CHAPTER XXXI.
FORT WINNEBAGO REACHED–STAMPEDE–HENRY’S TREATMENT OF DISOBEDIENT
OFFICERS–BLACK HAWK’S TRAIL TO WESTWARD DISCOVERED–FORCED
MARCH–BATTLE OF THE WISCONSIN–AT BLUE MOUNDS.
When Henry, Dodge and Alexander left, on the 10th, for Fort
Winnebago, their horses were in none too good a condition for such a
march, but it was begun early and continued diligently through the
wilderness, until the fort was reached, at the end of the second
day, a distance of sixty or seventy miles.
The horses, several hundred in number, were turned out to graze on
the evening of the 12th,[209] and with no delay the men retired to
their tents, pitched about three feet apart, and were very soon
wrapped in sound slumber, during which occurred a calamity entailing
greater disaster and more suffering than the loss of a battle. In
the night (12th) it is supposed a party of thieving Indians, in
attempting a wholesale theft, so thoroughly frightened the animals
that a stampede followed. Running furiously in a northerly
direction, directly over the camp, men and munitions were crushed
under foot. A call to arms followed, but the loss of arms in the
darkness and confusion, the loss of bearings, and almost of reason,
prevented all possibility of order and concerted action. If it had
been an attack of the enemy, as was first conjectured, the bruised
and confused troops could easily have been annihilated.
The horses reached the Wisconsin River, where they were turned back
by it, and, with the fury of the hurricane, rushed back and over the
camp for the second time, bruising and crippling men and hopelessly
wrecking tents and guns. The men had not recovered their senses when
this second stampede drove them into the ground, and by the time the
furious beasts had passed, the poor soldiers were in the saddest
possible plight.
Two days were consumed in repairing the wreck, recovering the horses
and drawing the twelve days’ rations. The stampede at this crisis
was painfully unfortunate. For thirty miles the horses ran, over
ground almost impassable, which added to those already consumed in
reaching the fort, ruined many and crippled others to such an extent
that they soon gave out. The search for them added many miles of
weary travel, wearing those used in it, going and coming, until it
was considered doubtful if the men could get back to General
Atkinson.
At this place it was ascertained through the Winnebagoes that Black
Hawk occupied a strong position at the rapids on Rock River.[210]
Henry at once called a council of war, composed of every officer
from the rank of captain up, at which he disclosed his information
and proposed the question of disobeying Atkinson’s orders by
pursuing the enemy. Dodge had so exhausted his men and disabled his
horses in forcing a march to be in first at Fort Winnebago, that he
reported he could not muster a force worth taking along.[211]
Alexander reported the unwillingness of his men to disobey orders,
leaving Henry alone to make the pursuit, if it were to be made at
all. He quietly yet firmly resolved that it should be made.
Thereupon he reorganized his brigade by disencumbering his command
of the sick, injured and dismounted men, and appointed noon of the
15th for the hour to march. The disaffection of Alexander’s men had
a demoralizing influence on Fry’s Regiment, belonging to Henry’s
Brigade, which resulted in the signing of a remonstrance, headed by
Lieut-Col. Jeremiah Smith, and the presentation of the same to Henry
as that officer was ready to march. Fry did not sign this document
and had no sympathy with it. On the contrary, he was bitterly
opposed to such action. This action, emanating from so conspicuous a
person and officer as Smith, would, under usual conditions, have
frustrated Henry’s plans and demoralized his brigade, but he was the
man for an emergency, with the will to meet it and the physique to
enforce it against ordinary opposition. His genius rose to this
occasion and his action ended the Black Hawk war, as it would have
been ended long before could he have ordered the volunteer forces as
he desired.
Day after day, week after week, the army had dawdled away valuable
time in fruitless marches. Every command had been ignored or
ridiculed. Protests had been constantly made, and at every turn the
commanding influence of the militia and its votes had been consulted
and obeyed.
In camp and on the march they had constantly murmured, and in action
they had disobeyed and disgraced themselves and their state. Here
Henry was alone and supreme in command, unhampered by a superior. He
was a candidate for no office.
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.
About dark they had proceeded about eight miles to the southwest,
when they suddenly came upon the broad fresh trail of the enemy in
his endeavor to escape to the Mississippi River. At the sight of
this trail Little Thunder manifested unusual and extreme symptoms,
and, without permission, hastened back to camp, where he informed
his two Winnebago friends of his discovery. Merryman and Woodbridge
hastily followed. On returning, these two Winnebagoes, after
communicating with their friends, attempted to escape, but in
passing Major Murray McConnel of the staff, who was reconnoitering,
they were arrested and returned to camp. Merryman and Woodbridge
followed soon after, and in crossing the picket lines Woodbridge was
fired at by a sentinel and barely escaped with his life.
