USA > Minnesota > Brown County > History of Brown County, Minnesota: Its People, Industries and Institutions (Volume 1) > Part 18
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64
Along the river, at the ferry, were clumps of willows and other brush, together with a rank growth of weeds and grass, with here and there a sandbar deposited by the river in flood-time. Knowing the stealthy nature of the Sioux, and that war had been inaugurated, the surroundings were such as any American soldier, willing to meet his foe in the open, would feel ill at ease in.
On the high bluff just across the river was the Red- wood agency, the objective point of Captain Marsh, and where he had hoped to meet prominent Sioux chiefs, and through their co-operation restore order. He apparently could not realize that the agency had been blotted out, and that every soul that had made up its white citizenship lay prostrate where he fell, shot to death and mutilated beyond recognition. The slope leading from the river to the brow of the agency hill was studded with a thick growth of brushy timber. The disembowled body of the ferryman had already been found, with the ferry boat on the north side of the river, ready for the soldiers to enter upon, as the Indians had no doubt carefully planned, divining that Marsh would seek to cross to the agency side.
Indians there were in plenty concealed, but kept very quiet. A few warriors on horseback revealed themselves indifferently on the prairie south of the agency, and at a considerable distance from the ferry, their evident pur- pose being to attract attention from the forces masked in the region of the ferry. Near the ferry landing on the opposite side of the river from the agency, was a lone
Digitized by Google
270
BROWN COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
Indian, chosen for a conspicuous part in the tragedy to be enacted when the plans of the cunning Indians were ma- tured. This was recognized to be no less personage than White Dog, who himself was clearly taken by surprise by the outbreak, as his demeanor to Reverend Hinman re- vealed in the early morning. White Dog was a prominent Indian at the agency, having been president of the Indian Farmers Organization, and his selection as a man likely to inspire confidence in Captain Marsh was neither spon- taneous nor accidental. Through interpreter Quinn, Cap- tain Marsh addressed White Dog, who in reply, suavely invited Marsh across the river, assuring him that the Indians did not wish to fight the soldiers, and that if Marsh would cross to the agency a council would be called to meet and confer with him. Two soldiers who went to the river's brink to obtain water as this conversation was being car- ried on, discovered in concealment on the opposite side, near White Dog, many Indians. However, Captain Marsh ordered his men forward from the ferry house to the ferry landing, purposing to cross, his men halting at a front along the river. Sergeant Bishop having stepped to the water's edge for a drink as the ferry ropes were being adjusted, saw evidences in the roily condition of the water that Indians were crossing up-stream with a view of a rear attack. This conviction expressed to Captain Marsh, was intuitively grasped by White Dog, who knew the moment was critical, and now doubted that Marsh would enter the ferry. He therefore fired the signal gun, as was his part in the tragedy, to which Quinn, the white-haired inter- preter, sensing its meaning instantly, in his last breath cried, "Look out!" A deadly volley came from the am-
1
:
1 1 1 1 1 1
Digitized by Google .
- -
271
BROWN COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
buscade on the opposite side of the river, killing many a brave soldier who had no opportunity to defend himself. Quinn was among those to fall at the first volley, riddled with no less than a dozen bullets. The volley was high and mainly passed over the soldiers' heads. Marsh and Quinn stood nearly side by side when the volley was fired, but the Captain was unscathed, and instantly ordered his men to fall back to the ferry house. Now came the awful realization of Bishop's prediction, for with deafening yells there rose from ambush in the rear, and within short range, a legion of naked frantic devils who poured a merci- less volley into the already staggered ranks of Marsh. The effect was deadly. Now the men fought for their lives, and to extricate themselves from their perilous predica- ment. The losses were already so great that to attempt a stand would be simply to blindly challenge fate. As stated by Chaska in 1863, when referring to this bloody incident, White Dog gave the death-signal prematurely, for which he was bitterly assailed by Little Crow and other prom- inent leaders in the massacre. The signal was not to have been given until the savage cordon had been so extended as to prevent the escape of a single man of Marsh's com- mand, in event the soldiers could not be gotten upon the ferry and there annihilated.
DEATH OF CAPTAIN MARSH.
