The great council home of the state is +located here, and the big chief (the governor) resides here, in an old +mansion. From here we went to Buffalo, thence to Detroit, where I had +spent many pleasant days, and anticipated, on my arrival, to meet many +of my old friends, but in this I was disappointed. What could be the +cause of this? Are they all dead? Or what has become of them? I did +not see our old father them, who had always given me good advice and +treated me with great friendship. + +After leaving Detroit it was but a few days before we landed at +Prairie du Chien. The war chief at the fort treated us very kindly, +as did the people generally. I called on the agent of the +Winnebagoes, (Gen. J. M. Street), to whom I had surrendered myself +after the battle at Bad Axe, who received me very friendly. I told +him that I had left my great medicine bag with his chiefs before I +gave myself up; and now, that I was to enjoy my liberty again, I was +anxious to get it, that I might head it down to my nation unsullied. + +He said it was safe; he had heard his chiefs speak of it, and would +get it and send it to me. I hope he will not forget his promise, as +the whites generally do, because I have always heard that he was a +good man, and a good father, and made no promise that he did not +fulfill. + +Passing down the Mississippi, I discovered a large collection of +people in the mining country, on the west side of the river, and on +the ground that we had given to our relation, DUBUQUE, a long time +ago. I was surprised at this, As I had understood from our Great +Father that the Mississippi was to be the dividing line between his +red and white children, and he did not wish either to cross it. I was +much pleased with this talk, and I knew it would be much better for +both parties. I have since found the country much settled by the +whites further down, and near to our people, on the west side of the +river. I am very much afraid that in a few years they will begin to +drive and abuse our people, as they have fomerly done. I may not live +to see it, but I feel certain the day is not far distant. + +When we arrived at Rock Island, Keokuk and the other chiefs were sent +for. They arrived the next day with a great number of their young +men, and came over to see me. I was pleased to see them, and they all +appeared glad to see me. Among them were some who had lost relations +the year before. When we met, I perceived the tear of sorrow gush +from their eyes at the recollection of their loss, yet they exhibited +a smiling countenance, from the joy they felt at seeing me alive and +well. + +The next morning, the war chief, our guide, convened a council at Fort +Armstrong. Keokuk and his party went to the fort; but, in consequence +of the war chief not having called for me to accompany him, I +concluded that I would wait until I was sent for. Conseqently, the +interpreter came and said, "they were ready, and had been waiting for +me to come to the fort." I told him I was ready and would accompany +him. On our arrival there the council commenced. The war chief said +that the object of this council was to deliver me up to Keokuk. He +then read a paper, and directed me to follow Keokuk's advice, and be +governed by his counsel in all things! In this speech he said much +that was mortifying to my feelings, and I made an indignant reply. + +I do not know what object the war chief had in making such a speech; +or whether he intended what he said; but I do know that it was +uncalled for, and did not become him. I have addressed many war +chiefs and listened to their speeches with pleasure, but never had my +feelings of pride and honor insulted on any other occasion. But I am +sorry I was so hasty in reply to this chief, because I said that which +I did not intend. + +In this council I met my old friend (Col. Wm. Davenport,) whom I had +known about eighteen years. He is a good and brave chief. He always +treated me well, and gave me good advice. He made me a speech on this +occasion, very different from that of the other chief. It sounded +like coming from a brave. He said he had known me a long time, that +we had been good friends during that acquaintance, and, although he +had fought against my braves, in our late war, he still extended the +hand of friendship to me, and hoped that I was now satisfied, from +what I had seen in my travels, that it was folly to think of going to +war against the whites, and would ever remain at peace. He said he +would be glad to see me at all times, and on all occasions would be +happy to give me good advice. + +If our Great Father were to make such men our agents he would much +better subserve the interests of our people, as well as his own, than +in any other way. The war chiefs all know our people, and are +respected by them. If the war chiefs at the different military posts +on the frontier were made agents, they could always prevent +difficulties from arising among the Indians and whites; and I have no +doubt, had the war chief above alluded to been our agent, we would +never have had the difficulties with the whites we have had. Our +agents ought always to be braves. I would, therefore, recommend to +our Great Father the propriety of breaking up the present Indian +establishment, and creating a new one, and make the commanding +officers at the different frontier posts the agents of the Government +for the different nations of Indians. + +I have a good opinion of the American war chiefs generally with whom I +am acquainted, and my people, who had an opportunity of seeing and +becoming well acquainted with the great war chief (Gen. Winfield +Scott), who made the last treaty with them, in conjunction with the +great chief of Illinois (Governor Reynolds), all tell me that he is +the greatest brave they ever saw, and a good man--one who fulfills his +premises. Our braves spoke more highly of him than of any chief that +had ever been among us, or made treaties with us. Whatever he says +may be depended upon. If he had been our Great Father we never would +have been compelled to join the British in the last war with America, +and I have thought that as our Great Father is changed every few +years, that his children would do well to put this great war chief in +his place, for they cannot find a better chief for a Great Father +anywhere. + +I would be glad if the village criers (editors), in all the villages I +passed through, would let their people know my wishes and opinions +about this great war chief. + +During my travels my opinions were asked for on different subjects, +but for want of a good interpreter (our regular interpreter having +gone home on a different route), were seldom given. Presuming that +they would be equally acceptable now, I have thought it a part of my +duty to lay the most important before the public. + +The subject of colonizing the negroes was introduced and my opinion +asked as to the best method of getting clear of these people. I was +not fully prepared at that time to answer, as I knew but little about +their situation. I have since made many inquiries on the subject, and +find that a number of States admit no slaves, whilst the balance hold +these negroes as slaves, and are anxious, but do not know how to get +clear of them. I will now give my plan, which, when understood, I hope +will be adopted. + +Let the free States remove all the male negroes within their limits to +the slave States; then let our Great Father buy all the female negroes +in the slave States between the ages of twelve and twenty, and sell +them to the people of the free States, for a term of years, say those +under fifteen until they are twenty-one, and those of and over +fifteen, for five years, and continue to buy all the females in the slave +States as soon as they arrive at the age of twelve, and take them to +the free States and dispose of them in the same way as the first, and +it will not be long before the country is clear of the black-skins, +about which I am told they have been talking for a long time, and for +which they have expended a large amount of money. + +I have no doubt but our Great Father would willingly do his part in +accomplishing this object for his children, as he could not lose much +by it, and would make them all happy. If the free States did not want +them all for servants, we would take the balance in our nation to help +our women make corn. + +I have not time now, or is it necessary to enter more into detail +about my travels through the United States. The white people know all +about them, and my people have started to their hunting grounds and I +am anxious to follow them. + +Before I take leave of the public, I must contradict the story of some +of the village criers, who, I have been told, accuse me of having +murdered women ad children among the whites. This assertion is false! +I never did, nor have I any knowledge that any of my nation ever +killed a white woman or child. I make this statement of truth to +satisfy the white people among whom I have been traveling, and by whom +I have been treated with great kindness, that, when they shook me by +the hand so cordially, they did not shake the hand that had ever been +raised against any but warriors. + +It has always been our custom to receive all strangers that come to +our village or camps in time of peace on terms of friendship, to share +with them the best provisions we have, and give them all the +assistance in our power. If on a journey or lost, to put them on the +right trail, and if in want of moccasins, to supply them. I feel +grateful to the whites for the kind manner they treated me and my +party whilst traveling among them, and from my heart I assure them +that the white man will always be welcome in our village or camps, as +a brother. The tomahawk is buried forever! We will forget what has +passed, and may the watchword between the Americans and he Sacs and +Foxes ever be--FRIENDSHIP. + +I am done now. A few more moons and I must follow my fathers to the +shades. May the Great Spirit keep our people and the whites always at +peace, is the sincere wish of + BLACK HAWK. + + + +STARTS FOR A NEW HOME. + +After we had finished his autobiography the interpreter read it over +to him carefully, and explained it thoroughly, so that he might make +any needed corrections, by adding to, or taking from the narrations; +but he did not desire to change it in any material matter. He said, +"It contained nothing but the truth, and that it was his desire that +the white people in the big villages he had visited should know how +badly he had been treated, and the reason that had impelled him to act +as he had done." Arrangements having been completed for moving to +his new home, he left Rock Island on the 10th of October with his +family and a small portion of his band, for his old hunting grounds on +Skunk river, on the west side of the Mississippi river below Shokokon. +Here he had a comfortable dwelling erected, and settled down with the +expectation of making it his permanent home, thus spending the evening +of his days in peace and quietude. + +Our next meeting with the Chief was in the Autumn Of 1834 while on our +way to the trading house of Captain William Phelps (now of Lewistown, +Ills.), at Sweet Home, located on the bank of the Des Moines river. +This was soon after the payment of the annuities at Rock Island, where +the chiefs and head men had been assembled and received the money and +divided it among their people by such rule as they saw fit to adopt; +but this mode of distribution had proved very unsatisfactory to a +large number of Indians who felt that they had been sorely wronged. +The Sacs held a convocation at Phelps' trading house soon after our +arrival, and petitioned their Great Father to change the mode of +payment of their annuities. Black Hawk was a leading spirit in this +movement, but thought best not to be present at the meeting. The +writer of this drew up a petition in advance of the assembling of the +meeting, in accordance with the views of the Messrs. Phelps, and after +a short council, in which the Indians generally participated, the +interpreter read and explained to them the petition, which was a +simple prayer to their Great Father, to charge the mode of payment so +that each head of a family should receive and receipt for his +proportion of the annuity. They were all satisfied and the entire +party "touched the goose quill," and their names were thus duly +attached to this important document. + +The Secretary of War had long favored this mode of payment of the +annuities to the Indians, and at a meeting of the Cabinet to consider +this petition the prayer of the Indians was granted, and in due time +the Indian department received instructions, so that upon the payment +of 1835 this rule was adopted. On his return from Rock Island, Black +Hawk, with a number of his band, called on his old friend +Wahwashenequa (Hawkeye), Mr. Stephen S. Phelps, to buy their necessary +supplies for making a fall hunt, and to learn at what points trading +houses would be established for the winter trade. During their stay +the old chief had frequent interviews with the writer (his former +amanuensis). He said he had a very comfortable home, a good corn +field, and plenty of game, and had been well treated by the few whites +who had settled in his neighborhood. He spent several days with us +and then left for home with a good winter outfit. + +The change in the manner of payment of annuities would have been +opposed by Keokuk and his head men, had they been let into the secret, +as the annuity money when paid over was principally controlled by him, +and always to the detriment of the Sacs' traders who were in +opposition to the American Fur Company, the former having to rely +almost entirely upon the fall and winter trade in furs and peltries to +pay the credits given the Indians before leaving for their hunts. + + + +BLACK HAWK'S LAST VISIT + +To Yellow Banks was in the fall of 1836, after the town of Oquawka had +been laid out, and when told that the town had taken the Indian name, +instead of its English interpretation, he was very much gratified, as +he had known it as Oquawka ever since his earliest recollection and +had always made it a stopping place when going out to their winter +camps. He said the Skunk river country was dotted over with Cabins +all the way down to the Des Moines river, and was filling up very fast +by white people. A new village had been started at Shokokon (Flint +Hills) by the whites, and some of its people have already built good +houses, but the greater number are still living in log cabins. They +should have retained its Indian name, Shokokon, as our people have +spent many happy days in this village. Here too, we had our council +house in which the braves of the Sac nation have many times assembled +to listen to my words of counsel. It was situated in a secluded but +romantic spot in the midst of the bluffs, not far from the river, and +on frequent occasions, when it became necessary to send out parties to +make war on the Sioux to redress our grievances, I have assembled my +braves here to give them counsel before starting on he war-path. And +here, too, we have often met when starting out in the fall for our +fall and winter's hunt, to counsel in regard to our several locations +for the winter. In those days the Fur Company had a trading house +here and their only neighbors were the resident Indians of Tama's +town, located a few miles above on the river. + +The Burlington _Hawk-Eye_, of a late date, in reference to this +council house, says: + +"A little distance above the water works, and further around the turn +of the bluff is a natural amphitheater, formed by the action of the +little stream that for ages has dripped and gurgled down its deep and +narrow channel to the river. It is a straight, clear cut opening in +the hill side, slightly rising till at a distance of seventy-five or +one hundred yards from the face of the bluff it terminates as suddenly +and sharply as do the steeply sloping sides. + +"Well back in this grassy retreat, upon a little projection of earth +that elevates it above the surrounding surface, lies a huge granite +boulder. In connection with the surroundings it gives to the place +the appearance of a work of man, everything is so admirably arranged +for a council chamber. Here, it is rumored by tradition, the dusky +warriors of the Sacs gathered to listen in attentive silence to the +words of their leader, Black Hawk, who from his rocky rostrum +addressed the motionless groups that strewed the hill sides; +motionless under his addresses and by them aroused to deeds of +darkness and crafty daring that made the name of their chief a synonym +with all things terrible. + +"Whatever of truth this story may contain we cannot say, and it may be +no one knows. Certain it is, however, that Black Hawk's early history +is intimately linked and interwoven with that of our city, and in +justice to a brave man and a soldier, as well as a 'first settler' and +a citizen, his name and his last resting place should be rescued from +the oblivion that will soon enshroud them." + +Another village has been commenced by the whites on the Mississippi +river, at Fort Madison, which is being built up very rapidly. The +country, too, is fast settling up by farmers, and as the Sacs have +made a settlement on the frontier farther west, on our old hunting +grounds, he said he would have to move farther back so as to be near +his people; and on bidding us farewell, said it might be the last +time, as he was growing old, and the distance would be too great from +the point at which he intended to build a house and open a little farm +to make a visit on horseback, and as the Des Moines river is always +low in the fall of the year he could not come in his canoe. + +At the close of the summer of 1837 the President of the United States +invited deputations from several