The Black Hawk War Including a Review of Black Hawk's Life
Hawk, which was taken in plaster of Paris from the living head and
face, by the Messrs. Fowler, in 1837, at New York. As his head was
mostly shaved, they are probably as perfect and accurate, by making
allowance of about half an inch for integuments, as though measured
directly on the skull itself.”
Footnote 5:
That book was dictated by Black Hawk in 1833, interpreted by Antoine
Le Claire to J.B. Patterson, who wrote it down in English and assisted
materially in securing its publication the following year. Mr.
Patterson was a private in Captain Maughs’ company of Jo Daviess
County volunteers.
Footnote 6:
Reynolds, “My Own Times,” p. 320; Perkins and Peck, Annals of the
West; Hist. Des Moines Co., Iowa. Brown’s Hist. of Illinois, p. 377:
“Black Hawk compared with Philip of Pokanoket, Pontiac, Little Turtle
or Tecumseh, was but an ordinary man–inferior vastly to either. That
he was brave is probable. Mere bravery is but a common virtue in the
savage. That he was politic beyond others can scarcely be pretended.
He evinced no particular talents in any of his plans, nor did he
exhibit extraordinary skill in their accomplishment.”
Footnote 7:
Hist. of Des Moines County, p. 345.
Footnote 8:
Reynolds, “My Own Times;” Hist. of Des Moines County, p. 339.
Footnote 9:
Perkins and Peck, “Annals of the West,” p. 795, Ed. of 1850; Thwaite’s
“Story of Black Hawk;” Hist. of Des Moines County, Iowa; Fulton’s “Red
Men of Iowa,” and letters from Agents Forsythe and St. Vrain.
Footnote 10:
Drake.
Footnote 11:
Treaty concluded April 30, 1803.
Footnote 12:
The Illinois country, to which the two tribes finally emigrated, was
transferred by the French to the English crown in 1765. Thus Black
Hawk was born under British rule.
Footnote 13:
Brown’s Hist. of Illinois, p. 381, is emphatic on this point.
Footnote 14:
When the French discovered and took possession of Illinois, neither
the Sacs nor Foxes had any claim or existence on the tract of country
mentioned in this treaty. Am. State Papers, V, 689, 690, 663. Dawson’s
Life of Harrison, 59. Perkins and Peck, Annals of the West, 546.
Footnote 15:
“Public Statutes at Large,” ed. 1848, p. 31.
Footnote 16:
Dawson’s “Life of Harrison.” (William Henry.)
Footnote 17:
The exact number employed on this construction was one first
lieutenant. Alpha Kingsley; one second lieutenant, Nathaniel Pryor;
one surgeon’s mate, three sergeants, three corporals, two musicians
and sixty privates of Captain Pinckney’s company of the First
Infantry.–Annals of Iowa, Vol. 3, No. 2. p. 103.
Footnote 18:
Reynolds, “My Own Times.”
Footnote 19:
Maj. John Beach, agent of Sacs and Foxes, substantiated the story.
Fulton and in Hist. Lee Co., Iowa, p. 358.
Footnote 20:
In 1811, there being a strong probability of war, a deputation of Sacs
and Foxes, said to have included Quash-qua-me, visited Washington to
tender the services of their tribes to the President; but the members
of it were thanked and requested to remain neutral and they returned.
Again in 1812, after war had been declared, the same tribes sent
deputations to the American agent at St. Louis, renewing their offer
of services to fight the British, but again they were urged to remain
neutral, which most of them did.
Footnote 21:
Black Hawk fought at the Battle of Frenchtown, January 22, 1813, and
participated in the massacre of the 23d which followed. He was also at
Ft. Meigs, April 28, 1813; Ft. Stephenson, July 31, and finally the
Battle of the Thames. October 5, 1813.
Footnote 22:
Fulton, p. 76. The Annals of Iowa.
Footnote 23:
Their final contest was in April, 1832.
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CHAPTER VII.
EXPEDITION OF GOVERNOR CLARK TO PRAIRIE DU CHIEN–LIEUTENANT CAMPBELL’S
BATTLE.
During the absence of Black Hawk, in 1812 and 1813, Fort Madison fell
and considerable trouble was encountered from Indians, but, whether Sacs
or others,[24] the Sacs were never molested by the Americans. That the
Sacs were unprepared to stand an attack was freely told him on his
arrival, and Wash-e-own, who paid him a visit, was warm in his praises
of American kindness, upon which Black Hawk scornfully commented: “I
made no reply to these remarks, as the speaker was old and talked like a
child.”
Such perverse assertions as this one, constantly recurring throughout
his autobiography, are irritating to one who desires candor, and in the
face of them it is difficult to deal justly in the premises without
appearing almost savage. He constantly asserts that he never fought the
Americans without being first attacked, yet who can say that the
Americans had attacked or disturbed him up to this point? And how had
the Americans disturbed him after his arrival home in 1814? His village
had never been molested, though on his account it might have been with
good cause. He was still enjoying the use and occupation of it, but,
notwithstanding that fact, he was no sooner back to it but he began an
organized campaign of bloodshed on the frontier. Like the torch applied
to the dried grass of the prairie, the Sacs and Winnebagoes, under him,
spread their ravages in 1814. British agents again had material to work
on, and their machinations produced results, as the journals of the day
recite.
