Autobiography of Ma ka tai me she kia kiak, or Black Hawk

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He said that he had called at the prophet's lodge on his way down, and
there had learned for the first time, that we had left our village.
He informed me privately, that the prophet was anxious to see me, as
he had much good news to tell me, and that I would hear good news in
the spring from our British Father. "The prophet requested me to give
you all the particulars, but I would much rather you would see him
yourself and learn all from him. But I will tell you that he has
received expresses from our British Father, who says that he is going
to send us guns, ammunition, provisions and clothing early in the
spring. The vessels that bring them will come by way of Milwaukee.
The prophet has likewise received wampum and tobacco from the
different nations on the lakes, Ottawas, Chippewas, and
Pottowattomies, and as to the Winnebagoes he has them all at his
command. We are going to be happy once more."

I told him I was pleased that our British Father intended to see us
righted. That we had been driven from our lands without receiving
anything for them, and I now began to hope from his talk, that my
people would once more be happy. If I could accomplish this I would
be satisfied. I am now growing old and could spend the remnant of my
time anywhere. But I wish first to see my people happy. I can then
leave them cheerfully. This has always been my constant aim, and I
now begin to hope that our sky will soon be clear.

Neapope said:

"The prophet told me that all the tribes mentioned would fight for us
if necessary, and the British father will support us. If we should be
whipped, which is hardly possible, we will still be safe, the prophet
having received a friendly talk from the chief of Wassicummico, at
Selkirk's settlement, telling him, that if we were not happy in our
own country, to let him know and he would make us happy. He had
received information from our British father that we had been badly
treated by the Americans. We must go and see the prophet. I will go
first; you had better remain and get as many of your people to join
you as you can. You know everything that we have done. We leave the
matter with you to arrange among your people as you please. I will
return to the prophet's village to-morrow. You can in the meantime
make up your mind an to the course you will take and send word to the
prophet by me, as he is anxious to assist us, and wishes to know
whether you will join us, and assist to make your people happy."

During the night I thought over everything that Neapope had told me,
and was pleased to think that by a little exertion on my part, I could
accomplish the object of all my wishes. I determined to follow the
advice of the prophet, and sent word by Neapope, that I would get all
my braves together, explain everything that I had heard to them, and
recruit as many as I could from the different villages.

Accordingly I sent word to Keokuk's band and the Fox tribe, explaining
to them all the good news I had heard. They would not hear. Keokuk
said that I had been imposed upon by liars, and had much better remain
where I was and keep quiet. When he found that I was determined to
make an attempt to recover my village, fearing that some difficulty
would arise, he made application to the agent and great chief at St.
Louis, asking permission for the chiefs of our nation to go to
Washington to see our Great Father, that we might have our
difficulties settled amicably. Keokuk also requested the trader,
Colonel Davenport, who was going to Washington, to call on our Great
Father and explain everything to him, and ask permission for us to
come on and see him.

Having heard nothing favorable from the great chief at St. Louis, I
concluded that I had better keep my band together, and recruit as many
as possible, so that I would be prepared to make the attempt to rescue
my village in the spring, provided our Great Father did not send word
for us to go to Washington. The trader returned. He said he had
called on our Great Father and made a full statement to him in
relation to our difficulties, and had asked leave for us to go to
Washington, but had received no answer.

I had determined to listen to the advice of my friends, and if
permitted to go to see our Great Father, to abide by his counsel,
whatever it might be. Every overture was made by Keokuk to prevent
difficulty, and I anxiously hoped that something would be done for my
people that it might be avoided. But there was bad management
somewhere, or the difficulty that has taken place would have been
avoided.

When it was ascertained that we would not be permitted to go to
Washington, I resolved upon my course, and again tied to recruit some
braves from Keookuk's band, to accompany me, but could not.