tribes Of Indians residing on the +Upper Mississippi to visit him at Washington. Among those who +responded to his invitation were deputations from the Sacs and Foxes +and Sioux, who had been at enmity, and between whom hostilities had +been renewed, growing out of their inhuman treatment of many of the +women and children of the Sacs, after they had made their escape from +the battle of Bad Axe, at the close of the war. + +Keokuk, principal chief of the Sacs and Foxes, (by the advice of his +friend, Sagenash, Col. George Davenport, of Rock Island) invited Black +Hawk to join his delegation, which invitation he readily accepted, and +made one of the party; whilst the Sioux were represented by several of +their crafty chiefs. Several counsels were held, the object of which +was to establish peace between the Sacs and Foxes and Sioux, and in +order to perpetuate it, make a purchase of a portion of the country of +the Sioux, which territory should be declared neutral, and on which +neither party should intrude for any purpose; but the Sioux, whose +domain extends far and wide, would not consent to sell any of their +land; hence nothing was accomplished. + +Before returning to their county the Sac and Fox delegation visited +the large cities in the East, in all of which Black Hawk attracted +great attention; but more particularly in Boston, as he did not visit +it during his former tour. The delegation embraced Keokuk, his wife +and little son, four chiefs of the nation, Black Hawk and son, and +several warriors. Here they were received and welcomed by the mayor +of the city, and afterwards by Governor Everett as the representative +of the State. On the part of the city, after a public reception, the +doors of Faneuil Hall were opened to their visitors to hold a levee +for the visits of the ladies, and in a very short time the "old cradle +of liberty" was jammed full. + +After dinner the delegation was escorted to the State House by a +military company, and on their arrival were conspicuously seated in +front of the Speakers' desk, the house being filled with ladies, +members of the legislature, and dignitaries of the city council. + +Governor Everett then addressed the audience, giving a brief history +of the Sac and Fox tribe, whose principal chiefs (including the great +war chief) were then present, and then turning to them hi said: +"Chiefs and warriors of the united Sacs and Foxes, you are welcome to +our hall of council. Brothers, you have come a long way from your +home to visit your white brethren; we rejoice to take you by the hand. +Brothers, we have heard the names of your chiefs and warriors. Our +brethren who have traveled in the West have told us a great deal about +the Sacs and Foxes. We rejoice to see you with our own eyes. + +"Brothers, we are called the Massachusetts. This is the name of the +red men who once lived here. Their wigwams were scattered on yonder +fields, and their council fire was kindled on this spot. They were of +the same great race as the Sacs and Foxes. + + "Brothers, when our fathers came over the great water they were a +small band. The red man stood upon the rock by the seaside and saw +our fathers. He might have pushed them into the water and drowned +them; but he stretched out his hand to them and said: 'Welcome, white +man.' Our fathers were hungry, and the red man gave them corn and +venison. They were cold, and the red man wrapped them in his blanket. +We are now numerous and powerful, but we remember the kindness of the +red men to our fathers. Brothers, you are welcome; we are glad to see +you. + +"Brothers, our faces are pale, and your faces are dark, but our hearts +are alike. The Great Spirit has made His children of different +colors, but He loves them all. + +"Brothers, you dwell between the Mississippi and Missouri. They are +mighty rivers. They have one branch far East in the Alleghanies and +another far West in the Rocky Mountains, but they flow together at +last into one great stream and ran down into the sea. In like manner +the red man dwells in the West and the white man in the East, by the +great water; but they are all one band, one family. It has many +branches; but one head. + +"Brothers, as you entered our council house, you beheld the image of +our great father, Washington. It is a cold stone; it cannot speak to +you, but he was the friend of the red man, and bade his children live +in friendship with their red brethren. He is gone to the world of +spirits, but his words have made a very deep print in our hearts, like +the step of a strong buffalo on the soft clay of the prairie. + +"Brother, (addressing Keokuk) I perceive your little son between your +knees. May the Great Spirit preserve his life, my, brother. He grows +up before you, like the tender sapling by the side of the great oak. +May they flourish for a long time together; and when the mighty oak is +fallen on the ground may the young tree fill its place in the forest, +and spread out its branches over the tribe. + +"Brothers, I make you a short talk and again bid you welcome to our +council hall." + +Keokuk rose and made an eloquent address. Several of the other chiefs +spoke, and after them the old war chief, Black Hawk, on whom the large +crowd were looking with intense interest, arose and delivered a short +but dignified address. + +Presents were then distributed to them by the Governor. Keokuk +received a splendid sword and a brace of pistols, his son a nice +little rifle, the other chiefs long swords, and Black Hawk a sword and +brace of pistols. + +After the close of ceremonies in the Capitol, the Indians gave a +exhibition of the war dance, in the common in front of the Capitol, in +presence of thirty thousand spectators, and then returned to their +quarters. + + + +BLACK HAWK'S REMOVAL TO THE DES MOINES RIVER. + +Soon after his return from Boston he removed his family and little +band farther West, on the Des Moines river, near the storehouse of an +Indian trader, where he had previously erected a good house for his +future home. His family embraced his wife, two sons, Nashashuk and +Gamesett, and an only daughter and her husband. As he had given up +the chase entirely--having sufficient means from the annuities--he now +turned his attention to the improvement of his grounds, and soon had +everything comfortably around him. Here he had frequent visits from +the whites, who came out in large numbers to look at the country, many +of whom called through curiosity to see the great war chief, but all +were made welcome and treated with great hospitality. + +In 1838 Fort Madison had grown to be a little village, and its +inhabitants were not only enterprising and industrious, but patriotic +citizens. On the 4th of July of that year they had a celebration and +having known and respected Black Hawk while residing in that part of +the country, invited him to join them as a guest on that occasion. + +In reply to a letter of B.F. Drake, Esq., of Cincinnati, asking for +such incidents in the life of Black Hawk as he knew, Hon. W. Henry +Starr, of Burlington, Iowa, whom we knew for many years as a highly +honorable and intelligent gentleman, gave the following account of the +celebration in his reply, dated March 21, 1839: + +"On the 4th of July, 1838, Black Hawk was present by special +invitation, and was the most conspicuous guest of the citizens +assembled in commemoration of that day. Among the toasts called forth +by the occasion was the following: + +"'Our illustrious guest, Black Hawk: May his declining years be as +calm and serene as his previous life has been boisterous and full of +warlike incidents. His attachment and great friendship to his white +brethren, fully entitle him to a seat at our festive board.'" + +"So soon as this sentiment was drank, Black Hawk arose and delivered +the following speech, which was taken down at the time by two +interpreted, and by them furnished for publication: + +"It has pleased the Great Spirit that I am here to-day. I have eaten +with my white friends. The earth is our mother--we are now on it-- +with the Great Spirit above us--it is good. I hope we are all friends +here. A few summers ago I was fighting against you--I did wrong, +perhaps; but that is past--it is buried--let it be forgotten. + +"Rock river was a beautiful country--liked my towns, my cornfields, +and the home of my people. I fought for it. It is now yours--keep it +as we did--it will produce you good crops. + +"I thank the Great Spirit that I am now friendly with my white +brethren--we are here together--we have eaten together--we are +friends--it is his wish and mine. I thank you for your friendship. + +"I was once a great warrior-I am now poor. Keokuk has been the cause +of my present situation--but do not attach blame to him. I am now +old. I have looked upon the Mississippi since I have been a child. I +love the Great river. I have dwelt upon its banks from the time I was +an infant. I look upon it now. I shake hands with you, and as it is +my wish, I hope you are my friends.' + +"In the course of the day he was prevailed upon to drink several +times, and became somewhat intoxicated, an uncommon circumstance, as +he was generally temperate. + +"In the autumn of 1837, he was at the house of an Indian trader, in +the vicinity of Burlington, when I became acquainted and frequently +convened with him in broken English, and through the medium of +gestures and pantomine. A deep seated melancholy was apparent in his +countenance, and conversation. He endeavored to make me comprehend, +on one occasion, his former greatness, and represented that he was +once master of the country, east, north, and south of us--that he had +been a very successful warrior-called himself, smiting his breast, +'big Captain Black Hawk,' 'nesso Kaskaskias,' (killed the Kaskaskias,) +'nesso Sioux a heap,' (killed a great number of Sioux). He then +adverted to the ingratitude of his tribe, in permitting Keokuk to +supercede him, who, he averred, excelled him in nothing but drinking +whisky. + +"Toward Keokuk he felt the most unrelenting hatred. Keokuk was, +however, beyond his influence, being recognized as chief of the tribe +by the government of the United States. He unquestionably possessed +talents of the first order, excelled as an orator, but his authority +will probably be short-lived, on account of his dissipation and his +profligacy in spending the money paid him for the benefit of his +tribe, and which he squanders upon himself and a few favorites, +through whose influence he seeks to maintain his authority. + +"You inquire if Black Hawk was at the battle of the Thames? On one +occasion I mentioned Tecumthe to him and he expressed the greatest joy +that I had heard of him, and pointing away to the East, and making a +feint, as if aiming a gun, said, 'Chemocoman (white man) nesso,' +(kill.) From which I had no doubt of his being personally acquainted +with Tecumthe, and I have been since informed, on good authority, that +he was in the battle of the Thames and in several other engagements +with that distinguished chief." + +In September, 1838, he started with the head men of his little band to +go to Rock Island, the place designated by the Agent, to receive their +annuities, but was taken sick on the way and had to return to his +home. He was confined to his bed about two weeks, and on the 3d day +of October, 1838, he was called away by the Great Spirit to take up +his abode in the happy grounds of the future, at the age of seventy- +one years. His devoted wife and family were his only and constant +attendants during his last sickness, and when brought home sick, she +had a premonition that he would soon be called away. + +The following account of his death and burial we take from the +Burlington Hawk-Eye, and as we knew the writer as a reliable +gentleman, many years ago, we have no doubt of it being strictly +correct. + +Captain James H. Jordan, a trader among the Sacs and Foxes before +Black Hawk's death, was present at his burial, and is now residing on +the very spot where he died. In reply to a letter of inquiry he +writes as follows: + + + +ELDON, Iowa, July 15, 1881. + +Black Hawk was buried on the northeast quarter of the southeast +quarter of section 2, township 70, range 12, Davis county, Iowa, near +the northeast corner of the county, on the Des Moines river bottom, +about ninety rods from where he lived when he died, and the north side +of the river. I have the ground on which he lived for a door yard, it +being between my house and the river. The only mound over the gave +was some puncheons split out and set over his grave and then sodded +over with blue gross, making a ridge about four feet high. A flag- +staff, some twenty feet high, was planted at the head, on which was a +silk flag, which hung there until the wind wore it out. My house and +his were only about four rods apart when he died. He was sick only +about fourteen days. He was buried right where he sat the year +before, when in council with Iowa Indians, and was buried in a suit of +military clothes, made to order and given to him when in Washington +City by General Jackson, with hat, sword, gold epaulets, etc., etc. + +The Annals of Iowa of 1863 and 1864 state that the old chief was +buried by laying his body on a board, his feet fifteen inches below +the surface of the ground, and his head raised three feet above the +ground. He was dressed in a military uniform, said to have been +presented to him by a member of General Jackson's cabinet, with a cap +on his head ornamented with feathers. On his left side was a sword +presented him by General Jackson; on his right side a cane presented +to him by Henry Clay, and one given to him by a British officer, and +other trophies. Three medals hung about his neck from President +Jackson, ex-President John Quincy Adams and the city of Boston, +respectively. The body was covered with boards on each side, the +length of the body, which formed a ridge, with an open space below; +the gables being closed by boards, and the whole was covered with sod. +At the head was a flag-staff thirty-five feet high which bore an +American flag worn out by exposure, and near by was the usual hewn +post inscribed with Indian characters representing his war-like +exploits, etc. Enclosing all was a strong circular picket fence +twelve feet high. His body remained here until July, 1839, when it +was carried off by a certain Dr. Turner, then living at Lexington, Van +Buren county, Iowa. Captain Horn says the bones were carried to +Alton, Ills., to be mounted with wire. Mr. Barrows says they were +taken to Warsaw, Ills. Black Hawk's sons, when they heard of this +desecration of their father's grave, were very indignant, and +complained of it to Governor Lucas of Iowa Territory, and his +excellency caused the bones to be brought back to Burlington in the +fall of 1839, or the spring of 1840. When the sons came to take +possession of them, finding them safely stored "in a good dry place" +they left them there. The bones were subsequently placed in the +collection of the Burlington Geological and Historical Society, and it +is certain that they perished in the fire which destroyed the building +and all the society's collections in 1855; though the editor of the +Annals, (April, 1865, p. 478) says there is good reason to believe +that the bones were not destroyed by the fire, and he is "creditably +informed that they are now at the residence of a former officer of +said society and thus escaped that catastrophe." + +Another account, however, and probably a more reliable one, states +that the last remains of Black Hawk were consumed as stated, in the +burning building containing the collections and properties of the +Burlington Geological and Historical Society. + +In closing this narrative of the life of this noble old chief it may +be but just to speak briefly of his personal traits. He was an +Indian, and from that standpoint we must judge him. The make-up of +his character comprised those elements in a marked degree which +constitutes a noble nature. In all the social relations of life he +was kind and affable. In his house he was the affectionate husband +and father. He was free from the many vices that others of his race +had contracted from their associations with the white people, never +using intoxicating beverages to excess. As a warrior he knew no fear, +and on the field of battle his feats of personal prowess stamped him +as the "bravest of the brave." + +But it was rather as a speaker and counsellor that he was +distinguished. His patriotism, his love of his country, his home, his +lands and the rights of his people to their wide domain, moved his +great soul to take up arms to protect the rights of his people. +Revenge and conquest formed no part of his purpose. _Right_ was all +that he demanded, and for _that_ he waged the unequal contests with +the whites. With his tribe he had great personal influence and his +young men received his counsel and advice, and yielded ready +acquiescence in his admonitions. With other tribes he was held in +high esteem, as well as by English and American soldiers, who had +witnessed his prowess on the field of battle. + + + +THE BLACK HAWK TOWER. + +This favorite resort of Black Hawk, situated on the highest bank of +Rock river, had been selected by his father as a lookout, at the first +building up of their village. From this point they had an +unobstructed view up and down Rock river for many miles, and across +the prairies as far as the vision could penetrate, and since that +country has been settled by the whites, for more than half a century, +has been the admiration of many thousands of people. + +The village of Black Hawk, including this grand "look out," was +purchased from the Government by Col. George Davenport, at Black +Hawk's particular request, for the reason, as he afterwards told us, +that he could leave it with an abiding assurance that the graves of +their people