Battle of Stillman's Run
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Stillman's Run, also known as the Battle of Sycamore Creek or the Battle of Old Man's Creek, occurred on May 14, 1832. The battle was named for Major Isaiah Stillman
and his detachment of 275 Illinois militia which fled in a panic from a large number of Sauk warriors. According to witness statements, the militia may have been outnumbered two to one. The engagement was the first battle of the 1832 Black Hawk War
which had ignited after Black Hawk crossed the Mississippi River
into Illinois with his "British Band" of Sauk and Fox. Following a failed attempt at truce negotiations by emissaries sent by Black Hawk, and probable deception by Warriors under his command. The militia pursued a group of Sauk scouts back to the main British Band camp.
During the engagement 12 militia men were killed while making a stand on a small hill. The rest of the militia fled back to Dixon's Ferry
where they spread news of a terrible slaughter at Stillman's Run. It is believed that militia volunteer Abraham Lincoln
helped bury the dead at the battlefield following the fight, this claim, however, was still under investigation as of 2003. An article published in 2006 corroborated Lincoln's presence at the burial; though there is little agreement amongst various other sources. In 1901 a monument was erected in Stillman Valley, Illinois
commemorating the battle.
led a number of incursions across the Mississippi River
beginning in 1830. Each time, he was persuaded to return west without bloodshed. In April 1832, encouraged by promises of alliances with other tribes and the British, he again moved his "British Band
" into Illinois
. Finding no allies, he attempted to return to Iowa
, but ensuing events led to the Battle of Stillman's Run. A number of other engagements followed, and the state militia
s of Wisconsin
and Illinois were mobilized to hunt down Black Hawk's band. The conflict became known as the Black Hawk War
.
On April 5, 1832, Black Hawk and around 1,000 warriors and civilians recrossed the Mississippi River
into Illinois in an attempt to reclaim their land. About half of Black Hawk's band were combatants and the rest were a combination of women, children, and elderly. The band consisted of Sauk, Fox
, some Potawatomi
, and some Kickapoo; in addition some members of the Ho-Chunk
nation were sympathetic to Black Hawk. Black Hawk's reason for crossing into Illinois
was that he wanted to reclaim lost lands, and perhaps, create a confederacy of Native Americans to stand against white settlement. Promises of aid from other Illinois tribes were made to the British Band and Black Hawk believed that promises of assistance were made by the British in Canada.
The group marched along the Rock River into Illinois under the leadership of Black Hawk. Illinois Governor John Reynolds
viewed the return of Black Hawk as an invasion and he immediately called up the militia
. The military expedition was turned over to General Henry Atkinson, who Black Hawk addressed as "White Beaver."
militia to march on Old Man's Creek, despite being in overall command. Stillman's orders were written under General Samuel Whiteside's
name and in Reynolds' hand, but clearly ordered Stillman to find Black Hawk and coerce him into submission. Following these orders, Stillman moved on Old Mans Creek. In fact, Whiteside had refused to accept Stillman's battalion under his command, thus leaving it "orphaned" and under the direct command of Reynolds. The militia that was under the authority of Whiteside grew restless as they awaited the arrival of Atkinson and his Army regulars, many of the volunteer militia wanted to quit the war and head back home. When diplomacy failed to bring Black Hawk back's band west, Stillman and Bailey's battalions of Illinois Militia was marched up the Rock River.
Prior to the battle at Stillman's Run, Black Hawk's grand vision of British support, and an Native American
confederacy had collapsed. There would be no one to aid him or his followers. The British Band started to weaken with hunger, and Black Hawk soon realized that the only option was to return back across the Mississippi River
. When he detected the U.S. militia camp eight miles (13 km) away, Black Hawk sent out peace envoys in order to negotiate a truce. They were told to wave a white flag at the militia.
On May 14, 1832, a detachment of 275 militia under the command of Majors Isaiah Stillman and David Bailey
, under orders from Illinois Governor
Reynolds, were encamped near Old Man's Creek, not far from its confluence with the Rock River. The militia camp was located about three miles (5 km) east of the Rock River near present-day Stillman Valley, Illinois
, and seven miles (11 km) south of the Sauk encampment. It is believed that the militia and its commanders were unaware of their proximity to Black Hawk's British Band.
