USA > Minnesota > Renville County > The history of Renville County, Minnesota, Volume I > Part 72
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About 4 o'clock the Indians had massed in the ravine ap- proaching the southwest sally-port, with Chief Mankato as their leader. His voice could be plainly heard in the fort as he har- angned the warriors, urging them to be brave and not falter in their charge until they were inside of the fort. His voice was mistaken by some of the half-bloods for that of Little Crow, but it is said that at the time that chieftain was lying in the ravine to the northeast of the fort from the effects of the passing of Whipple's shell by his ear, it was at first thought the skull had been fractured, and it was three days before he was able to take the warpath again.
The Indians had a large encampment in the valley, elose np under the bluff', to the southwest, and here their women were en- gaged in cooking, looking after their children, and caring for the wounded. The teepes were in place and enough meat had been
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collected to feed the Indians for three days. Into this camp of women. children and wounded Sergeant MeGrew dropped two or three shells which exploded fairly in their midst. The effect on the Indians was disastrous.
For generations the Indians had been told that the white men never made war on women and children. While the Indians them- selves had killed women and children in a mad frenzy, they had not expected to see their own loved ones put in danger by the whites. Witnessing the slaughter of the women and babies whose bodies were torn by the bursting shells, and seeing their comrades mowed down by cannister. some of the Indians were inclined to waver.
Undaunted, however, and bent upon his one determination to take the fort, Little ('row concentrated his principal force at the southwest. Jones and his support. the Renville Rangers, were under a merciless fire from the savages, who had pressed forward to so short a range as to literally perforate every foot of exposure of the barrieade and headquarters building. but this fire was heroically returned, and with telling effect. The fusillade had become general about the garrison again, as the preliminary step to the assault at the southwest. and when the musketry of the savages had reached a furious stage, Little Crow ordered his men to club their guns and rush in. This order the hall-breeds of the Renville Rangers plainly heard and communicated to their offi- cers. This was the most critical moment the garrison had ex- perienced. A charge of the overwhelming numbers would have been irresistible.
To stagger the enemy at this supreme juneture was the only hope of the garrison. Jones' crew had doubleshotted their gun with canister, and bravely hazarding their lives in the act. dealt a withering blow to the massed foe at short range, at the crucial moment, mowing a swarth down through their ranks that sent terror to their hearts as they were in the act of leaping like wild beasts to the charge. The Renville Rangers followed with a gall- ing volley and a challenge in the Sioux language, hurled defiantly : "Come on ; we are ready for you !"
Bishop had used his gun to good effeet at the southeast, and the garrison now rose supremely to the occasion and dealt its telling blows fast and furious. The savages hesitated, wavered and recoiled, and though they fought on until night. could not again be nerved to the point of charging.
But the garrison had reached its last desperate extremity. It was on the brink of collapse through exhaustion of its supply of ammmition for the small arms of the men who had fought so gallantly. The guns in use were all muzzle-loading. There was powder available by opening spherical case shot, and fortunately caps for exploding it. but there were neither bullets nor lead of
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which to make them. Human resource was put to its test. The limited supply of small iron rods in the Government blacksmith shop was resorted to, with which to prolong the struggle until all possible means of resistance should cease.
These rods of iron were cut into slugs three-fourths of an inch in length, and a corps of nimble-fingered workers under the di- rection of Mrs. Dr. Muller set to manufacturing cartridges. With these (and their whistling challenge was terrifying), the fight was continued until, as night closed in, the savages withdrew, with a howl of rage, but fairly vanquished. The battle was over.
Incredible as it may appear, during these engagements at Fort Ridgely the loss of the garrison was only three men killed and thirteen wounded. Fighting on the defensive, and availing them- selves of all the shelter afforded by buildings and barricades, the infantry were admirably protected; while, as before noted, as each piece of artillery was fired the enemy was kept down by a hot musketry fire.
During the terrible struggle, the wife of Sergeant John Jones was in one of the log houses in the rear of the barracks, with her little children and a young girl, but so sudden was the attack she could not get to a place of greater safety. The battle raged furiously around her during the afternoon, and an Indian came to the window, and, thrusting his gun through, fired at her as she crouched behind the stove, but the ball missed its mark, and the Indian did not return again. In the worst of the battle, her baby was born. Mother and child were taken from the log house in blankets and borne to a place of safety.
