408 OCEAN TO OCEAN ON HORSEBACK. 



great offence and protested strongly against it, and as 

 the number of white settlers increased the discontent 

 of the Indians grew stronger. They were urged by 

 the commanding officer of the Island and the Indian 

 agent, Colonel Davenport, to move across to the west 

 side of the river in compliance with their treaty with 

 the United States Government; but Black Hawk 

 refused to move and contended that the Island was 

 his property. The Fox tribe crossed the river and 

 established themselves there. Tiie lands on the Illi- 

 nois side were now surveyed and sold to the settlers by 

 the Government, but Black Hawk and the Sacs still 

 .refused to leave. Depredations were committed by the 

 Indians of which the whites complained, and in 1831 

 Black Hawk gave notice to the settlers to leave his 

 lands. Some neighboring tribes it was now feared, 

 would unite with the Sacs in an attack on the settlers, 

 who petitioned the military authorities and the Gover- 

 no*' of Illinois to protect them, and in this way what 

 is known as the Black Hawk War originated. 



In response to the complaints of the settlers, Gov- 

 ernor Reynolds, of Illinois, called out sixteen hundred 

 mounted volunteers and marched them to the Island 

 and General Gaines at Saint Louis ])roceeded immedi- 

 ately to the scene of action with the Sixth United States 

 Infantry. General Gaines ordered all the settlers to 

 move to the Island, and then invited Black Hawk to 

 talk over the situation. The military and settlers met 

 in the Council House, and Black Hawk, with about 

 one hundred warriors in their war paint, approached 

 and entered and soon commenced shouting in an 

 intimidating manner. It was thought that an attempt 

 at a general massacre would be made. An Indian 



