Turning Points
in Wisconsin History
A Wisconsin soldier describes the massacre at Bad Axe, 1832
Reminiscences of Wisconsin, No. 8
John H. Fonda moved to Prairie du Chien in the 1820s after spending several years as a trader and trapper throughout the West. During the Black Hawk War, Fonda served under Henry Dodge and acted as a scout for General Atkinson when word got out that the Sauks were headed toward the Mississippi River in 1832. On August 1st and 2nd, 1832, Fonda witnessed one of the bloodiest battles of the war as retreating Sauks and Foxes attempted to surrender and were repeatedly fired upon by American troops. Of the roughly 400 Indians present at what became known as the Battle of Bad Axe, most were killed. In this piece, from his 1858 reminiscence, Fonda describes the battle and the massacre of the Indians.
| Related Topics: |
Explorers, Traders, and Settlers The Black Hawk War |
| Creator: | Fonda, John H. |
| Pub Data: | In Wisconsin Historical Collections, vol 5. ed. Lyman Copeland Draper. Madison, Wis.: The Society, 1907; 1868. |
| Citation: | Fonda, John H. "Reminiscences of Wisconsin." In Wisconsin Historical Collections, vol 5. ed. Lyman Copeland Draper. (Madison, Wis.: The Society, 1907; 1868); Online facsimile at: http://wisconsinhistory.org/turningpoints/search.asp?id=1395; Visited on: 4/24/2024 |
.