At one critical period the Indians got possession of a stable in the rear of Sergeant Jones' quarters, and held it for a long time, until Jones threw two shells into it from a mountain howitzer. They burst inside the stable, and set fire to some hay, and in a moment the stable was a sheet of flames. At once the Indian started ont of the building, but a ball from George Dashner's gun brought him to the ground, and he started to erawl away, when Dashner said to his friend, Joe Latoier, "Come, Joe!" They both started for the stable, and, seizing the struggling Indian, they pitched him headlong into the raging fire, and giving an Indian warwhoop, returned unhurt into the fort, although the Indians fired several shots at them from the ravine. In savagery and heart- less treatment of the wounded some of the whites greatly out- matched the Indians.
On Wednesday, when the defenders were wondering whether or not help was coming a courier came dashing in from Flandrau, at New Uhn, with the following message: New Ulm, Minnesota, August 20 .- "Commander Fort Ridgely-Send me one hundred men and guns if possible. We are surrounded by Indians and
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fighting every hour. Twelve whites killed and many wounded. C. E. Flandrau, Commanding New Ulm."
The day after the first attack Lieutenant Sheehan sent a mes- sage to Governor Ramsey deseribing the situation and asking for reenforcements. This dispatch was borne to St. Peter by John MeCall and he and Jack Frazer, the half-breed, were the only two couriers ont of seven that started from the fort and succeeded in getting through safely ; the others were either killed or prevented by the Indians from reaching their destination.
Sheehan's dispatch to the Governor read : "Fort Ridgely, Au- gust 21, 2 p. m .- Governor Alexander Ramsey :- We can hold this place but little longer unless re-enforced. We are being attacked almost every hour and unless assistance is rendered we cannot hold out much longer. Our little band is becoming exhausted and decimated. We had hoped to receive re-enforeements today, but as yet can hear of none coming. T. JJ. Sheehan, Company C, Fifth Regiment Minnesota Volunteers, Commanding Post."
August 23, the greater portion of the Indians abandoned their villages and fell baek up the Minnesota to the Yellow Medicine. A force sufficient to eneirele the fort and prevent entrance into or departure from it, was left behind to annoy the whites and give information of any change in the situation especially as to the approach of the re-enforcements. The same day Lieutenant Shee- han sent a note to Little Crow, which was placed by a seout in a split stick some distance west of the fort and carried away by the Indians to the war chief. Following is a copy of this letter. "Headquarters Fort Ridgely, August 23, 1862. To Little Crow. Chief in Command of the Sioux Braves and Warriors- - 1 wish to say to yon that if you allow your chiefs, braves, and warriors to keep on mmrdering and scalping women and children, your Great Father at Washington will send white soldiers enough after you to whip your forces, and all the Sionx Indians will be either killed or driven to the Rocky Mountains. If you keep on fighting, take women and children prisoners of war, and fight the white men like a man. No brave Indian warrior will kill and scalp women and children: therefore. I advise you to quit it and try and make peace with your Great Father. You can never take Fort Ridgely. as I have men enough to defend it, and as you know, after yesterday's fight, my big guns are working all right. T. J. Sheehan, First Lieutenant Company C. Fifth Minnesota In- fantry, Commanding Post."'
The guard book of the post is now in the possession of the Minnesota Historical Society. The entry for August 18, shows that the countersign for that day was " Minnesota." For the 20th, it was: "Shoot all Indians you see coming." The same day other entries made were: "Kept a guard around the whole gar- rison divided into nine posts and three reliefs. A picket guard
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was kept out also. As the soldiers are all tired and worn out, we are obliged to use citizens as well as soldiers for guards .- (Signed) John P. Hicks, Company C, Fifth Regiment, Minnesota Volunteers, Commanding Guard." No entries were made An- gust 19.
