New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1885-08-26

Tigers. Capt Tousley had No. and
Capt. Saunders No. 3, but - Todsley
did not take part in tho fight William
Dellaughter was chosen captain in his
place and made : gallant commander.
l also remember squad from Mankato
commanded by Capt. Bierbauer, an
old soldier, who I can see at this
moment, when all was confusion and
consternation, standing like rock.
loading and firing, when none support
cd him. This company was quite large.
having seventy-four privates and twelve
officers, the first lieutenant being John
I. Meagher, and our old friend Jim
Shoemaker one OF the sergeants. The
citizens OF New Ulm were also organic
Cd into several companies and took
part in all the fight. There was also
my own company from St. Peter, but
wnetner there Were any other distinct
organizatlons or not I cannot remem-
per. 1nere were present, l distinctly
recan, TWO old and well-known
pioneers, Newell Houghton and Asa
WHITE both OF whom looked up to for
aavlce ana counsel, but do not think
tney were connected with any troop,
p Dut olo thelr fighting on their own
hook. In all. we mustered about $50
guns mostly Shot guns. and poor ones
at that. with sprinkline of some
twenty or thirty rifles. About the second
Jay alter our arrival it became ap-
parent That some one must be placed in
command of all the forces, as discipline
VIII relax in proportion to the album
uance OF whisky. To solve this problem
Inc universal American system was
lnVocked-an election. The officers of
tne various organizations met on the
main street, seated themselves in q
wagon box and discussed the question.
Inc nonor fell to my lot, and l was
duly chosen commander-in.cbief of the
assembled army. suppose the choice
was made largely from the fact that I
possessed some Indian experience. as
my military record was confined to a
second lieutenancy in militia COM
pa9y that never saw service. As soon
as was installed in my new position,
which, in the absence of q commission,
was ratified. if [ remember correctly,
by
I commenced thorough organization
of the troops aud the people. Mai. S.
A. Buell. of St. Peter was appointed
provost marshal, with unlimited pow.
ers. Inspections of men and arms
were instituted. places of safety for
women and children were selected,
barricades were strengthened. . guard.
house was established for incorrigi-
bles, and what was probably as i'm
portant as anything else, all the liquor
in town was removed to my headquar-
ters, where it was judiciously served
out to the men. Order was restored,
and we anxiously awaited events.
We did not know what would hap
pen. The firing at Ridgely was dis
tinctly audible. Each day we sent
out expeditions of considerable force.
say 100 men, to scout over the country
and find out what we could. These
expeditions resulted in bringing in ma
ny people who were in hiding, and in
this way we saved many lives.
I am sorry to say that day or two
before the final fight on Saturday q
q large company, not one of those /
have mentioned left US and went home
and that on the morning of the fight,
after it was evident that the Jndians
were coming down upon us, several
quite prominent citizens of the valley
lett US against my protestations, but
l thought perhaps it was better not to
have any one in the fight who did not
relish 1t and finally let them 90.
Saturday, the 23d day of August, 1862,
opened bright and lovely. The sun
shine and the atmosphere was peculiar
Minnesotian. You could see man on
the clean prairie miles away. Nature
never intended such day for strife
and bloodshed. If the love of the
beautiful existed in man, this was a
day for its development Every thing
suggested peace, repose, serenity and
love, but the plans of nature were des-
tined to be sadly overthrown. Men of
one race were to meet men of another
race in deadly conflict. A battle was
to be fought, in which mercy entered
not and quarter on either side was un-
thought of. Leaving all poetry out of
the question, the Indians wanted our
scalps, and we had about fourteen hun
dred of them that we proposed to hold
intact if possible. About 8 in the morn
ing we saw column after column of
smoke arise on both sides of the river
in the direction of the fort. There was
not habitation we did not know be-
tween the fort and New Ulm, and as
each column arose we would say ..there
goes so and SOS house." On thew
came, mile after mile, until we knew
they had divided their forces and were
approaching US on both sides of the
river, those on the Brown county side
intending to make the main attack, and
those on the Nicollet county side in.
tending to cut off our avenues of re.
treat.
THE PLAN OF THE ATTACK
was well devised, but the idea of a re-
treat had never entered into our plans.
We had come there to defend New
Ulm, and we proposed to flight il out
On that line If it took all SUMMER IN