Conceiving that the peaceable disposition of Keokuk and his people had
been in a great measure the cause of our having been driven from our
village, I ascribed their present feelings to the same cause, and
immediately went to work to recruit all my own band, and making
preparations to ascend Rock river, I made my encampment on the
Mississippi, where Fort Madison had stood. I requested my people to
rendezvous at that place, sending out soldiers to bring in the
warriors, and stationed my sentinels in a position to prevent any from
moving off until all were ready.

My party having all come in and got ready, we commenced our march up
the Mississippi; our women and children in canoes, carrying such
provisions as we had, camp equipage, &c. My braves and warriors were
on horseback, armed and equipped for defence. The prophet came down
and joining us below Rock river, having called at Rock Island on his
way down, to consult the war chief, agent and trader; who, he said,
used many arguments to dissuade him from going with us, requesting him
to come and meet us and turn us back. They told him also there was a
war chief on his way to Rock Island with a large body of soldiers.

The prophet said he would not listen to this talk, because no war
chief would dare molest us so long as we were at peace. That we had a
right to go where we pleased peaceably, and advised me to say nothing
to my braves and warriors until we encamped that night. We moved
onward until we arrived at the place where General Gaines had made his
encampment the year before, and encamped for the night. The prophet
then addressed my braves and warriors. He told them to "follow us and
act like braves, and we have nothing to fear and much to gain. The
American war chief may come, but will not, nor dare not interfere with
us so long as we act peaceably. We are not yet ready to act
otherwise. We must wait until we ascend Rock river and receive our
reinforcements, and we will then be able to withstand any army."

That night the White Beaver, General Atkinson, with a party of
soldiers passed up in a steamboat. Our party became alarmed,
expecting to meet the soldiers at Rock river, to prevent us going up.
On our arrival at its mouth, we discovered that the steamboat had
passed on.

I was fearful that the war chief had stationed his men on some high
bluff, or in some ravine, that we might be taken by surprise.
Consequently, on entering Rock river we commenced beating our drums
and singing, to show the Americans that we were not afraid.

Having met with no opposition, we moved up Rock river leisurely for
some distance, when we were overtaken by an express from White Beaver,
with an order for me to return with my band and recross the
Mississippi again. I sent him word that I would not, not recognizing
his right to make such a demand, is I was acting peaceably, and
intended to go to the prophet's village at his request, to make corn.

The express returned. We moved on and encamped some distance below
the prophet's village. Here another express came from the White
Beaver, threatening to pursue us and drive us back, if we did not
return peaceably. This message roused the spirit of my band, and all
were determined to remain with me and contest the ground with the war
chief, should he come and attempt to drive us. We therefore directed
the express to say to the war chief "if he wished to fight us he might
come on." We were determined never to be driven, and equally so, not
to make the first attack, our object being to act only on the
defensive. This we conceived to be our right.

Soon after the express returned, Mr. Gratiot, sub-agent for the
Winnebagoes, came to our encampment. He had no interpreter, and was
compelled to talk through his chiefs. They said the object of his
mission was to persuade us to return. But they advised us to go on--
assuring us that the further we went up Rock river the more friends we
would meet, and our situation would be bettered. They were on our
side and all of their people were our friends. We must not give up,
but continue to ascend Rock river, on which, in a short time, we would
receive reinforcements sufficiently strong to repulse any enemy. They
said they would go down with their agent, to ascertain the strength of
the enemy, and then return and give us the news. They had to use some
stratagem to deceive their agent in order to help us.

During this council several of my braves hoisted the British flag,
mounted their horses and surrounded the council lodge. I discovered
that the agent was very much frightened. I told one of his chiefs to
tell him that he need not be alarmed, and then went out and directed
my braves to desist. Every warrior immediately dismounted and
returned to his lodge. After the council adjourned I placed a
sentinel at the agent's lodge to guard him, fearing that some of my
warriors might again frighten him. I had always thought he was a good
man and was determined that he should not be hurt. He started with
his chiefs to Rock Island.

