USA > Minnesota > Faribault County > The history of Faribault County, Minnesota : from its first settlement to the close of the year 1879 : the story of the pioneers > Part 17
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The term of enlistment was thirty days and they were paid and furnished with arms and ammunition by the State. Martial law was declared and Henry J. Neal was appointed provost marshal. P. C. Seely, the sheriff of the county acted from the beginning of the ex- citement as chief of police in keeping order and enforcing regula- tions. The sheriff at that time, in view of the impending draft, was invested by law, with peculiar powers. No man was allowed to leave the county without a "pass" from him. Under the authority of the provost marshal, some thirty horses were "pressed" for the use of the company, forage supplied, considerable provisions and other necessaries taken, during the thirty days, all of which was duly ap- praised and an account thereof kept. Saloons were closed by his authority and persons going out of the county with arms and am- munition, were stopped by the sheriff and required to deliver up their arms and ammunition, as they were needed here.
"Under this organization daily communication was kept up by means of couriers, both with the colonel's headquarters at South Bend, and the Iowa forces located at Iowa Lake, near the southern boundary of the State."
Guards were kept out during the day, eight and ten miles west of the Blue Earth river, and at night pickets were placed out around the village. Scouting parties of six to ten well-mounted men were sent to the west and northwest and it was their duty. to range the country and report any signs of Indians.
Soon after the organization of the company another expedition of five or six well armed and well-mounted men, under Lieut. Davy scoured the country as far west as Estherville and Spirit Lake, in Iowa, at both of which places they assisted the people, who yet remained there, in forming companies for home defense. In a few days this squad returned and reported the country, in Minnesota. through which they passed, deserted and silent.
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The company at Blue Earth City, after doing good service in many ways, disbanded on the 5th day of October, the term of en- listment having expired.
ROSTER OF THE BLUE EARTH CITY CAVALRY.
Officers-J B. Wakefield. Captain: P. B. Davy and O. G. Davis. Lieutenants: W. B. Silliman, H. P. Constans, J. C. Howland and R. R. McCrary, Sergeants: A. Johnson, E. C. Butler, C. S. Smith. H. Sellen, Corporals: E. M. Ellis, Quartermaster.
Privates -- L. Billings, W. Baldwin, D. E. Brunson, W. Dustin, I. Dane. H. Dane. R. R. Foster. R. W. Foster. W. C. Gillit, G. H. Howland, W. Hill. A. C. Ingalls, H. Lutz, S. Leslie, S. Landis, S. T. McKnight. I. S. Mead. R. Moore, W. C. Maynard. H. J. Neal. T. W. Newton, J. A. Rose. R. A. Ream, J. Richard, A. J. Rose, M. Sailor, J. M. Sailor. A. Sailor. J. Sailor. P. C. Seely ..
"From the desposition now within the boundaries commanded by Colonel Flandrau. they held the entire frontier from New Ulm down the Minnesota to South Bend and thence up the Blue Earth river to the Iowa line with two advanced posts on the Watonwan and at Lake Martin. No substantial change was made on this line during the period of active hostilities." In addition to these pre- cautions, scouting parties were patrolling the country in all direc- tions and comparative security was again established. , Govern- ment troops, too, were soon on the frontier and advancing into the Indian country and the savages were driven far west, but of these military operations, we cannot write here, except to give the fol- lowing brief summary. As was stated above. the outbreak at the Sioux Agencies, began on the 1sth of August. An attack was made by the savages on New Ulm, on the 19th. On the 20th they at- tacked and besieged Fort Ridgley and on the 25th they made a second attack on New Ulm. On the 30th they began the siege of Fort Abercrombie. The bloody affair at Birch Coolie, occurred on the 2d of September. On the 23d of September the battle of Wood Lake was fought and the savages defeated. Some of the Indains now began to ask terms of peace. About the 26th of September they sur- rendered many captives at Camp Release. Many Indians about this time surrendered themselves and others were brought in. while many others still hostile retreated to the west and north. Soon after a military commission was instituted which sat until about the 5th of November, before whom many of these wretches were tried for murder, rape and other crimes. Three hundred and twenty-one Indians and there allies, were found guilty. three hundred and three of whom were condemned to death, thirty-eight only however were finally executed, as will be seen hereafter.