Under an examination by Henry, the Winnebagoes confessed that they
had given false information in order to facilitate the escape of
Black Hawk.
Early the following morning (19th) the army was ready for a fresh
march along this trail. The same express was sent to Atkinson to
post him as to its movements, Little Thunder safely guiding it.[215]
Five baggage wagons were discarded[216] and most of the camp
equipage left in a pile in the wilderness. Even blankets and parts
of wardrobe were discarded to facilitate travel, so that positively
nothing could hamper man or beast in the contemplated forced marches
to overtake Black Hawk. Provisions were tightly packed on shoulders
and then over creeks, mires, through groves, thickets and forests
the chase began, men marching and almost running a-foot to keep pace
with those mounted, to please the leader they knew to be the man for
the hour.
A fearful storm arose the first day and continued the following
morning, and though without shelter, the men cheerfully pushed
forward, covering fifty miles by nightfall. The sight of Henry
dismounting to give some tired footman a rest inspired others to do
the same, and a valor before unknown inspired the men.
Until 2 o’clock of the morning of the 20th the storm raged. No fires
could be built by which to cook supper, so meat was eaten raw and
flour mixed with water into a raw dough was substituted for more
substantial fare. The men, exhausted but uncomplaining, threw
themselves upon the wet earth for a brief rest, without blankets or
other covering, thus enduring a night of hardship which before that
time would have produced the dissolution of the army.
Breakfast on the 20th was little better than supper of the preceding
night. Scouts captured an Indian, who was brought to Henry, where he
disclosed the information that the main body of the Indians was not
far ahead. Henry at once formed an order of battle for the day, with
Dodge and Ewing in front to bring on the fight, Fry to the right,
Jones to the left and Collins in the center.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Illustration: WISCONSIN HEIGHTS BATTLEFIELD.]
[Illustration: BATTLE OF WISCONSIN HEIGHTS, JULY, 27, 1832.]
[Illustration: CAPT. JOSEPH DICKSON.]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Poquette and the White Pawnee, still marching, had in every instance
been found to be reliable in their bearings, and now that they
proclaimed the presence of the enemy, a battle was momentarily
promised, but their expectations were a little premature, and all
day of the 20th the march was continued in the order stated, until
nightfall, when the army camped on the east bank of the Third Lake,
where for the first time fires could be made and a substantial
supper cooked. That night was passed in the same manner, upon the
ground, without event, save for the sight of a rapidly disappearing
Indian, who was fired at by a sentinel while fading away on the
lake.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Illustration: GOV. JOHN WOOD.]
[Illustration: COL. GABRIEL JONES.]
[Illustration: MAJ. MURRAY McCONNEL.]
[Illustration: CAPT. D.M. PARKINSON.]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Passing around the lake early on the 21st, the army continued its
march with the spy battalions of Major William L.D. Ewing and
Colonel Dodge still in front, the footmen continuing the pace set by
the horsemen, who had discovered unmistakable evidences that the
enemy was but a short distance ahead.
The sight of discarded Indian camp equipment encouraged them with
the hope that a few hours only would intervene before a battle and
the possible termination of the war.
In Smith’s History of Wisconsin, Vol. I, p. 279, this pursuit is
described as follows:
“Pursuit commenced immediately, and the trail was followed down
the river until it diverged from it westward. The detachment
crossed the Crawfish River near Aztalan, and followed the trail,
which bore to the west of Keyes Lake (Rock Lake). It was still
followed westward until the ground between the Third and Fourth
Lakes was reached, now the site of Madison; thence it was followed
around the southern end of the Fourth Lake, where it appeared that
an admirable position for a battleground, with natural defenses
and places of ambush, had been chosen by the enemy, and here they
apparently had lain the previous night. This place was near
Slaughter’s farm.”
About noon the scouts fell upon two Indians and killed one while
trying to escape.[217] Dr. Addison Philleo at that moment scalped
him, and for many years afterward was in the habit of exhibiting the
scalp to strangers as a trophy of his valor in that war.[218] The
terrific pressure on the horses had been severely felt by this time,
and before the day was half done forty or fifty of them gave out.
About 3 o’clock the company of Capt. Joseph Dickson’s spies reported
the enemy reaching the bluffs of the Wisconsin River, which
reanimated the troops with unusual vigor to increase their speed,
and, if possible, overtake the enemy before he crossed the river.
