History of Fillmore County, Including the Explorers and Pioneers of Minnesota, Part 39

Author: Edward D. Neill
Publication date: 1882
Publisher:
Number of Pages:

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On Friday, the 22d, another party of one hun- dred and forty men, under command of Captain George M. Tousley, started for the purpose of res- cuing a party of eleven persons, women and child- ren, who, a refugee informed the commandant, were hiding in a ravine out toward Leavenworth. Accompanying this party were Drs. A. W. Daniels, of St. Peter, and Ayer, of Le Sueur.

On the way out, the cannonading at Fort Ridgely was distinctly heard by them, and then

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STATEMENT OF RALPH TIIOMAS.

Dr. Daniels, who had resided among the Sioux several years as a physician to the lower bands, had, for the first time, some conception of the ex- tent and magnitude of the outbreak.

As the main object of the expedition had alrea- dy been accomplished-i. c., the rescue of the wo- men and children-Dr. Daniels urged a return to New Ulm. The question was submitted to the company, and they decided to go on, and proceed- ed to within four miles of Leavenworth, the de- sign being to go to that place, remain there all night, bury the dead next day, and return.

It was now nearly night; the cannonading at the fort could still be heard; Indian spies were, undoubtedly, watching them; only about one hundred armed men were left in the town, and from his intimate knowledge of the Indian char- acter, Dr. Daniels was convinced that the safety of their force, as well as New Ulm itself, required their immediate return.

A halt was called, and this view of the case was presented to the men by Drs. Daniels, Ayer, and Mayo. A vote was again taken, and it was deci- ded to return. The return march commenced at about sundown, and at one o'clock A. M. they re- entered the village.

Ralph Thomas, who resided on the Big Cotton- wood, in the county of Brown, had gone with many of his neighbors, on Monday, the 18th of August, into New Ulm for safety, while William Carroll and some others residing further up the river, in Leavenworth, had gone to the same place to ascertain whether the rumors they had heard of an uprising among the Sioux were true. Mr. Thomas makes the following statement of the do- ings of this little party, and its subsequent fate:

"There were eight of us on horseback, and the balance of the party were in three wagons. We had gone about a mile when we met a German going into New Ulm, who said he saw Indians at my place skinning a heifer, and that they drove him off, chasing him with spears. He had come from near Leavenworth. We kept on to my place, near which we met John Thomas and Almon Par- ker, who had remained the night before in a grove of timber, one and a half miles from my place. About eight o'clock the evening before, they had seen a party of ten or twelve Indians, mounted on ponies, coming toward them, who chased them into the grove, the savages passing on to the right, leaving them alone. They stated to us that they had seen Indians that morning traveling over the

prairie southward. We stopped at my place and fed our horses. While the horses were eating, I called for three or four men to go with me to the nearest houses, to see what had become of the peo- ple. We went first to the house of Mr. Mey, where we found him and his family lying around the house, to all appearance dead. We also found here Joseph Emery and a Mr. Heuyer, also appa- rently dead. We had been here some five minutes viewing the scene, when one of the children, a girl of seven years, rose up from the ground and com- menced crying piteously. I took her in my arms, and told the other men to examine the other bodies and see it there were not more of them alive. They found two others, a twin boy and girl about two years old; all the rest were dead.

" We next proceeded to the house of Mr. George Raeser, and found the bodies of himself and wife lying near the house by a stack of grain. We went into the house and found their child, eighteen months old, alive, trying to get water out of the pail. We then went back to my place, and sent John Thomas and Mr. Parker with an ox-team to. New Ulm with these children. Mr. Mey's three children were wounded with blows of a tomahawk on the head; the other child was uninjured. We then went on toward Leavenworth, seeing neither Indians nor whites, until we arrived at the house of Mr. Seaman, near which we found an old gen- tleman named Riant concealed in a slough among the tall grass. He stated to us that a party of whites with him had been chased and fired upon by a party of Indians. It consisted of himself, Luther Whiton, George W. Covill and wife, Mrs. Covill's son, Mrs. Hough and child, Mr. Van Guil- der and wife and two children, and Mr. Van Guil- der's mother. All these Mr. Riant said had scat- tered over the prairie. We remained about two hours, hunting for the party, and not finding them, turned back toward New Ulm, taking Mr. Riant with us. We proceeded down opposite my place, where we separated, eleven going down on one side of the Big Cottonwood, to Mr. Tuttle's place, and seven of us proceeded down on the other, or north side of the stream. The design was to meet again at Mr. Tuttle's house, and all go back to New Ulm together; but when we ar- rived at Tuttle's, they had gone on to town with- ont waiting for us, and we followed. When near Mr. Hibbard's place we met Mr. Jakes going west. He said that he had been within a mile of New Ulm, and saw the other men of our party. He

