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Foe
Black Haw
By ELMO SCOTT WATSON
T WAS just 100 years ago that there
was being fought in Illinois and Wis-
consin what has been called “the most
inglorious war, from the standpoint of
its military and ‘naval’ operations, in
which the United States was ever ene
gaged.” conflict which
has a place in our history schoolbooks
as “the Black Hawk but which
scarcely deserves the dignity of that
title except that it was a war between
two irreconcilable points of view—that of the
American frontiersman and that of the Ameri
can Indian. From the Indian point of view,
Chief Black Hawk was a patriot, fighting bravely
in defense of his ancestral home: from the
frontiersman's point of view, he was only an-
other “savage and bloodthirsty redskin” whe
had to be gotten rid of to make way for the
“advance of civilization.”
This was the
war
mly-remem-
bered war was Ma-ka-tal-me-she kia-kiak, or
Black Hawk, a chief of the Sauk and Fox In-
dians, of whom Keokuk, or Watchful Fox, was
the head chief. By the Treaty of November 3,
1804, made at St, Louis, the Sauk and Fox
agreed to surrender all of their lands east of the
Mississippi. But jt was not until the close of
the War of 1812, when a wave of migration be-
gan to pour into Illinois, that the United States
was ready to claim the land which it had ac.
quired from the Indians. Keokuk and the ma-
Jority of his tribe bowed to the Inevitable and
moved across the Mississippl to a new home in
Jowa. But Black Hawk, who had been a dis-
ciple of Tecumseh, the great Shawnee, and an
ally of the British in the War of 1812, let it be
known that would not move to Iowa. He malu-
tained that he had been deceived as to the terms
of the St. Louls treaty and did not consider
them binding upon him.
By 1831 so much friction between Black
Hawk's tribesmen and the Illinois settlers had
developed that Governor Reynolds considered it
advisable to call out the militia to “protect the
lives and property” of the pioneers. But General
Gaines, military commandant in the West, hap-
ing to avold the expense of a demonstration
with force, summoned Black Hawk and his sub-
chiefs to a conference at Fort Armstrong on the
Mississippl. The council was a stormy one and
resulted In no satisfactory settlement of the
difficulties, whereupon the militia on June 15
left their camp at Rushville, IIL, and marched
upon Black Hawk's village, They found it de-
serted and burned all the lodges. Then Gaines
sent word to Black Hawk that the “hostiles™
should come In for a peace talk and on June
80 Black Hawk and 27 of his followers signed
a treaty with Governor Reynolds by which they
agreed to refrain from hostile acts and to retire
to Iowan, There was no trouble with them until
early in 1832 when Black Hawk crossed over
into Illinois with some 2,000 Indians, of whom
it was estimated more than 500 were warriors,
Immediately the wildest rumors spread along the
Illinois frontier, “Black Hawk and 1,000 blood-
thirsty savages were descending upon the set-
tliements to kill, scalp and burn.”
The Indian side of the story is rather dif-
ferent. Under the terms of the tredty which
Black Hawk had signed with General Gaines the
Indians were to be supplied with corn in place
of that which they had left In their fields when
they went to Iowa. What had happened is a
familiar incident In the history of our relations
with the Indians. The government falled to
keep its promise. The amount of corn turned
over to them was so meager that they began te
suffer from hunger, In that emergency, a party
of the Sauk, In the words of Black Hawk, crossed
Blac
tatue of
Fa real
ee
hat Dixon, 11
-—
re
—
ER Rp
Indian Memorial on Rock River, 111.
the river "to
flelds™
Moving with his band up the Rock river, Black
Hawk was overtaken by a messenger from Gen
eral Atkinson, ordering him to return and re
cross the Mississippl. Black Hawk replied that
he had not taken the warpath but was going on
a friendly visit to the village of White Cloud,
the Winnebago prophet, and continued his
Journey. Atkinson then sent imperative orders
for him to return at once or he would pursue
with his army and drive him back. To this the
Indian leader protested that the general had no
right to utter such a threat so long as his mis
sion to the Winnebagoes was a peaceable one
and that he intended to continue on his way,
Continue he did, until he was mei by some
Winnebago and Pottawatomie chiefs. In a coun.
cil they made it plain that they had no Intention
of Joining with Black Hawk In any war upon
the Americans, Feeling that he had been be
trayed by his Indian friends, the Sauk leader
resolved to send a flag of truce to Atkinson,
asking permission to descend the Rock river,
recross the Mississippl and return to his reserva.
tion in Iowa.
