CHAPTER XXXVIII.

PRISON LIFE–EASTERN TRIP–RETURN–COUNCIL AT FORT ARMSTRONG–BLACK

HAWK’S APOLOGY–BLACK HAWK RELEASED.

In every way possible for those early days, Keokuk endeavored to

make the confinement of Black Hawk tolerable. Early in the spring he

took with him the wife and daughter of Black Hawk, together with

Colonel Davenport, Antoine LeClaire and many prominent Sacs and

Foxes, to pay the old prisoner a visit and cheer him up. Further

than that, he endeavored to secure his release, pledging himself to

General Atkinson to be responsible for the good behavior of Black

Hawk and his fellow prisoners. Black Hawk was delighted to see his

wife and daughter and hoped to be released under Keokuk’s promise,

but the orders from the War Department were to take the prisoners to

Washington under the escort of an officer of the army. Accordingly

they were sent there, arriving the latter part of April, 1833. Black

Hawk was first presented to the President, then the Prophet, who

remarked:

“We expected to return immediately to our people. The war in which

we have been involved was occasioned by our attempting to raise

provisions on our own lands, or where we thought we had a right so

to do. We have lost many of our people, as well as the whites. Our

tribes and families are now exposed to the attacks of our enemies,

the Sioux, and the Menominees. We hope, therefore, to be permitted

to return home to take care of them.”

Black Hawk, taking up the conversation, continued:

“I am a man and you are another. * * * We did not expect to

conquer the whites. They had too many houses and too many men. I

took up the hatchet, for my part, to revenge injuries which my

people could no longer endure. Had I borne them longer without

striking, my people would have said, ‘Black Hawk is a woman; he is

too old to be a chief; he is no Sac.’ These reflections caused me

to raise the war whoop. I say no more of it; it is known to you.

Keokuk once was here; you took him by the hand, and when he wished

to return to his home, you were willing. Black Hawk expects that,

like Keokuk, we shall be permitted to return too.”

He says he took up the hatchet. He attempted to create the

impression, in his formal announcement, when he crossed the

Mississippi, that he was simply taking up the hoe, to go among the

Winnebagoes to make corn.

But it was not the policy of President Jackson to again let him off

without feeling, to a slight degree, the hand of the Government.

Therefore, on April 26th, the prisoners were all taken to Fortress

Monroe and placed in charge of Colonel Eustis, where they remained

until the 4th of June, the date of the order made by the President

for their liberation. During his confinement, Black Hawk was treated

with the utmost courtesy by Colonel Eustis, which was thoroughly

appreciated by all the prisoners; so much, indeed, that upon their

departure, Black Hawk made him a speech:

“Brother:–I have come, on my part, and in behalf of my companions,

to bid you farewell. Our great father has at length been pleased

to permit us to return to our hunting grounds. We have buried the

tomahawk, and the sound of the rifle will hereafter only bring

death to the deer and the buffalo. Brother, you have treated the

red men very kindly. Your squaws have made them presents, and you

have given them plenty to eat and drink. The memory of your

friendship will remain till the Great Spirit says it is time for

Black Hawk to sing his death song. Brother, your houses are as

numerous as the leaves upon the trees, and your warriors like the

sands upon the shore of the big lake that rolls before us. The red

man has but few houses, and few warriors, but the red man has a

heart that throbs as warmly as the heart of his white brother. The

Great Spirit has given us our hunting grounds, and the skin of the

deer which we kill there is his favorite, for its color is white,

and this is the emblem of peace. This hunting dress and these

feathers of the eagle are white. Accept them, my brother. I have

given one like this to the White Otter. Accept it as a memorial of

Black Hawk. When he is far away this will serve to remind you of

him. May the Great Spirit bless you and your children. Farewell.”

