Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-06-16
IN BLACK HAWK DAYS.
Col. A. q. Bracket Writes an Interesting
Letter Concerning Them.

Letter Concerning Them.
Col. A. q. Bracket has written an
interesting letter to the National
Tribune at Washington, of reminis-
cences of the period when Rlack Hawk
reigned in this vicinity. 1t contains
much of local interest of course. and
is as follows:
Between the Mississippi and the
mouth of the Rock river there is a
fine body of land, where the Sank In
dams had village for $50 years be-
fore 1882. 1t was at or near this viii
lage that Black Hawk was born in
1867. The houses were made of bark;
were comfortable enough, and near
them were large fields where the red
men raised corn. beans, pumpkins
and squashes. Likewise, not far off,
were the grounds where the savages
had their games and foot races, which
were exciting enough, and at times
the young officers from Fort Arm
strong participated in them.
The fort was built at an early day
in the Indian country, and stood on
an island in the Mississippi river,
about three miles from the Sank vii
lage. The Indians and the officers of
the fort frequently visited one anoth-
err, and there was great friendship
between them.
AS a nation the Indians were called
Sauks and Foxes, and appeared as
one tribe. If they ever had been sep
arate it was years and years ago, and
all traces of it were now lost. This
was one of the most considerable In
dian villages in Illinois, and pos
se.sed great deal of influence.
Remarkable Beauty of Scenery.
The scenery on the Mississippi at
this place is of remarkable beauty,
while near the Indian village. on the
bluffs of Rock river, is an eminence
called Black Hawks Watch Tower.
which overlooks an immense extent
of country. 1t is said that the chief
frequently spent many days here.
watching the arrival and departure
of friends and enemies. 1t was to
him very important point, and filled
with many memories.
At the age of ID Black Hawk was
admitted to the rank of a brave, hav-
| ing wounded an enemy; afterwards
he killed brave and took part in a
ploits against the Osages made him a
| famous warrior. He took part
against the Americans in the war of
1912, and was the associate of Col
Mckee. Col. Dixon and Simon Girty.
doing a great deal of damage. Upon
| his return. to his home in 1916 he did
not at all relish the building of the
| fort on Rock Island by the Americans,
| though he afterwards became friend
Nv. He was the leader among the
Sauks and Foxes of what was known
as the british Band which for a
long time kept pits existence among
| the Indians of the west. The young
men did not take kindly to his lead
| ership, as they were not slow in dis
covering the growing power of the
| Americans. He had been arrested in
1923 for supposed completely in at
| lacking some boats manned by whites
in 1927 Then, in 1882, while he was
out hunting, he was attacked by some
white men and badly beaten.
In July, 1880, Keokuk and others
of his tribe had sold their lands ly-
ing east of the Mississippi to the
| whites, and agreed to move west.
This treaty was made at Prairie du
Chen. AS soon as Black Hawk heard
| of it he was very angry and refused
to leave his land. Having crossed to
the west side of the Mississippi he
| recrossed the river in 1881. and he
and his people took possession OF
| their old cornfields, then occupied by
the whites. The militia was called
| out in May, 1881, and the regulars
| brought from ST. Louis, and a treaty
was made with Black Hawk and his
branch on the 3Oth of June. 1881.
In the spring of 1882 hostilities
| commenced between Black Hawk and
| the whites, and the BLACK Hawk
war; followed. In this war the
most notable events were the defeat
of about 200 Illinois troops under
Mai. Stillman. by band of Sank In
dams under Black Hawk, at a place
| about so miles from Dixon, on Rock
/ river. on the 14th of May; the attack
| on Pickatonica, where the Indians
| were defeated by the whites under
| Col. Henry Dodge, June 15;- the two
| skirmishes near Kellogg's Grove,
June 16, the whites being under Capt.
A. NJ. Snyder, of the Ottawa volun-
| teers, the skirmish near Galena June
| IS; the Indian assault on the post at
| Kellogg's Grove, where Maj. John
Dement, was in command, on the oath
of June; the fight at the Blue mounds
July 81, where Col. Dodge and Gen.
Henry led the white troops; the de-
Tense of the steamer Warrior, Aug.
p. by Lieut.. Kingsbury, and finally
the battle of Bad Axe, near the Mis-
sissippi river, Aug. ?, where the In
dams were totally defeated, with a
loss of $50 killed and 40 women and
children taken prisoners.