Major Samuel Whiteside. The whole brigade was p the command of Major-General Joseph Duncan, of t militia.1

In four days, this volunteer army joined Genera on the Mississippi; he had already been at the Indi: and was now at a place (since called Rockport) ab miles below the mouth of Rock River; here the pla ture action of the forces was adopted, and the next the volunteers marched up the country, while Genera ascended the river in his steamboat. This was on t of June, and when the Sac village was reached, no was found there, as a great portion of the Indians had departed the same morning, and in their canoes had to the western side of the Mississippi. The Sac vill taken possession of without firing a gun, but the vo were determined to be avenged upon something. T descended in torrents, and the Indian wigwams wou furnished a comfortable shelter; but notwithstanding t the whole town was soon wrapped in flames-and thus an ancient village which had once been the delightf of six or seven thousand Indians.1

On the 27th, the army proceeded up the river Island, and encamped for several days on the site of town of Stephenson, now the town of Rock Island Black Hawk and the chiefs and braves of the hosti sued for peace, doubtless stimulated thereto by the of General Gaines to pursue the Indians who had re across the river. A treaty was entered into June 30th by which the Indians agreed to remain for ever after west side of the river, and never to recross it withe permission of the President or the Governor of the this treaty did not remain one year without an infract

In this attempt of Black Hawk to recover the pos of his village, hopeless as it in truth was, and as it ce must have appeared to himself, if we allow him only a

1 Ford's Illinois, 112.

• Ibid.

of the judgment and discrimination attributed to him, he expected assistance from his friends the Winnebagoes, the Pottawatamies, and the Kickapoos; for this purpose they had been solicited by Black Hawk, and he had received promises of their compliance with his request. But the actual situation in which Black Hawk stood in his relations with the General Government, appears to have been comprehended by the neighbouring tribes of Indians; they had reason to dread the result of any contest with the American power, and although a few of them joined the Sacs, (about two hundred, according to the statement of General Gaines,) they did not long remain faithful to any hostile confederacy against the United States.

In his despatch to the secretary of war, General Gaines said he was of opinion that "the Sacs were as completely humbled as if they had been chastised in battle, and less disposed to disturb the frontier inhabitants;" and that Governor Reynolds was of the same opinion. But in this they were both mistaken; for scarcely a year elapsed before Black Hawk's people again crossed the Mississippi under various pretexts, one of which was the starving condition of the Sacs, in consequence of the failure of the government authorities to supply them with corn according to contract, and therefore they went over the river to steal corn from their own fields. Thus began a new series of troubles, ending in much bloodshed, and the final capture of Black Hawk, and the utter prostration of his power and influence.

In all his attempts to obtain redress for real or fancied injuries by a resort to arms, Black Hawk had been fed with the hopes of assistance, not only from his Indian allies, but from the British at Malden. Before he undertook his incursion in 1831, he had sent Ne-a-pope as an emissary to sound the neighbouring tribes on the subject of their co-operation with him against the whites, and he was grossly deceived by

1 Gaines Report. Note H.

2 Doc. Hist. Black Hawk War. Drake's Indians, 644.

the report which was made to him. Ne-a-pope inform that his British father at Malden would aid him as s blow was struck in war; and he also said that the had told him that the Ottawas, Chippewas, Pottaw and Winnebagoes would join him; and if they were they were to go to Selkirk's settlement, Was-sa-cum-r the Prophet had received a friendly talk from the that place, on the subject; but all this was false, and cation of Ne-a-pope, as Black Hawk learned in the Keokuk always told him he had been imposed upon and urged him to keep quiet; but his restless spin not be appeased; and notwithstanding all the ex which the events of 1831 should have taught him— standing all the assurances which he gave of his pa terminations, at Rock Island—against all the remon of his true friends, and with no probable prospect of success before him, we find Black Hawk, in 1832, ag turbing the peace of the Northwest, and opening a v that finally led to the destruction of his people, and degradation in rank, as a chief and a leader of his We now proceed to view the chief incidents of the o known as the Black Hawk war; many of which occ that part of Michigan which is now the State of Wi and within which the career of the obstinate and rev Indian terminated in irremediable defeat.

