What was an "indian company" in the Black Hawk War?

Why and how did a 48 year old Virginian living in Indiana or Illinois come to serve in it?

Was his service in this war the primary factor that enabled his family's 1833 migration to Knox County, Illinois?

Some answers may be found here.

Excerpt from the "History of Cedar Township"

["The township name was changed from Cherry Grove to Cedar on June 8, 1853."]
http://www.rootsweb.com/~ilknox/histories/cedar.htm

Information relevant to Joshua Bland and family is in bold type below.

The next settler was Joseph Latimer and family of four children, from Tennessee. They moved in in 1831, and made a claim on the northwest quarter of section 29. Mr. Latimer was a good citizen, and built him up here a fine home. He and his wife died at their home and were buried in Cherry Grove burying-ground. George Latimer, son of Joseph, came in 1831 and settled on section 29. He was followed in 1832 by his brother Jonathan, who settled on section 28. He came from Sangamon County, where he had been living awhile. Jacob West, father-in-law of Jonathan Latimer, came with him, settling near by. In 1833 Joshua Bland came with a large family, settling in section 16. Dennis Clark came in this year and lived with Col. Geo. G. Latimer. He was a smart, active and intelligent young man and made himself very popular as well as useful about the settlement. Mr. Bland was quite a benefactor to this new settlement, manifesting this element in his nature by erecting a corn-cracker. It was started in 1833 and located at the headwaters of Branch Creek, as it was called. It was moved by horse power, and rather a primitive arrangement, yet it was as welcome as the night dews to the withered flowers. Before this mill was started the settlers went to Ellisville, on Spoon River, to have their grain ground, and afterward, too, for his little mill was not equal to the increasing demand made upon it. Ellisville Mill was very good for those days, and was largely patronized from an extended area of territory. People going there for their grists were sometimes obliged to wait a whole week before they could turn their faces homeward; and often, while there, kept body and soul together by eating parched corn. There was only one dwelling-house at the mill; and that was not set up as an eleemosynary institution and could not be expected to feed all the hungry people waiting the slow turning of this mill. While this was not a mill of the gods, yet it was not fast in the grinding.

Wm. Bevins and family made an addition to this settlement in 1834, locating on section 23. He was a son-in-law of Mr. Bland. After dwelling here for six years his wife died, and he subsequently removed to Iowa, where he died.

(Note: ELEEMOSYNARY: Of or pertaining to alms or almsgiving; charitable.)

Forward

The writers of this little paper wish to explain that they are making no attempt to give a complete history of the Williamson family. They have tried to give a few incidents in the lives of these pioneer families of which we are descendants. It is possible that some of this information is not correct, but they have endeavored to write something of interest in the short time given them.

In 1827 four young men from Sangmon County made a tour through this part of Illinois in search of honey, as large trees often containing a barrel of honey were found by bee hunters. They camped for one week on what is now the line between Knox and Warren Counties, but met no other person. These were the first white men to cross the Prairies of Knox county of whom we have knowledge. In the following year, a number of families came to found homes, all settling in Henderson Township.

Four years later, in 1832, William Thomas Williamson with his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Robert and Rachel Jud of Green County, Kentucy, and family of young people came from Indiana to settle in Illinois. His home had been in Virginia where he served as a soldier in the Revolutionary War, and once when he and others were hard pressed by the British, he dropped out of sight behind a log and the British passed him by unseen, thus escaping capture. Children and grandchildren were fond of hearing him tell of riding over the site where Galesburg later stood when the only road was the Indian Trail from Henderson to Brush Creek, which crossed the stream of Cedar Fork where the Marsh Horse Barn stood for many years. He entered land from the government. Not a furrow had been turned nor an improvement put upon the land, so they experienced all the hardships and privations of the pioneer life. He had been a resident of Knox County only a short time when he was drafted for service in the Black Hawk War. The farm upon which he settled in Cedar Township remained his home until his death and his wife also died on the old homestead. Their children were John, William Thomas, James, Elizabeth, Eli, Francis, Robert, Rachel, Polly, Sarah and Virginia.

