USA > Minnesota > Brown County > History of Brown County, Minnesota: Its People, Industries and Institutions (Volume 1) > Part 11
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horses he soon reached town with his charge. Approach- ing New Ulm, where the outbreak had been reported a few hours before, he mistook one of the out-lying pickets for an Indian, and in his excitement was about to open fire on him when he discovered that it was a friend of his named Ru- dolph.
CAPTAIN NIX IN COMMAND.
When he arrived in town he found the citizens organiz- ing a volunteer company, for which purpose one Czeigo- witz, formerly an Austrian soldier, placed fifty men in line in front of the Dakota House. As soon as Nix made his appearance he was unanimously elected commander of the company. He was known as an old soldier who had fought in Algiers and had been captain of a company during a revolution in that country. He was born or reared at that famous village every schoolboy has read of-Bingen-on- the-Rhine. He was later a captain under General Sulley in the Indian War of the Northwest. Sheriff Roos adminis- tered the formal oath to captain Nix and he then took com- mand. A few days later, however, Judge Charles E. Flan- drau was sent by the governor and took command of the forces. But sheriff Roos believed the murders to have been committed by a few drunken Indians; consequently it would be his duty as sheriff to imprison the offenders. Accom- panied by twenty-five men he immediatley started out toward the scene of the massacre, six miles from town. When they saw the dead bodies covered with blood and ter- ribly mutilated, and being themselves attacked by some of the Indians from a distance, they changed their minds and believed it to be a real outbreak. Then they began to look
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for and gather the dead and wounded, and carried them to New Ulm. So far, the sheriff's erroneous idea about the matter served a good purpose. When the wagons carrying the wounded and the dead reached New Ulm, the excite- ment among the people also reached its climax. Consider- ing the state of affairs as they then stood, it could easily be seen that the worst was yet to come. Many wanted to leave town immediately, others thought differently. These did not want to give up their homes so easily, and it was to be expected that many more people from the country would seek refuge in town. Their means for defending the town against an attack were, however, very poor. Still they could more easily defend themselves behind barricades in town than on the open prairie; and if they would try to go St. Peter or Mankato, a distance of about thirty miles, they would most likely be attacked by the Indians on the way.
It was now Monday evening, and strict orders were given to provide all possible means of defense. Fugitives were captured and brought back. They began to throw up a breast-work, and sent Henry Behnke and Schwerdtfeger as couriers to St. Peter and Mankato, asking for immediate assistance. These preparations infused courage and hope into the fearfully-excited minds of the people, although they did not have more than fifty guns for defense. Many of these were old, rusty and useless articles, such as peaceful citizens keep in their homes more for ornament than for use. There were only twelve rifles, and the fate of two thousand people was depending upon them. In their ex- treme need they looked for other means of defense. Any- thing that might serve to frighten the enemy was consid- ered good for the purpose. Here could be seen several com- panies armed with axes, scythes and pitchforks.
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On account of the residences in New Ulm being far apart, except those on Minnesota street, which was then the main street of the city, they had to limit their fortifications to about four blocks. There were only three brick blocks in New Ulm at that date. They belonged to Foster, Flick and Erd, and were chosen as places of refuge for the women and children, and included in the fortified section of the place. Weddendorf also had a brick house; but it was too far out to serve any good purpose. The work of building fortifications went on during the whole night, from the 18th to the 19th of August. Old wagons, barrels, logs, fuel, etc., were used in building a barricade. Women and children were engaged in casting bullets. Fires were kept up, the numerous pickets that had been sent out, the coming in of fugitives, all telling different but equally sad stories, left an impression of the peaceful settlers that time cannot blot from their memories.
INDIANS BESIEGE THE TOWN.
On Tuesday morning, August 19, the people began to breathe easier. A night of anxiety and care, during which they expected a cruel and unmerciful enemy to fall upon them at any moment, had now passed away. At the break of day H. Brockman, a surveyor, placed himself on the flat roof of Erd's residence, and by means of a telescope exam- ined the country around New Ulm. About eleven o'clock families arriving from the Cottonwood settlement reported that the Indians were beginning to cut the fugitives off from New Ulm. In order to assist these, one Spenner was sent out with twelve men armed with rifles; and fourteen
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others were sent out under one Prunk, armed with double barreled shot guns. The latter returned with a large num- ber of fugitives from the Cottonwood settlement. The first party that went out did not return; they had gone on too far. Their absence caused great uneasiness, because they had taken with them the only good arms that New Ulm had.