These sentiments are truly poetical and worthy a place in any

literature, but they did not represent the life of Black Hawk. He

had all his life long been a warrior, fonder of warfare than of

life, but no doubt a change was coming over his heart with the

scenes of peace and progress around him. The futility of further war

upon the Americans had doubtless finally impressed him, and he

realized that they were a people no longer to be trifled with.

Therefore, he had resolved to submit for all time to the inexorable

fate of civilization’s western march.

Under the escort of Major John Garland, on the 5th of June, Black

Hawk and his companions took their departure from Fortress Monroe.

Visiting the Norfolk navy yard, the Prophet, from the balcony of his

hotel, addressed a large concourse of people:

“The Great Spirit sent us here, and now, happily, we are about to

return to our own Mississippi, and our own people. It affords us

much happiness to rejoin our friends and kindred. We would shake

hands with all our white friends assembled here. Should any of

them go to our country on the Mississippi we would take great

pleasure in returning their kindness to us. We will go home with

peaceable dispositions towards our white brethren, and make our

conduct hereafter more satisfactory to them. We bid you all

farewell, as it is the last time we shall see each other.”

The party went on to Baltimore on the 6th, where it was greeted by

thousands of curious spectators, and where again Black Hawk met

President Jackson. At night both were present at the same theater,

and Black Hawk is said to have attracted as much attention as the

President. In an interview the following day the President advised

the Indians to return to their homes and listen to the counsels of

Keokuk, their principal chief:

“When I saw you in Washington, I told you that you had behaved

very badly in raising the tomahawk against the white people and

killing men, women and children upon the frontier. Your conduct

last year compelled me to send my warriors against you, and your

people were defeated with great loss and your men surrendered, to

be kept till I should be satisfied that you would not try to do

any more injury. I told you I would inquire whether your people

wished you to return and whether, if you did return, there would

be any danger to the frontier. Gen. Clark and Gen. Atkinson, whom

you know, have informed me that Keokuk, your principal chief, and

the rest of your people are anxious you should return, and Keokuk

has asked me to send you back. Your chiefs have pledged themselves

for your good conduct, and I have given instructions that you

should be taken to your own country.

“Major Garland, who is with you, will conduct you through some of

our towns. You will see the strength of the white people. You will

see that our young men are as numerous as the leaves in the woods.

What can you do against us? You may kill a few women and children,

but such a force would soon be sent against you as would destroy

your whole tribe. Let the red men hunt, and take care of their

families; but I hope they will not again raise their hands against

their white brethren. We do not wish to injure you. We desire your

prosperity and improvement; but if you again plunge your knives

into the breasts of our people, I shall send a force which will

severely punish you for all your cruelties. When you go back,

listen to the counsels of Keokuk and the other friendly chiefs.

Bury the tomahawk and live in peace with the frontiers. And I pray

the Great Spirit to give you a smooth path and a fair sky to

return.”

The reply of Black Hawk to this address was brief:

“My Father:–My ears are open to your words. I am glad to hear

them. I am glad to go back to my people. I want to see my family.

I did not behave well last summer. I ought not to have taken up

the tomahawk; but my people have suffered a great deal. When I get

back I will remember your words. I won’t go to war again. I will

live in peace. I shall hold you by the hand.”

On the 10th Philadelphia was reached, where all remained until the

14th, with their headquarters at Congress Hall. While there they

witnessed a military display of such impressive interest as to evoke

a speech from Black Hawk:

“My heart grew bitter against the whites, and my hands strong. I

dug up the tomahawk, and led on my warriors to fight. I fought

hard. I was no coward. Much blood was shed. But the white men were

mighty. They were as many as the leaves of the forest. I and my

people failed. I am sorry the tomahawk was raised. I have been a

prisoner. I see the strength of the white men. They are many; very

many. The Indians are but few. They are not cowards. They are

brave, but they are few. While the Great Spirit above keeps my

heart as it now is, I will be the white man’s friend. I will

remain in peace. I will go to my people and speak good of the

white man. I will tell them that they are as the leaves of the

forest, very many and very strong, and that I will fight no more

against them.”