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FARIBAULT COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
Most of the settlers of this county who had left, gradually re- turned to their homes, and business revived somewhat, and affairs settled down in their ordinary channels. But yet the people were timid, and the country full of rumors, and there were still prowling Indians on the frontier.
Fortunately no attack was made on this county, no murders committed, and no property destroyed directly by the Indians, but the damage to the county, in consequence of the outbreak, was immense. A vast amount of property, because of neglect and abandonment, was lost and destroyed, immigration entirely stop- ped, improvements ended for the year, and years were required to regain the lost ground.
We may conclude this reference to the great massacre by the remark that while no excuse is possible for this Indian outbreak ยท and the diabolical outrages perpetrated by the savages, and while their atrocious deeds deserved immediate and certain death, very much on the same grounds that a ferocious wild beast should be exterminated, yet there were many who thought and some who said, that the cold-blooded, calculating frauds, personal insults and the public and private wrongs constantly practiced upon this ignorant people for many years by some white men in the capacity of Indian agents, traders and their subordinates, would come as near an excuse as anything possibly could. and some even expressed the view that the excuse would have been sufficient if the retribution had fallen only upon those whose villanies. greed and lusts added a principal cause to others which already existed. for this uprising upon the part of the savages.
THE COUNTY BOARD AGAIN.
The commissioners met on the second day of September, and after making several appointments immediately adjourned to the twenty-third, the record stating that "owing to the disturbed state of the country, occasioned by the the recent outbreak of the Sioux Indians and the general apprehensions of danger on the frontier. it was thought best to postpone the business before the board." On the twenty-third, they assembled again, and for the last time this year. They transacted a large amount of business, among which we find the issuing of the first bounty orders of twenty dollars each. to some thirty-six citizens who had just enlisted in Capt. Skaro's Company, of the Ninth Regiment of Minnesota Volunteers.
THE VERDICT OF THE BALLOT.
Wm. Windom was the republican and Andrew G. Chatfield the democratic candidate for congress in this, the First district, and we have already seen that the nominees for legislative honors were D. G. Shillock for the Senate and J. B. Wakefield for the House.
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On the 23d day of September, a Union Republican County Con- vention was held at Blue Earth City, when the following nomina- tions for county offices were made:
For Auditor-A. Bonwell.
Register of Deeds-F. M. Pierce.
County Surveyor-W. W. Seely.
Judge of Probate-A. Preston.
Coroner-David Pratt.
Court Commissioner -- Geo. D. McArthur.
The Democratic party made no nominations for connty offices. The election was held on the fourth day of November and the following was the result: For Senator. D. G. Shillock had 260 votes, and for Representative. J. B. Wakefield 231. They had also a ma- jority throughout the legislative district, and were elected.
For Auditor. A. Bonwell had 259 votes. For Register of Deeds, F. M. Pierce had 124 votes and J. A. Kiester 136 votes. For Judge of Probate. A. Preston had 253, and for Surveyor. W. W. Seely had 251 votos. George D. McArthur had 242 votes for Court Commis- sioner. and David Pratt 190. I. S. Mead 43, and S. Shroeder 13 votes for Coroner, and E. M. Ellis was elected County Commissioner for district No. One.
THE BLOODY RECORD.
The year was one of very great activity in military and naval affairs in the United States. Many terriffic battles were fought, and the skirmishes and smaller conflicts were almost innumerable. The Union armies were attended with many victories, as well as with many strange and unaccountable reverses. The following is a par- tial summary of the principle battles and events of the year.
January 2d. battle Port Royal Island. S. C. Jan. Sth. battle Silver Creek. Mo. Jan. 19th, battle Mill Springs, Ky. Feb 6th, Ft. Henry captured. Feb. 8th, great battle on Roanoke Island. Feb. 16th, Ft. Donaldson taken. Feb. 19th. Jeff Davis and A. H. Stevens elected permanent president and vice-president of "Confederate States." Feb. 23d, Nashville. Tenn., occupied by Union forces. March 6-8th. battle of Pea Ridge, Ark. March 9th, great fight be- tween the iron clads Monitor and Merrimack. March 14th, battle of Newburn. N. C. March 23d, battle Winchester. Va. April 6-7th, battle Pittsburg landing. 11th. Ft. Pulaski taken. 16th, slav- ery abolished in District of Columbia by Congress. 25th, Com. Farragut captured New Orleans. May 5th. battle Williamsburg, Va. 24th, battle Bottoms Bridge. 25th, battle Winchester, Va. 31st. battle Fair Oaks, Va. June 8th, battle Cross Keys, Va. 14th, battle James Island, S. C. 19th. Congress prohibits slavery in the territories. 25th, battle Fair Oaks, Va. again. 26th, battle Mech-
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FARIBAULT COUNTY, MINNESOT.1.
