Ogle County, Illinois - Chapter 9, 1859

In the spring of the year 1825, a Mr. Kellogg started from Peoria for the Upper Mississippi Lead Mines. Crossing Rock River a few miles above the present locality of Dixon, he passed up through the prairie lying between Polo and Mount Morris, touched the western part of West Grove, and continued northward to Galena. Th« way thus being opened; seve- ral others, during the summer and fall of the same year, some with teams, more on fofet, all ''camping out," passed -over the route traveled by Kellogg, and thus was made what i:i those early days was called "Kellog'g's Trail."

The method of crossiiic: Rock River without bridge or ferry was very simple. The Wiimebagoes and other Indians who were very numerous in this vicinit_y at the time, were thickly settled along the banks of the river, and were easily induced to assist the whites. Two of their canoes, placed side by side, formed a ferry-boat, the two wheels of one side of the wagon being placed in the one, and the two wheels of the opposite side in the other; they were thus safely and easily transported. The horses were made to swim over the river^ and then all being safe on the opposite side, they were hitched up and proceeded on their way as before.

As "Kellogg's Trail" was somewhat circuitous, bearing too far east to be the nearest route, a Mr. John Boles, traveling across the country in the spring of 1826, left the beaten track some distance south of Rock River, crossed the river at Dixon, just above where the bridge of the I. C. R. R. is now placed, passed up through the country about a mile east of Polo, north, to White Oak Grove, a half a mile west of Foreston, thence through Crane's G-rove, and so on to Galena. This being much preferable to the old way, it immediately became the traveled route and was called " Boles' Trail " This trail was used exclusively for the three years following, and may still be plainly seen a few miles east of Polo on the prairiej In the season of 182G, the travel over the country was about double that of the I summer and f;iJi preceding. I Trnv 1 commencod again early in 1827. I In the month of March of this year, ; Elisha Doty, now a citizen of Polo, eaiiBe' |up from Dixon, attempted to cross the 1 river on the ice, but before he had pro- : ceeded far the ice began to give way, and ! he was obliged to give up the attempt. He says that while waiting on the bank, I just before starting on his return, about j two handled teams had collected there, I all on the way to Galena. We mentioo tion- this that a correct idea may be formt?d of the amount of travel to and fro through the country at this early period. Nor was this the only line of travel fro 11 Peoria and other southern settlements to GaltMia. The "Lew'ston TraiJ,"" upened tibnnS the time of the ''Kellogg Trail," psissed some distance west of our county, and crossed Rock River a little above Propliet'^ti.w 11, in Whiteside county.. Isaac Cha.iib;is, tiie first white inhabitant of Ogle cou ty, passing through the; country to Galena early in the summer,, was struck with the b auty of this particular vicinity, and determined to make. it his future home.

The place where Dixon now stands had become a fixed place foE travelers to crosa the river, and much ineonvenieuce was experienced in getting across, as the Indians were not always at hand, and it was unpleasant to be obliged to ford the river, which was often done, for at certain times the water ran se low that it could he done with safety. Mr. J. L. Begordis, of Peoria, resolved to build a ferry there. For this purpose he sent up a man, wha built a .shanty 8 by 10 on the bank, and lived there until Begordis sent up a carpenter to make the boat, who came a short time after. The carpenter, Mr. Doty, father of Mr. Elisha Doty of Polo, and his assistant, set vigorously at work, and it was not long until the boat was nearly half completed, when the Indians set fire to the boat, and informed them that they should not build a boat there, and told them to go to Pettria. This peremptory advice they concluded to accept with the best grace possible. Joe Ogie, a Frenchman, made the next attempt in the spring of 1828. He was an Indian interpreter, had married an Indian woman, and was himself almost an Indian from his long association with them, having adopted many of their social and domestic habits. The red men were somewhat better pleased with him, and concluded to let him remain.

John Ankeney caniefrom the southern part of Illinois in the spring of 1829, and made a claim at '' jVanusha," or Buffalo Grove, by marking some trees on Buffalo Creek, pear where the bridge on the "Galena Ptoad" was afterwards built. He liieri returned for his family, and while he was gouelsaacChainbers came down fruui Galena with his fa mily,and stopped atWhiteOak Grove - asmall patch of timber lying about a half a nile west of the village of Foreston - where he remained only a short time, j He was not exactly satisfied with this lo- (?ation, for he saw that in. this country \ timber land must be 'nore valuable than : prairie, because of its scarcity. He i tlierefore left that region and eame ten : 5 ' miles farther south to JS^aiiu^ha, one of the largest groves in the whole country. He proceeded to make arrangements for building a house about thirty rods above the old bridge, where was a good place to cross the creek; and he had in coutemphttion a plan to change the line of travel from the prairie and have it pass throuj^h the grove, where he would build a "hotel" for the reception of travelers. 'While engaged in these preliminaries, he was surprised by the appoaranee of Juhn Ankeny and family, who had come to ta]:>j possession of his claim. Mr. Ankeney was no less surprised to find his claim had beeu taken Dy }h\ Cliamber.-. The surprise was not exactly an agreeable one to either, altliough had either been so fortunate to liave had entire possession it would have been a long way to his nearest neighbor. This consideration, however, was a matter of no consequence to them, and 3Ir. Ankeney, in no agreeable mood, went about a huudred rods farther down the stream, where he proceeded to erect a "Public House," although there was but one road in the whole country, and that one was two miles distant.

