Green County, Wisconsin - Chapter 5: The Black Hawk War, 1884 (part 2 of 2)

Gen. Scott and suite arrived this morning in the steamboat Wan'ior, and assumed the command of the whole army, to which station he had been appointed sometime previous, but was unable to come on sooner, in consequence of cholera breaking out in his army. He came past* several posts and discharged the men wherever he found them.

Gen. Scott concluded to discharge the army (or the mounted volunteers) that were then in the field, and demanded Black Hawk, of Keokuk, as both men and horses were nearly worn out with fatigue. Accordingly, on the 8th day of August, we left the tented fields and took up our line of march to Dixon's, on Rock rivei', the place appointed for us to be discharged at (or mustered out of the service of the United Stales). All now were eager to press forward. We had turned our faces toward our respective homes, and notwithstanding that we. as well ns our horses, were nearly worn out with the fatiguing marches, through the swamps and over the mountains, yet all were cheerful, and every heart seemed to leap for joy, at the thought of being free from the toils and hardships of a soldier, to return again to the embraces of a wife and children, or a father and mother, brothers and sisters, and to mingle once more in tlie walks and society of the fair sex, which appears to be a sovereign balm to man in all his aftlictions.

On this day, just at night, we met about 300 Menomonee Indians in company of an American officer from Green Bay, coming to join in pursuit of the Sac and Fox Indians. We happened to meet them in a prairie. The officer advanced and met us, or we certainly would have fired upon them. When we came up to them they appeared almost to lament that they had not got in before we had the last battle, in order that they could have had an opportunity of assisting us in the work of death to our common enemy. For ihey are, as I have already stated, great enemies to the Menomonee Indians. When they left us they seemed to press forward with more vigor, as it was their object to pursue the balance of the Sacs and Foxes, who had made their escape.

On the next day we began to reach the set. tlements in the mining country. This was again a solemn scene. The farms had mostly been sown in grain of some kind or other. Those that were in small grain were full ripe for the sickle; but behold! the husbandman was not there to enjoy the benefits of his former labor by thrusting in the scythe and sickle and gathering in his grain, which was fast going to destruction. All appeared to be solitary, and truly presented a state of mourning. But as we advanced a little further into the more thickly settled parts we would occasionally see the smoke just beginning to make its appearance from the top of the chimneys, as some of the inhabitants thought it would be as well to risk dying by the tomahawk and scalping-knife as to lose their grain aijd die by famine, and others had received information that we had slain in battle their troublesome enemy, who had driven them from their homes and slain many of their neighbors. Whenever we approached a house there is no telling the joy it vi^ould give to the desolate man who had lately emerged from some fort, and had left his wife and children still in it while he ventured to his home to save something for them to subsist upon.

I must confess it filled my heart with gratitude and joy to think that I had been instrumental, with many others, in delivering my country of those merciless savages, and restoring those people again to their peaceful homes and firesides, there to enjoy in safety the sweets of a retired life, for a fort is to a husbandman what jail is to the prisoner. The inhabitants of this district of country had be shut up in forts for the last three months, through fear of becoming a prey to Indian barbarity.

Nothing very interesting occurred on our march to Dixon's. Lieut. Anderson, of the United States army, met us at this point, and by the iVth of August mustered us all out of the service of the United States. We sheathed our swords and buried our tomahawks and each man again became his own commander and shaped his own course toward his home, to enjoy the social society of his relatives and friends, in the pursuit of their different avocations in life.

Capture Op Black Hawk And The Prophet

After the battle of Bad Ax, when Black Hawk's band was totally defeated. Brevet Brigadier-General H. Atkinson, of the United States army, and Joseph M. Street, agent for the Winnebagoes at Prairie du Chien, told the principal chiefs of that Nation, that if they would bring in the Black Hawk and the Prophet, it would be well for them, and that the government of the United States would hold them in future as friends and treat them kindly, and that they would not, by so doing, be considered any longer the friends of the hostile Saos and Foxes.