anicsville, Va. 28th, battle before Richmond. 30th, battles White Oak Swamp and Charles City Cross roads. Va. July 1st, battle Malvern Hill, Va. 18th, Southern raid into Indiana. Aug. 5th, bat- tle Baton Rouge. 9th, battle Cedar Mountain, Va. 28th, battle Centerville, Va. 29th, battle Groveton, Va. 30th, battle Richmond, Ky. 31st, battle Weldon. Va. Sept. 1st, three battles, Chantilla, Va., Britton's Lane, Tenn , and Jackson, Tenn. 14th, battle South Mountain, Md. 16-17th. battle Antietam, Md. 20th, battle Iuka, Miss. 22d, preliminary proclamation issued by President Lincoln in rela- tion to emancipation of slaves. Oct. 3d, battle Corinth, Miss. 8 9th, battle Perryville, Ky. 15th, battle near Richmond, Ky. 19th, bat- tle near Gallatin, Tex. 22d, battle Maysville, Ark. Nov. 28th, bat- tle Cane Hill, Ark. Dec. 5th, battle Coffeeville, Miss. 7th, battle Prairie Grove. Ark. 13th, battle Fredericksburg, Va. 31st, battle Murfeesboro commenced. The several fights with the Indians, in our own State are mentioned elsewhere.
The close of the year was signalized by the hanging on the twenty-sixth day of December, at Mankato, of thirty-eight (38) Indians and half breeds who had been engaged in the massacre of August, and had been tried by the commission and sentenced to death.
Many of them were leaders of the Indians in the massacre, and all of them were proved guilty of crimes perpetrated during the outbreak too atrocious to name in a printed book or even speak of except in whispers. Their execution was approved by almost the universal judgment of the world. They were all hung upon the same immense scaffold at the same time. The drop was so arranged as to fall from under all of them at the same instance. This was the most extensive execution of the kind known in history.
Many of the citizens of this county were in attendance to sec the infliction of this just punishment.
The year was called the "dark hour" of the rebellion. It was certainly the darkest and most memorable in the history of the State, characterized as it was by the slaughter of its citizens, in the most bloody massacre ever known. And it was a memorable year in the history of our county which had just recovered from years of discouragement, to be thrown back again to more years of ill- requited labor, and waiting for long deferred prosperity.
"Peace! Shall the world outwearied ever see Its universal reign? * * * Will nations learn that love not enmity Is Heaven's first law?"
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CHAPTER IX.
A. D. 1863.
O, such a day. So frought, so followed, and so fairly won, Came not, till now, to dignify the times, Since Caesar's fortunes! Shakespeare.
The winter of 1862-3 was very mild and pleasant. There was but little snow and but little very cold weather. It was, in fact, the most pleasant and genial winter yet known, since the settlement of the county, and somewhat more sickly than any preceding one. But it is not meant to assert by this statement, that there was no cold or stormy weather whatever. The winter is spoken of only generally and comparatively, the only manner, as a rule, in which we can speak of the weather conditions and seasons.
AN OBSERVATION.
In writing the history of a people, it is, of course, necessary that their manners and customs, their public, private and social ob- servances, their holidays and principal recreations, even the folk- lore of the country should be alluded to, in order to obtain a proper understanding of the times and the character of the people. These things have much to do with the make-up .of life and have their in- fluence upon the people and times. They are also matters of his- torie fact, which can no more be overlooked than any other import- ant fact and events of the times-they are a part of the history. Therefore it is, that frequent reference is made to the customs, the holiday observances and prevailing amusements, of the times of which we write.
NEW YEAR'S DAY. Hear the story of the bells, The New Year's bells! Hark how their music sways and swells From out the old belfry, dark and high, Now down through the valley, now up to the sky, Swinging and climbing, And ringing and chiming .- Mrs. Blim.
The first day of January, or New Year's day, is a legal holiday in most of the States. The day has no special historical, and until lately, no political significance, like most other holidays. It is the
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FARIBAULT COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
day, however, that begins a new year, and we write a new date (and generally make a mistake about it too) and by common consent and immemorial usage, we observe the day as a holiday.