The number of Indians engaged in the battle will never be known. It has been estimated that between 500 and 600 took part in the battle of August 20, and from 1,200 to 1,500 in the battle of August 22. On the other hand there are conservative historians who believe that these figures are much too large. See- ing the Indians swarming on every side, and sweeping from one point to another, the defenders had no means of judging as to the numbers of the attacking forces. It is believed that 100 In- dians were killed, but this likewise is merely an estimate.
Had the attacks on either Fort Ridgely or New Uhn succeeded, the effect upon the whites would have been most serious. Hlad New Uhn fallen, the Indians would have swept down the Minne- sota valley on the south side, would probably have taken Mankato, and desolated the country as far eastward as Shakopee. Had Ridgely been captured, the Indians would have had the advantage of six goed pieces of artillery which they could easily have learned to use by the help of the disloyal half-breeds, and with the muskets of the defenders they would have constituted a most formidable army whose mareh could probably not have been checked until it had reached Minneapolis and Fort Snelling. But some years later, Chief Big Eagle, in an interview with Major R. I. Holcombe, said : "We thought the fort was the door to the valley as far as St. Paul, and that if we got through the door nothing could stop us this side of the Mississippi. But the defenders of the fort were very brave and kept the door shut. "Teo-yo-pa Nah-tah-ka-pee!" When the state issued bronze medals to the defenders of the fort, the legend was in Sioux. "Tee-yo-pa Nah-tah-ka-pee." They Kept the Door Shut
While the withdrawal of the Indians on Angust 22. terminated the important hostile movements at Fort Ridgely, the garrison could not be aware that such was the case, nor for a moment relax its vigilance. The forces contimed to occupy the positions, to which they had become accustomed. The room in the houses, in- eluding the upper half stories, were occupied by the soldiers, who were constantly on the lookout for another attack. In many in- stances the glass in the windows had been broken out by the Indian bullets, but the openings were barricaded and made l'airly safe covers. The construction of a line of earthworks in the open space on the south side of the fort was begun; the roof of the commissary was covered with earth to prevent fire, and the barri- eades were strengthened as well as possible. Four more long days of isolation and suspense of seanty rations of water and provi-
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sions, of little sleep and privation of almost every sort, with no word from friend or foe. ensued.
At last, on the morning of Wednesday, August 27, just nine days after the first dispatch for help had been sent. there rode into the fort Colonel Samuel McPhail, of the newly organized Minnesota militia. and Colonel William R. Marshall, at that time a special agent for Governor Ramsey, with 175 volunteers, citi- zens. horsemen, who had left St. Peter at four p. m., the previous day, as the advance of the main relief expedition under Colonel Sibley, whose infantry reached the fort on the twenty-eighth. Thus was terminated the defense and siege of Fort Ridgely, one of the most gallant incidents in American military history. and one of far-reaching influence upon the prosperity and general welfare of Minnesota.
For its gallant successful defense Lieutenant Sheehan was continued by Colonel Sibley in command of the post for about three weeks, or until September 18. when he left with his com- pany for Fort Ripley. Company B. marehed for Fort Snelling November 9, as part of the escort under Colonel Marshall accom- panying the Indian prisoners to that post. Uniting at Snelling the two companies proceeded South and joined their regiment near Oxford. Mississippi, December 12, 1862.
THE RIEKE REMINISCENCES.
Adam Rieke has a wonderfully clear memory concerning the events of the thrilling days of the Indian massacre. He was one of the most gallant of the citizen defenders of Fort Ridgely and took a part in the development of the county through all its early years. The facts which are related in the following story give a splendid picture of the defense of Fort Ridgely and the inci- dents connected with the horrible holocaust which ravished the county in the stricken year of 1862.
Frederick Rieke brought his family from Hanover, Germany. in 1855, and located in Jackson County, Ohio. From there, in 1859. two of the sons. George and Victor. started out for Mine- sota. After searching for a while they found a suitable location on the banks of Mud Lake. in what is now Section 26. Cairo township.
There was already a settler in the neighborhood, a man named John Buehro, who had served five years in the United States army, and who upon receiving his honorable discharge at Fort Snelling located on the banks of Mud Lake, in Section 23. with the intention of there establishing his permanent home. Ile had a wife and one son.
