Statewide County IL Archives Military Records.....Second Campaign-1832 
Other War 
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Second Campaign-1832
SECOND CAMPAIGN-1832 [SIC – THIRD?]

  On the requisition of Gen. Atkinson, the Governor called for 1,000 additional men,
which were recruited out of the disbanded men for immediate service, for a term of
twenty days, until the new levies should arrive. This regiment, which was filled
without difficulty, organized by the election of Jacob Fry, as Colonel; James D.
Henry, as Lieutenant-Colonel.

  Although this regiment does not appear grouped together, as it should be, in this
record, the companies, as well as can now be ascertained, were Capt. Samuel Smith's
company (page 168), Capt. B. James' company page 1G0), Capt. Elijah Iles' company
(page 174).- (This company contained private ABRAHAM LINCOLN, who had been that day
mustered out, with his company, as a captain, and re-enlisted with many of his men
in Capt. Iles' company, for this emergency service)-Capt. Alex. D. Cox's company
(page 178), Capt. Wm. C. Ball's company (182), Capt. Alexander White's company (page
183), and Capt. A. W. Snyder's company (page 185). This regiment after bravely
guarding the imperiled frontier, was mustered out of the service on the 15th day of
June, except Capt. Iles' company, which was discharged the 16th, and Capt. Snyder's
discharged the 21st of June. This latter company had some severe skirmishing with
the enemy, some sventy [sic] in number, near Kellogg's Grove, in which four of the
Indians and two of the whites were killed.

  On the 6th of June, Black Hawk, with about 150 warriors, made an attack on Apple
River Fort, situated a quarter of a mile north of the present village of Elizabeth
and twelve miles from Galena. Three messengers, on their way from Dixon to Galena,
were fired upon when one-half mile from the fort, and one of them wounded, but all
of them escaped to the fort. The inhabitants, alarmed at the shots, fled to the fort
(which was invested, and a continual fire kept up for fifteen hours by the savages,
who had taken possession of the dwellings of the whites, from which they fired
through holes made for that purpose through the walls. The twenty-five men composing
the garrison, made such a determined resistance that the savages, after having
destroyed everything within their reach, departed, taking with them all the stock,
provisions and movable property of the settlers. Only one man of the whites was
killed, while the loss of the savages has never been ascertained. Col. Strode, of
the militia, arrived the next day from Dixon with a force to their relief, but the
enemy had made good his escape.

  The savages having attacked and killed two men near Ft. Hamilton, five miles from
Galena, Gen. Dodge, of Wisconsin, followed them, with a force under his command,
and, overtaking them at Pecatonica, charged upon them and killed the whole number,
with a loss of three men killed in his own force.

  Capt. Stephenson, of Galena, and a part of his company, had a little skirmish with
the enemy between Apple River Fort and Kellogg's Grove, and were repulsed by the
Indians, who had taken shelter in a small grove, with the loss of three killed and
the Captain and several others seriously wounded.

  The new levies met as provided in the call, at Beardstown and Hennepin, but were
afterward ordered to Fort Wilbourne, a small fortification on the south bank of the
Illinois river, about a mile above Peru, which had been erected by Lieut. Wilbourne
for the protection of the stores entrusted to his care by Col. March.

  A promiscuous multitude of several thousands had assembled, among them many of the
most prominent men in the State, and the selection of officers was a matter
requiring great delicacy and tact. But after the organization of the companies, the
captains of the several companies and the Governor agreed that the principal
officers should be determined by an election, in which all the troops should
participate. The brigades were organized, and on the 16th day of June Alexander
Posey was elected General of the First, Milton K. Atkinson of the Second, and James
D. Henry of the Third. Gen. Atkinson received them into the service of the United
States, and took the general command of the force thus organized, which amounted to
3192 men.

  The Governor appointed to his staff, as Aids, Benjamin F. Hickman and Alex. F.
Grant, James Turney, Adjutant General, and Col. E. C. March, Q. M, General. Besides
the main army four battalions were organized for special purposes, commanded
severally by Majors Bogart and Bailey, and Colonels Buckmaster and Dement.

  The brigades were composed of three regiments each, commanded by officers of their
own selection, but no rolls of the regimental field and staff, nor of the staff of
the different brigade commanders are in the possession of this office, though
supposed to exist among the records of the War Department at Washington, D. C.

  In view of the disasters which threatened the northern frontier, the Governor
ordered a chain of forts to be erected from the Mississippi to Chicago.