During many centuries, there was no agreement among the vari- ous peoples of the earth, as to the day of the year, which should be the beginning of the new year. Among some of them the year com- menced about March 1st, with others about March 21st. March 22d, March 25th, April 1st, Easter day, June 22d. September 1st, Septem- ber 22d, December 22d, December 25th, and some at other dates, being governed mainly by the times of the vernal and autumnal equinoxes and the winter and summer solstices. In 1752, January 1st, by act of the British Parliament, was established as the first day, or beginning of the year, and is now generally so considered among civilized nations.
But for many centuries before the first day of January was established as the first day of the new year, it was celebrated re- ligiously as the octave of Christmas, and as the feast of the circum- cision of Christ.
Although formerly differing as to the day on which the year should begin, it appears that all ancient and modern civilized peo- ples celebrate the event with certain special festivities. Among the Chinese the New Year's festival has, for centuries, been the greatest festival of the year.
Of the social customs incident to this holiday it may be said that balls and parties are frequent, the closing up of business houses, the printer's devil's New Year's address, the gathering of neighbors to eat good dinners, and the giving and receiving New Year's gifts, which, by the way, is a very ancient custom, are common through- out the country. The custom of making social New Year's calls by the gentlemen, which seems to have originated in New York City in the times of the Dutch, now prevails in many parts of the coun- try, especially in the cities. In fact the New Year's day festivities are included in the period known as Christmas-tide, the holidays, and much the same observances which prevail on Christmas are had on New Year's day, the same jollity and geniality, and while on Christmas we hear the kindly greeting, "a merry Christmas," now on every hand we have the pleasant salutation, "a happy New Year."
Religious services on New Year's day are quite common, and a custom also obtains among some religious denomonations of hold- ing "watch meetings" during the preceding night, until after twelve o'clock, when the new year is ushered in. Prayers are offered to God for the blessings of the past, and his forgiveness implored for the sins, and follies, and shortcomings of the year gone, and His favor and guidance invoked for the year to come.
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Quite similar to that mentioned is the beautiful custom found in some localities of devout people gathering in the parish church, where solemn services and litanies are said and as the hour ap- proaches twelve. the bell is solemnly tolled, announcing the dying year, and as the hands upon the dial pass the twelve the bell rings merrily, in honor of the new year.
"Ring happy bells across the snow, Ring in the nobler modes of life, Ring out the old, ring in the new."
And we should not forget here to name the fact that this day is also famous for new resolutions of amendment, reform, retrench- ment. and the like, which are usually broken before the first three months of the new year are out. But it is wise to make such reso- lutions and keep them. A noted author once wrote truly that "the person who arrives at a new year without any special stir of desire to be better, and to do better during its golden possibilities, is to be pitied. He has lost his enthusiasm, and the embers of his life's happiness are faded and wan."
On the first day of January of this year-1863-President Lin- coln issued the great Proclamation of Emancipation of the slaves in the rebel states, and human chattel slavery was forever destroyed in this nation so far as law could then do it from that hour.
This God-like act. in wisdom, power, justice andl mercy, set free forever four millions of human beings from the thraldom of the most odious slavery the world has ever seen, and this great deed will bear the name of Abraham Lincoln. as the Emancipator, to all future generations.
The colored race in America can well. forever hereafter. cele- brate New Year's Day as the greatest day-the fourth of July in the history of their race, and all our citizens may well observe it be- cause of this great aet which delivered the land from this burden of national weakness and crime.
New Year's Day has always been observed in this county, usu- ally according to the customs which prevailed in the New England and Middle States, but as a large proportion of the people are of foreign birth, the usuages and customs incident to this day, in the fatherland of these citizens, are also quite prevalent.
THE LAWGIVERS.
On the sixth day of January the fifth State legislature assembled at the Capitol in St. Paul. The session, as usual, lasted sixty days.
Our district was represented at this session by D. G. Shillock, of Brown County, in the Senate. and Jas. B. Wakefield, of this county, in the House.
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FARIBAULT COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
Our county was not needing much legislation at this time, as we find that the only acts having any exclusive reference to this county were "An act for the relief of school district No. 18," and "An Act fixing the time of holding courts in the various counties in the third, fifth and sixth judicial districts," which assigned the third Monday of May for the beginning of the term of our district court.