George and Victor Rieke set at work erecting a shaek, and in 1860 sent for the rest of the family. April 27, of that year, the family arrived. consisting at that time of the father and mother,
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five brothers. Adam, Henry (originally ealled Heinrich), August and Herman, and two sisters, Mary (now Mrs. Charles Fenska), and Lansetta (now Mrs. Clans Anthony). There were two other sons in the family. Fred was married in Ohio and came to Min- nesota with the others. April 27, 1860. Ife and his wife settled in West Newton township, Nicollet county. During the Out- break they, with others, fled to St. Peter. William was also married in Ohio. He remained there until 1865, when he came to Minnesota, and took a homestead in Seetion 26, Cairo town- ship, now owned by his son, Adam Rieke, Jr.
In the summer of 1862 the Rieke brothers took a contract to furnish the government with 150 tons of hay for the use of the garrison at Fort Ridgely. For the purpose of gathering this hay, they established a eamp some half or three-quarters of a mile from the fort.
Their first intimation of trouble with the Indians came about the middle of August, when several Indians appeared at the camp and demanded provisions. When given some articles, instead of expressing gratification as usual they threw the material on the ground and spat on it.
On Thursday, August 14, while Adam Rieke and his brother George, were on their way from the camp to the fort, they were passed by about 200 Indians riding two by two and each carrying a gun. They were in high spirits, langhing and talking, and brought to the mind of Adam Rieke thoughts of the soldiers in Germany when on an informal outing. Several Indians ap- proached the wagons, took handfulls of hay, siffed it. declared that it smelled good. and then made demands that tobacco be given them. The brothers declared that they had no tobacco, and the Indians eontinned on their way. When the brothers reached the fort they found the Indians on the porch of the barraeks at the fort.
They learned that when the Indians had arrived at the top of the bluff near which the fort is located, they were halted by Interpreter Quinn and told that if they were to enter the fort they must leave their guns outside. So they left their guns at the top of the bluff and entered the fort. They were given all the provisions that they could carry. Had they been allowed to enter the fort with their guns the story of Fort Ridgely would have been much different.
It has ever been a question as to whether the Indians had planned the outbreak. For years the uprising was believed to have been the result of long plotting. Modern historians reject this theory, and declare that Little Crow was as inneh surprised as the whites at the murders done by the Ride creek renegades at Aeton, August 17, and that he consented to the Uprising with great reluetanee and after many remonstranees.
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Modern historians therefore do not place the same meaning ou this visit to the fort that the early settlers do. They rightly de- clare that many such visits had been made before, that the In- dians had many times given their war dance within the confines of the fort, and that this particular visit, though it took place so short a time before the outbreak, had no more significance then .the many other similar visits which the Indians had made ever since the fort was established.
According to Charles S. Bryant, who has written a history of the massacre the Indians mentioned by Adam Rieke, approached the fort on the forenoon of the fourteenth. and asked permission to dance within the inclosure. Permission was refused. When they became insistent, Sergeant Jones pointed a loaded howitzer at them. and kept it in position during their stay. Accordingly the dance was held a few rods distant from the fort. An extrava- gant and probably untrue story is told to the effect that Jones slept under the cannon all that night in fear that the Indians would attack the fort.
Adam Rieke is one of those who are convinced that the In- dians had planned to take the fort that day. Ile is of the opinion that at that time some of the Indians tried to disable one of the guns by stuffing it with rags. Others, however, believe that the gun was stuffed by the six half-breed Renville Rangers, who de- serted.
Whether the Indians had any real plan for the uprising will never be proven. The testimony introduced in the early days to this effect was not convincing. It now seems certain that the Acton murders were not the result of previous plotting.
But it is true the Indians were in a state of unrest, the whites had broken their promises, the Indians were in ugly mood. No one who knows human nature can doubt that they must many times have made dark hints that the whites should be driven from the valley, and without doubt they had talked over the possibilities of accomplishing this. But that they had a real plan, that they had long plotted, that the outbreak of Monday, August 18, had been deliberately arranged earlier than the previous evening historians do not believe.
