Let's take a ride: through history along Black Hawk's Trail of Tears.

The route -- taken by Chief Black Hawk as he tried to lead his Sauk and Fox "British Band" away from pursuing U.S. troops and back across the Mississippi River in 1832 -- runs through several parts of South Central and Southwest Wisconsin.

We'll concentrate on the portion of the route running from the location of the Battle of Wisconsin Heights to the site of the Battle of Bad Axe, where a gunboat in the Mississippi slaughtered several of the Native Americans and ended the Black Hawk War.

On July 21, 1832, the U.S. militia caught up with Black Hawk's band as they attempted to cross the Wisconsin River, near the present-day town of Roxbury, in Dane County.

A few hours after midnight on July 22, with Black Hawk's band resting on a knoll, Neapope, one of the key leaders accompanying Black Hawk, attempted to explain to the nearby militia officers that his group wanted only to end the fighting and go back across the Mississippi River.

In a "loud shrill voice" he shouted in his native Ho-Chunk language, assuming Pauquette and his band of Ho-Chunk guides were still with the militia. However, the U.S. troops did not understand him, because their Ho-Chunk allies had already departed the battlefield. The troops instead took the calling out as a threat.

Some military experts consider the diversionary tactics used by Black Hawk and his warriors at Wisconsin Heights acts of tactical genius, as they allowed most of their tribe to cross the Wisconsin River. When the U.S. troops prepared to engage the Indians a second time, they found most of their opponents had disappeared. They did later capture and shoot some Fox women and children downriver.

"I was mounted on a fine horse, and was pleased to see my warriors so brave. I addressed them in a loud voice, telling them to stand their ground, and never yield it to the enemy," Black Hawk said of the battle, in his self-titled autobiography.

The Battle of Wisconsin Heights is cited by sign markers along Highway 14 and on Highway 78, two miles south of Sauk City. From those locations, you can take 14 west and basically follow a route that parallels the trail taken by Black Hawk and the tribe members who had escaped.

While the band fled west, Commanding Gen. Henry Atkinson rested his forces for a couple days and joined Henry Dodge and James D. Henry to regroup and re-supply at Fort Blue Mounds. Around 1,300 men, from the commands of Henry, Dodge, Alexander Posey and Milton Alexander, crossed the Wisconsin River between July 27 and 28 near present-day Helena. The militia force picked up Black Hawk's trail again on July 28 near present day Spring Green and pursued northwest.

In Vernon County, near Viroqua, Black Hawk and his tribe turned more due west toward the big river. You can find 11 historic markers near and in Vernon County that deal with various segments of Black Hawk's flight and the militia's pursuit.

Some can be found on Highway 27 just as it enters the county. More are along Highway 82, from Fargo to Redmound. Yet others are on Highway UU from Redmound to Victory.

Some are rather old and relatively inconspicuous. A few are on farmers' land, just off the main road. Taking a ride on any of these roads takes you through history and through some of the most beautiful scenery in the state.

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