Black
Hawk was born in 1767 close to the now existing Rock Island in northwest
of Illinois. His fathers name was Pysea, a Saukchief. Black Hawk characteristic
him self as a warrior when he was 15 years old - he took his first
scalp. After that he became the leader for many warpath against Osaga
and Cherokee tribes.
1832 after spending the winter in Iowa Black Hawk returned to his
village in Rock Island, when he arrived he found the village and lands
invaded by white settlers. The settlers claimed that the land was
theirs, purchased from a land company, and refused to move.
The Sauk Indians were pursued through Illinois and Wisconsin by State
Milita and federal troups who were called in to drive the Sauk awy
from their own land. Black Hawk and his troups were caught between
a cannon mounted on a steamboat (used by the state militia), and about
1300 Federal troupers. The Sauk were reciving heavy casualties, and
some tried to surrender under a white flag of truce, but were massacred.
When Black Hawk finnaly were caught he was forced to cede the eastern
part of Iowa as punishment for war.
Black Hawk died on October the third 1838
at Des Moines river Iowa.
"You have taken me prisoner with all my warrriors. I am much
grieved...I expect to hold out much longer and give you more trouble
before I surrendered. Black Hawk is now a prisoner of the white man.
But he can stand torture, and he is not afraid of death. He is no
coward. Black Hawk is an Indian."
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Black Hawk -
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