Meanwhile Mr. Swift, who later became governor of the state of Minnesota, came to town from St. Paul, with five others, on business. According to the custom of those days they were well armed and provided with excellent rifles. No sooner had they learned of the state of affairs than they wanted to turn back; but they were finally per- suaded by Captain Nix to remain.
About three o'clock p. m., Brockman gave information that in the direction of the agency, near Hoffman's farm, Indians could be seen riding out on the open prairie. Ex- citement and terrible fear now reigned supreme once more. Indians came from a northwesterly direction toward New Ulm, from the side where the cemeteries are now located. They kept close together as they came in on their ponies; but when within a short distance from town they separated, and in a few minutes the place was surrounded. The scene was well calculated to strike terror into the hearts of the people. The Indians were almost entirely naked, covered only with their hideous war-paint. Every movement indi- cated their savage thirst for blood. They filled the air with barbarous yells, and boldly challenged the white man, the representative of culture and civilization, to a fight. What a sight for a poor, helpless people to behold! Woe to the white man who fell into the hands of so terrible a foe !
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Captain Nix immediately ordered his men to the barri- cades. At first he could gather only twenty men, and but six of these had the courage to fall in line. The Indians had approached, and, throwing themselves upon the ground, commenced firing, which made sad havoc among the de- fenders. Against their magnificent rifles the arms of the settlers were a mere nothing. Captain Nix received a bul- let in the right hand which shattered one of his fingers. The fourteen-year-old daughter of one Pauly, who, out of curi- osity, had left Erd's residence to see the beginning of the fight, was hit by this same bullet, which entered her fore- head and killed her instantly.
Spenner's detachment very fortunately returned at the beginning of the fight. They brought with them many fugi- tives, and, united together, they forced their way into town. The fight lasted about two hours. The Indians numbered several hundred. But these seemed to have been only the advance guard of the army, who boldly attempted to take and plunder the town before the others could arrive. Three houses were set on fire during the attack, of which Bellm's residence was the first. A heavy rain was pouring down, and this had a great deal to do with saving the town. Fred- erick Pouser received a wound on his neck from the effects of which he was a constant sufferer up to the time of his death, May, 1876. He left a very large famil.y.
As soon as the fight was over and the Indians had re- treated, the first reinforcements arrived from St. Peter, consisting of twenty-five horsemen under the command of Sheriff Boardman. The proposal of Captain Nix that these twenty-five men should pursue the Indians was not accepted.
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The same day several citizens met with a very sad death. Under various pretexts they left New Ulm in the morning. Over a dozen armed men, among whom were Carroll, Tuttle, Thomas, Loomis brothers, Ives, Kirby, Coon, Lemmon, Lamb and Jinton, left New Ulm. Neither the advice of their friends nor the fact that the defense of the town was thereby considerably weakened could prevent them from leaving. Moreover, they believed they were well able to defend themselves against a considerable number of Indians. Their homes were west of New Ulm, near Iberia, on the Cottonwood and they wanted to go there to save their friends and the families they had left behind. Some of them had to come to New Ulm on business, not being aware of the outbreak. Partly out of curiosity, and partly with the intention of warning settlers, they entered several houses on their way. Everywhere they went they found bodies of the dead. Here and there they discovered chil- dren, many of whom were wounded; and these they took with them. When they reached their homes they found neither Indians nor whites. On their way back to New Ulm they separated, some going south and others north of the Cottonwood, toward town, in order to discover and save some of the settlers who were said to have been dispersed over the prairie by the Indians. They had agreed to unite again at Tuttle's place and return to town together. When the first party, who had been searching on the north side of the Cottonwood, reached Tuttle's place, they found that the other party had already left for town. A man coming from New Ulm told them that he had met the others on the way.
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A FATAL AMBUSH.