Among other interesting sights seen was Fairmount waterworks, after

which the party started for New York City, where it arrived the

evening of the 14th. Among the novel sights seen there was a balloon

ascension from Castle Garden, which greatly astonished the Indians,

one of whom asked the Prophet if the aeronaut was “going to see the

Great Spirit.” Crowds of people gathered about the Exchange Hotel to

see them, and exchange a word with “General Black Hawk,” as they

called him. He was obliged to make his appearance upon all sorts of

occasions to gratify the curious crowds. His rooms were daily and

hourly visited by ladies and gentlemen, and each evening the Indians

were escorted to the theater or other places of amusement. They

received many handsome presents, and one of the ceremonies was the

presentation to Black Hawk of a pair of topaz earrings for his wife

or daughter, by John A. Graham, who said:

“Brothers, open your ears. You are brave men. You have fought like

tigers, but in a bad cause. We have conquered you. We were sorry

last year that you raised the tomahawk against us; but we believe

you did not know us then as you do now.

“We think that in time to come you will be wise and that we shall

be friends forever. You see that we are a great people–numerous as

the flowers of the field, as the shells on the seashore, or the

fish in the sea. We put one hand on the eastern, and at the same

time the other on the western ocean. We all act together. If some

time our great men talk long and loud at our council fires, but

shed one drop of white men’s blood, our young warriors, as thick

as the stars of the night, will leap on board of our great boats,

which fly on the waves, and over the lakes, swift as the eagle in

the air; then penetrate the woods, make the big guns thunder, and

the whole heavens red with the flames of the dwellings of their

enemies. Brothers, the President has made you a great talk. He was

but one mouth. That one has sounded the sentiments of all the

people. Listen to what he has said to you. Write it on your

memories. It is good, very good.

“Black Hawk, take these jewels, a pair of topaz earrings,

beautifully set in gold, for your wife or daughter, as a token of

friendship, keeping always in mind that women and children are the

favorites of the Great Spirit. These jewels are from an old man,

whose head is whitened with the snows of seventy winters; an old

man who has thrown down his bow, put off his sword, and now stands

leaning on his staff, waiting the commands of the Great Spirit.

Look around you, see all this mighty people; then go to your

homes, open your arms to receive your families. Tell them to bury

the hatchet, to make the bright chain of friendship, to love the

white men, and to live in peace with them as long as the rivers

run into the sea, and the sun rises and sets. If you do so, you

will be happy. You will then insure the prosperity of unborn

generations of your tribes, who will go hand in hand with the sons

of the white men, and all shall be blessed by the Great Spirit.

Peace and happiness by the blessing of the Great Spirit attend

you. Farewell.”

To which Black Hawk replied:

“Brother:–We like your talk. We will be friends. We like the white

people. They are very kind to us. We shall not forget it. Your

counsel is good. We shall attend to it. Your valuable present

shall go to my squaw. We shall always be friends.”

Patrick Shirriff in his “tour,” page 29, alludes to this hippodrome

in the following manner:

“An Indian chief named Black Hawk, who had been taken prisoner the

preceding year, in a war to the west of Lake Michigan, and who was

carried through some of the great towns with a view of impressing

him with the power of the states preparatory to his liberation,

arrived in New York the day after the President and divided public

attention. The ladies declared in favor of Black Hawk, some of

them actually kissing him, which it is said affected the old

President’s health. The chief of the white men and the chief of

the red were alike objects of curiosity, the President holding a

levee by day, the Hawk by night, in Niblo’s Gardens. Had a mammoth

or elephant appeared, the mighty ones of the earth would have been

eclipsed in public favor.”

