The Black Hawk War Including a Review of Black Hawk's Life
favorite among the officers and soldiers of the regiment.
“Some very interesting and appropriate memoranda were made by the
steward of the boat at the time on one of the leaves of his
account book (which is still in my possession) by quotations from
one of the poets, such as ‘Sleep, soldier, sleep; thy warfare’s
o’er,’ etc.
“On another leaf is a graphic representation of a coffin, made by
pen and ink, placed opposite the account on the credit side of one
of the volunteer officers, who died after reaching Chicago, with
this singular and concise device or inscription written upon the
lid of the coffin: ‘Account settled by death.’
“‘H. BRADLEY, Clerk and Steward,
Steamer Sheldon Thompson.
“‘Chicago, Ill., July 11, 1832.’”
“There was one singular fact–not one of the officers of the army
was attacked by the disease while on board my boat with such
violence as to result in death, or any of the officers belonging
to the boat, though nearly one-fourth of the crew fell a prey to
the disease on a subsequent trip while on the passage from Detroit
to Buffalo.
“We arrived in Chicago[253] on the evening of the 10th of July,
1832. I sent the yawl boat on shore soon after with General Scott
and a number of the volunteer officers, who accompanied him on his
expedition against the hostile tribes, who, with Black Hawk, had
committed many depredations. Before landing the troops next
morning, we were under the painful necessity of committing three
more to the deep, who died during the night, making in all sixteen
who were thus consigned to a watery grave. These three were
anchored to the bottom in two and a half fathoms, the water being
so clear that their forms could be plainly seen from our decks.
This unwelcome sight created such excitement, working upon the
superstitious fears of some of the crew, that prudence dictated
that we weigh anchor and move a distance sufficient to shut from
sight a scene which seemed to haunt the imagination and influence
the mind with thoughts of some portentous evil.
“In the course of the day and night following eighteen others
died, and we interred their bodies not far from the spot where the
American Temperance House (northwest corner Lake Street and Wabash
Avenue) has since been erected. The earth that was removed to
cover one made a grave to receive the next that died. All were
buried without coffins or shrouds, except their blankets, which
served for a winding sheet, and there left, as it were, without
remembrance or a stone to mark their resting place. During the
four days we remained at Chicago fifty-four more died, making an
aggregate of eighty-eight who paid the debt of nature.”
The disease was dreadful enough, but its reputation had spread such
consternation abroad that Scott was compelled to write to Governor
Reynolds a letter, asking for it general circulation, to allay the
fright of the people:
“Headquarters, Northwest Army, Chicago,
July 15, 1832.
“Sir:–To prevent or to correct the exaggerations of rumor in
respect to the existence of cholera at this place, I address
myself to your Excellency. Four steamers were engaged at Buffalo
to transport United States troops and supplies to Chicago. In the
headmost of these boats, the Sheldon Thompson, I, with my staff
and four companies, a part of Colonel Eustis’ command, arrived
here on the night of the 10th inst. On the 8th, all on board were
in high health and spirits, but the next morning six cases of
undoubted cholera presented themselves. The disease rapidly spread
itself for the next three days. About 120 persons have been
affected. Under a late act of Congress six companies of rangers
are to be raised and marched to this place. General Dodge of
Michigan is appointed major of the battalion, and I have seen the
names of the captains, but I do not know where to address them. I
am afraid that the report from this place in respect to cholera
may seriously retard the raising of this force. I wish, therefore,
that your Excellency would give publicity to the measures I have
adopted to prevent the spread of this disease and of my
determination not to allow any junction or communication between
uninfected and infected troops. The war is not at an end and may
not be brought to a close for some time. The rangers may reach the
theater of operations in time to give the final blow. As they
approach this place I shall take care of their health and general
wants.
“I write in great haste, and may not have time to cause my letter
to be copied. It will be put in some postoffice to be forthwith
forwarded. I have the honor to be your Excellency’s most obedient
servant,
“WINFIELD SCOTT.
“His Excellency, GOVERNOR REYNOLDS.
From Fort Gratiot the remnant of the troops proceeded around the
lakes, hopeful that no further signs of the cholera would appear. In
this Scott was gratified until the shores of Mackinac were reached,
when, notwithstanding the utmost care of his troops, another case
suddenly developed, and from that hour until the expedition reached
Chicago, July 10th, and from thence into the fort, which became a
hospital, it continued its relentless ravages, until the last of the
month, at which time, by Scott’s tireless exertions, it was thought
to have been thoroughly eradicated.[254]
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[255]At this time Major William Whistler was commandant of Fort
Dearborn, which contained one company of infantry under the
immediate command of Capt. Seth Johnson, with Samuel G.I. DeCamp,
Surgeon; Julius J.B. Kingsbury, First Lieutenant, and Hannibal Day,
James W. Penrose and Edwin R. Long, Second Lieutenants. In many
narratives of this expedition, it has been stated that Scott arrived
before Fort Dearborn July 8th, but the letters heretofore copied
herein, and which should be accurate, make the date July 10th, and
that is the date which should be considered in all future references
to the subject. Here, for want of harbor facilities, Scott was
compelled to unload his men in boats one-half mile out and row them
to shore.[256] In all this long journey, with its horrors, and in
his long stay at Fort Dearborn, Scott never wearied in his
ministrations to the suffering men, whose brows he smoothed as they
died in agony, trying with a last gasp to bless him for his patient
and loving care.
