Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-10-08
STORY OF THE FIGHT.
Twin Cities Reporters Tell the Story
of the Battle With the
PilIagers.

MINNEAPOLIS. MINI, Oct. TX. C.
Beaton one of the three newspaper men
marooned with General Bacon's troops on
Sugar Point, wires the Minneapolis Trib-
une a long account of the battle. After
describing the landing, he says:
''As there was no indication of trouble,
Brill, Knappen and myself made up our
minds to go back to Walker on the boat
to be sent by General Bacon for the tents
and rationS for another day. We were
down at the landing waiting for the row.
boats TO take US to the steamer when a
shot was heard. Immediately we ran back
to the rest on the HILL when volley
came from the woods to the front of us.
The soldiers were just about to be dis
missed. and for a moment 1 was at a loss
to understand the significance of the firing.
A second later another yolley came, and
the bullets whistled past my head.
Run to cover" some one cried, and as
the soldiers grabbed their guns and ran
to the left, l hurried down to the beach
where l was soon safely housed behind
big boulders and brush. As l ran down,
however, more bullets chased me, and it
was a wonder that myself and those with
STEADY men, steady" was the first sound
of voice we heard and as l raised my
head | could see General Bacon running
about with his troops.
Get up in the firing line" was the next
order given and the men OF the hShting
Third were seen to run through the grass
and weeds in the direction from which the
shots had been fired.
Another peep above the stone behind
which I lay, and a peep at great chance
of death, and | saw Major Wilkinson and
Lieutenant Ross calling to their men to
advance. All the time the shots were fast
and furious, and the bullets flew a rev
inches above our heads as we lay on the
! beach. The men continued to advance.
The three officers were everywhere. Major
Wilkinson in charge of the left flank, Cen
cral Bacon in charge of the center and
Lieutenant Ross in charge of the right
flank.
The soldiers were running along, 1t ap-
peared to me-, on their hands and knees,
the ranks of the enemy. The officers, how
ever, stood in the open. They were brave
almost to a reckessness, and seemed only
to consider the safety of their men: for they
advised them what to do In tones that could
be heard all over the point.
For thirty minutes there was ceaseless
roar and every little while we could hear
| cries of the men who had been shot.
looked up once and saw that Major Wilkin-
son had been injured, but where did not
know. | heard him cry: Ross. I've been
wounded, but won't give up, for it's not
| bad
The next moment as he stood right back
| of his firing line calling at the men: Give
| it to them, boys. We've got them going;
| give it to them; they are towards and they
are going to run" He seemed to stagger,
| and Surgeon Ross ran toward him.
Give them hell. general; give them
hell" he called at the top of his voice
over toward the central flank, where Gen.
eral Bacon was taking aim at a red man.
| Then he fell into the arms of the doctor,
who carried him into the log cabin at the
crest of the hill. where he died in one
hour and thirty minutes. There were two
wounds in his stomach and an artery had
| beer cut and he bled TO death. despite
| the efforts of the surgeon to save him.
a death as he expressed to me a few
minutes before he desired to experience,
for the major and myself had walked back
| from the scouting tour together.
| ]. was an awful sight. but, strange as
| il seems, We reporters down upon the bank
talked back and forth of what a good
| position until the big battle was over and
| the shots We're fewer. and we had moth
| ing to think about except the fact that
we might follow in the footsteps of the
ma ior.
About the same time the major fell. Pri-
vate Powell, who was running from one
| the evening. after darkness had come. he
was carried to the little cabin. the victim
| of another bullet from the Indians VIM
| cheSterS.
| The stripes on the sleeve of another man
whom I saw throw up his hands and drop
his gun. told me that sergeant had been
| hit. As he fell he clapped one of his hands
| to his head. and afterward | learned that
he was Sergeant Butler. and that he had
been killed instantly by shot through his
head
| AS he fell. Lieutenant Ross. who hal
charge of the two fanks after the injury
sustained by Major Wilkinson. was seen to
drop upon his knees and fire in the direc-
tion in which the shot that had killed But
| Ter had come. They told me afterwards
| that Ross got his man and had fully
avenged the death of the gallant sergeant.
After that the men were out of sight up
| in the woods and behind the cabin. and we
could only lay on the beach and wonder
when our end would come, for we did not
know but that the soldiers had been ami
| hiIated There was no letup in the firing,
| Suddenly to our right we heard the voice
| of Colonel Sheehan of st. Paul, deputy
| United States marshal. We glanced up
and could see the veteran Indian fighter
| leading an advance by portion of the
right flank.
You've got them whipped, boys: you've
got them whipped. Give it to them. give
| it to them" the colonel was yelling at the
| ton of his voice.
! Every time his voice was heard volley