CHAPTER XXII.
General Panic–Independent Companies Raised–Atkinson’s March Continued–Insubordination–Army Disbanded–Interim Regiment Raised.
If Stillman’s defeat spread consternation, the Indian Creek massacre created a veritable and universal panic in the West. Counties began the organization of companies and regiments, Putnam alone contributing an entire regiment, called the Fortieth, which was mustered into the field May 21st. It was composed of the companies of Captains George B. Willis, Robert Barnes, William M. Stewart and William Haws, with the following staff: Colonel, John Strawn; Lieutenant-Colonel, William Cowen; Major, Elias Thompson; Adjutant, Henry K. Cassell; Quarter-master, Jeremiah Strawn; Paymaster, Peter Barnhart; Surgeon, B.M. Hayse; Quartermaster’s Sergeant, Roland Mosley; Surgeon’s Mate, Richard Hunt; Sergeant-Major, William Myers; Drum Major, Ward Graves; Fife Major, Michael Reed.
After ranging that section of the country until June 18th, when all danger was thought to be over, it was mustered out at Hennepin.
Colonel Moore’s Vermilion County regiment was another, while ten companies of foot and mounted rangers ranged over territory generally local: Capt. Peter Menard, mounted, of Peoria County, mustered out at Dixon’s August 14th;[[137]] Cyrus Matthews, foot, of Morgan, mustered out at Fort Wilbourn August 1st; Capt. George McFadden, mounted, of LaSalle, mustered out at Ottawa June 29th; Capt. John Stennett, mounted, of Schuyler, mustered out September 4th; Capt. M.L. Covell of McLean, mounted, mustered out at Bloomington August 3d; Capt. John S. Wilbourn, foot, of Morgan, mustered out June 9th; Capt. Solomon Miller, mounted, of St. Clair, mustered out at Belleville August 2d; Capt. William Warnick, mounted, of Macon (ranged that county only), mustered out September 24th at Decatur; Capt. Charles S. Dorsey, mounted, of Tazewell (ranged that county only), mustered out at Pekin July 9th; Capt. James Walker of Will, and, finally, the company of Capt. Earl Pierce, about which nothing can be learned, mustered out August 16th.
The life of Captain Wilbourn’s company was ephemeral. Reports reached Beardstown that trouble was imminent at Hennepin and that reinforcements were needed at once. Accordingly twenty-nine men volunteered from Beardstown under Capt. John S. Wilbourn, took the steamer Caroline, Captain Doty commanding, and proceeded forthwith to Hennepin. Captain Doty, for the better protection of those aboard, and also aggressively to deal with the enemy, mounted a field piece upon the boat, where it might do execution at long range. At Hennepin, however, the rumor was found to be false and without delay the company was sent back to Beardstown and mustered out June 9th, and this was all the service that the company of Captain Wilbourn saw.
Neighboring states were also placed in a state of panic, and to escape possible raids, Michigan, Indiana and Missouri called out the militia, the first two actually sending a force to Chicago. The last named, while calling out its militia, did not send it forward. The following general order, made in response to the call of Governor Miller of Missouri, ordering Major-General Gentry to have 1,000 men in readiness to march at a moment’s warning to the frontier, appears in the Missouri Republican of June 12th, 1832:
“GENERAL ORDER.
“Columbia, May 31, 1832.
“Sir:–Having been required by General Order to raise and organize the Ninth Brigade, which I have the honor to command, 300 mounted volunteers, for the defense of the frontiers of the State of Missouri, to be held in readiness to march at a moment’s warning, you will, therefore, with the least possible delay, cause to be raised and organized in the Twenty-sixth Regiment, Ninth Brigade, and Third Missouri Militia, which you have the honor to command, 100 mounted volunteers.
“You will organize 100 volunteers, to be raised into two companies–50 men each–and cause an election to be held in each for one captain, one lieutenant, and one ensign, and as soon as all the company officers are elected, you will make a return to me, certifying the name and rank of each person elected, etc., that they may be commissioned accordingly. Their services will be accepted for six months, unless sooner discharged; but no pay or compensation need be expected unless ordered by the Governor into actual service. Each volunteer will keep constantly in readiness a horse, with necessary equipment, a rifle in good order, with an ample supply of ammunition, etc., so as to be ready to march at a moment’s warning.
“Jesse T. Wood,
“Brig.-Gen., Commanding Ninth Brigade, Third Div., Mo. Militia.”