On this declaration, the one-eyed chief, called the Decori, and Cheater took some of their men with them and went in pursuit of these Sac chiefs, in order, if possible, to take them prisoners and bring them and deliver them up to the Indian agent at Prairie du Ohien. On the 27th of August, these two Winnebago chiefs returned, bringing with them the Black Hawk and the Prophet, the principal movers and instigators of the war. The interview with them at Prairie du Chien, I have been told, was a very interesting scene. I will give the reader the substance of their talk with Indian Agent Street and Col. Zachary Taylor, which will go to show how vigilant and with what perseverance these Winnebago chiefs acted to take tliese prisoners. They were upwards of twenty days gone, nf'ev they left Prairie du Chien, before they returned with them.

When they arrived, Black Hawk desired to speak to Ir.dian Agent Sireet, The amount of what he said was, that he was not the originatoi of the war; that he was going wliere he would meet Keokuk, and then he would tti'.l the truth; that he would then tell all al)out this war whici had caused so much trouble; that there were chiefs and braves of the Nation who were the cause of the continuance of the war; that he did not want to hold any council with him; that when he got where Keokuk was he would tfjl the whole of the origin of the difficulties and of tlio^e who committed it; that he wanted to surrender long ago, but others refused; that he wanted to surrender to the steamboat Warrior, and tried to do so until the second fire; that he then ran and went up the river and never returned to the battle ground; and his determination then was to escape if he could; that he did not intend to surrender after that, but that when the Winnebagoes came upon him, he gave up; and that he would tell all about the disturbance when he got to Rock ' Island.

they term their father; which almost all the Indians do their agents. The one-eyed Decori rose first and addressed him in the following manner:

"My father, I now stand before you. When we parted I told you we would return soon; but I could not come any sooner. We had to go a great distance [to the dales, dells, on the Wisconsin river above the portage]; you see we have done what you sent us to do. These are the two you told us to get (pointing to Black Hawk and the Prophet). We always do what you tell us to do, because we know it is for our good. My father, you told us to get these men, and it would be the cause of much good to the Winnebagoes. We have brought them, but it has been very hard for us to do it. That one - Macatamish Kakacky - was a great way off. You told us to bring them alive; we have done so. If you had told us to bring their heads alone, we would have done so; and it would have been less difficult for us to do, than what we have done. My father, we deliver these men into your hands; we would not deliver them even to our brother, the chief of the warriors, l)ut to yon, because we know you and believe you are our friend. We want you to keep them safe. If they are to be hurt, we do not wish to see it; wait until we are gone before it is done. My father, many little birds have been flying about our ears of late, and we thought the}- whispered to us that there was evil intended for us, but now we hope the evil birds will let our ears alone.

"My father, we know you are our friend, because you take our part; this is the reason w e do what you tell us to do. My father, you say you love your red children; we think we love you as much or move than you love us. Mj' father, we have been ])romised a great deal if we would take these men, that it would do much good for our people; we now hope to see what will be done for us. My father, we have oome in haste, and. are tired and hungry; we' now put

''My children, you have done well. I told you to bring these men to me, and you have done so. I am pleased at what you have done. I will tend to your good; and, for this reason, I am well pleased. I assured the great chief of the warriors that, if these men were in your country, you would find them and bring them to me; tiiat I believed you would do what 1 directed you to do. Now, I can say much for your good. I will go down to Rock Island with the prisoners, iind I wish you who have brought these men especially to go with me, and such other chiefs and warriors as you may select. My children, the great chief of the warriors, when he left this place, directed me to deliver these and all other prisoners to the chief of the warriors, Col. Taylor, who is by my side.

"Some of the Winnebagoes on the south side of the Wisconsin river have befriended the Sacs, and some of the Indians of my agency liave given them aid; this was wrong and displeased the great chief of the warriors and your great father, the President, and was calculated to do much harm. My children, your great father, the President at Washington, has sent a great war chief from the far east. Gen, Scott, with a fresh army of soldiers, who is now at Rock Island.

