Biography
Little of his life is known prior to his enlistment and appointment from the Illinois Territory as an ensign with the Illinois Rangers in early-1813, however he quickly rose to the rank of first lieutenant by July 1814 and remained with his unit until it disbanded the following summer.
Joining the 5th Regiment as a major in early-1832, he was given independent command of a battalion of mounted Illinois Volunteers. With a combined force of 341 men, of which Bailey commanded three companies of 197 soldiers, he and Lt. Col. Major Isaiah Stillman were ordered by Governor John Reynolds to guard the settled areas of the Mississippi and Illinois River after receiving reports of Black Hawk moving in to threaten the frontier.
On May 12, while staying at Dixon's Ferry, he and Stillman encountered Brigadier General Samuel Whiteside and Governor Reynolds having been en route to Black Hawk's camp by way of the village of the Winnebago Prophet. Despite objections by Whiteside, he and Stillman were directed by Reynolds to "coerce" Black Hawk's British Band surrender then camped at Old Man's Creek. Proceeding up Rock River with Stillman's troops, they set up camp two days later near Old Man's Creek (near-present day Stillman Valley, Illinois) unaware that they were only seven miles south of the Sauk encampment.
Through the local Potawatomi, Black Hawk was told of the presence of the Illinois Militia and sent three messengers to the militia camp under a white flag in order to negotiate a peace with Stillman and Bailey. Upon encountering the three messengers, they were brought back to the militia encampment. As there was no Sac interpreter available, progress was slow in discussing surrender terms. During the proceedings, fighting broke out when militiamen shot at scouts seen in the hillside resulting in the death of one of the emissaries and a militia flag bearer, while the other two messengers escaped to report back to Black Hawk.
During the subsequent battle against Black Hawk's forces, Bailey and Stillman's disorganized militia were ambushed and thrown into retreat. In an attempt to cover their retreat, 12 militiamen under Captain John Giles Adams fought to the death while holding off their Sauk pursuers on a hill south of the militia camp.
The presence of Bailey during the battle is unclear, although it is presumed he had some role in directing the 30-mile retreat back to rejoin the main force at Dixon's Ferry as he and Stillman survived to make their report. As the main force left to follow Black Hawk up the Kishwaukee, Bailey and Stillman were left to guard the supplies and the wounded at Dixon's Ferry; however, what remained of their command left for their homes soon after General Henry Atkinson and Brigadier General Whiteside left camp.
Read more about this topic: David Bailey (militia Officer)
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