“Thomas G. Berry,
“Col. Commanding Twenty-sixth Reg., Ninth Brig., Third Div., Mo. Militia.”
Very naturally the frontier was regarded as a slaughtering pen, where flame and the tomahawk were ravaging the settlements almost to extinction, and one would think such scenes as the Indian Creek massacre would have incited the militia to revenge the atrocities of monsters who could butcher women and children; but such was the disorder, lack of organization, dissension and open insubordination among many of the influential that, though they passed scalps, plunder and other evidences of hideous crimes, the troops murmured, and upon one plea and another flatly asked for discharge.
H.K. CASSELL.
JEREMIAH STRAWN.
CAPT. PETER MENARD.
CAPT. CYRUS MATHEWS.
FORT DIXON; ERECTED BY LIEUT. COL. ZACHARY TAYLOR ON THE NORTH SIDE OF ROCK RIVER, WITHIN THE PRESENT CITY OF DIXON, ILL.
Atkinson did everything a gallant officer could to spur the army on to an early capture of the enemy. On the 22d, at the third camp above Dixon’s, he issued the following order:
“Headquarters, Right Wing, West Dept.,
“Third Camp above Dixon’s, on Rock River, 22d May, 1832.
“Order No. 22.
“The troops will move this morning as early as practicable. General Whiteside will call on the Commanding General for special instructions as to the operations of the Illinois volunteers. Major Long’s Battalion will join General Whiteside’s Brigade, and receive his orders. Col. Taylor, First Regiment Infantry, will accompany the volunteers as inspector general of that corps, and will superintend the regularity of its movements, order of encampment, of battle, etc., etc. Capt. Harney of the First Infantry will accompany Col. Taylor as assistant inspector.
“By order of Brig. Gen. Atkinson,
“A.S. Johnston, A.D.C., A.A.A. Gen.”
The purpose of these orders was to have such men as Taylor and Harney, who were courageous and tactful fighters, pursue the enemy to the death, and effectually would they have done it had the troops manifested the least disposition for the task.
Further alarming reports of danger to the frontier below Dixon’s prompted General Atkinson, on the 23d, to withdraw with the regulars to Dixon’s, from which point Stillman was ordered with his three companies to proceed to join the main army for scouting service, leaving Lieutenant Williams of Colonel James’ odd battalion in command of the volunteers remaining, while Major Bliss continued in charge of the regulars at that post, which was ordered to be fortified for better security. Accordingly Fort Dixon was erected on the north side of Rock River, opposite.
The special instructions mentioned in the foregoing order were as follows:
“Headquarters Right Wing, Western Department,
“Third Camp above Dixon’s Ferry, Rock River, 22d May, 1832.
“Special Order No. 11.
“It being ascertained that the hostile Indians have left Rock River and passed up Sycamore Creek, and probably across to Fox and DuPage rivers, General Whiteside will move with the Illinois volunteers up Sycamore Creek, scour the country in that direction for the enemy, pass from thence to Fox River of the Illinois, and be governed by circumstances as to a further pursuit of him, persevering, however, until he is subdued or driven from the country. As soon as this service is performed and Governor Reynolds may deem the frontier secure, or take other measures for its defense, the Illinois volunteers, in the United States service, will be mustered by the brigade major and discharged, he taking care to note on the muster rolls all delinquents.
“General Whiteside will, during his operations, inform the commanding general by express, at Dixon’s Ferry, which is established as general headquarters and the base of operations, of every occurrence that may require his attention.[[138]]
“By order of Brig. Gen. Atkinson,
“Alb. S. Johnston, A.D.C., A.A. General.”
After three days’ vain search, the army reached a Pottowatomie village on Sycamore Creek, where much of the plunder secured from Stillman was found cached, likewise many of the scalps taken from his men and the murdered victims of Indian Creek. All Indian property found there was confiscated by the men, who were becoming audacious. At that point the trail of the Indians lay to the north, while their homes lay to the south. Taylor urged pursuit with his accustomed vigor, but the undercurrent of dissatisfaction was so strong that Governor Reynolds called to his tent all the captains of his army for a conference. A tie vote resulted, whereupon General Whiteside, in his wrath at seeing the scalps of his friends and women and children ignored, declared he would no longer lead them except to be discharged. Therefore the army turned its course southward, a detour being made by some of the troops to rob Shabbona’s Paw Paw village of the little plunder remaining, thence over to Fox River, which was reached May 25th, and where the following order was promulgated:
“Headquarters Camp No. ––, Fox River, May 25, 1832.