Having ascertained that White Beaver would not permit us to remain
where we were, I began to consider what was best to be done, and
concluded to keep on up the river, see the Pottowattomies and have a
talk with them. Several Winnebago chiefs were present, whom I advised
of my intentions, as they did not seem disposed to render us any
assistance. I asked them if they had not sent us wampum during the
winter, and requested us to come and join their people and enjoy all
the rights and privileges of their country. They did not deny this;
and said if the white people did not interfere, they had no objection
to our making corn this year, with our friend the prophet, but did not
wish us to go any further up.

The next day I started with my party to Kishwacokee. That night I
encamped a short distance above the prophet's village. After all was
quiet in our camp I sent for my chiefs, and told them that we had been
deceived. That all the fair promises that had been held out to us
through Neapope were false. But it would not do to let our party know
it. We must keep it secret among ourselves, move on to Kishwacokee,
as if all was right, and say something on the way to encourage our
people. I will then call on the Pottowattomies, hear what they say,
and see what they will do.

We started the next morning, after telling our people that news had
just come from Milwaukee that a chief of our British Father would be
there in a few days. Finding that all our plans were defeated, I told
the prophet that he must go with me, and we would see what could be
done with the Pottowattomies. On our arrival at Kishwacokee an
express was sent to the Pottowattomie villages. The next day a
deputation arrived. I inquired if they had corn in their villages.
They said they had a very little and could not spare any. I asked
them different questions and received very unsatisfactory answers.
This talk was in the presence of all my people. I afterwards spoke to
them privately, and requested them to come to my lodge after my people
had gone to sleep. They came and took seats. I asked them if they
had received any news from the British on the lake. They said no. I
inquired if they had heard that a chief of our British Father was
coming to Milwaukee to bring us guns, ammunition, goods and
provisions. They said no. I told them what news had been brought to
me, and requested them to return to their village and tell the chiefs
that I wished to see them and have a talk with them.

After this deputation started, I concluded to tell my people that if
White Beaver came after us, we would go back, as it was useless to
think of stopping or going on without more provisions and ammunition.
I discovered that the Winnebagoes and Pottowattomies were not disposed
to render us any assistance. The next day the Pottowattomie chiefs
arrived in my camp. I had a dog killed, and made a feast. When it
was ready, I spread my medicine bags, and the chiefs began to eat.
When the ceremony was about ending, I received news that three or four
hundred white men on horse-back had been seen about eight miles off.
I immediately started three young men with a white flag to meet them
and conduct them to our camp, that we might hold a council with them
and descend Rock river again. I also directed them, in case the
whites had encamped, to return, and I would go and see them. After
this party had started I sent five young men to see what might take
place. The first party went to the camp of the whites, and were taken
prisoners. The last party had not proceeded far before they saw about
twenty men coming toward them at full gallop. They stopped, and,
finding that the whites were coming toward them in such a warlike
attitude, they turned and retreated, but were pursued, and two of them
overtaken and killed. The others then made their escape. When they
came in with the news, I was preparing my flags to meet the war chief.
The alarm was given. Nearly all my young men were absent ten miles
away. I started with what I had left, about forty, and had proceeded
but a short distance, before we saw a part of the army approaching. I
raised a yell, saying to y braves, "Some of our people have been
killed. Wantonly and cruelly murdered! We must avenge their death!"

In a little while we discovered the whole army coming towards us at a
full gallop. We were now confident that our first party had been
killed. I immediately placed my men behind a cluster of bushes, that
we might have the first fire when they had approached close enough.
They made a halt some distance from us. I gave another yell, and
ordered my brave warriors to charge upon them, expecting that they
would all be killed. They did charge. Every man rushed towards the
enemy and fired, and they retreated in the utmost confusion and
consternation before my little but brave band of warriors.

