John Giles Adams (December 2, 1792 – May 14, 1832) was a cavalry officer in the

Illinois Militia In the United States, state defense forces are military units that operate under the sole authority of a state government. State defense forces are authorized by state and federal law and are under the command of the governor of each state. ...

during the

Black Hawk War The Black Hawk War was a conflict between the United States and Native Americans led by Black Hawk, a Sauk leader. The war erupted after Black Hawk and a group of Sauks, Meskwakis (Fox), and Kickapoos, known as the " British Band", cros ...

of 1832. He was born in

Nashville, Tennessee Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and ...

and came to

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rockf ...

in 1828, eventually marrying and fathering eight children. Adams served as captain in a militia company of more than 50 mounted volunteers who were mustered into service on April 17, 1832 following the onset of the war. Adams' company saw action in the disastrous militia defeat at Stillman's Run on May 14. Adams and several members of his company were killed while making a stand upon a hillside near the main militia camp.

Early life

John Giles Adams was born in or near

on December 2, 1792. He came to Illinois in 1828 via oxen team and built a log cabin near

Atlanta, Illinois Atlanta (formerly Xenia) is a city in Logan County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,692 at the 2010 census. History The community was incorporated on March 26, 1853. Geography According to the 2010 census, Atlanta has a total area ...

. He eventually married and had four sons and four daughters, who were left in their mother's care upon his death. Prior to the outbreak of the Black Hawk War, Adams made his residence in Pekin.Elliot, Isaac Hughes and Illinois Military and Naval Dept.
Record of the Services of Illinois Soldiers in the Black Hawk War, 1831-32, and in the Mexican War 1846-48
', (

Google Books Google Books (previously known as Google Book Search, Google Print, and by its code-name Project Ocean) is a service from Google Inc. that searches the full text of books and magazines that Google has scanned, converted to text using optical ...

), H. W. Rokker: 1902, p. 105. Retrieved August 14, 2007.

Militia service

John G. Adams was captain of a company that included 59 other "mounted volunteers" from Pekin. The company was mustered into service for the

on April 17, 1832. Adams' group was part of the 5th Regiment commanded by Colonel

James Johnson James Johnson may refer to: Artists, actors, authors, and musicians *James Austin Johnson (born 1989), American comedian & actor, ''Saturday Night Live'' cast member *James B. Johnson (born 1944), author of science nonfiction novels *James P. John ...

, which was in turn under the auspices of the Brigade of Mounted Volunteers and Brigadier General

Samuel Whiteside Samuel Whiteside (April 12, 1783 – January 12, 1866) was an Illinois pioneer. A farmer and backwoodsman, Whiteside briefly served in the Illinois General Assembly after statehood and led the Illinois militia for decades, rising to the rank ...

. Including Adams, the company suffered four killed in action during the

Battle of Stillman's Run The Battle of Stillman's Run, also known as the Battle of Sycamore Creek or the Battle of Old Man's Creek, occurred in Illinois on May 14, 1832. The battle was named for the panicked retreat by Major Isaiah Stillman and his detachment of 275 I ...

on May 14, 1832; two other members of the company deserted two days after Stillman's Run. The battle was the first engagement of the 1832 Black Hawk War, and resulted in an embarrassing defeat for the

under Major

Isaiah Stillman Isaiah Stillman (1793–15 April 1861) was an American Cavalry Major who led the Illinois militia in the first armed confrontation of the Black Hawk War against Black Hawk's Sauk Indian Band. The first armed confrontation would be named Batt ...

. The rest of the Adams' company was released from service on May 17, 1832.

Death

Captain Adams left

Dixon's Ferry Dixon's Ferry was the former name for Dixon, Illinois, United States. It was located on the bank of the Rock River near present-day Illinois Route 26. John Dixon operated a rope ferry service to transport mail from Peoria to Galena, and he al ...

for Old Man's Creek, in command of his company, early on May 13, 1832. He was under the command of Major David Bailey, who was accompanied by two other companies. Trask, Kerry A.
Black Hawk: The Battle for the Heart of America
', (

), Henry Holt and Company, New York: 2006, p. 183, (). Retrieved August 14, 2007. In addition, they were with Major Isaiah Stillman's three company command. The total militia force leaving Dixon's Ferry was around 275. During an important moment in the disorganized battle at Stillman's Run, while much of the rest of the force fled in terror, Adams compiled a rear-guard element and took a position on a slight hill south of the main militia camp.Braun, Robert A. , September 2001, ''Old Lead Regional Historical Society'', p. 1. Retrieved August 14, 2007. Frank Stevens described Adams' death in his 1903 book ''The Black Hawk War'': The Hon. John A. Atwood declared at a 1904 meeting of the Ogle County Old Settlers' Association that Adams' bravery was comparable to that of

George Armstrong Custer George Armstrong Custer (December 5, 1839 – June 25, 1876) was a United States Army officer and cavalry commander in the American Civil War and the American Indian Wars. Custer graduated from West Point in 1861 at the bottom of his class, b ...

at Little Big Horn. At least one writer, however, has asserted that Adams' death was at the hands of his own men as he tried to organize them for battle.Dyar, Scott D. "Stillman's Run: Militia's Foulest Hour," Military History, March 2006, pp. 38-44, 72. Adams' wife died in 1871 and all eight of his children were dead by 1899.Atwood, John A.
The Story of the Battle of Stillman's Run
," August 25, 1904, via ''www.ComPortOne.com''. Retrieved August 14, 2007.

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Adams, John Giles 1792 births 1832 deaths American people of the Black Hawk War People from Nashville, Tennessee United States Army officers People from Pekin, Illinois People from Atlanta, Illinois Military personnel from Illinois