HISTORY OF THE LATE INDIAN WAR.
CHAPTER I.

The Winnebagoes attack Captain Lindsey's Keel Boats in 1827 — lose two men killed and several wounded — General alarm in the mining country — Gov. Cass takes measures to punish them —he corresponds with Gov. Edwards — Gov. Edwards sends a Regiment from the northern counties to the Mines, under Col. Neale — the people of the Mines form themselves into a corps of mounted volunteers—elect Gen. H. Dodge their commander — Gov. Cass moves against the Indians to the portage of the Wisconsin river — they sue for peace — treaty entered into — the Indians give up the Red Bird as a hostage for the good behaviour of the rest of the nation—he dies in Jail— The Sac and Fox Indians next, wage war— Gen. Games applies to Gov. Reynolds for mounted volunteers — they rendezvous at Beardstown — Gen. Duncan appointed by Gov. Reynolds, to take the command— they march to Rock Island— the Indians sue for peace— treaty entered into.

THE author, in giving a history of the late war between the United States and the Sac and Fox nations of Indians, thinks it would be doing the subject injustice, not to give an outline of the difficulties that took place between the United States and the Winnebagoes, in the year eighteen hundred and twenty-seven, which he has observed in his preface, was the first disturbance of any kind that took place between Wakefield 25

Wakefield 26 the Government of the United States and the Winnebagoes since the last war with Great Britain. But the author, in giving a small outline of this disturbance, has to depend upon his memory alone ; as, at that time, it had never entered his head that he would be the biographer of this small disturbance that took place between the Government and those Indians. But, in attempting to give the public the causes and particulars of the war betwixt the Government and the Sac and Fox nations of Indians, he thinks that it would not be amiss to take a passing notice of the transactions that took place on this occasion. Captain Alien Lindsey,1 a gentleman of the first respectability in our country, was running a couple of keel boats on the Upper Mississippi, in the summer of eighteen hundred and twenty-seven; when within a few miles of Prairie du Chien, was visited by a number of Winnebago Indians, some of them came aboard of his boats and showed signs of hostility to him, such as preyed upon his mind so much that, before he returned, he provided himself with a few fire arms, so that, in case of an attack by them, he might be able to defend himself. He was at this time on his way up to St. Peters. He made his trip, and accordingly on his return, when within a few miles of Prairie du Chien, he was again visited by those same Indians. He had to pass down the river close to their towns and habitation for several miles; for that is the way these wretched beings live, in small bark wigwams, along some water course, where they can paddle their canoes. But agreeably to Capt. Lindsey's expectations, he was not permitted to pass by their dwellings in peace. —Very late in the evening, a number of those blood thirsty savages made their appearance to him in a menacing manner, by opening a heavy fire upon his

Wakefield 27 boats; and by the help of their canoes attempted to board them. But Capt. Lindsey, had fortunately for him, anticipated that they did not intend to let him pass without firing him a salute of this description. He was prepared for them, although he had but few men aboard of his boats, but what he had proved to be soldiers. The Indians opened a heavy fire upon him, which was returned by him and his boat's crew with double interest. There were a large number of Indians, who charged upon him in their canoes, thinking to board his boats, but he prevented them by the hardest kind of fighting. They came so near boarding him, that, a number of them lashed their canoes to his boats; but he gave them a quietus in the act, and they bequeathed their canoes to him in return, and became bait for the fish of the Mississippi. At this, each one made shift for himself. The Indians paddled their canoes in one direction, and Captain Lindsey rowed his boats the other. Captain Lindsey lost two fine men in the action, and a number wounded; but how many I do not recollect at this time. If this officer had not anticipated mischief from those wretched beings, there is no doubt but that he and his whole crew would have been massacred by those inhuman barbarians; for it is generally supposed that it was plunder, or, in other words, the cargo that the boats contained, they were after. Captain Lindsey ran his boats down as soon as possible, to Galena, a small town on Fever river, six miles above where it empties itself into the Mississippi, which is now the county seat of Jo Daviess county, in the north-west corner of the State of Illinois. When Captain Lindsey arrived at that point, and gave the news, it created great fear and alarm; to such a degree, that expresses were sent in different directions to inform the citizens of the Mines to move into

