912

Campbell's disaster at rock island.

1814.

" The farms of Prairie du Chien are in high cultivation; between two and three hundred barrels of flour may be manufactured there this season, besides a vast quantity of corn.

"Two of the largest boats were left in command of Aid-de-Camp Kennerly, and Captains Sullivan and Yeizer, whose united forces amount to one hundred and thirty-five men. The regulars, under command of Lieutenant Perkins, are stationed on shore, and are assisted by the volunteers in building the new fort.

"About the last of June, Captain John Sullivan, with a company of militia, and some volunteers whose term of service had expired, returned from Prairie du Chien, and reported that the fort was finished, the boats well manned and barricaded; that the Indians were hovering around, and had taken prisoner a Frenchman while hunting his horses. The boats employed, carried six pounder on their main decks, and several howitzers on the quarters and gangways. The men were protected by a musket proof barricade.

"Soon after the return of Governor Clark from Prairie du Chien, it was thought expedient by General Howard to send up a force to relieve the volunteer troops, and strengthen that remote post. He therefore sent Lieutenant Campbell, (who was acting as Brigade Major,) and three keel boats, with forty-two regulars, and sixty-six rangers; and including the sutler's establishment, boatmen and women, making one hundred and thirty-three persons. They reached Bock river without difficulty, but at the foot of the rapids, they were visited by large numbers of Sauks and Foxes, pretending to be friendly, and some of them bearing letters from the garrison above to St. Louis. In a short time the contractors and sutler's boats had reached the head of the rapids; the two barges with the rangers followed, and were about two miles ahead of the commander's barge. Here a gale of wind arose and the barge drifted against the shore; therefore he thought proper to lie by until the wind abated; sentries were stationed at proper distances, and the men were on the shore cooking, when the report of several guns announced the attack.

"The savages were seen on shore in quick motion; canoes filled with Indians passed from an opposite island; and in a few moments they found themselves nearly surrounded with five or six hundred Indians, who gave the war-whoop and poured upon them a galling fire. The barges ahead, commanded by Captains Rector and Riggs, attempted to return, but one got stranded on the rapids; the other, to prevent a similar disaster, let go an anchor. The