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Meetings with Chiefs and Braves
On my arrival at the village
I was met by the chiefs and braves and
conducted to the lodge which was prepared
for me. After eating, I gave a fall account
of all that I had seen and done. I explained
to my people the manner in which the British
and Americans fought. Instead of stealing
upon each other and taking every advantage
to kill the enemy and save their own people
as we do, which, with us is considered good
policy in a war chief, they march out in
open daylight and fight regardless of the
number of warriors they may lose. After the
battle is over they retire to feast and
drink wine as if nothing had happened. After
which they make a statement in writing of
what they have done, each party claiming the
victory, and neither giving an account of
half the number that have been killed on
their own side They all fought like braves,
but would not do to lead a party with us.
Our maxim is: "Kill the enemy and save our
own men." Those chiefs will do to paddle a
canoe but not to steer it. The Americans
shot better than the British, but their
soldiers were not so well clothed, nor so
well provided for.
The village chief informed me that after I
started with my braves and the parties who
followed, the nation was reduced to a small
party of fighting men; that they would have
been unable to defend themselves if the
Americans had attacked them. That all the
children and old men and women belonging to
the warriors who had joined the British were
left with them to provide for. A council had
been called which agreed that Quashquame,
the Lance, and other chiefs, with the old
men, women and children, and such others as
chose to accompany them, should descend the
Mississippi to St. Louis, and place
themselves under the American chief
stationed there. They accordingly went down
to St. Louis, were received as the friendly
band of our nation, were sent up the
Missouri and provided for, while their
friends were assisting the British!
Keokuk was then introduced to me as the war
chief of the braves then in the village. I
inquired how he had become chief? They said
that a large armed force was seen by their
spies going toward Peoria. Fears were
entertained that they would come up and
attack the village and a council had been
called to decide as to the best course to be
adopted, which concluded upon leaving the
village and going to the west side of the
Mississippi to get out of the way. Keokuk,
during the sitting of the council, had been
standing at the door of the lodge, not being
allowed to enter, as he had never killed an
enemy, where he remained until old Wacome
came out. He then told him that he heard
what they had decided upon, and was anxious
to be permitted to speak before the council
adjourned. Wacome returned and asked leave
for Keokuk to come in and make a speech. His
request was granted. Keokuk entered and
addressed the chiefs. He said: "I have heard
with sorrow that you have determined to
leave our village and cross the Mississippi,
merely because you have been told that the
Americans were coming in this direction.
Would you leave our village, desert our
homes and fly before an enemy approaches?
Would you leave all, even the graves of our
fathers, to the mercy of an enemy without
trying to defend them? Give me charge of
your warriors and I'll defend the village
while you sleep in safety."
The council consented that Keokuk should be
war chief. He marshaled his braves, sent out
his spies and advanced with a party himself
on the trail leading to Peoria. They
returned without seeing an enemy. The
Americans did not come by our village. All
were satisfied with the appointment of
Keokuk. He used every precaution that our
people should not be surprised. This is the
manner in which and the cause of his
receiving the appointment.
I was satisfied, and then started to visit
my wife and children. I found them well, and
my boys were growing finely. It is not
customary for us to say much about our
women, as they generally perform their part
cheerfully and never interfere with business
belonging to the men. This is the only wife
I ever had or ever will have. She is a good
woman, and teaches my boys to be brave. Here
I would have rested myself and enjoyed the
comforts of my lodge, but I could not. I had
promised to avenge the death of my adopted
son.
I immediately collected a party of thirty
braves, and explained to them the object of
my making this war party, it being to avenge
the death of my adopted son, who had been
cruelly and wantonly murdered by the whites.
I explained to them the pledge I had made to
his father, and told them that they were the
last words that he had heard spoken. All
were willing to go with me to fulfill my
word. We started in canoes, and descended
the Mississippi, until we arrived ear the
place where Fort Madison had stood. It had
been abandoned and burned by the whites, and
nothing remained but the chimneys. We were
pleased to see that the white people had
retired from the country. We proceeded down
the river again. I landed with one brave
near Cape Gray, the remainder of the party
went to the mouth of the Quiver. I hurried
across to the tail that led from the mouth
of the Quiver to a fort, and soon after
heard firing at the mouth of the creek.
