USA > Minnesota > Stearns County > History of Stearns County, Minnesota, Volume I > Part 80
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 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92
Agency Attacked-Country Devastated. The Lower Agency was located on the Minnesota river about twelve miles above Fort Ridgley-a small frontier post with a stone barracks for the troops and frame residences for offices, but no defences. Little Crow was a prominent chief and recognized leader. He had been well treated by the Indian agents and was regarded as a friend of the whites, but on this occasion was carried away by the wild fury of the Indians. When he gave the word, the savages rushed to the agency and the slaughter began. The whites were taken unawares and were easy victims. All men were shot down; few women were killed. The stores proved such an attraction that the Indians poured into them, pillaging and looting, during which time some few whites managed to escape across the river. Later in the day, the savages crossed the Minnesota river, scattered throughout the settlements, and began their fiendish work of murder, rapine, unspeakable outrages, burning of houses and general destruction and devastation. Men, women and children were slaughtered under the most horrible circumstances, and their bodies shockingly mutilated. The unsuspecting settlers were taken completely by surprise, and made no resistance; indeed, very few had fire- arms, and were not even accustomed to using them. Though hundreds of whites were slain that day, not a single Indian was killed. In some localities, the whites learning of the uprising, hurriedly assembled together, naturally thinking numbers would add to their safety, and started for Fort Ridgley.
In a German settlement in western Renville county, twenty-five families
607
HISTORY OF STEARNS COUNTY
had thus gathered and were waiting for neighbors to join them, when a war party of Shakopee's band suddenly appeared, surrounded them, and slaugh- tered 100 men, women and children within an area of two acres. At a war danee that evening, Chief Shakopee exultingly deelared that he had toma- hawked so many whites that day that his arm was lame.
Down the Minnesota river on both sides below Fort Ridgley as far as New Ulm, and up the river to Yellow Medicine the bloody slaughter extended that day. The fiendish butcheries and horrible killings beggar description. Here is one of many like instances: Cut Nose, a savage of savages, with half a dozen other Sioux overtook a number of whites in wagons. He sprang into one of the vehicles in which were eleven women and children and toma- hawked every one of them, yelling in fiendish delight as his weapons went erashing through the skulls of the helpless victims. Twenty-five whites were killed at this point. Settlers were slain from near the Iowa line in Jackson county, as far north as Breckenridge, including Glencoe, Hutchinson, Forest City, Manannah and other places. Fourteen were killed at White Lake, Kandiyohi county. The much greater number of whites were slaughtered, however, within the reservations, and in Renville and Brown counties. Dur- ing the first week, it is estimated that over 600 whites were killed and nearly 200 women and children taken eaptive. Only one man escaped death-George Spencer, wounded at the Lower Agency, was saved by a friendly Indian, and became a prisoner.
The whites at the Yellow Medicine Agency above the Lower Agency, to the number of sixty-two, among them the family of Indian Agent Galbraith, eseaped by the aid of John Otherday, a friendly Indian.
When the news of the outbreak reached Fort Ridgley, Captain John S. Marsh, with forty-six of his men of Company B, Fifth Minnesota, started for the Lower Agency. He was ambushed at Redwood Ferry, twenty-four of his men were killed, and he himself was drowned in attempting to cross the river. The survivors of his command hid in the thickets and worked their way back to the fort at night.
Fort Ridgley Attacked Twice. The Indians attacked Fort Ridgley on the twentieth and again on the twenty-second of August, the latter day with 800 warriors. The force in the fort numbered 180 men, commanded by Licu- tenant T. J. Sheehan. A small battery under Sergeant John Jones of the regular army, did effective service. There were 300 refugees in the fort. After seven hours' fighting, the Indians retired. Had they charged they could have captured the fort, but Indians do not fight in that manner. The saving of Ridgley was the salvation of the country below, as its capture would have enabled the Indians to sweep the valley. The loss of the garri- son was three killed and twelve wounded.
The most momentous engagements of the Indian War were the attacks upon New Ulm, as the fate of more than 1,500 people was at stake. The Sioux first assaulted it on the day following the outbreak, but were driven off. That night Judge C. E. Flandrau, of the Supreme court, arrived with 125 men, and the next day 50 arrived from Mankato. Judge Flandran was chosen to command. On August 23 the Indians, some 500 strong, again at-
608
HISTORY OF STEARNS COUNTY
tacked the little city and surrounded it, apparently determined to capture it. The battle lasted five or six hours. The Indians set fire to the houses to the windward, and the flames swept towards the center of the city, where the in- habitants had barricaded themselves, and complete destruction seemed inevi- table. The whites, under Flandrau, charged the Indians and drove them half a mile. They then set fire to and burned all the houses on the outskirts in which the Indians were taking shelter. In all 190 structures were destroyed. Towards evening the Indians retired. Thirty-six whites were killed, includ- ing ten slain in a reconnaissance on the nineteenth. Seventy to eighty were wounded.
