Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1902-08-28

m OF Capt. B~oardman. and CON
fdence was then rendered oouS'S
strong.
OnIv two people were killed within
the barricades during the first ATTACH
one of these being q girl OF fourteen
wears. who out of curiosity a ven
tured from the Erd residence 10 va"
ness the combat. The WOUNDED th"t
had been brought into town were nit
for by Dr. weshcke, the DAKOTA house
teins used for a hospital. Wedhesoay
morning another company in cornThanu
of Capt. F1andau arrived from ."
Peter and lie Sueur and also a corhpahS
OF volunteers from Mankato uhuoi
Capt. Biarbauer. The sheriff lhIruS'
command of the forces or capt D'HN
of st. Peter, but the st. Peter toihs oO
jeGted, claiming that he was 100 !
less with the life of men. AccorulhsAS
a meeting was held in which Flan"t.
was selected as commander, Win bo"N
as provost marshal and Bell as oeput''
A regular military organization Was
f., med and martial law proclaimed
People arrived during the day VINO III
their eagarness to tight Indians had Tor
gotten their shoes, while others VINO
had no opportunity to ride had wake"
at least thirty miles. Moccasins were
given to those in need of footwear, anu
the rest were as well supplied with am
munition as a confiscation of the pow
der AMI lead in the stores would permit:
In short, the life where the indivldu1i
ceases, ami where the pubic comes
first, had commenced. The whole town
was turned into a quartermaster
store or garrison and everything was
utilized for the benefit of the puolc N
the paramount cause. B~arricades were
improved to better resist a renewed az
tack and expeditions secured the couh-
try to protect settlers and gain IN
formation.
While everything was quiet at New
Jim on Wednesday, it was not so at
Fort Ridgely. Little Crow saw the aa-
vantage of more ammunition and a re-"
field pieces in mis- operations down the
valley, and by capturing Fort Ridgely
these could surely be obtained. He
knew that one company had left the
Fcrt on the previous Sunday, and ne
was also aware of the decrease in the
force that held the citadel by the a
NaCiH u Sdpl . EoAioAN $500
the 18th rear the lower agency.
These facts encouraged Little Crow
TO attack the fort. This he did on two
occasions, first on Wednesday, Aug. 20,
and az ain on Friday, Aug. o., Both at
tacks were repulsed, with but small loss
to either side. The attack on Friday
was the more formidable n pr~otrac:@d
of the two, and the Indians were only
beaten off by the gallantry of Lieut.. l.
J. Sheeha1, the commander, n the
brave defenders under him, and espe-
cially by the well served artillery IN
general charge of Sergt. John Jones.
Thereafter, for some days, the fort was
virtually in a state of siege or invest
ment. The place was w with
refugees-men, women and children
from the massacres, and many Of them
were wounded. Water and provisions
became very scarce, and the situation
was perIlous in the extreme. The fort
was finally relieved on Wednesday.
Aug. q, by the advance guard of Gen.
S.bley's little army under Col. Sam
McPhail.
Fire and PiIIaRe.
But LnS "OEsL was YET 10 COulSs SaN
urday morning clouds of smoke could
be noticed rising from the farming
community around New Ulm. and 1T
was quite evident to the eager citizens
that the Indians were advancing in full
force. During the night previous about
twenty men had started for st. Peter
and in the morning seventy more left,
under command of Lieut.. Huey. They
met another company under Capt. Cox,
hut the Indians cut off the return of
both, and only a few managed to reach
the besieged city. At loon a man on
Erd's house cried out hat the Indians
were at hand. The forces remaining
in the town were Immediately called to
arms and skirmish lines were formed,
which fell back toward the center Of
the city. The firing on both sides was
'ncessant. continuing even into the
r:cades with the exception Of wedden-
6o9f's brick house were all burned eth
er by the Indians or by the defense N
order TO rob their enemies OF every ad-
vantage. The fight on the Part of those
within the barbados was courageous.
They had everything to fear,
nothing TO hope for. Still they
adhered 30 their duty to the
last. unfinching in spite Of the odds
against them. The women huddled to-
gether in the cellars, and in Erd's build
ing they had a barrel of gun powder
ready to ignite In case the Indians
should be victorious.
Oaly eight men were killed the first
day OF the fight. About sixty were
wounded, some of whom died soon.
Sunday morning the fight was re-
rewed. but the defenders had fixed up
scme stovepipe to resemble artillery.
and, deceived by this, the Indians soon.
dispersed. Toward noon Cox arriv. ID
with $50 men and orders to eyacuate the
town.
Monday morning 1873 wagon loads of
wounded men and women and children
left their homes, and. guarded by $50
citizen soldiers, wended their way dow
the valley TO st. Peter and Mankato.
Stringfng along for a distance of two
miles, 1t was perhaps the most graphic
and lamentaSle exhibition that ever
was witnessed since the settlement Of
the ccdntry at Plymouth Rock. These
POOR people had a few days before oc-