In many a campaign did this fine old hero distinguish himself, but
in none did he win more fame than in this, against an enemy with
whom he could not treat; in which, as he subsequently stated to John
Wentworth: “Sentinals were of no use in warning of the enemy’s
approach. He could not storm his works, fortify against him, nor cut
his way out, nor make terms of capitulation. There was no respect
for a flag of truce and his men were falling upon all sides from an
enemy in his very midst.”[257]
Among those who sought fortune in this war were most of a class of
forty-five cadets of the class of 1832. Twenty-nine of them left
Buffalo for the Black Hawk campaign, but nearly all were sent back
from Fort Gratiot.[258]
On board the ship, amidst stifling air, the dying and dead; on land,
in hospital–a very pest house–everywhere, was Scott; and not until
the last case had disappeared did he think of relinquishing his
fatherly care of the suffering soldiers. Then, on July 29th,[259]
finding the spread of the contagion once more checked, he set out
with three staff officers for Prairie du Chien, following the route
subsequently adopted in 1834 as the mail route from Galena to
Chicago, via Fort Payne,[260] Naperville, Aurora, along through what
subsequently became DeKalb County, across Lee, up to Dixon’s Ferry,
arriving there August 2d with the report that the troops under
Eustis were en route for Dixon’s, and leaving on the same day for
Galena, which he reached August 3d with his staff officers, Captains
Patrick H. Gait, Hartman Bache and William Maynadier. Leaving Galena
on the 5th, on the steamboat Warrior, for Fort Crawford, at Prairie
du Chien, that point in turn was reached August 7th, when and where
he assumed command of the entire army.
His first act was to order the discharge of the volunteer forces,
which immediately marched to Dixon’s Ferry for that purpose, Dodge’s
battalion excepted, and then on the 10th, at 6 o’clock, he started
down the Mississippi for Fort Armstrong, on the boat Warrior, with
two companies of U.S. Infantry, eight members of the Sixth Infantry
and General Atkinson and staff, transferring the scene to Fort
Armstrong.[261] On the 11th Port Armstrong was reached.
On leaving Chicago, Scott left orders for Lieut.-Col. Abraham Eustis
to follow his general route to Fort Crawford with all the well
troops which had arrived, or might arrive before the 3d August,[262]
which Colonel Eustis did, but upon reaching Dixon’s Ferry an express
from Scott informed the Colonel of the termination of the war and
ordered him to follow Rock River down its left bank, along the route
used by Atkinson, to its mouth, and establish his camp at Fort
Armstrong on Rock Island. On this march Colonel Eustis reached
Dixon’s Ferry on the 17th,[263] resting there until the 22d of
August,[264] when he moved down to Fort Armstrong and camped a short
distance from the mouth of Rock River, about four miles from
Atkinson’s men.
On the 12th Scott sent Lieutenant Buchanan on the steamboat Warrior
to bring down all prisoners[265] surrendered to that period, after
which he began the examination of witnesses to ascertain the names
of those who actively assisted Black Hawk and those who were his
passive allies, in order to act intelligently in adjusting the
treaties expected to be made September 10th, with reference to the
settlement of damages sustained by the United States. On the evening
of the 13th Keokuk, with fifty or sixty Sacs and Foxes, arrived in
camp and reported that he had visited all the Sac and Fox villages,
and that none of Black Hawk’s band had yet arrived. He further
reported that he had ordered forty-two braves in the direction of
the “Ioway,” to intercept and bring in any stragglers as they might
appear. On the 14th Keokuk delivered to Scott a brave who had
murdered a white man, just before, in the vicinity of the Yellow
Banks.
On the 15th Atkinson, with his staff, viz., Lieutenants Johnston,
Wheelwright and Dorrance, and Captains Smith, Rogers and Hatton,
Sixth Infantry, and Lieutenant Richardson, left on the steamboat
Warrior for St. Louis.
On or about the 26th of August the cholera again broke out with
unusual virulence,[266] and again Scott actively participated in
conquering it. So many Indians became affected that it became
necessary to dismiss them all until they could be re-assembled by
special summons. The following order became imperative:
“Assistant Adjutant-General’s Office,
Fort Armstrong, August 28th, 1832.
Order No. 16.
“1. The cholera has made its appearance on Rock Island. The two
first cases were brought by mistake from Captain Ford’s company of
U.S. Rangers; one of those died yesterday, the other is
convalescent. A second death occurred this morning in the hospital