When the second party, among whom were Carroll, Loomis, Lamb, Ryan (who had in the meantime joined them), Hinton and a Norwegian, noticed a fire in the neigh- borhood of New Ulm, they became suspicious and looked for the Indians. As soon as they reached the plateau west of New Ulm, stretching for about a mile from north to south, Hinton rode far enough in advance of the others to see the town from a hill. Returning to his companions he said that the town had just been attacked by the Indians, and proposed to take another road and fly to Mankato. This advice was rejected by the majority who reproached him for cowardice. They took a good view of the town and its surroundings, and could see only a few Indians. From there a good road leads to New Ulm; first across a swamp, then over a piece of slowly rising prairie, on the east side of which it leads directly to the town. They could have reached there in five minutes if the road had been clear. Carroll proposed that they force their way, and Hinton took the lead. When they came to the foot of the hill, near the swamp, they noticed two Indians who had been hiding behind a big rock leveling their rifles at the first horseman. Hinton drew his revolver and drove them back. But when they reached the other side of the swamp, those Indians who were hiding in the grass opened fire on them. Carroll, Al- mond, Loomis, Lamb, Ryan and the Norwegian fell dead at the first volley; the other two escaped into town. The second half of the expedition came about half an hour later and approached the place where so many of their com- panions had lost their lives. Not seeing Indians anywhere,
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they had no idea that at the end of the swamp they would run into a terrible trap. But no sooner had they left the east end of the swamp and were within a short distance of town, than suddenly more than a hundred blood-thirsty savages rose up from the tall grass and poured into them a shower of bullets. Six men and five horses fell dead. Thomas escaped. His horse was shot under him, but throw- ing away his gun he ran and reached town safely. An In- dian sent two shots after him, but the bullets only struck the ground and covered him with dust. He was the only one of the second portion of that expedition who brought the news of the terrible fate of his companions to New Ulm. Two of the first party escaped by jumping on the front part of a wagon. The horses had become frightened and ran furiously toward town. Near the present site of the Lu- theran church one of the men was shot and fell from the wagon, where he lay all night. He was mortally wounded and died the next morning; the other clung to the pole and reached town unharmed.
The place near the swamp gave evidence of the fight. Pieces of broken rifles were lying around on the trampled ground, and everywhere were traces of the fearful struggles of the dying men. A large stone marks the place to this day. On the body of one of them, who was not discovered till a few weeks later, a pocket-book with $800 was found. He had probably been seriously wounded, and, creeping away into a thicket to conceal himself, he died there. Thus was the fool-hardiness of these men, who were so eager to show their courage, terribly punished.
The loss of so many strong and courageous citizens and the gain for the Indians of so many rifles were not calcu-
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lated to ease the minds of the terrified people. The heavy rain storm that came toward evening was a great blessing, for the Indians were thereby prevented from keeping up the siege and the danger of fire was lessened. The great uneasi- ness which overcame all when night approached was suc- ceeded by much joy, for about midnight the watchmen an- nounced the arrival of a large troop of horsemen. At first some were afraid they might be reinforcements for the hos- tiles. But the joyful tidings were soon announced that they were the men who, under command of the noble Charles E. Flandrau, had come from St. Peter and LeSueur to risk their lives in the defense of their neighbors. Their arrival brought joy to every heart. The town now had one hundred and fifty able defenders, well armed. This was about mid- night of Tuesday and Wednesday. There were now some 1,500 persons in the fortified quarters of the town. Every available place was occupied. Flandrau was chosen com- mander-in-chief. He brought with him four physicians, Doctors Ayer and Mayo from LeSueur, and Doctors McMa- hon and Daniels from St. Peter. These relieved the over- burdened Doctor Weshke, who had been up to that time the only physician in New Ulm.
On Wednesday steps were taken to provide the neces- sary supplies. The barricades were improved and every- thing was done to be able to successfully resist the attack which was momentarily expected. During the day fifty vol- unteers arrived from Mankato under Captain Bierbauer, and an equal number from LeSueur. Nothing more could be seen of the Indians in the vicinity of New Ulm during those painful hours. Those who had been killed near town the day previous were picked up and buried and the wounded brought in and nursed.
