Isaiah Stillman ( 1793–15 April 1861) was an American Cavalry Major who led the

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...

militia A militia ( ) is a military or paramilitary force that comprises civilian members, as opposed to a professional standing army of regular, full-time military personnel. Militias may be raised in times of need to support regular troops or se ...

in the first armed confrontation of the Black Hawk War against Black Hawk's Sauk Indian Band. The first armed confrontation would be named Battle of Old Man's Creek, but would later be named Stillman's Run after him. Isaiah Stillman was born and raised in the state of

Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...

, but he left the east and traveled to

to become a trader of pots, pans, and other items. Retrieved on October 22, 2007 For a time, he lived in Coopers Creek Landing in Fulton County, before deciding to join the Illinois

as a captain at the age of 35 in 1827. By the early part of 1832, Isaiah had attained the rank of Brigadier General-elect. With this new position, he gained the responsibility of defending everything west of the

Illinois River The Illinois River () is a principal tributary of the Mississippi River at approximately in length. Located in the U.S. state of Illinois, the river has a drainage basin of . The Illinois River begins with the confluence of the Des Plaines ...

. This land was mostly an empty place, with few First Nation's tribes and settlements. In April 1832, Governor of Illinois John Reynolds ordered Stillman to raise a battalion for the Illinois militia. He was unable to recruit a full battalion, so he was made a major rather than a general. The next year after Black Hawk War, he was promoted to general. He died in Kingston Mines, Illinois on April 15, 1861, at the age of 67. He is buried in Peoria.

References

External links

Historynet’s Black Hawk War

* 1790s births 1861 deaths American people of the Black Hawk War United States Army officers Military personnel from Massachusetts {{US-army-bio-stub