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!
On the evening of the second
day, after crossing Rock river, the Major's
command marched to the stockade at Kellogg's
Grove and encamped. In the morning, learning
that Indian traces had been seen four or
five miles from the grove, twenty-five
volunteers were called for to go out and
reconnoiter. This number was quickly filled,
nearly every one volunteering being an
officer, and, as it afterward turned out,
they were unfortunately accepted. These
volunteers had not yet gotten out of sight
of their camp, before three Indians were
seen on their ponies between the fort and a
small grove on the prairie, riding backward
and forward. The reconnoitreing party
started after them in one, two and three
order, according to the speed of their
horses, while the Indians made straight for
the small grove. Major Dement, who was
watching the movements of the volunteers
from his camp, and seeing the movements of
the Indians, at once suspected a trap,
mounted with a portion of his men, and went
to their aid. His men that had first started
were a mile out upon the prairie in pursuit
of those few Indians. Being well mounted,
the Major and his relief party soon overtook
the hindermost of the little band, but
several were too far in advance in their mad
pursuit of the fleeing Indians for him to
reach them in time. The fleeing Indians were
making for a grove some three miles away,
hotly pursued by the Major's men. In this
grove, as the commander feared, a large
number of the Indians were concealed. When
within four or five hundred yards of this
grove he halted and dismounted his men and
formed them in line. Some six or seven of
his men were still in advance following the
Indians toward this grove. On nearing the
grove, his men who were in advance, were
received with a galling fire, which killed
two and wounded a third. With hideous yells
the Indians emerged from the grove and
rapidly approached. They were all mounted,
stripped to their waists and painted for
battle. As they reached the bodies of the
dead soldiers, a large number surrounded
them, clubbing and stabbing their lifeless
remains. A volley from the rifles of the
whites killed two or three at this point,
but by the time the last of the little band
had reached the ridge upon which their
comrades were drawn up in line, the Indians
were close upon them and on both flanks. At
this point three men who had been out of
their camp hunting for their homes, came in
sight and were massacred in sight of their
friends. The main portion of the battalion
had been ordered to hold themselves in
readiness for any emergency, but hearing the
yelling, instead of obeying the order,
mounted in hot haste and started to the
rescue of their companions. On discovering
the force of the Indians, they retreated to
the grove, and almost neck and neck with the
Indians, sprang over their horses and
occupied the Block House.
On the least exposed side of the Fort was a
work bench; over this the Major threw the
bridle rein of his horse, and most of the
horses huddled around this as if conscious
of their danger. The Indians swarmed around
the Block House under cover; an ominous
stillness pervaded the air, which was soon
broken by the crack of the rifles of the
white men. The best marksmen with the best
guns were stationed at the port holes, and a
lively fire was kept up by the little
garrison. The Indians finding that they were
making no impression, turned their attention
to shooting the horses, twenty-five of which
they succeeded in killing. After sharp
firing for two hours they retreated, leaving
nine of their men dead on the field. This
was the first engagement in this war, in
which the whites had held their position
until reinforcements arrived, without
retreating. If the main force had remained
in the grove at this Block House after the
volunteers went out, without making any
demonstration when the Indians came charging
up and still in the open prairie, they could
have been easily repulsed. This was the
Major's plan of action, but the men became
excited by the firing, and having no
commissioned officers to guide them, started
without order to assist their exposed
comrades in the open prairie, when they were
flying for their lives to the block house.
That evening Gen. Posey came up with his
brigade, and although the Indians were
encamped a short distance away, he made no
effort to attack them but contented himself
with reporting the situation to Col. Z.
Taylor at Dixon's Ferry. Gen. Whiteside had
said to Major Dement before crossing Rock
river, that he was going into the Indian
rendezvous, where he could have an Indian
for breakfast every morning, and he found it
literally true.