"Your great father has sent him and the governor of Illinois to hold a council with the Indians at Rock Island; he has sent a speech to you; and he wishes the chiefs and warriors of the Winnebagoes to meet him in council on the 10th of September next. I wish you to be ready to go along with me to Rock Island.

"My children, I am well pleased that you have taken Black Hawk and the Prophet and so many others, because it will enable me to say much for you to the great chief of the warriors and your gi-eat father, the Presfident. I shall now deliver theise two JiK^u, Bl ick Hawk and

"The great chief of the warriors told me to take the prisoners when you should brinpj them and send them to Rock Island to him. I will take them and keep them safe, but use them well, and will send them by you and Mr. Street when you go down to the council, which will be in a few days. Y^our friend, Mr. Street, advised you to get ready and go down sooti, and so do. I tell you again, I will take the prisoners and keep them safe, but will do them no harm. I will deliver them to the great chief of the warriors, and he will do with them in such manner as he may be ordered by your great father, the President."

"My father, I am young and don't know liow to make speeches. This is the second time I ever spoke to you before the people. My father, I am no chief, I am no orator, but I have been allowed to speak to you. My father, if I shall not speak as well as others, still you must listen to me.

"My father, when you made the speech to the chiefs, Waugh-kan-decorri, C/arimanee, the one-eyed Decorri, and others, the other day, I was there. I heard you. I thought wh.nt you said to them you also said to me. You said if these two (pointing to Black Havvk and the Prophet) were taken by us and brought to you there would never any more a black clou<l hang over your Winnebagoes. My father, your words entered into my ears, into my brain and into my heart. I left here that very night and you know you liave not seen me since, until now. My father, I have been a great wa}'. I had much trouble; but when I remembered what you said I knew you were right. This made me keep on and do what you told me. Near the dale [dells] on the Wisconsin river I took Black Hawk. No one did it but me. I say this in the ears of all present, and they know it; and now I appeal to the Great Spirit, our Grand Mother, for the truth of what I say. My father, I am no chief, but what I have done is for the benefit of my own Nation, and I hope for the good that has been promised us. My father, that one, Waboki-shick, is ray relation. If he is to be hurt I do not wish to see it. My father, soldiers sometimes stick the ends of their guns [bayonets] into the back of Indian prisoners when they are going about in the hands of the guard. I hope this will not be done to these men."

Death Of Black Hawk

Black Hawk was sent as a prisoner from Prairie du Chien to Jefferson barracks, under charge of Lieut. Jefferson Davis - then in the United States array at Prairie du Chien, and thirty years later President of the Confederate States. lilack Hawk was kept a close prisoner until April, 1833, when he was taken to Washington, together with some of his family and the Prophet. After an interview with President Jackson, and being em])hatically told by hlni tliat the governraent would compel the red mei t(j be at peace, they were sent as prisoners tc Fortress Monroe, for "levying war," as Jefferson Davis was, thirty-two years later, for the same offense. On June 4, 1833, by order of the Piesident, Black Hawk and his fellow prisoners were liberated and sent home, under officers appointed to conduct them through the principal cities of the Union, in order to impress them with a proper sense of the power of the whites. and of the hopelessness of any conflict on tlie part of the Indians with the government of the United States. Bltick Hawk ever after remained quiet. He died Oct. 3, 1 838, and was buried on the banks of the Mississippi, in the State of Iowa, near the head of the Des Moines rapids, where the village of Montrose is located.

acquainted with one, named White, and enlisted, during the war. A quartermaster was up here buying horses. He purchased near 500 head, and I went with them down to the raouth of Rock river, where the army under Atkinson was encamped.

I was under Dodge's command of Illinois volunteers, and a wilder, raore independent set of dare-devils I never saw. They had a freeand-easy, devil-may-care appearance about thera, that is never seen in the regulars, and Gen. Dodge of all others, was the officer to lead them. A number of Sioux, Winnebagoes and some Menomonees joined the forces on Rock river. I was in the ranks, and my opportunities for knowing and seeing the movements of the army, from the encampraent on Rock river to the Four lakes, and to the Wisconsin bluffs, were limited.

