The Black Hawk War Including a Review of Black Hawk's Life
nothing could hamper man or beast in the contemplated forced marches
to overtake Black Hawk. Provisions were tightly packed on shoulders
and then over creeks, mires, through groves, thickets and forests
the chase began, men marching and almost running a-foot to keep pace
with those mounted, to please the leader they knew to be the man for
the hour.
A fearful storm arose the first day and continued the following
morning, and though without shelter, the men cheerfully pushed
forward, covering fifty miles by nightfall. The sight of Henry
dismounting to give some tired footman a rest inspired others to do
the same, and a valor before unknown inspired the men.
Until 2 o’clock of the morning of the 20th the storm raged. No fires
could be built by which to cook supper, so meat was eaten raw and
flour mixed with water into a raw dough was substituted for more
substantial fare. The men, exhausted but uncomplaining, threw
themselves upon the wet earth for a brief rest, without blankets or
other covering, thus enduring a night of hardship which before that
time would have produced the dissolution of the army.
Breakfast on the 20th was little better than supper of the preceding
night. Scouts captured an Indian, who was brought to Henry, where he
disclosed the information that the main body of the Indians was not
far ahead. Henry at once formed an order of battle for the day, with
Dodge and Ewing in front to bring on the fight, Fry to the right,
Jones to the left and Collins in the center.
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Poquette and the White Pawnee, still marching, had in every instance
been found to be reliable in their bearings, and now that they
proclaimed the presence of the enemy, a battle was momentarily
promised, but their expectations were a little premature, and all
day of the 20th the march was continued in the order stated, until
nightfall, when the army camped on the east bank of the Third Lake,
where for the first time fires could be made and a substantial
supper cooked. That night was passed in the same manner, upon the
ground, without event, save for the sight of a rapidly disappearing
Indian, who was fired at by a sentinel while fading away on the
lake.
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Passing around the lake early on the 21st, the army continued its
march with the spy battalions of Major William L.D. Ewing and
Colonel Dodge still in front, the footmen continuing the pace set by
the horsemen, who had discovered unmistakable evidences that the
enemy was but a short distance ahead.
The sight of discarded Indian camp equipment encouraged them with
the hope that a few hours only would intervene before a battle and
the possible termination of the war.
In Smith’s History of Wisconsin, Vol. I, p. 279, this pursuit is
described as follows:
“Pursuit commenced immediately, and the trail was followed down
the river until it diverged from it westward. The detachment
crossed the Crawfish River near Aztalan, and followed the trail,
which bore to the west of Keyes Lake (Rock Lake). It was still
followed westward until the ground between the Third and Fourth
Lakes was reached, now the site of Madison; thence it was followed
around the southern end of the Fourth Lake, where it appeared that
an admirable position for a battleground, with natural defenses
and places of ambush, had been chosen by the enemy, and here they
apparently had lain the previous night. This place was near
Slaughter’s farm.”
About noon the scouts fell upon two Indians and killed one while
trying to escape.[217] Dr. Addison Philleo at that moment scalped
him, and for many years afterward was in the habit of exhibiting the
scalp to strangers as a trophy of his valor in that war.[218] The
terrific pressure on the horses had been severely felt by this time,
and before the day was half done forty or fifty of them gave out.
About 3 o’clock the company of Capt. Joseph Dickson’s spies reported
the enemy reaching the bluffs of the Wisconsin River, which
reanimated the troops with unusual vigor to increase their speed,
and, if possible, overtake the enemy before he crossed the river.
The men pushed on so rapidly that the rear guard of the Indians was
overtaken, and, in order to occupy the whites, stopped frequently
and engaged them with firing in order to allow the main body to
cross the river. Twice Henry pressed them and twice the Indians gave
way, but the third time Dickson’s scouts or spies drove them to the
main body, which had reached a body of timber sufficiently dense to
offer protection, and here the whole force of Indians made a stand.
Dismounting, every tenth man was detailed to hold horses, excepting
the regiment of Colonel Fry, which was made the reserve and held to
prevent the enemy from turning the flanks of the whites.
The Indians opened fire as the advance guard of the whites was
passing a stretch of uneven ground, through the high grass and low
brush. Major Ewing’s Battalion was at once formed in front, where
the Indians poured their fire into it from behind trees. In a few
moments Henry arrived with the main army and formed the order of
battle, Colonel Jones being placed to the right, Colonel Collins to
the left, Fry in reserve and Ewing in front, with Dodge on the
extreme right. In this order Henry ordered the forces to move. The
order to charge the enemy was splendidly executed by Ewing, Jones
and Collins, routing the Indians, who retreated to the right and
concentrated before Dodge’s Battalion, with the obvious intention of
turning his flank.[219] Henry sent Major McConnel to Dodge, ordering
him to charge the enemy, but this Dodge preferred to delay until he
received a reinforcement, whereupon Henry sent Colonel Fry to his
aid, and together they charged into the brush and high grass,
receiving the fire of the whole body of the enemy.
