The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-09-12
THE INDIAN War.
BATTLE NEAR FORT RlDGLEY.
Captain Grants Company
Surprised
TERR BILE CA Z A III T Z
TEIR EEN MI Z ri K lL L. 6 ..
FoRTY-SEVEN HEN WOUNDED.
THlRTEEN MEN Kill L. 6 ..
FoRTY-SEVEN HEN WOUNDED.
Fist Of KILLED esuG WOaslf5ees.

From the Daily Pioneer of the 9th,
Colonel John S. Prince OF this city, and
Lieutenant Charles j. Stees, of the Young
Mems Guard, arrived last night with disa
patches from Fort Ridg!ey, giving the &C.
count of an engagement with the Indians,
about Is miles from Fort Ridgley, result
ing in loss of Is men killed and Al
wounded. They left Fort Ridgley on
Thursday, 2 Pm, travelled all night and
reached Saint Paul Friday, at 6, P. NJ.
The following account was forwarded for
publication by Lieutenant Colonel Marshall
of The Seventh Regiment, and although not
an official report, is probably correct ac-
count of the battle:
Captain Grant, with company OF in
tantry, and Captain Anderson, with 70
cavalry, were sent on to clear the way to-
wards Yellow Medicine, and bury the dead
on Sunday morning, August 3lst They
encamped that night opposite the Lower
Agency, on this side the river. Next
morning (Monday) Captain Anderson, with
his cavalry and few infantry, forded and
swan the river to the Agency and buried
the dead there, while the remainder OF
Captain Grants division buried large
number on their side-mostly soldiers from
Captain Marsh's compapy-together they
inferred s., greater part of whom were
horribly mutilated. Near the mouth of
Beaver river Captain Grant picked up
woman who had been on the prairie for two
weeks.
Major Brown penetrated as far as the
fork of the roads to Yellow Medicine and
Coteau Prairie, to ascertain if possible
which way the Indians bad taken. he saw
no indications of their having been there
for four or five days.
The cavalry re-crossed to Capt. Grants
division, and they encamped for the night
on Birch Cooie, opposite the Agency, and
three miles from it. Next morning, Tues
day. at the early break of day, as the
guards were being changed, the sentries saw
some objects moving over the prairie to-
wards them +; they at first supposed them
cattle, but fred at them. A volIey was
instantly returned, killing some of the
guard, and wounding number more.
Within ten minutes the whole encamp-
ment was surrounded with over two hun.
dred and fifty savages, pouring from all
sides CALLING fire into the very midst of
our troops. If they had then made a
charge, the whole camp would have
been cut to pieces. Their fire was
briskly returned from our men who were
obliged to fight laying fat in the grass and
among the wagons. At ten o'clock they
commenced throwing up entertainments,
working as they lay, for it was impossible
for man to raise his head without at once
having number of shots fred at him. The
works we're, however pushed on and by two
P. NJ they had their lines entrenched with
earthworks and the dead horses which they
rolled together in line as much as possible.
Early in the morning our guard at Fort
Ridgley beard the firing, and Major r. n.
McLaren, with three companies Of infantry,
and Col. McPhail, with about fifty cavalry,
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
nearly surrounded by Indians, who endeav-
ored to hem them in and cut them of from
water, intending, doubtless, to make a
charge rext morning at day break. They
were however held at distance by our
shell with which we kept securing the "a.
vine and woods.
A messenger returned to US at the fort
about 2 P. NJ. reporting the state of affairs,
and, as soon as the lines could be formed,
COL Sibley with his whole command left
for their relief. The 9TH regiment had
but just joined us, and the men were wea-
ry, foot sore and hungry, but they received
the tidirgs of brush with the savages
with shout, and eagerly pushed on with
US without waiting for food or rest. We
marched till two next morning, WED
nesday) when We joined Major McLar'
ems division. Having rested on our arms
a couple of hours, we again pushed on at
break of day. The number of Indians
around continually increased, and by the
time we were opposite Capt. Grants en-
campment, the skirt of the woods and the
ravine were teeming with them, making
the morning hideous with their yells. A