would be protected from vandal hands. + +This property including hundreds of acres lying between Rock river and +the Mississippi, is now owned by Hon. B. Davenport, and as it has long +been a pleasure resort for picnic and other parties, he has erected an +elegant pavilion on its site, with a good residence for a family, who +have charge of it, which will now make it the finest pleasure resort +in that part of the country. And in order to make it more easy of +access, he has constructed a branch from the Rock Island and Milan +railroad, leading directly to the Tower. Now its many visitors in the +future can sit on the veranda, and while enjoying the elegant scenery, +can take ease and comfort in the cool shade. And for this high +privilege the name of Davenport will receive many hearty greetings. + +Fifty years ago (1832) we made, our first visit to Black Hawk's Tower +with Col. George Davenport, and listened with intense interest to his +recital of scenes that had been enacted there may years before; and +one year later had them all repeated, with may more, from the lips of +Black Hawk himself. How changed the scene. Then it was in its rustic +state, now this fine pavilion, being a long, low structure, built +somewhat after the Swiss cottage plan, with broad sloping roofs, and +wide, long porches on the north and south sides, the one facing the +road and the other fronting the river and giving a view of a beautiful +stretch of country up and down Rock river, greatly enhances its beauty +and adds much to the comfort of visitors. + +The following beautiful word paintings by a recent visitor to the +Tower, we take from the Rock Island Union: + + + +BLACK HAWK'S WATCH TOWER. +BY JENNIE M. FOWLER + + Beautiful tower! famous in history + Rich in legend, in old-time mystery, + Graced with tales of Indian lore, + Crowned with beauty from summit to shore. + + Below, winds the river, silent and still, + Nestling so calmly 'mid island and hill, + Above, like warriors, proudly and grand, + Tower the forest trees, monarchs of land. + + A land mark for all to admire and wonder, + With thy history ancient, for nations to ponder, + Boldly thou liftest they head to the breeze, + Crowned with they plumes, the nodding trees. + + Years are now gone--forever more fled, + Since the Indians crept, with cat-like tread, + With mocasined foot, with eagle eye-- + The red men our foes in ambush lie. + + The owl, still his nightly vigil keeps, + While the river, below him, peacefully sleeps, + The whip-poor-will utters his plaintive cry, + The trees still whisper, and gently sigh. + + The pale moon still creeps from her daily rest, + Throwing her rays o'er the river's dark breast, + The katy-did and cricket, I trow, + In days gone by, chirruped, even as now. + + Indian! thy camp-fires no longer are smoldering, + They bones 'neath the forest moss long have been mouldering, + The "Great Spirit" claims thee. He leadeth they tribe, + To new hunting-grounds not won with a bribe. + + On thy Watch Tow'r the pale face his home now makes, + His dwelling, the site of the forest tree takes, + Gone are thy wigwams, the wild deer now fled, + Black Hawk, with his tribe, lie silent and dead. + +ROCK ISLAND, August 18, 1882. + + + +THE BLACK HAWK WAR. + +PREFACE. + +On the 12th of April, 1832, soon after our arrival at Rock Island on a +visit to relatives, (the family of Col. Geo. Davenport) a steamboat +came down from Galena with officers to Fort Armstrong, for the purpose +of laying in supplies and medical stores for a brigade then being +formed at that place. One regiment, composed principally of miners, +who had abandoned their mines and came in to offer their services as +soldiers in the field, were unanimous in the election of Henry Dodge +as Colonel. They had long known him as a worthy, brave and +accomplished gentleman, the soul of honor, and hence would be an +intrepid soldier. + +Among the officers on this trip was Dr. A. K. Philleo, well known to +Col. Dodge as a social gentleman, a skilled physician and an +accomplished surgeon, who had accepted the position of surgeon at his +urgent request, with a _proviso:_ Being editor of the _Galenian,_ +(the only paper printed in the town) he considered the position a very +important one, as it was the only paper within hundreds of miles of +the seat of war, and the only one on the Mississippi above Alton, +Ill.; hence he must procure a substitute or decline the appointment of +surgeon. Having made his acquaintance after he had learned that we +had been engaged in newspaper life, he insisted that we should take a +position on the _Galenian_ for a few weeks, or until the close of the +war, so that he could accept the offer of Col. Dodge, and seeing that +he was a great favorite among the officers, and anxious to go to the +field, we accepted the position and accompanied him to Galena the same +evening. + +Here we found an infantry regiment, commanded by Col. J.M. Strode, +composed principally of miners and citizens of Galena, which had been +hurriedly organized for home protection, whilst that of Col. Dodge, +being well mounted, were making preparations to take the field. After +taking charge of the _Galenian_ we made the acquaintance of Col. +Strode, and found him to be a whole-souled Kentuckian, who advised us +to enroll our name on the company list of Capt. M. M. Maughs, and as +our time would mostly be devoted to the paper, he would detail us +_Printer to the Regiment,_ by virtue of which appointment we would +become an honorary member of his staff. We retained our position on +the paper and that on the staff of the Colonel throughout the war, and +was made the recipient of dispatches of the regular movement of the +army, its skirmishes and battles from officers of the regular army as +well as that of the volunteers, from which we made our weekly report, +and from these data we have made up most of our history of the war. + + + +FOX MURDERERS WANTED. + +Early in April, 1832, Brig.-General Atkinson, with about three hundred +troops, was ordered to Fort Armstrong to prevent a threatened war +between the Menominees and Fox Indians, on account of a massacre, +committed by a band of the latter on a small band of drunken +Menominees the previous summer at a point near Fort Crawford. To +prevent bloodshed he was directed to demand the murderers of the +Foxes; but on arriving at Rock Island he soon learned that there was +imminent danger of a war of a different character--that Black Hawk, +with his entire band, was then on his way to invade the State of +Illinois and would probably be joined by the Pottowattamies and +Winnebagoes. In order to ascertain the facts in the case, he called +upon the Indian Agent and Col. George Davenport, both located here, +and requested them to furnish, in writing, all the information they +had in relation to the movements and intentions of Black Hawk in +coming to the State of Illinois. Both gentlemen replied to his +inquiries immediately as follows: + + +ROCK ISLAND, April 12, 1832. + +My opinion is that the squaws and old men have gone to the Prophet's +town, on Rock river, and the warriors are now only a few miles below +the mouth of Rock river, within the limits of the State of Illinois. +That these Indians are hostile to the whites there is no doubt. That +they have invaded the State of Illinois, to the great injury of her +citizens, is equally true. Hence it is that that the public good +requires that strong as well as speedy measures should be taken +against Black Hawk and his followers. + +Respectfully, I have the honor to be your obedient servant, +[Signed,] ANDREW S. HUGHES. +To Brig-Gen. Atkinson. + + + +ROCK ISLAND, April 13, 1832. + +"DEAR SIR:--In reply to your inquiry of this morning, respecting the +Indians, I have to state that I have been informed by the man I have +wintering with the Indians that the British band of Sac Indians are +determined to make war upon the frontier settlements. The British +band of Sac Indians did rendezvous at old Fort Madison, and induced a +great many of the young men to join them on their arrival at the +Yellow Banks. They crossed about five hundred head of horses into the +State of Illinois, and sent about seventy horses through the country +toward Rock River. The remainder, some on horseback the others in +canoes, in a fighting order, advanced up the Mississippi, and were +encamped yesterday five or six miles below Rock river and will no +doubt endeavor to reach their stronghold in the Rock river swamps if +they are not intercepted. From every information that I have +received, I am of the opinion that the intentions of the British band +of Sac Indians is to commit depredations on the inhabitants of the +frontier." +Respectfully, your obedient servant, +GEORGE DAVENPORT. +[Signed,] +"To Brig. Gen. Atkinson." + + + +Being satisfied from the information thus acquired, that there was +danger ahead for the small settlements of whites in the Northern +portion of the State, he immediately addressed a letter to Gov. +Reynolds, of Illinois, from which we take the following: + + +FORT ARMSTRONG, April 13, 1832. + +DEAR SIR:--The band of Sacs, under Black Hawk, joined by about one +hundred Kickapoos and a few Pottowattomies, amounting in all to about +five hundred men, have assumed a hostile attitude. They crossed the +river at the Yellow, Banks on the sixth inst., and are now moving up +on the east side of Rock river, towards the Prophet's village. + +"The regular force under my command is too small to justify me in +pursuing the hostile party. To make an unsuccessful attempt to coerce +them would only irritate them to acts of hostility on the frontier +sooner than they probably contemplate. + +"Your own knowledge of the character of these Indians, with the +information herewith submitted, will enable you to judge of the course +proper to pursue. I think the frontier is in great danger, and will +use all the means at my disposal to co-operate with you in its +protection and defense. With great respect, +Your most obedient servant, +H. ATKINSON, +Brigadier General of the U. S. Army, +His Excellency, Gov. Reynolds, Belleville, Ills." + + +On receipt of Gen. Atkinson's letter, Gov. Reynolds issued his +proclamation, calling out a strong detatchment of militia to +rendezvous at Beardstown on the 22d of April. In obedience to this +command a large number of citizens assembled and offered their +services. They were met by Gov. Reynolds, and after bring organized +into a brigade, he appointed Brig. Gen. Samuel Whitesides commander. +His brigade embraced 1600 horsemen and two hundred footmen--being four +regiments and an odd spy battalion. + +First regiment, Col. Dewitt; second, Col. Fry; third, Col. Thomas; +fourth, Col. Thompson; Col. James D. Henry, commanded the spy +battalion. + +The troops took up their line of march at once, under command of Gen. +Whitesides, accompanied by the Commander-in-Chief, Gov. Reynolds. +For the purpose of laying in provisions for the campaign they went to +Yellow Banks, on the Mississippi river, where Major S. S. Phelps, who +had been appointed quarter master, supplied them. They arrived on the +3d of May, and left for Rock river on the 7th. + + + +THE BLACK HAWK WAR. + +About the first of April Black Hawk's band assembled at Fort Madison +for the purpose of making arrangements to ascend the Mississippi, and +soon after the entire party started. The old men, women and children, +with their provisions and camp equipage, in canoes, and the men all +armed, came on horseback. On the sixth day of April, the braves, on +horseback, made a call at Yellow Banks, one day after the canoes had +passed the same point, and told Josiah Smart, Mr. Phelps' interpreter, +where they were going, and the object of their visit. They said they +had observed a great war chief, with a number of troops going up on a +steamboat, and thought it likely that the mission of this war chief +was to prevent them going up Rock river, but they were bound to go. +Messrs. Phelps and Smart tried to persuade them to recross the river +and return to their country, assuring them that the Government would +not permit them to come into Illinois in violation of the treaty they +had made last year, in which they had agreed to remain on the west +side of the river. But they would not listen to their advice. On the +next day they took up the line of march for Rock river, and on the +10th of April, 1832, Black Hawk, with a portion of his band of Sacs, +reached the mouth of Rock river a few miles below Rock Island. The +old men, women and children with their provisions and camp equipage, +who came up in canoes, arrived on the 9th, and the men all armed, came +up on horseback, reaching the camp on the 10th. While encamped there +they were joined by the Prophet, who had previously invited them to +come up to the country of the Winnebagoes and raise a crop. He called +on his way at Fort Armstrong and had talks with the Agent and Col. +Davenport, the trader, both of whom advised him to persuade Black Hawk +and party to return to their own country, or they would be driven back +by the soldiers then at Fort Armstrong, under the command of Gen. +Atkinson, who had just arrived. The Prophet would not listen to their +advice, but assured Black Hawk that he had a right to go forward with +his entire party to the Winnebago country; and as he expected large +reinforcements to his little army as he ascended Rock river, he was +determined to go forward, but had given positive orders to his band, +under no circumstances, to strike a blow until they had been +reinforced by warriors from the Winnebagoes and Pottowattomies. + +Early next morning they broke camp and started up Rock river, but were +soon overtaken by a small detachment of soldiers, who held a council +with Black Hawk and communicated to him the orders of Gen. Atkinson. +These were for him to return with his band and re-cross the +Mississippi. Black Hawk said, as he was not on the war path, but +going on a friendly visit to the Prophet's village, he intended to go +forward, and continued on his journey. On receipt of his answer, Gen. +Atkinson sent another detachment to Black Hawk with imperative orders +for him to return, or he would pursue him with his entire army and +drive him back. In reply, Black Hawk said the General had no right to +make the order so long as his band was peaceable, and that he intended +to go on to the Prophet's village. + +In the meantime the forces under the command of Gen. Whitesides had +arrived, and were turned over to Gen. Atkinson by the Governor. The +brigade, under the command of Gen. Whitesides, was ordered up Rock +river to Dixon's Ferry, and as soon as boats could be got ready, Gen. +Atkinson started for the same destination with 300 regulars and about +the same number of Illinois militia. Black Hawk with his party had +already reached a point some thirty or forty miles above Dixon's +Ferry, where they were met in council by some Pottowattomies and +Winnebago chiefs. They assured Black Hawk that their people would not +join him in making war against the United States, and denied the +Prophet's story to him. During this council Black Hawk became +convinced that he had been badly imposed upon by the Prophet, and +resolved at once to send a flag of truce to Gen. Atkinson and ask +permission to descend Rock river, re-cross the Mississippi and go back +to their country. + + + +STILLMAN'S DEFEAT. + +About this time, Gen. Whitesides had concentrated a large force of +militia at Dixon's Ferry, and at the solicitation of Major Stillman, +permitted him to take out a scouting party of nearly 300 mounted men. +They went up Rock river, about thirty miles to Sycamore creek, and +encamped within a few miles of Black Hawk's camp, but were not aware +of its position at the time. Indian scouts having intercepted their +coming reported at once to Black Hawk that a large army of mounted +militia were coming towards his camp; and before the volunteers had +entirely completed their arrangements for encampment, outside guards +espied three Indians coming in with a white flag. After holding a +parley with them, (one of the guards being able to talk a little with +them in their own language), they were hurried into camp, and before +any explanations were made, the flag bearer was shot and instantly +killed, whilst his comrades made their escape during the confusion in +getting the regiment ready to pursue the fleeing Indians. These had +secreted themselves in ambush as the army rushed by, helter skelter, +after another small party of Indians who had followed the flag +bearers, and who, when hearing the uproar in camp made a hasty +retreat. The entire regiment was soon mounted and started out in +squads towards the camp of Black Hawk. The latter having learned by a +scout that the army was coming, started at once with less than fifty +mounted warriors, his entire force then in camp, to meet the enemy, +and on arriving at a copse of timber and underbrush near Sycamore +creek, made ready to meet them. + +Capt. Eads' company, who were the first to start out, killed two of +the five fleeing Indians. Soon after crossing Sycamore creek they +were surprised by a terrific war whoop from the Indians, who were +concealed in the bushes near by, and with deadly aim commenced firing +into the front ranks of the regiment, and with unearthly yells (as one +of the fleeing party told us on arriving at Galena), charged upon our +ranks, with tomahawks raised, ready to slaughter all who might come +within their reach. Judging from the yelling of the Indians, their +number was variously estimated at from one thousand to two thousand. + +The entire party was thrown into such confusion that Major Stillman +had no control of any of them, and, with one exception, the entire +army continued their flight to Dixon's Ferry, thirty miles distant, +whilst some went back to their homes. + +The retreating army passed through their camping ground