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
“In addition to the supply of provisions expected from Fort
Wilbourn, by the teams now gone for it, Lieut. Holmes will cause
an equal quantity, or more, to be brought to this place without
delay. Escorts to the wagons will be furnished by the Commanding
Officers at Ottoway and this place when called on by Lieut.
Holmes. Lieut. Crossman, Asst. Quartermaster, will remain in this
district of country and attend to the disbursements of all
expenses which may be necessarily incurred in the Quartermaster’s
Department.”
At this period George E. Walker called at headquarters to report the
presence at the mouth of Sycamore Creek of Shabbona, Caldwell and
others, who at Fort Wilbourn had signified a willingness to command
a force of Pottowatomies, and desired a detachment to meet and
confer with them at that point. Accordingly, the final order issued
at Dixon’s was promulgated:
“Headquarters, Army of the Frontier,
“Dixon’s Ferry, 28 June, 1832.
“Order No. 47.
“General Henry will detach Colonel Fry, with his regiment, this
morning, to the mouth of Sycamore Creek, where Caldwell and
several of the principal men of the Pottawattomies, with 75
warriors, are encamped, waiting to join the army to co-operate
with us against the Sac Indians. The object of the movement is to
give countenance to the party under Caldwell till the main army
comes up, which will move to-day as early as practicable. Col. Fry
will, of course, use the necessary precautions for the security of
his command.”
On the 29th Atkinson and staff moved from Dixon’s Ferry, reaching
Stillman’s battlefield that evening, where they camped–as stated by
Albert Sidney Johnston in his journal–a distance of six miles from
the “Sycamore Creek, or Kishwaukee, where Colonel Fry’s Regiment is
now encamped.” Four miles were made June 30th, Atkinson resting on
Rock River for the day.[194] On the 1st of July seven more miles
were made in the forenoon, the army stopping for the night in the
fork of Turtle Creek and Rock River, just above the mouth of Turtle
Creek.[195]
Lack of water was felt the following day for the first time, and
after a severe march, on the 2d, the army camped above and near the
mouth of “the river of the Four Lakes,” on the banks of a large
pond, the first water to be found after a march of five hours.
About 10 o’clock of the 3d, scouts brought in news of a deserted
Indian camp, broken up three nights before, which gave signs of the
recent burial of five Indians. Several scalps and many feathers were
also left there. The division halted at “Lake Koshkonong, or Mud
Lake,” a large body of water formed by the widening or enlargement
of Rock River. Trails were everywhere abundant, but no enemy was in
sight, nor was his position then conjectured.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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