Wisconsin Historical Collections, Volume V (1868)

              a reminiscence of the black-hawk war previous to the spring of 1832 several families had settled in the valley of apple biver jo daviess county 111 their peaceful employments had been uninterrupted until the spring of that year at which time the black-hawk war commenced the indians then began their ravages houses were pillaged and the inhabitants were obliged to remain concealed while they saw their horses taken from the plow in the field and driven off with shouts of savage joy for their mutual pro tection they erected a fort ten miles up the river where the town of elizabeth now stands the men formed themselves into a company under the command of captain stone for the defence of the fort ; and thither the inhabitants fled for pro tection in the course of the summer col james m strode commander at galena sent an express of five men to dixon on eock eiver at which place gen atkinson's army was stationed the express was commanded by captain frederic dixon an old pioneer and a man of great experience in in dian warfare they started out on sunday morning — a wet rainy day and to protect their guns from the dampness of the atmosphere the party discharged them they proceeded on their route and reached apple eiver fort about noon they found it in a very defenceless situation some of the inmates were out gathering berries others sleeping and some walking about in quest of amusement the express halted a few mo ments and then passed on when about 400 or 500 yards east of the fort some indians secreted in the high grass fired on the foremost man of the guard wounding him in the hip he this article originally appeared in the galena advertiser in april 1859 written fcy " emilie ;" and appears to be entitled to full credit l c d 287