Carroll County, Indiana - Gen. Hopkins' Expedition, 1882

Gen. Hopkins' Expedition

GEN. HOPKINS' EXPEDITION. Gen. Hopkins Organizes a New Military Force to Operate IN THE Indian Country - Movement of the Army from Vincennes to Fort Harrison - Marches from the I.,attei; . Point Toward the Prophet's Town - Burns a Kickapoo Village - Keconnoitering Party F.m.ls into an Ambuscade-Details OF the Affair. TT7 HEN the mounte 1 volunteers, whose mutinous conduct has ' ' been noticed in a preceding chapter, had been discharged, Gen. Hopkins began immediately to organize a new militai-y force, composed mainly of infantry, to penetrate further into the Indian country, at least as far as the Prophet's town on the Tippecanoe, and for the additional pui-pose of bui-ning that and other Indian villages in the vicinity, which had been rebuilt since the destructive expedition under Gen. Charles Scott, in May, 1791. The troops engaged in this e.xpedition under the command of Gen. Hopkins consisted of three regiments of Kentucky militia, commanded by Cols. Barbom-, Miller and Wilcox; a small company of regulars commanded by Capt. Zachary Taylor; a company of rangers under command of Capt. Beokes; and a company of scouts, or spies, commanded by Capt. Washburn. The organization of this force was consummated at Vincennes, fi-om which point it moved forward at an early day, arriving at Fort Han-ison on the 5th of November, 181 '2. In a letter addressed to Gov. Shelby, of Kentucky, bearing date November '27, Gen. Hopkins reviewed briefly the movements of his army fi-om the time of leaving Fort Hari'ison, on the 11th, until the completion of the expedition. Among other things contained in that letter, he recites the following incidents: " The length of time the enemy had expected us made it necessary to guard ourselves in an especial manner. The rise of the waters fi'om the heavy fall of rain preceding our march, aud some large creeks, left us no doubt of considerable difficulty and embarrassment; insomuch, that not until the 14th did we pass Sugar Creek, three miles above the road.

From every information, I had nohesiiation in moving on the east side of the Wabash, The Vermillion, Pine Creek, and other impediments on the west side, superadded to the presumjition that we were expected, and might more easily be annoyed and ambuscaded'on that route, determined me in this measure. The boats, too, with provisions of rations, forage and military stores, could be more easily covered and protected, as the line of march could be invariably nearer the river. Lieut. Col. Barbom% with one battalion of his regiment, had command of the seven boats, and encamped with us on the bank of the river almost every night. This so protracted our march that we did not reach the Prophet's town until the 19th. On the morning of that day, a detachment of 300 men, under Gen. Butler, was sent out to surprise aud capture the Winnebago town on Wild Cat Creek, one mile from the Wabash and four below the Prophet's town. Upon reaching the town, it was found to have been evacuated. In this town there were about forty houses, many of which were fi-om thirty to fifty feet in length, besides a number of temporaiy huts in the prairie adjacent. These, with a large quantity of corn, there and at the Prophet's town, were totally destroyed during the following two or throe days. This work of destruction was not confined to the AVinnebago town and the corn found at the different places named above, but extended to the Prophet's town, which had about forty cabins and huts, and the large KickajKK) village adjoining it below, on the west side of the river, consisting of about one hundred and sixty cabins and huts. This department of the work was complete. Some of the succeeding movements, however, were at tended with less satisfactory consequences, as the sequel will show.

The details of the affair to which reference is made above being especially important, having never before been in print, are given with interesting minuteness in the following account, prepared by Hon. Charles B. Lasselle, from memoranda of interviews held with Messrs. La Plante and Richeville, who were active participants in the engagement. To him, therefore, we are indebted for this valuable addenda, which, but for his painstaking care and perseverance in their collection and preservation, would have been lost to the world.

-' There ai'e few events of amilitary chai'acter in tbe historv of the State of more interest than that known as Spm-s" Defeat," which occm-red on the banks of Wild Cat Creek [on the east half of the southeast quarter of Section 1, Township 23 north. Range 3 west], in Tippecanoe County, in the fall of 1812. "It was one of those sucecessful Indian ambuscades which so clearly demonstrated the craft and skill of the Indians in waging hostilities against a brave, but impetuous, volunteer soldiery. The event has been noticed in general terms in Dillon's History of Indiana: but there are many details and incidents connected with it, fm-- nished to the wTiter by some of those who were actors in the scene, not mentioned in history, that will justify a fiu-ther accoimt of it.

AVhile Gen. Hopkins, with an army of about thirteen hundred men, \vas encamped on the east bank of the "Wabash, opposite the Prophet's town, and on the 21st of November. 1812, a pai-ty of ten or twelve mounted men was sent out in different directions as scouts to reconnoiter the coimtry. A portion of these, consisting of John B. La Plante, of Vincennes, Dr. Gist, and a man named Dunn, both of Kentucky, while scom-ing the coimtry some five or six miles easterly from camp, discovered a small party of Indians near them. La Plante, who had been an Indian trader, and imderstood the Indian character, soon saw, from their movements, that it was the purpose of the Indians to cut them off; and he pressed his comrades to immediately attempt their esoai)e with him. But Gist and Dunn, insisting upon watching the movements of the Indians and ascertaining their number, delayed their starting. La Plante immediately put spm-s to his horse and made his escape without difficulty. The Indians then advanced tipon them, when Gist and Dunn also attempted flight. Gist made good his escape; but. while doing so. he heard the report of a rifle, followed by the triimiphaut yell of the Indians: and he knew that Dunn had fallen. He continued h is flight for some distance, when, his horse showing signs of faltering, and it being near nightfall, he jumped off and plunged into a poad of water, and concealed himself amongst its di-ift. He soon heard and saw the Indians passing in pmrsuit, not suspecting^ his concealment. His horse^ following the coui'se taken by La Plante, an'ived at camp with saddle and holsters. Upon La Plante's an-ival with news of the piu-suit. Gen. Hopkins ordered the gun to be fired at intervals to indicate to Gist or Dunn, if alive, their direction to camp. Gist, heai'ing the reports, left his hiding-place, made his way to camp late at night, and I'elated the circitmstances attending Dunn's death or captm'e.

