The warriors were on horses, the women
and children in canoes.

By the last treaty that he had signed, Black-hawk had promised not to
cross to the east side of the Mississippi without the permission of the
United States. Now he said that he was going up the Rock River, to the
country of the Winnebagos, his friends, to visit among them and plant
corn and beans.

On the way up the Rock River he was ordered back, by word from General
Henry Atkinson, commander at Fort Armstrong.

Black-hawk replied that he had a right to travel peacefully, the same
as white persons. He was going to the Winnebago country, for the
summer.

The general sent another word, that if Black-hawk did not turn around,
soldiers would make him turn around.

Black-hawk replied that he was at peace and would stay at peace unless
the soldiers attacked him. He told his men not to fire first.

Pretty soon he met some Winnebagos and Potawatomis. They said that
their nations never had sent him any message talking war. They wished
no trouble with the United States. Wabokieshiek had lied.

So Black-hawk decided to give his guests a dog-feast, and then return
home. He was an old man of sixty-five, and he was too weak to fight
alone. He was getting tired.

He had made camp one hundred miles up the Rock River, near Kishwaukee,
a few miles below present Rockford, Illinois. By this time, early in
May, all Illinois was alarmed; the regulars and militia were on his
trail. They gathered at Dixon, about forty miles down the river from
his camp.

Major Isaac Stillman took two hundred and seventy-five mounted militia,
to scout for Black-hawk. They arrived at Sycamore Creek, within eight
miles of him, and did not see his camp. But Black-hawk knew that they
were there.

He sent out three young men with a white flag, to bring the American
chiefs to the camp, for a council; then they would all go down-river
together. He sent out five young men to follow the three, and see what
happened.

Only three of the five came back. The three with the white flag had
been taken prisoners, and the soldiers had chased the others and shot
two.

Black-hawk prepared for war. He had but forty men with him; the rest
were out hunting. Presently here came all the white soldiers,
galloping and yelling, to ride over him. They were foolish--they
seemed to think that the Sacs would run.

But Black-hawk was old in war. He laid an ambush--his forty warriors
waited,