CHIEF BLACK HAWK

JORDAN, HINKLE, BRIGGS, PASH-A-PO-PO

Posted By: Gloria Dodds (email)
Date: 11/2/2002 at 03:29:23

Page Forty-Two The Keosauqua Republican Thursday, August 15, 1935 80 Year Anniversary 1855-1935

HISTORY OF BLACK HAWK

Black Hawk was one of the most conspicuous figures found in a list of noted Indians of the northwest. James Jordan whose home was along the Des Moines river between Selma and Eldon was more intimately acquainted with Black Hawk than any other man who knew him during the days spent in Van Buren County. For years the two families lived side by side. In fact history relates that Jordan was either at the bedside of Black Hawk or on his way to obtain a doctor for him at the time the noted Indian passed away.
It is rather difficult to determine the exact date of the birth of this Indian. One biography places his birth as 1767. Jordan claims that he learned from Black Hawk that the date of his birth was 1775. No one has ever attempted to give the exact day of his birth.
History records that Black Hawk was born in the Sac village about three miles from the junction of the Rock river with the Mississippi in Illinois in 1767 or 1775. He died of natural causes on September 15, 1838 at old Iowaville.
While his burial place is not officially marked it is on what is known as the James Jordan farm and is located on section 2, township 70, north, range 12 west.
A few years ago the editor of the Republican in company of Bud Hinkle of Selma, grandson of Mr. Jordan, visited the exact burial site which was then marked by a pile of stone.
An account published in the annals of Iowa by Uriah Briggs, relative to the first important battle in which Black Hawk took part is being given below. The location mentioned was near old Iowaville which was at one time the home of the Iowa nation of Indians. Here it was that Black Hawk afterwards died. At the time of the battle Black Hawk was quite a young man.
Mr. Briggs states:
"Contrary to long established custom of Indian attack, this battle was commenced in the day time, the attending circumstances justifying this departure from the well established usages of Indian warfare. The battle field was a level river bottom, about 4 miles in length, and two miles wide near the middle, narrowing to a point at either end. The main area of this bottom rises perhaps twenty feet above the river, leaving a narrow strip of low bottom along the shore covered with trees, that belted the prairie on the riverside with a thick forest, and the immediate bank of the river was fringed with a dense growth of willows. Near the lower end of this prairie, near the river bank, was situated the Iowa village. About two miles above it and near the middle of the prairie is a mound, covered at the time with a tuft of small trees and underbrush growing on its summit. In the rear of this little elevation or mound lay a belt of wet prairie covered at the time with a dense growth of rank coarse grass. Bordering this wet prairie on the north the country rises abruptly into elevated broken river bluffs, covered with a heavy forest for many miles in extent, and in places thickly clustered with undergrowth, affording a convenient shelter for the stealthy
approach of the foe.
"Through this forest the Sac and Fox war party made their way in the night and secreted themselves in the tall grass spoken of above, intending to remain in ambush during the day and make such observations at this near proximity to their intended victim as might afford aid to them in their contemplated attack on the town during the following night. From this situation their spies could take a full survey of the village, and watch over every movement of the inhabitants, by which means they were soon convinced that the Iowas had no suspicion of their presence.
"At the foot of the mound above mentioned, the Iowas had their race course, where they diverted themselves, with the excitement of horse racing, and schooled their young warriors in cavalry evolutions. In these exercises mock battles were fought, and the Indian tatics of attack and defense were carfully inculcated, by which means a skill in horsemanship was acquired rarely excelled. Unfortunately for them this day was selected for their equestrian sports, and wholly unconscious of the proximity of their foes, the warriors repaired to the race ground, leaving most of their arms in the village, and their old men and women and children unprotected.
"Pash-a-po-po, who was chief in command of the Sacs and Foxes, perceived at once the advantage of this state of thing afforded for a complete surprise of his now doomed victims, and ordered Black Hawk to run off with his young warriors through the tall grass and gain the cover of the timber along the river bank, and with the utmost speed reach the village and commence the battle, while he remained with his division, in the ambush to make a simultaneous assault on the unarmed men whose attention was engrossed with the excitement of the races. The plan was skillfully laid and most dexterously executed.
Black Hawk with his forces reached the village undiscovered, and made a furious onslaught upon the defenseless inhabitants, by firing one general volley into their midst, and completing the slaughter with the tomahawk and scalping knife, aided by the devouring flames, with which they enveloped the village as soon as the fire brand could be spread from lodge to lodge.
"On the instant of the report of firearms at the village the forces of Pash-a-po-po leaped from their couchant position in the grass and sprang like tigers upon the astonished and unarmed Iowas in the midst of their racing sports. The first impulse of the latter naturally led them to make the utmost speed towards their arms in the village, and protect if possible their wives and children from the attack of the merciless assailants. The distance from the place of attack on the prairie was two miles and a great number fell in their flight by the bullets and tomahawks of their enemies,who pressed them closely, with a running fire the whole way and the survivors only reached their town in time to witness the horrors of its destruction. The whole village was in flames and the dearest objects of their lives lay in slaughtered heaps midst the devouring elements and the agonizing groans of the dying, mindled with the exciting shouts of the victorious foe, filled their hearts with maddening despair. Their wives and children who had been spared the general massacre were prisoners, and together with their arms were in the hands of the victors; and all that could now be done was to draw off their shattered and defenseless forces, and save as many lives as possible by a retreat across the Des Moines river, which they effected in the best possible manner, and took a position among the Soap Creek hills."
The defeated Iowas, who crossed the Des Moines river, at the close of the battle finally made their way into Missouri and there joined a body of Iowa Indians located in that section.