He had tried to negotiate and his representatives were killed, now the Suak Chief Black Hawk waged war on the western frontier.
Black Hawk became one of the most feared Indian leaders in the history of the western wars due to the brutality of many of his adherents. This contrasts to the previous Native American figures that have been examined, as Little Turtle and Tecumseh made efforts to restrain their forces. Black Hawk, while by no means a war criminal, did not see the United States as a beligerent that could be reasoned with. His first attempt at peace ended in bloodshed and now he was a fugitive only because he sought to reoccupy land that had been stolen from his people. As he led his followers through what was once their territory he was anxious to build an alliance against his enemy. His efforts differ once again from his predecessors as he did not seek to create a successor state, or a permanent alliance of tribes. Black Hawk only wanted to reclaim his people's heritage.