In the meantime Governor Reynolds had called
out the militia and one of the captains of the
hastily-organized companies, elected by his own
men, was a lanky young storekeeper from New
Balem ngmed Abraham Lincoln. At about the
time Black Hawk was holding his council with
the other tribes, a large force of the militia
had mobilized under General Whitesides near
Dixon's Ferry. At the request of Mal Isaiah
Stillman, Whitesides sent a scouting party of
about 270 men under Stillman to try to locate
the Indians. This party ascended the Rock
river to the mouth of Sycamore creek and
camped there, ignorant of the fact that they
were only a short distance from Black Hawk's
camp,
Then occurred a tragle error—the first In a
war filled with tragie blunders, Black Hawk
sent three of his warriors under a flag of truce
to ask for a conference, Stillman’s undisciplined
volunteers fired on them, killing one. Then fol-
lowed the opera bouffe “battle” which has come
down In history as “Stillman’s Run” jn which 40
Indians sent 270 white men Into headlong fight,
inflicting a loss of about a dozen on the militia,
The news of this defeat spread even greater
terror through the state. Governor Reynolds
called out more troops and from Washington
came the news that Gen. Winfield Scott had
been ordered to the scene of the “war” with a
thousand regulars, While en route to Illinols
this army was attacked by the cholera and the
mortality from that disease was greater than
the total number killed and disabled by the Ine
ry
steal some corn from their own
————
Jefferson Davis
dians during the
The war dragged on throughout the summer
of 1882 without any very decisive result,
that the superior forces of the whit
began to wear
Indian leader suffered a crushing de
hands of an army commanded by Gen. Jam
Henry in a battle on the Wiscons
68 warriors killed and many more wounde
disabled.
Black Hawk now realized that the j
up. With the remnants of his band he
for the Mississippl, hoping to escape from the
soldiers and find peace among his people al
ready settled In Jowa. He reached
sippl at the mouth of the Bad Axe river on
August 1 with his starving warriors and his
pitiful little band of women and ch Then
occurred an ir ent which iz often spoken of
as a “naval engagement In an Inland war”
While Black Hawk and his tribesmen were try
ing to cross the river in canoes and on rafts a
steamer, the Warrior, hove into sight On board
was a small
cannon. Biasck Hawk raised a white flag to ask
for a pariey. And again the flag of truce was
dishonered by the white man. The captain of
the Warrior asserted that he believed the flag
was only a decoy used by the wily Ind
lure him into an ambush, So he
cannon to be unlimbered and It began
ghelling the Indian camp. As a result 23
Indians were killed outright and
were wounded,
The following day the pursuing troops under
General Atkinson, which were Joined by a de
tachment of regulars under Col. Zachary Taylor
and an army of Wisconsin volunteers, came up
and attacked Black Hawk's camp. The end is
not pleasant reading, for It was an Indian mas.
gacre—bhut contrary to the popular idea of that,
it was a massacre of Indians by white men,
The weakened Indians were no match for the
whites, Finding that thelr attempts to surrender
were useless they resolved to sell their lives as
dearly as possible, So they put up a desperate
resistance but were driven at the point of the
bayonet Into the river, Indian women with
children clinging to them plunged Into the river
only to be drowned or shot down by sharp
shooters on the banks. The Warrior, returning
from Prairie du Chien, added to the carnage
by raking the shore with canister. More than
150 Indians were killed or drowned and only
about 50 were taken prisoners,
Black Hawk and his chief warrior, Neapope,
escaped to the north and sought refuge among
the Winnebagoes, A short time later he sur.
rendered to General Street at Prairie du Chien
and was sent down the river to Jefferson Bar.
racks, Mo, as a prisoner of war, The man placed
in charge of him was a young leutenant, the
gon-in-law of Colonel Taylor. His name was
Jefferson Davis and of this than who later be.
came President of the Confederacy, Black Hawk
sald "He was a good and brave young chief
with whose conduct I was much pleased, and he
treated me with great kindness.”
After being Imprisoned In Fortress Monroe,
Ya. for a short time Black Hawk was allowed
to feturn to the Rauvk and Fox reservation in
Towa. There he died on October 8, 1838 and
there he was buried In accordance with the cus
toms of his people. So Black Hawk slept In
peace at last but not in the soll which he loved
so well—that of the beautiful Rock river country
in northern Illinois. But his spirit broods over
that land in the form of a giant concrete statue
of an Indian, the work of Lorado Taft, which
stands on a high bluff near Oregon, Il, over
looking the Rock river. Although it is commonly
referred to nas “the Black Hawk statue,” the
sculptor has repeatedly sald that it is Intended
to symbolize the Indian-"a spirit unconquered
while still the conquered race.” Even so, it may
appropriately be a memorial to Black Hawk of
the Sauk and Foxes, for his was such a spirit,
(@ by Western Newspaper Union.)
