The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-01-06
ROCK ISLAND.
"reminiscences Of Early Days.--Nc. ].

In November, 1904, Gov. Harrison, then
Governor of the Northwest Territory, and
afterwards President of the United States,
negotiated with the Chiefs OF the United
Nations Of Sacs and Foxes for their claim
to the immense tract Of country lying be-
tween the Mississippi. the Illinois, and the
Wisconsin rivers, comprising about fifty
millions Of acres. This treaty was signed,
on the part of the Indians, by Quash-qua-
me, Mariana kec and Nuc- ka- ti-simo,
without the consent or knowledge Of the
| Chiefs Of the Sacs and Foxes, and this
treaty was the cause Of the Black Hawk
wars of 1881 and 1882.
About the middle of July, 1915, a large
number of Indians from the northwest as
sembled at Portage des Sioux. in Missouri,
not far from what is now St, Charles, Mo,
above St. Louis. and then about the north
ern limit of civilized settlement, to negoti-
ate treaties Of peace with the United
States.
The Sacs and Foxes. led by the noted
brave, Black Hawk. refused to attend the
treaty meeting and went to Maiden, in Can
ada, to receive presents from English
traders and those in English interests
In September, 1915, the Eighth regi-
mGnt OF infantry, commanded by Col. Il.
G. Nichols, in keel boats, and with eight
keel boats loaded with provisions, and
manned by 100 Frenchmen under the
charge of George Davenport, left St. Louis
for the Upper Mississippi river, to take
possession Of the country at the mouth Of
the Rock river. They got up to oppo-
site the mouth of the Des MONIES liver,
: about the middle of November, where the
expedition was stopped by ice. They
built winter quarters and remained until
the 1st Of April, 1916, when the expedi-
ton was joined by Gen. Smith, Col Law
renee, and the Rife regiment commanded
by Col. Hamilton, from ST. Louis.
Col. Lawrence assuming command of the
Eighth regiment (Col. Nichols having
been placed under arrest and sent to Nash.
VILE, TENNESSEE the expedition moved up
the river
On the way up the river, 1t. Smith and
Lit. Rely, Of the Rife regiment, while at
breakfast, the boats being detained by
> fog, got into an angry dispute about which
way the current in the river ran-the
boats being then moored ia an eddy. They
y came to high words and 1t. Smith
challenged LIT, Reilly to duel. Prelimi
naries were arranged. pistols selected a,
the weapons for the fight, aud the due
took place on the river bank where shot.
a were exchanged. Neither Of them wa.
hit. The affair was amicably arranged and
: they returned and finished their breakfast
LIT. Rely was, afterwards, a general in thu
u Mexican war. Smith became Major ant
! died In st. Louis not long ago.
: Before the expedition arrived at Rock
y Island another duel took place between
/ other parties, but no one was hurt.
This summary manner of settling person
S nal differences Illustrates the rndeDess o
!, early life on the borders of civilization.
: The expedition arrived at Rock Islam
o May 10th, and upon landing. men were dc
e tailed to cut down trees to build cabins i
l. which to store the provisions. The OIL
n Settlers cane is made from one of the tree
cut at this time.
l. The next day Gen. Smith called u cour
E. Gil of the Sacs and Foxes to meet him, Blu
they being hostile refused to meet in cour
i. Gil. The two tribes in the vicinity wer
Of supposed at the time, to number about /
1000 persons. Their largest village was