It had been the intention to visit Boston, but, greatly to the

disappointment of its citizens, the route was changed, and on the

22d the party left New York in a steamboat up the Hudson for Albany,

where it arrived the following day. There the party remained until

the 25th, when it resumed its western journey, reaching Buffalo on

the 28th. In that city the members remained three days, where, among

other people who came to call on Black Hawk, was Kar-lun-da-wa-na, a

chief of the Senecas, who made an address, counseling Black Hawk and

his companions to return home and remain in peace. To this Black

Hawk replied:

“Our aged brother of the Senecas has spoken the words of a good

and wise man. We are strangers to each other, though we have the

same color, and the same Great Spirit made us all and gave us this

country together. Brothers, we have seen how great a people the

whites are. They are very rich and very strong. It is folly for us

to fight against them. We shall go home with much knowledge. For

myself, I shall advise my people to be quiet and live like good

men. The advice which you gave us, brother, is very good, and we

tell you how we mean to walk the straight path in future, to

content ourselves with what we have, and with cultivating our

lands.”

From Buffalo the party embarked by water for Detroit, after which it

proceeded to Green Bay, thence up the Fox and down the Wisconsin

River to the Mississippi, on to Fort Armstrong, which was reached

about the 1st of August, and which had been chosen as the spot for

the final liberation of Black Hawk. Upon landing, messengers were

sent to notify the Sacs and Foxes to assemble and meet the returned

captives. In response came Keokuk, Pash-e-pa-ho, Wapello and others,

Keokuk leading a convoy of canoes floating the American flag and

landing opposite Black Hawk’s quarters. After several hours spent in

arranging their dress and other preliminaries, they all returned to

their canoes, and, with shouts and songs and drums, crossed over to

the island. There, with Keokuk at the head, each Indian cordially

greeted Black Hawk and his companions. After smoking the pipe of

peace, they then returned to the west bank of the river to await the

grand council set for the following day, when Black Hawk was to be

taken home.

About 10 o’clock of the following morning Keokuk, with about 100 of

his followers, crossed over to Fort Armstrong, where a room had been

especially prepared to receive him, and here Black Hawk was escorted

to a seat opposite Keokuk. The occasion was one of deep humiliation

to Black Hawk, and his appearance indicated as much. Major Garland

opened the council with a speech, referring to the good feeling

manifested by all toward Black Hawk. This was followed by reading

the speech made by the President to Black Hawk in Baltimore, to

which Keokuk, as the future custodian of Black Hawk’s conduct, rose

and replied:

“I have listened to the talk of our great father. It is true we

pledged our honor for the liberties of our friends. We thought

much of it; our councils were long. Their wives and children were

in our thoughts. When we talked of them our hearts were full.

Their wives and children came to see us, which made us feel like

women; but we were men. The words which we sent to the great

father were good. He spoke like the father of children. The Great

Spirit made his heart big in council. We receive our brothers in

friendship. Our hearts are good towards them. They once listened

to bad counsel; now their ears are closed. I give my hand to them.

When they shake it, they shake the hands of all. I will shake

hands with them, and then I am done.”

Major Garland then stated that he wished it distinctly understood

that their great father would hereafter acknowledge Keokuk as the

principal chief of the Sac and Fox nation, and that he wished Black

Hawk to listen and conform to his counsels. This remark was

construed by Black Hawk to mean that he _must_ conform to the

counsels of Keokuk, and at once his bad blood arose; all his old

animosities mastered him, and in his impulsive way he cried:

“I am a man, an old man. I will not conform to the counsels of

anyone. I will act for myself; no one shall govern me. I am old;

my hair is gray. I once gave counsel to my young men. Am I to

conform to others? I shall soon go to the Great Spirit, where I

shall be at rest. What I said to our great father at Washington, I

say again. I will always listen to him. I am done.”

