The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-08-17

T1DIS SIOUX Op1lSluEs OF 1907 ana -Ih0
horrible massacre of the white settlers
by the Sioux Indians will be observed
at New Ulm- by a big celebration on
next Saturday and Sunday, August
% and "a.
Forty years have elapsed since the
massacre at New Ulm and vicinity and
the selection of that city as the point
at which to hold the important exer-
cises as it was the town that suffered
most severely from the depredaticns of
the savage red men, and around 1T the
memories of those troublous times still
cluster and associated with it are all
the incidents of the conflict which was
fought and won.
A number of speakers Of note will be
present, and heading the imposing list
is the name of United States Senator
Moses E. Clapp, orator of the day Gov
S. r. Van SAINT will be present and
there will also be Minnesota's beloved
Ex-Governor Alexander Ramsey, and
another brilliant man holding the same
rank, John Lind. Judge Charles e.
Flandrau, who commanded at the bat
tie of New Ulm, is down for an address
and the hero of Fort Ridgely, Col T. J.
Sheehan, will also speak. Numerous
other well known men will be in at
tendance and deliver short addresses
and number of features have been
provided by the committee in charge
with view of making this a ceISbra-
ton that will long be remembered by
those who attend. Among these will
be an historical and military parade.
sham battle and of special interest
will be a relic room, where will be ex-
hibited trophies and trinkets captured
from the Indians valuable family heir
looms and many other souvenirs of the
early days.
Killed 1000 People.
It is estimated that the Indians MR.
dered in cold blood almost 1000 people
men, women and children. The In
dams would call at some settlers
house and, being well known, would
cause no alarm. They would be in
squads of four or five and would await
a good opportunity and shoot the man
Of the family, then butcher the women
and children, and, after CARRYING off
everything that would be of value to
them, they would burn the house and
proceed to the next homestead and re-
peat the same performance. Occasion
ally some one would escape, and spread
the news of the massacre and all who
could would escape to some place Of
refuge. Mothers would see their hus-
bands and children murdered in cold
blood before their very eyes, as did also
the children.
The two most. important battles
fought during the uprising were those
at Fort Ridgeley, where Col. T. J. Shee-
han, then a lieutenant of company G,
Fifth Minnesota, made himself famous
by the bravery he displayed and the
way he conducted the battle, and the
| battle of New Ulm.
Judge Charles E. F1andrau, who was
| in command of the troops at the time
| of the massacre, gives the following
| account of the battle with the Indians
| in his History of Minnesota and Tales
| of the Frontier" which was recently
| published by E. w. Porter:
Heard the Cannonadina.
I've left New Ulm after the arrival
| of the various companies, on the 21st
| of August, Strengthening it's barricades
and awaiting Developments. had
| placed good glass on the top of one
Of the stone buildings within the barri-
cades for the purpose of observation,
| and always kept a sentinel there to re-
| port any movement he should discover
| throughout the surrounding country.
We heard distinctly the cannonading
| at the fort for the two past days, but
knew nothing Of the result of the fight
at that point was perfectly familiar.
as were many of my, command, with
| the country between New Ulm and the
| fort on both sides of the river. know
| ing the house of every settler on the
roads.
Saturday, Aug. %. opened bright and
beautiful, and early in the morning we
saw column after column of smoke rise
| in the direction of the fort, each smoke
being nearer than the last. We knew
| to certainty that the Indians were
| approaching in force, burning every
building and grain or hay stack they
passed. The settlers had either all been
| killed or had taken refuge at the fort
| or New Ulm, so we had no anxiety
| about them. About $50 a. m. the en-
| envy appeared in great force on both
| sides of the river. Those on the east
| side, when they reached the neighbour
| hood of the ferry, burned some stacks
! as a signal of their arrival, which was
| responded to by a similar fire in the
| edge of the timber, about two miles
| and half from the town on the west
| side. Between the timber and the town
was beautiful open prairie, with con-
| siderable descent toward the town. I'M
| mediately on seeing the smoke from
| the ferry the enemy advanced rapidly,
| some 500 strong, many mounted and
| the rest on foot had determioad to
meet them on the open prairie and
| had formed my command by companies
| In strong line of battle, with inter-
| walls between them, on the first level
/ plateau on the west side of the town.
| thus covering It's whole west front
| There were not over twenty or thirty
| rifles in the whole command, and a
L
| tagcnist carries a rife, has very little
| faith in his fighting ability. Down
| came the Indians in the bright sunlight
| gallcping, running, yelling and gestic-
| ulating in the most hendish manner If
| we had had good rifles they never
| would have got near enough to do
much harm, but as it was we could
not check them before their fire be-
| gan to tell on our line.
| Fell Back on the Town.
| 'fThey deployed on the right and left
until they covered our entire front,
| and then charged. Ny men, appreci-
ating the inferiority of their arma-
ment, after seeing several of their COM
rades fall, and having fired a few In
| effectual volleys, fell back on the town.
| passing some buildings without tax
| ing possession of them, which mistake
1 was instantly taken advantage of by
| the Indians, who at once occupied
| them, but they did not follow us into
| the town proper, no doubt thinking our
| retreat was feint to draw them
| among the buildings and thus gain an
advantage. i think If they had boldly
| charged into the town and set it on
| fire they would have won the fight;
but, instead, they surrounded it on all
| sides, the main body taking possession
l of the lower end Of the main street
below the barbados, from which di-
l rectioE strong wind was blowing
/ towards the center of the town. From
| this point they began firing the houses
| on both sides of the street.
l I'VE soon rallied the men and kent
| the enemy well in the outskirts of the
town and the fighting became general
on all sides. Just about this time my
first lieutenant, William B. Dodd, gall
loped down the main street, and as he
| passed cross street the Indians PVT
| three or four bullets through him. fSa