New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1892-04-06


stable by sending shell through hehall,5
McGrew shelled and set fire to the suit
Ter; S store the heat and want ofshelter
contracting their field Of action to the
southwest ana north and northeast cor
ners.
The oft repeated demands Of Little
Grow, to charge were distinctly heard,
and the various attempts to concentrate
in sufficient force were frustrated by
well directed grape and canister pound-
ed into hiding places IN the rank weeds
and bushes. Apparently baf1ed in the
conquest that had been pictured SO easy
of attainment, the firing became less
furious, and at 6 o'clock the Indians
withdrew.
Thus ended the last and most desper-'
ate attack upon Fort Ridgely. Eight
hundred we'll armed and determined
Indions took part in this engagement.
They returned to their camp for the
night, and left those in garrison as
much in suspense and anxiety as they
had been at any previous time during.
the siege.
AT s o'clock the next morning their
was an easier feeling as they passed
down the road in the direction of New
Ulm, mounted and in true military style
with hankers on either side of the main
column. Their march was masked by
smoke rolling up from buildings as they
proceeded. This was their last days
fight at New Ulm. BafHed in their eff
forts to reduce these two points, they
turned their faces westward.
On Sunday, we observed with field
glass, large numbers of Indians, horses.
teams, and droVes of cattle, passing an
opening in the bluff on the south side OF
the river in the direction of their Agen-.
cy. The same watchfulness was main
tanned until Wednesday, morning, the
9th, when Anson Northrop, with a
company Of mounted volunteers, and
Col. Sam. McPhail, with cavalry,
reached the fort, to our great relief.
This afforded the first opportunity for
refreshing sleep since the news of the
outbreak, on the morning Of the 18th,
Gen. n.sibley soon followed with the Sixth
Regiment Of Minnesota Volunteers.
There were between 800 and 400 men,
women and children who had found an
asylum at the tort; widows and orphans,
many of them bereft Of all their friends,
most of them penniless and homeless,
the country DEVASTATED, some suffering
from wounds, and an experience that
blighted every ambition.
The one thing beyond controversy
was that they must go somewhere.
Facilities were afforded and in short
space of time their escape from the
savage Sioux was told to eager listeners
hundreds of miles away. So much had
the people behn accustomed to rely up
on the fort for protection that a man
arrived from New Ulm just as the first
attack was made with a request for
troops. His horse was taken by In
dians. Another man from Glencoe, by.
the name of Richardson, reached the
mouth Of the ravine at abont the same
time on the same errand. Horse and
man were killed. There were four killed
in the garrison and eleven wounded
during the investment. -Four others
were killed in the Immediate vicinity
outside.
The defence of Fort Ridgely was a
test of bravery and endurance that men
are seldom subjected to. When the time
for action came no one was deficient in.
these qualities.
DR.. Alfred Mueller and his wife were
untiring in their attentions to the sick
and wounded. Men remained on post
from Monday night till Saturday with
out relief or sleep.
Mr.. Geo. P. Hicks, hearing Sergeant
Jones call, ran to his house, found his
wife in closet with her children, too
terrified to make known her presence,
and removed them safely to the garrison,
while Indians were taking shelter
around and firing into it through the
windows. The magazines two hewed
log building s-were on a line with che row
Of log buildings two hundred yards west.
EARLY in the engagement, the capture
or the destruction Of the ammunition
became distressingly probable. The
supply was limited. Mr.. Hicks yolun
teered with others and accomplished its
removal to the commissary without loss
or accident, while leaden missiles were
sent after them from two sides.
J. W De Camp reached the fort on
his way to the Agency where heresided