His public position in 1832 was Colonel of Michigan Militia,[130] to which command was added, immediately on the commencement of hostilities, the command of the mounted volunteers of Iowa County and the Galena volunteers in Illinois, when they served by companies in Michigan Territory. Starting before dawn of May 15th for the lead mines settlements, he in an incredibly short time had preparations moving for the safety of every settler in southwestern Michigan. In a week’s time stockades made of logs ten or twelve feet high, buried end up, in forms of squares or parallelograms, with blockhouses inclosed and lookouts at one or more corners, were finished and ready for occupation at the following places, after which all persons so disposed were comfortably “forted,” as the expression was in those days: Fort Union (headquarters), Colonel Dodge’s residence near Dodgeville. Colonel Dodge commanding. Fort Defiance, at the farm of Daniel M. Parkinson, about five miles southeast of Mineral Point. Captain Hoard commanding. Fort Hamilton, at William S. Hamilton’s diggings, later Wiota. Fort Jackson, at Mineral Point. Capt. John F. O’Neal commanding. Mound Fort, on the high prairie about a mile and a half south of Ebenezer Brigham’s residence at Blue Mounds. Capt. John Sherman commanding. Parish’s Fort, at the residence of Thomas J. Parish, later Wingville. And forts, unnamed, at Cassville, Platteville, Gratiot’s Grove, under command of J.R. B. Gratiot, Diamond Grove, White Oak Springs, Old Shullsburg and Elk Grove, at the farm of Justus DeSeelhorst. About the 22d or 23d of May, Colonel Dodge and Col. Henry Gratiot, sub-agent of the Winnebagoes, assembled a company of fifty mounted volunteers, commanded by Captains James H. Gentry and John H. Roundtree, and marched to the head of the Four Lakes, where, on the 25th, the assembled Indians were asked to declare their intentions. If they decided to aid, counsel or abet the Sacs, or harbor them in their country, such acts would be received as a declaration of war and would be visited with condign punishment. Dodge emphatically proclaimed the Sacs liars and traitors, who wished only to draw the Winnebagoes into a war to distract attention from their own actions, while they might escape when hostilities went against them, thus leaving the Winnebagoes to bear the brunt of the punishment which must follow in blood and uncomfortable peace conditions. So vigorous, yet so diplomatic, were Dodge and Gratiot, that peaceful relations were at once assured and, with slight exception, maintained by all.[131] [Illustration: THE TOWNSEND FAMILY: ALL THE ABOVE BROTHERS SERVED IN THE WAR.] ----- Footnote 126: Reddick Horn. Footnote 127: 2d Sergeant Parker Adams, of Gideon Simpson’s Company. Footnote 128: Hist. Jo Daviess County, p. 284. Footnote 129: William Campbell was later made Major of the Twenty-seventh Regiment. Footnote 130: Vol. 1, p. 265, Smith’s Hist. of Wis.