Post by Larry Koschkee on Jul 28, 2004 9:08:14 GMT -5
While at the Prophet's village Henry Gratiot witnessed Black Hawk's band in military style mounted manuevers.
This account was published in the Galenian, of May 9th, 1832.
On the 26th, Mr. G. saw, at a distance of about two miles down Rock river, the army of the celebrated Black hawk, consisting of about 500 Sacs, well armed, and mounted on fine horses, moving in a line of battle. Their appearance was terrible in the extreme. Their bodies were painted with white clay, with now and then the impression of a hand about their bodies, colored black. About their ancles and bodies, they wore wreaths of straw, which always indicates a disposition for blood. They moved on with great regularity, performing many evolutions; and wheeling every few minutes, and firing towards Fort Armstrong, and turning again, flanking, and then forming solid columns, and then in a line of march. Thus they marched to the music of drum till they came up to the village.
What other examples of military style discipline and manuvers, whether mounted or dis-mounted, can we come up with during 1831-1832? This question is not limited to just for the Sauk, but for other tribes as well.
Larry K.
This account was published in the Galenian, of May 9th, 1832.
On the 26th, Mr. G. saw, at a distance of about two miles down Rock river, the army of the celebrated Black hawk, consisting of about 500 Sacs, well armed, and mounted on fine horses, moving in a line of battle. Their appearance was terrible in the extreme. Their bodies were painted with white clay, with now and then the impression of a hand about their bodies, colored black. About their ancles and bodies, they wore wreaths of straw, which always indicates a disposition for blood. They moved on with great regularity, performing many evolutions; and wheeling every few minutes, and firing towards Fort Armstrong, and turning again, flanking, and then forming solid columns, and then in a line of march. Thus they marched to the music of drum till they came up to the village.
What other examples of military style discipline and manuvers, whether mounted or dis-mounted, can we come up with during 1831-1832? This question is not limited to just for the Sauk, but for other tribes as well.
Larry K.
