The spirit of our fathers arose and spoke to us to avenge our wrongs or die…. We set up the war-whoop, and dug up the tomahawk; our knives were ready, and the heart of Black Hawk swelled high in his bosom when he led his warriors to battle.
– Black Hawk
How his people had no recourse but to make war on the whites to preserve the Sauk Nation, and were set on that course by the highest authority. Surrender Speech, 1832.