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SIEGE OF NEW ULM CONTINUED.
During those days, which proved to be a real blessing for New Ulm, the booming of cannon could be heard from Ft. Ridgely, and this encouraged the citizens to increase their fortifications. Even women and children gave a hand, for they were engaged in preparing bandages and casting bullets. They served a good purpose. On the morning of August 23, smoke clouds were seen rising everywhere. The surrounding farmhouses had been set on fire by the Indians. The redskins came flocking towards town on all sides. Among them was a very conspicuous chief riding a white pony. It was probably Little Crow himself. The first ad- vance of the half-naked and gaudily-painted savages who, amidst a howling more like that of demons than of human beings, came storming on and drove the pickets in from their two widely scattered fortifications. Unfortunately, seventy-five men had just been sent across the river into Nicollet county to the Lafayette settlement, a few miles from New Ulm, because early in the day columns of smoke had been seen rising there. Lieutenant W. Huey tried in vain to get back to New Ulm. A number of Indians cut off their retreat. On his return, or rather his flight, he met Captain St. Julien Cox, on his way from St. Peter to New Ulm. But the Indians were strong enough to prevent both companies from entering New Ulm, and so they united on the open prairie for their common defense. Seventeen of them, however, forced their way through the hostile ranks, and, taking possession of the windmill fought till towards evening against a band of Indians who had taken possession of a hall near by. After nightfall they set fire to the wind- mill and entered the barricades near the Dakota House.
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Several other buildings, among them two mills, which were of little use to the Indians during the siege, were burned by them. Commander Flandrau desired to save what could be saved. Captain Nix had advised the destruc- tion of the several residences outside the fortified quarters, but Flandrau would not consent to it. The Indians then made use of these residences with great advantage to them- selves, keeping up a destructive fire on Minnesota street. Flandrau then resolved that they had to be taken if New Ulm was to be saved. Captain Nix, with fifty men, mostly farmers, vigorously supported him, and received a bullet in the same arm from which he had lost a finger a few days before. After a stubborn resistance the Indians were driven out at about five o'clock in the afternoon, and the buildings, to save further danger, set on fire.
The besieged now began to burn down all the buildings outside the line which seemed to be in their way. A mania for burning houses had taken so firm a hold, that, even in- side the fortified quarters, Anton Zecher's residence was destroyed. Michelowski, a Pole, was so possessed by the fire-fiend that he had to be imprisoned, and Flandrau issued a proclamation to the effect that anyone caught in the act of setting fire to buildings would be shot. The Turner hall and the unfinished Catholic church, both main strongholds for the Indians, were fired.
There was now only one building standing outside the town, except the four blocks enclosed by the barricades. It was Weddendorf's residence, and was situated about one thousand yards north of the city limits. In it were stationed Zieher, Haeberle, the two Held brothers, Theobald, Hart- neck, Bobleter (father of a subsequent postmaster), Kahl-
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feld, Hammer and nine others, in order to defend the town from that side. On account of inadequate means they did not succeed well. It being a newly-built brick house, the Indians wisely kept at a distance, and only a few were killed. The great number of warriors and their vigorous actions compelled these men to leave the place, and under cover of night cross the Minnesota and get into Nicollet county. Running toward Swan lake they entered a swamp where they had to remain all night. J. Hartneck alone re- mained in the house. Anxiety and fear had so worked upon his mind that he became unconscious of danger. Toward morning he ran into town, receiving five shots, none of which proved fatal. Subsequently Hartneck died as a result of being injured by a mowing machine.
The besieged of New Ulm defended themselves like the valiant Greeks at the Pass of Thermopylae. They had the courage of lions, and met with better success than their Spartan prototypes. They were constantly prepared for any emergency. Most of the women and children were in the cellars under brick houses, and these were so filled that there was hardly any standing room left. With heroic cour- age and self-denial, they remained in their chosen prisons, always ready for the worst. The most dreadful suspense these women suffered was the fear of the victorious war cry of the red demons, which was worse than death to them.
NARROW ESCAPE OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN.
