The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1890-10-29

either drunk or insane. Within an hour.
hour, however, a second courier arrived
with confirmation OF the first awful ac-
count.
The Governor OF tho State, Alexander
Ramsey, selected ex-Governor Henry III.
Sibley To take command OF an expedition
against the Indians. lie was well quail
fed for the perlous mission, having
spent many years among the Sioux rs "a
trader, speaking their language and
knowing what could be expected OF them.
One week after the first outbreak, Col.
Sibley was at st. Peter with 1,400 men.
This seemed u large force. and would
have been so regarded were it not for the
uncertainty of the whereabouts OF the
red enemy and their peculiar mode OF
warfare.
On Sunday, the 31st day of August,
Col. Sibey started out from Fort Ridge
ly "A burial and scouting party under the
command of Major Joseph X. Brown,
whose family had been made captives by
the Indians. The expedition numbered
153 men all told, OF whom q considerable
number were transfers, with ninety-six
horses, and good supply OF camp
equipage and provisions. The first day
about fifty murdered citizens were dis
covered and buried. Early the next
morning they came upon the llfeless and
scalped bodies of Captain Marsh and
about thirty men who had been sent out
on relief expedition few days before
They seem TO have been surprised and
fired upon from all sides. They were
buried by their comrades in one long
grave, which was marked by large
wooden cross.
On the night of the 1st OF Sep
TENDER, sold joe" as Major Brown
was affectionately called, ordered his
command to 60 into camp in gorge
near the now thriving village of Birch
Coolie, about sixteen miles from Fort
Ridgely. Major Brown, who had great
knowledge of the Indians, believed that
all was well, and the men, with the ex-
ception OF the guards, went to sleep.
Slumber is heaviest just before day
break, and ii is then that Indians gem
orally make an attack. The guard well
understood this, and were on the alert.
Suddenly, about four o'clock, watch
full sentinel saw and fired upon a moving
object. In an instant the camp was
aroused. All sprung TO their feet, and
received a deadly croSs-fre from not less
than 800 rifles. mostly ouble-barrclcd,
in the hands OF their stealthy, iendish
enemies. the Sioux. Soon all who had not
been killed or disabled by the first fire.
broke for the wagons, from the doubtful
shelter of which a brisk fire was re-
turned. Almost Immediately discovery
was made which sent a thrill Of dismay
through the hearts OF the bravest OF the
"raw recruits" A mistake had been
made in the ammunition; the cartridges
were all of too large a calibcr for the
muSkets, and not more than twenty
rounds of the proper size remained for
each man.
The men fell to work whiting down
the bullets with their knyc in the
mean time firing occasionally to keep mp
a show Of fighting. Only one shovel and
one pick could be found. and these, to-
gethcr with knives, spoons, and bayo-
nets, were used to dig intrenchments. \
strong but losing fight was maintained,
and by 10 o'clock sixty men were killed
or wounded, and ninety-tive ont of lhc
nin0ty-siX horses were dead. The latter
no doubt saved the command from AN
initiation, since their bodies were used
a barricade.
For twenty-four hours longer the