" On the nest morning, upon the call of Gen. Hopkins, the company of rangers, or mounted riflemen, under Capt Beckes, of Vincennes, together with such other volunteers as might be obtained from other comiianies. were organized into a mounted troo)) of between sixty and seventy men. to proceed to the spot where Dium was supposed to have been killed, to bury his body, if killed, and also to scout over the country. The whole troop was placed under the command of Lieut. Col. Miller. They wore divided into three lines - the right under Lieut. Col. Miller; the center under Lieut. Teabold. and the left under Lieut. Col. Wile. .\ - with instnictions to march in single file, fifty yards apart. I'h.' men, not having had their whisky ratons for some time, were, nu the morning, treated to a pint each; and they proceeded on their mai'ch in good spirits.

"In the meantime, the Indians, consisting of Miamis, Winnebagoes, Kiekapoos and Pottawatomies, and numbering about seven himdred wai'riors, were not idle. They had a strong encampment on the bank of the "Wild Cat. They had watched every movement of the expedition: and, exasperated by the destruction party of warriors on the preceding day had killed Dunn, as our troops had supposed - o\tt off his head and set it upon a stake, with the face in the direction of their camp, at the spot where his body lay. They natm-ally inferred that some portion of omtroops, on the next day, would visit the spot where their comrade fell, bury his body, and scout the countiy for their enemy: and they determined to prepare an ambuscade for them. For this purpose, they posted themselves in a long and deej) ravine leading to the 'Wild Cat Creek, heavily shaded with forest trees, about a mile and a quarter from the spot where Dunn's body lay. with directions to one of their wan'iors to post himself there, and. upon the arrival of om- troops, to entice pursuit of himself into the fatal ravine. Unfortimately. their plans succeeded too well.

"Upon the approach of the troops. Col. Miller, at the head of his line, discovered an Indian at the spot, appai-ently imcouscious of their approach, and who, appearing greatly surprised and alarmed, mounted and put spm-s to his horse as if to make his escape. Col. Miller, without giving any orders to his command, immediately raised the yell and gave pm-suit. The men of his line first, and then those of the others, afterward followed in quick succession, until the whole troop went pell-mell in pm-suit of the Indian. He was several times overtaken, and could have been shot; but it seems to have been the pm-pose to captm-e him alive. At one time, a soldier by the name of John Shannon, of Capt. Bigger 's company, caught hold of him, but an intervening bush broke his hold. The Indiim, in the meantime, gave out loud and repeated yells, intended, doubtless, as a signal to his concealed fi-iends of the conditon of affairs.

"And thus continuing the pm-suit for alxiut A mile and a quar ter. and while descending the ravine before mentioned, the ti'oops suddenly found themselves in the midst of a large body of Indians, j and startled by the reports of himdreds of rifles. Thirteen of the I men were shot dead at the first fire. It was evident at once that I any defense was hopeless; and each man immediately raised up, I wheeled, ptit s]nu-s to his horse and fled as rapidly as he could I toward the camp.

j " Pien-e La Plante. of Capt. Parke's company of dragoons, of I Vincennes, one of the -m-iter's infoi-mants above refen-ed to, states that the first intimation they had of the ambu.scade was the reports of several himdred rifles, aroimd and about them on all sides. He I iromediately put spurs to his horse, with the rest of the troops, hotly pursued h\ the Indians, on foot and on horseback, and with lances and t<jmahawk.s, as well as rifles. Diu-iug the retreat, his rifle was shot oft" by an Indifiu's bullet, at the small of the stock, leaving the breech alone in his hands. Being well moimted, he passed many in the pursuit; among others, Benoit Bezallion, of Capt. Beckes" company, whose horse appeared to be faltering. He called upon the old gentleman to hasten, that the Indians were close after them. But, looking up despondingly. he made no reply. Shortly after, the triumphant yells of the Indians denoted his captiue.

Richeville, of Oapt. Beckes" company, of Vincennes, also states that they were surrounded on all sides in the ambuscade, and that the bullets of the Indians were as thick as hail. As he reined up his horse to tm-n and flee, he noticed an Indian quite near, pointing his rifle, as he supposed, at himself; and he thought he was the doomed man. ' But,' says he, ' another fellow by my side, Samuel Ciilbertson, of my own company, had to take it, and he fell dead from his saddle.' Shortly afterward, he was violenty thrown to the ground, by his rifle, lying across the pommel of his saddle, catching between two trees: but, holding on to the reins of his bridle, he immediately remounted, with his gun in his hand, but with the hammer of the lock disabled. The short delay, however, enabled a Pottawatomie Indian, armed with a lance, to approach quite near, who was preparing to strike him. Suddenly turning in his saddle, and pointing his disabled gun at the Indian, the latter fell back. But he again renewed the pursiiit. and uniformly met with the same movement of his enemy, until finally he gave up the chase.* Proceeding on. he came up to a party consisting of Col. Miller. William Stockwell, Richard Westrope and another, who had halted, at the request of the former, to make a stand. But the others, except Stockwell, declined. Stookwell, w'no was moiiatei on a spirited, fleet horse, declared that he would stand aad kill an Indian or be killed. For this purpose, he dismounted, to fire from behind his horse as the Indians approached, and then remount. But, upon the appearance of the Indians, the other parties fled, his horse broke loose from him, leaving him exposed, and he was immediately killed.

" On the return of the fugutives to camp, the following were found to be the casualties: Killed - Lieuts. John Murray and John Edwards; Ensign James Mars ; Corporal John Sublitt; and Privates James Webb, Jesse Jones, Pierre Vaudiy, Jonathan Benton. Samuel Culbertson, Barnabas Young, William Stockwell, William Brown, John Curry and John Long - 14. Wounded -

" It having been learned that the Indians were strongly encamped on the bank of Wild Cat Creek, and that they would probably make a stand there. Gen. Hopkins intended, on the next morning, the 23d, to move out the whole army and attack the enemy in his stronghold. But a violent storm of snow, attended with intense cold, intervening during the whole of this day, the march was delayed uatil the 24th. On the morning of the 24th, the army moved against the encampment ; but they found the enemy had decamped before the fall of the snow, and left no traces of their retreat. Gen. Hopkins, in speaking of the Indian encampmeiit, says, ' I have no doubt but their ground was the strongest I have ever seen." The deep, rapid stream spoken of [the Wild Cat. then called Ponce Passu, or Ponceau Piohou] was in their rear, running in a semi-circle, and fronted by a bluff one hundred feet high, almost jjerjiendicular, and only to be penetrated by three steej) ravines.'