Owing to a shortage of provisions and ammunition, the city was evacu- ated on August 25. The sick and wounded and women and children were loaded into 153 wagons and started for Mankato. No more pathetic sight was ever witnessed on this continent than this long procession of 1,500 peo- ple forced to leave their homes and flee from a savage foe.
Situation in the Minnesota Valley. Heard's history thus vividly por- trays conditions in the Minnesota Valley at this period :
"Shakopec, Belle Plaine and Henderson were filled with fugitives. Guards patrolled the outskirts, and attacks were constantly apprehended. Oxen were killed in the streets, and the meat, hastily prepared, was cooked over fires on the ground. The grist mills were surrendered by their owners to the pub- lic and kept in constant motion to allay the demand for food. All thought of property was abandoned. Safety of life prevailed over every other con- sideration. Poverty stared in the face those who had been affluent, but they thought little of that. Women were to be seen in the street hanging on each other's necks, telling of their mutual losses, and the little terror-stricken ehil- dren, surviving remnants of once happy homes, erying piteously around their knces. The houses and stables were all occupied by people, and hundreds of fugitives had no covering or shelter but the canopy of heaven."
August 26, Lieut. Gov. Donnelly writing to Gov. Ramsey, from St. Peter, said :
"You can hardly conceive the panic existing along the valley. In Belle Plaine I found 60 people crowded. In this place leading citizens assure me that there are between 3,000 and 4,000 refugees. On the road between New Ulm and Mankato are over 2,000; Mankato is also crowded. The people here are in a state of panie. They fear to see our forces leave, although we may agree that much of this dread is without foundation, nevertheless it is pro- ducing disastrous consequences to the state. The people will continue to pour down the valley, carrying consternation wherever they go, their prop- erty in the meantime abandoned and going to ruin."
Minnesota Aroused-Troops Dispatched. When William J. Sturgis, bearer of dispatches from Fort Ridgley to Gov. Ramsey, reached him at Fort Snelling on the afternoon of August 19, the government at once placed ex- Governor Henry H. Sibley, with the rank of colonel, in command of the forces to operate against the Indians. Just at this time, in response to Presi- dent Lincoln's call for 600,000 volunteers, there was a great rush of Minne- sotans to Fort Snelling, so that there was no lack of men, but there was an
609
HISTORY OF STEARNS COUNTY
almost entire want of arms and equipment. This caused some delay, but Col. Sibley reached St. Peter on the twenty-second. Here he was delayed until the twenty-sixth and reached Fort Ridgley August 28. A company of his cavalry arrived at the fort the day previous, to the great joy of garrison and refugee settlers.
Birch Coulie Disaster. August 31, Gen. Sibley then encamped at Fort Ridgley with his entire command, dispatched a force of some 150 men, under the command of Maj. Joseph R. Brown, to the Lower Agency, with instruc- tions to bury the dead of Capt. Marsh's command and the remains of all set- tlers found. No signs of Indians were seen at the agency, which they visited on September 1. That evening they encamped near Birch Coulie, about 200 yards from the timber. This was a fatal mistake, as subsequent events proved. At early dawn the Sioux, who had surrounded the camp, were discovered by a sentinel, who fired. Instantly there came a deadly roar from hundreds of Indian guns all around the camp. The soldiers sprang to their feet, and in a few minutes thirty were shot down. Thereafter all hugged the ground. The horses to the number of 87 were soon killed, and furnished a slight pro- tection to the men, who dug pits with spades and bayonets. Gen. Sibley sent a force of 240 men to their relief and on the same day followed with his en- tire command. On the forenoon of September 3, they reached the Coulie and the Indians retreated. Twenty-eight whites were killed and sixty wounded. The condition of the wounded and indeed the entire force was terrible. They had been some forty hours without water, under a hot sun, surrounded by bloodthirsty, howling savages. The dead were buried and the wounded taken to Fort Ridgley.