Black Hawk, in conference with the local Potawatomi
, learned of Stillman's presence and sent three emissaries
to the militia camp under a flag of parley
in order to negotiate a peace with the soldiers. The already suspicious soldiers took the three emissaries to their camp, and during the proceedings the militia became aware of several of Black Hawk's scouts in the surrounding hills, watching the proceedings. Once the scouts were spotted, soldiers shot at the three emissaries, killing one. The other two fled back toward their camp, located near the confluence of the Rock
and Kishwaukee
Rivers.
The scouts fled but were pursued by the disorganized militia and several were killed. The surviving scouts arrived at Black Hawk's camp ahead of the militia and reported the events. At the camp, the warriors then set up a skirmish line in order to fend off the pending militia attack. The militia soldiers, intent on pursuing the scouts, chased them back toward the main force of Black Hawk's warriors and their skirmish line. Black Hawk and his force concealed themselves and ambushed the pursuers. The soldiers, believing that thousands of Sauk and Fox were chasing them, panicked and fled back to the main force camped at Dixon's Ferry. Stillman's exact whereabouts are unknown during this point in the battle, a later newspaper account written by him did not mention his location and noted his only order was to retreat. Stillman's account, published in the Missouri Republican, has been called fanciful.
Twelve of Stillman's militia were killed in the melee. A band of volunteers under the leadership of Captain John Giles Adams
made a stand on a hill south of the main militia camp. The men fought by moonlight as the main body of the militia fled back to Dixon. The entire 12-man detachment, including Adams, was killed in the fight. It has also been asserted that Adams may have, in fact, been killed by his own men as he futilely attempted to muster them to battle. The number of Sauk and Fox killed in the engagement is largely unknown; the militia party that was sent to locate the "missing" 53 militia men found no dead Sauk. Black Hawk is quoted as saying at least three and maybe as many as five of his warriors were killed.
Abraham Lincoln's
service during the Black Hawk War has been a source of discrepancies and questioning, with two major battle sites, including Stillman's Run, being affiliated with Lincoln in the aftermath of combat. A number of sources assert that on June 26, 1832, the morning after the Second Battle of Kellogg's Grove members of the company of Captain Jacob M. Early arrived at Kellogg's Grove to help bury the dead. One of the soldiers in the company was Lincoln. Lincoln assisted with the burial and later made a statement about the experience that has been connected with both the battle at Kellogg's Grove
and the fight at Stillman's Run.
The Lincoln quote appeared both in William H. Herndon and Jesse W. Wiek's Life of Lincoln and Carl Sandburg's
Lincoln biography, Abraham Lincoln The Prairie Years. Lincoln's presence at Stillman's Run was still under investigation as of 2003, but his presence at Kellogg's Grove has been corroborated by several sources. In a 2006 article, author Scott Dyer asserted that Whiteside's men, including Captain Lincoln, "paraded" the area the morning after, and buried the dead from Stillman's Run. Their movements were in an unsuccessful effort to draw out the Sauk, after which they returned to Dixon's Ferry.
Lincoln made a humorous remark during an 1848 speech before the U.S. Congress in which he referenced his Black Hawk War service, mentioning Stillman's Run by name.
The marble facade on the Stillman Valley monument, erected in 1901, commemorating the battle, includes the reference to Lincoln's presence at Stillman's Run, "The presence of soldier, statesman, martyr, Abraham Lincoln assisting in the burial of these honored dead has made this spot more sacred."
Still, other sources assert that it was General Whiteside who originally buried the dead in a common grave on a ridge south of the battlefield, marked with a rudimentary wooden memorial. These sources make no mention of Lincoln.
Following the first confrontation at Stillman Valley, the exaggerated claim that 2,000 "bloodthirsty warriors were sweeping all Northern Illinois with the bosom of destruction" sent shock waves of terror through the region. Past midnight on May 15 soldiers from Stillman's ill-fated detachment began streaming back into Dixon's Ferry
, wide-eyed and panic-stricken, telling tales of a horrible slaughter that had ensued during the battle. In the immediate aftermath of the battle 53 militia men were missing, though it was later determined that the majority of those had simply passed Dixon's Ferry by on their way home.
After this initial skirmish, Black Hawk led many of the civilians in his band to the Michigan Territory
. On May 19, the militia traveled up the Rock River
trailing and searching for Black Hawk and his band. Several small skirmishes and massacres ensued over the next month in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin before the militia was able to regain public confidence in battles at Bloody Lake
and Waddams Grove
.
The debacle at Stillman' Run added fuel to the fire for critics of the Illinois Militia, mostly members of the Regular Army
. Critics began, almost immediately, to refer to the battle at Old Man's Creek as the Battle of Stillman's Run, because Stillman had apparently fled with the panicked militia.
