Page 26 - DesMoinesRiver

“appointed” to the role chief, and given the power to negotiate and sign trea-
ties. This went against the traditional political structure of the Sauk and many
met it with derision. Others, seeking a new way in an unfamiliar and perplex-
ing new order, chose to follow him.
Ma-Ka-Tai-Me-She-Kia-Kiak , Black Hawk, was a traditional Sauk war leader,
a role different from that of a civic leader. As a young man, he earned this
status leading war parties and fighting on
the side of the British during the War
of 1812. During this war he led attacks
against American interests at Fort Madi-
son, Prairie du Chien, and elsewhere.
His cause was lost with the defeat of
the British at the end of the war.
Black Hawk did not advocate coop-
eration with U.S. Government poli-
cies. In 1804 when the U.S. Gov-
ernment tricked the Sauk and
Meskwaki into jointly signing a
treaty that ceded all of their
territory east of the Missis-
sippi River Black Hawk
objected (Peterson and
Artz 2006:34). He
refused to recognize
the validity of the
treaty, claiming
that those who
signed it had
no author-
ity to do so. soon robbed of both body and artifacts. In 1843 Jordan pointed out
The Sauk
divided over
the issue.
Black Hawk, color portrait by Charles Bird King.
26 A River of Unrivaled Advantages—Life Along the Lower Des Moines River
Black Hawk and his followers staunchly maintained their residency at
Saukenauk.
In 1831, following their traditional practice, the Sauk left Saukenauk for
their winter hunt. While they were gone American settlers moved onto
the village lands. When Black Hawk and his people returned in the
spring, the Illinois militia was called in to drive them away. Numerous
battles followed, fought in Illinois and Wisconsin. These became known
as the Black Hawk War (Green 1983:132; Peterson and Artz 2006:36).
Black Hawk was eventually defeated in 1832 during the Battle of Bad
Axe in Wisconsin.
Black Hawk was captured and held as a prisoner by the U.S. Govern-
ment. He and a number of other captive leaders were taken to a
prison in Virginia. From there they were taken to Washington D.C. and
eventually to the prison at Fort Monroe. In 1833 they were returned
west via a circuitous route through a number of large cities on what
was referred to as an “escort tour.” They met President Andrew
Jackson, their portraits were painted, and they were given numerous
gifts. The purpose of this tour was to convince them of the power of
the American government and the inevitability of the American take-
over of the west. During this time Black Hawk told his story to An-
toine LeClaire, a government interpreter who was of French-Canadian
and Potawattamie heritage. The story was published in 1833, one of
the first accounts of a Native American leader’s life (Black Hawk 1994
[1833]).
Black Hawk was freed in 1833 and allowed to return to Iowa with his
family. He apparently established a winter lodging along Devil’s Creek
in Lee County and had a summer wickiup near James Jordan’s trad-
ing post in the vicinity of Iowaville (Peterson and Artz 2006:40–41). It
is known that Black Hawk was living near Jordan when he died in the
autumn of 1837. He was buried near his wickiup, but the grave was
the spot to the surveyor William Barrows who noted its location, but
all traces of it now appear to be gone (Upp 1974:2).