In Northwestern Settlements. After the battle of Birch Coulie, many small war parties of Indians started for the settlements to the Northwest, burning houses, killing settlers and spreading terror throughout that region. There were minor battles at Forest City, Acton, Hutchinson and other places. St. Cloud was organized, kept pickets out day and night, and sent scouting parties to aid settlers. Stockades were built at Sauk Centre, Maine Prairie, St. Joseph. The wife and two children of a settler, a mile from Richmond, were killed on September 22. Paynesville was abandoned and all but two houses burned. The most severe fighting with the Indians in the northwestern settle- ments was at Forest City, Acton and Hutchinson, on September 3 and 4. Prior to the battle at Bireh Coulic, Little Crow, with 110 warriors, started on a raid to the Big Woods country. They encountered a company of some 60 whites under Capt. Strout, between Glencoe and Acton, and a furious fight ensued, Strouts force finally reaching Hutchinson, with a loss of five killed and seventeen wounded. Next day Hutchinson and Forest City, where stockades had been erected, were attacked, but the Indians finally retired without much loss on either side, the Indians, however, burning many houses, driving off horses and cattle, and carrying away a great deal of personal property.
Twenty-two whites were killed in Kandiyohi and Swift counties by war parties of Sioux. Unimportant attacks were made upon Fort Abercrombie on September 3, 6, 26 and 29, in which a few whites were killed.
610
HISTORY OF STEARNS COUNTY
Anxiety as to Chippewas. There was great anxiety as to the Chippewas. Rumors were rife that Hole-in-the-Day, the head chief, had smoked the pipe of peace with his hereditary enemies, the Sioux, and would join them in a war against the whites. There was good ground for these apprehensions, but by wise council and advice, Hole-in-the-Day and his Chippewas remained passive.
Want of Supplies Delays Movements. Gen. Sibley was greatly delayed in his movements against the Indians by insufficiency of supplies, want of cavalry and proper supply trains. Early in September he moved forward and on September 23, at Wood Lake, engaged in a spirited battle with 500 Indians, defeating them with considerable loss. On the twenty-sixth, Gen. Sibley moved forward to the Indian camps. Little Crow and his followers had hastily retreated after the battle at Wood Lake and left the state. Sev- eral bands of friendly Indians remained and through their action in guarding the captives they were saved and released, in all 91 whites and 150 half- breeds. The women of the latter had been subjected to the same indignities as the white women.
Gen. Sibley proceeded to arrest all Indians suspected of murder, abuse of women and other outrages. Eventually 425 were tried by a military com- mission, 303 being sentenced to death and 18 to imprisonment. President Lincoln commuted the sentences of all but 39. One of the 39 proved an alibi and was released. Thirty-eight were hanged at Mankato December 26, 1862.
Sioux Driven from State. The Battle of Wood Lake ended the campaign against the Sioux for that year. Small war parties occasionally raided the settlements, creating "scares" and excitement, but the main body of Indians left the state for Dakota. Little Crow and a son returned in 1863, and on July 3 was killed near Hutchinson by a farmer named Nathan Lamson. In 1863 and 1864 expeditions against the Indians drove them across the Missouri river, defeating them in several battles. Thus Minnesota was forever freed from danger from the Sioux.
In November, 1862, three months after the outbreak, Indian Agent Thomas J. Galbraith prepared a statement giving the number of whites killed as 738. Historians Heard and Flandrau placed the killed at over 1,000.
STEARNS COUNTY EVENTS.
The first news of the uprising and massacre reached St. Cloud the eve- ning of August 20, a letter from Major E. A. C. Hatch, at Fort Ridgley, addressed to Superintendent Thompson, giving the preliminary account. By a remarkable coincidence Indian Commissioner Dole, Superintendent Thomp- son, United States Senator M. S. Wilkinson, John G. Nicollay, President Lin- coln's private secretary, and Secretary A. S. H. White were in St. Cloud, on their way to make a treaty with the Red Lake Indians. The first disturbing news which had reached them came a day or two earlier from the Crow Wing Agency, saying that the Chippewas had forcibly taken from the agency and killed three head of cattle, and that the agent had sent to Fort Ripley for troops, who upon their arrival by direction of the agent, arrested several Indians. They also attempted to arrest Hole-in-the-Day, the chief, but he escaped, crossing the Mississippi in the only boat available. When the troops
611
HISTORY OF STEARNS COUNTY
reached the bank the Indians on the other shore fired on them and three rounds were exchanged, when the Indians retreated. Commissioner Dole at once made a requisition on Governor Ramsey for 200 troops to protect the settlers.
Word was also received of the murder of Mr. and Mrs. Jones and three others at Acton, in Meeker county, only a comparatively short distance from the Stearns county line, the day prior to the uprising in the Minnesota river country.