The men pushed on so rapidly that the rear guard of the Indians was
overtaken, and, in order to occupy the whites, stopped frequently
and engaged them with firing in order to allow the main body to
cross the river. Twice Henry pressed them and twice the Indians gave
way, but the third time Dickson’s scouts or spies drove them to the
main body, which had reached a body of timber sufficiently dense to
offer protection, and here the whole force of Indians made a stand.
Dismounting, every tenth man was detailed to hold horses, excepting
the regiment of Colonel Fry, which was made the reserve and held to
prevent the enemy from turning the flanks of the whites.
The Indians opened fire as the advance guard of the whites was
passing a stretch of uneven ground, through the high grass and low
brush. Major Ewing’s Battalion was at once formed in front, where
the Indians poured their fire into it from behind trees. In a few
moments Henry arrived with the main army and formed the order of
battle, Colonel Jones being placed to the right, Colonel Collins to
the left, Fry in reserve and Ewing in front, with Dodge on the
extreme right. In this order Henry ordered the forces to move. The
order to charge the enemy was splendidly executed by Ewing, Jones
and Collins, routing the Indians, who retreated to the right and
concentrated before Dodge’s Battalion, with the obvious intention of
turning his flank.[219] Henry sent Major McConnel to Dodge, ordering
him to charge the enemy, but this Dodge preferred to delay until he
received a reinforcement, whereupon Henry sent Colonel Fry to his
aid, and together they charged into the brush and high grass,
receiving the fire of the whole body of the enemy.
Advancing and returning this fire, Dodge and Fry pursued the Indians
with bayonets, driving them out with loss. Retreating rapidly, the
enemy fell back to the west and took up a new and a stronger
position in the thick timber and tall grass at the head of a hollow
leading to the Wisconsin River bottom.[220] A determined stand was
made here, but Ewing, Jones and Collins dashed upon them and drove
them in scattered squads down into the Wisconsin bottoms, covered
with a swale so high that pursuit in the gathering darkness was
impossible, and Henry, withdrawing his forces, lay all night on the
field.
During the night a sonorous voice was heard from a neighboring hill,
supposedly giving orders to the enemy, but as nothing came of it, no
commotion or preparation to renew the fight followed. It proved to
have been Ne-a-pope suing for peace in the tongue of the
Winnebagoes, supposing that the guides and interpreter present from
that nation would understand and secure a parley, but as all the
Winnebagoes had fled in the beginning of the action, his words were
wasted. Had he been understood, no doubt can exist but Henry would
have closed the war then and there, for Black Hawk now realized that
he was no longer fighting Stillman’s command. The loss of the
Indians was sixty-eight in killed and many more wounded, twenty-five
of whom were found dead on the trail, subsequently resumed, while
the loss to Henry was but one man killed, Private Thomas J. Short of
Captain Briggs’ company, Randolph County, and eight wounded, of whom
the following are known: John White, Joseph Wells, Armstead Jones,
Meredith S. McMillen, James Thompson and Andrew McCormick and John
McNair of Capt. D.M. Parkinson’s company. As all the casualties were
from the Third Regiment,[221] commanded by Col. Gabriel Jones, it is
to be inferred that he bore the brunt of the fight.
The following morning Henry advanced to the Wisconsin, only to find
the enemy had retreated during the night across the river to the
hills beyond. Had supplies been plenty, he would have pressed his
victory by following, but being in great need of provisions, he was
compelled to fall back to the base at the Blue Mounds.
This was the first time Black Hawk in person had met signal defeat
during the campaign, and he realized that more would follow, because
a man who cared nothing for politics and feared not mortal man was
after him.
Henry was exceedingly modest, retiring and submissive; so modest
that when others were writing flaming press reports and conspiring
to make way with his laurels, he attempted no intervention. Quiet,
indeed, he was, yet resolute in duty to the last degree, and when an
arrogant officer headed a mutinous document he was ordered in irons
to the commanding General for punishment.
This inflexible regard for duty, even in the face of criticism and
intrigue, moved him forward with the irresistible force of the
glacier, and in this instance, with no contrivance, it pushed him
forward at a bound to be the most popular man in the State of
Illinois, and very soon the nominee of his party for Governor. Had
he lived, nothing could have prevented his election. He died of
pulmonary consumption, at New Orleans, March 4th, 1834, at his hotel
lodgings.
Though a giant in stature and rugged to a degree, proof, as was
thought, against the rigors of any campaign, this one undermined his
health, and to find relief he sought the milder climate of New
Orleans, but here he gradually sank, and in a little while passed
away, so quietly that no one knew who he was until friends from
Illinois proclaimed him. Then the honors due a soldier were his.
On the 22d Henry dispatched an express to Atkinson and Dodge wrote a
letter to the commandant at Prairie du Chien,[222] dispatching it by
the hand of Captain Estes of his command, which later found its way
into the Missouri Republican and Niles Register. Following is a copy
of the letter:
“Camp Wisconsin, July 22, 1832.
