USA > Minnesota > Cottonwood County > History of Cottonwood and Watonwan counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume I > Part 32
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COTTONWOOD AND WATONWAN. COUNTIES, MINN.
REMINISCENCES OF THE LITTLE CROW UPRISING.
[By Dr. Asa W. Daniels, in a paper read before the executive council, Novmeber 14, 1910, and now forming a part of the records of the Minne- sota Historical Society Collections, volume XV, 1915.]
Considering the two thousand lives involved, largely women and chil- dren, the successful defense of New Ulm was the most momentous event in the Indian War of 1862-63. From that defeat the Indians turned west- ward and abandoned further combined raids upon the settlements. The active part taken by the people of St. Peter will ever be an impressive chap- ter in the eventful history of that city. Her immediate and generous re- sponse with volunteers, and their long and hurried march, enabled them to join in defending New Ulm in the afternoon, and later to participate in the uncertain issue of battle that held the besieged in its grasp for a whole day. The command of General Sibley would have reached the city too late to save it from savage fury, and had not the response been immediate from St. Peter LeSueur and Mankato, its fate must have been horrible to con- template.
Some of the events of that battle have never been fully stated in the official reports, and others not mentioned came under the observation of the writer. Therefore it will be of interest to learn, from one who had superior opportunities, the particulars of the battle as seen by him.
The news of the Indian outbreak reached St. Peter during the night of Monday, the 18th of August, 1862, it having commenced at the lower Sioux agency at seven o'clock that morning. Major Galbraith, who had reached St. Peter in the evening before. on his way to Ft. Snelling with a company of recruits, learning of the situation, at daylight started on his return to Ft. Ridgely, which he reached in time to participate in its defense.
At four o'clock in the morning of Tuesday the writer was notified of the outbreak and was asked by Captain Dodd to go to Rounseville and Briggs neighborhood, six miles to the northwest, and notify the settlers, and he informed me at that time that messengers had already been dis- patched in other directions. I was soon on the way, going from house to house, spreading the alarm, and sending others to more distant locations. On my return the refugees were already pouring in, and by noon the village became crowded with men, women and children. Some had been attacked on the way, and bore their wounded with them. All were in a most pitiable (23)
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condition, having in their fright and haste taken little clothing and no pro- visions, reaching their destination completely destitute. Every house was sympathetically thrown open to the refugees, and was soon filled from cellar to garret. The vacant Ewing House, a hotel of fifty rooms or more, and an unoccupied store building, were soon filled, and being of stone afforded safety and comparative comfort; but many were compelled to resort to sheds and barns, or to remain unsheltered for some nights, until better pro- vided.
A YEAR BEFORE THE OUTBREAK.
A little more than a year before the outbreak I had located in St. Peter, having left the government service at the Lower Agency, as physician and surgeon to the Sioux Indians, after a service of more than seven years. I had visited them a month before and heard from them many complaints. principally against their physician, Doctor Humphrey. My long service among them had been satisfactory to myself and the Indians, and I had many warm friends in every band, among them being Little Crow, and I may say most of the chiefs. Therefore, when the news of the outbreak came, I was in great doubt in regard to its being general, but I thought it confined to a single band, and that the outrages had occurred when they were under the influence of whisky sold them by the whites. But within twenty-four hours my confidence in my old friends was rudely shattered, and I came to realize, on seeing the dead and wounded, that the outbreak was general and of the most barbarous character.
As a government officer, I had observed for more than two years the close intimacy that was growing up between the Sioux and Winnebagoes. This was apparent from frequent visits of large parties of Winnebagoes to the agency, intermarriages that took place, uniting in games, and tribal pledges of friendship. No doubt some of the Winnebagoes participated in the battle that took place, but were too discreet to have it known. Had success attended the Sioux at Ft. Ridgely and New Ulm, there is little doubt there would have been a union of the tribes against the whites.
At St. Peter, to which we return after a slight digression, Captain Dodd and Major Flandrau had enlisted about one hundred and forty men to march at once in defense of New Ulm. Many of these volunteers fled from their country homes in the morning, hurriedly disposed of their famil- ies, and bravely responded to the call for a thirty-mile march before the close of their eventful day.