Wakefield 28 Galena, and prepare for war. The people of the Mines took the alarm, so that in two days' time there were not less than three thousand men, women and children, who fled to this place for safety. Those Indians had made many threats against the miners, and had at different times ordered them off, and told them to quit the diggings, saying that the ground they were digging on was theirs. This news, coming at this time, when they were apprehensive of mischief, gave them an alarm, and caused them to fly to Galena for safety. They forsook their rude habitations, and assembled at that place, in order to assist in defending each other. There were a few forts built in the more thickly settled parts of the Mines, and some of the most fearless [of the] citizens occupied them. There was a committee of safety appointed in Galena, who corresponded with all parts of the Mines, and adopted measures for the safety and preservation of all; and in the mean time had some strong block houses built at Galena. The people likewise, who were able and willing to bear arms, volunteered and formed themselves into companies, and chose their own officers; ranged the country, and kept a good lookout, for fear the Indians would steal upon them, and take them by surprise. Governor Cass, in the mean time, was not inactive, but corresponded with Governor Edwards, then Governor of Illinois. Governor Edwards immediately raised one regiment of mounted volunteers in the northern counties, and sent them on to the relief of the mining country, and to go against those Indians. They elected Thomas M. Neale their commander. The people of the Mines formed themselves into another corps, and elected General Dodge their commander— a man well qualified to command, and who had some experience in the same.

Wakefield 29 Col. Neale marched his regiment to the Mines, but no further. Gen. Dodge, assisted by Gov. Cass, marched on a force of near one thousand men, to the portage of the Wisconsin and Fox rivers, where the Indians sued for peace. A treaty was then made with them. They gave up their commander, who had been the principal cause of the war, whom they called the Red Bird. He was put in prison at Prairie du Chien, and was to have been kept as a hostage for the good behavior of the rest of his nation, but he soon died. After this treaty, the forts were again forsaken, and the citizens returned to their respective habitations, and peace and safety seemed to be felt by all, until the hostile movement of the Sacs and Foxes, in the spring of eighteen hundred and thirty-one; when they invaded the State of Illinois, by leaving their own side of the Mississippi, crossing over, and attempting to claim the land they had sold to the General Government, in the neighborhood of Rock Island. Here this terrible and warlike nation of Indians committed all kinds of outrage on the citizens near this place. The citizens had purchased the land they lived upon from the General Government, and had opened good farms, built houses, and had been living in peace and quietness for nearly three years, when these wretched monsters in human shape attempted to drive them from their homes, and take possession of them themselves; which in fact they did. But this was not all those savage monsters did. They turned their horses into their wheat fields, killed their stock, and laid waste whole farms. It was time now for those citizens to ask for assistance from their countrymen. They did so. Petition after petition was sent to the Governor of Illinois, laying before him their grievances. Governor

Wakefield 30 Reynolds hesitated not a moment, but addressed the proper officers on this important subject. He addressed letters to Generals dark and Gaines on this subject, and tried every means that lay in his power to dissuade those unhappy people to desist from their designs, and return back to their own side of the Mississippi to their own land. But to this they turned a deaf ear too, as well as to all kind of entreaty that could be made through their agents, or Gen. Gaines or any other person. They bid defiance to General Gaines, and bantered him to fight them with his regulars. This was enough. Gen. Gaines saw now that there was no way of settling this business, only by a resort to arms. He accordingly made a call upon Governor Reynolds for seven hundred mounted volunteers to co-operate with him in driving them from the State. Governor Reynolds immediately obeyed the call, and issued his proclamation to the citizens of the northern counties of Illinois, who turned out to the number of fifteen hundred strong, and rendezvoused at Beardstown, on the Illinois river; and between the first and tenth days of June were organized into a brigade, under the command of Gen. Joseph Duncan. This brigade was officered in the following manner, viz: James D. Henry, of Sangamon county. Colonel of the first regiment; Jacob Fry, Lieutenant Colonel; John T. Stuart, Major; Thomas Collins, Adjutant; Edward Jones, Quarter Master; and Thomas M. Neale, Paymaster. The Captains were as follows: Adam Smith, William F. Elkin, A. Morris, Thomas Carlin, Samuel Smith, John Lorton, and Samuel C. Pierce. The second Regiment was commanded by Colonel Daniel Leib, of Morgan County; ———————, Lieutenant Colonel; Nathaniel Butler, Major; Captains H .Mathews,John H a [i]nes, George Bristow, William

