page_title: Battle of Wisconsin Heights
section_title: Battle
hierarchical_section_title: Battle of Wisconsin Heights / Battle
caption_attribution_description: Map of Battle of Wisconsin Heights Battlefield, near Sauk, City, Wisconsin
context_page_description: The Battle of Wisconsin Heights was the penultimate engagement of the 1832 Black Hawk War, fought between the United States state militia and allies, and the Sauk and Fox tribes, led by Black Hawk. The battle took place in what is now Dane County, near present-day Sauk City, Wisconsin. Despite being vastly outnumbered and sustaining heavy casualties, Black Hawk's warriors managed to delay the combined government forces long enough to allow the majority of the Sauk and Fox civilians in the group to escape across the Wisconsin River. This reprieve was temporary; when the militia finally caught up with the fleeing band it resulted in the Bad Axe massacre at the mouth of the Bad Axe River.
context_section_description: On July 21, 1832, the militia caught up with Black Hawk's band as they attempted to cross the Wisconsin River, near present-day Roxbury, in Dane County, near Sauk City, Wisconsin. As the militia approached the battleground, warriors appeared on the surrounding hillsides, attempting to divert their attention. According to Dodge's account, before the militia met the main body of Black Hawk's band, three U.S. scouts crossed a small band of Sauk or Fox warriors and pursued them to within a mile of their camp. Scouts also killed two Sauk warriors before the real battle began.
  The scouts who had pursued the three Sauk back toward their camp returned when warriors from the camp pursued them on horseback. Dodge dismounted his troops and ordered his men to advance to higher ground. The band of warriors, under Black Hawk, moved toward the militia; when they were within 30 yards (27 m) the militia and its allies opened fire. Black Hawk ordered his men to "stand their ground, and never yield it to the enemy." Black Hawk's resolve saved the lives of the bulk of Sauk and Fox present that day at Wisconsin Heights; the warriors fought with the militia while the majority of the civilians escaped, via rafts, across the Wisconsin River.
  In the first volley of the battle, one of Black Hawk's warriors was killed instantly and one or two others wounded. Black hawk's warriors returned fire as they withdrew - straight into the charging militia. Dodge and a Major Ewing came upon the battlefield at Wisconsin Heights first and captured an elevated area that later acquired the name "Militia Ridge". The militia occupied a solid position as General Henry arrived, accompanied by three regiments of mounted Illinois Militia. Henry formed his men into a right angle firing line and exchanged gunfire with Black Hawk's men for around 30 minutes. A Dodge-led bayonet charge ended the battle, sending the remaining warriors scattering-to be pursued by militia - several of whom were killed. The troops did not pursue Black Hawk, Dodge stated, "after consulting with Genl. Henry it was agreed to defer a further attack on the enemy until the next morning."
  Dodge noted the number of Sauk dead at 40, possibly more; he reported that Ho-Chunk scouts and militia men took at least that number of scalps after the battle. U.S. allied Ho-Chunk, during the night following the battle, scalped another 11 Sauk who had been killed by the militia, and Dodge had seen Sauk wounded being carried from the battlefield during the fighting. Dodge's forces suffered one dead and 8 wounded, of whom one was injured during the march to Wisconsin Heights, before the battle.
caption: A 1903 map of the battle and the positions of the combatants
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