The Black Hawk War Including a Review of Black Hawk's Life
taken St. Louis and that we should never see our Spanish father again.
This information made all our people sorry.”
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CHAPTER II.
BRITISH INTRIGUE AGAINST THE FRONTIERS–HATRED OF THE AMERICANS–TREATY OF
1804.
By the treaty of Paris, Sept. 3, 1783, Great Britain covenanted to
surrender certain western forts which were of great strategic importance
to the Americans in protecting the frontier from Indian incursions and
also in dealing with such as were disposed to treat honorably with the
Government. The compact was solemnly made and signed, but, disgruntled
from the loss of her colonies, the British government sent secret
instructions to its garrisons to retain these forts, and in consequence
not one of them was surrendered. Nor was this the only violation by the
British of their engagements. Agents were set to work over our vast
frontier to foment insubordination among the Indians against American
domination. These Indians were supplied with provisions and arms and
incited openly to war against the whites and drive them back east of the
mountains, and year after year they continued until the sickening
horrors of the stake and scalping knife were sweeping the feeble
settlements of the West from end to end.
France and Spain, both with colonial possessions to the west, while
gratified to see England stripped of her possessions, were suspected of
aiding the design of the British to restrict American settlements to the
shores of the Atlantic. Spain claimed exclusive ownership of the
Mississippi and commerce upon her waters by Americans was prohibited.
The “dark and bloody ground” of Kentucky, long the scene of carnage, was
made the first scene of British intrigue, where the atrocities of the
Indians were the most frightful in history. The tribes of Ohio and
Indiana, which were in the league, penetrated the settlements of the
whites, deluging the land with the blood of innocent women and children.
The Government, hopelessly involved with debt and graver questions of
state, could offer the struggling settlers no relief, and thus alone
they were forced to stand in hourly fear of butchery. They grew to look
for no help save in their own resources, and yearly meeting with
defiance, a pioneer community of militant husbandmen gradually grew and
moved westward; instinctively taught to rush to arms upon the breaking
of a twig or the rustle of a leaf in defense of their defenseless loved
ones in the cabin. When, therefore, Black Hawk lent a willing ear to the
British agent, accepted his presents and performed his murderous
behests, which he did, he should have expected the awful consequences of
defeat and annihilation which followed his years of hypocrisy, and
accepted the Government’s final requital with gratitude, or at least
Indian stolidity, instead of snarling at his fate and constantly
bewailing the elevation of others over him who had loyally stood by the
Americans and their Government in perilous times. He invited destruction
and was destroyed. The attention of the student is directed to this
phase of Black Hawk’s character as it develops in these pages down to
his defeat, August 2d, 1832.
The Sacs were originally British Indians, domiciled near Montreal. By
constant quarrels and wars with their neighbors their tribes, once
numerous and powerful, were reduced to a remnant and finally driven from
the country altogether. They settled in Wisconsin, where they met the
Foxes, similarly driven from Canada, and the two tribes immediately
combined, ever after being considered as a confederated nation. They
again grew powerful and arrogant and became involved in wars with their
neighbors. At the time of the last French and English war they took
sides with the English and received from that source presents for many
years. This British sympathy was born in Black Hawk, and continued with
him, growing in intensity as the Americans expanded and defeated the
English, until it became positive hatred[12]. When, therefore, he
repeats the statement that he heard bad accounts of the Americans in
1803, and then asserts that all his differences with the Americans date
from the signing of the treaty of 1804, he states that which cannot be
received with confidence. Prior to 1803 he never had found himself in
contact with the Americans to an extent worthy of note, and no cause,
real or imaginary, had been given him for a difference, yet on leaving
the Spanish father, mentioned in the last chapter, he catches a rumor,
adopts a prejudice and dictates for his autobiography the following
ill-natured words, false to begin with and as malignant as he was
generally found to be in speaking or writing of the Americans: “I
inquired the cause and was informed that the Americans were coming to
take possession of the town and country, and that we should lose our
Spanish father. This news made myself and band sad, because we had
always heard _bad accounts_ of the Americans from Indians who had lived
near them.”
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During the years 1803 and 1804, Gov. William Henry Harrison of Indiana
concluded treaties with the Kaskaskias and the Wabash tribes, obtaining
thereby title to a large extent of country south of the Illinois River.
Having an immense stretch of country unserviceable for fishing and
hunting, many of the Sacs and Foxes considered it desirable to receive
annuities,[13] after the manner of the Wabash tribes. A bad hunt could
thus be recouped in a certain money stipend. Accordingly, slight
overtures were thrown out to this effect. The Sacs and Foxes roamed
north of the Illinois River, like the fugitive buffalo or lonesome bird
of passage. Those broad prairies afforded them no subsistence in hunting
or fishing. The bare claim to possession was their sole exercise of it,
and that frail tenure had been wrenched by conquest from others without
compensation in the smallest degree. Along the streams a few harmless,
nondescript Indians and tribal remnants lived, or rather remained, as
dependent vassals of the mighty Sacs and Foxes, but these were so
inconspicuous and weak as to be ignored by both the whites and Indians
in treaties.