His resentful, passionate nature stubbornly refused, as it always

had refused before, to acknowledge any standard of conduct except

such as emanated from his own limited capacities. He flew into a

rage, no doubt expecting to combat this inexorable decree as he had

opposed every former American institution, by quibbling or fighting,

but at that supreme moment of helplessness, more than at any

previous time in his life, his incapacity to comprehend and act was

manifested, and had it not been for the soothing gentleness of

Keokuk, who realized his old enemy’s helplessness and his

weaknesses, the question of liberty might have been deferred for an

indefinite period. After the excitement of Black Hawk’s speech had

subsided, Keokuk stepped to the side of his gloomy old foe, and in a

low voice said to him: “Why do you speak so before the white men? I

will speak for you. You trembled; you did not mean what you said.”

Without changing his sullen looks, though recognizing his deplorable

mistake, he nodded assent, and Keokuk again addressed the council,

as follows:

“Our brother who has again come to us has spoken, but he spoke in

wrath. His tongue was forked; he spoke not like a man or a Sac. He

knew his words were bad. He trembled like the oak whose roots have

been wasted away by many rains. He is old. What he said let us

forget. He says he did not mean it. He wishes it forgotten. I have

spoken for him. What I have said are his own words, not mine. Let

us say he spoke in council to-day–that his words were good. I have

spoken.”

Keokuk’s kind apology, followed by speeches from Col. William

Davenport, then in command of Fort Armstrong, Wapello and

Pash-e-pa-ho, lulled him back into a full realization of his

helplessness, and again rising, he deliberately said:

“I feel that I am an old man. Once I could speak; now I have but

little to say. To-day we met many of our brothers. We were glad to

see them. I have listened to what my brothers have said; their

hearts are good; they have been like Sacs since I left them; they

have taken care of my wife and children, who had no wigwam. I

thank them for it; the Great Spirit knows that I thank them.

“Before the sun gets behind the hills to-morrow I shall see them.

When I left them, I expected soon to return. I told our great

father in Washington that I would listen to the counsel of Keokuk.

I shall soon be far away; I shall have no village, no band. I

shall live alone. What I said in council to-day I wish forgotten.

If it has been put upon paper, I wish a mark to be drawn over it.

I did not mean it. Now, we are alone, let us say we will forget

it. Say to our great father and Governor Cass that I will listen

to them. Many years ago I met Governor Cass in council, far across

the prairies, to the rising sun. His counsels were good, but my

ears were closed. I listened to the great father across the

waters. My father listened to him, whose band was very large. My

band, too, was once large. Now I have no band. I and my son, and

all the party, thank our great father for what he has done. He is

old and I am old. We shall soon go to the Great Spirit, where we

shall rest. He sent us through his great villages. We saw many of

the white men, who treated us with kindness, and we thank them. We

thank you and Mr. Sprague for coming with us. Your road was long

and crooked. We never saw so many white men before. When you were

with us we felt as though we had some friends among them. We felt

safe, for you knew them all. When you come upon the Mississippi

again you shall come to my wigwam. I have none now. On your road

home you will pass where my village was. No one lives there now.

All are gone. I give you my hand. We may never meet again, but I

shall long remember you. The Great Spirit will be with you, and

your wives and children. Before the sun rises I shall go to my

family. My son will be here to see you before we go. I will shake

hands with my brothers here, and then I am done.”

After Keokuk’s apology and Black Hawk’s same, Wapello arose (chief

of the Foxes) and said:

“I am not in the habit of talking. I think–I have been thinking

all day. Keokuk has spoken. Am glad to see my brothers. I will

shake hands with them. I am done.”[274]

The chiefs all arose, a general shaking of hands, followed by an

interchange of civilities, ensued, and the council adjourned. In the

evening Major Garland invited the principal chiefs, together with

Black Hawk, to his quarters, as it would afford a good opportunity

to ascertain explicitly the feeling which existed among them toward

their fallen foe. About 7 o’clock they arrived. They took their

seats in silence, passed the pipe of peace and then drank a round of

champagne. Pashepaho first shook hands with all present and said:

“We met this morning. I am glad to meet again. That wine is very

good. I never drank any before. I have thought much of our meeting

to-day. It was one that told us we were brothers–that we were

Sacs. We had just returned from a buffalo hunt. We thought it was

time for our brothers to be here, as our father at St. Louis told

us this was the moon. We started before the rising sun to meet

you. We have met and taken our brothers by the hand in friendship.

