Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-12-02
TWO FAMOUS CHARACTERS.
An In eresting "Reminiscences of Jtf
Davis and the Indian Chief Black

An In eresting "Reminiscences of Jtf
Davis and the Indian Chief Black
Hawk.
Along in 1928 or 1880, and for years
afterward. First Lieutenant jefferson
Davis, later president OF the confederacy,
was stationed at Fort Crawford. near
Burlington. Concerning the last time
that he saw jeff. who had old Chief Black
Hawk in irons under his charge, William
B. Sweet writes letter to the Baltimore
Herald which will be interesting reading
for residents on the banks OF the Father
of Waters. In part Mr. Sweet says:
JEFF was sweet on the colonel's daugh.
ter, Miss Knox Taylor, and she recipro>
Gated his affection. But her father was
very much opposed to the young lieuten-
ants attentions and would not permit b. m
to call at his residence. But, OF course,
that only tended to intensity their affec
ton and did not prevent them from see
ing great deal of each other. Miss Tay-
lor would come over to our house of
evenings and frequently she would stay
all night. She and my sister Mary, who
later became Mrs. Wilson, were great
friends. jeff would come to our house
elso. ostensibly to see Mary, but the young
folks knew more about whom he came to
see than did the old folks. There is an
old story that JEFF and Miss Knox eloped
at Prairie do CHEN. That is incorrect.
Colonel Taylor managed after several
years to get the Objectionable lieutenant
transferred TO other service. and so he
could not be in the young lqdys company.
But that did not break up the match, for
years afterwsrd they were married at the
home OF her Uncle Dick. in Kentucky.
Yet Colonel Taylor would not give his
tend the ceremony.
after the Black Hawk war. My father
had captured the old chief aud the
prophet. together with about 40 other in.
surgent Indians who had fed TO the Wins
nebsgo country Ga order of Gen.
Scott and Gov. Joe Reynolds. my father
proceeded to Rock Island with his prisons
ers, where the treaty with the Sax and
Fox Indians was consulnsted. The Jour
ney was made ty boat, of course. Col
Ts5l or took this opportunity to get rid
of JEFF, and ordered him to accompany
my father, together with a accompany of
troups. l drove my father over to the
landing from our residence, and hitched
the horse and followed my father down
to the river bank. On the upper deck
the Indians were squstied about, morose
and silent. Guarding them were the
soldiers, under command of jeff. who
strobe about them looking as mad as q
thunder cloud
Upon my fathers appearance old
Black Hawk came to him and held out
his hands. A solid bar of iron had been
bent about both wrists and riveted. The
iron was chsfing his wrists and he exhib
tied the sores to my father, who ordered
the blacksmith to come up from below
and remove the shsckles With some
what of vexed air JEFF said to my father.
General, do you think it safe to release
the prisoner" Turning around and
drawing himself up to his fullest height,
my father remarked, hold myself per,
sonally responsible for the safety and
good conduct of this man" Just as you
say general responded the lieutenant
Then the bell rang aud the boat pulled
out for Rock Island. That was the last
time / ever saw JEFF Davis"