Battle of Rock Island Rapids

Part of the War of 1812

Date	July 19, 1814
Location	Campbell island, Illinois
Result	American defeat

Belligerents

British allied Sauk, Fox, and Kickapoo

United States

Commanders and leaders

Chief Black Hawk

Major John Campbell (WIA)

Lieutenant Stephen Rector

Lieutenant Jonathan Riggs

Federick Yezier

Strength

400

33 regulars of the 1st Infantry regiment
65 Illinois rangers

Casualties and losses

More than 2 killed

14 killed
2 civilians killed
21 wounded
Total: 37

The Battle of Rock Island Rapids, also called the Battle of Campbell Island, was an American defeat during the War of 1812 at the hands of the British allied Sauk, Fox, and Kickapoo. In July 1814, a military expedition was mounted to supply the U.S garrison at Prairie du Chien after calls for help. The U.S expedition was ambushed on July 19. In the aftermath another expedition was sent to re-capture Prairie after it fell to the British. This expedition was too ambushed in the Battle of Credit Island and forced to retreat southwards.

In June 1814, the U.S army at Fort Shelby, Prairie du Chien (present-day Wisconsin), was threatened with British and Indian attack. After calls for more supplies and men reached St. Louis, Governor William Clark of Missouri organized the expedition led by Lieutenant John Campbell.

On July 4, Campbell's expedition left Cape au Gris with three fortified barges, or keel boats, each with a cabin and all having sails. There were 33 regular soldiers and 65 rangers, some of the latter being Frenchmen from Cahokia. The regulars were from the 1st and 7th Infantry regiments together with the Illinois rangers. The expedition also included a settlers establishment, boatmen, and women and children, families of the soldiers. Making the total one hundred and thirty-three persons. Lieutenant (acting Brigade Major) John Campbell of the First Infantry commanded the first boat, occupied by the 1st Infantry, contractors, and women and children. The second boat was commanded by Lieutenant Stephen Rector and the third by Lieutenant Jonathan Riggs. The number of regulars in this expedition has been repeatedly given as forty-two; Major Campbell, however, reported that he had but thirty-three.

On July 13, about eighty miles below the mouth of Rock river, they met a party of Indians from Prairie du Chien with a packet directed to Governor Clark of Missouri. They informed Campbell that the American garrison at Prairie was still holding on.

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Wikipedia