Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1870-07-12
THE BLACK HAWK WAR.
"Reminiscences Of General Robert Anderson,
the Hero Of Fort sumpter.
From The GaIona Iil.J Gazette, Dist june.

LEGATION in the GGeetfc, q very inter
esting letter in regard to the Black
Hawk war, addressed to him by Gen.
Robert Anderson NOW IN France)
whose heroic defense Of Fort Sum
ter has made him SO we'll known to
the country. These "reminiscences
OF General Anderson will be read
with great deal OF Interest,"
Though this war assumed no large
proportions, yet there were on its
\ theater of action, Of which GaleDa
may be considered the center, a
/ greater number OF men who have
become distinguished ia the history
OF our country than ever figured on
a like theater in the United States.
OF this number we may mention
Colonel Zachary Taylor, a Colonel
in tho regular army, and Abraham
Lincoln, private in cavalry COM
pany (horse arms and equipments
valued at SlG0l, both Of whom be-
came Presidents Of the United States,
/ General Scott candidate for Presi-
dent and afterward Lieutenant Gen
eral, who for time had his head
Quarters in this town; Jefferson
Davis, afterward Secretary of War,
United States Senator from Missip-
pi, and subsequently President OF
the bogus Southern Confederacy
Henry Dodge, Governor Of the Ter
ritory Of Wisconsin, and atterward
United States Senator; Hon. VIM,
IL. ID. Ewing, serving for u short
time as United States Senator from
Illinois; Hon. Sidney Breose, for six
years one of our Senators in Con-
gress, and at present the honored
Chief Justice Of the State General
jacob Fry, who was, we believe, one
OF the Trustees Of the canal, and
afterward Canal Commissioner Col.
William S. Hamilton, tnen OF "Ham-
ilton Diggins," Wisconsin, (now
Wiota), and son of Alexander Ham
ilton, and Colonel James Collins, of
White Oak Springs, Wisconsin, but
aiterward prominent as Wing poll
tciaus IN the Territory of Wisconsin.
Hamilton and Collins both died in
California
OF some Of the military men other
than those mentioned, who became
distinguished, We may name General
Anderson, General Riley, Colonel
Graham, General Albert Sidney
Johnson Gin bad cause), and Col.
RoOne. There are many others,
whose names are not mentioned by
General Anderson, and which do not
now occur to US. The letter Of the
General is 3 valuable contribution to
our history in the Northwest, and
for which he will have the thanks OF
hosts of people interested in the sub
iect. Should any Of our readers be
in possession Of additional and new
material relating to the officers and
men who took part in tho Black
Hawk war, we shall be very glad tC
receive such for publication in the
| Gazette.
Tours, FRANCE, May 10, 1870.
! TO Il. Z Washbuno, Envoy Extraordnars and Min
ister Plcnpotentary Of the United State 81
AHpKt'Ns tNFlsi Lfhn'e;
Ny DEAR SIR After our recent
conversation about the Black Hawk
war, you asked me to put my recol
lections of some of the incidents
connected herewith in writing, anC
you were Kind enough TO sugges
that my "reminiscences would be 0
settlers of your adopted State.
should state, however, that my mem
DRY has been q good deal impaired
and that, therefore, many allowance
must be made.
When the Indian disturbance.
under Black Hawk broke out ia The
spring Of 1892, | was on duty at the
st. Louis arsenal, which was ther
under the command of Lieutenant
Richard Bland Lee. ! may here say
that ! had graduated at the West
Point Military Academy in 1852
When the hostiities commenced
General Atkinson was in command
at j eiterson Barracks, and he was
just in command of the expedition
to support them. He proceeded al
once to Fort Armstrong, on Rock
Island. Having obtained the con
sent OF my commanding officer,
volunteered to Join his expedition
which | did at Rock Island. Gov
ernor John Reynolds, of Illinois
soon arrived and took up his quar-
ters with General Atkinson, and he
remained with us nearly all the tim,
till the close Of the war. After :
considerable augmentation of tn,
troops at Rock Island, we moved oul
forces up Rock river in keel boats
az far rs Dixon's Ferry so called after
Captain Dixon, the first settler there
We made that place the general rem
devious OF all the troops coming in
. he cavalry had a camp on the soutt
side of the river, and the infantry
were IN an cntrenched camp on tn,
North side. The officers ia comuant
IT the Illinois troops were Genera
Henry and General Posey, and an
other General whose name at thi
moment has escaped me but Genera
Atkinson was in command of tn
expedition. The force remained o
Dixon's Ferry some two or thre
months, drilling and making small
expeditions. We had force of som,
fifteen hundred cavalry, the fines
troops | ever saw. While at Dixon
Ferry We were joined by body o
friendly Indians, headed by the Chic
Chebansse | may not spell the nam,
correctly. 1t was during this tim,
that went on an expedition to OF
tawa with General Atkinson. il
was then small trading post, Will
only few houses. We found one
company of troops there whose term
OF service had expired. l mustered
1t out of service but most of the
men Immediately re-enlisted. and
bad the satisfaction of musteripo
them in again. Henry Dodge, after
ward so we'll known and so much
distinguished as Colonel of a regi.