Autobiography of Ma-ka-tai-me-she-kia-kiak, or Black Hawk | Page 9

rushed out
from the rooms where they had been concealed. The cannon were
hauled to the gateway, and a soldier came running with fire in his hand,
ready to apply the match. Our braves gave way and retired to the camp.
There was no preconcerted plan to attack the whites at that time, but I
am of the opinion now that had our braves got into the fort all of the
whites would have been killed, as were the British soldiers at Mackinac
many years before.
We broke up our camp and returned to Rock river. A short time
afterward the party at the fort received reinforcements, among whom
we observed some of our old friends from St. Louis.
Soon after our return from Fort Madison runners came to our village
from the Shawnee Prophet. Others were despatched by him to the
village of the Winnebagoes, with invitations for us to meet him on the
Wabash. Accordingly a party went from each village.

All of our party returned, among whom came a prophet, who explained
to us the bad treatment the different nations of Indians had received
from the Americans, by giving them a few presents and taking their
land from them.
I remember well his saying: "If you do not join your friends on the
Wabash, the Americans will take this very village from you!" I little
thought then that his words would come true, supposing that he used
these arguments merely to encourage us to join him, which we
concluded not to do. He then returned to the Wabash, where a party Of
Winnebagoes had preceded him, and preparations were making for war.
A battle soon ensued in which several Winnebagoes were killed. As
soon as their nation heard of this battle, and that some of their people
had been killed, they sent several war parties in different directions.
One to the mining county, one to Prairie du Chien, and another to Fort
Madison. The latter returned by our village and exhibited several scalps
which they had taken. Their success induced several parties to go
against the fort. Myself and several of my band joined the last party,
and were determined to take the fort. We arrived in the vicinity during
the night. The spies that we had sent out several days before to watch
the movements of those at the garrison, and ascertain their numbers,
came to us and gave the following information: "A keel arrived from
below this evening with seventeen men. There are about fifty men in
the fort and they march out every morning to exercise." It was
immediately determined that we should conceal ourselves in a position
as near as practicable to where the soldiers should come out, and when
the signal was given each one was to fire on them and rush into the fort.
With my knife I dug a hole in the ground deep enough that by placing a
few weeds around it, succeeded in concealing myself. I was so near the
fort that I could hear the sentinels walking on their beats. By day break
I had finished my work and was anxiously awaiting the rising of the
sun. The morning drum beat. I examined the priming of my gun, and
eagerly watched for the gate to open. It did open, but instead of the
troops, a young man came out alone and the gate closed after him. He
passed so close to me that I could have killed him with my knife, but I
let him pass unharmed. He kept the path toward the river, and had he
gone one step from it, he must have come upon us and would have
been killed. He returned immediately and entered the gate. I would now

have rushed for the gate and entered it with him, but I feared that our
party was not prepared to follow me.
The gate opened again when four men emerged and went down to the
river for wood. While they were gone another man came out, walked
toward the river, was fired on and killed by a Winnebago. The others
started and ran rapidly towards the fort, but two of them were shot
down dead. We then took shelter under the river's bank out of reach of
the firing from the fort.
The firing now commenced from both parties and was kept up without
cessation all day. I advised our party to set fire to the fort, and
commenced preparing arrows for that purpose. At night we made the
attempt, and succeeded in firing the buildings several times, but
without effect, as the fire was always instantly extinguished.
The next day I took my rifle and shot in two the cord by which they
hoisted their flag, and prevented them from raising it again. We
continued