" Before the army returned to camp on the 24th, they buried the dead who had fallen on the 22d. Those who fell upon the scene of the ambuscade were buried upon the spot, in one grave; those in the retreat, where they fell.

ambuscade was denominated as 'Spurs' Defeat' by the participants themselves, fi-om the fact that the spur was the main appliance in the action. In connection with the ambuscade, it was also stated by the same authority from whom the foregoing details were obtained, that, facing the entrance to it, the Indians had peeled the bark from several trees aud painted them black and red, significant of defiance and the purpose of dire revenge, the resalt sufficiently' indicating the piu'portof the warning signal.

"As to Benoit Bezallion, the only prisoner captured by the Indians, it may be added, as learned fi'om the Indians themselves, after the close of the war, that on the same day of his capture they determined to put him to death with extreme tortiu'e. They would have probably put him to death, in some form or other, in any event, as their custom generally was in the case of adult male captives. But his case, to them, was peculiar. He had been an old trader among some of their tribes. They had contracted, mutually, many business and f rinedly relations. They therefore, fi'om their standpoint, regarded him as a false friend or traitor to themselves, and they determined to burn him to death at the stake. For this purpose, they bound him to a tree, piled up brush and wood about him, and set fire to the jiile. The old man begged them to put him to death in some other and more speedy way. But they refused. Finally, a young warrior, who had known him, and still had some affection for him, hastily seized a loaded rifle from another Indian near by, and, before interference, could be made, shot the old man dead."

From the best information thus far obtained, the location of this formidable encampment, occupied by some six or seven hundred Indians, was probably in the bend of the creek in the northeast quarter of Section 7. Township 23 north. Range 2 west, in Clay Township, Carroll Co.. Ind.. while the ambuscade was about one mile and a quai'ter west,, in Tippecanoe County.

IT was the purpose of Gov. HaiTison, as set forth in his communication to the Secretary of War, on the 4th of Januai-y, 1813, to occupy the Maumee Rapids, and to deposit there as much provision as possible, and move thence with a choice detachment of the ai'my, with the view to make a demonstration toward Detroit, and, by a sudden passage of the strait upon the ice, to invest Maiden. In the uncertainty indicated of obtaining the necessary supplies, fi^om the want of which the men under his command were suffering, to undertake the enterprise would be impracticable, and was therefore temporarily delayed. Because of the failure of the expedition of Gon. Hopkins against the Kickapoos of Illinois, ,ind the hostile acts of some of the Miamis, growing out of their opportunities, on acooimtof the situation of (hoir villages on the Mississinewa and elsewhere, to attack the white settlements, or to furnisli other hostile tribes with the meiius to that end, it was deemed necessary to break np and destroy the Miami settlements on the Mississinewa and vicinity. That pai'- ticular duty was assigned by Gov. Harrison to Lieut. Col. John B. Cam]ibell,.of the Nineteenth United States Infanti-y, with a detachment of about sis himdi-ed men. The detachment was composed chiefly of a regiment of Kentucky dragoons, coromanded by Col. Simrall; a squadron of United States Volunteer Dragoons, conunanded by Maj. James V. Ball; and a corps of infantry, consisting of Capt. Elliott's company of the Nineteenth United States Regiment, Butler's Pittsbm-gh Blues, and Alexander's Pennsylvania Riflemen. Receiving instructions on the 2rith of November, 181'2, Col. Campbell took up the line of march toward the Mississinewa towns, by way of Springfield, Xeuia. Dayton, Eaton and Greenville, that route being prescribed by Gov. Harrison because of its being more distant from the Delaware towns, which he desired to avoid, in consequence of the friendly relations existing between the members of that tribe and the United States. In another part of his instructions. Gov. Harrison says: "It will be necessary that care should be taken to avoid coming in contact with them, or to avoid any ill consequences should it happen to be the case. Inform yom'self as minutely as possible, from Conner and others who have been to Mississinewa, of the localities of the place and the situation of the Indians. * * * There are, however, some of the [Miami] chiefs who have undeviatingly exerted themselves to keep their wan-iors quiet, and to preserve their friendly relations with us. This has been the case with reference to Richardville (a half-breed Frenchman, the second chief of the Miamis), Silver Heels, [and] the White Loon certainly, and, perhaps, of Pecan, the principal chief ot the Miamis, and Charley, the princijial [chief] of the Eel River tribe. * * * * The same remark will also apply to the son and brother of the Little Turtle, who continued to his last moments the warm friend of the United Slates, and who, in the course of his life, rendered them many important services. Your character as a soldier, and that of yom- troops, is a sure guarantee of the safety of the women and children. They will be taken, however, and conducted to the settlement. - * * The utmost vigilance of yom- guards will not, however, afford you perfect secm-ity. Yom' men must at all times be kept ready for action, by night as well as by day. When you advance into the enemy's country, your men must be made to lie upon their ai-ms, and with their accouterments on."

In the report of his expedition. Col. Campbell says; " Early in the morning of the 17th [of Decemlier, liS12], I reached and discovered an Indian town on the Mississinewa, inhabited by a number of Delawares and Miamis. The troops rushed into the tovra. kille'd eight warriors and took forty-two prisoners, eight of whom are warriors; the residue are women and childi'eu. I ordered the town to be immediately burned - a house or two excepted, in which I confined the prisoners - and the cattle and other stock to be shot. I then left the infantry to guard the prisoners. * * * * I biu'nt, on this occasion, thi-ee considerable villages, took several horses, killed many cattle, and retm-ned to the town I iu-st burnt, where I left the prisoners, and encamped. * * * * At 4, on the morning of the 18th, I ordered the reveille to be beaten, and the oflieers convened at my tii-e a short time afterward. While we were in council, and about half an horn* before day, my camp was most fru-iously attacked by a large party of Indians, preceded by and accompanied with a most hideous yell. This immediately broke up the council, and every man ran to his post."