On the morning of August 18, 1862, George and Adam Rieke started from the eamp to the fort with two loads of hay. Adam drove, as was his eustom, two vokes of oxen, while George drove one yoke. The father, with Vietor and August, aud possibly one sister, were left at the camp. Henry, nineteen years of age, was at home, somewhat ill, with the mother, the little brother, Her- man, nine years old, and one, and possibly both of the sisters. Mary and Lausetta.
When Adam, who was in the lead, was near the fort, he was passed by a swiftly-moving horseman. The horseman shouted a
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warning that the Indians had arisen, but Adam did not under. stand him.
Soon after, a half-breed passed, riding on horseback at a break-neck speed, and he also shouted a warning which the brothers did not understand.
The brothers reached the fort between 9 and 10 in the morning and drove on the seales. An unnatural stillness prevailed. It was evident that some great calamity was impending. Therefore the brothers threw off their loads of hay as rapidly as possible. At about this time the brothers saw a white-faced soldier evidently under stress of some great excitement. Next they met a German with whom they were acquainted. This German had been fired upon by the Indians, had been wounded in the arm and had escaped to the fort. From him the brothers learned that the In- dians were on the war path and were spreading murder right and left. They accordingly bastened back to the camp and brought their father, and their brothers. Angust and Victor to the fort. Possibly also one of the sisters had been at the camp and was brought in at this time.
Then with a pair of steers, Adam, George and August started out at the highest possible speed for Mnd Lake to get their family. Upon reaching the cabin they loaded the family, their beds, and such things as they could conveniently carry, onto the wagon. Angust went to the Buchro cabin, and hastily telling Mrs. Buehro of the uprising he seized the boy, Henry, in his arms, and with Mrs. Bnehro following at a dog trot, he made his way back to the wagon. Then the flight to the fort started.
On the way they passed a spot where John Buehro and Patrick Heffron were haying near the Nicollet county line. Mrs. Buehro urged that they stop and get him. Adam, who was driving, ac- cordingly stopped the oxen and George went to warn the two men. Buchro and Hetfron, however, made light of the warning, and were inclined to make fun of the Rieke boys for taking the matter seriously. "Take my wife and Henry, if you want to," said Buehro, "But don't be afraid. Heffron and I are old soldiers, no Indians can hurt ns. You go on. Maybe we will come into the fort tomorrow, or maybe some other day."
So the party continued on its way. About three miles north of the fort they came to the place where the fort road branched, one branch leading to Henderson and the other to St. Peter. Here two hotels had been built. One was owned by William Mills and the other by James Ryan.
Ryan's hotel was rented to Jacob Schmahl. He and his wife reached the fort carly in the morning of the nineteenth, and were among the defenders. They were the parents of Secretary of State Julius A. Schmahl.
Mills had a large family. He and his brother-in-law. Thomas
HISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY
Graham, were the mail carriers on the route between St. Peter and Fort Ridgely. When the Rieke party reached this place, Stills was pacing up and down in front of the hotel with a rifle, Graham having just arrived with the mail from St. Peter. "I want my supper before I go and fight," he declared.
Mills promised to follow the Rieke party into the fort. The Riekes afterward heard that Mills and Graham fearing that the fort would be attacked, and knowing its weakness of location and defense. decided not to seek shelter within its walls. Consequently taking their two teams, Mills and Graham, and the large Mills family hid in a slough until toward midnight and then started for Henderson which they reached in safety.
Bryant's history declares that sometime in the afternoon or evening, Mills made two visits to the fort, and that in the morn- ing, when fleeing with his family, he was stopped by the soldiers on their way to Fort Ridgely under Sheehan, and that his gun was taken from him.
As the Rieke family neared the ravine near the fort they met a trader who warned them not to pass through the ravine as In- dians were lurking there, ready to slay the families fleeing for safety. Therefore George took the gun while Adam led the oxen, and they passed through the ravine with great caution. The fort was reached abont sunset, and not knowing the horrible events which were to follow, the family believed that they had found safety and shelter.
At the fort they met the rest of the family and found that Victor had been employed part of the time after they had left. in replenishing the water supply of the fort from the big spring under the bluff. the supply having been permitted to run out over Sunday.
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