Fort Defiance (Wisconsin)

Fort Defiance was one of the last garrisoned stockade forts constructed in territorial Wisconsin. It was located approximately five miles southeast of Mineral Point, Wisconsin.^[1] It was located in the booming lead mining region in an area of early settlement. The fort was built by local settlers in 1832 when developing tensions over Native American land rights erupted into the Black Hawk War. Although Fort Defiance did not experience attack, it did have a garrison of about 40 militia men who were said to be among the best drilled in the territory.^[2] Fort Defiance had two blockhouses located at opposite corners of the stockade. Within the walls were two buildings used to accommodate the garrison and the families of settlers in case of a siege. There are no visible remains.

Notes

Black Hawk War of 1832

Native people

British Band	Black Hawk Neapope Wabokieshiek

Dakota	Wapasha

Ho-Chunk	Waukon Decorah

Menominee	Oshkosh

Potawatomi	Billy Caldwell Shabbona Waubonsie

Sauk and Meskwaki	Keokuk Wapello

U.S. people

Army	Henry Atkinson Hugh Brady Jefferson Davis Winfield Scott Zachary Taylor

Militia	John Giles Adams Milton Alexander David Bailey Ebenezer Brigham John Dement Henry Dodge William S. Hamilton James D. Henry Abraham Lincoln Alexander Posey Isaiah Stillman James W. Stephenson Samuel Whiteside

Others	George Davenport Henry Gratiot Antoine LeClaire Joseph M. Street Felix St. Vrain Joseph Throckmorton

Places

Illinois: Apple River Fort; Buffalo Grove; Dixon's Ferry; Fort Armstrong; Fort Beggs; Galena; Indian Creek; Kellogg's Grove; Plum River; Saukenuk; Stillman Creek; Stillman's Run Battle Site; Waddams Grove; Yellow Creek

Michigan Territory (Wisconsin): Bad Axe River; Blue Mounds Fort; Fort Crawford; Fort Defiance; Fort Hamilton; Fort Jackson; Fort Koshkonong; Fort Union; Gratiot's Grove; Helena; Hamilton's Diggings; Pecatonica River; Roxbury; Sinsinawa Mound; Soldiers Grove; Victory; Wisconsin Heights Battlefield; Wisconsin River

Engagements