They always mistrusted our counsels, and went from the trail of

the red men, where there were no hunting grounds nor friends. They

returned and found the dogs howling around their wigwams, and

wives looking for their husbands and children. They said we

counseled like women; but they have found our counsels were good.

They have been through the country of our great father. They have

been to the wigwams of the white men. They received them in

kindness and made glad their hearts. We thank them. Say to them

that Keokuk and Pashepaho thank them. Our brother has promised to

listen to the counsels of Keokuk. What he said in council to-day

was like the Mississippi fog. The sun has shone and the day is

clear. Let us forget it. He did not mean it. His heart is good,

but his ears have been open to bad counsels. He has taken our

great father by the hand, whose words are good. He listened to

them, and has closed his ears to the voice that comes across the

great waters. He now knows that he ought to listen to Keokuk. He

counseled with us and our young braves, who listened to his talk.

We told our great father that all would be peace. He opened his

dark prison, and let him see the sun once more and gave him to his

wife and children, who were without a lodge. Our great father made

straight his path to his home. I once took the great chief of the

Osages prisoner. I heard the cries of his women and children. I

took him out by the rising sun and put him upon the trail to his

village. ‘There,’ said I, ‘is the trail to your village. Go and

tell your people that I, Pashepaho, the chief of the Sacs, sent

you.’ We thank our great father. Our hearts are good towards him.

I will see him before I lay down in peace. May the Great Spirit be

in his councils. What our brother said to-day let us forget. I am

done.”

Keokuk, after going through the usual ceremonies, followed, saying:

“We feel proud that you have invited us here this evening to drink

a glass with you. The wine which we have drank, we never tasted

before. It is the wine which the white men make, who know how to

make anything. I will take another glass, as I have much to say.

We feel proud that we can drink such wine. To-day we shook hands

with our brothers, who you brought to us. We were glad to see

them. We have often thought of our brothers. Many of our nation

said they would never return. Their wives and children often came

to our wigwams, which made us feel sad. What Pashepaho has said is

true. I talked to our young men, who had the hearts of men. I told

them that the Great Spirit was in our councils. They promised to

live in peace. Those who listened to bad counsels, and followed

our brothers, have said their ears are closed. They will live in

peace. I sent their words to our great father, whose ears were

open, whose heart was made sad by the conduct of our brothers. He

has sent them to their wigwams. We thank him. Say to him, Keokuk

thanks him. Our brothers have seen the great villages of the white

men. They traveled a long road and found the Americans like grass.

I will tell our young men to listen to what they shall tell them.

Many years ago I went through the villages of our great father. He

had many. They were like the great prairies; but he has gone.

Another is our father. He is a great war chief. I want to see him.

I shall be proud to take him by the hand. I have heard much of

him. His head is gray. I must see him. Tell him as soon as the

snow is off the prairie, I shall come. What I have said I wish

spoken to him, before it is put upon paper, so that he shall hear

it as I have said it. Tell him that Keokuk spoke it. What our

brother said in council to-day, let us forget. He told me to

speak. I spoke his words. I have spoken.”

Early next morning Black Hawk went to his family and the Sacs hailed

his return with great joy. Though shorn of power, no allusions were

made to his new conditions; everywhere his old friends, who never

before sympathized with him, now exercised every effort to make his

declining years pleasant. He settled quietly down and for some time

made his home near Keokuk’s village, on Iowa River.[275]

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Footnote 274:

Drake, 223.

Footnote 275:

Fulton’s “Red Men of Iowa,” 212 _et seq._

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