The Black Hawk War

The Black Hawk War. . , In the spring of 1832, the land along the Rock River was a battlefield. The United States was at war with a band of Sauk and Fox Indians. At stake were the Indians' tribal homelands of northwestern Illinois and southern Wisconsin., Almost 30 years earlier, Sauk and Mesquakie (Fox) leaders had handed over to the United States all tribal lands east of the Mississippi--over 50 million acres! In exchange, they received a parcel of land in Iowa and an ongoing yearly payment of $1,000., One elderly Sauk warrior, Black Hawk, remained in Illinois. Although he vowed not to attack, he would not leave either. He and a band of about 1,000 men, women, and children traveled north along the Rock River. They called on villages hoping to persuade other tribes to join them in reclaiming their land., The War Begins , On May 14, 1832, three Sauk messengers carrying a white flag were shot by Illinois militia men. Black Hawk's warriors retaliated and although outnumbered 12 to 1, won the battle known as Stillman's Run. This marked the beginning of the Black Hawk War., "I Fought Hard, But Your Guns Were Well Armed." , After winning several early battles, Black Hawk continued north along the Rock River. Other tribes refused to join him and his troops suffered heavy losses. On august 27, after being driven into Wisconsin and losing most of his warriors, Black Hawk surrendered., Up through the Ranks , Over 1,300 U.S. Army troops and state militia men were called up to fight in the Black Hawk War. Among them were Zachary Taylor, Jefferson Davis, and a 23-year-old grocery clerk from New Salem named Abe Lincoln.