Armed hostilities during the Black Hawk War began at Stillman's Run and the victory was unexpected for Black Hawk and his British Band. Black Hawk feared that the white militia and its allies would seek revenge through his total and utter defeat. Leading his starving band, Black Hawk fled from Atkinson's pursuing army. The chase would take them as far as present day Madison, Wisconsin
, and end at the Battle of Bad Axe
, where the militia and its allies would massacre a weakened foe, by then made up of mostly women and children.
The remains of the soldiers were originally buried in a common grave, but who buried them remains an open question. A memorial, erected in 1901, stands near their marked graves today. The monument and battle site are listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
, and located along Illinois Route 72
a block west of present-day Stillman Creek
.
Isaiah Stillman
Cavalry Major Isaiah Stillman led Illinois militia in the first armed confrontation of the Black Hawk War against Black Hawk’s Sauk Indian Band...
and his detachment of 275 Illinois militia which fled in a panic from a large number of Sauk warriors. According to witness statements, the militia may have been outnumbered two to one. The engagement was the first battle of the 1832 Black Hawk War
Black Hawk War
The Black Hawk War was a brief conflict fought in 1832 between the United States and Native Americans headed by Black Hawk, a Sauk leader. The war erupted soon after Black Hawk and a group of Sauks, Meskwakis, and Kickapoos known as the "British Band" crossed the Mississippi River into the U.S....
which had ignited after Black Hawk crossed the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
into Illinois with his "British Band" of Sauk and Fox. Following a failed attempt at truce negotiations by emissaries sent by Black Hawk, and probable deception by Warriors under his command. The militia pursued a group of Sauk scouts back to the main British Band camp.
During the engagement 12 militia men were killed while making a stand on a small hill. The rest of the militia fled back to Dixon's Ferry
Dixon's Ferry
Dixon's Ferry was the former name for Dixon, Illinois, United States. It was located on the bank of the Rock River near present day Illinois Route 26, John Dixon operated a rope ferry service to transport mail from Peoria to Galena. He also established the first post office. The surrounding...
where they spread news of a terrible slaughter at Stillman's Run. It is believed that militia volunteer Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
helped bury the dead at the battlefield following the fight, this claim, however, was still under investigation as of 2003. An article published in 2006 corroborated Lincoln's presence at the burial; though there is little agreement amongst various other sources. In 1901 a monument was erected in Stillman Valley, Illinois
Stillman Valley, Illinois
Stillman Valley is a village in Marion Township, Ogle County, Illinois, United States. It lies east of Byron, south of Rockford, and west of Davis Junction. The population was 1,120 at the 2010 census, up from 1,048 at the 2000 census. The village is located on the Iowa, Chicago and Eastern...
commemorating the battle.
Background
Angered by the loss of his birthplace via prior disputed treaties, and against the best interests of other tribes affected, Black HawkBlack Hawk (chief)
Black Hawk was a leader and warrior of the Sauk American Indian tribe in what is now the United States. Although he had inherited an important historic medicine bundle, he was not one of the Sauk's hereditary civil chiefs...
led a number of incursions across the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
beginning in 1830. Each time, he was persuaded to return west without bloodshed. In April 1832, encouraged by promises of alliances with other tribes and the British, he again moved his "British Band
British Band
The British Band was a group of Native Americans which fought against Illinois and Michigan Territory militia units during the 1832 Black Hawk War. The band was composed of about 1,500 men, women, and children from the Sauk, Meskwaki, Fox, Kickapoo, Potawatomi, Ho-Chunk, and Ottawa nations;...
" into Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. Finding no allies, he attempted to return to Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
, but ensuing events led to the Battle of Stillman's Run. A number of other engagements followed, and the state militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
s of Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
and Illinois were mobilized to hunt down Black Hawk's band. The conflict became known as the Black Hawk War
Black Hawk War
The Black Hawk War was a brief conflict fought in 1832 between the United States and Native Americans headed by Black Hawk, a Sauk leader. The war erupted soon after Black Hawk and a group of Sauks, Meskwakis, and Kickapoos known as the "British Band" crossed the Mississippi River into the U.S....
.