There can be no doubt of a knowledge by the Government of this desire
for annuities by the Sacs and Foxes. President Jefferson was not the man
to simulate the existence of any unfair postulate in treating with the
Indians, who were at all times objects of his especial solicitude.
Accordingly, on the 27th day of June, 1804, he directed Governor
Harrison to treat with the Sacs and Foxes and obtain cessions of lands
on both sides the Illinois River, granting as a consideration therefor
an annual compensation. Agreeably with his instructions, Governor
Harrison called the head chiefs of the consolidated tribes to meet him
at St. Louis, which Pashepaho, head chief of the Sacs, Layowvois,
Quashquame, Outchequaha and Hashequarhiqua did. Here, on November 3d,
the following treaty was solemnly made and signed:
Articles of a Treaty, made at St. Louis, in the district of Louisiana,
between William Henry Harrison, Governor of the Indiana Territory and
the District of Louisiana, Superintendent of Indian affairs for the said
Territory and district and Commissioner plenipotentiary of the United
States, for concluding any treaty or treaties, which may be found
necessary with any of the Northwestern tribes of Indians, of the one
part; and the Chiefs and head men of the united Sac and Fox tribes of
the other part.
Article 1. The United States receive the united Sac and Fox tribes into
their friendship and protection and the said tribes agree to consider
themselves under the protection of the United States, and no other power
whatsoever.
Art. 2. The General boundary line between the land of the United States
and the said Indian tribes shall be as follows, to wit: Beginning at a
point on the Missouri River opposite to the mouth of the Gasconade
River; thence, in a direct course so as to strike the River Jeffreon, at
the distance of 30 miles from its mouth and down the said Jeffreon to
the Mississippi; thence, up the Mississippi to the mouth of the
Ouisconsing River, and up the same to a point which shall be 36 miles in
a direct line from the mouth of the said river, thence, by a direct line
to the point where the Fox River (a branch of the Illinois) leaves the
small Lake called Sakaegan; thence, down the Fox River to the Illinois
River, and down the same to the Mississippi. And the said tribes, for
and in consideration of the friendship and protection of the United
States, which is now extended to them, of the goods (to the value of two
thousand two hundred and thirty-four dollars and fifty cents) which are
now delivered, and of the annuity hereinafter stipulated to be paid, do
hereby cede and relinquish forever, to the United States, all the lands
included within the above described boundary.
Art. 3. In consideration of the cession and relinquishment of land made
in the preceding article, the United States will deliver to the said
tribes, at the town of St. Louis, or some other convenient place on the
Mississippi, yearly and every year, goods suited to the circumstances of
the Indians of the value of one thousand dollars (six hundred of which
are intended for the Sacs and four hundred for the Foxes), reckoning
that value at the first cost of the goods in the City or place in the
United States, where they shall be procured. And if the said tribes
shall hereafter at an annual delivery of the goods aforesaid, desire
that a part of their annuity should be furnished in domestic animals,
implements of husbandry, and other utensils, convenient for them, or in
compensation to useful artificers, who may reside with or near them, and
be employed for their benefit, the same shall, at the subsequent annual
delivery, be furnished accordingly.
Art. 4. The United States will never interrupt the said tribes in the
possession of the lands, which they rightfully claim, but will, on the
contrary, protect them in the quiet enjoyment of the same against their
own citizens and against all other white persons, who may intrude upon
them. And the said tribes do hereby engage that they will never sell
their lands, or any part thereof, to any sovereign power but the United
States, nor to the citizens or subjects of any other sovereign power,
nor to the citizens of the United States.
Art. 5. Lest the friendship, which is now established between the United
States and the said Indian Tribes should be interrupted by the
misconduct of individuals, it is hereby agreed that for injuries done by
individuals no private revenge or retaliation shall take place, but
instead thereof, complaint shall be made by the party injured to the
other by the said tribe, or either of them, to the superintendent of
Indian affairs, or one of his deputies; and by the superintendent, or
other person appointed by the President, to the Chiefs of the said
tribes. And it shall be the duty of the said chiefs, upon complaint
being made, as aforesaid, to deliver up the person, or persons, against
whom the complaint is made, to the end that he or they may be punished
agreeably to the laws of the state or territory where the offence may
have been committed. And, in like manner, if any robbery, violence or
murder shall be committed on any Indian, or Indians, belonging to the
said tribes, or either of them, the person or persons so offending shall