Battle of Apple River Fort

Reconstructed Apple River Fort, near its original site

Date	June 24, 1832
Location	Near present day Elizabeth, Illinois
Result	United States victory

Belligerents

United States

Sauk/Fox

Commanders and leaders

Captain Clack Stone/Illinois Militia

Black Hawk

Strength

28-30

150-200

Casualties and losses

1 KIA
2 WIA

Unknown

The Battle of Apple River Fort, occurred on the late afternoon of June 24, 1832 at the Apple River Fort, near present-day Elizabeth, Illinois, when Black Hawk and 200 of his "British Band" of Sauk and Fox were surprised by a group of four messengers en route from Galena, Illinois. One of the couriers was wounded in the thigh as the riders quickly made for the protection of the nearby stockade. Courier Fred Dixon rode ahead to warn some 70 settlers of the approaching Sauk and Fox, thus saving their lives.The small company of militia at the fort, about 28-30 men and boys led by Captain Clack Stone, fought off Black Hawk's 150-man war party in an action that lasted about an hour. The withering pace of the gunfire eventually convinced Black Hawk that the fort was too heavily defended to lead a direct attack. He considered burning the fort, then switched to raiding cabins of foodstuffs, clothing and cooking utensils. In the gathering darkness, Black Hawk and his war party retreated.

After the battle, certain individuals were honored above the others for their bravery in assisting the numerically inferior force. Among them was Elizabeth Armstrong. She rallied the settlement's 40 or so women and children, who had taken shelter inside the fort. The women and children were divided into two groups: one to mold rifle balls and another to roll pre-measured gunpowder into cartridges. Some of the married women reload weapons so that the militia could keep up with the pace of the battle. Courier George Herclerode was the only fatality inside the fort. Although the fort was torn down around 1847, a replica was built in its place in the 1990s and still stands in Elizabeth as Apple River Fort State Historical Site.

As a consequence of the 1804 Treaty of St. Louis between the Governor of Indiana Territory and a group of Sac and Fox leaders regarding land settlement, the Sac and Fox tribes vacated their lands in Illinois and moved west of the Mississippi in 1828. However, the Sac's principle warrior Black Hawk and others disputed the treaty, claiming that the full tribal councils had not been consulted, nor did those representing the tribes have authorization to cede lands. Angered by the loss of his birthplace, between 1830–31 Black Hawk led a number of incursions across the Mississippi River, but was persuaded to return west each time without bloodshed. In April 1832, encouraged by promises of alliance with other Great Lakes tribes and the British in Canada, he again moved his so-called "British Band" of around 1000 warriors and non-combatants into Illinois. Finding no allies, he attempted to return to Iowa, but the undisciplined Illinois militia's actions led to the Battle of Stillman's Run. A number of other engagements followed, and the militias of Michigan Territory and Illinois were mobilized to hunt down Black Hawk's Band. The conflict became known as the Black Hawk War.

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Wikipedia