Generals Atkinson, Dodge, Henry and Alex-' aiider, led the different commands. The force under Dodge, consisted of 200 or 300 raen, and we proceeded to the lakes, through the swamps towards Black Hawk's camp on Rock river. Gen. Dodge was impatient to engage the Indians, and urged the men on; but orders came for our men to proceed to headquarters, where we immediately went.

From Gen. Atkinson's camp we were marched to Fort Winnebago, from where we started in pursuit of the Indians, who there held the tv\o Hall girls prisoners, and were camped at Rock River Rapids. Gen. Henry's and Dodge's men reached the Rapids, but the Indians had retreated. Itiformation was received that the Indians were making westward, and getting on their trail, we followed them rapidly for two days; the scouts discovered many Indians on the second day about camp near the lake. The pursuit was renewed on the day after reaching the lakes, where one or more of the Indians was killed. Our men led the chase, next after the scouts, who were continually firing at the Indians. The Indians continued to retreat, until they ' reached the Wisconsin river, where some made a Ktctnd and showed light, while the others crossed the river. Here we were fired on by the Indians, and one man was killed and several wounded. We returned their fire with effect, and then charged them, killing a good many, all of whom were scalped by the wild Sucker volunteers.

Soon after the skirmish on Wisconsin bluffs, Gen. Atkinson came up, and the entire army crossed the river at Pine Bend, (Helena,) and took the trail on the opposite side, and followed it seven or eight miles, in the direction of Prairie du Chien. When it was discovered that tlie Indians were making for the Mississippi, Gin. Atkinson sent me with little Boiseley to carry a dispatch to Fort Crawford, that the inli ibitants might be ready to prevent the Indians crossing in any canoes or boats belonging to the citizens. Boiseley and I traveled day and night, and arrived at the fort without seeing an Indian. Back Hawk and his people, with the army in ])ursuit, had turned northward, intending to ford the Kickapoo high up.

It was on the 1st day of August when Boiseley and I reached the Sugar Loaf, at the south end of the prairie. As we were taking a look over the prairie, previous to starting for the fort, we saw the smoke and steam of a boat coming up the river, just off the mouth of the Wisconsin. We hastened on, and reached the fort as the steamer Warj^ior made ihe government landing. I reported myself to Capt. Loomis, and was directed to go up the river in the boat. I assisted to get a six-pounder from the fort on to the Warrior, which cannon was managed by five other persons and myself, and was the 07ily cannon tired at the Indians - if not the only one aboard.

The steamboat JTorrfor was commanded by Thockmorton, and Lieut. Kingsbury was aboard willi a body of regulars. The cannon was placed on the forward part of the l)oat, without a defense of any kind; and 1 liave the names of the five persons who assisted to manage it, for they gtJt on at thfe Prairie when I di*l.

The boat steamed up stream with all on board anxious to get a pop at the Indians. Just above where Lansing is, we picked up a soldier, who had been discharged from Fort Snelling, and was coming down the river in a canoe. He had come down the west channel, on the Minnesota side opposite Bad Ax, and, fortunately for him, he did not meet the Indians. We came in sight of the Indians south of the Bad Ax river; they were collected together on a bench of the land close to the Mississippi, and were making efforts to get their women across.

Capt. Dickson's scouts had not come up yet, and the Indians raised a white flag and endeavored to induce the boat to approach the east shore, and succeeded in bringing her close enough to pour a shower of balls into her. The cannon sent a shower of canister amongst the Indians, which was repeated three times, each time mowing a swath clean through them. After dischargiiig the gun three times, (there were only three charges of canister shot aboard,) the Indians retreated to the low ground back from the shore, where, lying on their bellies, they were safe from us.