Black Hawk stated that he, with thirty braves, _immediately_ on his
return in 1814, out of revenge for the murder of his supposed adopted
son, descended the Mississippi, and that the battle of the “sink hole”
followed. This would need to be early in 1814, whereas the fact is that
the battle of the “sink hole” was fought nearly a year and a quarter
after that time, and, what is more, after peace had been declared
between the United States and Great Britain. Now if we cannot believe
Black Hawk’s assertion in that important matter, which is refuted by the
record, then when can he be believed?
Indian depredations made necessary the rehabilitation of the fort at
Prairie du Chien[25], long since allowed to fall into a state of decay
by the British, and, by reason of the need of troops further to the
east, Dickson had removed the garrison to Green Bay. For the purpose of
capturing and repairing it, Governor Clark of St. Louis prepared an
expedition to ascend the river, which was duly chronicled in the prints
of the day:
“A military expedition, of about 200 men in five barges, under the
command of Gov. Clark, left St. Louis on the 1st of May, for Prairie
du Chien, supposedly with a view of building a fort there and making a
station to keep in check the Sioux, Winnebagoes and Falsavoine, lately
stirred up to hostility by the infamous British agent, Dickson. There
have been several murders by them.”[26]
Another dispatch showing the success of the venture is as follows:
“St. Louis, June 18.–On Monday evening last a barge arrived here from
Prairie du Chien, with Gov. Clark and a few gentlemen who accompanied
him on his expedition to that place. We are very happy in being able
to announce the fortunate result of that hazardous enterprise.
“Nothing worthy of remark attended the flotilla from the time they
left St. Louis until they reached Rock River. Such of the disaffected
Sacs and Foxes as appeared on the approach of the boats were fired on;
some canoes were taken with the arms of the affrighted savages, who
sued for peace on any terms. Peace was granted them on condition they
would join against the enemies of the United States and immediately
commence hostilities against the Winnebagoes. The Foxes, who lived
above Rock River at Deboque’s mines, were willing to come into the
same arrangement.
“Twenty days before the arrival of the Governor at Prairie du Chien,
Dickson left that place for Mackinaw with 85 Winnebagoes, 120
Falsavoine, and 100 Sioux, recruits for the British army on the lakes.
He had information of the approach of Gov. Clark, and had charged
Captain Deace, commanding a body of Mackinaw fencibles, with the
defense of the place; but Deace and his party ran off, the Sioux and
Renards having refused to oppose the Americans. As soon as the troops
landed at the town, notice was sent to the inhabitants (who had fled
into the country) to return. All came back, but a few scoundrels who
knew they deserved a halter.
“Every attention was then directed to the erection of a temporary
place calculated for defense. Sixty rank and file of Major Taylor’s
company of the Seventh Regiment, under command of Lieutenant Perkins,
took possession of the house formerly occupied by the old Mackinaw
company, and a new fort was progressing on a most commanding spot,
when the Governor left the Prairie.
* * * * *
“Two of the largest armed boats were left, under the command of
Aid-de-Camp Kennedy and Captains Sullivan and Yeizer, whose united
force amounted to 125 dauntless young fellows from this county. The
regulars, under the command of Lieutenant Perkins, are stationed on
shore, and are assisted by the volunteers in the erection of the new
fort. * * *”[27]
During this celebrated voyage Black Hawk and his British Sacs were busy
to undo, at the first favorable moment, all the good work done by
Governor Clark, as may be seen by an article which appeared in the
Missouri Republican:
“St. Louis, July 16.–Platoff, the Hetman Cossack in the service of
Russia, offered 100,000 ducats and his daughter to any person who
would assassinate Bonaparte. Alexander discountenanced the affair as
infamous and dishonorable. How will the English Government and their
agent, Robert Dickson[28] (a native of Scotland), appear to the world
when it is announced that he suborned a Sac warrior to assassinate
Governor Clark while in council at Prairie du Chien? The affair rests
on the testimony of the Indians; the fellow left Rock Island for the
diabolical purpose, was admitted to the council, but found the
Americans armed at every point and all possibility of escape cut off;
he therefore prudently declined the attempt. A gentleman who was at
the Prairie and in the council informs us that this Indian rose and
occupied the attention of the assembly with a harangue of trifling
import; that his eyes were fixed on the Governor as if riveted to the
object. At that moment the Governor shifted his sword from an unhandy
position to one across his knees, when the savage retired to his seat.
* * *”[29]
It may be of interest, though not connected with Black Hawk, to note
here that one very strong reason for the subsequent surrender of the
fort was the decimation of its garrison:
“St. Louis, July 2.–On Sunday last, an armed boat arrived from Prairie
du Chien, under the command of Capt. John Sullivan, with his company
of militia and 32 men from the gunboat Governor Clark, their time of
service (60 days) having expired. Captain Yeizer, who commands on
board the Governor Clark, off Prairie du Chien, reports that his
vessel is completely manned, that the fort is finished, christened
Fort Selby, and occupied by the regulars. * * *”[30]
But Fort Selby could not spare the withdrawal of the militia mentioned,
and on July 21, 1814, the fort surrendered to Colonel McKay after a four
days’ siege.
Weakened as the garrison was by the withdrawal of the militia, General
Howard, on his return from Kentucky, advised that immediate steps be
taken to reinforce it. He quickly perceived the danger from an attack