Black Hawk War

Chief Black Hawk

The Black Hawk War was a war between the Indians under command of Chief Black Hawk and American settlers on the frontier in 1832. It took place mostly in Illinois and Wisconsin. Several small battles were fought, including the Battle of Stillman's Run and the Battle of Bad Axe. During the War, dozens of Americans and hundreds of Indians were killed. Many more Americans died of cholera and other diseases than died in battle. After the War, the Sac, Fox and Kickapoo Indians lost most of their land in Illinois and Wisconsin. Both future Union President Abraham Lincoln and future Confederate President Jefferson Davis fought in the Black Hawk War, both on the side of the Union.

Black Hawk War Media

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  Keokuk by George Catlin, c. 1830s

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  Newspaper account of the alarm caused by Sauk returning to Saukenuk, Washington National Intelligencer, June 13, 1831

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  Fort Armstrong was located on Rock Island, which is now known as Arsenal Island. The view is from the Illinois side, with Iowa in the background.

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  Potawatomi chief Shabbona tried to keep his tribe out of the war.

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  Isaiah Stillman, militia commander at the Battle of Stillman's Run

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  Red X for marking battles on the 1832 Black Hawk War map

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  Shiny red button/marker widget. Used to mark the location of something such as a tourist attraction.

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  Shiny green button/marker widget.

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  An 1857 painting of the battlefield at Horseshoe Bend