Battle of Wisconsin Heights

Battle of Wisconsin Heights
Part of the Black Hawk War

An early depiction of the battlefield near present-day Sauk City, Wisconsin
DateJuly 21, 1832
Location
Near present day Sauk City, Wisconsin
Result U.S. victory
Belligerents
 United States
Menominee
Sauk/Fox
Commanders and leaders
Henry Dodge
James D. Henry
Black Hawk
Strength
600–750 militia approximately 50–80 warriors
Casualties and losses
1 killed
8 wounded
40–70 killed

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.