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Post by Larry Koschkee on May 7, 2006 21:27:20 GMT -5
In this thread I listed three sources that stated, essentially, that Dickson's Spy Company and Indians were ascending one side of a slope and the militia were ascending from the other side and met at the top.
Charles Bracken said: "The line was immediately formed, and advanced in front of the horses, to the brow of an eminence which concealed them from the enemy, who, in the mean while, was approaching from the other side of the heights, in pursuit of Dickson, not being aware of the near presence of the army." My question regarding this statement is: The Indians did not know the militia were stopped and forming a skirmish line... how did the militia column know the Indians were pursuing the spy company and ordered a dismount and skirmish line?
Larry
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Post by Robert Braun on May 10, 2006 10:35:14 GMT -5
My question regarding this statement is: The Indians did not know the militia were stopped and forming a skirmish line... how did the militia column know the Indians were pursuing the spy company and ordered a dismount and skirmish line? Larry This is a great question. The available recollections seem to indicate that Dodge and Ewing were interested in gaining the height known today as "Militia Ridge." Was it good guesswork? Or did the proximity to the Wisconsin River provide a reasonable presumption that the main body of Black Hawk's followers was near at hand? Perhaps this latter presumption is closer to the actual situation, as Dodge wrote: Best, Bob |
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Post by Larry Koschkee on May 10, 2006 14:11:02 GMT -5
Bob,
Dodge's quote seems to be a reasonable explanation for the column halting where they did. "Believing" could mean several things, such as a hunch or Dodge had some form of intelligence that the main body was near. Perhaps a courier was dispatched from Capt Dickson's Spy Company that alerted the column.
Larry
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Post by Robert Braun on May 10, 2006 14:23:22 GMT -5
I think it more likely that a messenger from Dickenson came back with the word. I will check the literature for additional clues.
If it was a hunch, it was an extremely fortuitous one! Dodge's and Ewing's deployment once dismounted was organized, rapid and disciplined. And Dodge had the foresight to shield the presence of his men below the crest of the ridge. I have often thought that Dickenson's movement through the right wing of Dodge's line might have alerted their opponants. Now I am not sure that was the case.
Best,
Bob.
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Post by Robert Braun on May 12, 2006 13:18:59 GMT -5
General Henry wrote:
"The enemy occasionally shewing itself in front and flank until the advance columns composed of of General Dodge's squadron and Major Ewing's Battalion of spies halted. This step was taken in consequence of a scattering and skirmishing fire heard on the left."
According to Henry, Dodge and Ewing halted to the sound of the guns.
They then dismounted, detailed horse-holders, and advanced up Militia Ridge.
Bob.
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Post by Larry Koschkee on May 12, 2006 16:01:05 GMT -5
Bob,
I had forgot about this quote from Dodge and it does answer the question why the column stopped where and when it did. However, the quote has puzzled me and creates questions that in time I hope to sort out.
The best to you,
Larry
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Post by Larry Koschkee on Jul 27, 2006 15:06:15 GMT -5
On June 25, 2006, two Amigos and I were out on the WH battlefield armed with compass, laser level, range finder, historical account excerpts, printed copies of Robert Braun's Virtual Tour of The Battle of Wisconsin Heights (hope we did not run amuck with copywrite issues) and notepads. As I previously mentioned in a post on this thread, recording various distances and grades on the site maybe beneficial in visualizing events that took place. In some cases we were hampered by the vegetation in our range finder sightings. We agreed that we would have been well served by a surveyor chain to obtain some measurements.
Some comments to that fun filled day.
1) We were struck by the small area of real estate the battlefield encompasses, not unlike the Pecatonica battle site where 50 or less combatants were involved. The Battle of Bad Axe certainly exceeded the acreage of those two battles combined. The potential of some 200-250 warriors and 600 or less militia engaged in this small area is astounding, however. in reality we estimate a far lesser number of combatants were actually engaged.
2) At one point we focused on two historical accounts: Charles Bracken - "We occupied this position until the arrival of General Henry with Jones' and Fry's regiments, who, owing to our rapid advance had been left far in the rear. During this delay, the enemy were concentrating their forces on a hill that commanded our position, about two hundred yards in advance of us, and kept up a constant fire on our line for fully an hour before Henry arrived and arrangements were made to charge them."
R H Magoon - "A volley was fired, and one Indian bit the dust. The Galena company, with a well-directed fire, demoralized the enemy, who fled in dismay to a safe position behind a ridge forty rods distant."
Forty rods would be converted to 220 yards and is very close to Bracken's distance of 200 yards.
Assuming the two individuals were referring to distance from a point on "Militia Ridge" to an opposite position across the "ravine" to say, "Sharpshooters Lookout", Black Hawk's commanding height, declivity or to the bottom of the "ravine," We could not prove that out unless you took a sighting in a south direction oblique left or right, which would then not match up with Black Hawk's commanding height or "Sharpshooter's Lookout."
3) A laser level utilized in the "ravine" at various distances from the steepest portion of "Militia Ridge" gave readings from 25 to 65 degree grades when the brink or rim was targeted.
The statistician in our small group is still tabulating measurement results and we will meet in the future to analyze.
At a couple points in time the measuring was halted to fill our caps with "black cap" wild berries. What a berry patch the battle site is involving to!
Larry
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