1 Black Hawk's Life. Doc. Hist. Black Hawk War.

CHAPTER VI.

BLACK HAWK IN WISCONSIN.

The treaty of St. Louis-Settlers in Black Hawk's village-Obstinacy of Black Hawk-He again crosses the Mississippi-Governor Reynolds demands aid-General Atkinson ascends the river-Black Hawk refuses to go back -The army follows him-Volunteers at Dixon's Ferry--Major Stillman's attack, and flight of his men-First blood shed in the war-Governor Reynolds demands more aid-Sioux and Menomonies offer their services— Talk with the Winnebagoes-Alarm in the mining district-Colonel Dodge writes to Governor Reynolds-Authority of Colonel Dodge-Assembles volunteers-Marches to Rock River-Returns home and prepares for defence -Massacre at Indian Creek and capture of Misses Hall-St. Vrain, Hawley, and others killed-Affair at Buffalo Grove-Major Dement's battle-Attack at Apple River-Affair at Sinsinawa Mound-Dodge talks with the Winnebagoes-Forts and block-houses in Iowa county-The Misses Hall delivered up-Winnebagoes suspected-Aubrey killed at Mound Fort-Dodge's volunteers march-He addresses them-They bury St. Vrain, Hawley, and others-Reach the camp at Dixon--Proceed to General Atkinson's camp -Dodge receives his orders and returns-Murders at Spafford's farm— Dodge assembles a force-Proceeds to Fort Hamilton-Apple killed-Battle of the Pecatonica-Chippewas and Sioux come to Fort Hamilton and return-Force and Green killed at Mound Fort-Dodge joins General Posey's command-Disposition of the forces-March of a portion of the army-General Atkinson at Koshkonong-The White Crow offers to pilot the forces to Black Hawk's camp-His supposed treachery-General Atkinson sends to Fort Winnebago for provisions-General Henry and Colonel Dodge march in search of Black Hawk-They reach Rock River rapids— Discover the Indian trail, which is followed-Overtake Black Hawk-Battle of the Wisconsin Heights-General Atkinson breaks up his camp and marches in pursuit of Black Hawk-They cross the Wisconsin River and follow the Indian trail-Battle of Bad Axe-Winnebago chiefs bring Black Hawk in as a prisoner-General Scott's rapid movements with his forces They are attacked with cholera-Loss of the Americans in this warSubsequent notices of Black Hawk, and reflections-The volunteers of VCL. I.-17

257

Wisconsin-Increase of population in the mining country-Ir dian treaties-Land speculations-Military road opened-Mail Mississippi-Early private enterprise-Hamilton-Farnswo portation of troops-Early history of Prairie du Chien-Caus against the early settlement of the country-Michigan abou a State-New Territory to be formed in the West-Jealousy a of government-Legislative proceedings-Final action of Co blishing the Territory of Wisconsin.

THE treaty of St. Louis, in November, 1804, an sequent treaties by which certain lands of the Sacs a were ceded to the United States, were ever denied t and binding by Black Hawk and a few chiefs who a his party; inasmuch as by the terms of those tre they asserted,) territory was described which the Indi intended to sell; and the treaty of 1804, particul made by parties who had neither authority in the na power to dispose of its lands. A quarter of a cen passed since this latter treaty had been made, and e had brought with it the undying animosity of Blac against the Americans.

The United States had found no good reason to reciprocal good faith in which the several treaties Sacs and Foxes had been entered into; and hence, anticipate an armed resistance on the part of the In a possession of the lands being taken by citizens em from different parts of the Union into the newly acquir try. It was generally understood in the summer that the Sacs had ceded all their land on the east sid Mississippi, and soon a flowing tide of immigration s the neighbourhood of Rock River, and particularly fertile spot near its mouth, known as Black Hawk's The settlement of the whites, before the entire remova Indians, became, as might well be expected, a source annoyance, and of manifest danger to all parties. Black saw his grounds surrounding his village daily encroach by the white settlers; and his remonstrances, and rep tions of wrongs committed upon what he considered