It seems strange that Major Dement should
have been ordered by Col. Taylor into the
enemy's country, across Rock river, with so
small a force of volunteers, while a large
force of Regulars and Volunteers, commanded
by regular United States officers, remained
securely entrenched in the rear. It was
Major Dement's opinion that there were more
fighting men of Black Hawk's band of
warriors in the engagement at Kellogg's
Grove than ever afterwards made a stand
during the war. It was easy for Gen. Posey
to have moved up and attacked the Indians on
his arrival at the Grove, and then have
dealt them a fatal blow by forcing them to
battle then, but he refused to do so, and
the war was not terminated until the fight
at Bad Axe some two months later, in which
the Illinois troops did not engage. During
this engagement at the Block House, four
whites and eleven Indians were killed. The
whites lost a large part of their
horses--the Indians shooting them from the
timber, while the poor animals were huddled
about the Block House.
Although in command, Black Hawk remained in
the Grove doing the engagement, looking on
to see that his principal aid, whose voice
was like a trumpet call, carried out his
orders.
While reciting the incidents of this battle
to the author, when writing his
Autobiography, Black Hawk spoke in high
praise of Major Dement as a commander, who
had shown not only good military skill in
coming to the rescue of his party, but in
withdrawing his little party to the Fort.
After Dement's engagement General Posey's
brigade started for Fort Hamilton and
remained there a short time. News of
Dement's engagement and march of Posey's
brigade having been received at Dixon's
Ferry, where the two other brigades were
stationed, Gen. Alexander, with the 2d
brigade was ordered to cross Rock river and
march to Plum river to intercept the
Indians, as it was deemed probable that they
would make for that point to cross the
Mississippi. Gen. Atkinson, with regulars,
and Gen. Fry with his brigade, remained at
Dixon waiting for news of the route taken by
the Indians. Next day Capt. Walker and three
Pottawattomie Indians came into Dixon and
reported seventy-five Pottawattomie ready to
join the army now encamped at Sycamore
creek, and they were afraid that Black Hawk
and his army was not far off. For their
protection, and to await the coming of the
balance of the second brigade, Col. Fry, of
Henry's brigade, was sent forward
immediately. The next morning Gen. Henry's
brigade moved forward with Gen. Atkinson at
the head, intending to march up Rock river,
to the Four Lakes, and camped at Stillwell's
battle-ground the first night and joined
Col. Fry and his Pottawattomie Indians on
the 29th, and continued their march. On the
30th, when going into camp, they saw signs
of Sac Indians, but the sentinels were
undisturbed during the night. The next day
they saw one Indian, but he was on the other
side of Plum river. On the 2d of July, Major
Ewing being in front, spied a fresh trail,
and soon after came upon the fresh trail of
Black Hawk's entire force, at a point near
Keeshkanawy Lake. Scouts from the battalion
came up to Black Hawk's encampment, from
which they had apparently taken their
departure a few days before. Here they found
five white men's scalps which had been left
hung up to dry. This battalion continued to
march around the lake in detachments, one of
which found where there had been another
encampment, but on returning to camp and
comparing notes they began to despair of
finding the main body of Black Hawk's army
in that region. On the 5th of July, Gen.
Atkinson with his army took a rest. During
the day some scouts brought in an old Indian
nearly blind and half famished with hunger,
whom the Indians had left in their flight.
After eating, Gen. Atkinson questioned him
closely as to the whereabouts of Black Hawk
and his army, but was satisfied from his
replies and helpless condition, that he did
not know, but on taking up his line of march
the near morning, Gen. Atkinson did not
leave him as the Indians had done, alone and
without any means of subsistence, but left
him an abundance of food, and as we
afterwards learned, the old man recruited
and afterwards got back to his tribe.,
On the evening of the 9th the army encamped
at White Water, and the next morning Indians
were seen on the other side of this stream
which was not fordable, one of whom shot and
wounded a regular. After breaking camp, Gen.
Atkinson ordered a move up the river, and
that night camped with his entire force--all
having met at the same point. Gen. Dodge's
corps had taken a Winnebago prisoner and
brought him into camp for the purpose of
finding out if he knew where Black Hawk's
forces were. He said they were encamped on
an island near Burnt Village. Col. William
S. Hamilton, a brave and honored son of
Alexander Hamilton, in command of a company
of Menomonee, who had joined the main army
the day before, with Captain Early and his
command, after scouring the island
thoroughly, reported there were no Indians
on the island.
