New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1894-05-23
The Survivors of that Memorable En-.
gagement.
Enter Protest AGAINST the Proposed Sacri
lege and Violation of Law.
Capt. Joe Anderson Recounts the Seen e,
Of the Tragic Siege.
A Sioux Halt Breed WAKES Profanely
Eloquent.


ton and location of the Birch Coulie
Monument, and In the issue of Sunday,
we find the following:
We hardly think the committee en-
location of the Birch Coulie monume mt
will defy the wishes of the survivors of
that desperate battle, and, in violation
of the law, place the monument in the
town of Morton, or anywhere else than
on the battle field, where the law locates
it. We have heretofore shown that the
place selected is no part of the battle
field, anil that it only secured the sane
tion of the attorney general on a false
representation to him that some part of
the battle occurred at that point.
We have greatrespect for Maj. shee-
han, who thinks it should be located on
the fair grounds of Renville county but
the mayor is entirely off in his views.
In the first place, because the law max
ing the appropriation says it shall be
placed upon the battle field, and, second
ly, such structures are designed to i'm
press upon posterily the sacrifices which
the pioneers of the country suffered to
enable them to enjoy the land, and rot
for hitching post for farmers team
in small village, or distance post for
4 country race course. If there is any
good reason why it ought not to be erec-
ted on the battlefield we are un-
able to see-then let the law be changed
so as to put it on the ground Of the new
| capitol, where it will forever inculcate
it's teachings of patriotism to all the
| world.
Let US hear from some of the survi-
vors as to what they think of the location
of this monument in the town of Morton.
Here IS letter from Capt. Joe Ander-
son. who commanded the cavalry of the
expedition; and R. K. Boyd, who was in
the fight; also DR.. j. w. Daniels, who
acted as surgeon of the squad. And a
very emphatic protest from Joseph Osia,
a Sioux half breed, who fought with the
whites. He says; 81 want the monu-
ment placed exactly where the damned
Indians shot at me-"
The opinions of the rest of the survi-
vors will be forthcoming later.
Capt. Anderson writes to Col. Grant
from Oklahoma City as follows:
"There was and is but one Birch Cou-
lie battle-ground, and I rejoice to learn
that the old comrades who there, under
adverse conditions, fought to maintain
their position from the first dawn of day
on Sept. 2, 1862, until high noon of the
following day still remain true to the
memory of our comrades who there
bravely offered and, in twenty odd cases,
gave up their lives in the suppression of
a merciless raid that devastated the
frontier of Minnesota and the Dakotas
for more than 800 miles from south to
north, and more than sixty from east to
west. The men who made that defense
were mostly from st. Paul and the val
ley of the Minnesota, and were true pio-
neers in ,fortitude, but were without ex-
perience in military life. About one
third of us had revolvers and sabers,
which would have been useful had a
charge been made by the Indians, and
all of us were armed with muzzle-load
ing muskets, more than one-third of
which were old and out ofrepair. When
we were preparing to starr on the recon-
noissance that led up to the battle of
Birch Coulie the ordinance officer at
Fort Ridgely unfortunately made the
mistake of issuing to us 1000 cartridges
that were two sizes too large for our
muskets. the balls of which cartridges
we had to shave down with our pocket
knives, or hammer down with wagon
wrenches, during the engagement to fit
our guns, yet We can say that nearly
every man did his duty well during that
thirty odd hours. fight that was main
tanned without food, water OF rest against
great odds; and we have right to ask
in the name Of William Irvine, Ben Ter
y, gallant +. ". De Camp who was.
with US in search Of his missing wife and
children, and who stood up at Birch Cou-
lie. firing guns that were being loaded
for him by two Of our comrades, until he