CHAPTER XXIV.

ATKINSON’S MARCH TO MOUTH OF FOX RIVER–DODGE’S MARCH TO MEET HIM–CAPTAIN ILES’ MARCH. On the 29th of May General Atkinson crossed over from Dixon’s Ferry to Ottawa to take up his headquarters opposite the mouth of Fox River, where Fort Johnston was established, and where he remained until June 8th, Col. Zachary Taylor returning to Dixon’s to take charge of that post with the regulars who returned with him. On May 29th Atkinson issued General Order 26: “Colonel Fry of the Illinois volunteers will assume command of the troops at this place, and give the orders necessary for its defense and the protection of the inhabitants in its vicinity until the troops shall have been organized and officers elected according to the laws of the state, which election will take place to-morrow[148] morning, and the officers elected will be obeyed and respected accordingly. Mr. Achilles Morris and William Kirkpatrick[149] are appointed to appraise the horses, the equipage and private arms of the troops.” To give additional protection to the northwest corner of the State, the companies of Captains Iles and Snyder were selected from Fry’s regiment and ordered forward. Captain Iles’ company marched first, reaching Galena by way of the Apple River Fort route, June 10th. On June 11th[150] it leisurely started on its return trip, remaining over in Taylor’s camp at Dixon’s a short time, and then as leisurely continued to Fort Wilbourn, where it was mustered out by Lieut. Robert Anderson June 16th, after having served its period of twenty days’ enlistment. No event of interest transpired to give character to the march, and had it not been for the prominence of its men during subsequent years, it would probably never have been chronicled. In 1883 Captain Iles published a book, entitled “Early Life and Times,” in which, on pages 45 _et seq._ we have happily preserved to our use that march of celebrated men: “A few companies from the disbanded troops again enlisted for twenty days, to remain and protect the settlers until new troops could assemble. I was elected captain of one of these companies, although there was hardly a man in it but what was better suited to be a commander. It was made up of generals, colonels, captains, and distinguished men from the disbanded army. I was proud of it. “My company was mustered in by young Lieut. Anderson, a graduate of West Point, acting as adjutant (of Fort Sumter fame). While the other companies were ordered to scout the country, mine was held by Gen. Atkinson in camp as a reserve. One company was ordered to go to Rock River (now Dixon), and report to Col. Taylor, afterwards president, who had been left there with a few United States soldiers, to guard the army supplies. The place was also made a point of rendezvous. Just as the company got to Dixon, a man came in and reported that he and six others were on the road to Galena, and in passing through a point of timber about twenty miles north of Dixon, they were fired on and the six killed, he being the only one to make his escape. One of the number killed was Col. St. Vrain, Indian agent. Colonel Taylor ordered the company to proceed to the place, bury the dead, go on to Galena, and get all the information they could about the Indians. But the company took fright, and came back to the Illinois River helter-skelter. (Note.–This is purely a flight of the imagination. No such company was sent, and none fled.) “Gen. Atkinson then called on me[151] and wanted to know how I felt about taking the trip; that he was exceedingly anxious to open communication with Galena, and to find out, if possible, the whereabouts of the Indians before the new troops arrived. I answered the general, that myself and men were getting rusty, and were anxious to have something to do, and that nothing would please us better than to be ordered out on an expedition; that I would find out how many of my men had good horses and were otherwise well equipped, and what time we wanted to prepare for the trip. I called on him again at sunset, and reported that I had about fifty men well equipped and eager, and that we wanted one day to make preparations. He said, ‘Go ahead,’ and he would prepare our orders. “The next day[152] was a busy day, running bullets and getting our flintlocks in order–we had no percussion locks then. Gen. Henry, one of my privates, who had been promoted to the position of major of the companies, volunteered to go with us. I considered him a host, as he had served as lieutenant in the war of 1812, under Gen. Scott; was in the battle of Lundy’s Lane, and in several other battles. He was a good drill officer, and could aid me much. Mr. Lincoln, our late president, was a private in my company. After Gen. Atkinson handed me my orders, and my men were mounted and ready for the trip,[153] I felt proud of them, and was confident of our success, although numbering only forty-eight. Several good men failed to go, as they had gone down to the foot of the Illinois rapids to aid in bringing up the boats of army supplies. We wanted to be as little encumbered as possible, and took nothing that could be dispensed with, other than blankets, tin cups, coffee pots, canteens, a wallet of bread, and some fat side meat, which we ate raw or broiled. “When we arrived at Rock River[154] we found Col. Taylor on the opposite side, in a little fort built of prairie sod. He sent an officer in a canoe to bring me over. I said to the officer that I would come over as soon as I got my men in camp. I knew of a good spring half a mile above, and I determined to camp at it. After the men were in camp I called on General Henry, and he accompanied me. On meeting Colonel Taylor (he looked like a man born to command) he seemed a little piqued that I did not come over and camp with him. I told him we felt just as safe as if quartered in his one-horse fort; and, besides, I knew what his orders would be, and wanted to try the mettle of my men before starting on the perilous trip I knew he would order. He said the trip was perilous, and that since the murder of the six men all communication with Galena had been cut off, and it might be besieged; that he wanted me to proceed to Galena, and that he would have my orders for me in the morning, and asked what outfit I wanted. I answered nothing but coffee, side meat and bread. “In the morning[155] my orders were to collect and bury the remains of the six men murdered, proceed to Galena, make a careful search for the signs of Indians, and find out whether they were aiming to escape by crossing the river below Galena, and get all information at Galena of their probable whereabouts before the new troops