Plum River raid facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Plum River raid
Part of the Black Hawk War
Date May 21, 1832 Location present-day Savanna, Illinois Result No result
Belligerents
United States	Sauk or Fox
Commanders and leaders
James M. Strode	unknown
Strength
6; 3 present	unknown; small band
Casualties and losses
0	0

The Plum River raid was a small fight where no one was hurt. It happened near what is now Savanna, Illinois, on May 21, 1832. This event was part of the Black Hawk War. Most people living in the settlement had already left for Galena, Illinois, to be safe.

A small group of Native Americans, from the Sauk or Fox tribes, attacked. Only three of the six defenders were there at the time. The men went into a strong building called a blockhouse. They fought for about an hour, then the attackers left. No one was hurt during the raid. After the attack, Colonel James M. Strode sent some soldiers to Savanna. The soldiers found nothing and went back to Galena. The settlement at Savanna was left empty for a while.

Why the Plum River Raid Happened

This raid was part of a bigger conflict called the Black Hawk War. This war started because of a treaty from 1804. This treaty said that the Sauk and Fox tribes would give up their lands in Illinois. They were supposed to move west of the Mississippi River by 1828.

However, a Sauk leader named Black Hawk and others disagreed with the treaty. They said that the full tribal councils were not asked. They also said the people who signed the treaty did not have the right to give away the land.

Black Hawk was upset about losing his homeland. From 1830 to 1831, he led his group, called the "British Band," back into Illinois many times. Each time, he was convinced to go back west without any fighting.

In April 1832, Black Hawk returned to Illinois with about 1000 warriors and their families. He hoped other tribes and the British would help him. But he found no allies. He tried to go back across the Mississippi River to modern Iowa. However, events led to a battle called the Battle of Stillman's Run. Many other fights followed. Soldiers from Michigan Territory and Illinois were called to find Black Hawk's group. This conflict became known as the Black Hawk War.

Two days before the Plum River raid, there was an ambush at Buffalo Grove. One soldier was killed there.

Before the Attack

Stillman's Run     Buffalo Grove     Plum River     Indian Creek     St. Vrain     Fort Blue Mounds     Spafford Farm     Horseshoe Bend     Waddams Grove     Kellogg's Grove     Ament's Cabin     Apple River Fort     Sinsinawa Mound     Wisconsin Heights     Bad Axe                                                                                                     Michigan Territory (Wisconsin) Illinois Unorganized Territory (Iowa)

Map of Black Hawk War sites Battle (with name) Fort / settlement Native village Symbols are wikilinked to article

The settlement at the mouth of the Plum River was built in 1827. This was after copper was found near the Mississippi River. When the Black Hawk War began in 1832, about 25 people lived at Plum River.

When the settlers heard about Black Hawk's return, they were not sure what to do. They debated whether to leave their homes for safer places like Galena, Illinois. In the end, they decided to send the women and children to Galena. The men would stay to defend the settlement.

They took apart parts of two homes to build a strong blockhouse for protection. Six men were left to defend it: Aaron Pierce, Vance Davidson, Robert Upton, William Blundell, Leonard Goss, and a man named Hays.

On May 19, another group of soldiers was attacked at Buffalo Grove. Two days later, the Indian Creek massacre happened. This was on the same day as the Plum River raid.

The Attack on Plum River

On May 21, 1832, a small group of Native American warriors attacked the settlement. These warriors were likely from Keokuk's village or the Fox village at Dubuque's Mines. They came from west of the Mississippi River. They probably wanted to find supplies.

When they arrived, the settlement was almost empty. Only three men were there. Three of the original six defenders had left: Blundell was away, Upton was hunting, and Davidson was looking for a horse.

Of the three men left, Hays and Goss were trying to gather farm animals. Only Pierce was at the blockhouse. Pierce heard a dog barking. He looked up and saw a small group of Native Americans moving along the river. He quickly shouted a warning. Hays and Goss ran towards the blockhouse. Gunshots started behind them as they ran for safety.

Goss got inside the blockhouse, but Hays slipped and fell. As he fell, three musket balls hit the wall where he had just been standing. While the attackers reloaded, Hays quickly got inside. For about an hour, there was heavy gunfire between the two sides. Then, the attackers left.

A fourth man, Upton, was hunting nearby. The attackers found him and chased him all afternoon. But Upton escaped without any injuries. In fact, no one was hurt or killed during the Plum River raid. The small group of attackers took three horses. However, two of the horses were badly wounded by gunfire, and one was shot dead by the defenders.

What Happened Next

The men at the Plum River settlement waited overnight. Then, they went to Galena and told Colonel James M. Strode what had happened. He sent a group of soldiers to the settlement. Their job was to secure the area and deal with the attackers.

When the soldiers arrived at Savanna, they found no Native Americans. They did find many bullet holes from the fight. The group then went to Fort Armstrong to get supplies. They returned to Galena without any problems.

On June 1, Colonel Zachary Taylor wrote a letter to General Henry Atkinson. He shared his worries about recent events, including the Plum River raid. He said that an attack had definitely happened at the settlement. But he also noted that no one was killed and the place had been empty since the raid.