Ten Famous People Who Battled Mosquitos in the Black Hawk War
Includes Abe Lincoln!
Guest post by Rolf Lindgren
From April to August 1832, the US Army conducted a very small war, defeating a band of Indians and opening up Wisconsin to settlement. It was called the Black Hawk War, fought in southern and western Wisconsin. Since the Indians were far outnumbered and outgunned, many US troops felt the mosquitoes were the worst foe they opposed that year.
Around 8000 total US soldiers, including militia, participated in the conflict, although fewer than 2000 saw combat. They opposed about 500 Indian warriors.
Interesting, 700 Indians fought with the US militia. So you could outrage a liberal by telling them more Indians fought against the Indians than with the Indians!
What’s most astonishing is the amazing number of people who became famous, who were in Wisconsin and participated in the Black Hawk War.
Here is a list:
Abraham Lincoln – Elected President in 1860. Right after the war, someone stole Abe Lincoln’s horse near what is now Whitewater, so Lincoln had to walk home to Illinois.
Zachary Taylor – Elected President in 1848.
Jefferson Davis – Elected President of the Confederate States of America in 1861.
Chief Black Hawk – The leader of the Indians and author of his famous 1833 autobiography, called “Life of Black Hawk”.
Henry Dodge – Elected the first governor of the Wisconsin Territory in 1836. Dodge county, Wisconsin is named after him.
In 1948, Iowa County presented a 160-acre estate to the State of Wisconsin which eventually became Governor Dodge State Park. Over the years, this park has grown to include 5,270 acres in the area Dodge once called his home.
Dodge County, Wisconsin,[10] Dodge County, Minnesota,[10] Henry County, Iowa,[11] Dodgeville, Wisconsin,[12] and Fort Dodge, Iowa[13][14] were named after Dodge. (Fort Dodge is the birthplace of your favorite twin brothers.)
Fort Clark, the U.S. Army post built near the present-day location of Fort Dodge, Iowa, was renamed for Senator Dodge around 1850.[15]
His former cabin in Dodgeville, now known as the Dodge Mining Camp Cabin, serves as a museum and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Pierre Beauregard – Commander of the Rebel forces at the Battle of Fort Sumter in April of 1861.
Robert Anderson – Commander of the Union forces at the Battle of Fort Sumter.
Nathan Boone – The son of Daniel Boone.
James Clyman – He became a famous mountain man after the Black Hawk War, although he is not well-remembered today.
General Henry Atkinson – He was the leader of the US troops. Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin is named after him.
Amazing!
When the Black Hawk War was all said and done, Abraham Lincoln summed it up best, and his words were incorporated into a great Wisco Rolf song called “A Mosquito Bit Me”:
Abe Lincoln battled mosquitoes
In the Black Hawk War
The skeeters were worse than bullets
With skeeters there are always more!
Rolf Lindgren is the Pints & Politics Director of the Republican Party of Dane County. He is a singer known as Wisco Rolf and his website is
