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Steamboat Warrior's Fight
On the 2d of August, 1832,
the steamboat, Warrior, was lying at Prairie
du Chien, and word having been received at
the fort that Black Hawk's main army was
then at, or near the river above, at a point
designated for all to meet for the purpose
of crossing the river, Lieut. Kingsbury took
her in charge, and started up with one
company, in order to intercept the Indians
and prevent their crossing before the main
army arrived, as he knew it was in close
pursuit of them. The boat soon came in view
of Indians on both sides of the river--Black
Hawk and several lodges having already
crossed over-when they were hailed by Lieut.
Kingsbury. A white flag was hoisted by the
Indians, and Black Hawk directed the
Winnebago interpreter on board the Warrior,
to say to his chief that he wanted him to
send out his small boat so as he could go on
board, a he desired to give himself up. The
Winnebago, however, reported to the
commander that they refused to bring their
flag aboard. He then directed his
interpreter to say that if they still
refused he would open fire upon them. In
reply, the interpreter said they still
refused, when the Lieutenant directed his
six-pounder to be fired among them, and also
opened a musketry fire by his company. This
was returned by the Indians, and the battle
continued for some time. Several Indians
were killed at the first fire, after which
the remainder sought protection behind
trees, stumps, etc. It was then getting late
in the afternoon, and as the boat was nearly
out of wood they dropped down to the fort to
replenish, and started back again the next
morning. On reaching an island some miles
above their battle-ground of the day before,
they commenced to rake it with their six-pounder,
supposing the Indians had taken shelter
there, and the army considering it a salute,
Gen. Atkinson returned it. Soon after the
boat landed and took on board Gen. Atkinson
and the regulars and then returned to
Prairie du Chien. The Illinois volunteers
were ordered to Dixon, at which place they
were discharged, while the troops of the
lead mines were mustered out at Galena.
After the boat started down the evening
before, Black Hawk and a few of his people
left for the lodge of a Winnebago friend,
and gave himself up. Thus ended a bloody war
which had been forced upon Black Hawk by
Stillman's troops violating a flag of truce,
which was contrary to the rules of war of
all civilized nations, and one that had
always been respected by the Indians. And
thus, by the treachery or ignorance of the
Winnebago interpreter on board of the
Warrior, it was bought to a close in the
same ignoble way it commenced--disregarding
a flag of truce--and by which Black Hawk
lost more than half of his army. But in
justice to Lieut. Kingsbury, who commanded
the troops on the Warrior, and to his credit
it must be said, that Black Hawk's flag
would have been respected if the Winnebago,
who acted as his interpreter on the boat,
had reported him correctly. 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
Black Hawk Indian WarFree
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