A continual firing of small arms was kept up between the persons on board the boat and the Indians ashore, until the fire-wood gave out, when we were obliged to put back to Prairie du Chien to wood up - for there were no woodyards on the Mississippi as now. The village was roused to carry wood aboai'd, and we soon had a suflScient quantity of that article. A lot of Menomonee Indians were also taken on, and then, under a full head of steam, we put back to the scene of the battle.

Before we rounded the island, and got within sight of the battle-ground, we could hear the report of musketry, and then it was that I heard Thockmorton say: "Dodge is giving them h - 11!" And he guessed right, for as we reached tlie scene of action, the wild volunteers under Gen. Dodge were engaged in a fierce conflict with the Indians. The Indians were driven down to the river edge; some of them under slielter of the bank were tiring at tlie volunteers, who had command of the bh;flfs. The Suckers and Hoosiers, as we called them, fouglit like perfect tigers, and carried everything belore them. -

The troops and Indians on board the Warrior kept up a brisk fire on the Indians ashore, who fought with a desperation that surpassed everything I ever saw during an Indian fight, and I have seen more than one. The Indians were between two fires; on the bluffs above them were Dickson and his rangers, and Dodge leading on his men, who needed no urging; whi^e we kept steaming back and forth on the river, running down those who attempted to cross, and shooting at the Indians on shore.

The soldier we picked up helped to man the gun, and during the engagement he was wounded in the knee by a rifle ball. The Indians' shots would hit the water or patter against the boat, but occasionally a rifle ball sent with more force would whistle through both sides. Sonje of the Indians, naked to the breech-cloth, slid down into the water, where they laid, with only their mouth and nostrils above the surface; but by running the boat closer in to the east shore our Menoraonees were enabled to make the water too hot for them. One after another, they jumped up, and were shot downi in attempting to gain cover on the bank above. One warrior, more brave than the others, or, perhaps, more accustomed to the smell of gun-powder, kept ills position in the water until the balls fell around him like hail, when he also concluded U) 2)ugh-a-shee* and commenced to creep up the bank. But he never reached the top, for Thockmorton had his eye upon him, and drawing up his heavy rifle, he sent a ball through the ribs of the Indian, who sprang into the air with an ugh/ and fell dead. There was only one person killed of those who came up on the Warrior, and that was an Indian. The pilot was tired at

One incident occurred during the battle that came under my observation, which I must not omit to relate. An old Indian brave and his five sons, all of whoin I liad seen on the prairie and knew, had taken a stand behind a prostrate log, in a little ravine, midway up the bluff; from whence they fired on the regulars with deadly aim. The old man loaded the guns as fast as his sons discharged tliem, and at each shot a man fell. They knew they could not expect quarter, and they sold their lives as deaias possible; making the best show of fight, and holding their ground the firmest of any of the Indians. But they could never withstand the men under Dodge, for as the volunteers poured over ihe bluff, they each shot a man, and in return, each of the braves were shot down and scalped by the wild volunteers, who out with their knives, and cutting two parallel gashes down their backs, would strip the skin from the quivering flesh, to make . razor strops of. In this manner I saw the old brave and his five sons treated, and afterward had a piece of their hide.

After the Indians had been completely routed on the east side, we carried Col. Taylor and his force across the river, to islands opposite, which we raked with grape and round shot. Taylor and his men charged through the islands to the right and left, but they only took a few prisoners, mostly women and children. Handed with the troops, and was moving along the shore to the north, when a little Indian boy, with one of his arms shot most off, came out of the bushes and made signs for something to eat. He seemed perfectly indifferent to pain, and only sensible of hunger, for when I carried the little naked fellow aboard, some one gave him a piece of hard bread, and he stood and ate it, with the wounded arm dangling by the torn flesh; and so ho roinained until the arm was taken off.

Old Wa-ba-shaw, with a band of his warriors and Menomonees, were sent in pursuit of those of Black Hawk's people who crossed the Mississippi, and very few of the Sauk and Fox Indians ever reached their own country. The Warrior carried down to the Prairie, after the tight, the regular troops, wounded men and prisoners; among the latter was an old Sauk Indian, who attempted to destroy himself by pounding his own head with a rock, much to the amusement of the soldiers.