The encampment was of the usual fonu. The infantry and riflemen were in the front line, the company of Capt. Elliott on the right, Butler's in the center and Alexander's on the loft. Maj. Ball's squadron occupied the right of the rear line; Col. Simi-all's regiment the left and'the other half of the rear line. The attack was commenced at the angle formed of the left of Capt. Hopkins' troops and the right ot Garrard's, but soon became general fi-om the entrance of the right to the left of Ball's S(juadron. Every man, officer and soldier stood firm, animated and encouraged each other. After an action of more than an horn', the enemy fled with IM'ecipitation, having suffered great loss. Fifteen Indians were found dead on the battle-field, and many more were probably carried away. The Indian force engaged in the battle was inferior to that of Col. Campbell, whose loss was reported at eight killed and forty-two wounded, several others afterwiu'd dying of their wounds.

The Indians who were taken prisoners were nearly all Munsies. and were included in those who composed Silver Heel's band. The villages destroyed were situated on the banks of the river, at points fifteen or twenty miles distant fj'om its junction with the Wabash River, the site of the principal Mississinewa village. " Lieutenant Colonel Campbell sent two messengers to the Delawai-es who lived on AVhite River, and who had been previously directed and requested to abandon their towns on that river, and to remove into the State of Ohio. In these messages, he expressed his ' regi'et at unfortunately killing some of their people,' and urged them to move to the Shawanoe settlement on the Auglaize River." Not long afterward, the Delawares, with a small niunber of Miamis, moved to the State of Ohio, and there placnd themselves under the protection of the United States Government.

An expedition, composed of about one hundred and thirty-seven mounted men, under the command of Col. Joseph Bartholomew, in June, 1813, started from Valonia toward the Delaware towns on the West Fork of White River, with the intention to sui-prise and punish some hostile Indians supi)osed to be Im-king about those villages. This expedition was made up of parts of thi'ee companies of rangers, one of which was conunanded by Cai^t. William.son Dunn, another by Capt. James Bigger, and a third by Caiit. C. Peyton, with a small detachment of militia under Maj. Depauw, of Harrison County. In a letter ^vi'itten by ('ol. Bartholomew and addressed to Gov, Posey, we have the following brief accoimt of the movements of the expedition: "Lieut. Col. John Tipton, of Harrison County, and Maj. David Owen, of Kentucky, acted as Aids. AVe left Valonia on the 11th inst. [June, 1813], and pursued a eoiu-se between north and northeast, about one hundred miles, to theujiper Delaware town on AMiite River. AVe arrived there on the 1 5th, and found the principal part of the town had been bm"nt thi'ee or four weeks jjrevious to our getting there. We found, however, a considerable quantity of corn in the fom- remaining houses. We went fi-om there, on the [10th]. down White River a west coiu-se, and passed another village, three or fom- miles below, which had also been biu-nt. At the distance of twelve miles below the upper town, we came to anothei- small village, not burnt. Here we discovered the signs of Indians who had come to this village for the purpose of canning ofl" corn. On the morning of the 17th, Capt. Dunn, Lieut. Shields and myself, with thirty men. took the trail, and pursued it about a mile, when we met with three of the Indian horses, which we secured. The woods being very thick, we found it necessary to leave most of omhorses, imder a small guard, and took with us only six mounted men, which were kept iu the rear. After following the buck trail of the Indian Lorses two miles fm-ther, we discovered a camp of two Indians on a high piece of ground. In attempting to stirround them, they discovered one of our flanking parties, and immediately broke and ran. They were, however, fired on, and one killed. The mounted men were ordered to charge; but, before they could get near to the surviving Indian, he had got into some bnish and hid himself. One of Capt. Peyton's rangers, being thi'own from his horse on retiu'ning, was considerably in the rear, and, coming suddenly and tmexpectedly on the Indian, who had concealed himself, he was fired on. and dangerously wounded through the left hip. The Indian then made his escape to a swamp, where he could not be found. At the same time that we had set out on the Indian ti-ail, the main force moved on to the lower town. They found no fresh appearance of Indians there, bxit much of their having some time previously fi'equented it to cany off corn. The lower town had, from appearances, been burnt early in the winter. We found at all the towns from eight hundred to one thousand bushels of corn, and, discovering that the hostile Indians were making use of it [we destroyed it]. We conceived it was the more necessary to do this, as the corn would, if not destroyed, enable considerable bodies of the enemy to fall upon and harass o\vc fi'ontier. Having the wounded man to take care of, whom we had to carry on a horse littei-, it was thought prudent to retm-n to Valonia, at which place we arrived on the 21st [June]."

A further expedition was organized on the 1st of July. 1813, by Col. William Bussell, of the Seventh United States Regiment, the force amounting to 573 effective men, designed to operate against the Indian villages near the mouth of the Mississinewa. The expedition left Valonia early in the month, encountering much rainy weather and consequent high waters, from which the provisions suffered gi-eatly. It proceeded first to the Delaware towns ; thence to those on the Mississinewa, finding there four or five distinct villages, one of which was strongly fortified, and had adjoining it a very considerable encampment of Indians. These had evidently been evacuated by their former occupants early in the spring ; they were, however, all destroyed. Proceeding thence down the Wabash to the Eel Biver town; to Winamac village; to the Prophet's town, and, then, recrossing the Wabash, the expedition took the Winnebago towns in its route to Fort Harrison, meeting with no formidable oi^position by hostile Indians. In the latter part of the month, a few Indians having been discovered in the vicinity of the settlements on White River, a company of rangers was sent in pursuit. Little was accomplished, however, except to recover three horses that had been stolen - the Indians escaped. In the meantime, the battle at River Raisin had been fought on the 22d of January, resulting in a hon'ible massacre of the whites under Gen. Winchester. The siege of Fort Meigs, which continued from the 28th of April to the iJth of May, had ended in a de cided victory to the officers and soldiers imder the command of Gen. Harrison, over Col. Proctor, in command of the combined forces of the British and Indians. On the 2d of August, 1813, Fort Stephenson, on the site of Lower Sandusky, under command of Maj. George Croghan, was attacked by a British force consisting of about five hundred regulars and fi-om seven to eight hundred Indians, also commanded by Col. Proctor. The fight was a fierce one, Imt the defense of the fort was maintained, though the opposition was nearly eight to one of the garrison.