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HISTORY OF THE SIOUX MASSACRE.

further informed us that he saw grain-stacks and sheds on fire at that distance from the place.

" When we came to the burning stacks we halted to look for Indians. Our comrades were half an hour ahead of us. When they got in sight of the town, one of them, Mr. Hinton, rode up on an ele- vation, where he could overlook the place, and saw Indians, and the town on fire in several places. He went back and told them that the Indians had at- tacked the town, and that he did not consider it safe for them to try to get in, and proposed cross- ing the Cottonwood, and going toward the Man- kato road, and entering town on that side. His proposition was opposed by several of the party, who thought him frightened at the sight of half a dozen Indians. They asked him how many he had seen. He said some forty. They came up and looked, but could see but three or four Indians. Mr. Carroll told them they had better go on, and, if opposed, cut their way through. He told Hin- ton to lead, and they would follow. They passed down the hill, and met with no opposition until they came to a slough, halt a mile from the town. Here two Indians, standing on a large stone by the side of the road, leveled their double-barreled guns at Mr. Hinton. He.drew his revolver, placed it between his horse's ears, and made for them. The balance of the company followed. The Indi- ans retired to cover without firing a shot, and the company kept on until they had crossed the slough, when the savages, who were lying in ambush, arose from the grass, and firing upon them, killed five of their number, viz .: William Carroll, Almond Loomis, Mr. Lamb, Mr. Riant, and a Norwegian, and chased the balance into the town.

"We came on about half an hour afterward, and passing down the hill, crossed the same slough, and unconscious of danger, approached the fatal spot, when about one hundred and fifty savages sprang up out of the grass and fired upon us, killing five horses and six men. My own horse was shot through the body, close to my leg, killing him instantly. My feet were out of the stirrups in a moment, and I sprang to the ground, striking on my hands and feet. I.dropped my gun, jump- ed up, and ran. An Indian, close behind, dis- charged the contents of both barrels of a shot-gun at me. The charge tore up the ground at my feet, throwing dirt all around me as I ran. I made my way into town on foot as fast as I could go. No other of our party escaped; all the rest were killed. Reinforcements from St. Peter came to

the relief of the place in about half an hour after I got in, and the Indians soon after retired."

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

BATTLE AT LOWER AGENCY FERRY-SIEGE OF FORT RIDGELY-BATTLE OF WEDNESDAY-JACK FRAZER -BATTLE OF FRIDAY-REINFORCEMENTS ARRIVE.

On Monday morning, the 18th of August, 1862, at about 9 o'clock, a messenger arrived at Fort Ridgely, from the Lower Sioux Agency, bringing the startling news that the Indians were massacre- ing the whites at that place. Captain John S. Marsh, of Company B, Fifth Regiment Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, then in command, immediately dispatched messengers after Lieutenant Sheehan, of Company C, of the same regiment, who had left that post on the morning before, with a detach- ment of his company, for Fort Ripley, on the Upper Mississipi, and Major T. J. Galbraith, Sioux Agent, who had also left the fort at the same time with fifty men, afterwards known as the Ren- ville Rangers, for Fort Snelling, urging them to return to Fort Ridgely with all possible dispatch, as there were then in the fort only Company B, numbering about seventy-five or eighty men. The gallant captain then took a detachment of forty- six men, and accompanied by Interpreter Quinn, immediately started for the scene of blood, distant twelve miles. They made a very rapid march. When within about four miles of the ferry, op- posite the Agency, they met the ferryman, Mr. Martelle, who informed Captain Marsh that the In- dians were in considerable force, and were mur- dering all the people, and advised him to return. He replied that he was there to protect and defend the frontier, and he should do so if it was in his power, and gave the order "Forward!" Between this point and the river they passed nine dead bodies on or near the road. Arriving near the ferry the company was halted, and Corporal Ezekiel Rose was sent forward to examine the ferry, and see if all was right. The captain and inter- preter were mounted on mules, the men were on foot, and formed in two ranks in the road, near the ferry-house, a few rods from the banks of the river. The corporal had taken a pail with him to the river, and returned, reporting the ferry all right, bringing with him water for the exhausted and thirsty men.

