The Black Hawk War Including a Review of Black Hawk's Life
This letter created much criticism by subsequent historians, notably
Governor Ford in his History of Illinois. Answers, replies and
rejoinders were exceedingly numerous for a while, but when time had
passed and mellowed the controversy, Henry, the chief in command,
and Dodge, the second in command at that battle, remained with the
people of Illinois and Wisconsin first among their fighters and
first among their favorites, and surely both deserved the best
portions of the good things said of either. The letter may have been
a little presumptuous, but it never marred the good feeling which
existed between the two men.[223]
Litters were constructed for the wounded, the march was taken up and
in two days (24th) the Blue Mounds were reached and there the army
met Posey, Atkinson and Alexander, the two latter having pushed on
from Ft. Koshkonong after learning of the discovery of Black Hawk’s
westward trail.
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Footnote 198:
Thwaites, “The Black Hawk War,” p. 33.
Footnote 199:
Peter Parkinson, Vol. 2. Wis. Hist. Colls., p. 405.
Footnote 200:
Dement’s grievance began when, after his battle and the resumption
of the march for Fort Hamilton, Posey encountered fresh trails on
the first day out and, instead of following them to a possible
fight, returned to Kellogg’s and there camped until the next day,
to “await the baggage wagons,” as claimed by Wakefield on p. 39.
Dement charged this as an act of cowardice.
Footnote 201:
During this march White Crow offered to conduct Posey and Dodge
with a few followers to Black Hawk’s camp which was singularly
strong, and had the officers gone, certain death had followed.
This conclusively proved that White Cloud designedly sought to
have the party annihilated.
Footnote 202:
Wakefield, 45. Moses, 373. Brown, 368. Journal, A.S. Johnston.
Footnote 203:
Reynolds, “My Own Times,” 395.
Footnote 204:
Others allege a few miles to the east on an Island in the Bark.
Footnote 205:
A.S. Johnston’s Journal.
Footnote 206:
Ford, 134.
Footnote 207:
Lt. Robert Anderson. X Wis. Hist. Colls., p. 171.
Footnote 208:
Wakefield, p. 72, has made the statement that Atkinson at once
expressed to Henry to proceed.
Footnote 209:
Wakefield, p. 61.
Footnote 210:
Wis. Colls., Vol. 2, p. 354.
Footnote 211:
Ford, 139.
Footnote 212:
Wakefield, p. 62.
Footnote 213:
Wakefield says the 18th, p. 62.
Footnote 214:
Wakefield, p. 63.
Footnote 215:
Wakefield, p. 63 and 72.
Footnote 216:
Wakefield, p. 64.
Footnote 217:
Near the spot where the Lake House subsequently stood.
Footnote 218:
Ford, 144.
Footnote 219:
Ford, 145.
Footnote 220:
Ford, 145.
Footnote 221:
Except McNair.
Footnote 222:
Capt. Loomis.
Footnote 223:
Smith’s comment on the above letter, Vol. 3, page 426, History of
Wisconsin: “The above letter is extracted from Niles Register of
August 18th, 1832, and it does not appear to whom it is addressd:
but it is highly probable that it is the letter which was sent to
the commandant of Fort Crawford, at Prairie du Chien, which
Captain Estes carried as express.
“The singularity of the language of the letter will be evident,
when it is considered that General Henry had the chief command at
the battle of Wisconsin Heights, and not Colonel Dodge.”
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CHAPTER XXXII.
PURSUIT RESUMED–BATTLE OF THE BAD AXE.
[224]On the 20th Alexander received an express from Scott giving
particulars of the inefficiency of his army.
On the 21st Atkinson and Alexander marched from Ft. Koshkonong[225]
in the direction of the Blue Mounds in the midst of a heavy rain,
which continued all day and all night. The convoy of wagons met was
turned back.
On the 22d the troops crossed the ford below Lake Koshkonong.
On the 23d the forces marched from the encampment of the morning,
eight miles south of “the river of the Four Lakes,” towards the Blue
Mounds, to two miles west of Davitt’s.
On the 24th they marched to the Blue Mounds, after suffering much
for water, having marched twenty miles without any. The express sent
from Henry, which informed Atkinson of the “Battle of the
Wisconsin,” was met, and on inspection the entire force of militia
was now found to be reduced to the strength of one original brigade.
A certain coolness was found to be in store for the volunteers when
they reached the Blue Mounds, by reason of their winning a victory
which should have gone to others, according to program, and this,
too, in the face of disobedience of orders. Victories then were
crimes, pretty much the same as they were before Santiago in 1898,
unless won by rule and by those selected for the purpose by those
above, and very soon Henry was made to feel the displeasure his
victory had brought.
From there Dodge’s battalion scattered to the various forts for
supplies and equipment, to meet later and take up the line of march
at Helena on the 29th.
On the 25th the army marched for the “Ouisconsin,” to overtake Black
Hawk and finish the war, before he could reach and cross the
Mississippi. In this Henry’s men, though subordinated in their
position in the line of march, cheerfully submitted. In this march
the regulars went first, Posey and Alexander following, while Henry
was given the rear in charge of the baggage. Such men as Fry
resented this treatment, but Henry commanded obedience to orders and
trudged along behind, doing the drudgery of the army.