From, that time forward, the frequent defeats sustained by the Indians, and the scarcity of supplies, had the effect to chock their warlike spirit and to induce a spii'itof compromise. Before the opening of spring, in 1814, deputies fi'om the Miamis and Pottawatomies, and other Northwestern tribes, assembled at Dayton, Ohio, where they were informed of the terms upon which their propositions for alliance would be accepted by the Government and people of the United States. Accordingly, after a lengthy conference upon the subject, a treaty was concluded at Greenville on the 22d of July, the effect of which was to virtually close the Indian wars in Indiana Ten-itory, other than occasional depredatory incursions into the fi'ontier settlements of Indiana and Illinois Territories.

Black Hawk'

Origin' of the Difficulty in the Treaty with tue Sacs- He Resists the Removal of his Band west of the Mississippi - Complaints BY' Skttlers - Gov. Rf.y'nolds Notifies Gen. Gaines of the United States Army- - Volunteeks Called For- PitoiiRESs of the Expedition - Movements of Maj. Stillman - Capture ok BlaOK Hawk and Defeat of his Forces - Gen. Henry in Pursuit - Attacks Black Hawk AND Defeats Him - The L.\tter Retires - Incidents.

IN 1804, Gen. Harrison, as Governor of Indiana Territory, a Commissioner on the part of the United States, pm-chased from the Sacs and Foxes, at St. Louis, a large extent of territory, " beginning at a point on the Missouri River, opposite the mouth of the Gasconade River; thence in a direct course so as to strike the River Jefferson, at the distance of thii-ty miles from its mouth, and down the said Jefferson to the Mississippi ; thence up the Mississippi to the mouth of the Ouisconsin River, and up the same to a point which shall be thirty-six miles in a direct line from the mouth of said river; thence by a direct line, to the point where the Fox River (a branch of the Illinois) leaves the small lake called Sakaegan; thence down the Fox River to the Illinois River, and down the same to the Mississippi " - and in consideration of the friendship and protection of the United States, as likewise goods to the value of $2,234, then delivered, and a fui'- ther annuity of $1,000, to be paid them annually, in goods, the said tribes ceded and relinquished forever to the United States all the lands included within the aforesaid limits. These lands were subsequently smweyed and sold by the United States, and the purchasers, as a natural consequence, settled upon their lands and made improvements thereon. A part of the tract so ceded to the United States, sold and settled upon, had been the ancient metropolis of the Indian nation inhabiting that territory, which, it seems, had been abandoned by some of those Indians reluctantly- even with a pm-pose of resistance. Black Hawk was one of those malcontents, who, from the beginning, had denied the validity of the several ti-eaties under which the title thus exercised by the whites had been acquired. He was at this time an old man; had been a warrior fi'om his youth; had also led many a war party on the trail of the enemy, and had never been defeated. In the war of 1812, he had been in the service of England, and an Aid-de-camp of Tecumseh. A firm ally of Great Britain, he cordially hated the Americans, and, at the close of the war, had never joined in making peace with them: but, on the other hand, he and his band of followers had always kept up their connection with Canada, and were ever ready for a wrn- with our people. Brooding over his imagined as real wi'ongs, he continued to thirst for revenge. He resisted the order of the Govern- ment for the removal of his baud west of the Mississippi. Alleging that some depredations had been committed on their property by the whites during their absence on a hunting expedition, he was highly incensed, and, in the spring of 1.N31, after his return from the winter hunt, he recrossed the river with his women and children and 300 wan-iors of the British band, with some Pottawatomies and Kickapoos, to establish himself upon his ancient hunting-gi'ounds, and in the principal village of his nation. With this pirrpose in view, he ordered the white settlers away, threw down their fences, um-oofed their houses, cut up their gi-ain. drove off and killed their cattle, and threatened the people with death if they remained. Complaints were made by the settlers to Gov. Reynolds, on account of these depredations, and steps were immediately taken by the proper authorities to punish the offenders and protect the property of the settlers.

Gen. Gaines, of the United States Aimy, with some fifteen hundi-ed volunteers and a detachment fi-om the regular ai-my. immediately proceeded to the scene of anticipated conflict. This was in the month of June, 1831, and the place of rendezvous was in the vicinity of Rockport. III. "WTien the volunteers reached the Indian town, they found no enemy there, the Indians having, in the meantime, departed in their canoes to the western side of the Mississippi River. " The enemy having escaped, the vohmteers wei'e determined to be revenged upon something. The rain descended in ton-ents, and the Indian wigwams would have fm-- nished a comfoi'table shelter ; but, notwithstanding the rain, the whole town was soon wi'apped in flames, and thus perished an ancient village, which had once been the delightful home of six or seven thousand Indians. The volunteers marched to Rock Island next morning, and here they encamped for several days, precisely where the town of Rock Island is now situated." Gen. Gaines manifesting a disposition to pur.sue the Indians across the Mississippi and punish them, Black Hawk and his liand, considering discretion the better part of valor, came forwai'd and asked for peace. A treaty was fomied, then and there, by which these hostiles agi'eed to remain forever after on the west side of the river, and never recross it without permission of the President, or the Governor of the State, ratifying, also, the treaty of 1S04. aliove refen-red to. and to remain at peace.

Notwithstanding this treaty, however, early in the sjiring of 1832, Black Hawk and the disaffected Indians prepared to re assert their claim upon the ceded territoiy. The Sacs and Foxes were divided into two parties, one of which was of the warlike band, and commanded by Black Hawk, while the other was peaceably disposed, and was commanded by Keokuk, who was not only a sagacious leader of his people, but gifted with a stining eloquence, which enabled him to retain the Uu-ger portion of his nation in amity with the white people. On the contrary. Black Hawk, who was a rival of Keokuk, secured the co-o]3eration of nearly all the bold, turbulent spirits, who delighted in mischief - indeed, the chivalry of the nation. "With these, the chivahic chief recrossed the Mississippi, in violation of his agi'eement, and directed his march to the Rock River coimtry. and. by marching up the river into the country of the Pottawatomies and Winnebagoes, he aimed to make them his allies also. Gov. Reynolds, upon being informed of the facts, made another call for volunteers, and in a few days 1,800 men awaited marching orders.

