New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1894-08-08

interior department, in his official report
for 1862 says: ''On Sunday the 31st of
August detachment of company of
mounted men under Capt. ANDERSON and
a company of infantry under Capt. Grant
were sent out under the command of
Maj. Joseph R. Brown. Several citizens
among whom L was one, volunteered to
60 along" etc.
Heard's ''History of the Sioux War;
says: "On Sunday, tn. last day of Aug
ust, Capt. Grants company of infantry,
seventy men of the Cullon guard under
Capt. Anderson and detail Of citizens
and other soldiers, together with seven
teen teamsters, with teams, numbering in
all $50 men, were dispatched under
command of Maj. Joseph R. Brown to
the lower agency for the purpose of bury
ing the dead and ascertaining the where
abouts of the enemy" etc.
Neill's 'History of Minnesota
says: "a burial party of twenty men un-
der the escort of one company of infan-
try and the available mounted force. in
all about geo men, under the command
of Maj. Joseph R. Brown, was detailed
to proceed and inter the remain. of the
murdered at the lower agency and at
other points in the vicinity. This duty
was performed < x and the de-
tachment was enroute to the settlements
on the Beaver river, and had encamped
for the night near Birch Coulie," etc.
Mrs. Neutrality-suspicious. War Whcop''
says: A detachment composed of one
company of cavalry under Capt. Ander-
son, and another IF infantry under Capt.
Grant, III command of Maj. Joseph r.
Brown, was sent out Aug. 81 by Col.
Sibley, commissioned with the sad bur
ial charge of these victims of savage bru-
tality. x They moved three miles
to Birch Coulie where they encamped
for the night" etc.
The adjutant general in his report for
1862 does not mention the name of the
| commander at Birch Coulie, but he docs
not mention the name of the person who
commanded the troops that 'scrossed the
river,' and omits other important facts.
He gives unmistakable evidence, however.
that Maj. Browns official report as such
commanding officer was used and formed
the ground work of his narrative. Ia
his narration of the Birch Coulie affair
he says: ION the 1st Of September the
entire command marched to the river
bank, where the mounted company with
one team and eight of the fatigue party
crossed the river under protection of the
infantry. After search and examination
made in the vicinity of the agency, and
becoming satisfied that no Indians were
in the neighborhood, Capt. Grant was
directed to remain with his company and
twelve of the fatigue party and sixteen
teams on the east side of the river, He
was instructed to proceed as far us the
Beaver river, bury such dead as could be
found on the way, and thence return to
the upper timber on the Birch Coulie md
encamp," etc.
Now, Capt Grant was the senior cap
tain of the expedition. Who, then, .di-
rected'' him as to the movements and du-
ties of his commando Who ..instructcd''
him to ''proceed as far as the Beaver ri
ver' and then return to the upper tim
ber on the Birch Coulie and encamp9'
Who commanded the troops that"crossed
the river,' and after "search and exami-
nation became ''satisfed that no Indians
were in the neighborhood," and issued
the necessary orders to Capt. Grant2
But let US ''render unto Caesar the
things that are Caesars" It is an TN
| disputed fact, I believe, that during the
fight at Birch Coulie, when my father
was struck by a ball in the back of the
| uCCh3 "L1Cu IOuCuCu Guc SD1QG and
brought him to the ground senseless. and
was removed to the hospital tent by
Lieutenants Swan and Patch, where he
remained few minutes, until conscious
ness was restored, Capt Grant, as the
ssranking officer" became technically
the commander, and, 1t may be presumed,
acted in that capacity for a few minutes.
As soon, however, as Maj. Brown re-
turned he resumed his command, and, as
We are informed, superintended the con-
structien of the rifle pits.
Capt. Grants stupid references to
s'that secret meeting," ''the old Indian
ring," etc., would be amusing were it
not for the fact that Gen. Sibley, Mai.
Brown and Capt. Anderson are in their
graves and beyond all power of answer
ing. The criticisms are therefore not