Elizabeth Armstrong (settler)
Encyclopedia
Elizabeth Armstrong was a settler at the site of the Apple River Fort
in present-day Elizabeth, Illinois
. She was praised for her bravery during the Battle of Apple River Fort
in the 1832 Black Hawk War
.
As Black Hawk's British Band closed in on the fort the villagers took shelter inside the fort while the 20–25 men stationed there immediately fell back and took up their positions at the porthole
s inside the blockhouse
. A vicious firefight
erupted, involving around 150–200 of Black Hawk's British Band
. The battle raged for at least 45 minutes with heavy gunfire from both sides. At the battle's onset most of the settlement's women had been huddled in the cabins, but Armstrong rallied the others to provide support to the soldiers. She assumed command of the women, assigning them to such tasks as molding musket
balls and reloading the weapons while the soldiers tried to keep up their stream of gunfire.
the impression the Apple River Fort was heavily defended and a frontal attack would be inane.
There has been disagreement regarding the name of the woman who assumed command at Apple River Fort; a 1900 collection from the Wisconsin Historical Society described her as "Mrs. Graham." The same source stated that Armstrong was "cursing & swearing like a pirate" throughout the battle; so angry that even Black Hawk's band purported to hear her. The same collection described such action as "profane" and "a great drawback upon her credit." A newspaper report in Galena, Illinois described Armstrong's actions at the Battle of Apple River Fort. "Elizabeth Armstrong took charge of the women's activities and set a coolheaded, courageous example." It has also been suggested that Armstrong was the namesake for the village of Elizabeth.
Apple River Fort
Apple River Fort, today known as Apple River Fort State Historic Site, was one of many frontier forts hastily completed by settlers in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin following the onset of the 1832 Black Hawk War. Located in present-day Elizabeth, Illinois, United States, the fort at the...
in present-day Elizabeth, Illinois
Elizabeth, Illinois
Elizabeth is a village in Jo Daviess County, Illinois, United States. The population was 761 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Elizabeth is located at ....
. She was praised for her bravery during the Battle of Apple River Fort
Battle of Apple River Fort
The Battle of Apple River Fort, also known as the Siege of Apple River Fort, occurred on June 24, 1832 at the hastily constructed Apple River Fort, in present-day Elizabeth, Illinois, when Black Hawk and his "British Band" of Sauk and Fox stumbled across a group of messengers en route from Galena,...
in the 1832 Black Hawk War
Black Hawk War
The Black Hawk War was a brief conflict fought in 1832 between the United States and Native Americans headed by Black Hawk, a Sauk leader. The war erupted soon after Black Hawk and a group of Sauks, Meskwakis, and Kickapoos known as the "British Band" crossed the Mississippi River into the U.S....
.
Early life
Elizabeth Armstrong was an early settler at the Apple River settlement, in present-day Elizabeth, Illinois. She was the wife of John Armstrong.Black Hawk War
On June 24, 1832 the Black Hawk War came to the hastily constructed Apple River Fort. There were 20–25 armed militia inside Apple River Fort at the time of the attack. Another 40 women, children and other settlers were resident in the Apple River Settlement. Clack Stone was in command of the garrison stationed at the fort, most of whom were not present for the battle.As Black Hawk's British Band closed in on the fort the villagers took shelter inside the fort while the 20–25 men stationed there immediately fell back and took up their positions at the porthole
Porthole
A porthole is a generally circular, window used on the hull of ships to admit light and air. Porthole is actually an abbreviated term for "port hole window"...
s inside the blockhouse
Blockhouse
In military science, a blockhouse is a small, isolated fort in the form of a single building. It serves as a defensive strong point against any enemy that does not possess siege equipment or, in modern times, artillery...
. A vicious firefight
Firefight
Firefight may refer to:* firefight, a large exchange of bullets between two sides * Firefighting, process of extinguishing destructive flames* A game mode in Halo 3: ODST and Halo: Reach video games...
erupted, involving around 150–200 of Black Hawk's British Band
British Band
The British Band was a group of Native Americans which fought against Illinois and Michigan Territory militia units during the 1832 Black Hawk War. The band was composed of about 1,500 men, women, and children from the Sauk, Meskwaki, Fox, Kickapoo, Potawatomi, Ho-Chunk, and Ottawa nations;...
. The battle raged for at least 45 minutes with heavy gunfire from both sides. At the battle's onset most of the settlement's women had been huddled in the cabins, but Armstrong rallied the others to provide support to the soldiers. She assumed command of the women, assigning them to such tasks as molding musket
Musket
A musket is a muzzle-loaded, smooth bore long gun, fired from the shoulder. Muskets were designed for use by infantry. A soldier armed with a musket had the designation musketman or musketeer....
balls and reloading the weapons while the soldiers tried to keep up their stream of gunfire.
Legacy
Elizabeth Armstrong was praised as a heroine for her actions during the battle, displaying the kind of courage under fire the militia had so badly lacked during the first months of the Black Hawk War. Her actions, in part, helped give Black HawkBlack Hawk (chief)
Black Hawk was a leader and warrior of the Sauk American Indian tribe in what is now the United States. Although he had inherited an important historic medicine bundle, he was not one of the Sauk's hereditary civil chiefs...
the impression the Apple River Fort was heavily defended and a frontal attack would be inane.
There has been disagreement regarding the name of the woman who assumed command at Apple River Fort; a 1900 collection from the Wisconsin Historical Society described her as "Mrs. Graham." The same source stated that Armstrong was "cursing & swearing like a pirate" throughout the battle; so angry that even Black Hawk's band purported to hear her. The same collection described such action as "profane" and "a great drawback upon her credit." A newspaper report in Galena, Illinois described Armstrong's actions at the Battle of Apple River Fort. "Elizabeth Armstrong took charge of the women's activities and set a coolheaded, courageous example." It has also been suggested that Armstrong was the namesake for the village of Elizabeth.