The Black Hawk War Including a Review of Black Hawk's Life
the forward one, who was tumbled into the river–the horse immediately
turned his course and swam back, the surviving Indian being, from the
unmanageable disposition of his horse, compelled to follow until he
shared the fate of his companion. Both horses were brought in. We
reached our camping ground on the north side of Old Man’s Creek about
6 o’clock, after having used every precaution to guard against being
deceived by the Indians, having kept out the most experienced spies
and a very strong guard front, rear and flank, during the day. Soon
after our arrival we discovered a small party of men in our advance,
supposed at this time to be a part of our front guard. Lieutenant
Gridley being then mounted, passed up a ravine for the purpose of
ascertaining. It was soon after, however, ascertained that our spies
with the whole of our advance guard had come in. Captain Covell with a
party detached, followed. On the approach of Lieutenant Gridley, while
rising the bluff, the Indians faced and leveled their guns. When
prudence directed a return, the Indians pursued and were met by
Captain Covell at nearly the same moment, when the fire was exchanged
without effect. The Indians retreated and were pursued. Three were
killed and three taken, with a loss of one of our men (as supposed).
Our men were all immediately formed and took their march in the
direction of Sycamore Creek, five miles above. After marching about
three miles an Indian appeared and made signs of peace. I was informed
of the fact, and orders were given for a halt. Myself, together with
most of the field and staff officers advanced with Captain Eads as
interpreter. We were soon informed that the Indians would surrender in
case they would be treated as prisoners of war. This was promised
them, and they returned with the intelligence, after promising to meet
us at a specified point. On arriving at that point, however, no
Indians appeared to make the proposed treaty, which convinced us of
treachery.
“Directions were immediately given for our men to advance, while
Captain Eads proceeded a few yards alone to make further discoveries.
On reaching Sycamore Bluff, the Indians were discovered in martial
order; their line extended a distance of nearly two miles, and under
rapid march. Their signals were given for battle–war-whoops were heard
in almost every direction–their flanks extending from one creek to the
other. Orders were given for a line of battle to be formed on the
south of the marsh between the two creeks, while the Indians were
advancing with the utmost rapidity; their fire was tremendous, but on
account of the distance, of little effect. Night was closing upon us
in the heart of an Indian country, and the only thing to brighten our
prospects, the light of our guns. Both officers and men conducted
themselves with prudence and deliberation, until compelled to give
ground to the superior foe, when the order for a retrograde movement
was given, and our men formed in Old Man’s Creek. Here a desperate
attempt was made by the Indians to outflank us and cut off our
retreat, which proved ineffectual, some clubbing with their
fire-locks, others using their tomahawks and spears.
“A party of our men crossed the creek, and with much difficulty
silenced their fire, which made a way for the retreat of our whole
party, which was commenced and kept up, with few exceptions, in good
order.
“Many of our officers and men having been in the battles of
Tippecanoe, Bridgewater, Chippewa and Ft. Erie, have never faced a
more desperate enemy. Having had the advantages of ground, the enemy
being on an eminence, operated much in our favor. In passing Old Man’s
Creek many of them got their guns wet and were deprived of the use of
them. Our force consisted of 206 men; that of the Indians not known,
but consisting of a whole hostile band. Eleven of our men were killed,
5 wounded, with a loss of 34 to the enemy. From report, their
encampment consisted of 160 lodges. Our men mostly arrived at Dixon’s
Ferry about 3 o’clock a.m., and it is to be hoped that in a short time
the number of troops stationed at that point and elsewhere will be
able to bring them into subjection, and relieve our frontier from a
much dreaded foe.
“I am, with much respect, your obedient servant,
“I. STILLMAN,
“Brig.-Gen. 5 Brig., Ill. Mil. and Act. Maj. N. Ill. Vol.
“In Camp, 19 June, 1832”
It cannot be said of this explanation that it offers any extenuating
circumstances for that inglorious retreat or that abandonment by
Stillman’s men of gallant Captain Adams and his men to fight it out
alone and die.[125]
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Footnote 115:
Pronounced Ozha.
Footnote 116:
James Haines, still living at Pekin, remembers the circumstances well.
His two older brothers, Alfred and Jonathan, were members of Capt.
Adams’ company.
Footnote 117:
Shabbona’s village.
Footnote 118:
Note:–Dodge’s command (May 8) proceeded by way of Apple River to
Buffalo Grove, at which an Indian trail led to Rock River, at a point
nearly opposite the mouth of the Kish-wau-kee and only a few miles
from Stillman’s battle, and where the troops were encamped at that
time. Smith’s Hist. Wis., Vol. 1, p. 266.
Footnote 119:
Wakefield.
Footnote 120:
Col. Wm. S. Hamilton and many other usually reliable authorities
claimed the flag was red, indicative of war; but that contention
cannot be credited.
Footnote 121:
All survivors interviewed by the author stoutly maintained that Black
Hawk so disposed his troops as to make it appear that the whites were
surrounded.