By this time the Indians had secured possession of the ferry house. The fighting now was of the most desperate character, being hand to hand, or a few paces range. The soldiers made deadly work among the ranks of the savages,
Digitized by Google
272
BROWN COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
who were no match for the trained infantrymen in open combat; but realizing they could not withstand the already overwhelming and constantly increasing numbers, Marsh gave the order to gain at all hazards the thicket along the river, of which the savages had not yet secured possession. This was accomplished under a furious fire, fifteen out of the original number, after fighting like demons, reaching the sheltering copse. To reach the fort over an unknown country, pathless, and beset with a desperate enemy, was the only hope of the brave com- mander and his shattered forces. The thicket was raked with guns of the savages, but the men were now fighting from cover with a deliberateness of aim that kept the enemy well at bay. Covering their retreat carefully, the men fought their way down through the brush until they apparently must soon expose themselves to Indians seen out on the fort road, who were believed to be moving east- ward to intercept the retreating detachment. Captain Marsh believed that safety lay alone in crossing to the south bank of the river, and led in an effort to accomplish this end. This was about four o'clock p. m. At this point the Minnesota river was fifty or more yards across. Lifting his sword and revolver above his head the Captain waded successfully two-thirds of the way across. Getting beyond his depth he could no longer retain his weapons of defense, and dropping them, attempted to swim. In this he was unsuccessful, and called to his men for assistance. Bren- nan, Dunn and Van Buren, all men of heroic mould, hastened to the rescue of their commander, but he was doomed by the treacherous waters and though seized by
Digitized by Google
273
BROWN COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
the strong arm of Brennan as he was sinking the second time and brought to the surface, and although the Captain grasped the shoulder of the athletic hero daring all to save him, the hold of the officer and that of the soldier were broken in the struggle, and Captain Marsh disappeared beneath the merciless waters to rise no more.
Now the command devolved upon Sergt. John F. Bishops, than whom there was no better or braver soldier. Beset with calamity, dogged with disaster and wounded besides, with one of his men, Private Svendson, so seriously wounded that he must be carried by his comrades, Bishop was put to test summoning all his tact, courage and endur- ance. He at once decided to keep the north side of the river and not attempt its crossing as had Marsh. This decided the fate of the little company now left. There were only fourteen men and Sergeant Bishop. The Indians, believing they had crossed the river, also crossed and lay in ambush for them. While the mistaken Sioux were lying there awaiting the soldiers made their escape under cover of hills to a safer place. Night came on and Ft. Ridgely several miles in the distance, and in fact they half believed that the Indians had destroyed the post. But Bishop sent Privates Dunn and Hutchinson, as before re- lated, on into the fort, and twelve hours from the time the company under Marsh had left the garrison what there were left of them arrived at the garrison.
In that eventful day there were lost, including Captain Marsh, who was drowned, twenty-five men and five wounded, but who recovered.
(18)
Digitized by Google
274
BROWN COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
EXPERIENCE OF SUTHERLAND.
Early on the morning of August 20, William A. Suther- land and William Blodgett arrived at the fort, after ex- periences and endurances almost unbelievable. These men were shot down in the engagement at the ferry. Their escape, their sufferings and their heroic struggle for life can scarcely be matched in history. Sutherland was shot in the breast, the ball passing through the right lung and out near the point of the shoulder blade, at his back.