The hotels of the West in those days vrore not exactly of tiie same description as many we Q-;\u boast of novr-a-days. If they had any "up stairs," it was only accessible by means of the stones that projected from the rudely constructed chimney - which ran from the fire-place to the top of ti;e house - or by pegs driven into the logs, and souietimes by a roug'i hidder made with an axe and pud auger. "Prairie bedsteads," too, were a proin'iicnt- feature of the age. A f,-iu- gle post was fastened to the floor, which was sometimes nothing more than the bare earth, without a carpet, about four feet from the wall ; holes were bored into the logo of the side of the house, and sticks driven into the holes and fastened to the post, and then there were side rails running from the post each way, one to OQe side of the house and the other to the other side, slats plaaed crosswise for cords and the bedsteads were completed. These beds were often so made that by placing one above another, one "bed post" would support twelve sleepers. If the family consisted of both sexes, curtains of deer-skin or like material were hung between the beds, or else the light was put out just before retiring; this was done by covering up, or throwing water on the fire in the fire-place, which was the only light that could be aiforded, for those were days of economy. Lights were found by striking flints and catching the spjirks on tinder.

Having erected their bouses, the nest business before Mr. Ankeney and Mr. Chambers, was to survey the dividing line between them. The other boundaries need not be formally fixed, for, if they chose, the one could have Rock River on the one side and the other the Mississippi on the opposite side. One clear starlight night, when the moon did not shine, and when there were no clouds floating across the sky, they went out together to the south side of the gro^e, and from a red-oak stump they started towards the North Star, hacking the trees which stood in their way, the marked trees being the line between them.

All things being ready, they went to Ogie's Ferry, and staked out each his road, the two lines of stakes running parallel, being at no place more than half a mile apart. Chambers' stakes of course ran by his house, and Mr. Ankeney's by his house. The lines intersected north of the grove, and the main line, after continuing a considerable distance, again intersected with the old "Boles' Trail." No difficulty was fjund in inducing travelers to take one of the two proposed roads, but the question was, which road should they take? Each at once set at work to make his own house the most attractive. Jealousy and rivalry arose between them, and were harbored as long as they lived so near together with such conflicting interests. Each used every means in his power to injure the custom of the other, by such acts as felling trees across the other's road, in many other equally irritating ways, which rendered it quite an unpleasant neighborhood.

Meanwhile Ogie and his wife were not without their share of domestic difficulties. As they had no neighbors near enough to quarrel with, they managed to stir up a quarrel between themselve» which resulted in the separation of the family, and Joe was left to run his boat and broil his broth alene.

Mrs. Ogie owned nearly one half of Paw Paw Grove, which was an Indian reservation, consequently, after their separation, she was regarded as a ^'rich icidow," and as rich widows are personally attractive, it was not long before she found an admirer in the person of Job Alcott, whom she married, and this couple sub-

Early in 1828, a Mr. Clemtlson procur d of the State Qommissioners .the contract for carrying the mail from Peoria to Galena, and he in turn gave the contract to Mr. John Dixon, from whom the town of Dixon took its name. Mr. Dixon's son commenced driving the stage early in the spring, before Ogie's ferry was in operation. He often experienced much difficulty in getting the Indians to ferrj^ him over the river, and was sometimes exposed to much danger in attempting to swim his team. Ogie had been running the ferry nearly two years; his -wife had forsaken him, and withal he was much disposed to change his course of life, when, on the 11th of April, 1830, Mr. Dixon came with his family from Peoria and bought out his ferry, &c., and took charge of it himself. The rates of ferriage were puch as to make it a profitable business, for instance: For a yoke of oxen and wagon, 75 cents j for a span of horses and wagon, 75 eents; for a twohorse pleasure wagon, $1- for a horse and gig, 50 cents. The annual income of a ferry at these rates, when we consider the immense amount of travel, mwst have beew very large.

At Burr Oak Grove, in the township of Erin, Stephenson county, Oliver W. Kellogg made a settlement in 1829. Here he remained until the spring following, when he removed to Jiuffalo Grove, where it seems Chambers was getting worsted in his competition with Ankeney, so that Kellogg and he were not long in making a trade. Chambers removed to a grove I about six miles farther North, which became known as "Chambers' Grove." Kellogg moved into the house Chambers I, ad occupied, and took up the old plan of hostilities with Ankeney.

One hour before the arrival of Mr. Kellogg at Buffalo Grove, Mr. Samuel lieed and family came. Mr. lieed proceeded to make a claim on the south side of the grove, where he lived until liis death, vrhich was in August of 1852. It was in May that Kellogg and Reed settled here. In June of the same year, Messrs. Bush and Brooky,from Kent cky, settled on the farm which is now owued by D. B. Moffat on the north side of the - grove.

In those early days a road or track through the country was quite as iuiportant as the railroad is now - indeed they were far more scarce; so, the road from Peoria to Galena became well-kni,',yn, and settlers took up their abode at jnvenient places along its line. In I Sol, there was a settler at LaSalle piai)ie, about fifteen miles north of Peoria. -John Boyd lived about twenty miles abjvo La Salle Prairie, at whal is now k!;o"n a.s Boyd's Grove. A Frenchman, iri'ose name was Bullbony, lived about eight miles farther north. Henry Thom.-is lived at the head of Bureau Timber,t"welve liiiles from Boyd's Grove. The next settler was Joseph Smith, who lived at a grove which was called "Dad Joe's Grovf"" in honor of this early settler; this is nineteen miles south of Dixon. Dixon w:is the next, then Buffalo Grove. Jir. Crane, who fvfterwsrds moved to Crane's Giove, lived at Cherry Grove. BIr. John Flack

]ived on Hush Creek, and the nest settJer north of Buck Creek was John Winters, on Apple River, where Elizabeth now stands. Mr. Winters afterwards moved to Buffalo G-rove. North of Apple River, towards Galena, there were only two or three miners' huts. One of these belonged to William Durley, who was afterwards shot by the Indians in Buffalo Grove.

