Read Ebook: Great Indian Chief of the West; Or Life and Adventures of Black Hawk by Drake Benjamin

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In tracing out the causes which led to the late war with the Sac and Fox Indians of Rock river, reference was made to the violations of the laws of Congress in the introduction of whiskey among them by the white traders. The opinion, moreover, was expressed that the licensed traders of the United States, among these tribes, were in the habit of selling this article to them, and under circumstances which must have brought home the fact to the knowledge of our Indian agents. Black Hawk with other chiefs of the band to which he belonged, earnestly remonstrated against the introduction of whiskey among his people, because of its debasing effect upon their morals, and the danger of its provoking them to acts of aggression upon the whites, while in a state of intoxication. One of the facts, set forth in the memorial which the white settlers on Rock river, presented to Governor Reynolds, in 1831, and upon which he declared the state to be actually invaded by the Sac and Fox Indians, and ordered out the militia to repel it, was the destruction, by Black Hawk, of a barrel of whiskey, which the owner was retailing to the Indians. The violation of the laws of Congress and of express treaty provisions, in the sale of ardent spirits to the Indians, winked at, as they undoubtedly were, by the public agents, mainly contributed to bring about a war, which resulted in the destruction of a great part of the band of Black Hawk. That the allegations, in regard to the sale of intoxicating liquors, to the Indians, by the regularly licensed traders of the United States, may not be supposed to rest upon gratuitous assumptions, the following letter, is quoted, which places the matter beyond all question.

GEN. JOSEPH M. STREET, } Indian Agent, Prairie du Chien. }

SIR--I arrived at this place yesterday from the sources of the Mississippi, having visited the Chippewa bands and trading-posts in that quarter. Much complaint is made respecting the conduct of the persons licensed by you last year, who located themselves at the Granite Rocks, and on the St. Croix. No doubt can exist that each of them took in, and used in their trade, a considerable quantity of whiskey. And I am now enabled to say, that they each located themselves at points within the limits of my agency, where there are no trading-posts established. My lowest trading-post on the Mississippi, is the Pierced Prairie, eighteen miles below the mouth of the De Corbeau. It embraces one mile square upon which traders are required to be located. On the St. Croix, the posts established and confirmed by the Department are Snake River and Yellow River, and embrace each, as the permanent place of location, one mile square. I report these facts for your information, and not to enable you to grant licenses for these posts, as the instructions of the Department give to each agent the exclusive control of the subject of granting licenses for the respective agencies.

Much solicitude is felt by me to exclude ardent spirits wholly from the Chippewas and Ottowas, the latter of whom have, by a recent order, been placed under my charge. I am fully satisfied that ardent spirits are not necessary to the successful prosecution of the trade, that they are deeply pernicious to the Indians, and that both their use and abuse is derogatory to the character of a wise and sober government. Their exclusion in every shape, and every quantity, is an object of primary moment; and it is an object which I feel it a duty to persevere in the attainment of, however traders may bluster. I feel a reasonable confidence in stating, that no whiskey has been used in my agency during the last two years, except the limited quantity taken by special permission of the Secretary of War, for the trade of the Hudson's Bay lines; and saving also the quantity clandestinely introduced from Prairie du Chien and St. Peters.

I know, sir, that an appeal to you on this subject cannot be lost, and that your feelings and judgment fully approve of temperance measures. But it requires active, persevering, unyielding efforts. And in all such efforts, judiciously urged, I am satisfied that the government will sustain the agents in a dignified discharge of their duties. Let us proceed in the accomplishment of this object with firmness, and with a determination never to relinquish it, until ardent spirits are entirely excluded from the Indian country.

I am sir, Very respectfully, Your obedient servant, HENRY R. SCHOOLCRAFT.

P.S. Capt. Jouett, commanding at this post, has recently seized sixteen kegs of high-wines. His prompt, decisive, and correct conduct in this, and other transactions relating to Indian affairs, merits the approbation of government.

The Petite Corbeau has requested that no trader may be located at the mouth of the St. Croix.

The following picture of the present condition of the Winnebagoes, given in the St. Louis Bulletin, shows the deplorable results of the intercourse of the whites with the Indians--the baneful effects of spirituous liquors upon their morals and habits. The Winnebagoes were neighbors of the Sacs and Foxes, and long intimately associated with them. Twenty years ago, all of these tribes, raised annually more corn, beans and other vegetables, than were needed for their own consumption. Now they are miserable, squalid beggars, without the means of subsistence. The faithlessness of the Government, the perfidy and avarice of its agents and citizens, have brought this race of people to the horrible condition, in which they are represented in the statement that follows.

