The Black Hawk War Including a Review of Black Hawk's LifeStevens, Frank Everett
History
The Black Hawk War Including a Review of Black Hawk's Life
Stevens, Frank Everett
Black Hawk War, 1832; Black Hawk, Sauk chief, 1767-1838
The catastrophe, instead of inspiring the troops with resolution to
revenge their fallen comrades, spread disaffection, and demands arose
from all sides to be discharged from a campaign which promised nothing
but trouble and a long absence from home. The Governor, foreseeing the
plight likely to visit him, at once, by the light of a solitary candle,
wrote out the following call for 2,000 more volunteers to rendezvous at
Hennepin on the 10th of June:
“Dixon’s Ferry, on Rock River, May 15, 1832.
“It becomes my duty to again call on you for your services in defense
of your country. The state is not only invaded by the hostile Indians,
but many of our citizens have been slain in battle. A detachment of
mounted volunteers, about 275 in number, commanded by Maj. Stillman,
were overpowered by hostile Indians on Sycamore Creek, distant from
this place about thirty miles, and a considerable number killed. This
is an act of hostility which cannot be misconstrued. I am of the
opinion that the Pottawatomies and Winnebagoes have joined the Sacs,
and all may be considered as waging war against the United States. To
subdue these Indians and drive them out of the state, it will require
a force of at least 2,000 mounted volunteers, in addition to troops
already in the field. I have made the necessary requisition of proper
officers for the above number, and have no doubt that the citizen
soldiers of the state will obey the call of their country. They will
meet at Hennepin, on the Illinois River, in companies of 50 men each,
on the 10th of June next, to be organized into brigades.
“JOHN REYNOLDS, Commander in Chief.”
John Ewing of Franklin County and John A. Wakefield and Robert Blackwell
of Fayette County were the trusted messengers selected to carry this
call over the state. At the same time, Col. James M. Strode, colonel and
commander of the Jo Daviess County militia, was empowered and requested
to organize his county for immediate action.
Governor Reynolds also sent word of the defeat to Colonel Dodge at the
camp of the latter on the north side of the river some distance above,
with the request that he forthwith take measures to protect the frontier
of Michigan Territory (now Wisconsin).
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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