The army proceeded by way of Oquaka to the mouth of Rock River, where the volunteers, under Gen. Whiteside, and the regulars, under Gen. Atkinson, were separated into two divisions, the former marching to the Prophet's town, which they destroyed.

and then marched to Dixon, forty miles fmtliei- ii|iili(' liv.T. wliilc Gen. Atkinson proceeded up the river to the same points iu keelboats, with provisions. On the ]2th of May, a pm-ty under Maj. Stillman began their mai-ch. reaching " Old Man's Creek " late in the evening, where they encamped for the night. Early iu the evening, they were drawn into an ambuscade and defeated by a party of Indians under Black Hawk, and suffered considerable loss. Having thu-s gained an advantage, tlie Indians were oncoiu-aged to commit fiu'ther depredations; accordingly, they scatteretl over the country, some of them fiu'ther up Rock River, and others toward the nearest white settlements. A piu-ty munbering about seventy attacked a small settlement on Indian Creek, a ti'ib\itary of Fox River, and there, within fifteen miles of Ottawa, they massacred fifteen persons, men, women and chihh-en, and took two young women prisonex-s, who were hmi-ied by forced marches beyond the reach of pm-suit. Subsequently, these prisoners were ransomed, and retm-ned safely to their friends.

Soon after the disaster suffered by the detachment under Maj. j Stillman, a council of war was held, in which it was determined to march back to the scene of defeat with a sufficient force to s>iccessfully combat the enemy. Reaching the sj»t, however, the Indians were gone. .At this time, the army amounted to 'J.-tOO men, but, their tenn of enlistment having nearly expired, they refused to sei-ve longer, and were discharged on the 27th and 28th of May. Meanwhile. 3.000 Illinois militia had been called out, and, on the 20th of Jime following, they rendezvoused at Peru, and marched forward to Rock River, where they were joined by the regular troops, and the whole force was placed under the command of Gen. Atkinson.

" On the 24th of June, Black Hawk and his 200 warriors were repulsed by Maj. Demint, witli but 150 militia: this skirmish took place between Rock River and Galena. » * * This detachment hearing of Black Hawk's army, pm-sued and ovei-took them, on the 21st of July, near the Wisconsin River, and in the neighborhood of the Blue Mounds. Gen. Hemy, who commanded that party, formed with his troops three sides of a hollow square, and in that oi'der received the attack of the Indians; two attempts to break the ranks were made by the natives in vain; and then a general charge was made by the whole body of Americans, and with such success that, it is said, fifty-two of the red men were left dead upon the field, while but one American was killed, and eight wounded. Before this action, Henry had sent word of his motions to the main army, by whom he was immediately rejoined, and. on the 28th of July, the whole crossed the Wisconsin in pur suit of Black Hawk, who was retiring toward the Mississippi. Upon the bank of that river, nearly opposite the Upper loway, the Indians were overtaken and again defeated, on the 2d of -August, with a loss of 150 men. while of the whites but eighteen fell. This battle entirely broke the power of Black Hawk; he fled, but was seized by the Winnebagoes, and, on the 27th, was delivered to the officers of the United States at Prairie du Chien."*

It was about the middle of May, 1832, when the annoimcement was made that Black Hawk and his braves were on the war-path, and al»ut to invade the territoiyoccupied by settlers on the Tippecanoe and Wabash Rivers, comprising those in Can-oil, Tippecanoe and other adjacent counties. The nunor produced everywhere the utmost consternation and dismay, causing many to desert their homes and seek places of safety elsewhere. In the midst of this excitement, self-protection was the prevailing sentiment in this commimity. As a precautionary measure, Capt. An-

Period Of Civilization

Oroanization of the Territory Northwest of the Ohio River - Brief Review of Proceedings Under that Act- Territorial DiMESSiONS - Mames of so.me of the Chief Officers - Division or the Territory - New Boundaries- Miscellany. TT will be remembered that the large extent of territory lying -L west of the Ohio River, after the close of the Revolution and the ratification of the treaty of peace between the United States and the kingdom of Great Britain, was claimed and acknowledged to be owned by the State of Viiginia.

By the surrender of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown, on the 19th of October, 1781, the struggle for the independence of the colonies was virtual h' closed, but the final treaty of peace was concluded at Paris, on the 3d day of September, 1783, and ratified by the Congress of the Confederation of States on the 14th of January, 1784. Prior to that time, however, the General Assembly of the State of Virginia, on the 2d of January, 1781, resolved that, on certain conditions, they would cede to Congress, for the benefit of the United States, all the right, title and claim which the State of Virginia had to the teiTitory northwest of the River Ohio. This resolution was passed pm'suant to the provisions of an act of Congress of the 6th day of September, 1780, recommending "to the several States in the Union, having claims to waste and unappropriated lands in the Western country, a liberal cession to the United States, of a portion of their respective claims, for the common benefit of the Union." Subsequently, on the 13th of September, 1783, Cougi-ess, by their act of that date, stipulated certain terms upon which the cession before proposed would be accepted, provided the Legislature of that State would approve the same. Accordingly, the General Assembly of the State of Virginia, by their act passed December 20, 1783, after i-ecitiug the preliminary proceedings had in the premises, declared that, although the terms proposed " do not come fully up to the propositions of this commonwealth, ai'e conceived, on the whole, to approach so nearly to them, as to induce this State to accept thereof in full confidence that Congress will, in justice to this State for the liberal cession she has made, earnestly press upon the other States claiming large tracts of waste and imcultivated territory, the propriety of making cessions equally liberal, for the common benefit and supiJort of the Union." The following are the terms and conditions upon which the cession was iniidc iiidiiding the boundaries and conditions, reservations, etc. :

