History of Goodhue County, Minnesota, Part 56

Author: Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Chicago, H.C. Cooper
Number of Pages: 1264

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HISTORY OF GOODHICE COUNTY

ferred to musician ; Charles W. Fisher, private ; John C. Foughty, private ; Henry Freedlund, private; John A. Fisher, private. promoted to corporal: Emerson Flonsberg, private. re-enlisted in 36th United States Volunteers; Iver Fosse, private; John G. Gerdes, private ; Christian E. Gilbertson, private. transferred to hospital corps. muster roll, November 30, 1898, mustered out March, 1899; Robert L. C. Geib, private, wounded in right thigh, north of Calocan. March 25, 1899, while with the 10th Pennsyl- vania regiment. detailed on special duty with quartermaster do- partment. 8th army corps; Michael Hemftling. private, mustered out ; George JJ. Haustein, private, promoted to corporal; C'arl .J. leglund, private, promoted to corporal; Everett J. Harding, private ; John (' .G. Johnson, private ; Eugene S. Judd, private : Theodore JJohnson, private; Victor (. Johnson, private, siek at division hospital, muster roll. November 30, 1898; Henry N. Jones, private, promoted to corporal November 11, 1898; Andrew Jackson, private; Edward R. Kappel, private; Robert C. Keefe. private, re-enlisted in 37th United States Volunteers; John W. Lovgren, transferred to hospital corps, United States army, mus- ter roll. November 30, 1898: Gustaf P. Lundgren, private. re- enlisted in 37th United States Volunteers; Ralph S. Mellendy. private, promoted to corporal August 18. 1898; Alvie Mannix, private : James F. Morrison, private : Rudolph Nelson, private : Aaron B. Newberg. private. transferred from private to artificer July 1, 1898, transferred from artificer to private September 7. 1898, discharged; John W. Newton, private. mustered out. re- enlisted 37th United States Volunteers: Otto B. Olson, private ; Edward E. Olson, private, promoted to corporal November 11. 1898; Francis J. O'Neill, private; Fred Delford, private, dis- charged April 28. 1899; Lawrence Penfold. private : Gustaf Peter- son, private; John T. Pewters, private: Christ Quall. private; Frederick W. Reichert, private, promoted to corporal, discharged August 19, 1899; William G. Reid, private; George T. Rice. private, transferred from private to musician July 1, 1898, dis- charged; John II. Sell, private, missed from "City of Para" August 2. 1898, supposed accidental drowning, nothing further known; Albert M. Schouweiler, private; Charles .W. Stewart, pri- vate ; Gottfried Swanberg, private : Charles E. Stockwell. private; August Swanson, private; George Tebbe, private: Benjamin F. Tubbesing, private. discharged at Manila March 7. 1899; James B. Webb, private, transferred to wagoner. The recruits mus- tered in June. 1898, all privates, were: Harry Bolus; Christ E. Bracher, transferred to cook; Alfred H. Baldwin, re-enlisted in 37th United States Volunteers; Carl O. Bakke; George W. Baker, shot through back of neck at Tonda, February 23. 1899, dis- charged : Homer C. Carey; John C. Clark : Arthur R. Clement ;

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HISTORY OF GOODHUE COUNTY

Ernest H. Dahlberg; Oscar Fjellman, sick at division hospital November 30. 1898, discharged at San Francisco March 10, 1899; Thomas Head, re-enlisted in 36th United States Volun- teers ; Charles J. IIartman ; Victor Johnson; Emil E. Jorgenson ; Hugh Kennedy; Owen Leeson, transferred to artificer; Ralph L. Munger. promoted to corporal ; Cecil M. Nichols ; Fred Newcomb, discharged; Frank D. Putnam; Leonard S. Phelps, sick at divi- sion hospital. muster roll of November 30, 1898, discharged at Manila for disability February 2, 1899, cause. malarial fever and dysentery : Conrad F. Risch. mustered into Company H at Camp Ramsey and transferred to Company G at Manila October, 1898; Burt E. Stockwell; Charles Sundberg: Henry Seebach; Fred H. Scobie, re-enlisted in 36th United States Volunteers.