By evening the army reached a point within three miles of the
Wisconsin, where it camped for the night.
On the 26th the Wisconsin was reached, where preparations had been
made the day previous by Col. Enoch C. March for the passage of the
army, and here at Helena the army, joined by Dodge, whose forces
reassembled here,[226] crossed on the 27th and part of the 28th.
Colonel March, whose record as a Quartermaster[227] has never been
equaled in Illinois history, was given the heartiest credit from all
sides for never failing in the greatest emergencies to be upon the
spot when needed and with the supplies desired. In his duties he was
ably assisted by John Dixon of Dixon’s Ferry, who accompanied the
army to the end of the campaign.
The last of the troops having passed the river on the 28th[228] and
moved up the Wisconsin River three or four miles, the trail of the
enemy was discovered bearing down stream and followed by turning the
columns to the left; then pursuing it twelve or fifteen miles over a
flat and sandy prairie, which terminated at a deep creek, where the
army camped for the night.
From this point the trail was pursued with vigor all day over a
rough, almost mountainous country, passing several of the enemy’s
encampments, which clearly indicated how hard he was pressed for
provisions, horseflesh alone being left to him. The bodies of
Indians who had died from the lack of proper dressing of their
wounds were here seen in greater numbers than before. Reaching the
summit of a very high hill, the horses, for lack of grass to eat
amongst the timber, were tied up without food.
All day the 30th the march was continued over a similar country. On
the 31st about fifteen miles were made over an unusually hilly
country thickly timbered. At evening the first stream flowing west
was reached and crossed, the army camping within six miles of the
Kickapoo River.[229] August 1st the Kickapoo was crossed at ten
o’clock at a shallow ford where commenced another rough prairie
covered with growths of oak timber. It was a long day’s march for
the troops because they were forced to go further than usual for
water. The trail indicated the immediate presence of the enemy and
if darkness had not prevented he could have been reached very soon.
The camp was made that night near a small spring. Here Atkinson gave
orders to be prepared at two o’clock the following morning to move
for the bank of the Mississippi.
As Captain Throckmorton, commanding the Warrior, was ascending the
river, he noticed a band of Indians near a camp on the bottoms at
the mouth of the Bad Axe hoisting a white flag. Suspecting
treachery, he ordered them to send a boat on board for a conference,
which they declined. Without comment, except to allow fifteen
minutes to remove their squaws and children, he shot a six-pounder
into their midst, following it for an hour with a heavy fire of
musketry which cost the Indians many lives. Needing fuel to continue
the contest, the boat fell down the river to Prairie du Chien to
wood up preparatory to returning the following day and finishing the
action, but by the hour of its return the battle of the Bad Axe had
been finished and Black Hawk’s race was run.
Promptly at 2 the morning of the 2d the troops rose, hastily ate
breakfast and by sunrise resumed their march.
Black Hawk was aware of the presence of Atkinson’s forces, and to
give time for a retreat across the river deployed a party of about
twenty to meet him, commence the attack and by gradual retreats turn
him three or four miles above the camp.
About one hour after sunrise the rising fogs indicated the presence
of the river and Dickson’s spies were sent forward; they soon
returned with a report that the enemy was drawn up in position and
near at hand. Dodge thereupon ordered Dickson forward to reconnoiter
the enemy and occupy his attention while he drew up his line and
reported to Atkinson. This Dickson did, killing eight of the enemy.
The regulars under Taylor and Alexander and Posey were ordered
forward. The regulars immediately in Dodge’s rear moved forward on
his right; Dodge’s men, dismounting, moved forward at the left in
extended order for some minutes before Posey’s command came up. This
officer was posted on the right of the regulars and Alexander on his
right, while Henry, trudging along with the baggage, came upon the
scene–just in time to be ordered to send Fry’s regiment to Atkinson,
which was done.[230]
When the forces moved against the Indian decoys, they of course gave
way and were hotly followed by the whites.
Henry clearly saw the stratagem when Major Ewing discovered and
reported to him the main trail leading to the river lower down. This
trail he rapidly followed to the foot of the high bluff bordering on
the bottoms, covered with timber, driftwood and underbrush, through
which the trail ran. Halting here and leaving the horses, he formed
his men on foot and advanced, after first sending forward a forlorn
hope of eight men to draw the enemy’s fire. These eight men boldly
advanced until they were in sight of the river, when they were
suddenly fired upon by a party of Indians and five of the eight men
fell. Retreating to the cover of trees, the other three stood their
ground until Henry came up.
Deploying his men to the right and left from the center, a charge
was made and the battle began along the whole line. At this time
Henry despatched Major McConnel to Atkinson to report the presence
of the entire force, which massed after the first charge and, with
the loss of Fry’s regiment, was now larger than Henry’s force.
The Indians fought desperately from tree to tree, falling back step
by step until the river was reached, when by a bayonet charge they
were driven into the river. Some tried to swim; others took shelter
in a small willow island near by. This charge practically ended the
battle, when Atkinson, Dodge, Posey and Alexander, hearing the
continued heavy firing, and receiving Major McConnel’s message, came
up, and while Henry’s men were finishing the fight, poured a galling