The Black Hawk War Including a Review of Black Hawk's Life
General Henry to take command; but he said ‘No, stand at your post,’
and walked along the line talking to the men in a low, calm voice.
Lieutenant Harris, U.S.A, seemed much agitated; he ran up and down the
line and exclaimed: ‘Captain, we will catch hell!’ He had horse
pistols, belt pistols, and double-barrelled gun. He would pick the
flints, reprime, and laid the horse pistols at his feet. When he got
all ready he passed along the line slowly, and, seeing the nerves of
the men all quiet–after General Henry’s talk to them–said, ‘Captain,
we are safe; we can whip five hundred Indians.’ Instead of Indians
they proved to be the company of General Dodge, from Galena, of one
hundred and fifty men, en route to find out what had become of General
Atkinson’s army, as, since the murder of the six men, communication
had been stopped for more than ten days. My look-out at the top of the
hill did not notify us, and we were not undeceived until they got
within thirty steps of us. My men then raised a yell and ran to finish
their lunch.
“Next morning,[156] in passing into a grove of timber, my front scouts
again came under whip and reported Indians. I asked where? They
pointed to my two scouts on the right, trying to catch an Indian pony;
one had on a red shirt, and they mistook them for Indians. These two
men had been in Stillman’s defeat, and as their horses were weak and
it was easier to march out of line, I had detailed them to go in the
road in front. I now ordered them to the rear and to drop behind as
far as they chose, and detailed two other men, on whom I could rely,
to take the advance.
“When we got within fifteen miles of Galena, on Apple River, we found
a stockade filled with women and children and a few men, all terribly
frightened. The Indians had shot at and chased two men that afternoon,
who made their escape to the stockade. They insisted on our quartering
in the fort, but instead we camped one hundred yards outside, and
slept–what little sleep we did get–with our guns in our arms. General
Henry did not sleep, but drilled my men all night, so the moment they
were called they would bounce to their feet and stand in two lines,
the front ready to fire and fall back to reload while the others
stepped forward and took their places. They were called up a number of
times, and we got but little sleep. We arrived at Galena the next
day,[157] and found the citizens prepared to defend the place. They
were glad to see us, as it had been so long since they had heard from
the army. The few Indians prowling about Galena and murdering were
simply there as a ruse.
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“On our return from Galena,[158] near the forks of the Apple River and
Gratiot roads, we could see General Dodge on the Gratiot road on his
return from Rock River. His six scouts had discovered my two men that
I had allowed to drop to the rear. Having weak horses they had fallen
in the rear about two miles, and each took the other to be Indians,
and such an exciting race I never saw until they got sight of my
company; then they came to a sudden halt, and after looking at us for
a few moments wheeled their horses and gave up the chase. My two men
did not know but that they were Indians until they came up with us and
shouted ‘Indians!’ They had thrown away their wallets and guns and
used their ramrods as whips.
“The few houses on the road that usually accommodated the travel were
all standing, but vacant, as we went. On our return we found them all
burned by the Indians. On my return to the Illinois River I reported
to General Atkinson, saying that from all we could learn, the Indians
were aiming to escape by going north with the intention of crossing
the Mississippi River above Galena. The new troops had just arrived
and were being mustered into service. My company had only been
organized for twenty days, and as the time had now expired, were
mustered out. All but myself again volunteered for the third time.
“Of all the men in my company in the Black Hawk war, I know of no one
now living but John T. Stuart. Major Stuart was elected to Congress
over Stephen A. Douglas, and was the first and last one who ever beat
Douglas in his race for office. Mr. Lincoln was assassinated in
Washington, while president; Dr. Early was killed in Springfield;
General Henry died in New Orleans; General Anderson, of Fort Sumter
memory, who mustered my company in and out, is dead.”
With the exception named, and the further one that Henry had been
promoted to lieutenant-colonel and was such at the time, the history of
that march is accurate, remarkably so.
General Henry in this instance had the abiding confidence of the men,
and his presence alone was a battalion in strength.
Following closely after Iles’ departure, Captain Snyder started out to
cover the same territory and report depredations.
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Footnote 148:
The muster rolls invariably show the election to have been held on the
31st. Possibly the election was held the 30th, but the officers were
not sworn in until the 31st.
Footnote 149:
Lincoln’s opponent in the election for captain.
Footnote 150:
Galenian.
Footnote 151:
June 4.
Footnote 152:
June 5.
Footnote 153:
June 6.
Footnote 154:
Evening, June 7.
Footnote 155:
June 8.
Footnote 156:
June 9.
Footnote 157:
June 10. Galenian.
Footnote 158:
Left Galena June 11.–Galenian.
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CHAPTER XXV.
CAPTAIN SNYDER’S BATTLE–MURDERS IN THE LEAD MINES COUNTRY–BATTLE OF THE
PECATONICA–CAPTAIN STEPHENSON’S BATTLE.