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I joined them as a surgeon of the command, and we were on our way about midday. The men were armed with double-barreled shotguns, a few rifles, and some other arms of uncertain efficiency. Some were on horse- back and a few in buggies; having to carry my surgical and medical cases, I availed myself of the latter conveyance. On reaching Courtland, twenty miles, a heavy shower drenched the command, but the march was continued, all being enthusiastic to reach New Ulm, where refugees informed me, there was a little battle going on and much of the town burned. We reached Redstone. two miles from the village, just as it was getting dark, and from that distance it did look as if the whole town was on fire; but crossing the ferry, we rushed on and reached the vicinity of the Dakota House about ten o'clock at night.
As we were leaving St. Peter we were joined by the command under Captain Tousley, of LeSueur, of nearly one hundred men, who continued with us on the march to New Ulm. With them, as surgeons, were Dr. Otis Avers and Dr. William W. Mayo, father of the two distinguished surgeons of Rochester. It was midnight before we found quarters for the night, and then I shared my bed with Doctor Ayers, passing a comfortable night after a long and strenuous day.
SITUATION AT NEW ULM.
Early in the morning of Wednesday we were looking over the situa- tion as left from the engagement the afternoon before. On a vacant lot near the center of the town lay six dead, brought in from the scene of the engagement, and others had been cared for by their families. The physi- cians then visited the wounded and cared for them, and for some of the refugees who were ill from fright and anxiety.
During the forenoon of Wednesday, Captain Bierbauer came in with nearly one hundred men from Mankato, and a few men came from Nicollet, under the command of Capt. Samuel Coffin. An organization was formed on that day by the military, who selected Major Flandrau as commander, Captain Dodd as lieutenant, and S. A. Buell as provost marshal. Pickets were established on the outskirts of the town, and guard duty for the night. During the day quarters and the commissary departments were established for the different commands.
A company of sixteen mounted men from St. Peter, among them Henry A. Swift and Horace Austin, afterward governor of the state, had started
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to the front some hours before the command of Flandran was ready to leave. and had reached New Ulm in time to participate in the battle of Tuesday afternoon.
Thursday morning, after guard mount and after a company had been selected to dig rifle pits, a company of a hundred men, under the command of Captain Dodd, was ordered to go to Little Cottonwood settlement, six miles south, to bury the dead and rescue any that might be hiding or wounded. Doctor Avers and myself were detailed to accompany the com- mand. The doctor invited me to have a seat with him in his buckboard. which I thankfully accepted. The command had hardly made half the dis- tance to the settlement before they were fired upon from ambush, but none was wounded, and, after returning the volley, we continued our march. Three mounted Indians soon showed themselves, but at a safe distance, observing our course, and in derision waving their blankets, keeping in sight most of the time during the march.
On reaching the settlement, the saddest scene presented itself that humanity is ever called upon to witness. The massacre had probably taken place on Monday before, and the dead were lying in all directions about the farm houses-in bed, in different rooms of the house, in the yard, near the grain stacks, and on the lawn. During the three days that the remains had been exposed the flies had done their work, and as a result the faces of the dead presented a revolting spectacle. Trenches were dug, and the bodies were gathered together and laid within, blankets were spread over them, and a prayer was offered; then earth to earth. ashes to ashes, and the command turned sadly away, having witnessed a burial scene that could never be forgotten.
By the military the day had been passed in strengthening the defenses of the town, providing themselves with ammunition, and fixing upon posi- tions of advantage in case of an attack. News came in during the day of fighting at Ft. Ridgely, and of Captain Marsh's defeat at the agency, and many other alarming accounts from refugees.
A LONG AND USELESS MARCH.