During this time, every settlement in the country had been made in the midst of Indians. The Winnebagoes had not yGt left the country, and the Pottawato- .mieg, who, however, were a smaller tribu, still lived on their old hunting-grounds. They were very peaceable, never even manifestiug a disposition to pilfer or perhvm any of those little irritating acts which used to be so common witk some Indians wheia they were in a state of professed peace.

We eome now to the Black Hawk War. Black Hawf himself was by birth cue of the 8ac tribe, being born on Rock River in 17G7. The territory occupied by tlie Sacs at that time had originally been the property of the Sauteux (a braucli of tlie Chippewa uution) aud lowas, aud was wrested from tbem by the Sacs and Foxes, who came from Ca.ada. By tha treaty of 180-i, (the provisions of which we have hertiotore given,) these tribes ceded their lands to the United States. This treaty was confirmed at Poitage des Sioux, September 13th, 1815, by that portion of the tribes that had remained at peace with the United States during the war of 1812, The hostile part of the tribe (except Black Hawk and a few disaffected braves whom he called around him, all of whom professed to be British subjects, and went to Canada, where they received presents,) confirmed the latter treaty in the following year. Still further confirmation was- given by another treaty made "with the chief s^ warriors and head men of the Sac and Fox tribes," at Fort Armstrong, (Rock Island.) on the 3d of September, 1822,- Id which the treaty of 18U4 is referred to and ratified. On the 4th of Aug,ust,. 1824, a treaty was made at Washington^ by which the Indians sold all their title to the northern portion of Missouri, from the Mississippi to the western boundary of the State, and the United States granted the strip of country between the Mississippi and Des Moines Rivers to certainr half breeds of the nation, and on all the lands they had claimed south and east of the line, they were not to be permitted to settle or hunt after January 1st. 182G.

Black Hawk claimed that the chiefs who made tke treaty of 1804 were made drunk while in St. Louis, (whither they had gone to procure the release of some of their nation who were in prison for murder,) aud while intoxicated, they were induced to sell the lands of the tribe. Under tliis pretence that the treaty wf!.s void, he resisted the order for the removal of his tribe beyond the Mississippi. In the spring of ISol, Black Hawk and his party returned to their former principal village, to establish themselves on their ancient huutiug grounds, and found that the government had surveyed and sold the land to settlers. He was accompanied in this expedition by some of the Pottawatoraies and Kickapoos, and some three hundred warriors of the British band. The squaws proceeded to plant their corn as usual, which so annoyed the whites that tliey plowed up the land that had been planted. The Indians retaliated with annoyances which led the settlers to appeal to Gov. Reynolds for protection. The Governor construed Black Hawk's expedition into an invasion of the country, and forthwith wrote to Gen. Gaines of the United States Army, and to Gen. Clark, Superintendent of Indian Affairs, requesting them to do all they eould to procure the peaceful removal of the Indians, but at all events to protect the settlers who had purchased lands. Gen. Gaines imaiediately repaired to Rock Island with a few companies of soldiers. Einding that the Indians were determined upon war, he called upon Governor Reynolds for seven hundred mounted volunteers. The Governor made a call upon some of the northern and central counties, and fifteen hundred volunteers rallied at Beardstown, and about the 10th of June were ready to march. On the 25th of the same month, the entire force reached Rock River, .&nd the next day, when Gen. Gaines and his force entered the village, they found it deserted, the Indians having crossed the Mississippi the same morning. By the threats of Gen. Gaines to pursue them across the river, Black Hawk and the chiefs and braves of the band were led to sue for peace; and a treaty was here formed by which the band agreed to remain forever after on the west side of the river, unless permitted by the President or Governor to cross it. Thus Black Hawk and his party ratified the treaty of 1804, by which this region of country was sold to the whites.

Notwithstanding his treaty obligationir:, Black Hawk made his appearance in thu Rock River country, in April, 1832, and prepared for war. - He hoped to make the Winnebagoes and Potfcawatomies his allies in this expedition against the whites; but in this he was disappointed. He reached the mouth of Rock River,and proceeded to ascend towards Prophetstown, the home of their prophet, Wabokieshiek, or '<Th@ White Cloud." The Indians were soon overtaken by an express froui Gen. Atkinson, then at Fort Armstrong, ordering them to return to their homes on the west. side of the Mississippi; but they paid no attention to these order.**, and the party pressed on. Governor Reynolds, on learning of this new invasion, made another call for volunteers, which was responded to at Beardstown by about eighteen hundred men. The whole brigade was put under the co::imand of Major General Samuel Whiteside, of the State militia. The first regiment was commanded by Col. Dewitt, tho second by Col. Fry, the third by Col. Thomas, the fourth by Col. Thouipsuu, and the spy battalion by Col. Jaaies I). Henry.

of Roek River, Generals Whiteside and Atkinson agreed that the volunteers should march up the river to Prophetstown, and there await the arrival of the regular troops. Instead of waiting at that place, the men set fire to the village and marched to Dixon, where they came to a halt, and found two battalions of 1^75 mounted volunteers from the counties of McLean, Tazewell, Peoria and Fulton, under Majors Stillman and Bailey. As these officers begged to be put forward upon some dangerous service, they were Hcnt up the river to spy out the Indians. Major Stillman left ihe main body of the army on the 12th of May, and on the 14th came to "Old Man's Run/' now "Stillmau's Run," a small stream which vises in White Rock Grove, in this county, and empties into Rock River near Byron. Ho encamped here just before night, aud in a short time a party of Indians on horseback were discovered. Some of the party, without orders, mounted their horses and started in pursuit. They were joined by others. The Indians fled, but were overtaken, and three of them slain. Black Hawk and his main force chanced to be near by, and they soon rallied to the number of seven hundred men, and turned the pursuing volunteers back upon their own camp. The latter broke through the camp at full speed, throwing the entire force into confusion,spreading terror and dismay among the rest of the men, so that Major Stillman was unable to rally them. A retreat was commenced, and the whites scattered, straggling along in parties of four and five, until they reached Dixon.