Governor Reynolds, who had been on the march
up Rock River with his volunteers and the
main army, together with Colonel Smith,
Major Sidney Breese and Colonel A. P. Field,
left the army and came into Galena on the
12th, from whom we obtained our information
of the movements of the army. They were
firmly of the opinion that the Indians had
taken to the swamps, and gotten entirely out
of reach of the army, and that no farther
danger need be apprehended. Colonel Field,
who is an eloquent speaker, at the
solicitation of Colonel Strode, although
nearly worn out with hard marches, made an
able and soul-stirring speech to our
regiment, and a large number of the
inhabitants of Galena.
At this time the army was nearly out of
provisions, and Fort Winnebago, about
seventy-five miles distant, the nearest
point at which they could replenish. General
Atkinson then ordered General Posey with his
brigade, to Fort Hamilton, General Henry's
and Alexander's brigade and General Dodge's
squadron to Fort Winnebago for provisions;
and sent General Ewing and his regiment to
Dixon with Colonel Dunn, who had been
seriously wounded by one of his own
sentinels, but who afterwards recovered.
General Atkinson then built a fort near the
camping ground, which was Fort Keeshkanong.
General Alexander returned on the 15th with
provisions to the fort, while Generals Dodge
and Henry thought best to go with their
commands to the head of Fox river, and while
on the way stopped at a Winnebago village
and had a talk with their head men, who
assured them that Black Hawk was then at
Cranberry Lake, a point higher up Rock
river. After a consultation by the Generals,
it was deemed best to send an express to
General Atkinson at Fort Keeshkanong, to let
him know of the information they had got,
and their intention of moving on the enemy
the next morning. Dr. Merryman, of Colonel
Collins' regiment, and Major Woodbridge,
Adjutant of General Dodge's corps,
volunteered to go, and with Little Thunder,
a Winnebago chief, as pilot, started out to
perform this dangerous service, and after
traveling a few miles, came on fresh Indian
trails, which Little Thunder pronounced to
have been made by Black Hawk's party, and
fearing that they would be intercepted,
insisted on returning to camp. Night was
then approaching, and having no guide to
lead them forward, they reluctantly followed
Little Thunder back to camp. Orders were
then given for an early move next morning,
and at daylight the bugle sounded, and the
army moved onwards. The trail was followed
for two days, leading for Four Lakes. On the
second day, July 21st, scouts from General
Dodge's corps came in and reported Indians,
and as a confirmation of the fact, Dr. A.K.
Philleo exhibited a scalp that he had taken
from the head of one that he had shot. Dr.
Philleo was brave as the bravest, and
whenever a scouting party started out to
look for Indians (unless his services were
required in camp), was always in the lead,
and this being his first Indian, took his
scalp, and sent it to the writer, with
written instructions how to preserve it. To
this end we handed over both to a deaf and
dumb printer in the office, who boasted
somewhat of his chemical knowledge, who
spent considerable time for a number of days
in following the Doctor's instructions.
After the killing of this Indian, some of
the scouts discovered fresh signs of more
Indians, and after pursuing it for some
miles, Dr. Philleo and his friend Journey,
equally as brave, being in the lead, espied
two more Indians, when each picked his man
and fired, and both fell; one of them,
although badly wounded, fired as he fell,
and wounded one of the scouts. The Doctor's
attention was now directed to his wounded
companion, hence his second Indian was
allowed to retain his scalp.
The scouts, finding that the trail was
fresh, and the Indians were rapidly
retreating, having strewed their trail with
camp equipage, in order to facilitate their
movements, sent an express back to camp,
when the army hastily took up the line of
march, with Dodge's corps and Ewing's Spy
battalion in the front. By fast riding they
soon came up with the Indians, whom they
found already in line to receive them.
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
