Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-09-04

Indians in the bloody outbreak of
1863 was recalled at New Ulm Au-
gust %. Survivors Of the dark day
of Aug. %, 1852, recounted the strug-
gle and prominent men Of the state
spoke Of the success and growth Of
the years that have followed.
The violent outbreak Of the Sioux
Indians was in many respects the
most formidable and important In
dian outbreak in American history.
More Indians were engaged, more
whites were killed and more prop
erty was destroyed than in any Other
conflict or series of conflicts with the
savages from the time of the settle
ment of the country.
Compared with the great Sioux out
break in 1862 in the number of whites
| killed King Philips war was trivial:
the other Indian wars in colonial
times insignificant; the uprising I'M
der Tecumseh, in 1911, the Greek
wars in Alabama and Georgia, and
the Seminole war in Florida each III,
important.
! The massacres of Wyoming Valley
so often and fittingly told, were hare
ly to be compared in character and
extent with the massacres of Sacrec
Heart and Beaver Creek, of which
rot one American in a hundred has
ever heard. The defense of New
Ulm, Port Ridgley and Birch Coulie
were as gallant episodes as any that
are recorded in the annals of the re
public and yet the American histc-
rian commonly gives them but the
j briefest mention, Or omits them Ell,
+ tirely. In the other Indian wars and
massacres not more than 500 white
persons lost their lives. IN the few
| days of the Minnesota massacre by
actual count $50 men, women and
children persisted. Those killed
whose remains were never found and
| the soldiers and citizens killed or
mortally wounded in the hostile Gil
gagements with the Indians made
| the total death list number at least
! $50. 1ne value of property destroy
| ed was not under $1,O0O,OOO. The
! reason for this absence of historical
notice is found in the face that mas
the second Manassas, South Mountain
and Perryville battles of the rebel
| lion.
Outbreak at the Agency.
The first important scene of the
outbreak was at the Redwood Agen-
cy, on the south bank of the Mime
sofa river, in Redwood county. Here
was a considerable collection of
buildings, including the warehouses
and other structures belonging to
Episcopal church, some traders
stores, a boarding house. some dwell
ing houses occupied by Farmer In.
dians,'' etc. This was known as the
Lower Agency. Here the first vic.
TINS were killed and here a commits
sion tried many of the participants
Above and below were the Indian vii
| lagos Of Little Grow, Blue Earth
Travelling Hail, Wabasha and Hush.
asha from whence the sudden attack
sprung.
| Liz ulSI NIClIuu OI the massacre
was James w. Lynd. He was a clerk
i'll a trading house and was standing
OF the doorstep of the store when al
Indian raised his gun and exclaimed
Nov | will kill the dog who would
not give me credit. The shot was
instantly fatal.
So complete was the surprise, ana
so sudden and terrible the blow that
rot a single one of all the host OF
savages at hand was slain. Yet in
thirty minutes from the time the first
gun was fired not a single white per-
son in the vicinity was left alive.
All that day the work of slaughter
and plumber went On. When the
buildings had been emptied the torch
was applied
Early on the morning of the 18th
the settlers on the north side of the
river adjoining the reservation were
surprised to see a large body of Indl-
ans. They were seen simultaneous
ly all along the river from Bircn
| Coulie to Beaver Creek. They said
they were after Chippewas. About
or o'clock they began to repair to
the various settlers houses and then
| the flight of the inhabitants and the
work of death began. The day pass
ed and night came and the new morn
| ing brought fresh horrors.
First Battle of New Ulm.