Soon after Black Hawk was captured, the volunteers were discharged, and I received a land warrant for my two months' service, settled down and got married.

In this connection the narrative of J. W, Stew^art,* in so far as it relates to the Black Hawk War in Green county, is of interest. In s])eaking,of Andrew Clarno, that writer says: "He was a man of a warm and generous heart, in whose company the writer has spent many pleasant hours, listening to his rude history of the times of the Black Hawk War. This war hroke out in 18.32, at which time Joseph Payne, whose name is familiar to all in this vicinity, liad just erected and moved into a cabin, together with William Wallace, in the same neighborhood with Mr. Clarno; and, at the first outbreak of hostilities, on the 5th of May, they fled from their cabins with their families, and the same day their deserted houses were tired by the Indians. These fugitives camped the first night on the ground where [the city of] Monroe now stands. Here they spent a restless night, occasionally hearing the savage whoop of the blood-thirsty Indians, but were lucky enough to get off undiscovered, with a quick and light tread, in the morning, in the direction of Hamilton's settlement, where they staid next night, and thence to Fort Gratiot, where they remained till the close of the war."

So much for the war, in its particular relation to the south part of what is now the county of Green; but we now call the attention of the reader to the present town of Exeter - to the northern portions of the county, that the effect of the breaking out of hostilities upon the few settlers may be well understood. Albert Salisbury, in 1871, in writing of William Deviese, a Green county pioneer, says:

"The settlers on the Sugar river knew nothing of the Black Hawk War until May of that year [1832], when the Winnebagoestold Dougherty's half-breed wife of the outbreak. At that time the Sacs and Foxes were about the mouth of the Kishwaukee, and the engagement at Stillman's Run had already taken place. The information was received about noon [by the settlers], and that evening all started for Galena by the only conveyance at hand - a broken down yoke of oxen and the running gear of an old buggy, - as all the teams happened to be on a trip to Galena with lead. Everything was left behind, including their tools, 30,000 pounds of lead, and Dougherty's merchandise.

"Deviese went to Wiota and joined a militia company under Wm. S. Hamilton [son of Alexander Hamilton], and assisted in building the block house called Fort Plamilton. While they were forted here occurred the massacre of Spafford's farm, in which Omri Spafford, James Mcllwaine, Abraham Searles, and a man called John Bull, were killed by the Indians. They were attacked in a corn field; Spafford would not run, but stood at bay, and was killed in the field. Francis Spencer, who owned part of the field, escaped through a ravine, as did also another of the party. The other men swam the river and were shot, as it seems, while trying to get up the farther bank. The men at the fort were soon apprised of the affair, and when the body of the man called John Bull was fished out of the stream, his watch had not yet stopped. Spencer was found some days afterward, under the floor of an old stable or hog-pen nearly crazed with fright. A few days later, on the morning of June 10 [1832], Henry Apple was killed near the fort, and Gen. Dodge rode soon afterwards into tlie fort and ordered all the mounted men in pursuit of the Indians. Col. Hamilton was absent, and had left llie fori in command of Capt. Harrison, a relative of Old Tippecanoe, as was Col. Hamilton of the distinguished Alexander Hamilton.

"The men sprang to their horses, and Deviese mounting Capt. Harrison's horse in his haste, was off with the rest. Major Kirkpatrick's dog took the trail, and in course of the day the Red- Skiiis were overtaken. After they were first seen they ran about two miles, and finally took shelter under the thicketted bank of a small lake or pond near the Pecatonica. They fired first, hitting in all four men. Dodge shouted, "charge them, G - d d - n them, every man sword in hand!" The amusing part of it was, there was not a sword in the whole command except his own. The horses had been left behind at the edge of the woods, in charge ^of a few men detailed for the purpose. After the Indian fire, Dodge's men charged and killed all but one, he thinks, at the first fire. That one was shot by Adjt. Woodbridge as he crawled up tlie opposite bank of the Jake. The Indians threw their arms into the water after their tire, not having time to re-load, and realizing, seemingly, that the game was up with them. Deviese thinks that when Dodge's men fired, the range was not more than twenty-five feet. After all was over, one of the party, who had succeeded in getting behind in some way, came riding up furiously, and "spoiling for a fight." The coat worn by Dodge in this fight, as in all others, was not really a coat at all, in the usual acceptation of the word, but a buck-skin liunting shirt.

