The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-05-23
THE BLACK HAWK WAR.

Black Hawk was not chief-he was {
brave simply. He was born in 1867, OF
Rock river in Illinois. When the war of 81
began the Sacs and Foxes were within
the claimed territory of the United States
thought he claim was only on paper
| Keokuk induced most of the confedera.
ton, which included the Pottawatomies
and Musquakies, to adhere to the treaty
made with Lieut.. Pike in 1904, but Black
Hawk. who had never been satisfied with
that treaty and who had been caioled
with present and flaItered with by the
| British agents, joined the British flag
| through three years of that war, and saw
| the capture of Fort Erie He also shared
in the unsuccessful raid on Detroit. and
| was present at the battle of the Thames
| where he witnessed the death of Tecum-
| sch But when that war ended Black
| Hawk returned to Rock river With TIL G
| exception of his share in the RAID on Fort
| Madison. which occ1red Just before the
war of 1912, and in which four soldiers
were killed, this covered the whole of
Black Hawks hostility toward the Amer
leans, and and his subsequent residence
for seventeen years along Rock rive was
absolutely without any collision with the
whites.
The origin of the BLACK Hawk war"
braves of Black Hawks band made an
incurSion on the Menominecs. killing
several. The government officer at Prai
rie du CHEN demanded that the perpe-
traitors be given up, but Black Hawk
peremptorily refused. Before this how
ever. Black Hawk had been In camp near
Fort Madison. willing to go 10 Washing
ton to adjust his grievances, but also
anxious to return TO his old home on Rock
river to raise crop of corn. The whites,
taking advantage of the building of Fort
Armstrong and the sale of "a few sections of
land on Rock river, had hurried into
Black Hawks lands and began preemp
ting claims while the Indian title was
still uneXtulnguished. " hen Black Hawk
returned to Rock river collisions began
for which the settlers were equally re
sponsible. That Black Hawk did not
intend war was certain from the fact that
the squaws aud children went 10 Illinois
with the band, which was in April 1892 |
There is no doubt this was in violation of
the treaty of 1926. and Gen. Atkinson
sert him Il notice that he must recross to |
Iowa. He marched on, however, and Gov. |
Reynolds militia joined Atkinson at |
Rock Island. May IA, While Black Hawk |
and some Pottawatomie visitors were |
enjoying dog feast, Mai. Shllm ans |
party drew near his camp, and Black |
Hawks messengers, bearing white flag |
were taken prisoners. Another party sent
to see what had become of the others
were fired on and two were killed Black
Hawk says he was himself ready to go to
meet Stillman when this occurred but,
seeing this. he raised the war cry and
Stillman's disgraceful defeat followed
Stillman had about go men and Black
Hawk less than 200. This defeat served
to II terroirZe all Illinois, and besides the
militia forces called out one thousand
regular were sent from the seaboard
Black Hawks band now eager for blood,
made attacks on several frontier settle
ments. The formal pursuit began July 4,
Gen. Atkinson having 1880 men, and
Black Hawk about 200. July 81, about
Black Hawk was oyertaken on ;
the Wisconsin river, and and from sixteen
10 forty of his band were killed. He claims
hat he had only forty braves in this ac-
ion, the rest being engaged in caring for
he safety OF the women. Part undertook {
o escape on raft down the Wisconsin,
,ut nearly all persisted. The chief and the
est, who had no chance with the RATS.
hen fed through the wooded bluffs that ,
he line the Kickapoo. and reached the :
at the mouth of the Bad axe, {
'early opposite Lansing Aug. /, several
It the party having died of starvation on :
ne way Here he raised white flag to '
he steamboat Warrior, which was wood !
NC up and on the lookout for the band !
The captain says he called to the Indians y
o send a boat which was refused. He q
rated few minutes and fired a six +
FOUNDER, the firing. lasting an hour. The b
aptain reported thirty-six Indians killed, g
he next morning. before he could get Z
ack ON account of the fog, Atkinson's n
Orces were on the fugitives and in three h
ours Black Hawks resistance was over IT,
is loss being $50 killed, and nearly all
ne women and children prisoners. 1t was
slaughter pen. Black Hawk escaped, !,
ut was soon after brought in by DEBORAH. {
Tho, the old authorities say, was a Sioux. !
1t might be interesting to follow Black =
Iawks career further. but space does !,
OF allow. The old man. broken in spirit +
y his defeat and CALLED By the ascend y
lcy of Keokuk, spent the winter of n