Advancing and returning this fire, Dodge and Fry pursued the Indians
with bayonets, driving them out with loss. Retreating rapidly, the
enemy fell back to the west and took up a new and a stronger
position in the thick timber and tall grass at the head of a hollow
leading to the Wisconsin River bottom.[220] A determined stand was
made here, but Ewing, Jones and Collins dashed upon them and drove
them in scattered squads down into the Wisconsin bottoms, covered
with a swale so high that pursuit in the gathering darkness was
impossible, and Henry, withdrawing his forces, lay all night on the
field.
During the night a sonorous voice was heard from a neighboring hill,
supposedly giving orders to the enemy, but as nothing came of it, no
commotion or preparation to renew the fight followed. It proved to
have been Ne-a-pope suing for peace in the tongue of the
Winnebagoes, supposing that the guides and interpreter present from
that nation would understand and secure a parley, but as all the
Winnebagoes had fled in the beginning of the action, his words were
wasted. Had he been understood, no doubt can exist but Henry would
have closed the war then and there, for Black Hawk now realized that
he was no longer fighting Stillman’s command. The loss of the
Indians was sixty-eight in killed and many more wounded, twenty-five
of whom were found dead on the trail, subsequently resumed, while
the loss to Henry was but one man killed, Private Thomas J. Short of
Captain Briggs’ company, Randolph County, and eight wounded, of whom
the following are known: John White, Joseph Wells, Armstead Jones,
Meredith S. McMillen, James Thompson and Andrew McCormick and John
McNair of Capt. D.M. Parkinson’s company. As all the casualties were
from the Third Regiment,[221] commanded by Col. Gabriel Jones, it is
to be inferred that he bore the brunt of the fight.
The following morning Henry advanced to the Wisconsin, only to find
the enemy had retreated during the night across the river to the
hills beyond. Had supplies been plenty, he would have pressed his
victory by following, but being in great need of provisions, he was
compelled to fall back to the base at the Blue Mounds.
This was the first time Black Hawk in person had met signal defeat
during the campaign, and he realized that more would follow, because
a man who cared nothing for politics and feared not mortal man was
after him.
Henry was exceedingly modest, retiring and submissive; so modest
that when others were writing flaming press reports and conspiring
to make way with his laurels, he attempted no intervention. Quiet,
indeed, he was, yet resolute in duty to the last degree, and when an
arrogant officer headed a mutinous document he was ordered in irons
to the commanding General for punishment.
This inflexible regard for duty, even in the face of criticism and
intrigue, moved him forward with the irresistible force of the
glacier, and in this instance, with no contrivance, it pushed him
forward at a bound to be the most popular man in the State of
Illinois, and very soon the nominee of his party for Governor. Had
he lived, nothing could have prevented his election. He died of
pulmonary consumption, at New Orleans, March 4th, 1834, at his hotel
lodgings.
Though a giant in stature and rugged to a degree, proof, as was
thought, against the rigors of any campaign, this one undermined his
health, and to find relief he sought the milder climate of New
Orleans, but here he gradually sank, and in a little while passed
away, so quietly that no one knew who he was until friends from
Illinois proclaimed him. Then the honors due a soldier were his.
On the 22d Henry dispatched an express to Atkinson and Dodge wrote a
letter to the commandant at Prairie du Chien,[222] dispatching it by
the hand of Captain Estes of his command, which later found its way
into the Missouri Republican and Niles Register. Following is a copy
of the letter:
“Camp Wisconsin, July 22, 1832.
“We met the enemy yesterday, near the Wisconsin River, and
opposite the old Sac village, after a close pursuit for nearly 100
miles. Our loss was one man killed and eight wounded; from the
scalps taken by the Winnebagoes, as well as those taken by the
whites, and the Indians carried from the field of battle, we must
have killed forty of them. The number of wounded is not known; we
can only judge from the number killed that many were wounded. From
their crippled situation, I think we must overtake them unless
they descend the Wisconsin by water. If you could place a
field-piece immediately on the Wisconsin that would command the
river, you might prevent their escape by water.
“General Atkinson will arrive at the Blue Mounds on the 24th, with
the regulars and a brigade of mounted men. I will cross the
Wisconsin to-morrow, and should the enemy retreat by land, he will
probably attempt crossing some twenty miles above Prairie du
Chien; in that event the mounted men would want some boats for the
transportation of their arms, ammunition and provisions. If you
could procure for us some Mackinaw boats, in that event, as well
as some provision supplies, it would greatly facilitate our views.
Excuse great haste. I am, with great respect, your obedient
servant,
“H. DODGE, Col.-Com. Michigan Mounted Volunteers.”