When this remonstrance was presented to him he quietly read it and deliberated carefully for some minutes; then, without bluster or useless fanfaronade, he ordered every man who had signed it under arrest, with orders to Colonel Collins’ Regiment to escort them to Atkinson for trial, at which, he had no doubt, they would be shot for disobedience. No man knew Henry better than Lieutenant-Colonel Smith, and no doubt remained in his mind of Henry’s determination to enforce his order, thereupon he begged permission to retire to consult his brother officers who had signed the paper, which he was permitted to do. In less than ten minutes every one of them had returned and begged Henry’s pardon, urging that they knew not the full import of the document when attaching their signatures. In the greatness of his heart that forgiveness was extended them and, with no further allusion to the incident, it was from that moment dropped. In justice to those officers, it must be said that Henry had no more devoted followers in his ranks from that time. Alexander now moved for Atkinson’s headquarters, and almost simultaneously came Capt. James Craig of Dodge’s Battalion from Galena, with fresh horses and men, bringing Dodge’s command up to 120 strong, when he pronounced himself ready for concerted action with Henry, whose brigade had fallen from about 1,200 to 600 men, but not more than 450 were then fit for service. From Fort Winnebago Henry and Dodge took up their march, July 15th, accompanied by Pierre Poquette as interpreter, and twelve Winnebagoes,[212] including The White Pawnee, as guides. Heavy underbrush and swamps continually hampered their march, while each new morass cost them horses, but after three days of hard marching the rapids (now Hustisford) were reached.[213] No Indians were found. Henry thereupon ordered the little army to camp. Here three Winnebagoes reported that Black Hawk had gone further up the river to Cranberry Lake. Relying on this information, it was determined to ascend the river by a forced march the following morning. In the meantime Adjutants Dr. E.H. Merryman of Springfield and W.W. Woodbridge of Dodge’s Battalion were dispatched, at 2 o’clock P.M.,[214] to Atkinson’s camp, accompanied by Little Thunder as guide, to post Atkinson as to its movements.