St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-07-05
Special to the Globe.

AainSey anu OCher Prominent
Citizens Present.
Special to the Globe fa tH
MoNTEvIDEo. Mimi. July 4.-The
dedication of Camp RsieaSe monument
here today was largely attended. The
monument IS of ST. Cloud granite and
flfty-two feet high. 1t stands on a high
bluff and can be seen for many miles
up and down the Minnesota river. On
the front face Of the monument are the
words Camp Release" in raised letters.
The inscriptions on the other three sides
tell briefly the history of that terrible
war, of the release and the erection OF
the monument. They are as follows:
TO COMMEMORATE
The surrender here of q large body OF
Indians, and the release OF 2B9 Capt
ives, mostly women aud children,
SEPTEMBER 20. 1862.
the result mainly. OF the signal VIC
tory over the hostile Sioux at Wood
LAKE by. Minnesota troops under
command OF Gen. Henry II. Sibley.
all being incidents the great Sioux
Indian massacre.
Redwood August IS, 1859.
Fort Rldgley, August CD
New Tim, August 1924.
Birch Coclie, September
Fl Abercrombie, September 6.
God Lake. September2.
Erected in 1894 by the State OF
Minnesota
In accordance with an Act Of the Leg
islaiure. Approved April II, 1863,
and Under the Supervision
OF the Committee There
c. c. ANDREws
II. E. HOARD.
W. II. GRANT
K \. i. \ Tf ARlbLs'
COMMITTEES.
c. Fl. Budd presided and Gen. c. c.
Andrews was the first speaker Of the
day. His remarks were largely his
torical. He said 10 part:
This monument commentaries most
striking incident in the great Sioux
Indian massacre and war. namely the
release Of 269 captives of whom lO7 were
white women and children. also, the
surrender of camp of 1900 Indians
Of all ages, in whose custody those
captives were found, As the massa-
ere at korkyra was in intensity the
worst i'll the Grecian world SO is the
Sioux horror the worst in the annals OF
America. At Wyoming there fell UNI
~
yeomen who had been defeated IN bat.
tie. But in this Sioux massacre 7OJ
defenseless citizens were slain without
distinction of age or sex. The genera
massacre began August Is. at the Lower
Sioux Agency, in the vicinity where
now is situated the town of Redwood
Falls. though flye white people had been
killed the day before at Acton. The main
body OF hoStiles under the Chief Little
Crow, ana numbering according
to different estimates from $50 to 100
trained warriors, boldly moved against
Fort Ridgley and our villages, while
small parties flew over the western
frontier of Minnesota from the Red
river valley to the Iowa line, surprising
and numbering whole families al their
peaceful homes and destroying property
by fire. Such Of.the agricultural popu.
lation on the western border as could
escape, fed to the nearest villages and
sought shelter i'll stockades. Twenty
counties were entirely depopulated.
The distress. anguish and injury which
our people suffered were unspeak-
able. 1t was a most grievous cal
am.ty and setback to the entire
State. There was a company Of volun-
teer troops at Fort Ridgley-the heroic
Capt. Marsh's- and Little Crows force
met brave resistance at Redwood river
the very day of the outbreak. Little
Crow fiercely attacked and engaged
our forces in battle at Fort Ridg-
ley, Aug. 20. 81, %. New Ulm
Aug. %, "a; Birch CooHe Sept. ., and
Wood Lake Sept. %, but was repulsed
with noble courage and valor in each
battle. The result of these conflicts,
unexpectedly of the last mentioned, was
uch TN at our commander, then Col, Slb-
ey, but who was promoted as brigadier
general for the victory at Wood lake
was able 10 begin negotiations with
the Indians which led, on Sept. %, at
this place, 10 those events, the RELEASE
or the captlves and surrender OF Which
the state has erected this monument.
EX-Govs, Ramsey and Austin, Attor-
ney General Childs, Capt. Reed and E.
j. Hodgson made addresses. This is an
extract from MI. Hodgson's remarks:
1--WE stand today upon the earth that
has been hallowed and consecrated.
Here innocent captiveS. suffering under
chains more CALLING than those which
corrode the flesh of the felon, were
liberated from savage thraldom. Here
children were restored TO the arms OF
agonized parents. Here wives and
mothers were returned to the
loving arms of husbands and children
Here human lives were Savee from the
most horrible slavery aud peril and re-
stored 10 home and friends and loved
ones. Why those are things, my frienes,
that would sanclify the very depths Of
hell were they theie ACCOMPLISHED; and
unto such spots the angels may well ape
prOach with uncovered brow and UNI
sandled feet"
Secretary of State Brown and Deputy
those present.
Letters were read from Judges Cliff
Ian and Collins, and from eX-GuVS. Nj c
Gill and Marshall.