In the Black Hawk War, Captain Lincoln came to cross-purposes with the
regular army commissariat. The latter insisted on the fare and other
service for the army being superior to what the Bucktail Rangers got;
the latter, however, were empowered by the governor to forage rather
freely, so that the settlers were said to fear more for their fowls
through their protectors than from the Indians for their scalps. Once,
when Lincoln's corps were directed to perform some duty which he did
not think accrued to them, he did it. But he went to the army officer,
to whom he reported, and said plainly:
"Sir, you forget that we are not under the orders and regulations of
the War Department at Washington, but are simply volunteers under those
of the governor of Illinois. Keep in your own sphere and there will be
no difficulty! But resistance will be made to your unjust orders.
Further, my men must be equal in all particulars to the regular
army."--(William Greene, who was in the Rangers.)
* * * * *