The Washington herald., 1907-07-14
By DEXTER MARSHALL.

yesterday. so 10 speak. these names were
often in print, and each meant something
definite 10 the reader, each stood for an
individual who had won fame in his own
way. All five are alive to-day, but the
newspapers rarely mention them now;
when the name of one of them does stray
into print it means nothing to nipe read
ers in ten.
Yet for some time. Col Sheehan was
counted a hero. because he held an IN
dian uprising in check and saved the peo-
pie Of almost half State.
For years Proctor Knott was almost
woTld-famous as the most excruciatingIy
humorous orator in this couatry. because
ne made one funny address.
Mrs. Blackwell was the first woman
ever ordained to preach the Gospel and
long the talk of the whole world.
Mr.. Grant developed the card index sys-
TEN. It would be hard TO ind another
man whose influence upon the iataiis Of
all sorts of record-keeping has been as
great as his.
Mr.. Weston laid New York city's drain
age system. improved its Waterman sys-
ten, and long stood at the head Of those
who were developing municipal santa
ton. He was true pioneer in sanitary
engineering.
QuelIed a Savage Uprising.
Sheehan came to the front forty-five
years ago. at twenty-six, when, in 1862.
he electrified the country in spite OF its
absorbing interest in the civil war. by his
defense Of Fort Ridgley during the Sioux
uprising in Minnesota. To-day he lives in
semi-ObsCurity in St Paul. but in 1862 his
fame extended beyond the boundaries of
his adopted country. He came to the
United states at fifteen, from County
Cork, ireland. with his father; by the be-
ginning of the civil war. the son had
taken up q homestead at Albert Lea,
MINI, where he was town clerk. IN No
vember, 1861. he enlisted as a private
joining Company F Of the Fourth Min
nesota Infantry
He was eager TO get TO the 'front.' but
there was plenty Of work for soldiers IN
Minnesota just then. There were still
many Indians in the State. Sioux at that.
Sheehan was made a first lieutenant
transferred to Company c. of the Fifth
Regiment, and stationed at Fort Ridgley.
under Capt. Marsh. In July, Shechan
was sent after the Inkupadutas hostiles,
whom he succeeded in driving from the
Yellow Medicine Agency
After his return to Fort Ridgley, Capt
Marsh detailed him, on August L or IS, to
go 20 Fort Ripley with fifty men On the
18TH Fort Ridgley was besieged by 1,250
Indians, commanded by the once famous
Sioux chief, Little Crow. When the cap
tain realized the situation, he sent a
courier hotfoot after Sheehan to recall
him 10 the fort
Immediately afterward Marsh was shot
dead, leaving the fort without a COM
mander. Sheehar and his foot soldiers
were siXty-seven miles away on the route
10 Fort Ripley when the courier overlook
them. The country which they had to
traverse In returning was rough and brok
en-, and the weather was intensely hot vet
they arrived at Ridgley in twenty-four
hours forced marching without a single
straggler, a feat which never has been
surpassed by American infantry
Was without Defense.
Ridgley had no defenses, earthworks,
or otherwise. There was not even an in
closure-nothing but the two-story stone
building used by the commissary, with
small. scattering one-story frame build
~--C9 va NANAA siAAIs AkbAEllAgI ll-C NUDLE
formed three sides of a quadrangle. When
Sheehan arrived, the fort contained more
than 500 refugees from the surrounding
country mostly women and children, al
though there were twenty-five able-bodied
men among them. These were armed and
pressed into the defense, making a fight
ing force Of $50 men. Fort Ridgley COM
manded the Valley of the Minnesota, and
had It fallen the Sioux could have swept
the valley to the very gates Of ST. Paul
Sheehan and his hand held the fort, how
ever. during the nine days elapsing before
the arrival OF relief.
In that time the Sioux made two des-
perate attacks the first continuing five
hours and the second. two days later, six
hours. During both attacks the lighting
was fast and furious Undoubtedly the
fort might have been captured had not
the garrison been In possession Of three
small cannon. The Indians dropped close
to the ground in the tall grass. wearing
grass turbans to conceal their movements
and so Crawled to the stables and sutler'
store Of which they obtained possession.
Thus they We're protected from the mus
ket balls completely, but Sheehan's men
were able to destroy the buildings with
their cannon fire. killing many of the
savages. dispensing the remainder of them
and completely preventing a concentrated
attack
Burning Arrows, Brave Women.
AT one time the besiegers tried TO fire
the fort with burning arrows. but the
roofs Of the buildings had been thorough
~ wet by the recent rains and the arrows
were quenched.
Every able-bodied man took part in the
fighting. and none was obliged to leave
his place TO care for his disabled com
rades, since the women looked after the
wounded. The women not needed as
nurses went into the magazine, barefoot
ed, for fear the nails in their shoes would
ignite the powder. thus blowing up the
fort and busted themselves making cart
ridges so that no fighting man had toI
leave his Job Of killing savages for a sin
gle moment.
The Indians made no further attempt TO
rush the fort, but the garrison WIS in
danger until August p, when Gen. Henry
II Sibley arrived with four infantry CON-
panies from Fort Smelling, and the H.
dams fed, leaving more than 100 dead
Only three whites were killed and THY
teen wounded, Sheehan being one Of the
bakers dozen. He was shot twice. on
August 81 he was rewarded by promotion
TO a full captaincy, United States Volun-
teers
The uprising lasted over a month, dur
g ing which the Sioux killed more than S00l
whites. and destroyed property worth
millions Of dollars. Sheehan went 70 tho
trent few months after Fort Ridgley'
siege, and served unit. September, 1863.