“In addition to the supply of provisions expected from Fort Wilbourn, by the teams now gone for it, Lieut. Holmes will cause an equal quantity, or more, to be brought to this place without delay. Escorts to the wagons will be furnished by the Commanding Officers at Ottoway and this place when called on by Lieut. Holmes. Lieut. Crossman, Asst. Quartermaster, will remain in this district of country and attend to the disbursements of all expenses which may be necessarily incurred in the Quartermaster’s Department.”
At this period George E. Walker called at headquarters to report the presence at the mouth of Sycamore Creek of Shabbona, Caldwell and others, who at Fort Wilbourn had signified a willingness to command a force of Pottowatomies, and desired a detachment to meet and confer with them at that point. Accordingly, the final order issued at Dixon’s was promulgated:
“Headquarters, Army of the Frontier,
“Dixon’s Ferry, 28 June, 1832.
“Order No. 47.
“General Henry will detach Colonel Fry, with his regiment, this morning, to the mouth of Sycamore Creek, where Caldwell and several of the principal men of the Pottawattomies, with 75 warriors, are encamped, waiting to join the army to co-operate with us against the Sac Indians. The object of the movement is to give countenance to the party under Caldwell till the main army comes up, which will move to-day as early as practicable. Col. Fry will, of course, use the necessary precautions for the security of his command.”
On the 29th Atkinson and staff moved from Dixon’s Ferry, reaching Stillman’s battlefield that evening, where they camped–as stated by Albert Sidney Johnston in his journal–a distance of six miles from the “Sycamore Creek, or Kishwaukee, where Colonel Fry’s Regiment is now encamped.” Four miles were made June 30th, Atkinson resting on Rock River for the day.[[194]] On the 1st of July seven more miles were made in the forenoon, the army stopping for the night in the fork of Turtle Creek and Rock River, just above the mouth of Turtle Creek.[[195]]
Lack of water was felt the following day for the first time, and after a severe march, on the 2d, the army camped above and near the mouth of “the river of the Four Lakes,” on the banks of a large pond, the first water to be found after a march of five hours.
About 10 o’clock of the 3d, scouts brought in news of a deserted Indian camp, broken up three nights before, which gave signs of the recent burial of five Indians. Several scalps and many feathers were also left there. The division halted at “Lake Koshkonong, or Mud Lake,” a large body of water formed by the widening or enlargement of Rock River. Trails were everywhere abundant, but no enemy was in sight, nor was his position then conjectured.
At night Captains Gordon and Menard arrived from Alexander’s command, which had steadily moved thence from the mouth of Plum River, with word that it was marching to form a junction with Atkinson’s forces.