  On the 17th day of June, Col. Dement, with his spy battalion of 150 men, was
ordered to report himself to Col. Taylor at Dixon, while the main army was to
follow. On his arrival at Dixon he was ordered to take position in Kellogg's grove,
where, on the 25th day of June, he was visited by Mr. Funk, of McLean county, who,
while on his way from the lead mines the night before, reported that a trail of
about 300 Indians leading northward had been seen that day. A council of war, held
that night, determined that Col. Dement and fifty picked men should reconnoiter the
surrounding country the next day. At daylight the party sallied forth, and when
within 300 yards of the fort discovered several Indian spies. Regardless of the
cries of Col. Dement and Lieut-Governor Casey, who accompanied him, and without
waiting for direction, these undrilled and undisciplined men immediately charged on
the foes, and recklessly following them, despite all efforts of Col. Dement to check
them, were led into an ambush, and suddenly were confronted by 300 howling naked
savages under the command of Black Hawk in person. The sudden appearance of the
savages created a panic among the whites, and each man struck out for himself in the
direction of the fort, with a speed which equalled, if it did not excel, the
alacrity with which they left it in the morning.

  In the confused retreat which followed; five of the whites, who were without
horses, were killed, while the remainder reached the fort, and dismounting, entered
it, closely pursued by the enemy. The fort was vigorously assailed for over an hour
by the savages, who were repulsed, and forced to retire, leaving nine of their
number behind them, dead on the field, besides several others carried away wounded.
No one in the fort was killed, but several wounded. Col. Dement received three shots
through his clothing, but fortunately escaped unhurt. At 8 o'clock in the morning,
messengers were sent fifty miles to Gen. Posey for assistance, and towards sundown
that General and his brigade made their appearance, and no further attack was made
on the fort by the savages. General Posey started out in search of the enemy the
next day, but the trail showed that they had pursuid [sic] their favorite tactics of
scattering their forces, and the pursuit was abandoned. The army continued its march
up Rock River, near the source of which they expected to find the enemy. As
provisions were scarce and difficult to convey for any distance, the command of Gen.
Alexander, with a detachment under Gen. Henry and Major Dodge, was sent to Fort
Winnebago, between Fox and Wisconsin rivers, to obtain supplies. Learning that Black
Hawk was encamped on the Whitewater, Gen. Henry and Major Dodge started in immediate
pursuit, leaving Gen. Alexander with his command in charge of the provisions to
return to Gen. Atkinson. After several days' hard marches, and much suffering from
exposure and lack of food, on the 21st day of July, the enemy were overtaken on the
bluffs of the Wisconsin, and a decisive battle fought, in which Gen. Henry commanded
the American forces, which consisted of Major Dodge's battalion on the right, Col.
Jones' regiment in the center, and Col. Collins' on the left, with Major Ewing's
battalion in the front, and Col. Fry's regiment in the rear as a reserve force. In
this order they charged the enemy, and drove him from position after position with
great loss, till the sun went down, leaving them victors, in the first important
advantage gained over the enemy during the war.

  In the morning it was discovered that the Indians had fled in the direction of the
Mississippi river, leaving 168 dead on the field, and of their wounded, taken with
them, twenty-five were found dead the next day on their trail, while Gen. Henry lost
one man killed and eight wounded. Litters were constructed for the wounded, and on
the 23d of July, the army was again in motion, and after some difficulty on account
of high water, reached Blue Mounds in safety, where they met Gen. Atkinson with the
regulars, and the balance of the volunteer force. A return of the force at this time
showed in Posey's brigade 200 effective men, Alexander's 850, in Henry's 300, while
the regulars under Gen. Brady mustered 400 men; all told, the force mustered about
1,200 effective men-though much reduced since the beginning of the campaign, still
more than twice the number possessed by Black Hawk when in his best state of
preparation, before any of the fights.

  On the 25th the whole army was again put in motion, to try to find the Indians.
Having spent two days in crossing the Wisconsin river, near Helena, on the 28th they
came up with the trail of the Indians, the abandoned articles, and dead bodies
strewed along the trail, showing them to be in a deplorable condition, and suffering
for food. On the morning of the 2d of August, the army reached the bluffs of the
Mississippi, some distance, however, from the stream. The Indians had reached the
river, and were making active preparations to cross. Some had already crossed, and
some of the women and children had started down the river in canoes to Prairie du
Chien, which they afterward reached in a starving condition. In this condition the
Indians, when they arrived at the river, were attacked by a force under Capt.
Throckmorton, who was on the steamer Warrior, and who, with a six-pound cannon,
loaded with canister, destroyed many of the luckless fugitives, although they had
displayed a white flag, which he refused to recognize. The fuel in the steamer
having failed, it fell down the river to Prairie du Chien. Although he had killed
twenty-three Indians and wounded may [sic] more, Capt. Throckmorton intended to
return after wooding up, and finish the remainder. Before he could execute his
intention, however, Gen. Atkinson had fallen on the unfortunate savages where they
were encamped, at the mouth of the Bad Axe, a creek emptying into the Mississippi
river, and had commenced a general battle, in which the Indians were completely
routed, and suffered a loss of 150 killed, besides many drowned, and many more
wounded. A large number of women and children lost their lives, owing to the fact
that it was impossible to distinguish them from the men. [Davidson and Stuve's Hist.
405.] The American loss was seventeen killed.

