Statewide County IL Archives Military Records.....1832 - Second Campaign Other War ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/ilfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com April 21, 2007, 5:09 pm 1832 - Second Campaign 1832—SECOND CAMPAIGN. Notwithstanding the treaty, the trouble was not yet ended. In the spring of 1832 Black Hawk recrossed the Mississippi (April 6th) and commenced his march up Rock River Valley, accompanied by about five hundred warriors on horseback, while his women and children went up the river in their canoes. Gen. Atkinson, then stationed at Fort Armstrong, warned him against this aggression and ordered him to return, but this they refused to do, and went forward to the country of the Winnebagoes, with whom Black Hawk made arrangements to make a crop of corn, which reason he alleged to be the cause of the expedition. The Winnebagoes and Pottawotamies, however, both refused to yield to his solicitations to join him in a war against the whites. On being informed of the movements of Black Hawk, Governor Reynolds (April 16th) called for a thousand mounted volunteers, from the central and southern parts of the State, to rendezvous at Beardstown, on the 22d of the same month. Daily accounts of the operations of the Indians were received. Judge Young, Col. Strode and Benjamin Mills wrote the Governor, urging speedy protection of the frontiers, as the inhabitants were in great danger. On receipt of this intelligence two hundred men (see pp. 151-4), under Major Stillman, were ordered to guard the frontier near the Mississippi, and two hundred (see Col. Johnson's regiment), under Major Bailey, the frontier between the Mississippi and the settlements on the Illionis. [sic] Such was the threatening aspect of affairs, that the call was extended to every part of the State. In the meantime eighteen hundred men had met at Beardstown, and were organized into a brigade of four regiments and an "odd" and a "spy" battalion. An election (April 28) for field officers, resulted in the election of Col. John Thomas to command the First Regiment, Col. Jacob Fry the Second Regiment, Col. Abram B. DeWitt the Third Regiment, Col. Samuel M. Thompson the Fourth Regiment[Endnote 1] (in this regiment was Capt. Abraham Lincoln's [Endnote 2] company—p. 100), while Major James D. Henry, of Sangamon county, was elected to command the Spy Battalion (p. 106), in which Captains John Dawson, Thomas Carlin and John Dement commanded the companies, and Major Thomas James to the command of the "Odd" Battalion (page 110). A part of the "Odd Battalion under Maj. Long, consisting of the companies commanded by Capt. Jacob Eby and Capt. Japhet A. Ball, both from Sangamon county, was "detached for foot purposes." Eight companies, not attached to any regiment (pp. 116-122), also served in this brigade. Governor Reynolds, who also accompanied the expedition, placed Brigadier Gen. Whiteside in the immediate command, while Cols. March and Christy, the efficient quartermasters in the campaign of 1831, were relied on to gather the supplies for the present campaign. William Thomas was appointed [sic] Brigade Quartermaster, while Capts. James B. Stapp and Joseph M. Chadwick were appointed to the general staff. Maj. James Turney, paymaster; Vital Jarrot, of St. Clair county, adjutant general, and Cyrus Edwards, ordnance officer, were appointed to their positions on the staff of the Commander-in-Chief. On the 29th day of April, the army left camp near Beardstown and marched to the Mississippi river, at or near the present town of Oquawka. On arriving at that place, and some delay occurring in the receipt of supplies, messengers were dispatched to Gen. Atkinson, at Fort Armstrog, [sic] who sent a boat laoded [sic] with provisions to the troops. From here they marched up the river to the mouth of Rock river, where they were all received into the United States service by Gen. Atkinson. From this point the commanding general proceeded up the Rock river on a steamer, accompanied by a force of 400 regulars and an armament [sic] of cannon, while the volunteers under Gen. Whiteside marched through the swamps in the vicinity of the stream. They moved up Rock river without encountering savages until they arrived at the town of Dixon, on the evening of the 10th of May, where they found Majors Stillman and Bailey, who were at this place with their forces where they had been directed to remain in their duty of protecting the frontier. Gen. Atkinson then sent out a scouting party of five men to confer with the chiefs of the Pottawotamies, and who, after getting lost, returned the third day afterward, reporting to have fallen in with some of