The Morning Of July 19

"The battle of Campbell's Island", July 19, 1814

On the morning of July 19, before breakfast, the boats all set sail and started up the river, with a fine breeze. During the night a party of Indians arrived at the Sac village from Prairie du Chien, coming down Rock river bringing the Sacs six kegs of powder and telling them that the fort at Prairie du Chien had been captured by the British. These messengers told the Sacs that the British wished them to again join them in the war against the Americans, which the Indians agreed to do.

Blackhawk's View

Campbell's Island, Illinois

"The battle of Campbell's Island", July 19, 1814

Black Hawk says, "About half way up the rapids I had a full view of the boats, all sailing with a strong wind, I soon discovered one boat badly managed and was suffered to be driven ashore, by the wind, they landed by running hard aground, and lowered their sail, the others passed on."

Casualties Of Cambell's Island

"The battle of Campbell's Island", July 19, 1814

The casualties were: killed on Campbell's boat, ten regulars, one woman and one child; on Rector's boat, one ranger; and on Riggs' boat, three rangers; a total of sixteen.

Wounded on Campbell's boat, ten regulars and one woman; on Rector's boat, four rangers; and on Rigg's boat four rangers, also Major Campbell and Dr. Stewart, the garrison surgeon, who was shot in the breast; a total of twenty-one, making the total casualties thirty-seven. All fought with the courage of heroes. Rector and his men risked their lives to save their comrades, and the battle at Campbell's Island has no equal for daring and heroism during the war of 1812 in the West.

Raging Battle Of Campbell's Island

The boats of Lieutenants Rector and Riggs were about three miles up the river at this time. Lieutenant Riggs' boat being in advance he heard the report of the firing and saw the smoke rising from where Campbell's boat lay, he tacked his boat and signaled Rector, who tacked his boat and both sailed for Campbell's boat. Rector's boat being the first to reach the scene of the battle. ...[Native Americans] were seen among the trees and bushes, and a large number of Indians were seen coming in canoes from the eastern shore. It was estimated that about four hundred Indians surrounded them. ...[They] commenced giving their war-whoop and pouring in on them a fire of musketry and arrows. Major Campbell's right wrist was fractured by a musket ball during the first onslaught, and he was carried into the cabin of his boat and laid on a bunk, while his men gallantly returned the fire of the Indians.

Campbell's boat was so near the bank that the Indians were able to fire in at the port oar holes. The storm had now become so violent that it was fully an hour before the other boats were able to come to Campbell's assistance.

Riggs' boat was driven ashore about one hundred yards below Campbell's boat, and Rector to avoid a similar fate, had let go an anchor, and layabout twenty yards above Campbell's boat, the rangers from both barges kept up a brisk fire on the Indians.

This unequal contest waged for several hours, when the firing from Campbell's boat becoming less frequent, led Lieutenant Rector to believe that most of Campbell's men were either killed or wounded.

Riggs' boat was the best fortified, but his crew had been weakened. When Campbell's boat was stranded on the rocks he sent a sergeant and ten men to help him off, and Campbell did not return the men. [Source]

The Second Expedition

Campbell's Expedition.

On July 4, 1814, the second expedition left Cape au Gris. It consisted of three fortified barges, or keel boats, each with a cabin and all having sails. There were thirty-three regular soldiers and sixty-five rangers, some of the latter being Frenchmen from Cahokia. [Source]

Map Including Cahokia, Illinois

The expedition including the sutlers establishment, boatmen, and women and children, making one hundred and thirty-three persons. This expedition was commanded by Lieutenant (acting Brigade Major) John Campbell of the First Regulars (infantry), who with the contractors and sutlers, women and children, occupied one boat. The two other boats being occupied by the Rangers and were commanded by Lieutenant Stephen Rector, and Lieutenant Jonathan Riggs. The number of Regulars in this expedition has been repeatedly given as forty-two; Major Campbell, however, reports that he had but thirty-three.