Map of Black Hawk War sites Battle (with name)  Fort / settlement  Native villageSymbols are wikilinked to article |
On April 5, 1832, Black Hawk and around 1,000 warriors and civilians recrossed the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
into Illinois in an attempt to reclaim their land. About half of Black Hawk's band were combatants and the rest were a combination of women, children, and elderly. The band consisted of Sauk, Fox
Fox
Fox is a common name for many species of omnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail .Members of about 37 species are referred to as foxes, of which only 12 species actually belong to...
, some Potawatomi
Potawatomi
The Potawatomi are a Native American people of the upper Mississippi River region. They traditionally speak the Potawatomi language, a member of the Algonquian family. In the Potawatomi language, they generally call themselves Bodéwadmi, a name that means "keepers of the fire" and that was applied...
, and some Kickapoo; in addition some members of the Ho-Chunk
Ho-Chunk
The Ho-Chunk, also known as Winnebago, are a tribe of Native Americans, native to what is now Wisconsin and Illinois. There are two federally recognized Ho-Chunk tribes, the Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin and Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska....
nation were sympathetic to Black Hawk. Black Hawk's reason for crossing into Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
was that he wanted to reclaim lost lands, and perhaps, create a confederacy of Native Americans to stand against white settlement. Promises of aid from other Illinois tribes were made to the British Band and Black Hawk believed that promises of assistance were made by the British in Canada.
The group marched along the Rock River into Illinois under the leadership of Black Hawk. Illinois Governor John Reynolds
John Reynolds (U.S. politician)
John Reynolds was a United States politician from the state of Illinois. He was one of the original four justices of the Illinois Supreme Court, 1818–1825, a member of the Illinois House of Representatives from 1826–1830, 1846–1848, and 1852–1854 , and the 4th Illinois Governor from 1830–1834...
viewed the return of Black Hawk as an invasion and he immediately called up the militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
. The military expedition was turned over to General Henry Atkinson, who Black Hawk addressed as "White Beaver."
Prelude
Atkinson was not informed of Governor Reynolds' decision to order Major Isaiah Stillman'sIsaiah Stillman
Cavalry Major Isaiah Stillman led Illinois militia in the first armed confrontation of the Black Hawk War against Black Hawk’s Sauk Indian Band...
militia to march on Old Man's Creek, despite being in overall command. Stillman's orders were written under General Samuel Whiteside's
Samuel Whiteside
Samuel Whiteside was an Illinois pioneer, political figure and military leader. He is not the same person as the Major Samuel Whitside who participated in the Wounded Knee Massacre in 1890.-Biography:...
name and in Reynolds' hand, but clearly ordered Stillman to find Black Hawk and coerce him into submission. Following these orders, Stillman moved on Old Mans Creek. In fact, Whiteside had refused to accept Stillman's battalion under his command, thus leaving it "orphaned" and under the direct command of Reynolds. The militia that was under the authority of Whiteside grew restless as they awaited the arrival of Atkinson and his Army regulars, many of the volunteer militia wanted to quit the war and head back home. When diplomacy failed to bring Black Hawk back's band west, Stillman and Bailey's battalions of Illinois Militia was marched up the Rock River.
Prior to the battle at Stillman's Run, Black Hawk's grand vision of British support, and an Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
confederacy had collapsed. There would be no one to aid him or his followers. The British Band started to weaken with hunger, and Black Hawk soon realized that the only option was to return back across the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
. When he detected the U.S. militia camp eight miles (13 km) away, Black Hawk sent out peace envoys in order to negotiate a truce. They were told to wave a white flag at the militia.
Battle
David Bailey (militia officer)
David Bailey was an American militia officer in the Illinois Militia who fought during the War of 1812 and the Black Hawk War, most notably serving at the Battle of Stillman's Run where he and Lt. Col...
, under orders from Illinois Governor
Governor of Illinois
The Governor of Illinois is the chief executive of the State of Illinois and the various agencies and departments over which the officer has jurisdiction, as prescribed in the state constitution. It is a directly elected position, votes being cast by popular suffrage of residents of the state....
Reynolds, were encamped near Old Man's Creek, not far from its confluence with the Rock River. The militia camp was located about three miles (5 km) east of the Rock River near present-day Stillman Valley, Illinois
Stillman Valley, Illinois
Stillman Valley is a village in Marion Township, Ogle County, Illinois, United States. It lies east of Byron, south of Rockford, and west of Davis Junction. The population was 1,120 at the 2010 census, up from 1,048 at the 2000 census. The village is located on the Iowa, Chicago and Eastern...
, and seven miles (11 km) south of the Sauk encampment. It is believed that the militia and its commanders were unaware of their proximity to Black Hawk's British Band.