Footnote 122:
The father and mother of Capt. Adams were killed by Indians.
Footnote 123:
Wakefield, p. 21, is authority for the statement that Dr. Donaldson
was surgeon of Stillman’s Battalion.
Footnote 124:
The shock to Mrs. Adams on learning of her husband’s horrible fate
deprived her of reason, which was never recovered.
Footnote 125:
On June 14, 1902, the State of Illinois dedicated a monument costing
$5,000 on the hill where Capt. Adams made his stand. The officers of
the association to whom the credit of securing that monument is due
are Lovejoy Johnson, Pt.; L. Dickerman, V. Pt.; John A. Atwood, Secy.;
John A. White, Treas.; Wallace Revell, Trustee.
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CHAPTER XX.
CALL FOR ADDITIONAL TROOPS–BURIAL OF THE DEAD–ARRIVAL OF ATKINSON–LEAD
MINES MILITIA–ERECTION OF FORTS–DODGE’S MARCH TO THE FOUR LAKES
COUNTRY.
The straggling arrival of the panic-stricken troops into camp at Dixon’s
Ferry, from three o’clock to daylight of the morning of May 15th, threw
Whiteside’s camp into confusion. The force of Dodge’s warning had now a
depressing, yea, disastrous effect on the army, and the conduct of the
men was most humiliating to Governor Reynolds. With one accord the
officers flocked to his tent to hear the exaggerations of the runaways
and plan a possible maneuver to counteract the fleeting fortune of their
volunteer arms.
The catastrophe, instead of inspiring the troops with resolution to
revenge their fallen comrades, spread disaffection, and demands arose
from all sides to be discharged from a campaign which promised nothing
but trouble and a long absence from home. The Governor, foreseeing the
plight likely to visit him, at once, by the light of a solitary candle,
wrote out the following call for 2,000 more volunteers to rendezvous at
Hennepin on the 10th of June:
“Dixon’s Ferry, on Rock River, May 15, 1832.
“It becomes my duty to again call on you for your services in defense
of your country. The state is not only invaded by the hostile Indians,
but many of our citizens have been slain in battle. A detachment of
mounted volunteers, about 275 in number, commanded by Maj. Stillman,
were overpowered by hostile Indians on Sycamore Creek, distant from
this place about thirty miles, and a considerable number killed. This
is an act of hostility which cannot be misconstrued. I am of the
opinion that the Pottawatomies and Winnebagoes have joined the Sacs,
and all may be considered as waging war against the United States. To
subdue these Indians and drive them out of the state, it will require
a force of at least 2,000 mounted volunteers, in addition to troops
already in the field. I have made the necessary requisition of proper
officers for the above number, and have no doubt that the citizen
soldiers of the state will obey the call of their country. They will
meet at Hennepin, on the Illinois River, in companies of 50 men each,
on the 10th of June next, to be organized into brigades.
“JOHN REYNOLDS, Commander in Chief.”
John Ewing of Franklin County and John A. Wakefield and Robert Blackwell
of Fayette County were the trusted messengers selected to carry this
call over the state. At the same time, Col. James M. Strode, colonel and
commander of the Jo Daviess County militia, was empowered and requested
to organize his county for immediate action.
Governor Reynolds also sent word of the defeat to Colonel Dodge at the
camp of the latter on the north side of the river some distance above,
with the request that he forthwith take measures to protect the frontier
of Michigan Territory (now Wisconsin).
Major Horn[126] of Reynolds’ staff was dispatched to St. Louis with a
message to Colonel March, who was at that place, to forward the supplies
for the new levy to Hennepin. With his conspicuous vigor the order was
executed, but not by leaving the provisions at Hennepin. Fort Deposit,
or later Fort Wilbourn, so-called from Captain John S. Wilbourn of the
militia from Morgan County, was a point on the south bank of the
Illinois River about midway between the present cities of Peru and
LaSalle. It was nearer the seat of action at Dixon’s Ferry and was
accordingly chosen by Major Horn, and there he deposited the provisions.
Thither, too, the troops marched, and, as Albert Sidney Johnston wrote
in his journal on June 12, 1832: “General and staff arrived at this
place this evening. The Illinois volunteers having arrived here in great
numbers, the General decided upon organizing them at this point,
supplies for the troops having been placed in depot at this place, and
the route to Dixon’s quite as good and as near as the mouth of Fox
River.”
That explains the erection of this base, and in the same connection it
may be said that the old army trail subsequently became known as the
“Peru road,” was the one traveled by Abraham Lincoln on his return home
via Peoria, and was the route traversed by Colonel John Dement, Receiver
of the Dixon Land Office, when subsequently he carried the public moneys
from Dixon to Peru to be shipped by boat to St. Louis, the industrial
and financial center of the times.
Another message was sent to General Atkinson, not yet arrived from Fort
Armstrong, and finally Major Adams[127] was dispatched to Quincy to