The Sauk Centre herald., 1908-07-30
AT FORT RIDG[LY
Graphic Story Of the Defence Of
the Old Stronghold
IN INDIAN MASSAGE
Farmers Boy of Win0na Wins Prize
With Essay on SubjeCt-SpeCta-
Gle at State Fair

Mark L. Rowell, a farmer lad liv
ing on R. F. D. No. 3, Winona,
Mimi. and a student in the Wlnons
high school, has been awarded frs
prize by the State Agricultural so
ciety for the best essay on the de-
Tense of Fort Ridgely. The attack
on the fort occurred during the SiouS
uprising in Minnesota in 1862, and
the description given by young ROW
ell is vivid and clothed in excellent
English. This essay will be largely
drawn upon in preparing the book
upon which will be based the military
pyrotechnic spectacle, "The Attack OF
Fort Ridgely," which will be partlci-
pated in by over 1000 white men
Indians and horses in front of the
grandstand each evening of the state
fair. and will be followed by bril-
liant display of Gregory's fireworks
The essay follows:
When darkness paled into gray dawn
on the morning of the 10th of April,
1862. the first uncertain CLINT OF
light fell upon an anxious and sleep
less multitude huddled in terrified
groups behind the rough defenses OF
Fort Ridgely.
The night had been terrible one
to those who had kept a ceaseless
vigil in momentary expectation OF
an Indian attack, which, in the dark
ness. and without arms, they could
not hope to Withstand. 1t Is beyond
the power of words to depict the
horror of their situation, or to pic
ture the feverish Joy with which they
hailed the reinforcements that came
to them out of the gray of the early
morning.
Lieut.. Shehan and his fifty men
had covered upwards of fifty miles
during the night, and with this rein
forcement the garrison, for the first
time, became hopeful, and overcame
the palsy of terror which had held
them in inaction.
The day dragged by without at
tack, and the men toiled throwing
up breastworks, and preparing for a
desperate defense. Tuesday night wa:
spent by the garrison in sleepless vigi-
lance, but the Indians made no sign,
and the spirits of the garrison began
to decline under the strain of the
continuous apprehension. The morn.
ing Of the twentieth had dawned
clear and sunny, and the sun was
approaching the zenith when the
pickets raised the alarm, and came
running for the fort Mr.. Randall
had gone over to his house just be-
fore the alarm was given, but he ran
back across the head of the ravine,
and arrived safely at the fort. Al
few minutes later the Indians swarm
ed up the ravine. They set fire tol
Mr. Randalps house, and began dane
ing around it, but when the rifle-men|
opened fire upon them they took
shelter in the woods. Under cover
Of this demonstration another party
of them began a spirited attack from
the northeast, and when the whole
garrison rushed to repel it, the party
on the southwest began a still more
furious attack.
Sergeant Jones was moving his gun
across the parade ground. He hur-
riedly returned and opened fire from
his old position. He was none tool
soon. The Indians were pouring in q
terrific fire from the shelter of thel
woods. They were gathering for con-
certed action. With gestures, threats
would find that they are fully as
and blood-curdling yells, they en-
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