Black Hawk's men who were encamped on a small stream known as Old Man's Creek, twelve miles above Dixon. Majors Stillman and Bailey having done but little service, besought the Governor to grant them the privilege of reconnoitering the enemy. Thereupon Governor Reynolds issued to them the following order: "Major Stillman: You will cause the troops under your immediate command, and the battalion under Major Bailey, to proceed without delay to the head of Old Man's Creek, where it is supposed there are some hostile Indians and coerce them into submission." On the following morning, May 14, 1832), they started with 275 men (Stillman's Brigade. See page 151, for rolls of Bailey's command, afterward Fifth Eegiment. pp. 102-5), and reached the Old Man's Creek without adventure, pursuing their course up that stream some fifteen miles, to Sycamore Creek. They dismounted for the purpose of passing the night. While engaged in camp duties, three Indians, bearing a white flag, came into camp, and were taken into custody. These were soon followed by five more, who came near the camp, no doubt with the purpose of inviting an attack. In this they succeeded, and a party of Stillman's men immediately started in pursuit, while others followed as soon as they could mount, and soon three-fourths of the command had joined in an irregular chase across the prairie. The soldiers overtook and killed two of the Indians, and pursued the others to the edge of the forest. At this juncture Black Hawk, with about forty of his men, arose from an ambush, and with terrific yells charged on the assailants, who, in their turn, retreated in hot haste, followed by the infuriated savages. The fearful din caused by the retreating soldiers and their pursuers caused a stampede in the remainder of the force of the camp, and they all fled, in an inglorious panic, and in spite of the efforts of Major Stillman and others to rally them, the retreat was continued until they all reached the main force at Dixon. Major Perkins and Captain Adams, of Tazewell County, with about fifteen men, made a stand in which they somewhat checked the Indians, and thus saved the lives of many of the fugitives, who would otherwise have fallen victims to their pursuers. This rally cost the brave Adams his life, his body being found the next day near the dead bodies of two of the savages, whom he had undoubtedly slain before he himself was killed. As a result of the fight, eleven whites and seven Indians were killed, besides many wounded on both sides. During the night of the battle, known since as "Stillman's Run," Governor Reynolds made a requisition for 2,000 men to be in readiness for future operations, while the unmost [sic] consternation spread throughout the State and Nation. Exaggerated reports of the numbers of the Indians, and the skill, ability, cunning and cruelty of Black Hawk, added much to the general alarm. General Scott, with 1,0000 [sic] United States troops, was immediately ordered to the Northwest, to superintendent the future operations of the campaign. When the news of Stillman's defeat reached the camp at Dixon, a council of war was held, and it was determined to return immediately to the battle field. The next morning, after obtaining ten oxen from Col. John Dixon, which were slaughtered and issued to the men, without bread or salt, the whole force marched to the scene of the encounter. The dead were recovered, in most instances frightfully mutilated, and the fragments gathered together and buried; but although Major Henry and his men effectually scoured the surrounding country for miles in every direction, the enemy could not be found, and the whole force fell back to Dixon. The new levies, under the call of Gov. Reynolds, were to meet, some on the 3d of June, at Beardstown, and the others on the 10th of the same month at Hennepin. The men first recruited, now asked to be discharged, but the Governor appealing to their patriotism, they agreed to remain from 13 to 15 days longer, and the companies under Bailey (Covell's, McClure's Pugh's and Adams'), with Stillman's battalion, (Captains Eads', Barnes' and Ball's companies) were organiezd [sic] into a regiment, known as the Fifth Regiment of Whiteside's Brigade, under Colonel James Johnson, and received into the service of the United States, and one part ordered to Ottawa, for the defense of that place, while the other remained at Dixon to guard the stores, around which General Atkinson had caused embankments to be thrown. On the 19th of May the whole army marched up the river in pursuit of the enemy, and on the evening of the same day received news of the massacre of several whites on Indian Creek, not far from