In Erd's cellar, in which the greater number of women and children were huddled together, there was a barrel of powder in charge of the widow of the late John Schmitz. It
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was held in readiness to blow up the building as soon as the Indians entered victorious. This fact was a menace to the whole town. Some cowardly wretches, it is said, had en- tered the cellar several times crying out that the town was taken. But womanly prudence and a mistrust, which would have been wrong at any other time, prevented a terrible catastrophe. Many may consider the intention which prompted these preparations not justified, and altogether wrong. But when the terrible fate which awaited the women and children, is taken into consideration, it is not fair to condemn their action.
During the whole night from Saturday to Sunday the fight was going on. It was truly a night of terror, because the citizens had to fight against an enemy who knew not mercy for either women or children, and who, thirsting for blood, was dreadfully in earnest to avenge his wrongs upon the innocent as well as the guilty. The crack of rifles, the whizzing of bullets, the wild yells of the Indians, the moans of the wounded and dying, the cries of frightened children, the surrounding darkness; these things were not calculated to fill the minds of the people with courage and hope. They rather filled the minds of the most courageous with fear. And then came the thought that the Indians might have taken possession of Ft. Ridgely, and, in possession of its in- struments of death, nothing would be left of New Ulm. But the men stood bravely and firm at the barricades. They were all heroes, and, valiantly exposing their breasts to the deadly bullets of the enemy, they quietly sent like angels of death, their own dreadful summons to their terrible foe. There was, however, no lack of misunderstandings. Cap-
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tain Dodd and others lost their lives in a very careless man- ner by making a sortie from the barricades in order to drive the Indians back. They were, of course, unmercifully butchered only a few steps from the barricades. The In- dians made a fortunate mistake of too heavily charging their rifles, and, on this account, often shot above the mark.
A baker named Castor wanted to carry bread to some hungry customers, and, being obliged to expose himself to the fire of the hostiles, put on a buffalo robe so as to appear like an Indian. A white man took him for one of them and of course shot him.
An old man named Roepke was crazed by fear and left the fortifications, and his body was afterward found fright- fully mutilated.
What a relief it must have been to those brave people when, at the break of day, the Indians began to disperse ! The Lord's Day-it was Sunday, August 24-brought salva- tion and safety. How many of the Indians were killed can- not be estimated, since they took with them when at all pos- sible the dead and wounded. But the quantity of blood dis- covered around the city gave evidence of a terrible loss to them.
New Ulm had only eight dead and sixty wounded. Many of the latter died on account of its being impossible to give them the necessary care. One hundred and forty-nine residences were destroyed. Between nine and ten o'clock, Captain Cox managed to get into town with seventy-five men. Soon after that all the Indians retreated and held a council, whereupon they left altogether. Their main camp- ing ground was in the neighborhood of the present Catholic cemetery. It is said that their sudden retreat was partly
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caused by a piece of strategy. It is well known that nothing can terrify the Indians so much as artillery. An inventive genius placed a stovepipe upon a cart, and two anvils were used for making the necessary noise. The Indians were thereby made to believe that a cannon had arrived during the night.
Captain Cox had been charged by the Governor to com- mand the people to leave the town as soon as possible. Some refused to leave, especially Captain Nix. They were of the opinion that, after they were now somewhat secure and had gone through so much, they ought not so easily give up their homes to their enemy. Their victories has thus far made them proud and courageous, and they did not think it neces- sary to fly from even so formidable an enemy. The ma- jority, however, were in favor of leaving the city, and the minority willingly gave in, in consideration of the many women and children and wounded men. Moreover, it was almost impossible for the two thousand five hundred persons to find accommodations in the forty-nine houses that had remained intact. Provisions were wanting. The numerous dead animals that were lying in and around town exposed to the hot summer sun soon would have filled the air with a stench that would have made a stay impossible. Sunday afternoon, preparations were made for removing to Man- kato, twenty-eight miles from New Ulm. Monday morning, August 25, a long caravan-some in wagons, others on horses, and others on foot-moved towards Mankato. There were in the line one hundred and fifty wagons, of which fifty-six were carrying the sick and wounded. The deserted city presented a very melancholy aspect. On account of the scarcity of teams many articles of furniture which had been
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