The Black Hawk War Including a Review of Black Hawk's Life
impression, in his formal announcement, when he crossed the
Mississippi, that he was simply taking up the hoe, to go among the
Winnebagoes to make corn.
But it was not the policy of President Jackson to again let him off
without feeling, to a slight degree, the hand of the Government.
Therefore, on April 26th, the prisoners were all taken to Fortress
Monroe and placed in charge of Colonel Eustis, where they remained
until the 4th of June, the date of the order made by the President
for their liberation. During his confinement, Black Hawk was treated
with the utmost courtesy by Colonel Eustis, which was thoroughly
appreciated by all the prisoners; so much, indeed, that upon their
departure, Black Hawk made him a speech:
“Brother:–I have come, on my part, and in behalf of my companions,
to bid you farewell. Our great father has at length been pleased
to permit us to return to our hunting grounds. We have buried the
tomahawk, and the sound of the rifle will hereafter only bring
death to the deer and the buffalo. Brother, you have treated the
red men very kindly. Your squaws have made them presents, and you
have given them plenty to eat and drink. The memory of your
friendship will remain till the Great Spirit says it is time for
Black Hawk to sing his death song. Brother, your houses are as
numerous as the leaves upon the trees, and your warriors like the
sands upon the shore of the big lake that rolls before us. The red
man has but few houses, and few warriors, but the red man has a
heart that throbs as warmly as the heart of his white brother. The
Great Spirit has given us our hunting grounds, and the skin of the
deer which we kill there is his favorite, for its color is white,
and this is the emblem of peace. This hunting dress and these
feathers of the eagle are white. Accept them, my brother. I have
given one like this to the White Otter. Accept it as a memorial of
Black Hawk. When he is far away this will serve to remind you of
him. May the Great Spirit bless you and your children. Farewell.”
These sentiments are truly poetical and worthy a place in any
literature, but they did not represent the life of Black Hawk. He
had all his life long been a warrior, fonder of warfare than of
life, but no doubt a change was coming over his heart with the
scenes of peace and progress around him. The futility of further war
upon the Americans had doubtless finally impressed him, and he
realized that they were a people no longer to be trifled with.
Therefore, he had resolved to submit for all time to the inexorable
fate of civilization’s western march.
Under the escort of Major John Garland, on the 5th of June, Black
Hawk and his companions took their departure from Fortress Monroe.
Visiting the Norfolk navy yard, the Prophet, from the balcony of his
hotel, addressed a large concourse of people:
“The Great Spirit sent us here, and now, happily, we are about to
return to our own Mississippi, and our own people. It affords us
much happiness to rejoin our friends and kindred. We would shake
hands with all our white friends assembled here. Should any of
them go to our country on the Mississippi we would take great
pleasure in returning their kindness to us. We will go home with
peaceable dispositions towards our white brethren, and make our
conduct hereafter more satisfactory to them. We bid you all
farewell, as it is the last time we shall see each other.”
The party went on to Baltimore on the 6th, where it was greeted by
thousands of curious spectators, and where again Black Hawk met
President Jackson. At night both were present at the same theater,
and Black Hawk is said to have attracted as much attention as the
President. In an interview the following day the President advised
the Indians to return to their homes and listen to the counsels of
Keokuk, their principal chief:
“When I saw you in Washington, I told you that you had behaved
very badly in raising the tomahawk against the white people and
killing men, women and children upon the frontier. Your conduct
last year compelled me to send my warriors against you, and your
people were defeated with great loss and your men surrendered, to
be kept till I should be satisfied that you would not try to do
any more injury. I told you I would inquire whether your people
wished you to return and whether, if you did return, there would
be any danger to the frontier. Gen. Clark and Gen. Atkinson, whom
you know, have informed me that Keokuk, your principal chief, and
the rest of your people are anxious you should return, and Keokuk
has asked me to send you back. Your chiefs have pledged themselves
for your good conduct, and I have given instructions that you
should be taken to your own country.
“Major Garland, who is with you, will conduct you through some of
our towns. You will see the strength of the white people. You will
see that our young men are as numerous as the leaves in the woods.
What can you do against us? You may kill a few women and children,
but such a force would soon be sent against you as would destroy
your whole tribe. Let the red men hunt, and take care of their
families; but I hope they will not again raise their hands against
their white brethren. We do not wish to injure you. We desire your
prosperity and improvement; but if you again plunge your knives
into the breasts of our people, I shall send a force which will
severely punish you for all your cruelties. When you go back,
listen to the counsels of Keokuk and the other friendly chiefs.
Bury the tomahawk and live in peace with the frontiers. And I pray
the Great Spirit to give you a smooth path and a fair sky to
return.”
The reply of Black Hawk to this address was brief:
“My Father:–My ears are open to your words. I am glad to hear
them. I am glad to go back to my people. I want to see my family.