The following order issued by Governor Ramsey was published :
"To the People of Northern Minnesota: The militia of the counties in the valley of the Upper Mississippi are hereby directed to rendezvous at once, to the number of one hundred, at St. Cloud, to serve as a mounted guard for the protection of the settlements in that portion of the state. Those only will be accepted who can furnish immediately their own horses, arms and equipments, and subsistence for ten days. The militia so selected will organize by electing a captain and first and second lieutenants. The captain will appoint a quartermaster, who will provide for the subsistence of the force so raised. Compensation will hereafter be made by the government. The militia until so organized, will report and receive orders from Gen. H. Z. Mitchell, of St. Cloud, who will promptly provide ammunition for them. When organized the captain will at once, by express, notify Adjutant General Malmros, of St. Paul, and await further orders. Alex. Ramsey, Executive Office, St. Paul, August 22, 1862."
Steps were at once taken for protection against attacks which might be made from either direction, the Sioux or the Chippewas. Meetings were held and committees appointed to provide means of defense and also to investigate conditions in the other parts of the county. One party, consisting of Ambrose Freeman, C. Grandelmyer and S. Holes, went to Paynesville, while Leander Gorton and J. H. Proctor went to Forest City, near the scene of the Acton murder. The Paynesville party returned August 24, reporting that at Norway Lake, in Monongalia (now Kandiyohi) county, 17 miles southwest of Paynes- ville, fourteen persons had been killed by the Sioux and much property de- stroyed or taken. At the close of the report a volunteer company of twenty- five men, was organized and started the next morning armed and on horse- back for Paynesville to co-operate with the citizens there in getting families and stragglers to a place of safety. Those comprising this volunteer company were: A. Freeman, J. C. Wilson, J. B. Marvin, H. Lunkenheimer, L. G. Sims, J. R. Tracy, Jacob Sicely, J. McAlpin, Oscar Taylor, M. P. Noel, A. Briggs, B. Blain, H. Scherfenberg, J. H. Raymond, W. Carter, S. Holes, W. T. Clark, M. Lauerman, Dick Potter, C. Moore, Charles Taylor, M. Gaspard, L. A. Evans, J. R. Clark, J. C. Shepley. Ambrose Freeman was chosen cap- tain. This company after reaching Paynesville went on to Norway Lake, re- turning without having found any Indians.
Messrs. Gorton and Proctor, who returned on the twenty-fifth from For- est City, reported murders and outrages in that vicinity. They found what men there were at the place, but only seventeen in number, fully organized, Capt. Whitcomb having just returned from St. Paul with a commission to
612
HISTORY OF STEARNS COUNTY
raise a company and with seventy stand of arms and 2,000 rounds of ammu- nition. They saw there Mrs. Foote, wife of S. R. Foote, afterwards a resident of Stearns county, who, leaving their home at Eagle Lake (about twelve miles from Forest City) after hearing of the Acton murder, had gone to the home of Mr. Erickson, six miles nearer that place. While there fifteen Indians came to the house, and Mr. Foote went out and shook hands with them, when one of them shot him through the body. He sprang into the house as he fell, shut and barred the door, took his gun and shot two Indians dead near the doorstep. As he fired through the window he received a ball in his shoulder which disabled him. He lay on the floor loading the gun, while his brave wife fired, keeping the Indians from setting fire to the house as they attempted to do, and they finally left. During the fusillade they had shot and badly wounded Mr. Erickson, who was in the house, and another man, who was in a field near by, digging potatoes, they killed. Mrs. Foote staid with her wounded husband for two days and two nights, but finally yielding to his entreaties she and Mrs. Erickson, with their three children, in ages from one to six years, left the house, and after wandering all day, sleeping at night in the woods, they came the next morning to Mr. Foote's deserted house, where they prepared food, and were afterwards taken in a wagon to Forest City. The two wounded men were rescued the same day, Mr. Foote being brought to St. Cloud, while Mr. Erickson was taken to Clearwater.
It was reported that beyond Fair Haven, Richmond and St. Joe there was not a single house with an inhabitant. In a number of places the Indians had taken what they wanted, destroying much of what was left, some houses being burned, although this was done in the daytime for fear of attracting at- tention. The people had fled, leaving the grain in their fields uncut and hun- dreds of head of cattle roaming the prairies.
At St. Cloud two places of refuge and safety had been provided for those . who came in from outlying districts as well as for the home people. One of these was Broker's block, a large three-story brick building on St. Germain street, the lower floor of which was occupied by Burbank Bros. store. A con- siderable part of the space between what is now Sixth and Seventh avenues was inclosed and barricaded so that defense could be made if it should be at- tacked. This was in charge of L. Robbers. The other was on the high ground facing the present Tenth street south, between Second and Third avenues, and was called Fort Holes.
