Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1902-09-03
The Fortieth Anniversary Of the New
Ulm Indian Massacre Was OBJ
served a Short Time Ago.
THE SIEGE OF FORT RIDeELY
Little Crow Signally Failed to Cap
ture the Fort and the Defeat Of
the Indians was Decisive.

tNohA ~ fSNta
nous New Ulm massacre when the
Sioux devils went on the war path
and carried out what is generally con-
ceded to have been the most horrible
Indian massacre in the history Of the
United States in the number of in
nocent people killed and the amount
of property destroyed.
On Sept. % at New Ulm was OBJ
served the fortieth anniversary of the
massacre. Several prominent men of
the state and those who had taken
part in the fights with the Indians
participated at the observation of the
day.
A brief history of the New Ulm
massacre may be interesting ever to
the old-timers who were In Minneso-
ia at that time, especially when 1t is
recalled that $50 lives are believed to
have been lost in those stirring times.
The first important scene of the out
break was at Redwood agency, on
the south bank of the Minnesota riv-
er, in Redwood county. Here was a
considerable collection of buildings,
including the warehouses and other
structures belonging to the govern
ment, a nearly completed Episcopal
church, some traders stores, a board
ing house, some dwelling houses oc.
cupied by farmer Indians" etc. This
was known as the lower agency. Here
the first victims were killed and here
a commission tried many Of the par
Elephants. Above and below were the
Indian villages of Little Grow, Blue
Earth, Travelling Hail, Wabasha and
Hushasha from whence the sudden
attack sprung.
The first victim of the massacre
was James w. Lynd. He was clerk
in a trading house and was standing
on the door step of a store when an
Indian raised his gun and exclaimed:
Nov l will kill the dog who would
not give me credit" The shot was
instantly fatal.
So complete was the surprise and
so sudden and terrible the blow that
not a single one of all the host of saw
ages at hand was slain. Yet in 80
minutes from the time the first gun
was fired not a single white person in
the vicinity was left alive. All that
day the work of slaughter and plum
der 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 In
dians. They were seen simultaneous
ly and all along the river from Birch
coulee to Beaver creek. They said
they were after Chippewas. About G
or 7 o'clock they began to repair to
the various settlers houses and then
the work of death began. The day
passed and night came and the new
morning brought fresh horrors.
About noon, August 18th, a mar
rode into town crying out that the
Indians were coming and that they
were numbering everybody on theil
way. The sheriff was summoned
but he. like the rest, refused to be
lieve the story, He was of the opin
ion that a lot of Indians had becom,
maddened with whisky. He called
a posse of citizens together. however
for the purpose of apprehending ant
putting the murderers in the county
jail. After meeting two or three
wounded men they discovered tn,
Indians and gave chase and Johr
Haucustin succeeded In shooting one
Upon their return to the city sher
in Roos ordered all the men in tn,
county to take up arms. Jacob Nj,
was given charge of all the forces
together with the defense of the town
1t was some time after noon that thu
attack commenced. and owing to thu
departure of several squads of mel
there were at the time but thre'
rifles and forty other guns in thu
town. The Indians numbered abou
200. The timely return Of the var
ious squads enabled the defenders 4
hold their own. Before dark the In
dams withdrew. The fight had rage,
for about an hour and the loss to tn
Indians was heavy. while the white
lost but two, one of these being a cir
IA years of age, who out Of curiosit.
had ventured from the Erd house L
witness the combat. The wounde,
were cared for by DR.. Weschcke, tn.
present mayor of the city, and the Da
kota house was used for a hosplta.
Much credit for this brave defens
of New Ulm is given to the soldier
who came from st. Peter. but tn
truth is that the fighting was owe
and the Indians had dispensed befor
the soldiers came. The credit for tn
defense belongs to the brave men O