HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY. 
 
with them between 1823 and 1828 are attribut- 
ed to that cause. These were quieted, how- 
ever, in 1828, when by treaty they gave the gov- 
ernment permission to occupy the mineral region 
for a compensation of $20,000, but did not cede 
these lands until thenext year. This was the 
end of the Winnebago trouble, but in 1832 a 
more serious danger threatened the destruction 
of the isolated settlements-the incursion of 
Black Hawk with his formidable band of Sacs 
and Foxes from the Iowa country into the lower 
valley of Rock river. The concentration of 
United States forces and Illinois volunteers 
from the south and east upon the rear an4l flank 
of this enemy, forced him back upon the Lead 
Region, but the resistance here offered,added to 
the pursuit in his rear, compelled him to seek 
safety in the timber and swamps of Jefferson 
county. The more important incidents of this 
struggle in Lafayette county may be briefly 
summarized. In April, 1832, information of 
Black Hawk's crossing into Illinois having 
reached the Lead Regions, Daniel M. Parkiso, 
was dispatched to Dixon's ferry, to aseertaii 
if his intentions were hostile. Returniing witl 
information confirming previous reports of dani- 
ger ahead, a volunteer force was organized, of 
which Col. Henry Dodge became commander. 
Defenses were constructed at Hamilton's place, 
Gratiot's Grove, White Oak Springs, Shullsburg, 
Diamond Grove, Elk Grove, at the residence of 
D. M. Parkison (Fort Defiance), and at Seel- 
horst's at the southwest extremity of Elk Grove, 
all in Lafayette county, and elsewhere. Dur- 
ing the early part of June, matters became still 
more serious, Dodge's volunteers visited Rock 
river, and after an interview between its com- 
mander and Gen. Atkinson, returned and were 
dismissed to their homes* with orders to be in, 
readiness to re-assemble on a moment's notice. 
This occurred on the 14th. The same day the In- 
dians surprised a party of seven men at work 
in a corn field on Spafford's farm, near the month 
of the creek of the same name, a few miles 
southeast of Fort Ilanmilton, killing five, the 
 
other two rmaking their escape by extraordinary 
activity. The alarm was instantly spread, and 
a detachment from Fort Defiance proceeded to 
the scene of action and buried the dead. On 
the morning of the 16th, Col. Dodge arrived at 
Fort Hamilton, where the volunteers had been 
ordered to assemble. A few moments after his 
arrival, a German named Apple was fired upon 
within a short distance of the fort by the In- 
dians in ambush, and instantly killed. The men 
at the fort, twenty-nine in number, hastily 
mounted, under Dodge's orders, and galloped 
after the now retreating band of savages, who 
retired eastward toward the East Branch of the 
Pecatonica, about five miles distant, when, find- 
ing that they would be overtaken, they posted, 
themselves within a horse-shoe bend of the 
stream under the banks of a small pond, and 
awaited the onset. After fording the river and 
approaching the position, the men were dis- 
mounted, and leaving four in charge of the 
horses, four others were detached in different 
directions to watch the movements of the ene- 
iny. Twenty-one advanced to the attack in open 
order, with trailed arms, and when within a 
few yards of the concealed enemy they received 
their fire, which, however, was not well directed, 
and only three men fell. A charge was in- 
stantly made, and before the Indians could re- 
load they were all shot down, seventeen in 
number, not one of them escaping. The loss of 
the assailants was three killed and one wounded. 
The Indians made no further -hostile demon- 
strations, and a few days later Posey's Illinois 
detachment and the miners' battalion united 
their forces at Fort Hamilton, and proceeded 
from thence by way of the four lakes to join 
Gen. Atkinson and the main army at the foot of 
Lake Koshkonong. During this time Hamilton 
made a trip to Prairie du Chien, in order to se- 
cure Winnebago allies against Black Hawk, in 
which he was only partly successful, returning 
with a number of that tribe with whom he ac- 
cornpanied the expedition previously mentioned. 
The conclusion of the Black Hawk War was the 
end uf all Indian disturbances in this region. 
 
To 
 
149