HISTORY. 103 



went on their winter hunt in 1830 ; and on their return, in 

 the spring of 1831, found their village and country in posses- 

 sion of the whites. On the appearance of the United States 

 troops. Black Hawk and party, who had previously refused 

 to leave their lands, fled across the river. In 1832, they 

 re-crossed, when a brigade of one thousand mounted volun- 

 teers was organized, armed, and equipped, and immediately 

 marched to Rock Island, where they found General Atkinson, 

 with four hundred regulars and a small body of militia. 

 General Whitesides, the commander of the volunteer corps, 

 marched up Rock River, and burned the prophet's town, a 

 village of the Indians ; and this must be considered the com- 

 mencement of formal hostilities. Upon Rock River they 

 found another small band of volunteers, under Major Still- 

 man. This last band, having undertaken a scouting expedi- 

 tion to the distance of thirty miles north of Dixon's Ferry, 

 unexpectedly met a party of Black Hawk's men in ambush, 

 and immiediately took to a precipitate and disorderly flight. 

 Their commander ordered them to retreat to the high ground 

 and make a stand ; but so terror-stricken were they, that they 

 forgot the latter part of their order till they had reached their 

 head-quarters at the river. This rout still furnishes the sub- 

 ject of many a quip and piece of merriment at the expense 

 of those who were engaged. It is supposed the Indian force 

 was about seventy. This was on the 14th of May. On 

 the 24th of June, a party of the militia, said to be about one 

 hundred and fifty, on their march to Galena, were met by a 

 superior number of Indians, about two hundred, and, after 

 a severe contest, retired into their blockhouse. On the 21st 

 of July, a general engagement took place, near the Wiscon- 

 sin, between General Henry's brigade of militia and the 

 whole Sac force. Black Hawk was driven from the field, 

 leaving sixty-two of his men dead. General Henry's brigade 