I did not behave well last summer. I ought not to have taken up
the tomahawk; but my people have suffered a great deal. When I get
back I will remember your words. I won’t go to war again. I will
live in peace. I shall hold you by the hand.”
On the 10th Philadelphia was reached, where all remained until the
14th, with their headquarters at Congress Hall. While there they
witnessed a military display of such impressive interest as to evoke
a speech from Black Hawk:
“My heart grew bitter against the whites, and my hands strong. I
dug up the tomahawk, and led on my warriors to fight. I fought
hard. I was no coward. Much blood was shed. But the white men were
mighty. They were as many as the leaves of the forest. I and my
people failed. I am sorry the tomahawk was raised. I have been a
prisoner. I see the strength of the white men. They are many; very
many. The Indians are but few. They are not cowards. They are
brave, but they are few. While the Great Spirit above keeps my
heart as it now is, I will be the white man’s friend. I will
remain in peace. I will go to my people and speak good of the
white man. I will tell them that they are as the leaves of the
forest, very many and very strong, and that I will fight no more
against them.”
Among other interesting sights seen was Fairmount waterworks, after
which the party started for New York City, where it arrived the
evening of the 14th. Among the novel sights seen there was a balloon
ascension from Castle Garden, which greatly astonished the Indians,
one of whom asked the Prophet if the aeronaut was “going to see the
Great Spirit.” Crowds of people gathered about the Exchange Hotel to
see them, and exchange a word with “General Black Hawk,” as they
called him. He was obliged to make his appearance upon all sorts of
occasions to gratify the curious crowds. His rooms were daily and
hourly visited by ladies and gentlemen, and each evening the Indians
were escorted to the theater or other places of amusement. They
received many handsome presents, and one of the ceremonies was the
presentation to Black Hawk of a pair of topaz earrings for his wife
or daughter, by John A. Graham, who said:
“Brothers, open your ears. You are brave men. You have fought like
tigers, but in a bad cause. We have conquered you. We were sorry
last year that you raised the tomahawk against us; but we believe
you did not know us then as you do now.
“We think that in time to come you will be wise and that we shall
be friends forever. You see that we are a great people–numerous as
the flowers of the field, as the shells on the seashore, or the
fish in the sea. We put one hand on the eastern, and at the same
time the other on the western ocean. We all act together. If some
time our great men talk long and loud at our council fires, but
shed one drop of white men’s blood, our young warriors, as thick
as the stars of the night, will leap on board of our great boats,
which fly on the waves, and over the lakes, swift as the eagle in
the air; then penetrate the woods, make the big guns thunder, and
the whole heavens red with the flames of the dwellings of their
enemies. Brothers, the President has made you a great talk. He was
but one mouth. That one has sounded the sentiments of all the
people. Listen to what he has said to you. Write it on your
memories. It is good, very good.
“Black Hawk, take these jewels, a pair of topaz earrings,
beautifully set in gold, for your wife or daughter, as a token of
friendship, keeping always in mind that women and children are the
favorites of the Great Spirit. These jewels are from an old man,
whose head is whitened with the snows of seventy winters; an old
man who has thrown down his bow, put off his sword, and now stands
leaning on his staff, waiting the commands of the Great Spirit.
Look around you, see all this mighty people; then go to your
homes, open your arms to receive your families. Tell them to bury
the hatchet, to make the bright chain of friendship, to love the
white men, and to live in peace with them as long as the rivers
run into the sea, and the sun rises and sets. If you do so, you
will be happy. You will then insure the prosperity of unborn
generations of your tribes, who will go hand in hand with the sons
of the white men, and all shall be blessed by the Great Spirit.
Peace and happiness by the blessing of the Great Spirit attend
you. Farewell.”
To which Black Hawk replied:
“Brother:–We like your talk. We will be friends. We like the white
people. They are very kind to us. We shall not forget it. Your
counsel is good. We shall attend to it. Your valuable present
shall go to my squaw. We shall always be friends.”
Patrick Shirriff in his “tour,” page 29, alludes to this hippodrome
in the following manner:
“An Indian chief named Black Hawk, who had been taken prisoner the
preceding year, in a war to the west of Lake Michigan, and who was
carried through some of the great towns with a view of impressing
him with the power of the states preparatory to his liberation,
arrived in New York the day after the President and divided public
attention. The ladies declared in favor of Black Hawk, some of
them actually kissing him, which it is said affected the old
President’s health. The chief of the white men and the chief of
the red were alike objects of curiosity, the President holding a
levee by day, the Hawk by night, in Niblo’s Gardens. Had a mammoth
or elephant appeared, the mighty ones of the earth would have been
eclipsed in public favor.”
It had been the intention to visit Boston, but, greatly to the
disappointment of its citizens, the route was changed, and on the
22d the party left New York in a steamboat up the Hudson for Albany,