The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-09-04

"torty-one years ago today, and Just
about now" said James H. Mead, as he
seated himself in one of The Lounger's
chairs at about ten o'clock last Satur.
day forenoon, Il had about given up al
hopes of ever seeing the sun go down
behind the western hills again." When
pressed for an explanation he said:
To-day is the 22d of August, and on
this day, forty-one years ago, we were
in life and death struggle with the In
dams at Fort Ridgley. My, but it was
hot time! We had fought them off
on the Goth, and they had returned re-
inforced and Little Grow was bound to
capture the fort. There were about 500
blood thirsty savages and all knew how
to shoot. There were in the fort at the
time, about lis armed men and at least
800 women and children. The men con-
sisted of the following: Fifty from
Company c, (my company 40 from
Company B. Fifth Minnesota 80 of
the Renville Rangers, and 80 armed citi-
Zens. We We're under the command of
Lieutenant T. J. Sheehan of my COM
pany.
"The fort, which consisted of a group
of buildings standing at intervals, sur
rounding an open square ninety yards
across, stood on a spur of the high
prairie tableland which extended from
the northwest toward the Minnesota
river, that stream being about one-half
mile to the south. Along the east side
of this spur, and within easy musket
range, a long and deep ravine extended
southeasterly to the main valley. The
day before the first attack. which was on
the goth, they were seen filing by, across
the ravine and out of range. They We're
going down to attack New Ulm The
next day they came back and made it
hot for us. Mark Greer of Blue Earth
and myself were stationed at corner of
the quarters. | saw an Indian take run
from one building outside of the fort to
another, and | fired at him. 1 scared
him, if | did not hit him. let me get
shot at them,' said Mark, as l stepped
back to load my musket. He stuck his
head out from behind the building, and
no sooner had he done this than he fell
back dead, with bullet through the
head. 1t would take a week to tell you
all that transpired during those two ter
rible days. | could tell you of acts of
peace and quiet would seem incredible.
l can see now, as it were, Charley Rose
skulking from building to building, amid
a shower of bullets, delivering bullets
that the women and no -combatants were
making for the boys; 1 can see Joe
Green, as brave a boy as ever lived, going
to the spring for water for the almost
famished garrison, against the will of
his commander and the protest of his
comrades, and 1 can hear the cheers that
greeted him as he drove back with water
and not scratch from bullet or an
arrow. / shall never forget an incident
in particular. There was a grove of oak
trees about mile off, and there Little
Crow, thinking he was out of range,
gathered his braves for a council of war;
Lieutenant Sheehan asked Sergeant
Jones, who had charge of the artillery,
if he could get the range. 4 have the
exact range, sir, for / have had target
at that place Then draw your can
lister and load with shell and send them
my compliments said the officer We
all watched him as he loaded, and l rec
member how the ground fairly trembled
at the discharge of that 24-pounder.
When the smoke cleared away we could
see the Indians scattering from that
clump of trees Some half breeds de-
serted and came into the fort soon after
that, and they said we killed thirteen
at one shot. a few more shots from
others of the six cannons, and they gave
up the idea of charge, for it was inn
possible to find any assemblage of Them
"Another incident is indelibly impress
ed upon my memory: During the Sec
ond dav an Indian had worked his way
up toward us and taken a position be-
hind tree He was an extra good shot,
and was therefore annoying us, doing
considerable execution. Sergeant Jones'
attention was called to the annoying
red skin. and he told us to watch how
he would make good Indian out of
the fellow He loaded one of the r.
Founders with a solid shot, brought it to
bear on the tree, took careful sight, and
let her 90. Quite a crowd of us had as
sembled to watch the effect of the shot.
We saw splinters flying in all directions,
and we imagined we observed pieces of
the noble red brother starting for the
happy hunting ground in different direc-
tions. As soon as the fight was over we
went out there on tour of inspection.
We found that Jones had hit that tree as
near the center as one could put his
hand; that the shot had gone straight
through the tree, and few scattering
remnants of To- were to be found laying
around in the vicinity. 1t was the best
shot 1 saw during the war. Jones was
an old soldier-had been in the regular
army for a great many years, and was
retired soon after the Fort Ridgley fight.
"There were sixteen boys from Blue
Earth in that company. They were as
follows: Frank A. Blackmer, who with
Bottsford started the first newspaper in
this city, James M. Brown, Zimery C..
Butler. Zacharia Chute, Levi Chute, Fer
dinand Eberlein, Mark M. Greer, Albert
X. Grant, Peter Harris, John E. Hale,
Orlando McFall, j. H. Mead, John Ole
son. C. A. Rose, James M. Upright and E.
C. Young. OF these Greer was killed,
Frank Blackmer badly wounded in the
face and Charley Rose quite severely
wounded There were fourteen of the
company wounded at Ridgley.
"You ask what has become of them
Let me tell you what Al years has done
with them: The dead are Blackmer,
Brown, Butler, Zacharia Chute, Eberlein,
Greer, Grant, Harris, Oleson and Wright.
Nobody seems to know what has become
of Levi Chute and E. c. Young; John
Hale is in California, Orlando McFall
working in Saltwater, Charley Rose at