" Hi- if ciiiictcd III/ the (-'riirral Axsriiihlij, Thai it sliall and may be lawful the Delegates of this State to the Congress of the United Slates, in- sucli of tliem as shall be assembled in Congress, and the said I)i'lcgates, or such of them so assembled, are hereby fully authorized and empowered, for and on behalf of this State, by proper deed or instrument in writing, under their hands and seals, to convey, transfer, assign, and make over unto the United States in Congress assembled, for the benefit of the said States, all right, title and claim, as well of soil as jm-isdictiou, which this commonwealth hath to the territory or tract of country, within the limits of the Virginia charter, situate, lying and being to the northwest of the River Ohio, subject to the terms and conditions contained in the before-recited act of Congress of the 13th day of September last, that is to say: Upon condition that the territory so ceded shall be laid out and formed into States, containing suitable extent of territory, not less than 100 nor more than 150 miles square, or as near thereto as circumstances will admit; and that the States so formed shall be distinct Republican States, and admitted members of the Federal Union, having the same rights of sovereignty, freedom and independence, as the other States; that the necessary and reasonable expenses incurred by this State in subduing any Briuish posts, or in maintaining forts and garrisons within and for the defense, or in acquiring any pai't of the ten-itory so ceded or relinquished, shall be fully reimbm^sed by the United States; and that one Commissioner shall be appointed bj' Congress, one by this commonwealth, and another b)- those two Commissioners, who, or a majority of them, shall be authorized and empowered to adjust and liquidate the account of the necessary and reasonable expenses iuem-red by this State, which they shall judge to be comprised within the intent and meaning of the act of Congi-ess of the 10th of October, 1780, respecting such expenses. That the French and Canadian inhabitants and other settlers of the Kaskaskias, St. Vincent's, and the neighboring villages, who have professed themselves citizens of Virginia, shall have their possessions and titles conlu-med to them, and be protected in the enjoyment of their rights and liberties. That a quantity not exceeding 150,000 acres of land, promised by this State, shall be allowed and granted to the then Colonel, now General, George Rogers Clai-k, and to the officers and soldiers of his regiment, who marched with him when the posts of Ka«- kaskias "and St. Vincent's wei'e reduced, and to the officers and soldiers that have been since incorporated into the said regiment, to be laid off in one tract, the length of whicli is not to exceed double the breadth, in such place on the northwest side of the Ohio as a majority of the officers shall choose, and to be aftei-wiu-d divided among the said officers and soldiers in due proportion, according to the laws of Virginia. That in case the quantity of good lands on the southeast side of the Ohio, upon the waters of the Cumberland River, and between the Green River and Tennessee River, which have been reserved by law for the Virginia troops uiion Continental establishment, should, from the North Carolina line bearing in further upon the Cumberland lands than was expected, prove insufficient for their legal bounties, the deficiency should be made up to said troops in good hmds, to be laid off between the Rivers Scioto and Little Miami, on the northwest side o£ the River Ohio, iir such proiiortions as have been engaged to them by the laws of Virginia. That all the lands within the territory ceded to the United States, and not reserved for or appropriated to any of the before-mentioned piu'poses, or disposed of in bounties to the officers and soldiers of the American army, shall be considered as a common fund of such of the United States as have beoome, or shall beaome, members of the confederation or federal alliance of the said States, Virginia inclasive, according to their usual respective proportions in the general charge and expenditure, and shall be faithfully and bona fide disposed of for that purpose, and for no other use or purpose whatsoever, Prorided, that the trust hereby reposed in the Delegates of this State shall not be exeauted unless three of them at least are present in Congress."

Pursuaut to the authji-ity aforesaid, and iu strict accjrd with its provisions, Thomas Jefferson, Samuel Hardy, Arthur Lee and James Monroe, Delegates in Congress fi-om the State of Virginia, on the 1st day of March, 1784, executed a deed of cession, by which they transferred to the United States, on the conditions named in the preceding ai'tiele, all right, title and claim of Virginia to the country northwest of the Ohio River. The deed so executed by the Delegates representing the commonwealth of Virginia, was tendered to and immediately accepted by the Congress of the United States. Without delay thereafter, Congress referred the subject matter of providing for the disposition of the territory thus acquired, and suitable laws for the government thereof, to a committee, consisting of Messrs. Jefferson, of Virginia; Chase, of Maryland; and Howell, of Rhode Island. This committee after deliberation reported an ordinance for its temporarj- government on the 23d of April of the same year. Subsequently, however, on the 13th of July, 1787, an ordinance was passed repealing and making void the provisions of the preceding ordinance. This ordinance prescribed a series of regulations for the better government of the new territory, making the same into one district, but subject to division into ttvo, as might be fomid expedient. Article 5 of this ordinance provides, among other things, that " there shall be formed in the said territory not less than thi-ee nor more than five States; and the boundaries of the States, as soon as Virginia shall alter her act of cession, and consent to the same, shall become fixed and established as follows, to wit: The western State in the said teiTitory shall be bounded by the Mississippi, the Ohio and the Wabash Rivers; a direct linedi'awu fi-om the Wabash and Post Vincent's, due north; to the territorial line between tlie United States and Canada, and by the said territorial line to the Lake of the AVouds and Mississippi. The middle States shall be boixnded by the said direct line, the Wabash from Post Vincent's to the Ohio, by the Ohio, by a direct line drawn due north fi-om the mouth of the Great Miami to the said territorial line, and by the said temtorial line. The eastern States shall be bounded by the last-mentioned direct line, the Ohio, Pennsylvania, and the said territorial line; provided, however, and it is further understood and declared, that the boimdai-ies of these thi-ee States shall be subject so fai- to be altered, that if Congress shall hereafter find it expedient, they shall have authority to form one or two States in that part of the said territory which lies north of an east-and-west line di-awn thi-ough the southerly bend or extreme of Lake Michigan. And whenever any of the said States shall have 60,000 free inhabitants therein, such shall be admitted, by its Delegates, into the Congress of the United States, on an equal footing with the original States, in all respects whatever; and shall be at liberty to foi-m a permanent constitution and State government, provided the constitution and government so to be formed shall be Republican, and in conformity to the principles contained in these ai-ticles: and, so far as it can be consistent with the general interest of the confederacy, such admission shall be allowed at an earlier period, and when there may be a less number of free inhabitants in the State than 60,000." The provisions of this aiticle, it will be seen, ai-e in conflict with the conditions prescribed by the act of Virginia ceding the territory to the United States, and the deed made and accepted in conformity therewith, in this, that the ordinance of cession provided " that the teii'itory so ceded shall be laid out and formed into States, containing suitable extent of territory, not less than 100 nor more than 15(.) miles square, or as near thereto as circumstances will admit " - hence the condition contained in the article under consideration - " as soon as Virginia shall alter her act of cession, and consent to the same." In order to make her act of cession conform to the provisions contained in the ordinance for the government of the new territory, the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia, on the 30th of December, 1788, enacted as follows: " Whereas, the United States, in Congress assembled, did, on the 7th day of July. A. D. 1786, state certain reasons, showing that a division of the tenutory which hath been ceded to the said United States by this commonwealth, into States, in conformity to the terms of cession, shoiald the same be adhered to, would be attended with many inconveniences, and did recommend a revision of the act of cession, so far as to empower Congress to make such a division of the said territory into distinct and Republican States, not more than five nor less than three in number, as the situation of that coimtry and future circumstances might require." After reciting Article 5 of the foregoing ordinance for the government of the territory, and the expediency of the recommendation of Congress, enacted " That the afore-recited article of compact between the Statas, and the people and States iu the territory northwest of the Ohio River, be, and the same is hereby ratified and confirmed, anything to the contrary, in the need of cession of the said territory by this commonwealth to the United States, notwithstanding."