near Sycamore +creek, where they should have halted, and under cover of the timber, +could have shot down their pursuers while yet in open prairie. Black +Hawk and a small portion of his command gave up the chase, and +returned to his camp, while the remainder pursued the fugitives for +several miles, occasionally overtaking and killing some soldiers, +whose horses had given out. + +Among the retreating party was a Methodist preacher, whose horse was +too slow to keep out of the reach of the Indians, who adopted a novel +plan to save himself and horse. On coming to a ravine he left the +track of his pursuers name distance, and followed down the ravine +until he found a place deep enough to shelter himself and horse from +view, and remained there for two hours in safety. He had the +precaution to keep a strict count of the Indians as they went forward, +and waited their return. Being satisfied that all had returned and +continued on the way to their camp, he quietly left his hiding place, +trotted leisurely along and reached Dixon's Ferry about sunrise next +morning. + +He reported his mode of procedure and the strategy used to render his +safety certain from the Indians who had dispersed and driven the army +before them. He was interrogated into the number, and when he +reported TWENTY, great indignation was manifested by some of the +_brave_ volunteers who had got into camp some hours before him, and +reported the number at fifteen hundred to two thousand! But as he was +well known to many of the volunteers and highly respected as a meek +and lowly Christian gentleman, they stood by him and prevented any +personal violence. + +When the report of this fiasco came into Galena the next morning about +8 o'clock, on the 15th of May, our regiment was immediately called to +arms, as great danger was apprehended by the citizens. The general +supposition was that the Pottowattomies and Winnebagoes had joined +Black Hawk, it being well known that his entire band, including women +and children, that had gone up Rock river, did not exceed one thousand +persons. Dwellings were vacated and most of the inhabitants repaired +to the stockades for safety. + +The news of Stillman's defeat "by 2,000 blood-thirsty Indian warriors" +spread fast, far and wide, and the Governor of Illinois called for +more volunteers; and when the news reached Washington, the Secretary +of War ordered Gen. Scott, then at New York, to take a thousand +soldiers and proceed to the seat of war and take command of the army. + +This violation of a flag of truce, the wanton murder of its bearers, +and the attack upon a mere remnant of Black Hawk's band when sueing +for peace, precipitated a war that should have been avoided. + +[In confirmation of the dastardly act of the volunteers in killing the +bearer of a white flag, and by which the war was precipitated, we give +the following letter of Mr. Elijah Kilbourn, one of the scouts +connected with Stillman's command. Mr. K. is the man Black Hawk makes +mention of in his narrative as having been taken captive during our +last war with Great Britain, and by him adopted into the Sac tribe; +and again taken prisoner by three of his braves at the battle of +Sycamore creek.] + + + +KILBOURN'S NARRATIVE. + +A REMINISCENCE OF BLACK HAWK. + +[From the Soldier's Cabinet.] + +Much has been said both for and against the Indian character; but we +doubt whether greater or nobler qualities have ever been exhibited in +the conduct of civilized rulers or commanders than are shown in the +incidents we are about to relate concerning Black Hawk, whose deeds +upon the northwestern frontier will render his name illustrious while +history exists. + +Elijah Kilbourn, the subject of the great chieftain's kindness, and to +whom we are indebted for the present sketch, was a native of +Pennsylvania. Just before the outbreak of the late war with Great +Britain, he left the place of his birth to join the stirring scenes of +adventure on the borders; and although now an old man, he still +remembers, and loves to recount, the deed, and perils of his younger +days, and especially those we are about to record. + +"We had been," commenced Kilbourn, in whose own language the story +shall be given, "scouting through the country that lay about Fort +Stephenson, when early one morning one of our number came in with the +intelligence that the Fort was besieged by a combined force of British +and Indians. We were very soon after in our saddles, bearing down +with all speed in that direction for the express purpose of joining in +the fight--but on arriving, we found that the enemy had been signally +repulsed by the brave little garrison under the command of Major +Crogan. Our disappointment at learning this was, however, in a +measure lessened, when we learned that Black Hawk, the leader of the +savages, had, soon after the termination of the battle, gone with some +twenty of his warriors back to his village on Rock river, whither we +instantly determined to follow him. + +"At sunrise the next morning we were on his trail, and followed it +with great care to the banks of a stream. Here we ascertained that +the savages had separated into nearly equal parties--the one keeping +straight down the banks of the stream, while the other had crossed to +the other side and continued on toward Rock river. A council was now +held, in which the oldest members of our party gave it as their +opinion that Black Hawk had changed his intention of going to his +village, and had, with the greater part of his followers, pursued his +way down the stream, while the rest had been sent by him for some +purpose to the town. In this opinion all coincided; but still our +leader, who was a very shrewd man, had some doubts on his mind +concerning the movements of the chief, and therefore, to make +everything sure, he detailed four of us to follow the trail across the +stream, while he with the rest, some seven or eight in number, +immediately took the one down the bank. + +"We soon after found ourselves alone and in the vicinity of Indian +settlements, and we were therefore obliged to move with the utmost +caution, which had the effect of rendering our progress extremely +slow. During the course of the following morning we came across a +great many different trails and by these we were so perplexed that we +resolved to return to the main body; but from the signs we had already +seen we knew that such a step would be attended with the greatest +risk, and so it was at last decided that it would be far more safe for +all hands to separate, and each man look out for himself. This +resolve was no sooner made than it was put into execution, and a few +minutes later found me alone in the great wilderness. I had often +been so before, but never before had I been placed in a situation as +dangerous as the present one, for now on all sides I was surrounded by +foes, who would rejoice in the shedding of my blood. But still I was +not gong to give up easily, and looking well to my weapons and +redoubling my caution, I struck off at an angle from the course I had +first chosen, why I hardly knew. + +"I encountered nothing very formidable till some two hours before +sunset, when, just as I emerged from a tangled thicket, I perceived an +Indian on his knees at a clear, sparkling spring, from which he was +slaking his thirst. Instinctively I placed my rifle to my shoulder, +drew a bead upon the savage and pulled the trigger. Imagine, if you +can, my feelings as the flint came down and was shivered to pieces +while the priming remained unignited. + +"The next moment the savage was up on his feet, his piece levelled +directly at me and his finger pressing the trigger. There was no +escape; I had left my horse in the woods some time before. The +thicket behind me was too dense to permit me to enter it again +quickly, and there was no tree within reach of sufficient size to +protect me from the aim of my foe, who, now finding me at his mercy, +advanced, his gun still in its threatening rest, and ordered me to +surrender. Resistance and escape were alike out of the question, and +I accordingly delivered myself up his prisoner, hoping by some means +or other to escape at some future period. He now told me, in good +English, to proceed in a certain direction. I obeyed him, and had not +gone a stone's throw before, just as I turned a thick clump of trees, +I came suddenly upon an Indian camp, the one to which my captor +undoubtedly belonged. + +"As we came up all the savages, some six or eight in number, rose +quickly and appeared much surprised at my appearing thus suddenly +amongst their umber; but they offers d me no harm, and they behaved +with most marked respect to my captor, whom, upon a close inspection, +I recognized to be Black Hawk himself. + +"'The White mole digs deep, but Makataimeshekiakiak (Black Hawk) flies +high and can see far off,' said the chieftain is a deep, gutteral +tone, addressing me. + +"He then related to his followers the occasion of my capture, and as +he did so they glared on me fiercely and handled their weapons in a +threatening manner, but at the conclusion of his remarks they appeared +better pleased, although I was the recipient of many a passing frown. +He now informed me that he had told his young men that they were to +consider me a brother, as he was going to adopt me into the tribe. + +"This was to me but little better than death itself, but there was no +alternative and so I was obliged to submit, with the hope of making my +escape at some future time. The annunciation of Black Hawk, moreover, +caused me great astonishment, and after pondering the matter I was +finally forced to set down as its cause one of those unaccountable +whims to which the savage temperment is often subject. + +"The next morning my captors forced me to go with them to their +village on Rock river, where, after going through a tedious ceremony, +I was dressed and painted, and thus turned from a white man into an +Indian. + +"For nearly three years ensuing it was my constant study to give my +adopted brothers the slip, but during the whole of that time I was so +carefully watched and guarded that I never found an opportunity to +escape. + +"However, it is a long lane that has no turning, and so it proves in +my case. Pretending to be well satisfied with my new mode of life, I +at last gained upon the confidence of the savages, and one day when +their vigilance was considerably relaxed, I made my escape and +returned in safety to my friends, who had mourned for me as dead. + +"Many years after this I was a participant in the battle at Sycamore +Creek, which, as you know, is a tributary of Rock river. I was +employed by the government as a scout, in which capacity it was +acknowledged that I had no superior; but I felt no pride in hearing +myself praised, for I knew I was working against Black Hawk, who, +although he was an Indian, had once spared my life, and I was one +never to forget a kindness. And besides this I had taken a great +liking to him, for there was something noble and generous in his +nature. However, my first duty was to my country, and I did my duty +at all hazards. + +"Now you must know that Black Hawk, after moving west of the +Mississippi, had recrossed, contrary to his agreement, not, however, +from any hostile motive, but to raise a crop of corn and beans with +the Pottowattomies and Winnebagoes, of which his own people stood in +the utmost need. With this intention he had gone some distance up +Rock river, when an express from General Atkinson ordered him +peremptorily to return. This order the old chief refused to obey, +saying that the General had no right to issue it. A second express +from Atkinson threatened Black Hawk that if he did not return +peaceably, force would be resorted to. The aged warrior became +incensed at this and utterly refused to obey the mandate, but at the +same time sent word to the General that he would not be the first one +to commence hostilities. + +"The movement of the renowned warrior was immediately trumpeted abroad +as an invasion of the State, and with more rashness thin wisdom, +Governor Reynolds ordered the Illinois militia to take the field, and +these were joined by the regulars, under General Atkinson, at Rock +Island. Major Stillman, having under his command two hundred and +seventy-five mounted men, the chief part of whom were volunteers, +while a few like myself were regular scouts, obtained leave of General +Whitesides, then lying at Dixon's Ferry, to go on a scouting +expedition. + +"I knew well what would follow; but still, as I was under orders, I +was obliged to obey, and together with the rest proceeded some thirty +miles up Rock river to where Sycamore creek empties into it. This +brought us to within six or eight miles of the camp of Black Hawk, +who, on that day--May 14th-was engaged in preparing a dog feast for +the purpose of fitly celebrating a contemplated visit of some +Pottawattomie chiefs. + +"Soon after preparing to camp we saw three Indians approach us bearing +a white flag; and these, upon coming up, were made prisoners. A +second deputation of five were pursued by some twenty of our mounted +militia, and two of them killed, while the other three escaped. One +of the party that bore the white flag was, out of the most cowardly +vindictiveness, shot down while standing a prisoner in camp. The +whole detachment, after these atrocities, now bore down upon the camp +of Black Hawk, whose braves, with the exception of some forty or +fifty, were away at a distance. + +"As we rode up, a galling and destructive fire was poured in upon us +by the savages, who, after discharging their guns, sprung from their +coverts on either side, with their usual horrible yells, and continued +the attack with their tomahawks and knives. My comrades fell around +me like leaves; and happening to cast my eyes behind me, I beheld the +whole detachment of militia flying from the field. Some four or five +of us were left unsupported in the very midst of the foe, who, +renewing their yells, rushed down upon us in a body. Gideon Munson +and myself were taken prisoners, while others were instantly +tomahawked and scalped. Munson, during the afternoon, seeing, as he +supposed, a good opportunity to escape, recklessly attempted to do so, +but was immediately shot down by his captor. And I now began to wish +that they would serve me in the same manner, for I knew that if +recognized by the savages, I should be put to death by the most +horrible tortures. Nothing occurred, however, to give me any real +uneasiness upon this point till tile following morning, when Black +Hawk, passing by me, turned and eyed me keenly for a moment or so. +Then, stepping close to me, he said in a low tone: _'Does the mole +think that Black Hawk forgets?'_ + +"Stepping away with a dignified air, he now left me, as you may well +suppose, bordering in despair, for I knew too well the Indian +character to imagine for a single instant that my life would be spared +under the circumstances. I had been adopted into the tribe by Black +Hawk, had lived nearly three years among them, and by escaping had +incurred their displeasure, which could only be appeased with my +blood. Added to this, I was now taken prisoner at the very time that +the passions of the savages were most highly wrought upon by tile mean +and cowardly conduct of the whites. I therefore gave up all hope, and +doggedly determined to meet stoically my fate. + +"Although the Indians passed and repassed me many times during the +day, often bestowing on me a buffet or a kick, yet not one of them +seemed to remember me as having formerly been one of the tribe. At +times this infused me with a faint hope, which was always immediately +after extinguished, as I recalled to mind my recognition by Black Hawk +himself. + +"Some two hours before sunset Black Hawk again came to where I was +bound, and having loosened the cords with which I was fastened to a +tree, my arms still remaining confined, bade me follow him. I +immediately obeyed him, not knowing what was to be my doom, though I +expected none other than death by torture. In silence we left the +encampment, not one of the savages interfering with us or offering me +the slightest harm or indignity. For nearly an hour we strode on +through the gloomy forest, now and then starting from its retreat some +wild animal that fled upon our approach. Arriving at a bend of the +river my guide halted, and turning toward the sun, which was rapidly +setting, he said, after a short pause: + +"'I am going to send you back to your chief, though I ought to kill +you for running away a long time ago, after I had adopted you as a +son--but Black Hawk can forgive as well as fight. When you return to +your chief I want you to tell him all my words. Tell him that Black +Hawk's eyes have looked upon many sum, but they shall not see many +more; and that his back is no longer straight, as in his youth, but is +beginning to bend with age. The Great Spirit has whispered among the +tree tops in the morning and evening and says that Black Hawk's days +are few, and that he is wanted in the spirit land. He is half dead, +his arm shakes and is no longer strong, and his feet are slow on the +war path. Tell him all this, and tell him, too,' continued the +untutored hero of the forest, with trembling emotion and marked +emphasis, 'that Black Hawk would have been a friend to the whites, but +they would not let him, and that the hatchet was dug up by themselves +and not by the Indians. Tell your chief that Black Hawk meant no harm +to the pale faces when he came across the Mississippi, but came +peaceably to raise corn for his starving women and children, and that +even then he would have gone back, but when he sent his white flag the +braves who carried it were treated like squaws and one of them +inhumanly shot. Tell him too,' he concluded with terrible force, +while his eyes fairly flashed fire, _'that Black Hawk will have +revenge,_ and that he will never stop until the Great Spirit shall say +to him, _'come away.'