The greatest consternation prevailed among the white settlements when the accounts of this action reached them. The reports, of course, greatly magnified the extent of the disaster, and made matters appear much worse than ".hey really were. The settlers began to build forts and make preparations to defend themselves. Some fiimilies in the vicinity of the Indian camping ground were massacred before they could reach the forts.

In the night, after the arrival of Stillman's party at Dixon, General Whiteside called a council of war at his tent, at which it was agreed to march in the morning to the scene of the disaster. It was found that there were no provisions in the camp, except in the messes of some few of the men. Cattle and hogs, however, were obtained of Mr. John Dixon, who was the only white inhabitant on Rock River, so that in the morning the army were supplied with fresh beef, which they ate without bread. On their arrival at Stillman's Run, the volunteers found that the Indians were gone.

Intelligence of this engagement was immediately brought to Bufi'alo Grove, and the three families living there left for other places on the 15th - Mr. Samuel Reed's family going to Dixon, and Ankeney's and Chambers' (the latter living at Chambers' Grove,) going to Apple River Fort, now Elizabeth, while Mr. Kellogg's, family went south.

Oil the m rning of tlie 16th of May, au express party of six men left Galena for Dixon, consisting of John D. Winters, (now in California,) William Durley, Henry J. Morrison, Frederick Stahl, (now a prominent business man in Galena,) Charles R. Bennett and Smith.

On arriving at Buffalo Grove, a consultation was held as to their best rout<^ through the timber. Their road lay through the north part of the grpve, but some, who feared an attack by the Indians, advised that they should keep around the skirt of the wood, which made the distance a little greater, but was a route more likely to be safe. This advice was overruled, however, and the company proceeded directly on, when, just as they were entering the wood, the Indians fired upon them, and Durley was instantly killed. The rest wheeled their horses and made good their escape. Smith received a ball through las hut, just grazing the top of his head. Durley was buried on the very spot wiiere he fell, and where his grave may still be seen. A little pine stands at the head of the grave ; it still lives - a little shrub, as though it had just been placed there, for in ten years it has not grown an inch. The fence that was first placed around it became old and rotten and was fast falling to pieces, when about two years since it was replaced by another much prettier than the first, by the efforts of Mr. Squire Bruce, a resident of Buffalo Grove, who, by circulating a subscription, procured the means to rebuild it.

miles from Ottawa, and killed fifteew persons, and took two young ladies, Silvia aad Rachel Hall, prisoners, who were afterwards ransomed by Mr. Gratiot, through the Winnebagoes.

General Whiteside contented himself, on ills arrival at Stillman's liun, with burying the dead, placing them in :i comujon grave, on a ridge of land near the llun. He then returned to Dixon, where he met General Atkinson with the regulars. The array now numbered twenty-four hundred men; but the volunteers were anxious to be discharged. They were finally marched to Ottawa, wlierc, at their urgent request, Governor Reynolds discharged them on the 27th and 28th of May.

Orders had been previously issued fur raising two thousand volunteers, who were to meet at Beardstown and Hennepin. In the meantime a regiment was raised from the volunteers just discharged, and Jacob Fry was elected Colonel, James D. Henry Lieutenant Colonel, and Thomas Fry Jlajor. General Whiteside volunteered as a private. The different companies of this regiment were so distributed as to protect all the frontiers. Captain Adan^ W. Snyder was appointed to guard the country between Rock River and Galena; <'and while he was encamped not far from Burr Oak Grove, on thi' night of the 17th of June, his company was fired upon by the Indians. The next morning he pursued them, four in number, and drove them into a sink hole, where his company charged on them and killed the whole of the Indians, with the loss of one man mortally wounded. As he returned to his camp, bearing the wounded soldier, the men sufiFcring much from thirst, scattered in search of water, they were sharply attacked by about seventy Indians, who had been secretly watching their motions and awaiting a good opportunity." The men were taken by surprise and began a hasty retreat, when Capt. Snyder called upon General "Whiteside for assistance in forming the men, who loudly declared that he Wv^uld shoot the first man who attempted to run. The men were formed into rank, and both parties took position behind trees. Here General Whiteside shot the leader of the Indians, who then began to retreat. As they were never pursued, the Indians' loss was not known; the whitas lost two men killed and one wounded."*

Oa the 15th of June, the new regiment arrived at the appointed places of rendezvous, and were formed into three brigades, under the co>amand of Gens. Alexander T'osey, Milton K. Alexander and James 1). Henry. The whale volunteer force at this time amounted to three thousand two hundred men, besides three companies 01 rangers. Many of the Pottawatouiies and Winnebagoes, though professedly at peace with the whites, were much disposed to join Black Hawk and his party, and it was hoped to overawe them by bringing so large a force into the fields

Before the new army could be brought into effective operation, several murders had been committed by the Indians. Among others, Mr. St. Vrain, the Indian Agent for the Sacs and Foxes, was murdered by a party under the lead of the chief "Little Bear," who had previously adopted him as a brother, and who treacherously murdered and scalped him and all but two of his party when they had confided themselves to his friendship.

