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
Alexander marched to the mouth of Plum River, found no Indians
to intercept, and, receiving orders to meet the right wing at
Lake Koshkonong, marched thence and joined Atkinson. Posey,
after reinforcing Major Dement, marched on to Fort Hamilton,
as ordered, and there joined Dodge’s Battalion, June 28, with
orders for both, under Posey’s command,[198] to join the right
wing on the Koshkonong. This order provoked jealousy and a
storm of protests broke out against Posey. Dodge conceived a
poor opinion of him. He was admitted all round to be a fine
gentleman, affable, upright and well disposed, but to lack
energy and ability to maintain discipline, which rendered his
men insubordinate and disorderly.[199] The miners to a man
demanded that they be joined to either the brigade of Henry or
Alexander, which brought about conditions likely to result in
complete disorganization. Major Dement, after the disobedience
of his own men, was particularly vehement in demanding the
substitution of Dodge for Posey.[200] Dodge answered the
request to accept the command with the reply that he would not
accept it without election to it by the men. Accordingly, a
vote was taken, at which, by the fidelity of his old men,
Posey was re-elected to command by a small majority.
Gen. George W. Jones has described that election and his letter was
published on page 54 of William Salter’s “Life of Henry Dodge:”
“On our arrival at the encampment, Col. Dodge refused to assume
command unless the volunteers would elect him as their commander,
over their own general, although Col. Davenport of the U.S. Army,
was present, under orders from Gen. Atkinson, to make the transfer
or substitution in the command. All of the volunteers were entire
strangers to Col. Dodge. At his request, they were drawn up into a
hollow square, when he addressed them, and was followed by Gen.
Posey, who appealed to his old neighbors not to desert and
disgrace him. His entreaties had the desired effect.”
At this point, we are told by Wakefield, Major Dement resigned his
command.
Dodge’s command now consisted of five mounted companies, commanded
by Captains D.M. Parkinson, James H. Gentry, George W. Jones, Joseph
Dickson and Clark–two hundred men in all.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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