The Life of Black Hawk

At least one of you has decided to read The Life of Black Hawk as your autobiography selection this semester.  For those of you who may be considering this one I have found an online edition that you can read for free (there is an option to read it so that it's a virtual book with pages that you can turn).  It's located here.

For those of you curious about this book Black Hawk was a Sauk Indian and fought on the side of the British during the war of 1812.  Afterwards he led a band of warriors called the British Band during what became known as the Black Hawk Wars.  He was captured and taken prisoner and on orders by Andrew Jackson shipped back to the Eastern United States with the last remaining of his warriors.  He was something of an infamous hero an attracted large gatherings.  Near the end of his captivity and life he told his story to Antoine LeClair who recorded it in this book.

Black Hawk begins by dedicating the book to the Brigadier General he fought against - L.H. Atkinson!  He says:

Sir, The changes of fortune, and vicissitudes of war, made you my conqueror. When my last resources were exhausted, my warriors worn down with long and toilsome marches, we yielded, and I became your prisoner.

The story of my life is told in the following pages ; it is intimately connected, and in some measure, identified with a part of the history of your own: I have, therefore, dedicated it to you.

The changes of many summers, have brought old age upon me, and I cannot expect to survive many moons. Before I set out on my journey to the land of my fathers, I have determined to give my motives and reasons for my former hostilities to the whites, and to vindicate my character from misrepresentation. The kindness I received from you whilst a prisoner of war, assures me that you will vouch for the facts contained in my narrative, so far as they came under your observation.

I am now an obscure member of a nation, that formerly honored and respected my opinions. The path to glory is rough, and many gloomy hours obscure it.   May the Great Spirit shed light on you and that you may never experience the humility that the power of the American government has reduced me to, is the wish of him, who, in his native forests, was once as proud and bold as yourself.

BLACK HAWK.
Moon, 1833. 

Read this sentence again:  that you may never experience the humility that the power of the American government has reduced me to, is the wish of him, who, in his native forests, was once as proud and bold as yourself -- talk about Point of View!