In the latter part of the month of June, Black Hawk, with about one hundred and fifty warriors, planned an attack upon Apple Biver Fort. As they were lying in wait for an opportunity to make an attack, six men - Fred Dixon, formerly an Indian fighter in Missouri, Wm. Killpatrick, Walsh, Hackelrode and two others - carrying an express from Galena to Dixon passed them, and the Indian sentinel indiscreetly fired at them, wounding Walsh. Dixon immediately jumped his horse over Walsh as the latter lay upon the ground, and charged, single handed, upon the Indians, at the same time calling to his companions to carry Walsh into the fort. The Indians, supposing, from Dixon's movements, that the main body of the whites were close at hand, momentarily retreated, thus giving Dixon's companions an opportunity to retire to the fort, which they did, bearing Walsh with them. The alarm was thus given to the inhabitants in the vicinity, who rushed into the fort, which was immediately attacked by the whole of Black Hawk's troop. The fight lasted four or five hours, the whites bravely fighting to the last. The women in the fort displayed a coolness and courage worthy of the wives and daughters of the pioneers. They run bullets, loaded the guns and assisted the men by every means in their power. Hackelrode, one of the express party who escaped, was standing with his back toward one of the port-holes, while Mrs. Armstrong was picking the touchhole of his gun, and an Indian fired at him and shot him in the back of the neck, killing him instantly. The whites finally succeeding in repulsing the Indians, who met with a heavy loss. Dixon's retreat to the fort having been cut off after his charge upon the Indians, he pressed on to Galena, where, however, the news preceded him, being borne there by Charles Bowers, who rode down the hill on the east side of Galena iliver, screaming, "Indians! Indians!" with all his might; and by the time that he had been ferried across, over an hundred people had collected on the levee to hear the news. Col. Strode commanded at Galena, and in the morning marched to the assistance of those in the fort, but did not arrive till the Indians had raised the siege and departed.

Plaving failed in this attempt, the Indians determined on their way back to secure a small guard of soldiers who had been left in charge of some military stores at Kellogg's house, in Burr Oak Grove. The guard had been removed before the Indians had reached the house, but ]Major John Dement (now a well known resident of Dixon) had shortly before come into the neighborhood with the Independent Spy Company attached to the first brigade, and with his company had encamped in Kellogg's house when the Indians reached there. Dement was not aware of the presence of the Indians till near morning, when the arrival of Captain Funk and a man named Duval placed him on his guard. Capt.

Punk's horse had a very great aversion to Indians, and would never remain in their presence. Captain Funk commanded at Scales Mound, and on receiving the news of the attack on Apple Eiver Fort, he started in the direction of Burr Oak Grove with the hope of finding Dement. As the captain and Duval passed a thicket on the north side of the grove, the horse began to manifest the usual signs of the presence of Indians, and Funk was convinced that there were some lurking by. As soon as he found Dement, he told the latter his suspicions, and a small party of men were sent to reconnoitre, who soon returned and reported having seen a few Indians on horseback, who retreated on seeing them. When Dement's men heard that there were Indians about, they rushed out pell-mell, and began saddling their horses as best they could ; and some of them came near being captured before they could get their horses, which were picketed at a considerable distance. Those who pushed forward to the attack upon the Indians were repulsed with considerable loss. When the whites returned to the house for shelter, the Indians commenced firing on the house, and at the horses which were .fastened outside. Dement and Duval were standing in the door together, when two of the Indians came in sight, and before Duval could draw Dement's attention to them, they fired, one of the bullets whizzing by Duval's ear and lodging in the timbers of the house, while the other cut Dement's commission, which he carried in the crown of his hat.*

Shortly after, two men mounted their horses and galloped to Bufialo Grove for reinforcements. As soon as they were out of reach, the Indians started for Rock River, doubtless guessing their object.

About the time of the attack on Apple River Fort, the Indians attacked three men near Fort Hamilton, in the Wisconsin lead mines, killino- two of them, while the other escaped. Gen. Henry Dodge, who chanced to arrive at the fort soon after, in command of twenty men, started in pursuit, and chased the Indians to Horse Shoe Bend, on the Pecatonica, where tliey had taken shelter and were awaiting an attack from the whites. Gon. Dodge ordered his men to make a charge, and as they approached the place where the Indians lay, they were fired upon. Without giving them an opportunity to reload, the whites sprang upon the s ivages, some of whom tried to escape by swimming. Of the eleven Indians who formed the party, not one escaped. Four of the whites were severely wounded at the first fire, three of whom afterwards died from the effects of their wounds, and the other recovered.

About the 18th of June, a lot of horses had been stolen from Apple River Fort by the Indians, and Capt. James W. Stephenson, in honor of whom our sister county is named, started in pursuit of them. He surrounded them in a small thicket standing in the midst of a prairie, and made three successive charges upon

The Indians now held control of the country. Their war parties prowled about every white man's cauap from Galena to Chicago, and from the Illinoia river to the boundary of Wisconsin. They attacked every white man they came across, and, flushed with their victory, they were prepared for deeper and broader operations. Rut the position of matters soon changed. On the 20th, 21st and 22d of June, Gen. Atkinson took command of the forces assembled on the Illinois River, and put them in motion. Major Dement, with a battalion of spies, pushed forwar 1 and took position at Kellogg's Grove, in the heart of the Indian country. Hearing, on the 20th of June, that the trail of five hundred Indians leading to the south had been seen within a few miles the day before, Major Dement ordered his whole command to be in readiness, while he with twenty mtn started to gain intelligence of their movements. They had gone but a short distance when they discovered seven Indian spies. Followed soon after by some of the men from the camp, he formed about twenty-five of them in line to protect the retreat of those in pursuit. This had hardly been done when three hundred Indians came out to attack them. Seeing himself in great danger of beingsurrounded, the major slowly retired to his camp, closely followed by the savages. I The whole party now took possession of I same log houses, which served them for a fort, where they were vigorously attacked for nearly an hour, when the Indians retreated, leaving nine men dead on t .e field, and probably five others carried away. The whites had five men killed and three wounded. An express had been sent to Gen. Posey, who arrived with his brigade about two hours after the Indians had gone.

