FIGHT AT APPLE RIVER FORT.
Capt. A.W. Snyder's Company, of Col. Henry's Regiment, was detailed
to guard the country between Galena and Fox and Rock rivers, and was
surprised on the night of the 17th of June, while encamped in the
vicinity of Burr Oak Grove. His sentinels, while on duty, were fired
upon by Indians, who did not deem it prudent to continue the attack, but
immediately fled. As soon as it was light enough next morning to follow
their trail, Capt. Snyder started with his company, but on reaching
their camp, found that they had fled on his approach. He redoubled his
speed and continued on their trail until he overtook them. Finding that
there was no escape, the Indians got into a deep gully for protection,
but were soon surrounded, when Capt. Snyder ordered his men to charge
upon them. The Indians fired as they approached and mortally wounded one
of his men, Mr. William B. Mekemson, a brave volunteer from St. Clair
county, (whose father's family afterwards settled in this, Henderson
county, all of whom, except one brother, Andrew, a highly respected
Christian gentleman, have, long since, gone to meet their kinsman in
another world.) Mr. M. being unable to ride, a rude litter was made and
men detailed to carry him back to camp, at Kellogg's Grove. The company
had not proceeded far before they were attacked by about seventy-five
Indians, and two men, Scott and McDaniel, killed, and a Mr. Cornelius
wounded. The company was soon formed into line by the aid of Gen.
Whiteside, who was then acting merely as a private, and using the
precaution of Indians, each man got behind a tree, and the battle waxed
furiously for sometime without any serious results, until the Indian
commander was seen to fall, from the well directed aim of Gen.
Whiteside's rifle. Having now no leader the Indians ingloriously fled,
but for some reason were not pursued. Our reporter, however, said that
most of the company refused, for the reason that the second term of
their enlistment had expired, and they were anxious to be mustered out
of service, although the officers were eager to pursue.
The company then commenced their march to camp, and on approaching
the litter on which Mekemson lay, found that the Indians had cut off his
head and rolled it down the hill. Soon after, Major Riley, with a small
force of regulars, came up, and after consultation with Capt. Snyder,
it was deemed best not to follow the retreating Indians, as their route
probably led to the main army of Black Hawk.
APPLE RIVER FORT.
On the 23d of June scouts came into Galena, and reported at headquarters that a large body of Indians had been seen about thirty miles distant, but not being on the march, they were not able to conjecture to what point they were going. Col. Strode immediately made all necessary preparations to receive them, should Galena be the point of attack, and dispatched an express early next morning for Dixon's Ferry. On their arrival at Apple River Fort they halted for a short time, and then proceeded on their journey, and while yet in sight, at the crack of a gun the foremost man was seen to fall from his horse and two or three Indians rushed upon him with hatchets raised ready to strike, while his comrades galloped up, and with guns pointed towards the Indians kept them at bay until the wounded man reached the Fort. But had the Indians known these guns were not loaded, (as afterwards reported) they could have dispatched all three of them with their tomahawks.
In a very short time after hearing the crack of the gun a large body of Indians surrounded the fort, yelling and shooting, when the inmates, under command of Capt. Stone, prepared for defence, every port hole being manned by sharp-shooters. One man, Mr. George Herclurode, was shot through a port hole and instantly killed, and Mr. James Nutting wounded in the same way, but not seriously; which was the only loss sustained during the engagement of more than one hour's duration. A number of Indians were wounded and carried off the field. Capt. Stone had only twenty-five men, with a large number of women and children in the fort, but had providentially received a quantity of lead and provisions from Galena only an hour before the attack, and as he was short of bullets, the ladies of the fort busied themselves in melting lead and running balls as long as the battle lasted. Black Hawk, finding the fort impregnable from assault without firing it—an act that he well knew would, in a very short time, have brought a large body of troops on his path—concluded that it would be better to return and carry with them all the flour they could, killed a number of cattle and took choice pieces of beef, and all the homes that were in the stable. One of the expressmen, not deeming the fort a place of safety, hurried back to Galena, but getting lost on the way did not get in until early next morning. On hearing the news, Col. Strode took one hundred picked men, well mounted, and went to the relief of the fort, and was much gratified to find that its noble defenders had put to flight about one hundred and fifty Indians who had been under the command of Black Hawk himself.
KELLOGG'S GROVE FORT.
After leaving Apple River Fort, being well supplied with provisions, the Indians moved leisurely toward the fort at Kellogg's Grove, with the intention of taking it, as scouts had come in and reported that it was not very strongly garrisoned on the day previous to their arrival on the 23d of June. At this time the Illinois troops were rendez-voused at a place known as Fort Wilbourn on the Illinois river, at or near where now stands the city of LaSalle. What was then called the new levy, after Stillman's defeat, were assembled there, numbering about three thousand men, being formed into military organizations consisting of three brigades. The first brigade was commanded by Gen. Alexander Posey. The second by Gen. M. K. Alexander, and the third by Gen. James D. Henry. Major John Dement, of Vandalia, was elected to the command of a spy battalion composed of three companies. Gen. Atkinson, of the United States Regulars, commanding, while these organizations were progressing.
The Indians had made a raid on Bureau creek, situated between the Illinois and Rock rivers. John Dement had been chosen major by the members of three companies of Gen. Posey's brigade, which was a spy battalion. The Major's battalion being ready for duty when the news reached the fort of the attack upon the settles on Bureau creek, it was ordered to march at once to the scene of danger for protection of the settlers, and to discover and watch the movements of the Indians, if possible. The Major was ordered to scour the country through to Rock river, and then to report to Col. Zackary Taylor, who commanded a small force of United States troops at a small fortification at Dixon's Ferry on Rock river.
On the 22d of June, 1832, Major Dement reached Colonel Taylor's command, having performed the duties to which he was assigned by General Atkinson. On his arrival Colonel Taylor informed the Major that he had arrived at an opportune time, as he wished him to take his command, swim their horses across the river, and promptly occupy the country between his position and the Lead Mines at Galena, a distance of about sixty miles, with headquarters at Kellogg's Grove, thirty-seven miles in the direction of Galena and Apple River Fort. There had been stationed at the grove two companies of Regulars, commanded by Major Riley, and three companies of Volunteers that had abandoned this position the day before the arrival of Major Dement, and left the country without protection and entirely unguarded. These troops had been engaged in two or three skirmishes with the Indians, and according to the reports of the soldiers, had been worsted in each. Major Dement's command numbered one hundred and forty men, all told, not one of whom had ever seen any military experience, but they were men to be relied upon. They were citizen soldiers, brave and intelligent, equal to any emergency, and had no superiors in the service. This being an odd battalion, Major Dement was entitled to the staff of a Colonel. His staff was composed of Zadoc Casey, Paymaster; ——— Anderson, Colonel Hicks, and others. The Captains of the companies, and the staff officers, were leading citizens, who had, at short warning, left their several avocations to engage in defending the country against the attacks of the Indians.
MAJOR DEMENT'S BATTLE WITH THE INDIANS.