Fun Fact #388 William Clark

 Fun Fact #388

William Clark

Upon his return, Clark would be given the Job "Superintendent of Indian Affairs" in which he oversaw all dealings with Native Americans in Illinois, Wisconsin and the lands west of the Mississippi River. By all accounts he dealt with them fairly, and set up a demarcation line in Wisconsin above which all natives could not be forcibly removed (That line is now highway 10). However, when the Blackhawk War erupted in Northern Illinois, Clark would set up a militia (during which Abraham Lincon was trained). This Militia would then defeat the Blackhawk at the Battle of Bad Axe, yet the damage was done.   

Congress thought that Clark was too soft on Native Americans, and asked him to resign. The Trail of Tears was issued by Andrew Jackson shortly after Clark's removal, but Congress found that they couldn't remove Natives north of the demarcation line, as its legal status was upheld by the Supreme Court. However, anyone below had no such protection. This is why Wisconsin has some of the best relations with Native Americans today. THis would become important once again during WW2 as several Code-Talkers came from Northern Wisconsin, joining the Navajo from Oklahoma to securely send messages in the language Navajo which the Axis powers couldn’t read. Native American Code Talkers are still employed by the US today with over 420 currently in service, a great many coming from Wisconsin. The Shoshone, Osage, Mandan and many others still hold Clark in high regard to this day.