St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-07-30
ANOTHER Renaissance
or THE FAMOUS BATTLE or BIRCH
cO0LIE.
ro1. A. p. coNNoLLY's STORY.

mand in Doubt-Capt. Ander-
sons Note of Warning and
Colloquy With Capt. Grant-A
Graphic Picture OF a Notable
Event
70 the Editor of the Globe.
1t is now nearly thirty-two years since
the memorable battle of Birch COolie,
and our memories may be at fault. but
it seems TO me as fresh as if it occurred
but Yesterday. l was sergeant i'll Com
pany A of the Sixth Minnesota, and was
one of the participants on that occasion.
At this late date ii is hard for those who
know of it simply by hearsay TO appre-
cIate the desperate position we were in,
and how nearly we came being annihil-
lated, as was Gen. Custer aud his brave
boys at the Little Big Horn at more
recent date.
The question of who was in command
IS matter of dispute, but, as 10 the bad
judgment shown i'll the two camping
places, the one the first night at the
ferry, and the other the second night at
the coOlie. there can be but one opinion.
The first night | was on guard and after
Capt. Anderson had given US a talk
which sounded very much like half
toned funeral Grafton. l got scared. L
felt brave enough before that, but the
picture he drew in subdued tones of
how stealthily the Indians crept upon
their unsuspectlng foe and scalped
them before they had an opportunity to
awake, made me stop and think that
perhaps we were, even then, fit subjects
for these Indians. who come upon the
unsuSpecting without formal intro
duction. So went to Capt. Grant and
told him what | thought of the situation.
He said:
Sergeant. you are a little nervous
tonight"
He told the truth. but that did not
help the gloomy surroundings. l sug-
gested that the guard be doubled. or
that the men sleep on their arms. The
latter suggestion was adopted and the
night wore away without an attack.
The second night we were not so for
tunate. Maj. Joe Brown had been out
with the scouts all day, but missed
the Indians. The Indians did not miss
US, however. for they had US covered all
day long. My Impression is that Capt.
Grant selected the camping place al
Birch Coolie, and got near the coolie on
account OF the wood and water. Maj.
Brown acQuesced in it.because he gave
Us talk, but it was not as gloomy as was
Capt. AndersOn's. He said:
Boys, you are as safe here as you
would be in your mothers house, for
there is not an Indian within fifty miles
of you.''
At that very moment several hundred
of them, not 500 yards away, were
watching and waiting for the proper
time to arrive for an attack. which did
occur about O'Clock the next morning.
l am writing this to correct Lieut..
Swan in one or two minor things in his
communication of July %. and give him
the name of the brave lieutenant who,
with a squad of men, took posses sion of.
and held the open space next the CoolIe.
The officer was First Lieut.. Harry j.
Gillian. He was afterward captain of
Company A and served all through the
war. He was brave and just to his
men, did good service and has
gone to his reward-he died
several years ago at Anoka,
Mimi. The two men "who dashed out
through the opening were a citizen bv
the name of Henderson and Private
Auke Johnson, of Company A, but |
did not see Maj. Brown. pistol in hand.
stopping any others. When these men
started | ordered them to Halt, halt,
halt, or I'll fire." and did fire, aud this
was my first shot of the war. Hender.
son never came back. but johnson did.
Henderson was the last of his family,
Tor we buried his wife and children the
night before. He was probably shot by
Indians
The first order to 'lay down" came
from Capt. Grant. We mistook it for
FALL I'M and suffered from the terrific
fire of the Indians before we realized
That under the circumstances it was not
necessary to fall ill.," right dress"
''front."
The first heard of Capt. Anderson
was: Capt. Grant, where in hell is
your infantry?"
The captain replied: "The infantry
Is all right; where in hell is your cav
alry?"
Capt. Anderson was brave enough.
we were all brave. for we couldn't at
ford 10 be anything else. Especially
would l speak of Capt. Grant. Lieut..
Gillian. DR.. Daniels and Corporal
James Auge.
do not remember of any horse being
saddled by Maj. Brown. We had ONLY
one horse saddled. and that was on the
second night. The others had all been
Killed. This horse was saddled by order
or Capt. Grant, who had called for
volunteer to make his way to
the tort and report our situation. COrpo-
raj James Auge was the brave man who
volunteered TO 20, and at this time Mai.
Brown was lying wounded in his tent.
giving instructions as to the course
Corporal Auge should pursue. and hat
to report to Gen. Sibley. While these
preparations were being made the moon
was under cloud. and 1t was very dark.
Dut just as Auge was about to mount
his horse. the clouds broke away. and
The bright moon gave the snap away.
Inc indians opened fire, and the horse
received wounds from which he died.
Inc relief Lieut.. Swan speaks of
came just at g O'Clock, and gave us
great cheer. 1t was in command of
Col. McPhail. who, when he saw the
tents, thought to throw a few shells
into the camp for fear it might be In
dams Instead of soldiers, but he was
persuaded not to do so. This relief
party did not reach US.
MAI. Joe Brown was shot through the
back OF the neck, and not in the head.
AS Lieut.. Swan states. This is a small
matter at this late date. but it was a
sore spot then. The digging outfit con-
sisted of one spade and one pick, aside
from our pocketknives, bayonets and
spoons.
Old Joe Brown sang out from his
tent: Capt. Grant, we are in bad
fix; instruct the men to be watchfnI
land keep the pick and shovel busy" 1t
was an anxious night for the weary.
oYertaXed, hungry soldiers. We had
had nothing to eat or drink for about
forty hours. from the night of the attack
until relief came. Some we're even
longer, because as soon as Keller came
overtaxed nature gave way to sIeep.
ana the men we're placed in wagons and
hauled TO the fort, which the command