The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1862-09-20

..fs I'D, HEADeRs, Foar R1DasIY, Nns.,)
70 Gen HaQsck, Commandsr.;n. CS;ef: ~, q 4
nave tne honor to report that this post Wa
sssaoited .s Dy large force Of Sioux Indians. on
sne sas zVtn inse a small remnant of company B.
pm p tsglment, Minnesota Volunteers, and the
.s nenvle T. rangers company just organized, and
me Elgnsn nom this State, were the only troops
nld anoer my command, for it's defence, and
could not effect ! lodgment which WA nrevent.
ed, in great measure, BY the superior FIRE Of
artillery under the immediate charge of Ord
nance Sergeant ]. Jones, U. s. A., which com
PEELED them to evscuate the ravines, by which
the post is surrounded. They then withdrew
their forces and our gallant little garrison rested
on their arms ready for any attack which might
be made during the night. :9'l'S7s
Several people, the remnants Of about thirty
families, have arrived 1t this post in the most
miserable condition, some wounded and Others
severely bruised, having made their escape from
their dwellings, which had been fred by the In
dams. The people in the immediate vicinity,
fed to this post, and were organized and armed
q far as practicable, to aid In its defence.
On the 22d ult the Indians returned with q
much larger force and attacked us on al sides.
but the most determined attacks were made on
the east and west corners Of the Fort which are
10 the vicinity of ravines. The west corner was
also covered BY stables and log buildings, which
AFFORDED the Indians great protection, and in or.
der to protect the garrison, Iordered them TO be
destroyed. Some we're fred by artillery, and
the balance by the Renville Rangers, under com.
mand Of lst Lieut.. j. 0orman, to whom. and the
men under his command, great credit is due for
their gallant conduct The balls fell thick over
and through the wooden buildings erected for
officers quarters Still the men maintained
their ground. The Indians then proposed to
carry the post by storm, but the gallant conduct
OF our men at the guns paralyzed them and COM
PEELED them to withdraw, after one of the most
determined attacks made by Indians on militia
ry post. 0a' 70 O ~ f'l
The men of Companies B and G, 9Th regiment.
Minnesota Volunteers, aided by citizens, did
good execution, and deserve the highest praise
for their heroic conduct. Vow
Mr.. Wykof, Of the Indian Department with
many other citizens, rendered efficient service.
Our small ammunition nearly failed. On con-
sultation with ordnance Sergeant Jones, order.
ed the balls TO be removed from the sole of the
epheric case. The shot and many of the balls
hred BY the Indians we're collected and recast
ladies organized for the purpose, who worked
night and day until . good supply was obtained.
The buildings composing the garrison proper are
still up but they are very much wrecked; all the
outbuildings except the guard house and msga-
zines were entirely destroyed. Most of the
mules and oxen belonging to the Q. N. Depart
ment we're all taken BY the Indians and We are
left with scarcely supply of transportation. /
adopted every means Of defence by erecting bsr-
ricades, covering store house with earth to guard
against fire from the arrows which we're thrown
with the determination to make complete sac
ri6ce of everything but the mems quarters and
storehouse which we're stone buildings and
were saved also enclose list of killed and
wounded-S killed and Is wounded. "3A .et0'
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
a,-g T. J. SHIRMAN,
lst Lieut.. company G 9th Reg't MINI. vola
commanding post Z" a1'S2 ssat .