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CAPTAIN MARSII KILLED.

In the meantime an Indian had made his ap- pearance on the opposite bank, and calling to Quinn, urged them to come across, telling him all was right on that side. The suspicions of the cap- tain were at once aroused, and he ordered the men to remain in their places, and not to move on to the boat until he could ascertain whether the In- dians were in ambush in the ravines on the oppo- site shore. The men were in the act of drinking, when the savage on the opposite side, seeing they were not going to cross at once, fired his gun, as a signal, when instantly there arose out of the grass and brush, all around them, some four or five hun- dred warriors, who poured a terrific volley upon the devoted band. The aged interpreter fell from his mule, pierced by over twenty balls. The cap- tain's mule fell dead, but he himself sprang to the ground unharmed. Several of the men fell at this first fire. The testimony of the survivors of this sanguinary engagement is, that their brave com- mander was as cool and collected as if on dress pa- rade. They retreated down the stream about a mile and a half, fighting their way inch by inch, when it was discovered that a body of Indians, taking advantage of the fact that there was a bend in the river, had gone across and gained the bank below them.

The heroic little band was already reduced to about one-half its original number. To cut their way through this large number of Indians was impossible. Their only hope now was to cross the river to the reservation, as there appeared to be no Indians on that shore, retreat down that side and recross at the fort. The river was supposed to be fordable where they were, and, accordingly, Capt. Marsh gave the order to cross. Taking his sword in one hand and his revolver in the other, accom- panied by his men, he waded out into the stream. It was very soon ascertained that they must swim, when those who could not do so returned to the shore and hid in the grass as best they could, while those who could, dropped their arms and struck out for the opposite side. Among these latter was Capt. Marsh. When near the opposite shore he was struck by a ball, and immediately sank, but arose again to the surface, and grasped the shoulder of a man at his side, but the garment gave way in his grasp, and he again sank, this time to Mise no more.

Thirteen of the men reached the bank in safety, and returned to the fort that night .. Those of

them who were unable to cross remained in the grass and bushes until night, when they made their way, also, to the fort or settlements. Some of them were badly wounded, and were out two or three days before they got in. Two weeks after- ward, Josiah F. Marsh, brother of the cap- tain, with a mounted escort of thirty men-his old neighbors from Fillmore county-made search for his body, but without success. On the day before and the day after this search, as was sub- sequently ascertained, two hundred Indians were scouting along the river, upon the the very ground over which these thirty men passed, in their fruit- less search for the remains of their dead brother and friend. Two weeks later another search was made with boats along the river, and this time the search was successful. His body was discovered a mile and a half below where he was killed, under the roots of a tree standing at the water's edge. His remains were borne by his sorrowing com- panions to Fort Ridgely, and deposited in the military burial-ground at that place.

This gallant officer demands more than a pass- ing notice. When the Southern rebellion broke out, in 1861, John S. Marsh was residing in Fill- more county, Minnesota. A company was re- cruited in his neighborhood, designed for the gal- lant 1st Minnesota, of which he was made first lieutenant. Before, however, this company reach- ed Fort Snelling, the place of rendezvous, the reg- iment was full, and it was disbanded. The patri- otic fire still burned in the soul of young Marsh. Going to La Crosse, he volunteered as a private in the 2d Wisconsin regiment, and served some ten months in the ranks. In the following winter his brother, J. F. Marsh, assisted in raising a com- pany in Fillmore county, of which John S. was elected first lieutenant, and he was therefore trans- ferred, by order of the Secretary of War, to his company, and arrived at St. Paul about the 12th of March, 1862. In the meantime, Captain Gere was promoted to major, and on the 24th Lieuten- ant Marsh was promoted to the captaincy of his company, and ordered to report at Fort Ridgely and take command of that important frontier post. Captain Marsh at once repaired to his post of duty, where he remained in command until the fatal encounter of the 18th terminated both his usefulness and life. He was a brave and accom- plished soldier, and a noble man,

"None knew him but to love him, None named him but to praise."

