Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-05-10

lands so long as the lands we're not
sold. Black Hawk was not present
when this treaty was signed, and ne
always claimed that it was not bind
ing because the Indians were not
properly represented, and those VINO
signed il did not know what they were
signing. 1t was the complete dis.
regard. on the part Of Americans, Oh
tha terms of the treaty, as the Indians
interpreted it, that finally led up to
the Black Hawk war.
! Activity Of Indians.
| During the next few years the Brit
ish were very active among the In
dams. with fiattery and protestations
of friendship. and it was but natural
that at the outbreak OF the war OF
| 1872 the red men should JON them'
continued the speaker. Lieutenant
Pike. on his return from his eXpedl-
ton up the Mississippi. had suggested
in his report the adyiSabillty and need
of establishing a fort somewhere IN
this vicinity, and the several acts OF
open hostility by the British band,
planned and executed from Black
Hawks village during this war OF lel2
but emphasized the necessity OF Tort
at this point The first of these acts
was the attack in May, 1872, upon
Governor Clark and his company Of
about 200 regulars and volunteers as
they passed the mouth of Rock river
on their way to Prairie du Chen to
build fort. Again, in July, 1914, they
ambushed and nearly destroyed the
expedition consisting of about 1870 SOL
diers and others sent out under com
mand of Captain John Campbell to
strengthen the garrison at Prairie du
Chen. This battle, which gave the
name to Campbell's island, a few miles
above Rock island, cost the Americans
| SO wounded and killed After this dis
aster and the return of the survivors
to st. Louis, large expedition was
| fitted out, the object of which was to
punish the Indians at Rock island and
| to establish fort here. The detach-
ment, which consisted of 334 officers
and men, was under the command of
General Zachary Taylor, afterward
president of the United States. They
found, upon arrival at Rock river, a
combined force of British and Indians
outnumbering their own more than
three to one and having six pieces of
artillery.
Battle OF Willow Island.
"Taylor's men were forced into a
sharp battle at Willow island, about a
mile above the mouth of Rock river,
and II of his men were wounded, and
so, realizing that it would be most i'm
prudent and improper to try to attack
such superior forces, he ordered the
whole expedition to descend the river
to the site where Warsaw now stands,
and where Fort Edwards was after
ward built. Three months later peace
was concluded and there were no fur
Their acts of hostility to amount to
anything. However, there was a feel
ing generally prevalent that it would
be wise in time of peace to prepare
for war which goes to show that the
present agitation about preparedness
is not new idea with us, for we adj
vocated preparedness hundred years
ago and sent an expedition up the
river from St Louis to establish a
fort on or near Rock island. The OBJ
ject of the expedition, as stated by
Colonel Flagler, from whose History
Of Rock Island Arsenal | have taken
the greater part of the material for
this paper, was to occupy the cOun-
try at the mouth of Rock river, guard
against encroachments by the British
protect anticipated settlers, control
the Sac and Fox tribes and open and
protect line of communication via
the river to Prairie du Chen and other
posts which were to be established
further up the river The expedi-
ton, which consisted of the Eighth
United States infantry, under COM
mand of Colonel R. c. Nichols, left
st. Louis in September, 1915, and got
as far as the mouth of the Des Moines
river, where they were compelled to
go into winter quarters on account OF
the closing Of the river in November
In the following April, 1916, General
Thomas A. Smith, colonel of the rife
regiment, arrived at this camp with
his regiment and took command of the
expedition in place of Colonel Mich
OILS, who had been arrested and sent tc
Nashville. They proceeded up the
May, and after examining the country
in the vicinity of Rock river, decided
upon the foot or west end of Rock is
land as the site for the new fort, and
landed the first troops, about 500 in
all. on this island one hundred years
ago today. These facts which l have
thus far outlined as briefly as posi-
BILE were the main causes, remote and
immediate, direct and indirect, thai
built the fort. Immediately after go
ing into camp on Rock island the sol
diers began to cut timber for build
ing storehouses. They first construct
. ed barricades for protection from the
Indians and then proceeded with the
fort.
Fort Is Built.
ION the day following the landine
Of the troops General Smith sent wore
to the Indians to meet him in coun.
Gil, but this they refused to do. Gen
: eral Smith remained only a short time
and then proceeded on up the river tt
reoccupy the fort at Prairie du Chen
leaving Colonel W. Lawrence with thu
Eighth infantry to build the fort The
t fort, which was called Fort Arm
t strong in honor of the then secre
t tary Of war, is described as beinl
5 placed in the extreme northwest cor
ner of the island. At the north, cas-
4 and south angles of the enclosure
2 which was 270 feet square, blocl
5 houses were built, the north and south
| ones being % feet and the east one 81
t feet square, and these were furnished
Y with cannon. The north block hous,
f stood 70 feet east of the present loca
: ton of the island end of the bridge
5 the east one almost where the frs
f arsenal storehouse ION which is til,