“Special Order. Col. DeWitt (and the other officers):
“You are hereby commanded forthwith to cause an inquiry and search of regiments in your line and report the articles of any description taken by the men at the Paw Paw and the Indian villages on Sycamore Creek belonging to the Indians, by whom taken, with the supposed value of such articles, to headquarters this evening.
“By order of Brig. Gen. Whiteside,
“N. Buckmaster, Brigade Major.”
Lawlessness was running rampant! Leisurely following Fox River, its mouth was reached on the morning of the 27th, where on that day and the next the volunteers were mustered out of service by Major Buckmaster.[[139]]
While the mortification which fell upon the gallant “Old Ranger” Governor, Reynolds, was crushing to his fine sense of honor, it was probably best for the dissemblers to go, even at so great a sacrifice of life and personal feeling. An opportunity was given the patriotic and well disposed volunteers to accept a twenty-day service to guard the frontier while the new levy could be brought into the field and finish the campaign. On the 29th General Atkinson reached the scene from Dixon’s and established his headquarters opposite the mouth of the Fox, and immediately urged that 1,000 men volunteer for the twenty-day temporary service, which, he hoped, would assure him of 3,000 men when in conjunction with the new levy.
ORDER MAY 22, TO CAUSE INQUIRY.
The utter disregard of the troops for discipline; their contempt for superiors; contempt for their period of enlistment, not one-half expired, and almost open insubordination, cannot be appreciated by the present generation, unless the matter has been made the subject of conversation with a survivor who may have opened his mind in confidence. The following order should be a revelation to explain Stillman’s defeat. Dislike of Whiteside alone could not have been sufficient to demand such an order:
“Headquarters, May 24, 1832.
“General Orders:
“The great disorder in the brigade occasioned by the men’s quitting their places in the line and scattering over the country, renders it absolutely necessary to inflict punishment on everyone who violates orders in that particular.
“Colonels of regiments and majors of separate battalions will require that every man shall keep his place in the ranks if the individual is able to march, and if not, he will obtain permission of his captain to march in the rear of the army.
“All footmen will march with Major Long’s battalion. Should any man attempt to pass out of the army on either flank, or should he be found out without permission, he will be taken in custody of the guard and, if he be an officer, will immediately be arrested. The officer of the day will be particularly charged with the execution of this order.
“By order of the Brig. Gen.
“N. Buckmaster, Brigade Major.”
There were so many jealousies and irritations, there was such lack of cohesion, and certainly lack of organization and discipline, that men naturally disposed to continue their service lost interest by the contagion of disaffection and wished themselves well rid of it. It may therefore be said that the dispersion of the army was the act of wisdom.
General Whiteside was an energetic and patriotic man, and so it should be said of Governor Reynolds. Both had been rangers in the war of 1812, suffering dangers and fatigues without number. Both had been in responsible military positions and acquitted themselves creditably, but the army was composed of such divergent, discordant, independent and headstrong characters that harmony was impossible.
Crops for the second year were being neglected; business interests left to be resumed at the end of thirty days[[140]]–as was supposed–were urging many to return. The prospect of a long campaign, complaints for burning the village of the Prophet and the forced march to Dixon’s thereafter–allowing the Stillman expedition, when probably the men favored it at the time–all conspired to raise a state of affairs so disagreeable all round that disintegration was inevitable and proper. Immediately the mustering out was finished, on May 27th, six companies, commanded by Captains Samuel Smith of Greene County, Benjamin James of Bond County, Elijah Iles–with whom Lincoln was a private–Alexander White and Alexander D. Cox of Sangamon, William C. Ralls of Schuyler and Adam W. Snyder of St. Clair, flew to the rescue of this regiment. Jacob Fry, on the 31st, was made colonel; James D. Henry, lieutenant-colonel; John Thomas, major; E.P. Oliphant, adjutant; John W. Scott, paymaster; William Kirkpatrick, quartermaster; H. Dulaney and John B. Rutledge, surgeons; Thomas R. Waldron, quartermaster’s sergeant; Jonathan Leighton, surgeon’s mate, and William McAdams, sergeant-major.
This regiment, the flower of the first army, was made up of resolute and fearless men, among them Privates Joseph Gillespie, Francis Jarrott, Pierre Menard, Richard Roman, James Semple, John T. Stuart, John Dement, John J. Hardin and General Samuel Whiteside–men who would not permit crops, business or any other enterprise to keep them away from the path of duty as they then saw it.