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 following day the company of Capt. Joseph Naper, from Chicago, which
had been ranging the country, reached the scene and buried all the dead
except little Jimmie Davis, a lad of seven years, who had been spared at
first and taken along, but who, being unable to keep the pace demanded,
was shot a short distance out. The scene was awful, but the lad showed a
spirit of fortitude attained by none other in this war of brutal
slaughter. The two Indians who had him in charge held him between them,
one by each hand, while another shot him down in cold blood, and then,
before life was extinct, his scalp was lifted and his body left a prey
for wolves or carrion birds. The little fellow blanched like marble, but
received the fatal shot without a quaver. Later his body was fortunately
discovered and buried with the others.
To-qua-mee and Co-mee, who were indicted for complicity in the murders,
were brought to bar for the crime, but by reason of the uncertainty of
the times and judges to try them, the first term of court passed with
nothing done except to admit the culprits to bail on the bond of
Shab-bo-na, Shem-e-non, Snock-wine, Sha-a-toe, Mee-au-mese and
Sash-au-quash, chiefs and head men of the Pottowatomie nation. Before
the next term of court could be held the tribe had been removed west of
the Mississippi, whither went the two defendants. When needed for trial
they were sought by Sheriff George E. Walker, who alone journeyed into
the Indian country. He gathered together the several chiefs, according
to custom, who decided the two must return, which they did, with no
effort or inclination to escape. This conduct, together with the lavish
use of paint, rendered recognition almost impossible by the Hall girls,
who were the chief witnesses for the State, and procured their acquittal
by the jury.[136]
A deep scar ran across the face of To-qua-mee, by which the Hall girls
easily recognized him at the murder of their parents, and by which they
could easily have recognized him on his trial, but, thanks to the
ingenuity of counsel, who had him so bedaub his face with paint,
recognition was all but impossible. A little later, when he bathed in
the Illinois River with his friends, the imposture was discovered and he
was forced to flee for his life to escape the wrath of the settlers.
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[Illustration: CAPT. ROBERT BARNES.]
[Illustration: CAPT. WILLIAM HAWS.]
[Illustration: COL. JOHN STRAWN.]
[Illustration: LIEUT. COL. WILLIAM COWEN.]
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Footnote 132:
Iles’ Early Life and Times, p. 43. The author claimed the presence of
Col. William S. Hamilton in his party, but in that he was mistaken, as
Col. Hamilton returned to Galena with Strode.
Footnote 133:
The statement by Matson that one Mike Girty was connected with the
Indian Creek massacre is incorrect.
Footnote 134:
Matson’s “Memories of Shau-be-na.”
Footnote 135:
Matson.
Footnote A:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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