The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-11-20

enough TO make one smile to have Shee-
han called one of Minnesota's greatest
, Indian fighters and frontiersmen. That
battle of Fort Ridgley constitutes all of
his Indian fighting and frontier life, and
why he can be considered greater than
any of the men who were with him, is
beyond my comprehension. I was a
member of Sheehan's company-was
mustered in at the organization of the
company and received my discharge when
the regiment was mustered out at the
close of the war of the rebellion. While
strictly speaking, we might have been
considered under state of siege for ten
days, there was only two days of fight
ing instead of ten. Held Fort Ridgley
pretty small force to battle against over
a thousand bloodthirsty red devils. While
we had a small force, the actual number
was as follows: Fifty men company c.,
fifty -one of company B, fifty of the Rem
vile Rangers, Ordnance Sergeant Jones
of the United States army, Sutler Ran
dali, Surgeon Muller and about twenty
five armed citizens, making, [ think, a
total of $50 men, and good men, too.
They were desperate, fighting FOR life and
the lives of the helpless women and chill
dren in the fort. To my certain knowl
edge, Tim Sheehan was never wounded
neir ber at Ridgley or in ans o.ler sub
seq&ent battle. He has not EnW, non
never had an Indian bullet IN his flesh
He never marched to Big Stone Lake
with his men. He remained ut Ridgley
until September 18th, a month after the
battle, when he was ordered to join the
balance of the company at Fort Ripley.
As to that 100000, 1 would say that
he has the amount just $4,000 too large.
! \ few days before the battle Clerk
! Wyclloff of the paymaster's department,
accompanied by three OF four men, arriv-
ed at the fort with $7l 900 in gold with
which to pay off the Indians When it.
became evident that we were to be at
tackled, Wyclloff and possibly two of his
escort, secretly buried the money, nor
did Sheehan or any other soldier know
where it was hid. Sheehan never had
the money in his possession, nor did he
ever see it. Sheehan was the ranking of
ficer at the fort after the death of Capt
Marsh at Redwood, the day before the
fight at Riidgley began, but he was not
the only officer in the fort. There was
Lieut.. Geere of company B, and the lieu
tenant in command of the Renville Rang
ers."
''The paper speaks of Colonel Shee-
hams modesty. Let me give you an ex-
ample of his innate modesty: When the
long looked for relief arrived, Lieutenant
Sheehan drew his men up in line before
the relieving troops and said: Three
cheers for the gallant Colonel McPhail
and his brave men, who have come to
the rescue and raised the siege!' The
boys gave them with zest Then this !
modest man said: Now, boys, three !
cheers for me, for by the Eternal Gods |
Pm after them!' Tim Sheehan was
good, brave officer, both as lieutenant !
and captain of our company, but he was
no Drawer than thousands and thousands !
of officers of the war of the rebellion,
nor was he a whit Drawer than any of |
the $50 gallant fellows that stood be- |
tween those defenseless women and chill |
dren and the bowling red devils outside !
the fort" -Lounger in The Blue Earth |
Post.