Kellogg’s Grove, by reason of the many fights with the Indians at and
around the place, was the most conspicuous locality during the campaign,
with the possible exception of Dixon’s Ferry, which was headquarters of
the army during the different campaigns. To Mr. J.B. Timms, present
owner of the grove, and Mrs. E.B. Baker, daughter of O.W. Kellogg, who
built there the first building in 1827, I am indebted for a description
of the same as it appeared in 1832.
O.W. Kellogg (brother-in-law to John Dixon), after running “Kellogg’s
Trail” from Peoria to Galena in 1827, selected that large and beautiful
grove of burr oak timber for his home, erected substantial buildings,
and brought much live stock to it, with his family. There he lived until
the spring of 1831, when, in order to be near the Dixons, he removed
south to Buffalo Grove, another fine grove about one mile due west of
the present site of the city of Polo, twelve miles north of Dixon. There
again he built and removed his family, where he was living at the
breaking out of hostilities in 1832.
In that year Kellogg’s Grove was known as “Kellogg’s Old Place,” and
generally designated as such in the public and private journals of that
day. Previously to 1827, however, by reason of the character of the
timber, it had been designated “The Burr Oak Grove,” and thus it is we
find the battle fought there by Capt. A.W. Snyder sometimes denominated
“The Battle of Burr Oak Grove,” naturally confusing one as to its exact
location. As a matter of fact, it was fought about two and a half miles
from Kellogg’s buildings, but still Kellogg’s Grove, as it covered a
vast area, including the battlefield. The Timms family bought it and
moved thence in 1835, since which time the present owner has continually
resided there, conferring upon it the name of “Timms’ Grove,” which it
still enjoys.
In 1832 the buildings comprised log cabins, a barn, large for those
days, and outbuildings to the number of seven, strung along a distance
of 120 feet, each approximating seven feet in height, sixteen in length,
and all covered with basswood bark.
The site of the monument erected on the site of that grove is in Kent
township, Stephenson county, about thirty-five miles to the southeast of
Galena, thirty-seven miles north of Dixon and seven or eight miles from
Lena.
After Stillman’s battle its strategic advantages quickly impressed the
mind of General Atkinson, and as marauding Indians from Black Hawk’s
band began their incursions into that territory, his first thought in
disposing his new twenty-day troops was to send a company of strong men
and there establish a base for operations between Dixon’s Ferry and
Galena. The company of Capt. Adam W. Snyder of sixty-nine men was
selected for that perilous duty, and almost concurrently with Captain
Iles’ company marched from the mouth of Fox River for Dixon’s Ferry. In
Captain Snyder’s company, as privates, were the late Joseph Gillespie,
Pierre Menard, Richard Roman, James Semple, Gen. Samuel Whiteside and
John Thomas, just elected Major, whose headquarters were properly
opposite the mouth of Fox River with the other regimental officers; but
preferring the dangers and privations of the field, he resumed his
position of private under Captain Snyder and marched in the ranks.
At Dixon’s Ferry Captain Iles’ company had been detached for separate
duty, but Brevet-Major Bennet Riley, with two companies of regulars,
accompanied the Snyder expedition to Kellogg’s Grove, and without event
on the road thither, other than the death of private Loren Cleveland on
June 12th, it quickly reached its destination. Remaining there for a
brief rest, Captain Snyder, leaving Riley and the regulars behind,
pushed on to Galena to familiarize himself with the country, arriving
there June 13th about noon. The following day he returned to Kellogg’s
Grove.[159]
On the night of June 15th the troops were snugly ensconced in the
various buildings, after sentinels had been picketed about eighty yards
out, at different points of the compass around the camp. The night was
cloudy and dark, though intermittently illuminated with flashes of
lightning, rendering possible a sight of the surroundings during those
periods. Near midnight the presence of the enemy was detected by a
sentinel, who in the instantaneous period allowed him, attempted to run
the Indian he discovered through with his bayonet, so close had he
crawled; but the flash of light was so brief that the sentinel missed
his mark and only rubbed the Indian’s arm. Dropping his gun, the
sentinel clinched with his adversary and by reason of superior strength
was rapidly mastering him and would soon have had him a prisoner, but
for another flash which discovered two other Indians within twenty feet,
making for the rescue as rapidly as the inpenetrable darkness would
permit. Quickly releasing his antagonist, the sentinel ran to camp,
shouting: “Indians, Indians,” while the Indians pursued him as far as
they dared. With a shot into the darkness they turned and fled, leaving
the men in camp to lie upon their arms after that until morning.
From the fact that one horse was stolen during the night, color was
given to the theory that plunder was the sole aim of the enemy’s
presence, but events of the following day exploded it.
Early in the morning Captain Snyder took a detachment of his men and
pursued the enemy’s trail in a southwesterly direction, hoping to
overtake and punish him before escape was possible. For twenty miles it
was followed in vain, but Captain Snyder would not permit it to be
abandoned, and wise indeed was his decision, for after a few rods more