Following is a brief résumé of the war service of Company G : 1898-April 23 President Mckinley issued a call for 125,000 vol- unteers to serve in the war against Spain. Minnesota's quota umder this call being 2.874 men: April 29 Company G left Red Wing for St. Paul; April 29. entered Camp Ramsey at state fair grounds : May 7. mustered into United States service as Com- pany G. 13th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry; May 16, left St. Paul for San Francisco: June 27. sailed from San Francisco for Manila on steamer "City of Para" [Sergeant Neill and Corporal Elk, with recruits, sailed on transport "St. Paul" July 29 and arrived at Manila August 30 : July 5. arrived at Honolulu, three days' stop: July 31, anchored off Cavite: Angust 7. regiment disem- barked and camped at Camp Dewey, near Cavite; August 10, first active duty, in the trenches before Manila : Angust 13. battle of Manila, the 13th Minnesota, in General Me Arthur's division, sup- ported the Astor battery. Sergeant Burnson was killed, Captain Seebach, Privates W. A. Jones. Ahlers and Crowell wounded, and the flag of the 13th Minnesota was the first regimental flag raised on the walls of Manila: for seven months thereafter the regiment acted as military guard of Manila. Company G being in the walled town.

1899-January 5. General Otis issued a proclamation to the Filipinos announcing the treaty of peace with Spain, and that the islands had come into the possession of the United States; February 4. the war with the natives began : February 22. fire broke ont in Santa Cruz district, patrolled by Company G, and in other parts of the city: March 19, regiment relieved from provost guard duty as the military police of Manila and caused to form a part of separate brigade under command of Brigadier General R. P. Hughes, being by general orders made a part of the 3d brigade. 2d division. 8th army corps. under command of Brigadier General R. H. Hall. each company, as it was re- lieved by the 20th United States Infantry, proceeding to its eamp-

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ing ground on Paseo Santa Lulia, commonly known as the Lu- netta ; May 22, the 2d battalion, consisting of companies K, L, M and G. in command of Captain Masterman, proceeded to the Mariguina road to the north of the Depository, camping sepa- rately at from one-half to one mile apart. March 25, at 5 p. m., the entire regiment took position in a skirmish line along the Mariguina road and participated in the attack upon the insur- gents to the north of the road, meeting with considerable resist- ance and routing the rebels. advancing a distance of about four miles through the country. During this skirmish thirteen en- listed men were wounded, Robert L. Geib. of Company G, in the right thigh. March 28 the regiment assembled at the Depository and at 7 p. m took up the march to Caloran by way of Manila, arriving at Calocan at 11:15 p. m., a distance of fifteen miles, and resting for the night. March 29 the regiment proceeded by train to Mariola and went into camp. The report for April says this regiment formed part of the 3d brigade, 1st division, 8th army corps, under Brigadier General Wheaton, stationed at various points along the M. & D. railroad track from Mariola to Santa Isabel, a distance of about twelve miles, guarding and patrolling its track and bridges. Sconting and reconnoitering parties were sent out daily by all the companies. On the night of April 10 a determined attack was made upon the entire regi- ment, the idea of the enemy being to destroy the track and bridges, and thereby cut off the base of supplies. The force of the enemy was estimated at 2,500. Fighting continued during the whole night. At daybreak the troops drove the natives a distance of five miles toward the hills, after which the regiment returned to camp. The American casualties were two killed and twelve wounded. April 11 this regiment formed a part of the forees assembled at Boeave, under Brigadier General Wheaton, in action against Santa Marie. On the following day that city was captured and burned. One man in the regiment was wounded. After this engagement the regiment returned to the station along the railroad tracks. From this time up to April 22 a number of sharp engagements took place, two enlisted men in the regiment being wounded. April 22 orders were received to have the 2d and 3d battalions ready to join an expedition. The 1st battalion remained on the railroad track, guarding and patrolling it, from Santa Isabel to Bigua, a distance of six miles. No trouble occurred. April 20 the 2d and 3d battalions, com- prising companies K, L, M and G, under command of Captain Masterman, and companies C, D, E and H as the 3d battalion, under command of Captain Spear, Major Arthur Diggles, eom- manding the regiment, formed a part of the provisional brigade assembled at Bocave April 22 to 29. April 23. at 5:15 a. m .. the