Black Hawk, in conference with the local Potawatomi
Potawatomi
The Potawatomi are a Native American people of the upper Mississippi River region. They traditionally speak the Potawatomi language, a member of the Algonquian family. In the Potawatomi language, they generally call themselves Bodéwadmi, a name that means "keepers of the fire" and that was applied...
, learned of Stillman's presence and sent three emissaries
Emissary
Emissary may refer to:* Ambassador* Apostle* Diplomat* The Subspace Emissary, the single-player Adventure Mode in the video game Super Smash Bros...
to the militia camp under a flag of parley
Parley
Parley is a discussion or conference, especially one between enemies over terms of a truce or other matters. The root of the word parley is parler, which is the French verb "to speak"; specifically the conjugation parlez "you speak", whether as imperative or indicative.Beginning in the High Middle...
in order to negotiate a peace with the soldiers. The already suspicious soldiers took the three emissaries to their camp, and during the proceedings the militia became aware of several of Black Hawk's scouts in the surrounding hills, watching the proceedings. Once the scouts were spotted, soldiers shot at the three emissaries, killing one. The other two fled back toward their camp, located near the confluence of the Rock
Rock River (Illinois)
The Rock River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately long, in the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Illinois. It rises in southeast Wisconsin, in the Theresa Marsh near Theresa, Wisconsin in northeast Dodge County, Wisconsin approximately south of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin...
and Kishwaukee
Kishwaukee River
The Kishwaukee River, sometimes locally known as simply "The Kish", is a river in the U.S. state of Illinois. "The Kish" is famous for its high number of bridges that cross within its 100-year floodplain.-Location:...
Rivers.
The scouts fled but were pursued by the disorganized militia and several were killed. The surviving scouts arrived at Black Hawk's camp ahead of the militia and reported the events. At the camp, the warriors then set up a skirmish line in order to fend off the pending militia attack. The militia soldiers, intent on pursuing the scouts, chased them back toward the main force of Black Hawk's warriors and their skirmish line. Black Hawk and his force concealed themselves and ambushed the pursuers. The soldiers, believing that thousands of Sauk and Fox were chasing them, panicked and fled back to the main force camped at Dixon's Ferry. Stillman's exact whereabouts are unknown during this point in the battle, a later newspaper account written by him did not mention his location and noted his only order was to retreat. Stillman's account, published in the Missouri Republican, has been called fanciful.
Twelve of Stillman's militia were killed in the melee. A band of volunteers under the leadership of Captain John Giles Adams
John Giles Adams
John Giles Adams was a cavalry officer in the Illinois Militia during the Black Hawk War of 1832. He was born in Nashville, Tennessee and came to Illinois in 1828, eventually marrying and fathering eight children...
made a stand on a hill south of the main militia camp. The men fought by moonlight as the main body of the militia fled back to Dixon. The entire 12-man detachment, including Adams, was killed in the fight. It has also been asserted that Adams may have, in fact, been killed by his own men as he futilely attempted to muster them to battle. The number of Sauk and Fox killed in the engagement is largely unknown; the militia party that was sent to locate the "missing" 53 militia men found no dead Sauk. Black Hawk is quoted as saying at least three and maybe as many as five of his warriors were killed.
Lincoln's role
Abraham Lincoln's
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
service during the Black Hawk War has been a source of discrepancies and questioning, with two major battle sites, including Stillman's Run, being affiliated with Lincoln in the aftermath of combat. A number of sources assert that on June 26, 1832, the morning after the Second Battle of Kellogg's Grove members of the company of Captain Jacob M. Early arrived at Kellogg's Grove to help bury the dead. One of the soldiers in the company was Lincoln. Lincoln assisted with the burial and later made a statement about the experience that has been connected with both the battle at Kellogg's Grove
Kellogg's Grove
Kellogg's Grove is an area in western Stephenson County, Illinois, United States near the present-day unincorporated town of Kent. The grove is considered historically significant because it was the site of two minor skirmishes during the Black Hawk War in 1832. Today, most of the grove is...
and the fight at Stillman's Run.
The Lincoln quote appeared both in William H. Herndon and Jesse W. Wiek's Life of Lincoln and Carl Sandburg's
Carl Sandburg
Carl Sandburg was an American writer and editor, best known for his poetry. He won three Pulitzer Prizes, two for his poetry and another for a biography of Abraham Lincoln. H. L. Mencken called Carl Sandburg "indubitably an American in every pulse-beat."-Biography:Sandburg was born in Galesburg,...
