Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1862-09-13
Minnesota Indian War.

| 81 - '"oo HiSHl Will uCHpoICuCS llOLu
Fort Ridgley. They left there Thurs
day . P. NJ; travelled all that night,
and arrived here Friday at 6 r. NJ
Their dispatches gave an account Of
an engagement with Indians about
eighteen miles from Fort Ridgley, re-
sulting in the loss Of sixteen killed and
forty-seven wounded of the whites.
The following account was forwar-
ded for publication by Lieut.. Col. Mar
shall, of the Seventh Regiment Capt.
Grant, with a company of infantry, and
Capt. Anderson with seventy-fve cav
airy were sent on to clear the way to-
wards Yellow Medicine and bury the
dead Sunday morning, Aug. 81. ~ jE
They encamped that night opposite
Lower Agency. Next morning Capt.
Anderson, with cavalry and a few in
fantry, forded and swan across the
river to Agency~and buried their dead
there, while the remainder of Capt.
Grants division buried large num-
Der on their side, mostly soldiers from
Capt. Marks company. They inferred
eigh,y-tive, a greater part of whom
were horribly mutilated.
Near the mouth of Beaver river
Capt. Grant picked mp a 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 Medi-
cine and Cotton Prairies, to ascertain
if possible which wav the Indians had
taken. He saw no indications OF their
having been there for four or five days.
The cavalry recrossed to Capt.
Grants division and encamped for the
night on Birch Cooline, opposite Agen-
cy and three miles from it. 49,
Early Tuesday morning, as guards
were being changed, the sentries saw
some objects moving over the prairies
towards them. They at first supposed
them to be cattle; but fired at them a
volley. 1t was instantly returned, kill
ling some Of the guard and wounding
a number more. Within ten minutes
the whole encampment was surrounded
with over $50 savages, 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 to pieces. Their fire
was briskly returned by our men, who
were obliged to fight lying fiat in the
grass and among the wagons. a.
AT ten o'clock they commenced
throwing up entertainments, working
as they lay, it being impossible for a
man to raise his head without at once
having number Of shots fired at him.
The works were pushed on, and by
two o'clock they had the lines en-
trenched with earthworks or dead
horses, which they rolled together in
line as much as possible.
Early in the morning our guard at
Fort Ridgley heard 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 surrounded by Indians, who en-
deavored to hem them in and cut them
off from the water, intending doubt
less to make. a charge next morning
early. They were held at good dis
lance by our shells. with which we
kept securing the ravine and woods.
/ A messenger returned to Fort Ri'le-
ley in the p. NJ, reporting the condition
of affairs, and as soon as lis lines
could be formed Col. Sibley, with his
whole command, left for their relief.
The Seventh Regiment had but Just
joined us, and the men were weary,
toot!Sore and hungry, but received the
tidings Of brush with the savages
with shouts, and eagerly pushed on
with us without waiting for TODD or
rest. .' l.s.... ...
The number of Indians continually
increased, and by the time they we're
opposite Grants encampment the skirts
of the woods and ravines were TEEN
ing with them and making the morn
ing hideous with their yelIs.
A few shot and shell from our how
itzer and cannon made them retreat
beyond range of their guns to the bluff
beyond the creek, where they stood
and dared US on, waving blankets,
brandishing swords and reckoning us
to come. ......
We formed in line of battle and
pushed on encanpment, the savages
in the meantime Keeping good distance
between ms, and got into Capt. Grants
camp. The men were nearly exhaus-
te,. from want of food and rest. The
tents were completely riddled with
balls. Over f"rty-seven men were
wounded and thirteen lay dead where
they fell Most Of the killed were from
St. Paul. The Infantry alone can &C
complish but little in an Indian war
g., f,,li