Rector's Boat

Campbell's Island (Illinois) On The Mississippi River

From "The battle of Campbell's Island":

Rector's boat had among its crew many of the French from Cahokia who were experienced sailors. The wind was still a raging tempest, and the fire of the Indians was becoming more destructive to the boats; at this time Black Hawk says: " I prepared my bow and arrows to throw fire to the sail, which was laying on the boat, and after two or three attempts succeeded in setting the sail on fire."

Black Hawk

Campbell's boat was soon in flames. Lieutenant Rector could not remain inactive and witness the horrible death of Campbell and his companions. In the face of the tempest and the galling fire of the foe, he cut his anchors, a number of his men got out into the water, keeping the boat between them and the Indians, they pushed their boat against the fire of the Indians up to Campbell's boat. The wounded in Campbell's boat were first transferred to Rector's boat, and then those who were unhurt; so loaded was Rector's boat that the water was running in at the oar holes and almost all of their  provisions were thrown overboard to lighten the boat. The Indians all the time kept up a murderous fire. In taking the men from Campbell's boat the Major was shot through the body. Black Hawk in his autobiography states at this time : "We wounded the war chief."

Source

Meet Me In St. Louis

Portion Of Map With Mississippi River From Northern Illinois To Missouri

The aftermath of "The battle of Campbell's Island" in 1814:

Rector's boat with Campbell's men arrived at St. Louis first and when the news spread that Lieutenant Riggs and his men had been left on the Rock Island rapids, fighting the Indians, it was feared that all were captured by the Indians and when Riggs' boat later arrived at St. Louis on the twenty-sixth, there was great rejoicing and the occasion for a general jubilee. The entire company presented a distressing sight. Those not wounded were worn down to skeletons by labor and fatigue.

St. Louis Gardens

Captured By Black Hawk

Source: Life Of Black Hawk

Almost all of the ammunition for the expedition and the supplies for Fort Shelby, except a box of musket balls, was on Campbell's boat and was captured by Black Hawk, nothing was saved. The Regulars fought with their shirts off, and saved only their arms and fatigue overalls. [Source]

Lieutenant Riggs And His Rangers

Source

From the book "The battle of Campbell's Island":

[Lieutenant Jonathan] Riggs shows the soldier and true hero, in closing his report he says, "I beg also to recommend my brave companions to your remembrance for I candidly confess that until that day I never knew the extent of the bravery of man." Black Hawk in his books says of Riggs: "I had a good opinion of this War Chief — he managed so much better than the others. It would give me pleasure to shake him by the hand."

The Battle of the Rock Island Rapids -- later called the Battle of Campbell's Island -- took place on July 19, 1814 (alternate date, July 21st)

Battle Of Campbell's Island

"The battle of Campbell's Island" 

July 19, 1814 (alternate date -- July 21st)

The ground where the boat landed was covered with high grass, hazel and willow bushes for a considerable distance up and down the shore. Campbell immediately placed two sentinels about sixty yards from the boats, and the men commenced getting their breakfast.

They had not been on the Island more than twenty-five or thirty minutes when the Indians commenced their attack, both sentinels were killed the first fire, and one other man on shore. Campbell ordered the cable cut and the boat to be gotten off, in doing of which two men were killed and three wounded. Finding the gale blowed directly on land, and that it was impossible to get her off, he ordered his men to defend the boat to the last extremity.

Grounded On The Rocks

Between Rock Island And Campbell's Island On The Mississippi River

The boats had just passed the head of Rock Island, when the boat commanded by Major Campbell was grounded on the rocks, and he was compelled to discharge and put off part of her loading into theother boats before he could release his boat.

After proceeding about six miles the wind increased to a hurricane. Campbell's boat being still heavily loaded he says: "I was afraid of her dashing to pieces on the rocks, and ordered her to be put to shore, which in doing from the severe gale of wind which was blowing, and the roughness of the water dashed her so hard on shore it was impossible to get her off while the storm lasted." The boat was driven on the north shore of an island lying about six miles east of Moline and which since that day has been known as Campbell's Island. It lies near the eastern shore and belongs to the state of Illinois. [Source]