The principal event of Friday was the detailing of one hundred and forty men, under command of Captain Tousley, to go to Leavenworth, west and south of Ft. Ridgely, expecting to find persons there unable to escape and that might be rescued, but nothing definite was known in regard to the situation there. Doctors Ayers. Mayo and myself joined the command-
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I again having a seat with Doctor Ayers. The route was across an open prairie, and we had not proceeded far before we discovered three mounted Indian scouts to the north keeping in line with us and watching our course. Late in the afternoon we reached the vicinity of Ft. Ridgely and for the first time heard cannonading going on there, the sounds reaching us at short intervals. After its significance had fully impressed me. I said to Doctor Ayers that the Indians had attacked the fort in great force, and that as scouts had been watching our course, in case we continued our march to Leavenworth they would certainly withdraw from the fort during the after- noon or in the morning and ent us off. We had expected to remain at Leavenworth over night, returning the next day. Doctor Ayers agreed with me fully, and rode forward and consulted with Captain Tousley, who called a halt and gave his reasons for so doing, asking of the command to express their wishes by a showing of hands. It was carried by those in favor of going forward by two or three votes.
We continued our march for another hour, the warning notes of cannon coming to us regularly ; the sun was nearly down, night was coming on, and fatigue was telling upon the command, when a second halt was called and another vote was taken, which resulted in an order to return to New Ulmn. We reached our return destination after midnight. thoroughly worn out and disgusted from this long and useless march, which might have resulted not only in the destruction of the command, but perhaps in the capture of New Ulm.
The morning of Saturday was warm and fair, and at first we hopefully looked forward to an uneventful day. Much time had been taken in pre- paring for an attack, by burning outer buildings, digging rifle-pits, and loop- holing such walls as might be made serviceable. On that morning Colonel l'landrau gave me a dozen men and I barricaded the avenue a little west of the Gross hotel. From the roof of the Erd building, a central business block, with a glass an extensive view was had of the surrounding country, and at this point of observation a watchman was on duty during the day.
THE ATTACK BEGINS.
The first surprise and alarm of the morning came when at guard mount, west of the town, Lieutenant Edwards was instantly killed by an Indian so concealed in the grass that danger was unsuspected. About eight o'clock a. m., the watchman from the roof saw Indians collecting some two miles west of town, and signal smokes from the northwest. His observations
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were confirmed by officers and others. The certainty of a deadly conflict with a barbarous foe, when no quarter is expected is a most trying test of courage, but, with few exceptions, the situation was heroically accepted. The women and children were hurried to places of safety, the command was got under arms, and the physicians selected rooms for receiving the wounded, Doctors Mayo and McMahon in the Dakota House, and Doctor Ayers and myself in a store room on the opposite side of the avenue.
Within one hour the large body of Indians who had been forming on the west, were seen to be rapidly moving upon the town. The signals indi- cated a like approach from the north. When aware of this approach, Colonel Flandrau posted his men upon the slope of one of the terraces on the west with a line of skirmishes in front. Little Crow was mounted and led his warriors, who were on foot. In a long line with flanks curved for- ward, they approached in silence within a quarter of a mile of the defend- ers, when they gave a terrific war-cry and rushed forward upon a run, holding their fire until they had received that of our men, and then deliver- ing an effective volley at close range. The defenders fell back in a panic and the whole line retreated to the barricades. The assault was well exe- cuted, and had it been pushed to its limit might have resulted in the capture of the town by the Indians. But our men soon rallied behind the barricades and buildings, which arrested the onward rush of the Indians and compelled them to seek protection of the outer buildings.
Lieutenant Huey, with seventy-five men. was ordered to the ferry to prevent the Indians from crossing from the north side. Either from a misunderstanding or over-confidence, he crossed his command to the north side of the river, there meeting a large body of the enemy, retreated to Nicollet, and was not seen again until the next day. This unfortunate event was a serions loss to the defense. The firing from both sides became rapid. sharp and general, the Indians gradually pushing their way in surrounding the town, which they accomplished before midday. They fought with the utmost boldness and ferocity, and with the utmost skill and caution from every hollow and grass patch, and from behind every house and hillock or log. The crisis came at two p. m., when the Indians fired buildings on both sides of the avenue in the lower part of town. A strong wind was blowing from the cast, and the conflagration threatened the destruction of our only defense. Colonel Flandran rallied a sufficient force, and charging down the street, drove the enemy from the avenue. But just at this critical time the wind changed to the opposite direction, and clouds, which had been gath-
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ering for hours, shed upon our threatened locality a sufficient shower of rain to prevent the further extending of the flames.
