Sinsinawa Mound raid facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sinsinawa Mound raid
Part of the Black Hawk War
Date June 29, 1832 Location Sinsinawa Mound settlement (present day Grant County, Wisconsin) Result British Band victory
Belligerents
United States	Sauk and Fox of Black Hawk's "British Band"
Commanders and leaders
James W. Stephenson
Strength
3	unknown
Casualties and losses
2 killed	0

The Sinsinawa Mound raid happened on June 29, 1832. It took place near a mining settlement called Sinsinawa Mound. This area is now in Grant County, Wisconsin, in the United States.

This event was part of the Black Hawk War. During the raid, two men were killed. A third man survived by hiding in a nearby fort called a blockhouse. After the attack, Captain James W. Stephenson tried to find the attackers. They were a small group of Sauk Native Americans. But he lost their trail at the Mississippi River.

The Sinsinawa Mound raid happened during a week when other fights and attacks also took place. This made people in the area very scared. Because of the raid, people living in nearby Platteville thought about leaving their homes.

What Led to the Raid?

This section explains why the Black Hawk War started and what happened before the Sinsinawa Mound raid.

The Start of the Black Hawk War

In 1804, a treaty was made between the governor of Indiana Territory and some Sauk and Fox leaders. This treaty was about land. Because of it, these tribes moved west of the Mississippi River in 1828. They left their lands in Illinois.

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

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

Black Hawk's Return to Illinois

In April 1832, Black Hawk moved his "British Band" into Illinois again. This group included about 1,000 warriors and other people. He thought other tribes and the British would join him.

But he did not find any allies. So, he tried to go back across the Mississippi River to what is now Iowa. However, the Illinois Militia (a group of citizen soldiers) acted without discipline. This led to a fight called the Battle of Stillman's Run.

After this, more battles happened. The militias from Michigan Territory and Illinois were called to find Black Hawk's band. This conflict became known as the Black Hawk War.

Other Fights Before Sinsinawa Mound

The time between the Battle of Stillman's Run and the Sinsinawa Mound raid was busy with war activities. Many attacks happened in different places. These included Buffalo Grove, the Plum River settlement, and Fort Blue Mounds. The Indian Creek massacre was also a very famous event during this time. All these happened between mid-May and late June 1832.

A few days before the Sinsinawa Mound raid, the Battle of Apple River Fort happened on June 24. This was a 45-minute gun battle. Defenders inside Apple River Fort fought against Sauk and Fox warriors. Chief Black Hawk himself led these warriors.

Getting Ready for 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

George Wallace Jones arrived in the Sinsinawa Mound area in 1827. He later became a U.S. Senator for Iowa. In 1828, he started a mining settlement there.

The first building at the settlement was Jones's own log cabin. It was built in just two days in the spring of 1828. The cabin was about 49 feet (14.9 m) long and 17 feet (5.2 m) wide. Each room had one door and one window.

When the Black Hawk War began four years later, Jones also built a small fort at the site. This fort was one of many built in the area to protect local people. Parts of the fort are still said to be at the entrance to the Sinsinawa Dominican complex.

Enoch Robinson, a soldier, helped Jones build the fort's blockhouse. Robinson later helped bury the people who died in the Sinsinawa Mound raid. At the time of the attack, Jones was with Henry Dodge's militia volunteers. They were on their way to meet General Henry Atkinson at Lake Koshkonong.

The Attack

On June 29, 1832, a small group of Sauk people attacked three men. The men were working in a cornfield at the Jones mining settlement near Sinsinawa Mound. The Sauk positioned themselves between the settlers and their weapons.

Two of the men, James Boxley and John Thompson, were killed by the attackers. Their bodies were found later. The third man, whose name is not known, ran to Jones's blockhouse and survived the attack.

The attackers were most likely a small group of people who had fallen behind the main "British Band." The main band was moving toward the Rock River with Chief Black Hawk.

What Happened After the Raid?

When people in Galena, Illinois heard about the raid, Captain James W. Stephenson quickly left with thirty soldiers. They went to find the attackers. When they arrived at Sinsinawa Mound, they buried the two settlers who had been killed.

Stephenson then followed the Sauk trail to the Mississippi River. But the trail ended there, meaning the attackers had likely crossed the river. Stephenson's group returned to Galena without finding them.

Henry Dodge told different parts of the militia to meet at Fort Hamilton. Their plan was to join General Henry Atkinson near what is now Madison, Wisconsin. When George W. Jones heard about the attack at Sinsinawa Mound, he left Dodge's volunteers. He returned to the settlement at the mound.

Fear in the Settlements

The attack at Sinsinawa Mound, along with other incidents, made the settlers very afraid. The people of Platteville thought about running away to Galena. Galena was about 25 miles (40 km) south. This was a direct result of the Sinsinawa Mound raid.

Colonel Dodge sent one of his men, Frederick Hollman, to Platteville. His job was to calm the nervous residents. However, by the time Hollman arrived, the settlers had already learned something important. They found out that the local Ho-Chunk Native American tribesmen were friendly.

Also, promised supplies from Galena were delivered. This helped to calm Platteville's residents even more. Because of this, the plan to leave was called off.