  This battle virtually ended the war. Gen. Atkinson, with his force, and prisoners,
[about fifty women and children], fell down the river to Prairie du Chien. On the
7th day of August, Gen. Winfield Scott, who, with nine companies of infantry, had
been sent from Fortress Monroe, arrived, and assumed command. He had arrived with
four of these companies at Chicago the day before, making the march of 1,800 miles
in eighteen days, part of the way by steamer on the lakes, having left behind three
companies, who had contracted Asiatic cholera at Detroit, at Fort Gratiot, forty
miles from that city. This disease preyed to such an extent on the forces who came
through, that they remained in Chicago until the latter part of the month before
coming on to Fort Armstrong, their final destination. The volunteers now returned to
Dixon, and were discharged on the 17th day of August. On the 27th Black Hawk, having
been captured by some treactcrous [sic] Winnebagoes, was delivered to the whites at
Prairie du Chien, and he and his family were sent as hostages to Fortress Monroe,
and there retained until June, 1833. In September, 1832, a treaty was made which
ended the Indian troubles in this State, and although a few companies were detained
a few weeks longer, the main body of the force returned to their homes in August,
1832.

  Black Hawk, upon regaining his liberty, ever after conducted himself in a friendly
manner to the whites. In 1837 he again visited Washington with a deputation of the
chiefs of his tribe, on the invitation of the President, to settle differences which
had occasioned a violent war with them and the Sioux. After his return he settled in
what is now known as Lee county, Iowa. In the spring of 1838 he built himself a
dwelling on the Des Moines river, 20 miles above its mouth. In this he moved his
family, and prepared to farm and live after the manner of the whites. On a visit
made to Burlington, the following autumn, he took cold, which brought on a disease
which terminated his eventful life, and at the age of 72 Black Hawk was gathered to
his fathers.

  Perhaps no one of his race ever excelled Black Hawk in patriotism or love for his
country. He fought an unequal battle for the home and the graves of his ancestors.
In his last speech to the Americans, he said: "Rock River was a beautiful country. I
like my towns, my cornfields and the home of my people. I fought for it. It is now
yours. It will produce you good crops."

  A dispassionate view of the war and its causes will show that he had grievances,
and when he had failed to redress them in a peaceable manner, had resorted to arms,
because he thought it the only possible arbitrament [sic]

    Besides the companies of Captain Joseph Napier (page 149), Captain Holden
Session (page 148), and Captain James Walker (page 378), the latter from Walker's
Grove, now Plainfield Township, in Will county, all of which were recruited within
the limits of the then county of Cook; another company was organized for home
defense within the city of Chicago, a muster roll of which is preserved in a book
entitled "Early Chicago," by Hon. John Wentworth, being the third paper published by
that gentleman on the early history of the city of Chicago (No. 18, Fergus Hist.
Pamphlets).

MUSTER ROLL.

May 3, 3832.-We, the undersigned, agree to submit ourselves, for the time being, to
Gholson Kercheval, Captain, and George W. Dale and John S. C. Hogan, First and
Second Lieutenants,  as commanders of the militia of the town of Chicago, until all
apprehension of danger from the Indians may have subsided:

Richard J. Hamilton,
Jesse B. Brown,
Isaac Harmon,
Samuel Miller,
John F. Herndon,
Benjamin Harris,
S. T. Gage,
Rufus Brown,
Jeremiah Smith,
Herman S. Bond,
William Smith,
Isaac D. Harmon,
Joseph Lafromboise,
Henry Boucha,
Claude Lafromboise,
J. W. Zarley,
David Wade,
William Bond,
Samuel Ellis,
Jeddiah Wooley,
George H. Walker,
A. W. Taylor,
James Kinzie,
David Pemeton,
James Ginsday,
Samuel Debalf,
John Wellmaker,
Wm. H. Adams,
James T. Osborne,
E. D. Harmon,
Charles Moselle,
Francis Labaque,
Michael Ouilmette,
Christopher Shedaker,
David McKee,
Ezra Bond,
Robert Thompson.


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.


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