After following the enemy for some distance, I found it useless to
pursue them further, as they rode so fast, and returned to the
encampment with a few braves, as about twenty-five of them continued
in pursuit of the flying enemy. I lighted my pipe and sat down to
thank the Great Spirit for what he had done. I had not been
meditating long, when two of the three young men I had seat with the
flag to meet the American war chief, entered. My astonishment was not
greater than my joy to see them living and well. I eagerly listened
to their story, which was as follows:

"When we arrived near the encampment of the whites, a number of them
rushed out to meet us, bringing their guns with them. They took us
into their camp, where an American who spoke the Sac language a little
told us that his chief wanted to know how we were, where we were
going, where our camp was, and where was Black Hawk? We told him that
we had come to see his chief, that our chief had directed us to
conduct him to our camp, in case he had not encamped, and in that
event to tell him that he, Black Hawk, would come to see him; he
wished to hold a council with him, as he had given up all intention of
going to war."

This man had once been a member of our tribe, having been adopted by
me many years before and treated with the same kindness as was shown
to our young men, but like the caged bird of the woods, he yearned for
freedom, and after a few years residence with us an opportunity for
escape came and he left us. On this occasion he would have respected
our flag and carried back the message I had sent to his chief, had he
not been taken prisoner, with a comrade, by some of my braves who did
not recognize him, and brought him into camp. They were securely tied
with cords to trees and left to meditate, but were occasionally
buffeted by my young men when passing near them. When I passed by him
there was a recognition on the part of us both, but on account of
former friendship I concluded to let him go, and some little time
before the sun went down I released him from his captivity by untying
the cords that bound him and accompanied him outside of our lines so
that he could escape safely. His companion had previously made a
desperate effort to escape from his guards and was killed by them.

They continued their story:

"At the conclusion of this talk a party of white men came in on
horseback. We saw by their countenances that something had happened.
A general tumult arose. They looked at us with indignation, talked
among themselves for a moment, when several of them cocked their guns
and fired at us in the crowd. Our companion fell dead. We rushed
through the crowd and made our escape. We remained in ambush but a
short time, before we heard yelling like Indians running an enemy. In
a little while we saw some of the whites in full speed. One of them
came near us. I threw my tomahawk and struck him on the head which
brought him to the ground; I ran to him and with his own knife took
off his scalp. I took his gun, mounted his horse, and brought my
friend here behind me. We turned to follow our braves, who were
chasing the enemy, and had not gone far before we overtook a white
man, whose horse had mired in a swamp. My friend alighted and
tomahawked the man, who was apparently fast under his horse. He took
his scalp, horse and gun. By this time our party was some distance
ahead. We followed on and saw several white men lying dead on the
way. After riding about six miles we met our party returning. We
asked them how many of our men had been killed. . They said none after
the Americans had retreated. We inquired how many whites had been
killed. They replied that they did not know, but said we will soon
ascertain, as we must scalp them as we go back. On our return we
found ten men, besides the two we had killed before we joined our
friends. Seeing that they did not yet recognize us, it being dark, we
again asked how many of our braves had been killed? They said five.
We asked who they were? They replied that the first party of three
who went out to meet the American war chief, had all been taken
prisoners and killed in the encampment, and that out of a party of
five, who followed to see the meeting of the first party with the
whites, two had been killed. We were now certain that they did not
recognize us, nor did we tell who we were until we arrived at our
camp. The news of our death had reached it some time before, and all
were surprised to see us again."

The next morning I told the crier of my village to give notice that we
must go and bury our dead. In a little while all were ready. A small
deputation was sent for our absent warriors, and the remainder started
to bury the dead. We first disposed of them and then commenced an
examination in the enemy's deserted encampment for plunder. We found
arms and ammunition and provisions, all of which we were sadly in want
of, particularly the latter, as we were entirely without. We found
also a variety of saddle bags, which I distributed among my braves, a
small quantity of whisky and some little barrels that had contained
this bad medicine, but they were empty. I was surprised to find that
the whites carried whisky with them, as I had understood that all the
pale faces, when acting is soldiers in the field, were strictly
temperate.