Lincoln biography, Abraham Lincoln The Prairie Years. Lincoln's presence at Stillman's Run was still under investigation as of 2003, but his presence at Kellogg's Grove has been corroborated by several sources. In a 2006 article, author Scott Dyer asserted that Whiteside's men, including Captain Lincoln, "paraded" the area the morning after, and buried the dead from Stillman's Run. Their movements were in an unsuccessful effort to draw out the Sauk, after which they returned to Dixon's Ferry.
The marble facade on the Stillman Valley monument, erected in 1901, commemorating the battle, includes the reference to Lincoln's presence at Stillman's Run, "The presence of soldier, statesman, martyr, Abraham Lincoln assisting in the burial of these honored dead has made this spot more sacred."
Still, other sources assert that it was General Whiteside who originally buried the dead in a common grave on a ridge south of the battlefield, marked with a rudimentary wooden memorial. These sources make no mention of Lincoln.
Aftermath
Dixon's Ferry
Dixon's Ferry was the former name for Dixon, Illinois, United States. It was located on the bank of the Rock River near present day Illinois Route 26, John Dixon operated a rope ferry service to transport mail from Peoria to Galena. He also established the first post office. The surrounding...
, wide-eyed and panic-stricken, telling tales of a horrible slaughter that had ensued during the battle. In the immediate aftermath of the battle 53 militia men were missing, though it was later determined that the majority of those had simply passed Dixon's Ferry by on their way home.
Michigan Territory
The Territory of Michigan was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from June 30, 1805, until January 26, 1837, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Michigan...
. On May 19, the militia traveled up the Rock River
Rock River (Illinois)
The Rock River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately long, in the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Illinois. It rises in southeast Wisconsin, in the Theresa Marsh near Theresa, Wisconsin in northeast Dodge County, Wisconsin approximately south of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin...
trailing and searching for Black Hawk and his band. Several small skirmishes and massacres ensued over the next month in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin before the militia was able to regain public confidence in battles at Bloody Lake
Battle of Horseshoe Bend (1832)
The Battle of Horseshoe Bend, also referred to as the Battle of Pecatonica and the Battle of Bloody Lake, was fought on June 16, 1832 in present-day Wisconsin at an oxbow lake known as "Horseshoe Bend", which was formed by a change in course of the Pecatonica River. The battle was a major turning...
and Waddams Grove
Battle of Waddams Grove
The Battle of Waddams Grove, also known as the Battle of Yellow Creek was part of the Black Hawk War. It took place in present-day Stephenson County, Illinois on June 18, 1832. After several incidents of Sauk Indian raids on settlers along the Apple River, Captain James W. Stephenson left Galena...
.
The debacle at Stillman' Run added fuel to the fire for critics of the Illinois Militia, mostly members of the Regular Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. Critics began, almost immediately, to refer to the battle at Old Man's Creek as the Battle of Stillman's Run, because Stillman had apparently fled with the panicked militia.
Armed hostilities during the Black Hawk War began at Stillman's Run and the victory was unexpected for Black Hawk and his British Band. Black Hawk feared that the white militia and its allies would seek revenge through his total and utter defeat. Leading his starving band, Black Hawk fled from Atkinson's pursuing army. The chase would take them as far as present day Madison, Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
, and end at the Battle of Bad Axe
Battle of Bad Axe
The Battle of Bad Axe, also known as the Bad Axe Massacre, occurred 1–2 August 1832, between Sauk and Fox Indians and United States Army regulars and militia. This final battle of the Black Hawk War took place near present-day Victory, Wisconsin in the United States...
, where the militia and its allies would massacre a weakened foe, by then made up of mostly women and children.
The remains of the soldiers were originally buried in a common grave, but who buried them remains an open question. A memorial, erected in 1901, stands near their marked graves today. The monument and battle site are listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
, and located along Illinois Route 72
Illinois Route 72
Illinois Route 72 is an east–west state road in northeastern Illinois. It runs from the intersection with Illinois Route 73 north of Lanark east to Illinois Route 43 in Chicago...
a block west of present-day Stillman Creek
Stillman Creek (Illinois)
Stillman Creek, also known during different eras as Mud Creek, Old Man's Creek, Sycamore Creek, and Stillman's Run, is part of the Rock River watershed, and located in Ogle County, Illinois, United States...
.