_ + +"Thus saying he loosened the cord that bound my arms, and after giving +me particular directions as to the best course to pursue to my own +camp, bade me farewell and struck off into the trackless forest, to +commence that final struggle which was decided against the Indians. + +"After the war was over, and the renowned Black Hawk had been taken +prisoner, he was sent to Washington and the largest cities of the +seaboard, that he might be convinced how utterly useless it was for +him to contend against fate. It was enough, and the terrible warrior +returned to the seclusion of his wilderness home, while the scepter of +his chieftainship was given to the celebrated Keokuk. + +"On the occasion of the ceremony by which Black Hawk was shorn of his +power, and which took place on Rock Island, in the Mississippi, I +shook the hand of the great chief, who appeared highly pleased to meet +me once more; and upon parting with me he said with mournful dignity, +as he cast above him a glance of seeming regret: 'My children think I +am too old to lead them any more!' + +"This was the last time I ever saw him; and the next I learned of him +was that he had left his old hunting grounds forever, and his spirit +had gone to that bar where the balance will be rightly adjusted +between the child of the forest and his pale face brethren." + +Although the Winnebagoes and the Pottowattomies had resolved to take +no part in the war, a few young men from each of these tribes, being +emboldened by Black Hawk's victory in the engagement with Stillman's +regiment, concluded to join him. As the party moved up the river, war +parties were sent out, in one of which the Winnebagoes joined, whilst +the Pottowattomies, some twenty-five or thirty, went alone on the war +path into a settlement that had been made on Indian creek, not far +from its entrance into Fox river, and killed fifteen men, women and +children, and took two young ladies prisoners, the Misses Hall, whom +two young Sacs, who had just rode up, took upon their horses and +carried them to a Winnebago camp, with a request that they be +delivered to the whites. They were returned soon after, and to the +writer said they had been well treated by the Winnebagoes. + +On the 19th of Jane a message came into Galena from Kellogg's Grove, +with a report that a party of Indians had been seen in that +neighborhood and that they had stolens some horses. Captain James +Stephenson, with twelve picked men from his company, started +immediately in pursuit of the Indians. On seeing him approach they +took to the brush, when the Captain and his men dismounted. Leaving +one to hold the horses, the balance entered the thicket, and two of +them were killed at the first fire of the Indians, while three of the +enemy were laid prostrate. For the purpose of re-loading, Capt. +Stephenson ordered a retreat, which was a bad move, as it gave the +Indians time to re-load and seek trees for safety. Capt. Stephenson* +and party again advanced, both parties firing simultaneously, each +losing a man, when an Indian who had been secreted behind a tree +rushed forward with his knife, but was suddenly checked by one of the +soldiers running his bayonet through him. While in this position he +seized the bayonet with both hands and had almost succeeded in pushing +it out, when another soldier rushed forward, and with one stroke of +his knife almost severed the head from his body. In this engagement +Capt. S. lost three of the best men of his company and the Indians +five, just one-half of their number. + + +* Capt. Stephenson was held in high estimation as a brave and +accomplished gentleman, and at the organization of Rock Island county +the county commissioners honored his name by calling the county seat +Stephenson, which name it retained until after his death, when that of +Rock Island was adopted. + + +On the return of Capt. Stephenson and party the news of his loss of +three men, who were well known and highly respected, soon spread over +town and caused much sorrow among their many friends. After learning +the mode of attack, military men generally criticized it severely. + + + +BATTLE OF PECATONICA. + +On the 14th of June, a mall scouting party of Sacs killed five men at +the Spafford farm, and on reception of the news next day, Gen. +Atkinson ordered Col. Henry Dodge to take command of Posey's bigade, +then stationed near Fort Hamilton, and while on his way from Fort +Union, where his regiment was in camp, to visit the brigade, he heard +the sharp crack of a rifle, and instantly looking in the direction of +the sound, saw a man fall from his horse, who had been shot by Indians +nearby. Instead of going forward as he set out to do, he hastily +returned to his command, mustered a portion of his cavalry and went in +pursuit of the Indians, and soon got on the trail of twenty-five +warriors, who had commenced their retreat soon after shooting, and +espying him, hastened back to the front. The Indians crossed and +recrossed the Pecatonica river several times, being closely pushed by +Col. Dodge and his men, and finding escape hopeless, made a stand. +The colonel immediately dismounted his men and picked his way +cautiously, with the intention of firing and then charging upon them. +But the Indians, being on the lookout, watched their opportunity and +got the first fire, by which a brave soldier named Apple was killed, +and another by the name of Jenkins was wounded. The fight continued +vigorously until the last Indian was killed, several of them having +been shot while trying to escape by swimming. At the commencement of +the fight, the forces on each side were nearly equal, but the Indians, +in swimming the river, had got their powder wet, and although they +made desperate efforts to close in on our men with knives, they were +shot down in their endeavors. + +Col. Dodge, in speaking of this engagement, at Galena, after the close +of the war, said he was amazed at the desperation displayed by a big, +burly brave, who came towards him with gun at his shoulder and halted +quickly when only a few paces from him, drew the trigger, and was +sorely disappointed in his gun not going off. Quick as thought the +colonel brought his rifle in position, pulled the trigger, but, owing +to the dampness of the powder, it failed to go off. In the meantime +the brave was coming towards him, knife in hand and desperation in his +eye, and when only a few feet from him the colonel shot him down with +his revolver. At the same time one of his brave boys, by the name of +Beach, was engaged in a desperate encounter with the last remaining +savage, in which both used knives; the Indian was killed and Beach +very badly wounded. + +Thus ended one of the most sanguinary engagements of the war. + + + +FIGHT AT APPLE RIVER FORT. + +Capt. A.W. Snyder's Company, of Col. Henry's Regiment, was detailed to +guard the country between Galena and Fox and Rock rivers, and was +surprised on the night of the 17th of June, while encamped in the +vicinity of Burr Oak Grove. His sentinels, while on duty, were fired +upon by Indians, who did not deem it prudent to continue the attack, +but immediately fled. As soon as it was light enough next morning to +follow their trail, Capt. Snyder started with his company, but on +reaching their camp, found that they had fled on his approach. He +redoubled his speed and continued on their trail until he overtook +them. Finding that there was no escape, the Indians got into a deep +gully for protection, but were soon surrounded, when Capt. Snyder +ordered his men to charge upon them. The Indians fired as they +approached and mortally wounded one of his men, Mr. William B. +Mekemson, a brave volunteer from St. Clair county, (whose father's +family afterwards settled in this, Henderson county, all of whom, +except one brother, Andrew, a highly respected Christian gentleman, +have, long since, gone to meet their kinsman in another world.) Mr. +M. being unable to ride, a rude litter was made and men detailed to +carry him back to camp, at Kellogg's Grove. The company had not +proceeded far before they were attacked by about seventy-five Indians, +and two men, Scott and McDaniel, killed, and a Mr. Cornelius wounded. +The company was soon formed into line by the aid of Gen. Whiteside, +who was then acting merely as a private, and using the precaution of +Indians, each man got behind a tree, and the battle waxed furiously +for sometime without any serious results, until the Indian commander +was seen to fall, from the well directed aim of Gen. Whiteside's +rifle. Having now no leader the Indians ingloriously fled, but for +some reason were not pursued. Our reporter, however, said that most +of the company refused, for the reason that the second term of their +enlistment had expired, and they were anxious to be mustered out of +service, although the officers were eager to pursue. + + The company then commenced their march to camp, and on approaching +the litter on which Mekemson lay, found that the Indians had cut off +his head and rolled it down the hill. Soon after, Major Riley, with a +small force of regulars, came up, and after consultation with Capt. +Snyder, it was deemed best not to follow the retreating Indians, as +their route probably led to the main army of Black Hawk. + + + +APPLE RIVER FORT. + +On the 23d of June scouts came into Galena, and reported at +headquarters that a large body of Indians had been seen about thirty +miles distant, but not being on the march, they were not able to +conjecture to what point they were going. Col. Strode immediately +made all necessary preparations to receive them, should Galena be the +point of attack, and dispatched an express early next morning for +Dixon's Ferry. On their arrivall at Apple River Fort they halted for +a short time, and then proceeded on their journey, and while yet in +sight, at the crack of a gun the foremost man was seen to fall from +his horse and two or three Indians rushed upon him with hatchets +raised ready to strike, while his comrades galloped up, and with guns +pointed towards the Indians kept them at bay until the wounded man +reached the Fort. But had the Indians known these guns were _not +loaded,_ (as afterwards reported) they could have dispatched all three +of them with their tomahawks. + +In a very short time after hearing the crack of the gun a large body +of Indians surrounded the fort, yelling and shooting, when the +inmates, under command of Capt. Stone, prepared for defence, every +port hole being manned by sharp-shooters. One man, Mr. George +Herclurode, was shot through a port hole and instantly killed, and Mr. +James Nutting wounded in the same way, but not seriously; which was +the only loss sustained during the engagement of more than one hour's +duration. A number of Indians were wounded and carried off the field. +Capt. Stone had only twenty-five men, with a large number of women and +children in the fort, but had providentially received a quantity of +lead and provisions from Galena only an hour before the attack, and as +he was short of bullets, the ladies of the fort busied themselves in +melting lead and running balls as long as the battle lasted. Black +Hawk, finding the fort impregnable from assault without firing it--an +act that he well knew would, in a very short time, have brought a +large body of troops on his path--concluded that it would be better to +return and carry with them all the flour they could, killed a number +of cattle and took choice pieces of beef, and all the homes that were +in the stable. One of the expressmen, not deeming the fort a place of +safety, hurried back to Galena, but getting lost on the way did not +get in until early next morning. On hearing the news, Col. Strode +took one hundred picked men, well mounted, and went to the relief of +the fort, and was much gratified to find that its noble defenders had +put to flight about one hundred and fifty Indians who had been under +the command of Black Hawk himself. + + + +KELLOGG'S GROVE FORT. + +After leaving Apple River Fort, being well supplied with provisions, +the Indians moved leisurely toward the fort at Kellogg's Grove, with +the intention of taking it, as scouts had come in and reported that it +was not very strongly garrisoned on the day pevious to their arrival +on the 23d of June. At this time the Illinois troops were rendez- +voused at a place known as Fort Wilbourn on the Illinois river, at or +near where now stands the city of LaSalle. What was then called the +new levy, after Stillman's defeat, were assembled there, numbering +about three thousand men, being formed into military organizations +consisting of three brigades. The first brigade was commanded by Gen. +Alexander Posey. The second by Gen. M. K. Alexander, and the third by +Gen. James D. Henry. Major John Dement, of Vandalia, was elected to +the command of a spy battalion composed of three companies. Gen. +Atkinson, of the United States Regulars, commanding, while these +organizations were progressing. + +The Indians had made a raid on Bureau creek, situated between the +Illinois and Rock rivers. John Dement had been chosen major by the +members of three companies of Gen. Posey's brigade, which was a spy +battalion. The Major's battalion being ready for duty when the news +reached the fort of the attack upon the settles on Bureau creek, it +was ordered to march at once to the scene of danger for protection of +the settlers, and to discover and watch the movements of the Indians, +if possible. The Major was ordered to scour the country through to +Rock river, and then to report to Col. Zackary Taylor, who commanded a +small force of United States troops at a small fortification at +Dixon's Ferry on Rock river. + +On the 22d of June, 1832, Major Dement reached Colonel Taylor's +command, having performed the duties to which he was assigned by +General Atkinson. On his arrival Colonel Taylor informed the Major +that he had arrived at an opportune time, as he wished him to take his +command, swim their horses across the river, and promptly occupy the +country between his position and the Lead Mines at Galena, a distance +of about sixty miles, with headquarters at Kellogg's Grove, thirty- +seven miles in the direction of Galena and Apple River Fort. There +had been stationed at the grove two companies of Regulars, commanded +by Major Riley, and three companies of Volunteers that had abandoned +this position the day before the arrival of Major Dement, and left the +country without protection and entirely unguarded. These troops had +been engaged in two or three skirmishes with the Indians, and +according to the reports of the soldiers, had been worsted in each. +Major Dement's command numbered one hundred and forty men, all told, +not one of whom had ever seen any military experience, but they were +men to be relied upon. They were citizen soldiers, brave and +intelligent, equal to any emergency, and had no superiors in the +service. This being an odd battalion, Major Dement was entitled to +the staff of a Colonel. His staff was composed of Zadoc Casey, +Paymaster; ------ Anderson, Colonel Hicks, and others. The Captains +of the companies, and the staff officers, were leading citizens, who +had, at short warning, left their several avocations to engage in +defending the country against the attacks of the Indians. + + + +MAJOR DEMENT'S BATTLE WITH THE INDIANS. + +On the evening of the second day, after crossing Rock river, the +Major's command marched to the stockade at Kellogg's Grove and +encamped. In the morning, learning that Indian traces had been seen +four or five miles from the grove, twenty-five volunteers were called +for to go out and reconnoitre. This number was quickly filled, nearly +every one volunteering being an officer, and, as it afterward turned +out, they were unfortunately accepted. These volunteers had not yet +gotten out of sight of their camp, before three Indians were seen on +their ponies between the fort and a small grove on the prairie, riding +backward and forward. The reconnoitreing party started after them in +one, two and three order, according to the speed of their horses, +while the Indians made straight for the small grove. Major Dement, +who was watching the movements of the volunteers from his camp, and +seeing the movements of the Indians, at once suspected a trap, mounted +with a portion of his men, and went to their aid. His men that had +first started were a mile out upon the prairie in pursuit of those few +Indians. Being well mounted, the Major and his relief party soon +overtook the hindermost of the little band, but several were too far +in advance in their mad pursuit of the fleeing Indians for him to +reach them in time. The fleeing Indians were making for a grove some +three miles away, hotly pursued by the Major's men. In this grove, as +the commander feared, a large number of the Indians were concealed. +When within four or five hundred yards of this grove he halted and +dismounted his men and formed them in line. Some six or seven of his +men were still in advance following the Indians toward this grove. On +nearing the grove, his men who were in advance, were received with a +galling fire, which killed two and wounded a third. With hideous +yells the Indians emerged from the grove and rapidly approached. They +were all mounted, stripped to their waists and painted for battle. As +they reached the bodies of the dead soldiers, a large number +surrounded them, clubbing and stabbing their lifeless remains. A +volley from the rifles of the whites killed two or three at this +point, but by the time the last of the little band had reached the +ridge upon which their comrades were drawn up in line, the Indians +were close upon them and on both flanks. At this point three men who +had been out of their camp hunting for their