, 1877-04-22
TIE BLACKHAWK WAR.
Another Chapter of Early Illinois
History.
Judge Thomas Tells Hsw tho Army Won Blood.
hss vittery in 1929.

Judge Thomas Tells How tho Army Won Blood
hss vittery in 1929.
All the Cavalry Horses stampeaed by
Steamboat.
we present below another chapter of the
early history Of Illinois, written by Judge
Thomas, OF Jacksonville, in which be gives .
Sketch Of the causes which led to the Black
hawk W:r, and Of the first campaign Of that
War. Judge Thomas was Quartcrmaster in
that campaign, and his opportunities and ca
paclty for observing were such as to render his
recolcctions OF the greatest value in histori-
cal point Of view:
THE BLAcKHAwK WAR.
JACKSONVILLE, Ill, Dec ), 1S7I.-7o Tie Ed
TOR Of he Jacksonuiae journal: In 1897, under
What wi 's' was called tue he S;i oWinaebsso War"
regiment of mounted volunteers from tue
Counties OF Sangamon and Morgan, under CON-
1nand OF Col. Thomas NJ. Ncalcs, marched to
the nefghborhood Of Galena, for the defense
and protection OF the settlers and miners in
that region against a supposed threatened inVa-
sion Of the Winnc6ago Indians.
In 1S229W i number Of families settled on
Rock River, q few miles below Rock Island, in
occupied that land, between Rock River and the
Mississippi. In the spring Of 1881 the Indians
returned, and claimed their former possessions,
which our settlers. having made arrangements
for raising crop, were reluctantly compelled
to surrender. Blarkhawk and bis followers
claimed that this neck of land still belonged 10
the Indians, that the treaty by which it had
been ceded had never been asscnted to by the
legal owners Out Of this claim Of Blaekhawk
grew the a6rst Of the Blaekhawk war,-hayng
no connection with the Winnctago war. Gov.
Reynolds ordered out brigade Of mounted
volunteers, to proceed to the disputed territory
and repcl the Indians. Gov. Duncan, being tncn
a Major General OF militia, took the command
Of the brigade, by order of the Governor The
brigade was hastily organized, and in quick time
vas % on the scene OF PROPOSED action The
Indians, Ind h9*eysr' t,o eelns aware ct
their Tic 'ss9 ~gTams and @ ; pes.;cssions aad
crossed the river into Iowa. Whilst
this brigade WAS marching across the country
Gen. Gaines was moving up.thc Mississippi on .
steamboat with some companies of the regular
army. The General, intending to avoid any
personal conflict with the lndiuus, or the she'd
ding Of blood. anchored his boat a short dis
tancc below the mouth OF Rock River, and sent
messenger across the country to meet Gen.
Duncan, with orders to join linn on the Missis-
si9pi, movement which would give the 1ntians
notice of the approach OF the militia, and time
to escape, OF which they readily availcd them
selyes hr crossing the river; and retiring to what
reached Gen. Gaines in the afternoon, encamped,
and remained until next morning, when both
commands started up the rircr,-Gcn+ Gains on
the boat and Gen. Duncan at the head OF his
Notwithstanding to mret and co o-operate to-
gether at the Indian village. It commenced
raining early that morning, and continued until
the afternoon. Before Gen. Duncan reached the
place Of crossing the Rock River Gen. Gaines had
ascended the river as high No As The stare Of the
water would permit, and signalzed Gen Dun
can by the firing Of capnons, rs had been pre-
. viously agreed On.
Being Quartermaster of the Brigade, and hay
ing been informed of the intended movement,
and also OF Gen. Gaiues' expectations that the
INDIANS would escape, was not Surprised at
hearing the cannon, hut the rank and file Of the
militia thought the firing was the beginning Of
fight, and book might be written represent
ing the Speeches and describing the actions Of
these uninitiated militia, as they passed IN the
river to the Dlzce OF crossing. We first crossed
wide, shallow slough, on to an island thickly
set with underErowth Of saplings and bushes.
We then reached tho main river at place sup
posed to be forQable: our advanced guard fol-
lowing uilot reuutcd to be we'll acquainted
Eith the road crossed the river but 1t 1ras deep,
and the bottom covered with large rock, Or
boulders, As they were called In crossing,
some of the horses striking these boulucrs, tcll,
and threw their riders into the river, to make
their way across as best they could; other horses
had occasionally to swim. With the loss of
few runs and the duckipg of q few riders, the
guard reached the bauk-no one drowned or
badly hurt The main army went short dist
auce below. opposite to the Indian village,
where some craft were found on which the men
could cross, and the horses were made to swim.
Whilst crossing the river, the rain fell in tor
rents. found log cabin on the bank, into
which. with uny horse, | took shelter until most
Of the army had crossed, aud the storm
abated.
Gov, Ford. in his history OF Illinois, c4iticfses
in severe tcrIns the actiou of Cor. REYNOLDS and
Cen. Duucan. in rouductiur the ar1nr across
this islanl ans across the river, He either ney-
er knew, or had forgotten, several facts which,
il considered, would ut least have greatly modi-
fed his opinions
/. Gov. Reynolds had no right to command
after The brigade was n1accd in service OF the
United States under command Of Gen, Gaines,
8 Eor. REYNOLDS was taken sick the dav that
xre io;ncd Gcn- Gaines and went ofoard If the
stca,n1,oot> where he Renamed unti) thc boat
'r,.f1rT,r1 fo the month Of Rock Riycr. and went
III, fbc Mississinpi to Rock Island. dc could
MT. tlcrnlort.. rightfullv be held resnonsible
f,r .,s:ti,;no ti,ot n,%,,rrcd after Cen Gaines
ts.S ,nn,,,,snd
Z (.cn 51n,,ran rcafbe1 t1,e island in nersnn.
onj n,ss,,3 orcr # to th,. r;ver before the hri
c,de reached trc vide slnneh of ti,r river: he
ea,i srcn lie indian yia@r' and knew that the
Indians lad made their escanc, and therefore,
there was no more use for Discipline or order in