On August 2, 1832, the Black Hawk War effectively ended when the U.S. Military massacred many followers of Sauk Indian leader Black Hawk at the Battle of Bad Axe, located about 35 miles north of here. Black Hawk, known as Ma-ka-tai-me-she-kia-kiak, his advisor The Prophet and some of his followers, escaped north to a Ho-Chunk (Winnebago) village near Prairie La Crosse. There, One-Eyed Decorah, Chasja-ka, and other Ho-Chunk persuaded the fugitives to surrender to the American authorities. They journeyed down the Mississippi River to Prairie du Chien where Black Hawk and The Prophet were delivered to U.S. Indian Agent, Gen. Joseph Street. Attired in resplendent white deerskin clothing provided by the Ho-Chunk, Black Hawk formally surrendered to Gen. Street on August 27, 1832, and was briefly imprisoned at Fort Crawford under the command of Col. Zachary Taylor. Lt. Jefferson Davis was charged with transporting Black Hawk to Jefferson Barracks in St. Louis and Black Hawk was imprisoned there until the following spring when President Andrew Jackson ordered his release.
Erected 1999
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