St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-05-25
BIRCH COULIE MONUMENT.


ton at the Village of Morton.
! To the Editor of the Globe.
Having seen several communications
| in your valuable paper against the loca-
| ton of the monument, [ wish to correct
| some false impressions those articles
| have created in the minds of the sur
| vlyors and the citizens of Minnesota in
| regard to the location of this monument.
as they say. in the town of Morton.
There Is no such town in the state.
The village of Morton is in the town OF
Birch Coulie, an Incorporated village.
The village of Morton is between the
bluffs and the Minnesota river. The
battle ground OF Birch Coulie was be-
tween the bluffs and coulie on an open
prairie. The site selected for the mon
ument is the extreme southern portion
of the battle ground, on high bluff
overlooking the village of Morton, about
three-Quarters of mile from said viii
lage, and about one and a quar-
ter miles from the corral where
the troops encamped for the night
Sept. 1. 1862. During the two days
fight the Indians occupied the ground
between the coulie and the bluffs as far
down as to where this monument is To-
Gated. So it can be truly said this
monument is placed Oh the battle
ground of Birch Coulie. The five acres
the German farmer wanted to sell the
state lies between the corral and eoulie,
and would only come up to the edge of
the corral, for which he demanded $500
for piece of ground not worth $50. If
the monument had been placed there it
would have been placed in the northeast
corner of the battle ground, near a
back country road, and would not even
have taken in the ground where the
troops were eDcamped. And probably
not an average of three persons would
pass this back road in sight of this
monument daily. While at the south.
ern point of this battle ground,. the.
monument will stand at the top of the
bluff, where you can look north over
the whole battle field. Looking
west you sea the village of
Morton. nnder the bluffs three
fourths of a mile distant. Situated in
the valley, between the bluffs aud the
river, you can see the valley and river
for about six miles west. The Mime
apolis d st. Louis railroad winds along
i'll the valley in sight for about two.
miles. Looking south, you see the
valley and river down below where
Capt. Marsh's command was massacred,
at the crossing of the river to Lower
agency. You see what remains of the
old agency building. Looking across
the valley and Minnesota river
to the bluffs beyond, YOU see
where Little Crows village was
located. Further north you see the city
| of Redwood Falls. AT least thousand
persons can step out of their homes and
| see this monument, located OH the most
! picturesque spot between Big Stone
! lake and st. Paul. To reach the monll-
| ment from the railroad station and the
village there is a good road 10 the agri.
| culture ground, where the monument
| stands, three-quarters of mile from
| the village. Five hundred people will
visit this monument, where one would
! if located at the extreme North end of
! the battle ground.
! This monument is to be erected in
memory of tue fallen heroes who lost
| their lives there. Built of the best gran
lite, it will be visited by the citizens OF
| MinnSS ota and strangers for a thousand
or more years. And l wish to say to
tlle SURVIVORS Ol LIlS memorable Ddttle
who were with me for the forty-eight
! hours of this hotly contested fight not 10
pass an unfavorable opinion against
this commission until they have seen
this beautiful SPOT. Then [ am sure
you will agree with me that the situa-
ton is 95 per cent in favor of this loea-
| ton. CAPT. Ii. p. GRANT,
| Commanding the Forces at Birch Couie.
| l have been the contestant in the
GLOBE against the location of the Birch
Coulie monument on any point outside
of the actual battlefield; but as Capt.
| Grant. who was in command of the
| forces in that fight, desires it to be
| placed where the committee has decided
to place it, withdraw all opposition,
still adhering 10 my views that it should
be located on the battlefield.
! CHAS f, FLANDRAIr.