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HISTORY OF GOODHUE COUNTY

company was started on the road leading to Noragageray, and marched within one and a half miles of that town. Next morn- ing the regiment engaged the enemy and routed them. taking possession of the town after a short engagement. Two enlisted men of the regiment were wounded. April 25 the 3d battalion, under command of Captain Spear. with others. captured the town of Angot. One enlisted man was wounded. The troops returned to Noragageray in time to take part in the attack upon the camp from across the river, the engagement lasting the entire day. April 26 orders were received making Company G a part of provisional brigade, 1st division. April 27. at 6 a. m., the com- pany marched to Angat. On arriving at Angat the 2d battalion of the 13th and a battalion of Oregon volunteers under command of Major Diggles, forded the river. Several hot skirmishes took place. the rebels being driven toward the foothills. The return to Marengo, which the 3d battalion took without resistance. was made at 4 p. m. April 29 the company took part in the cap- ture of Polo and San Raphael. afterward returning to Marengo. May 1 the regiment. with Major Diggles commanding. consti- inted a part of the provisional brigade. Ist division. 8th army corps. The 1st battalion. consisting of companies A, B, F and I, Captain Me Wade commanding. remained stationed guarding the line of railroad communication from Bigaa railroad bridge to Santa Isabel. while headquarters. 2d and 3d battalions, consist- ing of companies K. L. M. G, C, D, HI and E, under command of Major Diggles, then at Marengo, broke camp at 7 a. m. on May 1. and with other troops, took up the return march to San Raphael, where the enemy was again encountered and routed. May 2 the advance was continued toward Balinag. terminating in its capture and ocenpation by the Americans. May 4 the village of Maasin. strongly fortified, was captured after severe fighting. May 5 the 3d battalion, constituted reconnoitering par- ties, resulting in the capture and destroying of some 15,000 bush- els of rice stored for the insurgents. May & Company K consti- tuted part of the escort of the brigade commander on personal reconnoisance, accompanied by Major Diggles at his own request. The party was fired upon, and Major Diggles was fatally wounded, dying May 26. 1899. May 12. Co. D with Oregon troops formed a reconnoitering party and captured San Ildefonso. May 13, the balance of the command (seven companies under command of Captain Masterman ) moved to San Ildefonso. From this place, ('o. H with one company of an Oregon regiment moved north- ward, supporting Young and Harrington, scouts, and after a slight resistance captured the town of San Miguel. driving the enemy three or four miles northward. Upon report of capture the regiment moved forward and reached San Miguel at 5 p. m.

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HISTORY OF GOODHUE COUNTY

May 15, the troops received orders to move north toward San Isidro within an hour. The provisional brigade, with the 13th regiment in advance; the 2d Battalion with Captain Seebach forming the advance guard moved forward at 3 p. m. The scouts encountered the enemy near Salieot, and Co. K. as advance gnard. drove the natives from their entrenched position. Cos. L and M were deployed on left and right, and Co. G covered the inter- val between Cos. K and M. May 15, at 3 p. m., the march north- ward was resumed in the direction of Salacot, the 13th in the ad- vance. Nearing Salacot, the troops encountered the enemy, and after a sharp engagement the insurgents were routed, leaving nineteen dead on the field. The American troops were quartered in the village for the night. May 16. the brigade moved forward and occupied Bularte. and while at this place the seouts found the enemy in strong force in front of San Isidro. May 17, the 13th acted as support. deployed skirmishers, covering the advance of Scott's and Utah batteries. The regiment took no active part in the action and entered San Isidro with the column. In the afternoon the 3d battalion formed part of command and cap- tured Gapan without resistance, afterward returning to San Isidro. May 18-19. the regiment was in camp at San Isidro and on May 20, marched to Cobia. May 21 the march to Ayavat was continued. May 22 Candaba was reached, and May 23 San Simon was the objective point. May 24 the march to Calumpit was continued without resistance. At Calumpit the 2d battalion. under command of Captain Masterman, quartered in shelter tents. awaiting further orders. May 25 the regiment was re- lieved from service with Provisional Brigade. May 26 the regi- ment resumed guard of the railroad from Colocan to Bigaa bridge. Major Bean assuming command on May 27, relieving Captain Masterman. May 31, 1899, the regiment was assigned to the 2d brigade, under Brigadier-General Hall, and on June 3, 1899, with other troops, was constituted into a separate and independ- ent command under Major V. A. Kobbe. August 10 the regiment sailed on transport "Sheridan" from Manila for San Francisco. September 7 the "Sheridan" was sighted from San Francisco, and the news reached Red Wing at 8 p. m. October 3 the regi- ment was mustered out at Camp Presidio, San Francisco. and the journey home was a continuation of fetes and celebrations.

The first year after the return of Company G from the war. the officers were: Captain. Oscar Seebach ; first lieutenant, E. S. Mellinger; second lientenant, Edward Skoglund. The following year Oscar Seebach remained as captain, and Edward Skoglund became first lieutenant, the second lieutenant being E. M. Bassett.