The enemy's encampment was in a skirt of woods near a run, about half
a day's travel from Dixon's ferry. We attacked them in the prairie,
with a few bushes between us, about sundown, and I expected that my
whole party would be killed. I never was so much surprised in all the
fighting I have seen, knowing, too, that the Americans generally shoot
well, as I was to see this army of several hundreds retreating,
without showing fight, and passing immediately through their
encampment, I did think they intended to halt there, as the situation
would have forbidden attack by my party if their number had not
exceeded half of mine, as we would have been compelled to take the
open prairie whilst they could have picked trees to shield themselves
from our fire.

I was never so much surprised in my life as I was in this attack. An
army of three or four hundred men, after having learned that we were
sueing for peace, to attempt to kill the flag bearers that had gone
unarmed to ask for a meeting of the war chiefs of the two contending
parties to hold a council, that I might return to the west side of the
Mississippi, to come forward with a full determination to demolish the
few braves I had with me, to retreat when they had ten to one, was
unaccountable to me. It proved a different spirit from any I had ever
before seen among the pale faces. I expected to see them fight as the
Americans did with the British during the last war, but they had no
such braves among them. At our feast with the Pottowattomies I was
convinced that we had been imposed upon by those who had brought in
reports of large re-enforcements to my band and resolved not to strike
a blow; and in order to get permission from White Beaver to return and
re-cross the Mississippi, I sent a flag of peace to the American war
chief, who was reported to be close by with his army, expecting that
he would convene a council and listen to what we had to say. But this
chief, instead of pursuing that honorable and chivalric course, such
as I have always practiced, shot down our flag-bearer and thus forced
us into war with less than five hundred warriors to contend against
three or four thousand soldiers.

The supplies that Neapope and the prophet told us about, and the
reinforcements we were to have, were never more heard of, and it is
but justice to our British Father to say were never promised, his
chief being sent word in lieu of the lies that were brought to me,
"for us to remain at peace as we could accomplish nothing but our own
ruin by going to war."

What was now to be done? It was worse than folly to turn back and
meet an enemy where the odds were so much against us and thereby
sacrifice ourselves, our wives and children to the fury of an enemy
who had murdered some of our brave and unarmed warriors when they were
on a mission to sue for peace.

Having returned to our encampment, and found that all our young men
had come in, I sent out spies to watch the movements of the army, and
commenced moving up Kishwacokee with the balance of my people. I did
not know where to go to find a place of safety for my women and
children, but expected to find a good harbor about the head of Rock
river. I concluded to go there, and thought my best route would be to
go round the head of Kishwacokee, so that the Americans would have
some difficulty if they attempted to follow us.

On arriving at the head of Kishwacokee, I was met by a party of
Winnebagoes, who seemed to rejoice at our success. They said they had
come to offer their services, and were anxious to join an. I asked
them if they knew where there was a safe place for our women and
children. They told us that they would send two old men with us to
guide us to a good safe place.

I arranged war parties to send out in different directions, before I
proceeded further. The Winnebagoes went alone. The war parties having
all been fitted out and started, we commenced moving to the Four
Lakes, the place where our guides were to conduct us. We had not gone
far before six Winnebagoes came in with one scalp. They said they had
killed a man at a grove, on the road from Dixon's to the lead mines.
Four days after, the party of Winnebagoes who had gone out from the
head of Kishwacokee, overtook us, and told me that they had killed
four men and taken their scalps: and that one of them was Keokuk's
father, (the agent). They proposed to have a dance over their scalps.
I told them that I could have no dancing in my camp, in consequence of
my having lost three young braves; but they might dance in their own
camp, which they did. Two days after, we arrived in safety at the
place where the Winnebagoes had directed us. In a few days a great
number of our warriors came in. I called them all around me, and
addressed them. I told them: "Now is the time, if any of you wish to
come into distinction, and be honored with the medicine bag! Now is
the time to show you, courage and bravery, and avenge the murder of
our three braves !"

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