The wound rendered him unconscious for a time, and while in this condition the Indians took from him his gun, cartridge-belt and box, his cap, coat and shoes, leaving him destitute of clothing, save his shirt and trousers. The mystery is that he was not scalped, but his escape was no doubt due to a distracted state among the savages, who were rent with dissension over the personal effects of their vic- tims. Sutherland fell near the river, where he lay for several hours. Returning to consciousness, he found him- self crazed with pain and thirst. Lifting his head cau- tiously, he looked about him, half stupefied, yet curious to learn whether his comrades, who were in action when he fell, had been annihilated. While the savages had com- pleted their hellish work, they were still in the vicinity, and he heard their voices near, and the firing of guns far and near warned him of the havoc being wrought upon the settlement. He determined to crawl to the river to slake his thrist, even though to do so should cost him his life. He tested his strength in an effort to turn over, hav- ing fallen on his face when shot. He found he could move his body, and down through the high grass and weeds he
Digitized by Google
275
BROWN COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
dragged himself to the water's edge, leaving a trail stained with blood to betray him should an Indian cross his path. He was much refreshed with copious draughts of water and crawled back into the weeds, where he meditated and wondered if escape was possible for him. He reasoned that no attempt to escape should be made until nightfall. Thirst compelled him to make several trips to the river. Near his drinking place was a skiff lodged against the river's bank, and partly filled with water. The water- logged boat suggested a possible means of escape and he resolved that if not discovered and slain before dark he would make a superhuman effort to save his life. At about ten o'clock at night, after all the savages had joined in the hideous orgies of the scalp-dance on the agency side of the river, he felt that now if ever he must carry out his resolution. He crept cautiously to the water's edge, re- moved as much water from the boat as possible with his hands while the craft lay on its edge, then pushed it into the stream, and got in. There was no seat in the boat, no oars or paddles, and nothing with which to bail out the water of which there was considerable at the outset. He sat down in this in the bottom of the boat, hatless and with- out clothing to protect his shattered body from the pene- trating chill of night, with no nourishment of any kind. Thus he began his silent journey, dependent wholly upon his boat and the current of the sluggish river. As he drifted silently away under the southwestern hills, the hideous din of the scalp-dance, conducted but a matter of rods away from where he had lain for hours, became less and less distinct, until croaking frogs or an occasional bittern alone broke the silence of the night. In this help-
Digitized by Google
276
BROWN COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
less plight, this country boy of twenty summers, who had left all the comforts of a happy home, tenanted with loved ones, to enter the army and serve his country, began a voy- age under conditions seeming to challenge fate and which fiction, in all its reckless extravagance, would scarce attempt to parallel.
All that night, all the next day, and all the following night, until nearly dawn, this ghostly figure drifted silently along, now backwards, now side-wise and now for an hour or so whirled helplessly in an eddy. The nights were gloomy and solemn, but not more so than the light of day, that revealed the pall of death on every hand. Sutherland was seized with delusions that haunted him against reason, from the outset of his journey. He felt that he was help- lessly being carried in the wrong direction-that he should go up stream instead of down, and this fantasy gave him no end of trouble. He was shot on Monday afternoon. He entered his boat Monday night, and there remained until the break of day Wednesday morning. He knew his progress had been very slow, but he felt that if the boat had carried him in the proper direction, he must be in the vicinity of the fort. At all events he found that he must abandon the waterlogged boat, for he had become so stiff- ened he could scarcely move. Against his better judgment, the bewildering delusion that had been his pursuing nemesis, impelled him to land, by paddling with his hands, on the wrong side of the river, or on the side opposite the fort. Benumbed and weakened, but stimulated with the hope that he would soon reach the garrison, he picked his way through a jungle of underbrush, and out of the valley and up the wooded hills until he reached the open prairie
Digitized by Google
1 1 -
277
BROWN COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
on the highlands. He saw Indian cabins that were strange to him, but no trace of the garrison or of any familiar ob- ject. His heart sickened, despair overwhelmed him and he sank to the earth. But his great will power triumphed, and he rose to his feet again.
The sun had now risen to flood the earth with its ex- hilarating light. Sutherland realized that he must return to the shelter of the river valley, as he was in great danger of being discovered; and as he turned his face to the north- ward and west, to his amazing astonishment and joy he be- held Ft. Ridgely in the favoring light of the morning sun, on the hills beyond the river, the colors flying at full mast, assuring him that without doubt the fort had not fallen. He now knew that he abandoned his boat not far above the road crossing the river by the ferry, and leading to the fort. He sent out to reach the river at the ferry crossing, but on his arrival at the stream a new disappointment awaited him. The rope spanning the river had been cut and the ferry was gone. There was but one alternative; he must swim the river or perish in the attempt to do so. He lost no time, but got down into the water, which was soon be- yond his depth, compelling him, while suffering excruci- ating pain in the effort, to exert himself to keep from sink- ing. By the assistance of the current he landed on the opposite side, where having been carried several rods down stream, he experienced great difficulty in pulling himself up the abrupt and brush-grown river bank. He accom- plished all this, however, and walked a mile, most of the way up hill, and reached the fort, a gaunt, bent, blood- stained, half-naked specter, as if risen from the dead to affright his surviving comrades. He arrived in the gar-
Digitized by Google
278
BROWN COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
rison between eight and nine o'clock, Wednesday morning, August 20, and an hour later the Indians came in swarms over the road by which he had barely made his escape. Sutherland recovered and served with his company in the south until the close of the Civil War.
