The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1862-09-18
-1 The Indian War.
The Battle of Birch Cooley
From the St. Paul Press, 18th I

lriohi eHC iSSS, ish j
Capt. Grant, Of company A, Sixth
Regiment, arrived in this city yester-
day morning. From him we CLEAN
many particulars of the late battle at
Birch Cooley. The first knowledge
they had of the presence OF Indians,
was a terrific voley from three or four
hundred mnskets, which penetrated to
all parts of the camp, killing and woun,
ding the horses, entering the tents, etc.
This occurred just at the gray ofdawn.
before it was light enough to see the
second sight on the guns and this cir
so few comparatively were injured,
when so many shots were fired, they
being generally aimed too high.
The Indians poured in their vOllcys
from all sides but one, evidently intend
ing To drive the men out of the camp
i'm that direction, and then come for
ward and seize the horses and pluader,
while at the same time, az it afierward
they had a party stationed
on the prairie to cut 10 pieces the men
rs they ran To make their escape very
good plan, but which the steadiness of
the men at this sudden fire entirely
Scarcely a man flnched
from his duty, and many were clamor
Gus to charge upon their unseen f.r.
As soon as possible the men selected
such position behind the wagons and
dead horses as afforded slight protect
ton, and returned the fire Of their as
sailants, and with snch steady aim
that many a red skin was made To bite
the dust. There is no doubt that if
the Indians had made charge at that
lime, they would have succeeded in
their murderous design, but they were
too cowardIy to face the certain death,
that they knew would attend such all
attempt to great many of them.
The fight continued without cessa-
lion till about nine O'clock in the
when it begun to slack grad
nally, which enabled Capt. Grant to
entrench little, but if man ex
posed himself ever SD little he was sure
to be shot at; and the only way they
III finishing their earth work
was for portion of the boys to watch
while the others excavated, and when
= red skin raised up his head to take
sure aim, the cry of SHOWN, down."
all flat npOn the ground, and
he shot passed harmless over their
heads. The fighting continued i'm this
manner till the going down Of the moon
near midnight, when the Indians took
advantage of the darkness to carry
away their dead.
Early in the morning of "Wednesday
he firing was renewed. and continued
Turing the morning. AT this time, the
of the Sioux called ont in
he Dak"tas language to the halt: breeds,
some seven or eight, in Capt. Grants
orce, to leave the whites, anil they
would be protected; that the Indians
lid not desire the blood of the mixed
breed they only wanted that of the
whites; that they were going to charge
on the camp and pnt every |
,erson To death. &c. This was heard
~ all the half.breeds, and by Major
|os. X. Brown, who translated it for
Capt. Grant. Of course none of the
lalf breeds attempted to leave.
Soon after this the cannon under
Col. Sibley's command was heard to
peak, and an Indian horseman came
apidly mp to their commander or head
thief, aud was overheard by Major
Brown to tell him that two miles of
whites were coming to the relief of
capt. Grant. The Indians were then
,rdered all to go and attack Col. Sibley,
With the exception of small party that
vasito stay and watch Capt. Grant.
The Indians went off with yell, but
m nearing Col. Sibley's force. they
we're salnted by shot aud schrapnrll
rom the battery of Mark Hendricks,
md were wise enon1h to keep at safe
distance. Col. Sibley soon after came
p and relieved Capt. Grants force /