New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1894-07-25
WHO WAS THE COMMANDER?
A Breezy Account Of the Birch Coulie
Fight.
The Selection of the Camp Decidedly
Doubtful Honor.
Details Of the Terrible Day and Night
When the Indians Were Firing
Upon the Camp.

of mine has sent me some clippings from
the St. Paul papers On controversy 60
ing on as to who was in cammand at
Birch Coolie. While do not think it
is in good taste or profitable to agitate
such questions now, when most of the
parties interested have passed away, still
as the fight is on, it naturally interests
every one who participated in affairs at
that time, and as I was there and some
what acquainted with the actors at that
time, I will give you my recollections OF
the matter.
do not remember the dates and have
not now access to the papers to refresh
my rsctllection.and while recognize the
fact that my testimony will not settle
the question as to who was in com nand
of that expedition, I do not think it
worth quarreling over. Whether Maj.
Brown or Maj. Grant gave orders as to
| what was to be done and where to camp,
they showed very poor judgment and
camped both nights where the troops
were at the mercy of an attacking foe.
| A little better judgment in selecting a
camping ground might have made it
more pleasant at Birch Coulie the next
! day. But to my recollections:
was first lieutenant of Company l.,
of the third Minnesota infantry, and
when sufficiently recovered from run
of typhoid fever to travel, had been sent
home on recruiting service and ordered
| to report to Maj. Nelson at St. Paul. He
| gave me a furlough and sent me home,
where l was when the first rumor of the
outbreak was spread. I Immediately
started for st. Paul t, report. expecting
there might be work on hand. On the
road between Fort Smelling and St. Paul
l met Maj. Nelson. He directed me to
return to the front and act as adjutant
of the Sixth regiment, which was then
assembling. until one was appointed.
| did So and took small steamboat and
went to St. Paul. got som, arms and
ammunition up to the fort, Which were
distributed. accompanied the regiment
to Shakopee on the boat, at which place
| Col. Crooks joined us. We went on to
st. Peter, where F. E, Snow Joined as
as adjutant and superseded me. AS I
| had no orders what to do in such a case,
found myself an officer at leisure.
! That afternoon call was made for men
to go through to Fort Ridylcy to relieve
that post. Fearing that if I stayed IN
st. Peter some order might overtake me,
joined this party and went through to
the fort that night. When Gen. Sibley
came up with the full force I attached
myself to his eating and sleeping de-
! partmept, and as sort of a '.go as you
please" officer around his Headquarters,
and as they were all old friends, got
along comfortably.
The night before the detachment start
ed out that had the fight at Birch Coulie,
Gen. Sibley and Maj. Brown had con-
versatlon IN the generals tent about the
expedition. They talked and I smoked.
There were one or two other persons
there, but I do not recall them, though
think Capt. Anderson came in during
the time. cannot at this time give the
conversations, but it was understood that
the next morning Maj. Brown should
start out with a detail of infantry and
some mounted men with him, and go to
the lower agency and as much farther as
Brown thought proper, to be gone not
more than three days. There was to be
burial party also, and the party were
to search for and bury any dead found.
This, and to ascertain how matters
stood at the agency and to scout the
country around, was the object of the
expedition. I joined the party, though
I did not ask any ones permission furth-
er than to tell Maj. Brown I was going,
and to suggest that sho1ld not be left
out in the count for rations. The detail
was made, consisting of one company Of
infantry of the Sixth regiment (Capt.
Grant's), and two men from each Of the
other companies Of the Sixth regiment,
Capt. Anderson and some mounted men
II do not know the lumber. The next
forenoon We started from Fort Ridgley.
With the party were several civilians,
most Of whom returned from the lower
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