The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1932-04-15

and Feathers" or Mexican war and Civil war
fame, later candidate for the Presidency had
been ordered to the scene of the war" with
thousand regulars While en- route to Illinois
this army was attacked by the cholera and the
mortality from that disease was greater than
the total number killed and disabled by the In
dams during the entire war.
The dragged on throughout the summer
of 1882 without any very decisive result, except
that the superior forces of the whites gradually
began to wear down the Indians. Finally the
Indian leader suffered a crushing defeat at the
hands of an army commanded by Gen. James D.
Henry in a battle on the Wisconsin river, losing
6S warriors killed and many more wounded and
disabled.
Black Hawk now realized that the game was
up. With the remnants of his band he headed
for the Mississippi, hoping to escape from the
soldiers and find peace among his people al
ready settled in Iowa He reached the Missis-
sippi at the mouth of the Bad Axe river on
August l with his starving warriors and his
pitiful little band of women and children. Then
occurred an incident which is often spoken Of
naval engagement in an inland war"
While Black Hawk and his tribesmen were try
ing to cross the river in canoes and on RATS a
steamer the Warrior hove into sight. On board
was a detachment Of soldiers and one small
cannon. Black Hawk raised white flag to ask
for a parley. And again the flag of truce was
dishonered by the white man. The captain of
the Warrior asserted that he believed the flag
was only a decoy used by the willy Indians to
lure him into an ambush. So he ordered the
cannon to be numbered and It began
Smelling the Indian camp. As a result %
Indians were killed outright and many others
were wounded. Black Hawks warriors were try
ing to surrender and they were so astonished at
this unexpected attack that they fired only
few shots in return. one of which wounded one
man on board the Warrior
The following day the pursuing troops under
General Atkinson which were Joined by a de-
tachment of regulars under Col Zachary Taylor
0ater the "Old Rough and Ready" Of the Mex
lean war and President of the United States)
and an army Of Wisconsin volunteers came up
and attacked Black Hawks camp The end is
not pleasant reading. for it was an Indian mass
sacre-but contrary to the popular idea of that,
1t was massacre of Indians by white men.
The weakened Indians were no match for the
whites. Finding that their attempts to surrender
were useless they resolved to sell their lives as
dearly as possible. So they put up desperate
resistance but were driven at the point of the
bayonet into the river. Indian women with
children clnging to them plunged into the river
only to be drowned or shot down by sharp
shooters on the banks. The Warrior returning
from Prairie du Chen. added to the carnage
by raking the shore with canister More than
80 Indians were killed or drowned and only
about 80 were taken prisoners Out of the 1000
who had left Iowa some four months earlier not
more than $50 lived to return to their reserva
ton.
Black Hawk and his chief warrior. Neapope
escaped to the north and sought refuge among
the Winnebagoes. A short time later he sur
rendered to General Street at Prairie du Chen
and was sent down the river to Jefferson Bar
racks. No.. as prisoner of war The man placed
In charge OF him was young lieutenant, the
son-in-aw of Colonel Taylor His name was
jefferson Davis and Of this man who later be-
came President of the Confederacy, Black Hawk
said He was a good and brave young chief
with whose conduct was much pleased and he
treated me with great kindness
After being imprisoned in Fortress Monroe
Va. for short time Black Hawk was allowed
TO return to the Sank and Fox reservation in
Iowa. There he died on October g. 1898 and
there he was buried in accordance with the Gus
toms of his people. So Black Hawk slept in
peace at last but not in the soil which he loved
so well-that of the beautiful Rock river country
In northern Illinois. But his spirit broods over
that land in the form of giant concrete statue
of an Indian the work of dorado Taft which
stands on a high bluff near Oregon. Ill. over.
looking the Rock river. Although it is commonly
referred to as the Black Hawk statue" the
sculptor has repeatedly said that it is intended
TO symbolic the indiana spirit unconouerea
while still the conquered race" Even so, IT ma.
appropriately be memorial TO Black Hawk q
the Sank and Foxes, for his was such a spirit
&C by Western Newspaper Union,