When the news of this action reached Dixon, where all the forces under Gen. iitkinson were asseuibled, Alexander's brigade was ordered in the direction of Plum river, to intercept the Indians if they attempted to escape by re-crossiug the river. Gen. Atkinson, after waiting for two days at Dixon, marched up Rock River, accouinanied by Gen. Henry's brigade. Col. Fry and his regiment were sent forward to meet some friendly Pottawatomies.

Black Hawk continued to move up the river, but finding himself closely pursued by the whites, he crossed over to the Wisconsin River. On the 21st of July, a detachment of troops en route for Fort Winnebago to procure supplies, discovered the Indians not far from Blue Mounds, and immediately attacked them, routing them and killing forty or fifty men. The whites had only one man killed and eight wounded.

Gen. Atkinson, having been informed that Black Hawk had fortified himself with his whole force at the four lakes, determined to decide the war by a general battle, and accordingly marched in that direction with as much haste as prudence would admit. On the 8.0th of June, he encamped at Turtle village, a, town of the

Wiunebagoes, and encamped about a mile above it. He continued the march the next day, and on arriving at Lake Kuskanong was joined by Gen. 'Alexander's brigade. The country hereabout was thoroughly examined, and being convinced that there were no savages about, the Ceueral marched his whole force up tlie east s-id'C of Rock River, to Burnt Village, another Winnebigo town, oa Whitewater River, where he was joined by Gen. Posey's brigade and a battalion from Wisconsiu under the command of Major Henry Dodge.

The progress of the army, up to this time, had been sl'ow and Bncertain. The country was almost an unexplored wilderness, and there was literally no reliable knowledge of the cuuntvj uiuoug those composing the army, and the information to be gained from a few Winnebagoes who hung around the camp was delusive.- The frequent stoppages whichwere necessary in the midst of so much uncertainty only gave the savag'is opportunities to> elude their pursuers.

"Eight weeks now wasi'ed awaj in fruit less^ search for the enemy, and the camtaandinggeneral seemed fai-ther from the attainment of his object than Tvhen the second requisitiort of troops was organized. At that time Posey and Alexander co-mmanded each » thousand men, Henry took the field with twelve hundred and sirty-two, and the regaitu: force under Col. Tayk)r, n©w Major General, amounted; to four hunj^ed a!sd fifty more. But by this this time the volunteer feree was reduced nearly one half. Many had entered the service for mere pastJme, and a desire to participate in the exceMfiJit.. fun of an Indian campaign, looked upon as a frolic; and certainly but few volunteered with well-defined notions of the fatigues, delays and hardships of an Indian war in an u:»settled and unknown country. The tedious marches, exposure to the weather, loss of horses, sickness, forced submission to command, and disgust at the unexpected hardships and privations of a soldier's life, produced rapid reductions in the numbers of every regiment. The great distance from the base of operations ; the diificulties of transportation either by land or water, making it impossible at any time to have more than twelve days' provisions beforehand, still further curtailed the power of the commanding general. Such was the wastefulness of the volunteers, that they were frequently one or two days short of provisions before new supplies could be furnished.

"At this time there were not more than four days' rations in the hands of the commissary, the enemy might be weeks in advance ; the volunteers were fast melting away, but the regular infantry had not lost a man. To counteract these difficulties. General Atkinson found it necessary to disperse his command, far the purpose of procuring supplies."

On the lOtli of July, the sevenJ brigades were appointed to proceed to different destinations - Colonel Ewing's regiment being sent to Dixon as an escort for Capt. Dunn,* who was supposed to be mortally wounded ; Gen. Posey marching to Fort Hamilton, (now Wyota, Wis.,) on the Pecatonica; and Henry, xVlexander and Dedge being sent to Fort Winnebago, at the Portage, between the Fox and Wisconsin rivers ; while Gen. Atkinson

" Capt. Dunn has since been elected a jucige in Wisconsin, and in the campaign of 1858 was the Democratic candidate for Member of Congress, against Hon. C. C. AVashburue, Republican.

himself fell back to Lake Kuskanong, where he built a fort and gave to it the narae of the lake, and where he was to remain until the volunteer generals should return with supplies. Henry and Alexander reached Fort Winnebago in three days; Dodge preceded them a few hours by making a forced march. Two days were occupied in getting provisions, on the last of which tlte Winnebago chiefs present reported that Black Hawk and his forces were encamped at the Blanitou Village, thirty-five miles above Gen. Atkinson, on Rock River. The commanding generals determined to violate their orders and march directly upon the enemy with the hope of taking him by surprise, or at least cutting off his further retreat to the north.

When they came to carry out this determination. Gen. Alexander's men mutinied and refused to go on the service, and soon infected Henry's men with the same spirit. All the officers of Col. Fry's regiment, except the Colonel himself, presented to Gen. Henry a written protest against the projected expedition. The only reply made by the General to this protest was to order the officers under arrest for mutiny, and to appoint Collins' regiment as a guard to escort them to Gen. Atkinson's camp. This had the effect to bring the protesting officers to terms; they humbly sued for pardon, and were profuse in their promises to return to their duty and never again to be guilty of like conduct. The General forgave them, and they returned to their posts.

