The Goodhue volunteer. [volume] (Red Wing, Goodhue County, Minn.) 1861-1864, 1862-09-17

lSIuInUeTlutss uu0 " aAae0 StSN .tlSaSil0t y eOO
long masket under an appearance Of friend !
ship. The sanguinary contagion spread
from, band to band, and On the morning of
the 18th, ii moment, without ! word or
sign 81 warning, without preconcert on their
part, or proyocation on ours, al the innate
feroci,y Of this savage race was let loose .,
once on the unsuspecting white inhabitants,
and men, women and children were iinvolv>
ed in an indiscriminate and awful massacre.
A force of forty five soldiers. which had been
sent up from Fort Rdgley, on the first ru
NOR Of disturbance, arrived only to be at
tackled in ambush and halt their number,
with their leader slain. The horrible work
of murder, pallage and devastation begun at
Red Wool was swiftly extended throughout
the Sioux Reservation and the adjacent set
Elements where the fam; lies, living in isolat-
ed habitations at considerable distance apart,
afforded an easy prey to the skulking foe
Hundreds Of every age and sex perished by
the hands Of these remorseless butchers. &.
Hundreds who narrowly escaped, fed to
Fort Ridgey, New Ulm, St. Peter. and 9th
towns for protection, and the fearful tidings
which they bore spread universal consterna~
ton among the people. Tens Of thousands
Including many far from the scene of danger
fled with their families from this sudden un-
seen and steal:hy foe, against whom all or
dinary precautions seemed vain, leaving their
crops to perish in the fields. and their prop
erty to pillage. The towns and cities could
scarcely afford ever shelter to this crowd Of
frightened fugitives. 49,.
When the first vague news Of the revolt
at Red Wood was received on the evening Of
the 18th, hastened Immediately to Fort
Smelling. and ordered four companies of the
9th Regiment, which had just been organized
to march at once to the scene OF reported
disturbances, and Hon. H. Fl. Sibley, whose
residence of thirty years on the frontier, and
intimate familiarity with the Indian charac.
ter and modes of warfare, indicated special
fitness for the service, was designated to the
command.
On the 21st, when authentic information
of the extent and character of the outbreak
vas first received, accompanied with the an
nouncement that New Ulm had been attack
ed in force, and Fort Ridgley beleagured an
other force Of seven companies was instantly
sent forward under Colonel Crooks. with or
ders to report to Col. Sib|ey. At the same
time, mounted volunteers were called upon,
by proclamation, to join the forces moving
up the Minnesota Valley. This call was
responded to with generous alac,ity by about
500 mounted citizens
While these bodies were moving up the
Valley, companies of mounted men and in
fantry were Sent as rapidly as they could be
raised and equipped, for the protection Of the
Sparsely settled districts of country lying
north and south Of the scene of the Sioux
depredations on the Minnesota river, which
seemed to be exposed to incursions Of ma
raueins parties from that quarter.
In the meantime, the Chippewas had as
sutned a threatened attitude. for reasons not
now distinctly understood. but which, from
its conjecture with the Sioux raid, gave rise
at the moment, to wide spread apprehep-
sion that these invetera,e enemies had bur
led the hatchet in league against the
whites. The Chippewa agent, Mr.. Walker
having failed in an attempt to arrest the
Chief, Hole in the day, fled to Fort Ripley,
under an impression that general massacre
was to be attempted. =. ,.-,.,
In consequence Of this threatening dispo.
sition, the citizens Of various exposed local
tiles on the Chippewa border were as far as
possible supplied with arms and ammunition
and detachments Of troops, including, com
panies Of mounted citizens. were sent for the
protection Of the St. Croix, Rum river and
Upper Mississippi Valleys. -Four compan
les were sent to Fort Ripley, where the
Commissioners of Indian Affairs, Mr.. Dole
who had come to the State for the purpose
Of effecting treaty with the. Chippewas d
Red Lake, undertook the task. Of restoring
order among this tribe. ,a,r > .,:7s.5s.1aI:
No depredations,o however, have as ye,
been committed by the Chippewas, and i
they ever entertained any hostile intentions
which is doubtful, it is likely that the efforts
Of Commissioner Dole, backed by the ample
preparations made to enforce his authority
will be sufficient to ensure their quiet, ,'1@
The outbreak Of the Sioux occurred At .
time when viewer little prepared in man,
respects to meet SO Sudden an emergency
Fortunately we had just raised a considera
ble part Of the new levies ordered by III,
President. But now most Of these .were
farmers taken from the thick Of the pending
harvest, and had enlisted on the promise 3
IA fnrlough to the first Of September TO secur,
their crops, and 50 large part OF the volu,,
fteers were ahsent u the time, thst the force
sent had 70 b made up Of fragments Of diff
ferenr companies and regiments II &8@
2 4 still more serious embarrassment wa.
Y IItelt.at the outset from the want Of srms an,
ammunition. Applications was, however mad
by telegraph 70 Washington, Sc Louis, m.
: the Governors ~ sdjoining States, and i,
addition to supplies received from regula
/ Es0rrrceS II an ,rs,-k sr,f ah..a q. sr...,.