Ottawa. General Atkinson ordered Gen. Whiteside's and Col. Taylor (afterwards President of the United States) to continue the pursuit with the volunteers, while he, with the regulars, returned to Dixon. After following trails in several, directions, which proved that the Indians had divided and left the immediate country for the north, and the troops expressing a determination to return to their homes, were brought to the mouth of Rock river, and there discharged on the 27th and 28th days of May, and thus the campaign ended without effecting any important results. ENDNOTES [1] George Carpenter, Esq., of Springfield, furnishes to us the commission of his father, the late Major Carpenter, as paymaster of this regiment, a copy of which we give: "I do hereby certify that William Carpenter is duly appointed Paymaster in the Fourth Regiment on the detachment of mounted volunteers, called into the service of the United States. He is therefore required diligently and carefully to discharge the duties of said office. Given under my hand this 30th day of April, 1832. "SAMUEL THOMPSON, Colonel Fourth Regiment Volunteers." [2] Willlam L. Wilson, who was a private in Capt. M. G. Wilson's Company, of Thompson's regiment, of Whitesides' Brigade, writes to this office from Rushville, under date of February 3, 1882, and after detailing some interesting reminiscences of Stillman's defeat, says: "I have during that time had much fun with the afterwards President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. I remember one time of wrestling with him, two best in three, and ditched him. He was not satisfied, and we tried it in a foot-race, for a five dollar bill. I won the money and 'tis spent long ago. And many more reminiscence's could I give, but am of the Quaker persuasion and not much given to writing." The following discharge paper was found among the papers of the late Col. Wm. Carpenter, formerly Paymaster of Col. Thompson's regiment. The blank was filled In the handwriting of Captain Lincoln: "I certify that Lewis W. Farmer volunteered and served as a private in the company of mounted volunteers under my command. In the regiment commanded by Col. Samuel M. Thompson, in the brigade under the command of Gens. S. Whitesides and H. Atkinson, called into the service of the United States by the Commander-in-Chief of the Militia of the State, for the protection of the northwestern frontier against the Invasion of the British band of Sac and other tribes of Indians; that he was enrolled on the 21st day of April, 1832, and was honorably discharged on the 7th day of June thereafter, having served forty-eight days. Given under my hand, this 21st day of September, 1832. A. LINCOLN, Captain." [3] From a memoranda kept by Major William Carpenter, paymaster of the Fourth Regiment on this expedition, we subjoin the following as the distances marched by that command between different camps: To Beardstown 50 miles " 1st camp over the Illinois River 9 " " 2d " Rushville 3 " " 8d " Crooked Creek 25 " " 4th " Crooked Creek 20 " " 5th " Yellow Banks 18 " " 6th " Camp Creek 30 " " 7th " Rock River 20 " " 8th " Cut bee tree 20 " " 9th " Timber scarce, man shot himself 30 " " 10th " Dixon 8 " " 11th " Battleground (Stillman's defeat) 25 " " 12th " Return to Dixon's 25 " " 13th " Express came to us about the murder 12 " " 14th " Rock River—Captain Gooden arrested 4 " " 15th " One mile to good spring traveled 16 " " 16th " Tishwakee 10 " " 17th " Sycamore, here the scalps were trimmed 12 " " 18th " Fox River timber 25 " " 19th " Six miles from Paw-paw 20 " " 20th " Two miles from the mouth of the river 20 " Then home in company with William Constant 110 " Total miles traveled 518 Additional Comments: Extracted from: RECORD OF THE SERVICES OF ILLINOIS SOLDIERS IN THE BLACK HAWK WAR 1831-32 AND IN THE MEXICAN WAR 1846-48 CONTAINING A COMPLETE ROSTER OF COMMISSIONED OFFICERS AND ENLISTED MEN OF BOTH WARS, TAKEN FROM THE OFFICIAL ROLLS ON FILE IN THE WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON, D. C. WITH AN APPENDIX GIVING RECORD OF THE SERVICES OF THE ILLINOIS MILITIA, RANGERS AND RIFLEMEN, IN PROTECTING THE FRONTIER FROM THE RAVAGES OF THE INDIANS FROM 1810 TO 1813. PREPARED AND PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY OF THE THIRTY-SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY BY ISAAC H. ELLIOTT ADJUTANT-GENERAL OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. SPRINGFIELD, ILL: JOURNAL COMPANY, PRINTERS AND BINDERS, 1902. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/statewide/military/otherwar/other/1832seco103nmt.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ilfiles/ File size: 15.0 Kb