A Puzzle.

[Robert Braun]

I had long speculated that Joseph Dickson's company was a small one, and John Roundtree's roster www.geocities.com/old_lead/rtree.htmseems to confirm that suspicion. Irvin O'Harra wnt on to raise and command a company of dismounted militia at Fort Dodge, while Dickson enlisted a spy company that served in Dodge's "Michigan Mounted Volunteers."

Now I observed that the muster out date for Dickson's spies was July 17, 1832. To our modern senses, the presumption could, and arguably should be that this spy company was discharged and went home shortly after July 17.

But they didn't. In fact, Dickson and his spy company performed hard service during the march and battle at Wisconsin Heights. And it was Dickson who led twenty volunteers forward on the morning of August 2 to bring on what became the Battle of the Mississippi. Heck Dickson himself was wounded in that fight.

The puzzle is... WHY wasn't the company dischared and sent home? Was their volunteer enlistment extended? If so, extended at WHOSE request/order?

Bob.

[Larry Koschkee]

Interesting puzzle - indeed.

When you say "his spy company" (Dickson's) - did Dickson actually have a company at the time of Wisconsin Heights?

Dodge and Henry were at Fort Winnebago on July 15th and many of Dodge's miner's had broken down horses and moral was down. At this time Dodge sent about 50 militia home and reorganized what was fit to march. Perhaps this is when Dickson's company was busted up... some went home and others were attached to other companies. I believe James Harris Gentry's company took on some.

I do not have information that Dickson was assigned to another company or organized a new company. A clue indicates that he may have lead a "volunteer" spy company - Men from other spy companies or companies... for lack of a better term - an elite spy company. This "volunteer" spy company was in the forefront, both at Wisconsin Heights and Bad Axe. With Dickson at Bad Axe were Willard, Smith, Hood, Lowry, Payne and Skinner.... these individuals were not part of Rountree's original company or the one Dickson organized and were mustered out July 17.

I would credit Joseph Dickson as being a "Captain at Large" at the direction of Henry Dodge.

[Robert Braun]

larrykoschkee said:

Interesting puzzle - indeed.

When you say "his spy company" (Dickson's) - did Dickson actually have a company at the time of Wisconsin Heights?

Dodge and Henry were at Fort Winnebago on July 15th and many of Dodge's miner's had broken down horses and moral was down. At this time Dodge sent about 50 militia home and reorganized what was fit to march. Perhaps this is when Dickson's company was busted up... some went home and others were attached to other companies. I believe James Harris Gentry's company took on some.

I do not have information that Dickson was assigned to another company or organized a new company. A clue indicates that he may have lead a "volunteer" spy company - Men from other spy companies or companies... for lack of a better term - an elite spy company. This "volunteer" spy company was in the forefront, both at Wisconsin Heights and Bad Axe. With Dickson at Bad Axe were Willard, Smith, Hood, Lowry, Payne and Skinner.... these individuals were not part of Rountree's original company or the one Dickson organized and were mustered out July 17.

I would credit Joseph Dickson as being a "Captain at Large" at the direction of Henry Dodge.

Well.. you raise an interesting question-- did Dickson have a spy company or not. Several authors credit him with having one, perhaps ignorant of the July 17 muster-out date.

I find myself agreeing with you. Dickson was clearly in charge of a small body of men. His original company was, I beleive quite small-- perhaps half that of the customay strength of a volunteer militia company.

My presumption is that when you say "volunteer," you mean "not mustered into service" i.e. truly volunteer and serving without pay.

Best regards!

Bob.

[Larry Koschkee]

To understand Dickson's role while at Wisconsin Heights and Bad Axe I have three focus points.

1) Dickson's company (the company he took over when Rountree resigned) was busted up early on.

2) There is no military record of a subsequent company commanded by Dickson, however there are historical accounts that mention him leading a "spy company" at Wisconsin Heights and Bad Axe.

3) The day of the Battle Axe battle, Henry Dodge Dodge asked for 20 volunteers to follow Dickson in pursuit of a Sauk rear-guard that tracked north in attempt to lead the militia and army away from the main body. My thought here is - if Dickson was already in command of a spy company there would be no need to ask for volunteers to follow him... rather he and his spy company would have pursued the trail under Dodge's orders.