Indians, acconjpanied by nauiod Poquette, and the " White Pawnee," a Winnebago chief, as guides. On reaching Rock Iliver, he was informed that Black Hawk was encamped at Cranberry Lake, farther up the river. Relyto a close, and the men marched with bettCi spirit than usual. In the afternoon of the first day, they were overtaken by one of those fearful storms so common on the prairie; but in spite of the pelting rain, the men pushed on, and during the ing upon this information, Gen. Henry day marched upwards of fifty miles, the determined to make a forced march in officers in many instances dismounting that direction the next morning. i and giving their horses to the men on foot.

as expresses to General Atkinson. They were j ^"^^y earth, covered with water. The Accompanied by a chief called Little Thunder, : rain prevented them building any fire ta AS guide; and having started about dark, and ; cook their food, and they made their supproceeded on their perilous route about eight ; pgj- r^^^^\ breakfast of some raw meat and r.;iles to the southwest, they came upon the ^^^^ dough, formed by the flour in their fresh main trail of the enemy, endeavoring to escape by way of the Four Lakes across the Wisconsin river. At the sight of the trail, the Indian guide was struck with terror, and without permission retreated back to the camp.

not until Little Thunder had announced his discovery in the Indian tongue to his countrymen, who were in the very act of making their escape when they were stopped by Major Murray McConnell, and taken to the tent of Gen. Henry, to wliora they confessed that they had come into tlie camp only to give false information, and favor the retreat of the Indians ; and then, to make amends for their perfidy, and perhaps, as they were led to believe, avoid instant deatli. they disclosed all they knew of L'lack Hawk's movements."* march as the one of the day previous, they encamped on the banks of one of the four lakes forming the source of the Catfish River, in Wisconsin, aad near where the Indians had encamped the previous night. They had now traveled one hundred miles without tasting any cooked food, and when they came to eat their suppers, it was probably with a relish they had nev;r before known. They slept that night on the earth., with only On the morning of the 19th, everything | ^i^^ gj.^ above them, »nd they slept soundwas in readiness at daylight for a forced j ]y giid well. The general expectation march. Another express was sent to ^^^ ^i^^^ tl^ey ^y^uld overtake the Indians the next morning, and all Were in fine spirits. An alarm was giving during the night, by one of the sentinels firing at an Indian who was stealthily approachins the shore in his' canoe. The whole

Early in the morning of the 21st, the march was continued as vigorously as before, the day's march being even harder than any which preceded it. About noon, the men in advance were close upon the rear-guard of the enemy, and the scouts ahead came suddenly upon two Indians and killed one of them as they were attempting to escape. By making false stands with a few warriors, as if to bring on a general battle, causing the whites to halt and make preparations to meet them, the Indians gained time to reach the bluffs on the Wisconsin River, by four o'clock in the afternoon. At this time, the advanced guard were fired upon by a body of Indians who had hidden themselves in the high grass. Major Pawing immediately dismounted his battalion and formed them in front, removing their horses to the rear. The Indians kept up their firing from behind ihe fallen timber. Gen. Henry soon arrived with the main b >dy, when the order of battle was immediately formed. Ewing's battalion and Jones' and Collins' regiments charged upon the Indians, who retreated before thorn and concentrated tlieir force in front uf 3Iajor Dodge's battalion. Col. Fry was sent to reinforce Dodge, and a general charge was now vigorously made along the whol*^ line. The Indians stood their ground against Dodge and Fry and their men until they came withiri bayonet reach, when they fell back to the west and took a new position in the thick timber and tall grass in the head of a huliow leading to the river bottom. Ewing's battalion and Collins' and Jones' regiments drove them from their new position and pursued them for some distance^ but, night coming on, further pursuit was stopped, and the troops slept upon the battle field. It was ascertained that the Indians left sixty-eight warriors dead upon the field, beside a large number wounded, many of whom were afterwards found dead on the trail. The loss of the whites amounted to one man killed and eight wounded.

Early next morning, the whites reached the Wisconsin River, and found that the Indians had crossed it and escaped to the mountains between the Wisconsin wd the Mississippi. On account of the want of provisions. Gen. Henry determined to fall back to the Blue Mounds. They reached their destination in two days, where they met Gen. Atkinson with the regulars and Alexander's and Posey's brigades. After spending two days in preparation at the Mounds, the whole force, now under Gen. Atkinson's direction, again started in pursuit of the Indians. They crossed the Wisconsin at Wisconsin Hights, the scene of the late battle, (now Helena,) and struck the trail of the Indians among the mountains on the other side. The troops toiled sturdily in climbing the mountains and pushing through the deep swamps. The route was strewn with the bodies of the Indians who had died from the effect of wounds received at the late battle.

^.\fter giving an account of Ihc battle at the Higlits, Gov. Ford says: "That night. Henry's camp was disturbed by the voice of an Indian, loudly sounding from a distant hill, as if giv- given out, and they were on the verge of starvation. They were so closely pursued by the whites that they could hardly find time to cat such food as they were able to procure. In addition to this, neglect and want of care of the wounds they had received brought disease, suffering and death among them to an almost incalculable extent, thinning their ranks with a fearful rapidity. A gentlemen who saw the Indians encamped at Rock Island, just after peace had been made with them, tells us that there was hardly a man, woman or child among them, whose bones did not almost protrude through the skin, so emaciated had they become!

On the morning of the fourth day after crossing the Wisconsin, the advance guard of Gren. Atkinson's army reached the east bank of the Mississippi, where the Indians had arrived some time before them. This was at Bad-Axe, about forty miles above Prairie du Chi'en. The steamboat Warrior, under the command of Captain Throckmorton, had descended to this point the day before, and prevented the ing orders or desiring a conference. It afterwards appeared that this was the voice of an Indian chief, speaking iu the Winnebago language, stating that the Indians had their squaws and families with them, and they were starving for provisions, and were not able to figlit the white people ; and that if they were permitted to pass peaceably over the Mississippi, they would do no more mischief. He spoke this in the Winnebago tongue, in hopes that some of that people were with General Heniy, and would act as his interpreter. No Winnebagoes were present, they having run at the commencement of the action ; and so his language was never explained until aftor the of the war."