After returning with his party of volunteers from Paynesville, Captain Freeman organized, August 24, a company of mounted men known as the Northwestern Rangers, with Osear Taylor first lieutenant and T. C. Alden second lieutenant. Leaving St. Cloud September 3, he went via Richmond to Forest City, which place had been attacked by the Indians the night of the third, and all the horses driven off. Finding their trail Capt. Freeman followed them eight or ten miles to where they had burned a house and killed a number of hogs. Here the trail was lost and the company returned to Richmond and under orders went to Sauk Centre to await the arrival of the troops going to the relief of Fort Abercrombie. While here a lamentable occurrence took place. Two men of Captain Freeman's command, who were
613
HISTORY OF STEARNS COUNTY
sent out September 10, to secure horses, were fired on by two Indians eon- cealed in the grass. As they started to retreat they saw four Indians on horseback, endeavoring to cut them off. Returning to the fort they gave the alarm and a party of troops started in pursuit. Four Indians on horseback were seen, who fled, and as the soldiers were galloping after them an Indian on foot was sighted, who was shot dead. Unhappily he proved to be a half- bred Chippewa, a member of Captain Barrett's company. This mistake nar- rowly escaped having serious consequences, as some of the men of Captain Barrett's company (friendly Chippewas) were highly incensed. The soldier who fired the fatal shot was placed under arrest and sent to Fort Snelling for trial, but the general feeling was that while the shooting was very re- grettable it was wholly through a natural mistake.
An order was issued September 14 by Governor Ramsey directing Cap- tain Berger, commanding the expedition for the relief of Fort Abercrombie, to "take three companies to Abercrombie-leave one of the companies now at Sauk Centre there, sending one back to St. Cloud to report to General Mitchell"
The company designated to remain at St. Cloud arrived on the nine- teenth, and on the twenty-second a message having been received from Rich- mond that the Indians were attacking the settlers in that vicinity, General Mitchell issued an order to Captain McCoy, in command of the company left at St. Cloud by order of Governor Ramsey, to proceed at onee to Richmond with 40 men to relieve the settlers in danger, and if the Indians had left, taking stock with them, to mount as many of his men as possible and recover the stock, using the Home Guards of the neighborhood to assist. Captain Kraemer with fifty mounted Home Guards from St. Cloud followed Captain McCoy, who left in the forenoon. Captain McCoy reported the following evening that after reaching Richmond he had gone eight miles in the direc- tion of Paynesville and was camped in the midst of fires kindled by the Indians, the house where they were camped being among the burned build- ings, and that there was much dead stock, but that he had learned of no one being killed. An advance party of fifty-supposed to be Richmond Home Guards-had gone on to Paynesville as a sconting party. It was re- ported that between Richmond and Paynesville the dwellings of Messrs. Holifer, Baitenger, Martenberg, Schaefer, Emde and two others had been burned, and that at Paynesville the homes of Messrs. Braen, Payne, Twitchell, Pease, Darnell, Chishohn, Bates and Luce were laid in ashes. Immediately after his return Captain McCoy was ordered by General Pope to proceed at once to Sauk Centre.
Leaving Sauk Centre, Captain Freeman's and Captain Barrett's compa- nies started for the relief of Fort Abercrombie, to await the arrival of Captain Berger east of the Alexandria woods, he to have command of the expedition. His company had a field place. A skirmishing party going to White Bear lake found O. E. Garrison's house, the only one near the lake, in ashes. At Gager's a buggy loaded with plunder was discovered which the Indians had left in their haste to get away. Further on they found the body of Andrew Austin, who had brought his family to St. Cloud for safety
614
HISTORY OF STEARNS COUNTY
and with others had returned to their homes near Evansville to save their property. He was shot and killed by the Indians September 6, the others being hotly pursued but escaping. His head had been severed from the body and thrown into the grass about forty rods away, with the scalp torn off. The body was buried near where it lay. Reaching the station at the old crossing of the Otter Tail river they found that the buildings had all been burned and the stock driven off. Fort Abererombie was reached September 23, to the great relief of its beleaguered people. The next day Captain Free- man with a detachment of his men recovered the bodies of two men who the day before had been killed and horribly mangled by the Indians. One of these was Edward Wright, of Dayton, and the other a soldier named Schultz. On the morning of the twenty-sixth while the men of the com- pany were watering their horses at the river a party of Sioux fired a volley, wounding John Weissing, a teamster from St. Cloud, who died that night. John H. Raymond, also from St. Cloud, having a pail of water in each hand had just reached the top of the river bank when a volley was fired, a bullet piereing the bucket in his left hand. The fire was returned and several Indians fell, being dragged off by their companions. A force from the fort discovered the Sioux eamp about two miles up the river, but the red skins decamped before they could be reached.
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.