When I mention volunteers - I mean volunteers recruited from within the militia ranks.

Dickson's Bad Axe volunteers sustained a high rate of casualties including Dickson. Others were as mentioned earlier... Payne, Skinner, Lowry, Hood, Smith and Willard.

[Robert Braun]

larrykoschkee said:

To understand Dickson's role while at Wisconsin Heights and Bad Axe I have three focus points.

1) Dickson's company (the company he took over when Rountree resigned) was busted up early on.

2) There is no military record of a subsequent company commanded by Dickson, however there are historical accounts that mention him leading a "spy company" at Wisconsin Heights and Bad Axe.

3) The day of the Battle Axe battle, Henry Dodge Dodge asked for 20 volunteers to follow Dickson in pursuit of a Sauk rear-guard that tracked north in attempt to lead the militia and army away from the main body. My thought here is - if Dickson was already in command of a spy company there would be no need to ask for volunteers to follow him... rather he and his spy company would have pursued the trail under Dodge's orders.

When I mention volunteers - I mean volunteers recruited from within the militia ranks.

Dickson's Bad Axe volunteers sustained a high rate of casualties including Dickson. Others were as mentioned earlier... Payne, Skinner, Lowry, Hood, Smith and Willard.

I concur with Dickson's official company having been discharged prior to WH. The accounts of WH leave no doubt in my mind that Dickson indeed lead a small contingent of some kind.

So.. to follow through on your last focus point, if Dodge asked for volunteers on August 2, it would seem he would also have had to ask for them on July 21. However the latter does not seem to be the case-- the accounts strongly suggest that Dickson followed specific instructions from Gen. Henry and /or Dodge. Dickson does not indicate a call for volunteers at WH with respect to his squad.

I would offer that there are many reasons why Dodge asked for volunteers on August 2. One of them MAY have been the mustered-out "volunteer" nature of Dickson's force. In my opinion, I do not think that the request for volunteers, in and of itself, was the single or even the compelling reason for Dodge's query.

Best to you,

Bob.

[Larry Koschkee]

I guess we should take Capt. Joseph Dickson at his word and then search from this point.

"...I JOINED A MOUNTED COMPANY OF VOLUNTEERS RAISED AT PLATTEVILLE. AT THE ORGANIZATION, I WAS ELECTED ORDERLY SERGEANT IN JOHN H. ROUNTREE'S COMPANY; AND IN THAT CAPACITY I SERVED ONE MONTH, WHEN, IN CONSEQUENCE OF THE ABSENCE OF THE CAPTAIN, I WAS CHOSEN TO COMMAND THE COMPANY, AND THUS SERVED ABOUT ONE MONTH. THEN, BY THE ORDER OF COLONEL DODGE, I TOOK COMMAND OF A SPY COMPANY, AND CONTINUED IN THAT CAPACITY, IN FRONT OF THE ARMY, DURING THE CHASES TO ROCK RIVER, FORT WINNEBAGO, AND TO THE WISCONSIN HEIGHTS; AND AT THE LATTER PLACE I, WITH MY SPY COMPANY, COMMENCED THE ATTACK ON A BAND OF INDIANS WHO WERE KEPT IN THE REAR OF THE RETREATING INDIAN ARMY, AND CHASED THEM TO THE MAIN BODY OF INDIANS, WHEN WE WERE FIRED AT SEVERAL TIMES, BUT WITHOUT INJURY, AND I RETURNED TO THE ADVANCING ARMY WITHOUT LOSS OR INJURY TO MY COMMAND.
AFTER THE BATTLE OF THE WISCONSIN HEIGHTS, AND THE ARMY WAS SUPPLIED WITH PROVISIONS, WE AGAIN PURSUED THE INDIAN TRAIL, AND I TOOK THE LEAD WITH MY COMPANY AND FOLLOWED TO THE BAD AXE RIVER, BY COMMAND OF GEN ATKINSON...."

Dickson goes on to mention "my command" twice more in his personal narrative so it is apparent he commanded a spy company post July 17th. But, who is in this company remains a question. Was there a 21st company that we have no history on? Was the muster roll record lost, mis-placed or overlooked in research. Did Jim Hansen fail to find and transcribe?

In Dickson's narrative he said "I took command of a spy company." Does that mean a spy company was already formed and lead by a elected Captain and he took it over? Or does that mean a company was formed by Dodge and he was installed as Captain rather than elected.?

A notation to Joseph Dickson's second company muster roll states:

"I AM FULLY SATISFIED, BY POSITIVE TESTIMONY, OF THE TRUTH OF THE ABOVE STATEMENT. THIS COMPANY WAS FORMED OUT OF ROUNTREES UPON THE TERMINATION OF THE SERVICE OF THAT COMPANY THE 17TH OF JUNE AND WAS BROKEN UP JULY 17 WHEN MANY MEN WENT INTO GENTRY'S COMPANY. i HAVE ACCORDINGLY ALTERED THE DATES UPON THE PAY ROLL TO CORRESPOND WITH THE FACTS - E. KIRBY PAYMASTER

APPROVED H. ATKINSON
BR. G. U.S. AY.

Gentry's and DeLong's company ranks were swelled by former Rountree and Dickson volunteers.

We have the muster roll record of 20 companies commanded by Dodge at one time or another available to us today. Does the puzzle stated in this thread point to the possibility of 21 companies?

Only 6 companies were with Dodge when he met Atkinson at Helena on the Wisconsin River.

Atkinson's "Morning Report" (July 31st, 1832) at "Camp 6" near present day Soldiers Grove stated:

DODGE'S BATT'N COMMISSIONED OFFICERS 15
NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS 132

Would 15 commissioned officers mean Captains, lieutenants and sergeants?

Would 132 non-commissioned officers mean privates?

If so, Dodge's command strength would be about the same as what was at Wisconsin Heights. The reason I point these numbers out is if you divide 147 by 6 you get an average of 25 volunteers per company. Is that a realistic number?

[Robert Braun]

Great narrative and great questions!

My first reaction is that Dodge felt the need for a spy company and (under his authority as colonel) made one by pulling men from his larger companies -- like Clark's and Gentry's into a provisional spy company. Pulling as few as four men per company in the squadron would instantly provide a 20 man spy company.

The evidence points to the fact that some men served in one company, and were paid in another. The evidence also indicates that the militia were not above "pressing" horses into service when needed. I think such a provisional company "a spy company" as stated by Dickson is a possibility.

I think that the spy company (at least at Wisconsin Heights) was a reality borne of necessity-- and one personally trusted by Dodge to perform whatever tasks he assigned. Clearly they performed their scouting duty with great courage in the face of an unseen foe... just as BH's bands of "rear guard" courageously kept the pursuing militia guessing as to the true whereabouts of the main body of BH's followers.

Best regards, Bob.

P. S. In the absence of other data, our best indication of the numbers of men in the squadron may be from "Badger Pete" Parkinson, who wrote that the number of men present in the squadron did not number "more than 120."

[Larry Koschkee]

Speaking to your point regarding evidence that men served in one company but were paid in another leaves out a payroll account for Dickson after July 17th.

I do not believe Dickson served after July 17 without pay. There is no record in the other 18 company muster roll records that he served in one company and got paid in another. Therefore, I believe there is a missing piece to your puzzle.

[Larry Koschkee]

OK - I answered my own question. Joseph Dickson is entered on Capt. James H. Gentry's muster roll as Joseph Dixon effective July 17th. His rank was private. So Dickson served as a Sergeant, Captain and at the last Private. Therefore, he was on the payroll until after the Battle of Bad Axe.

Abel Rasdell stated he was personally part of 14 men that reconnoitered ahead of Dodge and Henry from Rock River to Wisconsin Heights. In addition, he said this party was commanded by Capt. Gentry.

WHC IV, 1859, pgs. 345-346

I checked Gentry's muster roll to verify Rasdell as a member and he is listed as RASDEL.

I would submit that this party of 14 men was, for all practical purposes, a "Spy Company" and led by Joseph Dickson. I agree with the way Robert Braun put it - a provisional Spy Company.

If we recall, Dickson's company was discharged by General Atkinson effective July 17th which left Dodge without a Spy Company. Henry had a Spy Company commanded by Ewing. Dodge was probably miffed about this and just added Dickson and selected others to Gentry's command giving him a trusted Spy Company. Dickson did not have an official command title of Captain but he was in command. This would be brilliant on Dodge's part... one more time that he could circumvent Atkinson's orders.