The Illinois Militia
Governor Reynolds in defending his position in calling out the militia
said: "If I did not act, and the inhabitants were murdered after being
informed of their situation, I would be condemned from Dan to Beersheba;
and if I levied by raising troops, when there was no necessity for it, I
would also be responsible." Governor Reynolds knew that the settlers had
applied to the Indian agent and the military officers of the United States
and had obtained no relief, and he says: "I considered it my duty to call
on the volunteers to move the Indians to the west side of the
Mississippi." It was but seventeen years after the close of the war of
1812 and these same Sacs and Foxes had fought the Americans in that war.
There were many of the old soldiers still young enough to enlist and they
inflamed the young men to appear against their old foe. The governor had
extracts from the petitions sent him circulated throughout the counties
from which he had asked for troops. Moreover, he made, as he says, "both
private and public speeches to the masses," and urged the people and his
friends to turn out for the defense of the frontier. He adds: "The warm
feelings of the late election for govern-or had not yet died away, and my
electioneering friends converted their electioneering fever into the
military, which was a powerful lever in the crusade for Rock Island."
Although it was the most busy time in the year with the farmers some 1,600
responded to the governor's call and appeared at Beardstown on or about
the 10th of June. Some were armed with muskets, some with shot-guns and
some with no firearms whatsoever, but all were mounted. The governor
managed to purchase enough muskets from a Beardstown merchant for the
remainder of the troops. These muskets were light pieces, made with brass
barrels for the South American service, and answered the purpose. The
governor appointed Joseph Duncan, then a member of Congress and afterwards
governor of this state, brigadier general to take immediate command of the
brigade, and Samuel Whiteside a major, to take command of a spy battalion.
This army left its encampment near Rushville for Rock Island June 15, the
governor marching with the brigade. After a pleasant march the army
encamped at Rockport, now Andalusia. Here there had been previously
erected a small log cabin or stockade, which was used as headquarters.
During the after-noon a steamboat arrived at the encampment, coming from
Fort Armstrong, loaded with provisions. The camp at Rockport was laid out
according to military practice, pickets were placed, as it was feared the
Indians might make a night attack, and the utmost vigilance was observed.
The night was a beautiful one and it passed off quietly without any
disturbance.
On the 18th of June, General Gaines sent from Fort Armstrong the steamboat Enterprise, carrying one company of soldiers and one cannon. The boat steamed up Rock River, and passed the Indian village, the object being to overawe and intimidate the Indians. Black Hawk said: "The water being shallow, the boat got around, which gave the whites some trouble. If they had asked for assistance, there was not a brave in my band who would not willingly have aided them." Judge John W. Spencer who was on the boat says: "Strange to say, although a steamboat was seldom seen in those days, the Indians seemed not to take the least notice of the boat, not even looking at it, and even the women and children showed no signs of wonder or fear."
On the morning of June 20th, bright and early, General Duncan marched
his army from Rockport to a position on Rock River opposite the Sac
village. An attempt was made to ferry the troops across, but it proved too
slow, and General Gaines being shown a ford by George S. Miller, the army
marched across through the water to Vandruff's Island. General Gaines left
Fort Armstrong on the steamboat Enterprise, which had been fortified, and
which carried one company of regulars and several cannon. The Enterprise
entered Rock River and steamed up stream until opposite the Sac village
where it met General Duncan's army with which it was to cooperate. The
other nine companies of regular, together with the
Rock River Rangers, under command of
Captain John Bliss, the then commandant of Fort Armstrong, marched from
the fort to the Indian town.
Judge Spencer in his Reminiscences says: "Major Bliss formed our company
of Rock River Rangers in an extended line of a half mile in front of the
regulars, with one cannon in the rear, for our march for Rock River. We
marched near where the road is now traveled until we reached General
Rodman's land, then turning to the left until reaching the top of the
bluff, taking the direction of Black Hawk's Watch Tower. On arriving
there, we planted the cannon on the brow of the bluff and then commenced
throwing grape and canister into the bushes on Vandruff's Island."
Vandruff's Island at this time was covered with bushes and vines so as to
be impenetrable to the sight at a distance of twenty feet. The Enterprise
was run to the lower point of the island and several rounds of grape and
canister were shot into the bushes to see if any enemy was there. The spy
battalion under Whiteside then formed a line of battle and swept the
island, and it was then learned that the north bank of Rock River was so
near and so high that the firing had no effect. General Duncan's army
followed in the wake of Whiteside's spy battalion and before they got to
the north side of the island the army was so jammed up and mixed together
that no one knew where his company or regiment was. In the mean-time
Captain Bliss with the regulars and the Rock River Rangers had learned
that it was impossible from that distance to distinguish Indians from
regulars or volunteers, and that their shots were as likely to kill friend
as foe. The Indian village now became exposed to view but no Indians were
to be seen. The river, narrow but deep, lay between the army and the
village, and the main part of Duncan's army remained on the island until
scows were found in which they were ferried across."
Black Hawk says: " We crossed the river during the night and encamped some
distance below Rock Island." He said he would have remained and been taken
prisoner by the regulars but that he "was afraid of the multitude of
pale-faced militia, who were on horseback, as they were under no restraint
of their chiefs."
Source: Historic Rock Island County, pub. Kramer & Company, Rock Island, Illinois, 1908