New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1903-12-16

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however, and Col. Pfaender attributes
this to their sweeping character. In
the past they have been very general,
extending to all persons who enlisted
for service during the uprising. This
would include hundreds of men who
formed companies of home guards but
who never saw actual fighting or spent
day away from their homes. In
sense it would be an imposition to ask
pensions for these persons and it was
finally decided to limit it to the
defenders of New Ulm and Fort
Ridgely.
This has been done and the bill
provides that proofs of service may be
attested to by the adjutant general of
the state of Minnesota. The measure
has been referred to the committees on
pensions and it is believed there is
fighting chance for its passage. Senator
McComber of North Dakota, chair
man of the senate pension committee,
is said to favor the relief and if it
goes through the upper house the
recommendation of the senate will 60
a great ways with the representatives.
To give the members of the COM
mittees some idea of the nature of the
service rendered Col. Pfaender drew
up short sketch of the uprising and
has had copies forwarded to Wash
ington. The sketch is as follows:
''Monday the 18th day of August,
1862, party of citizens started from
New Ulm with U. S. flag and the
local band to encourage enlistments to
the volunteer army under the fastest
call of President Lincoln, and pro-
ceeding to the town of Milford about
six miles west of New Ulm, they were
suddenly attacked by party Of
Indians lying in ambush who had
already massacred large number Of
settlers living beyond that point.
'The citizens being entirely UNI
armed, three OF their number were
killed in this unexpected attack, and
two severely wounded, but the rest Of
the party succeeded in turning back,
an d passing down the road gave the
settlers warning to take refuge IN town
and on their arrival at New Ulm gave
the alarm.
"Sheriff Charles ROOs Immediately
took steps to defend the town against
the expected attack, and organized the
citizens and refugees constantly
arriving into companies. When the
Indians approached on Tuesday the
10th of August, Capt. Jacob Nix was
ordered by the sheriff to take COM
mand, and a severe battle ensued
which lasted until evening, when the
Indians, finding that they could not
take the town, Withdrew for the night.
9sLate in the evening Col. Flandrau
arrived with a large company from st.
Peter, and other reinforcements from
Mankato and LIE Sueur came in. There
was no further attack on Wednesday,
and the men thus coming in organized
fully under the command of Col.
Flandrau and every preparation was
made to meet any future attacks.
The attack of the Indians on Fort
Ridgely being successfully repulsed
on Wednesday, the 10th of August, the
savages approached New Ulm again
| in large numbers for final attack on
Saturday, which was renewed or, Sun
day and lasted all day, but ended with
the withdrawal of the Indians. The
number of defenders killed in these
actions was thirty -four and about sixty
we're wounded, several of whom died
shortly afterwards.
AS it is the intention to provide only
for those who were actively engaged
in the attacks on New Ulm and Fort
Ridgely from August 10Th to August
24th, 1862, the number of men or
widows to be benefited by the pro-
posed legislation would not exceed
: 225 to $50. =