homes, came in sight and +were massacred in sight of their friends. The main portion of the +battalion had been ordered to hold themselves in readiness for any +emergency, but hearing the yelling, instead of obeying the order, +mounted in hot haste and started to the rescue of their companions. +On discovering the force of the Indians, they retreated to the grove, +and almost neck and neck with the Indians, sprang over their horses +and occupied the Block House. + +On the least exposed side of the Fort was a work bench; over this the +Major threw the bridle rein of his horse, and most of the horses +huddled around this as if conscious of their danger. The Indians +swarmed around the Block House under cover; an ominous stillness +pervaded the air, which was soon broken by the crack of the rifles of +the white men. The best marksmen with the best guns were stationed at +the port holes, and a lively fire was kept up by the little garrison. +The Indians finding that they were making no impression, turned their +attention to shooting the horses, twenty-five of which they succeeded +in killing. After sharp firing for two hours they retreated, leaving +nine of their men dead on the field. This was the first engagement in +this war, in which the whites had held their position until +reinforcements arrived, without retreating. If the main force had +remained in the grove at this Block House after the volunteers went +out, without making any demonstration when the Indians came charging +up and still in the open prairie, they could have been easily +repulsed. This was the Major's plan of action, but the men became +excited by the firing, and having no commissioned officers to guide +them, started without order to assist their exposed comrades in the +open prairie, when they were flying for their lives to the block +house. + +That evening Gen. Posey came up with his brigade, and although the +Indians were encamped a short distance away, he made no effort to +attack them but contented himself with reporting the situation to Col. +Z. Taylor at Dixon's Ferry. Gen. Whiteside had said to Major Dement +before crossing Rock river, that he was going into the Indian +rendezvous, where he could have an Indian for breakfast every morning, +and he found it literally true. + +It seems strange that Major Dement should have been ordered by Col. +Taylor into the enemy's country, across Rock river, with so small a +force of volunteers, while a large force of Regulars and Volunteers, +commanded by regular United States officers, remained securely +entrenched in the rear. It was Major Dement's opinion that there were +more fighting men of Black Hawk's band of warriors in the engagement +at Kellogg's Grove than ever afterwards made a stand during the war. +It was easy for Gen. Posey to have moved up and attacked the Indians +on his arrival at the Grove, and then have dealt them a fatal blow by +forcing them to battle then, but he refused to do so, and the war was +not terminated until the fight at Bad Axe some two months later, in +which the Illinois troops did not engage. During this engagement at +the Block House, four whites and eleven Indians were killed. The +whites lost a large part of their horses--the Indians shooting them +from the timber, while the poor animals were huddled about the Block +House. + +Although in command, Black Hawk remained in the Grove doing the +engagement, looking on to see that his principal aid, whose voice was +like a trumpet call, carried out his orders. + +While reciting the incidents of this battle to the author, when +writing his Autobiography, Black Hawk spoke in high praise of Major +Dement as a commander, who had shown not only good military skill in +coming to the rescue of his party, but in withdrawing his little party +to the Fort. +After Dement's engagement General Posey's brigade started for Fort +Hamilton and remained there a short time. News of Dement's engagement +and march of Posey's brigade having been received at Dixon's Ferry, +where the two other brigades were stationed, Gen. Alexander, with the +2d brigade was ordered to cross Rock river and march to Plum river to +intercept the Indians, as it was deemed probable that they would make +for that point to cross the Mississippi. Gen. Atkinson, with +regulars, and Gen. Fry with his brigade, remained at Dixon waiting for +news of the route taken by the Indians. Next day Capt. Walker and +three Pottowottamie Indians came into Dixon and reported seventy-five +Pottowottamies ready to join the army now encamped at Sycamore creek, +and they were afraid that Black Hawk and his army was not far off. +For their protection, and to await the coming of the balance of the +second brigade, Col. Fry, of Henry's brigade, was sent forward +immediately. The next morning Gen. Henry's brigade moved forward with +Gen. Atkinson at the head, intending to march up Rock river, to the +Four Lakes, and camped at Stillwell's battle-ground the first night +and joined Col. Fry and his Pottowottamie Indians on the 29th, and +continued their march. On the 30th, when going into camp, they saw +signs of Sac Indians, but the sentinels were undisturbed during the +night. The next day they saw one Indian, but he was on the other side +of Plum river. On the 2d of July, Major Ewing being in front, spied a +fresh trail, and soon after came upon the fresh trail of Black Hawk's +entire force, at a point near Keeshkanawy Lake. Scouts from the +battalion came up to Black Hawk's encampment, from which they had +apparently taken their departure a few days before. Here they found +five white men's scalps which had been left hung up to dry. This +battalion continued to march around the lake in detachments, one of +which found where there had been another encampment, but on returning +to camp and comparing notes they began to despair of finding the main +body of Black Hawk's army in that region. On the 5th of July, Gen. +Atkinson with his army took a rest. During the day some scouts +brought in an old Indian nearly blind and half famished with hunger, +whom the Indians had left in their flight. After eating, Gen. +Atkinson questioned him closely as to the whereabouts of Black Hawk +and his army, but was satisfied from his replies and helpless +condition, that he did not know, but on taking up his line of march +the near morning, Gen. Atkinson did not leave him as the Indians had +done, alone and without any means of subsistence, but left him an +abundance of food, and as we afterwards learned, the old man recruited +and afterwards got back to his tribe., + +On the evening of the 9th the army encamped at White Water, and the +next morning Indians were seen on the other side of this stream which +was not fordable, one of whom shot and wounded a regular. After +breaking camp, Gen. Atkinson ordered a move up the river, and that +night camped with his entire force--all having met at the same point. +Gen. Dodge's corps had taken a Winnebago prisoner and brought him into +camp for the purpose of finding out if he knew where Black Hawk's +forces were. He said they were encamped on an island near Burnt +Village. Col. William S. Hamilton, a brave and honored son of +Alexander Hamilton, in command of a company of Menomonees, who had +joined the main army the day before, with Captain Early and his +command, after scouring the island thoroughly, reported there were no +Indians on the island. + +Governor Reynolds, who had been on the march up Rock River with his +volunteers and the main army, together with Colonel Smith, Major +Sidney Breese and Colonel A. P. Field, left the army and came into +Galena on the 12th, from whom we obtained our information of the +movements of the army. They were firmly of the opinion that the +Indians had taken to the swamps, and gotten entirely out of reach of +the army, and that no farther danger need be apprehended. Colonel +Field, who is an eloquent speaker, at the solicitation of Colonel +Strode, although nearly worn out with hard marches, made an able and +soul-stirring speech to our regiment, and a large number of the +inhabitants of Galena. + +At this time the army was nearly out of provisions, and Fort +Winnebago, about seventy-five miles distant, the nearest point at +which they could replenish. General Atkinson then ordered General +Posey with his brigade, to Fort Hamilton, General Henry's and +Alexander's brigade and General Dodge's squadron to Fort Winnebago for +provisions; and sent General Ewing and his regiment to Dixon with +Colonel Dunn, who had been seriously wounded by one of his own +sentinels, but who afterwards recovered. General Atkinson then built +a fort near the camping ground, which was Fort Keeshkanong. General +Alexander returned on the 15th with provisions to the fort, while +Generals Dodge and Henry thought best to go with their commands to the +head of Fox river, and while on the way stopped at a Winnebago village +and had a talk with their head men, who assured them that Black Hawk +was then at Cranberry Lake, a point higher up Rock river. After a +consultation by the Generals, it was deemed best to send an express to +General Atkinson at Fort Keeshkanong, to let him know of the +information they had got, and their intention of moving on the enemy +the next morning. Dr. Merryman, of Colonel Collins' regiment, and +Major Woodbridge, Adjutant of General Dodge's corps, volunteered to +go, and with Little Thunder, a Winnebago chief, as pilot, started out +to perform this dangerous service, and after traveling a few miles, +came on fresh Indian trails, which Little Thunder pronounced to have +been made by Black Hawk's party, and fearing that they would be +intercepted, insisted on returning to camp. Night was then +approaching, and having no guide to lead them forward, they +reluctantly followed Little Thunder back to camp. Orders were then +given for an early move next morning, and at daylight the bugle +sounded, and the army moved onwards. The trail was followed for two +days, leading for Four Lakes. On the second day, July 21st, scouts +from General Dodge's corps came in and reported Indians, and as a +confirmation of the fact, Dr. A.K. Philleo exhibited a scalp that he +had taken from the head of one that he had shot. Dr. Philleo was +brave as the bravest, and whenever a scouting party started out to +look for Indians (unless his services were required in camp), was +always in the lead, and this being his first Indian, took his scalp, +and sent it to the writer, with written instructions how to preserve +it. To this end we handed over both to a deaf and dumb printer in the +office, who boasted somewhat of his chemical knowledge, who spent +considerable time for a number of days in following the Doctor's +instructions. After the killing of this Indian, some of the scouts +discovered fresh signs of more Indians, and after pursuing it for some +miles, Dr. Philleo and his friend Journey, equally as brave, being in +the lead, espied two more Indians, when each picked his man and fired, +and both fell; one of them, although badly wounded, fired as he fell, +and wounded one of the scouts. The Doctor's attention was now +directed to his wounded companion, hence his second Indian was allowed +to retain his scalp. + +The scouts, finding that the trail was fresh, and the Indians were +rapidly retreating, having strewed their trail with camp equipage, in +order to facilitate their movements, sent an express back to camp, +when the army hastily took up the line of march, with Dodge's corps +and Ewing's Spy battalion in the front. By fast riding they soon came +up with the Indians, whom they found already in line to receive them. + + + +AT WISCONSIN HEIGHTS. + +Orders were at once given to dismount (leaving enough to hold the +horses) and charge upon the Indians. They had scarcely time to form +into line when they were met by the yelling Indians and a heavy volley +from their guns. + +Dodge and Ewing ordered a charge, and as they moved forward, returned +the fire at close quarters, with deadly effect. The Indians then +commenced a flank movement, and by securing a position in the high +grass where they could in a measure conceal themselves, fought +bravely, until Dodge and Ewing gave orders to charge upon them at the +point of the bayonet. In this engagement Col. Jones had his horse +shot from under him, and one man killed--but at the word _"charge,"_ +he went forward with his brave men, and all performed their duty nobly +and fearlessly, and soon dislodged the Indians from their hiding place +and forced them into a hasty retreat. It being then too late to +pursue them, orders were given to camp on the battle-ground. + +In this engagement Neapope had command, who was not only brave and +fearless, but well skilled in strategy. Having become well acquainted +with him after the war, he told the writer that he knew Gen. Dodge +personally, and had met him on the field of battle, and considered him +one of the bravest men he had ever met, although in this engagement +all the officers showed great skill and bravery, and thus encouraged +their men to acts of noble daring to a degree that he had never before +witnessed in common--not regular--soldiers. He said in this +engagement, the command had been entrusted to him of this small force-- +about two hundred--Indians, in order to give Black Hawk and the +remainder of his party, time to cross the river. He reported his loss +at twenty-eight (28) killed. + +The newt morning a portion of the army was ordered forward to pursue +the fleeing enemy, but on reaching the river, found that they had +taken to the swamps, when it was deemed prudent to return to camp +without attempting to follow them. + +Here the army rested for one day, and made comfortable provisions to +carry the wounded, after having consigned the remains of John Short, +who had been killed the day before, to mother Earth, with the honors +of war. + +In the meantime, Gen. Atkinson arrived with his regulars and the +brigades of Generals Posey and Alexander; and on the 28th of July, +took up the line of march with Gen. Atkinson at the head. Their route +led through a mountainous country for several days, as the Indiana +seemed to have selected the most difficult route they could find in +order to gain time, and reach the river in advance, and then secure +the best possible positions to defend themselves. + +Having learned from an old Indian that had been left behind, that the +enemy was only a short distance ahead, Gen. Atkinson, on breaking camp +at an early hour in the morning, gave orders for the march towards the +river, with Gen. Dodge's squadron in front; Infantry next; Second +brigade, under command of Gen. Alexander, next; Gen. Posey's brigade +next, and Gen. Henry's in the rear. + +After marching a few miles Gen. Dodge's scouts discovered the rear +guard of the enemy, when an express was sent immediately to Gen. +Atkinson, who ordered troops to proceed at double quick. In the +meantime Gen. Dodge's command pushed forward and opened a heavy fire, +from which many Indians were shot down while retreating toward the +Mississippi, where their main body was stationed. Dodge's squadron +being in the lead, were first to open upon the main army of the +Indians, whilst Gen. Henry's brigade, that had been placed in the rear +in the morning, came first to his aid. The battle waged furiously for +more than two hours, and until the last visible Indian warrior was +killed. The Indians had commenced crossing before the battle opened, +and a number took to their canoes and made good their escape as the +battle progressed. The number killed was estimated at something over +one hundred, but the Indians afterward reported their loss at seventy- +eight killed and forty-two wounded. Our loss was seventeen killed and +about the same number wounded. + +During the engagement several squaws were killed accidentally and a +number wounded, including children, who were taken prisoners. Among +the latter, Dr. Philleo reported a boy with one arm badly broken, who +exhibited a greater degree of stoicism during the operation of +amputation, than he had ever before witnessed. Being very hungry, +they gave him a piece of bread to eat, which he ravenously masticated +during the entire operation, apparently manifesting no pain whatever +from the work of the surgeon. + +Many of the Indians who got across the river in safety were afterwards +killed by the Menomonees. + + + +STEAMBOAT WARRIOR'S FIGHT. + +On the 2d of August, 1832, the steamboat, Warrior, was lying at +Prairie du Chien, and word having been received at the fort that Black +Hawk's main army was then at, or near the river above, at a point +designated for all to meet for the purpose of crossing the river, +Lieut. Kingsbury took her in charge, and started up with one company, +in order to intercept the Indians and prevent their crossing before +the main army arrived, as he knew it was in close pursuit of them. +The boat soon came in view of Indians on both sides of the river-- +Black Hawk and several lodges having already crossed over-when they +were hailed by Lieut. Kingsbury. A white flag was hoisted by the +Indians, and Black Hawk directed the Winnebago interpreter on board +the Warrior, to say to his chief that he wanted him to send out his +small boat so as he could go on board, a he desired to give himself +up. The Winnebago, however, reported to the commander that they +refused to bring their flag aboard. He then directed his interpreter +to say that if they still refused he would open fire upon them. In +reply, the interpreter said they still refused, when the Lieutenant +directed his six-pounder to be fired among them, and also opened a +musketry fire by his company. This was returned by the Indians, and +the battle continued for some time. Several Indians were killed at +the first fire, after which the remainder sought protection behind +trees, stumps, etc. It was then getting late in the afternoon, and as +the boat was