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January 6, 1902, Edward Skoglund was elected captain, but de- clined. A. P. Pierce accordingly was elected captain, and Lieu- tenants Skoglund and Bassett retained their respective positions. July 7, 1905, while in camp, F. J. Seebach was elected first lieu- tenant. Captain Seebach remained in command of the company until May 24, 1909. July 7, 1906, C. J. Heglund was elected first lieutenant and served until May 24. 1909. when he became cap- tain, a position he still retains. July 7. 1906, F. W. Foot was elected second lieutenant. Ile served until May 4, 1908. At that date was elected D. J. Metzler, who served until May 24, 1909. The present officers are: Captain. C. J. Heglund; first lieuten- ant, R. G. Rehder : second lieutenant, H. S. Huron. The beauti- ful armory was erected in 1900 and completed in 1901. The com- pany is at present in a prosperous condition.

CHAPTER XXIX.

RED WING AS A HAMLET.

Origin of the Village-First Settlement-Rev. Hancock's Arrival -The Early Settlers-Claim Hunters-Incidents of Village Life-Great Events of Those Days-Burning the Indian Tepees-First Farming-First Stores-First Churches- Pioneer Politics-Principal Events from 1852 to 1859-Busi- ness Directory Published in 1869-Poem by Julia B. Nelson.

The origin of Red Wing as a village is shrouded in obscurity. It is certain that as early as 1806 Lieutenant Z. Pike found here a village, with a Red Wing as chief. Of this chief little is known, and the fact probably is that Red Wing (or Hhoo-pa-hoo-doo-ta, the Wing of Scarlet) was a title applied to successive chiefs of the tribe. The Indian name for their village was Hem-menne- cha, meaning the place of hill, wood and water, surely an appro- priate location for the winter quarters of a large.band of Indians. The sign of the tribe was a staff, from which were pendant many bright colored feathers, with a wing dyed in blood at the top. This staff was borne in battle by the chief.

The modern history of the village begins in 1837, when there arrived here two Swiss missionaries, sent out by the Evangelical Society of Lausanne, Switzerland .. To these devout souls, Samuel Denton and Daniel Gavin, sufficient credit has never been given. They were the ones who really planted the standard of civiliza- tion here, and infused their personality among the Indians, so that those who came after had only to move into their houses and take up the broken threads of their work. For many years these missionaries labored faithfully and well, building two sub- stantial log houses and teaching the Indians the tenets of reli- gion and the customs of civilization. In 1846, owing to ill health, their effort was abandoned. In the fall of 1848, Rev. John Aiton, sent out by the American Board of Christian Missions, arrived in the village, took up his residence in the mission houses built by Denton and Gavin, and continued their work. These houses stood near what is now Bush street, about one-third of the dis- tanee from Third to Main street. In June, 1849, came Rev. J.

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HISTORY OF GOODHUE COUNTY

W. Hancock. sent out by the same board to co-operate with Mr. Aiton in Christian endeavor.

Of his arrival here as a missionary. the Rev. Hancock wrote: .. While we were still somewhere in Lake Pepin, there was pointed out to us the top of Barn Bluff. which we were told was the place where we were to land. Peculiar sensations were felt by ns at the sight of that bold bluff standing in the middle of that great valley through which our steamer was plowing its way. But there was not much time to indulge in sentiment. It was incum- bent upon us to gather up our loose and scattered belongings that are might be ready for debarkation. We kept as cheerful as possible while making preparations and saying good bye to our companions in travel. The bell rang to announce that the boat would soon make a short stop. As it began to draw near the shore strange faces began to appear. Nearly the whole village came down to the landing place to give us a welcome. Some were fantastically dressed and ornamented with feathers and paint, while others were almost destitute of clothing. Two pale faces appeared among the motley crowd, our former friends. Rov. J. F. Aiton and John Bush. The boat hands made short work in dumping out our luggage upon the beach. But when the turn canie for the live stock, especially the horse and cow, there was labor. Both these animals strongly objected to going ashore. The admiring crowd of men, women and children had no attraction for them. No coaxing could prevail. Human strength and skill finally accomplished the work. The only road up the river bank seemed a sort of gully through a thicket of bushes. The mission premises consisted of two substantial log buildings a few rods in the rear of the native houses. The latter were built of poles covered with bark and stood along the river bank near what is now Main street, between Bush and Pot- ter streets. The mission honses were near the junction of Bush and Third streets. Narrow paths were crossing each other in various directions among the hazel bushes. There was a ravine just back of the mission honses in which many springs of cool water gushed forth. forming a small creek. afterwards called the Jordan. The mouth of this creek was then the safest harbor for canoes. Beyond the creek. on rising ground extending some sixty rods east and west, were the Indian corn-fields. Each fam- ily had a separate.patch of corn. the whole being fenced around by stakes and willows. Ponies and dogs being the only animals kept in the village at that time. no domestic fences were needed. There was a fine meadow of wild grass between Sorin and Barn bluffs. We were obliged to keep our horse and cow tethered or confined in a rude stable. The poor cow seemed to suffer much before being reconciled to the new home. Once she got away

