Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1898-08-10
ON THE OLD BATTLE GROUND
Anniversary OF the Big Battle With Old
Black Hawk-Thc Celebration Great
Success Barring Bad weather-Story OF
the war by Participant.

/ success Barring Bad weather-Story OF
the war by a Participant.
The celebration of the sixty sixth an
niversary of the battle of the Bad AK,
was an sffalr long TO be remembered. 1t
would have been the greatest event in
the county's history but for unfavorable,
weather. Viroqua and this section con,
tributed large delegation. The events
are SO well covered by DR.. Porter's notes
that the CENSOR will not attempt any
additional facts:
EDITOR CENsoR:-As arranged previ-
ously, our party arrived az Soldiers
Grove, the evening of July 30. ancamped
among the historic pines, which gave
the early name to that prosperous vii
| lage, and there met Secretary Thwaites,
of the State Historical society, who
spoke in Opera hall TO good audience
on pioneer life and the Black Hawk war
Sunday morning we started over the
Black Hawk troll, as nearly as possible,
| for Rising Sun. We were accompanied
by sew, raj carriages and reached Rising
Sun just as the rain poured down. We
drove on to the knoll east of the Wilder
log tavern, where / feel very confident
Black Hawk encamped, because of the
quantity of bones found there, and
erected our tent. Mr.. w. s Manning
and wife, Mr.. and Mrs. Baker and Mrs
@. W. Baker, the pioneer settler at the
"Pinee" were with us. Mr.. Manning
is an expert at setting up tent and we
were quickly under shelter. We had a
most enjoyable time that rainy after.
noon and read rare books, strictly in
line with our work, which Mr.. Tbwaites
had brought along, such as Black Hawks
autobiography, Wakefeld's history of
the Sac war, etc At night our friends
returned home and we prepared to spend
the night there. With itessrs. r s.
De La Mater and Wilkinson we visited
the spring near the log tavern, where
we're found two skeletons in 1852 Dur
ing the night we dreamed of the 400
starving, disheartened Wretches, whose
trail, strewn with their deadly we're fol-
lowing.
Monday noon found us at the south
west quarter of section 2, mile north
east of Retreat, where the cd chief
camped July 81, 1882. The pond that
afforded him water is filled up At this
spot Mr.. Townsend says the whites
killed an old Indian from humane mo.
tives as he could not travel We dined
In DR.. Beams yard through which the
trail runs. In section 36, in Wheatlapd,
stands on Mr.. Coleman's farm log
house, the logs set upright. Very near
that place Capt Dickson's spies killed
Ia of the Indian outpost. We visited
the spot. Arrived at Battle Island Mon
day afternoon. Secretary Thwaites soon
had the tent up and things in order.
| Oar ladies found him an excellent cook
and was anxious to aid in every way to
make our trip pleasant. Born in Bos-
ton, educated at Yale, an accomplished
| linguist, author, traveller, botanist,
one finds him a most agreeable com
panion. In the evening we rode up
Battle Hollow and learned from Mr.
Wallar that on the southeast quarter of
section 3, he found pile OF old shoes
and many bullets. There some of the
severest fighting took place up three
| fourths of mile from the river Next
morning, on invitation of F. M CrofuIt.
who hes made road to "Battle Bluff"
Col. Butt, Mr.. Thwaites and myself
visited that spot and were well repaid
for SO doing. I s elevation above sea
level is 1.139 feet; latitude 43 81; lopgi-
tude 81 AZ Returning we found the
grounds on the island covered with
teams and people. At 10 o'clock, Hon
H S. Townsend. of Stockton, Illinois,
related his experience 10 the Black Hawk
war. He was one Of Dodge's mounted
volunteers He is large, fine looking
mar, looks younger than he is, and his
address was listened to with much inter
est. Just as he closed the rain began
to fall and hundreds of people left for
their homes The twenty or thirty
tents were crowded. Eli Sinister gave R
talk on ol1en times. The eat occupied
by Messrs Nichols, Dawson, Rogers
al d others WAS the auditorium, where
was carried out an interesting program
Martin LOTUS two grand children re-
| CibOOs Oupt. 4NlCnOlSs NtcU. ltORciS,
Sec'y Thwaites and others made inter
esting short speeches, and there, later,
Secretary Thwaites gave his lecture on
the 'Black Hawk War" 1t was listened
to by small but highly appreciative
audience. Packed into the little tent,
the lecturer took all the time be wanted,
and gave q graphic account of the
causes of that war.
Some Of us propose establishing on
this SAND Badax Battle Island Assem-
bly, ground, where annually we can go
and devote the first eight days of Au
gust to historical, literary and religious
work; but if we succeed in our under
taking far beyond our expectations, we
can have no exercises more appropriate
or impressive than the two addresses
delivered on the famous battlefield on
the Goth anniversary Of the slaughter
of hundreds of human lives here.
c. v.P.