"After the battle of the Pecatonica, most severe rains set in, occasioning a delay in operations for several days; after whicli they set out from Fort Hamilton and struck Rock river at the mouth of the Catfish. 'J'hey kept the west side of Lake Koshkonong, and camped half way up the lake to wait for the troops. 'I'he conmand at this time consisted of about sixty men, besides a few friendly Menomonees. Gen. Atkinson overtook them at the mouth of Bark river, and built block-houses where the village of Fort Atkinson now stands. A force went up Bark river to the mouth of the Whitewater, but finding no trail returned. After some other_ fruitless searching, Gen. Dodge, with Generals Posey and Henry from Illinois, went across with several hundred men to where Madison now stands, and thence struck the Black Earth, following it down to its mouth, where the battle of Wisconsin Heights occurred on the fourth or fifth day from Fort Atkinson. The Indians fired when Dodge was on the top of the bluff, but killed nobody. Dodge's fire killed eleven. The Indians plunged into the river and swam from island to island or hid in the tall grass. Dodge camped on the battlefield as night was just coming on. All that night shouting was heard from the opposite bluff. As they afterwards learned, it was Black Hawk calling in the Winnebago tongue to propose a treaty, he wi'ongly supposing that the white* had Winnebagoes with them.

"From here the troops dispersed to the settlements for supplies. Gen, Posey went to Fort Hamilton. Deviese then went on an express alone to Fort Atkinson and back. Gen. Atkinson left Capt. Low* at the fort with thirty or forty men, and marched w-ith the rest to meet Dodge at Helena, where there w^as a ^mall settlement, and where they all crossed the Wisconsin. The Indians had followed the Wisconsin down to a point nine miles below Helena. The troops struck the trail at once, and followed to the mouth of the Bad Ax.

*Capt. Gideon Low, a native of Pennsylvania, was appointed an Ensign in the first U. S. regiment of infantry, .lunol, 1><13, and served durina- the whole war with Great Mritaiii, having- been promoted first to a Second Lieutenant. an<l then to a First Lieutenant, and was disbanded, when the a'-nij was reduced, in June, 1815. In 1819, he re-entered the service as Second Lieutenant of Rifles, and serving in the line, and part of the time as Assistant ComraissHry of Subsistance. till August, 18:.'8. when he was promoted to a Captaincy, served through the Black Hawk War, resigned in February, 1840, and died at Fort Winnebago, in May, 1850. - Ed.

part of the journey between Dodgeville and Helena he made during the darkest night that he ever saw. He thinks that the only time he ever really suffered from fear during the whole war, was that night, when he {)robably had least to fear, except the possibility perhaps of going astray. When a day's journey beyond Helena, he was obliged to camp alone, though so near the command that he heard the drums beat next morning.

"The night before the battle of Bad Ax, when about four miles from the Mississippi, Deviese with another man named Marsh, went on an express to Prairie du Chi en. In the morning they were somewhat alarmed by fresh trails in the dew, made probably by deer, but reached Prairie du Chien late that night. Capt. Loomis sent the steamboat Warrior up the river. Deviese left his horse and went up on the boat, reaching the battle-ground early next morning. Dodge had sixteen wounded, and none killed, though Capt. Bowman, one of the wounded, died on the trip down. The boat also carried down the wounded- Indians.