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IHISTORY OF GOODHUE COUNTY

and swam the river in her fright. We soon found her on the island opposite the village, and with the aid of a canoe brought her home. Some time passed before she could understand, seem- ingly, that the evil one did not wear a blanket. Some privations were suffered by being cut off from the rest of the world. Our nearest postoffice was twenty-five miles up the river. From thence we received our mail by going or sending for it by canoe. Many weeks often elapsed withont news from the outside world. However, there were some things to balance the disagreeable. Plenty of work studying a new language, trying to teach the children, and talking with the older people. The assessor did not trouble us. For about five years we had no special taxes to pay. For the use of a garden spot we paid the natives in vege- tables."

Soon after Mr. Hancock's arrival an Indian school was started. and Mr. Hancock set about learning the Sionx language. Ile even compiled a dictionary in the Sioux language. When the novelty of the school wore off. the interest among the red children waned most perceptibly and the school seems somehow to have fallen into disfavor among the Indians. Mr. Aiton and Mr. Hancock seem to have had different ideas as to the management of the school. and in 1850 the latter went to Long Prairie, some 150 miles northeast from St. Paul. Mr. Hancock remained in charge at Red Wing and became a permanent resident of the city.

Preceding the Messrs. Aiton and Hancock, but at a date not positively known. came John Bush, who was one of the men sent under the provisions of one of the Indian treaties to teach the red men farming. The two missionaries found him here and learned to highly value his friendship and aid, as well as his understanding of Indian character.

In the autumn of 1850 a man named Snow, having secured from the United States government a license to trade with the Indians, built a trading house of logs near the river, using the upper part for a residence, white in the lower part he kept his Indian goods for sale.

·Calvin Potter came in 1851 and entered into partnership with Mr. Snow. A short time afterward, Snow died of cholera while on a trip to St. Paul. and Mr. Potter succeeded to the manage- ment of the business, continuing until the Indians sold their lands to the whites by treaty.

It was this same year (1851) that a postoffice was established here through the friendly agency of Hon. H. H. Sibley. the Min- nesota delegate in congress. J. W. Hancock was appointed post- master. He was under the necessity of performing a journey to St. Paul to be qualified and execute the required bond at an expense of over five dollars. His pay for the next two years

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HISTORY OF GOODHUE COUNTY

hardly covered that expense, but the office was a great conven- ience. Up to that time the nearest postoffice was twenty-five miles away. The mail was carried in those days to and from St. Paul easterly. by steamboats in the summer and by a one-horse train in the winter. The few people here usually expected a mail as often as every week. but it was sometimes delayed three weeks on account of storms or floating ice in the river. In the spring of 1852 the one-horse mail train was by accident totally wrecked in crossing Spring creek, three miles west of Red Wing. The mail bags. some five or six in number, were left several hours in the water. After being fished out they were brought to the Red Wing postoffice and a whole day was spent in opening and drying the contents.

In 1851 also occurred the first death. In the words of the Rev. J. H. Hancock: "The first white person known to have been buried within the limits of this county was the dear wife who accompanied me hither from our eastern home and shared in the labors and privations of the situation for the first two years. She was a daughter of New England and of Puritan stock. We were joined in marriage at her father's house in Worcester county, Massachusetts, in 1846. In the latter part of the year 1848 we received the appointment to go and labor among the Dakotas west of the Mississippi river. For several reasons we did not start for the west until the following spring. The health of my wife seemed greatly improved for a time after our arrival at Red Wing's village. She entered upon the task of acquiring a knowledge of the Dakota language with great zeal. She attracted the attention of the Indian children, taught the girls knitting and sewing and soon had three of them washed and dressed like white folks, living in the family with us. But I think she labored beyond what her strength could endure. In the autumn of 1850 her health began to decline and she died March 21, 1851. At her own request she was buried on Indian ground at the foot of the towering bluff. When a more advanced civilization came to found a city on the site of this Indian vil- lage and the ground was wanted for business blocks, a city for the dead was platted on the summit of the southern bluff over- looking the place, and to this cemetery her remains were re- moved. A marble slab at Oakwood cemetery now marks the last resting place of this devoted woman."

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History of Goodhue County, Minnesota, Part 56

Author: Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn Publication date: 1909 Publisher: Chicago, H.C. Cooper Number of Pages: 1264

Author: Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Chicago, H.C. Cooper
Number of Pages: 1264