DEATH OF CAPTAIN DODD.
The unfortunate incident of the day's battle that led to the death of Captain Dodd has never been correctly reported. In justice to the brave men that participated in that critical movement, a correct understanding should be had of the reasons that, at the time, seemed to make the under- taking imperative.
It will be remembered that Lieutenant Huey had retreated toward Nicollet in the morning, and all through the day we looked for his return with reinforcements, which really took place the following day.
About five o'clock there appeared beyond the Indian outer line, at the east, some forty or fifty men, marching in single file, under the command of an officer, carrying the American flag. They were dressed in citizens' clothes, and all had the appearance of the reinforcements so anxiously expected.
The Indians had again gained possession of the buildings on the avenue east, perhaps five blocks from the Dakota House, and from that position were delivering a galling fire upon our line.
Immediately, on discovering what all thought to be our reinforcements, Captain Dodd, in a short speech, volunteered to lead any that would follow to the clearing of the avenue of the Indians and joining our reinforcements beyond. Rev. Father Sunrisen and Doctor Mayo both made speeches urging all to unite in support of Dodd. Some twenty men responded. Dodd and Shoemaker being mounted, and proceeded down the avenue. It was a move- ment of only a few moments consideration, and seemed to promise an important result. Dodd rushed forward with a cheer, hardly coming within the Indian lines before receiving a deadly volley, which hurriedly sent them back to positions of safety. Captain Dodd wheeled his horse and reached a log blacksmith's shop, when the horse plunged forward and fell. Partially supporting himself and being assisted by others, the fatally-wounded leader was taken to the building, a cot prepared and there within an hour he died. He had received three mortal wounds, two other slight wounds, and the horses ridden by Dodd and Shoemaker were both killed. The writer had witnessed from our hospital the whole movement, saw Dodd fall and hur- ried to his assistance. There was little that could be done, as he was in a dying condition. He appreciated his condition and met it courageously,
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giving a message to his wife and to Bishop Whipple, with the utmost cool- ness and consideration.
AN INDIAN STRATAGEM.
The party we had supposed to be reinforcements, upon the volley from the Indians and our men falling back, suddenly disappeared, and it proved to be a stratagem to draw out some of our men and cut them off. Had the Indians in the buildings held their fire until they had advanced a half block farther, it would have been successful. In explanation of how the Indians became possessed of so many suits of citizens' clothes. it may be said that twenty-two months before one hundred and fifty suits were issued to them by the government, under the pledge of becoming farmers, much of this clothing having never been worn more than a few days.
The assault commencing in the morning at 9:30, was kept up without interruption until dark, when the Indians withdrew in the direction of Ft. Ridgely. During the evening all buildings outside of our barricades were burned. By ourselves and the Indians one hundred and ninety buildings were destroyed. We lost ten killed and forty wounded, the small loss being accounted for by the fact that we were fighting from the loop-holes of build- ings and barricades. The Indians loss has never been known. Both hos- pitals received and dressed the wounded. providing temporary cots for them. Some that were only slightly wounded returned and continued in the fight during the day.
Saturday night was anxious and disturbed with desultory firing by our guards, and perhaps by the Indians. Sunday morning it seemed from heavy firing that the assault was to be renewed; but it gradually lessened and by noon ceased entirely. About noon Capt. E. St. Julien Cox arrived with about fifty men, accompanied by Lieutenant Huey with part of his detach- ment which had been cut off the day before. During Sunday afternoon search was made for the recovery of the dead. Three or four were found that had fallen so far out as to be exposed to any indignity that the Indians might offer, but none was scalped or otherwise mutilated. Jerry Quane, a St. Peter volunteer, had the totem of Little Crow attached to the clothing over his breast. The totem was the skin of a crow, preserved in its natural form, symbolic of the family name. The parting with such a treasured emblem was to boastfully inform us from whom the brave defender had met his death.
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COTTONWOOD AND WATONWAN COUNTIES, MINN.
