The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1894-05-17

that the above application had been
endorsed aud recommended, and for
warded to the district headquarters,
but so slow are the wheels of govern
ment in moving, that, unlike the cat,
no reply ever came back, and continu-
ally hoping for relief, we lived on.
May 25th, Edmund Fosgate and
family arrived and became permanent
settlers. The stockade being COM
pleted four new buildings were erect
ed, viz: McPhail's Headquarters. T.
w. Casters, Edmund Fosgate and O.
C. Martins. Late this fall David Wat
son built an additional small build
ing. All these buildings were inside
the stockade.
On June 2u, Hon. John Homer and
John Schadwick arrived. The latter
did not become permanent settler.
Additions to our colony were always
welcome. but the continual appear
ance of strange and apparently un-
friendly Indians were a source of men
ace, and not having heard anything
from the request made to the depart
ment commander at Fort Ridgley,
the following request signed by all of
the Inhabitants of the stockade, and
nearly all of whom haye passed to the
other shore, was forwarded to Briga-
dier General Sibley by messenger:
PosT AT REDWOOD FALLS, JUNE 3, 81.
BR1GAD1ER GES'L SfBLEY, G Commanding,
Dist. of Mimi, Department of
Northwest.
GENERAL-"We, the undersigned,
beg leave to represent to you
1st, That we are actual settlers on
the Redwood river, 2miles in advance
Of. any military post; that we are and
have been greatly annoyed by small
bands Of prowling Indians. Where
fore, we would respectfully ask, if not
inconsistent with the public service,
that you grant us small detachment
of troops until we can make better
preparations for our own defense, feel
ing confident that our settlement will
do much to restore confidence to our
State frontier. We are, General, your
most obedient servants,
SAM McPhA1L. OR1N r. FLETCHER,
j. r. THOMPSON, T. w. CASTER,
j. S. G.. HOMER, B. WOODRUFF,
J. w. DUNLAP, A. S. LARABEE,
O. G.. MARTIN, O. B. BARBER,
n. W1GHTnAN, DAVID WATSON.
Of the signers, Col. Samuel McP Phail,
residing at Taunton Minn- and John
w. Dunlap, residing at Mentone, Ind,
appear to be the only persons living
at the present writing. To the petit
ton, as in the case of the one previous
ly made, no answer was ever received.
On June 14th two letters were dis
patched requesting protection. One
was to Oscar Malmrose, adjutant gen.
eral of Minnesota, and the other to
Col. VIM. Pfaender. They were as
follows:
Post at Redwood Falls, June IA,
1864. Col. VIM Pfaender, command
ing post at Fort Ridgley-Capt. Han
ley will inform you of the situation at
this place. Three red devils have been
firing into our stockade during the
night, lately. Is there no answer from
Gen. Sibley in regard to this matters
Four families have already left the
place. Can you not send up small
squad of privates to guard our post.
We can pursue and punish, and drive
them out of the county ourselves. but
1 have not men enough to both pur-
sue them and guard our post. Unless
I get some aid it will greatly retard
the progress of our settlement. Hop
ing this may receive your favorable
consideration, l am, Col, yours most
truly, SAN McPHA1L.
Post at Redwood Falls, ,Minn., June
IA, 1854 Oscar Malmrose, Adjutant
General of Minnesota -General-Send
me to Fort Ridgley twenty Springfield
rifles; also, 1000 rounds of ball cart
ridges. Should we use these cartridg-
es we will pay for them in scalps, that
is if the bounty Of $2OO still holds
"