eniire war
except
—
nany
down the Indians
n river
headed
the Missls
dren
detachment of soldiers and one
linng to
ordered the
many others
ODD “INDUSTRIES”
IN BRITISH ISLES
Almost under the shadow of West-
minster cathedral is a narrow thor
oughfare called Stratton ground, and
here you will find an Armenian who
claims to be the only outdoor re-
palrer of timepleces in London and
perhaps in Englund. He will mend
your watch while you walt, says a
writer In Pearson's Weekly,
“Bottler of smoke”
of the oldest of professions, yet in
the census returns we find one per-
gon who so describes himself, The
smoke comes from hickory logs and
no doubt is used for the curing of
bacon. Less puzzling is the indus
try of collecting walrus
which has only one follower in the
British isles,
whiskers,
These walrus whiskers
£0 to the East, where wenlthy Chin-
ese prize them as toothpicks,
There are two lighthouse bullders
in England, but only one man
sells his
who
living, This
mechanic, saw one
skin for a
man, formerly i
day an advertisement asking for a
would
portion of his skin
healthy subject
to sell a
who consent
child who had
He got
trouble
been badly
two hundred pounds for his
and
pitals in various parts of the
on si
burned,
has since peen In
world
dussions,
“Pants” Oddly Restored
Walter F. Stanley was
the World war. Moved to a hospital
in England, they took away his uni-
form and gave
He went \
C., and resumed his trade, lecent
ly, needing a uniform for a parade,
1
he went to a salvage store and asked
i § ! ask
back home to Charlotte, 8
pair of 0. D,
ied. The pa
as if
ir on top of
they might fit
Dr. Pierce's Pleasant Pellets are the orig-
inal little r pills put up 60 years ago.
They regulate liver and bowels. —Adv.
The Last Word
Husband (toning down after squab
ble) You know, my dear, that I'm
not perfect,
Wife
wasn't awa
| MUSCULAR-
RHEUMATIC PAINS
i
i RAW them out with a “counter
irritant.” Muscular lumbago
soreness and stiffness— generally respond
to good old Musterole. Doctors callit a
i Yeounter-irritant” becauseitswarme
| Engaction penetrates and stimulatesblood
i
| circulation and helps to draw out infeo-
tion and pain. It gets action and is not
just a salve. But do not stop with one
application. Apply this soothing, cool
ing, healing ointment generously to the
affected area once every hour for
Jive hours. Used by millions for over
20 years. Recommended by many doo
tors and nurses. All druggists.
To Mothers—Musterole is also
made in milder form for babies
and small children. Ask for Chile
dren's Musterole.
{
ring labeled,
owl, b0c; cataic 0 others,
i0e up. Kunz ’ ) r it Indians
Dahlia Roots;
pi; June {
i.e
Mexienn Divorces, Foe
Free int natio: Int
I U.Siates,
i Ist National Bank } o,
ose
nee,
GOOD
ranch § oY
nt jow prices JAS i. CRY
INVESTMENT IN CATTLE and
ropositior an 2 v Mexico at pres.
EMAN, 211
‘
{ French Bldg h iquerque, N. Mex
Light to the Point
Man (being followed by
thief)—Wa'd yer want?
Thief—Want yer wad!
husky
USE
| GLENN’S
SULPHUR SOAP
Ekin ervptions excessive
Containg perspiration insect bites
Ii Pure relieved st omee by this re
Sulpbur freabing beautifying tollet
and bath soap Best for
Soft, Clear Skin
Robiand 3 Birptic Cotton ee
N ORE than three thousand
births without a single loss
of either mother or child! That is
the official Piatt County record of
Dr. W. B. Caldwell, in fifty years’
family practise in Illinois.
No wonder mothers have such
entire confidence in giving little
ones Dr. Caldwell's Syrup Pepsin!
If you have a baby, you have
constant need of this wonderful
preparation of pure pepsin, active
senna, and fresh herbs. A child who
gets this gentle stimulant for the
stomach, liver and bowels is always
healthier. It keeps children’s
delicate systems from clogging. It
will overcome the most stub
Easy Way to Call Children
“1 find the porch light a great help
in calling the children home,” writes
a mother in the Parents’ Magazine
“In the winter, when they are play
ing out in the snow or in a neigh
bor's house, turning on the light
condition of constipation. It builds
them up, and is nothing like the
strong ostharlics that sap their
strength and energy.
A coated tongue or bad breath is
the signal for a spoonful of Syrup
Pepsin. Children take it readily, for
it is really delicious in flavor. Taste
it! Take Syrup Pepsin yourself,
when sluggish or bilious, or you
are troubled with sick headaches
and no appetite. Take some for
several days when run-down, and
see how it picks you up.
It is a prescription preparation
which every drug store has ready;
in big bottles, just ask anywhere
for Dr. Caldwell's Syrup Pepsin.
saves me a trip to call them. Even
in the summer when they play out
in the long evenings, they can read.
ily see it the length of the block when
they are watching for it.”
One can never replace a friend,
Ann
wife who simply is devoted to him,
out of “pep”? The answer is Fellows’
Syrup, the wonderful tonic which restores
frayed nervesand tired bodies. You quickly
feel the good which this medicine does to
the entire system. Get a bottle at your
druggist's, today. Remember, doctors
recommend it.
SO A IAA ANA
Advertising
AN AA RASA
is as essential to
business as is rain
to
wo