Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1898-08-31
DEFENSE OF BLACK HAWK.
Notes of Lecture Given by r. G. Thwaites
of the state Historical Association at
Bad Ak Battle Ground on the Goth
Anniversary of the Battle.

Notes of Lecture Given by r. G. Thwaites
of the State Historical Association at
Bad Ak Battle Ground on the Goth
Anniversary OF the Battle.
1--WE have been exceedingly fortunate
in teing privileged to listen on the very
place, where tie battle of the Bad AK
was fought, to man who Sc years ago
today, participated in the engagement
here. 1t ia remarkable that we are per-
mitted to listen to soldier, who fought
here almost two thirds OF a century ago,
and a remarkable fact that man in the
battle here is permitted to return here
after SO long time, in robust health
and in the full vigor of his faculties to
tell the story of the part he took in the
great Black Hawk war. Remove a great
event &c years, and you have elements
of doubt and distortion, which the his
torian student cannot take into account.
Approaching the subject without preiu-
dice | have arrived at conclusions far
different from those of the gentleman
who lectuIed to us this forenoon. As
much as L respect the man, l must
differ with him regarding the treatment
of tie Indians by the white soldiers.
The Black Hawk war was a tradegy
with all the elements of such a drama as
Shakespeare would have portrayed.
10 1882 our nation was ripe for W ar;
we had not had war for some years.
Then, the white settlements in Wiscon-
sin were comprised in those at Green
Bay, Prairie du CHIN, Butte des Morris
and on Lake Superior. All else was
wilderness. Southern Illinois had
largely settled up. In 1904 great
cession was made by Sass of fifty mil
lions acres to whites, for an annuity of
81, 200. Lead had been discovered in
Illinois. There was clause in treaty
with Sacs that they we're to remain on
the land coded as long as this was not
public land This was the bottom of
all the trouble. An Indian making
treaty thinks of land transfer quite
differently from white man. Indian
makea treaty for temporary purposes.
TO "touch the quill" the Indian did not
think he was ceding his territory for
ever. He only thought OF temporary
arrangement. Indians have peculiar
veneration garding the bones
of their ancestors; these they re.
gard with more generation than the
whites. Rock River village was lovely
place. The principal man in that vii.
tage was Black Hawk. He was head
man, but not q chief Keokuk was
natural chiaf lint had ran,ova1 Prov, +bo
village, hence the Rock Island village
had no chief Black Hawk was some
thing OF demagogue. He was super
stltious, but never dishonest He was
easily dipped and over confident His
band was called the British band, be-
cause in the 1912 war he aided the
English Why should he not fight
against the Americans in Il at war?
The French were tia best friends f the
Indian. The British were in control
here in 1912. They sent traders among
the Indians who supplied them with
arms and ammunition. The Sacs made
annual begging tours to Detroit and
Maiden. The white men on the frontier
we're of all sorts. here we're some Of
the noblest and some of the worst men
Black Hawk fought with Tecumseh,
when that chief fell at the battle of the
Thames. He returned home to Rock
Island to find an aged friend he had left
there fatally il jured by band of white
ruffians. He went on the war path in
consequence and buried the Ratchet
only in May 1916 He hated the Ameri
cans. They brought him naught but
evil. In 1928 some squatters gave him
a cruel and causeless beating, which he
treasured up against the whole Ameri
can people. That year the squatters
took possession of his fields, yet unsur
veyed by government Indian corn
| fie DIS were fenced in by them, and
eGnaws and children whipped for vent
urug beyond the bounds set. Lodges
were burned over the heads of their
occupants. Black Hawk demonstrated
to the white authorities but in vain.
Au Indian is not a rat. He is human
being. We broke the letters of be-
nighted race many degrees lower thar
Black Hawk We today wage war of
humanity to save people not whit
! higher than was that chief. The Sacs
w-re forbaaring and surprisingly so
For ten years they stood ali the insults
heaped upon them by the squatters.
Keokuk hated Black Hawk and vice
v4rsa. The British, Potawattomies and
other Indians encouraged him. More
and more iosults we're h. aped upon him
| by equs tiers. He was beaten and his
gun spoiled by them. His squaws were
beaten. The squatter said you can no
longer live here" Black Hawk said he
would stay. Gov. Reynolds called out
1900 volunteers and forced the Hawk
to cross the river He touched the
quill saying he would stay over 1t
was too late to raise Corr and beans
I'D they suffered much for the actual
necessaries of life. So during the win
ter of 1881 2 his bard lived on charity
In the spring of 1882 came the ennis
saries of the British and Indians, to stir
up trouble. Nahpope and the Prophet
advised him. He crossed the river and
went to the Prophets village His ex-
pecte d help came not. Then he thought
best to surrender. Troops were called
for and forts built. The chief was will
ing to go back but sent defiant mes
seges.
In Dodge's Rangers our honored
speaker of today enlisted. This was
the most romantic corps of the whole
war. There were many cruel and un
necessary things done in this war.
After the fight at Wisconsin Heights
some Sac Indians we're escaping down
the Wisconsin on their way west of the
Mississippi They were killed by
soldiers sent from Prairie du CHEN and
by Menomonees under Col. StambauSh,
who massacred them. They were shot
down like so many squirrels. On the
march to this spot the Indians were
star wing and lived on roots, barks and
starved horse flesh. They left their
dead every few miles. Here Black
Hawk, sc years ago yesterday, when
the steamboat warrior" came to
this point, came to the waters edge with
white flag which the whites saw.
Some Winnebagoes on board told the
whites the old chief wanted to surren der.
In reply to bis flag of truce three charges
of canister were sent among the Iodians
Next day they were shot down as so
MANY rats bv the Warrior and soldiers,