The Black Hawk War Including a Review of Black Hawk's Life
continued their persuasions, and on meeting constant refusal, finally,
with some of his personal followers, unitedly demanded that he sign a
treaty, and then, fearing the possible loss of his influence, he
reluctantly consented. Another convention was at once called to meet at
St. Louis May 13, 1816, which Black Hawk attended and there “touched the
goose quill,” as he has stated. This treaty, more important than the
other two, because it bound the leader of all the insurgent Indians, was
signed on the 13th day of May and ratified December 30 of the same year
and is as follows:
“_A TREATY OF PEACE AND FRIENDSHIP, made and concluded between William
Clark, Ninian Edwards and Auguste Chouteau, commissioners
plenipotentiary of the United States of America, on the part and
behalf of the said states, of the one part, and the undersigned chiefs
and warriors of the Sacs of Rock River and the adjacent country, of
the other part._
“Whereas, By the ninth article of the treaty of peace, which was
concluded on the twenty-fourth day of December, eighteen hundred and
fourteen, between the United States and Great Britain, at Ghent, and
which was ratified by the President, with the advice and consent of
the Senate, on the seventeenth day of February, eighteen hundred and
fifteen, it was stipulated that the said parties should severally put
an end to all hostilities with the Indian tribes, with whom they might
be at war, at the time of the ratification of said treaty, and to
place the said tribes inhabiting their respective territories, on the
same footing upon which they stood before the war; provided, they
should agree to desist from all hostilities against the said parties,
their citizens or subjects respectively, upon the ratification of the
said treaty being notified to them, and should so desist accordingly;
and,
“Whereas, The said United States being determined to execute every
article of treaty with perfect good faith, and wishing to be
particularly exact in the execution of the article above alluded to,
relating to the Indian tribes: The President, in consequence thereof,
for that purpose, on the eleventh day of March, eighteen hundred and
fifteen, appointed the undersigned William Clark, governor of Missouri
territory, Ninian Edwards, governor of Illinois territory, and Auguste
Chouteau, Esq., of the Missouri territory, commissioners, with full
power to conclude a treaty of peace and amity with all those tribes of
Indians, conformably to the stipulations contained in the said
article, on the part of the United States, in relation to such tribes;
and,
“Whereas, The commissioners, in conformity with their instructions in
the early part of last year, notified the Sacs of Rock River, and the
adjacent country, of the time of the ratification of said treaty; of
the stipulations it contained in relation to them; of the disposition
of the American government to fill those stipulations, by entering
into a treaty with them, conformably thereto; and invited the Sacs of
Rock River, and the adjacent country, to send forward a deputation of
their chiefs to meet the said commissioners at Portage des Sioux, for
the purpose of concluding such a treaty as aforesaid, between the
United States and the said Indians, and the said Sacs of Rock River,
and the adjacent country, having not only declined that friendly
overture, but having continued their hostilities, and committed many
depredations thereafter, which would have justified the infliction of
the severest chastisement upon them; but having earnestly repented of
their conduct, now imploring mercy, and being anxious to return to the
habits of peace and friendship with the United States; and the latter
being always disposed to pursue the most liberal and humane policy
towards the Indian tribes within their territory, preferring their
reclamation by peaceful measures, to their punishment by the
application of the military force of the nation; now,
“Therefore, The said William Clark, Ninian Edwards and Auguste
Chouteau, commissioners, as aforesaid, and the undersigned, chiefs and
warriors, as aforesaid, for the purpose of restoring peace and
friendship between the parties, do agree to the following articles:
“Article 1. The Sacs of Rock River, and the adjacent country, do
hereby unconditionally assent to recognize, re-establish, and confirm
the treaty between the United States of America, and the united tribes
of Sacs and Foxes, which was concluded at St. Louis, on the third day
of November, one thousand eight hundred and four; as well as all other
contracts and agreements heretofore made between the Sac tribe or
nation and the United States.
“Art. 2. The United States agree to place the aforesaid Sacs of Rock
River on the same footing upon which they stood before the war;
provided, they shall, on or before the first day of July next, deliver
up to the officer commanding at cantonment Davis, on the Mississippi,
all the property they or any part of their tribe, have plundered or
stolen from the citizens of the United States, since they were
notified, as aforesaid, of the time of the ratification of the late
treaty between the United States and Great Britain.
“Art. 3. If the said tribe shall fail or neglect to deliver up the
property aforesaid, or any part thereof, on or before the first day of
July aforesaid, they shall forfeit to the United States all right and
title to their proportion of the annuities which, by the treaty of St.
Louis, were covenanted to be paid to the Sac tribe; and the United
States shall forever afterwards be exonerated from the payment of so
much of said annuities as, upon a fair distribution, would fall to the
share of that portion of the Sacs who are represented by the
undersigned chiefs and warriors.
“Art. 4. This treaty shall take effect and be obligatory on the
contracting parties, unless the same shall be disapproved by the
President and Senate of the United States, or by the President only;
and in the meantime all hostilities shall cease from this date.