Alexander Ramsey was elected United States Senator to suc- ceed Henry M. Rice.
THE COUNTY COMPTROLLERS.
The commissioners met on the sixth day of January and organ- ized, by electing J. H. Dunham, of Verona, chairman. for the year. The business done at this session is of no interest to the reader. They met again on the 23rd day of March, when in pursuance of the militia law, they proceeded to divide the county into six (6) militia districts, and the eleventh day of April was appointed as the day of election of company officers in each district.
This was the first and last organization of the militia in this county, and it was but imperfectly done. A military spirit prevailed throughout the whole country, as may be naturally supposed, in view of the war, and it was thought best to encourage it and give an opportunity for local military organization and discipline, thus forming in this, as exists in many other countries, a body of reserves and hence the old militia system was reinstated. It was not a success. But few of the districts in this county or- ganized by the election of officers. The people, generally, did not have much faith in the system, and were much inclined to ridicule the whole thing, and after a few rag.a-muffin parades, with hoe handles, broom sticks, umbrellas and a few condemned guns for arms, the whole matter was abandoned as a farce, and as not likely to produce heroes, or even well-drilled soldiers. The State Militia is now named the National Guard.
THE SPRING. WAR PRICES.
The spring of this year was very favorable to early seeding, and the weather was quite agreeable. Seeding commenced April 1st. During the latter half of April and through May-a period of six to eight weeks,-there was no rain whatever in a large part of the county, yet the crops did not suffer materially, and both wheat and oats were more than average crops.
In consequence of the war, dry goods and groceries, which had been for some time gradually advancing, reached in March of this year, a pretty high figure. Common cotton sheeting sold at fifty cents per yard. Calicoes from thirty-three to forty cents. Cotton shirting forty five to sixty cents. Coffee forty to fifty cents per
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pound. Tea. the cheapest kind, about equal to dried prairie grass, one dollar and fifty cents per pound. Sugar sixteen to twenty five cents per pound. Almost everything bought in the stores averaged about equally high in price, and these high prices, with some fluc- tuations, generally ascending fluctuations, continued several years.
Our old settlers will remember, that those were the times of barley, chicory, carrot, wheat, rye and pea coffee, of pennyroyal and sage tea and no sugar in either. The people generally, with few exceptions indeed. in this section of country, used these arti- cles, for several years, during the war, as substitutes for the original articles. And it should be recorded too, that many a good housewife acquired great skill in the manufacture of these beverages, mak- ing them so nearly like the genuine, as to deceive "the very elect."
But the people of the North were not quite so badly off as their belligerent brethren in the South, and that was a great consolation. It appears about the 1st of April, the following prices were current at Richmond, Va., within the rebel lines, butter $3.50 per lb .. hams $1.45 per lb .. candles $3.00 per lb., coffee $4.50 per lb., corn $7.50 per bushel. So much for mere bread-stuffs and the like, but that article of prime necessity in that country-brandy, was $24.00 per gallon !
INDIAN MURDERS.
In April, five or six persons were killed on the Watonwan river and several horses stolen by the Indians, creating considerable ex- citement.
During the summer Gen. Sibley, with about three thousand troops, made an expedition into the Indian country, driving the In- dians toward the upper Missouri. Gen. Sully, with an equal force, advanced into the regiou occupied by the Indians, by way of the Mis- souri river. A number of battles were fought, many Indians killed, and much of their property destroyed. These expeditions gave peace to the border settlements during this year. With the expedi- tion of Gen. Sibley, there were many soldiers who were residents of this county, in the regiment of Minn. Mounted Rangers. The com- pany of Capt. P. B. Davy, of Blue Earth City, composed largely of residents of this county, and the company of Capt. Austin, in which were quite a number of our citizens, were with the Sibley expedi- tion. There were also some others of our citizens in other com- panies. Among the events of the Indian campaign of this year, we note that, on the 3d day of July. Little Crow. the principal leader of the Indians in the great massacre, was killed. On the 24th of July the battle of Big Mound occurred, and on the 26th the battle of Dead Buffalo Lake. On the 25th of July the battle of Stoney Lake took place.
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FARIBAULT COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
In May of this year, James B. Wakefield, of this county, was appointed U. S. Provost Marshal of the district composed of this county and Martin, and held the office until August, 1864. The prin- cipal duties of the office were the enrollment and report of names of all persous liable to render military service, and the apprehension of deserters.
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