Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-06-18
TELLS OF BATTLE
Story of Struggle at campbelI's
Island in 1914 Related
to Press Club.
ENTERTAINED AT NEW RESORT
Some Details of Most SanRuinaTy
Fight on Upper River in
War Of 1912.

Tri-City Press club members were
entertained last evening at the House
in the Woods, as the pavilion on
Campbelrs island has been named. at
dinner. They enjoyed a ride to and
from the newly equipped resort on the
interurban cars of the Mississippi
Valley Traction company, which also
owns the island, and were given an
opportunity to see what has been done
at the resort TO improve upon the
striking natural fitness of the island
as a place for a summer outing.
AT Z an appetizing dinner was
served by Manager Linn. After its dis
posal brief address was made by
Secretary p. F. Peek, of the Traction
company Mr.. Peek ended by intro
ducing w. A. Meese, who read an his
torical sketch that he had prepared
covering the tragic story that led to
the naming of Campbells island.
Mr.. Meese's effort without question
presented more of the details of this
event than have ever been given prev
iously by any one person. He has
spent much time in his researches and
is not yet finished. Later, when he is
satisfied that he has exhausted the
subject, he intends publishing the
story in full.
Mr.. Meese in the beginning took his
hearers back to the exploration and
early settlement of this portion of
what was then the far northwest by
the French. Later. after the British
ho Af do
succeeded to the power and influence
over the Indians of the French in the
interior and utilized them against the
Americans in the war of 1912. Dur
ing this struggle the strategetic point
on the upper river was Prairie du
Chen, where the British held fort
Practically all the fighting on the up
per river was done over the possession
OK this fort and it was in this connec-
ton that the battle at Campbel's isl
and took place, this being the most
sanguinary conflict in the far north
west during that war.
Was Relief Expedition.
Nearly everybody in this part of the
state knows about the fight or massa-
ere at Campbell's island in a general
way but few have a correct idea OF
any of the details.
II took place July 10, 1914. Prairie
du Chen had been captured by the
United States troops under Gen. How
ard operating from ST Louis as a base
and the expedition under the COM
mand of Gen. Campbell was sent up
the river for the relief of the garri-
son. At the mouth of Rock river a
party of Sac and Fox Indians under
the leadership of Black Hawk met the
party and pretended to be friendly to-
ward them. A conference was held
with the savages at Rock Island the
18th and Black Hawk agreed to begin
hostilities against the British. a prom
Use that he had previously made and
failed to fulfill. During the night.
however, runners arrived from the
north telling the Indians that Prairie
du Chen had been again taken by the
British and Black Hawk Immediately
decided to begin war upon the Amer
lean expedition that was then at Rock
Island. Concealing the news of the
fate of the fort from the Americans
he awaited till they had departed on
their way northward and then follow
ed, overtaking them in the early
morning of the 18th at Campbell's
island.
Gen. Campbell had three boats and
something less than 100 men. The
boats were then termed gunboats.
They were the ordinary keel boats
used on the river before the advent
of steam with a cabin and sail and
each was provided with one or more
small cannon. The main dependence
in travelling was placed upon oars and
pike poles with which the craft were
'poled" along in the shallower water
near shore by men walking along a
gangway on each side.
Were Preparing Breakfast.
The Americans in CampbelTs boat
had been forced to land at the island
now called Campbell's by a storm and
were engaged in preparing breakfast
when the Indians, who numbered
about 400, attacked them. The other
two boats were some distance up the
river at the time and although they
at once put back to the rescue, the
most of the damage had been done
before they were able to reach the
scene of the carnage. The Americans
were greatly handicapped through the
difficulty in handling their boats in the
strong wind and they were rapidly
picked off by the savages concealed
in the high grass and underbrush
along the shore. Lieut.. Riggs, who
one of the other boats,
came TO the rescue of Gen. Campbell
and with much difficulty succeeded in