Wakefield 31 Gilham, [Hiram] Kincade, Alexander Wells, William Weatherford, and W. Jordan, Quarter Master. There was one odd battalion, which was officered in the following manner: Nathaniel Buckmaster, Major; James Semple, Adjutant; Joseph Gillespie, Paymaster; [David Wright,] Quarter Master; Richard Roman, Surgeon ; Captains William Moore, John Loramie, [Loraine] and Solomon Miller. [Charles Higbee was Surgeon and Roman was Mate.—Ed.^] The spy battalion, next, was officered in the following manner: Samuel Whiteslde, Major; Samuel F. Kendle, Adjutant; John S. Greathouse, Quarter Master; P. H. Winchester, Pay Master; Captains Erastus Wheeler, William B. Whiteside, William Miller, and Solomon Prewitt. Those were the officers that composed the brigade under Gen. Joseph Duncan, with a few exceptions. The name of the Lieutenant Colonel in Col. Leib's regiment, I have not been fortunate enough to get in possession of, and I have not been able to get all the staff officers belonging to it; for I have no public record to resort to. Therefore, I hope no gentleman will think hard of me, or feel himself slighted in not having his name inserted in this history. General Duncan, after his brigade was organized, took the line of march for the seat of war, or where the savage rebels were assembled and bidding defiance to General Gaines and his regulars, at or near Rock Island. When General Duncan arrived at Rock River, he had to cross this stream near an island; and for fear of an ambuscade. General Gaines had it raked with a six pounder, so that if the enemy were concealed in this hiding place, he might drive them from it until his men could cross.—He fired his six pounder a number of times into this Island, but the enemy had taken

Wakefield 32 the alarm, and crossed over the Mississippi; but still kept embodied for action. They did not much like the sound of the six pounder. Some of them afterwards came over to Rock Island, where General Duncan had arrived with his men, and joined General Gaines, who took command of all the forces then in the field. They held a white flag in their hands. They now sued for peace. The Black Hawk was not one of the company. General Gaines demanded of them to bring him. They at first refused, but he told them that he would march his forces across the river and cut them off, if they did not produce him. They then returned and brought the wretched Hawk, who had caused so much trouble to them and our own Government. They then entered into capitulations of a treaty; the articles of which they violated in a few weeks afterwards by the most daring outrage. It was stipulated in the articles, that they were to remain on the west side of the Mississippi, and never to cross the river, and come into the State of Illinois, without the permission of the President of the United States or the Governor of Illinois. But they soon forgot this agreement. They crossed over in a few weeks, went within a few hundred yards of Prairie du Chien, in the dead hour of night, fell upon a camp of Menominie Indians, slaughtered and killed twenty-five of them; and that too, within gun-shot of a garrison of regulars. Those Menominie Indians never have been at war with the Government of the United States. They have ever looked to it for protection.—They had been that day in an Indian frolic, and were nearly all drunk. It is a well known thing, that, when Indians get into one of those drunken frolics, they are dangerous, one

Wakefield 33 to another, and the squaws invariably make it a rule to hide their arms until they get sober. This was the case at this time. Those Menominies had just been gorging with this hydra monster of all evil, and were lying in their wigwams, lost in sleep; never dreaming or thinking that there was the least danger of being butchered by those hideous monsters, that were of the same species of human beings with themselves. But the deadly tomahawk and spear were buried in them when in their helpless situation. The Menominies, it is said, succeeded in killing four of these savage monsters, who deserved to die the worst of deaths. The Menominies immediately informed Gen. Street of the massacre. He repaired immediately to the battle ground. They appeared to be in great distress for the loss of their friends. They had killed a number of squaws and children. The Menominies made heavy complaints to Gen. Street, saying, you have told us that you would protect us, and see that the Sacs and Foxes would let us alone. Gen. Street told them that they would be punished for what they had done. He accordingly sent a communication to Governor Reynolds, informing him of their movements, and the slaughter of the Menominies; and at the same time, took measures to demand the murderers; the particulars of which I am not able to lay before the public. But instead of the Sacs and Foxes delivering up the murderers, they, early in the spring following, crossed over to the State of Illinois, armed and equipped for war, and passed by, almost in sight of Fort Armstrong, bidding defiance to General Atkinson, the commander of the fort. Gen. Atkinson then communicated to Governor Reynolds, by express, their movements. Governor Reynolds then lost no time in issuing his proclamation to the citizens of Illinois, calling for volunteers.



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