How many in the British Band?

[Robert Braun]

I think we all have read works by modern writiers who estimate the numbers of the followers of Black Hawk-- the so-called "British Band"-- at somewhere between 1,000 and 2,000 people. Noone really seems to know for sure. One historian, using the clan/moeity numbers for the Sauk and Fox people, placed the strength of the band at between 1,000 to 1,200.. deriving this estimate from the number of warriors supposed to be with the band.

The number of warriors is also an area of debate... with writers opining that the number was somewhere between 400 and 500. And, inevitably, we are reminded of the women, children, and elderly that accompanied the British Band in their trek across Illinois and present-day Wisconsin.

Wouldn't it be nice to have a better handle on the numbers of persons that made up the British Band?

And what about the mobility of the British Band... a subject of some debate on the pages of this board. Wouldn't it be nice to have a handle on the number of horses available to the band?

Enter the "Porter's Grove Council" of June 3-4, 1832. Present at the council were Henry Gratiot, U. S. Indian Agent, Col. Henry Dodge, and cheifs of the Winnebago Nation-- Whirling Thunder, White Crow, Spotten Arm, Broken Shoulder, Little Priest, Old Soldier, Swallow, and some twenty other cheifs and braves.

Upon questioning by Gratiot and Dodge, the council, specifically White Crow,revealed the following facts on Juen 4:

1.  At the Sauk camp at around that time were Sauk, Fox, Pottowatomie, and Kickapoo. About 1,000 persons altogether...380 of which were pure Sauk; 100 Kickapoo, and the rest are Fox and so-called "half-breed" Winnebago and Potthingy omie. Seven or eight hundred were reportedly male.

2. About one thousand horses were estimated to be at the Sauk camp, with White Crow thinking "there were more." Indeed, there were so many horses that the Winnebago reportedly only sold twelve horses to the band... ten of which went to "the young women."

The report of the "Porter's Grove Council" provides a deeper look into the make-up of the British Band in late-May to early June, 1832.

[Larry Koschkee]

Bob,

About 1,000, the number of individuals at the Sauk camp cited by White Crow, seems to be consistent with most material published, give or take 100 or 200. The break down by tribe or nation is most interesting.

The numbers do become scrambled when one considers the "British Band" is not the same amount as Black Hawk's force or Black Hawk and his followers.

I have pondered Captain Henry Smith's tally of the Indian force on many occasion. "At the Des Moines rapids two hundred miles above (from Jefferson Baracks, Missouri or 12 miles upstream from today's Keokuk, Iowa) it was first learned by the detachment that... Accounts here, made the number of warriors between six and eight hundred, who had ascended the Mississippi toward Rock Island. Gen. Atkinson arrived at Rock Island abouth the 12th of April; and there ascertained that on that day or the day before, the Indians had entered the mouth of Rock River, and were ascending it.

The general here received (military intelligence) correct and undoubted information of their numbers and condition. Different traders and others had carefully counted them, and reported the number of efficient warriors to be about six hundred and fifty, consisting of Black Hawk's "British Band," the friends of the war party who had committed the murders at Prairie du Chien, and about one hundred and twenty Kickapoos; they were subsquently joined on the Rock River by the Prophet's band (at today's Prophetstown, IL, 40 miles up Rock river from the Miss. River).

Does Captain Smith mean there were about 650 warriors inclusive of the Prophet's band or not inclusive?

What was the common ratio of warriors to the general population within the tribe and specific time period?

Did the families of all the warriors accompany them? If not what percentage did? These questions would have to be answered correctly to extrapolate the total individuals (warriors, men, women and children).

Did White Crow exaggerate the numbers to mislead Gratiot and Dodge? After all he was doing a lot of chest pounding and exhibited hostile actions.

A lot what if's to speculate about and leads to futility.

Captain Smith when on to say..."About four hundred and fifty of the force were mounted, and it is but justice to say they were very efficient cavalry on hardy and generally well trained horses." ... This leaves approximately 200 warriors walking. Why were they walking? Was it because they preferred to or was there no trained horses available; maybe no additional horses at all.

Bob, you had mentioned that the Winnebago were only able to sell twelve horses to the band. That is not necessarily a indicator the band was flush with horse flesch. Perhaps what was offered were utility quality only, unfit for the rigors and duties of a war horse, or too young to be practical. Also, the price or barter set was too high. Why buy when you can raid and steal from the white settlements and military.

[Robert Braun]

Larry, some interesting points, here... particularly your last one regarding the purchase of horses. I had quite forgotten about the obvious-- being the opportunity to secure fresh mounts from settlements without the need for barter.

I remain suspicious of Captain Henry Smith's account...for reasons cited elsewhere on this board... and primarily because he comments on things of which he did not have direct, or close knowledge.

