Talk Tonight About Battle of Rock Island Rapids-- Part 2

Campbell's Island (near East Moline) was the site of the Battle of Rock Island Rapids, one of the western-most battles of the War of 1812.  (The Battle is also called the Battle of Campbell's Island.)

A band of approximately 500  Sauk warriors, allied with the British Army, clashed on July  19, 1814, with an American force let by Lieutenant John Campbell of the 1st United States Regiment of Infantry.

Campbell was leading three small gunboats along the Mississippi River to carry military supplies to Fort Shelby, located at the present-day site of Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, when they were ambushed by Sauk, Fox and Kickapoo Indians led by  Chief Black Hawk.

There were some 400 Indians versus 33 U.S. Regulars and  65 Illinois Rangers.  This was an American loss.

Losses for the Indians put at more than two killed.  For the Americans 14 killed and 37 total casualties.

--Brock-Perry