General Gaines Reply to Gov Reynolds
” H. Q. Western Department, May 29, 1831. “His Excellency, Governor Reynolds. “Sir: I do myself the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of yesterday’s date, advising me of your having received undoubted information that the section of the frontier of your state near Rock Island is invaded by a hostile band of Sac Indians headed by a chief called Black Hawk. That in order to repel said invasion, and to protect the citizens of the state, you have called on the militia to the number of 700 militiamen to be in readiness immediately to move against the Indians, and you solicit my co-operation. “In reply, it is my duty to state to you that I have ordered six companies of the regular troops stationed at Jefferson Bar-racks to embark tomorrow morning and repair forthwith to the spot occupied by the hostile Sacs. To this detachment I shall, if necessary, add four companies. With this force I am satisfied that I shall be able to repel the invasion and give security to the frontier inhabitants of the state. But should the hostile band be sustained by the residue of the Sac, Fox and other Indians to an ex-tent requiring an augmentation of my force, I will, in that event, communicate with Your Excellency by express and avail myself of the co-operation which you propose. But, under existing circumstances, and the present aspect of our Indian relations on the Rock Island section of the frontier, I do not deem it necessary or proper to require militia, or any other description of force, other than that of the regular army at this place and Prairie du Chien. “I have the honor to be, very respectfully, “Your obedient servant, “EDMUND P. GAINES, “Major-General by Brevet, Command.”
Early Settlements of Rock County
Source: Historic Rock Island County, pub. Kramer & Company, Rock Island, Illinois, 1908