Indians crossing the river. In spite of a white flag raised by the In lians, Capt. Throckmorton fired upon them, killing twenty-three and wounding a great many more. Immediately after this affair, the boat dropped down to Prairie du Chien; and before its return the next morning. Gen. Atkinson had arrived with his forces and commenced a general battle.

Aware that the whites were in close pursuit of them, the Indians sent back a small party to meet the advancing troops within three or four miles of their camp, with instructions to retreat to a point three miles ahove their place of rendezvous - with the intent to draw the whites off the right trail. The ruse was successful, and Gen. Atkinson pursued the retreating party with the whole army, excepting Henry's brigade, which had been left in the rear. When Gen. Henry came to the place where the ruse had been played, he at once saw how the commanding general had been most egregiously deceived by the stratagem of the savage. By the advice of his officers, Gen. Henry was induced to march forward upon the main trail. He soon came up with the Indians, and a general battle commenced. The Indians were apparently taken by surprise, but they fought bravely and desperately, though without any plan or concert of action. Before Gen. Atkinson could arrive at the scene of action, the main work had been done. Henry had driven the Indians into the river, and his men were picking off the warriors who were trying to escape by swimming. A portion of the Indians had taken refuge on a small willow island near the shore, and were keeping up a severe fire upon the men on the shore. They were charged upon by some of the troops, and the most of them were either killed, captured or driven into the water, where they met a more certain death.

Many incidents are related as having occurred at the battle of Bad- Axe, which are of interest to the general reader. "We have room for but one, which we find in a work upon the Black Hawk War, by Benj. Drake:

"A yoimg squa-.v was standing in the grass, a short distance from the American line, holding her child, a little girl of four years old, in her arms. In this position, a ball struck the right arm of tlio child, just above the el bow, and shattering ;he bone, passed into thi breast of its yoniig- Jiiother, and iuhtanilj killed her. She ifil upon the cliild and confined it to the trvniina. When the battle wanearly over, and the Indians had been driven to this point, Lieutenant Anderson of the United States Army, hearing the cries of the child, went to the spot, and taking it from under the dead mother, carried it to the place for surgical aid. The arm was amputated, and during the operation, the half starved child did not crj', but sat quietly eating a piece of hard biscuit. It was sent to Prairie des Chiens, and entirely recovered from its wound."

When tiie troops charged upon the Indians, the squaws and children were so closely commingled with the lest of the lodians that great slaughter took place among them, the squaws in many cases beiug dressed so nearly like the males that it was impossible to distinguish them.

Hawk, who commanded in person the party whose movements had so deceived Gen. Atkinson, retreated to the Dalles on the Wisconsin river. A party of Sioux and Winnebagoes, headed by one-eyed Decori, a Winnebago chief, started in pursuit of them and captured them high up on the river. Among the prisoners were a son of Black Hawk and the Prophet, the latter being a noted chief who formerly lived at Prophetstown, Whiteside county, and who was one of the principal instigators of the war. The party -vere delivei-cd to Gen.- Street, the Indian

The truiips went down to Prairie du Cliieii, where they met Gen. Scott, who had been sent to take the chief command. On their route up the lakes, the troops under his command were afflicted with Asiatic cholera, which was then making its first appearance on the continent. In the course of a few weeks, nearly three hundred men had died from this disease. Gen. Scott i-eached Kock Island in August, but not until the war had been terminated by the battle of Bad-Axe.

On their arrival at Prairie du Chien, the volunteers were ordered to proceed to Dixon, where they were discharged. The men then proceeded to their homes.

Black Hawk and his son, the Prophet and other head men, accompanied by many of the Winnebago chiefs, were sent to Rock Island, wherj a treaty meeting had been appointed; but on their arrival there, tlie cholera was so prevalent among [ tlie troops that Gen. Scott and Goveruor ReynolJ.s thought it advisable to drop down to Jefferson Barracks, where a treaty was formed by which the Sacs and Foxes " ceded to the United States a hirge tra3t of laud bordering on the Mississippi, from the DcsMoiucs to Turkey Kiver, in the Territory of Iowa." Fur the faitliful performance of the treaty, Black Ilawk and his two sons, Wabokieshiek, Naopope and five other hostile Indians were held as hostages.

In the spring, the prisoners were taken East by order of the President, and after an interview at Washington, the prisoners were conducted through the Eastern cities, with the intention, on the part of the whites, of convincing thcni of the utter inutility of their efforts to drive the Americans out of the country. This had the desired effect. Black Iluwk and Wabokieshiek professed a desire to live in peace with the whites. The party were at length taken to Fort Armstrong, where they were forniiilly liberated, after giving many assurances of lastincr friendship for the whites. Black Ilawk remained steadfast to these promises during the rest of his life, and his lodge was at all times open to entertain his white visitors. He visited Washington again in 1837; but he was indifferent to all the attention shown him. He died on the -Sd of October, 1840, at the age of eigi.ty years, and was biu'ied on the banks of the 3iississippi. ,.

The conduct of Gen. Atkinson in the Black Hawk War has been severely censured. We find an opinion prevalent among the early settlers, that he was dilatory in his movements at the beginning of the war, when prompt action would have suppressed the outbreak and ended the disturbances at once. His jealousy of the volunteers, as shown in his. eonduct after the battle of Wisconsin Hights, was in the highest degree discreditable to him as a man and a soldier. That he was in other respects a worthy man and a brave soldier, none will deny; and it is with re- -rret that we mention the above facts.