Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1920-04-29
Little Journeys In
and About Baraboo
Interesting Places of the Region Both Local History and
Scenic Features
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Scenic Features
ARTICLE XII
Wisconsin Heights Battlefield

Heights, between u. S. troops and the
famous Indian chief, Black Hawk, and
his Winnebago warriors, was fought
about mile southwest OF Sauk City.
This encounter, SO disastrous to the
forces of Black Hawk, took place
June q, 1882, when Wisconsin still
was a part of Michigan territory and
, settlements were chiefly in the lead
region, now the southwestern section
| Of the state.
The major portion of the journey
to this historic battlefield is over
Trunk Line No. II, which climbs the
terminal moraine two miles south
west of Baraboo, trayerses an out
wash plain, crosses Skillet Creek,
rounding the point recorded by geol-
ogists as the mouth Of an ancient
stream as shown by successive layers
of fluvial deposit, and skirting bold
outcrop Of Quartzite, ascends the
range to the summit of the bluff.
From the elevated highway one OBJ
tains charming view Of beautiful
Sauk Prairie where, year after year,
the horn OF Amalthaea is most prodi-
gal with gifts. This outwash plain was
veritable paradise of bloom in the
days before the advent of the plow.
A Paper Town
At the bottom of the bluff, between
the first and second roads which
course to the right, lies the village
plat of New Haven. The surveyors
map of this paper" town is pre-
served in the courthouse in Baraboo
The last mile of the road leading
into Prairie du Sac follows one of the
oldest highways in the county. It
was part of a stage line to Baraboo
in an early day and the progenitor
of the present scenic system of roads
among the Baraboo hills.
Just above the villages of Prairie
du Sac and Sauk City, the Wisconsin
River has been harnessed and many
thousand horsepower from the great
dam provides light ~and~force s0r an
extensive area.
From Prairie du Sac the road leads
along the river a mile into Sauk City.
The villages have been rivals since
they came into existance in the early
40's, when they were the first centers
of population north and west of the
river in this section of the state.
Many of the dwellings in Sauk City
follow a fashion in architecture COM
mon in central Europe but rarely see7
in this country.
Approaching the Heights
Crossing the Wisconsin River at
Sank City, turning to the right and
following the Mazomanie highway
about one mile, crossroad is re1ch'
ed beyond which is a small stream
spanned by bridge. Ahead of this
bridge and to the left looms Wlscon-
sin Heights, a rugged elevation from
which the battle between the forces
Of General Dodge and Black Hawk
and his warriors takes its name.
Causes of the Battle
The causes leading UP to the battle
of Wisconsin Heights were numerous.
On the Rock River, near it's confluence
with the Mississippi was the Sauk
Village, the inhabitants of which we're
more in sympathy with the British
than the Americans at that time.
Treaties had been signed by the In
dianS transferring to the whites their
common lands but when the time
came for them to give up their hold
ings, the red men declared their chiefs
had not authority to sign away the
territory and refused to leave. AS
early as 1923 activities of squatters
enraged Black Hawk and his people
by burning their lodges, destroying
their crops, and insulting their sQuaWs,
while the chief and his braves were
absent on the hunt. Black Hawk was
advised to seek village site beyond
the Mississippi to avoid the advancing
tide of settlement but the warrior
was obstinate and prepared to fight
| for his lands. 4 crisis was reached
in 1880 when pioneers plowed over
an Indian cemetery, preempted viii
lage site, and took possession CT the
planting grounds of the red men.
| Black Hawk, after consulting with
the British agent, threatened the
squatters with force, but military
demonstration so frightened the In
dians that they gave up the idea of
fighting and fed across the Mississ-
ippi.
War Begins
On April 6, 1882, the Hawk, with
about five hundred warriors, mostly
Sauk Indians, crossed the river into
Illinois, created wild excitement in the
settlements there and in Wisconsin.
Soon eighteen hundred volunteers,
some mounted and some on foot, were
on the march. Black Hawk sent a
note of defiance, retkeated up the
Rock River, and made a stand at
/ Stillman's Creek. Disappointed in
not receiving assistance from other
tribes hA sant messengers with a