nearly out of wood they dropped down to the fort to +replenish, and started back again the next morning. On reaching an +island some miles above their battle-ground of the day before, they +commenced to rake it with their six-pounder, supposing the Indians had +taken shelter there, and the army considering it a salute, Gen. +Atkinson returned it. Soon after the boat landed and took on board +Gen. Atkinson and the regulars and then returned to Prairie du Chien. +The Illinois volunteers were ordered to Dixon, at which place they +were discharged, while the troops of the lead mines were mustered out +at Galena. After the boat started down the evening before, Black Hawk +and a few of his people left for the lodge of a Winnebago friend, and +gave himself up. Thus ended a bloody war which had been forced upon +Black Hawk by Stillman's troops violating a flag of truce, which was +contrary to the rules of war of all civilized nations, and one that +had always been respected by the Indians. And thus, by the treachery +or ignorance of the Winnebago interpreter on board of the Warrior, it +was bought to a close in the same ignoble way it commenced-- +disregarding a flag of truce--and by which Black Hawk lost more than +half of his army. But in justice to Lieut. Kingsbury, who commanded +the troops on the Warrior, and to his credit it must be said, that +Black Hawk's flag would have been respected if the Winnebago, who +acted as his interpreter on the boat, had reported him correctly. + + + +GENERAL ATKINSON'S REPORT. + +HEADQUARTERS FIRST ARTILLERY CORPS, NORTH-WESTERN ARMY, Prairie du +Chiens, Aug. 25, 1832. + +SIR:--I have the honor to report to you that I crossed the Ouisconsin +on the 27th and 28th ultimo, with a select body of troops, consisting +of the regulars under Colonel Taylor, four hundred in number, part of +Henry's, Posey's and Alexander's brigades, amounting in all to 1,300 +men, and immediately fell upon the trail of the enemy, and pursued it +by a forced march, through a mountainous and difficult country, till +the morning of the 2d inst., when we came up with his main body on the +left bank of the Mississippi, nearly opposite the mouth of the Ioway, +which we attacked, defeated and dispensed, with a loss on his part of +about a hundred and fifty men killed, thirty men, women and children +taken prisoners--the precise number could not be ascertained, as the +greater potion was slain after being forced into the river. Our loss +in killed and wounded, which is stated below, is very small in +comparison with the enemy, which may be attributed to the enemy's +being forced from his position by a rapid charge the commencement, and +throughout the engagement the remnant of the enemy, cut up and +disheartened, crossed to the opposite side of the river, and had fled +into the interior, with a view, it is supposed, of joining Keokuk and +Wapello's bands of Sacs and Foxes. + +The horses of the volunteer troops being exhausted by long marches, +and the regular troops without shoes, it was not thought advisable to +continue the pursuit; indeed, a stop to the further effusion of blood +seemed to be called for, till it might he ascertained if the enemy +would surrender. + +It is ascertained from our prisoners that the enemy lost in the battle +of the Ouisconsin sixty-eight killed and a very large number wounded; +his whole loss does not fall short of three hundred. After the battle +on the Ouisconsin, those of the enemy's women and children, and some +who were dismounted, attempted to make their escape by descending that +river, but judicious measures being taken by Captain Loomis and +Lieutenant Street, Indian Agent, thirty-two women and children and +four men have been capured, and some fifteen men killed by the +detachment under Lieutenant Ritner. + +The day after the battle on the river, I fell down with the regular +troops to this place by water, and the wounded men will join us to- +day. It is now my purpose to direct, Keokuk to demand a surrender of +the remaining principal men of the hostile party, which, from the +large number of women and children we hold prisoners, I have every +reason to believe will be compiled with. Should it not, they should +be pursued and subdued, a step Major-General Scott will take upon his +arrival. + + I cannot speak too highly of the brave conduct of the regular and +volunteer forces engaged in the last battle, and the fatiguing march +that preceded it, and as soon as the reports of officers of the +brigades and corps are handed in, they shall be submitted with further +remarks: + 5 killed, 6 wounded, 6th inft. + 2 wounded, 5th inft. + 1 Captain, 5 privates, Dodge's Bat., mounted. + 1 Lieutenant, 6 privates, Henry's Bat. + 1 private wounded, Alexander's. + 1 private wounded Posey's. + + I have the great honor to be, with great respect, +Your obedient servant, + H. ATKINSON, +Brevet Brig. Gen. U.S.A. +Maj. Gen. Macomb, Com. in Chief, Washington. + + + +APPENDIX. + +AT YELLOW BANKS. + +Among the many hundreds of troops that came to Yellow Bank--Oquawka-- +on their way to the sea of war, Major S. S. Phelps always spoke in +high terms of their good discipline and gentlemanly conduct, except in +one instance--that of a few persons in a company from McDonough +county, who came over at a time when old chief Tama and his wife, who +was noted for being the white man's friend, came over to get +provisions for his little band. On seeing an Indian some of these +soldiers, who had been using their canteens rather frequently, were +eager to slay him, and not only threatened him but Major P. also, for +harboring him. The officers seemed to have no control of these men-- +and just at a time when their threats were loudest of what they +intended to do at the close of three minutes, Major P. and one of his +clerks, Mr. Joseph Smart, were standing with their rifles cocked ready +to make the first shot, a cry came from outside of the building, by +one of the more peaceable soldiers, "Here comes another company, Capt. +Peter Butler's, from Monmouth," when these would-be braves instantly +retreated. + +We are assured by one of Capt. B.'s company, Mr. James Ryason, that +the foregoing is literally true, and that Major P. and Mr. Smart, +afterwards, amid the threats of these same soldiers, escorted Tama and +wife to the river bank to take their canoe to cross the river, and +stood there with their guns, ready to protect the Indians until they +got out of reach of gunshot--Smart threatening all the time to put a +ball though the first man that attempted to shoot. + +In order to appease the wrath of these soldiers and prevent some of +them being killed, Capt. B. advised Maj. P. not to give Tama any +provisions; but on the way down, Mr. Ryason says, Smart (who talked +their language equal to a native born) told them to meet them at a +certain point after night and they would be supplied; and that for the +purpose of assisting Mr. Smart in taking supplies to Tama, he got +leave of absence from the Captain until next morning. + +Messrs. James Ryason and Gabriel Shot, both honorable and highly +respected Christian gentlemen, are the only survivors of that company +now residing in this county. + +Tama's village, located on South Henderson, half a mile below the farm +of Mr. John T. Cook, at Gladstone, was always noted as being the abode +of friendy Indians. In the fall of 1829, some write men came in and +made improvements on the land in the vicinity, and at the advice of +Mr. Phelps, Tama crossed the river and made a new town at the mouth of +Flint river on the Mississippi, and at the time of Black Hawk's raid +into Illinois, it was the rendezvous of many young men who had been +persuaded by Tama not to join Black Hawk. But when the news reached +them of the indignities offered to their good old chief, they secretly +determined to go upon the war path, and soon after four young Foxes +started to cross the river and avenge the insult. On going up +Henderson creek they espied Mr. William Martin while in the act of +mowing, at a point near Little York, whom they shot and killed, and +for fear of detection, immediately took to the brush. It being late +when they got through the woods, they made a fire and camped just at +the edge of the prairie. + +Some time after the shooting, friends of Mr. Martin discovered his +lifeless body and after removing it to the home, started on the trail +of his murderers, and followed it some distance through the +underbrush, but wisely concluded, as it was growing late, to return +and give the alarm. An express was sent to Capt. Butler during the +night, who started out with his company early in the morning, and on +emerging into the prairie discovered the camp fire of the Indians, add +followed their trail to a slough in the Mississippi two miles below +Keithsburgh. Here the Indians embarked in their canoes and were +probably on the other side of the river by this time. A demand was +immediately made upon Keokuk for the murderers, as they belonged to +his band of Foxes, who surrendered two men to the commanding officer +at Rock Island. + +These Indians soon afterwards made their escape, and before the time +fixed for their trial, Keokuk delivered four young men to Maj. Phelps, +then sheriff of Warren county, to be tried for the offence. Maj. P. +and his deputy, Mr. James Ryason, took them to Monmouth jail, where +the following proceedings were had before the Circuit Court (for a +copy of which we are indebted to George C. Rankin, Esq., now Circuit +Clerk): + + + +WARREN COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT. + +William Martin was shot and scalped by two Indians, near Little York, +Warren county, August 9th, 1832. In their report at the October term +of the Warren Circuit Court, the Grand jurors say: + +"Six or seven Indians of Keokuk's band of Sac and Fox Indians who were +not included in the war path under Black Hawk and other chiefs of the +Sac and Fox, nation, came over from the western bank of the +Mississippi river to the inhabited parts of Warren county, in said +State. and unlawfully and feloniously murdered the said William Martin +in the most barbarous manner. That the names of the said Indians are +unknown to the Grand Jury. That two of the said Indians have been +heretofore given up by the chiefs of said Indians, that they were +confined in the Fort at Rock Island for some time but have made their +escape, and are now at large in their own country. That the Grand +jury cannot now find an indictment because the names of the said +Indiana are unknown to said jury. But they recommend that the +Governor of the State be furnished with a copy of this presentment, +and that he be desired to request of the President of the United +States that the whole of the said Indians concerned in the said murder +may be demanded of the said Sac and Fox nation that they may be +indicted and punished for murder under the authority of the laws of +this State." + +In compliance with the demand of the President, the chiefs surrendered +four Indians, namely, with their Interpretations; + Sa-sa-pi-ma (he that troubleth). + Ka-ke-mo (he that speaks with something in his mouth). + I-o-nah (stay here). + Wa-pa-sha-kon (the white string). + +Concerning which, the Grand jury at the June term 1833 say: + +"From an examination made by this Grand Jury they we now able to state +that the four Indians lately surrendered by the chiefs at the request +of the President of the United States, are not the real murderers of +Martin. The chiefs represent that at the time the demand was made the +real offenders had escaped from the territory and power of their +nation. That the prisoners now in custody volunteered themselves to +be surrendered in place of those who escaped, and that from custom +amongst Indians, they supposed this would be a sufficient compliance +with the requisition of the President. The Grand jury will not +positively say that the chiefs have prevaricated, but they do say that +the demand already made has been eluded." + +By a writ of habeas corpus, the four Indians above named were brought +before the judge, presiding, Hon. Richard M. Young, June 14th, 1833, +and released. + +Indictment was returned against the real murderers, Shash-quo-washi, +Muck-que-che-qua, Muck-qua-pal-ashah, and Was-a-wau-a-quot, who, "not +having the fear of God before their eyes, but being moved and seduced +by the instigations of the devil," killed Wm. Martin. The indictment +was drawn by Thomas Ford, States Attorney, and recites that William +Martin was shot a little below the shoulder blade. Among the +witnesses named were Keokuk and Stabbing Chief. The guilty parties +were never arrested, and a _nolle prosequi_ was entered at the October +term at court, 1835. + + + +GEN. SCOTT ARRIVES AT CHICAGO. + +Gen. Scott, with a full regiment of regulars, came up the lake and +landed at Chicago about the 10th of July--the cholera in the meantime +having broken out among his troops, from which several had died. +While encamped at that point, it continued its virulence to such an +extent, and in a number of cases fatally, that he deemed it best to +much out on the high land, and soon after continued his journey, by +slow marches, to Rock Island. On reaching Rock river, where Milan is +now situated, the cholera had disappeared, and he went into camp with +his entire regiment. The clear water of this beautiful stream was a +Godsend to the many tired men, for the ablution of their bodies and +the cleansing of their apparel, tents, etc., and seemed to have a +general invigorating effect upon the entire regiment. + +Gen. Scott then went over to Rock Island with two companies to +garrison Fort Armstrong, and there learned the situation of affairs in +the army, and the great reduction made in the ranks of Black Hawk's +band of Indians, so that a final close of the war was daily expected. + +A few days after their arrival at Fort Armstrong, symptoms of cholera +again appeared among the troops of the company, and the physician in +charge tried every known remedy to check it, but failed in every +instance, and after running its course, which was usually about +twenty-four hours, the patient died. During the first three or four +days of its ravages, about one-half of that company had been consigned +to their last resting place in the soldiers' cemetery. + + Being on a visit to Rock Island at the time the cholera was raging, +the writer, at the request of Col. Wm. Berry, (who had also come down +from Galena to pay his respects to Gen. Scott,) accompanied him to the +Fort and introduced him to the General. It was a very warm, but +beautiful Sabbath, when we were admitted to the General's quarters, +about 10 o'clock in the morning, and after the introduction of our +friend and the usual salutations of the day, the General, after +expressing his doubts of the propriety of admitting us into the Fort, +forcibly and touchingly detailed the ravages that the cholera was +making in his ranks. Medicine, in the hands of a skillful physician, +seemed to have no effect to stay its progress, and he was just on the +eve of trying a different remedy as we came in, and if we would join +him in a glass of brandy and water, he would proceed at once to put it +into execution. He said he was satisfied that brandy was a good +antidote to cholera, and by its use many of his soldiers were still +well. + + + +THE GENERAL'S REMEDY. + +The General pulled off his coat, rolled up his sleeves, and directed +an orderly to tear off strips of red flannel, fill a bucket with +brandy and carry them to the hospital. On arriving at the bedside of +a patient he directed him to be stripped, and then with flannel soaked +in brandy he rubbed his chest thoroughly, in order to bring on a +reaction, in the meantime administering a little brandy with a spoon. +In the course of half an hour he returned and reported progress. He +said he left his patient free from pain, and directed a small portion +of the brandy to be given occasionally. + +The well soldiers, seeing that their General was not afraid of +cholera, nor too proud to act as nurse to a sick soldier, took courage +and insisted on his retiring, so that they could fill his place. +Seeing that new life had been infused among the well soldiers, and a +gleam of hope seeming to inspire the sick, he gave directions for them +to continue, as he had commenced, and then retired. + +On returning to his quarters he washed his hands, rolled down his +sleeves, put on his uniform, and then invited us to take a little +brandy. After listening to his mode of treatment, we casually +remarked that it looked feasible, but at the same time reprehensible +in the General of the army exposing himself in the performance of a +duty that could be done as well by a common soldier. He gave us a +look, and kept his eyes upon us as his giant form raised up, and, with +a sweep of his sword arm, said in majestic tones: "Sir, it is the duty +of a General to take care of his army; should he fall another can take +his place; but, without an army his occupation is gone!" + +The General's treatment was continued right along, and the result was +that many of those attacked got well. + +Soon after the close of the war, which terminated with the battle of +Bad Axe, on the second day of August, 1832, he came to Galena, and, in +conference with Governor John Reynolds, ordered the chiefs head men +and warriors of the Winnebago Nation to meet them at Fort Armstrong, +Rock Island, on the 15th day of September, 1832, for the purpose of +holding a treaty. + +At the time fixed by the Commissioners they were met by the chiefs, +head men and warriors of the Winnebago Nation, with whom a treaty was +made and concluded, by which the Winnebagoes ceded to the United +States all the lands claimed by them lying to the south and east of +Wisconsin river and the Fox river of Green Bay. The consideration of +this cession on the part of the United States, to be a grant to the +Winnebago Nation of a tract on the west side of the Mississippi river +known as the neutral ground and annual annuities for twenty-seven +years of $10,000 in specie and a further sum, not to exceed $3,000 +annually, for the purposes of maintaining a farm and a school for the +education of Winnebago children during the same period of twenty-seven +years. + + + +TREATY WITH SACS AND FOXES. + +After concluding the treaty with the Winnebagoes, and for the purpose +of making a lasting peace with the Sacs and Foxes, these Commissioners +held a treaty at the same place, and a week later, on the 21st day of +September, with chiefs, head men and warriors of that confederate +tribe. The Commissioners demanded, partly as indemnity for expenses +incurred in the late war with Black Hawk's band and to secure future +tranquility, a cession of a large portion of their country bordering +on the frontiers. In consideration thereof the United States agree to +pay to said confederate tribes annually, for thirty years, $20,000 in +specie; also, to pay Messrs. Farnham and Davenport, Indian traders at +Rock Island, the sum of $40,000, to be receipted for in full of all +demands against said Indians. And, further, at the special request of +said confederate tribes, the United States agree to grant, by letters +patent, to their particular friend, Antoine LeClair, interpreter, one +section of land opposite Rock Island and one section at the head of +the rapids of the Mississippi river. + + + +THE CITY OF DAVENPORT, IOWA. + +This beautiful city now covers that "Section of land opposite Rock +Island" that was donated by treaty to Antoine LeClair by the Sacs and +Foxes, and also three or four more sections. At that time it was +wholly uninhabited, the Foxes having removed their village from that +point some three years before. As a town site it was regarded by +strangers and travelers on steamboats as the most beautiful west of +the Mississippi between St. Louis and St. Paul, and now, with its +twenty-three thousand inhabitants, elegant residences, magnificent +public buildings, fine churches, schoolhouses, extensive +manufactories, and large business blocks, it Stands unrivalled as a +beautiful city. It has ten miles of street railroads, affording easy +access to all parts of the city. It has two daily papers, the +_Gazette_ and _Democrat_, (morning and evening) both ably conducted; +and also a German daily and two weeklies. The river is spanned by an +elegant bridge that was built at the cost of nearly a million dollars, +which is used by the various railroads from East to West, and has a +roadway for teams and pedestrians. + + + +THE CITY OF ROCK ISLAND + +Is located on the bank of the river in Illinois, immediately opposite +to Davenport, and is a large and flourishing city, with a population +of about twelve thousand inhabitants. It has fine public buildings, +elegant churches and residences, substantial business blocks, +extensive manufactories and elegant water works. The city is lighted +by electric lights, from high towers, that cast their refulgent rays +over the entire city, which makes it the finest lighted city in the +west. There are two daily papers, (morning and evening) _The Union_ +and _The Argus_, both enjoying the privilege of Press dispatches, and +both issue weeklies. _The Rock Islander_ is also published weekly, and +all have the appearance of great prosperity. The professions are +represented by men of fine ability, including some of wide reputation. +The banking business is done principally by two National Banks, that +have a deservedly high reputation, and are doing a large business. +There are two first-class hotels--the Harper House and Rock Island +House--and several of less pretentions. The city has large coal +fields, in close proximity, with railroads running daily to and from +the banks, by which the three cities are supplied. + + + +THE CITY OF MOLINE + +Is located two miles up the river from Rock Island, but connected with +it by street railways. It has a population of over 8,000 inhabitants, +and is extensively known from its many manufacturing establishments, +which are supplied with water power from a dam across the river from +the Island. + +FIFTY YEARS AGO, + +When the writer first visited this most beautiful Island in the +Mississippi river, then and now known as Rock Island, the ground on +which the triplet cities of Davenport, Rock Island, and Moline now +stands, was covered with prairie grass, and apparently a sterile waste +as regards to the two former, whilst the latter was principally +covered with timber. Now how changed! Then the site of Davenport was +claimed to be the most beautiful on the west bank of the Mississippi, +between St. Paul and St. Louis by Black Hawk and his confreres, who +had traveled up and down the river in canoes, whilst his judgment was +confirmed by thousands of passengers who viewed it from steamboats in +after years. Now + +THE TRIPLE CITIES + +are widely known as the leading manufacturing cities of the great +west, with railroads stretching out from ocean to ocean, and although +the Mississippi makes a dividing line, they are united by a +magnificent bridge, which makes their intercourse easier than over +paved streets. + +Rock Island, at that time, was excluded from settlement by the orders +of Government, as it had been reserved, on the recommendation of Hon. +Lewis Cass, whilst he was in the Senate and Cabinet, as a site for a +United States Arsenal and Armory. Fort Armstrong was situated on the +lower end of the Island, and was then in command of Col. William +Davenport. The Sac and Fox agency (Maj. Davenport, agent,) stood on +the bank of the river about half a mile above the Fort; next came the +residence and office of Antoine Le Clair, United States Interpreter +for the Sam and Foxes, and a little higher up, the residence, store- +house and out buildings of Col. George Davenport, who had by an act of +Congress, preempted a claim of two hundred acres of land running +across the Island from bank to bank of the river. The Island is about +two miles long, and being at the foot of the rapids has the best water +power on the river, capable of running a much greater amount of +machinery than is at present in operation. The entire Island is now +owned and occupied by the Government, (the heirs of Col. Davenport +having sold and deeded their interest), and is now used as an + +ARMORY AND ARSENAL, + +which are destined to be in the near future, the most extensive works +of the kind probably in the world. Indeed, army officers who have +traveled extensively in the Old World, say they have never seen +anything to compare with it, in elegant grounds, water power and +buildings, and with such facilities for moving anything to and from +the Arsenal. These works were commenced under the supervision of Gen. +Rodman, the inventor of the Rodman gun, and since the death of the +General, D. W. Flagler, Lieut. Col. of Ordinance, has been in command, +and a more efficient and better qualified officer for the place could +not have been found in the army. + +There are already completed ten massive stone buildings, which are +used for work shops, storage, etc., officers' quarters, both durable +and comfortable, and many other buildings. The former residence of +Col. George Davenport, (the House in which he as killed for money +many years ago) built in 1831, of solid hewed timber, and afterwards +weather-boarded, still stands unoccupied. + +The Island is mostly covered with trees of different varieties, which +are kept neatly trimmed, and is laid out like a park, with wide +avenues extending its whole length, which makes the most elegant +drives and shady walks for the thousands of visitors who flock to the +Island to feast their eyes upon its magnificence. + + + +THE CITY OF KEOKUK, IOWA, + +Is located at the foot of the Lower Rapids, 139 miles from Rock +Island, and bears the name of the distinguished chief of the Sacs and +Foxes. At our first visit there, in 1832, there was a long row of +one-story buildings fronting on the river, that were used by Col. +Farnham, agent of the American Fur Company, as a store and warehouse-- +this being the principal depot for trade with the Sacs and Foxes, who +were then the sole proprietors of the country and its principal +inhabitants, with the exception of a few individuals who had got +permission to put up shanties for occupation during the low-water +season, while they were engaged in lighting steamers passing up and +down the river, but unable to cross the rapids while loaded. + +At that day the old chief, Keokuk, boasted of having the handsomest +site for a big village that could be found on the river, and since +that day it has grown to be a large and elegant city, with wide +streets, fine public buildings, nice churches, school-houses, elegant +residences, extensive business houses, wholesale and retail stores, +manufactories, and a flourishing Medical University with elegant +buildings, which has been in successful operation for more than twenty +years. The United States District Court for Southern Iowa is also +located here. The city is well provided with good hotels. The +Patterson House, an immense building, five stories high, being chief, +which has always ranked as first-class-with a number of hotels of +smaller dimensions, but well kept--affording ample accommodation for +the thousands of travelers that frequently congregate at this place. +The various professions are represented by men of fine ability--some +of them of wide reputation. They have two daily papers, _The Gale +City,_ and _The Constitution_, which are ably conducted. + +A fine canal, running the entire length of the Rapids, from Montrose +to Keokuk, has been built by the United States, through which +steamboats can now pass at any stage of water--but designed more +particularly for low water--so that there is no longer any detention +to lighten steamboats over the Rapids. + + + +THE CITY OF MUSCATINE, IOWA. + +Muscatine was first settled as a wood yard by Col. John Vanater, in +July, 1834, and was laid out as a town by him in 1836, and called +Bloomington. The county was organized in 1837, under the name of +Muscatine, and Bloomington made the county seat. The name of the town +was changed to correspond with that of the county in 1851. Its +population at the last census was 8,294; present population not less +than 10,000. Besides being the centre of a large trade in +agricultural products, it is extensively engaged in manufacturing +lumber, sash, doors and blinds, and possesses numerous large +manufactories, oat-meal mills, and the finest marble works in the +State. It is also the centering point of a very large wholesale and +retail trade. It is situated at the head of the rich Muscatine +Island, the garden spot of the Northwest, and is the shipping point +for millions of melons and sweet potatoes annually. + +Muscatine is a good town, with a good business and good newspapers. +The _Journal_ and _Tribune_ are published daily, semi-weekly and +weekly. Hon. John Mahin has been the editor of the _Journal_ since +1852, and there is no editor in the State whose service dates further +back than his. + + + +THE CITY OF DUBUQUE. + +Soon after the close of the war and the discharge of the volunteer +army, the writer, with some twenty others who had served through the +war, formed a company for the purpose of laying out the town of +Dubuque. One of their number, Capt. James Craig, being a surveyor, he +was selected to survey the lines and lay out the town. About the +middle of September, 1832, he started out from Galena with his chain- +carriers, stake-drivers, etc., (stakes having been previously sawed +and split on an island opposite, all ready for use), and in due time +completed the survey. Blocks fronting the river on three or four +streets back were completed, each lot receiving its stakes, whilst +those farther back were staked as blocks, and not subdivided. A few +of the original proprietors built and took possession at once. Among +them were the Messrs. Langworthy, enterprising and energetic young +gentlemen, who commenced business as grocers in a small way, with +supplies for miners. Their faith was strong that adventurers would +come in, and that the time was not far distant when the town would +take a start, and in a few years become a populous city. Miners and +prospectors soon took possession of claims in the immediate vicinity, +and in one instance a claim was made and ore struck within the limits +of our survey. + +It was well known that the Indians had been in the habit, for many +years, of visiting this portion of their country, for the purpose of +getting their supplies of lead; hence the supposition of miners, who +had long been engaged in prospecting for lead-mining, that lead would +be found on this side of the river and in the vicinity of Dubuque. +This caused a great rush to the new fields, of hundreds, who expected +to strike it rich with less labor and expense. All were aware, +however, that under the treaty just made with the Sacs and Foxes by +Gen. Scott and Gov. Reynolds, they had no right to enter upon these +lands, and stood in daily fear of being ordered off by United States +troops. But their numbers steadily increased. At length the long +expected order came. Major Davenport, Indian Agent at Rock Island, +was ordered to go forward, and, with one company of infantry in two +Mackinaw boats, commanded by Lieut. Beach, they landed near the mouth +of Fever river (Galena) about the first of October. The Major came up +to Galena with a letter from Col. George Davenport to the writer, to +assist him in the discharge of his delicate duty. Word was sent to +Lieut. Beach not to proceed up the river until the afternoon of the +next day, as the sight of troops by the miners might make them hard to +manage; otherwise, I assured the Major, he would have no trouble. We +proceeded at once to a point opposite Dubuque, where we found a +comfortable stopping place with the ferryman, and he being a man of +considerable influence, I suggested to him the propriety of going over +to Dubuque to send men to all the mining camps, requesting a meeting +the next morning, at nine o'clock, of all the miners, with the agent, +to hear what he had to say, and to assure them at the same time that +his mission was a peaceable one, and that there should be no objection +manifested to disobey the orders of the Government. + +After the departure of our messenger we took a private room to talk +over the programme for the meeting, when we suggested that, on +assembling, the Major should make a little speech explanatory of his +visit, in which he should express sorrow for the hardships it would be +to leave their claims, with the hope that the time was not distant +when all might lawfully return, etc. The Major said he was not a +speech-maker, or a very good talker, but would read the orders sent to +him to dispossess them, and see that they crossed the river. + +After some discussion, the writer, at his request, wrote out a short +address for the Major, and on going over the next morning, we met some +four or five hundred miners at the grocery store, who had assembled to +listen to the orders sent for their removal. There being no boards or +boxes into which to improvise a stand for the speaker, a whisky-barrel +was introduced, from the head of which, after apologizing to the +miners for the disagreeable duty that had been placed upon the Major, +and in consequence of his suffering from a bad cold, we had taken the +stand to read to them his short address, and as most of them had spent +the summer in the service of the Government as soldiers in the field, +and had been honorably discharged, the Major felt satisfied that there +would be no objection manifested by any one in the large crowd before +us to disobey an order from the Government. After the close of the +Major's address, the question was put to vote by raising of hands. +There was a general upraising of hands, which was declared to be +unanimous for immediate removal. Owing to the good treatment received +by the Major, he proposed to treat the entire party, and, to +facilitate the matter, buckets of whisky with tin cups were passed +around, and after all had partaken they shook hands with the Major and +commenced Crossing over in flatboats. + +At three o'clock in the afternoon we crossed over on the last boat, +and took our departure for Galena. During the evening the Major's +report of how his peaceable removal of a large body of intruders from +the west to the east bank of the Mississippi had been accomplished, +was made out and mailed. But the further fact that all those miners +had recrossed the river, and were then in their mining camps, was not +recorded, for the reason that the Major had not been posted as to +their intentions. + +Owing to the provisions of the treaty, it was a long time before +Congress passed an act for the sale of these lands, and confirmation +to the titles of town sites, hence, many of those who had laid out the +town of Dubuque had left the county, and at the time of proving up +their claims failed to put in an appearance--the writer being one of +them--whilst those who remained, with the Messrs. Langworthy, became +sole proprietors--the latter having lived to see the town rise in +importance, and at this time become one of the most populous cities on +the west side of the Mississippi. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Autobiography of +Ma-ka-tai-me-she-kia-kiak, or Black Hawk, by Black Hawk + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF BLACK HAWK *** + +This file should be named bhawk10.txt or bhawk10.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, bhawk11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, bhawk10a.txt + +This etext was produced by Martin Schub + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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