red
and fifty men, under the command of Captain Dement, some of whom, with
about forty horses, were killed. The commander did not deem it prudent
to march out and encounter the Indians, who finding that they could not
take the fort, secured a quantity of provisions, some horses and cattle,
and commenced a retreat. They had not proceeded far, before they were
overtaken by a detachment of volunteers under Colonel Posey, who had
come to relieve the fort. Black Hawk, who commanded the Indians in this
affair, says, "We concealed ourselves until they came near enough, and
then commenced yelling and firing and made a rush upon them. About this
time their chief, with a party of men, rushed up to the rescue of those
we had fired upon. In a little while they commenced retreating, and left
their chief and a few braves, who seemed willing and anxious to fight.
They acted like braves, but were forced to give way when I rushed upon
them with my braves. In a short time, the chief returned with a larger
party. He seemed determined to fight and anxious for battle. When he
came near enough, I raised the yell, and firing commenced from both
sides. The chief, who is a small man, addressed his warriors in a loud
voice; but they soon retreated, leaving him and a few braves on the
battle field. A great number of my warriors pursued the retreating
party, and killed a number of their horses as they ran. The chief and
his braves were unwilling to leave the field. I ordered my braves to
rush upon them, and had the mortification of seeing two of my chiefs
killed, before the enemy retreated. This young chief deserves great
praise for his courage, but fortunately for us, his army was not all
composed of such brave men."

The Indians had about two hundred men in this engagement. The troops in
the fort united with those under Colonel Posey, exceeded, in number
Black Hawk's party. The loss of life was inconsiderable on either side.

On the 4th of July, the main army under General Atkinson, arrived at the
foot of lake Coshconong, formed by an expansion of Rock river, in the
vicinity of which the Indians had been embodied. On the 9th of July,
General Atkinson says, in a letter to General Scott, that he had not yet
been enabled to find the Indians, who he supposes to be seven or eight
hundred strong, his own force amounting to four hundred regulars and
2100 mounted volunteers.

Two brigades of the mounted volunteers, under General Dodge, pursued the
In