An agent of the Temperance Society, in a journal of a late tour to the region of the Upper Mississippi, presents a picture, melancholy indeed, of the present condition of the Indian tribes in that quarter, which must deeply rouse the commiseration of every benevolent man. From our own personal observation one year since, we would corroborate the assertion, that were the world ransacked for a subject in which should be concentrated and personified injustice, oppression, drunkenness, squalid filth, and degradation, one would point to the straggling Indian on the banks of the Upper Mississippi for the aptest exemplification.

Armstrong fort built, 96.

Atkinson, General, ordered to Rock Island, 140 directs Black Hawk to return to the west side of the Mississippi, 140 takes command of the Illinois militia, 141 proceeds to Dixon's Ferry, 141 attack on Black Hawk at Bad-axe, 156 official account, 158 his letter of approval from War Department, 179.

Black Hawk's account of the treaty of 1804, 58.

Black Hawk Purchase, in 1832, 70.

Black Hawk, birth and early adventures, 74 his battle with the Osages in 1786, 75 with Cherokees, 75 with Chippeways, Kaskaskias and Osages, 76 his account of Pike's visit, 77 his attack on Fort Madison, 78 joins the British army, 80 his return, 80 murder of his adopted son, 81 battle of the sink-hole near Cap au Gris, 83 his attack upon boats going to Prairie des Chiens, 86 makes peace with the United States, 86 death of his eldest son, 90 visit to the Ioway village, 89 visit to Malden, 90 whipped by some Americans, 91 refuses to remove to the west side of the Mississippi, 92 whites encroach upon his village, 93 burning of his lodges, 96 interview with Governor Coles and Judge Hall, 96 agrees to remove for six thousand dollars, 100 interview with Gaines, 103 removes to west side Mississippi, 104 treats with Gaines and Reynolds, 104 causes which led to the war, 108 his attempted alliance with other tribes, 111 discontented on west side of the Mississippi, 138 sends messenger to Keokuk, 138 collects his band at Fort Madison and crosses to east side of the Mississippi, 139 proceeds to the prophet's village up Rock river, 140 ordered back by General Atkinson, 141 makes his camp at Kisk-wa-cokee, is attacked in his camp by Maj. Stillman, 145 his flag of truce fired upon, 145 defeats Stillman, 146 attack upon Buffalo Grove, 149 his battle on the Wisconsin, 151 flies to the Mississippi, 152 attacked by the steam boat Warrior, 153 his white flag fired upon, 153 his defeat at the Bad-axe, 156 escape, 161 capture, 162 causes leading to this war, 171 at Jefferson Barracks, 189 sent to Washington city, 192 confined at Fortress Monroe, 193 interview with the President, 192 speech to Col. Eustis, 193 released, 195 visit to Norfolk, 196 to Baltimore, 196 interview with President, 197 visit to Philadelphia, 199 to New York, 200 to Albany, 202 to Buffalo, 202 interview with Senecas, 203 visit to Detroit, 203 reaches fort Armstrong, 206 refuses to submit to Keokuk, 209 his final speech in the council, 215 visit in 1837 to Washington, 216 visit to Boston, 217 to Cincinnati, 217 his character and personal appearance, 218 number of his warriors in campaign of 1832, 220.

Cahokias conquered, 16.

Clark, George Rogers, relieves St. Louis, 24 sends troops into the Indian country, 25.

Cole, Governor, meets Black Hawk, 96.

Clark, General, letter to War Department, 107.

Cap au Gris, battle of, 83.

Cholera among Scott's troops, 166.

Cass, Lewis, report to the President, 178.

Cass' letter to Gen. Atkinson, 179.

Cass' account of Sacs and Foxes, 181.

Colonization of the Indians, 228.

Drakeford's battle near Cap au Gris, 84.

Dodge, General, kills 29 Indians, 149 his battle of the Wisconsin, 151.

Davenport, Col. Wm., speech to Black Hawk, 210.

Everett, Governor, speech to Keokuk in Boston, 131 makes them presents, 135.

Fort Armstrong built, 87.

Foxes, party of, murder 28 Menominies, 137

Good spirit of Rock Island, 87.

Galland's description of Sac village, 94.

Gaines, General, letter to Reynolds, 102 orders troops to Rock Island, 102 interview with Black Hawk, 103 takes possession of Sac village, 103 treats with the British Band, 104 his letter to War Department, 106.

Garland, Maj., takes charge of prisoners, 197 his release of Black Hawk, 211.

Harrison, General, account of the conquest of the Illinois tribes, 26 his treaty with the Sacs and Foxes in 1804, 50.

Hall, Judge, account of Sac village, 28 his interview with Black Hawk, 96 his account of the Sacs and Foxes at Washington, 127.

Illinois tribes conquered, 15.

Indians, power to sell lands, 59.

Johnson, John, letter to Secretary at War, 63.

Illinois militia, flight at Sycamore creek, 146.

Irving, Washington, account of Black Hawk, 191.

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