Myself and brave concealed ourselves on the
side of the road. We had not remained here
long before two men, riding one horse, came
at full speed from the direction of the
sound of the firing. When they came
sufficiently near we fired; the horse jumped
and both men fell. We rushed toward them and
one rose and ran. I followed him and was
gaining on him, when he ran over a pile of
rails that had lately been made, seized a
stick and struck at me. I now had an
opportunity to see his face, and I knew him.
He had been at Qaashquame's village to teach
his people how to plow. We looked upon him
as a good man. I did not wish to kill him,
and pursued him no further. I returned and
met my brave. He said he had killed the
other man and had his scalp in his hand. We
had not proceeded far before we met the man
supposed to be killed, coming up the road,
staggering like a drunken man, and covered
all over with blood. This was the most
terrible sight I had ever seen. I told my
comrade to kill him to put him out of his
misery. I could not look at him. I passed on
and heard a rustling in the bushes. I
distinctly saw two little boys concealing
themselves in the undergrowth, thought of my
own children, and passed on without noticing
them. My comrade here joined me, and in a
little while we met the other detachment of
our party. I told them that we would be
pursued, and directed them to follow me. We
crossed the creek and formed ourselves in
the timber. We had not been here long, when
a party of mounted men rushed at full speed
upon us. I took deliberate aim and shot the
leader of the party. He fell lifeless from
his horse. All my people fired, but without
effect. The enemy rushed upon us without
giving us time to reload. They surrounded us
and forced us into a deep sink-hole, at the
bottom of which there were some bushes. We
loaded our gum and awaited the approach of
the enemy. They rushed to the edge of the
hole, fired on us and killed one of our men.
We instantly returned their fire, killing
one of their party. We reloaded and
commenced digging holes in the side of the
bank to protect ourselves, while a party
watched the enemy, expecting their whole
force would be upon us immediately. Some of
my warriors commenced singing their death
songs. I heard the whites talking, and
called to them to come out and fight. I did
not like my situation and wished the matter
settled. I soon heard chopping and knocking.
I could not imagine what they were doing.
Soon after they ran up a battery on wheels
and fired without hurting any of us. I
called to them again, and told them if they
were brave men to come out and fight us.
They gave up the siege and returned to their
fort about dusk. There were eighteen in this
trap with me. We came out unharmed, with the
exception of the brave who was killed by the
enemy's fist fire, after we were entrapped.
We found one white man dead at the edge of
the sink-hole, whom they did not remove for
fear of our fire, and scalped him, placing
our dead brave upon him, thinking we could
not leave him in a better situation than on
the prostrate form of a fallen foe.
We had now effected our purpose and
concluded to go back by land, thinking it
unsafe to use our canoes. I found my wife
and children, and the greater part of our
people, at the mouth of the Iowa river. I
now determined to remain with my family and
hunt for them, and to humble myself before
the Great Spirit, returning thanks to him
for preserving me through the war. I made my
hunting camp on English river, which is a
branch of the Iowa. During the winter a
party of
Pottawattomie came from the Illinois to
pay me a visit, among them was Washeown, an
old man who had formerly lived in our
village. He informed as that in the fall the
Americans had built a fort at Peoria and had
prevented them from going down the Sangamon
to hunt. He said they were very much
distressed. Gomo had returned from the
British army, and brought news of their
defeat near Malden. He told us that he went
to the American chief with a flag, gave up
fighting, and told him he desired to make
peace for his nation. The American chief
gave him a paper to the war chief at Peoria,
and I visited that fort with Gomo. It was
then agreed that there should be no more
hostilities between the Americans and the
Pottawattomie. Two of the white chiefs, with
eight Pottawattomie braves, and five others,
Americans, had gone down to St. Louis to
have the treaty of peace confirmed. This,
said Washeown, is good news; for we can now
go to our hunting grounds, and, for my part,
I never had anything to do with this war.
The Americans never killed any of our people
before the war, nor interfered with our
hunting grounds, and I resolved to do
nothing against them. I made no reply to
these remarks as the speaker was old and
talked like a child.
Autobiography of Black Hawk
Notes About the Book:
Source: Autobiography of Black
Hawk or Ma-Ka-Tai-Me-She-Kia-Kiak,
Copyrighted By J. B. Patterson, 1882
Online Publication: The manuscript was scanned and
then ocr'd. Minimal editing has been done, and readers can and should expect
some errors in the textual output.
This site includes some historical materials that may imply negative
stereotypes reflecting the culture or language of a particular period or place.
These items are presented as part of the historical record and should not be
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