Ai'tlcle 6 provided that " There shall be neither slavery nor involuntary sei-vitude in the said territory, otherwise than in the pimishment of crimes, whereof the party shall have been duly convicted. "

In October, 1783, the General Assembly of Virginia passed an act for laying off the town of Clarksville. at the Falls of the Ohio, in the county of Illinois. By this act it was provided that lots of half an acre each should be sold at piablic auction for the best price they would bring. One of the conditions of the sale was that the pm'chaser was required, within thi-ee years from the day of sale, to build a dwelling house. " twenty feet by eighteen at least, with a brick or stone chimney." William Fleming, John Edwards, John Campbell, Walker Daniel, George R. Clai-k, Abraham Chaplin, John Montgomery, John Bailey. Robert Todd and AVilliam Clark were designated as Trustees of the town.

The ordinance for the government of the Xorthwestera Territory took effect and was in force from and after its passage, on the 13th of July, 1787, and, pursuant to that act. Gen. Arthm- St. Clair, on the 5th of October following, was elected, by Congr-ess, Governor. In July, 1788. Gen. St. Clair, having accepted the po sition, an'ived at the new town of Mai'ietta, at the mouth of the River Muskingum, and began to organize the government of the Northwestern Territory, in ai'cordance with the provisions of the ordinance prescriliing the regulations therefor. Samuel Holden

Parsons, James Mitchell Tarunin and John Cleves Symmes were the Judges of the General Court of the territory, who, with the Governor, were the authority for determining the efficiency and sufficiency of local legislation for the territory, and as such established an excellent code of laws. All these ordinances and proceedings, it will be remembered, were declared and had vinder and during the existence of the Confederation of States, prior to the formation and adoption of the present national constitution; hence, in order to make those early regulations conform to the new order of things, it was necessary that a revision of them be made by the Congress of the United States as the highest legislative authority in the General Government. Accordingly, by an act approved August 7, 1789, Congress, in order that the original ordinance might continue to have full effect, made the necessary provisions to that end, by directing that the mode formerly {prescribed for furnishing the General Government with any information regarding the territory be so changed that such communications be made to the President of the United States, and that he should nominate, and by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, appoint all officers which, by the said ordinance, were appointed " b}' the United States in Congress assembled," and grant the necessary commissions Section 2 of this act provided further " That, in case of the death, removal, resignation, or necessary absence, of the Governor of the said territory, the Secretary thereof shall be, and he is hereby authorized and required to execute all the powers and perform all the duties of the Governor, during the vacancy occasioned by the removal, resignation or necessary absence of the Governor." Thenceforward, the affairs of the territorial government were in conformity with the national authority.

The Teekitoky Divided

By the act of Congress approved May 7, 1800, it was provided " That, fi-om and after the 4th day of July next, all that part of the territory of the United States northwest of the Ohio River, which lies to the westward of a line beginning at the Ohio opposite the mouth of Kentucky Kiver and muning thence to Fort Recovery and thence north until it shall intersect the territorial line between the United States and Canada, shall for the purposes of temporary government, constitute a separate Territory, and be called the Indiana Ten-itory." The government of this new Territory was in all respects similar to that provided for the old territory, with the addition that, so far " as relates to the organization of a General Assembly therein, * « * » whenever satisfactory evidence shall be given to the Governor thereof, that such is the wish of a majority of the freeholders, notwithstanding there may not be therein 5,000 fi-ee male inhabitants of the age of twenty-one years. Prnrided. That, until there shall be 5,000 free male inhabitants of twenty-one years and upward, in said Territory, the whole number of Representatives to the General Assembly shall not l)e less than seven- nor more than nine, to be apportioned by the Governor to the several counties in said TeiTitory, agi'eoably to the number of free males of the age of twenty-one years and upward, which they may respectively contain."

It was further provided by said act "That, whenever that pai't of the territory of the United States which lies to the eastward of a line beginning at the mouth of the Great Miami River, and running thence, due north, to the territorial line between the United States and Canada, shall be erected into an indejiendent State, and a,draitted into the Union on an equal footing with the original States, thenceforth said line shall become and remain permanently the boundary line between such State and the Indiana Territory, anything in this act contained to the contrary notwithstanding." And fm-ther, " That, until it shall be otherwise ordered by the Legislstm-es of the said Territories respectively, Chillicothe, on Scioto River, shall be the seat of the government of the territory of the United States northwest of the Ohio River; and that St. Vincennes, on the "Wabash River, shall be the seat of government for the Indiana Territory."

Indiana Territory was divided by an act of Congress, approved February 3, 1800, prescribing "That, fi'om and after the 1st day of March next, all that part of the Indiana TeiTitory which lies west of the Wabash River, and a direct line di-awn from the said Wabash River and Post Vincennes, due north, to the territorial line between the United States and Canada, shall, for the piu-- poses of temporary government, constitute a separate Territory, and be called Illinois " - leaving the boimdaiy of Indiana Territory substantially as it is now as a State, except that the peninsula of Michigan had been set apart as a distinct Territoiy by the act of Congress of January 11, 1805, with a line separating the two Territories as at present existing between the two States.