While we know our northern friends may not feel it, in the South, Spring is
here. So we thought we'd share a few of our gardening sites appropriate
for this time of the year. Along with gardening, there's grilling, and getting
ready to diet so that you can fit back into that bathing suit this summer!
Gen. Scott, with a full
regiment of regulars, came up the lake and
landed at Chicago about the 10th of
July--the cholera in the meantime having
broken out among his troops, from which
several had died. While encamped at that
point, it continued its virulence to such an
extent, and in a number of cases fatally,
that he deemed it best to much out on the
high land, and soon after continued his
journey, by slow marches, to Rock Island. On
reaching Rock river, where Milan is now
situated, the cholera had disappeared, and
he went into camp with his entire regiment.
The clear water of this beautiful stream was
a Godsend to the many tired men, for the
ablution of their bodies and the cleansing
of their apparel, tents, etc., and seemed to
have a general invigorating effect upon the
entire regiment.
Gen. Scott then went over to Rock Island
with two companies to garrison Fort
Armstrong, and there learned the situation
of affairs in the army, and the great
reduction made in the ranks of Black Hawk's
band of Indians, so that a final close of
the war was daily expected.
A few days after their arrival at Fort
Armstrong, symptoms of cholera again
appeared among the troops of the company,
and the physician in charge tried every
known remedy to check it, but failed in
every instance, and after running its
course, which was usually about twenty-four
hours, the patient died. During the first
three or four days of its ravages, about
one-half of that company had been consigned
to their last resting place in the soldiers'
cemetery.
Being on a visit to Rock Island at the time
the cholera was raging, the writer, at the
request of Col. Wm. Berry, (who had also
come down from Galena to pay his respects to
Gen. Scott,) accompanied him to the Fort and
introduced him to the General. It was a very
warm, but beautiful Sabbath, when we were
admitted to the General's quarters, about 10
o'clock in the morning, and after the
introduction of our friend and the usual
salutations of the day, the General, after
expressing his doubts of the propriety of
admitting us into the Fort, forcibly and
touchingly detailed the ravages that the
cholera was making in his ranks. Medicine,
in the hands of a skillful physician, seemed
to have no effect to stay its progress, and
he was just on the eve of trying a different
remedy as we came in, and if we would join
him in a glass of brandy and water, he would
proceed at once to put it into execution. He
said he was satisfied that brandy was a good
antidote to cholera, and by its use many of
his soldiers were still well.
The General pulled off his coat, rolled up
his sleeves, and directed an orderly to tear
off strips of red flannel, fill a bucket
with brandy and carry them to the hospital.
On arriving at the bedside of a patient he
directed him to be stripped, and then with
flannel soaked in brandy he rubbed his chest
thoroughly, in order to bring on a reaction,
in the meantime administering a little
brandy with a spoon. In the course of half
an hour he returned and reported progress.
He said he left his patient free from pain,
and directed a small portion of the brandy
to be given occasionally.
The well soldiers, seeing that their General
was not afraid of cholera, nor too proud to
act as nurse to a sick soldier, took courage
and insisted on his retiring, so that they
could fill his place. Seeing that new life
had been infused among the well soldiers,
and a gleam of hope seeming to inspire the
sick, he gave directions for them to
continue, as he had commenced, and then
retired.
On returning to his quarters he washed his
hands, rolled down his sleeves, put on his
uniform, and then invited us to take a
little brandy. After listening to his mode
of treatment, we casually remarked that it
looked feasible, but at the same time
reprehensible in the General of the army
exposing himself in the performance of a
duty that could be done as well by a common
soldier. He gave us a look, and kept his
eyes upon us as his giant form raised up,
and, with a sweep of his sword arm, said in
majestic tones: "Sir, it is the duty of a
General to take care of his army; should he
fall another can take his place; but,
without an army his occupation is gone!"
The General's treatment was continued right
along, and the result was that many of those
attacked got well.
Soon after the close of the war, which
terminated with the battle of Bad Axe, on
the second day of August, 1832, he came to
Galena, and, in conference with Governor
John Reynolds, ordered the chiefs head men
and warriors of the Winnebago Nation to meet
them at Fort Armstrong, Rock Island, on the
15th day of September, 1832, for the purpose
of holding a treaty.
At the time fixed by the Commissioners they
were met by the chiefs, head men and
warriors of the Winnebago Nation, with whom
a treaty was made and concluded, by which
the Winnebago ceded to the United States all
the lands claimed by them lying to the south
and east of Wisconsin river and the Fox
river of Green Bay. The consideration of
this cession on the part of the United
States, to be a grant to the Winnebago
Nation of a tract on the west side of the
Mississippi river known as the neutral
ground and annual annuities for twenty-seven
years of $10,000 in specie and a further
sum, not to exceed $3,000 annually, for the
purposes of maintaining a farm and a school
for the education of Winnebago children
during the same period of twenty-seven
years.
After concluding
the treaty with the Winnebago, and for the
purpose of making a lasting peace with the
Sacs and Foxes, these Commissioners held a
treaty at the same place, and a week later,
on the 21st day of September, with chiefs,
head men and warriors of that confederate
tribe. The Commissioners demanded, partly as
indemnity for expenses incurred in the late
war with Black Hawk's band and to secure
future tranquility, a cession of a large
portion of their country bordering on the
frontiers. In consideration thereof the
United States agree to pay to said
confederate tribes annually, for thirty
years, $20,000 in specie; also, to pay
Messrs. Farnham and Davenport, Indian
traders at Rock Island, the sum of $40,000,
to be receipted for in full of all demands
against said Indians. And, further, at the
special request of said confederate tribes,
the United States agree to grant, by letters
patent, to their particular friend, Antoine
LeClair, interpreter, one section of land
opposite Rock Island and one section at the
head of the rapids of the Mississippi river.
The books presented are for
their historical value only and are not the
opinions of the Webmasters of the site.
Autobiography of Black
Hawk or Ma-Ka-Tai-Me-She-Kia-Kiak,
Copyrighted By J. B. Patterson, 1882
