Autobiography of Ma-ka-tai-me-she-kia-kiak, or Black HawkBlack Hawk, Sauk chief
History
Autobiography of Ma-ka-tai-me-she-kia-kiak, or Black Hawk
Black Hawk, Sauk chief
Black Hawk War, 1832; Black Hawk, Sauk chief, 1767-1838; Sauk Indians -- Biography
About this time our agent was put out of office, for what reason I could
never ascertain. I then thought it was for wanting to make us leave our
village and if so it was right, because I was tired of hearing him talk
about it. The interpreter, who had been equally as bad in trying to
persuade us to leave our village was retained in office, and the young
man who took the place of our agent, told the same old story over about
removing us. I was then satisfied that this could not have been the
cause.
Our women had planted a few patches of corn which was growing finely,
and promised a subsistence for our children, but the white people again
commenced ploughing it up. I now determined to put a stop to it by
clearing our county of the intruders. I went to their principal men and
told them that they should and must leave our country, giving them until
the middle of the next day to remove. The worst left within the time
appointed, but the one who remained, represented that his family, which
was large, would be in a starving condition, if he went and left his
crop. He promised to behave well, if I would consent to let him remain
until fall, in order to secure his crop. He spoke reasonably and I
consented.
We now resumed some of our games and pastimes, having been assured by
the prophet that we would not be removed. But in a little while it was
ascertained that a great war chief, General Gaines, was on his way to
Rock river with a great number of soldiers. I again called upon the
prophet, who requested a little time to see into the matter. Early next
morning he came to me and said he had been dreaming; that he saw nothing
bad in this great war chief, General Gaines, who was now near Rock
river. That his object was merely to frighten us from our village, that
the white people might get our land for nothing. He assured us that
this great war chief dare not, and would not, hurt any of us. That the
Americans were at peace with the British, and when they made peace, the
British required, and the Americans agreed to it, that they should never
interrupt any nation of Indians that was at peace, and that all we had
to do to retain our village was to refuse any and every offer that might
be made by this war chief.
The war chief arrived and convened a council at the agency. Keokuk and
Wapello were sent for, and with a number of their band were present.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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