were ready to follow them. “John Dixon, who kept a house of entertainment here and had sent his family to Galena for safety, joined us and hauled our wallets of corn and grub in his wagon, which was a great help. Lieutenant Harris, U.S. Army, also joined us, and I now had fifty men to go with me on the march. I detailed two to march on the right, two on the left, and two in advance, to act as lookouts to prevent a surprise. They were to keep in full view of us and to remain out until we camped for the night. “Just at sundown the first day, while we were at lunch, our advance scouts came in under whip, and reported Indians. We bounced to our feet, and having a full view of the road for a long distance, could see a large body coming toward us. All eyes were turned to John Dixon, who, as the last one dropped out of sight, coming over a ridge, pronounced them Indians. I stationed my men in a ravine crossing the road, where any one approaching could not see us until within thirty yards; the horses I had driven back out of sight in a valley. I asked General Henry to take command; but he said ‘No, stand at your post,’ and walked along the line talking to the men in a low, calm voice. Lieutenant Harris, U.S.A, seemed much agitated; he ran up and down the line and exclaimed: ‘Captain, we will catch hell!’ He had horse pistols, belt pistols, and double-barrelled gun. He would pick the flints, reprime, and laid the horse pistols at his feet. When he got all ready he passed along the line slowly, and, seeing the nerves of the men all quiet–after General Henry’s talk to them–said, ‘Captain, we are safe; we can whip five hundred Indians.’ Instead of Indians they proved to be the company of General Dodge, from Galena, of one hundred and fifty men, en route to find out what had become of General Atkinson’s army, as, since the murder of the six men, communication had been stopped for more than ten days. My look-out at the top of the hill did not notify us, and we were not undeceived until they got within thirty steps of us. My men then raised a yell and ran to finish their lunch. “Next morning,[156] in passing into a grove of timber, my front scouts again came under whip and reported Indians. I asked where? They pointed to my two scouts on the right, trying to catch an Indian pony; one had on a red shirt, and they mistook them for Indians. These two men had been in Stillman’s defeat, and as their horses were weak and it was easier to march out of line, I had detailed them to go in the road in front. I now ordered them to the rear and to drop behind as far as they chose, and detailed two other men, on whom I could rely, to take the advance. “When we got within fifteen miles of Galena, on Apple River, we found a stockade filled with women and children and a few men, all terribly frightened. The Indians had shot at and chased two men that afternoon, who made their escape to the stockade. They insisted on our quartering in the fort, but instead we camped one hundred yards outside, and slept–what little sleep we did get–with our guns in our arms. General Henry did not sleep, but drilled my men all night, so the moment they were called they would bounce to their feet and stand in two lines, the front ready to fire and fall back to reload while the others stepped forward and took their places. They were called up a number of times, and we got but little sleep. We arrived at Galena the next day,[157] and found the citizens prepared to defend the place. They were glad to see us, as it had been so long since they had heard from the army. The few Indians prowling about Galena and murdering were simply there as a ruse. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [Illustration: LIEUT. GURDON S. HUBBARD.] [Illustration: CAPT. ELIJAH ILES.] [Illustration: CHARLES BRACKEN.] [Illustration: KELLOGG’S GROVE MONUMENT.] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ “On our return from Galena,[158] near the forks of the Apple River and Gratiot roads, we could see General Dodge on the Gratiot road on his return from Rock River. His six scouts had discovered my two men that I had allowed to drop to the rear. Having weak horses they had fallen in the rear about two miles, and each took the other to be Indians, and such an exciting race I never saw until they got sight of my company; then they came to a sudden halt, and after looking at us for a few moments wheeled their horses and gave up the chase. My two men did not know but that they were Indians until they came up with us and shouted ‘Indians!’ They had thrown away their wallets and guns and used their ramrods as whips. “The few houses on the road that usually accommodated the travel were all standing, but vacant, as we went. On our return we found them all burned by the Indians. On my return to the Illinois River I reported to General Atkinson, saying that from all we could learn, the Indians were aiming to escape by going north with the intention of crossing the Mississippi River above Galena. The new troops had just arrived and were being mustered into service. My company had only been organized for twenty days, and as the time had now expired, were mustered out. All but myself again volunteered for the third time. “Of all the men in my company in the Black Hawk war, I know of no one now living but John T. Stuart. Major Stuart was elected to Congress over Stephen A. Douglas, and was the first and last one who ever beat Douglas in his race for office. Mr. Lincoln was assassinated in Washington, while president; Dr. Early was killed in Springfield; General Henry died in New Orleans; General Anderson, of Fort Sumter memory, who mustered my company in and out, is dead.” With the exception named, and the further one that Henry had been promoted to lieutenant-colonel and was such at the time, the history of that march is accurate, remarkably so. General Henry in this instance had the abiding confidence of the men, and his presence alone was a battalion in strength. Following closely after Iles’ departure, Captain Snyder started out to cover the same territory and report depredations. ----- Footnote 148: The muster rolls invariably show the election to have been held on the 31st. Possibly the election was held the 30th, but the officers were not sworn in until the 31st. Footnote 149: Lincoln’s opponent in the election for captain. Footnote 150: Galenian. Footnote 151: June 4. Footnote 152: June 5. Footnote 153: June 6. Footnote 154: Evening, June 7. Footnote 155: June 8. Footnote 156: June 9. Footnote 157: June 10. Galenian. Footnote 158: Left Galena June 11.–Galenian. ----- ------------------------------------------------------------------------