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Show TALES rT OF THE Edithj CHIEFS t I Watson ' BLACK HAWK When, in 1S04, the Sauk and Foxes signed the treaty surrendering all i their lands on the east side of tho Mississippi river, it was not clearly understood un-derstood by the entire en-tire people that they were giving up this part of the country. This was because they were allowed to remain there until after the War of 101O Black Hawk Keokuk, the oily trouble maker, declined de-clined to Interest himself in the matter, mat-ter, and with many of the people, moved across into what Is now Iowa. Black Hawk, however, declared that he had been deceived regarding the terms of the treaty of 1804, and, with his followers, declined to leave. He . tried to interest some of the other tribes in the region in an uprising, and managed to create so much trouble trou-ble that the militia were sent against him. He and his people were forewarned fore-warned of this move, and before the militia had reached his village, it was deserted. The empty lodges were burned as a token of the white man's displeasure, and a fortnight aftert-ward, aftert-ward, at a conference, Black Hawk signed an agreement to keep the peace, and to join his people on the other side of the Mississippi. This was In June. The next winter was spent In negotiations with tribes in every direction. Black Hawk had signed the peace treaty because he must. Now he was trying to start war if he could, and because he did not understand the white man's ways, he felt himself justified In his conduct con-duct Spring came, and the Sauk chief began his campaign. Had the whites remained In Ignorance of hU movements move-ments a few weeks longer, so that he could have recruited more men from the other tribes, perhaps the story of the Black Hawk war would have been different, but four days after he crossed the river into the eastern territory ter-ritory again, he was discovered. The settlers were warned, and troops were mustered to pursue him. The militia which assumed this duty was not the sort of troops to send against a man like Black Hawk. He routed them ra an engagement on May 14, 1832, and then turned his attention to the settlements along the frontier, killing and burning, while the soldiers were almost powerless to do anything against the formidable band. It was not until July that the Sauk suffered any great loss, but volunteers vol-unteers under Gen. James D. Henry overtook him on the 21st of that month, and defeated him, with a loss of 68 warriors. This was the turn of fortune for the great Sauk leader. He retreated, but waa overtaken by the troops, who again attacked him so determinedly that 40 of his men were captured, and 150 driven into the river. Those who crossed were cut off by the Sioux, who were their enemies, ene-mies, and the Insurrection was definitely definite-ly put down. Black Hawk escaped to the north, but the Winnebago, whom he had endeavored en-deavored to enlist in the cause, followed fol-lowed and captured him, and he was made a prisoner of the United States. He was held for more than a month at Fortress Monroe, Virginia, and then was taken on a tour of the eastern east-ern cities, where people crowded to see the fallen warrior. The United States Literary Gaiette of Philadelphia, Philadel-phia, wrote him up In enthusiastic style: "Black Hawk was sitting in a chair, and apparently depressed in spirits. He Is about sixty-five, of middling mid-dling size, with a head that would excite the envy of a phrenologistone of the finest that Heaven ever let fall on the shoulder of an Indian." In 1837 Black Hawk, with Keokuk, again went east, and on his return he settled near Iowavllle, and died there on October 3 of the next year. The valiant Sauk was not allowed to rest In quiet. His body was stolen, and the bones prepared for articulation. articula-tion. Perhaps the skeleton would have been displayed to the curious as the living man had been, but the governor gover-nor of the territory protested, and the bones were restored to Iowa. They were placed amo,ng the collections of the Burlington Historical society, where they remained until ISM, when the building containing them was burned. In an old account of Black Hawk's life, we find the following lines by Freneau quoted: "What Hand could thus disturb the peaceful dead? Ramembrnnca pointing to what last ha said: 'Prepara the hollow tomb, and placa me low, My trusty bow and arrows by my side: For long- tho Journey la that I muat go. Without a partner and without a KUlda.' " (. 1913. Woetern Newspaper Unloa.) |