White Crow, on the other hand, was much closer to sources of first hand information on both sides of the aisle. I believe he accompanied Gratiot to the Prophet's Village in April, where Black Hawk and his younger followers engaged in the first war-like activites of the campaign. White Crow comes off as credible in the reports of this particular council. If he intended to decieve, he would have been less precise with his figures, in my view. Indeed, a further example might include his pledge to support Gratiot and Dodge with his "see if we are good soldiers or not" speech on June 4 at Porter's Grove.

White Crow certainly did his share of chest-thumping. I am forming the impression that White Crow was a "love the one you're with" kind of person. He did end up supporting Dodge, and sent his own son among the Winnebago scouts during the race to Wisconsin Heights.

I have sources that may answer some of your other questions... and will try to dig them out.

Regards... Bob.

[Robert Braun]

Dr. Anthony F. C. Wallace, in his outstanding monograph entitled "Prelude to Disaster: The Course of Indian-White Relations Which Lead to the Black Hawk War of 1832," wrote:

The number of Indians with Black Hawk when he crossed the river was probably in the neighborhood of 1,000 souls. Estimates, of course, varied widely at the time and in retrospect. The number of Sauk and Fox "warriors" (men and youth capable of bearing arms) with Black Hawk was estimated by Forsyth in his manuscript essay of October 1832 at 368; with them were about 100 Kickapoo "warriors." John Connolly, a former Sauk and Fox subagent, estimated the Sauk and Fox boys and men at 400. Keokuk, in council with General Atkinson, gave the figure of 500 (probably implying "warriors"), equally divided into Sauk and Fox, and Atkinson reported 500 warriors. With the men were a large numer of women and children, since whole families were moving with the band.

Dr. Wallace continued:

Later, of course, they were joined by some of the Sauk-Winnebago half breeds and stragglers at the Prophet's village, about ten lodges (probably about 50 "warriors" and a total of 100 souls). The estimate of 1,000 souls as the number of Sauk Fox and Kickapoo in the band agrees closely with the breakdown of fatal casualties and prisoners obtained during the course of the campaign and its aftermath...

Dr. Wallace indicated that the Kickapoo contingent amounted to some twelve lodges, from whom nearly all of their menfolk were killed at either Wisconsin Heights or the battle of the Mississippi.

Despite the assertions of some modern investigators that advoce a position of "blended" people within Black Hawk's group, I believe (based in part on Dr. Wallace's writings) that there were strong striations within the British Band and their "allied" groups. Sauk associated with Sauk, Fox with Fox, and Kickapoo with Kickapoo as a general rule.

Indeed, when surviving Sauk principal warriors talk about the dead in the survivor accounts, they certainly appear to be talking about fatalites among their OWN Sauk, not a inclusionary statement of the dead of the band as an entity. Kickapoo survivors, while midful of their own grevious losses, appear to take a more inclusionary position, and soemtimes seem to refer to the casualties as a part of the whole band or group.

[Larry Koschkee]

Bob,

True to your promise, you did dig up some additional material. Metaphorically, you certainly would have made an excellent "1829 Miner".

Keokuk's tally of 500 "warriors" made up of Fox and Sauk and John Connolly's estimate of 400 "Fox men and boys," that you cited, calculates out close to Captain Smith's estimate of 650 Fox/Sauk "warriors" minus about 120 Kickapoo.

These numbers seem reasonable and are close, however "close" is said to only count in horseshoes and hand grenades.

Interesting post Bob!

Larry

[Robert Braun]

Many thanks for the kind words.

Here's what Captain Smith's boss had to say (courtesy of Cliff Krainik)


FORT ARMSTRONG, April 13, 1832.

"DEAR SIR:—
The band of Sacs, under Black Hawk, joined by about one hundred Kickapoos and a few Pottowattomies, amounting in all to about five hundred men, have assumed a hostile attitude. They crossed the river at the Yellow Banks on the sixth inst., and are now moving up on the east side of Rock river, towards the Prophet's village. "The regular force under my command is too small to justify me in pursuing the hostile party. To make an unsuccessful attempt to coerce them would only irritate them to acts of hostility on the frontier sooner than they probably contemplate. "Your own knowledge of the character of these Indians, with the information herewith submitted, will enable you to judge of the course proper to pursue. I think the frontier is in great danger, and will use all the means at my disposal to co-operate with you in its protection and defense. With great respect,

Your most obedient servant,
H. ATKINSON,
Brigadier General of the U. S. Army, His Excellency, Gov. Reynolds, Belleville, Ills."

Atkinson's reference to "five hundred men" must certainly mean "warriors" or males capable of bearing arms.

[Cliff Krainik]

Wisconsin Heights / President Davis

Funny lead in. Good information. Thanks, Bob.

Cliff