Thomas Williamson was, as were many of the pioneers, a master craftsman of his day. He was able to make all of the furniture for his children when they started their new homes. Some of this furniture is in every day use at the present time. He also made shoes and many articles of leather. Some of his granchildren can well remember their interest with which they watched his busy and capable hands.

The children of Francis Marion were Rosa and Eliza.

In 1843 Elizabeth Williamson was married to Daniel Schwartz, son of Daniel and Catherine (Etter) Schwartz, natives of Pennsylvania. He was born in Franklin County, Pennsylvania in 1819 and in 1832 had come to Illinois to make his home and settled near the Williamson family in Cedar Township. To this union were born five sons and three daughters: John, Francis Marion, William Thomas, Albert, Sarah, Mary and Ellen.

Sarah Williamson was married to Samual Schwartz, son of Daniel and Catherine, and they were the parents of eight children: Catherine, Daniel, William, George, Anna, Sarah, Cynthia and Samuel.

In 1844, James Williamson was married to Symphronia Bland, daughter of Mary and Joshua Bland. The Blands were natives of Virginia and had come to Knox County in 1833, having lived in Ohio and Indiana before settling in Cedar Township. Joshua Bland had served in an Indian Company in the Black Hawk War. It was while the Blands were living in Crawford County, Indiana that Symphronia Bland was born, she being five years old when the family came to Illinois and settled on what is known as the old Lowry farm east of Saluda. A story is told of the first "corn-cracker" or grist mill in Knox County, which was owned by Joshua Bland. It stood near where the Heller Schoolhouse now stands, and although primitive affair run by horse power, it ground many a grist of corn for scattered neighbors who were thankful not to be obliged to go to Ellisville or London Mills to get their corn ground. A few years ago a son, Stuart Williamson, had the old Mill-post, around which the horses or oxen plodded their montonous way, dug up and made into canes.

Symphronia Bland often told that among her earliest recollections was the seeing of her brothers and sisters playing and romping with the Indian children and also seeing the Indian wigwams that were still standing in the timber. Joshua and Mary Bland lie buried on the farm which they settled in 1832. Their daughter, Hannah Massie, was the mother of Mattie Shumake whose home was in Knox County for many years. Mitchell Garrison of Berry County, Missouri, married a daughter. The oldest daughter, Mary, was married to Samuel Smith. She was born in Williamsport, Virginia in 1818. She made her home in Eldora, Iowa for many years. She and her husband were the first white settlers of Hardin County. Nancy Bland became the wife of John Williamson. Their children were Henry, Thomas, Jane and Etta.

The children of James and Syphronia Williamson were Mary, Stuart, James M., Francis M., Anna, Rachel, Douglas, William, Ellen, John, May, Charles, Daniel and Edwin. This couple had thereafter unusual and happy experience of celebrating their golden wedding anniversay on July fourth, 1894. Since then, in 1931, their daughter Ellen and her husband James Famulener, celebrated their golden wedding. Many here today remember both of these happy occasions.

The children of these early families spent their youth in this vicinity. The grounds of what is now known as Lake Braken were as familiar to them as our door yards are to us. Some here today can tell of the old deer-lick in what was known as Lick Hollow, where men often hunted deer. It lay near the Brush Creek School-house.

It is certainly a privilege to hold this re-union on the old homestead where Daniel and Elizabeth Willaimson Schwartz lived for so many years. In closing, we wish to say that in reading over the old letters we find evidence of a deep religious faith and a fond family affection and in these trying times we should all remember that "Kind hearts are more than coronets and simple faith more than Norman Blood".

The following information about the Black Hawk war in which Joshua Bland served in an "indian company" is quoted directly from the web site authored by James Lewis, Ph.D.

"In time, the Black Hawk War involved federal troops, militia companies from the states of Illinois, Indiana, and Missouri and the territories of Wisconsin and Michigan, and, on both sides of the conflict, Native American warriors." http://lincoln.lib.niu.edu/blackhawk/page2a.html

This is probably what is meant by an "Indian Company" - Native Americans, perhaps commanded by "white" officers, operating against other Native Americans.