“In testimony whereof, the said William Clark, Ninian Edwards, and
Auguste Chouteau, commissioners as aforesaid, and the undersigned
chiefs and warriors as aforesaid, have hereunto set their hands and
affixed their seals this thirteenth day of May, one thousand eight
hundred and sixteen.”
“WM. CLARK,
“NINIAN EDWARDS,
“AUGUSTE CHOUTEAU.”
“ANOWART, _or, the one who speaks_,
“NAMAWENANE, _Sturgeon Man_,
“NASAWARKU, _the Fork_,
“NAMATCHESA, _the Jumping Sturgeon_,
“MATCHEQUAWA, _the Bad Axe_,
“MASHCO, _Young Eagle_,
“AQUAOSA, _a Lion coming out of the water_,
“MUCKETAMACHEKAKA, _Black Sparrow Hawk_,
“SAKEETOO, _the Thunder that frightens_,
“WARPALOKA, _the rumbling Thunder_,
“KEMEALOSHA, _the Swan that flies in the rain_,
“PASHEKOMACK, _the Swan that flies low_,
“KEOTASHEKA, _the Running Partridge_,
“WAPALAMO, _the White Wolf_,
“CASKUPWA, _the Swan whose wings crack when he
flies_,
“POINAKETA, _the Cloud that don’t stop_,
“MEALESETA, _Bad Weather_,
“ANAWASHQUETH, _the Bad Root_,
“WASSEKENEQUA, _Sharp-faced Bear_,
“NAPETAKA, _he who has a Swan’s throat around his
neck_,
“MASHASHE, _the Fox_,
“WAPAMUKQUA, _the White Bear_.”
“St. Louis, May 13th, 1816. Done in the presence of R. Wash, Secretary
to the Commission; R. Paul, C.T. of the C.J. Bt. Caron, Samuel
Solomon, Interpreters; Joshua Norvell, Judge Adv. M.M.; Joseph
Perkins, Joseph Charless, B.G. Tavar, Charles Wm. Hunter, Cerré, M. La
Croix, Guyol de Guirano, Boon Ingels, Moses Scott, James Sawyer.”
“To the Indian names are subjoined a mark and a seal.”[45]
After all the trouble given the Americans by Black Hawk, it is not to be
presumed that this treaty was lightly considered, or that the Americans
neglected to explain every line of it fully, thereby allowing
opportunity for future contention from one only too apt to contend; yet
Black Hawk later had the audacity to claim that he did not know his
village passed by that treaty when it became time for him to enjoy
another war with his ancient enemy, the Americans. Line upon line and
section upon section the treaty was carefully read and interpreted by
men whose names were above reproach, that no future claim of
misunderstanding could be alleged, and to that solemn treaty Black Hawk
placed his mark and declared and promised thereby that he would no
longer torment the whites with his aggressions. The preamble of the
document should forever have estopped Black Hawk from alleging ignorance
of its provisions; with respect to all the others who signed that
treaty, the facts recited in it were so truthfuly stated, and they were
so well satisfied with its provisions, that not one of them was ever
heard to complain.
-----
Footnote 43:
Vol. 7, Pub. Statutes at Large, U.S., p. 134, ed. 1848.
Footnote 44:
Vol. 7, Pub. Stat, at Large of U.S., p. 135.
Footnote 45:
Vol. 7, Pub. Stat. (U.S.) at Large, p. 141.
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CHAPTER X.
FORT ARMSTRONG BUILT–BLACK HAWK AS A FAULT-FINDER–ANNIHILATION OF THE
IOWAS.
Black Hawk’s intermittent promises of good behavior and declarations of
future tranquility were justly distrusted by the War Department, and
rather than remain open to future disadvantage, it resolved to erect
near his haunts a fort. Accordingly, on the 10th day of May, 1816, Gen.
Thomas A. Smith and Brev. Lieut. Col. W. Lawrence, with a detachment of
men, landed on Rock Island and soon thereafter, under the direction of
the latter, began the construction of Fort Armstrong[46]–so called in
honor of Gen. John Armstrong, then late Secretary of War.
Black Hawk witnessed these movements with dissatisfaction. The Indians
had a superstitious veneration for the island, claiming, as will be seen
from Black Hawk’s words:[47] “A good spirit had care of it, who lived in
a cave in the rocks immediately under the place where the fort now
stands, and has often been seen by our people. He 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 he inhabited, for fear
of disturbing him. But the noise of the fort has since driven him away,
and no doubt a _bad spirit_ has taken his place.” And in further
contemplation of the beauties of the place and pleasures of this island
to the Indians, Black Hawk was made to utter many fine sentiments, of a
character to command our stanchest support and evoke a sympathy from one
cover of this history to the other, had they been ingenuous and free
from the suspicion that Col. Patterson may have allowed his generous
nature to tint them a color not to be found in that Indian’s nature.
Though hampered by various annoyances, the troops eventually completed
Fort Armstrong and occupied it; their presence serving a healthy object