Thomas Forsyth, of St. Louis, Missouri, who was a trader and later Indian agent to the Sac and Foxes from 1804 to 1830, left a recounting of events. This manuscript among his personal papers was written in 1832, while Black Hawk was in prison at Jefferson Barracks(see Appendix to Waubun by Mrs. John H. Kenzie), as follows
:"The United States troops, under the command of Major Stoddard, arrived here(St. Louis) and took possession of this country in the month of February, 1804. In the Spring of that year a white person( a man or boy) was killed in Cuvier Settlement by a Sauk Indian. Some time in the Summer following a party of United States soldiers were sent up to the Sauk village, on Rocky River, and a demand made of the Sauk Chiefs for the murderer. The Sauk Chiefs did not hesitate a moment, but delivered him up to the commander, who brought him and delivered him over to the civil authorities in this place
(St. Louis).Sometime in the ensuing Autumn some Sauk and Fox Indians came to this place and had a conversation with General Harrison
(then Governor of Indian Territory and acting Governor of this State, then Territory of Louisiana), on the subject of liberating their relative, then in prison for the above murder. Quashquamme, a Sauk chief, who was the Headman for this party, has repeatedly said: "Mr. Chouteau, Sr., came several times to my camp, offering that if I would sell the lands on the east side of the Mississippi River Governor Harrison would liberate my relation,(meaning the Sauk Indian then in prison as above related), to which I at last agreed, and sold the lands from the mouth of the Illinois River up the Mississippi River as high as the mouth of Rocky River(now Rock River) and east to the ridge that divided the waters of the Mississippi and Illinois rivers, but I never sold any more lands." Quashquamme also said to Governor Edwards, Governor Clark and Mr. Auguste Chouteau, Commissioners appointed to treat with the Chippewas, Ottawa and Pottawattamies of Illinois, in the Summer of 1816, for lands on the west side of the Illinois River: "You white men may put on paper what you please, but again I tell you I never sold any lands higher up the Mississippi than the mouth of Rocky River."In the treaty just mentioned, the line commences opposite to the mouth of Gasconade river, and running in a direct line to the headwaters of Jeffreon
(there is no such named river at that time in the country, this fact alone would make this treaty null and void—of no effect in law or equity. This was the opinion of Governor Howard) River, thence down that river to the Mississippi River—thence up the Mississippi River to the mouth of the Wisconsin River—thence up that river thirty-six miles—thence in a direct line to a little lake in Fox River of Illinois, down the Fox River to the Illinois River to its mouth—thence down the Mississippi River to the mouth of the Missouri River—thence up that river to the place of beginning.The Sauk and Fox Nations were never consulted, nor had any hand in this treaty, nor knew anything about it. It was made and signed by two Sauk Chiefs, one Fox Chief and one warrior. When the annuities were delivered to the Sauk and Fox Nation of Indians, according to the treaty above referred to,
(amounting to $1,000 per annum) the Indians always thought they were presents, (as the annuity for the past twenty years was always paid in goods, sent on from Georgetown, District of Columbia, and poor articles of merchandise they were—very often damaged and not suitable for Indians) until I, as their agent, convinced them of the contrary in the Summer of 1818. When the Indians heard that the goods delivered to them were annuities for land sold by them to the United States, they were astonished, and refused to accept the goods, denying that they ever sold the lands, as stated by me, their agent.The Black Hawk in particular, who was present at the time, made a great noise about this land, and would never receive any part of the annuities from that time forward. He always denied the authority of Quashquamme and others to sell any part of these lands, and told the Indians not to receive any presents or annuities from any American—otherwise their lands would be claimed at some future day.
As the United States does insist and retain the lands according to the treaty of November 3rd, 1804, why do they not fulfill their part of that treaty as equity demands? The Sauk and Fox Nations are allowed, according to this treaty: ‘to live and hunt on the lands ceded, as long as the aforesaid lands belong to the United States.’
In the Spring of the year 1827, about twelve or fifteen families of squatters arrived and took possession of the Sauk village, near the mouth of the Rock River. They immediately commenced destroying the Indian bark boats. Some were burned, others were torn to pieces; and when the Indians arrived at the village and found fault with the destruction of their property, they were beaten and abused by the squatters.
The Indians made complaint to me as their agent. I wrote to General Clark, (Superintendent of Indian Affairs at St. Louis), stating to him from time to time what happened, and giving minute detail of everything that passed between the whites(squatters) and the Indians. The squatters insisted that the Indians should be removed from their village, saying that as soon as the land was brought into market they(the squatters) would buy it.
It became needless for me to show them the treaty and the right the Indians had to remain on these lands. They tried every method to annoy the Indians, by shooting their dogs, claiming their horses, complaining that the Indians’ horses broke into their cornfields, selling them whiskey for the most trifling articles, contrary to the wishes and requests of the chiefs, particularly, the Black Hawk, who both solicited and threatened them on the subject, but all to no purpose.
The President directed those lands to be sold at the Land Office in Springfield, Illinois. Accordingly, when the time came that they were to be offered for sale (in the Autumn of 1829) there were about twenty families of squatters at and in the vicinity of the old Sauk village, most of whom attended the sale, and but one of them could purchase a quarter section, (if we except George Davenport, a trader, who resided on Rocky Island); therefore, all the lands not sold still belonged to the United States, and the Indians had still a right, by treaty, to hunt and live on those lands.
This right, however, was not allowed them—they must move off.
In 1830, the principal chiefs and others of the Sauk and Fox Indians, who resided at the old village, near Rocky River, acquainted me that they would remove to their village on the Ioway River. These chiefs advised me to write to Governor Clark to send up a few militia—that the Black Hawk and his followers would then see that everything was in earnest, and they would remove to the west side of the Mississippi to their own lands.
The letter, as requested by the chiefs, was written and sent by me to Governor Clark, but he did not think proper to answer it; therefore, everything remained as formerly, and as a matter of course, Black Hawk and his party thought the whole matter of removing from the old village had blown over.
In the Spring of 1831, the Black Hawk and is party were augmented by many Indians from the Ioway River. The augmentation of forces made the Black Hawk very proud, and he supposed nothing would be done about removing him and his party. General Gaines visited the Black Hawk and his party this season with a force of regulars and militia, and compelled them to remove to the west side of the Mississippi River on their own lands.
When the Black Hawk re-crossed to the east side of the Mississippi River in 1832, they numbered three hundred and sixty-eight men. They were hampered with many women and children, and had no intention to make war. When attacked by Major Stillman’s detachment, they defended themselves like men, and I would ask who would not do likewise. Thus the war commenced. * * *
It is very well known by all who know the Black Hawk, that he has always been considered a friend to the whites. Often he has taken into his lodge a wearied white man, given him good food to eat and a good blanket to sleep on before the fire. Many a good meal has the Prophet given to people traveling past his village, and very many stray horses has he recovered from the Indians and restored to their rightful owners without asking any recompense whatever. * * *
What right have we to tell any people: ‘You shall not cross the Mississippi River on any pretext whatever?’ When the Sauk and Fox Indians wish to cross the Mississippi to visit their relations among the Pattawattomi, of the Fox River, Illinois, they are prevented by us because we have the power."