PENSIONERS OF THE SIOUX UPRISING.
About 1902 the state of Minnesota passed an act by which all defenders at the time of the Indian massacre who were in any way injured or became afflicted by bodily ail- ment as a result of that war, subsequently, should receive a pension, which was fixed at twelve dollars per month. In many instances this small pension from the state has ma- terially aided those who fought for their homes and fam- ilies in 1862.
Digitized by by Google
CHAPTER VI.
ORGANIZATION OF BROWN COUNTY.
Brown county was named in honor of Joseph Renshaw Brown, who was one of Minnesota's most prominent pio- neers. He was a drummer boy with the first detachment of troops for Ft. Snelling. He became a trader with the Sioux Indians, and as settlers began to come in, a speculator in lands and townsites. He was publisher of the Minnesota Pioneer for some time, was an inventor and held many ter- ritorial offices.
The county was created on February 20, 1855, with the county seat as New Ulm, which has never been changed. It is in southwestern Minnesota, sixty miles from the Twin Cities. It contains six hundred and sixteen square miles, or three hundred and ninety-four thousand, seven hundred and twenty acres, of which almost seven thousand are cov- ered by water by the presence of its numerous lakes.
Brown county is bounded on the north by Redwood, Renville and Nicollet counties; on the east by Nicollet and Blue Earth counties; on the south by Watonwan and Cot- tonwood counties, and on the west by Cottonwood and Red- wood counties. This county has seen many boundary line changes. It was once very extensive, then even smaller than its present size. At first, when created by act of the Territorial Legislature in 1855 it had a large scope of coun- try within its borders. It commenced at the southeast cor-
Digitized by Google
280
BROWN COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
ner of township 101, range 30 west, its boundary proceeded along the Iowa line to range 48, and thence south to the mouth of the Big Sioux river, where now stands Sioux City, Iowa, thence up the Missouri river to about the mouth of Grand river, then due east, in a line projected to the Minne- sota river, which formed its northeast boundary. This im- mense region had been set from Blue Earth county and was still attached to it for judicial purposes.
On February 11, 1856, the Legislature enacted "that the county of Brown is hereby declared to be an organized county and entitled to all privileges and immunities, and subjected to all liabilities of other organized counties of this territory."
The governor was empowered by this act to appoint county officers to serve until the following election. Being unacquainted with the names of the settlers within the bounds of the county, the governor handed the blank com- missions for such officials to Francis Baasen, who was then in St. Paul, to fill in the names of some proper persons to hold the first offices and to report the names to him when he had done so, but the archives of the county and state do not have such list of names at this date, and no one remem- bers who they were.
A RADICAL CHANGE IN BOUNDARY.
On May 23, 1857, there were formed out of the terri- tory of what was then known as Brown county, Martin, Jackson, Nobles, Rock, Pipestone, Murray and Cottonwood counties. In 1862 the bounds were again changed by the establishment of Redwood county, which cut off from
Digitized by Google
-
-
281
BROWN COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
Brown the present counties of Lyon, Lincoln, Yellow Medi- cine and Lac qui Parle, all of which at that date were formed into Redwood county. This change made Brown county much less in extent than its present area, and its bounds were described as follow: "Beginning at the south- west corner of township 108, between ranges 29 and 30, thence west to the town line between ranges 33 and 34, thence north to the Minnesota river, thence down said river to a point between ranges 29 and 30, thence south to the place of beginning."
ITS PRESENT BOUNDS SET.
In 1864 the county was enlarged by the addition of four townships. These were North Star, Burnstown, Stately and Bashaw, the two former being cut from Red- wood county, the two latter from Cottonwood county.
