m closely as to the whereabouts of Black Hawk and
his army, but was satisfied from his replies and helpless condition,
that he did not know, but on taking up his line of march the near
morning, Gen. Atkinson did not leave him as the Indians had done, alone
and without any means of subsistence, but left him an abundance of food,
and as we afterwards learned, the old man recruited and afterwards got
back to his tribe.,

On the evening of the 9th the army encamped at White Water, and the next
morning Indians were seen on the other side of this stream which was not
fordable, one of whom shot and wounded a regular. After breaking camp,
Gen. Atkinson ordered a move up the river, and that night camped with
his entire force--all having met at the same point. Gen. Dodge's corps
had taken a Winnebago prisoner and brought him into camp for the purpose
of finding out if he knew where Black Hawk's forces were. He said they
were encamped on an island near Burnt Village. Col. William S. Hamilton,
a brave and honored son of Alexander Hamilton, in command of a company
of Menomonees, who had joined the main army the day before, with Captain
Early and his command, after scouring the island thoroughly, reported
there were no Indians on the island.

Governor Reynolds, who had been on the march up Rock River with his
volunteers and the main army, together with Colonel Smith, Major Sidney
Breese and Colonel A. P. Field, left the army and came into Galena on
the 12th, from whom we obtained our information of the movements of the
army. They were firmly of the opinion that the Indians had taken to
the swamps, and gotten entirely out of reach of the army, and that no
farther danger need be apprehended. Colonel Field, who is an eloquent
speaker, at the solicitation of Colonel Strode, although nearly worn
out with hard marches, made an able and soul-stirring speech to our
regiment, and a large number of the inhabitants of Galena.

At this time the army was nearly out of provisions, and Fort Winnebago,
about seventy-five miles distant, the nearest point at which they could
replenish. General Atkinson then ordered General Posey with his brigade,
to Fort Hamilton, General Henry's and Alexander's brigade and General
Dodge's squadron to Fort Winnebago for provisions; and sent General
Ewing and his regiment to Dixon with Colonel Dunn, who had been
seriously wounded by one of his own sentinels, but who afterwards
recovered. General Atkinson then built a