Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1898-08-10

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on our right and left. We made gen
eral charge. Indians lay in grass. We
lost one man killed. Don't know num-
Der of Indians killed. No women and
children there. Drove them to Wiscon-
sin river bluffs. 1t was getting dusk.
We found many dead Sacs on the trail
to 2sI Ak. Thought we killed 40. 1t
is claimed Black Hawk wanted to sur
render. 1t is true. Poquette, our in
terpreter had gone. Black Hawk talk
ed loud aud shrill in Winnebag,. No
white flag. 1t was at night. Later he
left and crossed Wisconsin river and
came here. We crossed the river, fol-
lowed it up, and struck Indian trail.
Followed them four days, found many
dead. All we found dead had been
wounded. We had no baggage; no
cannon. Had rifles. When we gos out
of the timber we were at Soldiers Grove.
Nice stream; pine trees. Stayed there
from 8 a. NJ. to p. m. Filled our
horses, saddled and started. At IL
miles from here we struck bluffs and
stopped. 1t is reported there was an
Indian found there. Yes, an old man
that could not rise; could talk English.
Dickson talked with him. He was
friendly; tod where was water. The
query was what wss best to do: leave
| him to starve or kill him. We decided
it better to kill him. Shot him. THAT
was no doubt done near the pond one
mile northeast of Retreat, and 8 miles
from Battle Island, where the Sacs en-
camped &C. V. P Encamped. Started
at sunrise On Aug. 2, 1882. Followed
| line of march made at Wisconsin liver.
Dodge, regulars, Henry, Posy and Alex
auder in the rear. Posy's aud Alexan-
der's brigades never got here. We
started at sunrise with 20 spies ahead.
First 3 or miles on trail, spies struck
rear guard of the enemy, which bore
northward. A tight ensued; heavy fire
kept up. We left our horses. Spies
and Indian outrosts we're on horses.
We hurried to protect spice, who had
orders to fight Indians till we came up
Dodge knew Dickson would do it. The
fight was between 20 spies and 90
Indians, estimated from go to 90 Capt,
Dickson in VOL 5, history, says, "There
were about 40 Indians in this outpost,
and IA were killed." LIE Grant Sterling
saw II skeletons on the spot in 1916
&C v. The spies killed 10 Indians
before we got to the river We used
| flint lock muskets and ounce balls, and
3 buck shot. We lost one man, Haines,
shot through the back, but he lived
We followed the spies. We got a. ead
of the regulars. We supported our
spies. Atkinson sent Dodge an order to
stop. We obeyed. Dodge was roaring
mad. The regulars came; we we're on
the run. Ran half mile. An order
came to hold OF, and not break ranks
Dodge said, "Iell Atkinson I'll not
obey his order" We cheered and rushed
on. We had old men with us. 1t was
tremendous hot day. We heard a
man talking loud and plain on the bluff
l. was Black Hawk delivering lecture
to his people. Then IA Indians rode
off up the river. Dickson sent spies
TO watch them. With 10 men Dicks m
continued the chase, depending on the
army for support. Black Hawk was a
mean man and coward He brought
on the war He would have it. 1t did
come IF. He knew his men was liable
to ba killed. Should have stayed with
them. He pretended to go to the Win
abagoes, but they were with him and
aided hlrl all they could Our epies
got to the river and fired. Only Rtten
house was left standing. Indians had
shot down the rest. We rushed past
them and did not stop to see to their
injuries for we were after Indians They
went I Of a mile below here. Abadiah
Rittennouse, spy, had ball through
4 his whiskers and one through the rim
If his hat. He was dazad aud wild
after that. 4 squaw with child on her
back was near him He said, "See me
kill that d-n squaw." He killed the
squaw and the bullet broke the child's
arm. When we came up the child was
gnawing horse bone. On an acre of
ground on this island. ponies were tied
all over it and goods and old Indians
were placed there. We passed by and
did not modest them. After the battle
we took them aud baggage to Rock Is
land. Three equaws were shot on that
raca; they were naked. Oue woman we
took on the boat ard cared for. Another
woman crawled under the bank aud
buried herself in the sand. The first
one told where the other was, after she
saw we would not kill her, srd we got
her from the bank I'VE have been
accused OF inhumanity to those Indians
1t is as false as hell, we never did it
With Henry's men we killed in three
fourths of mile, 80 Indians. We lost
three men. Indians were thick there.
We pursued. They shot to high We
found bullets thirty feet high in trees
Ii they had fred low they would have
killed many. Tuere we're three willow
bars out there. carnot find them
now There Dodge stopped and waited
for regulars. Thirty yards ahead was
another pond of water. We fred at the
smoke We saw. Dodge was behind us
and mad; he cursed the regulars for be-
Jog so d ID slow. We killed Indians
without seeing them. We lost five or
six of our men. Zachary Tay Tor at last
came; made a speech aud ordered us to
charge. Was heavy fighting there
Squsws came to US holding up their
arms. We pushed them back and killed
none of them We killed everything
that didn't surrender. Those not k He'd
got 10 the river. Henry's men were be.
low on island and killed those who
hoated down. 10 this battle the whites
lost 80 men killed and wounded. Sur
geons operated on them. Men stood it
maufuly No ether used then. Iodian
horses s, for five or six dollars
Steamboat warrior cane up after battle
was over. [ was soldier iu the ranks
| had brother in this fight, who had a
fight with two Indians. Dodge 10 the
morning early ordered Captain Hoard
aud forty of US TO make report of dead
and wounded Hoard made report
AboGt then dinner was ready; ate in
messes. After dinner my brother and
nj other soldier went over the field
| Started down lower end of this island.
where Heury's men had been They
saw full sack sitting on log 10 water.
My brother stepped on log and over
it saw two Indians. He fred at one
aod put hole through him The other,
an old Indian, jumped up and hollered
! Wob. Hollippar fred al him and took