Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1862-09-09
Indian Wars in Minnesota.
ST. Paul. Sept. 5.

Fort Ridgely. They lett there lhufsua]
2P. M.
The following account was forwarded
for publication BY Lieut. Col. Marshal, Of
the Seventh Regiment: Capt. Grant, Win
a company Of infantry, and Capt Ander-
son with seventy-five cavalry were sent on
to clear the way towards Yellow Medicine
and bury the dea Sunday morning, Aug.
81.
They encampcd that night opposite
Lower Agency. Next morning Capt.
Anderson, with cavalry and a few infan-
try. fcrded and swan across the river to
AGENCY and buried their dead there,
while the remainder Of Capt. Grants
division buried large number on their
side. mostly soldiers from Capt. Marks
company. They inferred eighty-fiye, .
greater part Of whom were horribly mutt
lated.
Near the mouth Of Beaver river Capt.
Grant picked up woman with thirteen
buckshot in her back, who had been hid
on the prairie and in the woods for two
weeks.
Major Brown penetrated as far as the
forks Of the road to yellow Medicine and
! Cotton Prairies, to ascertain if possible
which way the Indians had taken He
saw no indications Of their having been
there for four or FIRE days.
The cayaliy recrossed to Capt. Grants
division AMI encanped for the night on
Birch Coclie, opposite Agency and three
miles from it.
Early Tuesday morning, as guards were
being changed, the sentries saw some OBJ
jects moving over the praries towards them.
They at first supposed them to be cattle;
but fired at them volley. IT was in
stantly returned, killing some Of the guard
and woundrng a number more. Within
ten minutes the whole encampment was
surrounded with over ESQ sayages, pouring
from all sides a CALLING fire into the very
midst Of our troops. If they had then
made a charge, the whole camp would
have been cut 10 pieces. Their fire was
briskly returned by our men, who were
obliged to fight lying fiat in the grass and
among the wagons.
At ten o'clock they commenced throw
inc up entlencilmepts, working as they
lay. it being impossible for a man to raise
his head without at once having num-
Der Of shots fired at him. The works
were pushed on, and by two clock they
had tie lines entrenehed with earthworks
or dead horses, which the rolled together
in line as much as possible.
Early in tie morning our guard at Fort
RidgeIy heard firing, and Maj. r. N. Nc
Leran, with three companies Of infantry,
and Col McPhail, with about fifty cayal-
ry, were sent in the direction from which
it was heard. They advanced to within
three miles Of Capt Grants encampment
on the opposite side Of the river. Here
they were surrounded by Indians, who
endeayored to hem them in and cut them
off from the water, intending doubtless to
make charge next morning early. They
were held at good distance by cur shells,
with which we kept securing the rayine
and woods.
The Seventh Regiment had but just
joined us, and the en- were weary, foot
sore and hungry, but received the tidings
Of brush with the sayages with shouts,
and eagerly pushed on with us without
waiting for food rrest.
! The number of Indians continually in
creased and BY the time they were oppo
site Grants encampment the skirt of the
woods and ravine were teeming with them
and making the morning hideous with
their yels.
A few shot AMI shell from our howitzer
and cannon made item retreat beyond
range Of their guns to the bluff beyond the
creek, where they stood and dared us on,
waving blankets brandishing swords and
beckoning us to come.
We formed in line Of battle and pushed
on to the encampment, the savages in the
meantime keeping good distance between
US, and got into Capt. Grants camp.
The men w,Te nearly exhausted from want
Of food and rest. The tents were com.
pletely ridded with balls. Over forty
seven men were wounded and thirteen lay
dead where they fell. Most of the killed
were from St. Paul. The Infantry alone
can accomplish but little in an Indian
warfare. and as yet We have have no fully
equipped cavalry.
Last evening two French guides arriv-
ed from Fort Abercrombie, bringing de-
spatches from Capt. Vanderhood, com
manding the post. lie writes to the Adj
jutant that he had sent out men to bury
the bodies Of men who had been murder
ed. Another party was sent out 10 re-
connoitre, and had been fred OF by a
large number Of Indians that had appear
ed around the Fort. They had carried
off all government mules and cattle be-
longing to the post. together with all the
beef cattle belonging to them.
He further says, there is a perfect swarm
Of Indians III round me and | was ol'ip
ed to keep ny entire force on guard All
night. Unless endorsements are received
very soon, shall be compelled to abandon
the post entirely.
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The UNITED STATES BoUNTY CoSrIxU-
ED.-Maj Sprague, U. s. Discussing and
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