"The militia companies were organized locally and made up of men from all levels of society. In most companies, most of the soldiers and many of the officers would have been farmers. But every healthy, adult male was required to participate. As such, professionals, merchants, and shopkeepers (including the twenty-three-year-old store clerk Abraham Lincoln) also took part".http://lincoln.lib.niu.edu/blackhawk/page2a.html

This might explain why even a 48 year old man like Joshua Bland would have had to serve - all able bodied men were required to do so.

Here is some interesting social/military history that probably describes Joshua Bland's experience in the Black Hawk War:

"In Illinois and throughout the United States, mid-nineteenth century militia companies were generally seen as poorly prepared, armed, and commanded. The regular militia muster days were often as important for their social functions as for any military training. They brought together men from scattered farms and small hamlets who rarely saw anyone other than their nearest neighbors. The men practiced marching and firing in something approaching unison (though often with hoes, umbrellas, and even corn-stalks substituting for guns). Muster days generally ended with drinking, gambling, wrestling, and eating. They fostered community identity and reinforced male authority far better than they produced cohesive and competent fighting units. http://lincoln.lib.niu.edu/blackhawk/page2a.html

Finally, the war wound down to its genocidal conclusion as described below. Whether Joshua Bland was part of this slaughter, or whether his unit had long since been disbanded (many units were disbanded before the war's conclusion), we have no way to know yet. But it is interesting to note that many native Americans were co-opted into the very worst of the slaughter and that Joshua Bland is described as having served with an "indian company" so his participation is not unimaginable.

"Before dawn on August 2, the Battle of Bad Axe began. At 2:00 a.m., bugles roused Atkinson's men, who dressed, gathered their equipment, collected their horses, broke camp, and set out before sunrise. Within a few miles, Dodge's scouts met the Sauk rear guard. The warriors tried to slow the army's advance. As they retreated, they led them away from the main camp. This tactic succeeded until a militia regiment stumbled across the main trail and led Atkinson's army toward the Sauk and Fox camp. The warriors continued to fight, hoping to allow time for more of the women and children to cross the river. Just as Atkinson's troops pushed them back toward the river, the refueled Warrior returned and began firing its cannon into them from behind.

"The slaughter on the eastern bank of the river continued for eight hours. The soldiers shot at anyone--man, woman, or child--who ran for cover or tried to swim across the river. They shot women who were swimming with children on their backs; they shot wounded swimmers who were almost certain to drown anyway. Other women and children were killed as they tried to surrender. The soldiers scalped most of the dead bodies. From the backs of some of the dead, they cut long strips of flesh for razor strops.

"Of the roughly four hundred Native Americans at the battle, most were killed (though many of their bodies were never found), some escaped across the river, and a few were taken prisoner. Of the one-hundred-and-fifty or so who crossed the river on August 1 and 2, moreover, few survived for long. Sioux warriors, acting in support of the army, tracked down most of them within a few weeks. Sixty-eight scalps, many from women, and twenty-two Sauk and Fox prisoners were brought by the Sioux to Joseph M. Street, the federal agent for the Winnebagoes at Prairie du Chien in late August.

"The month after the Battle of Bad Axe was spent rounding up anyone who was even vaguely associated with Black Hawk. Everyone took part in this round-up--U.S. army officers and soldiers, the federal agents with the different northwestern tribes, and many Native Americans, including some who had earlier supported Black Hawk's band but now felt the necessity of showing their loyalty to a vengeful federal government. On August 20, the "friendly" Sauks and Foxes under Keokuk brought Napope and a number of other chiefs and warriors to Gen. Winfield Scott at Fort Armstrong on Rock Island. Scott and other officers examined each of these prisoners. They took testimony about the involvement of the Winnebagoes, Potawatomis, and Kickapoos in the war, planning to use this evidence to demand land cessions from these tribes as indemnities for their parts in the conflict. They also sought information that might help them find the still-elusive Black Hawk and White Cloud."

More information can be found here: http://lincoln.lib.niu.edu/blackhawk/page2c.html