Stillman's Run Battle Site is a site in

Stillman Valley, Illinois Stillman Valley is a village in Marion Township, Ogle County, Illinois, United States. It lies east of Byron, south of Rockford and west of Davis Junction. The population was 1,120 at the 2010 census, up from 1,048 in 2000. Stillman Valley C ...

. It is listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

and has been since December 1983. 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 Mil ...

was an 1832 clash between the Illinois militia and Black Hawk and his Sauk Indian Band. The battle took place in 1832 as part of the

Black Hawk War The Black Hawk War was a conflict between the United States and Native Americans in the United States, Native Americans led by Black Hawk (Sauk leader), Black Hawk, a Sauk people, Sauk leader. The war erupted after Black Hawk and a group of ...

. During the engagement 12 militia men were killed while making a stand on a small hill. The rest of the militia fled back to Dixon's Ferry where they spread news of a terrible slaughter at Stillman's Run.

History

The Battle of Stillman's Run occurred on May 14, 1832. The battle was named for Major Isaiah Stillman and his detachment of 275 Illinois militia which fled in a panic from a large number of Sauk warriors.Dyar, Scott D. "Stillman's Run: Militia's Foulest Hour," Military History, March 2006, pp. 38-44, 72.Braun, Robert A.
Black Hawk's War April 5 - August 2, 1832: A Chronology
" September 2001, ''Old Lead Historical Society'', accessed January 22, 2011.
, Abraham Lincoln Digitization Project, ''

Northern Illinois University Northern Illinois University (NIU) is a public research university in DeKalb, Illinois, United States. It was founded as "Northern Illinois State Normal School" in 1895 by Illinois Governor John P. Altgeld, initially to provide the state with c ...

'', accessed January 22, 2011. According to witness statements, the militia may have been outnumbered two to one. The engagement was the first battle of the 1832

which had ignited after Black Hawk crossed the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...

into Illinois with his "British Band" of Sauk and

Meskwaki The Meskwaki (sometimes spelled Mesquaki), also known by the European exonyms Fox Indians or the Fox, are a Native American people. They have been closely linked to the Sauk people of the same language family. In the Meskwaki language, th ...

. During the engagement 12 militia men were killed while making a stand on a small hill.Major Isaiah Stillman
," Abraham Lincoln Digitization Project, 2002, ''Northern Illinois University'', accessed January 22, 2011. The rest of the militia fled back to Dixon's Ferry where they spread news of a terrible slaughter at Stillman's Run. The number of Sauk and Meskwaki killed in the engagement is largely unknown. Black Hawk is quoted as saying at least three and maybe as many as five of his warriors were killed. Hawk, Black, LeClaire, Antoine, interpreter; Patterson, J. B., ed.,
Autobiography of Ma-Ka-Tai-Me-She-Kia-Kiak
', or ''Black Hawk, Embracing the Traditions of his Nation, Various Wars In Which He Has Been Engaged, and His Account of the Cause and General History of the Black Hawk War of 1832, His Surrender, and Travels Through the United States''. Also ''Life, Death and Burial of the Old Chief, Together with a History of the Black Hawk War'', Oquawka, IL: J. B. Patterson, 1882, "History of the Black Hawk War," Section 169.

Monument

A marble and granite monument stands at the site of the

today.Stillman's Run Memorial
" Historic Places, ''Abraham Lincoln Online'', accessed January 22, 2011. It was designed and constructed by Creo and Creo, and J.H. Anderson.
Stillman's Run
', "Property Information Report", HAARGIS Database, ''

Illinois Historic Preservation Agency The Illinois Historic Preservation Division, formerly Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, is a governmental agency of the U.S. state of Illinois, and is a division of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. It is tasked with the duty of ...

'', accessed January 22, 2011. The monument was erected by the Battlefield Memorial Association of Stillman Valley in 1901. It was built using funds from the state of Illinois, appropriated during the 42nd General Assembly. The site of the monument is less than one acre and currently functions as a small park. The polished

marble Marble is a metamorphic rock consisting of carbonate minerals (most commonly calcite (CaCO3) or Dolomite (mineral), dolomite (CaMg(CO3)2) that have recrystallized under the influence of heat and pressure. It has a crystalline texture, and is ty ...

monument has several inscriptions on it. On one side of the monument an inscription notes:

In memory of the Illinois volunteers who fell at Stillman's Run, May 14, 1832, in an engagement with Black Hawk and his warriors."

one inscription on the monument reads:

The presence of soldier, statesman, martyr, Abraham Lincoln assisting in the burial of these honored dead has made this spot more sacred."

historical marker A commemorative plaque, or simply plaque, or in other places referred to as a historical marker, historic marker, or historic plaque, is a plate of metal, ceramic, stone, wood, or other material, bearing text or an image in relief, or both, ...

at the site reads:

Here, on May 14, 1832, the first engagement of the Black Hawk War took place. When 275 Illinois militiamen under Maj. Isaiah Stillman were put to flight by Black Hawk and his warriers. So thoroughly demoralized were the volunteers that a new army had to be called into the field."

Another inscription on the monument denotes that it was erected by the Battlefield Memorial Association of Stillman Valley and it notes that the funding came from the

Illinois General Assembly The Illinois General Assembly is the legislature of the U.S. state of Illinois. It has two chambers, the Illinois House of Representatives and the Illinois Senate. The General Assembly was created by the first state constitution adopted in ...

and was approved May 1, 1901. There is also a listing of the dead inscribed as well.

Grave sites

Significance

The Stillman's Run Battle Site was listed on the

on December 8, 1983 for its significance in military history.

Notes

External links

* – information and photos * * {{National Register of Historic Places National Register of Historic Places in Ogle County, Illinois Stillman Valley, Illinois Black Hawk War Monuments and memorials in Illinois Protected areas of Ogle County, Illinois Cemeteries in Illinois Conflict sites on the National Register of Historic Places in Illinois 1832 in Illinois