" From Prairie du Chien, Deviese, though worn down and nearly sick, went on an express to Capt. Low, at Fort Atkinson, having for a companion young Dougherty, son of the trader. They went by the way of Dodgeville, and their own settlement at Exeter. They found every- " thing burned, building, goods and tools. Deviese thinks it was not done by the Indians, but by a Frenchman named Edward Beouchard, to spite Dougherty, with whom he was at disagreement. This Beouchard was a boastful, revengeful and worthless fellow who iiad been for some time at Blue Mounds. At last accounts he was still living at Mineral Point.*

* It is due to truth and charity to say, that 8uch men as Beouchard, who have seen much of frontier life and horder adventure, are apt to be thouyht as boastful, wh mi, in point of fact, their narratives, oftentimes straiifre and roniaiiiic, are nevertheless within the bounds of truth and piobabilitv. Beouchard was a native of Canada, and early engaged in tho fur trade, and went over to the Pacitic ocean. He returned by way of the Red river settlement, at a time when Lord Selkirk was on the way there in a half-starved 3oudiiion ; and Beouchard took a supply of dried meat, went, met and suncored him, and conducted him to the settlement. He was, in 1822, employed by Col. James Johnson in effecting the

"Capt. Low sent messengers to Gen. Scott at Rock Island, while he himself went back to his old post at Fort Winnebago. Jefferson Davis was at this time a lieutenant under Capt. Low, both at Fort Atkinson at Fort Winnebago - "and as gentlemanly a man as I ever saw," adds Major Deviese. The men went on their errand and met Gen. Scott where Beloit now is, on his way from Chicago to the Lead Mines. Scott turned down Rock river to Rock Island. Deviese went ahead to Fort Dixon w here he was sick, and Scott sent him home. He was mustered out at Wiota, eventually receiving a dollar a day for the services of himself and horse during the war."

"Although this war lasted only three months, it must not, on that account, be passed by as unimportant. It cost about 300 lives, whites and Indians, an<l even the great rebellion was not a greater source of anxiety, in its time, than was the Black Hawk War to the early settlers. Prior to the war, in October, 1829, the southern part of Crawford county, including, of course, the greater part of the future county of Green, was organized as Iowa county, of which Mineral Point was the county seat. Most of the depredations of the Indians during the war were committed in the mining districts of Iowa county. Hundreds of miners left the country and never returned. The movements of the Indians were so stealthy and so rapid that the settlers, separated by long distances from each other, were in the wildest alarm. Their thoughts when awake, their dreams when asleep, were all of the Indians. Finally they sought refuge in tlie forts, of which the more important were Fort Union, near Dodgeville; Fort Jackson, at purchase of the lead diggings of Old Buck, the Winnebago miner. During the Black Hawk War he was a trusted scout of Gen. Dodge Judge M. M. Cothren, Hon. Moses M. Strong, and Major Chailes F. Legate, for many years neighbors of Mr. Beouchard at Mineral Point, unite in testifying to his patriotism and kmdness of heart, and regard him as reliable in his historical statements, as the uncertain memories of such aged men usually are. - Ed.

Mineral Point; Fort Defiance, five miles southeast of Mineral Point; Mound Fort, at Blue Mounds; Funk's Fort, near Gratiot's Grove; and Fort Hamilton, at Wiota. Other forts were at Plattville and White Oak Springs. Most of the forts were simply yards, with close fences made of upriglit, ten-foot slabs. There were houses in the yards to which settlers removed tiieir families and household goods. It is the opinion of O. H. P. Clarno that the worst of the war was inside the forts. The children of the various families Avere soon arrayed against each other in a struggle in which an armistice was a thing unknown, and the mothers, not only assisted them, but also engaged in such hostilities on their own account that a dispute as to the ownership of a frying-pan has sometimes been known to lead to the conversion of that pacific utensil into a weapon of war. * * *

''Galena and all the villages of Iowa county furnished volunteers; and, after a few engagements, Black Hawk s forces were oveipowered, and he himself was taken prisoner before ihe arrival of Gen. Scott, who, in eighteen days (a rapidity of travel that was thought remarkable), had transported nine companies of artillery from the seaboard around the lakes to Cl)icaoro."