“We met the enemy yesterday, near the Wisconsin River, and
opposite the old Sac village, after a close pursuit for nearly 100
miles. Our loss was one man killed and eight wounded; from the
scalps taken by the Winnebagoes, as well as those taken by the
whites, and the Indians carried from the field of battle, we must
have killed forty of them. The number of wounded is not known; we
can only judge from the number killed that many were wounded. From
their crippled situation, I think we must overtake them unless
they descend the Wisconsin by water. If you could place a
field-piece immediately on the Wisconsin that would command the
river, you might prevent their escape by water.
“General Atkinson will arrive at the Blue Mounds on the 24th, with
the regulars and a brigade of mounted men. I will cross the
Wisconsin to-morrow, and should the enemy retreat by land, he will
probably attempt crossing some twenty miles above Prairie du
Chien; in that event the mounted men would want some boats for the
transportation of their arms, ammunition and provisions. If you
could procure for us some Mackinaw boats, in that event, as well
as some provision supplies, it would greatly facilitate our views.
Excuse great haste. I am, with great respect, your obedient
servant,
“H. DODGE, Col.-Com. Michigan Mounted Volunteers.”
This letter created much criticism by subsequent historians, notably
Governor Ford in his History of Illinois. Answers, replies and
rejoinders were exceedingly numerous for a while, but when time had
passed and mellowed the controversy, Henry, the chief in command,
and Dodge, the second in command at that battle, remained with the
people of Illinois and Wisconsin first among their fighters and
first among their favorites, and surely both deserved the best
portions of the good things said of either. The letter may have been
a little presumptuous, but it never marred the good feeling which
existed between the two men.[223]
Litters were constructed for the wounded, the march was taken up and
in two days (24th) the Blue Mounds were reached and there the army
met Posey, Atkinson and Alexander, the two latter having pushed on
from Ft. Koshkonong after learning of the discovery of Black Hawk’s
westward trail.
-----
Footnote 198:
Thwaites, “The Black Hawk War,” p. 33.
Footnote 199:
Peter Parkinson, Vol. 2. Wis. Hist. Colls., p. 405.
Footnote 200:
Dement’s grievance began when, after his battle and the resumption
of the march for Fort Hamilton, Posey encountered fresh trails on
the first day out and, instead of following them to a possible
fight, returned to Kellogg’s and there camped until the next day,
to “await the baggage wagons,” as claimed by Wakefield on p. 39.
Dement charged this as an act of cowardice.
Footnote 201:
During this march White Crow offered to conduct Posey and Dodge
with a few followers to Black Hawk’s camp which was singularly
strong, and had the officers gone, certain death had followed.
This conclusively proved that White Cloud designedly sought to
have the party annihilated.
Footnote 202:
Wakefield, 45. Moses, 373. Brown, 368. Journal, A.S. Johnston.
Footnote 203:
Reynolds, “My Own Times,” 395.
Footnote 204:
Others allege a few miles to the east on an Island in the Bark.
Footnote 205:
A.S. Johnston’s Journal.
Footnote 206:
Ford, 134.
Footnote 207:
Lt. Robert Anderson. X Wis. Hist. Colls., p. 171.
Footnote 208:
Wakefield, p. 72, has made the statement that Atkinson at once
expressed to Henry to proceed.
Footnote 209:
Wakefield, p. 61.
Footnote 210:
Wis. Colls., Vol. 2, p. 354.
Footnote 211:
Ford, 139.
Footnote 212:
Wakefield, p. 62.
Footnote 213:
Wakefield says the 18th, p. 62.
Footnote 214:
Wakefield, p. 63.
Footnote 215:
Wakefield, p. 63 and 72.
Footnote 216:
Wakefield, p. 64.
Footnote 217:
Near the spot where the Lake House subsequently stood.
Footnote 218:
Ford, 144.
Footnote 219:
Ford, 145.
Footnote 220:
Ford, 145.
Footnote 221:
Except McNair.
Footnote 222:
Capt. Loomis.
Footnote 223:
Smith’s comment on the above letter, Vol. 3, page 426, History of
Wisconsin: “The above letter is extracted from Niles Register of
August 18th, 1832, and it does not appear to whom it is addressd:
but it is highly probable that it is the letter which was sent to
the commandant of Fort Crawford, at Prairie du Chien, which
Captain Estes carried as express.
“The singularity of the language of the letter will be evident,
when it is considered that General Henry had the chief command at
the battle of Wisconsin Heights, and not Colonel Dodge.”
-----
------------------------------------------------------------------------