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HISTORY OF THE SIOUX MASSACRE.

BIEGE OF FORT RIDGELY.

Foiled in their attack on New Ulm by the timely arrival of reinforcements under Flandrau, the Indians turned their attention toward Fort Ridgely, eighteen miles north-west. On Wednes- day, at three o'clock P. M., the 20th of August, they suddenly appeared in great force at that post, and at once commenced a furious assault upon it. The fort is situated on the edge of the prairie, about half a mile from the Minnesota river, a timbered bottom intervening, and a wooded ra- vine running up out of the bottom around two sides of the fort, and within about twenty rods of the buildings, affording shelter for an enemy on three sides, within easy rifle or musket range.

The first knowledge the garrison had of the presence of the foe was given by a volley from the ravine, which drove in the pickets. The men were instantly formed, by order of Lieutenant Sheehan, in line of battle, on the parade-ground inside the works. Two men, Mark M. Grear, of Company C, and William Goode, of Company B, fell at the first fire of the concealed foe, after the line was formed; the former was instantly killed, the latter badly wounded, both being shot in the head. Robert Baker, a citizen, who had escaped from the massacre at the Lower Agency, was shot through the head and instantly killed, while standing at a window in the barracks, at about the same time. The men soon broke for shelter, and from behind boxes, from windows, from the shelter of the buildings, and from every spot where concealment was possible, watched their opportunities, wasted no ammunition, but poured their shots with deadly effect upon the wily and savage foe whenever he suffered himself to be seen.

The forces in the fort at this time were the rem- nant of Company B, 5th Regiment M. V., Lieu- tenant Culver, thirty men; about fifty men of Company C, same regiment, Lieutenant T. J. Sheehan; the Renville Rangers, Lieutenant James Gorman, numbering fifty men, all under command of Lieutenant T. J. Sheehan.

Sergeant John Jones, of the regular army, a brave and skillful man, was stationed at this fort as post-sergeant, in charge of the ordnance, and took immediate command of the artillery, of which there were in the fort six pieces. Three only, how- ever, were used-two six-pounder howitzers and one twenty-four-pounder field-piece. A sufficient number of men had been detailed to work these

guns, and at the instant of the first alarm were promptly at their posts. One of the guns was placed in charge of a citizen named J. C. Whipple, an old artillerist, who had seen service in the Mex- ican war, and in the United States navy, and had made his escape from the massacre at the Lower Agency, and one in charge of Sergeant McGrew, of Company C; the other in charge of Sergeant Jones in person. In this assault there were, prob- ably, not less than five hundred warriors, led by their renowned chief, Little Crow.

So sudden had been the outbreak, and so weak was the garrison that there had been no time to construct any defensive works whatever, or to re- move or destroy the wooden structures and hay- stacks, behind which the enemy could take position and shelter. The magazine was situated some twenty rods outside the main works on the open prairie. Men were at once detailed to take the ammunition. into the fort. Theirs was the post of danger; but they passed through the leaden storm unscathed.

In the rear of the barracks was a ravine up which the St. Peter road passed. The enemy had poses- sion of this ravine and road, while others were posted in the buildings, at the windows, and in sheltered portions in the sheds in the rear of the officer's quarters. Here they fought from 3 o'clock until dark, the artillery all the while shelling the ravine at short range, and the rifles and muskets of the men dropping the yelling demons like au- tumn leaves. . In the meantime the Indians had got into some of the old out-buildings, and had crawled up behind the hay-stacks, from which they poured heavy volleys into the fort. A few well-di- rected shells from the howitzers set them on fire, and when night closed over the scene the lurid light of the burning buildings shot up with & fit- ful glare, and served the purpose of revealing to the wary sentinel the lurking foe should he again appear.

The Indians retired with the closing day, and were seen in large numbers on their ponies, mak- ing their way rapidly toward the Agency. The great danger feared by all was, that, under cover of the darkness, the savages might creep up to the buildings and with fire-arrows ignite the dry roofs of the wooden structures. But about midnight the heavens opened and the earth was deluged with rain, effectually preventing the consumma- tion of such a design, if it was intended. As the first great drops fell on the faces upturned to the

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FORT RIDGELY ATTACKED.

gathering heavens the glad shout of "Rain! rain! thank God! thank God!" went round the beleag- uered garrison. Stout-hearted, strong-armed men breathed free again; and weary, frightened women and children slept once more in comparative safety.

