How it started

    Though not fought on Iowa soil, the Black Hawk War properly belongs to Iowa history, for the war helped to make Iowa a white men's country in the early eighteen thirties.

    The origin of the war goes back to 1804 when certain Sac chiefs for a small sum sold the land claimed by the Sacs and Foxes between the Illinois and Mississippi rivers. Some of the Sacs and Foxes, among them Black Hawk, never ceased to protest against what they considered the unfairness of this land deal.

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    The lands sold by the Treaty of 1804 included the large Sac town, Saukenuk, beautifully situated on the Rock River. Close by was a high bluff, now known as Black Hawk's Tower. There Black Hawk would often sit and smoke his pipe while he admired the beauty of the surrounding country, and perhaps often in his thoughts cursed the white men for always wanting more and more land.

    The treaty of 1804 was not as bad as Black Hawk and others made it out to be. The treaty permitted the Indians to live on land until it was wanted for white settlement. And the small amount to be paid the Indians annually was increased several times. Also, the Indians would still have large areas in eastern and central Iowa. Besides, and this is important, the Sacs and Foxes and other Indians were intruders, who had killed most of the Illinois Indians living on the land the Sacs and Foxes sold to the United States.

    The land was opened to settlers in 1828. By 1831 the settlers' farms surrounded Saukenuk. The settlers urged the United States government to remove the Indians to Iowa. The Indians objected. But Keokuk soon consented to move on. Black Hawk at last also did. But no sooner had he gotten across the Mississippi, then he prepared to go back with his Sac sympathizers, the British Band.

A clever speech

    The wily Keokuk, a Sac civil chief, in a speech to the Sac and Fox warriors said that he, too, would lead them against the whites, but -- fearing defeat -- on the condition that they first put their old men, women and children gently to sleep in that slumber from which there is no awakening on this side of spirit land. As some of them were not ready to go to such extremes, Keokuk and his followers remained in Iowa, while Black Hawk and his mounted warriors, mostly Sacs, with their women and children crossed to the east side of the Mississippi. This was in the spring of 1832. It is uncertain just what Black Hawk planned to do, whether he was just going back to Saukenuk to plant crops, or whether he was actually bent on war against the whites.

    A wave of terror swept the West. Settlers sought refuge in hastily constructed stockades, forts they were sometimes called, and armed protection for the settlers in northern Illinois was soon forthcoming. The United States sent regular troops and the State of Illinois militia or volunteers. Among the militia captains was a tall, lanky fellow named Abraham Lincoln; and one of the lieutenants in the ....

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....regular army was Jefferson Davis, later president of the Confederate states. Other men who later became prominent in war and politics took part. But the war was not very creditable to the whites. At Stillman's Run, Illinois, they made prisoners of the messengers sent by Black Hawk, carrying a white flag, and seemingly sent on an errand of peace. There was uncertainty and confusion. One of the messengers was killed. Hearing of this Black Hawk and his warriors dashed ahead, killed some of the soldiers and put the rest to flight. The frightened soldiers hurried off to Dixon, 30 miles away, and threw up earth works for protection.

A brilliant military achievement

    This was unnecessary for the Indians were already convinced that they were playing a losing game, especially since none of their allies made their appearance. It was then the Indians' turn to run. But their retreat was not a wild flight like that of the soldiers. The crossing of the Wisconsin River under the direction of Black Hawk was even later described by Jefferson Davis as a brilliant military achievement. First the women and children swam across while the warriors protected them on the nearer bank. Then half of the warriors crossed holding their guns above the water to keep dry. The crossing of the other half of the warriors was protected by the first half standing on the further bank with their guns ready to fire at the sight of any white assailant.

A battle or a massacre

    The closing event of the war was the battle at the mouth of the Bad Axe River in southern Wisconsin, nearly opposite the mouth of the Upper Iowa River in Iowa. Thoroughly frightened, the fleeing Indians now thought mainly of saving themselves by flight. Some sought safety by crossing the Mississippi, only to be struck down by the Sioux, who were always hostile to the Sacs and Foxes. Thinking that the fugitives were still dangerous, the soldiers kept on firing and killed some in the river. Among those who saved themselves by swimming was a squaw named Nawara. She carrier her babe in her mouth as a cat carries its kittens. The babe's name was Two Scars. He lived to become a chief. The battle of Bad Axe lasted two days. So many Indians were killed that it has sometimes been called a massacre.

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Chief Black Hawk meets President Andrew Jackson

    Soon after, Black Hawk was captured and placed in irons. These were soon removed at the request of General Joseph M. Street, but the Sac chief was kept a prisoner for some time. Then he was taken on a tour of the East to impress him with the might of the white man. He had an interview with President Jackson. Having eyed each other curiously, Black Hawk was the first to speak, and this was what he said to President Jackson:" I am a man and you are another." A short time after he was a free man and lived his last days in Iowa. Before his death he "dictated" his autobiography, one of the few of its kind in existence. Though some historians have expressed doubts about it as a reliable account, it does contain much of what we know about the famous Sac chieftain.

Cost and result of the war

    The Black Hawk War cost about two million dollars and about twelve hundred lives. Most of the killed were Indians- men, women, and children, mostly Sacs for only a few Foxes took part in the war. Many Indian women were killed because they dressed like warriors. Probably no more than half of Black Hawk's followers survived the war.

    As a result of the war the Sacs and Foxes gave up their claim to the Illinois lands for good, and furthermore they were compelled to sell large tract of their Iowa lands, known as the Black Hawk Purchase.

Questions and Exercises: How did the Black Hawk War affect Iowa? What had Black Hawk promised in 1832? What two classes of troops took part in the war? What is an autobiography? How did little Two Scars probably get his name?