Perhaps the hardest battle we all fight is the battle to do what is right, when all those around us are doing what is wrong. Courage and fear are not opposite sides of the coin. Fear is the coin itself. On one side lies courage, and on the other side the failure of cowardice. Not failure in the traditional sense, where something is attempted but not achieved, but failure in the moral sense. Fear rises when we recognize that something needs to be done and that doing so will put ourselves, or those we care about, at risk. Indeed, there could be risk associated with either side of a moral choice, but the courageous choice – the choice to act out of a sense of what is right, and not what is popular or easy – is the choice that is often the loneliest.
Black Hawk became best known for his leadership and bravery in battle, but this does not tell the whole story of his courage, or strength of character. Larwence G. Lovasik is quoted as saying, “Strength of Character means the ability to overcome resentment against others, to hide hurt feelings, and to forgive quickly.” Black Hawk had many reasons to distrust, and even hate the Americans. They were responsible for stealing his homeland, displacing his tribe, killing many of his braves, and forcing starvation and hardship upon his people. Where the French, Spanish, Russians and British wanted only to trade and travel among them, the Americans wanted everything. He fought against the Americans in the War of 1812, and at other times less memorably noted in history. Still, he had the capacity to forgive. When he crossed into Illinois with his 1500 followers in 1832, it was with the peaceful intention of growing crops to feed his starving people. Even as he led his band up the Rock River toward Prophetstown and further north, he forbade his warriors from using their rifles for any reason, even to hunt, for fear that the settlers would get the wrong idea. He had the courage to make an effort to live peacefully alongside and among a people where too much conflict was causing problems for both sides.
Peace was stolen from him, and his band suffered terribly during the next several months, but after his surrender at Prairie du Chien, Black Hawk once again showed his astonishing courage and capacity to forgive. After his eight-month imprisonment, after being paraded around the eastern U.S. in carriages, steamboats, and railroads at the order of President Jackson, still as prisoners, and after finally being released to live out the last of his days with his wife Singing Bird and other members of his tribe, Black Hawk was willing to reconcile, and speak words of peace. In a July 4, 1838 address to an audience of whites at Fort Madison, Iowa, Black Hawk was quoted as saying,
"It has pleased the Great Spirit that I am here today— I have eaten with my white friends. The earth is our mother— we are now on it, with the Great Spirit above us; it is good. I hope we are all friends here. A few winters ago I was fighting against you. I did wrong, perhaps, but that is past—it is buried—let it be forgotten.
Rock River was a beautiful country. I liked my towns, my cornfields and the home of my people. I fought for it. It is now yours. Keep it as we did— it will produce you good crops.
I thank the Great Spirit that I am now friendly with my white brethren. We are here together, we have eaten together; we are friends; it is his wish and mine. I thank you for your friendship.
I was once a great warrior; I am now poor. Keokuk has been the cause of my present situation; but I do not attach blame to him. I am now old. I have looked upon the Mississippi since I have been a child. I love the great river. I have dwelt upon its banks from the time I was an infant. I look upon it now. I shake hands with you, and as it is my wish, I hope you are my friends.”
There are many people who showed great moral courage during a time when fear, ignorance, distrust, hatred, malice, and greed led to oppression, theft, tyranny, persecution, revenge, mayhem and murder. These individuals committed acts of bravery and moral courage, often in the face of ridicule or possible retribution. They aligned themselves with Black Hawk’s truest ideals – to live in peace – and fought to preserve those ideals, even when acting against Black Hawk the man while the Conflict of 1832 was raging. I commend the actions of these individuals, before, during and after the conflict, and feel that their part of the story is worth telling. Even some who have been vilified by history, or who are remembered for other deeds, bear mentioning.
John McMurtry, a white American settler who twice prevented bloodshed by convincing others who were ready to fight to stand down. Read more about his story here: Link
Shabbona, a Native American, born Ottawa and later becoming a Potawatomi Chief, who repeatedly acted in cooperation with the whites to end fighting between Indians and Settlers. Shabonna is thought of as a traitor among many Native Americans, for so often siding with and helping the whites, but he believed in the cause of peace, and did everything he could to promote it. Read more about his story here: Link
Thomas L. McKenney, U.S. Superintendent of Indian Trade, who commissioned portraits of Native Americans from artist Charles Bird King starting in 1821, in an effort to preserve “in the archives of the Government, whatever of the aboriginal man can be rescued from the destruction which awaits his race." He believed that American Indians should be "looked upon as human beings, having bodies and souls like ours". Read more about his story here: Link
Judge James Hall, co-author of the History of the Indian Tribes of North America, a three-volume work published between 1836 and 1844. His work in telling the stories of the Native American tribes was open, honest, and did not support the popular image of the 'savage' Indians. Read more about his story here: Link
Quashquame, Sauk Chief and villain of the Treaty of 1804, who nonetheless made many attempts at peace with the light-skinned race. His competence as a leader was questioned by his tribe, and he had many faults, but there was good in him and his acts of courage. Read more about his story her: Link
Shounk-Tshunksiap, (Black Wolf) Ho-Chunk chief who helped Black Hawk's band escape from the Koshkonong region when more than 2000 mounted militia and U.S. Army regulars had been served against him. Read more about his story here: Link
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