In this engagement there were two men killed, and nine wounded, and all the government mules were stampeded by the Indians. Jack Frazer, an old resident in the Indian country, volunteered as a bearer of dispatches to Governor Ramsey, and availing himself of the darkness and the furious storm, made his way safely out of the fort, and reached St. Peter, where he met Colonel Sibley and his command on their way to the relief of the fort.

Rain continued to fall until nearly night of Thursday, when it ceased, and that night the stars looked down upon the weary, but still wakeful and vigilant watchers in Fort Ridgely. On that night A large quantity of oats, in sacks, stored in the granary near the stable, and a quantity of cord- wood piled near the fort, were disposed about the works in such a manner as to afford protection to the men, in case of another attack. The roof of the commissary building was covered with earth, as a protection against fire-arrows. The water in the fort had given out, and as there was neither well nor cistern in the works, the garrison were depend- ent upon a spring some sixty rods distant in the ravine, for a supply of that indispensable element. Their only resource now was to dig for water, which they did at another and less exposed point, and by noon had a supply sufficient for two or three days secured inside the fort.

In the meantime the small arm's ammunition having become nearly exhausted in the battle of Wednesday, the balls were removed from some of the spherical case-shot, and a party of men and women made them up into cartridges, which were greatly needed. Small parties of Indians had been seen about the fort, out of range, during Thursday and Friday forenoon, watching the fort, to report if reinforcements had reached it. At about 1 o'clock in the afternoon of Friday, the 22d, they appeared again in force, their numbers greatly augmented, and commenced a furious and most de- termined assault. They came apparently from the Lower Agency, passing down the Minnesota bot- tom, and round into the ravine surrounding the fort. As they passed near the beautiful residence of R. H. Randall, post sutler, they applied the torch and it was soon wrapped in flames. On came the painted savages yelling like so many demons

let loose from the bottomless pit; but the brave men in that sore pressed garrison, knowing full well that to be taken alive was certain death to themselves and all within the doomed fort, each man was promptly at his post.

The main attack was directed against that side of the works next to the river, the buildings here being frame structures, and the most vulnerable part of the fort. This side was covered by the stable, granary, and one or two old buildings, besides the sutler's store on the west side, yet standing, as well as the buildings named above. Made bold by their augmented numbers, and the non-arrival of reinforcements to the garrison, the Indians pressed on, seemingly determined to rush at once into the works, but were met as they reached the end of the timber, and swept round up the ravine with such a deadly fire of musketry poured upon them from behind the barracks and the windows of the quarters, and of grape, canister and shell from the guns of the brave and heroic Jones, Whipple, and McGrew, that they beat a hasty retreat to the friendly shelter of the bottom, out of musket range. But the shells continued to scream wildly through the air, and burst around and among them. They soon rallied and took possession of the stable and other out-buildings on the south side of the fort, from which they poured terrific volleys upon the frail wooden buildings on that side, the bullets actually passing through their sides, and through the partitions inside of them. Here Joseph Vanosse, a citizen, was shot through the body by a ball which came through the side of the building. They were soon driven from these buildings by the artillery, which shelled them out, setting the buildings on fire. The sutler's store was in like manner shelled and set on fire. The scene now became grand and terrific. The Hames and smoke of the burning buildings, the wild and demoniac yells of the savage besiegers, the roaring of cannon, the screaming of shells as they hurtled through the air, the sharp crack of the rifle, and the unceasing rattle of musketry presented an exhibition never to be forgotten by those who witnessed it.

The Indians retired hastily from the burning buildings, the men in the fort sending a shower of bullets among them as they disappeared over the bluffs toward the bottom. With wild yells they now circled round into the ravine, and from the tall grass, lying on their faces, and from the shelter of the timber, continued the battle till

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History of Fillmore County, Including the Explorers and Pioneers of Minnesota, Part 39

Author: Edward D. Neill Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Number of Pages:

Author: Edward D. Neill
Publication date: 1882
Publisher:
Number of Pages: