Black Hawk War - Stillman's Run

Stillman's Run

On May 8, General Whiteside's militia brigade was mustered into federal service under Atkinson. Two days later, the militia and regulars began marching up the Rock River in pursuit of the British Band, with Governor Reynolds accompanying the expedition as a major general of militia. Atkinson allowed Reynolds, Whiteside, and the militiamen to take the lead while he brought up the rear with the regular soldiers. In what historian Patrick Jung calls a "serious lapse in judgment", Atkinson directed the militia—his least trained and disciplined men—to "move upon the Indians should they be within striking distance without waiting for my arrival". On May 12, the militiamen learned that Black Hawk's band was only twenty-five miles away. Reynolds wanted to send out a scouting force, but the cautious Whiteside insisted on waiting for Atkinson. Because most of the militia were now under U.S. Army command, Reynolds could not give them orders, but he did have two battalions of mounted militia under Major Isaiah Stillman that had not been federalized. In what would prove to be a controversial decision, Reynolds sent these 260 amateur citizen-soldiers forward to reconnoiter the British Band.

In what became known as the Battle of Stillman's Run, the two battalions of militia came into contact with Black Hawk and his warriors on May 14, near present-day Stillman Valley. Accounts of how the battle began are varied. Black Hawk later stated that he sent three men under a white flag to parley, but the Americans imprisoned them and opened fire on a second group of observers who followed. Some militiamen never reported seeing a white flag; others believed that the flag was a ruse the Indians used to set an ambush. All accounts agree that Black Hawk's warriors attacked the militia camp at dusk. To Black Hawk's surprise, his forty warriors completely routed the much larger militia force. Twelve Illinois militiamen were killed in the humiliating defeat; the British Band suffered only three fatalities.

The Battle of Stillman's run was a turning point. Prior to this battle, Black Hawk had not been committed to war. Now he determined to avenge what he saw as the treacherous killing of his warriors under a flag of truce. After Stillman's defeat, American leaders like President Jackson and Secretary of War Lewis Cass would not consider a diplomatic solution; they wanted a resounding victory over Black Hawk to serve as an example to other Native Americans who might consider similar uprisings.