The earliest record of a county commissioners' meeting in Brown county was at New Ulm, September 1, 1856. The commissioners were Peyton, Nichols, Anton Kaus and A. Henle, at which meeting, the former register of deeds hav- ing removed from the county, Francis Baasen was appoint- ed in his stead. It was at this meeting that the first pre- cincts were established. There were five in number and were constituted as follow: First precinct, all the surveyed township south of township 110, range 30; second precinct, all that part of Brown county included in township 110, range 30; third precinct, all the surveyed townships in range 31, included in Brown county; fourth precinct, all that part of the unsurveyed land included in the Redwood or Lower Sioux Agency; fifth precinct, all the unsurveyed land in the Yellow Medicine Agency.
Digitized by Google
282
BROWN COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
RELIEF FROM BIRD PESTS.
During the first years of their settlement the farmers in this county were subjected to great losses by reason of the damages done by immense flocks of blackbirds, so that on February 23, 1857, a petition, numerously signed, was presented to the board of county commissioners. The board, not wanting to act in such a matter without first consulting the people, took no action in the matter of relief from that source of crop destruction. The following April pressure was again brought to bear on the board and their stand in the matter was reconsidered. It was then resolved "that, whereas, William Pfaender had promised to furnish the poison, the board concluded to use it three times in the sea- son; first, from May 10 to May 15; second, from and during wheat harvest; third, in the month of October, the money expended for which experiments to be recovered by the county treasurer."
Again, in 1859, the board had to again come to the re- lief of the community, so great were the ravages of these blackbird pests. In accordance with a petition received praying for help, it was determined to give to each farmer of the county who had part of his land under cultivation one bottle of strychnine, and the clerk was ordered to pro- cure for that purpose three hundred bottles of poison, and the day was fixed for its distribution. These heroic meas- ures were effective only for a time, and in succeeding years rewards were offered for the killing of blackbirds at the rate of forty cents per hundred birds. A war of extermina- tion was raged, and after a few years they entirely disap- peared.
Digitized by Google
-
283
BROWN COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
In 1875 the county commissioners allowed two dollars and a half a bushel for all grasshoppers killed and brought to the court house to be viewed by the officials. Up to July 12, that year, the county had paid for eight hundred bushels of the winged pests.
FIRST FERRY LICENSE GRANTED.
The first ferry license was granted for a ferry across the Minnesota river at the point where "the Mankato and Ft. Ridgely road shall cross said river," and "for a ferry across the Minnesota river from the foot of Center street in the town of New Ulm, at such a point as will be selected by the grantee not more than a mile above or below said point." These licenses were both granted on May 12, 1857.
In 1872 the commissioners' records show the ferry was still one of the necessities in Brown county, for they granted a ferry license to Charles H. Nixon for five years, from July, 1872, and fixed the maximum charges as follow: Dou- ble team, twenty-five cents; single team, fifteen cents; horse and rider, ten cents; footmen, five cents; stock, per head, five cents, but if more than five head at one time, one cent each head, except hogs, which were always to be five cents each.
CARING FOR THE POOR.
Brown county has ever been liberal in the support of its unfortunate poor. In 1870 the commissioners purchased a farm of one hundred and twenty acres (the old Tuttle farm) in Stark township, in the south half of the southeast quarter and the southeast quarter of the northwest quarter
Digitized by Google
-
-
284
BROWN COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
of section 9, township 109, range 32. For this land the county paid fifteen hundred dollars. This place was used for the keeping of the pauper element of the county, so far as practicable, until 1907, when a change took place and the poor farm was relocated in Cottonwood and a building erected costing eighteen thousand dollars. It is along the Cottonwood river, in the south part of town, in township 110, range 30 west. There are at present (1916) eleven inmates.
On February 5, 1858, contracts were let for the pur- pose of having the bridge over the Cottonwood river con- structed, to Julius Schramm for the carpenter work, for the sum of $1,250; to Joseph Reinhard, for furnishing and delivering all the timber at five and one-half cents per run- ning foot; to Charles Lauer for drawing the timber, and to J. Berndt and J. Victor for constructing the piers. Jacob Brust was afterwards placed in charge of the work of con- struction.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.