RETREAT TO MANKATO.
Early on Monday morning the order was issued for the evacuation of the village. Colonel Flandrau must have been wholly responsible for this move, as I am sure the medical officers were not consulted and were entirely ignorant of it until a short time before the movement was commenced. We had received reinforcements the day before, our position was stronger than ever, the sanitary conditions did not necessitate great urgency in moving, and the volunteers would have loyally remained. General Sibley was at St. Peter, and would have arrived within a few days, therefore it was a mis- take to retreat from New Ulm until relieved by him. The route was part of the way through a dense forest, and had a few Indians attacked a panic and massacre would have ensued. It is an ungracious and unwelcome task to criticise the Colonel, but a truthful statement seems to demand that it should be done, in this respect at least. Nearly two thousand men, women and children took up the march for Mankato, thirty miles distant, bearing the wounded in conveyances. Fortunately the long march was uneventful, and we reached our destination late in the evening, where we received a generous reception.
On Tuesday the volunteers from St. Peter reached home and disbanded. The writer brought with him the Rev. Mr. Saunders, severely wounded, who had volunteered with the LeSueur company. Some of the wounded were left at Mankato, but most of them came to St. Peter, and their care became most urgent. My brother, assistant surgeon with General Sibley's com- mand, assisting, we established a hospital in the court room at the court house. The room was large, well ventilated and afforded space for twenty beds, sufficient for the most serious cases. The care of the hospital devolved upon me, as my brother left with his command two or three days later.
Of the cases that came under my care, the most serious were as follows : Mr. Summers, of Nicollet, shot through the spinal column, died; Rufus Huggins was shot through the mouth, severing his tongue, recovered; a Sibley county volunteer, with a compound fracture of the arm bone near the shoulder joint, had amputation and recovered; Rev. Mr. Saunders, with an abdominal wound, recovered; Mr. Bean, a St. Peter volunteer, with a shot through the face, fracturing his lower jaw, recovered; a St. Paul volun- teer, with a penetrating gunshot wound of the brain, lived two or three days and died insane at St. Peter.
From the time the news of the outbreak was received, the citizens of
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St. Peter were active in providing for the refugees and the protection of the city. They organized committees for the various duties, as care for the sick, supplying food and clothing and fortifying. Night and day guard duty was kept up, earth-works were thrown up, rifle-pits dug and barri -. cades erected.
THIE GOVERNMENT NOT GUILTLESS.
In closing this paper the writer, who was so long and intimately asso- ciated with the Indians as a government official, desires to say that he found this people possessed of many of the virtues common to the human family. and that socially and morally their lives were of a standard quite as high as among civilized races. The outbreak was induced by long-continued viola- tion of treaty obligations on the part of the government, inflicting upon these unfortunate wards untold want and suffering. Like violent acts of mobs among civilized communities, the massacre was a barbarous and unrea- soning protest against injustice. Had the government faithfully carried out the treaty obligations and dealt with the Sioux justly and humanely, the outbreak would not have occurred.
PUNISHMENT OF THE SIOUX.
The Indians were defeated-they lost all the twenty-mile-wide and one- hundred-mile long strip of land reserved for them along the Minnesota river above New Ulm to the headquarters, having it abrogated by the United States government on account of this war, which was contrary to the treaty terms made at Traverse des Sioux in 1851. They also had thirty-eight of their leaders in the bloody massacre hanged at Mankato, December 26. 1862. And they were as a people driven from the state forever.
This execution was brought abont in the following manner: After the campaign of 1862, and the guilty parties were confined at Camp Lincoln. near Mendota, the idea of executing capitally three hundred Indians aroused the sympathy of those far removed from these scenes of butchery. Presi- dent Abraham Lincoln was importuned, principally by the people of the East and the Quakers in Pennsylvania. The voice of the blood of inno- cence crying from the ground, the wailing of mothers bereft of their chil- dren were hushed in the tender ery of sympathy for the condemned. Even the Christian ministers, stern in the belief that "Whosoever sheddeth man's blood by man shall his blood be shed," seemed now the most zealous for the
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